NEWS
2021 Lexus RX L: More Standard Tech, Same Soothing Nature
After undergoing a thorough refresh for the 2020 model year, the Lexus RX L crossover SUV enters the 2021 model year with minimal changes. Still, it’s not completely devoid of differences. The most noteworthy update Lexus makes to the RX L—the “L” refers to its extra length compared to the non-L RX models—is to its standard features list. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and power-folding auto-dimming exterior mirrors are now included across the board. The former item adds $1,865 to the bills of base 2020 RX 350L and RX 450hL gasoline-electric hybrid models as part of a package that also includes a surround-view monitor and parking sensors. Meanwhile, the latter item was grouped into the 2020 RX L’s $1,580 Premium package. See all 22 photos Additi...
Logic Reflects on His Career in ‘Aquarius III’ Video
Logic delivered his final album, No Pressure, last week before shifting his focus to being a good father for his newborn baby boy. He did, however, put on his iconic red jumpsuit one last time for the newly released “Aquarius III” video, in which the rapper is seen walking down the street and reflecting on his life and career. “All I ever gave a f— about was my career / But all that s— out the window now that my son is here / F— sales and streams, none of that s— entails dreams / F— rap, f— press, f— feeling like I’m less / If it ain’t ’bout my happiness, than I could give a f— less,” he proclaims over a sample of The Roots’ 2010 instrumental “A Peace of Light.” Watch the vid...
Ashley Judd’s Sexual Harassment Claim Against Harvey Weinstein Revived by Appeals Court
Harvey Weinstein will have to face a sexual harassment claim from Ashley Judd even though the actress was never actually employed by the disgraced movie mogul. On Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decided that California Civil Code § 51.9 encompassed their relationship sufficiently to provide Judd with the ability to sue him for sexual harassment. Judd alleges in her complaint that she became Weinstein’s victim when the movie mogul made demands on her in a hotel room about 20 years ago. Judd says that she only escaped after relenting to a deal where she would let him touch her if she won an Academy Award. Later, Judd says she was in serious discussions for a big role in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, but that opportunity was torpedoed after Weinstein or someone ...
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Grilled at Big Tech Hearing About Being Unfair to Streamers
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos might be the richest person in the world, but he’s also a rookie. Until Wednesday, he had never before been grilled by lawmakers on Capitol Hill. That changed today when top executives at the nation’s leading technology companies gathered — at least virtually — for testimony before a House of Representatives antitrust subcommittee. There, Bezos faced blistering questions about whether the e-commerce giant has abused its market power. “A lot of people want to know when the HBO Max app will be available on your Fire devices,” Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told Bezos. “I understand negotiations are ongoing but your company is not only asking for financial terms but also for content from Warner Media…. Is it fair to use your gatekeepe...
Alice Ivy Signs Global Publishing Deal With Concord, Native Tongue
Alice Ivy has struck a new worldwide publishing deal through a joint venture with Concord Music Publishing and Australian independent publisher Native Tongue. “Publishing is something I’ve taken my time with,” said Ivy of the new arrangement, which is effective immediately. “I wanted to hold off until I’d matured as a songwriter and a producer and wait for the right partners to come along. Between the team at Native Tongue, who’ve always looked out for me, and my new family at Concord, it feels like the best possible set-up for me at this exciting stage in my career. When it came down to it, they asked what I was looking for and I said, ‘I want to be jumping on planes and writing music every day’ and they said, ‘we can do that.'” The Melbourn...
Music Marketplace Beatport Restores “Hard Techno” Genre Category
Music marketplace Beatport, which touts itself as the “world’s number one destination for electronic music,” has reinstated the platform’s “Hard Techno” category. The decision to restore the category was made after gathering feedback from the hard techno community as well as prominent labels, artists, and distributors. To flesh out the genre’s page on Beatport, it will be populated with music from the site’s current “Techno (Raw/Deep/Hypnotic)” and “Techno (Peak Time/Driving/Hard)” categories. The latter is set to be repurposed under the name “Techno (Peak Time/Driving).” Moreover, the newly minted “Hard Techno” section now features its own dedicated Top 100 chart. “Many labels and artists,...
Petition Calling For The Deportation of Miniature Varmint Tory Lanez Has Thousands of Signatures
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz The Hotties want Daystar Peterson, aka Tory Lanez, deported immediately. Lanez is not in good favor with a lot of people following the incident where he allegedly shot Megan Thee Stallion in both of her feet we learned just a few days ago. Fans want the miniature rapper/singer booted from the United States and banished to his native land of Canada for reportedly inflicting harm upon the leader of the Hot Girl movement. If you think they are joking, a Change.org petition has been started calling for the deportation of Lanez, and it’s almost reached its goal of 25,000 signatures with over 17,000 and counting people signing up. The description of the call for action reads as follows: “Deport Tory Lanez (Daystar Peterson) back to Canada and ban him from ...
2 Chainz & Rick Ross Announced As Next Verzuz Battle
Source: Prince Williams/ATLPics.net / ATLPics.Net Swizz Beatz and Timbaland are wasting no time keeping the announcements coming with the highly anticipated online celebration series, Verzuz. While many thought the super producers were going to announce Ashanti and Keyshia Cole as the next contestants, the two beat creating icons instead announced that the series was heading back down south with a head to head showdown between 2 Chainz and Rick Ross. On Tuesday (Jul 28), the announcement was made via the official VerzuzTV Instagram account with a sleek black-and-red poster of a two-seater Verzuz-branded sports car. While fans began to make their predictions about who would win, 2 Chainz decided to take to Instagram and share a cheat sheet of his own to show exactly how evenly matched ...
‘Umbrella Man’ Who Sparked Riot In George Floyd Protest ID’d As White Supremacist, We Been Knew
Source: Twitter / Twiiter Everyone should give a slow-clap for police finally finding the man who started the riot in Minneapolis months back. When protests erupted in May over the senseless death of George Floyd, the city erupted into an emotionally charged protest heard all around the world. On-the-ground footage flooding social media timelines showed angry protestors crowding the streets while demanding justice for another life lost due to police brutality. One video, in particular, recorded an intimidatingly tall, white male dressed in all black defacing a local AutoZone store. While holding an umbrella, the individual, aptly nicknamed “Umbrella Man,” is seen taking a sledgehammer and breaking the store windows. Protesters confronted him before he eventually walked away.&nb...
Dave East “I Got 5 On It (East Mix),” R.A. The Rugged Man “All Systems Go” & More | Daily Visuals 7.29.20
Jordan Peele’s Us might’ve revived some interest in The Luniz’s classic smash “I Got 5 On It,” but now Harlem’s own Dave East is taking the fan favorite west coast beat and adding some Beast Coast flavor to it. For his new visuals to “I Got 5 On It (EASTMIX),” Dave heads out to the west to get in the groove and burns on some of that sticky icky that seems to basically grow on trees out on the Wesside. We would say “pass that” but the Rona, you know? While on the topic of yester-decade, R.A. The Rugged Man is proving he’s still got the skills to pay the bills and in his visuals to “All Systems Go” travels through various points in time to lay down his lyrical onslaught. Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Shoreline Mafia featuring Wiz Khalifa, ZayTheGoat, and more. DAVE ...
Questlove and Black Thought Pay Tribute to Former the Roots Bandmate Malik B: ‘The World Just Lost a Real One’
The Roots co-founder Malik B. died earlier on Wednesday at the age of 47. After his cousin, Don Champion, delivered the news, tributes from the music community began to pour in, but none were as powerful as those from his former Roots bandmates. Black Thought and Questlove remembered Malik B. — who was in the group from 1987-1999 and made a few sporadic appearances in the 2000s — but in different fashions. Black Thought honored the memory of Malik in a solemn Instagram post. “We made a name and carved a lane together where there was none. We ressurected [sic] a city from the ashes, put it on our backs and called it Illadelph. In friendly competition with you from day one, I always felt as if I possessed only a mere fraction of your true gift and potential. Your steel sharpened my steel as ...
Malik B., Founding Member of The Roots, Has Died
Malik B., iconic founding member of The Roots, has died at the age of 47. The renowned Philadelphia hip-hop and neo-soul group shared an official statement on social media. “We regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and long time Roots member Malik Abdul Basit,” the statement reads. “May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam and innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. We ask that you please respect his family in our time of mourning.” As one of its founding members, Malik B was vital to The Roots’ early success, appearing on the award-winning group’s first four studio albums Organix, Do You Want More?!!!??!, Illadelph Halflife, and Things Fall Apart. In 1999, he left The Roots to pursue a solo career before releas...
