Historic nightclub and staple of the disco era Studio 54 is launching a label titled Studio 54 Music. The new venture will strive to bring the spirited sounds of disco to today’s modern dance music audiences. The imprint is launching with its first compilation release titled Night Magic Vol. 1, an EP that reworks four disco classics. Don Ray‘s “Got To Have Loving,” T-Connection‘s “At Midnight,” Brainstorm‘s “Lovin’ Is Really My Game,” and Voyage‘s “Souvenirs” are all being brought into the modern era with new reworked versions. The decadent nightclub Studio 54 opened in 1977 and had a reputation for being one of the hottest and craziest party spots in the world. Under the club’...
On Sunday, Roger Waters shared a new quarantine performance, this time opting for a Pink Floyd classic. The bassist played The Wall’s “Mother” from his studio and was joined by his touring band via video. “Social distancing is a necessary evil in Covid world,” he captioned the clip on Twitter. “Watching ‘Mother’ reminds me just how irreplaceable the joy of being in a band is.” Social distancing is a necessary evil in Covid world. Watching “Mother” reminds me just how irreplaceable the joy of being in a band is. pic.twitter.com/F4fxQCfbd6 — Roger Waters (@rogerwaters) May 17, 2020 This isn’t the first song Waters has shared since the world went on lockdown. Last month, he shared a rendition of Victor Jara’s protest anthem “The Right to Live in Peace.” He also covered John P...
Source: Jeremy Moeller / Getty Back in February, Pop was Smoke was shot and killed in a home he was staying in located in the Hollywood Hills. Unfortunately, the investigation into the up and coming Brooklyn rapper’s murder has stalled due to the coronavirus. The killing seems like it was obviously either an inside job or a targeted hit (the killers, four men, knew exactly where to go and dipped out without being caught), but the cops reportedly have no leads. Reports TMZ: Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … response to COVID-19 and related issues has been LAPD’s top priority the past 2 months, meaning less time and resources available to focus on the rapper’s killer. When detectives are able to investigate, we’re told they still try to go out and safely speak face-to-face with people in an...
With everyone sequestered and self-quarantining due to the coronavirus, we’ve asked our favorite artists to come up with playlists that keep you entertained. This edition comes from former AWOLNATION bassist and now solo artist Dave Amezcua aka ZIMINY: Growing up my dad was an anchorman on the morning news in Los Angeles. So I was hardwired to watch the news from a young age. This is the first time in my life I have flipped off the TV and directed all my focus on my family and music. I needed a solid playlist to pull me through the last two months of uncertainty and heartache with this pandemic. This one has definitely done the trick. ELO – “Mr. Blue Sky”What better way to start a playlist off than with Mr. Blue Sky. Jeff Lynn is a genius, and this song is living proof. Under the Influence...
Ashanti had a hit in her hands, alongside Fat Joe and Ja Rule, with “What’s Luv?” in 2001. But there’s one thing she never knew about the song. To Ashanti’s surprise, she wasn’t the vocalist originally in mind for the final version of the track. Fat Joe dropped the news in the middle of an Instagram Live chat with Ashanti on Friday (May 15). On Saturday, her name was trending on Twitter with countless messages of disbelief and support from fans. “Irv and Ja had called me, and they woke me up [at] like 3 in the morning, and they say, ‘Yo, come down, we made a song for you,” he recalled. “I go to the studio, it was like 4 in the morning. They played ‘What’s Luv?’ and you on it. And they was telling me, ‘...
The Atlanta rap legend also played part of a Chance The Rapper team-up and hinted at a full project with Timbaland. During a momentary pause in the Verzuz battle between Ludacris and Nelly on Saturday night (May 16) due to the latter’s Internet issues, Luda debuted part of “Silence of the Lambs,” a new track featuring Lil Wayne that was produced by Timbaland and included references to Bill Cosby, R. Kelly and Roseanne Barr. “I love R. Kelly, but around my daughters I’m not comfortable,” Luda raps in the opening verse, after dropping a lyrical reference to “Bill Huxtable” and before declaring that racists are still drinking “from Roseanne’s bar.” Weezy comes in to warble through the second verse, and on the hook Ludacris makes his intent clear: “Rap brought me back to restore a little bit o...
Season 18 of American Idol has been a real rollercoaster. From the elation of making it to Hollywood and then getting ground to a fine dust by the grueling tinsel town cuts, to the joy of hitting the beaches and stage in Hawaii. And then, the shutdown. The contestants on this year’s Idol have had to contend with a working environment like no other, forced to become overnight lighting and sound technicians as they’ve converted their bedrooms, living rooms and backyards into remote TV studios. But tonight (May 17) they have reached the final stage. It’s not the big, Hollywood soundstage they dreamed of when they auditioned last year, but for the top seven — Arthur Gunn, Dillon James, Francisco Martin, Jonny West, Julia Gargano, Just Sam and Louis Knight...
Late at night when all the world is sleeping, Justin Bieber is writing love letters for wife Hailey (and his fans) to wake up to. A romantic note, which he published in the middle of the night on Friday (May 15) for Hailey to find while scrolling her Instagram feed the next morning, went like this: “Dear Hailey, as I lay here, you asleep next to me, I think to myself how did I get so blessed. You’re humility, joy and desire to grow blows me away! I am honored to be your husband. I promise to love you all the days of our lives. Good night Hailey I hope you read this in the morning and smile! You are my FOREVER.” Bieber’s post amassed more than six million likes, but one person was especially dazzled: his mom, Pattie Mallette. “This makes my mama heart so happy!”...
With the high school graduating class of 2020 facing stay-at-home orders that make in-person graduations a near impossibility, LeBron James decided to give seniors the send-off they deserve with help from some very famous friends. On Saturday (May 16), James hosted “Graduate Together,” a first-of-its-kind live streamed commencement ceremony, where stars from around the world stopped in to offer their congratulations to the class of 2020. From some stunning musical performances to a rousing commencement speech from Barack Obama, here are five key highlights from “Graduate Together.” [embedded content] Dua Lipa offers a pep rally fantasy with “Break Your Heart” performance For the show’s big opener, pop superstar Dua Lipa made an appearance to perfor...
The last voice heard on ‘Graduate Together’? That was Karol G, who put the parting notes to “X,” her collaboration with the Jonas Brothers. The immediately catchy song dropped just last night (May 15). During ‘Graduate Together,’ it was the grand finale of the ceremony, with the brothers singing the catchy tune before Karol G made her appearance, clad in a retro outfit and singing in Spanish. “Taping our performance was amazing to me,” she told Billboard minutes after the show was over. “I enjoyed it as if it were my own graduation. To have the opportunity to reach so many people, give them a good time despite all we’re going through, to celebrate with them this special date … It meant a lot to me.” Karol added: “You don’t know how amazing it was f...
Nelly and Ludacris were two of the defining hip-hop artists of the early 2000s, expanding the genre’s sound while representing St. Louis and Atlanta, respectively. Their personalities were undeniable; they each collected more hits than most mainstream pop heroes of the time. On Saturday night (May 16), the two chart-topping greats went head-to-head on Instagram Live, in arguably the most high-profile battle in the Timbaland- and Swizz Beatz-curated Verzuz series to date. “It’s gon’ be a historic night!” Ludacris, rocking a giant chain and an Dominique Wilkins Atlanta Hawks throwback jersey, declared prior to the showdown while combing his afro with a pick. “I feel the energy from around the world!” After Nelly initially signed on, Luda also mentioned that this year marks the 20th anniversa...
Looks like America will need to come up with another way of finding a COVID-19 vaccine: a federal judge has denied Martin Shkreli’s request for an early release from prison. Last month, Shkreli petitioned the court for an early release, saying that he had “been conducting significant research into developing molecules to inhibit the coronavirus.” “Mr. Shkreli has spent countless hours while incarcerated researching disease treatments and possible cures for COVID-19,” his lawyers wrote in a formal request. “His current project has been well received. One company is prepared to begin working on clinical trials of Mr. Shkreli’s work within weeks.” The judge wasn’t buying it, however. TMZ reports that the judge dismissed the pharmadouche’s claims as yet another example of the “delusional self-...