NEWS
John Fletcher Dead: Whodini Rapper ‘Ecstasy’ Dies at 56
John Fletcher of hip-hop trio Whodini has died, Billboard can confirm. The artist, known by his stage name Ecstasy and recognizable from his signature Zorro hat, was 56. No cause of death has been revealed. “The African and Native American ancestors have gathered around and chosen this day, during the Winter Solstice, Dec 23rd, 2020 to call upon a most endeared, generous, and sincere soul who graced The World’s heart through performance, hip-hop, family, children and grandchildren,” his family shared in a statement to Billboard. “John ‘Ecstasy’ Fletcher was a beloved man, the life partner to Deltonia and ex-husband to Carla, twin brother to Joseph, artist, friend, and lifetime performing partner to the Legendary Jalil of Whodini. Whodini se...
LadBaby Leads Mariah Carey In Race to U.K. Christmas No. 1
With the race to the U.K.’s Christmas No. 1 entering the final straight, LadBaby will be hard to beat. Ladbaby, featuring YouTuber Mark Hoyle, his wife Roxanne and their two kids, take a strong lead with “Don’t Stop Me Eatin’,” according to the Official Charts Company, with Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” the closest competition. LadBaby have elite form. The novelty act took out the Christmas No. 1 in 2018 and 2019, with money raised from those singles benefiting food bank charity The Trussell Trust. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and h...
Meet the McLaren Sabre: a Limited-Run of Custom, 824-HP Supercars
Not too long ago, we showed you patent images that purported to show the wild shape of an upcoming limited-run supercar called the McLaren Sabre (nee BC-03), inspired by the company’s Vision Gran Turismo concept. Now, a McLaren dealership in Beverly Hills has pulled the wraps off the final car, painted in an arresting two-tone scheme and showing off all the swoops, wings, and slats we were hoping would come to the final product. See all 10 photos Indeed, this is a McLaren Special Operations commission, initiated by a customer, and the total number built will hit the upper end of the rumored series: 15. The “BC” in the car’s internal model name stands for “bespoke commission,” by the way. However, rumors about the powertrain proved to be slightly off. Rat...
“Am I Not Worthy?”: Trump Supporter Lil Wayne Addresses Grammy Snub
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty Lil Wayne may be number one on the cancel list, but after the Grammys released their 2021 nominee and attendee list—he’s in his feelings. On Sunday (Dec 20), the Trump supporting rapper took to social media to shares his thoughts on once again being snubbed by the Grammys, as both a nominee and an artist in attendance, calling out the recording academy for the repeated oversight regarding his more recent body of work—before adding that he already has five that he uses to push him in the studio. “As an artist, when I see da Grammys coming up & I’m not involved nor invited; I wonder. Is it me, my musik, or just another technicality?” Lil Wayne wrote. “I look around w respect & wonder competitively am I not worthy?! Then I look around & see 5 Gram...
Is A$AP Rocky Doing Too Much With His AWGE x Marine Serre Capsule Collection?
Source: AWGE x Marine Serre / AWGE x Marine Serre Once again A$AP Rocky is pushing the boundaries in the fashion game. His newest project has all the Zoolander vibes. As spotted on Hype Beast the Harlem native is about to drop a new collection under his AWGE brand. The capsule is a collaboration with French design house Marine Serre. They released an announcement via their Instagram account on Monday, December 21. “We are excited to introduce our latest creative project with AWGE. Common interests, genuine conversations, and a strong sense of community have led to the creation of a limited capsule collection composed of versatile silhouettes. Each piece is rare and unique, realized through adopting our regenerating practices” the caption read. Source: AWGE x Marine Serre / A...
Gucci Mane & Keyshia Ka’oir Welcome Baby Boy, Ice Davis
Source: Prince Williams / Getty Gucci Mane and Keyshia Ka’oir’s just earned a +1 to their family. The couple announced the arrival of their new son, Ice Davis. Per current Hip-Hop power couple protocol, they made the announcement via social media. Guwop’s wife took to IG to announce the arrival. “He’s here!!!!!!!!!! ICE DAVIS🧊 12/23/20 7lbs #ThankYouLord OMG he is soooooo darn CUTE & PERFECT👶,” was the caption she used for a couple of her maternity shoot photos. Pround papa Gucci followed by bigging up his better half. “My wife just gave me a 7lb 1oz baby boy named ICE DAVIS thank u 😘🏹 he is here!!!!!!,” he tweeted. Congratulations to the happy couple. This story is developing. My wife just gave me a 7lb 1oz baby boy named ICE DAVIS thank u ὡ...
Q-Tip, Questlove, Ice Cube, Chuck D and More React to Whodini’s John ‘Ecstasy’ Fletcher’s Death: ‘A Tremendous Loss of Our Heroes’
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher of the ’80s group Whodini reportedly passed away on Wednesday, but if the reactions to his death are any indication, the early rapper’s legacy will still be felt for decades to come. A who’s who of hip hop history shared their condolences and stories of how Fletcher had influenced them, with social media eulogies coming in from Ice Cube, Chuck D, Q-Tip, Questlove (who was the first person to report of the death), DJ Premier, and more. Thank you Ecstasy for showing us how to do it. RIP pic.twitter.com/ppfUZeZesp — Ice Cube (@icecube) December 23, 2020 Fletcher, Jalil Hutchins and J Grandmaster Dee released six albums throughout the ’80s as Whodini (who are now considered hip hop legends of the era, second only to Run-DMC). The trio helped lay the groundwork to t...
What’s Your Favorite K-pop Album of 2020? Vote!
2020 was tough, but K-pop made it a little better. The genre delivered some great albums this year from a variety of artists, from soloists to groups, idols to indie stars, newcomers to seasoned veterans. On Wednesday (Dec. 23), Billboard shared our top 10 favorite albums of the year, but now we want to know which topped your 2020 list. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Brooke Candy Destigmatizes Online Sex Work in Frisky, Star-Studded ‘Cum’ Video
Brooke Candy is supporting those who are staying safe and staying sexy this year. The star unveiled a playful new video on Wednesday (Dec. 23) for her Iggy Azalea collaboration, “Cum,” featuring a slew of guest appearances from Paris Hilton, Aquaria, Imogen Anthony, Shea Couleé, Detox, Amanda Lepore, Crystal Methyd and many more. In the Dejan Jovanovic-directed clip, the singer and her lingerie-clad friends flaunt what they’ve got for their webcams, exploring their sexuality in a fun way to destigmatize and support sex work amid the pandemic, a time where more people are earning income through the online sale of erotic content. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be....
Rebecca Luker, Star of ‘Show Boat,’ ‘The Music Man’ and ‘Mary Poppins’ on Broadway, Dies at 59
An operatic soprano, Luker portrayed Magnolia, the daughter who marries a sleazy riverboat gambler, in Show Boat, which opened on Broadway in 1994; the librarian Marian in The Music Man, which began in 2001; and Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins. She starred in that one from 2006-10. Luker also appeared on the big screen in writer-director David Chase’s Not Fade Away (2012) and on television in such series as Boardwalk Empire, Elementary and NCIS: New Orleans. One of four children, Rebecca Joan Luker was born on April 17, 1961, in Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated from the University of Montevallo in 1984 after spending time with the Michigan Opera Theater, then made her Broadway debut in 1989 stepping in for Sarah Brightman as the chorus gi...
Ariana Grande Donates Holiday Gifts to Kids at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
“Our patients are in love! Especially our Ariana Grande ‘superfans” in the house,’ said Kelli Carroll, director of the Chase Child Life program at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, in a press statement. “We are thankful for all our wonderful partners who have donated in the past couple of weeks, including Ariana Grande, and for serving the needs of our hospitalized children. This pandemic may have changed how we do things, but we look for the same result – to alleviate the stresses of hospitalization and bring joy to our kids.” UCLAMCH shared a series of adorable Instagram photos on Wednesday (Dec. 23) of the kids smiling and holding their gifts. See here. Those interested in making a monetary donation, or purchasing a gift from the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital wis...
Dodge Daytona vs. Dodge Charger Daytona: What’s in a Name?
The 2020 Dodge Charger Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition is a marketing stab by the folks at FCA that capitalizes on the lunacy that was the original 1969 Daytona. As an homage to the original car, only 501 of these 717-horsepower beasties will be produced, a number that is supposed to mirror the 1969 production numbers. I miss having automotive heroes—those cars and trucks that, after flipping through the pages of the old buff books, would capture my imagination. Back then, I knew every option and engine code on every vehicle from nearly every manufacturer. Yet now, with the deluge of information we get via social media, I don’t commit as much to memory anymore. Today’s automotive culture is changing at a rate that’s faster than any modern-day vehicle. And while some OEMs...
