Young Dolph Shooting Suspects Plead Not Guilty in Memphis

Two men charged with fatally shooting rapper Young Dolph in a daytime ambush at a Tennessee cookie shop pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other felony charges Friday (Feb. 11).

Lawyers for Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith entered the pleas in Shelby County Criminal Court in Memphis.

Both were indicted in January in the Nov. 17 killing of Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr. Police have said two men got out of a stolen Mercedes-Benz and fired shots into Makeda’s Homemade Cookies, where Young Dolph was making a purchase. Police released photos taken from surveillance video that captured the shooting.

Prosecutor Paul Hagerman told reporters outside the courtroom Friday that authorities believe they know the motive for the killing, but he would not discuss details. The case could qualify for the death penalty, but no determination has been made regarding that issue, Hagerman said.

“Memphis is already past ready for justice in this case,” Hagerman said.

Both Johnson and Smith have prior felony convictions for violent crimes. Johnson, 23, was traveling on a highway in Indiana on Jan. 11 when he was stopped and arrested on a murder warrant outside of Terre Haute by the U.S. Marshals Service, authorities said. Smith, 32, was arrested in December on an auto-theft warrant involving the vehicle used in Young Dolph’s killing.

Both defendants were being held without bond.

Juni Ganguli, Johnson’s lawyer, said he spoke with his client after the hearing.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever happy when they’re indicted for first-degree murder, so he’s sad and confused,” he said.

Ganguli and Smith’s lawyer, Michael Scholl, are both well known in the Memphis legal world and both have worked on high-profile cases in the past. Both lawyers said it was too early to discuss details of the case.

The next step will be for prosecutors to present evidence to the defense attorneys.

The shooting stunned Memphis and shocked the entertainment world. City officials and community activists pointed to the killing as a symbol of the dangers of gun violence in Memphis, where more than 300 homicides were reported last year.

Known for his depictions of tough street life and his independent approach to the music business, Young Dolph was admired for charitable works in Memphis. He organized Thanksgiving food giveaways, donated thousands of dollars to high schools, and paid rent and covered funeral costs for people in the Castalia Heights neighborhood where he was raised. When he was killed, the 36-year-old rapper was in Memphis to hand out Thanksgiving turkeys and visit a cancer center.

Young Dolph was born in Chicago and moved to Memphis with his parents when he was 2. He released numerous mixtapes, starting with 2008′s “Paper Route Campaign,” and multiple studio albums, including his 2016 debut “King of Memphis.” He also collaborated on other mixtapes and albums with fellow rappers Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, T.I., Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and others.

He had three albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, with 2020′s “Rich Slave” peaking at No. 4.

Judge Lee Coffee set the next hearing in the case for March 24.

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Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran’s Best Friendship Moments

Over the past decade, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran‘s friendship has grown into one of the music industry’s strongest, as the pop duo are constantly collaborating, performing together and generally supporting each other every step of the way.

On the heels of their brand new “Joker and the Queen” remix released on Friday (Feb. 11), we’ve compiled our favorite moments from throughout Swift and Sheeran’s friendship. See them below.

2012: “Everything Has Changed”

Swift and Sheeran first teamed up musically back in 2012 for “Everything Has Changed,” off Swift’s album Red. In the heart-melting music video, the singer-songwriters showcase miniature doppelgängers building an everlasting friendship at a tender age.

2013: Ed Sheeran Is the Clown to Swift’s Ring Leader on Red Tour

Sheeran went on to join Swift on her tour in support of Red, and the duo would take the stage and perform together often. However, during the Nashville tour stop, Sheeran surprised Swift by dressing up as a clown during “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The look on Swift’s face when she finally notices him is hilarious.

2013: Taylor Supports Ed in NYC

Swift returned the favor with a surprise of her own when she joined Sheeran on his tour, hopping onstage with him at Madison Square Garden with an adorable “I [Heart] Ed” shirt to match her collaborator’s “I [Heart] NY” tee. The duo performed “Everything Has Changed” together on acoustic guitars.

2014: Introducing “Sweeran”

Swift shared a sweet selfie posing with Sheeran, both holding up mugs — Ed sipping from a royal mug and Taylor holding a cat mug, of course. Taylor captioned the post, “Ed told me to caption this ‘SWEERAN.’”

And their friendship name was born.

2015: The Iconic Fourth of July Party

Ed Sheeran attended Taylor Swift’s big July 4th celebration in the best possible way — by repping his home country by donning a Revolutionary War-inspired red coat.

“When Ed shows up in a red coat for the 4th of July because he just can’t let it go,” Swift captioned the hilarious U.K. versus U.S party snap. 

Sheeran also sparked a relationship with his now-wife Cherry Seaborn at this exact party. “Well, our anniversary is her 4th of July party,” Sheeran told People last year. “I’ve known Cherry since I was 11. She worked on Wall Street in New York, and I had like six shows [around New York in 2015]. It was around then, and we reconnected. I went on tour again, and then I went to Taylor’s 4th of July party. I was texting [Seaborn], and she was like, ‘I’m in Rhode Island at a 4th of July party,’ and I was like, ‘So am I.’ I kinda said to Taylor, ‘Can I invite one of my old schoolmates?’ The rest is history.”

2016: The Cutest Grammy Photo of All Time

The BFF duo both took home a Grammy in 2016, as Swift’s 1989 won album of the year and Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” was awarded song of the year and best pop solo performance. To celebrate, the two took the sweetest photo together, with Swift’s hands holding Sheeran’s face.

2017: “End Game”

The duo collaborated once again in 2017, on Swift’s Reputation track “End Game,” which also features Future. Sheeran shouted out Cherry and the Fourth of July party in his verse, singing, “I’ve made mistakes, and made some choices that’s hard to deny / After the storm, something was born on the Fourth of July.”

2019: Swift Congratulates Sheeran on No. 6 Collaborations Album

The singer took to her Instagram Story to post a sweet photo of herself doing Sheeran’s makeup. “As you get ready to release this new album full of BOPS and INSTANT CLASSICS,” she wrote, “Just know how proud I am to be your friend and am wishing you the best release week!!”

See the photo here.

2022: “The Joker and the Queen”

After much speculation over a remix of Sheeran’s “The Joker and the Queen” off his latest album =, featuring his old pal, the duo released the track on February 11, 2022.

Swift takes over the second verse on the remix, replacing Sheeran’s original lyrics with the female perspective of the love song. She, too, goes all in on the analogy of love as a card game, singing, “I’ve been played before if you hadn’t guessed/ So I kept my cards close to my foolproof vest/ But you called my bluff and saw through all my tells/ And then you went all in and we left together.”

And as if that wasn’t cute enough, the music video stars Ava Ames and Jack Lewis, who played the kid duo in the “Everything Has Changed” clip.

 

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‘Bel-Air’: How to Watch the ‘Fresh Prince’ Reboot Online

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There’s a new “Fresh Prince” in town. Bel-Air, the highly anticipated Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot executive produced by Will Smith, will debut on Peacock on Sunday (Feb. 13).

Jabari Banks stars as Will in the dramatic reimagining of the original series. Olly Sholotan is Carlton Banks, Coco Jones plays Hillary Banks, Akira Akbar portrays Ashley Banks and Jimmy Akingbola as the Banks family butler, Geoffrey.

Adrian Holmes and Cassandra Freemon play Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv. April Parker Jones plays Will’s mom (Aunt Viv’s sister) Viola “Vy” Smith. Karrueche Tran, Duane Martin, Charlie Hall and Scottie Thompson are also among the cast. Robert Glasper and Terrace Martin scored the music for the show.

Bel-Air is based on a 2019 fan-created dramatic reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air short film by novice filmmaker Morgan Williams. After the clip went viral, Smith reached out to Williams to discuss developing a series. Peacock acquired the show last year.

Like the original, Bel-Air centers around, Will, a West Philadelphia teen whose mother sends him to live with aunt and uncle in the swanky Los Angeles suburb of Bel-Air, Calif.

“As soon as I learned I booked the show, I was in California in two days. After that week, we flew to Philly and we started filming. I’ve been filming ever since,” Banks told The Hollywood Reporter.

Banks, 23, is a native of West Philadelphia like Smith. “I remember hearing stories about how The Fresh Prince would air [in Philly] and everything would shut down,” he recalled to THR. “Everybody just watched the episode and the next day were talking about it.”

Set in present-day, the first episode of Bel Air ends with a cliff-hanger but audiences will get introduced to Will’s life in West Philly before he moves to the West Coast, which wasn’t explored as deeply in the ‘90s sitcom. The show also touches on topics of race and class (someone uses the n-word in episode one, triggering a confrontation and possible realization on Will’s part).

New episodes of Bel-Air will air every Thursday after the initial Super Bowl Sunday premiere. Additionally, to celebrate the launch of the show Peacock created an immersive campaign that includes an official series podcast hosted by DJ Jazzy Jeff and Aida Osman in partnership with iHeartRadio.  The podcast will premiere on Monday (Feb. 14) with new episodes dropping every Friday. In addition to the podcast, the streaming network hosted an immersive, interactive experience at a Beverly Hills mansion decorated to recreate the Banks family mansion for fans and influencers on Thursday (Feb. 10) which featured a performance from Jadakiss.

How to Watch Bel-Air Online

Bel-Air is the latest Peacock Original to land on the platform but you have to be a paying member to watch. Monthly subscriptions start at $4.99 ($49.99 a year) for Peacock Premium, an ad-supported tier. Peacock Premium Plus is $9.99 ($99.99 a year) a month to stream without commercials.

Both Premium and Premium Plus includes full access to thousands of movies and shows and Peacock exclusives such as Marry Me, MacGruber, Vigil, Saved by the Bell, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, Paris in Love and Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. The membership includes channels only on Peacock as well as daily news, sports and pop culture content, kids shows and movies, Spanish-language shows and live sporting events like Super Bowl LVI and the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Not sure if you already have access to Peacock? XFinity customers can get Peacock Premium at no extra charge depending on your cable or internet plan (click here for more information).

Besides fresh content, Peacock has thousands of fan-favorite shows like Yellowstone, Modern Family, Parks & Recreation, Saturday Night Live and The Office. And if you’re still on the fence about Peacock, there’s an option to test it out for free (no credit card required) but you’ll only get access to certain programs, which includes episodes of Below Deck, Charmed, Murder She Wrote, Punky Brewster, Chicago Fire, Dateline NBC, Chicago Med, Temptation Island, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Everybody Hates Chris, Psych, 30 Rock, Monk, Suits and Snapped.

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The Ledger: Hits Are Great, But Labels & Publishers Seek Higher Margins Too

There’s little doubt record labels and publishers will continue to improve revenues in the coming years on the backs of streaming subscriptions, stronger internet advertising and burgeoning sectors like social media and connected fitness. But there’s less certainty about how their margins will grow as industry revenues surge. Investors and analysts are making their best guesses.

During Warner Music Group’s earnings call on Tuesday (Feb 8), RBC Capital Markets analyst Kutgun Maral asked management asked if recent deals “are indicative of a greater focus on M&A” and if they “are accretive or dilutive to margins.” CEO Stephen Cooper said WMG will “be quite assertive” in seeking deals it believes can be “immediately accretive [to margins].” Lou Dickler, senior vp, controller, added that the future revenue mix – less low-margin physical product, more high-margin streaming and other digital, including emerging platforms – should “contribute nicely to margin expansion.”

WMG has been as active as its competitors in closing deals lately. 300 Entertainment (Megan Thee Stallion, Young Thug, Gunna, Fetty Wap, Highly Suspect), purchased in December for $400 million, adds a stellar front-line roster and has the potential to be margin accretive, although it’s not as straightforward as buying relatively risk-free catalog titles. WMG’s acquisition of David Bowie’s publishing catalog — intellectual property without additional infrastructure — should be an instant positive to margins. Its global licensing deal for Bowie’s recorded music catalog should have a small impact: it gives WMG additional market share, not the financial benefits of outright ownership.

The latest earnings report shows margins are headed in the right direction. WMG’s operating margin was 19.8% in its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 31, 2021. That was almost even with the same period in 2020 (20.0%) and a point better than two years earlier (18.8%). The rolling 12-month average gives a better view of the trend. In the last four quarters, WMG’s operating income before depreciation and amortization margins were 17.0%, 16.9%, 16.6% and 14.8%. Those were improvements from 2020, when margins slipped in a pandemic-affected year, and were better than the four quarters before the pandemic (14%, 13.7%, 13.4%, 13.0%).

In the music business, growth always comes from acquisitions of other companies (record labels and publishers), buying intellectual property (songwriting catalogs, recorded masters, name and likeness rights) and signing administration deals (to get the market share when an acquisition isn’t possible). Companies don’t want growth for growth’s sake, however. The goal is to leverage economies of scale to improve margins and become more profitable as the business expands. Then the same company, with roughly the same cost structure, should be able to efficiently handle the additional sales. If not, the company will be working harder only to get a lower rate of return.

The sources of labels’ and publishers’ future revenue will be crucial. Physical sales — which have lower margins than digital — grew 65% in the quarter. Artist services and expanded rights improved nearly 97% after many artists resumed performing live in the fall. Those two categories were only 31% of WMG’s recorded music revenue. Investors want to see growth in digital, where margins are 15% better than physical (according to WMG management in its previous earnings call). Those numbers are trending int he right direction: WMG’s rolling 12-month digital sales growth was 22.0%, 20.9%, 20.0% and 14.7% in the latest four quarters. Streaming growth was better yet: 24.3%, 23.7%, 22.5% and 16.6%.

 

STOCKS
Through Feb. 11, the % change over last five trading days and year to date.

Spotify: -7.2%, -47.8% YTD
Warner Music Group: -8.7%, -11.3% YTD
Reservoir Media: +0.9%, +13.6% YTD
MSG Entertainment: +6.9%, +6.0% YTD
NYSE Composite: -0.2%, -2.9% YTD
Nasdaq: -2.2%, -11.8% YTD

 

The Ledger is a weekly newsletter about the economics of the music business sent to Billboard Pro subscribers. An abbreviated version of the newsletter is published online.

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Tiago PZK, LIT Killah, Nicki Nicole & Maria Becerra’s ‘Entre Nosotros’ Rules Argentina Hot 100 for 12th Week

Tiago PZK, LIT Killah, Nicki Nicole and Maria Becerra are pushing to break a record as their remix of “Entre Nosotros” tops the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart (dated Feb. 5) for a 12th week.

It’s the third-most weeks at the top, along with Maluma and The Weeknd’s “Hawai” and Pedro Capo’s “Calma” with Farruko (both spent 12 weeks at No. 1), since the chart launched in 2018. They stand just behind Karol G and Nicki Minaj’s “Tusa” with 25 weeks atop the ranking, and “Otro Trago,” the all-star collab by Sech, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Anuel AA (13 weeks at No. 1).

Here’s the list of the titles with the most weeks at No. 1 on the Argentina Hot 100 ranking:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist
25, “Tusa,” Karol G & Nicki Minaj
13, “Otro Trago,” Sech, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Anuel AA
12, “Entre Nosotros,” Tiago PZK, LIT Killah, Nicki Nicole & Maria Becerra
12, “Hawai,” Maluma & The Weeknd
12, “Calma,” Pedro Capo X Farruko

TINI and L-Gante’s “Bar” ranks at No. 2 for a fifth consecutive week after its seven-week reign. FMK and Maria Becerra’s “Tranquila” rises 4-3. Bizarrap and Tiago PZK’s “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 48” dips 3-4, while Rauw Alejandro and Chencho Corleone’s “Desesperados” arrives in the list’s top 10 with a 9-5 high. 

Among local acts, Maria Becerra has the most songs on the list, 10, thanks to “Entre Nosotros” (No. 1), “Tranquila” (No. 3), “Los Tragos” with Reik (No. 16), “Antes de Ti” with Rusherking (No. 20), “Miénteme” with Tini (No. 26), “Wow Wow” featuring Becky G (No. 29), “Mal Acostumbrado” with Mau y Ricky (No. 33), “Qué Más Pues?” with J Balvin (No. 40), and “Mi Debilidad” (No. 79). 

Notably, Becerra continues to hold the record for the most entries among female acts with a total of 12 (chart dated Sept. 2, 2021).

Meanwhile, the Greatest Gainer of the week goes to Tainy, Bad Bunny and Julieta Venegas as “Lo Siento BB:/” surges 59-39. 

C.R.O., Duki and FMK’s “Interestelar” earns the Hot Shot ​​Debut (for highest newly charting song of the week) at No. 52. Ruskerking’s “Now” with Tiago PZK arrives at No. 60. Plus, Luis Fonsi and Manuel Turizo’s “Vacaciones” opens at No. 71 and Maluma’s “Cositas de la Usa” starts at No. 77.

Lali secures her ninth entry on the 100-deep tally scores as “Diva” starts at No. 80.

Elsewhere, Sebastián Yatra joins the group of the top 10 acts with the most entries, with a total of 24 total charting titles as “Melancólicos Anónimos” launches at No. 90. 

Here’s a recap of the leaderboard of total chart entries:

47, J Balvin
36, Bad Bunny
33, Anuel AA
32, Ozuna
30, Rauw Alejandro
28, Maluma
26, Farruko
25, Bizarrap
25, Nicky Jam
24, Sebastián Yatra

Finally, DJ Tao and Tirri La Roca add a new entry to their chart account as “DJ Tao Turreo Sessions #8” arrives at No. 94. The chart’s last debut goes to Los Nota Lokos, who score their first chart entry with “Castigo,” with Callejero Fino, at No. 97.

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‘Beauty and the Beast’ Prequel Series Put on Hold at Disney+

Beauty and the Beast’s TV spinoff has hit a speed bump.

Disney+ has put its musical prequel spinoff from its 2017 feature film on hold amid delays with creative elements and scheduling challenges with its cast. Sources close to the streamer say the show will eventually be made though it’s unclear if the cast, including film stars Josh Gad and Luke Evans, will be available when (and if) that comes to pass.

As THR exclusively reported in March 2020, the project was developed as a six-episode series that would feature Gad and Evans reprising their roles as Gaston and LeFou, respectively, in an origin story for the beloved characters. The show was picked up to series with an eight-episode order in June 2021 with Briana Middleton (The Tender Bar) cast as LeFou’s stepsister, Tilly.

Production on the show was set to begin this spring but was pushed to the summer in Europe in a bid to film in beautiful weather. Sources note that some creative elements were not far enough along to accommodate that timeline. Scheduling challenges with the cast also are a factor as some talent had hard outs for other projects beginning in August. With the window of availability shrinking, Disney+ has opted to put the series on hold for the time being. The pandemic, it’s worth noting, has made scheduling a considerable challenge as actors, writers, directors and factors like soundstage and location availability was turned upside down following the industrywide production shutdown in 2020.

Still, Disney decided against postponing the current timeline because of weather constraints in the U.K., as sources note few wanted the cheery musical to be filmed in gloomy weather.

The news comes days after Disney+ announced that British pop star Rita Ora was set to join the cast of the series, which also was to feature Fra Fee and Jelani Alladin. It’s unclear if the current cast will be able to return when and if a new timeline opens up.

Gad, who was set to serve as showrunner alongside Once Upon a Time creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, has a packed schedule with a central voice role in Apple’s animated comedy Central Park and a starring part in Peacock’s Wolf Like Me. Evans, who next appears in the live-action Pinocchio for Disney, has Apple’s Echo 3 lined up, among other projects.

Gad, Kitsis, Horowitz and EGOT-winner Alan Menken were all signed on to exec produce the Beauty and the Beast prequel, with the latter set to compose the soundtrack. Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed, Respect) was attached to direct the pilot. Evans was to be credited as an exec producer. Gad, Kitsis and Horowitz were all involved in writing the scripts. ABC Signature is the studio.

Kitsis and Horowitz remain based at ABC Signature with a sizable overall deal. The Beauty and the Beast prequel stemmed from Kitsis and Horowitz’s time working with Gad on the scrapped Muppets Live Another Day comedy series that was in the works for months at Disney+. The trio created the project, which was to be an eight-episode limited series that took place after the events of Muppets Take Manhattan. Conversations about the untitled Beauty and the Beast prequel began shortly after the trio decided to depart Muppets.

Disney+ has had its fair share of creative stumbles since its launch a couple of years ago, with Muppets as well as fairy tale themed drama Book of Enchantment and the Lizzie McGuire revival all imploding before coming to fruition.

Released in 2017, the live-action Beauty and the Beast feature grossed more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. It was slated to become the latest Disney intellectual property to get the TV series treatment at the streamer, joining a growing slate of Marvel and Star Wars titles as well as Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., High School Musical, National Treasure, The Santa Clause, Willow, Swiss Family Robinson, Percy Jackson, The Sandlot, Turner & Hooch and The Mighty Ducks, among others.

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

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Ed Sheeran’s ‘The Joker and the Queen’ Lyrics vs. Taylor Swift Remix Lyrics: What’s New?

Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift are together again, this time for a remix of his = (Equals) track “The Joker and the Queen” — and this time around, there’s a whole new verse, courtesy of Swift.

Swift takes over the second verse on the remix, replacing Sheeran’s original lyrics with the female perspective of the love song. She, too, goes all in on the analogy of love as a card game, singing, “I’ve been played before if you hadn’t guessed/ So I kept my cards close to my foolproof vest/ But you called my bluff and saw through all my tells/ And then you went all in and we left together.”

Below, find the remix lyrics, including Swift’s brand-new verse, as well as Sheeran’s original lyrics.

“The Joker and the Queen” (featuring Taylor Swift) remix lyrics (new lyrics in bold)

How was I to know?
It’s a crazy thing
I showed you my hand
And you still let me win
And who was I to say
That this was meant to be?
The road that was broken
Brought us together

And I know you could fall for a thousand kings
And hearts that would give you a diamond ring
When I fold, you see the best in me
The joker and the queen

I’ve been played before
If you hadn’t guessed
So I kept my cards close
To my foolproof vest
But you called my bluff
And saw through all my tells
And then you went all in
And we left together

And I know that you think what makes a king
Is gold, a palace and diamond rings
When I fold, you see the best in me
The joker and the queen

And I know you could fall for a thousand kings
And hearts that would give you a diamond ring
When I folded, you saw the best in me
The joker and the queen
The joker and the queen

Written by: Ed Sheeran, Fred Gibson, Johnny McDaid, Samuel Elliot Roman, Taylor Swift

“The Joker and the Queen” original lyrics

How was I to know?
It’s a crazy thing
I showed you my hand
And you still let me win
And who was I to say
That this was meant to be?
The road that was broken
Brought us together

And I know you could fall for a thousand kings
And hearts that would give you a diamond ring
When I fold, you see the best in me
The joker and the queen

I was upside down
From the outside in
You came to the table
And you went all in
With a single word
And a gentle touch
You turned a moment
Into forever

And I know you could fall for a thousand kings
And hearts that could give you a diamond ring
When I fold, you see the best in me
The joker and the queen

And I know you could fall for a thousand kings
And hearts that would give you a diamond ring
When I folded, you saw the best in me
The joker and the queen
The joker and the queen

Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Written by: Ed Sheeran, Fred Gibson, Johnny McDaid, Samuel Elliot Roman

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Janet Jackson Returns to the Charts, Streams Soar 109% After Documentary Series

Janet Jackson’s new documentary series leads to significant gains for the legend’s catalog and the return of some of her best-known classics to Billboard’s sales charts.

The four-part series, titled Janet Jackson., premiered on A&E and Lifetime in a two-night event on Jan. 28 and 29. The documentary, which spans the superstar’s life, from her earliest years through her 2019 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was the channel’s most-watched non-fiction program since Surviving R. Kelly in 2019. The first episode registered 2.8 million people on live TV, and another 1.2 million in the next few days either digitally or on demand, according to Nielsen, with parts two through four drawing 4.3 million, 3.7 million and 3.8 million viewers, respectively.

Attention surrounding the series led listeners to Jackson’s catalog on music services, with activity up across the board. The hitmaker’s songs collectively earned 10.6 million official on-demand U.S. streams in the week ending Feb. 3, according to MRC Data, up 109% from the week ending Jan. 27.

Jackson’s biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit, “That’s The Way Love Goes,” was the leader of the pack, with 778,000 U.S. official on-demand streams (a 59% increase). 2001’s “All for You” came in second, with a 63% weekly increase to 581,000 clicks. Other Jackson classics – 1986’s “Control” (575,000 and up 277%) “Any Time, Any Place” (558,000 for a 39% boost) and “Nasty” (482,000 to rocket 174%) rounded out the top five.

Likewise, “That’s The Way Love Goes” won as Jackson’s top seller for the week, with 1,300 downloads. The sum prompts the track’s No. 5 debut on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart. “All For You” secured second place, with 1,100 downloads and a No. 10 chart entrance. Three more of the superstar’s singles make the 15-position list, with each selling 1,000 copies after rounding: “Rhythm Nation” at No. 11 “Escapade” at No. 13 (1,000) and “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” in the anchor slot.

Flipping to albums, Jackson releases combine for 17,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Feb. 3, up 282%. Of her studio releases, 1989’s Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 proved the champ, with 4,000 equivalent album units.

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Here Are the Lyrics to Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow’s ‘Industry Baby’

When Lil Nas X teamed up with Jack Harlow to release “Industry Baby” in July 2021, the song immediately went viral on TikTok and soon climbed up the charts.

“Industry Baby” soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated Oct. 23, 2021, marking Lil Nas X’s third Hot 100 leader, following his record 19-week No. 1 “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, and “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” while Harlow notched his first.

If you need a guide to follow along with the words of Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow’s TikTok-viral hit, find the lyrics below.

(Daytrip took it to ten, hey)

Baby back, ayy
Couple racks, ayy
Couple Grammys on him
Couple plaques, ayy
That’s a fact, ayy
Throw it back, ayy
Throw it back, ayy

And this one is for the champions
I ain’t lost since I began, yeah
Funny how you said it was the end, yeah
Then I went did it again, yeah

I told you long ago, on the road
I got what they waitin’ for
I don’t run from nothin’, dog
Get your soldiers, tell ’em I ain’t layin’ low
You was never really rootin’ for me anyway
When I’m back up at the top I wanna hear you say
He don’t run from nothin’, dog
Get your soldiers, tell ’em that the break is over

Uh, need to, uh
Need to get this album done
Need a couple number ones
Need a plaque on every song
Need me like one with Nicki now
Tell a rap nigga, “I don’t see ya”, ha
I’m a pop nigga like Bieber, ha
I don’t fuck bitches, I’m queer, ha
But these niggas bitches like Madea
Yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah)
Ayy, oh, let’s do it
I ain’t fall off, I just ain’t release my new shit
I blew up now everybody tryna sue me
You call me Nas, but the hood call me Doobie, yeah

And this one is for the champions
I ain’t lost since I began, yeah
Funny how you said it was the end, yeah
Then I went did it again, yeah

I told you long ago, on the road
I got what they waitin’ for (I got what they waitin’ for)
I don’t run from nothin’, dog
Get your soldiers, tell ’em I ain’t layin’ low
(Bitch, I ain’t runnin’ from no one)
You was never really rootin’ for me anyway (like, ooh-ooh)
When I’m back up at the top I wanna hear you say (like, ooh-ooh)
He don’t run from nothin’, dog
Get your soldiers, tell ’em that the break is over

(Yeah)
My track record so clean
They couldn’t wait to just bash me
I must be gettin’ too flashy
Y’all shouldn’t have let the world gas me (woo)
It’s too late ’cause I’m here to stay
And these girls know that I’m nasty (mm)
I sent her back to her boyfriend
With my handprint on her ass cheek
City talkin’, we takin’ notes
Tell ’em all to keep makin’ posts
Wish he could but he can’t get close
OG so proud of me that he chokin’ up while he makin’ toasts
I’m the type that you can’t control
Said I would then I made it so (so)
I don’t clear up rumors (ayy)
Where’s y’all sense of humor? (Ayy)
I’m done makin’ jokes ’cause they got old like baby boomers
Turn my haters to consumers
I make vets feel like they juniors (juniors)
Say your time is comin’ soon but just like Oklahoma (mm)
Mine is comin’ sooner (mm)
I’m just a late bloomer (mm)
I didn’t peak in high school, I’m still out here gettin’ cuter (woo)
All these social networks and computers
Got these pussies walkin’ ’round like they ain’t losers (losers)

I told you long ago, on the road
I got what they waitin’ for (I got what they waitin’ for)
I don’t run from nothin’, dog
Get your soldiers, tell ’em I ain’t layin’ low
(Bitch, I ain’t runnin’ from no one)
You was never really rootin’ for me anyway (like, ooh-ooh)
When I’m back up at the top I wanna hear you say (like, ooh-ooh)
He don’t run from nothin’, dog
Get your soldiers, tell ’em that the break is over

Yeah
I’m the industry baby, mm
I’m the industry baby
Yeah

Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Written by: David Biral, Jackman Thomas Harlow, Kanye Omari West, Mark Carl Stolinski Williams, Montero Lamar Hill, Denzel Michael-Akil Baptiste, Nicholas David Lee, Rosario Peter IV Lenzo, Raul Ignacio Cubina

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Saweetie & H.E.R. Team Up for Breezy New Single ‘Closer’

Saweetie officially unveiled the next single off her upcoming Pretty Bitch Music album, and brought H.E.R. along with her for the ride.

“Closer,” which dropped on Thursday (Feb. 10) finds H.E.R. musing the loved-up chorus over a sparkling, 70s-inspired track. “I want you, you, you / I love everything you do, do, do,” she sings.

Saweetie then hops in for her flirty verse, “I wanna fall in love for the weekend / Three boyfriends, I don’t know where I’m sleepin’ / We be thuggin’, clubbin’, f—in’ / Order room service when we done that’s the sequence,” she flows.

The rapper told Billboard last year that with Pretty Bitch Music, she hopes people will get to know who she really is and how she feels. “I need people to know who Diamonte is, and not just who Saweetie is.”

“I have feelings and I’m a human being,” she explained. “But people just talk about you like you can’t read, and I think there’s just this misconception that I come from perfect beginnings, and I’m just some perfect individual. But it’s like, no. I have feelings just like everyone else.”

She added, “This is just an album that I think it will just humanize me.”

Saweetie dropped her latest project, Pretty Summer Playlist: Season 1, back in April 2021 and the star has since released a number of singles, including her TikTok viral collaboration, “Best Friend,” featuring Doja Cat.

Listen to Saweetie’s “Closer” featuring H.E.R. below.

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