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Pete Davidson, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg appear in Eminem's Whodini music video

Pete Davidson and Eminem star in “Houdini” music video

Courtesy of Shady Records

Shady is back.

The gorgeous music video for “Houdini,” the first single from Eminem's 12th album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), features special appearances by Pete Davidson, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Shane Gillis and Snoop Dogg.

In the nearly five-minute video's final moments, Davidson appears next to Eminem's yellow sports car and sits in the driver's seat. “Trust me, I'm a great driver,” the former Saturday Night Live performer tells the rapper. “Don't worry, I just got my license back,” he adds, seemingly referencing his reckless driving indictment after crashing his Mercedes into a Beverly Hills home last year.

The song and music video contain several callbacks to his previous work, beginning within the first few seconds with his longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg, announcing that he's heard the album and wishing him luck since he's alone, something Rosenberg has done with previous albums, including The Slim Shady LP, Encore, Relapse, and The Marshall Mathers LP.

The new music video is a direct homage to his “Without Me” music video, as both videos begin with Eminem in bed with two women while Dre calls him with an emergency for the rapper's superhero alter-ego, Rap Boy. Both videos are shot in a cartoon style with some lyrics appearing on the screen in a playful font. Eminem also samples the scream from “Just Lose It” in the single.

In the video for “Houdini,” a music producer shows Eminem a video of himself in his twenties with bleached blonde hair, and he travels through a portal to the present day from 2002. Donning a rap boy costume similar to Robyn's, Eminem joins Dre in a race to find his younger self before he wreaks havoc on the city and wipes out the present-day Slim Shady.

One of the lyrics on the new single also references Troy Lanez shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot, saying, “If I asked Megan Thee Stallion to collaborate, would I really have a chance at accomplishing the feat? I don't know, but I'm happy to be back.”

Not much is known about Eminem's next album, but Dre announced it during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this year. The rapper's longtime collaborator is also credited with producing several tracks on The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace), due out this summer.

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Mavericks' Luka Doncic has his celebratory beer quickly taken away by team executives

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Luka Doncic decided the best way to celebrate the Dallas Mavericks clinching a berth in the NBA Finals was to have an ice-cold beer with his father, Sasha Doncic.

But former player and current team executive Michael Finley had a different decision.

Luka Doncic, No. 77 of the Dallas Mavericks, celebrates with his father, Sasha, after the Dallas Mavericks' 124-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 30, 2024. (David Berding/Getty Images)

Doncic led the Mavericks to a 124-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, sending Dallas to next week's NBA Finals.

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He scored a postseason-high 36 points, including 20 in the first quarter, to help Dallas reach its first Finals since 2011, its last NBA championship.

Not surprisingly, Doncic was in celebratory mood.

Luka Doncic, wearing number 77 of the Dallas Mavericks, celebrates during the fourth quarter in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 30, 2024. (David Berding/Getty Images)

Video posted to social media showed Doncic and his father in a hallway at Target Center, beers in hand.

Celtics sweep Pacers to advance to NBA Finals

That's when Finley, the Mavericks' vice president of basketball operations, walked over to give Doncic's father a hug, but in the process, Finley snatched the beer out of Doncic's hand, surprising the basketball star.

Doncic ignored the exchange, likely due to the cameras around him.

Michael Finley sits courtside during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals of the 2024 NBA Playoffs between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 24, 2024. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

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The Mavericks' big performance, which included Kyrie Irving's 36 points, will give the team a week of rest before playing against the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

The Celtics are coming off a 10-day rest following their sweep win over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

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'Big damage': Elon Musk to host town hall for Trump after slamming New York City conviction

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to hold a town hall meeting with former President Donald Trump, reports said shortly after the former president was sentenced for criminal convictions in New York City on Thursday.

The New York Post reported on Friday that President Trump will answer questions alongside Musk during a livestream that will also be broadcast on NewsNation.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump is expected to answer questions during a livestreamed event aired through a partnership with cable network NewsNation.

It's unclear exactly when the town hall took place on X, the platform Trump was banned from three years ago.

'It's ridiculous': Top Biden official grilled over 'astonishing' claim he wasn't targeting Elon Musk

Donald Trump (left) and Elon Musk (right) have a friendly relationship and are reported to speak on the phone multiple times a month (Fulton County Sheriff's Office/Chesnot/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to Musk's team and the Trump campaign but did not immediately receive a response.

“This will be interesting,” the tech billionaire posted on X.

Elon Musk responds to Robert De Niro's comparison of Trump to Hitler and Mussolini: 'It doesn't make sense'

Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower on Thursday, May 30, 2024, after being convicted on 34 counts of first-degree falsifying business records. (Felipe Ramares for Fox News Digital)

The original plan was for it to be a debate, but the Biden campaign declined the invitation, citing a person familiar with the event and the Biden campaign's thinking, citing a previously scheduled debate negotiated with Trump.

Musk is also reportedly planning a similar town hall meeting with independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk (Getty Images)

Musk made the remarks about X following reports that Trump had been found guilty in a criminal trial, arguing that the development undermines the trust Americans have in the justice system.

“Indeed, public confidence in the American justice system has been severely damaged today,” Musk wrote on his platform. “If a former president can be convicted of such a minor matter, motivated by politics rather than justice, then anyone can risk the same fate.”

Trump and Musk have reportedly developed a cordial relationship in recent days, speaking on the phone several times a month, and Musk is believed to be under consideration for an advisory role if Trump were to return to the White House.

Andrew Mark Miller is a Fox News reporter. Find him on Twitter at @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.

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Coca-Cola’s New Music Initiative Partners With Big Stars

Illustration by Klawe Rzeczy; Christopher Polk for Billboard; Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

In 1971, a few hundred young people from around the world stood on a verdant hilltop in Italy and sang about their collective desire to “buy the world a Coke.” This now iconic Coca-Cola commercial became a hallmark moment in advertising history and a bona fide hit: A version of “I’d Like To Teach the World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)” by British pop group The New Seekers reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972.

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Half a century later, Coca-Cola has its eyes on the charts again, but with a very different strategy: through music created by superstar artists in collaboration with Coke itself; promoted and distributed by those artists’ labels; and supported by label partner Universal Music Group (UMG), which will assist with promotional and playlist strategy. On a recent day in Seoul, for instance, K-pop sensation NewJeans recorded R&B-­infused pop track “How Sweet,” sung in English and Korean, which arrived May 24 as both the lead 2024 Coke Studio song and the title track to the act’s latest mini-album.

The girl group is just one example of the global stars Coke has signed to its roster. Colombian phenomenon Karol G is working with the brand, and internationally in-demand electronic producer Peggy Gou has created a club banger with, as Coke puts it, a “timeless beat” that “will cross borders and genres.” Coke will roll out two more original songs with selected artists in 2024. And all three Coke Studio artists (plus another two still to be announced) will take part in Coke Studio-sponsored music festival experiences and yet-to-be-revealed live performances. Coke Studio is also the first client of AUX, Spotify’s in-house music advisory agency for brands.

If the songs take off, Coke Studio will, as it has historically, boost visibility and streaming royalties for the artists involved, as well as further expand Coke’s own customer base and worldwide soda sales. Coke Studio is Coca-Cola’s biggest global music program of 2024, with the songs from each involved artist set to be used in the brand’s marketing in more than 150 countries — roughly 75% of the world.

This new phase of Coke Studio arrives at a moment when Coca-Cola is eager to expand its dominance of the carbonated soft-drink industry, a realm in which it has had “over 50% market share on a global basis for a very long time,” says Filippo Falorni, director and equity research analyst at Citi, where he tracks the beverage sector. The company reported $45.8 billion in net revenue for 2023 and a 3% net revenue growth in first-quarter 2024. Year to date (and as of press time), its stock price has risen from $59.82 to $62.

At the same time, its biggest rival, PepsiCo, is in the midst of cost-saving initiatives as it attempts to increase profit margins on the beverage side of its business (the company also owns Frito-Lay), which Falorni says have dipped in recent years. “Pepsi went through a period where they were almost deemphasizing the carbonated soft-drink business because they were focusing on [healthier] brands,” he says, “and that ultimately hurt the brand.”

As part of its belt-tightening, PepsiCo ended its contract as Super Bowl halftime show sponsor in 2022; its remaining music initiatives include its sponsorship of the National Battle of the Bands competition for marching bands from historically Black colleges and universities and its partnership with Mary J. Blige for May’s three-day Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit in New York. (Asked how Coke’s efforts compare with its direct competitors, Josh Burke, global head of music and culture marketing at the Coca-Cola Company, demurs: “We prefer to focus on what we’re doing versus on what our competitors are doing.”)

As Falorni explains, the respective companies’ business models directly influence their marketing strategies. While PepsiCo owns the majority of the bottling companies that produce Pepsi beverages, Coca-Cola sells the syrup that Coke products are made from to a global network of franchised bottlers, allowing Coca-Cola to “leave the execution of the lower-margin business to their bottlers and focus on marketing, which is what they’re best at,” Falorni says, citing campaigns throughout the company’s history that have framed its products as “refreshing, enjoyable and shareable” and created “strong brand equity.”

While it’s difficult to quantify the direct impact of Coca-Cola’s music-related marketing on sales (a representative for Coca-Cola did not respond to questions on the matter), Falorni says music-driven projects like Coke Studio “make the brand very relevant to consumers” — particularly young ones whom, he notes, soda brands in general are having a harder time reaching, given that the demographic is more health-conscious than previous generations. But the internationally popular, of-the-moment artists creating the music that powers Coke Studio — with the brand’s spirit of uplifting inclusivity in mind — is helping to attract that younger demo to Coca-Cola. This formula differentiates the initiative from how “other brands or even our competitors have been approaching music,” Burke says.

“When brands work with music, it’s typically very traditional,” he continues. “You license a song for a commercial or might have an artist smile and take a picture for Instagram. That’s effective and is something we do in our normal marketing, but when we’re working with music, we’re looking at our role in being authentic and connected to output and storytelling that’s going to contribute back to the music community versus just renting from the music industry. It’s very important for us that we’re adding value back into the ecosystem of music and fandom versus just borrowing from it.”

Coke Studio began in Brazil in 2007 as a musical variety show of the same name featuring performances by local artists. While it didn’t produce strong results in its first year, its 2008 launch in Pakistan became a phenomenon. There, the project took the form of a TV show called Coke Studio. Coca-Cola’s creative team recognized cultural tensions between younger and older Pakistanis and based their concept on bridging generations. “Whenever there’s such a tension, we try to find vehicles to tell a point of view [on it] from the brand perspective,” Coca-Cola global vp of creative Islam ElDessouky says. “Coca-Cola has always been a connector. We’re always inclusive and trying to bring people together.”

Coca-Cola’s team decided to center its Pakistan initiative on music, a format that ElDessouky says the team predicted would make “the point of view of the brand extremely evident.” Coke Studio Pakistan went to market as a TV musical variety show featuring Pakistani talents performing music in traditional regional styles — qawwali, ghazal, bhangra — along with hip-hop, rock and pop. Now in its 15th season there, Coke Studio has produced over 260 original songs in Pakistan and has over 5 billion streams on its YouTube channel alone. “Pasoori,” the 2022 Coke Studio collaboration from Pakistani American singer Ali Sethi and Pakistani vocalist Shae Gill, is now Spotify’s most streamed Pakistani song of all time, and in 2021, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged Coke Studio for its “subtle forces of cultural diplomacy.”

Following its success in Pakistan, Coke Studio expanded to India in 2011, African territories in 2013, the Philippines in 2017 and Bangladesh in 2022. These projects were also filmed as variety shows featuring local artists performing traditional and original music. In 2022, Coke Studio expanded from these regional-market initiatives into a global program.

This push was marked by a project called “The Conductor,” a song and music video featuring seven rising acts, including Nigerian star Tems and American R&B artist Ari Lennox, performing a collaborative cover of Queen’s 1986 hit “A Kind of Magic.” Each artist recorded their own version of the song; those were then all combined — along with a live orchestra and a Freddie Mercury sample — into a two-minute video in which all seven artists performed parts of the song in their respective styles. The clip has 14 million YouTube views, and its top comment serves as proof of concept: “When the ads are so good you actually search for them.”

In 2023, Coke Studio signed 16 acts from around the world — Jon Batiste, Sam Smith and Imagine Dragons among them — to the program, pairing acts that lived far from one another for original collaborations. One such duo was Colombian singer-songwriter Camilo and Indian artist Diljit Dosanjh. Sung in Spanish and Punjabi, their song, “Palpita,” has 19.5 million global on-demand streams, according to Luminate.

Illustration by Matt Chase

Coca-Cola measures this music’s success by how it resonates with fans and through data on streaming and fan engagement, particularly in countries where the artist in question didn’t previously have a huge presence. “Coke Studio has been instrumental in helping us tap into new languages and cultures, particularly with our recent collaboration with Camilo,” says Dosanjh’s business manager, Sonali Singh. “This partnership has opened the doors to new markets that would have otherwise taken longer to reach.” Singh says Dosanjh’s three Coke Studio collaborations over the last 10 years have helped him ascend to playing arenas and stadiums in North America and making his Coachella debut last year.

As the music industry at large now contemplates how to unlock the market power of superfans and fan armies, Coke Studio’s latest iteration is focused on exactly that — “especially given that Gen Z acts are more global and connected than previous generations,” ElDessouky says.

For Coke Studio, the goal is to tap into the attention (and spending power) of each artist’s fan base by giving them new music associated with Coke, a strategy ElDessouky calls a “value exchange that will result in loyalty and love associated with Coca-Cola.” Curating this latest group of artists “wasn’t necessarily about how many Instagram followers they have or how many monthly listeners they have on Spotify,” Burke says. “It was [finding] artists that have a high engagement and special connection with their fans” — particularly a “certain type of warmth or care.”

While the Coca-Cola team chose regional-market Coke Studio artists by first listening to their music without knowing who they were (to help identify “that ‘it’ factor,” Burke says), getting artists to sign on for this latest season was easy and a matter of simply reaching out. Burke says that while many artist teams inquire about involvement, this year, the team knew who it wanted to involve and sent the invites.

It also deliberately chose artists with “a footprint across the world,” ElDessouky says — such as K-pop act NewJeans; Berlin-based Gou, who represents both her native South Korea and the European electronic scene; and Karol G, the world’s biggest female Latin artist. (The pair of forthcoming artist announcements will expand the footprint of Coke Studio’s 2024 season to the United States and Africa.)

ElDessouky says the biggest incentive Coke Studio can offer artists is, well, Coca-Cola: “The brand itself has this magic and charm.” Plus, Coke Studio delivers artists and their work to audiences in 150 countries, including places where the act may not yet have a strong presence.

While the team declines to share Coca-Cola’s overall investment in Coke Studio, ElDessouky says the 2024 budget is spread across departments and that its total number is “not extravagant, because we are very much a conscious company in how we spend our money. But it’s not nothing either, because everybody needs to be successful and make gains off their services.” Still, Burke emphasizes that Coke Studio “is not just a paycheck or advertising partner” for artists. “We want to be looked at as a partner that can actually help propel the artist’s career.”

After the 2024 deals were signed, the artists got to work in their own studios. (Coke Studio doesn’t have physical locations.) Burke says while there’s minimal back-and-forth in terms of song approval, the brief is for artists to make music that ticks Coke Studio’s boxes — uplifting, inclusive and without explicit content — while staying true to their respective styles. “Peggy Gou, for example, made a banger,” Burke says. “She made a song that no matter where you are in the world or what time of day it is, you’re going to want to dance.”

Given this remit, Coca-Cola also encourages artists to be collaborative. For instance, Gou came up with ideas on how to tease her music and how she wants to appear on social media. “We love that,” ElDessouky says. “If we were able to just do things on our own as a brand, why would we collaborate with artists?”

Corporations and musicians partner frequently; still, Coca-Cola’s model of developing and underwriting music by internationally famous names is unique. While Pepsi has had stars like Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Madonna and Britney Spears appear in commercials over the years, all of these ads used either preexisting music from an artist’s catalog or original songs directly referencing the brand — an approach Coca-Cola also tried in 2021 when it had Tyler, The Creator write and perform “Tell Me How” for a campaign.

But while any company can “write a check and get an artist to do something,” Burke says, Coke Studio has more closely resembled a record label. The music is released through UMG, where Burke previously was vp of marketing and enterprise partnerships at the label’s London office. (Like him, several members of the Coke Studio creative team have a music industry background.)

While roughly 50% of the artists who have participated in Coke Studio are UMG acts, being signed to the label isn’t a requirement. (Karol G is signed to Interscope Records/UMG, while NewJeans and Gou are signed to ADOR and XL Recordings, respectively.) Coke Studio has retained an ownership share of the more than 40 songs made for its previous global initiatives but will not own the rights to or participate in any royalties from the music made for this year’s project.

Released “as if it was any other single from these artists,” Burke says, music created through the initiative appears on Coke Studio’s channels along with the artists’ own platforms. The partnership also includes social media activations and performances. The Coke Studio program is developed in collaboration with the marketing teams in the company’s many global markets, with content distributed for local use — like billboards in Japan featuring Karol G.

The Coke Studio x Spotify studio space in the latter’s Los Angeles office offers emerging talent access to equipment and facilities.

Courtesy of the Coca-Cola Company

Coke Studio also partnered with Spotify, which has a dedicated recording studio in its Los Angeles office for emerging artists curated in partnership with Spotify and not limited to Coke Studio-affiliated acts. Spotify, through AUX, will produce live events in partnership with Coke Studio for NewJeans, Gou and the two artists yet to be revealed upon the release of their songs. Coke Studio has activations at more than 60 international music festivals including Belgium’s Tomorrowland and Coachella in the United States (where, this year, attendees could digitally insert themselves into music videos — and also just hang out in the air-conditioning).

Coca-Cola will hold the 14th annual edition of its own festival, the Coca-Cola Music Experience, in September in Madrid. (A Coke representative says the company can’t confirm if 2024 Coke Studio artists will appear.) Fan participation also occurs through bottles of Coca-Cola, with QR codes on the packaging unlocking access to concert tickets, music, videos and more.

As the industry increasingly focuses on “glocalization,” which considers strategy from both local and global perspectives, Coke Studio is a way for artists with specific points of view to leverage the brand’s ubiquity in a manner that transcends traditional advertising and is arguably more authentic then just singing a jingle. A Coca-Cola representative says the company sells over 1 billion servings of Coca-Cola a day, offering unprecedented crossover potential for the artists involved.

For Coca-Cola, the possibility of ­reaching the fans of its chosen artists provides this same opportunity. But at a time when it’s harder than ever to cut through the noise, Coke will face plenty of competition trying to bubble its new tunes up the charts.

Billboard

This story will appear in the June 1, 2024, issue of Billboard.

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Karin Leon's Boca Chueca, Vol. One more

Jesus Fernando Espinosa

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard's Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week's picks below.

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Karin Leon, Boca Chueca, Vol. 1 (SociosMusic)

It's no secret that Karin Leon's musical influences are extremely diverse. In fact, he once told Billboard that the first song he sang as a child was Queen's “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and that he was born in Sonora, Mexico, where Mexican music dominates, which is why he started singing regional Mexican music. In just a few years, he has become one of the most important representatives of Mexican music today, singing with both R&B beats and Norteño accordion, globalizing a style that was once considered niche. Now, with Boca Chueca, Vol. 1, he fully embraces his experimental roots, generously showcasing his musical chameleon and innovation.

From pop (“Otra Vez”), R&B (“Despídase Bien”), choral (“Casi Oficial”), alternative rock (“Frené Mis Pies”), and even cumbia ska (“No Sé” with Pantheon Rococo), it's worth noting that León hasn't completely abandoned the norteño sound that made him a star. The 34-year-old singer enhances his core sound by incorporating subtle influences from country and R&B. One thing is clear: no matter what genre he sings in, León is right on the money, cementing his place as one of the most versatile and multitalented artists in Latin music. To fully experience Karin León, it's important to listen to the album from start to finish. This is a masterful album that sets the bar high for future releases. And this is only the first of two volumes. — Griselda Flores

Olga Tañon, Así Yo Soy (Opción1 Entertainment)

If the opening title track is any indication, Olga Tañon is living life to the fullest (and without rules) on her new studio album. On the breezy mambo reggaeton of “Así Soy Yo,” she makes it clear that she's not changing her ways for anyone. What remains consistent, though, is her reign as “La Mujer de Fuego,” with Christian Alicia on “Vamos A Ser Feliz,” with Sergio Vargas on “Escondidos,” and with Eddie Herrera on “Ya No Soy Ajena,” a clever response to Herrera's 2001 smash hit, “Tu Eres Ajena.”

The Puerto Rican tropical star continues to experiment on Así Yo Soy. Her powerful voice and strong, relatable lyrics shine on the vallenato track “Enseñame,” sung by Jorge Celedon and Rainier, the Mexican tune “Amarte Me Hace Daño,” and the punky “America.” Rock out to “Tu Quieres Que Contigo Yo Me Vaya.” The setlist closes with the deeply personal ballad “No Sé Quien Soy,” a collaboration with Rainier. — Jessica Royce

Mau y Ricky, Hotel Caracas (Warner Music Latina)

For their third studio album, Mau y Ricky literally returned to their roots, spending three months traveling through their native Venezuela, 15 years after moving to Miami as children. Under the guidance of producer Malay (Frank Ocean, Lorde, Fletcher) and inspired by the music they listened to growing up, the Montaner brothers created songs with entirely acoustic arrangements, lots of horns and brass, experimenting with pop, funk, Latin and urban sounds.

The result was Hotel Caracas, a 15-track album that includes the previously released singles “Vas a Destrozarme,” “Pasado Mañana,” “Gran Día” and “Canción 2” featuring Guaynaa, as well as collaborations with Arcángel “Hasta Olvidarte” and Ilegales “Espectacular.” Each song is accompanied by a music video filmed in different locations in Venezuela and a 15-episode documentary directed by Daniel Duran that follows their exciting journey, available to watch here.

“Hotel Caracas is a journey into the future while reconnecting with our roots,” Mau y Ricky said in a press release. “Fueled by curiosity, we rediscovered our passion for writing songs without following conventions or rules.” Featuring songs like “Muriendo de Miedo,” “David Beckham,” “Amarte Tanto” and “Karma,” it's a fun-filled journey full of nostalgia, humor and good vibes from start to finish. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Gusi, Monte Adentro (Gaira Musica Local)

On Monte Adentro , Gusi infuses his pop sound while embarking on a deeply introspective journey to reconnect with his Caribbean roots. “This album is an invitation to see where we belong,” Gusi enthused at the launch of his new album in Miami on May 30. “Many of us came to America with dreams of potential that never ended, but there is always an invisible thread there that connects us to some corner, some place.”

The seven-track set is a collaborative project between Gusi and iconic Latin producer Emilio Estefan Jr. They worked together at Crescent Moon Studios in Miami. In Gusi's words, “Being in that studio felt like I'd won an award.” They worked on the album for 10 days. Estefan spoke to Billboard during the release, explaining that for him, music has to be done quickly to maintain its magic. “Music is like love; you click and fall in love quickly and then you fall out of love quickly,” he says.

The album aims to celebrate the diversity of Latin America, and that's beautifully expressed on this album filled with a rich blend of accordion, trumpet, guitar and Gusi's sweet voice. You can hear it on “Amores No Correspondidos,” “Me Voy Contigo” and “Mil Ave Marias,” featuring the folksy flauta de milo. Meanwhile, the focus track is the album's namesake, and it encapsulates everything that means to Gusi and the importance of always wanting to go back to his roots. — Ingrid Fajardo

Omar Montes, Lola Indigo & Las Chuches, “EL PANTALON (RUMBAS)” (Sony Music Latin)

Spanish singer Omar Montes delivers a summer blast with his vibrant collaboration with fellow hitmakers Lola Indigo and Las Chuches on “El Pantalon Rumba.” This upbeat flamenco rumba-meets-urban track is a remix of Las Chuches' 2004 hit “El Pantalon.” “Looking for the square to buy some pants/Make them fit, make them fit hesitantly,” the pair sing in unison, while the video clip sees them strolling through a local market searching for (you guessed it) the famous pants. — Luisa Calle

Manuel Medrano “Perfecto” (Warner Music Mexico)

Manuel Medrano takes his time between albums, and they turn out great because of it. Perfecto was released three years after Eterno, but it was worth the wait. Perfecto is sophisticated yet commercial, exploring pop, funk, dance and soul with elegance and attitude. “Verano En NY” lives up to its title: mellow, urbane and fun. “Este Cuento” is uptempo pop that mixes dance and acoustic guitar. “Luna” (with Arthur Hanlon on piano) is a grand acoustic ballad backed by atmospheric strings. And “Miel” is pure disco. Throughout, Medrano's deep, distinctive voice and well-crafted lyrics shine through, always a delightful combination. — LEILA COBO

Grupo Firme, “El Beneficio de la Duda” (Music VIP Entertainment)

Grupo Firme is known for their party songs, but how well can they sing ballads? In “El Beneficio de la Duda,” composed by José Favela, Eduin Caz unleashes emotion rarely seen in his music. Accompanied by an accordion lament, this norteño ballad is short and beautiful. “I don't deserve the benefit of the doubt, but I'd be grateful if one day you gave it to me,” Caz pleads in the video, singing in the rain and showing another side of his great musicality. — L. Cobo

Manu Chao, “Viva Tú” (Radio Bemba)

Manu Chao's latest single, “Viva Tú,” has a nostalgic, poetic feel and pays tribute to heartfelt connections. The eternal troubadour captures life's simple joys and weaves them into a personal yet universal ode. The song is enhanced by the stirring strumming of a nylon guitar over the mellow rhythm of a rumba. Flamenco-inspired vocal embellishments further enrich the track. The song previews his upcoming solo studio album, due later this year, and his first since 2007's “La Radiolina.” “Cada día que me enamoro,” he sings, as he celebrates everyday heroines, from the baker to the cleaner, with each verse bursting with admiration and celebrating the subtle beauty of everyday interactions. — Isabella Raygoza

Listen to more Latino picks from our editors in the playlist below.

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Eminem references Megan Thee Stallion shooting in new song “Houdini” – Music News

Eminem references the Megan Thee Stallion shooting in his new song “Houdini.”

On Thursday, the rapper released the first track from his upcoming 12th studio album, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace).”

Produced by Eminem and longtime collaborator Luis Resto, the song references the 2020 incident in which singer and rapper Tory Lanez shot Megan in both legs after a party.

“If I asked Megan Thee Stallion to collaborate with me, would I really have a chance of accomplishing it? I don't know, but I'm happy to be back,” the 51-year-old raps.

Megan's name isn't the only thing mentioned in the controversial song, as the 15-time Grammy Award-winning singer also takes aim at drag queen and TV host RuPaul and her own children.

“Cancel me, what? Okay yeah, come on Paul, quit / Snake shit, you crossdresser, fake whore / I'll probably get slammed for that (see) / But y'all suck my dick, fuck y'all for real / Fuck Dre, fuck Jimmy, fuck me, fuck you / Fuck your kids, they're little brats (fuck y'all) / Fuck y'all and y'all (yeah) / You got a couple balls as big as Paul, RuPaul,” says the rap father of three.

The Mockingbird artist released a music video to accompany the song, featuring an all-star line-up of guests including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Pete Davidson.

Eminem announced “The Death of Slim Shady” in April, after his first-round NFL draft pick in Detroit. He released a trailer in which a crime reporter announces the death of the rapper's alter-ego, Slim Shady.

The album is due for release later this year.

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Eminem, Normani, Shabuzzi, etc.

Theo Wargo/Getty Images, Courtesy of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Billboard's Friday Music Guide is your handy guide to the biggest songs releasing this Friday — the big songs everyone's talking about today, and the songs that will dominate playlists this weekend and beyond.

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Check out the latest videos, charts and news

Check out the latest videos, charts and news

There's a lot going on this week, with Eminem returning to recapture his glory days, Normani's debut album finally just weeks away from dropping, and Foster the People returning with a new sound on a new label. Check out all of this week's picks below.

Eminem “Houdini”

It's no surprise then that Eminem kicks off “Houdini” (reportedly the lead single from his upcoming album, The Death of Slim Shady) with a callback to the 2002 classic “Without Me,” recreating that song's famous “Guess who's back?” intro. Even more surprising is the riff that follows. Not only does Eminem rip off the backing melody of Steve Miller Band's 1982 Billboard Hot 100 torch “Abracadabra,” he also recreates nearly the entire chorus, simply replacing Miller's “I wanna reach out and grab ya” with “I'm bout to reach in my bag, bruh.” Unfortunately, in this case, Eminem getting in the bag involves making jokes about R. Kelly, the Megan Thee Stallion shooting, and his “transgender pussy,” before declaring, “If I think that shitty, I'll say that shitty/Cancel me, how about you?” Well, if Eminem still hasn't made it after 25 years as a superstar, this song isn't going to do it.

Normani “Candy Paint”

There's only two weeks left until Normani's long-awaited debut album, Dopamine, is finally released. In the meantime, she's dropped another lead single, “Candy Paint,” in which she brags about her ability to steal your man whenever (and however) she feels like it. “If I let him take you, you might never get him back/I'm a bad girl, I don't know how to act,” she declares in the chorus, before the opening verse evolves into “When I'm done, baby, I'll get him back.” It's a rollicking, fun-filled three minutes, and the coke-bottle-clinking beats from co-producers Stahler and Tommy Brown keep it all in motion.

Shabuzzi, where I've been is not where I'm going.

Of all the artists releasing albums in 2024, only Virginia-born country artist Shaboozy has leveled up this much since his last LP. Shaboozy was on the biggest live setlist of the year with Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter, before scoring his own breakout hit with “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The still-growing smash appears on Shaboozy's third album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going, which also features bangers with subtle hip-hop influences like “Highway” and “Let It Burn,” and ballads like “East of the Massanutten” and the Noah Cyrus collaboration “My Fault.” But the artist also has fun new styles, like the Post Malone-esque pop-rock of “Annabel” and the trappier, Big Exta Plug-featuring “Drink Don't Need No Mix.”

Charlie XCX feat. Robyn & Yung Lean, “Robin and Yung Lean 360 Remix”

Yes, that's the real title of the star-studded new remix of Charli XCX's single “360,” which features two other guests: Swedish rapper Yung Lean and pop icon Robyn. The three of them breathlessly trade lyrics almost every time through the two-minute remix, elevating the already impressively driving energy of the original. And, of course, the best lyric belongs to Ms. Karlsson: “I started out so young I didn't even have email/ Now my lyrics are on your chest.”

The year Ira Starr turned 21

Rising Beninese-Nigerian singer-songwriter Ira Star will release the aptly titled The Year I Turned 21 this week, her follow-up to 2022's 19 & Dangerous. Featuring the top 10 Billboard US Afrobeat Songs hit “Commas,” the album seamlessly mixes Afrobeat with genres like pop, R&B, and amapiano, all held together by Star's rich, deep vocals. “It just feels so cohesive because of my voice,” she told Billboard earlier this week. “My voice is my sound, so no matter what genre you're in, if my voice is there, you're going to hear Afrobeat.”

Foster the People “Lost in Space”

Speaking of Whodini-esque artists, 2010s alt-pop hitmakers Foster the People are back this week with a new single, “Lost in Space,” the first track off their just-announced upcoming album, Paradise State of Mind, FTP's first new work in seven years. “Space” has a squelching synth bassline and a disco groove closer to “Pump Up the Jam” than “Pumped Up Kicks.” Lead singer Mark Foster's falsetto vocal hook also adds to the auspicious beginning of a new era for the group. After spending their first three years with Columbia, they move to Atlantic Records.

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Rita Ora's new single is a 'full circle moment' – Music News

Rita Ora's new single marks a “complete turning point” for the pop star.

The 33-year-old singer released “Ask and You Shall Receive” ahead of her appearance at London's Mighty Hoopla festival, and Rita loves that the “upbeat” single was co-written with Ray.

“The song has a bright, summery vibe and is about being romantic and seizing the moment and falling instantly in love with someone special,” explained Rita, who is set to perform at the festival on Sunday (6th February 2024).

“This song was co-written with the amazing Ray and I have so many great memories of being on the road with him on the Phoenix tour, so it really feels like it's all over.”

Rita's new music video was shot in a 24-hour laundromat in Los Angeles, and the concept was inspired by the iconic 1985 Levi's commercial starring Nick Kamen.

Rita released her latest album, You and I, in 2023, and the pop star previously explained how the album will be different to her previous releases.

The Don't Think Twice hitmaker, who married film director Taika Waititi in 2022, told GQ magazine: “[With the album, I’m] It captures this moment in my life where I fell in love, and what I talk about in it is very personal reflections, what it took for me to decide on this person and what it took to be with him.

“I just had a lot of courage and confidence with this album. I wrote a lot of the songs on this album, I was in every session, and even if I wasn't, I changed the songs to suit me. I've never really done all the work on any of my albums before, written every song, or been involved in the writing process of every song.”

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Mark Oliver Everett thanks his father for saving his life – Music News

Mark Oliver Everett believes his father's death helped save his own life.

The 61-year-old singer, also known as E, underwent life-saving surgery after an aortic aneurysm was discovered during a routine check-up. Mark admits that losing his father when he was 19 made him take a more health-conscious approach.

The Eels frontman told The Sun: “The only good thing I've found from my dad dying so young is that it's kept me going.”

“If I hadn't had the yearly tests, I would never have known I had this disease.”

When asked how he was feeling, Mark replied: “I'm totally fine.”

“Obviously it was a tough ordeal and it took me a few months to recover, but I'm back to normal now.”

Mark is happy to show off his scars to encourage people to get regular check-ups.

He explained: “It made me feel uncomfortable, but I just wanted to raise awareness so people would get tested.”

“Luckily for you, girls love scars. The Fonz said so!”

Meanwhile, Mark recalled an interesting encounter with a nurse during his recovery.

The music star said: “Throughout my recovery I was in a lot of pain.

“I was hooked up to so many needles and hoses that even going to the toilet was painful.

“One time, a new nurse was on duty and I was having a really rough night. I kept calling the nurse every hour asking for sleeping pills or painkillers.

“Then she came in this morning and said, 'I heard you were a singer so I looked you up and I saw your most popular song on Spotify is 'I Need Some Sleep.' And I said, 'Yes, that's him!'”

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Former NBA player Drew Gordon (33) dies in car accident

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Former NBA player Drew Gordon, the older brother of Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, tragically died in a car accident in Portland, Oregon on Thursday, the team confirmed in a statement. He was 33 years old.

Gordon's agent, Calvin Andrews, first confirmed the news to ESPN's Marc J. Spears.

Drew Gordon, No. 30, of the Philadelphia 76ers, attempts to dribble past Mason Plumlee, No. 1, of the Brooklyn Nets, during a preseason game at Barclays Center in New York City on Oct. 20, 2014. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

“The Denver Nuggets organization is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Drew Gordon,” the team said in a statement shared on social media.

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“Drew was too young to leave this world, but his legacy will live on forever through his three beautiful children and loved ones. Our hearts are with Aaron and the Gordon family during this extremely difficult time.”

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office confirmed a “fatal crash” occurred near South Spinwater Road just before 6 p.m.

Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Drew Gordon plays during the EuroCup basketball game between Fiat Torino Auxilium and Zenit St. Petersburg at PalaRuffini in Turin, Italy on February 7, 2018. (Massimiliano Ferraro/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton dies at age 71 after battle with cancer

Gordon was a top-ranked freshman before joining the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team in 2008. He played two seasons before enrolling at the University of New Mexico, where he led the Lobos to a conference title and was named tournament MVP. He was named to the All-MWC First Team his senior year.

He went undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft and made his professional debut with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014, appearing in nine games that season.

Gordon announced his retirement on social media less than a year ago after playing in the G League and several leagues in Europe.

Drew Gordon, wearing number 32 of the New Mexico Lobos, reacts during the final minutes of the team's 68-59 win over the San Diego State Aztecs in the final game of the Conoco Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on March 10, 2012. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Gordon is survived by his wife and three sons.

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