DaBaby won’t be performing at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Continue reading…
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2 Travelers Hit With Colossal Fines For Using Faking Vaccine Cards To Get Into Canada
Sometimes you end up paying way more on the backend for trying to cut corners on the frontend, and two Canadian airline passengers recently found that out the hard way. When leaving the United States and entering Canada, the travelers submitted fabricated COVID-19 vaccination cards and COVID-19 test results, and they also failed to follow the Canadian government’s requirement of utilizing government-authorized accommodations. As a result, they were hit with massive fines that they may very well struggle to pay.
According to Complex, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has punished the Canadian citizens for being “non-compliant with entry requirements” by dishing out four fines for each traveler. As a result, both of them will have to individually cough up a total of $19,720 (roughly $16,000 USD).
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As wild as it may seem, however, it looks like the two previously mentioned airline travelers actually got off with a light punishment. According to the PHAC’s press release on the matter, “a person who submits false information on vaccination status could be subject to a fine of up to $750,000 or six months imprisonment or both, under the Quarantine Act, or prosecution under the Criminal Code for forgery.”
DaBaby Gets The Boot From Austin City Limits Music Festival
DaBaby’s fall from grace has been hard and swift. After telling fans who “didn’t show up with HIV/AIDS or any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two to three weeks” and fans who “ain’t suck a n*gga d*ck in the parking lot” to put their cell phone lights in the air, DaBaby ultimately sealed his fate for the remainder of the first music festival season since 2019. His harmful, homophobic, and misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQ+ community have led to him being dropped from several huge music festivals, including Lollapalooza, Governor’s Ball, and Parklife Festival.
Although he originally attempted to take a stance against cancel culture with a lackluster apology, DaBaby doubled back on Monday and released a more serious response to the controversy that he brought upon himself. “Again, I apologize for my misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and I know education on this is important. Love to all. God bless,” he said at the conclusion of his most recent apology. However, it appears that his latest statement was a little too late because DaBaby has now also been dropped from his headlining slot at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
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“DaBaby will no longer be performing at ACL Music Festival — lineup update coming soon,” Austin City Limits Music Festival revealed in a statement made via social media.
At this time, it’s not clear who will be replacing the “Giving What It’s Supposed To Give” rapper as the second Sunday headliner at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, but several fans have so far been requesting for the festival to replace DaBaby with a prominent LGBTQ+ artist, offering suggestions like Tyler, the Creator and Lil Nas X. Other fans have requested Dua Lipa to replace her “Levitating” collaborator, but fans will have to stay tuned to see who ACL Festival officially decides on.
With another festival appearance canceled for DaBaby, what are your latest thoughts on the industry’s response to the KIRK rapper‘s Rolling Loud comments?
Drake Welcomes Raptors Draft Picks To Toronto
Having taken on the celestial title of “6ix God,” it’s no surprise that Drake has become a key figure in the Toronto Raptor’s organization. As the team’s global ambassador, Drizzy has long been a vocal champion of the 2019 championship winners, frequently popping up courtside and engaging with various players off the court.
With next season on the horizon, the Raptors recently welcomed a few new players into the mix — including new draft picks Scott Barnes and Dalano Banton. Barnes, the fourth overall pick, was selected from Florida State, while the Toronto-born Banton — and 46th overall pick — made franchise history as the first Canadian-born player to be drafted by the Raptors.
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In order to give the pair a warm welcome, Drake made sure to connect with the prospects over the weekend — on Barnes’ twentieth birthday, at that. It’s a solid gesture that should go a long way in forging an exciting connection with the team, and it’s likely that this sort of engagement is exactly the sort of behavior the Raptor higher-ups love to see from their megastar global ambassador.
One has to wonder if the newly-drafted Raptors prospects were able to receive any intel on the upcoming Certified Lover Boy album, which was recently confirmed to be finished and dropping “soon.” Look for more news on that front, as well as any of his Toronto Raptor-related endeavors, right here. Do you think Barnes and Banton will find themselves benefitting from the so-called Drake Stimulus Package?
Kanye West Seems To Be Teasing Some Sort Of Reunion With The Weeknd
Kanye West and The Weeknd have a history: West produced “Tell Your Friends” from The Weeknd’s 2005 album Beauty Behind The Madness, while The Weeknd sang on West’s The Life Of Pablo highlight “FML.” Now, it seems the two may have something else in the works.
Yesterday, West, who is in the process of finishing Donda, took to Instagram to share a phone screenshot of his recent calls. Most notably, among them were a handful of late-night calls to a contact labeled “ABEL WEEKEND,” which is almost certainly The Weeknd.
This comes shortly after The Weeknd said he’d be interested in reconnecting with West, saying, “I’d love to work with Kanye again. Especially on production.” He also shared admiration for Tyler The Creator, saying, “I got mad love for Tyler The Creator, and what he’s doing right now. Tyler is funny, man. I remember he came to one of my performances — I think it was like a festival performance. And he was very vocal about how ‘Starboy’ was his favorite song at the time. You can tell he’s waiting for the song. I could see him. As soon as the song happened, he’s like, ‘All right, cool. Thanks.’ And he just peaced out. It was pretty funny. But he’s somebody that I really admire, because he wears his feelings on his sleeve.”
Big Sean Claims To Have Grown Two Inches Thanks To His Chiropractor
For years, Big Sean has been subject to jokes about his chosen rap moniker not quite matching up to his physical stature. But in a recent social media post, the Detroit rapper boasted that he’d actually grown into his name — not just metaphorically. In the video, Sean challenged, “How da f*ck I grow 2 inches? Chiropractor for a year straight twice a week, that’s how. Straight Spine thas how. I’m laughing cause it’s real.”
Just in case his viewers didn’t believe him, the video also sees Sean standing next to a friend, pointing out their similarities. “My n**** Ronnie 5’10″, solid,” he noted. “So b*tch, look at me next to him, b*tch. N****s try and hate on me like I’m 5’6″. Nah, for real, I probably even grew like a couple inches.”
Sean has become an advocate for healthy living, emphasizing the importance of mental health education in a recent interview with Apple Music and speaking extensively on his own experiences in the lead-up to the release of his album Detroit 2. In addition, he recently became the Detroit Pistons’ new “creative director of innovation” and will appear on the revival of MTV’s Cribs along with Rick Ross, Martha Stewart, and more.
Tierra Whack Shows Off Her Versatility With The Fashion-Forward ‘Walk The Beat’
On her new song “Walk The Beat,” genre-bending Philadelphia rapper Tierra Whack claims that she’s “versatile, so I can keep switching lanes,” and proves it, wrangling a house-influenced beat that would fit right in at a New York drag ball. Whack’s latest is an ode to “fashion shows, fancy clothes,” which fits right in with her unique sense of style as she name-checks designers like Raf Simons and Rick Owens.
Whack has kept up a trickle of new music in 2021, three years removed from her star-making EP Whack World. The slower pace suits her, as she fiddles with her sound to find the lanes she enjoys the most. In addition to appearing on Willow’s new album Lately I Feel Everything, Whack created a theme song for her hometown 76ers’ playoff run and “linked” with Lego for an imaginative video encouraging kids to embrace their creativity.
And although they don’t technically count as new releases, Whack certainly renewed the buzz around her name with a string of impressive freestyles earlier this year, employing both hip-hop classics like Onyx’s “Last Dayz” and Ludacris’ “Stand Up” and contemporary hits like CJ’s “Whoopty” to show off the dagger-sharp flow that made her one of rap’s most intriguing figures.
Listen to “Walk The Beat” above.
Trae Young & Hawks Agree On Massive $207 Million Extension: Report
Trae Young and the Hawks have agreed to a designated rookie maximum extension worth up to $207 million that will keep the star point guard in Atlanta for five more years. Young’s agent, Omar Wilkes of Klutch Sports, detailed the contract to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Monday.
The contract has a base of $172 million but includes a 30% escalator clause should Young hit on one of the three All-NBA teams during his tenure. The deal will begin in the 2022-23 season and run through 2026-27.
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After he landed the new deal, Young tweeted “Never let ANYBODY tell you, you can’t do something,” and “Another Day, Another Opportunity.”
Young solidified his warranting of a max extension after the 2021 NBA Playoffs, during which he averaged 28.8 points and 9.5 assists per game while leading Atlanta on an impressive run that took them to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Young is the latest to pick up a huge deal this offseason. Mavs star Luka Doncic is expected to sign a similar deal as he is eligible for a massive 4-year, $202 million contract. Marc Stein reports that his deal likely won’t be solidified until after he is done competing in the Olympics.
Check out Young’s first comments after agreeing on the deal below.
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Nas’ “King’s Disease II” Tracklist: Eminem, Lauryn Hill, & More
Not long after taking home the Grammy for Best Rap Album, the legendary Nas shocked fans with the spontaneous announcement of King’s Disease II. With the project due out for release this coming Friday, executive-producer Hit-Boy has come through to share a glimpse at the project’s stacked tracklist, which happens to feature a few unexpected surprises.
Clocking in at fifteen tracks — with production assumed to be handled once again by Hit-Boy — King’s Disease II features a few intriguing guest appearances. Though the bulk of the album finds Nas flying solo, the album also features guest appearances from Eminem, Lauryn Hill, EPMD, Blxst, Charlie Wilson, Hit-Boy, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, and YG.
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Off the bat, many were drawn to “EPMD 2,” featuring Eminem and EPMD. The track marks the first time Nas and Em have collaborated on wax as emcees, having previously connected on God’s Son highlight “The Cross.” The album also brings a welcome reunion between Nas and Ms. Lauryn Hill, who previously crafted a classic together with “If I Ruled The World” — it should be interesting to see if they pick up where they left off.
Ever the hype-man, Hit-Boy slid into his own comment section with unapologetic excitement. “Wow Eminem and NAS first time rapping on a song together!” he notes. “Lauryn hill!! Death Row East!” Let it be known that his enthusiasm for the unexpected Nas sequel mirrors our own, and we look forward to hearing King’s Disease II in full when it drops in full this coming Friday, August 6th.
Check out the full tracklist below, courtesy of Hit-Boy.
Lizzo Announces New Single “Rumors”
Lizzo is making her return to the music world next week, after about a two year hiatus following the release of her third studio album Cuz I Love You. On August 13th, she will release a new single called “Rumors,” teasing the beginning of a new era of music for the 33-year-old artist. Fans last heard from Lizzo in 2019, when she released a collaboration with close friend and artist Charli XCX titled “Blame It On Your Love.” She has taken home Grammy awards in 2020 for Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit song “Truth Hurts.”
At the 2020 Grammy Awards, she was the most nominated artist with eight nods in multiple categories. Cuz I Love You had a shot at Album of the Year, which highlights the reach of the commercial success she has received in recent years. Lizzo has been active on social media despite the musical silence, teasing her hard work in the studio. She began with a cryptic post on Sunday before announcing the single on Monday.
Using a simple caption and the “shush” emoji, Lizzo hinted at big things to come before the full announcement was made. In the follow-up post revealing the single title, her caption reads: “NEW ERA B*TCH. ‘RUMORS’. 8/13.”
The caption is followed by multiple “shush” emojis, while the glam photo of Lizzo, shot by photographer Jora Frantzis, shows the singer and rapper doing the matching “shush” pose. It’s clear what direction the theme and content of the single will be given the song title and the use of the “shush” motif.
Check out the single cover below. What are you expecting from Lizzo’s newest single? Let us know in the comments below.