Ice Spice Among Honorees at Party Celebrating Variety’s 2023 New Power of New York Impact List

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ice Spice will be making a special appearance in New York City…

Variety has announced it will host its annual New York Party on Thursday, October 5, celebrating the 23-year-old half-Dominican American rapper/singer, this year’s cover star honoree, along with the individuals profiled in Variety’s 2023 New Power of New York Impact List.

The New Power of New York Impact List recognizes 50 creatives, executives and entrepreneurs who are making waves in the New York entertainment scene. From film and television to music and theatre, these artists and visionaries personify the spirit of the ever-evolving city and show us what New York offers to the global industry.

The party will celebrate Ice Spice’s meteoric rise over the past year as one of the most exciting rappers in music.

Her recent collaboration with Nicki Minaj “Princess Diana” made history, marking the first time that a track co-billed by two women topped the Hot Rap Songs chart, since it launched 34 years ago.

Her second collaboration with Minaj, “Barbie World,” hit No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and soundtracked the closing credits of Barbie, the summer’s biggest blockbuster, starring Margot Robbie.

“Variety’s annual New York issue is a love letter to the Big Apple and the creativity that it inspires – this year we are thrilled to profile Bronx-born Ice Spice on the cover of our issue,” said Variety’s Co-Editor-in-Chief Ramin Setoodeh. “Our story by Steven Horowitz is not to be missed, as it explores Ice Spice’s meteoric rise in music, friendship with Taylor Swift and recent collaborations with Nicki Minaj.”

Cardi B Teases New Collaboration with GloRilla, “Tomorrow 2”

Posted on September 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B is talkin’ tomorrow…

The 29-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar has teased “Tomorrow 2,” her upcoming collaboration with GloRilla, via Twitter.

“Tomorrow 2 ft Me,” the rapper wrote along with a shot of the single’s party-ready cover art.

For her part, GloRilla gave fans a bit more of a hint at the track’s lyrics, tweeting, “BUT DATS WHY I LUV TOMORROW,” she tweeted with a series of golden trophy and green checkmark emojis before adding, “it’s official me & my girl @iamcardib Linked up for TOMORROW 2 DROPPING FRIDAY 9/23 @ MIDNIGHT…presave the below let’s gooooooo.”

When it’s unveiled on Friday, the song will be Cardi B’s first release since she donated $100,000 to the middle school she grew up attending in the Bronx earlier this month.

The rapper’s hotly anticipated comeback single “Hot Shit” featuring Kanye West and Lil Durk landed at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its July release and earned Cardi a top 10 hit on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts at No. 7 and No. 5, respectively.

Cardi B also kicked off her upcoming 30th birthday celebration a few weeks early on Monday, September 19 thanks to a handwritten note she received from none other than Beyoncé.

https://twitter.com/GloTheofficial/status/1572634052691365889

Fat Joe to Face Off Against Ja Rule in All-New Verzuz Battle

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Fat Joe is ready for a hip-hop battle…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper will face off against Ja Rule in an all-new Verzuz battle on September 14.

The friendly competition will take place in person, live from New York.

“The summer ain’t over!!” Verzuz co-creator Swizz Beatz wrote on Instagram revealing the news.

In a separate announcement post on Instagram, Ja Rule wrote, “#ICONN.” Meanwhile, Fat Joe captioned his identical post, “The price just went [up] @fatjoe @verzuz @jarule.”

This marks the first Verzuz battle since last month, when The LOX and Dipset hit the stage to deliver some fan-favorite hit songs.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Ja Rule has released eight No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 singles, including “Always On Time,” featuring Ashanti, which peaked at No. 1 in February 2002 and charted for 27 weeks. The hitmaker has released a total of 17 Hot 100 songs. His debut studio album, Venni Vetti Vecci, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, where it charted for 31 weeks.

Fat Joe, who began his career in music as a member of hip-hop group Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), released his debut solo album Represent in 1993. His single from the album, “Flow Joe,” reached No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?” featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule, peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Ja Rule’s collaborative hit track “New York,” featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss, was a top 30 Hot 100 song. It peaked at No. 27 on the list in 2004, where it charted for 14 weeks.

Hip-hop fans can catch the newly announced Verzuz battle between Fat Joe and Ja Rule on September 14 at 9:00 pm ET, which will be available for live streaming via the Triller app, FITE TV or on the Verzuz TV Instagram account.

Cardi B’s “Up” Rises to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, A Historic Fifth Chart-Topper on the Chart

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Things are still up for Cardi B…

The 28-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar’s latest single “Up” rises from No. 6 to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 to spend its first week at the top of the chart.

The song, which becomes Cardi B’s fifth Hot 100 No. 1, debuted at No. 2 five weeks earlier and tallied three weeks at the runner-up spot before reaching the summit.

Cardi B performed “Up” as part of a medley, with Megan Thee Stallion, of their four-week 2020 Hot 100 No. 1 “WAP” on the 63rd annual Grammy Awards, broadcast on CBS, on March 14, which helped power the song’s ascent.

“Up” drew 22.7 million U.S. streams (down 5%) and 18,000 downloads sold (up 96%, good for the Hot 100’s top Sales Gainer award) in the week ending March 18, according to MRC Data. It also attracted 34.9 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 7%) in the week ending March 21.

The track rises 5-3 on the Streaming Songs chart, which it led for two weeks; 7-3 on Digital Song Sales, where it spent a week in the lead; and 17-14 on Radio Songs.

Here’s an updated look at Cardi B’s Hot 100 No. 1s:

Title, Weeks at No. 1, Date Reached No. 1
“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” three, Oct. 7, 2017
“I Like It,” with Bad Bunny & J Balvin, one, April 21, 2018
“Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B, seven, Sept. 29, 2018
“WAP,” feat. Megan Thee Stallion, four, Aug. 22, 2020
“Up,” one (to date) March 27, 2021

Cardi B extends her record for the most Hot 100 No. 1s among female rappers. (Of her five leaders, four have also topped the multi-metric Hot Rap Songs chart, all except Maroon 5‘s “Girls Like You,” on which she’s featured.)

Meanwhile, “Up” is Cardi B’s first Hot 100 No. 1 with no accompanying acts since “Bodak Yellow.” Thanks to the two leaders, Cardi B is the first female rapper with two Hot 100 No. 1s with no accompanying artists.

Dating to her first week atop the Hot 100 with “Bodak Yellow” (Oct. 7, 2017), Cardi B ties for the most No. 1s among all acts in the span since, matching the five each earned in that stretch by Drake and Ariana Grande.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data.

“Up” concurrently rebounds 5-1 and 4-1, respectively, for a fourth week each atop the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts, which use the same methodology as the Hot 100.

“Up” is the first song by a solo female and no accompanying artists to top the Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs since Lizzo‘s “Truth Hurts” in 2019. Before that, Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow” last earned the honor.

Cardi B’s “WAP,” Featuring Megan Thee Stallion, Registers Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B is proving she has staying power…

The 27-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar’s “WAP,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, has notched a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.

Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion "WAP" Video

The track debuted at the summit a week earlier with record first-week streams.

“WAP,” which fended off a challenge from Drake‘s “Laugh Now Cry Later,” featuring Lil Durk, is the first song to spend its first two weeks on the chart at No. 1 since Ariana Grande‘s “7 Rings,” which tallied its first five weeks on the chart in the top spot (of eight total frames at No. 1), beginning on the February 2, 2019-dated tally.

Meanwhile, “WAP” is the first song among women to lead the Hot 100 for multiple weeks since Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” reigned for three weeks in December-January. Before that, Lizzo‘s “Truth Hurts” totaled seven weeks at No. 1 last September-October.

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“WAP,” released on Atlantic Records, notches a second week at No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart, with 36,000 downloads sold (down 71%) in the week ending August 20, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. It dips to No. 2 on Streaming Songs with 72.2 million U.S. streams (down 22%) in the week ending August 20. A week ago, it blasted in with 93 million streams, the most ever for a song in its first week of release.

“WAP” concurrently posts a second week at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts, which employ the same multi-metric methodology as the Hot 100.

“WAP” additionally debuts at No. 48 on the Radio Songs chart with 16.5 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 42%) in the week ending August 23.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming, radio airplay and sales data.

Tekashi 6ix9ine Earns First No. 1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs Chart

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Tekashi 6ix9ine is livin’ the stream

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican Americam rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, has logged his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart with “Gooba,” which debuts at No. 1 on the list dated May 23.

6ix9ine’s latest single debuts with 55.3 million U.S. streams earned in the tracking week ending May 14, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

The song exceeds 6ix9ine’s previous best on the Streaming Charts: “Fefe” featuring Nicki Minaj, which debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the August 4, 2015-dated tally with 45.7 million streams.

Gooba also debits at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

Cardi B Reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Songs Airplay Chart

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Make that four radio charts at the top for Cardi B…

The 24-year-old part-Dominican American rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, conquers another radio format as “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” rises 3-1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Songs airplay chart (dated October 7) with a 10 percent jump in plays for the week.

The newly crowned Billboard Hot 100 queen, the first Dominican artist to land a No. 1 on the chart, also leads R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for a second week, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop for a fourth stint and Rap Airplay for a fifth frame.

The song is only the second tune by a woman this decade to lead all four radio charts simultaneously. Nicki Minaj’s “Truffle Butter,” featuring Drake & Lil Wayne, completed the trifecta in spring 2015.

Further, while topping the Hot 100, “Bodak Yellow” extends its reign on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart to four weeks, and dominates Hot Rap Songs to a sixth term.

Cardi B Makes History as “Bodak Yellow” Reaches No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s an extra special (and historic) feat for Cardi B…

The 24-year-old part-Dominican American rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, becomes the first female rapper in nearly 19 years to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart without the assistance of any other credited artists, as her debut hit “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” rises from No. 2 to No. 1 on the latest chart (dated Oct. 7). And she’s the first Dominican artist to reach the top of Billboard’s main singles chart.

“Bodak Yellow” makes Cardi B just the second female rapper to top the Hot 100 without any other billed artists, following Lauryn Hill‘s first solo Hot 100 entry (apart from the Fugees), “Doo Wop (That Thing),” for two weeks beginning with its November 14, 1998, debut at No. 1.

Cardi B is only the fifth female rapper ever to lead the Hot 100 at all. After Hill, Lil’ Kim ruled for five weeks in 2001 with Christina Aguilera, Mya and P!nk on “Lady Marmalade“; Shawnna reigned as featured on Ludacris‘ “Stand Up,” which topped the December 6, 2003, chart; and Iggy Azalea‘s introductory Hot 100 hit, “Fancy,” featuring Charli XCX, led for seven weeks in 2014.

Cardi B is also the first female soloist to top the Hot 100 with a debut track unaccompanied by another artist since Meghan Trainor, whose “All About That Bass” led for eight weeks beginning September 20, 2014.

“Bodak Yellow” rises at No. 2 on the Streaming Songs chart with 46.4 million U.S. streams, up 14 percent, in the week ending September 21, according to Nielsen Music. It bounds 12-3 on Digital Song Sales chart, up 85 percent to 56,000 downloads sold in the week ending September 21, marking the Hot 100’s top gain in download sales (aided by a 69-cent discount price in the iTunes Store).

The track also lifts 16-13 on Radio Songs, with 62 million all-format audience impressions, up 8 percent, in the week ending September 24.

“Bodak Yellow” spends a fifth week at No. 1 on the Rap Airplay chart and a second week atop R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay; crowns the Rhythmic Songs airplay chart, with a 3-1 rise; and debuts on Pop Songs on at No. 37.

Cardi B’s breakthrough hit also spends a sixth week at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart and a fourth frame atop Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Cardi B Earns No. 1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Charts

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

And the firsts just keep coming for Cardi B…

The 24-year-old half-Dominican American hip hop artist adds two new No. 1s to her growing tally as “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” rises 2-1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts dated September 30.

“Bodak Yellow” spends its first week as the most-streamed song in the U.S. with 40.8 million domestic streams in the tracking week ending September 14, according to Nielsen Music. That comes two weeks after the song reigned atop the On-Demand Streaming Songs chart (dated September 16), which measures streams on on-demand audio services only. (Streaming Songs, on the other hand, includes plays both on-demand and programmed plays on all tracked services.)

The rapper becomes the second woman to lead the Streaming Songs chart in 2017, following Taylor Swift, whose “Look What You Made Me Do” has reigned for two weeks (and falls 1-2 on the latest ranking). She’s also the first female rapper to attain No. 1 on the chart in over three years, since Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” ruled for three weeks beginning on the chart dated September 6, 2014.

Meanwhile, “Bodak” ascends 2-1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, reaching No. 1 in the song’s 10th week on the chart with a 3 percent boost in airplay. In doing so, Cardi B is the first woman to lead the chart in nearly a year, following Rihanna’s “Needed Me” (October 8, 2016) and the first female rapper to reach No. 1 as a non-featured artist since Minaj’s “Truffle Butter” featuring Drake and Lil Wayne (March 21, 2015).

She’s also the first artist in 2017 to reach No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay with their first charting song. The last act to do so was Lil Yachty in a featured capacity (D.R.A.M.’s “Broccoli,” October 29, 2016) and Desiigner as a lead artist (“Panda,” June 4, 2016).

“Bodak” concurrently spends a fourth week atop Rap Airplay, bumps 6-3 on Rhythmic Songs and holds at No. 16 on the all-format Radio Songs for a second week while maintaining No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week as well.

Thus far, in addition to its Streaming Songs, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rap Airplay triumphs, “Bodak” has also ruled Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (three weeks), Hot Rap Songs (five), Rap Digital Song Sales (five), Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop (five), R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs (six) and Rap Streaming Songs (six).

Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” Reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s another feat for Cardi B…

The 24-year-old half-Dominican American hip hop artist continues her breakthrough year as her hit single “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” climbs 2-1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (dated September 16). The move gives Cardi B her first leader on the list.

The song’s ascent corresponds with gains in streaming, as it rises 1 percent to 42.3 million U.S. streams for the week ending August 31, according to Nielsen Music and holds at No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs.

The tune also grows at radio, lifting 11 percent to 55 million in audience for the week ending Sept. 3, which prompts a 20-17 move on the all-format Radio Songs chart. It declines, however, 4 percent in downloads in the week ending Aug. 31, but remains at No. 2 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales.

“Bodak” also marks the first song by a woman billed in a leading role to lead Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in all of 2017. Only one other woman, Rihanna, has appeared on a chart-topping tune this year, in a featured role on DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts,” which led for the seven weeks immediately preceding “Bodak.” Rihanna also boasts the last No. 1 by a leading woman before Cardi B, when her “Needed Me” topped the September 24 and October 1-dated charts last year.

Furthermore, as “Bodak” is Cardi B’s first charting hit, the rapper is the first lead act to reach the summit with her debut entry since D.R.A.M., whose “Broccoli,” featuring Lil Yachty, reigned for one week last October.

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