Pop

SZA Hopped On Lizzo’s ‘Special’ For An Extravagant Remix That Makes The Song Even More Inspiring

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Lizzo and SZA both had massive 2022s with Special and SOS. As two world-dominating stars, they’ve dealt with a lot of hate, whether that’s Lizzo receiving body-shaming comments or SZA being criticized for exploring romantic relationships in her work. The pair always know how to stand up for themselves, and they teamed up for a gorgeous remix of Lizzo’s title track which reckons with staying strong despite the people who try to keep you down.

The song opens with a bewitching verse from SZA, immediately addressing the constant influx of hate she receives and not hesitating to call it out: “Woke up this morning to somebody in a video / Talking about something I posted in a video / If it wasn’t me then would you even get offended? Or / Is it just because I’m Black and heavy?”

With SZA hopping on the track and contributing strong, beautiful vocals, “Special” becomes even more motivational and encouraging than it originally was. The both of them together are unstoppable, and it’s sure to be a chart-topping hit that’ll remind fans of their worth.

Listen to the “Special” remix above.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Dionne Warwick Lovingly Paid Tribute To Burt Bacharach, Her Frequent Collaborator Who Is Dead At 94

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Earlier today (February 9), it was revealed that yesterday, music legend Burt Bacharach died at 94 years old. Bacharach was a premiere songwriter for decades, and one of his most celebrated professional relationships with with Dionne Warwick. Bacharach and songwriting partner Hal David penned a lot of songs for Warwick, including all of her early-career top-10 hits in the 1960s: “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” “Walk On By,” “Message To Michael,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” “This Guy’s In Love With You,” and “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.”

Now, Warwick has addressed her collaborator’s death. She said in a statement shared with the Los Angeles Times today:

“Burt’s transition is like losing a family member. These words I’ve been asked to write are being written with sadness over the loss of my Dear Friend and my Musical Partner. […] On the lighter side, we laughed a lot and had our run-ins, but always found a way to let each other know our family-like roots were the most important part of our relationship. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, letting them know he is now peacefully resting and I too will miss him.”

In a 2022 interview with Vulture, Warwick spoke about her creative partnership with Bacharach and David:

“I had come in to do a background session of ‘Mexican Divorce,’ a song for the Drifters that Burt had written with another songwriter, Bob Hilliard. And after the session was over, Burt approached me and asked if I would be interested in doing demonstration records and more background work on songs he’d be writing with a new songwriting partner named Hal David. And I said, ‘As long as it doesn’t interfere with my education because my mother would kill you and me, so let’s get that understood right away.’ And that’s how we kind of got together.

Burt, Hal, and I grew into what came to be known throughout the industry as the triangle marriage that worked. We each felt that we had something to offer and made it all work together. But musically, of course, Burt’s musicianship is — I don’t think anybody can surpass it. Hal David? I don’t consider him a lyricist. I consider him a poet. And I was the interpreter of both. So we brought what we had to the table and it worked.”

Rihanna Described Her Next Musical Era As ‘Weird,’ ‘Off,’ And ‘Fun’

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We are days away from Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII halftime performance on Sunday, February 12. We’ve been waiting for her return to the stage since it was announced in September that she’d headline the inaugural Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show for the NFL.

And while we still don’t know how long we’ll have to wait for her first album since 2016’s Anti, Rihanna gave us a taste of what it will sound like during her Apple Music press conference held today, February 9, in Arizona.

Interviewer Nadeska asked Rihanna toward the end of the short sit-down to describe “this chapter and how you’re feeling musically in general.”

Rihanna said, “Musically, I’m feeling open. I’m feeling open to exploring, discovering, creating things that are new. Things that are different. Things that are off, weird, might not ever make sense to my fans [or] the people that know the music that I put out. I just wanna play. I wanna have fun. I want to have to fun with music.”

Rihanna technically returned to music by contributing tracks “Lift Me Up” and “Born Again” to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack last fall, but Rihanna’s Navy wants a full-blown era — leading to rumors about a potential album or tour post-Super Bowl.

Elsewhere in the interview, Rihanna shared that she’s cycled through 39 (!) versions of her Super Bowl setlist. She also admitted that she’s “been so focused” on preparing for the performance that she “totally forgot that my birthday is coming up” and “totally forgot about Valentine’s Day.” But, to her, the grueling task will be worth it.

Rihanna explained that she received the offer to headline Super Bowl LVII when she was three months postpartum, having welcomed her and ASAP Rocky’s son last spring.

“When you become a mom, there’s something that just happens where you feel like you could take on the world, you can do anything,” she told Nadeska. “The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, so as scary as that was because I haven’t been on stage in seven years, there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all. It’s important for me to do this this year. It’s important for representation. It’s important for my son to see that.”

Watch Rihanna’s full Apple Music presser above.

Janelle Monáe Gave A Hilarious Nod To A Fan’s Joke About Their Old ‘Monopoly Man’ Fashion With A ‘Float’ Tease

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Janelle Monáe clarified their pronouns as “she/her, they/them, [and] free-ass motherf*cker” during their acceptance speech for the SheHer Award at last month’s Critics Choice Awards. Still, this week, one fan projected another identity on them: Mr. Monopoly.

“Janelle Monáe finally showing off how fine she is instead of dressing like the Monopoly Man,” a user named Kimber Henry tweeted on Sunday, February 5, presumably about Monáe’s 2023 Grammys outfit. “35.7k likes??” Monáe responded. “No new tour. hope it was worth it beloved,” with a kissy-face emoji.

Monáe had already teased “Float,” a trumpet-fueled anthem, on January 24, so fans were understandably concerned that Monáe would go so far as to withhold the new single. Those worries were seemingly put to bed when the Glass Onion star tweeted another teaser clip on Wednesday, February 8, along with the release date of February 16.

And in case you were concerned that Monáe can’t take a joke, they didn’t let yesterday end before tweeting out one more “Float” teaser video featuring Mr. Monopoly dancing — hitting the floss and BlocBoy JB’s “Shoot” dance.

“No, I’m not the same,” Monáe sings. “I think I done changed / See, somethin’ not the same / I used to walk into the room, head down / I don’t walk, now I / Float.”

In the wake of “Float” dropping, Monáe will attempt to drain floaters in the 2023 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday, February 17.

South Korea’s HYBE Expands Its American Music Empire By Buying Quality Control, Home To Lil Baby And Others

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Over the past few years, HYBE Corporation has become one of the biggest forces in music. The South Korean company owns Big Hit Music (home to artists like BTS and TOMORROW x TOGETHER), Big Machine Label Group (Tim McGraw, formerly Taylor Swift), and now, thanks to a new deal, Quality Control.

In a deal announced yesterday (February 8), HYBE subsidiary HYBE America bought QC (whose artists include Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, City Girls, and Migos) in a purchase “valued at $320 million in stock and cash,” as Variety reports.

HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun said of the deal:

“I am so proud and honored to have [Quality Control CEO Pierre ‘P’ Thomas and COO Kevin ‘Coach K’ Lee] join [HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk] and I as our partners. QC is one of the most significant independent labels in the world, working with incredible artists who are, and remain to be, the voices of culture. I’ll never forget riding around Atlanta over 20 years ago with Coach discussing our dreams and ambitions and how we said, ‘If they let us in the game, we are never going to give it back.’ Now, all these years later, we are joining forces to make these dreams a reality.”

He also noted, “It’s important to me and my team that P and Coach continue to have the freedom, and now our global resources, to continue to do what they do best; facilitate and nurture great art and culture.”

Where To Buy Beyoncé’s Ivy Park Trail Collection

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On the heels of dropping the tickets for her 2023 Renaissance Tour, Beyoncé is keeping fans excited with her upcoming Ivy Park x Adidas Park Trail collection and campaign.

Starring everyone from Ice Spice to Devon Aoki, the new drop from Bey’s athleisure company is perfect for the outdoors. Using camouflage, orange, and purple colors on the varied puffers and outfit styles in the current promotional photos, there’s something for every type of weather.

Fans can shop the new Ivy Park x Adidas Park Trail starting tomorrow (February 9) at your local Adidas store or online through the company’s website. However, according to Elle, those who want to immediately purchase the drop need to download the Adidas Confirmed app and wait in a virtual queue.

The following day, February 10, Ivy Park’s new collection will be available through other selected retailers. This could include previously stocked stores like ASOS and Foot Locker, as well as Ssense, Finish Line, and Snipes, per the publication.

According to Adidas’ website, the new drop will have 56 apparel styles between the company’s inclusive sizing, twelve accessories, and three footwear styles.

“The campaign is centered around embracing exploration and adventure to the fullest and guides us to a place of wonder and revelation through time, space and self-transformation,” the site notes. “This experience depicts both the natural and the metaphysical, which can be as literal as an exhilarating walk down a nature path or a city sidewalk or more abstract, exploring inward and discovering new dimensions.”

More information about Beyoncé’s upcoming Ivy Park x Adidas Park Trail is available here.

President Joe Biden Pushed Back Against Those Pesky Concert ‘Junk Fees’ In His State Of The Union Speech

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President Joe Biden continued his push back against airlines, concert promoters, and other companies that embed “junk fees” into their service as he expressed his intentions for proposed legislation during last night’s (February 7) State Of The Union address.

Biden’s plan for the Junk Fee Prevention Act would also include extra resort fees, credit card late fees, and any other hidden charges toward customers — no matter what industry.

“For example, we’re making airlines show you the full ticket price upfront and refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed,” Biden said. “Baggage fees are bad enough — they can’t just treat your child like a piece of luggage. Americans are tired of being played for suckers.”

On February 1, he also tweeted, “You shouldn’t have to pay an extra $50 to sit next to your child on the plane, pay a surprise ‘resort fee’ for a hotel stay, pay $200 to terminate your cable plan, or pay huge service fees to buy concert tickets. It’s time for Congress to pass the Junk Fee Prevention Act.”

Back in October, the White House released a statement that defined junk fees as “mandatory fees that often hide the full price” and “surprise fees that consumers learn about after purchase.” This would include those pesky service fees that companies like Ticketmaster tack on to your ticket at checkout.

“These fees can also create an uneven playing field for businesses, making firms that price in a fair and transparent manner seem more expensive than their rivals,” it read.

This continued discussion comes after months of debate over Ticketmaster’s monopoly and fans having more trouble than ever getting tickets for Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, and other popular acts.

All Of The Grammy Wins That Made Beyoncé The Most Awarded Artist Of All Time

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Many of us are still shocked at Beyoncé’s surprising Album Of The Year loss at the 2023 Grammys this past Sunday (February 5). Beyhivers are, however, excited at the fact that while she didn’t get the coveted AOTY honor for her seventh studio album Renaissance, she did make history that night. On Grammy night, Beyoncé took home the Grammy awards for Best Dance Recording with her hit single, “Break My Soul,” Best R&B Song with “Cuff It,” Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance with “Plastic Off The Sofa,” and Best Dance/Electronica Album with Renaissance.

These wins brought the total amount of Grammys she’s earned in her career up to 32, which has made her the most Grammy-awarded artist of all time.

Let’s break down the Grammys she has won over the course of the past two decades.

Bey won her first two Grammys in 2001 at 43rd Grammy Awards as a member of Destiny’s Child. She shares the win with her bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal with their hit single, “Say My Name.” The following year, the group won again for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal with “Survivor.”

Her first wins as a solo artist came in 2004, when she took home the awards for Best Contemporary R&B Album for her solo debut album, Dangerously In Love. On that album is the song “Dangerously In Love 2,” for which she won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Her Luther Vandross duet “The Closer I Get To You” won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals. And of course, her solo breakthrough, “Crazy In Love,” which features Jay-Z, won Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

In 2006, she, alongside her Destiny’s Child bandmates, took home the award for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for their song “So Amazing” from their last album, Destiny Fulfilled.

The following year, her sophomore album, B’Day, won Best Contemporary R&B Album.

In 2010, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” won three Grammys, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Song Of The Year. “Halo” won the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Both of these songs come from Beyoncé’s third solo album, I Am…Sasha Fierce, which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album. Her cover of Etta James’ “At Last,” which she performed in the movie Cadillac Records, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

In 2013, Love On Top from her fourth studio album 4 won Best Traditional R&B Performance. Later that year, she would release her game-changing self-titled fifth album by surprise.

With Beyoncé, she released a music video for each track, and several artists followed suit with the surprise release strategy. Given the album’s cultural impact, it seemed as though the Album Of The Year award was a given for the 57th Grammy Awards in 2015.

That year, she and Jay-Z took home the Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song award for their collaboration, “Drunk In Love.” Beyoncé also won the award for Best Surround Sound Album, however, her loss for Album Of The Year sent the world into a big shock.

Two years later, the world was equally shocked when her sixth album, Lemonade, lost the Album Of The Year award again. She did, however, take home the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album, as well as Best Music Video for Lemonade single “Formation.”

In 2019, she and Jay-Z won the Best Urban Contemporary Album for their joint album, Everything Is Love. The following year, her Netflix documentary, Homecoming, which goes behind the scenes of her 2018 Coachella performance, won the award for Best Music Film.

At the 2021 ceremony, her Megan Thee Stallion collaboration, “Savage,” won the Grammys for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. “Black Parade” and “Brown Skin Girl,” which are featured in her Disney+ short film Black Is King, won the Best R&B Performance and Best Music Video awards respectively.

So although Bey has not won the coveted Album Of The Year award, each of her solo albums have won Grammys in other categories. As the artist who hold the most Grammys, its safe to say the music speaks for itself.

Bad Bunny And Christina Aguilera Are Among The Honorees At The 2023 GLAAD Awards For Their LGBTQ+ Support

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Bad Bunny, Christina Aguilera, and actor Jeremy Pope are the celebs being honored at this year’s GLAAD Awards.

Bad Bunny is earning GLAAD’s Vanguard award, intended for those who constantly present LGBTQ+ allyship. Previous Vanguard recipients include Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Cher, and Janet Jackson.

“Bad Bunny uses his role as one of the world’s most popular music artists to boldly shine a light on LGBTQ people and issues, including transgender equality and ending violence against trans women of color,” GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis shared via Variety. “By consistently advocating for our community, elevating our stories and demanding action from anti-LGBTQ leaders, Bad Bunny redefines the positive influence Latin music artists can have within the LGBTQ community, and has set an example for all artists.”

Aguilera is set to receive GLAAD’s Advocate for Change award, as she has raised over $500 million for HIV research through Mac Cosmetics. She has also been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Meanwhile, Pope, who starred in FX’s show, Pose, is getting the Stephen F. Kolzak award for being a “LGBTQ media professional who has increased queer visibility and acceptance through their work,” according to the publication.

In addition, there are over 250+ nominees that are up for possible awards in the 33 categories. The 2023 GLAAD Awards will be held on March 30 at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton.

LeBron James Fans Drake, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, And Others Congratulated Him On The NBA Scoring Record With Videos

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On April 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored his 31,420th point in the NBA, which broke the league’s all-time scoring record previously held by Wilt Chamberlain. For decades, that record felt unbreakable, but in recent years, it became clear that LeBron James would likely eclipse the mark one day. Well, that day was yesterday (February 7): In the Los Angeles Lakers’ losing effort against the Oklahoma City Thunder, James made the record-breaking shot near the end of the third quarter and put himself atop the all-time list.

Now, the NBA icon has received congratulatory message from music stars like Drake, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, and Kendrick Lamar.

Various celebrities recorded videos congratulating James on his historic achievement, with Snoop saying in his, “In the words of the great Snoop Dogg: ‘La-da-da-da-da!’ It’s the one and only LBJ: LeBron James! Great work, baby. Appreciate the love. Love what you do, keep doing what you’re doing, more buckets, more points, more love.”

Drake said in his clip, seemingly filmed at James’ high school gym, “LeBron: what a legendary night in NBA history. You’re breaking the all-time scoring record, and to honor that, I had to come back to the place that it all started: Akron, Ohio. Every journey has its beginning and tonight…” As he spoke, though, the illusion was broken thanks to a green screen malfunction, revealing a club environment behind him. He continued, “I lied, I lied to you. I’m actually still at the club in Miami, but definitely all the girls say congrats, though, right girls? Congrats, right?”

In a more straightforward video, Lamar said, “To see you with this type of accomplishment, it always give a confirmation of, you can be great no matter where you come from.”

In her tribute, Rihanna said, “It is important to recognize greatness and great accomplishments. […] If course, you’re no stranger to breaking records, but this record, this is one to be more than just acknowledged: this is one to be celebrated.”

Bad Bunny didn’t record a video, but he was there in person to give LeBron a hug after the record was broken.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, John Legend wrote, “Congratulations @KingJames !!!! This man has been in the spotlight and burdened with the highest expectations since he was a teenager. And he’s done nothing but exceed those expectations and build a historic legacy. What an incredible accomplishment!”

Check out the videos above and find some other tweets about James’ accomplishment below.