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Hunter Biden, the second eldest child of President Joe Biden, was pardoned by his father over the weekend in a move taken as an affront to the legal process by right-leaning observers. Earlier this year, Hunter Biden pled guilty in connection to a federal tax matter with President Biden issuing the pardon after previously stating he would not do so.
Hunter Biden, 54, was the target of false allegations concerning claims that Biden — when he was vice president — took a bribe to suggest that Ukraine fire prosecutor general Viktor Shokin to halt an investigation into Ukrainian gas company Burisma and to protect his son from charges since he worked on the company’s board.
Facing federal tax and gun charges, Biden admitted to lying on a federal form to obtain a firearm in 2018 as a drug user and was found guilty on three felony charges over the summer. The conviction made Bident the first child of a sitting United States president to be convicted in a criminal trial. Biden, who had his license to practice law suspended due to the conviction, was due to be sentenced on December 12 which no longer will happen after getting pardoned on Sunday (December 1).
Biden was a favorite target of Donald Trump and MAGA extremists during the 2020 presidential election cycle, harping heavily on the Ukraine matter despite little evidence supporting the claim. However, conservative pundits continued to seize on Biden’s legal issues and many are seemingly enraged that President Biden issued the pardon. President Biden stated the reason for the pardon was to counter the political motivations of his critics.
On X, formerly Twitter, MAGA Nation is attempting to turn the pardon of Hunter Biden around on President Joe Biden despite him leaving the office in January. We’ve gathered some responses and shared them in the list below.
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Sony Music UK has appointed Azi Eftekhari as its chief operating officer, effective immediately. Reporting directly to Jason Iley, chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK & Ireland, she’ll oversee key operational areas, including the label’s Commercial Group, and play a pivotal role in shaping the company’s overall growth strategy.
Eftekhari brings two decades of experience in the music and entertainment industries to her new position, having most recently served as co-president of Universal Music Recordings, managing global artists such as The Beatles, Elton John, Amy Winehouse, The Rolling Stones and The Spice Girls at the label’s catalogue division.
Prior to UMG, Azi held a significant role at YouTube as head of label relations, where she spearheaded the launch of YouTube Music across Europe and secured a landmark partnership with The BRIT Awards, further cementing her reputation as an innovator in the intersection of music and technology. Additionally, she co-led Remedy Inc., a creative agency delivering projects across music, theatre and branding.
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Eftekhari’s career began at Mercury Records, where she collaborated with Iley as director of digital and publicity, contributing to campaigns for artists like U2, Justin Bieber and Rihanna. Her leadership extended beyond individual companies, as she also served on the boards of the Official Charts Company and the Entertainment Retailers Association, showcasing her influence within the broader music industry.
Iley expressed confidence in Eftekhari’s “depth of experience straddling the world of music, tech and culture combined with commercial acumen,” while Azi voiced her gratitude for the opportunity to work with Illey. “He’s built an exceptional, future-facing company and I look forward to playing a part in continuing to champion the incredible roster of artists,” she said. “In this rapidly changing marketplace, there are many exciting opportunities to harness, and I can’t wait to help drive the business into the next chapter.”
Keep your hands off Kacey Musgraves. The singer called out a handsy fan who appeared to try to grab her arm and pull her in for a hug at her show in Tampa, FL at Amalie Arena on Friday, saying the incident almost got Texas serious. “Last night, this Tampa b–ch,” Musgraves said between songs […]
Beginning Monday (Dec. 2), SiriusXM’s Billboard Music Awards Channel spotlights the year’s biggest Billboard chart hits, serving as an all-inclusive soundtrack leading up to the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
The Billboard Music Awards Channel will air on the SiriusXM App for a limited time. It will also play on The 10s Spot (channel 11) beginning Dec. 6.
The channel will highlight 2024 Billboard Music Awards finalists, including No. 1 hits from the 2024 Billboard chart year, spanning genres from pop, rock/alternative and R&B/hip-hop to country, Latin, dance/electronic and Christian.
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Zach Bryan, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Sabrina Carpenter are the leading finalists for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards. Hosted by actress and comedian Michelle Buteau, the 2024 BBMAs presented by Marriott Bonvoy are set to air on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox and Fire TV Channels, and on-demand on Paramount+, with performances also rolling out across Billboard.com, and via BBMAs and Billboard social channels.
The BBMAs honor the year’s biggest artists, albums, songs, producers and songwriters across multiple genres, as determined by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts. The eligibility dates for this year’s awards are aligned with Billboard’s year-end charts tracking period, which measures music consumption from the charts dated Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024.
The Billboard Music Awards Channel marks the latest partnership between SiriusXM and Billboard. Recent airings include the Billboard Top 500 Summer Hits Countdown, the Billboard Women of Pop Countdown, the Billboard #2 Countdown Channel and the Billboard Top 500 R&B Countdown. Additionally, SiriusXM’s Big 40 Countdown, on ’80s on 8, and the Back in the Day Replay, on ’90s on 9, are based on historical weekly Hot 100 charts, with other current and classic charts counted down on channels including ’70s on 7, Prime Country and TikTok Radio.
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One of the two YSL defendants has run into some trouble. According to WSB-TV, Yak Gotti has been stabbed in Fulton County Jail. Sources at the jail state that Deamonte Kendrick aka Yak Gotti received minor injuries from the stabbing. The County Sheriff’s office stated that the YSL artist and another inmate got into a fight on Sunday, December 1st. The fight led to Yak getting stabbed by the opposing inmate.
Prosecutors are claiming that Yak Gotti is connected to murders linked to the YSL crew. The YSL artist was accused of being involved in violent crimes as part of the gang’s illegal activities. This is part of a bigger investigation into YSL, which already has serious charges like racketeering and violence. The case has gained much attention, especially since famous rapper Young Thug is involved. As more evidence comes out, the pressure on Yak Gotti, Stillwell, and others in the crew grows, making the situation even more intense for everyone involved.
More news to come as the story develops.
HOMEPAGE
FACTOR Canada says it has fallen victim to serious cyber theft.
Court filings by the music funding body, The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings, reveal claims that $9.8 million was stolen from a Scotiabank account earlier this year.
FACTOR distributes millions in funding to thousands of artists and music organizations in Canada — last year, the organization dispensed $50 million. Now, it’s alleging that an amount equivalent to nearly a fifth of that annual distribution was transferred by a cyberthief to a numbered company.
James Campagna, shareholder for said company, then allegedly transferred $9.4 million to a cryptocurrency-owned account and converted the funds into crypto.
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Today (Nov. 29), a hearing took place at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on the matter.
In a statement on the foundation’s website titled “FACTOR’s Response to the Scotiabank Cybertheft: The Facts,” the company clarifies its side of the story that was reported on in the media and says that it aims to “defend the baseless allegations being made by Scotiabank against our systems and staff.”
“It is true that FACTOR has been a victim of a significant financial crime that occurred on June 12, 2024, by way of a one-time fraudulent wire from our Scotiabank account on ScotiaConnect in the amount of $9,772,875.33,” the statement reads.
But the response from FACTOR adds new details to the story, particularly in regards to Scotiabank’s involvement.
The organization says it reported the crime to law enforcement on June 14, but that Scotiabank “has acknowledged it has never reported this financial crime to law enforcement.”
The statement also asserts that the money transfer was 300x larger than any transfer previously made from that account, “with no alerts to FACTOR of this highly unusual, suspicious, and illegal activity.”
If the funds aren’t recovered swiftly, there’s reason to be concerned that artists — who rely on FACTOR funding for recording, music video production, touring and more — could be affected.
More on this story as it develops – Rosie Long Decter
Drake Tells Interviewer to Turn Off The Weeknd and Put on Blink-182
Drake’s got a lot of enemies right now.
After Kendrick Lamar released his new album but before news broke of Drake’s two different legal actions against his parent label Universal Music Group and Spotify, the rapper joined Quebecois streamer xQc for a livestream on Kick on Sunday (Nov. 24).
You never know what Drake will say with a live mic, so many fans tuned in to see if he’d have words about the Kendrick beef or any other hot topics. Between confirming an upcoming Australia tour and giving an update on his collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, he also threw some subtle shade at his former friend The Weeknd.
As his song “Starboy” started playing, Drake quickly told xQc to “switch that one off.” When the host asked him why he doesn’t listen to it, he answered “we’re real 6ixers, we don’t listen to that.” He told him to turn on Blink-182 instead. “I want to hear that real sh-t,” he said over the sounds of “Dammit.”
The Weeknd was born in Scarborough, Ontario, a district of Toronto, a.k.a The 6ix. The Weeknd began his career affiliated with Drake, but the two have had their own long-simmering beef. The Weeknd was spotted in the audience at Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop Out” concert on Juneteenth, which included performances of all of the rapper’s diss tracks and multiple performances of the scathing “Not Like Us.”
Former Toronto Raptor DeMar DeRozan was also at that concert. That clearly upset Drake, who called him out on a recent game broadcast. Evidently, he still has beef with The Weeknd too.
Drake didn’t address Kendrick or his new album by name, but did reference Kendrick and his “false accusations” indirectly. “You need facts to take me out, fairy tales won’t do it,” he said. –Richard Trapunski
Elton John made it to the opening night of his new musical in London on Sunday night (Dec. 1), but the pop icon admitted that he could hear the show, but could not see any of it.
According to the Associated Press, John, 77, said he struggled to watch the stage debut of The Devil Wears Prada because, as he told the audience, “I haven’t been able to come to man of the previews because, as you know, I have lost my eyesight.”
John added, “So it’s hard for me to see it, but I love to hear it and, boy, it sounded good tonight.” The singer wrote the score for the stage musical based on the beloved 2006 movie about an eager young journalist (Anne Hathaway) trying to make her mark at a fashion magazine lorded over by an imperial, demanding editor (Meryl Streep).
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The London production at the Dominion Theatre stars Vanessa Williams as lacerating editor — memorably played by Streep in the film — Miranda Priestly, with music by John and lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick and a book by Kate Wetherhead. Sunday’s gala opening night was a fundraiser for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and featured an A-list crowd, including designer Donatella Versace and former Vogue editor Anna Wintour, the rumored inspiration for the Priestly character. The famously exacting fashion figurehead gave a typically tart-tongued assessment of the musical, referring to it as “entertaining.”
John recently told Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts that he suffered an eye infection this summer that has turned into a complete loss of vision in his right eye, which has impacted his ability to work on new music.
“I unfortunately lost my eye sight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the South of France,” said John. “It’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. And my left eye is not the greatest.” John teased a new album last year, but now that project is up in the air as the manages his poor vision.
“There’s hope and encouragement that it will be okay,” John said. “But I’m kind of stuck in the moment, because I can do something like this, but going into the studio and recording… I don’t know. Because I can’t see a lyric, for start.” John’s most recent album was 2021’s Record Store Day reissue of a shelved late 1960s album Regimental Sgt. Zippo.
AC/DC will hit the road next spring for the veteran hard rock band’s first U.S. tour in nine years. The 2025 Power Up North American tour is slated to hit 13 stadiums across the nation from April 10 through May 28.
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The outing is slated to kick off on April 10 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN, before moving on to Arlington, TX, Pasadena (CA), Vancouver, Las Vegas, Detroit, Foxborough (MA), Pittsburgh, Landover (MD), Tampa, Nashville and Chicago before winding down on May 28 at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.
Tickets for the tour will go on sale on Friday (Dec. 6) here.
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The North American swing in support of the band’s 2020 Power Up album is an extension of the 2024 European leg of the tour, which also filled stadiums. The band’s current lineup includes longtime singer Brian Johnson, founding member and lead guitarist Angus Young, as well as rhythm guitarist Stevie Young (who officially joined the band in 2014, replacing his uncle Malcolm Young, who retired due to dementia), drummer Matt Laug (who joined in 2023, replacing longtime drummer Phil Rudd) and former Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, who also came on board this year replacing longtime bassist Cliff Williams.
Check out the dates for AC/DC’s 2025 North American spring tour below:
April 10 — Minneapolis, MN @ US Bank Stadium
April 14 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium
April 18 — Pasadena, CA @ Rose Bowl
April 22 — Vancouver, BC @ BC Place
April 26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
April 30 — Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
May 4 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium
May 8 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Acrisure Stadium
May 12 — Landover, MD @ Northwest Stadium
May 16 — Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium
May 20 — Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium
May 24 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
May 28 — Cleveland, OH @ Huntington Bank Field
Some of the greatest names in new wave, punk, electronic and alternative rock will come together on June 22 in Milton Keynes, U.K. for the inaugural Forever Now festival.
The one-day even will feature sets from dance minimalists Kraftwerk, as well as “Rebel Yell” singer Billy Idol, punk veterans the Damned, Public Image Ltd and the Jesus & Mary Chain. The bill will also include former Smith guitarist and solo star Johnny Marr, the Psychedelic Furs, The The, the Happy Mondays, Bauhaus singer and solo performer Peter Murphy, Berlin and Theatre of Hate at what a release described as a “cultural phenomenon of the darker underbelly of creativity, from new wave to post-punk, psychedelia and alt-rock.”
The event is a sister act to the U.S.-based Cruel World festival, which will fill the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on May 17 for a day-long concert featuring New Order, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, the Go-Go’s, Devo, OMD, Death Cult, Garbage, Madness, She Wants Revenge, Alison Moyet and more.
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Additional acts slated for the U.K. show include: Chameleons, UKDecay, the Motels and She Wants Revenge. Fans can sign up for a Dec. 5 pre-sale now here; the general onsite will open at 10 a.m. on Dec. 6. In a statement, promoter AEG Presents said, “From the fashionably dark to the fiercely unconventional, all are welcome to revel in a day of unforgettable music and community. This is a festival where nostalgia meets discovery, where new and devoted fans unite, and where forever truly begins now.”
In addition o music on two stages, the U.K. show will feature a third stage, the Echo Chamber, which will be curated by music journalist John Robb and feature interviews, panel discussions and artist conversations.
Check out the announcement below.
Kesha released her latest single, “Delusional,” over the long holiday weekend, gifting fans with new music the same week she delivered a music video for “Joyride.”
“Delusional” — co-written by Kesha, Zhone, and Madison Love, and produced by Zhone — is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and more, and can be purchased on the iTunes Store. Preview the song below.
“I’ve been living the goddamn dream/ My time expensive and you’re just too cheap/ The way I’m single, do it so obscene/ Watch me gettin’ hotter on your cheap TV/ I’m in the heavens, I’m on 11/ You’re like a four, but who’s keepin’ score?/ Live for the heartbreak, it gets my bills paid/ Thank god you walked out that door,” Kesha sings on “Delusional,” leading up to the chorus: “Baby, you’re delusional/ Thinking you could ever find/ Something that’s as beautiful/ Someone with a love like mine.”
On Wednesday, Kesha had teased the release of “Delusional” at the end of her new “Joyride” video, perhaps launching a high-speed journey into a new chapter of her career.
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“Joyride,” which premiered in July, was the first single to be released via the singer’s own Kesha Records.
Kesha’s independent label has a global distribution deal with ADA that gives her full creative control and ownership of her work. ADA is also working together with Crush Music, Kesha’s management company, to oversee marketing and promotion for the pop star’s next album, expected to arrive in 2025. In the announcement of the partnership in September, Kesha noted, “I am excited to take control of my narrative and rewrite my story in the music business.”
Kesha’s record label launch and her newly released tunes follow the settling of a defamation suit filed by Dr. Luke in 2023, which came several years after the singer filed a suit against the producer in 2014 alleging physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
See the “Delusional” single art below. The song is available to listen to now on streaming platforms.
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