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29 Oct 2024

‘Warriors’ Concept Album Makes Chart-Topping Debut

Warriors, the star-studded concept album inspired by the 1979 cult film The Warriors, makes a splash on Billboard’s charts. The set, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis, debuts at No. 1 on the Compilation Albums chart, and in the top 25 on both the Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales rankings (all dated Nov. 2).

The new 24-song project was released on Oct. 18 and boasts such artists as Cam’ron, Ghostface Killah, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Marc Anthony, Nas, Billy Porter, Busta Rhymes, RZA and Shenseea. In addition, two cast members from the 1979 film also appear on the album: James Remar and David Patrick Kelly. Warriors was available to purchase in its first week as a digital download, CD and vinyl LP.

The album is produced by Mike Elizondo and executive-produced by Nas.

In The Warriors film, a Coney Island street gang (The Warriors) must travel across New York to get back home while numerous other gangs try to murder them as revenge for an assassination they’re falsely accused of. The Warriors album flips the gender of the title gang to female, an idea motivated “in response to seeing GamerGate happen online around 2015,” Miranda recently told Billboard. “Every plot point is wrinkled or changed in some fundamental way. I got excited by the notion of writing women’s voices surviving the night.”

Among the voices on the album is Hill, who performs the song “If You Can Count.” The singer-songwriter has not released a studio album since 1998 and rarely releases new studio material. Miranda says Hill’s track was “the first song we wrote.”

“We had no plan B. We wrote it to Lauryn Hill’s voice … the fact that she trusted us and sang the song we wrote will always be among the greatest honors of our careers, but then added so much of herself to it, added background vocals. She’s a co-producer on that track and she earned every bit of it.”

29 Oct 2024

Dick Clark Productions Appoints Diana Miller as Executive Vice President of Talent

Dick Clark Productions (DCP) has announced the appointment of Diana Miller as executive vice president of talent, effective Jan. 15, 2025.

In her new role, Miller will lead the talent team and oversee talent booking and management for DCP’s iconic lineup of live events and shows, including the Golden Globes, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Miller will report directly to DCP CEO Jay Penske and be based in Los Angeles.

“Diana’s exceptional background, deep relationships and passion for entertainment make her an ideal fit for our team,” said Penske. “Her innovative and outside-of-the-box approach will be key as we continue to expand and enhance our programming and global reach.”

Miller, a six-time Emmy Award-winning producer and two-time Billboard Women in Music Award honoree, brings over 20 years of experience in booking celebrity interviews and musical performances, with a career spanning major networks like CBS, NBC, Apple TV, and TBS.

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“I’m thrilled to join DCP, a company I’ve long admired for its rich history and slate of incredible shows”, said Miller. “I’m also excited to be part of DCP’s bright future and vision with Jay at the helm and look forward to shaping compelling, unique and memorable opportunities for talent for years to come.”

She has worked with high-profile figures, including Michelle Obama, Paul McCartney, Ariana Grande and Jay-Z, establishing a reputation for strong industry relationships and creative talent engagement.

Miller’s background includes eight years as supervising producer of The Late Late Show with James Corden, where she played a key role in launching Carpool Karaoke, as well as seven years as producer for Carpool Karaoke: The Series on Apple TV. She also spent seven years as senior talent executive on Last Call with Carson Daly and NBC’s New Year’s Eve special and is currently the senior supervising producer for The Talk.

29 Oct 2024

50 Cent Says Donald Trump Offered Him $3 Million to Perform at Madison Square Garden Rally

Donald Trump apparently wanted 50 Cent in da club. The Grammy-winning rapper appeared on The Breakfast Club on Tuesday (Oct. 29), and shared that he was offered $3 million to appear at Trump’s recent New York City rally held at Madison Square Garden.

During their chat, DJ Envy asked 50, “Is it true Donald Trump tried to give you money to endorse him one time?”

The rapper told his hosts that he got a call from the twice-impeached former president about “Sunday” (Oct. 27), with Jess Hilarious clarifying by asking whether he was talking about MSG, which 50 confirmed.

“They wanted you to perform ‘Many Men’ at the RNC too, right?” Charlamagne Tha God then asked. (The Get Rich or Die Tryin’ track soundtracked Trump’s entrance to Adin Ross’ stream in August.)

“Yeah. They offered me $3 million!” the “In Da Club” rapper shared. A surprised Charlamagne then asked if it was for the event at Madison Square Garden or the RNC, with 50 replying that it was indeed for the MSG rally. He also replied in the affirmative when Charlamagne asked whether he was offered payment as well for the Republican National Convention.

50 — who did not appear at the RNC in July nor at Trump’s NYC rally — went on to explain why he rejected the offers. “I didn’t even go far,” he told the three hosts of the offers. “I’m afraid of politics, you understand? I do not like it. … It’s because when you do get involved in it, no matter how you feel, somebody passionately disagrees with you. Look, if you say ‘I stay away from religion,’ I stay away from politics. Religion, that’s the formula for the confusion that it sent Kanye to Japan. He said something about both of those things and now he can only go to Japan. So you know I’m like I don’t want to get in that, man.”

Billboard has reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment.

In recent years, Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) has supported Trump, before declaring on July 4, 2020, that he was running for president as well. (He did not get far in his efforts, missing South Carolina’s July 20 deadline that year to get on the ballot.) Then beginning in October 2022, the rapper repeatedly made antisemitic hate speech, which resulted in him facing consequences that included losing brand deals, declines of airplay of his music catalog and more.

In 2020, 50 Cent supported Trump — who in May was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records — before retracting his endorsement after former girlfriend Chelsea Handler called him out. “F–k Donald Trump, I never liked him,” the rapper later said when retweeting a video of the comedian — who preveriously referred the rapper as her favorite ex — on The Tonight Show in which she criticized her ex for his support of the business mogul.

Watch 50’s interview on The Breakfast Club below:

29 Oct 2024

Chicken Slayer Azealia Banks Attacks Lil Nas X With Homophobic Rant, Sparks Argument

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Azealia Banks Performs At Brixton Academy

Azealia Banks has done more tweeting than releasing new tunes and while she possesses otherworldly musical talent, she has become known for her social media tirades. Unleashing yet another one of her verbal barrages, Azealia Banks turned her attention onto Lil Nas X, claiming the MONTERO artist is no longer relevant with some heavy dashes of homophobia.

On Sunday (October 27), Azealia Banks opened up the X app and began her dissection of Lil Nas X seemingly unprompted.

“Lil Nas X really fell off so hard. Lmfao that little c*ntrag swore she was the tea. B*tch has NO BARS. Hahahahaahahahaa,” Banks fired off.

In a now-deleted quote reply, LNX wrote, “I could never make a hit song again and you would still never in ur b*ssy soap selling chicken sacrificing botched body hating ass miserable life reach a 10th of my success. Love ur music btw.”

Banks then stepped on the gas, writing, “And f*git u almost didn’t have ONE hit if them crackers aint jump in and do charity work. U was out here with flies in the corner of your eyes eating a bowl of porridge with a swollen belly b*tch, saved you for 0.67cents a day head ass COME THE F*CK AGAIN HO @LilNasX i will really smack fire out u b*tch. Sit down.”

Quoting another X reply mentioning the deleted LNX tweet, Banks made what appeared to be a direct threat.

“Lmfao this f*cking over grown twink don’t make me release them gay ass photos of u mocking the LA crips with that white boy u hired on rent man. Ull get ur top blown off real quick b*tch. Don’t fuck with me n*gga,” Banks said.

LNX attempted to extend an olive branch on Instagram and shared a screenshot of Banks’ “Out Of Space” track from her Fantasea mixtape from 2012, giving the Harlem entertainer props.

“[S]ending u love azealia. wishing u nothing but guidance and clarity. i want u to chase ur dreams. get on ur sh*t. It’s the best time period in music for ur art to thrive. idc what f*ck sh*t u say about me. I wanna see u win and shine your light. u can drop this internet bully act at any time. Ur fans love u. we love u.”

That didn’t go over well as Banks just unloaded another clip.

“Where, are, your, bars… we are not going to use patronization to circumvent the topic here… the topic is that you cannot f*cking Rap son. @LilNasX. You’re a terrible lyricist with pedestrian musical sensibilities. We need to come to a consensus on where your talent is. Fine, we can agree that your a little piece of eye candy for these desperate old white homo’s in fashion… but where is your music b*tch?” Banks began in a thread that just got more toxic as it went on.

On X, the response to the back-and-forth between Azealia Banks and Lil Nas X has been heavy. We’ve got those comments below.

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Photo: Getty

29 Oct 2024

Beyoncé ‘Couldn’t Be Prouder’ After Mom Tina Knowles Announces ‘Matriarch’ Memoir

Beyoncé said on Tuesday (Oct. 29) that she is bursting with pride after her mom, Tina Knowles, announced that she is prepping a memoir for spring 2025. “Mama, I couldn’t be prouder. My love for you goes beyond what I can say,” the singer wrote on Instagram in a post featuring the colorful, gilded cover the the book entitled Matriarch: A Memoir, which is due out in stores on April 22.

“You put your heart into this book. I’m happy for you to share some of the stories that shaped you into who you are. To know you is to love you. But please don’t spill too much Mama Tea,” Bey wrote.

The post came after Tina Knowles announced the book on her Insta feed, revealing the cover that features the family matriarch seated in a flower-filled background in a yellow skirt and black top inside a gold picture frame.

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“I have always been a storyteller, and it’s something I learned from my mother. When I had a family of my own, I believed that my daughters needed to know where they came from in order to know where they were going,” Knowles wrote. “I’m now ready to share my story with all of you, so that we can all celebrate these themes of strength, motherhood, Black pride, and identity.”

Knowles — mother of Bey and her younger sister, singer Solange — said she called the book Matriarch because among things that inspire her are the “wisdom that women pass on to each other, generation to generation — and the inner wisdom we long to uncover in ourselves. Even at 70 I am still learning valuable lessons — revelations that I wish that I would have had at 40 or even 20,” she wrote. “I want to share this knowledge now, one to one with the reader, as we laugh and sometimes cry together through all the stages of our lives.”

A description of the book from Penguin Random House describes a memoir that will take the reader on a journey to meet Knowles from when she was a “precocious, if unruly, little girl growing up in 1950s Galveston, the youngest of seven. She is in love with her world, with extended family on every other porch and the sounds of Motown and the lapping beach always within earshot. But as the realities of race and the limitations of girlhood set in, she begins to dream of the world beyond. Her instincts and impulsive nature drive her far beyond the shores of Texas to discover the life awaiting her on the other side of childhood.”

It continues, “that life’s journey — through grief and tragedy, creative and romantic risks and turmoil, the nurturing of superstar offspring and of her own special gifts — is the remarkable story she shares with readers here. This is a page-turning chronicle of family love and heartbreak, of loss and perseverance, and of the kind of creativity, audacity, and will it takes for a girl from Galveston to change the world. It’s one brilliant woman’s intimate and revealing story, and a multigenerational family saga that carries within it the story of America — and the wisdom that women pass on to each other, mothers to daughters, across generations.”

Knowles and Beyoncé co-founded the clothing line House of Deréon and the spin-off brand Miss Tina and earlier this year the former hair salon owner helped create Cécred, Bey’s haircare line.

29 Oct 2024

Duetti Secures $114 Million in Fresh Funding to Boost Music Rights Acquisitions

Duetti, a fintech platform that lends money to independent artists in exchange for stakes in their back catalogs, said Tuesday it secured $114 million from investors led by Create Music Group-backer Flexpoint Ford.

Co-founded by former Tidal COO Lior Tibon and former Apple Music business development executive Christopher Nolte in 2023, Duetti is the latest company in the indie music sector to capitalize on the flood of financing and interest coming from institutional investors and private equity firms.

Duetti said it raised $34 million in an equity financing from Flexpoint Ford, Nyca Partners and Viola Ventures. Chicago-based Flexpoint Ford invested $165 million in Create Music Group earlier this year. Duetti also secured $80 million through a privately rated asset-backed security, structured and placed by Barclays.

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This is Duetti’s second publicly-disclosed fundraise — last year it raised $32 million from investors including Roc Nation, Viola Ventures and Presight Capital — and its first ABS. Duetti chief executive Tibon described the combination of equity investments and ABS financing as more efficient, and said in a statement that it will help them to “accelerate [the company’s] acquisition of music catalogs and expand its proprietary forecasting, pricing, sourcing, and marketing technology.”

“We believe we are leading the way in educating the capital markets on the significant long-term value of the independent music sector,” said Tibon. “The number of independent artists is growing at an unprecedented rate, and Duetti is here to ensure they have access to differentiated financing solutions.”

Duetti says it works with 500-plus artists, including MC Delux, SadBoyProlific and Savannah Dexter, purchasing their tracks or entire master catalogs, in exchange for funds that typically range from $10,000 to $3 million. Through digital marketing campaigns like playlists and channels on Spotify and YouTube, along with traditional sync placements and better distribution, Duetti says it helps artists grow their audience, thereby generating more streaming revenue and a profit for their investors.

Flexpoint Ford managing director Mike Morris called Duetti one of the fastest growing rights music rights companies in recent years.

“We see tremendous potential in their ability to provide scalable, data-backed solutions that address the evolving needs of musicians today,” Morris said in a statement.

29 Oct 2024

Usher Adds Two More Brooklyn Shows to His Past, Present, Future Tour: Exclusive

After spending four nights at New York’s Barclays Center during his Past, Present, Future Tour over the summer, Usher looks to recreate his magic at the Brooklyn arena this December with the announcement of two new shows there.

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After the Barclays Center was deemed the “House of Usher” during his four-night stay, the arena will find the R&B legend take centerstage once again on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6. Tickets will be available for purchase via a Citi Presale beginning on Wednesday (Oct. 30). A general on-sale begins Friday (Nov. 1) at 10 a.m. local time through Live Nation’s website.

The colossal 82-date show remains in full swing after Usher trekked through various cities in the United States, including his hometown of Atlanta, Los Angeles, Detroit, and more. Along with showcasing his superstar prowess onstage, Usher has made nice on his promise to bring some marquee names to the party, enlisting performances by GloRilla, Big Sean, Keith Sweat, LL Cool J, Dougie Fresh, and many more.

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After his two-night stay in Barclays, Usher will keep on keeping on, returning to ATL for a trio of performances before closing things out in Miami on Dec. 19 for the stateside of his tour.

Then, next year, he will venture overseas and begin his international dates. Things will kick off in March when he has eight nights in London at the legendary O2 aArena before returning at the tail-end of his tour to do an additional two, for a whopping total of 10 nights. Usher will also touch down in Germany, France, and Amsterdam during his international run.

29 Oct 2024

Olivia Rodrigo & Justin Timberlake to Headline Tecate Pa’l Norte, Mexico’s Biggest Festival

Pop superstars Olivia Rodrigo and Justin Timberlake are set to headline the 14th edition of the Pa’l Norte festival, the massive music party held annually in the Mexican city of Monterrey. The lineup, announced on Tuesday morning (Oct. 29), includes other major international acts such as Charli XCX, Green Day, Massive Attack, Kings of Leon, Black Keys and Caifanes.

This will be the first time that Rodrigo and Timberlake, who have previously visited Mexico, will participate in a Mexican festival. Timberlake has already performed in the country and has two upcoming shows scheduled at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City on Feb. 7-8. Rodrigo — who recently completed the 2024 dates of her Guts World Tour, which did not include Mexico — had not previously performed in concert in the country.

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The acclaimed festival will take place April 4-6 in Parque Fundidora in this city bordering the U.S.

SEVENTEEN, Garbage, Fall Out Boy, Benson Boone and electronic music stars Gesaffelstein, The Chainsmokers, Claptone, Sasha & John Digweed, and Deep Dish are also part of the Tecate Pa’l Norte 2025 lineup.

The 14th edition of the festival, one of the most acclaimed in Latin America, will feature more than 180 musical acts across nine stages, according to the organizers. The three-day event draws about 100,000 people per day, a few thousand more than the EDC electronic music festival, one of the most populous in the country.

In partnership with promoter Ocesa, acquired by Live Nation in 2021, Tecate Pa’l Norte has become one of the largest and most diverse festivals in Mexico. It annually attracts thousands of fans from around the world, with a capacity greater than other mega-festivals in the Mexican capital such as Vive Latino and Corona Capital, which gather about 80,000 people per day, according to their organizers.

Situated in Parque Fundidora, the festival’s lineup celebrates a rich fusion of genres ranging from rock and indie to regional Mexican music, reggaeton and electronic music, featuring some of the biggest international acts.

Its stages include Tecate Light, which hosts the main acts; Tecate Original stage, which embraces a mix of musical genres; Oasis Stage, dedicated to the popular genres of reggaeton, hip-hop, and trap; while Villa Maravilla offers the best in techno, afro house, and house music. The Club Social stage brings conventional sounds and EDM.

The Fusión stage is designated for Latin acts, and the Acústico stage offers a unique show with “unplugged” sets throughout the weekend, while the Sorpresa stage offers surprise performances and the Pilos stage, named after a legendary bar in Monterrey, has hosted the biggest stars of northern music since its inception.

In its 14 years of existence, Pa’l Norte has established itself as the “most important musical entertainment event in northern Mexico,” according to the Ministry of Tourism of Nuevo León.

In previous editions, the festival featured artists such as Billie Eilish, Foo Fighters, Caifanes, Maná, Tame Impala, The Killers, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, and 50 Cent. The 2024 edition was headlined by Peso Pluma, Blink-182, Imagine Dragons, Maná, and Fuerza Regida.

29 Oct 2024

Musicians Who Are Cat Lovers: Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran & More

Every year on Oct. 29, the United States celebrates National Cat Day — but most cat owners are happy to honor their kitties any day, no matter what part of the world they’re in.

That goes for A-list musicians, too. Some of the biggest names in pop, country and hip-hop have sassy, cuddly, playful, pointy-eared companions waiting for them at home each day, from Katy Perry to Doja Cat, Adele, Kesha and more. And then there’s Taylor Swift, who’s so obsessed with her felines, she’s incorporated them into her music multiple times — singing “guess I’ll just stumble on home to my cats” on “Gorgeous,” and “Karma is a cat, purring in my lap ’cause it loves me” on “Karma.”

A lot of stars also make their own social media accounts for their pets, allowing followers to nurture fandom not just for them, but for their animals, too. Justin Bieber’s kitties have a following of nearly 300,000 on Instagram, for example, while Ed Sheeran’s cats are close behind in numbers.

And just like non-famous humans, many musicians have their own favorite breeds of cats. Swift is known for her love of Scottish Folds, while Bieber paid a pretty penny ($35,000!) in 2019 for a pair of spotted Bengals. Other singers are content with more common types of felines, such as Black cats and Tabbies.

No matter the breed or amount of followers, though, the cats featured on this list are loved through and through by their famous owners. Keep reading to see which musicians are certified cat lovers, from Adele to Sabrina Carpenter, below.

29 Oct 2024

Morgan Wallen Foundation Donates $500,000 Worth of Musical Instruments to Schools Through ‘One Instrument at a Time’

The Morgan Wallen Foundation is helping music students across the country, donating a total of $500,000 in musical instruments through the “One Instrument at a Time” initiative, in partnership with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.

The initiative is donating musical instruments to schools in need across 14 cities Wallen‘s One Night at a Time stadium tour has visited this year. Those cities include Arlington, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Denver; East Rutherford, N.J.; Hershey, Pa.; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Las Vegas; Minneapolis; Nashville; Oxford, Miss.; Philadelphia; Tampa, Fla.; and Virginia Beach, Va.

Over the past two years, 15-time Billboard Music Awards winner Wallen has donated $3 from every U.S. ticket sold on his 87-concert One Night at a Time World Tour to his nonprofit Morgan Wallen Foundation, which supports programs for youth in music and sports. $1.3 million was distributed to communities across the country in 2023 alone.

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“When I was a kid, access to music profoundly changed my life and gave me a sense of purpose. I want that for others, and I’m blessed to be able to provide instruments to these schools through my foundation,” Wallen said in a statement. “We really wanted to say a big thank you to these awesome communities that welcome us in and let us play for our fans.”

Donelson Middle School Band

Donelson Middle School Band, led by teacher Laura Shepherd, receives multiple new instruments — including trombones, flutes, saxophones, keyboards, bass drums and more — from the Morgan Wallen Foundation and Mr. Holland’s Opus.

Courtesy of The Morgan Wallen Foundation

“Giving back is an integral part of who Morgan is and how he was raised. So launching ‘One Instrument At A Time’ in conjunction with this tour was incredibly important,” added Kathleen Flaherty, executive director of the Morgan Wallen Foundation. “Partnering with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation enabled us to utilize their expertise in securing quality instruments and identifying schools in local communities that need them the most. In turn, we hope to impact the lives of kids by giving them access to learn and play music, which is what set the stage for Morgan’s life.”

“Music education plays a crucial role in shaping the development of young minds, nurturing their artistic expression, and instilling a lifelong passion for music. We are grateful to the Morgan Wallen Foundation for their dedication to enhancing music education in our schools,” said Tricia Williams, president/CEO at Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. “Their generosity will make a profound difference in the lives of students, empowering them to unleash their potential and pursue their dreams.”

The “One Instrument at a Time” initiative is the latest way the Morgan Wallen Foundation is giving back. Last month, the foundation donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to benefit relief efforts following Hurricane Helene. The Morgan Wallen Foundation also donated $140,000 to Gibbs Youth Sports, coinciding with Wallen’s record-breaking double-header of concerts at the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium.

Last year, the Morgan Wallen Foundation made donations that centered on revitalizing baseball parks in touring cities, donating to Chicago Cubs Charities, Atlanta Braves Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville, Boston Red Sox Foundation.