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17 Jul 2023

6 Must-Hear New Country Songs: Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Hailey Whitters & More

In this week’s column, collaborations abound again as Kane Brown and Mickey Guyton team for a sultry romantic ballad, while Caroline Jones welcomes bandmates Zac Brown Band for a jaunty, bluegrass-infused track, and Alana Springsteen offers up a unique take on a Chris Stapleton collaboration.

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Mickey Guyton and Kane Brown, “Nothing Compares to You”

On the heels of Brown’s recent Billboard Country Airplay chart-topping collaboration, “Thank God,” featuring his wife Katelyn, he teams with illustrious vocalist Mickey Guyton for another R&B-inflected romance ballad. Guyton’s passionate, octave-jumping vocals pair nicely with Brown’s cooly smooth vocal tones — a true duet, Guyton takes the lead on the first verse, while Brown helms the second and their voices meld into the chorus, atop fuzzy guitar lines and lush, pillowy production. Guyton recalls a time when she “never needed anyone,” until she finds the pulse-quickening kind of romance she couldn’t live without. Writers on the song are Tyler Hubbard, Bebe Rexha (known for the Rexha/Florida Georgia Line 2018 megahit “Meant to Be”) and Jordan Schmidt.

Dan + Shay, “Save Me The Trouble”

One of a trio of new songs Dan + Shay have released in advance of their upcoming Sept. 15 album Bigger Houses, “Save Me the Trouble” further substantiates their reputation as master purveyors of power balladry, fueled by Smyers’ country-pop production sensibilities and Mooney’s lithe tenor. This time around, the duo offers up a more live-concert feel to the production, but still keeps the focus on the the duo’s tight-knit harmonies.

Josh Ross, “Ain’t Doin’ Jack”

Canada native Ross broke through with “Trouble” earlier this year, and follows it with this brooking, guitar-driven track infused with explosive percussion capable of keeping up with Ross’s surly vocal. Here, he craves a higher-grade buzz than his current drink of choice can provide — the kind of liquid salvo that can fizzle the memories of his lover slamming the door and walking away.  Ross wrote the song with Mason Thornley, Ben Stoll and Sam Martinez.

Hailey Whitters, “I’m in Love”

Whitters is a longtime mainstay in Nashville’s songwriting circles, having made her debut album nearly a decade ago and followed with two more albums chock full of her top-shelf writing. Following her ACM new artist of the year win in May, she’s offering a taste of her upcoming EP with this title track. Though not a writer on the track (which comes courtesy of Cameron Bedell, Lee Thomas Miller and Nicolle Galyon), Whitters’ exuberant vocal is a perfect match for this slice of bubbly, delightful pop-country whisked along by strains of mandolin and handclaps, with each line revealing another vivid vignette, setting the scene (a Chevy ride soundtracked by a George Jones LP) of a giddy romantic infatuation.

Alana Springsteen with Chris Stapleton, “Ghost in My Guitar”

The best country music writers can always find a fresh way to bring life to an old topic. Whereas many country compositions wax poetic about the life-changing, sentimental properties of their favorite six-string, Springsteen takes a decidedly opposite approach; in her latest, she sings of aching to smash or even torch a trusty axe — any means to break the emotional ties to an ex-lover. Meanwhile, Chris Stapleton is one of music’s most sought-after collaborative vocalists, having teamed with everyone from Adele to Taylor Swift, but his bluesy guitar work remains both essential and underrated. Springsteen’s latest features Stapleton on Jazzmaster guitar, the instrument’s mournful, incisive tones crafting a second “vocal” on the track, weaving together with and apart from Springsteen’s breathy, anguished vocal.

Caroline Jones with Zac Brown, “Million Little Bandaids”

Jones has been on the road touring with Zac Brown Band for a few years, and officially became a member of the group last year. Now she teams with Brown and the ZBB cohorts on this jaunty, bluegrass-infused jamband track about replacing self-defensive mechanisms with self-acceptance. Flashes of mandolin, Fiddle, banjo and the band’s signature full harmonies wrap around Jones’ lilting, dynamic soprano and the song’s searching sentiments. “Million Little Bandaids” is included on Jones’ recent EP, Superpower.

17 Jul 2023

Ariana Grande & Dalton Gomez Split After 2 Years of Marriage: Reports

Thank u, next? Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez have separated after two years of marriage, according to multiple reports.

According to TMZ, who was first to report the news, the couple has been separated since January and are planning to legally end their marriage. People also reports that the pair went their separate ways earlier this year.

Billboard has reached out to Grande’s reps for comment.

The singer-actress has been in the U.K. filming the Wicked movies, and was spotted at Wimbledon on Sunday (July 16) in London without her wedding ring. In photos from the tennis championship, her fingers are bare as she sits next Andrew Garfield, Tom Hiddleston and her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey.

The singer and the 27-year-old luxury real estate broker wed in a private ceremony in May 2021 after getting engaged in December 2020, about 10 months after they were first spotted together in February that year. Gomez also appeared in the music video for “Stuck With U,” Grande’s lovey-dovey mid-pandemic collaboration with Justin Bieber.

The two kept their relationship mostly private, though Grande would occasionally share snaps of their life together on Instagram, including one Valentine’s Day post showing off their glamorous date night looks. The last time she posted a picture of Gomez was in November 2022.

Prior to their reported split, they attempted to reconcile without success. TMZ, People and Entertainment Tonight also report that Grande and Gomez remain friends, and talk regularly over the phone.

The R.E.M. Beauty founder was previously engaged to Pete Davidson, though she and the comic called it quits in 2018. She’s also been linked to Big Sean and Mac Miller, who passed away in September 2018.

17 Jul 2023

LeBron James Will Wear 23 Out Of Respect For Bill Russell

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The 2023 ESPYS - Show

LeBron James thrilled his legion of fans and put haters on notice when he announced at the ESPY Awards last week that he will return to the Los Angeles Lakers for his 21st NBA season. LeBron James has worn the number 6 but with the league retiring the number after the passing of NBA legend Bill Russell, King James will switch back to 23 out of respect.

News of the jersey number switch for LeBron James came via a report from ESPN that over the weekend, Rich Paul, James’ agent, and member of his inner circle, shared that his client will be donning the new number on the back of his jersey this coming season.

“It’s LeBron’s decision,” Paul told ESPN. “He chose to out of respect for Bill Russell.”

Russell, who brought championship glory to the Boston Celtics many times over, died last year at 88. The NBA decided to retire Russell’s No. 6 jersey number league-wide, which was the first that that has ever happened. If a current NBA player donned the No. 6, they could keep the number if they so choose.

As the outlet suggests, jersey sales with James’ number will be in high demand as his No. 6 replica jersey was a hot seller last year. Fans can expect to be on a long list of potential owners of a No. 23 LeBron James jersey when the season launches this fall.

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Photo: Gilbert Flores / Getty

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17 Jul 2023

Suspects In Young Dolph’s Murder To Stand Trial In March Of 2024

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The Parking Lot Concert Presents Young Dolph's Official Album Release Concert

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

It’s been almost two years since the tragic death of Young Dolph, and now the two men charged with his murder will have their day in court as a trial date was set Friday (July 14).

According to The Grio, a judge has set a trial date of March 11, 2024 for Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith for the shooting of Young Dolph near a Memphis bakery on Nov. 17, 2021. Both Johnson and Smith have pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge they’ve been hit with, but they’re not the only men charged in connection with the 2021 killing.

The Grio reports:

Jermarcus Johnson, the half brother of Justin Johnson, pleaded guilty June 9 to three counts of accessory after the fact, and he could testify at the trial.

During questioning by prosecutor Paul Hagerman, he also acknowledged taking possession of car from Justin Johnson. The car was not the one tied to the killing, Hagerman said. Jermarcus Johnson also identified a photo in which Justin Johnson was wearing the same clothing as one of the two shooters accused of gunning down Young Dolph the day the rapper was killed.
The other man arrested in connection with Young Dolph’s muder, Hernandez Govan, also pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder and conspiracy charges he faces. Authorities are alleging that Govan was the mastermind behind everything and actually arranged the shooting. He’s since been released on bond but police have yet to establish any motives behind Dolph’s murder.
Guess we’ll just have to wait and see what prosecutors allege during the trial of both Johnson and Smith.

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17 Jul 2023

Milo Yiannopoulos Pays Marjorie Taylor Greene For Ye aka Kanye West’s Website

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Holds Press Conference On Elon Musk Buying Twitter

Source: Win McNamee / Getty

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Milo Yiannopoulos have closed a chapter after he repaid her for the financing of Ye aka Kanye West’s campaign website.

According to reports, the controversial far-right activist reimbursed the Republican representative from Georgia for the “use of campaign credit card for personal use,” based on a new filing with the Federal Election Commission. The amount came out to $7,020.16 which Yiannopoulos paid back on May 12th. The purchase was apparently for a campaign website domain, ye24.com, for West who is now known as Ye. Greene’s congressional staff did not respond to requests for comment.

Further details from the filing show that the reimbursement total matches an expense item for a “domain registration and hosting” purchase made with GoDaddy on November 22nd, 2022. That had been previously reported by Greene’s team. According to The Daily Beast, Ye’s team reported paying Yiannopoulos $9,955 for a “domain transfer”. Notably, the purchase was made on the same day that Ye and Yiannopoulos and white nationalist Nick Fuentes arrived at Mar-a-Lago to dine with former President Donald Trump. The situation caused a stir, as a purchase of that type would count as an official sign of entering the 2024 race. The “DONDA” rapper has not yet announced an official presidential run for 2024, although he had a short-lived campaign in 2020.

Yiannopoulos, who has made headlines for seemingly defending pedophilia in addition to making homophobic and racist statements, took credit for the dinner meeting claiming it was “to make Trump’s life miserable.” The dinner would be a precursor to Ye appearing with Fuentes, a rabid Holocaust denier on right-wing figure Alex Jones’ Infowars podcast where he infamously praised Hitler and the Nazi regime along with issuing other antisemitic remarks.

Yiannopoulos would be fired by Ye last December and then rehired in May, but not after suing the rapper for over $100,000. More controversy ensued after Patrick Krason, a former treasurer for Ye, resigned and internal documents were found showing Krason’s concern over Yiannopoulos submitting false invoices.

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17 Jul 2023

Sneaker Scammer Zadeh Kicks Founder Owes $19 Million In Back Taxes

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Zadeh Kicks

Source: @zadehkicks / Instagram

It’s been more than a year since infamous sneaker reseller Zadeh Kicks was taken down by feds for fleecing countless customers out of millions of dollars, and now it seems like the state of Oregon has a bone to pick with him, too.

Nice Kicks is reporting that Zadeh Kicks founder Michael Malekzadeh has failed to pay the state of Oregon more than $19 million in back taxes and was publicly put on blast by the Oregon Department of Revenue as his name was one of 2,000 Oregon residents who owe more than $50,000 to the state. Being that his business is shut down, the feds have seized all of his remaining merchandise and his reputation is shot to hell, we’re not sure he’ll be able to pay the $19,302,486.13 that he owes the state anytime soon.

Nice Kicks reports:

Last May, Michael Malekzadeh surrendered the reigns to Zadeh Kicks when it voluntarily entered into receivership ending the nine-year-old sneaker resale business. In July of 2022, Malekzadeh and his CFO Bethany Mockerman were indicted with charges of Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Money Laundering associated with the Zadeh Kicks business. Malekzadeh and Mockerman have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Federal prosecutors accuse Michael Malekzadeh of knowingly selling shoes he could not obtain by pre-order that include 600,000 pairs of Cool Grey Air Jordan 11s totaling more than $70M.

Keep in mind there were one million pairs of Cool Grey Air Jordan 11’s produced at the time of release and Malekzadeh was out there basically saying he could get ahold of 60% of Nike’s entire stock. The audacity.

This just goes to show how cold the sneaker game is these days and if you don’t have a reliable plug out on these streets, you have to be careful when dealing with resellers and pre-sellers as you never know when they’ll be down to run off with your money.

Be safe out there my fellow sneakerheads.

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17 Jul 2023

UMG Promotes Manusha Sarawan to MD of Southern and East Africa

Universal Music Group has elevated Manusha Sarawan to oversee its efforts and market-leading label roster across southern and eastern Africa. In her new Johannesburg-based role as managing director, Southern and East Africa, Sarawan will continue to work closely with Adam Granite, UMG’s evp of market development, who said she was “ideally suited” for the role.

Sarawan was most recently chief operating officer at UMG Sub-Saharan Africa, where she oversaw day-to-day operations and helped steer the company to a digital-first approach in the fast-expanding region. Prior to that, she spent a decade at Sony Music Africa, where she rose to director of commercial and business development.

“She’s someone I’ve known since her days at Sony,” commented Granite, “and during her time at Universal she has repeatedly shown her leadership skills and strong business acumen.”

Universal has been aggressively expanding its presence and reach on the African continent, in part by opening regional headquarters in Johannesburg (South Africa) and Abidjan (Côte D’Ivoire), as well as offices in Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, Kenya and Morocco. A year ago, UMG inked a deal to license its catalog through Mdundo, a popular music streaming service that ended 2022 with over 23 million monthly active users.

The label group has also launched dedicated genre labels, including Def Jam Africa, Blue Note Africa and Motown Gospel Africa.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for African music, as it continues to build new audiences both here and across the world,” remarked Sarawan. “We have an amazing roster of talent here, and it’s a huge privilege to get to work with our artists and our talented team to promote African music on the world stage.”

17 Jul 2023

Machine Gun Kelly Goes Wild Over Megan Fox’s Jungle Bikini Photo Shoot: ‘Maul Me’

Welcome to the jungle. Machine Gun Kelly went absolutely feral over Megan Fox’s recent bikini photo shoot, for which she posed like a wild animal perched in the trees.

In the images shared to Fox’s Instagram Saturday (July 15), the Jennifer’s Body actress models on all fours atop a thick tree branch, showing off an itty bitty bikini made sparingly out of leaves. “the forest is my oldest friend,” she captioned the post.

And of course, Fox’s animal magnetism attracted the approval of the rocker. “if this is what a wild animal looks like, i’d let it maul me,” commented MGK, born Colson Baker.

Based on the rapper-turned-punk rocker’s comment, it seems that the couple, who got engaged in January 2022, are back on solid footing. The two threw fans for a loop earlier this year, however, when Fox sparked breakup rumors by posting cryptic lyrics from Beyoncé’s Lemonade hinting that she’d been betrayed before deleting her Instagram entirely. Speculation that Baker had cheated on the Expendables 4 star with his guitarist, Sophie Lloyd swirled shortly after, but Fox later insisted that there had been “no third party interference in this relationship of any kind.”

The 37-year-old New Girl alum is on a roll with the swimwear shoots, having graced the cover of Sports Illustrated‘s swimsuit issue in May. In an interview with the magazine, Fox got real about her struggles with body dysmorphia, revealing, “There’s never a point in my life where I loved my body, never, ever.”

As for Baker, the 33-year-old Good Mourning star has been making headlines for a string of memorable performances on tour. Perhaps most notably, he fulfilled a fan’s wish to be punched in the face by the “Emo Girl” singer at Rock Werchter festival in Belgium. Prior to that, Baker made an appearance at Hellfest in France, where he was captured receiving a tattoo from his teenage daughter, Casie.

17 Jul 2023

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: J Hus, Maiya the Don, SwaVay & More

New week, new Fresh Picks! From drill love songs by J Hus and Maiya The Don to rap rhythms by Atlanta heads SwaVay and KEY!, we have a wide range of sounds to help you power through another steamy week.

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And of course, check out this month’s Fresh Picks (so far) in our Spotify playlist, linked below.

Freshest Find: J Hus feat. Jorja Smith, “Nice Body”

J Hus is the latest addition to the streak of U.K. rappers (following Dave and Central Cee) who have crossing over and dominating the scene as of late. Last Friday (July 14), the Gambian-British rapper released his long-awaited third album, Beautiful and Brutal Yard, with a handful of features including big names like Drake, Burna Boy and Jorja Smith. Hus and the lattermost teamed up for a slowed down heater, “Nice Body,” a track about being with your lover through thick and thin. Hus and Smith duet, finishing each other’s sentences — making for a rather steamy track.

Alex Mali, “DinnerTime”

Brooklyn native Alex Mali knows her self-worth and with “DinnerTime,” the singer is giving fans a taste of her upcoming debut album, Trust the Process (out August 16). With the hard-hitting new single, Mali explores the concept of women comparing themselves to “a snack” or “a meal,” delving into her own perspective and redefining what it means to be sexy. “Finding yourself is a journey and you should allow yourself the grace to find the beauty in every phase, every setback and every triumph,” she shared. “Go through those emotions with confidence in knowing that all will be as it’s meant to be because you have appreciated the evolution and trusted the process. Keep going.”

SwaVay, “UH”

“I don’t need no cosign, p—y, I’ll just get my own bag,” Swavay raps. The Atlanta rapper released the deluxe version of his 2022 album Almetha’s Son on which includes two new singles, “UH” and “DUBLIN” featuring Ben Reilly and NASAAN. SwaVay gravitates towards mid-song beat switches, with “UH” being a prime example. The song laces a thumping bass line and 808 claps with orchestral loops as SwaVay stomps all over the beat with fiery bars.

Maiya the Don feat. Shawny Binladen, “Luv U Better”

Maiya The Don recruits Shawny Binladen for a drill flip of Mary J. Blige and Lil Kim’s 1997 hit, “I Can Love You.” The Brooklyn rapper declared her song, “Luv U Better,” a track to post your man to — as she took to socials to hard launch her boyfriend, Wu-Tang: An American Saga actor Siddiq Saunderson, as part of the song’s promo.

Mack Keane, “Chances”

On “Chances,” Mack Keane is feeling all the feels. The L.A.-based singer learns to let go and take a chance on love with the sultry, conga-driven song that went through 12 iterations before Keane landed on the final product. “It’s a real story and a timestamp of that period of my life, which is always the intention of my music,” he shares in a press release. “The lyrics in the second verse are my favorite because it’s something that I’m still learning to do in my life today: letting go, accepting the things that I can’t control, and staying present and grounded in this reality. I’m really happy to finally get this one out in the world.”

KEY! & Redd Smash, “Crank Dat”

Like its title suggests, KEY! and Redd Smash pay homage to 2000s Atlanta hip-hop with their new single “Crank Dat.” Sporting vintage ATL sports team jerseys and fitteds, the song’s video sees the two and their crew cranking dat, hitting the folks and hitting the woah. “Crank Dat” will appear on KEY!’s upcoming project, Marquis.

17 Jul 2023

10 Top Luke Bryan Billboard Hot Country Songs Hits

Since notching his first top five Billboard Hot Country Songs hit in 2007 with his debut single, the tongue-in-cheek ode to a strong hangover “All My Friends Say,” Luke Bryan has become a two-time entertainer of the year winner at the Country Music Association awards, and a three-time winner of the accolade at the Academy of Country Music Awards. In 2019, his project Crash My Party was named album of the decade by the Academy of Country Music.

Bryan has earned 12 chart-toppers on the Hot Country Songs chart, and has won five Billboard Music Awards, in addition to being named Billboard’s top country artist of the 2010s.

Since his debut, Bryan, along with several of his pop-country cohorts, ushered in an era of country music that increasingly infused elements of hip-hop, arena rock, R&B and EDM. In addition to his headlining tours, he launched his Farm Tour series to help give back to farmers across the nation, and launched his annual Crash My Playa festivals in Cancun, Mexico. He has also expanded his career into a successful run as a celebrity judge on American Idol and opened his Luke 32 Bridge Food + Drink in downtown Nashville in 2018.

Here are the 10 biggest Luke Bryan songs, based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, through July 15, 2023. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower ranks earning less. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.