Paris
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An iconic place of worship has reopened their doors. Pharrell Williams and Angélique Kidjo recently performed at the Notre-Dame Cathedral’s reopening.
As spotted on The Grio the popular Parisian attraction is now back open to the public. On April, 5 2019 a fire broke out on the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris. Unfortunately, by the time the fire was extinguished the ceiling suffered severe structural damage. Since then locals and tourists alike have had to find another cathedral to attend mass. Thankfully, the church received over $800 million dollars in donations which went to the restoration efforts. Five years later it finally reopened on Dec. 7.
To celebrate the momentous occasion, Notre-Dame de Paris hosted a special ceremony with over 2,500 people in attendance. Not only was President-elect Donald Trump there but U.S. First Lady Jill Biden and Prince William of Britain several other world leaders. African opera singer Pretty Yende opened the affair with a roaring rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Angélique Kidjo also took to the stage with her song “Jerusalema.” Pharrell Williams was a surprise performer and took the stage with the 70 person Voices of Fire choir to bring his hit anthem “Happy” to life.
You can see Pharrell Williams perform at Notre-Dame below.
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A petition calling for action against alleged misconduct by Paris Olympics breaker Raygun went viral with over 58,000 signatures.
The Paris Olympic Games have ended, but the controversy over Australian B-girl Raygun and her performance – which included a move some called a “kangaroo hop” – is ongoing. It led to an online petition that was created accusing her of “unethical conduct,” which has garnered thousands of signatures. The petition, which was created on Tuesday (Aug. 13) by an individual identifying themselves as “Someone Who hates corruption,” was on Change.org and at last report had over 58,000 signatures.
“We, the undersigned, call for immediate accountability and transparency in the recent actions of Rachel Gunn and Anna Mears in the selection process for Australia’s female breakdancer representative at the upcoming Olympics,” the petition begins. “Rachel Gunn, who set up her own governing body for breakdancing, has manipulated the selection process to her own advantage. Despite the clear talent and qualification of other outstanding female breakdancers like G Clef and Holy Molly, they were unfairly overlooked. The NT Youlong Boys, a group of incredibly talented and underprivileged youth from the Northern Territory, were denied crucial funding by Dr. Gunn to attend the qualifiers—a decision that directly impacted their chance to showcase their skills on a national stage.” The theory sprang up online after Raygun aka Rachel Gunn earned an astonishing score of zero through her three preliminary rounds of competition, which became viral across social media leading to a bevy of memes making fun of her.
The Sydney Morning Herald began their investigation into Gunn, a lecturer at the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature at Macquarie University in Sydney. They found that the claim behind the online petition wasn’t true and that Gunn advanced due to coming in first in one of three regional competitions. The Change.org petition has since been taken down after requests from the Australian Olympic Committee on Thursday (Aug. 15). AOC spokesman said in a statement that Gunn was “selected through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process.”
Gunn, however, is still dealing with the international response to her Olympic showing calling it “pretty devastating” but remaining positive. “I went out there, and I had fun. I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all. Truly,” she said in an ESPN interview.
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American sprinter Noah Lyles is facing backlash after being spotted out partying in Paris days after his COVID-19 diagnosis.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games ended Sunday (Aug. 11). Still, track superstar Noah Lyles had social media buzzing after he was spotted on video partying days after revealing he was dealing with COVID-19. Lyles, who won the men’s 100 meter, was spotted on video at L’Arc nightclub hours after the closing ceremonies dancing while draped in an American flag to a Pop Smoke song. The footage surprised many who expressed frustration. Lyles’ diagnosis was revealed after he collapsed on the track after the 200 meter men’s final on Thursday evening, leading to him having to be wheeled out in a wheelchair.
Lyles would later share a picture of a negative COVID test in a post on X, formerly Twitter, Saturday (Aug. 10), with the caption, “Thank God, I am Covid free.” Lyles would capture bronze in the 200 meter, which he has proven to be dominant in past track and field competitions, but he would pull out of the men’s 4×100 relay final. The U.S. team would later be disqualified for an invalid baton exchange, extending their medal drought – the team hasn’t won gold since the 2000 Sydney Games, and last medaled in 2004 with a silver at the Athens Games.
The 27-year-old confirmed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 that Tuesday beforehand, which meant that he ran the 100 meter while sick. He wanted to run despite the diagnosis, and permission was granted by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. In an interview with the Associated Press that day, Lyles spoke about his thoughts on being diagnosed, saying that he was more concerned about the severe effects of the virus than his temperature (he suffers from asthma), which shot up to 102 degrees, according to his coach Lance Bauman.
Lyles denied that, saying the highest it reached was 99 degrees. “Then asthma joining in on that and making it even worse, that was our worst fear,” he said. “We were back in the medical bay underneath the track. Their biggest concern was me getting bronchitis because we didn’t want something to get infected and the asthma really starts to take form. We really had to jump on top of that.”
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If we know anything about Snoop Dogg it’s that he’ll always have a lighter on him of some sort, but he’s taking his flame-baring skills to another level during the Olympics as he’s been chosen to be one of the last torchbearers of the Olympic flame when the Olympic Games get underway in Paris this weekend.
Months after it was revealed that Snoop Lion (people don’t call him that enough) would be a commentator for the Olympic Games, Deadline is reporting that he will indeed be partaking in history when he carries the Olympic torch in Paris in a few days. Truth be told, we can’t wait to see it with our own eyes. Will he run with it, walk with it, or roll with it in a 6-4? We don’t know, but we hope he makes it without dropping it or using it to light a blunt. On second thought, we’d like to see him use it to light a spliff. They don’t call him Snoop Lion for nothing.
Per Deadline:
Local media reported that Snoop Dog will carry the flame during its penultimate leg on Friday around the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, which is hosting part of the Olympic Village and is also home to Stade de France and the new Olympic Aquatics Centre.
The flame will then be head onto the Olympic cauldron in the Tuileries Gardens in central Paris, its final destination for the duration of the 2024 Olympics.
French personalities set to carry the flame on Friday include rapper MC Solaar, actress Laeticia Casta, Saint Omer film director Alice Diop, Paralympian Charles-Antoine Kouakou and rugby player Abdelatif Benazzi.
The identity of the final torchbearer has yet to be announced.
Yeah, this gives us more reason to tune into the Olympics opening ceremony this Friday. We wonder if he’s practicing how to carry it or if he’s just going to freestyle it once they pass him the torch. Either way, we’ll be watching as will the rest of the world.
Don’t f*ck this up, Snoop!!
What do y’all think of Snoop Dogg being chosen to carry the Olympic flame at the opening ceremonies? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Luxury stores are still a big target for the criminal underworld. Thieves crashed a car into the Chanel store in Paris for a heist.
As reported by Raw Story one of the brand’s most popular brick and mortar locations got hit last week. In the early hours of Monday, June 10 a team ram-raided a truck into the doors of the Chanel store located at 52 Av. des Champs-Élysées. Once the automobile had caused the structure to weaken the thieves proceed to enter the establishment and helped themselves to the goods on the sales floor. Prior to leaving the scene they set the car on fire and escaped on motorbikes.
Police and firefighters arrived at the scene shortly after and put out the blaze. “The individuals used a first vehicle to enter the establishment, smashing the window, before fleeing in a second vehicle, taking some of the shop’s merchandise with them” a police source said. Another source close the investigation says they believe the crew consisted of four individuals. Back in May a Harry Winston store suffered a similar robbery where a team of thieves stuck the place up with long weapons and left on motorbikes. Police estimate Harry Winston lost anywhere from $6.5 million and $10.8 million in jewelry.
Chanel has yet to formally comment on the matter.
After showing up for Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton runway debut during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were back out in the City of Light on Wednesday night (June 21) too — this time for Rocky’s Spotify Beach performance at the Cannes Lions festival. Rihanna, who is expecting her second child with […]
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Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz
Jay-Z is holding a very rare one-off concert. The Brooklyn rapper and mogul will be performing at a Basquiat x Andy Warhol exhibit in Paris.
On Wednesday, April 12, Roc Nation announced that Jay-Z will be holding a tribute concert for the Louis Vuitton Foundation on Friday (April 14) at 9pm. Tiffany & Co. is also a sponsor of the event, so you know the bag the “N*gga In Paris” rapper secured is serious. The man born Shawn Carter has a well-documented affinity for Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat and that connection is the basis for the performance.
The concert will be going down at the Auditorium of the Fondation in Paris. Jigga’s show serves the purpose of bringing more attention to Louis Vuiton’s “Basquiat × Warhol. Painting four hands” exhibit which features hundreds of the renowned artists’ collaborations. Between 1984 and 1985 they created around 160 paintings together.
Find out more information about the exhibit—which opened April 5 and runs through August—and show right here. Recently, Jay-Z was notably the only rapper to make the cut for Forbes’ 2023 Worlds Billionaires list.
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