R&B/Hip-Hop

Miles Minnick Signs With EMPIRE & Releases ‘My Twin’ Single Featuring 310babii

Miles Minnick has enjoyed a busy 2025, and the Christian rapper is looking to elevate his artistry as he’s agreed to a deal signing with EMPIRE on Friday (March 28).

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The partnership comes about as a joint venture with Minnock’s The GLO imprint alongside the independent powerhouse label.

Commemorating the newfound partnership between EMPIRE and the California native, Minnock released a bouncy collaboration celebrating friendship across the board with “My Twin” featuring Inglewood resident 310babii.

“This record and collaboration is special to me because this is my first drop of 2025 since officially partnering with EMPIRE,” Minnick tells Billboard. “It holds a message that music has been missing and represents remaining solid with the ones who came up with you and holding them down even after you come up.”

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Minnick’s unique blend of hip-hop and gospel caught the ear of EMPIRE COO Nima Etminan, who played an integral role engineering bringing the rapper into the fold with EMPIRE.

“It’s a privilege to work with an artist like Miles Minnick,” Etminan says. “What he’s built with the GLO family and his Christ Like brand has been nothing short of incredible. He makes the kind of music that can transcend generations – entire families of all ages support his live shows – and we are excited to share his music with the rest of the world.”

Minnick already made history in March when he became the first Christian artist to perform a set at Rolling Loud California.

Earlier this month, Minnick joined forces with fellow Christian rapper Lecrae for the celestial “Heaven Sent” and he teamed up with Jon Keith for a joint project showcasing his artistry titled West Indies in February.

‘Badman Forward Badman Pull Up’ Singer Ding Dong Announces Debut Album — 20 Years After His First Single

It’s been 20 years since Ding Dong’s “Badman Forward Badman Pull Up” became an ocean-crossing, generational anthem for dancers and revelers — and the man behind the iconic track is finally unleashing his debut studio album.

Billboard can exclusively reveal that, on May 5, Ding Dong (born Kemar Ottey) will release From Ding Dong to the World, an album he promises will be a breath of fresh air for the dancehall scene. Featuring production contributions from Ricky Blaze, Khalfani, Felva, Dunwell, and Black Spyda — who mixed and mastered the entire project — From Ding Dong to the World will also house collaborations with scores of dancehall superstars, including Skeng, Skillibeng, Stalk Ashley, Govana, Afro B, Popeye Caution, Vanessa Bling and Grammy-nominated rap icon Busta Rhymes. Fans can pre-save the album here.

At a succinct 13 tracks, Ding Dong’s new album aims to place him in the pantheon of dancehall greats, several of which he names as inspiration, like Elephant Man, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man and Sean Paul, whose 2002 “Gimme the Light” music video he cites as one of the most important moments of dancehall’s dance culture being highlighted on a global scale.

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“This album is the evolution of Ding Dong,” the dancer-turned-recording artist declares. “I want to show people that I am a rounded artist, not just a dancer. This style of dancehall hasn’t been done on an album in a long time. I never knew the difficulties and the challenges of doing an album. It’s not a simple thing to get [samples] cleared, so I think the time is now. I am always current. It’s God’s will!” 

Ding Dong finished the album last year, but sample clearances cosmically delayed the album release timeline to coincide with the 20-year anniversary of “Badman Forward.” One of those samples was Kris Kross’ “Jump,” which Ding Dong lifts for his new Kaka Highflames and Skeng-assisted single, “Street Jump.” Serving as the set’s lead single, “Street Jump” transposes the audacious energy of Kris Kross’ 1992 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper into a floor-quaking dancehall banger that plays on Skeng’s own penchant for leaping into the sky during his live performances. The new single arrived alongside its official music video on Thursday (March 27).

“Kris Kross was one of the artists I really messed with growing up,” explains Ding Dong. “I remember when Khalfani did the riddim and I walked in the studio and he played it – without thinking, the first thing I did was [start rapping “Jump”] over the riddim. I recorded that right away, and then mi seh, “I haffi get Skeng pon di song.”

And he did. On a clip shared to his official Instagram page — which has amassed nearly 200,000 views — Ding Dong plays the “Street Jump” riddim for Skeng as he characteristically vaults into the air because the beat moved him so much. It’s similar to what happens when a DJ drops “BadMan Forward” at a function, people simply feel compelled to move. Playing on the legacy and timelessness of “Badman Forward,” Ding Dong also included a bombastic remix of the classic featuring new-age dancehall giant Skillibeng.

“’BadMan Forward’ is the first song I recorded. If you notice, there are no verses, I just wanted to buss a dance, not a song. The version that you hear is the demo version, it’s not mixed,” reveals Ding Dong. “At the time, the willie bounce was everything but I realized di people dem wan change. So I made the song with the dance to make my mark as a dancer. When I chose the name of the song, I was told it was too long. Mi seh mi nah change it. If you wan mek change inna your life, you have to do things differently. It started in Jamaica, went to England, and then New York. The energy, the kick of the riddim and the dance itself made the song a staple within so many generations.”

Watch the official “Street Jump” music video below.

Lil Nas X Collects Recent Singles on ‘Days Before Dreamboy’ EP

Lil Nas X has been on a tear lately. Since November, the rapper has dropped a series of songs, beginning with the dance-y “Light Again,” and the propulsive “Need Dat Boy” in late 2024. Then, this month he’s kicked things up a notch with a string of single releases in the lead-up to the as-yet-unscheduled release of Dreamboy LP, the anticipated follow-up to his 2021 debut full-length album Montero.

The flurry of activity has resulted in the surprise drop on Friday morning (March 28) of the 8-track EP, Days Before Dreamboy. The mini album collects all of Lil Nas’ recent output, including “Dreamboy,” the hard-hitting apparent title track on which he warns, “B–ch, I’m back like J. Christ,” the latter a seeming reference to his failure-to-launch 2024 single “J. Christ,” which created more controversy than chart action.

Just two days later, he was back with the no-games-played “Big Dummy,” on which he rapped “I’ma send this to the group chat/ They gon’ be like ‘who’s that?’/ I’ma be like, ‘Big X, dummy,’ now y’all know I’m comin’.” The next day (March 12), LNX hit us again with the more low-key “Swish,” the basketball metaphor-twisting ballad where he sings, “Swish, they gotta make this shot, gonna make this hot/ Swish, they gotta make this shot, gotta hit this/ I won’t miss/ Another one in, another one in.”

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He wasn’t nearly done, though, dropping the bass-thumping party jam “Right There!” on March 13, a chronicle of a wild night out, as well as a broadside against those who thought he was done. “Last year, a n–ga went missin’/ This year, I’m washin’ these n–gas like I was just doin’ the dishes/ My b–ches is n–gas, these n–gas is b–ches/ I’m drunk as f–k, what is the difference?,” he spits over gospel-like backing vocals and a crisp beat.

He capped off his frenzied release week with the Neptunes-like banger “Hotbox” and the take no mess “Lean on My Body.” They’re all collected now in one place as fans wait for news on the Dreamboy album; at press time it was not clear if all the songs on the EP will also appear on that full-length release.

Listen to Days Before Dreamboy EP below.

Ice Cube Delivered the World Series Trophy to His Beloved L.A. Dodgers on Opening Day in Classic Style

Ice Cube proved his hometown bona fides on Thursday (Mach 27) when he hopped in his custom blue Chevy Impala for a slow drive into Dodgers Stadium to make a very special delivery for the home team on opening day.

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A die hard Dodger fan for life, Cube was among the A-listers on hand for the first game of the year by the defending World Series champs, and he made his mark on the day by presenting the Commissioner’s trophy in classic fashion. After driving onto the field, Cube was handed the trophy, which he then hoisted over his head as the crowd went wild.

The rap legend then placed the award on a pedestal and shook hands with team manager Dave Roberts. A lifelong Dodgers supporter, Cube performed before the team’s World Series game 2 last year against the Yankees and then performed again and celebrated with Roberts at the championship parade.

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“I think I blacked out. That was my ass dropping right there,” Roberts told Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts on his podcast after the Series win while joking about being Cube’s backup dancer and describing his own tricked-out car back in the day. “I would love to go on tour with Ice Cube. I’m telling you Mookie, this took me back to 1988 when I had a red Nissan Sentra and I had my two 10s in a wood box. That’s what you did back in the day. You used to get a box made and you used to put your woofers in the trunk and your license plate would be beat up… I would listen to N.W.A. and Ice Cube all day long so that kinda took me back.”

The best part? The Dodgers beat the Tigers 5-4 in their home opener, where their world-beating superstar pitcher/hitter Shohei Otani smashed a home run in the seventh just days before he’s expected to throw a bullpen session on Saturday on the way to pitching again in a game for the first time since injuring his elbow in 2023.

Watch footage of Cube’s deliver below.

Will Smith Drops ‘Based on a True Story’: Stream It Now

Will Smith has officially returned to music with the release of Based on a True Story, his first studio album in two decades.

Out today (March 28), the album marks his first full-length project since 2005’s Lost and Found and arrives amid a wave of personal reflection and renewed creative energy for the multi-hyphenate star.

Smith began teasing the new project in 2023, slowly rolling out singles like “Beautiful Scars” featuring Big Sean, the high-energy anthem “Tantrum” with Joyner Lucas, the Teyana Taylor-assisted “You Can Make It,” and the introspective “Work of Art,” which features both Russ and Smith’s son, Jaden Smith.

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The album reunites him with longtime collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff and is released through indie label Slang Records, with whom Smith signed a distribution deal last year.

“The past couple of years, I’ve been doing a very deep exploration of who and what I truly am,” Smith said in a teaser video posted on his Instagram on Thursday. “The process of this album is really allowing myself to be more honest with myself than I ever have about who and what I actually am. This is about to be the greatest artistic creative period of my entire life.”

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Speaking with Sway in the Morning, Smith also revealed that the album title came from advice he received from Jay-Z. “You gotta say what’s true for you… Be true to your story. Tell your story,” Smith recalled. “And that’s where I got the ‘Based on a True Story’ [title] from.”

The 14-track album blends old-school hip-hop with modern production and themes of redemption, vulnerability, and identity. It also marks a public reentry into the cultural conversation for Smith, whose 2022 Oscars incident with Chris Rock put him in the global spotlight in a very different way. Rather than shy away from controversy, Based on a True Story tackles Smith’s journey head-on, balancing personal reckoning with polished, genre-spanning collaborations.

Smith’s comeback has also included high-profile live appearances, including a performance at Rock in Rio in 2024 that featured tracks from the new album alongside hits like “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” and “Summertime.” Earlier this month, he also announced a world tour kicking off in Europe this summer.

Based on a True Story is now streaming on all major platforms.

Lil Durk Releases ‘Deep Thoughts’ Album From Behind Bars: Stream It Now

Lil Durk’s incarceration hasn’t stopped his music output. The Chicago rapper released his Deep Thoughts album from behind bars on Friday (March 28).

With Durk behind bars inside MDC Los Angeles, his management team picked up the slack to piece together his 20-track Deep Thoughts album with his blessing. The project features assists from Future, Lil Baby, Hunxho and Jhené Aiko.

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It’s Durk’s first album since 2023’s Almost Healed. The 32-year-old continued to gain momentum heading into the project as the RIAA announced on Thursday (March 27) that Durk earned another 53 certifications.

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“With 53 new RIAA certifications, @lildurk has cemented himself with the most Hip-Hop certifications in 2025 and secured a place among the top 50 artists of all time with 52.5 million units,” the RIAA wrote to X.

Durk’s team gave fans a look into his creative process with the release of a Deep Thoughts mini documentary, which showcased the rapper’s journey crafting the process as well as the communication with his team from behind bars.

“It’s gonna be more than just is a song good or great? You gotta be like, ‘Boy, the album is nominated for a Grammy.’ We gotta start thinking in that box and get out the little box of thinking,” Durk says to open the doc. “This s–t deeper than that. This s–t really Deep Thoughts.”

Lil Durk was arrested in October 2024 on federal murder-for-hire charges. Prosecutors allege Durk’s involvement in a 2022 shooting targeting rapper Quando Rondo, which ended up killing another individual. He faces trial in October 2025.

Stream Deep Thoughts below.

Doja Cat Set to Headline South African Festival Hey Neighbour 2025

Doja Cat is the first headliner to be revealed for Hey Neighbour festival in South Africa this summer, marking the star’s first time performing in her motherland.

The three-day festival will be held at Legends Adventure Farm in Pretoria, South Africa from August 29-31. Kendrick Lamar, Khalid, The Chainsmokers, Swedish House Mafia and H.E.R. performed at the 2023 inaugural edition of the festival.

“We are beyond excited to welcome Doja Cat to the Hey Neighbour Festival stage,” Glen Netshipise, CEO of Hey Neighbour, said in a statement. “Her energy, creativity, and ability to connect with audiences on a global scale make her the perfect artist to kick off what will be an epic festival lineup. This is just the beginning — we have more incredible acts to reveal soon!”

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The festival will serve as a sort of homecoming for the Grammy-winning rapper (real name Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini), who is the daughter of South African actor Dumisani Dlamini.

She told Apple Music 1’s Ebro Darden in an interview in December 2023 about her album Scarlet that she had yet to visit the country. “I rely on my career to just throw me out to places,” she said at the time. Looks like her career finally brought her home. Doja has expressed pride in her heritage by bringing out the South African a capella group The Joy to perform alongside her during her headlining slot at Coachella last year.

Fans can purchase tickets to Hey Neighbour here.

NFL Bans ‘Nose Wipe’ Celebration Popularized by Young Thug

The No Fun League is back at it again.

On Monday night (Mar. 26), ESPN NFL analyst Benjamin Solak posted a screenshot from the league’s rules report that was sent out to teams recently highlighting that the “nose wipe” celebration is now deemed unsportsmanlike and will cost teams a 15-yard penalty.

The “nose wipe” will fall under the “violent gesture” category next to celebrations like the throat slash, invisible guns, and sexually suggestive or offensive acts.

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Players like Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb use the celebration often after first downs and touchdowns. And as you can guess, is not a big fan of the rule change, tweeting that he has plenty of celebrations in mind.

Young Thug fan account, ThuggerDaily, which became the go-to source during the Atlanta’s rapper’s lengthy RICO trial, saw the news and proclaimed that Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis finally won.

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“Oh my God Fani Willis won,” he tweeted. “‘Wiping your nose’ as a celebration is now banned from the NFL and will result in a 15 yard penalty for being a ‘violent gesture’ WTF.”

The “nose wipe” has been popularized by rappers like Young Thug and Future who have referenced the gesture in songs and in pictures often used with the words “slime” and “slatt.”

They both can be heard rapping the phrase on “Sup Mate” from Thugger’s 2019 debut album So Much Fun and it essentially means to confront an enemy to maybe rob them or humiliate them in some way, among other things.

We have to get to the bottom of who sent the NFL the Urban Dictionary link.

Sauce Walka Mourns Sayso P’s Murder in Lengthy Instagram Post

Sauce Walka mourned the death of his friend and artist Sayso P in a lengthy Instagram post after both rappers were shot in Memphis last week.

“Words or tears can’t explain the loss I feel!” he began. “Splatt, I wish your fat ahh listened to me and stayed in the room. I told you we could smoke that blunt after security and the rest of our familia pull up.. Sosaman told you, ‘F dat weed, wait til we leave an hit Superior first.’ You always so hardheaded blood, but you know I’ma ride wit you regardless. We come together, we leave together. Wish you just went [to] DR with Shimmy and shot off, and skipped this trip to Memphis, but you was to excited I finally agreed to come to da ‘M.’”

He continued, “It’s been 4 years since @tsf1punch_10100 brought you to the familia. Did everything I could to help you change your lifestyle. From Miami to all 50 states, we been mashing and splashing together. I learned a lot from you, young spilla and [I’m] thankful for all the loyalty and support city to city, hood to hood with them sticks rap hustling! You left earth as a rich young boss, you left this earth happy and successful. I’ma make sure the world knows who you really are.”

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He added, “But unfortunately, most our kings and bosses are at war with each other. I hope one day we all stop taking lives from our communities and actually start to enjoy and build better futures for our cultures. But the streets are the streets, so I accept what came with being your big brother. I love you, Splatt.”

Rumors swirled that Sayso P was targeted because he allegedly ran off with $200K; however, his mother tried to clear things up on Facebook. “This is the type of lies and sh– that keep mothers losing our sons,” she wrote. “My son never stole anything. Never ran off with anything. Didn’t have to. Haters set him up but not because he stole a dime. He would give you his last before he stole anything. Please stop spreading rumors.”

Adding, “Let me repeat that, he did not have to take sh– from anyone. Money wasn’t a factor. He was too loyal. Too loyal to the wrong people was his biggest downfall. Haters who were envious killed my baby but I won’t let y’all steal his legacy. People see him with a stack and say anything. That was his norm.”

Sayso P, born Latorian Hunt, was 27 years old.

MGK & Megan Fox Welcome Baby Girl After Split: ‘Our Little Celestial Seed’

Congrats are in order for MGK and Megan Fox, who welcomed their first child together on Thursday (March 27). Kelly revealed the birth of their daughter in a heartfelt post to Instagram with a glimpse of their baby girl.

“She’s finally here!! our little celestial seed,” MGK (formerly Machine Gun Kelly) captioned the post with a photo of his daughter gripping his fingers. “3/27/25.” Congratulatory messages poured into the comment section from fans and some of his music peers.

He added on his IG Story: “We composed the score of the birth. Born into 432 HZ what an epic journey praise God.”

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The baby girl makes MGK a girl dad for the second time, while she is Megan Fox‘s fourth child. Fox has three previous children with her ex-husband, actor Brian Austin Green.

MGK and Fox began dating in 2020 and continued to be on-and-off before parting ways in November 2024, which wasn’t long after she revealed her pregnancy earlier in the month with a post showcasing her baby bump to IG. “Nothing is ever really lost. welcome back,” she wrote.

The former couple attempted to start a family years earlier, but Fox unfortunately suffered a miscarriage in 2022. MGK dedicated his “Twin Flame” performance at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards to his “wife” and “unborn child.”

Brian Austin Green put MGK on blast earlier Thursday when reportedly sharing a DM from the Cleveland native regarding the imminent birth of Kelly and Fox’s daughter.

“Stop asking when our child is gonna be born. you the FEDS,” Kelly wrote to Green, per People. “Quit calling TMZ and focus on that apology you owe me for speaking my name in public. You chose the wrong one to f— with mr child actor. go back to cereal commercials.”

MGK expressed his excitement for becoming a father for the second time in February. “Church was right on time today,” he wrote alongside emojis of a baby bottle and someone holding a baby. “Can’t wait.”

On the music side, MGK paid tribute to his late friend and extreme sports legend Luke “Dingo” Trembath with “Your Name Forever” earlier this month.

Find MGK’s post revealing the birth of his daughter below.