djfrosty

29 May 2024

RuPaul Is Getting the Monster High Treatment: Here’s Where to Buy the Dragon Queen Doll

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.

RuPaul is getting his own Monster High doll, Mattel announced on Wednesday (May 29).

The RuPaul Dragon Queen doll, outfitted in a black faux leather bodysuit and glimmering black gown, knee-high boots, wings, a gnarled headdress, white afro and dragon-inspired makeup, celebrates RuPaul’s larger-than-life persona while embracing individuality and self-expression.

RuPaul Dragon Queen Monster High Doll: Price, Where to Buy

Monster High RuPaul Dragon Queen Doll

“It’s time my darling – are you ready to unleash the goddess within? I’m thrilled you all get to finally see this fierce Dragon Queen come to life,” RuPaul said in a statement. “It’s an honor to have a Monster High doll made in my likeness and support a brand that has always stood by self-love. I hope this doll is [a] reminder to everyone to not only be yourself but to let it shine!”

Trending on Billboard

“RuPaul is an icon who is never afraid to challenge the norm and stay true to himself – embodying the Monster High brand ethos of be yourself, be unique, and be a monster,” noted Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls at Mattel. “RuPaul’s work has profoundly impacted representation in television and culture. We’re proud to team up with him to introduce this brand new character inspired by his legacy, the Dragon Queen, to the world of Monster High.”

RuPaul co-designed the doll, which retails for $55. Other design details include a crimson amulet necklace and two dragon bracelets intertwined to symbolize “the harmony of light and dark.”

The Monster High RuPaul Dragon Queen doll will be available at Amazon starting Thursday, May 30.

29 May 2024

Flea Calls Vince Staples’ New Album ‘So Deep and Good’

Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is always putting on for California. It’s no secret the legendary rock star is a huge Kobe Bryant and Lakers fan, but now we know he’s a fan of Vince Staples as well.

Like a lot of us, Flea took the weekend to really get into the Long Beach rapper’s new album Dark Times, and he loved it, posting on X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter, that he felt the album is “so deep and good.”

Trending on Billboard

Flea is no stranger to hip-hop. The Red Hot Chili Peppers came up during the era when MTV ran the world and Flea was a mainstay on the Rock N’ Jock B-Ball Jam court alongside rappers like Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Michael Bivins and Marky Mark.

Back in 2016, he appeared in an episode of Amoeba Music’s What’s in My Bag alongside writer and producer Amy-Jo Albany. They both talked about the records they picked at Amoeba Music’s store in Hollywood, including the handful of J Dilla records Flea purchased. He referred to the late Detroit producer as “an absolutely transcendent, phenomenal musician” and decided to zero in on the 2007 reissue of Dilla’s Ruff Draft. The bassist got emotional recalling a time he listened to the project while on a hike. “I was in Big Sur by myself and I had on headphones and I was walking around these trails in the mountains listening to it, and it just touched this thing in me so deeply. I just couldn’t stop crying. It was so powerful,” he said as he held back tears.

Coincidentally, Vince Staples gives a nod to L.A.-based Stones Throw Records (the same label that released Ruff Draft) on the track “Radio” from his new album, rapping, “A better day was just a stones throw away/KDAY would play the records that my sister would say/Was realer than whatever I listened to/When I got older, I realized it was true.”

And in 2019, during an interview with New York’s ALT92.3 radio station, Flea mentioned Thundercat when asked about his favorite new artist. Obviously Thundercat is genre-bending in his own right, but the musician famously worked on To Pimp a Butterfly and was very close with the late Mac Miller. In short, he’s hip-hop too.

The world could use more rap reviews from Flea.

29 May 2024

Remember The Beats Pill? It’s Still A Thing & Getting A Much Needed Refresh, Here’s What You Can Expect

HipHopWired Featured Video

CLOSE

Beats Pill Gets A Refresh, Will Reportedly Launch This Summer

Source: Apple / Beats / Beats Pill

You may have forgotten about the Beats Pill, but Apple has not, and it’s getting a much-needed refresh.

Spotted on The Verge via 9To5Mac’s details from unnamed sources, the Beats Pill is being modernized and will feature a bevy of upgrades. The peripheral has been on ice since 2022’s discontinued model, the Pill+.

Per The Verge:

Reported upgrades include up to 24 hours of battery life, IP67 water resistance, faster and more reliable device pairing / switching with Bluetooth 5.3, and integrated Find My tracking on both Apple and Google’s networks. 9to5Mac also says Apple plans to update the Pill’s charge-out and input ports to USB-C, from USB-A out and Lightning in.

According to reports, the new Beats Pill will also have a detachable strap that folks like LeBron James have already shown off, confirming its existence.

Sound quality will also improve, offering users a richer experience, a product of the new Beats Pills redesigned and repositioned drivers and tweeters.

According to 9To5Mac, all that’s left is pricing and the launch date, and we could use the latest device from the company that Dr. Dre built sometime this Summer, which would be the perfect window for a release.

The Pill+ had a $230 price tag, so we can expect the new Beats Pill to be in the same ballpark. It will also come in three color options: black, gold, and red.

We will keep you updated when Beats formerly announces the new Beats Pill; until then, you can see more photos in the gallery below.

1. Beats Pill

Beats Pill

Source:Beats Pill

Beats Pill apple,beats,beats by dre,beats pill

2. Beats Pill

Beats Pill

Source:Beats Pill

Beats Pill apple,beats,beats by dre,beats pill

3. Beats Pill

Beats Pill

Source:Beats Pill

Beats Pill apple,beats,beats by dre,beats pill

4. Beats Pill

Beats Pill

Source:Beats Pill

Beats Pill apple,beats,beats by dre,beats pill

29 May 2024

Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift & More Lookalikes Appear in Alexander Wang Ricco Bag Promo

Alexander Wang‘s Ricco bag is back in stock, and to show off the authenticity of his often-knocked off bag, the fashion designer enlisted some lookalikes of major stars for the campaign.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

In the video posted to Instagram earlier this month, doppelgängers of stars including Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Kylie Jenner unbox the purse and show off all its features — looking uncannily like the celebrities they are set to portray.

“100% certified authentic,” Wang playfully captioned the video, which you can check out here.

Trending on Billboard

The Grande lookalike, a popular TikToker named Paige Niemann, has caught the attention of the “We Can’t Be Friends” singer in the past. The social media star, who has more than 10.3 million followers on TikTok, shared a video back in 2019 in full Grande-inspired glam — ponytail and winged liner included — lip syncing a scene from the Nickelodeon show, Victorious, in which Grande played the character Cat Valentine.

“I just wonder whyyyy the cat voice / dialogue. ? i am sure she is the sweetest sweet sweetheart forreal !! but it’s definitley bizarre seeing people blend the two worlds lmao,” Grande tweeted upon seeing the clip.

The Swift lookalike, another popular TikToker named Ashley Leechin, has also gotten noticed by her favorite superstar. In 2022, the “Fortnight” singer wrote in the comments section of one of Leechin’s videos, “My mom just saw this and said ‘she looks like you.’”

29 May 2024

10 Best Hip-Hop Moments in Wrestling

After Sexxy Red’s torrid debut on WWE NXT Tuesday night (May 28), Billboard explores some of hip-hop’s best momenst in wrestling.

Sexyy Red, Future of Genre

Sexyy Red photographed Dec. 12, 2023, in New York.

Michael Tyrone Delaney

More than ever, hip-hop’s fondness of wrestling is becoming increasingly clear. Last night (May 28), Sexxy Red made her debut on WWE’s NXT, where she not only unveiled a new women’s title for the budding brand but announced she’ll also be heading to Vegas to host the company’s upcoming premium live event NXT Battle Ground on June 9.

Aside from her twerking skills and spunky attitude taking centerstage, Sexxy’s appearance last night on WWE TV minimized the gap between hip-hop and wrestling considerably. In past interviews, Cardi B has revealed her love for the sport and wanting to collide in the ring with some of today’s top superstars. Rappers including Wale and Westside Gunn have been longtime admirers of the sport and have even developed business endeavors that pay homage to wrestling, most notably Wale’s annual WaleMania event.

With WWE and now AEW proving to be staunch supporters of rap, it’s only a matter of time before more rappers take the plunge — and perhaps even getting in the ring one day, like Bad Bunny or Logan Paul.

“I think it’s just cool now, man,” WWE superstar Big E previously told Billboard. “I don’t know exactly what to point to, but you have The Rock involved now. You have [WWE president] Nick Khan involved. You have so many connections with sports and entertainment. I feel like a lot of people were closeted wrestling fans because it wasn’t cool, because it was the nerdy thing to do — but now that it’s becoming more accessible for people, I think a lot of people are coming out of the woodwork.”

Billboard compiled a list of the ten best wrestling moments featuring some of today’s biggest hip-hop stars.

29 May 2024

Ben Platt Talks New Album ‘HONEYMIND,’ Inspiration From Taylor Swift & Beyoncé | Billboard News

Ben Platt shares the creative process behind his new album ‘HONEYMIND,’ how he’s inspired by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s performances, how his career and personal transitions influenced the album and more!

Ben Platt:

I started writing the album in the spring of 2022 in Nashville and sort of wrote this first series of songs that kind of became the kind of like nest egg of the whole thing. And at that stage, I was very much in a kind of point of transition personally and career-wise, where I was reinvestigating kind of my reasons for being an artist. 

Tetris Kelly:

Ben Platt has conquered Broadway, TV and film with his character work. With his third album, ‘HONEYMIND,’ out Friday, he’s showing more of himself than ever.

Ben Platt:

On top of that it was also settling into my, now you know, well, soon-to-be marriage with my partner Noah, and so the album started to take shape as this kind of crossroads between what it feels like to arrive in your kind of real relationship and to have a partner that you feel like really understands you holistically. And then also how do you as a person need to continue to work to understand and care for yourself to really be ready for a relationship like that?

Tetris Kelly:

His relationship with fiancée Noah Galvin, take center stage in Ben’s music video for “Cherry on Top,”

Rebecca Milzoff:

It was like a home movie. How did you to go through that day or days it took to do that?

Ben Platt:

I love to keep some things sacred and private.

Keep watching to learn more!

29 May 2024

Ben Platt on His New Music, Reopening an Iconic Concert Venue — And Being Inspired by Beyoncé and Taylor Swift

As he prepares for the Friday (May 31) release of Honeymind — his third studio album (and first on Interscope) — and settles into his just-opened, 18-date run of concerts reopening Broadway‘s iconic Palace Theatre, singer-songwriter and actor Ben Platt recently sat down with Billboard News to discuss creating his new music, the relationships and artists inspiring him now, and his upcoming projects.

The Honeymind creation process occurred in Nashville, during what Platt calls a “point of transition personally and career-wise, reinvestigating my reasons for being an artist, relearning the importance of following passion and doing things that feel authentically fulfilling and not necessarily checking boxes.” It was also a happy time, Platt says, of settling into the comfort of his relationship with his now-fiancée, fellow actor Noah Galvin — and he found himself exploring, through songwriting, “that crossroads between what it feels like to arrive in your real relationship and have a partner who you feel really understands you holistically, and how do you need to work on yourself as a person to be ready for a relationship like that?”

His Honeymind collaborators include beloved Nashville writers Natalie Hemby and Hillary Lindsey, as well as executive producer Dave Cobb, who worked with Platt at his home studio in Savannah, Ga. Platt praises Cobb’s “barometer for honesty and authenticity … he’s very much no bulls–t. If something feels put-on, or like a bell or whistle, he has no problem being very forthright about that.”

Platt opens up as well about the singular experience of filming the very personal music video for single “Cherry on Top,” in which he enjoys a day out around Los Angeles with Galvin. “I was apprehensive at first — I love to keep some things sacred and private,” he explains. But he ultimately realized that, since song was written specifically about his experience with Galvin, “nothing felt as true as the actual relationship itself that brings that joy about.”

An unabashed fan of pop, Platt also gushes about his own favorite music right now, mentioning perennial favorites Maggie Rogers and Chappell Roan (he’s a vocal longtime fan: “I’ve known she was a superstar the whole time!”). He’s also big on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well (Musgraves made a surprise appearance at Platt’s opening night at the Palace to duet with him on her “Rainbow”), and Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine (“Ari is one of the greatest pop voices of this generation, and it’s such a sharp, delicious bubblegum album that is like, harkening back to Mariah….it’s always in my head”).

Additionally, Platt shares the inspiration he takes from seeing two of the biggest tours of the past year: Beyoncé’s Renaissance trek and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Swift “shares her own experiences and makes us feel like we’re in her living room … in a way that feels very off the cuff but is clearly very thought out and well-crafted,” he says; Beyoncé is “an unbelievable live singer … and on top of that the level to which she exerts and gives of herself no matter what show she’s doing? You’ve never seen her half-ass a performance in her life!”

Platt will be occupied promoting Honeymind for some time — after his Palace residency, he will embark on a tour of the U.S. and Canada (with album collaborator Brandy Clark supporting) through late July. Meanwhile, he reveals to Billboard that Richard Linklater’s twenty-years-in-the-making film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Merrily We Roll Along — announced in 2019, in which Platt stars alongside close friend Beanie Feldstein and Paul Mescal — is progressing.

Platt says two of “eight or nine” sequences have been filmed with, he adds with a laugh, just “another 16 or so years to go.” Linklater, he says, “puts a lot of emphasis on not looking too far ahead … it becomes too daunting, so I just treat it as this gift of getting to have little checkpoints in my life to check back in with Sondheim, with Paul, and obviously Beanie.” Platt praises Mescal, who makes his major musical onscreen debut in Merrily, as a “gorgeous, kind, amazing actor, beautiful voice — he’s the real deal.”

See what else Platt had to say in the video above.

29 May 2024

‘Cowboy Carter’ Contributor Reyna Roberts Performs on ‘America’s Got Talent’

Country singer-songwriter Reyna Roberts made a grand impression on America’s Got Talent‘s Season 19 premiere on Tuesday night (May 28), when she performed her original song “Raised Right” (which she originally released in 2021) for her audition.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

America’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell was clearly impressed by the performance, saying, “You’re not messing around, are you?” Robert quickly confirmed, “Not at all.” 

Fellow judge Heidi Klum complimented Roberts on not only her talent, but also for her red leather ensemble, which matched her red hair. “I love when you really belt it out. I love when you hold the note,” Klum said. “I also love this look that you’re serving today. I love it.”

Trending on Billboard

Cowell also asked Roberts why she wanted to audition for the talent competition. “My dream has always been to be a superstar,” Roberts replied. “I want to create music that outlives me and hopefully that inspires other people and I feel like this is the moment that is going to become reality for me.”

Roberts, of course, is well on her way, having contributed to Beyoncé’s recent Billboard 200 chart-topper Cowboy Carter. Roberts performed on a version of the Beatles’ “Blackbird” (stylized “blackbiird” on Cowboy Carter), alongside Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy, and on the song “Tyrant.”

Roberts has been showcasing her musical talent long before Beyoncé came calling. Roberts, born in Alaska and raised in California and Alabama, initially gained attention with her 2020 song “Stomping Grounds.” That same year, she moved to Nashville and shared a video of herself performing a cover of Carrie Underwood’s “Drinking Alone.” The performance drew praise from Underwood and Mickey Guyton. She released “Pretty Little Devils” in 2022 and teamed with Tayler Holder for “Another Round” in 2023. She issued her debut full-length project, Bad Girl Bible Vol. 1 in 2023. Earlier this year, Roberts got a boost from Queen Bey, who invited her to be part of Cowboy Carter.

Ultimately, Roberts received a triple yes from the America’s Got Talent judges, and will advance to the next round. A new crop of artists will audition on Tuesday, June 4, when the show airs at 7 p.m. CT on NBC and streams on Peacock.

Watch Roberts’s audition below:


https://youtube.com/watch?v=HbGVFIr_tr0&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

29 May 2024

Kendrick Lamar Gets Trolled by TDE President Over Chanel Photo Shoot: ‘I Think I’m Cute on There’

Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence “Punch” Henderson shared a text conversation with Kendrick Lamar after trolling him over his Chanel photoshoot from January.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Punch came across a black-and-white picture of K. Dot from his designer fashion photoshoot on X earlier this week, and he playfully jabbed at Lamar and his feud with Drake by referring to him as a “Certified Loverboy.”

Punch couldn’t get enough of the photoshoot and took his banter directly to Kendrick and sent him a text asking for some background on the picture. “What you doing dawg,” he asked. The Compton legend replied with a handful of crying laughing emojis and added: “I think I’m cute on there man. I couldn’t resist.”

Trending on Billboard

The Top Dawg Entertainment executive refused to let Kendrick off the hook that easy. “What you doing with these dreamy eyes n—a,” he continued. K. Dot couldn’t even muster up much of a response: “I’m crying dawg.”

Punch then asked for permission to post the hilarious exchange for the world to see. “Man you gotta let me post this dawg. I’m crying,” he wrote. Fans couldn’t get enough of the text message convo surrounding the Chanel shoot in his replies. One even tweaked lyrics from Lamar’s “Euphoria” Drake diss to fit the situation.

“Punch to Kendrick: Let me tell you I’m the biggest hater, I hate the way that you dress. I hate the way that your eyes look when u look away if I see you u better look at me direct,” a fan responded.

The photoshoot in question went down in January when Kendrick was shot by Malick Bodian for Chanel after attending the Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show at Paris Fashion Week.

Lamar and his pgLang company were directly involved in the creative for curating the fashion show. He teased an unreleased song which scored a short film visual recapping the event.

Find the exchange between Kendrick and Punch below.

29 May 2024

Paramore Calls for Immediate Ceasefire Amid Israel-Hamas War: ‘We Simply Cannot Support a Genocide’

Paramore is joining the latest round of celebrity support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza following this week’s intensifying violence between Israel and Hamas in the southern city of Rafah.

On Instagram Stories Wednesday (May 29), the punk-rock trio posted information about Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders, two organizations currently providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians affected by the ongoing war. After encouraging fans to join them in donating to the non-profits, the band concluded their note with a message: “We stand in solidarity with those calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”

Elsewhere in the post, bandmates Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro further explained their stance on the war, which has been waging on since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas killed about 1,200 Israeli civilians and took around 250 more hostage in a surprise attack in Gaza on Oct. 7. “Lastly, we do not believe that support for our Palestinian friends and family equals anti-Semitism,” they wrote. “We love our Jewish friends and family and pray for the safe return of the remaining hostages.”

The group added, “That being said, we simply cannot support a genocide.”

Paramore’s post comes amid Israel’s recent military push in Rafah, which on Sunday (May 26) culminated in an Israeli airstrike triggering a deadly fire that killed 45 people taking shelter in a Palestinian refugee camp. Over the next two days, at least 37 more civilians were reportedly killed by additional shelling and strikes in the area, putting the overall Palestinian death total since the war began well past 36,000.

Israeli leaders have argued that the violence in Rafah is crucial to ensuring Hamas’ return of the hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attacks, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the refugee camp fire a “tragic mishap.” Political leaders and citizens across the globe, however, are increasingly calling for an end to the violence following the latest surge in civilian deaths, including other American artists such as Kehlani and Dua Lipa — both of whom have joined Paramore in publicly calling for action against the violence this week.