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18 May 2023

Jimmie Allen Issues Apology to Wife Alexis Gale for ‘Humiliating Her With My Affair’

Jimmie Allen took to social media on Thursday (May 18) to issue a public apology to his estranged wife, Alexis Gale, and his family amid serious allegations against the country star.

“I wan to publicly apologize to my wife Alexis for humiliating her with my affair. I’m embarrassed that my choices have brought shame on her,” Allen wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. “That’s something that she did not deserve at all.”

The “Make Me Want To” singer also apologized to his daughters, three-year-old Naomi and one-year-old Zara, “for being a poor example of a man and a father.”

His statement continued, “I’m working on becoming a better person that my kids can be proud of. My goal is to be better than the generation before me. This business takes so much from you. It’s full of temptations that can cripple you and ruin everything you’ve built. I’m ashamed that I wasn’t strong enough to withstand them. I will no longer be a victim of my weaknesses.”

Last month, Gale and Allen revealed that they are expecting their third baby together, but also that they are breaking up. “After much thought and reflection in recent months, Lex & I have made the decision to separate,” the country star wrote. “Our number one priority is and always will be ensuring that our children are healthy, happy and loved, and we remain committed to co-parenting with love and respect for one another. In light of our growing family, we respectfully request privacy during this time.”

Shortly after, a woman on his management team filed a civil lawsuit in Tennessee federal court, in which the anonymous “Jane Doe” accused Allen of sexual assault. The accuser claimed that Allen “manipulated and used his power” over her job as a day-to-day manager in order to “sexually harass and abuse her.”

In a statement to Billboard, Allen admitted to a sexual relationship with his accuser but denied all allegations of assault. “It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever,” he said. “I acknowledge that we had a sexual relationship — one that lasted for nearly two years. During that time she never once accused me of any wrongdoing, and she spoke of our relationship and friendship as being something she wanted to continue indefinitely.”

See his newest statement below.

18 May 2023

GloRilla “Embarrassed” By Her High School Photo Used As Ja Morant Meme

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2023 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival - Weekend 2 - Day 3

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As many on social media made light of the latest incident featuring Ja Morant and guns, one meme proved to be a haunting throwback for GloRilla.

The Memphis Grizzlies star guard is embroiled in another controversial incident involving a firearm, this time through a viral video that was uploaded online featuring him flashing a gun in a car with an unidentified friend. The reaction online sparked a wave of memes criticizing but mostly clowning Morant, with one meme of a young girl holding a large gun that read, “Ja Morant every month.” It turned out that the young lady in the photo was GloRilla. She got wind of the meme circulating and quote tweeted it with a couple of laughing emojis. “I was a menace in high school,” she wrote. “I’m so embarrassed.” The Memphis native didn’t offer anything further.

The new Morant video comes weeks after he was suspended for eight games towards the end of the regular season by the Grizzlies after a video of him flashing a firearm in a gentlemen’s club in Denver, Colorado captured from his Instagram Stories went viral. The latest situation has already seen possible heavy repercussions being floated, as National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver spoke about it on Tuesday at the NBA Draft Lottery. “Honestly, I was shocked when I saw this weekend — that video. Now, we’re in the process of investigating it,” he said.

Morant released a statement Tuesday (May 16), which was relayed by Adrian Wojnarowski via Twitter: “I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me. This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”

Wojnarowski has previously reported that the league could hand down a stiffer suspension.

As for GloRilla, she’s currently building off of the success of her Grammy Award-nominated track “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” and being the headliner for the Anyways, Life’s Great tour this past spring. Signed to fellow Memphis artist Yo Gotti’s CMG label, the 23-year-old is also expected to perform at the Austin City Limits Festival later in the year.

18 May 2023

Sheff G, Sleepy Hallow Among 32 Arrested In Brooklyn Gang Bust

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Sleepy Hallow's

Brooklyn Drill rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow were among over two dozen individuals arrested in connection to a gang bust this week. According to the charges read by prosecutors, Sheff G allegedly funded a sprawling gang operation by way of his burgeoning music career.

As seen in a press release from the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Sheff G, real name Michael Williams, and Sleepy Hallow, real name Tegan Chambers, were charged with 30 other individuals with charges that include conspiracy to commit murder.

More from the Brooklyn DA’s office press room:

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell, today announced that 32 alleged members of the 8 Trey Crips and its affiliate, the 9 Ways gang, are named in a 140-count indictment for allegedly committing shootings, possessing guns, and using stolen cars during shootings, to eliminate rivals that included members of Folk Nation Gangster Disciples and ICG Babiiez.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “I’m confident that today’s successful takedown will have a positive impact on public safety across several Brooklyn communities as we enter the summer months. The senseless gun violence, allegedly committed by these defendants, terrorized our neighbors for years and left more than a dozen people with serious injuries. It is distressing to know that some of the violence was allegedly fueled by a young man who used money he made from a successful music career to allegedly pay for and encourage acts of violence. Together with the NYPD, my office will continue to target the most violent individuals and to build strong cases against them, as we have in this case.”

Mayor Adams said, “Since day one, our administration has been focused on reducing gun violence and taking aggressive action to address violent gang activity throughout the city. The actions of these 32 people put the lives of New Yorkers in danger — carrying out murder, assault, gun possession, and using stolen cars during shootings. These indictments should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law, and if you commit acts of violence in New York City you will be held accountable.”

Sheff G, 24, founded his own Winners Circle Entertainment label and went into partnership with RCA. His debut solo, One And Only, was released in 2020. Sleepy Hallow, 23, was also a Winners Circle signee, releasing his 2021 studio debut, Still Sleep?, via RCA.

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18 May 2023

Camila Cabello Shares Favorite Childhood Memories, ‘Authentic’ Family-Focused Olipop Campaign

For Camila Cabello, her loved ones mean everything. That’s why when she teamed up with Olipop for the soft drink company’s first-ever national campaign, her family and friends had to be included.

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“I wanted it to feel authentic and those are the people that really make me who I am,” she tells Billboard of the new ad, which follows the theme of “Real Love Makes Us.” In the 30-second Daniel Mercadante-directed clip, the “Havana” singer is seen hanging out and laughing with her parents, sister and friends. “Success is always measured by the big stuff, but we forget that it’s the little stuff that really makes us,” she is heard saying in the video, as she and her loved ones enjoy some Olipop soda at the dinner table.

The relaxed environment in the clip directly reflects some of Cabello’s favorite childhood memories, telling Billboard that her most beloved times with her family and friends are “those moments when we’re all in the kitchen and someone is cooking or making coffee, and we’re talking about nothing, but simply being around each other feels like we’re tending to something important.”

Olipop already sticks out in grocery stores due to its fun, colorful packaging, but the brand also aims to redefine soft drinks by developing a tonic that combines the classic soda taste with the benefits of plant-based fiber, prebiotics and other botanical ingredients to help balance out the body’s microbiome and promote overall well-being.

“Soda is a powerful force that has historically brought people together and fostered social cohesion, family bonding, and lifelong memories,” said Ben Goodwin, Olipop’s founder, formulator and CEO in a press statement. “But how can we still associate this nostalgic, friendly feeling most of us get with soda when we as a society have accepted the serious health consequences associated with it? Our new campaign goes back to why I created Olipop in the first place — to allow consumers to enjoy soda once again without any sacrifice on taste or health. We can hopefully inspire people to truly take the time to celebrate the real moments that make us who we are — with a soda in hand that’s actually good for you.”

And, yes, Cabello told us her favorite flavor. “It’s between Vintage Cola and Strawberry Vanilla,” she shares. “Vintage Cola is so good with tacos and pizza! Reminds me of childhood.”

Watch the full ad below.

18 May 2023

Garth Brooks Reveals He Once Showered With Steven Tyler: ‘How Many People Can Say That?’

Garth Brooks stopped by The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday (May 18) to spill the tea on the time he found himself in the showers with none other than Steven Tyler.

The country legend regaled host Kelly Clarkson with the story, which happened back in 2008 when he and the Aerosmith frontman performed with Billy Joel during his historic final shows at New York’s Shea Stadium.

“I showered with him,” Brooks said nonchalantly, as the American Idol winner was pointing out that he’d covered one of Aerosmith’s songs in the past. “Did you say ‘I showered with him’?” a baffled Clarkson responded once she registered what her pal had revealed.

“So we’re playin’ The Last Play at Shea, Billy Joel. They’re gettin’ ready to tear down Shea Stadium [in] New York,” Brooks continued. “And I go out there and I’m late anyway, and they have just the baseball showers. I’m in there showering, gettin’ ready for the show. And I have soap in my eyes, I look around and there’s Steven Tyler. He’s showerin’ too. [Waves] ‘Hey! How ya doin’?’

“And so it was…How many people get to say that?” the icon added, to which Clarkson hilariously rejoined, “Well, who knows? Who knows, he’s rock and roll, I don’t know! You might not be so special, Garth.”

During the chat, Brooks also declared his recent ACM Awards co-host Dolly Parton the all-time best country music has to offer, saying, “The thing is, we always talk about the GOAT. And the GOAT is always a guy. I’m not sure that the GOAT of country music isn’t a female.”

Watch Brooks dish on accidentally hitting the showers with Tyler and more below.

18 May 2023

Fetty Wap Asks for Minimum Prison Sentence After Pleading Guilty to Drug Charge: ‘Truly Sorry’

Lawyers for Fetty Wap are asking a judge to sentence him to five years – the minimum under the law – after he pleaded guilty last year to federal drug charges, arguing that the star rapper committed his crimes only to “financially support others” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The “Trap Queen” star (real name Willie Junior Maxwell II) has admitted to participating in what prosecutors called “a multimillion-dollar bicoastal drug distribution organization,” pleading guilty in August to a single charge of conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

Now, with sentencing set for next week, the rapper’s lawyers say he should receive the minimum possible sentence for that conviction, arguing that he “realizes the terrible mistake he made” and is “truly sorry for the loss and hurt he has caused.”

“What makes this case unusual is Mr. Maxwell’s motivation,” his lawyers wrote in a Wednesday (May 18) filing. “Personal gain was not his motivation. Rather, he was motivated by his commitment to financially support others. He now realizes that he does not have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

Sentencing guidelines call for a prison term ranging from seven and nine years, but in their filing, Fetty Wap’s lawyers say their client deserves less than that because he only turned to crime amid the pandemic, as his touring income dried up but “the bills kept coming in.”

“Suddenly it felt like life was going in reverse and he became ashamed when he began to struggle to keep up the lifestyle that he created for so many. His judgment became impaired,” the rapper’s lawyers wrote. “Desperate to keep up with his financial obligations, Mr. Maxwell became involved in the instant offense for a few months in the spring of 2020.”

Fetty Wap was arrested in October 2021 at Rolling Loud New York, after prosecutors unveiled an indictment against him and five others: Anthony Leonardi, Robert Leonardi, Brian Sullivan, Kavaughn Wiggins and Anthony Cyntje, a New Jersey corrections officer.

At the time, prosecutors said the group had shipped more than 100 kilograms of the drugs from California and distributed them on Long Island, contributing to “the addiction and overdose epidemic we have seen time and time again tear people’s lives apart.”

“The fact that we arrested a chart-topping rap artist and a corrections officer as part of the conspiracy illustrates just how vile the drug trade has become,” FBI assistant director-in-charge Michael J. Driscoll said at the time.

Federal prosecutors have not yet filed their own sentencing recommendations.

18 May 2023

ASCAP Summit Will Connect Aspiring Songwriters and Composers with Established Music Creators

Performance rights organization ASCAP is bringing their creator summit to Los Angeles on June 21 for a one-day live event at Avalon Hollywood.

The 2023 ASCAP Experience, which was founded 18 years ago, is set to connect aspiring songwriters and composers with hit-making names across genres including Sarah Hudson (Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello), Leon Thomas III (Ariana Grande, Rick Ross), Hitmaka (Big Sean, Nicki Minaj), Steph Jones (Selena Gomez, Kelsea Ballerini), Darrell Brown (Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes), Neff-U (Justin Bieber, Sia) and more to be announced.

The summit will include a number of sessions across topics, from building a music career in the social media era to a live song feedback session during which guest speakers will listen to and share insights on a few songs pre-submitted by attendees, in front of a live audience. The 50th anniversary of hip-hop will also be celebrated, with a session dedicated to the global impact of the genre through a panel of “respected contributors to hip-hop’s storied history,” per a statement from ASCAP.

In previous years, panelists have included Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Justin Timberlake, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Katy Perry, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, Questlove, Lee Ann Womack, Wyclef Jean, Jermaine Dupri and Hans Zimmer, among others.

Registration for the live experience is open now, with tickets available for ASCAP members at $35 in advance and $50 on the day of. Unaffiliated songwriters and composers who would like to attend must first join ASCAP.

On Tuesday, ASCAP hosted their 2023 ASCAP Screen Music Awards at an invitation-only party in West Hollywood, Calif. Big winners of the night included Michael Abels for Jordan Peele’s film “Nope,” Cristobal Tapia de Veer and Kim Neundorf for their work on “The White Lotus,” and Bear McCreary’s win for Video Game Score of the Year for “God of War: Ragnarok.”

18 May 2023

Diddy Wants Wrongful Termination Suit From Nanny Tossed Out

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The After 2023, Hosted By Diddy & Doja Cat; A Richie Akiva Production

A former nanny who performed services for Diddy is accusing the business mogul of wrongfully terminating their business arrangement, prompting a lawsuit in the process. According to new reports, Diddy is hoping to get the lawsuit dismissed in court.

As reported exclusively by Radar Online, Raven Wales-Walden, the nanny in question, filed the lawsuit last year after Diddy hired her to help care for his children with the late Kim Porter. The outlet adds that Wales-Walden claims she’s a relative of Porter, although that has yet to be confirmed.

Wales-Walden says in her lawsuit that the superstar born Sean Combs hired her in 2018 after Porter passed away to assist him with the twins they shared as parents. Wales-Walden says she moved into the home of Diddy to administer the care but became pregnant in 2020 and she requested maternity leave. According to Wales-Walden, the connection with the Combs family became strained and she was reportedly fired.

Adding to this, Wales-Walden says a third party allegedly told her that she was fired because of her being pregnant without being married and setting a bad example for his girls.

The amount of damages Raven Wales-Walden seeks has not been made available to the public.

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Photo: Johnny Nunez / Getty

18 May 2023

Was That BLACKPINK’s Jennie & V of BTS Holding Hands in Paris? Fans React

A video of what appears to be BLACKPINK‘s Jennie and BTS‘ V holding hands went viral on Wednesday (May 17), sending both BLINKs and ARMYs into a full-blown freakout across social media.

Captured by French journalist Amar Taoualit, the clip appears to show the two K-pop idols taking a nighttime stroll along the Seine in Paris — though it’s filmed from far away and you can’t distinctly see either of the the pair’s faces. Billboard reached out to reps for both Jennie and V.

Not having exact confirmation didn’t stop fans from jumping down the wormhole online, pointing out that both figures in the video are wearing the same outfits as other pictures circulating Twitter from the same evening.

“#BLACKPINK #JENNIE and #BTS #V #TAEHYUNG dating in Paris. my #TAENNIE heart is screaming,” one fan tweeted, using a portmanteau of the rappers’ names, while another joked “Twitter is burning the whole day” in the comments on Taoualit’s Instagram post.

Others weren’t so quick to assume it was, in fact, Jennie and V, writing things like, “This isn’t a cosplay right??” and “If this is a cosplay they planned really well, this is confusing. Anyways if it’s true, as a fan I will support and we all move. The hate ain’t gonna help fr.”

Last week, Jennie debuted her new capsule collection with Calvin Klein while her BLACKPINK bandmates Rosé and Lisa each recently enjoyed a glamorous night out at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet and a special event for Bvlgari in Venice, respectively

Check out fan reactions to Jennie and V’s possible Paris outing together below.

18 May 2023

Happy P Hits No. 1 on R&B Producers Chart Thanks to Miguel’s ‘Sure Thing’

Happy P (real name Nathan Perez) jumps to No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Producers chart (dated May 20), leading for the first time thanks to his production on Miguel’s “Sure Thing.”

The song — which returned to Billboard’s charts beginning in late 2022 over a decade after its initial chart run — holds at its No. 4 high on the Hot R&B Songs chart with 51.6 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 6%), 10.6 million official streams (up 1%) and 2,000 downloads sold in the United States in the May 5-11 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The track, released in 2010, resurged thanks to newfound attention on TikTok, where a sped-up version has soundtracked more than 4 million videos. While activity TikTok does not directly contribute to Billboard’s charts, many of the app’s most popular songs have seen corresponding gains on streaming services that factor into Billboard chart rankings. RCA Records also re-serviced the song to radio as its profile was renewed.

The song forged a historic comeback, breaking the record for the most weeks spent on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with a whopping 78 (through the latest, May 20-dated survey).

“Sure Thing” also rises 15-14 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching a new best — as well as a new career high for Miguel, outpacing the No. 15 peak of Mariah Carey’s “#Beautiful,” on which he’s featured, in 2013. (“Sure Thing” originally hit No. 36 on the Hot 100 in 2011.)

Happy P is just the third creative to rule the R&B Producers chart this year so far. He succeeds Rob Bisel, who led for one week thanks to SZA’s “Kill Bill.” Before Bisel, Carter Lang reigned for the preceding 18 weeks (after two weeks at the end of 2022), also thanks to his work with SZA.

Billboard launched the Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts, as well as genre-specific rankings for country, rock & alternative, R&B/hip-hop, R&B, rap, Latin, Christian, gospel and dance/electronic, in June 2019, while alternative and hard rock joined in 2020, along with seasonal holiday rankings in 2022. The charts are based on total points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song that appears on the Hot 100. The genre-based songwriter and producer charts follow the same methodology based on corresponding “Hot”-named genre charts. As with Billboard’s yearly recaps, multiple writers or producers split points for each song equally (and the dividing of points will lead to occasional ties on rankings).