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29 Dec 2022

Shaquille O’Neal Wants to ‘Get Sexier’ in 2023, But First, He’s Hosting a Massive Virtual NYE Party

One of the hottest New Year’s Eve parties of 2023 is available to attend from the comfort of your living room. On Dec. 31, at 3:30 p.m. PT, noted music fan and party purveyor Shaquille O’Neal is appearing in virtual reality with a gaggle of high caliber pals — Cardi B, Ludacris, Lil Yachty, Rob Gronkowski and his girlfriend Camille Kostek, Killer Mike, Whipped Cream and, of course, Shaq’s DJ alter-ego DJ DIESEL — for an hourlong rager to ring in 2023.

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And because VR offers no limits on the type of fete one can throw, this bash — The Shaq’tacular Spectacular — will include a rollerskating rink, a marching band, a basketball court and a lot of other bells, whistles and assorted confetti blasts. The show will premiere exclusively in VR in Meta Horizon Worlds, on Meta Quest TV, on O’Neal’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and Messenger’s Watch Together. (Attendance requires a Meta Quest 2 headset, so hopefully, you got one for Christmas.)

Here, Shaq shares the secrets to a blazing hot lineup, who will be playing when the ball drops, and why his New Year’s resolution is to “be sexy.”

This party, like all your parties, has a really stacked lineup. How do you assemble a collection of high-caliber artists like this?

I’ve been in the business for a long time and I meet a lot of people, and if I’ve noticed you are just nice to people, people are nice to you … When I meet superstars and they do something for me, I just tell them thank you. Hopefully I do the same for them, or I continue to do the same for them. It’s about mutual respect. It’s about showing love and receiving love, and I’m just grateful that they’re part of the Shaq’tacular Spectacular.

You’ve said before that you love the energy of live music — and dance music specifically obviously with your DJ Diesel project. How do you make sure an event in VR has that same massive energy that you so love?

You just have to have the right people there. Ludacris, from Atlanta — hot. Lil Yachty has one of hottest songs of the year — hot. Cardi B, beautiful, gorgeous — hot. DJ Diesel — hot. Rob Gronkowski — hot. I’m not going to say his girlfriend’s hot because I don’t want to have problems with him, but she’s hot. And Whipped Cream — hot.

If you put all hot ingredients in front of people, they can’t do nothing but enjoy it. It’s like a hot meal. There’s not really any rocket science. A lot of people would overthink, but when you’ve got 10 hot people, you just let ‘em do their thing and you put it together.

So a hot menu is the secret.

Exactly.

Tell me about making live events more a part of your business and how this has been a progression for you.

It’s just something that I wanted to be involved with, especially on the new year. I wanted to bring my friends and have it be a one-hour special, custom made for VR. And don’t worry if you’re not able to join right away, because the show will be on loop throughout the evening and you join at anytime from the start of the celebration.

The Shaq'tacular Spectacular

The Shaq’tacular Spectacular

Courtesy Photo

Who’s going to be playing when the clock strikes 12?

I’m not going to tell you that! But it’s going to be hot! Oh wait … I think it’s me!

So what song are you going to play at midnight?

I’m not going give you that information. Just be ready to put your hands up.

What’s your best New Year’s Eve memory?

I have a lot of them, but just being able to celebrate with family and friends. I remember all the way back to when I was 19, and I’m going to be 51 after this New Year’s, so time is going by too fast. I kind of want it to slow down.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?

Just continuing to be healthy. I want to get sexier. I’ve already lost 40 pounds and I need to lose about 30 more pounds, then I’m going to start taking my clothes all the way off. I want to be the Black Mark Wahlberg. Show my nine-pack, all that stuff.

29 Dec 2022

Dumpster Drizzy: Old Drake Rhyme Book Found In Dumpster To Be Auctioned Off For $20K

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Apparently, when Drake was a teenage aspiring rapper—somebody thought he was trash.

OK, that may or may not be the case. But what is true is that the Toronto superstar’s old rhyme book from his pre-fame years ended up in the garbage somehow, and now fans of the “Rich Flex” rapper have the opportunity to own multiple pages of notebook paper with old Drake lyrics in his own handwriting if they get really lucky. And also if they have a spare $20,000 lying around, according to the auction house Moments In Time.

From TMZ:

A rep for the MIT auction house tells us Drake was working in his uncle’s Memphis furniture factory as a youth and the lyrics were found in the dumpster when the factory eventually closed down. Now, they’ll be posted for sale.

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You can see the greatness brewing in Drake’s bars, even though the lyrics weren’t fully realized just yet. The pages read like poems, Drake writes lines like, “Plates/passed around for collection/Raising money for cheap cell phones with no reception.” Young Drizzy also penned a song called “Come Spring” which OG fans will recognize eventually evolved into “Come Winter” from his pre-fame debut mixtape “Room For Improvement.”
He apparently was a “Certified Lover Boy” even back then, too. Someone by the name of Syliva has her Toronto-based phone number that appears on one of the pages, likely waiting for him when he returned to The 6ix.“We’re in the age of conflict and knowledge / But we’re trapped in this cage of barbed wire and wreckage, with the freedom to go to college,” one of the pages read, according to Complex. “The freedom to indulge and dissolve ourselves in the process / The law says you have witness an audience in the race of silence / Take refuge in a response that defines the face of violence.”But let’s be real: These pages of old lyrics could read, “Roses are red, violets are blue…nice booty,” and true Drake stans would still line up for the purchase if they had the disposable income to drop 20 racks on such rare memorabilia.

Tell the truth, fans, how much would you spend to get your hands on old Drake lyrics from well before he was famous?

29 Dec 2022

Yung Joc Shaves Head After Tory Lanez Found Guilty

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The Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter Summer Member Celebration

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While he has a history of doing the most, Yung Joc seems to be a man of his word. He has shaved his head after saying he would if Tory Lanez was found guilty.

As spotted on The Shade Room, the Atlanta, Georgia native has scalped. Earlier this month Yung Joc and media executive Shawn Prez discussed the Meg Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez assault trial for VladTV. During the interview the “Coffee Shop” rapper made it clear that, in his mind, a guilty verdict was not possible. “If Tory is found guilty, I’ll shave my head. I’ll shave my whole head bald,” he said. He even confirmed he was “serious” when asked again about the claim.

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Well Joc was indeed “serious” and has made good on his pledge. In an Instagram clip he prepared for the haircut, he was offered some food of his choice which he referred to as his “last meal.” As his Morning Takeover radio show co-host Shyneka put in the work with the clippers Joc said “This [is] for Meg Thee Stallion. This [is] for Meg and Roc Nation.” After the reveal he explained why he made the promise saying “Lost a bet. I thought it was going to be a goddamn mistrial,” he explained.

You can check out Yung Joc’s new look below.

Photo: Derek White / Getty

29 Dec 2022

The Sonic Secrets to Mariah Carey’s Chart Success With ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’

Besides its catchy melodies and stellar vocal performance, what sonically has helped make Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” the top title on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs chart and a perennial No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 each holiday season since 2019?

As the carol, originally released in 1994, continues to expand its legacy, here’s a look at three compositional characteristics that have helped it jingle to chart history.

Underneath the Mistletoe

Over the 2019-22 holiday seasons, four favorites have peaked at Nos. 1-4, respectively, on the Hot 100: in order, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (from 1958), Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (1957) and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (1964).

Helping it stand out when compared to other high-charting holiday hits, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a love song, a key differentiator. While others focus mainly on the holidays, Carey’s uses Christmas as a backdrop for romantic love, which further broadens its universal appeal.

Everyone Is Singing

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” also has notable cross-generational appeal. Drawing heavily from the early-to-mid-1960s, this R&B, pop, rock, dance, gospel and holiday-influenced hit has something for just about everyone. It resonates with the children of the ’90s who grew up on it, as well as their baby boomer parents, who grew up on ’60s rock. The song also connects with the former thanks to A-list artists such as Ariana Grande, who has cited Carey as a major influence and keeps ’90s-flavored R&B alive in today’s mainstream.

Hear Those Sleigh Bells Ringing

Perhaps most notable of all about “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the evocative and highly engaging way that it unfolds, which is a testament to its co-writers and co-producers, Carey and Walter Afanasieff.

Traversing through three distinct segments, the song kicks off with a familiar, simple melody played by a glockenspiel, which invites the listener in with a sense of holiday innocence and wonder.

The second segment abruptly shifts gears, providing a warm, sparse, anticipation-filled arrangement that effectively supports Carey’s evocative R&B-styled delivery of the song’s love-themed lyrics. The church bells cleverly tie together the love and holiday storylines, invoking the spirit of the season and alluding to marriage.

The third and final segment, which is also the longest, initially shifts to a sparse rock piano and sleigh bell arrangement before locking the listener into the song’s main groove.

Blending all its influences under one (snow-covered) roof, this uplifting and excited vibe embodies the holiday spirit and the feeling of being in love, solidifying listeners’ deep emotional connections with the song and keeping them coming back for more.

David and Yael Penn are the co-founders of Hit Songs Deconstructed. In April, Hit Songs Deconstructed and fellow song analysis platform MyPart partnered to launch ChartCipher, a new platform analyzing hit songs, as defined by Billboard’s charts.

29 Dec 2022

LadBaby Rings up Chart Record With U.K. Christmas No. 1

LadBaby lands the ultimate Christmas present with “Food Aid” (via BMG) earning the coveted Christmas No. 1 in the U.K. — and doing so in record-busting fashion.

The charity single debuts at No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart with more than 65,000 chart sales, the Official Charts Company reports, for the fastest-selling week of any recording in 2022.

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The husband-and-wife duo of Mark and Roxanne Hoyle become the first act to nab five Official U.K. Christmas No. 1 singles, beating the old mark held by the Beatles, who bagged four non-consecutive Christmas leaders in 1963, 1964, 1965 & 1967.

Previously, LadBaby ruled the Christmas chart with “We Built This City” (in 2018), “I Love Sausage Rolls” (2019), “Don’t Stop Me Eatin’” (2020) and 2021’s “Sausage Rolls For Everyone” with Ed Sheeran and Elton John.

Proceeds from the single, a re-interpretation of Band Aid’s ‘80s classic “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” are split equally between food bank charity The Trussell Trust and the Band Aid Trust.

“It only seems yesterday that LadBaby turned up with their first festive campaign four years ago, so it feels slightly surreal to be sending hearty congratulations on their fifth successive Official Christmas No. 1,” comments Martin Talbot, chief executive of the OCC. “Securing one Christmas No. 1 is a huge achievement in itself – to do it five times, in successive years, is unprecedented and frankly incredible.”

There’s Christmas cheer to be found up and down the chart, as Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA) dips 1-2, but racks up a market-leading 12.9 million streams. Meanwhile, another fundraising holiday number, Sidemen’s “Christmas Drillings,” is the highest climber, blasting 41-3; while yuletide favorites from Mariah Carey (“All I Want For Christmas Is You” down 2-4 via Columbia), Ed Sheeran and Elton John (“Merry Christmas” down 4-5 via Atlantic) and Brenda Lee (“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” down 5-8 via MCA) impact the top 10.

It’s the season to be jolly, and it’s also the season for punk act the K**ts to stage a return with a protest song. At No. 7, “F**k The Tories” (via Tactical Voting) is the highest new entry on the chart, published Dec. 23. It’s the English act’s third consecutive Christmas top 10, following “Boris Johnson Is Still A F**king C**t” in 2021 and “Boris Johnson Is A F**king C**t” in 2020, both peaking at No. 5.

The Christmas albums crown belongs to Taylor Swift, whose 2022 smash Midnights (EMI) lifts 3-1 on the Official Chart, with over 17,000 chart units, according to the OCC.

Midnights joins 2020’s Folklore as Swift’s only LPs to log three weeks at the U.K. summit, and it’s the only non-Christmas album to inhabit the current top 3, as Cliff Richard’s Christmas With Cliff (EastWest/Rhino) lifts 8-2, and Michael Bublé’s Christmas (Reprise) improves 4-3.

28 Dec 2022

Harry Styles’ Mom Shares Festive Peek at Family Christmas Celebrations

No place like home for the holidays. On Wednesday (Dec. 28), Anne Twist, mom to one Harry Styles, took to social media to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at how their family celebrated Christmas.

“Christmas 2022,” she captioned the series of four photos along with a smiley face, Christmas tree and red heart emoji. The slideshow shows off Twist’s holiday decorations and cozy fireplace, Christmas Day feast including veggies, casseroles and Yorkshire puddings, and the family’s sparkling Christmas tree.

However, the third photo of the bunch got fans most excited, with Twist posting a selfie with her pop star son, his sister Gemma Styles and Gemma’s longtime boyfriend Michal Mlynowski grinning ear to ear with their arms around one another. In the snap, Styles wears a blue hoodie beneath a yellow and black puffer jacket and an added balaclava for warmth, all with his hair pulled back off his forehead with a clip.

The laid back holiday caps off quite a major year for Styles, who scored his second career No. 1 (and broke several records) with the smash hit “As It Was” off his third solo album Harry’s House. Throughout the year, the British heartthrob also headlined Coachella, won album of the year at the 2022 MTV VMAs, starred in not one but two major motion pictures and made history with his Love on Tour show — including a record-breaking 15-night residency at Madison Square Garden.

Styles also picked up six nominations at the upcoming 2023 Grammy Awards, including trophies for album of the year, record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal album, best pop solo performance and best music video.

Check out Styles’ cozy family Christmas below.

28 Dec 2022

Bad Bunny Gives Surprise Concert on Top of a Gas Station in Puerto Rico

Bad Bunny isn’t done blessing fans in 2022.

The “Titi Me Preguntó” singer surprised his followers on Tuesday (Dec. 27) giving an impromptu concert on top of a gas station in Puerto Rico. The hitmaker simply tweeted, “‘La Jumpa’ live tonight at 10:00 pm.” The cryptic message didn’t reveal much but his zealous fans managed to find his location anyway, which was a gas station where he went on to perform his new track with Arcangel and a few hits from his Billboard 200 chart-topping album Un Verano Sin Ti.

On social media, people suggested he was recording the music video for “La Jumpa” as they were later spotted in Condado Beach. “La Jumpa” was released on Nov. 30 and is included in Arcangel’s latest album, Señor Santos. The track joins a list of collaborations between Arcángel and Bad Bunny, including hits “Me Acostumbré” (2017), “Original” (2018) and “Por Ti” (2021), as well as 2016’s “Diles” with Ozuna, Farruko and Ñengo Flow and 2017’s “Soy Peor Remix” with J Balvin and Ozuna.

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For whatever reason him and Arcangel were on top of a gas station, fans were just excited to catch Bad Bunny’s free last-minute show.

Earlier that day, El Conejo Malo was out handing out toys to children in Puerto Rico as part of his “Bonita Tradición” event held by the singer-songwriter’s Good Bunny Foundation. The superstar helped spread holiday joy on the island at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente where he handed out 20,000 gifts (sports equipment, instruments, paint materials and more) to the kids who attended the drive.

28 Dec 2022

Fitness Gear: The Best Exercise Equipment to Kickstart Your Home Workout Routine for 2023

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

What’s your New Year’s resolution? Exercise and weight loss top the list of resolutions for 2023, but you don’t have to wait until New Year’s Day to kickstart your workout routine.

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The benefits of working out regularly extend beyond the physical body. For example, exercise helps relieve stress and can improve your overall mental health and help you feel more accomplished (it’s not easy sticking to a workout routine!). It also stimulates endorphins in the brain to boost your mood and make you feel more relaxed.

Although gyms usually offer holiday deal and New Year’s discounts, going to the gym isn’t feasible for everybody. Some people don’t have the time, money or the ability to make it to a gym, which is why home workouts come in handy. In addition to potentially saving you time and money, working out at home is a convenient way to start your fitness journey (it also helps if you’re shy or maybe self-conscious about hitting the gym).

To help you get started, we’ve collected a list of must-have exercise equipment and fitness gear that you can buy online. While you won’t find a gym bag, smart watch, activewear, headphones for working out or a massage gun listed below, you will find a variety of items for traditional cardio, strength training and more, ranging from budget friendly to splurge worthy.

Walmart

Athletic Works Kettlebell, 44lbs.

$26 $55 53% off% OFF

If there’s only room for one thing on your list, make it a kettlebell. (Yes, they really work!) The handheld weight will get your heart rate pumping while toning your arms and back muscles and strengthening your core.

Amazon

Resistance Bands Set for Legs, Working Out, Muscle Training, Physical Therapy, Shape Body, Men and Women

$19.99 $29.99 33% OFF

Resistance bands are another simple but affective way to get in a workout. The bands pictured above are made from high-grade, natural rubber designed to provide longer durability and prevent the bands from snapping.

Target

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbell Set

$379 $429.99 12% off% OFF

The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbell Set is perfect for a minimalist. Each dumbbell adjusts from five to 52.5 pounds (in 25-pound increments up to 25 pounds) allowing you to switch exercises with the turn of a dial. The dumbbells are on sale at Target, Amazon and Best Buy.

Looking for something lighter and cheaper? Try the Fitness Gear 32 lb. Neoprone Dumbbell Kit ($89.99) set or the CAP Barbell Neoprone Dumbbells (from $7 and up), which are available in 1-15 pound dumbbells and feature hex shaped heads to prevent rolling.

Amazon

Sportsroyals Power Tower Dip Station Pull Up Bar for Home Gym Strength Training Workout Equipment, 400LBS.

$155.79 $299.99 48% OFF

The Power Trip Dip Station is an-all-in-one workout bar for upper body toning, strengthening the back muscles and abs. The dip stations is perfect for pull-ups, chin-ups, tricep dips, push-ups, vertical leg raises, knee raises, etc. and can hold up to 400 pounds.  

Amazon

Vinsguir Ab Roller

$25.99 $29.99 13% OFF

The ab roller is another versatile piece of equipment as it targets your abdominal muscles, back muscles and hip flexors. Vinsguir’s Ab Roller has a 3.2-inch dual wheel for added support and it comes with a knee pad. If you’re not so interested in the ab roller, you might like an exercise ball.

Amazon

Yes4All LC77 Adjustable Aerobic Step Platform with 4 Risers

$49.99 $55.99 11% OFF

This budget-friendly step deck measures 42.5 inches and has four, adjustable risers with a slip-resistant surface. According to the manufacturer, the Yes4All stepper can hold up to 300 pounds.

Walmart

Everlast 70 lb. Platinum Heavy Bag Kit

$79 $108 27% off% OFF

Get in fighting shape with this Everlast kit. The kit includes a 70-pound Platinum Nevatear constructed heavy bag, a speed bag, wrist wraps, boxing gloves, hand wraps and an adjustable chain to accommodate different sizes.

Target

Premium Fitness Mat

$29.99

You can use this All in Motion Premium Fitness Map for yoga, pilates and other workouts. The mat measures 72-inches long, 22-inches wide and it’s available in three different colors, including black, blue and pink/violet.

Amazon

Original Peloton Bike | Indoor Stationary Exercise Bike with Immersive 22″ HD Touchscreen

$1,195.00 $1,445.00 17% OFF

Peleton bikes are on the more expensive end of the spectrum, but the brand now offers refurbished bikes at a discount. The Original Peleton Bike pictured above features delta-compatible pedals, a two-channel, rear-facing stereo speaker system with 16 watts of power, a resistance knob for manual control, a 10-point multitouch HD touchscreen, USB microport, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 4.0, a five-megapixel front-facing camera, built-in microphone, and up and down volume buttons. Kenny Chesney, Ciara and Joe Jonas are some of the celebs who have teamed with Peleton.

On a budget? Click here for a cheaper exercise bike.

Walmart

Nordick Track C700 Folding Treadmill with iFit Membership

$597 $677 12% off% OFF

The Nordick Track C 700 folding treadmill designed for users who are up to six feet tall (the weight capacity is 300 pounds). Run up to 10 mph on the treadmill, which also has incline abilities and a 7-inch, interactive touchscreen display where you can take iFit Personal Training and personalized workouts.

Lululemon

Lululemon Studio Mirror

$795 $1495 47% off% OFF

“Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fittest of them all?” Lululemon’s Studio Mirror is a personal trainer, cardio class, yoga studio, boxing ring, etc., packed into one device. Try Lululemon Studio Mirror’s unlimited live and on-demand classes for free for 30 days.

28 Dec 2022

Drake & Son Adonis Get a Sweet Surprise From Toronto Raptors Mascot While Sitting Courtside

The year may be ending in just three days, but Drake wanted to make sure that he and his son Adonis caught one last basketball game before the arrival of 2023.

On Tuesday (Dec. 27), Drake and Adonis were spotted sitting court side at the NBA game featuring the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The rapper — who sported a flashy moto outfit consisting of an of a leather jacket and matching leather pants — was seen with embracing and laughing with his four-year-old, who wore a green fuzzy jacket and white sneakers.

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As for what spurred the excitement? The Toronto team’s official mascots, simply called The Raptor, came over to where Drake and Adonis were sitting court side and surprised the pair with a candy shower, gifting the rapper’s tot several bags of Twizzlers and Sour Patch Kids. NBA Canada shared video footage of the moment via Twitter on Tuesday, writing, “The @Raptors mascot blessed @Drake and Adonis with all the candy!” along with a lollipop emoji and its #WeTheNorth hashtag for good measure.

Adonis’ mother, Sophie Brussaux, also appeared to be in attendance at the game. On Instagram, the French artist and nonprofit founder shared a snap of her alongside a friend that was captioned “we like basketball,” though the pair did not sit with Drake and Adonis at the side of the court.

See Drake and Adonis’ cute courtside moment with each other in the video below.