entertainment blog
The Specials Singer Terry Hall’s Cause of Death, Final Days Revealed By Bandmate: ‘The World Has Lost a Unique Voice’
Just says after the death of The Specials singer Terry Hall at age 63 after what the band described as a “brief illness,” the group’s bassist revealed the beloved singer’s cancer diagnosis, as well as the previously undisclosed album the group was preparing to record. “We had it all planned out. Make the album we were going to do in 2020 – a reggae album,” wrote Horace Panter, an original member of the second wave British two tone ska revivalist group of the sessions that were already booked in Los Angeles during the first winter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Panter said Aggrolites keyboardist Roger Rivas was set to co-produce the set and famed street artists Shepard Fairey was on board to create the cover. With 8 songs prepped for the sessions by Hall, “confidence was high,” Panter wrote, not...
Stray Kids‘ New Album ’SKZ-REPLAY’ Is Here: Stream It Now
Who says new music needs to arrive on a Friday? Stray Kids defied the traditional release formula and dropped its third compilation album, SKZ-REPLAY, on Wednesday (Dec. 21) much to the delight of fans. The new project contains a whopping 25 songs across two discs. Side A features 10 tracks consisting of eight solo songs from members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin and I.N., as well as the Korean version of “Fam” (which received an official music video following the album’s release) and “#LoveStay.” Side B includes original songs from the group’s two video series, SKZ-Player and SKZ-Record. SKZ-REPLAY is the third installment in the group’s compilation album series. Last year, the K-pop stars dropped SKZ2021 on Dec. 23 via JYP Entertainment. The album...
Shania Twain Opens Up About ‘How Good It Felt’ Posing Topless: ‘I‘m Comfortable in My Own Skin’
The best thing about bein’ a woman is the prerogative to have confidence in your body, no matter what stage of life you’re in. That’s exactly how Shania Twain feels, anyway. In a recent interview with People, the 57-year-old country–pop star opened up about why she chose to pose topless for the cover artwork of her September single “Waking Up Dreaming,” set to appear on her February album Queen of Me. “This is me expressing my truth,” she shared. “I’m comfortable in my own skin, and this is the way I am sharing that confidence.” “I think the best fashion is confidence, and whatever you wear — if you’re wearing it with that, it’s fashionable,” she continued. “I am a woman in my late 50s, and I don’t need to hide behind the clothes. I can’t even tell you how good it felt to do nude sho...
2 People Die After Crowd Crush at O2 Academy Brixton
A crowd crush at the doors of London’s O2 Academy Brixton on December 15 led eight people to be hospitalized, four of whom were left in critical condition, The Guardian and The New York Times report. Two people subsequently died: Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, and security guard Gabrielle Hutchinson, 23, The Associated Press reports. Larger than expected crowds had descended upon the 5,000-capacity venue, some without tickets, according to reports. Videos on social media and BBC News show a teeming crowd gathered outside with no flow in or out of the venue, as hundreds tried to gain entry to the final concert of Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake’s three-night residency. At 9:35 p.m., police arrived in response to reports of forced entry to the venue, and found several people with apparent crushing injur...
Watch MIKE’s New “No Curse Lifted (Rivers of Love)” Video
MIKE’s latest album, Beware of the Monkey, is out today (December 21), and the New York–based rapper and producer has shared a new video to coincide with its release. Directed by frequent collaborator Ryosuke Tanzawa, the “No Curse Lifted (Rivers of Love)” visual follows MIKE as he enters a bright-lit photo studio by car and raps over the beat, as a stylist hands him clothes to try on and another person uses a money-counting machine. Watch it happen below. Beware of the Monkey was announced in October with the single “Nuthin I Can Do Is Wrng.” Since then, MIKE has released non-album songs with Wiki and the Alchemist, and shared videos for the Beware of the Monkey songs “What Do I Do?” and “Stop Worry!” He’s heading out on tour this spring, with dates in the United States and Canada through...
Meek Mill Leaves Twitter For Good Because Of “Too Many Bots And Weird People”
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Mary DeCicco / Getty Meek Mill announced that he plans to deactivate his Twitter account, and cited a need to find a new platform with “more good vibes.” The “Dreams & Nightmares” rapper fired off his farewell on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 18), causing a number of fans to raise eyebrows at the move. In that last tweet, Meek explained his motivation to leave the platform. “Ima deactivate Twitter forever and go to a new social where it’s more good vibes based off building, creating and motivation,” he wrote. “Whoever run my shit turn this off forever … ima takeover my YouTube account to replace me interacting with supports! Too many bots and weird people.” Related Stories Shortly after the tweet was sent, the Philly native officially deactivated his account...
James Gunn Responds To Backlash Over Suspect DCEU Decisions
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Daniel Knighton / Getty James Gunn has only been running Warner Bros. DCEU for a few seconds but has already managed to infuriate and even alienate some of their hardcore fanbase with the decisions he’s been making as of late. From canceling Wonder Woman 3 to pulling the plug on Henry Cavill’s highly anticipated return as Superman, James Gunn has quickly become a villain in the world of DC comic book fans. Naturally, he’s heard all the outrage that’s been pouring out on social media and decided to address all the hate he’s been getting for his decisions (mostly for benching Henry Cavill). Related Stories Taking to Twitter, James Gunn wrote a short thread to explain the reasoning behind his seemingly rash decision making and acknowledged the he actually ex...
Several Indigenous Groups Call For Boycott of James Cameron’s “Blue Trash,” ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: 20th Century Studios / Avatar: The Way of Water James Cameron’s latest visual spectacle, Avatar: The Way of Water, is not sitting well with everyone. Several groups of Native Americans are calling for a boycott of Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to Cameron’s 2009 box office blockbuster Avatar. The protest is a direct result of some resurfaced comments from Cameron. The legendary movie director is a well-known environmentalist and, in 2010, spoke about campaigning against the building of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in the Amazon. He also mentioned how after learning from indigenous tribes, he was inspired to write Avatar. “I felt like I was 130 years back in time watching what the Lakota Sioux might have been saying at a point when they were bein...
New BTS Film ‘Yet to Come in Cinemas’ To Release in 2023
A brand new BTS film is set to hit theaters on February 1, 2023. Focusing on the group’s October 15 show in Busan, South Korea, BTS Yet to Come in Cinemas promises concert footage that will play out as a “special cinematic cut, re-edited and remixed for the big screen” as well as offer fans a “whole new view” of the performance. HYBE, Trafalgar Releasing and CJ 4DPlex have teamed up to release the movie during a limited time across 110 countries and territories, and announced “light stick screenings” on February 4 that invites ARMYs to bring and raise their light sticks in theaters. In addition, the film will be screened in several special versions, one of which features an “immersive 270-degree field of view ScreenX, 4DX” that recreates the live atmosphere of the concert and a 4DX screen....
Carl Ratto Unveils Uplifting Progressive House Track, “Talking to You”
Incorporating anthemic sound design and explosive festival energy, Carl Ratto has returned with his latest track, “Talking To You.” Alongside Bolivian producer Zack Torrez and singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist PRYVT RYN, Ratto lands on Ensis Records with the new track, which blends uplifting acoustic guitar riffs with soaring drops. As the song builds with the help of RYN’s bubbly vocals, the production tensely builds before a cathartic drop explodes with warm bass and nostalgic progressive house leads. “Talking To You” is exemplary of Ratto’s creative prowess as an artist who can organically create music for the radio as well as the festival stage. The emerging producer first entered the world of music and DJing at the age of 12, and ultimately...
HAMX Delivers a Universal Message With Uplifting EP, “You Are Love”
DJ and music director HAMX transcends borders with his latest EP, You Are Love. An amalgamation of dance-pop and house music, the EP finds the musical globetrotter instilling the theme of unity throughout its six tracks. On a mission to shed light on the importance of compassion and togetherness, HAMX’s vocals beautifully weave through each infectious soundscape. Best of all, he ensures that each song plays off the last for an escalation of unifying energy. You Are Love kicks off with “Who Are You,” setting the tone and offering a reminder of the power of one’s own thoughts. Clocking in at just over a minute, the intro shares positive self-affirmations: “Who are you? I am peace, I am music, I am unity, I am love, I am community, I am freedom.” ...
Drake Endorses “Insane” Upcoming Album From GORDO
Despite dropping two albums in a single year, Drake still managed to find time to tap into what’s new and upcoming. Praise from the chart-topping rapper is a rarity, but he offered up complements to GORDO for his upcoming album, emphatically calling it “insane” in a recent interview. GORDO landed six of the final production cuts on Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind album, which dropped earlier this year. The album released with little warning and made a splash largely due to Drizzy’s unexpected foray into the house music arena. After retiring his career as Carnage earlier this year, Diamanté Blackmon’s career as GORDO got off to a lightning-quick start after it was announced he’d be taking part in Honestly, Nevermind, Drake...
