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21 Aug 2023

Travis Barker Surprises 9-Year-Old Blind Drummer With Drumsticks, Donation and Impromptu Jam Session

Travis Barker made a young fan’s dreams come true on Friday when the Blink-182 drummer made a surprise visit to 9-year-old blind drummer Grayson Roberts’ lemonade stand and left behind some unforgettable memories.

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The special moment took place at the Dream Factory space in Los Angeles and footage of it blew up over the weekend after social media influencer Charlie Rocket shared it to his Instagram, noting that business at Roberts’ stand had been super slow earlier in the week.

In the video, Rocket showed Barker walking up the stand with two pair of drum sticks in his hand and introducing himself to Roberts. The budding entrepreneur, focused on his biz, asked Barker if he wanted a cup of lemonade as the drummer offered up much more. “I brought you some drumsticks and I also brought some donations, I brought some money,” Barker said, stuffing some bills into the donation jar and handing over the sticks.

“I saw a video of you playing drums and singing,” Barker added.

After Barker said he’d love some lemonade, Roberts asked if it would be possible for them to sing and play together. “I would love to,” a smiling Barker replied. “No way!” Roberts said in disbelief as he pointed to the spot where his kit was set up. “You want to sing or play drums?” Barker asked.

With Roberts on the mic, Barker quickly learned the beat to Adam Jensen’s 2017 anthem “Street Fight,” as an adoring audience clapped, cheered and shouted Grayson’s name afterwards.

“@travisbarker came to help @graysons_view drum up some business at his lemonade stand!!!” wrote Rocket. “Lol what a great soul Travis barker is. Thank you to @katietua @mikeytua @lukismac @sweetyhigh for helping make this happen !!!” In a previous post, Rocket described rolling up on Roberts’ stand — which explained that he was born blind and that he is determined not to let that stop him from doing “everything you can do” — and asking the community to come together to help the young man reach his dream of traveling the world.

Roberts also shared a video of the encounter, writing, “THANK YOU travis for taking a break while filming your music video to come by my Lemonade stand and allowing me to perform with you!! It was SO amazing And thank you for letting me choose the color of sprinkles because who doesn’t love sprinkles?!”

Blink wrapped the first leg of their 2023 world tour on July 16 with a show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The band will pick things up again on Sept. 1 with a gig at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland for a European swing that will keep them on the road through an Oct. 16 gig in Manchester at the AO Arena; after that they will swing into Las Vegas in late Oct. for the When We Were Young Festival before moving on to Australian and New Zealand in Feb. and March 2024.

Check out footage of Barker’s jam session below.

21 Aug 2023

Rapper Gunplay Arrested For Allegedly Pointing Rifle At Wife & Newborn Baby

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Gunplay mugshot

Source: Miami Dade PD / Miami Dade PD

Rapper Gunplay, born, Richard Morales Junior, has just earned himself a heap of legal trouble as the rapper was arrested over the weekend for alleged domestic abuse towards his wife and newborn baby.

According to XXL Mag, the “Pyrex Poppin” rapper was pinched this past Saturday night (August 19) after he allegedly pointed a rifle at his wife, Vonshae Taylor, and their 6-month-old daughter. Of course Gunplay denies the allegations, but as of press time the Florida rapper is still sitting in a jail cell with bail set at $20,000.

XXL reports:

According to a Miami-Dade County arrest document obtained by XXL, Gunplay was arrested Saturday night (Aug. 19) on multiple charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, false imprisonment and child abuse. Miami journalist Andy Slater is reporting that the former Maybach Music Group artist is being accused of allegedly pointing a rifle at his wife while she was holding their 6-month-old baby.

His wife took to Instagram to describe the events of that night saying that Gunplay’s alcoholism led to the incident and thanked everyone for their well wishes and prayers.

Will Rick Ross pick up the tab and bail out his former protégée? We’ll have to wait and see.

What do y’all think? Let us know in the comments section below.

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21 Aug 2023

PULSE Records Partners With Brent Faiyaz’s Iso Supremacy, Signs Tommy Richman

PULSE Records has formed a joint venture through Brent Faiyaz’s newly established creative agency ISO Supremacy, with Virginia artist Tommy Richman as the first signee, it was announced Monday (Aug. 21). 

Richman currently serves as the opener for Faiyaz’s F-ck the World, It’s a Wasteland Tour and has caught traction with his songs “BUNKER / PREROLL” and ELECTRIFY TONIGHT.” Last year, Richman released his seven-track album Alligator.

“I’m grateful and amazed at the support from Brent, ISO Supremacy, and the team at PULSE Records, which motivates me,” says Richman in a press release. “To have the opportunity to open for Brent on his sold-out tour is an absolute honor and to sign to PULSE Records, a creative community that really understands music and supports artists, I couldn’t ask for more.”

Faiyaz’s relationship with PULSE stems from 2016 when he signed a publishing deal with PULSE Music Group. In 2022, he renewed his contract and followed that up with the release of his debut album, Wasteland, which topped the R&B / Hip-Hop Albums chart and bowed at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Last week, Faiyaz announced the title of his creative agency, ISO Supremacy, which stands for In Search of Supremacy. There, Faiyaz operates as CEO, with Darren Xu as COO, Ashani Allick as head of A&R, Michael Alexander as project manager and Zac Matias as art director.

“My partnership with PULSE Music Group since Day 1 has been transformative,” says Faiyaz. “In launching my new label ISO Supremacy and partnering with PULSE Records, we’ve created this platform to give artists like Tommy Richman a creative home with the ability to scale global impact and a team that is accessible who keeps creativity at the forefront. We’re going to continue to make history.” 

21 Aug 2023

Tish Cyrus Marries Dominic Purcell With Miley Cyrus as Maid of Honor: Report

Tish Cyrus and Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell got married over the weekend with daughter Miley Cyrus reportedly acting as her mom’s maid of honor. Just Jared posted purported pics from the nuptials, in which Miley wore a light blue one-shoulder dress while carrying a bouquet of baby’s breath.

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While the bride — who was previously married to Miley’s dad, “Achy Breaky Heart” singer Billy Ray Cyrus for 28 years — wore an elegant white gown and matching veil, Purcell walked the aisle in black pants and a short-sleeve white shirt during what was described as an intimate ceremony in Malibu on Saturday night. The couple announced their engagement in May after going Instagram official in November. At press time Billboard was not able to independently confirm the details of the wedding and it did not appear that Tish Cyrus or Purcell had posted about the wedding on their socials.

In April 2022, Tish filed for divorce from her longtime husband Billy Ray Cyrus. “It is after 30 years, five amazing children and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts,” a joint statement shared to People at the time read. “We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths.”

After marrying Tish in 1993, Billy Ray adopted her two children from a previous relationship, Brandi, 36 and Trace, 34, and then the couple had Miley, 30, Braison, 29 and Noah, 23. Just months after their divorce, Billy Ray got engaged to Australian singer Firerose in Nov. 2022.

21 Aug 2023

David Harbour Reveals Taylor Swift Sent His ‘Speechless’ Stepdaughter a Handwritten Note at Eras Tour Concert

David Harbour is a superhero father on and off screen. In an interview with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that was posted Aug. 17, the Stranger Things star revealed he got some major Dad points by taking his stepdaughter to see Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour in Minnesota, where the pop star went the extra mile by sending the pair a sweet handwritten note from backstage.

Harbour — who became stepdad to Lily Allen’s daughters Ethel and Marnie when he married the “Smile” singer in 2020 — was spotted enjoying the show from a VIP tent at Swift’s June concert at U.S. Bank Stadium. He got to talking about the show when Horowitz noted the actor must’ve pulled in some major “brownie points” by taking the kids to see an advanced screening of Marvel’s latest Guardians of the Galaxy installment in May, to which the actor replied, “Not as many brownie points as I got taking the stepdaughter to Taylor Swift, though. Talk about points!”

Revealing he “had to call in a lot of favors” in order to see the show, Harbour raved that Swift’s three-hour career-spanning production “was pretty extraordinary.” “We went to Minneapolis because it was the only weekend we could go see it and I love Minneapolis,” the Black Widow star continued. “It’s a real music town, too, like Prince. People are really there to see the concert as opposed to Instagram the concert, so it was like a perfect place to see it.”

“I did say as we went in, ‘If there is an opportunity to say hello …’ And they said, ‘She’s leaving on a plane right after the concert,” he added. “We sat there for about 30 minutes of the opener and then a woman came out with a letter. It was addressed to me and my stepdaughter, and it was a handwritten letter on a particular stationery. I’ve never seen my stepdaughter speechless.”

Harbour didn’t reveal specifics of what Swift’s letter said, but he did share that the “Anti-Hero” singer promised to send his stepdaughter a wave from the stage — a promise she made good on at the beginning of one of her songs. “She is a force of nature,” Harbour gushed.

“I didn’t really have any idea, it’s not really my … my thing was Madonna,” he went on. “I saw Madonna concerts, I saw Guns N’ Roses concerts. Seeing her perform for three-and-a-half hours, that’s like 45 songs. She barely leaves the stage, I don’t know when she pees. It’s ridiculous — she’s a force of nature.”

The interview, recorded prior to the ongoing WGA actors’ strike, comes just a few days ahead of Swift’s first Latin America concert in Mexico City, which will mark the Eras Tour’s first international show. A couple weeks prior, she wrapped up the trek’s first U.S. leg with six straight shows in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium.

Watch David Harbour recall his Eras Tour experience above.

21 Aug 2023

YouTube Launches AI Music Incubator With Help From UMG Artists

YouTube announced a new initiative with artists and producers from Universal Music Group on Monday (August 21): An “AI Music Incubator” that will include input from Anitta, Juanes, Ryan Tedder, Björn Ulvaeus from Abba, Rodney Jerkins, d4vd, Max Richter, and the estate of Frank Sinatra, among others.  

“This group will explore, experiment and offer feedback on the AI-related musical tools and products they are researching,” Universal CEO Lucian Grainge wrote in a blog post. “Once these tools are launched, the hope is that more artists who want to participate will benefit from and enjoy this creative suite.”

Grainge added that “our challenge and opportunity as an industry is to establish effective tools, incentives and rewards — as well as rules of the road — that enable us to limit AI’s potential downside while promoting its promising upside.”

In a statement, Ulvaeus said that “while some may find my decision controversial, I’ve joined this group with an open mind and purely out of curiosity about how an AI model works and what it could be capable of in a creative process. I believe that the more I understand, the better equipped I’ll be to advocate for and to help protect the rights of my fellow human creators.” 

Juanes noted in a statement of his own that “artists must play a central role in helping to shape the future of this technology” so “that it is used respectfully and ethically in ways that amplify human musical expression for generations to come.” 

This sentiment was echoed by Richter: “Unless artists are part of this process, there is no way to ensure that our interests will be taken into account,” the composer said in a statement. “We have to be in this conversation, or our voices won’t be heard.”

Neal Mohan, YouTube’s CEO, also published the company’s “AI music principles” on Monday. The company promised to “embrace” AI “responsibly together with our music partners” and noted that any AI initiatives “must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.”

YouTube’s “AI music principles” as posted:

  1. AI is here, and we will embrace it responsibly together with our music partners.
  2. AI is ushering in a new age of creative expression, but it must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.
  3. We’ve built an industry-leading trust and safety organization and content policies. We will scale those to meet the challenges of AI.

21 Aug 2023

Kid Rock Spotted Drinking Bud Light 4 Months After Shooting Cans: Twitter Reacts

It was less than four months ago that Kid Rock got so worked up about Bud Light teaming with transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney for its Bud Light Easy Carry Contest during the NCAA’s March Madness that the “Don’t Tell Me How To Live” singer tried to destroy 12-packs of Bud Light with a semi-automatic rifle as he yelled, “F–k Bud Light and f–k Anheuser-Busch.”

What a difference a few months make.

In July, CNN reported that despite his apparent animus for the world’s largest beer company, Rock, 52 — who didn’t specifically mention Mulvaney (or the word “trans”) in his video, or call for a boycott of products from Bud Light parent company AB Inbev — was still selling Bud Light at his Nashville restaurant; Newsweek additionally reported at the time that Rock’s restaurant/bar was selling Bud Light during the June 9-12 Country Music Association Festival and that a Twitter user told the magazine that a waitress at the bar said “they actually stopped selling it for a week right after [Rock’s video], then started selling it again.”

And over the weekend the rapper-turned-country rocker was pictured enjoying a tall cool Bud Light at Colt Ford show in Nashville according to TMZ, which caused a torrent of comments on Twitter (now X) about the apparent hypocrisy from the “Devil Without a Cause” star. “Damn, never thought I’d have to give Kid Rock the Bud Light treatment but here we are,” wrote one commenter. “Just shot up all my Kid Rock vinyl and CDs. I loved Kid Rock, but I hope Kid Woke goes broke.”

Another, Fred Guttenberg — father of murdered Parkland High School student Jaime Guttenberg and gun control advocate — had equally harsh words for Rock, writing, “It’s just hard to keep a good beer down and I LOVE BUD LIGHT!!! Apparently, so does @KidRock. To all of you hypocritical lunatics who actually started this bulls–t attack on my favorite beer, cheers to you.”

Billboard has not been able to confirm the veracity of the pictures of Rock drinking the Bud Light at press time and a spokesperson for the singer had not returned a request for comment.

At the time of CNN’s report, it was unclear if the band on Bud Light at Rock’s Music City establishment had been lifted, or if one had ever been put in place, but at the time of the Mulvaney controversy Rock appeared happy to jump on the bandwagon of ban-calling against Bud Light.

While country singer John Rich pledged at the time to pull Bud Light from his Nashville bar Redneck Riviera and Travis Tritt said he would remove the formerly best-selling brew in the nation from his tour rider in the midst of the transphobic backlash against the Mulvaney promotional stunt, Rock never specifically said he’d stop selling it at his Broadway district spot.

In the original Mulvaney clip from April, she revealed that the company helped her celebrate her “365th day of womanhood” with “possibly the best gift ever” — a commemorative can of Bud Light with Mulvaney’s face on the side that was not commercially available, but instead meant as a personalized one-off souvenir.

Check out some of the comments about Rock’s Bud Light moment.

21 Aug 2023

Watch Ryan Gosling Make ‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig Lose it in Behind-the-Scenes ‘I’m Just Ken’ Video

If you were losing it in the theater watching Ryan Gosling turn the Kenergy up to 11 in the Barbie movie during his showstopper power balled “I’m Just Ken,” just wait until you see how director Greta Gerwig felt while watching her star ham it up on the beach.

In a behind-the-scenes video chronicling the “Just Ken” shoot that dropped on Monday morning (Aug. 21), fans of the billion-dollar summer blockbuster not only get some bonus, unreleased footage from the film featuring the Barbie cast, but they also get a look at film soundtrack producer Mark Ronson in the studio, along with “Just Ken” co-writer/co-producer Andrew Wyatt and Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash.

The best part, however, is watching Gerwig watch Gosling and absolutely lose it.

The nearly four-minute clip opens with a shirtless Gosling crooning his doll parts lament, “It doesn’t seen to matter what I do/ I’m always No. 2/ No one knows how hard I try,” over a plaintive piano. A montage then moves to a scene of dancers limbering up for their big musical number, Gerwig giving Gosling some direction and a look at the build for the paddle board beach assault scene.

As Gosling croons about “blonde fragility,” Gerwig can’t help but laugh out loud, with the camera repeatedly cutting to the director — wearing a pair of pink headphones around he neck, naturally — losing it as her star prances across the green screen sand in his full length fur coat.

Along the way we also see Slash in the studio cutting his solo and the song’s co-producers/co-writers Wyatt and Ronson laying down keyboard and guitar parts for the power ballad that also features rhythm guitar from Wolfgang Van Halen and drums from new Foo Fighter’s timekeeper Josh Freese.

Plus, you get an exclusive look at the rehearsals for the big beach blowout dance battle between Ken and his arch rival Ken 2 (Simu Liu).

Gosling scored his first Billboard Hot 100 charting song with “Just Ken” two weeks ago when the song debuted at No. 87 on the tally. To date the movie has grossed more than $567 million in the U.S. and over $1.2 billion worldwide.

Watch the “I’m Just Ken” behind-the-scenes video below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=a-MVeaFwT5M&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

21 Aug 2023

Lana Del Rey Announces Limited Run of Fall 2023 U.S. Shows

After criss-crossing the nation this summer playing festival gigs, Lana Del Rey announced a run of fall amphitheater shows on Monday morning (Aug. 21). The 10 gigs are slated to kick off on Sept. 13 at the FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, TN before moving on to the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, TX.

The run will also include shows in Dallas, West Palm Beach, Tampa and Pittsburgh before winding down on Oct. 5 at the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV. A general onsale for the shows will begin on Friday (Aug. 25) at 10 a.m. local time here.

Del Rey has been on the road supporting her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd., which came out in March. Over the weekend, the singer was spotted at producer Jack Antonoff‘s wedding to actress Margaret Qualley in New Jersey. Del Rey joined a list of fellow A-listers at the ceremony, which was also attended by Channing Tatum, Zoë Kravitz, Cara Delevingne and the bride’s mother, Andie MacDowell, according to People.

Check out the dates for Del Rey’s fall tour below.

Sept. 14 – Franklin, TN @ FirstBank Amphitheater

Sept. 17 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater

Sept. 19 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion

Sept. 21 – Huntsville, AL @ Orion Amphitheater

Sept. 23 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Sept. 25 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sept. 27 – Brandon, MS @ Brandon Amphitheater

Sept. 29 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion

Oct. 3 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake 

Oct. 5 – Charleston, WV @ Charleston Coliseum

21 Aug 2023

Young Capone Reported Dead At 35 After Going Missing

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'TOGETHER' A Black History Month Celebration Of Unity & Community

Young Capone, a rapper with connections to Jermaine Dupri, has died after he was reported missing earlier this summer. Young Capone was reported missing in Chicago back in July but details of his death are still largely unknown.

The news regarding the passing of Young Capone, real name Rodriguez Smith, was delivered by his publicist, Aleesha Carter, on August 16.

From Carter’s IG:

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This is with a heavy heavy heart that I’m even posting this. We made magic when we strategically put out projects, always. Young Capone aka Dopeboy Ra aka Rara was one of my first Hip Hop/ Rap clients, and I can’t believe the news I just got of his unexpected passing! A friend…a client and just huge in East Atlanta. This is not the easiest post at all. Rest easy, RIP.

As reported by Billboard, Young Capone signed with Dupri’s So So Def imprint after making moves on the East Atlanta Hip-Hop scene in the early 2000s. Over the years, the rapper changed his name to Dopeboy Ra and worked alongside T.I. and the Hustle Gang crew on the 2017 album, We Want Smoke.

Carter also shared details of a candlelight vigil in honor of Young Capone to be held this Friday (August 25) in Decatur, Ga.

Dupri also posted an image of his former signee, sharing the track they performed together “I’m Hot” with Daz Dillinger in the background.

Young Capone was 35.

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Photo: Getty

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