R&B/Hip-Hop
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SZA is reflecting on her friendship with Mac Miller after the release of his posthumous album, Balloonerism. On Friday (Jan. 17), the 35-year-old Grammy-winning artist honored the late Pittsburgh rapper, urging fans to listen to the new project, which dropped on what would have been Miller’s 33rd birthday. “I love my friend I miss my […]
Wallo has stepped in to try to mediate the recent back and forth between Cam’ron and Jim Jones.
Known for giving motivational pep talks to young rappers, and the Internet in general, through his social media platforms and his Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast with his cousin Gillie, the Philly native wrote a lengthy caption addressing the two Dipset members.
“I’m writing this letter from a place of deep admiration and respect,” he began before referencing the his 20-year bid. “From my prison cell, I witnessed something truly incredible—the bond and brotherhood you two shared. Through BET, MTV, college radio, XXL, The Source, and so many other platforms, you brought Harlem’s energy to the world in a way that was nothing short of legendary.”
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He continued by highlighting their chemistry on songs and the influence their group The Diplomats had during the early 2000s. “The connection between you brothers was unmatched. The energy, the swag, the culture—it was magnetic,” he said. “Watching you both rise together gave people like me something to admire and hold onto, even in the toughest times. Straight up, I HATE seeing the distance now, because what you two had was more than music; it was a movement.”
Adding, “I’m sitting here catching a cold, but before I lay it down tonight, I had to get this off my chest. I needed to let you know how much I appreciated everything you shared with us all. Y’all embodied that Harlem pride and made it feel like we were all part of something bigger. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for giving us that. I truly believe that tomorrow can be better than yesterday, and I’m holding onto the hope that you two can find that brotherhood again. I love y’all, and I’ll forever respect the impact you’ve made.”
Cam and Jimmy have been feuding on and off for years now with this new round being set off by an interview Killa conducted with former foe 50 Cent where they brought up a time when Capo and Juelz decided to make an appearance at a G-Unit concert as 50 and Cam were beefing on wax.
Popular streamer Kai Cenat has reacted to being mentioned in Drake‘s UMG lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us.” During a recent stream, Cenat was confused at first as he read over the section of the 81-page lawsuit that highlights himself and other streamers like RDC World and Zias! “Wait, why am I in this […]
Kendrick Lamar is kicking of 2025 with a bang. The rapper’s monumental hit, “Not Like Us,” has officially surpassed one billion Spotify streams. Lamar’s anthemic track, released in May 2024, marked the end of the highly publicized feud between himself and Drake and became a longstanding hit, topping the Hot 100 for two nonconsecutive weeks. […]
2025 is off to a fast start in the hip-hop world as Billboard Unfiltered returns with another brand new episode on Friday (Jan. 17).
The fellas swerve and bend that corner while discussing LiAngelo Ball’s reported $8 million deal with Def Jam, which is worth up to $13 million, Drake going ahead with his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group and more.
Gelo’s “Tweaker” hit debuted at No. 29 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, but staffers Kyle Denis and Damien Scott aren’t too confident he’ll be able replicate this kind of success going forward. “He might get $2 [million] of that. The rest of it is going to be put toward actually making his music a success. And signing and producing music under his label,” Scott said. “I’m utterly shocked that they gave him a label deal. He’s shown no experience at making music. We have no idea how this song was made.”
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Denis doesn’t think there’s any “singular song worth a deal like this. And if that song exists, it’s not ‘Tweaker.’”
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He continued to say there’s a philosophical misjudment by the labels latching on to who makes the viral track rather than understanding why something is going viral. “[People] wanted to hear stuff like that. Maybe they didn’t want to hear more Gelo,” Denis added. “The label saw that and said, ‘Y’all want more LiAngelo.’”
Both Denis and Scott would’ve rather seen Def Jam spread out the millions of dollars to other emerging artists rather than betting big on Gelo.
The rap world thought Drake was backing down when he withdrew his legal petitions against UMG, but hours later, returned with an official lawsuit against his label filed in New York for defamation surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” earlier this week.
“It’s gonna be a tough case for him,” Scott suggested. The debate went on to the lawsuit being a ploy in his contract renegotiation for his next deal. “Someone will give Drake the money he wants. He’s too big — it’s Drake, bro. This is craziness.”
Kyle Denis hasn’t taken the lawsuit seriously because the “suit hinges on the idea Drake’s reputation was pristine before ‘Not Like Us’ and that’s just a fantasy.”
He added: “Look at how people reacted to For All The Dogs, look at how people reacted to Her Loss when he came at Megan [Thee Stallion]… I can’t really sit here and act like ‘Not Like Us’ is the source of all this Drake hate.”
At one time, Drake could make this go away by dropping his next hit and that just hasn’t happened. “Your bread and butter used to just be drop a banger and you’d be back,” Denis stated. “And that hasn’t worked for you yet, and now you ran to the Southern District of New York.”
Watch the full episode below.
Carmelo Anthony has finally explained the context behind the photo of him and Rihanna that went on to become a viral meme in the mid-2010s. He cleared the air during the Thursday (Jan. 16) episode of 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, where he detailed the situation that originated from a 2014 Met Gala afterparty. Explore Explore […]
In today’s episode of ‘Billboard Unfiltered,’ Billboard staffers Trevor Anderson, Kyle Denis and Damien Scott react to LiAngelo Ball signing a deal with UMG & Def Jam after “Tweaker” became a viral sensation, Drake’s defamation lawsuit against UMG over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and more! Kyle Denis: Like give to people who actually do […]
SZA promised fans updates and new songs would be added to her Lana project earlier this month, but nothing has changed yet 11 days later. Fans voiced their frustrations with the Grammy-winning singer on X, and she clapped back in a series of messages posted shortly after midnight ET. “Punch was right,” she began by […]
The Black Music Action Coalition, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are announcing their third annual BMAC x Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Music Maker Grants. Presented in association with ASCAP and Wasserman Foundation, the grants will be awarded at a ReStore and ReBuild L.A. fundraiser on Jan. 29. Proceeds from the Los Angeles-held event will […]
Mac Miller’s estate has finally gifted fans with Balloonerism, a posthumous album that has been the subject of speculation for years.
Released on Jan. 17, the album arrives days ahead with what would have been Miller’s 33rd birthday. The Pittsburgh rapper died in 2018 at age 26 of an accidental overdose.
Balloonerism is a 14-track journey that showcases Miller’s experimental side, blending neo-soul and jazz elements. The album kicks off with “Tambourine Dream” and features standout tracks like “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” “Friendly Hallucinations,” “Mrs. Deborah Downer,” “Stoned,” “Manakins,” and “Rick’s Piano.” Notably, the album includes collaborations with artists such as Thundercat, SZA, and Ashley All Day.
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The origins of Balloonerism trace back to 2014, a prolific period for Miller during which he was also working on projects like Faces. Despite its significance, the album was shelved in favor of other releases, leaving fans to piece together unofficial versions circulating online.
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Following the circulation of leaked songs amongst fan communities, the record’s official release was teased with a trailer at November’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival.
Miller’s family previously shared a statement on his Instagram explaining why they’ve decided to release the project. “Many of Malcolm’s fans are aware of Balloonerism, a full length album that Malcolm created around the time of the release of Faces in 2014,” they wrote.
“It is a project that was of great importance to Malcolm — to the extent that he commissioned artwork for it and discussions concerning when it should be released were had regularly, though ultimately GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence.”
They added, “We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist. Given that unofficial versions of the album have been circulating online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world.”
Based on the lyrics and music of Miller, and directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, the animated Balloonerism “follows a group of school friends who are transfigured by the music of a chord organ and launched into a shadow world”, a synopsis of the film reads. “Swallowed by the turtle of time, they must plod through the underbelly of adulthood.”
The film was released on Jan. 15 throughout the U.S., with international fans receiving it one day later. A series of “One Night Only” advance theater screenings were scheduled around the world, including in New York City and Miller’s native Pittsburgh, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Ireland, France, Canada, and the U.K.
Miller’s debut studio album, Blue Slide Park, topped the Billboard 200 upon its release in back in 2011, the first independently distributed debut album to do so since 1995. Over the course of five studio albums, Miller evolved into one of the most eclectic artists of the 2010s, delving into alt-rap, soul and R&B with equal fervor.
Following Miller’s untimely death in September 2018, his music saw renewed interest on the charts. His album “Swimming” re-entered the top 10 of the Billboard 200, jumping from number 71 to number 6.
Fans can cop a physical version of the album, which includes a limited-edition deluxe two-LP pressing that features a rainbow foil-wrapped slipcase with white splatter cloud vinyl and a 32-page color booklet featuring photos and lyrics, as well as a limited one-time pressing that features clear vinyl available now on balloonerism.com.
Stream Balloonerism below.