INSIDER
Lil Wayne feels hurt after being passed over as Super Bowl halftime headliner. The snub 'broke' him
Read full article: Lil Wayne feels hurt after being passed over as Super Bowl halftime headliner. The snub 'broke' himLil Wayne opened up for the first time about his devastation after not being selected as the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show headline performer in his hometown of New Orleans.
Rap megastar Kendrick Lamar will headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show
Read full article: Rap megastar Kendrick Lamar will headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime showKendrick Lamar will pop out on the NFL’s biggest stage next year: The Grammy winner will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans.
After Drake battle, Kendrick Lamar turns victory lap concert into LA unity celebration
Read full article: After Drake battle, Kendrick Lamar turns victory lap concert into LA unity celebrationNot content with merely taking a victory lap after winning his battle last month against fellow rap superstar Drake, Kendrick Lamar turned his Juneteenth “Pop Out” concert into a celebration of Los Angeles unity.
Drake and Kendrick Lamar's feud — the biggest beef in recent rap history — explained
Read full article: Drake and Kendrick Lamar's feud — the biggest beef in recent rap history — explainedRappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar are feuding — to the point that police were asked about it after a security guard was shot outside Drake’s Toronto mansion on Tuesday.
Police investigating shooting outside Drake's mansion that left security guard wounded
Read full article: Police investigating shooting outside Drake's mansion that left security guard woundedPolice are investigating a shooting outside rapper Drake’s mansion that left a security guard seriously wounded.
US rapper Kendrick Lamar dazzles as he shares South Africa stage with local artists
Read full article: US rapper Kendrick Lamar dazzles as he shares South Africa stage with local artistsGrammy Award-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar has drawn raves in South Africa as a headliner at a music festival there over the weekend.
Ranking this summer’s music festival lineups, from Coachella to Lollapalooza
Read full article: Ranking this summer’s music festival lineups, from Coachella to LollapaloozaSummer is right around the corner, which means it’s the return of summer music festivals, where fans can experience music, art, dancing, (sometimes) camping and lots of fun.
Grammys Moments: A rap tribute for the ages, Beyoncé triumph
Read full article: Grammys Moments: A rap tribute for the ages, Beyoncé triumphFor almost as long as the 50 years of history celebrated on Sunday's Grammy awards, rap artists have had an uncomfortable relationship with the music's biggest institution.
Nicki Minaj to get Video Vanguard Award at MTV Awards
Read full article: Nicki Minaj to get Video Vanguard Award at MTV AwardsNicki Minaj will receive the Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Awards later this month, joining such previous winning music luminaries as Madonna, Janet Jackson, LL Cool J, Jennifer Lopez and Missy Elliott.
Lamar closes Glastonbury with call for women's rights
Read full article: Lamar closes Glastonbury with call for women's rightsRapper Kendrick Lamar has closed this year’s Glastonbury Festival with a powerful headline set that saw him chant “Godspeed for women’s rights” as fake blood poured down his face from a crown of thorns.
Mickey Guyton, Jhené Aiko, Mary Mary to sing at Super Bowl
Read full article: Mickey Guyton, Jhené Aiko, Mary Mary to sing at Super BowlCountry music star Mickey Guyton will hit this month’s Super Bowl stage to sing the national anthem, while R&B hitmaker Jhené Aiko will perform “America the Beautiful.”.
Grammys overhaul process for picking nominees for top awards
Read full article: Grammys overhaul process for picking nominees for top awardsThe Grammy Awards have changed its tune and voted to remove its nomination review committees — groups that determined the contenders for key awards at the coveted music show.
Ladies night: Beyoncé, Swift make history as others win big
Read full article: Ladies night: Beyoncé, Swift make history as others win bigFour women won the top four prizes Sunday, including Swift, who became the first female performer to win album of the year three times. Beyoncé — with her 28th win — became the most decorated woman in Grammy history. And 9-year-old Blue Ivy Carter — who won best music video alongside her mother — became the second youngest act to win a Grammy in the show’s 63-year history. Megan Thee Stallion, who won three honors, also made history and became the first female rapper to win best rap song. She's also the fifth rap-based act to win best new artist.
George Floyd kin joins protest anthem album project
Read full article: George Floyd kin joins protest anthem album projectTerrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, plays the drums with other artists during a recording session for an album of protest songs with the Rev. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – Before a late night rehearsal in December, Terrence Floyd couldn’t remember the last time he squatted on a drum throne, sticks in hand and ready to perform. Surely, he said, it had not happened since his brother, George Floyd, died at the hands of police in Minneapolis last May, sparking a global reckoning over systemic racism and police brutality. Kevin McCall, a civil rights activist who said he believes an album of street-inspired protest anthems does not yet exist. AdSome historians cite Billie Holiday’s musical rendition of the Abel Meeropol poem, “Strange Fruit,” in 1939 as one of the sparks of the civil rights movement.
Viral and vital, college gymnasts finding their voice
Read full article: Viral and vital, college gymnasts finding their voiceThe social justice movement in college athletics has popped up in most unusual place: gymnastics. From UCLA to Pittsburgh, Black gymnasts and the programs they represent are using their platform to empower and uplift. Her experience at Arkansas was simply reflective of the culture at large in the sport at the time. From Pittsburgh to California, female gymnasts are using their platform to empower, educate and bring light to causes they believe in. “Personally I would say (gymnastics) is a predominantly white sport,” Ward said.
Virus scuttles Glastonbury Festival for second straight year
Read full article: Virus scuttles Glastonbury Festival for second straight yearFILE - In this Friday, June 24, 2011 file photo, the crowd at Glastonbury Music Festival clap their hands above their heads as they watch Chipmunk on stage, Glastonbury, England. Britains Glastonbury music festival has fallen victim to the coronavirus pandemic for the second year in a row, organizers Michael Eavis and Emily Eavis said Thursday Jan. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)LONDON – Britain’s Glastonbury music festival has fallen victim to the coronavirus pandemic for the second year in a row. They said everyone who had put down a deposit on tickets for the 2020 festival, which also was canceled, would be able to attend in 2022. The festival has been held almost annually since 1970, drawing up to 150,000 people to the Eavis’ Worthy Farm in southwest England.
Dr. Dre back home after reported brain aneurysm treatment
Read full article: Dr. Dre back home after reported brain aneurysm treatmentPeter Paterno, an attorney for the rapper and producer, said Dre was home but offered no other details in an email exchange Saturday. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)LOS ANGELES – Dr. Dre was back at home Saturday after being treated at a Los Angeles hospital for a reported brain aneurysm. Peter Paterno, an attorney for the music mogul, said Dre was home but offered no other details in an email exchange Saturday. On Friday, actor and rapper Ice T posted that he had connected with Dre on FaceTime and that he had “just made it home. Dre founded Beats Electronics in 2008 with Jimmy Iovine, and six years later they launched a streaming subscription service, Beats Music.
Grammy Awards shift to March due to pandemic conditions
Read full article: Grammy Awards shift to March due to pandemic conditionsThis combination photo shows, Billie Eilish holding her awards at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 26, 2020, from left, Lady Gaga holding her awards at the 61st annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, 2019 and Kendrick Lamar accepting the award for best rap album for "Damn" at the 60th annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo)NEW YORK (AP) – The 2021 Grammy Awards will no longer take place this month in Los Angeles and will broadcast in March due to a recent surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. The Grammys will be held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Los Angeles County, the epicenter of the crisis in California, has surpassed 10,000 COVID-19 deaths and has had 40% of the deaths in California. An average of six people die every hour from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, which has a quarter of the state’s 40 million residents.
Billboard: Interscope Geffen A&M named No. 1 label of 2020
Read full article: Billboard: Interscope Geffen A&M named No. 1 label of 2020Interscope Geffen A&M (IGA), the home to Eilish, Lady Gaga and Lamar, has been named the No. (AP Photo)NEW YORK – Interscope Geffen A&M — the home to Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga — has been named the No. Billboard announced Thursday that the label, which is also known as IGA, tops its year-end chart for the first time since 2013. IGA is also the top Billboard 200 label with 68 albums released during the tracking period, 25 of which hit the Top 10. Warner Music Group’s Atlantic Records was 2019’s top Billboard 200 label.
And the Grammy nomination goes to ... Megan? Harry? Weeknd?
Read full article: And the Grammy nomination goes to ... Megan? Harry? Weeknd?Others who may earn nominations include Lewis Capaldi, Summer Walker, Morgan Wallen, Doja Cat, BLACKPINK, Ingrid Andress, Snoh Aalegra, Skip Marley, Mickey Guyton and CNCO. Ricch should also earn nominations for his guest appearance on DaBaby’s international hit “Rock Star,” helping him become the show’s overall top nominee. ________FOLKS LOVE FOLKLORETaylor Swift’s last two albums, “Lover” and “reputation,” didn’t earn nominations for album of the year. The seven-member group’s hit “Dynamite” could snag a nomination for best pop duo/group performance, and their latest album could compete for best global music album. 3 on pop charts, should earn a nomination for best country performance and best country song.
Rihanna on new album: 'I just want to have fun with music'
Read full article: Rihanna on new album: 'I just want to have fun with music'FILE - Singer and fashion designer Rihanna attends the "Rihanna" book launch event in New York on Oct. 11, 2019. It's been four years since Rihanna released an album but the singer is working hard on recording new music. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – It's been four years since Rihanna released an album but the singer is working hard on recording new music. And with the music, I’m using that as my outlet." But I love challenges so, you know, I’m gonna get it done.”______AP Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu contributed to this report.