Billboard

SZA’s “S.O.S” Reclaims #1 On Billboard 200

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The possibility of a sophomore slump weighed heavily on SZA’s fanbase until the release of S.O.S. The TDE songstress faced numerous delays in releasing her follow-up to CTRL. Over the years, she frequently aired out her issues with her label, who ensured fans that an album was coming soon. Though it took some time, the singles leading up to the release of S.O.S held fans down and further built the anticipation for her sophomore album among her fans.

The results didn’t disappoint, either. S.O.S was met with critical acclaim immediately upon its release. Especially with the five-year gap between projects, SZA came through with an incredible body of work that boasted 23 songs in total and appearances from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. In the past two months since its release, fans continue to find new songs to claim as their favorites while online discourse has undoubtedly worked in her favor. If S.O.S. was SZA’s last project as she’s previously suggested, she left with a bang.

SZA Returns To #1

SZA earned her first #1 on the Billboard 200 with S.O.S., an incredible feat in her career. However, she grasped onto that position in the weeks to come. Though it was later replaced, the album returned to the top position this week. Billboard reports SZA’s S.O.S. reclaimed the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 for an eighth week. She continues to do incredible numbers as she earned another 100K in sales in the week ending on Feb. 9th. It’s an impressive feat that measures up to Taylor Swift’s accomplishments on chart two years ago with Folklore.

While the album continues to do impressive numbers on the charts, SZA’s currently gearing up to hit the road in support of S.O.S. The “Kill Bill” singer kicks off the S.O.S. tour in Columbus, OH on Feb. 21st. The 17-date tour will continue until March 22nd with the singer hitting cities like Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, NYC, Oakland, and Los Angeles, where she’ll close out her run on March 22nd. Perhaps, this will also play a significant role in the album’s chart success in the next month. 

SZA Named Woman Of The Year By 2023 Billboard Women In Music Awards

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SZA’s list of accolades only continues to get longer. She’s been consistently breaking Billboard records with her sophomore album, SOS. Accordingly, the magazine announced on Friday (February 10) that they’ll be honouring the 33-year-old at an upcoming ceremony next month. At that time, the R&B vocalist will take home a trophy declaring her Woman of the Year.

In a statement, Billboard Editorial Director Hannah Karp explains the Women in Music Awards’ obvious decision to celebrate SZA. “Since she burst onto the scene in 2017, SZA has defied genres and continually released raw, powerful songs which have landed her music on the Billboard charts,” she said. “The release of her latest album, SOS has solidified her as a distinct force in contemporary R&B, and catapulted her into superstardom.”

As Complex notes, Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson will be hosting the forthcoming event on March 1st. It will take place at Inglewood’s YouTube Theatre. Several other notable women in the industry are going to receive similar honours. Lana Del Rey will take home the Visionary Award, while rappers Doechii and Latto are receiving Honda’s Rising Star Award and the Powerhouse Award respectively.

Additionally, Kim Petras, Ivy Queen, Lainey Wilson, and TWICE, will be honoured by Billboard for their own endeavours. Others who were previously recognized in SZA’s category include Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Madonna, and Taylor Swift.

Aside from the quickly approaching ceremony, the Ctrl hitmaker is also gearing up for her first-ever arena tour. In just a few days, she’ll kick off in Columbus, Ohio with Omar Apollo acting as her special guest. The starlet will stop in a total of 17 cities over the coming weeks before closing out in Los Angeles on March 22nd.

SZA’s latest feat is certainly an impressive one, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg in terms of exciting things she’s been working on lately. Firstly, the “Go Gina” singer teased her curvaceous figure while listening to Ashanti in an Instagram Story thirst trap. Of course, her latest music release also has the world talking.

SZA arrives at The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

On Thursday (February 9), the TDE starlet joined her good friend Lizzo on the remix of “Special.” This mark’s the duo’s first time collaborating musically – fingers crossed it won’t be the last. Listen to the Detroit native’s reimagined track here, and check back later for more music news updates.

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Drake & Kendrick Lamar Shouldn’t Be In Top 10 Rappers List, Says Charlamagne Tha God

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Billboard and VIBE recently came out with their top 50 rappers of all time list, for which the top 10 ranking released this week. However, many people expressed issues with the placements, as expected with any subjective list. One detractor is Charlamagne Tha God, who said Kendrick Lamar and Drake don’t belong at No. 2 and 8, respectively. Moreover, the Breakfast Club co-host discussed the list with his fellow on-air colleagues, and he said it’s “too early” in their careers to tell. Of course, both rappers continue to dominate and forge their paths, but maybe their accomplishments are already enough to rival the game’s best.

ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 09: Charlamagne tha God is seen during a campaign event and conversation with Stacey Abrams, 21 Savage, and Francys Johnson at The HBUC on September 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

“I feel like it’s too early for Drake and Kendrick to be saying stuff like that,” he remarked as DJ Envy went through the list. “Of all time? God damn! Penis is a form of transportation for y’all.” Still, both MCs clearly made some of the largest waves in hip-hop history. The 6 God, for example, recently became the first artist to amass over 75 billion streams on Spotify. Whereas the “God’s Plan” star leads the charts, K. Dot leads the culture. Following three Grammy wins last weekend, he’s now the third most decorated rapper in Grammy history. Moreover, Jay-Z and Kanye West currently share that honor at 24 phonograms each. For what it’s worth, Ye landed at No. 11 on Billboard‘s list, and Hov is Billboard‘s greatest rapper of all time.

In addition, the top ten also included Biggie, Nas, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Tupac and Lil Wayne. Other names near the top are André 3000, Rakim, LL Cool J, J. Cole, Scarface, 50 Cent, and Ice Cube. In fact, Cube was another member of hip-hop culture that criticized the rankings. “I don’t f**k with Billboard or their editor,” he told TMZ with a smile. “Billboard ain’t hip-hop so their opinion don’t matter. Yeah, it is,” he acknowledged on the travesty of Too $hort’s snub.

“It’s an irrelevant list, you know what I mean? It’s like assholes; everybody got one and they all stink. There it is.” Who else should’ve made (or been omitted from) Billboard and VIBE‘s top 10 rappers list? However you may feel, let us know how you’d make the tough call in the comments below. Also, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest on hip-hop debates and the genre’s greatest.

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Ice Cube Isn’t Impressed With Billboard’s Top 50 Greatest Rappers List

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Billboard & Vibe’s ranking of the top 50 greatest rappers of all time has undoubtedly stirred the pot among hip-hop veterans, such as Ice Cube. Since the beginning of the year, Billboard’s unveiled their rankings by the tens week by week. Rick Ross sits at #50 on the list, while Jay-Z stands at #1. Many objected to the list. Others, like Ja Rule, felt as though Billboard snubbed them. However, many also felt that it accurately captured the impact of hip-hop’s greatest artists.

In all fairness, Billboard and Vibe handled the difficult task well. Over the course of hip-hop’s 50-year history, we’ve seen many rappers come and go, others who’ve withstood the test of time (Jay-Z, Ice Cube, Eminem, etc.), and a select few who left an indelible mark within a short amount of time (i.e. Tupac & Biggie). Ultimately, narrowing down a list of 50 rappers isn’t easy. However, it prompted conversation among rappers and fans alike, who both agreed and disagreed with the rankings.

Ice Cube Isn’t Impressed

TMZ caught up with the former N.W.A. rapper to discuss Billboard and Vibe’s rankings. Despite standing among the top 20, Cube made it clear that he doesn’t care for Billboard’s opinion, largely because they don’t have any authority to speak on the culture. “I don’t fuck with Billboard or their editor,” he said with a grin on his face. However, his opinion ultimately boils down to Billboard’s position in hip-hop. “Billboard ain’t hip-hop so their opinion don’t matter,” he stated matter-of-factly.

The TMZ cameraman then went on to ask about Billboard’s ranking of Mount Westmore members. Snoop stands in the top 10, E-40 at #41, and Cube at #18. However, Too Short is noticeably missing from the list, which Cube believes further proved his comments on Billboard. “Yeah, it is,” he said when asked if Too Short was snubbed. “It’s an irrelevant list, you know what I mean? It’s like a**holes; everybody got one and they all stink. There it is.” Does Ice Cube have a point? Check out his comments above and let us know your thoughts on Billboard and Vibe’s ranking of the best rappers ever. Who do you think they missed?

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Nicki Minaj, Eminem & More Included In Billboard’s Top 10 Rappers Of All Time

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Billboard and Vibe just published their list of the top ten rappers of all time, ending their list of the top 50 MCs in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. While many on social media voiced disappointment, that always happens in a list of any capacity. Everybody’s GOAT list looks a little different, and this list reflects a wide variety of criteria. For example, some rappers made the list for their lyricism, influence, catalog, or for their commercial success. Still, the consensus online seems to agree on it being a solid list, though many would change the order around. The ranking includes Biggie Smalls, Drake, Eminem, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Nas, Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: (L-R) Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar attend the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Moreover, Nicki Minaj placed at No. 10, Snoop Dogg at No. 9, and Drake at No. 8. Many might question Drizzy’s inclusion, given that he’s as much of a pop star as he is an MC. Still, he hasn’t left that love behind, as best evidenced by his most recent album Her Loss. However, these rappers share a few factors such as commercial viability, unique flows and styles, and most importantly, influence. Following them are Lil Wayne at No. 7, Biggie Smalls at No. 6, Eminem at No. 5, and Tupac at No. 4. Furthermore, Young Money dominated this list with three members, and Weezy in particular is the Southern representative here. Also, Nicki is the only female rapper included in this list.

However, what people really chose to focus in on was the list’s top placements. According to Billboard, Nas is the third-greatest rapper of all time. Such an honor is fitting for one of the most impressive careers in hip-hop that continues to redefine himself. Through his King’s Disease series and album Magic, all Hit-Boy collaborations, he added four more excellent albums to the conversation. As such, Nas might be the most enduring legend on this list when it comes to quality and consistency. Although the Queens rapper has quite the repertoire, Kendrick Lamar at No. 2 represents how the newer generation carries the torch. Between his top-tier lyricism, untouchable discography, and appeals to both pop and underground tastes, he seems like the definitive hip-hop career.

Meanwhile, the No. 1 spot went to Jay-Z. Many of these MCs best qualities seem wrapped up in Hov’s trajectory, and he has the added moniker of trailblazer. Whether we talk about commercial viability, business acumen, lyrical skill, excellent catalog, or business extracurriculars, Jay has it all. Still, many people felt that this list needs some rearranging. “Jays not #1 he top 5 but he ain’t #1,” one user wrote, with another adding “This list needs to be switched up! Love the list but the placement is incorrect.”

On the other hand, some users wanted to see other rappers make the list. “Any list that doesn’t have JCole in the top 10 is made by people who don’t know rap,” one user claimed. For what it’s worth, he landed at No. 15 on Billboard‘s list. Check out the full list for yourself down below and let us know what you think about it and your own top ten rappers in the comments. As always, come back to HNHH for the latest on hip-hop culture and history.

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NBA YoungBoy Shows Billboard His Car Collection

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NBA YoungBoy recently showed off his car collection to Billboard, but had an interesting clarification to make. Moreover, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana rapper said that, since he can’t drive his cars, he’s looking to get rid of them. While he didn’t expand much on why he can’t drive, many assume it’s due to his house arrest. “Now we made it to the garage,” the I Rest My Case artist told the cameras. “With all the meaningless cars that I can’t drive. I actually want to get rid of all of these cars, I can’t drive any of them. I think I’d rather just fill my garage with antique cars until I do get a little freedom where I could double back and purchase some of these.”

Furthermore, viewers couldn’t catch a proper glimpse of these vehicles in the short clip Billboard posted to Instagram. While the 23-year-old didn’t detail the extent or makeup of his collection, his thoughts on freedom are quite interesting. Still, some knowledgeable car lovers in the comments informed people who don’t know what to call his big black SUV. “[Ninja emoji] put the Royce in the back like it’s storage,” one user wrote. However, we do get a glimpse of them, including sports cars and larger units.

ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 29: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Rapper NBA YoungBoy performs onstage during Lil Baby & Friends concert to promote the new release of Lil Baby’s new album “Street Gossip” at Coca-Cola Roxy on November 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, YB recently spoke to Billboard about how people terrify him. Moreover, the insights came from the same interview where the rapper talks about his car collection. “I’m terrified of people,” he expressed. “I’m very scared of people. On my kids. I’m terrified of people, and I’m very shy. But I never know why, once I walk on the stage, I can get it done and leave.” Also, he shared that “people are cruel. Like, we can’t control ourselves. So, you never know if someone will do ya.”

Additionally, he gave examples of his growth across his life, as he now converses with Mormon missionaries who he used to turn away. “I wanted help very badly. I needed a friend. And it hit me,” the MC stated. “It was just cool to see someone with a different mindset that had nothing to do with business or money — just these wonderful souls.” Meanwhile, if you’re interested in his thoughts, check out Billboard’s interview below. Also, comment what you think of YB’s decision to get rid of his cars, and stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news on his career.