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22 Nov 2023

‘The View’ Hosts Point Out What They See as Travis Kelce’s ‘Red Flags’ After His Interview About Taylor Swift

The women of The View had a lot to say concerning Travis Kelce following the football player’s recent Wall Street Journal interview about Taylor Swift.

On the Tuesday (Nov. 21) episode of the talk show, hosts Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines and Alyssa Farah Griffin took turns calling out “red flags” they found in Kelce’s candid interview, in which he gave details how he and the “Anti-Hero” singer first started dating, and shared he worries about how his relationship with the media might make Swift uncomfortable.

“Some of the things he said raised some red flags for me,” said Hostin. “He said, ‘The biggest thing to me: Make sure I don’t say anything that would push Taylor away.’ What is he hiding? … He’s sending in his representative so he doesn’t offend her in any way — that’s not real life. People offend you sometimes.”

“My red flag is this,” added Griffin, who wondered whether the Chiefs tight end is simply a “palate cleanser” for Swift following her longterm relationship with Joe Alwyn. “My only concern is she got out of a seven-year relationship and really jumped into this. You tend to want to give some time to get over the previous relationship. I root for them, I want to see her happy, I think she’s one of the most talented musicians of my lifetime by far, but it seems like a little bit of a rush.”

Haines, however, suspected that Kelce is using his newfound fame from the relationship as a stepping stone to a post-NFL career. “He is huge in the football world, and then you go to Taylor Swift Land, and I think that if you were thinking about next chapters, this would be lovely,” she theorized. “I think he’s looking for his second act.”

The new View segment comes about a week after the ladies discussed Kelce’s decade-old tweets, many of which recently resurfaced as fans and brands alike started combing through his Twitter account. While many of the Ohio native’s (often misspelled) posts were innocent musings about Taco Bell or feeding bread to squirrels, the View hosts took issue with a few in which Kelce reportedly insulted girls for being “ugly.”

“He’s illiterate,” Behar said at the time, adding that she didn’t want Swift to be “stuck with this idiot.” 

Not all of the hosts had negative things to say about Kelce, though. On the Tuesday episode, Griffin pointed out how it can be “hard at that level of celebrity to find people with the right intentions.” “He seems like a very nice guy and I root for them,” she added. “But I do think [Taylor] has to be careful.”

Watch The View hosts’ takes on Travis Kelce’s “red flags” above.

22 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift Sends ‘All My Love’ to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Contestants on Her Theme Night

It was a love story dedicated to Taylor Swift on Dancing With the Stars Tuesday (Nov. 21). ABC’s long-running ballroom bash featured a night of cha-chas, tangos, rumbas and more set to the pop superstar’s vast category of hits. Before the competition kicked off, Swift herself sent in a video message to encourage the contestants.

“Hey guys! It’s Taylor! I just wanted to say thank you so much for having this me themed night on Dancing With the Stars!” she began happily. “I so wish I could be there to see what you and your amazing choreographers and my friend Mandy Moore have put together. I wish I could be there, but I’m on tour in Brazil, but I’m sending you guys all my love, and best of luck to all the contestants!”

Moore, who is Swift’s lead choreographer for her ongoing Eras Tour, was the guest judge for the evening, joining regulars Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.

Six remaining pairs competed on Taylor Swift Night. Actress Alyson Hannigan and pro partner Sacha Farber showed off their cha-cha moves to “You Belong With Me” and earned a score of 29 out of 40. Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix and pro Pasha Pashkov did a rumba to “Cruel Summer,” and despite battling back pain, she impressed the judges and got a 37. Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach tangoed to “Don’t Blame Me” and redeemed themselves for last week’s lackluster performance, this time snagging a perfect 40. Too Hot to Handle‘s Harry Jowsey rumba’d with Rylee Arnold to “August” for a 30; The Bachelorette’s Charity Lawson tangoed with Artem Chigvintsev to “Look What You Made Me Do” for a 38; and Xochi Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy did a quickstep to “Paper Rings” and earned a 38.

After the competitors delivered a few relay dances for potential extra points, the judges’ scores were combined with fan votes to determine who would be out. The unlucky hoofer this week was Jowsey.

Swift — who is a big fan of the ballroom bash and has previously performed on the show — is currently wrapping up the South American leg of her megahit Eras Tour. She has three remaining shows in Sao Paolo, Brazil, happening Nov. 24-26. After that, she’ll take a quick break before kicking up the international leg of her tour again, starting with concerts in Tokyo in early February.

The 12-time Grammy winner also recently won big at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, earning 10 trophies, including top artist and top female artist. The victories put her in a tie with Drake for the title of winningest artists at the BBMAs, with 39 each. She has also been named Billboard‘s top artist of 2023.

22 Nov 2023

Cardi B Blasts Hater Calling Out Influencers Who Get Plastic Surgery ‘Acting Like They Really Be in the Gym’

Cardi B had some pointed words for a commenter on X (formerly known as Twitter), who appeared to take shots at the “Bongos” rapper after a recent post in which Cardi posed at the gym in butt-hugging leggings that showed off her famous backside.

“I hate influencers who do this get all the surgery acting like they really be in the gym when really if they gain more weight they will just get surgery again smh,” wrote the commenter. Cardi, 31, who has not shied away from discussing her plastic surgeries in the past, reminded the hater that she’s an open book, as well as a gym rat.

“How vocal have I been about my procedures??? The thing is I don’t gain weight much so I’m trying to gain MUSCLE cuz it’s hard for me to maintain fat,” Cardi tweeted. “Also there’s this thing called visceral fat… It’s fat that grows under the muscle and you can’t lipo it only thing you can do is work it out! THATS WHY YOU SEE POUCHES ON LIPO GIRLS. YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT!”

Back in 2019, after postponing some shows after complications from a boob job and lipo, Cardi said she was never going under the cosmetic knife again. “I been working out for the past 2 weeks cause b—h I ain’t getting surgery again???,” Cardi tweeted at the time. “But let me tell you I haven’t got a headache ever since.”

Cardi recently teased that she’s thinking of dropping “a lil’ something something” before year’s end, giving fans hope that her long-promised follow-up to 2018 debut studio album Invasion of Privacy might finally be on the horizon.

Check out the posts below.

22 Nov 2023

Social Media Reacts To Drake’s New Face Tattoo, Translates To “Poor” & “Misfortune” In Arabic

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Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert

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Drake has a new face tattoo and, like with any Drizzy-related fashion statement (y’all remember them weird side buns with the pink hairclips), the new tat has caused social media to explode in responses that range from mocking to compliments to, well, much more mocking.

First, let’s talk about the tattoo, which is small enough that you might miss it right above his eyebrow.

From Hip Hop DX:

On Saturday (November 18), photographer Brent Kore took to his Instagram stories to post a photo of The 6 God’s new tattoo, which reads “miskeen.” The tattoo was over Drake’s right eyebrow.

Eagle-eyed fans noted that the word “miskeen” is a common turn of phrase in Toronto, and comes from the Arabic word مِسْكِين, or miskin. The word derives from the Classical Syriac and means “poor” or “misfortunate.” The Toronto slang “miskeen,” a derivative of that Arabic word, comes from the large Somali community in Toronto (who speak a dialect of Arabic), and means the same thing.

Now, first, there appears to be some dispute as to whether or not “miskeen” is commonly used by people of Arabic descent in Toronto.

But, for many, the larger controversy revolves around the “Hotline Bling” artist, or anyone for that matter, representing themselves with a tattoo that means “poor,” “misfortunate” and, by some translations, “hopeless.”

Other responses to Drake’s tat show that some think it’s cute, some think he’s ruining his face, and others think the 37-year-old is venturing into mid-life crisis territory. (And, of course, there are those who just don’t like Drake.) See some of the best in the gallery below.

Anyway, what do y’all think about Drake’s new face tat? Let us know in the comments.

22 Nov 2023

Scary or a ‘Kick in the Butt’? Pros and Cons of AI Debated in Nashville By ASCAP Members

When Dierks Bentley’s band is looking for something to keep it occupied during long bus rides, the group has, at times, turned to artificial intelligence apps, asking them to create album reviews or cover art for the group’s alter ego, The Hot Country Knights.

“So far,” guitarist Charlie Worsham says, “AI does not completely understand The Hot Country Knights.”

By the same token, Music Row doesn’t completely understand AI, but the developing technology is here, inspiring tech heads and early adaptors to experiment with it, using it to get a feel, for example, for how Bentley’s voice might fit a new song or to kick-start a verse that has the writer stumped. But it has also inspired a palpable amount of fear among artists anticipating their voices will be misused and among musicians who feel they’ll be completely replaced.

“As a songwriter, I see the benefit that you don’t have to shell out a ton of money for a demo singer,” one attendee said during the Q&A section of an ASCAP panel about AI on Nov. 7. “But also, as a demo singer, I’m like, ‘Oh, shit, I’m out of a job.’”

That particular panel, moderated by songwriter-producer Chris DeStefano (“At the End of a Bar,” “That’s My Kind of Night”), was one of three AI presentations that ASCAP hosted at Nashville’s Twelve Thirty Club the morning after the ASCAP Country Music Awards, hoping to educate Music City about the burgeoning technology. The event addressed the creative possibilities ahead, the evolving legal discussion around AI and the ethical questions that it raises. (ASCAP has endorsed six principles for AI frameworks here).

The best-known examples of AI’s entry into music have revolved around the use of public figures’ voices in novel ways. Hip-hop artist Drake, in one prominent instance, had his voice re-created in a cover of “Bubbly,” originated by Colbie Caillat, who released her first country album, Along the Way, on Sept. 22. 

“Definitely bizarre,” Caillat said during CMA Week activities. “I don’t think it’s good. I think it makes it all too easy.”

But ASCAP panelists outlined numerous ways AI can be employed for positive uses without misappropriating someone’s voice. DeStefano uses AI program Isotope, which learned his mixing tendencies, to elevate his tracks to “another level.” Independent hip-hop artist Curtiss King has used AI to handle tasks outside of his wheelhouse that he can’t afford to outsource, such as graphic design or developing video ideas for social media. Singer-songwriter Anna Vaus instructed AI to create a 30-day social media campaign for her song “Halloween on Christmas Eve” and has used it to adjust her bio or press releases — “stuff,” she says, “that is not what sets my soul on fire.” It allows her more time, she said, for “sitting in my room and sharing my human experiences.”

All of this forward motion is happening faster in some other genres than it is in country, and the abuses — the unauthorized use of Drake’s voice or Tom Cruise’s image — have entertainment lawyers and the Copyright Office playing catch-up. Those examples test the application of the fair use doctrine in copyright law, which allows creators to play with existing copyrights. But as Sheppard Mullin partner Dan Schnapp pointed out during the ASCAP legal panel, fair use requires the new piece to be a transformative product that does not damage the market for the original work. When Drake’s voice is being applied without his consent to a song he has never recorded and he is not receiving a royalty, that arguably affects his marketability.

The Copyright Office has declined to offer copyright protection for AI creations, though works that are formed through a combination of human and artificial efforts complicate the rule. U.S. Copyright Office deputy general counsel Emily Chapuis pointed to a comic book composed by a human author who engaged AI for the drawings. Copyright was granted to the text, but not the illustrations.

The legal community is also sorting through rights to privacy and so-called “moral rights,” the originator’s ability to control how a copyright is used.

“You can’t wait for the law to catch up to the tech,” Schnapp said during the legal panel. “It never has and never will. And now, this is the most disruptive technology that’s hit the creative industry, generally, in our lifetime. And it’s growing exponentially.”

Which has some creators uneasy. Carolyn Dawn Johnson asked from the audience if composers should stop using their phones during writing appointments because ads can track typed and spoken activity, thus opening the possibility that AI begins to draw on content that has never been included in copyrighted material. The question was not fully answered.

But elsewhere, Nashville musicians are beginning to use AI in multiple ways. Restless Road has had AI apply harmonies to songwriter demos to see if a song might fit its sound. Elvie Shane, toying with a chatbot, developed an idea that he turned into a song about the meth epidemic, “Appalachian Alchemy.” Chase Matthew’s producer put a version of his voice on a song to convince him to record it. Better Than Ezra’s Kevin Griffin, who co-wrote Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue,” has asked AI to suggest second verses on songs he was writing — the verses are usually pedestrian, but he has found “one nugget” that helped finish a piece. 

The skeptics have legitimate points, but skeptics also protested electronic instruments, drum machines, CDs, file sharing and programmed tracks. The industry has inevitably adapted to those technologies. And while AI is scary, early adopters seem to think it’s making them more productive and more creative.

“It’s always one step behind,” noted King. “It can make predictions based upon the habits that I’ve had, but there’s so many interactions that I have because I’m a creative and I get creative about where I’m going next … If anything, AI has given me like a kick in the butt to be more creative than I’ve ever been before.”

Songwriter Kevin Kadish (“Whiskey Glasses,” “Soul”) put the negatives of AI into a bigger-picture perspective.

“I’m more worried about it for like people’s safety and all the scams that happen on the phone,” he said on the ASCAP red carpet. “Music is the least of our worries with AI.”

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22 Nov 2023

Future Unveils His LANVIN LAB Collection

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LANVIN LAB BY FUTURE

Source: LANVIN / Lanvin

Future has just added yet another notch on his already decorated belt. The Atlantia rapper has launched his first ever collection with LANVIN.

On Monday, November 20 the French luxury fashion house unveiled Future’s inaugural drop. According to a press release Future drew “upon the LANVIN archives to create a unisex collection, which emphasizes his love of layering and tailoring, with an impressive flair for accessories”. The “Too Many Nights” MC detailed his approach in a formal statement, “I created a vibe with this collection, something you can feel when you wear it. ​ Jeanne Lanvin drew inspiration from her life and lifestyle. We are the same in that ​way, we create from experience”.

LANVIN LAB BY FUTURE

Source: LANVIN / Lanvin

The capsule touches on some streetwear staples including t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and accessories. The stand out though is the Loose-Fit Printed Jumpsuit. Made of denim this piece features an LANVIN branding throughout, a square neckline with straps and metal buckle closure, belt loops at the waist and two patch pockets in the back. We also get their Hyper Curb sneakers in two colorways; each with an oversized tongue and fat laces.

LANVIN Lab is an experimental space inviting creative partnerships with proven and rising international talents that challenge and reinforce the house’s cultural values and position. The Future x LANVIN Lab collection is available now and can be shopped here. 

22 Nov 2023

Footage Shows A$AP Rocky Holding Gun Prior To A$AP Relli Being Shot, Allegedly

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A$AP Rocky Appears At Los Angeles Court For Preliminary Hearing

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A$AP Rocky has a new set of legal problems to deal with. Pretty Flacko will have to stand trial for allegedly shooting at A$AP Relli.

TMZ is reporting that the Harlem, New York native will have to defend his name in a court of law for discharging a firearm at his former A$AP MOB collaborator. On Monday afternoon Pretty Flacko attended a hearing at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles where prosecutors played what seems to be a pretty damning video. The surveillance footage shows what appears to be Rocky holding a black gun during an altercation with Relli back in 2021. Although there is no footage of the “Pesos” MC using the weapon the prosecution went on to play a second video where two gun shots can be heard.

Rocky’s lawyer questioned LAPD Detective Frank Flores and confirmed he no gun was found at the scene of the crime. The legal eagle went on to suggest that the police could not confirm what the rapper was actually holding in his hand and if it. “That gun or whatever it was was not tested, right?” Tacopina asked to which Flores responded “No, it was never recovered”. Tacopina added “you’re not sure if it’s an operable gun or a non-operable gun or whatever?” Flores confirmed saying “Without having it, I can’t tell you whether it’s operable”.

Relli claims A$AP Rocky pointed a gun to his stomach on November 6, 2021 during a tense confrontation but later on actually shot at him which resulted in the bullets grazing his knuckles. As per CBS News a judge has ruled that Rocky will have to stand trial for the crime. A$AP Rocky has pled not guilty to the charges.

You can see the footage of the altercation below.



22 Nov 2023

President Biden, White House Launch Threads Accounts

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President Biden Discusses Progress On Slowing Flow Of Fentanyl Into The Country

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President Joe Biden and the White House are expanding their social media outreach by launching accounts on the Threads platform.

According to reports, President Joe Biden and his presidential campaign have opened Threads accounts. Threads is the Meta-backed platform launched by Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg to rival X, formerly Twitter which was acquired by tech billionaire Elon Musk. They will join the White House, which has already launched an account on Threads. 

President Biden shared the news ironically through a post made to X on his birthday, which was Monday (November 20). In his first post at Threads, he wrote: “I turned 81 and all I got was a new social platform! Thanks for the well wishes, folks. And to the workers at the birthday candle factory, I hope your union got you overtime.”

Additionally, First Lady Jill Biden will also have a Threads account along with Vice President Kamala Harris (who’ll have her own campaign Threads account) and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.  Sources close to the decision state that these developments wouldn’t have any effect on the administration’s current usage of their accounts on X and that the decision to create Threads accounts was based on the metrics of usage the platform has.

The move is a prudent one as The White House gained an influx of followers when it launched its Threads account during the summer as many began to migrate away from X in the wake of several changes that Musk made to the platform. The news also comes days after the White House condemned an antisemitic post that Musk endorsed and amplified on X last week.

Other companies such as IBM, Apple, and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced that they would be pausing ads on the X platform after the Media Matters article showing how these and other brands had their ads run in proximity to posts created by Neo-Nazis. Musk has denied being antisemitic, vowing to sue Media Matters for their article exposing those issues.

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22 Nov 2023

The Year in Charts: Here Are Billboard’s Top 5 New Latin Artists of 2023

Billboard has unleashed its much-anticipated Year-End Charts, which includes the top five new Latin artists among its many lists. While Bad Bunny finalized 2023 as Billboard’s top Latin artist of the year, five newcomers also made really strong waves.

Crowning the year-end “Top Latin Artist – New” chart is Guadalajara-born breakthrough act Peso Pluma (real name: Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija), whom this year alone earned 22 songs on the all-genre Hot 100 chart — including his Eslabon Armado collab “Ella Baila Sola” reaching No. 4 and his Yng Lvcas team-up “La Bebe” reaching No. 11. 

Following Peso at No. 2 — and another clear representation of música Mexicana’s global effect — is Grupo Frontera. After gaining virality with their Norteño version of Morat’s pop hit “No Se Va,” the local McAllen, Texas group — composed of Adelaido “Payo” Solis III, Juan Javier Cantú, Julian Peña Jr., Alberto Acosta, Carlos Guerrero and Brian Ortega — has notched remarkable collaborations with big-name acts such as Bad Bunny, Carin León, and Arcangel.

Furthermore, Yng Lvcas, Bizarrap and Chino Pacas appear on the year-end Top Latin Artist – New chart that is based on performance on both Hot Latin Songs and Top Latin Albums (the date range for the chart goes from Nov. 19, 2022, through Oct. 21, 2023).

Below, see how each artist performed on the Billboard charts in 2023:

Billboard’s year-end music recaps represent aggregated metrics for each artist, title, label and music contributor on the weekly charts from Nov. 19, 2022, through Oct. 21, 2023. Rankings for Luminate-based recaps reflect equivalent album units, airplay, sales or streaming during the weeks that the titles appeared on a respective chart during the tracking year. Any activity registered before or after a title’s chart run isn’t considered in these rankings. That methodology detail, and the November-October time period, account for some of the difference between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Luminate.

22 Nov 2023

Sam Altman Is Back as OpenAI CEO Just Days After Being Fired

The ousted leader of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is returning to the company that fired him late last week, culminating a days-long power struggle that shocked the tech industry and brought attention to the conflicts around how to safely build artificial intelligence.

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San Francisco-based OpenAI said in a statement late Tuesday: “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board.”

The board, which replaces the one that fired Altman on Friday, will be led by former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor, who also chaired Twitter’s board before its takeover by Elon Musk last year. The other members will be former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo.

OpenAI’s previous board of directors, which included D’Angelo, had refused to give specific reasons for why it fired Altman, leading to a weekend of internal conflict at the company and growing outside pressure from the startup’s investors.

The chaos also accentuated the differences between Altman — who’s become the face of generative AI’s rapid commercialization since ChatGPT’s arrival a year ago — and members of the company’s board who have expressed deep reservations about the safety risks posed by AI as it gets more advanced.

Microsoft, which has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI and has rights to its current technology, quickly moved to hire Altman on Monday, as well as another co-founder and former president, Greg Brockman, who had quit in protest after Altman’s removal. That emboldened a threatened exodus of nearly all of the startup’s 770 employees who signed a letter calling for the board’s resignation and Altman’s return.

One of the four board members who participated in Altman’s ouster, OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, later expressed regret and joined the call for the board’s resignation.

Microsoft in recent days had pledged to welcome all employees who wanted to follow Altman and Brockman to a new AI research unit at the software giant. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also made clear in a series of interviews Monday that he was still open to the possibility of Altman returning to OpenAI, so long as the startup’s governance problems are solved.

“We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board,” Nadella posted on X late Tuesday. “We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”

In his own post, Altman said that “with the new board and (with) Satya’s support, I’m looking forward to returning to OpenAI, and building on our strong partnership with (Microsoft).”

Co-founded by Altman as a nonprofit with a mission to safely build so-called artificial general intelligence that outperforms humans and benefits humanity, OpenAI later became a for-profit business but one still run by its nonprofit board of directors. It’s not clear yet if the board’s structure will change with its newly appointed members.

“We are collaborating to figure out the details,” OpenAI posted on X. “Thank you so much for your patience through this.”

Nadella said Brockman, who was OpenAI’s board chairman until Altman’s firing, will also have a key role to play in ensuring the group “continues to thrive and build on its mission.”

Hours earlier, Brockman returned to social media as if it were business as usual, touting a feature called ChatGPT Voice that was rolling out to users.

“Give it a try — totally changes the ChatGPT experience,” Brockman wrote, flagging a post from OpenAI’s main X account that featured a demonstration of the technology and playfully winking at recent turmoil.

“It’s been a long night for the team and we’re hungry. How many 16-inch pizzas should I order for 778 people,” the person asks, using the number of people who work at OpenAI. ChatGPT’s synthetic voice responded by recommending around 195 pizzas, ensuring everyone gets three slices.

As for OpenAI’s short-lived interim CEO Emmett Shear, the second interim CEO in the days since Altman’s ouster, he posted on X that he was “deeply pleased by this result, after (tilde)72 very intense hours of work.”

“Coming into OpenAI, I wasn’t sure what the right path would be,” wrote Shear, the former head of Twitch. “This was the pathway that maximized safety alongside doing right by all stakeholders involved. I’m glad to have been a part of the solution.”