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02 May 2023

Famous Musicians Who Root for the Knicks

The New York Knicks have once again made their way back into the NBA Playoffs after missing the postseason in 2022, and the iconic team has a long history of celebrity fans cheering them on.

As a whole, the Knicks have been in the playoffs 39 times over their 74 seasons, but they haven’t won the NBA championship since 1973. Regardless, music stars from Diddy, 50 Cent and LL Cool J to Brandy, Fat Joe and Alicia Keys have cheered on the Empire State’s basketball team courtside over the years, no matter the record.

Perhaps one of the most famous Knicks fans is filmmaker Spike Lee, who throughout the years became known for having a sideline rivalry with basketball player Reggie Miller whenever the team would play against the Indiana Pacers throughout the 1990s. “I would come to his funeral dressed in all orange and blue sky as he would like,” Miller once said on The Dan Patrick Show, calling Lee the “face” of the Knicks. “I would be in Knicks’ colors at his wake. Just like he’d better be in blue and gold at mine.”

To this day, the lifelong superfan can be seen courtside at games dressed in head-to-toe Knicks attire. Most recently, he’s been enjoying the Knicks’ round 2 games this year against the Miami Heat.

To celebrate the Knicks in the playoffs, we’ve compiled a gallery of famous musicians who are also fans of the NY basketball team. See the photos below.

02 May 2023

23 Top Graduation Songs for the Class of 2023

Your final year of school is nothing if not an emotional rollercoaster. Excitement, nervousness and at least a hint of sadness are just a few of many emotions that senior students feel as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives.

Even those who are not part of the class of 2023 can remember all the “lasts”: your last first day, last homecoming game, last spring break, last exam, and finally, the highly-anticipated last day of school. It’s a lot to take in — on top of prom and college decisions for high schoolers and job-hunting for higher ed students. And before even getting a chance to catch your breath, it’s time to bust out the caps and gowns for pomp and circumstance, snatch that diploma you’ve worked so hard to get, say your farewells and, of course, celebrate.

To get the party started, Billboard has rounded up 22 tracks that make great additions to any graduation playlist. From songs written for the purpose of this very moment like Vitamin C’s 2000s era earworm “Graduation (Friends Forever),” to classics like Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” to melancholy yet optimistic numbers like Billie Eilish’s quarantine-era “my future,” to rocking tunes written for those who are wholeheartedly anti-school like Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out,” there’s something on this list that everyone is sure to enjoy. If you don’t have a graduate to celebrate but you wanna take a musical trip down memory lane, these tracks are sure to have you all up in your nostalgic feelings.

Check out these odes to growing up and making new memories below.

02 May 2023

Bad Bunny & Kendall Jenner Attend Met Gala Afterparty Together: See Photos

On this week of keeping up with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny, the entertainment industry’s buzziest rumored new couple stepped out together for a glamorous post Met Gala outing Monday night (May 1).

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Both Jenner and the Puerto Rican superstar were guests at the Karl Lagerfeld-themed gala that evening, the former sporting a black and white leotard with dramatically long sleeves, and the latter wearing a backless white suit with a train of fabric roses. Though the two arrived separately to the red carpet, they were later seen at each other’s side as they headed to an afterparty together in New York City.

Photos taken on the scene show Bunny, having changed out of his Met Gala attire, in a simple white T-shirt, brown slacks and jacket plus a sparkling cross necklace. Jenner also switched out her couture look, opting for a sheer bodysuit layered underneath black underwear.

The two stars’ Met Gala night is just the latest of several public appearances together since romance rumors began earlier this year. A couple weeks ago, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was spotted getting cozy with Bunny at Coachella, and in March, the pair was spotted appearing to lock lips.

Before that, Jenner and the “I Like It” musician were seen riding horses together near Los Angeles. In February, the two went out to dinner on a double date with Jenner’s friends Hailey and Justin Bieber.

See Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner on their way to a Met Gala afterparty below:

Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny

Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny are seen heading to a Met Gala afterparty on May 01, 2023 in New York City.

Gotham/GC Images

01 May 2023

Rihanna Wows at 2023 Met Gala In Fantasy Wedding Gown

She took her time, but it was totally worth it when Rihanna finally arrived at the 2023 Met Gala.

The Barbados-born superstar arrived with partner A$AP Rocky, wearing a splendid all-white Valentino wedding gown with a train, adorned with white roses — and revealing her baby bump.

RiRi made a big impression as she left The Carlyle Hotel towards the very end as the official livestream, notes Vogue, stepping out wearing an archival fur coat from Fendi’s fall 1997 collection, designed by man of honor Karl Lagerfeld and once worn on the runway by Naomi Campbell.

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After an outfit change, the pair were ready for the red carpet — or on this occasion, the off-white carpet — the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Paying homage to Lagerfeld’s love of Scotland, Rocky wore a tartan kilt over his jeans, and the duo rocked up in sunglasses.

The “Umbrella” singer is expecting her second baby with A$AP Rocky, and is certainly a bonafide Met Gala veteran. Through the years, she’s rocked some of the annual event’s most memorable looks, from her 2015 Guo Pei canary-yellow gown to her 2018 John Galliano custom bishop-inspired attire.

After taking a break from the spotlight, Rihanna came roaring back with the Super Bowl 2023 Halftime Show on Sunday, Feb. 12, for her first performance in more than five years, and her first one as a mom.

That followed the release of “Lift Me Up,” which featured on the soundtrack of the upcoming Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, breaking a six-year drought since the release of the Anti album from 2016.

See pics and clips from the Met Gala below.

01 May 2023

Lil Nas X Makes the Whole Met Gala Shimmer in His Bold Bejeweled Look

Lil Nas X took the glitz and glamour of designer Karl Lagerfeld literally for his 2023 Met Gala look, encrusting his neck and face in intricate jewels and pearls, covering his body in metallic paint, and rocking a single item of clothing: a silver thong.

The “Old Town Road” pop star looked like one of the late Chanel designer’s embellished tie pins come to life, completing the gilded look with inch-long silver fingernails and platform boots.

This isn’t Lil Nas X’s first metallic look at the Met Gala: Back in 2021, he rocked a three-in-one gold ensemble, which started with a quilted, neck-high gold cape; followed by a C3PO-worthy gold robot suit; and finished with a gold-embellished black bodysuit.

The theme of the 2023 Met Gala — a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York — is “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” honoring the late designer’s work and aesthetic.

The event also serves as the opening for a Lagerfeld-specific exhibit at the Costume Institute. “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” will showcase more than 150 original looks designed by Lagerfeld, who died at 85 years old in 2019, delving into the former Chanel creative director’s expansive seven-decade career. Many of his original sketches are also set to appear alongside the objects on display.

In addition to Lil Nas X, gala co-chair Dua Lipa in white Chanel, Ice Spice making her sleek Met Gala debut, Anitta rocking chunky black heels, and Doja Cat dressed as Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette have all graced the red carpet.

See Lil Nas X’s full look below:

Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

28 Apr 2023

Zendaya & Tom Holland Hit Up Usher’s Vegas Residency for Date Night: Watch Her Sing Along

They’ve got it bad! Zendaya and Tom Holland recently had a date night at Usher‘s Las Vegas residency.

“When I tell you we barely had a voice by the end of this… Childhood dream came true,” Zendaya wrote on an Instagram Story Thursday (April 27). The clip shows her singing gleefully along to Usher’s “Confessions Part II” with Holland next to her sporting a green hoodie.

In another moment captured by an attendee, Usher took a moment during the show to acknowledge the Spider-Man: No Way Home stars. “Zendaya is in the house, ladies and gentlemen. Tom Holland is in the house, ladies and gentlemen,” the R&B crooner told the crowd, which broke into rabid applause, and the attendee panned to the couple standing just a few seats away in the same section.

At CinemaCon Thursday, Zendaya opened up about her connection to Holland and her role as MJ Watson while accepting the star of the year award. “Literally my first date was when I was 15 years old and it was to go see [The Amazing] Spider-Man in 3D,” the Emmy winner said during her speech, according to People. “Now I consider myself honored to be able to buy a ticket and sneak into the back of one of your theaters, which I’ve done many times before, and watch my own.”

Usher’s My Way the Las Vegas Residency is currently running at the Dolby Live Theater inside the Park MGM, with 15 shows added through the end of October.

Meanwhile, Zendaya just made her own heralded return to the stage by surprising the crowd at Labrinth’s Coachella set on Weekend 2 to perform “All for Us” and “I’m Tired,” her two collaborations with the British producer featured on the soundtrack to HBO’s Euphoria.

Check out Zendaya and Holland living it up at Usher’s show in Sin City below.

26 Apr 2023

Olivia Rodrigo Shows Off the Adorable ‘Stranger in My Bed’: See the Photo

Olivia Rodrigo is a Katy Cat who might have a new kitty cat. In an adorable Tuesday (April 25) Instagram post, the 20-year-old pop star showed off a little feline using Katy Perry lyrics from “Last Friday Night.”

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“there’s a stranger in my bed. there’s a pounding in my head,” the “Drivers License” singer captioned a photo of her under the covers. In this case, the “stranger” is a teeny tiny kitten dozing at Rodrigo’s side.

It’s not clear whether or not the feline belongs to Liv. Her close friends appear to confirm in the comments that the kitty’s name is Kumo — “Kumo hard launch,” wrote Courteney Cox’s daughter, Coco — and some fans theorized that Rodrigo shares the cat with longtime best friend and roommate Iris Apatow.

“Auntie liver,” Apatow commented, while one fan wrote, “liv & iris live together so maybe it’s both their cat.”

Because the people want answers, Billboard has reached out to Rodrigo’s rep for comment.

The singer has been keeping a low profile in recent months, aside from some appearances at the Grammys, the Vanity Fair Oscars party and the Billboard Women in Music event, where she presented Lana Del Rey with the night’s Visionary Award. In less than a month, it’ll be exactly two years since she dropped her blockbuster debut album Sour, which spawned two No. 1 hits, topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks and made the former Disney actress the first female artist to simultaneously chart 12 songs in the Hot 100 Top 30.

And while Rodrigo did possibly tease she’s working on a new project by posting a studio selfie in February, fans are getting super antsy for new music. “WE NEED AN ALBUM GIRL,” one impatient Livie commented on the star’s photo with Kumo.

“olivia hun i’m staving i need more music asap,” wrote another.

See Olivia’s adorable post with Kumo the kitten below:

21 Apr 2023

Sustainable Beauty: 7 Refillable Lipsticks to Shop for Earth Day & Beyond

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.

You might not realize it, but the beauty industry has a huge impact on the planet. Single-use packaging produces billions of units in waste every year, and toxic ingredients such as parabens and sulfates aren’t just harmful to the body, they’re bad for the environment.

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In an effort to be more eco-friendly, brands are leaning into non-toxic ingredients, recyclable packaging and in some cases, refillable products. Although refillable makeup hasn’t become the norm, companies are beginning to incorporate more of them in the lineup.

If you have been looking for another way to make life more sustainable and eco-friendly, your makeup collection is a great place to start. And with Earth Day on Saturday (April 22), the timing couldn’t be better! To help you out, we’ve rounded up a list of refillable lipsticks that you can buy online.

See the roundup below. For more ways to celebrate Earth Day and Earth Month, check out these sustainable accessories for your smart phone, and eco-friendly headphones.

Amazon

Hickey Lipstick Perfect Red Refillable Lipstick Necklace – Moisturizing And Long Lasting Lipstick

$19.99

An organic, gluten free, eco-friendly, cruelty free, long-lasting lipstick for less than $20! Hickey Lipstick’s Perfect Red Refillable Lipstick offers luxurious color created to glide on smoothly. The lipstick is available in nude, hot pink and a vibrant red.

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Look of Love Lipstick

$38

Prom and wedding season are right around the corner! Charlotte Tilbury’s Look of Love Lipstick is one of many refillable products from the brand. The matte lipstick is available in four rosebud-inspired hues including “K.I.S.S.I.N.G” and “Wedding Belles.”

Gurlain Rouge G Refillable Lipstick

$36

Gurlain’s Rouge G Refillable Lipstick is available in matte, satin and metallic finishes and more than a dozen different shades. This hydrating, plumping and long-wear lipstick comes in a customizable double-mirrored case.

Sephora

Rose Inc. Refillable Hydrating Satin Lipstick

$28

Rose Inc’s Refillable Hydrating Satin Lipstick delivers lasting, weightless color and hydration. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, and comes in 10 different shades including warm pink, golden brown and blush.

Fenty

Fenty Icon Semi-Matte Refillable Lipstick Set

$32

Love Fenty Beauty? Rihanna’s beauty brand features sustainable products such as Fenty Icon Semi-Matte Refillable Lipstick. The lipstick lineup includes high-pigment, low-maintenance reds, neutrals and metallics curated by RiRi herself.

Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Cosmetics Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick

$39

This vegan and cruelty-free refillable lipstick from Hourglass Cosmetics delivers creamy, saturated long-wear, smudge-free color with a satin finish. Find additional lipstick shades here.

Sephora

Dior Addict Refillable Shine Lipstick

$45

This luxurious, refillable lipstick comes in dozens of shades and in four couture finishes: satin, matte, metallic and new velvet.

21 Apr 2023

Drake Bell’s Wife Files for Divorce a Week After Star Was Reported Missing & Found Safe

Janet Von Schmeling has filed for divorce from Drake Bell.

In documents obtained by Billboard, Von Schmeling filed her petition for a dissolution of marriage with the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday (April 21), citing “irreconcilable differences” after three and a half years as husband and wife. The 28-year-old also requested spousal support from Bell, as well as legal and physical custody of their 2-year-old son Wyatt, but noted that the former Drake & Josh star should be granted visitation rights.

After the news broke, the actor claimed on Twitter that he hadn’t been personally informed about the divorce filing, and proceeded to promote his new song and music video for “Going Away.” “I found out my wife filed for divorce from TMZ…check out my new song,” he wrote.

The filing comes a week after Bell was reported “missing and endangered” by the Daytona Beach Police Department in Florida. A few hours later, the 36-year-old singer-actor was found safe.

After resurfacing, Bell tweeted, “You leave your phone in the car and don’t answer for the night and this?” alongside a crying laughing emoji. 

The “I Found a Way” musician and Von Schmeling have kept their relationship largely private, and didn’t publicly confirm their marriage until nearly three years after their wedding. “In response to various rumors that are incorrect, I have been married for almost 3 years,” Bell tweeted in Spanish in 2021, also confirming for the first time that he and his then wife were “blessed to be the parents of a wonderful son.”

20 Apr 2023

Zendaya Stars in Her First Louis Vuitton Campaign: See the Photos

Zendaya has landed another major partnership. On Thursday (April 20), Louis Vuitton announced that the Euphoria actress has been named a house ambassador, and stars in the luxury fashion brand’s newest campaign for the Capucines handbag.

This partnership marks Zendaya’s first with Louis Vuitton. The photos for the Capucines bag features the star drenched in sunlight, posing with several models of the purse in Cote d’Azur (the French Riviera).

Zendaya

Zendaya

Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

“I remember growing up around LV campaigns,” the “Replay” singer shared in an interview with Vogue. “There was this one that I loved from the early 2000s of Naomi Campbell, and she’s like sprawled out over a trunk. I can still see it. I can see the image in my head and I remember seeing it in magazines as a kid.” 

Starring in the campaign adds another dose of nostalgia, as the Louis Vuitton iconography played into her social media usage and made frequent appearances on Myspace during the social networking site’s prime. “Everyone had the LV-print on their Myspace page,” she explained. “At least I had that! Let me not try to put that on nobody else. That was definitely me.” 

Zendaya was most recently an ambassador for Valentino, joining the fashion house’s family in 2020.