R&B/Hip-Hop

21 Feb 2024

Kim Kardashian Celebrates Her ‘Baby’ North West’s First Hot 100 Hit

North West is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist thanks to her featured appearances on dad Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Ty Dolla $ign’s new album, Vultures 1.

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Proud mom Kim Kardashian took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (Feb. 21) to share a screenshot of the track “Talking” and its accomplishment, writing, “My baby!!!!”

See her Stories before they disappear here.

Vultures 1 debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200(dated Feb. 24) with 148,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in its opening week (Feb. 9-15, following its Feb. 10 release), according to Luminate. At just 10 years old, North, the eldest child of Ye and Kardashian (who divorced in 2022), is now one of the youngest acts ever to reach the chart. 

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In December, North dropped by her father’s listening party for his Vultures album. At the event, she took the stage and lip-synced along to her verse. “I love it here / We’re gonna take over another year / It’s your bestie Miss, Miss Westie. Don’t try to test me / It’s gonna get messy / Just, just bless me, bless me / It’s your bestie Miss, Miss Westie,” she proclaims on the song.

21 Feb 2024

Tyla’s ‘Water’ Springs to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart

A month after Tyla’s “Water” ran its course at No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, the hit reaches the top of the Adult R&B Airplay list dated Feb. 24. The track, released on FAX Records/Epic Records, jumps 4-1 following a 25% surge in plays that made it the most played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the tracking week of Feb. 9-15, according to Luminate. Thanks to the rapid rise, “Water” also takes the Greatest Gainer award, given weekly to the song with the largest increase in plays.

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“Water” gives 22-year-old Tyla her first Adult R&B Airplay No. 1 with her first appearance. The breakthrough single is a crossover smash, having reigned on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for eight non-consecutive weeks beginning in December, and for one week on Rhythmic Airplay the same month. Radio coronations continue a winning stretch for the South African singer, who took home the first-ever Grammy Award for best African music performance – for “Water” – earlier this month.

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Elsewhere, “Water” takes its sixth, non-consecutive week at No. 2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. The single remains essentially even in audience, compared with last week, but has been blocked from the top slot by a historic title: SZA’s “Snooze” adds an unprecedented 31st week at No. 1 to its dominating run, the longest command song in the chart’s 31-year history.

Cementing that crossover appeal, “Water” heads the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart for a third week and improves 8% in plays in the latest tracking week. It also holds at its No. 8 peak on Pop Airplay for a third consecutive frame, adding 3% more plays in the same period.

With “Water” opening the floodgates, Tyla’s second single has landed on radio rankings. “Truth or Dare” starts at No. 40 on Rhythmic Airplay (up 207% in plays) and at No. 44 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (173,000 in audience, a 185% gain). Both “Water” and “Truth or Dare” will appear on the singer’s self-titled debut album, which arrives March 22.

21 Feb 2024

The Kid Laroi Opens Up About Fame, Justin Bieber & Juice WRLD in ‘Kids Are Growing Up’ Documentary Trailer: Watch

The Kid Laroi seemingly went from being an unknown Australian teenager navigating puberty to a burgeoning superstar with a diamond plaque to his name in the blink of an eye.

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Laroi — born Charlton Howard — opens up with an intimate documentary titled Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About A Kid Named Laroi, which will be available on Prime Video on Feb. 29. The “Stay” artist released the first trailer on Wednesday (Feb. 21), giving fans a taste of what’s to come.

Directed by Michael Ratner, the documentary takes viewers on an emotional journey of The Kid Laroi’s dealings with fame amid the massive commercial success of “Stay” leading into his The First Time debut album, which arrived in November.

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The two-minute trailer includes a preview of an unreleased song and features contributions from his “Stay” collaborator Justin Bieber.

“The first time I ever actually called him, he was in the shower, and I was like, ‘What’s up, dog? You can call me when you’re done showering!’” the Canadian pop star recalls.

“STAY” spent seven non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, and the diamond-certified anthem won Top Hot 100 Song as well as Top Collaboration honors at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.

Post Malone also sings Laroi’s praises in the clip: “Laroi, he’s so ambitious. I could tell he was gonna be huge.”

In a more serious turn, The Kid Laroi also gets candid about the lessons he learned from his late mentor, Juice WRLD, who passed away from an accidental drug overdose in December 2019.

“[Juice WRLD] taught me a lot about life,” he says. “He had so much life left to live. That just should not be placed on anybody.” 

Prime Video is celebrating the doc’s arrival by hosting an interactive screening watch party and live Q&A between fans and The Kid Laroi from his home in Los Angeles on Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. PT.

Watch the Kids Are Growing Up trailer below and stream the documentary on Prime Video later this month.

21 Feb 2024

Jeezy Brings His Trap Hits to NPR for Soulful ‘Tiny Desk’ Concert: Watch

Jeezy is the latest rapper to grace NPR’s Tiny Desk stage as he delivered a concert that took fans on a memorable journey into the depths of the trap houses he once occupied via his decorated discography.

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The Snowman made his Tiny Desk debut on Wednesday (Feb. 21), which found Jeezy flanked by a group of violins, guitars and keyboards with Howard University students filling the room.

“Y’all could see how I got from there to here to Tiny Desk. I used to stand on a tiny porch, but if you stay with your dreams and stand on your business, you could get anywhere,” he said while providing the audience with words of inspiration to kick off the performance.

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Jeezy warmed up with Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101‘s “Standing Ovation” before moving into “Air Forces” and “Bottom of the Map” from his multiplatinum 2005 commercial debut, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 172,000 album units sold in the first week.

He also reflected on his come-up. “‘Standing Ovation’ was something special to me because when I walked on that stage for the first time and got recognized for something I love, I couldn’t believe God was so good coming from my circumstances,” he shared. “And to see people applauding me for what I had been through meant the world, and that’s why I kept going and why I’m here today.”

The Atlanta trap pioneer moved into more dope boy TM:101 anthems with a soothing live band twist, such as “And Then What” and the Jay-Z-assisted “Go Crazy.”

Jeezy finished off with a poignant performance of “Everythang” from TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition.

“This has been Tiny Desk, this has been my story … Y’all keep this positivity going,” Big Sno said before signing off from NPR.

Watch Jeezy’s Tiny Desk concert in full below.

21 Feb 2024

Pharrell Taps Tyler, the Creator to Design a Collection for Louis Vuitton

Tyler, the Creator has long looked up to Pharrell and what he’s been able to accomplish in music as well as the fashion world. Tyler himself has been designing clothes for well over a decade through his Golf Wang brand, and Skateboard P is giving him the opportunity of a lifetime.

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Pharrell, who serves as the men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton, tapped his “Cash In, Cash Out” collaborator to design a capsule collection for the iconic French fashion house.

“Tyler has been my close friend and collaborator for years and we’ve always connected on music and design,” Pharrell told GQ. “This collaboration is unique to Louis Vuitton because it’s a natural extension of our LVERS philosophy, building on our network of incredible artists and creatives. There are so many elements specific to Tyler built into these pieces and it’s been inspiring to see him hone in on his craft and collaborate with him for this Spring collection.”

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GQ got a first look at the colorful garments serving as the brainchild of Tyler, the Creator. The pieces will be available on March 21 as part of the LV Spring 2024 collection.

Dubbed the “Craggy Monogram,” the posh capsule includes an array of items that Tyler himself would sport, whether that be a baby blue V-neck knitted vest, pastel shoes or Bermuda shorts.

“My main focus was making things I would wear all the time,” he told GQ. “I dress the same in a meeting as I do a performance or grocery store trip, so hand drawing the monogram felt like the perfect balance to me.”

Tyler has a keen eye for accessories, and he didn’t hold back with his LV debut. There’s a collectible cereal bowl, as well as a leather golf bag with a Damier towel and club head covers for those hitting the links.

The Grammy-winning rapper, who has an affinity for trunks and boasts one of the rarest luggage collections of any celebrity, leaned into that by designing an entire set of trunks, including the biggest the fashion house has with the Courrier Lozine 110, which will retail for a staggering €68,000, which is approximately $73,560. There’s even one piece that comes equipped with a chess set for those who are ready to sit down for a game at any time or any place.

“The chessboard is one of the greatest things I’ve made and is definitely my favorite thing from the collection,” Tyler added to GQ. “The team was great to work with — it kinda felt like Big with Tom Hanks. P has always left a door open for me, but I still can’t believe this one.”

Find more photos from Tyler, the Creator’s Louis Vuitton collection — which will be available next month — below.

21 Feb 2024

Offset Tells Cardi B to ‘Stop Being Scary’ and Drop Her New Album

Hip-hop fans have been waiting for Cardi B‘s next album for more than five years. And while the “Bongos” rapper has repeatedly teased that the follow-up to her smash 2018 major label debut, Invasion of Privacy, is just around the corner, as of now there is still no information or release date out there.

The tease has been going on for so long that even estranged husband Offset is getting antsy for the world to hear Cardi’s next musical move. According to HipHopDX, on Monday the Migos MC posted a video on his Instagram Stories in which he hyped Cardi’s new music while encouraging her to hurry up and let it loose.

While ‘Set was bobbing his head and clearly vibing to the music with a satisfied stank face visible beneath his black hoodie, the video had no audio, so viewers were left to their imagination in interpreting the caption. “Stop being scary and drop the album” it read, along with “s–t goes crazy [fire emoji].”

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The hype from her ex came despite Cardi announcing in December that she was single, marking an end to the couple’s tumultuous, on-and-off six-year relationship. In keeping with the up-and-down journey they’ve been on, though, the pair were pictured together at a restaurant in Miami Beach on Valentine’s Day.

For her part, Cardi has continued to tease out hints about her new album, including in November when she asked fans if she should drop a new video before the end of the year. “ I don’t know. Maybe I should just put a lil’ something something out before the year ends,” she said at the time. “Would y’all mind if I just do, like, a video? If I do a music video that’s just probably in my kitchen because I don’t really have nothing planned for, like, right now. I don’t know. I’ll think about it by the end of the day. I don’t know. I just feel like I gotta talk my s–t a little bit. You know what I’m saying?”

In the end, she didn’t release anything new and at press time there is still no information about when the Bardigang might get fresh tracks.

21 Feb 2024

Hot 100 First-Timers: North West & Bump J Debut With Features on Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Vultures 1’

North West and Bump J are both officially Billboard Hot 100-charting artists thanks to their featured appearances on Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Ty Dolla $ign’s new album, Vultures 1. The set by the pair debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated Feb. 24) with 148,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in its opening week (Feb. 9-15, following its Feb. 10 release), according to Luminate.

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North West is featured on the album’s “Talking,” which debuts at No. 30 on the Hot 100 with 12.33 million official U.S. streams.

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At just 10 years old, North, the eldest child of Ye and Kim Kardashian (who divorced in 2022), is now one of the youngest acts ever to reach the chart. Among other precocious charted talents, Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter hit the Hot 100 at just 7 years old in 2019, thanks to her featured turn on Beyoncé, Saint Jhn and Wizkid’s “Brown Skin Girl.” She made her overall chart debut just after making her debut in the world, as her coos are heard on Jay-Z’s “Glory,” featuring B.I.C. (her initials). The song hit Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 2012, making her the youngest billed artist ever on any Billboard chart.

“Talking” isn’t just North West’s first entry on the Hot 100, but on any Billboard list. She also debuts at No. 32 on the Emerging Artists chart.

As for Bump J, the Chicago rapper hits the Hot 100 for the first time thanks to his featured credit on Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Vultures,” also featuring fellow Chi-Town rapper Lil Durk. The song debuts at No. 34 with 12.28 million streams.

Bump J (real name Terrance Boykin) has been releasing music for more than two decades. After releasing multiple mixtapes, he signed a deal with Atlantic Records in 2005 and released his solo single “Move Around,” which Ye produced. The track reached No. 91 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in March 2005. His career was detoured in 2007 when he was arrested for an armed robbery. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2009 and was released through a plea deal in 2017.

Since then, he’s released two full-length projects: 606 God in 2018 and I Don’t Feel Rehabilitated in 2019. Plus, he teamed with Chicago rapper G Herbo in 2017 for “Crown” and again in 2021 on “Revolutionary,” also with Hit-Boy. The latter track is from Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album, which hit No. 1 on the Soundtracks chart and No. 12 on the Billboard 200.

21 Feb 2024

Usher Reveals 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show Featured Tons of Easter Egg Tributes to R&B Icons You Probably Missed

Taylor Swift isn’t the only one who’s expert at sprinkling Easter eggs all over the place. In an interview with The Breakfast Club on Monday, Usher said that his Super Bowl LVIII halftime performance was packed with subtle nods to a number of his R&B favorites, many of which you may have missed.

While you probably spotted the empty drum kit that served as an homage to late drummer Aaron Spears, Usher said there were many more subtle nods. “What you don’t realize is that there are so many gems you have yet to unlock. You only caught one,” Usher told Charlamagne Tha God after the co-host noted that Ush paid homage to Michael Jackson’s dance moves during the 13-minute career retrospective.

“You caught Michael. Did you catch Marvin [Gaye]? Did you catch the back leg pop for James Brown?,” Usher asked, adding that his shirtless bit was a nod to Bobby Brown and his tank top was a tribute to R&B icon Teddy Pendergrass. Among the other superstars Usher said he alluded to were Luther Vandross and a “piano moment” that was a tip to Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway.

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“I’m delivering in all things that I do when I bring the culture of what I am and what has made me who I am everywhere I go, even right now,” Usher said, adding that he also slipped in allusions to Ron Isley, the Gap Band, the Jackson 5, Zapp and Earth, Wind & Fire. “If you go back, it’s an entire education that’s happening right in front of your eyes.”

Before the Super Bowl set, Usher, 45, told GMA that he planned to use his time on the biggest night in TV to pay homage to Black artists who paved the way for him. “I think about what our country has kind of represented for Black artists, you know, having to at some point go through kitchens to even be able to perform for an audience, but they had to leave back through that same door, fear for their lives as they went to the next state to do the same thing,” he said. “So I’m coming through the front door with this one.”

The singer told GMA that he was well-aware that he didn’t start where he is now and didn’t get to the Super Bowl stage by himself. “So, everybody that has been a part of it, I’m carrying them with me. All of my fans, my loved ones, the people who may have felt like they have been forgotten, they haven’t. I’m carrying you right with me when I walk on that stage that night,” he said before taking the stage during the break in what became the Kansas City Chiefs’ third Super Bowl win in the past five years.

See Usher’s Breakfast Club interview below.

20 Feb 2024

Questlove Defends Sexyy Red on Roots Picnic Lineup: ‘There Is Always That One Act on the Show Everyone Hates’

Lil Wayne, Nas and André 3000 were a few of the headlining names announced when the 2024 Roots Picnic revealed its lineup this week, but not everyone was thrilled with some of the artists included.

A group of fans flooded the Philadelphia festival’s lineup announcement criticizing organizers’ decision to have Sexyy Red on the bill.

“Wow this is where we are in Hip Hop?! There is nothing positive about her message,” one fan wrote, while actress Amanda Seales chimed in with a disapproving “Yikes.” It seems the negative reaction to Sexyy Red’s booking was a mixture of disliking her style of music to questioning her vocal support for former President Trump.

Questlove, who is a host of the annual event, had enough and decided to step in to defend the Philly festival’s decision to book Sexyy and promote a diverse and well-rounded lineup for fans of all ages and tastes to enjoy.

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“There is always that one act on the show everyone hates because it serves as a reminder the hip hop THEY like is from 30 years ago,” the Roots drummer replied to a comment under his Instagram post on Monday.

“I mean I get it it but look: we gotta round and balance the day out: there are other stages & podcasts and events to see. I’m still shocked yall got energy for ‘oh hell no isms’ like it’s 16 years folks——-when have you seen a festival in which EVERY ACT is the act you love?”

Questlove continued: “I mean the way I see it: cats in here bringing a certain energy: meanwhile there is a whole entire Jill post & an Amerie post & a Black Thought post & a Meth & Red post & I see/hear nary a ‘I love real music’ person SUPPORTING that page. It’s almost worth it just for this engagement & trolling was the last thing on my mind lol Roots Picnic is well rounded and that’s why it works.”

Tickets for the Roots Picnic go on sale to the general public this Friday (Feb. 23) at 10 a.m. ET. Other artists on the bill slated to hit the stage on June 1 and 2 include Gunna, best new artist Grammy winner Victoria Monét, Jill Scott, Method Man, Wale and a ton more.

Find Questlove’s post as well as the full Roots Picnic lineup below.

20 Feb 2024

Nicki Minaj Invites Katt Williams to Join Her Pink Friday 2 World Tour

Nicki Minaj wants to add some comedy to her Pink Friday 2 World Tour, and she’s looking to bring the “funniest man in show business” on the road with her this spring.

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During an Instagram Live on Monday, Nicki asked the Barbz to help get Katt Williams’ attention to see if he’d be willing to join her tour for a certain price.

“I know that this is the busiest man in show business,” she began. “I know that he’s rich. I know that he’s the funniest man in show business. Can y’all hit up Katt Williams and ask him what would be his price… to be a part of the Pink Friday 2 Gag City Tour?”

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Williams has yet to respond to Minaj’s inquiry, but it appears it will be a nearly impossible feat as the comedic legend is currently on his own The Dark Matter Tour through mid-May.

At that point, Nicki will be wrapping up her North American dates before heading overseas for the European leg of her world tour, which will take the Queen rapper into the summer.

Williams has continued to carry momentum generated from his viral Club Shay Shay interview with NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, which has racked up about 60 million views on YouTube since its January release.

While openers on Nicki’s tour have yet to be announced in full, Monica will be part of the North American leg, which she revealed during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show earlier this month.

“I get a chance to hit all these cities that mean so much to me,” she said. “Atlanta, of course, New Orleans [and] Nashville. We’re coming to every city that we possibly can. I’m really grateful for Nicki because she’s one of those people that always said, ‘Monica meant everything to my childhood.’”

Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 sequel arrived in December and debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 228,000 total album units in the first week. Her arena tour is just around the corner and is slated to kick off in Oakland, California, on March 1.

Watch Nicki’s plea to Katt Williams below.