Music News

Sam Smith No Longer Performing at Billboard Music Awards as He Focuses on 'Recovery and Health.' A representative for dick clark productions confirms to Billboard that Sam Smith will no longer be performing at the Billboard Music Awards, adding that Normani also will not perform. After cancelling three concerts in South Africa two weeks ago, representatives for Smith announced via Twitter that he would not be performing at two upcoming events; the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, and the BBMAs. The statement says that his medical specialists are "requiring him to have further rest," therefore sidelining him from his upcoming performances. "We apologize for the disappointment for those affected, but the primary focus at this time needs to be on Sam's recovery and health," the statement reads. Smith was set to headline the Saturday (April 27) post-qualifying concert at this year's Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and was set to perform "Dancing with a Stranger" with Normani at next week's Billboard Music Awards (May 1). The news comes two weeks after Smith ended his first of three shows in Cape Town, South Africa on April agter 45 minutes due to strain on his voice. Big Concerts, the organization who helped put on the event, released a statement following the cancellation that the remaining two shows had also been cancelled. "This difficult decision was made after Sam sought advice from medical specialists and his team," the statement read. (Billboard)

Is N'Sync in Talks to Reunite Without Justin Timberlake After Their Surprise Coachella Performance? 'NSync may be singing "Hi, Hi, Hi" soon! JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick are considering a reunion without Justin Timberlake, according to multiple reports. In the wake of their surprise performance with Ariana Grande at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Variety reported that "there are offers" for the boy band to reunite. Billboard corroborated the rumors, noting that "the group and its team [are] taking a look at a more prolonged return." Timberlake, 38, was the lead singer of 'NSync from the time they were formed in 1995 until they announced a "temporary hiatus" in 2002, which turned out to be a full-on breakup. But when Chasez, 42, Bass, 39, Fatone, 42, and Kirkpatrick, 47, came together again at Coachella on Sunday, April 21, to perform Grande's "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" and their own hit "Tearin' Up My Heart," the foursome proved that they could rule the stage on their own. (The "SexyBack" singer, who could not make it because he had just wrapped up his Man of the Woods tour, wrote on Instagram that the guys "killed it.") "The four of them would be great," Live Nation senior vice president of touring Brad Wavra, who worked as 'NSync's promoter in the '90s and early aughts, told Billboard. "There's no denying the talent that Justin has, but the four of them together proved it [at Coachella]: The music sounded great, they looked great, the fan response was awesome and I think that that would be the same all across America." A booking agent pointed out to the magazine that there could be a market for an 'NSync reunion tour or even a Las Vegas residency, where rival Backstreet Boys perform, because "there's a whole new generation of fans that haven't had the opportunity to see the songs live." So, what does the band think about the possibility of hitting the road without Timberlake, who has found mega-success as a solo artist? Us Weekly caught up with Bass the day after the group's Coachella gig, and he sounded a bit hesitant. "We're a weird group. I mean, all five of us just have such different careers going right now. It's hard to bring us back together," the Dancing With the Stars alum told Us at the Environmental Media Association School Garden Luncheon on Monday, April 22. "Things that make sense, like Coachella, yeah, that's easy, that's fun. So, if something like that comes up again, I'm sure you would see us perform. But making another album and touring's probably not in the cards for us." (UsMagazine)

A tour bus parked outside Kodak Black's Washington D.C. concert just got raided by the FBI and local police while the rapper inside the venue performing. You can see in the photos -- obtained by TMZ --several FBI agents standing outside the bus ... we're told those who were inside the bus were placed in handcuffs and brought outside the vehicle. It's currently unclear if the bus was Kodak's, belonged to crew or other members of the tour. The agents searched the luggage underneath the bus, everything inside, and the area surrounding the bus is completely roped off. Sources on scene tell us the feds attempted to enter the venue -- The Anthem -- where Kodak was performing, but promoters did not allow them inside. It's another possible black eye for Kodak's tour ... as we first told you, Kodak was arrested just last week on weapons and gun charges at the Canada-U.S. border on his way from Detroit to Boston between shows. Cops say they found weed and a gun in the car he was driving. We reached out to the FBI and local authorities ... so far, no word back. UPDATE: A rep for Kodak tells TMZ, "Kodak was 100% not arrested, he is en route to NYC for his sold out show tomorrow night at United Palace." (TMZ)

Three 6 Mafia's DJ Paul sues Travis Scott for $20M. Three6Mafia's DJ Paul has filed a massive plagiarism suit against Travis Scott. In the new lawsuit, the DJ accuses Kylie Jenner's boyfriend of lifting the hook of Three 6 Mafia's "Tear da Club Up," reports The Blast. According to docs obtained by the website, Paul claims that the "f -- k da club up, f -- k da club up" hook of "No Bystanders," off Scott's hit album "Astroworld," is "virtually identical and strikingly similar" to the one featured on "Tear da Club Up." Paul also says that the hooks are so alike that when Scott performed the song at the Grammys in February, "f -- k" was replaced with "tear." Paul is seeking "in excess" of $20 million. News of the lawsuit comes days after a jury ruled that Scott owes a Minnesota concert performer $382,932.79 after he failed to perform at a scheduled Super Bowl weekend show in February 2018. (PageSix)

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