As host of the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, there was a lot on Megan Thee Stallion’s mind last night (Wednesday, September 11). But one thing she certainly didn’t forget about was to pay tribute to iconic VMAs history, current big moments in pop culture, and two superstars who represent these pillars to a tee. The Houston femcee recreated Beyonce’s stunning one-piece outfit in red, white, and blue that she used to introduce Team USA for the 2024 Olympic Games. Then, she replicated Britney Spears’ classic outfit for her 2001 VMAs performance of “I’m A Slave 4 U,” complete with a snake that scared the living daylights out of her. “I tried to hold it down for Britney,” Meg shared.
Of course, we know how much Megan Thee Stallion loves her Houston, Texas sister Beyoncé. “Yall i have been ugly crying with my lace lifting all weekend lol,” she expressed on Instagram, where she posted a video of her performing with Queen Bey at their home city’s RENAISSANCE tour stop. “I will never stop screaming about this moment! I have loved @beyonce MY WHOLE LIFE. This means EVERYTHING TO ME!!! I love you [queen bee emoji] thank you thank you thank you for everything.”
Elsewhere, Megan Thee Stallion hasn’t said much publicly about Britney Spears to our knowledge, but this homage certainly makes that admiration and inspiration clear. Overall, it seemed like she had a great time as host and performer. However, now fans are wondering whether the “NDA” MC is sharing these moments with a special someone, as folks recently spotted her out with Torrey Craig in New York City. New relationship rumors are hot off the presses…
Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion might have even more stuff planned for 2024, as she just released a single with RM titled “Neva Play.” We wonder whether or not 2025 will be as busy of a year for her, although there’s certainly a lot to compete with when you look at the past nine months or so. A full album rollout and momentary Nicki Minaj beef sound absolutely exhausting. But when you don’t have a lot of motivation, inspiration, or energy, you can always count on the OGs to give you that spark again.
With over 17 million in album sales, most people would consider pop superstar Halsey one of the luckiest artists of her generation. However, another superstar (may) not be a fan after her most recent video.
On Friday, Halsey dropped her music video for her song “Lucky” in which she sampled Britney Spears 2001 hit song “Lucky.” In the video, Halsey appears to portray herself as a young girl idolizing spears while also portraying a loose interpretation of Spears herself, including a scene where she removes a long red wig to show a bald head, a move that Spears may have felt was a jab at her 2007 mental breakdown in which she shaved her head.
Spears made the following post on X (formerly Twitter) before quickly deleting it:
“For obvious reasons I’m very upset about the Halsey video. I feel harassed, violated, and bullied. I didn’t know an artist like her and someone I looked up to and admired would illustrate me in such an ignorant way by tailoring me as a superficial pop star with no heart or concern at all. I have my own health problems which is why I took down my IG account yesterday. I will definitely be putting it back up to show I CARE. I’m speaking with my lawyers today to see what can be done on this matter. It feels illegal and down right cruel.”
However, just under an hour later, Spears posted the following:
“Fake news !!! That was not me on my phone !!! I love Halsey and that’s why I deleted it !!!”
Whether or not Spears did or did not make the original post, fans of Halsey were quick to point out that her video shows Halsey’s fictional character going through some sort of medical treatment, which would make sense since she had publicly admitted to suffering from lupus and a rare type of T-cell disorder, both of which require medical treatments. (Spears has never publicly appeared to have any medical disorders of that type.)
Halsey has yet to respond to Spears publicly, but as of Friday night, her video was one of the top 25 trending music videos on YouTube.
Musicians put in the work to perfect their craft and churn out great music that their teeming fans will love and appreciate. It takes so much to put out a music album, and one of the ways musicians track how much their work is appreciated is through album sales. Music data relating to album sales began in 1991, thanks to SoundScan, now known as Luminate. Since such data came into existence, only 26 albums have sold a million copies in the first week.
Selling a million album copies in the first week is no mean feat. However, some artists have managed to do it, with a few of them even going ahead to do it more than once. Some of the artists that sold a million album copies in the first week include Norah Jones (Feels Like Home), Limp Bizkit (Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water), and Garth Books (Double Live). Others on the prestigious list include Lady Gaga (Born This Way), The Beatles (1), Backstreet Boys (Black & Blue), and Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard). There are more artists on the list, with Taylor Swift and Adele among the most dominant musicians, releasing albums that sold over one million copies in the first week. Here are 11 albums that sold one million copies in their first week.
11. Drake – Views (2016)
Canadian rapper Drake released his fourth studio album, Views, on April 29, 2016. The album was released under three record labels: Cash Money Records, Republic Records, and Young Money Entertainment. In Views, Drake showed his musical diversity by taking influence from West African and West Indian music. He also made his first full foray into Jamaican dancehall music. Other music genres featured in Views include R&B, Afrobeat, pop, and UK funky. Views did remarkably well thanks to its diversified sound as it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Views sold 1.04 million equivalent album units in its first week. Equivalent album units combine streaming and song downloads in addition to traditional album sales. The measurement was introduced in the mid-2010s as a solution to the drop in album sales in the 21st century. Drake’s actual album sales for Views in the first week was 852,000 copies. Besides hitting high equivalent album unit sales, Drake also smashed streaming records with his Views album as it hit a staggering 245 million streams.
Magna Carta Holy Grail was Jay-Z’s 12th studio album. Days before the album’s release, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) changed its rules for gold and platinum certification. Before releasing the album on July 4, 2013, Jay-Z sold one million digital copies to Samsung, which then offered the copies to its users for free. Due to that action, the RIAA ruled that artists no longer had to wait 30 days to get certification for digital sales. Hence, Jay-Z’s one million album sales to Samsung began counting immediately after Magna Carta Holy Grail‘s release, meaning the album went platinum soon after its release.
Jay-Z featured artists like Nas, Rick Ross, Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean, and his wife, Beyoncé, on the album. Some of the hit songs on the album include “Holy Grail,” “Oceans,” and “Tom Ford.” Besides the one million digital album copies sold to Samsung, Magna Carta Holy Grail sold 528,000 physical copies in its first week and topped the US Billboard 200 chart upon its release. Jay-Z earned six Grammy Award nominations for the album, with “Holy Grail” winning the award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.
9. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III (2008)
Tha Carter III was Lil Wayne’s sixth studio album. It was released on June 10, 2008, and sold 1,006,000 copies in its first week. Lil Wayne featured several big names in the album, including Jay-Z, Fabolous, Robin Thicke, Kanye West, the late Static Major, and Busta Rhymes. The album had several hit songs, including “A Milli,” “Lollipop,” and “Got Money,” and cemented Lil Wayne’s status as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Tha Carter III received several award nominations, including Album of the Year at the 2009 Grammys. That year’s award season was successful for Lil Wayne, as Tha Carter III earned him a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Meanwhile, “Lollipop” won Best Rap Song, while “A Milli” won Best Rap Solo Performance.
Usher released his fourth studio album, Confessions, on Mar. 23, 2004. The R&B album had instant hits like “Yeah!,” “Burn,” “My Boo,” and “Confessions Part II.” Confessions sold 1,096,000 copies in its first week, solidifying itself as one of the greatest R&B albums. Confessions also came with some controversy due to its theme. There were wide beliefs that the album was themed around Usher’s personal relationships. However, Jermaine Dupri, who mainly produced Confessions, claimed the album was more reflective of his personal story. Besides incredible album sales, Confessions also earned Usher a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.
7. 50 Cent – The Massacre (2005)
After announcing himself to the world with his Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ album in 2003, 50 Cent followed it up with The Massacretwo years later. The album debuted at no. 1 on the US Billboard 200 thanks to hits like “Candy Shop,” “Just A Lil Bit,” and “Hate It Or Love It.” The Massacre sold 1,141,000 copies after its first week and solidified 50 Cent’s impact in the rap game. Hip-hop bigwigs like Dr. Dre, Eminem, Sha Money XL, and Scott Storch helped produce The Massacre. 50 Cent also featured Eminem, Olivia, Jamie Foxx, and Tony Yayo in the epic album, which was widely positively received and considered as one of his best albums.
6. Britney Spears – Oops!… I Did It Again (2000)
Oops!.. I Did It Again was a befitting name for Britney Spears’ second studio album. A year before its release, Britney debuted with a highly successful album, …Baby One More Time. Hence, she was under pressure to replicate the success of her first album. Britney welcomed the challenge and worked with several highly sought-after producers. Eventually, she put out a pop album that incorporated funk and R&B, earning her high praise and critical acclaim. Oops!.. I Did It Again enjoyed massive commercial success. It sold 1,319,000 copies in its first week and held the record for the fastest-selling album by a female artist and the largest first-week sales for a female album for 15 years.
Eminem’s fourth studio album, The Eminem Show, sold 1,322,000 in its first week. The album featured songs like “Without Me,” “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” and “White America.” Eventually, it sold 27 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Eminem incorporated more rap rock in The Eminem Show than he did with his previous albums. The Eminem Show was themed around The Real Slim Shady’s hip-hop prominence and his mixed feelings about fame. Eminem also took a step back from his Slim Shady alter ego in the album, as he deviated from being satirical.
4. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
The Eminem Show was not the first album with which Eminem sold over a million copies within the first week. On May 23, 2000, the rapper released his third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP. Dr. Dre mainly produced the highly successful album, which went on to sell 1,760,000 copies in its first week. The album’s success helped to propel Eminem to the forefront of America’s hip-hop culture. Some of the album’s most popular songs include “Stan,” “The Real Slim Shady,” and “Bitch Please.”
3. NSYNC – No Strings Attached (2000)
NSYNC is a famous boy band consisting of Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and JC Chasez. Although the band is not as popular as before following a long hiatus, it remains one of the top-selling bands of all time. After making waves with their first two albums, NSYNC took it a notch higher with their third studio album, No Strings Attached. After its release on Mar. 21, 2000, No Strings Attached sold a mindblowing 2,416,000 copies in its first week. NSYNC repeated the feat with their next album, Celebrity, which sold 1,878,000 copies a week after its release on July 24, 2001.
2. Taylor Swift (The Tortured Poets Department, 2024)
Taylor Swift’s knack for singing about her romantic travails in her albums means her teeming fans would always anticipate her next album release. Hence, when she announced an album was on the way during the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swifties readied their earbuds in anticipation, as the album was Taylor’s first since her split from Joe Alwyn. Taylor released The Tortured Poets Department, her 11th studio album, on April 19, 2024. Unsurprisingly, her latest work sold 2,610,000 copies in its first week.
However, TTPD isn’t Taylor’s first album to sell over a million copies in its first week. The beloved songstress achieved that feat six other times with her previous albums. These include: 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which sold 1,359,000 copies in its first week; 1989, which sold 1,287,000 copies in its first week; Reputation, which sold 1,216,000 copies in its first week; Red, which sold 1,208,000 copies in its first week; Midnights, which sold 1,140,000 copies in its first week; and Speak Now, which sold 1,047,000 copies in its first week.
1. Adele (25, 2015)
While Taylor Swift has sold over a million album copies with seven albums, Adele needed just one album to achieve the feat three times. On Nov. 20, 2015, Adele released 25, her third studio album. The album’s title reflected the singer’s life and mind frame when she was 25 years old and featured classics like “Hello,” “Water Under the Bridge,” and “Love in the Dark.” Adele’s 25 enjoyed so much commercial success. It racked in a massive 3,378,000 album sales in its first week, breaking the record for first-week sales. The album sold over a million copies in a week for the second time in December 2015, selling 1,112,000 copies. It repeated the feat for a third time in January 2016, selling 1,158,000 copies in a week.
When a legacy pop act continues to churn out music decades after they debut, mainstream success begins to wane. However, there are exceptions. Justin Timberlake belongs in a unique class of artists who continue to enjoy popularity well past their musical breakthrough. On his sixth studio album, Everything I Thought I Was, he toes the line between nostalgic pop, breezy R&B, and funk. But while the album has a few impressive moments worth noting, JT’s latest offering isn’t quite sticking the landing.
From the intro alone, it’s evident that Justin Timberlake’s signature swag is on thin ice. However, it’s quite difficult to pinpoint when this decline began. At 18 songs long, Everything I Thought It Was is quite the hefty project but JT is already used to long-form storytelling. After all, 2018’s Man Of The Woods clocked at 16 songs. Moreover, the crooner split 2013’s The 20/20 Experience into two parts.
So while the length of the project isn’t the problem, it contributes to the overall quality. Sure, Justin Timberlake might sound confident and sexy, but a few things are missing: memorable tracks, and the sound his fans have come to know and appreciate.
Just one listen into “Drown,” and we’re transported to 2002 again. As expected, his first album since the release of Britney Spears’ memoir, Pieces Of Me, appeared to shed light on the bombshell allegations made surrounding their relationship, ultimately leading to plenty of backlash. “Drown” almost serves as a follow-up to “Cry Me A River”; the songs are eerily similar. It will probably remain uncertain whether “Drown” serves as a sequel, but fans won’t be reaching if they come to that conclusion. All things considered though, it is one of the few standout tracks on Everything I Thought It Was.
Saving Grace Features
Each featured artist on Justin Timberlake’s sixth album contrasts the next. Thankfully, it plays to the album’s strengths since their distinct styles help boost Everything I Thought It Was’ mass appeal. The first of three featured artists on the album is Nigeria’s Fireboy DML. The Afro-pop star, who has collaborated with Ed Sheeran, D Smoke, and Chris Brown, delivers some of the most infectious moments on the project. On “Liar,” Timberlake slightly adopts Afrobeats and proves slightly comfortable in unfamiliar terrain.
“Sanctified,” which features Tobe Nwigwe, is another stellar moment for Justin Timberlake. A smooth blend of gospel, R&B, rock, and funk, JT sounds quite at home during one of the most daring moments on the album. If only more tracks on the album attempted to achieve this audacious level of experimentalism. Perhaps, the singer might have achieved a new musical high. Unfortunately, there’s a lack of ambition on many other tracks.
Though the other two features on Everything I Thought I Was are first-time collaborators in JT’s circle, the singer’s latest album brought a much-anticipated dose of nostalgia. Despite the tumultuous year that 2023 was for him, one of the highs was the NSYNC reunion at the VMAs where they confirmed new music was on the way. While the grandiose expectations were blown up by Britney Spears’ revelations, the all-star boy band produced “Paradise.” The penultimate track on the album is pop perfection, and offers a healthy dose of some much-needed nostalgia. Vocally, Justin Timberlake and his comrades are very impressive, with piercing harmonies, reminiscent of their 90s days. Maybe, if the dust settles enough, there’ll be some more NSYNC in store for us.
Justin Timberlake offers just enough of the qualities that make an album worth giving a try. However, this is the same star that delivered “Rock Your Body” and “Suit And Tie” a decade apart. That’s why it’s a bit disappointing that there are no standouts of such magnitude in his latest body of work. Timberlake has never been one to rush an album. However, Everything I Thought It Was feels that way. At just over an hour and seventeen minutes long, the album isn’t choked by any means. Regardless, Justin Timberlake is definitely capable of producing some more refined music.
Jack Black and Kyle Gass (a.k.a. the melodious duo known as Tenacious D) dropped a cover of Britney Spears‘ debut hit “… Baby One More Time” on social media last week, which naturally, melted the faces of anyone who watched it. The cover was a match made in heaven, and Black is definitely ready to take things to the next level.
While walking the red carpet for Kung Panda 4, Black made it abundantly clear that the D is ready to collaborate with Britney at the drop of a hat. Just say the word, and they’re there.
“Britney, if you’re watching, I love you. I love the song,” Black told Entertainment Tonight. “I’m here! I’m ready when you are. I’m waiting by the phone. I got kicks! I don’t quite have Britney kicks, but you know, I got some moves.”
Black also hopes Britney saw the cover and liked what she saw.
“We’re very proud of it, [and] I hope you like it, too,” Black said.
The Tenacious D cover has already racked up over 3 million likes thanks to Black absolutely going for it. You can watch his madcap performance below complete with Gass pulling off his best dance moves in the background and the words “Baby” written across Black’s knuckle in this hilariously badass cover of a stone-cold classic:
Looks like the Eminem and Benzino’s feud will never, ever slow down, even if the former gets emotional over it every once in a while. Moreover, for those unaware, this beef reignited after Em’s diss against The Source‘s former executive on “Doomsday Pt. 2,” leading to some lyrical back-and-forths. On Friday (February 23), Benzino took yet another shot by posting Marshall Mathers in his full Britney Spears cosplay get-up for his “The Real Slim Shady” music video from 2000. Of course, this is a pretty old image and decision to make fun of in 2024, and also follows bizarre moments in which he seems to regret the whole thing and emotionally crumble because of it.
“This is your rap God huh?” Benzino captioned his latest takedown of Eminem. “Y’all can have him, he even got the white stockings pulled up to thighs. SMH s**t is ridiculous, and no this ain’t Ai.” Furthermore, this comes after he went on Drink Champs to talk about the whole situation and its current status. During the talk, the 58-year-old broke down amid overwhelmed feelings about the beef.
“I don’t have nothing against Eminem,” Benzino tearfully expressed. “He can rap, but I care about us more. I don’t want to talk about it no more. My daughter came into the industry figuring, ‘I gotta be cool with Eminem because everybody is against my dad’… I don’t hate Eminem, I don’t know him to hate him. I don’t hate white people. I’m tired of this s**t, man. It’s just too much. I don’t want to be the bad guy.”
Some fans clowned this statement, especially when he doubled down on his “victory” in the feud in a The Art Of Dialogue interview that released a couple of days after this vulnerable moment. “I already killed him with ‘Rap Elvis.’ Where’s he at? Where’s the response? I want to battle him face-to-face, I think he’s overrated. I think he sucks as a rapper. I’m going to go down in history as the Eminem slayer.” What do you think about all these retaliations and shots? Let us know in the comments and log back into HNHH for the latest on Eminem and Benzino.
“At The Party” rapper Kid Cudi loves to announce his grandiose plans for the following years with fans online. While many things on his goal board for 2023 came true. Other pursuits, such as his Moon Man’s Landing Festival and Insano album, were delayed. Cudi is notorious for considering things (i.e., his interest in stand-up comedy), but it seems his next set of creative ideas is on track for 2024.
According to a series of posts shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) page, next year, the entertainer plans on releasing a memoir with a global promotional book tour to support it in addition to his previous musical obligations. “My memoir is called CUDI By Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi. My hope is to drop it next year around September. Going through my life and the journey it has, so far, bringing me so much peace,” wrote the rapper.
“I know this book will inspire you to live your life to the fullest every chance you get, reach for your dreams, and work hard to bring them to reality and keep God close. Because through all the ups and downs, He’s the one that’s never left you alone. My hope is that after you read this, you’ll have the confidence to bet on yourself and strive to live life as a better human on this planet and spread love,” he continued.
My memoir is called CUDI By Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi
My hope is to drop it next year around Sept. Goin thru my life and the journey its been so far is bringing me so much peace just talkin about certain things and how they made me feel. Moments, people, aging, the fun, the…
Cudi has not released an official date, but he’s sure about the September 2024 time frame based on his interaction with a curious fan.
U know idk what it is really! The fall always seems like my time. Ive only had a couple summer releases, I wanna drop one summer again one day https://t.co/krEfbMdpcZ
Cudi made it clear that he wants to fully embrace the published work once it is released with a full-on book tour. “I’ll be doing a little tour to bookstores around the globe doing signings. So, be on the lookout,” urged the songwriter.
Ill be doin a lil tour to bookstores around the globe doin signings so be on the look out! https://t.co/JHLyOJBTHg
Back in October, Britney Spears put the cap on a turbulent era of her life and career when she shared her long-awaited memoir The Women In Me with fans. The book gave her die-hards a peek behind the curtain into her personal life while at the height of her fame. While some were hoping for more scathing details in regards to her conservatorship and the #FreeBritney movement, the memoir certainly isn’t lacking for drama.
In The Woman In Me, Britney makes some major revelations about her relationship with Justin Timberlake. Some are more light-hearted like the fact that he switched up his accent around different people to try and sound cool. But others were more serious, in particular those revolving around their relationship. Timberlake’s reported infidelity and breaking up with Spears via text didn’t sit well with fans. Neither did the fact that Timberlake got her pregnant which led to a secret abortion. Britney describes it as an excruciating process. In the wake of the memoir’s release, hate from Britney fans was so intense that Timberlake had to disable comments on his Instagram. But now for the first time, the singer has made any kind of acknowledgement of the memoir.
According to TMZ, Justin Timberlake made a subtle nod to the controversy during a recent performance in Las Vegas. He was gearing up to perform his massive hit song “Cry Me A River” which is famously about the alleged infidelity that brought down his relationship with Spears. He very briefly mentioned that the song came with “no disrespect” before starting his performance. While the crowd doesn’t seem to have any massive reaction to his specific comments, fans online did.
Unsurprisingly, Timberlake isn’t out of the woods yet with Britney fans. “The whole song and video is disrespect” one fan points out in the comments of a repost on twitter. What do you think of Justin Timberlake’s subtle acknowledgement of Britney’s memoir in a recent performance? Let us know in the comment section below.
A few months ago, producing extraordinaire, Timbalandmade some controversial comments during a recent interview. The misogynistic-like statement was given during a live interview with 9th Wonder at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. It took place right before the end of October. What led to putting himself into hot water was that someone asked about the revived buzz around “Cry Me a River.” This is according to Billboard.
This popular song, of course, was produced by Timbaland and landed on Justin Timberlake’s 2002 album, Justified. The renewed talk is due in part because of Britney Spears’ memoir, The Woman in Me. It came out before the interview happened. Timberlake’s album is widely viewed as a response to his splitting with the pop star after dating from 1999-2002. That is when Timbaland made the comment, “She going crazy, right? I wanted to call and say, ‘JT, you gotta put a muzzle on that girl.’” It went viral on social media and after all the backlash, Timbaland decided to issue an apology.
Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake during Super Bowl XXXVI – Britney Spears & Justin Timberlake Host Super Bowl Fundraiser at Planet Hollywood Times Square at Planet Hollywood Times Square in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)
According to Fader, this was his apology. He says, “I’m sorry to all the Britney fans, even to her. I’m sorry because muzzle was—no, you have a voice. You speak what you want to speak. Who am I to tell you what not to speak?” Timbaland continues, “And I was wrong for saying that. I was looking at it from a different lens and what I am is a reconcile person. I’m not a person who takes sides… I apologize to the Britney fans and her.” The reason for him using “muzzle” is because of some serious and personal issues that Britney wanted to reveal to the readers. That includes going through an abortion and more.
What are your initial thoughts on Timbaland apologizing for his comments about Britney Spears? Do you think it will be a situation where he moves on fairly unscathed? Will Britney Spears respond to the producer’s comment, or move on from it? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Timbaland and Britney Spears, as well as everything else going on in the pop culture world.
The comment was originally made during Timbaland’s appearance at the Afrotech Conference in Austin, Texas, but quickly picked up steam online. Given that he had collaborated with Timberlake in the past, especially on songs like “Cry Me A River,” someone in the audience asked what he had thought about the headlines surrounding Spears’ recently-released memoir.
“I wanted to call JT and say, ‘Man! You gotta put a muzzle on that girl,’” Timbaland responded.
Many online were quick to call out his misogyny, his history with the late Aaliyah, and the fact that Spears reportedly didn’t want to work with him several years ago.
As for her memoir, Spears didn’t hold back on Timberlake. She revealed that she had an abortion during their relationship, claimed that he cheated on her, and gave her thoughts about how she seemed to have been portrayed using a lookalike in the “Cry Me A River” video.
Check out Timbaland’s apology about his Britney Spears comment above.
