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27 Nov 2022

The Real Story Behind Lionel Messi’s Favorite Soccer Song

Following Argentina’s nail-biting 2-0 win over Mexico during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Saturday (Nov. 26), social media was flooded with clips of the team singing triumphantly in the locker room. The song is “Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar” (which translates loosely to “Boys, We Have Our Hopes Up Again”) by La Mosca, the Argentine nine-piece band that plays a blend of ska, rock and pop, laced with tango pathos.

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“Muchachos” has been on global fans’ radar ever since striker Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the best soccer player in the world, claimed during an interview with an Argentine channel earlier this year that it was his favorite soccer song amongst dozens — and actually sang a bit live. On Saturday, after Argentina averted disqualification from the World Cup with its two goals, one scored by Messi himself, the song was again on the spotlight, and very appropriately so. After all, it mentions Messi in the opening line: “I was born in Argentina, land of Diego and Lionel, of the kids from the Falkland Islands, whom I’ll never forget.”

But it didn’t use to. Originally titled “Muchachos, Esta Noche Me Emborracho” (“Boys, Tonight I’ll Get Drunk”), it was a heartbreak song written in 2003 by La Mosca lead singer Guillermo Novellis and Sergio Cairat. In July 2021, fan Fernando Romero wrote new lyrics celebrating Argentina’s road to the final of Latin American soccer tournament Copa América. A chance encounter with a camera crew outside the final in Brazil made the song with new lyrics go viral, and caught the attention of Messi and his teammates.

It also caught the attention of Novellis and La Mosca, who recorded and released the new version (where Romero gets credit) just two weeks prior to the kickoff of the World Cup. Billboard caught up with Novellis, who, like Messi, is celebrating his high hopes.

Billboard: “Muchachos” is a rather melancholy song. Are you surprised it’s become a soccer anthem?

Guillermo Novellis: It’s a song that has a lot of tango in its lyrics and melody. But like all La Mosca songs, it’s put in a rhythmic, danceable context. Some five, six years ago, a local team Racing Club adapted the lyrics, and then, other clubs did too. But this version started with Copa América, and the new lyrics are really good. They have to do with our frustrations, our success, our hopes, the Falklands, finals lost and finals won. And of course, the hope of being champions again. Maybe that’s why it resonated so much with fans and players.

You released this new version the week prior to the World Cup. When did you decide to re-record the song?

If was something that our manager Santiago Ruiz pushed. We recorded it, and then a couple of weeks before the World Cup, they interviewed Messi and asked him what his favorite song was. He said “Muchachos” and actually sang it. I mean, it’s like arriving in Rome and being introduced to the Pope.

Do you personally know Messi?

Yes. We’ve seen him several times and even played for his birthday party when he turned 20. We’ve crossed paths several times. I can’t say we’re friends, but we’ll likely be from this moment on.

Just last week, Argentina lost against Saudi Arabia. Had you lost on Saturday, you would have been out of the World Cup. How worried were you?

We were all thinking about that match. But things have a way of shaking out. The World Cup is very short, and I want to win every game. You can only lose one match. And Argentina lost it at the very beginning. Argentina was coming from a great run, winning every single match they played, and maybe that bucket of cold water got our pride up again. There’s always a silver lining. Soccer is a marvelous sport and it doesn’t respond to statistics, like tennis or American football. With the band, we have a little mantra: We wish each other a Merry Christmas, because if it’s merry, it means everything fell in place.

Do you think Argentine fans are different from other fans?

I really do. We see it not only in soccer but also in music. The Argentine fan isn’t happy just being a spectator; he wants a starring role, from the stands, from the audience. And that’s great. As far as soccer goes, every single person in Argentina has played soccer at some point in their lives.

You’re in the middle of a tour. Will you also perform in Qatar this year?

That all depends on whether or not we have a Merry Christmas!

Watch the new version of “Muchachos” below.

27 Nov 2022

Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ Spends Fourth Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200

Taylor Swift’s Midnights spends a fourth nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Dec. 3) as it holds atop the list with 177,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 24 (down 13%), according to Luminate.

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Also in the new Billboard 200’s top 10: Michael Jackson’s former No. 1 Thriller returns to the region after its 40th anniversary reissue, vaulting 115-7; Rod Wave’s new Jupiter’s Diary: 7 Day Theory bows at No. 9; and Michael Bublé’s chart-topping Christmas jingles its way back to the top 10 with a 19-10 climb.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 3, 2022-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Nov. 29. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of Midnights’ 177,000 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 118,000 (down 16%, equaling 155.8 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 57,000 (down 4%) and SEA units comprise 2,000 (down 49%).

Four former No. 1’s follow Swift on the new Billboard 200, as Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss is a non-mover at No. 2 (119,000 equivalent album units; down 30%), Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti is steady at No. 3 (56,000; up less than 1%), Lil Baby’s It’s Only Me is also stationary at No. 4 (48,000; down 9%) and Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album rises 6-5 (42,000; up 2%).

Jackson’s former No. 1 Thriller returns to the top 10, jumping from No. 115 to No. 7 after it was reissued in celebration of its 40th anniversary. It earned 37,000 equivalent album units (up 283%). Of that sum, album sales comprise 27,500 (up 820%), SEA units comprise 9,000 (equaling 13.17 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks) and TEA units comprise 500.

Thriller spent 37 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1983-84 — the most weeks at No. 1 for an album by a singular artist. The only album with more weeks at No. 1 is the soundtrack to the film West Side Story, with 54 weeks in 1962-63.

Thriller was last in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 on the June 30, 1984-dated chart, when it ranked at No. 8. During its initial chart run, its last week on the list was April 20, 1985. It didn’t return to the list until Dec. 5, 2009, when the chart began allowing catalog (older) albums to chart again. (From May of 1991 through November 2009, catalog albums were generally not allowed to chart on the Billboard 200.)

For its 40th anniversary, Thriller was reissued in a variety of new configurations and formats, some with additional bonus tracks. All versions of the album, old and new, are combined together for tracking and charting purposes. Thriller has seen a few high-profile reissues in the past, including a remastered “special edition” in 2001 with previously unreleased bonus tracks and a 25th anniversary edition in 2008 with an unreleased song and new remix collaborations with Akon, Fergie, Kanye West and will.i.am.

Harry Styles’ former leader Harry’s House rises 9-8 on the new Billboard 200 with 33,000 equivalent album units (up 10%).

Rod Wave’s new eight-song Jupiter’s Diary: 7 Day Theory debuts at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 with nearly 31,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise a little more than 30,000 (equaling 43.32 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), while album sales and TEA units comprise the remaining units. It’s the fifth consecutive and total top 10-charting album for the artist, and follows a pair of No. 1s in Beautiful Mind (2022) and SoulFly (2021).

Rounding out the new top 10 is Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas, which rises 19-10 with 31,000 equivalent album units (up 51%%). The set was originally released in 2011 and spent five weeks at No. 1 in late 2011 and early 2012. It has returned to the top 10 in every Christmas season since.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

27 Nov 2022

Bob Dylan Issues Apology Over His New Book With Replica Signature: ‘I Want to Rectify It’

Bob Dylan is apologizing to his fans following the controversy over “hand-signed” copies of his latest book, The Philosophy of Modern Song, which were inscribed using an autopen for a nearly $600 special edition.

The iconic singer-songwriter took to social media on Friday (Nov. 25) to explain that his “error in judgement” was partly due to a “bad case of vertigo” that made signing his new Simon & Schuster-published book difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been made aware that there’s some controversy about signatures on some of my recent artwork prints and on a limited-edition of Philosophy of Modern Song,” Dylan wrote on Facebook. “I’ve hand-signed each and every art print over the years, and there’s never been a problem.”

He continued, “However, in 2019 I had a bad case of vertigo and it continued into the pandemic years. It takes a crew of five working in close quarters with me to help enable these signing sessions, and we could not find a safe and workable way to complete what I needed to do while the virus was raging. So, during the pandemic, it was impossible to sign anything and the vertigo didn’t help. With contractual deadlines looming, the idea of using an auto-pen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done ‘all the time’ in the art and literary worlds.”

Following the early November release of The Philosophy of Modern Song, fans who spent $599 on a limited-edition run of 900 copies — which came with a letter of authenticity from Simon & Schuster — began sharing images of their autographs through social media, only to find that they were exactly alike with no variation. Buyers quickly came to the conclusion that the special edition had been inscribed using an autopen, which prompted the publisher to issue an apology and offer refunds.

“To those who purchased The Philosophy of Modern Song limited edition, we want to apologize,” Simon & Schuster wrote in a Nov. 20 statement on Instagram. “As it turns out, the 900 limited edition versions of the books do contain Bob’s original signature, but in a penned replica form. We are addressing this immediately by providing each purchaser with an immediate refund.”

Dylan concluded his apology on Friday, writing, “Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately. I’m working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that.”

Read Dylan’s apology on Facebook here.

27 Nov 2022

Dua Lipa Granted Albanian Citizenship

Albania’s president on Sunday (Nov. 27) granted citizenship to British pop star of Albanian origin Dua Lipa for what he said was the artist’s role in spreading Albanians’ fame internationally through her music.

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President Bajram Begaj said Lipa was granted citizenship ahead of Albania’s 110th anniversary of independence from the Ottoman Empire. Begaj said he considered it an honor to do so because Lipa has made Albanians famous throughout the world.

“I will be an Albanian with papers too,” Lipa said before taking her citizenship oath at Tirana city hall.

Lipa was born in London in 1995 to immigrant Albanian parents Anesa and Dukagjin Lipa from Kosovo.

Lipa, who started singing at 5 years old, was musically influenced by her father, a former singer and guitarist of a rock band. She started to post her songs in YouTube when she was 14. Her first debut studio album was released in 2017. In 2019 she won the Grammy Award for best new artist.

Together with her father, she co-founded the Sunny Hill Foundation in 2016 to raise funds with annual concerts held in her native Kosovo to help people experiencing financial difficulties.

“It is an indescribable great joy with such acceptance, love and everything,” said Lipa. The artist then took a passport photo, was fingerprinted and signed an application form for an identity hard and passport.

Lipa will wrap up her annual concert tour in Tirana’s main Skanderbeg Square on Monday to commemorate Independence Day.

See the Lipa’s post on Instagram below.

27 Nov 2022

Ari Lennox, Muni Long Perform; Xscape, Morris Day Honored at Soul Train Awards 2022

Living up to its tagline as “the feel-good party of the year,” Soul Train Awards 2022 delivered two hours of impactful performances and special tributes focusing on R&B’s multigenerational appeal.

Taped earlier this month at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas and premiering Saturday evening (Nov. 26) on BET, the festivities opened with singer-songwriter Muni Long. The newly minted Grammy nominee’s performance featured an onstage re-enactment of her seductive breakthrough hit “Hrs and Hrs” together with single “Plot Twist” about a cheating former lover, co-starring a cast that included DC Young Fly.

Between running gags about not being able to read the teleprompter and working to keep the show on schedule, comedian/actor Deon Cole kept the audience laughing throughout his debut as the show’s host. Welcoming “all Nick Cannon’s kids” during his initial remarks to the audience, Cole also paid tribute to Migos rapper Takeoff and other fallen artists due to gun violence.

An ensuing string of potent performances by both OG’s and next-gen artists underscored Cole’s declaration that “R&B ain’t dead at all,” beginning with a captivating turn by Ari Lennox on “Waste My Time.” Tank and J. Valentine heated up the stage with their sensuous hit “Slow,” while SiR performed his new single “Nothing Even Matters.” Celebrating the 30th anniversary of her debut album, Precious, Chanté Moore treated the audience to a hits medley that included “Love’s Taken Over,” “Chanté’s Got a Man” and a stirring “It’s Alright,” which elicited audience cheers when Moore hit and held a high soprano note during that performance.

The award show’s traditional Soul Cypher segment was helmed this year by producer/DJ D-Nice with artists Muni Long, Durand Bernarr, Alex Vaughn and gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard riffing and harmonizing on “Human Nature” in honor of the 40th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. And in a nod to newcomers on the R&B scene, the BET Amplified Stage showcased artists Coco Jones (“ICU”) and Q (“Today”).

Jermaine Dupri presented the first of the evening’s two special honors: the Lady of Soul Award to Xscape. The songwriter-producer’s first encounter with the ’90s girl group — Kandi Burruss, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, LaTocha Scott and Tamika Scott — occurred when they sang at his birthday party. “It blew me away when they sang ‘Happy Birthday,’” he recalled. “I said, I’m going to sign you … but I had no record label.”

When Dupri eventually launched So So Def Recordings, the first act he signed was Xscape. “People didn’t have belief; thought I was crazy,” Dupri noted. “But 30 years later, we’re here.” Thanking God, Dupri, their moms, husbands and fans, the quartet delivered a crowd-pleasing performance spotlighting such singalong classics as “Just Kickin’ It” with Dupri, “My Little Secret,” “Who Can I Run To?,” ”Tonight” and “Understanding” — with their pristine harmonies still intact.

Morris Day & The Time, recipients of the Legend Award, closed out the evening with a rollicking set that had the audience partying in the aisles to “Cool,” “777-9311,” “Jungle Love” and, of course, “The Bird,” featured in the 1984 film Purple Rain. Actor/comedian J.B. Smoove presented the award to Day and his mirror-toting side man Jerome Benton.

“I remember seeing the movie and being struck by two things,” said Smoove referencing Prince’s heeled boots and “that light-skin dude with the smooth dance moves. He had all the ladies; he even took Prince’s girl … just for a minute. And the band Time was funky fun.”

“For the last 40-plus years, I’ve been living and breathing music,” said Day after Smoove’s presentation. “It’s been a hell of a ride.” Thanking family, business colleagues, BET/Soul Train and the members of Time — whose original lineup included Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis — Day added, “And thanks most of all, may he rest in peace, to my brother Prince. You all know what he meant to me.”

Additional presenters on Soul Train Awards 2022, which also premiered Nov. 26 on BET HER, LOGO, MTV2 and VH1, included Queen Naija and Lucky Daye. The Soul Train Awards Red Carpet Special preceded the formal ceremony. Tank, LeToya Luckett and Novi Brown of Tyler Perry’s Sistas served as co-hosts. Pre-show performances and appearances were made by Baby Tate, DIXSON, J. Holiday, FLO and Vedo.

Encore broadcasts of the Soul Train Awards 2022 are slated for Sunday (Nov. 27) at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Thursday (Dec. 1) at 9 p.m. ET/PT on BET.

27 Nov 2022

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Alums Ben Platt and Noah Galvin Are Engaged

Ben Platt and Noah Galvin are engaged, with the Dear Evan Hansen stars announcing the news on social media Friday (Nov. 25).

Platt posted a carousel of photos to Instagram to celebrate the engagement, adding the caption, “He agreed to hang out forever.” The post includes images of the couple embracing, along with Galvin showing off his engagement ring.

Galvin also shared the same images to his own Instagram account, along with the caption, “I said yeehaw and then cried for like 7 hours.”

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Among those offering congratulations in the comments was Beanie Feldstein, Galvin’s co-star in Booksmart, who wrote, “I am so happy and havent stopped crying.”

Platt and Galvin are both known for playing the lead role in the Broadway production of musical Dear Evan Hansen. Platt, 29, won the Tony Award for originating the part before Galvin, 28, succeeded him in the role with a two-month run that ended in January 2018.

Galvin confirmed their relationship in May 2020 during an appearance on the Little Known Facts podcast, and Platt later explained that they had been friends for years before deciding to pursue a romance.

“We’ve been friends for like five years, and right before the pandemic, we finally decided to really give it a real shot,” Platt said on The Kelly Clarkson Show in June 2021. “We’ve kind of skated around it for a long time.”

Platt’s film credits include the first two Pitch Perfect movies, Ricki and the Flash, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk and the 2021 big-screen adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen, and he also starred on the Netflix series The Politician. Galvin has appeared on such series as The Real O’Neals and The Good Doctor.

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

26 Nov 2022

Selena Gomez & BLACKPINK Are ‘Chillin’ in New Photos Together

Selena Gomez and BLACKPINK are together at last.

After collaborating on their sweet pop tune “Ice Cream” in 2020 — but filming the music video for the song separately, to be safe during the pandemic — Gomez and BLACKPINK have now crossed paths in person.

On Saturday (Nov. 26), Gomez shared a slideshow of photos of herself posing with Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie and Lisa, with everyone looking happy to be in each other’s company.

“Selpink chillin,” Gomez captioned her pictures with BLACKPINK.

Gomez wore jeans with a black to and coat, while the girls of BLACKPINK — who have been on tour — dressed in cute, coordinating band merch.

See their photos together on Instagram.

26 Nov 2022

Beyoncé Wins Big at 2022 Soul Train Awards: Full Winners List

Beyoncé was the top winner at the Soul Train Awards, which aired on BET and BET Her on Saturday (Nov. 27). She won album of the year for the fourth time with Renaissance, song of the year for the third time with “Break My Soul,” and best collaboration for “Make Me Say It Again, Girl,” a pairing with Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers.

This is the fifth consecutive year that a female solo artist has won album of the year. Bey’s victory was preceded by wins for H.E.R.’s H.E.R., Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You, Summer Walker’s Over It and Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales.

Beyoncé was not, however, present at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, where the show was taped earlier this month. The BET Awards are very much a show about performances and tributes, not awards. Just two competitive categories were presented over the course of the two-hour show.

Lizzo, Mary J. Blige and Muni Long were also among the winners at the 2022 Soul Train Awards, which were hosted by actor and comedian Deon Cole. Lizzo won best dance performance for “About Damn Time.” Blige received the Certified Soul award (formerly known as the Centric Award). Long took the Ashford & Simpson songwriter’s award for “Hrs & Hrs.” All three of these artists, as well as Beyoncé, were nominated in Big Four categories at the upcoming Grammy Awards.

Sullivan won best R&B/soul female artist for the second year in a row, beating Beyoncé, who has won in that category a record four times, but not since 2016.

Chris Brown took best R&B/soul male artist for the second time in three years. Giveon won the award last year.

Silk Sonic won video of the year for the second year in a row with “Smokin’ Out the Window.” The retro-soul duo took the award last year for “Leave the Door Open.” The duo’s Bruno Mars won in that same category for “24K Magic” (2017) and “Finesse” (remix featuring Cardi B, 2018).

Tems won best new artist, beating Long and the red-hot Steve Lacy, among others. The Nigerian singer is the first winner in this category who hails from Africa. Tems was featured on Wizkid’s global hit “Essence,” which won best collaboration last year.

Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin took the best gospel/inspirational award. It’s Franklin’s fourth consecutive win in that category – and his fifth overall.

Ari Lennox, who went into the show with six nominations, trailing only seven-time nominees Beyoncé and Blige, was shut out. Lennox nonetheless performed her current single, “Waste My Time” on the show. Four-time nominees Burna Boy and Lacy were also shut out.

Xscape became the second all-female group (following SWV) to receive the Lady of Soul honor. The award was presented by Jermaine Dupri, their producer and So So Def Recordings founder.

Iconic funk band Morris Day & The Time received the Legend Award, presented to them by JB Smoove.

Here’s the complete list of 2022 Soul Train Awards nominees, with winners marked:

Album of the Year

An Evening With Silk Sonic, Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
Away Message (EP), Ari Lennox
Breezy, Chris Brown
Good Morning Gorgeous, Mary J. Blige
Heaux Tales, Mo’ Tales: The Deluxe, Jazmine Sullivan
R&B Money, Tank
WINNER: Renaissance, Beyoncé
Special, Lizzo

Song of the Year
“About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
WINNER: “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long
“Last Last,” Burna Boy
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox

Video of the Year
“About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
“Have Mercy,” Chlöe
“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long
“Last Last,” Burna Boy
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox
WINNER: “Smokin Out the Window,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)

Best New Artist
CKay
Coco Jones
Dixson
Doechii
Fireboy DML
Muni Long
Steve Lacy
WINNER: Tems

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist

Ari Lennox
Beyoncé
H.E.R.
WINNER: Jazmine Sullivan
LizzoMary J. Blige
SZA
Tems

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Babyface
Brent Faiyaz
Burna Boy
Charlie Wilson
WINNER: Chris Brown
Giveon
Lucky Daye
PJ Morton

Best Collaboration

“Amazing,” Mary J. Blige feat. DJ Khaled
“Be Like Water,” PJ Morton feat. Stevie Wonder & Nas
“Call Me Every Day,” Chris Brown feat. Wizkid
“Gotta Move On,” Diddy feat. Bryson Tiller
“Hate Our Love,” Queen Naija & Big Sean
WINNER: “Make Me Say It Again, Girl,” Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers feat. Beyoncé
“Move,” Beyoncé feat. Grace Jones & Tems
“Slow,” Tank feat. J. Valentine

Certified Soul Award
Chaka Khan
Charlie Wilson
Diana Ross
WINNER: Mary J. Blige
Maxwell
PJ Morton
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
T-Pain

The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé
“Church Girl,” Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
WINNER: “Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long
“I Hate U,” SZA
“Last, Last,” Burna Boy
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox

Best Dance Performance
WINNER: “About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“Call Me Every Day,” Chris Brown feat. Wizkid
“Have Mercy,” Chlöe
“Persuasive,” Doechii
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox
“Smokin Out the Window,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
“We (Warm Embrace),” Chris Brown
“Woman,” Doja Cat

Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

CeCe Winans
Erica Campbell
Fred Hammond
Major.
Marvin Sapp
WINNER: Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin
Tamela Mann
Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Legend Award: The Time

Lady of Soul Award: Xscape

26 Nov 2022

Hovain Hylton, Hip-Hop Manager & Cinematic Music Group Exec, Dies

Jonathan “Hovain” Hylton, who was recently honored as one of Billboard’s 2022 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players, has died.

“It is with deep regret that we message to all family, friends and colleagues that Jonathan ‘Hovain’ Hylton passed away while at his home on Friday, November 25. He was a beloved and devoted father, husband, son, brother and a proud Brooklyn representative,” read a statement posted Saturday (Nov. 26) on Hylton’s verified social media accounts.

The statement continued, “We’d like to thank all of his close friends for all of the love and support that you have shown during this difficult time. We ask that you all continue to keep his family in your prayers and respect their privacy at this time.”

A cause of death has not been disclosed.

On Friday morning, Hylton had last tweeted, “Good morning and thank GOD for another day,” a message he had been putting out into the world daily.

Hylton, a Brooklyn native who was a vp at Cinematic Music Group, was named alongside founder Jonnyshipes on this year’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players list.

“I’ve always prided myself on just being a good person and a hard worker. Never was big on awards. The way I came in this game was the independent route so I always knew caring too much about the politics wasn’t going to help me. But it feels good to be honored as one of Billboard’s Power Players alongside my brother and partner @jonnyshipes,” Hylton wrote on Instagram on Nov. 17. He added, “I think the biggest lesson is this is you don’t have to be a sucka or do corny s— to be recognized. Just be a good person and do your job and God will make the rest happen on his time.”

Throughout his career Hylton helmed projects for prominent New York rappers including Cam’ron, Styles P and Lloyd Banks, and alongside Jonnyshipes at Cinematic Music Group worked with artists including T-Pain and Flipp Dinero.

Hylton was also a professor at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, where he taught “The Business of Music,” an eight-week course offering students in-depth knowledge on publishing deals, business positions needed for an artist’s success and more.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to come from where I come from and to be asked to teach at such a fine institute,” Hylton told Billboard in 2021, when the course launched. “To share my love for music with the young minds who are looking to learn [will be a great experience].”

The music community mourned the death of Hylton on Saturday.

“Maaannnn we lost my brother in drip @hovain love you brother you always showed nothing but love and positivity. My condolences to your family,” Fat Joe wrote on Instagram. “Till we meet again RIP.”

“Damn Hov… Rest Up… Appreciate your knowledge & your positive energy… May God Bless your family with peace. Love & Light from my family to yours. Long Live Hovain,’ T.I. wrote on Twitter.

“Hovain had just hit me up about doing some music with lloyd banks,” Hit-Boy tweeted. “God bless his family.”

26 Nov 2022

Donald Trump Faulted for Dinner With White Nationalist & Kanye West

Former President Donald Trump is renewing attention to his long history of turning a blind eye to bigotry after dining with a Holocaust-denying white nationalist and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West just days into his third campaign for the White House.

Trump had dinner Tuesday (Nov. 22) at his Mar-a-Lago club with West, who is now known as Ye, as well as Nick Fuentes, a far-right activist who has used his online platform to spew antisemitic and white nationalist rhetoric.

Ye, who says he, too, is running for president in 2024, has made his own series of antisemitic comments in recent weeks, leading to his suspension from social media platforms, his talent agency dropping him and companies like Adidas cutting ties with him. The sportswear manufacturer has also launched an investigation into his conduct.

In a statement from the White House, spokesman Andrew Bates said: “Bigotry, hate, and antisemitism have absolutely no place in America — including at Mar-a-Lago. Holocaust denial is repugnant and dangerous, and it must be forcefully condemned.”

Trump, in a series of statements Friday, said he had “never met and knew nothing about” Fuentes before he arrived with Ye at his club. But Trump also did not acknowledge Fuentes’ long history of racist and antisemitic remarks, nor did he denounce either man’s defamatory statements.

Trump wrote of Ye on his social media platform that “we got along great, he expressed no anti-Semitism, & I appreciated all of the nice things he said about me on ‘Tucker Carlson.’” He added, “Why wouldn’t I agree to meet?”

The former president has a long history of failing to unequivocally condemn hate speech. During his 2016 campaign, Trump waffled when asked to denounce the KKK after he was endorsed by the group’s former leader, saying in a televised interview that he didn’t “know anything about David Duke.” In 2017, in the aftermath of the deadly white supremacist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, Trump was widely criticized for saying there was “blame on both sides” for the violence. And his rallies frequently feature inflammatory rhetoric from figures like U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who spoke earlier this year at a far-right conference organized by Fuentes.

The latest episode, coming just one week after Trump launched his third run for the Republican nomination, also underscored how loosely controlled access to the former president remained, particularly without a traditional campaign operation in place.

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club came under intense scrutiny amid revelations that Trump was storing hundreds of documents with classified markings there — sparking a federal investigation. But the club — and the people it gave access to Trump — had long been a source of consternation among former White House aides.

Mar-a-Lago is not only Trump’s home, but also a private club and event space. Paid members and their guests dine alongside him and often mingle with him; members of the public can book weddings, fundraisers and other events, and Trump often drops by.

Ye first shared details of the dinner in a video he posted to his Twitter account Thursday. Ye said he had traveled to Florida to ask Trump to be his 2024 running mate, and that the meeting had grown heated, with Trump “perturbed” by his request and Ye angered by Trump’s criticism of his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian.

“When Trump started basically screaming at me at the table telling me I was gonna lose. I mean, has that ever worked for anyone in history, telling Ye that I’m going to lose?” Ye asked in the video. “You’re talking to Ye!”

Ye also said Trump was “really impressed with Nick Fuentes,” whom he described as “actually a loyalist” and said he’d asked Trump, “Why when you had the chance did you not free the January 6th-ers?” referring to the defendants who were alleged to have participated in the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump released a series of statements Friday trying to explain the circumstances of the meeting.

“Kanye West very much wanted to visit Mar-a-Lago. Our dinner meeting was intended to be Kanye and me only, but he arrived with a guest whom I had never met and knew nothing about,” Trump said in his first statement released by his campaign.

Not long after, Trump took to his social media network to say that Ye and “three of his friends, whom I knew nothing about” had “unexpectedly showed up” at his club.

“We had dinner on Tuesday evening with many members present on the back patio. The dinner was quick and uneventful. They then left for the airport,” he wrote.

Hours later he again posted, saying he had told Ye that he “should definitely not run for President,” and that “any voters you may have should vote for TRUMP.”

“Anyway, we got along great, he expressed no anti-Semitism, & I appreciated all of the nice things he said about me on ‘Tucker Carlson.’” he added. “Why wouldn’t I agree to meet? Also, I didn’t know Nick Fuentes.”

Fuentes, meanwhile, said after the trip that, while he couldn’t rule out that Trump had heard of him, “I don’t think he knew that I was me at the dinner.”

“I didn’t mean for my statements and my whole background to sort of become a public relations problem for the president,” he added on his show.

The meeting drew immediate criticism from Trump critics as well as some supporters, including David Friedman, who served as Trump’s ambassador to Israel.

“To my friend Donald Trump, you are better than this. Even a social visit from an antisemite like Kanye West and human scum like Nick Fuentes is unacceptable,” Friedman wrote in a tweet. “I urge you to throw those bums out, disavow them and relegate them to the dustbin of history where they belong.”

On Saturday, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a potential 2024 rival, also denounced antisemitism, without directly referencing the dinner or the president under whom he served.

“Anti-Semitism is a cancer,” Pompeo wrote, adding: “We stand with the Jewish people in the fight against the world’s oldest bigotry.”

Biden, asked about the Trump dinner meeting while vacationing in Nantucket, Massachusetts, replied, “You don’t want to hear what I think.”