Music
Lady Gaga to Perform at 2019 Grammys. Get the tissues out now because E! News can confirm that Lady Gaga will perform at the 2019 Grammys on Sunday. The 6-time Grammy winner was nominated for five awards this year, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year for her hit song "Shallow" from A Star Is Born. According to Deadline, her co-star and co-nominee Bradley Cooper will not be in attendance at the awards show. He's not snubbing the show at all. Rather, Cooper will be in London at the 2019 BAFTA Awards. A Star Is Born received seven nominations, including Best Film, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay at the British awards show. Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, also received a nomination in the Best Pop Solo Performance category for "Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?)." Although their duet would have been a sight to see on TV in addition to the big screen, we may not have to wait too long to hear them again. The Ally and Jackson Maine actors surprised fans at Gaga's Enigma show in Las Vegas last weekend where they performed "Shallow" for the first time since the film. For anyone feeling major FOMO from that show, fear not because The Academy tweeted on Feb. 1 that they would be singing together at the 2019 Oscars. The Hangover star told E! News on Saturday precisely how he felt about the big moment. "I'm sure I'll be terrified," he explained. As for that big Vegas moment? "I just had to like, Zen out and just pray that I wouldn't ruin her show," the 44-year-old said. "Because, think about it, she just crushed it or two hours... and I thought, 'Please let me just be on pitch.'" The singer discussed meaning of "Shallow" while accepting the Best Song award at the 2019 Critics' Choice Awards "This song is a conversation between men and women," she shared. "Asking each other questions about life and a desire for more depth of the shallowness of a modern era." 32-year-old Gaga rarely disappoints when it comes to her Grammy looks -- both on the red carpet and during her performances. She's been living her best life this awards season, so it's safe to presume her presence at music's biggest night will be no different. Plus, if her Enigma and Lady Gaga Jazz and Piano looks give us any indication, she's sure to stun in some jaw-dropping outfits. (Eonline)
Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective, Kool & The Gang, Boz Scaggs & More to Perform at the 2019 Playboy Jazz Festival. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association is taking over the Hollywood Bowl June 8-9 for the 41st annual Playboy Jazz Festival. The jam-packed lineup features an eclectic mix of jazz-and-beyond artists, including Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective, Kool & The Gang, Boz Scaggs, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, The Maceo, Parker Big Band, The Cookers, Angelique Kidjo, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Benny Golson's 90th Birthday Quartet, The Family Stone, Sheila E., Terrace Martin, Sona Jobarteh and more. George Lopez will host the event, which will also honor the late Nudgu Chancler. The celebration will be held with Patrice Rushen, MD and guests Ernie Watts, Alphonso Johnson, Terri Lyne Carrington, Doc Powell, Byron Miller, Rayford Griffin, Josie James, TC Carson. Additionally, the Hollywood Bowl announced its Jazz at the Bowl 2019 summer series, featuring LA Phil's Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock with R+R=Now and special guests Noname and Phoelix; Tony Bennett; Michael McDonald; Chaka Khan; Buddy Guy; Jimmie Vaughan; Charlie Musselwhite; a tribute to Brazil featuring the Ivan Lins Quartet with Big Band conducted by John Beasley and special guests Dianne Reeves and New York Voices, and Lee Ritenour with special guests Dave Grusin and Luciana Souza; The Roots; Christian McBride Big Band; Ben Harper; Neneh Cherry; Black Movie Soundtrack III, and more to be announced. (Billboard)
Ariana Grande not attending Grammys after disagreements with producers. Due to a disagreement with Grammy producers over which songs she would perform, Ariana Grande, who has been featured on billboards promoting the show all over Los Angeles, not only won't be performing at the Feb. 10 show, she will not even be attending it, according to sources close to the situation. An insider tells Variety that Grande felt "insulted" after producers initially refused to allow her to perform "7 Rings," the latest single from her forthcoming album "Thank U, Next" (which arrives Friday, two days before the Grammys). A compromise was reached whereby "7 Rings" would be part of a medley, but Grande pulled out after producers insisted that the second song be of their choosing. The source added that such stipulations were not imposed on other performers at the show. Reps for the Grammys did not immediately respond to Variety's requests for comment. (The news of Grande's dispute with the Grammys over song choice was first reported by Hits.) The situation is more than a little similar to the impasse the Grammys reached with Lorde last year, whereby they declined to let her perform a song from her "Melodrama" album -- one of the five Album of the Year nominees -- and instead offered her a spot during the show's Tom Petty tribute, which she declined. Grande is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance (for "God Is a Woman") and Best Pop Vocal Album (for 2018's "Sweetener"). With this development, the Grammys find themselves not only without a twice-nominated artist whom they have been using to promote the show, but also without one of the most vital artists of the moment. In the past two years Grande has experienced two major tragedies -- the 2017 bombing outside her concert at the UK's Manchester Arena in which 22 people died, and the drug-overdose death of her former boyfriend Mac Miller last September. But she has also played triumphant concerts, including the "One Love Manchester" benefit staged just two weeks after the tragedy, and released a triumphant No. 1 album and a string of recent blockbuster singles -- with "Thank U, Next," arriving Friday, just a few months after the release of "Sweetener." "Sweetener" and the songs "Thank U, Next" and "7 Rings" all smashed Spotify records, with "7 Rings" breaking the streaming service's record for most plays within a 24-hour period with nearly 15 million. (PageSix)
Michael Bolton Denies Falling Asleep During Live TV Interview. For our money, we don't think it gets any better than this Michael Bolton interview. Last week, the 65-year-old When A Man Loves a Woman crooner appeared via satellite on the Australian program The Morning Show to promote a new album that celebrates his entire catalog, A Symphony of Hits, which is set for release on Friday. Just as the interview was starting, he appeared to fall asleep. Bolton later laughed off the incident, joking that it was "fake news." Co-host Larry Emdur posted on his Instagram page a clip, which has gone viral. "Michael, you got us OK?" Emdur asked, then chuckled and said, "Maybe he's just updating Instagram." "Hi Michael, it's Kylie and Larry, we're with you live," co-host Kylie Gillies said. Bolton then opened his eyes and said, "It's gone silent." On Tuesday, Bolton tweeted, "I got my first record deal when I was 15 and I haven't slept since!! In all seriousness there were technical issues with the live feed and they caught me tweeting!" "We had a great interview once they fixed the glitch," he added. "#FakeNews #50thAnniversary #SymphonyOfHits." Bolton is not the first celebrity to appear to fall asleep during an interview, especially satellite interviews with morning programs. In 2013, Morgan Freeman appeared to catch some zzzz's during a live interview with FOX affiliate Q13 in Seattle to promote Now You See Me. The actor later told People, "I wasn't actually sleeping. I'm a beta tester for Google Eyelids. I was merely updating my Facebook page. In 2011, Harry Belafonte appeared to be asleep during a live interview with KBAK-TV in Bakersfield, California. His rep later said in a statement that the singer's earpiece wasn't working, "so he decided to take the time to meditate before the rest of his Day-O." (Eonline)
Nas, Mass Appeal and LiveXLive Partner to Create Original Urban Content. Hip-hop mogul Nas is expanding his urban lifestyle empire through a new partnership with LiveXLive Media, the West Hollywood-based streaming specialist and Slacker Radio operator. Through the arrangement, the New York rapper and Mass Appeal, a multipronged urban culture company that is home to Nas' record label, will team up with LiveXLive to create, produce, and distribute "original urban-focused content," according to a joint statement. Also, Nas and Mass Appeal will curate a Slacker Radio station, create premium original content, and the rap star will serve as a brand ambassador for LiveXLive. "The synergy of our partnership will be powerful as we together develop authentic, innovative concepts and programming," explains Rob Ellin, Chairman and CEO of LiveXLive. Nas will be expected to help facilitate "new opportunities within the urban and hip-hop genres," the statement reads. The Illmatic great adds: "I'm excited for Mass Appeal to continue expanding into different areas of media and music consumption in 2019. Our partnership with LivexLive is the next step in that evolution. We want to show the power live performances can have in connecting with fans, and this collaboration will bring them experiences in real time." The new alliance comes after Mass Appeal last year struck a global, multi-year distribution agreement with Universal Music Group that would see the music major exclusively distribute its music and video content music and video content in both physical and digital formats. LiveXLive Media, which calls itself one of the "world's only premium streaming networks devoted to live music and music-related video content," acquired Slacker Radio in 2017 for $50 million. The publicly-held company produces live streams of events including Rock in Rio, EDC Las Vegas, Hangout Music Festival and more. (Billboard)
'Anastasia' Musical to End Broadway Run in March. Inspired by the 1997 animated film, the musical will have played over 800 shows at the Broadhurst Theatre in Manhattan. Following a successful two-year run on Broadway, the musical Anastasia will play its final performance at the end of March. Inspired by the 1997 animated film, the musical will have played over 800 shows at the Broadhurst Theatre in Manhattan. Featuring a book by playwright Terence McNally, a score from Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the production of Anastasia was helmed by director Darko Tresnjak (all four are Tony Award winners). The company of actors includes Christy Altomare in the title role of Anya, with Cody Simpson, John Bolton, Vicki Lewis, Penny Fuller and Constantine Germanacos playing the supporting characters. Speaking about the lasting impact of the story, producer Tom Kirdahy said in a statement, "Generations from now, people will continue to perform our beautiful musical about a strong young woman and its themes of home, love and family." So far, the musical has grossed $87.5 million and spawned international productions in Spain and Germany. Anastasia's next national tour is playing across the country through March 2020, currently in San Antonio, Texas. A number of international markets, including Holland, Australia, Korea, Japan and Mexico, have plans underway to produce the musical. Tickets for the remaining Broadway shows, until March 31, are available via the Broadway Concierge. Fans can rejoice in the news that the show will be performed as part of the Pantages and Dolby Theaters' "Broadway in Hollywood" season Oct. 8-27. (Billboard)
Cardi B rules out political run. She pays her mama's bills, she ain't got no time to chill or run for office. Cardi B frequently makes her political views known on her ever-popular social media pages, but the rap superstar wasted no time putting speculation to rest about a potential future in public office. The "I Like It" rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almnzar, did not beat around the bush, bluntly saying: "No, no, no," when "Extra" host AJ Calloway asked if Cardi 2020 was a possibility. Despite this, the rapper isn't ruling out accepting an invitation from the Polk County Democrats, a left-wing political group in Iowa, to speak at a "reception of her choice" when she visits the state in May. "That would really scare me, but I wouldn't mind. I would talk just how I talk," Cardi said, adding that she wouldn't care "if a curse word gonna come out." Should she decide to speak to the Iowa Democrats, Cardi B said her speech would be relatable to all who listened: "People look at things that entertain them, so if I could talk about what's going on in America with a little bit of entertainment, why not?" She went on to explain why she'd want to take that approach, saying: "Some people don't really wanna watch the news too because they don't really understand what's going on... Do you know that America's reading level is on a 4th-grade level? I've been seeing a lot of politicians, they use these big fancy words. A lot of people don't understand what [they're] saying, so I would break it down." The rapper has gotten the attention of fans, politicians and news commentators alike following a string of social media posts critical of President Trump and the government shutdown. In January, Cardi B went on an expletive-filled rant slamming the partial government shutdown and furloughed federal employees being forced to work without pay as a result of Trump's fight for border wall funding. "I just wanna remind you that it's been a little bit over three weeks," the singer said in her now-viral Instagram video, "Trump is now ordering... federal government workers to go back to work without getting paid." "This shit is really fucking serious, bro. This shit is crazy. Our country is in a hellhole now -- all for a fucking wall," Cardi raved. After the video began making waves, "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert started a petition to have Cardi deliver the Democratic rebuttal to President Trump's State of the Union address. The rapper's response: "Why not?" When asked by "Extra" how she felt about the reaction to her political stance, Cardi said, "People were saying 'all of a sudden she thinks she's so smart' and it's like this is not about being smart. This is something... you can watch the news and you can understand." (PageSix)
A$AP Rocky says there's no shame in 21 Savage's true birthplace ... because he's totally down with his brothers from across the pond!!! We got A$AP at LAX Tuesday, and you gotta hear him professing his love for all things British ... including his fellow rapper. As you know, it's been revealed that 21 Savage was actually born in the United Kingdom -- despite him repping the ATL -- with the truth coming out after he was taken into custody by ICE for possible removal from the U.S. It's interesting ... A$AP and 21 have collab'd on songs in the past, and A$AP says he too had no clue he was working with a Brit. As for 21's ongoing detention ... A$AP says he's hopeful his friend will soon be walking the streets in Atlanta again. No word on if A$AP is a big fan of bangers and mash. (TMZ)
R. Kelly announces plans to tour Australia, New Zealand. R. Kelly's career isn't slowing down amid rampant accusations of sexual abuse. On Tuesday, the 52-year-old singer announced his "King of R&B" tour. Although he did not share specific dates, Kelly plans to make stops in Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. "See y'all soon!" he added. In the weeks after Lifetime's "Surviving R. Kelly" series aired, in which numerous women came forward alleging abuse, Kelly has faced much backlash and criticism. He's currently under investigation in Georgia. A number of people have come out against him including John Legend and Chance the Rapper. Others, who have collaborated with Kelly in the past, have distanced themselves from him, including Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. Sony Music dropped him as an artist in mid-January. Despite the flurry of drama surrounding the R&B hitmaker, fans still seem enthusiastic to see him perform. "I may just travel for this," one person commented on his Instagram post announcing the tour. Another follower added, "So now I have to travel out of the U.S. for an RKelly [sic] concert? Oh no I need to see my boo... " (PageSix)
R. Kelly's international concerts are an act of desperation, and the countries allowing him to perform are spitting in the faces of alleged victims like Azriel Clary ... according to her father. Angelo Clary's 21-year-old daughter is one of the alleged sex slaves featured in "Surviving R. Kelly" ... and he's pissed Kelly will get to perform in Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. He tells us promoters in those countries need to address why they are welcoming Kelly with open arms and, presumably, wallets. Kelly announced his new King of R&B tour Tuesday ... though, he didn't share specific dates. Angelo says there's no excuse for supporting the singer in the wake of Lifetime's scathing documentary. He's taking personal offense to the tour, seeing as how Azriel's still with Kelly and NOT in touch with her parents. It's interesting ... Angelo thinks there's a good chance his daughter and Joycelyn Savage will be highly visible during the tour, and Kelly will make sure they look good to paint a different image from the one in 'Surviving.' As you know, Azriel, Joycelyn and Dominique Gardner have been front row at Kelly shows in the past. Dominique has fled from Kelly, but Azriel and Joycelyn are still with him. Bottom line for Angelo ... #MuteRKelly should be a global movement. (TMZ)
Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective, Kool & The Gang, Boz Scaggs & More to Perform at the 2019 Playboy Jazz Festival. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association is taking over the Hollywood Bowl June 8-9 for the 41st annual Playboy Jazz Festival. The jam-packed lineup features an eclectic mix of jazz-and-beyond artists, including Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective, Kool & The Gang, Boz Scaggs, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, The Maceo, Parker Big Band, The Cookers, Angelique Kidjo, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Benny Golson's 90th Birthday Quartet, The Family Stone, Sheila E., Terrace Martin, Sona Jobarteh and more. George Lopez will host the event, which will also honor the late Nudgu Chancler. The celebration will be held with Patrice Rushen, MD and guests Ernie Watts, Alphonso Johnson, Terri Lyne Carrington, Doc Powell, Byron Miller, Rayford Griffin, Josie James, TC Carson. Additionally, the Hollywood Bowl announced its Jazz at the Bowl 2019 summer series, featuring LA Phil's Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock with R+R=Now and special guests Noname and Phoelix; Tony Bennett; Michael McDonald; Chaka Khan; Buddy Guy; Jimmie Vaughan; Charlie Musselwhite; a tribute to Brazil featuring the Ivan Lins Quartet with Big Band conducted by John Beasley and special guests Dianne Reeves and New York Voices, and Lee Ritenour with special guests Dave Grusin and Luciana Souza; The Roots; Christian McBride Big Band; Ben Harper; Neneh Cherry; Black Movie Soundtrack III, and more to be announced. (Billboard)
Ariana Grande not attending Grammys after disagreements with producers. Due to a disagreement with Grammy producers over which songs she would perform, Ariana Grande, who has been featured on billboards promoting the show all over Los Angeles, not only won't be performing at the Feb. 10 show, she will not even be attending it, according to sources close to the situation. An insider tells Variety that Grande felt "insulted" after producers initially refused to allow her to perform "7 Rings," the latest single from her forthcoming album "Thank U, Next" (which arrives Friday, two days before the Grammys). A compromise was reached whereby "7 Rings" would be part of a medley, but Grande pulled out after producers insisted that the second song be of their choosing. The source added that such stipulations were not imposed on other performers at the show. Reps for the Grammys did not immediately respond to Variety's requests for comment. (The news of Grande's dispute with the Grammys over song choice was first reported by Hits.) The situation is more than a little similar to the impasse the Grammys reached with Lorde last year, whereby they declined to let her perform a song from her "Melodrama" album -- one of the five Album of the Year nominees -- and instead offered her a spot during the show's Tom Petty tribute, which she declined. Grande is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance (for "God Is a Woman") and Best Pop Vocal Album (for 2018's "Sweetener"). With this development, the Grammys find themselves not only without a twice-nominated artist whom they have been using to promote the show, but also without one of the most vital artists of the moment. In the past two years Grande has experienced two major tragedies -- the 2017 bombing outside her concert at the UK's Manchester Arena in which 22 people died, and the drug-overdose death of her former boyfriend Mac Miller last September. But she has also played triumphant concerts, including the "One Love Manchester" benefit staged just two weeks after the tragedy, and released a triumphant No. 1 album and a string of recent blockbuster singles -- with "Thank U, Next," arriving Friday, just a few months after the release of "Sweetener." "Sweetener" and the songs "Thank U, Next" and "7 Rings" all smashed Spotify records, with "7 Rings" breaking the streaming service's record for most plays within a 24-hour period with nearly 15 million. (PageSix)
Michael Bolton Denies Falling Asleep During Live TV Interview. For our money, we don't think it gets any better than this Michael Bolton interview. Last week, the 65-year-old When A Man Loves a Woman crooner appeared via satellite on the Australian program The Morning Show to promote a new album that celebrates his entire catalog, A Symphony of Hits, which is set for release on Friday. Just as the interview was starting, he appeared to fall asleep. Bolton later laughed off the incident, joking that it was "fake news." Co-host Larry Emdur posted on his Instagram page a clip, which has gone viral. "Michael, you got us OK?" Emdur asked, then chuckled and said, "Maybe he's just updating Instagram." "Hi Michael, it's Kylie and Larry, we're with you live," co-host Kylie Gillies said. Bolton then opened his eyes and said, "It's gone silent." On Tuesday, Bolton tweeted, "I got my first record deal when I was 15 and I haven't slept since!! In all seriousness there were technical issues with the live feed and they caught me tweeting!" "We had a great interview once they fixed the glitch," he added. "#FakeNews #50thAnniversary #SymphonyOfHits." Bolton is not the first celebrity to appear to fall asleep during an interview, especially satellite interviews with morning programs. In 2013, Morgan Freeman appeared to catch some zzzz's during a live interview with FOX affiliate Q13 in Seattle to promote Now You See Me. The actor later told People, "I wasn't actually sleeping. I'm a beta tester for Google Eyelids. I was merely updating my Facebook page. In 2011, Harry Belafonte appeared to be asleep during a live interview with KBAK-TV in Bakersfield, California. His rep later said in a statement that the singer's earpiece wasn't working, "so he decided to take the time to meditate before the rest of his Day-O." (Eonline)
Nas, Mass Appeal and LiveXLive Partner to Create Original Urban Content. Hip-hop mogul Nas is expanding his urban lifestyle empire through a new partnership with LiveXLive Media, the West Hollywood-based streaming specialist and Slacker Radio operator. Through the arrangement, the New York rapper and Mass Appeal, a multipronged urban culture company that is home to Nas' record label, will team up with LiveXLive to create, produce, and distribute "original urban-focused content," according to a joint statement. Also, Nas and Mass Appeal will curate a Slacker Radio station, create premium original content, and the rap star will serve as a brand ambassador for LiveXLive. "The synergy of our partnership will be powerful as we together develop authentic, innovative concepts and programming," explains Rob Ellin, Chairman and CEO of LiveXLive. Nas will be expected to help facilitate "new opportunities within the urban and hip-hop genres," the statement reads. The Illmatic great adds: "I'm excited for Mass Appeal to continue expanding into different areas of media and music consumption in 2019. Our partnership with LivexLive is the next step in that evolution. We want to show the power live performances can have in connecting with fans, and this collaboration will bring them experiences in real time." The new alliance comes after Mass Appeal last year struck a global, multi-year distribution agreement with Universal Music Group that would see the music major exclusively distribute its music and video content music and video content in both physical and digital formats. LiveXLive Media, which calls itself one of the "world's only premium streaming networks devoted to live music and music-related video content," acquired Slacker Radio in 2017 for $50 million. The publicly-held company produces live streams of events including Rock in Rio, EDC Las Vegas, Hangout Music Festival and more. (Billboard)
'Anastasia' Musical to End Broadway Run in March. Inspired by the 1997 animated film, the musical will have played over 800 shows at the Broadhurst Theatre in Manhattan. Following a successful two-year run on Broadway, the musical Anastasia will play its final performance at the end of March. Inspired by the 1997 animated film, the musical will have played over 800 shows at the Broadhurst Theatre in Manhattan. Featuring a book by playwright Terence McNally, a score from Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the production of Anastasia was helmed by director Darko Tresnjak (all four are Tony Award winners). The company of actors includes Christy Altomare in the title role of Anya, with Cody Simpson, John Bolton, Vicki Lewis, Penny Fuller and Constantine Germanacos playing the supporting characters. Speaking about the lasting impact of the story, producer Tom Kirdahy said in a statement, "Generations from now, people will continue to perform our beautiful musical about a strong young woman and its themes of home, love and family." So far, the musical has grossed $87.5 million and spawned international productions in Spain and Germany. Anastasia's next national tour is playing across the country through March 2020, currently in San Antonio, Texas. A number of international markets, including Holland, Australia, Korea, Japan and Mexico, have plans underway to produce the musical. Tickets for the remaining Broadway shows, until March 31, are available via the Broadway Concierge. Fans can rejoice in the news that the show will be performed as part of the Pantages and Dolby Theaters' "Broadway in Hollywood" season Oct. 8-27. (Billboard)
Cardi B rules out political run. She pays her mama's bills, she ain't got no time to chill or run for office. Cardi B frequently makes her political views known on her ever-popular social media pages, but the rap superstar wasted no time putting speculation to rest about a potential future in public office. The "I Like It" rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almnzar, did not beat around the bush, bluntly saying: "No, no, no," when "Extra" host AJ Calloway asked if Cardi 2020 was a possibility. Despite this, the rapper isn't ruling out accepting an invitation from the Polk County Democrats, a left-wing political group in Iowa, to speak at a "reception of her choice" when she visits the state in May. "That would really scare me, but I wouldn't mind. I would talk just how I talk," Cardi said, adding that she wouldn't care "if a curse word gonna come out." Should she decide to speak to the Iowa Democrats, Cardi B said her speech would be relatable to all who listened: "People look at things that entertain them, so if I could talk about what's going on in America with a little bit of entertainment, why not?" She went on to explain why she'd want to take that approach, saying: "Some people don't really wanna watch the news too because they don't really understand what's going on... Do you know that America's reading level is on a 4th-grade level? I've been seeing a lot of politicians, they use these big fancy words. A lot of people don't understand what [they're] saying, so I would break it down." The rapper has gotten the attention of fans, politicians and news commentators alike following a string of social media posts critical of President Trump and the government shutdown. In January, Cardi B went on an expletive-filled rant slamming the partial government shutdown and furloughed federal employees being forced to work without pay as a result of Trump's fight for border wall funding. "I just wanna remind you that it's been a little bit over three weeks," the singer said in her now-viral Instagram video, "Trump is now ordering... federal government workers to go back to work without getting paid." "This shit is really fucking serious, bro. This shit is crazy. Our country is in a hellhole now -- all for a fucking wall," Cardi raved. After the video began making waves, "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert started a petition to have Cardi deliver the Democratic rebuttal to President Trump's State of the Union address. The rapper's response: "Why not?" When asked by "Extra" how she felt about the reaction to her political stance, Cardi said, "People were saying 'all of a sudden she thinks she's so smart' and it's like this is not about being smart. This is something... you can watch the news and you can understand." (PageSix)
A$AP Rocky says there's no shame in 21 Savage's true birthplace ... because he's totally down with his brothers from across the pond!!! We got A$AP at LAX Tuesday, and you gotta hear him professing his love for all things British ... including his fellow rapper. As you know, it's been revealed that 21 Savage was actually born in the United Kingdom -- despite him repping the ATL -- with the truth coming out after he was taken into custody by ICE for possible removal from the U.S. It's interesting ... A$AP and 21 have collab'd on songs in the past, and A$AP says he too had no clue he was working with a Brit. As for 21's ongoing detention ... A$AP says he's hopeful his friend will soon be walking the streets in Atlanta again. No word on if A$AP is a big fan of bangers and mash. (TMZ)
R. Kelly announces plans to tour Australia, New Zealand. R. Kelly's career isn't slowing down amid rampant accusations of sexual abuse. On Tuesday, the 52-year-old singer announced his "King of R&B" tour. Although he did not share specific dates, Kelly plans to make stops in Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. "See y'all soon!" he added. In the weeks after Lifetime's "Surviving R. Kelly" series aired, in which numerous women came forward alleging abuse, Kelly has faced much backlash and criticism. He's currently under investigation in Georgia. A number of people have come out against him including John Legend and Chance the Rapper. Others, who have collaborated with Kelly in the past, have distanced themselves from him, including Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. Sony Music dropped him as an artist in mid-January. Despite the flurry of drama surrounding the R&B hitmaker, fans still seem enthusiastic to see him perform. "I may just travel for this," one person commented on his Instagram post announcing the tour. Another follower added, "So now I have to travel out of the U.S. for an RKelly [sic] concert? Oh no I need to see my boo... " (PageSix)
R. Kelly's international concerts are an act of desperation, and the countries allowing him to perform are spitting in the faces of alleged victims like Azriel Clary ... according to her father. Angelo Clary's 21-year-old daughter is one of the alleged sex slaves featured in "Surviving R. Kelly" ... and he's pissed Kelly will get to perform in Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. He tells us promoters in those countries need to address why they are welcoming Kelly with open arms and, presumably, wallets. Kelly announced his new King of R&B tour Tuesday ... though, he didn't share specific dates. Angelo says there's no excuse for supporting the singer in the wake of Lifetime's scathing documentary. He's taking personal offense to the tour, seeing as how Azriel's still with Kelly and NOT in touch with her parents. It's interesting ... Angelo thinks there's a good chance his daughter and Joycelyn Savage will be highly visible during the tour, and Kelly will make sure they look good to paint a different image from the one in 'Surviving.' As you know, Azriel, Joycelyn and Dominique Gardner have been front row at Kelly shows in the past. Dominique has fled from Kelly, but Azriel and Joycelyn are still with him. Bottom line for Angelo ... #MuteRKelly should be a global movement. (TMZ)
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