SYDNEY, Australia — Rising Australian alt-pop artist Alexandria is the latest addition to the Warner Music roster, Billboard can exclusively reveal.

Alexandria signs a recording deal with Warner Music Australia and Warner Records, an alliance that expands on her unlikely leap from teaching math to high school students in Perth, Western Australia, to unleashing her dark-toned fantasy pop on the world.

To celebrate her major label partnership, Alexandria drops the new track “Justice,” a cinematic pop story told with strings and snares. The single is representative of her work to date, immersive pieces influenced by literature, anime, and her other passions.

Those releases include 2025 debut “Always An Angel;” her featured contribution on Marino’s “Lust;” and most recently, “The Fool.” She joins the Warner Music fold with more than 1.74 million followers on Spotify, and 213,000-plus followers on TikTok.

“Signing with Warner Music feels like the beginning of an exciting new chapter,” she says in a statement to Billboard. “I’ve spent years writing songs and building this project piece by piece, and it means so much to have a team that believes in the vision as deeply as I do. I’m incredibly grateful for the support so far, and I can’t wait to share what’s coming next.”

Alexandria paints worlds with lyrics and sonics. “I’ve always been drawn to the fictional world and stories,” she explains. “My music allows me to bring those stories to life. Writing ‘The Fool’ and ‘Justice’ felt like writing two mini novels, with each song having its own world and story surrounding it. I cannot wait for everyone to hear the stories that are yet to come.”

With the new arrangement, Alexandria has a global team behind her and a steady stream of new music is in the pipeline for 2026, reps say.

“I am thrilled to welcome Alexandria to the Warner Music family,” comments Dan Rosen, president of Warner Music Australasia and Southeast Asia. “Partnering with Warner Records on Alexandria reflects our ongoing commitment to make our local artists global, with global teams to provide the powerhouse backing to build successful international careers. Alexandria has a truly unique creative vision, and we are super excited to support her in the next stage of her career.”

Aaron Bay-Schuck, co-chairman & CEO, Warner Records Group and Tom Corson, co-chairman & COO, Warner Records Group add: “Alexandria doesn’t just make music — she builds worlds. Her singular creative vision and undeniable global appeal made this partnership between Warner Records and Warner Music Australia an easy call. We are thrilled to welcome her and cannot wait for the world to hear what’s coming.”

At WMA, Alexandria joins a domestic stable of artists that includes Boy Soda, Blusher, Budjerah, Brad Cox, Carla Wehbe, and others.

A judge says Russell Simmons can be sued for rape in New York by a former Def Jam executive, even though he now lives in Indonesia.

A Tuesday (June 16) order in New York state court, first obtained and reported by Billboard, rejects Simmons’ latest attempt to dismiss the civil lawsuit alleging he raped an anonymous executive in Def Jam’s music video department in the 1990s. Simmons, who has been accused of sexual assault by numerous women over the last decade, has denied all wrongdoing.

The former Def Jam employee, suing under the pseudonym Jane Doe, originally brought her claims against Simmons in federal court in 2024. She suffered a setback last year when a federal judge said Simmons, who has lived in Indonesia since 2018, was outside the court’s jurisdiction. She persisted and re-filed the lawsuit in state court — and on Tuesday, Judge Adam Silvera said New York law allows the claims to move forward despite Simmons’ expat status.

“The complaint alleges the defendant committed the tort of rape in New York state,” wrote the judge. “[In New York], a court may exercise personal jurisdiction over any non-domiciliary who commits a tortious act within the state, except as to a cause of action for defamation. Therefore, the complaint survives the motion to dismiss stage.”

In addition to their arguments about Indonesia, Simmons’ lawyers also argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed because Jane Doe released all possible claims against the Def Jam founder as part of a severance agreement with the label in 1997.

However, Doe’s attorneys say that purported release is a “sham” and that her signature was forged. Judge Silvera determined on Tuesday that there’s a “genuine dispute as to its authenticity,” meaning he’ll need to see evidence before deciding whether the document is enforceable.

Simmons and Doe will now begin discovery, where they will exchange evidence and depose each other’s witnesses. The judge set a court conference for August to hammer out a calendar for this often-lengthy process.

Doe’s lawyers at the firm Boies Schiller & Flexner declined to comment on the ruling on Wednesday (June 17). Simmons’ rep did not immediately return a request for comment.

Simmons, who founded Def Jam Recordings in 1984 and built a formidable hip-hop empire, first faced sexual abuse allegations in a New York Times investigation from 2017. More women came forward in the 2020 HBO documentary On The Record, and legal claims followed.

Doe’s lawsuit was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for rape claims. She alleged that Simmons pinned her to a bed and raped her while she was at his apartment to get approval for a music video.

Simmons has settled with at least seven other women who’ve accused him of sexual misconduct in recent years. Many of these accusers have since filed court petitions claiming he’s millions of dollars short on promised settlement payments.

Simmons has maintained that the abuse claims are all false. In a motion to dismiss the Doe lawsuit, his attorneys wrote, “Defendant hopes to vindicate himself to the many who have judged him unfairly, for many years, on the untrue and unproven allegations of others.”

Last June, Simmons went on the offensive and sued HBO for defamation over On The Record. He claimed the sexual assault accusations in the documentary were false, and that its producers ignored exculpatory information that would have cleared his name. That case is still pending.

Robbie Williams, arguably the most successful British male artist this century, has signed with WME for worldwide agency representation.

Announced early Wednesday, June 17, the former Take That singer joins WME after his move to the ATC Management roster.

Robbie, as he’s affectionately known to his millions of fans, is a megastar in the United Kingdom and Europe, and around the globe.

According to the Official Charts Company, Robbie boasts six of the top 100 best-selling albums in British recorded music history, with 16 U.K. No. 1 albums as a solo artist — breaking the tie with the Beatles, for the most leader of all time. He also owns 18 Brit Awards, more than any other artist. His international album sales top 90 million.

In the United States, where his cheeky-chappie appeal never quite caught on, Robbie bagged two appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 led by “Angels” at No. 53, and four of his albums impacted the Billboard 200 chart.

Across his decorated career, Williams has collected eight German ECHO Awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards, and last year was appointed as the official FIFA music ambassador, through which he co-wrote and recorded the FIFA anthem, “Desire,” which will be played at the international soccer governing body’s future tournaments, including the current FIFA World Cup.

Also last year, he won the prestigious PRS for Music Icon Award at The Ivors 2025, his fifth Ivor Novello Award. His big screen projects include the Oscar-nominated film Better Man, which swept the 2025 AACTA Awards in Sydney, taking home four major trophies including best film. He’s also the subject of a well-received four-part documentary for Netflix, Robbie Williams.

As a member of Take That, Robbie lived the largest of lives. Formed in 1989 as a five-piece — Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Williams — the pop group was one of the most popular acts of its generation, certainly in the U.K., where few acts can challenge their chart superiority.

Take That is also a proven box-office juggernaut. Their record-breaking 2011 Progress tour (for which Williams returned to the fold) sold over 1 million tickets in less than 24 hours; the following year the lads performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics; and they hold the record for the most performances at London’s The O2, with 34 headline shows.

Williams is playing stadiums around the globe this year in support of his new album BRITPOP, which dropped in January and immediately went to No. 1 in his homeland.

“Is everyone alright? It’s good to be back.”

The answer to that open question from Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s frontman Brendan Huntley is, of course, “yes,” and absolutely. Sixteen years have passed since ECSR worked their homebaked brand of punk rock on Sydney crowds. That damned drought came to an end in spectacular fashion on Friday night, June 12, fittingly as Vivid Sydney 2026 entered its final stages.

ECSR are royalty in Australia’s underground scene, princes of independent, garage rock. Formed back in 2003 in the front room of a vinyl pressing plant in Highett, a suburb of Melbourne, the four-piece built a cult following, one that extends far beyond these shores.  Half a decade later, ECSR had ascended the throne with Primary Colours, their second studio album, which would win the coveted Australian Music Prize for the best Aussie album of the year, regardless of sales or hype, and snagged an AIR Award for best independent hard rock/punk album. For the AIR Awards ceremony in 2008, at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel, they nailed a meaty mini-set for industry guests.

Sightings of ECSR are uncommon. These lads are like rare birds.

Then, a bolt from the blue. ECSR recently dropped a new, fifth studio album, In Light of Recent Events, their follow-up to 2019’s All in Good Time. A heads-up came in 2025 with the release of a three-track EP Shapes And Forms, which was supported last September with a free-show at Federation Square, in the band’s hometown.

Last weekend was Sydney’s turn, with a free, headline show at Tumbalong Park, on Darling Harbour. “Sixteen years,” Huntley said at the top, shaking his head, perhaps recognizing the length of the hiatus as both a blink of an eye, and an entire lifetime. Whatever, it was too long. Huntley hasn’t lost any of his frontman skills. Throughout the set, which included “Cool Ice Cream,” “Colour Television” and “Which Way to Go,” he paced about like a cat, looking for a mouse that got away. We see that introspective skinny dance, the thousand-yard stare. The gloves still fit. Gee, it’s good to have them back.

ECSR was one of the highlights of Tumbalong Nights, which showcased upwards of 40 artists from 12 countries, including Aussie acts Mallrat, Matt Corby and Gretta Ray.

All up, the Sydney-wide festival booked 217 events, and 2,253 sessions across 89 locations across its three weeks. The Vivid LIVE program at the Sydney Opera House featured Mitski’s residency and performances from the likes of Jeff Mills, King Stingray, Mogwai and 2026 Libera Award winners Folk Bitch Trio, all of it shifting almost 40,000 tickets for the strongest box office result since COVID-19 and its second-largest on record, organizers say.

The Carriageworks program, which included performances from Lil’ Kim, Alison Wonderland and others, captured more than 30,000 ticket bookings, generating a 38% gain in revenue compared with the previous year’s event. 

“This year’s Vivid Sydney has been an extraordinary success,” enthuses Vivid Sydney festival director Brett Sheehy, “exceeding our expectations not only terms of sell out shows across the program, but also in the level of enthusiasm, connection, and delight we’ve seen across the city.” Visitors stuck around, too. “What’s been particularly striking this year is the depth of engagement across the program, with visitors exploring more than ever,” adds Sheehy. “On average they attended 4.5 locations and spent around three hours immersed in the festival per visit.”

Eddy Current’s fans came and stayed for their special set, on the penultimate evening of the Sydney-wide live entertainment and arts extravaganza. Many in the crowd would proudly wear the Gen-X badge, beer in hand, wearing sensible, but pretty groovy, jackets on a chilly night. Up front, the younger, wilder fans unleashed their energy the old-fashioned way — by crowd surfing.

It was a blast from the past, much like the band on stage.

“I’d love to see you again someday,” remarked Huntley, after taking the plunge for his own end-of-set surf, as he rode the crowd on his back while belting out “Get Up Morning.” “You’re always good to us, Sydney.”

Vivid Sydney is owned, managed, and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.

SYDNEY, Australia — BMG has acquired the publishing catalog of Chris Cheney, frontman, songwriter and guitarist of The Living End, in a deal announced just days after the Australian rock trio was inducted into the 2026 ARIA Hall of Fame.

The acquisition expands on a relationship that has seen BMG serve as Cheney’s global publisher since 2016 and the group’s global label since 2018. Financial terms of the new deal weren’t disclosed.

“One of the great joys of being a musician is songwriting,” Cheney comments in a statement, issued Wednesday, June 17. “The magical feeling you get from the process of creating something from nothing! Songs can take weeks to write, or they can appear in minutes seemingly out of nowhere, they are the most wonderful, mysterious, powerful things!”

The Living End, he continues, “have always had an incredibly strong connection with our audience around the world through our catalog of songs. I’m thankful and very honored to have done this deal with BMG who I know share the same passion and enthusiasm for music and for this catalog.”

Formed in Melbourne in the 1990s, the trio, with dashes of rockabilly, pop-punk, and indie grit, earned a reputation as a must-see live act, a label that sticks to this day. The rockers’ ARIA Chart-topping self-titled 1998 debut remains one of Australia’s best-selling rock albums, and housed one of the era’s all-time anthems, “Second Solution / Prisoner of Society”.

Over time, the band, comprised of Cheney, Scott Owen and Andy Strachan, have snagged two No. 1 albums, six ARIA Awards, APRA’s song of the year, and a swag of top 10s, including last year’s album release I Only Trust Rock ’N’ Roll, which peaked at No. 5 on the all-genres ARIA Chart.

The Living End was inducted June 11 into the ARIA’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Sydney, part of a class that included the late Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, and Vika & Linda. 

“The Living End has been the soundtrack to countless Australian stories and memories while the band has simultaneously achieved cult status internationally as one of the best live rock bands of all time,” comments Heath Johns, president, Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, BMG.

“As The Living End enter the ARIA Hall of Fame, we are incredibly honored that Chris has chosen BMG as his forever home for these iconic publishing rights, and we look forward to finding new opportunities for them at home and abroad.”

A year after the death of New York City nightlife fixture Billy Jones, a foundation has been launched in his honor.

The newly announced Billy Jones Forever Foundation encompasses a scholarship and mentorship fund that will annually award a group of emerging music professionals with direct financial support to use for relocation, housing, equipment, travel and more. Recipients will also receive long-term mentorship and access to a network of industry relationships intended to create lasting support.

Donations and scholarship applications are now open here. The Billy Jones Forever Foundation is a fund of Make Something, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

A musician, curator, club owner, manager and more, Jones died last June at age 45 after facing glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He is remembered by friends, family and colleagues as someone who loved music, nightlife, culture and New York City. He co-founded and owned beloved Brooklyn indie venue Baby’s All Right, a 280-capacity club that opened in 2013 and hosted performances by a host of luminaries including SZA, Cypress Hill, Lil Yachty, Blood Orange, Charli xcx, Mac DeMarco, James Murphy, David Byrne, Hot Chip, Courtney Barnett, Willow Smith, Jack White and Billie Eilish.

“Billy was devoted to music, to New York and to the creative, talented dreamers and risk takers who make this city what it is,” Jones’ sister BreAnn Tassone said in a statement. “Though he had to leave us, he still has work to do. We are excited and grateful to know he can still do the work he was so passionate about through the recipients of this organization. We are so proud that Billy’s legacy is one of connection, inspiration and community. His positivity, magic and ‘Yeah, let’s do it!’ spirit can live on here. For us, his family, that means more than words can say.”

“Billy was one of the most true blue real rockers I have ever met in all my travels,” adds his close friend David Jacobs, “and because he lived with such integrity and unwavering commitment to his music community, we wanted to honor that spirit forever, and this scholarship felt like the perfect way to pay it forward, just as Billy did every day we were lucky enough to have him around.”

Mystikal (Michael Lawrence Taylor) has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to WBRZ. The “Shake Ya A—” rapper was sentenced in Louisiana’s Ascension Parish Court on Tuesday (June 16).

Mystikal pleaded guilty to a third-degree rape charge in March after being arrested in July 2022.

The Grammy-nominated rapper was arrested following an altercation with a woman at his Louisiana residence, which saw him allegedly choke, assault, rape and rob the victim.

Per WBRZ, Mystikal is accused of holding the woman’s keys and keeping her against her will until she sent him money through CashApp.

The victim faced the court on Tuesday, where she claimed that Mystikal “punched her, choked her, pulled braids out of her hair and forcibly raped her.” She was also hospitalized and treated for minor injuries at the time of the 2022 altercation.

“If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence,” Mystikal reportedly told the courtroom.

Prior to entering a plea agreement in March for a solo third-degree rape charge, Mystikal faced charges for first-degree rape, felony domestic abuse by strangulation, false imprisonment, simple robbery and criminal damage to property. If convicted of first-degree rape, Mystikal would have faced life in prison.

WBRZ also reported that Mystikal and his attorney filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea last week, citing that the rapper didn’t “have sufficient opportunity to fully consider the consequences.” However, that motion was dismissed by the court.

The New Orleans rapper has a history of sexual assault allegations prior to the 2022 arrest. In 2004, Mystikal was convicted of sexual battery and extortion of his hairstylist. He served six years behind bars and was released in 2010.

Mystikal was arrested on rape and kidnapping charges in 2017. After posting a $3 million bond in 2019, the charges were dropped in 2020.

Mystikal is best known for early 2000s hits like “Shake Ya A–,” which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also hopped on Joe’s “Stutter,” which topped the Hot 100 for four weeks in 2001.

Billboard has reached out to Mystikal’s attorney and the District Attorney’s Office for comment.

Rocky Horror Picture Show fans will be shivering with antici…pation for Sphere’s newest movie experience.

The cult classic musical is coming to the Las Vegas venue in 2027 via a special arrangement with Primary Wave Music and 20th Century Studios, Sphere Entertainment announced on Tuesday (June 16). As it did with The Wizard of Oz, Sphere Entertainment says it will use its “advanced technologies to enhance” the original 1975 film for the venue. In the case of the former film, Sphere used AI to expand the film’s visuals to better fit the venue’s curved, 160,000-square-foot screen. It also digitally restored them using an AI-powered “super resolution tool” to render the images in “ultra-ultra-high-definition,” according to Google, which worked with Sphere on the project. Due to the expanded canvas, “composites” of characters were also added to some scenes in which they were originally absent.

“Through Sphere Studios, we are building a slate of original experiences that push the boundaries of technology and storytelling for this new medium, while always keeping the audience at the center of the experience,” said Jim Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment, in a statement. “Since The Rocky Horror Picture Show premiered in 1975, it redefined audience participation and became a cultural phenomenon. With Sphere, we have the opportunity to take that spirit of immersion to an entirely new level.”

Also on Tuesday, Sphere Entertainment announced that The Wizard of Oz at Sphere has now generated more than $400 million in ticket sales, with more than 3 million tickets sold since the experience debuted at the venue on Aug. 28, 2025.

For updates on The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere, visit thesphere.com and sign up for the Sphere newsletter.

The most influential leaders in Canada’s music industry gathered at the exclusive celebration for Billboard Canada Power Players at Toronto’s Rebel on June 10, as part of NXNE. It was a prestigious night with impactful and emotional remarks, heartfelt tributes and one historic, and strange, surprise honour to close the festivities.

Many of the Power Players honoured on the 2026 list were in attendance, including Gary Slaight, Warner Music Canada co-GM Madelaine Napoleone, Universal Music Canada president & CEO Julie Adam, Live Nation Canada’s Erik Hoffman, Wayne Zronik and Melissa Bubb-Clarke, Allan Reid of the Junos/CARAS and many more.

Following a viral KEXP performance in February, Quebec-based math rock duo Angine de Poitrine have skyrocketed into international fame. The polka-dot-clad pair — who perform under the pseudonyms Khn de Poitrine and Klek de Poitrine — are everywhere. In a surprise moment, they got to accept the Billboard Canada Global Breakthrough Award, presented by FACTOR, in front of the most powerful executives in Canada. When their name was announced, many in the room were questioning if they were really there and what they would do.

True to their artistry, the two members took the stage in full black and white polka dot costumes as their music played, walked up to the microphone, and then didn’t utter a single word. While they lingered on stage it seemed like they might say something, if even in their otherworldly language. Instead, Khn reached up and touched his hat, and a burst of black and white confetti showered the audience. Then, they left. Without saying a word, they had one of the big moments of the night.

Two icons of the live music industry were honoured for their decades-long devotion to the country and its artists. Paquin Artists Agency co-president Vinny Cinquemani and Live Nation Canada chairman Riley O’Connor became the first-ever inductees into the Billboard Canada Hall of Fame.

When Meg Symsyk, president and CEO of FACTOR, stepped onstage to accept the Visionary Leadership award, she revealed that earlier in the day, she was on a flight from Los Angeles where she was with Rush at The Forum on their comeback 50th anniversary tour. Billboard Canada national editor Richard Trapunski personally presented her with the award, and outlined that it’s been a whirlwind month for Symsyk, as news that FACTOR and Scotiabank had settled their lawsuit became public at the beginning of this month. Throughout it all, Symsyk ensured that the music funder has continued — and in many ways, expanded — its support of Canadian artists.

“When you are surrounded by people who share your values and challenge each other to be better, you discover that leadership is less about pursuing your personal achievements and more about helping others find theirs,” she said. “Our work has always been about more than streams and charts and ticket sales and market share.”

Margaret McGuffin, CEO of Music Publishers Canada, received the Impact Award. She was recognized for her advocacy ensuring that Canadian creators are fairly compensated and licensed in the age of AI, as well as her mentorship for the next generation.

“As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into the creative ecosystem, we must ensure that creators and the companies that invest in them have a voice in shaping the future,” she said during her speech. “These are the people I’ve spent my career working with and advocating for. I have the great privilege of working with music publishers, many who are in this room.”

Read more highlights here.

Daniel Caesar Pays Surprise Tribute to His Managers at Billboard Canada Managers to Watch 2026

The most influential managers from across the globe gathered at SOUNDSTAGE in Toronto on June 11 at NXNE to celebrate Billboard Canada Managers to Watch. The celebration spotlighted the people who put in the behind-the-scenes work to elevate artists across the country following the release of this year’s coveted Managers to Watch list.

“If you want to get something done, call the manager,” said Billboard Canada national editor Richard Trapunski in his opening remarks. “You are the ones who are closest to the artists, the unsung heroes of the music industry. You have the vision and the tools to open doors and build careers, yet you are rarely in the spotlight yourselves.”

Daniel Caesar is one of the biggest Canadian success stories of the last decade, and he flew straight from Thailand to make a surprise appearance to honour the two powerhouses who have been with him on an adventure from the very beginning: his managers, Matthew Burnett and Jordan Evans.

The R&B star proudly invited both of his managers onstage to crown them Billboard Canada’s 2026 Managers to Watch, greeting each of them with a powerful, lasting hug and leaving Evans teary-eyed.

“We’re in the middle of an adventure and I love it so much. If I could bottle up that feeling, I would pay every cent I have to give that feeling to the people I love,” Caesar said.

Burnett joked about his working relationship with Evans being “each other’s most successful relationship,” with the pair celebrating two decades of working together this year. He gave a special nod to Canadian producer Boi-1da for giving them their start in the industry back when they were producers, and boasted that nobody in the world can captivate a room like Daniel Caesar playing acoustic guitar, be it in a small room, an arena or even a stadium. He was proud to call Evans and Caesar his brothers and his family, and left the audience with words about what he considers to be the utmost principle of management: care.

Sébastien Collin is the man behind the year’s biggest global breakthrough: the polka-dotted, viral math rock band Angine de Poitrine from Saguenay, Quebec. In just four months, Collin and the group have booked an international tour that’s sold over 100,000 tickets worldwide and racked up over 16 million views on the band’s breakthrough KEXP live performance.

Collin is this year’s Manager on the Rise. “I think we can be proud of the music without compromise and I hope that it will help build bridges,” he said. “I hope it will put some spotlight on the Quebec scene. We’ve got really nice bands right now, and I hope it will help us find the good bands everywhere.”

Tommas Arnby, meanwhile, won the International Manager Award, highlighting his work building the global rise of rock star Yungblud.

See all the highlights here.

Lil Baby’s hemp company is facing counterclaims after accusing its joint venture partner of shipping illegal and contaminated cannabis products across the country.

The rapper’s business entity, The Holding Co., sued Florida cannabis company Bay Smokes in April for allegedly mishandling his WHAM product line, which was marketed as a low-THC hemp product that was legal nationwide. The Holding Co. claimed it tested the product and found THC levels of 22% — far above the federal limit of 0.3% — as well as microbes like E. coli, yeast and mold.

Bay Smokes has denied these allegations, telling Billboard in an April statement, “We stand by the quality and legality of all of our hemp products, which undergo independent third-party laboratory testing.” Now, the cannabis company is accusing The Holding Co. of breaching a confidentiality and non-disparagement clause from their joint venture deal.

“The complaint filed by plaintiff in this action publishes false allegations of product contamination that are directly contradicted by Bay Smokes’s contemporaneous October 10, 2025, certificate of analysis for the ‘THCA Flower Gelato 45’ batch that plaintiff purports to have independently tested,” reads Bay Smokes’ Thursday (June 11) countersuit, obtained and first reported by Billboard.

The countersuit also alleges that The Holding Co.’s principal, Eric Anderson, has further disparaged Bay Smokes to customers at industry trade shows “while steering those customers to competing sources of supply in which plaintiff’s principal holds an undisclosed personal financial interest.”

Bay Smokes is seeking financial damages from The Holding Co. for its alleged contract violations, including a refund of legal fees. It also claims The Holding Co. has been overpaid by more than $206,000 in its share of the joint venture profits.

Reps for Lil Baby and The Holding Co. did not immediately return requests for comment on Friday (June 12).

The Holding Co. and Bay Smokes formed their joint venture in 2024 for a WHAM hemp line, named for Lil Baby’s nickname. This would go on to be the title of the rapper’s 2025 album WHAM, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

In the April lawsuit, The Holding Co. alleged Bay Smokes had tarnished Lil Baby’s reputation by associating his trademarks with “unauthorized illegal cannabis sales, concealed sales, contaminated products and unlawful conduct.” The suit also claimed that Bay Smokes’ founders were inappropriately marketing the cannabis brand with “erotic videos.”