Since the start of the pandemic, Verzuz battles between artists have been gaining popularity. It fills fans with a warm nostalgia but also makes people think about who will be next to go head to head. With the growing popularity of Verzuz battles, people are eager to see who would be pinned against each other. […]
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During an Instagram live, business and music mogul Diddy stated that R&B is dead. However, SOHH disagrees since several talented artists are keeping the music genre alive. In a recent Instagram live, Bad Boy Records owner, Diddy, made a statement saying that R&B is dead. Usher, also crowned the king of R&B, went on a […]
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She may be the queen of R&B, but Mary J Blige expressed some concerns about the current state of her kingdom (queendom?) on a spirited discussion with Diddy on IG live in which she claims that pop music killed the R&B genre.
Diddy took to IG live on this week via Hollywood Unlocked after he had asked his followers: “Who killed R&B?” Mary J Blige joined him for a live session (which is archived here) to discuss her thoughts on the genre’s current state and how it got there.
Of R&B being “killed,” she said that “You can’t kill something that’s in our DNA. It’s going to keep transitioning from generation to generation to generation,” noting how many people her age have passed down a love of the genre to their children.
She did however, note that many mainstream radio stations have tried to kill R&B, or at least change the genre to be more in line with mainstream taste.
She first thanked the radio stations around the country that play and support R&B music before explaining that radio stations tend to jump on the bandwagon and play whatever is popular.
She said that the radio stations call it “popular music” when artists like Justin Timberlake and Adele get ahold of it, before explaining that “it [R&B] has been popular music.”
She stated that R&B can’t be killed, explaining that “we have to keep ourselves alive. You can’t kill us because we’re already in the system, in the bloodline, the DNA.”
She cited many popular R&B artists including Chris Brown, Chaka Khan, Etta James, Usher, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Jazmine Sullivan, and SWV that have not been “killed” and are keeping the genre alive.
She also encouraged R&B fans not to be “sheep” and get angry at the radio stations, but rather be shepherds and promote the genre and request more R&B on mainstream radio.
Mary J Blige’s “Good Morning Gorgeous Tour” starts September 17.
The post Mary J Blige and Diddy Discuss How Pop Music Tried to”Kill” R&B on IG Live appeared first on The Source.
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.
Today marks the theatrical release of B.J. Novak’s new movie Vengeance, in which he stars alongside Ashton Kutcher. It turns out Kutcher once gave Novak his big break on TV, as Novak appeared in a number of episodes of Punk’d in the early 2000s. Novak talked about that during an appearance on The Late Show yesterday and told a terrific story about pranking Usher.
Stephen Colbert mentioned the Punk’d connection and Novak noted Kutcher “changed my life with that show.” Colbert asked if the celebrities he helped prank ever got mad, and Novak was quick to respond, “Terribly mad, and here’s the problem: So I’m meeting all these celebrities for the first time, right? It’s thrilling for me. I’m meeting Missy Elliott, I’m meeting Usher; It’s the worst day of their life!”
He then got into the Usher prank that was on the Season 2 premiere (that aired on October 26, 2003), explaining the situation and how Usher acted after the reveal:
“My job once, I got to meet Usher, but my job was I was a store owner on Melrose and [Usher’s] little brother had been busted for shoplifting; he was in on it with us. And the only way I would let the brother go was if [Usher] recorded a rap jingle for my store, which I rapped for him. And he was like, ‘First of all, I’m not a rapper. Second of all, why does it refer to ‘Ice?” I’m like, ‘Well, we wanted Vanilla Ice.’ It’s a well-written show, I didn’t write the joke, it’s so funny.
So then he’s furious and then Ashton comes out and he’s like, ‘Bro!’ Like, it’s a huge hug. And I’m like [open arms gesture] and he’s like, ‘No no no no no.’ Like, your first impression of someone sticks, you know, so I have not run into Usher since. I don’t think he’ll be in my next movie.”
Watch the Novak interview above and find clips from the Usher Punk’d episode below.
@hustle_hard_media Usher gets Punk’d! #fyp #viral #sharethepost #trending #viralvideo #viralseries #followme #foryoupage #usher #mtv #punkd #ashtonkutcher #pranks #funny #hilarious
@hustle_hard_media Usher gets Punk’d! #fyp #viral #sharethepost #trending #viralvideo #viralseries #followme #foryoupage #usher #mtv #punkd #ashtonkutcher #pranks #funny #hilarious
Usher is taking to television: The Grammy Award-winning vocalist has signed on as an executive producer for an upcoming television series called Storyville, as reported by Variety.
The series, set in New Orleans, will tell the story of five brothel madams seeking to gain control over the city’s Red Light District. It is a music-centered series which will be focused on the beginning of the Jazz Age in New Orleans.
“Storyville is an epic tale sparked by the origins of the sound that inspired my career — a story that touches the nerve of social and cultural relevance today,” Usher said in a statement.
At the time of reporting, the series is currently in development by Starlings Television and is targeted for global sale to various networks. Starlings TV President/EP Chris Philip and CEO Karine Martin are also set to co-executive produce the show, alongside Usher, as well as creators and showrunners Bill Macdonald and Walt Becker, and Marcus Morton.
“Usher’s massive global appeal, musical and acting genius will propel this unique and compelling original series into must-see viewing worldwide,” Philip said in a statement. “His invaluable creative and musical contributions to Storyville fulfill our vision of contrasting the gritty, sometimes brutal sides of New Orleans life with it giving birth to a beautiful, diverse and defining new artform.”
Justin Bieber is progressing well following his Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis, according to Usher. Usher spoke with Extra over the weekend and stated his Bieber, his mentee, is “doing great.”
“As an artist, I think we are all going to experience some things that people may not necessarily understand,” said Usher. “I think [Justin] has obviously taken the world on a journey. I am happy that I was at the beginning of and I am still a part of to this day, as a friend.”
Usher revealed that he and Bieber hung out during a recent vacation. “I think that whatever he may be experiencing right now, it’s actually really great to see that he has the support from his fans and his family.”
Justin Bieber postponed his United States leg of the Justice Tour. The diagnosis Bieber received has left half of his face paralyzed, but he has assured fans that he is optimistic about his recovery and is receiving first-rate medical care. The 28-year-old shared on social media that he had Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder brought on by the varicella virus, which is associated with chicken pox.
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