Kid Cudi Reveals He Suffered A Stroke While In Rehab In 2016: ‘Everything Was F*cked’

Kid Cudi has long been open about his mental health struggles and he’s a proponent of therapy and receiving treatment. But for years, he did not reveal a near-death experience he endured while seeking treatment back in 2016. In an interview with Esquire (ahead of his upcoming animated series, Entergalactic), Cudi revealed that he suffered a stroke two weeks into his rehab stint.

“Everything was f*cked,” said Cudi, noting that as a result of the stroke, his speech and physical movement were slowed down.

In addition to mental health treatment, Cudi would also enter a physical rehabilitation program. The following year, he would attempt to make a return to acting, this time, on the stage. He read with actor Michael Cera for a role in a Broadway play called Lobby Hero, memorizing a large amount of dialogue. Although Cudi didn’t land the role, he found the fact that he was able to prepare for the audition rewarding.

“I proved to myself that I could do it. I needed that at the time,” he said. “I was happy. Like, damn, my brain is still strong. I didn’t lose something in that sh*t that happened.”

Kid Cudi’s new visual album and animated series, Entergalactic, streams on Netflix on September 30.

Jack Harlow and Lizzo Added as Performers at MTV VMAs

JackHarlowCredit

Lizzo and Jack Harlow are the latest round of global superstar performers that will take the stage at MTV’s 2022 VMAs. The show will air live from Prudential Center on Sunday, August 28, at 8 pm ET/PT.

Global superstar Jack Harlow returns to the MTV stage for his first solo performance after last year’s epic “VMAs” debut collaboration of the mega-hit “INDUSTRY BABY” with Lil Nas X. Harlow hopes to win his first Moon Person after receiving a tie for the most nominations (7) this year, including two of the night’s top prizes, “Video of the Year” and “Artist of the Year.” The 10x nominee received nominations for “PUSH New Artist” and “Song of the Summer” in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Lizzo, multi-hyphenate diva, is scheduled for another huge MTV moment with a performance of “2 Be Loved” from her critically praised new album Special, following a show-stopping debut with a massive mashup of “Good As Hell” and “Truth Hurts” in 2019. In addition to being a nominee for 11x, the artist and song of the year categories are up for grabs this year.

Those two stars join J Balvin, who is ready to take the 2022 MTV VMA stage. MTV announced the Colombian superstar will make a return to the stage with the TV/world premiere of “Nivel de Perreo,” with Ryan Castro.

The first time Balvin touched the stage was for the 2019 performance of “Que Pretenders” with Bad Bunny in 2019.

The five-time winner and 13-time nominee for “Best Latin” (for “In Da Getto” with Skrillex) is also vying for his sixth Moon Person, which would make him the most decorated Latin artist in “VMAs” history.

Additional performers include Anitta, Marshmello x Khalid and Panic! At The Disco, BLACKPINK, and Maneskin.

This year’s nominations are led by Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar, and Lil Nas X with seven each, followed closely by Doja Cat and Harry Styles with six apiece, and Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd (5 each).

The 2022 “VMAs” will celebrate the biggest names in music on August 28th, 8PM ET/PT, LIVE from New Jersey’s iconic Prudential Center and air across MTV’s worldwide footprint of linear and digital platforms in 170+ countries, reaching 422 million households in nearly 30 different languages.

Through Friday, August 19, 2022, fans can cast their votes online at vote.mtv.com for their favorites in 22 gender-neutral categories, including “Video of the Year,” “Artist of the Year,” “Best Collaboration,” and two brand-new ones, “Best Longform Video” and “Best Metaverse Performance.”

You can see the full list of nominees below.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR, Presented by Burger King®  

Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic

Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records

Harry Styles – “As It Was“ – Columbia Records

Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records

Olivia Rodrigo – “brutal” – Geffen Records

Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment

Drake – OVO/Republic

Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records

Harry Styles – Columbia Records

Jack Harlow – Generation Now / Atlantic Records 

Lil Nas X – Columbia Records

Lizzo – Atlantic Records 

SONG OF THE YEAR

Adele – “Easy On Me” – Columbia Records

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records

Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records 

Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records 

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records

BEST NEW ARTIST, Presented by EXTRA® Gum

Baby Keem – Columbia Records

Dove Cameron – Disruptor Records / Columbia Records 

GAYLE – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records

Latto – Streamcut / RCA Records

Måneskin – Arista Records

SEVENTEEN – PLEDIS Entertainment/Geffen Records

PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

September 2021: Griff – “One Night” – Warner Records

October 2021: Remi Wolf – “Sexy Villain” – Island Records

November 2021: Nessa Barrett – “i hope ur miserable until ur dead” – Warner Records 

December 2021: SEVENTEEN – “Rock With You” – PLEDIS Entertainment / Geffen Records 

January 2021: Mae Muller – “Better Days” – Capitol Records UK

February 2022: GAYLE – “abcdefu” – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records

March 2022: Sheneesa – “R U That” – Rich Immigrants / Interscope Records

April 2022: Omar Apollo – “Tamagotchi” – Warner Records

May 2022: Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” – Domino Recording Company

June 2022: Muni Long – “Baby Boo” – Supergiant Records LLC / Def Jam Recording

July 2022: Doechii – “Persuasive” – Top Dog Entertainment / Capitol Records 

BEST COLLABORATION

Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic

Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records

Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records

Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment

Post Malone & The Weeknd – “One Right Now” – Mercury Records / Republic Records 

ROSALÍA ft. The Weeknd – “LA FAMA” – Columbia Records

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records 

BEST POP

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records 

Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records

Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records

Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records

Olivia Rodrigo – “traitor” – Geffen Records 

BEST HIP-HOP

Eminem & Snoop Dogg – “From The D 2 The LBC” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records 

Future ft. Drake, Tems – “WAIT FOR U” – Freebandz / Epic Records

Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 

Latto – “Big Energy” – Streamcut / RCA Records

Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby – “Do We Have A Problem?” – Young Money / Cash Money / Republic Records

Pusha T – “Diet Coke” – G.O.O.D. Music / Def Jam 

BEST ROCK

Foo Fighters – “Love Dies Young” – RCA Records

Jack White – “Taking Me Back” – Third Man Records

Muse – “Won’t Stand Down” – Warner Records

Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Black Summer” – Warner Records 

Shinedown – “Planet Zero” – Elektra Music Group

Three Days Grace – “So Called Life” – RCA Records 

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Avril Lavigne ft. blackbear – “Love It When You Hate Me” – Elektra Music Group / DTA Records

Imagine Dragons x JID – “Enemy” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records

Machine Gun Kelly ft. WILLOW – “emo girl” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records

Måneskin – “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” – Arista Records

Panic! At The Disco – “Viva Las Vengeance” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group 

Twenty One Pilots  – “Saturday” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group

WILLOW, Avril Lavigne ft. Travis Barker – “G R O W” – MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation Records

BEST LATIN

Anitta – “Envolver” – Warner Records

Bad Bunny – “Tití Me Preguntó” – Rimas Entertainment

Becky G X KAROL G – “MAMIII” – Kemosabe Records / Sony Music Latin / RCA Records 

Daddy Yankee – “REMIX” – Republic Records

Farruko – “Pepas” – Sony Music US Latin

J Balvin & Skrillex – “In Da Getto” – Sueños Globales, LLC /Universal Music Latino / Asylum Records UK 

BEST R&B

Alicia Keys – “City of Gods (Part II)” – AKW

Chlöe – “Have Mercy” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records

H.E.R. – “For Anyone” – RCA Records

Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool/RCA Records

Summer Walker, SZA & Cardi B – “No Love (Extended Version)” – LVRN / Interscope Records 

The Weeknd – “Out Of Time” – XO / Republic Records 

BEST K-POP

BTS – “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)” – BIGHIT Music / Geffen Records 

ITZY – “LOCO” – JYP Entertainment

LISA – “LALISA” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records

SEVENTEEN – “HOT” – PLEDIS Entertainment/Geffen Records

Stray Kids – “MANIAC” – JYP Entertainment

TWICE – “The Feels” – JYP Entertainment

VIDEO FOR GOOD

Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records

Latto – “P*ssy” – Streamcut / RCA Records

Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records

Rina Sawayama – “This Hell” – Dirty Hit

Stromae – ”Fils de joie” – Mosaert Label / The Darkroom / Interscope Records 

BEST METAVERSE PERFORMANCE

BLACKPINK The Virtual | PUBG – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records

BTS | Minecraft – BIGHIT Music / Geffen Records

Charli XCX | Roblox – Atlantic Records

Justin Bieber – An Interactive Virtual Experience | Wave – Def Jam

Rift Tour ft. Ariana Grande | Fortnite – Republic Records

Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience | Roblox – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group 

BEST LONGFORM VIDEO

Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles – Darkroom / Interscope Records 

Foo Fighters – Studio 666 – RCA Records

Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville

Madonna – Madame X – Interscope Records

Olivia Rodrigo – driving home 2 u – Geffen Records

Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records

Camila Cabello ft. Ed Sheeran – “Bam Bam” – Epic Records

Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records

Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 

Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records

Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

BEST DIRECTION

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records

Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records 

Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records

Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records

Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

BEST ART DIRECTION

Adele – “Oh My God” – Columbia Records

Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO / Republic Records 

Kacey Musgraves – “simple times” – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville 

Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records

Megan Thee Stallion ft. Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records

Coldplay X BTS – “My Universe” – Atlantic Records

Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records

Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records

Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

BTS – “Permission to Dance” – BIGHIT Music/Geffen Records

Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

FKA twigs ft. The Weeknd – “Tears In The Club” – Atlantic Records 

Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records

Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records 

Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records 

BEST EDITING 

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records

Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

Olivia Rodrigo – “brutal” – Geffen Records

ROSALÍA – “SAOKO” – Columbia Records

Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

The Weeknd – “Take My Breath” – XO / Republic Records 

LIST OF NOMINATIONS BY ARTIST 

Jack Harlow – 7 Nominations

Video of the Year: “INDUSTRY BABY”

Artist of the Year

Best Collaboration: “INDUSTRY BABY”

Best Direction: “INDUSTRY BABY” 

Best Art Direction: “INDUSTRY BABY” 

Best Visual Effects: “INDUSTRY BABY” 

Best Choreography: “INDUSTRY BABY”

Kendrick Lamar – 7 Nominations 

Best Hip-Hop: “N95”

Video for Good: “The Heart Part 5”

Best Cinematography: “family ties” 

Best Cinematography: “N95”

Best Direction: “family ties” 

Best Visual Effects: “The Heart Part 5”

Best Editing: “family ties”

Lil Nas X – 7 Nominations

Video of the Year: “INDUSTRY BABY”

Artist of the Year

Best Collaboration: “INDUSTRY BABY” 

Best Direction: “INDUSTRY BABY” 

Best Art Direction: “INDUSTRY BABY”

Best Visual Effects: “INDUSTRY BABY” 

Best Choreography: “INDUSTRY BABY”

Doja Cat – 6 Nominations

Video of the Year: “Woman”

Song of the Year: “Woman”

Best Pop: “Woman”

Best Art Direction: “Get Into It (Yuh)”

Best Choreography: “Woman”

Best Editing: “Get Into It (Yuh)”

Harry Styles – 6 Nominations

Video of the Year: “As It Was” 

Artist of the Year

Best Pop: “As It Was”

Best Cinematography: : “As It Was”

Best Direction: “As It Was”

Best Choreography: “As It Was”

Billie Eilish – 5 Nominations

Song of the Year: “Happier Than Ever”

Best Pop: “Happier Than Ever”

Best Longform Video: “Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles”

Best Direction: “Happier Than Ever”

Best Visual Effects: “Happier Than Ever”

Drake – 5 Nominations

Video of the Year: “Way 2 Sexy”

Artist of the Year

Best Collaboration: “Way 2 Sexy” 

Best Hip-Hop: “WAIT FOR YOU”

Best Art Direction: “Way 2 Sexy” 

Dua Lipa – 5 Nominations

Song of the Year: “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” 

Best Collaboration: “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”  

Best Collaboration: “Sweetest Pie” 

Best Art Direction: “Sweetest Pie”  

Best Visual Effects: “Sweetest Pie”  

Ed Sheeran- 5 Nominations

Video of the Year: “Shivers”

Artist of the Year

Best Pop: “Shivers”

Best Cinematography: “Bam Bam” 

Best Direction: “Shivers”

Taylor Swift – 5 Nominations

Video of the Year: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

Best Longform Video: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

Best Cinematography: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

Best Direction: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

Best Editing: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

The Weeknd – 5 Nominations

Best R&B: “Out Of Time”

Best Collaboration: “Out Right Now”

Best Collaboration: “LA FAMA”

Best Choreography: “Tears In The Club”  

Best Editing: “Take My Breath”

Baby Keem – 4 Nominations

Best New Artist 

Best Cinematography: “family ties”  

Best Direction:  “family ties”  

Best Editing: “family ties”  

BTS – 4 Nominations

Best K-POP: “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)”

Best Metaverse Performance: Minecraft

Best Visual Effects: “My Universe” 

Best Choreography: “Permission to Dance”

Cardi B – 4 Nominations

Best R&B: “Wild Side”

Best R&B: “No Love (Extended Version)”  

Best Cinematography: “Wild Side” 

Best Choreography: “Wild Side”

Future – 4 Nominations

Video of the Year: “Way 2 Sexy” 

Best Collaboration: “Way 2 Sexy” 

Best Hip-Hop: “WAIT FOR U”  

Best Art Direction: “Way 2 Sexy” 

Justin Bieber – 4 Nominations

Song of the Year: “STAY”  

Best Collaboration: “STAY” 

Best Visual Effects: “STAY” 

Best Metaverse Performance: An Interactive Virtual Experience | Wave

Lizzo – 4 Nominations

Artist of the Year

Song of the Year: “About Damn Time”

Best Pop: “About Damn Time”

Video for Good: “About Damn Time”

Olivia Rodrigo – 4 Nominations

Video of the Year: “brutal”

Best Pop: “traitor”

Best Longform Video: driving home 2 u

Best Editing: “brutal”

Latto – 3 Nominations

Best New Artist
Best Hip-Hop: “Big Energy”

Video for Good: “P*ssy”

Megan Thee Stallion – 3 Nominations

Best Collaboration: “Sweetest Pie” 

Best Art Direction: “Sweetest Pie” 

Best Visual Effects: “Sweetest Pie”  

Normani – 3 Nominations

Best R&B: “Wild Side”  

Best Cinematography: “Wild Side”  

Best Choreography: “Wild Side” 

SEVENTEEN – 3 Nominations

Best New Artist

PUSH Performance of the Year: “Rock With You”

Best K-POP: “HOT”

The Kid LAROI – 3 Nominations

Song of the Year: “STAY” 

Best Collaboration: “STAY”  

Best Visual Effects: “STAY” 

Young Thug – 3 Nominations

Video of the Year: “Way 2 Sexy” 

Best Collaboration: “Way 2 Sexy”  

Best Art Direction: “Way 2 Sexy” 

Adele – 2 Nominations 

Song of the Year: “Easy On Me”

Best Art Direction: “Oh My God”

Avril Lavigne – 2 Nominations

Best Alternative: “Love It When You Hate Me”

Best Alternative: “G R O W”

Bad Bunny – 2 Nominations

Artist of the Year

Best Latin: “Tití Me Preguntó”

Elton John – 2 Nominations 

Song of the Year: “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”  

Best Collaboration: “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” 

Foo Fighters – 2 Nominations

Best Rock: “Love Dies Young”

Best Longform Video: Studio 666

GAYLE – 2 Nominations

Best New Artist

PUSH Performance of the Year: “abcdefu”

Kacey Musgraves – 2 Nominations

Best Longform Video: “star-crossed”

Best Art Direction: “simple times”

Måneskin – 2 Nominations

Best New Artist

Best Alternative: “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE”

ROSALÍA – 2 Nominations

Best Collaboration: “LA FAMA” 

Best Editing: “SAOKO”

Twenty One Pilots – 2 Nominations

Best Alternative: “Saturday”

Best Metaverse Experience: Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience on Roblox

WILLOW – 2 Nominations

Best Alternative: “emo girl”

Best Alternative: “G R O W” 

The post Jack Harlow and Lizzo Added as Performers at MTV VMAs appeared first on The Source.

Kenya Barris Tapped to Direct ‘Wiard of Oz’ Remake

Interscope Records and Kenya Barris’ Khalabo Ink Society Announce Khalabo Music Record Label

With Black-ish over, Kenya Barris is eyeing the Yellow Brick Road. According to Variety, Barris is teaming with Warner Bros. for the upcoming remake of Wizard of Oz.

Barris will write and direct the reimagining of the film. Additional details are currently unannounced.

The Wizard of Oz tells the story of a girl named Dorothy who is whisked away by a tornado to the Land of Oz. The story was first told in L. Frank Braum’s book and recreated multiple times over the years.

The film will be one of many on the way from Barris. The creator is currently wrapping up his first film for Netflix, You People, which he wrote alongside Jonah Hill and stars Hill with Eddie Murphy and Nia Long. Barris will also lend his talents to the remake of White Men Can’t Jump, which will star Jack Harlow.

The post Kenya Barris Tapped to Direct ‘Wiard of Oz’ Remake appeared first on The Source.

SZA And ‘Euphoria’s Chloe Cherry Will Appear In Eddie Huang’s Upcoming Movie ‘Tuna Melt’

Deadline has confirmed that both hip-hop sensation SZA and Euphoria star Chloe Cherry will be in a film entitled Tuna Melt, alongside Boogie‘s Eddie Huang, who wrote and will direct it. The publication calls it an “off-beat dramedy” that has been “likened to an updated Pulp Fiction meets High Fidelity.

In the film, Huang plays a hitman enduring a breakup when he “unexpectedly meets the love of his life soon after he completes a job,” with SZA playing the role of the love interest. More details are yet to be revealed.

Meanwhile, fans of SZA are less interested in her acting career and more invested in when her next album is coming out. The long-awaited LP has been delayed, with the president of her label Punch making a statement about it last month. “SZA and myself initially spoke about a summertime album,” he wrote.” Which is why she mentioned summer in a post-Grammys interview. Shortly after discussing everything with RCA and Top, we decided it was best to do it a little bit later to set everything up correctly, giving it its proper space and lead time. There is a lot that goes into putting out a album and especially one with this much anticipation. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding. An announcement will be coming sooner than you think.”

Megan Thee Stallion Says She Once Auditioned For The Role Of Mercedes From ‘P-Valley’

Megan Thee Stallion is riding another high moment in her career. She is days removed from the release of her second album Traumazine, which delivered 18 songs and features from Future, Dua Lipa, Pooh Shiesty, Key Glock, Jhene Aiko, Lucky Daye, Sauce Walka, Big Pokey, and Lil Keke. She also released a video for “Her” which came after she performed a pair of the album’s songs in a performance at Central Park in New York. Traumazine, which has received plenty of love from fans, arrived after Megan debuted a new songand appeared on a recent episode of P-Valley. Thanks to a recent interview Megan had on Apple Music, we now know that she could’ve had a bigger role on the show.

“First of all, I love P-Valley,” Megan said during the conversation with Apple Music’s Ebro and Nadeska. “And when I was, I feel like I had to be like 23, 24. I read for Mercedes (played by Brandee Evans). Yeah, they had asked me to read for the part. So I was like, ‘Okay, cool.’” Megan continued, “I know I ain’t get the part because my girl Brandee tearing it up. I’m like, ‘Oh, sh*t,” I feel like I look like a little kid in my tape, in my little audition tape.” She then went on to share how it felt to watch Evans execute the role of Mercedes throughout P-Valley before she made her own appearance in the show.

“So getting to look at the show and remember those lines and see everything, how it played out. I was proud,” Megan said. “I was like, ‘this sh*t is hard,’ even without me in it. This is it.” She continued, “To have a full circle moment and get to come back to the show and now I’m established and I’m making a stay. Because I think ‘Big Ole Freak’ had just came out when I read for Mercedes. I wasn’t even this yet. And you know, my girl Katori, she seen it in me. She was like, ‘No, that girl, we like her. She going to be something.’ I feel like she just seen it early, but for her to come back and be like, ‘Okay, Meg, what we going to do? Bring Tina Snow to the…’ and I was like, ‘good.’”

You can watch Megan’s full interview with Apple Music in the video above.

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

Tiffany Haddish Says She Received Usher’s Blessing For Her Herpes Joke

Tiffany Haddish recently spoke with Cosmopolitan, in which she opened up about her comedic craft. While it’s customary for celebrity comedians to poke fun at other celebrities, some are often caught off guard by certain jokes. Haddish, on the other hand, makes sure she receives permission to use certain jokes in which a specific celebrity is the target.

Haddish offered a joke about R&B singer Usher as an example.

“I got this joke, ‘I curse you out with joy. I hope that you spread it. I hope you spread it like Usher spreads herpes.’ I have said that in front of Usher,” said Haddish.

According to Haddish, Usher told her “Your ass is crazy.”

“I said, ‘Yeah, well, there’s a rumor out there saying you got herpes,” she said. ‘I don’t know if you do or don’t, but that sh*t is funny.’”

The joke refers to a few 2017 lawsuits, in which a handful of women accused Usher of passing them herpes. Haddish said Usher agreed that the joke was funny, however, if he hadn’t, she would be willing to withhold the joke from her set.

“If he had said, ‘Tiff, don’t say that no more. I don’t like it. I’m not comfortable with you saying that,’ I would stop saying it,” Haddish said.

Haddish currently has several film and television projects in the world, including a remake of Disney’s Haunted Mansion. She is also currently working on music with Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg.

Joey Badass Says He Drew From Real-Life Experiences For His ‘Power Book III’ Role

Ahead of the season premiere of Power Book III: Raising Kanan tonight, Joey Badass spoke with HipHopDX about his role. On the show, Joey plays a drug kingpin named Kadeem “Unique” Mathis.

Joey‘s performance has received much praise, and in the interview, he said he drew from real-life experiences of witnessing drug deals growing up in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn.

“I always been around that stuff, but I never took that path because it was right there,” Joey said. “I wanted to challenge myself to do other things, and then I had good older cousins and family that pushed me to not do that because they were doing it. It would’ve been easy for me to do it, but they wanted to see better for their little cousin and nephew…So it was easy to just kind of pull from those experiences that I’ve had or those observations that I made as a kid.”

Over the years, Joey has built an impressive acting resume, with stints on Mr. Robot, Grown-ish, and Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Elsewhere in the interview, Joey said that acting, to him, comes as easily as making music.

“Acting, in general, comes pretty instinctively to me…just in a way where you kind of go somewhere else. Like on that stage, I gotta go into superstar mode. I’m still here but it’s like a superstar hangover, but when I’m home, it’s a different vibe where I’m chill.”

Season 2 of Power Book III: Raising Kanan premieres tonight at 9 p.m. EST on Starz.

Joey Badass’ newest album, 2000, is out now via Columbia Records. Stream it here.

[Source Exclusive] Irv Gotti Talks “The Murder Inc Story,” Successful Tips For Entrepreneurs + More

Irv Gotti Calls Drake the Eminem of Today

Business mogul and producer Irv Gotti, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. has been in a number of headlines recently revealing details of his past relationship with Ashanti, the early days of his career in the music industry, and the creation of Murder, Inc. just ahead of The Murder Inc Story five-part documentary series premiere.

The Murder Inc Story premieres on Tuesday, August 9 at 9PM ET on BET.

The five-part documentary will examine Irv Gotti’s initial success as a music executive at Def Jam and how he masterminded a new label that would forever shift and influence the music industry for generations to come. 

Murder, Inc. Records played a pivotal role in launching careers of some of the most influential voices in Hip Hop, Soul, and R&B, including Ja Rule, Ashanti, Lloyd, Charli Baltimore, Vita, Black Child, Caddillac Tah, and many more.

The documentary will not only cover the music of Murder, Inc, but also the drama surrounding the label. From feuds with Aftermath, Shady and  G-Unit Records, along with the federal charges he faced, Gotti, 52 is finally ready to reveal his authorized untold story of the rise, sudden fall, and redemption of his iconic record label..

The Source’s KimSoMajor caught up with Irv Gotti via zoom from his home in New York for a passionate and transparent discussion on the future of his company, Visionary Ideas Entertainment, learning what his purpose is, the upcoming Murder Inc. docu-series, why he would not do a reunion tour without Ashanti and much more. 

What’s the biggest reason that you wanted the Murder, Inc. documentary to come out and why now? 

The biggest reason is I felt it was a great time for me. I felt the ups and downs. The story needed to be told.  Because people have been wanting me to do a doc — Been because they just like how I run my mouth. I’m a pretty good interview piece cuz I just keep it real. Right. But I felt this cuz, I knew I was on my way back up Kim. And I’m on my way back up. Even bigger than the legendary sh*t that I’ve done. Because now I’m doing it, not only in music, but movies and films and I’m owning it, you know? 

When people say, ‘the universe is aligning,’ you know, when you hear that kind of bullsh*t —it is aligning for me. Yeah. [Laughs] That bullsh*t is, it’s kind of real for me and things just started falling into place and they’re continuing to fall into place with this doc and Tales following the doc, the one, two punch, I love Tuesday 9 and 10 PM on BET. So I just felt like it felt right. It felt right to tell my story because I have the come up part. I have the success. I have the Def Jam. Then the feds, Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff, the downfall. What should have been my downfall of 50 [Cent] bombing on me. If the feds wasn’t enough, it’s 50 bombing on me. I’m supposed to be buried and done. And then low and behold I’m coming back like a hundred times stronger.

Also, I wanted to tell my story as an inspiration and I know this is gonna sound corny, but it’s real. I wanted kids and my ni**as to see and hear my story because when I was filming it, one of the execs at BET —I almost moved to tears cuz she was like, I want my son to see this. My son has to see this. And I was like, why? “Cuz” she said, “Yo, you’re saying everything that he’s going through.” And what I was saying was until my dad got laid off, I was f**king off life.

I wasn’t applying myself. I wasn’t taking it serious. So what I said to the viewers and everyone that watches, it’s like, I take myself out of being Irv Gotti, and I basically compare myself to them and I’m like, Yo, I was just like you, I’m 22 years old. I’m playing f**king John Madden 93 for money at a barber shop. And that’s my day. I’m f**king off life. I’m not taking it serious. I had the same talent that I have now, but I wasn’t applying myself. I wasn’t going for it.

That’s what launched you into a savage?

Yeah, my dad was gonna get a pension and his job fired him and I’m at home. And I don’t know why God put me to see this, but he put me to see this. And you know, my dad is talking to my mom and he’s like, “I got no education like that.” He says, “Like, I don’t know what’s gonna happen to us or me,” and that sh*t just put a fire in me, Kim, that still burns right now. 

I’m glad that you mentioned that because I wanted to ask you what you felt your meaning and the purpose is. But just taking it back to those earlier moments, I seen a clip where you gave your dad the keys and just the emotion over it. I wanted to tear up. What was that feeling like?

I’m gonna talk about my dad. If I start crying, I start crying, but you know, my dad, —I just, love the f*ck out of him, Kim, him and Nene. ….So that moment is an immortal moment for me because it was the first time I seen my dad cry. He’s crying and he was hugging me and he was like, “My boy, my boy,” he was so f**king happy. And it wasn’t about the car. It was about, my boy is a man. He was like, my boy is a man.

It meant the world to me. He means the world to me. And I give him and Nene all of the credit and all of the props for me because I could honestly say if my dad didn’t get fired, I probably would’ve still been in that stupid ass barber shop playing Sega. And it wouldn’t no Irv Gotti.

Check out the full interview where we get into Irv’s $300M deal and his plans for his company, Visionary Ideas Entertainment and more.

Be sure to catch Tales , following the The Murder Inc Story Tuesdays at 9PM ET on BET.

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The post [Source Exclusive] Irv Gotti Talks “The Murder Inc Story,” Successful Tips For Entrepreneurs + More appeared first on The Source.

‘P-Valley’: Here’s All The Music You Heard In The Season Two Finale

(SPOILERS for this week’s P-Valley episode will be found below.)

After ten weeks of love, hate, pain, pleasures, highs, lows, and so much more, P-Valley will wrap things up with the finale for its second season. There are so many questions that remain as we enter the closer for Katori Hill’s hit show. Will Andre become the mayor of Chucalissa? Will Haley successfully sell The Pynk for $10 million? Will Uncle Clifford be able to stop Hailey from selling The Pynk? Will Mercedes be able to win back Terricka? Will Keyshawn be able to escape from her abusive boyfriend Derrick and out of Chucalissa with her two children?

For what it’s worth, each of the aforementioned questions will be answered in a yes or no fashion. However, it means that there’ll be a big shift in the future for The Pynk and its lovely ladies. Bigger obstacles will be left for the strip club to deal with while big moments of love and pain will only serve as fuel to the fire for what goes down in the valley.

The aforementioned events in the finale of season two are soundtracked by songs that help to accentuate the emotions behind each scene. They include Jucee Froot’s thumping “Down In The Valley” which serves as the theme song for the series.

What Songs Were In The Season Two Finale Of P-Valley?

The songs that soundtracked the standout moments on this week’s episode of P-Valley are Jazmine Sullivan’s “The Other Side” and L.T.D.’s “Love Ballad.” Jazmine Sullivan’s “The Other Side” plays as Mercedes pole dances in the space she initially purchased to hold dance classes for young girls prior to the pandemic. At this moment, she just received a wonderful gift from Farrah, Coach’s wife, when her mother Pastor Woodbine walks in to brag about her success, but more importantly, to also inform her about news regarding Mercedes’ daughter Terricka.

L.T.D.’s “Love Ballad” can be heard during a party at The Pynk hosted by Earnestine who wants to celebrate successfully recovering from COVID. While Lil Murda was expected to have left for his tour by the time the party began, he delayed his departure in order to say his goodbyes to Uncle Clifford. As a result, it sparks a moment that will forever change their relationship.

The soundtrack for this week’s episode also includes the following songs:
J. Alphonse Nicholson — “Seven Pounds Of Pressure”
Tonay Marie — “Eat It”
Sam Cooke — “Bring It On Home To Me”
Big KRIT — “No Playground”
Mint Condition — “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)”
Erykah Badu — “Didn’t Cha Know”

Season 2 of ‘P-Valley’ is now available to watch on STARZ.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Madonna & Jimmy Fallon: A Brief, Wild Run-down Of Her Recent Appearance On ‘The Tonight Show’

By now, you’ve probably heard about Madonna‘s bizarre recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It was strange for many reasons. “This interview is going to be all about flirtation and seduction,” she awkwardly said early on, with a noticeable lisp because of her grills, which were the topic of most of the conversations. At one point, she said out of nowhere, “People have a problem with my grills. I don’t know why.” She seemed much more interested in talking about them rather than her new album.

At another point, Madonna was discussing her Madame X tour documentary. “I’m really inspired by James Baldwin. The writer. Have you heard of him?” When he said, “Of course,” she replied, “Don’t lie.” That led up to her talking about how she wants to use her art to disturb the peace, and Fallon commented, “Oh yeah, you get in good trouble.” This phrasing somehow inspired her to then slide onto his desk, pushing his mugs aside, sprawling her body out while Fallon yelled at her to stop while trying to cover her butt with his suit jacket because her skirt was very short. It didn’t work. As soon as she got up to sit back down, she flashed the camera.

But of course that was not the weirdest part. At the end, Fallon got up and laid his body down on the floor. Madonna found this as a perfect opportunity to then straddle him. Check it out below at your own risk.