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15 Apr 2024

J Balvin Takes Billboard Behind Otherworldly Coachella Set With Will Smith | Billboard News

J Balvin shows Billboard’s Tetris Kelly the exclusive behind-the-scenes setup of his out-of-this-world Coachella set from this weekend, featuring a special guest appearance by ‘Men In Black’ star Will Smith.

J Balvin
I need Will Smith in the show. I need the ‘Men In Black.’

Tetris Kelly
From Big Willy to an alien landing and an out-of-this-world performance. You won’t believe where we are — we’re taking you behind the scenes of J Balvin’s epic Coachella set right here at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. Mi gente, let’s go!

Tetris Kelly
How are you feeling heading out to the desert now?

J Balvin
Man, can’t wait to see this UFO, you know, landing in Coachella.

Tetris Kelly
How do you feel fans are gonna react?

J Balvin
I think they’re gonna go crazy, but they have no idea, no clue. Like, not even my friends, don’t come to rehearsal, nothing.

Tetris Kelly
Just come straight to the show.

J Balvin
Even my wife!

Tetris Kelly
She doesn’t know?

J Balvin
Yeah, she’s like, ‘Can I come?’ I was like, ‘Nope!’

Tetris Kelly
So I’m seeing you up in the air and all this stuff — are you nervous about that part at all?

J Balvin
When I started doing this part here, you know that goes to the UFO, I was shaking the first day, I can’t lie, because you know from this height, you fall, you’re done, right? If we go viral… but that’s not important.

Tetris Kelly
But we don’t want that, right?

Watch the full video above!

15 Apr 2024

Marley Brothers Unite for 2024 North American ‘Legacy Tour’ Celebrating Dad Bob Marley’s Music & Influence

Five of late reggae icon Bob Marley‘s musical scions announced their first joint tour in nearly 20 years on Monday (April 15), an outing they’re calling The Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour.

Teaming up for their first extended run of joint dates since 2007, brothers Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian will celebrate their beloved father’s music and legacy on the outing that a release promised would feature both their individual hits and classic Bob Marley songs.

The 22-date Live Nation-promoted North American trek is slated to kick off Sept. 5 with a show at the Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park in Vancouver, then hitting Phoenix, Dallas, Cincinnati, Toronto, Atlanta and Tampa before winding down at Miami’s FPL Solar Amphitheatre on Oct. 5.

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April 20 will mark an expansion of screenings of the biopic Bob Marley: One Love, while the 40th anniversary of the “Could You Be Loved” singer’s landmark 1984 greatest-hits compilation Legend will be celebrated next month; in addition, 2025 marks what would have been Marley’s 80th birthday.

Tickets for the tour will start with pre-sales kicking off Tuesday (April 16), including a Citi presale beginning at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday (April 18) at 10 p.m. local time here. A general on-sale will kick off Friday (April 19) at 10 a.m. local time with information available here.

Check out the dates for the 2024 Legacy Tour below.

Sept. 5 — Vancouver, BC @ Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park
Sept 6 — Ridgefield, WA @ RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
Sept. 8 — Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
Sept. 10 — Concord, CA @ Toyota Pavilion at Concord
Sept. 11 — Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sept. 12 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Sept. 13 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
Sept. 15 — Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Sept. 16 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
Sept. 18 — Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Sept. 19 — Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
Sept. 22 — Queens, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
Sept. 23 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sept. 25 — Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
Sept. 26 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
Sept. 27 — Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
Sept. 29 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
Sept. 30 — Laval, QC @ Place Bell
Oct. 2 — Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavilion 
Oct. 3 — Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
Oct. 4 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amp
Oct. 5 — Miami, FL @ FPL Solar Amphitheatre

15 Apr 2024

How to Watch ESPN Without Cable to Stream NBA, MLB & More Live Sports Online

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.

If you’re a sports fan, ESPN is the go-to hub for year-round live sporting events, including NBA, Major League Baseball games and NCAA tournaments including March Madness. The ESPN channel is one of the easiest ways to get access to games and analysis, but sports fans who have become cord cutters don’t have to re-invest in cable if they want to watch ESPN. There are a variety of affordable streaming options that can give you access to watch ESPN online.

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These days, there are a number of live TV streaming platforms that include ESPN as well as hundreds of other channels that’ll get you access to NHL, MLB and more online at home. Plus, most of the platforms include promos and free trials that’ll help save you additional money while allowing you to watch ESPN online for free.

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Keep reading to learn how to watch ESPN at home without cable.

How to Watch ESPN Online Without Cable

ESPN+ is the official streaming platform for ESPN, and a subscription includes instant access to games and more exclusive content for $10.99/month. You can save more than 15% off by purchasing an annual subscription for $109.99/year. There is no free ESPN+ trial, but it does include exclusive on-demand videos and access to content from what was formerly known as ESPN Insider.

In addition to live sports, ESPN+ has original shows to stream on-demand, plus game recaps and analysis hosted by Peyton Manning, a shorter version of NFL Primetime and full replays of historic NFL matchups.

To expand your savings and content offerings, you can also bundle ESPN+ with Hulu and Disney+ for a single monthly price of just $14.99 for all three services.

How to Watch ESPN Online Free

While ESPN+ doesn’t currently offer a free trial, there are other streamers that offer ESPN online free. If you want access to ESPN and additional channels, you can take advantage of DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV and Fubo, which are all offering free trials or promos right now. Some of them can give you free access to ESPN for up to a week.

Here are all the ways to watch ESPN online, including ways to stream ESPN online for free.

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is providing new users with a five-day free trial when you sign up for one of the four packages offered by the streaming service. All of the packages include ESPN so you can watch the channel online.

In addition, you can save $30 when you combine a streaming package with a “Sports Pack.” Right now, the Entertainment + Sports Pack is $85 (reg. $95) for the first three months and includes ESPN. After the three months is over, you’ll be charged the regular package price.

Local channels are included in the streaming packages as well as unlimited DVR storage and the ability to stream on as many smart devices as you want.

Sling TV

Sling TV is providing new users half-off their first month when they sign up for one of the three packages available. ESPN is only included in the Orange and Orange + Blue packages, which you can get for as low as $20 for the first month (reg. $40). After your first month you’ll be charged the full package price.

The Orange package includes 32 channels and can be streamed on one device at once. For even more channel options including FS1 and the NFL Network, you can combine both plans for $27.50 for the first month (reg. $55/month) and get access to 68 channels.

Fubo

Fubo is another affordable option you can take advantage of to watch ESPN online. The streamer offers a seven-day free trial that’ll give you access to ESPN free and more than 100 live TV channels.

After your free trial is over, Fubo’s Pro Plan is its cheapest option at $79.99/month and it comes with 199 channels, 1000 hours of DVR storage and the ability to watch content on up to 10 screens at once. You can also upgrade to its Premier plan for $99.99/month, which includes everything in its Elite plan as well as access to Showtime and 275 channels.

Hulu + Live TV

For the most content options, Hulu + Live TV gives you access to the entire Hulu library in addition to more than 95 live TV channels — including ESPN for just $77/month.

And, unlike the rest of the options, you can also expand your content library by bundling Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+. You’ll not only have all of the Hulu library to watch, but also exclusive and original programming available exclusively on ESPN+.

15 Apr 2024

Katy Perry Looks Stunned as TikToker Serenades Her With ‘Prism’ Deep Cut at Coachella

Katy Perry was on both the giving and receiving ends of surprise performances at this year’s Coachella.

Shortly after the pop star made a guest appearance onstage at best friend Mia Moretti’s festival set, she was approached by TikToker Harry Daniels for an impromptu performance of a Prism deep cut — which, a stunned Perry revealed, she just so happened to write about her DJ BFF more than a decade ago.

In a clip posted Monday (April 15), Daniels approaches Perry — who wears a T-shirt with husband Orlando Bloom’s Lord of the Rings character on it — and starts belting out a few lines from her 2013 song “International Smile.” As the American Idol judge’s eyes widen in shock, she looks frantically around and shouts, “Where’s Mia?”

She then explains excitedly: “My best friend that just played Coachella, that song’s about her!”

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“I got really nervous to sing for katy and i blanked,” Daniels captioned the video. “the only song i could remember was this one deep cut from 2013.”

The comedian — who’s known for singing in front of unwitting celebrities such as Billie Eilish, Ellie Goulding and, very recently, President Joe Biden — also crossed paths with Gwen Stefani, Paris Hilton, Tyga, Becky G, Reneé Rapp and Wallows’ Dylan Minnette during the first weekend of Coachella 2024, which kicked off Friday. The festival will pick up again April 19, with headliners Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator and Doja Cat returning for round two.

Perry was present at day 3 of this year’s event, joining her longtime pal behind the DJ booth on the DoLab stage Sunday (April 14). At one point, she shot fake dollar bills into the crowd with a money gun while modeling a bikini tee from Moretti’s merch line.

Other surprise guests at Coachella 2024 were Kesha, who showed up during Rapp’s set, Olivia Rodrigo, who appeared during Stefani and No Doubt’s performance, and Eilish, who joined Del Rey on the main stage.

Watch Perry get serenaded by Daniels below.

15 Apr 2024

Jessica Chastain Recalls Her Beyoncé & Jay-Z Music Video Cameo: ‘I Would Always Work With The Carters’

Not many people can say they’ve won an Oscar and worked with Beyoncé — but Jessica Chastain can.

In a conversaition with Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet at the 10th Breakthrough Prize Awards on Saturday, the Eyes of Tammy Faye actress reflected on working with Queen Bey and Jay-Z back in 2017.

“I would always work with The Carters. There’s no , like, yeah of course,” she said. “That’s why the second I got the call about their music video that I did, ‘Family Feud,’ [I said] ‘This is not even a question, you don’t even need to ask this question.’”

In 2017, Chastain starred in a music video for “Family Feud” — a track from Jay-Z’s Billboard 200-topping 4:44. The visual, helmed by Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay, featured an eye-popping cast of film and television stars, including Michael B. Jordan, Rosario Dawson, Brie Larson, Thandiwe Newton, Trevante Rhodes, Omari Hardwick, Niecy Nash, Janet Mock and Mindy Kaling. The cinematic clip begins in the year 2050 with a grown-up Blue Ivy Carter leading a convention of the Founding Mothers of a fictional nation.

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DuVernay won the 2018 BET Award for video director of the year for the “Family Feud” music video, and the song peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nomination for best rap/sung performance.

Recently, Chastain showed her love for the “II Most Wanted” singer by using the Hot 100-topping “Texas Hold ‘Em” in a video of her getting ready for an awards show. “Whenever she needs me, I’m there,” added the Oscar winner, who picked up her leading actress statuette for 2022’s The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

While fans continue to wait on the Renaissance and Cowboy Carter visuals, they can see their fellow Beyhive member Chastain in the recently released psychological thriller Mothers’ Instinct. The Benoît Delhomme-helmed flick, which co-stars Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, is a 1960s-set remake of Olivier Masset-Depasse’s 2018 French-language film same of the name. Masset-Depasse’s film is adapted from Barbra Abel’s 2012 novel.

Chastain is just one of countless celebs who have been loving Beyoncé’s dip into country. From Sarah Paulson to Olivia Rodrigo, everyone is getting their two-step on to Cowboy Carter.

15 Apr 2024

Cardi B, Gunna, Davido & Sexyy Red to Headline BET Experience 2024

BET is taking over Los Angeles to open up the summer in celebration of the 2024 BET Awards. The media company revealed Monday (April 15) that Cardi B, Davido, Gunna and Sexyy Red will serve as headliners at BET Experience 2024.

Cardi and co. will invade the Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles on June 28 to kick off the weekend of festivities. Pre-sale tickets are now available on the BET Experience website.

That isn’t the only concert going down: The famed Hollywood Bowl will also play host to Queen Latifah, The Roots, Common, Jungle Brothers and more on June 29.

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For those in L.A., BET is encouraging fans to pull up to the BETX 2024 FanFest at the Los Angeles Convention Center throughout the weekend, which will host “Genius Talks, immersive workshops” and more.

All roads lead to Sunday’s (June 30) BET Awards 2024 to cap off a busy few days in the City of Angels paying homage to hip-hop’s legacy and the dignitaries of Black culture.

Veteran journalist Elliott Wilson speculated that Cardi’s return to the stage could signal the arrival of her anticipated sophomore album around the same time.

“Does this mean ⁦@iamcardib⁩ album 6/28,” he asked on X.

Earlier in April, Cardi B celebrated the sixth anniversary of her Invasion of Privacy Grammy-winning debut and teased fans about her next LP.

“6 years ago I released my first album and it broke so many records GAH LEE!!” she wrote. “6 years later I’m preparing to drop the next one this year.. it’s so different from what everyone is expecting and I’m sooo excited.”

Invasion of Privacy debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The set’s tracklist includes Hot 100 No. 1 singles “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It.”

Cardi B set the tone for 2024 with a pair of singles last month. The first arrived on March 1 with “Like What (Freestyle)” which was followed by the Hot 100 top 10 hit “Enough (Miami).”

15 Apr 2024

StubHub Eyeing IPO, Aiming for $16.5B Valuation: Report

Online ticket resale platform StubHub is considering going public as soon as this summer if it can secure a valuation of more than $16 billion, according to media reports.

The Information first reported on Friday (April 12) that StubHub is aiming for a valuation of $16.5 billion, or the valuation it received in 2021 during the company’s last fundraising round, and has been working with JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs on the potential IPO.

StubHub’s valuation may be closer to $8 billion based on the value of similar, though smaller, rivals like VividSeats, the article stated. Moody’s estimates StubHub is carrying $2 billion in debt, a figure that is seven times its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), according to The Information.

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StubHub, JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs did not respond to requests for comment about the potential timing of an IPO.

Founded in 2000, StubHub was sold to eBay in 2007 for a reported $310 million. In late 2019, its smaller rival, Viagogo, bought the ticketing marketplace from eBay for $4.05 billion in a combination cash and debt deal that was finalized months before the COVID-19 pandemic caused mass event cancellations.

StubHub temporarily cut its staff by two-thirds in March 2020 as it and other ticket resale companies struggled with a sharp drop-off in revenue and refund requests from customers.

In recent months, StubHub, Vivid Seats and other third-party ticketing sites have come under fire from lawmakers in several U.S. states that want to crack down on bots and ticket resellers, which they accuse of driving up prices. StubHub has said it supports banning misleading and speculative ticket sales.

15 Apr 2024

Tyler, the Creator Addresses Awkward Jerrod Carmichael Moment During Coachella Perfomance

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music and feature photos at Coachella day 2

Source: Dania Maxwell / Getty / Tyler the Creator

Tyler, the Creator, used his 2024 Coachella headlining set to get a few things off his chest.

Jerrod Carmichael had the internet buzzing last month when a clip from his new Max series, the Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, went viral.

In the clip, Carmichael revisits the moment he shared his feelings for Tyler, the Creator, which led to an awkward moment between the two friends, with the rapper responding to the comedian by turning him down and calling him a “stupid bitch.”

During their sit-down, Carmichael reveals the moment created “a distance” between himself and the rapper. Tyler permanently put Carmichael in the friend zone, calling him a “true brother” and saying he’s like “family.”



During his headlining set at Coachella, Tyler, the Creator broke his silence on the matter.

“I’m guessing y’all got TikTok and probably seen my homie try to fuck me on camera,” he said. “I looked terrible. I told the n—a no, and he said, what about if we filmed it? Terrible.”

That wasn’t the only thing Tyler, the Creator, touched on during his set. He also revealed to the crowd his past hate for A$AP Rocky and Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, both of whom he shared the stage with during his electrifying performance.

Per Variety:

Childish Gambino (a.k.a. Donald Glover) was the night’s first guest, singing the hook on “Running Out of Time.” “You know what’s sick?” said Tyler after Gambino left the stage. “I used to hate that n—a. Seriously. I don’t know why, I gotta go to therapy to figure it out, but this n—a put this song called ‘Urn’ out. It was so undeniable n—a, I was at conflict with myself, like fuck, how could a n—a I hate so much make something so good?”

He shared that he felt a similar way about ASAP Rocky, who joined him for “Potato Salad” and “Who Dat Boy.” “You know what’s crazy? I used to hate that n—a too,” he said. “OK we thought we had beef. it was the n—s around us and then me and Rock was like, we got love and now we friends.” Elsewhere, Charlie Wilson joined Tyler at a piano for “Earfquake,” while Kali Uchis made a brief cameo to sing her part on “See You Again.” He also took an opportunity to take a trip down memory lane, running through a medley of verses from tracks like “She,” “Tron Cat,” “Yonkers” and “Tamale.” 

We can always count on Tyler, the Creator to give us a stellar performance.

15 Apr 2024

Willie ‘Prophet’ Stiggers Honored at National Action Network’s Annual Convention

On Saturday (April 13), Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, co-founder/president/CEO of Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), was honored at the National Action Network’s 21st Annual Convention Youth and College Day by the Reverend Al Sharpton for his commitment to the youth program, as well his lifelong activism in the music industry and within the Black community.

Prophet first joined the National Action Network (NAN) two years after its launch in 1993 and spearheaded the youth movement for the organization. He began to work closely with Sharpton, building chapters across the country and becoming a youth activist in the New York metro area. Prophet launched BMAC in 2020, modeling the advocacy organization’s blueprint after NAN.

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Prophet expounded on his connection to NAN during his acceptance speech, saying, “As I spent more time in the music industry over the following decade and focused on BMAC, I faded into the shadows on the business side. Throughout my journey, I still stood on the same principles but was more focused on building my family and ensuring that my children weren’t a statistic. That I wasn’t a statistic.”

Prophet added, “The activist giant in me woke up in 2020. Society was not going to use the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery to share generic posts and act as if the knee of this country hasn’t been on the necks of Black artists and civilians for decades. My goal was to hold the industry accountable. Many people at the time didn’t know this other passionate, activist side of me and were shocked. My blueprint was modeled after being a student of NAN and a student of Reverend Sharpton. Learning how to speak my truth in an unapologetic way. The spirit of not letting these issues stand there and be idle, but getting in the ring and fighting.”

Under Prophet’s leadership, BMAC has been committed to holding the music industry accountable while creating new pipelines of access and opportunity, both artistically and economically, for the Black artist community.

15 Apr 2024

Mariah Carey Serenades Da Brat With Long ‘Lost’ Song in Honor of Rapper’s Birthday

As far as birthday serenades go, having Mariah Carey sing for you is pretty hard to beat. Da Brat knows this first-hand after the Songbird Supreme performed a snippet of an unreleased track the pair seemingly worked on together in honor of the rapper’s 50th on Sunday (April 14) — see a clip below.

In a video sent in to the talk show Dish Nation — which Da Brat co-hosts — Mimi sang a few bars from an untitled track she later claimed producer L.T. Hutton “lost.”

“It’s driving me crazy, ’cause you’re making me sad every minute,” she crooned. “Cry every second/ Why should I, why should I, why should I keep hanging on?”

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“You know the song, Tat Tat,” Carey told her longtime friend and collaborator after she finished. “That’s our song, and L.T. Hutton lost it. Where are you? Where did you put that song?”

“I love you so much, happy birthday,” she added. “They told me the number. I don’t do numbers. I don’t know what it is, have no recollection of any of it.”

Born Shawntae Harris, Da Brat has hopped on a number of the “We Belong Together” singer’s tracks — including the remixes of Carey’s “Heartbreaker,” “Loverboy” and “Always Be My Baby,” to name a few. In response to her famous friend’s message, the hip-hop pioneer said, “That was beautiful … Oh Sug, I love you, MC.”

The day marked Da Brat’s first birthday as a mom, having welcomed a baby boy named True Legend with wife Jesseca Harris-Dupart in July last year. “I can’t believe he came out of me! Feels like a dream,” the Grammy-nominated artist told People at the time. “He’s perfect in every way. This journey has been more amazing than we could’ve ever imagined.”

Watch Carey sing part of an unreleased song for Da Brat’s birthday below.