Category: News

Every Linkin Park and Jay-Z fan watching Jeopardy! last night could be heard yelling “what the hell are you waitin’ for?” at the contestants.

One of the categories during Tuesday’s episode of the long-running game show was “From TV Show To Film.” The $2,000 clue: “When this movie based on an ’80s show begins, ‘Numb/Encore’ plays over a scene at a Florida nightclub.” None of the three contestants, Amy, Grant, or David, got the correct answer, which is, of course, “What is Miami Vice?”

The Michael Mann-directed masterpiece (that’s right, masterpiece) begins with a sequence set to “Numb/Encore,” a song from Linkin Park and Jay-Z’s Collision Course EP. It’s very good, and VERY 2006.

As one user on X noted, “no one got it, of course.” Others pointed out that “Jeopardy contestants are just a bunch of NERDS” and joked “Film Twitter baying like a litter of mangy, godforsaken hounds.” I would also be remiss if I didn’t include the “Numb/Encore” edit.

Linkin Park reformed in 2024 with a new lead singer, Emily Armstrong, following the death of vocalist Chester Bennington in 2017. The group released an album, From Zero, last November and are going on a lengthy international tour. You can see the dates here.

In recent months, there’s been a lot of speculation about the state of Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly’s relationship.

The pair reportedly broke up around Thanksgiving after the Subservience actress, who is pregnant with their first child, discovered something on the “Lonely Road” singer’s phone that she “didn’t like.” On Tuesday, TMZ alleged that “Megan and MGK are not on good terms and things are so bad they aren’t even speaking to each other,” and according to their sources, “Megan seems to be done with MGK and everyone in her orbit is happy about it… They feel like she finally came to her senses by shutting him out of her life.”

Machine Gun Kelly wants to know who these unnamed “sources” are.

“How can ‘sources say’ when the sources haven’t said anything,” he wrote in an Instagram caption alongside two shirtless photos.

Following their breakup, a source (unclear if it’s the same source that spoke to TMZ) told People, “Their relationship has always been bumpy. They love each other but don’t have compatible personalities. They’re both hot-heads, dramatic and stubborn. When they’re good together, they’re great. They will likely get back together. They’ve split in the past and then worked things out.”

J. Cole does a bit of everything: He’s a rapper, a former pro basketball player, and now, a blogger. A couple days ago, he launched a new blog called “The Algorithm,” which inadvertently had some fans thinking a new album was about to drop.

In a January 27 post sharing Ahmad’s 1994 song “Back In The Day” (the first post on the side), Cole wrote:

“This is just a place for me to share. I been wanting a lil blog for years. Somewhere to post random sh*t I f*ck with where the audience is way smaller than it is on the social media platforms. Finally pulled the trigger, bare with us as we still developing this page and the layout.

Respect to AHMAD. I played this joint last night and was like ‘damn! there go my first post for the blog.’

Been loving this song since I was like 9 years old on Lewis street begging my mom for a bike I heard about called a GT performer. Now at midnight I will turn 40. Might save the sentimentals for a post tomorrow. But in a nutshell I’m GRATEFUL.

Happy new year to yall and God bless. 2025 will be a good one.

‘We said that we was gon make it as a kid, and we finally did, but…’”

The part about 2025 being “a good one,” and just the existence of the blog, stirred speculation that Cole was teasing an album, but yesterday (January 28), he clarified that that was a misunderstanding, writing (and sharing Mr. Vegas’ “I Am Blessed”) in another post:

“Ib told me some people was thinking this blog meant an album was about to drop. Nahhh. Not exactly. when it’s time for something you will know. This is not that. I just wanted a place to share documentaries I be watching on YouTube and songs I f*ck with.

Thank you to everybody for the love today in the form of the comments, the chat and all the texts I got that I’m trying to reply to while also spending time with family and friends. I do appreciate it.

This was the anthem for the day. For realllllll.”

What we do know for certain is that the final Dreamville Festival is coming in April.

Curtis Jackson, professionally known as 50 Cent (or jokingly Teflon Don Fif) might need to pull out his seemingly impenetrable courtroom armor soon. Based on whispers, the “Many Men” rapper could be at the center of a nasty legal battle.

According to TMZ, 50 Cent is facing an assault lawsuit stemming from a supposed incident outside of The Grove in Los Angeles on September 11, 2024. Photographer Guadalupe De Los Santos claims 50 Cent instructed his associates to cause him bodily harm.

However, in a statement to the outlet 50 Cent’s attorney dismissed the allegation. “Jackson has neither been served with nor seen a filed copy of a lawsuit filed by Ms. Allred’s firm,” said the representative. “However, if and when such a frivolous claim is filed and served, rest assured that Mr. Jackson’s legal team will swiftly move to dismiss the matter and seek the maximum costs, fees, sanctions and other remedies that are available under law.”

50’s attorney continued: “[50 Cent] is not alleged to be the driver of the vehicle or even the individual who the Plaintiff paparazzi alleges opened the door as he charged a vehicle as it drove away from the bookstore.”

Over on Instagram, 50 Cent was sure to sprinkle in a few troll-like remarks. “The moment I realized I don’t like lawyers,” he wrote under a picture of the opposing attorney. “Gloria you should know better, chase a different ambulance.”

In another post, 50 Cent pledged that the attorney would not come out on top should the matter see the inside of a courtroom. “Gloria you’re not gonna get any money from me that way,” he wrote. “But if you call me I’ll take you to dinner. LOL.”

TMZ has confirmed the lawsuit was formally filed yesterday (January 27).

The preparation for a biopic takes place long before an actor steps foot onto a film set. To properly portray Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet had to train his body in more ways than one.

During an appearance on NPR’s All Things Considered, Timothée Chalamet claims to have packed on 20 pounds in order to meet the “physicality” of Bob Dylan.

When host Ailsa Chang asked about his preparation, Timothée Chalamet spilled the beans. “He’s one of the great American artists of our time,” he said. “So I’m sure some of your listeners could speak to it better than I could. That said, I’ve, like I said, I’ve turned over every stone.”

For Chalamet that stretched far beyond the music. “I did all the work, like you just described, physicality, behavior-wise,” he continued. “But something we haven’t really talked about, I also put on 20 pounds because…Believe it or not, I was thinner than the guy, you know?”

In addition to bulking up, Chalamet previously told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that he spent years learning the harmonica. “For the movie I had to learn thirteen songs,” he said. “But in total I can probably play thirty. So, Tim Monich was the dialect coach that who I worked with for years on this. I [also] worked with a harmonica coach for five years and then worked with Polly Bennett who is a movement coach.”

A Complete Unknown is in theaters now. Find more information here.

Following the conclusion of their Born Pink World Tour, Blackpink went on hiatus. Since then the beloved K-pop group’s members have stepped out to build their professional portfolios. Well, Jisoo is ready to add a few more lines to her resume.

Today (January 28), the “All Eyes On Me” singer announced her solo debut mini album, Amortage (via Warner Records). Although Jisoo did not reveal the forthcoming body of work’s official cover or pre-save link, she did confirm when it is expected to hit streaming platforms.

Fans can dive into Jisoo’s debut mini album on Valentine’s Day (February 14). In a statement, Jisoo expressed her joy for what’s to come. “I’m excited about this new era and the continuation of my musical journey,” she said. “I feel like I’m just getting started, and I’d like to thank the BLINKs for all of their love and support. This is just the beginning, and I’m thrilled to kick off this seismic moment with Warner Records.”

Over on Instagram, Jisoo shared a rollout schedule (viewable here) filled with important dates surrounding Amortage. This Saturday, February 1, the first album cover will be posted online. By February 3, supporters will have the chance to pre-order Amortage. The following day, February 4, Jisoo will unveil Amortage‘s official tracklist.

The moment Blackpink fans have been waiting for is nearly here.

Amortage is out 2/14 via Warner Records.

The WNBA offseason has been awfully busy, as we’ve seen big names like Alyssa Thomas, Jewell Loyd, and Kelsey Plum change teams via trades. On Tuesday night, one of the biggest dominoes on the free agent market fell, as 10-time All-Star selection Brittney Griner made the decision to leave the Phoenix Mercury.

According to Alexa Philippou and Shams Charania of ESPN, Griner will join the Atlanta Dream, although the move cannot become official until Saturday. The Dream are coming off of a 15-25 campaign in which they made the playoffs — it was the first time the team made the postseason in back-to-back years since 2014 — and are built around the formidable backcourt duo of Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. Griner’s services were unsurprisingly in high demand, as ESPN reported that the Las Vegas Aces had serious interest in bringing her on board to form an indomitable 1-2 punch in the frontcourt alongside A’ja Wilson prior to their trade for Loyd, which forced them to evaluate “their style of play moving forward.”

One of the most decorated players in WNBA history, Griner is a six-time All-WNBA selection and has made the All-Star team in each of the last two seasons — she did not play in the league in 2022 following her high-profile detainment in Russia. Last year, Griner averaged 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 28.7 minutes per game while shooting 57.9 percent from the field.

Last week, Bruno Mars set out to drop the next world-dominating strip club anthem. Thanks to his latest single “Fat Juicy & Wet” with Sexyy Red, Bruno might have accomplished that. As an added bonus, the track’s warm reception contributed to a new streaming record set by Bruno Mars.

In an announcement on Instagram (viewable here), Spotify revealed that Bruno Mars is the first artist to reach 150 million monthly listeners in its history.

To celebrate the milestone, Bruno Mars reposted the uploaded to his Instagram stories but added a comedic twist.”KEEP STREAMING,” he wrote. “I’ll be out of debt in no time .”

Back in March 2024, a viral rumor claimed Bruno Mars was $50 million in the hole for a gambling debt with MGM Resorts. While Mars decided not to publicly address the report, MGM released a statement denying the accusation.

“MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect,” wrote a representative. “Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM.”

Eventually, Bruno found a way to subtly response to the rumor. When a fan joked that his collaboration with Lady Gaga (“Die With A Smile“) was a ploy to help him chipped away at the supposed balance; Bruno laughed along with users online.

“Poor Cynthia Erivo” might seem like an odd thing to think about a Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated superstar whose film Wicked is edging its way toward billion-dollar box office returns. But if I had to suffer through civilians singing my own meme-making vocal runs back at me in public, I might be willing to trade it all back.

Erivo told Jimmy Kimmel during her appearance on the late-night show last night that fans have, indeed, been singing her iconic run from “Defying Gravity” to her… usually, without asking. “I’m still trying to figure out how [to react to it],” she admitted. “Sometimes it’s really delightful, sometimes it’s really wonderful. I think what’s wonderful is that people are willing to try anyway. If the emotion has moved you to do that without even introducing yourself, then I think we’ve done something right. I’m just going to go with it.”

Still, please confirm you actually have the chops to hit the soaring high note — let alone the breathtaking melisma Erivo deploys in the uplifting scene.

It might all be worth it for Erivo this awards season; she’s just an Oscar away from becoming the youngest-ever EGOT winner in history (which’ll beat Jennifer Hudson, the youngest woman and second Black woman to rack up all four awards). She’s nominated for Best Actress, putting her up against Demi Moore, Mikey Madison, Fernanda Torres, and Karla Sofia Gascón — stiff competition to be sure, but she’s also in the most solid crowd-pleaser of the field.

You can watch Erivo’s full interview with Jimmy Kimmel above.

Washington, DC-born alt-R&B singer Kelela is best known for blending spacey takes on soul and R&B with glitzy, futuristic EDM, but on her upcoming live album, she’s taking a different tack. In The Blue Light, which is due on February 11 via Warp Records, was recorded during Kelela’s May 2024 residency at the legendary New York City jazz club The Blue Note, and as such, features jazzy, stripped-down reworkings of fan favorites like “Bank Head,” “Blue Light,” “Take Me Apart,” and her second album Raven, along with a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Furry Sings The Blues.”

The first single is “Better,” from her 2017 debut Take Me Apart, which you can listen to below. Much of the percussion and the pulsating synths are removed, allowing her vocals to shine over a moody electric organ. The message of the lyrics may have gotten lost in the toe-tapping original, but here, they’re allowed to flourish, with more acoustic instrumentation. If you listen carefully, you can even hear the crowd respond as they’re moved by Kelela’s honeyed voice and the emotion of the moment. At the end, she even introduces her father, who attended the show and whom she credits for instilling her with an appreciation of jazz music.

You can listen to “Better (unplugged)” below, and see the tracklist for In The Blue Light, due 2/11.

In The Blue Light Tracklist

01. “Enemy” (unplugged)
02. “Raven” (unplugged)
03. “Take Me Apart” (unplugged)
04. “Bankhead” (unplugged)
05. “Waitin’” (unplugged)
06. “30 Years” (unplugged)
07. “All the Way Down” (unplugged)
08. “Furry Sings the Blues” (unplugged)
09. “Blue Light” (unplugged)
10. “Love Notes” (unplugged)
11. “Better” (unplugged)