R&B/Hip-Hop

All of the Times Drake Has Been Charitable With Fans on His Big as the What? Tour

The rapper has been sharing his wealth with fans at his shows, paying off everything from health bills to mortgages.

Drake has been a charitable man. He turned his generosity into the theme of his diamond-certified “God’s Plan” video in 2018, which found the 6 God giving away thousands of dollars to families in need.

Years later, Drizzy has continued to level up his bank account and is making sure to give back to those who give him their endless support.

A few instances of him blessing fans went viral on his It’s All a Blur Tour in 2023, and he’s nearly made it a nightly occurrence on the Big as the What? Tour leg with J. Cole, which kicked off in Tampa Bay, Fla., on Feb. 2, and wraps up in New Jersey in April.

Drake’s always had a special connection to the OVO faithful as they continue this nearly two-decade journey, but these days, it’s going to another level.

Fans have brought posters, notes and more to shows hoping to get the 6 God’s attention. As a result, Drake has turned the altruism into part of his set while shouting out some of his favorites and gifting them with cash — sometimes dishing out more than six figures.

“The way we give back is legit. It’s on the ground,” he told Rap Radar in 2019. “It’s not so you guys can all double tap and say, ‘Wow!’”

Drake’s generosity touched numerous OVO fans on the 2024 trek and changed their lives forever. Below, find all of the charitable moves the 6 God has made on his It’s All A Blur – Big as the What? Tour.

Drake Recruits Lil Wayne & Lil Durk for Pair of New Jersey Shows to Close Out Big as the What? Tour

The Young Money militia is invading New Jersey in April. Live Nation announced on Tuesday (March 5) that Drake has added a pair of dates to his Big as the What? Tour, where he’ll be reuniting with Lil Wayne for two shows at Newark’s Prudential Center.

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In addition to Lil Durk, Drake has recruited Weezy for the two shows slated for April 5 and April 6. Pre-sale tickets will be available on Drake’s website starting on Wednesday (March 6) to Cash App card members, while the general public gets their chance on Friday (March 8).

The added shows will serve as the new closers for the Big as the What? Tour leg, but won’t feature J. Cole.

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For those in the tri-state area, Drake already has a couple of other shows locked in at the UBS Arena on Long Island, N.Y., on March 28 and March 29. Per the venue’s X account, Lil Wayne has been added to the bill for those concerts as well.

Those may not be the only shows Weezy will be coming to on the trek. Per Associated Press reporter Colby Guy, Wayne will be joining Drake for the pair of Florida shows at Amerant Bank Arena. Penn State’s official Bryce Jordan Center account also revealed on X that the New Orleans rapper will be at the Big as the What? Tour stop on campus on March 31.

Drake’s been on the road since the first leg of the It’s All A Blur Tour kicked off last year with 21 Savage. Plenty of fans have reaped the benefits of Drake’s deep pockets and big heart, as he recently offered to pay off the six-figure mortgage for a fan left by their late mother.

Find all of the dates left on the Big as the What? Tour below.

  • March 6 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
  • March 7 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
  • March 10 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
  • March 14 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
  • March 15 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
  • March 18 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
  • March 23 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena
  • March 24 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena
  • March 28 – Long Island, NY @ UBS Arena
  • March 29 – Long Island, NY @ UBS Arena
  • March 31 – University Park, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center
  • April 4 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
  • April 5 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center

Ice Spice Says She’s ‘Obsessed’ With Lana Del Rey

Ahead of her 2024 Billboard Women in Music Hitmaker ceremony on Wednesday (March 6), “Munch” hitmaker Ice Spice talked about some of her biggest musical inspirations, one of which might surprise you.

In a recent chat with Billboard, Spice was asked to name some of her favorite hit-makers of all time. After shouting out past Hitmakers honorees including Charli XCX and Dolly Parton (“they’re iconic, each in their own way”), Spice specifically called out Lana Del Rey as her musical north star.

“I’m obsessed with her, and I feel like all of her songs are hits, even the ones that aren’t as big as the others,” Ice Spice, 24, said of the sad-eyed singer who joined her and Taylor Swift in a skybox in February for Super Bowl LVIII to root on champs the Kansas City Chiefs. The unlikely Spice/Del Rey duo got to hang at a pre-Grammys gala honoring Jon Platt last month at the Beverley Hilton and Spice told Complex last year that at the time the only album she wanted to listen to was Del Rey’s 2014 album Ultraviolence.

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“Rihanna, too. I have both [her and Del Rey’s] vinyls. Taylor Swift. Of course, Nicki Minaj. Drake. The list is long!” Spice added in her Billboard chat.

It’s been a wild year for the Bronx MC, who has stormed the charts with a series of Jersey-club infected songs created with her longtime collaborator, RIOTUSA. Starting with her first solo Hot 100 entry with “In Ha Mood” last February, Ice Spice ended 2023 with four Hot 100 top 10s, a high point that tied her with Nicki Minaj (2012) and Cardi B (2018) for the most by a female rapper in a calendar year.

Watch Drake’s Son Adonis Meet NBA Star LaMelo Ball & Get an Autographed Jersey

Drake’s son Adonis Graham had the opportunity to meet one of his favorite hoopers when the Charlotte Hornets visited the Toronto Raptors. While his father is on the road for tour, Adonis pulled up to the Scotiabank Arena’s visiting locker room on Sunday (March 3) to spend some time with Hornets star LaMelo Ball, who gifted the 6-year-old an autographed jersey.

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“Little man, what’s up y’all? What’s up Adonis, you good,” Melo asks Adonis in a video shared to the Hornets’ social media accounts.

“I got a little present for you, man,” Ball teased before bringing out the white signed jersey. “Little something something. Little jersey gang.”

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Adonis replied: “Thanks, Melo!”

The duo went on to take a few photos together as well, which the Hornets hilariously captioned paying homage to Adonis’ rap debut on X: “My Man (Freestyle) featuring @MELOD1P.”

Unfortunately, Adonis didn’t get to see Ball suit up as LaMelo missed the game with a right ankle injury, and the Hornets ended up losing to the Raptors 111-106.

Much like his dad, Adonis loves basketball and has proven to be a big LaMelo fan in the past. Last May, Drake posted a drawing his son made of Ball using markers to social media. Shortly after, Ball sent Adonis a care package that included his rare Puma X LaMelo Ball MB.01 Digital Camo sneakers.

“Oh yeah! Let’s go,” Adonis repeats while running around his bedroom in a video shared at the time. “I got LaMelos!”

See some photos and footage of Adonis and LaMelo hanging together below.

FLO Is Ready to Show You How to ‘Walk Like This’ for Their First Single of 2024

FLO announced on Sunday (March 3) that they will drop their first single of the year, “Walk Like This.”

The British girl group also shared the cover art, which features all three members — Renée Downer, Jorja Douglas and Stella Quaresma — strutting their stuff while draped in various fur coats and tall leather boots against a white backdrop.

“Walk Like This” marks their first single since the Missy Elliott-assisted “Fly Girl” in March 2023, which interpolates Elliott’s 2002 Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 smash “Work It.” FLO also released their second EP, 3 of Us, on July 3, with three tracks and a Bellah-assisted bonus track. The project arrived one year after their critically acclaimed debut EP The Lead, which contains their breakout single “Cardboard Box.”

FLO became the first group to win the BRIT Awards’ Rising Star award in 2022, and they won BBC’s Sound of 2023 poll. FLO was also recently featured on Billboard‘s 2024 R&B/hip-hop Artists to Watch list, which was published in February. They were also named Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month in March 2023.

The girls are finishing up their highly anticipated debut album, and when asked what can fans expect from it during their Rookie of the Month interview last year, Quaresma said, “Just more elevated, different. We’re just growing up, basically, so our music’s just growing with us.”

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FLO is also slated to perform at Coachella this year, just one year after their first-ever North American headlining tour.

See the announcement below:

Joe Budden Thinks Cardi B Is ‘Scared’ to Drop New Album, Predicts ‘Girl Rapper Wave Is Over’

Joe Budden lambasted female rappers during the Sunday (March 3) episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, most notably, Cardi B. The famed podcaster didn’t hold back any punches, detailing why he believes the “girl rapper wave” is over. 

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“Y’all ain’t gonna want to hear it from me, but the girl rapper wave is over. Just telling you what it is,” Budden said. “All of that ‘Go find a girl, send her to Columbia, get it done, put her in the studio with f–king [Mike WiLL Made-It] or any one of them n—-s.’ All that planting the girl in the scene, getting the record and it taking off, that wave is over.”

Though he hailed Latto, Flo Milli and Rapsody for their skills, Budden stayed on the attack, explaining his take on how he believes labels feel the pressure to push a female artist.

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“I think labels are looking at it like, ‘Very few of y’all are selling records, it’s too much work to get your coin back,’” he said. “‘We gotta do brand deals all over the world with y’all. Y’all are expensive, some of y’all are annoying, and none of these records are working.’”

Budden’s searing take came on the heels of Cardi B’s “Like What” freestyle, which arrived on Friday (March 1). During his podcast, he suggested that The Bronx MC is “scared” to release her sophomore album because she fears the potential backlash awaiting her. 

“Cardi B is afraid and I’m tired of just nobody saying it,” said Budden. “Cardi B is scared to come out, it don’t take this long to come out.”

Billboard has reached out to Cardi B’s reps for comment.

Cardi’s blockbuster debut, Invasion of Privacy, dropped in 2018 and featured Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It.” The following year, the project scored a Grammy for best rap album, beating out Nipsey Hussle’s Victory Lap, Travis Scott’s Astroworld, Mac Miller’s Swimming and Pusha T’s Daytona

Check out Budden’s thoughts below. 



R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: 4batz, Samara Joy, ScHoolboy Q & More

From Cardi B‘s Missy Elliott-nodding “Like What” freestyle to RAYE‘s Brit Awards sweep and the kickoff of Nicki Minaj‘s highly anticipated Pink Friday 2: Gag City World Tour, it was a very eventful week for hip-hop and R&B. As usual, New Music Friday (Mar. 1), unleashed a tidal wave of new music, including a terrific new LP from ScHoolboy Q, a feisty new single from Chlöe Bailey and blistering EP from Meek Mill, which landed at the tail end of a social media spiral following the latest lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs.

With Fresh PicksBillboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from 4batz‘s latest low-key anthem to Samara Joy’s impressive entry into the 2025 Oscar race. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

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4batz, “act iii: on god? (she like)”



Any baseball player would tell you hitting a home run in each of their first three at-bats is nearly an impossible feat, but 4batz has accomplished the musical version of that. With “Act III: on god? (she like),” the atmospheric R&b singer-songwriter delivers more sweet vocals that rain from the clouds and aerate through his Black Shiesty ski mask. The Texas native heavenly croons about a toxic love, creating a paradox with the menacing visual featuring 4batz mobbing in the streets with his homies, only adding to the artist’s mystique. To quote the great hip-hop life coach Fat Joe, yesterday’s price is not today’s price, as record labels continue to wave lucrative checks looking to entice the rising talent to sign on the dotted line.

ScHoolboy Q feat. Rico Nasty, “Pop”



It hasn’t even been a week but Blue Lips is already a career highlight for ScHoolboy Q — quite possibly a career-best effort. On “Pop,” a shape-shifting, rock-infused collaboration with Rico Nasty, Q plays straight offense, using the grimy boom-bap beat to soundtrack his and Rico’s snarling declarations of dominance over everyone in their way, inside and outside of the rap game. “Put fifty in that, n—a, a hunnid in this, I never could miss/ N—a, we jump out that b—h, yeah, check off the list/ You rappin’ this, n—a, we really do this,” he ruthlessly spits.

That Mexican OT & Moneybagg Yo, “Twisting Fingers”



Texas Technician, the new album from That Mexican OT, is a loving tribute to his hometown and Southern hip-hop at large, and the Moneybagg Yo-assisted “Twisting Fingers” is an instant standout. The Bay City, TX & Memphis, TN link-up takes place across a laid-back beat — crafted by Bankroll Got It, Ben10k & Danes Blood — that’s reminiscent of old-school Texas rap. That Mexican OT and Moneybagg trade bars about staying true to their gangbanging roots, regardless of how famous they might become. “This s–t get gangster, ain’t no prankin’, outstandin’ member, high rankin’ / If you’re standin’ on what you rep, then twist your fingers like sign language,” Moneybagg closes his verse. Equal parts menacing and funny, “Twisting Fingers” is a stellar balancing act.

Skepta & Portable, “Tony Montana”



The intersection of grime and Afrobeats has long been a fruitful one, and “Tony Montana” is another strong addition to that legacy. The latest single from Skepta’s forthcoming Knife and Fork LP, “Tony Montana” finds the Brits-nominated rapper joining forces with rising Nigerian rapper Portable for an anthem celebrating their respective impact and influence. With a title that directly alludes to the iconic Scarface character, the relatively jaunty production — courtesy of Jae5 — makes for a welcome sonic contrast that also provides a multilayered soundscape that pairs well with both Skepta’s cocksure flow and Portable’s slinky hook.

Samara Joy, “Why I’m Here”



An original song for Netflix’s forthcoming Shirley — a biopic of Shirley Chisholm (the first Black woman to be elected to Congress) starring Oscar-winner Regina King in the titular role — “Why I’m Here” continues Samara Joy’s flawless streak of truly spellbinding vocal performances. Produced and co-written by Grammy-winner PJ Morton, the new song finds the jazz star taking a break from her home genre and briefly transitioning into a sweeping, cinematic sound that seamlessly carries her soulful pipes into a more straightforward pop realm. “An easy road was never promised/ And so much has been from taken from us/ But I won’t stop no matter how much I have to go through/ I won’t shed one tear, I know why I’m here,” she croons.

Asha Imuno, “Oozin…”



22-year-old Moreno Valley, CA native Asha Imuno is on the rise, and “Oozin…” — a cut from his sophomore effort, Pins & Needles — is proof of why. In the contemporary R&B space, the word “oozin” has a sexual connotation more often than not. Here, however, Asha flips the phrase to refer to the anxiety and depression that pour out of him in moments of silence and aloneness. “Oozing/ The anxiety subsides in the moment the dream becomes lucid / & Bruises/ That I can’t hide in this light/ Quantify all the times I felt useless,” he coos in the heartbreaking chorus.

Watch Travis Scott Go Out of His Way to Say Hi to This TV Commercial Personality

It’s rare for Travis Scott to be in Iowa, but women’s basketball phenom Caitlin Clark tends to bring the stars out. With Clark breaking the all-time NCAA scoring record for men and women on Sunday (March 3), La Flame had to be in the building to see the historic moment himself from a courtside view.

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In videos shared online, Scott and his entourage are making their way to their seats at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the Hawkeyes vs Buckeyes game when the Cactus Jack CEO notices another star courtside. That’s when he makes a point to stop and tap Jake From State Farm — whose real name is Kevin Miles — on the shoulder. The State Farm star, who was seated and didn’t see La Flame walking in, quickly turns around to say hello.

The TV commercial personality has seen his profile grow over the last year or two thanks to his repeated appearances with celebrities in State Farm commercials. Rocking a customized Caitlin Clark puffer vest, Jake’s courtside appearance at the Iowa-Ohio State game wasn’t too random, as he recently starred in a State Farm commercial alongside the women’s college basketball star.

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Fans expressed their surprise when they saw the clip of Scott greeting Jake From State Farm at the Iowa game.

“you won’t believe who he daps up,” a viral fan wrote in response to the footage on X.

Scott appeared to have a blast watching Clark break Pete “Pistol Pete” Maravich’s all-time scoring record for the NCAA on Iowa’s way to a 93-83 victory over rival Ohio State.

“We’re out to see C.C. handle business tonight,” Travis told NBC Sports in a courtside interview. “You know Caitlin Clark — she’s one of the greatest humans of all time. So we’re out here to see some good Iowa basketball … I’ve been in a lot of buildings, but this Iowa energy is like no other. I think they need to bottle this energy and bring it around the world.”

Scott seemingly had the time of his life out in Iowa as he posed for photos with Clark as well as the entire team. He jammed out with the marching band and was spotted hyping up the crowd on the jumbotron during his All-American hoops Sunday.

Find some of the highlights of Scott at the game below.

How PinkPantheress’ Perfectionism Took Her From Bedroom Beats to the Billboard Charts

Since PinkPantheress started uploading her music to TikTok three years ago, her songs have gone from locked away on her hard drive to the Billboard charts — but the singer, songwriter and producer’s recording essentials remain the same: microphone, GarageBand-outfitted laptop and a killer ear for finding niche samples primed for her to mold into the next dance-pop earworm.

The 22-year-old from Bath, England, may have started enlisting fellow producers to help polish her work, as on her recent album Heaven Knows, but make no mistake: From her early viral single “Pain” to her 2023 hit “Boy’s a liar, Pt. 2” with Ice Spice, PinkPantheress has been the creative mastermind. In fact, the self-described perfectionist — whose team lovingly refers to her as “Pink” in lieu of divulging her real name — admits that she often finds herself seizing control of her studio sessions with collaborators.

“As soon as I’m at a point where I can’t do anything else, that’s where I go, ‘OK, now can you do the rest?’ ” she says of her process, laughing. “It ends up being a collaborative thing. I just like to get what I can do out of the way first.” When she comes across another artist’s track that she can’t stop obsessing over, that usually means it’s about to become the skeleton of her next project. “I’m just like, ‘I need to somehow make this my song,’ ” she says.

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She can recall only one time that she had to ax a track because she couldn’t get a sample — the original producer’s royalties demands were simply too high. But Billboard’s 2024 Women in Music Producer of the Year knew that what she brought to the table on her own was valuable — something that might inspire young girls who also want to make music — so she walked away.

“For whatever reason, I’ve always felt strongly about that,” she says of her sense of self-worth. “Obviously, it’s a good thing.”

Billboard’s last Producer of the Year honoree, Rosalía, gave you a shoutout during her Women in Music interview. Which female producers inspire you?

That’s really sweet. I didn’t know she knew who I was. Since she’s a [female] producer as well, it’s really cool. There’s obviously not many of us. I’m always going to say WondaGurl, just because she’s who I looked up to when I was starting. Obviously, Imogen Heap, but these are all veterans. I need to tap into more up-and-coming ones.

Sampling has been your bread and butter from the start. How has your process changed over time?

At the beginning, I wasn’t really adding anything to my samples. I was basically just singing over instrumentals. I didn’t mind sampling, but I didn’t like how people… I think people thought it was lazy, and part of me understood what they meant. I’m chopping them, speeding them up or slowing them down way more. I’m adding more instrumentation so it’s more hidden, whereas before it would kind of just be the actual track itself.

PinkPantheress, Women in Music

Lia Clay Miller

You’ve said before that some of your songs are “crap.” Do you really think that?

I’m one of those people who, in my whole life, nothing is ever good enough. For better or worse, this is just how I am. I’ll put out a song and think at the time, “This is 100% amazing.” It’s only when I’ve put it out that I doubt myself. Does that mean I think the song’s actually bad? No. Because at the end of the day, I know it’s still a bop.

What advice do you have for other female producers trying to hold their own in the industry?

It’s the vibe you go in with that people judge to see if they can get away with stuff. If you know what you want to make as soon as you step into the room, there should be nothing stopping you from actually doing it. What I’m saying is, if there’s a MIDI keyboard there, ask to use the MIDI keyboard. If [other producers] say no, then that’s wild and definitely leave. But chances are, they’ll say yes.

This story originally appeared in the March 2, 2024, issue of Billboard.

Watch Drake Promise to Cover Fan’s Late Mother’s Six-Figure Mortgage Payment

The season of giving never ends for Drake. The OVO boss has been feeling generous on his It’s All a Blur – Big As the What? Tour with J. Cole, where he’s given away thousands of dollars to fans in need. The latest came on Saturday (March 2) during a Kansas City stop, when a fan threw a letter on stage explaining their mother passed away and left them with an outstanding mortgage with no way to pay for it.

Drake paused the action at the T-Mobile Center to read the letter to the rest of the audience.

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“You said, ‘[Pay] off my mom’s house, rest in peace.’ Your mom passed away? Alright. And you owe …,” Drake said before briefly pausing in shock. “Oh, this is the outstanding balance right here. This is a lot of money right here.”

Drizzy took the moment in, then revealed he’d be offering to pay off the six-figure debt in full for the fan out of his own pockets.

“But you know what, Imma pay off your mama’s house for you,” Drake asserted. “That’s gonna come from me. Rest in peace to your mama. Hold on, wait. Rest in peace to Jennifer Schumer. Rest in peace. I love you.”

It’s far from the first time Drake has been charitable with his fans while on tour. In February, Drizzy blessed a fan with $100,000 for finishing chemotherapy after seeing her sign in the Nashville concert crowd that read: “Just finished chemo.”

“I hope my manager doesn’t kill me ’cause I’ve never really done this much, but, listen, I want you to cash this in at the end of the night,” he said to the cancer survivor. “We’re gonna give you $100,000.”

According to a report from The Tennessean, the fan was identified as Lauren Schwallie and she has been fighting breast cancer since 2022.

“One thing led to another and I was at the front of the stage and Drake blew me a kiss and told me that he loved me! That’s all I was focused on … And then just like the money on top of it is just insane,” she told the publication of the surprise.

He wasn’t done there, as he went to St. Louis later in February and promised to cover a fan’s surgery bills.

“You got a sign that says, ‘Please help me with my surgery.’ I don’t know what kinda surgery you need, sir. I really don’t but I’ma let you know from me to you St. Louis love, we gon’ take care whatever the surgery is,” Drake said. “We gonna help you out because we want you to be at the next show with us. You gotta show us love.”

The fan’s face appeared on the Enterprise Center jumbotron as he reacted to the rapper’s promise.

Drizzy and J. Cole’s Big As the What? Tour continues this week with a pair of shows in New Orleans before heading to Kentucky.

Watch a video of the moment Drake offers to pay off the mortgage below: