Author: djfrosty
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Nelly will be performing at president-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural ball on Monday (Jan. 20), an inside source has confirmed to Billboard.
The 50-year-old “Hot in Herre” rapper joins a lineup of previously announced inauguration performers that includes Carrie Underwood, Kid Rock, Village People, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Parker McCollum, Lee Greenwood and Gavin DeGraw.
In an interview on Willie D Live, posted to YouTube on Saturday (Jan. 18), Nelly explained the reasons behind his decision to perform. He said in part, “I apologize. I didn’t know that I had to agree with your political choices, and I thought it was the things that you do not the things that you say should be done if you follow what I do. This shouldn’t even be an argument. He’s the president. He won. This isn’t a campaign. This isn’t the RNC. I’m not on the political campaign.”
Nelly went on to add, “I’m not doing this for money. I’m doing this because it’s an honor. I respect the office. It don’t matter who is in office, the same way that our men and women, our brothers and sisters who protect this country, have to go to war and have to put their life on the line for whoever’s in office. So if they can put their life on the line for whoever in office, I can damn sure perform for whoever … Nobody’s allowed to change, right? … If my past was once going to prevent me from winning today, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not saying that that he ain’t got some fucked up ways. That’s not what I’m saying at all. That’s why I’m not telling you who to vote for. But what I’m saying is that he’s the president of the United States…”
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During the interview, Nelly also addressed whether he was invited to participate in the Kamala Harris campaign. The rapper said he wasn’t invited, noting, “I didn’t get none of that 1.5 to try to help somebody get voted.”
Nelly isn’t the only rapper to participate in Trump’s inauguration festivities. Earlier this weekend, it was widely reported that Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Soulja Boy performed at the president-elect’s Crypto Ball pre-inaugural soiree in Washington, D.C., at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on Friday (Jan. 17).
Snoop and his fellow rappers faced backlash for their performance at the event. In the comments section of a video from the show shared on the Shade Room’s Instagram, users criticized the artists for their participation. “This is culturally embarrassing and disrespectful as hell,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Not a check in the world is worth selling my soul to the Devil…”
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon also covered the performance during his livestream, Lemon LIVE at 5, questioning whether Snoop and the artists were “sellouts” or “grifters who only care about a dollar.”
Snoop hadn’t publicly addressed the backlash at press time, but he did share an Instagram Story featuring himself and Ross at the event.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / TikTok Ban
Welp, TikTok and its China-based owner ByteDance f***ed around and found out. Late Saturday night, TikTok was officially banned in the U.S., but it’s back up after Donald Trump vowed to save it. Shockingly, the card-collecting video game Marvel Snap and video editing app CapCut are still down for the count.
TikTok went dark last night, causing all the influencers to lose their sh*t and take their grievances to X, Instagram, and wherever else they can hit a publish button.
Last night, TikTok’s 187 million U.S. users were greeted with a message telling them they could no longer use the app and that the company was fortunate that Felon 47, Donald Trump, would work with them to find a solution.
“Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” the message begins. “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
TikTok cooked 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/hzQvE5N6gG
— B E A N Z The Gamer Dad(beanzgotgamez.bsky.social) (@BeanzGotGamez) January 19, 2025
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Gen Z’s nightmare scenario of either having to put their phones down or use other social media platforms to share bad takes and do dance videos came to an end on Sunday after President-elect Trump said on his bullsh*t platform, Truth Social, that he will issue an executive order on Monday to save it.
Per MSNBC:
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”
As of this writing, the switch has been flipped back on in the U.S., with the company writing in a post on X, formerly Twitter, “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:
In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170…
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025
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The effort to ban TikTok was started by Trump in 2020 pic.twitter.com/7npCMW08qJ
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) January 17, 2025
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The TikTok Jig Is Loading….
While this may seem like a win for everyone, some see the jig, accurately pointing out that Donald Trump called for TikTok to be banned during the tail end of his disastrous presidency.
Popular political commentator @2RawTooReal pointed out how Trump and the CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, are in “cahoots” because Chew will be attending Trump’s now indoor inauguration ceremony. He also points out in his video that Trump wrote the EO (executive order) calling for the platform to be banned, but only for President Biden to revoke it when he took office.
2RawTooReal also points out that the law allows the president to grant TikTok a 90-day extension, allowing TikTok to find a buyer or, as he points out, allow Trump to work with the Republican-controlled Senate and House to pass a bill saving the platform, making Trump look like a hero and a champion of entrepreneurs.
He also points out that Chew shared a video of far-right political activist Charlie Kirk on his TikTok page and that the app buried his and other videos of users fact-checking misinformation about Vice President Kamala Harris.
The TikTok CEO and Donald Trump are in cahoots pic.twitter.com/IZT3HJrmni
— 2RawTooReal (@2RawTooReal) January 19, 2025
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Marvel Snap Is Still Down
While TikTok is back up, Marvel Snap is still down. Now, why, you might ask? IGN reports that the game was “developed by Second Dinner and was published by ByteDance-owned publisher Nuverse, which is what led to the ban.”
Well damn.
Second Dinner’s Chief Development Officer and Co-Founder, Ben Brode, revealed on BlueSky that the ban surprised his company.
“Unfortunately, Marvel Snap is temporarily unavailable in U.S. app stores and is unavailable to play in the U.S. This was a surprise to Second Dinner and our publisher Nuverse,” Brode wrote. “We’re actively working on getting the game up as soon as possible and will update you once we have more to share.”
He offered those thirsty to log in and give advice, suggesting they should use a VPN.
“FWIW I am hearing that VPN software will allow you to continue playing Marvel Snap in the meantime, as long as you pretend you’re from Canada or something,” he said.
What a mess.
You can see more reactions to the whole TikTok fiasco in the gallery below.
1. Donald Trump is not slick
2. Hit Charlie Kirk with the mean “this you?”
3. Accurate
4. Symone Sanders & The Weekend crew see the jig
5. Glad y’all are happy
6. This gif is always gold
7. Never forget
8. Please, don’t forget that Republicans don’t want to ban assault weapons
Dave Chappelle took aim at Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ alleged freak-off parties during Saturday Night Live‘s first episode of 2025.
The veteran comedian, returning to SNL for his fourth time as host on Jan. 18, opened his 17-minute monologue with a mix of humor and sharp commentary. He touched on topics like the Los Angeles wildfires and Donald Trump’s bizarre comments about eating cats and dogs in Ohio, before turning his attention to the embattled hip-hop mogul, who is currently facing multiple charges, including sex trafficking.
“I’ve been in a lot of trouble in my day but this guy Puffy, oh buddy, this guy is in an enormous amount of trouble; I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this,” Chappelle said, sitting on a stool and smoking a cigarette.
Chappelle, who was joined by musical guest GloRilla, continued to riff on Diddy’s alleged behavior, sharing that friends had asked him why he wasn’t involved in Diddy’s so-called “freak-off” parties.
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“They’d be like, ‘Well how were all these people you know at the freak-off and you were the only one who wasn’t at the freak-off?’ And I thought about it for a minute and I said, ‘Oh my God — I’m ugly,’” he joked. “That was a tough way to find that out. Can you imagine if you were me reading the newspaper and found out everyone in Hollywood had an orgy behind your back? None of y’all called me?”
The comedian also touched on the federal raid of Diddy’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles in March 2024, where agents reportedly seized more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant as evidence.
“I’m 51 and I don’t think I’ve ever finished a bottle of baby oil in my life,” Chappelle remarked. “Clearly, Puff is committed to the lifestyle. A thousand bottles? Thank God they caught him before those fires — can you imagine the mushroom cloud over his house?” he added, referring to the L.A. wildfires.
Chappelle shared the stage with SNL‘s musical guest, GloRilla, who made her musical guest debut with a performance of “Yeah Glo!” from her 2024 mixtape Ehhthang Ehhthang. She also performed a medley of “Whatchu Kno About Me” and “Let Her Cook” from her solo debut, Glorious.
SNL is currently in its 50th season, with a special anniversary episode scheduled for Feb. 16. This season has featured high-profile hosts like Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, John Mulaney and Chris Rock, while musical guests have included Hozier, Gracie Abrams and Stevie Nicks.
SNL returns on Jan. 25 with Timothée Chalamet pulling double duty as both host and musical guest. Chalamet recently portrayed Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, the biopic directed by James Mangold, and performed all of his own vocals in the film.
Watch Chappelle’s full SNL monologue below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
The euphoric and loving screams of the crowd made Fito Páez blush. The Argentine rocker admitted that the clamor for his free Saturday night (Jan. 18) show in Mexico City’s Zócalo made him feel “modesty.” Visibly moved, he thanked the 80,000 people who attended the Plaza de la Constitución, according to figures from the city government, but also those who followed the concert on social media and public television.
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“How beautiful it is to be here!” said Páez, who appeared on the imposing stage dressed in a fluorescent yellow sweater and a red cape that matched the show’s lighting design. “Please save energy because you will need it,” the musician from Rosario added before starting his first concert of 2025 with his iconic song “El Amor Después del Amor.”
The concert at the country’s main public square settled a pending debt with his Mexican fans, after postponing a presentation originally scheduled for September due to a domestic accident that resulted in five fractured ribs and forced him to suspend a series of shows in Mexico and Colombia.
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It was also the prelude to three shows that the legendary icon of rock en Español will perform this week in Mexican territory, with two dates at the National Auditorium on Tuesday and Wednesday (Jan. 21-22), and one more at the Auditorio Telmex in Guadalajara on Jan. 26 — all part of his Páez 403 tour, which celebrates 40 years of his first album, Del 63, and the 30th anniversary of Circo Beat.
The concert of the 61-year-old rocker, with which the Government of Mexico City inaugurated its free musical shows of 2025 at the Zócalo, was even mentioned at the presidential conference of last Friday (Jan. 17). “Fito Páez is Fito Páez!” said Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum in response to a reporter’s question about the singer-songwriter’s visit.
On the Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, a huge Argentine flag was waved from the front rows, with many people of the South American country in attendance to see one of their most respected and beloved musicians, but also curious and old fans, and even new followers who met him through Netflix’s bio-series El Amor Después del Amor. “This is bursting, how beautiful!” Páez, who kept his dialogues short but seemed to enjoy the moment, told the audience.
Accompanied by a large band of musicians and his inseparable piano, he pleased the crowd with a repertoire of his most well-known songs, including “Yo Vengo a Ofrecer Mi Corazón,” “Cadáver Exquisito,” “Un Vestido y Un Amor,” “Tumbas de la Gloria” and “Naturaleza Sangre.” He also sang classics such as “Al Lado del Camino,” “Circo Beat,” “Brillante Sobre el Mic,” “Ciudad de Pobres Corazones,” “A Rodar Mi Vida” and “Dar es Dar,” which made the audience vibrate.
Previously, the Argentine group El Juguete Rabioso and the Mexican band Rey Pila served as opening bands.
“Ciao, my loves. What an unforgettable night! Health, money, and love for everyone. Thank you for this great honor, for having received us all the people of the city,” Páez said as a farewell. “Know that we appreciate this from the bottom of our hearts.”
With the energy of the audience still high, the rocker reciprocated the affection performing “Mariposa Technicolor” and “Dale Alegría,” which marked the end of his presentation.
Fito Páez’s show adds to the long list of concerts that national and international artists have offered at the capital’s Zócalo, including Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Pixies, Caifanes, Rosalía, Interpol, Grupo Firme, Shakira, Juan Gabriel and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, among many others.
GloRilla officially stepped into Studio 8H on Jan. 18, marking her highly anticipated Saturday Night Live debut as the musical guest alongside host Dave Chappelle.
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The 25-year-old Memphis rapper opened her performance in dramatic fashion, donning an orange jumpsuit and standing behind bars on a jail-themed set that later transitioned into a front porch scene. She performed “Yeah Glo!” from her 2024 mixtape, Ehhthang Ehhthang. The anthemic track has earned GloRilla two Grammy nominations for best rap song and best rap performance at the upcoming 2025 ceremony, set to air Feb. 2.
Later in the show, GloRilla returned for a dynamic medley of tracks from her 2024 debut album, Glorious, which hit No. 5 on the Billboard 200. The performance featured a vibrant pink and purple backdrop, with GloRilla and her dancers delivering energetic choreography. She mashed up “Whatchu Kno About Me” and “Let Her Cook,” wearing a shiny pink ensemble.
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GloRilla’s SNL debut comes three months after the release of Glorious, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The project spawned the single “TGIF,” which peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, Glo’s highest-reaching unaccompanied entry on the chart.
SNL is currently in its 50th season, with a special anniversary episode planned for Feb. 16. This season has seen appearances from high-profile hosts like Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, John Mulaney and Chris Rock, while musical guests have included Hozier, Gracie Abrams and Stevie Nicks, among others.
SNL returns on Jan. 25 with Timothée Chalamet pulling double duty as both host and musical guest. Chalamet recently portrayed Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, the biopic directed by James Mangold. The Dune actor performed all of his own vocals in the film.
Watch GloRilla’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
During a concert packed with wall-to-wall hits and jaw-dropping stage production, Justin Timberlake slowed things down Saturday night (Jan. 18) in Anaheim, California, to reflect on the devastating wildfires that have ravaged the neighboring Los Angeles County since last week.
“I want to take a moment to recognize what’s going on in LA,” he said from the intimate DJ stage tucked into the floor section of the Honda Center, where he was surrounded by 360 degrees of fans. “I want to give a shout-out to the first responders, firefighters, citizens of the community, all that you gave.”
He went on to acknowledge the proximity of the Orange County arena, saying, “I’m sure so many of us in this room know someone, or is related to someone, or has heard about someone so close to us being affected by this devastating incident. And so many of us onstage either live there and in the crew know people who live there, and we just came from there, and it truly is devastating.”
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Timberlake ended things on a positive note by shouting out the way the community has rallied around the crisis to find ways to help everyone affected. “I just wanted to recognize how beautiful it is, how well everyone has responded in that area. And I just wanted to say: Keep your thoughts and prayers with LA. Donate if you can — if you can — but thoughts and prayers with LA. Thank you so much, Anaheim.”
Multiple fires throughout Los Angeles County have killed at least 27 people, displaced tens of thousands from their homes, and destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures. The initial Palisades Fire is now more than 50% contained after more than a week of firefighting in severe winds.
Timberlake’s Anaheim concert was an extension of his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, which kicked off April 29 in Vancouver in support of the March album release Everything I Thought It Was. The trek continues Monday in Palm Desert, California, and has international dates through July. He will join Green Day and Noah Kahan to headline the 2025 BottleRock Festival in Napa, California, over Memorial Day weekend.
In collaboration with the clothing brand Maybe Tomorrow, Timberlake announced that all proceeds from a limited-edition beanie would be donated to wildfire relief efforts. The black beanie sold out, but the white version is still available here. Both are also being sold in merch stands on the tour while supplies last.
Will 2025 bring a new Justin Bieber album? Mixed in among Bieber’s weekend Instagram photos of wildlife, ice skating with wife Hailey, and frolicking in a snowy landscape in only underwear are new images of the singer apparently recording music. Bieber uploaded a couple pictures of himself singing with headphones on and mic in hand […]
Taylor Swift was joined by the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark to cheer on Travis Kelce and the Chiefs at Saturday’s (Jan. 18) divisional round game in Kansas City, where the Chiefs defeated the Texans.
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For at least part of the game, Swift and Clark sat side-by-side in a suite, surrounded by the singer’s dad, Scott, and Kelce’s dad, Ed. Seated right behind Swift was her mom, Andrea. While everyone around her sported Chiefs red, the singer-songwriter stuck to black-and-white Chanel.
Clips from Saturday’s Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans game show Swift chatting with Clark, with a hand covering her mouth for privacy. Fans also recorded a moment when the pair high-fived each other after a play, and one when Swift got up to hug Clark.
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In November, Clark was spotted attending The Eras Tour at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
In December, Clark said Swift invited her to go to an upcoming Chiefs game. As Time‘s Athlete of the Year of 2024, Clark mentioned in her cover story interview with the magazine that The Tortured Poets Department star had gifted her four bags of Eras merch, and had written in a note that “Trav and I” hoped to catch her play in an Indiana Fever game.
By early January, Clark was a special guest on an episode of Travis and his brother Jason’s podcast, New Heights. She reminisced about Swift’s Eras show, which she was able to see three times, and said, “My mom was begging me to take her. She’s like, ‘I gotta go, like, everybody’s talking about it.’ I’m like, ‘OK, OK’ … Full Swiftie, turned my mom into a full Swiftie now. Good time, good time.”
See Swift and Clark at the Chiefs game in a video posted by the NFL below. “Big Chiefs fans in the building,” the NFL captioned the moment.
John Legend thought his daughter Luna’s favorite singer was Sabrina Carpenter. He was wrong.
The Short n’ Sweet pop star actually ranks at No. 2 for the 8-year-old, Legend learned in a round of “Our Favorite Things” with Luna and her 6-year-old brother, Miles. The very first episode of the Billboard Family game, featuring Legend quizzed by his two eldest children, is premiering now but was filmed in late 2024 — when Luna also led a one-on-one interview with her dad about his children’s album, My Favorite Dream.
“Favorite singers?” Luna asks her father during the game, in the video that’s seen above.
“Right now your favorite is Sabrina Carpenter,” Legend says, only for Luna to refute his response.“How is that incorrect? Because I am in the car when you’re picking songs,” he says to his daughter.
He’s wrong because her favorite singer is Dad, of course. (Cue the heart-eyes and smiling-with-tears-in-your-eyes emojis as you watch her quietly point at him.)
“Awww. OK. You just melted my heart,” the “L.O.V.E.” singer says in the clip of the family game.
Legend then correctly identifies some of Miles’ favorite music artists: Zedd, Marshmello and The Chainsmokers.
“He’s very into DJs,” Legend says, joking, “I think he wants to do a Vegas residency at some point.”
The sweet game also has Legend answering questions about Luna and Miles’ favorite hobbies, things to do together with Dad, TV shows, books and meals. Stick around until the end of the video to see what scores they give their superstar parent.
Plus, Legend — who has two more kids, 2-year-old Esti and 1-year-old Wren, with wife Chrissy Teigen — is tested on his children’s favorite songs from his own album My Favorite Dream, which is nominated for best children’s album in the 2025 Grammy Awards, among good company: Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band’s Brillo, Brillo!, Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats’ Creciendo, Rock for Children’s Solid Rock Revival and Divinity Roxx and Divi Roxx Kids’ World Wide Playdate are also up for the award.
The Grammys will proceed as planned on Feb. 2 at the Crypto.com Arena, and will be telecast on CBS.
Many Los Angeles music events were canceled or postponed due to the wildfires that have devastated communities in the greater L.A. area, but the show “will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours,” Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt, the chair of the academy’s board of trustees, said in a joint statement last week.
Legend and his family were safely able to go back to their L.A. house after evacuating, Teigen shared in an update on Jan. 13, nothing that they were “feeling grateful to be back home.” In addition to sharing resources for fire victims on social media, her brand Cravings made a total of $100,000 in donations to organizations including World Central Kitchen, the YMCA, LA Regional Food Bank and the Red Cross “to support in fulfilling much needed supplies and most importantly – food, to help people begin to recover and rebuild.”
Taylor Swift is back in Kansas City to support boyfriend Travis Kelce at the Chiefs’ first playoff game of the season.
On Saturday (Jan. 18), the 35-year-old pop icon was spotted arriving at Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC divisional round matchup between the Chiefs and the Houston Texans. Despite the chilly temperatures, Swift turned up the heat with a stylish checkered coat, paired with a black top, skirt and knee-high boots.
The “Anti-Hero” singer entered the stadium in a golf cart alongside her parents, Andrea and Scott Swift, as well as other family and friends.
Kelce recently hinted on The Pat McAfee Show that Swift would be in attendance, adding to the growing speculation that her presence is a good-luck charm for the Chiefs. In the 20-something games Swift has attended, the team boasts a stellar 17-3 record.
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Since beginning her relationship with Kelce in 2023, Swift has been a frequent visitor at Chiefs games, including the 2024 Super Bowl, which saw Kansas City take home the championship. Just before Christmas, she was spotted at Arrowhead Stadium in a chic, furry red coat.
On Friday (Jan. 17), Swift was seen dining with her parents at Nobu Downtown in New York City, wearing a sleek all-black ensemble.
Kelce recently spoke about his relationship with Swift on the Stephen A. Smith Show. When asked about it, the 35-year-old tight end said, “I’m enjoying all aspects of life, that’s for damn sure, man.” He added, “Me and Taylor are happy and I couldn’t be happier to have that confidence and that comfort off the field and all the support I could ever ask for stadium.”
The NFL star, who has been playing for the NFL for about 12 years, also addressed his future with the Chiefs, revealing that Swift is fully supportive of his career.
“She’s fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game,” the New Heights podcaster said of the singer. “She loves coming to Arrowhead and coming to the games and cheering for me.”
“So I got all the support in the world to keep chasing these dreams,” he continued. “I think personally, that’s the beauty of being in a very strong relationship is that you get that support to be able to come in and focus on your craft.”