It’s not the first time Myke Towers and Bad Bunny team up to release a song. In fact, the pair have collaborated in the past for the 2019 “Estamos Arriba” and, a year later, for “Puesto Pa’ Guerrial.” Now, the […]
Jeezy has responded to the allegations of domestic abuse and child neglect made by his estranged wife Jeannie Mai. The Snowman released a statement to his Instagram on Thursday (April 25) denying the “disturbing ” accusations.
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“The allegations are not only false, but also deeply disturbing, especially coming from someone I loved. This malicious attempt to tarnish my character and disrupt my family is ridiculous,” Jeezy wrote to social media. “It’s disheartening to witness the manipulation and deceit at play and at this time my main concern is being an active father to our daughter as I continue to fight for court mandated joint custody. Rest assured, the truth will prevail through the proper legal channels.”
Per a court filing made on April 25 obtained by Complex, Mai accused Jeezy — born Jay Jenkins — on four different occasions. She claimed that the rapper choked her from behind and pushed her down the stairs during a stay at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco in April 2022.
Another January 2022 incident alleges that Jeezy struck Mai in the face with a closed fist just weeks after giving birth to their only daughter, Monaco. She claimed the force from the blow caused a hemorrhage while he hurled insults at her.
“[Jeezy] has a history of threats, violence, and bodily harm. [Mai] mistakenly believed [Jeezy] when he convinced her prior to their marriage that he was a changed man, and his past was in his past, but as one can see from the examples of abuse [Mai] endured during the marriage that has not turned out to be the case,” the filing reads.
Two other incidents in the filing include one where Jeezy operated a golf cart while allegedly intoxicated and crashed which injured himself and Mai. Another reportedly went down following the 2022 Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball.
Jeezy allegedly verbally abused Jeannie Mai on their way home and when the argument continued outside their ride home, the “Put On” rhymer grabbed and ripped her dress around the neckline. Mai claimed the incident stemmed from Jeezy being unhappy she went to the bathroom without telling him at the gala.
Jeezy and Mai welcomed their daughter Monaco in 2021. The trap pioneer and Mai tied the knot in March 2021 after meeting in 2018. However, their relationship deteriorated and Jeezy filed for divorce from the former The Real co-host in September 2023 after two-and-a-half years of marriage.
According to documents viewed by Billboard at the time, the filing stated that the former pair were “living in a bona fide state of separation.” The rapper also states that the marriage is “irretrievably broken” with “no hope for reconciliation.”
Billboard has reached out to Jeezy’s reps for comment.
A pair of R&B legends, Babyface and Usher, will be honored by The Apollo Theater in Harlem at its annual Spring Benefit on Tuesday, June 11. Babyface will receive the inaugural Legacy Award. Usher will receive the Icon Award.
“I am humbled to receive the inaugural Legacy Award,” Babyface said in a statement. “For nearly a century, the theater has been a constant symbol of excellence in Black entertainment. So, for The Apollo to honor my legacy feels nothing short of amazing.”
“It’s an honor to be receiving this award from such an iconic and historic cultural institution in New York City – one that has hosted and paved the way for so many prominent people,” Usher said. “I’m humbled to be this year’s recipient and look forward to seeing everyone soon.”
The event, which marks the Apollo’s 90th anniversary, will feature a special appearance by Big Daddy Kane, with more stars to be announced. Adam Blackstone will serve as musical director.
All proceeds will support the non-profit organization’s year-round artistic, education, and community programs.
The Spring Benefit begins with red carpet arrivals at 5:00 p.m. followed by the benefit concert and awards ceremony at 7:00 p.m. The event will also include an afterparty designed by event designer and Apollo board member Bronson Van Wyck.
In addition, Babyface will be inducted into The Apollo’s Walk of Fame the previous day, Monday, June 10 at 11:30 a.m. ET. Inductees are honored with a plaque which is installed under the theater’s iconic marquee on 125th Street.
Previous inductees into The Apollo’s Walk of Fame include Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Richard Pryor, Patti Labelle, Smokey Robinson, Jackie “Moms” Mabley, Gladys Knight, Lionel Richie, Ella Fitzgerald, Temptations and Mary J. Blige.
Babyface and Usher have won a combined 20 Grammy Awards – 12 for Babyface, eight for Usher. In addition, Babyface received a trustees award from the Recording Academy in 2021. Big Daddy Kane won a Grammy in 1991 for his role on Quincy Jones’ celebrated Back on the Block album.
Blackstone won a Primetime Emmy in 2022 as music director of The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent. Usher headlined the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, which drew the largest audience in the event’s history. This year’s Primetime Emmy nods, where Usher’s halftime show is a likely contender, will be announced on July 17.
Visit www.ApolloTheater.org for more information. To purchase benefit tickets, make a donation, or for more information, visit www.apollotheater.org/event/spring-benefit-2024.
Argentine-Mexican singer Noel Schajris is set to hit the stage at the Latin American Music Awards on Thursday night (April 25), where he’ll be performing a brand new song with country star Jennifer Nettles, “Love’s Still Here.”
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Billboard Español’s Sigal Ratner-Arias caught up with him to talk all about his busy schedule and how he gets ready for his constant touring and for a performance like the Latin AMAs. “I’ve been exercising daily for three years and the day I don’t exercise my body feels weird,” Schajris said. “And the diet, that’s vital. And I feel much better now that I’m almost 50 than at 40. I don’t know if you’ve seen me in shows, but I don’t stop jumping and I climb the rafters,” he added, laughing.
In addition to his work as a solo artist and businessman through his own record label, Dynamo Productions, the singer of “Lo Mejor de Mí” and “No Veo La Hora” is still part of the chart-topping duo Sin Bandera with Leonel García (under Sony Music), and talked about how he juggles it all.
“It’s a challenge. The schedules are crazy. In the middle of a tour with Sin Bandera, which we did 80 shows all over the world, owning my own record label and my own music, releasing a new album, having three children, a family, many artists that we are signing on Dynamo Productions who require my time and I am [also] the A&R of the company, so I am involved in all aspects of all the repertoires of all the albums — it is very demanding,” he acknowledged. “But it’s achieved because of the passion I have for doing all these things.”
As for his own music, which includes his most recent album #SiempreLoSupe and a new version of the title track with Alemor, he says he’s enjoying his freedom as an independent artist.
“As a soloist I give myself the luxury of flying and looking for other textures that are a little more rock, more symphonic, as in the case of ‘Silencio’ with Tony Levin,” Schajris explains. “I allow myself to do things that are a little more alternative. I even sing a cumbia with a band from Peru, Grupo 5.”
“There’s definitely more freedom when I work as a soloist,” he adds, “and it’s a lot of fun.”
The Latin AMAs will air live at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas via Univision, UNIMÁS, Galavisión and ViX.
Kelly Clarkson is in the trees, in the breeze with a brand new Olivia Rodrigo cover. For her The Kelly Clarkson Show‘s popular Kellyoke segment on Thursday (April 25), the star took on Rodrigo’s “Can’t Catch Me Now,” the powerful […]
Madonna‘s Celebration Tour is a family business. And in a new Instagram post on Thursday (April 25), the pop icon thanked her son David and daughters Mercy, Stella and Estere for serving as both her support system and co-performers on the ongoing trek.
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“On the day before our 80th show of the Celebration Tour I need to acknowledge my incredibly talented children who carried me through this Journey,” she wrote, sharing a carousel of snaps with her children on and offstage. “Each of them bringing their own unique talent to the stage.”
Throughout Madge’s latest run, which kicked off in October, each of her adopted kids has gotten their own moment onstage. Mercy joins her mom on piano during “Bad Girl,” David duets with the seven-time Grammy winner on “Mother and Father” and twins Stella and Estere dance along to “Don’t Tell Me.”
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“Rehearsals began over a year ago with almost a 2 month break waiting for me recover from a near death experience,” she continued, referring to the shows she had to postpone due to her severe bacterial infection and subsequent hospitalization last year. “They never stopped practicing… they never stopped cheering me on and supporting me … They were also going to school and rehearsing every night. !! . am so very proud of all of them.”
Madonna is also mom to daughter Lourdes Leon, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Carlos Leon, and son Rocco Ritchie, whom she shares with ex-husband Guy Ritchie. She and the director went on to adopt David shortly after the “Material Girl” singer founded her charity organization Raising Malawi in 2006. Later, she adopted Mercy, then Stella and Estere — all three of whom are also from Malawi — as a single mother.
The new post comes one day after Madonna opened up about touring with her kids in an interview with W Magazine. “When I go on tour, nothing brings me more happiness to know, we are all working on the same show creating the magic together,” she told the publication. “It would be boring if they were just traveling from hotel to hotel, and occasionally coming to watch the show.”
“Of course, I am also their mother so sometimes we get on each other’s nerves,” she added. “We are a family of artists but are also a family and that’s what happens.”
Chenayder, the 17-year-old singer from Orlando, Fla., shares her new single “Colors” featuring North Carolina’s MAVI. Her music first caught my attention when I came across it on TikTok after she posted the original version of this song — sans […]
Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, now at 13 consecutive weeks on the chart dated April 24.
The MASHLE Season 2 opener continues to rule streaming for the 13th straight week, video views and karaoke for the 6th straight week. Downloads also climbed 5-3 and continues to coast along at over 10,000 total points (13,626).
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Jumping 26-2 this week is “Click” by ME:I, the debut single by the 11-member girl group born from the audition program PRODUCE 101 JAPAN THE GIRLS. After being released on April 17, the single launched with 263,399 copies to rule sales, while also coming in at No. 2 for radio airplay, No. 10 for downloads, No. 17 for streaming, and No. 28 for video, collecting points in a balanced way. The track is off to a great start, debuting with a total 12,366 points, only 1,260 points behind “BBBB.”
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” rises 11-3 after bowing on the Japan Hot 100 last week. The opener for Oblivion Battery went on sale on April 12 after the anime series premiered on April 9. The track rises overall metric-wise, jumping from outside the top 100 to No. 8 for radio, while climbing 15-4 for streaming (11,059,001 streams) and 8-3 for video (2,157,523 views) this week.
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ILLIT’s “Magnetic,” which topped the TikTok chart this week, holds at No. 6 on the Japan Hot 100. The new HYBE group’s first single reportedly surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify recently (April 22), and overall streams increased by about 16.4% to 12,305,862 streams (3-2). Downloads also rose by about 48% to 2,936 units (25-13), and video by about 24% to 942,054 views (20-15). ILLIT is set to travel to Japan in May to perform at Rakuten Girls Award 2024 SPRING/SUMMER and KCON JAPAN 2024, likely fueling the group’s popularity in the country where two of its five members hail from.
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aiko’s new single “mutual love” breaks into the top 10 this week at No. 9, soaring from No. 46. The theme song for the latest Case Closed movie (Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Pentagram) dropped digitally on April 12 — the same day the anime movie hit domestic theaters — prior to the CD version’s release set for May 8. The track comes in at No. 5 for downloads with 5,736 units, while rising significantly from No. 95 to No. 12 for streaming and from No. 21 to No. 3 for radio, probably due to the movie’s release.
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The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from April 15 to 21, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
Mary J. Blige is one of the well-deserved inductees of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024, and the superstar was visibly moved while discussing the honor on a new episode of the Tamron Hall Show.
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“I’m still trying to process this whole thing. It’s a big deal. I’m just so grateful because I know it didn’t have to be this way but it is this way, and I give to all the credit to God. I don’t even know what else to do. It’s just so humbling,” she shared, before adding, “I don’t know what to do besides be grateful and thankful.”
Blige will be inducted in the performers category alongside Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest. In the musical influence category, Alexis Korner, John Mayall and “Big Mama” Thornton will be inducted and the musical excellence category features Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield.
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“I was home and I got the news from some people in my camp, my business, and I was grateful for the nomination because I was next to Cher, Mariah Carey, Sade, all these amazing women,” Blige said of finding out that she’s in the Rock Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. “When I saw Cher, I was like, ‘We can forget about it.’ [laughs] Let me just sit down and be grateful for the nomination. So, when I heard the news on Sunday, I was like ‘What the—?’”
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul concluded, “I work so hard mentally, spiritually, physically, intellectually. I’ve been through everything in front of the world, from taxes to shame to abusive relationships. All kinds of stuff I’ve been through. I figured out how to come out classy and strong, you know? Just keep moving to the next thing. It’s just about being grateful. Amazing things have happened.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2024 ceremony will stream live on Disney+ on Oct. 19, be available on Hulu the following day and air in edited form on ABC at a later date. Watch Blige’s interview will Hall below.
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Gucci Mane has returned and he’s throwing haymakers in Diddy’s direction with his latest single trolling the embattled Bad Boy mogul’s signature phrase “TakeDat.”
Guwop delivered the buzzworthy track along with the Omar The Director-helmed video on Wednesday, which finds Gucci uttering “No Diddy” 119 times throughout the song to be exact, as counted up by Complex.
“No Diddy” is a phrase that has gone viral on social media since the myriad of sexual assault and misconduct allegations have been levied against Diddy, particularly one by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr., who accused Sean Combs of groping him, grooming and forcing to take part in sexual acts.
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“The CEO in the video but no Diddy/ ‘Cause I ain’t dancin’ like a ho, no Diddy/ Can’t go out like Pac, no kizzy,” he raps while seemingly attaching a “No Diddy” to every bar.
Gucci Mane also references Cassie’s lawsuit against Diddy, in which she accused him of blowing up Kid Cudi’s car out of jealousy because of their brief fling.
“But I blow a n—a car up like Kid Cudi’s/ I’m on the yacht, takin’ shots, no Diddy,” Gucci spews.
Back in December, Diddy denied all of the allegations against him. “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” he wrote to social media. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
In the lavish clip, Gucci Mane and his wife Keyshia Ka’Oir recreate a champagne toast bubble bath scene from The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa” video, which arrived in 1994 courtesy of Hype Williams (The “Big Poppa” visual starred Diddy with his girlfriend Misa Hylton at the time).
Diddy isn’t the only person name-dropped by Gucci as he pokes at Drake, 50 Cent, 2Pac, Yung Miami, Biggie and more throughout “TakeDat.”
“Some n—-s wanna boss me, I’m not 50/ But get a nigga ass touched like Biggie, no Diddy,” Guwop rhymes. The jab didn’t seem to bother 50 as he reposted the clip looking to antagonize his enemy Diddy even further.
“Oh s–t WOP TOOK DA HIT this Diddy POPPED That’s what you get,” 50 wrote.
Watch the “TakeDat” video below.
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