Jack Harlow is ready to launch his second studio album, announcing the title and release date on Wednesday.
The rapper’s Come Home the Kids Miss You album is due out May 6, he told Rolling Stone. He also admitted “Nail Tech” is “probably my least favorite song on the album” because his upcoming work is “more serious” to reflect the journey he is on.
“I want to be… the face of my generation, for these next 10 years,” he explained. “We need more people in my generation that are trying to be the best, and you can’t do that with just ear candy, vibe records. You got to come out swinging sometimes… I got to dig deeper this time.”
In order to be “one of the best in my generation,” the “Industry Baby” singer decided to make a few life changes. One included quitting alcohol, which he did a year ago. Though he didn’t have a drinking problem, Harlow said simply didn’t like how he felt the day after drinking and so decided to ditch “boyish things.”
“I’m sick of waking up with a dry throat, sick of feeling bloated, I’m sick of the decisions I make on it,” he explained. “I’m in my well-oiled-machine era. Because I can see my future right in front of me. And I feel there’s so many people counting on me outside of myself.”
As one of the few white men in the rap game, Harlow says he hasn’t been asked if its “right” for him to be in the genre, because “people see I have an innate passion for rapping, so they don’t ask me that question.” Instead, he plans on “honoring the competition.”
“I’m gonna go out on that court and play as hard as you’re playing,” he vowed.
(NEW YORK) — Teachers in Florida and around the country are speaking out as the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill heads to the governor’s desk.
The controversial bill bans discussion “on sexual orientation or gender identity” in Florida’s K-3 classrooms. Officially known as the “Parental Rights in Education” bill (HB 1557), it is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, if Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has indicated his support for the bill, signs it into state law.
One of the stipulations in HB 1557 states that “classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
House Rep. Joe Harding, who sponsored the bill in the Florida House, spoke to ABC News after the bill passed.
“What we’re preventing is a school district deciding they’re going to create a curriculum to insert themselves,” he said in an interview with ABC News’ “Start Here” podcast. “The school district doesn’t need to insert themselves at that point when children are still learning how to read and do basic math.”
High school students, especially LGBTQ youth have been protesting the bill, saying the pending legislation will be harmful to students who are already at higher risk for abuse and mental health conditions.
Some teachers and their unions are also calling out the bill, saying it’s politicizing the classroom and warning that the legislation could lead to bullying.
Karla Hernández-Mats, the president of United Teachers of Dade, a local union that represents 30,000 employees of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, told GMA she has heard from both teachers and parents about the “Parental Rights in Education” bill.
“Teachers find it ludicrous that we’re being used as scapegoats because, first of all, teachers don’t teach children to be gay. That’s absurd,” Hernández-Mats said, pointing out that sexual education is not a part of the existing K-3 curriculum in the state.
She went on, “We know that the curriculum for every school in Florida is set by the Florida Department of Education. So we understand that this is an attack on teachers, an attack on students, an attack on their freedom. Despite these attacks, we’re gonna keep on pushing forward.”
Hernández-Mats said parents are being misled about what is actually being taught in K-3 classrooms. She also argued that teachers should have the ability to guide students when new ideas and concepts are brought up by students themselves.
“The reality is that if there is a child that has something that they want to say that maybe they only feel safe in our school district, then we should be able as educators not only to embrace them and listen to what it is that they’re saying but provide them the resources also so that they can get the help that they need,” said Hernández-Mats, who has also worked as a middle school special education science teacher.
Some educators are also voicing their support for LGBTQ students and speaking out on social media and using the hashtags #dontsaygay and #dontsaygaybill on platforms like TikTok and Twitter.
Meghan Mayer, a public school teacher in North Port, Florida, shared a TikTok video with her perspective, saying in part, “Public education in America is under attack … we’re now going after our most vulnerable student population, or LGBTQ+ students. These students already face a higher rate of bullying and are at higher risk of suicide as compared to their straight cisgender peers.”
“As a Florida educator and honestly as a parent in Florida, I’m feeling pretty helpless,” Mayer said, before telling viewers to vote with their wallets and boycott corporations that have donated to lawmakers behind the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The middle school reading teacher, who is considering switching to the elementary level, told “GMA” she is concerned about its real-world impact on students, some of whom have come to her asking for more information about the bill.
“It’s something that definitely concerns me, making that transition from middle to elementary because I want all of my students to feel loved and to feel seen and heard and valued and it’s gonna be really difficult to tell a student, ‘No, you can’t talk about your family. No, we’re not allowed to do that,'” she said. “I mean, how do you say that to a kindergartener or a first grader?”
Mayer said she read the text of the bill and found its language “so vague.”
“I just feel like it is really going to open the door for just a lot of discrimination. I think it’s going to do a lot of harm to a lot of our students,” she said.
Mayer also said it’s not just students who might be affected but her fellow teachers as well.
“When teachers have been through so much already, just like a lot of other essential workers have, a bill like this just continues to invalidate us as educators, like we don’t know what’s best,” she said. “I think that’s the thing that bothers me the most is that, ‘Do you think so little of us that you really think that we don’t know what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate to talk about with students in our classroom?’ Once again, we’re just not respected as educators.”
“This bill worries me for educators too, who are LGBTQ,” Mayer continued. “Because does that mean that they can’t have a picture of them and their spouse on their desk for fear that somebody might ask about it and then that’s going to lead to some sort of conversation? I feel like it specifically targets LGBTQ students and teachers.”
President Biden has called the bill “hateful” and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said his department opposes the state bill.
“Leaders in Florida are prioritizing hateful bills that hurt some of the students most in need,” he said in a statement. “The Department of Education has made clear that all schools receiving federal funding must follow federal civil rights law, including Title IX’s protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We stand with our LGBTQ+ students in Florida and across the country, and urge Florida leaders to make sure all their students are protected and supported.”
(NEW YORK) — A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Japan late Wednesday, triggering a tsunami threat and leaving more than 2 million households without electricity, officials said.
Preliminary reports put it at a 7.3 magnitude. The earthquake occurred just off the coast from Fukushima.
A tsunami threat was issued for the east coast of Honshu, Japan, by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based on preliminary earthquake parameters. The center warned of possible hazardous tsunami waves for coastal communities within 186 miles of the epicenter.
A tsunami is not expected in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia or Alaska, according to the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center.
Japan’s NHK World news service reported that the Tokyo area is under large power outages with more than 2 million households currently without power.
There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake struck around 11:36 p.m. local time and its epicenter was pinpointed about 20.5 miles below the sea.
In 2011, a strong earthquake struck in the same general area causing a tsunami and causing a nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Japan’s nuclear regulator reported Wednesday that preliminary information indicates no abnormalities at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(SEATTLE) — Starbucks says green isn’t just a bold color for its logo or signage, but an aspiration and reminder to be a resource positive company that helps the planet in proactive ways.
Ahead of the company’s annual shareholder meeting Wednesday and the announced retirement of CEO Kevin Johnson, Starbucks is sharing some of its efforts to help the company reduce waste by 50% by 2030.
The efforts will include reusable cup programs and a new app to help employees better sort where waste and recycling should go at a specific location, the company said in a press release Tuesday.
Over the last few years the Seattle-based coffee company has tested and prepared to scale various sustainability initiatives including a pilot program for reusable cups.
“We have a bold long-term sustainability vision and ambitious goals for 2030,” Johnson said in a statement. “Starbucks partners around the world are passionate about protecting our planet and are at the very center of driving the innovation that enables us to give more than we take from the planet.”
To help reach its goal, Starbucks says it will shift away from single-use plastics and pilot more of the reusable cup programs in six markets around the world.
By the end of 2023, customers will be able to use their own personal reusable cups at U.S. and Canada locations for both in-store and drive-thru or mobile orders, the company says.
“Our goal, by 2025, is to create a cultural movement towards reusables by giving customers easy access to a personal or Starbucks provided reusable to-go cup for every visit, making it convenient and delightful to reuse wherever customers are enjoying their Starbucks Experience,” the company said.
The company announced Wednesday that Johnson will be step down and remain a special consultant to the board through September. Howard Schultz will serve as interim CEO and help with the search process and onboarding of the company’s next leader.
Kassi Ashton is now engaged to Travis Myatt, general management of Nashville-based publishing company Twelve6 Entertainment, after five years of dating. The “Dates in Pickup Trucks” singer posted about the magical moment on Instagram, revealing that her now-fiancee popped the question in Key West, FL on the pier where they first met. He organized it so that her family was also part of it, secretly waiting on the beach to congratulate them after she said “yes.”
“He surprised me with this trip, my dream ring, my dream antique ring box, and my dream photographer, @ktcrabbphoto. I asked him how I was to repay him and he said, ‘marry me,'” she describes in the caption alongside a gallery of photos that show Travis down on one knee with a ring in hand under the stars, Kassi falling to her knees in tears. “It’s almost as if you and fate planned this all along. I love you so much @jtmyatt.”
“I was in love with her before she knew my first name… now she’s taking my last name,” Travis wrote in his own post wherein Kassi is showing off the massive diamond on her engagement ring.
Travis Denning, Little Big Town‘s Karen Fairchild, Grammy winning songwriter Lori McKenna and Jon Pardi‘s wife Summer were among the many people who shared congratulatory messages in the comment section.
Samir Hussein/WireImage; Hector Vivas/Getty Images for amfAR
Rod Stewart, Gloria Gaynor, The Commodores and Dolly Parton will all be participating in a three-day virtual event being staged next week by AARP, the organization that focuses on issues affecting people aged 50 or over.
The event, called AARP Celebrates You, runs from March 24 to March 26. It’ll feature musical performances, celebrity chats, a movie screening and informational discussions, and it’s free.
Stewart will be performing March 25 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. Organizers promise he’ll sing hits like “Maggie May,” “You’re in My Heart” and “Have I Told You Lately.”
Gaynor and The Commodores, as well as DJ Jazzy Jeff, all will perform as part of a two-hour event called “Daybreaker Live! Motown Dance Party” that’s scheduled for March 26 at 11 a.m. ET.
As for Parton, she’ll appear virtually with author James Patterson for a conversation about Run Rose Run, the new book they co-wrote. That event will air March 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET.
AARP Celebrates You will kick off on March 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET with a moderated discussion featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
You can register for the event, and find out more about all the stars who’ll be taking part and the sessions being offered, at AARP.org/celebrates.
With the 94th Annual Academy Awards on March 27 fast approaching, the financial wonks at WalletHub have done a deep dive into the numbers for Hollywood’s biggest night.
For example, WalletHub’s experts say the ceremony costs $42.9 million to pull off. The 50,000-square-foot Oscars red carpet alone, actually 30 rolls strung together, costs $24,700 bucks, and takes 18 workers to install over hundreds of hours.
Speaking of hundreds, the actual cost of the gold-plated prize is $400 — a pittance compared to what it’s worth to a winner’s financial bottom line with future roles, which can jump by 60% after a win, according to the site’s number crunchers.
The most expensive outfit ever worn to the Academy Awards was Cate Blanchett‘s 2014 red carpet look. She wore an Armani Privé dress embellished with $100,000 worth of Swarovski crystals, and her whole ensemble — complete with Chopard jewelry featuring 62 opals, plus a diamond bracelet and ring — was worth a record $18.1 million.
That said, even that was bargain-basement compared to the 128-carat fancy yellow Tiffany diamond Lady Gaga wore around her neck in 2019. The $30 million necklace — a record for any Oscar jewelry piece — was a good luck charm, as she picked up a trophy that year for her A Star Is Born song “Shallow.”
WalletHub also noted it costs $80,000 for a couple to attend the most expensive Oscar party, Vanity Fair‘s post-show gala.
Lastly, an Oscars gift bag can contain more than $200,000 worth of SWAG, the site says. Last year’s offering also contained an NFT of the late Chadwick Boseman that was reportedly worth $1.2 million.
Ed Sheeran is many things — a father, Grammy-winning singer, actor and even a “super busker” — but there is one thing he apparently isn’t: a smoker. And no, that doesn’t mean cigarettes.
Speaking to Australia’s Nova radio, Ed explained how partying with rapper The Game in 2013 showed him that he would made a very bad pothead.
“I remember I was in the studio once in, like 2013. I was doing some records with The Game and he took me to Compton… And we were in studio and we probably made like 13, 14 songs,” Ed recalled.
A few of the rapper’s friends came to the studio as the session was winding down and, says Ed, “It starts being a bit of a party.”
The “Shivers” singer said he decided to hang — cracking, “When in Rome!” — but reveals that probably wasn’t one of his best decisions. “I took a tiny, tiny, tiny puff on something and I was out,” he laughed. “I had to go home. I don’t really do that at all.”
Ed recently announced he is coming to Australia and New Zealand as part of his upcoming tour to promote his latest album, = (Equals), and said he is crossing his fingers he gets to do it.
“I got the final plans for it the last day of the Divide tour, and they’ve been building for three years,” he explained. “It’s a big financial risk. I hope that there’s not another pandemic, touch wood.”
The Interrupters and Flogging Molly are teaming up for a U.S. co-headlining tour this summer.
The joint outing launches June 7 in Indianapolis, and concludes September 21 in Paso Robles, California.
“We can’t wait to sing together, dance together and celebrate live music with everyone!” The Interrupters say. “See you all very soon!”
Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 18, at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit WeAreTheInterrupters.com or FloggingMolly.com.
The Interrupters’ most recent album is 2018’s Fight the Good Fight, which spawned the group’s breakout single, “She’s Kerosene.” Last summer, they opened for Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer’s U.S. Hella Mega tour.
Flogging Molly, meanwhile, just released a new track called “These Times Have Got Me Drinking” last week, marking their first fresh tune since their last album, Life Is Good, dropped in 2017.
At 3 a.m. Eastern time, the Marvel shows that were produced for Netflix — Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, The Punisher, Iron Fist, and the team-up The Defenders — landed on Disney+.
As previously reported, the mature content of the shows led the streaming service to update their parental settings, so starting today, you’ll have to re-enter your Disney+ account’s password one time to authorize access for the “Full Library” option. If you don’t want your kids to watch the TV-MA-rated superhero shows, you’ll also have the option to set a parental password.
Also landing on the service today is the more family-friendly Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which previously aired on ABC.
While Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, The Punisher and Iron Fist are gone from the MCU — for now, at least — Daredevil stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are still an active part of it. Cox, who plays blind lawyer Matt Murdock, moonlighting as the titular red-suited vigilante, had a surprise cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, while D’Onofrio’s hulking criminal genius Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, recently showed up in Hawkeye. Marvel also recently all but promised fans soon will see even more of Cox as Daredevil.
