Page 5653 – 105.7 WDNY

DJ Cassidy celebrating 50 years of hip-hop with special ‘Pass the Mic Live!’ show

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

DJ Cassidy‘s Pass the Mic Live! show will continue with a special concert that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Powered by the Black Promoters Collective, the one-night-only show will feature 25 hip-hop legends from New York and the genre’s golden age. Tapped for the event are Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Rakim, Slick Rick, EPMD, Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio, Kid ‘N Play,Kool Moe Dee, Kurtis Blow, Monie Love, Roxanne Shante, The Sugarhill Gang, Treach of Naughty By Nature and more.

“Uniting twenty-five native New York icons of Hip Hop’s Golden Age on one stage on one night, in the birthplace of Hip Hop, also my hometown, in the most esteemed concert venue in the country, will be the greatest honor of my life,” DJ Cassidy says in a statement. “I am truly honored to be celebrating these definitive artists and their profound impact on the culture, days from the 50th birthday of Hip Hop, minutes away from where Kool Herc deejayed the first Hip Hop party in 1973.”

DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Live! will take place July 21 at Radio City Music Hall. Presale tickets will be available to American Express card members from April 11 at 10 a.m. ET to April 13 at 11:59 p.m. ET. General tickets will go on sale Friday, April 14, at 10 a.m. ET on Ticketmaster.

Before then, DJ Cassidy will kick off his Pass the Mic Live!, named after his BET primetime series, on May 12. The show will feature performances from Ashanti, Fabolous, Ja Rule, Lil Kim, Ma$e, Ne-Yo, 112 and others.

Lil Uzi Vert debuts new tattoo, fans react

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Lil Uzi Vert‘s new tattoos are furthering beliefs that they’re a Satanist. The new tribal design and upside down cross on their forehead and tongue, respectively, were immediately met with reactions from social media users.

“I can’t listen to Lil Uzi’s music no more he on some weirdo s***,” one person tweeted. “I am God’s warrior, I will beat him up if he on some devil or anti God energy. This is disturbing.”

Another wrote, “deez rappers sold their soulds. for quick fame. Lil Uzi is possesed lol. will be blocking most rap music in my life from now on. except 50 cent.”

One individual called Uzi a “devout Satanist,” while another claimed, “It’s getting corny now uzi, we get it u love satan.”

Lil Uzi’s tat comes after they rapped, “I make a City Girl believe in Satan” at Rolling Loud California. Uzi later clarified the lyric was used in the metaphorical sense. “Basically, I make a girl do whatever I say so,” they explained to TMZ.

Kim Kardashian joining ‘American Horror Story’ for season 12

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Kim Kardashian had a different kind of update to her Instagram account on Monday: She announced she’s joining the FX anthology series American Horror Story for season 12.

ABC Audio has confirmed the news, and that season 9 vet Emma Roberts will return for this season. According to The Kardashians star’s tease, season 12’s subtitled “Delicate” — a reference to its apparent source material, Danielle Valentine‘s novel Delicate Condition.

Amazon’s description of the book, due out August 1, calls it a “gripping thriller that follows a woman convinced a sinister figure is going to great lengths to make sure her pregnancy never happens — while the men in her life refuse to believe a word she says.”

Series creator Ryan Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter, “Kim is among the biggest and brightest television stars in the world and we are thrilled to welcome her to the AHS family. Emma and I are excited about collaborating with this true force in the culture.”

Says Murphy of the season’s scribe, “Halley Feiffer has written a fun, stylish and ultimately terrifying role especially for Kim, and this season is ambitious and unlike anything we have ever done.”

According to the trade, Murphy was impressed with Kim’s acting chops during her appearance as host of Saturday Night Live back in 2021.

Report: Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn simply “grew apart”

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Though they kept their relationship private, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn always seemed happy together — and even got along well enough to write a bunch of songs together. But People magazine is now quoting sources as saying that the two “grew apart.”

A source close to the couple tells People that “differences in their personalities” are to blame for the split, adding that they “weren’t the right fit for one another.” As for why it took them six years to figure this out, apparently it’s because Joe and Taylor fell in love while she was out of the spotlight prior to Reputation, so they were “in a bubble.”

“Then the pandemic hit, and they were locked down together and able to continue growing their relationship in this insulated way,” claims the source. “But he didn’t really ‘know’ her yet outside of that bubble.”

Ultimately, the source says, “Taylor didn’t see them working out in the long run.” The split was “not dramatic,” the source adds, noting, “They are friendly. She doesn’t have anything bad to say about Joe. They just grew apart. Taylor is staying very focused on her tour right now.”

Indeed, Taylor doesn’t exactly have a lot of time to date at the moment: Not only is the Eras Tour underway, she’s still working on rerecording her back catalog.

Former Donda Academy teacher claims students are behind after filing lawsuit against the school

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Former Donda Academy teacher Cecilia Hailey is speaking out about the treatment of children at the school. In an interview with TMZ, she issued a warning to students’ parents about the various things they should know.

“They need to be aware that their children are behind,” Hailey said. “And that they need to consider that it’s going to be very hard for them to be able to transfer their kids out of that school next year or later because there are no grades, which I think they know of, and they can’t get transcripts and they’re not getting what they need. They absolutely are not getting what they need. The kids are being suppressed because of all the constant changes that go on at the school.”

Hailey had been teaching at Donda Academy since last year, but she and daughter Chekarey Byers, who was hired in January, were fired in March 2023. In a recent lawsuit, the women claim they were discriminated against as the only two Black female teachers in the school. They believe they were terminated in retaliation for reporting health and safety violations, as well as lack of disciplinary procedures for bullying and assaults, lack of security, teachers who were not trained to provide basic life support and more.

The women say their complaints were consistently ignored by the school director and they were called “aggressive.” The suit adds when Hailey tried to bring the issues to Kanye West‘s attention, “she was threatened not to reach out to him.”

With the lawsuit, Hailey and Byers want to hold West and Donda Academy liable for their termination and discrimination. They’re also hoping to be compensated, as they claim their paychecks were “untimely or inaccurate.”

Slip on George Strait’s new Justin boat shoes

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

George Strait has teamed up with Justin Boots to launch a new pair of boat shoes as part of the George Strait Collection.

Priced at $99.95, the Angler Slip-On Casual Shoe marries George’s longtime love for fishing and the beach. Available in cigar brown color, the shoe is made of water-friendly cowhide leather with mesh embellishments, making it both stylish and cozy to use in the water and on the coast.

The new boat shoes from the George Strait by Justin collection are available for purchase now on the Justin Boots website and at select retailers. A portion of each purchase will be donated to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, which supports injured rodeo athletes and their families.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a pair to use the next time you’re enjoying the saltwater in the “Clear Blue Sky.”

ABBA pays tribute to longtime guitarist Lasse Wellander, who passed away at 70

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

The members of ABBA have taken to social media to pay tribute to their longtime guitarist Lasse Wellander, who passed away at the age of 70 on Friday, April 7.

“Lasse was a dear friend, a fun guy, and a superb guitarist,” read a joint statement posted to Instagram by ABBA members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. “The importance of his creative input in the recording studio as well as his rock-solid guitar work on stage was immense.”

They add, “We mourn his tragic and premature death and remember the kind words, the sense of humour, the smiling face, the musical brilliance of the man who played such an integral role in the ABBA story. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten.”

News of Wellander’s death was first announced by his family in a Facebook post. “It is with indescribable sadness that we have to announce that our beloved Lasse has fallen asleep,” they write. “Lasse recently fell ill in what turned out to be spread cancer and early on Good Friday he passed away, surrounded by his loved ones.”

‘PLAY’time is over: Katy Perry announces Las Vegas residency will end in November

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Looks like Katy Perry won’t be extending her Las Vegas residency after all.

When she played her 50th performance of PLAY over the weekend at Resorts World, Katy told the crowd that she was “halfway-ish” through the run. Since there were only 20 shows on the schedule, it seemed she was hinting that she’d extend the show into next year. However, that’s not the case.

Katy has just announced the 10 final performances, which will run from October 4 through November 4. Tickets go on sale April 14 at 10 a.m. PST. In a statement, she says, “It’s bittersweet to announce the FINAL 10 shows of PLAY ever, but I am so excited to continue bringing this larger than life spectacle through my last date on November 4.”

Since the show debuted in December 2021, it’s been a big hit, winning the Best Strip Headliner title from Best of Las Vegas last year.

The dates going on sale are:

October: 4, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 31

November: 1, 3, 4

Russell Crowe admits to being “slightly jealous” he’s not in the ‘Gladiator’ sequel

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

As director Ridley Scott prepares his sequel to his Oscar-winning film Gladiator, the original’s star seems to admit he wishes he could re-enter the arena.

In a chat with Collider, The Pope’s Exorcist star Russell Crowe, who won an Academy Award for playing Roman Army General-turned gladiatorial champion Maximus Decimis Meridias in the original film, was asked what he thought of the sequel project.

“I mean, look, the only thing that I really feel about it is slightly jealous, you know?” he admitted. “Because I was a much younger man, obviously, and it was a huge experience in my life. It’s something that changed my life, really. It changed the way people regarded me and what I do for a living, and, you know, I’ve been very lucky to be involved in lots of big movies, but the legs on that film are incredible.”

Crowe continued, “Here it is, it’s 2023, and we made that film in 1999. I guarantee you, somewhere around the world tonight, Gladiator is going to be showing on primetime TV. And you don’t always get that kind of longevity with every film you do, so, it obviously holds a special place in my heart.”

Recent Oscar nominee Paul Mescal is Ridley’s star this time around, reportedly playing a now-grown Lucius, the son of Connie Nielsen‘s Lucilla and the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix‘s murderous Emperor Commodus in the original film. In Gladiator, the character was just a boy, played by Unbreakable and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. veteran Spencer Treat Clark.

The Banshees of Inisherin‘s Barry Keoghan is apparently also circling a role in the Gladiator sequel, which is set for a November 22, 2024, release.

Carrie Underwood to celebrate her 15th anniversary as an Opry member

April 10, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Carrie Underwood will return to the Grand Ole Opry stage on Saturday, May 13, to celebrate her 15th anniversary of becoming an Opry member.

The “Jesus, Take the Wheel” hitmaker will perform two shows that night, with artists such as Deana Carter and Michael Ray joining her on the performance bill.

Carrie made her Opry debut on June 10, 2005 and became inducted as a member on May 8, 2008, by fellow Oklahoman and Opry member, Garth Brooks.

Tickets to Carrie’s celebration shows are available now at opry.com and (615) 871-OPRY.

Fans who are unable to join in person can watch a one-hour portion of the night’s first show live on Circle Television at 8 p.m. CT, with a re-airing at 11 p.m. CT. The show will also livestream on Circle’s social media channels and broadcast on SiriusXM’s Willie’s Roadhouse Channel 59 and WSM Radio.

+ More