Pop

Wu-Tang Clan Really Is For The Children, Rihanna And ASAP Rocky Proved By Reportedly Naming Their Baby After One Of The Rappers

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Rihanna kicked off this year with a colossal Super Bowl halftime performance packed with hits and a pregnancy announcement. However, the name of her son who she had with her boyfriend ASAP Rocky (real name Rakim Athelston Mayers) last year has remained unknown… until now.

According to The Daily Mail, who obtained the birth certificate, the name is RZA Athelston Mayers. Since Rihanna has been spotted in Wu-Tang Clan merch, it’s safe to assume it’s a reference to the member of the group.

The “Diamonds” singer was also turning heads at the Met Gala earlier this month. She was fashionably late and discussed how her second pregnancy has been. “It’s so different from the first one! Just everything,” she said. “All of my… no cravings, tons of nausea, everything’s different. But I’m enjoying it, I’m enjoying it. I feel good. I feel energetic.”

In December of last year, Rocky talked about being a father. “Honestly, I think fatherhood gives me more time to do exactly what I want,” he said. “I don’t have time for anything that isn’t priorities. It helps you prioritize, honestly. I love it. Everything is just based around my newfound love for being a dad and a family man. It’s lit right now. I can’t even describe it. Yo, you see this smile! I’m all smiles right now, man.”

Beyoncé’s Stunning ‘Renaissance’ Tour Opening Night Has Her Father Reflecting On The Singer’s Childhood Drive

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At last, Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour kicked off in Sweden yesterday (May 10), and the show has her father, Mathew Knowles, in a reflective mood.

Yesterday, he tweeted, “I’m just looking at a video from Beyoncé’s first show in Stockholm. Amazing! Just amazing! I remember when Beyoncé was a little girl and all she wanted to be was an entertainer. She has worked so very hard to be the best entertainer in the world, and I am so immensely proud.”

This comes after a series of tweets shared on May 9, in which Knowles wrote more about his daughter’s childhood and how driven she was:

“Beyoncé kicks off The Renaissance World Tour this week. Believe it or not, I’m often still in awe as I watch her continue to soar to heights that few in history have ever been able to. […] If it’s a passion, you won’t need to tell them to go to practice, pick up the instrument, or show up to class. They’ll want to show up naturally and immerse themselves in it. […] We never once during her childhood had to tell her to show up when it came to music. She was never distracted from her inner drive. She knew what she wanted and she went after it. As parents, we didn’t need for her to be an expert or passionate about everything. She faced challenges in math, for example, but as long as she did her best and focused on her musical passion–we were happy.

For me, the start of Beyoncé’s tour this week isn’t just an addition to an already historic year where she now holds the most Grammy award wins ever. It’s a symbol of human achievement and possibility. It’s a mark of what’s possible when a child is encouraged to chase after their dream. And above all else, it hopefully serves as a beacon of light for young people and dreamers of all shapes and sizes to believe in themselves.

Find Knowles’ tweets above and below.

The Secret To Janelle Monáe’s Body? ‘Jamaican Food And Sex,’ She Declared

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Janelle Monáe’s figure has become a center of attention lately (especially since she stopped dressing “like the Monopoly Man.”) The latest example of that is with the teaser video she shared for the upcoming single “Lipstick Lover” yesterday (May 9). The clip starts with her singing and playing guitar before transitioning to a clip of her emerging from a pool wearing a wet, white t-shirt, which left little (if anything) to the imagination. The revealing video certainly had people talking and it’s trending on Twitter today (May 10).

As for how Monáe achieved the body that she has, she actually answered that question recently.

Last week, Monáe turned heads at the Met Gala with a look that People described, “On fashion’s biggest event Monday, the Grammy-nominated artist, 37, showed up in a larger-than-life tweed coat in black and white and a button-up dress in honor of the night’s ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ theme. However, while impressive in size, the pieces were taken off in a performative way to unveil the circular mesh dress and skin-baring two-piece underneath.”

As she walked the red carpet, one reporter asked Monáe how she’s reached her current shape. She responded, “Jamaican food and… sex.”

As for “Lipstick Lover,” the new song is set to drop tomorrow, May 11.

What Is Beyoncé’s Setlist Of Songs For The ‘Renaissance Tour?’

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Beyoncé’s long-awaited Renaissance tour kicked off at Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden today (May 10), so one of the biggest questions on fans’ minds is finally being answered: What songs will Beyoncé perform?

Before the show began, fans noticed what appeared to be a setlist in the Renaissance tour book, and as photos and videos of that were shared online, it brought anticipation to a high. The book also offered plenty of photos indicating what some of the tour aesthetics would look like.

This tour could be a big one: Forbes recently reported, “Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter — also known as Queen Bey — could clear nearly $2.2 billion from her Renaissance World Tour — some $600 million more than the $1.6 billion Taylor Swift could earn from Eras. Those eyepopping estimates are based on the most optimistic assumptions of the number of fans buying tickets at their concerts and high average ticket prices of about $700.”

As of this post, the concert is ongoing. Check out the setlist for the Sweden concert so far (via Variety) below.

1. “Dangerously In Love”
2. “Flaws And All”
3. “1+1” / “I’d Rather Go Blind” / “I’m Going Down”
4. “I Care”
5. “I’m That Girl”
6. “Cozy”
7. “Alien Superstar” / “Sweet Dreams” / “Lift Off”
8. “Cuff It”
9. “Energy”
10. “Break My Soul”

This post is being updated.

Here Is Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance Tour’ Merchandise For Europe

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We may not yet have the visuals for Beyoncé’s critically-acclaimed Renaissance album, but fans will soon be able to channel Queen Bey by way of other visual elements. As her Renaissance World Tour kicks off today (May 10) in Stockholm, Sweden, the Beyhive has finally gotten a look at the merch for the tour.

Fans who lined up early at the Swedish venue have taken to Twitter to share images of merchandise fans may be able to purchase during tour.

For this particular era, fans can look forward to several stylish t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories. On one shirt is the horse from the Renaissance album cover, who fans have nicknamed Reneigh. On some of the other t-shirts, Bey herself is seen rocking a futuristic unitard, as well as a stylish, metallic helmet.

A cozy hoodie has an image of what appears to be the stage, which pair well with the tote bags that feature Bey in full costume.

It appears that VIP ticket holders will be able to purchase a metallic tote bag, as well as a Renaissance World Tour black baseball cap.

Additionally, the Beyhive has also been going crazy over a tour book that has appeared online, which features artwork corresponding to each of the songs on Renaissance, as well as a potential set list.

You can see some of the merch above.

Beyoncé Fans Are Buzzing About A Supposed ‘Renaissance Tour’ Setlist Included In Her Tour Book

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Tonight (May 10) is the first night of Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour, which kicks off in Stockholm, Sweden. While the Beyhive has been buzzing with anticipation, not much is known about the tour, the setlist, or the visual elements, and we’ve been anxious for a taste of what to expect.

It appears some fans have gotten their hands on an early copy of Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour book. Several fans have taken to social media to share images from the book, which includes corresponding artwork for each of the Renaissance album’s songs.

Additionally, an alleged copy of the setlist also appears in the tour book, though some fans believe this setlist isn’t what it seems to be. Some fans have theorized that the alleged setlist is fake, to keep the actual setlist from leaking.

“Beyoncé put a fake setlist in the tour book,” said one member of the Beyhive on Twitter. “this girl knows her fans.”

The setlist contains notes in pen, as well as other markings, so some fans don’t believe that it’s fake, but rather an early iteration.

“This looks like an early draft, but not necessarily ‘fake,’” said another fan.

If the setlist is real, it looks like fans can look forward to hearing much of the Renaissance fan favorites, including “Break My Soul,” “Cuff It,” “Alien Superstar,” and more. Some of her other hits, including “Diva,” “Run The World (Girls),” and “Savage (Remix)” with Megan Thee Stallion also seem to be on the alleged set list.

You can see images of the alleged tour book above.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Billie Eilish Unexpectedly Shared A Drake Cover On Streaming Platforms But It’s Only A Minute Long

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As fans wait for new Billie Eilish music, the singer has instead shared some old music: Yesterday (May 9), she brought “Hotline (Edit)” to streaming services. The track is just a minute long and it’s a cover of the Drake classic “Hotline Bling.”

While this may seem random, it doesn’t come completely out of nowhere.

Per setlist.fm, Eilish performed the song dozens of times in 2017 and 2018, seguing it into her own “Party Favor.” Those songs were paired up for a Record Store Day-exclusive vinyl release in 2018 and Eilish shared the two-minute “Hotline Bling” cover on Soundcloud shortly after. The newly shared version is just the second half of the Soundcloud upload.

As for why Eilish decided to share the one-minute version now, that remains unclear. “Hotline Bling” album Views just celebrated its seventh anniversary on April 29, so perhaps that make Eilish think about her old cover again.

Meanwhile, Eilish recently said of performing for huge crowds, “It’s weirdly in a way underwhelming when there’s more people. I played my first stadiums over the summer. […] I was like, ‘I’m in a stadium, it’s so sick, it’s so big, you’re a f*cking star.’ And then you’re on the stage and you feel like you’re alone. It feels like there’s a printed out wallpaper of thousands of people. They’re so far away that there’s like no intimacy.”

Listen to “Hotline (Edit)” and the longer 2018 Soundcloud version above.

Janelle Monáe’s Jaw-Dropping Wet T-Shirt Video Promoting Her Next Single Just Might Break The Internet

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Janelle Monáe doesn’t dress “like the Monopoly Man” anymore, as one fan recently put it. In fact, the musician/actor has been making headlines lately for things like her topless birthday party, dancing at the Met Gala after-party in a bikini, and NSFW teasers for new music. Speaking of the latter, she’s back with a new one today and it’s certainly risqué.

The video starts with Monáe wearing a wide-brimmed hat, playing an acoustic guitar, and singing a new song. After about 30 seconds of that, the video cuts to a revealing clip of Monáe, wearing a wet, white t-shirt that says “pleasure” on the chest as she emerges from a pool. The song continues all the while and the video ends by noting the song, called “Lipstick Lover,” is set to drop this week, on May 11.

On the track, Monáe sings, “I’ll take my time / Just wanna feel your hips on mine / I really got a thing for my lipstick lover, lover, lover, lover / I’d do anything for my lipstick lover, lover, lover, lover / I really got a thing for my lipstick lover.”

While Monáe’s primary output lately has been related to her successful acting career, she’s been paying more attention to the music side of things recently, like in February when she dropped the new single “Float.”

SZA Gets ‘Pissed Off’ About Something When She Listens To Her Albums

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So far, SZA has a couple of albums to her name, 2017’s Ctrl and 2022’s SOS, and they’re both beloved. She has some EPs under her belt, too, but when SZA goes back and listens to her old work, there’s one element of them that doesn’t sit well with her.

On Twitter recently, SZA wrote, “I still listen to my albums and get pissed off at the mixes [face-palm emoji].”

A few minutes later, she also shared her favorite songs from SOS, tweeting, “snooze ,love language, kill bill ,nobody gets me ,ex pack ,blind ,good days ,gone girl, I hate u, F2F,low , seek and destroy , ghost , Sos , used. Personal picks.” She then added in subsequent tweets, “FORGIVELESS too,” and, “Open arms too.”

Meanwhile, “Kill Bill” recently reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time, making it SZA’s first No. 1 single. She took her time to reflect, eventually tweeting, “took me over a week to process cause I dreamt of this my entire career. didn’t feel real lol, still doesn’t. but I wanna say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. Every person, every fan base every ear that listened and pushed for me. Can’t believe we have a number 1 record.”