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14 Jun 2023

Dolly Parton Remembers Treat Williams: ‘I’ve Never Known a Kinder, Sweeter, More Talented Person’

Dolly Parton is paying tribute to late actor Treat Williams. The country singer spoke about the type of man Williams was and briefly reminisced on their time working together in her 2020 Netflix special, Christmas on the Square in an Instagram post on Tuesday (June 13).

“I was very sad to hear that Treat Williams has passed away. I’ve always been a fan and I had the wonderful opportunity of working with him on Christmas on the Square a few years back,” the country icon wrote. “I’ve never known a kinder, sweeter, more talented person in my life.”

Parton concluded her statement with a message to the late actor’s family: “I just wanted to send my condolences to his family and just to know that we’ll always remember the great body of work that he left behind.”

Williams, who had notable roles in the WB series Everwood and in movies such as Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City and Milos Forman‘s Hair, was pronounced dead after colliding with a car while riding a motorcycle in Vermont on June 12.

Vermont State Police shared further details in a statement, revealing that the driver of the car “stopped, signaled a left turn and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams. Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead.” He was 71.

In addition to starring in Christmas on the Square as Carl Pellam, Williams had roles in John Sturges’ The Eagle Has Landed (1976), Steven Spielberg’s 1941 (1979), Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America (1984), Smooth Talk (1985), Dead Heat (1988), Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995), Deep Rising (1998) and The Deep End of the Ocean (1999) and more.

See Parton’s message below.

14 Jun 2023

Snoop Dogg, The Weeknd Lose Bid to Become First Black NHL Owners After Ottawa Senators Sale to Rival Investment Group

Snoop Dogg and The Weeknd have expanded their brands in dozens of unique and intersting ways, from investing in tech, hawking clothing lines, books and wine to starring in HBO dramas. But the one business the pair have not yet been able to crack is the NHL.

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Snoop was part of a group assembled by L.A.-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks in a bid to purchase the Ottawa Senators, while Toronto-bed The Weeknd (who now goes by his birth name, Abel Tesfaye) reportedly joined a rival bid led by hometown billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of Harlo Capital Group. Both men were hoping to be the first Black owners of an NHL franchise.

While Tesfaye is a Toronto native and avowed hockey fan with ties to Ottawa and Snoop teamed with the NHL in 2018 for the weekly video series “Hockey 101 With Snoop Dogg,” neither man — nor actor Ryan Reynolds, who was also reportedly part of one of half dozen bidding groups — made the final cut.

According to ESPN, the A-list power was not enough to win out in the end, with the Senators board of directors announcing on Tuesday that a group led by Andlauer Healthcare Group CEO Michael Andlauer put in the successful bid at nearly $1 billion; the board has not yet disclosed the final terms of the deal. Andlauer, 57, who also owns the Ontario Hockey League’s Brantford Bulldogs, will have to divest in his 10% stake in the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens team as part of the pact.

“My family and I are very excited to be part of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club,” Andlauer said in a statement according to ESPN. “I believe that the Senators’ fanbase is one of the most passionate in the league, and I’m excited to take the franchise’s success — both on and off the ice — to the next level.”

The site reported that Andlauer’s bid edged the one from the Kimels, as well as the one from Sparks, which was said to be “underfunded.” The losing bid came after Snoop openly coveted the team on his socials, writing on Instagram in May, “amazing what @neko_sparks is trying to do in Ottawa & I’m looking forward to being apart of that ownership team. I WANNA BRING HOCKEY TO OUR COMMUNITY.”

14 Jun 2023

It Is What It Is: Cam’ron Rips Kim Kardashian For Wearing Shirt Mocking Kendall Jenner’s Dating Life

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Cam'ron Rips Kim Kardashian For Kendall Jenner T-Shirt

Source: Prince Williams / Getty / Cam’ron

Rapper-turned-sports analyst, Cam’ron, had time for Kim Kardashian on his bubbling sports show.

Oh boy, Kim Kardashian felt the wrath of Cam’ron on his popular internet “sports debate show” It Is What It Is. The Dipset founder ripped the reality star/mogul for wearing a t-shirt poking fun at her sister, Kendall Jenner’s roster of men she dated.

The video lives on Kim K and her daughter North West’s joint TikTok account earlier this month, and in it, she plays with her and Kanye West’s firstborn child while rocking a “Kendall Starting Five” t-shirt.

On it, a photo of her half-sister is surrounded by the NBA hoopers Jenner was linked to: Devin Booker, Blake Griffin, Jordan Clarkson, Ben Simmons, and Kyle Kuzma.

Speaking with his co-host Ma$e, and moderator, Treasure Wilson, he went in on Kimmy K, calling her out for all the men she dated.

Per HipHopDX:

“I think the bitch got a lot of au-fuckin’-dacity. Bitch, you started off fucking Ray J, why do people ignore that? And now you want to taunt your sister like she got mad n-ggas. She got it from you.”

He added: “Your starting five consists of athletes and entertainers. First of all, we got the head coach, Ray J, then we got Reggie Bush, and then she married that basketball player that wasn’t shit and found out he wasn’t shit and curved that n-gga.

“Then she started messing with another athlete, then she got with Kanye and had kids then got into an argument with Kanye and then rushed to go fuck Pete Davidson. Your line-up is wild, too. You got a lot of nerve, man.”

Remember that Killa Cam is good friends with Koonye West, so he more than likely took extra pleasure in calling out Kim Kardashian.

You can catch Cam’ron and Ma$e at Made In America this summer doing a special set. Somebody check on Jim Jones immediately.

—

Photo: Prince Williams / Getty

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14 Jun 2023

Keke Palmer Praises Taylor Swift for ‘Still Growing’ When ‘Everybody Was Counting Her Out’

Keke Palmer isn’t done with the Taylor Swift praise. In a recent episode of her podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, the actress once again gushed about the pop star’s “lethal” songwriting and noted how impressive she thinks Swift’s career longevity has been.

“I know that people hate her or love her,” Palmer began in the Tuesday (June 13) episode. “But one young lady that never stopped growing with her audience … is Taylor Swift.”

“She has done it, baby. She did it when everybody was counting her out,” the Nope star continued. “Whether you listen to her music or not, mama is a skilled writer. Her pen is lethal. Just the other day, I’m hearing the ‘Anti-Hero,’ and her talking about, ‘If I was the man, I’m the man.’ She’s still growing and shutting s–t down.”

“She really found her way to mature her music and mature her sound and still keep the young little girls looking up,” Palmer added, also noting that Swift’s bestie and fellow pop star Selena Gomez has also “done a good job at that.”

Just like the millions of fans who are showing up every weekend to see the “Bejeweled” singer at her Eras Tour, Palmer is on something of a T-Swift kick. Just a couple weeks ago, she revealed that “Our Song” is her favorite Swift track, and before that, she passionately jammed out to “Karma” in the car in an Instagram video.

“It’s always going to be miss Swift’s lyricism for me,” Palmer said in her caption at the time, to which Swift herself replied, “Omg I love u so much.” 

Watch the clip of Keke Palmer talking about Taylor Swift on her podcast below:

14 Jun 2023

The Weeknd Is Well-Aware That ‘There’s Nothing Sexy’ About Controversial ‘The Idol’ Sex Scene

If you found yourself suppressing a laugh, angry yell or covering your eyes from embarrassment during the sex scenes in the second episode of The Weeknd‘s HBO music drama The Idol over the weekend, then the series’ co-creator and co-star is fine with all of that.

“No. There’s nothing sexy about it,” Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd’s real name, which he now goes by), told GQ in a new interview about the mixed reaction to his long-in-the-works erotic music industry critique in which Lily-Rose Depp’s fallen pop star Jocelyn falls for creepy sex cult leader Tedros Tedros (Tesfaye).

The scene in question makes up the final 10 minutes of the most recent episode, in which Tedros put Jocelyn through her male gaze sex paces, ordering the blindfolded singer to strike a series of provocative poses while reciting cringey dialogue that sounds too obvious for even an actual adult film. “Let me see those t—es,” Tesfaye leers at one point in the character’s dead-eyed, deadpan voice as another member of his cult spies on them from a closet.

The GQ writer mentions that the scene comes after Jocelyn and her assistant watch the Sharon Stone 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct, whose influence seems to be all over the show. “When we use Basic Instinct as a reference, we’re using [director Paul ] Verhoeven. Verhoeven is the king of ‘90s satire thriller — yes, there’s moments of ‘sexy’ in his films but there are other moments that are very cheesy and hilarious,” Tesfaye said. “How ever you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters. It’s all those emotions adding up to: This guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.”

As for the wince-y bedroom talk, when it’s suggested the oily, rattail-wearing Tedros is freestyling it, Tesfaye said, “exactly,” noting that the tone the team is trying to strike is a blend of camp, satire and some more straightforward seriousness to keep viewer’s off-balance.

“With this show, we love to play with the emotions. We’re puppet-mastering your feelings through the show,” he said of what appears to be a determination to keep the audience uncomfortable, a bit confused and unsure if the dialogue and scenarios are meant to be taken seriously or not. “It’s never a consistent tone, and that’s on purpose. No matter how dark a scene is, you can find the comedy in it. That’s why we love actors like [co-stars] Rachel Sennot, Hank Azaria, and Da’Vine [Joy Randolph]. These are incredibly talented comedic performers who can shift the tone in just one monologue.”

“We love to play with the comedy of it but then it’s like… don’t get too comfortable,” Tesfaye added of the show that has already featured a number of choking-related sex scenes. “That should be the logline for the show: Don’t get too comfortable watching this.”

And though ratings were initially tepid and critical response almost wholly negative, Tesfaye said so far he’s “loving” the reaction, calling the discussion about The Idol “healthy,” no matter what is being said. “It’s definitely shaken up the culture for sure. We knew we were making something dark and controversial but true to what we want to say,” he said.

The singer also hinted that information about the vampire-like Tedros is being leaked out slowly on purpose, which Tesfaye said is important for the character’s development. “You try to be as mysterious as possible about who the character is so that you can take [the audience] on this journey,” he explained. “But piece by piece, week by week, we’ll reveal who he is. But he’s what you see on screen. He’s definitely a challenge. He’s despicable, a psychopath — why sugarcoat it? But he’s somehow useful to this girl, and it’s unfortunate and we hate to see it.”

In reality, though, he said there’s nothing mysterious or particularly hypnotic about Tedros. “And we did that on purpose with his look, his outfits, his hair — this guy’s a douchebag,” he said, tacking on that the club owner is a “loser” who is attracted to “gluttonous” sex. “You can tell he cares so much about what he looks like, and he thinks he looks good. But then you see these weird moments of him alone—he rehearses, he’s calculated. And he needs to do that, or he has nothing, he’s pathetic. Which is true of a lot of people who are a fish out of water, put into these scenarios.”

And, don’t worry, he promised, you’ll find out more about that rodent-inspired hairdo later.

14 Jun 2023

10 Must-See Rising Stars at Bonnaroo 2023: Rina Sawayama, Destroy Lonely & More

Festival season is in full swing, and it’s time to head down to Manchester, Tennessee. After making its comeback last year — COVID-19 paused 2020’s festivities, and flooding from Hurricane Ida stalled the 2021 celebration — Bonnaroo is ready to treat fans to four consecutive nights of blockbuster performances across genres.

The music and arts festival will kick off this Thursday (June 15) with co-headlining performances from dance music superstars Zeds Dead and Liquid Stranger. Pulitzer Prize-winning “Silent Hill” rapper Kendrick Lamar is set to headline Friday night (June 16), with additional performances from “The Hillbillies” collaborator Baby Keem, Taylor Swift-approved Eras Tour opener MUNA, and chart-topping rock band Portugal. The Man.

On Saturday (June 17), Grammy-nominated EDM duo ODESZA will headline the main stage while other sets include pop powerhouse Lil Nas X, Dreamville breakout J.I.D., and rock-pop icon Sheryl Crow. Finally, Sunday (June 18) will feature Billboard 200 chart-toppers Foo Fighters as the night’s headliner, along with performances from country star Kip Moore, musical prodigy Jacob Collier, and This Is Why rockers Paramore.

While the marquee acts are reliable and fun, Bonnaroo boasts performances from over 100 musical acts across hip-hop, rock, EDM, country, and more. From fast-rising indie stars to award-winning critical darlings, Bonnaroo 2023 promises to not only satisfy your hunger to see your favorite major artists but also introduce you to myriad new acts to spruce up your daily playlists.

Keep reading to see Billboard‘s top 10 must-see artists at this year’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

14 Jun 2023

50 Cent & Rémy Martin Settle Their Court Dispute On The Low

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Rémy Martin

Source: Phillip Faraone / Getty

After almost two years of court battles, 50 Cent and Rémy Martin (the alcohol brand, not the rapper) have settled their case and put their legal issues behind them.

According to TMZ, the Get Rich or Die Tryin’ rapper and the cognac brand have come to terms over the allegations that 50’s Branson cognac brand blatantly bit the bottle design for Rémy Martin’s XO. After suing 50 Cent’s Spire Spirits in Manhattan federal court back in August 2021 over the infringement, the two sides have been squabbling in a court of law ever since. On June 1, the parties settled the matter, but the terms of the settlement are being kept under seal.

TMZ reports:

In the suit, Rémy Martin claimed 50 Cent’s cognac copied their famous jewel-shaped glass bottle design. Rémy Martin claimed the design was synonymous with their brand and could cause confusion.

Reps for Rémy Martin tell TMZ … they’re pleased to resolve the trademark and patent dispute, and the brand respects 50 Cent’s entry into the cognac market.We reached out to 50 Cent’s camp … so far, no word back.
After taking so many dubs in court, it was only a matter of time before 50 took another “L.” Or did he? We may never know what the terms of their settlement will be, but it looks like Rémy Martin isn’t too upset with the matter and even put some “respeck” on Fiddy’s name after it was all said and done.Don’t be surprised if Rémy Martin becomes the drink of choice in future 50 Cent backed film projects or something.

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14 Jun 2023

Stray Kids, (G)I-DLE & More to Perform at KCON 2023

KCON is returning to the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena this summer, bringing the heat with its 2023 lineup announced on Wednesday (June 14).

ATEEZ, CRAVITY, (G)I-DLE, INI, ITZY, IVE, JO1, Kep1er, Lapillus, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (from MONSTA X), NMIXX, Rain, Stray Kids, TAEMIN, TAEYONG, THE BOYZ, WayV, xikers, ZEROBASEONE and EVERGLOW are all set to take the stage during the three-day event on August 18 to 20.

Show attendees will be able to enjoy performances, collaborative stages, fan-engaging events, panels, workshops and the return of the Dream Stage, according to a release. The convention portion of the weekend will also reflect 2023’s theme, “BE A KCONer,” by featuring various “missions” to take attendees on a journey through the world of K-culture.
KCON LA 2023 will be presented by Samsung Galaxy as the title sponsor.

Additionally, after making its debut at KCON Japan 2023, “SHOWCASE: NICE TO MEET U” will come to KCON LA to showcase K-pop artists and new performances. 

Last year, KCON 2022 Los Angeles reported more than 90,000 fans in attendance in its first in-person event since 2019  — a major hurdle to jump over as KCON celebrates 10 years in the SoCal area.

For more information on KCON 2023, visit the convention’s website here.

kcon la 2023

Courtesy Photo

14 Jun 2023

50 Cent Settles Lawsuit That Claimed His Cognac Brand Stole Rémy Martin’s ‘Famous’ Bottle Shape

50 Cent has reached a settlement with Rémy Martin to end a lawsuit that claimed his Branson brand of cognac copied the design of the company’s bottles.

E. Rémy Martin & Co. sued in 2021, claiming the liquor brand owned by the rapper (real name Curtis Jackson) had infringed patent and trade dress rights by mimicking Rémy’s XO bottle. 50 Cent’s company, Sire Spirits, called the case “meritless” and accused the bigger rival of trying to “destroy a competitor.”

But in a filing on Monday, the two sides said they had squashed their beef — reaching a “confidential” settlement agreement on June 1 that would fully resolve the litigation. The specific terms of the deal, like whether any money was exchanged or products would be changed, were not made public.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Rémy confirmed to Billboard the agreement would end the case, but declined to offer more details: “Rémy appreciates and respects Mr. Jackson’s entry into the Cognac market and the parties share a common vision for the future of this exceptional and precious spirit. The parties are gratified that this matter could be resolved amicably.”

An attorney for Sire Spirits did not immediately return a request for comment.

50 Cent launched Branson in 2018, selling the cognac in a circular bottle with gem-like facets that was designed by the rapper himself. But in August 2021, Rémy Martin sued on the grounds that the bottle was “nearly indistinguishable” from the “toroidal” shape of its own famous bottle.

“Defendants have willfully and blatantly designed their bottle to unfairly capitalize on the goodwill and reputation that Plaintiff’s bottle has achieved and to unabashedly profit from its bad faith infringement,” the company’s lawyers wrote in their complaint.

Rémy Martin accused the Branson bottle of infringing both design patents and trade dress — a form of trademark that covers the well-known shape or packaging of a product, like a Coca-Cola bottle or blue Tiffany’s box. The lawsuit claimed the bottle was “a blatant attempt” to make consumers think of Rémy Martin.

In October, 50 Cent and Sire fired back, blasting the rival for trying to “eliminate” an upstart competitor and “monopolize the Cognac market.” The company said Rémy Martin’s case was so weak that it should be dismissed at the outset.

“This action is a naked effort to use meritless litigation to financially destroy a competitor,” Sire’s attorneys wrote at the time. “Rémy Martin must be stopped, and the claims against Sire Spirits should not be allowed to survive.”

But in a pair of rulings last year, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein refused to dismiss the case against 50 Cent’s company. “This is not a case in which the claimed and accused designs are so plainly dissimilar that it is implausible that an ordinary observer would confuse them,” the judge wrote at the time.

Those decisions sent the case deeper into litigation and headed toward an eventual trial. But the case has largely been on ice for months as the two sides worked toward the settlement that was reached earlier this month.

14 Jun 2023

Lizzo & SZA Set to Headline 2023 Made In America Festival

If anyone can make Made In America extra special this year, it’s Lizzo and SZA. On Wednesday (June 14), the festival announced the two “Special” collaborators as its 2023 headliners.

From Sept. 2-3, 2023, the two Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping cross-genre stars will entertain fans at Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. This year’s festival will include a special joint set by Mase and Cam’ron, as well as performances by Miguel, Tems, Ice Spice, Metro Boomin, Doechii, Coi Leray, Latto, Lola Brooke, Coco Jones, TiaCorine, Flau’jae Johnson, Tanerélle, Lil Yachty and more.

For Lizzo and SZA, their headlining slots come in the midst of busy years for both artists. SZA is currently in the middle of the European leg of her SOS Tour in support of her acclaimed sophomore studio album, which spent a staggering 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Lizzo is fresh off winning her fourth Grammy for last year’s Hot 100 No. 1 single “About Damn Time,” and she is wrapping up her Special Tour next month (July 30). In addition to churning out some of the biggest hits of the young decade, Lizzo and SZA are also big supporters of one another. On Tuesday (June 13), the “Love Galore” singer came to Lizzo’s defense against fatphobic cyberbullies and trolls.

Founded by hip-hop legend Jay-Z in 2012, Made In America has been rocking Philly for a little over a decade, with only one year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year’s edition featured headlining performances from global reggaeton sensation Bad Bunny and “Earfquake” rapper Tyler, the Creator.

Check out the full lineup below: