As Juice WRLD Day is being held Thursday in the Chicago hometown of the late rapper, the cover and tracklist for his new album was revealed.
The inaugural Juice WRLD Day celebrates the life and music of the rapper, born Jarad Higgins. Fans around the world can view the activities, including surprise performances, during a live stream on the Amazon Music app and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, beginning at 8 p.m. CT/ 9 p.m. ET.
Fighting Demons, WRLD’s fourth studio album, will drop Friday featuring collaborations with Justin Bieber, Trippie Redd, SUGA of BTS, and Polo G.
“There was nothing Jarad ‘Juice WRLD’ Higgins enjoyed more than delivering new music to his millions of fans around the world. He left behind an astonishingly deep catalog of music that will ensure his fans will have new songs to listen to for years to come,” his mother Carmela Wallace, said in a statement.
“Jarad was always searingly honest about his struggles and through his musical genius he articulated what was on his heart and mind vividly through his art. He never gave up and his friends and family never gave up on offering their support to him,” she continued. “We encourage all of you who struggle with addiction and mental health to never give up the fight. We continue to extend free support to you via LiveFree999.org created in his honor.”
In April of 2020, Wallace established the Live Free 999 Fund, which honors the legacy of her son by supporting young people battling addiction and mental health issues.
Juice WRLD will also be remembered with the HBO documentary, Into the Abyss, debuting December 16. Wednesday marked the second anniversary of his passing. Higgins died December 8, 2019 from an accidental drug overdose. He was 21 years old.
(HONG KONG) — Hong Kong’s already-jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai was among three prominent democracy activists convicted on Thursday for taking part in a banned gathering in June 2020 to remember the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.
Hong Kong has a long history of commemorating June 4 — it’s traditionally a day when the city’s freedoms are on show to the world — but the Tiananmen vigil has been banned since Beijing intensified its crackdown in the city after 2019’s protests, with the Hong Kong Police dubiously citing the pandemic.
Lai, who turned 74-years-old on Wednesday, was found guilty on Thursday of inciting people to join the Tiananmen gathering. Rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung and former journalist Gwyneth Ho were also convicted of taking part in the ‘unauthorized assembly’ at Victoria Park.
Judge Amanda Woodcock said that prosecutors were able to prove that Lai and Chow encouraged others to join the vigil, citing Chow’s call for people to “light candles.” Sentencing is on Dec. 13.
Lai, the founder of now-closed pro-democracy paper Apple Daily, is currently in prison serving out sentences for other charges related to his activism. He’s also still waiting to hear charges against him under the controversial national security law.
Thursday’s ruling is another worrying sign that Hong Kong’s once vibrant civil society and independent legal system is heading down a more autocratic path, in line with mainland China.
In a statement, Amnesty International said: “The Hong Kong government has once again flouted international law by convicting activists simply for their involvement in a peaceful, socially distanced vigil for those killed by Chinese troops on 4 June 1989. The authorities have deemed the vigil ‘unlawful’ because the police did not approve it, but peaceful assembly does not need government approval. These convictions merely underline the pattern of the Hong Kong authorities’ extreme efforts to exploit the law to press multiple trumped-up charges against prominent activists.”
The group added, “People should be free to peacefully mourn and remember the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown – and to prosecute people for doing so is an egregious attack on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.”
With many of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy politicians in jail or in exile, for the first time in history the city is holding a Legislative Council election without opposition next Sunday, Dec. 19. It’s also the first city-wide poll under Beijing’s new electoral system to ensure only Chinese ‘patriots’ run Hong Kong.
In March, it passed legislation to reduce pro-democracy representation in the legislature, introducing a pro-Beijing vetting panel to screen candidates and expanding the ratio of pro-Beijing seats. This election has been postponed twice — it was originally scheduled for September 2020 — with officials citing the pandemic.
Meanwhile Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have been trying to deflect concerns about a potential record-low voter turnout. Earlier this month, an online survey found that 40% of 6,400 people polled said they “most likely” or “absolutely” would not be casting a ballot on election day.
Seemingly in response, Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam told the Chinese tabloid the Global Times that a low turnout rate “would not mean anything,” musing that it could mean that the public was satisfied with the government and didn’t need to vote.
Nevertheless, the potential turnout was sensitive enough that the Hong Kong government issued a threat to The Wall Street Journal after it published an editorial about the upcoming election. The editorial commented that ‘not voting’ is probably one of the remaining forms of protests left in the city. However, it is against the law to incite others to boycott the election or cast blank ballots.
Before the election was delayed, democrats held an unofficial primary poll to boost their chances of gaining a majority in the chamber. Forty-seven political figures involved in the election were arrested and charged with subversion under the security law. Since then, many other democratic politicians have quit or been disqualified over oath-taking requirements.
The pro-democracy camp had seen a surge in support during the 2019 protests, enjoying landslide wins in record turnout during the District Council election in November that year.
Nicki Minaj turned 39 years old Wednesday, and she celebrated in her usual, uninhibited Pink Barbie style, with a trio of nude Instagram photos.
In two shots, the “Chun-Li” rapper wears a thong, holding a birthday cake with her right hand, while hiding her breasts with her left hand. She commented, “Say Happy Birthday to da Bad Guy.” The other photo shows Nicki wearing nothing but her candy-pink hair while she straddles an enormous teddy bear.
Minaj also posted a video montage of her over the years, including photos with her husband, Kenneth Petty, and their baby boy. “My fans said I never come online on my bday,” she wrote. “I made it my business today to change that this year. Love you guys so much.”
Porsha Williams, Naturi Naughton, Tami Roman, Foxy Brown, and Phaedra Parks were among the many stars sending her birthday blessings.
Rise Against has announced a North American tour for 2022 in support of the band’s new album, Nowhere Generation.
The newly scheduled dates will launch April 9 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and will wrap up April 22 in Bakersfield, California.
Tickets go on sale next Wednesday, December 15, at 10 a.m. local time. A pre-sale begins this Friday, December 10, at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit RiseAgainst.com.
Nowhere Generation, Rise Against’s ninth album, was released in this past June. It’s title track gave the Chicago punk outfit their first number-one single on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
Over their 25 years of marriage, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have had their share of ups and downs, but ultimately, they’ve always found strength in leaning on each other.
Tim’s long been open about his struggles with alcohol, for example, and he says Faith’s support was key to his recovery.
“Those demons always come back,” he reflects to People, 13 years after getting sober. “But you always have a partner that’s willing to fight them with you. We made a commitment to each other a long time ago that we’re not going to give up.”
“When you love someone, you commit to be there for them for the highs, the lows, anytime. You face the struggles,” Faith agrees.
The two country stars have also seen each other through family challenges, such as through the deaths of their parents. Tim’s dad, major league baseball pitcher Tug McGraw, died in 2004, and Faith lost her father more recently, in 2019. Her mom had died just three years earlier. It was a painful time in her life, the singer remembers.
“It’s difficult to lose parents just a couple of years apart and watch them pass right in front of you,” she says, but adds that Tim’s support helped her through that time.
“He was so present for the passing of both my parents,” she recalls. “You reveal yourself when you are going through struggles and that’s just another layer of partnership.”
These days, Tim and Faith are embarking on a new venture together: They’re co-starring in Yellowstone prequel 1883, which premieres December 19 on Paramount +.
John Mellencamp has unveiled the cover art for his forthcoming album, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, and has announced that a new song from the record called “Chasing Rainbows” will be released this Friday, December 10.
The cover, which was posted on Mellencamp’s Facebook and Instagram pages along with the message “COMING SOON,” is a painting that appears to be a self portrait of the singer/songwriter in which he’s depicted wearing an eyepatch over his right eye and holding up his left hand near his face.
A separate post on John’s socialmediasites includes an instrumental snippet of “Chasing Rainbows,” along with a note revealing that the song will be “out Friday.”
In September, Mellencamp released a duet with Bruce Springsteen titled “Wasted Days” which was announced as the first single from Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, which is due out in 2022. John also debuted a new acoustic tune from the album titled “I Always Lie to Strangers” during his performance at the 2021 Farm Aid concert in September.
Gwen Stefani is already decked out for the holidays, but she wants to make it feel like Christmas for everyone. The “Slow Clap” singer has teamed with IMAX for a special livestream event dedicated to her favorite holiday film, Elf.
Per the Thursday press release, Gwen will not only play the Will Ferrell film in full, she will also share why the movie — and the Christmas season — is so near and dear to her heart. It is a one-night only event, so if you want to cozy up with the No Doubt frontwoman, you better clear your schedule for Monday, December 13.
She also has a special surprise in store for one lucky guest from each participating IMAX theater — an autographed vinyl record of her deluxe edition of You Make It Feel Like Christmas. In addition, everyone who buys a ticket will score an additional 10 percent off merchandise in Gwen’s online store.
The two-hour event will be streamed at 8 p.m. ET across 10 different IMAX locations. Visit the theater chain’s official website to find the screening closest to you and purchase tickets.
Former Fifth Harmony singer Lauren Jauregui says Perez Hilton “violated” her when he publicly “outed” her on his gossip blog in 2016, before she was ready.
Lauren, who is openly bisexual, was the latest guest on Gloria Estefan‘s Red Table Talkon Facebook Watch to discuss cyberbullying — something they believe is what made Perez famous. Gloria opened the discussion by saying the blogger was “the harbinger of doom” for the young singer when he publicly outed her five years ago and stole her “opportunity to come out.”
“I had been dating the girlfriend that I had at the time for like, probably a year at that point, but we had fallen in love when I was like 15,” Lauren recalled. She had invited her partner to her uncle’s wedding, which had a photo booth, and she said, “My girlfriend and I, we were drunk, so we had taken a picture kissing.”
Lauren’s aunt then “innocently posted” all the photo booth pictures to Facebook, adding, “It was like a link for the family to be able to click on,” but her overzealous fans found it and Perez publicly posted the photo across his accounts.
“[Perez] definitely outed me. I wasn’t ready,” she said. “I felt like my own process was violated.” Lauren says his actions also affected her family because they had to “deal with [it] on a public scale.”
Perez on Wednesday responded to the “Worth It” singer and said he is “NOT sorry for that tweet” because “that was not ‘outing’ her.”
“All I did was send out a tweet talking about the leaked photo and I said “Why are #FifthHarmony fans being so extra over this photo,'” Perez continued. “I don’t regret that. I never claimed or presumed anything about her sexuality.”
All I did was send out a tweet talking about the leaked photo and I said “Why are #FifthHarmony fans being so extra over this photo of @LaurenJauregui (in the red) kissing another girl? NBD!” I don’t regret that. I never claimed or presumed anything about her sexuality.
Netlfix has dropped a brand-new trailer to its forthcoming fourth season of the Emmy-nominated Cobra Kai, and the old adage “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” comes to mind.
The snippet shows the members of both the Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang dojos joining forces to take down Martin Kove‘s Sensei Kreese and his Cobra Kai at the All Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament.
“If Johnny and I can actually work together, and we win,” Ralph Macchio‘s Danny LaRusso says in the trailer, “Cobra Kai will be out of business.”
For his part, William Zabka’s Johnny tells their united students, “Eagles do not respond. They swoop down and they take what they want!”
To that end, he prepares a lesson in flying, courtesy of a rooftop and a few hastily stacked mattresses.
“We’re gonna get sued!” Danny protests.
“Sue me for what?” Johnny replies.
Also in the mix this season is Karate Kid III villain Thomas Ian Griffith as Terry Silver — and he’s still up to no good.
“You missed this, don’t you?” Creese tells a suited-up Silver in the dojo, as they exchange mean smiles.
Will Johnny stay with Danny, or will he get drawn back to the dark side? See for yourself when Cobra Kai returns on December 31.
Ralph Tavares, the oldest member of the sibling R&B and disco group Tavares, has died, just days shy of his 80th birthday, which would have been this Friday.
Ralph’s passing was reported by Massachusetts newspaper The Standard-Times. No cause of death was given.
Ralph began performing with his brothers during the 1950s. The siblings’ group underwent various name and personnel changes over the years, eventually changing its moniker to Tavares in the early ’70s.
In 1973, Tavares scored its first top-40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Check It Out.” The following year, the group topped the Billboard R&B singles chart with a cover of Hall & Oates‘ “She’s Gone.”
Tavares had its biggest Hot 100 hit in 1975 with “It Only Takes a Minute,” which peaked at #10. In 1976, their single “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” reached #15 on the chart.
The group got some high-profile attention when their version of The Bee Gees‘ “More Than a Woman” appeared in the classic 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. The track, which also was featured on the movie’s Grammy-winning soundtrack, peaked at #32 on the Hot 100.
Tavares’ last top-40 hit on the Hot 100 came in 1982 with “A Penny for Your Thoughts,” which also received a Grammy nomination in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category.
Ralph retired from the group in 1984 and, according to The Standard-Times, he spent more than 30 years working as a court officer in Massachusetts cities of New Bedford and Fall River.
Ralph rejoined Tavares for a special reunion show in 2014. That same year, the group was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.
