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Luigi Mangione Charged With Terrorism In UnitedHealthcare Killing

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Suspect Arrested In Pennsylvania For United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson Killing

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Luigi Mangione, the suspected shooter of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, was charged with terrorism for the act by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Luigi Mangione, the man suspected of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan, was charged with first-degree murder and second-degree murder as an act of terrorism among the 11 counts in the indictment brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Bragg announced the indictment alongside New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch at a press conference Tuesday (Dec. 17). “This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation,” he said. “It occurred in one of the most bustling parts of our city, threatened the safety of local residents and tourists alike, commuters and businesspeople just starting out on their day.”

Thompson, 50, was shot at point-blank range reportedly by Mangione outside of a hotel on the morning of Dec. 4. The 26-year-old Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a manhunt that captured the attention of Americans who expressed sympathy for him and cheered him on to avoid being captured by law enforcement. Officers on the scene recovered a 3D printed weapon that matched the one found at the scene of the shooting, a silencer, and fake IDs along with a letter written by Mangione. “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming,” the letter said according to reports. Many took the moment as an opportunity to express their own frustrations with the American healthcare system and its insurance companies overall.

The charge of terrorism was merited, prosecutors claimed, because Mangione’s actions were “intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policies of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion and affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination or kidnapping.” Commissioner Tisch condemned Mangione as well as those who expressed support for him. “We don’t celebrate murders, and we don’t lionize the killing of anyone, and any attempt to rationalize this is vile, reckless, and offensive to our deeply held principles of justice,” she said at the press conference.

Kanye West Did The Absolute Most During Virtual Lawsuit Deposition [Video]

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Kanye West A&E Deposition

Source: YouTube / A&E

It seems Kanye is going to Kanye wherever and wherever. He did the absolute most during a virtual lawsuit deposition.

As reported by TMZ, the rapper was recently featured on A&E’s Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath. The news series shows high-profile stars participating in legal proceedings. To promote the premiere the network released a promotional trailer, which captures Kanye being questioned regarding a lawsuit MyChannel. Inc. filed against the “Stronger” rapper for allegedly stealing their technology.

As soon as Kanye joins the virtual call he makes it clear he sees this very important matter as beneath him by wearing a cap and keeping his head down while using his phone. Naturally, the lawyers request he put away the device to which Yeezy responds defiantly. “Due to my mental geniuses-ness, in order to focus on this bullish*t I need to be on a phone.” Shortly after, his counsel asks about the device. Kanye volunteers to get off the phone but then proceeds to put on a mask. When asked why he put on the facial covering he said, “because you don’t have the right to see my face.”

In a second clip, Kanye is asked where he is located during interrogation and tells the plaintiff’s lawyer “I’m not going to tell you! You’re never going to see me again.” When prompted further on who else is he with and what other items he has in the room besides the phone he yells “Are you stupid? You are talking to the richest Black person in the history of America.”

You can watch the trailer for Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath below.

Word?: Trump Taps Herschel Walker As Ambassador To The Bahamas

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Herschel Walker Game Day Rally GA

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Former Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker has been chosen by Donald Trump as his ambassador to the Bahamas.

On Tuesday (Dec.17), President-elect Donald Trump picked the former football star and Republican political candidate Herschel Walker to be the American ambassador to the Bahamas. Trump announced the choice on his Truth Social online platform, citing his past athletic record and former role in his first administration as the co-chairman of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. “Herschel has spent decades serving as an ambassador to our nation’s youth, our men and women in the military, and athletes at home and abroad,” Trump wrote.

The position has been empty for over a decade, mainly due to the Senate failing to move forward with nominations for the role. President Joe Biden nominated Calvin Smyre in 2022, and both of Trump’s picks in his first administration were also stalled. The pick demonstrates Trump’s preference for those loyal to him to fill his Cabinet – former Georgia senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have also been appointed to positions, with the former chosen to run the Small Business Administration and the latter chosen as U.S. Ambassador to China. Trump’s ties to Walker go back to the running back’s time with the New Jersey Generals, the 1980s USFL team that the former president owned.

Walker’s most recent political foray was in 2022 when he challenged the incumbent Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock in Georgia. The race was bogged down with scandal as Walker, who ran on a platform of anti-abortion, was revealed to have paid for the procedures for two girlfriends. He also was forced to disclose the identities of two other children who he hadn’t acknowledged – which came after his comments criticizing absentee fathers, pointedly in Black households. The former Heisman Trophy winner was also found to have lied about graduating from the University of Georgia at the top of his class and of having an elite role in law enforcement. 

New Mike Tyson Docuseries In The Works At Netflix

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Jake Paul v Mike Tyson

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The legendary “Iron” Mike Tyson might’ve taken a weird loss to Jake Paul this past November, but that hasn’t diminished interest in the boxing legend’s life story a single bit.

With all the biopic films and series centered around the iconic fighter, the hits just keep on coming, as Netflix has announced it is currently working on a docuseries based on the life and times of one Mike Tyson. According to Deadline, Netflix is prepping to drop a three-part hourlong docuseries that promises to take a deep dive into the highs and lows of Mike Tyson’s life and boxing career. And if you know anything about Mike, you know he’s had quite the eventful life before, during, and after his illustrious boxing career.

Luckily for us, Mike Tyson himself will be a part of the creation of the series and seems more excited than nervous about getting into the nitty-gritty aspects of his personal life for all to indulge in.

Per Deadline:

“Having an opportunity to share my story through the reflective lens of my growth and maturity in a multi-part documentary on Netflix will be a challenging journey, yet a very welcoming one,” said Tyson. “Most people are too scared to look at their lives objectively, wanting to paint themselves as the hero of their own story.  But if we are truly objective, we know we can never be the hero in our own story.  We have to be able to face the man in the mirror, taking the good with the bad to give a full account of our contributions in this life. Netflix is the perfect platform to tell my story because of their global reach.”

We imagine that the “big fight” with Jake Paul will be a part of the series, so we’ll be interested to hear Mike’s take on what was going through his mind while going toe-to-toe with someone decades his junior. It wasn’t pretty, man.

The untitled Mike Tyson docuseries will be directed and executive produced by Floyd Russ and has yet to be given a release date, but we’ll be waiting.

Will you be checking out Netflix’s docuseries on The Champ? Let us know in the comments section below.

Actively Black and Shakur Estate Launch New Apparel Collection

Actively Black, a Black-owned global sportswear brand, has partnered with the Shakur Estate to introduce a new collection: Tupac X Actively Black. Inspired by the late rapper’s enduring legacy as a music icon and poet, the first drop in the new line will be available for purchase on Christmas Day (Dec. 25), exclusively at activelyblack.com.

In a statement announcing Tupac X Actively Black, the Shakur Estate commented, “With this collaboration, Actively Black celebrates Tupac’s enduring impact on culture, creativity and artistry. Actively Black’s commitment to empowering the Black community perfectly aligns with Tupac’s mission to inspire and spark meaningful change. Inspired by [the poem] “The Rose That Grew from Concrete,” this collection honors Tupac’s voice and message, ensuring it resonates with a new generation.”

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The first drop features a collection of unisex hoodies and T-shirts illustrated with custom co-branded artwork and imagery from Tupac’s archives. The standout piece in the new collection is a relaxed hoodie in washed grey with a graphic rendering of the poem in the late rapper’s own handwriting.

“I grew up listening to Tupac, and even before I fully understood the content of his music, there was something moving about his delivery that resonated with me and so many others still, to this day,” said Lanny Smith, founder of Actively Black. “In early interviews of Tupac, you can see his passion to breathe new life into the Black pride movement. His awareness about the truths of society and determination to improve the lives of his people was awe-inspiring.”

Tupac X Actively Black is the latest collaboration from Actively Black. The company recently introduced a new apparel collaboration with Disney in celebration of the latter’s Mufasa: The Lion King. Earlier this year, Actively Black partnered with the Nigerian Olympic delegation, serving as the official outfitter and apparel sponsor for team Nigeria at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The company’s additional partnerships and collaborations include the estates of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson and Bob Marley as well as sports franchises the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets.

A former NBA player for the Sacramento Kings, Smith launched Actively Black in 2020. Of the upcoming debut of Tupac X Actively Black, Smith singled out a favorite Shakur quote in the announcement release. “One of his quotes has always stayed with me: ‘I may not change the world, but I guarantee I will spark the brain of someone who will.’ I am one of the minds Tupac sparked; and Actively Black is an extension of our shared mission to uplift and empower our people. Tupac X Actively Black is an ode to the genius of Tupac Shakur. He represented us: the Black community, boldly and unapologetically; his legacy embodies what it means to be ACTIVELY Black.”

Christina Aguilera Poses in Nothing But Her ‘Birthday Suit’ For Sultry 44th Bday Pic

It’s less than a week before Christmas, but Christina Aguilera has already unwrapped a big present. The singer wished herself a happy 44th birthday on Wednesday (Dec. 18) by posting a sultry pic celebrating herself in which she’s wearing nothing but a sly look, black leather hat, matching hotpants and strappy stilleto heels.

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With her right hand covering her bare breasts and her left hand resting on her bare thigh, Aguilera captioned the black and white snap “Birthday Suit #44.” A number of fans commented that the vibe was similar to XTina’s look in the 2010 musical Burlesque, in which she co-starred with Cher as a rising singer name Ali.

Back in September, Aguilera celebrated the 25th anniversary of her self-titled debut album by teaming up with Spotify for one of its Spotify Anniversaries series to reimagine her 1999 LP with a number of special guests. The 26-minute session included Aguilera collaborating with MGK for a revamp of her breakthrough hit “Genie in a Bottle,” as well as reuniting with producer Ron Fair and songwriter Heather Holly for a new version of the song “Obvious.”

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The highlight of the look back was Aguilera dueting with fellow pop star Sabrina Carpenter for a vocal master class run through another one of Christina’s iconic hits, “What a Girl Wants.” Carpenter returned the favor on Nov. 15 when she invited Aguilera out to sing XTina’s classic hits “Ain’t No Other Man” and reprise their “What a Girl Wants” collab during the “Espresso” singer’s Short n’ Sweet Tour stop at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena.

Uplifting Trailer For ‘Avicii – I’m Tim’ Doc Features Chris Martin, David Guetta: ‘In Such a Small Time He Completely Killed It’

The life and times of beloved Swedish DJ/producer Avicii are celebrated in the first official trailer for the upcoming Netflix doc chronicling his life, Avicii – I’m Tim. The nearly two-minute preview of the film due out globally on Dec. 31 opens with an image of Avicii (born Tim Bergling) posted up behind his decks in front of a massive festival crowd as towering pyro flames fill the frame and the audience shouts “AVICII! AVICII!”

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Featuring voiceover narration recorded with the late global superstar before he died in 2018 at age 28 by suicide, the trailer flips through images of Avicii in his youth, landing on a snap of a teenage Tim strumming an acoustic guitar as he explains, “I’ve always loved music. I knew that whatever I wanted to do later in life, I wanted to do something creative.”

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He describes working on his music at home, constantly sending his tracks out in the hope that someone would notice. “In such a small time, he completely killed it,” says fellow global DJ superstar David Guetta. The focus then shifts to a series of pics and video clips of Avicii in the studio with stars including Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Chic’s Nile Rodgers and others, as Martin recalls that it was Avicii’s signature 2011 hit “Levels” that introduced him to Bergling’s music.

“I had that feeling that I get when I really love something,” Martin says about the inescapably catchy, Grammy-nominated house tune that topped the charts in the DJ’s native Sweden and became his signature hit. The trailer also hits on one of the most audacious, and successful, chances Avicii took in his life when he got booed after debuting the genre-busting Aloe Blacc collab “Wake Me Up” at the Ultra Music Festival in 2013 with a live band — including a banjo and two guitars. The song would go on to be his biggest hit, and his only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached No. 4 in October 2013 on its way to more than three billion streams.

At the time, Avicii was “really broken about it,” according to the doc, with a voiceover noting that the constant jet-setting touring was “really taking a toll” on Bergling. “I was running after some idea of happiness that wasn’t my own,” Avicii says. “I didn’t like being a persona.”

Avicii struggled as the line between performer and persona got blurred, and in a poignant moment at the end of the sneak preview, the interviewer wonders what his answer would be if someone asked “What’s your story? Who are you?”

Haltingly, Bergling confirms, “I’m… Tim.”

The doc directed by Henrik Burman premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year also features interviews with Avicii’s parents, friends, colleagues and fellow artists. Along with the documentary, Netflix will stream Avicii’s final performance at Ushuaïa Ibiza in August of 2016, his final live set before he stopped touring at 26.

Watch the trailer below.

If you or anyone you know is in crisis and/or experiencing suicidal ideation, reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988 or visiting the website. Confidential support is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Alessia Cara Announces Lenovo & Intel Partnership, Opens Up About Her Growth on Upcoming Album ‘Love & Hyperbole’

For Alessia Cara, emotion and connection is at the heart of her creative endeavors — hence why each of her three studio albums live in a unique world full of signature concepts, colors and themes built around them. Her music isn’t just a listening experience, it’s a feeling.

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Her upcoming Feb. 14-slated project, Love & Hyperbole, continues that process, as she splashes her music videos and promotional content with deep berry and maroon tones, amplifying the passion that love entails. “Love is very red to me,” Cara tells Billboard. “Every time you see love portrayed anywhere, it’s usually red, like Valentine’s Day colors. Even before I knew that the album was going to come out on Valentine’s Day, it just always felt a little bit deeper, a little bit richer. The textures and the songs felt a little richer and more sophisticated, so that wine color just always came into my mind, even before I knew what the concept was going to be. It feels warm and it feels like love.”

That’s why it was a perfect fit when she teamed up with Lenovo, Intel and Universal Music Group for Brands for their “Made By” campaign, which intersects music, creativity and technology — something Cara has been a pro at throughout her career. “Each song has such a story to it that’s so specific and getting the chance to showcase each song in a way that non-singles don’t really get to be showcased, it’s really awesome to be able to do that,” she says of the partnership.

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The team-up will lend to a series of visually stunning pieces surrounding Love & Hyperbole, including an album trailer with custom graphic designs and key scenes, as well as an accompanying miniseries that documents the journey behind the development of the trailer, capturing how Lenovo and Intel supported and inspired Cara’s vision. They’ll also emphasizes the integral roles of Maris Jones and Gaia Esther Maria in shaping the project’s artistic direction. The Grammy winner adds with a laugh, “It’s a little bit indulgent for the artist in me. This was an incredible opportunity, and everyone has been so amazing creatively, and so collaborative while giving us the freedom to explore and play. We had a great time.”

Exploring seems to be a key theme in Cara’s career, as her music earnestly captures the complexities of growing into adulthood and how romantic relationships stir up all kinds of emotions. Her self-discovery both as a songwriter and human being is showcased in the Love & Hyperbole single, “Isn’t It Obvious,” a breezy hug of reassurance for a love interest who is scared to lose her. “Fears are only constellations/ Only glowin’ if we make them, we’re just fine/ If it’s any consolation, you’re my favorite/ It’s you and I, you gotta know that, right?” she sings on the track, bolstered by a guitar solo from one of Cara’s personal heroes, John Mayer (“I still can’t believe that happened,” she says.)

“Obviously, my perspective of love has transformed and changed and grown throughout my life,” She says of “Isn’t It Obvious,” in comparison to some of her previous fan-favorite tracks like “Comfortable” and “I’m Yours.” “Being a young woman, I think sometimes when you’re experiencing love for the first time and you’re a little bit more inexperienced — I can give a lot of myself and almost treat love as something that makes me feel smaller, rather than something that expands me, and thinking that that was the right way to do it. I always used to think if it was really intense, and if it took energy out of me, that it was the right thing.”

She continues, “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that love is supposed to feel like something that calms the storm rather than creates it. It should just kind of feel easy. That’s why I think a lot of these songs, even though some of them are laced with elements of fear or worry, they’re always very steadfast in themselves and there’s a sense of reassurance there. I did not have that when I was growing up and finding out what I wanted in early stages of love for me.”

Keeping in the album’s theme of love, Cara is eager to spread it to fans. As part of her partnership with Lenovo and Intel, she’ll be hosting an exclusive album event for fans in early 2025, which will feature a live performance as well as interactive projection mapping and other immersive elements.

She concludes of the message she hopes Love & Hyperbole gives to listeners, “I just hope that if they’re going through something or if they’re in a similar stage in their life, that they can understand that at the end of the day, we’re all a product of everything that has happened to us, good and bad. We actually need those bad things in order to find the good. We need to know what we don’t want in order to find what we do want. We need loss in order to really feel love. Those things can work in tandem with one another instead of clash. That’s the main thesis, but I hope they just take anything from it.”

Pre-save Love & Hyperbole here.

Peppa Pig Debuts BTS ‘Dynamite’ Cover With Uplifting New Music Video: Watch

Peppa Pig brings the BTS anthem “Dynamite” to the preschool audience with a cover of the K-pop group’s hit song, out today through Hasbro. Billboard Family exclusively reveals Peppa Pig’s “Dynamite” music video, which you can watch above.

The “Dynamite” video, featuring Peppa’s cover with lyrics to sing along, offers a first listen to her recording of the feel-good BTS single that spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.

Peppa Pig’s “Dynamite” will also be available on digital music streaming services today, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Follow the countdown to the song’s release in your region here.

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“Shoes on, I get up in the morning/ Cup of milk, let’s rock and roll/ Bing bong, kick the drum/ Rolling on like a rolling stone,” sings the beloved animated character, who’s getting ready to have a “sweet as honey” day, in her cover of “Dynamite.”

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The “Dynamite” video celebrates the fun Peppa has with family and friends, at home and while attending her playgroup — complete with some sparkling dance moves.

Peppa Pig is, of course, the star of the popular British preschool animated series of the same name that’s been airing for 20 years.

The “Dynamite” drop is Peppa’s second time releasing an uplifting pop cover song, following her version of Katy Perry‘s “Roar” that arrived earlier in the year, in April.

Music releases like Peppa Pig’s BTS and Katy Perry covers are part of Hasbro’s stated mission “to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play.”

Eminem Stars In Super NSFW PSA Promoting Snoop Dogg’s ‘Missionary’ Album: Watch

Warning: the following story contains graphic language about sex.

Eminem has never been one to hold his tongue. Which might explain why Slim Shady is an extras shade of blue in a super NSFW promo for his pal Snoop Dogg‘s new album, Missionary. Keeping in mind that the punny title is a call-back to the equally sex-obsessed name of Snoop’s 1993 debut album, Doggystyle.

That is all you need to know before diving into Em’s X-rated plug for Snoop’s triumphant on-wax reunion with both men’s mentor: Dr. Dre.

“Fellas, are you tired of bl–jobs like I am?” Em asks in the clip shared by Snoop on Wednesday (Dec. 18) in which Marshall is seen hanging on a bland stage set in all black as sombre piano music plays in the background. “I think it’s time to take it back to the basics. Who wants their d–k sucked every day? That s–t can get to you, man. I mean every day, it’s just…,” Eminem adds while pantomiming a sex act with two hands.

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“S–t gets old. It gets boring. Can we just lay down and f–k?” Marshall pleads. “I don’t know why everything’s gotta be so f–kin’ complicated. You don’t have to put your leg over your head. Snoop Dogg, Missionary, just f–k me, in stereo.” Snoop captioned the video “Bacc 2 the basics [laughing, music notes, fist pound emoji].”

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel also got in on the action in his own similarly spicy promo. “The human penis gets cold, so wrap it up, because nothing is colder than a sexually transmitted infection,” Kimmel says while standing in a similarly drab void wearing jeans and a white button down. “Ask your Dr. Dre about Snoop’s new one, Missionary. It’s more than just an album, it’s a position.”

The big Dogg even tapped his old pal, Martha Stewart, aka M. Diddy, to cut her own promo in which the domestic doyenne mentions the new album’s title in a slyly seductive way, while also marking what is likely her first time saying Doggystyle in public.

Snoop’s new album, his first to be produced by Dre since Doggystyle, has features from 50 Cent, Sting, Method Mad, Jelly Roll, BJ the Chicago Kid and, of course, Slim Shady on the song “Gunz N Smoke.”

Check out Eminem’s promo video below.