After pleading not guilty to federal drug charges last week, Willie Maxwell II, better known as “Fetty Wap,” has been released on bond.
ABC News confirmed on Friday that the New Jersey rapper was released on a $500,000 secured bond along with other restrictions. As part of his release he must stay under GPS monitoring, submit to random drug testing, surrender his passport, and only travel with the prior approval of Pre-trial Services and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
As previously reported, Fetty Wap was arrested October 28 during the Rolling Loud music festival at Citi Field in Queens, New York. He was charged with five others, including a New Jersey corrections officer, with conspiring to distribute and possess controlled substances across Long Island and New Jersey.
Fetty pleaded not guilty to those charges during his arraignment on October 29 and faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
Drake is still in an eerie Halloween mood as he dropped his black and white horror show “Knife Talk” video Friday featuring 21 Savage and Project Pat. The track from his chart-topping Certified Lover Boy album is currently number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.
It mixes footage from the 1962 low budget horror thriller Carnival of Souls, and the 1971 Italian slasher flick The Mad Butcher, with cartoon imagery and zombies, as well as dolls and puppets rapping the lyrics.
The Champagne Papi is also debuting a new concert venue in his hometown, Toronto, Canada. Named History, the 2,500-capacity concert hall will open Sunday, and plans to host 200 events a year. The lineup includes Jack Harlow on November 16, and TeyanaTaylor on her The Last Rose Petal Farewell Tour on November 18. Next year, WizKid will perform on January 20 and 21.
On November 1, Billy Joel celebrated his 50th anniversary as a recording artist, and now he’s turning back the clock by posting his very first music video.
But maybe calling it a “music video” oversells it: It’s a 1971 film of a long-haired, bearded Billy in his early twenties, sitting at a piano and playing “Everybody Loves You Now,” a track from his debut solo album Cold Spring Harbor.
Cold Spring Harbor is one of the albums included in The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1: a new box set of nine vinyl LPs featuring Billy’s first six studio albums and his first live album, Songs in the Attic, plus a previously unreleased double-LP concert recording that’s exclusive to the box set. The set also comes with a 50-page booklet featuring archival photos, Billy’s personal observations, and tributes from fellow musicians and celebrities.
The box set is out today. Tonight, Billy resumes his residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden. He recently announced two more stadium shows for 2022: a March 12 concert at Orlando, FL’s Camping World Stadium and a September 23 show at Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX. Tickets for both shows go on sale November 12.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden was making last-minute calls to key House members as Speaker Nancy Pelosi pressed for two critical votes Friday on the Democratic agenda: the president’s $1.75 trillion “Build Back Better” social spending and climate policy package and the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan.
But Democratic infighting continued as Democratic moderates demanded Pelosi wait for a cost estimate on the larger bill from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office before going forward.
That could take weeks.
Late Friday afternoon, Pelosi announced the House would vote Friday on the already Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure plan and then take a procedural vote on moving forward with the “Build Back Better” legislation — but not a final vote — a significant concession.
“We had hoped to be able to bring both bills to the floor today. Some members want more clarification or validation of numbers that have been put forth. It’s top line, that it is fully paid for. And we honor that request,” Pelosi said. “So today, we hope to pass the BIF and also the rule on Build Back Better with the idea that before Thanksgiving — it should take them another week or so — to get the numbers they are requesting.”
So, Democratic leaders imposed yet deadline after missing many others — to pass the “Build Back Better” legislation by the middle of the month, with Pelosi calling its hoped-for passage a “Thanksgiving gift for the American people.”
The speaker, renowned for her vote-counting prowess and who has famously said she doesn’t call a vote unless she know she has enough to win, was asked by a reporter, “Do you … have 218 votes to pass it?’ Pelosi answered, “We’ll see, won’t we?”
Even so, it wasn’t clear whether progressive Democrats would go along with Pelosi’s plan to vote Friday on the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
For months, they have threatened to vote against and defeat it — unless at the same time they got a vote on final passage of the larger social spending package.
Pelosi had addressed some of their concerns by adding back in four weeks of paid family and medical leave over the objections of West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, whose vote is key to getting the measure passed in the Senate.
In a sign of the fast-changing developments, minutes after Pelosi announced there would be a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure package Friday, progressives gathered behind closed doors.
In the middle of their meeting, President Biden called Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
She left in a hurry, racing to nearby elevators to take the call.
ABC News Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott reported she was told roughly 20 progressives were ready to vote against the bipartisan infrastructure bill unless there’s a vote on the larger social spending bill, too.
The roadblocks thrown up by House Democrats continued despite Biden urging then to act — with the party facing new pressure to deliver after disappointing election results on Tuesday.
“I’m asking every House Member, Member of the House of Representatives to vote yes on both these bills right now. Send the infrastructure bill to my desk. Send the Build Back Better bill to the Senate,” Biden send in his morning message to lawmakers. “Let’s, let’s build on incredible economic progress. Build on what we’ve already done, because this will be such a boost when it occurs. Let’s show the world that American democracy can deliver and propel our economy forward. Let’s get this done.”
He did not answer reporter questions, but promised to come back to answer them when the bills pass.
But hours after he spoke, when or if that would happen remained in doubt.
A number of well-known veteran music artists have received nominations for the 2021 Hollywood Music in Media Awards — the HMMAs — which honor composers, songwriters, and music supervisors for their work in music for film, television and videogames.
This year’s nominees include Brian Wilson, Carole King, U2, Van Morrison and Devo‘s Mark Mothersbaugh.
Wilson received two nods, both for his recent documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road. Brian will vie for the Song: Documentary Film honor for “Right Where I Belong,” which the Beach Boys legend co-wrote with My Morning Jacket‘s Jim James, while the movie itself has been nominated in the Music Documentary/Special Program category.
King has been nominated for the Song: Feature Film for “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home),” from the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect. The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer co-wrote that tune with the movie’s star, Jennifer Hudson, and with Jamie Hartman.
U2 received a nod in the Song: Animated Film category for their new tune “Your Song Saved My Life” from the upcoming flick Sing 2.
Morrison will compete for the Song: Independent Film award for “Down to Joy,” which is from the movie Belfast.
Like Wilson, Mothersbaugh is a two-time nominee. He’s in the running for the Score: Animated Film prize for The Mitchells vs. The Machines, and in the Score: Video Game category for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
The winners of this year’s Hollywood Music in Media Awards will be announced during a livestreamed ceremony held November 17 in Hollywood, California.
To check out all of the nominees, visit HMMAwards.com.
Pose director and screenwriter Janet Mock has found her next major project.
Deadline has learned that Mock will direct and rewrite The International Sweethearts of Rhythm for Sony Pictures. Amy Pascal, Susan Tarr, Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman are all on board to produce the project. Plot details on The International Sweethearts of Rhythm have yet to be revealed.
In other news, TriStar Pictures has set a September 16, 2022 release date for the Gina Prince-Bythewood– directed feature The Woman King, Variety reports. The film, which stars Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu and John Boyega, is inspired by real events that took place in the powerful African state of Dahomey in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Meanwhile, Comedy Central is bring in some holiday cheer with their new film Clüsterfünke Christmas. Described as a “celebratory parody of the traditional TV holiday romance” the film that follows Vella Lovell as Holly, an ambitious real estate exec who visits a small town in hopes of turning the quaint Clüsterfünke Inn into a popular a mega-resort. There, she meets a quirky woodsman who makes her rethink her big- city life. Cheyenne Jackson, Ryan McPartlin, Nils Hognestad, Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer also star. Clüsterfünke Christmas premieres December 4 on Comedy Central.
Finally, ICYMI, All Rise star Philemon Chambers is leading the cast for Netflix’s LGBTQ+ holiday rom-com Single All the Way. Directed by Tony-Winning Michael Mayer, the film follows Michael Urie as Peter, a bachelor who convinces his best friend Nick, played by Chambers, to join him for the holidays as his pretend boyfriend. Peter’s plan goes awry when his mother sets him with a handsome trainer who has real potential. Single All the Way hits Netflix on December 2.
Gal Gadot is psyched to go from Wonder Woman to a witchy woman in an upcoming live-action big-screen retelling of Disney’s Snow White: Gadot will be playing the Evil Queen opposite West Side Story stand-out Rachel Zegler in the title role.
Speaking with Variety at this week’s premiere of her upcoming Netflix action movie Red Notice in Los Angeles, Gadot says she’s “very, very excited” to play the poison apple-wielding baddie.
But while her iconic apple may be spoiled, don’t expect the future Evil Queen to dish out any spoilers of her own.
When she was asked to give her best reading of “Mirror, Mirror on the wall…” the Israeli import balked. “Now!? No! Are you crazy?” she said, laughing. “I want you to come to the movies to see…the real thing.”
As for why she wanted to play the baddie, Gal kept it safe there, too. “There is so much that I cannot share with you that will actually answer this question,” she said, allowing, “the take on this story is so different and delightful and full of joy.”
The as-yet-untitled movie will be directed by The Amazing Spider-Man‘s Mark Webb, with La La Land‘s Marc Platt producing. The trade points out La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen, and The Greatest Showman‘s songwriting team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will be writing new music for the film, which is expected to get underway in November of next year.
(NEW YORK) — As leaders from nearly every country in the world converge upon Glasgow, Scotland, for COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference — the climate crisis is at center stage, as well as the way food is eaten and produced.
Some estimates show that a quarter of all planet-warming greenhouse gases come from food production, according to a 2018 study in the journal Science. Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are nearly twice those of plant-based foods, according to a 2021 study in the journal, Nature Food. Close to 60% of food emissions come from meat production alone, compared to 29% for plant-based foods, the study found.
While “meatless Monday” and meat substitutes like Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat are gaining popularity, our choices when we do eat meat need to be strategic, according to Sujatha Bergen, the health campaigns director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
“There are very easy ways to fight climate change with your fork,” said Bergen, who shared with “Good Morning America” four tips that you can do to help the planet with your food choices.
1. Eliminate 1 burger a week from your diet
“If all Americans were to cut just a burger a week out of their diet, that would save as much emissions as taking 10 million cars off the road every year. So we’re talking about a huge impact with just a very small change,” she said.
Though it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many burgers Americans consume in a week on average, a 2018 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that Americans eat more chicken, red meat, eggs and grains than the recommended daily allowances.
2. Eat along the spectrum
Conventionally raised beef is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases by far, with lamb, shrimp, pork and farmed fish rounding out the top five highest emitters of greenhouse gasses, according to Bergen. “Beef and lamb are on one end of the spectrum and things like beans and vegetables are on the other end. So the more you can shift your diet along the spectrum, the better,” Bergen adds.
3. Use meat as a condiment
Another way to reduce your meat consumption is to use it as a condiment. Bergen says to think about this in terms of a pizza.“You’re going to sprinkle it with maybe a little bit of meat to add some flavor, but it’s not necessarily the primary feature of your dish.” The same goes for stir fry, for example. There are lots of options to implement this change.
4. Turn food waste into fertilizer by composting
Thirty precent of food is wasted. Experts say you should buy loose produce in just the quantity you need. You can freeze vegetables and meat scraps for soups and compost whenever possible to prevent greenhouse gases like methane from being produced. “So it’s a fun, kind of garden-friendly way to fight climate change,” Bergen said.
(HOUSTON) — A bond was raised Friday for the mother of an 8-year-old boy whose remains were left in his Houston home, along with three malnourished siblings.
Gloria Williams, 35, was arrested last week and charged with injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence, according to the sheriff’s office. Her bond was set at $1,550,000 for the two charges.
Williams’ boyfriend, 31-year-old Brian Coulter, has been charged with capital murder in the 8-year-old’s death, prosecutors said.
The skeletal remains of Williams’ 8-year-old son were discovered on Oct. 24 along with three malnourished brothers, ages 7, 9 and 15, when the eldest boy called authorities.
The teen reported that the body of his 8-year-old brother — who died from “multiple blunt-force injuries” around November 2020, authorities said — was kept in the room next to his, the sheriff’s office said.
The teen told police his parents hadn’t been in the apartment for several months, authorities said. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the home as “unspeakable living conditions,” with soiled carpets, roaches and flies. The apartment wasn’t furnished, prosecutors said.
Williams’ attorney, Neal Davis III, said Friday that he needs “to find out more information” about his client’s “mindset.” When asked if he thinks Williams understands the severity of the charges she’s facing, he replied, “I don’t think she does fully, no.”
Davis added, “I don’t want her to be painted in the same light as the co-defendant.”
The children were taken to a hospital and the Texas Department of Family and Protective services received emergency custody of them, Gonzalez said.
Authorities said last week that one of the boys had a jaw injury, allegedly caused by Coulter several weeks ago, and will need surgery.
Coulter and Williams have not entered pleas.
ABC News’ Izzy Alverez and Zach Ferber contributed to this report.
Director Deon Taylor has teamed up with Roxanne Avent Taylor’s Hidden Empire Film Group to develop a scripted series centered on the life of Percy Miller, better known as the artist Master P.
The forthcoming project, which will span 30 years of Miller’s life, will touch on the rapper’s humble beginnings, his pursuit of the NBA, as well as his meteoric success in the music business. Miller will co-executive produce the 10-part series with Taylor, who is also set to write and direct and executive produce the project.
In other news, Hulu has renewed their hip-hop docuseries, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, for a third and final season. The news was shared on the show’s socials, with the message, “Season 2 may be over but Wu-Tang is Forever. See you for Season 3.” Created and written by Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA, the series follows the group’s formation and examines how Bobby Diggs, better known as RZA, took his vision for the group and made it a success. Wu-Tang: An American Saga stars Shameik Moore, Ashton Sanders, Erika Alexander and Joey Bada$$, among others.
Finally, hip hop producer Pete Rock has teamed up with Tracklib for their latest Beat Battle competition. The opportunity gives one lucky winner the rare chance to work on music with Rock. Aspiring producers must create a beat by flipping the 1970s soul classic “Handle With Care” by Ben Aiken, which was released by Philly Groove Records. The winner, selected by Rock, will win a one-on-one virtual studio session with the producer, as well as an autographed MPC Live II Retro Edition, valued at $1400. Interested producers can go to tracklib.com/peterock to see all of the rules and guidelines.
