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While the Marvel Cinematic Universe spent the day sharing disheartening news surrounding former Captain America star Chris Evans, Marvel Comics has an exciting new development regarding the classic comic book character. According to Complex, the next Captain America will be an openly gay teenager.

Arriving just in time for Pride Month and the 80th anniversary of the aforementioned hero, Marvel Comics will debut The United States of Captain America when summer rolls around this June. The intro story to the five-part limited series will feature the first LGBTQ+ character to assume the role of Captain America.

According to Complex, Christopher Cantwell is confirmed to write the landmark story, and Dale Eaglesham will be handling all of the sure-to-be iconic illustrations. The plot is centered around a group of previous Captain Americas — including Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, and John Walker — who set off on a cross-country tour to retrieve the Rogers’ stolen shield, and in the early stages of their journey, they will come in contact with Aaron Fischer, an openly gay teenager and the self-proclaimed Captain America of the Railways.

Complex reports that the LGBTQ+ character will debut in the first issue of the limited series and will also be the focus of an additional feature that will be written and drawn by his creators Aaron Trujillo and Jan Bazaldua.

“Aaron is inspired by heroes of the queer community: activists, leaders, and everyday folks pushing for a better life,” Trujillo stated in a Marvel press release. “He stands for the oppressed, and the forgotten. I hope his debut story resonates with readers, and helps inspire the next generation of heroes.”

Bazaldua also chimed in, saying, “I really enjoyed designing him, and as a transgender person, I am happy to be able to present an openly gay person who admires Captain America and fights against evil to help those who are almost invisible to society. While I was drawing him, I thought, well, Cap fights against super-powerful beings and saves the world almost always, but Aaron helps those who walk alone in the street with problems that they face every day. I hope people like the end result!”

Look out for Aaron Fischer when Issue #1 of The United States of Captain America drops in June both digitally and in print.

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Playboi Carti is one of those interesting of artists that draws a passionate response from both fans and haters alike. An acquired taste that challenges listeners to step beyond their comfort zone, there are a great many who adamantly swear by the baby-voiced innovator.

Most recently, Carti came through with his new album Whole Lotta Red, a project that drew influence from both metal and punk. Though it was initially met with disappointment from some of his more vocal listeners, many ultimately came to appreciate the strange and eclectic album. Now, it’s reached the point where demand for the Deluxe Edition has heightened, and Rolling Stone recently shed some light on what we can expect from the upcoming return to Whole Lotta Red.

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Alas, it’s not exactly the brightest light. Carti opts to keep the details close to his chest, though he does reveal that “the deluxe is part two of a monster album. What they can expect from it is some great music. That’s it.” Hardly a clear indication of what’s to come, it does seem to suggest that Carti views both projects as two sides of the same coin, so don’t be surprised to see a continuation of sounds explored on Whole Lotta Red. “This sound is something that’s going to be regular and relevant in the future,” he teased. “That’s just part of creating something new. If this is something that people accept right away, how different is it?”

The profile also indicates that Carti has been essentially living in the studio, and has been seemingly doing so since January when work on Whole Lotta Red Deluxe presumably began. Keep an eye out for further details on the project to surface in the near future, and sound off if you’re excited to hear another dose of Playboi Carti’s experimental stylings. 

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally back in full swing after a year of disheartening postponements. With Disney Plus offshoot WandaVision having wrapped up a few weeks ago and the MCU’s latest television attempt The Falcon and the Winter Soldier set to air this Friday, fans of the ever-expanding comic book universe have been recently getting plenty of valuable updates from the MCU’s stars and executives. Now, its head honcho Kevin Feige has spoken to Entertainment Weekly to clear some air about ongoing rumors and tease upcoming Marvel projects.

According to Complex, the super-producer has confirmed that the longtime rumor that Chris Evans was in talks to reprise his role as Captain America in “at least one Marvel property” is indeed just a rumor. When talking about the matter with Entertainment Weekly, Feige said, “I rarely answer no to anything anymore because things are always surprising me with what happens, but that rumor, I think, was dispelled rather quickly by the man himself.”

Of course, Feige is referring to Chris Evans’ two-month-old Twitter reaction to the Captain America rumor, in which the former Avengers star wrote, “News to me,” followed by a shrug emoji. 

Ahead of their debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier this Friday, Chris Evans’ former co-stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan also commented on the confusing rumor. 

“I was actually fishing [when the Chris Evans report came out],” Mackie said, according to Complex. “When I came back in to get some shrimp, the dude at the dock was like, ‘Hey, man! Did you see this shit?!’ I’ve been going to the same guy to get my bait for like 20 years and all of a sudden now he’s a fan. He had no idea who I was. Now he’s a fan.”

He continued, saying, “Marvel’s so secretive, and it’s so ridiculous about what we know and what we don’t know. I have no idea. The dude at the dock selling me shrimp knows more about what’s going on with Marvel than I do.”

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Stan joined the conversation as well, stating, “Anything is possible, right? I feel like you can’t ever think of the words ‘Captain America’ without thinking about Chris Evans. He’s done such an amazing job with it, and I feel like he’s always going to have this presence. And he has a presence in our show.”

Are you disappointed to finally hear confirmation that Chris Evans will not be returning to reprise his role as Captain America?

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It’s becoming increasingly difficult for even his most staunch critic to deny Kanye West’s business acumen. Today, a new report from Bloomberg shines a light on the recent partnership deal between Yeezy and GAP, indicating that the total value of the deal is projected to be $970 million — only a few thousand short of one billion. With Yeezy’s total net worth ranging between $3.2 billion and $4.7 billion, the GAP deal makes up a sizable percentage of the company’s total. 

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As of now, Yeezy GAP is set to launch this coming July, with Bloomberg’s projections pointing to a first-year haul of $150 million in sales. Apparently, GAP predicts that Yeezy Gap will be worth a billion in eight years’ time, a testament to their faith in Kanye West’s unwavering vision and influence. 

GAP CEO Sonia Synga recently indicated that Kanye has been “very very focused” on Yeezy GAP, which will find him designing and clothes for men, women, and children. It should be noted that the YEEZY GAP line will not include footwear, as Kanye’s current Adidas deal runs until 2026. Though design details are scarce at the moment, Ye has previously shared a brief teaser of what’s to come — check that out below.

Beyond that, many have been eager to see how the Yeezy GAP saga plays out, especially after the rapper expressed frustration with the lack of black board seats at the company and threatened to turn his back the deal. Luckily, it would appear as if everything is once again going according to plan, and from the sound of it, Yeezy GAP is set to be another lucrative fashion endeavor for the hip-hop legend — all the more so given that his deal grants him royalties on sales as well as stock warrants that cap at $700 million.

Between his Yeezy sneaker company, his investment in Kim Kardashian’s Skims line, and a music catalog worth $110.5 million, don’t be surprised to see Kanye’s name at the top of Forbes’ biggest celebrity earners when that rolls around. Are you excited to see Yeezy Gap launch this summer? 

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This Friday, Justin Bieber is gearing up to follow up 2020’s critical misstep Changes with the release of his sixth studio album Justice. Led by the Chance the Rapper-assisted single “Holy,” Justice will feature other newly releases tracks such as “Hold On,” “Anyone,” and “Lonely” with Benny Blanco. Days ahead of the album’s release, Justin Bieber has graced NPR with a Tiny Desk (Home) Concert with a versatile performance that sheds some insight into the imminent Justice. 

Over the course of his stripped-down Tiny Desk performance, Justin runs through the aforementioned array of previously heard Justice cuts, showcasing just how sonically expansive his upcoming album appears to be. After opening his set up with “Holy” sans Chance the Rapper, the amorphous singer-songwriter treated viewers with the world premiere of “Peaches,” a cut from Justice that hasn’t even released yet.

According to Rolling Stone, “Peaches” will be packaged much differently when Justice drops on Friday, from the song’s production to as-of-yet unheard guest vocals from GIVEŌN and Daniel Caesar. Justin has already been teasing the music video for “Peaches, which he reveals will drop alongside the release of Justice in a matter of days.

Check out Justin Bieber’s NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert below and get ready for the release of his forthcoming sixth studio album Justice, which is set to hit streaming services on Friday.

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Sixteen-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist Kirk Franklin was in the news over the weekend because of some turmoil within his family. The well-respected singer’s son, 32-year-old Kerrion Franklin, called out the gospel artist and leaked a private phone call between himself and his father, in which Kirk cusses him out and makes threats. “I’ll put my foot in your ass,” said Kirk during the call. “I will break your neck n***a, don’t you ever disrespect me.”

We have been keeping you updated with all of Kerrion’s latest accusations, including his recent post claiming that the gospel artist was also physically abusive. Kirk Franklin is speaking out in his first interview since the scandal broke, sitting down with Tamron Hall to discuss what happened.

Explaining that he’s been trying to help Kerrion work through personal issues for years, Kirk says that he respects his son, but that he won’t be treated as the young man’s equal. “I respect Kerrion. I’m not Kerrion’s equal though. I’m his dad,” he said to Tamron. “I can’t hear you when you are extremely aggressive when we’re communicating,” he added before elaborating that he and his wife have tried “very privately to keep all of the areas that we’ve been working with him in counseling as a private matter.”

“Again, as he’s gotten older, his disrespect has become more aggressive,” said Kirk about his firstborn son. “I’m a father, and I’m a father that has a son, and I have a history, I have a history of a toxic, challenging, turbulent relationship with a grown man now that I’m still trying to fight for. And in that fight it can become so difficult that my humanity, unfortunately that day, won. And I’m going to keep trying, while still continuing to admit that I am an imperfect man fighting to serve a perfect God.”

In a preview of the full interview shared by USA Today, Kirk Franklin also said that he is “confident” that he has never physically abused his son.

Watch Kirk Franklin’s first interview since the dramatic story unfolded above.

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At 63-years-old, Anita Baker should be enjoying the fruits of her decades of success in the music industry. Instead, she’s fighting for the rights to her own records. The legendary R&B star recently took her fight with her label public by asking fans not to stream her songs while she tries to secure ownership of her master recordings.

“Miraculously… i have out-lived *ALL, of my Artists Contracts They no longer ‘Own’, My Name & Likeness. And, by Law…30 yr old, Mstrs are 2B Returned, 2 Me  Unfortunately, They’re gonna make me Fight 4 it. I’m Prepared, 2 do that. Please Don’t advertise/buy them ABXO,” Baker tweeted. 

Most major label contracts provide upfront financing for recording and releasing an album with the stipulation that the label retains ownership of the final product. Over the years, artists like Prince, Little Richard, and more have spoken out against these business structures, saying they deny artists the rights to their own creations. Black artists, in particular, have often watched their work deliver massive profits without reaping the financial benefits. 

In following tweets, Baker broke down rates of streaming services and even referenced streaming service giants as “thieves in the temple” who use her name and likeness for free advertising.

Since Baker’s tweet about boycotting her music, fans have rallied behind Baker to make sure she receives the money that she deserves. 

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Rick Ross has been sitting on his upcoming album Richer Than I’ve Ever Been for some time now, presumably putting the finishing touches on the anticipated project.

Last we heard a full-length effort from The Boss, it was on 2019’s Port Of Miami 2, a solid sequel to his acclaimed debut and home to some of his most personal music yet. Since then, Renzel has presumably made a whole lot more money — especially after renting his estate for the production of Coming 2 America — and we can’t wait to hear his new batch of luxury raps whenever they ultimately surface. Evidently, Renzel has been doing his part to liven up the waiting game, having recently taken to sharing snippets on social media.

 Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

First, Rozay offered a glimpse at a new song, one in which he spits a few bars over an Isaac Hayes sample. Now, he’s back with another peek at what’s to come, popping up with another snippet, this one produced by longtime collaborators Cool & Dre. “Time to let your man get it, fuck a pandemic,” he raps, over a lavish beat from the producers. “Big rims, n***a can you fuck with it? I’m talkin’ B.I.G, n***a how Puff did it / light shining on me like the Lord said / all white n***a like a coke head.”

Swearing to leave for Haiti after hitting the billion-dollar mark, it’s clear that Rick Ross is keeping his eyes on the prize. Don’t be surprised to see some more snippets from Richer Than I’ve Ever Been coming soon, as well as actual news on the project’s release date. Based on what you’ve seen thus far, are you looking forward to Rozay’s new album?

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