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22 Jun 2023

Here’s What Cardi B Thinks of Candace Owens Agreeing With Her About Missing Submersible

When it comes to Cardi B, there’s no such thing as a dull moment. The Grammy-winning hip-hop superstar has not been shying away from debate when it comes to her opinions on the missing Titanic submersible, first critiquing the stepson of the missing billionaire on the craft, and now, clapping back at Candace Owens on the topic.

In a shocking turn of events, Owens — a conservative sociopolitical commentator and frequent adversary to Cardi — revealed on Wednesday (June 21) that she agreed with the “Up” rapper slamming Brian Szasz — whose stepdad is billionaire Hamish Harding — for attending a concert while the sub is still missing. Owens tweeted, “We all know this day would come. Finally, I agree with [Cardi B] and everything she said about the submarine stepson from hell.”

In response to Owens’ admission of agreement, Cardi responded to the commentator with a shady gif of a kangaroo chewing and squinting its eyes.

Earlier in the day, the Bronx rapper had critiqued Szasz for attending a Blink-182 concert as his stepfather remained lost nearly 12,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. “You supposed to be at the house sad. You supposed to be crying for me. You supposed to be right next to the phone waiting to hear any updates about me,” the rapper said in a video posted to her Instagram Stories.

For those unfamiliar, Cardi B and Candace Owens have been feuding — ideologically, politically and sometimes personally — since 2020. Owens was a vocal critic of Cardi’s Megan Thee Stallion-assisted “WAP,” Cardi exposed Owens for touting her as one of her “predictions for the black revolution for free thought” once upon a time, and Owens critiqued the decision of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election campaign to collaborate with the “I Like It” rapper.

Read Cardi and Candace’s exchange here:

22 Jun 2023

Rumble In The Metaverse? : Mark Zuckerberg Wants All The Smoke With Elon Musk, Tells Phony Stark To “Send Me Location”

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Mark Zuckerberg Agrees To Cage Match Fight With Elon Musk

Source: MANDEL NGAN / Getty / Mark Zuckerberg / Elon Musk

I don’t think anyone had this possible PPV event on their digital bingo cards.

Twitter’s incompetent owner, Elon Musk, and Meta’s chief, Mark Zuckerberg, have been virtually jabbing each other for months. Now it seems the two tech giants could square off in a cage match, and we’re not talking virtually either.

This all stemmed from Twitter users and Musk responding to a report about Instagram’s “Twitter-like” platform, Threads. 

“I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options,” Musk cheekily tweeted.

In response to Musk’s tweet, a user warned the Tesla chief that Zuckerberg is trained in Ju Jitsu, with Musk responding, “I’m up for a cage match if he is, lol.”

Musk might have been joking with his comment, but apparently, Zuckerberg is not, and he let the Phony Stark know he wants all the smoke by responding via his Instagram Stories, “Send me the location.”

Musk continued to egg on the situation by tweeting out a possible venue for the match, the “Vegas Octagon,” of course, and letting off a fire emoji when someone suggested that UFC’s Joe Rogan could be a referee.

He also claims he has a great move called “the walrus,” whatever the hell that means.

Tale of The Tape

Elon Musk, on paper, is the bigger person, but he also admits he “almost never” goes to the gym, and the only exercise he gets is “picking up my kids and throwing them in the air.”

It’s an entirely different story for Zuckerberg. Per ESPN, he won a no-gi white belt in the 149-pound division at a Silicon Valley tournament and placed second in a gi category on the same day.

The Zuck has also trained BJJ for about a year under Dave Camarillo who has also mentored former UFC titleholders like Cain Velasquez, Jon Fitch, and Josh Koscheck.

Camarillo had high praise for the Meta CEO, telling ESPN:

“He’s amazing. He is an extremely hard worker, as everybody knows. But a lot of people have a business, and they’re successful, and they have that side of their life, and rarely do they dip into the physical side, especially with something like jiu-jitsu and MMA, and have the same amount of success or even go past Day 1 or Month 1.”

Twitter, of course, has thoughts about this possible fight between the tech titans. You can see them in the gallery below.

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Photo: MANDEL NGAN / Getty

1. LOL, accurate

22 Jun 2023

MusiCares Launches ‘Humans of Hip Hop’ Program

MusiCares announced the launch of Humans of Hip Hop on Thursday (June 22). The program is focused on providing resources tailored to the needs of the hip-hop community nationwide with an initial focus on eight key cities – Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles/Compton, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.

“Like so many other communities post-pandemic, the hip hop community is in need of support,” Rico Love, the Miami-based chair of the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective, said in a statement. “I’ve heard my community voice their needs. With MusiCares and Humans of Hip Hop, I’m excited to work directly with artists and change-makers to get people the services that will really make a difference in their lives.”

A MusiCares spokesperson clarified that while the Black Music Collective played a key role in the creation of this program, the program is open to all members of the hip-hop community. “The Humans of Hip Hop program was created to achieve greater reach within a specific genre of music. Any person who identifies as part of the hip-hop music community can participate, regardless of race, age, gender, location or music profession. MusiCares is trying to reach people making hip-hop music and make sure MusiCares is addressing their needs.”

Humans of Hip Hop will bring programming to key cities over three years. The focus is on fostering long-term relationships to continue building MusiCares programming that is responsive to the needs of the hip-hop community.

Between August 2021 and July 2022, one-fifth of all MusiCares clients identified as Black music professionals. A MusiCares spokesperson says: “This statistic demonstrates that MusiCares serves a significant portion of clients from the Black music community.  The program’s goal is to gain even further awareness for MusiCares’ services within a specific genre, open to all races.”

MusiCares will add a full-time project lead for Humans of Hip Hop to serve as the day-to-day focal point for building inroads and maintaining partnership with the hip-hop community.

“MusiCares is grateful to our sponsors and artist advocates for helping us kick off this program,” Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares, said in a statement. “This work will allow us to zero in on the unique needs of the community and continue our work creating meaningful services driven by leaders and advocates of hip-hop.”

“We are thrilled to see this important initiative for our music people in the hip hop community come to life,” Harvey Mason jr, CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, said in a statement. “Providing the resources and services needed will ensure the community knows their voices are being heard.”

Ticket marketplace Vivid Seats is the program’s supporting partner. Vivid Seats has partnered with MusiCares since 2020, sponsoring COVID-19 and natural disaster relief efforts.

To be eligible for MusiCares assistance, applicants must be able to document employment history through a minimum of five years employment in the music industry or six commercially released recordings or videos. MusiCares may grant short-term financial assistance for personal or addiction needs that have arisen due to unforeseen circumstances. Funding may also be awarded to help with needs such as rent, car payments, insurance premiums, utilities, medical/dental expenses, psychotherapy, addiction treatment, sober living, and other personal expenses.

For more information about the Humans of Hip Hop program, visit musicares.org.

22 Jun 2023

Taylor Swift’s ‘August’ Back on Billboard Charts After Trailer Synch

Nearly three years after it first appeared on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, Taylor Swift’s “August” is back on the June 24-dated survey.

“August” experienced a boost in streams and sales amid the June 9-15 tracking week with it in the trailer for season two of Amazon Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Released June 8, the trailer helped push “August” to 3.9 million official U.S. streams June 9-15, according to Luminate. That’s a 24% gain over the previous week (June 2-8), which saw the song accumulate 3.1 million streams.

The latest stream count sends the song back onto Hot Rock & Alternative Songs at No. 17. (Older songs are eligible to rank on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs if in the chart’s top half and with a meaningful reason for re-entry.)

It’s the highest “August” has placed on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs since the Sept. 26, 2020, tally, when it also appeared at No. 17. The song debuted and peaked at No. 5 on the Aug. 8, 2020, list.

Additionally, “August” returns at No. 10 on Hot Alternative Songs.

Its stream count is also enough for “August” to re-enter Alternative Streaming Songs at No. 18. The song last made the ranking dated Aug. 13, 2022, at No. 21 due to a surge in streams around the start of August. It debuted and peaked at No. 4 on Aug. 8, 2020.

“August” is a cut from Folklore, Swift’s eighth studio album and first largely within the alternative genre. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated Aug. 8, 2020, ruled for eight weeks and to date it has earned 4.5 million equivalent album units.

The second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty premieres July 14 on Amazon’s Prime Video.

22 Jun 2023

Gaming Accessories: Nintendo’s New Pastel Switch Controllers Will Have You Playing in Style

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Nintendo wants you to kick off your summer gaming with some chic new pastel Switch Joy-Con controllers. The new accessories will be released June 30, but for those too excited to wait, you can preorder them on Amazon right now for $79.99.

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Not only will the colorful controllers pair well with Legend of Zelda merch, but it also expands your customization options. Whether you’re a fan of vibrant shades or want to sport some soft hues this season, the new colorway will give you just that. The new controlelrs comes in two color options: pastel purple and green or pastel yellow and pink.

It’s already garnered attention from Amazon, gaining the label of No. 1 new release for Nintendo Switch controllers. You can also snag it from other Nintendo retailers including Best Buy, GameStop and Target. With how popular Nintendo Switch is, we wouldn’t be surprised if the pastel controllers sell out quickly. To ensure it’s delivered to you the moment it’s released, preordering is typically the safest bet.

Keep reading to see how to preorder your own.

pastel purple and green Nintendo Switch Joy-Con with black wrist straps

Amazon

Click on the buy button to have the new pastel Joy-Con controllers delivered straight to you once June 30 hits. The graphics on your Nintendo Switch games don’t have to be the only colorful things you look at, and thanks to these soft shades, you can add some style to your gaming. It features the classic Joy-Con controllers, including advanced vibrations for the ultimate gaming experience and two black wrist straps to keep them secure.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best over-ear headphones, portable phone chargers and cameras for music videos.

22 Jun 2023

Watch Harry Styles Pause His Concert So a Pregnant Fan Can ‘Go for a Wee’

As if anyone needed more reasons to love Harry Styles, the British superstar gave fans yet an another thing to swoon over at his Cardiff, Wales, Love on Tour stop on Tuesday (June 20).

The show was filled with Styles’ trademark onstage banter, this time centered on a pregnant fan who wanted the “As It Was” singer to name her child. “That’s a lot of pressure — you don’t really want me to name it,” he said in fan captured video. He then asked the woman “what she was having,” and learned that he would four options to choose from — Stevie, Rafe, Harley, and Caleb. Although Styles did not choose a name himself, the name “Stevie” drew the loudest cheers from the enraptured crowd.

The banter continued when Styles asked the fan, “Do you need to go for a wee? You should go for a wee. I think we all agree it’s important Sian goes for a wee, don’t we?” In a move that was equally endearing and hilarious, Styles said, “You know what I’m going to do this one time? You go for a wee, I’m going to stall.” The “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” singer paused his set and promised the expectant fan that she wouldn’t miss a thing if she hurried.

While he stalled, the One Direction alum read the crowd’s signs to keep the packed stadium entertained. Once the “Sign of the Times” singer spotted the fan returning to her spot, he began chanting, “Here she comes, here she comes!”

Styles’ nearly three-year Love on Tour extravaganza recently topped Billboard‘s Midyear Top Tours and Top Ticket Sales rankings.

Watch a clip of the entire exchange here:

22 Jun 2023

Cardi B Lashes Out at Tasha K Over TakeOff Comments: ‘Don’t Ever Put Takeoff Name In Ya Mouth’

Cardi B posted a fiery response on Wednesday night (June 21) as part of the latest salvos in her ongoing feud with gossip blogger Tasha K, just months after a judge denied an appeal from K (born Latasha Kebe) over the $4 million verdict in Cardi’s defamation suit against Kebe.

“And Tasha K with your despicable ass.. to bring up Takeoff to prove a fake ass point is disgusting. I lost weight, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, me and my man STILL dealing wit that to to this day,” Cardi tweeted, seemingly in response to an earlier tweet from Tasha, in which the blogger wrote, “Wasn’t she posting guns right after Takeoff died? And on the internet, cutting up not long after his sudden takeoff? I’m just asking… Everyone grieves diff..”

The comment about the late Migos member — who made up one-third of the trio that also features Cardi’s husband, Offset — seemed to infuriate Cardi, who continued, “I’m a rapper, we targeted all the time so of course I have guns for protection. But since you wanna be funny for comments, ima make sure your kid don’t go to college. You think my lawyers don’t know you hiding money in Africa? Ima make sure I get every red cent of my 4 mill. DONT EVER PUT TAKEOFF NAME IN YA MOUTH.” TakeOff, 28, was killed in Nov. 2022 in a shooting at a Houston bowling alley.

At press time a spokesperson for Tasha K had not returned Billboard‘s request for further comment on Cardi’s tweet. The blogger, however, was not done baiting Cardi, as a series of further social posts on Wednesday night and Thursday morning (June 22) appeared aimed at taunting the “Be Careful” rapper.

“I’m really missing #themigos, too bad they let a bitter, angry stripper come in between them, drug&rob them of their dreams…. Cause we remember your last words to the late great #takeoff,” Tasha wrote on Instagram, where her signature appeared to be another swipe at her nemesis, as it read “Bank of Africa,” along with a graphic showing that her name was a top trend on Twitter thanks to Cardi.

She tripled-down hours later with a post she described as “an official apology.” The letter to Cardi’s “bardigang” fan group came in the form of what sounded like a tongue-in-cheek mea culpa for the repeated delays holding up Cardi’s long-awaited second full-length studio album.

“It’s my fault as to why y’all don’t have a 2nd album,” K wrote in the note that did not specifically mention Cardi, but heavily alluded to the rapper. “She’s been in court with me for 6 years distracted from her purpose. Now going on 7,” Tasha added, while making some unverifiable claims about the status of Cardi’s label (and finances) and that of Offset’s next solo album.

“I’m so sorry for distracting yall queen!,” K wrote. “It’s all my fault.”

Tasha filed for bankruptcy last month claiming that she has less than $60,000 to her name after a judge ruled that she is personally on the hook for $3.4 million in the defamation judgement about the YouTuber’s salacious claims that the Bronx rapper had an incurable STD, used drugs and was a prostitute.

Last month, Cardi promised that her fans can “expect a lot from me this summer,” a reference to new music and other projects as the Bardi Gang patiently wait for the follow-up to her smash 2018 debut album, Invasion of Privacy.

See Cardi and Tasha’s tweets below.

22 Jun 2023

In 1988, Debbie Gibson’s ‘Foolish Beat’ Hit No. 1 on the Hot 100: Chart Rewind

“I find that people have kept [it] with them. I think it’s because the lyrics are simple, but you can fill in the blanks with your adult experience. I know that I can as a singer now.”

In 2013, Debbie Gibson recounted to Billboard her memories of “Foolish Beat,” which had then topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart 25 years earlier, on the ranking dated June 25, 1988. The song made history for Gibson: As she was 17 years old when the ballad reigned, she became the youngest woman to have written, produced and performed a Hot 100 No. 1, a mark that still stands.

“When I was writing it,” Gibson further recalled in 2013, “I was guessing what love would be like … and then also guessing what it would be like to lose love. Now that I’ve been through all that, I can sing the very simple lyrics and really fill it.”

The song was released as the fourth single from Gibson’s Atlantic Records debut album Out of the Blue, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Her breakthrough hit “Only in My Dreams” reached No. 4 on the Hot 100, as did follow-up “Shake Your Love,” while the title cut then hit No. 3. (Following “Foolish Beat,” fifth single “Staying Together” became the set’s fifth top 40 hit, rising to No. 22.)

Gibson has continued to expand her Billboard chart history, as she sent her first seasonal collection, Winterlicious, into the top 20 of the Top Holiday Albums in November 2022. It followed her first proper LP of all-new music, The Body Remembers, which hit the Top Current Albums and Top Album Sales charts in 2021.

Upon the 35th anniversary of “Foolish Beat” ruling the Hot 100, Gibson gives Billboard an exclusive countdown of the chart that week in 1988, musing about each song in the top 20 that frame. The song, which became Gibson’s first of two No. 1s, ahead of “Lost in Your Eyes” in March 1989, overcame impressive competition, including fellow classics from Michael Jackson, George Michael, Def Leppard, INXS and Hall and Oates. –Gary Trust

22 Jun 2023

Portugal. The Man On the Success of ‘Feel It Still’, Their Upcoming Music & More

Portugal. The Man frontman John Gourley talks about the crazy whirlwind success of the band’s hit single “Feel It Still” (a Billboard Hot 100 top 10), why their upcoming music is their most personal yet and more.

John Gourley:

The stakes have changed. The motivation has changed. The reason I’m doing this piece all changed

I mean, it’s so wild looking back at that stuff 

This is where we used to skip school and snowboard. We’d hike up, this is like my happy place. Right when I come home, I listen to music and just walk along the top. Just silence that’s the thing I miss most about Alaska is just silence. We’re here in Knik, Alaska. I grew up out here. We come out for the dog sled races for the Knik 200, we shot a ton of our music videos

These two trees the way they were bent. It just it looked like a soundstage. I sent it to a buddy and he was like, where did you shoot this? It’s like literally my dad’s backyard. Last time I came down from the tree, she didn’t have video. It was all adrenaline. I was sitting up there. I was like, wow, like I have no strength left and I was at the top. I was like, please make it to the bottom please.

Watch the full video above. Read the full Billboard cover story, written by Lyndsey Havens, here. Check out the photo shoot taken in John Gourley’s home state of Alaska here.

22 Jun 2023

Bon Iver’s ‘Holocene’ Started As This Justin Vernon Song: Hear It Now

On Aug. 18, Jagjaguwar will release a five-album box set titled Epoch, which will include unreleased music along with a 114-page story on the short-lived indie–rock band DeYarmond Edison. The four-piece act boasted Joe Westerlund and Phil and Brad Cook, all of whom later formed the psych-folk band Megafaun, along with Justin Vernon, who went on to form and front Bon Iver.

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On Thursday (June 22), a new two-pack single from the forthcoming release has arrived: “Hazelton B/W Liner.” The stunning and stripped-down songs laid the groundwork for what ultimately became the Bon Iver standout “Holocene,” off the band’s second album, Bon Iver, Bon Iver. “Holocene” received Grammy nominations for record and song of the year a dozen years ago. Bon Iver won best new artist and best alternative music album that year.

“Hazelton B/W Liner” is not only the oldest song that would become part of Bon Iver’s catalog — Vernon first recorded it between July 2005-May 2006 for his third solo album, Hazeltons — but also arguably the song that caused DeYarmond Edison to split. One month after Vernon’s Hazeltons arrived (released only on CD, with just 100 hand-numbered copies made), DeYarmond Edison played its final show. Less than one year later, both Bon Iver and Megafaun would release its respective debut albums.

Hazeltons will be one of the five LPs included in Epoch. The physical edition will include an exclusive live version of “Hazelton” that Vernon recorded with Aaron and Bryce Dessner in Paris. The box set’s other albums include All of Us Free, recorded between November 1998-July 2005 when DeYarmond Edison was a group of high schoolers making music as Mount Vernon; Silent Signs, DeYarmond Edison’s second studio album that has been remastered and pressed to vinyl for the first time; Epoch, Etc., which chronicles the band’s move from Eau Claire, Wisc., to Raleigh, N.C.; and Where We Belong, which houses buried treasures found after the band’s breakup.

As the box set’s executive producer and biographer says of Epoch as a whole, “This is the sound of sorting through an overabundance of new info, mostly for yourself. And, even in the rather fraught process, finding out just where it is you’ve been headed your whole life.”

Listen to “Hazelton B/W Liner” below.