Author: Rap Hooks

6ix9ine claims to be the original content creator, suggesting that people dismiss his influence simply because they are haters.

During his appearance on Adin Ross’ Kick channel on Wednesday, the rainbow-haired rapper reflected on his rise to fame, stating that his breakout moments preceded the invention of TikTok. He argued that if the app had existed during his tumultuous ascent in 2018, he would have dominated the platform.

“In 2018, there was no TikTok,” he said at the 40-minute mark. “Let me get this point across, and maybe y’all say I’m reaching, but this is what I truly believe. … I walked, I went to jail, I entertained you guys with real-life crimes. I was out there putting my life on the line so you guys could run. When Vine was a thing, remember? Instagram. I was the original content creator. I know people don’t like me. It’s the right message, wrong messenger. But these is facts.”

The rapper recalled some of his most unforgettable viral stunts during his rise, including running up a hill with an AK-47. He mentioned prominent streamers like Ross, IShowSpeed and Kai Cenat, claiming they owe some of their success to his pioneering style.

“Y’all remember that?” he said. “Y’all was in high school. I walked so y’all could run, so streamers could run. … My Instagram views and numbers were through the roof. I think I was meant to be a streamer because I’m not faking nothing. I’m just charismatic, and when I’m wrong, I’m wrong. I’m human at the end of the day. But I respect what you do.”

He continued to emphasize how his candidness shaped perceptions of him: “People don’t like me because they can’t control my mouth… and they’re like, ‘Damn, he’s too right.’ I’m not right about everything, because I’m human… I fed families. I’ve fed many families. I’ve created a lot of movements. But because I’m 6ix9ine, people are like, ‘Nah, nah, nah.’”

Check out the full stream below.

Ye (formerly Kanye West) met with Rabbi Yoshiayao Yosef Pinto on Tuesday to apologize for his antisemitic remarks about the Jewish community.

“I feel really blessed to sit here and take accountability,” West began while holding Pinto’s hands. “I was dealing with various issues. I was dealing with bipolar also, so I would take the ideas I had and forget about the protection of the people around me and myself. So I wanted to take accountability.”

The Chicago native continued: “So it’s like if you left the house and you left your kid at the house and your kid went and messed up the kitchen and messed up the garage and messed up the living room. Then when you get back, it’s your responsibility because that’s your job. That’s the way I look at it. It’s like I gotta go clean up the kitchen, I gotta clean up the living room, I gotta clean up the garage.”

Ye said he “wanted to come and take accountability,” as he believes these are the “first steps” in building “brick-by-brick” for the “strong walls” in repairing his relationship with the Jewish community.

 “A person is not defined by his mistakes, but by the way he chooses to correct them,” Rabbi Pinto, who serves as the leader of the Shuva Israel institutions, said in a translated statement. “This is the true strength of man: The ability to return, to learn, and to build bridges of love and peace.”

West has been under fire for his repeated antisemitic commentary, which included him tweeting he was going to go “death con 3” [sic] on Jewish people in 2022. Ye’s inflammatory remarks resulted in corporations such as Universal Music Group, Balenciaga, Gap and Adidas cutting ties with him.

While he’s been releasing music in recent years, Ye hasn’t operated inside the major label system since the UMG split in 2022, and he hasn’t performed a concert in the U.S. this year.

Although he’s taken his performances global with a July show in South Korea and has concerts lined up in South Africa in December and a show in Mexico in January. The 48-year-old has also continued to delay the release of his forthcoming Bully album.

Watch Ye’s meeting with Rabbi Pinto below.

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Taylor Swift attended Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry’s (fake) wedding, but will the couple attend hers?

In a recent TikTok posted by Parade from the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, the actor — who starred with his real-life wife in the pop star’s 2021 wedding-themed “I Bet You Think About Me” music video — was asked whether he’d been invited yet to Swift and Travis Kelce’s forthcoming nuptials.

“I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “That is going to be, I imagine, one impressive wedding,” Teller continued. “But, yeah, we’re just really happy for them. I’ve known Trav for a while, too, and they’re having a blast.”

The Tellers have been part of the 14-time Grammy winner’s posse for several years now. Before they played a couple whose wedding gets crashed by a vengeful Swift in her Red (Taylor’s Version) visual, the singer congratulated them on their actual marriage in 2019 by sending flowers and a note quoting her own “Lover” lyrics.

“May you always be this close, forever & ever,” Swift wrote in the card at the time. “Sending my best wishes to two lovers on their big day. Your friend, Taylor.”

A few months after the Eras Tour headliner started dating a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end in 2023, the Whiplash star and Sperry joined Swift in a box suite at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to watch the 2024 Super Bowl, which Kelce’s team won against the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to that, Teller and the model stepped out in New York City with Swift to help her celebrate her 34th birthday.

Now, it’s Swift’s turn to walk down the aisle. She and Kelce got engaged in August, and going off of what the musician has previously said about her wedding plans, Teller and Sperry definitely have a good chance of being on the guest list. “I’m inviting everyone I’ve ever talked to,” she joked while on The Graham Norton Show in October. “I think it will be fun to plan.”

Watch Teller discuss Swift and Kelce’s wedding below.

@parademag

Miles Teller talks about his former music video co-star Taylor Swift’s engagement with Travis Kelce at SCAD Savannah Film Festival! #TaylorSwift #MilesTeller

♬ original sound – Parade Magazine – Parade Magazine

Wicked: For Good  is the top nominee for the 2025 Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA). The sequel to the 2024 blockbuster Wicked received six nominations, followed by Sinners with five, and F1 and The Ballad Of Wallis Island with four each. The HMMA honors composers, songwriters and music supervisors for their contributions in music for film, TV, video games and more.

The nominees for song – feature film include two songs each from F1, Sinners and Wicked: For Good and one song from Avatar: Fire and Ash. Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt and Simon Franglen co-wrote the nominated song from the latter film, “Dream As One.”

The nominees for score – feature film are Alexandre Desplat (Frankenstein), Daniel Lopatin (Marty Supreme), Hans Zimmer (F1), Jerskin Fendrix (Bugonia), John Powell (Wicked: For Good), Jonny Greenwood  (One Battle After Another), Ludwig Göransson (Sinners), Max Richter  (Hamnet), Pancho Burgos-Goizueta  (The Unbreakable Boy) and Volker Bertelmann (A House of Dynamite).

The nominees for soundtrack album are F1, Karma: The Dark World, Kpop Demon Hunters, Sinners, Wicked: For Good and World Of Warcraft: Undermine(D).

Other nominated composers and songwriters include Michael Giacchino, Nine Inch Nails, Stephen Schwartz, Laura Karpman, Son Lux, Daniel Pemberton, Pancho Burgos-Goizueta, Jeff Beal, Tom Howe, Aaron Zigman, Stephanie Economou and Gordy Haab.

The 16th annual HMMAs will be held on Nov. 19 at The Avalon in Hollywood, California. The show will include performances by A.R. Rahman, Diane Warren and Kesha, Aiyana-Lee, Jeff Beal and Afghan pop star Aryana Sayeed, with more to be announced.

For the first time, the ceremony will be livestreamed globally via the Laurel Canyon Live app beginning at 8 p.m, PT. The livestream has been priced at $6.99 (USD). (The Laurel Canyon Live app itself is free to download on all major services.) John Ross, president & founder of Laurel Canyon Live, will serve as a producer of the livestream broadcast.

Tickets to attend the HMMA are on sale now at TicketTailor.com.

For awards consideration, score entries submit up to 15 minutes of score to picture as it appears in the visual media project. Several films were only available to see in the context of the scenes provided.

Here’s the full list of 2025 Hollywood Music in Media nominees.

Song – Feature Film

“Dream as One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash. Written by Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson, Simon Franglen and Andrew Wyatt. Performed by Miley Cyrus

“Drive” from F1. Written by Ed Sheeran, Blake Slatkin and John Mayer. Performed by Ed Sheeran.

“Lose My Mind” From F1. Written by Don Toliver, Doja Cat, Hans Zimmer, Ryan Tedder and Grant Boutin. Performed by Don Toliver, Doja Cat

“Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” From Sinners. Written by Alice Smith, Miles Canton and Ludwig Göransson. Performed by Miles Canton and Alice Smith.

“I Lied to You” From Sinners. Written by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson. Performed by Miles Caton.

“No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good. Written by Stephen Schwartz. Performed by Cynthia Erivo

“The Girl in the Bubble” From Wicked: For Good. Written by Stephen Schwartz. Performed by Ariana Grande

Song – Independent Film

“Highest 2 Lowest” from Highest 2 Lowest. Written by Aiyanna-Lee Anderson and Nicole Daciana Anderson. Performed By Aiyanna-Lee

“Learn to Let Go” from Everything To Me. Written by Stephanie Economou, Maggie Mcclure, Chloé Caroline Fellows, and Jon Monroe. Performed by Maggie Mcclure, Chloé Caroline, Stephanie Economou.

“My San Francisco” from Plainclothes. Written and Performed by Emily Wells

“Time Is All We Have” from Momo. Written by Fil Eisler and Sam Ryder. Performed By Sam Ryder.

“We Believe in Hope” from Rule Breakers. Written by Jeff Beal, Joan Beal and Aryana Sayeed. Performed by Aryana Sayeed & The Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

Song – Documentary Film

“Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless. Performed by Kesha And Diane Warren.

“Dying To Live” from Billy Idol Should Be Dead. Written by Billy Idol, J. Ralph, Steve Stevens, Tommy English, Joe Janiak. Performed by Billy Idol and J. Ralph.

“Have You Seen My Light” from October 8. Written and Produced by Autumn Rowe and Kizzo

“Milagros” from Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful. Written by Carolina Giraldo Navarro, Edgar Barrera, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Lenin Yorney Palacios. Performed by Karol G.

“Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Come See Me in the Good Light. Written by Sara Bareilles, Andrea Gibson and Brandi Carlile. Performed by Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile

Song – Animated Film

“Best Time Ever” from Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical. Written by Alan Zachary, Michael Weiner and Jeff Morrow. Performed by Cast.

“Golden” brom Kpop Demon Hunters. Written by Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun. Performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami.

“Gooflife” From The Bad Guys 2. Written by Daniel Pemberton, Gary Go and Sanele David Sydow. Performed by Rag’n’bone Man & Wizthemc.

“Kaleidoscope” from Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie. Written by Joseph Chase Atkins. Performed by Tehillah Alphonso and Cast.

“Open the Door” From The Twits. Written and Performed by David Byrne & Hayley Williams.

“Zoo” From Zootopia 2. Written by Ed Sheeran & Blake Slatkin and Shakira. Performed by Shakira.

Song – Onscreen Performance (Film)

Aiyanna-Lee – “Highest 2 Lowest” from Highest 2 Lowest

Bono – “Sunday Bloody Sunday” from Bono: Stories Of Surrender

Ejae, Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna (Aka Huntr/X) – “Golden” from Kpop Demon Hunters

Miles Caton – “I Lied To You” from Sinners

Tom Basden & Carey Mulligan – “Our Love” from The Ballad Of Wallis Island

Score – Animated Film

Arnaud Toulon – Arco

Daniel Pemberton – The Bad Guys 2

Nick Urata – Stitch Head

Stephanie Economou – Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie

Tom Howe – Dog Man

Score – Feature Film

Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein

Daniel Lopatin – Marty Supreme

Hans Zimmer – F1

Jerskin Fendrix – Bugonia

John Powell – Wicked: For Good

Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another)

Ludwig Göransson – Sinners

Max Richter – Hamnet

Pancho Burgos-Goizueta – The Unbreakable Boy

Volker Bertelmann – A House Of Dynamite

Score – SciFi/Fantasy Film

Alexandre Desplat – Jurassic World Rebirth

Fil Eisler – Momo

Gordy Haab – Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force

Laura Karpman – Captain America: Brave New World

Michael Giacchino – The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares

Simon Franglen – Avatar: Fire and Ash

Son Lux – Thunderbolts*

Score – Horror/Thiller Film

Atticus Derrickson – Black Phone 2

Benjamin Wallfisch – Wolf Man

Cornel Wilczek – Bring Her Back

Holly Amber Church – The Other

Jay Wadley – Heart Eyes

Michael Yezerski – Dangerous Animals

Score – Independent Film

Aaron Zigman – Truth & Treason

Adem Ilhan – The Ballad of Wallis Island

Jeff Beal – Rule Breakers

Jónsi And Alex Somers – Rental Family

Lucrecia Dalt – Rabbit Trap

Steve Gernes – Wet Paper Bag

Score – Documentary

Allyson Newman – Arrest the Midwife

Anne Nikitin – Pangolin – Kulu’s Journey

Christian Lundberg – Why We Dream

Lolita Ritmanis – An American Miracle

Paul Leonard-Morgan – The Last Dive

Tyler Strickland – John Candy: I Like Me

Music Themed Film or Musical

Song Sung Blue – Craig Brewer (Director)

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere – Scott Cooper (Director)

The Ballad of Wallis Island – James Griffiths (Director)

Wicked: For Good – Jon M. Chu (Director)

Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires – Paul Hoen (Director)

Music Documentary – Special Program

Billy Idol Should Be Dead – Jonas Åkerlund (Director)

Bono: Stories of Surrender – Andrew Dominik (Director)

Diane Warren: Relentless – Bess Kargman (Director)

I Was Born This Way – Daniel Junge & Sam Pollard (Directors)

It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley – Amy Berg (Director)

Selena Y Los Dinos – Isabel Castro (Director)

Song – TV Show/Limited Series

“Afterlife” from Devil May Cry. Written by Amy Lee and Alex Seaver. Performed by Evanescence.

“At Dawn I Look for You” from Étoile. Written by Loral Raphael and Ronnel Raphael. Performed by Sons Of Raphael

“Give It a Good Try” from Unconventional. Written by Craig Richey. Performed by Craig Richey feat. Aubrey Shea.

“Rosebud” from Woman Of The Dead (Season 2). Written By Vera Marie Weber & Caleb Veazey. Performed By Vera Weberb

“The Dead Dance” from Wednesday. Written by Lady Gaga and Andrew Watt. Performed By Lady Gaga.

“The Line” from Arcane. Written by Tyler Joseph. Performed by Twenty One Pilots.

“Turned to Black” from Black Rabbit. Written by Albert Hammond Jr. & Sarah Holt. Performed by The Black Rabbits (Albert Hammond Jr & Jude Law)

“Wolf Song” from Landman. Written and Performed by Andrew Lockington

Score – TV Show/Limited Series

Aaron May & David Ridley – Adolescence

Antonio Sánchez – The Studio

Brandon Roberts & Nicholas Britell – Andor

Chris Bacon – Wednesday

David Fleming – The Last Of Us (Season 2)

Dominic Lewis – Your Friends & Neighbors

Andrew Lockington – Landman

Natalie Holt – Chad Powers

The Gregson-Williams Brothers – The Gilded Age (Season 3)

Theodore Shapiro – Severance

Song – Onscreen Performance – TV Show/Limited Series

Kenzi Richardson – “Force of Nature” (Vampirina: Teenage Vampire)

Nikhil Koparkar – “The Hills of Tanchico” (The Wheel Of Time)

Lumi Pollack, Carmen Sanchez, Ruby Marino – “The Lies We Tell Our Hearts” (Electric Bloom)

Mark Sonnenblick – “Drugs in My Booty” (Harlem Season 3)

Kevin Bacon – “Our Highway” (The Bondsman Season 1)

Main Title – TV Show/Limited Series

Chief Of War – Hans Zimmer, James Everingham and Kaumakaiwa Kanakaʻole

Étoile – Sons of Raphael

Government Cheese – Pharrell Williams

Outlander: Blood of My Blood – Bear McCreary

Your Friends & Neighbors – Dominic Lewis and Hamilton Leithauser

Score – Short Film (Live Action)

Alexander Bornstein – The Lord of All Future Space and Time

Carl Thiel – El Lazo De Petra

Finlay White – Gesualdo

Forrest Gray – Everything Must Go

Kyle Simpson – How to Drag a Body

Score – Short Film (Animated)

Hayden Thompson and Miranda Tan – Love & Gold Soundtrack

Obadiah Brown-Beach, Bastien Rousset, Henrik Lindström, 2wei, Ruben K, Georg Mausolf, Sigurd Jøhnk-Jensen and Nicholas Horsten – Honor Of Kings – Kong Kong’er Champion Cinematic Short

Qing Madi – Valorant

Raashi Kulkarni – Wednesdays With Gramps

Sam Rothera – All Hail the Duck King

Score – Short Film (Documentary)

Alexander Leeming Froudakis & Manuela Lubrano – Stone Biter

Benjamin Westphalen – A Dream Called Khushi (Happiness)

Juan Carlos Enriquez – La Mar

Katya Richardson – Love, Chinatown

Michał Drabczyk – The Light of Immortality

Oscar Pan – Cindy Tran: From Here to Here

Score – Independent Film (Foreign Language)

Emiliano Mazzenga – Catane

Fabrizio Mancinelli – Out of the Nest

Karl Sölve Steven & Rob Thorne – Mārama

Mina Samy – Happy Birthday

Toni M. Mir – Dreaming of Lions

Score – Documentary Series -TV/Digital

Duncan Thum & David Bertok – Chef’s Table: Legends

Hans Zimmer, Kara Talve and Anže Rozman – The Americas

Jasha Klebe – American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden

John Dragonetti – Turning Point: The Vietnam War

Nainita Desai – Secrets of the Penguins

Score – TV Show/Limited Series (Foreign Language)

Ariel Blumenthal, Gal Lev – Red Alert

Arturo Cardelús – Terra Alta

Guillaume Roussel – Carême

Sandrine Rudaz – On the High Seas

Suad Bushnaq – Al Batal (The Hero)

Score – Video Game (Console & PC)

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Ludvig Forssell

Dune: Awakening – Knut Avenstroup Haugen

Fallen Aces: Episode 1 – Josh Barron

Ghost Of Yōtei – Toma Otowa

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Gordy Haab

League of Legends: Welcome to Noxus – League of Legends (Bill Hemstapat, Sebastien Najand, Alex Seaver, J.D. Spears, Alexander Temple, Richard Thomson, Seth Tsui, Gong Ao, Merlin Cen)

Mafia: the Old Country – Bt (Brian Transeau)

Spirit of the North 2 – Pav Gekko

Sword of the Sea – Austin Wintory

The Rogue Prince of Persia – Asadi (Danny Asadi)

Song – Video Game (Console & PC)

“Against the Tide” from Wuthering Waves. Written by Obadiah Brown-Beach. Performed by Forts And Obadiah Brown-Beach

“Coral Crown” from Hades II: Original Soundtrack. Written by Darren Korb. Performed by Scylla and the Sirens.

“Footsteps” from Rue Valley. Written and Performed By Ana Krstajić

“Rivals ‘Til The End” from Marvel Rivals. Written by Danny Koo, Marbling, Netease Sound, Masahiro Aoki, H.K.H. Vocals By Chrissy Costanza.

“The Rogue Prince of Persia” from The Rogue Prince Of Persia. Written and Performed by Asadi (Daniel Asadi) and Xye.

“When The Sun Is Low” From Dune: Awakening. Written by Knut Avenstroup Haugen. Performed by Clara Sorace, The Chamber Orchestra of London, Børre Flyen and Knut Avenstroup Haugen.

Song/Score – Mobile Video Game

Afk Journey – Alec Justice

Delta Force – Delta Force Music Team

Honor Of Kings – Matthew Carl Earl, Laurent Courbier, and Others

Identity V-Gambler In The Spotlight – Zhang Guanglei & Wang Jingfei

Valorant – Bbno$

Music Supervision – TV Show/Limited Series

George Drakoulias – Severance

Jen Malone & Nicole Weisberg – Wednesday

Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe, Jonathan Leahy – Nobody Wants This

Melyssa Hardwick – The Summer I Turned Pretty

Nora Felder – Yellowjackets (Season 3)

Robin Urdang – Étoile

Sean Fernald – Dexter: Resurrection

Music Supervision – Film

Ashley Neumeister – Ruth & Boaz

Dominick Amendum – Wicked: For Good

Gary Welch – The Ballad Of Wallis Island

Jemma Burns – Christy

Mike Turner & Jonathan Lane – Winter Spring Summer Or Fall

Nick Angel – Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Music Supervision – Video Game

Bénédicte Ouimet & Jérôme Angelot – Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Benjamin Beladi – The Sandbox – 2025 Seasons (5 & 6)

Jonny Altepeter – Valorant

Manu Bachet – The Rogue Prince of Persia

Steve Schnur – Battlefield 6

Yuanye Huang, Jing Zhang, Shuqin Xiao, Peiyue Lu, Samuel Siu – Honor of Kings

Song/Score – Commercial Advertisement

Amazon Midnight Opus (“What the World Needs Now Is Love”) – Haim Mazar

Apple: 6 Out of 5 Stars – Silo: Music – Neil Ormandy, Linkoln, Allen Stone

Matter And Space (“Butterflies”) – Alex Yewon

Sea of Remnants (“Yo Ho!”) – Guanglei Zhang / Sibo Huang “Yo Ho!”

The End of the Run Is Just the Beginning – Alexandra Petkovski (Aka Fjøra)

Valorant (“In My Zone”) – Bbno$

Soundtrack Album

F1 – Atlantic Records

Karma: The Dark World – Black Razor Records

Kpop Demon Hunters – Republic Records

Sinners – Sony Masterworks Records

Wicked: For Good – Republic Records

World Of Warcraft: Undermine(D) – Blizzard Entertainment

Song – Short Film

“Sean Is Three” from Sean The Baby. Written by Cameron Adams. Performed By Amelia Rolland.

“Somos Fuertes” from Somos Fuertes Official Music Video. Written and Performed by J.Frazil.

“Car Keys” from Everything Must Go. Written by Forrest Gray, Tiffany So & Saba Saghafi. Performed By Forrest Gray.

“Stars In My Eyes” from Sweetwater. Written and Performed by Sean Douglas.

“Down We Go” from Rabbit Rabbit. Written and Performed by Zoë Lustri

Score – TV/Streamed Movie

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy – Dustin O’Halloran

Exterritorial – Sara Barone

Fountain Of Youth – Christopher Benstead

Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story – Tommy Fields

The Pickup – Christopher Lennertz

Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires – Tom Howe

Music Design – Trailer

Delta Force – Peter Tomlinson

Destiny: Rising – Weicheng Xia & Guanglei Zhang

Necaxa (FX – Hulu) – Juan Carlos Enriquez

Project Spectrum – Ludvig Forssell

Sea Of Remnants (Yo Ho!) – Guanglei Zhang & Sibo Huang

Valorant – Qing Madi

Wet Paper Bag – Steve Gernes

Main Title – TV Show (Foreign Language)

Al Batal (The Hero) – Suad Bushnaq

Carême – Guillaume Roussel

Lam Shamseya – Mina Samy

On The High Seas – Sandrine Rudaz

Two Graves – Marc Timon

Music Video (Independent)

Evanescence – “Afterlife”

Teya – “Bite Marks”

Mohammed K Paika – “Just Human”

Gabrielle Aapri – “Refuge”

Alexandra Fresquez – “Symphony”

Matt B, Rocky Dawuni, Tony Succar, & Wouter Kellerman – “They Know”

Live Concert for Visual Media

The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl – The Lion King Cast

Infinity Concert – Jason Huang

Beyond the World – Yufan Xu/Xihao Wang/China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra

Garden State 20th Anniversary Concert – Musical Performers: The Shins, Iron & Wine, Frou Frou, Cary Brothers, Laufey, Thievery Corporation, Colin Hay, Madison Cunningham, Remy Zero, The Milk Carton Kids, Sophie Barker, And Bonnie Somerville

Not Gonna Lie, Live From Ruthmere Museum – Abbie Thomas

Exhibitions, Theme Parks, Special Projects

Dark Castle (Xd Dark Ride) – Benjamin Botkin, Carl Vaudrin, Benjamin Beladi

Dreamland Theme Park – Chris Thomas

One Step Beyond: A Journey to Mars – Rhian Sheehan

Scadstory Atlanta – Erik Desiderio

Snapshot – Eduardo Andrade

Tapestry of Happiness – Haim Mazar

Walt Disney World’s Epcot: Test Track – Zain Effendi

50 Cent isn’t the biggest fan of New York City’s new mayor Zohran Mamdani.

After Mamdani’s historic win as the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor, the Queens rapper and filmmaker took to Instagram to voice his displeasure in a series of posts, some of which have since been deleted.

In one deleted post, he posted a picture of a red Yankee fitted cap and a bottle of his Branson cognac with the caption: “New York is over pack it up, let’s go! THE MAN’S First job is Mayor MAMDANI run New York. … I need a drink!” He then posted what looks like an AI-generated image of a tombstone that reads, “RIP NYC, Founded 1624, Died 2025.”

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50 also posted a clip from Mamdani’s victory speech, in which the newly elected mayor took aim at President Trump. “3 words,” he wrote in the caption of the deleted post. “No funding coming! NYC finished.”

And finally, in yet another deleted post, 50 posted a screenshot of a tweet from journalist and host Ari Melber that said Mamdani played Ja Rule‘s “New York” as he was walking to the podium to give his speech. “Of course he would walk out to that fool,” 50 wrote. “His plan doesn’t effect him. He ain’t getting no money.”

Speaking of Ari Melber, New York City’s new mayor-elect appeared on his CNN show The Beat With Ari Melber and was asked about the back-and-forth the two Queens natives have had over his tax policy. “What I would say to you, 50, if you are indeed watching or anyone else who’s watching this show,” he said. “I continue to think that having the top 1 percent of New York City who are making more than a million dollars a year, having them pay 2 percent more for an economic agenda that would transform every New Yorker’s life, including their own, is something that is worthwhile.”

Mamdani added that he plays one of 50’s best songs whenever he gets a death threat. “Even though we have a disagreement on tax policy,” he began, “Every time I get a death threat, I still listen to ‘Many Men.’ It’s true.”

50 posted the clip (still up), and while he said he feels like Mamdani’s heart is in the right place, he still thinks taxing the rich will make corporations flee the city and that defunding the NYPD is going to lead to a purge, before hinting at the G-Unit Studios he leased in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 2024. “I think his intentions are good,” he wrote. “But his Tax plan is gonna run the big money out of the city and if he defunds the police they are gonna purge. @50centaction All Roads lead to SHREVEPORT !”

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Zohran Mamdani was born in Uganda but moved to New York City when he was 7 years old and grew up in Queens. Before running for mayor, he was an assemblyman for New York’s 36th State Assembly district, which represented the Queens neighborhood of Astoria and Long Island City.

Few NFL teams merge culture, community and football together quite like the two-time Super Bowl-winning Los Angeles Rams, and SoFi Stadium has become an entertainment mecca each football Sunday.

Billboard was in the building when the Rams beat the Colts in week 4, and music took center field. Here are seven moments that capture how the Rams continue to redefine what game day can look (and sound) like:

1. VIP Tailgate at CineVita Sets the Game Day Tone

At most stadiums, tailgating means folding chairs and cooler beer. In Inglewood, it means a red carpet and a DJ booth. The CineVita Tailgate is the Rams’ luxury pre-game ritual — a place where locals, celebrities and die-hard fans blend together for one purpose: to celebrate the L.A. Rams. Guests can catch other NFL games on the massive LED screens, play Xbox or trivia for prizes, or lounge on leather couches inside. The pre-game menu honestly tastes like something out of a food festival: loaded potato skins, Ortega taco bars, lemon pepper wings, and a maple-drizzled chicken and waffles station.

2. Mariachi Rams Represents L.A. Culture

Few teams showcase their city’s identity like the Rams do through music. The Mariachi Rams — the NFL’s first-ever mariachi ensemble — have become a fan favorite for the way they blend tradition with modern flair.

“To be the first NFL mariachi ensemble is an absolute honor and a great responsibility,” the group told Billboard. “We might be the first mariachis someone ever sees, so we give it everything every time.”

Their setlist jumps from classics like “El Rey” to mariachi renditions of 2Pac’s “California Love” and Selena’s “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.” “We take contemporary hits and put a mariachi twist on them,” they said. “It honors the genre while paying homage to the pop moments fans love.”

3. SoFi Stadium Turns National Anthem Into a Statement 

At SoFi, the national anthem isn’t just tradition; it’s the show opener. Singer/songwriter Madilyn Bailey described it as a career milestone. “Singing the national anthem at a Rams game can now be checked off my bucket list,” she told Billboard. “I’m not originally from Los Angeles, but the second I stepped off my first plane here, I knew this was my city and these were my people.”

Her performance carried a message of ambition that fits the energy of LA. “Everyone in this stadium is chasing something,” she said. “If a girl from a town of a thousand people can find herself singing in front of 70,000, anything is possible.”

4. The Crucial Catch Halftime Brings Rachel Platten to Fight

Each season, the Rams and Cedars-Sinai transform SoFi Stadium into something bigger than football through the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative, which honors cancer survivors and their families. This year’s ceremony recognized 12 “Crucial Catch Captains,” each representing stories of strength and survival. Among them was linebacker Shaun Dolac, who lost his father to stage four cancer in 2016. 

The highlight came at halftime when singer/songwriter Rachel Platten took the field to perform her anthem “Fight Song.” “The energy is unbelievable,” Platten told Billboard. “There are 70,000 people, and you’re feeding off the team’s energy. The Rams scored a touchdown right before I went on, so the whole place was already lit up.”

For Platten, the moment carried a deeper purpose. “It wasn’t about me,” she said. “It was about the survivors and the people supporting them. My mom is a cancer survivor, so I wanted to channel that strength. This performance was service, not perfection.”

5. Loud Luxury Turns SoFi Stadium Into the Club

Canadian DJ duo Loud Luxury brings in club-level energy to SoFi with an electrifying set. “It’s unique because everyone is there for the game first and foremost, so it feels like a chance to win over new fans,” they told Billboard. “Also, playing earlier in the day is definitely a bit of a body shock for both of us since our average bedtime is about 4 a.m.”

Their set bridges the worlds of sports and nightlife. “Fans play a huge role in the game atmosphere,” they said. “Our main goal is to energize the crowd, and if that can influence the game in any way, that’s a win for us.”

6. The Rams Junior Cheerleaders Take Over The Field

Before kick-off, nearly 300 Rams Junior Cheerleaders performed a four-minute routine alongside the official squad, showcasing the team’s dedication to community and youth involvement. The program, which builds confidence and teamwork among kids ages 5 to 14, has become one of the most wholesome traditions on game day.

7. Hollywood Park Extends the Game Day Experience Beyond the Stadium

Even after the final whistle, the energy carries through Hollywood Park. Fans can head to The Meeting Spot for drinks, catch a movie at Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, or experience COSM’s immersive visuals. In American Airlines Plaza, $5 Bud Light specials, face painting and games keep the atmosphere lively through sunset.