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02 Mar 2023

Vic Mensa Slept On Chicago Streets In Support Of Homeless In The City

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Vic Mensa continues his track record of giving back to the city that made him, this time turning his attention to the unhoused individuals across the metropolis. Joining with activist Englewood Barbie, the Chicago rapper slept on his hometown streets in support of the homeless and a new fundraising effort to build a homeless shelter.

TMZ reports that Vic Mensa and Englewood Barbie gathered in a tent camp under a viaduct on Tuesday (Feb. 28) with temps going down into the 30s on the final night of February. The pair launched a new campaign that hopes to raise $1 million to go toward the building of a new homeless shelter for those currently housed in the camp.

“We outside tonight in Chicago sleeping under the viaduct, raising money to help my homegirl Englewood Barbie to build her own housing to provide shelter to the unhoused people of Chicago,” Mensa says in a clip from the fundraiser.

Check out videos of Vic Mensa and Englewood Barbie speaking at the event below.

The link to the fundraiser, which has raised over $126,000 thus far, can be found here.

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Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty

02 Mar 2023

2023 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards: How to Stream Without Cable

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The 2023 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards will air live from Los Angeles on Saturday (March 4) at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Social media influencer and Dancing with the Stars winner, Charli D’Amelio, will co-host the ceremony with CBS This Morning host Nate Burleson.

Bebe Rexha is slated to perform her David Guetta collab, “I’m Good,” which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Kids’ Choice Awards will feature appearances from Halle Bailey, Pete Davidson, Michael Le, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Melissa McCarthy, MrBeast, Chris Pine, Bella Poarch, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos, Michelle Rodriguez, Seth Rogen, That Girl Lay Lay and Adam Sandler who will receive the King of Comedy Award.

Adele, Billie Eilish, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Lizzo, Jack Harlow, Selena Gomez, Paramore, Bad Bunny, The Weeknd and BLACKPINK are among the music star’s nominated this year.

Jenna Ortega, Jack Harlow, GAYLE, Joji, Nicky Youre and Letitia Wright are among the first-time nominees. Netflix’s Stranger Things leads the pack with six nods while Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder and the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder snagged four nods each.  

“I got slimed at the KCAs in 2021, saw my sister get slimed at last year’s show and now, no one is safe with me as co-host,” D’Amelio said in a news release. “Nate and I will make sure this year’s show is full of unexpected Slime shots, impressive dances and surprise tricks along the way!”

Added Burleson, “Hosting NFL Slimetime is always a blast, and I can’t wait to bring that same energy and Slime as co-host of the iconic Kids’ Choice Awards! I grew up on Nickelodeon and my kids still love watching, so we’re all ready for the stunts, surprises and superstars that await us at this year’s show.”

Keep reading for ways to watch and stream the Kids’ Choice Awards.

How to Watch & Stream the 2023 Kids’ Choice Awards

The 2023 Kids’ Choice Awards will air live on Saturday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. The show will be simulcast across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., TVLand, CMT and MTV2.

If you already have cable, satellite or live TV through an internet provider, you can watch and stream the show on any of the aforementioned channels.

Will the Kids’ Choice Awards live stream on Paramount+? Although Paramount+ offers live television the Kids’ Choice Awards will not be streaming live on the platform.

Not to worry though, cord cutters can stream the Kids’ Choice Awards on Philo, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Direct TV, Vidgo, Sling and ExpressVPN to stream internationally.

Looking for a free trial? Philo is probably your best bet as far as price goes. You can stream Nickelodeon and other cable channels for free for the first week and then just $25 a month after the free trial ends.

Philo

$25/month after 7-day free trial

Aside from Nickelodeon, TeenNick and Nick Jr., Philo allows TV lovers to binge dozens of hit shows, movies and more available on cable channels such as MTV, BET, OWN, WEtv, A&E, TLC and HGTV.

02 Mar 2023

Rickey Smiley Says His Son Brandon Possibly Passed Away From A Drug Overdose

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Rickey Smiley Says His Son Brandon Suffered A Drug Overdose

Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty / Brandon Smiley

Comedian and radio host Rickey Smiley opened up about his son Brandon Smiley’s passing, sharing details on his possible cause of death.

Brandon Smiley, 32, was found unresponsive in his home in Birmingham by a friend on January 29. Investigators did not suspect anything suspicious or foul play as the cause of his death.

He was laid to rest at the beginning of February. Smiley shared photos and videos from the service.

Speaking with the Today Show, Rickey Smiley said he was told Brandon suffered a drug overdose by his son’s girlfriend. Smiley told the show he got a phone call from Brandon’s younger sister that his son passed away as he headed from Dallas to Birmingham.

While there has been no official determination via a toxicology report, Smiley said Brandon died from a drug overdose.

“He was struggling with that (drugs),” Smiley said. “His mother and I made several attempts to send him to get the help that he needed, to send him to rehab. We thought he was doing better. He had just joined the church, just got baptized again probably a month before he passed away. He used. And it killed him.”

Rickey Smiley Is Concerned Kids Are Not Listening To Their Parents About Drug Abuse

Smiley also believes parents are having the necessary conversations with their children about drug use but said the concern is if the message is getting through to them.

“The problem is getting the kids to listen to what the parents are saying. Parents are having these conversations. Some of them are uncomfortable. You just assume if you’re in a good school district or in a gated community or everything is going good that these kids are not doing drugs,” he continued. “You don’t have to be in the hood to succumb to drug abuse.”

Speaking about his son, Smiley described Brandon as “fun” and a prankster who wanted to be just like him. The Rickey Smiley Morning Show host said his faith helped him deal with his son’s sudden and tragic loss.

“God had kind of gave me a sense that I’m shocked but not surprised,” Smiley said. “Deep inside I was kind of prepared for it but then again I was not really prepared because that’s your child.”

Our thoughts continue to be with Rickey Smiley and his family.

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Photo: Marcus Ingram / Getty

02 Mar 2023

How to Watch All of the Women in Music 2023 Acceptance Speeches

Billboard celebrated the music industry’s most talented, impactful women at the 2023 Women in Music awards at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Mar. 1).

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Beyond honoring the 2023 Woman of the Year SZA and her many accomplishments — including her 10th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with her latest album, SOS — artists like Ivy Queen, Rosalía, Lana Del Rey, Kim Petras, TWICE, Lainey Wilson, Doechii, Becky G and Latto were also honored with their own awards at the ceremony. Rosalía was the event’s first-ever Producer of the Year, Ivy Queen accepted the Icon Award, Lana Del Rey was the night’s Visionary, Kim Petras took home the Chartbreaker award, TWICE was the Breakthrough artist, Lainey Wilson was awarded the Rulebreaker honor, Doechii was honored as the Rising Star, Becky G accepted the Impact award and Latto was 2023’s Powerhouse.

“I really just want my life to be more than music,” SZA said during her unscripted, moving acceptance speech, “to be more than an artist. I want to serve others, I want to serve people, I want to be open and available for whatever God wants for me, and saying yes to everything that’s scary, to everything that feels like it’s not for you or where you don’t belong, is really the only way where we walk through those doors.”

She concluded with a powerful affirmation: “You just have to say yes to the possibility,” she said. “And thank y’all for saying yes to me.”

If you missed out on the official livestream, or just need another dose of inspiration, check out all of the 2023 Billboard Women in Music acceptance speeches below.

SZA (Woman of the Year)

Ivy Queen (Icon)

Lana Del Rey (Visionary)

Rosalía (Producer of the Year)

TWICE (Breakthrough)

Becky G (Impact)

Latto (Powerhouse)

Kim Petras (Chartbreaker)

Lainey Wilson (Rulebreaker)

02 Mar 2023

‘The Voice’ Coaches Warm Up for Season 23 With Cover of a Frankie Valli Classic

Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper joined forces to tackle a cover of Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” that was shared Thursday (March 2).

Seated in a circle in gilded velvet chairs, the four coaches of The Voice each took turns singing lines from the 1967 classic. “You’re just too good to be true/ Can’t take my eyes off of you,” Chance crooned, reminding fans that he’s just as good a singer as a rapper before tossing the mic to Horan, who contiued, “You’ll be like heaven to touch/ I wanna hold you so much” on the opening verse.

The former One Direction singer also shared the video to his social media accounts, captioning the clip, “Very glad we got to do this together ! Hope you enjoy.”

The two newcomers join OG coach Shelton and returning vet Clarkson for the reality competition’s 23rd go-around. The season will also mark the country star’s final turn in his trusty spinning chair after serving as a coach since the series’ debut in April 2011. Since then, he’s competed against 17 other superstars — from pal Adam Levine and original coaches Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green, to more recent additions such as Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello — and taken home the trophy a record nine times, including with season 22 champ Bryce Leatherwood.

Most notably, though, Shelton also met his now wife Gwen Stefani on the set of the NBC show when the “Hollaback Girl” singer joined the rotating panel of coaches in season seven.

Season 23 of The Voice is set to premiere on Monday (March 6) with the first round of blind auditions. Watch Chance, Horan, Clarkson and Shelton harmonize their way through “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” below.