French Montana and members of his Coke Boys record label are teaming up with DJ Drama for their very own Gangsta Grillz mixtape. With the release date set for Friday, French took to Instagram to unveil the track list and give fans an idea of what’s on the way.
CB6: Money Heist Edition features 29 tracks with appearances from Coke Boys’ Max B, DThang, Kenzo B andthe late Chinx. A$AP Rocky, Jeremih, Benny the Butcher, EST Gee, Kodak Black and morealso guest on the album.
As its name implies, CB6 marks the sixth installment of French’s Coke Boys mixtape series. It’s also the latest Gangsta Grillz tape; Pusha T and Juelz Santana‘s respective Gangsta Grillz will drop later on this year.
Blondie’s Debbie Harry has lent her vocals to a star-studded new single, to be featured in the upcoming movie 80 for Brady.The tune “Gonna Be You,” dropping January 20, was written by legendary songwriter Diane Warren and also features Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan, The Go-Go‘s Belinda Carlisle and Dolly Parton.
80 for Brady is based on the true story of four best friends who traveled to the Super Bowl in 2017 to see then-New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady play. And the stars of the film are just as impressive as the lineup for the song: Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Sally Field and Rita Moreno. Brady also appears in the film, which arrives in theaters February 3.
“I wanted to write a song that celebrated these women’s deep friendship,” Diane says in a statement. “Since 80 was in the title I got a crazy idea, why not get some of the most iconic singers from the 80s, who are still amazing and always will be, to all sing it?!!!!”
She adds, “I’m honored to have Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan and Debbie Harry on this song!! ‘Gonna Be You’ is that song you want to sing along to with all your good friends!!!”
Jackson Dean‘s getting “Fearless” with his new single.
The new release from Greenbroke is the follow-up to his debut single, “Don’t Come Lookin’,” which went on to become his first #1.
“I believe in ghosts/ Most people don’t/ I swear it on my Grandpa’s grave,” Jackson sings in the opening lines of “Fearless,” continuing in the rebellious, mystical style he established with “Don’t Come Lookin’.” This time, he makes room for a little romance, adding, “I got thick skin/ I’ll dive in/ I’m fearless/ Except when it comes to you” in the chorus.
2023’s a big year for Jackson. He joins Blake Shelton and Carly Pearce on the Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, before performing in the New Faces Show at Country Radio Seminar in March — a feat seen as one of the biggest predictors of long-term success in the genre.
Bob Weir is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his debut solo album, Ace, with a new deluxe edition and he’s giving fans a little taste of what to expect with the release.
The Grateful Dead guitarist just released a live version of the tune “Greatest Story Ever Told,” featuring Tyler Childers, which will appear on Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, dropping January 13. The live version of the track was recorded at a 2020 show with his band Wolf Bros at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, where they performed the entire album live and were joined by special guests.
Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will be released as a double CD and on streaming services. It will feature a remastered new mix of Ace, along with a full Radio City performance. A black vinyl version will also be released on February 3.
Katy Perry is practicing “Dryuary” — where one is challenged not to drink alcohol during the month of January — and reveals she actually goes a step further than that.
Speaking to Women’s Health, Katy revealed she will go alcohol-free for months when it comes to her music. “Sometimes when I’m prepping for a tour or album release, I’ll take three or six months where I’m not drinking at all,” she disclosed.
“I am a zero to 100 type of girl,” she continued. “I lean into the luxury and the pleasure. But then I have to recuperate and take time, pull back, re-energize by feeding myself good things and taking care of myself in certain ways so that I can go back out into the world and ham it up.”
Katy will never drink alcohol before a show. “I have so many marks to hit, and so many things that I have to make feel effortless and easy and natural, but they’re actually very technical,” she explained. “I’m hanging on wires, I’m masquerading as a Cirque de Soleil performer many of the times.”
Katy also spoke about being a first-time mom, and said she gives all the “extra moments I have to being present and being a mother.” She shares a 2-year-old daughter named Daisy with partner Orlando Bloom.
Katy became a mom at 35 and believes the timing was perfect. “I really feel like I checked off a lot of my life boxes and was ready to do that, to be of service as a mother does … I’ve seen so many views of so many different mountains, and this is the best view,” she said.
GAYLE is included in the RIAA’s Class of 2022, which lists all the artists who earned their first certifications over the last year.
The teenage artist’s breakout hit “abcdefu” was certified Gold last January and ended 2022 with triple-Platinum honors, signifying 3 million certified units.
GAYLE is one of 39 artists who achieved their first RIAA certification in 2022, though “abcdefu” was the only song by an RIAA freshman to go multiple-times Platinum.
“Whenever a Gold, Platinum or Diamond certification is earned, it represents massive engagement from an artist’s fans, and a remarkable achievement by the artist, their creative teams, and their record label,” says RIAA COO Michele Ballantyne. “And when it is your very first RIAA award, it’s even more special. We are so encouraged by the success of this #RIAAClassOf 2022 and are honored to help celebrate their immense talents.”
Meanwhile, GAYLE’s 2023 is looking to be just as eventful. She’ll be opening for select dates on Taylor Swift‘s stadium tour, while “abcdefu” is nominated for Song of the Year at the 2023 Grammys.
Host Ta-Nehisi Coates asked Coogler how the sequel took shape, both before and after their friend Boseman’s 2020 death at 43 following a private cancer battle.
At times overcome with emotion, the filmmaker explains he’d sent a draft of the script to Boseman weeks before he passed away. Coogler, like most people, didn’t know Boseman was dying.
Coogler recalls solemnly, “I could tell he was tired. I’d been trying to get a hold of him for a few days, and Denzel [Washington] had been trying to get a hold of him, too … I could tell he was laying down when I was talking to him … I could tell something was up.”
Coogler recalls, “I found out later he was too tired to read anything.”
Weeks later, Coogler was told Boseman passed away. “I didn’t wanna believe it. So I called Denzel, and I was like, ‘Maybe it’s a rumor.’ I was texting Chad … And [Denzel called back] and said, ‘It’s not a rumor.'”
The filmmaker exclaimed, “I found out in the [press] release … he was sick when I met him [in 2015]! When he passed, I just went back to all [the stunts] I asked him to do on [Black Panther].”
Coogler remembered Boseman needing extra time to warm up after scenes in the water. “Some days I’d just find him incredibly sad,” he expressed.
“Looking back,” Coogler realized, “I was like, ‘My mans was dying!'”
He said of going ahead with Wakanda Forever, “If he did all that while he was going through that … we gotta push through.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was one of the highest-grossing movies of 2022. It arrives on Disney+ February 1.
Ellie Goulding celebrated her 36th birthday on December 30 and had “some random thoughts” to share. The singer took to Instagram on Thursday to talk about what she learned over the past year.
Sharing a photo of her lounging in a green bikini, Ellie wrote, “Staying in the glow of everything I’ve accomplished (including the teeny things like getting out of bed) and not constantly downplaying things to myself to exhaustion. Accepting it’s ok to be proud.”
“Noticing that my anxiety induced adrenalin might be ageing me (or is that just age?!) but I also feel like I could lift a car at any moment, so I’m still quite lethal somehow despite being knackered most of the time,” she continued. “I have spent more time alone on walks this year than ever. Don’t always find the answers, but being in nature will always be the most healing and nurturing thing possible.”
The singer added she is reading more and is currently devouring Niamh Campbell’s We Were Young. She also praised the benefits of listening to classical music and revealed some natural remedies she took a shining to, like ashwagandha to manage her stress and magnesium to help her sleep.
“Sleep is crucial too. Lots of sleep,” she said. Ellie also said she is “sick of ‘trying’ but not with action verbs like doing.”
Finally, she signed off by asking if brunette hair is better and ruled, “Remains to be seen.”
Dolly Parton‘s teaming up with a who’s who of pop icons from the ’80s for a new song from the upcoming film 80 for Brady. The new movie features her 9 to 5 co-stars — and longtime friends — Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, along with her Steel Magnolias compadre Sally Field and the iconic Rita Moreno.
“Gonna Be You” was written by legendary songwriter Diane Warren.
“I wanted to write a song that celebrated these women’s deep friendship,” Diane says in a statement. “Since 80 was in the title I got a crazy idea, why not get some of the most iconic singers from the 80s, who are still amazing and always will be, to all sing it?!!!!”
“Everyone I approached said yes and was just as excited as me!!” Warren adds. “I’m honored to have Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan and Debbie Harry on this song!! ‘Gonna Be You’ is that song you want to sing along to with all your good friends!!!”
Of course, it’s worth pointing out that Dolly is a pop icon herself. In addition to her numerous country hits, she also topped the pop charts in the ’80s with the title track from 9 to 5 and “Islands in the Stream” with Kenny Rogers.
80 for Brady is based on the true story of four best friends who traveled to the Super Bowl in 2017 to see then-New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady play. Brady appears in the film, which arrives in theaters February 3.
We won’t have to wait quite as long to hear “Gonna Be You,” which arrives January 20.
Bono is spending a little more time in New York this spring. As previously reported, the U2 frontman recently announced a New York residency of his Stories of Surrender book tour, and now he’s added even more dates.
Described as “an evening of words, music and some mischief,” the residency kicks off April 16 at the Beacon Theater. He initially announced eight shows, but now Bono’s added three more: May 4, 7 and 8.
The shows have Bono recounting stories from his recently released memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, and also performing stripped down versions of U2 songs. He’ll be backed by Gemma Doherty on harp, keyboard and vocals, and Kate Ellis on cello, keyboard and vocals, with Jacknife Lee serving as musical director.
Tickets for the new dates go on sale January 9 at 10 a.m. ET.
