Entertainment News
When Ahmaud Arbery’s Lawyers Couldn’t Get to Court, JAY-Z Sent a Private Jet
Blerim Elmazi and S. Lee Merritt, via Instagram, and Jay-Z, photo by Amy Price On June 4th, two lawyers representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery — the 25-year-old black man who, last February, was murdered while jogging through his Georgia neighborhood– found themselves without transportation to a court hearing in Brunswick, GA. After unsuccessfully trying to purchase plane tickets or rent a car, Blerim Elmazi and S. Lee Merritt were rescued by rapper JAY-Z, who chartered a private jet to fly them to the courthouse on time. “[Merritt] and I spent hours trying to find flights or cars,” Elmazi wrote in an Instagram statement. “At 1 am we started losing hope till we got a call from Jay Z’s people at Roc Nation who chartered a flight for us to attend this hearing with the family of Ahmaud Arbe...
BTS Donate $1 Million to Black Lives Matter
BTS aren’t just talking the talk; they’re walking the walk. Days after issuing a public statement in support of Black Lives Matter, the influential K-pop group has now pledged $1 million to the organization. In a statement to Variety, Black Lives Matter confirmed the donation: “Black people all over the world are in pain at this moment from the trauma of centuries of oppression. We are moved by the generosity of BTS and allies all over the world who stand in solidarity in the fight for Black lives.” In a tweet written in Korean and English earlier this week, BTS expressed their solidarity for the movement. “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together. #BlackLivesMatter.” Along with BTS’...
Omar Rodríguez-López Announces Triple Vinyl Box Set The Clouds Hill Tapes
A Mars Volta reunion may be in the near future, but in the meantime, guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López is keeping himself preoccupied with a massive new release. This summer, he will put out a triple vinyl box set called The Clouds Hill Tapes. The 3xLP collection consists of 20 past solo songs from Rodríguez-López, all newly rearranged and produced by Johann Scheerer at the famed Clouds Hill Recording Studio in Hamburg, Germany. These new versions were performed by Rodríguez-López with assistance from a variety of guest musicians. Clouds Hill studio is considered to be Rodríguez-López’s “creative second home” and in the past has also hosted acts like The Killers, Nicolas Jaar, and Pete Doherty. The specific Clouds Hill Tapes sessions took place in late 2018 and early 2019, while the At T...
R.I.P. Rupert Hine, Producer for Rush, The Fixx, and More, Dies at 72
Rupert Hine, who produced two RUSH albums, as well as releases from The Fixx, Howard Jones, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, and more, has died at the age of 72. No cause of death has been revealed. The veteran UK producer’s passing was reported by the Ivors Academy, a songwriting association of which Hine was a board director. “His passion, wisdom, inspiration and his immense kindness will be hugely missed,” stated the organization. Hine produced RUSH’s gold-certified 1989 album Presto, which included the chart-topper “Show Don’t Tell”, and platinum-certified 1991 LP Roll the Bones, featuring the hit “Ghost of a Chance”. It was in the ’80s new wave scene that Hine really made his mark, producing multiple albums by The Fixx, including the platinum-certified Reach the Beach (highlighted by the si...
Republic Records Will No Longer Use the Word “Urban” to Describe Music
In a move that could be described as woefully overdue, Republic Records will stop using the term “urban” as a synonym for hip-hop, R&B, and other music pioneered by black artists. Republic is the home of such artists as The Weeknd, James Blake, Taylor Swift, and Ariana Grande. In a social media statement, the label indicated that, “Effective immediately, Republic Records will remove “Urban” from our verbiage in describing departments, employee titles and music genres.” The post continued, “We encourage the rest of the music industry to follow suit as it is important to shape the future of what we want it to look like, and not adhere to the outdated structures of the past.” Via Billboard, the term “urban” comes from legendary black DJ Frankie Crocker, who developed the urban ...
Barack and Michelle Obama Host Virtual Graduation Ceremony with Beyoncé, BTS, Lady Gaga: Watch
On Sunday, June 7th, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama will host YouTube’s virtual graduation ceremony “Dear Class of 2020”. Streaming live and for free on YouTube, the festival-style event combines classic commencement day themes with a diverse array of entertainment. Joining the Obamas for “Dear Class of 2020” are Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, BTS, Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake, the cast of Schitt’s Creek, and more. You can find all the details — including when and where to watch, who is performing, and much more — below. “Graduation is a tradition that students and families look forward to and with the current state of the world, YouTube is lending some inspiration in the form of a virtual commencement,” said Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content for YouT...
black midi Read Classic Short Stories on New Album Tales of Suspense and Revenge: Stream
Today marks June’s Bandcamp Day, when the service gives over 100% of sales to artists and labels to support those hurting during the pandemic. A number of musicians have dropped special releases to mark the occasion, and that includes black midi. The experimental noise rock outfit has shared The Black Midi Anthology Vol. 1: Tales of Suspense and Revenge, and you can stream it below. Tales of Suspense and Revenge finds the London four-piece reading classic short stories over original instrumental “jams.” Guitarist/vocalist Geordie Greep reads “A Woman’s Confession” by Guy de Maupassant and Edgar Allan Poe’s “Hop Frog”, drummer Morgan Simpson reads Ernest Hemingway’s “Out of Season”, and bassist Cameron Picton reads an excerpt from Robert Tressell’s The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist&n...
Meek Mill Breaks Down the “Otherside of America” on New Single: Stream
Meek Mill has shared a new single called “Otherside of America” about his childhood growing up black in the US. The political track opens with a sample of a negative Donald Trump speech over romantic orchestral strings, setting the rapper up for an emotional journey. Don’t mistake “Otherside of America” for your usual protest song. While there’s a high intensity to the track, courtesy of producers Butter Beats and Shroom, the Grammy-nominated rapper spends his time talking about the effects of poverty, violence, and racism on black kids-turned-teenagers with nuance and vivid imagery. “Reporting live from the other side/ Same corner where my brothers died,” he raps. “Living like we ain’t got care/ Told my mama I ain’t dying here.” Stream it below. Earlier this week, Mill — who was released ...
International Day of Slayer Celebrated with On-Demand Release of Repentless Killogy Movie
International Day of Slayer is celebrated annually on June 6th, and this year it features the on-demand release of the band’s 2019 movie The Repentless Killogy. This year marks the 18th annual International Day of Slayer. The special day (6/6 — closest date to 666) has seen fans skip work or school to listen to the legendary thrash band’s music all day. And beginning Saturday, fans who didn’t catch The Repentless Killogy in theaters or purchase the Blu-ray can now stream it via video on demand. The VOD stream is available via the band’s website for the appropriate price of $6.66 for 48 hours of access. The Repentless Killogy is essentially two movies in one, combining a narrative story that weaves together the ultra-violent music videos from the band’s Repentless album with a full concert ...
Billie Eilish Talks Body Image, How She’s “Never Felt Desired” in New Interview
As a global, mainstream pop star, Billie Eilish is constantly in the public eye, with everything from her fashion to her politics heavily scrutinized. However, she’s consistently made it a point to reject any forms of objectification, especially when it comes to her body. She recently released a short film on the topic, Not My Responsibility, as well as issued a powerful statement on body-shaming during the kick-off date of her “Where Do We Go? Tour”. Now, in a new interview with GQ, Eilish goes into more personal detail regarding her self-image and why she presents her body to the world in the way that she does. She also talked about her status as mainstream media “clickbait”. In the feature, the 18-year-old megastar admitted that she’s “never felt desired” before. “My past boyfriend...
Brian Wilson Performs “God Only Knows” and “Love and Mercy” on Colbert: Watch
Brian Wilson popped up on Thursday night’s episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The Beach Boys singer-songwriter performed two of his most timeless ballads — “God Only Knows” and “Love and Mercy” — remotely from his grand piano. “Hi, this is Brian Wilson everyone,” the old bard announced over his keys. “I just want you guys to know that we’re all in this together.” From there, he dove right into the crescent waves of his veteran falsetto — as angelic as ever. Watch the replay below. Don’t forget: On June 19th, Wilson and legendary songwriter and arranger Van Dyke Parks are reissuing their first collaborative album, 1995’s Orange Crate Art. So, if you’re looking for some rays, well, there you go. In related news, his embarrassment of a cousin Mike Love recently...
Sonic Boom Breaks Down His First Album in 30 Years, All Things Being Equal, Track by Track: Stream
In Track by Track, artists are given the chance to take their fans through their latest album one song at a time. Today, Sonic Booms details All Things Being Equal. Spacemen 3 co-founder Peter Kember is back with his first solo album under his Sonic Boom moniker in 30 years, All Things Being Equal. Out via Carpark Records, the 10-track LP in streaming in full below via Apple Music and Spotify. His first Sonic Boom full-length since 1990’s Spectrum, Kember laid the groundwork for All Things Being Equal back in 2015, recording a number of electronic instrumentals with no firm plans. Though Stereolab’s Tim Gane told him he should release the tracks as is, Kember felt “the vibe in them was so strong that I couldn’t resist trying to ice the cake.” When he moved to Sintra, Portugal in 2018,...
