Category: News

You’d be forgiven for thinking Ferg was finished with music after a relatively quiet last few years — but not by Ferg himself. His latest single, “Thought I Was Dead,” calls out the doubters who wrote him off, defying them with boisterous boasts about his current circumstances over a thunderous, threatening beat produced by Mike Will Made-It. The song’s video opens with Ferg rapping amid brassy instruments decked out in angel wings and a matching durag, but after a beat switch on the bridge, resets to more familiar territory for the Harlemite: The streets of New York, surrounded by homies on ATVs.

“Thought I Was Dead” is the second single from Ferg’s upcoming album Darold. He announced the album’s impending release with “Allure” featuring Future, while his latest update brings the official release date for the self-titled album: Friday, November 8. Meanwhile, he’s been busy as a featured artist this year, as well, appearing on “Hot One” from Denzel Curry and TiaCorrine, and lending an assist to NBA star-turned-rapper Jaylen Brown on Brown’s debut single, “Just Do It.”

With a new nom de plume, a slew of collaborations in the cut, and his comeback album on the way, Ferg is certainly proving those who thought he was dead wrong.

Watch Ferg’s “Thought I Was Dead” video above.

Darold is due on 11/8 via RCA Records.

It’s often said that love has the potential to drive us crazy, but in the video for Ari Lennox‘s new single “Smoke,” the Dreamville singer makes that message literal. Set in an old-timey mental institution, the video opens with Ari getting electroshock therapy and sees her terrorizing the orderlies, performing in a facility talent show (clad in a dress made from her hospital gown), and staging a getaway with her backup singers. It’s the R&B equivalent of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, all set to her doo-wop-accented new single.

Mental health has been on the DMV area native’s mind a lot lately; she recently shared an update with fans that she would be permanently departing from social media, despite how much she’s used it in the past. “I’m working on a plan to transition off of social media for good,” she wrote. “I don’t believe I’ll ever mature and be happy as long as I have it. So my last day of socials will be December 18th, my 2-year sobriety anniversary. I will be deleting my FB, IG and TikTok permanently.”

She noted she would have made this decision sooner, after so many hairy experiences online, but fear of losing business opportunities kept her online. However, she called herself “exhausted with my addiction to the internet and gossip and attention and validation and yearning to be in control and over sharing,” telling fans she’d keep in touch through her newsletter instead. Whether “Smoke” will precede a full-length album from the singer remains to be seen; she has until December to make the announcement.

You can watch the “Smoke” video above.

Blackpink member Rosé has been rolling out her debut solo album, Rosie, all month, starting with the announcement on the first, and continuing this week with a teaser of her next single featuring Bruno Mars.

The single, “Apt.,” has arrived with a music video directed by Daniel Ramos and Bruno Mars, who was a big part in teasing its release. In it, the two stars rock out like a garage band, with Bruno on drums, Rosé on vocals, and matching black leather jackets on both to complete the rockstar look.

On Wednesday (October 16), Bruno shared an Instagram post recalling Rosé teaching him a South Korean drinking game that he said got him “saucy.” “Soon after, she tried to kiss me, and I was like ‘woah Rosie! what part of the game is this?’” he wrote. “She was like, ‘I ain’t playin games wit you anymore lil boy! Big Rosie bout that BIDNESS!’”

In a press release for the song, Rosé explained, “‘APT.’ is actually my favorite Korean drinking game that I play with my friends back home. It’s so simple, puts a smile on your face, and breaks the ice at any party. One night in the studio I taught my crew how to play the game. Everyone was fascinated, especially when I started the chant, so we played around with it and I said we should make a song out of it… and after Bruno joined the track, the rest became history!”

You can watch the video Rosé’s “Apt.” featuring Bruno Mars above.

Rosie is due on 12/6 via Atlantic/The Black Label. You can find more information here.

There were a lot of sporting events on television on Thursday night, with the ALCS and NLCS taking center stage, Thursday Night Football in New Orleans for a hideous Broncos-Saints matchup, and a pair of college football games. The game probably furthest from the radar for most fans was Georgia State taking a visit to Marshall for a Sun Belt showdown.

The Panthers were healthy underdogs, as they’ve struggled ever since stunning Vanderbilt earlier this season (which looks like an even crazier result now), catching more than a touchdown (8.5 to 9.5, depending on the book and when you got it) on the road in Huntington, with a total ranging anywhere from 47.5 to 51.5. This is important information because the only people locked in on Georgia State-Marshall on Thursday night with baseball playoffs, the NFL, and an ACC game all happening at the same time were either alums of the two schools or people who had money on the game.

After the first half, it looked like those with the Over and Marshall would be celebrating, as the Herd led 25-10, but the Panthers closed the gap and the scoring pace slowed way down, as Marshall’s lead had dwindled down to 25-20 with two minutes to play and the Herd with the ball deep in their own territory. Those with the Panthers and the Under had to feel pretty decent about their chances, as a first down or two is all Marshall needed to put the game on ice.

That comfort lasted one play, as Marshall’s A.J. Turner took a read handoff from the 12, turned the corner with blockers in front, and outran the entire Georgia State defense to the end zone.

That killed the Under and Georgia State didn’t have a last gasp TD in them, meaning folks who took the Panthers and the points did not get home either. It’s not the worst weeknight beat of the season (Michigan State kicking a field goal down three scores with 30 seconds left to cover still holds that title) but it’s certainly a gross way to start your week, losing on a straight run play that goes for 88 yards.

FKA Twigs’ third studio album, Eusexua, is due for release on January 24, 2025, and her singles promoting it have the heavy job of explaining its heady title. While the self-titled lead single shed some light on the subject, her latest, “Perfect Stranger,” takes a few more strides in that direction.

Directed by Jordan Hemingway and featuring cameos from Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Yves Tumor, the video examines the various boxes that people put themselves into via glimpses at different relationship dynamics — some very traditional, others a lot more kinky (needless to say, the video is sorta NSFW). The above metaphor is very literal, as the camera pulls out at the end to show all of these different relationships being played out within a series of stacked cubes, Hollywood Squares-style.

In one, a relatively vanilla Twigs cooks dinner for her man, while in another, a scantily clad Twigs makes out with another woman. In yet another, she engages in every kind of pairing, from motherhood to BDSM. At the end, a title card explains, “Eusexua is a practice. Eusexua is a state of being. Eusexua is the pinnacle of human experience.” That clears everything right up.

You can watch FKA Twigs’ “Perfect Stranger” video above.

Eusexua is out on 1/24/2025 via Atlantic Records. You can find more info here.

Financial literacy has become a hot topic in the past few years; thanks to pandemics and recessions, it’s become more important than ever for average folks to learn to manage their money. Hip-hop, which has traditionally been all about flexing, has begun to play a bigger part in helping to educate the public, with Jay-Z and Megan Thee Stallion hosting classes and several artists releasing music related to the subject.

Kendrick Lamar’s PgLang has joined in, teaming up with Cash App to release a short film giving financial advice direct from TDE artist Doechii. The short, “The Barbershop,” sees comedian ExavierTV seeking advice from his barber and getting it instead from Doechii, who’s also in the shop getting her hair braided. Cash App’s ongoing “That’s Money” project aims to help teach hip-hop fans about money management skills. The short is directed by Calmatic, and continues threads from a prior film from “That’s Money” and PgLang’s Project3 initiative, “The Balcony,” which saw Kendrick himself offering up similar snippets.

“I’m at a place now where I’m starting to make a budget and set financial goals for my future,” Doechii said in the press release. “I think it’s so important to be honest with each other when we talk about money, which is why I’m excited to be part of this campaign and share what’s been working for me.”

You can watch “The Barbershop” above.

Today, a second member of K-pop boy band BTS was discharged from mandatory military service and his eldest bandmate was there to greet him as he took his first steps off-base. J-Hope, the group’s rapper and third-oldest member, completed his 18-month enlistment as of today, October 17, and met up with a flower-bearing Jin, who had recently completed his own service, as well as around a hundred fans, according to Reuters. While the entire band had reunited for Jin’s discharge, it looks like duties kept the rest of the Bulletproof Boy Scouts from being able to put on a similar show for J-Hope.

While the group is reportedly aiming for a 2025 reunion (although that’s not guaranteed, according to their agency’s CEO), they’ve got a slew of other projects on the table during their ongoing hiatus. For J-Hope, that could include a follow-up to his March 2024 EP, Hope On The Street, Vol. 1, and the J. Cole-featuring single, “On The Street.” With bandmate RM teaming up with Megan Thee Stallion for “Neva Play,” there’s a wide-open opportunity for more collaborations alongside American rappers to ensure BTS’ name remains buzzing as they wait for the rest of the band to complete their mandatory enlistments.

You can check out a video of J-Hope leaving his base here.

In the wake of the sudden death of English singer Liam Payne, his former One Direction bandmates have shared heartbroken tributes to their fallen “brother.” Louis Tomlinson called Payne the “most vital part” of the British boy band, while Harry Styles and Zayn Malik also checked in today to share their thoughts.

While Styles called it an “honor” (using the American spelling, rather than the English, here), Malik noted that Payne was the “most qualified” member of the band musically, writing that Liam was “more sensible” than him despite being younger. It’s clear from both posts that while the group had its frictions, the members really loved each other, and Payne’s death had truly impacted them all. While Niall Horan has yet to make a public statement, he was photographed in Argentina, where Payne died from a balcony fall, with dark shades covering his eyes as he walked his dog with his girlfriend, Amelia Woolley. Payne and Horan had recently reunited when Liam attended one of Niall’s concerts in Buenos Aires.

Meanwhile, the group’s band page on Instagram also released a joint statement in which they promised they’d return with more to say after the members have grieved.

You can see Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and One Direction’s group tributes to Liam Payne below

From Harry:

I was devastated by Liam’s passing.
His greatest joy was making oilier people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it.
Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.
My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did.

From Zayn:

Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved. Even though you were younger than me, you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no fucks about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, A”, I always secretly respected you for it. When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison), was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional. I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next. I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you bro

From One Direction:

We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.
For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly.
We love you Liam.
Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry

Romance novelist Emily Henry doesn’t step into the spotlight too much, but that’s working out more than fine for her. Several of Henry’s bestselling books have been queued up for adaptations by various studios, and it’s frankly hard to keep track of them. Happy Place (which Jennifer Lopez is developing for Netflix with a major assist from a Bridgerton executive producer), Beach Read, Funny Story, People We Meet On Vacation, and Book Lovers are all in different stages of development. Fan casting for the latter title has included Ayo Edebiri and Paul Mescal, and Henry has been happy to stoke that speculation, but that book isn’t the first Henry story that we will see hit the screen.

Which will be the first? Well, none of these projects have firm release dates yet, but People We Meet On Vacation looks further along than the rest of the pack, and Netflix’s Tudum site already has details on the ensemble cast, which includes Lucien Laviscount (Emily In Paris), Lukas Gage (Dead Boy Detectives), Sarah Catherine Hook (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), and Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) along with Emily Bader, Miles Heizer, Tommy Do, Molly Shannon, Alan Ruck, and Tommy Do.

This film will be directed by Brett Haley with the following synopsis:

Free-spirited Poppy (Bader) and routine-loving Alex (Blyth) have been unlikely best friends for a decade, living in different cities but spending every summer vacation together. The careful balance of their friendship is put to the test when they begin to question what has been obvious to everyone else — could they actually be the perfect romantic match?

People We Meet On Vacation is reportedly filming as we speak in Louisiana, which should add up to a 2025 release.

Louis Tomlinson called the late Liam Payne “the most vital part of One Direction” in a heartfelt tribute to his bandmate, who died yesterday afternoon at the age of 31. Tomlinson was the first member of the British boy band to post a reaction to Payne’s death, and you can read his full statement below.

Payne died on Wednesday afternoon (October 16) after falling from the third story of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, landing on a wooden deck below. Witnesses say that Payne was behaving “erratically” in the lobby moments before, although videos he shared on social media a few hours before suggested that he was having a “lovely day,” although he reportedly filmed the videos days before posting them. Payne had released a new single, “Teardrops,” this spring.

Read Louis Tomlinson’s tribute to Liam Payne below.

I am beyond devastated to be writing this, but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to every day, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.
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I first met Liam when he was 16, and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.
Liam was an incredible songwriter with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band.
And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam.
A message to you Liam if you’re listening,
I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life, but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours, reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life. I would have loved to share the stage with you again, but it wasn’t to be.