The rapper recently appeared on the program, tapped as part of its Black Music Month celebration. She took the stage with her background singers, the Floettes, and Atlanta’s Band of Brothas, performing “Conceited,” “Bed Time” and “In the Party” before introducing her viral hit “Beef FloMix.”
“This next song was my first song to ever blow up. I wrote this in my mom’s house [when] I was 18. This is my baby,” she said. Flo then closed out the set with “Weak” and an acoustic version of “Never Lose Me” featuring a new verse.
Flo was part June’s all-female lineup, which also put a spotlight on Tems, Brittney Spencer, Tierra Whack and Chaka Khan.
“So, this sort of occurred to me this time last year like, ‘Wow, it’s too many dudes,’ and I want to really go for it this year, and really honor the women that helped shape Black music to me, which is all music,” producer and host Bobby Carter said. “I knew this was going to be something that we would do last year.”
— YGunveiled the artwork for Just Re’d Up 3, which he announced will come out on Aug. 16. It pays homage to previous Just Re’d Up projects while displaying the juxtaposition of his old and new life. Like previous albums, YG poses in front of a white background, with his name written in a bold gray font. He holds a red Louis Vuitton duffle bug, similar to the brown one spotted on the original Just Re’d Up album cover. And instead of standing in front of one car, like he did for the second installment, he now stands before three luxurious vehicles.
— LeBron James and Lil Wayne unite for a commercial promoting the return of the new Beats Pill speaker. The ad finds James turning up to music, including Wayne’s “A Milli,” which prevents Weezy from a getting a good night’s rest. He makes his way to the apartment above to find out what’s causing the noise, discovers the party, and ends up staying and asking for the music to be turned up. “The Beats Pill has been a staple in the James household from day one,” said James. “It’s an iconic product, so it’s exciting to be part of its relaunch for a new generation.” Available in matte black, statement red and champagne gold, the Pill is $149.99 on apple.com.
50 Cent was welcomed into Tyler Perry‘s studio in Atlanta, and he left feeling super inspired. “I’m leaving no room for error. Tyler showed me some s*** today that inspired me,” Fif wrote on Instagram. “I need all my money if you owe me, you better give me mine now!” Alongside the post were pictures of him and Tyler, a concession stand and an LED board that announced 50 Cent’s arrival. “Tyler Perry Studios Welcomes 50 Cent & G-Unit,” it read.
Lil Jon is all about promoting wellness of the mind, body and soul. The producer, whose love for meditation is well known, will be bringing his music to six of Peloton’s classes, including cycling, strength and meditation. He’s also set to pop up in a few live classes, including Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts‘ meditation class, on launch day.
“My meditation journey really led me to take on a more positive mindset, and has really helped drive awareness and access to the practice of meditation; everyone deserves to find an outlet that gives them moments of peace,” Lil Jon says, per Billboard. “I’m excited to join Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts, I know what an influential force she is in the yoga and meditation space!”
The Lil Jon Artist Series starts June 27 on the Peloton app. It’s not clear what music will be used, but it’s likely some classes will feature his guided meditation albums, Total Meditation and Manifest Abundance.
The star-studded Essence Festival has expanded with a few more additions to the lineup. Set to perform at AT&T’s Dream in Black connected stage are Mya, Jadakiss and Jeremih.
“I’m looking forward to headlining the AT&T Dream in Black connected stage as we gear up to celebrate thirty years of ESSENCE Festival,” Mya tells Billboard. “I know I’ll cherish this performance because it gives me the opportunity to connect with my fans and take them through my journey as an artist as we reflect on the last three decades of art and culture within the Black community.”
The Essence Festival takes place July 4-7 in New Orleans, a city Jadakiss describes as having “the vibe, the soul, and the stories of Black culture all around us.”
Also excited about securing a place on the lineup, he says, “It’s about celebrating where we’ve come from and where we’re headed. This performance is a shout-out to our roots, a celebration of our strength, and a step toward community and connection.”
In his own statement, Jeremih adds, “I always look to honor and celebrate Black culture through my music, which is why I’m excited to headline the AT&T Dream in Black connected stage at ESSENCE Festival. Connecting with my fans while they experience the culture and community that is ESSENCE marks a significant moment for me.”
Mya, Jadakiss and Jeremih join a jam-packed lineup that includes T-Pain, Janet Jackson, Birdman and Usher, who’ll be taking the stage with a one-night-only performance celebrating the 20th anniversary of his album Confessions.
Exterior view of Elvis Presley’s house Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. (Gab Archive/Redferns via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — The Tennessee Attorney General turned the investigation into the failed foreclosure of Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate to federal investigators, according to a spokesperson for the office.
“The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office looked into the Graceland matter, and it quickly became apparent that this was a matter best suited for federal law enforcement. We have faith in our federal partners and know they will handle this appropriately,” director of communications for the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Amy Lannom Wilhite said in a statement to ABC News.
In May, Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti announced that his department would look into the attempt by an investment group to foreclose on Graceland.
Actress Riley Keough, Presley’s granddaughter, and daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, sued to stop a company calling itself “Naussany Investments and Private Lending LLC” from auctioning off the Memphis estate visited by millions from around the world.
Contact information for the company wasn’t immediately available.
The sale had been scheduled for late May but was blocked by a judge, and the effort was ultimately dropped.
Skrmetti said in May lawyers from the AG’s office would look into the matter “and identify” what they could do to “protect both Elvis Presley’s heirs and anyone else who may be similarly threatened.”
“My office has fought fraud against homeowners for decades, and there is no home in Tennessee more beloved than Graceland,” Skrmetti said.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 5, 2024. (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)
(NEW YORK) — Two NASA astronauts have no set date to return to Earth and are stuck waiting aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to several mechanical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Starliner launched on June 5 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with flight commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and flight pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams onboard, arriving at the ISS one day later.
The mission is part of the larger Commercial Crew Program at NASA, which was testing if Boeing’s spacecrafts could be certified to perform routine missions to and from the ISS.
The pair were originally scheduled to return on June 14 but have since had their return delayed multiple times, and currently do not have a planned date to return to Earth.
“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said in a statement. “We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking.”
Boeing and NASA have said the crew is currently not in danger because they are aboard the ISS with plenty of supplies in orbit, and the station’s schedule is relatively open through mid-August.
NASA and Boeing say Wilmore and Williams are “integrated” with the Expedition 71 crew aboard the ISS and are helping the crew with station operations as needed as well as completing “objectives” needed for NASA’s possible certification of Starliner.
“The crew’s feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and they know that every bit of learning we do on the Crew Flight Test will improve and sharpen our experience for future crews,” Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s Starliner program, said in a statement.
Starliner has been plagued by issues even before launch. The flight test was originally tentatively scheduled for May 6, but was scrubbed after a problem with an oxygen valve on a rocket from United Launch Alliance (ULA), which manufactures and operates the rockets that launch spacecraft into orbit.
A new launch date had been set for May 25, but a small helium leak was discovered in the service module, which contains support systems and instruments for operating a spacecraft.
Helium leaks and a thruster issue then threatened to delay Starliner’s docking. Five days after docking at the ISS, NASA and Boeing said the spacecraft was experiencing five “small” helium leaks and, at the time, said enough helium was available for the return mission.
