From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

A Celia Cruz Tribute

Celia Cruz will be honored and celebrated at the 2025 Billboard Latin Women in Music Awards to air April 24 on Telemundo. The late Cuban star, who was born in 1925 and passed away in 2003, will be recognized with the Legend Award, and will also be honored with a centennial tribute performance by Puerto Rican powerhouses Ivy Queen, La India, and Olga Tañón. The latter of the three will receive this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. 

In addition to Cruz and Tañón, other 2025 honorees include Anitta (Vanguard Award), Belinda (Evolution Award), Chiquis (Impact Award), Ha*Ash (Unbreakable Award) and Natti Natasha (Unstoppable Award). Mexican star Ana Bárbara will host the two-hour ceremony. The third annual Billboard Latin Women in Music special will air live April 24 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. Central exclusively on Telemundo, Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean onTelemundo Internacional.

Nacho’s New Era

Venezuelan singer-songwriter Nacho surprised fans with a new studio album called Sobre La Roca out via Bakno Music and Be Global Music. Home to 11 tracks, with titles such as “Gracias,” “Mi Testimonio,” and “Amén,” the ultra-personal album is charged with powerful and motivational lyrics about faith, hope and peace. The songs are backed by urban, tropical, and pop melodies — genres very familiar to Nacho’s commercial sound. “I hope the songs on this album help us strengthen our relationship with God,” the artist born Miguel Ignacio Mendoza Donatti and known for being part of the famed duo Chyno y Nacho, expressed on Instagram. Stream and listen to Sobre La Roca below: 

Periko & Jessi León Rebrand

After a trajectory that spans more than 10 years and includes a best new artist Latin Grammy nomination in 2014, Periko & Jessi León are making a comeback — and rebranding themselves. The Latin pop duo, composed by the Argentine and Peruvian artists and musicians, is returning from a five-year hiatus with a new project called PJ Kids, for which their 4-year-old son Milo is joining as their official drummer. “We had to pause our music, our songs, our dreams, because life called us to become parents,” the duo expressed on Instagram. “After many years, we return to the studio not only as artists, but as parents,” they noted, adding that their new songs are inspired by their son. “Dreams never die, they only transform.”

A Kelly Clarkson Show Debut

Three months after dropping their collaborative effort, “Querida Yo,” Yami Safdie and Camilo officially performed it on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week. “It’s gone viral in 20 different countries,” Clarkson said ahead of their heartwarming national TV performance. The soft pop ballad is a tribute to personal empowerment and the hope of releasing the vulnerabilities we face by choosing to become our greatest strength and version, conveying the true message of the meaning of faith. “What a dream being able to present this song alongside Camilo, thank you for having us,” the Argentine newcomer and former Billboard Latin Artist on the Radar, shared on Instagram.  

A Chicas del Can Film

Famed ’90s all-girl merengue group Las Chicas del Can is getting the film treatment through a documentary focused on its lead singer, Miriam Cruz. The announcement was shared on social media via a trailer of the forthcoming film called La Historia de una Diva directed by Giancarlo Beras-Goico. Based on Cruz’s career challenges and successes, and narrated in her own words, the documentary will “trace back to her beginnings in Las Chicas del Can, her solo career, and her current impact as a symbol of empowerment and perseverance in the music industry,” according to the caption on Instagram. Watch the trailer of La Historia de una Diva below. 

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Don’t look now, but Lifetime is having a resurgence.

Yes, the television channel that was once home to cheesy Christmas movies and over-the-top shows is now delivering some seriously must-watch programming. From a Taylor Swift-inspired Christmas movie last year to a controversial Wendy Williams documentary, Lifetime has now become a destination for buzzed-about films, shows and specials that span music and pop culture interests.

Many musicians are now also flexing their acting chops in Lifetime movies, like Glee star Amber Riley in the Single Black Female trilogy, while Mary J. Blige, Lisa Lisa and Gloria Gaynor are featured in Lifetime’s 2025 “Voices of a Lifetime” series. And yes, we still love watching those Lifetime Christmas movies too.

Lifetime is available as a channel in most cable packages so you can watch Lifetime on TV through your cable provider. While many people have cut the cable cord, there are still ways to watch Lifetime (and Lifetime movies) online. Here’s what you need to know.

How to Watch Lifetime Channel Online Without Cable

The best way to watch Lifetime channel live online without cable is by using a live TV streaming service, like DirecTV or Philo. Both offer a live Lifetime feed so you can watch whatever is airing on TV but from your computer, phone or tablet (and from your smart TV too).

We like Philo, which costs just $28/month for more than 70 live television channels, including Lifetime, AMC, BET, MTV, TLC, VH1 and more. Philo also includes access to the Lifetime Movie Network for even more content options. Test out Philo with a seven-day free trial here to stream Lifetime online for free.

We also like DirecTV, which is the most comprehensive live TV streamer on our list. DirecTV’s base entertainment package includes 90+ live TV channels, including Lifetime. You also get access to Bravo, E!, ESPN, MTV and more, plus most local networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX.

DirecTV plans start at $84.99/month but you can test drive the service with a five-day free trial here.

Your most affordable way to stream Lifetime movies live online is through frndly TV. One of the newer streaming services to hit the market, frndly’s plans start at just $6.99/month for 50+ channels. Their channel lineup includes Lifetime, Hallmark Channel, Great American Family, ION and more. Even better: get a seven-day free trial here and use it to watch Lifetime online free.

How to Watch Lifetime Movies On-Demand Online

The live streaming services above will let you watch the Lifetime channel live online, but what if you wanted to find a favorite Lifetime movie to watch on-demand? Luckily, the same streaming services listed in the previous section will let you watch movies and specials on-demand on the Lifetime website.

Simply create a profile on the MyLifetime.com website and enter your cable provider details. Don’t have cable? You can enter your DirecTV and Philo details too to get access to all the content on Lifetime’s official site.

Another way to watch Lifetime movies on-demand? You can also sign up for Lifetime Movie Club, which has thousands of titles available to watch online. Regularly $4.99/month, Amazon Prime members can get a seven-day free trial here to watch Lifetime Movie Club online free. One of the best parts of Lifetime Movie Club is the ability to stream the movies ad-free.

Not a Prime member? Use this generous 30-day free trial to get access to the Lifetime Movie Club in addition to all the other Prime member perks, like free shipping, Prime Day deals and more.

Select Lifetime movies are also available to rent or download through Prime Video. See full details here.

After getting mixed up by the general public for years, one particularly hilarious mixup prompted Michelle Williams and Michelle Williams to finally link up.

In a video posted Thursday (April 17) by the first Williams — as in, the superstar previously in the Beyoncé-led girl group Destiny’s Child — she sits backstage after a performance of her Broadway show Death Becomes Her, telling the camera, “We had an amazing show tonight!”

She then pulls out a stack of photos of the other Williams — aka the five-time Oscar-nominated actress who’s starred in everything from Brokeback Mountain to My Week With Marilyn — that a fan had mistakenly mailed her in the hopes of getting an autograph weeks prior. Turning the camera, the first Williams reveals that the second Williams is sitting there beside her, and the former asks the latter to sign the pictures of herself.

“Who should I make it out to?” the Blue Valentine star says, to which the “Journey to Freedom” singer replies giddily, “Would you make them out to meee?”

“#FINALLY,” reads the video’s caption.

The sweet meetup comes a little over a month after the singer posted a video of herself reading aloud a letter from a fan, featuring a hilarious twist at the end. “‘Dear Michelle Williams, I hope this letter finds you in great spirits,’” she recited in the March clip. “‘My name is Philip, and I have been an avid fan of your incredible performances in both film and theater.’”

“‘Your work in movies like Blue Valentine, Manchester by the Sea or The Greatest Showman has deeply moved me and many others, showcasing your exceptional talent,’” she continued at the time. “‘I am writing to kindly ask if you would consider signing the enclosed photos I have of you. Having your autograph would mean so much for me and my daughter, as we admire your artistry.’”

That’s when the first Williams showed the photos Philip had sent: snapshots of the second Williams in various movies. “Philip, thank you so much,” she said, laughing. “Thank you, Philip. Thank you so much. Absolutely brilliant. Her hair is fabulous.”

Though the moment was certainly memorable, Philip is far from the first person to get the two Michelle Williamses switched around. With both women working in the entertainment industry since the 1990s, countless others have gotten their identical names confused over the years.

The “Unexpected” artist has been starring in Death Becomes Her since the show opened in New York City in November. On the very first night of performances, her former bandmates Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland came out to Lunt-Fontanne Theatre to cheer her on. Film star Michelle is currently promoting her Hulu miniseries Dying for Sex.

See Michelle Williams Squared meet up below.

After getting mixed up by the general public for years, one particularly hilarious mixup prompted Michelle Williams and Michelle Williams to finally link up.

In a video posted Thursday (April 17) by the first Williams — as in, the superstar previously in the Beyoncé-led girl group Destiny’s Child — she sits backstage after a performance of her Broadway show Death Becomes Her, telling the camera, “We had an amazing show tonight!”

She then pulls out a stack of photos of the other Williams — aka the five-time Oscar-nominated actress who’s starred in everything from Brokeback Mountain to My Week With Marilyn — that a fan had mistakenly mailed her in the hopes of getting an autograph weeks prior. Turning the camera, the first Williams reveals that the second Williams is sitting there beside her, and the former asks the latter to sign the pictures of herself.

“Who should I make it out to?” the Blue Valentine star says, to which the “Journey to Freedom” singer replies giddily, “Would you make them out to meee?”

“#FINALLY,” reads the video’s caption.

The sweet meetup comes a little over a month after the singer posted a video of herself reading aloud a letter from a fan, featuring a hilarious twist at the end. “‘Dear Michelle Williams, I hope this letter finds you in great spirits,’” she recited in the March clip. “‘My name is Philip, and I have been an avid fan of your incredible performances in both film and theater.’”

“‘Your work in movies like Blue Valentine, Manchester by the Sea or The Greatest Showman has deeply moved me and many others, showcasing your exceptional talent,’” she continued at the time. “‘I am writing to kindly ask if you would consider signing the enclosed photos I have of you. Having your autograph would mean so much for me and my daughter, as we admire your artistry.’”

That’s when the first Williams showed the photos Philip had sent: snapshots of the second Williams in various movies. “Philip, thank you so much,” she said, laughing. “Thank you, Philip. Thank you so much. Absolutely brilliant. Her hair is fabulous.”

Though the moment was certainly memorable, Philip is far from the first person to get the two Michelle Williamses switched around. With both women working in the entertainment industry since the 1990s, countless others have gotten their identical names confused over the years.

The “Unexpected” artist has been starring in Death Becomes Her since the show opened in New York City in November. On the very first night of performances, her former bandmates Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland came out to Lunt-Fontanne Theatre to cheer her on. Film star Michelle is currently promoting her Hulu miniseries Dying for Sex.

See Michelle Williams Squared meet up below.

Good Friday might be a religious holiday, but it also aptly describes the quality batch of new songs that dropped at the end of this week.

The final New Music Friday before Easter 2025 found several major stars dropping fresh new tracks, including Lana Del Rey, who rings in the spring holiday with a gorgeous ballad titled “Bluebird” that gives fans a taste of her highly anticipated country-leaning album. Over delicate finger-picked guitar and piano, the alt-pop icon sings about enduring uncertain times, crooning, “Little bird, bluebird/ Fly away for both of us/ For you have wings and I’ve no means to fly.”

Then there’s Morgan Wallen, who tapped Post Malone for a fittingly timed resurrection-of-Jesus-themed song called “I Ain’t Coming Back,” which finds the two stars making allusions to the famous Bible story while quipping, “There’s a lot of reasons I ain’t Jesus, but the main one is that I ain’t comin’ back.” The track is one of 37 songs on Wallen’s upcoming album I’m the Problem, which — as announced this week — will feature him teaming up with Tate McRae for his first-ever collaboration with a female artist.

But those are just two of the multiple tracks in the bouquet of fresh releases this week, with Addison Rae dropping another trend-setting pop anthem titled “Headphones On” to follow February’s “High Fashion” and 2024’s breakthrough hit “Diet Pepsi,” and Davido sharing a full album of new dance-inducing Afrobeats bangers. This week also spawned a number of collabs, with Tommy Richman and Sexyy Red teaming up for “Actin Up With Sexyy Red,” Xavi and Netón Vega duetting on “Hija de Papi,” and Whiz Khalifa dropping a feature-heavy album, Kush + Orange Juice 2, with guest spots from Gunna, Ty Dolla $ign, Juicy J, Don Toliver and more.

Every Friday with new music is a “Good Friday,” but this week is particularly sweet. Vote for your favorite fresh release below.

Good Friday might be a religious holiday, but it also aptly describes the quality batch of new songs that dropped at the end of this week.

The final New Music Friday before Easter 2025 found several major stars dropping fresh new tracks, including Lana Del Rey, who rings in the spring holiday with a gorgeous ballad titled “Bluebird” that gives fans a taste of her highly anticipated country-leaning album. Over delicate finger-picked guitar and piano, the alt-pop icon sings about enduring uncertain times, crooning, “Little bird, bluebird/ Fly away for both of us/ For you have wings and I’ve no means to fly.”

Then there’s Morgan Wallen, who tapped Post Malone for a fittingly timed resurrection-of-Jesus-themed song called “I Ain’t Coming Back,” which finds the two stars making allusions to the famous Bible story while quipping, “There’s a lot of reasons I ain’t Jesus, but the main one is that I ain’t comin’ back.” The track is one of 37 songs on Wallen’s upcoming album I’m the Problem, which — as announced this week — will feature him teaming up with Tate McRae for his first-ever collaboration with a female artist.

But those are just two of the multiple tracks in the bouquet of fresh releases this week, with Addison Rae dropping another trend-setting pop anthem titled “Headphones On” to follow February’s “High Fashion” and 2024’s breakthrough hit “Diet Pepsi,” and Davido sharing a full album of new dance-inducing Afrobeats bangers. This week also spawned a number of collabs, with Tommy Richman and Sexyy Red teaming up for “Actin Up With Sexyy Red,” Xavi and Netón Vega duetting on “Hija de Papi,” and Whiz Khalifa dropping a feature-heavy album, Kush + Orange Juice 2, with guest spots from Gunna, Ty Dolla $ign, Juicy J, Don Toliver and more.

Every Friday with new music is a “Good Friday,” but this week is particularly sweet. Vote for your favorite fresh release below.

PinkPantheress announced Friday (April 18) that she’ll release her new single “Stateside” next Friday, April 25.

She partnered with [untitled], which describes itself as “a sacred place for your work-in-progress music,” to tease a snippet of the track while depicting “an accurate representation of how me and my friends listen to this song,” the English singer/songwriter/producer wrote on Instagram.

“Stateside” is set to arrive three weeks after her latest hit “Tonight,” the lead single from her upcoming sophomore mixtape Fancy That, due May 9, 2025 via Parlophone and Warner Records. The saucy club bop debuted at No. 5 on Hot Dance/Pop Songs and No. 25 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 this week (chart dated April 19).

She shared Fancy That‘s nine-song track list earlier this month and said in her Mixmag cover story, “All the music sounds so big and grand and present, and I really wanted to make music where it sounds like a statement is being made with the songs. I feel like that was what appealed to me, and it’s something that I wanted to take on board.”

Fancy That will arrive two years after her debut studio album Heaven Knows, which included her Billboard Hot 100 No. 3 “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” collab with Ice Spice as a bonus track and reached No. 61 on the Billboard 200, and four years after her debut mixtape To Hell With It, which peaked at No. 73 on the Billboard 200.

See PinkPantheress’ new single announcement below.

PinkPantheress announced Friday (April 18) that she’ll release her new single “Stateside” next Friday, April 25.

She partnered with [untitled], which describes itself as “a sacred place for your work-in-progress music,” to tease a snippet of the track while depicting “an accurate representation of how me and my friends listen to this song,” the English singer/songwriter/producer wrote on Instagram.

“Stateside” is set to arrive three weeks after her latest hit “Tonight,” the lead single from her upcoming sophomore mixtape Fancy That, due May 9, 2025 via Parlophone and Warner Records. The saucy club bop debuted at No. 5 on Hot Dance/Pop Songs and No. 25 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 this week (chart dated April 19).

She shared Fancy That‘s nine-song track list earlier this month and said in her Mixmag cover story, “All the music sounds so big and grand and present, and I really wanted to make music where it sounds like a statement is being made with the songs. I feel like that was what appealed to me, and it’s something that I wanted to take on board.”

Fancy That will arrive two years after her debut studio album Heaven Knows, which included her Billboard Hot 100 No. 3 “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” collab with Ice Spice as a bonus track and reached No. 61 on the Billboard 200, and four years after her debut mixtape To Hell With It, which peaked at No. 73 on the Billboard 200.

See PinkPantheress’ new single announcement below.

Country Music Hall of Fame duo Brooks & Dunn, who have collected 25 ACM Awards wins over the course of their decades-long career, will be feted on May 7 at the Omni PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas, during the “Play Something Country” gala hosted by the ACM and ACM Lifting lives. The event comes one night before the ACM’s 60th anniversary ceremony, set for May 8 at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco.

The celebration honoring Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn will feature an elevated seated dinner and a curated silent auction, while their fellow country artists including Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Keith Urban and Lainey Wilson perform renditions of some of Brooks & Dunn’s top hits.

Television and radio personality Bobby Bones will host the event. A cocktail hour presented by Choctaw & Resorts will feature casino gameplay, followed by a seated dinner and the performances and presentations. The pre-show and live auction will be presented by radio personality Shawn Parr.

Proceeds from the event will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable partner of the ACM, with a focus on mental health-based initiatives in the country music industry. Tables for the event are available for purchase through tiered pricing.

Brooks & Dunn are nominated for duo of the year at the upcoming 60th ACM Awards. They hold the record for the most wins in the duo of the year category (with 16 wins) and most overall wins by a duo (25). They’ve taken home the ACM’s coveted entertainer of the year honor three times. Brooks & Dunn was also honored with the Cliffe Stone Icon Award in 2019, while their song “Believe” (co-written by Dunn) was named song of the year in 2006.

Country Music Hall of Fame duo Brooks & Dunn, who have collected 25 ACM Awards wins over the course of their decades-long career, will be feted on May 7 at the Omni PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas, during the “Play Something Country” gala hosted by the ACM and ACM Lifting lives. The event comes one night before the ACM’s 60th anniversary ceremony, set for May 8 at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco.

The celebration honoring Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn will feature an elevated seated dinner and a curated silent auction, while their fellow country artists including Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Keith Urban and Lainey Wilson perform renditions of some of Brooks & Dunn’s top hits.

Television and radio personality Bobby Bones will host the event. A cocktail hour presented by Choctaw & Resorts will feature casino gameplay, followed by a seated dinner and the performances and presentations. The pre-show and live auction will be presented by radio personality Shawn Parr.

Proceeds from the event will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable partner of the ACM, with a focus on mental health-based initiatives in the country music industry. Tables for the event are available for purchase through tiered pricing.

Brooks & Dunn are nominated for duo of the year at the upcoming 60th ACM Awards. They hold the record for the most wins in the duo of the year category (with 16 wins) and most overall wins by a duo (25). They’ve taken home the ACM’s coveted entertainer of the year honor three times. Brooks & Dunn was also honored with the Cliffe Stone Icon Award in 2019, while their song “Believe” (co-written by Dunn) was named song of the year in 2006.

Kendrick Lamar has become the first musician to ever be featured in a Gatorade commercial thanks to the brand’s latest ad.

On Friday (April 18), the award-winning rapper was tapped for Gatorade’s new Lose More. Win More. ad campaign, and gives a motivational speech throughout the commercial while his GNX track “Peekaboo” soundtracks the moment. The spot includes cameos from numerous athletes, such as the NBA’s Luka Dončić and Jason Taytum, and WNBA stars A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark.

“How much are you willing to lose?” Kendrick says in the commercial before speaking on the company’s history with the 1965 University of Florida football team. Dot himself also closes out the ad, as beads of orange colored sweat pour down his face in the final frame.

In a statement to Sports Business Journal, Gatorade CBO Anuj Bhasin said they chose K-Dot “because of his mindset of hard work, resilience and pushing boundaries.” The choice to include Kung Fu Kenny came as Gatorade seeks to engage its brand with younger audiences.

Coming up next for K-Dot is his Grand National Tour with SZA. The North American and European trek will kick off next week and includes 39 shows, starting with Minneapolis on April 19. The tour will wrap on Aug. 9 in Stockholm, Sweden. Notable stops include MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on May 8 and 9, and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on May 24.

DJ Mustard will also serve as the opening act throughout the tour. This will be the second time Mustard and K-Dot will share the stage together, coming off Lamar’s memorable Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in February, which featured a cameo from the producer.

Watch the new Gatorade commercial featuring Kendrick Lamar below.

Kendrick Lamar has become the first musician to ever be featured in a Gatorade commercial thanks to the brand’s latest ad.

On Friday (April 18), the award-winning rapper was tapped for Gatorade’s new Lose More. Win More. ad campaign, and gives a motivational speech throughout the commercial while his GNX track “Peekaboo” soundtracks the moment. The spot includes cameos from numerous athletes, such as the NBA’s Luka Dončić and Jason Taytum, and WNBA stars A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark.

“How much are you willing to lose?” Kendrick says in the commercial before speaking on the company’s history with the 1965 University of Florida football team. Dot himself also closes out the ad, as beads of orange colored sweat pour down his face in the final frame.

In a statement to Sports Business Journal, Gatorade CBO Anuj Bhasin said they chose K-Dot “because of his mindset of hard work, resilience and pushing boundaries.” The choice to include Kung Fu Kenny came as Gatorade seeks to engage its brand with younger audiences.

Coming up next for K-Dot is his Grand National Tour with SZA. The North American and European trek will kick off next week and includes 39 shows, starting with Minneapolis on April 19. The tour will wrap on Aug. 9 in Stockholm, Sweden. Notable stops include MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on May 8 and 9, and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on May 24.

DJ Mustard will also serve as the opening act throughout the tour. This will be the second time Mustard and K-Dot will share the stage together, coming off Lamar’s memorable Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in February, which featured a cameo from the producer.

Watch the new Gatorade commercial featuring Kendrick Lamar below.

Wiz Khalifa was surrounded by puppies when he pulled up to the Buzzfeed offices earlier this week. The Taylor Gang honcho is on the road in support of his Kush + Orange Juice 2 sequel album, which arrived on Friday (April 18).

Khalifa was feeling the puppy love during his interview with Buzzfeed Celeb as he was peppered with questions about his career while the dogs nibbled on his Nike laces and icy chain.

While pups around him pissed, pooped and even threw up, Wiz remained cool and calm as usual with his laid-back personality throughout the interview. Khalifa has been around dogs for much of his career, as fans might recall his pit bull named Star, his French bulldog Vincent, or Max B, the mini English bulldog.

The Pittsburgh native has worked with many of the rap dignitaries he’s crossed paths with, but one person he’s still looking to check off his bucket list is Dr. Dre. “I want to work with Dr. Dre. It would be fun to get some Dre beats,” he said. “That’s probably like one of my biggest people that I want to work with.”

Wiz also admitted to looking back at previous time periods during his decorated career as inspiration, fueling him today.

“I’m my current muse,” he said. “I put in so much work in the game. I just look at my old stuff as inspiration. It just inspires me to see myself in different eras I might have forgotten what mindframe I was in when I was doing certain stuff… I got these things on YouTube they’re called DayToday‘s, but just seeing how creative that process was, it still inspires me to do new stuff in a new way.”

Kush & Orange Juice was released in 2010 and went on to be one of the mixtapes that defined the Blog Era of music. Fifteen years later, Khalifa is back with the sequel.

Watch the full interview below.

Wiz Khalifa was surrounded by puppies when he pulled up to the Buzzfeed offices earlier this week. The Taylor Gang honcho is on the road in support of his Kush + Orange Juice 2 sequel album, which arrived on Friday (April 18).

Khalifa was feeling the puppy love during his interview with Buzzfeed Celeb as he was peppered with questions about his career while the dogs nibbled on his Nike laces and icy chain.

While pups around him pissed, pooped and even threw up, Wiz remained cool and calm as usual with his laid-back personality throughout the interview. Khalifa has been around dogs for much of his career, as fans might recall his pit bull named Star, his French bulldog Vincent, or Max B, the mini English bulldog.

The Pittsburgh native has worked with many of the rap dignitaries he’s crossed paths with, but one person he’s still looking to check off his bucket list is Dr. Dre. “I want to work with Dr. Dre. It would be fun to get some Dre beats,” he said. “That’s probably like one of my biggest people that I want to work with.”

Wiz also admitted to looking back at previous time periods during his decorated career as inspiration, fueling him today.

“I’m my current muse,” he said. “I put in so much work in the game. I just look at my old stuff as inspiration. It just inspires me to see myself in different eras I might have forgotten what mindframe I was in when I was doing certain stuff… I got these things on YouTube they’re called DayToday‘s, but just seeing how creative that process was, it still inspires me to do new stuff in a new way.”

Kush & Orange Juice was released in 2010 and went on to be one of the mixtapes that defined the Blog Era of music. Fifteen years later, Khalifa is back with the sequel.

Watch the full interview below.

Investors seeking shelter from the chaos unleashed by President Trump’s often incoherent tariff policy can find safety in companies without direct exposure to tariffs or the teetering advertising market. And music, especially digital music, will be able to weather the storm, say many analysts — with one major exception.

To understand what people are thinking about tariffs’ impact on the business world, look no further than stock prices. The performance of various music-related stocks reveals how investors are betting that economic uncertainty will affect various companies.

Many stocks — especially those of companies traded on U.S. exchanges — have taken a hit as investors fled for safer alternatives. The Nasdaq and S&P 500, U.S. indexes, are down 6.2% and 6.7%, respectively, since April 1, the day before President Trump announced his tariff plans. Elsewhere in the world, indexes have generally performed better. South Korea’s KOSPI is down just 2.0%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 is off 3.5%. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 is down 4.2%. Germany’s DAX has lost 5.9%.

Within music, companies that get most of their revenue from streaming are faring relatively well. Since April 1, Spotify and Deezer have each gained 4.0%, two of the better showings for music stocks. Cloud Music improved 3.9%. Tencent Music Entertainment, on the other hand, has fallen 15.1%, although its share price remains up 8.1% year to date.

Record labels and publishers have also been holding up well, in relative terms, particularly outside the U.S. Since April 1, shares of Universal Music Group (UMG) — which is headquartered in the U.S. but trades in Amsterdam — and Warner Music Group (WMG) are down 8.0% and 7.1%, respectively. Reservoir Media lost 3.0%. K-pop companies — much like South Korean companies in general — have fared well. Since April 1, SM Entertainment has gained 7.9%, YG Entertainment is up 1.1% and JYP Entertainment has gained 0.7%. HYBE fell 3.4%.

UMG and WMG’s post-tariff declines are slightly greater than the drops in the Nasdaq and S&P 500 of 6.7% and 6.2%, respectively. But both UMG and WMG had strong starts to 2025, and their year-to-date losses of 4.5% and 6.1% are far better than the S&P 500’s 10.2% drop and the Nasdaq’s 15.7% year-to-date decline.

Some live music companies’ stocks have been resilient, too. Live Nation shares are down 3.7% since April 1, while German concert promoter CTS Eventim is up 3.2%. Sphere Entertainment Co., owner of the Sphere venue in Las Vegas, is an exception. Sphere Entertainment shares have plummeted 23.1% since President Trump’s tariff announcement, a far more significant drop than the stocks of other companies — Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts — that rely on consumers’ willingness to part with their money in Las Vegas.

For many U.S. media stocks, the direct impact of tariffs is “relatively muted,” wrote Citi analysts in an April 7 report, as many of the companies rely on discretionary spending, not ad revenue. Apple and other tech companies, for example, got an exemption from the 145% tariffs on Chinese imports but must still pay the blanket 20% tariff. Companies that get much of their revenues from subscriptions — Netflix, Spotify, UMG and WMG — will be less impacted.

Music streaming, most notably subscription services, is considered by equity analysts to be safe from whatever tariff-induced economic chaos awaits the global market. “Digital goods are unaffected by tariffs,” wrote TD Cowen analysts in an April 14 investor report. Subscription services, they argued, provide enough bang for the buck, and customers have such an emotional attachment to music that subscribers are unlikely to leave in “meaningful” numbers if the economy goes south.

Streaming and subscription growth slowed in 2024, but many analysts expect improvements to come from a regular drumbeat of price increases, renewed licensing deals and super-premium tiers. That said, analysts believe that Spotify’s latest licensing deals with UMG and WMG, and upcoming deals with other rights holders, better reward labels and publishers for price increases. As a result, TD Cowen slightly lowered its estimates for Spotify’s revenue, gross profit margin and operating income in 2025. Likewise, in an April 4 note to investors, Guggenheim analysts lowered their estimate for Spotify’s gross margin in the second half of 2025.

Companies reliant on advertising revenue will also take an indirect hit. Citi estimates that $4 trillion of imports could generate $700 billion in tariffs and reduce personal consumer and ad spending by 1.9%. Tariffs have ripple effects, too. Because household net worth and personal spending are highly correlated, says Citi, the recent declines in stock prices could reduce personal and advertising spending by 3.0%.

Consumer spending is at the heart of the concert business, but analysts agree that fans’ affection for their favorite artists protects live music from economic downturns. As a result, Live Nation has “less risk than the average business that depends on discretionary spending,” according to TD Cowen analysts.

Advertising-related businesses aren’t so lucky, though. As tariffs raise prices and household wealth declines, personal spending also declines, and, in turn, brands pull back on their advertising spending. Investors’ expectations for advertising-dependent businesses were apparent before April but have become clearer since President Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement. iHeartMedia, which closed on Thursday (April 17) below $1.00 per share for the first time since June 4, 2024, has dropped 35.3% since April 1 and fallen 50.3% year to date. Cumulus Media has fared even worse, dropping 47.5% since April 1 and 62.7% year to date. Townsquare Media has fallen 12.8% in the tariff era and 23.8% year to date.

J.P. Morgan analysts believe iHeartMedia’s full-year guidance of $770 million is “somewhat optimistic” given economic uncertainties and ongoing pressures in the radio business. It forecasts full-year EBITDA of $725 million — nearly 6% lower than iHeartMedia’s guidance. If things wind up going more the way J.P. Morgan predicts than iHeart, it would be a big blow to the company and an unfortunate bellwether for the already struggling radio business. While other music industry sectors look to ride out the tariffs at least in the shorter term, the economic uncertainty introduced by the Trump administration may only hasten radio’s ongoing decline.

As Billboard has noted numerous times in recent weeks, investors are attracted to music assets because they are counter-cyclical, meaning they don’t follow the typical ups and downs of the economy. Consumers will, by and large, stick with their music subscription services and continue going to concerts. But by introducing the tariffs, the Trump regime exposed one of radio’s greatest weaknesses as a business: a greater exposure, due to its reliance on advertising, to the state of the wider economy.

Investors seeking shelter from the chaos unleashed by President Trump’s often incoherent tariff policy can find safety in companies without direct exposure to tariffs or the teetering advertising market. And music, especially digital music, will be able to weather the storm, say many analysts — with one major exception.

To understand what people are thinking about tariffs’ impact on the business world, look no further than stock prices. The performance of various music-related stocks reveals how investors are betting that economic uncertainty will affect various companies.

Many stocks — especially those of companies traded on U.S. exchanges — have taken a hit as investors fled for safer alternatives. The Nasdaq and S&P 500, U.S. indexes, are down 6.2% and 6.7%, respectively, since April 1, the day before President Trump announced his tariff plans. Elsewhere in the world, indexes have generally performed better. South Korea’s KOSPI is down just 2.0%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 is off 3.5%. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 is down 4.2%. Germany’s DAX has lost 5.9%.

Within music, companies that get most of their revenue from streaming are faring relatively well. Since April 1, Spotify and Deezer have each gained 4.0%, two of the better showings for music stocks. Cloud Music improved 3.9%. Tencent Music Entertainment, on the other hand, has fallen 15.1%, although its share price remains up 8.1% year to date.

Record labels and publishers have also been holding up well, in relative terms, particularly outside the U.S. Since April 1, shares of Universal Music Group (UMG) — which is headquartered in the U.S. but trades in Amsterdam — and Warner Music Group (WMG) are down 8.0% and 7.1%, respectively. Reservoir Media lost 3.0%. K-pop companies — much like South Korean companies in general — have fared well. Since April 1, SM Entertainment has gained 7.9%, YG Entertainment is up 1.1% and JYP Entertainment has gained 0.7%. HYBE fell 3.4%.

UMG and WMG’s post-tariff declines are slightly greater than the drops in the Nasdaq and S&P 500 of 6.7% and 6.2%, respectively. But both UMG and WMG had strong starts to 2025, and their year-to-date losses of 4.5% and 6.1% are far better than the S&P 500’s 10.2% drop and the Nasdaq’s 15.7% year-to-date decline.

Some live music companies’ stocks have been resilient, too. Live Nation shares are down 3.7% since April 1, while German concert promoter CTS Eventim is up 3.2%. Sphere Entertainment Co., owner of the Sphere venue in Las Vegas, is an exception. Sphere Entertainment shares have plummeted 23.1% since President Trump’s tariff announcement, a far more significant drop than the stocks of other companies — Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts — that rely on consumers’ willingness to part with their money in Las Vegas.

For many U.S. media stocks, the direct impact of tariffs is “relatively muted,” wrote Citi analysts in an April 7 report, as many of the companies rely on discretionary spending, not ad revenue. Apple and other tech companies, for example, got an exemption from the 145% tariffs on Chinese imports but must still pay the blanket 20% tariff. Companies that get much of their revenues from subscriptions — Netflix, Spotify, UMG and WMG — will be less impacted.

Music streaming, most notably subscription services, is considered by equity analysts to be safe from whatever tariff-induced economic chaos awaits the global market. “Digital goods are unaffected by tariffs,” wrote TD Cowen analysts in an April 14 investor report. Subscription services, they argued, provide enough bang for the buck, and customers have such an emotional attachment to music that subscribers are unlikely to leave in “meaningful” numbers if the economy goes south.

Streaming and subscription growth slowed in 2024, but many analysts expect improvements to come from a regular drumbeat of price increases, renewed licensing deals and super-premium tiers. That said, analysts believe that Spotify’s latest licensing deals with UMG and WMG, and upcoming deals with other rights holders, better reward labels and publishers for price increases. As a result, TD Cowen slightly lowered its estimates for Spotify’s revenue, gross profit margin and operating income in 2025. Likewise, in an April 4 note to investors, Guggenheim analysts lowered their estimate for Spotify’s gross margin in the second half of 2025.

Companies reliant on advertising revenue will also take an indirect hit. Citi estimates that $4 trillion of imports could generate $700 billion in tariffs and reduce personal consumer and ad spending by 1.9%. Tariffs have ripple effects, too. Because household net worth and personal spending are highly correlated, says Citi, the recent declines in stock prices could reduce personal and advertising spending by 3.0%.

Consumer spending is at the heart of the concert business, but analysts agree that fans’ affection for their favorite artists protects live music from economic downturns. As a result, Live Nation has “less risk than the average business that depends on discretionary spending,” according to TD Cowen analysts.

Advertising-related businesses aren’t so lucky, though. As tariffs raise prices and household wealth declines, personal spending also declines, and, in turn, brands pull back on their advertising spending. Investors’ expectations for advertising-dependent businesses were apparent before April but have become clearer since President Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement. iHeartMedia, which closed on Thursday (April 17) below $1.00 per share for the first time since June 4, 2024, has dropped 35.3% since April 1 and fallen 50.3% year to date. Cumulus Media has fared even worse, dropping 47.5% since April 1 and 62.7% year to date. Townsquare Media has fallen 12.8% in the tariff era and 23.8% year to date.

J.P. Morgan analysts believe iHeartMedia’s full-year guidance of $770 million is “somewhat optimistic” given economic uncertainties and ongoing pressures in the radio business. It forecasts full-year EBITDA of $725 million — nearly 6% lower than iHeartMedia’s guidance. If things wind up going more the way J.P. Morgan predicts than iHeart, it would be a big blow to the company and an unfortunate bellwether for the already struggling radio business. While other music industry sectors look to ride out the tariffs at least in the shorter term, the economic uncertainty introduced by the Trump administration may only hasten radio’s ongoing decline.

As Billboard has noted numerous times in recent weeks, investors are attracted to music assets because they are counter-cyclical, meaning they don’t follow the typical ups and downs of the economy. Consumers will, by and large, stick with their music subscription services and continue going to concerts. But by introducing the tariffs, the Trump regime exposed one of radio’s greatest weaknesses as a business: a greater exposure, due to its reliance on advertising, to the state of the wider economy.

Never mind, Sydney Sweeney will find someone like you.

In a new clip, the Euphoria star sings one of Adele‘s most classic breakup anthems at a karaoke bar in Florida, belting out “Someone Like You” with a pair of friends with a big smile despite the sad lyrics.

Shared by TMZ, the video finds Sweeney at Backyard Bar in Key West earlier this week. As the lyrics play on a screen behind her, she and two co-vocalists loudly sing the British superstar’s iconic chorus — “Never mind, I’ll find someone like you/ I wish nothing but the best for you” — as the actress points into the crowd.

At one point, she tells the venue’s DJ that she’ll be staying up on stage “forever,” adding coyly: “Don’t get tired of me.”

Released in 2011 as a single from Adele’s sophomore studio album 21, “Someone Like You” spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The LP marked the vocalist’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200, remaining at the summit for 24 weeks — longer than any other album has this century.

The video of Sweeney belting out one of this millennium’s most beloved breakup tracks comes just a couple of weeks after reports emerged that she and fiancé Jonathan Davino have parted ways. The alleged split comes after seven years together, and more than two years after the producer proposed to the Immaculate leading lady in 2022.

Watch Sweeney sing “Someone Like You” with a few friends at a karaoke bar in Florida below.

Never mind, Sydney Sweeney will find someone like you.

In a new clip, the Euphoria star sings one of Adele‘s most classic breakup anthems at a karaoke bar in Florida, belting out “Someone Like You” with a pair of friends with a big smile despite the sad lyrics.

Shared by TMZ, the video finds Sweeney at Backyard Bar in Key West earlier this week. As the lyrics play on a screen behind her, she and two co-vocalists loudly sing the British superstar’s iconic chorus — “Never mind, I’ll find someone like you/ I wish nothing but the best for you” — as the actress points into the crowd.

At one point, she tells the venue’s DJ that she’ll be staying up on stage “forever,” adding coyly: “Don’t get tired of me.”

Released in 2011 as a single from Adele’s sophomore studio album 21, “Someone Like You” spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The LP marked the vocalist’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200, remaining at the summit for 24 weeks — longer than any other album has this century.

The video of Sweeney belting out one of this millennium’s most beloved breakup tracks comes just a couple of weeks after reports emerged that she and fiancé Jonathan Davino have parted ways. The alleged split comes after seven years together, and more than two years after the producer proposed to the Immaculate leading lady in 2022.

Watch Sweeney sing “Someone Like You” with a few friends at a karaoke bar in Florida below.

Wiz Khalifa delivered.

15 years after he dropped his classic Blog Era mixtape Kush & Orange Juice, the multi-platinum rapper decided to go back to his roots on its sequel tape and tap back into the sound that made him one of stoner rap’s most important rappers. He also brought the gang back together as Cardo, Sledgren and his stoner-in-crime Curren$y all contributed like they did during that first cypher back in April of 2010.

Kush & Orange Juice 2 also features the likes of Gunna, Mike WiLL Made-It, Ty Dolla $ign, Don Toliver, Larry June, Conductor Williams, and legends in Juicy J, DJ Quik, and Max B, among others. And while those acts are diverse in terms of their own individual sounds, Wiz was able to have them fit the story he wanted to tell and he did a pretty good job. It’s rare if not damn near impossible for a sequel to be as good as a classic, but Wiz did a pretty good job. Clocking in at 23 tracks and 77 minutes long, the Kush & OJ sequel is the perfect soundtrack for that cousin walk on Easter Sunday — as you and your family celebrate not only the resurrection, but 4/20 as well.

And as he rolled out the much anticipated project, Khalifa went on an already-memorable run of freestyles that started last November with “First YN Freestyle.” Hopefully more rappers will hop on that wave, and give fans more music that feels fun and low-stakes.

Billboard talked with Wiz about why he decided to take that approach, and about a bunch of other things. Check out our chat below and be sure to go run up that Kush + Orange Juice 2 this weekend.

You’ve been on a crazy run lately with these freestyles. Can you talk about why you decided to go that route?

Really just by seeing the reaction of my fans and the people who support me when I started to get into the mode of promoting Kush & Orange Juice 2, and really visualizing what that was going to feel like for everybody else. I wanted to make it an experience, and not something that just dropped overnight and then went away. So, me doing the freestyles was kind of a way to write that narrative and to get everybody on board so they understand what to expect and it got a great reaction. So, naturally, I just kept going. And it’s something that I like to do just for fun.

Did the freestyles help spark something creatively in you?

I was already pretty much done with the album by the time I did the freestyles. But I think anytime I’m able to just play around and see what people enjoy, it gives me a sense of what to do next or what to continue doing. So, it definitely served its purpose when it comes to that.

You and other Blog Era peers like J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar and Drake have crossed over into the mainstream. So, now that you’ve achieved a certain level of success, does that mean that you plan on still playing the major-label game, or are you gonna go back to just making what you feel like making?

I think it all just kind of comes together, and it’s really about the fans and what they want and what people are are tuning into, and just me knowing that people digest my music for the way that I do it. It allows me to be free, but it also opens up a lot of different opportunities for me to put that in other places. So, it’s a beginning of a wave that could, you know, go on for however long.

Why do you think rappers have moved away from doing freestyles and stuff like that?

I think because clearances and a lot of people want their their stuff on the biggest platform. It’s hard to monetize a freestyle and if you put a lot of energy into it, a lot of people want it to go far, so that value has been missing. It takes certain artists to push it and to show that the value of it isn’t gone. It’s not really where you’re aiming to put these at. The people and the listeners, and their ears are there, and they’re going to discover it. I think people have to re-understand that and reimagine that.

So much has changed since you came in the game. If you were an up and coming rapper today, how would you approach your career?

I would approach it the same way. A lot of the younger artists or personalities, they know who their fan base is. They know who they’re talking to, and they reach out to them, and that’s what dictates what they do or what their next moves are. And a lot of artists are afraid of that, but there’s a lot of power and a lot of value in knowing who your consumers are and the people who want the best from you and aiming what you do towards them. And that would be my advice, or that would be what I would do. That’s what I’m doing now, is just focusing on the people who I know support and are expecting this, and really just making the experience for them.

One person that’s carving out a unique lane for themselves is streamer and producer PlaqueBoyMax. You were on his stream recently. How was that experience?

Yeah, it was cool working with Max, and that was the first time I had made a song live on somebody else’s stream. And even just with that platform of him being, you know, with FaZe and them having the reach that they do. That’s a whole different fanbase than the people who are used to me, and it was good to be able to win those people over, show them what my talent actually is, and work with somebody for the first time and create something in front of everybody that’s just super fun and super cool to me.

You floated the idea of doing a full tape with him towards the end. Do you think that can happen down the line?

I wanted to do it, but I feel like he’s already doing it, and he’s doing it in his way, where he’ll benefit off of it, which is cool with me. I’m always down anytime. If he needs me, then he’ll hit me.

What can fans expect from Kush & Orange Juice 2?

They can expect good smokin’ music, good chillin’ music, good motivational music, and good ridin’ around with the homies music. It’s definitely for the people who understand it. And it’s not just about the music, it’s about the experiences that you have with it. So, the more you listen to it and live with it, or even if it’s your first time, when you listen to it and live with it, it’s gonna change a lot. I’m really happy with that. I’m really confident in that, and I’m just really excited for everybody to experience that.

Are you performing anywhere on 4/20?

Yeah, I’m gonna be performing at Red Rocks in Colorado.

I interviewed Curren$y a couple months ago, and I had asked him if he has any 420 rituals and he said he doesn’t really have any because he’s always working. I’m assuming that’s the same for you.

Yeah, pretty much, especially at this point. A lot of people come out and visit us on those days, even if it’s family from the East Coast or an artist or whatever. They usually want to come kick it with us, so that’s usually fun. I get to see a lot of people who I just really enjoy smoking with, like Berner. It is work, but for me personally, I try to roll at least an abnormally big joint or two, and I usually smoke more dabs that day than I normally do as well.

I wanted to ask you what your favorite strains were, but on Club Shay Shay, you said you’ve been smoking your own strain exclusively for about 10 years now.

Oh yeah, it’s definitely Khalifa Kush always for like almost 12 now.

What is that like, though — having your own strain and not really having to pay for it anymore?

It’s a blessing. I don’t know if I necessarily knew that it was going to be this way. We always hoped and wished that it would be this way — and knew that it was, you know, beneficial for everybody — but to actually live in an era where we can do this… It’s awesome. I’m grateful and I’m taking full advantage.

You also mentioned the Smoke Olympics. What would be some of the events if you were to put that together?

There would be a rolling competition. I’m bringing the origami, I’m bringing the samurai skills. What else? You have to hit, like, a bong. You’ll have to make a bong out of something. You could choose what you have to make a bong out of. You have to last a certain amount of rounds, too — so as we keep smoking, there’s no tapping out. Yeah, we’ll start there.

I ran into Conductor Williams recently and he was beaming about the way you approached “Billionaires” with Ty Dolla $ign. What was it about that particular beat that caught your attention out of the pack of beats that he sent?

I appreciate it. I feel like I always gravitated towards his production because of how soulful it is and just how musically inclined he is. You could tell he knows a lot about music in general. My approach is very specific to what I know my people are gonna f—k with. And I think when I got into that pocket, it was nostalgic, but it was also something that people never expected, or ever knew that they would enjoy.

I think that combination right there kind of makes discovering some new music worth it — and that’s what people need now, and to be able to do that with people who I’m cool with, and got in my phone and I can hit at whatever time, and be like, “Yo, send me some beats,” and we could just come up with something legendary off the bat. That’s real fun for me.

You’ve gotten into martial arts like over the years like Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. How important has that been for you?

It’s part of my everyday life as much as music is and I’m passionate about it the same way I am about my music, and I’ve been doing it for seven years now, and I feel like I’m still learning a lot of new things, and it’s still fun and it’s interesting. It’s not a chore or a job or I don’t even have a real end goal when it comes to it, so it’s fun to be on a journey and have something that I that I enjoy and that challenges me and also makes me better.

Has it helped your lungs be stronger too?

Yeah, 100 percent. My cardio is crazy, and it helped me learn how to control my breathing better and just being in good shape in general. Being able to function and and move athletically as I get older, because I’m 37 now, so I’m moving into my 40s. The older that we get the less athletic some of us get. But for me, it’s a lifetime thing of I’m always going to have this type of movement.

Wiz Khalifa delivered.

15 years after he dropped his classic Blog Era mixtape Kush & Orange Juice, the multi-platinum rapper decided to go back to his roots on its sequel tape and tap back into the sound that made him one of stoner rap’s most important rappers. He also brought the gang back together as Cardo, Sledgren and his stoner-in-crime Curren$y all contributed like they did during that first cypher back in April of 2010.

Kush & Orange Juice 2 also features the likes of Gunna, Mike WiLL Made-It, Ty Dolla $ign, Don Toliver, Larry June, Conductor Williams, and legends in Juicy J, DJ Quik, and Max B, among others. And while those acts are diverse in terms of their own individual sounds, Wiz was able to have them fit the story he wanted to tell and he did a pretty good job. It’s rare if not damn near impossible for a sequel to be as good as a classic, but Wiz did a pretty good job. Clocking in at 23 tracks and 77 minutes long, the Kush & OJ sequel is the perfect soundtrack for that cousin walk on Easter Sunday — as you and your family celebrate not only the resurrection, but 4/20 as well.

And as he rolled out the much anticipated project, Khalifa went on an already-memorable run of freestyles that started last November with “First YN Freestyle.” Hopefully more rappers will hop on that wave, and give fans more music that feels fun and low-stakes.

Billboard talked with Wiz about why he decided to take that approach, and about a bunch of other things. Check out our chat below and be sure to go run up that Kush + Orange Juice 2 this weekend.

You’ve been on a crazy run lately with these freestyles. Can you talk about why you decided to go that route?

Really just by seeing the reaction of my fans and the people who support me when I started to get into the mode of promoting Kush & Orange Juice 2, and really visualizing what that was going to feel like for everybody else. I wanted to make it an experience, and not something that just dropped overnight and then went away. So, me doing the freestyles was kind of a way to write that narrative and to get everybody on board so they understand what to expect and it got a great reaction. So, naturally, I just kept going. And it’s something that I like to do just for fun.

Did the freestyles help spark something creatively in you?

I was already pretty much done with the album by the time I did the freestyles. But I think anytime I’m able to just play around and see what people enjoy, it gives me a sense of what to do next or what to continue doing. So, it definitely served its purpose when it comes to that.

You and other Blog Era peers like J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar and Drake have crossed over into the mainstream. So, now that you’ve achieved a certain level of success, does that mean that you plan on still playing the major-label game, or are you gonna go back to just making what you feel like making?

I think it all just kind of comes together, and it’s really about the fans and what they want and what people are are tuning into, and just me knowing that people digest my music for the way that I do it. It allows me to be free, but it also opens up a lot of different opportunities for me to put that in other places. So, it’s a beginning of a wave that could, you know, go on for however long.

Why do you think rappers have moved away from doing freestyles and stuff like that?

I think because clearances and a lot of people want their their stuff on the biggest platform. It’s hard to monetize a freestyle and if you put a lot of energy into it, a lot of people want it to go far, so that value has been missing. It takes certain artists to push it and to show that the value of it isn’t gone. It’s not really where you’re aiming to put these at. The people and the listeners, and their ears are there, and they’re going to discover it. I think people have to re-understand that and reimagine that.

So much has changed since you came in the game. If you were an up and coming rapper today, how would you approach your career?

I would approach it the same way. A lot of the younger artists or personalities, they know who their fan base is. They know who they’re talking to, and they reach out to them, and that’s what dictates what they do or what their next moves are. And a lot of artists are afraid of that, but there’s a lot of power and a lot of value in knowing who your consumers are and the people who want the best from you and aiming what you do towards them. And that would be my advice, or that would be what I would do. That’s what I’m doing now, is just focusing on the people who I know support and are expecting this, and really just making the experience for them.

One person that’s carving out a unique lane for themselves is streamer and producer PlaqueBoyMax. You were on his stream recently. How was that experience?

Yeah, it was cool working with Max, and that was the first time I had made a song live on somebody else’s stream. And even just with that platform of him being, you know, with FaZe and them having the reach that they do. That’s a whole different fanbase than the people who are used to me, and it was good to be able to win those people over, show them what my talent actually is, and work with somebody for the first time and create something in front of everybody that’s just super fun and super cool to me.

You floated the idea of doing a full tape with him towards the end. Do you think that can happen down the line?

I wanted to do it, but I feel like he’s already doing it, and he’s doing it in his way, where he’ll benefit off of it, which is cool with me. I’m always down anytime. If he needs me, then he’ll hit me.

What can fans expect from Kush & Orange Juice 2?

They can expect good smokin’ music, good chillin’ music, good motivational music, and good ridin’ around with the homies music. It’s definitely for the people who understand it. And it’s not just about the music, it’s about the experiences that you have with it. So, the more you listen to it and live with it, or even if it’s your first time, when you listen to it and live with it, it’s gonna change a lot. I’m really happy with that. I’m really confident in that, and I’m just really excited for everybody to experience that.

Are you performing anywhere on 4/20?

Yeah, I’m gonna be performing at Red Rocks in Colorado.

I interviewed Curren$y a couple months ago, and I had asked him if he has any 420 rituals and he said he doesn’t really have any because he’s always working. I’m assuming that’s the same for you.

Yeah, pretty much, especially at this point. A lot of people come out and visit us on those days, even if it’s family from the East Coast or an artist or whatever. They usually want to come kick it with us, so that’s usually fun. I get to see a lot of people who I just really enjoy smoking with, like Berner. It is work, but for me personally, I try to roll at least an abnormally big joint or two, and I usually smoke more dabs that day than I normally do as well.

I wanted to ask you what your favorite strains were, but on Club Shay Shay, you said you’ve been smoking your own strain exclusively for about 10 years now.

Oh yeah, it’s definitely Khalifa Kush always for like almost 12 now.

What is that like, though — having your own strain and not really having to pay for it anymore?

It’s a blessing. I don’t know if I necessarily knew that it was going to be this way. We always hoped and wished that it would be this way — and knew that it was, you know, beneficial for everybody — but to actually live in an era where we can do this… It’s awesome. I’m grateful and I’m taking full advantage.

You also mentioned the Smoke Olympics. What would be some of the events if you were to put that together?

There would be a rolling competition. I’m bringing the origami, I’m bringing the samurai skills. What else? You have to hit, like, a bong. You’ll have to make a bong out of something. You could choose what you have to make a bong out of. You have to last a certain amount of rounds, too — so as we keep smoking, there’s no tapping out. Yeah, we’ll start there.

I ran into Conductor Williams recently and he was beaming about the way you approached “Billionaires” with Ty Dolla $ign. What was it about that particular beat that caught your attention out of the pack of beats that he sent?

I appreciate it. I feel like I always gravitated towards his production because of how soulful it is and just how musically inclined he is. You could tell he knows a lot about music in general. My approach is very specific to what I know my people are gonna f—k with. And I think when I got into that pocket, it was nostalgic, but it was also something that people never expected, or ever knew that they would enjoy.

I think that combination right there kind of makes discovering some new music worth it — and that’s what people need now, and to be able to do that with people who I’m cool with, and got in my phone and I can hit at whatever time, and be like, “Yo, send me some beats,” and we could just come up with something legendary off the bat. That’s real fun for me.

You’ve gotten into martial arts like over the years like Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. How important has that been for you?

It’s part of my everyday life as much as music is and I’m passionate about it the same way I am about my music, and I’ve been doing it for seven years now, and I feel like I’m still learning a lot of new things, and it’s still fun and it’s interesting. It’s not a chore or a job or I don’t even have a real end goal when it comes to it, so it’s fun to be on a journey and have something that I that I enjoy and that challenges me and also makes me better.

Has it helped your lungs be stronger too?

Yeah, 100 percent. My cardio is crazy, and it helped me learn how to control my breathing better and just being in good shape in general. Being able to function and and move athletically as I get older, because I’m 37 now, so I’m moving into my 40s. The older that we get the less athletic some of us get. But for me, it’s a lifetime thing of I’m always going to have this type of movement.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

While there’s no shortage of merch for Taylor Swift lovers, fans have been particularly taken with these cozy slippers that feature stylish nods to the artist.

Available in five different versions, the slippers feature a wool-like plush fabric that’s embroidered with handwriting reminiscent of the font that is found on most Swift’s re-releases of her albums. Fans can choose from slippers that say “1989” in a light blue font, a set that features “1989” on one foot and “(Taylor’s Version)” on the other, as well as sets in a couple of different colors that feature “(Taylor’s,” “Version)” on either foot. At only $20, it’s almost worth collecting them all.

VOWHONK

Taylor’s Slippers

$19.99

Buy Now On Amazon

---

The titles, of course, are a nod to the fact that Swift began re-releasing recordings of her library of albums after they were sold. For each album, the singer-songwriter released additional tracks from each of the albums’ accompanying studio sessions, as well as updated merch. Each re-release was labeled “Taylor’s Version,” and fans have put those words to use as a rallying cry to support the artist as she took back control over her life’s work.

Now, you can find the phrase emblazoned on these adorable slippers. In addition to their lamblike fabric, they have a terry cloth lining and a high-density memory foam insole. They also have a non-slip rubber sole that will make it easy to run errands around or just outside of the house.

If you’re looking for the most adorable merch, go ahead and make sure to grab them while they’re still available in a range of colors and sizes.

VOWHONK

Taylor’s Slippers

$19.99

Buy Now On Amazon

---

VOWHONK

Taylor’s Slippers

$19.99

Buy Now On Amazon

---

Truly madly scary. Savage Garden‘s Darren Hayes revealed on Friday (April 18) that he recently suffered a serious injury after fainting that could’ve ended tragically.

“On March 17, 2 months to the day after my Mother passed away, I had a terrible accident … I lost consciousness – I fainted shortly after getting out of bed and collapsed 3 times, losing consciousness each time,” he revealed in an Instagram post. “The blunt force trauma was so severe it snapped my left jawbone in half.”

The Australian artist went on to share that he woke up in a pool of blood and had nine teeth shattered, and was taken to an ER in Santa Monica, Calif. “I could have died if I landed in a different position,” Hayes wrote.

The musician went on to share that his medical team ruled out any neurological and heart issues, and that he had been feeling lightheaded and experienced fainting spells for some time before his accident; doctors are still investigating for causes to his health struggles. Hayes — who noted that he doesn’t drink or do drugs — had reconstructive surgery on March 21, which included having a titanium brace inserted to reconnect his jaw bones, as well as having his mouth wired shut for at least eight weeks.

“I just wanted my fans to know why I’ll be out of action for quite some time. After my jaw heals it’s a long road to rehabbing my jaw function and then of course replacing my shattered teeth. I’m so grateful to be alive and every day I’m getting stronger. I’m almost one month post surgery now and I’m only just starting to feel better,” the singer wrote before thanking his medical team and loved ones. “After surviving a brutal divorce, losing my Mother, finding out my father died and then this I have had moments of deep sadness. But I am a survivor and I’ll come back strong.”

Along with his message updating fans about what he has been experiencing, Hayes shared a photo of himself with one side of his face badly swollen, and a yellow bruise at the base of his neck. A second image was an X-ray of his jaw with the titanium brace holding the broken pieces together.

At the height of Savage Garden’s popularity, the duo of Hayes and Daniel Jones snagged two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s with 1998’s “Truly Madly Deeply” and 1999’s “I Knew I Loved You,” while “I Want You” peaked at No. 4 in 1997. The pair’s self-titled debut album — which houses “Truly Madly Deeply” and “I Want You” — peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, while sophomore and final release Affirmation, which houses “I Knew I Loved You,” reached No. 6. The group split up in 2001.

Truly madly scary. Savage Garden‘s Darren Hayes revealed on Friday (April 18) that he recently suffered a serious injury after fainting that could’ve ended tragically.

“On March 17, 2 months to the day after my Mother passed away, I had a terrible accident … I lost consciousness – I fainted shortly after getting out of bed and collapsed 3 times, losing consciousness each time,” he revealed in an Instagram post. “The blunt force trauma was so severe it snapped my left jawbone in half.”

The Australian artist went on to share that he woke up in a pool of blood and had nine teeth shattered, and was taken to an ER in Santa Monica, Calif. “I could have died if I landed in a different position,” Hayes wrote.

The musician went on to share that his medical team ruled out any neurological and heart issues, and that he had been feeling lightheaded and experienced fainting spells for some time before his accident; doctors are still investigating for causes to his health struggles. Hayes — who noted that he doesn’t drink or do drugs — had reconstructive surgery on March 21, which included having a titanium brace inserted to reconnect his jaw bones, as well as having his mouth wired shut for at least eight weeks.

“I just wanted my fans to know why I’ll be out of action for quite some time. After my jaw heals it’s a long road to rehabbing my jaw function and then of course replacing my shattered teeth. I’m so grateful to be alive and every day I’m getting stronger. I’m almost one month post surgery now and I’m only just starting to feel better,” the singer wrote before thanking his medical team and loved ones. “After surviving a brutal divorce, losing my Mother, finding out my father died and then this I have had moments of deep sadness. But I am a survivor and I’ll come back strong.”

Along with his message updating fans about what he has been experiencing, Hayes shared a photo of himself with one side of his face badly swollen, and a yellow bruise at the base of his neck. A second image was an X-ray of his jaw with the titanium brace holding the broken pieces together.

At the height of Savage Garden’s popularity, the duo of Hayes and Daniel Jones snagged two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s with 1998’s “Truly Madly Deeply” and 1999’s “I Knew I Loved You,” while “I Want You” peaked at No. 4 in 1997. The pair’s self-titled debut album — which houses “Truly Madly Deeply” and “I Want You” — peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, while sophomore and final release Affirmation, which houses “I Knew I Loved You,” reached No. 6. The group split up in 2001.

A Manhattan federal judge on Friday denied a bid by Sean “Diddy” Combs to delay his sex trafficking and racketeering trial by two months, ruling that the request was made too close to his trial date.

The star’s lawyers asked for the delay on Wednesday (April 16), arguing they didn’t have enough time to prepare for trial after prosecutors added new charges earlier this month. But according to Reuters, Judge Arun Subramanian denied that motion at a court hearing on Friday (April 18).

Endorsing an argument made by the prosecutors, Subramanian said that the new indictment largely overlapped with earlier charging papers. According to CNN, the judge told Combs’ lawyers that it was “unclear why there isn’t sufficient time to prepare.”

Friday’s ruling means that, barring any last-minute disruptions, jury selection will begin on May 5 and testimony will begin on May 12. Representatives for Combs’ legal team did not immediately return a request for comment.

Combs was indicted in September, charged with running a sprawling criminal operation that aimed to “fulfill his sexual desires” by subjecting numerous women to abuse. The case centers on elaborate “freak off” parties in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex, as well as on alleged acts of violence to keep victims silent.

A trial has long been set to start in May. If convicted on all of the charges, which include sex trafficking and racketeering, Combs faces a potential life prison sentence.

In a letter to the judge filed Wednesday, the star’s lawyers claimed the feds were dragging their feet on turning over crucial evidence, and that the extra two months would give them “the necessary time to prepare his defense” for a new superseding indictment filed April 3.

The request — far longer than the two-week delay Diddy’s lawyers had hinted they might seek — was opposed by prosecutors, who said the new charges were not sufficiently different to require any delay at all, and that Combs was not entitled to the evidence he claimed he was owed.

In addition to denying the delay, Subramanian made another important ruling Friday. According to Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press, the judge granted a request from prosecutors to allow three alleged victims to testify under Jane Doe pseudonyms. Diddy’s lawyers had called the move “a blatant violation of Mr. Combs’s Sixth Amendment rights to confront witnesses,” but prosecutors said it was necessary to protect them from harassment and embarrassment.

The judge seemingly left at least one big pretrial issue unresolved: a motion filed by Combs on Thursday seeking to ban prosecutors from showing jurors the infamous 2016 surveillance video of him assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Combs says the clips has been edited and will “confuse and mislead the jury”; prosecutors says it’s a “damning piece of evidence” that must be admitted.

A Manhattan federal judge on Friday denied a bid by Sean “Diddy” Combs to delay his sex trafficking and racketeering trial by two months, ruling that the request was made too close to his trial date.

The star’s lawyers asked for the delay on Wednesday (April 16), arguing they didn’t have enough time to prepare for trial after prosecutors added new charges earlier this month. But according to Reuters, Judge Arun Subramanian denied that motion at a court hearing on Friday (April 18).

Endorsing an argument made by the prosecutors, Subramanian said that the new indictment largely overlapped with earlier charging papers. According to CNN, the judge told Combs’ lawyers that it was “unclear why there isn’t sufficient time to prepare.”

Friday’s ruling means that, barring any last-minute disruptions, jury selection will begin on May 5 and testimony will begin on May 12. Representatives for Combs’ legal team did not immediately return a request for comment.

Combs was indicted in September, charged with running a sprawling criminal operation that aimed to “fulfill his sexual desires” by subjecting numerous women to abuse. The case centers on elaborate “freak off” parties in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex, as well as on alleged acts of violence to keep victims silent.

A trial has long been set to start in May. If convicted on all of the charges, which include sex trafficking and racketeering, Combs faces a potential life prison sentence.

In a letter to the judge filed Wednesday, the star’s lawyers claimed the feds were dragging their feet on turning over crucial evidence, and that the extra two months would give them “the necessary time to prepare his defense” for a new superseding indictment filed April 3.

The request — far longer than the two-week delay Diddy’s lawyers had hinted they might seek — was opposed by prosecutors, who said the new charges were not sufficiently different to require any delay at all, and that Combs was not entitled to the evidence he claimed he was owed.

In addition to denying the delay, Subramanian made another important ruling Friday. According to Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press, the judge granted a request from prosecutors to allow three alleged victims to testify under Jane Doe pseudonyms. Diddy’s lawyers had called the move “a blatant violation of Mr. Combs’s Sixth Amendment rights to confront witnesses,” but prosecutors said it was necessary to protect them from harassment and embarrassment.

The judge seemingly left at least one big pretrial issue unresolved: a motion filed by Combs on Thursday seeking to ban prosecutors from showing jurors the infamous 2016 surveillance video of him assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Combs says the clips has been edited and will “confuse and mislead the jury”; prosecutors says it’s a “damning piece of evidence” that must be admitted.

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN has unveiled the nominees for all 50 categories to be honored at the inaugural event set for May 21 and 22 in Kyoto.

The finalists were selected from the approximately 3,000 entries revealed in March, through a preliminary vote by artists, creatives, media-related and other music industry professionals, with some awards open to general listeners. After a final vote including overseas voting members, the winners will be announced at the award ceremony next month.

In the six main categories — Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Top Global Hit from Japan, Best Song Asia — artists and acts that have graced the charts and excited music listeners are up for awards: Creepy Nuts (“Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”), YOASOBI (“Idol”), Mrs. GREEN APPLE (“Lilac,” ANTENNA), Fujii Kaze (“Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing),” LOVE ALL SERVE ALL), Rosé & Bruno Mars (“APT.”), Kenshi Yonezu (LOST CORNER), FRUITS ZIPPER, Kocchi no Kento, Number_i, and aespa (“Supernova”), to name just a few.

Kazutoyo Koyabu, Asuka Kijima, Ko Matsushima, the Founder of arne inc. and music critic Tomonori Shiba took to the stage at the event announcing the nominees. Koyabu, a popular comedian and musician, noted, “These are artists that even an old guy like me has heard of,” while Kijima, a model and actress, said, “Everyone will be satisfied no matter who wins, because they’re all outstanding artists.” The nominees in the Top Global Hit from Japan category selected by overseas listeners include a diverse range of tracks, such as songs featured in games, anime show openers, songs familiar from TikTok, and tracks by artists with a notable global presence. Check out all the nominees at the official MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN website.

Find the nominees of the six main categories below:

Song of the Year

(Recognition for the song with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry.)

Rosé & Bruno Mars “APT.”

Creepy Nuts “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”

YOASOBI “Idol”

Fujii Kaze “Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing)”

Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Lilac”

Album of the Year

(Recognition for the album with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry.)

Mrs. GREEN APPLE, ANTENNA

Kenshi Yonezu, LOST CORNER

Fujii Kaze, LOVE ALL SERVE ALL

Vaundy, replica

Hikaru Utada, SCIENCE FICTION

Artist of the Year

(Recognition for the artist with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry.)

Creepy Nuts

Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Vaundy

YOASOBI

Fujii Kaze

New Artist of the Year

Recognition for the new artist who demonstrated outstanding musical creativity and artistry.

FRUITS ZIPPER

Number_i

Omoinotake

tuki.

Kocchi no Kento

Top Global Hit From Japan

(Recognition for the Japanese song that became a global hit.)

Lotus Juice/Azumi Takahashi “It’s Going Down Now”

XG “WOKE UP”

YOASOBI “Idol”

Fujii Kaze “Shinunoga E-wa”

Miki Matsubara “Mayonaka no Door – stay with me”

Best Song Asia

(Recognition for the Asian hit song that was popular across Asian countries.)

Bernadya “Satu Bulan” (Indonesia)

REGINA SONG “the cutest pair” (Singapore)

aespa “Supernova” (South Korea)

PLAVE “WAY 4 LUV” (South Korea)

JEFF SATUR “GHOST” (Thailand)

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025 KYOTO 

Date of the ceremony: Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22, 2025

MAJ Week: From Saturday, May 17 to Friday, May 23, 2025

Venue: ROHM Theatre Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Domestic live broadcast of May 22 event on NHK; global stream of events on both days on YouTube scheduled (some regions excluded).

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN has unveiled the nominees for all 50 categories to be honored at the inaugural event set for May 21 and 22 in Kyoto.

The finalists were selected from the approximately 3,000 entries revealed in March, through a preliminary vote by artists, creatives, media-related and other music industry professionals, with some awards open to general listeners. After a final vote including overseas voting members, the winners will be announced at the award ceremony next month.

In the six main categories — Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Top Global Hit from Japan, Best Song Asia — artists and acts that have graced the charts and excited music listeners are up for awards: Creepy Nuts (“Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”), YOASOBI (“Idol”), Mrs. GREEN APPLE (“Lilac,” ANTENNA), Fujii Kaze (“Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing),” LOVE ALL SERVE ALL), Rosé & Bruno Mars (“APT.”), Kenshi Yonezu (LOST CORNER), FRUITS ZIPPER, Kocchi no Kento, Number_i, and aespa (“Supernova”), to name just a few.

Kazutoyo Koyabu, Asuka Kijima, Ko Matsushima, the Founder of arne inc. and music critic Tomonori Shiba took to the stage at the event announcing the nominees. Koyabu, a popular comedian and musician, noted, “These are artists that even an old guy like me has heard of,” while Kijima, a model and actress, said, “Everyone will be satisfied no matter who wins, because they’re all outstanding artists.” The nominees in the Top Global Hit from Japan category selected by overseas listeners include a diverse range of tracks, such as songs featured in games, anime show openers, songs familiar from TikTok, and tracks by artists with a notable global presence. Check out all the nominees at the official MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN website.

Find the nominees of the six main categories below:

Song of the Year

(Recognition for the song with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry.)

Rosé & Bruno Mars “APT.”

Creepy Nuts “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”

YOASOBI “Idol”

Fujii Kaze “Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing)”

Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Lilac”

Album of the Year

(Recognition for the album with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry.)

Mrs. GREEN APPLE, ANTENNA

Kenshi Yonezu, LOST CORNER

Fujii Kaze, LOVE ALL SERVE ALL

Vaundy, replica

Hikaru Utada, SCIENCE FICTION

Artist of the Year

(Recognition for the artist with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry.)

Creepy Nuts

Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Vaundy

YOASOBI

Fujii Kaze

New Artist of the Year

Recognition for the new artist who demonstrated outstanding musical creativity and artistry.

FRUITS ZIPPER

Number_i

Omoinotake

tuki.

Kocchi no Kento

Top Global Hit From Japan

(Recognition for the Japanese song that became a global hit.)

Lotus Juice/Azumi Takahashi “It’s Going Down Now”

XG “WOKE UP”

YOASOBI “Idol”

Fujii Kaze “Shinunoga E-wa”

Miki Matsubara “Mayonaka no Door – stay with me”

Best Song Asia

(Recognition for the Asian hit song that was popular across Asian countries.)

Bernadya “Satu Bulan” (Indonesia)

REGINA SONG “the cutest pair” (Singapore)

aespa “Supernova” (South Korea)

PLAVE “WAY 4 LUV” (South Korea)

JEFF SATUR “GHOST” (Thailand)

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025 KYOTO 

Date of the ceremony: Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22, 2025

MAJ Week: From Saturday, May 17 to Friday, May 23, 2025

Venue: ROHM Theatre Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Domestic live broadcast of May 22 event on NHK; global stream of events on both days on YouTube scheduled (some regions excluded).

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

It’s rare to see two huge consumer tech brands put down their swords and come out with a collaboration, but that’s just what Skullcandy and Bose have done.

The two speaker brands teamed up to release a $99 earbud that offers the incredible sound that Bose is known for, with the color-forward, board sports-infused style created by Skullcandy. The Method 360 ANC earbuds come with Skullcandy’s Pez dispenser-like charging case, and they’re available in five different colorways. To help announce this major industry collab, Skullcandy released a quirky, fun short film that starred none other than skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.

As for the earbuds, they not only punch above their weight class — they punch above the weight classes of much more expensive models. They offer the incredibly powerful, clear sound that Bose is known for, and they even have the loud bass that might come to mind when you think of Skullcandy. The noise-canceling capabilities are amazing, and they also manage to keep the noise from leaking out of your ears. If you typically struggle with fit when it comes to earbuds, they also really knocked it out of the park in this category — they’re comfortable and stay put better than any earbuds I’ve ever worn. With a 40-hour battery life that’s almost unheard of, these are a great option for anyone looking for earbuds that will stick with them through almost any activity.

Skullycandy Method ANC Earbuds

$99.99 $129.99 23% off

Buy Now on skullycandy

---

After watching the video at the release party on April 15, Hawk spoke on a panel with executives from both brands, during which he explained that he’s been a longtime fan of the brand and loves how it has always shown its support of skate culture. After the panel, Hawk spoke with Billboard about the impact music has had on his life and his crazy journey back to health after breaking his femur.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater introduced an entire generation of kids to punk and ska. Do you have favorite songs or bands that were on those first games?

I think one of my proudest accomplishments was getting Dead Kennedys because bands like them — like Circle Jerks and Black Flag — were the soundtrack to my youth and skate skating in my youth.

And so to be able to do a game, and for them to ask me who I want — I wanted what I was listening to. It felt like, you know those bands were beloved in their era, but no one really knew about them, right? So, it wasn’t hard for them to get clearances. But the idea that if you really listen to their lyrics in “Police Truck,” it’s a punk rock song, you know? It’s against authority and the fact we got that on a mainstream platform was amazing.

Surely after the first game, you had to have bands trying so hard to get you to listen to their music.

Still to this day. I just got an email from — I won’t name them — but a pretty big band. The lead singer was like, ‘Hey, man, can we get in the game?’ And I was like, :I can’t believe I have to tell you no, because we’ve already locked it up.” But for the three and four, really, yeah. It’s been happening.

You’re kind of like the biggest agent in the music industry.

It’s all bands that I love and respect, so I’m excited.

Who are you most impressed or excited by in this new generation of skaters?

Well, I’m coming off the heels of this big premiere of Tom Schaar’s video. Tom Schaar is just on a different level of what we do on ramps. He’s kind of unlocked some new secret to going even higher and doing things that are ridiculously impossible, but easily. I would have said that at any point, but the fact I just saw his video drives him home.

I love that you’re so excited about the continuation of the sport. I interviewed Sky Brown soon after she fell, and I know there was all this coverage about you encouraging her to get back out there.

You know, that was an extreme case, but it takes a certain perseverance and willingness to overcome stuff like that, because at some point you are going to get hurt along the way. I don’t think it’s the most dangerous thing, but how you deal with that first injury sets the tone for how you’re going to keep skating.

Speaking of injuries, you just broke your femur. What has been the hardest thing to relearn?

Well, if you want to get into the weeds, the hardest thing to relearn that I still struggle with is my tuck knees, which means the way that I grab my board and that I can kind of tweak my body. I’ll think that I have it [the board] in my hand, and I’m not quite there yet most of the time. That was the hardest.

The hardest thing mentally to overcome was 540s because I broke it doing a 540. So, when I finally got my strength back, and with my wife’s tentative approval, I went and did a 540 again. And I made sure she was watching, because I can’t get hurt with her watching. More like I’m not allowed.

Do you have a favorite accomplishment?

Honestly, it’s doing this at my age. You know, I never imagined I get to be a pro skater into my 40s, and now I still do it in my 50s and like, it’s all just fun. There’s no pressure, and I just get to do it because I love it. Learning new tricks now overcoming challenges has way more meaning.

Who do you play as when you’re playing Pro Skater?

I’m not going to tell you that I play with myself, but I play as my character because I know all my special moves. Inevitably, if you have a game with your name on it, people are going to challenge you and you better actually be able to play your own game. So I play my own skater by default. If I’m not playing my skater, then my son Riley is in the game, so I play as him.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

It’s rare to see two huge consumer tech brands put down their swords and come out with a collaboration, but that’s just what Skullcandy and Bose have done.

The two speaker brands teamed up to release a $99 earbud that offers the incredible sound that Bose is known for, with the color-forward, board sports-infused style created by Skullcandy. The Method 360 ANC earbuds come with Skullcandy’s Pez dispenser-like charging case, and they’re available in five different colorways. To help announce this major industry collab, Skullcandy released a quirky, fun short film that starred none other than skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.

As for the earbuds, they not only punch above their weight class — they punch above the weight classes of much more expensive models. They offer the incredibly powerful, clear sound that Bose is known for, and they even have the loud bass that might come to mind when you think of Skullcandy. The noise-canceling capabilities are amazing, and they also manage to keep the noise from leaking out of your ears. If you typically struggle with fit when it comes to earbuds, they also really knocked it out of the park in this category — they’re comfortable and stay put better than any earbuds I’ve ever worn. With a 40-hour battery life that’s almost unheard of, these are a great option for anyone looking for earbuds that will stick with them through almost any activity.

Skullycandy Method ANC Earbuds

$99.99 $129.99 23% off

Buy Now on skullycandy

---

After watching the video at the release party on April 15, Hawk spoke on a panel with executives from both brands, during which he explained that he’s been a longtime fan of the brand and loves how it has always shown its support of skate culture. After the panel, Hawk spoke with Billboard about the impact music has had on his life and his crazy journey back to health after breaking his femur.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater introduced an entire generation of kids to punk and ska. Do you have favorite songs or bands that were on those first games?

I think one of my proudest accomplishments was getting Dead Kennedys because bands like them — like Circle Jerks and Black Flag — were the soundtrack to my youth and skate skating in my youth.

And so to be able to do a game, and for them to ask me who I want — I wanted what I was listening to. It felt like, you know those bands were beloved in their era, but no one really knew about them, right? So, it wasn’t hard for them to get clearances. But the idea that if you really listen to their lyrics in “Police Truck,” it’s a punk rock song, you know? It’s against authority and the fact we got that on a mainstream platform was amazing.

Surely after the first game, you had to have bands trying so hard to get you to listen to their music.

Still to this day. I just got an email from — I won’t name them — but a pretty big band. The lead singer was like, ‘Hey, man, can we get in the game?’ And I was like, :I can’t believe I have to tell you no, because we’ve already locked it up.” But for the three and four, really, yeah. It’s been happening.

You’re kind of like the biggest agent in the music industry.

It’s all bands that I love and respect, so I’m excited.

Who are you most impressed or excited by in this new generation of skaters?

Well, I’m coming off the heels of this big premiere of Tom Schaar’s video. Tom Schaar is just on a different level of what we do on ramps. He’s kind of unlocked some new secret to going even higher and doing things that are ridiculously impossible, but easily. I would have said that at any point, but the fact I just saw his video drives him home.

I love that you’re so excited about the continuation of the sport. I interviewed Sky Brown soon after she fell, and I know there was all this coverage about you encouraging her to get back out there.

You know, that was an extreme case, but it takes a certain perseverance and willingness to overcome stuff like that, because at some point you are going to get hurt along the way. I don’t think it’s the most dangerous thing, but how you deal with that first injury sets the tone for how you’re going to keep skating.

Speaking of injuries, you just broke your femur. What has been the hardest thing to relearn?

Well, if you want to get into the weeds, the hardest thing to relearn that I still struggle with is my tuck knees, which means the way that I grab my board and that I can kind of tweak my body. I’ll think that I have it [the board] in my hand, and I’m not quite there yet most of the time. That was the hardest.

The hardest thing mentally to overcome was 540s because I broke it doing a 540. So, when I finally got my strength back, and with my wife’s tentative approval, I went and did a 540 again. And I made sure she was watching, because I can’t get hurt with her watching. More like I’m not allowed.

Do you have a favorite accomplishment?

Honestly, it’s doing this at my age. You know, I never imagined I get to be a pro skater into my 40s, and now I still do it in my 50s and like, it’s all just fun. There’s no pressure, and I just get to do it because I love it. Learning new tricks now overcoming challenges has way more meaning.

Who do you play as when you’re playing Pro Skater?

I’m not going to tell you that I play with myself, but I play as my character because I know all my special moves. Inevitably, if you have a game with your name on it, people are going to challenge you and you better actually be able to play your own game. So I play my own skater by default. If I’m not playing my skater, then my son Riley is in the game, so I play as him.

TDE’s Punch claims Kendrick Lamar took out even more harmful disses aimed at Drake on the song “Euphoria.”

In a three-hour conversation with Curtiss King on Thursday (April 17), Top Dog Entertainment’s president spoke on all things TDE, including the high-profile rap battle between Drake and K-Dot. When asked about the rumored 18-minute version of “Euphoria,” Punch noted that the original version of the record was longer than the one that was unleashed on the world.

“I don’t know the length, but it was definitely longer,” Punch said. “It was definitely longer than the version that the world got. There was a lot of stuff that didn’t make it on there. … There was just some things in there that I didn’t think would have been beneficial in the long run to put in there. So I gave him my input on that or whatever and he took some of those things off.”

Earlier in the interview, Punch spoke about K-Dot’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” which renewed the whole beef last March.

“It had been bubbling for a while. We had been pretty close-mouthed about it,” Punch said. “He played the record for Top [Dawg]. I talked to Top and he told me a little bit about the record then I hit Dot like, ‘It’s going down?’ He said, ‘Yeah, we’ll see what’s up …,’ laughing.”

Billboard has reached out to Kendrick’s team for comment.

While the rap battle appears to be on pause for now, Drake has been fighting hard in court to prove that UMG — his and Kendrick’s label — defamed him with the success of K-Dot’s diss track “Not Like Us.” In an amended complaint filed late Wednesday, Drake’s attorneys claimed Kendrick’s Super Bowl Halftime show, watched by 133 million people and “million of children,” “revitalized the public’s attention” to lyrics calling Drake a “certified pedophile,” a diss that the Canadian superstar slams as false and defamatory.

Watch the full interview with Punch below.