Month: October 2022

Cardi B might be on unfriendly terms with JT of City Girls and Akbar V, but she has at least one major rap heavyweight on her side. In a clip from a new episode of BET’s Rap City shared on Tuesday, Lil’ Kim revealed that she has very tight relationship with Cardi and is so close to the 29-year-old Grammy winner that she considers her a little sister.

Speaking with the show’s host, Big Tigger, the “Crush on You” rapper said, “Cardi is like the love of my life, y’all don’t even know. We talk a lot. People have no idea. … She’s my little sister but she’s really my big little sister. It’s facts.”

Lil’ Kim’s new comments are far from the first time she’s ever boosted up the “Bodak Yellow” rapper. In 2018, Entertainment Tonight caught up with rap icon to share her opinion on female rappers, specifically Cardi and Nicki Minaj. “You know, Cardi is my girl! I don’t know the other one,” Kim said, slighting the “Super Freaky Girl” rapper. “But Cardi is my girl and so I’m so excited for my girl Cardi. I can’t wait for her to have the baby. I love you, Cardi!”

The supportive words from Lil’ Kim come on the heels of Cardi getting into heated Twitter spats with Akbar V and JT of the City Girls. Minaj later chimed in on the latter drama by posting a clip of JT rapping her verse on “Super Freaky Girl.” Minaj later changed her profile picture on Twitter to a photo of JT, and Cardi responded by changing hers to one of Remy Ma, who has a history of feuding with Minaj.

Watch Lil’ Kim compliment Cardi B below.

Who should get songwriting credits on a song? That’s a question that leads to a conversation that almost seems taboo in the music industry but has been on many people’s minds. That question is the main topic of discussion in the new episode of Billboard‘s video series, Cultura Clash.

“People nowadays look at everything like who wrote and who produced the song. So, why would we lie and tell people that a person — who’s an executive — wrote a song when they actually didn’t?” an incredulous Cazzu asks her co-panelists — a group that includes Puerto Rican producer Tainy, singer-songwriter Guaynaa and executive Lex Borrero, who co-founded talent incubator NEON16 with Tainy in 2019.

“It’s a very wide topic,” says Guaynaa. “There’s people in the studio who are just talking and looking with their hands in their pocket and they want credit. Like, what did you even do? I can’t give you a percentage for just bringing us coffee or give a recommendation that was never even implemented.”

Who deserves credit on a song isn’t as murky, suggests Borrero — who’s credited as a songwriter on songs such as the Latin Grammy-nominated track “Agua” by J Balvin and Tainy. “The credit should go to the people that created the song. When a manager or an executive adds something to the song, they deserve credit,” he says offering examples of when he’s contributed creatively to songs and has gotten songwriting credit. “I don’t go in judging because every manager has a different relationship with their artist. Many split everything half way. And I value what an executive brings to the career of an artist.”

Now in its second season, Cultura Clash — hosted by Latin executive AJ Ramos — spotlights Latin artists and influencers who discuss trending topics within the Latin culture and music.

A new episode airs every Wednesday on Billboard.com, social media, and on Billboard‘s YouTube channel. Watch this week’s episode above.

Pusha T took the stage at the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards on Tuesday night (Oct. 4), performing a mashup of his It’s Almost Dry hits “Diet Coke” and “Just So You Remember,” the rapper surprised the audience with his brother No Malice.

The duo reunited as Clipse to perform their 2002 classic, “Grindin,’” met with cheers from the crowd. Pusha T and No Malice previously joined each other onstage at Pharrell Williams‘ Something in the Water Festival this summer, where they performed together for the first time in years, bringing tracks like “Mr. Me Too,” “What Happened to That Boy,” “Cot Damn,” and, of course, “Grindin’” to the stage.

Clipse’s last album, Til the Casket Drops, was released back on Dec. 8, 2009. In Vice‘s 2016 documentary series, Autobiographies, Pusha detailed how his brother’s mindset changed and the group broke up. “We were on tour,” Pusha T said, per XXL. “I was in my room and [No Malice] just came in my room and gave me his book that he wrote. I was like, ‘Wow ok. Now you wrote a book.’ In my mind, I’m just thinking you’re my older brother. You know I can’t write no book. You’re just trying to stunt on me once again or do something you know I can’t do. And he was like, ‘Yo, this is what I’m about to dial into and this is what I wanna do. This is how I feel and I want you to read it. And you wanna be a solo artist anyway, so you probably should pursue that.”

He continued, “I felt like me and my brother could do whatever we wanted to the rap game. Really, just have our way. But then I realized that he’s not in the same place anymore. He had a family. He had other things going on that he had to answer for. He was so into his convictions and where he stood that when he told me no after I gave him all the breakdowns and specs about everything, there was nothing I could say.”

Pusha’s It’s Almost Dry was nominated for hip hop album of the year at this year’s BET awards ceremony, though he ultimately lost to Kendrick Lamar‘s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Lamar won six awards total, including artist of the year,  lyricist of the year and best live performer. He shared two other awards — best hip hop video for “Family Ties” with Baby Keem and video director of the year with Dave Free.

New York Yankees right fielder star Aaron Judge made history Tuesday when he usurped Roger Maris for the most home runs in American League history with 62. His late-night blast into left field in Arlington against the Texas Rangers not only vaulted him into the record books but added an extra chapter to the legacy of Pop Smoke.

Judge’s at-bat appearances this season at Yankee Stadium have become a sight behold. Sauntering out from the batter’s box to the soundtrack of Pop’s 2020 anthem “Hello” evolved into a must-see moment for avid baseball fans and rap purists, especially when he inched closer to the venerable record. For Steven Victor — the accomplished record executive and artist manager who signed Pop to Universal Music Group through his own Victor Victor Worldwide imprint and helped guide his short-lived career — he sees this as an inspirational moment for the late rapper’s legacy after he died more than two years ago at the age of 20.

“I went on [Judge’s] Instagram page, and I started looking more into him, says Victor, who first learned about Judge’s home-run race last week. “And then I sent him a DM just thanking him and being very appreciative that he’s keeping [Pop’s] name alive.”

In February 2020, Pop Smoke was killed in Los Angeles during a home invasion. His posthumous debut album, Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawned a bevy of Hot 100 hits, including “Hello,” which peaked at No. 83 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

“Hello” was initially deemed a throwaway song, but was later revived by Victor and producer Ricardo “Rico Beats” Lamarre, giving Victor his first-ever songwriting credit. In the track, Pop name-drops basketball legends Carmelo Anthony and Manu Ginobili — something Victor says prompted him to put the record on the album. From other athletes like Tom Brady to Floyd Mayweather who’ve said they’re fans of the rapper, Pop’s influence remains strong in the sports world — especially after Judge’s latest triumph. 

“This is very inspirational and aspirational,” says Victor. “These people work super, super hard, and [Pop] was also a very hard worker. I always tell people if you look at Ye or Cudi, they speak to people through their music, even if it’s not direct. I feel like [Pop] did that very well.”

Victor adds: “This is exactly what the goal was: working together [for him to be] this person that would inspire athletes and kids, using music as a vehicle to do that.”

In a movie about Kanye West‘s life, who would play the lead role? Well, Ye already has an idea.

The “Praise God” rapper took to Instagram on Wednesday (Oct. 5) to share a black screen with the words, “Who should play me in a Ye movie?”

While a few comments suggested stars like Michael B. Jordan, Denzel Washington or even Kanye himself — the Yeezy founder had his sights set on one particular Oscar winner. “My pick is Jamie Foxx,” he captioned his post. “One of the greatest geniuses.”

In 2005, Foxx was nominated for best supporting actor at the Academy Awards for his role in Collateral. While he didn’t take home that award, he walked away with one even better. He won best actor that year for portraying Ray Charles in Ray. He also won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his Ray role as well.

Earlier in the week, West came under fire for incorporating “White Lives Matter” shirts into his Paris Fashion Week show — and later publicly mocking Vogue fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson via social media for her criticism of his show.

He later shared that he met with the journalist to discuss their difference of opinion. “GAB IS MY SISTER,” he wrote on Instagram Tuesday night (Oct. 4). “IM NOT LETTING PEOPLE GO TO BED THINKING I DIDN’T MEET WITH GABRIELLE [sic] AT 5 PM TODAY FOR 2 HOURS THEN WE WENT TO DINNER AT FERDIE.”

“IT FELT LIKE SHE WAS BEING USED LIKE TREVOR NOAH AND OTHER BLACK PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON MY EXPRESSION,” he continued, also claiming Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour had gotten director Baz Luhrmann to film his conversation with Karefa-Johnson. “WE APOLOGIZED TO EACH OTHER FOR THE WAY WE MADE EACH OTHER FEEL WE ACTUALLY GOT ALONG AND HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED THE FIGHT FOR ACCEPTANCE IN A WORLD THAT’S NOT OUR OWN.”

Diddy is responding to claims that he steals from his label’s artists, and calling out rapper Ma$e.

In a new interview with The Breakfast Club aired on Wednesday (Oct. 5), the mogul denied the former Bad Boy Records musician’s claims that Puff exploits his artists. “Just in general, the Ma$e thing. I did one album with Ma$e. One album. How much money do you think I owe this guy,” Diddy said in the new interview, in reference to Ma$e’s 1997 debut album Harlem World. “And then he became a fake pastor and went and conned people. And y’all gonna let him throw dirt on the god’s name. Anybody can come and step up. Bring your receipts. But I’m not playing. I’m back outside and I’m fighting back for us. And I’m also doing some fighting back for me.”

Diddy went on to allege that Ma$e owes him $3 million for an album advance that was never delivered on. “That’s facts, I got the receipts,” he said, before adding, I’m not gonna go back-and-forth with Ma$e. I’m not going back-and-forth with nobody. I’m just gonna speak up for myself now.”

He concluded, “Anybody that thinks I owe them something, show me the receipt and you’ll get paid within 24 hours.

In a since-deleted 2020 post, Ma$e put Puff on blast, claiming that he tried to buy back his masters from him, to no avail. “Your past business practices knowingly has continued purposely starved your artist and been extremely unfair to the very same artist that helped u obtain that Icon Award on the iconic Badboy label,” he began, referencing Diddy’s speech at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy gala airing out the Recording Academy. “For example, u still got my publishing from 24 years ago in which u gave me $20k. Which makes me never want to work w/ u as any artist wouldn’t.”

Mase went on to say that he offered Diddy $2 million for his masters, but Puff wouldn’t budge unless he could surpass the “European guy’s” offer, even though Diddy only allegedly paid him $20,000 over two decades ago. “You bought it for about 20k & I offered you 2m in cash. This is not black excellence at all,” the Harlem World rapper wrote.