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16 Feb 2023

John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Reveal First Photo as Family of 5

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen just celebrated their first Valentine’s Day as a family of five. Almost exactly a month after the couple welcomed their third child, a baby girl named Esti, the “All of Me” singer shared an adorable family portrait on Instagram Wednesday (Feb. 15) in honor of the day of love.

In the photo, Legend wears a bright red sweater to match his oldest daughter, 6-year-old Luna, and 4-year-old son Miles, posing for the camera in front. Luna wears a festive headband with heart-shaped baubles, meanwhile Teigen stuns in a pink dress embellished with roses on the neckline.

And, in her arms, lies 1-month-old baby Esti, looking just a little sleepy in her heart-patterned blouse. “I had the best Valentine’s dates last night,” Legend captioned the post, adding a heart emoji for each member of his family.

The cookbook author also shared the photo in a carousel. “Excuse the spit up!!” she captioned her post, which features more images of her family. “we are doing the best we can over here lol.”

Little Esti was born exactly one month and one day before V-Day, on Jan. 13 — an occasion Legend first announced while performing at a private concert. Teigen later shared a photo of their new addition on Instagram, confirming the news and revealing their baby girl’s name.

“She’s here! Esti Maxine Stephens – the house is bustling and our family could not be happier,” the model wrote at the time. “Daddy sheds nightly tears of joy seeing Luna and Miles so full of love, and I am learning you still need diapers with a c section!? We are in bliss.” 

Earlier this month, the Voice coach gave an update about how his first two kids are adjusting to being older siblings on The Jennifer Hudson Show. “We were worried ’cause they seemed a little jealous when Chrissy was pregnant, and I was worried that they wouldn’t be excited to welcome her home,” he said Feb. 9. “But they’ve exceeded our expectations of how loving and excited they are. They’re truly thrilled to be older siblings now.”

See John Legend’s and Chrissy Teigen’s adorable portrait as a family of five below:

16 Feb 2023

DJ Hanzel Goes In on His Nemesis Dillon Francis: ‘I Hate You’

For as long as Dillon Francis has been a fixture in dance music, so, too, has his arch rival DJ Hanzel been around telling anyone who will listen why Dillon is actually terrible.

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Now DJ Hanzel (who keen eyes will notice in fact looks a lot like Francis), raised the stakes in this longstanding rivalry with his debut album, Anti Everything. Released in late January via Hanzel’s own One Deeper Records, the album features eight slick cuts of house music, all intended to fulfill DJ Hanzel’s mission of taking listeners one deeper, and then one more deeper.

To mark the album’s release, DJ Hanzel made a rare appearance at the Billboard News studio, where he sat down to discuss his rivalry with Francis, the many DJs who are “very not deep” and the deepest artist of all time. Watch the interview above.

“Here’s my quick message to Dillon Francis,” Hanzel declared without prompting during this conversation. “You’re a cheat, you’re a lie, I hate you. You’re one of the worst people to ever exist in the world. Just a walking sack of bile.”

Additionally, Hanzel ran down the list of DJs he considers “really not deep” — jokingly, of course — including David Guetta, Martin Garrix (“he’s also a baby”), Kygo (“stay in Norway”), Zedd (“like, very not deep”), Dom Dolla (“wow, a mullet, so original”) and Steve Aoki (“I don’t think he plays any music; he’s just a baker.”)

Hanzel also revealed that he doesn’t actually listen to music, that rather than eating, he absorbs nutrition through the light of the sun (“I’m like a solar panel”) and Francis’ 2021 album Happy Machine made him throw up “three times.”

16 Feb 2023

Young Thug & Gunna Trial Documentary ‘Rap Trap’ Is Coming to Hulu

ABC News Studios is releasing an hour-long documentary titled Rap Trap: Hip-Hop on Trial on the criminal case against Young Thug and Gunna, to air on Hulu Feb. 23. The doc will explore the debate around whether or not rap lyrics should be permitted in criminal prosecutions, and the subsequent effects on artists’ free speech rights.

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Rap Trap: Hip-Hop on Trial will feature interviews with 300 Entertainment CEO Kevin Liles, Young Thug’s ex-girlfriend Jerrika Karlae and artists including will.i.am, Fat Joe and Killer Mike. “Rap music is judged unlike any other genre like Black people are judged unlike any other people,” says rapper and activist Killer Mike in the trailer.

The documentary will also dive into the case of activist and former No Limit rapper McKinley “Mac” Phipps Jr., who served 21 years in prison for a crime he says he did not commit. Phipps and his family are interviewed for the show, opening up about the lasting impact of the case. Additional interviews include scholar Michael Eric Dyson and Erik Nielson, co-author of Rap on Trial.

In May 2022, Young Thug and Gunna were among 28 people indicted in Georgia on conspiracy to violate the state’s RICO act and street gang charges, according to documents obtained by Billboard. The state was building the case since 2012, according to jail records. The indictment heavily cited Thug’s lyrics, something that became a heated point of debate in connection to racism and free speech.

The indictment directly quoted from Young Thug’s music, including a 2018 video in which he rapped, “I never killed anybody but got something to do with that body.” While prosecutors claim such statements were made “in furtherance” of the gang’s criminal enterprise, critics say that pulling on rap lyrics — a known form of creative expression — only furthers racial biases against young Black men that can have permanent consequences.

In the midst of the Georgia case, California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation statute into law that aims to restrict prosecutors’ usage of rap lyrics as criminal evidence against the artists who wrote them. Titled the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act, the move had extensive music industry support, including Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., Mitch Glazier, the chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, 300 Entertainment CEO Liles, among others.

In December 2022, Gunna pleaded guilty to the charges against him in order to secure his release from jail, but stressed that he was not cooperating with prosecutors.

Rap Trap: Hip-Hop on Trial begins streaming Thursday, Feb. 23, on Hulu.

Watch the trailer below:

16 Feb 2023

Nipsey Hussle’s ‘Victory Lap’ Goes Double Platinum on Album’s 5-Year Anniversary

The legacy of Nipsey Hussle remains strong, even after his 2019 death. On Thursday (Feb. 16), on the fifth anniversary of his major label debut album, Victory Lap, Hussle’s Grammy-nominated effort receives a bevy of RIAA notifications, including a double-platinum plaque for the 2018 project.

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Along with Victory Lap going double platinum, the album tracks also received accolades, notably “Double Up” featuring Belly and Dom Kennedy. According to the RIAA, “Double Up” is now triple platinum, while “Hussle & Motivate” and “Grinding All My Life” stand tall at double platinum. “Victory Lap,” “Dedication” featuring Kendrick Lamar,” “Blue Laces 2,” “Last Time That I Checc’d” with YG and “Rap N—as” all went platinum. “Real Big,” “Keyz 2 The City 2,” “Right Hand 2 God,” “Young N—a” and “Status Symbol” with Buddy raced their way to gold.

In November, Marathon Films announced Nip’s docuseries Hussle, which explored the legacy of the acclaimed rapper. “Crenshaw-Slauson, in the Crenshaw District, well that’s where, really, the Nip Hussle story,” the rapper’s voice narrates over footage from his lifetime, later adding, “Faith is a required element on your marathon to success and on your marathon of life. It’s your footprint in the sand, your dent in the universe, the impact on the world around you. I want ’em to say that he wasn’t afraid to live. Chasing a dream.”

Springhill — NBA superstar LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s media company — are financing the film. Said James in a statement: “It’s an incredible honor for SpringHill to have a part in sharing Nipsey’s story and legacy with the world. He used his gift to give back to his community and lived what it means to inspire, empower, and uplift others along the way. His words, his ambition, and his actions stick with me to this day as he continues to inspire myself, our company, and people everywhere.”

16 Feb 2023

Austin Butler Shares How the Loss of His Mother Inspired His Acting Journey: ‘She Was So Vibrant’

It’s been nearly 10 years since Austin Butler‘s mom Lori died of cancer in 2014, when the Elvis actor was just 23 years old. In an exclusive clip shared with Billboard from Butler’s upcoming conversation with Willie Geist on Sunday TODAY, the Golden Globe-winning actor revealed how his beloved mother would feel about his success.

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“I think she’d be very proud,” Butler shared, choking up and visibly teary-eyed. “She sacrificed so much. She quit her job to drive me to auditions and drive me to acting classes. She’d wait outside and drive all the way back down to Orange County.”

He added that Lori wanted to be an actress herself back when she was in high school. “I think I’m sort of getting to live this life for both of us, in that way,” he added. “She was my best friend and I think she’d be happy.”

On the influence that his mother had on him as he continues his acting journey, Butler praised Lori’s benevolent personality. “She was also just the most kind person,” he said. “She lit up every room and she was so vibrant. She was just nice to everyone. There’s so many things that — I just want to make her proud. I want her to live through me and the lessons that she taught me and the way that she was.”

Watch the clip below, and catch the full interview on NBC News’ Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist on Feb. 19.

16 Feb 2023

Rev. Al Sharpton Leads Protest Against Florida’s Racist Erasure Of Black History

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Demonstrators protest Florida Governor Ron DeSantis plan to prevent A.P. course on African American studies In Tallahassee

The Rev. Al Sharpton led a protest in Florida on Wednesday (Feb. 15) aimed at criticizing the state’s racist erasure of Black history from its educational system, led by the efforts of Gov. Ron DeSantis. As noted during a speech delivered by Sharpton, DeSantis ordered the removal of a high school Black history course, which sparked concerns among several Black leaders nationwide.

The Miami Herald published a pair of reports regarding the march, centering on Rev. Al Sharpton and his efforts to bring attention to Gov. DeSantis’ decision to have the course removed and hopefully staving off a national movement among conservative elected officials who wish to do away with the looming specter of Black history subjects many on that side incorrectly view as negative in nature.

From the Miami Herald:

“Our children need to know the whole story. Not to not only know how bad you were, but to know how strong they are,” Sharpton told the crowd, adding, “If you would study history, governor, you would have known to mess with us and education always ends in your defeat.”

At the root of the protest was DeSantis striking down an Advanced Placement Black studies course aimed at high schoolers and the reason for the removal of the course was that the state believed it wouldn’t add “educational value” among other points.

DeSantis joins a growing list of GOP representatives who have an irrational fear of Critical Race Theory, using it as some manner of dog whistle among the base to stoke fears of some massive “woke” agenda sweeping the nation. When challenged, those against this so-called agenda can never fully explain what they are fighting against and it simply comes across as “don’t let the Blacks learn too much or else.”

We’ll share some videos of the protest led by Rev. Al Sharpton below. A scan of his Twitter feed goes even more into detail regarding this latest effort.

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Photo: The Washington Post / Getty

16 Feb 2023

Watch Paramore Get Stuck in a Trippy, Alternate Reality in ‘Running Out of Time’ Video

Paramore‘s sixth studio album, This Is Why, arrived last week Friday, and the goodies from the new set continue to roll in. The band released a brand new music video for “Running Out of Time” on Thursday (Feb. 16), and things get a little trippy for the trio.

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The visual kicks off with lead singer Hayley Williams attempting to create magic in a music studio, vacantly strumming a guitar and trying to come up with lyrics to no avail — inspiration does not come to her easily. After looking to where bandmates Taylor York and Zac Farro would take their place in the studio, the drum kit and guitar become 10 feet tall and walk with a human gait, prompting Willams to seek refuge in a guitar case, which then pops her into an alternate dimension.

Things go topsy turvy when Williams, dolled up in a vintage corset and pink satin pants, falls into an alternate universe filled with horse-shaped bushes, larger than life flowers and gigantic mushrooms. York and Farro are there dressed in monochromatic orange and purple ensembles, but there’s one major problem — their arms appear to be over four feet tall in length.

“Intentions only get you so far/ (It was on my list, I swear I meant to get to it)/ A harsh reality to discover, ah/ I’m always runnin’ out of time/ (She’s always runnin’ out of time)/ I’m always runnin’ out of time,” Williams sings on the track’s punchy chorus.

After a series of unusual shenanigans unfold, the band reconvenes and runs on a track in space trying to reach the studio once again, only for there to be a twist at the end of the video.

Williams explained in an interview with Zane Lowe that the groovy track was partly inspired by her relationship with Taylor Swift. After taking a trip to the superstar’s abode and realizing she keeps thank you, birthday and holiday gifts for her friends and family months in advance, Williams was struck with the realization that her life was not together.

“I was like, ‘I can barely remember to send someone a card or flowers.’ There are still Christmas gifts at my house that I have not sent to my friends just sitting there in the back of my closet,” the 34-year-old revealed. “Two of the people I was supposed to give a gift to, I was like, ‘Sorry, I forgot to put [the gifts] in my suitcase so you still don’t get a gift.’ I wish that I was the person that felt like I had all my s–t together and I was like, ‘Oh, I had some extra time, so I’m just popping by with some flowers.’ That kind of a thing, that is my idealized self.”

In an interview with Genius, the Grammy-winning vocalist also shared “my sense of anxiety around time management has gotten worse since the pandemic.” She added, “How does a person who is self-aware enough, but also politically and culturally aware, socially aware, how do you even pick what thing to focus on and maybe devote your life to in some respect, when everything is an emergency? It does feel like there’s not enough time in the day, in the month, in the year, to fix everything.”

Watch Paramore’s video for “Running Out of Time” above.

16 Feb 2023

Alison Wonderland, Kaskade, John Summit & GRiZ Lead Lineup for Insomniac’s Moonrise 2023 Fest

This summer, the moon will once again rise over Baltimore. Insomniac Events is returning to the city for the eighth annual Moonrise, happening Aug. 12-13 at the Pimlico Race Course, just north of the city.

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The lineup features a spectrum spanning collection of electronic artists including Alison Wonderland, a redux set from Kaskade, psychedelic sax hero GRiZ, white hot phenom John Summit, beloved trance trio Above & Beyond, live electronic duo Forester, and loads of bass and dubstep by genre leaders including Zomboy, Big Gigantic, Ray Volpe, Malaa and powerhouse b2bs from Borgore and Whipped Cream, Sullivan King and Wooli, Rusko and Dirty Monkey, Getter and Space Laces.

Moonrise is presented in partnership with Washington, D.C.’s, Club Glow, which Insomniac purchased in 2019. The venue includes D.C.’s legendary 34,000-foot Echostage and the smaller Soundcheck. Club Glow will host a variety of Moonrise pre and after-parties, with lineups for those events forthcoming. Moonrise launched in Baltimore in 2014, taking 2020 and 2021 off during the pandemic. Tickets for Moonrise 2023 are on sale now.

Insomniac Events Founder & CEO Pasquale Rotella was among the honorees of Billboard‘s 2023 Power 100 list, citing a year’s worth of accomplishments that included more than 40 festivals, 200 concerts and 1,500 club nights, which Rotella says drew a total of 7 million fans.

Insomniac Events will also stretch its sea legs this legs this November with the launch of its party cruise EDSea, an offshoot of the company’s flagship festival, EDC Las Vegas. The cruise will host roughly 3,800 guests, with the lineup be to be announced later this year.

See the full Moonrise Festival lineup below:

Moonrise Lineup

Courtesy Photo

16 Feb 2023

Sam Smith & Kim Petras Court Controversy Yet Again Following ‘Unholy’ Brit Awards Performance

It’s been nearly two weeks since Sam Smith and Kim Petras danced with the devil at the 2023 Grammys. Now, thanks to a new performance, they’re back in the controversial spotlight.

On Wednesday (Feb. 15), U.K. broadcasting regulator Offcom revealed that Smith and Petras’ performance at the 2023 Brit Awards on Sunday (Feb. 12) had received more than 100 complaints, despite not engaging in the same devilish imagery as their Grammys set.

For the Brit Awards, Sam and Kim took a more literal approach to their “Body Shop” metaphor from the song’s lyrics, with an industrial set, flying sparks and mechanic’s outfits on both performers and their dancers. While it is unclear which parts of the performance received complaints, Offcom received 106 complaints for the 2023 Brit Awards, the majority of which were aimed at Smith and Petras.

The complaint comes after the pair’s highly publicized Grammy’s performance, which also drew plenty of criticism for its use “satanic” imagery from viewers and even a few right-wing politicians, including Ted Cruz and Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Church of Satan itself ended up weighing in, saying the pair’s performance felt pretty tame.

The ongoing controversy seems to have followed Smith into their daily life — in a viral video posted on Wednesday, Smith can be seen in New York’s Central Park Zoo ignoring a yelling woman, who refers to them as a “pedophile,” “demonic,” and “evil,” while also declaring “Sam Smith belongs in hell.”

Check out what all the fuss was about with Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” performance at the Brit Awards above.

16 Feb 2023

Warner Music Andes Appoints Daniel Mora as Managing Director

Daniel Mora has been appointed managing director of Warner Music Andes, where he will oversee the company’s operations in Colombia and Peru, and will report to president of Warner Music Latin America, Alejandro Duque, the company announced. Mora replaces Maria Montejo who left the company earlier this month.

Mora first joined Warner Chappell Music in 2013 as an A&R/Sync consultant at the Colombian office and was later promoted to managing director of WCM Colombia in 2019. 

“After spending so many enjoyable years at Warner Chappell Music, I’m pleased to be staying within the WMG family and stepping into this role on the Recorded Music side,” he said in a press statement. “Latin music is in my blood, and I’m delighted to see how it’s currently growing and connecting with people around the world. There are so many great opportunities for our artists to become global stars and I’m looking forward to helping them achieve their dreams. I’d like to thank Alejandro for this new opportunity, and Gustavo Menendez, Guy Moot, and Carianne Marshall for all their support during my time at Warner Chappell Music.”

In addition to his experience as an industry executive, Mora is also an artist and entrepreneur. He previously toured Latin America as part of the tropipop band, Bonka, which made waves with their debut single “El Problemón” (2006) and freshman studio album Lo Que Nunca Nos Contamos; and launched his own audiovisual company in Bogotá, producing films and commercials for brands such as Chevrolet and Adidas, to name a few. 

“Daniel is a brilliant exec who has experience of being on both sides of the fence – first as an artist and now as a leading industry figure,” Duque added. “His understanding of both perspectives makes him the perfect fit for Warner Music and our artist-first philosophy. His appointment will enable us to work even closer with our partners at Warner Chappell Music and will open up more opportunities for collaboration. Latin music is exploding around the world and I’m excited to see how Daniel can further propel our Colombian and Peruvian artists internationally.”