djfrosty

04 Apr 2023

Coachella Settles Lawsuit Against Planned ‘Coachillin’ Business Park Near Festival Grounds

Coachella has agreed to drop its trademark lawsuit against a nearby California business park that called itself “Coachillin,” after the group said it would “cease any and all use” of the name.

The festival’s organizers (owned by AEG and its subsidiary Goldenvoice) filed the case in October against Coachillin Business Park, a planned development site located just a few miles north of the Empire Polo Club. They claimed the project was trying to free-ride on the famous name of the nearby festival.

In settlement papers filed Friday, Coachillin agreed to drop all use of the name on the internet with 45 days, and to stop using it entirely within 90 days. That means not only the name of the overall site, but related names like a “Coachchill Inn” hotel.

Any monetary terms of the settlement were not disclosed in public filings. Neither side’s attorneys immediately returned requests for more information on the terms of the agreement.

The lawsuit was part of an aggressive recent campaign from Coachella to protect its name against would-be imitators. In 2021, the festival sued Live Nation for selling tickets to a nearby event called “Coachella Day One 22,” and last year it filed a similar trademark case against a West African company over an event called “Afrochella.” Then in February, Coachella sued the creator of “Moechella,” a Washington D.C.-based music event centered on go-go music.

On its website, Coachillin described itself as an “Industrial Cultivation & Ancillary Canna-Business Park,” a proposed 160-acre site aimed at businesses in the cannabis industry. In addition to cultivation spaces, the group said the site will also feature a hotel, an amphitheater and other amenities.

In its October lawsuit, Coachella said it had “no objection” with any of that – except for the name, which they say is commonly used on social media as slang term for spending time at the music festival.

“The public has come to associate the phrase ‘Coachillin’ to refer to the Coachella Festival and plaintiffs, not merely to refer to the Coachella Valley—and certainly not Coachillin Holdings or its Coachillin Business Park,” wrote attorneys for the festival. “Defendants must use a distinctive name that does not infringe or trade on the goodwill of plaintiffs’ reputation.”

04 Apr 2023

Alanis Morissette, LCD Soundsystem, Leon Bridges to Headline Second Art, Music & Tech FORMAT Festival

The second-annual FORMAT Festival will return to Bentonville, Arkansas on Sept. 22-24 with headliners Alanis Morissette, LCD Soundsystem and Leon Bridges. The event — whose name stands for “music art and technology” — will also feature sets from Modest Mouse, Jamie XX, Tash Sultana, Big Wild, Little Simz, Bob Moses, Poolside, Channel Tres, Paul Cauthen and more.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Situated on the private Sugar Creek Airstrip, the fest in the heart of the Ozarks will once again incorporate unique performances, installations and art experiences from artists including Guerrilla Girls, JR’s Inside Out Project, Jeremy Deller, Ragnar Kjartansson, and Kameelah Janan Rasheed.

Ticket presale will begin Thursday (April 6) at 11 a.m. ET; fans can sign up for a presale code to get first access to three-day and one-day tickets and find out more about the art installations here.

Among the other acts on this year’s lineup are: Digable Planets, Madeline Edwards, Kari Faux, Theon Cross, Green Velvet, The Pharcyde, Nikki Lane, Sudan Archives, Franc Moody, Serpentwithfeet, Digitalism, Clasixx, Pedrito Martinez and Francois K, among others.

FORMAT takes place on a 250-acre of green space just minutes from downtown Bentonville, with two conventional music stages, as well as a number of unusual settings for performances with names including The Cube, Drag Me to the Disco, Next Door/Nova Heat and Smokey’s. There will also be underground discos and stages in the surrounding forest amid the art installations, as well as a Bizarre Bazaar with curated food, vendors, retail and experience booths, experimental light shows and therapeutic workshops according to a release.

Check out the full lineup below.

04 Apr 2023

Dua Lipa Is a Mermaid in Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ Movie: See the First-Look Photo

She’s not levitating anymore — she’s deep-sea swimming. Dua Lipa was confirmed to be starring in Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated Barbie live-action film, in which she’ll play a mermaid doll alongside an all-star lineup of actors.

The news was unveiled Tuesday morning (April 4) with a series of bubbly first-look movie posters featuring individual shots of each cast member looking perfectly plastic in costume. Dua’s solo shot shows her posing against a sparkly purple backdrop, wearing a bright blue wig and a matching seashell bra.

The “One Kiss” singer’s scaly fishtail is just out of frame, but a tagline on the poster is confirmation enough: “This Barbie is a mermaid.”

Each of the characters’ new movie posters feature a similarly direct tagline, likely mimicking the world-famous doll franchise’s branding. “This Barbie is a doctor” reads actress Hari Nef’s poster, while Emma Mackey’s boasts, “This Barbie has a Nobel Prize in physics.”

Hilariously, all the male dolls — played by Ryan Gosling, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa — are simply billed along the lines of “Just Ken.” Will Ferrell also appears in a poster wearing a pink tie, but his character is a little less clear as his poster just reads, “Please call me mother.”

Dua has long been rumored to have a part in Gerwig’s latest directorial project, led by Margot Robbie playing the film’s iconic title character. Fans noticed back in December that the film’s official Instagram page — on which the new character posters were unveiled Tuesday — was following the chart-topping pop star in addition to just a handful of other people known to be involved with the project.

As for rumors that Dua will contribute music to the Barbie soundtrack, it’s still unclear. Confirmation will come, at the latest, by July 21, when the movie hits theaters.

See Dua Lipa and her Barbie co-stars’ first-look posters below:

04 Apr 2023

‘Family Legacy’ Trailer Features Kids of Diddy, Notorious B.I.G., Chester Bennington & More: Exclusive

MTV knows that blood is thicker than water, which is why the company is diving into the lives and careers of iconic artists through the eyes of their children in the upcoming docuseries Family Legacy.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

In the new 30-second trailer, premiering exclusively on Billboard below, Notorious B.I.G.‘s son C.J. Wallace is heard calling his late dad “the greatest rapper of all time,” before Melissa Etheridge‘s daughter Bailey Jean Cypher calls herself the “OG lesbian baby.”

The intimate, five-episode docuseries will capture musicians through the lens of their kids, with exclusive footage and brand-new interviews with the children of beloved music stars, including Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell, *NSYNC’s Joey Fatone, Boyz II Men’s Nathan Morris, TLC’s Chilli, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Brandy, Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington and more. The series will be narrated by actor and musician Quincy Brown, the son of Al B. Sure and Diddy’s longtime girlfriend Kim Porter.

Family Legacy is set to premiere on Tuesday, April 25, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada, before arriving internationally on April 26 in the U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, LATAM and Brazil, and April 29 in Australia.

Watch the official trailer for Family Legacy exclusively via Billboard below.

04 Apr 2023

First Lady Jill Biden Wants To Give Participation Trophy To Iowa After NCAA Championship Loss To LSU

HipHopWired Featured Video

CLOSE

LSU v Iowa

Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, made waves this week after she made a most unusual request in the wake of LSU’s victory over Iowa in the NCCA women’s basketball championship game. Dr. Biden said that she would suggest to President Joe Biden that both teams appear at the White House for the customary visit presented to national sports champions, which caused a stir online.

Jill Biden was in attendance at the final game featuring the victorious Louisiana State University Tigers and the Iowa State University Hawkeyes this past Sunday. Without a doubt, both teams were electrifying to watch en route to the championship contest with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark putting on a scoring clinic any time she stepped on the floor.

However, Clark’s heroics weren’t enough to defeat the strong team effort from LSU and, of course, the moment people can’t stop talking about is LSU player Angel Reese giving Clark a bit of her own “Can’t See Me” medicine.

As ESPN reports, Dr. Biden spoke at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on Monday and extended the invite to both teams.

“I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House; we always do. So, we hope LSU will come,” Biden said. “But, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come too, because they played such a good game.”

Reese retweeted the news of the potential Iowa invite and captioned the tweet “A JOKE,” which echoed a sentiment shared by many online. Typically, the champions, including the players, coaches, and staff, are invited to the White House for a further celebration of their epic wins. As far as it’s been reported, a runner-up has never been extended an invite to the White House.

What we can say with confidence is that women’s basketball is just as vital as men’s basketball and March Madness didn’t disappoint on either side. Reese is also leaning into the discussion by not backing down from her gesture and saying she hopes to keep growing women’s basketball. Kudos to that.

Check out the reaction to First Lady Jill Biden extending invitations to LSU and Iowa to the White House below.

—

Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty

04 Apr 2023

Travis Kelce Says Booking Former Neighbor Machine Gun Kelly For Kelce Jam Festival Was a ‘No-Brainer’

After earning his second Super Bowl ring earlier this year, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce just found the perfect way to celebrate his championship. The high-energy baller announced on Tuesday (April 4) that he’s behind the first-ever Kelce Jam, a music festival slated to take place on April 28 in Kansas City, Mo., with a lineup he curated from acts that have personal meaning for him.

Topping the bill is one of his old childhood neighbors who also happens to have blown up into a superstar, Machine Gun Kelly, who grew up down the street from Kelce in Cleveland.

“[I’ve] been following his success from the start of his career,” Kelce tells Billboard about of the “Emo Girl” rocker. “It’s been amazing to see a hometown hero selling out stadiums. So for me, MGK was a no-brainer and I personally drafted some of my favorite artists in the world alongside him.”

Those other acts include Loud Luxury, Rick Ross and special guest Tech N9ne. “Loud Luxury is one of the biggest DJ duos out there right now. Everyone loves [the pair’s 2020 single] ‘Body’ and they bring the energy, and I have no doubt they will get the crowd rocking,” the football star tells Billboard. Kelce also says that Ross is, of course, “the boss, a true legend,” and that there was no way he could throw a party in KC without one of the city’s hometown heroes, rapper Tech N9ne.

As for why he’s hopping into the already crowded festival space, Kelce says he wanted to time his event around the 2023 NFL draft, which will take place at Union Station in KC from April 27 to 29. “With the NFL Draft headed to Kansas City and as the perfect way to continue celebrating our Super Bowl victory, I am launching one of KC’s most unique festivals to date!” says the 33-year-old. “I really wanted to bring the whole city together and what better way to do so than with fire music, great food, tons of football attractions, interactive brand activations and so much more.”

Pre-sale opens on Friday (April 7) at 11 a.m. ET, with the general on-sale following at 1 p.m. ET. Check out the Kelce Jam website for more details on the show. “KC has supported me in immense ways throughout my career, and I wanted to throw a city wide celebration that truly represents the energy and people of this great city,” Kelce adds. “We are excited to grow this into one of KC’s biggest entertainment events with 20,000 attendees and who knows where we will bring it next!”

Kelce has teamed up with event producer Medium Rare, the company behind a number of pre-Super Bowl events, including Shaq’s Fun House with Shaquille O’Neal, Gronk Beach with Rob Gronkowski and Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate with Guy Fieri.

kelce jam

Courtesy Photo

Additional reporting by Anna Chan.

04 Apr 2023

BTS Joins The Beatles & The Supremes for This Hot 100 Achievement, Thanks to Jimin’s ‘Like Crazy’

Even while on break, BTS scores a supremely fab week on the Billboard Hot 100.

As previously reported, Jimin’s “Like Crazy” blasts in at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart (dated April 8), marking his first leader – and the first for a member of the superstar South Korean pop group. He’s also the first South Korean solo artist to lead the list.

With BTS having tallied six Hot 100 No. 1s, and Jimin notching his first, BTS joins The Beatles and The Supremes as the only groups with at least six leaders and at least one member having led the list solo.

The Beatles boast a record 20 Hot 100 No. 1s, while all four members have reigned solo: Paul McCartney (nine No. 1s), George Harrison (three), John Lennon and Ringo Starr (two each).

(Notably, on this date – April 4 – in 1964, The Beatles became the first act to monopolize the Hot 100’s entire top five. Drake, in 2021, and Taylor Swift, in 2022 – as she secured each spot in the top 10 – have each since matched the milestone.)

The Supremes amassed 12 Hot 100 leaders, while Diana Ross added six solo.

Here’s a recap of each group’s Hot 100 No. 1s and all the chart-toppers by their respective soloists.

BTS:

  • “My Universe,” with Coldplay, 2021
  • “Permission To Dance,” 2021
  • “Butter,” 2021
  • “Life Goes On,” 2020
  • “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat),” with Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo, 2020
  • “Dynamite,” 2020

Jimin:

  • “Like Crazy,” 2023

The Beatles:

  • “The Long and Winding Road”/“For You Blue,” 1970
  • “Let It Be,” 1970
  • “Come Together”/“Something,” 1969
  • “Get Back,” with Billy Preston, 1969
  • “Hey Jude,” 1968
  • “Hello Goodbye,” 1967-68
  • “All You Need Is Love,” 1967
  • “Penny Lane,” 1967
  • “Paperback Writer,” 1966
  • “We Can Work It Out,” 1966
  • “Yesterday,” 1965
  • “Help!,” 1965
  • “Ticket To Ride,” 1965
  • “Eight Days a Week,” 1965
  • “I Feel Fine,” 1964-65
  • “A Hard Day’s Night,” 1964
  • “Love Me Do,” 1964
  • “Can’t Buy Me Love,” 1964
  • “She Loves You,” 1964
  • “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” 1964

Paul McCartney:

  • “Say Say Say,” with Michael Jackson, 1983-84
  • “Ebony and Ivory,” with Stevie Wonder, 1982
  • “Coming Up (Live at Glasgow),” with Wings, 1980
  • “With a Little Luck” (Wings), 1978
  • “Silly Love Songs” (Wings), 1976
  • “Listen to What the Man Said” (Wings), 1975
  • “Band on the Run,” with Wings, 1974
  • “My Love,” with Wings, 1973
  • “Uncle Albert”/“Admiral Halsey,” with Linda McCartney, 1971

George Harrison:

  • “Got My Mind Set on You,” 1988
  • “Give Me Love – (Give Me Peace on Earth),” 1973
  • “My Sweet Lord”/“Isn’t It a Pity,” 1970

John Lennon:

  • “(Just Like) Starting Over,” 1980-81
  • “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night,” with the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band, 1974

Ringo Starr:

  • “You’re Sixteen,” 1974
  • “Photograph,” 1973

The Supremes:

  • “Someday We’ll Be Together” (Diana Ross & The Supremes), 1969
  • “Love Child” (Diana Ross & The Supremes), 1968
  • “The Happening,” 1967
  • “Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone,” 1967
  • “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” 1966
  • “You Can’t Hurry Love,” 1966
  • “I Hear a Symphony,” 1965
  • “Back in My Arms Again,” 1965
  • “Stop! In the Name of Love,” 1965          
  • “Come See About Me,” 1964
  • “Baby Love,” 1964
  • “Where Did Our Love Go,” 1964

Diana Ross:

  • “Endless Love,” with Lionel Richie, 1981
  • “Upside Down,” 1980
  • “Love Hangover,” 1976
  • “Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To),” 1976
  • “Touch Me in the Morning,” 1973
  • “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” 1970

04 Apr 2023

Diaspora Wars: Naija Twitter In Shambles After Clip Of Sukihana Claiming Nigerian Heritage Resurfaced

HipHopWired Featured Video

CLOSE

Trap City Invites You To The Birthday Of TIP

Sukihana, regardless if you’re a fan or not, knows how to keep the cameras rolling on her when she’s in that mode. However, it was an older clip that had the raunchy rapper’s name trending on Twitter after she claimed to be of Nigerian heritage and it appears that Naija Twitter isn’t having it.

For context, we need to go back a bit to explain some of the weird back-and-forth happening between a group of Black Americans who frame themselves as “Foundational Black Americans” (FBA) and portions of Twitter users who reside in African nations.

Just a short while ago, an African Twitter user caused a stir after blasting the fact that most Black Americans only speak English, although that user failed to acknowledge how slavery and colonialism jacked everyone up in some form or fashion.

Predating this very nuanced but tired discussion was chatter around Ice Spice speaking about her links to Nigeria, which was reportedly celebrated by some in the West African nation. The same can’t be said for Sukihana, this after an old clip of her explaining that she is Nigerian resurfaced.

Sukihana tirelessly promotes a sexy image, even more than the aforementioned Ice Spice as evidenced by the Love & Hip Hop: Miami star’s X-rated OnlyFans content. To add, the clip in question makes mention of a certain body part while linking it to her reputed country of origin.

Adding to all of this is a recent NLE Choppa video for the remix of his new track “Slut Me Out” which features Sukihana and Sexyy Red being walked like dogs with NLE holding their weaves like a leash. Yeah, it’s out there.

As it stands, Sukihana has the streets talking again and Naija Twitter, an active segment of the social media network, seemingly has something to say. We’ve got reactions from all sides below.

—

Photo: Prince Williams / Getty

04 Apr 2023

Hayley Kiyoko Enlists an All-Queer Cast for Her ‘Girls Like Girls’ Audiobook

After taking her hit 2015 song and turning it into a novel, Hayley Kiyoko is ready to bring Girls Like Girls to new life with a little help from some of her LGBTQ friends.

On Tuesday (April 4), Kiyoko announced the official audiobook for her upcoming novel, Girls Like Girls. Along with Kiyoko portraying the main character Coley, the new audiobook will boast an all-queer cast, including voice actor Natalie Naudus as Sonya, 13 Reasons Why‘s Brandon Flynn as Trenton, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin‘s Malia Pyles as SJ, and MUNA frontperson Katie Gavin as Brooke.

“I am so honored and excited to have Natalie Nadus, Brandon Flynn, Malia Pyles, and Katie Gavin join me in voicing the characters from Girls Like Girls for the novel’s official audiobook recording,” Kiyoko said of the casting in a statement. “They have all made such a positive impact on the queer community through their art and by living their authentic truth each and every day. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast to help me tell this story.”

Kiyoko’s debut young adult novel is loosely based on her 2015 single of the same name, telling the story of a girl named Coley, who moves to Oregon and meets Sonya. According to a synopsis of the upcoming novel, “neither girl is sure they are ready to open their heart and accept the love they fear and deserve most.”

Both Girls Like Girls the novel and the audiobook arrive May 30, 2023 — pre-order the new audiobook here, and watch the original video for “Girls Like Girls” (directed by Kiyoko herself) below:

04 Apr 2023

Questlove to Auction Records From His Personal Collection

Questlove is a six-time Grammy winning producer and author, and as expected, he has great taste in music. That’s why he’s teaming up with livestream shopping platform Whatnot to auction off some of his personal records for a great cause.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

All proceeds from the auction will go to the Future of Food Entrepreneurship Program, a summer program that connects high school students with leading companies in the sustainable food space, and the Food Education Fund, a nonprofit supporting culinary-focused public high school students in New York City. 

Some of Questlove’s 50-year-old jazz albums up for auction are The Awakening’s Hear Sense Feel (1972), The Soul Searchers’ Salt of the Earth (1974), The 24 Carat Black’s Ghetto Misfortune’s Wealth (1973), James Brown’s Hot Pants (1971) and more.

In addition, as part of the livestream, one lucky fan will be selected to accompany Questlove to NYC’s A-1 Record Shop in celebration of National Record Store Day. The trip will be livestreamed on Whatnot on April 21 at 11 a.m. ET for fans follow along, purchase records and learn more about Questlove’s passion for record collecting. 

“Questlove is an undisputed talent as a legendary musician and producer, and is widely recognized for his encyclopedic knowledge and contributions to American music,” said John Walters, head of special projects at Whatnot, in a press statement. “His dedication to music and its history makes him a perfect addition to the community of passionate collectors on Whatnot, we’re excited to see what he’ll be sharing with our growing vinyl community.” 

Questlove added, “As a collector myself, I am excited to auction off some of my favorite records from my collection to the Whatnot audience, all for a good cause.”

The Roots co-founder’s record auction livestream will broadcast on Whatnot starting Friday (April 7) at 3:15 p.m. ET, hosted by Questlove himself.