Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Uproxx Music 20: Elmiene Is A Simple Man Learning To Appreciate The Past So He Can Thrive In The Future

Elmiene 'Uproxx Music 20' interview
Sirui Ma/Merle Cooper

Elmiene (pronounced el-mean) is just a few months removed from completing the biggest year of his music career. In 2023, the 22-year-old British singer released two EPs, El-Mean in March and Marking My Time in October, before setting out on the road for a North American tour with stops in major cities like Toronto, New York City, and Los Angeles. In between all of that, Elmiene made his live performance debut beside Robert Glasper and Yasiin Bey for Louis Vuitton in Paris, made his debut at England’s legendary Glastonbury Festival, and collaborated with stars like Stormzy.

With all of that in mind, you can understand the concept behind Marking My Time. It was a moment for Elmiene to acknowledge and absorb his surroundings all before the whirlwind of building a successful music career yanked him away into a new reality. “When my life started speeding up massively,” he said after releasing the EP, “I had to learn how to keep an eye on both sides — appreciating the past in order to do the future the right way and do it justice.” And that future is looking extremely bright for Elmiene.

The British singer launched his 2024 campaign with his new single “Crystal Tears.” The record exquisitely grapples with loss, whether it be through death or the end of a relationship, and the regrets that follow their departure. Elmiene’s grief and pain seep through the 2000s R&B-inspired production as he pleads for a second chance, one that deep down he knows he’ll never get. With that, Elmiene is left to accept the new reality, something he captures with a pair of lines that show the strength of his pen. “Afraid to hold the glass I know I’ve broken,” he croons. “Take back all the notes I know I’ve chosen.”

Ahead of another tour that begins on April 4, Elmiene took a moment to speak with Uproxx to share his inspirations, interests in and outside of music, and how he hopes to be remembered.

See Previous UPROXX MUSIC 20 Interviews:

What is your earliest memory of music?

Listening to “7 Days” by Craig David on my cousin’s old music hard drive.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

D’Angelo was definitely the first person that made me start listening to music more intently and seriously.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I’ve recently started to learn the keyboard and I’m completely obsessed, forever chasing Stevie Wonder.

What was your first job?

Making car breaks in a factory in Frankfurt. Old dark days.

What is your most prized possession?

The hundreds of voice notes on my phone of me working on music. I genuinely have nightmares of accidentally deleting them.

What is your biggest fear?

Being alone.

Who is on your R&B/rap/afrobeats Mt. Rushmore?

Joe, K-Ci from Jodeci, Dino from H-Town, and Usher.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I would hunt monsters on Monster Hunter for 6 hours with breakfast then play keys for lunch at a restaurant that has a piano. Drink freeway peach ice tea by the river. Go home and play Street Fighter 6 ’til the end of the day for dinner.

What are your three most used emojis?

🧞🤖❤.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

D’Angelo.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

One Piece live-action. I really, really wanna be Kuma.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Katt Williams. He just doesn’t seem to let anything ever really bother him.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

No one could convince me that Zangief isn’t the best character on Street Fighter.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

“Another Star” by Stevie Wonder is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard in my life. It’s the rhythm the beautiful poetic lyrics and the energy that make that song what it is.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

New York City is my favorite to perform in, the energy there is infectious. I’d love to perform in Stockholm, D’Angelo did an amazing performance there.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

For a festival lineup, it would have to be D’Angelo, The Roots, Lewis Taylor, Stevie Wonder, and Lauryn Hill and it would be in Falmouth.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

Pub security.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

100% go to the past, I’d rather really take in and refresh on everything that’s happened rather than skip and miss out on 5 years of my life.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

It’s okay to pick up the phone and call back.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I’d like my music to be remembered as an honest diary of my life and character, like a really good time capsule of all the important chapters of my life.

Marking My Time is out now Polydor Records/Def Jam. Find out more information here.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Mom has her Gen Z daughter rate 90s teenage heartthrobs and the reviews are so hilarious

Every era has its own version of what’s attractive. And very rarely does that aesthetic hold power with the following generation. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of cool.

Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

How exactly would these guys measure up with the Gen Z kids today?


That was the question Caitlin Baudhuin aimed to answer when she decided to have her Gen Z daughter rate teenage heartthrobs of the 90’s and 00s on a scale of 1-10.

Let’s just say…none of them made the cut. Which saddened many a millennial and Gen Xer.

First up: Zachery Ty Bryan, who played eldest brother Brad Taylor on “Home Improvement.”

Baudhuin’s daughter graciously gave Bryan a 3. That’s the numerical version of “meh.”

Next: James Van Der Beek from “Dawson’s Creek.”

Appalled, her daughter says “It’s so bad. It’s like, I don’t even know.”

At this point, you must be thinking, “well, she must be a Joshua Jackson kind of gal.” As Baudhuin explains, you were either Team Dawson, played by Vanderbeek, or Team Pacey, played by Jackson.

But after being shown a picture of Jackson, Baudhuin’s daughter makes a face like she’s just had bad shrimp, and says, “That’s two. The last one was a four, that one’s so bad. He’s so ugly.” Ouch.

Finally, Baudhuin’s Hail Mary is “Saved By The Bell”’s Mark-Paul Gosselaar, aka Zack Morris.

@caitlin.the.realtor Episode 1 of my daughter rating my teen hollywood heartthrobs of the 90’s. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤣 #greenscreen #90skids #90steenheartthrobs #dawsonscreek #teampacey ♬ original sound – Caitlin – Memphis, TN Realtor

Before ranking Gosselaar at a measly 2.5, her daughter says, “Why is his smile like, it looks like he’s not even happy. It looks like he’s fake smiling. And then like his hair, like why is that a sleek back?”

This last one seemed to hurt folks the most. “The disrespect for Zach Morris!” one person wrote. Meanwhile, another said that ranking him that low was “criminal.”

But wait, there’s more. Baudhuin did a round two, many heartthrobs inspired by viewer suggestions. See the victims below:

-Shane West from “A Walk To Remember” got a 3, primarily due to his spiky hair. Baudhuin’s daughter is clearly not a fan of 90’s hairstyles. To which her mother asks, “have you seen boy’s hair these days?” Fair point!

-Freddie Prince Jr. from “She’s all That.” Another 3.

-Joseph Gordon Levitt, as seen in his role for “10 Things I Hate About You.” Levitt got a whopping 4 or 5! Progress!

-Erik von Detten from “The Princess Diaries.” This time Baudhuin asked her daughter to “ignore the greasy hair.” Which must have worked, cause he got a 5.5, thus winning this unofficial beauty contest. Still brutal though.

@caitlin.the.realtor Part 2 of my daughter rating 90’s/early 2000’s heartthrobs. We have a sort of winner! 🎉 #greenscreen #90s #early2000s #heartthrobs #awalktoremember #princessdiariesmovie #shesallthat #10thingsihateabout ♬ original sound – Caitlin – Memphis, TN Realtor

So there you have it. Beauty trends indeed come and go for men too. And on the bright side, even if our childhood icons don’t have the Timothée Chalamet Effect, it’s nice to know that by and large the definition of heartthrob has become way more diverse and inclusive. Thanks for that Gen Z, even though your candidness is savage sometimes.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

A wild Eurasian crow befriended a toddler and won’t leave his side

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow’s relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. “When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family’s home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto’s return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Why you shouldn’t throw your dishwasher pod into the bottom of your dishwasher

There always seem to be something going on with the pods and powders you’re supposed to use in the dishwasher to clean your dishes. Either the pods don’t dissolve completely or the powder gets all goopy and hard, never really fully dispensing into the dishwasher.

The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn’t doing what you think it’s doing.

Pateras actually breaks down exactly how dishwashers work to clean your dishes while explaining why putting the detergent on the bottom is ineffective.


“Your detergent tab has to go into the compartment because when you press start on a dishwasher there is a small amount of water that goes into the machine, and then a pump will push that water into the spray arms and then the force of that water makes them turn sort of like a lawn sprinkler,” Pateras says.

The mom explains that this part of the prewash is important because your dishwasher uses the dirty water to determine how dirty your dishes are. Then the water is promptly drained. If you place your detergent in the bottom of the dishwasher, all the detergent is now drained out with the dirty water. This means you’re basically washing your dishes with plain water since the soap is now gone.

@melissadilkespateras Where does it go? @Jenn K #cleantok #dishwasher #dishes ♬ original sound – Laundrytok | Melissa Pateras

Commenters were curious why the pods weren’t dissolving or seemingly getting stuck on the compartment door. Pateras says, it “could be that the compartment is wet when you load the tab or the door needs to be cleaned.”

When someone asks about using the “auto” button on their dishwasher, the author explains that the auto setting, “uses the sensor to detect how much dirt is on your dishes, and then adjusts the water temperature and cycle duration accordingly.”

Who knew there was this much detail going into washing the dishes. If you’re wondering about the best cleaning detergent, Pateras swears by Cascade Platinum but says not to buy any dishwasher detergent in bulk as it becomes more ineffective the longer it sits. The more you know>

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

A Hispanic couple can’t agree over how to pronounce their son Daniel’s name. Who’s right?

Katrin BolovtsovaA husband and father shared a fascinating story that caused a passionate debate over whether there is a correct way to pronounce someone’s name and how cultural heritage means different things to different people.

The post was written by a man with the username VividTavern, who we’ll call VT for brevity’s sake.

“My wife and I are Mexican-American,” VT began his story. “I’m third-generation and she came here when she was eight. As a result, she’s quite a bit more ‘Hispanic’ than me, and we’ve clashed at times because I’m apparently insufficiently enthusiastic about my heritage. After we got married, we agreed that we’d have two kids and take turns naming them.”


The wife chose first and named their daughter Rosa Maria, a traditional Mexican name. It was VT’s turn for their second child, and he named the boy Daniel. The problem is that VT prefers the Anglicized version of the name (DAN-yəl), whereas his wife uses the Spanish pronunciation (da-NYEHL).

couples, fights, baby names

“She introduces him as Daahn-ni-yell to everyone else and now everyone’s just following her pronunciation, which is frustrating because it was my turn to name the baby, and I feel like she didn’t respect my choice,” VT continued.

“When I confronted her, she said she doesn’t want our kids to have Anglicized names because they’re Mexican. I mean, it’s not that I have a problem with them having Spanish names. I don’t call Rosa María Rose or Rosemary. But it was (as agreed) my turn to name Daniel, and she should respect the fact that I didn’t factor in our heritage while naming him.”

VT added that his wife has no difficulty pronouncing Daniel in an Anglicized way; she has a very clear American accent. “We’ve been married five years and together for eight. She would tell me if it was about pronunciation instead of identity,” he said.

So, is VT being too controlling about how his wife pronounces their son’s name, or has she violated their agreement by choosing to say it her way? The comments section was divided.

There were a lot of people who thought that VT was wrong.

couples, baby names, daniel

“You named him Daniel, she calls him Daniel. Why do you want her accent to somehow disappear when speaking her son’s name?” SonorousBlack asked.

“I’m Puerto Rican. My parents gave me an American name that can also be pronounced differently with a Spanish accent. My parents used the American version, but my extended family pronounces it with a Spanish accent. I use either version depending on the context. It’s never caused me a moment of stress or confusion,” ElleMuffin wrote.

Many people also supported VT because his wife agreed to let him choose the name and is able to pronounce it the way VT prefers; she just chooses not to.

“It is not an issue of accent. Her pronunciation has an entirely new syllable, and it seems very deliberate on her part,” LionMctastic wrote. “She could just as easily say dan-yell with an accent but chooses not to. She should honor [VT’s] intentions for the name.”

“He named his son what he intended to be the English pronunciation of the name; she should pronounce it in English, just as mispronouncing a Spanish name is being an a**hole,” Longtimefed wrote. “Accent has nothing to do with it; I can say Jorge, Guillermo, Jean-Claude correctly with no American accent, it ain’t that hard.”

Daniel’s mother has a decent reason for preferring the Spanish pronunciation of his name. His father also has a good reason to feel like the deal he made with his wife wasn’t honored. One way to fix the situation is to ask Daniel how he would like his name pronounced when he gets older. After all, it’s his name; he should have the final say over how it is pronounced.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

A Guide To The Texas Eclipse Festival — Must-See Panels, Workshops, And Immersive Experiences

texas eclipse
MERLE COOPER/UPROXX

PSA: We’re just over a week away until one of the world’s most anticipated parties of the year, Texas Eclipse Festival.

The festival – produced by legendary promoter Disco Presents and experiential event producers Probably Nothing – will welcome 40,000 attendees on April 5th-9th for a once-in-a-lifetime solar, social, and sonic event where music, art, space, and technology all converge. Throughout five days, over 400 visionary pioneers, leading space and technology experts, science and wellness thought leaders, renowned interactive and visual artists, as well as global artists and sound makers will gather together at the peak of the solar eclipse’s totality on Reveille Peak Ranch in Burnet, TX.

It’s essentially Burning Man meets Art Basel meets SXSW meets TED Talks. Sounds pretty epic right? If you’re planning on making it to this year’s ultimate destination festival, we’ve outlined the must-see events and activations at Texas Eclipse.

Immersive Experiences

Scattered throughout the festival, explore a landscape full of monumental art and intentional gatherings of ideas and inspiration.

Sarah Kraning’s Live Painting During The Eclipse

TikTok’s favorite synesthetic artist Sarah Kraning, whose vibrant art is inspired by sound, will capture wildlife’s response to the total eclipse on April 8th with a live-painted mural. Festival-goers can donate to Re:wild to reserve prints, with proceeds supporting the nonprofit’s mission to protect and restore natural environments and its ecosystems around the world.

Meow Wolf’s Immersive Gone Fishing World

The Santa-Fe-based art collective known for iconic multi-dimensional immersive installations is setting up a brand new, bespoke experience called Gone Fishing. Guests can expect a lakeside Neo-Burlesque extravaganza, as more than a dozen performers spanning fire dancers, contortionists, and even a psychic catfish, will bring mystical je ne sais quoi to the festival grounds.

UNIFY’s Group Meditation

UNIFY co-founder Patrick Kronfli will lead attendees in a drop-in, must-feel moment of mindful meditation before, during, and after the eclipse. Attendees are encouraged to drop into themselves and catalyze deep connection through a visual meditation adventure accompanied by live music and over 20 vocalists.

Global Musical Performances

texas eclipse
TEXAS ECLIPSE

Spanning seven music environments – SKY, EARTH, MOON, SUN, LONE STAR, ECLIPSE, and ETHER – Texas Eclipse will be soundtracked by over 150 global artists. Among this insane lineup includes Barclay Crenshaw, Big Gigantic, Bob Moses, CloZee, The String Cheese Incident, All:Lo Collective (Park Breezy, Pheel, Tf Marz, Thought Process), Treavor Moontribe, Lee Burridge, Subtronics, Tipper, Tycho, Vulfpeck, Desert Hearts, LP Giobbi, Tiga, Desert Dwellers, Mark Farina, Vincent Antone, Hamdi, Ivy Lab, Of The Trees, Zeds Dead, and many more.

Each of the seven stages will be designed and built by the festival’s network of global partners: Symbiosis (repping California), Re:birth (Japan), Strawberry Fields (Australia), Earth Frequency (Australia), Bachstelzen (Germany), Beloved (Oregon), Origin (South Africa), Meadows in the Mountains (Bulgaria), Bass Coast (Canada), Ometeotl (Mexico), DisQo PereZoso (Costa Rica), and Cosmic Convergence (Guatemala).

MindWorks Drone Performance

Have you ever seen robots dance or fly? Attendees will be able to watch a light ballet in the sky as a swarm of drones buzz around Cirque de Soleil veteran and director of MindWorks Dalton Sessumes in a stunning visual experience.

Gregg Fleishman’s Sky Portal X

LA-based architect and furniture designer Gregg Fleishman will bring his latest installation, Sky Portal X, to the festival. Known for his trippy, puzzle-like geometric sculptures constructed with no metal, the installation is part of his overarching Sky Portals series, designed to give viewers a kaleidoscopic view of the heavens. This will be a true collaboration between man, earth, and sky.

Earth Village

The Earth Village presents a rich tapestry of experiences, ranging from transformative yoga sessions and indigenous gatherings to tranquil Bush Spas. Within this setting, attendees will find themselves immersed in the fusion of cultures and the splendor of nature.

Indigenous Elders Space

TEXAS ECLIPSE
TEXAS ECLIPSE

With the festival held on traditional Indigenous lands, Texas Eclipse will be emphasizing the significance of respecting and acknowledging ancient heritage. Eclipses have consistently carried profound significance for Indigenous communities globally, symbolizing moments of significant transition and transformation. The Indigenous Elders Space serves as a dedicated platform for learning, attentive listening, and reconciliation, thoughtfully guided by Indigenous leaders from various collaborating nations. Attendees are encouraged to explore and gain insights into the rich traditions of Indigenous cultures.

MAPS’s 38th Anniversary Psychedelic Speakers Series

The planets have literally aligned for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies’s (MAPS) 38th Anniversary, which falls on the same day as the eclipse on April 8th. The MAPS 38th Anniversary Psychedelic Speakers Series includes two separate talks from Founder and President Rick Doblin, one discussing psychedelics and grief, the other mapping these chemicals’ impact on our chaotic, changing world.

Joining him are heavy hitters like Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Dr. Gül Dölen, beloved mycologist Paul Stamets with Dr. Pam Kryskow, and legendary artists Alex and Allyson Grey of the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors. Additionally, visionary Global Psychedelic Society co-directors Jaz Cadoch, Mike Margolies, Mareesa Stertz, and Matt Gillipsie will be in conversation with PsyTexas director Caitlyn Riley on the mind-blowing role of psychedelics in local communities on April 5th, while MAPS Director of Policy and Advocacy Ismail L. Ali, J.D. will deliver a Psychedelic State of the Union on April 7th.

Those are just a few of the speakers who will be dropping psychedelic knowledge steps away from the dance floors where Paul Oakenfold and Anna Morgan are dropping the bass.

Bush Spa

Set adjacent to Quarry Lake, away from the hustle and bustle of the thriving Texas Eclipse metropolis, the Healing Oasis offers patrons the chance to reset, recharge and get back to nature.

The Bush Spa offers steaming mineral salt baths infused with essential oils, rare earth mud face masks, full body therapies and treats for the soul. Chill to the core in the ice bath then freshen off in the open air shower with lakeside views.

Artisan Marketplace

Nestled along a scenic road in the Earth Village, attendees will be able to explore a diverse array of vendors from all corners of the world. From handmade crafts, clothing, jewelry, and other unique items, take the longer route to ensure you stroll through here.

Big Green Bus

Non-profit Big Green, which champions the transformative power of food to enhance lives through community-based food cultivation, will premiere a bus art installation integrating local farmers’ markets. Attendees can purchase fresh produce and learn how to get involved in their mission to change lives through growing food.

Vision Of The Future Zone

At the crossroads of space exploration and technology, the Visions of the Future Zone stands as the hub of innovation, inviting visitors to explore humanity’s technological achievements and ponder diverse visions of our future’s potential. This immersive experience offers a captivating glimpse into what lies ahead.

The Multiversal Dome

This one will be hard to miss. As a “22nd Century testament to the achievements of humanity,” the Multiversal Dome will envelop attendees into an immersive experience illustrating animated art on self-reflection, the cosmos, technology and music, and more. Created by Chroma, a new art and technology studio by the founders of Obscura Digital who are known for designing Las Vegas’ The Sphere, the dome will host visual experiences by Android Jones’ Chimera, Microdose VR, Space Battle Royale, and Samskara Multimedia Art Exhibition.

Transformational Space Futures Panel

Before the moment of totality on April 8th, NASA astronaut and artist Nicole Stott, SpaceX VP Kiko Dontchev, Space4Girls Chief Strategy Officer Tatiana Kazakova Tarnowski, United Planet founder Lucien Tarnowski, and International Moonbase Alliance Founder Henk Rogers (who brought Tetris from Russia to the West) will discuss how to use science, art, and culture to reimagine the future of humanity and space.

Texas Eclipse Onchain

texas eclipse
TEXAS ECLIPSE

What would a decentralized village look like? A community of Web3-focused artists and technologists are coming to the Texas Eclipse Festival to find out.

Texas Eclipse Onchain will set the stage for a welcoming, immersive experience featuring live music, art, and talks from thought leaders within the Web3 community. Speakers like Lucas Campbell, Founder & CEO of Pods.Media, Disco.xyz Founder & CEO Evin McMullen, Rug Radio CEO Loxley Fernandes, and Playground Studios founder Sher Chaudhary will discuss the current state of Web3 and blockchain technology.

Additionally, Unitea, a gamified music streaming platform that incentivizes fan loyalty, will host a slate of artists to talk about their experience on the platform, and a jury of business advisors and comedians will team up to roast or toast up-and-coming entrepreneurs in a live show called “Snark Tank.”

Get your free DAO Token and learn more here.


A limited amount of ticket packages are still on sale for Texas Eclipse, including general admission, VIP, glamping, and hotel packages. For tickets and additional information, visit the Texas Eclipse website.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Travis Scott Requested To Be Dismissed From The Astroworld Festival Lawsuit, Saying He Shouldn’t Be Responsible For Safety Or Security Concerns

travis scott
Getty Image

After being named as a defendant in the hundreds of combined lawsuits stemming from the 2021 Astroworld Festival disaster, Travis Scott has at last asked out of future proceedings. According to Billboard, Travis’ attorney Daniel Petrocelli filed a motion to dismiss him from the suit on Monday, asserting that ensuring safety and security at live events is “not the job of performing artists” — even ones whose album tiles grace said events.

The motion reads in part, “Like any other adrenaline-inducing diversion, music festivals must balance exhilaration with safety and security—but that balance is not the job of performing artists, even those involved in promoting and marketing performances. Which only makes sense: Performing artists, even those who engage in certain promotional activities, have no inherent expertise or specialized knowledge in concert safety measures, venue security protocols, or site-design.”

Even so, the defense writes, Travis did make concessions to alleviate crowding issues when they were brought to his attention during the planning phase. “When, during festival planning, concerns arose about the risk of a stampede occurring in the festival site, the Scott defendants supported festival organizers’ efforts to eliminate that risk by agreeing to remove certain rides and other attractions at the site,” Petrocelli wrote. “Then, when the Scott defendants were told to end the show after Mr. Scott’s guest performer finished performing, they did just that—ending the show as directed.”

Travis is, of course, only one of the named defendants, which included Drake (who has also since requested dismissal from liability), Apple Music, Live Nation Entertainment, and the venue and security companies involved. The nearly 300 cases were combined into a single case in January 2022, and proceedings have have gone relatively slowly since. Scott, after a year out of the spotlight, returned to performing in 2022 and released the follow-up to Astroworld, Utopia, in summer of 2023.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Diddy’s Shares In Revolt TV Were Reportedly Bought By ‘Essence’ Magazine Owner Richelieu Dennis

richelieu dennis
Getty Image

Amid personal and business turmoil arising from “Me & U” singer Cassie Ventura’s sexual assault lawsuit against him, Sean “Diddy” Combs has seen his fortunes take a tumble. In addition to stepping down as Chairman of his company Revolt Media (and its television network, Revolt TV) and relinquishing his ownership of DeLeón Tequila, he also sold all his shares in Revolt to an undisclosed buyer earlier this week.

It didn’t take long for the buyer’s identity to be revealed, though; according to Page Six, Essence magazine owner Richelieu Dennis is the new owner of the network founded by Diddy in 2013. Dennis was recently profiled in Forbes as “the Godfather of Black business” after selling his company Sundial Brands, LLC — the parent company of SheaMoisture — to Unilever in 2017 and bought Essence the next year. In the interview, he talked about being “bullish on media” in response to rumors he wanted to buy Vice or BET.

He’s been a controversial figure since those splashy moves, with AfroTech noting that some Black culture critics view him as a “sellout” for selling SheaMoisture to the British consumer goods giant. Meanwhile, last year, Business Insider published a report detailing a “dehumanizing” culture at Essence after speaking with twenty then-current and former employees about the brand’s “extremely unhealthy work culture.”

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

NBA Podcaster LeBron James Is Now Breaking College Basketball Head Coaching News

lebron james
Getty Image

LeBron James is keeping himself busy these days. Of course, he’s doing everything he can to help the Los Angeles Lakers avoid the Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference (they’re currently the 9-seed), and off the court, he’s mixing being a basketball dad with his new media venture, as he co-hosts the podcast Mind the Game alongside J.J. Redick.

Now, LeBron is adding a new club to his bag: college basketball newsbreaker. James tweeted that he received word from “an unquestioned source” that the Duquesne Dukes, which won the Atlantic 10 Tournament this season and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, will promote associate head coach Dru Joyce III to take over for the recently retired Keith Dambrot.

Not long after, the program announced that Joyce will become its next head coach.

As for why LeBron James is so plugged into the goings on of Duquesne basketball, Dambrot was his coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s for the start of his high school career, while Joyce was one of his teammates and remains a close friend. Joyce always made sense as Dambrot’s replacement for a ton of reasons — he had a lengthy pro career abroad, has been around the program in an important role for the last few years, and is a respected basketball mind. And as an added bonus, LeBron will continue to follow Dukes basketball closely, which is nice.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Tom Holland Has Found His Juliet For The West End Production Of ‘Romeo And Juliet’

Tom Holland
Getty Image

Back in 1597 when William Shakespeare wrote “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” it’s impossible to assume who he had in mind to read the line. Fast forward a few hundred years, that same Romeo will be played by none other than Tom Holland in the West End production of the play. Shakespeare would have loved him in Spider-Man.

The Jamie Lloyd Company has rounded out the cast for the upcoming production, which is set to open in May and run until August. Francesca Amewudah-Rivers is set to take the stage as Juliet, opposite Holland’s Romeo. Amewudah-Rivers only has one previous acting credit on the BBC series Bad Education.

The cast also includes Doctor Who’s Freema Agyeman as the Nurse, Michael Balogun as the Friar, Tomiwa Edun as Capulet, Ray Sessay as Tybalt and Joshua-Alexander Williams as the pun-loving Mercutio. Are you getting High School English flashbacks yet?

Holland expressed his excitement in a statement.”Beyond excited to announce our cast for Romeo and Juliet. I can’t wait to get started and I know we’ll create something really special together.” It will be so special as long as you forget how the play ends.

This will be the latest project for Holland, who took a brief acting hiatus last summer. Romeo and Juliet will also mark Holland’s return to the stage after getting his big break as Billy Elliot at the age of 12. Unfortunately, Romeo and Juliet does not have as many elaborate dance numbers. Yet.

(Via Deadline)