Last week, many albums and songs experienced a “Grammy bump” — a boost in sales, airplay and/or streaming that fed off exposure from the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2. A week later, (most of) the Grammy bumps have faded, but there’s a new bump worth noting: the Super Bowl bump. It’s working wonders for both Kendrick Lamar and SZA this week, but it’s also trickling down to an unlikely beneficiary.

TOP ALBUMS

Musicians who perform at the Super Bowl halftime show aren’t paid a premium to do so. Instead, the NFL pays performers union scale — a fraction of what a big-name artist would receive for a performance — plus expenses related to traveling and putting on a show. But there are huge financial incentives to performing at the Super Bowl — and for proof, you need only look at this week’s Billboard 200 albums chart. Kendrick Lamar, who headlined the halftime show at the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, has three albums in this week’s top 10: Last fall’s GNX climbs from No. 4 to No. 1, 2017’s DAMN. rises from No. 29 to No. 9 and 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d city soars from No. 27 to No. 10. Below the top 10, there are striking moves for 2015’s To Pimp a Butterfly (No. 167 to No. 54) and 2022’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (No. 185 to No. 75), while Lamar’s Black Panther soundtrack re-enters the Billboard 200 at No. 42.

GNX‘s return to No. 1 was fueled by more than just the Super Bowl. Two days before Lamar’s performance, the rapper finally released the album on vinyl and CD for the first time. Before that, it had only been available via streaming services and as a digital download. That helped more than solidify GNX‘s spot at the top of the charts. But, as suggested by the success of Lamar’s older catalog, he hardly needed the assistance.

Kendrick Lamar is far from the first artist to post three albums in the top 10 simultaneously: In fact, as the Eras Tour coincided with the release of several “Taylor’s Version” editions of old records, Taylor Swift posted five albums in the top 10 simultaneously in late 2023 — and five titles by Prince charted in the top 10 at the same time in the aftermath of the icon’s death in 2016. But as the first hip-hop artist ever to land three top 10 albums in the same week, Lamar has scored some bragging rights to help make his Super Bowl weekend even more worthwhile.

 

”READ FULL ARTICLE: https://www.npr.org/2025/02/19/nx-s1-5300132/kendrick-lamar-superbowl-charts-gnx-not-like-us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jay-Z Sits Front Row As Ja Rule Delivers Emotional Speech At Irv Gotti’s Funeral

RIP Irv Gotti.

Earlier this month, Irv Gotti passed away at the age of 54. The Murder Inc. co-founder’s cause of death has yet to be revealed. Reportedly, however, he suffered a stroke as well as a brain bleed ahead of his passing. His family issued a heartfelt statement about the untimely loss after the unfortunate news broke.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Irving ‘Irv Gotti’ Lorenzo, on February 5, 2025. Surrounded by family and friends, he departed this world, leaving behind a legacy that will forever resonate in the hearts of those who knew him and the countless lives he touched,” it read. “Our dad was an incredible man, a true visionary who transformed the hip-hop industry and changed the game for artists and fans alike. His passion for music and dedication to his craft inspired many, and his contributions will continue to influence future generations.” Gotti’s death has the hip-hop community in mourning, and earlier today, a private funeral service was held for his family and friends.

Ja Rule took the stage to share some kind words about the late music executive, seemingly growing emotional as he spoke. “I just want to say, Irv, I love you,” he said in part. “Everyone in this room loves you. You touched everybody in your own way in this room.” Jay-Z could be seen sitting in the front row, clapping after the moving speech. The funeral took place following the announcement that plans for a public service had been canceled.

“Please be advised that the funeral services for Irving ‘Irv Gotti’ Lorenzo will not take place on Tuesday February 18th. Instead, there will be a private service for family and close friends on Wednesday. Following the private service a public procession will occur. Further details regarding the procession will be provided soon. Thank you,” a statement on Gotti’s official Instagram page reads.

 

”READ FULL ARTICLE: https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/887140-jay-z-ja-rule-irv-gotti-funeral-speech-hip-hop-news

 

 

 

 

 

The Breakfast Club” Debates Whether Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Ruined Drake’s Image

Drake is currently performing on tour in Australia and New Zealand.

Charlamagne That God, DJ Envy, Loren LoRosa, and Jess Hilarious all shared their reactions to the clips appearing online from Drake‘s ongoing tour in Australia and New Zealand during the latest episode of The Breakfast Club. In doing so, they debated whether Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” diss track has changed how they perceive some of his behavior.

The conversation began with Loren LoRosa suggesting the success of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has changed the way fans view Drake. “He’s still a super star. He still has core fans, he’s still gonna hit number one on all those charts,” DJ Envy said, to which Charlamagne added: “He’s still got the labels calling saying what song should be at radio, even through the lawsuit.” From there, the group discussed his antics on his Anita Max Win Tour. “Y’all been having a conversation about Drake that’s been going on since the begining of time,” Charlamagne remarked. “Drake has always charted and he’s always been corny… OG Drake hater over here. Day one.” Check out the full discussion below.

The conversation comes after Drake teamed up with PartyNextDoor for the new collaborative album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. Together, they dropped the project, last Friday. On the biggest song from the tracklist so far, “Gimme a Hug,” Drake references his feud with Lamar, rapping: “They be droppin’ sh*t, but we be droppin’ harder shit (Droppin’ harder sh*t) / F*ck a rap beef, I’m tryna get the party lit / Tryna get the party lit for the b*tches.”

Despite the popularity of the project, Charlamagne wasn’t a fan. On a recent episode of The Breakfast Club, he said: “I’ve never been a fan of Drake singing, I do like Party, but something about what I heard on this project thus far it just feels manufactured. It lacks soul. It’s like AI and B.”

 

”READ FULL ARTICLE: https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/887180-the-breakfast-club-kendrick-lamar-not-like-us-ruined-drakes-image-hip-hop-news

 

 

 

 

 

 

50 CENT TROLLS JOE BUDDEN WITH NUDE AI PICTURES: ‘TRY IT AGAIN PERV’

50 Cent has taken his spat with Joe Budden to a wild new level after the rapper-turned-podcaster claimed that he needed “therapy.”

After initially firing back at Budden’s comments, the G-Unit mogul ramped things up on Tuesday (February 18) by posting several AI pictures of the “Pump It Up” rapper walking the streets in just his underpants.

“Da fvck is you doing over there naked Joe? [thinking face emoji] how you open the damn door if you sleep fool. Nah fvck all that, you try it again perv!” he wrote in one post.

“Joe where the fvck is you going, The Diamond club in the Bronx. You shot da fvck out boy!” he added in a second.

50’s third and final post was captioned: “Joe I’m a ask you this one last time, da fvck wrong wit you Punk! [angry face emoji] you scaring the kids.”

”READ FULL ARTICLE: https://hiphopdx.com/news/50-cent-trolls-joe-budden-nude-ai-pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs moves to dismiss federal charge, arguing statute’s ‘racist origins’

Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs are moving to dismiss one of the charges the embattled music mogul is facing, arguing that the currently incarcerated Combs has been subject to a racist prosecution — which prosecutors have previously denied.

“This case is unprecedented in many ways, but perhaps most notably, and most disturbingly, no White person has ever been the target of a remotely similar prosecution,” Combs’ defense argued in a new motion, filed Tuesday evening.

“Mr. Combs has been singled out because he is a powerful Black man, and he is being prosecuted for conduct that regularly goes unpunished,” the filing continued.

Combs’ attorneys are asking the court to drop Count Three in the superseding indictmentagainst Combs — transportation to engage in prostitution — arguing that there has “never been a similar” prosecution under The Mann Act.

The Mann Act, which was previously called the White-Slave Traffic Act, was passed in 1910 to prohibit the transportation of women for prostitution and human trafficking.

As recently as 2021, Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of Jeffery Epstein, was convicted under the Mann act for transporting minors with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

CNN has reached out to prosecutors at the Southern District of New York for comment.

Attorneys for Combs have previously accused the government of racism. One of Combs’ lawyers, Marc Agnifilo, told TMZ in an interview last year that the case was a “takedown of a successful Black man.”

Prosecutors took issue with Agnifilo’s statements to TMZ, raising concerns in court.

“He baselessly accused the government of engaging in a racist prosecution,” one of the prosecutors told the judge at an October hearing, adding that the accusations posed a “serious risk” for a fair trial.

 

”READ FULL ARTICLE: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/19/entertainment/sean-diddy-combs-motion-dismissal-statute/index.html