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Cynthia Erivo is set to host 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 8. The ceremony will return to Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the first time since 2022. It will broadcast live to both coasts on CBS and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
“I am so proud and excited to take on this glorious honor,” Erivo said in a statement. “I am looking forward to ushering the theater community at large through a night that celebrates the wonderful performances we have witnessed throughout the year. I hope I can rise to the occasion.”
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This is Erivo’s first time hosting the Tonys, where she was a winner in 2016 for her lead role in The Color Purple. Ariana DeBose, also a Tony winner, hosted the Tonys the last three years. This will be the fifth year in a row that a woman of color has hosted the Tonys. Audra McDonald did the honors in 2021.
Erivo, 38, is the star of Wicked, which has become the highest-grossing film adapted from a Broadway musical. Erivo is Oscar-nominated for best actress for her role in Wicked, though she is not expected to win when the awards are presented on March 2. (Rumors persist that she and co-star Ariana Grande may be enticed to perform on the show.) It’s Erivo’s third Oscar nod, following dual nods (best actress and best original song) five year ago for Harriet.
In addition to her Tony win, Erivo has won a Grammy and a Daytime Emmy, both for projects related to The Color Purple.
“Cynthia is a remarkable talent and with her deep roots in the theater community, we are honored to have her host this year’s Tony Awards on CBS,” Mackenzie Mitchell, vp of specials at CBS, said in a statement.
Nominations for this year’s Tony Awards will be announced on Thursday, May 1.
The Tony Awards are produced in collaboration with Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, and White Cherry Entertainment. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss are executive producers and showrunners for White Cherry Entertainment. Weiss will serve as director.
A$AP Rocky celebrated both in the courtroom on Tuesday (Feb. 18) after a jury ruled he was not guilty in his 2021 felony shooting case — the rapper jumped over the courtroom rail into the gallery where he and Rihanna embraced after hearing the verdict.
Turns out, Rocky wasn’t the only one celebrating. Many artists across hip-hop showed their support for Rocky after the verdict came down, including 50 Cent, Nicki Minaj, Ye (formerly Kanye West), Papoose and more.
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“To God Be The Glory,” Minaj posted to her Instagram Story with a photo of RiRi and Rocky holding their two kids Riot and RZA.
West, who teamed up with Rocky for “Jukebox Joints” in 2015, posted a black-and-white photo of the Harlem native in court, which he captioned with a praying hands emoji after learning the not guilty verdict. Ye’s Instagram post has compiled over 1.6 million likes in 14 hours as of press time.
50 Cent took a break from trashing Joe Budden to take a victory lap regarding A$AP Rocky’s case as he allegedly predicted that Rocky was going to beat the case and was willing to bet $500,000 on it.
“Not Guilty I told [ninja]’s I would bet 500,000 K he gonna beat it when ASAP Tellie started getting tired of telling 5 days straight BOOM Now stay sucker free,” he wrote to IG.
Filmmaker Spike Lee celebrated the verdict and thanked the judge and jury for their ruling. He also took the chance to promote his upcoming Highest 2 Lowest movie starring A$AP Rocky alongside Denzel Washington, which is coming to theaters this summer.
“Good Morning, Thanks To The Judge And Jury For The NOT GUILTY VERDICT,” he wrote. “A$AP And DENZEL WASHINGTON Are [fire] In HIGHEST 2 LOWEST. DA New SPIKE LEE JOINT This SUMMER. And DAT’S DA ‘ 40 ACRES AND A MULE’ TRUTH,RUTH.,YA-DIG SHO-NUFF.”
Papoose posted the viral clip of Rocky diving into the courtroom gallery. “I know on the internet everything is a joke. But man I’m so happy for this dude. Peace to Asap & his family! God is good,” the rapper added in his caption.
If found guilty, Rocky faced up to 24 years in prison, but prosecutors were seeking an eight-year sentence. Rocky and Rihanna celebrated the verdict outside the Los Angeles Superior Court as the three-week trial came to a close. “THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE! THANKFUL, HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY,” she wrote in an Instagram Story.
The rapper thanked the jurors in a brief post-verdict presser. “First of all, we want to thank God,” he said. “We really want to thank the jury for making the right decision … We’re blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talking to y’all.”
Rocky was arrested in April 2022 at Los Angeles International Airport after being accused of firing a handgun twice at former friend A$AP Relli (born Terrell Ephron) near a Hollywood hotel in November 2021. He faced two felony counts of assault with a firearm.
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Fans of 50 Cent are well aware that the G-Unit mogul is blessed with acerbic wit and is always ready to fire back at anyone who dares to mention his name. After Joe Budden suggested that 50 Cent enter into therapy for seemingly celebrating Irv Gotti’s passing, Fif shot back and ramped up the slander as he typically does.
On a recent episode of his eponymously named podcast, Joe Budden made mention of 50 Cent’s jabs towards Irv Gotti via social media, highlighting the long-running feud between the fellow Queens natives. Budden shared a clipped video meant for social media sharing to publicize the segment, and Fif caught wind of the jab as he always does.
Via his Instagram on Tuesday (Feb. 18), 50 Cent fired back with, “Stay out my mix Joe talking about I need therapy. B_itch you need to stop walking around naked. The fvck is you doing in the hallway with ya balls out PUNK!” — referencing Budden’s recent legal issues regarding sleepwalking around his studio complex naked.
From there, 50 Cent turned up the heat with AI-generated images of Budden that have recently appeared on social media in various stages of undress.
“Da fvck is you doing over there naked Joe? [H]ow you open the damn door if you sleep fool. Nah fvck all that, you try it again perv!” Fif wrote in the caption of a post featuring a depiction of Budden attempting to open a door.
50 kept up his barrage for a pair of other posts featuring Budden before moving on to his usual flood of promoting his various business interests and ending it with a meme featuring a naked man atop a hiking trail.
Joe Budden has yet to respond but most likely will address the matter on the upcoming weekend episode of his broadcast.
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Photo: Prince Williams / Getty
The Jennifer Hudson Show has been renewed for a fourth season. Warner Bros. Television Group announced the news on Wednesday (Feb. 19), revealing that the Emmy-nominated syndicated daytime talker will be back for the 2025-2026 season on Fox Television stations.
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“It is an unbelievable privilege to spend your days being able to engage with inspiring people from all walks of life; to hear their stories and connect on shared experiences; and to hopefully leave audiences a little more joyful than when they arrived,” said EGOT-winner Hudson in a statement. “This show is a testament to what happens when you do what you love, and when you do it alongside an unstoppable team who creates magic in new ways every single day. I’m so excited to take this adventure to new heights in season 4!”
To date, the series has earned a number of industry honors, including two NAACP Awards — Outstanding Talk Show Series (2024) and Outstanding Talk Show Host (2023) — as well as the Excellence in Media Award at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, where it also took home the Outstanding Variety of Talk Show Episode prize. Hudson also won the 2024 National Association of Broadcaster’s TV Chairman’s awards in 2024 for the series that has racked up 10 Daytime Emmy nominations since its debut in September 2022.
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“Audiences and our great television station partners agreed – JHud is must have television. We believe in great programming, and Warner Bros. Television Group always delivers for our business and fans,” David Decker, president of content sales at Warner Bros. Discovery said in a statement.
Lauren Bincoe, SVP or current programming at Telepictures added, “Jennifer Hudson’s extraordinary talent and ability to connect with people have made The Jennifer Hudson Show a standout in daytime. This season, the show has seen incredible growth, creating moments that resonate beyond the screen – like the viral sensation Spirit Tunnel being a powerful example. Jennifer embodies the show’s Choose Joy message in every episode, and as we head into season 4, we’re grateful for the continued support of our station partners and proud to build on this momentum with Jennifer and our award-winning production team.”
Guests this season have included former First Lady Michelle Obama, Usher, Angela Bassett, Keke Palmer, Gwen Stefani, Cynthia Erivo, Kelly Rowland, Jimmy Kimmel, Smokey Robinson and Keith Urban, among others. Upcoming guests include: Kevin Hart, BLACKPINK’S Jennie, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, Tina Knowles, Regina Hall, and Big Sean, among others.
Hudson celebrated the the news by doing one of her show’s signature celebratory spirit tunnel walks with her staff, who sang about the good news and the good vibes they keep spreading.
Watch Hudson announce the renewal below.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ recorded masters catalog is up for sale, and sources say the band is seeking upwards of $350 million from suitors. The catalog includes such hit songs as “Under The Bridge,” “Dani California,” “Snow (Hey Oh), “Californication,” “Otherside,” “Can’t Stop” and “Give It Away.”
Sources say the band owns the 13 studio albums and other releases issued by the Warner Music Group (WMG) in the U.S. Billboard couldn’t determine if the band also owns its first four studio albums, which were issued through EMI in the U.S., although one source says they do. Whatever rights the band owns in those EMI records, those rights are also a part of what’s being offered for sale, sources say.
Billboard estimates that the Red Hot Chili Peppers master recording catalog generates about $26 million in revenue annually, with the bulk of that coming from the WMG portion of the catalog and about $1 million in revenue coming from the EMI portion. While some sources suggest that a potential deal for the recorded music assets has already been reached and that WMG is the most likely buyer, other sources say a deal has yet to be struck.
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The news comes four years after the band sold its music publishing to Hipgnosis for about $140 million to $150 million. That means that if the Red Hot Chili Peppers realizes its $350 million asking price for the recorded music catalog, it will have snared about $500 million for selling its music assets. Sources say Eric Greenspan of the law firm Wyman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobster Younger & Light has been shopping the band’s recorded music catalog deal, just as he did for its publishing assets.
While sources say the deal includes all of the rights for the band’s recorded music catalog, Billboard couldn’t determine if the deal also includes merchandising and name, image and likeness rights.
What’s more, it’s also unclear if all the suitors were shopped the same set of recorded music assets, based on the math involved in the deal. With $26 million in revenue, after subtracting production, distribution, shipping, warehousing and reserve expenses, Billboard estimates that net label share (NLS), or gross profit, for the catalog would be about $20 million. But non-strategic suitors who are aware of the assets say that they hear that the catalog’s NLS is about 3/4 of that, or about $15 million.
While the band is seeking upwards of $350 million, it’s more likely the deal will go for $325 million to $340 million, some sources say. If the band were to achieve $340 million for the sale of its recorded catalog, on a NLS of $20 million, that would imply a 17-times multiple, which is pricey for recorded music assets — even for a steady high revenue earner like the Chili Peppers. Moreover, at the $15 million NLS cited by some sources, a $340 million potential sale price would work out to a 22-23 times NLS multiple, which music asset traders would describe as a “frothy” valuation. Consequently, sources suggest that the deal makes more sense for a strategic suitor, like one of the majors, than a private equity firm or a music asset buyer backed by private equity.
WMG declined to comment for this story. Greenspan, the band’s lawyer, didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Offset isn’t letting anyone shake his confidence following his split from Cardi B — especially fans claiming his famous ex is the only reason other women have dated him since.
In a since-deleted post on X Tuesday (Feb. 18), the Migos rapper shut down a troll who wrote that “the only reason” he’s attractive to women is “because he was married to Cardi B.” “Incorrect lol I’m him,” ‘Set simply replied, according to VIBE.
Earlier in the thread, another person had pulled up five-year-old screenshots of posts by Atlanta model Melanie Jayda — whom Offset is rumored to be dating — praising the “WAP” hitmaker back in 2019. “Just excited to get Cardi’s leftovers,” the user had written of Jayda.
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Another Cardi fan also got a reaction out of the “Stir Fry” artist by writing, “Offset is operating from a bruised ego!! Cardi not only moved on, she upgraded … with another man who is better looking and has more money,” potentially referring to the Grammy winner’s rumored new boyfriend, Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
“You b—hes delulu wouldn’t I be the perfect n—a if …,” Offset wrote in another now-deleted reply. “Stop talking bout money baby u delusional.”
The exchanges come about seven months after Cardi filed to divorce ‘Set for a second time. Just over a month later, the couple’s third child arrived Sept. 7, 2024.
The exes have been going back and forth on where they stand ever since. While the Whipshots founder has said she wants a “healthy co-parenting relationship” with Offset, both hip-hop stars have put each other on blast online multiple times. In December, for instance, the “Ric Flair Drop” musician accused Cardi of focusing on “d—” and trying to “make me look bad,” after which she fired back, “So dating because I’m single means I’m just worried about d—?? You sound like a dummy … F–k off and sign the papers TODAY.”
Cut to Valentine’s Day, and Offset appeared to air out his grievances on a new single titled “Ten.” “I don’t need you, I got money/ I don’t miss you, I got money,” he spits on the track. “Love you, but not like money/ Love all my hoes the same.”
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President Donald Trump and the White House are being blasted for releasing a video online showing immigrants in chains being deported with a flippant caption, with social media expressing revulsion.
On Tuesday (February 18), the White House released a dehumanizing video showing immigrants whose faces are not shown being shackled being put on a flight during the deportation process, alarming many. The video shows multiple people being placed in handcuffs and shackled around the ankles with a torso chain, with the sounds vividly captured including that of the aircraft waiting on the tarmac. It currently has 63.8 million views on X, formerly Twitter, and 2.6 million views via Instagram reels.
The video was posted on their social media accounts, with the caption “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight.” ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, which is a sensation that promotes relaxation and a tingly sensation and goosebumps in people. It has been a popular genre of social media videos, growing over the past decade. There has been no clarity of who is responsible at the White House for the posting of the video, as the Trump administration has kept the identities of those operating those accounts under wraps, a stark contrast to the Office of Digital Strategy under the previous Biden-Harris administration which was more transparent.
The immediate reactions from the video by supporters of President Trump were appalling, with tech billionaire and Trump advisor Elon Musk chiming in on his X platform calling it “so based.” Another online figure who has frequently used racism in their posts, Joshua Kilgore, applauded the video. “Got what I voted for award,” he wrote.
But far many more online, including Democratic Senators Ed Markey and Seth Moulton, expressed their outrage and disgust. March For Our Lives board member Caroline McCarthy Pompizzi summed it up in an X post: “I don’t care what side of the aisle you’re on or who you voted for – I think we can all agree this is *extremely* psychopathic s–t.”
Less than two years after first appearing on a Billboard chart, Sleep Theory hits No. 1 on a ranking for the first time, jumping three spots to the top of the Mainstream Rock Airplay list dated Feb. 22 with “Stuck In My Head.”
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The four-piece reigns with its third charted song on Mainstream Rock Airplay, following “Fallout” (No. 2 peak last August) and “Numb” (No. 9, January 2024).
Sleep Theory, which formed in Memphis in 2020, is the first act to land an inaugural Mainstream Rock Airplay since The Funeral Portrait led with “Suffocate City,” featuring Spencer Charnas, in November.
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Concurrently, “Stuck In My Head” becomes Sleep Theory’s first song to reach Alternative Airplay, debuting at No. 38.
On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, the single lifts 15-13 with 2.6 million audience impressions, up 6%, in the week ending Feb. 13, according to Luminate. It’s a new best rank for the band, eclipsing the No. 14 peak of “Fallout.”
On the most recently published multimetric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart (dated Feb. 15, reflecting data accrued Jan. 31-Feb. 6), “Stuck In My Head” ranked at No. 8, after reaching No. 6 in January. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 728,000 official U.S. streams.
“Stuck In My Head” is the third single from Afterglow, Sleep Theory’s debut full-length, due May 16 via Epitaph. The band is set to follow with more than 30 U.S. tour dates between May 18 and July 18.
All Billboard charts dated Feb. 22 will update Tuesday, Feb. 18, on Billboard.com.
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Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty / Kanye West
Kanye West and his Twitter fingers aren’t done typing. The rapper took to his favorite soapbox at the moment, X, formerly Twitter, to complain about the Grammys not giving him and his wife, Bianca Censori, tickets.
West had all the smoke for the Recording Academy for not blessing him and his naked wife, Bianca Censori, with tickets to music’s biggest night despite him earning a nomination for his song “Carnival” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, but eventually losing to Kendrick Lamar who took home the Grammy for his iconic Drake diss, “Not Like Us.”
“How could the Grammies [sic] nominate me Then not give me tickets And then people mad when I go off,” Ye wrote on X.
“I had to fight for 5 hours and call everyone I knew to get tickets to the Grammies [sic] They eventually gave me tickets but only for the red carpet. At that point I hadn’t started the rampage.”
The Grammys Confirm Not Giving West Tickets
According to a Grammys producer, the rapper (47) and his mannequin (30) were not given tickets to attend the Feb 2 award show held inside the Crytpo.com arena.
“They didn’t have a nomination on the [telecast] and Kanye wasn’t presenting,” Raj Kapoor told People. “He was not performing either, which is mostly what those seats are.”
The “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” crafter didn’t need to make it inside to cause a scene. He used his time on the red carpet to continue parading around his naked wife. Censori dropped her fur coat to reveal she wore a sheer dress with nothing underneath it.
Rumors hit the web that the couple was kicked out of the event due to Censori’s lack of clothing, but that was not the case. A source told Page Six that they left on their own accord.
Kanye West Has Been Dominating The Headlines
West has been dominating the headlines with his antisemitic rants on X, his bizarre Super Bowl ad that led potential shoppers to a Nazi shirt, and rumors of his wife divorcing him.
A rep for the rapper shot down claims of West and Censori splitting.
“Announcements about their private life will come from them directly, not unsourced rumor in the tabloid press,” spokesman Milo Yiannopoulos said.
We honestly wouldn’t mind if West, who claims he is now autistic, would go away and get some damn help.
The charity album Good Music to Lift Los Angeles makes a chart-topping debut, as the 90-track set arrives atop Billboard’s Compilation Albums chart (dated Feb. 22).
The effort — which boasts acts such as Dawes, R.E.M. and Perfume Genius — was sold for 24 hours only through Bandcamp as a digital download on Feb. 7. The price of the album was $20.25, but customers could choose to pay more. Proceeds from the project benefit the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Fund, both supporting individuals impacted by the January wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
In total, the Good Music to Lift Los Angeles album sold just over 10,000 copies in the week ending Feb. 13 in the U.S., according to Luminate. The last non-soundtrack compilation to sell more in a single week was another benefit project, Cardinals at the Window: A Benefit for Flood Relief in Western North Carolina, which sold nearly 12,000 and debuted atop the Compilation Albums chart dated Oct. 19, 2024.
The 90-track project is comprised entirely of previously unreleased recordings, including new songs, covers, remixes, live versions and unreleased demos. Other acts featured on the collection include K.Flay, Faye Webster, Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, Mac DeMarco, Neko Case and TV On the Radio.
Good Music to Lift Los Angeles also launches at No. 5 on the Top Album Sales chart and in the top 40 on Top Alternative Albums (No. 16), Independent Albums (No. 20), Top Rock Albums (No. 20), Top Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 26). It was also the top-selling digital download album in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 13.
As Good Music to Lift Los Angeles opens at No. 5 on the Top Album Sales chart, let’s take a look at the rest of the chart’s top 10. Kendrick Lamar’s GNX reenters the list at No. 1 for its first week on top (116,000; up 10,100%) after its physical release on CD, vinyl and cassette; The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow falls 2-1 in its second week (29,000; down 92%), Dream Theater’s Parasomnia starts at No. 3 (16,000) and Chappell Roan’s chart-topping The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess dips 3-4 (14,000; up 24%).
Closing out the top 10: Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet slips 5-6, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft is steady at No. 7, the Wicked film soundtrack falls 6-8, Stray Kids’ former No. 1 HOP descends 4-9 and Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.d City jumps 18-10.