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25 Jan 2023

Surprise! You Can Now Watch ‘M3GAN’ From Home

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After scaring up more than $124 million at the box office, M3GAN is setting her sites on VOD. The horror film about a lifelike doll who goes rogue was released to Prime Video and other digital platforms on Tuesday (Jan. 24).

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The plot centers around a Gemma (Allison Williams) a tech professional who becomes caretaker to her 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), after the girl’s parents die in a car accident. Gemma has trouble juggling her newfound parenting role and busy job, so she gifts Cady with an artificially intelligent doll (created by her job) to keep her company.

The doll, voiced by Jenna Davis, starts out nice enough, but things start to backfire when she rebels against Gemma, goes on a rampage and kills several people — including the neighbor’s dog.

Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Lori Dungey and Stephane Garneau-Monton star in the film from Universal Pictures/Blumhouse.  

M3GAN is directed by Gerard Johnstone, from a screenplay written by Akela Cooper and based on a story by Cooper and James Wan. The film is produced by Wan and Jason Blum.

Williams, Mark Katchur, Ryan Turek, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath are executive producers.

‘M3GAN’: How to Stream Online

M3GAN is available to rent for $19.99 and $24.99 to buy. The movie is streaming on Prime Video along with other digital platforms such as VUDU, Google Play and iTunes.

‘M3GAN’ on Prime Video

$19.99/rent

Prime Video gives you up to 30 days to start watching digital purchases and 48 hours to finish once you start. Besides paid releases, Prime Video has a ton of free content, including exclusive movies and TV shows.

Watch the trailer for M3GAN below.

25 Jan 2023

Dick Clark Productions Acquired by Penske Media Eldridge

Penske Media Eldridge — a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldrige — has acquired Dick Clark Productions (dcp), it was announced Wednesday (Jan. 25). PMC is the parent company of Billboard.

The acquisition of the live events and alternative media producer was made as part of a broader strategic alliance between PMC and Eldridge, expanding the latter’s existing partnership with PMC’s entertainment media brands and SXSW, including the SXSW festival, Life is Beautiful, ATX TV festival and LA3C.

Founded in 1957, dcp owns and produces a number of TV’s most enduring awards shows, including the Golden Globe Awards, the American Music Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Billboard Music Awards. It also produces shows including Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and So You Think You Can Dance (in partnership with 19 Entertainment).

Penske Media Eldridge will assume full control of dcp’s operations in the coming weeks. As part of the deal, Adam Stotsky will step down as dcp president following a transition period.

“I am thrilled to expand our partnership with Eldridge and Todd,” said Jay Penske, CEO and founder of Penske Media. “I have long admired dcp’s portfolio of iconic and prominent live entertainment brands and look forward to growing and evolving dcp’s footprint and legacy for future audiences across all platforms.”

“At Eldridge, we seek to grow businesses that stand the test of time,” added Eldridge chairman and CEO Todd Boehly. “Our decision to build upon our partnership with Penske Media, with whom we already have a deep alliance around media and publishing, is in service to that goal – so dcp may continue to flourish for many decades to come.”

25 Jan 2023

Ice Spice Love For Creating Social Media Captions Led To Her Becoming A Rapper

HipHopWired Featured Video
Ice Spice Reveals Making Social Media Captions Led Her To Rap

Source: Prince Williams / Getty / Ice Spice

Ice Spice is currently the talk of the Hip-Hop world. Now the bubbling rapper is sharing what brought her to the game, and her origin story might surprise you.

Speaking with the New York Times in a recent profile, the Bronx born 23-year old rapper, who caught our attention thanks to her single “Munch (Feelin’ U),” revealed that her entry into the music genre was made possible from her love of coming up with witty social media captions.

Ice Spice, born Isis Gaston, also noted she got inspiration from Drill artists like Pop Smoke and Sheff G while trying to flip their lyrics to describe her mood and vibes in her bars.

“I like to hear catchy stuff, and I always be thinking like, Damn, what should I caption this? So I just started coming up with mad captions,” she said in her NY Times profile.

Ice Spice Has Goals & Aspirations

Ice Spice does not want to know just as a viral sensation, and she is looking to acquire crossover success and be a household name with all of the accolades to show for it.

“For me personally, I think I have passed that,” she said. “I do want to be a mainstream artist. I want diamond records and plaques and Grammys. So I think in order to get that, you do have to surpass just one subgenre.”

Ice Spice might be on her way to making her dreams a reality. She followed up her 2022 viral hit “Munch (Feelin’ U)” which peaked at No. 5 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart with “Bikini Bottom” in October and “In Ha Mood” in December.

She dropped her debut EP Like…? on Friday, featuring another standout track, “Actin a Smoochie,” which we are sure will be used in Instagram Reels and TikToks everywhere.

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Photo: Prince Williams / Getty

25 Jan 2023

Doja Cat Wears a Goatee Made of Fake Eyelashes at Paris Fashion Week

Bonjour, Monsieur Cat. While attending the Viktor & Rolf show at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday (Jan. 25), Doja Cat got in touch with her masculine side by sporting a faux mustache and goatee, but with a feminine twist: the facial hair was made of fake eyelashes.

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Sporting a light brown pin-striped suit and blue shades, the “Woman” rapper rolled up to the show looking like a whimsical, glamorous version of the Guy Fawkes mask in V For Vendetta. The look served as a follow-up to the striking all-red ensemble she stepped out in earlier this week at Schiaparelli’s show, which called for Doja’s skin to be covered with 30,000 red Swarovski crystals with the help of makeup artist Pat McGrath.

This Inferno-inspired look was actually the basis for Doja’s hairy follow-up, according to the Grammy winner. In an interview at the Viktor & Rolf show, she explained that fans had been upset that her red bejeweled face hadn’t included eyelashes, which gave her the idea to respond with falsies glued onto her upper lip, chin and eyebrows — basically, everywhere except where they’re actually designed to go.

“A few days ago, I did Schiaparelli, and people were saying that I didn’t have lashes, and that they were disappointed that I didn’t have on lashes,” Doja told Nylon. “So today I gave them lashes. I hope they’re happy. I just want to make people happy.”

In fact, before she stepped out at the Viktor & Rolf show, the “Kiss Me More” artist teased fans by writing on her Instagram Stories, “If lashes are what you all want, then lashes are what you’ll get. See you at Viktor and Rolf.” She wrapped up her message with a most appropriate emoji: the disguised face, which features similar exaggerated eyebrows and mustache.

25 Jan 2023

BLACKPINK’s Lisa Sets Three New Guinness World Records

What’s her name, what’s her name? Lisa of BLACKPINK set a trio of new world records last year, the Guinness Book of World Records announced on Tuesday (Jan. 24).

According to the outlet, the “Lalisa” rapper became the first solo K-pop winner at the MTV Video Music Awards last year, where she took home the trophy for best K-pop over BTS, and the first solo K-pop winner at the MTV Europe Music Awards, where she technically nominated twice in the same category thanks to BLACKPINK’s own nod.

Additionally, Lisa’s third record is all about social media, setting the new high water mark for most followers on Instagram for a K-pop artist with a massive 86.3 million Blinks following her on the platform. As for her bandmates, Jennie currently sits at 73.5 million followers on Instagram, while Rosé boasts 66.2 million and Jisoo has 67.8 million as of press time.

The quartet is currently on the Asia leg of the ongoing Born Pink World Tour, having most recently performed in Bangkok, three separate nights in Hong Kong and a date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This spring, they’re set to make even more history by becoming the first K-pop group to ever headline Coachella alongside Bad Bunny and Frank Ocean. The accomplishment comes just four years after the girls first made their debut at the Indio, Calif.-based festival, as documented in their 2020 Netflix documentary Blackpink: Light Up the Sky.

Earlier this month, Lisa and her bandmates dropped the limited edition vinyl of their 2022 sophomore album, Born Pink. The baby pink pressing came with a 72-page photobook as well as a litany of other accessories, photocards, a double-sided poster and more.

See the Guinness Book of World Records’ official announcement about Lisa latest accomplishments below.

25 Jan 2023

SZA Congratulates Miley Cyrus on Hot 100 No. 1 & Teases ‘Surprises Coming Soon’

SOS: Things are definitely not all quiet on the SZA front. Though it’s only been less than two months since she dropped her critically-acclaimed, chart-dominating new album SOS, the R&B star is already teasing that there are still more projects from her on the horizon — all while sharing the love with fellow female artists like Miley Cyrus, whose single “Flowers” just debuted one slot ahead of SZA’s “Kill Bill” at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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“MAJOR congrats to Miley !!!” SZA wrote Wednesday morning (Jan. 25), replying to a tweet about Cyrus’ recent chart triumph. “Excited for her album and to work together.”

It isn’t clear if by “work together,” SZA means a collaboration with the “Midnight Sky” singer, whose album Endless Summer Vacation is due out March 10. Billboard has reached out to both artists’ teams for comment.

Then, celebrating her own continued success on the Hot 100 — with songs from SOS occupying 12 spots on the most recent chart, dated Jan. 28 — the “Good Days” musician tweeted, “This is also wild as f–k,” before dropping a small bombshell: “Surprises coming soon.”

Released on Jan. 13, “Flowers” is Cyrus’ second ever No. 1 single (following 2013’s “Wrecking Ball”) as well as her first to debut in the top spot. Meanwhile, SZA’s SOS is still going strong atop the Billboard 200, logging its sixth consecutive week at No. 1 on the chart this week.

The shoutout to Cyrus isn’t the first time in recent weeks that SZA has graciously shared her spotlight with another superstar female musician. Following false speculation from fans that the two were fighting one another in real life for chart success, SZA praised Taylor Swift‘s Midnights and congratulated her on the historic Hot 100 reign of lead single “Anti-Hero” earlier this month.

“Congratulations to tay tay!” SZA posted on Instagram Stories. “And thank you so much your album and writing is phenomenal ..as ALWAYS.”

Swift had also written on her story that she’d been “listening to SZA’s album nonstop.” “Absolutely adore her music,” the “All Too Well” singer-songwriter added. “So much love and respect for her!!!”

See SZA’s tweets shouting out Miley Cyrus and teasing upcoming surprises below.

25 Jan 2023

Sofia Carson Could Sing at 2023 Oscars: What That Would Mean for Colombia

One year after Sebastián Yatra‘s moving performance at the Oscars, another artist with Colombian blood is hoping to perform at the Academy Awards ceremony: Sofia Carson.

The Florida-born actress and singer, whose parents hail from Barranquilla, is the voice of Diane Warren’s “Applause” from the movie Tell It Like a Woman, which received a nomination for best original song on Tuesday (Jan. 24.)

“We’re going to the Oscars @dianewarren,” Carson wrote in an Instagram post, sharing a sweet video of their reaction to the news.

Beautifully performed by the “Night Falls” singer, “Applause” is a ballad of empowerment and self-love that invites women to pause for a moment and celebrate their achievements.

“Recognize who you are/ Sometimes, I know it’s so hard/ But you shine/ You’re a supernova superstar,” the song says. “Give yourself some applause, you deserve it/ Give yourself some respect ’cause you’ve earned it/ Give yourself some love ’cause you’re worth it, you’re worth it.”

Last year at the Oscars, Yatra sang the sublime “Dos Oruguitas” from the Disney animated film Encanto in a colorful number that included a couple of dancers in Colombian costumes and elements such as yellow butterflies, alluding to the film and the South American country. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, it was the first song in Spanish nominated to the award since Uruguayan Jorge Drexler won the trophy in 2005 for “Al Otro Lado del Río” from The Motorcycle Diaries. (That year, the Academy invited the better-known Antonio Banderas to sing Drexler’s song in a bittersweet moment for the composer and his Latin American fans.)

Warren, who now collects her 14th nomination in the category, also competed last year with “Somehow You Do,” from the movie Four Good Days. But the Academy Award went to Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for “No Time to Die,” from the James Bond film of the same name.

This time around, the veteran songwriter — who has yet to win the prize — competes again with some music superstars. The contenders are: “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, co-written by Lady Gaga; “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” with Rihanna among its composers; “Naatu Naatu” from RRR; and “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once. (For a complete list of nominees, click here)

The Oscar for best original song goes to the songwriters, not to the performers. However, it is likely that Carson will take the stage of Hollywood’s Dolby Theater to sing “Applause” live, since it has become tradition that the nominated songs be presented at the ceremony — although the official program has yet to be announced and plans have changed from time to time.

The 95th annual Academy Awards will air live on ABC on March 12 at 8:00 pm ET.

25 Jan 2023

Judge Says Kanye West’s Former Lawyers Can’t Print Ads Dropping Him as Client – Yet

A federal judge says Kanye West’s lawyers need to keep trying to reach their client a little bit longer before the judge will allow the attorneys to take an unusual step: printing newspaper ads announcing they’ve dropped the embattled rapper.

In an order issued Tuesday, Judge Analisa Torres denied – for now – a request by attorneys from the law firm Greenberg Traurig to take such extraordinary measures to formally cut ties with West (who has legally changed his name to Ye). The firm says it has “exhausted all methods” of contacting the rapper, but the judge is not yet convinced.

“The court finds that GT has not provided sufficient facts to support its conclusion that personal service is impracticable,” Judge Torres wrote. “GT’s latest attempts… do not indicate diligent efforts at attempting to locate Ye.”

Greenberg, one of many law firms to cut ties with Ye in the wake of his antisemitic statements last year, has been trying for months to legally notify the rapper that its lawyers will no longer be representing him in a copyright lawsuit album over a song off Donda 2. Judge Torres already approved their withdrawal, but federal litigation rules and legal ethics require lawyers to personally serve clients with formal notice that they’ve been dropped as a client.

It’s this process that Greenberg says Kanye is evading.

In a Jan. 13 request, they argued that the star was engaged in “deliberate avoidance and obstruction,” including ditching his previous representatives and changing his phone number. Faced with that obstinance, Greenberg lawyers asked earlier this month to let them notify him by mail – or to simply print the notice in public newspapers.

“Given Ye’s public status, publication of the withdrawal order will likely garner significant media attention, resulting in broader publication and provide an even greater likelihood of apprising Ye of the Order,” the Greenberg lawyers wrote in making the unusual request.

But in Tuesday’s order, Judge Torres said she would need to see more proof that Greenberg had truly run out of options. She suggested that the firm could show that it had used databases to search for a new address, or even “hiring private investigators” to locate the star.

The judge gave the firm a Feb. 15 deadline to either successfully serve notice on Kanye – or offer more detailed proof to support the newspaper plan. Kanye’s former lawyer at Greenberg did not immediately return a request for comment. A press representative for West could not immediately be located for comment.