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Fans were already lined up to enter Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Monday night (Aug. 28) for the first of two shows from Drake when they were informed that the gig had been postponed. “Due to unforeseen circumstances with the newly-installed videoboard at Rogers Arena, tonight’s Drake performance will now take place on Wednesday, August […]
Los Angeles singer-songwriter August 08 has died at age 31.
“The entire Def Jam family mourns the tragic loss of Ray’ August 08′ Jacobs,” Def Jam said in a statement to Billboard on Tuesday (Aug. 29). “A brilliant songwriter, an accomplished musician and a singular artist, August will remain in our memory as a beloved colleague and friend. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.”
Born Ray Jacobs, August was the first signee to Jhene Aiko’s Allel Sound label and released his first EP under her imprint in July 2022. Titled Towards the Moon, August’s project was anchored by his song “Water Sign” with Aiko. Towards the Moon was the follow-up to his April 2022 EP Towards the Sun.
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“August is an incredible writer, singer and artist whose music speaks to me on so many levels… As a fellow Los Angeles native, I am so proud of him,” Aiko told Variety last year upon signing him. “August’s talent, love for songwriting and hands on approach with his art is something I can relate to and have a great amount of respect for. It was a natural evolution of our friendship and musical collaboration to have him become the first artist signed to Allel Sound. I couldn’t be more excited to work with August.”
Before August teamed with Def Jam and Aiko’s label, he previously aligned with 88rising, where he worked with Joji on his Seasick album cut “What We Used To Be.” He also paired himself with ScHoolboy Q on “Cutlass” on the aforementioned project.
“RIP August the kindest and most talented genius you will be missed beyond words,” 88rising shared on Instagram. “Thank you for being an amazing mentor and a steadfast friend through all these years. We are forever grateful to you and the joy you brought in every room, through every song. Your energy, guidance and care gave so much inspiration and strength that will be carried on always.”
In June, August 08 released “Bruises,” which he called “an expression of love through all.” “Been through a lot of heartache in my love life but I’ve always been able to put the pieces back together and move forward. ‘Bruises’ speaks to love and how it may waiver but never completely abandons us,” he said after the release. “This video represents love in all forms and how no matter our difference we can love through all. I love how music can connect people from all over allowing for freedom of express. I wanted to pay homage with love and respect to the art and the community.”
On the songwriting side, August collaborated with Ty Dolla $ign, Duckwrth, Kyle and more. He also co-wrote DJ Khaled’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “I’m the One,” featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne.
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has giving his thoughts after Eminem’s performing rights organization BMI sent him a cease-and-desist letter for the use of his song, “Lose Yourself.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “I’ll respect his wishes,” the politician told MSNBC, before referencing the rapper’s “The […]
Travis Scott is taking his Billboard 200 No. 1 album Utopia around North America this fall and winter for the Utopia – Circus Maximus Tour, Live Nation announced Tuesday (Aug. 29).
The 28-date jaunt begins at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center on Oct. 11 and travels throughout major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York City before wrapping Dec. 29 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The Utopia – Circus Maximus Tour will also include Scott’s largest headlining show to date at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Nov. 5.
Despite Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s statement earlier this month about Scott returning to his hometown as part of his upcoming tour, the Utopia – Circus Maximus Tour currently does not have any dates listed for Houston. Houston Police Department Union president Douglas Griffith said in his own statement that Oct. 19 and Nov. 20 “were the dates in which were proposed for the return.” If Scott were to return to Houston for a performance, it would mark his first since the Astroworld Festival tragedy in November 2021, when 10 people died and hundreds were injured during a deadly crowd crush. On the day of Utopia‘s release, on July 28, HPD released a nearly 1,300-page report detailing the investigation into the tragedy. The report arrives just a month after a Houston grand jury declined to file criminal charges against Scott and other Astroworld organizers over the deadly incident. Since the Nov. 5, 2021, event, thousands of alleged victims have filed more than 400 civil lawsuits against Scott, Live Nation and others involved with the festival.
Tickets will go on sale Thursday, Aug. 31, at 10 a.m. local time at travisscott.com. Live Nation reported that $2 from every ticket sold will go to the rapper’s Cactus Jack Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift Houston youth through toy drives, scholarship programs to HBCU college students, and fulfilling expenses for education and creative endeavors.
Scott’s latest album, Utopia, has spent the last four weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, making it his third No. 1 on the chart and first solo album since 2018’s Astroworld. It’s also the first rap album to spend its first four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in five years, since Drake’s Scorpion.
The “Meltdown” MC performed the album for the first time in Italy on Aug. 7, alongside special guest Kanye West, in front of 60,000 people at Rome’s Circus Maximus. The concert occurred after his canceled live set at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, which was originally slated for July 28. CNN reported that 60 people were injured at Scott’s Italy concert.
See the dates below.
Oct. 11 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum CenterOct. 13 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC ArenaOct. 17 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines CenterOct. 20 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile CenterOct. 22 – Denver, CO – Ball ArenaOct. 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint CenterOct. 29 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden ArenaOct. 31 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland ArenaNov. 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi StadiumNov. 8 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge ArenaNov. 10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers ArenaNov. 12 – Portland, OR @ Moda CenterNov. 15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta CenterNov. 18 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK CenterNov. 21 – Austin, TX @ Moody CenterNov. 25 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm ArenaNov. 27 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya CenterDec. 4 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone ArenaDec. 6 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank ArenaDec. 8 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints ArenaDec. 10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo CenterDec. 12 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars ArenaDec 15 – Chicago, IL @ United CenterDec. 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays CenterDec. 21 – New York City, NY @ Madison Square GardenDec. 23 – Boston, MA @ TD GardenDec. 26 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential CenterDec. 29 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
For years, musicians pretty much had just one artistic outlet for dissing their enemies: through song. That would all change for good circa 1981, however, when the modern music video was born — bringing with it a whole new way for singers and rappers to creatively dunk on their haters, exes, backstabbers, copycats and everyone […]
Nicki Minaj is still regretting a tardiness mistake from 13 years ago. In an Instagram Live video recorded and posted by 9MagTV this week, Diddy’s son Justin Combs commented “Hi” in the chat, which Minaj noticed and addressed. “I went to your Sweet 16 with you, right?” she said. “Yo, what was that like me […]
Coolio‘s legacy continues to live on. The rapper — who died in September 2022 due to an accidental overdose — received a tribute in the Monday (Aug. 28) episode of Hulu’s Futurama, in which he voices Kwanzaabot. The episode, titled “I Know What You Did Next Xmas,” marks Coolio’s final appearance on the show. In […]
Future’s “I’m Dat N—-” leads Billboard’s Sept. 2-dated Hot Trending Songs chart, powered by X, over a year after its initial release thanks to a viral video featuring the song.
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Billboard’s Hot Trending charts, powered by X (formerly known as Twitter), track global music-related trends and conversations in real-time across X, viewable over either the last 24 hours or past seven days. A weekly, 20-position version of the chart, covering activity from Friday through Thursday of each week, posts alongside Billboard’s other weekly charts on Billboard.com each Tuesday, with the latest tracking period running Aug. 18-24.
“I’m Dat N—-,” from Future’s 2022 album I Never Liked You, rules thanks to a viral video widely shared on X featuring a groom walking out to the song at his wedding.
It becomes Future’s first No. 1 on Hot Trending Songs; the tune previously appeared at No. 2 on the list in February.
The video spurred streaming gains for the song – a 15% gain from 836,000 official on-demand U.S. streams to 958,000 in the Aug. 18-24 tracking week, according to Luminate.
Future leads a slew of songs from Burna Boy’s new album I Told Them…, which occupy Nos. 2-9. They’re led by “Cheat on Me” featuring Dave, which preceded the album with an Aug. 22 release.
I Told Them… was eventually released Aug. 24, with further chart positions for both the album and its songs possible on the Sept. 9-dated Billboard charts encompassing the week of Aug. 25-31.
Victoria Monet’s “Alright” rounds out the top 10 from her new album Jaguar II, released Aug. 25.
Keep visiting Billboard.com for the constantly evolving Hot Trending Songs rankings, and check in each Tuesday for the latest weekly chart.
The inspiration for “Johnny Dang” came to That Mexican OT (Outta Texas) in an unexpectedly casual manner — while listening to Slick Rick’s flow in “Children’s Story,” the hip-hop legend’s 1989 top 5 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. For the cowboy hat-donning Texas rapper, creative outbursts arrive with no notice. “Louis Vuitton umbrella when I walk through the rain,” he raps with a familiar lilt while on the phone with Billboard.
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“Johnny Dang” is also an ode to the highly sought after Texas jeweler of the same name who appears in the music video. Johnny Dang is arguably hip-hop’s go-to jeweler, designing extravagant chains and grills for artists like Beyoncé, Migos, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Ye and many more.
Another surreal experience for the Bay City, Texas rapper came through enlisting Houston hip-hop legend Paul Wall and rap newcomer DRODi, who is OT’s close friend. “It was cool, it really was. But it’s mostly crazy,” OT says about pulling Wall to the track. “It’s cool to bring it back [home] because my uncles grew up jamming [to his music], you know?… And DRODi is one of my best friends. It’s beautiful watching him grow.”
The results have paid off. The rustic single with a slow-burning trap beat is quickly climbing the Billboard charts, making it That Mexican OT (real name Virgil René Gazca) and DRODI’s first time on the Hot 100. The song — which was released May 26 via Manifest/GoodTalk/Good Money Global — debuted at No. 97 and reached a new high at No. 65 on the Hot 100 dated Sep. 1. It currently boasts 20 million YouTube views, and over 36 million Spotify streams.
He is effortlessly putting Tejano (a Mexican person from Texas) rap on the map by creating a style that’s captivating and truly authentic. Billboard caught up with the artist to talk about making the Hot 100, how lucha libre culture inspired his latest album Lonestar Luchador and why he’s a proud “country boy before anything.”
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What went through your head when you found out that you made the Hot 100.
Nothing. I don’t really focus on that. I feel that when I focus on my accomplishments, I get big-headed, and I don’t ever want to have to humble myself, nor do I want to ever get comfortable. I stay in total vision to my music. When they hit Billboard, it’s like, all right, cool. But No. [65] is not good enough. I want to be at No. 1.
How did “Johnny Dang” come together? Talk to me about the inspiration.
We were at my apartment, and I was knocking a beat. I didn’t know that they was recording me. [Producer TobiAli] played the “Johnny Dang” beat [and] I was like, “Bet, I need that one. I don’t even need you to show me no more. I only want that one.” He sent it [and] I thought of a word. You know Slick Rick? You know that tun nun nun nun nu nu nu nu nu nu… It’s also from Inspector Gadget, and the “Children’s Story” [song]: “Once upon a time not long ago…” That flow right there, that’s all Slick Rick’s flow. That was the whole inspiration for that [lyric], “Louis Vuitton umbrella when I walk through the rain…” I got the inspiration from Slick Rick.
You have Paul Wall and DRODi on the tracks. How was it working with a Houston rap legend like Paul Wall?
It’s cool to show off in front of my people about it. It really was an accomplishment for me. I’m very grateful for it, and I’m excited about it. I see bigger things for me; I want to do better. That’s all it is. DRODi is one of my best friends, so it’s always beautiful having him in my music.
You got Johnny Dang in the video. What was it like having him there? Did he design your grills?
No, he actually didn’t design my grill. I already had my grill. I had diamonds when I was just plain old Virgil. It was cool watching him be in the video. You could tell he’ll do a good job of making you feel loved and wanted, but you could tell it was strictly about business.
You fuse your Mexican heritage with Texas rap culture. The tattoos, the grill, but also the cowboy hat and boots. Tell me about your style.
I’m a country boy before anything. English was my first [language]. I’m a Texan before anything. I definitely have my Mexican culture — I love my Mexican culture — but I’m a country boy. I’m a Texas Mexican. There’s no Mexican like a Tejano.
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What would you like an outsider that is not from Texas to know about Texas? What is one of the things that you have the most pride in showcasing about Texas?
Just our whole culture, our steelo, our swagger, the cars we drive, how we talk, the things that we choose to do. You know what I’m saying? Everything about Texas is beautiful.
You draw a lot of inspiration from the luchador culture in your album, Lonestar Luchador. How did the luchador become the star in your album?
It just made sense. I don’t put much thinking into it. God put it in my head without me even knowing, and it just came out naturally.
Did you grow up watching a lot of lucha libre?
Yeah, of course. I watched a lot of WWE. I watched lucha libre for sure. [When I went with] my nanny and my tío in the [Mexican] border towns of Matamoros and Nuevo Laredo, where people pass and all that, every time, I had to go get new masks [from the store stands of the border crossing point] and bring them back over here [to the U.S.]. I was surrounded by it, fasho.
Tell me what else you have underway.
I’m continuing to work on this project. Now that I dropped [Lonestar Luchador], every single song on it has a video to it, so I’m going to be continuing to drop videos for the project. And while I’m doing that, I got a tour coming up. My first show on tour is going to be on September 5th and I’m opening up in Denver — Denver always goes crazy for me. I’m touring my music, really, that’s all I can say. I can’t tell you too much. I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprises.
OT, thanks for taking the time to have this chat.
People like you are making my dreams come true. I love this. I don’t know what else I’d be doing. I got zero patience. I got a horrible temper. I already don’t like dealing with people, so this music had to wait for me. I had no choice [and] I thank God. That’s why I go so hard.
A version of this story originally appeared in the Aug. 26, 2023, issue of Billboard.
Grammy-nominated MC Rick Ross will be the focus of Georgia State University College of Law’s upcoming class “Legal Life Of…” this fall semester. Created by professor Mo Ivory, “the class provides law students with the unique opportunity to gain hands-on legal experience in the practice area of entertainment law by studying the career, contracts and […]
