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01/10/2022

Julia Fox talks unusual Kanye West date night

t was a very different way to go public with their dating, but according to Julia Fox so was their date.

The actress wrote about her experience kicking it with Kanye West, who now goes by "Ye," for Interview magazine, complete with intimate photos shot by Kevin Leyva.
According to Fox she and West "met on New Year's Eve" (the pair were spotted that night in Miami) and "it was an instant connection."
"His energy is so fun to be around," she wrote. "He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night. We decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see 'Slave Play.'"
She was most impressed with the fact that while his flight landed at 6 and the play was at 7, West was on time, and after the Broadway production they headed to "dinner at Carbone which is one of my favorite restaurants."
While there, according to Fox, West art directed a photo shoot, including the diners, which she says everyone present loved.
But the best was still to come for Fox.
"After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, I'm still in shock," she wrote. "Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes."
Calling it "every girl's dream come true" and "a real Cinderella moment," Fox ended by saying "I don't know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I'm loving the ride."
The images accompanying the piece she wrote included her and West canoodling, as well as some of their fashion moments.
West's wife, Kim Kardashian West, filed for divorce last year and Fox is reportedly estranged from her husband Peter Artemiev.

01/10/2022

'The Amazing Race' is back but it will look a little different

'The Amazing Race' host Phil Keoghan opened up to CNN about Season 33.
After the longest pit stop in "Amazing Race" history, the show is back.

"The Amazing Race" had completed filming three episodes of a new season when the world came to a halt over coronavirus concerns in March 2020.
It took more than a year and a half for the show's producers and the network, CBS, to make safety protocols and arrangements to finish what they started in the face of unprecedented circumstances.
But like the contestants who race around the world for a chance to win $1 million, "The Amazing Race" producers were up for the challenge.
Below, host Phil Keoghan opens up below about how they did it and what it means to race around the world after a world-changing event.

01/10/2022

The Weeknd Releases New Album Dawn FM:

The Weeknd has released Dawn FM, a new album that he announced earlier this week. The album features contributions from Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jim Carrey, Swedish House Mafia, Max Martin, Calvin Harris, and Uncut Gems co-director Josh Safdie. It also includes the 2021 single “Take My Breath.” Listen to the new album and check out the album’s credits below.

The new album’s sudden arrival follows the long rollout campaign of the Weeknd’s 2020 album After Hours. Read “The Weeknd’s Director Alex Lill Unpacks the Singer’s Eccentric String of After Hours TV Performances” on the Pitch.

01/10/2022

BUFFALO BILLS WR Stefon Diggs ...
HONORS BETTY WHITE WITH CLEATS!!!

The artwork on Stefon Diggs' cleats knows no bounds, evidenced in his latest offering ... a tribute to the late Betty White.

The Buffalo Bills wide receiver honored the iconic actress Sunday with a pair of pregame footwear that featured BW's likeness, plus a famous song attributed to her as well. You can see a cartoon rendering of Betty throwing up the 'rock on' hand sign ... while smirking.

On the other cleat, the words "Thank You For Being a Friend" are emblazoned -- obviously a nod to the 'Golden Girls' theme song of the same name. The artwork was done by footwear designer Mache, who's famous for doing these mockups for athletes, especially Stefon.

No word if these babies made it on the gridiron or not -- SD usually flashes his custom cleats before kickoff, and then changes into what he'll actually wear for the game. But, it's not unheard of for him to rock tribute cleats on the field, like he did for Michael K. Williams.

01/10/2022

Bob Saget, ‘Full House’ Star, Dies at 65
Bob Saget, a stand-up comedian and actor beloved for his role as Danny Tanner on the 1990’s sitcom “Full House,” died Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando, Fla., police confirmed to Variety. He was 65.

Shortly after 4 p.m., police officers responded to a man down call at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes hotel and discovered Saget unresponsive in a hotel room, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office told Variety. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office did not have any information on a cause of death, and detectives did not find any signs of foul play or drug use in the case. The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine a cause and manner of death at a later date.

Saget had recently kicked off a nationwide stand-up tour in September 2021 that was set to run through June of 2022. According to his most recent post on Twitter, Saget had performed Saturday evening at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Jacksonville, Fla.

In 1987, Saget was cast as patriarch Danny Turner on “Full House,” where he played the father of D.J. (Candace Cameron), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and Michelle Tanner (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen). He raised his daughters as a single dad after his wife died on the show but was joined by his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) and his best friend Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier). The show ran for eight seasons and 192 episodes from 1987 to 1994, reaching more than 17 million viewers during its peak in Season 5. From Season 3 onwards, “Full House” was in the Nielsen Top 30 TV shows.

01/07/2022

Sidney Poitier, 1st Black man to win best actor Oscar, dies at 94

Sidney Poitier, the Oscar-winning actor who brought a quiet dignity to his characters on screen and helped break down the color barrier in Hollywood, has died. He was 94 years old.

Poitier's death was confirmed by two Bahamian ministers. Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper told ABC News he was "conflicted with great sadness and a sense of celebration when I learned of the passing of Sir Sidney Poitier."

Sadness that he would no longer be here to tell him how much he means to us, but celebration that he did so much to show the world that those from the humblest beginnings can change the world and that we gave him his flowers while he was with us," he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell also told ABC News, "We've lost a great Bahamian and I've lost a personal friend."

Poitier became the first Black man to win an Academy Award for best actor in 1964 for his role in "Lilies of the Field." He was perhaps best known for his role as a Black doctor engaged to a white woman in 1967's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," in which he starred opposite Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.

That same year, he portrayed his most successful character, Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs in the Southern crime drama "In the Heat of the Night." It was a role he would reprise in two sequels. He played an inner-city teacher in "To Sir, with Love," his third film in 1967.

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01/07/2022

Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence Live With Over 40 Reptiles in Their Home

Cold-blooded! As it turns out, Cheryl Burke lives in a house filled with reptiles, and she doesn't exactly seem thrilled about it.

The Dancing With the Stars pro sat down for a chat on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday, and was asked about the many, many pets that she and her husband, Matthew Lawrence, care for -- whether she likes it or not.

"I love animals, but he likes reptiles," Burke explained, after joking that their relationship works because "opposites attract."

"He has 45-50 reptiles that live beneath us," Burke shared, adding, "No snakes! That was the deal, no snakes. But when we dated a little over a decade ago I knew I would be marrying a guy who loves reptiles."

01/07/2022

JESSIE Lee Daniels of the Force MDs has passed away as confirmed by his management team.

Force MDs member, Jessie Lee 'Jessie D' Daniels has passed away
“Please put a heart up for him. He was loved!!!!!!!!!! TO the family, friends and fans today we lost a real talent. Our condolences goes out to his siblings, kids and the Force MDs."

The Force MDs were an R&B vocal group formed in Staten Island, New York in 1981. They created six studio albums together, with the last one released in 2000.

Fans and family members took to social media to express their condolences and share memories of the musician's passing.

“My uncle Jessie Daniels was one of a kind…I’m so crushed right now,” wrote one of Daniels’ family members on Facebook.

Zakaa Boom Saadiq, an event promoter in New York City made a post on Instagram about Daniels’ death.

“The year just started and we can’t escape the heartache. Rest in Power to my made Jessie Daniels aka Jesse D of the Force MDs,” he wrote.

01/07/2022

Betty White Dies: The Golden Girls and Mary Tyler Moore Show Star Was 99

Betty White, TV's perennial Golden Girl, has died. She was 99.

"Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever," her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas told PEOPLE in a statement on Friday. "I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don't think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again."

Witjas adds, "Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home early this morning."

White was gearing up to celebrate her 100th birthday on Jan. 17. Ahead of her centennial year, in a cover story, White opened up to PEOPLE about how she was feeling about turning 100 years old.

For more on Betty White, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day.

12/04/2021

Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal Shooting of Beverly Hills Philanthropist

Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal Shooting of Beverly Hills Philanthropist

The police on Thursday announced that they had arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of Jacqueline Avant, a philanthropist and the wife of the music producer Clarence Avant, one day after she was killed at her home in Beverly Hills, Calif.

About an hour after Ms. Avant, 81, was killed, the suspect, Aariel Maynor, 29, of Los Angeles, was arrested when he accidentally shot himself in the foot while burglarizing a home in Hollywood, about 7 miles from Ms. Avant’s home, Chief Mark Stainbrook of the Beverly Hills Police Department said at a news conference on Thursday.

The police found Mr. Maynor in the backyard of the home in Hollywood after they received a report of a shooting there at 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Chief Stainbrook said, adding that they also recovered the rifle Mr. Maynor is believed to have used to shoot Ms. Avant. Mr. Maynor was taken to a hospital, where he remains in custody.

Ms. Avant was found with a gunshot wound after the police received a report of a shooting at her home in Beverly Hills at 2:23 a.m. on Wednesday. Mr. Avant and a private security guard were at the home at the time of the shooting, but were unharmed, the police said.

Mr. Avant started Sussex Records in 1969 and signed Bill Withers, releasing some of his best-known songs, including “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Use Me” and “Lean on Me.” Over the years, he also worked with Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Babyface. He helped promote Michael Jackson’s “Bad” world tour in 1987, and was chairman of the board of Motown Records.

Mr. Avant was the subject of a 2019 Netflix documentary, “The Black Godfather,” which featured testimonials from Mr. Clinton, former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris, who was then a presidential candidate.

The couple’s daughter, Nicole A. Avant, a former U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, was a producer of “The Black Godfather,” and is married to Ted Sarandos, a co-chief executive of Netflix.

12/04/2021

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia Have All-Out Fight During 'Verzuz' Battle

hings got heated during Thursday night's Verzuz battle between the groups Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia. More than an hour into the show, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony performed their song, "Give Me Some Hydro," and shortly after, member Bizzy Bone addressed Three 6 Mafia.

"Before we even get started, you ugly mother f**kers ain't fit to be mocking me while I'm on motherf**king stage. Like, straight the f**k up," he said before throwing what appeared to be his water bottle at the opposing group.

The members of Three 6 Mafia reacted, coming up to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony as a physical and verbal battle broke out between the two groups.

After cutting out due to "technical difficulties," the show resumed as Three 6 Mafia took the stage. When it was time for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to perform again, Bizzy Bone was not seen on the stage. Several songs later, he returned to the stage to apologize. He first shook hands with a member of Three 6 Mafia before addressing the crowd.

12/04/2021

Tristan Thompson Is Allegedly Expecting His Third Child, Being Sued for Child Support

Tristan Thompson is allegedly expecting his third child. In the court docs obtained by DailyMail, the 30-year-old NBA star is being sued for child support by Maralee Nichols, a 31-year-old personal trainer who says she is pregnant with his baby.

Nichols is due to give birth on Dec. 3. Tristan is already dad to 3-year-old daughter, True Thompson, with ex Khloe Kardashian, and 4-year-old son, Prince Thompson, with Jordan Craig.

According to the docs, Tristan's third child was allegedly conceived in Houston, Texas, during Tristan's 30th birthday celebrations in March 2021.

At the time of his birthday, Khloe shared family photos of Tristan and True at his party, and sent him well wishes. According to DailyMail, in his deposition, which was made on Aug. 5, Tristan mentions Khloe, who is referred to as his "ex-girlfriend" and the mother of his child.

12/04/2021

New Music Releases December 3: Ariana Grande & Kid Cudi, Shawn Mendes, SZA and More

Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi Release ‘Just Look Up,’ Best Original Song Contender From ‘Don’t Look Up’

Ariana Grande is aiming for the Oscars with her best original song contender, “Just Look Up,” and she’s bringing Kid Cudi with her.

The song features in Adam McKay’s new comedy satire, “Don’t Look Up,” (in theaters Dec. 10) about a giant comet headed for earth. Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”), Meryl Streep (“Sophie’s Choice”), Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”) and Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies”) all appear in the film. Grande and Cudi also drop in with cameos and perform “Just Look Up,” a soaring pop ballad.

It’s not just Grande and Cudi who could crash into the original song race; Nicholas Britell, who composed the film’s score, teamed up with songwriter Taura Stinson and also shares writing credits.

12/04/2021

Vanessa Williams Shares Her Best Pageant Advice for 'Queen of the Universe' Competitors (Exclusive)

Vanessa Williams is offering up her advice. The 58-year-old actress co-hosts Friday's episode of Entertainment Tonight, and tells ET's Nischelle Turner her best advice for the contestants on Queen of the Universe, a singing competition for drag queens that she's judging.

Hosted by Graham Norton, Williams is joined at the judges' table by Leona Lewis, Trixie Mattel, and Michelle Visage on the Paramount+ series, which features drag queens from all over the world competing for a $250,000 prize.

"Be yourself," Williams says in way of advice. "I wanna see who you are. I don't wanna see anybody duplicating anyone else's performance. I wanna see who you authentically are."

In addition to being authentic, Williams, who was crowned Miss America in 1983, tells ET that the contestants need to "do your best, breathe, [and] have fun."

n top of all of that, she says, "Make sure you show up on time and you're professional."

Williams knows what she's talking about, as she won her episode of RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race last year, when she competed as Vanqueisha De House.

Before that, back in 2010, Williams got to see someone channel her in drag, when her brother, Chris Williams, played a drag version of her Ugly Betty character, Wilhelmina Slater, during a season 4 episode of the show.

"The only time I saw myself in drag [was when] I did an episode of Ugly Betty and Wilhelmina Slater had somebody who was called Wilhediva Hater," Williams tells ET. "My brother ended up playing me as my imposter. RuPaul ended up being on that episode."

It seems that all of that led the contestants to take Williams' wisdom to heart, as she has nothing but good things to say about their abilities.

12/04/2021

Common Shares Birthday Post for Tiffany Haddish Following Split

ogether or not, Common is celebrating Tiffany Haddish on her birthday.

The 49-year-old entertainer took to Instagram on Friday to celebrate "the queen" on her 42nd birthday, amid their recent split.

"Happy Birthday to the Queen ! One of the most beautiful and dynamic and wonderful people I’ve ever known," he wrote alongside a photo of Haddish. "May the most HIGH continue to bless and shine through you. Wishing you joy, love, peace, light, and fun on your born day. Love!"

The post comes days after it was reported that Common and Haddish broke up after a year together

Haddish, on her end, reposted a number of birthday messages on her Instagram Story. She also posted a video of her in Colombia, celebrating her special day and roaming the streets with her crew.

12/04/2021

Alec Baldwin said George Clooney's comments about gun safety after the fatal 'Rust' shooting 'didn't help'

Alec Baldwin takes issue with people like George Clooney who have said since the fatal "Rust" shooting that he should have checked to make sure the gun was empty before using it.

"There were a lot of people who felt it necessary to contribute some comment to the situation, which really didn't help the situation — at all," Baldwin told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in his first sit-down interview on Thursday.

On October 21, a gun held by Baldwin discharged while he was rehearsing a scene of the Western "Rust," killing the movie's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring the film's director Joel Souza.

09/21/2021

Sarah Dash, who sang on 'Lady Marmalade' with Labelle, dies at 76

LOS ANGELES - Sarah Dash, the legendary R&B singer who gained prominence as part of the group Labelle in the 1970s, has died.

She was 76.

Labelle's publicist confirmed Dash's death to Variety.

Trenton, New Jersey, Mayor Reed Gusciora also shared the news on his page, writing: "Our resident legend and Trenton's very first music ambassador, Sarah Dash, has passed away... Our motto, 'Trenton Makes, the World Takes' was alive and well with Sarah. What Sarah made was beautiful music refined by a lifetime of experience and numerous contributions to the arts and the community. What the world takes is a timeless inspiration of a woman who touched the highest peaks of stardom and never forgot where she came from."

Beyond Labelle, Dash lent her smooth vocals to the recordings and live shows of some of the biggest artists in music, including the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards, Stevie Wonder, Laura Nyro, Alice Cooper, the O'Jays, Wilson Pickett, Bo Diddley and more. She also had a lucrative solo career, seeing success with songs like 1978's "Sinner Man" and 1983's "Low Down Dirty Rhythm."

Born in Trenton, Dash got her start singing gospel music as the daughter of a pastor. After moving to Philadelphia in the '60s, Dash met Patti LaBelle, Cindy Birdsong and Nona Hendryx, and the quartet soon formed the Bluebelles, which would later become Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. In 1967, Birdsong departed the group to join the Supremes and the trio changed their name to Labelle. After signing to Warner Bros. Records, Labelle released its self-titled debut album in 1971, followed by "Moon Shadow" in 1972. Labelle's mainstream success came with a trio of albums released in the mid-'70s: "Nightbirds," "Phoenix" and "Chameleon." "Lady Marmalade," a single from "Nightbirds," proved to be the group's most successful song, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and earning international acclaim.

09/21/2021

Anthony ‘AJ’ Johnson, ‘Friday’ and ‘House Party’ actor, dead at 55

Anthony “AJ” Johnson, the actor best known as the scene-stealing Ezal in the hit “Friday” comedy franchise, has died at the age of 55.

Johnson’s rep LyNea Bell confirmed the comedian’s passing, though the cause of death has not been disclosed.

“We lost an icon. He will be greatly missed,” Bell told the Hollywood Reporter. “He has left with us amazing memories of his laughter, dynamic acting skills, but most of all his enormous personality and heart of gold.”

The performer’s nephew reportedly told TMZ his uncle was found unconscious in a Los Angeles store earlier in September. He was rushed to an emergency room where he was pronounced dead.

Johnson boasted roles in a string of hit feature films, including “House Party,” “Menace II Society,” “Lethal Weapon 3” with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, “The Players Club,” “I Got The Hook Up” and “B.A.P.S” with Halle Berry. Among his varied television credits were national commercials for Dodge and guest spots on “Martin” with Martin Lawrence, “Moesha” with Brandy and “The Jamie Foxx Show,” to name just a few of his hilarious contributions.

07/17/2021

Biz Markie, Hip-Hop’s ‘Just a Friend’ Clown Prince, Dies at 57
An innovative yet proudly goofy rapper, he had an unlikely crossover hit with a tune that led one critic to call him (favorably) “the father of modern bad singing.”

Biz Markie, the innovative yet proudly goofy rapper, D.J. and producer whose self-deprecating lyrics and off-key wail on songs like “Just a Friend” earned him the nickname Clown Prince of Hip-Hop, died on Friday. He was 57.

His death was confirmed by his manager, Jenni Izumi, who did not specify the cause or say where he died.

He had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in his late 40s and said that he lost 140 pounds in the years that followed. “I wanted to live,” he told ABC News in 2014.

A native New Yorker and an early collaborator with hip-hop trailblazers like Marley Marl, Roxanne Shanté and Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie began as a teenage beatboxer and freestyle rapper. He eventually made a name for himself as the resident court jester of the Queensbridge-based collective the Juice Crew and its Cold Chillin’ label, under the tutelage of the influential radio D.J. Mr. Magic.

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On “Goin’ Off” (1988), his debut album, Biz Markie introduced himself as a bumbling upstart with a juvenile sense of humor — the opening track, “Pickin’ Boogers,” was about exactly that — but his charm and his skills were undeniable, making him a plausible sell to an increasingly rap-curious crossover audience.

With direct, often mundane lyrics written in part by his childhood friend Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie was a hip-hop Everyman whose chief love was music, a journey he broke down over a James Brown sample on his first hip-hop hit, the biographical “Vapors”; Snoop Doggy Dogg later adapted the song for his own 1997 version.

“When I was a teenager, I wanted to be down/With a lot of MC-D.J.-ing crews in town,” Biz Markie rapped. “So in school on Noble Street, I say, ‘Can I be down, champ’/They said no, and treated me like a wet food stamp.”

But Biz Markie soon outpaced his peers commercially, becoming a pop sensation with the unlikely 1989 smash “Just a Friend,” from “The Biz Never Sleeps,” which was released by Cold Chillin’ and Warner Bros. Over a plunked piano beat, borrowing its melody from the 1968 song “(You) Got What I Need,” recorded by Freddie Scott and written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Biz Markie raps an extended tale about being unlucky in love.

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But it was his pained, rough-edged singing on the song’s chorus — along with the “yo’ mama” jokes and the Mozart costume he wore in the music video — that made the song indelible: “Oh, baaaaby, you/You got what I neeeeeed/But you say he’s just a friend/But you say he’s just a friend.”

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Writing in The New York Times, the critic Kelefa Sanneh called Biz Markie “the father of modern bad singing” and wrote, “His bellowed plea — wildly out of tune, and totally unforgettable — sounded like something concocted after a day of romantic disappointments and a night of heavy drinking.”

Biz Markie has said he was never supposed to be the vocalist handling those notes. “I asked people to sing the part, and nobody showed up at the studio,” he explained later, “so I did it myself.”

“Just a Friend” would go platinum, reaching No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles chart and No. 9 on the all-genre Hot 100. He said he realized how big it had gotten “when Howard Stern and Frankie Crocker and all the white stations around the country started playing it.” And although Biz Markie would never again reach the heights of “Just a Friend” — he failed to land another single on the Hot 100 — he brushed off those who referred to him dismissively as a one-hit wonder.

“I don’t feel bad,” he said. “I know what I did in hip-hop.”

03/17/2021

Anita Baker Asks Fans To Stop Streaming Her Music In Efforts to Retrieve Her Masters

THE LEGENDARY SINGER SAYS THE LABEL IS GOING TO MAKE HER FIGHT FOR IT AND SHE'S PREPARED TO DO IT

Despite a legendary catalog of music that includes five Platinum-selling albums, R&B icon Anita Baker is now asking fans to halt the purchase and streaming of her music.

In a host of tweets, Baker disclosed a battle she’s currently embroidered in with her label. Commenting on how she’s “miraculously” outlived her artist contracts, the Detroit native pointed out that her rightfully-owed masters are still not in her possession. Referencing copyright reversion, which is an artists’ ability to regain copyright of their work after an allotted period of time, Baker says she prepared to fight for her bodies of work.

“They no longer ‘Own’ My Name & Likeness,” she wrote. “And, by Law…30 yr old, Masters are 2B Returned, 2 Me.”

Masters recordings aren’t owned by artists initially because record labels finance the money to produce and promote the album and artists are paid via record sales. For singers like Baker, who have outlived their contracts, royalties from their work are still being paid elsewhere when they don’t have copyright possession of their master recordings.

Responding to a fan who showed support on Twitter, the ballad vocalist wrote, “Hello Sweetheart Thank You 4 Sending Me, Your Love. But, let’s not Advertise *Spotify Streaming, which is, a Publicly Traded Company, with a 50 Million$ Valuation… but doesn’t pay Artists/Creators what their Worth.”

Since its inception, many artists have become overwhelmingly hesitant of music streaming services. Prince notably removed his catalog from Spotify and YouTube as he believed that digital sales brought no real profit to artists. The legendary musician later signed an exclusive streaming deal for his discography with Tidal in 2015.

In following tweets, Baker broke down rates of streaming services and even referenced streaming service giants as “thieves in the temple” who use her name and likeness for free advertising.

03/08/2021

This Is The One Singer Chaka Khan Would Do A Verzuz Battle With

Not since Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight took us down memory lane in September have two vocal legends participated in a Veruz battle. But with the right pairing, R&B funk icon Chaka Khan says she’d be open to going song for song with another singer on the show.

ESSENCE spoke to Khan ahead of the release of Rhino Records’ limited-edition album of her work as part of a series of vinyl reissues and first-ever digital releases celebrating Black artists during Black History Month. Khan’s album, “Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol 1,” a beautiful Burgundy Vinyl, will be available on February 26.

“I’m happy to be a part of this whole thing,” Khan told us, applauding the modern thinkers at the label who put the launch together. As for her favorite song among the 10 hits on the album, she says, “‘Aint Nobody’ is on there. That’s an all-time favorite of mine. That’s one song I still love to sing on stage. That song is still live.”

With music venues still largely being shut down due to COVID-19, Verzuz has been the main stage for music fans to see their favorite artists. On Twitter, users have suggested Khan face-off against legendary contemporaries such as Anita Baker, Tina Turner, or Diana Ross on the series, but the 67-year-old has someone else in mind.

“I was thinking about maybe doing one with Jazmine Sullivan. I would prefer to do something like that with a younger artist, you know? People who are multi-dimensional. Not the flat surface of the same people from the same time and era. It needs just a little more dimension. I would consider that.”

As for Twitter’s Verzuz Battle wish list, she says, “Too bad.”

Check out our full interview with Chaka Khan in the video above.

03/08/2021

Bruno Mars And Anderson .Paak’s Song Gets Legendary Endorsement From Anita Baker
The R&B icon weighed in on Twitter after the artists’ new group, Silk Sonic,

Legendary singer Anita Baker has nothing but sweet love for Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s new song, “Leave the Door Open.”

The eight-time Grammy-winner and R&B icon tweeted her admiration of the new track on Twitter early Friday morning, writing: “That’s An Old School Love Song.”

That’s quite an endorsement considering the “Sweet Love” singer has made a number of gold and platinum albums in the 1980s and ’90s, topping R&B charts.

Baker has expressed her admiration for Bruno Mars before.

In 2013, she tweeted that the “That’s What I Like” singer was a “triple threat.”

“Singer/Songwriter/Live Performer... triple threat. KILLer!” she wrote.