Merry Clipsemas. The Clipse reunited for their first album in 16 years with Let God Sort Em Outarriving on Friday (July 11), and the Thornton brothers put a bow on their immaculate album rollout with a stop at NPR for their Tiny Desk Concert debut.
Draped in all-black threads and backed by a live band, Pusha T and Malice brought the nostalgia, pain and ferocity to Tiny Desk, giving listeners the full spectrum of emotions with a run through the Clipse’s decorated discography spanning three different decades.
King Push and Malice took it back for the day-one Clipsters, kicking off their performance with a thunderous ode to their home state, “Virginia,” which landed on 2002’s Lord Willin’. They jumped to 2006’s Hell Hath No Fury for a pair of standout cuts produced by Pharrell — who also helmed LGSEO — recalling their drug-dealing tales with “Keys Open Doors” and “Momma I’m Sorry.”
The Clipse gave those on hand an early taste of Let God Sort Em Out while running through the hard-hitting “Chains & Whips” sans Kendrick Lamar and the poignant “The Birds Don’t Sing,” which finds the duo grieving the loss of their parents. Pusha recalls his final conversation with his mother while Malice ruminates about the last time he spoke to their father, who passed away just four months apart.
It wouldn’t be a grand finale for Clipse without “Grindin’.” Drummer Daru Jones, who was part of The LOX’s Tiny Desk, perfectly delivered a live remake of the thumping drums heard on the 2002 track, mirroring The Neptunes’ shrewd production from over two decades ago.
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New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Paloma Mami, CÓDiGOS DE MUÑEKA (Sony Music Latin)
Paloma Mami’s CÓDiGOS DE MUÑEKA — the long-awaited follow up to her 2021 debut album Sueños de Dali — drops with precision, offering a polished 11-track set that blends her signature melodic pop with trap and reggaetón. The LP drops with the reggaetón bop “HAKiA,” where the Chilean American star oozes confidence singing about a girl that shines even in darkness. “A doll like that, you just can’t buy,” she sings. She remains consistent sonically and lyrically throughout the album, with back-to-back certified bangers that set Paloma as a bonafide hitmaker. Her collab with Mexican music star DannyLux is a standout, slowing things down for “SiNKRONiZAMOS” where their honey-voiced vocals take centerstage. Other collaborators in tow include Rauw Alejandro (“LA FREAK”) and Pablo Chill-E (“OJO DE HORUS”). — GRISELDA FLORES
Meme Del Real, “Incomprensible” (Docemil Music / Hybe Latin America)
With “Incomprensible,” Meme del Real reimagines bolero, blending its timeless soul with innovative textures that expand its emotional reach. The track, part of his upcoming solo debut album, arrived almost fully formed, born from a feeling Meme struggled to express until music gave it form. “Bolero has been part of my life since I was born,” says Del Real in a press release. “For many, it’s like a traditional dish you can always return to — at home or away. So it didn’t feel strange that this composition came from that place, especially with the emotions that were stuck inside, waiting to become something.” — ISABELA RAYGOZA
LAGOS & Jay Wheeler, “Ni Feliz Ni Triste” (WM México)
Venezuelan duo LAGOS enlisted Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Jay Wheeler for this new heartbreak track about numbing the grief so you don’t feel any emotion. “Neither happy nor sad/ Neither good nor bad/ I’m on autopilot/ I don’t care about anything,” Jay and LAGOS frontman, Luis Jiménez, sing in part of the chorus, driven by a rhythmic drum beat. The song, which blends Wheeler’s more urban sound seamlessly with LAGOS’ signature pop sound, is the focus track on Alta Fidelidad: El Mixtape, an expanded edition of the duo’s critically acclaimed 2024 album Alta Fidelidad, featuring a few new songs, remixes and live versions. – SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Lomiiel & El Alfa, “Más Linda y Más Bella” (Open Shift Distribution)
From working in an urban streetwear store to becoming the Dominican Republic’s breakout star, Lomiiel unleashes his new collaborative effort with El Alfa called “Más Linda y Más Bella” (more pretty and more beautiful). Produced and written by the artist himself (real name: Marco Antonio Santana), the short-but-contagious track is a mid-tempo dembow powered by Lomiiel’s deep vocals and Alfa’s witty verses. Lyrically, the two dembowseros sing about women who become more attractive after a breakup and their exes want to win them back. A female voice is heard throughout the track singing, “It’s going to take some time for me to heal my heart” in English. “Más Linda y Más Bella” is the focus single on Lomiiel’s debut album, Blesss the Album that also includes collaborations with Yailin La Más Viral, Fariana and Nio García, to name a few. — JESSICA ROIZ
Check out more Latin recommendations this week below:
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The song marks the band’s second leader in a row, following the five-week reign of “Mayday” beginning in January.
Both songs sport a two-vocalist setup, as original frontman Adam Gontier rejoined the band, which has featured singer Matt Walst since 2013, last year.
With 19 rulers, Three Days Grace ranks one behind Shinedown for the most No. 1s in the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart’s 44-year history. The group, which formed in Ontario, Canada, in 1992, first led with “Just Like You” in 2004.
Most No. 1s, Mainstream Rock Airplay:
20, Shinedown
19, Three Days Grace
15, Five Finger Death Punch
14, Foo Fighters
14, Metallica
13, Disturbed
13, Godsmack
13, Linkin Park
13, Van Halen
“Apologies” concurrently lifts 27-26 on Alternative Airplay, the band’s highest rank since “The High Road,” which reached No. 24 in 2013. On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, “Apologies” ascends 10-7 with 2.7 million audience impressions, up 2%, in the week ending July 10, according to Luminate.
On the most recently published multimetric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart (dated July 12, reflecting data June 27-July 3), “Apologies” appeared at No. 13, after debuting at its No. 9 best in May. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 710,000 official U.S. streams.
“Apologies” and “Mayday” are the first singles from Alienation, Three Days Grace’s eighth studio album, due Aug. 22. The set’s predecessor, Explosions, debuted and peaked at No. 4 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart in May 2022 and has earned 187,000 equivalent album units to date.
All Billboard charts dated July 19 will update Tuesday, July 15, on Billboard.com.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-07-11 18:11:142025-07-11 18:11:14Three Days Grace Adds 19th Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 With ‘Apologies’
KPop Demon Hunters has become a surprise pop culture phenomenon for several reasons: The Netflix animated musical tells a compelling story of female friendship, centered within the exciting and increasingly omnipresent world of K-pop, weaving in various fantasy elements — and it’s all available to watch over and over on a global streaming behemoth. Yet the key element of that success is the film’s music, full of anthems that help move the film’s story forward, while also standing on their own as replay-worthy K-pop hits.
The songs of KPop Demon Hunters have been able to transcend the film and become crossover hits — the soundtrack currently boasts a whopping seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100 — due in part to its pedigree and sonic diversity. A team of songwriting and production experts molded the soundtrack into a well-balanced collection of K-pop hallmarks, from the heartfelt ballad to the high-octane group single to the chest-thumping rap track.
Meanwhile, the two fictional groups at the heart of KPop Demon Hunters, the virtuous girl group HUNTR/X and their villainous boy band counterpart Saja Boys, provide each track with personality and narrative stakes. Throw in a few extra tracks to round out the project — including a pair of songs from real-life K-pop superstars TWICE — and there’s no wonder why the KPop Demon Hunters music has resonated across platforms and demographics.
While the entire soundtrack is soaring commercially and worth perusing, some of the songs from the film have become clear standouts since its release. Here is Billboard’s ranking of all 12 songs on the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack.
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.
The final day of Amazon Prime Day 2025 is here and bringing with it even more supercharged tech deals. Outside of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there’s no bigger sale event to score the best discounts on headphones, speakers, video games, laptops and other tech-savvy gadgets, so hurry up before these massive deals end tonight.
This year’s Prime Day is slightly different from previous years. Prime Members will have double the amount of time to shop as the House of Bezos extended the sale event from two days to four. Starting today, the pseudo-holiday is already producing pretty juicy deals. We’re talking up to 90% off on microphones, chargers, TV’s and smart home gadgets.
To kick off Prime Day day 4, we’ve compiled a list of amazing last-minute tech deals available on Amazon now from top brands like Apple, Samsung, Amazon Fire TV, Beats and HP. Whether you’re looking for pieces for yourself, or for the tech fiend in your life, stick around because this list is for you. Keep scrolling to shop our ever-growing list of Prime Day tech deals below.
Throughout the remaining of the sale event, we’ll continue to update our guide with the best products, deals, and prices until Prime Day 2025 is over on July 11.
For even more deals, check out our general Prime Day deals story with over 40+ deals hand picked by ShopBillboard.
Looking for an affordable Apple Watch. For under $300, this durable smartwatch comes equipped with GPS for enhanced outdoors and sports tracking, crack-resistant build and is IP6X-certified dust resistant and water resistant for and hiking adventures this summer.
Built for Apple Intelligence, the latest MacBook Air comes equipped with a stunning 13.6-inch liquid retina display, 16GB unified memory, 256GB SSD storage, 12MP center stage camera and touch ID.
The big sister to entry-level Apple Watch, features a rugged titanium case and vibrant orange ocean band. For those live a very active life, the watch includes a fitness tracker, precision GPS, an action button and extra-long battery life.
If you want a device more portable than a laptop, the iPad is a great choice. The Apple tablet features an A16 chip, an 11-inch liquid retina display, 128GB, Wi-Fi 6, 12MP front/12MP back camera, touch ID, and all-day battery life.
Prime Day Headphone Deals
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
Sony’s flagship line of headphones has always had impressive, industry-leading noise-cancellation. For under $200, there’s no better over-the-ear headphone deal better than this.
with Bluetooth, 30-Hour Battery Life, Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, Dynamic Head Tracking – Black Sonos flagship headphones are getting a rare 30% discount
These Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds deliver powerful sound, with a comfortable fit. The design centers around secure-fit ear hooks that lay over the ears, allowing users to listen to music without any discomfort.
Upgrade movie night with this premium Sonos soundbar. Experience vibrant bass, crystal clear audio, and an impressive 3D surround sound with Dolby Atmos for under $400.
The portably Middleton speaker utilizes True Stereophonic, a unique form of multi-directional stereo sound to deliver an immersive experience wherever you roam.
Enhance your next movie night with this powerful soundbar system that features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. When detected, built-in adaptive height speakers automatically rotate up, reflecting sound off the ceiling for a thrilling cinematic experience in the comfort of your own home.
This portable bluetooth speaker pacts powerful sound and deep bass. It’s also IP67 waterproof, has 24 Hours of playtime, a powerbank, and features PartyBoost for multi-speaker pairing.
Crisp sound is now at your fingertips thanks to this Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus. With this sleek and compact soundbar, you can easily enhance your movie and TV-watching experience thanks to features like built-in bass and DTS:X, which delivers multi-dimensional audio for lifelike sound.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation) Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Retailing for $29.59, 41% off of the original price, this speaker features Bluetooth compatibility and 3D HD stereo sound with an enhanced base, thanks to 24W total output power.
Tap into your gaming side with this impressive PC that features an AMD R7-8700F, GeForce RTX 5070, 32GB DDR5, 2TB m.2 NVMe SSD, USB Type-C, VR capabilities and Windows 11
Samsung 27-Inch S39C Series FHD Curved Gaming Monitor
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless Xbox Gaming Headset is a great option that’s compatible with most consoles including Xbox, PS5 and Switch along with PC and Mobile.
Charging Dock Compatible with Nintendo Switch & OLED Model Joycons
A sleek smart alarm clock with Alexa and big vibrant sound with clear vocals and deep bass. Just ask Alexa to play your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks in seconds.
Stop intruders in their tracks with this on sale bundle of 2 motion-activated LED spotlights. Each camera turns on when they detect motion, and sound the built-in security siren with just a few taps.
This super affordable tablet is equipped with a 10.1″ 1080p Full HD display, a 13-hour battery life, 32 or 64 GB of storage and up to 1 TB expandable storage with micro-SD card, all for $70.
MENERESAS’ 3-in-1 Mini Microphone offers crisp audio quality for all your TikTok and streaming needs. The crisp sound quality is thanks to a built-in smart chip that effectively captures sound from all directions while reducing surrounding noise.
Samsung 50-Inch Class QLED 4K The Frame LS03B Series
A HP laptop standing at 15.6 inch display and is equipped with a large and clear 15.6-inch display along with an Intel Processor N100 that allows for a smooth run even after hours of use.
With INIU’s Portable Charger, low battery is a thing of the past. Retailing for $26.97, the portable brick’s main feature is its fast charging that’s 3X faster than regular 1A chargers.
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The 2025 Latin Alternative Music Conference wrapped on Thursday (July 10) with an intimate conversation between Camilo and Billboard’s Leila Cobo.
During the Q&A, the Colombian singer-songwriter shared his trials and errors during his rising music career, performed acoustic versions of a few hits including “Vida de Rico” and “Maldito ChatGPT,” and even opened up about his obsession with Wite-Out. One notable moment was at the end, when emerging act Gera Demara, who was sitting in the audience, courageously asked Camilo if he could perform for him, to which the artist said yes and was blown away by Gera’s vocal and songwriting abilities.
Camilo will close out the LAMC week with a free concert on Saturday (July 12) at the Summer Stage in Central Park. Below, check out some of the artist’s wisest advice from his conversation with Cobo.
On Being Organized: “I have an organizational system that I copied from cinematographer Van Neistat. I carry a piece of paper in my pocket every day, where I write down things about my personal life, my career, my journal, and I make a shopping list. It allows me to avoid interruptions. Everything can wait until tomorrow except what you’re doing now. I write it down, and that way, I can do it with my full attention during the day. I can do it with my cell phone, but it’s the same tool I use to distract myself, instead of organizing myself. I never use this system on my phone.”
On His “Good Enough” Philosophy: “When it comes to writing my songs, I’m systematically opposed to being a perfectionist. For me, perfectionism is a burden, a mask of cowardice. We’re going to perceive excellence and it’s measured in the final product. It’s measured in the totality. I have the philosophy of ‘good enough.’ If I feel the song is good enough, that’s it — we’ll move on to the next one. When your creative brain is burned out, that’s when you start creating, and you ask yourself, ‘Is it good enough?’ Yes, next! Whatever is closest to the first creative seed is almost always the best.”
On Maintaining a Sustainable Career: “My father-in-law, Ricardo Montaner, has been in this industry for 45 years. He says this race is about endurance, not speed. The need for everything to be immediate is exhausting. Every step transforms you, too. This is a race about distance and endurance, not speed. I started in 2007 in Colombia and spent a lot of time trying.”
On Balancing Work & Family: “I travel everywhere with my wife [Evaluna Montaner] and two daughters. I have an incredible partnership with my wife. We believe it’s vitally important to be able to enjoy this career. Being successful is complicated, but having a family while having a career in music is more ambitious. We divide up the tasks, and seeing my wife while she’s a director, singer, artist and mother is complex, ambitious and precious. I’ve had to reorganize my priorities to be a constant, supportive parent every day.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-07-11 17:31:032025-07-11 17:31:03Camilo Shares His Best Pieces of Advice at 2025 LAMC: ‘Perfectionism Is a Burden’
On Friday (July 11), K-pop girl group BLACKPINK released its latest single “JUMP” via longtime label YG Entertainment — but the distribution partner has changed. Since 2018, BLACKPINK’s distribution has been handled by Interscope Records, but the pre-save page for “JUMP” reveals that the group is now aligned with The Orchard.
While The Orchard declined Billboard’s request for comment on the deal, a company spokesperson confirmed that The Orchard does have a new distribution partnership with the K-pop group. Representatives for BLACKPINK did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Related
BLACKPINK Return With High-Energy Anthem ‘JUMP’: Stream It Now
Over the last decade, The Orchard has become a powerhouse in the world of music distribution and artist services — a fast-growing sector of the music business as more artists opt against traditional label deals. Sony Music invested in the company, which was launched in 1997, starting in 2012; by 2015, it bought The Orchard outright. Since then, through competitive signings and the acquisitions of similar companies like RED, AWAL and IODA, The Orchard has become the top distributor in the U.S. It currently holds an 8.9% current market share for 2025 (through May 15), according to Luminate, which is triple the size of its closest competitor.
The Orchard also provides essential services for independent labels, helping them get their music online. This includes Rimas Entertainment (home to Bad Bunny) and Double P Records (co-founded by Peso Pluma). LVRN (Summer Walker, Leon Thomas, 6lack) also joined The Orchard after exiting a prior deal with Interscope Records.
The release of “JUMP” marks BLACKPINK’s first new single following its three-year hiatus. During that time, its members pursued successful solo ventures, only furthering their global fame. JENNIE released her debut solo album, Ruby, earlier this year and previously appeared in The Idol alongside The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp; LISA also released her debut solo album, Alter Ego, in 2025 and appeared in the latest season of White Lotus; ROSÉ found solo hits with songs like “APT.”, which she released with Bruno Mars; and Jisoo hit No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200 with her debut solo single, “Flower,” in 2023 and released her debut solo EP, Amortage, in February.
BLACKPINK recently kicked off a world tour, which will include 31 shows in 16 cities around the globe, including two-night stadium stints in major markets like Los Angeles, New York, Paris and London.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-07-11 17:27:062025-07-11 17:27:06BLACKPINK’s ‘JUMP’ Single Released Through New Distribution Partnership With The Orchard
Queen‘s galvanizing set at Live Aid 40 years ago at Wembley Stadium in London has gone on to become perhaps the best-remembered performance of the day — in no small part thanks to its through-line role in the blockbuster 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.
But making that performance happen was an epic drama in its own right.
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Bob Geldof Looks Back on Live Aid at 40: Pressuring Bands to Perform, Getting a Massage From Bowie…
In the new documentary Live Aid: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World, premiering Sunday (July 13) on CNN and the BBC, British Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith says, “I couldn’t think of a better band to give a kick to the show than having Queen on, not as one of the closing acts but in that low (early evening) period.” But he adds that organizer Bob Geldof “had this thing about not having them on,” which is echoed by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. “Bob came from a post-punk explosion,” Taylor explains, “so he had pretensions of being a bit punk, I think. He probably thought we were slightly sort of dinosaurs.”
Geldof’s response? Yes…and no. “Look, if you want a single reason why punk existed, a single word — Queen, okay?” the Boomtown Rats frontman — who now calls Taylor “seriously, no showbiz, a great friend” — tells Billboard via Zoom. “Spare me all this f–king, ‘Hey, we use the studio as an instrument.’ Oh, f-ck off! These pantomime dames strutting around the place…My generation came around, with that animus of anger and the sincere belief that the world is not immutable and things can change and you can be an instrument in and of that change. The first line you ever hear from (Boomtown Rats in 1977’s ‘Lookin’ After No. 1′) is, ‘The world owes me a living.’ We came with that attitude, and rock ‘n’ roll seemed to no longer be about anything that was realistic. It wasn’t about the economic or social conditions we wanted to change, and (Queen) were emblematic of that with these operatic songs. Now, as I’m in my dotage, I am perhaps able to accept that they’ve written some genius pop songs.”
Despite his feelings at the time, Geldof contends that in planning Live Aid, “it wasn’t that I was against Queen. I didn’t mind. I was saying, ‘Why, Harve, are you so insistent on this?’ And the truth is ’cause he wanted to do their next European tour. So he says, ‘You call them.’ I say, ‘You f–king call them! I don’t know Queen. I have no interest.’” Geldof relented, however, but made his first inquiry to keyboardist Spike Edney, who had worked with the Rats and was then on tour with Queen in Australia and New Zealand.
“He said, ‘They’re not in a good place. We’re all exhausted. The tour didn’t go great. They’re not sure what they’re gonna do…. It may be game over,’” Geldof recalls. Queen’s members have acknowledged that it was indeed a difficult time for the band, which was still being criticized for playing South Africa’s Sun City the previous October, defying a United Nations cultural boycott over apartheid. Plus, inner-band relationships were tense, as frontman Freddie Mercury was preparing to make a solo album.
Edney relayed the message, however, and Queen asked why Geldof didn’t ask directly. “So I spoke to Roger, who wasn’t a big mate then but I knew him, ’cause he used to hang around the punk clubs. He said, ‘Bob, look, we love what you’re doing, but it’s not really us, is it?’ We’re talking about the band that played South Africa before they drank the Kool-Aid and hung with Nelson (Mandela). So (Taylor) said, ‘It’s not really our thing, and we’re tired and Fred…’ I said, ‘I know, he might do a solo album.’ (Taylor) said, ‘You’ll have to talk to him.’ I said, ‘Will you get Fred to call me?’ He said, ‘I’ll try.’ Then (Queen manager) Jim Beach called. I thought, ‘Oh, no.’ Jim’s a lovely English gentleman, but he’s hardcore. And he said, ‘Oh, we love what you’re doing, Bob, but it’s not really our thing, is it? And you know Fred…’ I said, ‘Just ask Fred.’ So a couple of days pass and the phone rings: ‘Bobsy!’ I said, ‘Hi, Freddie’; I didn’t know him well, but I’d been to a party at his place. He said, ‘Oh, darling, we love what you’re doing. It’s fabulous, but it’s not really our thing, is it?’ I said, ‘Well, is it anybody’s thing? It’s just something we can all do,’ and he goes, ‘Oh yes…but I may be making my own record, and….’ At that point I figured if they don’t want to do it, I’d go back to Harvey and say, ‘They didn’t want to do it, Harvey. What can I tell you?’
“For some reason I ended this tepid conversation (with Mercury) and I just said, ‘Well, look, Fred, if ever there was a stage built for you, this it.’ And he said, ‘Well, what do you mean?’ And I said, ‘Well, darling — the world.’ And there was a pause and Freddie said, ‘I think I know where you’re coming from.’ The next minute they show up at Live Aid and are beyond genius.”
There’s no denying that. Situated between Dire Straits and David Bowie, Queen presented a nonstop medley — fashioned during three days of intense rehearsals at the Shaw Theatre in North London — that began with the opening portion of “Bohemian Rhapsody” then moved to “Radio Ga Ga,” with its famous full-audience clap-along and Mercury’s call-and-response ay-ho chant with the crowd. “Hammer to Fall,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” brought things to a rocking close, leaving fans and peers alike open-mouthed and cheering. In his memoir Who I Am, Pete Townshend, whose reunited Who played two acts later, acknowledged that Queen “stole the show.”
“(Geldof) described it to us as a ‘global jukebox,’” Taylor explained subsequently. “So we put together a few bangers, the songs we though everybody would know and love, and put them all together. It felt good. I think it hit the right notes.”
For Geldof, all these years later, any reservations about Queen are well in the rearview mirror. “Amazing, that’s all. Just fantastic,” he says. “You just heard the story of this fantastic outfit, this mad, improbable band doing mad, improbable music…and everybody loved it. And still loves it.”
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Chris Lake kicks back in a sprawling floor of a towering Los Angeles office building used mostly for storage, selecting one of the dozens of office chairs crowding the industrial space with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city’s west side. He kicks his feet up on a packing box and declares himself comfortable.
It’s a rare moment of repose in the run-up to Lake’s album Chemistry, released independently Friday (July 11) through his own longstanding label Black Book Recordings. (While Black Book was previously signed to Astralwerks, that deal expired in early 2024, returning the label to an independent status.)
While it feels incorrect that the album is his first, given that the British producer’s releases go back to 2002, Chemistry is in fact his first solo long player, and it’s an excellent, often exquisite project — one that friends with the musical taste you respect most have texted about in the last few weeks, just to say how good they think it is.
But why is Lake doing it now, or at all?
“I got to a point where I felt like I should challenge myself in a different way,” he says. “Friends had talked to me about making an album, but I’d never felt like I had a style or sound in mind that would be right for 12 or 15 tracks.”
Gradually, however, a vision formed for the Los Angeles-based house producer, whose slinky, cool, often kind of deliciously strange productions have been a through-line of the scene since Lake came to wider prominence in the early 2010s. He had time in his schedule to focus and wanted to test himself by working with a wider collection of collaborators.
To wit, fellow artists like Kelly Lee Owens, Amber Mark and Nathan Nicholson came over to his house to work on music, with Lake and his guest du jour typically spending a few hours talking and drinking coffee before even attempting to make anything. He was nervous that Bonobo might not even like him, but when the guys got in the studio together they not only clicked, but made the album’s closer, “Falling,” which features vocalist Alexis Roberts.
“I don’t fawn for DJ culture… It’s just never been my thing,” says Lake, who is thoughtful, considered and funny, joking around and playing rock paper scissors with the trio of teammates he has in tow today. (He wins every round.) “I’m obsessed with music production and the power of the single and how one song can just make such a difference to people’s lives. There are people who’ve made songs that have had that effect on me, and they’re normally the people I get the most nervous or excited about. Bonobo was definitely one of them. I love his music. I adore it, so working work with him is really fun.”
With the album now out, there’s cause for celebration. Lake will play back-to-back shows at New York’s Brooklyn Storehouse tonight and tomorrow before he jets off across the summer and fall festival circuit, playing events including Shambhala, Deep Tropics, North Coast, Portola, EDC Orlando and a flurry of standalone club shows, including one at Red Rocks alongside Chris Lorenzo, Lake’s partner in their lauded Anti Up project.
Here, Lake talks about Chemistry, what his frequent collaborator Fisher is really like and how the low points of his career lead to these high ones.
You mentioned having a vision for the album? What was it?
I find it difficult to verbalize, but the best way to describe it is like, one of the things that’s really been brought bythe popularity of dance music over the last few years, or the effectiveness of dance music, has been the almost radical simplification of beats and ideas.
It’s great, and it’s powerful. But I personally wanted a course correction. I’m a naturally musical person, and I had a vision of of how I could make things more musical, but still feel substantial and effective in a club. That’s what I wanted to do.
How did you do it?
There are things I wrote earlier on in the two year process where I was like, “Okay, I feel like I’ve got the beats to make this all click now.” The album is pretty much the vision I initially had of what I was setting out to create. It honestly was a really personal thing. It was this personal journey that I’m letting other people hear.
What I’m kind of saying is, I’m not making things to be popular. I’m making them because this is how I want it to sound. When I talk to a lot of musicians, I’m actually surprised by how many of them don’t talk that way. I feel like a lot of people want to be loved and do what needs to be done to be popular and successful.
Do you feel like you were ever that guy, that artist?
No, not really. From the outside, I probably make some really odd decisions. I love working with smaller artists and unknown artists. I’ve done it all my career. A popular thing to do is work with a really big singer; it helps to market your song. I’ve never done it.
With not doing things that would potentially make the popularity of your work exponential, how have you sustained and maintained your position in the scene?
I don’t know. That’s the bit I’m really thankful for, because I definitely think I probably could have taken an easier path. Maybe it’s those decisions that do help me keep my identity.
Over the years you’ve only grown in popularity and respect. Were there times where you felt that slipping away, given that you weren’t making any of the types of decisions you just mentioned?
No, not in the last 10 years. One of the things I’ve talked about quite a lot is that there was a period before that where I got a bit lost, disillusioned. I got disconnected. I started listening to other people’s thoughts about what I should do, and I made some really bad decisions both musically and in my career. I made decisions based on money that I look back on and would never do again.
What era of your career was this in?
It was 10 or 12 years ago, in the EDM boom. I made music that felt odd compared to the rest of the stuff I’d done up to that point. Luckily it was a short period of time. At the time, I felt like it was one of the worst things that happened to me, but I look back on it and it was one of the best. I actually say with pride how much I felt I f–ked up, because it brought this reaction out of me that was one of the best course corrections that could have happened.
How did you course correct?
I had a choice to either abandon my Chris Lake project and start fresh, or work extra hard and make better music that would make people forget some of the things that happened before.
That was the decision I made, and it was an absolute f–king nightmare, but it ended up working. It’s the thing I’m proudest of in my career to date, that I actually stuck to it, dug deep and connected to making my own musical decisions again and made decisions because they were right, not based on money. Money is secondary in everything I do, and it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me, because it’s very easy to make really s–tty decisions based on the Benjamins.
I’m not trying to embarrass you or anybody, but can you give me one thing that happened in your career where you were like, “I hated that.”
It was a culmination of everything. There’s things you can do that feel natural and right, and then things you can do where something feels a bit off. I made a lot of decisions that felt cumulatively off, both musically and in shows.
I remember doing a residency at XS [in Las Vegas] and I’m like, “I’m doing these shows for the wrong reason.” I f–king hated them. What would happen was, there’d always be an artist handler looking after you in the Vegas shows. You’re taken to the club, you play, and then they take you to the elevators and you get on and you’d be left alone. I’d finish these shows, I’d get in the elevator, the doors would close, and I just feel like [makes deflating motion]. I’d just be so sunken and defeated, so I knew there had to be a course correction.
You’re releasing Chemistry independently. Does being an independent artist help you untether yourself from all that?
Massively. These are all my team’s decisions. Everything’s put together by us. It’s kind of like, live or die by the decisions we make, and that feels great. It’s a lot of work, but I’ve got some great people around me.
You and Fisher playing that massive Coachella show in 2023, then shutting down Hollywood Boulevard together for a show together, or when you were on the 2017 HOWSLA house compilation by Skrillex and OWSLA or when you played the first ever campground set at Coachella this year — you’ve always been an artist that kind of busts out with these big moments, and it feels like Chemistry is another one of those.
I like the moments. They’re impactful, and the ones you mentioned feel like they’ve been impactful. HOWSLA as well — I look back on it and realize, “Holy s–t, that really felt like quite an influential thing.”
How so?
Skrillex was essentially co-signing a genre. I noticed at the time that conversations were shifting. It was almost like he brought an awareness to [the house] genre that I don’t think a lot of people necessarily understood was happening at the time. We did that album together, and it made a big splash. I feel like it opened up the genre. I remember the conversations with Spotify, Apple, YouTube and companies like that just shifted. Things got easier. I’m really proud of that.
Here’s a silly question.
Okay, I’ll give you a stupid answer.
Great. What is Fisher like? He never does interviews.
He’s a lunatic.
Is he really, though?
Yeah. No, listen. There’s two sides to Fish. He couldn’t give a f–k about doing interviews, and I love that about him. He’s a fantastic human. For anyone that knows him, it’s no surprise that he’s so successful. He walks into the room, and you absolutely know he’s walked into the room. There’s no subtlety to it. He improves the mood in the room. He lifts people. Everyone loves being around him. He’s unbelievably fun.
And on a personal level, I’m very, very lucky. I’ve got unbelievable friends, and he’s one of my best friends. He’s a great mate. He’s crazy talented, but the effect that he has on a small room personally is completely mirrored through how he controls a massive room of 40,000 people. It’s exactly the same. The person you see up on stage, that’s him.
What do you think he’d say about you?
“He’s a boring c–t.” [Laughs.]We’re nothing alike. We’re so different, but we get on like a house on fire.
What’s your take on the scene at large right now? What I’m hearing from people is that a lot of the music is kind of, I don’t want to say reductive, but a lot of it sounds the same. What’s your take on that?
I try not to be overly highly opinionated publicly. I don’t want to be negative, but I get to listen to a lot of the music that’s released. I said it earlier, there’s some really great beat makers out there, but there’s not many people making anything new and original. Technology and AI have brought something called stem splitting, so you can now take a full mixed song, pipe it into a bit of software, and it’ll strip the vocal from the song, and the guitar, so you can separate things. It’s surprisingly good quality.
But now there’s this whole world and catalog of songs that anyone can sample. For the most part, people are taking a simple beat, putting an unbelievably previously successful vocal over the top, and that’s now a song or an original composition. It’s rewarding, but it’s kind of like McDonald’s, where it’s rewarding at the time, but it’ll leave you feeling like s–t if you have too much. That’s kind of what’s happening in the scene, and it doesn’t leave you feeling healthy. [We need] more f–king nourishing meals. I think there needs to be more people trying to write new, original stuff to feed the scene.
Who are the people making original music and pushing things forward?
That’s a good question. There’s a bunch of them. Skrillex is one. Fred again.., Rüfüs, Chemical Brothers. They’ve been around for f–king donkeys years, but they’re so f–king fresh and successful. Sault. F–k Sault’s amazing, holy s–t. They’re just the first ones that come to mind.
You’re obviously contributing to it too, with the album.
I hope so. We’ll see if people listen to it.
Do you feel like you’ve entered that kind of — I’m going to use this term because it’s the one that’s coming to mind, but I don’t mean old — elder statesman sector of the scene?
Yeah. It’s just a reality. I’ve noticed, especially since the pandemic, this shift in how people talk about me or to me. It’s fine. It’s just the reality of life. I’ve been around for a long time, and there’s a new generation coming in, and f–k, it’s nice that they even listen to me.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-07-11 17:20:572025-07-11 17:20:57How Low Career Points Have Led to Chris Lake’s Shimmering Debut Album: ‘I Actually Say With Pride How Much I Felt I F–ked Up’
Even at 56 years old, RZA remains in supreme shape. The Wu-Tang Clan frontman gave Men’s Health a glimpse into his routine and vegan diet on Friday (July 11), which is fueling him while on the final tour for the legendary Staten Island rap crew.
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“Fitness is everything,” he said. “When you’re on stage and you’re moving an hour, 90 minutes, sometimes two hours, your legs got to be in shape. Your respiratory got to be in shape. Even your arms, you gotta stay in shape.”
RZA continued: “So, I do stretching, I do weights, I do my kung fu. I do everything to make sure that my mind and body is ready so that when I go out to that audience, I could give my best performance. I think my generation of hip-hop, we know that exercise and proper diet is important to be a good performer.”
Gearing up for tour, RZA says he would work out twice a day “so I’m more of a creature of demand.” The rapper-actor has mixed in plenty of other disciplines into his regimen, such as yoga, kung fu and qigong. “But I still bench press, and that’s just to show somebody that I can still bench press 225 pounds,” he quipped.
While on the road, RZA sticks to his strict vegan diet, but keeps it relatively modest as he feels food slows him down these days.
“Avocado toast in the morning. For lunch, I may throw some lentils and some, you know, some fennel, lot of oranges and bananas and fruits and vegetables throughout the day,” he said. “And for dinner, go cauliflower with a little bit of pasta here and there.”
RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan are currently in the stretch run of their final tour, which will hit Madison Square Garden Wednesday (July 16) for what’s sure to be an epic close to the Wu chapter. The trek wraps up with a show in Philly next Friday (July 18).
Catch RZA flexing his acting chops later this summer in Nobody 2, which comes to theaters Aug. 15. For now, watch his workout regimen below.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-07-11 17:12:112025-07-11 17:12:11RZA Reveals Workout Regimen & Diet Keeping Him in Shape at 56: ‘I’m More of a Creature of Demand’