Earlier this week, Darius Rucker once again hosted his annual “Darius & Friends” fundraiser, which is in its 12th year of raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The event, which returned to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium this year after going virtual amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, was sold out, raising $410,000 in 2021 alone. The show also pushed the total money raised since the event’s inception up to over $2.5 million.
The surprise lineup consisted of Jason Aldean, Brothers Osborne, Runaway June, Elvie Shane, Keb’ Mo’, and golfer John Daly. Of course, Darius also took the stage, closing out the night with an encore that included his rendition of “Wagon Wheel.”
In addition to selling out the Ryman, the “Darius & Friends” show kept its livestream component in place, inviting fans who weren’t able to be there to join from home via the Mandolin livestream.
Justin Bieber unites with Skrillex and rapper Don Toliver on the pleading hip-hop song “Don’t Go.”
Justin’s smooth vocals shine on the track, which features solid production tricks from Skrillex and Don contributing his own vocal skills. The song that finds Justin and Don missing the company of the person they love, begging them not to go.
The eclectic video that dropped with the song on Friday shows the trio dancing inside a multi-colored, neon prism and posing in a studio alongside a taxidermy moose, while a mannequin-like Justin is covered in metallic gold paint.
Justin and Skrillex are longtime collaborators, beginning with the 2015 hit “Where Are Ü Now,” which was named Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards. The EDM DJ is also the producer behind Justin’s multi-platinum hit “Sorry.”
Meanwhile, Don shot to the top of the charts with Internet Money, Gunna and Nav in 2020 with “Lemonade,” which reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. He’s also collaborated with Eminem, Big Sean, Nas and more. He’s slated to open for The Weeknd on the After Hours Tour next year.
Marvel fans will get a chance to see Dominique Thorne before she officially stars in her highly anticipated Disney+ series, Ironheart.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed to Comicbook.com that Thorne will make her MCU debut in next year’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Her character, Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, was first introduced in the Marvel comics in 2016 as a 15-year-old MIT student who designs a suit of armor similar to Iron Man’s. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to hit theaters on July 8, 2022. Ironheart does not yet have a premiere date. Marvel is owned by Disney, parent company of ABC News.
In other news, Chadwick Boseman will be honored by his wife Simone and host Anthony Anderson at this year’s Stand Up to Cancer fundraising special. The event, which raises money for cancer research and therapies, will air a special tribute to Boseman, who passed away last year at the age of 43 after a private battle with colon cancer. Stand Up To Cancer airs commercial-free fundraiser across all major networks on August 21, including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, as well as major streaming networks, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Finally, Issa Rae‘s new reality series, Sweet Life: Los Angeles, has debuted. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Rae explains how the series concept series came about and why she felt it was needed. “This idea came to my team and we discussed it,” she said. “And just as an avid reality fan, I was like, ‘Oh, I want to do this. I want to do my version of [MTV’s] The Hills meets [BET’s] Baldwin Hills… I wanted it to be real L.A. people that natives would be proud of..” The first three episodes of Sweet Life: Los Angeles are available on HBO Max.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest
In honor of their 29th birthday Friday, Demi Lovato has released a liberating music video for their song “Melon Cake.”
The song references Demi’s past birthdays, when the singer’s former team gave them watermelon covered in fat-free whipped cream instead of real birthday cakes in an attempt to keep their weight down.
“The song is me saying goodbye to melon cake,” Demi previously told Apple Music. “It was a big step for me, and I wanted to celebrate it.”
The video premiered exclusively on Demi’s Facebook Page, along with a behind-the-scenes feature IGTV, and a birthday-themed Stories Playlist on Instagram.
As Mickey Guyton prepares to release her new album, Remember Her Name, next month, the powerhouse singer has a new song to share off the project.
“All American” is a soaring and sweeping celebration of all the different strengths and experiences that lend themselves to living the American dream. “We got the same stars, the same stripes/ Just wanna live that good life /Ain’t we all, ain’t we all All American,” Mickey sings in the chorus.
“I wrote ‘All American’ with my dream team of incredible female writers,” notes Mickey, whose co-writers on the song are Victoria Banks, Emma-Lee and Karen Kosowski. That’s the same writing team that produced “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?,” Mickey’s searing ballad from spring 2020, which kicked off the album cycle that would ultimately lead up to Remember Her Name.
“This song embodies everything that makes America special,” Mickey continues. “From a Texas sky to New York City lights and Daisy Dukes to Dookie braids, despite all our differences, we are all American.”
Remember Her Name arrives in full on September 24. The track list also includes Mickey’s previously released, powerful rallying cry for equality, “Black Like Me.”
Badflower has released a third track from the band’s upcoming sophomore album, This Is How the World Ends.
The latest cut is titled “F**boi,” and is available now as a digital download and via streaming. As its title suggests, the tune explores frontman Josh Katz‘s dark sense of humor, as heard on previous Badflower songs, including “30” and “x ANA x.”
This Is How the World Ends also includes the previously released songs “Family,” and “Don’t Hate Me.” The album, which can be pre-ordered now, arrives September 24.
Badflower will launch a headlining tour in support of This Is How the World Ends on September 21 in Charlotte, North Carolina. They’re also playing a number of festivals this fall, including Rocklahoma and Inkcarceration.
Has Justin Timberlake found his new calling as a Target employee?
In a video posted by TikTok user Douglas Anthony — and no, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you — the superstar is captured behind the register at the popular retail chain. Looking casual in a hoodie and beanie, Justin rings up the customer’s order that includes Icebreakers, a portable speaker and a beverage.
“What else did you want?” the singer inquires. Douglas requests a pack of gum that Justin scans, but then curiously puts it back on the shelf.
According to Billboard, Justin’s NYSNC bandmate Lance Bass commented on the video, “This guy looks oddly familiar. I can’t place it.”
Days before, Douglas posted another video — tagged with #colorado — that shows him and the “Sexyback” singer dancing in the parking lot of a strip mall where snowcapped mountains are visible in the background.
The “Man of the Woods” seemingly confirmed the video’s legitimacy, sharing the clip via his Instagram Stories on Friday, writing, “Haters Gonna Say It’s Fake…”
Destiny’s Child fans were whipped into a frenzy earlier this week believing a group reunion was coming. However, their manager says no, it’s not going to happen.
DC followers sent Twitter on fire with hopes of a reunion Wednesday after social media pages for the group updated their profile photos. But TMZ reports that the trio’s manager, Mathew Knowles, tells them there are no immediate plans.
When Beyoncé recently told Harper’s Bazaar, “Yes, the music is coming,” Destiny’s Child fans believed that meant there was a chance of new tracks by the trio. However, Knowles says the music she referred to is likely solo.
And as for the new pics on the Destiny’s Child media pages? Just a routine refresh by the record label, Knowles reportedly told TMZ.
Destiny’s Child split in 2006. Their final album, Destiny Fulfilled, featuring “Soldier” and “Lose My Breath,” was released in 2004. They famously reunited in 2018 for a set during Beyoncé’s headlining performance at the Coachella festival.
The Slipknot frontman revealed the news in a video message posted Friday by the Michigan pop culture convention Astronomicon, which he was supposed to take part in this weekend.
“I woke up today and tested positive, and I’m very, very sick,” Taylor says in the clip. He adds that he’s vaccinated, and that he “should be OK.”
“I’m not worried,” he says. “But I certainly wouldn’t want to spread it to anyone else.”
Taylor just wrapped up a solo tour in support of his 2020 album, CMFT, on Thursday in Denver.
Neil Young has unveiled plans to launch a new series of archival live albums dubbed The Neil Young Official Bootleg Series, and will kick things off with Carnegie Hall 1970, which will be released on October 1.
The album was recorded on December 4, 1970, at the first concert that Young ever played at the historic New York City venue. The Neil Young Official Bootleg Series — Carnegie Hall 1970 can be pre-ordered now at the Greedy Hand Store at NeilYoungArchives.com, and will be available as a two-LP vinyl set, a two-CD collection and as a high-res digital download.
Carnegie Hall 1970 show was the first of two solo acoustic concerts that Neil played at the New York City venue that evening, and featured a 23-song set that, in addition to many selections from his solo career, included renditions of tunes from his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
The concert included performances of three songs that Neil had not yet officially recorded or released: “Bad Fog of Loneliness,” “Old Man,” and “See the Sky About to Rain.” Other tunes he played at the show included “Down by the River,” “Cinnamon Girl,” “Helpless,” “Southern Man,” “Sugar Mountain,” “After the Gold Rush,” “Cowgirl in the Sand,” and “Ohio.”
You can check out Young’s Carnegie Hall 1970 rendition of “Cowgirl in the Sand” now at his official YouTube channel, accompanied by a series of photos from the concert.
Neil’s planning to release five more installments of his new Bootleg Series in 2022.
Here’s the full track list of Carnegie Hall 1970:
“Down by the River”
“Cinnamon Girl”
“I Am a Child”
“Expecting to Fly”
“The Loner”
“Wonderin'”
“Helpless”
“Southern Man”
“Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing”
“Sugar Mountain”
“On the Way Home”
“Tell Me Why”
“Only Love Can Break Your Heart”
“Old Man”
“After the Gold Rush”
“Flying on the Ground Is Wrong”
“Cowgirl in the Sand”
“Don’t Let It Bring You Down”
“Birds”
“Bad Fog of Loneliness”
“Ohio”
“See the Sky About to Rain”
“Dance Dance Dance”
