entertainment blog
Tory Lanez Allegedly Shot Megan Thee Stallion Because She ‘Insulted His Skills as a Musical Artist,’ Court Hears
Opening statements kicked off the highly anticipated trial over whether Tory Lanez shot Megan Thee Stallion in the foot two years ago. Los Angeles prosecutors hope to convict Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) of three felony charges over the July 12, 2020 incident, in which he allegedly shot Stallion in the foot during an argument after a pool party in the Hollywood Hills. In October 2020, he was charged with one count of assault with a firearm and another gun possession charge. On Dec. 6, 2022, just one week before the trial began, the L.A. district attorney’s office added a new, third count of discharging a firearm with gross negligence. If convicted on all three charges, Lanez faces 22 years in prison. Yet Lanez, 30, has maintained his innocence and looked poised to fight for it while ...
Sean Warner to Lead Universal Music Australia
BRISBANE, Australia — Universal Music Australia taps Sean Warner for the top job, which will vacated by the incumbent George Ash at year’s end. Announced Tuesday (Dec. 13), Warner is promoted to president, Universal Music Australia & New Zealand, with effect from Jan. 1, 2023. The incoming chief is a UMA stalwart with 15 years’ experience leading the company’s commercial business, both physical and digital. Warner joined UMA in 2007 as national sales manager and has served on its senior management team in recent years, most recently as senior vice president of commercial, with duties for the commercial growth, innovation and digital development for UMA & New Zealand. During his time with Universal, Warner has overseen the commercial strategy in Southeast Asia (SEA), launched...
Mariah Carey Leads Christmas Trifecta on Midweek U.K. Chart
The Christmas takeover is about to begin on the U.K. chart, with three holiday classics jostling for the crown. Based on sales and streaming data published by the Official Charts Company, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) holds the edge at the halfway point, ahead of Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA) and Ed Sheeran & Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic), respectively. Just 1,000 chart sales separate the three tracks at the midweek point, the OCC reports. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news All three tracks have led the Official U.K. Singles Chart, with Carey’s 1994 classic the current No. 1. They’ll face some stiff competition for the coveted Christmas No. 1 in the form of LadBaby. The husband and wife duo of Mark and...
Clockenflap Returns To Hong Kong in 2023 With Arctic Monkeys, Phoenix and More
Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s biggest international outdoor music and arts festival, is finally set to make its exciting return in 2023. Set to take place from March 3 to March 5, 2023, the first wave of next year’s lineup will be led by Arctic Monkeys, who will be playing in the city for the very first time on March 3, alongside the likes of Phoenix, FKJ, Ezra Collective, MONO, Kings of Convenience and Men I Trust. Also making an appearance across the three-day festival are Milet, Three Man Down, HYBS, Hitsujibungaku, Tyson Yoshi, Ginger Root and LÜCY. The headliners for the other two days and other acts will be unveiled soon. Clockenflap 2023 will mark the first festival in the city since November 2018 and will also see the return of multiple stages and various food and beverage choices. Earl...
SZA Hints at Taking an Extended Break From Music Following Release of ‘SOS’
Following the release of her second studio album SOS just last week, SZA is already hinting at taking an extended break from music. In a recent cover story from Consequence, the singer-songwriter suggests that fans might have to wait just as long for a follow-up to SOS like they i after CTRL released in 2017. In the interview, SZA says, “I’m gonna disappear, definitely, for as long as I can. We kinda knocked it out. I need to shoot as many videos as I can, so I can disappear for longer.” After SOS released, an old quote from 2020 of SZA saying that the follow-up album to CTRL will be her final album, has resurfaced and gone viral once again. While SZA has not provided a timeline has to how long she will “disappear,” she has given fans plenty to enjoy with SOS, a 68 minute long album featur...
Brittney Griner Cut Off Locs Due to Frigid Russian Temperatures
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Russian State Media / Russia State Media WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold-medalist Brittney Griner returned home to the United States last week after a high stakes trade with Russia. The world champion basketball player had been incarcerated in Russia for 10 months. Photos of Griner as she arrived showed her missing her long signature locs and according to her attorney, she cut her hair off to deal with the frigid Russian winters because her locs would freeze every time she washed her hair. Related Stories Griner’s attorney, Maria Blagovolina told ESPN that Griner made the decision in preparation for life in a prison camp. “It’s very cold in there and every time she washed her hair she got cold and would get a chill,” she said. “She should ...
Twitter Blasts Dave Chappelle For Bringing Out Elon Musk In San Francisco
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Dave Chappelle, already contending with criticism from his usual adoring audiences for some of his biting humor, finds himself in the crosshairs of fans once more. During a recent concert, the veteran comedian brought out Twitter chief Elon Musk, who was met with a minutes-long chorus of boos in the process, prompting Chappelle to hurl insults at the crowd. Dave Chappelle, 49, performed over the weekend at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. where he surprised concertgoers with the appearance from Musk. As of late, Musk has become persona non grata for certain segments of the world due to his handling of the purchase of Twitter, and some of the Tesla chief’s own controversial stances. Someone attending the concert managed to capture video footage of t...
8 Things We Learned From Pan-African Avenger Dr. Umar On ‘The Breakfast Club’
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Power 105 / The Breakfast Club It’s been a hot minute since Dr. Umar Johnson swung by your favorite early morning Hip-Hop show. Last week the Pan-African Avenger graced Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy with his presence and gave The Breakfast Club listeners all the knowledge they could handle. From explaining why the school he’s been working on hasn’t opened its doors yet, to the story behind that now famous picture of him chopping it up with a white girl, Dr. Umar Johnson gets into all the details about his personal life, his opinions on politics and the death of Johnny Cochrane (seriously). Here are the eight things we learned, although were plenty more, from Dr. Umar Johnson on The Breakfast Club. He’s Opening A School In Delaware Speaking about the sch...
Uncle Luke & Fat Joe Chat Regarding Trick Daddy & Pitbull
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Johnny Louis / Getty There is no doubt that Fat Joe tells captivating stories. Uncle Luke is now weighing in on his claim that he put on Trick Daddy and Pitbull. As spotted on Complex the Rap icon threw a flag on the play regarding an interview Joe conducted. Back in May the “Lean Back” appeared on Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion podcast. The Q&A ran for almost three hours and resulted in some several memorable responses and a few hot takes. Fast forward to December and a clip where Fat Joe claimed responsibility for getting Trick Daddy and Pitbull their first deals landed on Luke’s radar. “Pitbull, I took his demo and got him signed,” Joe explained. “Trick Daddy, I took his shit and got him signed”. Related Stories The 2 Live Crew founder to...
Taylor Swift Has “Shake It Off” Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Dismissed
A copyright infringement lawsuit against Taylor Swift has been dismissed with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs cannot refile the same complaint in the same court. The suit had been filed in a California federal court in 2017 by songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, who claimed that Swift who took lyrics from 3LW’s “Playas Gon’ Play” for her 1989 single “Shake It Off.” The copyright infringement case had been scheduled to go to trial in January 2023. Pitchfork has reached out to attorneys for Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, as well as attorneys and representatives for Taylor Swift, for comment and more information on the dismissal. In the original complaint, Hall and Butler alleged that lyrics from “Shake It Off” (“’Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play, and the haters gonna...
Caroline Polachek Announces Tour Dates, Shares New “Welcome to My Island” Video: Watch
Caroline Polachek has shared a music video for her recent single “Welcome to My Island.” She co-directed the visual with Matt Copson, and, in it, she goes on a surreal romp around a strange paradise. With the video, she’s announced a lengthy tour of Europe and North America that begins early next year. See the full itinerary with “Welcome to My Island” below. “Welcome to My Island” appears on Polachek’s forthcoming album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You—out Valentine’s Day. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You follows Polachek’s 2019 album Pang. Earlier this year, she released the singles “Billions” and “Sunset.” In 2021, she shared “Bunny Is a Rider.” Those three tracks, along with “Welcome to My Island,” will appear on Desire, I Want to Turn Into You. Check out Pitchfork’s “The 100 Best Songs ...
Angelo Badalamenti, Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet Composer, Dies at 85
At the 1991 Grammy Awards, Badalamenti was nominated for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television (for the Twin Peaks soundtrack); and Best Pop Instrumental Performance (for “Twin Peaks Theme”). He won the latter award. In addition to the twin pillars of Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks, Badalamenti composed music for Lynch’s Wild at Heart, Lost Highway, The Straight Story, Mulholland Drive, Rabbits, and Twin Peaks: The Return. He also scored mainstream films like A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and The Wicker Man, as well as the critically acclaimed 2012 film A Late Quartet. Beyond the realms of film and television, Badalamenti arranged the orchestration for Pet Shop Boys on 1987’s “It Couldn’t Happen Here” ...
