Month: January 2023

There have been a ton of jokes about George Santos, and rightfully so: After all, he’s given comedians so much material to work with. For their first episode of 2023, SNL led with a sketch partially about the truth-impaired new GOP lawmaker. When it came time for the latest installment of Weekend Update, you better believe they led with him, too.

Co-host Colin Jost started with one of Santos’ more bizarre lies: that he was a volleyball champ at Baruch College, which he never attended. For Jost, it wasn’t so much that he lied so much as the thing he lied about.

“Now that is a fine thing to be but an insane thing to pretend to be,” Jost joked. “Like, that’s his fantasy? It’s like asking a kid what do they want to be when they grow up and they’re like ‘I don’t know, assistant manager at Kohl’s.’”

Jost then turned to his sartorial choices, which consist of a lot of sweaters under suit jackets over top dress shirts.

“This guy is well dressed?” an exasperated Jost exclaimed. “He looks like he’s trying to steal clothes by putting them on over what he wore into the store.”

Co-host Michael Che got in the Santos fun, too, choosing to dwell on one of the more recent allegations about him.

“A drag queen who claims she performed with George Santos said the George did not have the glamour to be a professional,” Che said about claims Santos has sort of denied. “But she said another drag queen in Congress is absolutely slaying as the character Marjorie Taylor Greene,” he joked, alongside an image of one of the House’s kookiest characters.

You can watch Weekend Update — which also featured a nice little Parks and Recreation reunion — in the videos above and below.

50 Cent is never one to back down from a fight, but it looks like he’s turned down a new path.

The OG hitmaker has decided to head to mediation instead of trial with the penis enlargement company and its founder Angela Kogan, whom he sued last September. The business, Perfection Plastic Surgery, allegedly used a picture of the TV producer and rapper for promotional purposes on a social media post. The “What Up Gangsta” rapper was not going for it and immediately hit the surgery company with a lawsuit. However, there seems to be some sunshine on the legal horizon.

AllHipHop reports that court documents show that 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, and his legal team have filed a motion requesting mediation. According to the paperwork, the motion was granted, and all parties will convene on February 28.

The entrepreneur and his legal team not only sued Kogan in September 2022 but also pointed the finger at the gossip website, The Shade Room, which the rapper is also suing.

“By publishing the article and falsely stating or implying that Jackson had received plastic surgery procedures from Kogan or MedSpa, or the penile enhancement or other procedures described in the article, TSR committed a clear act of defamation,” his legal team said in a recent statement.

If the mediation between the two parties fails to resolve the lawsuit, the case will go to trial in July 2023.

Grammy Award-nominated rapper Tobe Nwigwe may be up against some steep competition in the best new artist category at this year’s ceremony. Still, there’s no comparison to his ability to perform live. Instead, the West Houston representor stopped by The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon to put his talent on full display for the voting commitment who are still unsure about casting their ballad for the first-time nominee.

Dressed in matching mint-colored clothing, seated on stage next to his pregnant wife, Fat, the pair performs “Fye Fye,” a breakout song of their album moMINTS. With each performance, Nwigwe breathes new creative life into a song. Instead of their signature high-energy stage show, the couple opted for a softer, more ethereal approach. As their adorable young daughters freely join in, mouthing the words to the song in the background, the pair exchange energy to heighten the song’s overall message, family despite what social media says.

Tobe praises his wife in the stanza, “I done been blessed with a woman that pray heavy, but turn a freak on the liquor, uh / She keep the devil off me like the Cherubim / She make it clear to h*es that we ain’t sharing him.” Then shares his promise to his young daughters in the line, “I told my baby girl she gon’ have more in her head than just product and bundles.”

He continues speaking on his love for his family in the bars, “If you book me for a show and I can’t bring my wife and my babies, I’m leavin’ / Big daddy energy speakin’.”

While Fat ensures that as his wife, she will never lead Tobe astray, rapping, “And I ain’t Kim (What that mean?), Tobe can’t ever go Kanye.”

Watch the full performance of “Fye Fye” above.

After Beyoncé‘s dazzling private performance at The Royal Atlantis hotel in Dubai on Saturday night — her first time headlining a show in almost four years — there have been talks that she might be gearing up for a performance at the 2023 Grammys.

Variety reports, show producers have shared with them that the Grammy record holder might have a possible onstage appearance. Unfortunately, the “Break My Soul” singer didn’t perform any hits from the recent project for the attendees at the private show. So, fans are hoping this is why Queen Bey has been holding onto the visuals for her Reinassance album, which was released last July.

Guests for the private affair included other celebrities, several journalists, and influencers. While there was a strict “no phone or video” policy in place — guests were given pouches for their devices — to no surprise, leaked footage began circulating on the internet. In one of the clips, Bey shared an adorable moment on stage with her eldest daughter Blue Ivy performing a rendition of “Brown Skin Girls.”

It was also revealed that Beyoncé was paid a whopping $24 million for her private gig.

Throughout the private concert, Beyoncé performed some of her biggest hits, including “Halo,” “Naughty Girl,” “Drunk In Love,” and more.

There have also been reports that Bey was recovering from foot surgery, which may be the cause behind her not releasing the visuals of her recent album.

The Weeknd continues his record-breaking streak on Spotify with his latest distinction. The Canadian crooner has become the first artist to cross 96 million listeners on Spotify, breaking his own record from a few weeks prior. Earlier this month, the “Heartless” hitmaker reached 94.73 million listeners across the streaming platform.

“.@TheWeeknd becomes the first artist in history to cross 96 million monthly listeners on @Spotify,” Pop Crave tweeted on Saturday (January 21).

But these stats shouldn’t be surprising. The “Blinding Lights” singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has become a commercial juggernaut over the past few years. He has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including four Grammy awards and a slew of other awards.

He’s the voice behind chart-topping hits like “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills” from his second studio album, 2015’s Beauty Behind the Madness, which catapulted him into fame. The musician went on to release three more hit albums after that, including Starboy (2016), After Hours (2020), and, more recently, Dawn FM (2022).

The singer has been quite busy these days — from earning an Academy Award nomination for his song “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength),” which was used as the theme for Avatar: The Way Of Water, and staying atop the Billboard charts to breaking Spotify records, and now, possibly releasing new music.

In a recent interview, Weeknd revealed that he has been in the studio and begun working on new music.

“I’ve definitely been inspired,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve been in the studio.”

Drake fans are still riding high from his long-awaited Apollo Theater concert. Despite suffering from a mild ankle injury before taking the stage. The nearly three-hour-long show went off without a hitch. During the show, the Canadian rapper brought out several acts, including hometown heroes Dipset (Cam’Ron, Jim Jones, and Juelz Santana).

However, when his friend, fellow rapper 21 Savage and Her Loss collaborator, joined him onstage, the sold-out crowd lost it. After rapping several tracks from the album, including “Rich Flex,” “Privileged Rappers,” “Knife Talk,” and “Jimmy Cooks,” Drake confessed that a joint tour was on the table.

“We’re gonna be out on the road this summer,” declared. It looks like October’s very own will be a busy man during the spring and summer months as just moments later, Drake also revealed he is open to dropping a new full-length project before the end of the year, saying, “Maybe this year, I might get bored and make another one.”

In addition to this joint summer tour and potential solo project, Drake will have his hands full as two of his OVO Sound label acts, R&B singers Naomi Sharon and PartyNextDoor, are also hard on work with new projects of their own.

In a recent interview, Ice Spice set the record straight on her rumored beef with Drake. During a chat with The New York Times, the “Munch” rapper wanted to clarify that she has no issue with the Canadian hitmaker.

Initially, it was rumored that Drake had dissed the Bronx native on a track titled “BackOutsideBoyz” from his Her Loss album, which was released this past November. On the track, Drake raps, “She a ten tryna rap, it’s good on mute.”

After gaining wind of the supposed dig, Ice Spice took to Twitter, writing, “at least ima 10.”

Now, the 23-year-old viral sensation seemingly walks back the reported falling out. When has about the brush up in November, she told the outlet, “We’re cool. We spoke after that a couple [of] times, and we’re good,” further clarifying, “There’s no beef.”

With the release of her debut EP, Like…?, this past Friday (January 20), she has been busy inside and outside music. Songs “Munch (Feelin’ U),” “Bikini Bottom,” and “In Ha Mood” continues to gain traction on streaming. While “Princess Diana” has been declared a fan favorite.

Also, Ice Spice has been tapped to be a part of Beyoncé’s new Ivy Park x Adidas collection. Migos rapper Offset, his son Kody, and model Devon Aoki are expected to be included in the campaign.

A group of Ice Spice doppelgangers was recently seen dancing around Times Square. The hilarious stunt was presumably to help promote her recently released debut EP Like…?, which was released this past Friday (January 20). The red, curly-headed dancers caused a flurry on social media, and judging by the response, it seems like the gag worked in Ice Spice’s favor.

The 23-year-old viral hitmaker’s new project featured a collection of some of her recent chart-topping hits, such as “Munch (Feelin’ U),” “Bikini Bottom,” and “In Ha Mood.” Also, the EP includes some new tracks, namely “Princess Diana,” which has quickly become a fan favorite, as well as “Actin A Smoochie” and “Gangsta Boo” with Lil Tjay.

This new project has seemingly set the Bronx rapper up for success. It will be exciting to see where she goes from here.

Outside of music, Ice Spice is one of the prominent artists that have been tapped to be a part of Beyoncé’s new Ivy Park x Adidas collection. Migos rapper Offset, his son Kody, and model Devon Aoki are expected to be included in the campaign.

The “Park Trail” line will feature gender-neutral performance apparel pieces, including sequined jackets, faux fur coats, canvas tracksuits, performance tights, hoodies, sweaters, and sweatshirts in forest green, lime green, cream white, indigo orange, purple, and a camouflage print.

In a statement released by the company, the new line is described as a “trail-blazing expression of performance wear inspired by the resilience of the outdoors, the spirit of the streets, and the possibilities of the future.”

The collection will be available online and in Adidas stores starting February 9 and in select retailers globally on February 10.

Drake hasn’t let earning 1 billion streams in less than two months stop him from making more music. During his highly-anticipated concert with SiriusXM at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, the Canadian rapper revealed that he might have something new up his sleeve. To put it in context, the “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin” rapper’s latest collaborative album, Her Loss, with 21 Savage, was only released in November.

If fans thought the 16-track project was the last they’d hear from Drake, he hinted that anything is possible. While addressing the sold-out crowd, the rapper said, “I hope I can strike up more emotions for you,” as he played some of his biggest records. Later adding, “Maybe this year, I might get bored and make another one.”

Although it is just speculation at this point, if the rapper were to release another full-length project before the year’s end, his OVO Sound label could potentially dominate with tours throughout the year. As the latest signee, Naomi Sharon as well as PartyNextDoor are both working on projects. In contrast, DVSN has already completed their tour obligations.

Another album also would allow Drake to set another RIAA record.

When the next project is released, just as a word of advice, Drake, stir far away from the fake album rollout efforts.

Donald Trump’s kind of an awkward guy. He’s constantly letting slip bizarre admissions. One time he even admitted he lost re-election in 2020. He has no self-awareness and he has no self-control. That can lead to him doing things like, let’s say, making things weird at the funeral for one of his most passionate supporters.

Last week, Lynette “Diamond” Hardaway — one half of the MAGA duo Diamond and Silk, along with her sister Rochelle “Silk” Richardson — suddenly passed away. The cause had not yet been made public. On Saturday, Trumpworld figures converged for a massive memorial to the woman, who became famous for her and her sister’s ardent support for America’s controversial 45th president. Not only are they two of his biggest cheerleaders, they’ve done numerous photo ops with him, even testified before Congress. But at Diamond’s funeral, Trump only seemed to remember one of them.

“The world has lost one of its brightest stars,” Trump told the crowd. Then he looked on the bright side of things. “We have another star who’s equal to, but she stepped up and she is different.”

He was referring to Silk, but then he made a startling admission: “I’m serious, I thought I knew them both. I didn’t. I knew Diamond but I didn’t know Silk at all. I just learned about Silk. You’re fantastic.”

What did Silk think about this? Would she even care that the president she loves a) never seemed to clock her, despite meeting him multiples times, not to mention b) admitted as such publicly, at her sister’s memorial?

Whatever the case, Trump soon moved on to another subject close to his heart: himself, whom he praised for helping organize such a huge memorial.

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/161694788404944896

“The chapel wouldn’t have held the kind of people, the number of people that we have,” Trump told the crowd of mourners. “And we’re doing it right and that’s the way it should be and I did notice a big line of very, very nice vehicles outside. That’s got to be handled properly, right? So we’re going to handle it properly. Go out in style. She knew that. Go out in style.”

In short, maybe don’t invite a predictably hostile witness to your family member’s memorial.

(Via Yahoo! News)