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Music artists wanting out of their contracts is nothing new in the game and it seems like Ari Lennox is the latest in a long line of disgruntled rappers/singers to demand they be given their walking papers from the record label they feel is holding them hostage.
Taking to her Instagram stories, the âPressureâ singer went into detail as to why she no longer wants to be a part of Dreamville and Interscope saying theyâve been âplayingâ with her all month and âtreating me like theyâre sorry for me and like Iâm the face of mental health.â Further expanding on her discontent with her situation, Ari explained where she was coming from in the situation.
âWhat I donât like is being signed and lied to and manipulated. Not one person at those labels ever knew how to market or protect me. Yâall donât know the half. Constant let down and neglect. This industry stuff will never be for me.â
https://x.com/big_business_/status/1851513547265605725
According to Rap-Up, Ari even explained how she had to come out of pocket to pay for Google ads after the label released her visuals to âSmokeâ without her permission.
Per Rap-Up:
The Shea Butter Baby creator hopped on Instagram Live to further air out her problems with Interscope. There, she revealed that the visuals for âSmokeâ were released without her permission. âYou cannot expect an artist to be anything without advertisement,â she said before mentioning that sheâs been paying for the trackâs Google Ads.
âI just want to be released, and itâs just that simple, and Iâm tired of being nice,â the D.C. native explained. âI was trying to do everything the right way, but now Iâm pissed. This was my final straw.â
Knowing what itâs like to be in a dire situation with a record label, T-Pain offered his services and took to the comments section to let Ari know that heâs there to help steer her through this situation as heâs been through the motions himself.
âBb⊠⊠I need to talk to you. I wanna at least throw out some suggestions from experience on how I navigated from being supported by a label to fully independent. Itâs fuckin tough as shit but youâre so talented and smart I knew if I gave you a littler perspective from my recent experience, Iâll at least spark something you can take and absolutely kill this shit on your own and be your own boss.â
Yeah, Ari Lennox is over it. Damn. pic.twitter.com/vwx35bshhN
â Write Life (@TheQueenMuse1) October 30, 2024
We hope she reached out to T-Pain to see what could be done to help her get out of her situation. Who knows, maybe her label will honor her wishes and just let her walk away, but if weâve learned anything about the music industry over recent decades itâs that they rarely ever give the artists their freedom when asked to.
What do yâall think about Ari Lennox calling for her label to release her from her contract? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Ever wanted to listen to music from your favorite video games on the go? Nintendo announced a new mobile app called Nintendo Music, which features tracks from games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Metroid Prime, Donkey Kong Country, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and much more.
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Available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, the Nintendo Music app is free to download for the Apple iPhone and Android smartphones starting on Thursday, Oct. 31. While the app itself is free to download, you have to be a Nintendo Switch Online member to access it.
Memberships are available for purchase at Target with prices starting at $7.99 for three months, which breaks down to about $2.66 per month. Nintendo Switch Online is available at Amazon and Walmart too.
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Nintendo Music features key musical moments across very popular Nintendo titles with background and offline play, while you can create your own playlists to mix and match tracks from various franchises. You can enjoy extended playback of specific tracks up to 60 minutes without interruption.
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Nintendo Music
Nintendo
Nintendo Switch Online
Meanwhile, a membership to Nintendo Switch Online gets you access to, not only the Nintendo Music app, but also online multiplayer mode for select titles, backup cloud data storage and a curated library of playable NES, Super Nintendo and Game Boy games. Learn more about Nintendo Switch Online.
Check out a list of video game music available (not all tracks from each game are featured in the app):
Pikmin 4
Pokémon Scarlet
Pokémon Violet
Splatoon 3
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Kirby Star Allies
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Metroid Prime
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
Donkey Kong Country
The Nintendo Music app is a free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. In the meantime, watch the announcement trailer, below:
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
EBONY getting ready to for its 2024 Power 100 Gala and has announced the performers and hosts.
Grammy Award-winner and actress Coco Jones and singer-songwriter Durand Bernarr will be hitting the stage to perform, while Michelle Buteau and Tone Bell â stars of Netflixâs Survival of the Thickest â will serve as the galaâs hosts.
âEBONY Power 100 is a dazzling celebration of Black excellence at its absolute peak!â EBONY CEO Eden Bridgeman said in a press release. âWith the reveal of our dynamic hosts and electrifying performers, this yearâs event promises to be the most unforgettable yet! EBONY Power 100 is a transformative force, shining a spotlight on Black achievement across every sector.â
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Adding, âWe are thrilled to offer a platform that not only honors todayâs trailblazers but also ignites the aspirations of the next generation of Black leaders and innovators. Get ready for an extraordinary night that will inspire and uplift!â
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The influential media outlet recently dropped the list of honorees for its prestigious 2024 EBONY Power 100 list, and they include:
Artists In Residence:Â Aja Monet, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Chloe Arnold, Gabriel Moses, Jeremy Pope, Kennedy Ryan, Kenny Leon, Maleah Joi Moon, Paul Tazewell and Trinity Joy
Business Disruptors:Â Andrea Nelson Meigs, Ayo Davis, D.J. Vaughn, Dionne Harmon, Eric Austin, Ingrid Best, Kevin Hart, Melissa Butler, Pat McGrath and Tracee Ellis Ross
Community Crusaders presented by Nationwide:Â Arian Simone, Aulston Taylor, Damon Hewitt, Gina Duncan, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Kelley Robinson, Stefanie Brown James, Wawa Gatheru and Maryland Governor Wes Moore
Entertainment Powerhouses: Cord Jefferson, Gayle King, Kenan Thompson, Kerry Washington, Maya Rudolph, Ryan Coogler, Snoop Dogg, Taraji P. Henson, Tasha Smith and Vince Staples
Generation Next presented by United Airlines:Â Angel Reese, Ayra Starr, Doechii, Gabby Shepard, Genesis Butler, Kai Cenat, Latto, Monet McMichael, Quincy Wilson, and Uncle Waffles
Influential Creators:Â Aurora James, Aaliyah Jay, Funny Marco, Jerald âCoopâ Cooper, Kahlana Barfield Brown, Kamie Crawford, Keith Lee, Kwame Onwuachi, Micah McDonald, Sean Bankhead and Wayman Bannerman
Leaders In Sports:Â Aâja Wilson, Dawn Staley, Jalen Hurts, Jaylen Brown, Jordan Chiles, Kimberly Browne Davis, Noah Lyles, ShaâCarri Richardson, Stephen Curry and Tony Clark
Media Mavens:Â April Ryan, Jennifer Hudson, Joe Budden, Keke Palmer, Lindsay Peoples, Nina Parker, Shannon Sharpe, Sidney Madden, Tank and J. Valentine, and Tasha McCaskiel
Music Innovators:Â Charlie Wilson, Coco Jones, Connie Orlando, Jason âJâ Carter, Maurice âMoetownâ Lee, Steve Canal and Troy Brown, Jon Batiste, Metro Boomin, Rob Gibbs, Samara Joy, SZA and Tyler, the Creator
STEM Trailblazers:Â Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Calcea Johnson and NeâKiya Jackson, Ciara Imani May, Dr. Ebony Brown, Heman Bekele, Jasmine Lawrence Campbell, Dr. Khalia Braswell, Professor Lesley Lokko, Dr. Melissa B. Davis and Dr. Tiara Moore
The 2024 EBONY Power 100 Gala will be held at Nya Studios West in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 17, and is supported in sponsorship by, Nationwide, Primeâs New Original Series:Â Cross, United Airlines and Baccarat.
Charli XCX is doing a full â360â on an upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live, where the pop superstar will serve as both the host and the musical guest. On Thursday (Oct. 31), the long-running comedy show announced the host and musical guests for itâs next two episodes. Following John Mulaney and Chappell Roanâs pre-election […]
Itâs âTGIFâ indeed for Vice President Kamala Harrisâ rally and concert set for this Friday (Nov. 1). The Harris-Walz campaign announced on Thursday (Oct. 31) that rappers Cardi B and GloRilla will be on hand to support the Democratic ticket during the When We Vote We Win event in Milwaukee, Wisc. The Grammy-winning rapper is […]
When Gracie Abrams took the stage at a Kamala Harris rally at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, on Wednesday night (Oct. 30), the 25-year-old singer/songwriter urged young voters to support the Harris/Walz campaign so thereâs still a democracy left to âfix it when it is our turn.â
âI know everybody who has been onstage tonight and will be onstage tonight wouldnât be anywhere else for anyone else except ⊠for the next president of the United States: the amazing, compassionate and brilliant Kamala Harris,â Abrams said. âFor many of us here onstage and in this crowd tonight, this is either the first or second time that weâve had the privilege of voting in a presidential election. As we know, weâve inherited a world that is struggling and itâs easy to feel disconnected and disillusioned. Between the advent of social media in our childhoods and COVID and relentlessly targeted disinformation, weâve been through some things. Itâs easy to be discouraged, but we know better. We know that unless we vote and keep our democracy intact, there is nothing we will be able to do to fix it when it is our turn.â
Abrams wrapped her speech by declaring of Harris: âShe is the right leader at a very tricky time and we could not be luckier.â
.@gracieabrams: It’s easy to be discouraged, but we know better. We know that unless we vote for Kamala Harris and keep our democracy intact, there is nothing we will be able to do to fix it when it is our turnđ pic.twitter.com/9YH77IhX1Dâ Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 31, 2024
In addition to her speech, Abrams and her band â who are currently opening up for Taylor Swiftâs Eras Tour on its final North American leg â also performed âI Love You, Iâm Sorryâ (which just peaked in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 this month) and âFree Nowâ; both are from her most recent album, The Secret of Us, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart over the summer.
Mumford & Sons also performed at the rally, playing âLittle Lion Man,â âAwake My Soulâ and âI Will Waitâ â their highest-charting hit, peaking at No. 12 on the Hot 100 in 2013. In 2021, the groupâs guitarist-banjo player Winston Marshall left the band after a controversial social media post calling right-wing provocateur Andy Ngo a âbrave manâ for his book Unmasked: Inside Antifaâs Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy.
Remi Wolf hit the stage too, performing âCinderellaâ and saying in a speech that America should feel like âa place where we feel safe, accepted and free. That is why Iâm here today to support our future president, Kamala Harris, in her efforts to create this safe space for us again. She understands that the right to make decisions about our own bodies is fundamental. Sheâs committed to tackling big issues like climate change and, like me, sheâs a girl from the Bay Area who loves to laugh and have fun.â
Also at the music-heavy rally, Aaron Dessner and Matt Berninger from The National dedicated their song âI Need a Girlâ to Harris.
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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Stormzy is the latest recording artist to become a Dyson global ambassador. The U.K. rapper debuted in his first campaign for […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Celebrate the 85th anniversary of the classic movie fantasy The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming by pre-ordering the Wicked […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Music isnât the only creative outlet for musicians. Some artists have also picked up photography as a side hobby. Trends of […]