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21 Jun 2024

Baseball Legend Reggie Jackson Recounts Racism He Faced In The South

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Championship Series - Houston Astros v Texas Rangers - Game Four

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Baseball legend Reggie Jackson recalled the shocking instances of racism that he endured in Alabama during an interview.

On Thursday (June 20), Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson was being interviewed by the Fox Sports broadcast crew covering the game between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals at the historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama honoring Negro League Baseball. Alex Rodriguez, the former New York Yankees star player, asked Jackson what it was like being back there. Jackson, who’d go on to greatness as a power-hitting fielder for the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees, started with the minor-league Birmingham A’s who played at Rickwood in 1967.

“Alex, when people ask me a question like that, it’s like, coming back here is not easy,” Jackson replied. “The racism that I played here, when I played here, the difficulty of going through different places where we traveled — fortunately, I had a manager and I had players on the team that helped me get through it. But I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.” The crew went quiet

as Jackson continued: “People said to me today — I spoke and they said, ‘You think you’re a better person, you think you won when you played here and conquered?’ I said, you know, I would never want to do it again.”

“I walked into restaurants and they would point at me and say, the n—– can’t eat here. I would go to a hotel and they say, the n—– can’t stay here,” the legend known as “Mr. October” said, the emotions from that time vivid in his face. “I walked into restaurants and they would point at me and say, the n—– can’t eat here. I would go to a hotel and they say, the n—– can’t stay here. We went to Charlie Finley’s country club for a welcome-home dinner, and they pointed me out with the N-word. ‘He can’t come in here.’ Finley marched the whole team out, finally they let me in there, he said, ‘We’re going to go the diner and eat hamburgers. We’ll go where we’re wanted.” Reggie Jackson would go on to thank his Birmingham A’s manager, Johnny McNamara, and teammates Rollie Fingers, Dave Duncan, and Joe Rudi who with his wife Sharon gave Jackson a place to stay – until racists threatened to “burn our apartment complex down unless I got out.”

21 Jun 2024

Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Label Names Lorne Padman to President

Steve Aoki‘s longstanding Dim Mak label has a new president, with Lorne Padman — the imprint’s vp for the last decade — assuming the position. In the role, the Los Angeles-based Padman will oversee strategy for the imprint, which was founded by Aoki in 1996 while he was a student at UC Santa Barbara.

The current Dim Mak roster includes producers like Henry Fong, Chyl, Ookay, Deorro, Cash Cash, Cheyenne Giles, Sikdope, 4B and more, with upcoming releases from Ray Ray, Mila Falls, Nostalgix and Aoki and Afrojack’s collaborative Afroki project, among others.

“Throughout Lorne’s ten years as vice president, he has been an integral part of the label’s success story,” Aoki tells Billboard. “His ability to cultivate strong relationships within the industry has been critical in elevating the reputation of Dim Mak’s brand. I’m confident that Lorne’s leadership and hard work will continue to steer the label toward further growth and excellence.”

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Padman tells Billboard that for him, the label’s health and vibrancy is demonstrated by the fact that artists from across the roster collaborate often, without being pushed to by management. “For me,” he says, “that’s an indication we must be doing something right, if we’re creating an ecosystem of talent that all want to work with each other and get along socially and musically.”

These artists make many different styles of electronic music, with Dim Mak focused less on cultivating a specific sound and more on releasing compelling, relevant output. The idea, Padman says, is to offer a “complementary roster of different sounds, from really fresh underground and cool and new. But also, a bit like a financial portfolio, you can’t only be taking moonshots, you also need to have some established things that will guard our reputation and can also financially open the possibility of being able to take swings at emerging artists.”

Taking swings is built into Dim Mak’s business model, with the label’s New Noise imprint having released music from a totally new artist every two weeks for the last decade. This structure offers artists with what is often their first official release, providing them with the Dim Mak visibility boost while helping the label identify emerging sounds and trends. Altogether, Padman says, it’s “an avenue to market for development artists that are potentially too small for some other other labels.”

Padman brings decades of experience to the role, having DJ’d in Australia for 18 years. (“With only six Saturday off,” he says.) He was part of the development teams for the first releases by Avicii and The Chainsmokers and also has experience in management, radio, television, production and songwriting.

This history gives him the ability to speak the same language as artists and offer feedback in technical terms. But, he says, “I only ever feel like I have 49% of the vote” regarding the creative decisions any artist or member of the team — which includes staff across A&R, video, marketing, social media and art direction — should make.

“I want the artists to feel good and empowered, and I definitely don’t want to feel like Dim Mak is a distributor and that we’re not adding any value,” he says. “But at the same time, I don’t want them to feel like they’re being told what to be, because they have to choose that themselves.”

Padman’s previous label experience includes a run as national promotions and label manager at Australia’s Vicious Recordings, where he was working when he met Aoki. “At that time I felt Vicious was quite successful,” Padman says, “then Steve said something to the effect of, ‘But no one’s wearing a Vicious t-shirt.’ That stuck in my head. People will wear Dim Mak shirts and get Dim Mak tattoos, but no one’s wearing Sony or Warner or Universal or Republic shirts. There are labels and lifestyle labels. I always have to keep cognizant of the fact that Dim Mak is a lifestyle label.”

Padman also has a close working relationship with the dance/electronic categories at the Grammys, having co-authored proposals including the one that introduced the Dance Pop category to last year’s awards.

“I’ve always felt that it’s about reputation more than anything really,” he says of his and Dim Mak’s position in the wider industry ecosystem. “I’ve always felt like that if I can live my life through the four principles [of coaching expert Dan Sullivan] of showing up on time, doing what I say I’ll do, finishing what I started and saying please and thank you, then I’m going to be referable.”

21 Jun 2024

Famous NYC Jeweler’s Custom Pieces Made It To The American Museum Of Natural History

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SHOP.COM & Haute Living Celebrate The Release Of

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Jacob The Jeweler might’ve been the go to ice man for celebrities from the mid 90’s to the early 2000’s, but these days that title belongs to one Avi Davidov whose diamond studded work has made it’s way to the American Museum of Natural History.

According to the Gothamist, Davidov and his close friend, Ben Shimon have spent the last decade making a name for themselves through their business, Pristine Jewelers, and with a clientele that includes the likes of 2 Chainz, Fat Joe, and Cardi B, the diamond duo have become a force to be reckoned with.

With their names being mentioned amongst the stars whenever someone needs some exclusive diamond pendants and pieces, Avi Davidov and Ben Shimon have become the highly sought after plugs for your favorite music artists and movie stars. And now, even the American Museum of Natural History has even taken notice as their “Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip Hop Jewelry” exhibit features quite a few pieces designed by Pristine Jewelers.

The Gothamist reports:

It features dozens of pieces worn by hip-hop artists, including Slick Rick, Ghostface Killah, Nicki Minaj, and A$AP Rocky. It also includes two pieces designed by Pristine Jewelers: Nas’ Queensbridge pendant and Fat Joe’s Terror Squad chain.

Part of Pristine’s appeal is that its founders can match the swagger of some of their world-famous clients – jetsetting to Portugal, dressing head-to-toe in Louis Vuitton or Dior. As with many luxury brands, Pristine is selling a lifestyle as much as a product.

“It’s the way we travel, the kind of shoes and sneakers we wear,” said Davidov, who once traveled to Russia on a day’s notice for a client.

Not entirely new to the game, Davidov’s parents worked in the jewelry industry for more than 30 years operating a mom and pop jewelry spot on Fordham Road in the Bronx. Having migrated here from Uzbekistan before he was even born, his parents showed Davidov how to hustle as he worked there on most days after getting out of school, and now decades later the grind is paying off historically.

“As we were growing older, my sister and I, we saw their hardships, so we decided to help them out,” said Davidov. “And while we were helping them out, we learned more of the trade, more of the business. And I liked it.”

But it wasn’t until the year 2000 when iconic Reggaeton artist, Don Omar went to him to have some custom iced out pieces and watches made. Impressed with the work, word began to spread about Davidov’s skills and the rest if history.

Another win happened a few years later, when Davidov was tapped to upgrade Nas’ Queensbridge pendant, which became a nod to the ‘Illmatic’ rapper’s success, and is featured in the “Ice Cold” exhibition.

Gotta love the American dream when it manifests (not that MAGA sh*t).

21 Jun 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris Joins Quavo To Honor “Takeoff Day”, Talk Gun Violence

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Rocket Foundation Summit On Gun Violence Prevention

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Vice President Kamala Harris took part in a panel discussion with Quavo at an event honoring Takeoff in Atlanta, Georgia.

On Tuesday (June 18), Vice President Kamala Harris joined Quavo for an event honoring the life of the late Migos member Takeoff in Atlanta, Georgia. The inaugural Rocker Foundation Summit was also attended by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens who declared it “Takeoff Day” on what would’ve been his 30th birthday. The event was held at the Carter Center and included a “fireside chat” between the rapper and Vice President Harris among other discussions throughout the day.

The chat was moderated by Gregory Jackson, Jr., the Special Assistant to the President and Deputy of The Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and follows a landmark meeting between the two last year.

“I’m a victim — [but] I got a second chance,” Quavo said during the talk which focused on community violence intervention and the importance of youth support systems. “When I saw [Takeoff] laying there, I felt like I saw me laying there. So when I’m doing something like the Rocket Foundation, I just wanted to uplift his legacy and keep his name alive. That’s why we are here.” At one point, Vice President Harris addressed Quavo and the panel: “To translate that pain and grief into something that is about creating strength and empowerment in the community — including our young — is pretty extraordinary. You have chosen to use your celebrity and the gifts you have as an artist to talk about and actually work on with action. You are an incredible leader — a national leader on this.”

Ms. Davenport, also known as “Mama Rocket”, was overcome with emotion as she got to address those gathered, expressing how “incredibly proud” she was. “I miss my son everyday and wish he was still here on this earth.”   Programs launched by the Rocket Foundation include the Sparks Grant program, an initiative aiding community organizations fighting gun violence. The program will direct $100,000 in funding toward their efforts. “I feel like a lot of people just announce foundations and keep it moving for nonprofit purposes or even financial issues,” Quavo said. “But I’m on the ground. I’m actually working. We’re getting things done. We’re getting results. We’re raising real money. We’re going down into the real communities where the problem has been an issue.”

21 Jun 2024

Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Kehlani, Maren Morris, VINCINT & More

The longest day of the year is officially past us, which means you now have even more daylight hours to listen to new songs from your favorite queer artists! Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.

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From Kehlani’s irresistible new album to Maren Morris’s stunning new single, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Kehlani, Crash



Kehlani knows how to write earnestly about even the deepest of emotions —it’s a fact she’s proven consistently throughout her dazzling career. But with her latest album Crash, the R&B star shows that she can continue doing that over a series of infectious, eclectic new sounds. Whether she’s heading to the dancefloor (“After Hours”) or bringing out a softer, folksy side (“Better Not”), Kehlani never loses the emotional maturity that’s defined so much of her output. Stark confessions, brutal kiss-offs and deep internal investigations yield phenomenal results for the singer-songwriter on yet another career highlight.

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Maren Morris feat. Julia Michaels, “Cut!”



“How does she do it?” Maren Morris wonders of herself in the first few lines of her new song “Cut!” She touts her regimen of yoga, therapy and sleep over a glossy pop beat, while maintaining her vocal composure. But that all changes on the song’s bombastic chorus, as she (and later, guest Julia Michaels) takes a moment behind closed doors to “let my tears fall when they want.” It’s a stunningly intimate pop ballad from the singer as she navigates the balance between life both in and out of the public eye.

VINCINT feat. Betty Who, “Love Me Tonight”



Just when we needed it, VINCINT is here with his second consecutive slice of pop perfection. “Love Me Tonight,” the propellant new single from the rising pop singer, sees VINCINT and special guest Betty Who leaning hard into the romance of it all, with a symphony of deep house synths and sweeping strings to drive home that yearning feeling. But as tends to be the case with his songs, it’s VINCINT and Who’s vocals that provide the souped-up engine for this unstoppable anthem, as the pair each declare that “if you love me baby, love me tonight.”

Kali Uchis, “Never Be Yours”



A breakup has never sounded quite as good as it does on Kali Uchis’ stunning new single “Never Be Yours.” As lush instrumentation brings the listener into a dreamy world of strings, keys and chimes, the Colombian star takes on an old-school vibe to let her would-be lover know that she’s simply not interested in what they have to offer. “I’m not gonna be yours right now,” she coos, as a gentle guitar cushions the blow. “‘Cause I’ll never be yours, no how.”

The Japanese House, “:)”



While Amber Bain (the artist behind the moniker of The Japanese House) may be best known for her introspective songwriting, her new single shows that she’s perfectly capable of delivering a sparkling love song. “:)” finds Bain at her most idyllic, as she waxes poetic about a girl she met online. What starts as digital flirting quickly turns to a whirlwind fantasy, where the singer boards a plane, meets her online lover and falls even deeper in love than she already was. The sunny guitars and persistent drum pattern boost her confidence as she declares that she might be crazy, “Who cares/ ‘Cause something’s happening/ I feel happier.”

Adam Lambert, “CVNTY”



Looking for some booming new club tracks to help celebrate Pride Month? Adam Lambert is here to deliver with “CVNTY,” his ground-shaking new single dedicated to the art of serving … well, just read the song’s title. The pounding electronic beat only adds to Lambert’s laid-back vocal, as he calmly lets his passionate lover exactly how their relationship is going to go: “Sorry, baby, that you went and motherf—ing blew it/ I’ll break your heart, and I’ll look c-nty when I do it,” he croons, before letting the production crash into him like a tidal wave.

Big Freedia, “Holatta”



Pride is meant to be a protest, and Big Freedia is making sure we keep that spirit alive with her new song. “Holatta” comes off of NOISE FOR NOW, VOL. 2, a new compilation album featuring tracks from Faye Webster, The War On Drugs, Courtney Barnett and others, with all proceeds from the album being donated to fund independent abortion providers across the U.S. in the wake of 2022’s Dobbs decision. For her part, Big Freedia digs deep into her bounce roots to craft an anthem for fighting back — the thundering beat echoes the singer’s own voice as she declares that “we got a point to prove.”

Sapphira Cristál, “Get Your Flowers”



We all need a voice like Sapphira Cristál’s in our lives. The Drag Race runner-up made a name for herself as the motivational “mother” of season 16 — and now, she’s ready to do the same for you. With “Get Your Flowers,” Cristál steps firmly into the limelight of musical artistry, as she melds her penchant for words of encouragement with dace music and just a dash of operatic arias. Over a slick dance-pop melody, Cristál asks her listeners to put some more stock in themselves as she shows off exactly what made her Drag Race run so instantly memorable in this fun new track.

Check out all of our picks below on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist:

21 Jun 2024

Sun Care Steals: Supergoop! Sunscreen Gets Rare 15% Off Discount, Including the Sabrina Carpenter-Approved Formula

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Applying SPF isn’t just a summer skincare essential — sunscreen is year-round must-have if you want to protect your body from damaging UV rays. When it comes to finding the best sunscreen for you, it’s all about the formula. Supergoop! has developed a cult following for infusing SPF into all of its skincare products while also ensuring the formula is friendly for sensitive skin and doesn’t leave behind a pasty white sheen.

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Normally, the brand has a price point in the high $30 range, but for a limited time, you can score most of the brand’s sunscreen and SPF products for 15% off. Saks Fifth Ave is hosting a beauty promo that gets you slashed prices on a plethora of makeup and skincare products — including the beloved Supergoop!.

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Besides earning high praise from the internet, celebrities are also major fans of the skincare brand, with Sabrina Carpenter even incorporating everything from the bestselling Unseen Sunscreen to the body spray in her music video for “Espresso.” You can see the products displayed at various points within the video as the 25-year-old sunbathes on the beach.

Keep reading to shop the Supergoop! deals below.

bottle of supergoop unseen sunscreen

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen

$32.30

$38

15% off

The Unseen Sunscreen comes with SPF 40 and uses a clear, gel-like formula that will apply almost sheer to your skin. It’s also water-resistant and sweat-resistant for up to 40 minutes. Reviewers can’t get over the feel of the formula, describing it as lightweight and even claiming that “it feels like a primer” when applied onto your face.

3-piece set of supergoop sunscreen

Supergoop! 3-Piece SPF Bestsellers Set

$25.50

$30

15% off

This three-pack is the ultimate tester and travel-friendly SPF set you can snag. It comes with the brand’s top-selling products, including the reviewer-loved Unseen Sunscreen, the brand’s Play Sunscreen for more active days, as well as the Glow Sunscreen that acts as a makeup primer in addition to adding some SPF protection to your skin.

bottle of supergoop glow sunscreen

Supergoop! Glow Sunscreen

$32.30

$38

15% off

Before you apply your makeup, the Glow Sunscreen acts as a 2-in-1 product that’ll add SPF 40 to your skin as well as become a makeup primer to help keep your eyeshadow, concealer and more on your face. Since it provides a more pearlescent look, you can even use it as a highlighter for extra shine.

bottle of supergoop face lotion

Supergoop! Every. Single. Face. Watery Lotion

$28.90

$34

15% off

Give your face a boost of hydration as well as sun protection using the Every. Single. Face. Lotion by Supergoop! The formula comes with a more watery texture and SPF 50. If you plan on using it at the beach or during your outdoor run, the lotion is sweat- and water-resistant for up to 40 minutes.

bottle of supergoop resetting powder

Supergoop! (Re)Setting 100% Mineral Powder

$29.75

$35

15% off

Besides lotions and creams, Supergoop! also has a mineral powder that’ll not only give you SPF 35, but acts as a makeup setting powder. All you have to do is apply the powder to your face and it’ll offer UV protection in addition to creating a more matte effect to your skin’s texture.

Besides being a celebrity favorite, the skincare brand’s sunscreen has been a staple used by TikTok users, with more than 100 million videos made under “Supergoop Sunscreen,” proving that over time, the product has only gotten more popular.

See Supergoop! in Carpenter’s “Espresso” music video below.

21 Jun 2024

Kendrick Lamar Video Set Beefs Up Security For Weekend Shoot

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The Pop Out – Ken & Friends Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch

Kendrick Lamar, currently Hip-Hop’s king of the cultural mountain, is having one incredible week after his widely celebrated Juneteenth concert in Inglewood which capped the official crowning of him being the people’s champ. This weekend, Kendrick Lamar is reportedly filming a video and it appears that while the beef with Drake is supposedly finished, security measures have been improved just in case.

TMZ got the inside scoop that Kendrick Lamar’s team is beefing up security for a weekend video shoot for what many online presume to be for K-Dot’s blistering “Not Like Us” track. The outlet learned via inside sources that the video is being filmed in Kendrick Lamar’s hometown of Compton and that all proper permits and the like were filed.

More from TMZ:

For security reasons, our sources won’t say how many deputies have been tapped for the gig — which is set to take place all over Compton. However, we have been told that Kendrick’s production company is paying around $120 an hour to have them on hand.

While law enforcement sources tell us the police are aware of Kendrick’s recent beef with nemesis Drake, we’re told no known threats have surfaced at this time.

As it stands, it just looks like a sensible choice considering Drake, who may have moved on, might have overzealous fans hoping to prove themselves.

Further, the beef between Drizzy and Kendrick Lamar took some dark turns so feelings might be sore on both sides in all fairness. That said, it looks like the West Coast is too deep to be concerned with such matters.

—

Photo: Getty

21 Jun 2024

Cardi B Teases Sophomore Release Title: ‘What Y’all Think My Album Name Is?’

Cardi B’s long-awaited sophomore album appears to finally have some traction. The Grammy-winning rapper took to social media to tease the title of her forthcoming LP.

While stopping short of revealing the name, Cardi invited the Bardi Gang to guess what she had in mind in a post to her Instagram Story on Thursday (June 20).

“What y’all think my album name is?” Cardi B asked while appearing to coverthe title with her hand on a photo of the rapper. The 31-year-old seemed to be messing around on her computer when making the post.

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As the wait for the album continues, Cardi is still churning out features left and right. She joined forces with Mexican rapper Peso Pluma to dish out some bilingual bars on “Put Em in the Fridge.” The track hit streaming services on Friday (June 21) as part of Peso’s Éxodo album.

Cardi B lent out another stimulus package in the form of a verse when she hopped on GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Wanna Be,” which dropped May 31. It shot up to No. 15 the following week on the Billboard Hot 100.

The “WAP” rapper must’ve had a change of heart when it came to album plans, as Cardi claimed in May that she wasn’t planning to drop an LP. “Anyway NO album this year I don’t care I’m relaxing this year .. Dropping these features I already committed to and traveling and enjoying my summer,” she wrote to X at the time.

However, reps for the rapper confirmed soon after in her Rolling Stone cover that an album was still on the calendar for 2024.

Her debut album Invasion of Privacy arrived in April 2018, and debuted atop the Billboard 200. Every song on the project is at least certified-platinum by the RIAA, and she took home best rap album honors at the Grammys in 2019.

See Cardi’s post below.

21 Jun 2024

Ye Settles With Donna Summer’s Estate to End Copyright Lawsuit Over ‘Vultures 1’ Song

Ye (formerly Kanye West) has finalized a settlement with the estate of Donna Summer to resolve a copyright lawsuit that accused him of “shamelessly” using her 1977 hit “I Feel Love” without permission in his song “Good (Don’t Die).”

In court filings on Thursday, attorneys for both sides said they had “entered into a settlement agreement that is a full and final settlement of all of the claims in the action” and that each side would pay its own legal bills from the dispute. Neither side immediately returned requests for more information on the specific terms of the agreement.

The final settlement, first announced in court filings last month, comes less than four months after Summer’s estate sued the rapper for allegedly interpolating her track in “Good,” which he released on his chart-topping Vultures 1 album.

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Making good on threats to sue issued publicly weeks earlier, the estate’s attorneys claimed at the time that the rapper had “shamelessly used instantly recognizable portions” of her song in his track, despite the fact that her estate had already “explicitly denied” him authorization to do so.

“Summer’s estate … wanted no association with West’s controversial history and specifically rejected West’s proposed use,” her attorneys write. “In the face of this rejection, defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal ‘I Feel Love’ and use it without permission.”

The Summer estate’s lawyers say Ye re-recorded “almost verbatim” the key portions of her song and then used them as the hook for his own. The estate claims the songs were so similar that fans and critics “instantly recognized” his track as a “blatant rip-off.” The lawsuit also named album collaborator Ty Dolla $ign (Tyrone William Griffin Jr.) as a defendant.

Before the case was even filed, “Good” had been pulled from streaming platforms and removed from digital download versions of the album. As of Friday, the song is still not included on Vultures 1 on Spotify, Apple Music or Amazon Music, though it’s available on YouTube from unofficial accounts.

It is unclear if Thursday’s settlement will allow Ye’s song to return to official circulation, or merely resolve the allegations of past copyright infringement over its initial use of Summer’s song. Attorneys for Ye, Ty Dolla and the estate did not respond to messages asking about the status of the song.

But at least in their initial lawsuit, the Summer estate did not seem to open to collecting an ongoing royalty from the controversial rapper.

“This lawsuit is about more than Defendants’ mere failure to pay the appropriate licensing fee for using another’s musical property. It is also about the rights of artists to decide how their works are used and presented to the public, and the need to prevent anyone from simply stealing creative works when they cannot secure the right to use them legally.”

Ye has been sued repeatedly for uncleared samples and interpolations in his music.

In 2022, he was hit with a lawsuit claiming his song “Life of the Party” illegally sampled a song by the pioneering rap group Boogie Down Productions; accused in another case over allegations that he used an uncleared snippet of Marshall Jefferson’s 1986 house track “Move Your Body” in the song “Flowers”; and sued in a different case by a Texas pastor for allegedly sampling from his recorded sermon in “Come to Life.”

Before that, West and Pusha T were sued in 2019 for sampling George Jackson‘s “I Can’t Do Without You” on the track “Come Back Baby.” That same year, he was sued for allegedly using an audio snippet of a young girl praying in his 2016 song “Ultralight Beam.” Further back, West was hit with similar cases over allegedly unlicensed samples used in “New Slaves,” “Bound 2” and “My Joy.”

21 Jun 2024

Billie Eilish Delivers a Haunting Cover of Frank Ocean’s ‘Solo’ From a Bathtub: Watch

Billie Eilish‘s latest album may be parked in the uppermost regions of the Billboard 200, but clips of new music from the Grammy-winning superstar are always welcome.

On Thursday (June 20), Eilish shared a TikTok of herself crooning a haunting a cappella rendition of Frank Ocean‘s “Solo.” “It’s hell on Earth and the city’s on fire/ Inhale, in hell there’s heaven/ There’s a bull and a matador dueling in the sky/ Inhale, in hell there’s heaven,” she sings in gorgeous falsetto as she lounges in a bathtub overlooking an eye-popping neon-drenched skyline.

“In Korea,” she captioned the post.

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“Solo” appeared on Ocean’s acclaimed sophomore album, Blonde, and reached No. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 despite not being released as a single. Blonde debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 back in 2016, ultimately spending 386 weeks on the ranking. Other Hot 100 hits from Blonde include “Nikes” (No. 79), “Ivy” (No. 80), “Pink + White” (No. 84) and “Nights” (No. 98).

Eilish is enjoying yet another banner year with the release of Hit Me Hard and Soft, her third studio album. Hit Me Hard And Soft debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 dated June 1, marking Eilish’s third consecutive top 10 album. She previously topped the chart with 2019’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (three weeks) and 2021’s Happier Than Ever (three weeks).

Eilish also recently became just the third artist to reach 100 million monthly Spotify listeners, joining Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, doing so with just 82 songs.

This new casual cover of “Solo” isn’t the first time the “Lunch” singer has put her own spin on an Ocean track. Back in 2017, she and brother Finneas teamed up for a take on Ocean’s breakthrough hit, “Thinkin Bout You,” which reached No. 32 on the Hot 100 back in 2012.

Watch Billie Eilish cover Frank Ocean’s “Solo” below.