Culture

19 Apr 2023

‘Dear Mama’: Here’s How You Can Stream the Tupac Docuseries Without Cable

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Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur premieres on FX on Friday (April 21). The five-part docuseries details the “illuminating saga” of Tupac and Afeni Shakur.

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Directed by Allen Hughes and co-produced by Interscope Records, Dear Mama is described as a “deep dive” inside the bond between the late rap icon, whose life was cut short at age 25, and his activist mother, who passed away in 2016.

“There have been a million pieces done on him, but none of them really did the trick as far as understanding completely that narrative and that human being and the complexities and the dualities,” Hughes told Billboard. “You talk about the surface stuff, but there was never a deep dive. I wanted to understand.”

Keep reading for ways to stream the docuseries without cable.  

How to Watch Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur

The first two episodes of Dear Mama will drop Friday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The remaining three episodes will debut on Fridays. New episodes of the FX docuseries will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.

Want to catch the docuseries live? You can stream FX and other cable channels on platforms like Sling TV, DirectTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, and Vidgo.

Most streamers offer a free trial, or a discount at sign up, which means that you might be able to catch the first two episodes of Dear Mama for free. And if you’re streaming internationally, use ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

FX shows are also available to stream on Prime Video. Although Dear Mama isn’t listed on the lineup, episodes of Snowfall, American Horror Story and other FX series are currently available for purchase.

Watch the trailer for Dear Mama below.

19 Apr 2023

Kid Cudi Tapped to Star in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Spin-Off Series ‘Knuckles’: ‘It’s Lit’

Kid Cudi is adding more animated projects to his résumé, as Deadline announced he is set to star in Knuckles, the Paramount+ spin-off series of Sonic the Hedgehog.

The “Day ‘n’ Nite” rapper excitedly shared the news to his Instagram feed. “When life has more dreams for you to fulfill,” the artist captioned the post, adding, “its lit #knuckles @paramountplus.”

Over on Twitter, Cudi treated followers to a photo of his cat Sweets, who adorably cuddled up to a tiny Knuckles plushie, eyes half-open. “Sweets is happy and excited about the Knuckles show,” the 39-year-old wrote.

Per Deadline, Knuckles will take place between the events of the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movies and will follow the titular animated character on “a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.” The series is scheduled to premiere on Paramount+ on Dec. 20, 2024.

While Cudi’s role in the show is still under wraps, Idris Elba — who previously voiced Knuckles in the Sonic movies — will reprise the role of the titular character. Tika Sumpter and Adam Pally will return as Maddie and Walt Whipple, respectively. Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt and Ellie Taylor flesh out the cast. Knuckles marks Cudi’s second animated credit, coming off Entergalactic, his 2022 animated special developed with Netflix.

See Cudi’s posts below.

19 Apr 2023

Ariana Grande Congratulates ‘Drag Race’ Winner Sasha Colby on Her Crowning

After a star-making turn on season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Sasha Colby took home the crown and $200,000 on the April 14 finale episode. Now, she’s getting her flowers from none other than Ariana Grande.

In a post to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday (April 18), Grande shared Colby’s interview with Vogue, which led America’s Next Drag Superstar to repost the “Positions” singer’s support on her own stories. Grande reposted Colby, this time adding a sweet message for the winner: “I love you so.”

Grande has a storied history with Drag Race. Earlier this year, the singer served as the first guest judge on season 15, where she watched as the queens put on a talent show before the bottom two lip-synched to her hit song “7 Rings.” It’s far from the first time that Grande’s music has been used on the show; in fact, her songs have been featured nine times throughout the show’s run, putting her just below Britney Spears and RuPaul herself for the most times lip-synched in the series.

Meanwhile, Colby is settling into her reign nicely. In her interview with Billboard shortly after her crowning, the drag superstar said that she wanted her win to be a signal to those currently working to erode LGBTQ rights around the world. “To me, this is why I waited [to be on Drag Race], because I was supposed to be here right now, to be the face of exactly what these people are trying to eradicate,” she said.

Check out Ariana’s message to Sasha Colby here before it expires.

19 Apr 2023

Katy Perry Gets Booed on ‘American Idol’ for ‘First Time in 6 Seasons’ Over Her Feedback

Just because Katy Perry‘s on the American Idol judging panel doesn’t mean everyone’s going to agree with her. In fact, on Monday’s (April 17) episode, the competition show’s live audience in Hawaii went as far as to boo the pop star after she gave some harsh criticism to fan-favorite Nutsa Buzaladze.

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Buzaladze, who’s already earned a reputation for delivering show-stopping, high-energy performances, sparkled during her live rendition of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ “Paris (Ooh La La).” But for Perry, there was a little too much sparkle.

“Nutsa, every time you take the stage, it’s like you glitter bomb the stage,” the “Firework” singer told the Top 26 hopeful. “Listen, I think one thing I personally would like to see from you is not one piece of glitter the next time. I know that’s gonna be hard.”

Fans in the audience, however, couldn’t have disagreed more. The crowd started booing loudly in response, causing fellow judge Luke Bryan to cheer, “Yes! Katy got booed. Katy got booed.”

Perry, however, was unfazed. “OK, first time in six seasons, woo hoo,” she dismissed the jeers. She then clarified to Buzaladze what she meant. “What I’m saying is that I’d like you to flip the script. I think we want to be pulled in by our hearts, too. I’d love to see that, and I think America might too.”

In Perry’s defense, Buzaladze herself has admitted she needs to learn how to dial it back a little. When the 25-year-old contestant first auditioned for Idol in Las Vegas, the “Roar” singer told her the energy was “turned up too hot.”

“My problem is, I feel always that I have a lot of energy,” the hopeful admitted a few weeks ago while preparing for the Hollywood Week solos round.

Watch Katy Perry get booed for the first time in six seasons above.

18 Apr 2023

Head Over Heels: Why Shoppers Are in Love With This ‘Perfect’ Platform Ankle Boot

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These boots were made for walking. From Coachella to Revolve Festival, platform boots have officially taken over the California desert.

With so many festivals and concert tours this year, you can expect to see even more people wearing platform boots, and rightfully so, because they’re cute, extremely comfortable and offer better support than a stiletto heel.

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Spring Shoe Sale: The 9 Best Deals on Men’s Sneakers at Nordstrom, Adidas, Nike & More

Platforms never officially left the fashion ethos. In fact, they’ve withstood the test of time. Looking back over the last five decades, platform boots have been at the forefront of fashion footwear. From their 1970s heyday to ’90s grunge and goth, to Y2K trends from the early ’00s, it’s clear that platforms boots aren’t going anywhere.

But where can you find the best platform boots? Shoppers are head over heels for the Windsor Smith Stretch Sock Boot ($129). According to dozens of customer reviews and TikTok videos, the platform ankle boot is “bloody perfect.”

Princess Polly

Windsor Smith Found Black Stretch Sock Boot

$129

“These shoes fit perfectly,” reads one customer review. “The heels are nice and big, the perfect size for a bit of a statement. And they’re easy to walk in. Your feet don’t even get sore! And not to mention they’re stunning. The material helps it fit like a glove. It’s fitted yet stretchy at the same time and very flattering.”

This mid-calf boot has a 4.1-inch platform heel with a rounded toe, treaded sole and detail stitching along the front and ankle. The boot is available in sizes 6-10.

“I cannot tell you how happy I am with these boots,” wrote another customer. “They’re comfortable and I feel like I can walk in them for hours and they fit bigger calfs. Get these if you’re thinking about it!”

 “I am so obsessed with these yall you can pair them with anything and they are the perfect boots to complete a grunge style look,” added another happy customer.

Windsor Smith platforms are known for being stylish and comfortable, but also affordable. Click here to see other platforms boots from the brand.

If you’d rather have a sale option, these platform boots are $80 at Aldo (regular $130). You also might like these Steve Madden Acacia Leather Platform Boots ($159.95) or the splurge-worthy Naked Wolfe Spice Platform Tall Boot ($350).

You can also find a large variety of platforms at Amazon and Zappos. For even shoe recommendations, read our round up of other places to buy platform boots and heels.

18 Apr 2023

Jonas Brothers Perform ‘Waffle House’ in a Stairwell for ‘Tonight Show’ New Musical Segment

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The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon already has plenty of fun music-focused segments, like Classroom Instruments and Wheel of Musical Impressions. Now, the popular late night talk show has added a brand new series called “Musical Stairs.”

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As the name suggests, the segment features artists performing their latest hits in the Tonight Show stairwell, backed by The Roots. In a teaser clip shared exclusively with Billboard on Tuesday (April 18), the Jonas Brothers are the first stars to take on “Musical Stairs,” performing a stripped-back rendition of their new single “Waffle House.”

In the 30-second teaser, Joe Jonas is seen singing the first verse and chorus, as Nick Jonas provides harmonies and Kevin Jonas accompanies The Roots on acoustic guitar.

“Waffle House” is the second single off the Jonas Brothers’ forthcoming ’70s-inspired studio set, The Album, which is scheduled for release on May 12 via Republic Records. The inspiring track follows the soaring lead single “Wings.”

Watch a clip of Jonas Brothers performing “Waffle House” below, and catch the full segment on Tuesday night (April 18) on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The show airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC. For those without cable, the Tonight Show is also available to stream online through streaming services including Hulu (sign up here) and Peacock TV (sign up here).

18 Apr 2023

What Is Dialogue Boost? How Prime Video Is Making It Easier to Enjoy Your Favorite Movies & TV Series

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Prime Video announced a new step in audio enhancement with Dialogue Boost, a newly released feature that utilizes AI to deliver “targeted enhancement to portions of spoken dialogue,” the company revealed on Tuesday (April 18).

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“At Prime Video, we are committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and enjoyable streaming experience for all our customers,” said Raf Soltanovich, VP of technology at Prime Video and Amazon Studios. “Our library of captioned and audio described content continues to grow, and by leveraging our technological capabilities to create industry-first innovations like Dialogue Boost, we are taking another step to create a more accessible streaming experience.”

Dialogue Boost was created with hearing-impaired viewers in mind, but the feature can be used by anyone.

How can you find Dialogue Boost? Prime Video users can navigate to the drop-down menu, which is usually located on the top right portion of the screen if you’re streaming on a computer, tablet or another device, to access Dialogue Boost. Once you find the menu, select “English Dialogue Boost: Medium” or “English Dialogue Boost: High.”

If you have an Amazon Fire TV remote, the menu button is located to the right of the home button.

Prime Video is free for Amazon Prime members. Not subscribed? Launch your free 30-day trial here, so that you can start streaming from a mega-library of TV series, movies, concerts, music festivals, award shows, sports and other content.

After your free trial ends, the monthly membership is $14.99 a month; or $139 for the annul subscription. If you’d rather have Prime Video by itself, it costs $9/month after a free trial for a week.

Prime Video

$(Free with Prime membership) or $9/month after 7-day free trial

Dialogue Boost is currently available on select Amazon Originals including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Harlem; along with films such as The Big Sick, Beautiful Boy and Being the Ricardos.

Whether you’re a TV addict, movie buff, music lover or sports fan, Prime Video has it all. Stream from a massive collection of Prime Originals like Daisy Jones & The Six, Swarm, The Power, Fairfax, Invincible, Upload, The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power, The Wheel of Time, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Modern Love, I Want You Back and The Boys.

Prime Video also allows users to stream content from HBO Max, Showtime, Paramount+, Starz, AMC+, Discovery+ and other platforms.

18 Apr 2023

2023 Tribeca Festival to Feature Films About Alicia Keys, Biz Markie, Tierra Whack, Milli Vanilli, Indigo Girls & More

The 2023 Tribeca Festival announced its lineup for this year’s event on Tuesday (April 18) and among the 109 feature films from 127 directors from 36 countries are a number of documentaries about some of the most beloved, scandalous and intriguing musicians of the modern era.

The Festival, which takes place from June 7-18, will spotlight 93 world premieres and a diverse roster featuring 43 first-time directors with 41% of all feature films directed by women and, in a first, more than half of competition films directed by women (68%), as well as 36% of feature films directed by BIPOC filmmakers.

Among the notable music-related movies are:

Uncharted — (world premiere) Director Beth Aala goes behind the scenes of Alicia Keys’ “She Is the Music” songwriting camp, with a performance from She Is the Music artists afterwards curated by Keys.

Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story — (world premiere) After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, GB leader Eugene Hütz breaks down the influence of Ukrainian and Roma culture on his punk band’s music, followed by a performance by the band.

Milli Vanilli — (world premiere) Director Luke Korem’s deep dive into the origin and precipitous downfall of the “Girl You Know It’s True” duo featuring a rare interview with surviving member Fabrice Morvan. (This writer was interviewed for the film.)

Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive — (world premiere) A documentary chronicling the “I Will Survive” singer’s comeback with a new gospel album, touching on her struggles with ageism and financial ruin, followed by a live performance.

All Up in the Biz — (world premiere) Director Sacha Jenkins collages celebrity interviews, rare film, reenactments and animation to describe how late rap icon Biz Markie left his mark on the music world.

It’s Only Life After All — (New York premiere) A look at the beloved folk duo, with a songwriting masterclass to follow.

Songs About F–king — (world premiere) Musician Marc Rebillet goes on one of the first live music tours after the COVID-19 lockdown, with musical Q&A with Rebillet afterwards.

Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! — (world premiere) A movie treatment of the Broadway musical about a small-town pie baker with big dreams featuring lyricist Sara Bareilles, who will perform live after the screening.

Cypher — (world premiere) Director Chris Mourkabel “captures the weird and sinister side of fame” in a pseudo-documentary about rapper Tierra Whack.

Bad Like Brooklyn Dancehall — (world premiere) Doc about the city’s role in the evolution of dancehall, featuring Shaggy and Sean Paul, followed by performance from dancehall legends.

Maestra — (world premiere) Director Maggie Contreras follows women from different backgrounds as they compete in the first all-women competition for conducting.

In addition to those music features, the festival will host the “Escape From Tribeca” series featuring films such as Enter the Clones of Bruce, a doc looking at the Bruce Lee exploitation craze, director Sav Rodgers’ Chasing Chasing Amy about the filmmaker’s journey of self-discovery while making a doc on the development of Kevin Smith’s controversial LGBTQ+ film Chasing Amy and Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music, a concert film that dives into New York theater legends Mac’s “ostentatiously queer 24-hour musical performance.”

There will also be a world premiere of the life of late Marvel Comics genius Stan Lee, a profile of legendary MLB promoter and owner Bill Veeck (The Saint of Second Chances) touching on his famous 1979 “Disco Demolition” stunt at Chicago’s Comiskey Park, a profile of New York concert promoter Ron Delsener (Ron Delsener Presents) and the world premiere of Anthem, in which DJ Dahi and composer Kris Bowers set off on a road trip across the country to find out what it sounds like to have a national anthem that actually reflects America.

For a full list of this year’s films click here.

18 Apr 2023

Andrew Lloyd Webber Dunks on ‘Cats’ Movie on ‘The Tonight Show’

Andrew Lloyd Webber stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night (April 17) to reflect on Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and more.

Host Jimmy Fallon led his conversation with the Broadway legend to the Jellicle 1981 musical by asking, “Can I ask you about Cats?” as members of the audience chuckled. “How does one come up with an idea like Cats? And are you a cat person?”

“Well, I am a cat person,” Lord Lloyd Webber responded. “Well, I was a total cat person until I saw the Cats movie.”

After that joke got an impromptu standing ovation from the studio audience, the composer continued. “What happened to the Cats movie was, during the course of it being, as it were, shot — which I hope the whole movie would’ve been — I bought this little puppy. And he was called Mojito, he’s a little Havanese dog, he comes from Cuba.”

Lloyd Webber went on to explain that he tried using the pup as a therapy dog on an airplane, but the unnamed airline said he needed a doctor’s note. “And so I just said, ‘I saw the Cats movie and bought a puppy,’” he deadpanned. “And they said, ‘No doctor’s letter required.’”

Directed by Tom Hooper, the 2019 musical adaptation featured a who’s who of stars like James Corden, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Jason Derulo, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellan and Taylor Swift as humanoid alley cats. It was panned by critics and audiences alike, though “Beautiful Ghosts,” the original song written for the film by Lloyd Webber and Swift, did garner a Grammy nomination for best song written for visual media.

During the interview, the Broadway impresario also spoke about the closing of Phantom the night before, saying, “It was sad last night because I just felt it could run on, but there you go.”

However, the iconic chandelier may not have fallen for the last time. ALW received a mysterious note that was delivered to the Tonight Show studio from the Phantom himself, which read, “I am extremely displeased that my legend is no longer being told in New York, a city for which I have developed great affection. I am therefore currently obtaining a new address in which my legend will be examined in extreme detail. I advise you and New Yorkers to be vigilant.”

Watch Lloyd Webber’s complete interview with Fallon below.

18 Apr 2023

These Are the 10 Most Popular Artists for ‘Drag Race’ Lip Syncs

While many formats have come and gone throughout the storied history of RuPaul’s Drag Race, one fundamental tradition on the show has remained since the very beginning — the lip sync.

Whether it’s a lip sync for your life, a lip sync for your legacy, a lip sync for the crown or another variation, the lip sync has become the most inextricable cornerstone of the reality show’s brand. Watching two (or occasionally more) queens battling it out while dancing and mouthing the words to some of our favorite songs is part of the reason why Drag Race has essentially become the unofficial sporting league of the LGBTQ community.

Debates have long been held in the Drag Race fan community as to what constitutes a great lip sync; is it the high-octane dance moves, death drops, duck walks and various other stunts that boost performances to success? Is it the number of reveals — either in costumes or wigs — that a queen can successfully pull off? Is it as simple as how well a queen can convey the spirit of a song?

As valid as all these points are, there is one factor to a successful lip sync that doesn’t often get its due — song choice. Picking the right track for staging a no-holds-barred battle is crucial to the ultimate success of a lip sync. So, the question remains: which recording artist’s songs have soundtracked the most lip syncs on Drag Race?

Below, Billboard breaks down the artists whose songs have been featured the most times in lip syncs on RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, and why their music has become an essential part of the Drag Race experience.