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With a new strain of norovirus afflicting more people nationwide, we take a look at its effects and how to prevent yourself from it.
The viral stomach bug commonly known as norovirus is raging, as the Centers for Disease Control published its findings about the wave of cases Monday (Jan. 13). In tests performed over the New Year’s holiday nationwide, 28% came back positive, which is double the result for the number of tests for the virus that were performed last March. In New York City alone, 1,264 cases were reported in December – less than 500 cases were reported to the city’s Department of Health in the last two years. Cases have notably been higher in the Northeast and Midwest regions, according to sewer sampling reports from WaterWasteSCAN.
Experts cite a new strain, GII.17, which has demonstrated an ability to evade immunity, as part of what’s fueling this rise. Seven out of 10 cases are currently linked to it, per the CDC. The virus can be spread through contact with someone else who’s infected or through eating contaminated food or touching contaminated surfaces. Norovirus normally surges during the winter, and those who are afflicted with it are contagious for up to two weeks afterward.
For those who come down with norovirus, more often than not they wouldn’t need professional medical attention unless they have a high fever, severe abdominal pain that lasts more than three days, and feeling as if they’ll lose consciousness. Treatment includes constant hydration, especially for at-risk segments of the population. “That’s especially true for young kids and elderly people because in those people, fluid shifts and dehydration can be a lot more dangerous than for a 30-year-old with no medical problems,” said NYU Langone Health gastroenterologist Dr. Rabia De Latour when interviewed.
According to Dr. Jessica Justman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, those working in environments where it can be more prevalent should be extra cautious. The CDC has recommended a solution of bleach and water to disinfect surfaces along with soap and hot water. They also recommend thoroughly washing one’s hands with soap and water and avoiding eating raw shellfish such as oysters in addition to thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables.
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Kanye West aka Ye may not hold the same weight on the fashion scene as he did just a few years ago, but the man is still able to make some impressive coin with his sneaker drops and because of that the embattled music artist is claiming to be the greatest of all-time.
On Tuesday (Jan. 14), West took a victory lap on his Instagram page to proclaim himself to be the “GOAT of all GOATs of any GOAT that was ever GOATed,” as his latest capsule collection of sneakers and attire garnered him an impressive $2,339,096 in just 24 hours. For someone who millions of people swore to have canceled due to his antisemitic rants and overall offsetting behavior, that’s pretty damn good.
Interestingly enough, he made those millions with a pair of sneakers that retailed for a mere $20 too. Needless to say, he seems to be onto something. Might be more MAGA money than anything, but still.
Continuing to rub his success in the faces of his haters, naysayers and nonbelievers, Ye threw up a new post of an actual goat and went wild in the caption to let everyone know that humble is a word that is not and has never been in his vocabulary.
“RAPS 🐐 BEATS 🐐 ALBUMS 🐐 CLOTHES 🐐 PROPHECY 🐐CHOIR 🐐 SHOES 🐐 MONEY 🐐 POSTS 🐐 TWEETS 🐐 AWARDS 🐐 AWARD SPEECHES 🐐 THE GOAT OF ALL GOATS OF ANY GOAT THAT WAS EVER GOATED 🐐 YOUR FAVORITE GOATS FAVORITE GOAT 🐐 YOUR DADS DAD TELL YA MOM YOU GOT A NEW DAD 🐐PERFORMANCE 🐐 SHOW 🐐 🐐 SHOW MONEY 🐐 TOUR MONEY 🐐”
He went on for a while in that caption.
The post comes a week after Kanye, once again, aired his grievances against adidas and threw a dart at Jerry Lorenzo for good measure.
Hate him or love him, Kanye’s always going to have something to say with every dub he collects.
What do y’all think about Kanye West pulling in a cool $2 million off his latest merchandise? Let us know in the comments section below.
“THE GOAT OF ALL GOATS OF ANY GOAT THAT WAS EVER GOATED 🐐”
— Kanye via IG pic.twitter.com/jTPzb8g8ZM
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) January 14, 2025
Eminem’s longtime spokesperson has spoken out against the collection of leaked songs from Slim Shady’s vault in recent weeks. While the Detroit legend hasn’t officially released anything this year, fans have stumbled upon a handful of tracks that have gone viral on social media, including songs with longtime collaborators 50 Cent and Dr. Dre, as […]
Reservoir Media has acquired the publishing catalog of Lastrada Entertainment. Home to over 5,600 compositions, the family-run company publishes hits that span all genres from the 1960s to today, including songs recorded by Jim Croce, Glen Campbell, The Carpenters, Captain & Tennille, Neil Sedaka, Eminem, Dolly Parton, H.E.R., Leon Bridges, Notorious B.I.G., Eminem and more.
Lastrada Entertainment was founded in 1987 by Herb Moelis and has since been passed down to his children Stephen and Larry Moelis. As the company has grown over the last four decades, it has acquired evergreen hits like Jim Croce’s “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and “Time In A Bottle,” “Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille, “More Bounce To The Ounce” by Zapp, and The Whispers’ “And The Beat Goes On.”
Then, in the 1990s, the catalog was given new life when decade-defining rapper 2Pac sampled a Lastrada Entertainment song in his single “California Love.” Later, the catalog also benefitted from samples in “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey, “Miami” by Will Smith and more.
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“We have long admired Lastrada and the incredible catalog that the Moelis family has curated over the years,” says Rell Lafargue, president and COO of Reservoir. “Stephen and Larry’s deep knowledge of the music and their dedication to innovative sampling and synchs have elevated this catalog to iconic status. We are honored that Reservoir is now the home to the songs of Lastrada, and we look forward to preserving the legacy the Moelis family has built and ensuring its continued success.”
Lastrada’s president of music publishing Stephen Moelis adds, “The Moelis family takes pride in the catalog of hits we were part of, and in the personal relationships we forged with our incredibly talented songwriters. Passing the creative torch to Reservoir is the natural next step to continue the work we started with our father 40 years ago, and we wish to thank Golnar Khosrowshahi, Rell Lafargue, and the entire Reservoir team as they become stewards of some of the great songs of all time.”
Bad Bunny’s “DTMF” becomes the first song to debut at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart since August 2024, bowing atop the Jan. 18-dated survey.
The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity Jan. 6-12. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
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“DTMF” starts at No. 1 after the release of its parent album, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, on Jan. 5. It’s the fifth song since the ranking’s inception to debut atop the tally, following FamousSally and YB’s “Wassup Gwayy” (Sept. 23, 2023), Playboi Carti’s “Sky” (Oct. 7, 2023), Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do for Love” (Feb. 24, 2024) and Clean Bandit’s “Symphony,” featuring Zara Larsson (Aug. 31, 2024).
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It’s also Bad Bunny’s first No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, which began in September 2023. His previous best, “Monaco,” peaked at No. 5 in November 2023.
“DTMF” benefits from uploads referencing the song’s lyrics (DTMF is an acronym for the album’s title, which translates to “I should take more photos”), with users lamenting the losses of relatives, pets and relationships with photos and videos of their own. Bad Bunny himself posted a video on TikTok reacting to the trend.
“DTMF” concurrently debuts at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 despite just five days of tracking (Jan. 5-9), earning 11 million official U.S. streams in that span, according to Luminate. It’s expected to sport a sizable gain on the Billboard charts dated Jan. 25 (Jan. 10-16), following its first full week of tracking.
The song reigns over a pair of previous TikTok Billboard Top 50 No. 1s in Stepz’s “Rock” and M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, while the top four is rounded out by a newcomer to the region in Braelyn Rankins, Theo Somolu, Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s “I Always Wanted a Brother” from the Mufasa: The Lion King film.
After debuting at No. 10 on the Jan. 11 ranking, “I Always Wanted a Brother” lifts six spots as creators continue to hone in on the “What did you say about my brother?” verse, sung by Taka/Scar voice actor Harrison, and the way the word “brother” is sung, though some instead utilize the eponymous “I always wanted a brother” refrain.
The scene has spawned lip synchs, animation edits and dances, with the song rising another 44% in streams to 4.5 million in the week ending Jan. 9.
G3, the artist name of basketball player LiAngelo Ball, snags the other top 10 debut on the TikTok Billboard Top 10 dated Jan. 18 with “Tweaker,” which bows at No. 6. Released Jan. 10, “Tweaker” became Ball’s first Hot 100 appearance, debuting at No. 29 on the Jan. 18 list via 12.4 million streams.
There’s not yet a highly centralized trend surrounding “Tweaker” on TikTok; users are generally quoting its “I might swerve, bend that corner, whoa” chorus, featuring dances, reaction videos, lip synchs, car footage and more.
There’s one other newcomer to the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10: Flawed Mangoes’ “Dramamine,” which vaults 20-7 in its fifth week on the survey.
“Dramamine” is a cornerstone of what’s known as Hopecore TikTok, which generally consists of inspirational messages/quotes, videos and the like.
Ethel Cain’s “Strangers” is looming directly outside the top 10, starting at No. 11. Despite Cain releasing a new album, Perverts, on Jan. 8, “Strangers” is actually from her previous album, 2022’s Preacher’s Daughter. The TikTok-viral edition of the song is a pitched-up edit, with many users ranking the ways in which Cain sings the lyric “Am I making you feel sick?” toward the end.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
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Diddy’s lawyers are pushing back on some of the footage obtained in his case. They say the clips prove the “Freak-Offs” with Cassie were consensual.
As per TMZ, Diddy’s defense team has filed documents on the behalf of their high-profile client. According to the submission, his representation claims that the nine videos that federal investigators acquired actually show Diddy and “Victim-1” (presumed to be Cassie) engaging in “private sexual activity between fully consenting adults in a long-term relationship.” They also point out that “Victim-1” did not seemed forced or coerced either saying she “not only consented, but thoroughly enjoyed herself” and “is evidently happy, dominant and completely in control.”
In the indictment federal prosecutors claimed that these tapes capture several “elaborate and produced sex performances,” but Diddy’s lawyers vehemently disagree saying the clips show “adults having consensual sex, plain and simple.” Additionally, they call out that these encounters were not taped secretly and both parties were aware of the cameras each time. “There are no secret cameras, no orgies, no other celebrities involved, no underground tunnels, no minors, and not so much as a hint of coercion or violence.”
Lastly, his counsel makes it clear that the footage was not seized during the raids on Diddy’s homes but actually was in Cassie’s possession the entire time. Therefore, they are left to believe she was the one who turned over the footage to the government.
Diddy’s trial is scheduled to commence May 5.
It’s been more than two years since Justin Bieber released new music, but a video the singer posted on Instagram Story on Wednesday (Jan. 15) got fans excited for the new dad’s next musical era.
The clip was preceded by a brief infrared video of the singer bobbing his head to an ominous-sounding, chopped-and-screwed track, which funneled into footage of Bieber — shown from behind in a hoodie that initially obscures his face — nodding along to what sounded like a rough demo. The on-screen graphics read “2:57:04,” and were accompanied by video camera and hand writing emoji just below.
In a 24-second snippet, a raspy-voiced Bieber sings lines that sound like, “B–ch I’m takin’ bait/ I’m takin’ it/ You takin’ bait/ I’m shakin’ it/ You’re shakin’ it/ Shakin’ off the hate/ Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay/ I’m shakin’ off the hate, okay (undecipherable)/ Go out the country and I’m not feelin’ nice/ Got the sun on my skin/ Okay, okay, okay, okay/ I bought my Birkin for my b–ch/ You lookin’ good for a Tuesday.” By the end of the preview, the camera zooms in on the rear-view mirror, confirming that the man shaking his head is a a shades-wearing Justin, smiling and mouthing the lyrics to the song that features only spare acoustic guitar accompaniment.
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Given Bieber’s boatload of finely-crafted big pop hits, the untitled song sounds more like a rough iPhone Notes sketch at this point, with scratchy, sometimes mumbled vocals, no drums or the singer’s signature sky-high falsetto vocals. The clip ends at the 3:26 mark, suggesting that the track will land somewhere around the pop radio single sweet spot.
At press time no other information was available on the song.
The rest of the reel featured Bieber vibing to other artist’s tracks, including Gunna’s “Got Damn” in a snowy snap of JB’s shadow flipping the middle finger in a winter wonderland; he later included a close-up of his face nodding along to the track as the camera zoomed in on a diamond-studded hoop earring. Elsewhere, he communed with an impressively antlered buck to Sleepy Hallow’s “Call Me,” while another clip that looked like footage from his recent holiday get-away in Aspen, CO with wife Hailey and their infant son, Jack Blues, with Bieber swinging the camera around to the strains of Playboi Carti’s “Cancun.”
The reel ended with a pull-out image of Bieber in full winter regalia — black snow pants, boots, a purple hoodie, black vest, knee-length striped scarf and pink wool hat — talking on his phone while listening to NAV, Cash Cobain and Bay Swag’s “6AM Thoughts.” A final slide was a re-post of a viral video of a salty young man on a bus raising his eyebrows to the strains of 1990s R&B crooner Tevin Campbell’s 1993 slow jam classic “Can We Talk.”
Bieber’s most recent album was 2021’s Justice and to date he has not announced an official release date for his next project. The singer launched a tour in support of that album in February 2022, revealing that June that he’d been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which caused “full paralysis” on one side of his face. His struggle with the symptoms of that ailment led to the postponement of some dates, before Bieber cancelled the entire rest of the world tour to focus on his health.
He has been mostly off the music radar since, with the exception of a surprise appearance in October on stage with Don Toliver at L.A.’s Crypto.com arena, where he jumped out during “Private Landing,” the pair’s 2023 track that also featured Future. Bieber didn’t sing at that gig, but showed up to seemingly act as hype man.
Bieber did, however, play his first gig in more than a year last February, when performed a short, surprise set of classics and recent hits at Drake’s Toronto club History during NHL All-Star weekend. A few days earlier, he’d posted a series of snaps from what looked like studio sessions, in which he seemed to be laying down vocals alongside a drummer and vibing out in a recording session.
He’s continued to tease his next era with more pics in October from a studio session in which he was seen at the keyboard and microphone, again, presumably working on new music.
Just a few weeks before that, singer/producer Mk.gee told the New York Times that he’s been in the studio with Bieber, revealing, “He’s searching. Anything that comes out of his mouth: That’s pop music. You can really do pretty wild stuff behind that, just because it represents something.”
Bieber’s most recent single was 2022’s one-off, “Honest,” which featured Toliver.
Bang Chan already has his musical family as part of boy band Stray Kids, and now, he’s found his fashion family. As announced Thursday (Jan. 16), the 27-year-old K-pop star is the newest face of Fendi, with the fashion house appointing him brand ambassador and rolling out a new campaign featuring Bang Chan modeling menswear. […]
Travis Kelce has been playing for the NFL for about 12 years, leaving many football fans curious as to whether he plans on hanging up his helmet any time soon. And according to the 35-year-old tight end, even Taylor Swift has some thoughts. While talking about his career on the Stephen A. Smith Show Wednesday […]
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With Donald Trump officially taking back the Oval Office next week many feel like it’s only a matter of time before the apocalypse hits and we’re all left to fend for ourselves, but Travis Scott may be more ready for the doomsday scenario than most as the music superstar done went and got himself a monster of a machine to get around in should the worst come pass.
According to TMZ, the Highest In The Room rapper dropped a King Kong sized grip to pimp out and customize a Apocalypse Omega Rex truck to roll hard in. Dropping an estimated $160,000 (which isn’t much given his net worth), the limited edition Hemi Hellcat V8 Horsepower Apocalypse Omega Rex truck comes with 717 horsepower and is basically built like a tank should the world go to sh*t and we all end up in an This Is The End movie situation.
Still, it should be a sweet ride.
TMZ reports:
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The truck’s interiors are as plush as they come, so Travis can cruise into town in style … or head off-road without sacrificing comfort.
Looks like Travis is ready for the apocalypse — whether it’s a wild night out or the end of the world!
While that’s all good and gravy, can Travis Scott convince Nike and Jordan brand to drop those purple or Mocha “Cactus Jack” Air Jordan 4’s that were reserved for friends and family a few years ago before the world ends? Heck, we’ll even take the mustard yellow “Cactus Jack” Air Jordan 6 that he gifted Offset.
Just sayin.’
What do y’all think about Travis Scott’s new ride? Let us know in the comments section below.