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Ari Emanuel is encouraging businesses that work with Kanye “Ye” West to pull their involvement with him following the rapper’s recent antisemitic remarks.
In an op-ed for the Financial Times published online Wednesday, the Endeavor CEO wrote that West’s business partners, including companies that profit off his music — such as Apple, Spotify, Adidas and his touring partners — should stop working with the star. Emanuel also said that the parent company of Parler, which on Monday announced West’s planned acquisition of the right-wing social media platform, should refuse to sell it to him.
“West is not just any person — he is a pop culture icon with millions of fans around the world,” Emanuel wrote. “And among them are young people whose views are still being formed. This is why it is necessary for all of us to speak out. Hatred and anti-Semitism should have no place in our society, no matter how much money is at stake.”
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Emanuel’s essay referenced a 2006 piece he wrote for HuffPost in which he said entertainment companies should stop working with Mel Gibson after the antisemitic remarks he made that year during an arrest for drunk driving. In his new op-ed, Emanuel explained that he has since recommended Gibson for roles following the actor’s public apology and “commitment to understanding the consequences of his actions,” and that he would be open to helping West do the same.
“We are all capable of learning and evolving, and if West would like to be educated about the history and consequences of anti-Semitism and the conspiracy theories he’s parroting, if he wants to reach out to religious leaders — including rabbis, Muslim leaders, Christian leaders — I’d be happy to help,” the mogul wrote.
Until that happens, Emanuel encouraged business leaders to speak up, and he praised his clients, LeBron James and Maverick Carter, for not running an interview with West that was recorded for talk series The Shop. Carter stated last week that the interview would be scrapped due to West’s use of hate speech.
“Those who continue to do business with West are giving his misguided hate an audience,” Emanuel added. “There should be no tolerance anywhere for West’s anti-Semitism. This is a moment in history where the stakes are high and being open about our values, and living them, is essential. Silence and inaction are not an option.”
This article originally appeared in THR.com.
Megan Thee Stallion had a few things to say regarding rumors online that boyfriend Pardison Fontaine had popped the question amid their second anniversary.
“Lol as nice as last night was we are not engaged,” she tweeted simply on Wednesday (Oct. 19), shutting down chatter among her loyal army of Hotties. However, the rapper didn’t hesitate to show off her anniversary date night with Pardi on her Instagram Stories.
In the first video, Meg shared her glitzy aquamarine gown and glamorous updo from the back of a car before her rapper beau crashed the frame, joking, “What, you thought this was a solo? Whatchu doin’, whatchu doin’? Why they always tryin’ to show the plate but never the date? What’s wrong with them? They crazy!”
Next she puts Pardi’s skills as a former teacher to the test as she requires him to do “tipsy math” and add up how many days they’ve been dating. “730 days of good lovin…wow,” she captioned the adorable video, in which her boyfriend hilariously asks, “Was last year a leap year or no?” before doing the arithmetic.
While Megan may not have a ring on it quite yet, she has another milestone to celebrate in her career, having just wrapped her first stint as both host and musical guest on last week’s Saturday Night Live. Between performances of “NDA,” “Plan B” and “Anxiety,” the Grammy winner showed off her comedy chops in sketches like “Girl Talk,” “Hot Girl Hospital” and “Women’s Charity.”
Read Meg’s response to the engagement rumors below and check out her date night Instagram Stories here before they expire.
Lol as nice as last night was we are not engaged— TINA SNOW (@theestallion) October 19, 2022
Kanye West sat down for an interview with Piers Morgan on Wednesday (Oct. 19), where the rapper didn’t show any remorse for his string of anti-Semitic comments throughout the past few weeks.
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When asked if he was “sorry” that he said he was going to go “death con 3” on Jewish people, Ye simply replied, “Absolutely not.”
Morgan then quipped, “You should be,” to which Ye repeated, “Absolutely not.”
The English broadcaster continued to push back against West, explaining that his comments are as “racist as anything you’ve been through,” while the Yeezy founder is seen laughing. “Racism is racism, and you know that, don’t you?” Morgan asks.
“Yeah, obviously. That’s why I said it,” Ye replied. “I fought fire with fire. I’m not here to get hosed down. It’s a different type of freedom fighter.”
Later on in the interview, Ye proceeded to give a somewhat feeble apology to “the families of the people who had nothing to do” with his “trauma,” adding that “hurt people hurt people.”
Ye went on an aggressive anti-Semitic rant on social media earlier this month. After posting that he was about to go “death con 3” on “Jewish people” over the weekend of Oct. 8, he was temporarily restricted from using both Instagram and Twitter.
In a Drink Champs interview last week, Ye declared offensive remarks, blaming the murder of George Floyd on fentanyl and claiming that Jewish people are “[owning] the Black voice” through Black people wearing a Ralph Lauren shirt, “being signed to a record label, or having a Jewish manager, or being signed to a Jewish basketball team, or doing a movie on a Jewish platform like Disney.”
It’s not just gossip, folks: Missy Elliott hit the halls of her high school alma mater on Monday (Oct. 17) to celebrate having a street in her hometown named after her.
“Manor High! This my school I graduated from & yes I was the class clown always in the hallways cuttin up,” she tweeted on Wednesday (Oct. 19) alongside a video of herself ginning and dancing down the hallway. “All the teachers would say Melissa stop beating on the lockers & rapping get to class & now look I’m back Celebrating! #757 VA P-Town.”
The rapper made her return to Portsmouth, Va. to attend the dedication ceremony for the newly renamed Missy Elliott Boulevard and proudly shared a snap of herself holding the street sign with her name across it.
According to local reporting, the ceremony took place at Manor High’s football stadium and was followed by a parade in honor of the “Work It” MC that led from the athletic field out into town. Other A-list attendees included fellow Virginia natives Pusha T, Trey Songz and Timbaland, as well as Congressman Bobby Scott and Governor Glenn Youngkin. Portsmouth Mayor Shannon E. Glover also presented Elliott with a key to her hometown during the dedication.
Last month, Elliott performed during the RIAA Honors: Pioneers in Hip-Hop event in Washington D.C., where Dr. Dre and DJ Jazzy Jeff also took the stage. She recently reminisced on Twitter about working with Destiny’s Child to write “Confessions” for their 1999 sophomore album The Writing’s On the Wall.
Check out Elliott return to her high school for the naming of Missy Elliott Boulevard below.
Manor High! This my school I graduated from & yes I was the class clown always in the hallways cuttin up🤣😂 All the teachers would say Melissa stop beating on the lockers & rapping get to class😫😂 & now look I’m back her Celebrating! #757 VA P-Town🔥 https://t.co/GQkqjZfzYJ pic.twitter.com/Aq9t5GyhhJ— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) October 19, 2022
Megan Thee Stallion rang in her second anniversary with boyfriend Pardison Fontaine on Tuesday (Oct. 18) with a rather, erm, cheeky social media post.
“Yr 2 with U,” the rapper captioned the carousel using a blue heart emoji. Each picture shows the happy couple together. In one, she’s flipping the camera the bird while her rapper beau grins from behind her finger. But fans were in for a surprise after swiping through the first few photos.
Partway through the slideshow, Meg included a candid snap of Fontaine playfully biting her backside. In the next photo, the pair pose together in bed while the “Sweetest Pie” rapper wears a gray mud mask in the name of self-care. The final snap shows Fontaine lifting his shirt to reveal the tattoos across his abs while Megan poses in a sheer green bodysuit.
The superstar’s sweet anniversary post comes just days after she pulled double duty at Saturday Night Live by simultaneously serving as host and musical guest in Studio 8H. During the show, she performed a medley of “NDA” and “Plan B” as well as Traumazine album cut “Anxiety,” and hilariously found herself stuck with Bowen Yang and Ego Nwodim at a club in the music video sketch “We Got Brought.”
Next, Meg is set to headline Amazon Music Live as part of Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday night football coverage. Her livestream concert will air Nov. 3. Other artists participating include Lil Baby and Kane Brown, with host 2 Chainz.
50 Cent is the latest artist to speak out about Kanye West’s recent spree of antisemitic hate speech. In an appearance on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning show on Tuesday (Oct. 19), Curtis said that Ye is flirting with treacherous territory with the comments the rapper/entrepreneur has made in a series of interviews in which he has repeatedly amplified antisemitic tropes.
“I think he’s in a dangerous area,” 50 said. “I forgive him for the things that he said, because I’ve already identified when something’s going on that I don’t understand.” 50 said that such outrageous, button-pushing behavior has become the norm for Ye, pointing to the provocative “White Lives Matter” shirt West has worn recently as another example of his desire to provoke.
“There’s nothing for me to say about it, though. I watch it take place and I just look and I go, ‘Okay… yeah,’ that’s just him doing what he does. What Kanye would do,” 50 said. “Even the original Trump support thing was a little out there for me. Everybody looks at things, they navigate things differently. One week it’s, ‘I don’t want my kids raised by a white woman,’ and the next week it’s ‘I wanna go home.’ So you don’t know exactly what he means… Crazy’s unpredictable, unpredictability’s entertaining.”
But, 50 added, when you start to get into “certain areas,” it become harder to have compassion for what Ye is saying, because “he’s not crazy where he doesn’t know what he’s saying. He knows exactly what he’s saying.” In July 2020 West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, opened up about his struggle with bi-polar disorder in a series of lengthy Instagram Stories.
“He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder,” she wrote, noting that it was the first time she had addressed how his bipolar disorder impacted their family life. “Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions.”
As someone who is known for speaking his mind very directly, 50 was asked how he handles his business when he feels wronged and considers burning everything to the ground to make a point. Curtis told the Ebro crew that he thinks what’s motivating Ye’s recent behavior is “coming from business. The Gap deal falling apart and him being angry with Adidas,” he said of two of Ye’s recent fashion collaborations melting down after disagreements over designs, business plans and West’s allegations that his Yeezy brand retail roll-out did not take place as expected.
If it was him, 50 said he’d work to reinvent those deals in a new way, instead of focusing on “venting.” Taking a step back, 50 speculated that Ye’s recent outbursts are in the vein of attention-seeking “look at me” behavior, before suggesting that West is also struggling to retain his music audience. “You can’t have [fame] forever. It’s hip-hop. You can have a moment, you can have a run. But you can’t have it forever. It’s not possible,” he said.
Ye’s antisemitic comment have been widely panned by a number of fellow artists, even as he is reportedly in talks to buy the conservative social media site Parler, a popular destination for supporters of former president Donald Trump and, according to NPR, “a hotbed of vaccine misinformation, bigotry and right-wing conspiracies.”
Watch 50’s interview below.
Glass Animals‘ “Heat Waves” set a new record this week as the longest-running hit in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. On the chart dated Oct. 22, the No. 1 hit officially surpassed The Weeknd‘s “Blinding Lights” by spending 91 weeks on the tally.
And now that Dave Bayley and his bandmates are the reigning record holders thanks to the remarkable, slow-burning success of their single, we want to know which longtime Hot 100 hit is your favorite.
Of the never-ending cascade of songs that have gone up and down the all-genre tally since its inception in 1958, only 10 have spent at least 68 weeks on the chart — including hits by Imagine Dragons, AWOLNATION, Dua Lipa and more.
Do you prefer “Heat Waves” over “Blinding Lights”? Which gets your blood pumping more: Dan Reynold’s ferocious delivery of “Radioactive” or AWOLNATION‘s glitchy, hard-charging “Sail”? On the pop front, does Dua’s “Levitating” send you soaring or are you still head over heels for Jason Mraz‘s 2008 single “I’m Yours” after all these years?
The oldest song of the ten is actually LeAnn Rimes‘ 1997 country juggernaut “How Do I Live,” which comes tied in seventh place at 69 weeks with The Weeknd and Ariana Grande‘s “Save Your Tears.” (That’s right, the artist otherwise known as Abel Tesfaye is the only musician to have two hits among the longest-running Hot 100 tracks.)
Was OneRepublic‘s “Counting Stars” an unstoppable force on your playlists a decade ago? Or were you busy party rocking to LMFAO‘s “Party Rock Anthem” featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock?
While we celebrate Glass Animals’ latest accomplishment, vote for your favorite long-running song on the Hot 100 below.
Lawyers for George Floyd’s family say they’re getting ready to file a lawsuit against Ye, the artist and entrepreneur formally known as Kanye West, seeking $250 million in damages over his recent claims that Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose rather than at the hands of police.
Attorneys for Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd’s daughter, said Tuesday (Oct. 18) that they plan to sue West for harassment, misappropriation, defamation and infliction of emotional distress over the rapper’s controversial statements, which he made during an appearance on the Drink Champs podcast.
“George Floyd’s daughter is being retraumatized by Kanye West’s comments and he’s creating an unsafe and unhealthy environment for her,” said Nuru Witherspoon, Washington’s attorney. “Kanye’s comments are a repugnant attempt to discount George Floyd’s life and to profit from his inhumane death. We will hold Mr. West accountable for his flagrant remarks against Mr. Floyd’s legacy.”
The case will be filed by Washington on behalf of her daughter with Floyd, the attorneys said. It’s unclear when or where the case will be filed. The attorneys said they would seek $250 million in damages, but such claims have little bearing on what is actually awarded at the end of a successful lawsuit.
Washington is represented by Witherspoon’s firm, as well as another firm called Dixon & Dixon.
West could not be reached for comment on the looming litigation.
Floyd, whose May 2020 death sparked national demonstrations against police brutality, was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on his neck for nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on the street, suffocating him to death. Chauvin was later convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
But in an interview released this weekend by Drink Champs, a popular podcast hosted on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Revolt media channel, West said he saw things differently: “They hit him with the fentanyl. If you look, the guy’s knee wasn’t even on his neck like that.”
Drink Champs host N.O.R.E., who conducted the interview, has already apologized for the episode, and the episode has been pulled from both Revolt’s site and its YouTube channel.
Multiple cases against Kanye are now potentially in the works by Floyd’s family. On Sunday, civil rights attorney Lee Merritt posted to Twitter that he had been alerted to the comments Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, and was considering how to bring a case against West.
“While one cannot defame the dead, the family of #GeorgeFloyd is considering suit for Kanye’s false statements about the manner of his death,” Merritt tweeted. “Claiming Floyd died from fentanyl not the brutality established criminally and civilly undermines & diminishes the Floyd family’s fight.”
West’s comments about Floyd came amid a storm of controversy for the once-beloved rapper. First he wore a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to a show at Paris Fashion Week, then he was banned from both Instagram and Twitter over a string of anti-Semitic statements. Later in the same Drink Champs interview, he made more attacks on Jewish people, claiming they control the media and blaming “Jewish Zionists” for coverage about his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her former boyfriend Pete Davidson.
Actor Isaiah Washington sat down for an interview with VladTV this week, where she shared his thoughts on his Romeo Must Die co-star Aaliyah, who secretly married R. Kelly in 1994 when she was only 15 and the “Ignition” singer was 27.
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During R. Kelly’s racketeering and sex trafficking trial in 2021, the singer’s tour manager Demetrius Smith shared that he had reason to believe Kelly had impregnated Aaliyah when she was still a minor, which is why they got married. The marriage was later annulled in February 1995. Aaliyah died tragically just a few years later, in 2001 at age 22, in an airplane accident in the Bahamas.
While many believe that Kelly preyed on the late star when she was just a teenager, Washington claimed in the interview that she was not a victim. He admitted that he had a “crush” on the then-21-year-old “mysterious” singer while filming Romeo Must Die, in part to her being so “mature.”
As far as the R. Kelly relationship, Washington said that he believes she was in control due to her mature personality. “She was very in control of her being, but she was a businesswoman too. Super smart,” he said. “I think she was in control of that situation even at her age.”
“She was 15 going on 30, so she was in control of that whole situation,” he later added. “I don’t judge her, but she was very smart and very mature and very in control of her situation. I don’t believe one minute that Aaliyah was made to do anything that Aaliyah didn’t want to do.”
Listen to the full interview below.
It’s Monday again, and you know what that means: We’ve got 10 new songs to help you power through the week. From the mellow sounds of Sebastian Mikael, Rini, and Kirby to hard-hitting bops by Lancey Foux and Reese LaFlare, there’s a song to cater to all of this week’s ebbs and flows.
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Don’t forget to share the wealth with our Spotify playlist, linked below.
Freshest Find: Central Cee, “One Up”
Now that Central Cee has convinced us he’s not homophobic, the U.K.-bred newcomer has moved on to new concerns: leaks. “[I’m] only dropping this cos they leaked it,” he says in a statement alongside his his surprise EP, No More Leaks. “One Up” presents itself as a standout moment of the four-track offering, highlighting the 24-year-old MC’s undeniably cool edge and witty bars.
Rini feat. Beam, “Selfish”
With “Selfish,” Rini is setting the tone for his growth over the past year. The L.A.-via-Australia singer taps Beam for the moody new single, on which he realizes that the only way to elevate is by prioritizing himself. “‘Selfish’ to me is a song where I learned that there’s more than one way to be selfish,” the singer said in a press release. “Often you think of it in a negative light — and of course it took me going through the negative — but there’s positive ways to be selfish too.” “Selfish” is a single off Rini’s forthcoming EP UltraViolet.
Lancey Foux, “All Night Long”
“All Night Long” is the moody, 808-driven introduction to Lancey Foux’s upcoming album Life In Hell. The U.K. artist is no stranger to cultivating music that blurs genre lines, often dabbling in trap and alternative hip-hop sounds.
Hoosh, “Slow Dance”
Despite its lighthearted and bouncy production, Hoosh’s new single “Slow Dance” has a message. After a conversation he had with a dancer, the Miami-via-Sudan artist wants others to understand that what truly matters is not what one does but how one carries themselves and their character. “Slow Dance” is deceptively introspective, but the musician doesn’t want listeners to understand his message without dancing and vibing to his upbeat new song.
Jordan Ward feat. Joony, “Idc”
Jordan Ward and Joony collided for a smooth, lo-fi track about letting go of their exes. “IDC” sees the two carelessly running around New York City in oversized suits as they trade nonchalant verses about being newly single. “I don’t care, I just want you to know/ I don’t like what you did, that s–t hurt/ I don’t care what you do anymore, anymore,” Joony sings for the chorus.
Sebastian Mikael, “Scene 1”
Celebrating the release of his new EP Phileo, Sebastian Mikael took to COLORS to perform his standout track “Scene 1.” The Swedish Ethiopian singer delivered a soulful performance of the song, which sees him falling for a woman who he says is “acting up.”
Reese LAFLARE, “Flu Game”
Atlanta rapper and producer Reese LaFlare receives the ultimate co-sign on “Flu Game.” “You gotta push right now to have a standout moment where it catapults you,” explains Drake in an audio note. The song title remains in line with the spirit of Drake’s message, referring to Michael Jordan’s 1997 NBA finals game in Utah — where the icon scored 38 points, leading the Bulls to a win, despite being severely ill. Produced by Mile Franklin, Maurice Nichols and Ronald Crawford, the track boasts a swoon-worthy instrumental, begging to be bumped from your car speakers for all to hear.
Mia Gladstone feat. Lance Skiiiwalker, “Swimming on the First Date”
Experimental artist Mia Gladstone re-emerges with a hypnotic new project, Loopy. Back together with longtime TDE collaborator Lance Skiiiwalker, the duo’s distinct tones and flows shine atop funky neo-soul instrumentation.
STANY feat. Rema & Offset, “Only You”
It’s a party of three. Afro-French producer Stany enlists Offset and Nigerian up-and-comer Rema to kick off his solo debut with “Only You.” Every Rema melody sounds like a hook, with Offset’s verse a refreshing change of pace on the Afro-fusion track.
Kirby feat. Dave Guy, “Take Care”
What’s there not to love about Kirby’s latest, transportive offering? “Take Care” sounds like a warm embrace, the singer setting the mood through environmental sounds of children playing, thick horns courtesy of Dave Guy, milky chords and her irresistibly smooth tone. “Take care of momma/ Know you gotta take care of brother/ You gotta take care and hustle/ But please take care of you,” she declares.
