State Champ Radio celebrity news
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Last week, social media was buzzing after NewsNation “reported” that Pop/R&B sensation Bruno Mars had racked up more than $50 million in gambling debt at MGM casinos and that a large portion of that debt is being paid off with money Mars earned during his residency at Park MGM in Las Vegas.
After the news was reported, the interwebs were flooded with memes, gifs and everybody’s opinion on Mars’ apparent gambling addiction. Shannon Sharpe even started dishing about a story he heard about the “Talking to the Moon” singer losing nearly $2 million after a single night of gambling.
Well, it turns out that the Silk Sonic member may not be a victim of his own gambling impulses, but he might be a victim of bad journalism. According to MGM Resorts International, none of the rumors about Mars’ outstanding debt are true.
“We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers. From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe,” MGM said in a statement to People. “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”
Since the company doesn’t have any discernable reason to lie about Mars not owing it money, it seems pretty safe to say this is yet another example of why folks can’t just believe every headline they read in their news feeds.
From People:
A source had claimed to NewsNation that MGM “basically owned” Mars after he allegedly racked up millions in gambling debt with the hospitality and entertainment company.
The outlet also claimed that Mars made $90 million a year from his residencies at MGM, but the singer was using a large amount of that to pay the company back.
“[He will] only make $1.5 million per night after taxes,” NewsNation claimed.
Mars’ began his partnership with MGM in 2016, leading to his Park MGM residency. This year, his Pinky Ring cocktail bar opened at MGM’s Bellagio Resort & Casino.
So, it sounds like Bruno Mars is doing fine, and there are some entertainment media outlets out there that really need to do better at checking their facts before rushing to put a juicy celebrity story out.
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Hot 107.9 has announced their upcoming annual Birthday Bash concert in a big way, with headliner artist Latto roaming Atlanta to spread the news.
One of Atlanta, Georgia’s hottest events, Hot 107.9’s Birthday Bash is coming up soon (June 22). And the rap ingenue Latto took to the streets to ensure that everyone knows about the 2024 edition Birthday Bash and its lineup in style. The “Put It On The Floor Again” rapper rolled out with a caravan of 20 Black Suburban SUVs to announce the news of the concert to fans around the city on a bullhorn. She will be the first woman artist to ever headline the event.
The entire drive to the radio station was captured on video – including a pit stop at Walgreens so Latto could get her makeup fixed due to the high winds. The two-time Grammy Award nominated artist arrived with her entourage and spoke about what it means to be the headliner for the concert, which will be held at State Farm Arena on Saturday, June 22. “I love my city, my city had my back,” Latto said before imploring listeners to get their tickets. Baby, I’m telling you now. Get your tickets now. Don’t be calling me,” she said as the crowd gathered in the studio laughed and cheered.
The Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash 2024 is high-powered when it comes to the lineup already announced. As mentioned before, Latto will be the headliner with special guests joining her onstage, fresh off of the buzz of her latest single “Sunday Service”, where she delivered some biting lyrics seemingly aimed at another rising rap star, Ice Spice: “These b—–es corny, soon as monkey see, then you know monkey do/ Do you rap or do you tweet?/ ‘Cause I can’t tell, get in the booth, b—h.” Also getting top billing will be Boosie, Hunxho, Killer Mike and Key Glock. The rest of the lineup is filled out by Tee Grizzley, Famous Sally & YB with more artists to be announced at a later date.
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For a minute there not too long ago it seemed like the unlikely holy union between Micheal Jordan’s son, Marcus, and Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife, Larsa was inevitable. But now the two aren’t just broken up, but apparently they aren’t even on speaking terms.
According to TMZ, Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen are on the total outs these days as the two have been broken up for weeks and don’t seem to be reconciling anytime soon. The breakup took many of their followers by surprise as the surprise “sports” couple even teased a possible wedding just last year only for them to ultimately go their separate ways as many (including Michael Jordan himself) disapproved of their relationship.
Per TMZ:
The two had a pretty rocky romance … and ultimately, they decided it was time to call it a day. With that being said, it’s impossible to say for sure we’ll never see these two together again … especially considering their track record of being on and off.
We’re told 49-year-old Larsa and Marcus, 33, haven’t been on speaking terms since the split … and they’re both focused on doing their own thing.
The signs were there — Larsa and Marcus unfollowed each other recently … and the oft-paparazzi’d duo haven’t been shot in public together in weeks.Of course, many considered the coupling to be a bit odd — Michael and Scottie have had a longstanding feud after winning six NBA championships together with the Chicago Bulls … and Larsa is a decade and a half older than Marcus.
You have to wonder what was the straw that broke the camel’s back in the relationship. Could it have been Marcus Jordan’s shady business practices when it comes to his exclusive sneakers? (Yeah, we still salty about that, b). Maybe his iconic father threatened to cut him off if he went through with the marriage? Who knows.
Still, we’re sure the two will eventually land on their feet as Larsa’s about to have a gang of wealthy men flood her DM’s to gauge her interest in moving on while Marcus will no doubt entice another woman with his family name. They’ll be aight.
What do y’all think of Marcus Jordan and Larsa Pippen breaking up? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Lil Nas X tried to get his miles up in New York City but went about it the wrong way. The entertainer ran a half marathon in Coach sneakers and left in a wheelchair.
As reported by Yahoo! Life, the “Industry Baby” performer participated in the New York City Half Marathon on Sunday, March 17. While the man born Montero Lamar Hill admitted to not properly training for the competition, typically anywhere from three to four months prior depending on skill, he did finish the race with a time of 2:32:53. According to Page Six he has never run more than three miles in one shot nor ran outdoors.
Aside from the inadequate training Lil Nas X, avoided the traditional gear worn by runners. His fit included a green long-sleeve t-shirt, black adidas shorts, a shimmery velvet durag, and high-top footwear. The shoes in question were not running sneakers but a pair of Coach Distressed High Tops. Featuring a leather upper and rubber outsole, these shoes are the opposite of what you want to wear for a 13-mile outing.
In 2022, Lil Nas X starred in a campaign for Coach.
After the race he shared an update he shared a video via his Instagram Story while in a wheelchair saying “Well… the race went well,” he joked. “It’s giving race!” The “Old Town Road” performer then shared a photo of with a caption saying “hey at least i made [it] tuh”.
You can see the footage pre and post-race below.
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The lawyer for R. Kelly pleaded for the overturning of his sexual abuse conviction, claiming that prosecutors misused racketeering laws.
On Monday (March 18), the attorney for disgraced singer R. Kelly was in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which convened in Manhattan, NY, to appeal his convictions for running a decades-long scheme to recruit women and underage girls whom he sexually abused under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act or RICO law.
Attorney Jennifer Bonjean argued before the three-judge panel that the application used by federal prosecutors to gain those convictions was “preposterous.”
“The government has extended the RICO statute to a set of circumstances that is so beyond what the framers intended, which was to get at organized crime,” Bonjean said to the judges. “Now, we’re talking about an organization with an alleged criminal, but not organized crime.” Bonjean also argued that it framed Kelly and those he worked with in an improper light related to the charges, which also included the production of child pornography. “This was not a collection of people who had a purpose to recruit girls for sexual abuse or child pornography,” she said. “Whether they turned a blind eye, whether some of them suspected that some of these girls were underage, that’s a whole different matter.”
Assistant United States Attorney Kayla Crews Bensing argued on behalf of the government and refuted Bonjean’s claims.
“The defendant had a system in place that lured young people into his orbit and then took over their lives,” she told the panel of judges, pointing to evidence that those who worked with Kelly knew of his intent and actions. “This is all evidence that the jury was entitled to infer that Kelly’s inner circle knew what was going on: that he was recruiting and maintaining underage women for sexual activity,” Bensing stated.
Bonjean also encountered pushback from the judges. “RICO is looking at organizations, that are then used to commit criminal acts,” Judge Denny Chin said regarding Bonjean’s argument on RICO. “It doesn’t have to be a criminal organization. It could be a completely legitimate organization. But if it engages in racketeering activity, it violates RICO.”
The panel is expected to rule on the appeal this week. While Bonjean has successfully gained an appeal in a similar case with Bill Cosby, the odds of the 57-year-old singer’s convictions being overturned are highly unlikely.
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Photo: E. JASON WAMBSGANS / Getty
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Billy Dee Williams recently declared that a return as Star Wars icon Lando Calrissian is possible – if there’s a lot of money involved.
In a recent interview with the UK-based Radio Times publication, the legendary actor Billy Dee Williams was asked about potentially returning to the role of Lando Calrissian, the iconic character that he originated in the Star Wars Universe. Williams last played the space brigand-turned-hero in The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. “Pay me a lot of money, and I’ll sell my soul,” Williams responded succinctly.
That led to Williams being asked about Donald Glover and his portrayal of a younger version of Lando Calrissian in the prequel movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story, which was released in 2018. “He’s part of a whole new generation. He’ll create whatever he needs to create, to bring appeal to the character. He’s a very talented young lad and very imaginative,” Williams said of Glover’s portrayal.
The actor and writer, fresh off of his turn in Prime Video’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, is currently working on a new Lando movie project with Lucasfilm. “I mean, it’s not for me to say what he should do with the character at this stage. I took care of the 20th century, now he’s got to take care of the 21st.”
Williams linked up with Glover one-on-one last year to talk about the role and to relay some advice. “I had a nice little lunch with him,” he said of the meeting. “He’s a delightful young man. Extremely talented. But I don’t see him… I mean, when it comes to Lando Calrissian there’s only one Lando Calrissian. I created that character,” he said. “I told him to be charming – two words! That’s all I needed to tell him. That’s all I could think of.”
The 86-year-old has been quite busy in the last few months as he’s been touring to promote his recently released autobiography, What Have We Here? Portraits of A Life.
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Don Lemon is back on the airwaves with a new eponymously named show that was first thought to be an exclusive deal with the X platform and is now streaming everywhere. In a new interview, the veteran broadcaster shared some details of his fallout with CNN, his conversation with X honcho Elon Musk, and more.
Don Lemon exclusively spoke with PEOPLE about the new show, returning to CNN to tell his side of things regarding the Musk conversation, and what he hopes to do with his new show. Hip-Hop Wired has seen the first episode of the revamped The Don Lemon Show, which is currently live on YouTube, and DSPs such as iHeart and Spotify.
From PEOPLE:
PEOPLE: And now you are on a new trail, with a new show.
LEMON: Like I said at the Time 100 gala, “I wanted to do something that scares me.” I’ve had this sort of idea swimming around in my head. I’ve always known that the future was going to be in streaming and it was going to be on these small device. Whether I had left CNN or not, that’s what I was going to lean into. To talk about things that are in the zeitgeist, to put issues out there that may not be handled or at least platformed on traditional broadcast television. I have the opportunity to talk a lot longer without having to rush to get to commercial breaks. I can do real conversations and I don’t have to be concerned about what you say, is it advertiser friendly, does it have to be sanitized? I don’t have to worry about that. I can have real conversations.
Check out the first episode of Don Lemon’s new show below.
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The 55th NAACP Image Awards concluded over the weekend and the stars were there in all their revelry as expected. Usher, Colman Domingo, and Fantasia Barrino were among the winners, which featured several nods for The Color Purple.
The NAACP Image Awards took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Calif. last Saturday (March 16) and was hosted expertly by Queen Latifah. For those unaware, the ceremony highlights entertainers and performers across several genres which include television, film, music, and also podcasting.
Usher was named the Entertainer Of The Year and gave a moving acceptance speech that looked back over his three decades as a performer and how he’s grown with his fans. The singer also mentioned his recent marriage, how his mother was instrumental in his rise, and also his popular Las Vegas residency gig. Oprah Winfrey announced the award, which was a surprise for attendees.
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Speaking of Winfrey, The Color Purple earned several awards throughout the night as Fantasia Barrino took home the Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in the musical. Winfrey, cleverly decked out in purple, was the executive producer for the 2023 film alongside Steven Spielberg. The Outstanding Motion Picture award also went to The Color Purple.
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Taraji P. Henson, who has been outspoken about pay inequity for women in Hollywood, took home the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture award for her role in The Color Purple. The film also took home the Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture award.
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Colman Domingo was a two-award winner, taking home the Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in Rustin, and the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for The Color Purple. Domingo was also nominated for Entertainer Of The Year.
See the full list of the 55th NAACP Image Awards winners here.
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Elijah Marley, the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley, thrilled the crowd paying tribute to Jo Mersa Marley on his birthday recently.
On March 9, the family of the late, great reggae legend Bob Marley held a tribute concert to honor the birthday of the late singer and relative Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley at Nine Mile in the St. Ann’s parish of Jamaica. Amid a star-studded lineup, one figure captivated the audience—Elijah Marley, the 12-year-old grandson of Bob and son of Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley.
With his father and uncles behind him beaming with pride, Elijah sang and the audience burst into cheers at his performance. The young Marley has been rising in prominence, having previously displayed his skills at the celebration of what would’ve been Bob Marley’s 77th birthday on February 6, 2022, at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston.
The highlight of that “Roots 77” showcase (which also incorporated live stream performances from artists such as D’Angelo) was Elijah doing a cover of Stephen Marley and Capleton’s “Rockstone”, singing lead as he played the drums. He also captivated the 3,000 audience members with a performance of John Lennon’s iconic tune “Imagine”, and even covered country music star Blake Shelton’s “God Country,” adding his own twist to it.
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The concert honoring Jo Mersa Marley also featured notable artists such as Kabaka Pyramid, Spragga, Christopher Ellis, Lutan Fyah, and Black Am I. Jo Mersa Marley was on his way to being an established artist carrying on the family’s legacy as the first-born son of Stephen Marley, beginning with his debut EP Comfortable in 2014. He had released several singles that moved the needle in the reggae scene including “Burn It Down”, a collaboration with his brother Yohan Marley that was released in 2019.
The 31-year-old Jo Mersa Marley died in December 2022 after being found unresponsive in his car in a parking lot in Miami, Florida. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office would later determine the cause of death as “acute asthma exacerbation,” with rhinovirus/enterovirus infection listed as a primary cause.
Rest in powerful peace Joe Mersa Marley.
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Uncle Sam is after Wendy Williams. The media mogul is apparently behind on her taxes and is in danger of losing her New York City condominium.
TMZ is reporting that the Ocean Township, New Jersey native is not current with her financial responsibilities to the government. Thirty Mile Zone says the former talk show host was served with a tax lien on her midtown Manhattan home located at 50 West 50th Street. The IRS estimates that Wendy Williams owes $568,451.57 due to unpaid taxes stemming from 2019 and 2021. According to records posted online the lien was originally filed in January of this year and was registered with New York City Department of Finance this February.
This is not the first time Wendy Williams has faced money woes. In 2022 Wells Fargo froze her accounts and filed a petition for a temporary financial guardianship citing that she is of “unsound mind”. As reported by Page Six she quickly refuted the claims and pointed the blame at a former “disgruntled” financial advisor. “This request for relief arises from, among other things, Wells Fargo’s failure and
refusal to reopen my personal, business, deferred compensation and investment accounts and unfreeze my financial assets, which has caused and is causing imminent and irreparable financial harm to myself, my family and my business,” she wrote in a statement.
Recently her Where Is Wendy Williams? documentary premiered in February. The Think Like A Man Too was shown to be confused, aggressive and at times drunk prompting concern from her fans and family. You can view the trailer below.
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