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BTS fans’ long wait is nearly over. The K-pop supergroup’s label, BIG Hit, announced on Wednesday morning (June 18) that Suga, the final member of the group awaiting discharge from mandatory military duty in the South Korean army, is preparing to join his bandmates. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, […]
Like the reported five million plus Americans who took to the streets across the country over the weekend as part of the massive “No Kings” rallies, Bad Bunny is not happy with the Trump administration’s recent actions. In a video posted to his Instagram Story on Tuesday (June 17), the singer lashed out at what he said was a raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in his native Puerto Rico.
“Those motherf–kers are in these cars, RAV4’s,” Bad Bunny can be heard saying in the video in Spanish over footage of a scrum of unmarked SUVs blocking the street and seemingly apprehending some people on what the singer said was Avenida Pontezuela in Carolina, Puerto Rico. “They came here… sons of b–ches, instead of letting the people alone and working.”
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At press time it was unclear what the footage Bad Bunny posted was depicting, but if the action was part of the Trump administration’s stepped-up ICE raids all over the U.S. it comes after the president surged more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines into Los Angeles — over the objections of both the mayor and the state’s governor — to quell what have been mostly peaceful protests against the ICE raids in that city.
Though Trump promised to remove criminals who are in the U.S. without proper documentation, the ICE raids have so far targeted a much wider swath of folks. NPR reported recently that the raids in Puerto Rico have mostly rounded up Dominican immigrants in actions that harken back to the island’s “long history of anti-Dominican racism,” with racial profiling possibly playing a role in the arrests.
Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Puerto Rico Rebecca González-Ramos said agents on the island nation have done surprise raids at hotels and construction sites, questioned people in the street and asked workers at the department of motor vehicles to hand over the names and addresses of the estimated 6,000 people who got licenses under an immigrant-friendly law that opened driving privileges to people without legal status, according to NPR.
González-Ramos added that so far ICE agents in P.R. have arrested close to 500 immigrants for deportation in the first four months of Trump’s second administration, less than 80 of whom had criminal records; three-quarters of those arrested have been Dominican nationals.
Bad Bunny joins a rising chorus of artists who’ve lashed out at the ICE raids. Over the weekend, Olivia Rodrigo posted her thoughts on the ICE deportations, saying, “I’ve lived in LA my whole life, and I’m deeply upset about these violent deportations of my neighbors under the current administration. LA simply wouldn’t exist without immigrants.”
Addison Rae also said she was “so disappointed and disturbed by what is happening across our nation. This country could not exist without immigrants. Every human being deserves the right to exist in an environment that makes them feel safe, lovingly protected, and embraced.” Finneas claimed he was tear-gassed during a peaceful protest in L.A. earlier this month, writing “F–K ICE… If you are into this fascist s–t you are small and weak and will lose.”
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong has also hit out at ICE, in addition to Katy Perry who has called the raids a “huge injustice,” while Shakira said she lives in “constant fear” as an immigrant in the U.S. Others who protested the actions in L.A. include Tyler, the Creator, The Game, Kehlani, Tom Morello, Reneé Rapp and Rebecca Black.
Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued the Trump administration to end what he said was the “illegal and unnecessary takeover of a CalGuard unit, which has needlessly escalated chaos and violence in the Los Angeles region.” The lawsuit names Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense, in a filing that outlines “why the takeover violates the U.S. Constitution and exceeds the President’s Title 10 authority, not only because the takeover occurred without the consent or input of the Governor, as federal law requires, but also because it was unwarranted.”
Trump responded over the weekend by saying that ICE must “expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,” cities the president described as “the core of the Democrat Power Center.”
Kneecap’s Mo Chara appeared at Westminster’s Magistrates Court on Wednesday (June 18) in relation to an alleged terror offense.
In May, the MC (born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) was charged for allegedly showing support for militant organizations Hamas and Hezbollah – both of which are defined as terror groups by U.K. law – in newly surfaced videos from a past concert. The video appeared to show Chara shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and displaying a Hezbollah flag at a show in London in November 2024.
During the hearing, Mo Chara spoke only to confirm his name. The Press Association reports that Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, presiding over the case, released him on unconditional bail and set a hearing date of Aug. 20. Mr Goldspring said that the 27-year-old must attend court on that day. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove told the court: “This case is not about Mr hAnnaidh’s support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of Israel.” (via The Irish News)
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Campaigners supporting the group were present at the court’s entrance, with the band and its label Heavenly encouraging fans to attend.
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The Belfast trio, made up of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí arrived to court wearing “Free Mo Chara” t-shirts. In the build-up to the court case, Kneecap had “plastered” London with billboards with the message ‘More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish, Mo Chara,’ in reference to the discriminatory slogan that was present at some London pubs in the 1950s and ’60s.
Speaking on their social platforms, the group called the charge “a carnival of distraction” from what they see as the real issue at hand: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes.”
The group say that their pro-Palestine views have been weaponised against them and claimed that their artistic free speech has been infringed. A number of artists including Massive Attack, Fontaines D.C., Paul Weller and IDLES signed an open letter backing the trio. On Monday, The Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr shared a statement showing support for Kneecap, and called for them to remain on the bill at Glastonbury Festival next week (June 27-29) despite calls for a boycott.
The Northern Irish hip-hop trio released their breakthrough album Fine Art in 2024 alongside a self-titled biopic which saw critical acclaim, and was nominated for an Academy Award as well as winning a BAFTA prize.
In April 2025, the group ended their Coachella sets with a message that stated: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes. F–k Israel; free Palestine.” A number of industry names including Sharon Osbourne called for them to be removed from the bill and their work visas to be revoked.
Past videos of the band soon began to surface, including one from November 2023 with the group allegedly saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” Kneecap issued a statement on the remarks, offering an apology to the families of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox; both were killed while standing as MPs in separate incidents in 2021 and 2016, respectively.
“Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay,” the group said. “We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history. We also reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever. An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action.” The group were not charged in connection with this incident.
During the fallout, a number of the band’s shows were cancelled by organisers, including TRNSMT in Glasgow, Scotland and the Eden Sessions in Cornwall. Kneecap announced – and promptly sold out – make-up shows for fans in those cities.
Chase Varnes had a rough start on Tuesday night’s episode of America’s Got Talent, but the 13-year-old singer from Vancouver Island ended up delivering one of the most memorable performances of the season so far — thanks to a little help from Ed Sheeran.
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Varnes began his audition with an original song on acoustic guitar, but was quickly interrupted by judge Simon Cowell. “I hate to do this,” Cowell said. “I didn’t love the song; however, I like you. Have you got another song?”
Without missing a beat, Varnes launched into a cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Life Goes On,” originally featuring Luke Combs, and instantly won over the crowd and most of the judges.
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“You know, you remind me of a young Justin Bieber,” said Howie Mandel, referencing Varnes’ Canadian roots and early busking background. The compliment made the teen visibly light up on stage.
Sofía Vergara also applauded the performance, saying, “I know it’s nerve-racking to be on this stage, but I thought it was better the second song. Simon always knows how to stop it and make it better. I think the girls are gonna go crazy for you.”
Mel B, however, had a more measured response. “You were great. You were a diamond in the rough with so much potential,” she said. “But I can see your nervousness. You’re not quite there yet for me.”
While Mel B gave him a “no,” both Mandel and Vergara offered their yeses. That left Cowell to cast the deciding vote.
“Sometimes we have on people your age, and I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ll be sort of nicer because you’re young,’” Cowell said. “You, I actually do believe, that you have something… You’ve got everything going for you. The audience loved you, which is why you’re gonna get three yeses.”
Varnes’ cover of “Life Goes On” was a breakout moment on the night’s episode, trending online alongside a series of cat-themed novelty acts — including a rapper named Moshow and a group called Loco Pop Familia, who performed dressed entirely as cats.
America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap remain defiant ahead of a court appearance for member Mo Chara this week, launching a billboard takeover in London in response.
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The series of billboards was announced on the group’s social media on Tuesday (June 17) ahead of Mo Chara’s scheduled appearance at Westminster Crown Court over terror charges on Wednesday.
Mo Chara, born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, was last month charged with a terrorism offense by London’s Metropolitan Police after being investigated for allegedly showing support for militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah in historic videos. Both are proscribed as terror groups according to U.K. law, and considered an offense under the Terrorism Act 2000.
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In response, Kneecap claimed that the alleged offense is little more than a “carnival of distraction” designed to shift the spotlight away from more pertinent matters. “We deny this ‘offence’ and will vehemently defend ourselves,” Kneecap wrote in a statement.
The group’s timely billboard campaign follows in the same vein as their initial response, with a social media post seeing the group note the messages were specifically plastered in the lead-up to the impending court appearance, which they labelled a “witch-hunt.”
“British courts have long charged people from the North of Ireland with ‘terrorism’ for crimes never committed,” they wrote. “We will fight them. We will win.”
The billboards – in the Irish flag colors of green, white and orange – feature the phrase “More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish, Mo Chara,” referencing the “No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs” slogan which gained traction in the 20th century to discriminate against the aforementioned groups.
Currently, Kneecap are also scheduled to perform at the Glastonbury Festival in England later this month, despite politicians throughout the U.K. writing to organizers of festivals which have booked the band to request their removal.
Though the group remain on the final lineup for Glastonbury, they were however recently removed from Scotland’s TRNSMT festival in July following safety concerns from law enforcement.
Hatebreed guitarist Wayne Lozinak has announced a temporary departure from the group following the discovery of a non cancerous brain tumor.
News of Lozinak’s health update was shared by the band on social media on Tuesday (June 17), explaining that the guitarist had first experienced “mild symptoms that raised concerns of a possible stroke” during their visit to England’s Download Festival on Saturday (June 14).
“Out of an abundance of caution, he sought medical attention the following day upon arriving in Lille, France,” the post explained. After undergoing a CT scan at the ER, doctors discovered a brain tumor, leading to his immediate admission for further testing.
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“Following a thorough 24-hour evaluation, including an MRI, it was determined that the tumor is a benign meningioma—a slow-growing mass that has likely been present for years. We are immensely relieved that Wayne’s diagnosis is the best possible outcome given the circumstances.”
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Currently, Lozinak is in the process of returning to the U.S. so that he can “prepare for surgery and focus on rest and recovery.” Noting his determination to return to the band “as soon as he is able,” the group added that in his absence, Lozinak’s role will be filled by Shadows Fall’s Matt Bachand.
Notably, Bachand has performed in Hatebreed since November 2024, having taken over from bassist Chris Beattie following his departure from the band. In a statement shared in February, Beattie clarified that “the decision to leave the band was not mine,” citing “misleading and wrongful statements” as leading to his exit.
Hatebreed also added that First Blood’s Carl Schwartz has now taken on the role of bassist following Bachand’s move to guitar.
Hatebreed first formed in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1994 and released their debut album three years later. They found widespread fame with 2002’s Perseverance, which reached No. 50 on the Billboard 200, while the group later received a Grammy nomination for best metal performance in 2004.
Further albums improved on their initial chart showing, with 2013’s The Divinity of Purpose becoming their most commercially-successful when it peaked at No. 20 and additionally topped the Top Hard Rock Albums chart. Their most recent album, 2020’s Weight of the False Self, became their first not to impact the Billboard 200 since their debut, but peaked at No. 12 on the Hard Rock Albums.
Hatebreed’s current Wight of the False Self Tour is making its way through Europe presently, with dates scheduled across the U.K. and North America until October.
Brazilian sertanejo artist Gustavo Mioto signed with WME, which will focus on expanding his reach in Latin and North American markets. Over his career, the singer-songwriter has released nine albums and collaborated with Anitta, Jorge & Mateus, Fabio Jr. and more.
Tuscaloosa, Ala., band Gideon signed with Sumerian Records, which released the group’s latest single, “Til the Wheels Fall Off.” Gideon has several festival dates coming up, including at Vans Warped Tour, Louder Than Life and the New England Metal & Hardcore Fest.
Ty Herndon signed a three-album deal with Club44 Records. He just released a new version of his 1995 hit “What Mattered Most” as a duet with LeAnn Rimes. Herndon is also set to release the upcoming album Thirty, which will celebrate his three decades in country music. — Jessica Nicholson
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Country singer-songwriter Jenna Davis signed with UTA for touring. She will be repped at the agency by Jeffrey Hasson and Lauren Holland. Davis is set to release her debut album, Where Did That Girl Go?, via SMACKRecords on June 27.
Los Angeles-based artist management company MLennial signed American DJ and producer GorillaT. This year, the rising artist is set to play Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Los Lands and more.
Chinese rapper jackzebra signed to SURF GANG Records, the evilgiane-led artist collective and record label based in New York. Jackzebra recently released Above & Beyond, a 34-track tape written during a visit to the U.S. SURF GANG recently released his new single, “Givenchy,” with evilgiane.
Big Machine Records signed country singer-songwriter Cole Goodwin. His first song for the label, “Girlfriend’s Got a Boyfriend,” was released on Friday (June 13). He’s slated to open select dates on Luke Bryan’s summer tour.
Indianapolis, Ind., “fake emo” band Summerbruise signed to SideOneDummy Records, which released the group’s new single, “Never Bothered.” The band will play a short U.S. tour this summer.
Booking agency Main Attraction Management added bluegrass artist Caroline Owens to its roster. Owens’s most recent single, “You’ve Still Got It,” has gained traction on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction, while Owens has garnered nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA). She’s signed with Billy Blue Records and Billy Blue Publishing, and is repped by Jules Wortman of Wortman Works Media & Marketing, who serves as both manager and head of public relations. — Jessica Nicholson
Oasis has announced a series of pop-up stores for fans to purchase merchandise for its hotly anticipated reunion tour, which kicks off on July 4 in Cardiff, Wales.
The official Oasis Live ‘25 Fan Stores will launch nationwide throughout the U.K. and Ireland, giving fans the opportunity to purchase merchandise ahead of the shows. The first space will open in Manchester on June 20 until July 27, with stores in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Birmingham set to be announced in due course. Locations for each are to be confirmed in the coming days; there is currently no confirmation if the band will open similar pop-up stores for their other dates later this summer.
Fans will be able to access a range of official tour merchandise, including exclusive brand collaborations, limited-edition products and items exclusive to the Live ‘25 Fan Stores. The band’s web store will also begin stocking official tour merchandise later this week, with details set to be confirmed imminently.
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In November 2024, it was announced that Oasis had selected Warner Music Group’s merchandise and fan-experience division WMX as the official partner for their Live ‘25 reunion tour. In May, Amazon also launched its own exclusive range of Oasis merch, including a reproduction of a T-shirt from the band’s Knebworth shows in 1996.
They’re not the first to announce pop-up shops to meet fans’ demand for merchandise. Last week, Dua Lipa announced an pop-up in London ahead of her sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium (June 20, 21), and Tyler, the Creator, Harry Styles and more have all tapped into the lucrative merchandise market with dedicated stores for fans on tour stops in recent years.
In August 2024, it was announced that Noel and Liam Gallagher would reunite as Oasis to play a series of concerts, their first since 2009. The band is set to play a run of 41 shows across the U.K. and Ireland, North America, Latin America, Asia and Australia throughout 2025.
While details on the shows remain under wraps, Liam has used his social media profiles to tease fans with insider info. When he joined rehearsals in early June, Liam said the band sound “F–king FILTHY,” and that new drummer Joey Waronker was a “special” addition to the lineup.
It is thought that Waronker will join former Oasis members Andy Bell (bass), Gem Archer (guitar), Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs (guitar) alongside Noel and Liam at the shows.
Suge Knight has continuously shared his opinions about Diddy‘s ongoing trial and recently spoke in more detail about why so many of Puff’s supporters are going silent. On Monday, Suge Knight called in for a lengthy phone call with host Aubrey O’Day, who has been covering the ongoing trial as part of Amy Robach and […]
Justin Baldoni is continuing to push for access to Blake Lively’s text messages with Taylor Swift in litigation over the movie It Ends With Us, saying the communications could reveal whether the actress is owed damages for emotional distress from alleged sexual harassment and retaliation.
Swift became a figure in the messy legal dispute last month, when Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, subpoenaed the pop superstar for her communications with Lively. Baldoni later dropped the Swift subpoenas but is now seeking the text messages directly from Lively — a move that Lively’s lawyers criticized in a court filing last week as designed to seize on Swift’s star power and “prop up a public relations narrative.”
In a response filing on Tuesday (June 17), Baldoni’s lawyers say these texts are indeed relevant to disproving Lively’s allegations that Baldoni sexually harassed her on the set of It Ends With Us and then orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign when she complained.
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Team Baldoni claims Lively’s own discovery disclosures identify Swift, her longtime friend, as someone with knowledge about what she went through. The actor-director’s lawyers also say Swift would know whether Lively actually suffered emotional distress because they socialized amid the debacle, including by stepping out for a double date a few months after the release of It Ends With Us this past fall.
The latter point is key because if Lively shows that Baldoni’s conduct harmed her emotionally, she could be entitled to a higher monetary award in the case.
“Although we appreciate the positive influence Ms. Swift’s music has had on her worldwide audience, it was Ms. Lively and not the Wayfarer Parties that contemporaneously inserted Ms. Swift into this dispute, and Ms. Lively cannot use Ms. Swift’s stardom to withhold evidence,” write Baldoni’s lawyers.
Spokespeople for Lively declined to comment on Baldoni’s latest court filing. Last week, they said that the continued attempt to drag Swift into the dispute “reflects a public unraveling of epic proportions” and “serves only to distract” from the recent dismissal of Baldoni’s counter-lawsuit accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and others of defamation.
Swift’s reps have not commented on the matter since Baldoni first subpoenaed her. In a statement in May, they said the singer had no involvement in It Ends With Us and that the move was “designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
Meanwhile, Lively served a subpoena of her own last week on music mogul Scooter Braun, a longtime public opponent of Swift’s. Lively is seeking information from Braun about the alleged public relations takedown orchestrated by The Agency Group PR, a controlling stake of which is reportedly owned by Braun’s company, HYBE America.
