NEWS
DJ and Live Nation Executive Identified as Victim in Miami Condominium Collapse
Tragedy struck in Miami on June 24th when the Surfside condominium building collapsed, leading to a death toll of 97 people. Among the victims were DJ-turned-Live Nation executive Theresa Velásquez, along with her parents Julio and Angela. Performing under the name DJ Theresa, Velásquez was a DJ and label owner of Audio4Play, and also worked for major brands such as SFX Entertainment and Sony Music before moving onto Live Nation at the age of 36. Velásquez became a Senior Vice President at Live Nation’s Los Angeles office, where she advocated for inclusivity for the industry’s LBGTQ+ artists and women. She earned a spot on Billboard‘s Pride List of industry-shaping LGBTQ+ executives last year. Theresa Velásquez died as a result of the Surfside cond...
Lil Uzi Vert Bought a Planet—Yes, a Planet—Bigger Than Jupiter, According to Grimes
It’s no secret that music artists are known for making outrageous purchases. Just ask Drake, who forked up $395,000 for a mattress made with gold brass and horsehair. It’s tough to keep up with all the hubris and clout-chasing of the music industry’s biggest stars, but the latest acquisition by Lil Uzi Vert is astronomically absurd. You’ll get that pun in a moment. According to Grimes, the Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist has bought a planet—yes, a planet—bigger than Jupiter. She took to Twitter to claim that Uzi will become the first human to legally own a planet after purchasing WASP-127b, a gas giant exoplanet discovered in 2016. Uzi quickly chimed in to clarify the bizarro claim, which is apparently actually coming to fruition. In hi...
Bassnectar Responds to Explosive Sex Trafficking Lawsuit, Denies Allegations
Following graphic allegations of sex trafficking and possessing child pornography, among other charges, DJ and electronic music producer Bassnectar has responded to an explosive lawsuit filed on behalf of multiple women. VICE reports Bassnectar, whose real name is Lorin Ashton, has denied all of the accusations and is demanding a jury trial, according to an official response filed in a U.S. district court in Tennessee. “This case is nothing more than an attempt by opportunistic women who have chosen to sue Ashton, his record label, managers, and even one of the charities he has contributed to, all in an attempt to frame years of friendship as trafficking so that they can exploit a statute for monetary gain,” the response reads. “Our clients want to see just...
Rolling Stones to Resume ‘No Filter’ Tour With Added Shows
After a string of postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rolling Stones are officially resuming their blockbuster No Filter tour on September 26, 2021, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. The band also added three new dates — in Los Angeles on October 17, 2021, and Las Vegas on November 6, 2021. They will play the 2021 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on October 13, 2021, for the first time. Tickets for new shows go on sale Friday, July 30 at 10 am local time. A number of exclusive VIP Packages are also available. [embedded content] Most of the postponed dates have been rescheduled including stops in Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Minneapolis, Tampa, Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit, and Austin. A handful of dates (Vancouver, Louisville, Cleveland, and Buffalo) were una...
De-Aged Paul McCartney Will Haunt Your Dreams in Video for Beck’s Cover of “Find My Way”: Watch
A de-aged Paul McCartney is here to dance through your nightmares in the new video for Beck’s version of “Find My Way.” The track appeared on McCartney III Imagined, a collection of heavy-hitting covers of tracks from the master’s latest album McCartney III. With “Find My Way,” Beck transformed a rock tune that could have come from any decade into a disco funk banger, with off-kilter percussion that transported Macca back to the groovy music of his youth. The new video, directed by Andrew Donoho, makes that metaphorical time travel literal. The clip opens in a hotel hallway painted in two once-popular shades of burnt orange. The door at the end experiences a few violent flashes of light, after which who should appear but Paul McCartney, looking less like the 79-year-old he currently is and...
Municipal Waste Announce Fall 2021 US Tour with Crowbar
Municipal Waste have announced a fall 2021 US tour with Crowbar. The short run of dates kicks off in November with additional support from Skeletal Remains and Dead Heat. The 10-show route kicks off November 13th in Indianapolis, and runs through a November 23rd stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Along the way are shows in such venues as Brooklyn’s Warsaw and Detroit’s St. Andrews Hall. “We had a really good time throwing this tour together,” Municipal Waste vocalist Tony Foresta said in a press release. “Each band is a heavy hitter in their own right and we are beyond excited to bring this thing on the road.” Advertisement Related Video Added Ryan Waste: “There’s a little something for everyone on this run. Plus, Dead Heat is one of my all-time favorite movies. ‘Lady, I’m f–king dead.’” The ...
Lollapalooza Set to Go Virtual with Hulu Livestream
Lollapalooza announced today that it has partnered with Hulu to livestream this year’s festival. It’s the first time the long-running Chicago event has teamed with the Disney-owned streaming service. According to a report from Billboard, subscribers to the streaming platform will have access to all four days of the 2021 festival, which is set to take place July 29th through August 1st at Chicago’s Grant Park. The livestream will be accessible each day from 11:00 a.m. PT to 8:00 p.m. PT. “We are thrilled to be partnering for the first time with Hulu for this year’s livestream and are excited that the Lollapalooza fans who cannot be with us in Chicago have such a great platform to experience the show,” read a statement from Courtney Trucksess, sponsorship director for the festival’s promotor...
Ariana Grande Switches Up ‘Positions’ For Live Performance Video: Watch
Ariana Grande switched and live mixed “Positions” for her sixth and final Vevo live performance on Thursday (July 22). She kicked off the sultry display by expertly layering her vocal harmonies, as previously heard in a behind-the-scenes clip from the recording of the song, before repeating the pre-chorus, “I’m tryna meet your mama on a Sunday/ Then make a lotta love on a Monday.” The delicate guitar plucking of “Positions” cut into Grande’s masterclass of live mixing, ushering the all-too familiar hit the way the Arianators have heard it before — but with some extra pizzazz. Wearing a pink bejeweled two-piece set with black tights, the singer dazzled under the matching pink light glowing around the garden dome, and pranced around the g...
Dr. Dre Ordered to Pay Nicole Young Nearly $300K a Month in Spousal Support
Billboard has reached out to Dre’s and Young’s attorneys for comment. Dre (born Andre Young) and Nicole were married for 24 years until she filed for divorce in June 2020 citing irreconcilable differences. The couple, who married in 1996, have two children together: 23-year-old son Truice and 19-year-old daughter Truly. During the back-and-forth that took place after the announcement of their split, Dre’s attorneys filed a copy of what they said was a prenup signed by the couple in late December 2020, which noted that all the property that they’d acquired since their wedding would be kept separately, but also that Nicole did not waive her right to spousal support. The level of spousal support would become the centerpiece of the yearlong dispute, with the s...
Diddy Announces New Album ‘Off the Grid Vol. 1′: ‘Welcome to the Love Era!’
Providing some mystery are the words “vol. 1” tacked on to the title, as they indicate there’s potentially another full album counterpart coming from Combs. The upcoming record will mark his first release since 2015’s MMM, a mixtape project saturated with collaborations from the likes of Lil’ Kim, Future, Travis Scott, Big Sean, Ty Dolla $ign, Wiz Khalifa and more. The new album announcement follows the news of Combs inking a deal with manager Wassim “SAL” Slaiby, who famously represents The Weeknd. Combs will move into his new era in partnership with Slaiby and his comapany SALXCO as well as with WME, with whom he also signed this year. The rapper of many names (P. Diddy, Puff Daddy and Puffy, to name a few) is also a man of many projects. In addi...
Swizz Beatz To Pay Tribute To DMX At Hot 97’s Summer Jam
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz83 It’s summer time in New York City and Hip-Hopper’s know what that means: Hot 97’s Summer Jam. A year after being canceled due to the pandemic, the traditional summer concert series is set to return with a star studded lineup that will include the likes of DaBaby, Migos, Meek Mill along with guest appearances from Rowdy Rebel and Bobby Shmurda (the man is still on parole with a curfew). For the OG’s of the Hip-Hop game Hot 97 has enlisted the talents of Swizz Beatz who will be taking to the stage to pay tribute to DMX (R.I.P). While we’re sure he’ll be spinning classic X records at the venue, we wouldn’t be surprised if X’s Ruff Rydin’ peers such as The Lox, Eve, and Drag-On join the festivities in honor of the legendary r...
Sean Diddy Combs Is Dropping A New Album In September
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Sean Diddy Combs, or Love, is still taking his can’t stop won’t stop mantra to heart. The Hip-Hop mogul revealed that he is dropping a new album in September. On Wednesday (July 21), Diddy hit Instagram to reveal the new project is called Off The Grid Vol. 1, and it will be available on September 24. “OFF THE GRID. The Album September 24, 2021. Welcome to the LOVE ERA!,” is the post’s caption of photos of the album’s title and release date in a red font on black backgrounds. Diddy’s last proper album was 2015’s MMM (Money Making Mitch) which was received with good reviews, but was considered a mixtape. That makes his last proper album 2006’s Press Play, not counting 2010’s Last Train to Paris which was a collaboration w...
