R&B/Hip-Hop

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and Rihanna continues to collect crown jewels. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded RiRi with four more diamond plaques, which brings her total to seven diamond certifications.

Per the RIAA website, Rih and Jay-Z’s “Umbrella,” the Drake-assisted “Work,” Anti‘s “Needed Me” and 2012’s “Stay” are all diamond-certified as of May 31. The announcement comes on the heels of 2012’s “Diamonds” fittingly also going diamond in April.

Roc Nation congratulated Rihanna on now holding the record for the most diamond-certified singles of any woman artist in music history with seven plaques to her name. “Ain’t no back n forth,” Rihanna wrote to X while reposting the graphic featuring her latest accolades while seemingly brushing her shoulders off.

The Navy flooded Rihanna’s replies with congratulatory messages, but were quick to remind her she hasn’t delivered R9 and it’s been eight years since her last full-length album, Anti.

“Congrats rih,” one fan wrote. “I know you don’t ever have to release music again but do us a solid ONE MORE TIME. just that album please.”

Jay-Z hopped on Good Girl Gone Bad‘s “Umbrella” in 2007 and the hit worked its way up the charts to give Rih her second No. 1 entry atop the Hot 100. “Work” featuring Drake arrived in January 2016 and also soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

However, Unapologetic‘s “Stay” reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 while the Mustard-produced “Needed Me” peaked at No. 7.

Outside of the four new diamond certifications and last month’s “Diamonds” also entering the exclusive club, Rihanna’s 2010 “Love the Way You Lie” featuring Eminem (certified on May 9, 2013) and her 2011 “We Found Love” collaboration with Calvin Harris (certified on April 27, 2023) round out her seven-carat diamond collection.

Find Rihanna’s reaction on X below.

Snoop Dogg hasn’t been shy about hooking his friends up with some bling. The latest to receive a gift is Matthew McConaughey, as Snoop blessed the actor with a brand new Death Row chain.

McConaughey flexed the glistening Death Row pendant and chain on social media on Friday (May 31), which his son, Levi, certainly got a kick out of.

“snooped @snoopdogg,” the Oscar winner captioned the video, which the rapper also shared on his Instagram account. The accompanying clip finds McConaughey and his son, who laughs heartily at his dad rocking the chain.

“Snoop Dogg gave it to me,” the actor says while standing in front of the West Coast legend’s Doggystyle album plaque. “Snoop, I mean are you reading my mail or am I reading yours?” Snoop’s classic “Who Am I (What’s My Name?)” also soundtracks the video. (The rapper also shared the video on his own Instagram account.)

Snoop Dogg purchased Death Row Records — the famed West Coast label he was a member of in the ’90s — in 2022 from the Blackstone-controlled MNRK Music Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Fans enjoyed seeing the 54-year-old actor letting loose and enjoying himself. “The smile says it all, I’d never take that thing off if snoop gave me one,” one person replied.

Snoop and McConaughey’s friendship might seem like an unlikely bond on its surface, but the pair of entertainers have been friends for years now. Even though they met in the middle to later stages of their lives, the rapper believes they were meant to link up. “I think certain people in life are meant for each other. I think me and Matthew were meant for each other. It’s supposed to be,” Snoop said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2019.

The public eye got to see that friendship play out in 2019 when Snoop Dogg and the actor co-starred in The Beach Bum. They did a joint press run in support of the film, which saw the duo appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and perform a round of Carpool Karaoke.

Check out The Wolf of Wall Street star’s Death Row chain below.

NLE Choppa thinks Kendrick Lamar and Drake should squash their beef and do a song together. The Memphis rapper sat down with Billboard News’ Tetris Kelly to give his thoughts on a variety of topics, including the rap beef heard around the world. When the subject was brought up, Choppa had a sober way of looking at a rap battle that turned very personal. 

“I feel like the win is more so not about who got the most streams or what song is the best. I think the win is more so how you handle the success you got from all that controversy,” he said. “I think the win’ll be like something like both of them coming together and doing a song together.” 

He then used Drake and Meek Mill’s reconciliation as an example, saying, “I think the win is doing something similar to when Drake and Meek was havin’ they feud. Like, they did what they did, but they came back as men to shake hands and made a song. That’s what we need to see.” 

He also talked about the success of “Slut Me Out” and “Slut Me Out 2,” attributing the latter’s over-the-top video to him wanting to be an entertainer. “I always separate Bryson Potts from NLE Choppa. I feel like that’s where I get my best work,” he said. “I’m entertaining in the purest form.” 

Later in the interview, Choppa speaks on his vegan lifestyle, mentioning that he was in the middle of a nine-day fast of “raw alkaline” fruits and vegetables, with his biggest flex being his health. The highly successful NLE Reading Challenge was also brought up, in which he helped Cornerstone Prep Denver School read 26 million words.

Watch Billboard News’ full interview with NLE Choppa above. 

More than two decades after its arrival leading the 8 Mile soundtrack, “Lose Yourself” has been reimagined as a soft ballad. SZA released an intimate cover of Eminem’s 2002 movie anthem — which spent 12 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 — on Thursday night (May 30). The Grammy-winner’s honeyed vocals soar over the icy piano keys and bass guitar as Solana slows the pace down.

She also made sure to clarify that the infectious cover wouldn’t be landing on any of her upcoming projects, as it was more of a mental health exercise. “U ever just cover Eminem on some tender s–t for feels? (Not on a project Just for mental health),” she wrote on Instagram.

Eminem got wind of the cover to his inspirational banger and hopped into the comments, leaving a surprised emoji.

Plenty of her peers also applauded SZA, including Camila Cabello, Kacey Musgraves, Shelley (F.K.A. D.R.A.M.), Questlove and more.

“Holy s–t,” the Fifth Harmony alum wrote, seemingly in shock.

Others wondered what the status of the SOS deluxe and Lana projects were. “Sza this is beautiful but where’s lana,” a fan chimed in, while another wrote, “You’ll be doing anything but releasing that deluxe album.”

One more joked: “SZA COVERING EMINEM BEFORE GTA 6 WTF!”

“Lose Yourself” arrived in 2002 as the lead single from the 8 Mile soundtrack. The track went on to become Em’s first Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper. It also won the 2004 Grammys for best rap song best male rap solo performance, as well as the 2003 Oscar for best original song.

Eminem and SZA have yet to collaborate on a track. However, Slim Shady returned on Friday (May 31) with his first offering of the year as “Houdini” hit streaming services. The single is slated to land on Em’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) album, which will be arriving at some point this summer.

Listen to SZA’s cover of “Lose Yourself” below.

Abracadabra! Eminem is back. Slim Shady returned to kick off his The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) rollout with his “Houdini” single on Friday (May 31). The lead track name-drops Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre and even shades Em’s own kids while also shooting his shot at a collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion.

In the midst of his rhymes and collab request, Eminem appears to tie in and reference Megan being shot in the feet by Tory Lanez outside a California house party in 2020.

“If I was to ask for Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me/ Would I really have a shot at a feat,” he raps.

While Eminem has a history of being a provocateur with his lyrics, fans were taken aback by him bring up the shooting. The “Hiss” rapper has been open about the depression she suffered and her continued journey to healing from the trauma as a result of the shooting and Lanez’s subsequent trial. Lanez — born Daystar Peterson — was convicted of three felony charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

“Eminem’s career has largely been built on being shocking and provocative to certain audiences … Being 51 years old and taking shots at Megan Thee Stallion? Out of touch,” one fan wrote on X.

Another said, “Eminem can houdini his a– to hell. LEAVE MEGAN ALOOOONEEEEE TF!!”

But there were others who welcomed the 15-time Grammy winner touching on the controversial subject. “So many people saying Eminem made an unnecessary comment at Megan. WE SO BACK this the EM I love!!!”

Eminem is set to unveil his The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) album — which will serve as his 12th studio LP — at some point this summer.

Watch the “Houdini” music video below.