Music

Cody Johnson may be a rising country superstar, but he’s also a dad to two young daughters and knows how important it is to support teachers.

That’s why he’s partnering with Get Your Teach On to support the Clear the List campaign, a grassroots social media movement that involves helping teachers by purchasing items on their school supply lists.

“Please consider joining us in supporting these wonderful humans that give so much of their time, effort and energy to the future by inspiring the children of the present,” Cody says in a statement. “Our hope is to make preparation exciting for both teachers and students! And what is more encouraging than having community support, as well as the necessary tools and classroom supplies to kick off a new school year?!”

He adds, “We’re giving back in honor of the educators that, quite literally, changed our lives.”

To pitch in, search for #CoJoClearTheList or visit Cody’s Get Your Teach On page to find a teacher to support.

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Harry Styles‘ ambitious third album, Harry’s House, is the first record of 2022 to be minted Platinum by the RIAA.

The Recording Industry Association of America released its monthly list of songs and albums that earned new certifications, and making the biggest waves was Harry. In addition to becoming the first album to move over 1 million certified units this year, several of his songs earned new certifications, as well.

The song “Late Night Talking,” off Harry’s House, has been minted Gold, while “Cherry,” off Fine Line, is certified Platinum.

Harry isn’t the only artist to enjoy new awards this month. Sara Bareilles‘ song “Gravity” has been certified twice Platinum, while Rick Astley‘s meme-making hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” has sold over 5 million copies — thus going five times Platinum.

In addition, Magic!‘s 2014 hit “Rude” is now certified eight times Platinum, while Walker Hayes earned applause for “Fancy Like,” which is now certified four times Platinum.

Lastly, Justin Bieber earned credit from the RIAA thanks to his hit “Ghost,” which is now twice Platinum.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Harry Styles‘ ambitious third album,Harry’s House,is the first record of 2022 to be minted Platinum by the RIAA.

The Recording Industry Association of America released its monthly list of songs and albums that earned new certifications, and making the biggest waves was Harry. In addition to becoming the first album to move over 1 million certified units this year, several of his songs earned new certifications, as well.

The song “Late Night Talking,” off Harry’s House, has been minted Gold, while “Cherry,” off Fine Line, is certified Platinum.

Another artist earning multiple nods from the RIAA is The Kid LAROI. His song “Thousand Miles” has crossed over into Gold territory, as did his collabs “Fade Away” with Lil Tjay and “Feel Something” with Marshmello.  His track “Wrong,” which features Lil Mosey, also is now certified Platinum. 

Calvin Harris also earned his dues after his collab “Heatstroke” — featuring Young Thug, Pharrell Williams and Ariana Grande — earned Gold status.  

On the Platinum side, Justin Bieber earned credit from the RIAA thanks to his hit “Ghost,” which is now twice Platinum, as is Lil Nas X, whose hit “That’s What I Want” is also now certified twice Platinum. Walker Hayes‘s “Fancy Like” also was certified four times Platinum.

Speaking of throwbacks, Rick Astley‘s meme-making hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” has sold over 5 million copies — and is now officially halfway to Diamond status.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

MAX released the official music video for his new single “Wasabi,” which pays tribute to Uma Thurman‘s Kill Bill and Mike Myers‘ Austin Powers.

The music video stars MAX and his wife, Emily Schneider, as crime fighting vigilantes while Cheaper by the Dozen star Alyson Stoner plays the comedic villain.  

Schneider wears a lime green tracksuit, reminiscent of Thurman’s character The Bride, as she tracks down the goons who kidnapped her lover, MAX. 

“When we wrote ‘Wasabi,’ I immediately knew I wanted something Kill Bill/Austin Powers inspired,” the singer told Rolling Stone. “My wife is a total bada**, and I knew she could pull it off and be the superstar of the video.”

“Once I found out my friend Alyson Stoner was on board to play our perfect villain, it was game over,” he added.

The track features the sensual lyrics, “Baby, you got that body/ That extra little something, wasabi/ Sweat through my shirt, takе it off me/ Come on now.”

“Wasabi” and the previously released “Gucci Bag” are slated to both appear on his forthcoming new album. MAX is heading out on tour starting this October, with a pit stop planned first in Santa Ana, California, on October 17.

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Nicki Minaj and Trina are both successful Black female rappers, but they don’t look or sound the same. Yet, a store clerk managed to get them confused when he mistook Nicki for the Miami native. Nicki recalled the incident in a video shared on her TikTok account. 

“Y’all, I just came back from this meeting, right? And because, like, on my way home, I’m like, you know, I asked the driver to drop me off at this store,” she recalled. She went about her shopping trip before having an awkward encounter with the man behind the register.

“He start looking at me like, you know, he didn’t want to kind of, like, blow my cover, ’cause there’s other people waiting right behind me in the store,” Nicki continued. “So, I lean in ’cause it’s clear that he’s trying to tell me something and I don’t want to talk to you. So, he goes—and he was so serious but so excited, so I’m like, ‘Of course, global icon superstar.’ I’m thinking in my head, it’s OK.”

Nicki went on, “He leans in, and with all seriousness, he said, ‘I been listening to you all day.'” The man then revealed he was a fan of her “old school” music, specifically the song with Trick Daddy.

Nicki Minaj has never collaborated with Trick, so it’s clear the fan unknowingly praised the wrong person. It’s assumed he’s actually a fan of Trina, as she and Trick Daddy have collaborated several times throughout the course of her career.

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Lizzo revealed more about her new album Special and why “About Damn Time” was its lead single.

Appearing on First We Feast’s Hot Ones series, the Grammy winner revealed it was “the last song I wrote for the album.”

“I was turning in my masters in March. I wrote ‘About Damn Time’ in February and I was like, ‘This one?  Mmm, I don’t know about this one,'” she disclosed. Lizzo revealed she was hesitant about the song because “the hook wasn’t done, verses wasn’t … even there yet.”

So, she workshopped it some more to make it pop. “When I finished it, I was like ‘Oh f***, this something that needs to come out right m*********ing now!'”  

Lizzo also revealed that passion to release the song was uncommon for her, adding, “I’m so bad at picking singles for myself because I think everything I do is incredible. I really do!”

The “Truth Hurts” rapper revealed she’s had that belief in herself since she was a kid — and that is why she wanted to pursue a singing career. 

“My confidence that I’ve had since I was little — and my vision — has stayed true. So I really do trust my instinct. It’s the one thing I can trust in this crazy f***ing world,” she said. 

Lizzo revealed that is also what inspired her to launch her Yitty shapewear line, adding it was “a very selfish dream” of hers that she wanted to make a brand that worked for her body. “It’s selfish when you’re creating it and selfless when you’re putting it out,” she added. 

So, how did Lizzo handle the heat? She joked, “I feel like my ancestors was talking to me for a second” — but she powered through to the end!

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Live from New York … it’s Cardinal Copia?

Ghost has premiered a new episode in the band’s ongoing series of skits detailing the characters and lore created by frontman Tobias Forge. The latest installment, which is streaming now on YouTube, picks up where the last one left off, with the Clergy leaders telling Cardinal Copia — Forge’s alter-ego for the Prequelle album cycle — that he needs to get on TV to raise Ghost’s profile.

Cut to the Cardinal setting up a video camera and delivering his not-so-accurate readings of iconic lines from films including Star Wars, Jaws and The Matrix. After he’s done, he sends his tape out to Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels.

In between trying to get on SNL, Ghost will be launching a U.S. tour in support of their latest album, Impera, which features the singles “Hunter’s Moon” and “Call Me Little Sunshine.” The outing kicks off August 26 in San Diego, and also includes Mastodon and Spiritbox on the bill.

(Video contains uncensored profanity) 

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) Ma$e, introduced to the world via Bad Boy Entertainment, has announced a potential deal with the label’s former rival. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, he revealed he’s signing with Death Row Records, recently acquired by Snoop Dogg.

“I’m on Crenshaw — just passed Pico, just passed Slauson — and I’m out here to meet with Snoop so I can do another joint venture with Death Row Records,” he said in the clip.

“I’ll be officially the first one signed to Bad Boy and Death Row. And we gon’ get the 2Pac thing rekindled. Let’s see where we go with that.”

Ma$e rapped and danced his way to the top while rocking shiny colored suits with Diddy and letting the world know about Bad Boy. He released all three of his albums under the label but believes he never got his just due.

“I felt like I did more than I got credit for, more than I got paid for,” Ma$e said in his appearance on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast. “I never got paid what I was worth and I never got the respect I was worth. So the disdain is like, ‘You’re tryna keep me here, n****?’ I’m not here. All my peers is up here. All my peers are bosses.”

If the news is true, Ma$e wouldn’t be the first artist signed to two labels at once. The deal, however, would mark a notable moment for those familiar with the history between the record companies. Bad Boy and Death Row were embroiled in tension during the East Coast and West Coast rivalry in the ’90s and following the murders of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.     

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