Did U Know? Entertainment News Week Ending March 16, 2019
Did U Know? Entertainment News for week ending March 16, 2019. We want to send a shout out to Charlotte’s own DaBaby…over 5 million views of his new video. Check it out below!
Charlotte Rapper DaBaby Hits Big With First Major Label Release, New Video
Charlotte North Carolina’s DaBaby is more than the antics that have garnered him attention, including showing up to his SXSW performance back in 2017 wearing a diaper. The rapper is celebrating the release of his debut Interscope record, Baby on Baby, an impressive 13-track album that showcases the Charlotte rapper’s skills. “Baby on Baby,” released last week, was praised Tuesday (March 12) by Rolling Stone, which said it “stood out for its sense of urgency. The North Carolina rapper’s allure relies on his comedic persona — his videos have the bombast of Busta Rhymes with the satirical edge of early Eminem. Absurd, detailed and over-the-top, DaBaby has a honed commitment to character,” wrote Rolling Stone.
His new video “Suge (Yea Yea), with DaBaby posing as the world’s worst postal worker, has earned more than 5.3 million views on YouTube since being released Monday (March 11). DaBaby signed a deal with the prestigious Interscope Records in January, according to Clture.org. The video was filmed in a neighborhood near west Charlotte’s Freedom Drive-Toddville Road area.
When asked during recent interview about shifting the perspective of how a rapper is expected to look or act like, he said, “I really just do me. I’m not afraid to be creative and push the envelope when it comes to creating a vision for my music. I’m not doing [comedy] so much to break stereotypes, it just happens naturally. Every rapper doesn’t need to be a tough guy in the video, with guns, staring into the camera like they’re going to scare somebody. It doesn’t need to go down like that anymore. I’m making it okay to have fun with your content.”
Faith Evans Becomes A Love & Hip Hop Atlanta Cast Member
Immediately following the recently-finished season of Love & Hip Hop New York, the 8th season of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta will be premiering on VH1 at the end of March. The network previewed a trailer for the new season of LHHATL on Monday (March 11) during the LHHNY reunion episode, and it included R&B diva Faith Evans making her debut as a new cast member. This new addition to the cast shouldn’t be too much of a surprise considering she’s been married to Stevie J who is one of the seasoned cast members on the show since July 2018. Nevertheless, fans on Twitter have been in a shock about this transition Evans has made to the scripted reality TV show, and many were disappointed as they feel this is a demotion for the singer.
Season 8 of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta premieres Monday, March 25 at 8:00 pm.
Nicki Minaj Cancels Second Show On World Tour: Angry Barbs Chant “Cardi B” In Audience
Rapper Nicki Minaj canceled a show in France just hours before she was supposed to take her place on the stage due to technical issues. This cancellation upset her fans who she refers to as the “barbs” and caused them to not only boo her but chant her sworn rival Cardi B’s name!
The “Chun-Li” rapper was set to perform at the Akrea Arena in Bordeaux, Saturday (March 9) but cancelled three hours before the show, after her fans were already inside the building. Minaj took to Instagram and issued an apology for the cancellation. “The venue was having technical difficulties and could not facilitate my show” Minaj said in an Instagram video. Minaj also stated that this is the same reason for her cancelled show Feb. 22 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Jennifer Hudson Starring In Aretha Franklin Biopic
The Queen of Soul will entertain fans one last time in 2020! The biopic Respect will star Jennifer Hudson as Franklin and will be directed by Liesl Tommy according to Variety. The film will depict Franklin’s rise to fame as well as her childhood and her transition from singing in the church to becoming an R&B/Soul superstar. The movie is set to be released in theaters August 14, 2020.
Legendary Songstress Dionne Warwick Announces “She’s Back,” First New Album In Five Years
Legendary Grammy Award winner Dionne Warwick will release her first new album in 5 years, “She’s Back” on May 10th. Produced by her son Damon Elliot, the lead-off single will be an updated version of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David classic, “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” which Dionne recorded during the 1960s. In addition to ten tracks of new songs as well of remakes of pop/soul gems, “She’s Back” will be packaged with a bonus disc of Ms. Warwick’s 1998 album, “Dionne Sings Dionne,” which features her greatest hits, remastered for this package. “She’s Back” also includes duets with Kenny Lattimore (“What Color Is Love”), Musiq Soulchild (“Am I Dreaming?”) as well as Bone, Thugs & Harmony’s Krayzie Bone (“Déjà Vu”). “She’s Back” is Ms. Warwick’s 36th full-length studio recording, and her first dedicated R&B/soul album in fifty years.
Ms. Warwick is one of several legends to be chosen to receive one of the Grammy Awards’ highest honors this year – the Lifetime Achievement Award. She joins music greats such as George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias as well as Sam & Dave in this bestowed class. The honorees were mentioned in the Grammy Awards live telecast earlier this month. A separate award presentation ceremony and concert celebrating the honorees will be held the day after the release of “She’s Back,” on May 11, 2019, in Los Angeles. Additionally, Dionne will begin a highly anticipated concert residency in Las Vegas on April 4, 2019.
Chance The Rapper Settles Down With Long-Time Girlfriend
It’s being reported that the Chicago-born rapper whose real name is Chancelor Jonathan Bennett (AKA Chance The Rapper) tied the knot his long-standing girlfriend Kirsten Corley last Saturday (March 9). The following Monday Chance posted photos on his instagram page of him in a white tuxedo with black pants and her wearing a strapless white dress with caption “The Bennetts.”
Beyoncé & Jay Z To Be Honored As LGBTQ Allies at Annual GLAAD Media Awards
International superstars Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been declared as the newest honorees for the 2019 GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Awards. The couple will be awarded with this year’s Vanguard Award, which is given to LGBTQ collaborators who have “made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.” Artists including Britney Spears, Cher, Demi Lovato and Janet Jackson have also been honorees of this award. The event will be heldThursday, March 28 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
This will not be Jay-Z’s first award from the organization; last year, the rapper was honored with a GLAAD Special Recognition Award, alongside his mother Gloria Carter, for his song “Smile,” where he gave his mother a public platform to come out to the world as a lesbian.
Actress Robin Givens Headed To RHOA
According to a Bravo insider, actress Robin Givens, who is allegedly a good friend of Real Housewives of Atlanta stars Nene Leakes and Cynthia Bailey, wants to join the show. As reported by AceShowbiz, Givens has been tapped to be the newest addition to the Bravo reality show. MTO News states that the network is currently working with Mike Tyson’s ex wife who is set to be a part of next season’s storyline. “We approached [Robin] years ago to be on the ‘Housewives’ and she declined,” the insider reveals. “Now she’s open to it.”
“Oh [Robin] is definitely going to be on the show,” the insider further claims. However, it’s currently unknown “whether she’ll be a housewife or a friend, but she’s on.” News of Robin’s potential participation on the show comes as reports claim Kenya Moore is desperate to return to the show. You may recall how Bravo producers initially wanted to demote her but Moore wasn’t having it – so she reportedly walked but demanded a huge payout for her continued participation.
Ace Showbiz writes “The mother of one allegedly was looking for a return to the show and offering to rejoin the show with only $500,000 per season. That was a huge paydown for Kenya as it meant she was offering a 75% discount from her initial $2 million salary two seasons ago.”
“She’s even willing to take a friend of the show role,” an insider claimed. “She’s desperate to get back on the show, in any way.”