A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty in shooting of A$AP Relli

A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty in shooting of A$AP Relli
A$AP Rocky pleads not guilty in shooting of A$AP Relli
Irfan Khan-Pool/Getty Images

A$AP Rocky is claiming his innocence in the shooting case of fellow Mob member A$AP Relli, ABC News confirmed. The rapper, born Rakim Mayers, appeared at his court hearing Wednesday, during which his lawyer, Sara L. Caplan, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. 

Rocky was arrested in April over allegations he shot a victim at an obscure location in Hollywood. He was later released on a $550,000 bond, and his former friend Relli has identified himself as the victim of the shooting.

Born Terell Ephron, Relli claimed he scheduled a meeting with Rocky, who allegedly showed up with two men and the gun he used to shoot at him. He is suing the rapper for assault, battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He will be protected by a newly ordered court injunction.

The order, Rolling Stone reports, bans Rocky from “possessing any firearms or ammunition” and “contacting or coming within 100 yards of Ephron.” He is allowed to travel for work but must first clear dates with the court.

Rocky’s next court hearing is set for November 2. He faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and up to nine years in prison if convicted.

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Young Thug’s canceled concert leads to new lawsuit

Young Thug’s canceled concert leads to new lawsuit
Young Thug’s canceled concert leads to new lawsuit
Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Young Thug is facing legal consequences after he was forced to cancel a concert due to his current incarceration.

As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, Thugger was scheduled to perform at an Atlanta show hosted by A-1 Concert Entertainment on June 18 and was given a portion of his payment — $150,000 — upfront. He was to receive the other half after his 45-minute set, which he was, unfortunately, unable to do as he is behind bars. 

As previously reported, Thug was arrested in May and accused of violating Georgia’s RICO Act. He’s since been hit with additional charges, and his requests for bond have consistently been denied.

A-1 Concert Entertainment is suing the rapper for $150,000 in damages — the same amount used to secure his performance. A rep from Thug’s YSL Touring company says the money will be reimbursed.

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Mark Hoppus talks future of Blink-182: “I’m open to whatever the next phase of Blink is”

Mark Hoppus talks future of Blink-182: “I’m open to whatever the next phase of Blink is”
Mark Hoppus talks future of Blink-182: “I’m open to whatever the next phase of Blink is”
Steve Jennings/WireImage

As Mark Hoppus continues to get back on his feet following his battle with cancer last year, he’s “hopeful for the future” of Blink-182.

“I keep writing music, and I’m open to whatever the next phase of Blink is,” Hoppus tells People, adding, “I’m just damn glad to be here.”

Fans have been theorizing lately that the next phase of Blink would feature Tom DeLonge rejoining the band following his departure in 2015. However, Hoppus threw cold water on those rumors, posting on his Discord page that Blink currently has “nothing to announce.”

Still, Hoppus notes that he’s built a stronger relationship with DeLonge in recent years, and recalls when DeLonge and Blink drummer Travis Barker visited him just before he started chemotherapy.

“It was the first time that all three of us were in the same room in, like, five years,” Hoppus shares. “It’s actually better than it used to be. There was no agenda. There were no lingering grudges. It felt very back to what it should be: three friends sitting in a room.”

Elsewhere in the People interview, Hoppus reveals that he fell into depression after initially being diagnosed with cancer.

“I was in our living room crying and telling my wife, ‘I don’t know if I can do this,'” Hoppus says. “She was like, ‘Well, what are you going to do, kill yourself?’ And that’s exactly what I was thinking. It was pretty dark.”

“It was a total snap-out-of-it moment,” he continues. “I was like, ‘What a s***ty thing to say.’ But also, what a kind thing to say, like, ‘Snap out of it, you f***ing baby. You have a beatable form of cancer. It’s going to suck to get there, but get there.’ I had to do the work.”

If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

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Taylor Swift once asked to make a cameo in the ‘Twilight’ movies

Taylor Swift once asked to make a cameo in the ‘Twilight’ movies
Taylor Swift once asked to make a cameo in the ‘Twilight’ movies
Walt Disney Television/Paula Lobo

Did Taylor Swift almost appear in one of the Twilight movies? According to one of the directors, the answer is yes — but it’s a little more complicated than that.

Chris Weitz, who directed The Twilight Saga: New Moon, appeared on The Twilight Effect podcast to talk about his brush with the Grammy winner. Turns out Taylor, like most girls during the height of the Twilight saga, was a fan of the series.

In 2009, as New Moon was being made, Weitz said the singer asked if she could make a brief cameo in the upcoming flick.

“Taylor Swift and I had the same agent at the time and he said, ‘Taylor would like to be in this movie — not because of you, but because she’s a Twihard,” he recalled. “But she will be, like, someone at the cafeteria, or the diner, or whatever. But she just wants to be in this movie.”

Weitz turned down the opportunity, which he said was “the hardest thing” to do. “The moment that Taylor Swift walks onto the screen — for like five minutes — nobody’s going to be able to process anything,” he reasoned.

“I kicked myself for it, too,” Weitz admitted. “I was like, ‘Wow, I could have been hanging out with Taylor Swift!'”

He joked that Taylor must have thought he was a “jerk” to reject her at the time, but he ultimately thinks he made the right call. “Sometimes you make decisions you think … is for the best of the film,” said Weitz.

New Moon was released in theaters in November 2009 and grossed $709.8 million in the box office. It should be noted that Taylor was dating star Taylor Lautner, who played Jacob, at the time. They called it quits that December.

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Little Big Town, Shania Twain + more stars to have guest spots on new Fox drama ‘Monarch”

Little Big Town, Shania Twain + more stars to have guest spots on new Fox drama ‘Monarch”
Little Big Town, Shania Twain + more stars to have guest spots on new Fox drama ‘Monarch”
Marcus Ingram/Getty Images

The already star-studded cast of Fox’s forthcoming TV series Monarch just got a major boost from four massive country stars. Little Big Town, Shania Twain, Martina McBride and Tanya Tucker will all make guest appearances throughout the season.

A new trailer shows a first glimpse into their cameos on the show, where they appear to play roles that mirror their actual music careers. A shot of Shania shows her in a dressing room, while Little Big Town and Martina appear to be onstage at awards shows, and Tanya is in the midst of a performance.

That makes sense for Monarch, which tells the story of a fictional “first family” of country music. Helmed by superstar Dottie Cantrell Roman — played by Susan Sarandon — the family must hold on to their legacy, by any means necessary, as a dark secret threatens to jeopardize their spot in the music business.

Trace Adkins is one of the lead actors in the series: He plays the role of Albie Roman, Dottie’s husband and fellow country star. His cover of “A Country Boy Can Survive” is also featured in the show.

The series will debut with a special two-night event on September 11.

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Todd Rundgren’s star-studded new album, ‘Space Force,’ due out in October

Todd Rundgren’s star-studded new album, ‘Space Force,’ due out in October
Todd Rundgren’s star-studded new album, ‘Space Force,’ due out in October
Cleopatra Records

Todd Rundgren‘s long-delayed studio album Space Force, which features collaborations with an eclectic variety of artists, will finally be released October 14.

Space Force is a 12-track collection that, as previously reported, includes contributions from Cheap Trick‘s Rick Nielsen, Steve Vai, Thomas Dolby, Crowded House frontman Neil Finn, former King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew, Weezer‘s Rivers Cuomo, Sparks and The Roots.

The lead track, a collaboration with Belew titled “Puzzle,” has just been released as the latest advance single from the album.

Four other Space Force tracks were previously released — “Espionage,” featuring Iraqi-Canadian hip-hop artist Narcy; “Down with the Ship” with Cuomo; “Your Fandango” with Sparks; and “Godiva Girl” with The Roots.

Originally due out in early 2021, Space Force is a follow-up to Rundgren’s 2017 album White Knight, another star-studded collection of collaborations.

In a new Variety interview, Rundgren says Space Force differs from White Knight in that the new album’s tracks featured more input from his collaborators.

“One of the reasons why I did White Knight was to force myself into opening up the process to others, but I had only done it halfway because I was still coming up with almost all of the material,” Todd notes. “So I thought, let’s go the next step. Let’s start using other people’s song ideas as the basis of where the music should go.”

Space Force can be preordered now and will be available on CD, in multiple colored-vinyl options and via digital formats.

Meanwhile, Rundgren has one joint concert with Daryl Hall scheduled for October 1 in Brookville, New York. Then, starting October 6, he’ll head out on the Celebrating David Bowie tribute tour, which also features Belew and other musicians.

Here’s the full Space Force track list:

“Puzzle” — with Adrian Belew
“Down with the Ship” — with Rivers Cuomo
“Artist in Residence” — with Neil Finn
“Godiva Girl” — with The Roots
“Your Fandango” — with Sparks
“Someday” — with Davey Lane
“I’m Not Your Dog” — with Thomas Dolby
“Espionage” — with Narcy
“STFU” — with Rick Nielsen
“Head in the Ocean” — with Alfie
“I’m Leaving” — with The Lemon Twigs
“Eco Warrior Goddess” — with Steve Vai

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‘Love Is Blind’ couple Iyanna and Jarrette are divorcing

‘Love Is Blind’ couple Iyanna and Jarrette are divorcing
‘Love Is Blind’ couple Iyanna and Jarrette are divorcing
ADRIAN S. BURROWS SR./NETFLIX

Love may be blind but it didn’t last forever for this Love Is Blind couple.

Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones have announced they’re getting a divorce. The two got engaged without ever meeting face to face on the Netflix reality dating show’s second season. They then got married in the season finale.

They shared news of their split in a joint statement on social media.

“What’s going on, family. After much thought, we’re saddened to share that we have separated and will begin the process of divorcing,” the statement begins. “While we have love for each other, our lives are going in different directions, and that’s okay.”

“We hope you all give us some space as we close this chapter of our lives,” they continue. “Thank you to our close friends and family for loving us both through our experience. To the Love Is Blind family and Netflix, thank you for this unforgettable opportunity and support. Each of you have brought overwhelming love and joy into our lives.”

They concluded by saying the experience taught them so much and they “don’t regret a single thing.”

The couple had decided to tie the knot on the show in spite of their doubts – Jarrette had intended to propose to another contestant, Mallory Zapata, before choosing Iyanna.

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Watch the official teaser for Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’

Watch the official teaser for Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’
Watch the official teaser for Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’
MATTHIAS CLAMER/NETFLIX

Enjoy some Wednesday on your Wednesday — Wednesday Addams, that is.

Netflix has released the first official teaser for Wednesday, starring Jenny Ortega as the titular goth daughter of the Addams family.

In the trailer, we see Wednesday unleashing piranhas on her school’s water polo team for making fun of her brother, Puglsey. After the incident, the family moves to Nevermore, where Wednesday starts a new school.

“Finally you will be among peers who understand you,” Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Morticia tells her. “Maybe you’ll even make some friends.”

“Little did I know, I’d be stepping into a nightmare full of mystery, mayhem and murder,” we hear Wednesday say in a voiceover. “I think I’m going to love it here.”

The series, directed by Tim Burton and also starring Luis Guzmán as Gomez, comes to Netflix this fall.

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Blake Shelton recruits Jimmie Allen to be his team’s mentor on season 22 of ‘The Voice’

Blake Shelton recruits Jimmie Allen to be his team’s mentor on season 22 of ‘The Voice’
Blake Shelton recruits Jimmie Allen to be his team’s mentor on season 22 of ‘The Voice’
Trae Patton/NBC

As he gears up for a new season of The Voice, coach Blake Shelton has some serious country star power by his side: He’s enlisting Jimmie Allen as the guest mentor to his team.

“I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer..” Blake wrote on his social channels, posting a selfie of himself with Jimmie from the set of The Voice.

Blake and Jimmie may be longtime mutual fans, but according to Access, they’re new friends who got to know each other on the set of the TV show.

“We’ve met on occasion, at awards shows and music industry events, but literally nothing more than, ‘Hey, how you doing, good to meet you’ type moments,” Blake says. “But I’ve watched him. I’ve watched his career develop … he’s just an incredible performer, and he’s so focused on what he does. He’s clearly just a huge fan of music.”

For his part, when asked what the best part of meeting Blake was, Jimmie starts with a joke: “I got to say I hung out with Gwen Stefani’s husband.”

In all seriousness, though, Jimmie’s excited to have had “a chance to meet an artist I’ve admired for a while.” “Just how cool he was, how open he was to trusting me and what I have to say to share with his team.”

Season 22 of The Voice kicks off on September 19 on NBC.

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Olivia Rodrigo is officially back in the studio

Olivia Rodrigo is officially back in the studio
Olivia Rodrigo is officially back in the studio
ABC

Now that she’s no longer on the road with her sold-out world tour, Olivia Rodrigo seems to be working on the follow-up to her smash hit debut album SOUR!

We can thank her musical collaborator, producer Dan Nigro, for spilling the beans. He shared a photo of himself hanging out with the Grammy winner to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday.

The two, who are flashing peace signs, are relaxing on a couch in a music studio. Nigro is holding a guitar in his hands while Olivia looks excited. There was no caption so it isn’t entirely known what the pop star was doing there.

Fans are hopeful this means a new record or EP is on the horizon.

The “drivers license” singer has previously revealed she is working on her sophomore album. She spoke to ELLE in March and was questioned about the tone of her new work.

Olivia revealed, “I’m definitely not as sad as I was when I wrote SOUR …  I’m so excited to make my next record and explore more colors and textures and feelings and grow as a human being even more.” The singer added she is “stoked” about what’s next because of how much she’s changed since releasing her debut single.

It is not known when we can expect to hear Olivia’s new work.  

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