Megan Thee Stallion is not the only one with new releases this season. Here’s some of the latest and greatest to hit the culture:
JT told us she was “Okay,” but Jeezy apparently is too. He appears on the “Okay Remix,” on which the now divorced rapper raps he’s “single as a dollar bill.” The two dress in all black in the video directed by Gerald Victor.
“Higher” is where Burna Boy wishes for his hometown of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, to be. In the video, he pays a visit to childhood home and hands out essential supplies with volunteers from The R.E.A.C.H. and his initiative Project PROTECT.
Offset teams with Gunna for “Style Rare” and directed the video alongside Joshua “Mid Jordan” Farias. “I got that s*** on now,” Set says of the song.
Lucky Daye may just dominate your Algorithm with his new album, released alongside the video for “Think Different.” “‘Algorithm’ is the continued exploration of my sound, leaning into more futuristic and alternative sounds,” he says.
Tinashe‘s following up her first Hot 100 hit with “Getting No Sleep,” which will appear on her upcoming album, Quantum Baby, arriving August 16.
Marsha Ambrosius is back with Casablanco, executive produced by Dr. Dre. She says, “Dr. Dre dared me to dream bigger and aim higher” with the project.
Latto gushes about her man in “Big Mama.” The video finds her and sister Brooklyn turning up in a Miami club, on a yacht and driving the streets in luxury cars.
Doechii‘s “Rocket,” released as part of Sprite’s Limelight series, is about a past situationship with no future. A video for the track is out now.
Tamar Braxton and Eric Benét‘s “Something in the Making” was “a long time in the making.” Both tell People the experience was a “fun” one.
(NEW YORK) — The U.S. Supreme Court Friday denied ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s request to remain out of jail while he continues to appeal his contempt of Congress conviction.
Bannon earlier this month was ordered by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols to report to prison by July 1 to begin serving his four-month sentence.
Bannon was sentenced to four months in October 2022 after he was found guilty of defying a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
After Bannon was sentenced, Nichols agreed to postpone the jail term while Bannon appealed the conviction.
He ordered Bannon to report to prison after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Bannon’s conviction last month.
Bannon last Friday filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to remain out of prison.
The Supreme Court provided no vote breakdown in its decision to deny his request.
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Laura Romero contributed to this report.
(WELLFLEET, Mass. ) — Some 125 dolphins are currently stranded on a beach near Wellfleet, Massachusetts, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
The Atlantic white-sided dolphins are stranded at the Great Island at the Herring River — also known as the “Gut” — which is a very difficult location to access and is covered in “dangerous mud,” Stacey Hedman, director of communications for the IFAW, said in a statement on Friday.
Ten dolphins had died before IFAW staff even arrived on the scene, Hedman said, describing the incident as the single-largest mass stranding event the group has ever responded to.
Low tide occurred at 11:23 a.m., Hedman said. Given the large number of distressed dolphins, the plan is to triage and support the animals before attempting to refloat and herd as many as possible.
Aerial footage taken by ABC Boston affiliate WCVB showed dozens of immobile dolphins lying on the coast on Friday afternoon, many of them covered in wet towels placed there by rescuers to keep the dolphins’ skin from drying out.
The video captured volunteers arriving to begin assisting the dolphins. Soon after, more crowds arrived, also appearing to help.
At least 25 IFAW staff and 100 volunteers were on the scene by late afternoon, Hedman said. Using three small vessels in the water, they continued herding and using underwater pingers to encourage the dolphins to twin in the proper direction as high tide approached.
Although temperatures were cooler on Friday than in recent days, the dolphins risk getting sunburned and overheated should they remain on the beach until the tide rises, Hedman said. High tide was expected to occur at about 5:34 p.m.
The IFAW has had success in the past herding white-sided dolphins, Hedman said.
Cape Cod is a global stranding hotspot due to the curvature of the shores and the fluctuation of the tides, according to experts.
It is unclear why dolphins strand themselves, Hedman said.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Supreme Court appears to be saving its most consequential ruling this term for last.
When the justices meet on Monday for a final day of opinions, they are expected to issue a blockbuster decision on whether a former president is shielded from criminal liability for “official acts” taken while in the White House.
In the case, Donald Trump is is claiming such immunity in order to quash the federal election subversion prosecution brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
Smith charged Trump with four felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, over his efforts to hold onto power after his 2020 election loss. Trump pleaded not guilty and has denied any wrongdoing.
The trial was set to start March 4 but has been delayed while the high court considers the immunity question.
Lower courts have flatly rejected Trump’s arguments.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing Trump’s election subversion case, said whatever immunities a sitting president may enjoy, the position “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”
And a three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals later unanimously rejected Trump’s claims, warning if they were to be accepted they would “collapse our system of separated powers.”
While the Supreme Court did not appear on board with Trump’s more sweeping claim of “absolute” immunity, several justices appeared open to some level of protection for former presidents when they heard oral arguments in late April — months after Smith first asked the court to intervene on the issue.
Their questioning largely focused on what presidential acts would be protected and which would not.
Justice Elena Kagan pressed Trump’s attorney if it would mean a former president could escape criminal liability for ordering a coup or selling nuclear secrets. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito wondered if past presidents who oversaw controversial policies like the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II or Operation Mongoose would have been prosecuted after they left office.
What the justices decide on the immunity issue will set a new standard for presidential power, and will affect whether Trump stands trial for his unprecedented actions in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
“We are writing a rule for the ages,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said during arguments.
(YULEE, Fla.) — A man was fishing in Florida when a shark bit him, severely injuring his arm, officials said.
The man, who is in his 40s, was on a boat at the time of the attack, which unfolded around 11 a.m. Friday at West Rock near the port of Fernandina, which is north of Jacksonville near the Florida-Georgia border, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Alicia Tarancon said.
A responding deputy boarded the man’s boat and applied a tourniquet to his right arm to slow the bleeding, Tarancon said.
The deputy then drove the boat to shore, where rescue crews were waiting, Tarancon said.
The victim was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition, Tarancon said. He’s expected to recover, Tarancon added.
This attack comes after a well-known surfer and lifeguard was killed by a shark in Hawaii on Sunday.
Tamayo Perry, 49, had been a lifeguard with Honolulu Ocean Safety since 2016. He was a local surf coach and competed for years in the Pipeline Master Trials, according to his official bio on his coaching site. Perry appeared in the 2002 movie “Blue Crush,” along with episodes of “Hawaii Five-O” and “The Bridge,” according to IMDb.
“The world knew Tamayo as a surfer and an actor, but to those who knew him best, he was a man of deep faith … now taken too soon,” his wife, Emilia Perry, told ABC News in an exclusive interview. “I feel so upset and devastated. But I also have a weird calmness in my heart knowing that he’s in a better place.”
ABC News’ Kori Skillman contributed to this report.
T-Pain is years into his music career, but it seems he’s still not used to fans’ reaction to his fame and stardom. In an interview with GQ, he says he began experiencing fanfare “a little bit before that, kind of the ‘I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper)’ era” but that it made him ask questions like, “What’s the big deal?” and “Why do you think I’m important?”
His reaction has remained the same over the years. “Even still to this day. I’m a person like you. If we’re both in the same airport, on the same flight, there’s nothing special about what I’m doing. It’s not a big deal that you get to see me,” he says.
“It’s become a thing that people know about me. They know how I feel about pictures and videos and stuff like that. I installed in everybody like, Chill the f*** out,” T-Pain continues. “We’re all doing this together. I’m only as important as you make me. I get it, and I appreciate it, but we’re all supposed to be chilling together. I just get to be on the other side of the camera more than most people.”
While he notices “the appreciation is there and the love is there,” T-Pain says that “trying to make me more important than anyone else that’s also waiting on their flight…just doesn’t make sense to me.”
Blxst has new music on the way, and this time, it’s not an EP. He announced Thursday that he’s readying for the release of his debut album, which will be titled I’ll Always Come Find You.
The announcement came via an Instagram post featuring a teaser that sees him in a Buick Grand National with a “Birdie” license plate, taking a late-night drive through the city and eventually stopping at a chauffeur car service garage called Evgle & Son. He ends the video saying, “If you’re ever lost, I’ll always come find you,” and revealing the release date: July 19.
“This is the most confident I’ve ever felt in my music. What I had to overcome while making this album changed my entire creative process, and the fans deserve to see the growth from that,” Blxst said in a press release. “I would be doing a disservice to not reach the heights I dreamed of reaching when I first started as an artist. No better time than now.”
To kick off the album, Blxst has released the Anderson .Paak-featuring single, “Dance with the Devil,” and its video.
“I’ve been a fan of Anderson .Paak since his Malibu album. His approach as an artist and tone of voice inspired me while coming into my own artistry,” Blxst said. “Full circle moment, he organically reached out to me summer 2023 to collaborate with him and the group Free Nationals. I took it as an opportunity to shoot for the stars and asked for him to be a part of my debut album as well.”
“This song is a perfect blend of two artists from California and is sonically undeniable from first listen,” he added. He said the song’s about “the tug-of-war with temptation in love and relationships.”
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden on Friday addressed his poor performance in Thursday’s presidential debate, just hours after he faltered on stage in his matchup against former President Donald Trump.
A senior campaign aide told ABC News that the president is “absolutely” not considering dropping out of the race after stumbling with answers and is committed to a second debate. During the rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, a more energetic-appearing Biden acknowledged that he’s not a young man, but contended that his morals and history prove that he’s still fit for the job.
“Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to, but … I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong, and I know how to do this job,” he told the roaring crowd. “I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down, you get back up.”
The crowd constantly shouted “Four more years,” during the event which also included remarks from first lady Jill Biden
Biden spent much of the rally pointing out what he called Trump’s false claims during the debate about the economy, immigration and crime.
“I spent 90 minutes on stage debating a guy with the morals of an alley cat,” Biden said repeating a zinger from the debate. “I think he set a new record for the number of lies told at a debate.”
Biden dug in further bringing up Trump’s conviction in a New York criminal court and pending criminal and civil trials.
“Donald Trump isn’t just a convicted felon. Donald Trump is a one-man crime wave,” the president said.
Biden also reiterated that Trump helped to end abortion rights for women across the country and contended that the former president and “MAGA Republicans” would push forward a national abortion ban.
“I made it clear last night you reelect me and Kamala [Harris] we will make Roe v. Wade the law of the land,” he said.
Jill Biden, who wore a dress with the word “vote” written all over it, also defended his performance.
“What you saw last night on the debate stage was Joe Biden, a president with integrity and character who told the truth,” she said. “And Donald Trump told lie after lie after lie.”
Biden told reporters immediately after the debate that he had a sore throat and didn’t have concerns about his performance.
“It’s hard to debate a liar,” he said.
When the president and first lady landed in Raleigh early Friday morning they were greeted at the tarmac by prominent North Carolina Democrats, including State Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, and about 250 supporters.
Biden spent time speaking with the supporters and took photos with them before he left the airport.
Following the Raleigh rally, the president was headed to New York City to deliver remarks at the grand opening ceremony of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, the first LGBTQIA+ visitor center within the National Park system.
Biden will end his day with a closed-door campaign reception in New York.
ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks contributed to this report.
Dopamine was released two weeks ago, and coincidentally, Normani is experiencing a sense of joy as a result.
“I have gratitude. Like I said, I’m still processing my feelings but more than anything, I’m so glad the weight is lifted,” she said during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show, when explaining how she feels post her album’s release. “I feel like I can be present. I feel like I can live as opposed to feeling like I’m surviving and trying to fight to keep my head above water. That gets exhausting, so I’m in a much better place.”
After experiencing delays due to various reasons, including her parents’ cancer diagnoses, Normani already has a goal to ensure that recording her sophomore effort is “much more enjoyable.”
“I can’t wait, especially knowing what I know now,” she said.
(WASHINGTON) — Homelessness advocates are condemning the Supreme Court’s ruling that an Oregon city’s ordinance to bar anyone without a permanent residency from sleeping outside does not amount to “cruel and unusual” punishment under the Eighth Amendment.
In 2013, the Grants Pass city council attempted to ban anyone “from using a blanket, pillow or cardboard box for protection from the elements” while sleeping outside, threatening violators with citations and tickets. Lower courts initially found that this was “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment.
The case, City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, has major implications for the rising population of unhoused Americans and the disciplinary actions they face in public spaces, advocates say.
Across the country, homelessness has been on the rise since 2016.
The most recent report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in December found that more than 650,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2023 across the country, a 12% increase from 2022. As this number rises, local legislators continue to implement bans on homeless encampments or sleeping outside.
Advocates say these policies don’t address the lack of affordable housing for the homeless and instead they criminalize people “for trying to survive” with nowhere to go, said Jesse Rabinowitz, campaign and communications director at the National Homelessness Law Center in a statement to ABC News.
He called the ruling “inhumane.”
Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, told ABC News that unhoused people are often forced to face the elements in winter and summer, which may cause further physical and emotional trauma. Oliva argues that taking away their possessions or adding further financial burden to the homeless only worsens the harm.
“It makes it harder for them to get jobs. It makes it harder for them to get it into apartment, because fines rack up, sometimes they turn into criminal charges and bench warrants,” said Oliva. “So it not only doesn’t end homelessness for anybody, it actually makes it worse for the people who are subject to these kinds of ordinances.”
The decision is a win for lawmakers across the country who have recently implemented similar bans on the homeless and restrictions on encampments or possessions in public spaces, but who have been faced with legal challenges.
When SCOTUS first agreed to hear the case in January, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called on the Supreme Court to “correct course and end the costly delays from lawsuits that have plagued our efforts to clear encampments and deliver services to those in need.”
The 6-3 SCOTUS opinion was authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch.
“Homelessness is complex. Its causes are many. So may be the public policy responses required to address it,” Gorsuch wrote. “At bottom, the question this case presents is whether the Eighth Amendment grants federal judges primary responsibility for assessing those causes and devising those responses. It does not.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a dissent joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, argued the ordinance punishes homeless people with nowhere else to go based on status.
“It is possible to acknowledge and balance the issues facing local governments, the humanity and dignity of homeless people, and our constitutional principles,” Sotomayor wrote. “Instead, the majority focuses almost exclusively on the needs of local governments and leaves the most vulnerable in our society with an impossible choice: Either stay awake or be arrested.”
