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31 May 2023

3rd Man Charged For The Murder Of Jam Master Jay

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Over two decades after the murder of Run-D.M.C.’s Jam Master Jay, a third man has been charged for his role in the crime that shook up the Hip-Hop world.

On Tuesday (May 30), federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced charges against Jay Bryant of Queens, New York for the 2002 murder. Bryant is currently being detained on an unrelated separate indictment related to drugs. According to the court documents in the unsealed indictment, the charges include murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking.

When contacted for comment, Bryant’s lawyer César de Castro said that his client would plead not guilty to the new charges. “Securing an indictment in a secret grand jury, applying an extremely low burden of proof, is one thing,” Castro stated. “Proving it at trial is another matter.” Bryant’s arraignment for the new indictment has not been scheduled.

Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. are the two other men who’ve been charged with the death of Jam Master Jay, also known as Jason Mizell. Both had murder charges brought against them by prosecutors in August 2020, with authorities blaming the October 2002 shooting in the Hip-Hop icon’s studio on his apparent exclusion of the two from “a multi-kilogram, multistate narcotics transaction” after a dispute in July of that year. Both men are now expected to go to trial in January 2024.

Bryant was spotted entering the building after the shooting according to the indictment, and his DNA was also found at the scene of the crime. The documents go on to detail how the 49-year-old confessed to being there later on and claimed that he was the one who shot Jam Master Jay, a claim that prosecutors feel is false as they believe Jordan is the one who fired the two fatal shots.

31 May 2023

‘Black Mirror’ Returns For A Reality Bending Season 6

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After a few years on hiatus, Black Mirror will finally be making its return to Netflix. And judging from its first full official trailer, the revered sci-fi anthology series will be coming back with a bang.

Black Mirror production still

Source: Nick Wall / Netflix

Clocking in at five episodes, the new season of Black Mirror will be featuring the likes of Hollywood heavyweights such as Salma Hayek, Aaron Paul, Zazie Beetz and even former heartthrob Josh Hartnett, who unceremoniously took a sabbatical from the acting game at the height of his career in the mid-2000’s.

Speaking to Netflix Tudum, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker hopes fans appreciate how the series has been evolving in its previous years and how it continues to expand in its latest installment.

“I’ve always felt that Black Mirror should feature stories that are entirely distinct from one another, and keep surprising people — and myself — or else what’s the point? It should be a series that can’t be easily defined, and can keep reinventing itself,” Brooker said.

As for what we can expect from each episode, the official synopsis of each episode describes some out of this world situations that would intrigue the most curious of minds.

From Netflix Tudum:

JOAN IS AWFUL
An average woman is stunned to discover a global streaming platform has launched a prestige TV drama adaptation of her life — in which she is portrayed by Hollywood A-lister Salma Hayek.
LOCH HENRY
A young couple travel to a sleepy Scottish town to start work on a genteel nature documentary – but find themselves drawn to a juicy local story involving shocking events of the past.
BEYOND THE SEA
In an alternative 1969, two men on a perilous high-tech mission wrestle with the consequences of an unimaginable tragedy.
A troubled starlet is dogged by invasive paparazzi while dealing with the consequences of a hit-and-run incident.
Northern England, 1979. A meek sales assistant is told she must commit terrible acts to prevent disaster.
Check out the trailer for a better idea of what these episodes will be packing. Let us know if you’ll be tuning into Netflix when Black Mirror premiers June 15 in the comments section below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=5jY1ecibLYo&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

31 May 2023

The Rolling Stones Team Up With Keurig in Exciting Limited-Edition Collaboration

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Keurig and the legendary rock group The Rolling Stones have come together for a first of its kind collaboration — and we’ve got a sneak peek. Fans will certainly love this collab a latte as it not only combines rock ‘n roll with the delicious caffeinated beverage, but features a bundle of custom designed Keurig supplies inspired by the band’s popular song “Start Me Up.”

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To get you rolling into summer on the right note, this kit comes with the new K-Iced Brewer, a Rolling Stone-themed iced coffee tumbler and “Start Me Up” coffee blend K-Cup pods. Everything included in the K-Iced Brewer machine features a white and red design with the iconic red lips logo on the side. Instead of the timeless red tongue though, it’s been replaced with swirls of brown inspired by iced coffee.

Courtesy of Keurig

This exclusive collaboration won’t be available to purchase until June 6, but fans can sign up here to be reminded. There’s only a limited amount of these bundles being made, which means you definitely don’t want to think too long on this.

Collectors and coffee lovers alike won’t want to miss out on adding this to their kitchen as it’s not only a conversation starter, but comes with a mix of enviable features. The K-Iced Brewer not only brews iced coffee but for hot beverage fans, you can still make a steaming cup of joe in the morning. The removable drip tray also means you can fit up to 7-inch tall tumblers and travel mugs.

No matter what your coffee preferences are make sure you mark your calendar and sign up to snag one of these Keurig x The Rolling Stone bundles while you can.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups on the Rolling Stones x Lego Art Set, the best band tees, and best record players and turntables.

31 May 2023

Afrobeats Fresh Picks of the Month: Tyla x Ayra Starr, Teni, Kwesi Arthur, Kizz Daniel & More

It’s come to the end of May, which can only mean one thing: Summertime has arrived. And with it, we have a new crop of songs by a slew of African artists that are set to dominate playlists across several continents for the next few months.

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Whether it’s amapiano, Afropop, R&B, neo-soul, highlife or just uncategorizably beautiful music, there’s more that’s come out this month that we could include here. But to try to help you cut through that flood of feel-good vibes, there are a few songs that have particularly caught our ears — by the likes of Teni, Tyla & Ayra Starr, Asake & Olamide, Kizz Daniel, Kwesi Arthur and Oxlade & Flavour.

We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new Afrobeats (and related) songs that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and catch a vibe with us by listening to our Spotify playlist below.

Tyla & Ayra Starr, “Girl Next Door” 

Africa’s Gen-Z It-girls Tyla and Ayra Starr come together to caution their wandering lovers not to leave them for the “Girl Next Door” in their first collaboration. Both artists somehow keep their cool, as Tyla touts her many options and Ayra warns, “And you know I won’t waste no time/ I can have another you by 9.” But their passionate plea in the repeating chorus (“Don’t you leave me for the girl next door, girl next door”) revs up the sizzling amapiano-meets-R&B beat (courtesy of producer P.Priime) that’s prime for getting any party started this summer.  

Tay Iwar & Twelve XII, “Undercover Lover” 

Tay Iwar injects his silver-tongued, neo-soul sound into “Undercover Lover,” which finds him and fellow Nigerian artist Twelve XII detailing their dalliance with a beautiful woman. Lyrics like “Somethin’ good for the moment/ Just for the moment” and “Her personality no matter at all/ ‘Cause she’s lookin’ so fine” make it crystal clear they’re not looking for anything serious, and the groovy, atmospheric production further emphasizes the chill vibes.  

Teni, “No Days Off”   

Teni has taken “No Days Off,” as evident by her latest single. The Nigerian artist raps about her homies (Tobi, Bunmi, Brenda and Wale), hometowns (Lagos and Atlanta) and everything else in her life that she’s had to leave to the sidelines for her career. In a press release, Teni explains that “No Days Off” started as a freestyle and “was made everywhere in the world – that’s why it really is called ‘No Days Off.’ It was made in Lagos, it was made in LA, some parts of it were also made in Cape Town.” She invites listeners to her own world by enveloping them in a kaleidoscopic sound comprised of airy synth melodies and frenetic Afropop percussion that will have anyone yelling, “Motherf–ker, will you come on play that sh– back!” by the end of the track.  

Asake & Olamide, “Amapiano”  

Asake links up with his YBNL Nation boss Olamide on this scorching “Amapiano” club banger. He salutes the South African house genre for being a “big vibe” while adding his own spin to it, from the lively violin and saxophone to the larger-than-life crowd vocals. Meanwhile, Olamide flexes his mesmerizing flow when he raps, “One thing I know, I’m happy I know/ Amapiano, all of my P I know.” “Amapiano” will accompany Asake’s previously released singles “Yoga” and “2:30” on his upcoming sophomore album, Work of Art, due June 16 via YBNL Nation and EMPIRE.  

Nonso Amadi, “Paper”

Amadi reflects on his personal and artistic growth “from seeds to a flower, uncoiling naturally for you,” according to a press release, on his debut album When It Blooms. On the highlight track “Paper,” the Canadian-based Nigerian singer makes the case for why he deserves a bigger bag. And regardless of renowned Nigerian producer London’s scintillating, playful percussion, Amadi’s clearly not playing when it comes to his paper as he sings, “Tell me why the hell you calling/ I don’t wanna know what you’re talking/ When I see the cash am all in.”

Iyanya & BNXN, “Sinner”

A seductive song in both lyric and feel, this collab between Iyanya and BNXN has an alluring aspect to it that is hard to get out of your head — and a falsetto hook that is somehow even more of an earworm than the verses, perfect for a late night vibe that still keeps you moving. Also check out BNXN’s single “Pray” — its choral and orchestral feel fills the soul, and it just barely missed out on inclusion here.

Oxlade & Flavour, “OVAMI”

Oxlade already landed a huge hit this year with “Ku Lo Sa,” and “OVAMI” is in a similar vein, with his soulful vocals soaring above the production. Bringing in veteran vocalist Flavour to add a different element to the second verse was another smart move; Flavour had another great song in the last two years with “Levels,” and he fits in seamlessly here. Essentially a love song, it transcends with its irresistible melodies.

Kwesi Arthur, “Penny”

This one from the Ghanaian rapper is a laid back groove about the come up, thinking back to the days when he didn’t have any cash and now looking around and realizing that not only are those distant memories, but that there isn’t really a limit to how far things can go. What makes this one stand out is that the sentiment doesn’t feel flamboyant or boastful, but more matter-of-fact — this is going to happen, but let’s just keep in mind how far we’ve come.

King Promise, “Terminator”

An ode to finding peace in life — despite what the title may imply — “Terminator” is a melting pot of styles and languages, with a simple overriding message clearly articulated in the second verse: “And my happiness comes first/ I never come life to stress, yeah.” The Ghanaian nails the mix of production and lyricism that gets the feel across almost effortlessly — that being the goal, in the end, of course.

Kizz Daniel, “Shu-Peru”

The perennially upbeat Nigerian Afropop singer came through with another fun groove for the summertime, flipping Salt-N-Pepa’s “Shoop” in the process. As a thesis statement for an artist, does it get more appropriate than Kizz singing: “We are the happy people / We are the world”? It fits him perfectly.

31 May 2023

TLC’s Chilli Reveals She Was Almost Kicked Out of the Group

Can you imagine a world where TLC, one of the most successful girl groups in music history, was just TL? According to group member Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, that world was almost a reality.

In a Wednesday (May 31) interview with People ahead of the Jun. 3 premiere of the new TLC Forever Lifetime documentary, Chilli revealed that one of her romances almost cost her her spot in the group. (The group famously sourced its name from the initials of its original members –Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Crystal Jones — and Chilli was given a nickname to preserve the accuracy of the acronym.)

In the mid-’90s, Chilli began a relationship with Dallas Austin, an LaFace producer who contributed to TLC hits such as “Creep,” “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” and “Unpretty.” The couple’s romance, which gifted them their now 25-year-old son Tron, did not sit well with the group’s manager, L.A. Reid’s then-wife Pebbles. “They were holding auditions to replace me but never saw anybody that they liked,” Chilli revealed. “I don’t think anybody cared about the Dallas thing but Pebbles.”

Of course, between heinously exploitative contracts and burning down mansions, Chilli and Dallas’ fling was one of many rough patches the group endured during their run. Nonetheless, attempts to replace Chilli failed, and the group remained a trio until the tragic passing of Left Eye in 2002. To date, TLC has earned nine top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 1 singles “Waterfalls,” “Unpretty,” “Creep,” and “No Scrubs.” On the Billboard 200, the Grammy-winning group has earned three top ten titles including Fanmail, which peaked at No. 1 for five weeks in 1999.

31 May 2023

Reservoir Posts 13% Revenue Growth on Catalog Pickups, Middle East Strategy

Reservoir Media on Wednesday reported that revenues grew by 13% during its most recent fiscal year, as investments in record labels and artists rights in the Middle East added to its growth from acquiring works by North American artists like Louis Prima and Dion.

Reservoir reported $122.3 million in revenue for their fiscal year 2023 ending March 31, driven by a 9% increase in music publishing revenue and an 18% increase in recorded music revenue, both helped by the digital release of De La Soul‘s first six studio albums in early March. The legendary rap trio’s catalog netted 12.5 million U.S. song streams and sold 28,000 albums in its first week streaming, according to Luminate.

Founded in 2007, Reservoir said it grew by 8% organically and finished at the top-end of its financial targets in fiscal 2023 despite a 1%-decline in fourth quarter revenue driven by lower performance, sync and other revenues in its music publishing division, which suffered from a tough comparison to a strong year-ago quarter.

Fourth quarter music publishing revenue of $23.2 million was off 8% from the year-ago quarter when Reservoir benefitted from a one-off event in Dubai. Recorded music revenue in the quarter rose 10% to $10.8 million, in part due to the outsized performance of De la Soul’s catalog.

Reservoir has made investing in emerging markets a key prong of its growth and diversification strategy, and on a call with analysts, Reservoir CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi referred to it as “highly important to our overall strategy … as we work to become the largest holder of Arabic music copyrights.”

With its partner PopArabia, an independent music company headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, Reservoir has acquired stakes in the Egyptian label 100COPIES, the Lebanese label and music publisher Voice of Beirut and signed publishing deals with Egypt’s Mohamed Ramadan, Lebanon’s Zeid Hamdan and Moroccan hip-hop star 7liwa. In January, Reservoir announced signed publishing deals for the catalogs and future works of Indian rappers MC Altaf and D’Evil and the producer Stunnah Beatz.

Funds like Reservoir also grow inorganically through acquisitions of song catalogs, and over its past fiscal year it acquired rights by “the Saxophone Colossus” Sonny Rollins and Dion, best known for “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer.”

Reservoir’s chief financial officer Jim Heindlmeyer told analysts that the company expects 6% revenue growth f 9% growth for adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization for this fiscal year, compared to midpoint of its 2023 guidance ranges.

“Our outlook includes strong top-line growth expectations and margin expansion across our business segments as we continue to see a positive impact on profitability from our strategic acquisitions and benefit from secular tailwinds across the music industry,” Heindlemeyer said.

31 May 2023

Twitter Has Lots To Say About Rumored Megan Thee Stallion & Pardi AKA Pardison Fontaine Split

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Megan Thee Stallion and Pardi aka Pardison Fontaine were seen as one of Hip-Hop’s top couples but it appears that the Houston Hottie has moved on to date an international footballer. As the rumors continue to persist, fans on Twitter are discussing how Pardi might be handling the breakup and other choice comments as expected.

The romance between Hot Girl Meg and Pardi was documented heavily across the pair’s social media accounts and it looked like their bond was beyond severing. So much so that it was thought that the two would begin working on music together but Megan recently shared that she’s taking a bit of a break from music to focus on her healing.

After images surfaced of Megan at a wedding with Inter Milan star Romelu Lukaku for one of the footballer’s teammates, fans of the Texas beauty wondered aloud what happened with her and Pardi. A quick scan of the pair’s social media reveals that images of the two are long scrubbed from the pages they owned nor is there any mention of the other.

Further, fans online say that Pardi was making a play recently for Megan via a series of poems and the like, signaling that the couple’s issues have persisted longer than the public knew.

An unfortunate byproduct of the rumored split is people using the moment to take personal digs at both Megan Thee Stallion and her rumored ex as the process of a breakup is a deeply personal one, especially with a relationship of their sort that both willingly shared with the fans.

We’ve got the comments from Twitter below.

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Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty

31 May 2023

What Is Your Favorite Latin Collaboration of May 2023? Vote!

Every month, Billboard asks our readers to vote for the best Latin collaboration released throughout the month that was featured on our weekly New Music Latin playlist or as a featured article. 

The newest fan poll includes 20 bonafide team-ups including Emilia and Ludmilla’s Brazilian funk-pop fusion in “No_se_ve.mp3;” “Vagabundo” by Colombian trio Sebastián Yatra, Manuel Turizo, and Beéle; Tiago PZK and TINI’s second collaborative effort in “Me Enteré;” and the already-viral “69” by Nicky Jam and Feid, to name a few. 

Moreover, Regional Mexican and urban joints also dropped this month such as Banda MS and Ice Cube’s “¿Cuales Fronteras?” and the surprising Bizarrap and Peso Pluma “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 55.” 

Additionally, Don Omar dropped two collabs: “Bandidos” with Cosculluela and “Podemos Repetirlo” with Chencho Corleone; Mexican pop stars Sofia Reyes and Danna Paola released “tqum;” and Tainy unleashed “obstáculo” with Myke Towers. 

Last month, Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s “un X100to” won best Latin collaboration last month with over 25 percent of the votes. Who should win in May? Vote below!

The 2022 winning collabs were Christina Aguilera and Ozuna’s “Santo” (January); Becky G and Karol G’s “MAMIII” (February); Sebastian Yatra and John Legend’s “Tacones Rojos (Remix)” (March); Bizarrap and Paulo Londra’s “BZRP Music Session” (April); Morar and Duki’s “Paris” (May); Blessd and Rels B’s “Energia” (June); Pablo Alboran and Sebastian Yatra’s “Contigo” (July); Anonimus and R3ymon’s “Santa Diabla” (August); Kany García and Christian Nodal’s “La Siguiente” (September); Juan Gabriel and Anahí’s “Déjame Vivir” (October); Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares’ “Tukoh Taka” (November); and Alejo and CNCO’s “Estrella” (December).

31 May 2023

Vanessa Hudgens & Fiancé Cole Tucker Perform Adorable Jennifer Lopez Karaoke Duet: Watch

Vanessa Hudgens is in love, for real. In a recent Instagram video, the star gave fans a glimpse into a fun karaoke night with friends, during which she and fiancé Cole Tucker performed an adorable duet of Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule‘s 2001 hit “I’m Real.”

The video was posted Wednesday (May 31), although it looks like it may have been filmed around Christmas time. The garage in which Hudgens’ get-together took place is decked out with colorful lights, as are the nearby houses. And, while singing into a handheld microphone, the High School Musical actress looks chic in a heavy winter coat.

As their pals cheer them on, Tucker tackles Ja Rule’s lyrics — “Tired of being alone?/ Sick of arguing on the phone?” — while Hudgens performs Lopez’s lead vocals. “And when I’m feeling sexy/ Who’s going to comfort me?”

“Because im obsessed w me [sic] fiancé and WE’RE REAL,” she captioned the video.

The 34-year-old Spring Breakers star has been dating the 26-year-old baseball player since late 2020 after meeting in a Zoom meditation class, after which Hudgens confessed to having “fully just slid into his DMs.” The pair confirmed their engagement in February this year, with Hudgens posting photos of her ring and writing, “YES. We couldn’t be happier,” on Instagram.

On Valentine’s Day, Hudgens — who was previously linked to Elvis star Austin Butler for nearly a decade — wrote, “What a journey it was to get here but so worth it to get to my forever @cotuck ?.”

See Vanessa Hudgens and Cole Tucker’s karaoke video below.

31 May 2023

Adidas Drops Lawsuit Seeking $75M From Kanye’s Yeezy, But Legal Battle Over Split Will Continue

After a whirlwind week of litigation, Adidas has abruptly dropped a federal court case aimed at freezing $75 million held by Kanye West’s Yeezy brand, saying it will instead pursue the money solely through private arbitration.

In a legal filing Tuesday evening, attorneys for Adidas and Yeezy said they had reached an agreement that would see the sneaker giant voluntarily dismiss the case. It came just hours after a federal judge refused to grant Adidas an emergency order re-freezing the $75 million held by Yeezy.

But the dismissal is hardly the end of the dispute. Adidas and Yeezy will continue battle it out in a private arbitration case, in which Adidas will likely argue that that West’s “offensive conduct” caused the breakdown of their long-standing partnership.

Adidas, which operated a lucrative sneaker collaboration with West for nearly a decade, was one of many companies to terminate its relationship with the embattled rapper (sometimes known as Ye) last fall in the wake of his antisemitic statements and other erratic behavior.

It’s been a messy breakup for Adidas. The split contributed to a loss of $655 million in sales for the last three months of 2022, helping drive the company to a quarterly net loss of $540 million. Last month, CEO Bjorn Gulden said the company would begin selling its $1.3 billion worth of unsold Yeezys, but would “donate money to the organizations that help us and were harmed by what Ye said.”

Days after Adidas announced the split with West, newly-unsealed court records show that it demanded Yeezy return $75 million that had allegedly been deposited in its accounts. When Yeezy refused, Adidas secretly filed its case in federal court, seeking a so-called “attachment” order immediately freezing those funds. While the real issues will be decided via arbitration, Adidas wanted the court to use its power to ensure that the money did not disappear while those private proceedings play out.

Court records show that Judge Valerie E. Caproni quickly granted the asset freeze in November, doing so not only in secret, but also on an “ex parte” basis — meaning without giving West or Yeezy a chance to make counter-arguments. Adidas argued, and the judge agreed, that there was a serious risk that Yeezy would have moved the money if given advanced notice.

But last week, after Yeezy’s attorneys challenged the freeze order, the judge finally lifted it — ruling that Adidas had run afoul of procedural requirements for such asset attachments and had thus “deprived” Yeezy of a fair chance to fight back.

In the wake of that order, lawyers for Adidas scrambled to have it reimposed. They argued that Yeezy currently holds $75 million “to which it has no legal right,” and warned that a court order was needed to maintain the status quo.

“Yeezy is likely to comingle the funds with an unknown balance of funds in its possession at other financial institutions, such that it would be more difficult if not impracticable to audit those accounts and determine which monies are owned by Adidas,” lawyers for Adidas wrote. “In addition, Ye faces a clear risk of insolvency, giving rise to a risk of irreparable harm.”

But this time, Judge Caproni was unswayed. While she said that Adidas would likely win its arbitration case against Yeezy, the judge ruled that the sneaker company had not met the difficult legal requirements for a new temporary restraining order: “Adidas’s motion for a TRO is denied.”

While the ruling only denied the emergency motion, Adidas could have still won a more conventional order in the coming days reimposing an asset freeze on Yeezy. But hours after Judge Caproni’s ruling, Adidas moved to drop its federal case.

Looking ahead, it’s unclear how long the pending arbitration case will take to play out, or what exact issues are being disputed. But in court documents, Adidas has said that West’s “racist, antisemitic, and other offensive public statements and conduct” caused “considerable damage to its brand.”

“Adidas has multiple causes of action against Yeezy, resulting from Ye’s highly public and offensive conduct described above, which violated the terms of the Agreement and justified adidas’s termination of that contract,” the company wrote. Those broader causes of action, as well as the dispute over [issues], will be resolved through arbitration.”

Reps for both sides did not immediately return a request for comment.