Author: Rap Hooks

The Iceman has defrosted. Drake was a surprise guest at Don Toliver’s show in Toronto, as he brought the OCTANE World Tour north of the border on Monday night (Aug. 31).

The crowd erupted when Drake emerged from the Mount Wilson Observatory-inspired structure to “Shabang.” Monday marked the first time Drizzy performed cuts from his Billboard 200-topping ICEMAN album in an arena setting.

The 6 God also had the Scotiabank Arena audience fired up as he ran through “Janice STFU,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Burning Bridges.” Following the ICEMAN medley, the Cactus Jack rapper gave Drake his flowers for inspiring him and moving hip-hop forward as a whole.

“I appreciate you for inspiring us all,” Toliver said. “You know damn well this shit wouldn’t be this s–t if you ain’t do this s–t, bro. I appreciate you so much. You inspired me, and you inspired all of us. Thank you so much for pulling up on me.”

Drake returned the favor by showing love to the Houston native and reflected on giving ICEMAN a test drive, which gave fans a taste of what’s to come when Drizzy gets back on the road for another tour.

“I just wanna thank Don for having me out tonight. This is my first time performing the album since it dropped, so thank you for being here,” he said. “Look, I love this thing that we do so much in front of the city, I just want to thank you for keeping this s–t alive. You’ve had an incredible year.”

Don Toliver kicked off 2026 with his OCTANE album in January, which notched him his first No. 1 album atop the Billboard 200. The Nitrous leg of his OCTANE World Tour continues with shows in University Park, Pa. (Penn State), Philly, Boston and Brooklyn.

As for Drake, fans are waiting for the 6 God to tour in North America for the first time since 2023’s It’s All a Blur Tour. In May, he became the first artist ever to hold the top three slots of the Billboard 200 simultaneously thanks to ICEMAN, HABIBTI and MAID OF HONOUR.

Drizzy’s doesn’t appear to be done just yet either, as he’s been teasing spinning the block to drop another project, titled FOMO, before the year ends.

Zak Starkey appears to be fully back in The Who fold again. The veteran timekeeper — and son of Ringo — who was unceremoniously booted from his gig keeping the beat for The Who after nearly 30 years on the job in 2025, confirmed last week that his off, then on, then off-again gig is firmly his again as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame icons have begun rehearsals.

Commenting on singer Roger Daltrey telling an audience at his Las Vegas solo show at the Encore Theater last Wednesday (Aug. 26) that the Who is gearing up to come back together with Starkey on drums following a recent rehearsal that “sounded great,” Starkey confirmed the news on Friday (Aug. 28).

“Nice one Rog x. Lookin forward to tearin it up with The Who again,” Starkey wrote on Instagram alongside a clip of a report about Daltrey’s reunion comments. “The rehearsal was great.. I don’t think we’ve ever rehearsed as tough as that .. usually we drink tea and talk about what time we’re going home!”

In a statement to Variety, Starkey confirmed the unexpected news, saying, “We rehearsed for an afternoon and were absolutely on fire. I’m so happy to be back playing the music I love with people I love. It’s good to be home.”

The surprising rapprochement comes more than a year after a tumultuous back-and-forth between Starkey and the band led by Daltrey, 80 and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend, 81. After beginning a nearly three-decade gig playing with the group in 1996, a rep for the Who announced last April that Starkey had been asked to step down. Reports at the time claimed that it was Daltrey who was behind the ousting, following gigs at London’s Royal Albert Hall in which he reportedly had trouble hearing his vocals over Starkey’s bombastic playing.

Starkey was then just as unexpectedly rehired a few days later, only to be fired again after a month in a messy back-and-forth that resulted in drummer Scott Devours joining the band for what was billed as a farewell North American tour. Though the Who completed that outing in October of last year, it appears they may continue it in other regions with Starkey once again behind the kit; at press time, a spokesperson for The Who had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on Starkey’s re-hiring or future tour dates.

“It’s not over by any means,” Daltrey told the Arizona Republic about the future of the Who while promoting his solo tour. “It’s just that was the last tour of America for the Who.” At press time, the band has not confirmed any new tour dates on their schedule.

Dolly Parton was laid to rest in a private family funeral in Nashville on Friday (Aug. 28). The “Jolene” singer was buried next to her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in 2025 at 82. The late singer’s great niece, Lainey Parton, confirmed details about the private ceremony, writing on Instagram, “This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words.”

According to E!, the small funeral for the singer who died on Aug. 25 at age 80 following what was described as a brief battle with cancer was held at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville.

While no further details were available about the service at press time, in announcing her death last week, Parton’s nephew, Brian Seaver, revealed in a video that his aunt had a special request for how she should be buried. “Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy,” Seaver said. “He farmed the soil. She farmed songs and happiness. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.”

In a 2014 interview with EW, Parton was asked what song she wanted to be played at her funeral, and while many expected her to pick the beloved “I Will Always Love You,” — the song she wrote and recorded and which later became a massive Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash for Whitney Houston — Parton chose another poignant song instead.

“I’m sure they’ll be playing ‘I Will Always Love You’ when I die, just like they did with Whitney Houston,” she said at the time. But the tune Parton actually chose for her own funeral was “If We Never Meet Again,” an old country-gospel hymn that was her father’s favorite, which was performed at his funeral.

“It’s an old country-gospel church song that talks about if we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore,” she told EW back then, quoting the lyric: “Where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more.” Parton and Dean are interred in a mausoleum featuring a large plaque that had her name engraved on it before her death, according to People, alongside an engraved image of her childhood home in Sevier County, Tenn. and the couple’s marriage date alongside an image of intertwined wedding bands.

In addition to picking out that song, Parton also locked an unreleased song called “My Place in History” in a chestnut box at the Dollywood DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. The tune was written in 2015, the same year the resort opened, and Parton’s wishes were that it be unveiled on what would have been her 100th birthday on Jan. 19, 2046.

While fans could not pay their respects in person, Parton’s team said if admirers wanted to participate they could tag her on social media or share a donation to her book-gifting nonprofit, Imagination Library.

The Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral home’s memorial for the singer read: “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, kindness, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”

Parton was honored by her fellow country stars and peers at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday (Aug. 29), where Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Kathy Mattea, Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle, Channing Wilson and Parton’s niece, Jada Star took the stage at the Nashville institution that inducted Parton in 1969. It was just the latest in a flood of tributes that have poured in since the beloved singer’s death last week in an outpouring of love for a one-of-a-kind performer whose career transcended music and touched millions around the world.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Gaga Music, the independent Australian publishing and sync specialist, forms a new partnership with London-based Warp Publishing.

Both independent music businesses have worked together since 2017, with Gaga Music initially representing Warp Publishing’s catalogue across Australia and New Zealand, followed by Warp repping Gaga’s catalogue in the United Kingdom.

Announced Monday, Aug. 31 on the eve of the 2026 BIGSOUND conference in Brisbane, the new arrangement extends that alliance, with Warp now an active partner in Gaga Music alongside the Australian business’ founder Grant Gillies. At the same time, Warp Publishing director Theo Seffusatti and general manager Nadine Riezouw join Gillies on the board of Gaga as directors.

The new deal should “expand global opportunities” for songwriters, composers and represented catalogues, reads a statement.

Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

“In a climate increasingly shaped by consolidation and external investment, it’s important that independent music companies continue to offer a genuinely creative and ethical alternative in rights management,” comments Gillies. “Warp is an iconic name in the global music community, with an extraordinary history and forward-thinking roster. It’s a privilege to be working more closely together.”

In a joint statement, Seffusatti, director of Warp Publishing and New Zealand publisher Heard & Seen comments: “This partnership reflects a shared commitment to independence, artist-focused development and long term creative growth through sync, score and songwriting opportunities. It also signals a continued investment in building meaningful international pathways for songwriters and composers across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region.”

Adds Nadine Riezouw, GM of Warp Publishing and former GM of Gaga Music: “Having been part of both companies, I know that they share the same values and unwavering support for independent artists. Being able to strengthen this ethos now jointly, is a proud step in offering further opportunities in a way that is truly independent, transparent and sustainable for our songwriters.”

With the new arrangement, Gaga Music splits from its former partners and stakeholders at Inertia Music. Gilles saluted the company and its team, noting “their contribution will always remain an important part of our story.”

Established in 2007, Gaga Music administers and pitches over 100,000 titles and operates through offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. Currently, its catalogue includes works from Third Side Music, Arts & Crafts, Secretly Canadian, PIAS, Thrill Jockey, City Slang, Low Profile, Erased Tapes and others.

Warp Publishing has been in business for 15 years, and counting, with offices in London and Los Angeles. The iconic brand provides  music publishing services for such artists as Kelvin Krash, Danny Brown, Yves Tumor, Kelsey Lu, Daniel Lopatin, Khruangbin, Death Grips, Caterina Barbieri, Kwes, Dry Cleaning, Bibio, Boards of Canada and many others.

Fallen Angel, JENNIE‘s latest solo release, tops this week’s new music poll.

Listeners voted in a poll published Friday (Aug. 28) on Billboard, choosing the BLACKPINK star’s new EP as their favorite new music.

Fallen Angel rose above a number of new releases this week — from music acts including Olivia Rodrigo, Ky-Mani Marley, Alex Warren, Alabama Shakes and more. At the poll’s closing time on Sunday, JENNIE’s new EP came out on top with more than 82% of the vote.

Fallen Angel is JENNIE’s first solo collection since last year’s full-length solo debut (Ruby). Led by the single “Less Than a Lover,” the EP arrives via ODDATELIER and Columbia Records.

The Fallen Angel rollout continued Friday (Aug. 28) with the acoustic-pop leaning “Fallen Angel” (alongside a dark and dreamy music video, seen above). “Less Than a Lover” and “Fallen Angel” were released as a digital EP with a third new song, “Heaven,” on streaming services the same day.

The title track has JENNIE singing, “Hey, can’t you stay?/ Don’t leave a fallen angel out here on her own/ Find a place/ Wherever we land is where we turn into a home.”

There’s more to come from Fallen Angel.

A physical CD release, which can be preordered from JENNIE’s webstore, features three additional new songs that are not available on streaming: “Sweettooth,” “Lockitdown” and “Face” round out the tracklist, making it a six-song EP. CD orders are currently expected to ship on Oct. 30.

Trailing behind Fallen Angel on Billboard‘s poll this week are Olivia Rodrigo’s “Serena Joy,” Ky-Mani Marley’s Love and Energy, Alex Warren’s WILDCHILD and Alabama Shakes’ I Must Be Dreaming.

See the final results of this week’s poll below.

For seven straight decades, from the 1960s on through the 2020s, the late Dolly Parton charted an iconic string of 50 albums on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart during her lifetime — including 15 top 40-charted sets. Following her passing on Aug. 25, Parton racked up a 16th top 40 set with Ultimate Dolly Parton.

From her debut with Porter Wagoner on Just the Two of Us in 1969, on through her most recent studio album to debut, 2023’s Rockstar, the singer-songwriter left a remarkable impression on Billboard’s signature album chart.

Parton notched four early albums on the Billboard 200 with her former TV co-star and duet partner Wagoner in 1969-71. She charted her first solo entry also in 1969, with My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy.

Parton would not reach the top 40 of the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart until 1978, when Here You Come Again climbed to a No. 20 peak off the strength of its smash title track. The single sailed to No. 3 on the overall Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, and marked her first of eight top 40 hits on the ranking.

After the Here You Come Again album, Parton would hit the top 40 again in short order with Heartbreaker (No. 27 in 1978), Great Balls of Fire (No. 40 in 1979) and 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs (No. 11 in 1981). The latter boasted her first Hot 100 No. 1 in “9 to 5,” which also scored Parton her first Academy Award nomination, for best original song (from the film of the same name, in which Parton co-starred with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin).

Parton would hit the top 40 of the Billboard 200 again in late 1984 with her holiday album Once Upon a Christmas, with Kenny Rogers. Just a year before, the pair teamed up on Parton’s second Hot 100 No. 1, “Islands in the Stream.”

In 1987, Parton joined Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris for the successful Trio album, which reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and granted Parton her first top 10 on the chart. Trio would garner Parton her first, and so far only, Grammy Award nomination for album of the year.

In the 1990s, Parton notched two more top 40 albums on the Billboard 200 with Eagle When She Flies (No. 24 in 1991) and Slow Dancing With the Moon (No. 16 in 1993). In the 2000s, she brought Backwoods Barbie to the top 40, hitting No. 17 in 2009.

In 2014, Parton achieved her first top 10 on the Billboard 200 unaccompanied by any other acts, as Blue Smoke debuted and peaked at No. 6. She followed it with another top 40 album two years later, Pure & Simple, which hit No. 11.

In the 2020s, Parton has claimed four new top 40-charted albums — more than in any other decade. In 2020, she reached No. 16 with A Holly Dolly Christmas and followed it with Run, Rose, Run (No. 34 in 2022) and the best-of compilation Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection (No. 27 in 2022).

In 2023, Parton claimed her highest charting Billboard 200 album ever, as the all-star collabrations project Rockstar debuted and peaked at No. 3.

The Rockstar project was promoted as Parton’s first rock album, and its recording was sparked by Parton’s induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Through her career, Parton primarily recorded country music, but took detours (via albums and songs) into such genres as Americana/folk, bluegrass, children’s music, Christian, dance/electronic and pop.

The 30-song Rockstar album mixed covers and original tunes and included guests such as Pat Benatar, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Chris Stapleton, Ringo Starr, Sting and Steven Tyler.

In the wake of her death, Parton collected a fourth top 10 — and her second-highest-charted album ever — on the Billboard 200 with her 2003 best-of compilation Ultimate Dolly Parton, when it reentered at No. 5 on the Sept. 5, 2026-dated chart.