Month: August 2024

Celine Dion is a fighter. The singer’s triumphant return to the world’s stage during the 2024 Paris Olympics showcased that. Now, Celine could be gearing up with a battle against Donald Trump and JD Vance’s presidential campaign.

Today (August 10), Celine publicly made her issue with the Republican duo known. On her official X (formerly Twitter) page, Celine slammed Trump and Vance for reportedly using her beloved song, “My Heart Will Go On,” at one of their campaign rallies in Montana.

“In no way is this use authorized,” read the note. “Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use. …And really, that song?”

Celine can’t control when the song gains steam on streaming services (most recently following the submarine tragedy). But she can use her power to shut down its use in other ways, including political events.

A clip (view here) supposedly captured at the rally, shows that a jumbo screen inside the building played a video of Celine Dion performing the track.

Read Celine Dion’s full statement below.

This isn’t the first time a recording artist clapped back at a politician for using their music. Back in August 2023, Eminem sent Vivek Ramaswamy a cease-and-desist for his use of “Lose Yourself.”

As of today, neither Donald Trump nor JD Vance have issued a response to Celine Dion’s statement.

The United States men’s basketball team are Olympic gold medalists once again. Thanks to one of the best stretches of basketball of Steph Curry‘s career to carry the team home down the stretch, the U.S. were able to walk into a hostile environment in Paris and take down a French team that left it all on the floor, 98-87, in a game worthy of the occasion.

The opening quarter of action was as good as everyone hoped. While the Americans were able to take an early lead and play the sort of egalitarian basketball that Steve Kerr preaches — they had seven assists on eight made baskets in the opening 10 minutes — their lead was only 20-15 after one.

This was because of Victor Wembanyama, who was able to respond to the raucous arena filled with French fans by imposing his will on the game with seven points and two rebounds in the opening frame. And with the crowd behind them, France came out at the start of the second quarter and took it right to the American bench, as a 10-4 run at the beginning of the period put them back ahead.

The starters coming back in, combined with Wembanyama hitting the bench, led to the U.S. opening its lead right back up. With LeBron James leading the charge and dictating the tempo of the game, the United States was able to get its lead up in the first half up to as many as 10 points, and if not for a huge first half by former Boston Celtics forward Guerschon Yabusele — who has been excellent for the French all tournament — the lead could have been much bigger than eight points heading into the locker room.

Regardless, the United States took a 49-41 lead into the half, with Devin Booker’s 13 points leading the team. James had seven, while both Curry and Kevin Durant had six, and after a difficult opening five minutes or so, Kerr made the decision to put Joel Embiid on the bench for the remainder of the half and ride with Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo as his big men. For France, Yabusele’s 15 points led all scorers, while Wembanyama had 13 with five rebounds.

While the Americans came out of the break and got their lead up to as many as 14 points in the early portion of the third, France was able to chip away in the closing stages of the quarter, particularly when James and Curry went to the bench. Whether it was the U.S. turning it over seven times, Wembanyama imposing himself, or either half of the Evan Fournier and Nando de Colo duo getting hot, France was slowly but surely able to get the crowd back into the game. And even though the United States was able to take a 72-66 lead into the fourth, the door was cracked open, and the French had a shot to pick up the biggest win in their basketball history.

The U.S. consistently kept France at arm’s length for much of the fourth, and even got their lead up to as many as 10 points. But as the quarter went on, the mistakes started to pile up — whether it was turnovers or bad fouls, the United States struggled to put France away, and the French made them pay by taking advantage. They chipped away slowly, and with just over three minutes remaining, a putback dunk by Wembanyama cut the lead to one possession, an 82-79 game that was right there for the taking.

But Curry had other ideas. He came down the floor on the ensuing possession and drilled a triple from well behind the three-point line, and misses by Wembanyama and Yabusele on France’s next time down the floor got cleaned up by Durant, who was fouled, knocked down both free throws, and opened Team USA’s lead back up to nine points.

And then Curry just lost his mind. He hit three threes over the final two minutes of the game, each one seemingly more insane than the next, and each one hammering home that the United States was going to win a gold medal. France tried as they might, but could not overcome Curry’s barrage, and as the final horn sounded, the crowd in Paris was stunned as the Americans celebrated on their home floor.

Curry scored 24 points to lead the U.S., and shot 8-for-12 from behind the three-point line. Durant and Booker both scored 15, while James had a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists. For France, Wembanyama stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Yabusele went for 20.

John Legend made history when he became an EGOT cardholder. But, the “Never Break” singer is far more impressed by his title of dad. As a father of four (all of which he shares with wife Chrissy Teigen), Legend’s next body of work will honor that role.

John Legend is set to drop a children’s album, My Favorite Dream, later this month. Ahead of its release, Legend took to Instagram to share that it will be produced entirely by Sufjan Stevens. In the post’s caption, Legend praised Stevens and his contributions to the upcoming album.

“I’m grateful for his genius,” he wrote. “He blessed the album with music beyond my expectations & imagination.”

The collaborations won’t end there, while the album is set to feature nine original tracks and five covers (two Fisher-Price songs, Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” & “You Are My Sunshine”), Legend’s children Luna and Miles as well as his wife will all make a vocal appearance by way of single “L-O-V-E.”

Earlier in the post, Legend detailed the project’s origins. “I decided to go all in and make a whole album of sing-alongs & lullabies for kids and families,” he wrote. “I sat at our family piano and wrote nine original songs full of the messages we share with our kids: words of encouragement, comfort, love, togetherness, imagination, exploration, and GOING TO SLEEP.”

My Favorite Dream is out 8/30 via John Legend Music/Republic. Find more information here.

Music festivals are known for its heighten sound systems that grab the ears of attendees no matter where they are. However, it seems HARD Summer might’ve over did it this year.

HARD Summer 2024 drew electronic music lovers from around the world to Inglewood, California’ Hollywood Park Complex at SoFi Stadium thanks to a promise of sets from Disclosure, Major Lazer, Sofi Tukker, and more. But that wasn’t the only thing the multiday event brought in. Between August 3 and 4, countless noise complaints poured into local and neighboring police (as far out as El Segundo) hotlines.

So, Inglewood’s Mayor James T. Butts Jr. issued a statement via the city’s official and Billboard to address the matter.

According to Butts’ remarks, noise issues began during the event’s soundchecks on August 2. “We were perplexed at the sound propagation experienced in the South Bay,” he wrote. “Because there have been multiple outdoor concerts on the SoFi campus without this issue.”

Ultimately, after an investigation, the cause was identified. “It is important to clarify that the sound and vibration issues experienced over the weekend were related to certain bass frequencies,” he said.

Butts’ also shared that the main problem area was stage in the American Airlines Plaza. According to Billboard, Butts has declared that “no stages will be permitted in this area for future events.”

Read excerpts from Mayor James T. Butts Jr.’s statement to Billboard below.

We were perplexed at the sound propagation experienced in the South Bay, because there have been multiple outdoor concerts on the SoFi campus without this issue. After meeting with representatives from the event promoter and the venue, we conducted a thorough review of the modifications and changes made between Saturday and Sunday of HARD Summer, specifically in response to noise complaints from neighboring communities. It is important to clarify that the sound and vibration issues experienced over the weekend were related to certain bass frequencies.

[The American Airlines Plaza] was a major contributor to the issue. We will require even greater sound engineering with a more comprehensive plan when it comes to addressing sound and bass frequency management. City authorities engaged the event promoter and the venue and implemented several critical adjustments to each stage and established enhanced monitoring plans for overall sound and bass levels.

Additional sound engineers were strategically positioned in areas of concern from Saturday afternoon through Sunday and were promptly dispatched to make necessary adjustments in real time. As a result, a significant decrease in call volume was observed on Sunday in the initially impacted areas. With the lessons learned this past weekend, we are prepared to better monitor and supervise future event organizers to minimize the sound and vibration impact on the community outside the venue.

T.I. and Tiny’s can put one of their legal battles behind them.

On August 8, the couple (real name Clifford and Tameka Harris) received news regarding this longstanding 2021 sexual assault lawsuit. According to AllHipHop, the case against them has been dismissed by a judge, a notion that the legal team of T.I. and Tiny argued for.

In the outlet’s report, it states Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett of United States District Court of California formally approved the case’s dismissal. A representative for the couple shared a statement with AllHipHop following the court’s decision.

“The court agreed with Tip and Tameka that Jane Doe doesn’t appear to have any viable claims,” said the rep. “As Tip and Tameka stated three years ago, these allegations are some of the many false, salacious allegations thrown out into the media in a cheap attempt to extort money from them.”

Although the sexual assault lawsuit were reportedly dismissed, it was supposedly dismissed without prejudice, meaning should the Jane Doe complainant wish to refile at a later time, she can.

In 2021, a filer’s (only named as Jane Doe) attorney came forward claiming to have at least 11 others who were victimized by the couple or their entourage. The attorney said the supposed victims cases were pushed off from being properly investigated because as the statute of limitations had passed. T.I. and Tiny have maintained their innocence.

On August 5, Kehlani found themselves caught up in a media storm they had no idea was brewing. The “Next 2 U” singer’s ex and their daughter’s (Adeya Nomi) father, Javaughn Young-White, reportedly filed for legal custody.

But it was what Young-White alleged in the filing documents in what had the potential to tear the blended family apart. Young-White claimed Kehlani was involved in a cult and feared for their daughter’s safety. By August 7, both parents had slammed the exaggerated headlines (specifically TMZ) surrounding Young-White’s claim.

Yesterday (August 9), Young-White shared another statement to his official Instagram page. In the post, he acknowledged that he “deeply regrets” insinuating that Kehlani was involved in a cult. He also doubled down on that fact that his initial statement, submitted by way of his former counsel, was “never approved for submission.”

Read his full statement below.

Prior, Kehlani addressed the allegations in their Instagram Stories. “What has been published in the media over the past 24 hours is incredibly hurtful, inaccurate, inappropriate, and simply untrue,” they wrote. “I strongly deny any claims that I have put my child in harm’s way, or left my child alone with anyone deemed dangerous or unsafe. I also do not align with any of the allegations made against my former religious community that have been stated in the media.”

Travis Scott is a free man. Like many other celebrities, the “Fe!n” rapper decided to experience the 2024 Paris Olympics in-person.

Unfortunately, for Scott, yesterday (August 9) he found himself in a Parisian jail following an supposed altercation with hotel security. But today (August 10), Scott has been released from jail, according to TMZ.

The outlet reported that Scott was allegedly involved in a fight. At that time hotel security attempted to deescalate the situation but in the process a vase was shattered. At that time, police detained Scott, then transported him to jail. He was later transferred to a hospital for treatment. A representative, close to the matter, seemingly confirmed Scott’s injuries with a statement. “There were no injuries to any other party, including his security,” said the rep.

However, it appears no assault charges were filed. So, today, the Paris prosecutors contacted TMZ to confirm Scott’s case had been dismissed. The reason for the dismissal was supposedly because “the crime was insufficiently characterized.” The agency reportedly doesn’t intend to pursue charges at a later time.

As of today, Scott has released a statement of his own. But don’t be surprised if a special merch line drops to commemorate the moment. In June, Scott was supposedly arrested on disorderly intoxication and trespassing charges. Shortly after, he uploaded a t-shirt with his mugshot to his website’s online shop.

If Disney couldn’t get Daft Punk back for the new Tron movie, they found the next best option. It was revealed during the D23 fan event that industrial rock greats Nine Inch Nails will provide the score for Tron: Ares, the third film in the Tron franchise. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have become in-demand composers, having worked on the scores for The Social Network, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Challengers. But this is the first time the credit will be attributed to Nine Inch Nails, not just Reznor and Ross.

You can see the pretty cool NIN reveal at D23 here.

The long-in-the-works Tron: Ares is about a “highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with AI beings,” according to Deadline. The cast includes Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, Sarah Desjardins, and returning from the previous two films, Jeff Bridges.

“It’s really unbelievable to think we made the original in 1982,” Bridges told the D23 crowd. “We never thought it would have this legacy that’s continued on all these years, but here we are. What a beautiful time to bring this back. What a perfect time to revisit this amazing world. More appropriately, to say this amazing world visit us.”

Tron: Ares hits theaters on October 10, 2025.

Does Disney‘s Lilo & Stitch need a live-action remake? No, probably not. The 2002 animated film is excellent as is. But will I be first in line to see the remake because that’s how much I love Stitch, so much so that I named one of my cats after Experiment 626? You better believe it.

On Friday at D23, Disney revealed the first look at CGI Stitch from the remake. He’s extremely cute and mischievous, which is kind of Stitch’s whole deal. That, and loving Elvis songs (they should have gotten Austin Butler to voice him; instead it’s Chris Sanders returning from the original film). Check it out:

The Lilo & Stitch remake is directed by Oscar-nominated Marcel the Shell With Shoes On filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp and written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright. The cast includes Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Agudong as Nani, Zach Galifianakis as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Billy Magnussen as Agent Pleakley, Kaipo Dudoit as David Kawena, and Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles.

Here’s what else you missed from D23’s Friday night showcase

–Mufasa: The Lion King trailer

–Snow White teaser trailer starring Rachel Zegler

–Incredibles 3 is in the works

-Pixar’s Hoppers is about a beaver and a young girl who exchange bodies

–Moana 2 trailer introduces Moana’s younger sister

–Toy Story 5 is about toys vs. tech

-The trailer for The Skeleton Crew, a new Star Wars adventure

–Agatha All Along trailer

–Frozen 3 is coming in 2027

–Avatar: The Seed Bearer is now Avatar: Fire and Ash

James Cameron has directed three of the four highest-grossing movies of all-time in Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Titanic. He can do whatever he wants — except call a movie The Seed Bearer, that is.

Back in 2018, it was revealed that the third film in Cameron’s Avatar series would have the hilarious subtitle The Seed Bearer. The director even confirmed it. Probably for the best, that is no longer the case: Cameron announced at D23 on Friday that Avatar 3 is now officially titled Avatar: Fire and Ash.

“It’s so gratifying to feel that love for this world of Pandora and these characters that my team has been working on for over 18 years,” Cameron said during the event, according to The Wrap. “I can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on for Avatar 3. Every day when I’m reviewing new shots, it’s like Christmas morning. The characters are so alive and it all feels so real. As you’d expect, it’s this insane adventure but it’s also got very high emotional stakes, more than ever before. We’re going into really challenging territory for all the characters you know and love. There are new characters, especially one we think you’re going to love — or love to hate.”

He added, “You’re going to see a lot more of Pandora the planet that you’ve never seen before.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash comes out on December 19, 2025.