Jaden Talks Inspiration Behind ‘Roses,’ Music With Willow & More | Billboard News

After stepping away from music for three years, Jaden recently released “Roses.” He shares if he will have more music coming out, working with his sister, Willow, and more!

Jaden:
I know you felt that, you know, I feel like that’s it. That’s the answer is in there. You know stay tuned type s–t.

Tetris Kelly:
Hey, what’s up? It’s Tetris with Billboard News hanging out with Jaden Smith. How’s it going, man?

Jaden:
It’s going really good, bro.

Tetris Kelly:
I’m appreciating the vibes that you got going on there, playing the music, setting the tone. What’s going on today?

Jaden:
You know, it’s just a normal day in Sunset City, man.

Tetris Kelly:
Not a normal day for me, man. I like the vibes. So talk to me about why after three years, a break from music, you decided now was the time to make a return. 

Jaden:
Just because I was sad, honestly. And I wanted to share that.

Tetris Kelly:
I mean, I think that’s a great thing as an artist that you were able to, you know, notice that you had some emotions that you wanted to get out. So is it more difficult to kind of process your emotions through music? Or is it easier for you that way?

Jaden:
I think it’s easier. I think it’s a lot easier. You know what I mean? Like, just to say something through music — I think it’s a lot easier than to just straight up saying it, you know.

Tetris Kelly: 
I can definitely understand, but you obviously have a lot of spotlight on you with you and your family. Is it hard for you to be kind of so honest and personal in a song like “Roses” when you’re so used to having the spotlight?

Jaden:
[Singing] That’s really the best answer that I could come up with, for that particular question.

Keep watching for more!

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Halsey Teases Cover of Britney Spears’ ‘Lucky’: ‘These Words Hit Different’

Halsey is paying tribute to the Princess of Pop.

The singer took to Instagram on Monday (July 1) to tease what appears to be a cover or an original song that samples Britney Spears’ 2000 hit, “Lucky,” an ode to the lonelier side of fame. “She’s so lucky, she’s a star/ But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking/ If there’s nothing missing in my life/ Then why do these tears come at night?” Halsey sings the chorus in the teaser clip, adding her own type of pop twist on the track.

“When I was 5, it always felt like Britney was singing directly to me,” Halsey wrote over a clip rocking pink hair and a t-shirt that says “Lucky” across the front. “24 years later, these words hit different. love you forever.”

See it here. Billboard has reached out to Spears’ reps for comment. “Lucky” appeared on Spears’ sophomore album, Oops!… I Did it Again, and peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Last month, Halsey confirmed that their fifth studio album is complete and on the way, after fans noticed that she had unveiled a cryptic new website titled “ForMyLastTrick.com.” The page boasts several illustrated badges, some of them leading to what appear to be clues about the new album. 

Halsey’s new record will follow 2021’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The About-Face Beauty founder dropped a few singles in the three years since, including 2023’s “Die 4 Me” and 2022’s “So Good,” both of which charted on the Billboard Hot 100. 

In September, Halsey teased that their next album would be on the emotional side. “Splitting myself in two everyday so that I can give you my deepest wounds (and a handful of perfect joys) for the 5th time in 10 years,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. 

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Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Bestselling Gloss Bomb Is Now Available in a Limited-Edition Shade: Here’s Where to Buy It

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.

Are you a fan of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty line and lip glosses? The bestselling Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer from Fenty Beauty is now available in a limited-edition shade: Roblox Major Flex. For those looking for a shimmering gloss that provides a radiant shine, this is a must-have addition to your makeup bag. If you have been scrolling on TikTok, you’ll see Fenty Beauty fans trying out the gloss for themselves, raving about this cyberspace-inspired lip glaze.

This Rihanna-approved gloss is the ultimate finishing touch for any makeup look, giving your pout a radiant glow. The brand describes this lip luminizer as a “shimmering multicolored smoky black” gloss. It’s completely cruelty-free and non-sticky, with a peach-vanilla scent that also aims to give you fuller, more luscious lips, according to the brand.

You can find this limited-edition shade on Fentybeauty.com and Sephora. Keep scrolling to learn more about this new lip-gloss staple, co-created by the Fenty team and Rihanna.

Fenty Beauty's Gloss Bomb Is Now Available in a Limited-Edition Shade

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

$21

Buy Now on sephora

With its universal shimmer, this unique gloss is a great choice for all skin types. One Sephora customer said, “Looks great alone and over a variety of colors of lipstick. Love the multicolored sparkles.”

Another Sephora customer shared, “I love this shade! This would look so beautiful at night. My skin tone is neutral. I wasn’t sure how’d this color would look on me, and it looked stunning. This gives me walking under the stars’ vibes and the moon hitting the lipgloss showing off the glitter… Fenty gloss bombs are all I ever wear. I’m happy to add this to my collection.”

The brand recommends wearing the gloss alone or layering it over lipstick. If you want to take it a step further, you can layer it over your favorite lip color to add dimension, according to the brand.

For more product recommendations, check out Rihanna’s Fenty Haircare products, Dior Addict Lip Oil, and Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty Puffy Makeup Bag.

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The 100 Greatest Rap Albums of All Time (100-26): Staff List

Hip-Hop has spoiled us. In the 50 years since a group of kids decided to throw a party in the Bronx, the genre has grown and blossomed in ways Kool Herc couldn’t have imagined. Hip-hop left New York and moved south to Atlanta, Miami, Memphis, and Houston, and west to Chicago and St. Louis. It took up shop out in Los Angeles and The Bay Area and reinvented itself before moving back across the country. And in that time, as it worked its way across this country, we’ve been fortunate to experience a seemingly endless amount of incredible, culture-shifting, delectable, classic albums.

There have been so many amazing albums that it’s damn near impossible to capture them all in one list. You can point to any corner of the map and find 50 albums that could be the best album ever made. As a matter of fact, you’ve probably already had this conversation multiple times at parties or over dinner or in your various group chats. It’s a tough nut to crack. But, it’s a challenge we relish.

So, to round off Black Music Month, we decided to attempt the impossible and rank the 100 greatest rap albums of all time. Yep, of all time — and, yep, from all regions. A few members of our staff huddled to come up with a list of albums we believe represent the best of what the genre has given us over the past 50 years. We had a few criteria when deciding: We only included full-length projects that were commercially released, so no mixtapes or EPs. We took into account the world into which the album was released: Did it break new ground or was it just a different version of a more popular album? We weighed the album’s impact and how it’s endured over time: Did it change the game? Do people still play it? And, of course, since we’re Billboard, we took into account how the albums performed commercially — though ultimately, that was a lesser consideration.

To make this more digestible, we’ve been rolling the list out 25 albums at a time. Now we’ve come to the top 50. Today (July 1), we’ll go through 50 to 26, and next week, we’ll reveal what we here at Billboard believe are the 25 greatest hip-hop albums of all time. As ever, getting to 100 was a massive undertaking. There are albums you love that didn’t make the list. That’s just how it goes, but if there are projects you strongly believe deserved to be on the list, let us know.

Enjoy.

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Jelly Roll Just Extended His ‘Beautifully Broken’ Tour: Here’s How to Get Last-Minute Tickets Online

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.

Jelly Roll just made his fans’ summer as he announced additional dates to his “The Beautifully Broken” tour during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday (June 25). Now, in addition to making an appearance at Toby Keith’s tribute concert, the 39-year-old will be hitting extra cities across the U.S., which means you now have more chances to see one of the biggest country music tours in person.

A total of 15 new dates were added to the forthcoming tour including Oct. 16 and 30 as well as select dates from Nov. 1 to 23.

The official presale for tickets to the new dates happened on Ticketmaster on Thursday (June 27) and Friday (June 28) at 10 a.m. local time. You can also buy tickets to Jelly Roll‘s previously announced dates through the ticket site starting at $39.

get ticketmaster tickets here

If you can’t find the price or desired number of tickets you want, there other cheap ticket options through resale sites, which you can learn more about below.

How to Get Jelly Roll Tickets Online

To help you find the cheapest Jelly Roll tickets online, ShopBillboard put together a list of some of the best resale ticket sites below for you to shop now.

StubHub

StubHub has Jelly Roll tickets from $41 and you can pick the best ones for you using the site’s filters including by price, section in the venue and whether you want estimated fees included in the price. Your purchase will also be backed up by StubHub’s Fan Protect, which you can read up on here.

get stubhub tickets here

Vivid Seats

You can get Jelly Roll ticket online through Vivid Seats starting at $43. Each purchase is covered by the site’s Buyer Guarantee, which you can learn more about here. You can also filter ticketing options by price and spot in the venue. Bonus offer: you can get $20 off orders of $200+ when you use the code BB2024 at checkout.

get vivid seats tickets here

Seat Geek

Seat Geek is another affordable option that has Jelly Roll tickets starting at $59. Each ticket is ranked on a scale of 1-10 based on how good of a deal it is. If a ticket is ranked a one, then it’s considered the worst deal and any tickets given a 10 rating is the best deal. You can also filter options with estimated fees included. Want more savings? First purchases are eligible for $10 off orders of $250+ when you use the code BILLBOARD10 at checkout.

get seat geek tickets here

Gametime

Gametime is perfect for last-minute Jelly Roll tickets as the site prides itself on providing the cheapest tickets on the market. You can find tickets for as low as $42 and if buy tickets and find another website that offers them cheaper, then you can show the proof to Gametime and they’ll give you 110% of the difference back through their Gametime Guarantee. Get even more savings with $20 off purchases of $150+ when you enter the code SAVE20 at checkout.

get gametime tickets here

Jelly Roll The Beautifully Broken Tour Dates:

Check below to see Jelly Roll’s upcoming performance dates or click here to see the most up to date schedule.

  • July 8: Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario
  • July 9: Ottawa Bluesfest in Ottawa, Ontario
  • July 11-12: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
  • July 19-21: Faster Horses Festival in Brooklyn, Mich.
  • July 19-21: Rock the South Festival in Cullman, Ala.
  • July 20: Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisc.
  • July 21: Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyo.
  • July 23: Paso Robles Event Center in Paso Robles, Calif.
  • July 25-28: Harley Davidson Homecoming Festival in Milwaukee, Wis.
  • July 25: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
  • July 27: Tailgate N’ Tallboys Michigan in Midland, Mich.
  • Aug. 1-3: WE Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minn.
  • Aug. 6: Sturgis Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, S.D.
  • Aug. 8: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
  • Aug. 21: Bash on the Bay in Put-in-Bay, Ohio
  • Aug. 27: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Aug. 28: Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho
  • Aug. 30: Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash.
  • Aug. 31: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash.
  • Sept. 1: Moda Center in Portland, Ore.
  • Sept 3: SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
  • Sept 4: Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif.
  • Sept. 6: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
  • Sept. 7: Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
  • Sept. 9: Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas
  • Sept. 11: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas
  • Sept. 13: CAJUNDOME in Lafayette, La.
  • Sept. 14: Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La.
  • Sept. 17: Kia Center in Orlando, Fla.
  • Sept. 19: North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, S.C.
  • Sept. 20: PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C.
  • Sept. 21: Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
  • Sept. 24: MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y.
  • Sept. 26: TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
  • Sept. 27: Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y.
  • Sept. 28: UBS Arena in Belmont, N.Y.
  • Sept. 29: Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
  • Oct. 1: Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa.
  • Oct. 2: Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Oct. 4: Ocean City Inlet in Ocean City, Md.
  • Oct. 5: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.
  • Oct. 6: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
  • Oct. 9: Nationwide Arena in Colombus, Ohio
  • Oct. 11: United Center in Chicago, Ill.
  • Oct. 12: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
  • Oct. 15: INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan.
  • Oct. 16: Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Mo.
  • Oct. 18: BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
  • Oct. 20: Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, La.
  • Oct. 22: Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark.
  • Oct. 23: Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.
  • Oct. 25: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn.
  • Oct. 26: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga.
  • Oct. 27: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
  • Oct. 30: John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.
  • Nov. 1: Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, W.Va.
  • Nov. 4: Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Nov. 7: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
  • Nov. 8: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
  • Nov. 10: Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
  • Nov. 12: CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha, Neb.
  • Nov. 13: T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
  • Nov. 14: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
  • Nov. 15: WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla.
  • Nov. 17: Toyota Center in Houston, Texas
  • Nov. 18: American Bank Center Selena Auditorium in Corpus Christi, Texas
  • Nov. 19: Moody Center in Austin, Texas
  • Nov. 22: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
  • Nov. 23: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
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Get Up to 50% Off During Crocs’ Fourth of July Sale, With Sandals Starting at $20

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.

When it comes to comfortable sandals and footwear, Crocs has developed a reputation for crafting foam-filled shoes that have captivated the Internet as well as celebrities. Besides making surprising red carpet appearances (including on Teyana Taylor during the 2023 Revolve festival), the so-called ugly footwear brand has created viral collaborations including with musicians such as SZA, Lil Nas X, Post Malone, Justin Bieber and Luke Combs, to name a few. To celebrate the Fourth of July, Crocs is helping you update your summer sandals with an up to 50% off sale.

For a limited time, you can find steals on Crocs for as low as $20 — and that includes some of the brand’s latest collaborations, such as with Pringles and the WNBA. Reviewers can’t stop gushing over the supportive footwear, as each shoe is crafted with a waterproof and breathable material that’ll swaddle your feet in comfort while keeping them cool and dry during hot temps.

The deals will automatically be applied to your cart, too — no promo code required. And, if you want to decorate your Crocs with some new charms, the sale also includes up to half off on Jibbitz.

Keep reading to shop the Crocs Fourth of July sale below.

What Are the Best Crocs Deals?

To help you score the best discounts, ShopBillboard rounded up steals on Crocs below that’ll refresh your summer footwear for less.

light purple crocs flip flops

Croc’s Kadee Flip II (Women’s)

$19.99 $24.99 20% off

Buy Now on crocs

These Kadee Flip II sandals are available in women’s sizing and bring a pop of purple to your feet whether you’re headed to the beach or running errands. The shoes feature a flip-flop design for an easy throw-on-and-go piece of footwear. On the bottom is a ridged sole that’ll help provide some grip and stability.

camo luke combs classic crocs clogs

Luke Combs x Crocs Classic Clogs

$28 $70 60% off

Buy Now on crocs

Fans of the “Forever After All” singer can carry him with them in the form of his official Crocs collaboration. Decorated with a camo pattern, the shoes come in the Classic Clog style and include exclusive Jibbitz inspired by the country singer that fans can wear to his concerts or just out and about.

white crocs siren clogs

Crocs Siren Clog

$37.50 $74.99 50% off

Buy Now on crocs

Say goodbye to wearing traditional platform heels after you slide on a pair of these Siren Clogs. The shoes come with a chunky platform style and the traditional Crocs upper you can decorate with Jibbitz while the soft foam EVA material supports your feet.

white, red and purple crocs mega crush sandals

Crocs Mega Crush Sandal

$39.99 $69.99 43% off

Buy Now on crocs

Mega Crush Sandals have taken the internet by storm for giving off a more trendy sandal look, but with the famous Crocs foam cushion that’ll allow you to wear the footwear for long periods of time. These come with a chunky platform in addition to a ridged sole for added grip and stability.

red and orange pringles crocs

Pringles x Crocs Classic Clog

$42 $70 40% off

Buy Now on crocs

Show off your favorite snack outside of your cupboards with these bold Pringles Crocs. You can choose between two colorway options with each one exuding the brand’s famous mustached logo in addition to exclusive Jibbitz inspired by the crispy chips.

orange crocs WNBA echo clogs

WNBA Echo Clog

$62.99 $89.99 30% off

Buy Now on crocs

Whether you’re a Caitlin Clark fan or love watching all the WNBA games, these Echo Crocs will allow you to bring your love for the sport to your wardrobe. The design comes with an ombré orange and yellow shading with the sport’s logo and an adjustable heel strap.

tan baya crocs clogs

Crocs Baya Clogs

$34.99 $49.99 30% off

Buy Now on crocs

Unlike the traditional Crocs clogs, the Baya version comes upgraded ventilation to help remove excess water and debris. The back strap is also movable to turn it from a clog to a slide while the Croslite material helps ensure the shoes remain lightweight and cushiony.

white and gray cozzzy crocs sandals

Crocs Classic Cozzzy Sandal

$29.99 $54.99 45% off

Buy Now on crocs

Slip your feet into comfy bliss with these Crocs Cozzzy Sandals. The simple construction comes with a foam outer that’s waterproof and easy to clean (just wipe with a damp cloth) while the inner has a fluffy material that’ll keep your feet warm and comfortable with each wear.

green crocs platform crush sandals

Crocs Crush Sandals

$37.49 $49.99 25% off

Buy Now on crocs

Exuding summer vibes are these Crush Sandals that come in a grassy green shade. The pair come with a double strap upper and platform sole that’ll help elevate your looks both in style and height. The brand also recommends sizing down with these sandals as they run big.

black crocs dylan clogs

Crocs Dylan Clogs

$27.50 $54.99 50% off

Buy Now on crocs

The Dylan Clogs take a more sleek approach compared to the Classic clogs. Rather than show off an upper with holes to decorate with Jibbitz, this style provides a smooth appearance with a crackled texture inspired by leather. When you slip the clogs on, you’ll still get the support and cushion of the brand’s famous foam material — and for 50% off.

Is It Better to Size Up or Down for Crocs?

Your Crocs size will depend on the style you’re looking at. Some Crocs, like the Crush Sandal, run bigger and you’ll want to size down for a snugger fit. The website does state what designs run larger, so you should likely size normally unless specified otherwise.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best platform sandals, jelly shoes and platform boots.

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Watch SZA & Simone Biles Have a Handstand Contest in Olympics Promo Clip

The Olympics are just around the corner, and SZA is ready for Simone Biles to return to the gymnastics mat.

In a new promotional video shared by NBC on Monday (July 1), the “Saturn” singer meets the four-time gold medalist, as the two sweetly fangirl over each other. When Biles mentions that SZA used to be a gymnast herself, the Grammy winner replied, “I was nowhere as cool as you. I’ve never seen anything like you. No one has.”

SZA and Biles then take part in a handstand contest, and the “Good Days” singer won by a few seconds.

The Paris Summer Olympics begin on July 26, and earlier this year, it was announced that Snoop Dogg will be joining NBC’s team to report on the games this summer, and will be onsite to deliver “regular reports” on the Olympic Primetime Show.

“I grew up watching the Olympics and am thrilled to see the incredible athletes bring their A-game to Paris. It’s a celebration of skill, dedication, and the pursuit of greatness,” Snoop said in a statement at the time of the announcement. “We’re going to have some amazing competitions and, of course, I will be bringing that Snoop style to the mix. It’s going to be the most epic Olympics ever, so stay tuned, and keep it locked. Let’s elevate, celebrate, and make these games unforgettable, smoke the competition, and may the best shine like gold. Peace and Olympic LOVE, ya dig?”

The Paris Games are set to take place July 26 through Aug. 11. NBC and its streaming service, Peacock, will be providing coverage of the Olympics.

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35 Top America Songs for July 4th

It is impossible to live in any of the 50 states in the U.S.A. and not know about schoolhouse classics like “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “This Land Is Your Land,” but those famous odes aren’t the only way to give a musical shout-out to America. Far from it — songs about America have been gracing the Billboard Hot 100 since it began in 1958.

In fact, since the country’s inception in 1776, artists have been tackling the complexities of living life under the stars and stripes with songs that both trumpet and deconstruct the concept of the American dream. Just as there’s a lot to be said in the country’s favor – the diverse cities, beautiful scenery, advancements in technology, culture and of course, music – there’s also a lot to be improved upon, as several of these musicians point out. Political divides, prejudice and poverty are unfortunately ever-present in the land of the free and the home of the brave, but hey, at least we’re free to talk – or sing – about what we need to do to fix it.

No matter your stance on the current state of things, there’s no shame in being proud of where you come from while simultaneously seeking change. Even that, in itself, is a deeply American value that we can all celebrate this July 4th.

So, in honor of the U.S.’s birthday, Billboard has hand-selected 30 songs talking about this big, great, complicated country of ours in their own special ways — from the critical (Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.”) to the full-on celebratory (Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A.”).

Find your next July 4th anthem below.

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Soleil Moon Frye Honors Ex-Boyfriend Shifty Shellshock: ‘No Words Could Ever Express the Love We Shared’

Soleil Moon Fyre is honoring Shifty Shellshock following the Crazy Town singer’s death.

In a heartfelt post on Instagram Sunday (June 30), the Punky Brewster alum shared some of her favorite memories with her late ex-boyfriend, who died at age 49 six days prior. “My heart is whispering a million I love you’s for the way you loved my children and I so unconditionally,” she wrote, captioning a carousel of photos featuring her and Shellshock.

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“I can still see your smiling sweet face in middle school when you kissed me in your tunnel of love and the way you swept me away again as we grew up to show me what that timeless kind of love feels like,” the actress continued. “No words could ever express the love we shared or how we are feeling right now. It is a language all its own.”

According to Entertainment Tonight, the pair reportedly started dating in late 2021 before breaking up at some point before November 2022. Moon Frye was previously married to Jason Goldberg, with whom she shares four kids. Shellshock is survived by his three children: Halo, Gage and Phoenix.

“For now I will use every bit of strength you showed me to hold on to those words you asked me in your beautiful morning [gravelly] voice on the beach while covering me with kisses,” Frye added in her post. “I love you forever and always. Your Moonfire xx”

Shellshock’s cause of death is believed to have been an accidental overdose, the band’s manager Howie Hubberman said; the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner is still awaiting the toxicology report. The late star had been about his struggles with substance abuse and appeared on Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew in 2008 as well as Sober House from 2009 to 2010.

“The cause of death was a combination of prescription drugs and street purchased drugs,” Hubberman told People. “Shifty was a friend and really wanted to get himself fixed — unfortunately no one had the exact tools to do this, myself included.”

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Too Short Has to Give the W to Kendrick Lamar in Drake Beef: ‘I Think He Held His Own Pretty Good’

Too Short has been in the game long enough to see pretty much every modern rap beef come and go. But when Billboard caught up with the West Coast legend on the red carpet at Sunday night’s (June 30) 2024 BET Awards, the “Blow the Whistle” MC went with the home team when declaring a winner in the recent heated Kendrick Lamar and Drake diss battle.

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“I like the way a lot of people stood up and rode with the homie [Lamar] in this one because it seemed like he was supposed to be the underdog,” Short said of fellow West Coast native K-Dot. “I think he held his own pretty good. I think that in this situation… none of us would dispute that this battle was amongst two really good artists.”

And now, with the dust settled and the barrage of songs living out there forever to chronicle the lyrical combat, Short said the culture was still left with “two great artists” vital to the genre. That said, Short is more than ready to retire “gangsta Drake,” but stressed that “R&B Drake” and “Drake for the ladies” should never, ever be put out to pasture.

Wearing a blue t-shirt that read “Cultural Icon,” Short then recalled the first time he heard Drake back in 2007-2008, when the “most beautiful woman in the world” told him that if he wanted to hang out with her he had to spin Drizzy. Though he’d never heard of Drake at the time, Short said he kept hearing the Canadian MC’s music, which made him ask, “who is that? That’s kind of dope!” Short said he then really became a fan once a string of women recommended he check out the Comeback Season mixtape rapper’s work.

“The ladies are good judges of what good music is, they dictate a lot of stuff in the industry, so I say kudos to Drake cuz I wouldn’t have never knew about your music if it wasn’t for the baddest of the baddies,” Short said.

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