R&B/Hip-Hop

13 Jun 2025

Kendrick Lamar Performs ‘Not Like Us’ In Toronto, Crowd Asks for Encore

This beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar may last forever like the beef between 50 Cent and Ja Rule has.

On Thursday night (Jun. 12), the Grand National Tour had its first of two back-to-back shows in Drake’s hometown of Toronto and it didn’t disappoint in the drama department. The Compton rapper performed his knockout punch “Not Like Us” as the crowd rapped along and even asked for an encore with footage surfacing of the audience screaming, “One more time, one more time!”

There was also talk of beefed up security with rumors flying around about a 25-police escort according to Akademiks and footage of a line of cops outside of the venue being shared on social media. There’s also video of fans breaking out into song while dining at New Ho King — the Chinese restaurant that found itself in the middle of the rap battle last year and has embraced the publicity, offering fans a first round of drinks on the house. For those who remember, New Ho King made an appearance in the “Family Matters” video where an employee was seen wearing all of Pharrell’s chains that Drake bought in an auction.

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The Toronto rapper was in the news yesterday when Kai Cenat announced that he and Drake would be doing a livestream and picking the winners of their “Somebody Loves Me” music video treatment on the same night as Lamar’s Toronto show. However, they decided to reschedule due to needing more time to go through the submissions with Kai posting on his Instagram Story that the stream will happen in a few more days.

Kendrick and SZA will perform in Toronto’s Rogers Centre once again on Friday (June 13).

12 Jun 2025

Nelly & Ashanti Get Real About Their Relationship (‘It’s Not Perfect’) in ‘We Belong Together’ Reality Show: Watch the Trailer

Nelly and Ashanti rekindled their romance in 2023, about 10 years after originally breaking their relationship off. It’s been a busy two years since, with the couple tying the knot and welcoming their son, Kareem “KK” Haynes, in July 2024.

The “Body On Me” collaborators are set to pull back the curtain and give fans an authentic look into the highs and lows of their relationship with their upcoming Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together reality series, which comes to Peacock on June 26.

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It’s an eight-episode series that will go behind the scenes of Nelly and Ashanti’s lives as they “rekindle their love, navigate the ups and downs of being newlyweds and new parents, and juggle their careers,” per a synopsis of the show.

The first trailer for the series arrived on Thursday (June 12), featuring Nelly and Ashanti going back and forth about a myriad of topics surrounding their relationship and lifestyles. “With our lives moving so fast, we’re not perfect,” the St. Louis hitmaker admitted. “But we can work our way through it.”

Ashanti and Nelly began dating in 2003 and split for what they thought was the final time around 2013. Life is all about second chances, and they rekindled the flame in 2023. Kareem Haynes is the “Foolish” singer’s first child and Nelly’s fifth.

The music powerhouse couple is onboard as executive producers of We Belong Together alongside Jenny Daly, J Erving and Lauren Lazin with Critical Productions LLC.

“I think we both were pretty much doing what we do, but sometimes being separate you understand one another more,” Nelly told Love and Hip Hop‘s Rasheeda and Kirk Frost last year. “You be like, ‘Yo, let me see exactly what they see.’ You know, because we all can be defensive sometimes in our own relationships. We know we wrong but we going to stand on it. But we all a victim to that.”

Watch the trailer below. Look for We Belong Together on Peacock on June 26.

12 Jun 2025

Tyler, the Creator Says ‘Cherry Bomb’ Backlash Was One of ‘The Greatest Things’ to Happen to Him

Tyler, The Creator opened up about the backlash to his 2015 album Cherry Bomb, saying it was the greatest thing to ever happen to him.

In a sit down with Instagram for their new video series “Ask It Anyway,” Tyler opened up about the heavily criticized project. He said it was mostly a consequence of trying too hard.

“My goal was to prove to myself that I am the most diverse producer at the time,” Tyler said. “People were just s—tting on it… it made me say, oh s—t – these songs aren’t good. Because of [the backlash], I was like, I need to reteach myself how to write songs. What is a chorus, hook, structure? That happening to me was one of the greatest things that could happen, because it made me dive into my skill and craft more.”

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Tyler’s Cherry Bomb follow-up, Flower Boy, was quickly regarded as one of Tyler’s best albums. He said Flower Boy “was the first album I put on the cover to let people know: all songs written, produced and arranged by me.”

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“You have to tell people who you are,” Tyler continued. “And I remember, the conversation started changing a bit… Now people are subconsciously listening to the production in a different way now, because I let them know that.”

Tyler is currently on his Chromakopia World Tour, and specifically said before the tour started he wouldn’t be performing songs from Cherry Bomb. “Chant all you want,” he wrote on X in response to a fan who said they’d start a “Cherry Bomb” chant during the show. “(I hope you dont, its mad annoying during the show) I’m not gonna play it, chanting doesn’t make me magically wanna play it.”

Watch the episode of “Ask It Anyway” below.

12 Jun 2025

Ty Dolla $ign’s EZMNY Records and Create Music Group Strike Joint Venture

Ty Dolla $ign‘s EZMNY Records and Create Music Group announced a joint venture on Thursday (June 12) following the success of EZMNY R&B artist Leon Thomas.

Co-founded with Shawn Barron, who signed Ty to Atlantic Records in 2012, EZMNY made waves earlier this year after signing Thomas, whose single “Mutt” continues to climb the charts. Barron said linking with an established entertainment company like Create Music Group will take EZMNY’s label ventures to the next level.

“The Create Music Group deal serves as a new chapter for EZMNY Records,” Barron said in a statement. “Partnering with the Create team is a natural extension of the artist-first vision Ty and I have
already built with the success of EZMNY. We are excited to continue to foster the relationship and look forward to building something truly impactful for our artists.”

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Jonathan Strauss, founder/CEO of Create Music Group, added: “Shawn and Ty are incredibly talented entrepreneurs. With over 15 years of chart-topping hits and industry accolades, their creative instincts have consistently shaped the sound of popular music.”

Create Music Group has built a notable roster since its founding in 2015. In addition to Ty, it has handled the releases of hip-hop and R&B stars including Ye (formerly Kanye West), Blxst, DDG, Rich The Kid and Keri Hilson.

“We’ve always believed in working with visionaries, and Shawn and Ty exemplify that,” Steeven Leblanc, director of business development at Create Music Group, added in a statement. “They understand the culture, the art, and the business in a way that few others do. This partnership is about amplifying that perspective and giving their artists the tools they need to break through at the highest level.”

12 Jun 2025

Jay-Z’s $1 Million NBA Finals Bet Goes Up In Flames After Indiana Pacers Game 3 Victory

Jay-Z’s pockets might be feeling a bit lighter after Wednesday night (June 11). Hov’s $1 million bet on the Oklahoma City Thunder to defeat the Indiana Pacers in exactly five games officially became a loss after the Pacers’ game three victory to take a 2-1 lead in the 2025 NBA Finals.

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The Brooklyn icon essentially bet that the Thunder would win the series 4-1, but with Indiana’s 116-107 victory on Wednesday night, that is no longer a possibility. It was an unlikely hero in game three, with Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin leading the way with 27 points off the bench in the win.

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OKC came into the series as heavy favorites and were 5.5-point favorites heading into game three. Even with the defeat, the Thunder remain the favorite to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy when the NBA Finals are set and done.

NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s backs are against the wall with game four slated for Friday night (June 13) in Indiana.

If the Thunder did win the Finals in five games, Jay would’ve profited $2.3 million with his bet, but that won’t be the case for the rap mogul. The wager was made with Fanatics Sportsbook, which Jay-Z co-founded with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin in 2023.

Outside of sports betting, Jay is looking to become a force in the gambling sector. He’s part of Roc Nation’s bid to bring a casino to New York City. As part of the SL Green and Caesar Entertainment bid for a full-scale casino in Times Square, they’re also promising to invest $15 million into the NYC community.

“We are New Yorkers,” Jay-Z said in a statement in 2024. “Supporting and providing opportunities for our neighborhoods and community isn’t just a part of Roc Nation’s ethos; it’s our collective responsibility.”

Tune in to ABC for game four of the NBA Finals at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday night.

12 Jun 2025

Jeezy Says He’s At ‘Peace’ After Tumultuous Divorce from Jeannie Mai

Jeezy has said he’s finally at a peaceful place in his life following his tumultuous divorce from Jeannie Mai last year. Sitting down with The Breakfast Club on Wednesday (June 11), Jeezy said despite the bitter divorce he was embroiled in for most of 2024, his 2025 has been filled with nothing but peace.

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“Peace, yeah, peace man,” Jeezy said when asked where things currently stand with Mai. “I’m all about understanding. I’m all about what’s best for everybody, the greater good. I’m just telling you, I tell myself this every day: ‘Man, this is amazing.’ I don’t got no enemies, I don’t go no issues. I don’t want no enemies, I don’t want no issues. I just want peace, I just want joy, I just want freedom. I love my freedom, I love it.”

He went on to say that he can move “independently” now, including coming to The Breakfast Club whenever he wants.

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“I ain’t gotta check in, I ain’t gotta talk to no label, I don’t gotta do nothing,” Jeezy continued. “Shout out to Def Jam, love y’all. But it’s just like, freedom and ownership is everything, especially when you’re talking art, you’re talking culture, you’re talking your mind. I work hard my whole life, this is the season of me. I’m putting myself first at all costs. My peace is everything.”

The former couple’s divorce was finalized last summer and was anything but amicable. Allegations of domestic abuse were hurled around last April, which Jeezy denied.

“It’s disheartening to witness the manipulation and deceit at play and at this time my main concern is being an active father to our daughter as I continue to fight for court mandated joint custody,” Jeezy wrote on social media at the time about the child the pair share, three-year-old Monaco Mai Jenkins. “Rest assured, the truth will prevail through the proper legal channels.”

12 Jun 2025

Lil Wayne Recruits Future & Lil Baby for Somber ‘Momma Don’t Worry’: Listen

Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter VI week has been filled with surprises. After enlisting Nicki Minaj for the “Banned From NO (Remix),” Weezy returned 24 hours later on Thursday (June 12) to clash with Lil Baby and Future on “Momma Don’t Worry.”

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Future handles chorus duties on the somber track, which finds the trio calming their mothers’ worries, assuring them at their turbulent upbringings prepared them for the callousness of life.

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“Momma, don’t worry, I got my pistol/ I’m gettin’ my dollars, you birthed a real n—a/ Told my daddy, ‘Don’t be sorry, I’m not gon’ blame you’/ If it weren’t for struggle, my dreams, they wouldn’t came true,” Future raps.

Baby takes the baton and continues with the same theme, speaking directly to his mother. “Told Momma, ‘Don’t worry, you know you raised a hard body’/ Granny called the other day, said, ‘Don’t scratch ’cause God got you,’” he asserts.

Weezy joins the mix and addresses the lack of a relationship with his father, who was absent from his life following a divorce from Wayne’s mom. “Told my daddy, ‘I don’t blame you, neither claim you’/ You was never in the picture, somebody framed you/ Mom’s bought my first pistol, brought me to the range too,” he spews.

Lil Baby and Weezy have teamed up for tracks like “Forever” in the past, while the New Orleans rap legend has an extensive history with Future, uniting with him on songs including “Love Me,” “After That,” “Oxy” and the “Karate Chop (Remix).”

Tha Carter VI arrived on Friday (June 6) featuring assists from Kodak Black, MGK, Bono, BigXthaPlug, Jelly Roll and Big Sean.

Listen to “Momma Don’t Worry” below.

12 Jun 2025

Drake to Stream ‘Somebody Loves Me’ Cash Giveaway with Kai Cenat During Kendrick Lamar’s Toronto Show

Drake has no plans on checking out Kendrick Lamar and SZA‘s Grand National Tour stop in Toronto tonight (June 12).

Instead, he’ll be doing a livestream with Kai Cenat where they’ll be finally picking winners from the “Somebody Loves Me” music video treatment challenge they announced in May where 20 creators will be given $15,000 each to bring their ideas to life. Participants had to submit 30-second to one-minute treatments by May 24 as part of the stunt.

On Wednesday (June 11), Cenat announced on his Instagram Stories that he and Drake intended to go live but felt like they needed more time to sift through the submission, so they decided to push the livestream back by one day.

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“First of all thank to everyone who shared their video submission for ‘Somebody Loves Me,’ he wrote. “We were blown away by the creativity and thought poured into each submission. We were suppose to go live today but needed a little extra time to review them. Tomorrow, Drake & I gonna go through some of the submissions with you guys, share some of my favorites and some of the not so good ones. and let y’all know which 20 people are getting money to bring their treatments to life.”

This isn’t the first time Drake has scheduled something around one of Kendrick’s shows. The third date of his Anita Max Win Australasia Tour coincided with the Compton rapper’s historic Super Bowl Halftime Show performance on Feb. 9. It’s also fair to add that Kendrick and SZA will be performing in Toronto on Friday (June 13) as well, so maybe Drake will pop out for that one. This is just the latest chapter in their bitter beef that came to a head last spring when the two superstars exchanged diss tracks after years of sending subliminal shots at each other on songs.

The stream will be going down later tonight at 8 p.m. EST on Kai’s Twitch channel.

12 Jun 2025

Rolling Loud Festival Is Headed to India

Rolling Loud is headed to India. The hip-hop festival – which already has editions in California, Florida and Thailand – will debut its first festival in Mumbai after bringing the signature event to eight other countries. The two-day festival will be exclusively ticketed and produced in partnership with District by Zomato, a discovery and booking app.

“We never imagined Rolling Loud would take us all the way to India — it’s incredible,” Rolling Loud co-founders and co-CEOs Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif said in a joint statement. “The hip-hop scene in India has been booming, and bringing the festival to Mumbai felt like the right decision. We’re excited to create a space where Indian fans can celebrate the artists they love, while also introducing international acts to a new audience. For us, it’s always been about building community through hip-hop — and we can’t wait to experience how India shows up.”

The two-day festival in India — which will announce dates and venue at a later time — will feature two distinct stages with elaborate production, plus fans can enjoy a series of local food and drink options, art installations and experiential activations that all tie back to the celebration of global and Indian hip-hop culture. Rolling Loud India promises a spotlight on an array of global superstars and international talent and top and rising Indian hip-hop artists.

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“India’s hip-hop scene is on fire right now, it’s raw, it’s real, and it’s ready. Rolling Loud coming to India isn’t just another festival drop; it’s a cultural shift,” District by Zomato CEO Rahul Ganjoo said in a release. “For years, we’ve felt the need to bridge India’s sound with the global stage, and this is that moment. It’s bigger than music, it’s a loud, undeniable signal that Indian hip-hop is here, it’s global, and it’s got something to say. We’re proud to bring this home.”

Since the event was founded in 2015, Rolling Loud has held festivals in New York, Miami, Toronto and Los Angeles, as well as in Australia, Germany, Portugal, The Netherlands, Thailand and Austria. Rolling Loud lineups throughout the last decade have included Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Future, Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, Cardi B, Playboi Carti and more.

Rolling Loud India tickets will go live exclusively on the District app. For more information on talent lineup, ticket details, festival details and more, check the District app and @districtupdates page on Instagram.

12 Jun 2025

‘Billboard Unfiltered’: Reviewing Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter VI’ & His All-Time Ranking in Rap

Billboard Unfiltered is back with a reimagined format and will remain a live show every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Staff writer Kyle Denis, senior director R&B/hip-hop Carl Lamarre and senior charts analyst Trevor Anderson returned with new moderator Delisa Shannon on Wednesday (June 11) as the trio debated the early returns of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter VI, and all three skewed to various degrees of a negative reception to Weezy’s latest installment in his decorated series.

Lamarre compared Wayne’s career legacy to that of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and said Weezy still remains in his top five of all-time. Although, CL believes that the disappointing album and his solo output over the last decade have watered down his discography.

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“I need to fire whoever was A&R and executive producing my brother Wayne’s album because this is easily the worst [Carter] in the entire series,” he claimed. “[C6] was just a full trainwreck… When you take out the mixtapes and look at pure albums. From one, five and six on Tha Carter is mid — everything else is mid.”

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Denis bluntly said C6 is “not a good album at all” and “a—.” “He spent the last year begging for sympathy by him not getting the Super Bowl slot and he deserved that,” he said. “This was the time to drop a fire album, get one or two hits off of that, and make your actual case for a Super Bowl headlining show next year. That’s completely shot now because it’s a—… You did not rise to the occasion.”

Anderson seemed to enjoy the album most among the Unfiltered crew, highlighting the first six tracks as standouts before being derailed. “I’m not gonna be that hard on it,” TA began. “Clearly, it’s the weakest entry in the canon… It didn’t stick the landing for me… I don’t know if this album really messes up [if Wayne is top five or top 10] for me… It does weaken Tha Carter series overall… But I don’t think it messes up the legacy peg at all.”

The conversation turned to Wayne’s legacy and Lamarre believes every top 10 rapper should have at least three classic solo offerings, and he thinks Wayne has two with the second and third installments of Tha Carter, but not much else. “I’m adamant about saying his [albums] discography is not as strong as people think,” he declared.

Ultimately, the trio wants to see Wayne get back to the drawing board and lock in with a singular producer like Nas did with Hit-Boy to bring that greatness out of him. When the dust settled, Shannon gave Trevor Anderson the victory in the first game of the revamped Unfiltered series.

Watch the full episode below.