Jesy Nelson is washing her recent record split drama out of her hair with a fresh, natural cut.
On Friday, it was announced that the former Little Mix star had parted ways with music behemoth Polydor Records a little over a year after she signed with them.
Ignoring the news on her Instagram account, Jesy decided to instead show off her new short, curly hair.
The 31-year-old is well known for her love of long extensions, which she wears both poker straight and in big bouncy curls.
Now though, she’s going au naturel with a shoulder-length style. “Natural Hair is finally health again,” she wrote next to a snap of her gazing into the camera.
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Last week, a spokesperson for Jesy confirmed the record label news to The Sun, saying: “Jesy Nelson feels now is the right (time) for her to move in a new direction. As a result, she has decided to part company with Polydor.”
The singer has been removed from Polydor’s talent roster.
In a statement to Metro, a record label representative revealed Jesy split from the company because they “failed to agree on new music.”
“Polydor have amicably parted ways with Jesy. We have enjoyed working with her and everyone at the label wishes her nothing but the best for the future,” the rep added.
Following the release of her first single, “Boyz” in 2021, a follow-up single and debut album have both been delayed.
“Boyz” featured Nicki Minaj and was reminiscent of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ song “Bad Boys for Life,” with the single causing an instant ‘blackfishing’ scandal.
A coalition of several organizations have united to raise awareness they hope will lead to the release of John F. Johnson, the former leader of the NFAC.
The Concerned Coalition of African Americans, The National Action Network, and other groups have called the conviction of Johnson, also known as Grandmaster Jay, “a miscarriage of justice” under the Bring Him Home Campaign.
Eleanor Harvey, BHH Coordinator stated, “The U.S. Government has targeted, falsely charged, and convicted Johnson in a sham trial while those who stormed the U. S. Capitol on January the 6th are getting away with murder. This is how America treats Black people who stand up for their people and exercise their constitutional rights. This is a shame.”
Kathleen Parks, president of the National Action Network President Louisville, Kentucky State Chapter, also issued a statement, which read, “We stand behind the exoneration and or acquittal of Mr. Johnson on this miscarriage of justice. He is being treated as if he is the worst type of criminal when he was the most law-abiding citizen during any protest he participated in. This is unacceptable.”
Johnson was found guilty of one account of assaulting and impeding officers and another count of brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. In 2021, he was indicted last year on federal charges that accused him of pointing a rifle at law officials during a protest on September 4, 2020. The military-styled formation was in response to the police killing of Breonna Taylor. Johnson founded the Not F###### Around Coalition, or NFAC, the largest Black militia in the history of America.
The Bring Him Home Campaign seeks the exoneration of Johnson and they also couple their movement to demand more information and justice in the killing of Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old African-American emergency medical tech that was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police officers on March 13, 2020. She was in her own home when the officers burst in her residence with a no-knock search warrant. She was hit at least eight time by officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove as she slept.
Johnson and the NFAC worked closely with the local police or the legal demonstration of registered gun owners in September 2020 to ensure a safe, lawful convening.
In December of 2020, Johnson was arrested by the Federal Joint Terrorism Task Force Authorities at his home in an early morning raid and subsequently accused of pointed his “AR15 assault style rifle” at authorities, months after the demonstration.
The Bring Him Home Campaign organizers released a statement to expound on their position:
Video evidence of the incident clearly shows that his fingers were never on the trigger and that he never aimed his weapon as he briefly swept his light from side to side. Johnson testified that his weapon was on safe the entire time. Johnson, who had previously led six other such demonstrations across the nation without incident, was tried and convicted in a Louisville Federal District Court in May of 2022 by an all-white jury in what the coalition of organizations called a sham trial. They said that Johnson, who insisted on many occasions that all those who exercised their 1st and 2nd amendment rights to respect the law and law enforcement, was targeted by the Trump administration because of his race and the growing size of the NFAC and the popularity of his legally armed protesting movement. Legal gun sales amongst the Black community increased 85% in 2020 in response to this movement.
Johnson, currently held in Kentucky, faces up to 25 years in federal prison. He is slated to be sentenced on August 22, 2022. He must still contend with a trial in Kentucky State Court for the same offense he was already convicted of.
The organizations are asking the Federal Judge to release Johnson from detention pending his sentencing citing, Johnson who was free on pretrial release for nearly two years prior to being convicted, had no violations, and attended all hearings on his own. They insist that his current detention prevents him from preparing for his sentencing hearing or preparing for his upcoming State Trial. They further assert that he is not a flight risk and not a danger to the community.
The campaign also includes political support lobbying, social media content creation and trial injustice awareness activities in their six-point plan.
D-Roc took to social media also to explain what happened.
“It was 84 degrees outside, yes, but on stage it made the temperature rise,” he said in a video, referring to the stage lights. “So, I was getting dehydrated. Only thing y’all see was the fall.”
“I kept on telling my manager, I was like ‘Look … It’s very hot up here. It’s very hot up here. I kept drinking water and then the next thing I know I woke up on the golf cart and the paramedics were right there.”
“I drunk a lot of Gatorade and water. Got some sleep. The next day, I was in Florida performing. Thank everyone for y’all love though … but I’m good.
If you’re into hip-hop or dancehall music then I invite you to check out the brand new single called “Get Money” by “The Yutes” and “Masicka”.
Check out the song and watch the official music video here:
The song starts with a super catchy beat and melody that instantly gets the listeners attention and as soon as the chorus starts it becomes clear that this is going to be a world wide hit!
Masicka is singing the chorus and he sure knows how to write lyrics that will be stuck in your head! The intro/chorus is followed by the first verse, which is a perfect mix of hip-hop and reggae and showcases the talent and skill of The Yutes. The verse is followed by the chorus.
The next verse is done by Masicka, who is a master story-teller and a truly generational talent who clearly knows what he is doing, as he is able to sing the chorus and rap during the verse in a perfect way. The following verse features The Yutes brothers again and the more I listen to it, the better this tune gets.
What’s really striking here is the versatility of these artists as they perfectly mix trap hip-hop and dancehall. They somehow managed to create a totally unique piece of art that really sets itself apart from all the other artists out there. These guys are real trap dancehall pioneers!
The song is produced by Grammy-award winning producer Teflon, which means everything is perfectly balanced and an absolute pleasure to listen to. The beat sounds super fat, the bass-line is killer and the synth melody is complimenting the vocals by The Yutes and Masicka. The mixing and mastering is definitely done to
perfection. But it doesn’t end there! Not only is the song amazing and the quality outstanding, there is also an official music video on Masicka’s YouTube channel (see above). The video was directed by Shane Creative and I would definitely recommend checking out the video, as well as listening to the song.
The music flows perfectly with the visuals and the entire thing is a timeless piece of art that will be enjoyed by audiences around the globe for decades to come! Credit also needs to be given to the creative directors of the music video: Chuck Wilson and Domingo Neris.
The Yutes (Jamaican Patois Slang for “The Youth”), a brother duo composed of Chris and Tris, splashed upon the scene in 2017 with a song called “Trap Don Dadas” the song combined their Jamaican heritage with modern trap elements which solidified them as pioneers of a dynamic sound that we now know as Trap Dancehall.
The sons of dancehall legend Mr. Lexx, The Yutes leverage an unparalleled authenticity and heightened musical sensibility to push the creative envelope, catching the attention there current label Babygrande Records.
The Jamaican style-benders’ unique artistry earned them a collection of accolades, including placement on A3C Volume 7 with “Trap Don Dadas” and a show- stealing SXSW performance — alongside the likes of J.I.D., DaBaby and others. In 2020, The Yutes’ release “Bring It Back” single which quickly crosses the one- million Spotify streams mark.
The Yutes kicked off 2021 theirs with the Curren$y- assisted “High Grade”’ collaboration then mid-year
dropped the mesmerizing Shomi Patwary-directed
For all those reasons I can only recommend you check out the brand-new single “Get Money” by The Yutes and Masicka! Make sure to follow them on social media as well, here are the official links:
“Bring It Back” official video and another single “In The Kitchen” featuring Stove God Cooks to end the year.
Fast forward to 2022 they team up with Masicka, one of the hottest new cutting edge dancehall artist from Jamaica on “Get Money,” the lead single from their forthcoming album “Ghetto Youths”.
The song has already been added on major stations on the island, Irie- fm, SunCity, Hitz-fm to name a few with the video in circulation on Tempo & BET and picking up steam, The Yutes have all eyes on them as their summer is only
Angelina Jolie has revealed that her daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt will be starting Spelman College later this year. The actress, director, and activist revealed the 17-year-old’s university plans on Instagram on Sunday by sharing a picture of Zahara with a group of girls, some of which are wearing Spelman T-shirts.
“Zahara with her Spelman sisters! Congratulations to all new students starting this year,” she wrote in the caption. “A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl. #spelman #spelmancollege #spelmansisters #HBCU.”
Spelman College is a historically Black liberal arts college for women located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Angelina did not reveal what Zahara is planning to study. The teenager is often seen by her mother’s side at red carpet events and even supported her in Washington D.C. in February as Angelina successfully called on U.S. senators to renew the Violence Against Women Act.
Zahara’s eldest brother Maddox, 20, is believed to be studying at Yonsei University in South Korea. It is not known if Angelina and Brad Pitt’s second child Pax, 18, is enrolled at a college.
The actors, who separated in 2016, also share 16-year-old daughter Shiloh and 14-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.
Nicki Minaj has asked fans to help her name her upcoming single.
The “Starships” hitmaker previewed a song titled “Freaky Girl” on social media earlier this month and indicated she would drop the track on August 21st.
However, Nicki took to Twitter on Saturday to share that she could no longer use the name “Freaky Girl”.and needed suggestions for a replacement.
“What should the official name of #FreakyGirl be y’all? yep we have to change it for all my barb/manager ppl here’s ur chance (sic),” she wrote.
Nicki added a poll that included the options; “He Want a Freaky Girl,” “Super Freaky Girl,” and “Nick James.”
The poll quickly racked up over 95,000 votes, with “Super Freaky Girl” being the top pick so far. Nicki didn’t share when she would announce the official title.
What should the official name of #FreakyGirl be y’all? 🤔 yep we have to change it 😤 for all my barb/manager ppl here’s ur chance 😫
William Shatner and J.J. Abrams have paid tribute to late “Star Trek” actress Nichelle Nichols.
The trailblazing actress passed away of natural causes on Saturday at the age of 89.
She was best known for playing communications officer Nyota Uhura in the original “Star Trek” TV series in the ’60s alongside the likes of Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and George Takei.
Shatner responded to her passing on Twitter by writing, “She was a beautiful woman & played an admirable character that did so much for redefining social issues both here in the US & throughout the world. I will certainly miss her. Sending my love and condolences to her family.”
I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Nichelle. She was a beautiful woman & played an admirable character that did so much for redefining social issues both here in the US & throughout the world. I will certainly miss her. Sending my love and condolences to her family. Bill
Takei tweeted, “My heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among, my dearest friend,” while Adam Nimoy, the son of late actor Leonard, shared a snap of his father with Nichols and wrote, “The importance of Nichelle’s legacy cannot be over-emphasized. She was much loved and will be missed.”
Meanwhile, Abrams, who directed two “Star Trek” movies, wrote, “A remarkable woman in a remarkable role. Nichelle, you will be deeply missed.
Sending much love and respect,” and Karl Urban, who played Bones in Abrams’ films, added, “Trail blazer Legend My heart goes out to her family and friends God speed Nichelle.”
Outside of acting, Nichols volunteered her time to promote several NASA programs focused on promoting diversity within the space agency. NASA representatives paid tribute by sharing a photo of her wearing the agency’s jumpsuit and writing, “We celebrate the life of Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek actor, trailblazer, and role model, who symbolized to so many what was possible. She partnered with us to recruit some of the first women and minority astronauts and inspired generations to reach for the stars.”
Rapper Drake is currently infected with the COVID-19 virus, deterring his summer concert plans for a Young Money Reunion.
He posted the news on his Instagram Story saying, “I am truly devastated to say that I tested positive for Covid, and the Young Money Reunion show scheduled for tonight is being rescheduled to the SOONEST date possible.”
“I will keep the city posted and share the new date whenever we have it locked,” he continued to write. “Until then I hope everyone stays safe and healthy and I love you all.”
Drake ends his note expressing regret, saying, “I am so sorry for letting you down on our weekend together and the moment I test negative I will give you everything I got on stage (except the Covid).
The Young Money Reunion tour was scheduled for tonight (Monday, Aug. 1st) during the October World Weekend festival that started on July 28th and July 29th in various Toronto venues staring Lil Wayne, Nick Minaj, Chris Brown, Lil Baby, and more.
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One surprise guest who performed at the kickoff concert was fellow Canadian singer Nelly Furtado. She performed her hits “Promiscuous” and “I’m Like a Bird.”
drake and nelly furtado singing i’m like a bird together.. this is canadian history pic.twitter.com/KhIh5qan20
Megastar Beyoncé dropped her new album over the weekend to rave reviews and delight many of her fans.
However, she has received pushed back after one word in the lyrics of one song has offended many in a protected community.
At the end of the song “Heated,” the multi-Grammy Award-winning singer says she “Spazzin’ on that ass, sp** on that ass,” referencing how bonkers she is about to get.
Despite being frequently used in American slang, in some communities, it is used as a derogatory term to reference differently-abled people.
One critic blasted her on social media and said, “So @Beyonce used the word ‘spaz’ in her new song Heated. Feels like a slap in the face to me, the disabled community & the progress we tried to make with Lizzo.
Guess I’ll just keep telling the whole industry to ‘do better’ until ableist slurs disappear from music.”
So @Beyonce used the word 'spaz' in her new song Heated. Feels like a slap in the face to me, the disabled community & the progress we tried to make with Lizzo. Guess I'll just keep telling the whole industry to 'do better' until ableist slurs disappear from music 💔
According to Sky News, a publicist says King Bey has now opted to change the lyrics of the song, co-written by Drake, and that the word was not “used intentionally in a harmful way” by the artist.
Like the Houston native, Lizzo was apologetic, saying, “I never want to promote derogatory language.”
“As a fat black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me so I overstand (sic) the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally),” and said she is “dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been waiting to see in the world.”
Sylvester Stallone has called out Rocky producer Irwin Winkler for “exploiting” the characters he created with a new spin-off.
The action man launched the boxing franchise with 1976’s “Rocky,” which he conceived, wrote and starred in, and it has since spawned five sequels and the Creed spin-off series.
However, he sold the rights to his “Rocky” screenplay to producers Winkler and the late Robert Chartoff, so he has no ownership stake in the lucrative series he created.
Stallone, who slammed Winkler on Instagram over the film rights, blasted the 91-year-old producer once again over the weekend after learning about a “Rocky” spin-off movie centered around the antagonist Ivan Drago.
“Another Heartbreaker… Just found this out…ONCE AGAIN , IRWIN WINKLER , this PATHETIC 94 year old (sic) PRODUCER and HIS MORONIC VULTURE CHILDREN, Charles And David , are once again picking clean THE BONES of another wonderful character I created without even telling me,” he wrote. “I APOLOGIZE to the FANS , I never wanted ROCKY characters to be exploited by these parasites.”
“By the way, I once had nothing but respect for Dolph but he NEVER told me about what was going on behind my back with the character I created for him !!! REAL FRIENDS Are more precious than gold,” added Stallone, who wrote and directed “Rocky IV.”
The “Rambo” actor returned to Instagram on Sunday night to share illustrations that depict Winkler as a vampire and another of him stabbing Stallone in the back.
“After IRWIN WINKLER And FAMILY SUCK ROCKY DRY !” he wrote in the caption. “Presumed to be the most hated , untalented , decrepited , Producer in Hollywood and his cowardly children have found their next meal… Drago (sic)?”
A one-hour documentary about Post Malone will stream on Amazon Freevee later this month. Vice Media Group’s Pulse Films presents the forthcoming doc which covers the Texas-bred recording artist’s first arena tour.
Post Malone: Runaway is Amazon Freevee’s second original movie. The film will feature exclusive backstage access, live performances, and intimate interviews connected to Posty’s 37-date U.S. trek in 2019.
“I already knew Post Malone was a force before going on tour. But then, after spending time with him, unfiltered, close, and personal, I very quickly realized he’s unlike anything the world has seen before. He’s a polymath, loyal to his art, a true ‘rock star,’” says Hector Dockrill, Runaway director.
The BAFTA-nominated filmmaker continues, “Being on tour with Post is like every emotion hitting you at once, it’s intense and it’s wild, and our vision was to pull fans into the experience just enough to get a glimpse of this, while leaving the rest to the imagination.”
Previously, Hector Dockrill directed music videos for Ghetts, Jorja Smith, and other music acts. Sam Bridger and Casey Engelhardt produced Post Malone: Runaway. Dre London, Austin Rosen, Bobby Greenleaf, and Marisa Clifford served as executive producers.
“Post Malone is a once-in-a-generation artist. A musician who has consistently defied categorization and set his own creative agenda,” states Sam Bridger, Pulse Films’ head of music documentaries.
Bridger also adds, “At Pulse Films, we have always been drawn to creatives that break the mold, and so working with Post, his team, and label to document this legendary tour has been a privilege.”
Post Malone released his fourth studio LP, Twelve Carat Toothache, in June. The follow-up to 2019’s Hollywood’s Bleeding debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart with 121,000 first-week units. Post Malone: Runaway will be available to stream on Amazon Freevee starting August 12.
Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny has spent seven nonconsecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart. The Puerto Rican rapper’s Spanish-language album is #1 again this week.
The project earned another 98,000 units over the latest tracking period. This is the first time Un Verano Sin Ti amassed less than 100,000 units in a week since Bad Bunny released it in May.
Bad Bunny’s fourth studio LP has remained in the Top 2 of the rankings for all of its run on the Billboard 200. Un Verano Sin Ti debuted at #1 with 274,000 album-equivalent units on the May 21-dated chart.
Besides Bunny, the most recent Billboard 200 features several Hip Hop/R&B artists holding Top 10 slots. Future’s former chart-topper, I Never Liked You, rose from #6 to #5 with 33,000 additional units.
Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind slips one rung to #6. Lizzo’s Specialdropped from #2 to #7. After spending two nonconsecutive weeks at #1 in 2022, Lil Durk’s 7220 jumped two spots to #8 on this week’s Billboard 200 chart.
According to ChartData, Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti became the first 2022 release to sell over 2 million total units in the United States. The 28-year-old, part-time WWE wrestler is also consistently one of the most streamed artists in the world on Spotify.
“8 years of lies and deception. Eight years of unknowingly sharing my life and husband with numerous of women who sell their bodies to him unprotected,” posted Crystal Smith, 35, about Ne-Yo on Instagram.
She added, “To say I’m heartbroken and disgusted is an understatement. To ask me to stay and accept it is absolutely insane. The mentality of a narcissist. I will no longer lie to the public or pretend that this is something it isn’t.”
Crystal Smith went on to request that people stopped sending her information about Ne-Yo allegedly cheating on her. The former The Platinum Life reality show star captioned her IG post, “God bless 🤍.”
Ne-Yo has now addressed his marital situation. The 42-year-old entertainer decided to comment on the controversy with a tweet sent out on Sunday afternoon. The statement did not include a direct response to Crystal Smith’s accusations.
“For the sake of our children, my family and I will work through our challenges behind closed doors. Personal matters are not meant to be addressed and dissected in public forums. I simply ask that you please respect me and my family’s privacy at this time,” Ne-Yo tweeted.
Ne-Yo and Crystal Renay Williams got married in February 2016 before renewing their vowels in a lavish wedding in April of this year. The estranged couple has three children together – Shaffer (6), Roman (3), and Isabella (1). Ne-Yo is also the father of Madilyn (11) and Mason (10) with Monyetta Shaw.
"For the sake of our children, my family and I will work through our challenges behind closed doors. Personal matters are not meant to be addressed and dissected in public forums. I simply ask that you please respect me and my family’s privacy at this time.”
Central Cee has just scored his highest-charting single ever in the U.K., debuting at No. 2 with the viral smash hit “Doja.”
The track marks Cench’s fourth UK Top 10 single, following ”Commitment Issues” (No. 9), “Obsessed With You” (No. 4), and “Overseas” with D-Block Europe (No. 6). It’s also his first release since topping the U.K. album chart with his debut mixtape 23, released earlier this year.
The Shepherd’s Bush, West London rapper had already racked up millions of views on TikTok before “Doja” dropped last week ( Jul. 21) and has since amassed over 16 million YouTube views in the ten days since release.
Meanwhile, Central Cee is out in LA and recently shared a series of snaps from his trip. Though he was busy shooting his shot at Doja Cat last week, the jet-setting rapper is putting in that work while overseas.
One of the photos he shared teased an upcoming LA Leakers freestyle. Co-host Justin Credible confirmed the appearance by taking to the comments section of the post to shout him out. “FAM,” he wrote, “Thank you for Pullin up!”
Furthermore, it appears a huge transatlantic drill collab could be in the works according to another series of photos. Central Cee and Chicago drill star Polo G were pictured together while in the studio with huge grins plastered on their faces.
Although it is unclear if they’re working on music together, if they were to link on a drill song, it would certainly raise Londoner’s profile Stateside where he is already making a name for himself.
A lighthearted war of words between so-called City Girls and so-called City Boys has been raging for several years on social media. Jatavia “JT” Johnson, one of the City Girls generals, now admits her team took a recent loss.
The City Girls vs City Boys rivalry (aka Hot Girls vs Hot Boys) became a meme around the summer of 2019. That Battle Of The Sexes became a playful social media feud that centered around men and women competing for “points” depending on public interactions between the two genders.
In addition to being one-half of the actual Miami-based rap duo known as City Girls, JT is also dating fellow Hip Hop artist Lil Uzi Vert. On Sunday, JT took to Instagram to wish a happy birthday to the “XO Tour Llif3” hitmaker and inform her City Girls about their defeat.
“I love you Uzi. I’m crying making this post because you are literally a dream come true! I feel like with everything I [have] been through in life you are one of my greatest rewards! I wake up every day to either your frown or smile,” wrote JT in her IG caption.
She also added, “Nobody but you, can stop you!!!! Keep going… You are an inspiration to many, I hope you never forget who you are. 💕 I can go some more but ima save the rest for tonight!!! City Girls, we are down today… I love you crazyyyyyyyyyy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIL UZI. HAPPY BIRTHDAY 💗.”
Lil Uzi Vert (born Symere Woods) turned 27 years old on July 31, 2022. The Philadelphia-raised rhymer dropped their latest project, the Red & White EP, nine days before his birthday.
Official City Girls members JT and Yung Miami partnered with R&B legend Usher for the “Good Love” collaboration. 2022 has also seen City Girls work with New York City rapper Fivio Foreign for the “Top Notch” single.
Has Beyoncé returned to claim the Billboard 200 crown? It appears Queen Bey’s latest studio LP, Renaissance, will easily take the top spot on next week’s album chart.
HitsDailyDouble crunched the early first-week sales numbers for Renaissance. The outlet predicts Beyoncé to pull in 275,000-315,000 opening units for the 16-track project.
That sales range should be enough to give Renaissance the highest first-week total for a female act in 2022. Beyoncé would become the first female act to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 this year.
2016’s Lemonade album started off at #1 with 653,000 first-week units. Before that, Beyoncé’s 2013 self-titled LP racked up over 600,000 units in its first official tracking week.
Throughout her career, Beyoncé has scored six #1 albums as a soloist. In addition, the Houston native collected two more Number Ones as a member of the legendary girl group Destiny’s Child.
Beyoncé has also found success on the Billboard Hot 100 over the years. As a solo artist, she currently has seven Number Ones on that singles chart. Destiny’s Child made it to the pinnacle of the Hot 100 four times.
Some music industry forecasters expect Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul” single to reach #1 on the next Hot 100. The song already rose to #1 on Apple Music’s Top 100: USA daily chart.
Plus, “Break My Soul” presently sits at #2 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart. The-Dream and Tricky Stewart-produced record has peaked at #7 on the Hot 100 so far.
Mary J. Blige revealed that she only began to accept the greatness of her musical journey after being honored with the Icon Award at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, presented by Janet Jackson.
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul spoke to Apple Music’s Nadeska ahead of her Apple Music Live performance last week (Jul. 27). She is also celebrating the 30th anniversary of her debut album, What’s The 411?. Meanwhile, her third studio album, Share My World turns 25 this year.
After more than three decades in the industry, Mary J. Blige has finally reached a stage where she can congratulate herself on her accomplishments. “I’m super proud of myself and I’ve never thought I’d ever be able to say that in my lifetime,” she explained. “I am super proud of myself because I did a lot of work to get here. And I’m proud of my heart, I’m proud of my soul, my spirit, my work ethic, the people that I choose to be around me, the energy that I give to people, I’m proud. I’m super proud of how far I came because I come a long way.”
However, the superstar songstress couldn’t appreciate her success until she was honored with Billboard’s Icon Award.
“When I got the icon award, it all just started to register like, ‘Wow, I really did something, I really did something,’ but it’s not like I did something because I was great all the time, I did something because I was going through all types of hell all the time. And I didn’t have a choice, ” Mary recalled. She added, “I had to walk through that hell I had to watch all my business on the news. I had to listen to people laughing at me. I had to hear all this negative stuff.”
Mary J. Blige said she “had to go through all that hell in front of everybody” to create the classic songs in her catalog. “A lot of women are being more transparent because I tripped and fell a million times and got up,” she stated as per Vibe.
Mary J. Blige On Paving The Way With Her Pain
While she is still putting out great music, most recently Good Morning Gorgeous, her fourteenth studio album, Mary J. Blige recognizes her impact on the women whom she paved the way for.
“Although there’s still bad stuff happening, I have to embrace the good to get out to keep from falling back into that. So I birthed a whole lot of beautiful, amazing female R&B singers because of the trials and tribulations that I’ve gone through and the lyrics in my songs.”
Check out the interview below and stream Good Morning Gorgeous at the end of the article.
Just like people, songs have different colors and cultures. Everyone might resonate with different genres. But good music transcends these boundaries. As Supernova hitmaker Gabriele Fedeli can attest, good music speaks straight to the soul. And it does so because it carries the soul of the artist within the melody.
Gabriele’s journey with music is a very personal one. Gabriele Fedeli had a strong affinity for music since childhood. Gabriele Fedeli loved listening to songs by the greats like Sinatra, Presley, Tupac, and Fitgerald and often found solace in their tunes. As time went by, Gabriele Fedeli began writing his own music, inspired by the music of his childhood and his real-life experiences.
Over the years, Gabriele Fedeli honed his skills, collaborating with other musicians, and listening to more songs to widen his horizons. Thus was born Push past perfection, which released and took the world by storm. The honesty in Gabriele Fedeli’ songwriting struck a chord with people who made the song their own and took both the song and the artist to new heights.
So what is good music, according to Gabriele Fedeli? The music that connects people is beautiful. The music that comforts a heart is beautiful. And above all, the music that stays with you long after the song ends is beautiful music, according to Gabriele Fedeli. “Beautiful music touches you eternally.” “It goes beyond the quantifiers of good and bad and into the realm of beauty fostered by art. Music is subjective. So if you find a song that touches you, keep it as a good song!”
And indeed, there is truth to Fedelis’ words. And with musicians like his on the stage, we’re sure we’ll always have melodies that touch us eternally to look forward to.
Ma$e has explained why he left Diddy’s Bad Boy Records after only recording one album, despite being one of the most popular artists on the roster.
According to the rapper turned pastor, he left due to a lack of respect but also because the money wasn’t right. He claims he was ‘the person creating it all” at the label, yet he was never credited or compensated for any of the “moments” he made.
Ma$e recalled, “Puff would go out and party and I would be in the studio writing the records.” When Diddy returned, he would select who would take what part, “but I was the person there creating it all; I mean from the lyrical standpoint,” he added.
Ma$E Says He Wasn’t Getting Money Or Respect From Diddy
Then Ma$e claimed he created one of the biggest records of the era. “And even ‘Mo Money Mo Problems,’ I came up with that. I came up with the beat too,” he shared. “So just imagine all of these moments that are taken from you. The records, the beats. You aint getting the money, you aint getting the publishing and you aint getting the respect. And I don’t think you like that, to be pulling what you pulling,” he said.
“You know what would come with doing that, but everybody is letting you get away with it,” Ma$e added, referring to Diddy. “So me quitting after one album, it didn’t take long for me to figure it out. You’re not paying me and you’re not respecting me,” he concluded. Check out the clip below and watch the episode at the end of the article.
Elsewhere during the interview, Ma$e claimed that his “disdain” for Diddy arose because Diddy prevented him from elevating, like all his peers. “I’m not here, all my peers are up here [raises his hand up to show his peers are at top level],” he continued. “All my peers are bosses.”
JayDaYoungan was killed after being ambushed by five shooters who gunned him down outside of his home last week, according to his father, who was also shot and injured during the fatal shooting.
The rapper’s father, Kenyatta Scott, detailed the moments leading up to his son’s death on Wednesday (Jul. 27). He told TMZ he was sitting outside in the front yard of his Louisiana home with his son when they were attacked.
Three people armed with guns suddenly jumped out of a black truck. As JayDaYoungan and his father attempted to flee inside the house, two more gunmen approached the property from the side.
Despite being armed and firing back to defend himself and his son, Kenyatta Scott was shot twice in the arm. He remains in hospital. Tragically, JayDaYoungan was hit at least eight times and lost a lot of blood. Though he was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery, he did not survive his injuries. The popular Louisiana rapper died on Wednesday July 27, aged 24.
While cops are exploring all avenues regarding a motive for the slaying, including gangs and/or retaliation, Kenyatta Scott doesn’t think it was gang-related. He doesn’t believe JayDaYoungan had beef with anyone and believes the shooters were unknown to his son. He also thinks his son’s murderers were jealous that he made it out of his hometown and envious of his success.
Authorities think there was only one shooter although they have yet to identify a suspect or make any arrests.
JayDaYoungan’s father said his son should be remembered as a “good, humble and respectful kid.”