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10 Nov 2024

Taylor Swift Arrives in Style at Chiefs-Broncos Game to Support Boyfriend Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift is spending another Sunday afternoon cheering on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.

The 34-year-old pop superstar — currently enjoying a brief break from her record-breaking The Eras Tour — arrived in style at the Kansas City Chiefs versus Denver Broncos game at K.C.’s Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday (Nov. 10).

Swift, who has attended the tight end’s last two home games, was once again joined by her parents, Scott and Andrea Swift. The “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer turned heads in a bold red and black checkered blazer, paired with a low-cut black corset and a coordinating black-and-red skirt. She completed the look with knee-high black boots, balancing glamour with game-day spirit.

Swift has a few more days off before the final leg of her Eras Tour picks up again on Nov. 14 with a six-night stand at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. The lengthy trek wraps up with three nights (Dec. 6-8) at BC Place in Vancouver.

Meanwhile, Kelce has been showing his support for Swift. The NFL star was recently spotted in the VIP section during night two of her three-night run at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

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“I wanted to see Tay one more time before this thing got closed up,” Travis explained during a recent episode of his New Heights podcast. “I’ll tell you what, man. The American crowds did not disappoint. I heard it was a lot rowdier this time around, knowing she was coming back to America one last time before the tour wrapped up. That place was rocking. Absolutely rocking.”

Kelce, who has attended over a dozen Eras Tour shows since first seeing Swift in Kansas City last summer, also caught her concert in Amsterdam with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes — and even made a surprise onstage cameo in London.

10 Nov 2024

Shaboozey and Lindsey Stirling Join Lainey Wilson for NFL Thanksgiving Day Halftime Shows

Shaboozey and Lindsey Sterling will join Lainey Wilson in providing halftime entertainment for the trio of National Football League games that take over television on Thanksgiving.

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Wilson had been previously announced as the entertainment for the Dallas Cowboys’ annual Thanksgiving Day game, which will be against the New York Giants on Fox. Shaboozey will perform when the Detroit Lions take on the Chicago Bears on CBS and Stirling will take the stage in Green Bay, Wisconsin as the Packers play the Miami Dolphins on NBC.

Each artist will perform for six minutes and follow up last year’s trio of Dolly Parton (Dallas Cowboys), Jack Harlow (Detroit Lions) and Steve Aoki (Seattle Seahawks). Combined, the games typically draw well north of 100 million, making the day’s three halftime shows the most watched music events on television other than the Super Bowl.

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“Thanksgiving football is an iconic tradition in this country, and I’m hyped to be a part of it this year,” Shaboozey tells Billboard. “The Detroit Lions season has been pretty epic so far, and I’m excited to tap into that crazy energy their fans bring to Ford Field. I can’t wait for America to see the show we’ve been working on for y’all.”

Seth Dudowsky, head of music at the NFL adds that the League works directly with the individual teams and broadcast partners to select the talent for the shows: “The NFL on Thanksgiving provides artists with a massive platform that continues to grow, and we know this year’s games will bring another unforgettable day of football, music, and unifying moments for fans watching across the country and around the world.”

The Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving Day game every year since 1934, and the Cowboys since 1966. In 2006, the NFL added a third Thanksgiving game in prime time, with the match-up changing annually. 

Wilson is the reigning CMA Awards and ACM Awards entertainer of the year, while Shaboozey has had the longest No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this year with his juggernaut, “The Bar Song (Tipsy).” Two-time Billboard Music Awards winner and former America’s Got Talent finalist Stirling is an electric violinist and dancer

08 Nov 2024

Sacramento Kings Owner Wears ‘They Not Like Us’ Shirt Amid Drake’s Feud With DeMar DeRozan

Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has come to his superstar DeMar DeRozan’s defense and he’s channeling Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” anthem, possibly to needle Drake.

Seated near former Raptor and No Limit boss Master P, Ranadive was courtside at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday night (Nov. 6) wearing a black T-shirt inscribed with “They Not Like Us” as his Kings took on Drizzy’s Toronto Raptors.

Fans liked seeing the Kings owner stand up to Drake and defend DeRozan, who previously played for Toronto. Sacramento ended up throttling the Raptors 122-107 to improve to 5-3 on the young season.

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“This level of petty >>>,” one fan tweeted, while another called Vivek the “goat.”

For context, the Kings took on the Raptors over the weekend of Nov. 2 in Toronto, where Drake joined the TV broadcast and called DeRozan a “goof.”

On the same night, Vince Carter’s No. 15 went into the rafters, the 6 God — who is an official ambassador of the Raptors — trashed the idea of the franchise retiring DeRozan’s No. 10 one day. “If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I’ll go up there and pull it down myself,” Drake said during the broadcast.

DeMar was asked about Drake’s comments in his post-game presser, which he brushed off. “He’s going to have a long way to climb,” the athlete quipped. “Tell him good luck.” 

DeRozan spent nine seasons with the Raptors and delivered a close friendship with Drake, but Drizzy appeared to feel a type of way about DeMar — a Compton native — seemingly siding with Kendrick Lamar during their feud. DeRozan also made a cameo in the “Not Like Us” music video.

Joe Budden chimed in on the DeRozan-Drake beef, and while he understood Drizzy’s feelings toward the NBA star for seemingly switching up on him, he doesn’t appreciate how he’s navigated the conflict.

“I’m not mad at [Drake] for feeling — he should feel that way,” he explained on a recent episode of his eponymous podcast. “It’s never the conflict. It’s the inability to navigate the conflict … But all that standing at the game … the mumbling under his breath … You a b—h. I’m not about to sit here and do a bunch of unpacking. You went to the game and cut his eyes.”

“Not Like Us” arrived in May and proved to be a decisive blow in the Drake-Kendrick feud, which Billboard declared K. Dot the winner.

The Mustard-produced anthem has continued to haunt Drake and be part of pop culture throughout 2024, as it broke the record for most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart when it held firm for a 21st week at the apex in early October.

Drake has yet to respond to Vivek’s move, and he’ll have to wait until next year to see DeRozan again, as the Kings won’t make another trip to Toronto for the rest of the season.

05 Nov 2024

Taylor Swift’s Mom Andrea Is in Her ‘Chiefs Era’ With Cute Jacket Patch

Andrea Swift is just as big of a Kansas City Chiefs fan as her daughter is.

Taylor Swift’s mom attended the NFL game at Arrowhead Stadium with the “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer and her son Austin on Monday night (Nov. 4), where she was seen cheering on Tay’s boyfriend, tight end Travis Kelce, and she was seen rocking some adorable Chiefs gear.

In photos from the game circulating X (previously known as Twitter), Andrea is seen sitting inside the VIP suite wearing a black zip-up jacket with “In my Chiefs Era” written in Kansas City’s signature red font. Of course, the slogan is both in reference to the NFL team and her daughter’s record-breaking Eras Tour.

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See the photo here.

Taylor, meanwhile, arrived to the game rocking a black tank top and cut-off black denim shorts tied with a belt. She completed the look with an oversized, racer-style Chiefs leather jacket and fold-over, knee-high black boots. See her look here.

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In fan videos, she was seen waving and blowing kisses to fans after the game wrapped up. She also jokingly mouthing to the crowd that the game was “stressful” — which makes sense given that the Chiefs beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 in overtime.

04 Nov 2024

Taylor Swift Is Back at Arrowhead Stadium Supporting Travis Kelce & Kansas City Chiefs

Taylor Swift has a few days off before she takes the stage fo the last dates of her Eras Tour, and she stopped by Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Monday night (Nov. 4) to cheer on her boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs as they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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The “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer arrived to the game rocking a black tank top and cut-off black denim shorts tied with a belt. She completed the look with an oversized, racer-style Chiefs leather jacket and fold-over, knee-high black boots. See her look here.

In videos circulating social media, Swift is seen sitting in her usual suite spot, this time alongside her mother Andrea Swift and the tigh end’s mother, Donna Kelce.

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Earlier in the day, Swift took to Instagram to celebrate the end of the U.S. dates of her massive, record-breaking Eras Tour after performing in Indianapolis, Indiana. ”Couldn’t have asked for a more magical way to end our US shows on The Eras Tour,” she wrote alongside a series of photos from Lucas Oil Stadium. “Just had the time of my life with 207,000 beautiful people in Indianapolis who showered us with so much love and excitement and joy… I know I’ll be looking back on this weekend and smiling because it was just like a dreamscape, all of it. Thank you to everyone who came out to see us on our last 3 American shows!!”

Swift also shared a thought with fans the night before Election Day. “And here’s a friendly but extremely important reminder that tomorrow is the US Election and your last chance to vote.”

Swift will head to Toronto from Nov. 14-16 and then Nov. 21-23, before wrapping up her Eras Tour altogether in Vancouver from Dec. 6 to 8.

31 Oct 2024

Jason & Travis Kelce Team Up With Boyz II Men to Ring in the Holiday Season With ‘It’s Christmastime (In Cleveland Heights)’

‘Tis officially the season, and Jason and Travis Kelce are getting into the holiday spirit with their new Boyz II Men-assisted Christmas song, “It’s Christmastime (In Cleveland Heights),” which arrived on Friday (Nov. 1).

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The track, which details the NFL duo returning to their hometown after some time away, gets an R&B spin thanks to Boyz II Men’s harmonies as they sing, “It feels so good to be back home again with all my family and friends/ Sharing gifts and memories/ We make under the Christmas tree.”

“I always have a blast when I get to join the guys on the Christmas album, but it was wild to be on a song with a group as iconic and timeless as Boyz II Men,” Travis said in a press statement. “My friends and I grew up on their music, and it’s still in the rotation today, so it was just an unreal experience.”

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“It’s Christmastime (In Cleveland Heights)” marks the first single off A Philly Special Christmas Party, the third charitable album from The Philly Specials, a.k.a Jason Kelce, the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata. Last year’s A Philly Special Christmas Special raised over $3 million and featured singles “This Christmas,” “All I Want for Christmas is You,” “Fairytale of Philadelphia” and “Pretty Paper.”

Additionally, to celebrate the single, Jason and Travis’ mother, Donna Kelce, will bring exclusive The Philly Specials-inspired holiday ornaments to QVC on Nov. 1 starting at 8 p.m. ET. They will be sold as a set of four and will come with ornaments of Jason, Jordan, Lane and a Christmas tree. Proceeds from the vinyl sales will go to support Children’s Crisis Treatment Center’s Holiday Toy Drive, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Snowflake Station and 87 and Running Foundation, plus a number of other Philadelphia based organizations.

A Philly Special Christmas Party is set for release on Nov. 22. Listen to “It’s Christmastime (In Cleveland Heights)” below.

31 Oct 2024

Kurtis Blow Links Up With Lola Brooke & Hit-Boy for ‘Basketball 2.0’: Watch

Do you love basketball as much as Kurtis Blow? Probably not. The rap legend bridged generations as he collaborated with Brooklyn rapper Lola Brooke and West Coast producer Hit-Boy for a modern take on his classic record “Basketball,” which reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1985.

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DoorDash partnered with the NBA, WNBA and Kurtis Blow to celebrate the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season. The music video — shot by Dave Meyers and his daughter Cassidy on the streets of New York — features WNBA legend Sue Bird and Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart of the New York Knicks.

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DoorDash announced a multiyear partnership renewal on Monday (Oct. 28) that extends the company’s role as the official on-demand delivery platform partner of both the NBA and WNBA. The partnership first tipped off in 2020, with DoorDash becoming the first-ever partner in the on-demand category.

DashPass, DoorDash’s membership program, will serve as the official partner of NBA and WNBA Experiences, which offer a wide range of customized and immersive fan experiences at marquee events throughout the NBA and WNBA calendar year.  These premium experiential packages include access to NBA and WNBA events alongside unique off-the-court programming such as player and legend meet-and-greets, behind-the-scenes tours, concerts and hospitality hubs designed to reach global fans of the game.

“Since joining forces with the NBA and WNBA in 2020, we’ve brought meaningful experiences to basketball fans, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what we build together this season and beyond as we deliver even more value to fans with DashPass,” said Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, CMO at DoorDash, via a press release. “With the season officially underway, we wanted to celebrate basketball’s impact on culture, and what better way to do that than reviving a hit classic that’s synonymous with the game? Working with Kurtis to bring this to life was an unmatched experience, and we hope fans enjoy the reimagined hit – and its nod to the past, current, and future of basketball – as much as we do.”

“Our partnership with DoorDash is rooted in a shared commitment to deliver unique and elevated experiences that celebrate NBA and WNBA fandom year-round,” said Kerry Tatlock, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships and Media, NBA. “We look forward to expanding our collaboration, leveraging our partnership to unlock even more opportunities to bring our fans closer to the game.”

Watch the new take on a hip-hop classic above.

30 Oct 2024

TWICE & Gunna Set to Perform After ‘Thursday Night Football’ for ‘Amazon Music Live’

Amazon Music Live is continuing throughout the NFL season, and revealed on Wednesday (Oct. 30) that TWICE and Gunna have joined the lineup.

The show takes place after Thursday Night Football on Prime Video, and will continue on November 14 with a performance from Gunna, fresh off the road from his One Of Dem Nights tour. In May, the rapper released his fifth studio album, One of Wun. The 20-track project includes collaborations with Offset (“Prada Dem”), Normani (“$$$”), Leon Bridges (“Clear My Rain”) and Roddy Ricch (“Let It Breathe”).

The week after, on November 21, TWICE will take the stage, marking the first time a K-pop group has performed on the show. Earlier this year, TWICE recently scored its first-ever No. 1 entry on the Billboard 200 with With YOU-th, which debuted in the top spot. The six-track EP features the songs “I Got You,” “One Spark,” “Rush,” “New New,” “Bloom” and “You Get Me.” Most recently, TWICE is featured on the remix of Megan’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 36 hit “Mamushi,” originally featuring Yuki Chiba, from her latest deluxe album Megan: Act II that dropped last Friday (Oct. 25).

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They join musicians who previously took the stage during season three, including Jelly Roll, Big Sean, Halsey and J Balvin. 

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Each episode streams live from Los Angeles and airs exclusively on Thursdays via Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch at 9 p.m. PT. Leading up to the episodes will be the one hour Amazon Music Tonight! pre-show on Twitch, which will feature interactive mini-games, trivia and challenges tied to each night’s performer.

29 Oct 2024

Fat Joe Performs at World Series Game 3 & Baseball Fans Have Some Thoughts

Like Ice Cube was for the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two, New York Yankees fans were hoping that Fat Joe would serve as a good luck charm for the team heading into game three of the 2024 World Series on Monday (Oct. 28).

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Joey Crack took the field in a pair of signature brown Timberland boots to warm up the 40,000-plus fans at Yankee Stadium. Rocking a Yankees letterman jacket and a matching NYY x Terror Squad fitted cap, the Bronx native tweaked some of the lyrics to his hits to go with the baseball theme and rep for his hometown squad. Joe kicked off the set with his “Lean Back” anthem before moving into Ja Rule’s “New York” and closing out with “All the Way Up.”

As he performed, Fat Joe headed to the pitcher’s mound — which had to give the grounds crew members a collective heart attack — where he named some Yankee legends after Derek Jeter threw out the honorary first pitch to have the fans ready to roar for game three.

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“Even when Fat Joe came out, the body language from the fans was like, ‘Damn!’ I was like, ‘What’s going on here?’ Are we in a funeral already?” MLB Fox Sports analyst and former Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz said.

Many fans seemed to be perplexed by the performance, as many remained seated. Others roasted Joe and the Yankees on social media. “Fat Joe opening up for the Yankees might be one of the worst things I’ve ever witnessed,” one person tweeted.

Another chimed in: “I’m not a hater, BUT Fat Joe opening up for the Yankees might be one of the worst things I’ve ever seen. I think they got him on SALE 50% OFF.”

Even diehard Yankees fan Desus Nice was displeased, tweeting, “good morning to everyone except fat Joe and his trump sneakers!”

Some wondered why they couldn’t get fellow New York rappers such as Jay-Z or 50 Cent to pull up. Hov previously performed “Empire State of Mind” at Yankee Stadium ahead of game two of the 2009 World Series, which is the last time NYY appeared in the Fall Classic.

But it wasn’t all bad news for the rapper. Some fans chimed in to show their support on social media. “We won no matter the outcome as far as I’m concerned @fatjoe,” one fan wrote on Instagram over a photo of the performer on the field.

“BIG Bronx showed up!” another added over a snap of Big Joe performing, adding a “100” and fist-bump emojis.

Unfortunately, Joe’s performance wasn’t able to help power the Yankees to a win, as the team now faces a 0-3 deficit to the Dodgers. The Yankees’ bats largely went quiet into the night with Monday night bringing on a 4-2 defeat.

Fat Joe and the NYY will look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Dodgers on Tuesday evening (Oct. 29) in game four. No performances are scheduled for pre-game.

Watch Fat Joe’s performance below.

25 Oct 2024

Brad Paisley Performs National Anthem at World Series Game 1

Brad Paisley stepped into the baseball diamond on Friday night (Oct. 25), where he performed the national anthem at the first game of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Accompanied by a green electric guitar, he performed a slowed down version of the U.S. anthem, as a massive American flag was stretched across the field.

See the full performance here.

The country star is a longtime Dodgers fan, and the performance marks his fourth time singing the anthem at a World Series game. Ice Cube and Fat Joe are also set to perform at games two and three representing their respective hometowns.

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Last month, Paisley dropped the single “Truck Still Works,” off his upcoming full-length LP. The new album, which will likely come out in early 2025, will be his first full-length album since 2017 and his first since moving from Sony Nashville’s Arista imprint to Universal Music Group Nashville’s EMI Records. 

“The project has some deeper things on it but, like the song itself, is really about creativity and nostalgia and you know the themes that you want to hear right now,” he told Billboard. “Sometimes, like in these times, it’s great to give people something they just want to turn up and takes them to a place where they feel good.”