Machine Gun Kelly took to the streets of Los Angels to find out what people truly think of his music during last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC.
For the segment, the “Bloody Valentine” rocker disguised himself as a “mild-mannered reporter,” complete with a brown wig and fake mustache, to ask Hollywood Boulevard pedestrians their MGK thoughts.
“Not a huge fan,” admits one interviewee. “I think his new direction is a little forced.”
Luckily, not everyone Kelly spoke to felt the same way. Later on the video, MGK finds a person rocking a Black Veil Brides/Motionless in White/Ice Nine Kills Trinity of Terror tour shirt, who’d seen Kelly perform during his surprise rooftop concert in Venice Beach, California, last summer.
“He’s cool, I really dig the last album,” the fan said.
Perhaps the highlight of Kelly’s undercover adventure was when someone dressed as Spider-Man walked by and immediately saw through his disguise.
“Spider-Man, you’re supposed to respect secret identities,” Kelly protested.
Machine Gun Kelly just released his latest album, Mainstream Sellout, last month. He’ll embark on a U.S. arena tour in support of the record in June.
Olivia Rodrigo, Mariah Carey and The Weeknd have brand-new bragging rights thanks to the RIAA — they earned all-new Diamond and Platinum certifications.
Starting with Olivia, her debut studio album, SOUR, is certified three-times Platinum, meaning it sold over three million units. Not only that, a couple singles off the album moved up a few tiers on the RIAA charts: Her debut song “drivers license” is certified five-times Platinum, while “good 4 u” is four-times Platinum. In addition, “deja vu” and “traitor” are respectively certified three-times and two-times Platinum.
As for Mariah, she just earned her second Diamond-certified song with her 1995 hit, “Daydream,” selling over 11 million units. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” earned the prestigious award last December. Meanwhile, her other mid-90s hits, “Fantasy” and “Always Be My Baby,” are officially halfway to Diamond certification after going five-times Platinum.
The Weeknd earned a bevy of certifications from the RIAA, with his songs “Party Monster,” “Reminder,” “I Feel It Coming,” “Die for You” and “Heartless” going multi-times Platinum. In addition, his 2016 album, Starboy, is now certified four-times Platinum. The Grammy winner also earned two Diamond certifications for “Starboy” and “Blinding Lights,” which respectively sold over 11 and 10 million units.
Shawn Mendes was also recognized by the RIAA, with his songs “Treat You Better,” “Stitches,” “Life of the Party,” “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back,” “Illuminate” and “Mercy” all going multi-times Platinum. Earning certified-Gold status are his songs “Ruin,” “Show You” and “Imagination.”
Lastly, Christina Perri‘s “A Thousand Years” is officially RIAA-certified Diamond — her first and only song to achieve the honor — after fans purchased over 10 million copies of her 2011 smash hit.
Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun have announced the Twenty One Pilots Cinema Experience, a theatrical release of duo’s 2021 streaming concert celebrating the release of their new album, Scaled and Icy. The film will include 20 minutes of exclusive added footage not seen during the stream, as well as remastered audio and video.
Twenty One Pilots Cinema Experience will premiere in cinemas worldwide on May 19. Select locations will also offer encore screenings on May 22.
Tickets go on sale next Friday, April 15, though you can get access to a pre-sale if you sign up for the Twenty One Pilots email list. For the full list of theaters and all ticket info, visit TwentyOnePilots.film.
Scaled and Icy, the sixth Twenty One Pilots album, was released last May. It includes the singles “Shy Away,” “Saturday” and “The Outside.”
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with troops crossing the border from Belarus and Russia. Moscow’s forces have since been met with “stiff resistance” from Ukrainians, according to U.S. officials.
Russian forces retreated last week from the Kyiv suburbs, leaving behind a trail of destruction. After graphic images emerged of civilians lying dead in the streets of Bucha, U.S. and European officials accused Russian troops of committing war crimes.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Apr 07, 10:29 am
Video shows trenches, tank tracks in radioactive Red Forest
Video has emerged purportedly showing trenches and tank tracks in Ukraine’s radioactive Red Forest.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense released the footage on Wednesday, claiming it as evidence that Russia ordered its soldiers to dig fortifications in the Red Forest near the shuttered Chernobyl nuclear power plant while occupying the area.
“Complete neglect of human life, even of one’s own subordinates, is what a killer-state looks like,” the ministry said in a post on Twitter alongside the video.
The Red Forest is the most radioactively contaminated part of the exclusion zone surrounding Chernobyl, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986.
Apr 07, 10:28 am
Russia claims attacks on more fuel depots in Ukraine
Russia claimed Thursday that its forces destroyed more fuel depots in Ukraine overnight.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that “high-precision air- and sea-based missiles” struck four fuel storage facilities “during the night” near the Ukrainian cities of Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv and Chuhuiv, from which the ministry claimed “Ukrainian forces were supplied with fuel” near Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Donbas.
Apr 07, 10:27 am
Russian forces ‘facing morale issues and shortages,’ UK says
Russia’s military remains focused on progressing its offensive operations in eastern Ukraine, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said Thursday in an intelligence update.
According to the ministry, Russian forces continue to conduct artillery and air strikes along the line of control in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure targets are likely intended to degrade the ability of Ukraine’s military to resupply as well as to increase pressure on the Ukrainian government, the ministry said.
“Despite refocusing forces and logistics capabilities to support operations in the Donbas,” the ministry added, “Russian forces are likely to continue facing morale issues and shortages of supplies and personnel.”
Apr 07, 9:08 am
US Senate votes to resurrect WWII-era program to help Ukraine fight Russia
The United States Senate unanimously approved major legislation late Wednesday to resurrect a World War II-era policy that gives President Joe Biden the authority to expedite the delivery of weapons and other supplies to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.
The so-called Lend-Lease program was created during the Second World War and allowed the U.S. to swiftly resupply allies without bureaucratic barriers in the fight against Nazi Germany. The bill that passed in the Senate on Wednesday night would enable the U.S. to stay physically out of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine while providing allies with weapons and military equipment.
In a brief, late-night speech on the Senate floor in Washington, D.C., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Russian President Vladimir Putin and his military forces of carrying out “genocide” in Ukraine, calling the alleged atrocities “pure evil.”
“When we murder wantonly innocent civilians because of who they are, whether it be their religion, their race, or their nationality, that is genocide,” Schumer said, “and Mr. Putin is guilty of it.”
The Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022, as it’s called, would be specific to Ukraine and Eastern European nations to help remove obstacles to lending arms. The legislation would not create a new program, but would streamline the president’s current authority to lend the defense articles needed by Ukraine and Eastern European countries and expedite the delivery of defense articles to Ukraine. It would remain in effect through fiscal year 2023, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Shaheen introduced the bill with Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in January. It will now be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Apr 07, 5:21 am
Ukraine’s NATO agenda: ‘Weapons, weapons and weapons’
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba said his country had a “simple” agenda for Thursday’s NATO meeting.
“It has only three items on it. It’s weapons, weapons and weapons,” Kuleba told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.
NATO foreign ministers are meeting this week to discuss the situation in Ukraine, including whether to implement new sanctions and supply additional weapons, said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who spoke alongside Kuleba.
“So we are providing support, but, at the same time, working hard to prevent the escalation of the conflict,” Stoltenberg said.
Kuleba called on “all allies to put aside their hesitations” in aiding Ukraine.
“We are confident that the best way to help Ukraine now is to provide it with all necessary to contain [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, and to defeat Russian army in Ukraine, in the territory of Ukraine, so that the war does not spill over further,” Kuleba said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet with Kuleba on Thursday, according to his office.
“The G7 is committed to holding President Putin to account for his unprovoked war of choice and ensuring he endures a strategic defeat in Ukraine,” Blinken said on Twitter on Thursday.
(NOTE LANGUAGE) Joe Budden was on the receiving end of a round of social backlash on Wednesday, after he said he hates K-pop group BTS during a recent episode of The Joe Budden podcast.
“I hate them BTS n*****,” Budden said, as heard in an audio clip posted on Twitter by Media On Blast. When asked to elaborate on his opinion, he said, “Do I need a reason? I hate them n*****. I don’t have to divulge my reason to you, I just hate them n*****.”
BTS fans, known as the BTS Army, were quick to call out the “Pump It Up” rapper for his comments that most believed weren’t backed up by any logical reasoning.
“…how the hell you claim to hate someone but you don’t got ONE valid reason why? you sound stupid af & you should be embarrassed…, one Twitter user said.
Another fan wrote, “joe budden has to be the biggest loser that I have ever seen, that man always talks s*** about the biggest artists and then he gets put in his place. That man is embarrassing…”
Budden continued expressing his thoughts on the Grammy-nominated group, even asserting his belief that the group was from China, instead of Korea, where they’re actually from.
“I know they big, I know it’s China, I don’t wanna see it,” he inaccurately stated before being corrected by his co-hosts.
Budden did ultimately provide a reason he doesn’t care for BTS. In the midst of fielding the many angry fan comments on Twitter and in response to one user’s inquiry on why the podcast host was trending, he said, “Cuz i don’t like assembly belt pop…”
The story of Kurt Cobain is becoming an opera. Or, rather, a story inspired by Kurt Cobain.
The London Royal Opera House has announced an adaptation of the 2005 Gus Van Sant film Last Days, which was loosely based on the death of the Nirvana icon.
Like the movie, the Last Days stage production follows a musician named Blake who has “recently escaped rehab to return home.”
“He is haunted by objects, visitors and memories distracting him from his true purpose — self-destruction,” the ROH’s description reads, adding “this new opera plunges into the torment that created a modern myth.”
Last Days is set to run at London’s Linbury Theatre October 7-11.
By the way, an opera isn’t the only thing Last Days has inspired recently. The Batman writer/director Matt Reeves cited the film in an interview with Empire while describing his Cobain-esque interpretation of the Caped Crusader.
Even with the most hectic touring schedules in the country music business, stars occasionally find a day to relax here and there — and when they do, many are typically opting for outdoor leisure activities.
Thomas Rhett recently envisioned his perfect day to Today’s Hoda Kotb on her Making Space with Hoda Kotb podcast, qualifying that if his wife and kids were somewhere else, he’d spend the day off fishing on a lake somewhere out West.
Luke Bryan’s perfect day off looks a little bit similar to TR’s, minus the “out West” part: The singer and American Idol judge recently shared a snapshot of his “much needed” day off on the water, complete with a can of his very own Two Lane beer.
Meanwhile, Blake Shelton opts for drier pastimes: This week, the star shared video of himself out on his Oklahoma ranch, gleefully running after a red tractor and yelling “We’re farming! I love it! We’re farming!”
Carrie Underwood has announced her next album. Called Denim & Rhinestones, the project will arrive June 10, according to a Twitter post from the singer.
It’s Carrie’s seventh studio album of new material, and her first since she put out Cry Pretty in 2018. In the years that have elapsed, Carrie’s been focusing on other musical endeavors: She put out a Christmas album, My Gift, and a gospel album, My Savior.
When she shared her news, Carrie also showed fans her new album’s cover art. True to its name, it’s a photo of Carrie wearing a strapless denim dress, adorned with strappy belt buckles across the body of the dress and fringe-furnished denim sleeves. A wall made of rhinestones glitters in the background.
The blue and purple colors of the album cover are a continuation of a color palette Carrie started when she put out “Ghost Story” last month.
In addition to launching her album, Carrie’s also been busy with the next run of shows on her Las Vegas residency. She also performed “Ghost Story” at the 2022 Grammys, and will perform at the upcoming CMT Music Awards, too.
The Fab Four festivities begin today at 5 p.m. ET with a Beatles-themed edition of the “Rock Hall Nights” series. In addition to offering a behind-the-scenes look at the exhibit, the event will feature an appearance by Let It Be engineer and famed producer Glyn Johns, who will sign copies of his memoir Sound Man from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Other attractions, events and activities include screenings of rare jams from Rock Hall induction ceremonies featuring Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and other rock superstars; Beatles trivia quizzes; a performance by a Beatles cover band; a look at the music that influenced the Fab Four; and more.
Thursday’s “Rock Hall Nights” event, which runs until 9 p.m., will be followed by the “Beatles Fan Weekend,” taking place on Friday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The fan weekend will feature many of the same activities and attractions offered on Thursday, including the Rock Hall performance screenings, the trivia quizzes, and the concert.
In addition, Beatles-themed drinks will be available at the café, and Beatles music will be played all day through speakers at the Rock Hall, along nearby East 9th St. and in downtown Cleveland.
As previously reported, “The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be” is an immersive exhibit that offers an in-depth look at the 1969 sessions that yielded the Let It Be album, and at the band’s famous London rooftop concert.
Kim Kardashian is making the rounds to promote her family’s new The Kardashians series, debuting today on Hulu, and the last stops shed some light on her current relationship with Pete Davidson, and her former one with her estranged husband, Kanye West.
On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Jimmy showed a picture of Davidson and Kardashian taking part in an Aladdin sketch on Saturday Night Live. Kim confirmed, to applause, that the sketch, which had the pair on a flying carpet, was the first time the couple kissed.
Jimmy joked, “I guess that was a magic carpet,” and asked what became of it after the show.
“Actually, for Valentine’s Day, he got me the rug and the whole outfits and the little genie lamp,” Kim replied.
To ABC’s Robin Roberts during the ABC News Wednesday night primetime special The Kardashians, Kim shed some light on co-parenting her four children with West: North, 8; Saint, 6; Chicago, 4; and Psalm, 2. Kardashian filed for divorce from West in February 2021 after almost seven years of marriage.
Kim said she is “really open and honest” with their children about her relationship with West, admitting that the younger two “don’t understand as much” but the two older ones “know what’s going on.”
“You wanna take the high road, and sometimes it’s hard…” Kim admitted when Roberts asked how she navigates the posts West shares online about their family.
“I’ve always been like a champion of him speaking his truth and I would always want that,” said Kim, adding that she and West “talk daily” regarding their kids.
“Kanye and I will always be family. At the end of the day, I just want my kids to be happy and healthy and think the world of their dad, and they do,” she declared.
