entertainment blog
5 Uplifting Moments in Latin Music This Week (June 4)
From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week. Bad Bunny’s new restaurant The Puerto Rican can now add restaurateur to his list of titles. Bad Bunny has partnered with David Grutman of Groot Hospitality to open a new Japanese steakhouse and sushi restaurant called Gekko in Miami. Set to make its grand opening next month, the restaurant will be located in the bustling Brickell neighborhood. “I think I’ve reached a point in my career where I can venture off into new projects,” Bunny told website Highsnobiety. “I have a passion for food, and I’m going to take my time. The thing I look forward to the most, after...
Shakira Confirms Split With Soccer Star Gerard Pique
Colombian pop star Shakira and her partner, Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué, are splitting up, the pair said in a statement released Saturday (June 4). “We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the two said in a statement released by Shakira’s public relations firm. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Shakira, 45, met the Barcelona defender while she was promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” The couple have two children, Sasha and Milan. In recent days, rumors of the demise of the couple’s 11-year relationship had gripped Spanish media, fueled by media reports t...
Willie Sotelo, Member of El Gran Combo, Dies at 61
Willie Sotelo, the pianist and musical director of iconic Puerto Rican salsa band El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico died on Friday (June 3) in Puerto Rico. The musician, who was 61 years old, died of “health complications.” The news of Sotelo’s passing was announced in a press release sent to media and posted on El Gran Combo’s Instagram account. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Maestro Willie Sotelo, musical director of El Gran Combo, has died due to health complications at 61 years old. His wife Jannette Navarro, his daughter Wilmalie Sotelo, his other relatives and maestro Rafael Ithier and his orchestra companions ask for space to deal with this difficult process and thank all your demonstrations of support and prayers,” read the statement. Acco...
Nick Cannon Defends His Parenting as a Father of 8, Says There Can Be ‘A Lot of Toxicity’ in Traditional Households
Nick Cannon is defending his approach to having a family, including his parenting presence and various relationships. The TV host, rapper and actor recently spoke to Men’s Health and opened up about the public criticism around him being a father to eight children with five women. That includes his first two kids, twins Moroccan and Monroe, with global superstar Mariah Carey. “I’ve seen where people believe a traditional household works, and [yet] there’s a lot of toxicity in that setting,” he told the magazine. “It’s not about what society deems is right. It’s like, what makes it right for you? What brings your happiness? What allows you to have joy and how you define family? We all define family in so many different ways.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest vide...
What So Not Reveals Tracklist of Sophomore Album, Drops Lead Single With Oliver Tree and Killer Mike
What So Not‘s sophomore album cycle is officially underway, and he isn’t hesitating to continue bucking convention. The Australian DJ and producer announced the long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s Not All The Beautiful Things LP is due to arrive this September. Titled Anomaly, the album, What So Not says, was a product of his travels immediately prior to the isolating onset of the pandemic. The writing process caused him to consider what we owe to our communities, our environment, and each other. The album’s lead single, “Mr Regular,” recruits two standout voices in Oliver Tree and Run The Jewels’ Killer Mike. Overlaying an elastic trap lead and plodding drums, the two share mirroring sentiments reflecting upon how their non-l...
The Ledger: Music Companies That Didn’t Go Public Missed a Crucial Window
The Ledger is a weekly newsletter about the economics of the music business sent to Billboard Pro subscribers. An abbreviated version of the newsletter is published online. If a music company was thinking about going public last year and didn’t, it may have already missed its opportunity – at least for the foreseeable future. Since Universal Music Group went public on Sept. 21, 2021, the S&P 500 is down 5.9% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq is down 18.5%. From that date to the end of 2021, the markets rose 9.4% and 6.3%, respectively, and it looked like UMG might have left money on the table. But in 2022, stock prices turned south due to a combination of factors – namely rising interest rates and high inflation – and recession fears have multiplied. With the U.S. and other major economies on ...
St. Vincent Channels Her Inner Disco Queen on ‘Funkytown’ Cover for ‘Minions’ Soundtrack: Listen
St. Vincent is ready to go to “Funkytown” — are you ready? The singer released her cover of the Lipps Inc. classic on Friday (June 3), which appeared on the forthcoming soundtrack for Dreamworks’ Minions: Rise of Gru soundtrack. The reimagined track, which was produced by Jack Antonoff — who additionally curated the soundtrack, and is featured on it alongside his band, Bleachers — sees the singer tapping into the song’s disco roots. Artfully placed autotune to her vocals and distorted strings sets the “Funkytown” cover apart from the original, while the video for the track shows a Minion-ified version of Vincent, complete in a maroon suit and her signature blonde bob and bangs. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news H.E.R., Bleachers,&nbs...
‘P-Valley’ Is Back: Here Are All the Ways to Watch Season 2 from Any Device
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. P-Valley is back! Season 2 of the hit strip club drama starring Shannon Thornton, Brandee Evans, Nicco Annan, Elarica Johnson, Parker Sawyers and J. Alphonse Nicholson, arrived on the Starz app at 12 a.m. ET Friday (June 3). What time does P-Valley air on the Starz network? The newest episode will broadcast on the cable channel at 9 p.m. ET on Friday. Darkness descends upon the fictional Mississippi town of Chucalissa in the second season and according to the Starz description, “errrbody and they mama must fight tooth and talon to survive.” Meanwhile, at The...
The BTS-Approved Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 Are on Sale Just in Time for Summer
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Although summer is still officially a few weeks away, many retailers are rolling back prices as the new season approaches. If you have been waiting to finally invest in Bose headphones or replace an old pair, Amazon and Best Buy are a couple of retail locations where you can find the BTS-approved Bose 700 Quiet Comfort Noise Cancelling Headphones on sale for $329. BTS member V was spotted wearing Bose 700 headphones at the Incheon Airport in South Korea this week. The headphones are marked down at Amazon along with other great deals that you do not want to m...
Dr. Umar Johnson Goes Viral After Video Suggested He Was Pan-Afrikan Paleface Pimping
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: @drumarjohnson / Instagram Dr. Umar Johnson is known for his strong views as a Pan-Africanist and educator. Johnson was seen on a smartphone video speaking to a white woman that has since gone viral, but Dr. Umar says it’s not as it seems. Dr. Umar Johnson Explains Himself Twitter user @Reese_856 shared a video of Johnson inside Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersey speaking with a white woman although the conversation was largely unheard. The tweet was captioned, “Dr umar was at the cherry hill mall boul wasn’t low,” suggesting he was trying to kick it to the woman. The image was meant to be jarring considering Johnson’s pro-Black teachings. Considering the chatter around the video, Johnson shut down the claims he was doing what was alleged. “Yes, I was a...
Rare Air: LeBron James Joins Michael Jordan As The NBA’s Only Billionaires
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Lebron James will now be called Billionaire Bron from now on. The financial bible Forbes reports that LeBron James is now a billionaire. The achievement makes James the first active NBA player to accomplish the milestone while still actively playing. He also joins his idol Michael Jordan as one of the NBA’s billionaires. Rare air indeed. LeBron James has the GOAT beat in this department because he accomplished it quicker. Michael Jordan didn’t achieve billionaire status until 2014, over a decade after he decided to hang up his Air Jordans. According to Forbes, the Los Angeles Lakers All-Star and future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer reached billionaire status after he “maximized his business” by generating more than $1.2 billion in ...
Restaurant Deliveryman Stalked & Killed After Dispute Over Duck Sauce
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Spencer Platt / Getty While mass shootings continue to plague America thanks to a certain political party’s reluctance to enact common sense gun laws, regular gun violence has also been problematic across the board, especially in New York City. According to The New York Times, the latest (and weirdest) arrest due to a gun-related homicide went down this week when police arrested 51-year-old Glenn Hirsch for the cold-blooded murder of a food deliveryman, Zhiwen Yan, back in April. The reason? Duck sauce. We’re not even joking. Last April, Hirsch followed Yan as he left the Great Wall restaurant he worked for to make his deliveries. Angry about not getting a refund he requested months earlier for not getting enough duck sauce with his order, Hirsch waited u...
