Music

Hello? Turns Out We’ve Been Pronouncing Adele’s Name Wrong This Whole Time

Adele took a moment time during a recent Q&A with fans celebrating her luxurious “I Drink Wine” video to praise one questioner who did something hardly anyone has done during the singer’s entire career: pronounce her name right. After screening the visual for a packed house, the star generously took questions for nearly an hour, including one that included the nomenclature revelation.

When Annie from London beamed in for a long-distance video question — with a full glass of rosé in hand, naturally — she had a thoughtful question about whether the singer’s perspective on her journey to self love during the recording of her 25 album changed while writing 30. “Cheers babe, luv ya!” Annie said sparklingly.

“Where’s she from, Enfield or something? Love that,” Adele asked during the “Happy Hour With Adele” chat. “She said my name perfectly,” the singer added with a smile, noting that she’d had a discussion with chat’s host earlier about how her name should be pronounced. “He came and asked me how I say my name and I said ‘Uh-del.’” So, for the record, if you’ve been saying “Ah-del” this whole time, well, you’ve been doing it wrong.

As far as anyone could tell, Adele — who is from Enfield, which is north of London — hadn’t ever given us the correct pronunciation before, so going forward we have no excuse to get it wrong. The chat was the same one in which the 34-year-old singer revealed that once she’s done with her Las Vegas residency she would love to take a break from music to work on an English degree.

“If I hadn’t made it in my singing, I think I would definitely be a teacher. I think I’d be an English Lit teacher,” she said, noting that her plan is to finish her studies online. 

Watch the chat below (name discussion starts at 21:12 mark).

‘The Last Rocket’: 8 Verses to Remember Takeoff By

Takeoff — born Kirshnik Ball — was reportedly murdered in Houston early Tuesday (Nov. 1) following an altercation outside of 810 Billiards & Bowling when gunfire rang off and fatally struck the Migos rapper while leaving two others hospitalized.

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In the hours since Takeoff’s death, there’s been an outpouring of support from the hip-hop community with touching tributes coming from the likes of Drake, Gucci Mane, Nas, Rich The Kid, Metro Boomin’, Chance The Rapper, Chuck D and more.

As one-third of Migos alongside Quavo and Offset, Takeoff served as the backbone of the seminal trio, which played an integral role in changing the sound of 2010’s rap and turning Atlanta into the hip-hop capital of the world.

Fans had the privilege of witnessing Takeoff go from a reserved teenager blossoming to one of the most consistent wordsmiths the genre had to offer over the course of the past decade.

What made Migos’ meteoric rise from the North Atlanta bando to the Met Gala even more special was that it was always a family affair. For those that don’t know, Takeoff was Offset’s cousin and Quavo’s nephew.

At 28-years-old, Takeoff seemed to just be entering his prime as a rapper. Migos shifted the genre with their decorated Culture series, which produced three installments and a pair of Grammy Award nominations.

Takeoff also branched off to unleash his The Last Rocket solo album in Nov. 2018, which eerily turns four years old on Wednesday (Nov. 4).

More recently, Takeoff teamed up with uncle Quavo under the alias of Unc & Phew for their Only Built For Infinity Links joint album in October. The critically-acclaimed project peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200.

“Personally, I feel like it, because we had to work hard,” Takeoff told Billboard of being more proud of Infinity Links compared to previous albums. “We went back in that bat cave. Dirty, grimy, no cut and scruffy — just ain’t even worried about nothing.”

“Just in that basement cooking up, going in, editing and coming back… Those changes made the album. You think you got it and then you keep painting that picture until you come up with that Picasso.”

Billboard commemorates Takeoff by highlighting some of the lyrical brilliance he displayed throughout his career.

8. “Casper” – The Last Rocket (2018)

“Before we jump in, my n—a we gotta say grace/ My grandmama gone but can’t be replaced/ Jenna, she paved the way (Jenna Lou)/ I’m turnin’ the page on n—s (Turnin’)/ I waited days, remember/ Been had that fame on the side of my hood/ Swear it couldn’t change a n—a.”

7. “John Wick” – (2014)

“The trap game is Madden, no need to ask Madden/ I just hit the plug with the hit stick (boom)/ No Santa Claus, I’m on my Grinch s–t/ F–k it, might light the block up like it’s Christmas.”

6. “L.A. Leakers Freestyle” – (2021)

“They talking about COVID when I heard the news I started sipping a remedy/ If I got an opp and you say you my brother, then he better be your enemy/ I’m taking them back to the bando way back to when a n—a was breaking and entering.”

5. “Bars Into Captions” – Only Built For Infinity Links (2022)

“And we are creatures that come from another planet (Creature)/ The rocket ship take off, I’m ’bout to land it (Takeoff)/ I got a stick, the switch is automatic (Brrt)/ Ain’t never average, keep that ‘shh’ in the attic.”

4. “Stir Fry” – Culture II (2017)

“Don’t discriminate, ball players come in all sizes/ Finger roll, post move or the pick and roll/ They mad the way we win, they think we used a cheat code/ Why you keep lookin’ at me?/ I feel like n—-s got static/It must be the Patek.”

3. “Call Casting” – Culture (2017)

“Draco on me, it’s attached/ Name a n—a with the pack (Pack)/ Name a n—a with the sack (Sack)/ Elem’ o’clock, I got the MAC (MAC)/ She eat the molly like a snack (Eat it up)/ This gold on my neck a plaque.”

2. “Fight Night” – No Label II (2014)

“Broke n—s stand to the left (Left)/ My rich n—-s stand to the right (To the right)/ Lil’ mama, she keep looking at me (Lil’ mama)/ I’ma knock the pussy out like fight night.”

1. “T-Shirt” – Culture (2017)

“I’ma feed my family, n—a, ain’t no way around it (Family)/ Ain’t gon’ never let up, n—a, God said show my talent (Show it)/ Young n—a with the Anna, walkin’ with the hammer/ Talkin’ country grammar, n—a, straight out Nawf Atlanta.”

Chuck D Calls Out Gun Violence After Takeoff’s Murder: ‘It’s Not Normal Behavior’

Chuck D has always fought the power, and that includes gun crime.

The rap legend and co-founding member of Public Enemy, Chuck D, like so many others is shocked by the murder of Takeoff, one third of the hip-hop group Migos.

“This is a tragedy, the pain is unbearable,” he tells TMZ Live.

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Earlier in the week, Takeoff became the latest in a growing list of hip-hop stars killed by gunfire, a death that could have been averted.

Sadly, he points out, a death by bullet has been normalized in popular culture in ways that didn’t exist in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“It’s not normal behavior,” says the Rock And Roll Hall of Famer, but “through culture, it’s been normalized over the years.”

Speaking as a member of the Hip-Hop Alliance, Chuck D insists “the peace, unity love aspect of hip-hop should be revered, and that’s the basis of the foundation.”

He adds, “we’ve taken the motive to making statement to let everybody know that the music and the art form is beautiful,” and that someone holding a gun should be considered “abnormal behavior.”

Early Tuesday (Nov. 1), Takeoff was at a private party with 40 others (including his uncle and bandmate Quavo) at a bowling alley in downtown Houston when investigators say shots rang out.

The chart-topping rapper, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was reportedly shot in the head or neck and died from his wounds. He was 28.

He’s one of many in the hip-hop community who’ve been murdered, a troubling list that dates back to Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay, and beyond, and includes, in more recent years, the likes of Pop Smoke, Nipsey Hussle and, in September of this year, PnB Rock.

Chuck D doesn’t mince his words. “This is gun violence,” the iconic emcee says. “This has been going on for so long, the access to guns, the access to drugs.”

Mariah Carey Unwraps Christmas Merch Collection

All I want for Christmas is a Mariah Holiday Apron. And a Naughty and Nice Adult Onesie. And maybe a Merry Christmas Red Ornament.

Mariah Carey fans have their wishlists sorted, now that the Queen of Christmas has unwrapped her new holiday merch collection.

Just hours after Carey reminded us that, yes, Christmas is coming, the pop superstar ushered in her latest range of presents.

Prices for her exclusive apparel, accessories, music and more are priced from $15 – $140 and are available at MariahCareyShop.com

Carey is the undisputed Queen of Christmas, with her 1994 holiday original topping the Billboard Hot 100 for eight non-consecutive weeks and ranking as the most popular song of all time on the Billboard Holiday 100.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the evergreen hit briefly held the U.K. record for the longest journey to No. 1, when it hit the summit in December 2020 — 26 years after its release. 

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In Australia, where Christmastime is a summer sweat-fest, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” took 24 years to reach No. 1, finally doing so in December 2018.

Meanwhile, Mimi is prepping for four holiday concerts in New York City and Toronto in the wake of releasing her new children’s book, The Christmas Princess.

“I’m trying to make [these shows] as magical as possible,” she said of the series of “Merry Christmas to All!” concerts at Madison Square Garden and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena in mid-December. “Oftentimes as a child, or even throughout earlier parts of my career, I did not feel loved. I certainly never felt unconditional love, and that’s what I have with my fans: that connection. So I’m extremely excited.”

She got one gift early when, on Tuesday, a songwriter who sued her over accusations that she stole “All I Want for Christmas is You” from his earlier song has dropped his lawsuit — for now.

Migos Label Quality Control Music Mourns Takeoff’s Death: ‘We Are Devastated’

In the wake of Migos member Takeoff‘s untimely death, the hip-hop trio’s label, Quality Control Music, took to Instagram on Tuesday (Nov. 1) to mourn the loss of the rapper.

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“It is with broken hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the loss of our beloved brother Kirsnick Khari Ball, known to the world as Takeoff,” a statement posted to the label’s social media reads. “Senseless violence and a stray bullet has taken another life from this world and we are devastated.”

The heartfelt statement concluded by asking fans to “respect his family and friends as we all continue to process this monumental loss.” The post was captioned with a dove and broken heart emoji.

Takeoff was shot and killed early Tuesday morning (Nov. 1) in Houston, Texas, at just 28 years old. The star — who was one third of the Migos trio alongside his uncle, Quavo, and cousin, Offset — was at a private party at 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston with Quavo around 2:35 a.m. when investigators say shots rang out during an afterparty attended by around 40 people. Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene, and two other victims — a 23-year-old male and 24-year-old female — checked themselves into a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Earlier in the day, Houston’s police chief, mayor and homicide investigators held a press conference, where they shared that the incident is currently under investigation, and encouraged anyone who was either at the scene or has any information to come forward to help authorities solve the case.

Halsey, Ryan Tedder and Zara Larsson Celebrate Taylor Swift’s Hot 100 Record: ‘That’s a First’

Taylor Swift set a historic record on the Hot 100 this week (chart dated Nov. 5) by dominating all ten slots of the top 10, and fellow artists like Halsey, Ryan Tedder and Zara Larsson have all been celebrating her record-breaking accomplishment.

“That’s a first,” the OneRepublic frontman wrote on his Instagram Story above the Billboard chart filled with Swift’s Midnights songs while Larsson wrote, “This is insaaaaane” with a fire emoji.

Meanwhile, Halsey wrote “And that’s how ya do it @taylorswift long live taykarma” of her pal, who enlisted her to help perform “Shake It Off” at the 2019 American Music Awards alongside former Reputation Stadium Tour opener Camila Cabello.

First single “Anti-Hero” is now Swift’s eighth career No. 1 hit while instant fan favorites like “Lavender Haze,” “Midnight Rain” and “Question…?” helped round out the Top 10 along with “Maroon,” “Bejeweled” and the Lana Del Rey-assisted “Snow on the Beach.”

Earlier on Tuesday (Nov. 1), Taylor announced the U.S. dates for The Eras Tour, her upcoming stadium jaunt where Swifties will finally be able to hear the songs they love from Lover, Folklore, Evermore, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version) and Midnights live for the first time. (Ahead of the mad dash for tickets, check out Billboard’s dream setlist for the shows here.)

Meanwhile, Tay’s former tourmate and “That’s When” collaborator Keith Urban also commented on her tenth album, raving, “It’s just beautiful. Absolutely love it, top to bottom. I think it’s one of her best albums ever.”

Check out Larsson, Tedder and Halsey’s support for Taylor below.

In Your 30s? It’s Not Too Late to Win a New Artist CMA Award — Just Ask Chris Stapleton, Jimmie Allen & More

When the 2022 Country Music Association Awards are presented in Nashville on Nov. 9, this will be the fifth time in the past eight years that the new artist of the year winner has been in his or her 30s.

Do I have an inside source at the CMA who tipped me to the result? I do not. But all five of this year’s nominees in that category are 30+. The contenders are HARDY, 32; Walker Hayes, 42; Cody Johnson, 35; Parker McCollum, 30; and Lainey Wilson, 30.

And it’s a matter of historical record that four of the last seven winners had reached 30 when they won. Chris Stapleton was 37 when he won in 2015. Jon Pardi was 32 when he won two years later. Ashley McBryde and Jimmie Allen were both 36 when they won in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

This year is only the second time in CMA history that all five nominees for new artist of the year have been 30+. The only other time this happened was in 1988, when the award was still known as the horizon award. Ricky Van Shelton, 36, won the award. The other nominees were K.T. Oslin, 46; Patty Loveless, 31; Sweethearts of the Rodeo; and Highway 101. Both members of Sweethearts of the Rodeo and all four members of Highway 101 had reached 30 when they were nominated.

There is no formula for winning new artist of the year (which was known as the horizon award from 1981, when Terri Gibbs became the inaugural winner, through 2007, when Taylor Swift became the last winner under the old name). The victors have ranged in age from 15 (LeAnn Rimes in 1997) to 43 (Darius Rucker in 2009). But most winners have been in their 20s.

Of the 41 winners of the horizon award/new artist of the year, 34 have been solo artists. Of those, two (Rimes and Swift) were in their teens when they won; 21 were in their 20s; 10 were in their 30s; and one (Rucker) was in his 40s.

Rucker of course was on his second successful career at the time. He had led Hootie & the Blowfish to a series of hit albums and singles. The pop/rock band won the 1995 Grammy Award for best new artist.

As noted, Rimes and Swift are the youngest CMA new artist of the year winners to date. The youngest male solo winners to date are Hunter Hayes, who was 21 when he won a decade ago, and Bryan White, who was 22 when he won in 1996. In addition, the two male members of The Band Perry were in their early 20s when that sibling trio won in 2011. Neil Perry was 21; Reed Perry was 22.

The other youngest female winners to date, besides Rimes and Swift, are Wynonna Judd, who was 20 when The Judds won in 1984; Hillary Scott, who was 22 when Lady A (then Lady Antebellum) won in 2008; Carrie Underwood, who was 23 when she won in 2006; Natalie Maines, who was 23 when The Chicks (then Dixie Chicks) won in 1998; and Alison Krauss, who was 24 when she won in 1995.

The oldest winners to date, besides Rucker, were John Driskell Hopkins and Chris Fryar of Zac Brown Band, who were both 39 when the band won in 2010; Naomi Judd, who was 38 when The Judds won in 1984; and Stapleton, who was 37 when he won in 2015.

All the members of The Chicks, Lady A and The Band Perry were in their 20s when they won. The members of The Judds, Sawyer Brown and Rascal Flatts were in their 20s and 30s. Most members of Zac Brown Band, including Brown, were in their 30s.

Wilson, who as this year’s overall CMA nominations leader is widely expected to win the new artist award, discussed her age, and how long it took for her to break through, in a recent interview with Mikael Wood, pop music critic for The Los Angeles Times.

Asked how it feels to be feted as country music’s hottest new act after grinding it out for more than a decade, Wilson chuckled. “What do they call it? The 11-year overnight sensation?” she said. “There’s definitely been times when I was like, ‘Dang, I wish this would’ve happened sooner.’ But I feel like I’ve got more to say now. I’ve been through more life. I’ve been through more heartbreaks.”

Wilson also told Wood that when she came to town, “They told me if you don’t make it by the time you’re 23 or 24, you need to take your a– back to the house.” After she passed that age and an interviewer would ask how old she was, she’d smile and say, “’Didn’t your mama teach you better than that?’ Now, though, I’m like, ‘Hell yeah, I’m 30 years old,’” she says. “This is the best year of my life, and I’m proud of that.”

Here are all the CMA winners for the horizon award/new artist of the year, with their ages at the time of their victories.

1981: Terri Gibbs, 27

1982: Ricky Skaggs, 28

1983: John Anderson, 28

1984: The Judds (Naomi Judd, 38; Wynonna Judd, 20)

1985: Sawyer Brown (Mark Miller, 26; Bobby Randall, 33; Gregg Hubbard, 25; Jim Scholten, 33; Joe Smyth, 28)  

1986: Randy Travis, 27

1987: Holly Dunn, 30

1988: Ricky Van Shelton, 36

1989: Clint Black: 27

1990: Garth Brooks, 28

1991: Travis Tritt, 28

1992: Suzy Bogguss, 35

1993: Mark Chesnutt, 30

1994: John Michael Montgomery, 29

1995: Alison Krauss, 24

1996: Bryan White, 22

1997: LeAnn Rimes, 15

1998: The Chicks (Natalie Maines, 23; Martie Erwin, 28; Emily Erwin, 26)

1999: Jo Dee Messina, 29

2000: Brad Paisley, 28

2001: Keith Urban, 34

2002: Rascal Flatts (Gary LeVox, 32; Jay DeMarcus, 31; Joe Don Rooney, 27)

2003: Joe Nichols, 26

2004: Gretchen Wilson, 31

2005: Dierks Bentley, 29

2006: Carrie Underwood, 23

2007: Taylor Swift, 17

2008: Lady A (Charles Kelley, 27; Hillary Scott, 22; Dave Haywood, 26)

2009: Darius Rucker, 43

2010: Zac Brown Band (Zac Brown, 32; John Driskell Hopkins, 39; Chris Fryar 39; Clay Cook, 32; Jimmy De Martini, age unknown; Coy Boyles, age unknown)

2011: The Band Perry (Kimberly Perry, 28; Reid Perry, 22; Neil Perry, 21)

2012: Hunter Hayes, 21

2013: Kacey Musgraves, 25

2014: Brett Eldredge, 28

2015: Chris Stapleton, 37

2016: Maren Morris, 26

2017: Jon Pardi, 32

2018: Luke Combs, 28

2019: Ashley McBryde, 36

2020: Morgan Wallen, 27

2021: Jimmie Allen, 36

Jin Reveals That His Tour Essentials Include Some Angelic BTS Merch

Jin swung by the GQ offices to share the 10 things he can’t live without — including a BTS pajama set.

Showing off the “Good Day”-themed PJs, the K-pop star explained that the few possessions he requires when BTS hits the road are always the same: his computer, keyboard, mouse and the pajamas emblazoned with little cartoon angels, which he designed himself.

“When I planned to design pajamas, I just saw blue somewhere,” he said in Korean. “Or I saw something related to angels…I could’ve had a dream about angels, so I put angels into the design. Or maybe on my way to work, the color of the river was blue. So I use blue.

“I’m really bad at drawing,” the singer continued before admitting, “So I didn’t draw this myself. There are characters called TinyTAN. I thought, ‘What if we gave TinyTAN an angel look?’ Because they didn’t have that then. Should I have them be big on the clothes? Or I wondered if there should be a few small ones”

From there, Jin added the tiny harps and heart-shaped light sticks to his design. “All I did was give a lot of my opinions,” he insisted. “Big credit goes to the ones who helped make this.”

During the video, the idol also showed off his trusty Louis Vuitton bag with a Maplestory key ring featuring the character Pink Bean, a limited-edition Minions tennis bag and his Samsung Z Flip Thom Browne edition cell phone with BTS case — though Jin admitted he and his bandmates “don’t really text or call each other,” considering they see each other an estimated 360 days a year.

Jin just dropped “The Astronaut,” the emotional solo single he co-wrote with Coldplay, and its accompanying music video one week after surprise-releasing “Super Tuna,” “Abyss” and “Tonight” on streaming. Next, he’s set to be the first member of BTS to report for mandatory service in South Korea’s military.

Watch Jin gush over the 10 things he can’t live without below.

How to Buy Tickets to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour

Taylor Swift is heading out on her first tour in five years, as the superstar announced her The Eras Tour on Tuesday (Nov. 1).

The tour will be a celebration of all 10 of the studio albums Swift has released since 2006.The singer also shared a poster advertising the tour’s 27-date U.S. leg on Instagram featuring a collage of photos of herself through the years, from the time of her self-titled debut to Midnights, which dropped less than two weeks prior to the tour news.

“I wanted to tell you something that I’ve been so excited about for a really long time. I’ve been planning for ages and I finally get to tell you: I’m going back on tour,” Swift said on GMA, announcing the news. “The tour is called the Eras tour and it’s a journey through all of the musical eras of my career.”

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As can be expected, The Eras tour tickets will be one of the hottest on the market, so we’re breaking down everything you need to know so you can secure a seat at your local stadium. See below for presale information, Verified Fan signup, key ticket sale dates and more. Check out the full list of The Eras tour dates here.

When Do The Eras Tour Tickets Go On Sale?

Tickets for Taylor Swift’s The Eras tour will be available to purchase for the general public starting on Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. local venue time here.

When Does Taylor Swift’s Ticket Presale Start?

There are a number of ways to buy The Eras tour tickets before they go on sale to the general public. One of the easiest ways is by registering with Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program here staring now through Wednesday (Nov. 9) at 11:59 p.m. ET. Registered fans who receive a code will have exclusive access to purchase tickets on November 15 starting at 10 a.m. local venue time.

Only fans that have received their unique code will have the chance to purchase tickets starting at $49 up to $449. VIP packages will start at $199 up to $899 on a first come, first served basis.

Additionally, those who purchased tickets to the cancelled Lover Fest through Verified Fan will also receive preferred access to participate in the presale, if you register with the same Ticketmaster account as your Lover Fest purchase. 

Lastly, Swift is partnering again with Capital One a number of exclusive tickets are available for Capital One cardholders, who will have priority access to purchase tickets on November 15 at 2 p.m. local venue time through November 17 at 10 p.m. local venue time.

Machine Gun Kelly Says He Never Stopped Being a Rapper: ‘Never Departed, Left or Switched’

Machine Gun Kelly is misunderstood and he knows it.

The “Papercuts” singer sat down with The Hollywood Reporter at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, and while talking about his new movie Taurus, he clarified that unlike some believe, he never took a break from rap music in favor of his more pop-punk-leaning albums Tickets to My Downfall and Mainstream Sellout.

“I’m talented as f— and I added on to my catalog of four great rap albums. So what I did was I added on — never departed, left or switched. Because in the same year I was the most-viewed YouTube video putter-outer with all rap, which was my lockdown sessions, which gained more views than almost any of my other videos. And it was hundreds of millions of views of me rapping,” the 32-year-old explained.

MGK further explained that outlets often try to discredit his achievements in rap music and stated that he worked incredibly hard at writing his songs. “When you conveniently leave that out, that when quarantine happened and everyone was stuck in the house with no new entertainment, and I picked up my cell phone and put this thing on and wrote my a– off and rapped my a– off weekly … then you watch it and you’re like, ‘Damn, he’s actually saying some sh–.’ I was rapping,” he added. “And then later on we dropped a [Billboard 200] No. 1 album that was a pop-punk album. So when they say ‘departed’ or when they say, ‘Oh, man, you switched.’ Mother—-er, are you dumb?!”

Kelly further added that assumptions about his art often discourages him from doing interviews.

“I stopped doing interviews because I’m so sick of being asked questions that don’t make me think or that don’t make me feel. I’ve just sat there and heard this, ‘Oh, he departed, oh, he switched, oh, he’ — Do you know how long? How much that kills me every day? That if I died tomorrow, I know every single person would be like, ‘Legend, dude, this mother—-er did this and did this.’ And while I’m alive my flowers can’t be brought to me. … I don’t give a f— about actual money. I’ve never once in my life looked at my bank account. I could care less. I care about real human interaction. That’s the sh– to me.”

Taurus will be released Nov. 18. Listen to Machine Gun Kelly’s entire conversation with The Hollywood Reporter here.