Music

Songs by Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Kool & the Gang, Donny Hathaway, Delfonics and other soul and R&B artists are featured on the recently released soundtrack of the award-winning documentary Mr. Soul!

The film tells the story behind the groundbreaking public television variety program Soul!, which ran from 1968 to 1973 and featured interviews with and live performances by Black artists, musicians, writers, poets, politicians, activists and more. The show was created, hosted and produced by enigmatic producer, broadcaster and promoter Ellis Haizlip. Mr. Soul! was written, directed and produced by Ellis’ niece, Melissa Haizlip.

Among the many guests who appeared on the show, which came to be known as America’s first “Black Tonight Show,” were Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Roberta Flack, Muhammad Ali and author James Baldwin.

Mr. Soul!, which originally was released in 2018, premiered last month on HBO Max. For more info about the doc, visit MrSoulMovie.com.

The soundtrack is available now as a digital download and via streaming services. Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Show Me Your Soul” — Lalah Hathaway & Robert Glasper
“The Ghetto” — Donny Hathaway
“Express Yourself” — Charles Wright
“Over the Rainbow” — Patti LaBelle
“Grazing in the Grass” — Hugh Masekela
“If I Were Your Woman” — Gladys Knight and the Pips
“Didn’t I Blow Your Mind” — Delfonics
“I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel to Be Free)” — Billy Taylor
“Chocolate Buttermilk” — Kool & the Gang

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Static-X has announced a 2022 headlining tour.

The outing, dubbed the Rise of the Machine tour, is set to kick off February 21 in Portland, and will wrap up April 3 in San Francisco. Other artists on the bill include Fear Factory and Dope, as well as Mushroomhead and Twiztid on select dates.

On the tour, Static-X will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their 2001 sophomore album, Machine. The band previously launched a 20th anniversary tour for their 1999 debut, Wisconsin Death Trip, during which they introduced Xer0, the mask-wearing mystery singer who now fronts Static-X in tribute to the late Wayne Static.

“We are so excited to finally get back out on the road,” Static-X says. “We plan to play most of the songs off of both Machine and Wisconsin Death Trip, as well a number of nice surprises that are being incorporated into the set list.”

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Static-X.com.

Meanwhile, Static-X is planning to release a deluxe 20th anniversary reissue of Machine on February 18.

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Nicki Minaj isn’t in attendance at this year’s Met Gala, which is currently underway in New York City, and she revealed that it’s because she hasn’t been vaccinated for COVID-19.

“They want you to get vaccinated for the Met,” the rapper tweeted. “if I get vaccinated it won’t [be] for the Met. It’ll be once I feel I’ve done enough research. I’m working on that now.”

She added, “In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face. Not that loose one.”

Nicki also revealed that she recently contracted COVID after prepping for the MTV VMAs and shooting a video. Last week, Nicki announced that she would not be performing at Sunday’s VMAs as she’d planned, but did not give a reason why at the time.

In response to a fan on Twitter who posted about needing to be vaccinated for certain jobs, Nicki added that she is open to getting the vaccine in the future. “I’m sure I’ll b vaccinated as well cuz I have to go on tour, etc.,” she wrote.

“Which vaccine would you recommend?” she asked her Barbz. “It’s #QueenRadio time. Talk to me.”

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It was a “wild” weekend for Teyana Taylor. She received a steamy lap dance while strapped down during Normani‘s “Wild Side” performance on the MTV VMAs, and she also presented a show for New York Fashion Week.

The versatile singer/actress/designer is the creative director for the PrettyLittleThing brand, and her showcase featured her five-year-old daughter, Junie.

“I’m so in awe of how much hard work pays off and how much of my heart was involved in making sure this show reflected it,” Teyana commented on Instagram, sharing video highlights from her show.

“Trying hard never fails you when it comes to your passion” she continued. “Thank you to everyone involved in this magical moment! Cause it aint just me!!! Y’all know it takes a village!! Thank you @prettylittlething & @theauntiesinc we did it again!!”

The 2017 VMA winner for Best Choreography says her spring/summer 2022 collection was inspired by hip hop culture from 30 years ago.

“As everyone knows I’m obsessed with the whole ’90s era,” Teyana tells Essence. “Diddy, Mase, Mary [J. Blige], I appreciate that era so much. I appreciate the early ’00s as well.”

She adds that her two daughters, Junie and one-year-old Rue, motivate her to succeed.

“They are the greatest form of genuine love. They’re my biggest fans,” the 30-year-old entertainer says. “They don’t say, ‘Oh mommy, you wear sweatpants, you like a little boy.’ They say, ‘Oh mommy you look cute today, you look like a Teletubby.’ That’s what gets me going. I was always a strong person, but having my babies has made me unstoppable. I get my fearlessness from them.”

 

 

 

 

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Taylor Swift has been rumored to have been visiting Northern Ireland for quite some time now, because her boyfriend Joe Alwyn is filming a TV series there.  Well, now there’s ironclad proof that she’s been hanging around the Emerald Isle.

As People reports, last week, Taylor was seen at a restaurant called Shu in Belfast, where she posed for photographs with fans and workers.  The eatery shared the pics on its Instagram, and wrote, “Taylor was so lovely and really is a beautiful person inside and out and she kindly agreed to get photos with all our staff!”

The following night, Taylor was seen enjoying margaritas at a cocktail bar called The Tipsy Bird, and she also posed for pics with the staff.  They turned the visit into a full-on advertisement, posting the photos and writing, “The one and only @taylorswift graced us with her presence last Friday night…We can confirm she is just as lovely as you would expect and was kind enough to take a picture with our team.”

They added, “Oh, and if anyone wants to join us for Margaritas that are good enough for T-Swizzle just click the link in our bio.”

The bar also shared that Taylor was indeed in town to support Joe as he films a Hulu TV series based on the Sally Rooney novel Conversations with Friends, which is expected to debut next year.

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Rihanna‘s Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3, which takes place next week, promises to be more spectacular than ever, with performances by Normani, Ricky Martin and more.

RiRi made the announcement with a dazzling Instagram teaser featuring dozens of dancers. She commented in an accompanying message, “SAVAGEXFENTYSHOW VOL. 3!! Start making that guest list to ya watch party baby …. Sept. 24.”

Sabrina Carpenter, Troye Sivan and Vanessa Hudgens will also appear on the show, along with renowned models Behati Prinsloo, Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Irina Shayk and many more.

Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 will stream on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide beginning Friday, September 24.

Normani also took part in last year’s presentation at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Tonight, Rihanna, whom Forbes declared is the wealthiest female musician in the world, worth an estimated $1.7 billion, will host a special VIP after party following the exclusive Met Gala in New York City.

 

 

 

 

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Rick Ross has created a multi-million dollar hip hop empire with his Maybach Music Group label, enabling him to own over 100 cars. Now finally, at the age of 45, he has a license to drive them.

The Boss admits he’s been driving illegally for years, and has been pulled over by police many times, without ever getting a ticket.

“It’s something about my smile. Every time I get pulled over, by the time the officers walked up….They like, ‘Go ‘head, Rozay. We know you good,'” he told Today.

“My mom and my sister pressured me, finally. So I went and took the test. It took me an hour,” the “Hustlin'” rapper added. “You know, I missed a few answers but I got it.”

Ross published a new book, The Perfect Day to Boss Up: A Hustler’s Guide to Building Your Empire, on September 7, and he’s headlining the Legendz of the Streetz tour which kicks off September 30 in Augusta, GA. He’ll be joined by Jeezy, Gucci Mane and 2 Chainz, with special guests Fabolous, Lil Kim, Trina and Boosie Badazz.

The six-time Grammy nominee, who’s featured on Drake‘s number-one album, Certified Lover Boy, says he’s finalizing his 11th solo album, titled Richer Than I’ve Ever Been. It will be Ross’ first solo album since Port of Miami 2 in 2019.

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Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs and Darius Rucker are headlining the 2022 Country to Country Festival. 

The Europe-based country music festival unveiled the lineup on Monday that features the three superstars trading nights at three venues in London, England; Dublin, Ireland; and Glasgow, Scotland March 11-13. 

Miranda will open the three-day festival with a headlining show at London’s O2 Arena on March 11, with Darius and Luke following on March 12 and 13, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Hottie & The Blowfish will headline Dublin’s 3Arena on opening night, as Luke performs the following night and Miranda on Sunday. The “Cold As You” hitmaker headlines The SSE Hydro in Glasgow on March 11, followed by Miranda on March 12 and Darius closing out the festival at the venue.   

Also on the bill are Brett Young, Ashley McBryde, Russell Dickerson, Runaway June, Scotty McCreery and more.

This is the eighth C2C festival since launching in 2013 and the first since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 installments. Tickets purchased for the 2020 festival will be honored at the 2022 shows. Additional tickets go on sale Friday morning at 10 a.m.

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Katy Perry has allowed the use of her number-one hit “Teenage Dream” in a new PSA by Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organization dedicating to preventing gun violence.  It’s led by the family members of those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.

Katy posted the PSA, which runs for two minutes and 30 seconds and shows various young people reciting and/or singing the lyrics of “Teenage Dream.”  That’s followed by the words “The teenage dream is not what it used to be.”  We then see a montage of the same kids, and learn that they are all survivors of school shootings. 

We learn that one teen still has a bullet lodged in his heart, for example, while another avoided injury by hiding under the body of her dead friend.  Still another was shot in the stomach; her best friend was killed next to her.

“School shootings are preventable when you know the signs,” the PSA concludes.

“For too many kids, The Teenage Dream is shattered by school shootings,” Katy captioned the video. “Gun violence shouldn’t be part of growing up. Please share this important PSA from @sandyhookpromise.”

 

 

 

 

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Camille Homme, the 15-year-old daughter of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, has been granted a temporary restraining order against her father, TMZ and Consequence report.

The news comes after TMZ reported last week that Homme’s ex-wife, Brody Dalle of The Distillers, had filed for a restraining order against him on behalf of their two sons, Orrin, 10, and Wolf, 5. Those requests, however, were denied by two separate judges.

In Camille’s request, which was uploaded by Consequence, she alleges her father has physically, verbally and emotionally abused her and her brothers, describing similar incidents to what Orrin and Wolf had alleged in their filings. She writes that the three of them are “afraid retaliation from our father” and that “he might kill our mother or her boyfriend.”

“We’re afraid he might hit us or continue to abuse us emotionally,” she continues. “Please, we just want it to stop.”

Homme has been ordered to stay 100 yards away from his daughter. Camille also requested that Orrin and Wolf be protected by the order, but a judge ruled that, due to her age, she can’t file on behalf of her two younger siblings.

In a statement to TMZ, Homme’s lawyer says, “We believe that this [domestic violence claim], which was prepared by Brody, in her handwriting on the forms, was filed in retaliation for Josh obtaining a [temporary restraining order] against Brody for her physical abuse of Josh, among other things involving the children,” referring to the restraining orders Homme and Dalle filed against each amid their 2019 divorce.

Camille denies this claim, telling TMZ through a rep, “My [domestic violence restraining order] isn’t fake and was NOT written by my Mom!”

“It’s a means to an end,” Camille continues. “Everything in there is something I SAW, EXPERIENCED, and HEARD and is 100% true. To deny that is to deny the human right of free speech. I wish I could’ve protected my brothers under it, but unfortunately, the law says otherwise.”

For anyone affected by abuse and needing support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or if you’re unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474.

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