Music

19 Jul 2024

Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass Deletes Trump Apology Instagram Post

Kyle Gass of Tenacious D has deleted his Instagram apology following intense backlash over a controversial comment about former U.S. President Donald Trump during the band’s Sydney concert.

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The incident, which occurred on July 14, has had major repercussions for both Gass and the band.

During the performance at Sydney’s ICC Sydney Theatre, Jack Black presented Gass with a birthday cake onstage.

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When asked to make a wish, Gass quipped, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referencing a recent assassination attempt on the former president. The remark, which initially drew laughter from the audience, quickly sparked widespread criticism.

In response to the uproar, Gass initially apologized on Instagram, stating, “I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgment. I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.” However, this apology has since been removed from his account.

The fallout from Gass’s joke led to a domino effect that saw Gass dropped by his agent, and the remainder of Tenacious D‘s tour was canceled. Jack Black, Gass’s bandmate, issued a statement expressing regret and announcing the halt of all future Tenacious D activities. Black’s post, which remains on his Instagram, reads:

“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form. “

He continued, “After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”

Frontier Touring has canceled six shows in Australia and New Zealand, including stops in Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Wellington, and Auckland. The status of Tenacious D’s five scheduled U.S. shows in October remains uncertain.

Even Australia’s former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has become embroiled in the drama, telling news.com.au this week, “It makes me feel sick someone would joke about violence. Physically ill. People might think it’s a bit of ‘funny haha’ at a concert to run off at the mouth off about this stuff.”

“It’s not,” he said. “It’s about threats to physical life; it’s about the near assassination of a former and prospective President of the United States, depending on the votes of the American people. It’s about the murder of innocent civilians and two people being seriously wounded.”

Rudd added, “These people need to grow up and find a decent job”.

United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet also called on the Australian federal government to deport Tenacious D in the wake of Gass’s comment.

“I call on the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese to join me in denouncing Tenacious D, Jack Black, and band member Kyle Gass, and I call on the Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to revoke their visas and deport them immediately,” Babet said in a statement.

As of now, Gass’s most recent Instagram post features a video of a flight over Sydney Harbour with the cheeky caption: “Birthday helicopter ride around Sydney Harbour, hours before the storm.”

18 Jul 2024

Jelly Roll and MGK Tease John Denver-Inspired Collab ‘Lonely Road’

Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll are set to release a new collaborative single, “Lonely Road,” on July 26.

The duo, who have dubbed themselves “KellyRoll,” teased the track on social media on July 19 with a brief video clip that hints at a John Denver-inspired tune.

“Countdown to KellyRoll activated,” the artists wrote on Instagram. “Thanks to John Denver for paving the way.”

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The teaser features MGK and Jelly Roll in black suits at a funeral, with snippets showing MGK being arrested and Jelly Roll kissing his wife, Bunnie XO. The song’s hook, “Lonely road, take me home. Take me home,” clearly nods to Denver’s iconic “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

The collaboration marks MGK’s first release since revisiting his Hotel Diablo album with a deluxe edition earlier this month. For Jelly Roll, it follows his recent appearance on Eminem’s new album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), where he featured on the emotionally charged track “Somebody Save Me.”

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Interestingly, Jelly Roll’s work with Eminem comes amidst the Detroit rapper’s ongoing feud with MGK. Eminem has taken several shots at MGK over the years, including digs on his latest album.

The collaboration between MGK and Jelly Roll isn’t entirely unexpected. The pair previously shared the stage at CMA Fest’s Spotify House in June, performing duets of Jelly Roll’s hit “Need a Favor” and MGK’s “My Ex’s Best Friend.” During that performance, MGK also covered the Chicks’ “There’s Your Trouble,” hinting at a potential foray into country music.

The upcoming collab could signal another shift in musical direction for MGK, who has already transitioned from rap to pop-punk in recent years. For Jelly Roll, the track follows the release of his song “Dead End Road” from the Twisters soundtrack.

“Lonely Road” is set to drop on July 26 and will be available on all major streaming platforms. You can check out the teaser below.

18 Jul 2024

Ivan Cornejo’s Captivating ‘MIRADA’ Has Arrived: Stream It Now

It’s been two years since Ivan Cornejo dropped Dañado, the album that peaked at No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums for 37 nonconsecutive weeks, the fourth-most since the chart launched in 1985. 

Today, he’s unleashed his highly-anticipated MIRADA, his first major-label debut (via Interscope Records), after offering previews like “Intercambio Injusto,” “Dónde Estás” and “Baby Please,” which debuted at No. 8 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart in March — his first top 10 on the tally since 2021.

Last month, the 20-year-old hitmaker from Riverside, Calif., announced the album with a cryptic post. “Ivan, do you think you’ll fall in love again?” A voice asks him as the pensive artist sits in front of a bonfire. “I don’t want to,” Cornejo quickly responds. In his Billboard digital cover story from January, Cornejo teased his third studio album saying it would be “bigger” than Dañado thanks to “improvements musically and lyrically.”

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The Mexican-American singer-songwriter broke out in 2021 with his first single, “Está Dañada,” which landed him a No. 1 entry on Billboard’s Latin Songwriters chart dated Oct. 30, 2021, while also becoming the second regional Mexican song to appear on the all-genre Hot 100. So far, the singer-songwriter has placed 14 songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart, and he landed at No. 10 on Billboard’s 2023 year-end Top Latin Artists chart.

Currently, he’s on his Mirada Tour, which kicked off July 6 at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wis. Check out the complete list of dates here.

Below, stream Cornejo’s MIRADA:

18 Jul 2024

Rich The Kid Releases Ye and Ty Dolla $ign-Produced ‘Life’s A Gamble’: Stream It Now

Rich the Kid is betting big with his latest release. The Queens-born rapper has dropped his highly anticipated new album Life’s A Gamble, his first solo full-length project since 2020’s Boss Man.

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Released on July 19, 2024, Life’s A Gamble arrives as Rich rides the wave of his recent success with “Carnival,” his collaboration with Ye, Ty Dolla $ign, and Playboi Carti that topped the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year. That hit gave Rich the Kid his first No. 1 and marked a major comeback after parting ways with RCA Records.

The 18-track album is executively produced by Ye and Ty Dolla $ign, bringing their Midas touch to Rich’s signature sound.

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In a recent interview with Billboard, Rich explained the album’s title: “I feel like everything in life’s a gamble. You walk out the front door, you could get hit by a bus. Everything’s a gamble. I’ve taken wins and losses with my career, and I felt it was a perfect title.”

Life’s A Gamble boasts an impressive roster of guest features, including Ye, Ty Dolla $ign, Peso Pluma, Offset, Rob49, French Montana, Chief Keef, BIA, Quavo, and a posthumous appearance from Takeoff. The album includes the previously released singles “Carnival,” “Gimme a Second / Band Man,” and “Gimme a Second 2.”

Standout tracks include “Gimme a Second,” featuring Peso Pluma, “Not In the Mood” with Offset, and “Plain Jane,” which features Kanye West.

Rich the Kid has seen notable success on the Billboard charts over the years before landing his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Carnival”.

His breakthrough came with the 2017 single “New Freezer,” featuring Kendrick Lamar, which peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2018, his debut studio album The World Is Yours reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, driven by the hit single “Plug Walk,” which climbed to No. 13 on the Hot 100.

His subsequent albums have also performed well, with The World Is Yours 2 debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in 2019.

Stream Life’s A Gamble by Rich The Kid below.

18 Jul 2024

Joe Jonas Introduces Upcoming Solo Album With ‘Work It Out’: Stream It Now

Joe Jonas is gearing up to release his first solo album in 13 years, and he has officially began the journey with the release of “Work It Out” on Friday (July 19).

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Jonas announced the single earlier this month via Instagram. “I’m both excited and emotional as I’m gearing up to release new music,” he wrote in the post, with a scenic mountain and lake landscape in the background. “I’m humbled and grateful to collaborate with some of my favorite musicians and creators. I hope you find as much happiness and peace as I do when you listen to these songs.”

“Work It Out” serves as the lead single to his upcoming solo project, Music For People Who Believe in Love, his first full-length solo album since 2011’s Fast Life. Led by the Chris Brown-penned “See No More,” which peaked at No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100, the LP peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. 

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”This album is a celebration of gratitude, hope, and love. These songs reflect on my life from a bird’s-eye view acknowledging the many blessings around me,” Jonas wrote in a lengthy statement announcing the project, which arrives on Oct. 18. “This album speaks to the experiences of being a father, being a friend to oneself and others, and the happiness I’ve found in doing what I love for a living. I feel incredibly fortunate to travel the world and connect with people through my music, as well as having had the opportunity to work with some of the most talented musicians, songwriters, and producers on this project.”

Stream Joe Jonas’ “Work It Out” below.

18 Jul 2024

JT Crowns Herself ‘City Cinderella’ in Debut Solo Mixtape: Stream It Now

JT has claimed the throne as the City Cinderella on her debut solo mixtape, which she dropped on Friday (July 19) via Quality Control.

The 16-track tape includes collaborations with DJ Khaled (“Oh”), Stunna Girl (“Lemon Pepper”), Clip (“All Stars”) and Jeezy on the remix of her hit single “OKAY,” which reached No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 22 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

In her recent Paper cover story, JT clarified that City Cinderella is a mixtape, not an album. “People work on their albums for a year, albums are just different. So City Cinderella is not my first album, being that I made this project so damn fast,” the rapper said. “I had to create this project throughout the tour and moving around, so I didn’t have time to really nurture and doctor it. This is just something that I’m putting out with my pure instincts.”

Ahead of its release, JT dropped a 22-minute documentary about the making of her debut solo project.

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JT was featured on Billboard‘s 10 Hottest Female Rappers Right Now list. Billboard staff writer Kyle Denis wrote, “JT isn’t just cementing herself as City Girls‘ strongest rapper, she’s also committing to the unglamorous work of building an unwavering fanbase. It’s no wonder that kind of drive is already turning into career-best returns for her before her debut solo mixtape, City Cinderella, has even arrived.”

In August, she’ll embark on the 21-date City Cinderella Tour.

Listen to City Cinderella below.

18 Jul 2024

Stray Kids Unveil Mini-Album ‘ATE’: Stream It Now

Stray Kids are back with a brand new mini-album, ATE, which arrived on Friday (July 19).

The eight-member K-pop group — consisting of Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. — dropped the project two months after the arrival of their Charlie Puth-assisted single, “Lose My Breath,” marking the group’s third single of 2024. 

On a recent episode of Apple Music’s All About Stray Kids Radio, Bang Chan and Felix opened up about the new project. Felix revealed that ATE’s overall concept is “something we haven’t done.” Bang Chan agreed, adding that not only is the title track single fresh but “a lot of the other songs [are] as well, it’s all very different… what we recorded, it’s just showing a different side of Stray Kids.”

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Bang Chan added, “Everyone did a really good job.”

All four of the group’s charting projects — 2022’s Maxident and Stray Kids Mini Album: Oddinary (EP) and 2023’s Rock-Star and 5-Star — debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 all-genre albums chart. Stray Kids is the first act to send its first four charting albums to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 since Alicia Keys (2001-2007).

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Stream Stray Kids’ ATE in full below.

18 Jul 2024

Jimin of BTS’ Second Solo Album ‘MUSE’ Is Here to Inspire You: Stream It Now

Look no further for your next source of inspiration — Jimin‘s MUSE has arrived, bringing with it seven new solo tracks from the BTS star.

Released Friday (July 19), the project features collaborations with Loco and Sofia Carson, with the South Korean superstar experimenting with bold new sounds and styles throughout. It follows 2023’s FACE, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Jimin first announced MUSE in June, with BigHit Music writing in a statement that the LP would showcase his “expanded musical spectrum.” “Following his first solo album, ‘FACE,’ where he sought to explore his true identity, ‘MUSE’ documents his journey in search of the source of his inspiration,” it continued.

The K-pop icon first made his solo debut in 2018, when he dropped the single “Promise.” Five years later, he became the first South Korean soloist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Like Crazy.”

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MUSE is just one of a few projects that Jimin has been working on amid his time in the South Korean military, in which all of his BTS bandmates — except for Jin, who finished his enlistment in June — are currently serving. He’s also gearing up to release a docu-series titled Are You Sure?! with Jung Kook chronicling the two friends’ travels through parts of their home country, the U.S. and Japan.

According to a recent release, the show will “give a deeper look into Jimin and Jung Kook’s undeniable chemistry and endearing friendship as they bond over a variety of unforgettable moments throughout the trip immersing in different cultures, exploring various action-packed activities, and trying out local cuisines.”

Listen to MUSE below.

18 Jul 2024

aespa Achieves Fifth Top 10 on Album Sales Chart With ‘Armageddon – The 1st Album’

aespa achieves its fifth top 10-charting effort on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart as the female K-pop quartet’s new Armageddon – The 1st Album debuts at No. 2 on the chart dated July 20. All five of the act’s entries on the chart have debuted in the top 10.

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Also in the top 10 of the latest Top Album Sales chart, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department nets a sixth week at No. 1 (and with a 154% sales increase), the 30th anniversary reissue and first vinyl pressing of Selena’s Amor Prohibido pushes it back onto the chart at No. 4 and Agust D (aka BTS’ SUGA) sees his D-Day album re-enter at No. 8 after its release on vinyl.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

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Armageddon arrives with 18,000 copies sold in the U.S. in the week ending July 11, according to Luminate. The album was released widely on CD on July 5 after previously being available as a digital download and via streaming services. CD sales power nearly all of the 18,000 sales in the week ending July 11, and the set was issued in eight collectible CD variants, all containing paper merchandise.

Meanwhile, Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department holds at No. 1 on Top Album Sales with 90,000 copies sold – up 154% for the week. CD sales comprise 67,000 (up 127%), digital album download sales comprise 19,000 (up 1,266%) and vinyl sales comprise 4,000 (down 10%).

The Tortured Poets Department’s overall weekly increase was bolstered in part by sales generated from Swift’s official webstore, which restocked seven earlier-released CD variants of the album (including a signed edition). The restocked items were available to purchase for a few hours on Sunday, June 7 and shipped shortly afterwards. In addition, Swift released three new digital album download variants of the album on Thursday, July 11, sold exclusively in her webstore for $4.99 each, and were only available to purchase that day. Each contained the original standard 16-song album tracklist, along with one bonus live acoustic track, recorded during her The Eras Tour stop in Stockholm (“Guilty as Sin?,” “How Did It End?” or “Peter”).

ATEEZ’s former No. 1 Golden Hour: Part.1 rises 7-3 with nearly 13,000 copies sold (up 3%).

Following its 30th anniversary reissue, Selena’s Amor Prohibido re-enters Top Album Sales at No. 4 with 11,000 sold – its best sales week since 1995. The set, which was initially released in 1994 and spent 20 weeks at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums in 1994-95, was reissued on July 4 across digital and physical configurations, including its first pressing on vinyl.

Amor debuts at No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums chart with 10,000 sold on wax – Selena’s best sales week ever on vinyl. It’s her second leader on the 13-year-old Vinyl Albums ranking. The album was available in four vinyl variants – a standard clear color edition, a Target-exclusive pink color (containing a poster), a Spotify-exclusive coke bottle clear edition and a picture-disc variant sold via Selena’s webstore.

Amor was also reissued on CD and as a cassette tape, with the latter exclusively sold in Selena’s webstore.

Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft rises 9-5 on Top Album Sales with 10,000 (down 12%), Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess steps 8-6 with 9,000 (down 26%) and Zach Bryan’s The Great American Bar Scene shoots 21-7 after its first full tracking week, with 8,500 sold (up 66%). The set was released on July 4, the final day of the tracking week for the July 13-dated chart, and sold 5,000 copies that day (enabling it debut at No. 21). The album is only available to purchase as a digital download; its CD and vinyl are due out on Oct. 11.

Agust D’s chart-topping D-Day re-enters Top Album Sales at No. 8 with nearly 8,000 sold following the set’s vinyl release on July 5. Rounding out the top 10 are a pair of former No. 1s from Swift, as Lover jumps 19-9 with just over 5,000 sold (though down 3%) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) vaults 20-10 with nearly 5,000 (down 5%).

18 Jul 2024

Cardi B Goes Off on Joe Budden for Criticism Over Delayed Sophomore Album: ‘You Don’t Know S–t’

As the wait for her anticipated sophomore album continues, Cardi B blasted Joe Budden for his criticism of her project rollout and made allegations of drug use against him.

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The Grammy-winning artist went ballistic against the rapper-turned-podcaster during a Twitter Spaces session on Thursday afternoon (July 18).

“Bro I gave you a lap dance two times in Starlets. You was high as f–k. High as f–k on coke, n—a… I don’t give a f–k when people talk s–t about me,” she spewed. “It’s the fact you always talk shit about me Joe Budden. Out of nowhere, you would think I did something to this n—a… For the past two years, this n—a has only talked bad things about me.”

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Cardi B doesn’t appreciate Budden allegedly pinning her against other rising women rappers.

 “Every five or six months you comparing another female rapper towards me, you compare new artists, old artists, every single fucking artist with me, bro,” she said. “If you love these b—–s so much, why are you not talking about their album? You compare females to me that my worst records beat their best records. I don’t give a f–k about none of these b—–s.”

Cardi continued: “But you really want my album to come out so you can criticize it,” she said. “Cause every time I drop something you don’t like it. Every single time a b—h drops something and they doing mediocre, you say they doing better than me… What are you talking about? The s–t is in motion. Merch is in motion, the box sets is in motion. You don’t know s–t.”

On a recent podcast, Joe Budden predicted that Cardi B isn’t going to release another album in her career, which she took issue with.

“We’ll never get another album again. I am standing on it,” he said. “Cardi got something dropping with my man Rob[49] on Friday, but that’s what Cardi’s gonna be now. A single artist.”

Budden added: “I’m sure Offset wants Cardi to put an album out. Ay, fellas out there. Boyfriends, y’all know that feeling right? When you want your b—h to get a job. You in the house and your b—h won’t leave… Ain’t you got an album to do? Ain’t you got a single?”

Following Cardi’s Spaces rant, Budden pushed back against allegations of cocaine use and ever getting a lap dance from her. He also promised to “not cover a single thing this girl does for the remainder of her career.”

“I really just wanted an album from someone whose music i love,” he wrote on X and eventually apologized to the “WAP” rapper. “She cursing me smooth out but she still hilarious lol…. I’m going to bed, i apologize to @iamcardib for whatever i did and peace and love to all.”

It’s been over six years Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy album arrived in April 2018. Her acclaimed debut topped the Billboard 200 with 255,000 album units sold in the first week and went on to win best rap album at the 2019 Grammy Awards.

While the prospects of her sophomore project remain unknown, Cardi is dishing out another fiery feature where she’ll join Rob49 for “On Dat Money” on Friday (July 19)

Find more of Budden’s response below.