Music

March 31, 2019 was a day of sadness, sorrow, confusion and anger for the hip hop community.

And though it’s been three years today since the death of two-time Grammy-winning rapper Nipsey Hussle, the loss is still as hurtful now as it was back then.

Nipsey, born Airmiess “Ermias” Joseph Asghedom, was gunned down outside of his clothing store, The Marathon Clothing, on Slauson Ave in Los Angeles. Nipsey’s decision to open the store in the middle of Crenshaw, the area in which he grew up, was in keeping with his entrepreneurial efforts to build up and give back to the community that raised him.

That’s what ‘Nip’ was all about. After having lived his adolescent years a part of the gritty, gang-centered South LA lifestyle, the 33-year-old “Double Up” rapper was on a mission to uplift, inspire, invest and provide opportunities not normally available to young Black men like himself.

Nipsey was a prolific rapper whose music reflected not only his life experiences, but also his future plans, with lyrics like: “Think if I call it the great, the people gon’ call it the truth // Ain’t really trip on the credit, I just paid all of my dues // I just respected the game, now my name all in the news // Trippin’ on all of my moves, quote me on this, got a lot more to prove.”

Those lyrics from “Hussle & Motivate” were among a few of the other chart-topping hits from Nipsey’s debut studio album, Victory Lap, which went on to win Best Rap Album at the 61st Grammy Awards.

The old saying “the good die young” certainly rang true when Nipsey Hussle died. And while the young king was just getting started, Nip’s legacy will live on forever.

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“Personal matters” have sent All That Remains drummer Jason Costa home in the middle of the band’s tour.

On social media, the band announced “that our drummer Jason Costa has to head home to deal with some personal matters. We love him and respect his decisions, we look forward to having him back when he is ready.”

Costa is being replaced by Anthony Barone, who’s performed with Shadow of Intent and Beneath the Massacre.  “We would like to thank Anthony Barone for jumping in at the last minute,” All That Remains wrote. “Make some extra noise for him when you come to a show.”

The band’s current tour is marking the 15th anniversary of their third album The Fall of Ideals.  It’s scheduled to wrap up May 19 in Huntington, NY.

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Who doesn’t want to see Machine Gun Kelly surrounded by adorable kittens?

That’s what happens in his latest video: It’s for “make up sex,” a collaboration with blackbear from MGK’s new album, mainstream sellout.

In the video, MGK performs in a room full of kittens, some of which bob their heads along with the song, and then Kelly’s head is literally replaced with a cat’s head.  Meanwhile, blackbear sings his part surrounded by silver Mylar balloons, until he and MGK come together to perform in a living room as pink rose petals shower down on them.

The duo performed “make up sex” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this week.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) The Red Hot Chili Peppers will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today, and the LA band has a true emotional connection to those particular stretches of street.

“I’m pretty sure that I have inadvertently vomited on Hollywood Walk of Fame stars in my lifetime,” Anthony Kiedis tells Variety. “I’ve certainly slept on top of Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame stars in my lifetime. I’ve trod upon them not as a tourist but as a person running from the authorities or possibly running from somebody that I owed money to.”

“I’ve walked over every one of those stars — every sidewalk, every crack, every one of them. To be recognized and be a part of the physical fabric of those sidewalks means a lot to me,” agrees Flea.

He adds, “A lot of honors that we’ve gotten or not gotten, we don’t give a f**k about. But this one is actually really beautiful for me, and to be a part of that history, to be where Groucho Marx is and Marilyn Monroe is, means a lot to me.”

 “Flea and I lived on Hollywood Boulevard back before it had been cleaned up and gentrified and turned back into the attraction that it is today, so I do have a relationship with the boulevard and the stars,” notes Kiedis. He adds, “In the end, you know, it’s a cool little object for people to spit their gum onto — and it’s exciting.”

A number of celebrities will be on hand to help the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers unveil their star, including actor Woody Harrelson, funk legend George Clinton — who produced the Chili Peppers’ 1985 album, Freaky Styley — and Thelonius Monster frontman and addiction counselor Bob Forrest. The ceremony will be livestreamed at WalkofFame.com at 2:30pm ET.

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Justin Bieber was booed at his concert in Montreal after dissing the town’s hockey team. 

The “Sorry” singer was in town for his Justice World Tour on Tuesday and made a sly comment about the hockey team, the Canadiens, who aren’t doing so well, currently holding the leagues worst record of 18-38-11. 

In footage from the concert, Justin, who happens to be a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs — the rival of the Canadiens — taunts, “How ’bout the Leafs, though, huh? How’s that playoff spot looking for you guys this year?”

The shade didn’t go over very well with the audience very loudly booing the pop star and even shouting expletives. 

Eventually, Justin quit trolling the team and got back to business. For the record, though, Justin’s team has a 42-19-5 record. So, safe to say he’s a proud fan. 

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Miranda Lambert didn’t introduce her husband Brendan McLoughlin to fans until after they were married, but since then, she hasn’t been shy about sharing a whole lot of him: The singer frequently posts steamy shirtless pics of her ripped, former NYPD hubby.

And while some might wonder whether all that attention makes Brendan uncomfortable, the singer says she posts photos with her husband’s enthusiastic consent.

“I told him, ‘God gave you that amazing body. You’re beautiful. Please share with the world. Don’t be rude,’” Miranda jokes in a new Rolling Stone interview, admitting that she sees how some could wonder if her shirtless pics “exploit him.”

But, “He loves it, by the way,” the singer continues. “He’s on board and thinks it’s funny.”

Plus, the way the couple sees it, Miranda is proud of the music she makes — and Brendan is proud of his toned physique.

“I work hard on my music, and I want people to hear it. You work hard on those abs. People need to see that, bud,” Miranda quips, adding that the shirtless pics are just one example of her playful, fun dynamic with her husband.

“I tend to take myself way too seriously sometimes,” she notes. “But he’s just a fun-loving, fun-hearted guy that is down for anything.”

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“A dream come true” is what Grammy Award-winning superstar Lizzo is calling her newest venture. 

And, after only a week of teasing what the star says is her “biggest thing YET,” Lizzo dropped a preview of her new body-positive shapewear line, YITTY, on Wednesday. 

In partnership with Fabletics, the “no-shame, smile-inducing shapewear” is designed for all body types and will include undergarments ranging in size from XS to 6X. 

“I was tired of seeing this sad, restrictive shapewear that literally no-one wanted to wear,” Lizzo said in the announcement. “I had an epiphany like, ‘who can actually do something about this?’ I decided to take on the challenge of allowing women to feel unapologetically good about themselves again.”

Regarding her own journey as a body-positive advocate, Lizzo says she felt she was always told, through social constructs, that her body wasn’t good enough.

“And, in order to be considered ‘acceptable’ I had to inflict some sort of pain upon it to fit into an archetype of beauty,” she notes. “Because of this, I’ve been wearing shapewear for a long time, maybe since I was in fifth or sixth grade.”

YITTY, which is named after Lizzo’s childhood nickname, comes on the heels of another dream fulfilled for Lizzo. The star says she was “crying in an ice bath” on the day her body-positive dance reality show Watch Out for the Big Grrrls premiered this week. 

“Instead of thinking about size in this linear way, we’re thinking about it on a spectrum where everyone is included,” Lizzo saus. “Everyone’s size is just their size. It’s not high, it’s not low. It’s not big, it’s not small. It’s just your size.”

YITTY items will be available for purchase on April 12.

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Pitbull has this message to the younger generation — never take anything in life for granted.

The “Fireball” singer spoke at the University of Miami recently and shared photos of the event Wednesday, writing, “What an honor from a kid who used to park cars at the Orange Bowl, to speaking to the students at the @UnivMiami!” 

According to the university, Pitbull, born Armando Christian Perez, was the latest speaker in the ongoing What Matters To U series and explained to the 2,000 students in attendance they need to “live for the moment.”

He spoke about being raised by Cuban immigrants and said it taught him, “Freedom isn’t free, but it’s priceless.”

“My family would always tell me, ‘You were already born in the United States of America. I gave you the best gift I could ever give you,'” he recalled. “I needed to take full advantage of it.”

Pitbull said he struggled with staying in school as he tried breaking into the music scene and credits his theater teacher, Hope Martinez, for inspiring him to keep trying.

“When you’re 17, you think you know it all. You don’t,” the Grammy winner said. “All it took was Hope believing in me, believing in my talent more than I did. That shows how powerful it is to have one person believe in you.”

All those life lessons helped him shape his career.  “I realized that I need to be making music that speaks to you whether you know the language or not,” said Pitbull. “I had to find music that was global, that was timeless.”

He imparted this message to the students, which was, “Appreciate the fact that you are able to do something with your life that others weren’t able to do… The more you give, the more you receive.”

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