To celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, Billboard will be hosting the live concert event Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Live. Metro Boomin will headline the concert, which will also feature opening acts Coi Leray and Armani White. Presented in partnership with VIBE, Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Live will take place on Aug. 8 at The Novo in downtown Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale to the public today (June 29) at 10 a.m. PDT at Live.Billboard.com.
“This year marks a momentous milestone in the evolution of a genre that was initially dismissed as a fad and now reigns as a global force,” says Gail Mitchell, Billboard‘s executive director of R&B/Hip-Hop. “We’re looking forward to celebrating hip-hop’s trailblazing architects and future legends during what will no doubt be an energy-packed, exciting show at The Novo.”
Metro Boomin, a Grammy-nominated and diamond-certified producer, DJ and artist, most recently executive produced Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the soundtrack for Marvel’s box office hit film. Earlier this year, Metro Boomin drew raves for his performance at Coachella during which he brought out such guest stars as Diddy, The Weeknd, 21 Savage and Don Toliver. Metro Boomin’s discography includes a string of multiplatinum projects, among them: Drake and Future’s “Jumpman,” Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Post Malone’s “Congratulations” featuring Quavo, Future’s “Mask Off” and Big Sean’s “Bounce Back.” Additional credits include co-producing The Weeknd’s Hot 100 No. 1 “Heartless” and collaborations with 21 Savage (Savage Mode, Savage Mode II). In 2018, he unleashed his full-length solo debut, Not All Heroes Wear Capes, which bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. His third No. 1 Billboard 200 album, last year’s Heroes & Villains, was recently certified platinum by the RIAA. Metro Boomin also owns record label Boominati Worldwide, which he launched in 2017 in partnership with Republic Records.
Leray, the rapper/vocalist behind the hit “Players,” will also be joining the lineups at Jay-Z’s Made In America Festival and Kid Cudi’s Moon Man’s Landing. This year has also seen Leray become the voice of the WNBA’s “More Than Game” campaign ahead of their 2023 season. She is also collaborating with FENDI by Marc Jacobs in their highly anticipated Summer Capsule collection. Leray can be heard on the big screen as well with her collaboration with Metro Boomin on “Self Love” from the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack.
White recently teamed up with A$AP Ferg in the larger-than-life new video for “SILVER TOOTH.,” the latest single from his heralded debut EP Road to CASABLANCO. The EP also boasts the single “GOATED.” featuring Denzel Curry, which has racked up 18 million Spotify streams, 3 million YouTube views and exploded on TikTok with over one million creates and over a billion views. His smash hit “BILLIE EILISH.” picked up gold certification from the RIAA in the U.S., clocked over half-a-billion streams, and generated 36 million-plus YouTube views.
Continuing hip-hop’s 50th celebration this year, Billboard and VIBE are working with Amazon’s live radio app Amp to amplify the next generation of rising rappers coming out of Atlanta. Fans can participate in Amp’s emerging artist program The Come Up today (June 29) to help surface new artists who have a chance to be featured across Billboard and VIBE this summer.
