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In the five years since rising hip-hop producer Powers Pleasant dropped 2019’s Life Is Beautiful, his debut studio album, life really has sucked. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the sweeping Black Lives Matter protests that rocked his hometown of Brooklyn, NY, this trying half-decade culminated in Powers’ sophomore effort, the thrilling Life Sucks, which he released on Oct. 4 as his first full-length project on Mass Appeal.
Featuring a plethora of hip-hop heavyweights, including A$AP Ferg, Denzel Curry, Joey Bada$$, Mike Dimes, Saba, Dro Kenji, Dc the Don, AG Club and Guapdad 4000, Life Sucks explores the dark introspection that characterized much of the last five years, as well as the boundless energy and verve that New York’s rap scene recently channeled into fusions of drill and Jersey club. From “That’s Tough” to “Bandoe,” Powers smoothly flips between these two modes, never dwelling in one emotional space for too long.
Life Sucks also features its fair share of women in hip-hop — such as Audrey Nuna, Armani Caesar, Tkay Maidza – putting the record in conversation with female rapper’s mainstream dominance in 2024. For Powers, collaboration is all about giving everyone a shot, hence the whopping 21 different artists featured across the album. “I don’t give a f—k about any of that,” he tells Billboard over Zoom as he rides through Mexico City ahead of Curry’s Club Mischievous Halloween livestream event. “I like dope artists, I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman. I work with people that are dope and I try to give them an opportunity.”
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To celebrate one month of his latest album, Powers Pleasant broke down five self-selected key tracks from Life Sucks.
“SMH” (feat. Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution and Aaron Rose)
This is a little bit of an older song. It’s with Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution and Aaron Rose. This song has such a place in my heart, it has a lot of the pros on it and it’s one of my favorite tracks on the album. I love how it sounds like a boom-bap song, it’s super vibey. We made that song together in Williamsburg. Everybody goes crazy on it, but Joey really killed that verse.
Most people don’t even know it’s him! He came out and performed it at my first headlining show at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn and it was a special moment to have all of us onstage because we haven’t touched the stage together in quite some time. It was a special moment for the day-one fans and for me to touch my roots where I started.
“Bandoe” (feat. Denzel Curry, Meechy Darko & Soulja Livin Tru)
I made this one with Denzel Curry, Soulja Livin Tru and Meechy Darko at Dot da Genius’ studio, The Brewery in downtown LA – Denzel has a room in there. It was my first time meeting Soulja Livin Tru, and he just had this raw energy. He’s very authentic and true to himself. I think this was the first beat I played, and he just went in the booth and did the verse and the hook in one take. I was like, “Oh, nah this is f—king hard!” He had double entendres and his flow was f—king sick. I love highlighting lesser-known artists with bigger artists and making bangers together because it puts them in front of a whole new audience.
“Shmoke” (feat. A$AP Ferg & Armani Caesar)
I made this in LA with Ferg and Armani [Caesar]. Ferg was actually recording another track that I had already made. At the time, I played him every single beat I thought he would like. So, I was like, “Damn, I need something. I need some s—t right now.” I was going through my e-mail and found some s—t that had so much energy. I loved the horns. I knew I had 15 minutes to make the beat while Ferg was in the booth recording, so I had my headphones on going to work. He came out of the booth to hear [his playback], and he heard some of the new beat through my headphones and he was like, “This is fire, load that s—t up.” He just went in there and went crazy with Armani; their chemistry is so amazing.
That was my first time hearing Armani on a banger and she f—king slid on that s—t, it was just so organic and real. I love when songs just come together and you’re not trying too hard to make something, it’s just natural. “Shmoke” is the only song that has a sample — “Technologic” by Daft Punk. That s—t was expensive as f—k. We actually ended up interpolating it; we re-recorded it so we would just have to clear it on the publishing side.
I usually don’t sample that much, because of the business of it — but I do love samples. As an independent artist, I don’t always have the budget to clear certain things, so I like to work with a lot of sample-makers or co-producers to get my vision across. If it’s dope, it’s dope; I’m never gonna not make some s—t because there’s a sample. It’s all about what fits the vibe.
“Endtro” (feat. Denzel Curry & Hannah Mundine)
This is another one of my favorite songs on the album. I made this one with my bro Tim Randolph. For this one, I was thinking stadium status – big, grand toast music, but not necessarily just a banger. I wanted to incorporate different vibes, so the 808s are distorted on some trap s—t, but it’s not a trap beat, there are boom-bap drums and a heavy-ass guitar. When we were making the beat, [Tim] sent me the chords that became the hook – and he was actually starting a new beat at the time. But I was like, “This is f—king crazy how it goes from nice s—t to super hard s—t.” It’s kind of like day and night, the juxtaposition between those parts was stuck in my heart. I love how it goes from this serene, angelic vibe with Hannah Mundine on the hook, and then Denzel just goes crazy.
“Baby Boy Is Drunk” (feat. AG Club & Audrey Nuna)
It’s kind of a crazy beat — I don’t know what the f—k I was thinking when I made that s—t. [Laughs]. But it’s a banger! I like throwing weird sounds together. I was in the studio with AG and we made this together, and they slid on that s—t so smooth. I never really heard no s—t like that from them before.
I was nearing the completion of [Life Sucks] and this was one of the last few songs that wasn’t fully finished. I was like, “Damn, who would kill this s—t? Audrey. Her and AG Club would go crazy.” I sent it to her, she absolutely smashed it, and it became the song we know today.
With this album, I feel like I’ve grown as an all-around artist. I like to credit working with Dot da Genius and Dre Moon – who are both incredibly gifted, talented, award-winning producers. I’m more intentional with how I create now. Putting myself in rooms with people who I think are better and more talented than me makes me go even harder because I feel like I have to be at that level. I’m always pushing myself and striving to be the best, so I love working with other artists and getting out of my comfort zone. Being comfortable is dope, but you don’t grow in comfort. You have to put yourself in uncomfortable positions to grow and be amazing.
I never have a particular sound, it’s all me just wearing different hats. I’m not exactly sure where I’m going with the next record. I think this might be the end of the Life series for now; we’re gonna open a whole new chapter.
Following Donald Trump’s 2024 Presidential Election victory, Uncle Luke took to Instagram Live and blasted the Latinos who cast their vote for Trump.
Per NBC News’ exit polls, Trump earned 45 percent of the Latino vote — while Harris held 51 percent — which is a 13-point uptick for the twice-impeached president elect compared to the 2020 election. It’s also a record high for a Republican presidential nominee, as Trump toppled George W. Bush’s 44 percent in the 2004 election.
“All y’all who didn’t vote for Kamala, y’all stupid a– gon’ get deported. Y’all having marches and s–t already. We are not going out there to march,” Luke said. “Black people are not going to march for you. I’m sorry, we will not be marching. It’s no more such thing as Black and brown people. It’s Black. We will not be marching with you.”
The former 2 Live Crew frontman continued: “The line got drawn last Tuesday,” he continued. “We know where we stand with all y’all. White people know where they stand with white women. Black people know where they stand with Hispanics. We though y’all were our friends. Y’all go through some things, we be out there fighting and marching and then you do this.”
Luke believes some Black people may be distancing themselves from Latinos in the future, and joked about how ICE agents looking to deport illegal immigrants will be singing along to Vanilla Ice’s chart-topping 1990 single “Ice Ice Baby.”
“Now you got to worry about the little Black ladies who sitting there looking out the window calling the people on you,” he said. “Hey ICE. They going to be singing the song. ‘Ice Ice Baby.’”
Luke’s commentary caused quite a stir on social media. “Luke isn’t a Black American so idk why he cackling talking about we,” one fan fired back on X. “You are Carribean not Black American.”
Trump overwhelmingly beat out Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election. In addition to winning the popular vote, per NBC News, the business mogul — who in May was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records — also took the Electoral College 312 to 226, and swept all seven swing states.
Watch Uncle Luke’s rant below.
Young Thug’s first music endeavor since his release from jail could include some serious star power. According to DJ Akademiks, Thugger was in the studio with frequent collaborators Travis Scott, Future and Lil Baby on Sunday night (Nov. 10). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news A photo and […]
Coldplay have made a habit of throwing the odd cover into the tightly scripted set of their record-setting Music of the Spheres world tour. But during Sunday night’s show at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia — the final gig in a four-night stand at the 83,500-capacity venue — they busted out an unexpected take on […]
When Mike Jones, Slim Thug and Paul Wall first cut “Still Tippin,’” they weren’t seeking superstardom, just a bonafide street hit. But with the classic track, the three Houston MCs — and the people behind them — propelled Houston into a hip-hop hub.
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“Still Tippin’” received its major release on November 12, 2004 — though it was a hit in the streets and clubs of Houston over a year prior. But Jones had spent years just trying to make it as an artist. At his side was his mother and grandmother, who were his biggest supporters in his creative journey — and inspired the famous “Who? Mike Jones!” adlib.
“I was trying to go to the club and get my music played,” Jones tells Billboard. “People were making fun of me, like, ‘Are you Biggie?’ I’m like ‘I’m Mike Jones.’ and they’d be like, ‘Who?’ And my grandma and mom said, ‘Throw it back in their face’”
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Jones was discovered by Swishahouse founder and president Michael Watts in the late ‘90s, after artist manager — then A&R man — T Farris suggested Watts get him to rap on Swishahouse mixtapes. At the time, Watts says that Jones was performing freestyles and mixes at strip clubs for the women to dance to. “I went there to go check him out,” Watts recalls, “and I said, ‘Hey, why don’t you come to the studio and lay down a few freestyles?’”
Jones would later cut some tracks for the Swishahouse crew before signing in the early 2000s, but his Houston breakthrough would come in the form of “Still Tippin’” — in its original 2003 iteration.
The song first appeared on Swishahouse’s The Day Hell Broke Loose 2 mixtape, not necessarily as a Jones single, but a compilation track comprised of the Swishahouse roster. “The song was so strong, that we ended up partnering with Asylum. So we used this song that was hot on the streets as a single for Mike Jones,” says Watts.
The original version of “Still Tippin’” had a verse by Chamillionaire instead of Wall, and rides a different instrumental. Watts remembers that the artists didn’t want to rap over the beat we know and love today — composed of a downtempo percussive loop and a hypnotic sample of Giachiono Rossini’s “Willam Tell Overture” by the South German Philharmonic Orchestra and Alfred Scholz. “No one originally wanted to rap on that song,” says Watts. “So what I did was, I reproduced it, I put the hook on it, put Slim, Mike, and Paul’s verse on it, and that’s how that song came about.”
Jones remembers it differently, crediting the main version’s producer for crafting the simple yet memorable loop we know today. “Shoutout Salih Williams. That was all him,” Jones says. “It was his idea. Like ‘let me create it off of this vibe,’ and we just did what we did.”
One of the biggest factors in the song’s rise was its music video. Before the eras of YouTube, Vevo, and TikTok, the “Still Tippin’” visual became a staple late-night video on the after-hours program BET Uncut through word of mouth.
The video is fairly simple, featuring the rappers driving through the streets of Houston in Escalades and cars decked out with rims and dubs. Notable moments include a callback to Jones’ days in the strip club and Slim receiving road head (oral sex while driving) — both of which were cut from the daytime version. But scandalous moments aside, Jones believes that the music and the car culture depicted in the video is what made it a classic.
“This was a good song that both sides of the city of Houston could come together and ride with,” Jones says. “We got the south side with the candy red cars [and] we got the north side with the candy blue cars.”
Helming the video was John “Dr. Teeth” Tucker, a Cincinnati native who became an advocate for southern hip-hop after attending Texas Southern University in Houston. After college, Teeth worked as a producer on BET’s Rap City — and would often rave about southern hip-hop artists to his colleagues.
“These guys were going platinum without a deal, because they were making this music between Louisiana and Oklahoma and Texas — and going on tour,” Teeth recalls. “And I was telling the people back about UGK and Southside Players and DJ Screw and Swishaouse. I was telling them about these guys back in Texas — and up north, man, New Yorkers feel like hip hop starts with them and it ends with them. They weren’t trying to hear nothing about the South.”
As Teeth became more invested in southern hip-hop, he continued to document and highlight these artists — and later, made UGK’s Bun B a southern correspondent on Rap City. He also created the “The Booth” portion of Rap City: Tha Bassment, where artists brushed off their freestyle skills and showcased a fiar share of southern acts.
Teeth eventually left BET and moved back to Houston to pursue a career as a music video director. Upon his return, he remembers meeting a man named Wally, who was doing distribution for Swishahouse. Wally urged Teeth to meet with Swishahouse’s CEO G-Dash to discuss shooting videos for Swishahouse to distribute on DVDs. When meeting G-Dash, Teeth said he would shoot a video for Mike Jones for $30,000. However, according to Teeth, “He didn’t want to put down the money.”
G-Dash, Teeth, and Wally later met up, with Wally mediating. Teeth eventually agreed to do the video, capturing various aspects of Houston street culture. In portions of the video, Watts is seen spinning “Still Tippin’” on turntables, as a woman dances to the track. According to Teeth, this woman was recruited from a local strip club.
“I picked her because she was generating all the attention in the strip club,” says Teeth. “People were drawn to her and she had an energy to her. They were like a moth to the flame.” For Teeth, everything about the video was intentional — not for mainstream success, but for Houston rap fans. “I said, ‘Let’s make it for your fans, because DVDs were heavy and we can make a DVD around this and sell it if we can never get it to BET’.”
Jones also only anticipated this being a Houston hit, which is why he felt comfortable wearing a shirt with his personal phone number — (281) 330-8004 — on it. This also came as a suggestion from his grandmother, who died in 2003, before the video’s official release.
“I didn’t want to give out my phone number at first,” Jones says. “My grandma was like, ‘Do something that ain’t nobody else doing. Be personal to the fans. Give out your phone number.’ And I was like ‘Man, I’m not finna give out my phone number.’ I eventually gave out my phone number. Thank God for her giving me that direction.’” Today, the phone number has since been reactivated as a fan hotline.
To the surprise of Teeth and the Swishahouse crew, the song became a slow-burning hit — so much so that Teeth had to cut a second version for rotation on MTV channels, as well as BET’s daytime countdown 106 & Park. Thankfully, Teeth had plenty of footage to comply with the networks’ requests. “I hate the 106 & Park version,” Teeth jokes. “Asylum didn’t give us the money to go back and reshoot what we shot before, and we shot on an older film camera.”
Since its release, “Still Tippin’” has peaked at No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified platinum. The video also earned a nomination in the MTV2 Category at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.
“That song is so personal to me, because when you look at that video, it’s 100% a vision that God gave to me. To put the city that I live in now on the map and give respect to the pioneers of of Houston sound,” says Teeth. “And to me what makes it so great is that it was nominated for a viewers choice award. It’s more than just what he did on the charts. It’s what the people connected to and I’m really proud of that.”
To this day, “Still Tippin’” continues to make an impact in hip-hop. Artists like ASAP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, and Normani have gone on to sample the track in their own works. The song is also a staple at any Texas function.
“If it didn’t blow up nowhere else, we knew it was going to blow up in Texas,” says Jones. “Everybody’s big on rides and cars. We still tippin’, and people that are from where we’re from understand the lingo.”
The Bay Area is having a moment, and P-Lo is making sure it’s one for the history books. Ahead of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, the rapper-producer has teamed up with Golden State Entertainment (GSE), the Warriors’ music and content arm, to drop “Players Holiday ’25.”
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Featuring an all-star roster of Bay Area talent, including Larry June, Kamaiyah, Saweetie, LaRussell, G-Eazy, thuy and YMTK, the track serves somewhat as a love letter to the Bay.
P-Lo sees this project as a celebration of Bay Area culture and a chance to bring together local talent. “As a Warriors fan growing up, it’s an honor to represent our region,” P-Lo tells Billboard, reflecting on the project’s cultural weight. More than just a bop, “Players Holiday ‘25” serves as the lead single for his upcoming EP, For the Soil, a GSE collaboration spotlighting the region’s iconic sound. With appearances from legends like E-40 and Too $hort, the EP is set to further solidify the Bay’s influence on hip-hop and its deep ties to basketball culture.
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For Saweetie, jumping on the track was an easy decision. “Me and P-Lo always find ways to plug each other,” Saweetie says, referencing their past work on the 49ers playoff anthem “Do It for the Bay.” Her verse channels her signature ICY energy while paying homage to the region’s player culture. “It feels good to be part of something so historic for the Bay,” she continued. “Growing up in the Bay, you learn a lot of ‘player’ vibes, and I wanted my verse to reflect that. The sample is fire, and I’m bringing my Bay Area perspective as a woman.”
Both P-Lo and Saweetie emphasize the power of music to elevate events like the All-Star Game, creating a bridge between hip-hop and sports fans. “Music connects people, and for a special event like All-Star, having a song that highlights the Bay makes it even more meaningful,” Saweetie says.
David Kelly, GSE’s chief business officer, echoes that sentiment. “When we set out to create Golden State Entertainment, we wanted to work with artists who represent Bay Area culture but can also do so on a national and global scale,” Kelly told Billboard. “P-Lo fits that perfectly. He has a massive following in the Bay. He’s a rapper, producer and someone we’ve worked with before. His connections with other artists, like Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June and Kamaiyah, allow us to create a project like ‘Players Holiday’ that we can tie into a global platform like the NBA All-Star Game. It’s the perfect match for what we want to do.”
With a lively video shot in true Bay Area style, “Players Holiday ‘25” is a celebration of community, legacy and hometown pride. Below, P-Lo opens up about the collaboration, the importance of representing the Bay on a global stage, and what fans can expect from For the Soil.
The Warriors are the first NBA team to launch an entertainment division. How did it come together and how does it feel to be part of this collaboration?
When I got the call, it was an honor. Especially growing up in the Bay as a Warriors fan, working with them to represent our region the way I see it means a lot. I love where I’m from, and I respect everyone in the scene who’s making a name for themselves and representing the Bay the right way. For them to call on me for this, that was a cool honor.
I met David Kelly a few years back when I was doing a halftime show for the Warriors. He told me about GSE, and then a friend, Caroline, who’s been with GSE for a while, reached out and said, “I think you’d be perfect for this project.” That’s how it all came together.
“Players Holiday ’25” features Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June and more. What was it like working with and recruiting such a diverse group of Bay Area artists?
Man, it was dope. Everyone on the record represents different parts of the Bay, but we all share that same love for where we’re from. Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June, Kamaiyah — it’s like bringing the old and new generations together, showing the world that the Bay stays united and always pushing forward. These are all people that I work with frequently, and they just so happen to be all Bay legends. So I just wanted to bring everyone together to really represent where we’re from. And I feel like this song resonates. As different as everyone is, like in music and their style, I feel like this song represents all of us like the same.
I love that you brought your friends along for this project. At the end of the day, it’s about putting people on to opportunities and giving them a spotlight to shine alongside you. I think that speaks to the idea of wanting to share your moment.
For sure. I mean, I don’t want to be the only one going up, you know? What does that really say about you if you can’t bring anyone else along? I’ve always been taught to share what I’ve got going on, and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
Walk me through the creative process of this song.
There’s this song called “Player’s Holiday” by Ant Banks and The Whole Damn Yay (T.W.D.Y). It’s an old track from the late 1990s. I used to always watch the music video on this channel called CMC. They’d play hip-hop and R&B videos for like an hour, and “Player’s Holiday” was one of those songs that always came on. As a kid, I loved it, and as I got older, I kept thinking, Man, I want to flip that song someday.
When this opportunity came up, I knew it was the perfect time. It was the right moment to bring that song back and get everyone on it. That’s really what inspired the project.
Was there anything interesting that happened on set while you were filming, or any memorable moments you can recall?
Yeah, honestly, the whole day I was just smiling, feeling really grateful to bring everyone together. It’s rare to see that these days, especially with how divisive the media can be. Just being able to bring together all these artists, each with their own unique worlds and projects going on, and seeing everyone vibe together, it was amazing. I literally couldn’t stop smiling. It was dope. We had some Bay Area legends out there, and they were enjoying themselves. We also had some of the younger generation, and they were having a great time too. It just showed that when we actually come together and try to do something, we’re capable of pulling it off. It was a great moment.
The song and video capture that Bay Area vibe perfectly. How important was it to highlight the culture?
That was the whole point. The Bay has a unique energy. It’s fun, it’s celebratory, and it’s authentic. We wanted to show that off, especially with the All-Star Game coming to the Bay. It’s a global event, but it’s still about us, our roots, and how we do things here.
Do you see more collaborations like this happening in the future?
For sure. This is just the start. We’ve got the For The Soil album dropping in January, which will feature even more Bay Area artists. The Warriors are about blending sports and culture, and I’m excited to see what’s next. I just think the Bay Area has always been innovative in culture and technology and more. And I think with the Warriors leading that as well it’s just a perfect match. Music, technology, culture … that’s all the things that bring people together. And that’s what we’re doing.
Watch P-Lo’s “Players Holidays ’25” featuring Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June, Kamaiyah, LaRussell, thuy, and YMTK below.
Young Thug‘s father, Jeffrey Williams, Sr., has been very vocal during his son’s legal battle and he doesn’t plan on stopping.
During a recent appearance on his Nothing But the Truth Podcast with Big Jeff, Williams, Sr. expressed concern with rappers wanting to be around his son all of a sudden. “We got all these rappers and everybody trying to find Young Thug,” he said. “They wanna talk to Young Thug, they wanna this, that and the other. Where your a– been for 29 months? Why y’all ass ain’t been out there protesting for his constitutional rights being violated? Y’all are the ones considered to be the influencers. Ain’t influencing sh—t.”
He added, “Now, you want to talk to him, you want to goddamn put out these monkey-ass videos, all this for your personal gain. It’s just for your personal gain, your personal hype, trying to make yourself relevant. Where have y’all been for 29 months? You could’ve been relevant, you could’ve been being seen fighting with him, fight with these guys. ‘Cause some of these guys are from y’all side of the town too. Some of these guys are probably related to some of y’all too. So, where y’all been? Where have y’all Atlanta artists been? Up until now? You could’ve been fightin’ for him. I don’t see why you deserve no brownie points for that sh—t.”
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Big Jeff then continued by saying if those same rappers had been in trouble, his son would’ve shown support without the need to be seen. “Let’s make it make sense ’cause I guarantee you this,” he began. “If the shoe was on the other foot he’d have been fighting for you, he would have been fighting for you, hands down. Without trying to make a prop for his name so he could get some clout.”
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He then set his sights on one of Thugger’s music industry mentors in T.I. who recently posted a video of him and Thug in the studio, saying that he approached the Atlanta legend about hosting an event at his Trap City Cafe.
“I went to T.I. over a year or so ago, when he opened up his restaurant and asked him to do an event on behalf of YSL,” Williams, Sr. revealed. “And I was told, ‘Let me get with my people and see if I can do that, But yet and still, I see you right there beside Young Thug. That’s when he needed the help, that’s when he needed your support. Let’s be real with this shit, make it make sense. So, you know, what side y’all playin’? Because I don’t get it.”
You can watch the full episode here.
Singer and actor Tyrese Gibson recently went on Instagram Live and blamed Trump supporters for spreading rumors about his appearance in alleged “Diddy Tapes,” because the Fast & Furious star endorsed Kamala Harris for president.
“There is no such thing as a ‘Diddy tape,’ literally,” Tyrese began. “So allegedly whatever that brother is dealing with, whatever reasons he’s in jail, whatever the FBI, the law is dealing with allegedly pertaining to Diddy — I wanna tell y’all that I’ve been to some of the most legendary parties, I got no regrets.”
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He added: “I think some of the best parties in L.A., and if you’re from L.A. and you’ve been to these parties, you would know that Diddy always had the most legendary parties that were always star-studded. The biggest and most legendary stars: white, Black, Latino, Asian, billionaires, fashion, you name it — Diddy hands down, from the Hamptons all the way to L.A. all the way to his legendary New Year’s parties that he would do in Miami — I got plenty of photos, proudly, like every other celebrity and star that went to his party.”
Finally, he finished by saying people should be more worried about the celebrities that aren’t talking about their experiences while attending one of the fallen mogul’s lavish parties. “Anybody who’s not on the Internet talking about a Diddy party — you should be more concerned about them, allegedly, about what they did or what they on tape doing,” he proclaimed. “There is no such thing allegedly as a Tyrese-Diddy tape. That is a bunch of Donald Trump n—as in my comments, trying to discourage me from speaking up and speaking out.”
In a now-deleted post, Tyrese talks about how much Diddy means to music and offers his friend emotional support, while also saying he’s going to pray for Diddy, his family and the alleged victims. “I don’t condone nor do I support abuse, bullying, sexual assault or anything that is currently being alleged,” he wrote in an Instagram caption. “But what I can’t do is turn the blinds on how much this meant to me and all of us, and what he has done for the community of music and culture.”
He added: “I’m praying for Diddy, his kids, his family, his mother and all of the alleged victims that’s in the middle of trying to simply have their voices to be heard. I love this brother. He’s been nothing but kind and generous towards me, and that’s the way I feel praying and praying for more of a better outcome of all of this is happening. God bless you Diddy. If you ever need to call me and just need a listening ear, I’m right here, bro.”
Diddy is currently in jail as he awaits a May 5, 2025, trial date.
Earlier this month, Tyrese scored his fourth No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay with “Wildflower,” ending a nine-year absence from the chart’s top spot.
Ice Cube is back. The Compton icon has announced plans for his first album since 2018’s Everythang’s Corrupt. Cube revealed on Monday (Nov. 11) that his Man Down LP is slated to hit streaming services later this month on Nov. 22. “The album my fans have been waiting on,” Cube captioned his social media post […]
In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election and the official unveiling of the 2025 Grammy nominations, hip-hop and R&B have had nary a moment of stillness over the past week.
Notably, Beyoncé leads all artists with a jaw-dropping 11 nods for Billboard 200-topping Cowboy Carter LP, including a look in best melodic rap performance for “Spaghettii” (with Shaboozey and Linda Martell). Muni Long leads the R&B field with one nomination in each of its four categories, while AverySunshine and Durand Bernarr earned their first career Grammy nods (both for best progressive R&B album). On the rap side, Kendrick Lamar predictably dominated, with seven nominations for his Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers “Not Like Us” and “Like That” (with Metro Boomin and Future). It was also a watershed year for female rappers, with several of the genre’s leading ladies landing nominations, including Doechii (three, including best new artist), GloRilla (two), Rapsody (two), Cardi B (one), Latto (one) and Young Miko (one, best música urbana album).
Grammy nominations didn’t slow down the waves of new music, which included new albums from Ab-Soul (Soul Burger), Ferg (Darold), SahBabii (Saaheem), BabyTron (Tronicles), Real Boston Richey (Richey Rich) and more.
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With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from SahBabii’s electric “Viking” to Mac Ayres’ plaintive “Blue Skies.” Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Ferg feat. Coco Jones, “French Tips”
Darold, Ferg’s latest album, is the latest in a string of 2020s releases that find the brightest stars of mid-2010s/Blog Era hip-hop healing parts of themselves through tough introspection and general maturation. Between Coco Jones’ soulful, sultry vocals, a lift of Brandy’s classic “I Wanna Be Down” and ’90s-evoking production from Mario Winans and Tropkillaz. “When you wet, I start to tingle ’cause it’s too warm/ I ain’t put the condom on ’cause you got me stuck/ I’m pullin’ out, I ain’t ready to shoot the club off,” Ferg spits, simultaneously delivering a classic (slightly X-rated) hip-hop love song and a reminder of one of the remaining available methods to mitigate unwanted pregnancies. — KYLE DENIS
SahBabii, “Viking”
SahBabii was one of the leaders of the melodic rap movement in the mid-2010s, and he’s making another splash with his Saaheem comeback album. SahBabii’s rhymes are raunchier than ever as he raps over ethereal production that soundtracks his deep sea exploration. “Viking” has proven to be one of the early standouts from the project and even earned him a co-sign from Tyler, The Creator, who dubbed the intoxicating track to be “incredible.” He’s still doing things his way and “doesn’t give a f–k who like me.” Welcome back, SahBabii. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
Mac Ayres, “Blue Skies”
For his latest project, Mac Ayres went back to the beginning. With Cloudy, the Long Island-bred crooner compiled some of his most beloved SoundCloud cuts from the past eight years and sequenced them in a tender coming-of-age narrative. “Blue Skies,” the set’s ethereal, Chris Anderson-helmed closer, finds Mac pining for brighter days while balancing the warring energies of wanting to be understood without wanting to beg for acknowledgment. A deceptively heavy song, “Blue Skies” soars thanks in large part to Mac’s structuring of the song; his hushed delivery in the verses perfectly sets the stage for his impassioned belts of “Feels like forever got a hold on me/ Forever got a hold on me my friend” — a pair of lines that put many proper torch songs to shame. — K.D.
Jorja Smith, “Don’t Let Me Go”
A stripped-down instrumental with an acoustic guitar that could score a poignant scene in a movie is only amplified by Jorja Smith’s honeyed vocals. J-Money gets pensive about the pain of letting someone go, but her voice coddles emotional listeners to lay their heads collectively down on a soft cloud rather than a rock. “The wishing wells got all my coins/ But nothing seems to drift me back to you,” Smith sings. “Don’t Let Me Go” arrived as a two-pack featuring help from fellow British singer-songwriter Maverick Sabre, and it appears the tracks were several years in the making before receiving an official release in 2024. — M.S.
Hitkidd & Mello Buckzz, “Pardon Da Body”
Chicago emcee Mello Buckzz has been making waves for quite some time, and her latest collaboration is sure to add to that hype. “Pardon Da Body,” a boisterous link-up with Grammy-nominated producer Hitkidd for his Hitkidd for President album, finds Mello spitting standard braggadocious fare (the “body” in question refers to her figure, her SUV and her racks) over a piano-inflected dance-trap beat. With ample remix potential that can take this song anywhere for a ballroom-minded house set or a Jersey club compilation, “Pardon Da Body” harnesses the power of unbridled fun while keeping Mello front and center. — K.D.
Wolfacejoeyy & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, “Dallas”
A Boogie Wt Da Hoodie dances into the sexy drill scene thanks to an invite from fellow New York captain Wolfacejoeyy, who is stamping his 2024 with “Dallas” and a major co-sign from the Bronx native. “Me and Boogie in a town bae, you know it’s going down,” Joey raps in his smooth yet soft-spoken flow. Young Jrue Holiday’s emotive rhymes have allowed him to continue to build off Valentino and have set up 2025 as his time to make a quantum leap to stardom. — M.S.
Ab-Soul, “9 Mile”
Ab-Soul wanted the introduction of his Soul Burger album to feel like the Belly, and he did justice by the Hype Williams classic. Soulo weaves through Soul II Soul’s “Back to Life” while opening up about his elusive yet militant approach. “Ain’t really confrontational but I crave chaos,” he admits. “9 Mile” then pivots to channeling his inner Eminem while calling back to B-Rabbit’s 8 Mile rap battles as Soulo gets candid about his suicide attempt. “I did jump off a bridge on Del Amo Boulevard/ I’m blessed but question why God would have mercy on a junkie,” he wonders. It’s a cinematic opener for the TDE rapper’s best project in a decade. — M.S.