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Watch Luke Combs Shotguns Beers With Glen Powell & ‘Twisters’ Co-Stars at NJ Concert

Luke Combs‘ recent concert featured beer-guzzling cameos by the stars Hollywood’s latest blockbuster.

During his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old tour stop at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Friday (July 19), the country singer was joined onstage by Twisters cast members Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos.

In fan-captured footage posted on social media, the actors are seen carrying beer cans as they walk onto the stage in front of thousands. After reaching Combs, they shotgun the suds alongside the “Cold Beer Calling My Name” singer and then toss the empty containers into the cheering crowd. Edgar-Jones seemed to have trouble finishing the beverage, but handed it off to Powell, who quickly drank it down.

“So this happened,” Edgar-Jones captioned a video of the incident on her Instagram Story, tagging Combs and her Twisters co-stars. Ramos reposted the clip, adding the line, “The most legendary moment.”

Combs also joined in on the fun, sharing a video of the beer chugging on his X (formerly Twitter) account. “Hey Twisters cast, what you say we shotgun one?!” he captioned the post.

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The epic moment was in celebration of the theatrical release of Universal Pictures’ Twisters, which is the sequel to classic 1996 film Twister. The new summer flick is already off to a huge start at the box office, with forecasters predicting a domestic opening of of $74.6 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Twisters cameos at Combs’ N.J. was fitting being that the county star’s original song “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” is featured on the movie’s soundtrack. The muscular track is already No. 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after only nine weeks. Other country music heavyweights featured on the collection include Miranda Lambert, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Shania Twain and Jelly Roll.

Combs’ manager says the singer was enthusiastic about taking part in the soundtrack. 

“We wanted to do this because it wasn’t a remake of a classic, but a continuation of the narrative of the film, and we felt the movie was going to be an epic moment to be a part of,” Chris Kappy tells Billboard. “The team at Atlantic and Universal were very professional and fun to work with, and gave Luke full creative control on the song and trusted him — so that makes it easier to let the artist create.”

See Combs chug a beer with the Powell and his Twisters co-stars below.

Katy Perry Previews New Song ‘Lifetimes’ Ahead of ‘143’ Album Release: Listen

Katy Perry continues to tease new music ahead of her upcoming album.

On Friday (July 19), the 39-year-old pop superstar shared a 30-second snippet on YouTube of the dance-pop track “Lifetimes,” which will appear on her long-awaited new release, 143.

“I know you feel it/ Can you believe it?/ I’m gonna love you ’til the end and then repeat it,” Perry sings on the Dr. Luke-produced track. “For life/ For life.”

In addition to the YouTube teaser, the singer also shared a brief video of herself dancing along to “Lifetimes” with fans during what appears to be an album preview event.

“143 IS A PARTY AND EVERYONE’S INVITED: SOUND ON,” Perry captioned the clip on Instagram.

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143, which is code for “I love you,” is scheduled for release on Sept. 20 through Capitol Records. The forthcoming set marks Perry’s first album since 2020’s Smile, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

Last weekend, Perry appeared to respond to a wave of criticism for the music video of 143‘s lead single “Woman’s World,” sharing behind-the-scenes clips to explain her intentions for the visual that mixes feminist tropes and lyrics with lots of cheeky visuals.

“YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! EVEN SATIRE!” Perry captioned her Instagram post.

Between criticism that Perry’s song misfired in its attempt to be a feminist anthem and her team-up with track co-producer Dr. Luke — who was accused of sexual misconduct by Kesha before the singer and producer settled a bitter, nine-year legal battle in 2023 before it went to to trial — “Woman’s World” did not appear to land the way the singer intended.

“We’re kind of just having fun being a bit sarcastic with it, it’s very slapstick, and very on the nose,” she says in the first half of the video that seemed to anticipate some potential backlash. “With this set, it’s like, ‘We’re not about the male gaze but we really are about the male gaze,’ and we’re really overplaying it and on the nose because I’m about to get smashed, which is like a reset, a reset for me, and a reset for my idea of feminine divine, and it’s a whole different world we go to after this.”

Watch Perry’s “Lifetimes” preview posts on Instagram and YouTube below.



Sean Kingston and His Mother Indicted on Federal Charges in $1M Fraud Scheme

Sean Kingston and his mother have been indicted in South Florida on federal charges of committing more than $1 million worth of fraud.

Kingston, 34, and his mother, 61-year-old Janice Turner, made their first appearances Friday (July 19) in federal court, according to court records. A Miami grand jury returned an indictment earlier this month accusing Kingston and his mother of participating in a scheme to defraud victims of high-end specialty vehicles, jewelry and other goods through the use of fraudulent documents.

Kingston was booked into the Broward County jail on similar state charges last month following a May 23 arrest at Fort Irwin, an Army training base in California’s Mojave Desert where he was performing. Turner was arrested the same day as her son, when a SWAT team raided his rented mansion in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

According to the federal indictment, Kingston and Turner falsely claimed that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers for high-end items when no such transfers had taken place. Investigators said Kingston and Turner then kept over $1 million worth of fraudulently purchased items despite not paying for them.

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The warrants for the state charges say that from October to March, they stole almost $500,000 in jewelry, more than $200,000 from Bank of America, $160,000 from a Cadillac Escalade dealer, more than $100,000 from First Republic Bank and $86,000 from the maker of customized beds.

The Jamaican American performer had a No. 1 hit with “Beautiful Girls” in 2007 and collaborated with Justin Bieber on the song “Eenie Meenie.”

Robert Rosenblatt, an attorney for Kingston and his mother, didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment from The Associated Press. He previously said they looked forward to addressing the charges and were “confident of a successful resolution.”

Kingston, whose legal name is Kisean Anderson, was already serving a two-year probation sentence for trafficking stolen property.

His mother pleaded guilty in 2006 to bank fraud for stealing over $160,000 and served nearly 1.5 years in prison, according to federal court records.

Taylor Swift Is ‘Completely Blown Away’ by ‘Tortured Poets’ Spending 12 Weeks at No. 1 on Billboard 200

Taylor Swift is celebrating her recent success on the Billboard charts.

On Saturday (July 20), the 34-year-old pop superstar thanked Swifties for helping her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, reign for 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

“I also wanted to say to everyone who’s supported The Tortured Poets Department, I am completely blown away by what you’ve done,” Swift wrote on Instagram alongside a gallery of recent Eras Tour photos. “It stayed at #1 for the first 12 weeks of its release and that’s never happened to an album of mine before, not even close!! You’re just the greatest.”

Earlier in the week, Swift’s 31-track collection surpassed Whitney Houston’s 1987 album, Whitney, to become the only album by a woman to spend its first 12 weeks atop the Billboard 200. It also marked a career-best for Swift, whose 1989 and Fearless releases spent 11 weeks each at No. 1. Only two other albums have spent at least their first 12 weeks at No. 1: Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time and Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life.

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Swift’s celebratory social media post arrived after her trio of Eras Tour concerts at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, from July 17-19.

“Those 3 Gelsenkirchen crowds were AMAZING, and so thoughtful??? There were signs and paper hearts, the ‘betty’ wave, and tons of DIY “willow” orbs made out of balloons + phone flashlights. Thank you!!!” Swift wrote on Instagram.

The “Anti-Hero” singer’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, has been in the audience for all of her performances in Germany. Fans spotted the Kansas City Chiefs tight end dancing along to the concert and proudly filming his superstar girlfriend singing “So High School” at her opening night in Gelsenkirchen, and escorting her out from the backstage area at night two.

Next up, Swift will travel to Hamburg for two concerts at the city’s Volksparkstadion from July 23-24 and Munich’s Olympiastadion from July 27-28. Paramore will open on each of the dates. Once the European leg of her Eras trek is over, she’ll return to the U.S. and Canada for one final victory lap in November and December.

See Swift’s post on Instagram here.

Brazilian Singer Ayres Sasaki Fatally Electrocuted After Hugging Wet Fan at Concert

Brazilian singer Ayres Sasaki has died after being electrocuted during a live performance in Brazil.

The 35-year-old musician died almost instantly after hugging a soaking-wet fan during a concert on July 13 at the Solar Hotel in Salinopolis. The contact between the two triggered a nearby cable to jolt, causing the fatal electric shock, according to The Mirror.

It was not immediately known why the concert-goer was soaked, but Salinópolis Police are investing the incident. The Pará Civil Police say that witnesses have given statements and they have requested expert reports, Istoé Gente reports (per People).

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On July 14, the Solar Hotel shared a statement through social media, saying that the facility is cooperating with the investigation.

“We are fully dedicated to providing support to his family and taking the necessary measures. We reaffirm our commitment to fully cooperating with the competent authorities for the proper clarification of the events,” the hotel wrote in a translated message on Instagram. “Our thoughts and condolences are with Ayres Sasaki’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

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In addition to being a singer, Sasaki was also a newly married architect and urban planner. He is survived by his wife id 11 months, Mariana.

On her Instagram Story, Sasaki’s spouse shared her thanks for the support she’s been receiving following her husband’s untimely passing.

“I would like to thank you for every message of affection and comfort, for every prayer during this difficult time that we are going through,” Mariana wrote, per Istoé Gente. “I haven’t been able to read all the messages yet, but as I feel better, I will respond to each one. Thank you.”

Farruko Set for 2024 Premios Juventud & More Uplifting Moments in Latin Music

From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

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Premios Juventud’s 2024 Lineup

Earlier this week, Univision announced a new wave of artists confirmed for the 2024 Premios Juventud set to take place Thursday, July 25 in San Juan, Puerto Rico via Univision. Farruko, Lenny Tavárez, Joss Favela, Chris Jedi, Gaby Music, and Corina Smith, who will make her PJs debut, will all take the stage at the coveted awards show. This year’s nominations are led by top nominees Maluma, Carin Leon, and Peso Pluma, with seven nods each. Premios Juventud recognizes artists and young people for their “extraordinary accomplishments in society, celebrating music, new artists, community and creators,” according to a press release.

The Good Bunny Foundation

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Bad Bunny’s “Good Bunny Foundation” continues its mission to educate the youth in Puerto Rico through art, music, and sports. For a second consecutive year, the foundation returned with its “Un Verano Contigo” summer camp in San Juan and Ponce. In Ponce, the camp included interactive activities with the Juan Morell Campos Institute, the Charles H. Terry Sports Complex, and the Escuela Libre de Música. In San Juan, the camp included workshops at the Puerto Rico Museum of Art, the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and the San Juan Sports School / Rebekah Colberg Sports Center, among other destinations.

“For us at the Good Bunny Foundation, it’s a priority to identify talents in our society who can imagine a professional future in their area of ​​interest, whether in the arts, sports or music,” said José “Che Juan” Torres, Director of the Good Bunny Foundation in a press statement. “We want to inspire young people through a fun summer, while continuing to provide them with the support, resources, contacts and connections to continue their development. Even providing them with extracurricular experiences that serve as a reference in a university application.”

Bad Bunny's

Bad Bunny’s “Good Bunny Foundation” offers educational “Un Verano Contigo” initiatives in Puerto Rico

Fundación Good Bunny

Selena Foundation Gives Back

In other positive news, The Selena Foundation has teamed up with the Corpus Christi Police Department to help give school supplies to students of all ages and grades in the community. “The Selena Foundation is honored to be the main sponsor for this amazing program called ‘Operation Safe Return,’” Selena’s sister, Suzette Quintanilla, shared the news on her Instagram account, and in a video message, she encouraged Corpus Christi locals to donate supplies such as paper, crayons, notepads, and pencils. Watch the video below.

Fania Records’ 60th Anniversary

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the iconic Latin label Fania Records, and in celebration, El Museo del Barrio in Manhattan, New York will host a one-day, free community event called “Fania Mania.” On Thursday, July 25, from 6 to 9 p.m., people of all ages will be able to enjoy Afro-Latin and salsa music by DJ Gia Fu. New York City will also declare a special “Fania Day” with a Proclamation presentation in honor of the label’s impact and history. For more information, visit here.

Fania All Stars

Fania All Stars

Courtesy of Craft Latino

Plies “Hawk Tuah,” Fat Trel & Millyz “Airplane Mode” & More | Daily Visuals 7.19.24

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Indiana Fever v Las Vegas Aces

A few weeks ago a random white girl named Hailey Welch had social media on fire when she described how to pleasure a man when she “spit on that thang” with a “hauk tuah!” And with all the memes that one moment spawned, Plies has decided to take some of that momentum and create a whole song around that sexual sentiment.

In his new visuals for “Hawk Tuah,” Plies shows just how he likes his women to give him that “hawk tuah!” by getting his “mic checked” in a public bathroom before getting some more of the same treatment in the comfort of his own home. The man didn’t waste any time banking off that hawk tuah hype.

Elsewhere Fat Trel and Millyz make a D.C. to Boston connection happen and in their clip for “Airplane Mode,” the two artists take to the rooftops of the buildings of Bean Town before hopping on a boat with some thick and exotic young women.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Honey Baby featuring Fivio Foreign, RJmrLA, and more.

PLIES – “HAWK TUAH”



FAT TREL & MILLYZ – “AIRPLANE MODE”



HONEY BABY FT. FIVIO FOREIGN – “BONNIE & CLYDE”



RJMRLA – “RJ TALK”



ARRDEE FT. THE SHAPESHIFTER – “DIFFERENT”



OGEE L’Z – “WE SOLDIERS”



CORY GUNZ FT. REALLY JAEWON – “RICK OWENS & NIKE TECH”



BECKY HILL – “MULTIPLY”



HALEY SMALLS – “WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU”



Grateful Dead Take on Tenniscore With New Rowing Blazers Collection

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The Grateful Dead are infusing their rock n’ roll aesthetic with the preppy style of Rowing Blazers for a second time. The newest Grateful Dead x Rowing Blazers collection was released on Thursday (July 18) and embraces an elevated sportswear look including pieces modeled after the tenniscore trend, which has only continued to explode in the fashion scene — especially since the release of Challengers.

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Available on RowingBlazers.com, the exclusive collection lets Deadheads trade the vintage band T-shirt look for a more sophisticated range of apparel, including rugby long sleeves and tennis polos. While new pieces are available to shop, apparel from the first collaboration the two dropped together have also been restocked, giving fans another opportunity to stock up on the limited-edition Grateful Dead merch.

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Keep reading to shop some of ShopBillboard‘s favorite pieces or shop the entire collection here.

Grateful Dead Lightweight Stealie Rugby

This rugby shirt is begging to steal the show with its vibrant tie-dye pattern complete with a Grateful Dead patch on the top corner. To really dress the look up, it comes with a white contrasting collar, quarter button-up style and cuffed sleeves.

Grateful Dead Sailing Club Tee

Fans of a T-shirt can still pick up the style in this sailing-themed graphic top featuring the rock band’s colors and well-known white lightning bolt. The material is made from 100% cotton that’s soft and lightweight, so you can wear it all day without counting down the seconds until you can change out of it.

Grateful Dead Tennis Club Polo

Dress up your merch with this tennis polo, which comes in a lightweight, airy material you’ll be tempted to never take off. For added style, the top corner features an embroidered Dancing Bear holding on to a tennis racket to show off its more sporty side.

Grateful Dead Tennis Club Dad Hat

Keep your head protected in style with this dad-inspired hat featuring the classic Grateful Dead Dancing Bears. The base comes in a clean-cut white with a green bear embroidered on the front to let everyone know just how much of a Deadhead you are.

Grateful Dead Grandma Knit Stealie Sweater

Cozy up in this chic crewneck sweater with the Grateful Dead’s eye-catching skull logo on the front of the pullover. It’s made from 100% cotton that’ll help swaddle you in comfort and should be dry-cleaned only, according to the brand’s official description. Sizes are currently available for pre-order with an expected shipping date of on or before August 4.

While the sportswear brand puts an emphasis on creating looks that can be shown off on the tennis court and country club, it does so with an eclectic, colorful vibe similar to the iconic Dancing Bears that the “Touch of Grey” band is known for. Styles and sizes are already selling out, which means you’ll want to act fast if you plan on giving your band apparel a nice update.

Outside of growing their collaborations, the Grateful Dead have come together as Dead & Company to perform a mesmerizing residency at Las Vegas’ The Sphere, which you can still get tickets to.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best bucket hats, music posters and music books.

Former NYC Detective Confirms 50 Cent Never Cooperated With Police

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50 Cent Performs At BC Place

There have been many attempts to slander 50 Cent’s name but it hasn’t stuck. A former NYC detective has confirmed he never worked with the police.

Investigative YouTube channel ITS AGTV recently interviewed with former New York City detective Bill Courtney. The retired law officer admitted to working on several high-profile cases during his tenured career.

During the chat, he detailed his dealings with Jacques “Haitian Jack” Agnant, Jimmy “Henchman” Rosemond, Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff, and other notorious figures from the Big Apple. During one particular segment, Courtney made it perfectly clear that to his knowledge 50 Cent never cooperated with the police.

“50 Cent never cooperated with anybody and I would know if he did. I had the whole music industry investigation business locked down. I knew everybody who was talking to everybody, there is no way he cooperated” he said. Courtney went on to reveal that he and his team did try to get 50 Cent to help them but he turned them down. “We took a shot at him and he didn’t cooperate through his attorney Bob Kalina.”

At the apex of the 50 Cent and Ja Rule beef Murder Inc. produced an order of protection that they allege the “I Get Money” rapper requested after a scuffle in a Manhattan recording studio. Courtney also refutes that claim too.

“He didn’t have any cops protecting him. If he was in with the police I would know about it” he added.

The interview quickly went viral and 50 Cent left a comment about Bill Courtney’s response.

“See the facts always come out, I wasn’t raised like that. I’m not in Preme, killer rat ass jimmy or World’s paper work.” he wrote on Instagram.

You can view the interview below.



Photo: Andrew Chin / Getty

Van Jones Gushes over RNC Vibes, Xitter Tells Him “Get Lost”

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US-ECONOMY-MILKEN

Political commentator Van Jones has been offering heavy praise of the Republican National Convention, earning him heavy pushback from social media users.

The Republican National Convention came to a close in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. on Thursday night (July 18). While some political commentators pointed out the various missteps made by GOP politicians, Van Jones has been steadily praising the energy at the convention.

“I wanna say something. This spirit that this guy has, you guys think that’s because he’s drunk. He’s not,” he said during a discussion on Wednesday (July 17), pointing at the convention crowd. “This whole thing is like this. The last time I was in a convention that felt like this was Obama 2008. There’s something happening.”The declaration led one of the other panelists to remark, “You just wrote a headline, by the way.”

That was prefaced by other gushing remarks made by Jones about some of the speeches given during the convention, beginning with his view of Amber Rose after her speech on Monday night (July 16).

“That was probably the most dangerous speech for the Democratic coalition,” Jones said. “That is a young woman of color. She is describing the experience that a lot of people have — feeling that maybe, if you’re around too many liberals, you might get criticized too much or you might not be able to speak your mind, and she spoke to it really well. And she’s way more famous than any of us up here — I’m going to tell you that — way more famous.”

Van Jones would also gush over Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ speech, saying her remarks were “incredibly compelling…extremely powerful.”

The praise would come to a halt after Donald Trump’s speech on Thursday.

“If Biden had given a speech that incoherent, that rambling, that undisciplined, Democrats would’ve hit Biden with a tranquilizer dart and drug him off,” he said. “Trump was boring … undisciplined … he basically was the worst part of his own convention.”

The pattern of praise from Jones left a sour taste in the mouths of many on social media. D.L. Hughley was among those criticizing how much the CNN commentator seemed to be all for the Republicans and pointedly criticized him for thinking the convention had any resemblance to the effect of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Below are some of the best responses to Van Jones’ remarks on social media.





Photo:: PATRICK T. FALLON / Getty

1. Roland Martin

2. Humanity Critic

3. Solomon Missouri

4. 2RawTooReal

5. D.L. Hughley

6. BenDavid Grabinksi

7. Travon Free

8. Stephen Crockett, Jr.