NEWS
‘Straight Outta Compton’ Star Jason Mitchell To Star In Sean Bell Biopic
Source: Amy Sussman / Getty Long before George Floyd’s there was Sean Bell. The Queens native will finally have his story told by one of our rising stars. As spotted on TMZ a biopic on the life and fatal killing of Sean Bell is on the way. The early rumors pointed to Jason Mitchell of Straight Outta Compton fame playing the fallen martyr. Thankfully the speculation has been confirmed by thespian himself. On Thursday, August 20 Mitchell made it clear he is taking this opportunity very seriously. “I’d like to give thanks to God.. the Bell family and my fucking guy @truvisionsfilms This is about to be epic” he wrote. For those not in the know Sean Bell was brutally gun down by New York police officers the morning before his wedding on November 25, 2006. According to the docume...
Kygo Purchases Minority Stake in Top-Selling Finnish Alcohol Company
Highlighted by warm chord progressions and sun-kissed xylophone plucks, Kygo‘s music has long been synonymous with summer. The tropical house pioneer is now taking his bubbly brand from figurative to literal, bottling it into a new partnership with top-selling Finnish alcohol business The Long Drink Company. The company’s flagship product is the “Finnish Long Drink,” a 5.5% ABV libation described as a “refreshing citrus soda with a premium liquor kick” with roots that go back to the 1952 Summer Games in Finland in the aftermath of World War II. Unsure of how to serve drinks quickly to the country’s visitors, the government needed a “revolutionary new liquor drink,” and the rest is history. In Finland, the phrase ...
Queen + Adam Lambert Releasing First-Ever Live Album
Though they’ve been touring for what feels like forever, Queen and Adam Lambert have yet to release a live album together. The 20-plus song collection Queen + Adam Live Around the World is the group’s first-ever release live release with Lambert. It drops worldwide on Oct. 2, in CD, CD+DVD, CD+Blu-ray and vinyl formats. The former American Idol contestant joined the band in 2011 and has played 218 shows with Queen to date. The set is a compilation of concert highlights personally selected by drummer Roger Taylor, guitarist Brian May and Lambert from over 200 concerts, including appearances at Rock in Rio, the UK’s Isle of Wight Festival, and one of their last performances before lockdown – the Fire Fight Australia benefit show. All formats include the band’s entire 22-minute Fire Fight Aus...
Rolling Stones, Ariana Grande, Elton John Are Music’s Highest-Paid Musicians
This year may be a disaster for the music biz, but that doesn’t (obviously) mean that 2019 wasn’t. Last year, a number of artists made a shit-ton of money on the strength of touring. Billboard shared its ranking of last year’s highest-paid musicians, and the Rolling Stones top the list. The band made $65 million last year, including $60.5 million in touring. Ariana Grande was in second with $44.3 million, with $33.7 million from touring. The top five is rounded out by Elton John ($43.3 million overall), the Jonas Brothers ($40.9 million) and Queen ($35.2 million). Other names on the list include Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Kiss, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Backstreet Boys, BTS, Khalid, John Mayer, Fleetwood Mac, Cher, Metallica, Aerosmith and Billie Eilish. Che...
What’s Your Favorite Demi Lovato Hit? Vote!
Demi Lovato was “Made in the USA” 28 years ago today, Aug. 20, and to ring in her birthday, Billboard wants to know which of her Hot 100 hits is your favorite! She’s spent over a decade on the chart, with her career-first entry being the Camp Rock highlight “This is Me” with Joe Jonas, who played Shane Gray in the 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie while Lovato portrayed the main character Mitchie Torres. The song went all the way to No. 9. But apart from her Disney Friends for Change anthems, Lovato continued churning out more hits with her Disney friends, from her Jonas Brothers collaboration “On the Line” from her 2008 debut studio album Don’t Forget to her joint bop with Selena Gomez “One and the Same&#...
‘Drag Race’ Stars Mourn the Loss of Chi Chi DeVayne: ‘Rest Well, Sister’
On Thursday (August 20), news broke that fan-favorite RuPaul’s Drag Race queen Chi Chi DeVayne, who appeared on season 8 of the show and on season three of the show’s All Stars spin-off series, had died at age 34 following a battle with pneumonia. In her two appearances on Drag Race, DeVayne (born Zavion Davenport) charmed audiences everywhere with her stellar lip syncing skills, along with her homemade couture. Following her fourth place finish in season 8, fans quickly began a campaign to see her appear on an All Stars season, which she did two years later on All Stars 3. Following the news of her passing, fellow stars from the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise took to social media to mourn DeVayne and celebrate her life, toasting...
Taylor Swift Donates $30,000 to 18-Year-Old Student to Help Pay Her Tuition
Vitoria Mario is a self-described “young Black 18 year old with a dream” on her GoFundMe page, in which she sought help to pay her university tuition. Luckily, Taylor Swift was there to help out her fan in need. “I have received a conditional offer to study Mathematics (MMath) at the prestigious University of Warwick,” Mario wrote, before noting that she is “in a position of uncertainty as I may not be able to attend university due to my circumstances.” “I have lived in the U.K. for 4 years now, after migrating from Portugal to live with family in Tottenham,” she continued. “The socio-economic barriers of not being eligible for maintenance loans/grants is due not only to not having ‘Home’ status, but also because my family are low incom...
Brytiago Drops Mysterious & Seductive ‘Condena’ Video Featuring Farruko: Exclusive
After keeping fans intrigued with the mesmerizing instrumental for “Condena,” Brytiago and Farruko officially dropped the full track and video, premiering exclusively on Billboard today (Aug. 20). Produced by Cromo X and Lanalizer, “Condena” forms part of Bry’s debut studio album Organico, a project that was long overdue for loyal fans and is home to 16 songs including the previously-released “Cositas,” “Te Falle” and “Borracho,” to name a few. To the beat of sultry R&B melodies, “Condena,” which translates to a prison sentence, narrates the story of a man who wants to spend time with his love interest one last time, in case tomorrow’s not guaranteed. “Don’t forget about me the day I’m not here,” the artists chant. The mysterious cinematographic video, directed by Abez Medina with prod...
Manchester Arena Bomber’s Brother Sentenced to 55 Years in Jail
The brother of the Manchester Arena suicide bomber was sentenced to a minimum of 55 years of jail time for the murder of 22 people on Thursday (Aug. 20), according to the Guardian. Hashem Abedi, 23, helped his older brother Salman Abedi plan the terror attack during an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017. Not only did it take the lives of 22 people and the bomber himself but also injured 100 others. Abedi refused to appear in the London courtroom and stayed in his cell during sentencing. Justice Jeremy Barker said that if he, like his older brother, had been 21 or older at the time, it would have been a life sentence. “Although Salman Abedi was directly responsible, it was clear the defendant took an integral part in the planning,” Barker said. He continued, “The defendant and his ...
The Philo Streaming Network Adds TV One To Its Channel Lineup
Source: Philo / Philo An emerging streaming app is about deliver even more Black excellence to its viewers. A new partnership is set to give our culture a bigger platform to shine. This week Philo and TV One announced a distribution agreement, adding the channel to Philo‘s lineup of 60+ channels for $20 per month. This marks TV One’s first vMVPD distribution deal. Philo subscribers can watch a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming on TV One, including classic series, movies, and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers, including popular original series Unsung, Uncensored, ATL Homicide, and Fatal Attraction. The addition of TV One will align with Philo‘s lineup that includes recentl...
Guy Responsible For Shooting Megan Thee Stallion In Her Feet Could Face Felony Charges Soon
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz The varmint who was responsible for injuring Megan Thee Stallion by shooting her in both feet could finally face felony charges, prosecutors have revealed. The Los Angeles Times reports the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office is currently reviewing a potential felony charge of assault with a firearm in the investigation involving Tory Lanez. According to the publication, prosecutors are urging the Los Angeles Police Department to “further investigate the incident.” Back in July, Lanez, born Daystar Peterson, was arrested on the suspicion he was carrying a concealed weapon after he was detained after he left in a vehicle that was reported to be connected to a shooting on July 12. Before things went all the way left, both Lanez and Thee Stall...
HHW Gaming: ‘Black Ops: Cold War’ Finally Confirmed As The Next ‘Call of Duty’ Game
Source: Activision / Treyarch Activision’s worst-kept secret has finally been confirmed, the next Call of Duty game ditches Modern Warfare and will go back in time and focus on the Cold War. On Wednesday (Aug.20), the insanely popular first-person shooter’s publisher, Activision, dropped the teaser for the long-speculated game, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War that has been teased for a while in the Call of Duty: Warzone. The teaser is just a placeholder for the game’s upcoming big reveal on August 26 that will show us some gameplay footage and share more insight as far as the plot which the teaser implies is “inspired by actual events.” The 2-minute clip is comprised of archival footage of a TV interview featuring KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov. As he talks, texts pop up on the screen, ...
