NEWS
Taraji O. Henson To Star In New ‘Empire’ Spin-Off
Source: photo: Fox/Imagine Entertainment Lee Daniels’ Empire might’ve come to an end in 2020 but the world that Luscious and Cookie Lyon created seems like it will continue on. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Taraji P. Henson will continue to get into all kinds of drama and shenanigans as Fox has decided to give her Cookie character her own spin-off series which will be produced by Henson’s own production company, TPH Entertainment. Boss moves! Lee Daniels and Danny Strong will be serve as co-executive producers of the show which will follow Cookie Lyon as she takes her talents to Los Angeles where she’ll no doubt leave her mark as only she can. No word yet on the series title or when it will be slated to debut, but rumors have it that some OG Empire cast members may make appearan...
HBO Bringing Ta-Nehisi Coates’ ‘Between the World and Me’ To Television
Source: Ismael Quintanilla / Getty You love to see it. Ta-Nehisi Coates’ nonfiction work Between the World and Me is coming to HBO as a special. Vulture is reporting that Coates’ book, which is described as “a powerful letter to his teenage son looking back on his life through the lens of structural racism,” is coming to HBO and will be similar to the 2018 Apollo stage performance. Per Vulture: “Technically, they’re adapting the Apollo Theater’s 2018 stage performance, which featured readings from the New York Times bestseller. The special will also include animation and both archival and documentary footage. Kamilah Forbes, executive producer of the Apollo and an old friend of Coates’s (she’s even in the book), will once again direct the adaptation, as well as executive pro...
Billie Eilish Announces New Song ‘My Future’
The world is depressing, but at least we can look forward to a new Billie Eilish tune. The singer, SPIN’s 2019 Artist of the Year, tweeted Friday that her next single, “my future,” is out Thursday, July 30. As of this writing, it’s unclear whether the song will appear on a new album. But Eilish has stayed busy in recent months, recording the theme to the recent James Bond film No Time to Die and releasing the stand-alone cut “everything i wanted.” Billie Eilish – “my future”Out next Thursday — billie eilish (@billieeilish) July 24, 2020 Those tracks follow her acclaimed debut LP, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, issued in March 2019. The project, which topped the Billboard 200, earned Eilish the most awards of any recipient at this year’s Grammy ceremony, including Album of t...
Watch The Strokes Zoom Through Time in Animated ‘Ode to the Mets’ Video
Just in time for baseball season’s opening day, The Strokes construct an animated voyage through time and space with their dizzying “Ode to the Mets” video. The clip, directed by friend and collaborator Warren Fu, unfolds across eight chapters — the perspective literally zooming backward from the prehistoric era (where a vintage arcade game looms) to an abandoned high school gymnasium (decorated for a 1969 homecoming) to an underwater New York City. “Ode to the Mets” highlights the Strokes’ April-issued sixth LP, The New Abnormal, which also features the singles “At the Door,” “Bad Decisions,” and “Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus.” The album, which follows the 2016 EP Future Present Past, marks their first full-length since 2013’s Comedown Machine. The Strokes — who recently launched t...
Pearl Jam Announce 2021 European Tour Dates
Pearl Jam’s plans to tour their new album, Gigaton, had to be postponed, like everyone else’s tour, due to the global pandemic. But now there’s some good news. The band has released the new dates for the European leg of their tour that will take place next year. Set to kick off on June 16, 2021, in Amsterdam, Pearl Jam are going to the same places they had initially planned to go to this and also added two new concert dates, including the Pinkpop Festival. Supporting acts will be announced in the near future. “We look forward to returning to Europe, pending these events can safely take place in Summer 2021. The safety and well-being of the band’s fans, crew and event staff continue to be priority,” the band wrote on their website. Tickets will be valid for the rescheduled shows. And i...
Ford Doubles 2021 Bronco First Edition Production
Good news for fans of the 2021 Ford Bronco who missed their chance to claim one of the 3,500 First Edition models—Ford just doubled production of the limited-run trim, to 7,000. The $60,800 First Edition model builds on the high-end Wildtrak trim by offering an even longer list of standard features and adding First Edition-specific graphics to the SUV’s hood and body sides. Is the First Edition worth its $10,430 price increase over the Wildtrak? That’s up to buyers to decide. Given overwhelming demand for the Bronco First Edition—despite doubling the number on offer, they’re already all claimed— it seems many folks think the limited-edition model’s special kit more than justifies its price tag. See all 23 photos It’s no surprise that Ford’s already...
2021 Ford Bronco 6×6: More Wheels, More Axle, More More
Is there an off-road-focused truck or SUV that can’t be improved with the addition of a second rear axle and two more wheels? If so, we haven’t seen it—or driven it. Remember, these things (dubbed 6x6s) exist in the real world, not merely in the minds of talented graphic artists. The Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6, for example, that made Jonny Lieberman giddy as a 12-year-boy when it caught massive air. There also is Hennessey’s Goliath 6×6, based on the Silverado, and the VelociRaptor 6×6 based on the F-150 Raptor. But what about the 2021 Ford Bronco? We have to assume that someone, in the future, will build one. Until that happens, you can imagine a Bronco 6×6 here with designer Abimelec Arellano in digital form. The Bronco’s big...
The Track List For Max’s New Album Confirms the Collab With BTS’s Suga We’ve All Been Wishing For
The just-revealed track list for pop singer Max‘s upcoming sophomore album, Colour Vision, features the BTS collaboration he’s been teasing since he revealed that he hung out with his “new brother” Suga earlier this year. The pair will meld their voices on the track “Blueberry Eyes,” one of a handful of duets on the album, due out on Sept. 18. They previously teamed up on “Burn It” from Suga’s D-2 mixtape. Also included on the 12-track release are previously-released collabs with Hayley Kiyoko (“Missed Calls”), Chromeo (“Checklist”) and Quinn XCII (“Love Me Less”), and the next single, “Working For the Weekend,” which will drop on Aug. 14. Check out the full Colour Vision track list below....
Which Taylor Swift Album Is Your Favorite? Vote!
Happy Folklore day, Swifties! On Friday (July 24), Taylor Swift dropped her surprise eighth album with less than 24 hours notice, sending Swifties around the globe deep into their feelings over her thoughtful, incisive storytelling. And now that you’ve had time to digest the LP’s 16 exquisite tracks in full, Billboard wants to know where you think Folklore ranks in the superstar’s storied, ever-growing discography. Is 2012’s transitional, pop-driven fan favorite Red the T. Swift album you love the most? Are you obsessed with the dark cityscapes of 2017’s Reputation or booming pop of 2014’s 1989? Are you still wrapped up in the warm glow of 2019’s Lover or have you traded that album for Swift’s latest cozy “Cardigan&#...
‘Short, Precise and Catchy’: Farruko Breaks Down His Recipe For a Successful Single
Previewing his forthcoming album, Farruko has released his new single “La Tóxica” — a core reggaetón track that takes the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter back to his roots — today (July 24). “It’s the kind of reggaetón that made me,” Farruko tells Billboard. “I always experiment with different rhythms but I wanted to go back to my roots with this one.” Penned by Farru, Sharo Towers, Ghetto and K4G, “La Tóxica” starts off with a simple piano tune. Then, nearly one minute in, an explosive reggaetón beat carries the rest of the song. And, as a true testament to Farruko’s slick writing skills, it includes a catchy chorus line. “I always make sure that my songs have good content, but I also make sure I includ...
First Beat: New Music By J. Cole, Logic, Queen Naija and More
For this week’s edition of First Beat, we see the return of J. Cole, the farewell of Logic and more. Check out our picks below. J. Cole, Lewis Street The elusive J. Cole is in album-mode. On Wednesday night (July 22), The Dreamville captain unleashed a meaty two-pack titled Lewis Street, which will serve as the precursor to his forthcoming album The Fall Off. His first track titled “The Climb Back” Cole logs in a commanding performance. The five-minute exhibition showcases Cole’s lyrical mastery over a chilling sample, rapping; “You see how I flip like exclamation points.” On his second showing, “Lion King on Ice,” Cole seemingly ruminates about his past sit-down with Lil Pump and addresses the aftermath of their conversation, which includes the Gucci Gang rapper’s descent from stardom. &#...
Kim K Kurved?: Kanye West Refusing To See Kim Kardashian, Allegedly
Source: WENN/Avalon / WENN Kanye West is spiraling. Reportedly, the man who seems to be in the midst of a manic episode of his bipolar disorder is refusing to see his own wife, Kim Kardashian. According to TMZ, Yeezy has been curving wifey. Sources close to the couple tell TMZ … there’s been very little communication between husband and wife since he jetted off for his South Carolina rally last weekend, and zero face time. We’re told Kim has made attempts to talk to Kanye about his mental state … but he’s not receptive. Our sources say she’s twice suggested flying to their ranch where Ye’s been staying to help him out, but he’s shot her down both times. This is where we have to point to the jig. What wife do you know would not jet to her husband’s side if he is in mental duress, even if sa...
