Music

Britney Spears is finally free…of her father.

Judge Brenda Penny — whose main role at today’s hearing in L.A. was determining what is in Britney’s best interests — said that the “toxic environment” between Jamie Spears and his daughter required that he be suspended as her conservator, effective immediately. 

“I believe suspension is in the best interest of Britney Spears,” said Penny.  As per the request of Britney’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart, a CPA named John Zabel has been appointed temporary conservator of Britney’s estate. 

Zabel will now take over control of Britney’s finances, until a decision about terminating the conservatorship is made.  Jodi Montgomery, who is Britney’s conservator of the person — meaning she’s in charge of her medical decisions — will remain in her position.

Rosengart has accused Mr. Spears of “reaping millions of dollars from his daughter’s estate”; Jamie has denied all wrongdoing.  In his latest filing, Rosengart said that Mr. Spears had “crossed unfathomable lines,” if recent reports that he’d hired a security firm to monitor his daughter’s communications were, in fact, true.

Mr. Spears had petitioned for the immediate termination of the conservatorship, which would have rendered moot the question of his suspension. Rosengart said Spears’ petition was just a “desperate effort” to deflect attention from Spears’ “egregious incompetence” [and] “gross misconduct.”  

Earlier this year, Britney told Penny that her father “ought to be in jail.”

As for when the 13-year conservatorship will end, Rosengart suggested a hearing within the next 45 days to determine that.

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Boosie Badazz is in trouble for asking for help from Drake.

The “Wipe Me Down” rapper says his Instagram account was suspended because he requested that Drizzy assist him in promoting his new biopic, titled My Struggle.

“IG was taken for nothing,” Boosie complained on Twitter. “They saw me reach out to Drake for help.” 

“Please continue to buy my film despite this move to stop the success of my struggle,” he added. “Yall all I got against these powerful people. Buy it twice to boost my first week numbers.”

Boosie dropped a trailer for My Struggle three weeks ago, featuring YFN Lucci, Mo3 and Quando Rondo. The movie, released through his Bazzazz Film Company, tells his story of growing up poor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, launching his music career in 2000, going on trial for first-degree murder, and serving prison time for drug possession.

As he promotes his film, which was released on September 24, Boosie will perform on the Legendz of the Streetz tour, which kicks off September 30 in Augusta, GA. He’ll be joined by Rick Ross, Jeezy, Gucci Mane and 2 Chainz, with special guests Fabolous, Lil Kim and Trina.

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When Fat Joe and Ja Rule battled on Verzuz two weeks ago at Madison Square Garden in New York City, many people were shocked to see Nelly walk across the stage to hug his former girlfriend, Ashanti. The two stars ended their eleven-year relationship in 2014.

“It was so weird because we haven’t seen or spoken to each other in over six years,” the “Rain on Me” singer said Tuesday on The Tamron Hall Show. “I really didn’t expect it. I didn’t know he was going to be there honestly, so when I saw him coming across the stage, I was like, ‘Oh.’ It’s been so long, I didn’t know how to feel or what I was going to feel when i actually did see him.”

Though they had a bitter breakup, now Ashanti says, “The anger is long gone.”

Tamron opened their interview discussing how SZA told Ashanti at the MTV VMAS earlier this month that as a young woman, she waited ten hours for Ashanti’s autograph.

“I’m a fan of hers and she actually posted the picture of herself and me when she was at the signing,” Ashanti said. “I was so touched and stunned and I felt the love. I didn’t want to stop hugging her.”

Next year, the 40-year-old singer will celebrate the 20th anniversary of her self-titled, RIAA-certified triple Platinum debut album, which was released in 2002. The album sold 503,000 copies during its first week, the most of any debut by a female artist at that time.

During the Tamron Hall Show appearance, the Grammy winner also announced that she’s obtained legal rights to the album masters, and will re-record the album on her own independent label.

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Nick Jonas is currently on tour with the Jonas Brothers, but apparently, he still has time to dabble in theater. He and his wife, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, have just joined the producing team of a new Broadway show called Chicken & Biscuits, which is currently in previews at New York City’s Circle in the Square Theater. 

Chicken & Biscuits was written by Douglas Lyons and is directed by  Zhailon Levingston, who at 27 is the youngest Black director in Broadway history. It follows the Jenkins family, who deal with family infighting and secrets while planning their father’s funeral.

Nick has a major background in Broadway, having appeared in productions of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Les Misérables.  In a statement, he says, “Broadway has always had a special place in my heart, it helped launch my career. And after the last year and a half, Broadway is exactly what we need in this world.”

“This play highlights the importance of love, laughter, and family,” adds Nick, who visited the cast and creative team this past weekend. “It’s got energy, it’s got style, and it’s got heart. The kind of vibe that is so unique to live theater.”

Priyanka notes that this is her first foray into Broadway, but adds, “It’s time we see some more diversity on the stage, and this cast and production team is making history on that front.”

Broadway, of course, is a small world: Nick worked with another Chicken & Biscuits producer, E. Clayton Cornelious, and one of the show’s co-stars, Michael Urie, on the upcoming new movie version of the musical Jersey Boys.  Nick also appeared with Urie in How to Succeed.

Chicken & Biscuits officially opens October 10 for a limited engagement that runs through January 2.

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In a very welcome bit of good news, Mark Hoppus is now “cancer free.”

The Blink-182 bassist/vocalist shared the announcement in an Instagram post Wednesday.

“Just saw my oncologist and I’m cancer free!!” Hoppus wrote. “Thank you God and universe and friends and family and everyone who sent support and kindness and love.”

Hoppus added that he still needs to “get scanned every six months” and that it will take him “until the end of the year to get back to normal.”

“But today is an amazing day and I feel so blessed,” he wrote. “Can I get a W in the chat?”

Hoppus revealed he’d been diagnosed with cancer back in June. He’d been documenting his journey through chemotherapy over the last few months with the sincerity and humor he’s known for. He even changed his Twitter bio to describe himself as a “cancer haver,” which has now been triumphantly changed to “cancer destroyer.”

 

 

 

 

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Metallica and Paramore may not seem that similar on the surface, but Hayley Williams relates to one particular part of the metal legends’ history.

On Wednesday, the Paramore Twitter account marked the 12th anniversary of the band’s 2009 album Brand New Eyes. “12 years ago today we were obviously mad as hell at each other,” the post reads. “Thank y’all for the grace.”

Williams then retweeted her band and added, “This was our ‘Some Kind of Monster,'” referring, of course, to the 2004 documentary that explored the personal turmoil and intra-band strife that marred the recording process behind Metallica’s 2003 album, St. Anger.

Brand New Eyes was the much-anticipated follow-up to Paramore’s 2007 breakout album, Riot! While Brand New Eyes earned critical and commercial accolades, Paramore, much like Metallica, was dealing with personal issues and fracturing relationships between band members. Just a year after the album’s release, brothers and founding members Josh and Zac Farro left the band.

Zac eventually returned to Paramore in 2017, and is featured on their latest album, After Laughter.

this was our ‘some kind of monster’ https://t.co/REZRNdKN5w

— hayley from Paramore 🥀 (@yelyahwilliams) September 29, 2021

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Move over Diamond plaques and Grammy trophies, because Metallica‘s The Black Album has now earned the most prestigious honor there is: a Funko Pop! recreation.

The toy company has announced a Black Album-themed set in its ever-popular line of adorable, big-headed vinyl figures. The collection includes period-appropriate plastic versions of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and former bassist Jason Newsted, along with a Funko replica of the record and its cover artwork.

You can pre-order the package now exclusively via Walmart.com.

The Black Album celebrated its 30th anniversary in August. Earlier this month, Metallica released a deluxe reissue of the record, as well as The Metallica Blacklist, a 53-track tribute compilation featuring covers of each one of the original album’s songs.

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Walker Hayes‘ career has had a big, big boost thanks to the viral success of “Fancy Like,” a move that was anything but calculated. The Alabama native is still blown away by how much the song has propelled him and his music, especially now.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen to a 41-year-old dude with a wife, six kids, two dogs and two gerbils,” Walker concedes to People, adding that it’s really geared to the everyday American.

“It’s a love song for people with mortgages and kids,” he says. “That’s it — that’s what we accidentally did. We wrote about everybody who lives in a strip-mall town, and they’re fine with it. And you know what’s cool about it is, that’s me.”

While Walker might be famous, he insists he’s just like the people he’s singing to on “Fancy Like.”

“My wife and I live in a cookie-cutter suburban neighborhood with a ballpark and a Y and some schools and strip malls — Chick-Fil-A, Kroger, Burger King, Waffle House, Applebee’s …We’re obviously like a lot of people, and really, it’s freeing because, wow, there’re more dudes out there like me,” he says.

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Billie Eilish and her brother/collaborator FINNEAS are the latest musicians to sign up for this year’s edition of The New Yorker Festival, an annual week-long event staged by the long-running magazine.

On Wednesday, October 6, starting at 8 p.m., the Grammy-winning siblings will join New Yorker staff writer and Grammy nominee Amanda Petrusich for a virtual chat and performance.  You can buy tickets to watch the stream at festival.newyorker.com for $19.

There’s a lot going on with both Billie and FINNEAS these days: They just attended the premiere of the James Bond film No Time to Die, for which they wrote the theme song, and FINNEAS’ debut solo album, Optimist, is coming out October 15.  Billie’s album Happier Than Ever is out now, and she’ll hit the road in 2022 for a tour.

Other celebrities appearing at the New Yorker Festival include Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, singer/songwriter Aimee Mann, Amy Schumer, Stanley Tucci, Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac.

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