Music – Page 3264 – 105.7 WDNY

Jhené Aiko, Missy Elliott, Wizkid set to headline new NYC festival

March 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Letsgetfr.ee, a diverse movement created by and for people of color, announced its inaugural festival kicking off on August 20 this year, to be held in Queens, New York.

Jhené Aiko, Missy Elliott, Wizkid and Anderson .Paak are among the stars set to perform during the two-day event.

“Get ready for a real diverse lineup and show that breaks the mold,” the organization said in the announcement on its Instagram account on Tuesday.

Letsgetfr.ee is the brainchild of Afropunk festival’s Matthew Morgan, partner Jocelyn Cooper, and creative agency Anomaly.

The organization’s overall mission is “to drastically shift the way the entertainment industry operates — by empowering the advancement of the next generation of fr.ee thinkers, artists, activists and innovators.”

The mission of the festival is to close the equity gap for Black, Brown, Asian, and other underrepresented people in the entertainment industry, with the aim of achieving a diversified workforce across all levels in the industry by 2030. To help achieve the mission, Letgetfr.ee says the organization will only work with brands and companies who commit to long-term systemic change.

Other musical artists slated to perform include Major Lazer, Jorja Smith, Ozuna, Kali Uchis, Flatbush Zombies, Beenie Man, Tems and more.

Tickets for the first-ever “conscious carnival” go on sale to the general public on March 9 via the ticket service DICE. Residents of Queens, NY can register to purchase tickets in advance.

You can finally win Doja Cat’s heart — thanks to this suggestive video game

March 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Doja Cat is getting a digital makeover and will become the latest character in the popular but raunchy video game, House Party. The “Say So” singer is crashing the cast of romance-able characters and you can try your luck at winning her heart.

Doja is lending her voice to the House Party universe for her very own side story that’s filled with drama, jokes, thrills and more. According to the official press release, “Players will navigate through an unpredictable night filled with outrageous party goers as they help Doja carry out a master plan to track down a masked dancing sensation who is taking the online world by storm.”

Players will be able to interact with Doja in hopes of befriending or romancing the “Kiss Me More” singer. Her character will come equipped with three outfit changes, one of which is a “steamy hot tub bikini.” If you play your cards right, you’ll even get to help Doja create her next music video.

The Grammy nominee says she’s “so excited that I’m going to be a video game character,” and promises that her inclusion in the game means House Party is “about to get even better.” Her DLC — or downloadable content — drops this summer.

House Party, which was released in 2017, is available to play on Steam and PC with a console launch coming soon. Doja is the latest — and biggest — celebrity to be included in the game. Previous celeb additions include the Game Grumps duo Arin Hanson and Dan Avidan, as well as YouTube personality Lety.

Stevie Nicks pens letter to Vladimir Putin: “I hope you never sleep again”

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Whenever there’s some kind of crisis in the world, Stevie Nicks turns to her journal — and then she shares her words with her fans. What’s inspired her latest missive is the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

On her socials, the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has posted a “letter” to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which is actually more of a poem. It begins, “Are you lonely, Mr. Putin? Is that why you sit at your long, long marble table alone in the night and through the day/and talk to ghosts[?]”

“Because you really have no friends — everyone is afraid of you; afraid to even offer up good advice, because great emperors don’t listen to anyone but ghosts,” she writes.

Stevie then goes on to tell Putin that he “will never be forgiven,” adding, “Your ghosts will haunt you night and day. They will shake their heads and say, ‘This time, Vladimir, you went to[o] far.”

“I hope you never sleep again,” she writes. “I hope you sit at that long, ugly, lonely table for the rest of your life. I hope your ghosts surround you until you are old and grey and miserable. I hope the history books in your country cease to ever write another word about you — I hope you turn to dust.”

“I hope you become invisible. I hope you become ‘the forgotten one,'” she adds, concluding, “The ghosts are coming Mr. Putin. They’re coming for you. Perhaps, they’re already here.”

It remains to be seen if Stevie will turn her thoughts into a song. Her letter follows another post she wrote four days ago, in which she described Putin’s actions as “Hitler coming back to haunt us.”

Ex-GN’R drummer Matt Sorum’s memoir, ‘Double Talkin’ Jive,’ now due out in May

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

After its original September 2021 publication date was postponed, former Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum‘s memoir, Double Talkin’ Jive: True Rock ‘n’ Roll Stories, is finally scheduled to be released on May 10.

As previously reported, Double Talkin’ Jive features Sorum candidly looking back at his eventful life and music career. The rocker recounts his dramatic and dangerous early years as a drug dealer, his many adventures during his 1990-1997 stint with Guns N’ Roses, and his work and exploits with many other rock artists, including the supergroups Velvet Revolver and Kings of Chaos, plus The Cult, Alice Cooper and ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons.

Double Talkin’ Jive also finds Sorum opening up on his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, and reflecting on the perils and pitfalls of rock stardom.

The book features a foreword penned by Gibbons, whose 2021 solo album, Hardware, was co-produced and co-written by Sorum, and featured Matt playing drums on all the tracks.

Double Talkin’ Jive can be pre-ordered now at various online book sellers. Signed copies can be pre-ordered at RareBirdLit.com.

Essence Magazine’s “The Black Women in Hollywood” issue hits stands, ‘Abbott Elementary’s’ Quinta Brunson surprises Philly teacher and more

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Essence Magazine’s “The Black Women in Hollywood” issue hits stands today. Actress Niecy Nash and partner Jessica Betts are featured on the cover and, as previously reported, the newly-married duo are the first-ever same sex couple to do so.

Nash took to her Instagram account to promote and reveal the historical cover, captioning the post, “Making H E R S T O R Y.”

In a similar Instagram post, Essence wrote, “Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts stun on our March/April Cover. When you find ‘A Love Like This’ it keeps faith alive of what true love means…”

Philadelphia native and Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson is living her best life as the star of the hit ABC show and spreading the love because of it.

After creating the show based on her former school teacher, the 32-year-old mogul-in-the-making recently surprised a Philadelphia school teacher for her work and dedication to the students.

Brunson teamed up with Good Morning America to award Xiomara Robinson and Benjamin B. Comegys Elementary School with $20,000 worth of books from Scholastic and $40,000 from Wells Fargo for supplies and equipment.

“To be a part of something like this because of the show … right now, it’s just, it feels fantastic. I feel humbled,” Brunson said.

Actress Laverne Cox is under fire for joking about “entanglements” to Jada Pinkett Smith on the SAG Awards carpet.

“Thank you for all the years of joy you brought us,” Cox said, wrapping up her interview with Jada and Will Smith. “We can’t wait for more Red Table Talk and more, more entanglements,” she added.

Fans took to social media condemning the star and her comments. Actress Vivica Fox said, “Talk about wrong place, wrong time,” on the Fox Soul show, Cocktails with Queens.

Music notes: Taylor Swift, Gwen Stefani, Pink and more

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Taylor Swift shook off another lawsuit. A three-judge panel dismissed the suit filed by singer Jesse Graham, who claimed Taylor’s 2014 hit “Shake It Off” ripped off his 2013 song “Haters Gone Hate,” reports Law360. Graham sought more than $42 million in damages and claimed Taylor stole his song’s lyrics, which included, “Haters gone hate/ Haters gone hate/ Playas gone play/ Playas gone play/ Watch out for them fakers/ They’ll fake you every day.” The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning Graham cannot refile the same claim again.

Gwen Stefani celebrated her son Apollo’s eighth birthday by sharing a sweet throwback video of her little one singing “Old McDonald,” with an original twist. He sang the farmer “had a momma” on his farm, adding, “Here a momma, there a momma!” Gwen, who shares Apollo and two other sons with ex Gavin Rossdale, captioned the video, “Happy 8th birthday to our angel boy a true gift from God your family loves u Apollo.”

Pink is the latest artist to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Grammy winner is using her social media platform to tell fans how they can donate to UNICEF and help those displaced by the violence. She also shared an op-ed to her Instagram Story about why Russian President Vladimir Putin has “already lost the war.”

Justin Bieber has a new song coming out on Friday. “Attention” will feature Justin’s longtime friend DJ Tay James, whom he’s worked with for over 10 years.

Rosé from BLACKPINK tested positive for COVID-19, Billboard confirms. It is unknown if the other members of BLACKPINK — Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa — were exposed. Rosé, who just celebrated her 25th birthday, isn’t the first K-Pop sensation to contract COVID-19. BTS members Jin, RM, Suga and V all battled the coronavirus and have fully recovered.

Ex-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo rejoins Testament: “Pure brutality awaits”

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Testament has a new member: Dave Lombardo.

The former Slayer drummer has rejoined Chuck Billy and company after previously playing with the thrash metallers on their 1999 album, The Gathering.

“I’ll state the obvious,” Billy says in a statement. “We are more than overwhelmed to welcome back Dave Lombardo to play drums with Testament…Dave added immense power when he joined the band for The Gathering, and we are ecstatic to see what new flavor he will bring back to Testament.”

Lombardo adds, “This is a long-awaited reunion that was bound to happen. Once upon a time, we created a thrash masterpiece. I have no doubt that our musical chemistry will pick up exactly where we left off. I love the Testament family and am very excited to be joining them once again. Pure brutality awaits.”

Lombardo takes the place of longtime Testament drummer Gene Hoglan, who left the band earlier this year.

You can catch Lombardo live with Testament on their upcoming The Bay Strikes Back tour, which launches in April.

Historic anti-lynching bill passed by House, makes its way to Senate

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

“The Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act,” designating lynching as a federal hate crime, was passed by the House on Monday and is now on its way to the Senate to possibly be signed into law.

The historic bill was approved on the last day of Black History Month and 65 years after Till, a 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago, was murdered in a brutal lynching in Mississippi in 1955.

Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush, who authored the House bill, said its passage marked “a day of enormous consequence for our nation.”

“I was eight years old when my mother put the photograph of Emmett Till’s brutalized body that ran in Jet magazine on our living room coffee table, pointed to it, and said, ‘This is why I brought my boys out of Albany, Georgia,'” Rush said. “That photograph shaped my consciousness as a Black man in America, changed the course of my life, and changed our nation.”

This is not the first time the lynching bill was introduced; according to the Washington Post, passage of the bill failed nearly 200 times. In 2020, GOP Sen. Rand Paul blocked the bill from passing, worried it would “conflate lesser crimes with lynching.”

According to ABC News, the senator now supports the bill, saying in a statement, “I’m pleased to have worked with Senators Cory Booker and Tim Scott to strengthen the final product and ensure the language of this bill defines lynching as the absolutely heinous crime that it is, and I’m glad to cosponsor this bipartisan effort.”

The bill passed in a 422-3 House vote, with Republican leaders Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Chip Roy of Texas all on the opposing side.

If signed into law, the hate crime is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Zendaya and Labrinth release new gospel-inspired song from ‘Euphoria’

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NOTE LANGUAGE) Following the season-two finale of HBO’s Euphoria, superstar actress Zendaya and show composer Labrinth released the full version of the gospel-inspired track “I’m Tired.”

A snippet of the track was first heard in the season’s second episode, during an emotional church scene with Zendaya’s character, Rue, who struggles with sobriety. At the end of the season finale, the last minute of the song — and Zendaya’s vocals — are heard while Rue reflects on her sobriety journey.

Zendaya sings, “Hey Lord, you know I’m trying. Hey Lord, you know I’m trying. It’s all I got, is this enough? Hey Lord, I wanna stay.”

The star expressed gratitude to Labrinth in a Monday Instagram story, saying, “Thank you bro for allowing me to write, create and share space with you on this very special song. I learn so much from you every time we work. Excited for what’s to come.”

In an interview with Variety, Labrinth discussed what it was like writing the track and even appearing in the final episode.

“I [sang], ‘Hey lord, you know I’m tired.’ And then she was like, ‘Oh s***!’ And we just started writing the song,” the singer, songwriter said. “It was all of that impulsive inspiration, you know? And then being in the scene, I was like, ‘I haven’t performed for a while and I’ve not been on American TV before or been an actor before… I [was] like, just be in the moment.”

“I’m Tired” isn’t the first track produced by the duo. Labrinth started contributing music to the show during season one, composing “All for Us” for the season’s finale.

Considering Euphoria was greenlit for season three, fans may get much more of the Zendaya-Labrinth dynamic combo. The show is available to stream on HBO and HBO Max.

New Travis Barker reality series ‘Inked and Iced’ in the works

March 1, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Blink-182‘s Travis Barker has a new reality TV show in the works.

According to Deadline, the series will be called Inked and Iced, and will explore Barker’s passion for tattoos and diamond dental implants alongside so-called “diamond dentist” Dr. Tom Connelly.

Episodes of Inked and Iced will feature “celebrities and musicians undergoing high-end diamond dental implants while simultaneously receiving full-body tattoos, all while under anesthesia,” Deadline reports.

“Inked and Iced is about self-expression, the human body as an art canvas, capitalism, eccentricity and entrepreneurship,” says Aengus James of This Is Just a Test Media, one of the entertainment companies developing the show with Barker.

The premiere date for Inked and Iced has yet to be announced.

Barker previously starred in the reality show Meet the Barkers — alongside his two kids and then-wife Shanna Moakler — which aired 2005-2006 on MTV.

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