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09 Dec 2023

Hunter Biden Hit With 6 New Felony & Misdemeanor Tax Charges In Cali

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Hunter Biden

Source: The Washington Post / Getty

Things are not looking too good for the President of the United State’s oldest living son.

On Thursday (Dec. 7), Hunter Biden was indicted on nine tax charges in California after a special counsel investigation into the business dealings, according to the Associated Press. In all, Biden—who was already facing federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging that he broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018—is looking at three felonies and six misdemeanors under the new filing.

Special Council David Wiess said in a statement that Biden “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills.”

From AP:

The charges are centered on at least $1.4 million in taxes Hunter Biden owed during between 2016 and 2019, a period where he has acknowledged struggling with addiction. The back taxes have since been paid.

If convicted, Hunter Biden, 53, could receive a maximum of 17 years in prison. The special counsel probe remains open, Weiss said.

In response to the indictment, Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, accused Weiss of “bowing to Republican pressure” by prosecuting President Joe Biden’s son for alleged infractions he wouldn’t have prosecuted otherwise. “Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought,” Lowell said in a statement.

Lowell might be on to something, especially regarding the Delaware charges. Republicans are so anti-gun regulation that they fall all over themselves to defend guns after mass shootings, and under Donald Trump, an Obama-era regulation that would have made it harder for people with mental illness to buy guns was rolled back. Certainly, right-wing Second Amendment advocates would stand against a person being prosecuted for owning guns just because he has a history of drug use—unless we’re talking about the son of a Democratic commander-in-chief, of course.

As for the charges in California, where Hunter lives, Thursday’s filing details how the accused allegedly spent money on drugs, strippers, luxury hotels, exotic cars and, “in short, everything but his taxes.”

As AP noted, the “indictment comes as congressional Republicans pursue an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, claiming he was engaged in an influence-peddling scheme with his son.” Of course, there has been zero evidence presented that indicates the president had anything to do with his son’s alleged activities, or that Joe Biden accepted any bribes or abused his role in office in any way, as his opponents have claimed. But Republicans aren’t likely to let facts get in the way of a good political prosecution, which is what they claim all the indictments of Trump are.

Anyway, Lowell indicated that he plans to fight the new charges against his client and that he will motion for dismissal of the Delaware charges next week, calling them “unprecedented and unconstitutional.”

09 Dec 2023

Ultimate Rap League Homecoming II Caps Busy Battle Rap Weekend

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Homecoming II, Panic Room 7, Culture 6, Battle Rap

Ultimate Rap League (URL), the leading battle rap league, is hosting its Homecoming II event this coming Sunday (December 10) and will cap one of the busiest weekends in battle rap. On Saturday, two events are kicking ahead of URL’s big event.

Homecoming II, Panic Room 7, Culture 6, Battle Rap

Before Homecoming II pits headliners Murda Mook against Nu Jerzey Twork and Geechi Gotti against Serius Jones, battle rap fans will be feasting all day Saturday (December 9) with two thrilling cards, and Caffeine is hosting all of the events live and on-demand.

Homecoming II, Panic Room 7, Culture 6, Battle Rap

Via the Queen Of The Ring network, Panic Room 7 will see 40 B.A.R.R.S. out of Boston, Mass. taking on Coffee Brown from San Bernardino, Calif. at the Lotus Lounge in Brooklyn, N.Y. The other battles on the card are Shooney Da Rapper vs. Casey Jay, Tia.S vs. Cheyraq, Jay Love vs. Torture, Frank Nittii vs. Big Ice, Rocq Lee vs. Mallorei X, and DaeDoe DaGawd vs. LS.

Homecoming II, Panic Room 7, Culture 6, Battle Rap

Via the iBattleTV page on Caffeine, Culture 6 kicks off with headliners Tay Roc out of Baltimore, Md. and Febou out of Springfield, Mass going to battle at 73 Wave Street in Staten Island, N.Y. Also on the Culture 6 cards are Oppa vs. A Ward, Deth The Kid vs. DNA, Soul Khan vs. Homeskool, and more.

Homecoming II, Panic Room 7, Culture 6, Battle Rap

It should be noted that both of the cards mentioned above are pay-for-view events via Caffeine.

Homecoming II, Panic Room 7, Culture 6, Battle Rap

Ultimate Rap League, widely referred to as URL, will put on Homecoming II at New York’s Irving Plaza on Sunday (December 10) with Murda Mook out of Harlem against Nu Jerzey Twork out of New Jersey. The stacked card features URL vets like T-Rex vs. Chess, Swamp vs. Lu Castro, Ms Hustle vs. Arsonal, and Shotgun Suge vs. Ace Amin.

Homecoming II, Panic Room 7, Culture 6, Battle Rap

To tune in to Panic Room 7, click here and peep the trailer below.



To check out Culture 6, click here and peep the trailer below.



For Homecoming II, click here and peep the trailer below.



—

Photo: URL/QOTR/iBattleTV

09 Dec 2023

2 Chainz Hospitalized Following Car Accident in Miami

2 Chainz was rushed to the hospital after being involved in a car accident early Saturday morning (Dec. 9) in Miami.

The Atlanta rapper, 46, took to his Instagram Story following the crash to share a video of himself being loaded into the back of an ambulance on a stretcher. In the brief clip, he zooms in on a black Tesla with a massively smashed front end.

2 Chainz suffered neck injuries and possibly other injuries as a result of the accident, but was in stable condition at the hospital, according to TMZ.

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The “It’s a Vibe” rapper’s vehicle was reportedly struck from behind by a Tesla while the artist was driving on I-95. There were no fatalities, but at least one other male was transported to the hospital, TMZ reports. Authorities suspect the other driver may have been under the influence.

2 Chainz, who was in Miami for Art Basel, was reportedly leaving a local strip club shortly before the crash.

See 2 Chainz’ video of himself being loaded into an ambulance on Instagram here.

09 Dec 2023

Jung Kook Gets Vulnerable in Somber ‘Hate You’ Music Video: Watch

Jung Kook is reflecting on failed love in the somber music video for his ballad “Hate You.”

The minimalistic new clip, which dropped on Saturday (Dec. 9), opens with black-and-white shots of the BTS superstar sitting by himself on a bed and overlooking a brightly lit cityscape while solemnly singing about the scars of a past relationship. The video later shifts to color and features an animated snippet of two lovers running through a snowy forest.

“Audiences are taken on a transformative journey alongside the artist as the video unfolds, shifting from a melancholic black and white ambiance to a burst of colors with the vibrant hues breathing life into the visuals,” Big Hit and HYBE wrote in a press release about the video.

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“Hate You,” co-written with Shawn Mendes, appears on the K-pop singer’s first solo album, Golden. The set debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in November.

“‘Hate You’ is a pop ballad track that evokes a deep surge of emotions with a simple blend of lofi piano and Jung Kook’s vocals,” the news release continues. “It portrays the heartbreaking moment of forcing oneself to hate one’s innocent beloved as the love one feels is too much to bear.”

The vulnerable “Hate You” videos follows Golden remixes of “3D” (with Justin Timberlake) and “Standing Next to You” (with Usher).

The fresh releases arrive as Jung Kook prepares to enlist in the South Korean military. In late November, he took to Weverse to share a sweet message with ARMY.

“In December, I will start a new journey I’m leaving you for a while to serve in the military,” he wrote. “As I share this news, I feel heavy on one hand, and on the other hand, I’m reminded of precious memories with ARMY, so my heart warms up. Every moment I’ve spent with you has been the brightest time of my life. ARMY’s laughter, support, and love led me to this point. Thank you so much for supporting my dream and walking with me silently.”

South Korean requires an 18-month military service stint for all able-bodied men by the time they turn 28. BTS announced a pause in their group work in October 2022 to allow all the singers to enlist. The group is expected to reconvene in 2025 when all have completed their duty to country.

Watch Jung Kook’s “Hate You” video below.

09 Dec 2023

Here’s How Fans Can Watch Jung Kook Perform Songs from ‘Golden’ on Meta Quest 3

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Jung Kook is set to take the stage for an immersive, virtual reality concert that fans can experience in Meta’s Horizon Worlds on Monday (Dec. 11). Meta and iHeart Radio teamed for a series of concerts in Meta World Horizons featuring Jung Kook and other recording stars that you can watch live on the all-new Meta Quest 3.

BTS fans can watch iHeart Live with Jung Koook to see the K-Pop star perform songs from his album, Golden and more in Meta’s Music Valley on Monday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m PT.   

The iHeart Radio Live VR concert series launched on Nov. 28 with Kid Laroi, followed by Victoria Monét on Dec. 4. Alex Benjamin, BLACKPINK and Jorja Smith are some of the other artists on the lineup.

Along with performing hits and new singles, artists will discuss upcoming music releases in never-before-heard interview segments. 

All concerts will be available for one month after their debut.  

How to Watch Jungkook Perform Songs from 'Golden' on Meta Quest 3

Meta Quest 3 128GB — Breakthrough Mixed Reality

What is Music Valley?

Music Valley offers a new way to experience music — from the best seat in the house. The virtual music festival experience set in Meta’s Horizon Worlds features a 180-degree main stage screen and a line-up of recording artists from iHeartRadio and Red Rocks. 

Fans can create a custom avatar (that you can dress in different outfits) and attend a virtual reality concert, travel to different worlds, plays games, sports and more. Fans can interact with fellow fans, dance, and sing along to performances from Jung Kook, BLACKPINK and more in Music Valley, which is available for free on the all-new Meta Quest 3 mixed reality headset and Meta Quest 2, which are available at major retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and Meta.com.

After you enter Horizon World head over to Music Valley to watch live, VR performances. Music Valley also offers a full roster of performances available from artists like John Legend, Notorious B.I.G., Post Malone and Lucky Daye. Smith’s performance will premiere on Jan. 15, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

On Dec. 26, BLINKS can tune for BLACKPINK: A VR Encore. Produced by The Diamond Bros in partnership with Meta, BLACKPINK: A VR Encore was filmed during the final show of the sold-out Born Pink World Tour at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea. The 70-minute concert will feature some of the K-Pop group’s biggest hits including “How You Like That,” “You & Me” and “Pink Venom.”    

Red Rocks Live in VR debuts on Dec. 18 and if you’ve been dreaming of joining 10,000 other superfans from Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, here’s your chance to do it in VR. Red Rock Live in VR: Alice Wonderland premieres on Dec. 18.

09 Dec 2023

1 Year of ‘SOS’: 8 Records & Achievements for SZA’s Blockbuster Album

In the year since SZA’s SOS set sail on Dec. 9, 2022, the album has swelled into a blockbuster success that has dominated the R&B game. With a string of hit singles that preceded the release, exploded alongside it, or kept the momentum alive months after the drop date, SOS pushed SZA’s career into the stratosphere, while gliding from milestone to milestone on Billboard’s charts.

Before the first inklings of a title, release date or single, SZA’s second studio album was already among the industry’s most-anticipated albums. The singer-songwriter’s full-length debut, 2017’s Ctrl, proved a phenomenon, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and, as of December 2023, remaining on the chart every week since its arrival. Ctrl singles “Love Galore,” featuring Travis Scott, and “The Weekend” scored SZA a pair of top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while collaborations “All the Stars,” with Kendrick Lamar, and a supporting turn on Maroon 5’s “What Lovers Do” not only added to SZA’s success in the Ctrl era, but also produced top 10 Hot 100 results.

As anticipation mounted, SZA’s sophomore era began with a cycle of hope and disappointment for fans, as a series of single releases warmed up the speculation machine each time. “Hit Different,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, landed in September 2020, followed by “Good Days” in December 2020 and “I Hate U” in December 2021, but each came and went without any further announcements regarding S2.

And suddenly, the five-year wait had an expiration date. In a November 2022 Billboard cover story, SZA revealed the second album’s title, SOS, and promised its release the following month. If there was any doubt that the gap cooled the fervor for SOS, its initial success answered with authority. SOS debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and broke the record for the biggest streaming week for an R&B album, while its new singles expanded the hitmaking legacy of its predecessors, with “Kill Bill,” in particular, reaching historic heights.

That explosion, however, was just the beginning of a historic year for SOS, both in terms of all-time records on Billboard’s storied R&B/hip-hop charts and personal milestones for SZA’s career. As we hit the one-year anniversary of SOS, here’s a rundown of what the juggernaut album has achieved in its time.

09 Dec 2023

Marc Anthony Enters SoundExchange Hall of Fame & More Uplifting Moments in Latin Music

From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

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Marc Anthony Receives Special Award

This week, Marc Anthony received the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award for being one of the most-streamed artists the company has. “Marc Anthony has been making chart-topping, multilingual Latin, salsa, and pop music for nearly forty years,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange in a press statement. “Marc has consistently elevated the genre and is well respected in the industry. It’s an honor to recognize his artistry and achievements with the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award.” The announcement comes on the heels of the Puerto Rican artist also celebrating the 10th annual Maestro Cares Foundation’s Changing Lives, Building Dreams” gala, where Queen Latifah, Eugenio Derbez, and Sam Nazarian were honored for their contributions and charitable work. 

Latin Songs Hit A Billion Streams 

Two Latin bangers hit one billion streams on Spotify this week. Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” became the first-ever música Mexicana track to reach this feat on Sunday (Dec. 3), to which Eslabon reacted on Instagram with: “Happy and blessed we woke up today, Sunday, with this, and all thanks to God and you for making it possible for the song to reach a billion.”

Karol G, on the other hand, was awarded with Spotify’s Billions Club plaque during her Mañana Será Bonito Festival in Medellín for her 2022 hit “Provenza.” This is the Colombian’s third track to hit one billion following the Nicki Minaj-assisted “Tusa” and “China” in collaboration with Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, and Ozuna. 

Billboard’s Best Latin Pop Songs

Speaking of “Ella Baila Sola” and “Provenza,” both songs formed part of Billboard’s “50 Best Latin Pop Songs From 2000 to 2023” list, where the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editor’s rank the ultimate Spanish-language pop songs from Y2K to now. The former ranked at No. 12 and the latter at No. 16. The top five hits on the list are: Son By Four’s “A Puro Dolor” (No. 5), Juan Gabriel’s “Abrázame Muy Fuerte” (No. 4), Café Tacvba’s “Eres” (No. 3), “Bailando” by Enrique Iglesias, Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona (No. 2), and Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” in collaboration with Daddy Yankee at No. 1. See the complete ranked list here. 

Emilia’s Historic Accomplishment  

Meanwhile, Emilia is also on a hot streak. This week, not only did the Argentine pop star sell out 10 Dates at Buenos Aires’ Movistar Arena in 10 hours but she made history. Forming part of her  .mp3 tour in 2024, Emilia surpassed the previous record held by Luis Miguel, who sold out nine dates in one day at the venue with another date added later. “Having sold out shows in my career is truly special,” the 27-year-old singer who’s making the rounds with her sophomore album told Billboard. “To me it basically means my fans are connecting with my music. I am so thankful. I know I say it all the time, but it goes back to believing in yourself, because dreams do come true if you work for them.” 

The concerts are set to take place at the venue on April 6, 7, 19, 20, 21 and 23, and May 3, 29-31 for a collective audience of more than 100,000 fans.

Myke Towers Is Hunting For Talent

In a new national campaign called “Rockstar Energy Presents: Mic Check con Myke Towers,” Rockstar Energy and Towers teamed up to search for the next promising Latin star. The partnership will reward one aspiring act—to be selected by Towers himself—with the opportunity to be an opening act for one of his shows in 2024 and will receive the full-star treatment from Rockstar Energy, which will offer an artist development fund. 

“I know all about the heart and relentless determination that it takes to break into the music industry,” the Puerto Rican artist said in a press statement. “I strongly believe in paying it forward to give artists the opportunity to shine and get one step closer to achieving their dreams because I’ve walked the same path to achieve my own.”

“Music is built into the DNA of Rockstar Energy,” added Fabiola Torres, SVP, CMO Energy Portfolio/SVP Hispanic Business Unit in Beverages at PepsiCo. “It is with immense pride that we offer Latin urban artists, who have proven to be a transformative force in the music industry, the right energy to shine in any situation as they grow their career and help turn their dreams into reality.”

The campaign will run until January 23, 2024. See how to participate here.

08 Dec 2023

David Foster & Katharine McPhee on Creating ‘Christmas Songs’ Album, Their Relationship Advice & More | Billboard News

David Foster and Katharine McPhee talk about how they were inspired to create their ‘Christmas Songs’ album, Foster’s secrets to making great Christmas music, how they make their relationship work, their favorite family holiday traditions and more.

David Foster:
Oh, I thought that you’re taking your ring off! And furthermore, I don’t want to be married anymore.

David Foster:
Hi, I’m David Foster.

Katharine McPhee:
And I’m Katharine McPhee

David Foster:
And this is Billboard News.

Rania Aniftos:
Hey everybody, welcome back to Billboard News. I am Rania Aniftos and I am so honored because we are here today with David Foster and Katharine McPhee.

David Foster:
Let’s hear it, folks!

Katharine McPhee:
Live studio audience!

Rania Aniftos:
We’re finally in the Christmas spirit. You guys have your Christmas album, your second Christmas album together. Tell me a bit about why you decided to give it another go?

Katharine McPhee:
It’s not really a second Christmas album. The way we look at it is that it’s like one complete album. Most albums have, what? Thirteen tracks on it.

David Foster:
Right.

Katharine McPhee:
So now we just combined the two last year…

David Foster:
We did seven and seven. Seven last year, seven this year.

Katharine McPhee:
Yeah, so it’s like one big album. So you can now get the whole thing in one sort of bundle and

David Foster:
It’s called ‘Christmas Songs.’ You know why?

Rania Aniftos:
Why?

David Foster:
“Hey Siri, play Christmas songs.”

Rania Aniftos:
To be fair, it probably doesn’t hurt that algorithm, right? The SEO to get it up at the top

David Foster:
Smart girl.

Watch the full interview above!

08 Dec 2023

Katharine McPhee & David Foster Talk ‘Christmas Songs’ & Recording Together for First Time Since ‘Idol’ Days

‘Tis the season for a new set of holiday-ready tracks from Katharine McPhee and David Foster. The married pair released seven new tracks for Christmas Songs in October in anticipation of the holiday season, and they spoke about their inspirations in the latest episode of Billboard News.

“It’s not really a second album; the way we look at it is that it’s one complete album,” McPhee shared. “Most albums have about, what, 13 tracks on it? So now we’ve just combined the two, last year [and this year], so it’s like one big album, and now you can get the whole thing in a bundle.”

Christmas Songs notably marks McPhee and Foster’s first new material together in almost two decades, and it was inspired in part by the extra time they had together during the pandemic as a way to kill time.

“We toured together a lot, but 18 years ago was when I produced her very first single off the Idol show, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” which became, in all modesty, kind of a career jump for you,” he lightly teased his wife.

“It’s a song that has followed me wherever I go, but I did originally sing it on American Idol, so let’s just remember that it was based off of that version, but not just what David Foster wanted … I do that song a lot, but [Christmas Songs] was the first and few times we were in the recording studio together until we were actually each other’s ball and chain,” McPhee added.

The now-completed Christmas Songs includes holiday classics “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “Amazing Grace,” “My Grown Up Christmas List” and more.

Watch McPhee and Foster’s full interview with Billboard News in the video above.

08 Dec 2023

Nicki Minaj, Tate McRae & Sabrina Carpenter Release New Music, Akon & Sammy Wilk’s New Merch, More | Billboard News

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Nicki Minaj releases her highly anticipated ‘Pink Friday 2’ album. After success with her single “Greedy,” Tate McRae has released her album ‘Think Later.’ Sabrina Carpenter releases more holiday music with her ‘Fruitcake’ EP, featuring the single “santa doesn’t know you like I do.” Katharine McPhee and David Foster talks about their new Christmas album ‘Christmas Songs’ and what makes their relationship work. Billboard All Access shows some of the biggest Latin artists across the globe. Sammy Wilk and Akon show off their new merch on Billboard Live Shopping Week with talkshoplive and more!

Tetris Kelly
We’ve got albums from Nicki Minaj, Tate McRae and The Killers. Katherine McPhee and David Foster help us get in the holiday spirit. We celebrate the Queen of Rap’s birthday with a look back at her legacy. We’ve got your ticket to the hottest shows coast to coast. Plus our Billboard Live Shopping Week with talkshoplive continues. I’m Tetris Kelly, it’s Friday, December 8th, and it’s almost the weekend. We’ve got some Billboard News to get through first, starting with our Friday Music Guide. Tate McRae has already charted two songs on the Hot 100 in her latest era, and now we have the full project ‘Think Later’

Tetris Kelly
We’ll have more new music for you throughout the show. But first we’ve got a very special birthday girl to celebrate.

Evan Burke
Only an icon can give out gifts on their birthday. And that’s the Queen of Rap Nicki Minaj

Evan Burke
And from her “Boom Ba Da Doom Bass” to it being Pink Friday yet again, we’re celebrating Nicki’s 41st birthday in this week’s Pop Culture Rewind.

Evan Burke
It’s a monster moment in pop culture we’ll never forget. Nicki Minaj was killing the features early in her career, but her first album ‘Pink Friday’ was full of massive hits.

Evan Burke
None bigger than “Super Bass.”

Watch the full video above!