News

18 Sep 2023

Irish Grinstead of Group 702 Passes Away At 43, X Reacts

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Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

Sad news for lovers of 90’s R&B music as it’s being reported that Irish Grinstead from the group 702 has passed away.

According to Blavity, the “Steelo” singer passed away at the young age of 43 with her sister, Lemisha Grinstead, announcing the terrible news on Instagram. Posting a black-and-white picture of Irish, Lemisha wrote a heartfelt caption describing her sister saying, “That girl was as bright as the stars! She was not only beautiful on the outside, but also within. Sharing the stage with her was a joy I will cherish for the rest of my life! We, the family ask for prayers and respect for our privacy as we grieve an outstanding loss to our family.”

Blavity reports:

702 released its debut album, No Doubt, in 1996. “Steelo,” one of the tracks featured on the album, became the theme song for the Nickelodeon series Cousin Skeeter.

The group continued to produce hits after artist Cree La’More replaced Williams. With La’More on the team, 702 released “Pootie Tangin,” a single inspired by the Chris Rock film Pootie Tang. When Williams returned to the group, they released another album, Star.

702 split up in 2006 and reunited 11 years later. The group earned several accolades through the years, including multiple nominations for Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, as well as recognitions for an American Music Award and a BET Award.

The cause of death still isn’t known, but regardless it’s still heart-wrenching to see someone pass away at such a young age.

Missy Elliott who appeared on their hit “Steelo” and co-wrote “Where My Girls At?” took to her X page to give her love and condolences to the Grinstead family during this tragic time.

Prayers up for the Grinstead family.

Rest In Power, Queen. See more reactions to her untimely passing in the gallery.

18 Sep 2023

Jann Wenner, Rolling Stone Co-Founder, Ousted From Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Board

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Jann Wenner, a co-founder of popular music publication Rolling Stone, found himself the target of criticism after delivering comments some deemed racist and sexist. Wenner has since apologized for the comments, but he was still ousted from the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, which he also helped establish, in the wake.

As seen on Deadline, Jann Wenner, 77, was recently profiled by the New York Times in support of his upcoming book, The Masters, focusing on seven iconic musicians who all happen to be white and male. The figures Wenner interviewed are Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Jerry Garcia and Pete Townsend — all of whom are considered legends in music.

In the Times piece, Wenner was questioned on just interviewing white male artists, he went on to say that women weren’t, quote, “as articulate enough on this intellectual level.”

Wenner also used the same talking point when speaking of Black artists.

Wenner also employed the “articulate” argument in his explanation of why he excluded Black artists.

“Of Black artists — you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation’s board voted just after the Times profile was published and Wenner promptly followed with a prepared statement attempting to clarify his stance.

“In my interview with The New York Times I made comments that diminished the contributions, genius, and impact of Black and women artists, and I apologize wholeheartedly for those remarks,” Wenner said.

The statement continues, “The Masters is a collection of interviews I’ve done over the years that seemed to me to best represent an idea of rock ’n’ roll’s impact on my world; they were not meant to represent the whole of music and its diverse and important originators but to reflect the high points of my career and interviews I felt illustrated the breadth and experience in that career. They don’t reflect my appreciation and admiration for myriad totemic, world-changing artists whose music and ideas I revere and will celebrate and promote as long as I live. I totally understand the inflammatory nature of badly chosen words and deeply apologize and accept the consequences.”

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Photo: Cindy Ord / Getty

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18 Sep 2023

Surprise! Kim Petras Is Dropping Her Long-Lost French Pop Album ‘Problematique’

Surprendre, Bunheads! Pop superstar Kim Petras is here to say “bonjour” to her fans with a special surprise project.

On Monday (Sept. 18), Petras is set to surprise drop her French-pop album Problématique via Repbulic / Amigo Records. Across 10 tracks, Petras delves into ecstatic pop sounds, ranging from funk (“Born Again”), to R&B-pop (“Deeper”) to bratty, materialistic pop jams (“All She Wants” featuring Paris Hilton). As she sings on the titular track, “I’m a little bit dramatic, little real, a little plastic/ I just keep on wreaking havoc.”

Some fans have already heard the tracks off of Problematique, thanks to a major leak of the album back in early August 2022. While most singers would encourage fans not to listen to pirated songs, Petras took a very different approach on X (formerly known as Twitter). Writing candidly in a series of since-deleted tweets, Petras told fans that they may as well give the album a listen, since it was unlikely they would get to hear it otherwise.

“It’s ok if u wanna listen to the leaks … I’m not getting to put out any music anyways I’m f—ed. I’m devastated idk how all of this happened and I just wanna quit,” she wrote at the time. “Nothing is scrapped I didn’t get approval to release anything. It’s limbo.” A press release for the album confirms that Problématique was originally shelved “after partially leaking and leaving fans clamoring for more.”

The new album is Petras’ second of 2023 — in June, she unveiled Feed the Beast, her long-awaited Republic debut. Her latest album drop comes just a week before Petras is set to head on her headlining world tour in support of Feed the Beast, kicking off the 34-date run in Austin, TX on September 27. Tickets are available at Petras’ website.

Listen to Problématique below:

18 Sep 2023

Blink-182 Announce Track List, Release Date for ‘One More Time…’ Reunion Album

The long wait is almost over. Blink-182 finally announced the release date and track list for their eagerly anticipated reunion album on Monday morning (Sept. 18). The trio’s first new album with returning OG member singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge since 2011, ONE MORE TIME…, is due out on Oct. 20 via Columbia Records; the title track will drop at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday (Sept. 21).

The news was announced via a nearly four-minute video montage uploaded on Monday in which the group — which also includes bassist/singer Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker — discussed childhood trauma and chaos that birthed the band in a chat with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe; that full interview will be uploaded soon.

“Blink was always a way to force the happiness in the room,” says DeLonge in the clip, which chronicles the hurt feelings and press pile-on that accompanied the guitarist’s departure in 2015. “I definitely didn’t want to hold these guys back in any kind of way,” the band’s co-founder says emotionally in the Lowe interview, recalling a conversation with his wife in which he told her he might not ever play music again.

However, when Hoppus shared that he was battling the blood cancer diffuse large B-cell lymphoma — the bassist announced in April 2022 that he was cancer-free — DeLonge said the news made him think that playing music with his friends was “the only thing I want to do.”

The video preview features a sneak listen to three new songs, including the emotional title track ballad, which Barker says dives into the question of “why does it take these catastrophes like me being in a plane crash or Mark being sick for our band to get back together?” Barker was nearly killed in a Sept. 2008 plane crash that took the lives of four passengers and critically injured his friend Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein.

The song tackles those traumas head-on with the lines, “I wish they told us it should take a sickness/ Or airplanes falling out the sky.” Hoppus tells Lowe that the chemotherapy he underwent “wrecked” his vocal cords and resulted in him visiting a vocal coach to even get him to the point where the band could play Coachella earlier this year. “When it’s the three of us onstage I feel unstoppable, we f—ing crush,” Hoppus says.

The bassist also dives into the intense feelings he felt after his diagnosis and the struggle during treatment, with DeLonge saying once he heard his friend was sick “nothing matters, really,” and Barker adding that he always knew the trio’s “brotherhood wouldn’t ever deteriorate… or wouldn’t be there.” Other songs previewed in the video include the uplifting rocker “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got” and the blitzing “Anthem Part 3.”

According to a release announcing the project, ONE MORE TIME… was recorded during the band’s 2023 reunion tour, which kicked off with a surprise last-minute addition to the lineup for April’s Coachella Festival. Produced by Barker, it features 17 new songs that “capture the band at the top of their game, layering in themes of tragedy, triumph and most importantly, brotherhood.” To date they’ve previewed the collection with the single “Edging,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in November, after topping the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart.

Hoppus promises that this is, without a doubt, “one of the best albums we’ve ever made.”

Check out the track list for ONE MORE TIME… and watch the trailer below.

ONE MORE TIME… tracklist

“Anthem Part 3”

“Dance With Me”

“Fell in Love”

“Terrified”

“One More Time”

“More Than You Know”

“Turn This Off!”

“When We Were Young”

“Edging”

“You Don’t Know What You’ve Got”

“Blink Wave”

“Bad News”

“Hurt (Interlude)”

“Turpentine”

“Fuck Face”

“Other Side”

“Childhood”

18 Sep 2023

NFL Announcer Drops Taylor Swift Reference After Travis Kelce’s Touchdown: Watch

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is dealing with his rumored romance with Taylor Swift — even on the football field.

He scored his first touchdown of the season during a showdown between the Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday (Sept. 17). Since Kelce missed last week’s game — the first game of the regular season — the Patrick Mahomes-assisted visit to the end zone was particularly special.

NFL announcer Ian Eagle took the moment as an opportunity to tease the player by slipping in a few Swift lyric references as he called the play. “Kelce finds a blank space for the score!” he quipped, a callback to Swift’s 2014 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Blank Space.”

Eagle is the lastest voice to join the choir of opinions and commentary on the alleged romance between the Grammy-winning pop star and the 2023 Super Bowl champ. Last week Kelce’s older brother — Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce — said “I cannot comment” when asked about the rumors.

During a recent interview with NFL+ host Andrew Siciliano, Travis addressed the situation — barely. In their conversation, he confirmed his story about trying to shoot his shot at Swift via an Eras Tour friendship bracelet, but he also refused to get any more specific than that. “I said what I said. And I meant what I said when I said it. And you know what, it is what it is,” he said before shutting down further conversation about the pair’s relationship status. “I’m not gonna talk about my personal life.”

Fully aware of how quickly people have latched onto this story, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end teased listeners, saying, “I know what you writers wanna hear, and you wanna hear more about that and I’m not gonna give you anything!” When Siciliano asked if Swift had reached out to him, Kelce responded, “And that’s gonna wrap it up here,” thus ending the interview.

Check out Kelce’s interview with Sicilliano below:

18 Sep 2023

Wisin & La Base Set for Billboard Latin Music Week and Its ‘En Vivo’ Concert Series

Wisin and La Base, the record label he launched in 2020, are confirmed for the 2023 Latin Music Week and Billboard En Vivo concert series, returning to Miami from Oct. 2 to 6.

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The “Billboard En Vivo with La Base and Wisin, presented by Smirnoff,” held at Oasis Wynwood, will feature special guests Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson spinning the biggest reggaeton hits of yesterday and today. Also marking the first-ever La Base party out of Puerto Rico, the 21-and-over free event will be open to the public on a first come, first served basis.

Additionally, reggaeton icon Wisin will be joined by legendary hitmakers Luny, Tunes, DJ Nelson and Hybe for a once-in-a-lifetime conversation where they will share their views on identifying and creating hits. Titled “Wisin & La Base: Eye of the Tiger,” the panel presented by Smirnoff will be tied to Wisin’s visionary label and music company La Base.

In other Latin Music Week news, Billboard will reveal the final talent additions and full event schedule during a press conference held Sept. 20 at the Faena Forum in Miami Beach, where Leila Cobo, chief content officer of Billboard Latin and Billboard Español, will be joined by mayor Dan Gelber, Valentina Bueno (director of Karol G’s Con Cora Foundation), as well as artists Fonseca, Mike Bahía and Venesti.

Celebrated for more than 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week is the longest running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world, and coincides with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will be broadcast live on Telemundo on Thursday, Oct. 5, from the Watsco Center in Miami.

Registration for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.

18 Sep 2023

8 Must-Hear New Country Songs: Dustin Lynch With Jelly Roll, Plus Tunes From Sam Williams, Stephen Wilson Jr. & More

While Brothers Osborne and Dan+Shay offered up stellar new albums this week, and Maren Morris issued a double-punch of new music with The Bridge, we look at a slate of more new country music released this week. Dustin Lynch teams with Jelly Roll, while Sam Williams honors his late grandfather, country music legend Hank Williams, Sr., by covering one of his classic songs. Also, Stephen Wilson Jr. offers an extremely promising debut project. All that and more below in Billboard Country’s weekly must-hear roundup.

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Dustin Lynch with Jelly Roll, “Chevrolet”

Dustin Lynch teams with the seemingly ubiquitous CMA male artist of the year nominee Jelly Roll for the latest country song to interpolate a classic hit. Jessi Alexander, Hunter Phelps and Chase McGill interpolate the instantly recognizable melody and rhythm from the Mentor Williams-written 1973 Dobie Gray hit “Drift Away,” with a newly-penned set of lyrics. Here, six-packs, Brooks & Dunn, dirt roads and a Chevrolet replace rock n’ roll as simple requisites for a soul-lifting evening. Lynch’s smooth vocal offers a nice foil for Jelly Roll’s soul-gravel renderings, but both of their voices melt bone-deep into the song’s joyous lyrics.

Track45, “When I Grow Up”

Sibling trio Track45 (which includes Jenna Johnson, KK Johnson and Kane Brown/Jake Owen/Parmalee songwriter Ben Johnson) follows their previous six-song EP Grew Up On with this stirring ballad. Released during Suicide Prevention Month, “When I Grow Up” touches on depression, difficult family circumstances, self-harm and regret. KK’s lead vocals are equal parts raspy and earnest, while the group’s familial harmonies are superbly tight-knit.

Sam Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry“

Singer-songwriter Sam Williams celebrates the centennial celebration of the birth of his grandfather, the late country music icon Hank Williams, Sr., with this ethereal, blues-tinted rock rendering of his grandfather’s classic “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” The song serves as a perfect vehicle for his hauntingly soulful voice, which still harbors hints of Williams, Sr.’s plaintive tenor.

Stephen Wilson Jr., Søn of Dad

On his debut, 22-song album, Wilson Jr. offers a meshup of large-scale arena rock, country, and elements of grunge. “Year to Be Young 1994” offers a chronicling of the essence of the 1990s youth culture, from Kurt Cobain and pagers to roller rinks and nights spent flopped on a bedroom floor, soaking in music through headphones; the track has already garnered over 3 million streams on Spotify.

But the emotional heart of Søn of Dad reverberates in songs that offer maturing perspectives on fatherhood. “I used to hate being called Jr./ I don’t mind any longer,” he sings on “Father’s Son,” his gruff vocal pulling out all the anguish and honor of being connected to his namesake on the lush, string-driven track. “Grief Is Only Love” tackles loss with the succinct musing, “Grief is only love with no place to go,” while “Hang in There” focuses on the trinkets he keeps to remind him of his late father and serve as a reminder to keep forging onward.

Elsewhere, songs such as “The Devil” and “Holler From the Holler” offer unvarnished, keen-eyed looks at good and evil. “I came from the mud where the low lives waller/ Sailor-swearing, single-parent, double-wide squalor,” he testifies on “Holler From the Holler,” his voice at once soaring and coarse, as he sings of domestic abuse and life in an impoverished area. Throughout the album, Wilson Jr. offers the kind of nuanced storytelling that has helped make stars of artists like Eric Church and Chris Stapleton, and he has the vocal prowess to back it up. An extremely promising debut.

Austin Williams, “Wanna Be Saved”

Williams’ debut single currently ranks in the top 20 on the iTunes country chart, his burly vocal and a stolid percussion bolstering this pills-and-booze fueled tale of taking on life at full speed in the wrong direction. Williams sings of the struggle between pain-numbing vices and the urge for some kind of spiritual resolution. Sonically, track falls in line with the rock-stoked, hip-hop infused works of mainstream country radio mainstays like Morgan Wallen and Jason Aldean.

Madeline Merlo, “Tim + Faith”

Merlo is known for writing the hit “Champagne” for Lady A, and providing backing vocals on the Cole Swindell hit “She Had Me at Heads Carolina.” This protean singer-songwriter deftly offers her own tribute to ’90s country in this soft swirl of nostalgia and romance, recounting a teenage love soundtracked by the music of McGraw and Hill. Merlo’s velvety, lilting voice lends a dreamy quality as she melds titles, lyrics and a snippet of the melody of “It’s Your Love” into this storyline. A lovely outing.

Robert Hale, “I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water”

Longtime bluegrass music mainstay Hale performs a grassy take on the 1965 Stonewall Jackson hit here. “I washed my hands but they didn’t come clean,” he sings on this outlaw narrative, which effloresces with the fleet-fingered instrumentation from Hale (guitar), Nathan Aldridge (fiddle), Kameron Keller (bass), Jason Davis (banjo) and Chris Davis (mandolin).

Sammy Arriaga, “Tennessee Whiskey”

Florida native Arriaga issues his latest in a slate of Spanish-language covers of classic country songs, with two versions of “Tennessee Whiskey” — one bilingual and one entirely in Spanish. Sonically, the track largely remains faithful to Stapleton’s rendering, highlighting Arriaga’s rich vocal range, while forging the song forward into new territory.

18 Sep 2023

Joey Fatone, Lance Bass & JC Chasez Say *NSYNC ‘Trolls’ Reunion Could Roll On: ‘Anything Is Possible’

If you’re still not done hyperventilating over *NSYNC‘s surprise reunion at the 2023 MTV VMAs and the announcement that the beloved boy band have recorded a new song for the Trolls Band Together threequel, member Joey Fatone has some some advice for you: keep beating that drum. Fatone was one of several *NSYNCers who were out and about over the weekend dropping tantalizing teases about the potential extension of the one-off get back.

“We’re excited for *NSYNC to come out with a song,” Fatone shared during a panel discussion at the ’90s Con in Florida on Sunday according to People. “Which is crazy to say after 25 years. And no, I don’t know if there is a tour!”

While there is no official talk of a tour — or any additional *NSYNC activities — at the moment, Fatone told thirsty fans that if they want to see the quintet that also features Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Lance Bass keep the good times rolling they should hit up their former label. “If the fans want it that much yell at the companies, yell at Sony, yell at RCA, yell at them to say that they need an *NSYNC album,” Fatone counseled.

After the VMAs appearance, the band dropped their first new song in more than 20 years, “Better Place,” which will be released on Sept. 29 and appear in the Trolls movie, due out on Nov. 17. Fatone went on to suggest that Timberlake’s upcoming unnamed solo album might be another chance for them to revisit the “Better Place” magic.

“Obviously Justin’s coming out with his album, so he’s probably going to be doing a tour, I’m sure he’s doing that. Then hopefully, cross our fingers — I can’t promise — but hopefully we do something together,” Fatone said; at press time a spokesperson for Timberlake had not returned a request for comment about any other potential *NSYNC activities involving the band’s biggest break-out member.

TMZ caught up with Chasez at LAX over the weekend and while he said he was focused on promoting the single at the moment, the singer teasingly added, “anything is possible.” The gossip site said it also talked to Bass, who used the opportunity to say that if fans wanted the band to keep the reunion going for a tour and/or album, they should support the ongoing Hollywood writers/actors strike.

“Better Place” is the first new *NSYNC song since 2002 and their VMA appearance — where they presented Taylor Swift with the best pop award for the “Anti-Hero” clip, was their first time on the awards show’s stage since 2013, when they gathered for Timberlake’s Video Vanguard Award medley performance.

While no other *NSYNC activities have been announced so far, the guys continued to stoke the flames in a Friends-themed video they posted last week. In the clip on their official Insta, they used the audio of Joey and Rachel from “The One With All the Resolutions” episode, with Timberlake mouthing, “Do you know something?” as Fatone responded, “Do you know something?” and so on and so on as they appeared to be holding back on another surprise.

JT stars in the upcoming film, returning as the main troll Branch alongside Anna Kendrick’s Poppy. The new movie’s plot follows as Branch reunites with his brothers to get their childhood boy band, BroZone, back together. While *NSYNC reunited for the soundtrack, in the film, Timberlake’s bandmate brothers are voiced by Troye Sivan, Eric André, Daveed Diggs and Kid Cudi.

Check out the Friends tease below.

18 Sep 2023

Nas & Hennessy Celebrate MC’s 50th Birthday With Diddy, Robert DeNiro, Kendrick Lamar, & More

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Source: Hennessy / Hennessy

Along with Hip-Hop, Nas also turned 50 years old this year and the rapper teamed with Hennessy to celebrate the milestone with a party that featured a gang of high-profile guests including Kendrick Lamar, Diddy, Fat Joe and more.

The festivities went down at The Grill in New York City and featured Nas being presented with a sculpture from artists Kennedy Yanko that was commissioned by Hennessy. The copper sculpture was partially inspired by Nas’ collab with Hennessy on his special 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop Hennessy V.S. bottle.

At the party, the music was in the best of hands with DJ Jazzy Jeff on the turntables and The Roots holding down the stage. In attendance was a who’s who of Hip-Hop and R&B celebrities including Mary J. Blige, NORE, DJ Premier, The Lox,Havoc, AZ, Raekwon, Slick Rick, Q-Tip, Ralph McDaniels, and more. Oh yeah, former NBA star Carmelo Anthony and actor Robert DeNiro were there, too.

Also, you know you’re solid when Raekwon takes time to big you up on your born day.

Check photos from the party in the gallery.