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16 Jun 2023

50 Cent’s Champagne Now The Official Champagne Of NHL Champ Las Vegas Knights

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2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Five

Source: Zak Krill / Getty

50 Cent has just leveled up with his wine and spirits business. He has struck a deal with the with Las Vegas Golden Knights.

As spotted on TMZ the Queens, New York native has brought his brands to Sin City in stunning fashion. This week, he announced that Le Chemin du Roi Champagne and Branson Cognac are now the official cognac and champagne of the newly crowned National Hockey League champions.

“The multi-year partnership will highlight the award-winning Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne throughout upcoming seasons. The two spirits will be labeled as The Official Champagne and The Official Cognac of the Vegas Golden Knights. Product from Sire Spirits was in the locker room during the team’s celebration as 2023 Stanley Cup Champions” the official press release read.

In addition to the co-branding rights and in arena placements, both parties will partner to bring good to the Las Vegas community through 50 Cent’s G-Unity Foundation. Founded in 2003, the nonprofit empowers children and youth in America’s cities to develop the confidence, strength and skills to win in life. Last year, Jackson announced the G-Unity Business Lab with the Houston Independent School District. The after-school entrepreneurship program, which enrolled students from Wheatley, Worthing and Kashmere high schools, offers the chance to learn core business values and teaches practical skills to develop business ideas with input from area business leaders, corporations and visiting professors including Jackson.

50 expressed his enthusiasm regarding the deal in a formal statement:

“I’m excited for Sire Spirits to close its first NHL partnership deal with the Vegas Golden Knights,” he said. “Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne are championship brands for winning teams. Bill Foley and his entire team know how to win and are the perfect partners for my brands and for me to extend my charitable efforts in the Las Vegas community through the G-Unity Foundation. Hockey is an exciting sport and Las Vegas is a top market for entertainment. I look forward to working closely with the entire Golden Knights Organization.”

This is the Las Vegas Golden Knight’s first Stanley Cup win.

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16 Jun 2023

Gunna Drops New ‘a Gift & a Curse’ LP, Twitter Mostly Moves Past Snitch Allegations

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All Star WKND With Lil Baby & Gunna

Gunna flourished under the Young Stoner Life Records (YSL) imprint founded by Young Thug and has a number of certified street classics under his belt. Gunna dropped his fourth studio album A Gift & A Curse (stylized online as a Gift & a Curse) to measurable fanfare on Twitter, somewhat proving that the snitch allegations are not sticking.

Gunna, born Sergio Kitchens, just celebrated his 30th birthday earlier this week and caps it off with the release of a Gift & a Curse. The album clocks in at 15 tracks and doesn’t have one feature. Some have speculated that was by design but also due to the fact several individuals in and outside the music business believe Gunna delivered testimony in the YSL RICO case that may have sunk Young Thug’s chances at freedom.

As he did on the track “Bread & Butter,” Gunna addresses the best-interest deal he took and the stigma that hangs over him that he ratted out the YSL outfit. He also gives Thugger a loving nod on the track “I Was Just Thinking,” revealing a message that the pair might still have a chance at a connection in the future.

If nothing else, Gunna appears confident throughout a Gift & a Curse while addressing the rumors and attacks from his peers in Hip-Hop and civilians at home on social media far outside of any sort of criminal activity.

View those reactions below.

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Photo: Prince Williams / Getty

16 Jun 2023

#FathersDay: Grab Some Gifts For The Canna-Dads In Your Life For Father’s Day

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Man adding CBD oil to his herbal tea

Father’s Day takes place this weekend and it will be replete with Dads getting gifts of all sorts and a much-needed day of appreciation. But while all the meals, drinks, and trinkets are nice, the Canna-Dads crew might need a little assistance and this guide does just the trick.

Similar to our Canna-Moms guide last month, this Father’s Day we’re focusing on the Canna-Dads who like to toke, ingest, or topically apply their cannabis. As most are aware, cannabis boasts a bevy of uses both therapeutic and recreational. Personally, we’re into the science of cannabis and how it can help with issues like ADHD (D.L. suffers greatly from this condition), and depression (Ditto for D.L.).

No matter your reasons for using cannabis, our Canna-Dads guide has a little something for everyone. Hopefully, you’ll find a new favorite below. We certainly have. Happy Father’s Day!

We’ve listed our featured brands in alphabetical order, not preference. Just FYI.

Alchemy Naturals

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

Alchemy Natural has a great tagline on its About Us page — “From Mother Nature’s Pharmacy” — and that is an apt descriptor for the brand. They specialize in an array of CBD and THC gummies that address issues regarding sleep, intimacy, stress, and more. Further, the gummies are vegan, gluten-free, and damn tasty. Learn more here.

Autumn Brands

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

Autumn Brands is based in Santa Barbara County, Calif., and their sprawling farm operation proudly touts the fact they do not spray down their flower with nasty chemicals. The end result is pure, unadulterated flower and tinctures for all to enjoy. Learn more here. (Only available in California)

Betty’s Eddies High Energy

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“Breaking the wall a bit here, I love Betty’s Eddies. They are among the tastiest edibles I’ve had in the cannabis space, if not the best. The fruit chews come in a nice variety but I think the High Energy and their amazing watermelon flavor is primo for a Sativa fan like myself.“- D.L. Learn more here.

Blazy Susan

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

The name Blazy Susan should explain itself. This is a one-stop shop for all the accessories a true cannabis smoker needs. Not only does the Denver, Colo. brand offer premium rolling papers but also some show-stopping rolling trays too. Learn more here.

Bubby’s Baked Brownie Bites

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

Bubby’s Baked is all about delivering full-spectrum infusions into their delicious sweet treats. To be clear, these bad boys are perfectly sized for the cannabis neophyte who wants to get into edibles and actually enjoy what they’re eating. We vouch for the Brownie Bites Learn more here.

Caps by Cookies

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Cannabis enthusiasts already know that the brand that Berner built, Cookies, is all about top-shelf flower but they’re also in the CBD game too. The Caps offshoot combines mushrooms (not those kinds), terpenes, and cannabinoids for either daytime or nighttime use. We can guarantee that the nighttime version works. Learn more here.

Elements

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Elements is a cleverly named brand as it incorporates the four elements of nature into its dazzling selection of rolling papers, pipes, and apparel. The rolling papers are especially nice as they’re made with rice paper (which actually isn’t made with rice), making for a smoother toke than most. Learn more here.

Escape Artists

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

Source: Various / Various

Escape Artists is all about their topical creams for pain relief, pre-rolls, tinctures, and innovative “flights,” which needs to be more of a thing in the industry. The brand is only available in Colorado, Michigan, and Nevada for now. Learn more here.

G Pen

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The great minds behind Grenco Science’s G Pen brand have all the tools for a cannabis gearhead’s dream stash. I’ve been using my G Pen Dash dry herb vaporizer for almost two years and it’s one of the best tools in my collection. Learn more here.

Higher Standards

2023 420 Gift Guide

Higher Standards is for cannabis connoisseurs who expect quality in the tools they use to deliver their medicine along with products to help keep them safe and operational. The brand’s flagship store also specializes in quality apparel. Learn more here.

Highsman

2023 420 Gift Guide

Highsman is the creation of former NFL great, Errick Miron, a longtime advocate of cannabis. After leaving the game of football, Miron leaned into the cannabis world offering premium, effects-based strains, apparel, and more. Learn more here. Only available in Washington State and Oregon.

High Variety

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High Variety is a rising brand in development that we believe is going to blow the lid off this thing in record time. For now, the brand is only available in Arizona and Utah but they take a lot of the guesswork out of shopping with curated strains for certain needs. Learn more here.

Mountaintop Extracts

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New Mexico is called “The Land of Enchantment” for good reason due to its sweeping landscapes and fantastic culture. Mountaintop Extracts, founded in 2012, takes inspiration from the land to deliver a variety of cannabis products from flower to concentrates and everything in between. Learn more here.

PuffCo

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

Founded in 2013, PuffCo was designed with the idea of delivering extracts not only with efficiency, but also with high style. Seriously, PuffCo’s products look like something out of the future. Learn more here.

Susan’s Own

2023 420 Gift Guide

Susan’s Own is one of our favorite CBD brands and the creams, bath bombs, tincture, and gummies are high quality, just as you would expect out of Colorado. Learn more here.

The Flower Shop

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

The Flower Shop is a dispensary overseen company Greta Brandt and has the aim of providing cannabis with women consumers in mind. The LadyLike lineup of vape cartridges and edibles in packaging stands out. Learn more here. Only available in Arizona and Utah.

Veritas

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Colorado once again has a winner in the cannabis space with Veritas, a brand that offers premium cuts of flower, potent pre-rolls, apparel, and an accessories line that shouldn’t be missed. Learn more here.

VESSEL

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We’ve never seen anything quite like VESSEL in a cannabis brand, and their premium dry herb and vaporizer products are stylish as they are effective. The brand also has an innovative Helix system that keeps the tokes cool and smooth. They also offer accessories that look and feel far more expensive than the asking price. Learn more here.

Vibations

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

Vibations is a cannabis and energy drink dry mix meant to be added to water and provide a boost of superfruit-charged energy. Sounds like it’s time to mix up a glass. Learn more here. Only available in Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico.

Vibes

VIBES x Berner

Berner’s sprawling Cookies empire extends into the world of rolling papers and apparel. With the focus on flower from the rapper and businessman’s powerhouse brand, it’s only natural for him to get papers to the people. Learn more here.

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Photo: Getty

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16 Jun 2023

Cincinnati QB Joe Burrow Says ‘Maybe I’ll Stop By’ Taylor Swift Show at Bengals Stadium

If there’s one thing Joe Burrow has established in his four years leading the Cincinnati Bengals it’s that he’s unfathomably icy under pressure. Hence, the nickname “Joe Cool.” But when Sport Illustrated reported this week that the former No. 1 draft pick who has led a historic revitalization of the formerly moribund team was on the fence about the biggest event to come to Paycor Stadium in ages, the chill was absolutely sub-zero.

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“I have a lot of respect for what Taylor Swift has done with her career,” Burrow told SI. “I can’t say that I’m listening to too much Taylor Swift on the speakers in the headphones. I know a lot of people that are, but that’s just not me. I’ve heard the tour is a lot of fun, though.”

While fellow NFLers Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt are certified Swifties, Joey Franchise was predictably relaxed about whether he’d be in a suite at Paycor — the Bengals’ home stadium — when Swift pulls in for a two-night stay on June 30 and July 1.

“Maybe I’ll stop by,” he said. Maybe?! Say it ain’t so, Joe!

No. 9’s tastes are known to tilt toward another Ohio native, Kid Cudi, who often serves as Burrow’s hype-up soundtrack. But the QB told the magazine that he’s kind of “all over the place” when it comes to playlists. “I’ll listen to some indie, I’ll listen to some hip hop, some pop,” he said. “I’ll listen to just about anything but country. I’m not a country guy.”

Check out Burrow’s Swift talk below.

16 Jun 2023

Avicii’s ‘Wake Me Up’ Becomes First Dance Song to Earn RIAA Diamond Certification

For a song many people either disliked or misunderstood upon its release, Avicii‘s “Wake Me Up” continues chugging along in historic fashion.

On Friday (June 16), the track — released 10 years ago on June 17 — has earned RIAA Diamond Certification, signifying 10 million certified units sold. This distinction makes it the tune — which has now reached platinum status 11 times — the highest certified dance/electronic song in RIAA history.

The bluegrass/EDM hybrid of course has a nearly mythological status in dance music history, getting booed when Avicii debuted it at Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2013, before it went on to become an era-defining global sensation and the biggest hit of the producer’s career. (New footage from this Ultra 2013 set was released in March.)

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“Wake Me Up” spent 54 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 4 in October of 2013, marking Avicii’s biggest success on that chart. The song spent 26 weeks at No. 1 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. The tune became Spotify’s most streamed track of all time at the time of its release.

The dance/electronic songs just behind “Wake Me Up” on the RIAA certification chart are, predictably, all-time dance/electronic hits, with the No. 2 spot occupied by Major Lazer and DJ Snake’s “Lean On”; which is followed by “Fireflies” by Owl City; Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”; then Marshmello’s “Happier”; Mike Posner’s “I Took a Pill In Ibiza”; Zedd, Maren Morris and Gray’s “The Middle”; David Guetta’s “Titanium”; Jack Ü’s “Where Are U Now” and Swedish House Mafia’s “Don’t You Worry Child.”

16 Jun 2023

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Doja Cat, Gunna, Queens of the Stone Age and More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

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This week, Doja Cat demands your “Attention,” Gunna contemplates a new reality, and Queens of the Stone roar back after too long away. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Doja Cat, “Attention” 

Following a commercial run that has included a string of huge singles and an indelible mark on pop music, Doja Cat can go anywhere she wants — and on highly anticipated new single “Attention,” the multi-hyphenate flaunts her power by crashing sounds into one another and cutting off anyone trying to crash her party. After an intro that combines harp and finger-picked guitar, the melodies and rhythms of “Attention” snap into place, and Doja rattles off a pair of highly impressive rap verses; Doja had been teasing a more hip-hop-leaning project to follow 2021’s Planet Her, and here, she combines influences like Tyler, The Creator’s internal rhyming and Eminem’s wordplay into molten-lava bars about the balance of body image and artistic gravitas. “I am not afraid to finally say s–t with my chest,” Doja proclaims — a sentiment that “Attention” makes abundantly clear.

Gunna, A Gift & A Curse 

In the spring of 2022, Gunna was riding high off of his DS4ever album and its standout single “Pushin P,” leading Young Stoner Life alongside Young Thug as a new hip-hop powerhouse. Soon after, YSL was the target of a sprawling RICO case, and Gunna was able to strike a plea deal last December after months behind bars — although many hip-hop fans perceived his release as an untrustworthy sign of cooperation with the authorities. Gunna unpacks his complex circumstances on the aptly named A Gift & A Curse, the formerly vibed-out rapper adopting a somber tone while reflecting on his journey and ultimately finding a semblance of peace in his craft on a compelling, guest-free project.

Queens of the Stone Age, In Times New Roman… 

Six years after linking up with Mark Ronson and aiming to dance a little with 2017’s Villains, Queens of the Stone Age are back to what they do best: grand, crunchy rock, with the bluesy exterior and Josh Homme’s innate gift for hook-writing inviting a beer-hoisted boogie. In Times New Roman… follows a difficult period in Homme’s life that included a cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery, and the painful life experiences have been mined for a batch of snarling, self-produced songs –QOTSA hasn’t sounded this invigorated since 2005’s Lullabies to Paralyze, and Homme deserves credit for guiding this return to form.

Don Omar, Forever King 

Don Omar has been a reggaetón pioneer long before the sound fought its way into the U.S. mainstream, and maintained his stature during a recording break following 2019’s The Last Album. With Forever King, however, Omar visits a variety of different sounds, from mambo to tropical to urban, expanding the contours of his reggaetón aesthetic while welcoming a slew of collaborators (Residente, Wisin, Nio Garcia and Maluma among them) and asserting his dominance within Latin music as a whole. Forever King plays out like the perfect type of album from a veteran artist: tasteful experimentation abounds, with plenty for longtime fans.

Read a full review and track ranking for the new Don Omar album.

Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton, “We Don’t Fight Anymore” 

“This song embodies a place that I think, if we are honest with ourselves, we’ve all felt at some point in a relationship,” Carly Pearce shared in a press release of her new Chris Stapleton collaboration, “We Don’t Fight Anymore.” “The distance that feels heartbreaking, yet you’re also indifferent.” Both country greats bring their A-game to this story of a relationship cold war, but Pearce and co-producers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne nail the song’s atmosphere: an uncluttered country arrangement is marked by mournful fiddle and guitar, bubbling up as if to remind the voices of the fond memories before once again disappearing.

Asake, Work of Art 

Fast-rising Nigerian artist Asake has delivered his second album, Work of Art, to lofty expectations: he’s touring North America in a few months, including a headlining show at Barclays Center in Brooklyn; collaborating with stars like Davido and Fireboy DML; and working with a handful of producers who know how to elevate artists on an international scale. Fortunately, Work of Art addresses the professional pressure with pure joy, a confident synthesis of different African music styles heavy of wide-reaching vocal harmonies and string flourishes, with a few clear hits (“Basquiat,” “Amapiano” with Olamide, “2:30”) headlining the potential breakthrough.

Editor’s Pick: Peggy Gou, “(It Goes Like) Nanana”

Need to physically shake off a long work week? “(It Goes Like) Nanana,” the first new track from dance auteur Peggy Gou in nearly two years, has arrived to inspire uninhibited movement with nods to classic house anthems, ‘90s jock jams and modern club sounds. Gou has long been capturing feelings of bliss, but “(It Goes Like) Nanana” is immediately one of the producer’s most self-contained and accessible singles to date; her first release on XL Recordings and the lead single of a long-awaited debut album, the song precedes an exciting artistic period, as well as a summer full of dance breaks.

16 Jun 2023

Dolly Parton Rolls Out Two More ‘Rockstar’ Tracks Featuring Rob Halford, Nikki Sixx and Heart’s Ann Wilson

Dolly Parton‘s rock experiment rolled on Friday (June 16) with the release of two more songs from the country icon’s upcoming full-length rock debut, Rockstar. Digging into a song she’s always loved, Parton teams up with Heart’s Ann Wilson on a straightforward cover of the latter’s signature 1975 jam “Magic Man (Carl’s Version).”

“I’ve always wanted a reason to sing ‘Magic Man’ by Heart and it was one of my first choices for the album,” Parton said in a statement. “I was so happy that Ann Wilson agreed to sing it with me. Nobody can out sing Ann, but I gave it my darndest, and we added a few lines that were not in the original. We wanted to have a few things that made it seem like ours. Thank you, Nancy, for letting me fill in for you on this. Hope I’ve made you both proud. I think it’s magic!”

Indeed, three minutes in, Parton and Wilson trade lines in a new verse that conjures yet more mystery. “A magic man with luring eyes, changed the course of my young life/ He was a magic man/ I was oh so quick to learn, I was caught up in the burn/ Of the magic man,” they sing. “No one else could understand, unless you’ve loved a magic man.”

Parton’s first rock collection is due out on Nov. 17 and will feature 30 songs, including 21 covers and nine originals. One of those fresh tracks also dropped Friday, “Bygones,” featuring Judas Priest singer Rob Halford, as well as Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx and touring guitarist John 5.

Parton said in the statement that “Bygones” is one of her favorite tracks from the album. “The song fits with so many couples and coupling my voice with Rob, one of my all-time favorites, made it even more special,” she said of the quickstep midtempo rocker on which she and the leatherbound metal yowler meld their sugar and spikes vocals in growly harmony.

“I’m sorry, so sorry/ How long must you punish me/ Why can’t we just move on/ Let bygones be bygones/ But you never will,” they sing on the chorus. The two tracks were preceded by the Parton-penned first single, “World on Fire,” which charted at No 1 on the Billboard rock digital songs chart last month.

Listen to “Magic Man” and “Bygones” below.

16 Jun 2023

Victoria Monet Breaks Down Three Essential Tracks From Her Upcoming Project ‘Jaguar II’

Victoria Monét sees herself as something of a musical jaguar — particularly in the way she has written for other acts (like Ariana Grande and Fifth Harmony) during her career. “I feel like I’ve been behind the bushes and in the background, and I think jaguars themselves live in that way,” she explains. “They find the right moment to attack — and get what they want.” With Jaguar II, the sequel to 2020 EP Jaguar that’s due July 14, the singer-songwriter pounces upon different styles, from dancehall to Southern rap. The first three singles give a glimpse into the project’s variety. “These were the three that embodied what the rest of the album would sound like,” she says.

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“Smoke” Featuring Lucky Daye

The album’s first single is the final product of an unfinished track created during Monét’s Jaguar sessions: She started with a rough melody and hook before adding horns and fleshing out the production with her go-to producer, Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II. Monét then decided that the hazy song needed another dynamic: “I thought Lucky was the perfect choice,” she says of his feature on the sultry R&B track. “It sounds like something he would make. I felt like [he] was the male version of myself.”

“Party Girls” Featuring Buju Banton

When D’Mile played the bassline for “Party Girls,” Monét immediately envisioned Caribbean flare. She honed in on the sound and stepped out of her comfort zone by DM’ing Jamaican reggae and dancehall veteran Banton, asking if he wanted to hop on the song. To her surprise, he was already following her — and shortly after, the two video-chatted on WhatsApp so Banton could play her his verse. Monét and D’Mile then reworked the production to make the song lean even more into dancehall. “ ‘Party Girls’ gives you the other side that’s more grounded, street and raw,” she says.

“On My Mama”

Monét added Southern twang to “On My Mama” by sampling Texas rapper Chalie Boy’s 2009 track, “I Look Good.” She built the song around “the wonky guitar you hear at the beginning,” saying that when she first heard it, it immediately recalled the original, which peaked at No. 13 on the Hot Rap Songs chart upon its release. “It was just a random idea,” she says. “It felt like that song could be a part of the melodies and the production we were working on.” At first, Monét wasn’t sure if she would actually include the sample, but she says adding it gave the song a balance of masculine and feminine energy — which she says that Chalie Boy and his team ultimately loved, too.

This story originally appeared in the June 10, 2023, issue of Billboard.

16 Jun 2023

Sasha Colby Talks About How She Got Into Drag, Misconceptions About Drag & More | Billboard Cover

RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 winner Sasha Colby talks about her start in drag, defies drag misconceptions and more for our Billboard Pride cover with Maren Morris.

Sasha Colby
Oh my gosh, when I was asked … Billboard, the cover of Billboard? Cover girl, oh my goodness. I needed to pinch. I fainted and then I was resurrected.

Sasha Colby on how she got into drag:
I think I came out of the womb with, like, a pair of high heels and a little smoky eye, but I mean. There’s pictures of me as a kid literally jumping into my sister’s high heels or playing in makeup. So I think I was just always jumping into drag before I even knew what drag was.

Sasha Colby on the first song she performed in drag:
I was a child — I was playing in my sheets, and my parents told me to come out and dance for everyone. How they didn’t know, it’s beyond me. But it was, every time, Whitney Houston “I Want to Dance With Somebody.”

Sasha Colby on her signature drag number:
Would have to be honestly, “Don’t Walk Away.” It’s the perfect brunch number. It’s the perfect, like, everyone sings along — any age, any … like … any ethnicity, they love it.

Sasha Colby on the biggest misconception about drag:
That we queer people, or drag queens, or performers in general are trying to groom children. And that’s not our, you know, our way of going about things. But I think that’s the biggest misconception. It’s not something that we encourage people to do — it’s a safe haven that people come to because they’re excluded from everywhere else.

Watch the full video above to find out how Sasha Colby responded when she was told she’d be on the Billboard cover with Maren Morris, what she wants people to learn about drag and more!

16 Jun 2023

Executive Turntable: Positiva Records MD Boards Armada; Matthew Knowles Launches Media Company

Jason Ellis joined independent dance music label Armada Music as global senior A&R director. Ellis will also serve as an acquisition consultant for BEAT Music Fund, the company’s recently launched dance music investment arm. Based in London, Ellis will be responsible for sourcing and developing up-and-coming talent while consulting on future BEAT acquisitions. He joins the company from a more than 20-year stint at U.K. dance label Positiva Records, where he most recently served as MD — a role he combined with senior A&R duties at Virgin, Virgin EMI and EMI Records.

Music manager and branding/marketing entrepreneur Matthew Knowles and Emmy-nominated executive producer Tamra Simmons (Surviving R. Kelly) partnered to form a new media company called Music World TV, Film & Media, where Knowles will serve as CEO and Simmons will serve as president. The two have also brought aboard two additional executives: Jasmine Murray as head of development and Krystl Rascoe as business liaison. The company is currently developing several scripted and unscripted projects. Knowles is represented by Lin Almanza at Music World Entertainment and Simmons is represented by Bobby Kenner and Ashley Harrison at CAA.

Beth Rasnick was promoted to the role of chief of staff to the CEO at Gibson Brands, reporting to Cesar Gueikian. Rasnick will represent the office of the CEO internally and externally, collaborating with the Gibson leadership and extended leadership teams to determine business strategies. She will lead the CEO office with sponsored projects as well as strategic business initiatives. She has worked at Gibson for nearly a decade.

Veteran manager Justin Little is joining San Francisco-based Brilliant Corners Artist Management as the senior member of the firm’s newly opened Los Angeles office. Little brings with him dance/electronic act The Midnight and Nashville-based alternative rock band Bully (co-managed with Michele Fleischli at Like Management). He previously worked at Constant Artists Management.

Entrepreneur, filmmaker and author Scott Blum launched FOUND, a U.S.-based independent record label focused on the contemporary music scene of Iceland. The label’s first signings include jazz vocal duo Silva & Steni, composer Magnús Jóhann and punk band GRÓA.

Grace Watson was hired at Black River Entertainment as senior director of streaming & revenue. In the role, Watson will oversee all aspects of streaming and sales for the company while developing comprehensive streaming strategies and fostering partner relationships for Black River’s roster. She joins the company from Universal Music Group/Capitol CMG. Based in Nashville, she’ll report to Black River Records executive vp Rick Froio. Watson can be reached at gwatson@blackriverent.com.

Nick Jurich was promoted to junior account executive at Shore Fire Media; he was previously a publicity assistant. Based in Nashville, Jurich will take on expanded responsibilities as he contributes to publicity campaigns for various artists and projects.