Aretha Franklin Biopic “Respect” Cast Finalized

MGM and Bron Creative have finalized the cast for its Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson, who will be in the lead role. “Respect” follows the rise of Franklin’s career beginning as a child singing in her father’s church choir to her international stardom.

Joining Hudson in the Liesl Tommy-directed movie is Forest Whitaker; Tony, Grammy and Emmy-winner Audra McDonald; Marlon Wayans; Multiple Grammy winning, and Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominee Mary J. Blidge; Tony-nominee Saycon Sengbloh; Tony-nominee Hailey Kilgore; Emmy-nominee Tituss Burgess, and Tate Donovan. Emmy-nominee Tracey Scott Wilson (The Americans, Fosse / Verdon) penned the script.

Production begins Nov.1. Pic will be released on August 14, 2020 with Universal handling overseas.

Lizzo Makes Chart History

Lizzo makes chart history. 

The Cuz I Love You single ties Iggy Azalea “Fancy” featuring Charli XCX for longest-running number one rap song by a female artist. “Truth Hurts” is the first rap No.1 Hot 100 for an unaccompanied female since Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”, which spent three weeks on top in October 2017.

The rapper earns seventh week atop Billboard Hot 100 with “Truth Hurts.” The song first topped the Hot 100 in early September and spent six consecutive weeks at No.1 before dropping to No.2 when it was dethroned by Travis Scott’s “Highest in the Room”, which slides to No.6 in its second week on the charts.

Food Truck 500

Listen to get qualified to play for $500 at the food truck rally, this Friday, October 18th!

We’re calling it the 98.1 The Beat Food Truck 500! Get qualified, then come out to the food truck rally this Friday for your chance to win. The rally will be on Church Street, Downtown Huntsville.

If you don’t get qualified on the air, don’t worry, we will have one spot left at the rally. Register at the  tent from 5pm to 6:30pm and we will draw one last name to get you in on a chance at winning $500.
At 7pm, we’ll start a backwards drawing of all the qualifiers until we get to one listener that will go for the money.

5th Annual Diamond Ball: Is Rihanna Pregnant?

The stars showed up and showed out at Rihanna’s 5th Annual Diamond Ball. The event supports the Clara Lionel Foundation, which she founded in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite, and funds global education, health and emergency response programs for children around the world. While it has been rumored that Rihanna has an album dropping in December, set to be titled ‘R9’, Twitter is going crazy over what appears to be Rihanna on stage at the Diamond Ball sporting a baby bump! To add even more fuel to the rumor, during an interview that has gone viral where Rihanna says, “I’m a black woman. I came from a black woman, who came from a black woman, who came from a black woman, and I’m going to give birth to a black woman. My mother is an incredible example of how to fight through obstacles in life. I’m sure her mom taught her that and that’s how I’m going to be. We are impeccable, we’re special, we’re special and the world is going to have to deal with that.” While there’s no official confirmation that the Fenty Beauty founder is expecting a child right now, fans couldn’t help but freak out about the possibility.

Watch Rihanna Perform “Lemon” with Pharrell.

Is it a baby bump or is her dress just bunched?

 

Nicki Minaj Announces Retirement

Mrs. Petty announced on Thursday (Sept 5,2019) that she’s decided to retire and focus on family.

That’s right Nicki Minaj (Onika Tanya Maraj)  announced via Twitter. She signs off by quoting her own verse on Alicia Keys’ 2012 single “Girl on Fire.” “I’ve decided to retire & have my family,” she wrote. “I know you guys are happy now.

It was revealed in mid August that the Barbie Queen would soon be married to current boyfriend Kenneth Petty, whom she went public with back in December.  She has been an active artist since 2004 and since has created a legacy for herself. This year, she became the first female rapper to officially sell 100 million units as certified by the RIAA.

Minaj has been called one of the most influential female rap artists of all time. Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades, including six American Music Awards, 11 BET Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, a Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award, and 10 Grammy Award nominations. Minaj has sold 20 million singles as a lead artist, 60 million singles as a featured artist, and over five million albums worldwide, making her one of the world’s best-selling music artists.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence: Bad Boys for Life Trailer

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunite for one last ride in the official Bad Boys for Life trailer. This long awaited action-comedy will be the third installment to the franchise. In this thrilling action-packed clip you will see reprising Miami detective Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, played by Smith and Lawrence, as hey drive through the mall and shoot at enemies to Diddy’s 2001 hit of the same name serving as the soundtrack, which will be released on DJ Khaled’s We the Best Records.

Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the movie will also star Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Joe Pantoliano, and Vanessa Hudgens, along with DJ Khaled. The original Bad Boys premiered in 1995 and grossed $141 million worldwide, while the 2003 sequel earned $273 million at the global box office.

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE hits theaters Jan.17,2020.

Watch trailer now.

NFL and Roc Nation’s Program Donates $400K To Chicago Youth

 

Meek Mill, Rapsody, Vic Mensa, and Meghan Trainor will visit the organizations this week.

Jay Z may still receive a lot of backlash regarding his Roc Nation-NFL deal, but whether or not people are all for his business move, he’s wasting no time pressing forward in taking action. Just recently announced, Jay was curating the Inspire Change concert series for the league, a show that will first feature artist including Meek Mill, Rapsody ,Vic Mensa, and Meghan Trainor. It will be held at Grant Park in Chicago on Thursday at the NFL Kickoff Experience presented by EA Sports Madden NFL ’20.

According to TMZ, the artists, in connection with the Inspire Change program, will be visiting two Chicago-based organizations whose primary focus is centered on at-risk youth. The outlet states that Roc Nation chose the Better Boys Foundation (BFF) and the Crusher’s Club as the two programs that will not only get visits from the music artists but will also receive financial donations that reportedly total $400K.

 

 

Kevin Hart’s Wife, Eniko Gives Update After His Surgery

Actor-Comedian Kevin Hart and two others were involved in a serious car accident on early Sunday morning (September 1).

TMZ reported Kevin’s friend, Jared Black, was behind the wheel at 12:45 AM and officers say he had just turned onto Mulholland Highway, when for some reason, he lost control of the car. Road marks show exactly where he careened into the fence, and landed in a ditch 10 feet off the road. Law enforcement sources believe investigators are absolutely looking into speed as a possible factor for Black losing control. Black was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center where he is surrounded by friends and family as he recovers.

Harts bodyguard, who showed up in a SUV, took him to Hart’s home to “get medical treatment.” However, Hart’s condition appeared to be more server than initially realized so he was taken to the hospital. Kevin Hart is reportedly out of surgery following a serious, but non-fatal, car accident in Los Angeles early Sunday morning (September 1). Paparazzi caught up with Harts wife Eniko as she was returning to the hospital on Monday (September 2). She said Hart is going to be “fine” and revealed his spirit is good. He will require extensive physical therapy and a steady schedule of follow-up doctors appointments. He is expected to be released from the hospital by the end of the week.

Megan Thee Stallion Hits the Books!

#HotGirlSummer had a fun run but rapper Megan Thee Stallion is back to a #HotGirlSemester where she will be driving the books, instead of the boat. Currently enrolled at The Historical Black College,Texas Southern University, the 24-year-old rapper posted a video of herself on Instagram dancing in an empty classroom capturing, “I literally wrote ‘Cash Sh*t’ in between classes I can’t wait to see what I come up with this Fall ! Hotties let’s make this semester a good one! #HotGirlSemester”.

While this Houston native’s career has skyrocketed over the Summer with hit ‘Big Ole Freak’, Megan is known for bragging about how she maintains the charts and the books at TSU. She recently told Access Hollywood that she was looking forward to taking her “hot girls” into a “real hot nerd Fall” by motivating her fans going to school. So not only is she topping charts she also aspires to inspire young women like her.

Meg currently has three career Hot 100- charting hits which include:
#11 “Hot Girl Summer” featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla
#39 “Cash Shit” featuring Da Baby
#69 “Big Ole Freak”

Lil Nas X hits ‘Time’ Magazine

Lil Nas X has been riding a major heat wave this year thank to ‘Old Time Road’. Breaking a major record of being at the number one spot on the Billboard Tot 100 for 19 weeks and counting, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. Now, he’s being featured on the front cover of the August 26, 2019 issue of TIME Magazine. With the headline “It’s His Country: The Wild Ride with Lil Nas X” he is featured wearing PHLEMUNS suit, a custom Glady’s Tamez Millinery hat, cow print boots, hooded style cover and dripping in jewels. Read more here.

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