Idris Elba’s record label and creative collective 7Wallace has today announced a strategic partnership with Nas’ Mass Appeal Records (March. 5).

Established in 2015, 7Wallace was founded by the actor and DJ to release a number of his own creative projects, and has expanded to release material by artists such as Che Lingo.

In 2025, 7Wallace partnered with Nas’ Mass Appeal to release the first new album in 26 years from British-American rapper Slick Rick. Victory featured a guest spot from British grime legend Giggs as well as production credits for A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip. The campaign also saw the release of Victory (The Film), a 30-minute accompaniment that starred Nas and was shown at Tribeca Film Festival and SXSW. 

The new partnership will see the U.K.’s and US’s respective hip-hop scenes combine and the companies share co-releases and cross-market distribution. Char Grant has also joined 7Wallace as an A&R director.

Mass Appeal Records was first launched in 2014 and has seen recent releases from De La Soul, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep and Nas himself.

Rachel Prager, head of music at 7Wallace, said: “The synergy between 7Wallace and Mass Appeal is clear – we have a shared respect for rap culture, for legacy, and for doing things with integrity – which makes them the right partner as we enter this new era. Every release in this next phase is intentional; we will honour the foundation and longevity created by our UK rap pioneers, while also capturing the raw, grassroots energy of the scene. We’re investing in artists who shape culture.”

Peter Bittenbender, chief executive of Mass Appeal, added: “Working with Idris and the 7Wallace team on Slick Rick’s VICTORY was an amazing experience and a powerful example of what can happen when there’s true creative alignment. The collaboration reflected a shared commitment to honoring hip-hop legacy while presenting it on a global stage. We’re thrilled to extend the partnership and build on that foundation, supporting more music from across the pond and helping to amplify an exceptional slate of talent and creative projects.”

With her new album debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, for her first leader, Megan Moroney is very much still on cloud 9.

The country singer and songwriter brought those good vibes to late-night television on Wednesday night (March 4), when she performed album track “Medicine.”

Moroney stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with a full band, a glittery acoustic guitar and matching pink mic stand, all of it staying true to the aesthetic of her new LP. The Savannah, GA native doing it on a sound stage that was bathed in pink and converted into a drug store bearing the name “Cloud 9 Pharmacy.”

Before she could turn tail, Fallon jumped onto the stage yelling, “I like it a lot. I love. That’s how you do it.”

He’s not the only one who feels that way.

On Monday, March 2, Billboard announced that Cloud 9 had ousted J. Cole’s The Fall-Off for the top spot on the all-genres albums chart. “Not to be cliche but I’m on cloud 9!,” she said at the time. “I have to give credit to my fans, they’re the best in the world,” she continued of the feat. “To have them embrace an album like this is a dream come true. I can’t wait till we’re screaming these songs together on THE CLOUD 9 TOUR!” 

With that chart feat, Moroney is a part of history. As Cloud 9 bowed atop the Billboard 200, Ella Langley‘s “Choosin’ Texas” returned to No. 1 for a second week on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time country women have ruled both charts simultaneously, and just the fifth time two country artists of any gender have doubled up on top.

Cloud 9 is Moroney’s third studio album, after 2023’s Lucky (No. 38 on the Billboard 200) and 2024’s Am I Okay? (No. 9). Moroney will support the collection with a months-long arena tour, which is slated to get going in May with stops in the United States, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom.

Watch her performance on NBC’s The Tonight Show below.

It seems so hard to believe but the Eggplant was eliminated from The Masked Singer on Wednesday night (March 4), and Jack Wagner, the soapie star and former pop artist, was revealed to be the man under the purple helmet.

This week, Fox’s quirky celebrity singing contest took a turn to the dark side with its Ozzfest Night, a celebration of the music of the late British rocker Ozzy Osbourne.

Just days after appearing at the 2026 BRIT Awards to receive Ozzy’s honor for outstanding contribution to British music, the rock legend’s daughter Kelly Osbourne was back on our boxes as guest panelist. It wasn’t Kelly’s first time on The Masked Singer; she appeared as Ladybug way back in 2019’s Season 2.

As the latest episode got underway, contestants Eggplant, Galaxy Girl, High Voltage and Pangolin performed Ozzy’s debut solo single from 1980 “Crazy Train,” a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Eggplant and High Voltage didn’t have the right spark and found themselves in the bottom two. They entered into battle with renditions of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.” High Voltage had the energy on this occasion, and Eggplant was out.

The producers of The Masked Singer must’ve known the Eggplant character would raise eyebrows for anyone familiar with emojis. Wagner took it like a champ. “Well, I love new characters. So this was certainly a challenge to bring life to the Eggplant. It’s just such a thrill,” remarked Wagner, who had stints on General Hospital, Santa Barbara, The Bold and the Beautiful, and Melrose Place.

As a pop artist, Wagner landed four songs on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1980s, including a No. 2 best with 1984’s “All I Need.” The album of the same name is one of his three titles to crack the all-genres Billboard 200 albums tally.

Wagner had a distant connection with Ozzy. He revealed he had worked with Osbourne’s wife, Sharon, for a scene on Bold and the Beautiful. “We did a bed scene,” he said, leaving the comment hanging. “I was a very good boy, but we did share a hug together.”

None of the panelists guessed Wagner was behind the Eggplant, although Ken Jeong was close. He figured the celebrity was another General Hospital alum and former pop star, “Jessie’s Girl” singer Rick Springfield.

With Eggplant sent packing, the remaining competitors in this Season 14 of The Masked Singer are High Voltage, Pangolin, Galaxy Girl, Stingray, Cat Witch, Pugcasso and Crane.

Wagner as Eggplant heads for the exit, following Heidi Montag (Snow Cone), Billy Ray Cyrus (Owl), Teddi Mellencamp (Calla Lily), Claudia Oshry (Queen Corgi), Taraji P. Henson (Scarab), Tone Loc (Handyman), Tiffany Haddish (Le Who Who), Todd and Julie Chrisley (Croissants) and David “Big Papi” Ortiz (Googly Eyes).

Hilltop Hoods will score a prime piece of Adelaide real estate later this year, recognition of their record-smashing feats in Australia.

The City of Adelaide today (March 5) announced Clubhouse Lane, a spot just off Hindley Street in the CBD, would be renamed as Hilltop Hoods Lane, one of the ultimate honors for these homegrown heroes.

The Hoods, comprised of Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris, formed in their teenage years in the Adelaide Hills, and have gone on to shift over 1.1 million albums, 1.9 billion global streams, bag 10 ARIA Awards and six APRA Music Awards, and land the most entries into triple j’s Hottest 100, with 23.  

With 2025’s Fall From The Light, the act landed their seventh No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, for their seventh leader (and sixth straight)  —  the most by an Australian group, placing them ahead of placing them ahead of AC/DC, Powderfinger, Cold Chisel and Silverchair. Also, their 2003 recording “Nosebleed Section,” from The Calling, the first Australian hip-hip album to be certified platinum, is registered with the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.   

“From early gigs at the Worldsend Hotel and Adelaide UniBar to performing for crowds of 50,000 adoring fans across the globe, Hilltop Hoods embody a familiar Adelaide truth — that great talent starts local and can reach audiences worldwide,” reads a statement from the City of Adelaide. “Their impact on Australian music is undeniable.”

Hilltop Hoods become the sixth act to receive a City of Music laneway honor, joining Sia Furler, Cold Chisel, No Fixed Address, Paul Kelly and The Angels.

“We are honored to become a part of Adelaide’s City of Music laneways alongside so many iconic South Australian artists,” comments Suffa in a statement. “We love our city, and this gesture just connects us even further to the place that we call home.”

The Hoods are currently playing arenas around Australia for the Never Coming Home Tour, their biggest jaunt yet.

The unveiling of Hilltop Hoods Lane is slated for an unspecified time later in 2026.

This week, T.I. re-entered the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 with “LET EM KNOW.” On Wednesday (March 4), the self-proclaimed Kang of the South reflected on the song’s success during an In Conversation interview with Billboard.

“It’s surreal, in a way,” says T.I. “It’s humbling that relevance still exists within this art that I’ve been able to present to the world after such a long journey. I just appreciate the fans receiving it.”

“LET EM KNOW” marks T.I.’s 58th entry on the Hot 100 (No. 38 this week) — his first since 2014’s “No Mediocre” — and will appear on his final album Kill The King. Produced by Pharrell, the song finds T.I. in prime form, allowing his bravado and steely delivery to take center stage while Skateboard P’s bristling production radiates nostalgia, transporting listeners back to the mid-2000s. The chemistry between T.I. and Pharrell dates back to their 2006 collaboration “Good Life” and their chart-topper on Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.”

“We both have an unwavering passion for the craft,” he says of his working relationship with Pharrell. “He has an enormous amount of success and things he can be doing, but music calls him. It urges him to create in so many different genres just out of sheer, genuine passion.”

Alongside his final album rollout, T.I. has also found himself in a clash with 50 Cent. The rap duel has dominated headlines, with 50 posting photos of T.I.’s wife Tiny on Instagram. T.I. and his children, Domani and King, responded with diss tracks. While 50 hasn’t replied lyrically, T.I. prefers to respond in the booth rather than online.

“Ultimately, the reason I took to the booth was because it was the most mature, level-headed, peaceful, and organized display of disdain that I could have done,” he explains.

Watch Billboard’s In Conversation with T.I. below, where he also discusses ATL 2, features on Kill The King, and more.