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28 Jul 2023

Jimmie Allen Has a Comedy Special in the Works

Jimmie Allen recently announced he will launch a three-date “I Said What I Said” comedy tour in October, and a rep for Allen tells Billboard that the shows will be filmed to put together a digital comedy special, which will be made available on his website at a later date.

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No venues or specific dates for the I Said What I Said tour have been released at this time. Each of the trio of shows are invite-only, and Allen encouraged his followers to sign up via email to learn how to win tickets to the show.

The rep notes that though Allen is prepping for the comedy tour, he will continue making music and touring. The comedy tour and special mark the latest creative venture from Allen, who used to do stand-up comedy in high school and college. He also authored the children’s book My Voice is a Trumpet, and crafted the theme song for the Netflix series Titletown High.

The plans for a comedy tour and comedy special come amid sexual assault allegations that have been brought against Allen. In May, a Jane Doe filed a civil suit in Tennessee federal court against the country singer, claiming that he raped and sexually harassed her while she was a member of his management team. The case was filed by attorney Elizabeth Fegan, who has previously represented victims of Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein, as well as Dr. George Tyndall, a campus gynecologist at the University of Southern California, who was accused of sexually abusing patients. Allen responded with a statement saying that he and the Jane Doe accuser had a sexual relationship, but denied the rape and sexual assault allegations, saying that they “have no truth to them whatsoever.”

A second unnamed accuser later filed a suit against Allen, claiming the singer-songwriter assaulted her in a Las Vegas hotel room and filmed the encounter without permission. Earlier this month, Allen countersued both accusers, claiming that the first accuser defamed him, while the second accuser illegally took his cell phone.

28 Jul 2023

Staind Notches First Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 Since 2011

Staind returns to No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart for the first time in over a decade with “Lowest in Me,” which rises to the top spot on the Aug. 5-dated ranking.

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The song is the Aaron Lewis-fronted band’s first ruler since “Not Again,” which led for seven weeks in 2011.

Staind now boasts five No. 1s, beginning with “It’s Been Awhile,” the second-longest-leading hit in the chart’s history, at 20 weeks in 2001. (3 Doors Down‘s “Loser” is the record winner: 21 weeks at No. 1 in 2000-01.) Staind also led with “So Far Away” in 2003 and “Right Here” in 2005.

In between “Not Again” and “Lowest in Me,” Staind hit Mainstream Rock Airplay with three titles, paced by the No. 5-peaking “Eyes Wide Open” in 2012. Lewis has also charted songs solo on both Mainstream Rock Airplay and Country Airplay between 2000 and 2021.

Concurrently, “Lowest in Me” bullets at its No. 4 best on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay survey with 4.1 million audience impressions, up 3%, July 21-27, according to Luminate. It’s tied for the band’s top-charting song on the ranking, which began in 2009, equaling the peak of “Not Again.”

In addition to its mainstream rock radio airplay, “Lowest in Me” has so far appeared on the Alternative Airplay survey for a week at No. 40 (July 29).

The most recently published multi-metric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart (dated July 29) found “Lowest in Me” at a new No. 13 high; in addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 422,000 official U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads in the July 14-20 tracking week.

“Lowest in Me” is the lead single from Confessions of the Fallen, Staind’s eighth studio album and first since 2011’s self-titled effort. It’s due Sept. 15.

All Aug. 5-dated Billboard airplay charts will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

28 Jul 2023

Harlem Festival Of Culture Canceled Due To Extreme Weather Conditions

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Harlem Festival Of Culture

Source: handout / HFC

This weekend’s highly anticipated Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC) in New York City has been canceled due to the heat advisory the city is currently under. The three-day festival was scheduled to kick off Friday July 28, but organizers made the decision to nix the event out of safety concerns and the advisement of public officials.

The HFC’s official statement cited President Joe Biden’s suggestion that citizens “listen to public officials and stay indoors” in light the dangerously excessive heat and poor air quality gripping parts of the nation.

“After strong consideration to this severe weather impacting New York City, it is with a heavy heart that we have made the tough decision to cancel this weekend’s Harlem Festival of Culture with public safety in mind,” reads part of the official statement announcing the cancelation. “Our primary concern for the Festival was to put on an enjoyable and safe experience for all, and with the current forecast, it does not support a safe festival experience for attendees, workers or partners. While this untimely announcement changes our planned activities, this decision could potentially save lives.”

Friday’s headliner was A$AP Ferg along with performers that included Bell Biv Devoe, Cam’ron and Doug E. Fresh. Saturday’s headliner was Teyana Taylor while Wyclef Jean was scheduled to hold down Sunday, with cite of the HFC being Randall’s Island. Hip-Hop icon DJ Red Alert was scheduled to be honored on Friday. Per Weather.com, the weekend forecast in New York City includes highs in 90’s and heat advisories that include “tot temperatures and high humidity [that] may cause heat illnesses to occur.”

Refunds will be issued and more information can be found at www.harlemfestivalofculture.com.

See the full statement below.

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28 Jul 2023

Houston Police Release Full Report on Astroworld Tragedy

The Houston Police Department released its final report on the 2021 crowd crush tragedy at Travis Scott‘s Astroworld festival on Friday (July 28). The more than 1,200-page document details the Houston PD’s investigation into the tragedy, which left 10 people dead and hundreds more physically injured.

The report arrives just a month after a Houston grand jury declined to file criminal charges against Scott and other Astroworld organizers over the deadly incident. The decision followed a 19-month investigation, during which Harris Country District Attorney Kim Ogg said investigators tracked down “every piece of relevant evidence,” interviewed witnesses and watched “thousands and thousands of hours” of video.

In a statement to Billboard at the time, Scott’s lawyer, Kent Schaffer, said the decision not to bring charges “confirms what we have known all along — that Travis Scott is not responsible for the Astroworld tragedy.”

Despite being criminally cleared, Scott and other organizers still face civil litigation over the disaster. Since it occurred on Nov. 5, 2021, thousands of alleged victims have filed more than 400 civil lawsuits against Scott, Live Nation and others involved with the festival, claiming they were legally negligent in how they planned and conducted the event, including by failing to provide adequate security and emergency support. The alleged victims, whose lawsuits have been combined into a single massive action, are seeking billions of dollars in damages. Though a trial or trials may be held, such litigation often ends in settlement agreements.

You can read the Houston PD’s full report here. It arrives the same day as Scott’s new album, Utopia.

28 Jul 2023

Oak View Group Wins Deals With Tulsa’s BOK Center, Chicago’s McCormick Place

It’s been a rough week for venue management firm ASM Global. On Thursday, OVG signed a contract to privately manage one of ASM’s largest clients, Chicago’s McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, and then on Friday (July 28) OVG won the venue management and food service contract for Tulsa’s BOK Center and the 275,000-square-feet Cox Business Convention Center. 

The BOK Center had been managed by ASM and formerly its predecessor SMG since the building opened in 2007 and was a crown jewel for the company, regularly landing a spot on Billboard’s Boxscore Chart for building capacities of 15,0001 seats or more. But during a special meeting Friday, the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority unanimously voted to begin exclusive negotiations with OVG360 and OVG Hospitality to manage venue operations, booking, partnerships and sponsorships, and food and beverage operations at the two venues.

“OVG will focus on creating momentum in three main areas: ensuring Tulsa is the top destination for major concerts in Oklahoma, continuing to grow the city’s national and regional convention business, and assisting the city and its stakeholders in the development of a full-service convention center hotel,” company officials announced in a press release.

“The BOK Center and Convention Center are key economic drivers in our community, and their success is critical to Tulsa’s future vitality,” Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “As a thriving world-class city with world-class entertainment venues, we must always be focused on continuous improvement – not self-satisfied with the success of today but focused on being even better tomorrow. I have complete confidence in OVG and their ability to build upon the success we’ve enjoyed at the BOK Center and Convention Center over the last fifteen years.”

In Chicago, an unanimous vote from the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) Board Thursday awarded the contract for private management and food services on the McCormick Place campus to OVG360 and OVG Hospitality. 

The contracts, scheduled to begin on Oct. 1, 2023 and run through September 2028, were unanimously awarded following an extensive public procurement process. The change will affect the McCormick Place Convention Center, the 10,00-seat Wintrust Arena, and Arie Crown Theater. 

“We’re incredibly proud that McCormick Place has entrusted OVG360 and OVG Hospitality as the new keepers of this world-renowned complex. While McCormick Place has set the industry standard for decades, we are honored to help shape its future,” said Chris Granger, president of OVG360. “We see an incredible opportunity to elevate the guest experience, support the surrounding community, drive sustainability, and grow and inspire a diverse workforce.  We look forward to bringing our depth of experience from around the globe to Chicago and to building upon McCormick Place’s incredible track record.”

28 Jul 2023

Radio Reacts to Jason Aldean’s ‘Try That in a Small Town’ As It Climbs the Country Airplay Chart

Since CMT pulled the video for Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” after three days in rotation, as reported by Billboard July 18, a firestorm of publicity about the clip’s intent and political messaging has followed.

Sales and streaming surges catapulted the single to No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, dated July 29. The song, released in May, scored the biggest sales week for a country song in more than 10 years, up 27,625% to 228,000 sold July 14-20, according to Luminate. It also vaulted by 547% to 11.6 million U.S. streams.

How is that translating to country radio?

On the Aug. 5 dated Country Airplay chart, the song, on Macon/Broken Bow, sports a 21% gain to 7.9 million impressions July 21-27, as it holds at No. 25.

Says consultant Joel Raab, who advises programmers in both blue and red states, “Stations that I work with are largely sticking with the song. Listeners are asking for it, and there are very few objections to playing it. One station I work with did pull it for a short time because a policeman had been killed in their town. Another station was doing a country fair and one listener hadn’t even heard the song, but said he’d stop listening if his station didn’t play it.

“Much of the reaction is similar to what happened when Morgan Wallen was banned from radio [in 2021],” Raab continues. “Fans are afraid Jason will be banned, too. That’s not going to happen, though I do applaud him for editing his video.”

Raab further muses, “This song reminds me of when Merle Haggard sang ‘The Fightin’ Side of Me,’ which appealed to the pro-Vietnam War, conservative-leaning part of the country, and contains the line, ‘If you don’t love it, leave it.’ It was a huge hit at the time. Historically, country has waded into controversy, and it will again, particularly if it’s profitable.”

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Meanwhile, Luke Combs’ “Fast Car” tops Country Airplay for a fifth total and consecutive week (33.8 million, down 3%).

The remake of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 Hot 100 top 10 extends its record for the longest Country Airplay reign among covers of pop hits.

The update also becomes Combs’ fifth of 16 Country Airplay No. 1s to rule for five weeks or longer. He logged his longest command with “Beautiful Crazy,” which dominated for seven frames beginning in March 2019.

28 Jul 2023

Keefe D Claims Diddy Contributed To The Downfall Of Deathrow Records

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Tupac Shakur Performance At The Palladium NYC

Source: Al Pereira / Getty

Get ready to go further down the 2Pac rabbit hole. Keefe D alleges Diddy’s hands also have blood on them.

As spotted on HipHopDX the Compton, Los Angeles native recently did an interview with The Art Of Dialogue. While he has discussing his story and involvement in the fateful night in Las Vegas that took the life of Tupac Shakur he went into more detail on how made his initial connection with the Bad Boy Entertainment mogul through an Usher music video shoot. “I met him back in ’91. He was doing an Usher video [‘Can U Get Wit It.’] They called my hydraulics place and asked to use some low-riders. So I let them use my four and we took the car up there,” he recalled.

The man born Duane Keith Davis went on to say how he regrets ever dealing with Diddy. “If I wouldn’t have ever met him, I wouldn’t have ever been involved in this bullsh*t,” he revealed. “I would’ve never met the brother. I never would’ve been involved in this bullsh*t. Me and Suge, we played on the same pop warner team and everything. My home boys helped put Suge in the game.”

He then placed some of the blame for his empire and the downfall of Deathrow Records on Diddy. “It really crashed two people’s empire in one night. Mine’s for sure — Suge’s too. [Diddy] the only one still balling. He made our sh*t go down, man… He won’t even look out or nothing. Because he pitted us against each other, which was kind of smart. We’re Crips and Suge was Bloods.”

You can view the video clip below.



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28 Jul 2023

Post Malone Lounges Poolside in Live Performance of ‘Green Thumb’

Post Malone is stripping things back for the rollout for his fifth studio album, Austin. The rapper’s latest set arrived on Friday (July 28), alongside an official Vevo live performance for album track “Green Thumb.”

The video features the artist sitting by the poolside after night falls. Using nothing but his acoustic guitar for accompaniment, Malone rips into the track and sings, “Drove by your house and noticed it was overgrown/ Your flowers are all dead and I thought you should know/ What happened to your green thumb that you were so proud of?/ Their bodies were scattered and starving for love/ Starving for love,” on the song’s first verse.

“Green Thumb” is the second track that received a Vevo live performance — it comes after Malone’s previous Vevo live performance of “Overdrive,” released earlier this month. “These videos really showcase how special this new album is to me,” Malone said in a press release. “I’m extremely lucky to be able to bring the songs to life with Vevo. Thank you all so very much for watching and listening.”

Austin featured 15 other tracks, including singles “Chemical” and “Mourning, which charted at Nos. 13 and 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. Prior to the album’s release, the rapper took to Instagram on May 16 and shared what the album means to him and his artistry.

“This whole deal has been one of the most challenging, rewarding, and exciting records I’ve worked on. I feel it captures who I am as a man and as an artist in this moment,” he wrote. “Thank y’all so much for your patience, and thank you for being there with me in my hardest times. I love y’all so much, and am ready to f—ing party with y’all. Cheers, and keep spreading love.”

Watch Malone’s performance for “Green Thumb” in the video above.

28 Jul 2023

Niger Undergoes Coup, General Defends Takeover


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TOPSHOT-NIGER-POLITICS-COUP-CONFLICT-ARMY

Source: – / Getty

The world was thrown off guard as the military overthrew the government in Niger, disrupting the nation’s first peaceful administration since 1960.

The commander of the country’s presidential guard, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, announced himself as the new leader of Niger on state television on Friday (July 28th). In a statement, the official title given was “President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland,” while Tchiani’s reasons for the disruption were economic insecurity, border instability, and alleged corruption. President Mohamed Bazoum is currently being held captive by his own guards who initiated the coup on Wednesday morning (July 26h).

The coup has caused great alarm internationally in light of recent government upheavals in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union condemned the coup by Tchiani and his men, which disrupted the first peaceful transfer of power in the nation since it gained independence in 1960. President Patrice Talon of Benin has flown to Niger on behalf of ECOWAS to begin mediation efforts.

Niger has been a source of scrutiny for the West, as the nation has been an ally in fighting off insurgencies from Islamic jihadist groups in the region, as well as an ally to the European Union in thwarting human trafficking from sub-Saharan Africa. Mali’s recent breaking of ties with France including expelling its soldiers from within the country, in addition to the presence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group, make the region more volatile.

President Bazoum remains defiant, saying that he will not resign and emphasizing that in a message posted to Twitter. “The hard-won achievements will be safeguarded. All Nigeriens who love democracy and freedom will see to it,” he wrote. Niger’s Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou declared himself head of state and called on people to democratically protest the coup.

French President Emanuel Macron blasted the junta, saying: “This coup is completely illegitimate and profoundly dangerous, for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the whole region.” He called for Bazoum to be reinstated. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who is currently in New Zealand, said he spoke with Bazoum and “made clear that we strongly support him as the democratically elected president of the country.” Russia has also decried the coup. “We believe that the coup is unconstitutional, and we always take a principled and clear position on that,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a statement.

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28 Jul 2023

Beck & Phoenix Complete ‘Odyssey’ to No. 1 on Adult Alternative Airplay Chart

Beck and Phoenix’s collaborative single “Odyssey” hits No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart dated Aug. 5.

The song is Beck’s fifth No. 1 on Adult Alternative Airplay and first since “Uneventful Days,” which ruled for five weeks beginning in December 2019. He has also led with “Blue Moon” (2014), “Dreams” (2015) and “Up All Night” (2017).

In between “Uneventful Days” and “Odyssey,” Beck appeared on Adult Alternative Airplay twice, via a featured credit on Gorillaz’s “The Valley of the Pagans” (No. 17 peak, 2021) and his own “Thinking About You” (No. 5 this March).

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As for Phoenix, “Odyssey” is the band’s fourth Adult Alternative Airplay No. 1. The first three reigned in a three-in-a-row streak spanning “Identical” (2020), “Alpha Zulu” and “Tonight” featuring Ezra Koenig (both 2022).

In between “Tonight” and “Odyssey,” Phoenix placed on the chart with “After Midnight,” featuring Clairo, a No. 26 hit this May.

“Odyssey” is the first Adult Alternative Airplay No. 1 to feature more than one lead act since “Don’t Let Me Down” by Milky Chance and Jack Johnson, which ruled in July 2020.

Belying its title, “Odyssey” tops Adult Alternative Airplay in just its fifth week on the chart, the quickest coronation this year and Phoenix’s fastest flight among its four No. 1s.

Concurrently, “Odyssey” bullets at its No. 30 high on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay survey with 1.4 million audience impressions, up 5%, July 21-27, according to Luminate. In addition to its triple A radio airplay, the song is bubbling under Alternative Airplay.

“Odyssey” is currently a standalone single helping promote the acts’ co-headlining tour, which kicks off Aug. 1 in Seattle. Phoenix released the album Alpha Zulu last year, while Beck last premiered a full-length with Hyperspace in 2019.

All Aug. 5-dated Billboard airplay charts will refresh on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Aug. 1.