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IN 2017, GOOGLE REACHED OUT to Peter Bittenbender for his input on an edition of the search engine's daily Doodle. The tech giant had called on Bittenbender, CEO of entertainment [...]

As mosh-pit anthems dominate blockbuster hip-hop, ROD WAVE has built a sturdy brand--and ascended to arena stages--with his sensitive confessionals about heartbreak and inner turmoil IT'S A CRISP November night [...]

LIL NAS X RAPS IN 'INDUSTRY BABY': 'NEED TO GET THIS ALBUM done/Need a couple No. Is.' Missions accomplished. The 22-year-old's first studio album, Montero, arrived Sept. 17, and the [...]

LIL BABY HAS INHALED THE LAST PIECE of his beef short rib inside Atlanta's plush brunch spot Toast on Lenox, and is about to dig into why he has had [...]

BEFORE THIS STORY WAS EVEN PUBLISHED, IT WAS already controversial. No sooner had Billboard announced Cardi B as 2020's Woman of the Year than the rapper's haters piled on, demanding to know why an artist who had put out just one new song of her own this past year deserved the honor. For Cardi B, this was business as usual. Since she blasted onto the hip-hop charts three years ago with her Bronx swagger and explosive rhymes, every win she scores seems to be met by as many fans applauding as those rooting for her downfall, convinced they've got her number. So, as she has so many times before, Cardi B took to Instagram, posting a video with a message aimed directly at her detractors: 'For you cry babies like, 'What? She only got one song!' Yeah, I got that song, bitch.' She then went on to precisely enumerate each reason why she is the woman of the year--proving, for the umpteenth time, that nobody knows Cardi B better than Cardi B herself., That song, of course, is 'WAP'--her ode to female pleasure, featuring Megan Thee Stallion, that first made headlines for its beyond-explicit lyrics and became (as Cardi immediately pointed out) a [...]

IT'S THE LATE 1990s, AND Southern rap music is beginning to bubble up in the mainstream. In New Orleans, Master P's No Limit Records is gaining steam on the heels [...]

THE NIGHT OF May 29 still resonates deeply with Killer Mike and El-P, the rap duo known as Run the Jewels. Four days earlier, the police killing of George Floyd, [...]

I THINK I MIGHT JUMP,' SAYS DABABY, A mischievous smile creeping across his face. It's a balmy October afternoon outside, but there's a palpable buzz inside New York's Gotham Hall, [...]

Libianca will always remember last year's Friendsgiving--because she ran to the bathroom sobbing in the middle of it. She had recently quit her job and was questioning the future of [...]

This article provides an interview with Megan Thee Stallion, a successful female rapper. Megan discusses her love for rap and her dedication to preserving her hip-hop roots. She mentions her influences, such as her mother and Pimp C, and emphasizes the significance of independence and owning her music. Megan also shares her passion for anime and how it inspires her, as well as her competitive nature and desire to be recognized as a top female rapper. She talks about her personal growth and the importance of self-care, and concludes by expressing her support for Kamala Harris and encouraging people to vote. [Extracted from the article]

The article features independent artist and rhythm and blues singer Brent Faiyaz. Credit is given to Faiyaz for his work ethic, creative visual flair and entrepreneurial instincts that helped him craft his success. Focus is given on the partnership of Faiyaz with music distributor UnitedMastes and its founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Steve Stoute following the release of his albums "Fuck the World" and "Wasteland" under the record label Lost Kids.

The article features several musical artists who are 40 and under 40. These include Mercury Records president Tyler Arnold, Habibi Management head of talent management Raymond Acosta, Interscorp Records executive vice president Ramon Alvarez-Smikle, Messina Touring Group director of digital marketing Nicholas Ayoub, Apple Music director of artist services Glenne Azoff, and Sony Music Publishing senior vice president of creative Nick Bral.

This section offers news briefs on the Billboard charts in the U.S. for the week of March 2, 2024. These include the number one spot achieved by the song "Texas Hold 'Em," by Beyoncé in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the top spot achieved by singer Taylor Swift in the Artist 100 chart and the first entry of the song "Pretty Little Poison," by Warren Zeiders into the Country Airplay chart.

With a career spanning over three decades, Yo Gotti has always dreamed of building the next big-time rap label. After watching the likes of JAY-Z, Birdman and Master P transition [...]

This section presents views of several 2024 Grammy Award nominees on the significance of Grammy Awards. Topics discussed include the need for the community of artists to acknowledge each other's achievements according to singer Jon Batiste, the appreciation expressed by musician Dan Wilson for the work of both songwriters and artists, and the rewarding feeling associated with winning a Grammy Award described by record producer Mark Ronson.

JHENE AIKO IS BURNING incense inside New York's Germano Studios in NoHo, preparing the space for a listening session of her upcoming album, Chilombo, out March 6 on Def Jam. [...]

RODDY RICCH SHOULD be in a celebratory mood. It's just days after the 21-year-old (born Rodrick Wayne Moore Jr.) won his first Grammy Award--for best rap performance, as a featured [...]

FREDDIE GIBBS IS IN A GOOD MOOD. He's in New York to visit his new label home, RCA/Keep Cool, with which he inked a deal in March to release a [...]

IF HIP-HOP IS A YOUNG MAN'S GAME, DON'T tell this year's best rap album nominees. With an average age of 42, the five veterans--D Smoke, Jay Electronics, Freddie Gibbs (jointly [...]

The article highlights emerging artists across various genres who are poised for breakthrough success in 2025. Artists like Cash Cobain, Gigi Perez, Horsegirl, Jane Remover, Kapo, Lola Young, and Tucker Wetmore are featured, each with their unique musical styles and trajectories. From sexy drill to folk-infused pop, post-punk to hyperpop, these artists are making waves in the music industry and are worth keeping an eye on for the year ahead. [Extracted from the article]

Mac Miller, Circles After Miller released his Grammynominated album Swimming one month before his death in September 2018 at 26, the Pittsburgh rapper's family, along with veteran producer Jon Brion [...]

The women of R&B may be running the show, but the genre's most exciting male vocalists are redefining what it means to be a classic crooner THE FEARLESS LYRICIST: BRENT [...]

WITH JAY-Z AND BEYONCE, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift playing the country's largest venues in the months to come, 2018 is shaping up to be a strong year for stadium [...]

LOS ANGELES, FEB. 18 BEYONCE, CHANCE THE RAPPER AND CARDI B WERE AMONG the celebrities who attended the 67th annual NBA All-Star Game at the Staples Center. The exhibition, headlined [...]

An interview with American rapper Nas is presented. Among the issues he discussed include his thoughts on hip-hop celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, the time he first realized that the genre had the potential for this kind of longevity, and how did he and Peter Bittender, chief executive officer (CEO) of entertainment company Mass Appeal, decided to organize #HipHop50, an event in celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary.

The article introduces executives at record labels and distributors in the independent music industry. These include the American Association of Independent Music President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard James Burgess, Worldwide Independent Network CEO Noemí Planas, Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota, Impala Executive Chair Helen Smith, Matador Records co-owners Patrick Amory, Gerard Cosloy and Chris Lombardi, and Rimas Entertainment Founder Noah Assad.

LAST YEAR, WHEN B2K reunited for The Millennium Tour, the 2000s R&B/pop group's front-man, Omarion, had a realization: 'Fans were coming up to us at the show, and they were [...]

WHEN LIL TECCA'S 'RANSOM' DEBUTED ON the Billboard Hot 100 in June, the Queens rapper was just another 16-year-old trying to burst through the SoundCloud bubble. That changed swiftly when [...]

ON JAN. 6, KANYE WEST'S wife, Kim Kardashian-West, posted a clip on Twitter of a spiritual gathering at which West and Kid Cudi performed gospel renditions of 'Violent Crimes' and [...]

FROM Suitland, Md. AGE 21 LABEL Atlantic LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON YBN Cordae --who was born Cordae Dunston in Raleigh, N.C.--grew up listening to the music his father loved: Nas, [...]

PLENTY OF ARTISTS, FROM CARDI B to Justin Bieber, have used social media to boost their careers. Yet even by today's standards, Queen Naija's path to the top of the [...]

The Florida rapper's career is soaring as he awaits trial over harrowing domestic abuse charges. Why the industry is staying focused on the music ON OCT. 8, 2016, THEN-18-year-old Jahseh [...]

The article presents an interview with several live music industry leaders who are 40 or under 40 years old and who are powering the resurgence of the industry following the COVID-19 shutdown, including Haley McCollister, Justin Williams and Christain Coffey. Among the issues they discussed include how every tour is different, the ticketing issues facing the live industry, and their aim to increase diversity in the live sector.

The article features the top 100 Executive of the Year in the music industry for 2023. These include Rimas Entertainmen co-founder/chief executive officer (CEO) Noah Assad, Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge, Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer, Live Nation president/CEP Michael Rapino, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, Apple Music vice president Oliver Schusser and Azoff Co. chairman/CEO Irving Azoff.

Separate interviews with several artists who became officials of the Recording Academy including singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, cellist-guitarist Leyla McCalla, rapper/entrepreneur Bun B, and singer-songwriter Laura Jane Grace are presented. They discuss how they became involved with their chapters. They talk about their relationships with other officials. They cite some of their favorite moments during the Grammy Awards.

I'm thinking about all the hours we played [this album on] the road--it was one of my favorites. The beats and the artists fit perfectly. One producer, short and sweet. [...]

Meek Mill, 31 In April, when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered Meek Mill's release on bail from prison, where he had been serving two to four years for parole violations [...]

R&B singer Lloyd--whose 2004 debut, Southside, hit No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and was followed by three top 10 albums--dropped his last LP seven years ago. So when it [...]

Released on May 5 to coincide with Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) performing on and hosting Saturday Night Live. 'This Is America' became Gambino's first No. 1 on the Billboard [...]

An interview with rapper Future is presented. He discusses what taking a break do for him after his last solo album, "High Off Life," came out in May 2020, how he views his wins after having eight No. 1 albums and 153 Hot 100 hits, and whether he sees himself as a role model. He also mentions what fatherhood would look like if he did get married, and whether he can have fame and a successful marriage.

'RICH CHIGGA ISN'T ME ANYMORE,' says Brian lmanuel, the Indonesian rapper who, after rising through the viral ranks with the controversial moniker, changed his name to Rich Brian in January, [...]

While the 42-year-old Three 6 Mafia star is promoting a new studio album (Rubba Band Business, released Dec. 8), he also plans to spread 'love and knowledge' to up-and-coming artists [...]

This article discusses the impact of producing diss tracks in the hip-hop industry. It highlights the story of producer Ron Browz, who created the beat for Nas' iconic diss track "Ether" aimed at Jay-Z. The article also mentions recent feuds between artists such as Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, and Drake and Kendrick Lamar. It emphasizes how producing a successful diss track can significantly increase a producer's visibility and career opportunities. However, it also acknowledges that there can be consequences and political implications involved in creating such tracks. The article concludes by mentioning the success of Mustard's diss track "Not Like Us" and its positive impact on his career. [Extracted from the article]

Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us" is a contender for song and record of the year nominations at the Grammy Awards. Despite being a diss track aimed at Drake, the song became a popular anthem and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The Grammy Awards have recognized diss tracks in the past, such as Drake's "Back to Back" and LL COOL J's "Mama Said Knock You Out." Lamar's success with the Grammy Awards in the past makes it likely that "Not Like Us" could receive nominations. Additionally, Lamar's other diss track "Euphoria" may also be recognized in the rap categories. [Extracted from the article]

The article features executives at record labels and distributors driving the success of the independent music industry. They include Richard James Burgess, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the American Association of Independent Music, Patrick Amory, co-owner and president of Matador Records, and Jason Peterson, chairman and CEO of GoDigital Media Group.

The article presents "Billboard's" 2022 40 Under 40 that honors successful young music executives in the U.S. They include Shauna Alexander, Toby Andrews, and Andrew Asare. Also mentioned are Ryan Beuschel, Alexis Brown, Darcy Brown, Laura Carter, Michele Cranford, Patch Culbertson, and Briana Cheng.

The article presents "Billboard's" 21 Under 21, honoring young musicians under the age of 21 in the U.S. in 2022. They include Olivia Rodrigo, BoyWithUke, and Eslabon Armado. Also mentioned are Lil Tecca, Angela Aguilar, The Kid LAROI, Billie Eilish, Callista Clark, 347aidan, Tiago PZK, and NLE Choppa.

An interview with Atlanta duo Young Thug and Gunna, both rappers and singers, is presented. Thug talks about how he balances being a father, artist, executive and fashion icon all at one. Gunna discusses what he learned about himself during the pandemic. Thug describes how they influence fashion by intertwining the worlds of rap and fashion.

The article presents an interview with American rapper Jack Harlow. Among the issues he discussed include his journey from being an unknown emcee (MC) to becoming a platinum-selling rap star, scoring his first Billboard Hot 100 with "Industry Baby," a collaboration with Lil Nas X, and his affinity for rap music and the work ethic he developed at an early age.