Billboard Women in Music 2025
The calendar has turned to April. With quarter 1 of 2025 officially in the rear view, which was a busy three months in the hip-hop world, Billboard Unfiltered is back with a new episode on Wednesday (April 2).
The trio is joined by Hot 97 and proud Duke University hater Peter Rosenberg for the discussion, which touches on Drake’s “NOKIA” video and what it means for Kendrick Lamar, Mustard’s comeback, Ye’s interview with DJ Akademiks and more.
Directed by Theo Skudra and shot in IMAX, “Nokia” arrived on Monday in black-and-white, and some fans perceived certain scenes to be jabs at Lamar.
“I saw connections people were drawing, and it felt like a reach,” Rosenberg said. “It wasn’t enough to warrant major conversation to me.”
Rosenberg thinks Drake should continue to dish out the hits and shy away from the Kendrick Lamar snipes. “If I’m Drake, I’m probably staying away from the Kendrick stuff,” he said. “And focusing on this. No matter what people say about this man, the hits are coming. Drake is fully back on the Hot 100.”
The Hot 97 radio host called Mustard’s hot streak one of the “greatest comebacks” in music history after the producer helmed “Not Like Us” and then hit the stage at the Grammy Awards, as well as Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show.
“That comeback to producer of the year to onstage at the Grammys to at the Super Bowl,” he said. “That may be one of the greatest music comebacks of all time. And It’s not really being talked about.”
Ye sat down with DJ Akademiks for an explosive interview last week, which saw him double-down on his hate for Jay-Z following his flagrant tweet about Jay’s twins, Sir and Rumi.
“There’s so no coming back from where he’s going,” Rosenberg said. “There’s no response at this point to Ye that I would think is inappropriate.”
Hot 97’s Summer Jam is back in 2025 with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Gunna, GloRilla and more performing. While the event has moved indoors to Prudential Center, Rosenberg reflects on how the festival has transformed from its heyday in the ’90s to now.
“What I’m not gonna do is get up here and say, ‘Summer Jam’s the same as its ever been.’ It’s definitely not the same and it’s not coming back,” he added. “But I’m not gonna get up here and say it’s not a good time. … It’s not 2001, it’s not Michael Jackson with Jay-Z.”
Watch the full episode below.
