State Champ Radio R&B/Hip-Hop
Page: 339
Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla might have something even hotter in store than their upcoming Hot Girls Summer tour. The dynamic duo teamed up on Tuesday (April 2) for a preview of a collaboration due out soon. “Too thick [crying laughing, peach emoji] glo dropping 4/5 !!! We getting activateddddd,” Meg wrote on Instagram alongside […]
Muni Long’s “Made for Me” asserts its place atop the R&B radio game as it rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart dated April 6.
The single ascends from the runner-up spot after a 3% gain to 21.6 million in audience that made it the most-heard song on U.S. monitored adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations in the March 22 – 28 tracking week, according to Luminate.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The new champ gives Muni Long her second No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, after the eight-week ruler “Hrs and Hrs,” in 2022. While that song raced to the top in 12 weeks, Muni Long’s second coronation took considerably longer – 26 frames. Having debuted on the chart dated Oct. 19, 2023, “Made for Me” wraps the seventh-longest trek to the summit among the chart’s 303 leaders.
Trending on Billboard
Here’s a review of the songs that needed the most weeks to top the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, dating to its 1992 launch:
Weeks to No. 1, Song Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 135, “Step in the Name of Love,” R. Kelly, Dec. 6, 200333, “Free Mind,” Tems, Nov. 12, 202231, “You,” Lloyd featuring Lil Wayne, Feb. 17, 200729, “There Goes My Baby,” Aug. 14, 201029, “Snap Yo Fingers,” Lil Jon featuring E-40 & Sean Paul of the YoungBloodz, July 29, 200629, “I Wanna Know,” Joe, April 1, 200026, “Made for Me,” Muni Long, April 6, 2024
[embedded content]
“Made for Me” takes the throne from SZA’s “Snooze,” which pauses its No. 1 domination after a record-breaking 36 nonconsecutive weeks on charge, but remains virtually even in radio airplay compared to the prior week. But don’t count the juggernaut out just yet: During its historic run, “Snooze” was bounced twice from the top spot – two weeks each for Usher, Summer Walker and 21 Savage’s “Good Good” and Victoria Monet’s “On My Mama” – but recovered each time.
Steady support from both adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations give “Made for Me” enough radio audience to manage the win. It adds a third week atop the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart even with a 5% decline in plays for the week. On Adult R&B Airplay, despite having peaked at No. 2 in December, the track remains in high rotation, improving 6-5 on the latest chart, essentially remaining even in plays during the last tracking week compared to the prior frame. The consistency dates to the single’s second wind following viral buzz on TikTok for clips based on its “twin, where have you been?” lyric.
Elsewhere, the tune climbs on Rhythmic Airplay, with a 10-7 boost after a 22% surge in weekly plays at the format. Coupled with strong results on the R&B/hip-hop side, the gains help “Made for Me” push 18-14 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. There, the hit added 10% in audience to reach 33.5 million for the week across all genre formats.
Hozier claims his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in nine years, as “Too Sweet” debuts atop the April 6-dated tally.
The song bows with 28.8 million official U.S. streams, 268,000 radio audience impressions and 4,000 downloads in the U.S. March 22-28, its first week of release, according to Luminate.
It’s the Irish singer-songwriter’s second Hot Rock & Alternative Songs No. 1, after “Take Me to Church” reigned for 23 weeks, all consecutively, from the Nov. 1, 2014, through April 4, 2015, surveys.
Hozier’s nine-year break between No. 1s marks the longest in the chart’s nearly 15-year history, exceeding the six years, 11 months and two weeks between Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars” in 2014 and the band’s “My Universe,” with BTS, in 2021.
In between the debut of “Take Me to Church” and his new No. 1, Hozier racked up 37 chart appearances, including four top 10s, led by the No. 6 debut and peak of “Eat Your Young” last April.
Concurrently, “Too Sweet” starts atop the multimetric Hot Rock Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, it debuts at No. 5, marking Hozier’s second top 10, and first time in the top 30, since “Take Me to Church” hit No. 2 in 2014.
Additionally, “Too Sweet” blasts in at No. 1 on both Rock Streaming Songs and Alternative Streaming Songs, his first leader on each list since “Take Me to Church.” The all-format Streaming Songs chart finds the song represented at No. 3, just one position below his best rank, set by “Take Me to Church” in 2015.
“Too Sweet” also slots in at No. 1 on Rock Digital Song Sales and Alternative Digital Song Sales, again Hozier’s second chart-topper on each, after “Take Me to Church.” It’s No. 5 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart, becoming his second top 10, after “Take Me to Church” reached No. 2.
“Too Sweet” is one of four songs on Unheard, Hozier’s EP released March 22. The set starts at No. 4 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums with 38,000 equivalent album units earned, including 34,000 in streaming units and 3,000 in album sales. The EP also debuts at No. 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
All four Unheard tracks make Hot Rock & Alternative Songs. After “Too Sweet” are “Wildflower and Barley,” with Allison Russell (No. 11, 6.1 million streams), “Empire Now” (No. 14, 5.5 million streams) and “Fare Well” (No. 19, 4.2 million streams). “Wildflower and Barley” (No. 88) and “Empire Now” (No. 98) also reach the Hot 100, where the former is Russell’s first entry.
Hozier doubles his total of career Hot 100 hits, with five of his six charted titles logged in the past year; in between “Take Me to Church” and the charted trio of tunes from Unheard, “Eat Your Young” reached No. 67 last April, while Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude,” on whose remix Hozier was added as a co-lead, hit No. 37 last November.
Unheard features music that originally recorded during the sessions for Hozier’s 2023 album Unreal Unearth but did not make its final tracklist. The LP debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart dated Sept. 2, 2023, and has earned 417,000 equivalent album units to date.
Last year, the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with months of star-studded concerts, awards show tributes, museum exhibitions and more – but that wasn’t the only genre commemorating its golden anniversary in 2023. Soca – which Road March-winning Kes frontman Kees Dieffenthaller describes as “happy music, a young version of calypso… a mixture of Afro, Indian and ‘world’ beats in one place” — also celebrated its half-century milestone.
To kick off the next 50 years of soca’s evolution, Kes has returned with its first studio album in ten years, Man With No Door. Inspired by a man who litter lived in a house with no door – whom Kes met while wandering around Trinidad and rediscovering his favorites places on the island – the new LP is a manifestation of that man’s energy. “He just lives free,” he says. “I felt like that creatively at the time. I am the man with no door. I want to create this world based on that experience.”
[embedded content]
The new album marks something of a renaissance for Kes. The band officially formed in 2005, and have for nearly two decades provided some of the most dominant Carnival anthems of the young century. From instant soca classics like “Wotless” (2011) to breezier tunes like “Hello” (2017), Kes’ singular sound and vibrant live show has lifted the band to international stages such as Essence Festival and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and collaborations with this likes of Wizkid and Snoop Dogg.
Soca, of course, is infused with live instrumentation at its core. Although the genre has recently began to shift towards a producer-first bent, Kes remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the legacy of live playing, especially in their studio recordings. “It goes back to the tradition of it all,” he muses. “In a band, you get to understand how different people play the same instruments differently. There is something very powerful about actually witnessing what that is, rather than [getting it] off a computer. Live instrumentation also give a unique blend and mix. You can’t play the same thing twice, it’s a fingerprint unique to that time and air. We can from that live world and that’s a big part of our entire act. I feel like there is a hidden language that is translated to people through live music.”
Although Man With No Door marks Kes’ first studio LP in a decade, they did release We Home – a joyous live album that reimagines the band’s catalog – during the pandemic (Aug. 28, 2020). During the same period, the band was also working on several singles that would eventually become part of Man With No Door. “Doing We Home was therapy,” Kes reveals. “I felt like I was closing a chapter in my creative life where I pay homage to the last decade of music that I did. [Doing] We Home while creating new music felt like death and a beginning at the same time. And both are glorious in their own way.”
The new LP recruits a flashy list of guest stars to execute Kes’ “application” of soca across different styles and sonic traditions, including Shaggy, Queen Omega, Busy Signal, Dwala, Tano, J Perry and Michaël Brun. While Kes is most excited about “Rise Up,” a collaboration with fellow Trinbagonian Queen Omega, whose music he calls “powerful,” he also highlights his work with J. Perry and Michael Brun, noting, “We experienced freedom because of [Haiti]. I just really wanted them a part of the Caribbean of my experience musically. The language barrier and history have kept a lot of us apart, it was important for them to be on this record.”
For Kes, Man With No Door is part of a concerted effort to usher in the next era of soca. Despite the genre’s storied history, its global crossover appeal has been somewhat limited, due to its allegiance to single releases timed to the Carnival season calendar. “We as a genre need to diversify all dimensions,” proclaims Kes. “Get some more energy outside of just the Carnival calendar situation, and step into Billboard and step into different venue spaces and create collabs that bridge gaps. It’s time for us to really position ourselves in a global way, and I think creating bodies of work is very important [for that].”
“Everybody listens to soca. There’s that one soca song that caught someone’s ear that influenced the next studio session. We all know that,” Kes says. “[Soca] has provided the world with a particular energy that only it can provide. And there’s still so much of the word that is yet to discover it.”
Keep reading to find out the stories behind Kes’ five favorite tracks on the band’s brand new Man With No Door album, told in his own words.
“Jolene” (with Dwala)
Lil Yachty has gone from working at McDonald’s as a teenager in Atlanta to starring in commercials for the iconic Golden Arches brand. Lil Boat adds to his list of lucrative partnerships while teaming up with McDonald’s Canada on Tuesday (April 2) for the launch of their Remix Menu. As part of the celebration, Yachty […]
With WrestleMania XL inching closer, Wale’s anticipation is mounting. This Thursday (Apr. 4), the wrestling enthusiast won’t be lacing up his boots for a bruising Philadelphia Street Fight, nor will he be strolling down the ramps of Lincoln Financial Field, vying for WWE domination against the Head of the Table, Roman Reigns. That’s because he’ll be busy grappling with producing one of the premier highlights of WrestleMania weekend, WaleMania.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Since its inception in 2015, WaleMania has been a unique fusion of hip-hop and wrestling. It’s not just another event on WrestleMania weekend, but a close-knit gathering where fans and professional wrestlers unite to celebrate the daring athletes who risk it all in the squared circle every night.
“I’m a maniac every year because of that,” Wale told Billboard ahead of the event. “I always lean on [my partner] Kaz, but every year he always gets it done. I go through the phases of nervousness, and as it approaches, I’m cool, and Kaz is like, ‘It’s fine, it’s fine.’ Every year, there’s pressure because we need certain things to happen. I’ll be cool. It’s gonna be a good time, it’s gonna be packed, it’s gonna be sold out. It’s the same nervousness I feel when I hit the stage for a big show.”
Trending on Billboard
Former music journalist and WWE writer Kazeem Famuyide joined Wale’s expedition around a decade ago, after the two realized they shared a profound love for wrestling. Over the years, Famuyide and Wale have produced incredible events for WaleMania, reeling in major talent from both arenas, including Scott Hall, Big E, The Usos, Westside Gunn, Flatbush Zombies and more. This year, the stage will be even brighter in Philadelphia, as the WWE celebrates the 40th anniversary of WrestleMania. With Wale and Famuyide at the helm, expect nothing short of resounding results leading into the biggest Mania ever.
“I think that with Wale’s obvious experience and my experience in culture, we can bring something different to an industry that doesn’t see a lot of that,” says Famuyide. “I think that’s why it stands out so much and why it’s gotten so big over the years.”
Billboard spoke to Wale and Famyuide about putting together WaleMania, bridging the gap between hip-hop and wrestling, creating a safe space for Black wrestlers, and more.
It’s been nine years since the inception of WaleMania, what were some of your favorite moments of the first iteration of it?
Wale: The juxtaposition of it. Nothing like it is now, but you could see that we had something.
Kazeem Famuyide: I remember that first one — and Wale, you remember Rey Mysterio wasn’t in WWE at the time? He was involved in a tragedy where the dude he was in the ring with passed away.
A lot of the wrestlers got to see Rey [for the first time in a minute] – JR, Scott Hall – there was a lot of love in the room for Rey. From my point of view, I think we saw for the first time as fans the real cameraderie that really happens and the love there for a guy like Rey.
Wale: Inside the community – it doesn’t matter what company you work for, they just having a good time. They consoling Rey. You look back at it, we’ve lost so many people in that business and it hits 10 times harder when you get to this reunion every year. And see them get outside their character.
KF: I think the wrestlers love it even more than the fans. A lot of times WaleMania is the only time they’ll see each other all year long. I think the talent and the folks behind the scenes love it as much as the fans do and it kind of reminds you of the community of wrestling that’s bigger than just putting on a five-star match.
It was a lot of cats who were closet wrestling fans. Now for whatever reason, they feel like wrestling is cool again. Do you feel like WaleMania is responsible for playing a part in hip-hop being more receptive for their love of wrestling?
KF: Wale will never say, it but I’ll say it for him: Wale was spending his own bread to go to these events any time WWE was in town. That same WrestleMania weekend [where] we’re in San Jose and he’s spending thousands of dollars was the same week he’s dropping The Album About Nothing. And we’re in a church watching Ricochet wrestle and Apollo Crews and Rich Swann and all those guys. He has a legit love for the business and the people in it.
He’ll never take credit for the hip-hop connection with wrestling, but all you gotta do is look at it. He’s been the nucleus of it all. Whether it’s in front of the camera, behind the camera or creating relationships in WWE or AEW, he saw this world of professional wrestling where everyone can kick it and get along treating it more like a professional sport. The respect around it grew. A lot of folks that grew up in the Attitude Era are like, “Okay, it’s not a real sport, but as a grown man, you can appreciate the athleticism and what it takes to do it year in and year out.” Wale’s been there — and it’s not just for the looks.
As somebody who has covered hip-hop culture as a writer/producer, I could see the shift. WaleMania, as big as it is a part of his brand, I think of how big it’s gotten with everyone else. I think that’s a big part of why it’s been easier to be digestible for the common/casual fan of wrestling.
Wale: The biggest [genre of entertainment] out there, arguably.
I think it’s dope that it’s not just WWE-centric.
Wale: We got guys that only got one match under their belt. It’s just an experience for them to meet some people and get in some rooms. A lot of stuff goes on behind those doors. That’s some of the stuff I enjoy most to see people. Remember when everyone picked Kofi [Kingston] up and we knew he was gonna win the next day?
KF: Booker T was in that building too. Even though we felt it was gonna be Kofi’s moment, there was that little bit of uneasiness. We were like, “Man, if they don’t do right by our guy, it’s gonna be rough. At least we got tonight.” At least we got to bask in the love for Kofi, and he was kind enough to pull up and receive that love.
Wale talks about folks with one match under their belt. That same weekend we’re lifting up Kofi on our shoulders is when I kicked it with Swerve [Strickland] for the first time. He just signed to NXT and he had a buzz. He came through, and clearly wasn’t as big as he is now. Just seeing the evolution of folks that have pulled up to experience it, there are folks that pulled up that I’m a fan of that I didn’t know pulled up to previous WaleManias. Like, “I was just kicking it in the back trying to have a good time.”
I think the growth with this industry, Wale and the entire event has been beneficial, because at the center of it all it’s always been about celebrating each other, having a good time and giving back to the industry. It’s probably the wildest weekend of the year – hell, we’re gonna celebrate y’all and really enjoy it.
[embedded content]
Looking at past videos, WaleMania gives off a family reunion vibe. How important is it to provide that looseness not just for the fans or wrestlers, but for everyone involved including the hip-hop acts?
Wale: I’ve been on tour and had to do WaleMania, and I’ve been off tour, but I’ll say this — this is by far the busiest day of our year. It’s the most hectic. We’re passive-aggressive to each other, we’re mean to each other, but when the lights come on, it’s hard to explain. There’s a lot of the universe working in our favor on them days. The timing of it all is crazy, and the moving pieces and not getting people in or phones not being on – it’s a lot. But it’s worth it to see everyone happy where they are. It’s worth it to pull up to WrestleMania and Triple H say, “I heard you guys had a blast last night.” That acknowledgment from the higher-ups and the OGs – people like Booker T – that s–t be making it worth it.
KF: As big as it’s become, it’s still very much a grassroots event. It’s not a massive production putting this thing together. It’s myself and Wale hitting people up personally. It’s been word of mouth. I think the reputation of the event perceives itself. It went from this underground, “If you know, you know” kick-back event to people saying, “I’m flying to Philadelphia, and if I don’t get to WrestleMania that’s fine, as long as I get to WaleMania.”
It’s been a common theme — and I think that’s because of what Wale has helped build with this thing. It’s a really unique, one-of-one situation and event, where if you wanna come enjoy different parts of the culture, there’s different ways to experience it, and this is one of those ways. I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone come from the hip-hop world that has no idea what this is that doesn’t say “this s–t was hella fun,” and an amazing experience. That’s what I love about it. I know the wrestling community is going to be super-supportive, but what I get a kick out of is folks that aren’t even wrestling fans at all that are like, “This is a vibe that’s fun as hell.” They come and enjoy themselves, [hear some] good music and meet folks they would never meet under these circumstances.
Is there any pressure on WaleMania to live up to the momentum of Wrestlemania XL, knowing that this will be the biggest Mania to date?
KF: I think the reason we get along so much is we’re both ultra-competitive in our own ways. I think we’re both trying to outdo the last year, have bigger moments, greater partners, bigger experiences for the people who buy tickets and doing it in bigger venues. I think just naturally both of us being super competitive. I compare it to when LeBron [James] and D-Wade teamed up — they’re both these ultra competitors, but that competitiveness is what they have in common, and why they’re so great together.
There’s always pressure and stress. There’s a million things that could go wrong, but it never really does. By the time the night gets there and the vibes get there, it always finds a way to be an unforgettable night. As much as there are benefits to the show production, it’s really the memories we create. You could scroll down the #WaleMania hashtag and see the photos, videos, the pure organic excitement and memories people make from it. To do that, you gotta put pressure on yourself or you get complacent. “It was good, but it wasn’t [this year]” – I never wanna hear that. I wanna hear that it gets better and better every time out.
[embedded content]
It’s a diverse crowd that comes through but it’s been dope to see you guys highlight the Black community. You give that space to Black wrestlers to be showered and praised. How important has that aspect been for WaleMania?
Wale: I think it’s one of those things you never want to be heavy-handed with, because it’s already implied. To be heavy-handed, it doesn’t feel like you’re doing it for the right reasons. They know this is a safe space for us. We gon’ love on each other, we gon’ support each other, we gon’ talk about whatever’s on our minds, we gon’ dap and we gon’ sip something good together and chill. We have guests of honor every year, so it’s kind of implied. We never wanna make it where there’s so many platforms that do that, but it’s cool. To make it how it is, it’s unique.
How do you word it, Kaz? You the loquacious one. It’s a unique thing we’re doing, where we don’t want to be heavy-handed with it, but it’s extremely implied.
KF: WaleMania is for everybody. When we first started doing it, the roster didn’t look like the roster now. I’ll say in the last four years plus, there hasn’t been a better time to be a Black wrestler.
Wale: Or a Black wrestling fan.
KF: There’s top stars, fans, work-rate guys, super-entertaining guys. When I was growing up, in entertainment in general, you fell into the trap of the tokens. They’ll throw you a token Black guy here and there, and there’s usually one spot for the token Black guy, and that’s the gimmick.
Now, like we’ve seen in many forms of entertainment, it’s been a lot more diverse. Just as far as the many different ways the Black experience takes place. That helped with the growth of WaleMania. It’s definitely implied, like yes, this is the party for the n—-s. At the same time, everyone wants that invite. I don’t want to say the “C” word, but everyone wants to feel like I’m cool enough to be in this building. This year, we’ll have those type of folks like, “I can’t believe this guy is up in here.” You can usually tell when the folks are more comfortable around the brothers and sisters.
I’ll tell you a story, even last year and years past, Rob Van Dam is one of my favorite wrestlers growing up. Rob Van Dam is a staple of WaleMania. We love RVD. He brings his girl, he might roll a jay or two, he’ll come and kick it with everybody and put on some music. It’s so many wrestlers of all creeds and colors that pull up.
Wale: Jim Ross, I think [was at] WaleMania Cleveland. Me and the good ol’ JR were smoking a good ol’ jay a couple years ago. It’s for everybody. That might be why they come to get something different.
I just want to say we definitely want to shout out a lot of the other pillars in our community, like Smoke DZA, Westside Gunn, Flatbush Zombies and the guys who come through. They come through off the love. We gon’ go to their stuff too. It takes a village. We not in competition with anybody. Unfortunately, throughout the years we’ve seen people try to compete and it didn’t go well. We not in competition with no one.
Ye – formerly known as Kanye West – and Ty Dolla $ign have nixed Vultures listening parties that were slated to be staged in multiple U.S. arenas later this month, Billboard can confirm.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The listening parties were dubbed “Vultures 1 & 2 Listening Experience,” but notably, the Vultures 2 album, which was originally announced for release on March 8, about one month after the release of Vultures 1, still hasn’t materialized.
There’s still no word or sign of Vultures 2, and, now, those listening parties have gone quiet. A spokesperson for Ye tells Billboard those playbacks will no longer go ahead, but is confident new replacement dates will be announced shortly. No explanation has been given for the change of plan.
Trending on Billboard
At the time of writing, Kanye and Ty are still holding a listening party at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on April 21, with tickets on sale here.
The listening sessions were quietly announced, and largely overlooked by the mainstream media.
Evidence of those shows can spotted, however, at Ticketmaster which hosts a page for the Washington D.C. “experience,” with a broken link.
A statement from Amelie Arena in Tampa, FL reads, “We regret to report that due to the time constraints for Ye and Ty Dolla $ign to curate production and meet logistic requirements, the upcoming dates for the VULTURES 1&2 listening experience will need to be revisited at a later date.” Amelie Arena was scheduled to host the playback on April 14.
Variety’s Chris Willman was first to report the canceled U.S. playbacks, which were also penciled-in for venues in Fort Lauderdale, FL; Pittsburgh, PA; Nashville, TN; and Charlotte, NC.
The delayed Vultures 1 project enjoyed a fast start around the globe when it finally dropped, including a back-to-back stint at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in February, for Ye’s eighth consecutive No. 1 album dating all the way back to 2005’s Late Registration.
That two-week stint at the summit for Vultures 1 marked the first time West held the top spot for more than a week since 2011’s collaborative album with Jay-Z, Watch The Throne. The latest LP also topped Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart and opened at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
A handful of listening parties built the buzz for Vultures 1, and the hip-hop pair would appear on stage at Rolling Loud California on March 14, for a performance that divided audiences as either a spectacle of high-art or next-level trolling.
André 3000 once declared that “the South got something to say.” Nearly three decades later, fellow Atlanta natives Future and Metro Boomin are carrying the torch. The duo’s We Don’t Trust You joint album certainly made a noisy statement with the collab LP debuting atop the Billboard 200 and their nuclear Kendrick Lamar-assisted “Like That” […]
Ludacris is ready to tackle his next big role: hosting the iHeart Music Awards.
Tonight (Apr. 1), the multi-platform star will take centerstage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles at 8 PM EST on Fox. Justin Timberlake, TLC, Jelly Roll, Green Day and Luda himself will all dish out action-packed performances. There might even be a Beyoncé sighting, as the venerable legend will receive the Innovator Award.
For Ludacris, this will be his first time hosting the iHeart Music Awards — but he’s no stranger to the stage. Having previously hosted the Billboard Music Awards from 2016 to 2017, he’s fully aware of the audience he’ll be catering to, and he’s ready to bring the house down again with his comedic flair.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“You always gotta know your audience. It’s always different audiences for different events and things you do,” says Luda ahead of tonight’s festivities. “To me, iHeart is all about energy, love and they wanna see their favorite artists. I’m also — humbly speaking — performing as well. So, it’s all about the energy in the building. We gotta keep that as high as possible.”
Billboard spoke to Luda about Beyoncé’s possible appearance, the current feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, wanting to reprise his role of Darius on Law & Order: SVU, and more.
Trending on Billboard
Is the preparation process with hosting similar to when you’re preparing to perform at a concert or act on set?
It’s always [me] praying beforehand and thanking the man above for allowing me to do the things that I love and actually make a living off of it. That’s pretty much the preparation, man. Of course, you have rehearsals and you got things that you do beforehand — but besides that, it’s between you and the man upstairs.
Beyoncé is getting the Innovator Award. Luda, is she going to be there?
I hope so. Are you trying to say you think she’s going to have a pre-recorded video or something?
You never know.
You never know. [Laughs]. Listen, I’m sure iHeart is doing everything within their power [to bring her to the show.] She is an innovator. Her receiving that award and being risky with cross-genres and doing what she’s doing with her evolution over the last two decades has been amazing. I love where’s she at, I loved where she was and I love where she’s going.
You and Larenz Tate were in the studio teasing music. I asked you about four years ago, when was the album coming — I’m back again posing you that same question: Where and when is it coming?
You know what’s crazy? When you put out so many projects as an artist, you gotta step back a little and live a little bit of life to give the right injection again, because artistry pulls from real life. I just think I’ve been so fortunate to be one of those artists that can make it that far, when you have that many albums — but in order to properly give the fans what they need, I gotta take a step back for a second. Now that time has passed, it’s time for more music. Absolutely.
Last time we spoke, I asked you if you’ve embraced the word “legend” when speaking on your music career. Let’s flip it. Do you feel you’ve touched those grounds yet on the acting side? If not, what more do you have to do?
Acting, man, I feel like there’s more work to be done. You can put out music a lot sooner it seems than you can put out movies. Well, Samuel Jackson has debunked that, so I take that back completely.
To answer your question, I have so much more time to go before I can be considered a legend in acting. Now, some people my disagree. I’m a Virgo and I feel like I have to overly do and over-prove in order to solidify [my status to] the majority of the people around the world. I have some more time to go before I can be considered a legend in acting. I’ve accepted it in music. Since the last time we spoke, people don’t even throw that around loosely. They’ve definitely given me the love. I’ve appreciated that and I’ve accepted that.
You know, this marks Law and Order SVU’s 25th season. As we’ve previously discussed, your role of Darius got a lot of love and acclaim. Because your character walked away free from charges, can Darius possibly make a return this season?
You know, they haven’t reached out yet — but that goes into your last question of what I was saying. Your work has to stand the test of time. With now my music — in terms of being engrained in hip-hop until this day — they’re still playing it in arenas, like “Move,” “Area Codes” and “Southern Hospitality.” Your movies after a certain amount of time have to do the same thing. Same with your acting jobs. You see Hustle & Flow, I would consider that a cult, legendary film. You got Crash. I still feel like I need a couple more under my belt. But to answer your question, they haven’t reached out. I would love for Law & Order to do that, so we can reprise that role.
Obviously, the internet has been buzzing since Kendrick came after Drake and J. Cole on “Like That.” Being that you’ve had some competitive days, sparring with rappers on the mic, why do you think this battle is good for the culture?
Man, I’m excited. I’m not gonna lie to you. I think I’m just as excited as everyone else is, just to see how it plays out [and] to see if people are going to respond accordingly. Or all of that can be subjective. Do they feel like they need to?
I feel like that everyone should respond, because we’re in a competitive world. Athletes, March Madness, the Super Bowl that I just did was about the two best teams. Everyone’s talking about who’s the best, and everyone wants to say who’s the GOAT. Right now, I think people are like, “OK. You say you’re the best. Prove that because there can only be one.” It’s exciting. I can’t wait to see what happens.
Speaking on that competitive fire, how do you personally keep that streak alive knowing the resumé you have? Does it transfer over to the different arenas you’re in like acting and hosting?
That’s a good question. I think I just want to have numerous options and choices depending on how I feel. [Laughs.] If I wake up and say, “I wanna put out some music today,” I’ll put it out. If I wake up and say, “I wanna do a movie” — it’s all art. It’s all entertainment. If I wanna do something in television that’s ingrained in inspiring people, or if I wanna do some philanthropy today or if I wanna host something and uplift people, I like to have those options moving forward in life. I love the versatility and I love diversifying the portfolio to have those options.
Frank Ocean‘s 2012 track “Lost” has found a new accomplishment 12 years after its release: It recently hit 1 billion streams on Spotify. This marks Ocean’s third song to reach this milestone, following Calvin Harris‘ “Slide,” also featuring Migos, and “Pink + White.” “Lost” was the fourth single from his debut studio album Channel Orange, […]
