djfrosty

Baby Keem Drops ‘The Melodic Blue’ Visual on Prime Video, Featuring 3 Unreleased Tracks

Baby Keem unveiled The Melodic Blue visual to go along with his 2021 debut album Tuesday (Dec. 5) on Prime Video.

Directed by Savannah Setten, The Melodic Blue “takes you through Keem’s internal battle and leads you through fragments of memory and temptation as he navigates the depths of The Melodic Blue,” according to a press release. In addition to Baby Keem (real name Hykeem Carter) — who executive produced the visual alongside Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free — Amandla Stenberg, Shakira Ja’nai Paye, Francis Lovehall and Séréna Sy also star in the 20-minute visual. And to close out The Melodic Blue chapter, he presents three previously unreleased songs: “Rock Me,” “Torch” and “White Laces,” which features James Blake. At press time, the songs are not available on DSPs.

Baby Keem's 'The Melodic Blue'

Courtesy Photo

The Melodic Blue (the album) was released on Sept. 10, 2021, via pgLang and Columbia Records. The set debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, and its hit single “Family Ties” (alongside his cousin Lamar) won a Grammy for best rap performance at the 2022 awards show. He later dropped its deluxe version, which featured PinkPantheress and Lil Uzi Vert as additional collaborators. But Keem first debuted the trailer for The Melodic Blue (the visual) at Camp Flog Gnaw this year, where he and Lamar headlined night one as The Hillbillies, the Grammy-nominated duo, as its eponymous single earned a best rap performance nod ahead of the 2024 Grammy Awards.

The Melodic Blue was written by pgLang and produced by Jamie Rabineau and Cornell Brown.

Watch The Melodic Blue here.

Baes & Baddies: Meet Atlanta Black & South Korean Stunner Jasmyn Mai

HipHopWired Featured Video

CLOSE

Jasmyn Mai

Atlanta is known for its bevy of beauties and Jasmyn Mai adds to that longstanding legacy. The Black and South Korean stunner is our latest Baes & Baddies entry.

We don’t know much at all about Jasmyn Mai but she caught our eye as we were strolling through those Instagram streets. From what we can figure out, Jasmyn represents ATL and is of South Korean heritage due to the flag in her bio.

Much of her page shows Jasmyn sharing with her fans various looks in a ton of flattering outfits and appears to be a young woman enjoying life on her terms. This is just the start of her career, and hopefully, we’ll get to know more about Jasmyn Mai in the future.

Check out our latest Baes & Baddies entry in the gallery below.

Photo: Jasmyn Mai/@soyoujasmyn

Nicky Jam Opens Up About Losing 110 Pounds After Gastric Bypass Surgery: ‘I Feel Healthy’

Nicky Jam is sharing how transforming his health habits and making the decision to undergo gastric bypass surgery have positively impacted his life.

The reggaeton star told People this week that he decided to have the procedure — in which the stomach’s size is reduced and re-connected to the small intestine — six months ago. “The reality is I’ve been fighting with my weight my whole life because this is an industry where you have to be in shape, you have to do movies, you have to do videos,” he explained, adding that the surgery was “something he really wanted,” especially after seeing a friend’s successful results.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Since then, the 42-year-old singer revealed that he lost 110 pounds, which was also facilitated by having an active lifestyle. “Basketball, that’s what helped me. I play basketball every single day,” he shared. “I’m a big fan of basketball, and that’s what I do with my buddies, everywhere I travel. We have an indoor court here. We play every day, and every time we play basketball, I think I lose two pounds!”

Jam also changed up his diet to help maintain his weight. “I used to wake up and I just wanted to eat,” he recalls. “Now I take my time and I eat whenever I want. I feel better. I feel happy. I feel healthy. Two days ago, I did blood work, and I came out better than ever.”

However, the singer revealed that the process hasn’t always been easy. “You have to prepare yourself mentally for what’s coming, and it’s not easy. People say this is the easy way — they’re wrong,” Jam says of undergoing gastric bypass surgery. “Here, you’re obligated to not eat. You can’t even drink liquids and eat at the same time. Because your stomach is so small, you’ll get full [so quickly]. So it’s like you got to learn how to eat, wait 20 minutes, and then you drink some liquid.”

Christina Aguilera’s Travel Essentials Include a Pink Nintendo Switch: Shop It Here

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.

Christina Aguilera may be most known for her powerful vocals and Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping songs, but the pop star recently revealed she’s also quite the gamer. During a trip to Melbourne, the “Dirrty” singer revealed what she carries in her bag during a TikTok for the Australian food delivery service Menulog on Thursday (Nov. 30). Among her travel necessities is a pink Nintendo Lite Switch, with the star claiming she’s a “big kid at heart” and relies on the device for some relaxation when she’s on the go.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Everybody that knows me knows I love a nice video game,” she says in the video. “It’s very relaxing. It takes me out of my element — it’s a destressor for me, so who doesn’t like a cute and pink Switch?”

You’ll also likely find her playing Super Mario Bros., as the “Beautiful” singer says she’s “a big Mario girl.”

Instead of relying on an outlet, laptop or TV to play video games, Aguilera praised the Switch’s portability, noting you can “take it on the plane, hotel rooms,” and since it’s lightweight, there’s less of a worry about the device weighing down your backpack, tote bag or luggage.

The singer isn’t the only one who’s a fan of the gaming device. It’s earned a 4.8-star rating on Amazon, with more than 47,000 verified five-star reviews by shoppers who can’t get enough of it’s “durable” design and how “how simple and portable it is.”

Keep reading to shop the device.

Amazon

Nintendo Switch Lite – Coral

Take your gaming on the go with Nintendo’s Switch Lite, which is capable of online and local wireless multiplayer. A full set of controls is in built into the device, as well as a digital display screen to play your favorite games in high definition. The device comes in a range of bold and vibrant colors to choose to your liking, and also makes a special gift for the gamer in your life.

Among other must-haves in her bag was a mini Theragun massager, Fenty lip gloss, a handheld fan, Spirited Away playing cards and Touchland Hand Sanitizer in Rosewater.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best celebrity headphones, charging stations and commuter gadgets.

Taylor Swift Praised by Hayley Williams, Tim McGraw & More Stars: ‘She’s Just Getting Started’

Taylor Swift is this year’s “most intriguing person” according to People, and stars such as Hayley Williams, Tim McGraw and Sabrina Carpenter are here to tell you why.

According to the publication, Swift earns this year’s honors for her “record-shattering” Eras Tour, Taylor’s Version rerecords and public intrigue-generating relationships with both her famous friend group (Selena Gomez, Sophie Turner, Gigi Hadid and others) and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. But for Carpenter, a pal of the “Anti-Hero” singer and one of several Eras openers, the secret to Swift’s magic is her ability to connect with fans — although her cookie-making skills don’t hurt either.

“She’s able to connect with every single person in the crowd, like she’s singing to them personally,” the “Nonsense” singer told the publication. “And offstage she is still a superstar, but she’s a superstar who’s really good at baking.”

“I’ve spent a lot of time with her, and I’ve never seen anyone wait on her,” Aaron Dessner, a frequent collaborator of Swift’s, added. “When I have stayed at her house, Taylor herself was cooking everyone breakfast and dinner. She’s legitimately just a very down to earth and hard-working person.”

One of Swift’s former country music peers — and the namesake of her 2006 debut single — Tim McGraw also gave his thoughts on Swift’s character. “She knows when, where, how to promote [her work], but she also knows when, where, how to be normal and be a human just living her life,” he said.

Unsurprisingly, the 12-time Grammy winner is cropping up on quite a few year-end lists. Not only was she named the top artist of 2023 by both Spotify and Apple Music, but she was also recently declared Forbesfifth most powerful woman in the world. The latter publication estimated that she’s ending the year with a net worth of $1.1 billion, comprised of $500 million from royalties and touring, $500 million from her music catalog and some $125 million in real estate.

Swift also scored two new No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 this year — “Is It Over Now?” and “Cruel Summer,” which reached its peak four years after its release — and topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks. And, her Eras Tour film became the highest grossing concert movie of all time — but even with all of that in mind, Hayley Williams thinks it’s only the beginning for the superstar.

“I’m almost afraid to say it,” the Paramore frontwoman told the magazine, “but I kind of think she’s just getting started.”

Philadelphia City Council Passes Ski Mask Ban Bill

HipHopWired Featured Video

thief in a black jacket. A man in a black balaclava with an evil expression on his face. An aggressive bandit on a white background. The concept of crime or theft.

The Philadelphia City Council voted late last week to issue a ban against the wearing of ski masks in certain parts of the city. The bill is now on the desk of Mayor Jim Kenney, whose office will review the legislation ahead of moving it into law.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the bill, authored by Councilmember Anthony Philips, passed in the council on a 13-2 vote last Thursday (November 30). As the publication reports, the ban would allow police officers to fine individuals $250 for wearing a ski or balaclava mask in parks, schools, day-care centers, on public transit, and in buildings owned by the city.

The balaclava mask, also known as the “Shiesty” mask, is popular in many urban areas and has become something of a clothing staple for some. There are some critics of the ban, believing that the rule will unfairly target people for simply wearing an article of clothing.

Phillips says that his side is working on a marketing campaign for the rule should it come to law. There are questions about how the law would be enforced by police officers, although it seems that many are in favor of the ban.

There is resistance to the ban as groups such as the ACLU and local activists believe that the law will be used by officers to overstep the rights of others.

Photo: Getty

Jean-Michel Jarre to Perform From Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors on Christmas

Jean Michel-Jarre will have a tres merry Christmas and also offer some joy to the world, with the French electronic pioneer set to perform from Versailles on Dec. 25.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Presented by UNESCO and the French Ministry of Culture, the performance will happen from the Château de Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors, a UNESCO world heritage site, to celebrate the location’s 400th anniversary.

Called VERSAILLES 400, the show will happen in front of a live performance in the Hall of Mirrors, and also in virtual reality. Jarre will play while wearing a mixed reality headset, with the metaverse version of the show happening in a digital Hall of Mirrors. The virtual audience can connect through VR or on tablets and smartphones.

The show is designed as a tribute to French innovation that brings together current artforms and the art of the 17th century. Tickets for the live performance at Versailles start at 60€, or $65.

The show will be filmed at the Château de Versailles and broadcast on French and international television channels, along with Jarre’s YouTube channel and in VR on the French VRROOM platform, all on Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

“Versailles 400 is a hybrid concert and visual creation broadcast live from one of the world’s most beautiful locations, as well as in virtual reality in the metaverse,” Jarre said in a press release. “I hope the event will help promote our creative savoir faire and bring the world of French immersive creation to the forefront of collective culture.”

The 75-year-old genre legend is not a stranger to playing in exotic locations. In 1981, he was the first Western musician to perform in China, landmark shows captured for the double album The Concerts In China. He was invited again, which he accepted in 2004, whereupon he played the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, concerts which beamed live on national television. Other shows have incorporated skyscrapers and city landmarks.

In 2020, President Emmanuel Macron awarded him the Commander of the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest order of merit. Earlier, he released the album Amazonia, a musical tribute to the Amazon rain forest, its inhabitants and the threats they face, and the companion to an exhibition by legendary photographer Sebastião Salgado. Jarre’s most recent album, Oxymore, was released in 2022.

Emilia Sells Out 10 Dates at Movistar Arena in 10 Hours: ‘Fans Are Connecting With My Music’

Emilia is closing 2023 with a historic career achievement — selling out 10 shows at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires in only 10 hours. 

The record-breaking news occurred Monday (Dec. 4) as part of the Argentine pop star’s .mp3 tour in 2024. She has surpassed the previous record held by Luis Miguel, who sold out nine dates in one day at the venue with another date added later. Billboard can confirm that, to date, only Emilia and “El Sol de México” have achieved this feat.  

The concerts are set to take place at the venue on April 6, 7, 19, 20, 21 and 23, and May 3, 29-31 for a collective audience of more than 100,000 fans. 

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Having sold out shows in my career is truly special,” Emilia tells Billboard exclusively. “To me it basically means my fans are connecting with my music. I am so thankful. I know I say it all the time, but it goes back to believing in yourself, because dreams do come true if you work for them.” 

The 27-year-old artist — who’s currently making the rounds with her sophomore studio album .mp3 — says she’s ready for the intense vocal and dance rehearsals because “I want every detail of the performances to be just right. It’s all about creating an unforgettable experience for my fans.” 

She also shared details on what fans can expect from her hometown concerts. 

“The stage will be decked out with eye-catching sets. I’m taking fans back to the 2000s, and there will be so many surprises,” she notes. “People can also expect a blending of some of my classic [songs] like ‘420,’ ‘La Chain’ and ‘Como Si No Importara’ with the fresh tracks from my new album.” 

Emilia has placed various entries on the Billboard charts, including Latin Pop Airplay, Billboard Global 200, and Global Excl. U.S., in addition to three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart.

In addition to her Movistar Arena run, concert dates in Rosario, Córdoba, Montevideo, Salta and Asunción were also unveiled. For more information, visit Emilia’s official website

Jamie Foxx Gives Emotional Speech At Critics Choice Association Event

HipHopWired Featured Video

Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - November 7, 2023

Jamie Foxx had a health scare earlier this year that had fans and his peers alike wishing for his speedy recovery from the unknown illness. During a Critics Choice Association event ahead of the TV nominations, Foxx won an award and addressed his health journey during his acceptance speech.

As shared via the CCA’s X account, Jamie Foxx was among several people honored at the CCA event that honored Black, Latino, and AAPI performers and industry talent at the Fairmont Century Plaza on Monday (December 4). Foxx, 55, earned the Vanguard Award for his performance in Amazon Prime’s The Burial.

“You know, it’s crazy, I couldn’t do that six months ago, I couldn’t actually walk,” Foxx began in his speech after walking out to loud applause “I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy, because it’s tough.”

At several points of the speech, Foxx was moved emotionally by the memory of the moment and the response from the crowd. Ultimately, the scare made Foxx more appreciative of the little things now.

Earlier this year, Foxx was on the set of the film Back In Action. He suffered a medical emergency that halted production of the film and kept him out of the limelight as he recovered while keeping details of his emergency and healing close to family and friends.

Salute to Jamie Foxx and it’s great to see you back. Check out the speech below.

Photo: Getty

Bunnie XO Drops a NSFW Christmas Rap Video & Jelly Roll Approves: Watch ’12 Days of Rizzmas’

Bunnie XO is giving fans an early Christmas present with “12 Days of Rizzmas,” her new NSFW rap song and music video that got an early endorsement from her country star husband, Jelly Roll.

In the video released Sunday (Dec. 3), Bunnie welcomes a classroom of students to “Bad B—h 101,” where she teaches lessons such as “Chin up, dukes up” and “Dry your tears with cash.” Showing off her famous sleeve of tattoos in a form-fitting red dress, the model raps over a heavy bass beat: “On the first day of Christmas I was ballin’/ Had every sugar daddy with a sweet tooth callin.’”

“They wake up in the mornin’/ Thinkin’ bout me, Morgan Wallen,” she continues, referencing a song by the “Last Night” singer. “Wanna spend what’s in their wallet … I just get it how I’m living with my true love.”

The holiday track preaches female empowerment (“need no man’s help” and teaching that “you can’t depend on no man”), but also gets a bit NSFW, when Bunnie raps about her “kitty” and “muffin.”

In an interview with Music Mayhem, the Dumb Blonde podcast host shared that Jelly Roll “couldn’t believe it” when she showed him the music video. “He was like, ‘Baby, this is so good,’” she added. “I don’t let him in my creative process or even tell him what I’m doing until it’s done. I never ask for his help in any of these songs because it challenges me more to try to make it so dope that he’s wowed.”

Bunnie and Jelly first met in 2015 after the YouTuber saw one of the “Son of a Sinner” singer’s performances at Sin City’s Country Saloon in Las Vegas, and the two got married in 2016. Earlier this year, they returned to Vegas to renew their wedding vows.

Check out Bunnie XO’s “12 Days of Rizzmas” below: