R&B/Hip-Hop
M.I.A. Flexes on New Release ‘Beep’: Stream It Now
Need a factoid to make you feel positively ancient? Consider, M.I.A.’s debut single “Galang” from Arular turns 20 next year. True story, and almost impossible to comprehend. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Before the anniversary signs flash up, M.I.A. should make a long overdue return with MATA, her forthcoming sixth studio album. It’s expected to drop “any day now,” according to reps from Island Records, which will release the set through a recently-announced global deal. Before that happens, M.I.A. gives us “Beep,” a confident self-inspection and a exotic deep-dive exploration of percussion, on which she sings and raps, “Yeah I’m bringing someone new/There’s no limit/I’m tryna feel it/Every time I see you/When I gonna break through it...
Coolio Was Working on Song With Irish Singer Christy Dignam Before Death, Said it Was ‘Probably Going to be a Banger’
Coolio‘s death at 59 on Wednesday (Sept. 28) left many unanswered questions, including whether the beloved “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper left behind any unheard music. But as spotted by People magazine, earlier this summer the MC born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. had been working on a new song with the lead singer of Irish rock band Aslan, Christy Dignam, just a few months before his passing. “We’ve just got into it,” Coolio told the Irish Examiner in July in an interview about his return to one of his favorite cities in the world, Dublin, Ireland. “We’re working on a track. We haven’t even started writing any lyrics. The track is being built as we speak. Somewhere within the next four to six weeks we should have something tangible we could work with.” Coolio — who told the paper he loves Dublin so m...
Coolio Dead at 59
Coolio died on Wednesday (Sept. 28) in Los Angeles, California. He was 59 years old. According to TMZ, who first reported the news, the rapper, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. was found dead on the bathroom floor at his friend’s house, and paramedics initially suspect that he suffered cardiac arrest. However, an official cause of death has yet to be determined. Billboard has reached out to his reps for more information. Coolio placed six hits on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, including the No. 1 smash “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring L.V, from the film Dangerous Minds. The single spent three weeks atop the list in 1995 and finished as the year-end No. 1 song on the Hot 100. It also ruled the Hot Rap Songs list for 11 consecutive weeks. The track would go on to win the Billboard Music Awar...
Coolio Dies: Ice Cube, Weird Al Yankovic & More Remember ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Star
Musicians and celebrities are paying tribute to Coolio, the late rap star who was behind one of hip-hop’s greatest hits, and whose own moniker would become shorthand for a good result. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news According to reports, Coolio was found dead on the bathroom floor at his friend’s house on Wednesday (Sept. 28). First responders initially suspect that he suffered cardiac arrest, however, at the time of writing, an official cause of death has yet to be determined. The U.S. artist (real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr.) landed one of the all-time hip-hop standouts with “Gangsta’s Paradise,” a song that which interpolates Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Pastime Paradise” and featured in the Michelle Pfeiffer-starring film from 1995, Dan...
Lizzo Kicks It Seriously Old School By Ripping Solo on James Madison’s Crystal Flute
Lizzo kicked it seriously old school on Tuesday night (Sept. 27) during her gig at Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C. Like, for real old, as in the 1800s. The rapper had a very special guest for the gig: a crystal flute once owned, but never played, by Founding Father and fourth president of the United States, James Madison. Surely you have questions. Earlier this week, the Library of Congress tweeted out a humble brag about having the largest flute collection in the world, with more than 1,800 pieces, including Madison’s 1813 crystal flute. “@lizzo we would love for you to come see it and even play a couple when you are in DC next week,” they wrote. “Like your song they are ‘Good as Hell.’” Because she’s a classically trained flautist, Lizzo could not possibly pass up the offer o...
Post Malone Returns to the Stage, Addresses Injury That Stopped Boston Show
Following a health episode earlier in the week, a happier, healthier Post Malone stopped by Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Tuesday night (Sept. 27) — and he was ready to play ball. Coming into the show, question marks hovered over Malone and his status when he was hospitalized with injury. The “Rockstar” rapper had woken with “stabbing pain” whenever he “breathed or moved,” a lingering effect from falling through an open trap door on the stage during his Twelve Carat Tour stop in St. Louis earlier in the month. As a result, he explained on social media, he was forced to cancel his Sept. 24 show in Boston. Malone apparently showed no ill effects in Ohio. During a pause in the show, Postie addressed the situation. “My last show I had to pull out of, unfortunately. Because I really...
Post Malone Announces Return to Tour After Fall From Stage: ‘See Y’all Tonight’
Post Malone is ready to return to the stage. On Tuesday (Sept. 27), the rapper took to Twitter to assure fans his show in Cleveland was moving ahead as planned. “Cleveland, I will be singing the F— outta some songs tonight…see y’all tonight,” he tweeted hours before the concert was set to begin at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Posty’s return to tour follows his brief hospitalization after falling through an open trap door on the stage during his Twelve Carat Tour stop in St. Louis earlier this month. As a result of the “stabbing pain” he was experiencing, the nine-time Grammy nominee was forced to cancel his Sept. 24 show in Boston. Following his discharge from the hospital, Malone posted an amusing shot of himself flipping off the trap door in question and also explained how the mishap occu...
You Have to See Cardi B’s Beyond-Cheeky Dress in Sexy Photos With Offset Amid Akbar V Feud
Cardi B is having the final say in her Twitter feud with fellow rapper Akbar V. Following online jabs back and forth between the duo, including some comments by Akbar bringing up the rumor that Cardi’s husband Offset had cheated on her with rapper Saweetie, the “I Like It” star took to Instagram on Monday (Sept. 26) to share a sultry photo with her man. “I fight for my b—-es and I’m fighting over d— too,” she captioned a photo set, in which she’s seen with her hand on Offset’s chest, as the Migos rapper leans against a door frame. Cardi is wearing a a satin black maxi dress that exposes a size-able portion of her bottom. The tension between Cardi and Akbar V seemed to have bubbled over when Cardi began celebrating that the music video for her GloRilla collab “Tomorrow 2...
A$AP Rocky Apologizes for Shortened Rolling Loud Set: ‘I Am So Hurt Right Now’
A$AP Rocky took to social media on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 25) to apologize to fans for his short set at Rolling Loud New York the night before. “I am so hurt right now!” the rapper wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “Last night was supposed to be a turning point in my live show from the old to new! I take full responsibility for the circumstances of what led to last nights show being everything it was and everything it wasn’t.” He continued, “I also want to acknowledge that even tho I prepared the best show for my fans, detail for detail, over the course of MONTHS… I was unfortunately not able to bring my vision to fruition and Im hurt about that and I want to apologize to all of my fans and continued supporters, and thank y’all for showing up for me regardless!! A$AP4EVA.” While A$A...
Timbaland & Swizz Beatz Settle ‘Verzuz’ Lawsuit With Triller
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz have settled their $28 million lawsuit against Triller for allegedly failing to pay money owed from the sale of their popular Verzuz livestream series. “VERZUZ has always been a platform that is by the artists, for the artists and with the people,” said Swizz Beatz and Timbaland in a statement. “We’re glad to come to an amicable agreement with Triller and continue giving fans the music and community that they’ve come to know and love from the brand.” Triller, a TikTok-like app that allows users to create and share short videos, announced in March 2021 that it would pay an undisclosed sum in cash and equity to acquire Verzuz, the pandemic-era hit in which two artists square off in a livestreamed music battle. Under the terms of the original deal, the Grammy-w...
Rapper GloRilla Returns to High School to Donate $25,000
Memphis-raised rapper GloRilla surprised her high school today with a $25,000 check. Her charitable gesture mirrors collaborator Cardi B’s recent presentation of her former elementary with a $100,000 donation last week. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The “F.N.F.” rapper graduated from Martin Luther King College Prep High School in Frayser, located in North Memphis, Tenn. GloRilla, also known as Gloria Woods, donated the funds to support the high school’s fine arts program. She also gave students a special performance of her hit song “F.N.F.” “I want them to be able to know that anything they put they mind to is possible. Long as they got a dream, then you gotta reach for the stars,” she said. “It feels real good to be able to have a pl...
Kanye West Talks Social Media in ‘Good Morning America’ Interview Clip: Watch
For the first time since Kim Kardashian filed for divorce in February 2021, Kanye West will be sitting down with a major news network for an on-camera interview. Ye will appear on Good Morning America on Thursday (Sept. 22), and discuss co-parenting, politics, ongoing battles with Gap and adidas, Donda Academy, his social media use and more with ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis. In a teaser clip shared to Instagram on Wednesday (Sept. 21), Davis asks the multihyphenate if social media is more harmful or beneficial to him. “That’s one of my favorite questions of this interview,” Ye responds. “We could use a car to rush somebody to the hospital, or we could use a car and accidentally hit somebody while we’re rushing somebody to the hospital. It all in how we use it.” West has had a tu...
