Billboard News

“Yesterday, somebody whacked out my mural/That energy’ll make you n—as move to Europe,” were the first bars we heard from Kendrick on the intro track from his latest album GNX right after mariachi singer Deyra Barrera set the table with her beautiful voice in an effort for Lamar to showcase the full range of Southern California’s street culture.

The mural the Compton rapper was referring to was painted on the side of Tam’s Burgers — the burger joint featured in his “Not Like Us” video — and was painted by artist Mike Norice. According to Norice on his Instagram, he recorded a video of the defaced mural and said it happened after a Dodgers game.

However, he also could’ve been talking about another mural painted by artists Sloe Motion and Gustavo Zermeño Jr. earlier this summer on the back of a Honduran restaurant Mi Sabor on Rosecrans in Compton that’s now been defaced multiple times. Sloe Motion reposted a XXL IG post about the mural and commented on the post, writing, “I was one of the artist who painted the mural and the guy who blacked out the Kendrick face literally just made it worse.”

Back in November, they shared an IG Reel featuring security footage of a vandal defacing the mural and referred to the song “wacced out murals” along with a caption that read:

“A couple months ago our Kendrick mural got hit. Of course we were pissed and wanted to fix it but it just kept getting worse. Flash forward to today and Kendrick drops a song about the situation. It doesn’t necessarily make it ok but it does feel good to have our hard work for the community immortalized in a song by one of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you @kendricklamar for making this situation a little better today.” 

The aforementioned Barrera, spoke to Billboard about her involvement in Lamar’s surprise album and talked about being invited by Norice to be featured on an upcoming episode of his YouTube series Art & Soul centered around the mural

“The artist who made that painting spoke to me. His name is Mike Norice,” she told deputy editor of Billboard Español Sigal Ratner-Arias in quotes that didn’t make the interview. “I don’t know if you know a little bit about what happened when he did that painting, that it was scratched, vandalized, from Kendrick’s previous album, and because of that  Kendrick made the song ‘Wacced Out Murals,’ the first song of the album where I appear.”

Adding, “Then the artist invited me to be there. It was something very nice, because somehow we connected and we have that in common. There’s a documentary coming out of the artist who made that painting, so soon it’s going to come out. Very cool to be there, because we both, in some way, have that in common with Kendrick.”

Travis Scott has one final gift for fans this holiday season with the release of his Air Jordan 1 Low “Velvet Brown” this weekend.

Ahead of the dark mocha Cactus Jack kicks hitting retailers, La Flame connected with Dennis Rodman for an Air Jordan x Cactus Jack commercial supporting the “Velvet Brown” release.

Scott and the former enigmatic NBA star’s relationship has come a long way since Rodman called Travis out for “copying” his DR sneakers with the signature backward swoosh Nike logo.

Taking a page out of Willy Wonka, a fan discovers a golden ticket inside their shoe box meaning they’re taking a trip to — not the chocolate factory but the North Pole’s Cactus Jack sneaker factory.

Shot from the fan’s first-person point-of-view, they enter the magical workshop and see the inner-workings of La Flame’s genius creations. They’re greeted by none other than Dennis Rodman, who plays the role of tour guide on the expedition.

Rodman puts the car into overdrive and they slam into Scott’s personal office — startling him while he’s hard at work. “Dammit! Damn Dennis, it’s the third time this week, bruh,” Trav said before greeting the lucky fan. “Oh what’s up? Welcome to the factory.”

A limited number of fans will be lucky enough to find the earthy tones of the Cactus Jack sneakers under their Christmas trees this holiday season. The Air Jordan 1 Low “Velvet Brown” are live on the Cactus Jack website and are set to be available on the Nike SNKRS app and Nike website come Saturday morning (Dec. 21) at 10 a.m. ET for $150.

Watch the clip below.

In a miserable week for stock markets worldwide, Spotify continued to fall from its all-time high, K-pop stocks sank and one of the smallest companies on the Billboard Global Music Index posted a double-digit gain.

LiveOne was the week’s biggest gainer as the music streaming company’s shares rose 19.6% to $1.22 after it announced on Wednesday (Dec. 18) that its partnership with Tesla surpassed 350,000 subscribers. On Friday (Dec. 20), the company also said it has regained compliance with the Nasdaq exchange’s minimum bid price requirement.

Related

HYBE's Weverse Is Pioneering a New Subscription Model for Superfans, But It's Not…

12/20/2024

Only two other music stocks posted gains this week. Sphere Entertainment Co. rose 2.5% to $38.74, bringing its year-to-date gain to 14.0%. Sphere Entertainment shares have lost 12.1% since the company announced its fiscal first-quarter results on Nov. 12. Reservoir Media also improved 2.3% on the week after jumping 4.8% to $9.26 on Friday.

The Billboard Global Music Index (BGMI) fell 3.3% to 2,168.69, lowering its year-to-date gain to 41.4%. Just three of the index’s 20 stocks finished the week in positive territory. After increasing each week from late October to early December, the BGMI lost 4.9% over two consecutive weekly losses. The latest 3.3% weekly decline is only the fourth time in 2024 that the index has dropped more than 3% in a calendar week.

Stocks’ bad week extended beyond music companies. In the United States, the Nasdaq composite dropped 1.8% to 19,572.60 and the S&P 500 declined 2.0% to 5,930.85. In the United Kingdom, the FTSE 100 was down 2.6% to 8,084.61. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index fell 3.6% to 2,404.15. China’s Shanghai Composite Index dipped 0.7% to 3,368.07.

Among other music companies, Live Nation had a modest decline of just 2%, dropping to $133.17 despite more analysts increasing their price targets on the stock this week. Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $150 from $140 and Benchmark increased it to $160 from $144 and maintained its “buy” rating.

Spotify, the index’s most valuable company, fell for the second consecutive week. After closing above $500 on December 4, Spotify shares dropped 8.3% and closed at $460.88 on Friday, down 4.8% for the week. Overall, streaming had more losers than winners this week. Cloud Music fell 7.9% to 116.60 HKD ($14.99), marking the second-largest decline of the week. SPDB International began coverage of Cloud Music this week at a 145 HKD ($18.64) price target and “buy” rating. Elsewhere, Anghami fell 3.7% to $0.79.

Four K-pop stocks declined an average of 5.1% this week, reflecting the ongoing political uncertainty in the South Korean market. SM Entertainment was down 6.3%, JYP Entertainment fell 5.8%, HYBE dropped 4.3% and YG Entertainment sank 3.9%. Year-to-date, the four South Korean companies are down an average of 18.3%, a far deeper deficit than Universal Music Group (down 5.6% YTD) or Warner Music Group (down 12.9% YTD).

iHeartMedia, the week’s biggest loser, dropped 17.5% to $1.89. The radio company’s stock was trading at $1.00 on July 21 and rose to $2.61 on Dec. 6. In the last two weeks, however, its shares have slipped 27.6%.

Southwest T is officially a free man.

Terry Flenory is known in the hip-hop community for founding the organized crime organization Black Mafia Family alongside his brother Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory in 1985 Detroit. He and his brother were sentenced to 30 years in 2008 for running a nationwide crime ring. Terry was released on house arrest to finish off his sentence in 2020 during the pandemic, while his brother was released to a halfway house where he’ll be serving out the remainder of his sentence with a projected release date of Jan. 27, 2026.

Southwest T took to his Instagram with a series of pictures of videos of the official notice of his pardon and his ankle monitor being removed along with the caption:

“Now It’s official! @realbigmeechmom. I understand you were excited, so last week you let the cat out the bag. It’s been a journey, but prayer and unwavering faith beyond mere human comprehension got us to this point. Never once acted in my own ability, nor doing anything to anyone to help myself. So, the gloves are off the gag orders are up and all the naysayers have to suck it up.”

The brothers carved out a deal with 50 Cent a couple years back to produce a show about their life. BMF airs on STARZ and stars Demetrius Flenory Jr. as his father Big Meech and Da’Vinchi as Southwest T. The show just wrapped its third season with a fourth expected to return in 2025.

Big Meech made BMF an influential name within the rap industry when he moved to Atlanta and started a record label in the early 2000s with ties to rappers like Young Jeezy and T.I.

This week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, we have begun unveiling the top 10 of our Greatest Pop Stars of 2024 list — and even though we’re still a few days away from the unveiling of our top two (coming up this Monday, Dec. 3), we’re already well in the thick of artists who were given strong consideration for the top spot.

On our latest episode, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard Pride editor Stephen Daw and staff writer Hannah Dailey to talk about our Nos. 6 through 3 artists, which we unveiled Wednesday and Thursday (Dec. 18-19) this week. We start at No. 6 with Ariana Grande, an all-century pop star whose 2024 got off to a great start, was in danger of being overshadowed by an impossibly packed summer, and now is ending even stronger than it began. We discuss our feelings about Eternal Sunshine and Wicked and debate how long the wait is likely to actually be until we next get new music from her.

Then, at No. 5 (we remember the Year of Charli XCX (25:30), a pop star whose brilliance seemed destined to be underappreciated in her own time, but which everyone seemed to finally realize at once in 2024. We share our memories of the impossible highs of Brat Summer, and what it was about this era of Charli’s — and how it kept expanding and evolving over those months — that made her truly unignorable in the larger pop culture. We also offer takes on what the true greatest artistic achievement of her year was, and play a fun guessing game related to the Brat and It’s Completely Different But Also Still Brat remix album.

After that, at No. 4, it’s Chappell Roan (1:05:30), an absolute supernova of a 2024 pop star, who emerged from cult hero-dom to scorch her way through the mainstream this year. We talk about what it means for pop stardom in general in 2024 that someone once believed to be primarily be a niche artist like Roan could unquestionably become one of the biggest stars in the world, and we marvel at how she was able to dominate the year while only releasing one new song. We also look at what the next year or two could look like for Roan as she acclimates to her insane new life circumstances and (hopefully) prepares for a globe-conquering second album.

Finally, at No. 3 (1:42:30), it’s Taylor Swift, already one of the greatest pop stars of all time. We discuss the cases for whether she’s too high on this list, too low or just right. We also look back at the legacies of her charts-conquering The Tortured Poets Department and her globe-conquering Eras Tour, and wonder what the hell she could possibly do next to try to follow all of it up. (Don’t worry, we have ideas.)

Check it all out above, and be sure to come back on Monday (Dec. 23) as we reveal our brutally difficult decision for the top two Greatest Pop Stars of 2024.

From being a virtually unknown mariachi singer, Deyra Barrera has gone on to headline international news as the surprise Spanish voice that opens Kendrick Lamar‘s GNX album. “Siento aquí tu presencia/ La noche de anoche/ Y nos ponemos a llorar,” she sings soulfully at the beginning of “Wacced Out Murals,” reappearing again in the middle of the song.

Related

How Kendrick Lamar Enlisted Mariachi Singer Deyra Barrera for ‘GNX’: ‘Everything He Makes Is Magic…

11/25/2024

And her sweet, penetrating voice resonates in two more tracks: “Reincarnated,” a tribute to the late Tupac Shakur, and the closing song “Gloria,” with SZA. The LP has been No. 1 on the Top Rap Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and all-genre Billboard 200 charts for last three weeks.

“I didn’t expect it because I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Barrera tells Billboard Español about her appearance on the album after what had already been reported: in late October, she was invited to sing at the Dodger Stadium in tribute to her late friend, the Mexican baseball player Fernando Valenzuela. Lamar — “or his team,” she’s not sure — heard her, and a few days later they contacted her.

Everything happened very quickly, and the interest in the artist has grown in ways previously unimaginable for her, but Deyra Barrera is not a rookie. Originally from Villa Juárez, Sonora, Mexico, the singer — who arrived in Los Angeles at the age of 17 and has spent more than half her life in the U.S. — has been trying to make her way in music for decades on both sides of the border.

“I was first in [the singing competition] La Academia in Mexico City in 2010. And then I was in La Reina de la Canción on Univision,” she shares. “I also returned to La Voz México in Mexico City in 2021, during the pandemic. It was tough. As I tell you, I’ve been knocking on doors for many years.”

“It’s a very difficult career but well, this is what I love to do. Since I live here, I live off music,” she adds, detailing that she has been in various regional Mexican female bands, including Las Adelitas and Mariachi Divas. More than 10 years ago she formed the quartet Corazón de México, which was reduced to the current Trío Corazón, made up with her sister Verónica and Cynthia Reifler Flores. “We work a lot at parties,” Barrera says.

Now that she’s the talk of the town — far beyond Mexican or Latin music — she reflects that what she is experiencing at this moment is owed to her great friend Valenzuela.

“I was always joking with him and telling him, ‘Oh, take me to sing at Dodgers,’ and finally he took me when they retired his number in August 2023,” she explains. “Thanks to that, they called me after [he died] to sing at the tribute along with my friend Julián Torres, who is another ranchera music singer whom I admire very much and who is the one who always sings at the stadium.”

Barrera confessed to Billboard Español that up until now she didn’t follow rap music, and spoke about her newfound appreciation for Lamar and his work, her gratitude for the cultural bridges he has built by inviting her to be part of his project, and her own future plans and prospects.

To start, what did you feel when you hit play and the first thing you heard was your voice on Kendrick Lamar’s album?

I got goosebumps. It was a surprise for me. I didn’t expect it, because I didn’t know what was going to happen. Then I got a call from Rolling Stone magazine, and that’s how I found out.

And you’re not on just one song, you’re on three! What DID you know when you recorded your parts?

I’m not allowed to talk much about it. The only thing, and what everyone already knows, is that I was at a baseball game where they invited me to sing in a tribute to Fernando Valenzuela. He [Lamar] was there, or his team. Then they contacted me. I went and recorded without thinking it was going to be something so big. I didn’t imagine it.

Did you get to meet Kendrick in the studio?

Yes, he came quickly and left. But it was something magical, like a dream.

Have you spoken to him since his album came out?

No.

Have you thought about the possibility that he might take you on his next tour with him?

Well, I have all my prayers. I have it well visualized in my mind; whatever comes next for me, then let it be. I have many years in this music career looking for opportunities, throwing in the towel, picking it up again. So God’s timing is perfect. A moment in my life that I never expected — always wanting to collaborate with artists of my own genre, I never imagined that I would collaborate with the No. 1 American rapper in the world. I mean, rap music! And that it would take me to something so big.

Did you listened to rap music or followed Kendrick Lamar’s career before?

No, I honestly don’t listen to much rap music. Obviously, I knew who he was, he has many hits. And yes, I like the music… but I am 100% Mexican. I’m always listening to mariachi music, regional Mexican music.

Have you heard more of Kendrick’s discography as a result of this collaboration?

Yes, of course. I have looked at everything he has done and wow, he is so great. Everything he does — I understand why, on this new album, he put his genius mark, like putting my voice on three of the songs as an introduction.

Why do you think he did it?

He loves giving those surprises, from what I’ve read. But more than anything to unite cultures, and that is what I appreciate the most. I’m super happy that he loves our music and wants to unite our cultures, our music with his.

Did he tell you anything about Mexican music?

No, I didn’t talk [about that] with him. It was just “Hello, thank you, goodbye.” That was all. But I thank him for that, for uniting us. I never imagined that I would now have so many fans of rap music. I mean, the little bit that I sang, they tell me so many beautiful things, they flatter me. They say, “What a beautiful voice.” It’s wonderful that we have united our cultures.

It’s exciting to see a female regional Mexican music singer being highlighted in this way, as they are a minority in a genre traditionally dominated by men.

Yes, believe me, I have also been so emotional and also in carrying the name of so many women, raising the Mexican flag in representation of so many women of our mariachi music. There is so much talent, so many beautiful voices, and I feel blessed to have been the one chosen to be here at this moment.

What did your Trio Corazón bandmates say when they found out about this?

They couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t say anything until it came out. And wow, they are super proud. Now I have to work hard to make the most of this moment and let people know who Deyra Barrera is.

What doors has this experience opened for you? Have any record labels contacted you?

We’re working on that, yes. But imagine, it’s the Anglo-Saxon people, the American people, everyone is talking! Sometimes I listen to myself in the car and I hear [on the radio] that they are still talking about this. Then I see reaction videos of people who listen to pure rap music and they’re like, “What? What is this?” And yes, I feel that many doors have been opened and that’s why I want to keep working, fighting for my dreams. What life is giving me now, what I always asked God for, he sent it to me like this.

What are you hoping for in 2025?

I want to record.

Do you write your own music?

Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened for me. Although the parts I sang for Kendrick, I wrote them. I’ve already registered to record songs. Why not!

If you had Kendrick Lamar in front of you today, what would you say to him?

Thank you. Thank you for respecting our music. For listening. For inviting me to this new album. And may God bless him and may we unite more. Music is universal. Music can unite so much in everything, it can unite cultures.

Robbie Williams’ “Forbidden Road” was removed from the 2025 Oscar shortlist for best original song on the grounds that it incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for the film in which it appears, Better Man (Paramount Pictures). Williams co-wrote the song with Freddy Wexler and Sacha Skarbek.

Related

Elton John & Brandi Carlile, Lainey Wilson and More Music Stars Shortlisted for 2025 Oscars for…

12/17/2024

The song has already been removed from the list of shortlisted songs that appears on the Oscars site. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will not replace the song on the shortlist. Members of the music branch will choose the five nominees from a shortlist of 14 songs, rather than the customary 15.

Here’s the text of a letter sent to Academy’s music branch members from the branch’s executive committee, explaining the decision:

“Dear Music Branch members,

The shortlisted Original Song achievement, “Forbidden Road,” from the film BETTER MAN, incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for this film.

The Music Branch Executive Committee has met and reviewed materials.  It was determined the achievement does not meet the 97th Awards Rules criteria for eligibility in the Original Song category: An original song consists of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the motion picture. [Rule Eighteen, Section 1-B].

Therefore, the song has been deemed ineligible for award consideration for the 97th Oscars and will be removed from the Academy’s shortlist in the Original Song category.

This is a decision that both honors our rules and protects the special nature of the Original Song and Score categories.

Sincerely,

The Music Branch Executive Committee”

The Oscars run a very tight ship. Eleven years ago, a nominated songwriter, Bruce Broughton, was overzealous in promoting his song, running afoul of Academy regulations. The Academy rescinded the nomination. The explanation of what happened still appears on the Oscar site all these years later: “After the nominations were announced on January 16, 2014, it was determined that Mr. Broughton had taken actions in promoting the song that were inconsistent with the Academy’s campaign regulations. The Board of Governors voted to rescind the nomination on January 29, and only four songs were included on the final ballot.”

“Better Man” was nominated for a Golden Globe for best original song on Dec. 9, and will remain a nominee. A Golden Globes spokesperson said “Under the 82nd Annual Golden Globes eligibility and consideration rules, his song remains eligible.” Here’s the relevant clause from the rules: “Songs which contain words or music from prior songs (i.e., ‘sampling’) may be eligible if the Golden Globe eligibility committee determines that the copied portions of prior songs do not alter the overall originality of the song.”

Better Man will have a limited release opening on Christmas Day. It will go wide on Jan. 10. Williams is portrayed by a computer-generated monkey in this film about his life which was co-written, produced and directed by Michael Gracey.

When he was about 12, Giorgi Gigashvili discovered the Argentine pianist Martha Argerich. A young pianist himself, Gigashvili had recently realized he wanted classical music “to be a part of my life,” and when he came across a YouTube video of Argerich performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, “I fell in love with both the piece and Martha Argerich,” he says.

Argerich became an idol for the aspiring Georgian musician — and, just a few years later, they crossed paths under auspicious circumstances. In 2019, the then-18-year-old Gigashvili won a piano competition in Spain, and he got to meet the head of the jury: Argerich. “That was the moment I truly believed that what I was doing was the right choice,” he says.

Related

Billboard Global Covers: The Number Ones

12/20/2024

Such is the life of one of the global classical music community’s most lauded emerging talents. Now 24, Gigashvili has already amassed a long list of achievements: performing to a sold-out Carnegie Hall in New York, being among the 2023 winners of the world-famous Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Israel, earning the distinction of resident artist at the 2024 Beethovenfest in Germany and much more.

But notably, Gigashvili hasn’t limited himself to the genre where he first made his name. Instead, he’s incorporated pop, electronic and experimental music, because he believes that each musical genre has a unique charm — and that none of them should be underestimated.

Gigashvili’s eclectic taste dates back to his childhood. Long before he was playing to sold-out concert halls and amassing accolades, Gigashvili’s mother and aunt nurtured his love of classical music. “Classical music was always playing in our home, on vinyl or the radio,” he recalls. “The sound of this genre and the works of great composers became part of my memory. We had an old piano at home, and since childhood, I was drawn to touch its keys. I loved its sound.” At age 6, he started taking lessons. “For many children, learning classical music can feel like a stressful process,” he says, “but for me, it was a source of great joy.”

But, concurrently, he was developing an interest in other types of music — and the 2006 musical film Dreamgirls was a major catalyst. An older friend gave him a copy of the film, which he says he watched “several times a day.”

“The music in it was very different from classical music, but it made a huge impression on me,” he says. “This is where the period begins when my love for music and my interest in it were no longer defined by genre. The idea that classical music is isolated and its love excludes the love for other genres is a snobbish approach and has nothing to do with understanding the phenomenon of music. I think it’s wrong to believe that there is no serious genre other than classical music. I don’t divide music into serious and nonserious genres. Every genre, for me, is serious and unique.”

In turn, despite his recognition in the classical world, Gigashvili has ventured into other genres. He’s drawn on pop, electronic and other modern styles in his repeated collaborations with the young Georgian artist Nini Nutsubidze, which have included modern interpretations of Georgian retro songs — nostalgic for older generations and an engaging way to introduce younger audiences to their culture’s musical heritage. Listeners of all ages have gravitated to the recordings.

At Beethovenfest, Gigashvili performed with Nutsubidze, where they delivered a unique amalgam of classical, folk, electronic, pop, hip-hop and Georgian retro music. “The fact that I, as a classical music performer and pianist, am involved in creative, modern experimental projects makes it even more interesting to Western audiences,” he says. “The global audience today is more curious and interested in experimental approaches.”

Gigashvili says that the creative process differs with each genre — but that these differences are what make his work interesting and diverse. “When you play classical music, the opportunities for interpretation are more limited,” he says, explaining that because classical performers “can’t subtract or add notes,” the genre relies on more subtle differences in aspects like technique and emotion. “I enjoy this limitation because it makes me think more about what I can break and where I can push boundaries. When it comes to performing contemporary music and I am at the keyboard, I am completely free. There’s no need to add my personal signature to specific pieces because I am already the author. These two experiences together create Giorgi Gigashvili.”

Meanwhile, as Gigashvili’s platform has grown, he has used it to advance causes beyond music. Gigashvili is one of those artists who stands out for his active civic position. With Georgia’s relationship with the European Union at a crossroad, Gigashvili has spoken out supporting the country’s European future and protesting injustice.

“When I express an opinion on social issues, first and foremost, I am a citizen, not an artist,” he says. “This is my primary status. Even on the day I stop performing, I will still speak up and I will still express my position. Today, when Georgia’s European future is at risk, I believe it is every citizen’s duty to clearly express their civic position. This is especially their responsibility if they have a large audience and the right platform. If someone doesn’t have a correct civic position, for me, their art, including music, loses value.”

As Gigashvili anticipates a busy 2025 — he embarks on a tour of America, Asia and Europe in January, and he’ll soon begin recording his second album, which will feature Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas Nos. 6, 7 and 8 — it is music’s utility as an inspirational tool that continues to motivate him.

“Once, after a concert, an audience member came up to me and said, ‘It seemed like I had forgotten I had emotions, but today, this music made me remember that I am human,’ ” he recalls. “I will never forget this comment. If a performance can make you cry, laugh, feel sad, make you happy or even angry, it means it is real. For me, that is the purpose of music.”