Hip-Hop
Fugees Announce International Reunion Tour to Celebrate 25th Anniversary of ‘The Score’
The Score, the Fugees’ second and final studio album, hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and scored hits with the indelible singles “Killing me Softly,” “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready or Not”; the collection won the Grammy for best rap album and another for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals for “Killing.” “The Fugees have a complex but impactful history. I wasn’t even aware the 25th anniversary had arrived until someone brought it to my attention,” Hill said in a statement of Score, the best-selling album ever by a hip-hop group (at 22 million copies) and, at the time, the first by a rap group to be nominated for an album of the year Grammy. “I decided to honor this significant project, its anniver...
Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart
Of Certified Lover Boy’s 236,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 16, SEA units comprise 227,000 units (down 60%, equaling 305.43 million on-demand streams of the album’s 21 tracks), album sales comprise 6,500 (down 86%) and TEA units comprise 2,500 units (down 45%). Of Drake’s 10 No. 1 albums, Certified is his fourth to spend more than a week atop the list. His other multiple-week chart-toppers are Scorpion (No. 1 for five weeks in 2018), More Life (No. 1 for three weeks in 2017) and Views (No. 1 for 13 weeks in 2016). Kanye West’s former No. 1 Donda is a non-mover at No. 2 on the new Billboard 200, with 79,000 equivalent album units earned (down 44%). Kacey Musgraves’ new studio album Star-Crossed debuts at No. 3 with 77,000 equivalent album units earned...
Dua Lipa & Megan Thee Stallion Hit the Club While Crossing Paths in Las Vegas: See the Photos
During the event, Lipa was honored by Ryan Seacrest with the iHeartRadio titanium award for her hit song “Levitating,” which reached 1 billion total audience spins across iHeartRadio stations. The track peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 2020. Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion was in Vegas for her headlining set at the 2021 Life Is Beautiful festival in downtown. Later in the evening, Lipa took to her Instagram Story to share a clip of the hip-hop star performing onstage at the Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan. “Lets go hot girl,” Lipa captioned the clip, tagging Megan. The singer also shared a behind-the-scenes photo gallery on Instagram of the two music stars making silly faces and posing together in the club. In the snapshots, Lipa is seen wearin...
Big Freedia Drops New EP Big Diva Energy: Stream
Big Freedia is back (by popular demand!) with her new EP Big Diva Energy via East West Records. Stream it below. To mark the release of the project, the MC also dropped the wild music video for lead single “Not Today” featuring Jake Shears and Tank and the Bangas’ Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph. “Not Today’ is a track about setting limits with people. It’s about the people who use you and think you aren’t paying attention. I’m saying, ‘I see you and it’s not gonna happen today, not tomorrow—not never b—h!” Freedia said in a statement. Advertisement Related Video Across its six tracks, Big Diva Energy also contains collaborations with Soaky Siren and the rest of Tank and the Bangas (“Betty Bussit”) and Jax and Marc Rebillet (“BDE”), as well as solo offerings “Platinum,” “Mm Mm Good,” and more. Wat...
Rap Song of the Week: Lil Nas X and Megan Thee Stallion Brush Off the Haters on “Dolla Sign Slime”
Rap Song of the Week breaks down the rap and hip-hop tracks you need to hear every week. Check out the full playlist here. This week, Lil Nas X teams up with Megan Thee Stallion on his Montero track “Dolla Sign Slime.” After a rollout that left conservative pundits clutching their pearls, Lil Nas X finally dropped his debut album, Montero, today and revealed a complete artist comfortable in his true identity. “Dolla Sign Slime” is not one of the many soul-baring songs on the project, but a Megan Thee Stallion-assisted banger squarely aimed at everyone who predicted the 22-year-old rapper’s downfall. Here to dispel all the rumors and naysayers, Lil Nas X uses the anthemic, horn-driven production of “Dolla Sign Slime” to talk his shit. While bragging about buying all the luxury items that co...
Open Mike Eagle Taps Armand Hammer for New Single “Burner Account”: Stream
Open Mike Eagle has released his new single “Burner Account” featuring a guest assist from Armand Hammer. Stream it below. The track marks the Chicago-turned-Los Angeles MC’s first release since his 2020 full-length Anime, Trauma and Divorce as well as Season 2 of his podcast What Had Happened Was. “Some dirty soul music I made with the brilliant brothers I’m about to go on this tour with produced by the mad genius Quelle Chris,” Open Mike Eagle said in a statement about the song, before promising there’s much more on the way. “This is from a new project I’m working on. I’m also writing on a TV show I can’t reveal the name of yet and taping new seasons of both of my podcasts so there’s a lot of cooking happening. This is the first taste.” Advertisement Related Video The rapper will join th...
How ‘Synth God’ Mike Dean Went From Powering ‘Donda’ Stadium Events to Commanding His Own Echoplex Shows
Those two artists’ discographies, which include a combined 13 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums that Dean contributed his Midas touch to — plus his work with legendary musicians such as 2Pac, Selena Quintanilla, Madonna, Beyoncé, Jay-Z and The Weeknd — have cemented Dean as one of the best producers of the 21st century. Dean, also known by his legion of devoted followers as the “Synth God,” is a household name just like the acts he works closely with. “I hate when interviews start with ‘Kanye West producer Mike Dean,'” he tells Billboard over Zoom from his California home studio, its setup bearing similar resemblance to his Echoplex shows, where the synths revolve around the one who breathes life into them. “I’m Mike Dean.” A man subject to man...
Lil Nas X, Drake, Britney Spears, Bad Bunny & More of the Week’s Biggest Winners (Sept. 17)
Take a look at Billboard‘s weekly roundup and the “awards” it gave to this week’s headlines. Happiest Music News: Lil Nas X gives birth to debut album Montero Lil Nas X finally brought his bundle of joy he’s been carrying — a.k.a. his debut studio album Montero — into the world on Friday (Sept. 17). His genre-bending project contains star-studded features from Miley Cyrus, Elton John, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, and of course, Jack Harlow on his Hot 100 No. 2 hit “Industry Baby.” Stream Montero here and read our critics’ picks here. Sweetest Music News: Britney Spears is engaged Congratulations are in order for Britney Spears and Sam Asghari, who announced their engagement on Sunday (Sept. 12) after fiv...
DijahSB Breaks Down New EP Tasty Raps Vol. 1 Track by Track: Exclusive
In our Track by Track feature, artists are tasked with sharing the stories behind each song on their latest album. Today, DijahSB takes us track by track through their new EP Tasty Raps Vol. 1. DijahSB is back today (September 17th) with their latest EP, Tasty Raps Vol. 1. Released independently, the six-track project features assists from Ray HMND and Mick Jenkins. Arriving just five months after their sophomore album Head Above the Waters, the new release marks the nonbinary rapper’s second release of 2021. It includes the lead single “New Balance” and the previously-dropped “Here to Dance.” Advertisement Related Video Kicking things off on the opening track “Earthtone,” DijahSB maintains their musical independence by declaring, “I’ve never asked for no handout/ I’ve always do...
T.I. and Tiny Avoid Charges for 2005 Sexual Assault, Drugging Allegations
T.I. and his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, will not be charged in connection to an alleged sexual assault and drugging incident involving a US Air Force veteran. Los Angeles prosecutors began investigating the rapper and his wife in May after the woman filed a police report the month prior. Now, however, LA officials have deemed the case falls outside the 10-year statute of limitations, as the alleged abuse occurred in 2005 (via TMZ). As a result, they will not pursue charges. The allegations first came to light in March alongside accusations from 10 other individuals, all seeking criminal inquiries. That followed accusations posted on social media in January by a former friend of the couple, Sabrina Peterson, who claimed to have collected stories of abuse from over 34 women. Advertisement R...
Lil Nas X Drops Long-Awaited Debut Album Montero: Stream
More than two-and-a-half years since he first took his horse to the “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X has finally released his debut studio album, Montero. Stream it via Apple Music or Spotify below. Montero is the follow-up to Lil Nas X’s debut EP, 2019’s 7. The album spans 15 tracks and boasts some high-profile collaborators, including Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, and Elton John. In a beautiful full-circle moment, the closing song “Am I Dreaming” includes a guest feature from Miley Cyrus; lest we forget when her father Billy Ray cemented the status of “Old Town Road” in country music canon. The album includes the pre-release singles “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” “Sun Goes Down,” and “Industry Baby” featuring Jack Harlow. Advertisement Related Video “creating this album has been ther...
Kanye West Honors Late Mom in Heartfelt ’24’ Music Video: Watch
Kanye West has followed up his 10th studio album Donda with the release of an all-new music video for his track “24” that honors his late mom. The abstract visual, which premiered Thursday (Sept. 16), opens with a clip of a fictional audience that appears to be cheering West on during one of his album listening parties at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. “He’s done miracles on me,” West is heard singing as the song begins. At the one-minute mark, an emotional clip of West’s late mom Donda appears, in which she is seen laughing and smiling. As the video progresses, a version of West is seen gradually ascending from the stadium to the sky, above the clouds and into an infinite universe — at which point, the world as we know it fades and an ...
