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Tag: Music

  • Amazon Now Playing Podcasts

    Amazon Now Playing Podcasts

    Amazon has entered the super hot podcasting arena, adding podcasts to their Amazon Music platform. All podcasts will, of course, be able to be accessed via Alexa, through its voice-activated Echo speakers, and are free to Amazon Prime members. Check the podcasts out here: Amazon Podcasts

    “Our customers’ listening habits are constantly evolving, and we know they’re looking to us to provide them with a rich experience rooted in music and entertainment,” said Steve Boom, VP of Amazon Music. “With this launch, we’re bringing customers even more forms of entertainment to enjoy, while enabling creators to reach new audiences globally, just as we’ve done with music streaming. Podcasts, paired with our recent partnership with Twitch to bring live streaming into the app, makes Amazon Music a premiere destination for creators.”

    Popular shows such as Crime Junkie, What A Day, Radiolab, Revisionist History, Planet Money, Ear Hustle, Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer, and Stuff You Should Know are available now, and millions of episodes from top shows, with more being added all the time. Amazon Music will also soon be the exclusive home of the music-meets-true-crime podcast, Disgraceland, a show exploring the criminal antics and connections of some of the world’s favorite musicians, from the Rolling Stones to Tupac. Disgraceland’s narrative storytelling highlights tales of getting away with murder and behaving badly, chronicling some of the craziest criminal stories surrounding some of the most interesting and infamous pop stars. Disgraceland will arrive exclusively on Amazon Music in February 2021.

    “Partnering with Amazon Music allows me to really give my listeners what they’ve always asked for: more Disgraceland content,” said Jake Brennan, host of Disgraceland and cofounder at Double Elvis Productions. “Through this partnership with Amazon Music, we’re enhancing the future of the show for fans, expanding our output of content by moving to an ‘always on’ weekly schedule, which will translate to more episodes for listeners on a more consistent basis.”

    Amazon Music has also partnered with creators to produce original, exclusive podcasts. Coming soon, customers will be able to listen to “The First One,” a new audio experience hosted by one of the most prolific hit makers of the 21st century, DJ Khaled. Developed by Amazon Music and the Springhill Company, in “The First One” the mogul and superstar will interview his all-time favorite artists about the hits that made them iconic and eventually legendary.

    “I’m recording my podcast with the greatest musicians of all time, and with some of my best friends who also happen to be the most iconic artists on the planet,” said DJ Khaled. “We’ll talk about fame, fortune, life, and success. These stories are here to motivate you because everybody starts from somewhere, from the ordinary to extraordinary. Before you get to another one, you got to get to ‘The First One,’ only on Amazon Music.”

    Also coming to Amazon Music is a brand-new multimedia podcast hosted and curated by superstar Becky G, featuring audio and corresponding video broadcast on Amazon Music’s Twitch Channel. Titled “En la Sala,” every week, you’re invited to join Becky G as she calls on some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, her familia and friends, to discuss Latinx pride, women empowerment, LGBTQ+ rights, relationships, politics and sports, all while unpacking the most important issues facing the Latinx community today. Developed by Amazon Music and Gema Productions, Becky G has also dedicated each episode to a nonprofit organization related to the theme of the week. With a charitable donation attached to each episode to pay it forward to organizations directly impacting the Latinx community in a positive way, Becky sets the standard for her guests and listeners, since En La Sala, you can’t just talk about it – you have to be about it too.

    “To me, my voice has always been about more than just singing, it’s using it for the greater good and creating a destination for change,” said Becky G. “In quarantine, with so much time to consider the world around us, it felt like the perfect opportunity to open a new line of communication and pay it forward, and I’m so thankful that Amazon Music and Gema approached me with the opportunity to create this podcast. I’m excited to be joining forces with Amazon Music so we can start to have conversations about looking within to see how we can all be better.”

    Broadcasting legend Dan Patrick and IMDb will soon give movie fanatics exclusive interviews with top Hollywood stars in his new show, “That Scene with Dan Patrick.” Produced in collaboration with IMDb, this new podcast will dissect memorable scenes from some of the biggest films and television series. And coming soon to Amazon Music and Audible, is a project from Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s Westbrook Audio, a co-production with Audible.

    With Amazon Music visual apps on mobile and web, customers will be able to discover new favorites through curated recommendations across top categories, popular podcasts charts, and access to trailers on show pages. Whether listening on mobile, web, or on Echo devices with Alexa, Amazon Music makes it easy for customers to find, start, and continue listening to their favorite podcasts throughout the day. Only with Amazon Music can customers ask for the latest episode of their favorite show on Echo Auto during their morning commute, resume playback on their phone while working out, and seamlessly move to their Echo device when getting home – just by asking Alexa, with no additional sign in or device linking needed.

    “We’re thrilled to offer customers a convenient podcast listening experience that fits their lifestyle,” said Kintan Brahmbhatt, Director of Podcasts for Amazon Music. “Never before has listening to podcasts on the move, in the car, or at home been so simple. Our customers will be able to utilize the voice functionality they know and love with music, to now enjoy a superior podcast experience and uncover a brand-new selection of favorites.”

    Podcasts are now available to stream on all tiers of Amazon Music at no additional cost, including free access on Echo, web, and in the Amazon Music mobile app.

  • OpenAI Releases Jukebox AI, A Music Generating Neural Net

    OpenAI Releases Jukebox AI, A Music Generating Neural Net

    And the award goes to…Rock and Roll Bot 101111. While that may not be something we are accustomed to hearing, it may be soon thanks to OpenAI.

    OpenAI is a research organization focused on artificial Intelligence (AI). It was founded in 2015 by Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Musk, in particular, has long been critical of AI, warning that it could bring about the downfall of the human race. OpenAI was founded to promote safe, responsible AI research and development.

    OpenAI’s latest announcement is “Jukebox, a neural net that generates music, including rudimentary singing, as raw audio in a variety of genres and artist styles.” Providing Jukebox with an artist, style and lyrics gives the AI the raw material it needs to produce a unique music sample from scratch.

    “We chose to work on music because we want to continue to push the boundaries of generative models,” reads OpenAI’s announcement. “Our previous work on MuseNet explored synthesizing music based on large amounts of MIDI data. Now in raw audio, our models must learn to tackle high diversity as well as very long range structure, and the raw audio domain is particularly unforgiving of errors in short, medium, or long term timing.”

    The accompanying paper goes further, saying “we show that our models can produce songs from highly diverse genres of music like rock, hip-hop, and jazz. They can capture melody, rhythm, long-range composition, and timbres for a wide variety of instruments, as well as the styles and voices of singers to be produced with the mu- sic. We can also generate novel completions of existing songs. Our approach allows the option to influence the generation process: by swapping the top prior with a conditional prior, we can condition on lyrics to tell the singer what to sing, or on midi to control the composition. We release our model weights and training and sampling code at https://github.com/openai/jukebox.”

    OpenAI is hiring and invites any interested in contributing to apply. In the meantime, Jukebox is another significant step forward for AI.

  • Phife Dawg: A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Five Foot Assassin’ Dies At 45

    Phife Dawg: A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Five Foot Assassin’ Dies At 45

    The unexpected passing of the rapper Phife Dawg has certainly caused shock and grief in the hip-hop community, and numerous well-respected hip-hop artists have come out to honor his memory.

    Rolling Stone magazine recently reported that Phife Dawg – Malik Taylor in real life – died on Wednesday, March 23, of “complications resulting from diabetes.” He was 45 years old and had been struggling from Type 2 diabetes for many years, and even received a kidney transplant in 2008 courtesy of his wife.

    Born to Trinidadian immigrants in 1970 in Queens, New York, Phife Dawg joined his former high school classmates, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad to form the iconic hip-hop group, A Tribe Called Quest. While he didn’t get as much attention as his other co-members, Phife was anything but a supporting act. Known as the “Five Foot Assassin,” he joined ATCQ during a turning point in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when hip-hop was producing tracks that featured socially-conscious lyrics, Afrocentric ideas, and jazz sampling.

    Questlove of The Roots was among the many hip-hop artists who paid their respects to the late rapper. In a lengthy tribute he posted on his Instagram page, Questlove made a touching account of how Phife Dawg influenced his music.

    “Riq & I had this moment a few times, but the look on our faces when we 1st heard “Buggin Out” was prolly Me & Tariq’s greatest “rewind selector!” moment in our friendship,” said Questlove of the moment he and Tariq Trotter listened to ATCQ’s The Low End Theory album.

    Phife forever 1970-2016. 1991 in Sept I went to visit Tariq at Millersville U in the middle of PA (Lancaster). Miles Davis had just passed & I went on a binge to study his post jazz works. Went to Sound Of Market to purchase Nefertiti, In A Silent Way & Live Evil—the only non jazz purchase I made that day ironically was the most jazziest album in that collection: #TheLowEndTheory by @ATCQ. —it was raining that day so somehow the 1…2 punch of “Nefertiti”/”Fall” just had me in a trance that train trip—even though I suspected there was a possibility that Tribe could possibly have made a better album then their debut (the perfect @@@@@ mic Source rating would be on stands in a week so I was right)—but I knew I wanted to save that listening for when I got up to the campus w Riq.—so some 90mins later when I get to his dorm–we ripped that bad boy open (I can’t describe the frustration that was CD packaging in 1991, just imagine the anger that environmentalists feel when all that paper packaging in Beats headphone gets wasted—it’s like that)—the sign of a true classic is when a life memory is burnt in your head because of the first time you hear a song. —Riq & I had this moment a few times, but the look on our faces when we 1st heard “Buggin Out” was prolly Me & Tariq’s greatest “rewind selector!” moment in our friendship. (Back then every MC’s goal was to have that “rewind!!!” moment. As in to say something so incredible. Or to catch you by surprise that it makes you go “DAAAAAYUM!!!”& you listen over & over—Malik “Phife” Taylor’s verse was such a gauntlet/flag planting moment in hip hop. Every hip hop head was just…stunned HE. CAME. FOR. BLOOD & was taking NO prisoners on this album (or ever again) we just kept looking at the speaker on some disbelief old timey radio Suspense episode. & also at each other “Phife is KILLIN!”–by the time we got to “Scenario” I swear to god THAT was the moment I knew I wanted to make THIS type of music when I grew up–(yeah yeah dad I know: “go to Juilliard or Curtis to make a nice living at “real music”) but he didn’t know that Phife & his crew already wrote my destiny. I ain’t look back since. THANK YOU PHIFE!

    A photo posted by Questlove Gomez (@questlove) on

    Malik “Phife” Taylor’s verse was such a gauntlet/flag planting moment in hip hop. Every hip hop head was just…stunned HE. CAME. FOR. BLOOD & was taking NO prisoners on this album,” he continued.

    Questlove Remembers Phife Dawg through This Track

    Phife Dawg also featured in several classic, albeit overlooked guest appearances, including “Let the Horns Blow” by Chi-Ali, “Ghost Weed” by De La Soul, and “La Schmoove” by Fu-Schnickens.

  • Elvis Presley Is Back! Singer Does UK Tour 40 Years After His Death

    Elvis Presley may have been dead for the past 40 years, but that did not stop organizers from holding a UK tour that features his iconic voice, which will be backed up by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

    The UK tour follows the warm reception of Presley’s album If I Can Dream by fans worldwide, making it the second-biggest album released last year. It also marks the King of Rock and Roll’s record-tying 12th UK number one album.

    The tour will not feature a hologram type of performance, but instead use Presley’s voice while the orchestra plays a new arrangement to his most popular songs.

    The tour will kick off on November 17 later this year at the Glasgow SSE Hydro, and move to Leeds First Direct Arena the following day. Other shows of the tour will be held at the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, the Birmingham Genting Arena, the London O2 Arena, and the Manchester Arena. The tour will end on November 24.

    Elvis’ former wife, Priscilla Presley, will also make an appearance at some of the shows.

    “What an honor for me to present to you songs from what has become a very prestigious and beloved album with a full symphony orchestra,” she said about the UK tour.

    Unfortunately, the love for Elvis has not been felt lately in Las Vegas, where an Elvis-themed attraction closed in February for not getting too many visits.

    “Graceland Presents Elvis” was a museum exhibit about the legendary singer, which was located at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

    “Vegas really is, ironically, a challenging market for Elvis,” according to Jack Soden, CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises, who loaned hundreds of artifacts to put in the museum.

    At the peak of his career, Elvis Presley paved the way for Las Vegas to become an entertainment capital at that time.

  • Carly Rae Jepsen Redoes Full House Song For New ‘Fuller House’ Theme [Listen Here]

    Carly Rae Jepsen Redoes Full House Song For New ‘Fuller House’ Theme [Listen Here]

    Carly Rae Jepsen who made a name for herself with the hit song “Call Me Maybe,” provides the theme song of Netflix’s Fuller House, which is now available to watch.

    A little bit different, but in many ways, very much the same, the Fuller House theme will smother you with nostalgia while bludgeoning you with its updated pop sensibilities.

    Oh, just listen for yourself:

    Here’s the iTunes links should you want to add it to your collection:

    Or you could go ahead and check out the show now streaming on Netflix. It’s bound to be the biggest thing since Making a Murderer.

    Jepsen is currently on tour. Dates below.

  • Janet Jackson Lip-Syncs In Concert — Less Impressive Than A Drag Queen, Says Elton John

    Janet Jackson is receiving much attention again not only because of her successful comeback in 2015, but also because musician Sir Elton John is accusing her of not really singing in her live performances.

    In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the music legend did not hold back when he said he could not believe fans pay to watch her concerts when she only lip-syncs her songs.

    “You know, f–king music magazines writing a review of Janet Jackson saying, ‘This is the greatest show – four and a half stars,’” John told the magazine. “If it’s f—ing lip-synced! Hello! That’s not a show! I’d rather go and see a drag queen. F— off.”

    Jackson was not the first artist to be criticized by the music man. In 2004, he had called out Madonna for not singing live after the pop songstress was nominated for Best Live Act at the Q Awards.

    “Madonna, best live act? F—k off! Since when has lip-syncing been live?… I think everyone who lip-syncs onstage in public when you pay, like, 75 quid to see them should be shot. Thank you very much,” he said during that time.

    Elton John Disses Madonna’s Lip-Syncing

    John admitted, after twelve years, that he “probably went too far” with his friend. According to him, his dispute with Madonna had already been settled.

    “I say what I feel. I probably went too far with Madonna, and I got very personal and I wrote her – she was very gracious,” he told Rolling Stone, recalling his feud with the pop singer.

    Janet Jackson, who is currently busy with her Unbreakable World Tour, has yet to comment on John’s lip-syncing accusations. She recently announced her upcoming performance at the Dubai World Cup on March 26.

  • Amy Wadge Happy and ‘Damn Proud’ After Big Grammy Win

    British songwriter Amy Wadge is happy and “damn proud” after her big Grammy win Sunday night.

    Wadge won a Grammy award alongside singer Ed Sheeran for Song of the Year, as she co-wrote Sheeran’s acoustic hit “Thinking Out Loud”.

    Sheeran and Wadge beat out some stiff competition in the category – including Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar.

    Check out the two accepting their award below:

    “Oh my god I am so so happy right now and so damn proud of @edsheeran we won song of the year woo !!!” Wadge tweeted shortly after.

    Wadge has also written for Janelle Monáe, Keith Urban, Ben Haenow, and many more, She is also a performer herself.

  • Glenn Frey: Remaining Eagles, Jackson Browne To Honor Late Musician at Grammys

    Music fans were saddened to learn of the passing of Eagles singer and guitarist Glenn Frey last month. Frey died at the age of 67 from complications of rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia.”

    Now, CBS has announced that Frey will receive a special musical tribute at the 58th annual Grammy Awards, which will air on Monday, February 15th.

    The remaining Eagles – Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Bernie Leadon, and Timothy B. Schmit – will take the stage with Jackson Browne to perform an “Eagles classic”.

    “Given the impact that The Eagles have had on music, it was only right that we have a moment for Glenn, the band’s co-founder,” said Ken Elrich, Executive Producer of the GRAMMY Awards. “We couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to honor him than by bringing together his bandmates and longtime friend Jackson Browne, to play an Eagles classic that forever changed popular music. It’ll be an emotional moment for many of us—one of reflection, respect, and celebration.”

    Frey won six Grammys in his storied career.

    “Glenn Frey’s untimely passing was a huge loss for the entire creative community,” said Neil Portnow, President and CEO of The Recording Academy. “For more than 45 years, The Eagles have played a significant role in shaping our musical landscape. We are honored to welcome the band, along with Jackson Browne, to the GRAMMY stage in tribute to Glenn’s tremendous legacy.”

    Upon news of his death, bandmate Don Henley released a touching statement.

    “He was like a brother to me; we were family, and like most families, there was some dysfunction. But, the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved,” Henley said.

    “I’m not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet. It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it. But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life. Rest in peace, my brother. You did what you set out to do, and then some.”

  • Gwen Stefani Plans Live Music Video for the Grammys

    Gwen Stefani Plans Live Music Video for the Grammys

    Gwen Stefani is planning something big for The Grammys.

    The singer and The Voice star has announced that she will be participating in the first-ever music video created on live TV.

    The music video will be for her new song “Make Me Like You”, and will be made in collaboration with Target.

    “Target has an incredible legacy of creating unexpected moments in music, and I’m thrilled to be partnering with them to create my new music video on live television next Monday,” said Stefani in a statement.

    The video will premiere live during the February 15th Grammy awards, and will last about four minutes.

    “Gwen is both a music and style icon, and someone Target has had the fortune to work with on a number of occasions over the years,” said Jeff Jones, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Target. “Last year, Target created one of the most talked about moments of the night by offering Grammy viewers a surprise live concert. This year, we’re dialing up the theatrics and taking live to an entirely new level, giving fans even more ways to experience this must-see music performance as they watch it on TV and view the action unfold on social media.”

    “Make Me Life You” is part of Stefani’s upcoming new album. She recently unveiled the track list on Twitter.

  • Paul Kantner, Jefferson Airplane Co-Founder, Dies at 74

    Paul Kantner, the co-founder and guitarist for the influential band Jefferson Airplane, has died.

    He was 74.

    According to his publicist, Kantner died of multiple organ failure. He had a heart attack earlier this week.

    Kantner helped found the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane in 1965 alongside friend Marty Balin. Kantner wrote many of the band’s earlier hits, including “The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil”, “Watch Her Ride”, and “Crown of Creation”.

    In the early 1970s, after Jefferson Airplane had already amassed a load of fame, Kantner formed Jefferson Starship with a group of other musicians. When Airplane broke up, Starship continued on.

    Kantner was romantically involved with Jefferson singer Grace Slick. They got together in 1969 and had a child, China. The couple broke up in 1975.

    Kantner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

  • Peter Gabriel, Sting Announce Rock Paper Scissors Tour

    Peter Gabriel and Sting have announced a joint North American Tour, which they are calling the Rock Paper Scissors tour.

    The tour will only last about a month, spanning from June 21st to July 24th. The tour kicks off at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and ends at Rexall Place in Edmonton.

    There will be 19 shows in all.

    “What intrigues me is that you get a good bunch of musicians together and interesting things will happen if they are allowed to,” Gabriel said in a statement.

    “I’m very happy that we’re taking the chance to experiment this way. I think people will be intrigued, I certainly am,” said Sting. “I had a successful tour with Paul Simon, who is someone else I admire greatly, and that worked so well I thought I’d like to do this again … who could I tour with? And then I thought of Peter because we’ve known each other for so long”

    Sting and Peter Gabriel toured together back in 1980s.

    Here is the full list of dates:

    June 21 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
    June 23 – Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
    June 24 – Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach
    June 26 – Philadelphia, PA @ BB&T Pavilion
    June 27 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
    June 29 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
    June 30 – Detroit, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
    July 2 – Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
    July 5 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
    July 7 – Québec, QC @ Festival d’été de Québec (Plains of Abraham)
    July 9 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
    July 10 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
    July 12 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
    July 14 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
    July 15 – Lake Tahoe, NV @ Harvey’s
    July 17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
    July 21 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
    July 23 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
    July 24 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place

  • Pearl Jam Announces 22-Date North American Tour

    Pearl Jam has announced a 22-date, 18-city tour that will kick off in April and run through August.

    The first show is April 8th at the BB&T Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The tour will wrap up at August 22nd at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

    The tour will include a couple of festival stops – the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest and Bonnaroo.

    Pearl Jam last toured North America in 2014. Their last tour spanned Latin America in late 2015.

    Below is the full list of dates:

    April 8: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (BB&T Arena)
    April 9: Miami, Fla. (American Airlines Arena)
    April 11: Tampa, Fla. (Amalie Arena)
    April 13: Jacksonville, Fla. (Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena)
    April 16: Greenville, S.C. (Bon Secours Wellness Arena)
    April 18: Hampton, Va. (Hampton Coliseum)
    April 20: Raleigh, N.C. (PNC Arena)
    April 21: Columbia, S.C. (Colonia Life Arena)
    April 23: New Orleans, LA (New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest)
    April 26: Lexington, KY (Rupp Arena)
    April 28: Philadelphia, Penn. (Wells Fargo Center)
    April 29: Philadelphia, Penn. (Wells Fargo Center)
    May 1: New York, N.Y. (Madison Square Garden)
    May 2: New York, N.Y. (Madison Square Garden)
    May 5: Quebec City, Quebec (Centre Videotron)
    May 8: Ottawa, Ontario (Canadian Tire Centre)
    May 10: Toronto, Ontario (Air Canada Centre)
    June 9-12: Manchester, Tenn. (Bonnaroo)
    Aug. 5: Boston, Mass. (Fenway Park)
    Aug. 7: Boston, Mass. (Fenway Park)
    Aug. 20: Chicago, Ill. (Wrigley Field)
    Aug. 22: Chicago, Ill. (Wrigley Field)

    Pearl Jam was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. They’ve sold around 60 million records worldwide.

  • Ice Cube Hints at Possible N.W.A. Reunion

    According to rapper Ice Cube, there could be a little N.W.A. reunion brewing – at least he hopes so.

    Speaking on The Talk, the actor talked about his upcoming set ot the Coachella music festival, and how he might have some surprises in store?

    Could Ice Cube get N.W.A. to reunite on stage?

    “I’m trying to bring the members of N.W.A together — come with me on the stage,” Ice Cube said. “Give everybody a little history lesson on Ice Cube and N.W.A Westside Connection.”

    N.W.A., one of the most influential rap groups of all time, produced their last album in 1991. The group, which included Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, and MC Ren (original member Arabian Prince left in 1989), had interpersonal issues. Eazy-E died in 1995 from an AIDS-related illness.

    The bad blood between the remaining members has subsided over the years.

    2015 was a big year for Ice Cube and the group’s legacy, as the film Straight Outta Compton, which chronicled N.W.A.’a rise and fall, was a huge hit.

    What up Fam, 2015 was a helluva year for ya boy. We started off the year right by shooting our 3rd installment of the Barbershop movie starring me and @cedtheentertainer. The movie is very funny and topical but it's also deals with some real life situations. I think people will like the father and son aspect as well plus our new additions. @common, @nickiminaj and @ohsnapjbsmoove Then in August was the blockbuster hit #StraightOuttaCompton. A dream come true project with a dream come true outcome. Doing over 200 million worldwide at the box office. Now we're hearing whispers of awards this season. I also did a movie this fall with @itscharlieday called #FISTFIGHT about 2 teachers challenging each other to a fight on the last day of school. And we started promoting #RIDEALONG2 which will be out on January 15. After I thought the year couldn't get no better, I then learned that NWA was elected in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. I'm still blown away by that one. Yo, I got a lot to live up to in 2016 but I'm ready to go. Thanks for all your support.

    A photo posted by Ice Cube (@icecube) on

    It was also announced recently that N.W.A. will be part of the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class.

  • Don Henley: Glenn Frey ‘Like a Brother to Me’

    Don Henley, founding member, drummer, and vocalist for the Eagles, has released a warm statement on Glenn Frey, who passed away on Monday.

    ““He was like a brother to me; we were family, and like most families, there was some dysfunction. But, the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved,” Henley said in a statement posted to Facebook.

    “We were two young men who made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles with the same dream: to make our mark in the music industry — and with perseverance, a deep love of music, our alliance with other great musicians and our manager, Irving Azoff, we built something that has lasted longer than anyone could have dreamed.

    “But, Glenn was the one who started it all. He was the spark plug, the man with the plan. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and a work ethic that wouldn’t quit. He was funny, bullheaded, mercurial, generous, deeply talented and driven. He loved his wife and kids more than anything. We are all in a state of shock, disbelief and profound sorrow.”

    Glenn Frey and Don Henley, alongside Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, formed The Eagles in 1971. They are the only two people who were with the band for its entire run.

    “We brought our two-year “History of the Eagles Tour” to a triumphant close at the end of July and now he is gone. I’m not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet. It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it. But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life. Rest in peace, my brother. You did what you set out to do, and then some,” Henley said.

    According to the official word, Frey died from complications of multiple illnesses.

    He was 67.

    “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York City on Monday, January 18th, 2016. Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia. The Frey family would like to thank everyone who joined Glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery. Words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us, his family, the music community & millions of fans worldwide,” read a statement posted to The Eagles’ Facebook page.

  • Bob Seger Reveals Details About Glenn Frey’s Illness

    The music world is mourning yet another loss of a heavyweight. Glenn Frey, founding member, guitarist, and songwriter for The Eagles passed away on Monday at the age of 67.

    According to the official word, Frey died from complications of multiple illnesses.

    “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York City on Monday, January 18th, 2016. Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia. The Frey family would like to thank everyone who joined Glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery. Words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us, his family, the music community & millions of fans worldwide,” read a statment posted to The Eagles’ Facebook page.

    It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York…

    Posted by Eagles on Monday, January 18, 2016

    Now, Frey’s good friend and collaborator Bob Seger has revealed some more details surrounding Frey’s illness and death.

    According to Seger, Frey had been in the hospital since November.

    “First he caught one set of pneumonia, then he caught a very virulent set of pneumonia,” Seger told the Detroit Free Press. “They were trying like hell to keep him alive. He’d been at Columbia University Medical Center since November. (Eagles manager) Irving (Azoff) pulled every ace out of the hole — he had the eight best specialists working on Glenn. About a month ago, they had to throw up their hands.”

    Seger, who met Frey in the 1960s, said Frey was a joy to be around.

    “I knew him for 50 years,” Seger told Billboard. “He was a great kid. I always kind of thought of him as my baby brother, a little bit. He was f—ing brilliant. He was a joy to be around. I always looked forward to seeing him. It was always memorable. He had an amazing sense of humor and was just smart, whip-smart.”

    RIP Glenn Frey.

  • Celine Dion Cancels Vegas Shows Following Death of Husband

    Celine Dion has cancelled her weekend shows at Caesars Palace. The singer is mourning the death of her husband and manager, Rene Angelil.

    Angelil died on Thursday morning after a lengthy fight with cancer.

    “Rene Angelil, 73, passed away this morning at his home in Las Vegas after a long and courageous battle against cancer,” his rep said in a statement. “The family requests that their privacy be respected at the moment.”

    Now, Celine is taking some time.

    “With heavy hearts, we regret to inform you that Celine performances Saturday, Jan. 16 and Sunday, Jan. 17 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace have been cancelled. Celine earlier today announced the death of her husband Rene Angelil after a long fight with cancer. The couple had celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary last month,” reads a statement on her website.

    According to Celine Dion, she’ll be back at it performing on February 23rd.

    “All of us at AEG and at Caesars Palace have Celine and her children in our thoughts and prayers. We are sorry, too, for the fans who have travelled to see Celine perform this weekend,” continues the statement.

    In other sad news, TMZ is reporting that Celine Dion’s brother Daniel is near death – also battling cancer.

  • Joan Jett Joins Heart, Cheap Trick for US Tour

    Rock icon Joan Jett is teaming up with fellow Hall of Famers Heart and Cheap Trick for a lengthy United States tour.

    The tour will have 30 stops and will begin on July 14th in Clarkston, Michigan at the DTE Energy Music Theatre. Joan Jett will play some shows with just Heart before Cheap Trick joins and completes the Rock Hall trifecta.

    Joan Jett & The Blackhearts are hitting the road with Heart and Cheap Trick! Details here: http://bit.ly/RockHall3_ForAll

    Posted by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts on Thursday, January 14, 2016

    The tour will wrap up on September 23rd in Palm Beach, Florida.

    According to Yahoo:

    “Concert tickets are being released in three phases: to Citi cardmembers on Tuesday January 19 via the Citi Private Pass Program; to Live Nation mobile app users on January 20 for Ticketmaster-ticketed venues; and for allcomers on January 22 through the Live Nation website.”

    Joan Jett was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

  • Courtney Barnett Drops New Song About Ramen

    Australian rocker Courtney Barnett has just released a new track, and it’s an ode to everyone’s favorite cheap meal.

    Her Melbourne-based Milk Records has dropped “Three Packs A Day”, a wonderful little song about instant ramen.

    No, not cigarettes. Ramen. Barnett is known for her clever song titles, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

    “Boil it up, water in the sauce pan / In a cup, drink it from a silver spoon,” she sings.

    “That MSG tastes good to me / I disagree with all your whining / It can’t be true that they use glue to / Keep the noodles stuck together / Two minutes seems like a lifetime / In my tongue, patience is a virtue.”

    Check out the new track below:

    “Three Packs a Day” will be featured on an upcoming compilations album called Good For You, which will also contain tracks from Fraser A Gorman, Ouch My Face, Jen Cloher, East Brunswick All Girls Choir and The Finks. It lands on Valentine’s Day.

    Based on the strength of her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Barnett has been nominated for Best New Artist at the 2016 Grammys.

  • Mick Jagger: David Bowie Was “A True Original”

    Mick Jagger has paid tribute to his friend and collaborator, David Bowie.

    Bowie passed away on January 10th after an 18-month fight with cancer.

    “January 10 2016 – David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief,” read a statement posted on the legendary musician’s Facebook page.

    Now Jagger, who knew Bowie very well, has publicly said goodbye to his friend.

    “David was always an inspiration to me and a true original. He was wonderfully shameless in his work,” Jagger tweeted.

    “We had so many good times together. He was my friend, I will never forget him.”

    Jagger then shared a great photo of the two:

    David Bowie was 69. He had just released his 26th and final album, Blackstar, on January 8th.

  • Elvis Presley: Aloha From Hawaii Guitar Sells for $270K

    Elvis Presley’s guitar from his famous Aloha from Hawaii concert has sold at auction for a sizable sum.

    The guitar, a 1969 Gibson, sold for $270,000 at an auction held at Graceland.

    Though $270,000 is quite a bit of money, it’s less than what auction organizers expected the guitar to get.

    According to the IB Times, the guitar was expected to snag between $300,000 and $500,000.

    Today is Elvis Presley’s 81st birthday. The icon died in 1977. Happy Birthday, Elvis.