Jordan Oram has worked on music videos for Usher, Coldplay and others, andfeature films such as Spiral, starring Chris Rock. Yet, the Canadian cinematographer says the video for Drake’s Grammy-winning single, “God’s Plan,” holds a special place in his heart.
“I mean, all of the projects that I’ve collaborated on have a special place in my heart because they came at a time where I was crafting my story, crafting my voice, and crafting my vision,” Oram tells Complex. “So independently, I think the most important one for me was ‘God’s Plan’ with Drake because it signified my relationship with my belief, as well as whatever I was dedicated to at the time.”
Oram adds that he manifested working with Drake almost a decade ago when he landed a collaboration in Toronto to work on a music release for Drizzy’s Take Care album.
“And I remember having a micro conversation with him. And I said, ‘I’m going to shoot your music videos one day. I remember saying that,” Oram says. “And since then, it’s been beautiful to just remember those conversations with him, like, ‘Yo, do you remember when I was telling you like ten years ago that we were going to work together?” And then it happened.”
“And it happened with Miguel,” he says. “[It] hadn’t happened with Usher in quite the same way, but [I] definitely manifested a lot of the things that happened to fall into my ecosystem.”
Jordan Oram has also worked on other music videos, such Drake and Future‘s “Life Is Good,” Miguel’s “R.A.N.,” and Usher‘s “Don’t Waste My Time,” featuring Ella Mai.
BTS: BIGHIT Music; Elton John: Ben Gibson/Rocket Entertainment
Elton John may be in his 70s, but he’s still relevant: After all, the biggest group in the world just namechecked him in their latest single.
On Friday, K-pop superstars BTS released a new single called “Permission to Dance,” which was co-written by Elton’s pal, Ed Sheeran. In the lyrics, the group sings, “When it all seems like it’s wrong/Just sing along to Elton John.”
Elton responded by tweeting, “When it all seems like it’s right, I sing along to BTS.”
BTS’ devoted fans, who call themselves ARMY, were delighted, and responded by praising Elton as legendary and thanking him for showing love to their idols. Other fans, of course, immediately started calling for a collaboration.
It may not be such a stretch to imagine Elton doing something with BTS: He’s a major supporter of young artists and during the pandemic, he kept himself busy by working with everyone fromLady Gaga and Dua Lipa, to the alternative rock band Gorillaz and British singer Rina Sawayama. He also plays piano on a new version of a Metallica song that features Miley Cyrus on vocals.
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. – With lockdowns closing businesses and athletic seasons getting canceled, Americans took to the outdoors in 2020. People walked, ran, and picked up sports like golf and tennis. Many also took trips to many of the nation’s public lands.
The New River Gorge in West Virginia was named the country’s 63rd National Park as part of the December COVID-19 relief bill, and although always well-known regionally, it has quickly turned into a popular outdoor destination.
“We have seen an uptick this year since the designation,” park superintendent Lizzie Watts tells ABC News. “We hope that uptick is tied to two things: that COVID gave a lot of people the opportunity to learn how safe being outdoors are, and [also] encouraged families to take hikes and go outside where we can actually do things.”
One of the oldest rivers in the entire world, fifty three miles of the New River flows through the park, surrounded by over 70,000 acres worth of scaling rock and lush green trees. The park is a haven for mountain bikers, hikers, rock climbers, and white water rafters. Visitors can also harness in and walk across a beam along the New River Gorge Bridge—one of West Virginia’s most-recognized landmarks.
With a stream of visitors coming in, Watts recommends people plan ahead of their trips:
“Know what the popular trails are, and then also have an alternative… Try to do it Monday through Friday if you can, early morning, later in the evening when there will be less people because part of your experience is you want that grandeur of enjoying it to yourself or with your party.”
Local businesses are expressing their excitement about the park’s new designation.
“This is a huge light that can be shone on how awesome it is to live here,” says Adam Stevens, the owner of the Arrowhead Bike Farm and Campground in Fayetteville.
Stevens tells ABC News his business saw a spike during COVID-19 pandemic, and anticipates another as a result of the National Park designation:
“Not only are we this amazing, iconic geological preservation… we’re also wildly popular activity point for outdoor people. So, that was what we had before all this happened. Then, through COVID we saw a spike. Now we have this National Park thing which brings a different type of visitor.”
At the Fayetteville equipment shop Water Stone Outdoors, co-owner Maura Kistler says they too noticed an increase in visitation:
“Foot traffic has been off the hook. We sit and look across the shop at each other all the time and I’m like, ‘What the hell is going on?’ And that is a great problem to have.”
She tells ABC News that businesses have been waiting for this moment and feel ready, but there is some concern about how the park’s infrastructure will hold up:
“The New River Gorge is National Park-standard ready… we just need a few more parking lots and need to get better about distributing visitors across our park. We need to use all the different trails and all the different overlooks. It’s been really easy to just send people to the standard spots and that’s doing visitors a disservice. We just need to get smarter about that and that’s what we’re working on now.”
There is another concern for one group in the region: public land access. It was a hotly debated topic as the state considered whether the area should be designated a National Park.
“A lot of us hunters… we feel the land was taken from us. That’s my stance on it, and I believe of a lot of other local people,” says Larry Case, writer for the blog Guns & Cornbread. He spent decades as a conservation officer and hunter in the New River Gorge.
Hunting is steeped in tradition in West Virginia, and was even one of the many outdoor activities that saw a pandemic boost.
Hunting did not stop in the New River Gorge, however. Changing the designation from a National River to a National Park and Preserve permitted hunting in most areas. Approximately ten percent of the land is a National Park, where hunting is no longer allowed. The other 90 percent is a preserve, where hunting is allowed.
Advocates say hunters lost just a small portion of land. Case tells ABC News, however, losing any land is impactful for hunters:
“Hunters need to be concerned about public land access… and we didn’t need to change the area to a National Park for the protection of the area… We’re not against tourism, not against National Parks. I just personally don’t see why they had to take this area away from hunters.”
There is a genuine understanding between competing groups. Maura Kistler told ABC what hunters experience with the National Park designation does amount to a loss:
“I know Larry Case. He’s a good man. The hunters have been expressing their concerns and dissatisfaction. They lost some hunting… these are hunting grounds that have been used for generations and that is never an easy thing to accept.”
Park superintendent Lizzie Watts acknowledged the role hunters play in conservation efforts and in curbing a growing deer population in the region.
“A lot of hunters are some of the best conservationists in the world… and we have a huge population of deer in particular… I truly think the best decisions are compromises… both of the parties feel very passionate about what they believe. I think we truly all respected his [Larry Case’s] side of the equation… the compromise that the senators came up with was a Park and Preserve where we get to do both.”
She says there was an effort to compromise and, ultimately, to try to do what is best for the park:
“I think the American public and the national visitors are the true winners because we have a place at this stage, and more people will know how unique this wonderful ecosystem is.”
Listen to the report on the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve here.
Marvel Studios’Black Widow had a super-sized $215 million worldwide debut over the weekend. But stateside, the $80 million it made in theaters, along with the more than $60 million it generated via Disney+ Premiere Access, gave the character’s standalone adventure the highest domestic opening weekend for a Marvel Cinematic Universe origin story after Black Panther and Captain Marvel.
Scarlett Johansson, the star and executive producer of Black Widow, explained at a recent press event what makes her character, AKA Natasha Romanoff, so special in a field of super-soldiers and hammer-wielding gods.
“I was going to say the pose, but then Florence, poo pooed on that,” ScarJo said to laughs, referencing Florence Pugh‘s Black Widow character poking fun in the film at Natasha’s trademark pouncing hair flip.
“I think Natasha…has a lot of integrity,” Johansson says. “She’s a she’s a big character. And she’s…not afraid to admit when she’s wrong. She’s endearing that way. And I think she’s curious about herself and curious about other people. And I think it makes her stand out as superheroes go.”
Disney Studios Content Chairman Alan Bergman apparently agrees with the audience. “[T]his spectacular opening weekend shows just how eager fans have been to see this beloved Avenger in her own story,” he said in a statement.
Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, parent company of ABC News.
Another summer means another summer music playlist from Barack Obama.
Over the weekend, the former president took to social media to share what he’s listening to these days. Like past playlists, the 2021 edition encompasses a range of genres, and it includes songs by several famous rock veterans.
Among the tunes that appear on the 38-track playlist are The Rolling Stones‘ “Tumbling Dice,” George Harrison‘s “My Sweet Lord,” Bob Dylan‘s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” Chicago‘s “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” and Joni Mitchell‘s “Coyote.”
Alongside the list, Obama wrote, “With so many folks getting together with family and friends, there’s a lot to celebrate this summer. Here’s a playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately — it’s a mix of old and new, household names and emerging artists, and a whole lot in between.”
Other artists that Obama has been listening to include Bob Marley & the Wailers, Stevie Wonder, Simply Red, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, The Staple Singers and Miles Davis.
With so many folks getting together with family and friends, there’s a lot to celebrate this summer. Here’s a playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately—it’s a mix of old and new, household names and emerging artists, and a whole lot in between. pic.twitter.com/xwTPun9wsw
Twelve Foot Ninja has announced a new album called Vengeance.
The third studio effort from the Australian metallers will arrive October 15. It includes the previously released singles “Start the Fire” and “Long Way Home.”
To flesh out the world of Vengeance, Twelve Foot Ninja will be releasing a fantasy book titled The Wyvern and the Wolf, written by author Nicholas Snelling, as well as a graphic novel also called Vengeance.
You can also get a preview of the Vengeance story with the newly released video for “Start the Fire,” streaming now on YouTube.
Vengeance is the follow-up to 2016’s Outlier, which spawned the single “Invincible.”
Here’s the Vengeance track list:
“Start the Fire”
“Long Way Home”
“Vengeance”
“IDK”
“Shock to the System”
“Gone”
“Culture War”
“Dead End”
“Over and Out”
“Tangled”
Another summer means another summer music playlist from Barack Obama.
Over the weekend, the former president took to social media to share what he’s listening to these days. Like past playlists, the 2021 edition encompasses a range of genres, and it includes songs by several famous rock veterans.
Among the tunes that appear on the 38-track playlist are The Rolling Stones‘ “Tumbling Dice,” George Harrison‘s “My Sweet Lord,” Stevie Wonder‘s “If You Really Love Me,” Chicago‘s “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles‘ “The Tears of a Clown.”
Alongside the list, Obama wrote, “With so many folks getting together with family and friends, there’s a lot to celebrate this summer. Here’s a playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately — it’s a mix of old and new, household names and emerging artists, and a whole lot in between.”
Other artists that Obama has been listening to include Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Simply Red, The Staple Singers and Miles Davis.
With so many folks getting together with family and friends, there’s a lot to celebrate this summer. Here’s a playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately—it’s a mix of old and new, household names and emerging artists, and a whole lot in between. pic.twitter.com/xwTPun9wsw
Cedric the Entertainer will be the host of this year’s 73rd Emmy Awards.
On CBS’ social media accounts, Cedric announced the news in the form of an “and the winner is…” envelope reveal. “I’m about to be hostin’ the Emmys! And I ain’t even a Jimmy!” he laughed, before yelling the news off-screen: “Hey babe! I’m about to be hosting the Emmys!”
In a statement, the comedian noted, “Since I was a little boy huddled up next to my grandmother, television has always been my reliable friend, so it is an enormous honor for me to host this year’s Emmy Awards.”
He continued, “Throughout the roller-coaster of a year that we have all lived through, television has helped us stay connected as a society like never before. It not only entertained us, but as it always has, it helped to open our eyes, educate us, and hopefully brought about a better understanding of who we are as a people.”
It is the first time Ced will host the event. The stand-up comic and Barbershop veteran stars on The Neighborhood on CBS.
The Emmys will be held live and in person from on Sunday, September 19 at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
The hosting news comes a day before the Emmy nominations will be announced virtually, streaming live on Tuesday, July 13, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Emmys.com.
Considering her net worth is something like $190 million, you wouldn’t think Adele would have to shop at an outlet mall, but apparently she likes a bargain just as much as everyone else.
Page Six reports that it’s been told Adele was seen shopping at the Prada store at an outlet mall near San Bernadino, CA called Cabazon Outlets, and that she was with British rapper Skepta, with whom she’s been linked romantically. A spy told Page Six that they clocked Skepta because he was British and reportedly had the same tattoos that Skepta has.
“She was sitting watching him while he was picking sweaters, pants, trying on jackets and coats and having the employees help him,” the spy says of Adele and Skepta. “She was giving him feedback and saying what she thought he looked great in.”
“It was cute that she was just waiting and being a normal girlfriend while he looked,” the spy added. “He must have shopped for 45 minutes.” Adele also played with another customer’s puppy, notes the spy.
Page Six speculates that the two were at the outlet because it’s near celebrity hangout Palm Springs, and it was around the time of the Fourth of July holiday.
In other Adele news, she’s posted a photo of herself rocking an England soccer jersey, praising her home country’s team even though they lost to Italy in the Euro championship. Noting that the final match took place at London’s Wembley stadium, she wrote, “You did us so proud! You brought our game home and brought us all together.”
Fans on social media believe rapper G Herbo is in hot water with his girlfriend, Taina Williams, after being spotted at his ex-girlfriend’s party this weekend.
Herbo and Williams welcomed their baby boy, Essex, in May, but according to The Shade Room, the couple no longer follow each other on Instagram. Williams jumped into the comments to share a few laughing emojis and let everyone know she temporarily blocked Herbo.
“…That’s still my man he just blocked. Nothing to see here,” she wrote, along with a heart-eyes emoji.
It’s unclear what exactly prompted Taina to block G Herbo, though many believe it had to do with G Herbo attending his ex Ari Fletcher‘s birthday party on Saturday. Fletcher and Herbo co-parent their three-year-old son, Yoshon.
Hopefully, things are OK between G Herbo and Taina. Twitter, however, seems to be having a field day going over the timeline of when Ari and G Herbo broke up in 2018 to when he began publicly dating Taina in January 2019.
“Y’all surprised about G Herbo being at Ari’s party last night. Y’all forgot he left Ari for Taina when they had an infant child,” one fan tweeted.
Another said, “Even if y’all think its okay for a [baby daddy] to go to his [baby mama] birthday party, Taina just had a damn baby. If G Herbo leaving her at home with the baby, it should not be for that reason.”
