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Diddy Sued For Sexual Assault By Male Producer, Claims He’s A Cancel Culture VIctim

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Diddy has more explaining to do. A former male producer is making some stunning claims that the mogul sexually assaulted him.

Variety Magazine is reporting that the Bad Boy Entertainment founder is now facing some new allegations regarding his behavior. On Monday, Feb. 26 producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed a lawsuit against Sean Combs stating the music executive made several sexual advances toward him during the recording of The Love Album: Off the Grid and was “subjected to unwanted advances by associates of Diddy at his direction.” Jones also faced “constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching of his anus” and was even made to work in the bathroom while Diddy showered.

But wait it gets worse. Aside from the inappropriate advances Jones says that Combs frequently hired sex workers and offered them illegal drugs and laced alcoholic beverages. Additionally, the producer says he was also drugged and woke up on Feb. 2, 2023 in bed naked with Diddy and two sex workers. As expected lawyers for Combs have denied in a statement to Variety Magazine. “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 billion lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday,” Shawn Holley said. “His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies.”

This one of many lawsuits against Diddy with claims of sexual misconduct. According to HipHopDX on Friday, Feb. 23 his lawyer Jonathan Davis described him and former Bad Boy Records president Harve Pierre in a filing as “victims of the ‘cancel culture’ frenzy in the courts”. The two businessmen are defendants along with another unnamed individual are alleged to gang raping a 17-year-old girl back in 2003. Both have plead not guilty and have asked the suit to be dismissed.

Live Nation Can’t Dismiss Shareholder Lawsuit Over ‘False and Misleading’ Earnings Reports, Judge Rules

A U.S. District Court judge is allowing a shareholder lawsuit against Live Nation to move forward, denying the concert promotion giant’s motion to dismiss it in a decision handed down Friday (Feb. 27).  

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The case involves how much the company should have to disclose about ongoing public pressure from federal authorities and how much of its financial success it should attribute to its dominant market share in the concert industry — as opposed to demand for concert tickets or the strength of its business.  

Shareholders Brian Donley and Gene Gress are suing Live Nation over drops in its share price from February 2022 to November 2023 that they say were brought on by the company’s “false and misleading statements and omissions” within its annual earnings reports — specifically regarding the company’s alleged “anticompetitive behavior and cooperation with regulators.”

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The lawsuit did not reveal any new antitrust allegations against Live Nation, nor did it detail any new antitrust investigations into the company by regulators. Attorneys for the shareholders instead focused on boilerplate language within the company’s shareholder report and argued that it should have spent more time talking about the threat a federal antitrust investigation posed.  

In siding with the shareholders, Judge Kenly Kiya Kato took issue with how the company described its success, noting in a 13-page ruling that she believed that Live Nation’s “failure to include specific facts and details about their presence and control of the live entertainment industry” in its annual report didn’t paint the full picture. Kato wrote in her ruling that the company’s claim that 2022 revenue growth “was a reflection of the quality of the Ticketmaster platform and its continued popularity with clients across the globe” was “misleading” because it failed to mention that “Ticketmaster controls ticket distribution for over 70% of major concert venues,” and “77% of the top 100 amphitheaters worldwide.” 

Kato also wrote that Ticketmaster’s claims that its success was based on the superiority of its ticketing systems was in part a false claim because it omitted criticism from competitors who testified against the company in front of the U.S. Senate in early 2023.

Since it merged with Ticketmaster in 2010, Live Nation has faced antitrust complaints over the company’s size and market share from competitors, politicians including Senators Amy Klobuchar and Richard Blumenthal, and consumer advocates. Scrutiny of the company increased in 2019 when officials with the Department of Justice opted to extend a decade-old consent decree against it, and then ramped up again following the high-profile 2022 crash of Taylor Swift’s Ticketmaster sale for her Eras Tour. 

Since 2022, Live Nation has not been notified that it’s the subject of any legal action by the Department of Justice and has written in its annual disclosures that it cooperates with all federal and state authorities, operates in a highly competitive marketplace and attributes its revenue growth at the end of 2021 to an increase “in events and higher ticket sales.”

Attorney Laurence M. Rosen, representing several shareholders in the class action lawsuit, said Live Nation’s answers contradict June 2023 reports from Politico and CNBC that the company was “allegedly stonewalling” a Senate subcommittee led by Senator Blumenthal that was seeking documents from the company about how it operated its concerts division.

Live Nation countered that Blumenthal was misrepresenting the dispute, that it had already handed over thousands of documents and was contesting demands for confidential information that included private details about how much artists earned from touring. In its response to the Senate committee, the company argued it would only hand over the documents if confidentiality protections were put in place. While Live Nation’s attorneys viewed the disagreement as insignificant, Rosen argued that the objection meant the company was “not cooperating fully with the ongoing DOJ and Senate Subcommittee investigations,” an attorney for the shareholders wrote.

Live Nation declined to comment for this story. 

Teenage Twins Blow Away ‘The Voice’ Judges With One Direction Cover

The Voice kicked off its 25th season this week, and in a new blind audition from Tuesday night’s episode (Feb. 27), a pair of 17-year-old twins get a three-chair turn.

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California natives Justin and Jeremy Garcia traded verses on One Direction’s “Story of My Life,” coming together to harmonize in the chorus, which caught the attention of coaches Chance the Rapper, Reba McEntire and newcomers Dan + Shay, the show’s first-ever coaching duo.

“That was a fantastic performance,” the country group’s Shay Mooney told the teenage duo. “From the first time I heard you guys harmonizing, and I found out that it was two people, I was like, ‘We have to turn around. This is amazing.’”

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Shay Smyers added with a laugh, “We’ve got just the chair for you too,” gesturing at Dan + Shay’s special conjoined spinning red chairs.

McEntire tried to sway the duo by relating to them on being part of a sibling group, referencing her family band The Singing McEntires. Mooney then interjected to note that he was also part of a band with his two sisters. “Just in case that gave Reba a leg up,” he insisted. “Don’t let her sweet talk you. I get it that she’s beautiful and she’s a legend but I just had to throw that out there.

John Legend, the only coach to not turn his chair, then decided to hilariously stir the pot, asking both Mooney and McEntire, “You all left your family groups, didn’t you?”

Ultimately, the Garcia Twins chose Dan + Shay as their coaches this season. Catch the full audition below, and watch The Voice on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=ppjfa-EaaJM&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

The 2024 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100

In the 15 years since K-pop’s early international pioneers BoA and the Wonder Girls made their respective marks on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100 charts back in 2009, the Korean pop industry has made significant strides on the Billboard charts — and never has its crossover success been more apparent than now.

In 2023 alone, 35 different K-pop albums entered the Billboard 200, and five took the No. 1 spot. TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION hit the top spot in February, Stray Kids’ 5-STAR reigned for a week in June, NewJeans’ Get Up took over in August, Stray Kids scored a second No. 1 this year with ROCK-STAR in November, before ATEEZ snagged their first chart-topper with The World EP.Fin: Will in December.

Over on the Hot 100, Jimin of BTS opened a new chapter of K-pop history when he became the first South Korean solo artist to hit No. 1 on the chart with his solo single “Like Crazy.” His bandmate Jung Kook followed soon after when “Seven” (featuring Latto) debuted atop the Hot 100 and set the stage for the star to set a new record with three top five solo hits so far. Elsewhere, artists like BIGBANG’s Taeyang, NewJeans, FIFTY FIFTY, Stray Kids and Jennie of BLACKPINK all earned their first Hot 100 entries, while TWICE and BTS members J-Hope, Agust D and V all added additional entries to their Hot 100 collections.

Of course, many artists also spent time connecting with their global fans, thanks to massive tours across the globe. Acts like SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, NCT, TWICE, aespa, LE SSERAFIM, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, Agust D and more played the largest venues of their career, further displaying K-pop’s impact on the live market.

Ahead of the launch of Billboard Korea — with a kick-off event in Seoul set for May, where the artists on this list will be invited as the guests of honor, and the first issue, Billboard K Vol.1, scheduled for release in June — we’ve compiled the inaugural Billboard K-Pop Artist 100 list, with rankings based on activity on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard Boxscore (touring) data for the charts dated Jan. 7, 2023, through Dec. 30, 2023. (In most cases, group members are listed together, except for where notable solo activity separates the artists.)

Find our full 2024 list below:

Adele Postpones Las Vegas Residency Dates Due to Illness: ‘I’ll Miss You Like Mad’

Adele took to Instagram on Tuesday (Feb. 27) to announce that due to an unspecified illness, she will be postponing the March dates of her popular Las Vegas residency.

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“Sadly I have to take a beat and pause my Vegas residency,” she wrote in a statement posted to the social media platform. “I was sick at the end of the last leg and all the way through my break. I hadn’t quite gotten the chance to get back to full health before shows resumed and now I’m sick again, and unfortunately it’s all taken a toll on my voice.”

She continued that her doctor recommended that she rest. “The remaining five weekends of this leg are being postponed to a later date,” the singer concluded. “We are already working out the details and you will be sent the information ASAP.”

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“I love you, I’ll miss you like mad and I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Adele captioned the post.

The last batch of shows of the Weekends With Adele residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace began on Jan. 19 and stretches through June 15. “This residency, these shows have changed my life. I desperately needed to fall back in love with performing live again, and I have. I needed to reconnect with my songs and remember what they mean to me, and I have!” Adele tweeted when announcing the extension late last year. “Being on stage over the last year so up close and personal with an audience again after all these years has been a truly extraordinary restorative experience that I’ll never forget. All the hilarious, soulful, wild and heartbreaking interactions we’ve had are banked in my mind for life. The looks on your faces, seeing you laugh and cry together singing your hearts out and hoarding bags of confetti.”

See Adele’s full announcement below.

Uncle Murda & Jadakiss “Money,” Fivio Foreign & Sheff G “Waiting” & More | Daily Visuals 2.27.24

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For a while now Uncle Murda’s been known for his year-end rap up’s, but the man does have bars outside of a summary of the previous year cultural events and he shows and proves just that in his latest offering.

Linking up with Jadakiss for the visuals to “Money,” Uncle Murda and the Verzuz GOAT show the lengths that people will go to in order to stack that paper. From pulling juxes to killing their own homies, Murda and Kiss remind us that money is indeed the root of all evil, yet, we still love it.

Keeping the scene in NYC, Fivio Foreign takes to the block with his crew in tow and in the Sheff G assisted clip to “Waiting,” Fivio turns up with his peoples in the streets while calling for the release of Sheff G who’s been locked up since last year. It’s always good to have peoples who keep your name ringing bells on the streets while doing a bid.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from BabyDrill, Byron Messia and Jiggy D, and more.

UNCLE MURDA & JADAKISS – “MONEY”



FIVIO FOREIGN & SHEFF G – “WAITING”



BABYDRILL – “I CAN’T FEEL MY FACE”



BYRON MESSIA & JIGGY D – “ATTRACTIVE”



MYKE TOWERS – “LA CAPI”



1TAKEJAY – “H TOWN”



JASTIN MARTIN – “RUNNING FROM LOVE”



DJ MUGGS & MOOCH – “MOOCH MOSES”



J-Hope Announces Album Tracklist, Jennifer Lopez on Celebs Rejecting Cameos & More | Billboard News

Sean “Diddy” Combs is being sued by ‘The Love Album: Off the Grid’ producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. for sexual assault and harassment, sex trafficking and various other forms of misconduct. Jennifer Lopez opened up about the celebrities who passed on being included in her film “This Is Me… Now: A Love Story.’ BTS’ J-Hope has released the tracklist for his upcoming album ‘Hope on The Street’ Vol. 1.’ Romeo Santos is joining Aventura for one final tour. And more!

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Jung Kook says yes to J-Hope, Taylor Swift says no to J.Lo and Romeo Santos joins Aventura. A male producer accuses Diddy of sexual assault. We sit down in studio with Fireboy, get an exclusive look at The Kid Laroi’s documentary and we go in depth about Women In Music honoree Maren Morris. It’s Tuesday, February 27th and welcome to Billboard News. There’s a lot going on today in the first story is a bit of a shocker. Diddy has been named in another shocking sexual assault case, and this time a male producer is suing the mogul for multiple forms of sexual misconduct. Producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. who says he worked on Sean Diddy Combs ‘The Love Album’ is accusing Combs of sexual assault and harassment, sex trafficking and more in a sprawling lawsuit filed February 26th. In the complaint, he accuses combs of groping and touching his anus and trying to groom him into engaging in sexual acts with Diddy and other individuals. He also claims that Combs forced him to solicit sex workers, some of whom were under age, as well as to perform sex acts to the pleasure of Mr. Combs the lawsuit even details and alleged studio shooting from 2022. In a statement sent to Billboard Combs’ attorney Shawn Holley said, “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 billion lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday.” Jones lawsuit is just the latest in a string of legal accusations pointed that Diddy. In November Combs longtime girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie sued him for rape and physical abuse, though the case was promptly settled.


Watch the full video above!

Michael Jackson Biopic Casts Its Jackson 5: See the Actors’ Photos

The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic is officially in production, and Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International that eight actors have been cast to play the King of Pop’s brothers in the Jackson 5 – Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, and Jackie – to represent the group as they age in the film.

In the early years, Jermaine will be played by Jayden Harville, Marlon will be played by Jaylen Lyndon Hunter, Tito will be played by Judah Edwards and Jackie will be played by Nathaniel Logan McIntyre. In the later years, Jermaine will be played by Jamal R. Henderson, Marlon will be played by Tre Horton, Tito will be played by Rhyan Hill and Jackie will be played by Joseph David-Jones.

“The truly epic nature of this film required a total of ten actors with the talent to portray the Jackson 5 through the years,” said the film’s producer Graham King in a press statement. “I’m thrilled to bring this extraordinary group of actors and performers to worldwide audiences in this film.”

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Jackson 5

Courtesy Photo

The film, titled Michael, will take on the musician’s life and career and will be produced by King (Bohemian Rhapsody) and John Branca and John McClain, who are the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. Titled Michael, the forthcoming biopic will be directed by Fuqua, the filmmaker behind 2001’s Oscar-winning Training Day and 2022’s Will Smith-starring Emancipation.

Jaafar Jackson will be portraying his late uncle Michael in the film alongside Nia Long, set to play Katherine Jackson, and Oscar nominee Colman Domingo, who is set to play the controversial Jackson family patriarch, Joe Jackson. Nine-year-old actor Juliano Krue Valdi will portray Michael during his formative years in the Jackson 5.

Michael is currently scheduled for release on April 18, 2025.

Jam Master Jay Murder Verdict: Jury Finds Two Men Guilty in Run-DMC Star’s 2002 Killing | Billboard News

A federal jury in Brooklyn on Tuesday (Feb. 27) found two New York City men guilty in the 2002 murder of Run-DMC‘s Jam Master Jay, setting the stage for potential decades-long prison sentences.

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A jury has found two men guilty of murdering Run DMC’s Jam Master Jay more than 20 years after his death.

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Jam Master Jay was murdered in Queens, New York back in 2002 and today after a three week trial Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington had been found guilty of murder. More than 30 witnesses testified and the jury came to the conclusion that the two men killed the rapper after he cut them out of a cocaine deal. Jordan and Washington each face a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. They will be able to challenge the verdict first to the judge and then to a federal appeals court but such appeals face long odds, attorneys for both defendants and the prosecution did not immediately return requests for comment on the verdict.

RAYE Becomes First Woman to Win Songwriter of the Year Ahead of 2024 Brit Awards

RAYE — who set a new record last month for the most Brit Awards nominations by an artist in any one year — is this year’s recipient of the Brit Award for songwriter of the year. The Brits will be held Saturday at 8.30 p.m. local time at The O2 arena in London. The show will broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX in the U.K. and will stream globally on YouTube.

The winner of the songwriter of the year award, which was introduced in 2022, is determined by a panel of expert judges. The two previous winners are Ed Sheeran and Kid Harpoon, which makes RAYE the first woman to receive the honor. The Brits added this category one year before the Grammys added songwriter of the year, non-classical. To date, no woman has won in that Grammy category.

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RAYE’s “Escapism” (featuring 070 Shake) reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2023 and logged 23 weeks on the chart.

RAYE is set to also perform on this year’s Brits, along with Becky Hill together with Chase & Status, Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding, Dua Lipa, Jungle, Kylie Minogue, Rema and Tate McRae. Lipa opened this year’s Grammys on Feb. 4 with a performance of “Training Season” and “Houdini.” The Brits will be hosted by Clara Amfo, Maya Jama and Roman Kemp.

RAYE is the fourth Brits winner to be announced ahead of the show.

Chase & Status are this year’s producer of the year winners. The electronic music duo, consisting of Saul Milton (Chase) and Will Kennard (Status), is also nominated for group of the year. They have produced not only their own releases, but the works of such other acts as Becky Hill, Paloma Faith, Rihanna, Rita Ora and Tinie Tempah. Chase & Status are the fourth multi-person production team to win producer of the year, following Stock Aitken Waterman (1988); Chris Potter, The Verve & Youth (1998); and Alan Moulder & Flood (2014).

Minogue will be presented with the Brits’ Global Icon award. Taylor Swift won that award three years ago.

The Last Dinner Party are the winners of the Brits Rising Star award.

The Brit Awards 2024 with Mastercard – the show’s official name – will take place Saturday, March 2, broadcast live from 8:30 p.m. local time on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player.

Yinka Bokinni and Jack Saunders will present The Brits’ Red Carpet for ITV2 and The Brits’ Aftershow for ITVX.