Entertainment
Ludacris on Hosting the iHeartRadio Music Awards Again, Being Considered a Musical Landmark & How to Succeed as an Up-and-Coming Artist
It’s time to roll out to this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards — and leading the charge is this year’s host and recipient of the highly coveted Landmark Award, Ludacris.
The Atlanta native is no stranger to the hosting gig. He hosted the Billboard Music Awards for back to back years in 2016 and 17. And two years ago, Luda took on the emcee role for the iHeartRadio Music Awards where he delivered a joyous opening monologue, honored fellow musical legends, cracked jokes at his own expense and also performed a medley of his own biggest hits. With this experience already under his belt, hosting the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards is a return to form for him.
With Luda at the helm, this year’s ceremony is looking to be as exciting as ever. Alongside the rapper’s Landmark Award, iHeartRadio has announced several other major honors that are to be presented. Miley Cyrus, hot off the heels of last week’s Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, will receive the Innovator Award, given out to an artist with global musical and cultural impact. Best New Artist Grammy nominee and chart topper Alex Warren will get the award for Breakthrough Artist. Grammy-winning singer-songer writer John Mellencamp will be bestowed with the Icon Award. Though it is not yet known what awards she may receive, Taylor Swift, who is nominated in a whopping nine categories, is set to make a special appearance, marking the first time she’s attended the event since 2023.
The awards categories aren’t the stacked lineup at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards. 90s hiphop and RnB legends Salt-N-Pepa, TLC and En Vogue will all hit the stage together for the first time — a perfect kickoff to their recently-announced It’s Iconic tour. Vocal powerhouse Raye, whose second studio album This Music May Contain Hope drops the day after the ceremony, will also perform. The Landmark himself, Ludacris will take a break from hosting to put on his performer hat, as he shows off just why he’s receiving the major award this year.
Ahead of Thursday’s (March 26) ceremony, Billboard caught up with Ludacris to chat all things iHeartRadio Music Awards, why he’s looking forward to hosting, and what he thinks of some of this year’s performers and awardees.
You hosted the iHeartRadio Music Awards in 2024 — what are you most excited for with hosting again?
Just it being live, because anything can happen. Not all award shows are live, and I just love that element. It brings a whole new excitement to it. You just never know what can happen — anything can happen.
Do you have any ideas or plans for crazy surprises that people should look out for it?
There are a bunch of those types of crazy surprises. I can’t give them away, because then it wouldn’t be a surprise, but there are definitely some really good things. I know there’s not a surprise with Taylor Swift making an appearance. She hasn’t done that in a long time, so just that alone is going to get a lot of people excited. She has nine nominations, so she’s making a special appearance.
There are a lot of awards being given out — how do you keep up your energy and keep the audience excited throughout the night as a host?
I got a team of individuals around me that help me stay sane and keep me on point. I can’t do it all myself. I always make sure that I give love to the team that’s around me. Having the experience of doing it before is also something that comforts me, and I feel like we’re going to make it even better, and are trying to top last time.
Major congratulations on receiving the Landmark Award this year! What does it mean to you to receive this honor?
It means the world, because as artists, when we first put music out, you never know exactly how long it’s going to have impact. So when you can be in the industry for over two decades and look back at it, these are the type of awards that bring joy to your heart. You’re able to reflect on the impact, the amount of time and relevancy that your songs have made in the culture. So I’m extremely excited.
Alex Warren is receiving the breakthrough artist award. As a veteran of the industry, do you have any advice for him as a young artist reaching new levels of success?
Try not to take anything personal. Just keep going in the industry, that’s what I would say. Just keep your passion in the music, and don’t let the behind-the-scenes mess up your your [ability] to stay focused on the music.
You’re also performing this year! Without giving too much away, do you have anything special planned for it?
Something new. Absolutely something new and something classic, [we’re molding] those together.
Outside of your own, are there any performances at this year’s awards that your particularly excited about?
Man, I can’t wait to see TLC — you know, the hometown, that’s Atlanta, Georgia, right there. And Salt-N-Pepa, they are a pioneer female rap group. I love seeing pioneers be able to come back. For those who may not have been around when Salt-N-Pepa started, they’re able to witness their history and people that have paved the way for all of these current female artists. So those are the ones I’m most excited about.
Miley Cyrus is receiving this year’s innovator award. What do you think makes her an innovator?
It’s not easy to transition from child star into super stardom and have this type of role for so long. You see a lot of people that started in the children’s space, and it’s not as easy to transcend all of those years, still keep a level head and continue to grow as an artist. So I just want to salute her for just being consistent in elevation as a star and as a person that’s passionate about all that she does, it definitely shows.
Do you have any final words of encouragement you want to share with any of the nominees ahead of the ceremony?
Man, good luck. That’s all I would say.
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One half of the Final Four will be a battle of the top seeds between No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 1 Arizona. Tipping off after the Uconn vs. Illionis game, whichever team wins, they’ll be the last remaining top seed team in the tournament. The semifinal March Madness match up will tip-off on Saturday, April 4, at 8:49 p.m. ET.
How to Watch Michigan vs. Arizona, At a Glance
- Date: Saturday, April 4 at 8:54 p.m. ET / 5:54 p.m. PT
- TV Broadcast: TBS, TNT and truTV
- Stream: DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, HBO Max, Sling TV
Both teams have dominated opponents during the March Madness run, with Michigan and Arizona winning their games by an average of 22.5 and 20.5 points, respectively. Whoever wins will most likely be favored on Monday’s National Championship game. Tonight’s game is the second of the night’s Final Four double-header with the UConn vs. Illinois game starting earlier at 6:09 p.m. ET. Both games will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana and will air on TBS, TNT and truTV.
Where to Watch Michigan vs. Arizona March Madness Games Online:
Want to watch Michigan vs. Arizona without cable? Fans can take advantage of multiple streaming services that offer free trials, so you can stream the college tournament for free. Signing up to streamers like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV, you can get right into the Final Four action.
FREE TRIAL
DirecTV
Get access to CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV.
DirecTV is offering a five-day free trial, which will let you watch CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV for free. The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network is included in all of the streaming packages. In addition to unlimited DVR storage, you’ll get access to local channels and the ability to stream on as many devices as you want.
Sling TV
Another great option for fans to watch the Final Four is on Sling TV. The streaming services offers three different packages to choose from, such as Orange, Blue and Orange + Blue. The Orange Package is tailored for sports and family channels, while the Blue package has a focus on news and entertainment channels. However, both come with TBS to watch March Madness games online and start at $45 per month. If you want best of both worlds, users can combine both packages and get everything Sling has to offer.
Please note: Pricing and channel availability varies from market-to-market.
FREE TRIAL
Hulu + Live TV
For the most content options, Hulu + Live TV gives you access to the entire Hulu library in addition to more than 95 live TV channels — including CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV for just $82.99 per month.
And, unlike the rest of the options, you can also expand your content library by bundling Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. You’ll not only have all of the Hulu library to watch, but also exclusive and original programming available exclusively on ESPN Unlimited.
HBO Max
Max has multiple subscription tiers: ad-supported, commercial free and ultimate ad-free. Max’s paid subscriptions start at $10.99/month for the basic ad-supported streaming, or $18.49/month to watch ad free. With HBO Max you can watch each channel broadcasting March Madness games, including CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV.
The Premium ad-free package is $22.99 per month and includes 4K Ultra HD quality, 100 downloads to watch on the go and you can stream on up to four devices at once. You can also bundle Max with Hulu and Disney+ for $19.99/month for ad-supported streaming on up to two devices at once and $32.99/month for ad-free streaming.
Entertainment
Angelina Jolie’s Daughter Shiloh Makes Surprise Cameo in Dayoung’s ‘What’s a Girl to Do’ Music Video: Watch
Shiloh Jolie is making a surprise appearance in Dayoung’s upcoming music video.
On Thursday (April 2), the K-pop singer shared a teaser for her forthcoming video “What’s a Girl to Do,” and fans were surprised to spot a cameo from Jolie, the 19-year-old daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Shiloh briefly appears in the 30-second clip, sporting slicked-back hair, a lacy brown top, hoop earrings and a lip ring. She is also seen in a choreographed sequence, where numerous dancers surround Dayoung as a pulsating beat plays in the background.
The “What’s a Girl to Do” teaser ends with the message, “She makes the first move,” as the April 7 release date appears in the background.
Shiloh was cast in the video as part of an “open audition” in the U.S., a representative from Starship Entertainment told Maeil Business Newspaper Star Today.
“We held an open audition in the United States of America (US) to cast performers for Dayoung’s music video,” the rep told the outlet. “Among those who took part were several performers affiliated with a dance crew called ‘Culture.'”
The agency insists Jolie’s casting wasn’t a PR stunt.
“Shiloh was selected in the final round and ended up joining Dayoung’s music video,” the representative added. “Even after filming, we had no idea she was the child of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and only found out by chance quite recently.”
After the teaser was released, many fans took notice of Shiloh’s resemblance to her famous mother. “Holy s—t, mamma’s good genes are sooooo strong,” one person wrote on X. “It’s the eyes and the lips for me,” another wrote. “Pure Angelina energy.”
This isn’t the first time Shiloh has demonstrated her talent in front of the camera. In May 2024, choreographer Lil Kelaan Carter shared a video on Instagram of the teenager dancing solo to “Tanzania” by Uncle Waffles and Tony Duardo, featuring Sino Msolo and Boibizza.
“Her movement is crazy … Thank you for your energy @sh1lohj,” Carter captioned the clip.
Watch the teaser for Dayoung’s “What’s a Girl to Do” video below.
Longtime YouTube executive Tuma Basa, who most recently served as the company’s director of Black music & culture, has announced his departure after eight years at the streaming giant.
“After eight great years at YouTube, I’m taking a leap of faith and stepping into my next chapter,” Basa wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday (April 2). “Thank you to the Music Team at YouTube, the leadership, the artists, the managers, the labels, the producers, the continents, the city specialists, the uploaders and YouTubeLovers and even the Gen AI haters that made this run.. a great run. Murakoze Cyane, Asante Sana, Siyabonga, Amesegenalew, Gracias, Obrigado, Merci Beaucoup.”
Basa was born in Zaire (now Congo) to a Rwandan family, but spent his childhood in Iowa after his father entered the graduate studies program at the University of Iowa; he then relocated to Zimbabwe as a teenager. During his tenure at YouTube, which he joined in 2018 as director of urban music, Basa became known for spotlighting African artists, including Nigerian star Burna Boy, and helping fuel their growth in the U.S.
Initially harboring aspirations to start a rap career under the name B.2ma B., Basa eventually pivoted to the executive track and landed music programming roles at BET, MTV and REVOLT. In 2015, he joined Spotify, where he served as global programming head of hip-hop. While at the streaming giant, he rose to prominence in part for curating the service’s popular Rap Caviar playlist.
Billboard reached out to YouTube for comment on Basa’s departure.
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Michigan vs. Arizona: Where to Watch the March Madness Final Four Game Online
Angelina Jolie’s Daughter Shiloh Makes Surprise Cameo in Dayoung’s ‘What’s a Girl to Do’ Music Video: Watch
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