Folks in Las Vegas are feeling quite disappointed right now… at least, if they had tickets to attend the Lovers & Friends festival this year. Moreover, the music extravaganza celebrating many iconic artists from the ’90s, 2000s, and beyond was scheduled to take place today (Saturday, May 4). Unfortunately, event organizers issued a statement announcing the cancellation of the event due to risky weather conditions, which is a saddening blow considering the wealth of amazing acts slated for it. These include Usher, Alicia Keys, Nas, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Janet Jackson, and many more. This festival began in 2022 after COVID-19 delayed its premiere, it shut down early in its first year due to a reported shooting, but it ran smoothly last year.
“Lovers & Friends Festival organizers have been monitoring the weather for several days and proactively preparing for a windy Saturday,” the statement read. “However, the National Weather Service has now issued a High Wind Warning, including dangerous 30-35 mph sustained winds with gusts potentially more than 60 mph. Following advice from the National Weather Service and in consultation with local public officials, we must make the safest decision for our fans, artists, and staff, and cancel tomorrow’s Lovers & Friends Festival.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 06: Missy Elliott during the Lovers & Friends music festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on May 06, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kaitlyn Morris/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
“This was an incredibly heartbreaking decision to make as we are aware that fans have traveled from all over the world to enjoy this incredible lineup of superstars and have been looking forward to this event for several months,” it continued. “We’ve worked hard to create an amazing event for you, and we are just as disappointed as you are. Ticket holders who purchased their tickets directly through Front Gate Tickets will receive a refund within 30 days to the original form of payment.”
Meanwhile, that mention of last year’s Lovers & Friends wasn’t completely without controversy, as performers Usher and Chris Brown had allegedly fought shortly prior. Regardless, here’s wishing the best of luck for next year’s rendition. Some of these artists have probably already addressed this online, whereas others will surely have something to say in the near future. Luck in Vegas is a fickle thing.
Billie Eilish’s style has arguably defined a whole generation of pop music fans and beyond, due to her idiosyncrasy and carefree energy. However, with such acclaim comes a fair share of experimenting, all of which she’s brushed off against haters or people making fun of her looks online. In the most recent example of this, the “my strange addiction” singer drew fans’ attention- and comical jokes- thanks to her new hairstyle. In new pictures, she showed off a swirl of red, orange, yellow, and green in her hair that had fans comparing her to a weather channel forecast. It’s quite comical in context, but the Los Angeles native probably knew exactly what she was doing with it, so your jokes aren’t new or lost on her.
Furthermore, whether it’s for her everyday fashion choices or her statements within the scene, she’s always going to cause a lot of conversation. Probably the biggest area in which Billie Eilish succeeded in this regard is her hyped sneaker collaborations. For example, most recently, she dropped “Fire Red” and “White/Black” variations of her Nike Air Alpha Force 88 collab. No matter what kind of sneakerhead you are, there’s a very good chance that the 21-year-old has her name on a pair you really like.
In addition, these style endeavors, plus her status as a massive pop star, have garnered her a lot of acclaim and respect within hip-hop. It’s a love that Billie Eilish started expressing for the culture that they then reciprocated, like when she sent Nicki Minaja pair of her aforementioned Alpha Forces. However, it’s also a relationship that fell under much scrutiny, whether it’s her against the game or the game against her. Lil Yachty recently referenced her body on a bar from his For All The Dogs-featured Drake collab, “Another Late Night.”
What’s more is that Billie actually seemed to cosign this bar, even if it’s a bit objectifying for such a young figure. Regardless of all that, anyone can look at this new hairstyle and laugh at the comparison. More than anything, she seems to take all the acclaim and attention in stride, and not focusing on the negative aspects or dressing for someone else’s clout-chase. For more news and the latest updates on Billie Eilish, come back to HNHH.
Boosie Badazz may be a rap-star provocateur, but he’s just as human as the rest of us. Moreover, he recently shared some comical clips on social media of him and presumably his daughter, or at least a kid presumably part of his family. With fans in hand, they were trying to beat the intense heat that was present at the Atlanta Braves game they went to. “Where the designers at?” the Baton Rouge MC cheekily expressed. “I need a Braves wifebeater. Man, why y’all ain’t tell us it’d be this hot at the Braves game? God damn! Came out here… god damn. Oooh, I’m wearing a wifebeater next time.”
Funnily enough, this story sort of ties into another big news piece surrounding Boosie: his beef with Yung Bleu. Apparently, Bleu couldn’t take the heat as much, because he canceled the rest of his tour amid their online feud. Jokes aside, that situation escalated from purely a financial dispute to a personal vendetta, which was nasty to see develop. It seems like things have slowed down in the week since this development, though, which is good to see.
As such, we know that the 40-year-old can handle warm weather, whether in beefs or under the sun. What Boosie won’t stand for is people not offering up the heat upon his request. Recently, he started another beef saga, but a bizarre one that might not see much updates. When the Trill Entertainment affiliate went to Waffle House, they refused to cook his potato, which resulted in a wild rant. If there’s anyone who knows how to make something out of nothing for online entertainment, it’s him.
Meanwhile, it’s at least nice to see the “Set It Off” MC going out and about to more casual or fun activities. Usually, his antics have an industry backdrop, are related to some club incident, or is just him getting himself roped into tough situations on social media. There’s nothing like a baseball game to get your mind off of things… just make sure to dress for the weather. On that note, come back to HNHH for more news and updates on Boosie Badazz.
Burning Man is a festival that die-hard fans look forward to annually due to its unique nature and unconventional theme. Held in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, the festival is not for the faint of heart. However, this year’s event took on a new sense of chaos due to severe weather. Between torrential rain, flooding, and overall unbearable conditions, the usual Burning Man adventure became a huge misadventure. As the desert debacle unfolded, one person reportedly died, and thousands were stranded. While the situation has improved, many are still trying to make their way home. Here’s everything we know about what has happened at Burning Man so far.
Burning Man Beginnings
This years theme for Burning Man is the “American Dream: and what better sign which is displayed on the playa then one similiar to the one ftom Las Vegas. (Photo by Frederic Larson/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
According to the Burning Man website, the event started as a bonfire attended by a few friends in the early 1980s and became an official event in 1986. Ultimately, it became a week-long camping excursion in the Black Rock Desert, with a makeshift city erected every year named Black Rock City to honor the festival. Organizers emphasized inclusion, self-reliance, and building community. Festivalgoers often camp in tents or RVs and are encouraged to bring all needed supplies with them. Throughout the festival, attendees participate in forms of self-expression and enjoy art and music. The festival ends with the burning of a huge wooden effigy known as The Man.
This year’s Burning Man started on August 27 and ended on Labor Day, September 4, with around 72,000 people in attendance. Performances by DJ Diplo, various other DJs and musicians, and artwork by numerous artists entertained festivalgoers. While social media showed thousands of people getting lit throughout the festival, things soon took a turn for the worse.
Bad Weather At Burning Man
Unfortunately, Burning Man 2023 was hit hard and fast by unexpectedly bad weather. CNN reported that the area received almost one inch of rain between Friday and Saturday morning, equal to two or three months of rain. As a result, massive flooding took place, which turned the desert into a muddy, mucky mess. Consequently, roads weren’t passable for vehicles to get in and out of the city. On top of that, howling winds reached up to 40 mph, further making the situation dire.
Due to the weather, Burning Man organizers closed all roads in the area on Friday night. By Saturday, organizers issued shelter-in-place orders to keep festivalgoers safe. Because of this, attendees had to conserve food, water, fuel, and other supplies. The bad weather continued into Sunday, making the roads even worse.
A Crappy Situation
There are a lot of things to be grateful for today. One of those things is that you’re not at Burning Man. pic.twitter.com/YeqzzRxAxR
If bad weather and sheltering in place with thousands of strangers weren’t bad enough, things got even worse. Since nobody could come in and out of the camps, the mobile restrooms couldn’t be emptied or cleaned. In a since-deleted Instagram story that’s gone around social media, Chris Rock, who was in attendance, spoke on the situation. “From what I understand, because of the flooding, the port-o-potties reportedly can’t be emptied.” Maybe that’s why Burning Man organizers encourage people to bring their own “poop buckets.”
In addition to the ongoing chaos, reports surfaced of a death at the festival. According to SFGATE, 32-year-old Leon Reece passed away on Friday night. The sheriff’s office received a report that Reece was unresponsive, and medics performed CPR. However, it was too late, and he was pronounced dead. While authorities are saying it doesn’t appear that Reece’s death was weather-related, a cause is pending until the autopsy results come in.
Since the roads were impassable, everybody in attendance was stuck at the campground. Organizers warned attendees not to attempt to leave because it could be dangerous with foot-deep mud. Only emergency vehicles were permitted in and out for a while, but even they had a tough time in the muddy conditions. Campers and RVs that attempted to drive out were stuck with no way to free them. Further, not only could vehicles not maneuver, but concertgoers were advised not to try to walk. However, everybody didn’t listen to the advice, including a couple of famous folks.
Chris Rock & Diplo Escape Burning Man
just walked 5 miles in the mud out of burning man with chris rock and a fan picked us up pic.twitter.com/0uxSXLHgY6
Apparently, Chris Rock and Diplo had enough of Burning Man and decided to dip. The two went against advice and walked about five miles through the deep, alkaline mud. Diplo wrote on social media, “I legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out.” A fan picked the two up, and they rode in the back of a pickup truck. Moreover, Chris and Diplo weren’t the only ones who wanted out. There were numerous reports of people taking their chances walking and hitchhiking. Sometimes, you just have to depend on the kindness of strangers.
The Latest At Burning Man
Napoleon’s Retreat from Nevada is the most powerful #BurningMan installation yet. I love the juxtaposition of traffic jam and empty space, individualism and driving nose-to-ass, self-absorption and the rest of us giving no f*cks. Perfection. https://t.co/xX2VQRczC1
Conditions improved by Monday, September 4, and people could finally get out. Organizers posted on the Burning Man website, “As of 2:00pm, Exodus operations have officially begun in Black Rock City. The driving ban has been lifted.” However, according to the Burning Man X account, there were wait times of more than seven hours to exit.
Due to the weather and chaos, the traditional burning of the effigy took place Monday night instead of Sunday and was still viewed by thousands. The mass exodus began on Tuesday, with most festivalgoers leaving the Black Rock Desert behind. Right now, there are miles and miles of vehicles with reported wait times of around two hours. At this point, everybody is probably just thankful to get out of the desert in one piece.
Pharrell’s Something In The Water festival has been canceled due to severe weather conditions in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The organizers made the announcement on the festival’s social media page, Sunday. They explained that the decision was made on the advice of local authorities.
“We are disappointed to share that under the advisement of the city of Virginia Beach and the local authorities, we have to cancel day three of Something In The Water due to significant impacts to the festival site caused by severe weather, as well as the current and forecasted storms approaching and a tornado warning,” the statement reads.
Pharrell At “Something In The Water”
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 19: Pusha T (L) and Pharrell perform at the 2022 Something in the Water Music Festival on Independence Avenue on June 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
Further in the message, they explained that they will be offering partial refunds to attendees. The message continues: “We did not make this decision easily, but everyone’s safety is our top priority. We will be refunding 33% of the base price from admission passes. Refunds will be automatically processed beginning tomorrow and take approximately 14 days.”
Pharrell later personally elaborated in the comments section of the post: “Dearest Virginia, We are the best. These past few days have been the best. Even during this Tornado Watch and Lightning Storm right now, as I type, we are the best. Thank you for giving the folks that travel here that energy and that LOVE that only we can give. Thank you to our partners, the vendors, production, policemen, firemen, the city council, the mayor, and all who volunteered. The spirit here was felt everywhere!”
The legendary producer also confirmed that they’ll be pushing the dates in future years to avoid April showers. “Next year, we will shift the dates because this rain ain’t playing, but we will be! Next year, more acts, more merch, more food… just more! Continued blessings and favor to you all,” he concluded. Had it not been canceled, Sunday would’ve featured performances from Lil Uzi Vert, Clipse, as well as Wu-Tang Clan, Lil Durk, and more.
Eminem’s lyrics from “Without Me” and “The Real Slim Shady” were both referenced during a viral weather report from Houston, Texas. In the clip, meteorologist Adam Krueger follows through on a TikTok challenge to use the legendary rapper’s lyrics while reporting the weather.
“One last dry day, but guess who’s back, back again? Rain is back, tell a friend,” Krueger said referencing “Without Me.” After doing “The Real Slim Shady,” Krueger said, “You’re probably thinking, ‘Oh wait, no wait – you’re kidding. He didn’t just say what I think he did, did he?’” Eminem isn’t the only artist that Krueger has done this for. On his social media pages, he takes requests for all sorts of challenges from his followers. He’s also done Megan Thee Stallion, George Strait, DMX, The Weeknd, and more.
Adam Krueger’s Weather Report
The weather report comes just months after Eminem was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In his acceptance speech, he explained that he felt he wasn’t supposed to have reached this level of success for multiple reasons. “So I’m probably not supposed to actually be here tonight because of a couple of reasons. One of them that I’m a rapper, and this is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And there’s only a few of us right now that have been inducted in already, but there’s only a few of us,” Eminem said. He continued: “Secondly, I almost died from an overdose in 2007, which kind of sucked. Hailie, plug your ears: because drugs were fucking delicious, and I thought we had a good thing going man, but I had to go and fuck it all up and take too many. God damn. OK Hailie.”
Additionally, Eminem is working with 50 Cent on a TV adaptation of his iconic film, 8 Mile. The G-Unit rapper spoke about the project during an interview on the BigBoyTV YouTube channel. “It’s gonna be big. I’m working. I ain’t got no duds. I’m batting 100,” 50 said on the show. “I think it should be there for his legacy because it’s important to me that they understand it.”
