In celebration of Hip-Hop, LL Cool J will be headlining his first tour in over 30 years with Rock The Bells and Live Nation Urban’s The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live. The multi-award winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Hip-Hop icon will give lovers of the genre “not a moment, but a movement.”
 

Set to kick off in June before closing out in September, LL will bring along some of Hip-Hop’s most preeminent acts, including the transcendent award-winning band The Roots, the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip.

In select cities, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, Method Man and Redman will all blaze the stage.

As Hip-Hop continues to be celebrated 50 years later, the F.O.R.C.E tour aims to be unique. “Unlike the traditional ‘opening act – headliner’ format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots,” per announcement.
 

“I’m excited to be on my first Arena tour in 30 years,” the Rock The Bells founder stated in a press release. “It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever. Get ready for some non stop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!” 
 

The 24-date tour will begin on June 25 in Boston, MA at TD Garden and hit the major cities of Brooklyn, NY, Newark, NJ, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans and Las Vegas before concluding on September 3 in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum.

Starting Thursday (April 27) at 10AM ET, fans can start purchasing tickets via Live Nation presale, Ticketmaster presale, or local venue and radio presales. General tickets go on sale starting Friday (April 28).
 

Check out the tour dates and a trailer for the F.O.R.C.E. Live tour below.

6/28       Newark, NJ                       Prudential Center

6/29       Toronto, ON                      Scotiabank Arena

7/1         Baltimore, MD                  CFG Bank Arena

7/2         Washington, DC               Capital One Arena

7/4         Atlanta, GA                        State Farm Arena

7/6         Hollywood, FL                   Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

7/8         Raleigh, NC                        PNC Arena

7/9         Charlotte, NC                    Spectrum Center

8/12       Cleveland, OH                   Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse           

8/13       Chicago, IL                         United Center

8/18       Detroit, MI                         Little Caesars Arena

8/19       St. Louis, MO                     Enterprise Center

8/20       Indianapolis, IN                Gainbridge Fieldhouse                       

8/22       Memphis, TN                    FedEx Forum

8/23       New Orleans, LA               Smoothie King Center

8/24       Ft. Worth, TX                     Dickies Arena

8/25       Houston, TX                       Toyota Center

8/27       Albuquerque, NM           Sandia Casino Amphitheater

8/29       Denver, CO                        Ball Arena

9/1         San Francisco, CA             Chase Center             

9/2         Las Vegas, NV                    MGM Grand Garden Arena

9/3         Los Angeles, CA                Kia Forum

Live Nation Urban has promised that the Summer Block Party Tour—starring Jodeci, SWV, and Dru Hill—will be one of the biggest R&B tours of 2023.

The tour’s North American run begins on July 28 in Charlotte, N.C., and will hit other major cities (Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Houston, and Los Angeles) before concluding in early September.

“Y’all asked for it and here we come,” said Jodeci in a video shared on Sunday (April 9). “Can’t wait to see y’all. Jodeci for life, baby,” added K-Ci.

 

 

 

 

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The artists presale goes live on Tuesday, April 25 at 10 a.m. local time followed by the Live Nation presale on Thursday, April 27 at 10 a.m. local time. General on-sale will be available on Friday, April 28 at 10 a.m. local time. Jodeci first announced their reunion in December 2021 before joining New Edition’s The Culture Tour in 2022 as a supporting act with Charlie Wilson. Following SWV’s controversial tour attempt with Xscape, the trio is excited to co-headline this tour. Although Dru Hill’s Verzuz with Jodeci never came to be, fans can look forward to seeing how these R&B groups will interact on the road.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by DRU HILL (@druhill4real)

See full tour dates below.

July 28: Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

July 29: Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena

July 30: Greensboro, NC – White Oak Amphitheatre at Greensboro Coliseum Complex

Aug. 4: Brooklyn, NY – Coney Island Amphitheater

Aug. 5: Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater*

Aug. 6: Philadelphia, PA – The Mann Center

Aug. 10: Detroit, MI – Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre

Aug. 11: Chicago, IL – Arie Crown Theater*

Aug. 13: Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park Aug. 15: St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Aug. 18: Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park*

Aug. 19: Pelham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre

Aug. 20: Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater

Aug. 24: Baton Rouge, LA – Raising Cane’s River Center

Aug. 26: Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman*

Aug. 27: Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

Aug. 31: Denver, CO – BellCo Theater

Sept. 2: Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Sept. 3: Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre*

Sept. 7: Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater Sept. 8: Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion *-No Dru Hill ^-No SWV

SZA’s SOS era continues to certify the singer as a superstar. On Monday (April 24), the 33-year-old scored her first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single with her revengeful song “Kill Bill.” Per data released by the platform, “Kill Bill” jumped from No. 4 to the top spot. Previously, the song’s highest ranking on the chart was at No. 2.
 

According to the numbers, the song drew 86.5 million radio airplay audience, 28.3 million streams, and sold 5,000 downloads in the April 14-20 tracking week.

While the movie-inspired song stands out as a fan-favorite from the acclaimed SOS album, efforts were boosted by an official remix featuring Doja Cat, which was issued on April 14. For now, the original version remains the most popular.
Billboard reports all versions of the song are combined into one chart listing. The Hot Pink rapper is not credited on “Kill Bill” as it takes over the Hot 100 since the remix did not account for the majority of the song’s overall consumption during the time period. Still, the talented duo is no stranger to making chart history together. In August 2021, their Grammy Award-winning collaboration “Kiss Me More” surpassed Brandy and Monica’s iconic 1998 duet “The Boy Is Mine” for the longest-running all-female top 10 collaboration in Billboard Hot 100 history, peaking at No. 3.

Doja Cat and SZA winners of the Best Pop Duo Group Performance Award for ‘Kiss Me More’ pose in the winners photo room during the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. David Becker/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Prior to becoming her first No. 1 record on the Hot 100, “Kill Bill” displayed dominance on other charts. Earlier this month, the song counted its 16th consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming the longest-running No. 1 single by a solo female artist, breaking a record set by Mary J. Blige’s 2x GRAMMY-winning hit, “Be Without You.”

“Kill Bill” is the second track on the Top Dawg Entertainment signee’s second album SOS, which was released in December 2022. The album, which has set a handful of records itself, features Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

Beyoncé’s party-ready song “Cuff It” has reached a new achievement. The RENAISSANCE track stands as the longest-charting solo single of her career. According to Billboard, the trendy track has now spent 34 total weeks on the Hot 100 chart, passing the 33-week run of her 2009 song “Telephone” featuring Lady Gaga.

“Cuff It” emerged in the top 10 of the Hot 100 chart in January 2023 at No. 10, peaking at No. 6. The song currently sits at No. 34. Billboard notes “Cuff It” is Queen Bey’s fifth song to spend at least 30 weeks on the Hot 100, joining “Halo,” “Irreplaceable,” and “Mi Gente” with J Balvin and Willy William, along with the aforementioned “Telephone.”

.@Beyonce's "Cuff It" has now spent 34 total weeks on the #Hot100 (No. 34 this week).

It's now the longest-charting solo song of her career, passing the 33-week run of "Telephone" with @ladygaga in 2009-10.

— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) April 10, 2023

Winning Best R&B Song during the 2023 Grammy Awards, “Cuff It” was boosted by a viral dance challenge and a mash-up with Twista’s 2009 song “Wetter,” both originating on TikTok. The “Cuff It (Wetter Remix)” was made official and released by the acclaimed performer in February. Originally only available for purchase on the Lemonade singer’s official website, the sultry song is now available to stream on various platforms.



While “Cuff It” nor any songs from the acclaimed RENAISSANCE have official visuals, a component that has become a staple to the 41-year-old’s artistry, fans can anticipate a global tour celebrating the album. Announced in February 2023, the “***Flawless” performer will hit 41 cities on the international trek. Released in July 2022, RENAISSANCE earned the mother of three historic accolades. In addition to the aforementioned Grammy award for “CUFF IT,” Mrs. Carter picked up Best Traditional R&B Performance with “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA,” Best Dance/Electronic Recording with “BREAK MY SOUL,” and Best Dance/Electronic Music Album, becoming the most awarded musician in Grammy history.

 

 

 

 

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“I want to thank God for protecting me. Thank you, God. I’d like to thank my Uncle Johnny who’s not here, but he’s here in spirit.” Bey later thanked her family and especially the queer community “for your love and inventing this genre.”

Chlöe opened the first night of her solo In Pieces tour with a message for the critics out there who’ve had much to say about her low first-week album sales.

The debut LP, which sold only 10,000 units its first week, debuted at No. 119 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and garnered mixed sentiments from social media.

Although the “Treat Me” songstress vaguely explained the aim of the album earlier this week on Twitter, she fully fired back at critics during the closing set of her Chicago tour stop.

“Make sure y’all are supporting the muthaf**kin album,” she told her packed-out audience. “F**k what the f**k everybody got to f**king say. They can kiss my Black ass!” 

She went on, “Because I know you guys love me and this is all I need. Thank you for loving me. Y’all don’t know how much you mean to me.” See clip below.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by HOLLYWOOD UNLOCKED (@hollywoodunlocked)

Ahead of her opening night, the 24-year-old tweeted out, “In pieces was about letting go & trusting myself. i’ve enjoyed every moment of it and i love everyone who listened to it.” The 14-track LP includes the Chris Brown-assisted single, “How Does It Feel,” “Cheat Back” with Future, and “Told Ya” featuring Missy Elliott. The album received much feedback online, including some critics declaring that Chlöe hasn’t found her sound yet. Others claim that she deserved more musical support, with many pointing fingers at Beyoncé for her lack of promotion of her Parkwood signee. Observers argued that Beyoncé could’ve featured Chlöe on her RENAISSANCE album, or posted In Pieces to her social media handles. Others felt Chlöe should join Bey on her own highly-anticipated tour. One Twitter user shared that fans were, “all hoping bey (or someone) would help do it for her, bc having that skill comes w experience.” She added, “Chlöe has a lot of writing [experience] but less w/ production and creative direction. but whoever’s in her corner seems to be very hands-off and it’s not working.”

when i say “edit”, i mean that in fashion/beauty competition shows, mentors tell contestants that having a good eye means knowing how to step back and assess whether your work is too little, too much, or just right. if it’s too much, take something away. and chloe doesn’t do that

— rizzie mcguire (@daniellecanyell) April 5, 2023

Tennessee writer Wilbert Corden Kizer Moore offered, “I think the problem she’s facing is that she wishes she had an audience that she doesn’t have… she has an audience full of people who want to see her win and want to see her make music from the personative of a self actualized young woman with some kinda self esteem.” The writer added, “If Saweetie and Summer Walker made ‘Cheat Back’ it would be a hit. But from Chlöe its just like…girl what is you doing?” The Renaissance icon inked Chlöe and the other half of their sister-duo, Halle Bailey, to Parkwood Management in 2015.

Since releasing her anticipated debut album In Pieces on March 31, Chlöe has been rather quiet about the project’s underwhelming sales. Now the “Cheat Back” crooner has seemingly responded with a breakdown of the album’s concept.

Her first LP since her sister-joint album Godly Hour debuted at No. 119 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with only 10,000 units, per Chart Data.

Shocking many fans, social media began buzzing with debate on how Beyoncé’s signee could’ve scored those first-week numbers under Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records.

“In pieces was about letting go & trusting myself,” the Praise This star tweeted out on Monday (April 10). “i’ve enjoyed every moment of it and i love everyone who listened to it. tour starts tomorrow in chicago and im so ready to perform these songs for yall.”

in pieces was about letting go & trusting myself. i’ve enjoyed every moment of it and i love everyone who listened to it. tour starts tomorrow in chicago and im so ready to perform these songs for yall ??‍????

— Chlo?e (@ChloeBailey) April 10, 2023

In Pieces includes the singles, “How Does It Feel” featuring Chris Brown, “Cheat Back” with Future, and the Missy Elliot-assisted tune, “Told Ya.” The 14-track LP received mixed reviews online, with some claiming that Chlöe hasn’t found her sound yet, and others saying that she deserved more musical support. In one think piece, Tennessee writer Wilbert Corden Kizer Moore offered, “I think the problem she’s facing is that she wishes she had an audience that she doesn’t have… she has an audience full of people who want to see her win and want to see her make music from the personative of a self actualized young woman with some kinda self esteem.” The writer added, “If Saweetie and Summer Walker made ‘Cheat Back’ it would be a hit. But from Chlöe its just like…girl what is you doing?”
A Twitter user pointed out that she believes fans were, “all hoping bey (or someone) would help do it for her, bc having that skill comes w experience.” She went on, “Chlöe has a lot of writing [experience] but less w/ production and creative direction. but whoever’s in her corner seems to be very hands-off and it’s not working.”

when i say “edit”, i mean that in fashion/beauty competition shows, mentors tell contestants that having a good eye means knowing how to step back and assess whether your work is too little, too much, or just right. if it’s too much, take something away. and chloe doesn’t do that

— rizzie mcguire (@daniellecanyell) April 5, 2023

Bailey will be giving In Pieces more promotion as she embarks on the album’s titular tour kicking off in Chicago on April 11 and making its way through the major cities of Detroit, Toronto, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and more before concluding in Los Angeles on May 3.

SZA’s dominating sophomore album has broken a record previously held by Mary J. Blige for over 15 years. With “Kill Bill” spending its 16th consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, it has become the longest-running No. 1 single by a solo female artist, taking the reign from Blige’s 2x GRAMMY-winning hit, “Be Without You.”
 

The Bryan-Michael Cox production spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the aforementioned chart following its release in November 2005 and earned the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul wins from the Recording Academy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.

Additionally, SOS garnered its double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on Friday (April 7) while “Kill Bill” is currently 3x platinum and has peaked to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The feat comes on the heels of the songstress extending her widely-successful arena tour into Europe and adding a second leg to the North American run. The first leg of the SOS Tour grossed an estimated $34.5 million and sold out each of its 17 stops. The European leg will commence on June 1 with support from RAYE, and the new 21-city domestic run begins this September.



Overall, SOS has broken records previously held by the likes of Whitney Houston, Usher, Mariah Carey, Adele, and Janet Jackson. Meanwhile, SZA’s 2017 debut album, CTRL, still maintains its momentum on the Billboard 200. When basking in her recent success, she revealed in her Billboard Woman Of The Year speech, “I used to feel like I didn’t belong because I don’t always feel like that but I realized that the key is to stay open and available for whatever the universe or God wants to do with your life. And it’s like even when you don’t know who you are or you may not see—I don’t know why I’m 10 weeks on Billboard. I’m grateful!”

Doja Cat has been trolling her fans a bit about the type of sound she’s going for. She most recently joked about “quitting music,” releasing a country album, and has now mentioned that she’s done with Pop music.
 

On Saturday, the Planet Her rapper tweeted out, “no more pop…i also agree with everyone who said the majority of my rap verses are mid and corny. I know they are. I wasnt trying to prove anything I just enjoy making music but I’m getting tired of hearing yall say that i can’t so I will.”
 

As one Twitter user responded with, “I hope these comments are not the only thing that pushed you to go full rap…if doing pop and rap is what you like you shouldn’t stop simply because of them,” Doja said, “pop isn’t exciting to me anymore. I don’t wanna make it. No more pop.”

In a recent interview, Doja Cat told Variety, that her forthcoming fourth studio-album Hellmouth‘s will have a “more masculine direction,” with more sounds of R&B and Hip-Hop.

“I know that I’ve done a lot of pink and soft things, a lot of pop and glittery sounds,” she told the outlet. “But for this next era, I’m going in a more masculine direction.”

 

 

 

 

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A while back, Doja Cat told Dazed, “If you wanted a teaser into what I’ve been thinking about, that’s what I’ve been on a lot. And just to make it clear, Beastie Boys is a huge inspiration to me.” She added, “Beastie Boys will hit you with hard, loud and crazy rap, but they’ll also hit you with real raw ‘90s punk, which I love, or smooth techno that feels sexy and sleek. And you’ll be like, ‘Where the f**k did this come from?’”

R&B icon Monica found herself mediating a fight that broke out during a performance of “Why I Love You So Much,” at a concert on April 1 in D.C.

As Monica wraps up the beloved ’90’s ballad, two women in the audience begin to scrap before the Atlanta songstress catches wind of it.

“Wait a minute, hold on stop,” she said into the mic signaling her DJ to cut the music. “Come on now, I’m singing a love song. I ain’t singing ‘Knuck If You Buck‘ baby, calm that sh*t down.”

As the two fans continued to tussle a bit, Mo continued, “Somebody, take her, get her a drink on me. Calm down.”

Agreeing with another fan who yelled out that the fight was messing up her mood, the 42-year-old responded, “Me too. Join the club.”

The Grammy-winner then told security to remove the young ladies from the venue, before dedicating the next song, “So Gone” to one of the fighters.

Monica’s recent concert is just one of a few shows she has coming up. On Mother’s Day (May 12), the “Angel of Mine” songstress will join Xscape and Tamar Braxton for the R&B Diva Powerhouse Festival, held at the Colonial Life Center in South Carolina. She will also perform at this year’s Essence Festival.

The singer-TV host is expected to sing some of her biggest hits over the last 28 years, including her recent inspirational single with James Fortune, “Trusting God.” The collaboration follows their 2012 Grammy-nominated gospel song “Hold On,” featuring Fred Hammond.

Revisit her 1995 hit, “Why I love You So Much” below.

Jodeci's founding members—K-Ci Hailey, JoJo, DeVante Swing, and Mr. Dalvin—are set to reunite for their upcoming, headlining Summer Block Party tour alongside SWV and Dru Hill.

Though dates haven’t been revealed, the Forever My Lady quartet and Live Nation Urban have confirmed the validity of the news with an official announcement on social media. “Y’all asked for it and here we come,” said the group in a video shared on Sunday (April 9). “Can’t wait to see y’all. Jodeci for life, baby,” K-Ci chimed in.

Fans can sign up now for the exclusive presale code to be used on Monday, April 24 with general on-sale to follow on Friday, April 28.

 

 

 

 

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Jodeci first announced their reunion in December 2021 after signing with P Music Group. Of the reunion, K-Ci expressed, “We’ve come a long way. It’s a blessing to be back together and give our fans what they’ve been asking for.” They later joined New Edition’s The Culture Tour in 2022 as a supporting act with Charlie Wilson. It’s unclear if Jodeci’s forthcoming performance at Mary J. Blige’s second annual Strength Of A Woman Festival And Summit will be ahead of or in conjunction with the Summer Block Party tour, but fans can look forward to that on May 12 as part of Blige’s Hip-Hop 50 celebration.

 

 

 

 

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When speaking on their complex relationship, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul explained to V-103‘s Big Tigger, “Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, we’re a family, and we helped each other in a lot of ways. So regardless of whatever our little beef was back in the day, we were young, but now we’re all grown. At the end of the day, I’m a fan of Jodeci. We realize how important we are to each other, so it was beautiful to see them.” Fans of “I’m So Into You” trio SWV can be particularly delighted amid the controversy surrounding their currently-shelved tour with Xscape while Dru Hill continues the commemoration of their 25th anniversary. Despite the Jodeci-Dru Hill Verzuz never coming to fruition, this may be supporters’ best shot at getting close to it. Watch SWV’s recent performance on The Jennifer Hudson Show below.

Tamar Braxton’s ex-husband Vince Herbert has been accused of refusing to settle his bill with a famed Los Angeles jeweler, RadarOnline.com has learned.
 

According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the company Greene & Co International and Michael Greene have demanded the court award a default judgment in the amount of $81,356.60.

The jeweler said Herbert had failed to respond to the lawsuit, which was filed in March 2021, despite being served.

A court hearing has been set for May.

 Greene accused Herbert of fraud, deceit and breach of contract.

In the suit, Greene & Co said Herbert contacted it in December 2018. He asked for 7 custom pieces to be created.

The jeweler said Herbert made repeated promises to pay up but never came through. The suit initially demanded $66k in damages but the company now wants $81k in total. A judge has yet to rule on the matter.

Braxton filed for divorce from Herbert in October 2017 after 9 years of marriage. The music exec never showed up to court and Toni’s sister was granted a default in her case.

Since the split, Herbert has been dragged in and out of court over unpaid bills. He’s been sued for eviction, taken to court for millions by Sony Music, and had his luxury car repossessed.

When R&B duo Chlöe x Halle opened for Beyoncé on 2016’s Formation tour, Chlöe Bailey was 17 years old, and two years later, she and her sister joined Freeform’s coming-of-age series, Grown-ish. Now 24, Bailey had her first sex scene in Swarm, opposite Damson Idris (Khalid), and some fans had difficulty seeing her as a grown woman. After the Prime Video horror-comedy dropped on March 17, the backlash to Bailey and Idris’ controversial sex scene was swift, with some dubbing the moment graphic and gratuitous, while others said they simply didn’t want to see the “Treat Me” singer in that light.

Bailey, who plays Marissa in the series, didn’t take the haters too seriously. Her reaction to the Swarm criticism? “I was laughing about it,” she revealed in a recent ET Canada interview. “I am really proud of my performance in that show and being on set with such incredible actors like Damson [Idris] and Dominique [Fishback] and being directed by Donald Glover and being on set with the likes of Malia Obama and Janine [Nabers] and everybody.”

The musician also claimed to be unbothered by some critics’ inability to see her as grown woman who’s embracing her sexuality. “It doesn’t frustrate me anymore because I have so many other things to think about than to waste my time thinking how people perceive me,” Bailey added. “Before it used to bother me, but now I’m like, I got so much to worry about.”

Before Swarm even dropped, Bailey revealed that she and Idris filmed an intimate scene for the series, which Glover and Nabers co-created, telling Deadline, “I remember when I first read the script, I was like, ‘Oh this is insane. This is incredible.’ I cried. Then I remembered, ‘You gotta do that sex scene, girl.’ As open and liberal as I am with my body, I was very scared because I haven’t had that many partners.” Bailey continued, “I’m not like that — like that that sexual and open. Damson made it really comfortable. You know, there were limited people on set — it was a closed set. We were laughing in between. We literally had a bouncy ball in between us. It took all the nervousness away from it.” Later, she also opined that viewers’ strong reactions were borne largely from the fact it was her in the scene rather that the content itself. “That’s what kind of makes it blow out of proportion,” Bailey explained during a March 26 appearance on the Big Boy’s Neighborhood podcast. “I was just doing my job and people got to remember that I’m an adult and I’m an artist and nothing was seen that they haven’t seen from me. You didn’t see nipple.” She could have escaped the hoopla, though, as Glover initially had another Swarm star in mind to play Marissa.

The Atlanta alum revealed to The New York Times that he envisioned Fishback, who stars as Dre, an obsessed fan of a fictional, Beyoncé-like pop star, in Bailey’s role — but she declined in favor of the serial killer role. “I was like, ‘You want to play the murderer? Uh, really?’” Glover told the NYT. “She felt very sweet, like someone you wanted to take care of, but she wanted to do the opposite, which I completely understand even in my own career. She wanted to branch out, and I was excited to allow her to do that.” Either way, she and Bailey undeniably made their marks in ways that created plenty of buzz.

Lionel Richie is getting real about his sex life! While appearing on The View with his American Idol co-judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan for an interview on Tuesday, the R&B icon spoke about his signature hit "All Night Long (All Night)" in honor of its 40th anniversary — and revealed its sensual lyrics no longer ring as true at 73 years old as they once did.

Asked by The View co-host Sara Haines to explain the meaning behind the song, Richie said, "Let me give you the first part that I have to really, really say to you. When I wrote 'All Night Long,' it was truly all night long."

"Now my 'all night long' is down to a fierce 15 minutes," he added as the hosts laughed. "But, don't worry, we'll talk about that later!"

Perry, 38, appeared shocked by Richie's remark and reached out to shake his hand. "Fifteen minutes, that's long, bud," she told the Commodores musician. "And don't you forget that, alright?" quipped Richie in response. "As long as it's not four times a night, seven days a week," added Perry. Richie then recalled the song's writing process. "I had everything but the hook," he explained, noting that he visited a friend named Lloyd in Jamaica for Thanksgiving and came up with the lyric during dinner.

Mary J. Blige appeared on the “Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” recently and expressed her desire to star in a Nina Simone biopic.

“I always wanted to play Nina Simone,” said the New York native.

“I want to learn how to play the piano,” she continued. “I love her songs. They are very dark and moody and I can always find a place for that. So yeah, I definitely want to play her.”

Blige was reportedly set to play Simone in 2006 but the project was allegedly shelved due to budget cuts and delays, according to Rated RnB. Zoe Saldana ultimately starred in the 2016 film “Nina.” The actress later expressed regret for taking the role.

In related news, Blige is producing two new Lifetime original movies inspired by her biggest hits. According to a news release, “Mary J. Blige’s Real Love” and “Mary J. Blige’s Strength of a Woman” will premiere back-to-back in June. The movies are headlined by Ajiona Alexus (Empire,13 Reasons Why) and Da’Vinchi (BMF, All American) with Princess Davis, Austin Anozie, Millan Tesfazgi, Shiraine Haas, Garfield Wilson and Hamza Fouad rounding out the cast. Both films, per the synopsis, explore “the highs and lows of young Black love.” The films will premiere on Lifetime on June 10 at 8p/7c.

During her conversation with Colbert, Blige spoke about the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. “I think it’s been amazing because Hip Hop has given our culture a voice,” Blige said. “It’s given everybody a voice and a place to speak their truth to. From JAY-Z to Nas to Biggie, they’re all speaking their truth through music, from Rakim to KRS-One.” “Everybody is speaking what they’ve lived and what they’ve done through their music and it’s given them some sort of therapy, and that’s what Hip Hop has done and I hope it continues to do that and I hope it stays around for a long time because the new generations are doing the exact same thing.” Watch the conversation below.

Cardi B, Offset and their two children will be returning to the Baby Shark franchise for their big screen debut. The family-of-four will voice characters in the upcoming animated film Baby Shark’s Big Movie, set to premiere later this year.

“Happy to announce that me & my family will be in the BABY SHARKS BIG MOVIE!!!!,” the Bronx rhymer wrote on Twitter Thursday (March 30).

Nickelodeon and Cardi B shared with social media a post showing Cardi, Offset, Kulture and baby Wave as cast members. The graphic also unveiled actors Lance Bass, Ashley Tisdale, Ego Nwodim, Aparna Nancherla, Chloe Fineman and South Korean boy band ENHYPEN as voices for the film as well.

The “Clout” collaborators first worked with the beloved kid-friendly phenomenon on its TV show, Baby Shark’s Big Show! back in 2022. The couple will now reprise the voices of the musical fish Sharki B and Offshark. The series and film, derived from the 2021 popular kids song, “Baby Shark” will also see the pair’s 4-year-old daughter voice Kulture Sharki again, and their 18-month-old son give sound to new character Wavey Shark. See a clip below from Baby Shark’s Big Show! where Sharki B (Cardi) performs her song “The Seaweed Sway.”

Chaka Khan and Rufus have collectively earned a new RIAA certification. Their 1983 hit single, “Ain’t Nobody,” is now a platinum song. Though this is their first platinum certification, the former collaborators have two gold plaques for “Sweet Thing” and “Tell Me Something Good.”

This feat also marks the songstress’ first new nod in nearly 40 years with her fifth studio album I Feel For You (1984) earning its platinum plaque on December 18, 1984.

“Ain’t Nobody” stems from Khan and Rufus’ final album, which peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (formerly the Top Black Albums chart), No. 1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, No. 6 on the Dance Club Songs chart, and No. 50 on the Billboard 200.

 

 

 

 

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Recently, Khan made waves after shading Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige’s placements on Rolling Stone‘s 200 Best Singers Of All Time list. The 70-year-old ranked at No. 29 with Blige at No. 25 and Carey at No. 5. “That must be payola or some sh*t like that,” Khan said of Carey’s placement before shading the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. “These are blind bi**hes! They are blind as a motherfu**ing bat!” she added. “They need hearing aids…These must be the children of Helen Keller!”

The “Through The Fire” singer coincidentally appeared as one of the headliners at Blige’s inaugural Strength Of A Woman Festival in May 2022. Khan ultimately apologized to Carey and Blige on Instagram, writing, “Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time’ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait,” she wrote. “As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes’, ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful. It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologize.” Watch Chaka Khan accept their new plaque for “Ain’t Nobody” above and revisit the classic song below.

During Summer Walker’s set at Dreamville Fest 2023, the Atlanta-bred songbird made a special announcement. On Sunday (April 2), she announced that her new EP, CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE, is slated for release on May 19. The project is currently available for pre-order.

After getting snubbed during the 2022 awards season, the 26-year-old teased that it would be coming soon and wrote on her secondary Instagram account, “Now that I know that these award shows are going to play regardless, Ima go back to making the soul music that I love. EP coming soon.”

CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE is the sequel to the LVRN signee’s 2019 EP, CLEAR, the all-acoustic four-track project that arrived three months after her debut commercial mixtape, Last Day Of Summer. The upcoming project also marks Walker’s first release since her 2021 LP, Still Over It. The sophomore album debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and made history during its first week with over 201 million streams as the largest streaming week for an R&B album by a female artist.

18 out of the 20 songs from the album—including “No Love” featuring SZA, “Ex For A Reason” featuring JT from City Girls, “Unloyal” featuring Ari Lennox, and “Bitter” featuring Cardi B—debuted on the Hot 100.

Still Over It—which she “reclaimed her voice, her truth, and her agency”—also ranked No. 7 on VIBE’s Best R&B Albums of 2021 list.

Recently, Walker appeared on Alex Vaughn’s “So Be It (Remix)” off her new EP, The Hurtbook (Homegirl Pack). Additionally, the mother of three is set to grace the stage at Lovers & Friends Festival on May 6 and at the second installment of Mary J. Blige’s Strength Of A Woman Festival.

Watch the singer make the announcement below.

It’s been almost a month since New Edition kicked off their Legacy Tour at the beginning of March, but Bobby Brown has already missed two shows in Houston and Dallas. According to attorney Christopher Brown, the “My Prerogative” crooner did not perform with his bandmates due to exhaustion.

“To my New Edition Texas fans, I love you, and I’m sorry I missed you this weekend. San Diego-Be ready!! You will get the best of me and my New Edition brothers,” Brown shared in a statement.

The Legacy Tour lands in San Diego on Thursday, April 6. The sextet will then head to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and more before concluding in Tampa, Fla. on April 30.

Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant formed the New Edition quintet in the late ’70s before making their debut with Candy Girl in 1983. Johnny Gill joined the group, temporarily replacing Brown in 1987 for the Heart Break album, ahead of the six members’ reuniting for the Home Again album in 1996. Gill spoke with VIBE about the group’s brotherhood ahead of their 2022 Culture Tour. “That’s something you can’t even manufacture. That comes from life, living, experiences, ups and downs, and the good and the bad and all of those things rolled up in one that causes us to create and have the type of brotherhood that we have,” Gill explained. “From many years of being around and being together, you grow together so it’s not something you can manufacture. It’s not something you can even describe.

It’s just a connection that you have from just having family and brothers and knowing that we’re brothers. Regardless of what we go through, there’s always that foundation of brotherhood that’s undeniable.” To which Brown added, “We fight hard and we love hard.”