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Trax Records Is Releasing a 40th-Anniversary Compilation This Summer

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Trax Records is releasing a hefty compilation project next month as part of the label’s ongoing 40-year-anniversary celebrations.

Out digitally and on vinyl on June 20, Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection features singles and remixes by house pioneers including Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, Ron Carroll, Frankie Bones and Joey Beltram, along with work by the label’s late founder Larry Sherman and its longtime owner/president Rachael Cain, who has long made music under the name Screamin Rachael.

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Trax Records’ Rachael Cain Talks House Music’s ‘Enduring, Spiritual’ Quality on the Label’s…

The project was curated by the label’s creative director Jorge Cruz, who’s been with Trax since 2009. Cruz will play as part of a release party for the project happening at Chicago’s Reckless Records on June 20. Beyond Cruz’s set focused on the history of Trax, the event will feature sets by Joe Smooth, Ron Carroll, Screamin’ Rachael and more.

The project will also be available for purchase via limited-edition vinyl drops. On June 20, the first batch of songs of the compilation’s 40 total tracks will be released, with subsequent vinyl releases each containing six to seven tracks to maximize sound quality and happening through January 2026. Vinyl will be available at record stores worldwide.

The Trax plant opened in Chicago in 1984, with the label business becoming officially incorporated the following year, amid the dawn of house music, with Trax widely recognized as a crucial early hub for evolution and dissemination of the genre. In its early years, the label released key house tracks, including Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle’s “Your Love,” Marshall Jefferson’s “The House Music Anthem (Move Your Body)” and many other genre-defining classics by artists like DJ Pierre, Ron Hardy, Mr. Fingers, Phuture, Maurice Joshua and Screamin’ Rachael.

The label also recently announced the release of its first vinyl release in more than a decade, Rising Again, a six-track compilation that’s out now.

Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection track list

Jacques x Gregory feat. Screamin’ Rachael – “I’ll Take You There (Full Journey Mix)”
Willie Wonka – “What Is House”
Frankie Knuckles – “Your Love”
Marshall Jefferson – “Move Your Body”
Stylophonic – “Jack It Up”
Armando – “Love In Heart”
Mark Row, Jame Starck feat. Carol Jiani, “Free Your Mind’
Paul Johnson – “Follow This Beat”
Screamin’ Rachael – “Rising (Lea Rognoni Remix)”
Fuck Charley Pleasure Zone – “House Nation”
Yuri Suzuki – “DATA MANIA”
D Beat – “Pump It (Lea Rognoni Remix)”
Sir Nesis- “Freaks (So Called Friend Remix)”
Frankie Bones – “Beat Me Up”
Joey Beltram – “The Start It Up”
Ricky Dillard – “As Always (Full Vocal Version)”
Marshall Jefferson – “Ride The Rhythm (Remix)”
Owen E – “Shift”
Analog 87 – “rOOmclaSSic”
Jorge, Carmelo Carone – “Jack the Acid Kid (Hiroko Yamamura & Eric Elvambuena Remix)”
Phuture – “Spank Spank (Original Mix)”
Screamin’ Rachael – “Gina (XXX) [Someone from Lithuania with a Friend Named Jorge Remix]”
Jared – “Fly So High (Roger Sanchez Tilt Mix)”
Hercules – “7 Ways to Jack”
Ron Carroll – “1993 the Bargin Enterprize”
Luca Gerlin – “Battery (Kkles Mix)”
Jesse Velez – “Girls Out On The Floor (Dub)”
Camilo Do Santos – “1984”
Samurai Sam – “House of Japanese”
David Chong – “There Is No Place”
Frankie Knuckles – “Your Love (You Got The Love Remix)”
Seph Martin – “Rainy Nights”
Larry Sherman – “Colors”
Miss Autumn Leaves – “No Turning Back”
Late Nite ‘DUB’ Addict – “The ‘F’ Word”
Carlos Nilmmns feat. Genoveva – “Fade Out (Original Mix)”
Ron Hardy – “Liquid Love (Chicago Mix)”
Screamin’ Rachael – “Sensation (Zewmob Radio Edit)”
Chris Jones – “Strong2 (Dance Mix)”
Screamin’ Rachael – “My Main Man”

Jennifer Lopez Reflects on Her AMAs History & Returning as Host – Even as She Admits: ‘I Don’t Love Being a Host’

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Jennifer Lopez is set to host the 2025 American Music Awards, which will air live coast-to-coast on Memorial Day, Monday (May 26), and she’ll also open the show with a musical performance.

On Thursday (May 22), Lopez took a break from rehearsals to chat with Billboard about hosting and performing. She had a surprising revelation — “I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest” — but she will no doubt give the hosting gig everything she’s got, which is a signature J.Lo trait.

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Jennifer Lopez speaks onstage during the 2015 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/AMA2015/FilmMagic)

Jennifer Lopez’s AMAs History: From New Kids on the Block Backup Dancer to Two-Time Host

We discussed her debut performance on the show in 1991, as a backup dancer behind New Kids on the Block, a mid-performance slip in 2009 (ever the trouper, she was back on her feet instantly), and a tribute performance to salsa legend Celia Cruz in 2013 that she regards as one of her favorite performances she’s ever done.

This year’s show will be held at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It’s Lopez’s second time hosting the AMAs; she first hosted the show 10 years ago. Other performers on this year’s show include Janet Jackson (who is set to receive the ICON Award), Rod Stewart (who is set to receive a lifetime achievement award), Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson and Reneé Rapp.

Here’s our conversation, with just light edits.

The AMAs went on the air when you were 4 and a half. Did you grow up watching the AMAs and the Grammys?

Absolutely.

Did they kind of feed your dreams?

Yes, they did, absolutely. You can’t help but watch those [shows], being an artist or not even knowing you’re an artist yet, and just be pulled in by the performances and the incredible moments that you see, and people kind of being celebrated for what they do. It was just always amazing to see which moments kind of put a mark on your mind when you’re watching TV and those awards shows. And I do think it makes people who are young artists believe that it’s something you can actually accomplish.

Do you remember specific artists who had that effect on you when you were a kid?

I remember watching with my mom. She was a huge Diana Ross fan, and I remember seeing Diana Ross on the AMAs and the Grammys. I remember seeing all the Motown artists. Tina Turner was also a big one for me.

You’re the fourth music star to solo-host the AMAs twice, following Lionel Richie, Diana Ross and Pitbull. I’d say you’re all in good company.

Oh wow. Yeah, that’s good company. That’s a nice group.

I watched all 10 of your previous AMAs performances the other day – nice work if you can get it – and you really commit. You go all out. It’s like one of your songs says, “Go hard or go home.” You go hard.

I do go hard. I enjoy performing and I enjoy kind of pushing myself out of my comfort zone to do different things. I started as a dancer, so my performances are very kind of dance-oriented because that’s who I am at heart. I feel like I am a singer and I am an actress and I love doing those things, but I think I came out of the womb dancing. And my mother was a dancer, so I think I picked that up from her.

I grew up watching variety shows and specials headlined by people like Ann-Margret and Mitzi Gaynor. There aren’t many places anymore for that kind of all-around entertainer. Awards shows are about it. Just about all 10 of your AMAs performances were big production numbers with big production values. They gave you a showcase to show what you can do.

Yeah, that is true. There’s different things as an artist. I do films as an actor and I do my shows and my touring for my music. Trying to kind of bring those things together is never an easy thing and you don’t get to do that, but I think when you’re hosting an awards show, you get to sing a little bit and dance a little bit and people get to feel your personality and your energy.

I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest. I think that’s why it’s taken me 10 years to do it again. I do get – believe it or not – shy and nervous, but I do remember having a great time doing it back then [in 2015]. I felt like it was a good time to give it another try.

What do you remember about the 1991 show when you were a dancer behind New Kids?

Oh my God, I remember that was such an exciting moment for me. I had been hired as a dancer. This is before I was acting and singing and doing my own music. I was hired to be a backup dancer for New Kids. Just the idea of being part of that was such a big deal. I was right in the middle, in the center, and it was exhilarating, to be quite honest. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe it and being around all the other artists and seeing some of the stars that I liked. It was so much fun.

You were just 21, and that was back when awards shows reached a massive audience.

Yeah, everyone in my neighborhood saw it. They couldn’t believe it was me. It was so much fun. It was a great moment.

In 2009, performing “Louboutins,” you did a dismount and fell on your backside, but what impressed me watching it was how quickly you were back on your feet. It was a split second. Do you remember that?

Of course I do. I just slipped and fell down for a second, but yeah, I got right back up. And it wasn’t as big a deal as everybody made it, but yes, I was a little bit hurt for a couple of days. That whole day I didn’t feel it because I had so much adrenaline, and the performance went so well.

In 2013, you did a tribute to Celia Cruz, in which you performed “Químbara,” “Carnaval” and “Bemba Colorá.” Did you know her?

I did not know her very closely, but I had met her. I was always such a huge fan of hers. Like the minute they asked me to do the Celia Cruz tribute, I knew exactly what songs I wanted to do. I knew exactly the type of number that I wanted to do. It was an amazing moment. I felt kind of her energy flowing through me. That’s probably one of my favorite performances of all time that I’ve done.

The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.

Karol G Enters a New Era With ‘Latina Foreva’: Stream It Now

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Karol G celebrates Latin women and a new career era in her new single “Latina Foreva” out Thursday (May 22) via Bichota Records.

Marking her first official release of the year, the vibrant track — produced by Mazzarri and Misha, and co-written by Karol and Daniela “La Guru” Aponte — blends an early 2000s reggaetón sound with pop melodies, bursting with energetic rhythm and the artist’s signature confidence and cultural pride.

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Karol G Lands First No. 1 on Hot Latin Pop Songs Chart With ‘Milagros’

The conceptual music video, directed by Pedro Artola (“Provenza,” “TQG,” “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”), captures the Colombian artist and a group of beautiful ladies at the snowy Mammoth Lakes in California—best showcasing the heat Latinas take wherever they go.

Karol G first teased the new music on Wednesday (May 21) with a NSFW photo. “New single, new era,” she captioned the sensual nude pic, while also using orange-colored emojis that represent her new look and natural, brown locks. In her previous musical eras, Karol was associated with the colors soft pink, bright red, and an electric blue.

“The track honors her musical roots while pushing her sound into daring new territory, marking a dynamic new chapter in her evolution as an artist,” reads an official statement.

“Latina Foreva” comes on the heels of Karol’s self-reflection ballad “Milagros,” part of her Netflix documentary Tomorrow Was Beautiful. Singing about her real-life miracles and blessings, “Milagros” earned the artist her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Pop Songs chart-dated May 24, after its first full tracking week.

Check out the music video for “Latina Foreva” below:

Blake Shelton’s ‘For Recreational Use Only’ Album Arrives in Top 10 on Billboard Charts

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Blake Shelton’s first studio album in four years, For Recreational Use Only, debuts in the top 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales (No. 6), Top Country Albums (No. 8) and Independent Albums (No. 8) charts (all dated May 24). It’s his first studio set since Body Language, which was released in May of 2021.

The new project is also his first with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville (via Ten Point Productions/Wheelhouse Records), after a career with Warner Music Nashville. Shelton signed to BBR/BMG Nashville in September 2024.

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Blake Shelton Drops ‘Texas’ on ‘Fallon,’ Says Post Malone Fueled His Return

On Top Country Albums, the set lands Shelton his 18th top 10 – all of which have come since 2001. Notably, this century (2000-present), only six total acts have tallied at least 18 top 10s: Shelton and Tim McGraw have 18 each, while Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait are all tied with 20 each.

Over on Top Album Sales, For Recreational Use Only marks Shelton’s 18th top 10-charting set (it launches with 10,500 copies sold in the United States in the week ending May 15, according to Luminate).

Elsewhere in the top 10 of the all-genre Top Album Sales chart, five more titles debut in the region, including the No. 1 debut from Sleep Token’s Even in Arcadia.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album (TEA) units and streaming equivalent album (SEA) units.

As earlier noted, Sleep Token’s Even in Arcadia debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales. The set, the band’s first leader, launches with 73,500 copies sold – the group’s best sales week ever. Kali Uchis’ Sincerely, debuts at No. 2 with 38,000 copies sold – marking the third top 10 for the singer. P1Harmony collect its fourth top 10 as DUH! debuts at No. 3 with 22,000 sold. The Weeknd’s chart-topping Hurry Up Tomorrow rallies 35-4 with 15,000 sold (up 540%) after new vinyl and CD editions of the album were released. Forrest Frank rounds out the top 10, and secures his second top 10 (and first top five set) as Child of God II debuts at No. 5 with 12,000 sold.

PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U reenters the chart at No. 7 with 9,000 sold (up 8,558%) after its vinyl release, Kendrick Lamar’s former leader GNX falls 7-8 (7,000; up 5%), Ghost’s chart-topping Skeletá slips 5-9 (6,500; down 37%) and Arcade Fire’s Pink Elephant bows at No. 10 with 6,000 sold (notching the band its sixth top 10).

PinkPantheress Responds to Critics & Says She ‘Doesn’t Do Music to Perform’

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PinkPantheress delivered her acclaimed nine-track Fancy That mixtape this month, and fans are hoping she’ll get back on the road soon to tour around the new project.

Pink has been critiqued as a performer in the past, and she sat down with Capital Buzz where she agreed that the criticism has been “fair” and that she doesn’t make music for the stage.

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PinkPantheress at the Coperni Fall RTW 2025 fashion show as part of Paris Fashion Week held at Adidas Arena on March 9, 2025 in Paris, France.

PinkPantheress Drops ‘Fancy That’: Stream It Now

“I don’t do music to perform, I think is the thing, and that’s perfectly fine,” she said around the 23:55 mark of the interview. “I think that people are probably used to and also expect a singer to be able to perform well. And I don’t blame anyone for thinking that. I’m not the best performer. Again, it’s one of those things where I’m like ‘I’m going to get better.’”

PinkPantheress continued: “But the thing is, no amount of rehearsals can make a difference when you’re in front of like 10,000, 50,000, 100,000. No amount of rehearsal you can do, and as somebody that has got very bad stage fright… I think one of the things people say is like, ‘Oh, I think her performances are a hindrance to her career.’ And I do think there is a level of if you want to make it as like a big, big pop-diva.”

The British artist is at peace in more intimate settings and doesn’t think the performance aspect is a hindrance to her blossoming career. Pink also caught up with Billboard earlier in May, which saw her reveal that touring with Olivia Rodrigo made her learn that she’s “not an arena artist.”

“Watching her and how she combats an arena and how she actually does the arena made me realize, ‘Wow, some people are arena artists and some people are not.’ I’m not an arena artist,” she admitted. “That’s something I learned about myself. What I learned from her is there are ways you can approach an arena and interact with people in the up theres or the far backs. She did that and is amazing at it.”

PinkPantheress added: “What happened when I watched her was, I saw my own failing and my own incapabilities, and I was like, ‘I’m not an arena artist.’ That’s not for a lack of trying. It just made me realize there are some things in life as an artist you’re told you should try one day — but for me, I think I’m one of those artists where I’m comfortable is where I always strive.”

The 24-year-old opened for Rodrigo for six or seven shows before leaving the tour for personal reasons related to her health in 2024.

As for Fancy That, Pink heavily tapped into the drum and bass genre and pulled on inspiration from Basement Jaxx and Calvin Harris to complete the cohesive work, which she thinks is her sonic magnum opus.

Stream the mixtape below.

Iron Maiden Kindly Request You ‘Severely Limit’ Cell Phone Usage During Their Upcoming Tour

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As Iron Maiden ready themselves to climb aboard Ed Force One and launch their Run for Your Lives World Tour, manager Rod Smallwood has asked fans to put their phones away.

The veteran British heavy metal outfit will launch their upcoming tour in Budapest, Hungary on May 27, with the shows also kicking off their 50th anniversary celebrations. With the massive milestone in their back pocket, and the tour also set to see the debut of drummer Simon Dawson, there’s a lot worth documenting.

However, Smallwood has taken to the band’s website to share a post titled “Put away your phones and get ready to Run For Your Lives!” in which he urges fans to experience the shows “in the moment” rather than on smaller screens at a later date.

“We really want fans to enjoy the shows first hand, rather than on their small screens,” Smallwood wrote. “The amount of phone use nowadays diminishes enjoyment, particularly for the band who are on stage looking out at rows of phones, but also for other concertgoers. 

“We feel that the passion and involvement of our fans at shows really makes them special, but the phone obsession has now got so out of hand that it has become unnecessarily distracting especially to the band. I hope fans understand this and will be sensible in severely limiting the use of their phone cameras out of respect for the band and their fellow fans.”

Iron Maiden aren’t the first band to ask fans to put their phones back in their pockets. In 2015, Jack White shared a verbal plea for no phones during his Lazaretto tour, and by the time The Raconteurs toured in 2019, attendees were told to put their devices in locked Yondr pouches.

“We think you’ll enjoy looking up from your gadgets for a little while and experience music and our shared love of it in person,” a note from the band read at the time.

Other acts, such as Tool, have also employed a similar approach, requesting phones stay off their phones until their final performance. Guitarist Adam Jones explained in 2022 that while part of the reason was due to the loss of connection between band and fan, another factor was the limited technological know-how of some concertgoers.

“I think one of the problems is you get a lot of lights because people don’t know how to use their cameras correctly, which makes it very blinding onstage,” Jones explained.

As Smallwood added on Iron Maiden’s website, much of the urging for fans to stow their phones comes out of a plea for respect, for both the larger experience and the band themselves.

“We would very much like you to be ‘in the moment’ instead and be fully actively involved to enjoy each and every one of these classic songs in the spirit and manner they were first played,” he adds. “This show isn’t just a celebration of our music; it is, as you will see, also about our years of art, of Eddie and of the many, many worlds of Maiden we have created for you.”

“So please respect the band, respect the other fans and have the time of your lives as you join your Maiden family by singing your heart out, rather than getting your phone out!! It’s really not a lot to ask is it?”

The upcoming Run for Your Lives World Tour will be Iron Maiden’s first performances since wrapping their The Future Past Tour in São Paulo, Brazil in December. That tour was the last to feature drummer Nicko McBrain, who announced his “decision to take a step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle.”

Lady Gaga Wins 2025 Sports Emmy for ‘Hold My Hand’ Pre-Super Bowl Tribute to Disaster Victims

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Lady Gaga took home a Sports Emmy on Tuesday night (May 20) for her pre-Super Bowl performance of “Hold My Hand” in tribute to victims of the New Orleans terror attack on New Year’s Eve, Hurricane Helene in Florida and Georgia in the fall, and the January wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles County.

In a pre-taped segment that aired ahead of the Fox broadcast of Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9, the pop superstar performed behind a piano on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, introduced by NFL legends Tom Brady, Michael Strahan and Terry Bradshaw. She sang a stripped-down version of her Oscar-nominated Top Gun: Maverick single “Hold My Hand” as various police officers and firefighters looked on around her.

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Lady Gaga performs 'Hold My Hand' ahead of Super Bowl LIX

Lady Gaga Delivers Moving ‘Hold My Hand’ Performance for Disaster Victims at 2025 Super…

Gaga earned the 2025 Sports Emmy for outstanding music direction alongside her fellow producers Seth Dudowsky, Bill Richards, Joel Santos, Jesse Weiss and Brad Zager, as well as music editor Joe Nargi.

In the category, they were up against Prime Video’s Evolution of the Black Quarterback, HBO Max’s The Lionheart, ESPN+’s Noche UFC: For Mexico, For All Time, and Netflix’s The Turnaround.

After winning an Oscar for best original song with “Shallow” from A Star Is Born and 14 Grammys over her career, Gaga is now only a Tony shy of the coveted EGOT honor. While there is debate over whether only the Primetime Emmys should count toward the EGOT, the Emmys social accounts were trumpeting Gaga’s three-letter accomplishment on Tuesday night after her Sports Emmys victory.

“Putting the ‘E’ in @ladygaga’s E-G-O…she’s just short of the T!” read a post on @TheEmmys X account.

A$AP Rocky Teases New Song at Cannes During ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Premiere

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A$AP Rocky continues to tease new music ahead of dropping his highly anticipated album Don’t Be Dumb. However, the song that was played as he walked down the red-carpet stairs in the rain with his pregnant partner Rihanna at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night, when his new movie Highest 2 Lowest premiered, sounds like he’s referencing the “Yung Felon” character he’s playing in the film.

And while it sounds like a standard Rocky record, there’s a point in the song where he’s heard rapping, “Shout-outs to my felons, boy/ We caught another felony.” He also raps something to the effect of “I can’t go to court, my baby mama child support, f— college,” as he’s posing for pictures next to the actual mother of his children.

Highest 2 Lowest, directed by Spike Lee and also starring Denzel Washington, has been receiving rave reviews and got a nearly six-minute standing ovation after its Cannes premiere. Denzel also received the honorary Palme d’Or, which he was presented with by “his brother from another mother,” Spike Lee.

This will be the fifth movie Spike and Denzel have worked on together, and it will likely be their last. “This is the fifth one we’ve done together,” Lee told reporters at the festival. “It has been a blessing, this body of work between us, doing films that people love. And I think this is it. He’s been talking about retirement. But five films together: that’s good, they stand up.”

The film is set to be released in U.S. theaters on Aug. 22 and will hit Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.

50 Cent Posts AI Picture of Himself Wearing ‘Free Diddy’ Shirt

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50 Cent is back at it.

The Queens rapper and filmmaker continues to troll Diddy as the Harlem mogul’s sex trafficking trial heads into its second week. This time, he posted an AI-generated picture of himself on Instagram wearing a white “Free Diddy” shirt in front of a courthouse and followed that up with a screenshot of an article referencing testimony from Cassie‘s mother, Regina Ventura, in which she testified that Diddy requested $20,000 that he spent on her daughter after he found out she was dating Kid Cudi, forcing Cassie’s parents to take out a loan.

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Curtis "50 Cent" Jacksonat the season 4 premiere of "Power Book II: Ghost" held at The Hammerstein Ballroom on June 6, 2024 in New York City.

Here’s What 50 Cent Has to Say About People Allegedly Wearing ‘Free Diddy’ Shirts for $20/Hour…

“He only made Cassie’s mom take out a home equity loan to pay 20k for him to not put out sex tapes,” 50 wrote in the caption. “Free itty bitty Diddy! LOL wait is that legal.”

Just over the weekend, 50 Cent joked about people being offered $20 an hour to wear “Free Diddy” shirts in front of Manhattan federal court, writing, “Diddy paying people to wear Free Diddy shirts is diabolical, but $20 a hour ain’t bad. I might go throw that on for a hour tomorrow.”

In another picture he posted, this time wearing a black “Free Diddy” shirt, his caption read: “Ok now where do I send my $20 invoice guys, a deals a deal. If you want I can be there tomorrow from 3 to 4 OK!”

In other Diddy trial news, Kid Cudi is expected to testify sometime this week, according to prosecutors. And it’s pretty safe to assume that the subject of Diddy allegedly blowing up Cudi’s car over his relationship with Cassie will be broached.