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When Rihanna took the field at the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., the Philadelphia Eagles lead the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 24-14. But tensions over the NFL showdown were wiped clean the moment the superstar descended from the ceiling, decked out in red and belting the boisterous bars of “B-tch Better Have My Money” as her platform dangled above the field (an interesting choice, given that Super Bowl halftime performers generally aren’t paid for their efforts).
As the first artist to ever perform the Apple Music-sponsored Super Bowl Halftime Show, Rih pulled out all the stops, bringing out damn near every hit song you could imagine in her catalog. The State Farm Stadium roared as she ran through everything from “Rude Boy” to “Umbrella” to “We Found Love” to “Only Girl (In the World)” to “Diamonds.” Not surprising, really — Rihanna has 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (as well as an imposing 32 top 10s on that chart), so there was plenty of classics for her to choose from when blessing the State Farm Stadium with her indelible music and fashion.
Admittedly, the Barbadian pop star had a tough act to follow: The 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show – featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar, as well as appearances from 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak – became the first halftime show to win the Emmy for outstanding variety special (live). But based on immediate reactions on social media, it seems like this is what people came for when they tuned into a Rihanna halftime show.
Amazon Studios revealed Friday (Feb. 10) that Donald Glover‘s forthcoming TV series Swarm will premiere via Prime Video on March 17.
Swarm follows a young woman named Dre (played by Dominique Fishback) who is obsessed with a fictional pop star, who is reportedly similar to Beyoncé, according to Vanity Fair, and will dig deeper into her unhealthy obsession. And that similarity is evident in the show’s incredibly eerie teaser trailer, which has the pestering, buzzing sound of a bee and Twitter’s chirping sound underscoring the main question repeated throughout the clip: “Who is your favorite artist?”
Fishback, who’s also the show’s producer, stars alongside Damson Idris and Chlöe Bailey, who’s signed to Bey’s label Parkwood Entertainment alongside her sister and Chloe x Halle counterpart Halle Bailey.
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Swarm is also set as the opening-night TV premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas, on March 10.
Glover worked on the series with Janine Nabers, who was a writer and producer on his Emmy-winning FX series Atlanta and is Swarm‘s showrunner. The multihyphenate star directed the pilot episode, while his brother Stephen Glover, Fam Udeorji, Steven Prinz and Michael Schaefer serve as executive producers. Malia Obama, daughter of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, is also involved in Swarm in the writer’s room. Swarm comes from Amazon Studios and Gilga.
See the official teaser trailer for Swarm above.
Diddy doesn’t do jingles, but he sure knows how to make a hit song.
That’s why Uber One tapped the hip-hop/R&B chart-topper for its 2023 Super Bowl commercial, in which Diddy tries to help the food delivery membership service come up with a song sure to convert customers, with a little assistance from his musician friends.
A trio of executives with Uber One assures the producer that jingles are out of the question. “We’re talking about a hit song,” one of them says. “You want a hit?” Diddy replies, before “This Is How We Do It” singer Montell Jordan appears in the booth, singing a new Uber-fied version of his 1995 seven-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit.
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“Uber One can save you/ On rides and eats/ Yeah it’s kinda sweet,” he sings, before the next artist, Donna Lewis, takes her turn in the studio. “Uber One saves you forever/ Rides and eats, save on whatever,” she peacefully sings into the mic to the tune of her 1996 Hot 100 No. 2 track, “I Love You Always Forever.” Diddy approves, happily exclaiming, “OK, Donna!”
Kelis is the next artist to step into the studio, though she seems unimpressed that Diddy is getting a shape-up to his beard as she provides new lyrics to her 2003 Hot 100 top five hit “Milkshake.” “Your milkshakes cost way less than before/ This membership is better than yours,” she sings, before Diddy asks his barber if he’s a fan of milkshakes.
It isn’t until “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)” singers Ylvis cause chaos in the booth that Diddy brings in the big guns to the studio: “What Is Love” singer Haddaway, who breathes new life into his signature song for Uber One. “Uber One/ Uber One saves me, saves me/ Way more,” he croons, much to Diddy’s delight — but sadly, not the Uber One executives.
Watch Diddy’s Super Bowl commercial for Uber One in the video above.
For the third consecutive year, Trevor Noah (a recent Billboard cover star) hosted the Grammy Awards – but for the first time, Noah is hosting an awards show after wrapping his seven-year run as head honcho on The Daily Show. (Since his final show on Dec. 8, 2022, various celebrity hosts have taken turns in the main chair.)
The South Africa-bred comedian tipped to leaving the Comedy Central institution in his opening monologue at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday (Feb. 5) night. “I was so inspired by the lyrics of ‘Break My Soul’ I actually quit my job,” Noah said, referencing Beyoncé’s Hot 100 No. 1 with the lyric, “I just fell in love / And I just quit my job.” He added, “I just wish Beyonce had also written a song about the importance of having savings before you quit your job.”
He also jested about one of Beyoncé’s fellow album of the year nominees, Harry Styles. “Women throw their panties at him – and he looks better in them than they do,” Noah said, next to a sheepishly laughing Styles. “Easily the world’s sexiest man – the sex symbol of the globe, especially now that they killed off the green M&M.”
When he walked by Taylor Swift (a three-time album of the year champ), Noah switched into Groucho Marx mode for a delightfully silly malapropism: “I love your song ‘Anti-Hero’ – my auntie is also a hero.”
He even gave Adele – a woman who seemingly has everything she could want – a clutch assist. After explaining that he’d read that Adele always wanted to meet Dwayne Johnson, he quipped, “I don’t have a Dwayne Johnson, but I do have someone here named The Rock.” With that, Johnson came out for a quick on-camera meet with the British Grammy favorite, both chuckling awkwardly, as befitting a first-time meeting in front of a live TV audience.
As for the Crypto.com Arena’s um, memorable name, Noah offered this bon mot: “The only arena with escape plans for the Bahamas.”
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A contestant on The Bachelor has taken to social media to apologize for her past defense of a white teen in Blackface.
According to reports, Season 27 contestant Greer Blitzer issued a statement on Tuesday (Jan. 24th) through the Stories feature on her Instagram account after being called out for defending someone’s use of Blackface years earlier. “The journey to love is filled with lessons and these lessons are also made on our journey of growth. In my past, I have made some uneducated, ignorant, and frankly, wrong comments on my social media accounts,” she wrote. “I am deeply sorry to those I have hurt, especially those within the Black community, not because these screenshots have resurfaced, but because I ever shared these harmful opinions at all, she continued. “Time and age do not excuse my actions, but this is not a reflection of who I am today.”
The actions of the 24-year-old medical sales rep from Texas first came to light last September after someone posted tweets from her account on a Reddit forum defending a fellow teenager who opted to dress as Tupac Shakur for Halloween – complete with Blackface. “The students involved didn’t even know what blackface was so my point exactly. It wasn’t an intentional racist act,” she allegedly wrote back in 2016. In another tweet, she allegedly said: “Putting white powder on your face isn’t okay either. That didn’t make the news did it?”
The controversy flared up again on social media as Blitzer received a “First Impression” rose on the premiere episode of the latest season of the ABC reality show from Bachelor Zach Shallcross. There has been no comment from him after Blitzer’s apology statement. It’s not the first time that the show has been tainted by racism allegations. Previous winner Rachel Kirkconnell came under fire after photos of her at an antebellum-South-themed party were brought to light. The host at the time, Chris Harrison, publicly defended her which led to his dismissal from the show.
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The Roots are best known these days for backing up Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. But the Grammy-winning Hip-Hop band got there by touring nonstop and crafting hits like “What They Do” and “You Got Me.”
Now they’re taking their knowledge to PBS for the third episode of the PBS show Next at Kennedy Center. Their episode “The Roots Residency” airs Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. The Roots originated in their hometown of Philadelphia in the ‘90s. Like Stetsasonic before them, they combined Hip-Hop with a live band sound.
Frontman Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, largely considered one of Hip-Hop’s greatest pure MCs and drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who won an Oscar for his 2021 documentary Summer of Soul, recalibrated Hip-Hop to make it accessible to a wider audience. The group is the inaugural artist-in-residence at the Kennedy Center’s Hip Hop Culture program.
The Kennedy Center’s Hip Hop Culture program
The new series combines the work of the Kennedy Center’s contemporary culture program with the artists and music that reflect its sensibilities. The program combines a performance by the Roots at the center’s concert hall with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
“The Roots Residency” episode includes performances by Ezy Truth, a Washington, D.C.-based Hip-Hop artist who is a member of Black Thought’s School of Thought, and Durrand Bernarr, an R&B artist who participated in the Road to The Roots Picnic initiative. Singer/songwriter India Shawn also performs. Interviews include Questlove and the Rev. Al Sharpton discussing Quest’s latest book, Black Thought and photographer David Allen.
“The Roots have existed at the forefront of culture for over three decades. They are deeply committed to ensuring that generations of artists and communities see themselves powerfully reflected through their work and at venerable institutions like the Kennedy Center,” said Simone Eccleston, the Kennedy Center’s director of hip hop culture and contemporary music.”
“The Roots Residency is a testament to their capacity to not only change the lives of individuals but also to transform institutions,” she added.
“The impact of our partnership is that we are forever changed as an organization. Through their residency, The Roots have created powerful platforms for the celebration of multihyphenates, cultural leaders, and emerging artists. We hope that viewers experience their genius as performers, curators and cultural catalysts.”
You can watch “The Roots Residency” on PBS.org and the PBS Video app.
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The first husband of Carole Baskin, Tiger King star, is being debated online after a report reemerged suggesting federal authorities found him alive and was swiftly dismissed as inaccurate by local cops.
According to reports, the buzz began as social media users viewed an interview that Baskin did in 2021 for the British network ITV where she responded to claims made in the sequel to the hit Netflix documentary that she had something to do with the disappearance of Don Lewis. Lewis was Baskin’s first husband who had gone missing since August 18, 1997. Baskin stated that the Department of Homeland Security told her that he was “alive and well.”
“They said that my husband, Don Lewis, is alive and well in Costa Rica,” Baskin said during her appearance on ITV’s This Morning. “And yet all this hay has been made about me having something to do with his disappearance, when Homeland Security has known where he is, at least since back then.” Her website has a picture of the alleged letter she received from the agency. Baskin was not involved in the making of Tiger King 2.
“For everyone who still wants to believe that Carole killed Don, then please explain to us why you think armchair detectives … are better informed than the Special Agent in Charge at the FBI in this Homeland Security Document which says Don Lewis is currently alive and well in Costa Rica,” the statement issued on the site said.
“We have not received any communication from our federal partners that confirms the location of missing person Mr. Don Lewis,” said Fentress Fountain, a public information officer with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in a statement. They still deem the case a high priority, despite Lewis being declared legally dead in 2002.
Many who have watched the original Tiger King documentary have voiced their suspicions that Baskin had a hand in her husband’s disappearance, which Baskin consistently denies. Joseph “Joe Exotic” Maldonado, the prime subject of the documentary who is now serving time in prison is the loudest among them. His lawyer, John Phillips, took to Twitter to issue a statement. “During the filming of Tiger King, detailed efforts were made to find Don Lewis. They failed. He is not alive,” he said.
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Comedienne Leslie Jones took Republican congressman George Santos to task for new revelations about his lying involving a disabled homeless veteran and his dying dog.
On Wednesday night’s episode (Jan. 19) of The Daily Show, guest host Leslie Jones opened up with the customary monologue detailing current events. When it came to discussing the embattled GOP House of Representatives member from New York, however, Jones kicked things off with one question. “Do you know how much you have to lie to be known as ‘the lying congressman?’” she asked.
That set the stage for the SNL veteran to disclose the latest scandal that Santos is allegedly involved in – he apparently set up a GoFundMe page in 2016 to help a homeless disabled veteran get surgery for his dog who was diagnosed with a tumor. Santos then reportedly kept the money – $3,000 – and cut off communication with the vet. The dog died shortly after. According to further reporting, GoFundMe took down the page from its platform after receiving complaints about it. “GoFundMe has a zero-tolerance policy for misuse of our platform and cooperates with law enforcement investigations of those accused of wrongdoing,” the company said in a statement when contacted by CNN.
“He didn’t just steal from a service dog. He didn’t just steal from a dying service dog. He stole from a disabled homeless veteran’s dying service dog!” Jones said in disbelief as the crowd booed the news in disgust. “You evil and stupid!!” She continued: “You’re gonna mess with somebody’s dog? Have you not heard of John Wick? Your ass is in trouble.”
Jones brought that segment to a close in an emphatic way. “Black people don’t get believed when they tell the truth,” she began. “Barack Obama was like, ‘hey, I was born in America’. And people were like, ‘Bulls—t! Where’s your birth certificate?” And this guy was like, ‘I was a Jewish millionaire volleyball star” and y’all were like ‘Hell yeah, put him in Congress!!!”
Check out the entire monologue from The Daily Show below.
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A Grammy Salute to The Beach Boys, the latest in a series of “Grammy Salute” specials, will tape Wednesday, Feb. 8, three days after the 65th annual Grammy Awards are held in Los Angeles. The live concert special will feature a star-studded lineup paying tribute to the classic pop/rock group. It will tape at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and will air on CBS later this year.
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The show will tape six weeks after the airing of the previous “Grammy Salute” special; Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon, aired on Dec. 21.
Here’s something they probably won’t tell you on the “Grammy Salute” special: The Beach Boys never won a Grammy in competition, despite four nominations. Even their masterwork “Good Vibrations” went 0-3 at the Grammys. (During The Beach Boys’ 1960s heyday, Grammy voters were still trying to decide what they thought of contemporary pop/rock.)
Grammy voters have since decided they like it – and The Beach Boys in particular – very much. The group received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2001. Wilson was named MusiCares person of the year in 2005. Five Beach Boys recordings have been voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, which functions as a second chance for the Grammys to reward worthy records they may have missed the first time around.
Since The Beach Boys’ heyday, Brian Wilson has received six more Grammy nominations, winning twice – best rock instrumental performance for “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow” (2004) and best historical album for The Smile Sessions (Deluxe Box Set) (2012).
The Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 (with Elton John doing the honors). Wilson was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007.
The Beach Boys logged four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – “I Get Around” (two weeks in July 1964), “Help Me, Rhonda” (two weeks in May/June 1965), “Good Vibrations” (one week in December 1966) and “Kokomo” (one week in November 1988). Brian Wilson was not involved with the latter smash, which was featured in the Tom Cruise film Cocktail.
The group notched two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 – Beach Boys Concert (four weeks in December 1964) and Endless Summer (one week in October 1974).
The Beach Boys were formed in Hawthorne, Calif., in 1961. The group’s original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson; their cousin Mike Love; and friend Al Jardine. Three of the members are still living – Brian Wilson, 80; Love, 81 and Jardine, 80. Dennis Wilson died in 1983 at age 39. Carl Wilson died in 1998 at age 51.
The Recording Academy, Joel Gallen’s Tenth Planet Productions, and CBS are behind A Grammy Salute to The Beach Boys. AEG Ehrlich Ventures, headed by Ken Ehrlich, the former executive producer of the Grammy Awards telecast, oversaw past specials in this series.
The musical directors of several Grammy-branded specials have received Primetime Emmy nominations for outstanding music direction. Two have won in that category. Don Was won for The Beatles: The Night That Changed America (2014). Greg Phillinganes won for Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life – An All Star Grammy Salute (2015).
Rickey Minor was nominated for music direction of two Grammy-branded specials – Stayin’ Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of The Bee Gees (2017) and Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul (2019). Davey Johnstone was nominated for Elton John: I’m Still Standing – a Grammy Salute (2018), and Sheila E, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis were nominated for Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince (2020).
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Angela Bassett, Quinta Brunson, and Tyler James Williams stood out among the winners at the heralded awards night in front of a packed audience.
The Golden Globe Awards was once again held live in Beverly Hills, California before a full audience, and Black stars shined among the brightest for the 80th edition of the awards ceremony honoring the best in American film and television. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning comedian Jerrod Carmichael, the ceremony took place live at the Beverly Hilton. Last year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association opted to announce the winners online after scandals rocked the organization – which included the discovery that the group had zero Black members.
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The evening kicked off with veteran actress Angela Bassett winning Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The 64-year-old became the first actor from a Marvel Studios picture to win a major individual acting award. It was also her second Golden Globe trophy – she won her first in 1993 portraying Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It.
Quinta Brunson, the star and creator of ABC’s Abbott Elementary gave a heartfelt speech for her win as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Television series – with some whimsical name-checking included. “We get to make this show for everyone. During a very tough time in this country, I’m happy that Abbott Elementary is able to make so many people laugh,” she said. Abbott Elementary also took home the award for best comedy series.
Co-star Tyler James Williams took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, Comedy, or Drama. The 30-year-old shouted out Brunson after receiving his first Golden Globe award, continuing: “I pray that this is a win for Gregory Eddie and for his story and for stories like this that we may understand but his story just as important as all of the other stories that have to be told out here. Thank you so much for this.”
Zendaya won the award for Best Actress in a dramatic TV series for her role as Rue in HBO’s Euphoria, but she wasn’t present at the awards ceremony. Her absence was explained by Top Gun: Maverick actor Jay Ellis, who was presenting with his co-star Glen Powell. “Zendaya couldn’t be with us tonight,” he explained on stage. “So, we are going to accept this award on her behalf. She’s busy, she’s working, y’all. It’s a good thing.”
Lastly, Eddie Murphy was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his 40-year-plus career. His speech captivated the audience, right down to the playful jab he delivered towards Will Smith.