Kanye West building replica of his childhood home for Chicago ‘Donda’ listening event

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Kanye West‘s third and latest listening experience for his upcoming album Donda will be this Thursday in his hometown, Chicago, so for the hometown fans, he’s creating a replica of the house he lived in as a child for the stage.

The event, taking place at Soldier Field, will feature a version of house he grew up in on the Windy City’s South Shore, according to ABC Chicago affiliate, WLS-TV. On Tuesday, the station provided a live aerial view of the house inside the stadium. 

Last week, Yeezy posted a photo on Instagram that appears to be a shot of his old home.

Kanye’s two previous listening events were held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, on July 23 and August 5. Tickets for the Chicago event are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Named after his late mother, Donda WestDonda will be the 22-time Grammy winners’ 11th studio album, and his latest following 2019’s Jesus Is King.

Donda was originally scheduled to drop in July, then its release was moved back to August 6 before being delayed again. A new date has not been announced. The new release features Jay-Z, The Weeknd, The LOX, Jay Electronica, the late Pop Smoke and more, according to Pitchfork.

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New Kendrick Lamar music with cousin Baby Keem dropping Thursday at midnight

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Following Kendrick Lamar‘s recent announcement that his upcoming solo album will be his final release with Top Dawg Entertainment, we’ll hear new music from him and cousin Baby Keem Thursday at midnight.

Keem shared the cover art for the song on Instagram, an old family photo featuring him and Kendrick, and announced their “Family Ties” collabo.

The 20-year-old rapper worked as a producer on Lamar’s Grammy nominated Black Panther soundtrack. He’s also recorded with Travis Scott, who’s featured on his “Durag Activity” single from his upcoming debut studio album, The Melodic Blue.

Kendrick’s last solo release, DAMN in 2017, was RIAA-certified triple Platinum and won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. No word on when he will release his next solo music.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Madonna wishes twins Stella and Estere a happy birthday: “2 Beautiful Souls”

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Madonna took to Instagram on Tuesday to celebrate her twin daughters, who turned nine years old.

The singer posted a slideshow of photos of Stella and Estere throughout the years and captioned it, “Happy Birthday Stella and Estere!!!! 2 Beautiful Souls……….who bring nothing but Joy to everyone they meet.  So Grateful to have you both in my life.”

Madonna adopted the two girls from Malawi in 2017. She’s also mom to 24-year-old Lourdes, 21-year-old Rocco, 15-year-old David Banda and 15-year-old Mercy.

Just last week, Madonna shared photos from her own birthday bash. She celebrated her 63rd birthday with all six of her children and boyfriend Ahlamalik Williams.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Yes, Michael Keaton is playing Batman again, but he still has “no idea” about comics

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) In a wide-ranging feature chat with The Hollywood ReporterMichael Keaton drops some hints about his upcoming return as the Caped Crusader in the upcoming Flash film. 

Although the Oscar winner starred in 1989’s Batman, which kicked off the superhero movie craze — and also played the villain Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming and appears in the upcoming Mobius — Keaton says he knows nothing about comic books. 

For Mobius, a Sony/Marvel film starring Jared Leto as the vampiric anti-hero, Keaton says the filmmakers walked him through recent MCU lore. “I’m nodding like I know what the f*** they’re talking about,” Keaton admits. 

He adds, “So finally, they were looking at me, and they just started laughing. They said, ‘You don’t know what we’re talking about, do you?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t, no idea what you’re talking about.'”

As for returning as Batman in Flash, Keaton says it was It director Andy Muschietti‘s vision and Birds of Prey writer Christina Hodson‘s script that hooked him. But there was something else, too.

“Frankly, in the back of my head, I always thought, ‘I bet I could go back and nail that motherf*****,” Keaton says of the Dark Knight, after refusing to star in Batman Forever back in 1995.  That said, the script that sees a time-shifting Ezra Miller‘s Flash exposing various timelines — and Batmen, including Ben Affleck‘s — was puzzling to Keaton.

“They had to explain that to me several times,” he confesses.

Keaton also admits, “What’s really interesting is how much more I got [Batman] when I went back and did him [again]. I get this on a whole other level now. I totally respect it…It’s iconic…”

Sony’s Mobius opens in January of 2022; Warner Bros.’ Flash debuts in November of 2022.

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Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell announces signature Wino Les Paul Gibson guitar

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Alice in ChainsJerry Cantrell has teamed up with Gibson to create his own signature guitar.

The Wino Les Paul Custom is based on the grunge rocker’s own Les Paul, complete with a wine-red finish. Only 100 instruments were made, and each one was signed by Cantrell on the headstock.

“The Wino has always been one of my favorite guitars,” says Cantrell. “It’s a really good-looking guitar.”

Should you have $8,999 to spend, or if you like looking at guitars you’ll likely never own, you can check out Cantrell’s Wino Les Paul now via Gibson.com.

Cantrell, meanwhile, will be releasing a new solo album called Brighten on October 29. The record, Cantrell’s first solo outing in nearly 20 years, includes the lead single “Atone.”

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Busta Rhymes blasts mask mandates in resurfaced concert video clip

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Busta Rhymes might want to “Break Ya Neck” if you tell him he has to wear a mask.

The iconic rapper makes it clear he’s an anti-masker in a resurfaced concert clip from June, which went viral on Twitter Tuesday.

Busta was performing at the Seoul Taco 10th anniversary block party in St. Louis when he began his tirade.

“This is my second show in front of human life in the last 15 f***ing months,” he said, expressing his frustration over lack of work during the pandemic.

“It’s called the God-given right of freedom, right?” Busta continued onstage. “No human being is supposed to tell you that you can’t even breathe freely. … Some of y’all might feel differently, but f*** your mask.”

Busta also told the crowd that the government is trying to “take our civil liberties away.”

“We can’t eat food with a f***ing mask on,” the 49-year-old added. “We can’t even see each other’s smiles with a mask on.”

The 12-time Grammy nominee closed out his set by apologizing for getting “a little political.”

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Jake Gyllenhaal to star in and produce adaptation of ‘Oblivion Song’ from ‘Walking Dead’ creator Robert Kirkman

Image Comics

Jake Gyllenhaal is heading to the comic-book world once again. The Spider-Man: Far from Home baddie will star in and produce an adaptation of Oblivion Song, the sci-fi comic series created in 2018 by The Walking Dead‘s creator Robert Kirkman

Some time ago, Kirkman explained the Oblivion Song plot to ABC Audio, and it’s clear to see just who Gyllenhaal will be playing.

“Basically, there was an event called The Transference that happened 10 years ago where a large chunk of Philadelphia switched places with another dimension,” Kirkman said, setting the stage. “Nathan Cole is one of the last remaining guys who would…pop into the other dimension and rescue people that were stranded there…in this other dimension that they’ve coined Oblivion now.”

He says of the hero, “[I]t’s a big question as to, you know, what’s wrong with his life that he feels the need to do this and why is he so obsessed.”

Oblivion Song, meanwhile, will be produced by New Republic Pictures, which helped bring the Oscar-winning 1917 to theaters in 2019, with Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories company and Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment.

Kirkman’s Invincible was recently made into a hit animated series for Amazon Prime, as his first adaptation, The Walking Dead, marches into its final season on AMC.

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Brett Young celebrates release of children’s book, ‘Love You, Little Lady’

Courtesy of Tommy Nelson

With the arrival of his new baby book, Love You Little Lady, Brett Young has a special offer for fans. 

Coinciding with the book’s release on Tuesday, the country crooner has teamed up with Vera Bradley and Tommy Nelson Books to offer the “Love, You Little Lady Baby Shower Bundle” contest where fans can enter to win a baby bundle that includes a robe, slippers and travel bag for mom, a monogrammed bag, a “Little Lady” bib and other items for baby.

The bundle also includes some of Brett and his wife Taylor‘s favorite items, including a baby monitor, sound machine, pajama set and other goodies. The contest runs through September 1. 

Brett wrote the book based on the lyrics to his #1 song, “Lady,” which was inspired by his wife and their nearly two-year-old daughter, Presley. “I hope you all love it as much as we loved writing it,” Brett shares about Love You, Little Lady on Twitter

The couple welcomed second daughter Rowan Marie in July. 

Brett will release Weekends Look a Little Acoustic These Days on September 3, days before launching his The Weekends Tour on September 11 in Texas.

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Watch Nicole Byer, Wayne Brady in new trailer for ‘Nailed It!’; Billy Porter to direct Gabrielle Union’s ‘To Be Real’

Courtesy of Netflix

The season-six trailer for Netflix’s Emmy-nominated series Nailed It! has been released.

Hosted by the hilarious Nicole Byer, the upcoming season will once again bring amateur bakers together for a chance to win $10,000. Some of the new challenges include “paranormal pastries” and an opportunity to celebrate Black History with various confections. Jacques Torres will return as judge, while Sam Richardson, Wayne Brady, Reggie Watts, Big Freedia, June Diane Raphael and Sasheer Zamata will step in as celebrity guest judges. Nailed It! hits Netflix on September 15.

In other news, Billy Porter has been tapped to direct Gabrielle Union‘s forthcoming queer teen comedy feature, To Be Real. According to Variety, the film landed at Amazon Studios after “a competitive bidding war that received multiple offers.” Described as an LGBTQ Superbad mixed with Booksmart, the film centers on three queer friends who leave their hometown for Pride Weekend in New York City, where they discover that “life over the rainbow is an insane, raunchy, often divisive, but ultimately FIERCE non-stop party.” Casting details for the film have yet to be announced.

Finally — ICYMI, Lovecraft Country creator Misha Green is re-teaming with star Jurnee Smollett for an upcoming spinoff to DC’s Birds of Prey. Variety reports that the new standalone film will center around Smollett’s Black Canary character and will be produced for HBO Max. Smollett confirmed the news on Twitter, writing in part, “Guess the Canary is out of the cage!  So excited to finally embark on this adventure with my creative soul sis @MishaGreen.”

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Report: Lil Uzi Vert and The Kid Laroi added to Jay-Z’s Made in America festival

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Philly native Lil Uzi Vert is reportedly going home for Jay-Z‘s Made in America festival in Philadelphia during Labor Day weekend.

He’s being added to the star-studded list of performers for the 10th annual event, along with Australian rapper The Kid Laroi, according to Billboard. They will join headliners Justin Bieber and Lil Baby, plus Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Bobby Shmurda, Lil Durk, Young Thug, A$AP Ferg, Kehlani, Tinashe and more September 4 and 5 on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philly.

Vert and Laroi are among the guest stars on Bieber’s latest album, Justice, and they may join him on stage. Uzi raps on “There She Go,” and The Kid rhymes on “Unstable.” Justin is also featured on Laroi’s number-one hit, “Stay.”

Made in America returns this year after being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Tickets are now available on Ticketmaster.com.

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