Month: February 2023

Alec Baldwin Sued By Crew Members Who Were There For The Shooting On “Rust” Set

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In the unraveling case of Alec Baldwin’s tragic shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust, three of the crew members who were present during the mishappening have spoken up. Dolly operator Ross Addiego, set costumer Doran Curtin and key grip Reese Price have collectively opened a lawsuit against both Baldwin and the Rust production. Their basis for suing is negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Together, Addiego, Curtin, and Price were three out of the seven members on set during the disaster, and all three relive harrowing accounts of the aftermath.

The plaintiffs express how the simultaneous decision to use active firearms on set and not maintain adequate safety protocols allegedly caused the death of Hutchins. They note how safer options, such as props and special effects, could have been used in place of a real gun. Additionally, the by-product of the incident resulted in emotional distress for the three crew members. Addiego, Curtin, and Price recall how they all had to jump in to help both Hutchins and director Joel Souza after the firearm struck.

Alec Baldwin Pleads Not Guilty

(Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

TMZ reports that the plaintiff’s documents also described that armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed “lacked essential experience.” It notes how Gutierrez-Reed handed the gun to Halls without having checked it, who then passed it along saying it was “cold.” Despite the negligence in handling the weapon, Baldwin still went on with using it. The plaintiff claims that the result of these circumstances was Hutchin’s death and the resulting anguish.

While Baldwin still awaits his preliminary hearing for Hutchin’s death, he has pleaded not guilty and waived his Friday (February 24) court appearance. The allegations of Santa Fe’s D.A. department claim that he has acted with “criminal negligence.” However, Baldwin remains his stance that other members of the production team were responsible for ensuring the safe usage of the firearm. Today, he remains free from jail. Within 60 days of pleading not guilty, both he and Gutierrez-Reed will face their respective hearings. Rust, on the other hand, is planning on reshooting in the upcoming months. For more news on pop culture and hip-hop, be sure to check out HNHH.

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The Weeknd Becomes The First Artist To Reach 100 Million Monthly Listeners On Spotify

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The Weeknd
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A little over a year since the release of his colossal album Dawn FM, The Weeknd is still the center of attention. Just this month, there’s been the unveiling of The Weeknd: Live At SoFi Stadium and the collaboration with Ariana Grande for the “Die For You” remix.

Now, he’s broken a new record. As of today, February 27, he became the first artist in Spotify History to reach 100 million monthly listeners.

Last month, he broke Spotify’s record for most monthly listeners in the world with 94.73 million listeners.

Also in January, he spoke about his song for Avatar: The Way Of Water, “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength),” being placed on the shortlist for the upcoming Academy Awards. “I feel honored to be part of that list,” he said about the milestone. “Any kind of recognition for it feels like a blessing.”

“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to live to see tomorrow,” he added about when the original Avatar came out in 2009. “And I remember I somehow got to see the film in theaters. I don’t know how I got in. It was such an escape from my real life that the film is tattooed in my brain.”

Is Megan Thee Stallion Still Signed To 1501 Certified Entertainment?

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Megan Thee Stallion
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Megan Thee Stallion has kept a relatively low profile following the conviction of Tory Lanez for assaulting her, leaving fans to worry. However, after publicly being spotted at a surprise dinner to celebrate her birthday nearly two weeks ago, the chatter began to slow down. Even Carl Crawford, the CEO of her estranged record label, even took a vow to refrain from addressing her on social media.

Although the parties are still tied up in an ongoing legal battle due to Crawford’s seemingly declaration of peace, some are beginning to wonder, is Megan still signed to 1501 Certified Entertainment? Despite winning a minor victory against the label back in late December that cleared the rapper of any further albums under the company, according to TMZ, the war hasn’t been won just yet.

Despite her latest album, Traumazine, released in August, being her fourth album and final album on the label, to which the presiding judge over the case agreed, Megan Thee Stallion remains on 1501 Certified. In the meantime, the case will proceed to trial as Meg is also suing for $1 million in damages.

The trial date has not yet been set.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Serayah Confirms Her Break-Up With Jacob Latimore, Gets Cozy With Joey Bada$$

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Amidst rumors circulating about power-couple Serayah and Jacob Latimore’s relationship, the 27-year-old actress finally has confirmed the end of an iconic era. The ex-couple first became official in 2016 after meeting at the BET Awards through mutual friends. After years of publically broadcasting their desirable relationship, the duo has finally called it quits. “Me and Jacob are no longer together.— Sadly we just grew apart and I love and respect his journey moving forward,” the Empire star said in a statement

Fans first started speculating about the rumor after Serayah was posted on Joey Bada$$’s Instagram yesterday (February 26). The two curled up next to each other in a seemingly lovey-dovey photograph taken at a restaurant. The post was met with confusion, with one user commenting, “this better be promo for something,” and another adding, “hearts breaking around the world.” Needless to say, many were not happy with Serayah’s shift of attention from Jacob to Joey.

Questions Arise After Joey Bada$$ Posts A Pic Of Serayah

While uncertainty was still circulating from the rapper’s post, Serayah cleared the air on Instagram live. Fans flooded her video with questions about her and the Maze Runner star dating, to which she responded, “no, I am not. I’m not anymore.” The live took a harsher tone when fans continued to bombard the California native with comments. “People think it is so easy to get on the platform and start talking s**t. So I’m just saying simmer down. That’s it,” she stated. Following the live, Serayah confirmed her new boo by posting her own picture with Joey on her Instagram. The post, which glamorously showcased the two stars holding each other on a bridge still sparked disillusionment from commentators, despite Serayah’s confirmation of her breakup.

Both Jacob and Serayah had previously been vocal about their relationship, even having a feature on BET’s Millennial Love Stories. During their episode, the couple optimistically depicted the origins of their relationship, and how they navigated publicizing their love with their growing careers. While dating, the pair was never shy of posting each other on their socials. Now, both Serayah and Jacob’s feeds are seemingly rid of one another. For more news related to hip-hop and pop culture, be sure to check out HNHH.

Serayah Follows Joey’s Lead

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Kali Uchis Begs Fans To Stop Drinking Liquor Because Of ‘Demonic Energies’

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Kali Uchis
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Kali Uchis is worried about your health. The singer, who just recently dropped her new song “Moonlight,” is preparing to head out on her Red Moon In Venus Tour, but you might not want to buy a beer at the venue.

In a controversial Instagram Story, Uchis begged her fans to “stop drinking liquor” because of the “spiritual consequences.” She typed out her reasoning, explaining the way alcohol “takes us away from our purest selves.” Read her full conspiracy theory below.

“Please stop drinking liquor !!!

There are spiritual consequences & no one can convince me otherwise. The root of the word ‘Alcohol’ comes from Arabic ‘al-kuhl’ which means ‘BODY EATING SPIRIT.’

In alchemy, alcohol is used to extract the soul essence of an entity. Hence its use in extracting essences for essential oil and sterilization.

By consuming it into the body, it extracts the very essence of the soul, allowing the body to be more susceptible to LOW frequencies & even demonic energies.

It takes us away from our purest selves & our Good soul

that’s why it’s legal y’all they want you all to become alcoholics for real.”

Meanwhile, on Twitter, gifs and memes involving alcohol are very much coming in clutch to encapsulate people’s feelings on the situation.

John Krasinski Dubbed The Highest-Paid Actor On TV

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A new report from Feb. 27 lists some of the highest-paid television actors. Written by Matthew Belloni of Puck, the article titled “11 Burning Questions About the First Two Months of Hollywood ’23” yields fascinating conclusions. Included in the story is a note about how Euphoria’s Zendaya landed a pay raise from HBO. As the lead actress in the show portraying Rue, Zendaya’s salary per episode now reportedly eclipses $1 million. However, Belloni also reports that she is still not the highest-earning TV actor, as that honor now goes to John Krasinski.

Krasinski, who stars as Jack Ryan in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan reportedly earns around $2 million per episode. The Amazon Prime series just ended its third season on Dec. 21. Beginning in 2018, the show was renewed for a fourth and final season in October 2021. John Krasinski, who most notably has starred as Jim Halpert in The Office, is surely one of the main reasons the series has been able to grow such a passionate fanbase. While Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU and Ellen Pompeo of Grey’s Anatomy make more per season on their shows, Krasinski makes more per episode, according to Belloni. But, there are still a few actors who come a tad bit close to Krasinski’s salary.

John Krasinski’s Competition

In this screengrab, John Krasinski, recipient of IMDbPro | Media Access Award for Excellence in Directing, speaks at the 2021 Media Access Awards Presented By Easterseals on November 17, 2021. (Photo by Media Access Awards Presented By Easterseals/Getty Images for Easterseals)

John Krasinksi currently sits atop the mountain when it comes to earnings as a TV actor. But runner-ups like Kevin Costner, Jason Sudeikis, Harrison Ford, and Helen Mirren are no slouches. Costner, who stars in Paramount’s Yellowstone, reportedly makes $1.2 million per episode. In Jason Sudekis’ case, the face of Apple’s Ted Lasso, he too cracked the $1 million figure. This also goes for the aforementioned Ford and Mirren of 1923.

These figures are considered particularly staggering too, considering that TV contracts are typically not as lucrative as they used to be. When speaking with a source regarding the matter, Belloni reported that he was told, “$850,000 is the new $1 million.” So, there’s no telling what Zendaya’s $1 million or Krasinski’s $2 million would translate to in the heyday of cable television. Either way, though, surely none of the actors listed above are losing sleep at night about how much they rake in per episode.

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Coi Leray Announces New Clothing Collaboration With SNIPES

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Coi Leray always refers to herself as a trendsetter. In fact, her 2022 debut studio album was titled Trendsetter. The LP featured Nicki Minaj, Fivio Foreign, Lil Durk, Polo G, Pooh Shiesty, and more. Since then, the Jersey native has continued ascending and setting trends. Her Nov. 2022 single “Players” took off immediately after its release. Going viral on TikTok and climbing the charts, “Players” was just another example of Coi’s star power.

Along with musically, Coi’s fashion sense also proves how much a trendsetter she can be. In February alone, she joined in on the hype train on the clunky red MSCHF boots. Additionally, she popped out at Milan Fashion Week donning several unique fits. But, most importantly, she just announced an exciting new clothing deal.

Coi Leray And SNIPES’ Collection

On Saturday (Feb. 25), Coi Leray and German brand SNIPES announced their Q1 clothing collection. Including lightweight cargo pants, lax t-shirts and zip-up jackets, the fits contain many pockets and are mostly in neutral colorways. Along with the release, SNIPES’ VP of Marketing Paula Barbosa released a statement. “Coi Leray embodies everything that SNIPES stands for – creativity, authenticity, and individuality,” she said. “We are excited to collaborate with her to bring a fresh perspective to our Q1 collection, and we can’t wait for our customers to experience the unique energy that Coi brings to the brand.”

Along with the announcement, Coi posted a teaser video for the collection on Instagram. “Who says you can’t work hard and still enjoy yourself?” she says in the clip. “Can’t tell me nothin’. I’m a trendsetter, and I’mma do what I want. If I can’t have success on my time, then what it is really worth? It’s me, Coi, at the center. Every day is another chance to go get it. We all got the same 24 hours. What you choose to do with yours is on you. No matter what, I’mma always have fun. That’s really all that matters for real. No matter what happens in life, no matter the situation, I’mma always stay true to myself.” Coi’s identity as a trendsetter keeps evolving and progressing, and SNIPES has surely caught on.

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Missy Elliott And Timbaland Hint At Collaborating Again

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From childhood friends to music collaborators, Missy Elliott and Timbaland have shared an iconic bond throughout their endeavors. The Swing Mob members have both taken to social media this weekend to hint at a long-awaited new project. On Sunday (February 26th), Missy posted on her story “it’s go time,” and tagged Timbaland in the post. The “Apologize” rapper returned his enthusiasm by posting the story, writing, “time for us to press that go button.” He also added, “we n our bag like always.”

Over the years, the pair have co-conspired a number of hits, including Missy’s first five albums. As they have navigated from hit to hit, they have never been afraid to experiment with the sounds of rap and push the genre into new domains. Most recently, the duo linked up for Missy’s 2019 EP Iconology, where Timbaland added his production flavor to “DripDemeanor” and “Why I Still Love You.”

Missy And Timbaland Tease At A New Project

Although it’s been years since this iconic duo has worked up their magic together in the studio, they both have expanded their discographies independently. Missy released “Ratata” this year with Skrillex, and featured on David Guetta and Afrojack’s single “Trampoline.” Timbaland, on the other hand, has primarily remained producing. His most recent efforts have been featured in Jack Harlow’s Come Home the Kids Miss You and The Game’s Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind. Seemingly, it looks like Timbaland and Missy are both returning to their roots for the start of the new year.

When recounting the successes of her previous albums, Missy has never been shy at pointing out Timbaland’s contributions. Upon reflection of Da Real World, she tweeted, “I was so hard on myself & for a while this was my least favorite until years later I realized the MASTERPIECE @Timbaland & I had created.” In remembrance of her 2001 album, Miss E… So Addictive, she tweeted how the duo was able to expand their experimentation: “we were open to showing what the FUTURE of music could sound like in our minds.” Regardless of what these partners are cooking up in the studio now, it’s safe to say it will exceed expectations. For more hip-hop news, be sure to check out HNHH.

Missy Elliott Recounts Her Early Success With Timbaland

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