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02 Jan 2025

Stormzy Banned From Driving Following Mobile Phone Offense

Stormzy has been banned from driving in the U.K. for nine months after an off-duty police officer caught the rapper using a mobile phone behind the wheel of his Rolls-Royce vehicle in London.

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The 31-year-old born Michael Ebenazer Owuo Junior pleaded guilty to the offense via a letter to the courts, the BBC reports. The offense took place on March 7 on Addison Road in west Kensington, London.

On Thursday morning (Jan. 2), the district judge Andrew Sweet criticised the “Vossy Bop” musician’s “dangerous and irresponsible” actions. The Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court heard that the off-duty police officer knocked on the tinted window of Stormzy’s Rolls-Royce Wraith and said: “Get rid of your tints and get off your phone.”

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Sweet banned the rapper, who was not present in court, from driving for nine months and fined him £2,010 (around $2,500). The court was also told that Stormzy already had six penalty points on his driving license from previous offenses.

The prosecutor Alice Holloway noted that in 2023, Stormzy had previously admitted to driving a Lamborghini Urus that had front windows illegally tinted to only 4% light transmission, violating the 70% requirement.

In October 2023, Stormzy was stopped by officers on Coombe Lane, in Kingston upon Thames, London, having previously been warned about the windows. Stormzy’s solicitor Peter Csemiczky said that his client accepted responsibility for the offenses and apologized. He added that the rapper had removed the tints.

In 2024, Stormzy scored a No.1 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart with a team-up with rave duo Chase & Status. Their single “Backbone” hit the top spot in August 2024, while Stormzy released his most recent full-length LP, This Is What I Mean, in November 2022.

02 Jan 2025

2025 Golden Globes Presenters: Check Out the Full List

Elton John and Brandi Carlile, who are among the co-writers of the Oscar-shortlisted song “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late, are among the presenters for the 2025 Golden Globes, which is set to air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET.

“Never Too Late” wasn’t nominated for a Globe, but being booked as presenters on the Globes could help the song’s chances in the Oscar balloting. Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 17.

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The Golden Globes have a long and colorful history, and a reputation as “Hollywood’s Party of the Year,” but an undeniable part of its appeal is its place on the awards calendar. This year’s Globes will air less than three days before nominations-round voting begins for the Oscars (on Wednesday Jan. 8 at 9 am PT). Nominations-round voting for this year’s Oscars ends on Sunday, Jan. 12 at 5 p.m. PT.

Ariana DeBose, who has hosted the last three Tony Awards telecasts, is also set to present on the Globes, as are Viola Davis, who is set to receive the Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award; actress Kate Hudson, who last year released her first album, Glorious; Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced the title character in the Disney animated film Moana and its 2024 sequel; and actress Margaret Qualley, a Globe nominee for best supporting actress – motion picture for The Substance (and wife of top producer Jack Antonoff).

The show will be hosted by Nikki Glaser, who is the first woman to solo host the Globes. It will be held in its usual home, the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

Glaser is nominated for a Globe for best performance in stand-up comedy on television for her HBO/Max special Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die. Glaser was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) for her work on that special and is a current Grammy nominee for best comedy album, also for that special.

The Golden Globes is the world’s largest awards show to celebrate both film and television. Emmy Award-winning producing duo Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producing showrunners for the show. Dick Clark Productions will plan, host and produce the 82nd Annual Golden Globes.

Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.

Unlike the Oscars, the Globes doesn’t book musical performances, but it has a star-studded line-up of presenters. Here’s a complete list of presenters, as of presstime:

Andrew Garfield

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Ramos

Anya Taylor-Joy

Ariana DeBose

Aubrey Plaza

Auliʻi Cravalho

Awkwafina

Brandi Carlile

Catherine O’Hara

Colin Farrell

Colman Domingo

Demi Moore

Dwayne Johnson

Édgar Ramírez

Elton John

Gal Gadot

Glenn Close

Jeff Goldblum

Jennifer Coolidge

Kaley Cuoco

Kate Hudson

Kathy Bates

Ke Huy Quan

Kerry Washington

Margaret Qualley

Melissa McCarthy

Michael Keaton

Michelle Yeoh

Miles Teller

Mindy Kaling

Morris Chestnut

Nate Bargatze

Nicolas Cage

Rachel Brosnahan

Rob McElhenney

Salma Hayek Pinault

Sarah Paulson

Seth Rogen

Sharon Stone

Vin Diesel

Viola Davis

Zoë Kravitz

The Golden Globes are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Corporation. PMC is also the parent company of Billboard. 

01 Jan 2025

Billy Joel Teams Up with Jason Bonham to Play ‘Whole Lotta Love’ at New Year’s Eve Concert

Billy Joel rung in the new year in style, joining forces with Jason Bonham for a rendition of Led Zeppelin‘s “Whole Lotta Love”.

Performing at Long Island’s UBS Arena on Tuesday (Dec. 31), Joel’s end-of-year spectacular was a special for one for numerous reasons. Not only was the night preceded by Jason Bonham’s Led Zepellin Evening as the opener, but the lengthy set saw the veteran musician roll out plenty of fan favorites for the night, along with a few rarer tracks from his extensive into his back catalog.

While the seldom-heard 1982’s “A Room of Our Own” got a look-in, rarer still was a performance of 1974’s “Souvenir”, which received only its 13th showing from across the past 40 years.

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However, one of the most notable songs from the evening was one that wasn’t Joel’s own. Just over a third of the way through the set, Joel switched his focus to welcome Bonham and his band to the stage for a rendition of 1969’s “Whole Lotta Love”.

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“We’re going to bring a guest onstage and do this next song,” Joel said to the crowd. “We have fun playing this, especially with this guy. Please welcome Jason Bonham. You all know this song. It’s not a piano song.”

With Bonham performing drums on the song his father helped make famous more than five decades ago, Joel’s longtime guitarist and vocalist Mike DelGuidice sang lead on the track, relagting Joel to the background somewhat.

Hearing Joel perform “Whole Lotta Love” isn’t a rarity (in fact, he also performed it at his previous New Year’s Eve celebration at the same venue), and it seamlessly fit in amongst the rest of the set, which also featured renditions of The Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up”, and Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla”, which was used to fill time ahead of the midnight countdown.

The show also wrapped up a big year for Joel, who not only concluded his record-breaking ten-year Madison Square Garden residency (earning $266.7 million from 1.9 million ticket sales to 104 shows), but also released “Turn the Lights Back On” – his first new lyrical single in nearly 20 years.

01 Jan 2025

Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’ Lights Up London Eye in New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show

London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display was, apparently, brat. The celebration took pace on the River Thames as Big Ben struck midnight and 2024 shifted to 2025.

Charli XCX‘s big year made it into the city’s annual fireworks display airing on BBC and ITV; her influence on the fireworks show is immediately recognizable as Brat green lights the sky, as captured in the photo above.

The night’s Brat-inspired moment can be seen in full here, via a clip Charli’s fans shared on X (formerly Twitter). Along with that familiar shade of green, album track “Apple” plays and “london” appears typewritten in the style of Charli’s album art.

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Elsewhere on New Year’s Eve, Charli shared reflections on Brat‘s massive success over the past year on Instagram.

“So many highs in 2024 and i cba to post them all but here’s some of my fav memories and fav people. love you all so much and thank you for everything. sorry i’m a lot sometimes xx,” she wrote on Dec. 31.

The caption went along with a photo carousel looking back at the year of Brat, with snapshots with friends and from the rollout of the album — and its companion release, Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat. Some highlights included pictures with her fiancé (The 1975’s George Daniel) and a behind-the-scenes cue card shot from her SNL hosting gig.

Brat arrived in June, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It also led the Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart for 29 weeks.

Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, a variation of the original album featuring collaborations with Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, The 1975, Lorde, Robyn, Troye Sivan, Bon Iver, Julian Casablancas, Caroline Polachek and more, followed in October.

Charli’s fall Sweat Tour with Sivan earned $28 million, with 297,000 tickets sold over the course of 22 shows in the U.S. and Canada, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. 

01 Jan 2025

Footage Released Showing New Orleans Killer Violently Turning Truck Onto Bourbon Street

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At Least 10 Killed In New Orleans After Truck Plows Into Crowd On Bourbon St

Source: Chris Graythen / Getty

Footage Released Showing New Orleans Killer Violently Turning Truck Onto Bourbon Street

A horrifying act of violence unfolded early New Year’s Day in New Orleans when a pickup truck, bearing a visible ISIS flag, plowed into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street.

The attack, carried out by Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas, claimed the lives of at least 10 people and left 35 others injured.

The FBI has labeled the incident an act of terrorism, intensifying the investigation into the events and possible connections Jabbar may have had to extremist organizations.

Surveillance video captured the white Ford pickup truck, reportedly a rental, turning aggressively from Canal Street onto the iconic Bourbon Street.

It accelerated past barricades and into a densely packed crowd celebrating the New Year. The carnage didn’t end there—authorities revealed that after the crash, Jabbar exited the vehicle wearing full military gear and opened fire on the responding officers.

Law enforcement quickly returned fire, fatally wounding him at the chaotic scene.

Inside the truck, investigators found an arsenal including firearms, explosives, and the ISIS flag, now a chilling centerpiece of the attack.

Authorities believe Jabbar intended to cause mass casualties, describing his actions as both “premeditated” and “calculated.”

Jabbar’s motives remain under investigation, though his past provides a troubling backdrop.

Once a member of the U.S. Army, he served as an information technology and human resources specialist before receiving an honorable discharge in 2015.

He had recently been living in north Houston, Texas, where he apparently led an unremarkable life until this week’s tragic events.

The FBI is exploring the possibility that Jabbar acted in coordination with others.

While no accomplices have been identified, agents have not ruled out the involvement of a larger network.

The discovery of his ISIS flag and explosives has fueled concerns about the extent of his radicalization and potential ties to extremist groups.

This devastating attack has left New Orleans in mourning.

Bourbon Street, typically a vibrant epicenter of music and celebration, is now a scene of heartache and loss.

City leaders and law enforcement are working diligently to support victims’ families and ensure enhanced security measures as the city moves forward.

The FBI has urged communities to remain vigilant, emphasizing how dangerous individuals can leverage common tools for mass violence.


Footage Released Showing New Orleans Killer Violently Turning Truck Onto Bourbon Street 
was originally published on
wibc.com

01 Jan 2025

Selena Gomez & Fiancé Benny Blanco Ring in the New Year With Sweet New Photos

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are starting off 2025 on a sweet note. The singer-actress shared a series of photos on New Year’s Eve that offer a glimpse at the engaged couple enjoying each other’s company.

“Happy new years,” Gomez captioned the Dec. 31 post, which includes eight pictures, most of them being cute selfies of the two together — lounging, attending a party and shopping at T.J. Maxx.

One snapshot features Gomez’s younger sister, Gracie, and a scrumptious-looking ice cream sundae from Serendipity that the siblings seemed to be sharing.

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Another photo in the bunch shows a paper plate, with beans on one side and the words “I LOVE YOU” etched on the other.

Gomez and record producer Blanco, who went public with their relationship back in December 2023, have been documenting their happiness on Instagram this holiday break. Over the weekend, they uploaded a loved-up picture of a romantic kiss.

The couple announced the news of their engagement on Dec. 11, 2024, with Gomez writing on Instagram, “forever begins now.” She shared a video of her marquise-cut diamond engagement ring soon after. “I’ve just dreamed of this moment my whole life,” she said in the clip. Meanwhile, Blanco revealed a behind-the-scenes look at the proposal.

Gomez and Blanco were first linked professionally in 2019, when they collaborated on the track “I Can’t Get Enough” with Tainy and J Balvin. In 2023, the they teamed up for Gomez’s song “Single Soon.”

See her New Year’s Eve photo carousel below.

01 Jan 2025

See Photos From ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2025′

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest featured performances from the Jonas Brothers, Carrie Underwood, TLC, Lenny Kravitz, Tinashe, Alanis Morissette with Reneé Rapp and many others. See the best photos from the Dec. 31 special below.

Ryan Seacrest spent his 20th time as New Year’s Rockin’ Eve host, while co-hosts Rita Ora joined in the year-end festivities in Times Square and Dayanara Torres in Puerto Rico.

The show had artists on stage on the West Coast, Las Vegas, New York’s Times Square and Puerto Rico.

Among the pictures in this photo gallery you’ll also see Dasha, Teddy Swims, Laufey, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Blake Shelton, Megan Moroney, T-Pain, Cody Johnson, Thomas Rhett, Ernest, Natasha Bedingfield, Fat Joe, Ja Rule.

The Jonas Brothers celebrated the night by sharing an announcement of new music: a new song with Marshmello, which Nick says is being released on Jan. 17. “We’ve got a ton of announcements coming,” he teased, adding, “I’ll be making a return to Broadway next year in The Last Five Years, which I absolutely can’t wait to do. There’s a lot coming, so stay tuned,” Nick added.

Kevin shared that a “big tour” is on the horizon in 2025 for the band, while Joe said their New Year’s Eve performance would have “a lot of songs that you’ll hear on the next tour. Kind of a sneak peek of what’s coming.”

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2025 aired on Dec. 31 on ABC, then streamed on Jan. 1 on Hulu. Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Corporation; PMC is also the parent company of Billboard.

01 Jan 2025

Rihanna Reveals She ‘Didn’t Drink All Year’ in 2024 While Celebrating New Year’s Eve

Rihanna went alcohol-free in 2024.

On Wednesday (Jan. 1), the 36-year-old singer and entrepreneur took to social media to share a video of herself ringing in the New Year with friends. In the clip, Ri reveals that she abstained from alcohol over the past 12 months while celebrating the countdown to 2025, holding up her phone to capture the iconic ball drop in New York City’s Times Square.

“Y’all, I didn’t drink all year,” Rihanna proudly told her 150 million Instagram followers after the clock struck midnight. “I didn’t drink all year.”

The brief clip shows the “Diamonds” singer enjoying a low-key New Year’s Eve celebration, dressed casually in a gray robe and surrounded by a group of friends who helped with the countdown while holding up their drinks. Ri rang in the New Year in New York City alongside her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, People reports. The couple shares two sons: RZA, 2, and Riot, 1.

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“New Year, New Me,” she captioned the IG post.

In another Instagram video, Rihanna is seen goofing around with friends while using her Fenty Hair shampoo to properly clean a hair extension. “You owe me a new bottle!” she playfully says to her pals. “For one stinkin’ track!” She captioned the post, “De Dirt!!! We walking into 2025 CLEANSED baby! 1 track at a time! Also tell @mdollas11 stay out my bathroom!”

In late December, Rihanna surprised fans with an impromptu visit to Manhattan’s Girls Love Karaoke, where she took the stage to perform “Needed Me” and “Sex With Me” from her 2016 album, Anti. In fan-captured footage from the event, the “Work” hitmaker can be heard telling the excited crowd that she only had about five minutes to spare, joking that her “battery” was “about to burn out.”

Check out Rihanna’s New Year’s 2025 celebration post on Instagram below.

01 Jan 2025

Jonas Brothers Tease Big Announcements for 2025 Ahead of New Year’s Eve Performance

The Jonas Brothers are gearing up for a busy 2025.

On Tuesday (Dec. 31), the sibling trio of Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas reunited for a special appearance at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest in New York City. Ahead of their high-energy performance, the group — celebrating their 20th anniversary this year — teased some exciting projects on the horizon.

“We’ve got a ton of announcements coming. First up, we’ve got a new song with Marshmello dropping on January 17th,” Nick shared with Seacrest in a pre-performance interview in Times Square.

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The “Jealous” singer also revealed, “I’ll be making a return to Broadway next year in The Last Five Years, which I absolutely can’t wait to do. There’s a lot coming, so stay tuned.”

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Kevin then hinted at a “big tour” in 2025 for the Jonas Brothers, while Joe mentioned that the band’s New Year’s Eve performance would offer a sneak peek of “a lot of songs that you’ll hear on the next tour. Kind of a sneak peek of what’s coming.”

After the clock struck midnight, Kevin, Joe, and Nick took the stage in Times Square to perform “Play My Music” from their 2008 Camp Rock movie. The trio also delivered their hit “Sucker,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, and a cover of The Cranberries’ “Dreams.”

In addition to the Jonas Brothers, the Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special featured performances by Mickey Guyton, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, TLC, Kapo, Carrie Underwood and Rita Ora.

Check out Seacrest’s NYE interview with the Jonas Brothers below.

01 Jan 2025

Yasiin Bey And The Alchemist Announce Debut Album

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Way Out West Festival 2024

Source: Julia Reinhart / Getty

Yasiin Bey and The Alchemist are teaming up as a rap duo, and they’re set to release their debut album next month.

As the new year begins, the Hip-Hop world received some exciting news that veteran MC Yasiin Bey and the producer and rapper The Alchemist will join forces as a new duo. The new group will be known as Forensics, and fans won’t have to wait long for new music as the two are set to debut their first album together next month in Paris, France.

The two will perform together at the historic Le Trianon in the French capital on Jan. 25. Little else is known about the event, outside of the fact that it will be one where audience members are not allowed to use their smartphones throughout. It remains to be seen if audience members will have to restrict them beforehand using Yondr pouches, which have been employed before at shows featuring Bey and his Black Star bandmate, Talib Kweli. The Alchemist did give fans an early listen to what might be on the upcoming album while performing with MIKE and Wiki at a show in Los Angeles, Calif., in November. According to reports, the crowd raved over a song that he played during the show featuring Bey.

The news emphasizes how busy 2024 has been for The Alchemist. His most recent album, The Skeleton Key, is another collaboration with veteran MC Roc Marciano, which was released earlier this month. The rapper and producer also released The Genuine Articulate in September, which features ScHoolboy Q, Larry June, Action Bronson, and Conway The Machine. As for Yaasin Bey, he recently released his first solo effort in five years in December as well. The Money Christmas EP made its debut in a livestream through his Bandcamp page, and audio downloads are available for purchase. The method highlights the first “of a number of upcoming releases intended to inextricably link the acquisition of music to the artwork and supporting video footage, creating a stronger and more creative bond with fans.”

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