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Stephen A. Smith doesn’t understand the backlash rappers like Snoop Dogg, Nelly and Soulja Boy are receiving for performing at events around Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.
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During a recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show on YouTube, the media personality started his rant about the vitriol they’ve been receiving online by asking some questions. “What if this person voted for him because they’re broke and they think he can put some more money in their pocket?” he asked. “What if this person voted for him because they’re in a crime-ridden neighborhood and they feel leftists aren’t having the streets patrolled well enough? What if they wanna call 911, but they live in an environment that people were supporting defunding the police? … What if the job market mattered to them?”
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He then continued by asking whether Soulja Boy had a right to make a living. “Soulja Boy ain’t got no right to make some money?” he asked. “Everybody’s quick to say, ‘If it was me, there’s a different way to make money.’ You sure about that? I saw Soulja Boy pull out some cash. I couldn’t count, but it looked like at least six figures. What it takes most people to make in a year, the brother made in one night.”
Smith then set his sights on Snoop and pointed out that the Long Beach rapper actually performed at the Crypto Ball — one of the events surrounding the inauguration — and that he was there for Trump’s Crypto and A.I. czar David Sacks and not the new president, who reportedly didn’t attend the event but was the guest of honor. “David Sacks is someone who Snoop has had a relationship with for decades,” Smith revealed. “David Sacks is that cat when nobody else put their hand out offering dollars to Snoop’s football league and beyond, that brother does it.”
Smith added: “Snoop Dogg’s worth over $100 million. He’s got a youth football league — this brother’s sending cats to college, this brother’s sending cats to the NFL. We just gonna ignore that cause he performed at the inauguration?”
When it came to Nelly, Stephen A. claimed the St. Louis rapper isn’t into politics and will perform for the right price.
“Nelly is not a political person, he doesn’t get involved in the campaigns,” he said. “Nelly does perform for people who will pay the right fee and believes in respecting the office because of the power that comes with it. That’s his position. Like it or not, you gotta respect it.”
However, Nelly recently said he didn’t agree to perform for money; he agreed because he saw it as an honor and likened it to the military who have to serve the country no matter who’s in office. “I’m not doing this for money,” he said on Willie D Live. “I’m doing this ’cause it’s an honor. I respect the office. It don’t matter who’s in office. The same way that our men and women, our brother and sisters who protect this country have to go to war and have to put their life on the line for whoever in office. If they can put their life on the line for whoever’s in office, I can perform for whoever’s in office.”
Stephen A. Smith goes off on the people criticizing Snoop Dogg, Nelly, and Soulja Boy for performing at President Donald Trump’s inauguration celebration and calls out those in our community who turned against Ice Cube.(🎥 Stephen A. Smith/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/AutqkxBTjq— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) January 21, 2025
You can watch the full episode below.
Duane “Keefe D” Davis will not have his murder charge dismissed for his alleged role in the September 1996 shooting death of Tupac Shakur. Per the Associated Press, Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny ruled on Tuesday (Jan. 21) that Davis’ murder charge will stand as he hasn’t shown any proof of immunity in regard […]
Soulja Boy isn’t letting up on Drake. Big Draco went on another scathing rant about America and took some more shots at Drizzy over the weekend. “Drake you a b—h,” he began in a livestream. “You can’t even come to America and talk to the president. F–k boy, stay in Canada where your b— a– […]
Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — is feeling creatively reinvigorated these days thanks to his daughter North West. Yeezy took to Instagram early Tuesday (Jan. 21) with a series of posts in the studio, and one found him highlighting North, who is inspiring him musically. West brought out the ASR keyboard to cook […]
As Los Angeles prepares to rebuild after the devastating wildfire crisis this month, Flavor Flav is spearheading an important cause: supporting Black families who have been displaced in the disaster.
On Monday (Jan. 20), the Public Enemy rapper shared in a video on his socials revealing that he has partnered with GoFundMe and the Black Music Action Coalition to streamline a donation site benefiting Black households affected by the Eaton fire in the Pasadena/Altadena area. Contributions will be spread out across more than 700 families listed in a database compiled by Community Aid Dena, AFROPUNK and WalkGood LA.
“This is Flavor Flav in the building,” the musician says in the clip. “It’s been inspiring to me, seeing a lot people coming together right now, lifting each other’s spirits.”
“There’s not enough being done for the Black families and the communities,” Flav continues. “Come on, y’all. Let’s make L.A. strong, baby. Let’s help those in need.”
At press time, the hip-hop star’s fundraiser has already raised nearly $30,000. Donations can be made on the GoFundMe website.
Flav is just the latest musician to champion charitable efforts in the two weeks since dangerous wildfires first broke out in Pacific Palisades Jan. 7, after which more blazes quickly erupted in other parts of L.A. Countless buildings, homes and possessions have been destroyed as first responders struggle to extinguish the remaining flames, while 27 people have been reported dead so far, according to CNN.
Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and Beyoncé’s BeyGood Foundation are just a few of the other big names who have boosted various organizations serving victims of the crisis while making sizable donations of their own. Doja Cat unveiled a line of custom merchandise with proceeds benefiting those in need, and Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo and several more stars have signed on to perform at FireAid, an upcoming charity concert benefiting Los Angeles’ plans to rebuild.
In the wake of the crisis, the “Shake Your Booty” musician also found a way recently to support Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, who reportedly lost their home to the fires. In a TikTok posted Jan. 14, Flav danced to the Gossip Girl star’s 2009 single “Somebody to Love” featuring Robin Thicke and told fans, “Stream @LeightonMeester ‘Somebody to Love’ and use the song in yo TikTok’s.”
He wrote in his caption, “Starting to hype up my girl Leighton Meester and help her family recover from the fire.”
See Flav’s announcement below.
British pop and R&B artist Mabel has opened up about how standing up for herself has impacted her decade-long career.
In a recent episode of the BBC’s Miss Me? Podcast – on which Mabel is currently standing in for host Lily Allen while she takes a mental health break – the Londoner explained that after years of hard work building her artistic identity, she’s had to set clear boundaries to protect herself from uncomfortable and often invasive discussions about her work.
Born Mabel McVey (though known mononymously), the pop star signed with Polydor at age 18. In the years that have followed, she has released two studio albums (2019’s High Expectations and 2022’s About Last Night…) alongside a handful of mixtapes and EPs. She has earned six top 10 hits, including 2019’s “Don’t Call Me Up,” which peaked at No. 3, on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart and has since surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams.
In more recent years, however, she has drip-fed a number of singles, the most recent being the Ty Dolla $ign collab “Stupid Dumb” in October. Later that month, she confirmed to ELLE Sweden that she had been working in hitmaker Max Martin’s studio with her brother on her third LP, though the project has been delayed a number of times.
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Speaking to Miss Me? host and broadcaster Miquita Oliver on Jan. 16, Mabel discussed how she has been previously labeled by some as “difficult” or “a nightmare” when holding her ground over decisions related to her musical output. “The foundation of the problem is not listening to the artist, and not giving the artist space and time to figure out who they are within their creativity. I think that’s the main problem: our voices are not heard,” she said.
“I used to get so many people all the time saying things like, ‘Oh, her mum [musician Neneh Cherry] was one of a kind and she’s just a ‘whatever’ popstar,” Mabel continued. “I’m just like, ‘Well, I’ve been given no real support or time to figure [things] out – other than those small little moments of clarity like [singles] ‘Finders Keepers’ or ‘Vitamins.’”
Oliver, who is the cousin of Mabel, asked about the importance of autonomy in the music industry, to which she responded: “Sadly, there’s no duty of care. Particularly as a young woman, it’s so easy to get molded into something – which is usually based on another female [pop act]. It’s like, ‘This person has done this, so this is what you should do.’”
She added: “The reason why I’ve been making music that [people say] ‘has been heard before’ is because I have five million different people’s opinions [getting in the way], constantly. So I’m like, ‘How am I meant to be making something that’s groundbreaking, different and authentic when there’s so many cooks in the kitchen.’”
Mabel also explained how, going forward, when it comes to making new music, she is focusing on listening solely to the opinions of her “close protection team” made up of family members, friends and her fiancé, Preye Crooks. She added that she has been through therapy and as a result, has “found [her] voice” and is now “stronger,” both physically and mentally.
“I’m very grateful and blessed still. I have travelled the world doing what I love, and performing is still the best thing ever. I’ve been able to work with my brother [producer Marlon Roudette], that’s been really beautiful,” Mabel said. She later concluded, “I love what I do so much, but how long I will keep fighting for … I’m not sure, which is really sad.”Having come to mainstream prominence with her Bedroom EP in 2017, Mabel joined Harry Styles on his debut U.K. arena tour the following year before completing her own headline run. She went on to be nominated for British Breakthrough Act at the 2019 BRIT Awards, as well as receiving nods at the MOBOs and U.K. Music Video Awards.
Listen the full episode below. The conversation regarding the music industry begins at the 27-minute mark.
Jhené Aiko is the latest star offering support in the midst of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Over the weekend, the “Sunshine” singer announced that she and her wellness brand, Jhenetics, are sponsoring free massages for the first responders from the L.A. Fire Department.
“Thank you to our first responders, those who have spent days away from their families, working tirelessly to protect us. We hope this small gesture of gratitude makes a difference during these long shifts,” Aiko wrote in an Instagram post featuring a series of slides of the Jhenetics team working on first responders.
The post also shouted out LAFD Foundation and the other massage therapists who contributed to the effort from Manly Handz mobile spa.
Aiko is one of the thousands of Angelenos who’ve lost their homes in the midst of the two-week spate of deadly wildfires that have killed 27 so far and destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other structures while burning more than 40,000 acres to date. On Jan. 9, Aiko revealed that her home “burned to the ground with all of our things inside. She confirmed that her two children she shares with Big Sean — 16-year-old daughter Namiko and two-year-old son Noah — were both safe.
“Lord have mercy 🙏 Thankful we still have eachother 💙 starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy 💔,” she wrote at the time, adding, “praying for everyone this morning. those who lost their home, those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. praying for my city. praying for the wild life and lost pets. praying for the world 💙.”
The L.A. area continued to be under a red flag warning for the potential spread of fires due through Tuesday morning (Jan. 21), with officials warning that the destructive Santa Ana winds could whip up again as more than 41,000 residents remain under an evacuation order.
In addition to Aiko, others who’ve talked about losing their homes include Paris Hilton, Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Mandy Moore, Diane Warren, Miles Teller and many more.
Among the many charitable contributions and relief efforts launched to date is the upcoming all-star FireAid Benefit Concert at the Kia Forum in L.A. on Jan. 30 that will include appearances by Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, a reunited No Doubt, Katy Perry, Jelly Roll, Sting, Stevie Nicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews, Green Day and many more.
Travis Scott appeared at the College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show on Jan. 20, where he debuted his new song “4×4” atop Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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The performance at the Notre Dame and Ohio State game marked Scott’s first solo release since 2023’s Utopia and offered fans a glimpse of what’s to come from the chart-topping rapper.
The single, set to officially release on Jan. 24, will be accompanied by a philanthropic initiative. Scott announced that 100% of the net proceeds from special merchandise—a shirt and zip hoodie honoring Los Angeles’ first responders—will benefit Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund. You can pre-save at shop.travisscott.com. A CD single for “4×4,” also available for pre-order, will contribute to the same cause.
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Performing on a custom stage built on the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the game’s halftime show, fans were treated to a preview of “4×4” following Scott’s teasing the debut on social media, in the lead-up to the performance.
In addition to his performance at the College Football Playoff National Championship, Scott previewed “4×4” during an appearance on WWE’s Monday Night Raw, which is set to become the official theme song for Raw.
Scott’s return to the spotlight follows a series of Billboard milestones. Utopia, his fourth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, delivered some of his biggest hits to date and spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking the first hip-hop release to spend more than a single week atop the chart in over a year. The album’s tracks, including “Meltdown” featuring Drake (No. 3) and “Fe!n” featuring Playboi Carti (No. 5), dominated the Billboard Hot 100.
His previous album Astroworld spent multiple non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard 200, making it one of the longest-running number-one rap albums of its decade. Back in 2020, Scott became the first artist to have three songs debut at number one on the Hot 100 in less than a year.
With “4×4” on the horizon, fans and critics alike are eager to see how the single will perform on the charts and whether it signals the arrival of his highly anticipated fifth studio album.
Scott’s philanthropic efforts join other artists supporting victims of the Los Angeles wildfires, with several participating in the FireAid benefit concert on Jan. 30. The star-studded FireAid lineup includes the likes of Billie Eilish and Finneas, Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams, Green Day, Gwen Stefani, Jelly Roll, Joni Mitchell, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Pink, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rod Stewart, Sting, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks, and Tate McRae.
Nelly will be performing at president-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural ball on Monday (Jan. 20), an inside source has confirmed to Billboard.
The 50-year-old “Hot in Herre” rapper joins a lineup of previously announced inauguration performers that includes Carrie Underwood, Kid Rock, Village People, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Parker McCollum, Lee Greenwood and Gavin DeGraw.
In an interview on Willie D Live, posted to YouTube on Saturday (Jan. 18), Nelly explained the reasons behind his decision to perform. He said in part, “I apologize. I didn’t know that I had to agree with your political choices, and I thought it was the things that you do not the things that you say should be done if you follow what I do. This shouldn’t even be an argument. He’s the president. He won. This isn’t a campaign. This isn’t the RNC. I’m not on the political campaign.”
Nelly went on to add, “I’m not doing this for money. I’m doing this because it’s an honor. I respect the office. It don’t matter who is in office, the same way that our men and women, our brothers and sisters who protect this country, have to go to war and have to put their life on the line for whoever’s in office. So if they can put their life on the line for whoever in office, I can damn sure perform for whoever … Nobody’s allowed to change, right? … If my past was once going to prevent me from winning today, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not saying that that he ain’t got some fucked up ways. That’s not what I’m saying at all. That’s why I’m not telling you who to vote for. But what I’m saying is that he’s the president of the United States…”
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During the interview, Nelly also addressed whether he was invited to participate in the Kamala Harris campaign. The rapper said he wasn’t invited, noting, “I didn’t get none of that 1.5 to try to help somebody get voted.”
Nelly isn’t the only rapper to participate in Trump’s inauguration festivities. Earlier this weekend, it was widely reported that Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Soulja Boy performed at the president-elect’s Crypto Ball pre-inaugural soiree in Washington, D.C., at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on Friday (Jan. 17).
Snoop and his fellow rappers faced backlash for their performance at the event. In the comments section of a video from the show shared on the Shade Room’s Instagram, users criticized the artists for their participation. “This is culturally embarrassing and disrespectful as hell,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Not a check in the world is worth selling my soul to the Devil…”
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon also covered the performance during his livestream, Lemon LIVE at 5, questioning whether Snoop and the artists were “sellouts” or “grifters who only care about a dollar.”
Snoop hadn’t publicly addressed the backlash at press time, but he did share an Instagram Story featuring himself and Ross at the event.
GloRilla officially stepped into Studio 8H on Jan. 18, marking her highly anticipated Saturday Night Live debut as the musical guest alongside host Dave Chappelle.
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The 25-year-old Memphis rapper opened her performance in dramatic fashion, donning an orange jumpsuit and standing behind bars on a jail-themed set that later transitioned into a front porch scene. She performed “Yeah Glo!” from her 2024 mixtape, Ehhthang Ehhthang. The anthemic track has earned GloRilla two Grammy nominations for best rap song and best rap performance at the upcoming 2025 ceremony, set to air Feb. 2.
Later in the show, GloRilla returned for a dynamic medley of tracks from her 2024 debut album, Glorious, which hit No. 5 on the Billboard 200. The performance featured a vibrant pink and purple backdrop, with GloRilla and her dancers delivering energetic choreography. She mashed up “Whatchu Kno About Me” and “Let Her Cook,” wearing a shiny pink ensemble.
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GloRilla’s SNL debut comes three months after the release of Glorious, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The project spawned the single “TGIF,” which peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, Glo’s highest-reaching unaccompanied entry on the chart.
SNL is currently in its 50th season, with a special anniversary episode planned for Feb. 16. This season has seen appearances from high-profile hosts like Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, John Mulaney and Chris Rock, while musical guests have included Hozier, Gracie Abrams and Stevie Nicks, among others.
SNL returns on Jan. 25 with Timothée Chalamet pulling double duty as both host and musical guest. Chalamet recently portrayed Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, the biopic directed by James Mangold. The Dune actor performed all of his own vocals in the film.
Watch GloRilla’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.