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Mashd N Kutcher Founder Matt James Reveals Cancer Diagnosis

Mashd N Kutcher founder Matt James has been diagnosed with cancer, an “unexpected” blow that will require extensive treatment in the months ahead.

The APRA Music Award-winning Australian dance music artist revealed his condition on Friday, Aug. 11, and has vowed to fight.

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“I have been diagnosed with cancer – specifically Multiple Myeloma, which forms in blood cells inside the bone marrow,” he writes in a social post, accompanying a picture of the artist horizontal on a hospital bed.

“This was unexpected as I was otherwise healthy, however it has spread throughout my body causing multiple breaks in my arms ribs and more. Over the immediate months we will hit this from every angle with chemotherapy and extensive treatment ahead.”

Based in Brisbane, James created the MNK project back in 2012 with “the goal of making exciting music and showcasing talented bandmates through the live shows,” he explains, “thankfully this can continue.”

For the time being, he’ll step aside from social media and touring, but will continue to reserve “energy and focus” for writing and producing recordings, and curating and programming the music and visuals for MNK live shows, which its members will “perform as they always have.”

Weaving styles and generations of dance music with its collective of DJs and multi-instrumentalists, MNK has notched over 1,500 performances around the globe, and collected three ARIA gold-certifications in Australia.

The act signed with Universal Music Group in 2017, and landed a global publishing deal with BMG in the same year.

James last year penned Get on the Beers: A Christmas Story, a book that continued the theme of the lockdown anthem “Get on the Beers,” a goodtime number filled with positivity and hope.

“Get On The Beers,” which featured vocals from Victorian premier Dan Andrews, won the 2022 APRA Award for most performed dance/electronic work and landed at No. 12 on triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown.

“In summary,” James continues in his latest post, “the road ahead is challenging but I’m very fortunate to have an amazing support network of family, close friends and colleagues, right now I’m physically weak but mentally strong, and I’ll be giving this everything I’ve got. Love you all”.

In James’ absence, MNK will perform headline shows in Asia in the weeks ahead, before returning to Australia for dates in September. “Music wise I’m returning to the roots of of the project,” he continues. “If you enjoyed ‘Sunshine’ or ‘On My Mind’ you’ll love the next releases.”

Doja Cat Pounces to Top 10 Debut In Australia With ‘Paint The Town Red’

Doja Cat nabs another top 10 spot on Australia’s singles chart, while Billie Eilish enters a second week at No. 1 with “What Was I Made For?” (via Interscope/Universal), one of several major hits from the Barbie soundtrack.

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Eilish, the Californian pop phenomenon, has chalked up 15 ARIA top 10 singles across her young career, including a leader with 2019’s “Bad Guy.” Like her Barbie number, “Bad Guy” also reigned over the chart for two weeks.

A slew of tracks from the soundtrack, Barbie: The Album, make an impact on the latest ARIA Singles Chart, published Aug. 11. Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night” lifts 4-3, its peak position; “Barbie World” by Nicki MinajIce Spice and Aqua switches positions, dipping 3-4; and Charli XCX’s “Speed Drive” motors 24-22 (all via Atlantic/Warner).

Doja Cat is on the prowl. The U.S. rapper, singer and songwriter bows at No. 10 with “Paint The Town Red” (RCA/Sony), for the week’s highest debut and only new release in the top 40.

It’s her sixth top 10 hit in the land Down Under, a list that’s led by “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA, which hit No. 2 back in 2021.

Troye Sivan’s “Rush” is on the move, lifting 38-32 in its second week on the ARIA Chart. The Perth, Australia-raised pop artist is just one of two homegrown artists impacting this week’s tally. The other, Vance Joy, with his 16-times platinum certified hit from 2013 “Riptide,” up 43-30.

Over on the ARIA Albums Chart, Travis Scott’s Utopia (Epic/Sony) locks up top spot for a second successive week, ahead of the Barbie soundtrack (up 3-2 via Atlantic/Warner) and a trio of Taylor Swift titles, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), Midnights and 1989 (all via Universal), respectively.

The top debut belongs to Fanny Lumsden, with Hey Dawn (Cooking Vinyl Australia/Orchard), her fourth studio album. The ARIA and AIR Award-winning Australian country artist, a performer at Glastonbury Festival in late June, drops in at No. 10 on the national tally. Hey Dawn is the followup to 2020’s Fallow, which also peaked at No. 10 on the ARIA Chart, and won the ARIA Award that year for best country album.

Olivia Rodrigo Uses New Instagram Music Feature to Celebrate ‘Bad Idea Right?’ Debut

Olivia Rodrigo officially dropped her second Guts single, “Bad Idea Right?,” first thing Friday (Aug. 11), and the 20-year-old star had some fun launching Instagram’s new music feature to celebrate the release.

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She launched the “music in carousels” feature by sharing her own photo carousel using the new song. Starting now, all Instagram users can add music to their own photo carousels.

Additionally, Instagram users can now invite up to three friends to co-author a post or reel together, allowing all collaborators to share likes, views and comments. With the new “Add Yours” feature on reels, creators can pin up to 10 of their fans’ reel submissions using their prompts.

Earlier this week, Rodrigo sent out an email to fans, writing that she’s “so stoked” to share “Bad Idea Right?” with them. “The song is pretty different from vampire & shows another side of GUTS that’s a little more fun & playful,” she added. “Cannot wait to share it with you alllllll. Love to ya always!”

“Bad Idea Right?” follows lead Guts single “Vampire,” which Rodrigo released in June, just a few days after announcing that the album arrives on Sept. 8. The single debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the Grammy winner’s third song to reach the chart’s summit after Sour‘s “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U.”

See Rodrigo’s new “Bad Idea Right?” Instagram photo carousel and music video below.



BTS’ V Turns on the Waterworks With ‘Rainy Days’: Watch

V brings a little sunshine to ARMY with his “Rainy Days.”

The BTS superstar turns on the waterworks with this latest single, a ballad, arriving at the stroke of midnight.

“Rainy Days” will splash on the K-pop singer’s debut solo album, Layover, a six-pack set to drop on Sept. 8, and includes the first release “Love Me Again,” which appeared Wednesday with an official music video.

It’s a stripped back number, framed around V’s vocals, a snapping snare and an eccentric piano refrain. Big Hit Entertainment describes the fresh cut as an “alternative pop R&B track,” a statement reads, a “perfect mix of vintage percussion and modern drum sounds gives off a unique vibe.”

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The music video for “Rainy Days” follows V as he gets about an ordinary day, waking up, prepping food, working, resting.

On it, he sings: “Rainy Days, I’m thinking ‘bout you/What to say/Wish I knew how to/Find the way/Right back to you.”

As previously reported, V worked with NewJeans creative director/ADOR president Hee Jin Min on the forthcoming LP, with BigHit revealing that Min oversaw the entire production of the collection, including music, choreography, design and promotion.

For “Rainy Days,” she says, “I wanted to focus on V’s inner self instead of his outwardly glamor. I had specific styles of music that I wanted to suggest to V, considering his vocal tone and style. As soon as he heard the tracklist I made for him, we instantly agreed on the direction.”

The new tune, she continues, “acts as an intro for the album, and V’s serene vocals and visuals stand out.” 

Big Hit announced Tuesday that Layover will include a total of six tracks: “Rainy Days,” “Blue,” “Love Me Again,” “Slow Dancing,” “For Us” and a bonus track piano version of “Slow Dancing.”

And the tracklist comes with a suggestion, that ARMY listen to the album’s tracks in order, from 1-5, noting that “Slow Dancing” is the focus track of the collection, describing it as a “1970s romantic soul style track [that] exudes a laid-back and free-spirited feeling.”

V’s solo efforts come after releases from his fellow BTS members: Jung Kook released “Seven” featuring Latto — which crowned the Billboard Hot 100 — last month, while Suga’s D-Day arrived in April and Jimin’s FACE (including the Hot 100 No. 1 “Like Crazy”) in March.

His earlier releases include “Stigma,” “Singularity,” “Winter Bear” and “Inner Child”; more recent original solo songs are 2021’s “Christmas Tree,” which was on the soundtrack of the Netflix K-drama Our Beloved Summer and last year’s version of the holiday classic “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”

Watch “Rainy Days” below.



Trippie Redd’s ‘A Love Letter to You 5’ Has Arrived: Stream It Now

Trippie Redd‘s newest album, A Love Letter To You 5, has finally arrived. The rapper released the latest project in his Love Letter series, which is now available to stream on all platforms.

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The album contained a total of 19 tracks, some of which included features from heavyweights in the rap industry: “Take Me Away” feat. Corbin, “Last Days” “Thy Motion” “How You Alive” “Thinking Bout you” “Praying 4 Love” “Reality” “A Feeling” feat Skye Morales” “Romantic Fantasy” “I’m Mad at Me” feat. Lil Wayne, “Closed Doors” feat. Roddy Ricch, “Action” “Left 4 Dead” “Wind” feat. The KiD Laroi, “Took my Breath Away” feat. Skye Morales, “Flowers” feat. Bryson Tiller, “The Hate” and “Trip McKnight.”

A Love Letter To You 5 marks Redd’s second release of 2023. In January, the rapper surprised fans with Mansion Musik, a 27-track mixtape. The project quickly became Redd’s seventh consecutive top five albuM, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Travis Scott, Rylo Rodriguez, Future, Lil Baby, Ski Mask the Slump God and more had guest spots on the album. The surprise release of the mixtape came in part to the track reportedly being “held for ransom” by unidentified hackers, Redd revealed.

Redd will embark on his Take Me Away tour to support the album starting on August 31. The trek will make stops in Boston, New York, Toronto, Philadelphia and more before concluding in Seattle on Oct. 9.

Stream A Love Letter to You 5 below.

Karol G Drops ‘Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season)’: Stream It Now

Bichota Season is here! Karol G dropped her new album Friday (Aug. 11), coinciding with her first-ever U.S. stadium tour, which kicked off Thursday in Las Vegas.

Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) is home to 10 brand new songs, including collaborations with Kali Uchis, Young Miko, Dei V and Peso Pluma. It follows Karol G’s history-making Mañana Será Bonito, released in February, which became the first all-Spanish album by a female artist to top the Billboard 200.

Bichota Season also includes the EDM-fused trap song “S91,” Karol’s latest single — produced by her longtime producer Ovy on the Drums — that was inspired by the Psalm 91 Bible verse, and is about overcoming adversity. The song debuted and peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.

The release of Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) coincides with the “Provenza” singer’s stadium tour, which kicked off Aug. 10 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The 15-date trek, presented by Live Nation, will also visit Pasadena, Miami, Houston and Dallas and before wrapping up Sept. 28 at the Gillette Stadium in Boston.

On Aug. 3, Karol G made history when she became the first Latina to headline Lollapalooza in Chicago. She’s no stranger to making history on the stage. Last year, she made her Coachella debut on the main stage and also wrapped up 2022 with a record-breaking arena tour. After grossing $69.9 million and selling 410,000 tickets across 33 shows in North America, her $trip Love Tour became the highest grossing U.S. tour by a female Latin act in history.

Stream Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) below:

Olivia Rodrigo’s New Single Isn’t A ‘Bad Idea Right?’: Stream It Now

More Olivia Rodrigo music is never a bad idea, right? The Grammy-winning pop superstar has unleashed “Bad Idea Right,” the latest single from Guts, her forthcoming sophomore studio album.

“Oh, yes, I know that he’s my ex / But can’t two people reconnect? / I only see him as a friend / I just tripped and fell into his bed,” she sings in the chorus of her latest guitar-heavy track. “Bad Idea Right” follows “Vampire” as the latest taste of Guts; the new track also arrives alongside its Petra Collins-directed music video. In a teaser posted to her Instagram on Thursday (Aug. 10), OIivia finds herself both on the inside and on the outskirts of a raging house party.

Last month (Jul. 15), “Vampire” became Olivia’s third single to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Serving as the lead single for Guts, “Vampire” has yet to leave the top ten of the Hot 100. Guts serves as the follow-up to Rodrigo’s debut studio album, Sour, which won her three Grammys including best pop vocal album and best new artist. Rodrigo revealed the official tracklist for Guts, which includes notable titles like “All-American B—h” and “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” last week (Aug. 2).

Olivia Rodrigo has 13 entries on the Hot 100, including five top ten hits: “Drivers License” (No. 1), “Good 4 U” (No. 1), “Vampire” (No. 1), “Deja Vu” (No. 3) and “Traitor” (No. 9). On the Billboard 200, the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star spent five weeks at the top with Sour.

Stream “Bad Idea Right?” here:



Tory Lanez Speaks Out After 10-Year Prison Sentence for Megan Thee Stallion Shooting: ‘I Refuse to Apologize’

Following his 10-year prison sentence this week for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, Tory Lanez took to Instagram late Thursday (Aug. 10) to maintain his innocence and declare that he won’t “stop fighting till I come out victorious.”

Lanez (real name: Daystar Peterson) — who was convicted on three felony counts in December over the 2020 shooting — addressed the note to his “Umbrellas” fan group.

“I have never let a hard time intimidate me,” he wrote. “I will never never let no jail time eliminate me. Regardless of how they try to spin my words, I have always maintained my innocence and I always will.”

He writes that during his sentencing hearing, he took responsibility for “verbal and intimate moments that I shared with the parties involved,” but not for the shooting itself. “In no way shape or form was I apologizing for the charges I’m being wrongfully convicted of. I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do.”

Tuesday’s decadelong prison sentence for Lanez — which comes more than three years after the July 2020 shooting — was more than the probation sought by his lawyers but less than the 13 years prosecutors had suggested. The shooting occurred after Lanez, Megan Thee Stallion (real name: Megan Pete) and their friend Kelsey Harris left a party. According to prosecutors, Meg exited the vehicle and Lanez shot at her feet while shouting, “Dance, bi—!” Lanez was charged with the shooting in October 2022.

Read Lanez’s new statement in full below:

To The Umbrellas,

I have never let a hard time intimidate me. I will never never let no jail time eliminate me. Regardless of how they try to spin my words, I have always maintained my innocence and I always will.

This week in court I took responsibility for all verbal and intimate moments that I shared with the parties involved. … That’s it.

In no way shape or form was I apologizing for the charges I’m being wrongfully convicted of. I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do.

I’ve faced adversity my whole life and every time it looked like I would lose, I came out on top. This is nothing but another moment where my back is against the wall and I refuse to stop fighting till I come out victorious.

Tough times don’t last, tough people do.

To my family, friends and umbrellas thank you for your continued support.

See you soon.

Hip-Hop @ 50: 50 Songs That Define The Evolution & Impact Of Hip-Hop

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1520 Sedgwick Avenue Recognized As Official Birthplace Of Hip-Hop In The Bronx

Hip-Hop celebrates 50 years of existence on August 11, and the genre continues to expand far beyond its origins in the Bronx into what is now a global phenomenon. To honor the evolution and existence of Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop Wired compiled a 50-song playlist that we hope captures the best the music and culture has to offer.

an old cassette recorder, a music center with a radio receiver

Photo: Getty

We’ve been creating playlists for a while now but nothing was as difficult as this one. For starters, we agonized over how to group together 50 songs from over the decades and were frustrated with the fact we had to omit songs from the 1970s. The reason is, the music truly took hold of the world in the early 1980s, as we open up our playlist with one of the greatest songs created in any genre, “The Message” released in 1982.

Breakin' In The Park

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty

Most historians point to The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” as Hip-Hop’s first music single, while others would say The Fatback Band’s “King Tim III (Personality Jock)” gets the nod. Both tracks were released within months of each other in 1979, laying down the foundation for the MCs that emerged in the following decade.

All throughout the playlist, there will be glaring omissions, regions that didn’t get love, and other points of contention. Trust us, we’re just as upset but we wanted to include 10 songs that we feel captured each decade from the ’80s until now. If we had more time, we probably could have included 50 songs per era but who is willing to sit through that?

7th Ave. Subway Train Covered In Graffiti

Photo: Hulton Archive / Getty

To all of those acts who feel like we missed them, accept our apology and understand this was difficult to compile. We are also at the mercy of the DSP we used to host the playlist as some artists and their catalogs are not available in the digital realm

That said, we’re always honoring the veterans on our site and we pledge to return with a sequel to this playlist later in the month to get to those tracks we surely missed.

DJ playing music at a hip hop party. analog turntable, Dj uses turntable and mixer for scratching.

Photo: maksim kulikov / Getty

For now, check out our Hip-Hop @ 50 selection of tracks below. If you’re enjoying what you hear, sound off in the comments or via our social media channels.

Photo: Source: Al Pereira / Getty

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More Billionaires Found Lining Clarence Thomas’ Pockets

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A report reveals that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has received more secret gifts from billionaire donors including 38 vacations.

The new report details the massive amount of gifts of luxury travel that Thomas has received over three decades including 38 lavish destination vacations. These trips include 26 private jet flights and eight helicopter trips. Other gifts included VIP passes to college and professional sporting events, and an open invitation to a super-exclusive golf club perched on the Atlantic coast known as “The Floridian”.

These gifts have reportedly come from an array of billionaires, including Harlan Crow, who has been in the news constantly after it was discovered that he bestowed Thomas with numerous gifts in the form of private flights and purchasing his mother’s home in Georgia. Other billionaire donors include former Berkshire Hathaway executive David Sokol and the late H. Wayne Huizenga, the man behind national chains Blockbuster and Waste Management whom he met through the exclusive nonprofit Horatio Alger Association. Another, oil magnate Paul “Tony” Novelly, is another donor noted in the report.

The report goes on in detail about the extent that these donors gave to Thomas, and how they benefited from being in proximity to him. One example shows that the Supreme Court Justice granted the Horatio Alger Association unprecedented access to the court for members in its Great Hall as a way to fundraise for the group – going against explicit judiciary guidelines. Another instance describes Sokol addressing a group of former association scholarship recipients, and making a direct reference to a case that was before the Supreme Court concerning President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program.

“In my career, I don’t remember ever seeing this degree of largesse given to anybody,” said Jeremy Fogel, a former federal judge who served on the committee that reports judicial financial disclosures. “I think it’s unprecedented.” The news adds to more controversy surrounding Thomas, as his financial disclosures on record do not contain any of this information.

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