From relationship drama to landmark album anniversaries, the worlds of R&B and hip-hop were particularly active this weekend.
On Saturday (April 25), Megan Thee Stallion set social media timelines on fire when she announced that she and Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Klay Thompson were no longer together, citing infidelity and “horrible mood swings.” The former hip-hop/sports power couple began dating last year, with the rapper spending the holidays with the basketball star’s family. Thompson even named his boat after the three-time Grammy winner. Just hours after announcing the split, Thee Hot Girl Coach was back onstage, tearing up during her Moulin Rouge! The Musical curtain call.
Beyoncé drummed up some anticipation this weekend with a trio of Instagram posts after a relatively quiet period. On Friday (April 24), she shared a vacation picture of her clutching three lemons in one hand and a bottle of her SirDavis whisky in the other, to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of her classic Lemonade album. Two days later (April 26), she shared a carousel of four Survivor-era Destiny’s Child GIFs to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that Billboard 200-topping record. (Notably, Survivor marked the group’s third album, and first as a trio.)
Finally, Queen Bey shared more recent snaps, donning a dramatic, purple Saint Laurent gown, once again referencing Lemonade by editing one picture to resemble her “Hold Up” single cover. With Mrs. Carter marking her first appearance at the MET Gala in ten years next week, everyone is on high alert regarding Act III, the imminent conclusion to the genre-spanning trilogy she launched with 2022’s Renaissance and 2024’s Cowboy Carter.
Kehlani, Billboard Women in Music’s Impact Award honoree, topped off a wonderful weekend for R&B with the release of her highly anticipated self-titled album. Featuring collaborations with the likes of Brandy, Usher, and Cardi B — as well as writing and production from Babyface and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis — Kehlani is a meticulously crafted love letter to R&B that sets a new bar for the genre’s contemporary iteration.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from new Girlfriend-Jaymin duet to Durand Bernarr’s funky new single. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
