R&B/Hip-Hop
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Fostering the next generation of music creatives while also supporting relief efforts for those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires were the twin themes of the Black Music Action Coalition’s BMAC x Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Music Maker Grants dinner/ceremony. The third annual event (Jan. 29) also doubled this year as the organization’s ReStore […]
01/31/2025
Abel’s final album as The Weeknd is here.
01/31/2025
It’s stadium status once again for The Weeknd. The Toronto crooner announced plans for the North American 2025 After Hours Til Dawn Tour on Friday (Jan. 31) and he’s bringing “Timeless” collaborator Playboi Carti with him. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Along with Carti, Mike Dean is […]
Frank Ocean has begun filming his directorial debut in Mexico City with Alien: Romulus and Industry star David Jonsson. According to Variety, the rising British actor will have top-billing in the currently untitled independent film whose plot has not yet been revealed.
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No other information is available about the latest project from the enigmatic Ocean, who has been mostly out of the public eye since he pulled out of the second weekend of Coachella in 2023 after suffering a leg injury during his first weekend headlining set.
At the time a rep said, “After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend 1, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity. On doctor’s advice, Frank is not able to perform weekend 2 due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg.”
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The singer — whose most recent album was 2016’s Blonde — added in a statement at the time, “It was chaotic. There is some beauty in chaos. It isn’t what I intended to show but I did enjoy being out there and I’ll see you soon.”
Since then, he’s released the 48-page booklet Mutations, a 2023 project featuring photos taken by Ocean that was printed on tissue-weight paper, and, in November of that year, a minute-long preview of an unnamed moody track. The latter was the first new music from the enigmatic performer who had not issued any new music since he surprise-dropped two singles, “Dear April” and “Cayendo” in 2020, followed by a never-released, untitled nine-minute song on the Christmas special on his Apple Music 1 Blonded Radio show in December 2021.
Ocean also dropped another unnamed snippet in December 2023, accompanied by a 24-second video in which he enthusiastically danced to a mid-tempo R&B jam. Producer Michael Uzowuru revealed in an interview last year that he’d been in the studio with Ocean in Miami working on new music, after collaborating with him on both Blonde and 2016’s visual album Endless. The singer described their relationship thusly: “Me and Michael’s careers exist post hip-hop — that genre, that culture, informs both of us greatly, but his appetite has grown; his vocabulary, musically, has grown so much over the time that I’ve known him.”

Back in February 2008, Will Smith was among the attendees at ESSENCE magazine’s inaugural Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, honoring the late actress Ruby Dee, industry legend Suzanne dePasse, actress Jurnee Smollett and Smith’s wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith. As he passed by my table, I stopped him and asked, “When might you record a new album?”
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And he politely replied with a laugh, “I think that train has left the station.”
In sharing that memory with him during a Zoom call earlier this week about his new single and album, the Grammy winner breaks again into his signature laugh, noting, “Trains are funny like that.” Then he goes on to acknowledge, “This is a beautiful time in my life.”
That’s because of the formal announcement of Smith’s first album in more than 20 years, Based on True Story, due in March via SLANG Recordings. In tandem with that reveal came the release of his new single “Beautiful Scars” with Big Sean and featuring Obanga. Produced by OmArr and LeXoskeleton, the song was world-premiered during an iHeartRadio Live interview with Smith and is one of four singles preceding the album’s arrival.
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That rollout began last year with “You Can Make It” featuring Fridayy and Sunday Service Choir (his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart: “My grandmother is DJing in heaven right now”), “Work of Art” with Russ and featuring Smith’s son Jaden and “TANTRUM” with Joyner Lucas. All four songs will be included on what is Smith’s most personal and introspective album to date.
That introspection is chief among the subjects that Smith delved into during his Billboard chat, which also touches on his plans to release not one but three albums under the Based on a True Story banner (which Smith describes as “three seasons of a TV musical show”), the writers and producers he’s been collaborating with and performing live over the coming year. He most recently performed two sold-out shows in December in San Diego at The Observatory North Park. And Smith is already booked to headline France’s 2025 Positiv Festival on July 31.
“Getting back out city to city, seeing people and feeling the energy keeps me creatively alive,” says the Philadelphia native and fervent fan of the Super Bowl-bound Eagles (“It’s time for my Eagles; we’re unbeatable”). “Like how they’re doing the kick drums a little different in Chicago than in other places; like what’s happening with Afrobeats. I’m excited to go around the world and meet artists. I’m more artistic than I’ve ever been, a better actor than I’ve ever been, a better poet than I’ve ever been … I’m going to be better on stage than I’ve ever been. I’m just on fire about this next creative phase of my life and career.”
What prompted your decision to record a new album?
It started with [2022 film] Emancipation. It was a drama set during slavery, the first time I really did a deep dive on that period in America. So I go into this character, getting a really profound comprehension of the relationship between God and suffering. People in those circumstances were generally spiritual; you have to be to survive those circumstances. So I’m in this character and it was miserable making a film like that, getting called n—a all day long. Then Covid hit and I had to be in that character, live in that space longer than I thought. Three to four months turned into almost a year. And that had never happened to me as an actor before. I started having dreams as the character.
That’s a long way to say that a well opened up inside of me, a well of understanding of art and pain … all kinds of things that I didn’t even know were in there. Then after the Oscars, that spiritual investigation continued and a whole world woke up inside that I didn’t even know was there. Dreams, visions; parts of my inner landscape that I had no awareness of prior to three years ago. And that opened up this bubbling to share what I’m seeing and experiencing, to explore. A big part of my music now is about that: the ecstatic kind of joy I remember from church when I was growing up; the ability to try to make this place more bearable. You know, I’ve always had a wild imagination; that’s part of who I am. But there’s something new happening with me that’s demanding I explore musically.
Talk about the origin of “Beautiful Scars.”
Sometimes it can seem like the worst thing that’s ever happened to you, that’s completely unsurvivable, can turn out to be one of the most magnificent experiences of our lives. And that was the fun of doing The Matrix-inspired video. That’s one of the beautiful scars of my career that I turned down. There’s also a Japanese art called Kintsugi: instead of throwing away broken dishes, they paint them with gold. And they make the “broken dish” become even more beautiful than the original. That’s the concept of “Beautiful Scars.” That there’s a real process of transformation and alchemy in any situation. Like healing is art and creating a life is an artistic process. Learning to love the parts of ourselves that others might deem ugly. Somebody might call it a scar. But we see it as beautiful, something that will be one of the greatest assets of our lives going forward.
Big Sean and Will Smith
Cough
What were you looking for in choosing the collaborators for these first four songs?
It’s people who were with me during my difficult time after the Oscars. Joyner was one of the first people to reach out and offer whatever help he could. So this first round of collabs are friends and allies.
How did you land on the title Based on a True Story?
I’ve probably recorded 60 songs by now, so I was trying to come up with one name for the whole body of work. I’m talking so many different tempos and energy: there’s a gospel record, then a hardcore hip-hop record. It was about just letting whatever come out in a really wild, colorful and varied way. What I decided to do is separate the material into seasons like a television show. So I’m releasing three seasons of this television musical show and calling the 10 tracks for each season “episodes” instead of songs. The first season is called Rave in the Wasteland. The actual date hasn’t been picked yet, but I’m releasing season one at the end of March. It’s about the idea of learning to dance in your darkest moment. It’s also all the things I wrote directly after the Oscars. The second season is called The Gift of Madness and that’s a Quincy Jones quote. Quincy was doing an interview once where somebody said Quincy, you’ve picked Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith. What did you see in those people in seed form? And Quincy said all three of them have the gift of madness, that they believe impossible shit can happen. So season two’s music lends itself to that: belief and possibilities, much more upbeat and joyful. We’re looking to release that in June. For yet-untitled season three, we’re looking at the end of the year.
On the writing and production side, what other collaborators did you bring on board?
I’m working with two young writers/rappers that were a big part of working with Joyner: Chiller and Symba. They’re sitting with me on every single track, making sure I’m getting my ideas out right, helping me transition to current flows, track selection and all of that. They’re keeping me from going too old school. There’s also my longtime friend OmArrRambert. We grew up on the same block together and he was a dancer for DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Then when I did The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, he was a big part of all the wardrobe looks on the show. His first shot at producing was working on [Smith’s 1997 debut solo album] Big Willie Style. The first song that he executive produced was “Men in Black” for which he found The Trackmasters [production duo Poke & Tone]. Now this is the first project that he’s solely executive producing.
When you stepped back into recording, what advice did your children Jaden and Willow give you?
Jayden was like, “Dad, just don’t waste a lot of time thinking about it. Write it, record it, release it. Don’t get so precious that you don’t put it out.” He also said just release singles. That was really hard for me as I like to have a complete thought, a body of work. And Willow kept telling me, “Dad, don’t try to make hits. Just make what you think and feel. And if it’s a hit, it’s a hit. If it’s not, it’s not. Focus on expression and not trying to have it land in a certain way.” What I learned is that that’s how you can start to be contrived as an artist. I want to be free. That was one of the difficulties having a No. 1 gospel record. I was like, “Oh, no. I’m not going to be allowed to do all the other stuff I want to do.” So I’m trying to stay open to explore and create honestly, to give myself the freedom to embrace my full humanity.
Beyond the festival in France this summer, are you planning to tour in support of the new album?
I’ve never done a full tour. Everybody I say that to thinks, “Well no, you must have done a tour before as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.” We did do dates on tours. But we had our big single in 1988 [“Parents Just Don’t Understand”] and we won the Grammy in 1989. Then Fresh Prince of Bel-Air started in 1990. I was shooting that for nine months out of the year for the next six years. So I’ve never actually built a stage and done a tour. I am excited about the combination of absolute nostalgia that people feel with songs like “Miami,” “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” and “Summertime,” then being able to make a show, which is the idea for Based on a True Story. So I’m starting outside of the country this summer; my getting in shape. My dream is to work my way into a stadium tour. I’ll probably do arenas this year and next year to see can I build a big enough, exciting enough show to require a stadium run. I have gigantic ideas about staging, using music, acting and screens — I’ve had a show in my mind for almost a decade, So I’m excited, in terms of the new technology, to finally be able to build this thing I’ve been seeing in my head.
Given your musical legacy, what matters most to you as an artist now?
The highest pleasure for me is to watch people listen, clap, cry or be riveted by the creation of a memorable moment. At the end of the day, what you want is people being able to say, “Remember that time when…?” and the recalling of the memory is as ecstatic as the initial experience. Music really has a way to do that. Movies definitely can do it, but not the way music can. When you hit that corresponding vibration in somebody’s heart with a song, it’s a whole different kind of thing.

Will Smith is still wondering about how the trajectory of his career would have changed had he taken the role of Neo in The Matrix rather than starring in Wild Wild West.
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While Keanu Reaves shined in the role, Smith finally gets his shot at the 1999 blockbuster as part of the cinematic “Beautiful Scars” visual featuring Big Sean, which arrived on Thursday (Jan. 30).
“Look, you’ve made some awesome career choices your whole life,” the Detroit rapper — playing a Morpheus-like role — tells Smith before alluding to Will’s infamous 2022 Oscars slap. “There’s only one you truly regret. Well, maybe two. But we’re not gonna focus on that one.”
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If Smith takes the blue pill, he can keep his life as is, while the red allows him to go back in time and take on that Matrix role. “I really like my life right now,” Smith replies before swallowing both pills.
“That wasn’t even an option,” Sean says.
“Fly as an eagle, fresh outta Philly/ Yeah, I still rep the city/ Mirrors on the wall worth half a billi’‘Cause I’m a icon,” Smith brags in the opening verse.
Sean takes the baton following OBanga’s chorus and speeds up his flow while paying homage to Smith’s I Am Legend film. “I’m a livin’ legend, I’ma live and die a legend/ I ain’t tryna get it, b—h, I gotta get it,” Sean Don flexes with his assist.
A closing message from the simulation reads: “Wake up, Will. The matrix has you.”
2025 is shaping up for a busy return to music for Smith, who will be releasing his first album in 20 years as Based On a True Story is slated to arrive in March. The project features previously released singles “You Can Make It,” “Work of Art” and “Tantrum” featuring Joyner Lucas.
Watch the “Beautiful Scars” video below.
Nobody could’ve predicted that Gelo was going to be rap’s breakout star of 2025. Following a deal with Def Jam, Gelo adds to the momentum of his hit “Tweaker” with the release of the official music on Thursday (Jan. 30). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Gelo […]
GloRilla is hitting the road. Coming off a banner 2024 campaign full of wins, Big Glo announced plans for The Glorious Tour on Wednesday night (Jan. 29). The North American trek will see support from Real Boston Richey and Queen Key as opening acts. The tour will kick off in Oklahoma City on March 5 […]

D.L. Hughley has fired back at Snoop Dogg with some choice words following the rap legend’s response to the backlash he’s received following his performance at the Crypto Ball at Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this month. The comedian was brutally honest while condemning Snoop on Tuesday’s (Jan. 28) episode of The D.L. Hughley Show, during […]
Supa King’s “Tell On Me” becomes the first song to reign on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart for more than two weeks in a row in 2025, spending its second week at No. 1 on the Feb. 1-dated ranking.
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The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity Jan. 20-26. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
The latest TikTok Billboard Top 50 includes seven full days of data; the app was unavailable in the U.S. for multiple hours between Jan. 18 and 19.
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“Tell On Me” is the first song to string together consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the chart since Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Maps” ruled for seven weeks in a row between October and November 2024. It’s also the first song to rack up at least two weeks at No. 1 within the calendar year; M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” spent its second frame at No. 1 on the Jan. 11-dated tally after first reigning in December 2024.
Released in 2016, Supa King’s “Tell On Me,” featured on that year’s SKBP, Vol. 1, has achieved TikTok virality thanks to a trend where creators lip synch to the song’s chorus while performing often gravity-defying stunts and poses, many times in a bathroom.
Its appearance on the chart marks “Tell On Me” and Supa King’s first on a Billboard ranking, and concurrently, the tune jumps 35% to 968,000 official U.S. streams in the week ending Jan. 23, according to Luminate.
While “Tell On Me” remains on top of the TikTok Billboard Top 50, the rest of the top five contains upward movement of some kind. It’s led by Sage the Gemini’s “Gas Pedal,” featuring Iamsu!, which lifts 3-2 in its third week on the chart. The 2013 track, which peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 that September, is driven on TikTok by a dance trend, spurring a 29% gain in streams to 1.7 million in the Billboard chart tracking week ending Jan. 23.
Gelo’s “Tweaker” re-enters the TikTok Billboard Top 50 at No. 3, a new peak. The rap project of basketball player LiAngelo Ball has enjoyed a No. 29 peak so far on the Hot 100, coming on the survey dated Jan. 18. The viral tune has been used in a variety of ways on the platform, including highlighting the “I might swerve, bend that corner, whoa” lyric to show people (or people in vehicles) taking turns or corners, sometimes in dangerous manners.
Lil Wayne’s “She Will,” which features Drake, follows at No. 4 as the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top debut of the week. It’s boosted by a dance trend, usually with the dancer or dancers shown up against a wall, and it’s led to a 15% boost in streams for the song (which was released in 2011 as part of Tha Carter IV and peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100) to 4.1 million.
Rounding out the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top five: SZA’s “30 for 30,” with Kendrick Lamar, which lifts 7-5 for a new peak in its fourth week on the ranking. Lamar’s “But if it’s f–k me then f–k you/ And that’s the way I like it” lyric remains the focus here, whether it’s from lip synchs, dances or captions where the user utilizes Lamar’s verse to respond to some type of prompt.
Two more songs hit the top 10 of the chart for the first time after debuting on the Jan. 25 tally: Fetty Wap’s “Jimmy Choo” and Saga Faye’s “Who Are You?” at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively. “Jimmy Choo” benefits from virtually the same trend as “Tell On Me” mentioned before, with creators filming physically challenging contortions and poses in a bathroom mirror. “Who Are You?,” meanwhile, features a trend where users show the progression of their selves throughout their lives, set to the “Thought that I knew, now I don’t have a clue/ Who are you?” lyric.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.