R&B/Hip-Hop
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Kevin Durant wasn’t too enthralled with Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. When asked about Lamar’s performance on Monday (Feb. 10), the Phoenix Suns star called the day “boring” and said it was of little interest to him. “It meant nothing to me,” he said to reporter Dana Scott. “No thoughts — I didn’t really […]
The NBA continues to innovate with its All-Star Weekend and announced on Tuesday (Feb. 11) that four-time NBA All-Star Celebrity Game MVP and comedian Kevin Hart will serve as the first-ever NBA All-Star Game emcee. There will be a star-studded cast of performers hitting the stage throughout the Bay Area’s All-Star Weekend, with the NBA […]
Ye’s — formerly known as Kanye West — Yeezy website has been taken down following backlash to the sale of his swastika T-shirt in recent days.
The rapper’s website used Shopify to make e-commerce transactions. Variety reported on Tuesday (Feb. 11) that Shopify said Ye had violated the company’s terms in recent days.
“All merchants are responsible for following the rules of our platform,” a spokesperson for Shopify relayed to Variety. “This merchant did not engage in authentic commerce practices and violated our terms, so we removed them from Shopify.”
In place of the Yeezy website is now an error message that reads, “Something went wrong. What happened? This store is unavailable.”
Billboard has reached out to reps for West and Shopify.
Just prior to the website’s shutdown, Ye paid for a Super Bowl commercial promoting Yeezy and encouraging fans to shop the marketplace. He shot the spot on an iPhone while sitting in a chair at the dentist. Variety reports the ad was shown on three Fox stations, including KTTV Los Angeles.
“What’s up, guys? I spent all the money for the commercial on these new teeth,” he says in the clip while showing off his diamond-encrusted teeth. “So, once again, I had to shoot it on the iPhone. Um … go to Yeezy.com.”
Before deactivating his X account on Monday (Feb. 10), the rapper spent the weekend going on several X tirades filled with antisemitic, misogynistic and homophobic remarks, which also included him calling for the freedom of Diddy and praising Hitler.
Ye’s latest string of hate speech has been rebuked by the Anti-Defamation League, Friends star David Schwimmer and Charlie Puth, who took to his Instagram Story to beg the Chicago native to stop posting.
“@ye The message you are sending out to the world is incredibly dangerous,” wrote Puth. “Please man, I beg you to stop. You are selling a T-shirt with a Swastika on it, and MILLIONS of people are influenced by you. Please I BEG you to stop, PLEASE.”
Drake appears to have heard about Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, and made his subtle response by flipping some lyrics to his “Knife Talk” track while performing in Melbourne on Monday night (Feb. 10). “Beef is live, spoiler alert — I never died,” he raps on the reworked version following Lamar’s headlining performance […]
Usher and Keke Palmer continue to have great chemistry. The Atlanta legend recently sat down with Palmer on her Wondery podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, where the two discussed Usher’s guest-star appearance in four episodes of Brandy‘s ’90s television show Moesha, before the two broke out into an impromptu duet of Usher and Monica‘s […]
P-Lo stands under a basketball hoop on a rooftop outdoor court that overlooks downtown San Francisco, surrounded by the Bay Area Avengers — Saweetie, Larry June, Kamaiyah, G-Eazy, thuy, LaRussell and YMTK, all local MCs gathered to shoot the video for their new track “Player’s Holiday ’25.” The song is part of an upcoming project spearheaded by P-Lo and Golden State Entertainment (GSE), the record label and content division of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, which is planning to release the album in partnership with EMPIRE to celebrate the local music scene ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco in mid-February. The vibe on-set is breezy and free; the collection of talent, both on the song and hanging out here today, makes the afternoon feel like the modern-day, Bay version of the Great Day in Harlem celebrating the 1950s New York jazz scene.
“Just having all the creatives and artists in the Bay there for that and just being able to be present in that moment and really put that thing together to represent the Bay correctly [was special],” P-Lo says. “There’s been so much negative talk about San Francisco and Oakland [Calif.] and how dangerous it is, and all these bad things about our region and our area, and we wanted to just show the unity and our resilience to all of that.”
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All told, the album — called For the Soil — will feature over a dozen Bay Area artists, including icons like E-40 and Too $hort. It’s the latest project from GSE, which formed in 2022 with EMPIRE as its distribution partner and has released music by K-pop act BamBam and Oakland artist MAYZIN.
EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi and his company “have global reach but have maintained deep roots in and genuine love for the Bay,” says David Kelly, chief business officer for GSE and chief legal officer for the Warriors. “When Golden State Entertainment wanted to do something special in connection with NBA All-Star 2025 coming to the San Francisco Bay Area, it was only right that we linked up with P-Lo and release it via EMPIRE. The project is a celebration of Bay Area music and culture and a testament to the rich music scene that EMPIRE has helped create in and for the Bay.”
It’s also part of a suite of projects that EMPIRE is spearheading ahead of All-Star Week, including several parties in the area and a collaboration with NBA 2K for a limited-edition vinyl package featuring EMPIRE artists, on which “Player’s Holiday ’25” is also featured.
“Growing up a Warriors fan and going to the games all my life,” P-Lo says, “just to be able to work with a company that really is like one of the better franchises in all of sports, to be able to do something like this with them, is a dream come true.”
This story appears in the Feb. 8, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Cardi B was already not a huge fan of Donald Trump, but after the President became the first sitting commander in chief to attend a Super Bowl on Sunday (Feb. 9) the “WAP” rapper said he’s definitely on her nope list. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news […]
Do you know what the initials “AWGE” stand for? Don’t feel too bad because only a few people know the answer to that, and apparently it’s a big secret. AWGE is the name of A$AP Rocky‘s creative agency and record label, and the meaning of what the letters stand for has never been made clear. […]
Another week, another win for Kendrick Lamar. This weekend was all about the Compton MC’s explosive Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance on Sunday night (Feb. 9)
Lamar did not bring out Lil Wayne as a surprise guest, but he did tap Samuel L. Jackson to serve as a narrator as he ripped through classics like “Humble” and “DNA,” as well as GNX cuts like “Man at the Garden,” “Squabble Up,” “Peekaboo” and the SZA-assisted “Luther.” After cheekily teasing the beat several times throughout the show, Lamar did, in fact, treat the Super Dome to a remarkable rendition of his Drake-obliterating “Not Like Us,” which won five Grammys, including record and song of the year, last weekend (Feb. 2). Other notable appearances included Mustard, the Grammy-winning producer behind “Not Like Us” and “TV Off,” which closed the show.
The morning after the big game (Feb. 10), Eagles fans weren’t the only fandom with something worse celebrating. While Kendrick Lamar and SZA revealed the U.K. and European dates for the forthcoming joint Grand National stadium tour, Beyoncé also revealed several additional dates to her previously announced Cowboy Carter World Tour, which will host mini-residencies in stadiums across America, the U.K. and Europe.
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The Weeknd also scored a major win with the official Billboard 200 debut of Hurry Up Tomorrow. The set became his fifth to reach the top of the chart and also earned the biggest opening week total of his career (490,500 units).
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Tyga and Shenseea’s steamy new collaboration to Giveon’s solo comeback. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Rory feat. Leon Thomas, “Who Are You Anyway?”
Across Rory’s sparse soundscape accented by mournful piano and echoing drum and bass percussion, Leon Thomas waxes poetic about his partner morphing into someone he can no longer recognize. “You’re too pretentious, self-conscious pride in driving Mercedes/ Always done up, but I doubt you looked in the mirror lately/ I know the mirror would say/ ‘Who are you anyway?’” he sings at the end of the first verse, employing a dirge-like quality to his vocal performance that intensifies the drama of the song’s lyrics. The mirror’s question is rhetorical, but the dread of hearing an answer that you don’t want to internalize drives the tension of Rory’s new single. — KYLE DENIS
Tyga & Shenseea, “Magnetic”
Tyga isn’t new to making hits, and adding Caribbean dancehall artist Shenseea almost guarantees the success of this track. “Magnetic” explores the intense push-and-pull of a relationship fueled by attraction, jealousy and emotional uncertainty. Tyga’s verses reveal his insecurities and frustration, questioning his partner’s feelings while admitting he can’t break free from their connection. Meanwhile, Shenseea asserts her confidence and loyalty, emphasizing their undeniable chemistry while questioning if passion is clouding their judgment. The song captures the cycle of being drawn together despite trust issues, with “Magnetic” perfectly describing how they keep coming back to each other, no matter how hard they try to resist. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Jordan Hawkins, “Emotions”
“Where did I put ’em?/ Where’d I misplace ’em?/ Where did I leave ’em?/ Where did you take ’em?” With a barrage of questions, rollicking rock&B single Jordan Hawkins kicks off his latest single in the throes of borderline histrionic emotional turmoil — as converted by a vocal performance that primarily trades in growls, rasp and impassioned falsetto. It’s been over a year since Hawkins’ last album, 2023’s 4Play, so hopefully “Emotions” leads to something more than just the continuation of his recent string of terrific standalone singles. — K.D.
GIVĒON, “Twenties”
GIVĒON is back with his first solo track since 2023, reflecting on the regrets of falling in love too soon. “Twenties” captures the heartbreak of investing years into a relationship that didn’t last, especially during the formative years of young adulthood. The song tells the story of a six-year relationship that ultimately falls apart, with the narrator realizing they sacrificed personal growth for love. Lyrics like “Thought I was learning myself/ I was just learning you” highlight the painful lesson of losing oneself in a relationship. “Twenties” is a bittersweet reflection on love, self-discovery, and the realization that some relationships, no matter how deep, aren’t meant to last. — C.C
TA Thomas, “Preach”
TA Thomas has been committed to making real R&B — rapid-fire riffs, bare chest and all — for some time now, and he’s doubling down with “Preach,” the new single from his forthcoming Southern Soul EP (via Def Jam). Co-penned by Lucky Daye and produced by Camper, the new track finds Thomas melding religious metaphors to croon of his woman’s allure and the temptation she brings. “How’d you get that body to preach?/ Let it speak to me, baby/ Like it does in my dreams/ Oh, I need a witness/ The choir’s with me,” he sings.
Nueve Lio & Karri, “Candles”
Nueve Lio and Karri team up for a smooth track celebrating the beautiful, confident women in their lives—women they’re not officially dating but are more than happy to spoil. Instead of just getting them a cake for their birthday, they’re ready to spend time, make memories, and enjoy the moment. The song captures a laid-back, feel-good vibe that many can relate to, offering a glimpse into the next generation of R&B and what it brings to the table. — C.C.
It looks like Kai Cenat and Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) are back on the outs again. On Friday (Feb. 7), the popular streamer — who was on the cover of Billboard magazine in January — told his fans that he’s no longer going forward with a planned Japan stream with the troubled rap […]