Month: September 2024

Mary J. Blige Unveils “The For My Fans Tour” Dates

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Grammy and Emmy award-winning and Oscar-nominated, “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,” Mary J. Blige announced her 2025 “The For My Fans Tour” with special guests NE-YO and Mario. The tour comes on the heels of her new album “Gratitude,” releasing on November 15. The tour and album are a celebration of the love and gratitude that Mary has towards her life, family, friends, and her beloved fans.
 
Produced by Live Nation, the 27-city tour kicks off on January 30 at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC making stops across North America in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and more before wrapping up in Boston, MA at TD Garden on April 14.

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“I am so excited to kick off this tour. I have amazing fans and am so grateful for all of the love and support they have given me throughout the years,” said Mary J. Blige. “This tour is for them, and I cannot wait to be able to travel to all these cities and see everyone. I am in such a place of immense gratitude and peace at this moment, so also having the chance to release my new album “Gratitude” on November 15th ahead of this tour is really special to me.”

Blige will release her new studio album, “Gratitude,” on Friday, November 15th, through her own Beautiful Life Productions and in partnership with 300 Entertainment. In August, she dropped the first single off the album, “Breathing” featuring Fabolous.

Ahead of both the album release and tour, Blige will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of the class of 2024 on October 19th in Cleveland.

MARY J. BLIGE – THE FOR MY FANS TOUR 2025 DATES:
Thu Jan 30 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
Fri Jan 31 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Mon Feb 03 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Thu Feb 06 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Sat Feb 08 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Tue Feb 11 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
Fri Feb 14 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
Tue Feb 18 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Fri Feb 21 – Ft. Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Tue Feb 25 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sat Mar 01 – Los Angeles, CA – Intuit Dome
Fri Mar 07 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Sat Mar 08 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
Wed Mar 12 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
Fri Mar 14 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Sun Mar 16 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Wed Mar 19 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sat Mar 22 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
Mon Mar 24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Wed Mar 26 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Fri Mar 28 – Atlantic City, NJ – Boardwalk Hall
Wed Apr 02 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Fri Apr 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Sun Apr 06 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Thu Apr 10 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Fri Apr 11 – Elmont, NY – UBS Arena
Mon Apr 14 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

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Dikembe Mutombo Dead at 58 Due to Brain Cancer

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Dikembe Mutombo at the Aspire4Sport Congress in Doha. e1397182141750

Dikembe Mutombo at the Aspire4Sport Congress in Doha. e1397182141750
Dikembe Mutombo at the Aspire4Sport Congress in Doha. e1397182141750

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo has passed away at the age of 58. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Mutombo died due to brain cancer.

Born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 1966, Mutombo moved to the U.S. on a scholarship to attend Georgetown University. There, he quickly established himself as a defensive powerhouse. His 7’2″ frame and 7’6″ wingspan made him a dominant shot blocker, a skill that would define his NBA career.

Mutombo was selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. Throughout his 18-year career, he played for six teams, including the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets. Known for his finger-wagging gesture after blocking shots, Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star and four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, solidifying his status as one of the best defenders of all time. He retired in 2009 with 3,289 career blocks, ranking second in NBA history.

Off the court, Mutombo is equally known for his philanthropic efforts. In 1997, he established the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve health care in his native Congo. One of his most significant contributions was building the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named after his late mother, in Kinshasa.

Mutombo’s contributions to basketball were honored in 2015 when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His legacy, defined by his defensive brilliance and humanitarian work, inspires athletes and advocates worldwide.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Boxer Mylik Birdsong Shot And Killed In Drive-By Shooting In South Central L.A.

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Screenshot 2024 09 30 at 10.35.08 AM

Screenshot 2024 09 30 at 10.35.08 AM

The boxing world is saddened and shocked after the news was confirmed that top welterweight division fighter “King Mylik” Birdsong was shot and killed in L.A. in what appears to be classified as a drive-by shooting over the weekend.

Officers responded to the shooting around 4:50 pm on Sunday at West 87th Street and Denker Avenue, south of West Manchester Avenue in South Central, according to reports from the LAPD. According to the report, Birdsong was standing outside a vehicle with his girlfriend inside when another vehicle approached. Police describe the suspects as five men in a black SUV.

“The victim then ran towards his residence [when] two suspects from the vehicle started chasing him while shooting at him,” said an LAPD spokesperson to local reporters. Birdsong fell to the ground in the driveway, the spokesperson said. First responders arrived and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

Birdsong, 31, was a professional boxing contender known as “King Malik”, who at one time was known for his undefeated record. He had a record of 15-1-1 with 10 knock-outs and was the reigning World Boxing Foundation International Welterweight champion. 

The L.A. native’s next scheduled fight was set for Oct. 26 against Gor Yeritsyan at the Commerce Casino. 

 

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Mary J. Blige Announces 2025 ‘The For My Fans Tour’ with NE-YO and Mario

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MJB for my fans tour

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image002 (2)

Grammy and Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated artist Mary J. Blige, known as the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,” has announced her 2025 The For My Fans Tour with special guests NE-YO and Mario. The tour celebrates the love and gratitude Blige feels for her life, family, and devoted fans, and follows the release of her highly anticipated new album Gratitude on November 15.

Produced by Live Nation, the 27-city tour kicks off on January 30 at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC. It will hit major cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York before concluding on April 14 at Boston’s TD Garden. The tour will feature fan favorites and tracks from her upcoming album. In August, Blige dropped Gratitude’s lead single, “Breathing,” featuring rapper Fabolous.

Fans can expect exclusive VIP packages and experiences on this tour, ranging from premium seating options to access to the VIP Lounge and exclusive merchandise. For more details, visit vipnation.com.

Ahead of the album release and tour, Blige will receive one of the highest honors in music — induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 19 in Cleveland as part of the Class of 2024.

Tickets for The For My Fans Tour go on sale starting with artist presales on Tuesday, October 1. Citi cardmembers can access presale tickets through the Citi Entertainment program starting Wednesday, October 2, at 10 AM local time until Thursday, October 3. General ticket sales begin on Friday, October 4, at 10 AM local time via LiveNation.com.

This tour marks a celebratory moment in Blige’s career, as the tour and album reflect her enduring connection to fans and her ever-evolving artistry.

MARY J. BLIGE – THE FOR MY FANS TOUR 2025 DATES:

Thu Jan 30 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum

Fri Jan 31 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center

Mon Feb 03 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Thu Feb 06 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center

Sat Feb 08 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena

Tue Feb 11 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live

Fri Feb 14 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center

Tue Feb 18 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

Fri Feb 21 – Ft. Worth, TX – Dickies Arena

Tue Feb 25 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena

Sat Mar 01 – Los Angeles, CA – Intuit Dome

Fri Mar 07 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Sat Mar 08 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center

Wed Mar 12 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center

Fri Mar 14 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Sun Mar 16 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center

Wed Mar 19 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Sat Mar 22 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center

Mon Mar 24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Wed Mar 26 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

Fri Mar 28 – Atlantic City, NJ – Boardwalk Hall

Wed Apr 02 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena

Fri Apr 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena

Sun Apr 06 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center

Thu Apr 10 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Fri Apr 11 – Elmont, NY – UBS Arena

Mon Apr 14 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

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Why Did J. Cole’s ‘She Knows’ Get Removed From YouTube Along With Dozens Of Other Songs?

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j. cole
Getty Image

Over the weekend, hundreds of songs from popular artists including Adele, Burna Boy, J. Cole, and many, many more, were removed from YouTube, sparking confusion among fans. One song in particular, J. Cole’s “She Knows,” from his 2013 album Born Sinner, has prompted certain conspiracy-minded hip-hop fans to propagate a rumor speculating a connection between Diddy and Jay-Z based on Diddy’s indictment for unsavory sex crimes.

However, there’s a much simpler explanation for the song’s removal, as well as the others’ — which I’m sure will be to those fans’ disappointment. Per Variety, all of the songs were removed due to a legal dispute between YouTube and SESAC, the performance-rights organization that oversees the catalogs of more than 30,000 songwriters in the US.

Founded in 1930 as the now somewhat inaccurate Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, SESAC advocates on behalf of its members to ensure royalties are paid fairly and timely. Rather than risk a lawsuit from SESAC, YouTube has disabled the affected videos until a new agreement can be reached. YouTube told Variety in a press statement:

We have held good faith negotiations with SESAC to renew our existing deal. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach an equitable agreement before its expiration. We take copyright very seriously and as a result, content represented by SESAC is no longer available on YouTube in the US. We are in active conversations with SESAC and are hoping to reach a new deal as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Variety sources report that the deal doesn’t technically expire for a week, suggesting YouTube may be using the disruption as a negotiating tactic. SESAC represents far fewer artists than ASCAP or BMI, but due to the stature of the artists involved — including the names above and others, like Bob Dylan, Green Day, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, and Neil Diamond — the potential lost income for both companies could be staggering. A similar situation between TikTok and UMG was solved in relatively short order after both companies balked at such losses, so don’t expect this situation to continue for too much longer, either. As for those rumors, remember to check your sources — some guy paying Elon $8 bucks a month to force you to see their terrible takes probably doesn’t pass muster.

For more information on the SESAC dispute and the J. Cole rumor, check out Rob Markman’s report below.

Ja’Marr Chase Trolls Diddy In Response To Strange Baby Oil Question

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Ja’Marr Chase trolled Diddy while speaking with reporters after the Cincinnati Bengals‘ 34-24 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. One reporter brought up his 63-yard touchdown score, during which he shook several tacklers, and jokingly asked whether he was wearing baby oil. In response, Chase seemingly made reference to the recent indictment against Diddy, in which authorities accused him of having 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant in his home during a police raid.

“No,” Chase said in response, as caught by Fox News. “We gotta keep that for somebody else. That’s not my question right there. I did do it as a kid though. You can’t even ask that no more bro. There’s too much going on in life right now with that.”

Read More: Azealia Banks Theorizes Diddy Is A “Bottom” After Hearing Debunked Meek Mill Audio

Ja’Marr Chase Brushes Off Panthers Defenders

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 29: Ja’Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals carries the ball past Dane Jackson #23 of the Carolina Panthers and scores a rushing touchdown during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, recently defended his client having so much baby oil during an interview with TMZ. He began by claiming that the number is an exaggeration. “I don’t know what you need 1,000 – one bottle of baby oil goes a long way,” he said. “I don’t know what you’d even need 1,000 for. He has a big house, he buys in bulk. I think they have Costcos in every place where he has a home. Have you sat in the parking lot of a Costco and see what people walk out of there with?” Diddy has already pleaded not guilty to the charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.

Ja’Marr Chase Thrown Off By Baby Oil Question

Check out Chase’s full response to the baby oil question, as well as his highlight play, below. The Bengals are now 1-3 with a game against the Baltimore Ravens coming next week. Be on the lookout for further updates on Ja’Marr Chase as well as Diddy on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Diddy’s Investigation Allegedly Goes International As British Authorities Search For Possible Victims

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Kamaiyah Delivers An Easy & Breezy Listening Experience With “Before We Party”

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Kamaiyah has a cult following and it’s for good reason. Overall, the Oakland, California native can give you all sorts of vibes at any given moment. She can go from funky West Coast bangers to more vibey and slowed down cuts. The latter is what she was delivering on her latest mini album, Figuring Out My Emotions. Overall, it was about all of the feelings she had dealt with recently. Her being able to switch up her style so effortlessly also leads to an exciting unpredictability factor. It seems that whenever she experiences some sort of mood swing, she becomes inspired to drop something new. That could be what has led Kamaiyah to drop off this new seven-track tape, Before We Party.

To us, this project feels like it’s here to tide fans over for something in the LP format. Part of our reasoning actual comes just from the title itself. However, the tracks are also contributing to that. Given that it’s just over 18 minutes long, Before We Party appears to be here for the vibes and no more than that. But to be honest, that’s not a bad thing, especially when its Kamaiyah the one bringing them. She’s someone you can almost always go to for crisply produced and fun tracks. That’s exactly what this is, and it does it very well. Kamaiyah sadly never got the same love as some of the bigger femcees, but that doesn’t bother us. She’s consistent as they come and it’s why we keep coming back to her projects no matter how big or small.

Read More: Wack 100 Claims Lil Wayne Won’t Perform At Super Bowl But Will Pop Out With Drake Instead

Before We Party – Kamaiyah

Before We Party Tracklist:

  1. 1 Night In Reno
  2. Ball Till I Fall
  3. F*** Love
  4. F***’d Up
  5. Hoochie Land
  6. Standing On Business
  7. Winning

Read More: Diddy’s Investigation Allegedly Goes International As British Authorities Search For Possible Victims

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Beyonce Shows Off Her Curves For Underwear-Clad Levi’s Jeans Campaign

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Beyonce is following up a whiskey brand launch with even more brand collaborations to spread COWBOY CARTER across pop culture. This time around, it’s a Levi’s partnership in the form of a commercial that recreates one of the iconic denim company’s most well-known advertisements. Apparently, this is the first of various promo videos they will work together on. In this one, she takes inspiration from a 1985 ad in which a male model takes his jeans off and stone-washes them with rocks at a laundromat. Queen Bey swaps the rocks out for diamonds in this one and bares her underwear as onlookers’ jaws hit the floor.

However, even without all these extracurriculars, a lot of fans expressed disappointment recently over how Beyoncé didn’t get her due flowers for COWBOY CARTER. For example, the People’s Choice Country Awards did not give her any awards despite her 17 nominations, and many felt that the people missed the mark with this one. Regardless of whether you think the album became overrated or not, its success and impact could’ve merited at least one accolade. Alas, that certainly hasn’t slowed the Texas native down.

Read More: Nicki Minaj Refutes Rumors She Dissed Beyonce As An “Absolute Lie”

Beyonce’s Levi’s Ad

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Levi’s (@levis)

Back to this Levi’s jeans ad, though, Beyoncé’s “LEVII’S JEANS” with Post Malone soundtracked it to no one’s surprise. “My song ‘LEVII’S JEANS’ celebrates what I believe is the ultimate Americana uniform – something we all wear with pride,” she expressed via a press release. “I am honored to work with Levi’s® to create quintessential American iconography. Denim on denim has often been seen through a male lens, so this reimagining campaign, which celebrates the iconic female perspective, is important to me. I look forward to exploring innovative ways for our visions to align in empowering women and honoring their strength.”

Meanwhile, Levi’s stated that this Beyonce partnership will hopefully. “connect with our fans in new ways and supporting the growth of our women’s business as the definitive denim lifestyle brand.” She still faces some controversy and backlash here and there as a massive star, but there’s no denying that anything with her name on it has a big chance to captivate and resonate.

Read More: Beyonce Once Checked Fabolous Over Old Bar About Solange Knowles

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