Month: February 2023

SZA Was So Nervous To Present At The Grammys That She Questioned Whether She’ll Ever Perform There

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SZA SOS Tour 2023
Getty Image

SZA is currently on her headlining SOS Tour in support of her massively successful December album by the same name, which is celebrating its record-breaking 10th week atop the Billboard 200 chart.

Before the SOS Tour kicked off last week, SZA was on stage at the 2023 Grammys on February 5 to present Bad Bunny with Best Música Urbana Album for Un Verano Sin Ti.

“I was really freaking out about announcing,” SZA told Alternative Press as one of the publication’s spring 2023 cover stars. “I wasn’t even performing or anything, and [backstage] I was like, ‘Wow, I could never perform because I’m gonna lose it just walking out with a piece of f*cking paper.’ I was shaking like, ‘I’m gonna pass out, no deadass.’ And then, it subsided as I got on there and accepted what it was.”

Elsewhere in the cover story, SZA teased the deluxe edition of SOS and a future appearance on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke. She admitted to previously turning down an opportunity to be on Carpool Karaoke because she felt “scared of being on camera, looking bad, sounding bad and being perceived,” so maybe she’ll also change her mind about a future Grammys performance.

Either way, based on her recent comments to The Los Angeles Times about Beyoncé controversially losing Album Of The Year, SZA isn’t sweating the Grammys.

“Beyoncé — she’s so much bigger than a[n] f*cking Grammy,” SZA said. “She’s Beyoncé! She’s done it for women, she’s done it for Black people, she’s done it for artists. She’s done so much for the world by just being herself.”

Jake Paul Reveals How Much He Made From Tommy Fury

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Jake Paul is currently in the midst of reevaluating things as he lost to none other than Tommy Fury on Sunday night. Although the fight was close, Paul ended up losing thanks to a split decision from the judges. However, there are some people out there who believe Jake won. Either way, Paul is no longer undefeated, and he will have to contemplate what he is going to do next. He clearly can’t compete for titles, which means he may just have to start fighting against YouTube stars again.

Prior to the match, Paul made an interesting bet with Tommy Fury. Essentially, if Fury won, Paul would double Fury’s earnings. However, if Paul won, then Fury would not get a single dime. It was an interesting proposition that will now see Fury getting a whole lot more cash. Despite this, it isn’t like Paul is going to the poor house over this. In fact, some may be very surprised by just how much money he will pull in from this fight. It’s actually quite impressive.

Jake Paul Licks His Wounds

In the video above courtesy of DJ Akademiks, you can see a breakdown of just how much Jake made in the fight. Basically, Paul is coming away with $30 million. This is a whole lot of cash, and we’re sure he is more than happy with this sum. Although he lost, he can now at least sleep well at night knowing that he just brought in enough money to last him a very long time. The Pay-Per-View numbers for this fight were definitely strong, and it’s what led to his increased earnings. Whether or not he can keep up these numbers following a loss, remains to be seen.

As for Tommy Fury, his career could see a huge boost. However, he still has yet to beat someone in a truly convincing fashion. He still has a lot of work to do, and it will be up to him to improve. Unfortunately, the shadow of his brother Tyson looms very large. Let us know what you thought of the fight, down in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the boxing world.

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Lil Yachty Leaves Drake Speechless When Joking About Him Getting Old

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No one will humble you like a best friend, and Drake learned that during his recent chat with Lil Yachty. The pair have been friends for quite some time, even collaborating on wax. Unsurprisingly, the two came together for an intimate conversation, giving fans a peek into what it may be like between them behind the scenes. Drake discussed his thoughts on retirement and choosing to (now) refrain from including his ex-girlfriends’ names in his music. There was one portion that had fans laughing, and it was all about Drake’s age.

Drizzy turned 36 years old last October, and it seems to have ushered in a new era. “I just left 35, right? And it’s like—” Drake said before Yachty interrupted with, “Yeah, you’re gettin’ up there.” It was all jokes, but the interjection caught the OVO icon off guard. “Well. Alright, um, but uh…” stumbled Drake as he tried to find the proper response. While he was thinking, Yachty added, “Just sayin’.”

Yachty Predicts Drake’s Limping Future

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 22: Drake and Lil Yachty attend 21 Savage’s Freaknik22: The Sequel at Underground Atlanta on October 22, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/ GettyImages)

Then, Drake told 25-year-old Yachty he couldn’t wait until he “gets old as f*ck.” Yachty wasn’t worried. “By the time I’m old as f*ck, you’re gonna be old as f*ck. You’re gonna be in a cane,” said the “Poland” hitmaker. “Using a cane.” At this point, the friends are talking over one another. Drake added, “First of all, I’ll be 10 years older than you. Still dripped out.”

Yachty predicted that because Drake plays so much basketball, he’ll surely be cane bound in the future. Drizzy dismissed it before aiming once again at Yachty’s age. “I get it, I was there,” said Drake about his 20s. Yachty roped him into the category of people who say, “30 is the new sexy.” Drake laughed and denied that was what he trying to say.

Lil Yachty Talks Longstanding Friendship With Drake

Earlier this month, Yachty caught up with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 to discuss his latest project, Let’s Start Here. He also addressed his friendship with Drake. “Shout to Drake, man. I love him to death. Yeah, that’s my guy, man,” he said. “Our relationship has just grown… At this point, I feel so close to him. I feel like whatever he does, I did it. If he wins something, I feel like I just won. He’s really, really smart. no matter how much he’ll act like he’s oblivious to his career and the things that he’s done, he knows what certain things and certain moments in his career mean to people.”

Lori Harvey Posts Throwback Photos From Luxe Brazil Trip

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As celebrities from all over flocked to carnival events along South America and neighboring islands, Lori Harvey apparently dealt with a case of FOMO. The socialite took to Instagram a few days ago and made note about the past week’s festivities. “Seeing all the footage from carnival made me miss Brazil,” she wrote. The 26-year-old KITH model says she can’t wait to return to the country, where she had one of her “favorite trips ever!”

According to her newly-released photos, Lori Harvey lounged at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro during her stay. While there, she also dined at their Michelin-starred Ristorante Hotel Cipriani and enjoyed drinks on a yacht as she perused the city. Harvey even took a trip to see Brazil’s gargantuan Christ the Redeemer statue. Jordanian-Romanian shoe designer and friend Amina Muaddi joined Lori during her trip to the South American country-when is currently unknown. In addition, the two ladies saw screensaver-worthy sunsets along the beach and partied with locals during their luxurious vacay.

Lori Harvey Reflects On Rio de Janeiro Vacation

Lori Harvey is a mainstay in the media circuit for her trips as much as she is for her relationships. The Memphis beauty’s latest fling with Snowfall’s Damson Idris initially had many wondering if there was any chemistry between them. Though a woman of few words, Harvey snapped back at spectators who commented on their distance during the premiere of Snowfall’s final season. When an Instagram user chuckled at how far apart they were standing, Lori replied directly to them, stating she had asked him to. Apparently, she had on body makeup and simply didn’t want it to get on Damson’s suit. “Y’all try to find a problem with everything,” Lori added, ultimately laughing it off.

This is Harvey’s latest relationship since her year-and-a-half relationship with actor and director Michael B. Jordan. The Creed star has publicly spoken on their union since their reported split in June 2022. He even went on to joke about the breakup during his hosting stint on Saturday Night Live, calling it “her loss.” The two are rumored to have broken up due to Jordan’s alleged cheating ways, to which Lori Harvey has yet to comment on. Jason Lee says she “just stared” at him when he brought up the allegations at Essence Festival last year.

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Young Guru Is “Scared” About A.I. Technology Following Fake Kendrick Lamar Track

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Young Guru recently voiced concern for the state of A.I. technology in relation to music after a content creator generated a fake Kendrick Lamar track using voice replication technology. Moreover, the legendary engineer wasn’t completely against its existence, but rather its potential for malevolent use. Of course, that’s something Guru’s warned about in other areas, too. Overall, it’s a pretty lengthy and heady takedown of the new artistic trend of relying on A.I.-generated art. “This has dominated my Howard group chat for a couple days,” he began. “Ok I’m at the point where I can voice my concerns with our current state of AI.

“I have followed as many versions of what AI could do for some years now,” he continued. “I remember being at MIT and students showing me a project where they were actively feeding a computer ‘All’ the jazz records that ever existed. So that AI could analyze and create music in any style of any musician. I didn’t think we would get here this fast with the voice. Of course my mind goes to the ethical and legal aspects of what can be done with programs like Tacotron 2. You add that to the power of ChatGPT and you realize we are in a very groundbreaking but dangerous moment.

Young Guru Voices Concern Over A.I. Technology In Music

“It’s not the tech, it’s the evil that men do with the tech,” the Roc Nation leader expressed. “There are legal aspects because at this present moment you can’t copyright a voice. (Midler v. Ford Motor Co.) You can copyright a song, or a speech but not the voice itself!!! You can literally create a song or an album in the voice of your favorite musician. And this is just music. The ability to create a Manchurian Candidate scares me. Think about that in every industry. There are still states that don’t even have a law against revenge porn. I’m sorry to go there but imagine the repercussion on our kids when 5 years from now some high school kid gets mad at his ex girlfriend and creates a whole “deep fake” that sounds and looks real.

“Imagine the political landscape where we can’t believe anything we hear because someone will claim they didn’t say it,” he concluded. “’It’s a Deep Fake’, will be the same as saying ‘I got hacked’. I don’t even want to continue giving examples for fear that someone will go out and do it. The law has to change to protect everyone not just Public Figures. And the super scary part is that we are just getting started, we feed the beast constantly everyday with more and more content to be studied. Maybe the Luddites had a point. The book by Gavin Mueller ‘Breaking Things At Work’ starts to take on a way more urgent role!!” Regardless of your take on A.I. in music, let us know what you think in the comments down below. Also, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news, tales, and reflections from the one and only Young Guru.

Aubrey Plaza Mouths “Shit’s F*cked…Jesus Christ” During Awkward SAG Awards Speech, Social Media Reacts

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It was an undeniably huge weekend for celebrity celebrations all around. Overseas in Milan, many were attending fashion shows put on by the likes of Gucci and Prada. Elsewhere, in America, stars flocked to two noteworthy ceremonies – the NAACP Image Awards, as well as the SAG Awards. The latter took place on Sunday (February 26) evening, and saw plenty of fantastic style moments as well as some hilarious antics.

Plenty of famous faces were honoured at the annual Screen Actors Guild ceremony, but as always, there were a few projects that came out on top. Everything Everywhere All At Once, The White Lotus, and Abbott Elementary were among them, though an ensemble acceptance speech for the Mike White-created series has been going viral online. In the circulating clip, Aubrey Plaza, who plays Harper in the second season, appears to markedly glare at her costars as they address the crowd.

The White Lotus Wins

After it was announced they had won the award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series, several stars from the HBO series took to the stage. Among them were The Sopranos alum Michael Imperioli, Will Sharpe, and Jon Gries. At one point during their speech, the latter actor appears to caution Plaza that she’s on the verge of suffering a wardrobe malfunction via the chest cutout in her dress. It obviously remains unclear exactly what he said, but the Parks & Recreation star’s furious face and immediate decision to pull her dress down to hide her cleavage speaks volumes.

Several eagle eyed viewers noticed that Plaza’s antics didn’t stop there. As F. Murray Abraham was speaking about the victims in Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia, she appears to awkwardly mouth “Jesus Christ,” as if millions of people weren’t watching. Elsewhere, some believe she said “shit’s f*cked” while shuffling amongst the other actors who seemingly kept pushing her toward the back of the crowd.

Social Media Reacts To Aubrey’s Antics

Aubrey Plaza, winner of the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for “The White Lotus,” poses in the press room during the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on February 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Since the SAG Awards aired last night, social media has been having a field day dissecting The White Lotus cast’s tension on stage. “She looked like she haaaaated being up there and immediately ran off stage while everyone in the cast was congratulating and hugging each other,” one Twitter user pointed out. Others suggested that, perhaps Plaza had indulged in some marijuana before stepping out for the ceremony.

“People criticizing Aubrey Plaza’s face during the speech… Usually valid, BUT this time, she had just been told to fix her dress and underboob,” someone else explained in the 38-year-old’s defense. “Her mind was probably racing a mile a minute.” Keep scrolling for more reactions to The White Lotus‘ unusual acceptance speech, and check back later for more pop culture news.

@theaubreyplazaofficial

same. #aubreyplaza #sagawards #whitelotus #aubreyplazaismywife #boysaliar #pinkpantheress #icespice #familyphoto #mewhen #familyreunion #pov #aprilludgate

♬ Boy’s a liar Pt. 2 – PinkPantheress & Ice Spice

@shivantul

Aubrey plaza is everything and everyone 😂 #aubreyplaza #whitelotus #sagawards

♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

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