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Xzibit is seeking to settle his divorce from his estranged wife Krista Joiner, adding that he’s been separated from her for the past four years. The veteran rapper wants to obtain single status as he and Mrs. Joiner work out their divorce settlement, but it’s being reported that he’s having a tough time locating her to sign off.
TMZ Hip Hop reports that Xzibit, real name Alvin Joiner, is seeking to gain single status while aiming his efforts to settle the divorce with Krista Joiner, the mother of one of his children. The outlet writes that X filed documents in Los Angeles courts last week and stated that a divorce settlement hearing is set for May, but wants to change his marital status ahead of the meeting with Joiner.
Joiner reportedly requested $30,000 per month in spousal and child support to maintain the $10,000 per month payment of a home she and her son lived in. TMZ added in an earlier report that Joiner also shared she was no longer able to afford designer clothing due to her split with Xzibit.
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For Leslie Fram, the highly respected former senior vp of music and talent for CMT, launching her own company that continues her work advocating and amplifying artists’ voices is a natural move.
Fram, Billboard’s 2021 Country Power Players executive of the year, has founded FEMco (Fram Entertainment & Music), a consulting company with divisions focused on artist development, talent booking and production, as well as a B2B arm that will connect outside businesses to Nashville companies.
“I’ve always wanted to start my own company, leveraging my three decades of accumulated experience and opportunities to intentionally design a purpose-driven business that aligns with my personal and professional aspirations,” Fram tells Billboard. “Through my time in radio and television, I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge, skills and insights from various roles, industries and projects that are not just a collection of past events but a foundation for future endeavors with FEMco. Starting my own company, doing what I enjoy most, was the best choice for me.”
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The new company will allow Fram to use her estimable mentoring, community-building and networking skills that she put into practice during her 13-year tenure at CMT, which she left in September. While there, Fram launched a number of programs, including CMT’s Next Women of Country, which gave a platform to nascent female country artists. She also created the Next Women of Country Tour, which paired Next Women of Country participants with established headlining acts. She was also a fierce advocate for equity, pushing CMT to institute its Equal Play initiative, with a commitment to 50/50 video airplay for female artists on the TV network and CMT Music channels.
FEMco
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While at CMT, Fram executive-produced the annual CMT Music Awards, CMT Crossroads and Storytellers. In January, she served as talent producer on CBS Presents Ringo & Friends at the Ryman. Prior to CMT, she had an illustrious background in rock and alternative radio, serving as program director and on-air talent at influential Atlanta alternative rock station 99X before becoming program director and morning show co-host with Matt Pinfield at New York rock station WRXP. She moved to Nashville in 2011.
While FEMco’s other divisions focus on all genders, keeping with her groundbreaking work with female country artists at CMT, Fram has already launched FEMco Presents, “the company’s music-focused production arm that will create multiple opportunities for female artists to increase their visibility and reach via events, sponsorships and more,” Fram says. The first franchise under FEMco Presents is FEMcountry, which will work with women country artists as “a continuation of my work in creating programs like ‘Next Women of Country’ and my passion for elevating female voices in country,” she adds.
FEMcountry soft-launched in March with a singer-songwriter event at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia. “Moving forward, FEMcountry will include writer’s rounds, showcases, listening events both in Nashville and nationwide, along with curating festivals,” Fram says. “The goal is to support female artists in all aspects of their career, finding a stage to play on and to get paid.”
Fram sees her new venture as a through-line in her decades-long work supporting artists. “FEMco will absolutely represent the work I did at CMT in elevating women in country music via FEMcountry,” she says. “A program like ‘Next Women of Country’ is still as relevant today as it was when I launched it over 10 years ago — women are still criminally underrepresented in the country music format.”
Fram also plans to launch FEMpop and FEMrock.
The B2B element will connect companies and brands looking to establish a presence in Nashville with the local music and entertainment market. “Through our extensive industry relationships, we are able to help navigate the city’s unique blend of creativity and commerce with relationships to build authenticity and visibility,” Fram says.
Through FEMco, Fram will also continue working with mtheory CEO Cameo Carlson on another former CMT program, Equal Access, which helps artists and management professionals break into the country music industry.
FEMco will work with artists and companies on an a la carte basis depending upon their individual needs, Fram says.
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Columbus Day, the federal holiday put in place to recognize Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus, has its share of critics and a countering holiday celebration, but it has never been removed from the calendar. On social media, President Donald Trump is angling for a revival of Columbus Day, citing that Democratic Party members have tarnished the holiday.
On Sunday (April 27), President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social account to say he’s bringing the longstanding federal holiday “back from the ashes,” presumably pushing back against President Joe Biden’s 2021 proclamation that Indigenous Peoples Day would celebrated on the second Monday of October alongside the the holiday recognizing Columbus discovering the Americas in the late 1400s.
From Truth Social:
I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes. The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much. They tore down his Statues, and put up nothing but “WOKE,” or even worse, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback. I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before!
At several points during his campaign last year, President Trump made it clear that he wanted to undo the removal of Confederate memorials and other instances that his side felt were all left-leaning jabs at American history. This ongoing culture war continues to persist despite the dominance and power wielded by the Republican Party and little in the way of meeting across the aisle with the Democratic Party.
On X, the reactions to President Donald Trump aiming for a Columbus Day revival of sorts are in. We’ve got them listed below.
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Photo: ANDREW THOMAS / Getty
It’s a story as old as time: no matter who cool you think you are — even if you’re one of the biggest pop idols on the planet — there are plenty of times your kids are just not interested in what you have to offer. That’s why it was helpful that Rihanna shared the […]
Mike Van has been elevated to the role of CEO of Billboard — the first time anyone has held the role.
In this position, Van will oversee Billboard’s global brand footprint in 15 countries, along with all aspects of strategy, revenue, business operations, live experiences, international licensing and brand partnerships. Van will oversee both the business and editorial teams, with Billboard editor-in-chief Hannah Karp now reporting to him directly.
Van has served as the president of Billboard since 2022, driving double-digit revenue growth and expanding the brand’s global presence. Van has also driven Billboard‘s digital transformation and continued to develop cutting-edge live experiences, including Latin Music Week, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, THE STAGE at SXSW, the Billboard Music Awards and Billboard Women in Music.
Van will report to Jay Penske, chairman and CEO, Penske Media Corporation.
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“Mike is a one-of-a-kind leader, visionary and partner,” Penske said. “His passion for the Billboard brand and clear vision for its future has always set him apart. Mike has fostered a collaborative environment with a team committed to building a formidable global business – innovating and trailblazing at every level. It has been inspiring to watch Billboard’s seismic growth over the last several years and I look forward to seeing the brand continue to thrive under Mike’s leadership.”
“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead Billboard and the team,” Van said. “Together, we have cultivated a culture of excellence. What we’ve built over the last several years has been nothing short of extraordinary, particularly in a media landscape marked by contraction and consolidation. I am deeply proud to carry this legacy forward as we shape the next 125 years by continuing to celebrate artist and executive achievements through our charts, content, global IP expansion and evolving our signature live experiences, cementing our position as the definitive voice of music business and culture.”
Van’s career has spanned media, entertainment and business transformation. He has held leadership positions at Billboard for the last seven years before serving as president. In addition to his time with Billboard, Van brings more than 25 years of marketing and monetization experience, including leadership roles at Pandora, Electronic Arts and Complex.
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Cam’ron isn’t buying into any of Kanye West’s latest antics. Killa thinks that Ye is being conveniently gay.
The crew from It Is What It Is had some very interesting takes regarding Kanye’s recent admission that he and his cousin engaged in homosexual acts. And as expected, Cam’ron did not bite his tongue when assessing the controversial reveal. “Ni**as be conveniently gay,” Cam’ron said. “It’s like, ‘Yo, let’s be gay for a little while now ’cause it’s popping. Now, let’s talk about when I was gay at one time.’” He went on to explain why he finds Yeezy’s timing to be suspicious.
“I don’t have nothing against gay people,” Cam’ron added. “I respect the gay people that say they gay. Come out and say that you gay. If that’s what you going, cool. Kanye been in the public eye for at least going on 20 years, if not longer. And now you gay, or had gay acts? Sh*t ain’t working.” Like a seasoned litigator the Diplomats founder also referenced all the stunts Kanye has pulled in the recent weeks. “Everything he got going on ain’t seem to been working. He had swastikas. He was Hitler last month, wasn’t he? Then he was KKK ni**a ’bout three weeks ago. Now he molested his cousin and he going do a song about it. It’s just too convenient.”
Cam’ron pulled out additional receipts to further explain why he feels Ye might have confessed to participating in gay acts with the family member. “Kanye, he play crazy with who he wanna play crazy with… that n***a’s crazy when it’s convenient,” he said. “Every time I seen Kanye he’s perfectly fine, I’ve never seen the crazy Kanye, personally. Ever.”
You can see Cam’ron discuss Kanye West below starting at the two minute mark.
A day before the kick-off of her anticipated Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour, Beyoncé gave the Beyhive a preview of the outings massive set. In a dramatic 16-second greyscale video titled “SHE COMING” the camera slowly pans from the darkness inside the concourse of Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium into the light of […]
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As President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House has reached 100 days, one move has again made many concerned that he is looking to serve a third term despite the constitutional ban against it. On Thursday (April 25), his official “Trump Store” website boasted the red caps for sale with “TRUMP 2028” emblazoned in white on the front of them.“Make a statement with this Made in America Trump 2028 hat,” the product description on the site reads. Each hat, which the site purportedly says are made in the United States, costs $50 each. The shop is also selling T-shirts in navy blue and red with the slogan “Trump 2028 (Rewrite the Rules).” Those shirts are priced at $36. His son, Eric Trump, was shown wearing the hat in a post shared on X, formerly Twitter, by a group backing Trump’s ambitions for a third term. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene also shared a photo of the hat on X, alongside another red, white, and blue hat that read “Gulf Of America.”
The hat is the latest sign that Trump is adamant about a third term in office. In an interview with NBC News, he said he was “not joking” about his intentions. “A lot of people want me to do it,” Trump said on the Sunday morning (April 20) phone call. “But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.” He also didn’t rule out Vice President JD Vance being tabbed to run for office and handing the presidency to Trump if he won. “That’s one method,” Trump conceded, adding “But, there are others, too.”The 22nd Amendment of the Consitution explicitly states that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” A change of that nature would require either a two-thirds vote of Congress or two-thirds of the states calling for a constitutional convention to submit changes. It then would call for three-quarters of the states to ratify the changes.While some Republicans have tried to pass these statements off as jokes, other GOP politicians have openly endorsed it. Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles even introduced a resolution calling for the extension of term limits so that Trump can remain in office. In a recent survey though, 53% of Republicans polled said the 78-year-old Trump should not run again.
Noel and Liam Gallagher are just 67 days from kicking off their first tour in more than 16 years. And while the formerly battling brothers have kept a tight lid on what fans can expect from Oasis 2.0, according to reports from the U.K., they recently took the stage together for the first time in nearly two decades and, as you might expect, the neighbors complained about the noise.
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According to The Guardian, the Gallaghers were pictured arriving at the Mildmay club in North London on Thursday, where they were reportedly filming a promo video for their sold-out summer reunion tour. They reportedly spent an hour at the club and made such a racket that the neighbors lodged a noise complaint. At press time a spokesperson for the group had not returned Billboard‘s request for additional information on the shoot.
Though a London tabloid reported that the pair performed and/or rehearsed during their visit to the club, singer Liam Gallagher threw cold water on that when the Oasis Podcast Twitter feed wrote, “The S*n reporting Noel and Liam actually performed on Thursday and there were noise complaints from local residents … knowing them could be rubbish but very interesting to see what comes out of it even if it is just an Adidas advert!”
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In response, Liam wrote “there was no performance.” As usual, though, Liam also had some cheeky answers to fan questions in the wake of the reports, writing on Saturday, “It’s all good can’t wait to get rehearsing.” When another fan wrote, “Noel says you’re on tip top form. How would u say Noel is??,” Liam responded of his guitarist/songwriter and occasional singer older brother, “He’s the same we’re locked in.”
Oasis have booked 41 dates for their long-awaited reunion tour, which is slated to kick off on July 4 with the first of two dates at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, U.K. Following a run of shows in their hometown of Manchester, as well as London, Edinburgh and Dublin they will move on to North America with August shows in Toronto and Chicago and September gigs in East Rutherford, N.J., Los Angeles and Mexico City.
The rest of the year will have the group — whose other touring members have not yet been revealed — returning to London before wrapping things up in Japan, Australia, Argentina and Chile before winding down with two shows at Estadio MorumBIS in São Paulo, Brazil on Nov. 22 and 23.
As they gear up to get back on the road, Oasis is also prepping a return to the charts in England, with their single “Some Might Say” expected to be back on the singles tally 30 years after its initial April 1995 release. According to NME, the song that earned the band their first U.K. No. 1 from their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? looks to climb to No. 2 on the U.K. Official Singles Chart after the release last week of a 30th anniversary vinyl re-release of the single.
Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke and Mick Ralphs are looking forward to being in good company in November when their band Bad Company is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“It is pretty amazing and very cool to be part of an iconic American institution that celebrates music, musicians and sometimes unsung heroes behind the scenes,” frontman Rodgers tells Billboard. “I know that our fans, friends and some media have wanted this for a long time, so they will be pleased at last. I am looking forward to seeing some old friends, reconnecting with (fellow inductee) Chubby Checker — maybe do the twist?”
Kirke, Bad Company’s drummer, adds that he too is “very happy. It’s been a long time coming… I’m not taking anything away from the (Rock Hall) committee; they had their reasons, but it’s a welcome addition if you will.”
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Via email from England, Ralphs — who suffered a debilitating stroke in 2016 — notes that, “I am elated and think that Bad Company’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is fantastic!” Both Rodgers and Kirke say they’re happiest that the guitarist was able to know the band would finally be inducted, though he’ll be unable to attend the Nov. 8 ceremony in Los Angeles.
“To be honest, every year we were not nominated it was another blow, not necessarily for me but we wanted Mick to be able to see this,” Kirke says. “So that’s been rectified, and we’ll give him a shout from the podium in November.”
Bad Company has been eligible for induction since 1999 and received its first nomination this year. It also finished second on the fan ballot with more than 279,000 votes.
It formed as a rock ‘n’ roll supergroup during 1973 in England. Rodgers and Kirke hailed from Free, Ralphs had left Mott the Hoople, and bassist Boz Burrell, who passed away in 2006 at the age of 60, was fresh out of King Crimson. The group was managed by the legendary Peter Grant and signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song label. Its self-titled 1974 debut hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 in the U.K., selling five-times platinum and launching enduring rock radio hits such as “Can’t Get Enough,” Movin’ On” and the song “Bad Company.”
Four of the band’s other 11 studio albums went platinum or better, as did the 1985 compilation 10 from 6. All told Bad Company sold more than 40 million records worldwide, with a cadre of other hits including “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Young Blood” and “Shooting Star.”
“Bad company struck deep chords” with audiences around the world, Rodgers says. “At the time we didn’t really fully understand it, and even now it is difficult to quantify or analyze. Suffice to say we resonated with music fans, or you could say we were in the right places at the right times. Sometimes the best plans are no plans, just rely on feel.
“When we put the band together it was because it felt right and as songwriters there was a natural flow, an unspoken understanding and connection between us that still exists to this day. My mission was to go in whole-hearted and deliver our music from the heart and soul to the heart and soul and let… the fans decided if they liked it or not.”
Kirke maintains that Bad Company’s muscular, spartan brand of hard rock was the sound of four musicians liberated from circumstances that had become stifling and were subsequently free to find new and more pleasing path.
“There was this air of ‘we’re free of the bonds of our three bands and free to do whatever we wanted,’” he explains. “We were all seasoned. (The success) didn’t take us completely by surprise… although maybe not to the extent we had right from the start. I think from the get-go Paul’s voice coupled with Mick’s songs — ‘Can’t Get Enough,’ ‘Movin’ On,’ “Ready For Love’ — made them come alive. And hooking up with Peter Grant and Led Zeppelin was the icing on the cake. (Grant’s) credo was, ‘I never tell anyone what to do in our bands except the lead singer. I said to (Robert Plant) and I’m saying the same thing to you, Paul — just wear something right and jump up and down a bit.”
Bad Company’s lineup splintered in 1982 and regrouped in 1998 to tour and record sporadically through 2019. Kirke and Ralphs, meanwhile, continued the band between 1986-1998 with the late Brian Howe and Robert Hart as frontmen. The group notched two more gold and another platinum album and scored more hits with “Holy Water,” “If You Needed Somebody,” “No Smoke” Without Fire,” “How About That” and “Shake It Up.”
Only the original lineup is being inducted, however, which Kirke — the only constant of Bad Company — feels is proper.
“(Howe and Hart) extended the band’s life and popularity,” the drummer acknowledges, “but I think the die-hard Bad Company fans will recognize the original lineup as being the quintessential Bad Company. The six albums we put together with the original lineup are the ones most people remember and hold dear to their hearts. The others kind of belong to another generation.”
As to what Burrell would make of the induction, Rodgers guesses “possibly cooly chuffed,” while Kirke notes with a laugh that, “He would’ve been his usual, bitter self — I mean that in a fond way. Boz was that sort of little bit of a curmudgeon. I loved him to death, but I think he would probably get slightly tipsy and God knows what he would’ve said on the podium — leave it at that.”
Rodgers and Kirke, who recently had dinner together with their wives in Palm Springs, both say they intend to perform at the induction ceremony, though details “will come a little closer to the time” according to Rodgers. Both also voiced a desire to see Free be inducted in the future.
Both remain busy making new music; Rodgers released a solo album, Midnight Rose, in 2023, while Kirke has written a stage musical about addiction that’s currently being shopped and is also planning his fourth solo album during the spring. Both are also involved in a Can’t Get Enough: A Tribute to Bad Company being put together by Primary Wave Music, which co-owns the group’s catalog, for release later this year. The Struts’ rendition of “Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy” was released for Record Store Day, and Rodgers and Kirke will play on the album — which will also include a rendition of Free’s “All Right Now.”
“It has been very interesting listening to other musicians interpret your songs. I found myself smiling a lot,” says Rodgers, who’s also about eight months into writing of a memoir for publication next year. “The timing just seemed right at this point to open up and share my story. How interesting looking back at old photographs and the memories they evoke, reminding me that I am just a lad from Middlesbrough who got lucky — very lucky.”
