R&B/Hip-Hop

09 Jun 2025

Reunited Clipse Announce Dates For First U.S. Tour in 15 Years

The Clipse are hitting the road. In support of their eagerly anticipated fourth studio album, Let God Sort Em Out, duo Pusha T and No Malice announced the dates for their first U.S. tour in 15 years on Monday morning (June 9). The Let God Sort Em Out tour is slated to launch on Aug. 3 at Roadrunner in Boston and feature stops in Philadelphia, New York, their hometown of Virginia Beach, VA, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Cleveland, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix.

The 25-date outing will also hit San Diego, Las Vegas, Houston, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Kansas City, Minneapolis and Chicago before winding down on Sept. 10 at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. Tickets for the tour will go on sale on Friday (June 13); click here for pre-sale and on-sale information.

Trending on Billboard

Let God Sort Em Out, the pair’s first studio album since 2009’s Til the Casket Drops, is due out on July 11. The collection was produced by fellow Virginia Beach native Pharrell, with fans getting their first taste of the LP two weeks ago with the release of ominously bubbling single “Ace Trumpets.”

Check out the dates for the Clipse’s 2025 Let God Sort Em Out U.S. tour below.

  • Aug. 3: Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
  • Aug. 5: Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall
  • Aug. 7: New York, NY @ Terminal 5
  • Aug. 9: Fairfax, VA @ EagleBank Arena
  • Aug. 10: Virginia Beach, VA @ The Dome
  • Aug. 12: Miami, FL @ The Fillmore
  • Aug. 13: Orlando, FL @ The Vanguard
  • Aug. 14: Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
  • Aug. 16: Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
  • Aug. 17: Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Ballroom
  • Aug. 18: St, Louis, MO @ The Factory
  • Aug. 19: Fayetteville, AR @ JJ’s Live
  • Aug. 21: Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
  • Aug. 23: Los Angeles, @ CA – The Novo
  • Aug. 25: San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre
  • Aug. 27: Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theater
  • Aug. 28: San Diego, CA @ SOMA
  • Aug. 29: Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels
  • Sept. 2: Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
  • Sept. 3: Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion
  • Sept. 4: Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory
  • Sept. 6: Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
  • Sept. 7: Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory
  • Sept. 8: Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
  • Sept. 10: Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple

09 Jun 2025

BET Awards: A Look Back at the 25-Year Legacy of ‘Culture’s Biggest Night’

Given the ramp-up to tonight’s BET Awards — Kendrick Lamar leading the charge with 10 nominations; Lil Wayne, GloRilla, Playboi Carti and Leon Thomas performing; a salute to video countdown show 106 & Park and not one but four Ultimate Icon Award honorees: Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg and Kirk Franklin — no doubt more than a few people will be tuning in as “Culture’s Biggest Night” celebrates its 25th anniversary.

And that should come as no surprise. Because in the last 25 years, the BET Awards show has lived up to that lofty tag line while, in turn, cementing the show’s venerable legacy.

Trending on Billboard

As Connie Orlando, BET’s executive vp of specials, music programming and music strategy, noted in a 2021 Billboard interview, “If you look at the BET Awards — ‘culture’s biggest night’ — it’s big. It’s Black excellence. It’s the best of the best. We want to thunder home a message about music, culture and everything.”

The show had accomplished just that the year before Orlando’s above-referenced comments when it went virtual in June 2020 — exceeding expectations and garnering fans’ and critics’ praise despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. In setting the show’s culturally empowering tone, host/actress Amanda Seales delivered a searing monologue about the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor while questioning renewed white fervor for civil rights in the wake of Juneteenth being designated as a national holiday: “…Y’all don’t let them Cinco de Mayo our day. If we ain’t watchful, every June 19th, folks going to be at the bar wearing Frederick Douglass wig hats, ordering ‘Harriettinis’ off the drink special.”

But that wasn’t the only reason that 3.7 million viewers tuned in that evening. The riveting performances and special awards were just as memorable. There was Megan Thee Stallion revving up an ATV in the desert — along with her formidable twerking prowess — for “Girls in the Hood” and “Savage (Remix),” riveting tributes to late pioneers Little Richard and Kobe Bryant and former First Lady Michelle Obama presenting that year’s Humanitarian Award to Beyoncé in recognition of the star’s charitable endeavors and fight against sexism and racism.

Other social media and water-cooler moments spring to mind as well. Like Michael Jackson trading fancy footwork (to rabid audience screams) with his idol James Brown before presenting the Godfather of Soul with BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. Or Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett being the first married couple to host the show in 2005. Then 19 years later Smith returned to the BET Awards stage last year for his first solo performance on a major awards show since his infamous Oscar slap in 2022 that got him banned from Academy Award events for 10 years.

Let’s not forget Jamie Foxx’s compassionate yet joyous turn as host for the 2009 ceremony, just days after Jackson’s untimely death. In a rousing tribute to the singer-songwriter, the Oscar winner donned a red jacket and one jeweled glove to perform “Beat It” before being joined onstage by an emotional Janet Jackson. “We’re going to celebrate this Black man,” Foxx declared at one point during what became one of the highest-rated BET Awards shows ever with more than 10 million viewers. “He belongs to us, and we shared him with everybody else.”

And the list goes on. Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar opening the show in 2016 with an astonishing, splashy performance of “Freedom.” Prince hoisting one of Patti LaBelle’s high-heeled shoes in the air after her stirring interpretation of “Purple Rain” during his 2010 lifetime achievement induction. Charlie Wilson’s own bar-raising lifetime award presentation featuring Snoop Dogg, Pharrell and Justin Timberlake in 2013. Chris Brown’s electrifying dance moves in tribute to Jackson in 2010 and again in 2011 before taking home four statuettes as that year’s top winner. Not to mention illuminating performances in salute to lifetime achievement queens Chaka Khan and Mary J. Blige in 2006 and 2019. Not to mention surprise reunions over the years like New Edition and En Vogue.

Such memorable moments haven’t been limited to artist performances or the colorful cast of hosts along the way, including Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart (marking his second time as emcee tonight) and Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross. Actor Samuel L. Jackson was at the helm in 2016 when Grey’s Anatomy star and activist Jesse Williams’ impassioned speech after accepting BET’s Humanitarian Award literally stole the show. “We’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us,” Williams declared in part, “burying Black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil — Black gold! — ghettoizing and demeaning our creations and stealing them, gentrifying our genius and then trying us on like costumes before discarding our bodies like rinds of strange fruit.”

Like other award ceremonies, BET has also endured its share of bumps and bruises in the ongoing tug of war between captivating audiences in a 24/7 media world and lower ratings. In 2022, Lil Nas X tweeted his dismay (“Thank you bet awards. an outstanding zero nominations again”) and even released a song, “Late to Da Party,” about the matter. In a statement, BET cited his 2020 nomination and performances on the show in 2019 and 2021 and added in part, “We love Lil Nas X … At BET, we are passionate advocates for the wonderful diversity that exists within our community.”

Speaking of ratings, the 2024 BET Awards claimed bragging rights as the No. 1 cable awards show, drawing more than 3 million viewers, according to Nielsen — and its highest viewership in the coveted 18-49 demographic in five years. In addition to Usher receiving the lifetime achievement award, the boost was further propelled by Will Smith’s first performance on the BET stage and country artists being spotlighted for the first time as well with performances by Shaboozey and Tanner Adell. “This groundbreaking inclusion of country music highlighted Black music’s rich history, diversity and landscape” and “celebrated the fullness of Black music,” BET said in a statement.

Ultimately, it’s the cultural impact that stands at the heart of the BET Awards’ legacy, not ratings. As BET itself marks its 45th anniversary at a time when diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are being erased, books are being banned and revisionist history is becoming a popular pastime, it’s imperative that Black voices not be silenced but celebrated and chronicled.

“For 25 years, the BET Awards has stood as the most coveted and authentic stage for celebrating Black culture; not just in music but in all its dynamic expressions,” Orlando tells Billboard ahead of tonight’s show. “No other award show carries the same responsibility, resonance or expectation. [The audience] comes for joy, for protest, for healing; to see Black Excellence in all its complexity, creativity and power. That’s what makes the BET Awards unlike anything else — and why it continues to matter so deeply.”

So stay tuned for what “Culture’s Biggest Night” has in store this time around.
 
 

08 Jun 2025

Wayne Lewis, Atlantic Starr Singer and Founder Member, Dies at 68

Wayne Lewis, a founding member of the R&B group Atlantic Starr, has died at the age of 68.

The band confirmed his passing in a social media post on Friday (June 7), noting that the musician died on Thursday. No cause of death has been disclosed.

“It’s with great sadness we have to post the passing of Wayne Lewis on June 5, 2025,” Atlantic Starr wrote on Facebook. “Please keep the family in your prayers and respect their privacy #waynelewis #restinpeace #flyhigh Sunrise 4/13/1957 Sunset 6/5/2025 #restinpeaceWayne.”

Lewis served as a vocalist and keyboardist for Atlantic Starr, which he co-founded in 1976 in White Plains, N.Y., alongside his brothers David Lewis (vocals, guitar) and Jonathan Lewis (keyboards, trombone), as well as drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer and percussionist-flutist Joseph Phillips.

Other early members included lead singer Sharon Bryant, trumpeter William Sudderth III and saxophonist Damon Rentie. Bryant and Rentie were later replaced by Barbara Weathers and Koran Daniels, respectively.

Atlantic Starr became a fixture in R&B throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. The group signed with A&M Records (and later to Warner Bros. Records, among other labels), releasing their self-titled debut album in 1978, followed by their sophomore effort, Straight to the Point, the next year.

The band achieved its first top 10 hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with “Circles” (No. 2) from the 1982 album Brilliance. Their biggest commercial success came in 1987 when “Always,” from 1986’s All in the Name of Love, reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Atlantic Starr earned a total of three top 10 hits on the Hot 100 and 11 top 10s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. “My First Love” in 1989 was their only other No. 1 on the latter chart.

In recent years, Atlantic Starr continued to perform with Lewis and current members Jonathan Lewis, Melessa Pierce and Shammah Carter. The group’s most recent album, Metamorphosis, was released in 2017.

Following the announcement of Lewis’ death, fans flooded social media with heartfelt tributes and condolences.

“His band gave my generation so much listening pleasure,” one fan wrote. Another shared, “Nooooo I am devastated seeing this. My condolences to all family and friends.” A third commenter added, “A great songwriter. Atlantic Starr was better once he became leader. He will be missed.”

07 Jun 2025

Lil Wayne Solidifies Living Legend Status During Tha Carter VI Tour Launch at New York’s MSG: 6 Best Moments

Lil Wayne affirmed living legend status on Friday (June 6) night when he took New York’s Madison Square Garden stage for the first time as a solo headlining act.

The show doubled as a victory lap for Wayne, who dropped Tha Carter VI hours earlier, and kicked off his Tha Carter VI Tour in grand fashion.

While there was plenty to critique of Wayne’s latest offering, he was surrounded by a blanket of love as the 13,000-plus fans serenaded their hero and gave Weezy his flowers throughout the night.

The New Orleans icon kicked off the show around 10:15 p.m. ET and ripped through about 36 cuts from his decorated catalog, mixing in a handful of C6 track debuts with his timeless anthems for the 70-minute set running the gauntlet of his greatest hits.

For the most part, it was Wayne holding his guitar while backed by a DJ and live band, but he had a couple of surprises in store when New York legend LL COOL J and Young Money’s Cory Gunz briefly made cameos.

There was plenty of gratitude filling the World’s Most Famous Arena with Wayne running through his signature “I ain’t s—t without you,” and he took time to thank his fans for sticking with him on this arduous journey over the last three decades, as well as his collaborators for contributing to Tha Carter VI.

Fans seemed to recognize the importance of a night like this — how many more installments of Tha Carter or arena tours are there in the future for Wayne? But perhaps like Baby Boomers and Generation X getting to see their favorite rock bands turn old and grey on tour, maybe rap icons will be able to age gracefully and continue taking the stage even as grandparents.

Weezy appeared to be soaking in the moment as well, with plenty of family and close friends cheering him on from inside MSG. Tha Carter VI Tour will take a hiatus for a few weeks before resuming later in June.

Here are our six best moments from Friday night’s show.

07 Jun 2025

Tyler, The Creator Ignites Opening Day of 2025 Governors Ball: 7 Best Moments

After a sweltering first day at the 2025 Governors Ball on Friday (June 6), Tyler, The Creator made sure to remind everyone multiple times throughout his explosive closing set just how hot it really was. With sweat pouring down his face, he paused his music a few times just to comment on how he was “hotter than a b—h,” and how he knew there were hundreds of “moist” orifices out in the crowd.

Tyler was right, and I hadn’t realized until those moments of reflection just how disgusting I actually was from an eventful first day at Gov Ball. JPEGMAFIA motivated dozens of dirty and bruised teenagers to mosh the afternoon away while performing a capella renditions of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.” There was a trip down memory lane hosted by T-Pain, who has been on an absolute tear of nostalgic shows as part of his Back to Wiscansin Tour. Somewhere in the distance Benson Boone was doing a flip, Mk.Gee was blowing out speakers, and Tyla was enthralling supporters in her steamy “popiano” sound. But we had all gathered there to see Tyler, The Creator bring his Chromakopia album to life, and when he finally stepped out in his green suit, the crowd could hardly contain themselves.

While Tyler acknowledged the heat, his mid-tour exhaustion, and the fact he had only a little over an hour, he made sure to run through hits both new and old. As he did his best to satiate his moist and sweaty fans who had braved the elements to witness him live. Here are the best moments from Tyler’s memorable Gov Ball set.

07 Jun 2025

Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter VI’ Tour Setlist: Every Song From the First Show

Rocking a signed Britney Spears shirt, Lil Wayne kicked off his Tha Carter VI Tour in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden (Wayne’s first time as a solo headliner at MSG) on Friday night (June 6).

Weezy took a well-deserved victory lap, with Friday also serving as C6 release day, which called for a celebration with thousands of his diehard fans who have been on this unpredictable journey with Wayne for over two decades.

“I put out Tha Carter VI,” Wayne told the crowd during the show. “I must say thank you to every single soul supporting that motherf—ing album, supporting me from day one. Damn. I also must thank every single person involved with that album. Everybody came through — I appreciate all of y’all, man.”

Wayne mixed in live debuts of Tha Carter VI cuts with his endless amount of anthems and timeless gems from his Hall-of-Fame catalog, as the New Orleans rap legend reaffirmed that he’s one of the greatest rhymers ever to pick up a mic.

Tunechi had a couple of surprises up his sleeve with Cory Gunz joining him for “6 Foot 7 Foot” and LL COOL J hitting the stage to perform “Rock the Bells” after Weezy interpolated LL’s 1985 hit on Tha Carter VI‘s “Bells.”

Lil Wayne squeezed over 36 tracks into his 70-minute set. Tha Carter VI Tour will take a break for a few weeks before the 34-date North American trek picks up again at the end of June in Virginia.

Here’s every song from the opening night setlist of Wayne’s Tha Carter VI Tour stop in New York City.

Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne

Courtesy Photo

06 Jun 2025

Tommy Richman Claps Back at Streamer Asking Him to Sing: ‘What Am I? A Dancing Monkey?’

Don’t ask Tommy Richman to sing on command.

The Virginia singer popped up on streamer DLOU’s Twitch earlier this week and found himself in an awkward situation. While hanging out in a studio in L.A. with fellow artists like Cash Cobain and newcomer B Jack$, whose song “Get Jiggy” is an early contender for Song of the Summer, DLOU asked Richman to sing his smash hit “Million Dollar Baby” on the spot — which didn’t go over well.

“I ain’t singing that sh–, bro,” a clearly annoyed Tommy Richman said. “What am I? A dancing monkey? I’m not singing that sh–. I don’t even know you, bro.”

He then reiterated that he was in no mood to sing on command for DLOU’s chat and demanded to be treated with some decency.

Trending on Billboard

“I’m not singing sh–,” he said again. “So chill out, bro. Have some respect. Have some respect, bro. I just met you, bro. You’re telling me to sing a song. Talk to me like a real man. I don’t give a f— about this streaming sh–, bro. Talk to me like a real man.”

He then added: “Get your camera off me, bro. Don’t be weird to me.”

“Million Dollar Baby” took over TikTok and the rest of social media last year, propelling the song to debut at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 2024.

During last month’s American Music Awards, Richman told Billboard that he’s working on a new album that he plans to release sometime this summer.

06 Jun 2025

Chris Brown Earns 21 New RIAA Certifications — Including 8x Platinum for These Two Hits

Twenty years after earning his first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, Chris Brown is still racking up the accolades.

Hard work continues to pay off for Breezy, who earned another 21 certifications from the RIAA on Friday (June 6), adding to his loaded trophy case. CB picked up the plaques for “Loyal” and “Forever” (both 8x platinum), “Kiss Kiss” and “Go Crazy” (both 6x platinum), and “New Flame” and “Deuces,” both of which reached 4x-platinum status.

Other cuts notching certifications include “Back to Sleep,” “Don’t Wake Me Up,” “Grass Ain’t Greener,” “Don’t Judge Me,” “Next to You,” “Residuals,” “No BS,” “Drunk Texting,” “Hope You Do,” “Beg for It,” “Who’s Gonna,” “Till I Die,” “2012,” “Should’ve Kissed You” and “City Girls.”

The boatload of plaques on the way comes a month after Chris Brown picked up his third diamond plaque for “Look at Me Now” featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes; the good news coincidentally came on his 36th birthday (May 5).

Trending on Billboard

(The Recording Industry Association of America issues diamond certification to singles that have moved 10 million units in the United States.)

It’s a busy time for Brown, who is gearing up to hit the road for the Breezy Bowl XX stadium tour, which kicks off Sunday in Amsterdam. Following the completion of the European leg, Brown will head Stateside with the first U.S. date on the calendar for July 30 in Miami.

Brown ran into legal trouble in May, which nearly derailed his European tour plans. The singer was arrested in the U.K. on May 15 on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.” The charges were tied to an alleged London nightclub assault in February 2023. 

After initially being denied bail, CB secured bond on a lucrative $6.7 million bail package on May 21, putting his touring plans back on track.

Watch Chris Brown run through a highlight reel celebrating all of his No. 1 hits over the years below.

06 Jun 2025

DDG Says He Knows ‘How Michael Jackson Felt Being Famous’ Amid Custody Battle With Halle Bailey

DDG is feeling the pressures of fame as he and his former partner Halle Bailey find themselves in the middle of a custody battle.

The rapper and streamer took to X on Thursday to vent his frustrations and compared himself to the King of Pop, writing: “Now I know how Michael Jackson felt being famous.. sh– crazy.”

Last month, Bailey filed and won a temporary domestic violence restraining order against DDG (real name: Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr.), and earlier this week it was reported that Granberry countered with a restraining order request of his own, claiming the mother of his 1-year-old son Halo threatened suicide multiple times — a move the singer and actress recently slammed.

“I have been very vocal about my anxiety, depression and previous thoughts of suicide,” she wrote in her declaration to the court. “Without waiving the psychotherapist-patient privilege and physician-patient privilege, I have reached out to my doctor and received treatment to address these issues. I have been and remain 100% available and capable as a parent to our son, Halo.”

Trending on Billboard

She also said that DDG “has exaggerated, lied and misconstrued for the court, not only the history of our relationship, but our parenting and my mental health.”

Judge Latrice A.G. Byrdsong partially granted DDG a temporary restraining order that stops Halle from inflicting any physical or emotional abuse. However, the judge is allowing Bailey to retain sole custody of Halo until the next hearing, which is scheduled for later this month, on June 24. She’s also allowed to bring their son with her to Italy for two months, where she’s shooting an upcoming film.

The estranged couple went public with their relationship in January 2022 and called it quits three years later, in October 2024.

06 Jun 2025

Eminem’s ‘Rap God’ Flipped Into Hilarious Weather Forecast by L.A. Meteorologist

Weather forecasts can be fun. Meteorologist Adam Krueger has become known as Weather Adam for his shrewd ability to incorporate song lyrics into his energetic weather reports.

On Friday (June 6), Weather Adam took it back to 2013 while paying homage to Eminem and flipping “Rap God” into his weekend forecast for Los Angeles.

“It’s beginning to feel a bit odd, a bit odd, to be tracking thunderstorms for the third straight day in the desert,” Krueger told the broadcast in the same cadence as Eminem’s DVLP-produced hit.

Trending on Billboard

“Who’s ready for a nice weekend? All my back from the front to the back nod, back nod,” he continued, while a picture-perfect weekend in the City of Angels appears to be on the horizon.

Krueger’s magnum opus comes when he references the temperatures rising to “summa-lumma, dooma-lumma levels of hot.”

Fans gave their stamps of approval in his comment section, hailing Weather Adam as the “best weather authority [on] TV.”

Another person gave Krueger his flowers. “I live in Kansas City and want to fly out to LA just to watch a live weather report,” they wrote.

In the past, Adam’s tackled Doechii’s “Denial Is a River” as well as Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” for his weather reports, which went viral on social media.

“Rap God” landed on Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 in 2013. The track reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is currently seven-times platinum, according to the RIAA.

Watch the Eminem-themed weather report below.