R&B/Hip-Hop
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Rod Wave has released a project every year of his career since 2017, and he adds to his resume by checking off 2024 with his Last Lap album. The project is filled with 23 tracks in total and boasts a few guest appearances — typically rare real estate on Wave projects — from Lil Baby, […]
After drubbing the competition with a fistful of hits including “Yeah Glo!,” “Wanna Be,” and “TGIF,” GloRilla looks to cement her MVP year with the release of her debut album, GLORIOUS. Released today (Oct. 11), GLORIOUS includes marquee names such as Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Sexyy Red, Kirk Franklin, T-Pain, and more. Explore See latest […]
T.I. says he’s retiring — at least from performing. The King of the South and Young Dro sat down with 96.1 The Beat’s afternoon show “Rari at 2” with hosts Ferrari Simmons and BT, and the station’s annual Jingle Ball holiday concert in Atlanta on Dec. 19 was brought up. T.I. is headlining alongside Sexyy […]
The “big three” conversation is a tiresome one in rap. With Kendrick Lamar, Drake and J. Cole still running strong as commercial titans from the 2010s, fans and critics have been trying to identify the next class to fill their shoes.
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Billboard Unfiltered returned with a new episode on Thursday (Oct. 10) as Staff Writer Kyle Denis, Deputy Director R&B/Hip-Hop Carl Lamarre and Senior Charts & Data Analyst Trevor Anderson debated who could crash the big three party.
Lamarre’s “modern day big three” — without K. Dot, Drake and Cole — includes Rod Wave, Playboi Carti and Travis Scott.
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Denis believes Tyler, The Creator is one of the tastemakers trailblazing for the next generation of rap and should be more highlighted in big three conversations.
“I think that combo of his acclaim, his success — we know he can sell, we know he can tour, we know he can headline major festivals. He’s beloved across genres,” he said. “He’s been pretty consistent on an upward trajectory for these last couple years.”
A more heated debate broke out surrounding Doja Cat and her résumé fitting into today’s rap landscape. “For me as well, I think what she needs to do to bolster her résumé — she just needs a No. 1 album,” Lamarre said. “That’s a glaring blemish on her résumé.”
Tommy Richman made the bizarre decision to not include his Billboard Hot 100 hits “Million Dollar Baby” and “Devil Is a Lie” on his Coyote LP. After listening to Richman’s debut, Anderson didn’t see why the pair of bangers couldn’t have been a fit on the project.
“Only Tommy Richman knows what a Tommy Richman album is supposed to sound like,” Anderson said. “When I heard the album, it’s not like, ‘Oh, I can clearly see why ‘Million Dollar Baby’ wasn’t on there.’ It doesn’t sound different to me where it wouldn’t have fit. Maybe it’s to prove something.”
Denis chimed in: “I feel like this is a business versus art thing for him. Do I care that much?” Coyote didn’t chart on this week’s Billboard 200 after selling about 4,300 copies in the first week, per Luminate.
Watch the full episode below.
In this episode of ‘Billboard Unfiltered,’ Billboard staffers Carl Lamarre, Trevor Anderson and Kyle Denis debate who the new big three of rap are, why Tommy Richman’s debut album failed, the current state of R&B and more!
Carl Lamarre:
Uzi was in those conversations, I feel like Lil Baby was in those conversations as well.
Trevor Anderson:
You know, A&R Twitter, PR Twiiter, management Twitter is sitting there thinking “what?”
Kyle Denis:
The artists are the issue, because there have been major R&B moments I feel like in recent years.
Carl Lamarre:
Hey, what’s going on guys. Welcome to a fresh episode of ‘Billboard Unfiltered,’ and we have the gang here. Trevor Anderson, Kyle Denis.
Kyle Denis:
Yo, yo, yo.
Carl Lamarre:
No Damien Scott. He is on the mend but will be back. We want to start the show because I know you were out.
Trevor Anderson:
I didn’t want to say it, but…
Carl Lamarre:
We got to do a quick “happy birthday” seg, you know, a little sing-along.
Trevor Anderson:
What, a little two-part harmony?
Kyle Denis & Carl Lamarre:
*singing*
Carl Lamarre:
I could’ve gone all the way in. Wow, we gave you a little something, something.
Kyle Denis:
We’re giving you a little tease. We’re thinking of all the viewers right now.
Trevor Anderson:
Yeah, first show was, you’re old, and yeah it was a really good one. There was no crazy sort of all in one, but there was a couple events throughout a couple different days. Got to hang out with a lot of different friends.
Keep watching for more!
If this were 25 years ago and Beanie Sigel was coming to your front door, uninvited, and accompanied by a crew of about a dozen, maybe his intentions would be more on the nefarious side. But the hip-hop legend, whose nicknames include “The Broad Street Bully,” is out in broad daylight determined to positively affect change. It’s September 17, National Voter’s Registration Day, and Sigel has quite the entourage as he canvases homes throughout Detroit’s 8 Mile. Beans is flanked by his State Property collective brother Freeway, media personality and Quality Control Records A&R Wayno, Harlem MC Smoke DZA, Bronx rapper Mysonne, and My’s tag team partner in activism, Tamika Mallory.
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“Hello ma’am, good afternoon to you, my name is Beans,” Sigel says with a grin to an elderly woman as he stands on her porch. Unfortunately, the brimming bravado that endeared him to so many as a mainstay of Roc-A-Fella Records in the 2000s, is turned down. Undeterred by rejection, Sigel speaks calmly and candidly to seniors and youngsters while taking pictures with OGs on the block who came up on his music. Across the street is a contingent of Detroit born and bred MCs captained by Icewear Vezzo, who too are ringing doorbells and knocking on doors. Today, these hip-hop coalitions share the same goals: sign up as many people as they can who are of legal age, but not registered to vote.
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“I’ve lived a very colorful past, where I haven’t always done good in the neighborhood,” Sigel would say later in his sprinter heading to Wayne State University, where he and his compatriots would go on and register students there to vote. “This is a chance for me to not only do some good for the people, but for myself, as well. As I got out and talked to people and share the information about voting and my experience, I’m taking some gems away from the people. We are all learning together in these conversations.”
Ice Wear Veezo at the launch of Vote or Else on Sept, 22 2024 in Detroit, MI.
Courtesy of Mobilize Justice
“It was a dope experience,” Freeway adds. “I get a lot of love in Detroit. I feel so strongly about the city. Me and Beans have been coming out here since the early 2000s. It was a good experience to go door-to-door. I feel like they connect with us through our music anyway, but being able to connect with them in-person and talk about real life [issues] is an amazing experience. They knew we were speaking to them from a real place and not just trying to make some money. It seemed like people were really receptive to getting registered and those that were registered said they would be going out to vote.”
This past summer, Sigel started spearheading a movement to get involved — not so much in politics, but getting more educated in the political process. With the urging and guidance of his close friend and fellow Philly native Marvin Bing, Beanie aligned himself with organizations Mobilize Justice (which Bing founded) and AAP and started going directly into various communities. Beans would give personal testimony about his journey and heard the stories of the locals, which included activists, members of the church, social media influencers, small business owners and business executives. These conversations commenced in mid-July in Detroit and continued in August in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention.
“We started talking to the people in the community about the issues affecting them and what they wanted to see addressed,” Sigel elaborates. “If they have not voted in the past, we talked about what may have discouraged them from doing so. If they have voted before and will keep putting their ballots in the boxes, we asked them to elaborate on what inspired or inspires them to continue. We don’t try to sway people in the direction to vote for this person or vote for that person. I do tell them to get informed about what candidates’ policies are and who can be beneficial to your needs, your family’s needs and your community’s needs.”
Mysonne during an interview for the launch of Vote or Else on Sept, 22 2024 in Detroit, MI.
Courtesy of Mobilize Justice
As National Voter’s Registration Day turned into night, more hip-hop luminaries started landing in Detroit to participate in a Town Hall called “Vote Or Else” at the Huntington Place convention center. The event was open to the public who were already registered or signed up to register to vote. Nipsey Hussle’s brother Blacc Sam — who runs The Marathon brand and store — Killer Mike and Pusha T were among those also participating.
“Everybody thinks it’s always on such a presidential level. Bro, it’s the state and local [elections] too. That’s where you’re gonna feel it at,” Pusha T says about the voting process. “It’s about being mindful of that and knowing what you’re really getting into. Understand the policies of those who are running in circles that are close to you. Be mindful. At this time more than ever, you’re watching the industry, the community, everybody, at once are feeling the effects of the government. We’re seeing the effects of it. The only way to change that is to get out there and vote.”
Reverend Michael McBride, co-founder of The Black Church PAC and lead Pastor of The Way Church in Berkley, CA was the moderator for a very spirited conversation about reparations for Black people, the need for Black entrepreneurship, the hip-hop community using their voices and platforms as vehicle to inspire and the need to vote.
Killer Mike at the launch of Vote or Else on Sept, 22 2024 in Detroit, MI.
Courtesy of Mobilize Justice
“These are the conversations we need,” Killer Mike said afterwards, still standing on the stage as everyone began dispersing. “We need to be in a constant state of organizing, Kwame Ture once said. We need to be in a constant state of educating ourselves, Fred Hampton said. So for me, whether you read The Wretched of Tte Earth or Watch The White Guys Have All the Fun, we need to come to a place where we’re alone, [and] outside of cameras, to discuss what’s going on in our communities.”
He adds: “What we had here was a great discussion. I loved that, because I walked away knowing more, feeling more empowered, more engaged. I know if we do this at home, if we do this in our living rooms, that’s where the real organization begins.”
“Vote or Else” isn’t just the name of the Town Hall; Mobilize Justice, The Black Church PAC and AAPI have joined forces as one organization under the same name. Their initiatives are to eradicate voter suppression, the mass incarceration of Black people and end gun violence in the Black community. Vote Or Else are putting out a self-titled EP with contributions from MCs such as Bun B, Havoc From Mobb Deep, Styles P. and of course Beans and Free. The lead cut was just released and is called “Still Here.” The track is a collaboration of fiery, insightful wordsmiths, Benny The Butcher, Jay Electronica, Black Thought from The Roots and Freeway.
“It’s time for us to come together and stand up for something, stand up for something we believe in,” Freeway said of the MCs joining forces for a common cause. “I gained a lot of respect for certain artists that were out there. Especially Icewear Vezzo. As soon as I pulled up to the community earlier, his mom and his family were out there speaking to people about voting. He does sneaker and clothing drives, he has a juice bar in the city. So he doesn’t just talk, he invests in the community. When I got first signed to Roc-A-Fella records, Jay-Z and Dame Dash instilled that in us. This music thing is just a launch pad for 1000 other things we can do.”
After securing a record-setting 21 weeks atop Billboard‘s Hot Rap Songs chart with his 2024 hit “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar continues to rack up the accolades. Now, his 2017 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Humble” has reached the venerable one billion mark, becoming the rapper’s second-ever video to accomplish such a feat. Released in 2017, […]
When rap producer Ron Browz crafted the ominous beat that would ultimately become Nas’ legendary 2001 diss track, “Ether,” he initially had a much different MC in mind: Nas’ rival, Jay-Z, who was offered the instrumental first. But Jay’s then-A&R executive, Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua, passed on the track, with no idea that it would later become the backdrop to one of rap’s most iconic diss records.
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“I get a phone call: ‘Nas wants you to come to hear what he did to the beat,’ ” recalls Browz, who had handed his CD to Nas’ travel agent months prior. “I go to the studio. Nas is in there eating fruit. Calm and no entourage. Just him and the engineer, and he’s like, ‘Yo. Play it for Ron.’ Then I hear the intro: ‘Fuck Jay-Z.’ I was like, ‘Wait. I didn’t put that in there.’ ”
At the time, Browz was living at his mother’s house in Harlem and had only scored one other placement, for the late rapper Big L’s “Ebonics.” “I’m in shock, but the whole time, [I’m thinking], ‘Ron, this is your introduction,’ ” Browz says. “In my mind, I’m like, ‘Is this a good thing or bad thing?’ Because it was going at the No. 1 artist in the game. I just remember sitting there with the great Nas, who said, ‘I’m putting this out on Friday,’ which was Jay-Z’s birthday. Jay-Z’s birthday is Dec. 4, and my birthday is Dec. 6, so it was like a fly birthday present.”
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“Ether” proved to be the game-changer Browz’s career needed, swiftly propelling him into the spotlight upon its late-2001 release. And, 23 years later, his story still resonates with many producers, especially in today’s competitive hip-hop climate where feuds are more prevalent than they’ve been since the 1990s or early 2000s. This year alone, there have been clashes between Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, Latto and Ice Spice, Chris Brown and Quavo — and, of course, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, whose blockbuster beef yielded seven diss tracks in a month, including Lamar’s Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, “Not Like Us.”
Produced by Mustard, “Not Like Us” was the producer’s first-ever No. 1 on the chart — and arrived three years after his most recent top 20 Hot 100 song, Roddy Ricch’s “Late at Night.” “Mustard worked like a machine, sending beats daily because he was trying to get [Kendrick] on his album. This went on for months,” says Meko Yohannes, Mustard’s manager and co-founder of their record label, 10 Summers. “He was just overwhelming him with beats. As long as [Kendrick] said, ‘Keep them coming,’ we kept them coming.”
“Not Like Us” immediately became a pop culture phenomenon. Actress Taraji P. Henson used the song during her opening monologue at the 2024 BET Awards. Serena Williams crip-walked to the track while hosting this year’s ESPYs Awards. Multiple professional sporting leagues, most notably the NBA, used the song during their broadcasts. And at his Juneteenth Pop Out concert, livestreamed on Amazon Prime, Kendrick performed it five times. “I didn’t know what we were getting ready for,” Yohannes says. “I don’t think anybody did. Mustard always wanted to work with Dot. That was one of the things missing from his résumé. For the first time working together, not only is it Mustard’s biggest record, but it’s also Dot’s biggest record.”
Even if a diss record doesn’t become a “Not Like Us”-size hit, it can still significantly increase the profile of the producer involved. Though “Ether” failed to chart on the Hot 100 and only peaked at No. 50 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it boosted Browz’s visibility in New York, where top-tier producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland reigned supreme at the time. “Ether” “was all you heard in the neighborhood, coming out of cars and anything with a radio,” Browz recalls. “Cars, stores, everything. It stopped the city.”
Browz, who had received $1,500 for Big L’s “Ebonics,” earned his “first big check” with “Ether,” for $10,000. But while he landed placements for DMX and 50 Cent following the song’s success, he also experienced some growing pains.
“This time, in New York, the club scene is crazy. Once we started going to the club, I worked with DMX, Lil Kim, Fat Joe, Ludacris and 50 Cent. Artists would say, ‘I need that “Ether.” Send that.’ I remember doing that for a while. I was getting the placements, but they weren’t the singles,” he says. “Singles had to be bright and happy, so I had to switch the sound, and that’s how my hit ‘Pop Champagne’ ” — the 2008 single that hit No. 22 on the Hot 100 on the strength of a remix with Jim Jones and Juelz Santana — “came about.”
While producing a big diss track has advantages, it’s not always without consequences. Several producers contacted for this story — including The Alchemist, who produced Lamar’s “Meet the Grahams,” as well as Wyclef Jean, who co-produced Canibus’ 1998 track “Second Round K.O.” — declined to speak about their experiences, preferring to leave them in the past due to the significant political implications involved. Reopening an old wound, or potentially straining relationships further after the fact, isn’t ideal for producers looking to expand their networks.
For Mustard, though, it’s working out. As “Not Like Us” remained in the top 10 of the Hot 100 during the summer, Mustard used the momentum to propel the release of his first album in five years, Faith of a Mustard Seed. (Lamar doesn’t appear on the project, but plenty of other hip-hop stars do.) Its first single, “Parking Lot,” featuring Travis Scott, dropped about six weeks after “Not Like Us” and peaked at No. 57 on the Hot 100, becoming Mustard’s highest-charting song as a lead artist since 2020. The track also continues to boost Lamar, who was named the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show headliner in September.
“We held back on [releasing] ‘Parking Lot,’ ” Yohannes says. “We stopped it because we wanted to give room to see how high ‘Not Like Us’ would go. We sat back like everybody else, just watching. It’s something that you can’t just make happen; you got to be ready for it and do your best to build off the momentum.”
This article appears in the Oct. 5 issue of Billboard.
More than a billion people have now begged the question: Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? Eminem‘s iconic “The Real Slim Shady” music video has joined YouTube’s Billion Views Club, a full 14 years after it was uploaded to the site and nearly a quarter-decade after the 2000 smash first dropped. As the […]
It’s been just over six months to the day J. Cole waved the white flag at his Dreamville Festival to withdraw from the Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud.
With the added perspective from watching how it all played out, Cole addressed bowing out of the beef on a new track titled “Port Antonio.” The Dreamville boss released the track via his Instagram account on Wednesday night (Oct. 9).
“I pulled the plug because I seen where that was ’bout to go/ They wanted blood, they wanted clicks to make they pockets grow/ They see this fire in my pen and think I’m dodging smoke/ I wouldn’t have lost a battle, dog, I woulda lost a bro/ I woulda gained a foe,” he raps.
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Cole went on to show love to Drake, as he appreciated his “First Person Shooter” collaborator’s support while having enough of people trying to paint him taking a side. “They say I’m pickin’ sides, don’t you lie on me, my n—a to start another war/ Ay, Drake, you’ll always be my n—a/ I ain’t ashamed to say you did a lot for me, my n—a/ F–k all the narratives/ Tapping back into your magic pen is what’s imperative,” he rhymes.
With the jarring allegations made by both sides in the Drake and Kendrick feud, Cole believes they crossed lines that shouldn’t have been. “I understand the thirst of being first that made them both swing/ Protecting legacies, so lines got crossed, perhaps regrettably/ My friends went to war, I walked away with all they blood on me,” he continues in the track.
Instead of opting to feud, Jermaine explains his approach to rapping and pushing the culture forward rather than beating one another down. “Reminding these folks why we do it/ It’s not for beefing, it’s for speaking our thoughts/ Pushing ourselves, reaching the charts/ Reaching your minds, deep in your heart/ Screaming to find emotions to touch/ Somethin’ inside to open you up/ Help you cope with the rough times and s–t,” he finishes on the track.
Just a couple of days after releasing his “7 Minute Drill” Kendrick Lamar diss track, J. Cole immediately expressed regret for doing so while on stage at his Dreamville Fest in his home state of North Carolina back in April.
“I’m so proud of [Might Delete Later], except for one part. It’s one part of that s–t that makes me feel like, man that’s the lamest s–t I did in my f–king life, right? And I know this is not what a lot of people want to hear,” he told fans. “I was conflicted because, one, I know my heart and I know how I feel about my peers, these two n—as that I just been blessed to even stand beside in this game, let alone chase they greatness. So I felt conflicted ’cause I’m like, bruh I don’t even feel no way. But the world wanna see blood. I don’t know if y’all can feel that, but the world wanna see blood.”
He eventually removed “7 Minute Drill” from streaming services, and Cole’s side-stepping led to Lamar and Drake battling, which played out over the course of the next month into May.
Listen to “Port Antonio” below.