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D’Angelo’s ‘Verzuz’ Was Supposed To Be Against Maxwell And Take Place On Valentine’s Day

It’s been more than a month since the last Verzuz battle, one that took place between Keyshia Cole and Ashanti. While the platform made its return on Saturday night, the rules were a little bit different this time around. Rather than a matchup between two artists, legendary R&B singer D’Angelo took the stage for what became more of a livestream concert. It wasn’t an entirely solo affair, however, as the singer promised the appearance of some “friends” which turned out to be HER, Method Man, and Redman. While the show was definitely an enjoyable one, it wasn’t the plan from the start.

Once D’Angelo’s Verzuz concluded, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland hopped on Instagram Live to recap the event and it was here that Swizz revealed the battle was supposed to be D’Angelo against Maxwell and take place on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, the plans fell through.

“That didn’t work out…the fact that D’Angelo was still ready to go…and motivated, we had to celebrate him…no matter who was on stage with him,” Swizz said. “We had to celebrate that king because, as you can see, those songs that he played tonight, man, that’s real music and this is celebrational stage…and we couldn’t play around with him. We had to let him get his garden because he showed up and showed out.”

You can watch Swizz’s comments above.

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The ‘SNL’ Cold Open Turned The Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Into A Game Show

The final SNL of February saved the talk about Trump and CPAC for Weekend Update, opting to use its cold open to tackle the coronavirus vaccine rollout with a Dr. Anthony Fauci-led game show about vaccine eligibility. The show, So You Think You Should Get The Vaccine, featured Kate McKinnon’s Fauci hosting a show where ordinary people are weighed to determine whether they should get the jab.

Problem is, each state has different regulations and rules, and the panel is parodies of various governors like Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, California’s Gavin Newsom, and New York’s Andrew Cuomo. There’s some talk about Cuomo’s recent scandals, but mostly the sketch sticks to vaccine talk.

For the second week in a row, Aidy Bryant’s Ted Cruz appears to make jokes about his escape to Mexico during a climate disaster in Texas. He takes part in the talent portion of the show, working on his tight five similar to the stand-up routine he tried to pull at CPAC earlier in the week.

“Sorry my arms are tired because I just flew back from Cancun, Mexico,” Cruz says.

For those hoping to see sketches more about politics than science, Saturday did bring good news: former cast member and current go-to to play Kamala Harris, Maya Rudolph, will host the show when it picks its current season back up again on March 27.

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The PGA Tour’s Best Wore Red And Black For Tiger Woods On Sunday

The PGA Tour is in Bradenton, Florida this week at the WGC-Workday Championship at Concession but despite this being one of the first big points events of the season with one of golf’s strongest fields, the focus of many entering the week was elsewhere, as word of Tiger Woods being involved in a serious rollover crash in Los Angeles broke as players were arriving for their first day of media obligations in Florida.

Woods’ impact on the golf world is impossible to overstate, particularly the influence he had over this current crop of young talent that grew up watching and idolizing Tiger. The news of his crash hit many of them hard, and as we learned the severity of his leg injuries and the long road to recovery ahead, the golf world began to understand that we likely won’t see Woods on the course again for a very long time.

There are a lot of things Tiger did that are hard to emulate on the course, but his iconic Sunday look or a red polo and black pants is, aside from winning all the time, is probably what immediately comes to mind when thinking of Woods. So, on Sunday, a number of players paid tribute to Tiger by donning their Sunday Tiger best at Concession, breaking out whatever red and black combos they could from the scripting they brought this week to Florida.

Others, like Bryson DeChambeau, had other little tributes as well, as he shares a golf ball sponsor with Woods in Bridgestone and put a ball in play for Sunday stamped with Tiger’s name. It was pretty cool to see the sea of red and black on the driving range on Sunday as the best in golf made sure to show love to the man that, for many, paved the way for them.

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Nick Jonas Gave Debut Performances Of ‘Spaceman’ And ‘This Is Heaven’ On ‘Saturday Night Live’

It’s been nearly five years since the pop world received an album from Nick Jonas. His last effort was 2016’s Last Year Was Complicated and since then, the singer has been fairly busy thanks to his role as a coach on The Voice and the reunion of Jonas Brothers with siblings Joe and Kevin. Now, Nick is getting back to his solo career, a return that began with the release of “Spaceman” this past Friday. Just days later, he brought his talents back to the Saturday Night Live stage to perform the single for the first time and to debut a new track as well.

Serving as host and musical guest for the SNL episode, Nick began the night by performing “Spaceman.” He performed the track while rocking a thin astronaut-like jumpsuit, ideal for the out-of-this-world feeling he details on the song. Later in the show, he returned to debut a brand new single, “This Is Heaven.” This track is much livelier than the aforementioned single and found Nick getting lost in the groove of the uplifting song to end the night

Both songs will appear on his upcoming album, Spaceman, which is set for a release on March 12. During a recent interview on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music show, Nick spoke about the meaning behind the album’s title. “The key for me was trying to find a way to give this idea a persona, give it a name,” he said in regards to his 2016 album, Last Year Was Complicated. “So ‘Spaceman’ kind of came into my mind as I was thinking, ‘What’s the one thing that all of us have felt during this time? Completely disconnected from the world.’ We’ve gotten so accustomed to looking at a screen instead of human interaction and I think the thing that keeps us all encouraged and hopeful is the idea of knowing that there will be a tomorrow when this is our reality.”

You can watch the performances above.

Spaceman is out 3/12 via Island. Pre-order it here.

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Lady Gaga’s Dogs Thieves May Not Have Intentionally Targeted Her According To A New Report

Just a few days ago, the music world was greeted with rather bizarre news regarding Lady Gaga and her dogs. Thieves shot her dog walker, Ryan Fischer, and stole two of her three French bulldogs, named Koji and Gustav. As a result of the incident, the singer offered a $500,000 reward for their return or any information leading to it. The dogs would eventually be brought back to her a day later by a woman who found them tied up in an alley. While law enforcement initially believed the incident was a targeted attack on Lady Gaga, they now believe that may not have been the case.

According to an update from TMZ, Fisher was not just out on a leisurely walk around the block with the dogs. Minutes before the attack, he had stopped by a liquor store, a mere seven blocks away from where he was shot. The Almor Wine & Spirits store is located at the intersection of Sunset Blvd. and N. Fairfax Ave. in Hollywood, an area that is heavily trafficked and well lit, making it very much possible that thieves spotted Fisher and the dogs as they walked away from the store with the dogs and decided to attack. Police also believe Lady Gaga was not targeted because a ransom demand was not made during the ordeal.

Shortly after the shooting incident, the family of Ryan Fisher shared a statement on his condition. “Ryan is receiving extraordinary care in the hospital right now and his doctors expect him to make a full recovery,” they said. “We cannot possibly say enough to thank all of the first responders, nurses and doctors who have worked so tirelessly to care for Ryan.”

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How To Watch The 2021 Golden Globes Online Tonight

This year’s delayed (for obvious reasons) Golden Globes will air on NBC tonight (at 8:00pm EST), which means that the event will be easy to watch for anyone near an actual TV set. If you like to go digital-style, though, you’ve got options. In fact, there are several cord-cutting methods for you to tune in while Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host from separate coasts in what’s sure to be a bonkers-as-hell ceremony. No one knows for sure whether (as Ramy Youssef showed the world) hazmat suits will be involved or (as Jennifer Aniston demonstrated) even a fire, but this is sure to be an interesting event for all involved and for us at home.

Right, so about those options: if you’re an app person, NBC graciously offers apps for several platforms, but you’ll need to arrive with a cable subscription in hand with access to your account information, either in code or password form. Also — if you’re hoping to stream this joint live — you must be fortunate enough to be within the broadcast range of affiliates in major U.S. cities such as NYC, LA, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Hartford, Dallas, Miami, San Francisco, or San Diego.

However, folks in smaller cities and some rural areas still have options. YouTube TV ($65 per month) includes live NBC streaming in most areas. If one subscribes to Hulu’s live TV service ($65 per month) or AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now, starting at $70 a month), you can probably stream the Globes live on tablets and phones (again, check if your city will stream NBC live on your plan). If you’re not already a subscriber to one of these services, you can always pop onto a free trial plan, although you might be tempted into a month-to-month membership.

Even if you opt not to invest hours in watching the entire Globes ceremony, we’ll still be covering the standout moments and social media trends that pop up on Sunday evening. Some moments might even be worth carrying over into Monday, and we’ll be on that beat. We will also have a running winners list going throughout the evening, and we hope you’ll join us for the night’s festivities.

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J. Balvin Returns Home To A Barrio In Medellin For The ‘Ma’ G’ Video

J. Balvin made an appearance tonight to walk boxer Canelo Alvarez into the ring for his fight against Avni Yildrim at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. And what better walkout music for Alvarez than a brand new song from the Latin pop superstar? Balvin performed his new single “Ma G” before the fight for the first time, and a video to accompany the new song dropped shortly after, check that out above.

It’s good to see the Latin legend in good spirits and good health again, as last summer he contracted a bad case of Coronavirus and had to spend some time in recovery. Though he bounced back in time for a partnership with McDonald’s last fall, and has apparently been busy in the studio based on the new music tonight. This is the first thing the Colombian star has released since his 2020 collaboration “Un Dia (One Day)” with Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy.

Along with the new music, Balvin also announced a merch collection that’s a collaboration with 747 and La Plaga Invade, including a varsity jacket, mask, cap, hoodie, sweatpants, and music bundles. Shop that collection here and look out for more info on Balvin’s fifth album coming very soon.

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Jamie Spears’ Lawyer Went On TV To Claim ‘People Have It So Wrong’ About Britney’s Conservatorship

After a documentary by The New York Times called Framing Britney Spears took the internet by storm earlier this month the public perception of the conservatorship Britney’s father established in 2008 has soured. But through his lawyer, Vivian Thoreen, Jamie Spears is still insisting that people have it all wrong. Thoreen appeared on Good Morning America earlier this week to defend her client against the documentary’s portrayal of an abusive, illegal conservatorship.

“I understand that every story wants to have a villain, but people have it so wrong here,” Thoreen said. “This is a story about a fiercely loyal, loving, and dedicated father who rescued his daughter from a life-threatening situation. People were harming her and they were exploiting her. He has collaborated with her to help her regain custody of her children. He has brought her finances back from disaster. And he’s created a safe environment for her to live her life the way she wants, away from the media that cause her so much pain.”

Thoreen went on to claim that it’s only due to Jamie’s stewardship that Britney’s finances have righted themselves.

“Before the conservatorship, it was reported that Britney was making $40 million a year,” she said. “When Jamie stepped in as conservator in 2008, court records show that Britney’s assets were worth $2.8 million and she was in debt and facing lawsuits to the tune of millions of dollars. So it’s under Jamie’s stewardship for the past 13 years that he’s been able to restore Britney’s finances to where they are today to nearly $60 million.”

According to Jamie’s lawyer, Britney “makes decisions all the time” and spent time with her father in Louisiana early on during the onset of the pandemic in 2020. “If she wants to perform, if she wants to record an album, if she wants her name and likeness used, or if she just wants to live her life like a normal person, Jamie collaborates with Britney to make that happen.”

Though it’s Jamie who would legally have control over those things mentioned above, and where Britney physically spends her time, Thoreen also cites Britney’s decision not to specifically tell her father she doesn’t want him as her conservator as more proof of Britney’s frame of mind on the situation. “Britney and Jamie went on long drives together,” she claimed. “They played and worked in the family garden. And every night, Jamie cooked Southern comfort food that the family ate and enjoyed together. In that time, Britney never expressed those words to her father. She’s never asked him to step aside.”

Check out the full interview here.

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A Ben Simmons Made Three At The End Of A Sixers Loss Led To A Gut-Wrenching Bad Beat

Ben Simmons had a solid night on Saturday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it was not enough for the Philadelphia 76ers to come up with a win. The Cavs came up on top in the City of Brotherly Love, winning 112-109 in overtime, with Simmons going for 24 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and one made bucket at the very end of the game that reminded us of a Scott Van Pelt line: “Overtime is not the friend of the under bettor.”

With the Sixers down, 112-106, and the game more or less done and dusted, Simmons took the ball up the court and pulled up from way downtown as the clock was winding down. He drilled the triple — something that has long been an achilles heel of Simmons’ game — with 2.8 seconds remaining. Here is the video:

You can probably guess where we are going with this. The total for this game, depending on the book you went through (per Action Network), was somewhere between 219 and 220.5. This means that when this possession started, the total was 218, and then Ben Simmons hit a three-pointer for the fourth time in his NBA career and caused the under to collapse. If you know anyone who took the under, give them a hug, because “Ben Simmons hits an otherwise meaningless three at the end of an overtime loss and makes the whole thing go kaboom” is the stuff of nightmares.

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Watch D’Angelo’s ‘Verzuz’ Battle Against A Slate Of Friends, Live At The Apollo

Since the advent of the pandemic and subsequent quarantine measures pretty much shut down live music and touring as we know it, Verzuz battles have taken off in a big way. Streamed live on Instagram, and now Apple Music, the face-off framework usually pairs two legends from the same era and style, who take turns playing songs from their discographies to determine a winner. Of course, like in most subjective battles like this, the real winner is the friends we make along the way… AKA the chance to celebrate the artists who have impacted our lives and made history. It’s much less about anything competitive as it is celebrating the artists and songs, as past setups with Gucci Mane and Jeezy, or Ashanti and Keyshia Cole (which went off when Cole finally showed up) or the Bay Area championship between Too Short and E-40 clearly illustrated.

Tonight things take a slightly different turn, though, probably because R&B icon D’Angelo doesn’t really have any nearby peers in terms of talent and status. Instead, D’Angelo is appearing live for a Verzuz at the equally legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem to face off against a crew of as yet unannounced friends. Tune in via the Verzuz Instagram, or Apple Music if you have it, to see who shows up. The DJ is spinning his warm up tunes, but D’Angelo is just taking the stage around 7 PM PST, so you still have time to settle in.