Ticketmaster is entering one of the most consequential chapters in its history — and it’s doing so under new leadership.

Effective Nov. 1, Saumil Mehta will assume the role of global president at Ticketmaster, reporting directly to Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino.

The move marks a generational leadership shift at the global ticketing powerhouse which has spent the past year navigating mounting legal challenges from the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.

Mehta, a longtime product innovator and former chief product officer and head of business org at Square, succeeds Mark Yovich, who has led Ticketmaster since 2020 and now moves into a new role as chairman, focused on the company’s long-term strategy and global growth. The hire is the latest example of Rapino’s effort to triage the company’s legal problems so that leadership can focus on big-picture technology goals and building promoter and consumer tools around AI technological advances.

“Ticketmaster is an incredible business that serves as the world’s portal to the best live entertainment,” Mehta said in a statement. “The real opportunity lies in how we evolve the experience — building smarter and more intuitive ways for fans to connect with the live experiences that matter so much to them.”

Mehta’s appointment reflects a strategic shift toward technology leadership at a time when the company’s systems — both digital and structural — are under a microscope.

Before joining Ticketmaster, Mehta spent nine years at Square, helping build and scale products used by millions of small businesses worldwide. He also founded the marketing automation startup LocBox, which was acquired by Square in 2015. Over the past six months, Mehta has served as an advisor and investor in several AI startups — experience he now plans to bring directly into Ticketmaster’s next phase.

Under his leadership, the company plans to accelerate its AI transformation, with applications ranging from venue management and fraud detection to customer personalization, with an aim to reinvent how fans discover, purchase and experience live events.

“Saumil brings a fresh perspective and deep product and technology expertise that will help us build on that momentum,” Rapino said.

Yovich, who replaced longtime CEO Jared Smith in 2020 and steered Ticketmaster through the pandemic’s aftermath and global expansion into new markets, will continue to play a key role as chairman, focusing on international growth and innovation.

The leadership change comes as Ticketmaster faces the most aggressive regulatory scrutiny in its five-decade history. In May 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice, joined by 30 state attorneys general, filed a landmark antitrust lawsuit accusing Live Nation Entertainment — Ticketmaster’s parent company — of monopolizing the live concert and ticketing industry.

Live Nation has denied the allegations, calling them “baseless,” but legal experts agree that the DOJ’s request for structural relief — including the potential breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster — represents the most serious challenge to the company’s business model since their 2010 merger.

The case is expected to enter discovery later this year and could stretch well into 2026.

Adding to the pressure, the Federal Trade Commission filed a separate suit in September 2025, accusing Ticketmaster and Live Nation of deceptive business practices and violations of the BOTS Act.

According to the FTC, the company misled consumers through “bait-and-switch” pricing and failed to enforce purchase limits on professional resellers that allegedly boosted profits while inflating prices for fans.

The FTC is seeking billions in civil penalties, along with injunctive relief that could force the company to revamp its fee structures and broker relationships.

If that weren’t enough, Ticketmaster recently suffered a major legal defeat in the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear the company’s appeal in a long-running consumer antitrust case.

The dispute centered on whether Ticketmaster could force fans into private arbitration through its digital ticketing terms of service — a process critics say shields the company from accountability. In October, the Court declined to review the lower court’s decision, meaning the case can now proceed as a class-action lawsuit in federal court.

The ruling effectively dismantles a key pillar of Ticketmaster’s legal defense strategy: keeping consumer claims out of public litigation.

For Live Nation and Ticketmaster, Mehta’s arrival signals both renewal and reckoning. His background in AI, automation and user experience could be instrumental as the company attempts to modernize its technology — and perhaps its image — under mounting public and political pressure.

Internally, sources say the company has accelerated its work on “smarter” ticketing systems that identify bots, reduce fraud and provide greater transparency for fans. Externally, it faces a shifting regulatory environment that could redefine the balance of power across the entire live music business.

In short: Mehta inherits a company that remains the undisputed market leader — but one whose dominance is now both its greatest asset and its greatest liability.

From record-breaking tours to seismic comebacks, it’s been quite a year for hip-hop. Below, we assess the state of the three single-focused categories in the rap field at the 2026 Grammys: best rap performance, best rap song and best melodic rap performance.

Best Rap Performance

If one thing’s for certain when it comes to the 2026 Grammys, it’s that Kendrick Lamar will be nominated across the rap field — and he may very well show up twice in best rap performance. Already a lock for his own Lefty Gunplay-assisted “TV Off,” Lamar will likely earn an additional nomination here alongside Clipse for “Chains & Whips.” Already a seven-time winner in this category, K.Dot earned double nominations here at last year’s ceremony with “Not Like Us,” which went on to win, and Future & Metro Boomin’s “Like That.”

Outside of the Kendrick of it all, two of hip-hop’s leading ladies are also likely to reap bids in this category. Doechii‘s best rap album victory at last year’s ceremony was a star-making moment, and it’s likely she shows up in this category with “Anxiety,” even though best melodic rap performance might have been a better fit. The left-field hit became her first Hot 100 top 10 hit (No. 9), topped Rhythmic Airplay and reached No. 3 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Cardi B is a five-time nominee in this category, and she can probably ride her current Am I the Drama? momentum to a nod for “Outside,” which reached No. 10 on the Hot 100. And just like that, that’s four out of five spots accounted for. Who’s battling for the final slot?

Tyler, the Creator is all but guaranteed to earn a best rap album nod for Chromakopia, and “Darling I” (with Teezo Touchdown) is his sole submission in this category. Similarly, GloRilla has high odds of landing a rap album nomination for Glorious, and “Whatchu Kno Bout Me” (with Sexyy Red) is her primary submission here. While Glo’s song topped airplay charts — and soundtracked Eras Tour TikToks from one Taylor Swift — Tyler’s track is one of the best showcases of his rap skill on Chromakopia. In terms of recent hits, BigXThaPlug‘s “The Largest” is a formidable contender, as is Offset‘s JID-assisted “Bodies.” Both songs reached the top 20 of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs, and all involved artists have remained visible throughout the year. JID is also contending with his own Eminem-assisted “Animals,” and considering Slim Shady’s record of three nominations in this category — including one last year for “Houdini” — that track might be one to keep an eye on.

More mature voters may want to side with vets like LL Cool J, who submitted “Praise Him,” a collaboration with Nas. Interestingly, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist have two submissions in this category: Alfredo 2 lead single “1995” and “Ensalada” (with Anderson .Paak). Anderson won here back in 2019, which bodes well for “Ensalada,” but it’s probably more likely that the two songs split votes.

Other songs to look out for: “Frequency” (D Smoke & Lucky Daye); “Lil Demon” (Future), “No More Old Men” (Chance the Rapper & Jamila Woods) and “Good Credit” (Playboi Carti & Kendrick Lamar).

Our Fearless Forecast

Our predictions are: “TV Off” (Kendrick Lamar & Lefty Gunplay), “Chains & Whips” (Clipse & Kendrick Lamar), “The Largest” (BigXThaPlug), “Outside” (Cardi B) and “Anxiety” (Doechii).

Best Rap Song

Like best R&B performance and best R&B song, there’s often an overlap between best rap performance and song. Expect Lamar to show up here with “TV Off,” but Clipse will most likely earn a nod here for “The Birds Don’t Sing” (with Pharrell Williams), which they recently performed at The Vatican. The brother duo is also contending alongside JID with the Atlanta MC’s “Community.” Doechii’s “Anxiety” might also pull double duty here, especially considering her nifty reconfiguration of the song’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” sample. With three spots accounted for, who’s fighting for the final two?

Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) boasts the most nominations (17) and wins (7) in this category, but it’s not likely voters rally around “Preacher Man,” one of the more notable tracks from Bully. Tyler, the Creator inexplicably has two Chromakopia tracks in contention here: “Sticky” (with GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne) and “St. Chroma” (with Daniel Caesar). The former allows voters to honor four hip-hop stars in one fell swoop, but the latter might be a more attractive selection for those who prefer more heady rap tracks. GloRilla also has a formidable contender of her own in “TGIF,” but that may feel like old news to voters by this point. J. Cole‘s “Port Antonio” and Megan Thee Stallion‘s “Bigger In Texas” are also worth keeping an eye on; neither song made much of a commercial impact, but they were both highly praised in hip-hop circles. “Ensalada” is also competing in this category, as are Chance the Rapper’s “Letters” and Playboi Carti’s Lamar-assisted “Good Credit.”

Songs competing for best melodic rap performance can also be considered for best rap song. Some of those selections include “Timeless” (The Weeknd & Playboi Carti), “Somebody Loves Me” (PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake) and “Somebody” (Latto).

Our Fearless Forecast

Our predictions are: “TV Off” (Kendrick Lamar & Lefty Gunplay), “The Birds Don’t Sing” (Clipse & Pharrell Williams), “Anxiety” (Doechii), “Sticky” (Tyler, the Creator, GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne) and “Timeless” (The Weeknd & Playboi Carti).

Best Melodic Rap Performance

Let’s be real, this award already belongs to “Luther.” Kendrick and SZA‘s monster hit spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and was prominently featured at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, as well as every night of the duo’s record-breaking Grand National Tour. “Timeless,” The Weeknd and Playboi Carti‘s Hurry Up Tomorrow hit, is probably its closest competitor. The Weeknd’s been nominated three times before in this category, winning in 2022 for Ye’s “Hurricane” (with Lil Baby). Peaking at No. 3 on the Hot 100, “Timeless” also benefits from being the biggest single from The Weeknd’s latest album, which also marks his proper return to the Grammy ballot after a five-year boycott. The pair also performed the song on the Grammy telecast in February, as well as each night of The Weeknd’s wildly successful After Hours til Dawn Tour.

Drake, who’s maintaining his Grammy boycott, is also a leading contender in this category alongside PARTYNEXTDOOR with “Somebody Loves Me.” An eight-time nominee and two-time winner in this category, Drake’s PND-assisted hit topped Rhythmic Airplay and reached No. 30 on the Hot 100. Notably, Drizzy has earned Grammy nods during his boycott thanks to submissions from other artists. In 2023, he won alongside Future and Tems for the former’s “Wait for U.”

Latto has earned a nod in this category in two of the past three years, and a nomination for “Somebody” isn’t entirely out of the question. While the song lacked the commercial success of “Big Energy” and the cultural impact of “Big Mama,” it still reached No. 94 on the Hot 100 and peaked in the top 10 of Rhythmic Airplay (No. 8). Future has also been a recent darling in this category, earning a nod last year after double nominations (and a win) in 2023. This year, he’s competing with “Too Fast,” which topped three radio charts and had the most shelf life of all the Mixtape Pluto singles. There’s also Lil Tecca‘s “Dark Thoughts,” which earned ample pop crossover success, reaching No. 2 on Rhythmic Airplay, No. 35 on Pop Airplay and No. 28 on the Hot 100.

Potential dark horses in this category include “Wholeheartedly” (JID, Ty Dolla $ign & 6LACK), “Lose My Mind” (Don Toliver & Doja Cat), “Ride” (Chance the Rapper & Do or Die), “WeMaj” (Terrace Martin, Kenyon Dixon & Rapsody), “Backd00r” (Playboi Carti, Kendrick Lamar & Jhené Aiko) and “Don’t Deserve” (GloRilla & Muni Long).

Our Fearless Forecast

Our predictions are: “Luther” (Kendrick Lamar & SZA), “Timeless” (The Weeknd & Playboi Carti), “Somebody Loves Me” (PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake), “Dark Thoughts” (Lil Tecca) and “Too Fast” (Future).

There are five categories devoted to R&B housed in the R&B, rap and spoken poetry field at the 68th annual Grammy Awards. Here, we preview the performance and songwriting categories: best R&B performance, best R&B song and best traditional R&B performance.

Best R&B Performance

As the eligibility period drew to a close on Aug. 30, three R&B songs emerged as near-definite locks for a best R&B performance nomination at next year’s ceremony: “Mutt” (Leon Thomas), “Burning Blue” (Mariah the Scientist) and “Folded” (Kehlani). All three tracks dominated R&B radio, reinvigorated the culture and achieved ample crossover success, reaching the Hot 100‘s top 25.

Because “Mutt” was eligible (and submitted for consideration) at last year’s ceremony, Thomas opted to vie for Grammy gold with a live version of the track sourced from his viral NPR Tiny Desk set. Not only is “Mutt” the biggest commercial success out of this crop of contenders (it hit No. 11 on the Hot 100 and recently entered the top 10 on Pop Airplay), but the song’s chances of a nod are also bolstered by Thomas’ overall momentum and goodwill from years of behind-the-boards work, as well as recent precedent.

At the 2025 ceremony, Muni Long won this category with a live version of “Made for Me.” With submissions across the R&B field, a best R&B song victory already under his belt (thanks to his work on SZA’s “Snooze”) and a deft campaign, expect a particularly splashy nominations announcement morning for Thomas. After years of percolating outside of R&B’s mainstream, Mariah the Scientist broke through in a major way with “Burning Blue” this year. The self-penned hit topped Rhythmic Airplay and gave way to the highest-charting album of Mariah’s career, August’s Hearts Sold Separately (No. 11 on the Billboard 200). A nomination here would be Mariah’s first in any Grammy category.

Kehlani’s “Folded” is also peaking at the perfect time, and its throwback ’00s feel has inspired unofficial remixes from past Grammy winners Brandy and Toni Braxton. Kehlani scored three nods at last year’s ceremony, bringing her to five career nominations with zero wins. Coco Jones, a seven-time Grammy nominee and previous winner here for “ICU” in 2024, will probably snag the fourth spot with “You,” a single from her Why Not More? LP.

Justin Bieber‘s “Yukon” leads the next tier of contenders. The breakout SWAG hit topped Rhythmic Airplay and boasts songwriting and production credits from buzzy alt-R&B craftsmen Dijon, Carter Lang, and Sir Dylan, but it still faces an uphill battle. Bieber’s “Peaches” scored R&B performance and song nods back in 2022, but that song featured two Grammy-nominated R&B stars (Daniel Caesar and Giveon) and topped the Hot 100. In comparison, “Yukon” only reached No. 17. Can Bieber pull off another nod in this category by himself?

Other second-tier contenders include SZA (“Another Life”), Summer Walker (“Heart of a Woman”), Chris Brown and Bryson Tiller (“It Depends”), and Giveon, who submitted both his own “Twenties” and his Teddy Swims duet, “Are You Even Real.” If R&B voters decide to ignore Bieber, look out for Chris and Tiller to snag that final spot off the strength of the Breezy Bowl XX tour, the song’s current upwards momentum and the glow of Brown’s best R&B album victory at last year’s ceremony. Of course, SZA could always be a namecheck nominee.

Who are some wild cards to keep an eye on? “Make a Baby,” a vocal masterclass of a duet between Grammy winners Tori Kelly and Lucky Daye, could surprise here, as could Alex Isley‘s “Hands” or Fridayy‘s “Back to You,” both of which made inroads on R&B radio this year. Daye is also contending alongside Teyana Taylor with “Hard Part,” a standout from her Escape Plan album, which could benefit from her One Battle After Another-induced Oscar buzz. Kenyon Dixon has scored a nomination for best traditional R&B performance in three of the past five years, and this year, he’s contending here with “Circle of Love,” alongside Terrace Martin and Robert Glasper.

Ravyn Lenae’s monster hit “Love Me Not” is competing in the pop field, but if R&B voters want to show her some love, they can throw their support behind “Love Is Blind” in this category. Additionally, Cleo Sol has only bolstered her cult following over the past year, and she could be rewarded with a nomination for “Fear When You Fly.” Other dark horses in this race include “Worst Behaviour” (kwn & Kehlani) and “Overqualified” (Durand Bernarr).

Our Fearless Forecast

Our predictions are: “Mutt (NPR Live)” (Leon Thomas), “Burning Blue” (Mariah the Scientist), “Folded” (Kehlani), “You” (Coco Jones) and “Circle of Love” (Terrace Martin, Kenyon Dixon & Robert Glasper).

Best R&B Song

The nominees for best R&B performance and song often overlap, but rarely do they align exactly. “Burning Blue” and “Folded” will likely reap bids in this category, and Thomas is also likely to pick up a nomination. Instead of “Mutt (NPR Live),” the Billboard cover star is contending with “Yes It Is,” which hit No. 43 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. If Kehlani, Thomas and The Scientist are locks, who do the last two slots go to?

The past four winners in this category have been R&B songs that earned undeniable crossover success; Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open,” Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” and SZA’s “Snooze” and “Saturn” all reached the top 10 of the Hot 100. With that in mind, Breezy and Tiller’s “It Depends” is probably a safe bet for a nod here. Both men have been previously nominated in this category, and “It Depends” rode a viral dance trend to the Hot 100’s top 30. Bieber’s “Yukon” also has a strong shot here, which allows R&B voters to honor not just the Canadian pop star, but also the new-age R&B savants that helped craft the song.

Beyoncé is this category’s biggest winner, with five wins, and she’s a credited songwriter on Taylor and Daye’s “Hard Part,” thanks to an interpolation of Jay-Z’s “Family Feud.” In Grammy Land, it’s never a bad thing to have The Carters attached to your submission. SZA (“Chill Baby”) and Coco Jones (“On Sight”) get lots of love from R&B voters, but their submissions this year aren’t nearly as strong as some of their past ones, so it wouldn’t be too much of a shocker if either (or both) of them missed a nod here. Giveon could also show up with either “Twenties” or Swims’ “Are You Even Real,” but likely not both.

At least one traditional-skewing R&B song makes it into this category each year, and this time around, that spot could go to “Make a Baby” (Kelly & Daye), “Where You Gonna Go” (Eric Roberson & BJ the Chicago Kid) or “Circle of Love” (Terrace Martin, Kenyon Dixon & Robert Glasper).

Additional songs to keep an eye on here include “Heart of a Woman” (Summer Walker), “Stare At Me” (Jane Handcock & Anderson .Paak), “Blame U” (Odeal), “Lucid Girl” (Thee Sacred Souls), “Out of My Hands” (SiR & Maeta), “Love Is Blind” (Ravyn Lenae), “Yamaha” (Dijon), and “Baptized In Fear” (The Weeknd).

Our Fearless Forecast

Our predictions are: “Yes It Is” (Leon Thomas), “Burning Blue” (Mariah the Scientist), “Folded” (Kehlani), “Yukon” (Justin Bieber) and “It Depends” (Chris Brown & Bryson Tiller).

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Aiming to honor “recordings that embody the classical elements of R&B/soul music, distinguishing them from contemporary interpretations of the genre,” the best traditional R&B performance Grammy doesn’t always go to the most commercially successful song.

Lalah Hathaway, who’s tied with Beyoncé as this category’s biggest winner (with three wins each) and with Anthony Hamilton as the category’s most-nominated artist (with five nods each), is a leading contender this year with her Ariza-assisted “Uptown.” The song appears on an expanded edition of her Vantablack LP, which earned two nominations at last year’s ceremony. Ledisi, another previous victor in this category, appears on the ballot with “Love You Too,” which reached No. 14 on Adult R&B Airplay earlier this year. Between her soaring rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the 2025 Super Bowl, her standout performance of “BLKWMN” at this year’s BET Awards, and the recent buzz from her new Dinah Washington tribute album, Ledisi is practically a shoo-in here.

Coco Jones and Alicia Keys have both earned a nomination here in the past, and their “Other Side of Love” duet should have little trouble making it to the final five. BJ the Chicago Kid is a three-time nominee here, so his Eric Roberson duet, “Where You Gonna Go,” is a solid bet, as is Jon Batiste‘s Andra Day-assisted “Lean on My Love.” Eric Benét delivered a strong album cycle with The Co-Star and his India.Arie duet, “Must Be Love,” reached No. 13 on Adult R&B Airplay. Keep an eye out for that one too.

And then there’s the Leon Thomas question. He’s contending here with “Vibes Don’t Lie,” a fan-favorite Mutt deep cut that may have missed some voters’ radars. In past years, artists have been nominated (and even won) here when their albums dominate the overall conversation. In 2023, Beyoncé’s Renaissance earned nine nominations and won four, including best traditional R&B performance for “Plastic Off the Sofa.” The following year, SZA’s SOS also snagged nine nods, including a citation in this category for “Love Language.” If R&B voters go all in on Thomas this year, expect “Vibes Don’t Lie” to appear in the final lineup.

Additional potential nominees include “Crybaby” (SZA), “Here We Are” (Durand Bernarr), “Lucid Girl” (Thee Sacred Souls), “Let’s Stay Together” (Ann Nesby & Calvin Richardson) and “When a Man Cries” (Leon Bridges).

Our Fearless Forecast

Our predictions are: “Love You Too” (Ledisi), “Other Side of Love” (Coco Jones & Alicia Keys), “Lean On My Love” (Jon Batiste & Andra Day), “Crybaby” (SZA) and “Vibes Don’t Lie” (Leon Thomas).

Does Rihanna not know how to pronounce her own name? For years, much of the world has been going with “Rih-AH-na,” which, as RihRih has told us, is not right. It’s actually pronounced “Rih-ANN-na,” though judging from her appearance in the legendary 2009 Saturday Night Live “Shy Ronnie” sketch, maybe we were right all along?

In the bit, Rihanna and Ronnie (Andy Samberg) are dropping knowledge to a group of grade schoolers with the singer crooning in her power range as timid Ronnie can barely rise above a whisper to her utter consternation. At the top, Rihanna introduces herself using what we’ve learned is the incorrect pronunciation of her name, so what gives?

On the new episode of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast — on which the Samberg-led trio and late night host break down some of their classic digital shorts and other comedy projects — Naked Gun director Schaffer finally untangled the “Shy Ronnie” moniker muddle. “Andy went, ‘Ree-awn-uh and Shy Ronnie,’” Schaffer explained of Samberg’s slip-up when recording the intro to the temp track that was meant to guide Rihanna’s performance. “And then she was so great at recording exactly Andy’s inflections to get the jokes perfect that she did that [too].”

In other words, blame Samberg and praise Rihanna for being a consummate professional.

Schaffer said on the pod that when he later heard Rihanna introduce herself using the right pronunciation he was even more confused. “I heard her say her name to somebody else out loud, and I went, ‘Why did you say “Ree-ANN-uh”? Wait, is your name Ree-ann-uh?’” Schaffer said, noting that her actual name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

When Schaffer asked what the singer’s mom calls her, he said Rihanna laughed, “‘Ree-ANN-ah,’ and I’m like, ‘Aw.’”

Samberg took the time to once again note that the trio are “huge Rihanna fans,” making sure it was clear that he now knows how to properly say her name. “She told us it’s ‘Rih-ANN-ah,’ and we were like, ‘Why don’t you correct people?’” Samberg recalled asking. “[And] she’s like, ‘I don’t care.’” They went on to gush about the singer’s flawless technique and joke about how her team basically kicked them out of their office and “put silks over all the lamps and dimmed all the lights and lit candles” to create a chilled-out atmosphere for the vocal recording session.

Her engineer then hopped on one of their computers and got to work as the trio asked if they needed to be talked through the bit. “She’s like, ‘I got it,’” Samberg said. “So we were sitting outside on the couch like little kids. And then we could sort of hear it happening,” noting that it only took 30-40 minutes for Rih to finish her bit. “And they played it back for us and we were like, ‘Oh s–t, it’s perfect!,’” Samberg added of the rushed shoot, which they then had to nail in just 45 minutes despite prepping a number of elaborate sets and waiting eight hours that day to get started.

It wasn’t that bad, since Samberg and Rihanna were back for a sequel a year later in “Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde.”

Watch the “Shy Ronnie” clip here and listen to the podcast below.

Podcasters have emerged as key players in shaping conversations around Latin music and culture. Once viewed as a niche medium, podcasts now stand at the forefront of connecting audiences with authentic voices and amplifying narratives that reflect Latin music’s global influence.

During Latin Music Week, four of the most influential voices in the Latin podcast world — Alofoke (aka Santiago Matías), Dímelo King (Elkin de la Hoz), Leo Rojas (of Escuela de Nada) and Molusco (Jorge Pabón) — will explore the rising power of the format and its impact on the Latin entertainment industry.

From Alofoke’s role in championing the música urbana movement in the Dominican Republic — where his platform has served as an incubator for emerging reggaetón and dembow stars like Mami Jordan and Rochy RD — to Molusco’s unfiltered interviews with Puerto Rican heavyweights like Residente and Anuel AA, these podcasters wield massive influence. With millions tuning into Molusco TV, his conversations often spark viral moments that keep audiences engaged and talking.

Dímelo King, celebrated for bridging music and digital storytelling in Colombia, brings a bold and controversy-ready approach, with episodes featuring artists such as Akapellah sparking debates on the authenticity of rap. Meanwhile, Rojas — along with Chris Andrade and Nacho Redondo — delivers a blend of sharp humor and cultural commentary on Escuela de Nada, a Venezuelan podcast that covers topics including sports, politics and entertainment.

“We’ve created trends in podcasting,” says Alofoke, who recently struck a music distribution deal with Sony Music. “For example, we brought in big screens and spectacular sound booths, which have been replicated in other countries. We have a great platform, a great audience, and we’ve worked music for over 20 years.”

This story appears in the Oct. 11, 2025, issue of Billboard.