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Leighton Meester’s Music Sees Revival After Losing Home in Fires

Leighton Meester’s music career is experiencing a revival following the devastating loss of her Los Angeles home in the recent wildfires.

With encouragement from none other than Flavor Flav, fans have rallied behind the Gossip Girl actress and singer by revisiting her discography, sparking a wave of support across social media and music platforms. Flavor Flav took to TikTok on Jan. 14 to spotlight Meester’s 2009 single “Somebody to Love,” which features Robin Thicke.

In the video, the Public Enemy rapper danced to the pop track, urging fans to “Stream @LeightonMeester ‘Somebody to Love’ and use the song in yo TikTok’s.” He captioned the post, “Starting to hype up my girl Leighton Meester and help her family recover from the fire.”

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The call for support comes amid reports that Meester and her husband, actor Adam Brody, are among the many families displaced by the wildfires that began last week, forcing thousands to evacuate. The couple, who share two children, have not publicly commented on the loss of their Pacific Palisades home.

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Fans have since responded with overwhelming enthusiasm by revisiting Meester’s self-written debut album, Heartstrings, released in 2014. Meester wrote all nine tracks featured on the record by herself, and the album was produced by Jeff Trott.

The album has now climbed to No. 18 on the iTunes all-genre album chart, surpassing notable releases like Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N Sweet. Her single “Your Love’s a Drug,” released in 2010, has also cracked the iTunes songs chart.

This resurgence mirrors the support seen for Heidi Montag, another wildfire victim whose decade-old album, Superficial, recently topped the iTunes charts thanks to a viral TikTok campaign.

Flav has also been instrumental in promoting Montag’s music, posting several TikTok videos with the caption, “Doing my part to get Heidi Montag to #1.” Montag and her husband, Spencer Pratt, lost their Pacific Palisades home in the fires and turned to social media to share their journey and encourage fans to stream Montag’s music as a way to help them rebuild.

Following the success of Superficial, Montag’s album surged to No. 1 on iTunes. To celebrate, Montag and Pratt joined Billboard’s Tetris Kelly during a TikTok livestream to discuss future plans, including new music.

“We just actually had one of the most famous writers and producers reach out to us, and I recorded it yesterday,” Montag revealed. “They asked us not to specify who they are […] We’re really excited, and there’s a lot of stuff in the works. We really want to focus on getting a portion back to the community too, so we’re trying to figure out how to incorporate charities into everything we’re doing.”

Meanwhile, Flavor Flav, a vocal advocate for using music as a means of recovery, also announced on Jan. 11 that he has donated to wildfire relief efforts through GoFundMe campaigns and nonprofit organizations.

He encouraged others to join his efforts, stating, “They need us right now.”

Meester’s music career includes standout moments such as her collaboration with Cobra Starship on the 2009 hit “Good Girls Go Bad,” her role in the 2010 film Country Strong, and the release of singles like “Somebody to Love” and “Your Love’s a Drug.”

Matthew McConaughey Helps Announce Zach Bryan’s New Film, ‘Motorbreath’

Zach Bryan has turned his focus to the world of film, recruiting actor Matthew McConaughey to help tease a new project called Motorbreath.

Bryan’s new announcement came about in a pair of posts shared to Instagram on Wednesday morning (Jan. 15). In the first, he shared a clip of a new track ostensibly titled “Birdie”. Though no information was provided alongside the snippet, the intimately-recorded acoustic cut sees Bryan namechecking the likes of Elliott Smith in the lyrics.

The second post, however, is much more substantial, enlisting the help of McConaughey (who previously starred in Bryan’s “Nine Ball” music video in 2024) to announce the upcoming film.

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“This is not a film about a band, this is a film about a boy from Oklahoma,” McConaughey explains. “A boy who joined the Navy, with a love of writing. That writing connected with people, a lot of people. This film is about a group of best friends taking a two-week motorcycle ride across America, while recording one final major label album. Oh, and the title of the film, you ask? Motorbreath.”

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Currently, no further information has been shared in regard to the details surrounding Motorbreath, such as a release date. It does, however, follow on from a snippet of a song by the same name that Bryan shared to social media in early November.

Bryan’s latest release, The Great American Bar Scene, arrived in July as his third album since signing to Warner Records. The record – which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 – followed on from the arrival of his chart-topping self-titled effort the year prior.

Earlier in January, Bryan took to social media to defend his friends from the “harassment” they’ve received from “f–kin weird couch warriors” following his highly-publicized breakup with Brianna LaPaglia (aka Brianna Chickenfry) in October.

David Schwimmer Recalls Serving Rod Stewart Divorce Papers

Actor David Schwimmer has looked back on some of his formative jobs, recalling the time he served Rod Stewart with divorce papers.

Schwimmer spoke about his previous career while appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to promote his current role on Disney+ and Hulu’s Goosebumps: The Vanishing. While he’s spent more than 30 years as one of the most prominent actors in film and TV, his early career was far less stable, as he explained to host Stephen Colbert.

“One summer after my freshman year in college, I was just looking for work,” Schwimmer remembered. “And my mom said, ‘Well, you can be a process server for me’. My mom was a divorce lawyer. So I was the guy who would pop out of the bushes and serve you divorce papers. At the time I was 18, and I’m like James Bond. I’m not James Bond! ‘Cause you’re tipped off as to where they might be.”

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As he continued, Schwimmer turned his focus to one of his more famous ‘targets’ during this line of work. “Once, and oh man, thank goodness I’ve never run into him since,” added, “but I served Rod Stewart. I don’t even know if he knows. I don’t think he knows.”

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“He knows now,” replied Colbert before jokingly giving Schwimmer some sage advice. “Change your locks, man. He is vengeful.”

Stewart was previously married to Alana Stewart from 1979 to 1984, which coincides with the timeframe of Schwimmer’s time as a process server. In 1990, Stewart married Rachel Hunter, though they would divorce in 2006 following a separation in 1999. Since 2007, he’s been married to Penny Lancaster-Stewart.

Stewart is set to hit the road once again in February, performing across the U.S. before returning to Las Vegas to continue his Caesars Palace residency. He’s also one of the few artists officially confirmed to be performing at England’s Glastonbury Festival on June 25.

Appearing in the Sunday teatime Legends slot, he joins Neil Young at the festival, who recently confirmed his appearance after previously distancing himself from the event based on what he now calls an “error in the information received”.

Bob Dylan Joins TikTok Ahead of Looming App Ban

The times they are a-changin’, and with just a few days to go before a potential U.S. ban of TikTok, veteran musician Bob Dylan has finally joined the popular video sharing app.

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83-year-old Dylan made his debut on TikTok on Tuesday (Jan. 14), sharing a single post which urges potential followers to “Explore the world of Bob Dylan, now on TikTok”. The accompanying video features numerous clips, stills, and record covers from Dylan’s lengthy career, soundtracked to clips of “Like a Rolling Stone”, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, “Hurricane”.

While Dylan’s appearance on the app in the wake of the release of James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown biopic has been well-received by his fanbase, much of the attention is being focused on his somewhat late arrival given the impending TikTok Ban.

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“You’ve got 30 minutes king,” wrote one user on Dylan’s post, while another added, “bob dylan save tiktok.” Others still made reference to his catalog in their posts, noting that “tiktok is knocking on heavens door”.

As it stands, TikTok is facing an imminent ban because the American government is worried about its Chinese ownership. After the Supreme Court last month agreed to hear TikTok’s challenge to the law that would either force ByteDance to sell the app or bar it from the U.S., the Court’s imminent decision means that if the law is upheld, ByteDance will be forced to sell off the app or face a ban on Sunday (Jan. 19).

Dylan’s immediate future, however, looks a little more certain currently, especially given that the response to A Complete Unknown has seen his catalog earn 11.6 million U.S. on-demand streams in the week ending Dec. 26.

While it’s unknown whether Dylan’s debut on TikTok is part of a biopic-inspired decision to reach a newer fanbase, it does come about shortly after his recent decision to ostensibly begin using social media with greater frequency. In November, Dylan shared a Tweet praising a performance from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in France, leading Cave to respond with gratitude.

“I was elated to think Bob Dylan had been in the audience,” Cave wrote on his sporadically-updated Red Hand Files website. “And since I doubt I’ll get an opportunity to thank him personally, I’ll thank him here. Thank you, Bob!”

Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt Are Working on New Music

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are turning loss into creativity.

The couple, who first found fame on the reality series The Hills, lost their home in the Pacific Palisades wildfire. Amid the tragedy, the pair turned to social media to share their journey and encourage fans to stream Montag’s previous music as a way to help them rebuild.

Since then, Montag’s 2010 album Superficial surged to No. 1 on social media and iTunes. To celebrate, the couple joined Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly during a TikTok livestream to discuss what they have in store in the upcoming months, including some more new music. “We just actually had one of the most famous writers and producers reach out to us, and I recorded it yesterday,” Montag revealed. “They asked us not to specify who they are […] We’re really excited, and there’s a lot of stuff in the works. We really want to focus on getting a portion back to the community too, so we’re trying to figure out how to incorporate charities into everything we’re doing.”

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Montag also thanked fans for their support in a video posted to TikTok and Instagram on Saturday night, “Thank you so much to everyone, No. 1 on iTunes charts, oh my gosh. Thank you for the overwhelming love and support of my music and really rallying behind us in this devastating time and making it such a blessing.”

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“Thank you for helping support us, helping build us back up, helping to encourage us, give us that hope and faith and excitement in such a dark, dark time,” she added, noting the “crazy” timing of it being the album’s 15-year anniversary.

Redman “Booyaka Shot,” Tivi Gunz & Millyz “Alpax Remix” & More | Daily Visuals 1.15.25

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Birthday Bash For West Ward Councilman Dupre L Kelly

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Last week Redman shocked the world when he revealed that he’s been celibate and smoke free for two years and counting and though many feel it’s only a matter of time before he indulges in the aforementioned activities, we’re hoping the Funk Doctor Spot continues to do what’s best for himself and his health.

Addressing his revalations in his latest visuals to “Booyaka Shot,” Redman finds himself in an sex, drugs, and drinking anonymous session where he raps about his former habits much to the shock and entertainment of his fellow attendees. After all these decades in the game, Redman’s still got it, b.

Back in the barrio, Beantown representative Millyz gets his Spanglish on as he and Tivi Gunz show up and show out for the Latino community in the visuals to “Alpax Remix” where the Latino community welcomes the Boston representative with open arms as he spits some Spanish bars and shows that he could very well get by in Spanish Harlem or the Dominican Republic or something.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Larry June, Illa Ghee, and more.

REDMAN – “BOOYAKA SHOT”

TIVI GUNZ & MILLYZ – “ALPAX REMIX”

LARRY JUNE – “JAN 14TH”

ILLA GHEE – “DEMI GOD”

CHE’ NOIR & 38 SPESH – “ART OF WAR”

BELLY GANG KUSHINGTON – “TRAP STAR”

21 LIL HAROLD FT. ROB49 – “WORD ON THE STREETS”

VALIANT & WEEKDAY – “GRIMEY”

Lil Baby Confirms Joint Album With Young Thug

Lil Baby isn’t letting up.

The Atlanta rapper recently dropped off the deluxe version of his fourth solo album WHAM and is planning on releasing another project entitled Dominique some time in February. He’s also mentioned working on a tape with Future, but made sure to mention Young Thug may be involved in what they had planned.

Baby confirmed to Complex that he’s also been working on new music with the aforementioned Thugger. “We’ve been in the studio together [every day] almost since he came home. So we got tons of songs,” he said. “Me and Future were also going to drop a project, but it was Thug’s idea. The whole time while he’s locked up, I’m talking to him and trying to talk about the trial. He’s like, “You need to get with Pluto and drop the tape with Pluto.” I’m trying to talk about the trial. He ain’t even tripping. He’s like, “Bro, go to Miami. You need to lock in with Pluto, y’all need to drop an album. Do that for me.”

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However, he revealed the album might feature all three rappers instead of two separate projects. “There probably won’t be a me and Future tape anymore because Thug is back. So, whatever it would be, it’ll be all three of us.” Adding, [And that’s] super exciting, because to me, those are two of the main people that I would say I look up to in the rap game. So to be able to spar with them, I feel like that’s sharpened me up a whole lot.”

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WHAM is Lil Baby’s fourth No. 1 album, but what may be more impressive is that his album blocked Bad Bunny from taking the top spot.

Universal Music Group Shares Will Be Dual-Listed on U.S. Exchange in 2025

Pershing Square Holdings chief Bill Ackman won’t get his wish of a Universal Music Group (UMG) de-listing from the Euronext Amsterdam exchange, but the hedge fund king’s push for a UMG listing on a U.S. exchange will nevertheless come to fruition in 2025.

UMG announced Wednesday (Jan. 15) that Pershing Square and some of its affiliates have requested an offering and listing on a U.S. stock exchange and waived the 120-day filing requirement. UMG, “in line with its contractual obligations,” will use “commercially reasonable efforts to launch an underwritten offering for the sale of certain shares owned by Pershing by September 15, 2025,” according to the company’s statement. Pershing Square holds a 10.25% stake in UMG currently valued at $4.7 billion.

“Any actions or decisions of UMG beyond those necessary to comply with its contractual obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement will be determined by the Board of Directors of UMG based on an analysis taking into account what is value maximizing and in the best interests of all the shareholders of UMG,” the statement continues.

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Following violent attacks against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam in November 2024, Ackman, who is also a UMG board member, called on UMG to de-list from the Euronext Amsterdam exchange, where it has traded since it broke from Vivendi in 2021, and move its legal headquarters from the Netherlands to the United States. Pershing Square quickly sought approval to delist its own stock from the Euronext Amsterdam exchange, with its request granted on Jan. 2; it will officially de-list on Jan. 31. Pershing Square stock will continue to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

“Leaving a jurisdiction that fails to protect its tourists and minority populations combine both good business and moral principles,” Ackman wrote on X at the time. Pershing Square, he continued, would exercise its “contractual right to cause UMG to be listed in the US… and achieve a US listing for UMG no later than some time next year.”

In response, UMG explained that Pershing Square could use its UMG holdings for a U.S. listing but couldn’t dictate additional terms. “As disclosed in UMG’s listing prospectus, Pershing has the right to request a listing in the U.S. subject to a Pershing entity selling at least $500 million in UMG shares as part of the listing. Pershing does not have any right to require UMG to become a U.S. domiciled company or delist from Euronext Amsterdam.”

A dual listing is not unusual for a publicly traded company. Listing in multiple countries provides a company with access to more investors and hedges against unfavorable rule changes in any one country. Among music companies, Tencent Music Entertainment trades in both the U.S. and Hong Kong.

50 Cent & DJ Khaled Squash Decades Long Beef

DJ Khaled and 50 Cent have a rocky history dating back to around 2005 when G-Unit was in the midst of a beef with Fat Joe and they can thank baseball legend Reggie Jackson for bringing them together all these years later.

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The two former foes dapped it up at Reggie Jackson’s annual “Mr. October Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic” in Port St. Lucie, Florida earlier this week and the footage was captured by 50, whose Sire Spirits liquor brand helped sponsor the event.

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Tony Yayo once told a story on Drink Champs about the time the Miami DJ told him to “get the f—k outta here” when he went down to South Florida to promote a song for the radio. “I had ‘[So] Seductive’ dropping. I didn’t know nothing about the music business,” he told hosts N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN. “We beefing with [Fat Joe]. You f—k with Fat Joe, Khaled ain’t f—king with you. I got my record I’m trying to promote, so they like, ‘Yo, you gotta got to Miami … You gotta go to DJ Khaled.’”

Adding, “So we go up there. I told these n—as, ‘Yo, don’t take me to DJ Khaled. Fat Joe, that’s his man. He damn near Terror Squad,’” before revealing Khaled pretended to shake his hand while yelling his tagline. “Go to Khaled to shake his hand — ‘DJ Khaled, get the fuck outta here! I respect Khaled for that ’cause [Fat Joe] is his man … But I did go ’cause this is radio. I don’t understand this sh—t, I’m getting out of jail … So I’m like, ‘Yo, f—k you Khaled!’ I swear to God. You can ask him.”

Khaled confirmed Yayo’s story during an appearance on Club Shay Shay. “At that time, I work at a radio station,” he told Shannon Sharpe. “Everybody’s welcome at a radio station so you could never involve them type of situations and I understood that. And I’ve always been somebody that showed love, but when they told me [Yayo] was coming up I was like, ‘Wow.’”

Adding, “You know, him and my man don’t get along. [Fat Joe] is my brother, for real. I was just saying to myself, ‘This is gonna be hard for me’ because if I would have completely embraced him, I probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night. And if I did, I would have called [Fat Joe] immediately like, ‘This is what happened.’ That’s how much I care.”

He then said that’s “it’s all love now” which is try judging by 50 including their greeting in his recap of the charity event and Khaled telling the Queens rapper and filmmaker, “Nothing but love and respect.”

Ariana Grande & Selena Gomez Snag 2025 BAFTA Nominations | Billboard News

Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez have both been nominated for their roles in ‘Wicked’ and ‘Emilia Pérez’ as Best Supporting Actress. Keep watching to see what other awards their respective films were nominated for!

Tetris Kelly:

From the Golden Globes and now on the road to the Oscars, both Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande have grabbed some new awards season nominations. Selena Gomez has grabbed a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘Emilia Pérez.’ While a number of US awards shows and announcements are postponed, the British Academy released their nominations and said their thoughts are “very, very much” with everyone impacted by the still raging wildfires. Ariana Grande also snagged her first BAFTA nomination for ‘Wicked.’ Emilia Pérez’ was also nominated for Best Picture while ‘Wicked’ was left out of that category. We will keep you updated throughout the award season.