entertainment blog
The Legal Beat: Why Is Rap Music Still On Trial?
This is The Legal Beat, a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro, offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings, and all the fun stuff in between. This week: A deep dive into how prosecutors are still using rap lyrics to convict the artists who wrote them; a bold new argument centered on “teetotaling” in the Prince estate’s fight against ‘Purple Rain’ wine; a big copyright settlement for Lizzo after years of litigation over her smash hit ‘Truth Hurts,’ and more. THE BIG STORY: Why Are Rap Lyrics Still Cited In Court? “It made absolutely no sense,” Ezra Rosenberg told me, speaking about the 2008 murder conviction of a New Jersey man named Vonte Skinner. Rosenberg, an attorney who worked with the ACLU on Skinner’s case, was specifically talking about t...
Miami Declares State of Emergency In Wake Of Spring Break Gun Violence
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Miami Herald / Getty Looks like Spring Breakers done turned South Beach into the Wild Wild West as officials in Miami is putting a damper on Spring Break due to the recent surge in gun violence that’s taken a hold of their streets. NPR is reporting that the City of Miami Beach has declared a state of emergency shortly after implementing a city-wide curfew for Spring Break due to shootings that took place over the weekend that left five people wounded. “During a news conference Monday with the Miami Beach Police Department and other city officials, Mayor Dan Gelber said that tourists had created an “unacceptable” atmosphere across the city, and that the city was “way past its endpoint.” Calling the recent surge in violence “unacceptable,” Gelber added that...
Listen to Fort Knox Five and Lazy Syrup Orchestra’s Trippy G-Funk Track, “Start the Ride”
Jumpstart the weekend with Fort Knox Five and Lazy Syrup Orchestra’s first-ever collab. Despite many years of friendship, the two groups have yet to collaborate on an original tune—until now. Out now by way of Fort Knox Recordings, “Start the Ride” encapsulates the seasoned production prowess of Fort Knox Five while incorporating the free-spirited instrumental soundscapes that the Lazy Syrup Orchestra are known for. With nearly two decades of experience under their belt, each release from Fort Knox Five offers an eclectic mix of funk, soul, jazz, hip-hop and electronic music. Ultimately, the goal has always been to take listeners on a journey, and their new single is no exception. “Pack your bags, the psychedelic funk ship is about to set sail with ...
Enter the Maze of Punishment On SVDDEN DEATH’s Debut Album, “VOYD II”
SVDDEN DEATH‘s debut album is the perfect companion for Elden Ring binging. Broken into five unique acts, VOYD II is the quintessential SVDDEN DEATH project. Combining experimental, heavy sounds with his signature dark fantasy aesthetic, his debut LP takes listeners deeper into a world of medieval horror with every track. As listeners turn the first page of the metaphorical book of VOYD, they are met with an ominous rumbling. Some say the sounds are reminiscent of fire and brimstone while others hear the stomping footsteps of a gargantuan beast. All that’s known for sure is that listeners will be subjected to their own worst nightmare, filtering out those not willing to face their fears. A treat to longtime fans of SVDDEN DEATH, the opening act features three tracks w...
Young Thug’s Baby Mother LaKevia Jackson Shot & Killed At Bowling Alley In Atlanta
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Paras Griffin / Getty Prayers up for Young Thug and his family as TMZ is reporting that his child’s mother, LaKevia Jackson was shot and killed at a bowling alley in Atlanta over the weekend. According to the report Jackson was at a bowling alley at Metro Fun Center on Thursday night celebrating a friends birthday when a fight broke out over a bowling ball. Related Stories “A local reporter spoke to Jackson’s mom who said LaKevia was at the bowling alley to celebrate a friend’s birthday … and that the alleged shooter waited in the parking lot for about 20 minutes for her to leave.”https://twitter.com/toricoooper/status/1504833079919132677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1504833079919132677%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http...
Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings Begin For Ketanji Brown Jackson
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: SAUL LOEB / Getty In a momentous moment for the nation, the confirmation hearings for Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the 116th judge and first Black woman to be named to the U.S. Supreme Court have begun. The Senate Judiciary Committee opened the hearings for Jackson’s confirmation process on Monday morning (March 21st) to a thoroughly packed house on Capitol Hill. Jackson was nominated by President Joe Biden after Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced that he would be retiring last month. The decision by the 83-year old judge paved the way for Biden to make good on his 2020 presidential campaign promise of nominating a Black woman to the highest court in the nation, and it has set up a potentially taut battle along partisan lines between Democr...
Bad Gal Mommy Rihanna Shows Off Growing Baby Bump & Booty In Latest IG Stories Post
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Rihanna loves every moment of her pregnancy and decided to give us a visual update. Next to her highly-anticipated album, the world is eagerly awaiting to meet the product of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s love, and clearly neither can the Bajan popstar/mogul. The “Kiss It Better” crafter showed off her growing bump and derriere in her Instagram Stories while using the exceptional lighting available to her to plug her newest lip gloss. While wearing a crop-fit t-shirt and a pair of low-rise jeans, the 33-year-old mom-to-be jokingly captioned the video “Takin ‘booty do’ to new levels #preggoAF,” as she gave us a glimpse of growing asset and that amazing bump. Related Stories Rihanna then shifts the focus from the bump to her stunning face to ...
Daddy Yankee Announces Retirement With Farewell Tour and New Album Legendaddy
Daddy Yankee has announced that, after more than 30 years in the music industry, he’s retiring. Before that, however, he’s set to release a new album titled Legendaddy. It’s out on Thursday (March 24), with the tour running from August through December. See the full tour itinerary here and the reggaetón star’s video announcement below. Legendaddy is the first album from Daddy Yankee in a decade, following 2012’s Prestige. He’s more recently appeared as a guest on remixes of tracks by Eladio Carrión (“Tata”) and Sech (“Relación”). Content This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from. All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Daddy Yankee: La Úl...
Lizzo, Camila Cabello, and Gunna Announced as SNL Musical Guests
Saturday Night Live is returning in April with brand new episodes. The musical guests on upcoming the episodes are: Gunna (on April 2), Camila Cabello (on April 9), and Lizzo (on April 16). The hosts for the respective new episodes are Jerrod Carmichael, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Lizzo, who’s pulling double duty. Lizzo made her Saturday Night Live debut in December 2019: She performed “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell” during an episode hosted by Eddie Murphy. She also co-starred with Aidy Bryant in a sketch called “Aidy Bizzo & Lizzo,” but it got cut for time and instead premiered online. Last year, Lizzo returned with the new single “Rumors.” Camila Cabello also made her Saturday Night Live debut in 2019, performing “Cry for Me” and “Easy” during an October episode hosted by David Harbour. ...
Danny Elfman and Trent Reznor Share New Version of “Native Intelligence”: Listen
Danny Elfman has shared another new collaboration with Trent Reznor. This one’s a new version of “Native Intelligence,” a song from Elfman’s album Big Mess. It follows their previous rendition of “True.” (“He’s always been a big inspiration to me,” Elfman said of Reznor at the time.) When Listen to it below. Both songs appear on a new collector’s edition box set of Big Mess, which features an art book that includes the digital sculptures Sarah Sitkin. Elfman is set to perform at this year’s Coachella. Nine Inch Nails are touring this year. Content This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Devo Donating One Month’s Song Licensing Revenue to Ukraine Relief
Devo will donate all song licensing revenue from the month of April to support the Ukrainian people, Billboard reports. The money is going to Music Saves UA and World Central Kitchen, and the band is asking others in the industry to follow suit. “Vladimir Putin’s rape of a sovereign nation, Ukraine, whose citizens are committed to democratic rule of law should not and cannot stand in the 21st Century,” Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale of Devo said in a statement. “To help the victims of Putin’s unprovoked war, Devo will be donating these revenues from the licenses of our song catalog throughout the month of April. We invite our rights holder partners in masters and publishing matters to join us in doing the same. Further we encourage all successful recording artists to do something simi...
Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher Unveil 2022 Griselda Tour Dates
Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher are set to hit the road this spring for the 2022 Griselda tour. The Buffalo, New York-based hip-hop collective is set to kickoff their first nationwide tour in two years following their Coachella performance, with its opening date in Chicago on May 10. Fans can also catch the Griselda titans in areas like Boston, Atlanta, New York, Denver and San Francisco before closing out the tour in Los Angeles in early June. Take a look at the full list of dates below. Tickets go on sale March 25 on the Griselda website. Griselda Tour Dates Tue 5/10/2022 – Chicago, IL – RadiusSat 5/14/2022 – Rochester, NY – ArmorySun 5/15/2022 – Boston, MA – RoadrunnerWed 5/18/2022 – New York, NY – T5Thu 5/19/2022 – Washington DC – Echo StageSat 5/21/2022 –...
