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24 Oct 2023

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Drop First Single “Presha”

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BET Experience, Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz Concert, Los Angeles, USA - 25 Jun 2016

Source: Variety / Getty

Recently, 2 Chainz dropped a bomb on the Hip-Hop world when he revealed that he and Lil Wayne would be reuniting to release the long awaited album, WELCOME 2 COLLEGROVE.

Coming three years after the drop of their first collaborative album, ColleGrove, not only did 2 Chainz stun everyone with the reveal about the album, but also with the news that WELCOME 2 COLLEGROVE would be releasing in just a matter of weeks on November 17th. With the release date quickly approaching, the duo have just dropped off the first single off their highly anticipated project in “Presha” which they’re set to perform on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon later tonight (October 20) to get the buzz growing.

Fans of the rappers can pre-order WELCOME 2 COLLEGROVE now and can even buy exclusive merchandise for the album on 2 Chainz website here. Don’t say we ain’t never looked out for ya.

Check out 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne’s “Presha” below and let us know if you’ll be checking for WELCOME 2 COLLEGROVE in the comments section below and what kind of expectations you have for the album.



24 Oct 2023

Yung Bleu Arrested After Alleged Child Custody Fight

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Yung Bleu Mugshot

Source: Hall County Sheriff’s Office / TMZ

Yung Bleu was arrested for battery of a woman after an alleged fight concerning child custody in Georgia.

According to reports, the rapper Yung Bleu was reportedly arrested after a confrontation with a young woman in an apparent custody dispute in Georgia on Sunday (October 15). Yung Bleu, aka Jeremy Biddle, was charged with misdemeanor battery.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office told the press that officers had responded to a 911 call made from a home in Gainesville. Upon arrival, a woman there claimed that Yung Bleu had shown up at the home unannounced and declared that he would be taking the ten-year-old child living there back with him. It was then that she got into an argument with the rapper, who she alleges picked her up and threw her onto the ground, causing her to injure her right hip and shoulder. The woman refused to go to the hospital but was treated at the scene by EMS personnel.

The unidentified woman then told officers that Yung Bleu did take the child with him, but then he returned soon after before leaving again without the child. Shortly after that, the “You’re Mines Still” rapper spoke with the authorities and agreed to turn himself in. He was charged and booked into the Hall County Jail, obtaining his release a few days later after posting a $2,400 bond.

The news comes as rumors have swirled of a potential divorce between Yung Bleu and his wife, Tiemeria after she accused him of cheating. The rapper also pushed back against the allegations of assault in a now-deleted Instagram post, writing:

“I’m off this internet thing but I will take the time to tell all my ladies that may be a fan of Bleu. I cherish women and I’m completely innocent. Just no [sic] this about to be one of toughest times to be a fan of mines because ima about to go into another bracket as an OWNER and entrepreneur and people hate and you know! THEY. Hate that.” 

24 Oct 2023

Megan Thee Stallion Says ‘We Must Shed Our Past’ in Latest Snake-Themed Tease

Megan Thee Stallion is ready for her next act. After recently reaching a settlement with her former label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, following three years of litigation over a record deal the rapper called “unconscionable,” the Houston MC teased “ACT ONE” of her new era in a social post on Monday night (Oct. 23).

The caption also featured a snake emoji, the latest in a recent string of teases that has employed slithery language and imagery. With the camera zeroed in on Meg’s lips floating in a black void, she says, “Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past, over and over again” with what sounds like bits of an ominous new track in the background.

As the focus pulls back to reveal Meg’s face — complete with vertical snake eyeballs — the short clip ends with a shot of a pair of dripping fangs. The title card reads: “A story by Megan Thee Stallion” and “Directed by Douglas Bernardt.” The Brazilian director is best known for his work on videos by Arlo Park, Masego and Gregory Porter, as well as the 2019 Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning short film Bluesman.

Though she hasn’t announced her new project, the “Bongos” MC has been leaning into snake imagery lately, including a tweet earlier this month with serious Hottieween vibes in which she appeared to bear her vampire fangs. The post featured a cryptic message, “Let’s begin…,” accompanied by a sliver of a picture with a slime green filter that animated into a 3-second video in which Meg bared her sharp teeth. The clip did not have any sound, but Megan followed it with a series of Instagram posts with additional scary scenes.

The trio of posts dubbed “Act One” featured an O made up of a red snake swallowing its own tail. The captions on the slides also spotlighted the snake emoji, accompanied by a video of a white snake coiled on someone’s hand, a close-up of Megan’s face and a third of her wrists covered in thorny bracelets. The second slide added the caption “Begin [snake emoji],” and a glimpse of a green-skinned Megan reclining on a dark red divan, her long nails sharpened to sharp points.

The tease also seemed to preview what looked like a music video, with a shot in which Meg bared her vamp fangs again, as well as an image of a bowl of fruit and other totems on an altar. At press time Megan had not officially announced any new music as she eases her way back into the game following the end of the trial of Tory Lanez, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in August for shooting Megan in the feet in July 2020. Since then she’s released her hit Cardi B collab “Bongos” and “Out Alpha the Alpha,” the lead single from the A24 move Dicks: The Musical, in which she also co-stars.

Either way, it seems like she’s going to go it alone this time, after revealing in an Instagram Live earlier this month that she’s not signed to a label and will be funding her own music projects moving forward “This part of my album is very much so funded by Megan Thee Stallion because we’re trying to get off… Y’all know what’s the tea. But I have no label right now,” she said at the time. “We’re doing everything funded straight out of Megan Thee Stallion’s pockets. So, the budget is coming from me. Motherf—ing Hot Girl Productions! The next s— y’all about to see is all straight from Megan Thee Stallion’s brain and Megan Thee Stallion’s wallet. We are in my pockets, hotties, so let’s do our big one.”

Check out Megan’s latest snake-themed tease below.

24 Oct 2023

‘The Honorable: Shyne’ to Chronicle Former Artist’s Trajectory From Rapper to Politician

A new documentary about the life and career of Moses Michael “Shyne” Levi Barrow is now in production. The Honorable: Shyne is the latest project in the works from Andscape, the Black-led multimedia platform affiliated with Disney and ESPN. Leading production on the documentary is ColorCreative, the Black-owned and female-led management and production firm whose principals are Issa Rae, Deniese Davis and Talitha Watkins.

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The Honorable: Shyne will document Barrow’s trajectory from rapper to politician. Currently Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives and leader of the Belize United Democratic Party, Barrow was launching his recording career with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy label when a shooting incident outside Club New York in 1999 led to his incarceration for nearly nine years. Released in 2009, Barrow is known for such hits as “Bad Boyz” and “Bonnie & Shyne.”

In an exclusive statement to Billboard about the upcoming documentary, Shyne said, “Immigrating from Belize to Brooklyn as a child left to survive and thrive in the concrete jungle of New York, hip-hop had a massive influence on my life, giving me the space and community to explore my creativity and amplify the voice of my pain and purpose. The difficult decisions of my life have shaped me into the person I am today, steadfast in my desire to build a better life for the people of Belize and humanity. By bringing my story to audiences, I hope to inspire them to find the indomitable spirit within so they can overcome all adversities and be the best version of themselves positively impacting their part of humanity with their unique footprint as I have done through music, faith and public service.”

The Honorable: Shyne is being directed by Marcus A. Clarke, whose credits include Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali and The WIZRD about Atlanta rap star Future. In a press release announcing the Barrow documentary, Clarke said, “I intend for this film to immerse audiences in Shyne’s remarkable journey of transformation, as he transitions from a Brooklyn rapper to a prominent diplomat in Belize. It captures his profound process of self-discovery, marked by redemption, ultimately guiding him toward a life dedicated to public service. The world has waited patiently to hear Shyne’s story, so it’s truly a privilege for me to collaborate with ColorCreative and Andscape to bring this film to life.” 

Executive producers for The Honorable: Shyne include DJ Khaled, Talitha Watkins, Carolina Groppa, James Shani, Ameer Collier and Raina Kelley. Noted Watkins in the press announcement, “The Honorable: Shyne will capture the essence of Barrow’s journey, providing viewers with unprecedented access to his experiences. It paints a comprehensive picture of a man who has overcome immense challenges, to redefine his life, make a positive impact on his community and reconcile with his past.”

24 Oct 2023

Taylor Swift Is Hot as Ever, 17 Years After Her Debut Album: See Where Other Chart Titans Stood at the Same Point

Swift’s debut album was the seventh-highest new entry on the Billboard 200. That may be the last time this perennial winner had the seventh-highest anything.

Prince, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Whitney Houston and Elvis Presley

(L-R) Prince, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Whitney Houston and Elvis Presley

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Seventeen years ago today, Big Machine Records released the eponymous debut album by a 16-year-old country singer. No one could have predicted the impact that Taylor Swift would have on the music world.

Taylor Swift entered the Billboard 200 at No. 19 in Nov. 11, 2006 issue as the week’s seventh-highest new entry. It opened behind the Hannah Montana soundtrack, which debuted at No. 1 that week, as well as new albums by My Chemical Romance, John Legend, Jibbs, Alabama and Lil’ Boosie.

The album was a sleeper smash. It reached its No. 5 peak in January 2008 (more than a year after its release) and remained on the chart for a total of 284 weeks. Only one Swift album, 1989, has remained on the chart longer (462 weeks). Every subsequent Swift studio album has reached No. 1.

Just in the past 12 months, Swift has logged eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (with two albums, Midnights and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), contributing to that total) and nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (thanks to two songs, “Anti-Hero” and “Cruel Summer”).

How does Swift’s longevity compare with that of other chart titans? To find out, we looked at the career trajectories of the top 20 artists on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Artists chart, which combines albums and singles success. Swift is No. 8 on the list, which was unveiled in November 2019. (Expect Swift to move up the list when it is next updated.)

Here’s where every artist in the top 20 on that list stood 17 years after the release of their U.S. debut album.

24 Oct 2023

Travis Kelce’s Dad Is Definitely on Team Taylor Swift: ‘A Very, Very Sweet, Very Charming, Down-to-Earth Young Woman’

Taylor Swift has definitely met the parents, and it seems like they are on Team Taylor. After Swift attended her fourth Kansas City Chiefs game in support of reported boyfriend Travis Kelce over the weekend, the tight end’s dad gave the singer said she belongs with them.

Speaking to People magazine, Trav’s dad, Ed Kelce, said that Swift is a “very, very sweet, very charming, down-to-earth young woman.” As the NFL continues to double-down on the unexpected bounty of having a pop superstar in the family suite almost every weekend, the cameras caught Swift chatting with Ed Kelce during the team’s Oct. 12 game, with the family patriarch saying he found her “very genuine” during their first meeting.

In fact, despite having the No. 1 movie at the box office for a second weekend in a row with her Eras Tour film, Ed Kelce said he noticed something “very special” and endearing about the pop princess the first time he met her.

“We’re sitting in the suite, she gets up and in the front room, she gets up to go get a drink or something and she starts picking up empty bottles, cans, plates that are scattered around,” he said. “Because in the suites everybody gets stuff and you empty it down wherever you can.”

The small gesture meant a lot, but it also revealed something else to Ed Kelce about Swift that was even more telling. “I’m just thinking, I don’t think she got the diva memo,” he said of Swift’s impeccable manners. “She didn’t get the spoiled musician. She doesn’t know how to pull that off. And that really to me said a whole lot… She’s very smart. I mean, very. That comes through right away.”

Swift has already met Travis’ mom, Donna, who she sat next to at the team’s Sept. 24 game, followed a week later by a shot of Taylor with her arm around Donna during the Chiefs’-Jets game at MetLife Stadium. On Sunday, she made it to her fourth Chiefs game, where she showed off her secret handshake with Brittany Mahomes, wife of KC QB Patrick Mahomes. More importantly, she was spotted holding hands and dropping a kiss on Kelce’s cheek after KC’s 31-17 roll over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Last weekend, Swift and Kelce basically confirmed their long-rumored romance by holding hands on their way to the Oct. 14 SNL afterparty, just after they each made cameos on the show’s season 49 premiere. The next day, they grabbed dinner at a restaurant in the West Village, hand-in-hand again; to date neither Swift nor Kelce have confirmed their reported romance.

24 Oct 2023

Spotify Turns Profit, Adds 6 Million Subscribers in Q3 Following Price Hikes and Cost Cuts

Spotify reported its first profitable quarter in more than a year on Tuesday, after subscription price hikes, lay offs and marketing budget cuts helped boost revenues and operating income for music streaming and podcasting giant.

Spotify reported revenues for the third quarter rose 11% to 3.4 billion euros ($3.6 billion), and operating income over 32 million euros ($34 million). The company beat its growth guidance on both monthly active users and subscribers, adding 23 million monthly active users, a 26% uplift, for a total of 574 million compared to the year ago period. The number of premium subscribers rose by 6 million, or 16%, to 226 million from the year ago period.

The company said that the uptick in revenue is due to the early effects of its $1 price hike on premium individual plans and a rebound in the ad market, as improving podcasting trends and lower operating expenses after January’s company-wide cost cuts helped operating income turn a 1% profit.

The company told investors they could expect total monthly active users (MAU) and premium subscribers to continue to grow for the rest of the year–by 27 million net new MAUs and 9 million new subscribers in the fourth quarter 2023–which is expected to boost total revenues by 3% and gross margin by 0.2%.

Spotify reported a free cash flow of 216 million euros for the quarter, up from 25 million euros a year ago. As of Sept. 30, the company says it employed 9,241 full time employees worldwide, down from roughly 9,800 at the end of 2022.

Spotify has been managing a reboot of its podcasting strategy this year, moving away from the hundreds of millions of dollars acquiring podcast start-up and programing under former Chief Content Officer Dawn Ostroff. Spotify now hosts over 100 million tracks, 5 million podcasts titles, and 350,000 audiobooks.

The company also benefitted from a rebound in ad-supported revenue, which rose 16% to 447 million euros ($475 million), helped by a 20% uptick in music. “Podcast advertising revenue growth
remained in the healthy double-digit range,” according to a Spotify release.

  • Monthly active users rose by 26% to 574 million, compared to the third quarter 2022, beating guidance by 2 million.
  • The number of subscribers rose by 16% to 226 million from the year ago period, also ahead of guidance by 2 million.
  • Ad-supported monthly active users rose by 32% to 361 million from the year ago period.
  • Total revenue rose 11% to 3.36 billion euros ($3.57 billion) from 3.04 billion euros ($3.2 billion).
  • Revenue from preimium subscriptions rose by 10% to 2.9 billion euros ($3.08 billion).
  • Revenue from ad supported users rose 16% to 447 million euros ($475 million).
  • Operating income was 32 million euros ($34 million), bosted by higher gross margin and lower personnel and marketing costs.
  • The company’s gross margin was 26.4%, compared to 24.7% in the third quarter 2022.

24 Oct 2023

Busta Rhymes Announces ‘Blockbusta’ Album, Exec Produced By Timbaland, Pharrell, Swizz Beatz

With so many Hollywood movies on ice as the strike by actors drags on into the fall, Busta Rhymes is prepping his own blockbuster. Actually, make that Blockbusta, the MC’s 11th solo studio album, which is due out on Black Friday, Nov. 24.

Busta announced the project in a video posted on his socials on Monday (Oct. 23), in which he held a Zoom sit-down with the project’s four AAA-list super producers: Pharrell Williams, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. “This project right here is executive produced by the f—ing committee,” Swizz said in the clip. “Pharrell the Pharaoh, Timbo the King, Swizz Beatz the student.”

Timbaland gave thanks for the Transformers-like gathering of production legends, telling Busta that he is, “so grateful that you chose me to be a part of your legacy.” Pharrell also gave some insight into the project, whose track list has not yet been released.

“You really feel illuminated,” Skateboard P said of the collection that also lists Busta as an exec producer. “This illumination is good because I think people gonna be able to get and feel that.” Timbaland had a one-word description for the follow-up to Busta’s 2020 sequel album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, which featured guest spots from Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, Mary J. Blige, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Anderson .Paak, Mariah Carey and more.

“Timeless,” Tim said, as Swizz scatted, “The Blockbusta, Busta Rhymes…zaa zaa za, zone, zone, zone.” The clip ends with a volcano erupting the album’s title into the sky.

In September, Busta dropped the “Luxury Life” single featuring Coi Leray and last week he teased a new single, “Chooky,” featuring Elesia Limura and O.T.; at press time it was unclear if either song will be featured on the new album.

Check out Busta’s Blockbusta announcement below.

24 Oct 2023

Pablo Alborán, Peso Pluma, Eslabon Armado, Edgar Barrera, Camilo, Juanes, Ozuna & More to Perform at 2023 Latin Grammys

Nominees Pablo Alborán, Edgar Barrera, Camilo, Manuel Carrasco, Iza, Juanes and Ozuna will perform at the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards, the Latin Recording Academy announced Tuesday (October 24). Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma, meanwhile, will share the stage to perform their hit “Ella Baila Sola” for the first time together on TV.

The list of performers also includes best new artist nominees Borja, Natascha Falcão, GALE, Paola Guanche, Joaquina and León Leiden. All of them join previously announced performances by  Maria Becerra, Bizarrap, Feid, Kany García, Carin León, Christian Nodal, Rauw Alejandro and Alejandro Sanz, in addition to Laura Pausini, who will be honored as Person of the Year 2023.

For the first time held outside the United States, the annual Latin Grammys will be broadcast on Thursday, Nov. 16, from the Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain. Danna Paola, Sebastián Yatra, Roselyn Sánchez and Paz Vega will serve as co-hosts.

This year, Mexican songwriter and producer Edgar Barrera leads the list of nominees with 13 nods, followed by Colombian stars Camilo, Karol G, Shakira and songwriter Kevyn Mauricio Cruz (also known as Keityn), each with seven nods. Argentine producer and DJ Bizarrap has six, Pablo Alborán five, and Juanes four. For a full list of nominees, click here.

The ceremony will be broadcast in the U.S. from 8 p.m. ET via Univision, UniMás and Galavisión, and in Spain at 10:30 p.m. CET on Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE). Other international partners and local stations will be announced soon, said the Latin Recording Academy.

24 Oct 2023

Here Are the Presenters & Performers for the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony: Full List

Stevie Nicks, Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, Common, Ice-T, LL Cool J, Miguel, Queen Latifah and Sia have been added as presenters and performers for the 38th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, set for Nov. 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

In 2019, Nicks became the first woman to be inducted into the Hall twice, after having first been inducted with Fleetwood Mac in 1998. In 2021, LL Cool J received the award for musical excellence.

Previously announced presenters and performers are Elton John (who will induct his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin), Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews, H.E.R., New Edition, and St. Vincent.

This year’s inductees are Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners, along with DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray for musical influence; Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Taupin for musical excellence; and Don Cornelius for the Ahmet Ertegun Award (formerly known as the non-performers award).

The induction ceremony will be broadcast live coast-to-coast via Disney+ on Friday, Nov. 3 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and will be available to stream following the ceremony. ABC will air a three-hour prime-time special, 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring performance highlights and standout moments on Monday, Jan. 1 (8-11 p.m. ET), available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

This year’s show will be produced and directed by Joel Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions. John Sykes, Joel Peresman and Joel Gallen are the executive producers.

Apple Music will livestream audio from the ceremony on Apple Music 1 on Friday, Nov. 3. A four-part audio series, Class of ‘23: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, will also be available on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts leading up to the ceremony. Episodes will be released at 8 a.m. PT on Monday, Oct. 30, through Thursday, Nov. 2. Follow @applemusic on Instagram, X, and TikTok for more content from the ceremony.

Here’s the full list of presenters and performers for the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony:

Adam Levine
Brandi Carlile
Carrie Underwood
Chris Stapleton
Common
Dave Matthews
Elton John
H.E.R.
Ice-T
LL COOL J
Miguel
New Edition
Queen Latifah
Sia
Stevie Nicks
St. Vincent