CANDACE OWENS AND JOE BUDDEN LINK UP, TEASE PODCAST CROSSOVER

Political commentator Candace Owens and podcast host Joe Budden met in Nashville in a surprising turn of events. Just days after Budden expr...

Political commentator Candace Owens and podcast host Joe Budden met in Nashville in a surprising turn of events.

Just days after Budden expressed admiration for Owens' work but questioned her willingness to engage with his show, the pair's unexpected encounter has sparked widespread speculation online. While details of their meeting remain undisclosed, anticipation is mounting as fans eagerly await further updates on the collaboration between Owens and Budden, which is expected to make waves across social media platforms.

Earlier this week, Candance Owens showed support for Beyoncé's Country music. In the latest episode of The Candace Owens Podcast, Ownes details Queen Bey's country history.

"Some people are saying that this is not very country," Candace says. "I'm going to defend Beyoncé on that point because Beyoncé's kind of always been country. She's more country than Taylor Swift ever was for sure. Beyoncé is from Houston, Texas. She's always had a twang… [Taylor Swift] put on a fake twang. Everyone was okay with it. You can't say that Taylor Swift can do it, and Beyonce can't."

All hail Queen Bey as she once again presides over the Billboard Hot 100. Beyoncé has taken over the top spot on the single's chart with "Texas Hold 'Em."

The single is the ninth chart-topper for Beyoncé, her most recent being "Break My Soul" in 2022.

According to Luminate, "Texas Hold 'Em" saw significant growth in various metrics during the tracking week of Feb. 16-22. The song garnered 29 million streams, marking a 51% increase, and received 16.1 million radio airplay audience impressions, experiencing a remarkable surge of 233%. Additionally, the track sold 29,000 downloads, albeit experiencing a decrease of 25%. With these impressive statistics, "Texas Hold 'Em" earned the distinction of being the top Streaming and Airplay Gainer on the Hot 100 chart.

Over the weekend, Dolly Parton saluted Beyoncé's musical foray into country. "I'm a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she's done a country album," Parton wrote on Instagram. "So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single."

She added, "Can't wait to hear the full album!"