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Listen to John Legend’s new song, “Dope”

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Surprise, surprise! John Legend just dropped a new song … and right on time for the nice weather, it could very well turn into the song of the summer.

Legend released the upbeat, catchy track “Dope,” featuring Atlanta rapper J.I.D, on Wednesday, marking the first single off the EGOT winner’s upcoming album.

“I’m so thrilled to be releasing new music,” Legend said in the official announcement. “The past year or so has been so exciting for me creatively. I have been writing and collaborating with some of the most talented people in music, and we have some great new material to share with the world.” He continued, “‘Dope’ is one of my favorites. I love the energy of the song. I loved collaborating with my gifted co-writers and producers, and J.I.D is one of my favorite emerging artists in hip-hop. I hope the song can be a part of people’s soundtrack for this summer.”

The new song comes on the heels of the sold-out first run of Legend’s new Las Vegas residency, Love in Las Vegas, and just a month before he heads to Washington, D.C., to host the 2022 Something in the Water music festival.

Russian soldier pleads guilty to shooting unarmed Ukrainian civilian

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(KYIV, Ukraine) — Russian Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin pleaded guilty on Wednesday to killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian. The guilty plea carries a life sentence.

Shishimarin, 21, is accused of shooting a 62-year-old man on Feb. 28. The man was a resident of Chupakhivka who was riding a bike on the roadside when he was shot, according to Iryna Venediktova, Ukraine’s prosecutor general.

This is the first trial Ukraine has conducted for an act that could be considered a war crime.

Asked by the presiding judge whether he accepted his guilt, Shishimarin said: “Yes. Fully yes.”

Shishimarin is charged with murder and two counts of robbery. He surrendered to Ukrainian law enforcement and has been a prisoner of war since, Ukrainian prosecutor Andriy Syniuk said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the proceedings on Wednesday, telling reporters that accusations leveled against Russian soldiers by Ukraine were “simply fake or staged.”

Cardi B shares tips on how to change diapers with super-long nails

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Cardi B has no problem sharing the knowledge she’s gained after becoming a mom. And when fellow rapper Kash Doll reached out for advice on how to change her newborn son’s diaper with long nails, the Grammy winner was quick to provide the new mom some help.

In a tutorial video posted to Twitter on Tuesday, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper took Kash Doll, and her 22.5 million Twitter followers, through a step-by-step process of how she wipes her baby boy Wav‘s bottom clean, despite the 1- to 2-inch-long nails that might get in the way.

Sporting her bright red nails and using a cute brown teddy bear to demonstrate how it’s done, Cardi emphasized many parts of the diaper-changing process, including, “… you always wanna make sure you clean the butt cheeks, the butt cheeks, the butt cheeks …” An inquiring 3-year-old Kulture wanted to know why her mommy was wiping a teddy bear’s bottom, to which Cardi jokingly responded, “It’s a long story.”

It wasn’t long after Kash Doll, who welcomed her baby boy Kashton in January, admitted she was “struggling,” even with her press-on nails, that Cardi assured her that she’ll soon “get the hang of it.”

Kash Doll thanked the rapper for the thorough video, saying she’ll back in a week to let her know how it’s going.

Chinese plane crash that killed 132 caused by intentional act: US officials

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The China Eastern Airlines plane crash that killed 132 people is believed to have been caused by an intentional act, according to U.S. officials who spoke to ABC News.

The Boeing 737-800 passenger jet was flying from Kunming to Guangzhou on March 21 when it plunged into a mountainous area in Guangxi, China. All 123 passengers and nine crew members were killed.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report the news.

The officials who spoke to ABC News point to the plane’s flaps not being engaged and landing gear not put down. The near-vertical descent of the plane, they believe, would’ve required intentional force.

The plane slammed into the ground with such force that it created a 66-foot deep hole in the ground, according to Chinese officials.

Investigators also looked into the pilot’s personal life and background and believe he may have been struggling through certain issues right before the crash, ABC News has learned.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said all information on the investigation will come from their counterparts in the Civil Aviation Administration of China, but regulators and Boeing have not flagged any mechanical issues. Sources said Chinese investigators also haven’t flagged any mechanical issues.

“The NTSB will not be issuing any further updates on the CAAC’s investigation of the China Eastern 5735 crash,” the NTSB said in a statement. “When and whether CAAC issues updates is entirely up to them. And I haven’t heard anything about any plans for them to do so.”

The first black box, the cockpit voice recorder, was found on March 23, while the flight data recorder was found March 27.

ABC News’ Mark Osborne contributed to this report.

Tom Cruise says he “never” would have let ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ debut on streaming

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

While some movie studios weathered the COVID-19 storm by releasing movies to streaming services instead of theaters, Tom Cruise insists he was “never” going to do that with his latest project, Top Gun: Maverick.

“That was not going to happen ever,” the actor and producer tells The Hollywood Reporter. “That was never going to happen.”

The sequel — enjoying a sky-high 97% ratings on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes — was delayed several times by the pandemic, but will now finally land in theaters May 24.

He tells the trade even in the darkest days of the pandemic, when movie theaters were shuttered, he was optimistic. In fact, he explained he called each of his younger co-stars, including Miles Teller, Danny Ramirez, Monica Barbaro and Glen Powell, each time the film was delayed to say, “Don’t worry, this is going to happen.”

Cruise, whose career was just saluted at the Cannes Film Festival, also mentioned his drive to do his own stunts in each of his films. And yes, that includes flying in Maverick. “No one asked Gene Kelly, ‘Why do you dance? Why do you do your own dancing?'” Cruise said.

And speaking of Top Gun, fans can head over to WhatsMyCallSign.com and open your camera to get your own pilot callsign — and model your flight helmet via AR technology.

Hear Train’s new Latin-flavored single “Cleopatra,” featuring Sofía Reyes

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Train has released a new single from their upcoming album AM Gold: “Cleopatra,” featuring Mexican singer/songwriter Sofía Reyes, who’s also collaborated with Lauv, Michael Bublé and Jason Derulo, among others.

“It’s an HONOR for me to share a song with Train. They are LEGENDS and the fact that they chose me for this song is unbelievable,” says Sofía in a statement. “[I’m] very grateful!! It’s a fun one, I have a good feeling about it!”

Train’s Pat Monahan says of the Latin-flavored tune, “What began as a simple conversation, ended in love’ was something Mark Antony said, and that’s what happened with me and this song ‘Cleopatra.’ And then Sofía Reyes came in and made it that much better.”

A video for the song is coming soon.

AM Gold, which arrives Friday, also features the previously released songs “Turn the Radio Up,” featuring Jewel, “Running Back (Trying to Talk to You),” and the title track.

As previously reported, Train is touring this summer with Jewel and Blues Traveler. The trek gets underway June 8 in Mansfield, MA and is set to wrap up August 6 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.

Porno for Pyros reuniting for Welcome to Rockville in place of Jane’s Addiction

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Jane’s Addiction will no longer be playing Welcome to Rockville this weekend, but festivalgoers will still get to see Perry Farrell.

In a statement posted to the Welcome to Rockville Facebook page, Farrell shares that Jane’s won’t be able to play due to guitarist Dave Navarro suffering from a “long bout” of COVID-19. In their stead, Farrell is reuniting his band Porno for Pyros.

The PfP lineup for the performance will include original members Farrell, Stephen Perkins and Peter DiStefeno, as well as bassist Mike Watt of the seminal punk band Minutemen.

Porno for Pyros was founded by Farrell and Perkins, who also plays drums in Jane’s, after the “Been Caught Stealing” outfit broke up in the early ’90s. The group released two albums before calling it quits in 1998.

In 2009, the original PfP lineup — which also included bassist Martyn LeNoble — reunited to play Farrell’s 50th birthday party. The lineup featuring Watt then got back together in 2020 to play a couple songs on the Lollapalooza 2020 streaming concert, which was held in lieu of the usual in-person festival due to the pandemic.

The Welcome to Rockville performance will mark the first full, public, in-person Porno for Pyros show in 26 years.

Welcome to Rockville takes place May 19-22 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Headliners include Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ Roses, KISS and Korn.

If you had your heart set on seeing Jane’s, you can catch them during their recently announced tour with The Smashing Pumpkins, which launches in October.

Jimmie Allen, Trisha Yearwood + more sign on for panels, events at CMA Fest

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Special CMA Fest programming continues to roll out this week, as the calendar fills in for the multiday country music festival headed to Nashville this June.

Jimmie Allen will appear on the CMA Close Up Stage in a panel discussing his children’s book, My Voice is a Trumpet. Trisha Yearwood is also helming an event billed as Up Close and Personal, featuring artists Lauren Alaina and Caitlyn Smith.

Other special events happening on the stage center around artists like Lainey Wilson, Craig Morgan and Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley. The collective Black Opry will take the stage, and Lady A’s Hillary Scott is set to host a female-forward event presented by She is the Music.

Meanwhile, a large group of newcomers will perform on the Spotlight Stage. Among them are Jenny Tolman, Shelby Darrall, Miko Marks and Madison Kozak.

The 2022 CMA Fest will take place June 9-12 in downtown Music City. Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown, Jason Aldean and many more big names will take the main stage at Nissan Stadium during the festival.

Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation announces $1 million in HBCU scholarships

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation announces million in HBCU scholarships

Travis Scott is giving out $1 million worth of scholarships to students graduating from HBCUs in 2022.

By way of his Cactus Jack Foundation — an organization launched by the rapper in 2020 to provide Houston youth with educational and creative resources to ensure long-term success — Scott will provide 100 Black students across 38 colleges and universities with $10,000 each.

“Excellence abounds in every Black household, but too often opportunity does not — and Black students are left behind or counted out,” Scott said in a release, as shared by Complex. “So that’s what my family and I set out to change. We congratulate all 100 scholarship recipients this year. I know we will see great things from them –and we are already looking forward to increasing our work next year.”

The fund is named after Scott’s grandfather Waymon Webster, who served as dean of the Prairie View A&M graduate school in Texas, for his dedication to Black excellence.

“My grandfather wanted me to take it all the way through college,” says a note by Scott on the foundation’s homepage. “I feel there is a power in education so to be able to give someone the opportunity to fulfill that dream as my papa thought for me is amazing.”

Students eligible for the scholarship must be a graduating senior with an average GPA of 3.5 or higher who is in need of financial assistance.

Marilyn Monroe’s dress designer calls Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala look “a big mistake”

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

It’s been weeks since Kim Kardashian rocked Marilyn Monroe‘s infamous “Happy Birthday” dress at this year’s Met Gala, but the commentary just keeps rolling in, the latest from the dress’s designer, Bob Mackie.

The legendary fashion designer, who sketched the gown for the late icon, told Entertainment Weekly, “I thought it was a big mistake.”

“[Marilyn] was a goddess. A crazy goddess, but a goddess,” he continued. “She was just fabulous. Nobody photographs like that. And it was done for her. It was designed for her. Nobody else should be seen in that dress.”

There was also concern over the preservation of the gown. Kim wore the exact gown Marilyn wore when she serenaded President John F. Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962.

Mackie sketched the dress early in his career while working under the French-born Hollywood costume designer Jean-Louis.

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