THIS IS THE CHRONICLES OF EFREM: The Daily Buzz For Feb 5☕📰☕

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#MAGFAB: Lashana Lynch for Amazing Magazine - Winter 2024!
Lashana Lynch is gearing up for what is perhaps the biggest role of her career so far: playing Rita Marley in musical biopic Bob Marley: One Love. For her, it’s all about the culture, as she represents her Jamaican roots both on-screen and off.

“My culture is incredibly important to me,” says British-Jamaican actor Lashana Lynch, who stars as Rita Marley in upcoming musical biopic Bob Marley: One Love. “I’d say most people who have come across me as a person or as an artist know that I lead with my culture. And anytime I get to link my work with my culture, I do it.”

Lynch is a shining example of practising what she preaches: aside from playing Cuban-born Jamaican singer songwriter Rita, founding member of the Soulettes and widow of reggae legend Bob, she was also able to honour her Jamaican heritage in 2021’s No Time To Die. The 25th James Bond film saw Lynch star alongside Daniel Craig’s Bond as secret agent Nomi, the first Black 007, a history-making role. As fans of the series will know, Bond author Ian Fleming wrote all his spy novels from his Goldeneye estate on Oracabessa Bay, on Jamaica’s northern coast. Jamaica has also served as a filming location for several Bond movies.

“When it comes around more than once in your lifetime, because I know a lot of people don't get to link the two, I go full throttle with it. I just allow it to speak,” says Lynch. “I give thanks to my family and I really try to involve them. My parents, especially, and their stories about coming to London from Jamaica. It’s a blessing to be able to create harmony between the two and for me to have the opportunities to discuss it through my work. It also reminds the world – especially in this time of the actors’ strike - that artists come with their own history that helps them to dive further into their work. Without that, sometimes you can struggle. Being able to explore more of my Jamaican culture meant that I didn't struggle. It was just there spiritually and emotionally.”

For Lashana's full interview and shoot, order your copy of AMAZING issue 4 now.

#RHOA: #TWIRL? Kenya Moore Says The ‘Door Is Closed’ for NeNe Leakes coming back to RHOA!
Kenya Moore recently said there’s zero chance that NeNe Leakes will return to the Real Housewives of Atlanta.
When asked during an interview with Audacy’s V-103 if she saw a possibility for NeNe to return to the franchise, Kenya quoted one of her iconic lines. “I think that door is closed. I mean, when you sue your employer, what do you expect to happen,” she said.

NeNe sued Bravo and NBC Universal in April 2022 over working conditions. “For years, NBC, Bravo, and True have fostered a corporate and workplace culture that has permitted and tolerated – if not, encouraged – racially offensive and insensitive conduct, statements, and actions by their employees,” the legal docs read.

Kenya says NeNe did more than “burn a bridge” with Bravo
Once NeNe filed her lawsuit, many fans lost hope that the former Glee star would ever hold a peach again. However, NeNe and Andy Cohen have been kinder to each other in the press over the last year, leading some to hold on to hope.

“I don’t hate on the idea of [thinking NeNe could return] … but in reality, how do you recover from suing your bosses and the network and saying all the things that she said? You didn’t just burn a bridge; you blew it up.”
Regarding the new season of RHOA, Kenya teased that Bravo was gearing up to announce Season 16’s cast sometime soon. Since wrapping last season’s reunion, there have been rumblings about a massive cast shake-up.

#MusicNews: Toni Braxton & Cedric The Entertainer To Co-Headline Las Vegas Residency

It has been announced that R&B star Toni Braxton will link up with legendary comedian Cedric The Entertainer for “Love & Laughter”, a one-of-a-kind music and comedy limited engagement at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Longtime friends Toni and Cedric will co-headline bringing together their respective worlds live on stage. Fans can expect timeless hits from Toni’s vast discography, amplified by her mesmerizing voice, coupled with the kind of brilliant hilarity only a legend like Cedric can provide. Throughout the show, the two icons will captivate the crowd through music, jokes and storytelling – creating the ideal feel-good evening.

“Comedy and song have been at the heart of the human communal experience since the beginning of time, and we are thrilled to join on stage to bring that experience to the Cosmopolitan. We could all use a little more love and laughter in our lives,” said Cedric The Entertainer and Toni Braxton.

‘Love & Laughter,’ starring Toni Braxton and Cedric The Entertainer, is scheduled to perform seven shows beginning Saturday, April 27. For additional information, visit the official site or cosmopolitanlasvegas.com.
Performance Dates (all shows are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.)

Saturday, April 27
Friday, May 10
Sunday, May 12
Friday, June 28
Saturday, June 29
Friday, July 12
Saturday, July 13

#HipHopNews: Megan Thee Stallion Owns Her Masters And Publishing In New Distribution Deal With Warner Music Group
Megan Thee Stallion officially announced her distribution deal with Warner Music Group. Through the agreement, the Grammy-winning artist will be able to release music via her Hot Girl Productions with backing from the record label.
The “Captain Hook” rapper shared her excitement via Instagram on Friday (Feb. 2). She captioned the post, “Thank you, GOD. Hotties, today [HISTORY] was made! Today, I signed a distribution deal with my new family, [Warner Music], where I maintain my INDEPENDENCE as an artist [and] OWN MY MASTERS AND PUBLISHING. This is the first deal of its kind! I hope artists still on the come up or even artists who are already established never get discouraged by all the obstacles that come with this industry!”

Megan continued, “Even with all the odds against me, I fought for MYSELF, the Hotties fought for me and [Roc Nation] fought for me! I’m forever grateful! Let’s REALLY KEEP RUNNING IT UP HOTTIES! Shout out to MAMA HOLLY. I know she’s guiding me through all this.”

She released her first single under Hot Girl Productions in November 2023, titled “Cobra.” It arrived on the heels of Megan ending her legal battle with Carl Crawford’s 1501 Certified Entertainment the month prior.
“This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter of my life and career,” Megan said in a press statement. “I’m really focused on building an empire and growing as an entrepreneur, so I’m proud to take this next step in my journey and work with Max Lousada and the entire Warner Music Group team in this new capacity. I know we’re going to create history together.”

“Meg is not just a superstar. She’s an artistic force and a mogul in the making – authentic and unapologetic in defining her own unique place in the cultural landscape,” WMG CEO Max Lousada added. “So many relate to her remarkable story and have witnessed her come into her power on her own terms. At Warner, we’re creating an environment where original talents can explore both their creativity and entrepreneurialism while building long-term careers. Following on her success with 300, we’re excited to continue our journey with Meg through this dynamic new partnership, with our global teams, infrastructure and expertise supporting her every step of the way.”

Earlier this month, Megan debuted “HISS” as her second offering as a newly independent artist. The record is expected to appear on her forthcoming studio album, which is due this summer.

Grammys 2024 See The Winners List!

The Recording Academy is handing out all of their 2024 Grammy Award trophies!
If you don’t know, the televised show airs tonight at 8pm ET on CBS. However, most of the awards are actually handed out throughout the day during the pre-show event.
Taylor Swift made history during the show to become the first person to ever win Album of the Year four times.
We’ve gathered up every single winner (and nominee) here for you to see.

See the full list of winners from the 2024 Grammys below

Record Of The Year
“Worship,” Jon Batiste
“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus – WINNER!
“What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture Barbie], Billie Eilish
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo
“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift
“Kill Bill,” SZA

Album Of The Year
World Music Radio, Jon Batiste
the record, boygenius
Endless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus
Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del Rey
The Age Of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe
GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo
Midnights, Taylor Swift – WINNER!
SOS, SZA

Song Of The Year
“A&W,” Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey & Sam Dew, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
“Anti-Hero,” Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
“Dance The Night” (From Barbie The Album), Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Miley Cyrus)
“Kill Bill,” Rob Bisel, Carter Lang & Solána Rowe, songwriters (SZA)
“Vampire,” Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)
“What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture Barbie], Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) – WINNER!

Best New Artist
Gracie Abrams
Fred again..
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Coco Jones
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monét – WINNER!
The War And Treaty

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff – WINNER!
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Hit-Boy
Metro Boomin
Daniel Nigro

Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Shane McAnally
Theron Thomas – WINNER!
Justin Tranter

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus – WINNER!
“Paint The Town Red,” Doja Cat
“What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture Barbie], Billie Eilish
“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo
“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Thousand Miles,” Miley Cyrus Featuring Brandi Carlile
“Candy Necklace,” Lana Del Rey Featuring Jon Batiste
“Never Felt So Alone,” Labrinth Featuring Billie Eilish
“Karma,” Taylor Swift Featuring Ice Spice
“Ghost In The Machine,” SZA Featuring Phoebe Bridgers - WINNER!

Best Pop Vocal Album
Chemistry, Kelly Clarkson
Endless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus
GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo
– (Subtract), Ed Sheeran
Midnights, Taylor Swift – WINNER!

Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“Blackbox Life Recorder 21F,” Aphex Twin
“Loading,” James Blake
“Higher Than Ever Before,” Disclosure
“Strong,” Romy & Fred again..
“Rumble,” Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan – WINNER!

Best Pop Dance Recording
“Baby Don’t Hurt Me,” David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray
“Miracle,” Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding
“Padam Padam,” Kylie Minogue – WINNER!
“One In A Million,” Bebe Rexha & David Guetta
“Rush,” Troye Sivan

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
Playing Robots Into Heaven, James Blake
For That Beautiful Feeling, The Chemical Brothers
Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022), Fred again.. - WINNER!
Kx5, Kx5
Quest For Fire, Skrillex

Best Rock Performance
“Sculptures Of Anything Goes,” Arctic Monkeys
“More Than A Love Song,” Black Pumas
“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius – WINNER!
“Rescued,” Foo Fighters
“Lux Æterna,” Metallica

Best Metal Performance
“Bad Man,” Disturbed
“Phantom Of The Opera,” Ghost
“72 Seasons,” Metallica – WINNER!
“Hive Mind,” Slipknot
“Jaded,” Spiritbox

Best Rock Song
“Angry,” Mick Jagger, Keith Richards & Andrew Watt, songwriters (The Rolling Stones)
“Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl,” Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)
“Emotion Sickness,” Dean Fertita, Joshua Homme, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore & Troy Van Leeuwen, songwriters (Queens Of The Stone Age)
“Not Strong Enough,” Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus, songwriters (boygenius) – WINNER!
“Rescued,” Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett & Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Best Rock Album
But Here We Are, Foo Fighters
Starcatcher, Greta Van Fleet
72 Seasons, Metallica
This Is Why, Paramore – WINNER!
In Times New Roman…, Queens Of The Stone Age
Best Alternative Music Performance
“Belinda Says,” Alvvays
“Body Paint,” Arctic Monkeys
“Cool About It,” boygenius
“A&W,” Lana Del Rey
“This Is Why,” Paramore – WINNER!

Best Alternative Music Album
The Car, Arctic Monkeys
The Record, boygenius – WINNER!
Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del Rey
Cracker Island, Gorillaz
I Inside The Old Year Dying, PJ Harvey
Best R&B Performance
“Summer Too Hot,” Chris Brown
“Back To Love,” Robert Glasper Featuring SiR & Alex Isley
“ICU,” Coco Jones – WINNER!
“How Does It Make You Feel,” Victoria Monét
“Kill Bill,” SZA

Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Simple,” Babyface Featuring Coco Jones
“Lucky.” Kenyon Dixon
“Hollywood,” Victoria Monét Featuring Earth, Wind & Fire & Hazel Monét
“Good Morning,” PJ Morton Featuring Susan Carol – WINNER!
“Love Language,” SZA

Best R&B Song
“Angel,” Halle Bailey, Theron Feemster & Coleridge Tillman, songwriters (Halle)
“Back To Love,” Darryl Andrew Farris, Riley Glasper, Robert Glasper & Alexandra Isley, songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring SiR & Alex Isley)
“ICU,” Darhyl Camper Jr., Courtney Jones, Raymond Komba & Roy Keisha Rockette, songwriters (Coco Jones)
“On My Mama,” Dernst Emile II, Jeff Gitelman, Victoria Monét, Kyla Moscovich, Jamil Pierre & Charles Williams, songwriters (Victoria Monét)
“Snooze,” Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe & Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA) – WINNER!

Best Progressive R&B Album
Since I Have A Lover, 6LACK
The Love Album: Off The Grid, Diddy
Nova, Terrace Martin And James Fauntleroy
The Age Of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe
SOS, SZA – WINNER!

Best R&B Album
Girls Night Out, Babyface
What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe), Coco Jones
Special Occasion, Emily King
JAGUAR II, Victoria Monét – WINNER!
CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP, Summer Walker

Best Rap Performance
“The Hillbillies,” Baby Keem Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Love Letter,” Black Thought
“Rich Flex,” Drake & 21 Savage
“SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS,” Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future And Eryn Allen Kane – WINNER!
“Players,” Coi Leray

Best Melodic Rap Performance
“Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” Burna Boy Featuring 21 Savage
“Attention,” Doja Cat
“Spin Bout U,” Drake & 21 Savage
“All My Life,:” Lil Durk Featuring J. Cole – WINNER!
“Low,” SZA

Best Rap Song
“Attention,” Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini & Ari Starace, songwriters (Doja Cat)
“Barbie World” [From Barbie The Album], Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua)
“Just Wanna Rock,” Mohamad Camara, Symere Woods & Javier Mercado, songwriters (Lil Uzi Vert)
“Rich Flex,” Brytavious Chambers, Isaac “Zac” De Boni, Aubrey Graham, J. Gwin, Anderson Hernandez, Michael “Finatik” Mule & Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, songwriters (Drake & 21 Savage)
“SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS,” Andre Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future And Eryn Allen Kane) – WINNER!

Best Rap Album
Her Loss, Drake & 21 Savage
MICHAEL, Killer Mike – WINNER!
HEROES & VILLIANS, Metro Boomin
King’s Disease III, Nas
UTOPIA, Travis Scott

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
A-You’re Not Wrong B-They’re Not Either: The Fukc-It Pill Revisited, Queen Sheba
For Your Consideration’24 -The Album, Prentice Powell and Shawn William
Grocery Shopping With My Mother, Kevin Powell
The Light Inside, J. Ivy – WINNER!
When The Poems Do What They Do, Aja Monet

Best Jazz Performance
“Movement 18′ (Heroes),” Jon Batiste
“Basquiat,” Lakecia Benjamin
“Vulnerable (Live),” Adam Blackstone Featuring The Baylor Project & Russell Ferranté
“But Not For Me,” Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding
“Tight,” Samara Joy – WINNER!

Best Jazz Vocal Album
For Ella 2, Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band
Alive At The Village Vanguard, Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding
Lean In, Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke
Mélusine, Cécile McLorin Salvant
How Love Begins, Nicole Zuraitis – WINNER!

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
The Source, Kenny Barron
Phoenix, Lakecia Benjamin
Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn, Adam Blackstone
The Winds Of Change, Billy Childs – WINNER!
Dream Box, Pat Metheny

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute – Ritmo, ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent, Emilio Solla
Dynamic Maximum Tension, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Basie Swings The Blues, The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart – WINNER!
Olympians, Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest
The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, Mingus Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album
Quietude, Eliane Elias
My Heart Speaks, Ivan Lins With The Tblisi Symphony Orchestra
Vox Humana, Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
Cometa, Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente
El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2, Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo – WINNER!

Best Alternative Jazz Album
Love In Exile, Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily
Quality Over Opinion, Louis Cole
SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree, Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue
Live At The Piano, Cory Henry
The Omnichord Real Book, Meshell Ndegeocello – WINNER!

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim, Liz Callaway
Pieces Of Treasure, Rickie Lee Jones
Bewitched, Laufey – WINNER!
Holidays Around The World, Pentatonix
Only The Strong Survive, Bruce Springsteen
Sondheim Unplugged (The NYC Sessions), Vol. 3, (Various Artists)

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
As We Speak, Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia – WINNER!
On Becoming, House Of Waters}
Jazz Hands, Bob James
The Layers, Julian Lage
All One, Ben Wendel

Best Musical Theater Album
Kimberly Akimbo
Parade
Shucked
Some Like It Hot – WINNER!
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Best Country Solo Performance
“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers
“Buried,” Brandy Clark
“Fast Car,” Luke Combs
“The Last Thing On My Mind,” Dolly Parton
“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton – WINNER!

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“High Note,” Dierks Bentley Featuring Billy Strings
“Nobody’s Nobody,” Brothers Osborne
“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves – WINNER!
“Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold),” Vince Gill & Paul Franklin
“Save Me,” Jelly Roll With Lainey Wilson
“We Don’t Fight Anymore,” Carly Pearce Featuring Chris Stapleton

Best Country Song
“Buried,” Brandy Clark & Jessie Jo Dillon, songwriters (Brandy Clark)
“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves)
“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers & Geno Seale, songwriters (Tyler Childers)
“Last Night,” John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin & Ryan Vojtesak, songwriters (Morgan Wallen)
“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Chris Stapleton) – WINNER!

Best Country Album
Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne, Brothers Osborne}
Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan
Rustin’ In The Rain, Tyler Childers
Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson – WINNER!

Best American Roots Performance
“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste
“Heaven Help Us All,” The Blind Boys Of Alabama
“Inventing The Wheel,” Madison Cunningham
“You Louisiana Man,” Rhiannon Giddens
“Eve Was Black,” Allison Russell – WINNER!

Best Americana Performance
“Friendship,” The Blind Boys Of Alabama
“Help Me Make It Through The Night,” Tyler Childers
“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile – WINNER!
“King Of Oklahoma,” Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
“The Returner,” Allison Russell

Best American Roots Song
“Blank Page,” Michael Trotter Jr. & Tanya Trotter, songwriters (The War And Treaty)
“California Sober,” Aaron Allen, William Apostol & Jon Weisberger, songwriters (Billy Strings Featuring Willie Nelson)
“Cast Iron Skillet,” Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit) – WINNER!
“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile)
“The Returner,” Drew Lindsay, JT Nero & Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)

Best Americana Album
Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark
The Chicago Sessions, Rodney Crowell
You’re The One, Rhiannon Giddens
Weathervanes, Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit – WINNER!
The Returner, Allison Russell

Best Bluegrass Album
Radio John: Songs of John Hartford, Sam Bush
Lovin’ Of The Game, Michael Cleveland
Mighty Poplar, Mighty Poplar
Bluegrass, Willie Nelson
Me/And/Dad, Billy Strings
City Of Gold, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – WINNER!

Best Traditional Blues Album
Ridin’, Eric Bibb
The Soul Side Of Sipp, Mr. Sipp
Life Don’t Miss Nobody, Tracy Nelson
Teardrops For Magic Slim Live At Rosa’s Lounge, John Primer
All My Love For You, Bobby Rush – WINNER!

Best Contemporary Blues Album
Death Wish Blues, Samantha Fish And Jesse Dayton
Healing Time, Ruthie Foster}
Live In London, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Blood Harmony, Larkin Poe – WINNER!
LaVette!, Bettye LaVette

Best Folk Album
Traveling Wildfire, Dom Flemon
I Only See The Moon, The Milk Carton Kids
Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live], Joni Mitchell – WINNER!
Celebrants, Nickel Creek
Jubilee, Old Crow Medicine Show
Seven Psalms, Paul Simon
Folkocracy, Rufus Wainwright

Best Regional Roots Music Album
New Beginnings, Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band – WINNER (tie)!
Live At The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers
Live: Orpheum Theater Nola, Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra – WINNER (tie)!
Made In New Orleans, New Breed Brass Band
Too Much To Hold, New Orleans Nightcrawlers
Live At The Maple Leaf, The Rumble Featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.

Best Gospel Performance/Song
“God Is Good,” Stanley Brown Featuring Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard & Karen Clark Sheard; Stanley Brown, Karen V Clark Sheard, Kaylah Jiavanni Harvey, Rodney Jerkins, Elyse Victoria Johnson, J Drew Sheard II, Kierra Valencia Sheard & Hezekiah Walker, songwriters
“Feel Alright (Blessed),” Erica Campbell; Erica Campbell, Warryn Campbell, Juan Winans & Marvin L. Winans, songwriters
“Lord Do It For Me (Live),” Zacardi Cortez; Marcus Calyen, Zacardi Cortez & Kerry Douglas, songwriters
“God Is,” Melvin Crispell III
“All Things,” Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter – WINNER!

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“Believe,” Blessing Offor; Hank Bentley & Blessing Offor, songwriters
“Firm Foundation (He Won’t) [Live],” Cody Carnes
“Thank God I Do,” Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle & Jason Ingram, songwriters
“Love Me Like I Am,” for KING & COUNTRY Featuring Jordin Sparks
“Your Power,” Lecrae & Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Alexandria Dollar, Jordan Dollar, Antonio Gardener, Micheal Girgenti, Lasanna “Ace” Harris, David Hein, Deandre Hunter, Dylan Hyde, Christian Louisana, Patrick Darius Mix Jr., Lecrae Moore, Justin Pelham, Jeffrey Lawrence Shannon, Allen Swoope, songwriters – WINNER!
“God Problems,” Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine; Daniel Bashta, Chris Davenport, Ryan Ellis & Naomi Raine, songwriters

Best Gospel Album
I Love You, Erica Campbell
Hymns (Live), Tasha Cobbs Leonard
The Maverick Way, Maverick City Music
My Truth, Jonathan McReynolds
All Things New: Live In Orlando, Tye Tribbett – WINNER!

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
My Tribe, Blessing Offor
Emanuel, Da’ T.R.U.T.H.
Lauren Daigle, Lauren Daigle
Church Clothes 4, Lecrae – WINNER!
I Believe, Phil Wickham

Best Roots Gospel Album
Tribute To The King, The Blackwood Brothers Quartet
Echoes Of The South, Blind Boys Of Alabama – WINNER!
Songs That Pulled Me Through The Tough Times, Becky Isaacs Bowman
Meet Me At The Cross, Brian Free & Assurance
Shine: The Darker The Night The Brighter The Light, Gaither Vocal Band

Best Latin Pop Album
La Cuarta Hoja, Pablo Alborán
Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1, AleMor
A Ciegas, Paula Arenas}
La Neta, Pedro Capó
Don Juan, Maluma
X Mí (Vol. 1), Gaby Moreno – WINNER!

Best Música Urbana Album
SATURNO, Rauw Alejandro
MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO, Karol G – WINNER!
DATA, Tainy

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
MARTÍNEZ, Cabra
Leche De Tigre, Diamante Eléctrico
Vida Cotidiana, Juanes – WINNER (tie)!
De Todas Las Flores, Natalia Lafourcade – WINNER (tie)!
EADDA9223, Fito Paez

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
Bordado A Mano, Ana Bárbara
La Sánchez, Lila Downs}
Motherflower, Flor De Toloache
Amor Como En Las Películas De Antes, Lupita Infante
GÉNESIS, Peso Pluma – WINNER!

Best Tropical Latin Album
Siembra: 45º Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022), Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta – WINNER!
Voy A Ti, Luis Figueroa
Niche Sinfónico, Grupo Niche Y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia
VIDA, Omara Portuondo
MIMY & TONY, Tony Succar, Mimy Succar
Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, Carlos Vives

Best Global Music Performance
Shadow Forces, Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
Alone, Burna Boy
FEEL, Davido
Milagro Y Desastre, Silvana Estrada
Abundance In Millets, Falu & Gaurav Shah (Featuring PM Narendra Modi)
Pashto, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia – WINNER!
Todo Colores, Ibrahim Maalouf Featuring Cimafunk & Tank And The Bangas

Best African Music Performance
“Amapiano,” ASAKE & Olamide
“City Boys,” Burna Boy
“UNAVAILABLE,” Davido Featuring Musa Keys
“Rush,” Ayra Starr
“Water,” Tyla – WINNER!

Best Global Music Album
Epifanías, Susana Baca
History, Bokanté
I Told Them…, Burna Boy
Timeless, Davido
This Moment, Shakti – WINNER!

Best Reggae Album
Born For Greatness, Buju Banton
Simma, Beenie Man
Cali Roots Riddim 2023, Collie Buddz
No Destroyer, Burning Spear
Colors Of Royal, Julian Marley & Antaeus – WINNER!

Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album
Aquamarine, Kirsten Agresta-Copely
Moments Of Beauty, Omar Akram
Some Kind Of Peace (Piano Reworks), Ólafur Arnalds
Ocean Dreaming Ocean, David Darling & Hans Christian
So She Howls, Carla Patullo Featuring Tonality And The Scorchio Quartet – WINNER!

Best Children’s Music Album
Ahhhhh!, Andrew & Polly
Ancestars, Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon
Hip Hope For Kids!, DJ Willy Wow!
Taste The Sky, Uncle Jumbo
We Grow Together Preschool Songs, 123 Andrés – WINNER!

Best Comedy Album
I Wish You Would, Trevor Noah
I’m An Entertainer, Wanda Sykes
Selective Outrage, Chris Rock
Someone You Love, Sarah Silverman
What’s In A Name?, Dave Chappelle – WINNER!

Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording
Big Tree, Meryl Streep
Boldly Go: Reflections On A Life Of Awe And Wonder, William Shatner
The Creative Act: A Way Of Being, Rick Rubin
It’s Ok To Be Angry About Capitalism, Senator Bernie Sanders
The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times, Michelle Obama – WINNER!

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
AURORA (Daisy Jones & The Six)
Barbie The Album (Various Artists) – WINNER!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From And Inspired By (Various Artists)
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3 (Various Artists)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Weird Al Yankovic)

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)
Barbie, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ludwig Göransso
The Fabelmans, John Williams
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, John William
Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson – WINNER!

Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Sarah Schachner
God Of War Ragnarök, Bear McCreary
Hogwarts Legacy, Peter Murray, J Scott Rakozy & Chuck E. Myers “Sea”
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Stephen Barton & Gordy Haab, composers – WINNER!
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, Montaigne, Tripod & Austin Wintory

Best Song Written For Visual Media
“Barbie World” [From Barbie The Album], Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua)
“Dance The Night” [From Barbie The Album], Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“I’m Just Ken” [From Barbie The Album], Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Ryan Gosling)
“Lift Me Up” [From “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From And Inspired By”], Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Robyn Fenty & Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Rihanna)
“What Was I Made For?” [From Barbie The Album], Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) – WINNER!

Best Music Video
“I’m Only Sleeping” (The Beatles), Em Cooper, video director; Jonathan Clyde, Sophie Hilton, Sue Loughlin & Laura Thomas, video producers – WINNER!
“In Your Love” (Tyler Childers), Bryan Schlam, video director; Kacie Barton, Silas House, Nicholas
Robespierre, Ian Thornton & Whitney Wolanin, video producers
“What Was I Made For?” (Billie Eilish) Billie Eilish, video director; Michelle An, Chelsea Dodson & David Moore, video producers}
“Count Me Out” (Kendrick Lamar), Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar, video directors; Jason Baum & Jamie Rabineau, video producers
“Rush” (Troye Sivan), Gordon Von Steiner, video director; Kelly McGee, video producer

Best Music Film
Moonage Daydream (David Bowie), Brett Morgen, video director; Brett Morgen, video producer
How I’m Feeling Now (Lewis Capaldi), Joe Pearlman, video director; Sam Bridger, Isabel Davis & Alice Rhodes, video producers – WINNER!
Live From Paris, The Big Steppers Tour (Kendrick Lamar), Mike Carson, Dave Free & Mark Ritchie, video directors; Cornell Brown, Debra Davis, Jared Heinke, Hank Neuberger & Jamie Rabineau, video producers
I Am Everything (Little Richard), Lisa Cortés, video director; Caryn Capotosto, Lisa Cortés, Robert Friedman & Liz Yale Marsh, video producers
Dear Mama (Tupac Shakur), Allen Hughes, video director; Steve Berman, Jody Gerson, Allen Hughes, John Janick, Lasse Jarvi & Charles King, video producers

Best Recording Package
The Art Of Forgetting, Caroline Rose, art director (Caroline Rose)
Cadenza 21′, Hsing-Hui Cheng, art director (Ensemble Cadenza 21′)
Electrophonic Chronic, Perry Shall, art director (The Arcs)
Gravity Falls, Iam8bit, art director (Brad Breeck)
Migration, Chang Yu Chung, Li Jheng Han & Yu Wei, art director (Leaf Yeh)
Stumpwork, Rottingdean Bazaar & Annie Collinge, art directors (Dry Cleaning) – WINNER!

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
The Collected Works Of Neutral Milk Hotel, Jeff Mangum, Daniel Murphy & Mark Ohe, art directors (Neutral Milk Hotel)
For The Birds: The Birdsong Project, Jeri Heiden & John Heiden, art directors (Various Artists) – WINNER!
Gieo, Duy Dao, art director (Ngot)
Inside: Deluxe Box Set, Bo Burnham & Daniel Calderwood, art directors (Bo Burnham)
Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition, Masaki Koike, art director (Lou Reed)

Best Album Notes
Evenings At The Village Gate: John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy (Live) (John Coltrane & Eric Dolphy)
I Can Almost See Houston: The Complete Howdy Glenn (Howdy Glenn)
Mogadishu’s Finest: The Al Uruba Sessions (Iftin Band)
Playing For The Man At The Door: Field Recordings From The Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971 (Various Artists)
Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (Various Artists) – WINNER!

Best Historical Album
Fragments – Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17 (Bob Dylan)
The Moaninest Moan Of Them All: The Jazz Saxophone of Loren McMurray, 1920-1922 Colin Hancock (Various Artists)
Playing For The Man At The Door: Field Recordings From The Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971 (Various Artists)
Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition (Lou Reed)
Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (Various Artists) – WINNER!

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (Caroline Polachek)
History (Bokanté)
JAGUAR II (Victoria Monét) – WINNER!
Multitudes (Feist)
The Record (boygenius)

Best Engineered Album, Classical
The Blue Hour (Shara Nova & A Far Cry)
Contemporary American Composers (Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra) – WINNER!
Fandango (Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers, Gustavo Castillo & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Sanlikol: A Gentleman Of Istanbul – Symphony For Strings, Percussion, Piano, Oud, Ney & Tenor (Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, George Lernis & A Far Cry)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Schulhoff: Five Pieces (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Producer Of The Year, Classical
David Frost
Morten Lindberg
Dmitriy Lipay
Elaine Martone – WINNER!
Brian Pidgeon

Best Remixed Recording
“Alien Love Call” (Turnstile & BADBADNOTGOOD Featuring Blood Orange)
“New Gold (Dom Dolla Remix)” (Gorillaz Featuring Tame Impala & Bootie Brown)
“Reviver (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)” (Lane 8)
“Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix)” (Depeche Mode) – WINNER!
“Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix)” (Mariah Carey)

Best Immersive Audio Album
Act 3 (Immersive Edition) (Ryan Ulyate)
Blue Clear Sky (George Strait)
The Diary Of Alicia Keys (Alicia Keys) – WINNER!
God Of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack) (Bear McCreary)
Silence Between Songs (Madison Beer)

Best Instrumental Composition
“Amerikkan Skin,: Lakecia Benjamin (Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Angela Davis)
“Can You Hear The Music,” Ludwig Göransson (Ludwig Göransson)
“Cutey And The Dragon,” Gordon Goodwin & Raymond Scott (Quartet San Francisco Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)
“Helena’s Theme,” John Williams (John Williams) – WINNER!
“Motion,” Edgar Meyer (Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
“Angels We Have Heard On High” (Just 6)
“Can You Hear The Music” (Ludwig Göransson)
“Folsom Prison Blues” (The String Revolution Featuring Tommy Emmanuel) – WINNER!
“I Remember Mingus” (Hilario Duran And His Latin Jazz Big Band Featuring Paquito D’Rivera)
“Paint It Black” (Wednesday Addams)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“April In Paris” (Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)
“Com Que Voz (Live)” (Maria Mendes Featuring John Beasley & Metropole Orkest)
“Fenestra” (Cécile McLorin Salvant)
“In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning” (säje Featuring Jacob Collier) – WINNER!
“Lush Life” (Samara Joy)

Best Orchestral Performance
“Adès: Dante” (Los Angeles Philharmonic) – WINNER!
“Bartók: Concerto For Orchestra; Four Pieces” (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony” (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
“Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem Of Ecstasy” (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Stravinsky: The Rite Of Spring” (San Francisco Symphony)

Best Opera Recording
“Blanchard: Champion” (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus) – WINNER!
“Corigliano: The Lord Of Cries” (Boston Modern Orchestra Project & Odyssey Opera Chorus)
“Little: Black Lodge” (The Dime Museum; Isaura String Quartet)

Best Choral Performance
“Carols After A Plague” (The Crossing)
“The House Of Belonging” (Miró Quartet; Conspirare)
“Ligeti: Lux Aeterna” (San Francisco Symphony Chorus)
“Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil” (The Clarion Choir)
“Saariaho: Reconnaissance” (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir) – WINNER!

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
“American Stories,” Anthony McGill & Pacifica Quartet
“Beethoven For Three: Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastorale’ And Op. 1, No. 3,” Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax & Leonidas Kavakos
“Between Breaths,” Third Coast Percussion
“Rough Magic,” Roomful Of Teeth – WINNER!
“Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still & George Walker,” Catalyst Quartet

Best Classical Instrumental Solo
“Adams, John Luther: Darkness And Scattered Light,” Robert Black
“Akiho: Cylinders,” Andy Akiho
“The American Project,” Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra) – WINNER!
“Difficult Grace,” Seth Parker Woods
“Of Love,” Curtis Stewart

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Because, Reginald Mobley, soloist; Baptiste Trotignon, pianist
Broken Branches, Karim Sulayman, soloist; Sean Shibe, accompanist
40@40, Laura Strickling, soloist; Daniel Schlosberg, pianist
Rising, Lawrence Brownlee, soloist; Kevin J. Miller, pianist
Walking In The Dark, Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra) – WINNER!

Best Classical Compendium
Fandango
Julius Eastman, Vol. 3: If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?
Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright
Passion For Bach And Coltrane – WINNER!
Sardinia
Sculptures
Zodiac Suite

Best Contemporary Classical Composition
“Adès: Dante”
“Akiho: In That Space, At That Time”
“Brittelle: Psychedelics”
“Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright”
“Montgomery: Rounds” – WINNER!

Congrats to all!

Carl Weathers, linebacker-turned-actor who starred in 'Rocky' movies, dies at 76
Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" movies, facing off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Predator" and teaching golf in "Happy Gilmore," has died. He was 76.

Matt Luber, his manager, said Weathers died Thursday. His family issued a statement saying he died "peacefully in his sleep."Comfortable flexing his muscles on the big screen in "Action Jackson" as he was joking around on the small screen in such shows as "Arrested Development," Weathers was perhaps most closely associated with Creed, who made his first appearance as the cocky, undisputed heavyweight world champion in 1976's "Rocky," starring Sylvester Stallone.

"It puts you on the map and makes your career, so to speak. But that's a one-off, so you've got to follow it up with something. Fortunately those movies kept coming, and Apollo Creed became more and more in people's consciousness and welcome in their lives, and it was just the right guy at the right time," he told The Daily Beast in 2017.

Most recently, Weathers has starred in the Disney+ hit "The Mandalorian," appearing in all three seasons.
Creed, who appeared in the first four "Rocky" movies, memorably died in the ring of 1984's "Rocky IV," going toe-to-toe with the hulking, steroided-using Soviet Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren. Before he entered the ring, James Brown sang "Living in America" with showgirls and Creed popped up on a balcony in a Star-Spangled Banner shorts and waistcoat combo and an Uncle Sam hat, dancing and taunting Drago.

A bloodied Creed collapses in the ring after taking a vicious beating, twitches and is cradled by Rocky as he dies, inevitably setting up a fight between Drago and Rocky. But while Creed is gone, his character's son, Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed, would lead his own boxing trilogy starting in 2015.

Weathers went on to 1987's "Predator," where he flexed his pecs alongside Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura and a host of others, and 1988's nouveau blaxploitation flick "Action Jackson," where he trains his flamethrower on a bad guy and asks, "How do you like your ribs?" before broiling him.

He later added a false wooden hand to play a golf pro for the 1996 comedy classic "Happy Gilmore" opposite Adam Sandler and starred in Dick Wolf's short-lived spin-off series "Chicago Justice" in 2017 and in Disney's "The Mandalorian," earning an Emmy Award nomination in 2021. He also voiced Combat Carl in the "Toy Story" franchise.
Weathers grew up admiring actors such as Woody Strode, whose combination of physique and acting prowess in "Spartacus" made an early impression. Others he idolized included actors Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte and athletes Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali, stars who broke the mold and the color barrier.

"There are so many people that came before me who I admired and whose success I wanted to emulate, and just kind of hit the benchmarks they hit in terms of success, who created a pathway that I've been able to walk and find success as a result. And hopefully I can inspire someone else to do good work as well," he told the Detroit News 2023. "I guess I'm just a lucky guy."

Growing up in New Orleans, Weathers started performing in plays as early as grade school. In high school, athletics took him down another path but he would reunite with his first love later in life.
Weathers played college football at San Diego State University — he majored in theater — and went on to play for one season in the NFL, for the Oakland Raiders, in 1970.

"When I found football, it was a completely different outlet," says Weathers told the Detroit News. "It was more about the physicality, although one does feed the other. You needed some smarts because there were playbooks to study and film to study, to learn about the opposition on any given week."

After the Raiders, he joined the Canadian Football League, playing for two years while finishing up his studies during the offseason at San Francisco State University. He graduated with a B.A. in drama in 1974.
After appearing in several films and TV shows, including "Good Times," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "In the Heat of the Night" and "Starsky & Hutch," as well as fighting Nazis alongside Harrison Ford in "Force 10 From Navarone," Weathers landed his knockout role — Creed. He told The Hollywood Reporter that his start in the iconic franchise was not auspicious.

He was asked to read with the writer, Stallone, then unknown. Weathers read the scene but felt it didn't land and so he blurted out: "I could do a lot better if you got me a real actor to work with," he recalled. "So I just insulted the star of the movie without really knowing it and not intending to." He also lied that he had any boxing experience.
Later in life, Weathers developed a passion for directing, helming episodes of "Silk Stalking" and and the Lorenzo Lamas vehicle "Renegade." He directed a season three episode of "The Mandalorian."

Weathers introduced himself to another generation when he portrayed himself as an opportunistic and extremely thrifty actor who becomes involved with the dysfunctional clan at the heart of "Arrested Development."

The Weathers character likes to save money by making broth from discarded food — 'There's still plenty of meat on that bone" and "Baby, you got a stew going!" — and, for the right price, agrees to become an acting coach for delusional and talent-free thespian Tobias Funke, played by David Cross.

Weathers is survived by two sons.

Wendy Williams Breaks Down in Tears Over Having ‘No Money’ in Lifetime Documentary Trailer

Wendy Williams is sharing her struggles in an upcoming Lifetime documentary titled Where Is Wendy Williams.
A trailer for the two-part special surfaced via social media on Friday, February 2, in which Williams, 59, and her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., speak in depth about her challenges. Lifetime has not formally announced the project.

WATCH

“I have no money and I’m gonna tell you something. If this can happen to me, it can happen to you,” Williams says during an interview, breaking down in tears.
In a separate scene, one of Williams’ family members alleges that “people around [her]” have been stealing her money.
Williams and her loved ones subsequently sit down to discuss the conditions that led her to need a guardian in 2022.

“My mom, she always told us she wants to work, but I feel as if … she’s worked enough,” Williams’ 23-year-old son, whom she shares with ex Kevin Hunter, says. “No matter how many times someone falls down, you gotta lift them back up.”
Williams went on to make bombshell claims about her guardians.
“How dare he? I control me!” she declares. “I miss my family. Please be here. … We all make choices in life, we all go through our challenges.”

Williams’ personal struggles previously made headlines in February 2022 after news broke that she was taking a hiatus during season 13 of The Wendy Williams Show. At the same time, her bank Wells Fargo called her an “incapacitated person” and requested a hearing to determine whether Williams might need guardianship to manage her finances.

Williams’ attorney Celeste N. McCaw filed an emergency petition, claiming Wells Fargo denied her access to her assets.
“Wendy wants the world to know that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and well-being,” her lawyer LaShawn Thomas said in a statement. “Wendy wants you to know she is fine; she is of sound mind. ... Wendy is grateful for the love and the outpouring of support she has received from her fans and she can't want to get back.”

Thomas further claimed that the rumors were started by one of Williams’ former employees, who was upset “she no longer has direct and unfettered access to Wendy's financial affairs.”

The Wendy Williams Show wrapped for good in June 2022. Three months later, Williams entered an in-patient treatment program for “overall health issues.” A September 2022 press release stated, “Ms. Williams is being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world. We ask for your prayers and well-wishes during this time.”

Where Is Wendy Williams reportedly airs on Lifetime on Saturday, February 24, and Sunday, February 25.

Mariah Carey Slammed For Not Assisting Stevie Wonder At Grammys Black Music Collective Dinner

Mariah Carey's career was celebrated by the Grammys at The Black Music Collective (BMC) soiree, but the moment has been tarnished by her alleged rude gesture to Stevie Wonder. The R&B diva has been dragged online for seemingly ignoring the blind artist on stage.

On Thursday, February 1, Stevie was on hand to present one of the Global Impact Awards to Mariah. In footage circulating online from the event, the "All I Want for Christmas Is You" hitmaker accepted the trophy from Stevie who was standing behind his piano.

Things went awkward a bit as Mariah was seemingly eager to move to the center stage and deliver her speech while Stevie was trying to grab a mic and hand it to the 54-year-old singer. Once Stevie stretched his hand out with the mic, Mariah was no longer there beside him.
It took a few seconds for a stagehand to realize the awkward situation and seemingly let him know that Mariah didn't need the mic. Meanwhile, the "My All" songstress proceeded with her speech without looking back at Stevie who was still standing behind him, before he was escorted off the stage by the stagehand.

Upon seeing the video of the moment, many called Mariah out for seemingly ignoring Stevie. "Why she ain't help him," one person asked. Another wondered, "Did she forget he was blind?" A baffled person wrote, "Does she know he even there smh."

Tyrese Slammed For Saying 'Sometimes' He Wishes He Was Latino During Black History Month

Tyrese Gibson came under fire over his recent social media post. The "Fast X" actor was dragged online after saying "sometimes" he wishes he was a Latino during Black History Month.
"Sometimes I wish I was born Latino," the 45-year-old kicked off his lengthy post alongside a video of a Mexican man being surprised with a new truck gifted by his family. "I mean the Latin community is grounded in family, loyal, entrepreneurs, businessman, and women literally represent the dream, the grind the hustle doing whatever it takes to stick together against all odds."

"If us is black culture was more grounded in these integral magical nuances of us we would be dominant," he added. "I've learned a lot from the Jewish community sticking together eating dinner every Friday together. I've learned a lot about the Muslim community throughout all my travels in the Middle East."
"They have a father structure where they honor their fathers the Middle East the thinking in the mentality is that they would much rather have a son over a daughter because they know that there is nothing like the leadership of a FATHER and a man being the head of the household," he continued. "I have no idea how we lost our way."

Tyrese went on to elaborate what he meant, "We can't get anything done and accomplished, as a fragmented culture…. insecure, threatened by each other m… Competitive towards our own race, killing ourselves every single day frivolously the majority of us is black men and the millions are locked up in prison." He then stressed, "Of course we ARE we are beyond powerful, influential and successful, but imagine if we all linked up like other communities have linked?"

"Poured and built up on each other Instead of moving like fragmented and dysfunctional…. We have what it TAKES to take over the WORLD!!!" he concluded. "We are nothing trying to do it ALONE!! Please chime in…. Would love to know your thoughts on this."

Many people, unfortunately, took issue with Tyrese's statements. One person in particular commented, "Dude, didn't you create TWO broken homes, talking about you wish you were Latino because they value family. Do YOU value family?"
"So writing a post demeaning your own people was the best you could come up with? The hypocrisy is staggering! How do you wish we would come together but you're bashing us??? Smfh," another argued. "The first day of Black History Month and you chose verbal violence. Do Better!!!!! You can praise this family without doing the very thing that you are claiming Black people do. You had a choice here and chose very, very wrong."

Kim Kardashian & Odell Beckham Jr. Dating Rumors Heat Up After Stars Attend Same Party

Kim Kardashian and Odell Beckham Jr. have raised questions about their relationship status again!
If you forgot, the 43-year-old mogul first sparked romance rumors with the 31-year-old NFL player back in September 2023. A few months later, they were spotted at the same star-studded event.

We hadn’t heard much about the couple since November. However, questions about their relationship arose again after they attended the same event at The Bird Streets Club on Friday night (February 2) in West Hollywood, Calif

TMZ obtained photos of Kim and Odell at a party Jay-Z hosted ahead of the Grammys this weekend
Kim looked fierce in a black crop top and matching pants. She was with her sister Khloe Kardashian, and her mom’s boyfriend Corey Gamble was also on the guestlist.

While she and Odell were not photographed together, reports suggest that they might have been spotted in the garage where her car was parked.

We will let you know if we hear more.
If they are an item, this would be Kim‘s first relationship since she and Pete Davidson split in August 2022. Last year, she revealed a dating rule that she implemented after their relationship.

Anthony Anderson Hospitalized After On-Set Stunt Brawl Goes Wrong
Anthony Anderson was hospitalized after an on-set brawl went horribly wrong.
On Thursday (Feb. 1), the actor posted a photo of himself laid out on a stretcher throwing up a peace sign. Anderson appeared to be all smiles as he alerted his fans of what went down. He explained that he needed to be patched up after a stunt apparently took a left turn. The comedian said, while nothing serious was wrong with him, he did suffer from a “deep contusion” in his back.

“I spent the night in the emergency room,” the entertainer typed. “Movie set fight gone wrong. Me against two goons and a chair! Guess who didn’t win! Who needs a stuntman? Me that’s who! I’m not as young as I used to be! CT scan and X-rays showed nothing fractured or broken in my back just a deep contusion. That chair will never be the same though! Bloodied and bowed but never broken! #RQQ #G20 #setlife#moviefights #justakidfromcompton#huskyandhandsome #bidzaddy#acbarbeque“

In a subsequent post, Anderson joked about the chair that “whooped” on him. He took a picture of a tan and Black chair and detailed how “menacing” it appeared.
“This is the chair that whooped my a** last night,” he continued. “Something about it is menacing! It sucker punched me in the kidneys and back with no mercy! When I got on set today it was grinning at me! Little does he know I got something for that a**! He gone learn today!”

Some of the seasoned veteran’s past collaborators and longtime friends chimed in on his injury. They wished him well and reminded him that he needs to be careful. Or that he isn’t “made of rubber,” as Tracee Ellis Ross bluntly put it. “You are not made of rubber. Im so glad you are ok,” she typed to her Black-ish husband.

“Yeah man…YOU deliver the quips and let a look-a-like fight the chair. Now you know how it feels to get hit in the back crossing the middle!,” College Football Hall of Famer Desmond Howard joked.

Next Up" to "Club Shay Shay" podcast is Mo’Nique
The “Club Shay Shay” podcast had everyone’s attention after the scathing tales that were shared on the platform by Katt Williams. Now, it seems as though the brown leather chase that has seated some of the most prominent names in the entertainment industry is about to get a second round of unfiltered personal truths.

Mo’Nique revealed that she is the latest star to join host Shannon Sharpe when she posted photos of them together on the set of the swanky lounge. “Hey, my sweet babies, today was a day. [I] talked with our Uncle Shay Shay. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! Shannon Sharpe, you are a real one! Love us [for] real,” the comedian wrote on her Feb. 2 post that was shared on Twitter and Instagram.

In the comments, fans shared reactions such as “Let me get my popcorn ready” and “[This] might break the internet,” as they presumed that the interview would be “Katt Williams 2.0.” The episode that opened the floodgates to weeks of digital chaos garnered more than 56 million views as people clamored to hear the actor ether his comedic peers Steve Harvey, Kevin Hart, Cedric The Entertainer, Rickey Smily and more in early January.

Mo’Nique has never been one to bite her tongue, having gone up against Netflix in a 2019 legal battle after accusing the streaming giant of discrimination and retaliation when she turned down a reported $500,000 deal for a comedy special. The two parties settled their feud in June 2022, and by February, her special, My Name is Mo’Nique, was announced by Netflix.

The Oscar-winning actress has also been vocal about her dealings in Hollywood. Many of her comments resurfaced this year when Taraji P. Henson echoed similar sentiments about Black actors having to fight for fair pay.
Mo’Nique is currently in the throes of a new legal fight for royalties from “The Parkers.” The popular sitcom is one of the streaming service’s most-watched series, yet she claims that CBS and Paramount have not provided compensation for years of syndication and a percentage of streaming rights. Her suit claims that she is owed 2.5 percent of gross receipts.

Kanye West makes surprise appearance at Orlando stop of Travis Scott's "Circus Maximus Tour"

The Chicago star donned a hockey mask and delivered renditions of hits of “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “All Of The Lights.”
On Wednesday (Jan. 31), fans were in for a treat when they descended upon the Kia Center for the Orlando, Florida stop of Travis Scott’s “Circus Maximus Tour.” As seen via fan footage from the evening, Scott blessed the packed crowd with a surprise appearance from a hockey mask-wearing Kanye West, who broke out hits like “Runaway,” “Fade,” “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” “All of the Lights,” and “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1.” Ye was also joined by Ty Dolla Sign and Bump J for a live rendition of their latest single, “Vultures.”

As previously reported, Ye and Ty Dolla are once again preparing to release their long-awaited joint LP — also titled Vultures on Feb. 9. While with loved ones in Los Angeles, North West revealed an updated tracklist for the album through her outfit, complete with 18 songs and assists from the likes of Charlie Wilson, Freddie Gibbs, Quavo, Playboi Carti, Chris Brown, Future, and Young Thug.

Also on the highly anticipated effort is Kid Cudi, who spoke on reconciling with Ye during a sit-down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “It’s like friendships. Really, it’s beyond friendship. It’s about when it’s brotherly, sisterly s**t, family s**t. It’s just a little bit more complicated,” Cudi explained. “And siblings hurt you the most. So you go through things, but family is always there. You don’t give up on family.”
He continued, “He’s learning and he’s growing. He knows he made some mistakes and I think that that’s the beauty of it… He’s said some things that he might not be able to come back from in a lot of realms, in a lot of spaces, from certain people. But we grow, and I pray for him, and that’s my brother. And the reason why we became cool again is because he apologized to me, and it was sincere. I was just like, ‘Wow. Kanye does not apologize to anybody [or] say ‘Sorry’ to anyone.'”

Ayo Edebiri References 2020 Podcast Comments About Jennifer Lopez in 'SNL' Sketch
Ayo Edebiri is poking fun at herself on Saturday Night Live! The 28-year-old Emmy-winning actress hosted the late night show for the first time on Saturday (February 3). Jennifer Lopez appeared as the musical guest.
Following her hilarious opening monologue, Ayo appeared in several sketches. In one, titled “Why’d You Say It,” Kenan Thompson hosted a game show that exposed its contestants bad social media moments.

At one point in the sketch, The Bear star referenced a 2020 podcast appearance during which she described Jennifer‘s career as “one long scam.”
Ayo acknowledged her past comments by remarking on SNL, “Okay. We get it. It’s wrong to leave mean comments, or post comments just for clout, or run your mouth on a podcast, and you don’t consider the impact because you’re 24 and stupid. But I think I speak for everyone when I say from now on, we’re going to be a lot more thoughtful about what we post online.”

Tiffany Haddish Pleads No Contest To Reckless Driving Charges Instead Of DUI For Thanksgiving Holiday Arrest

Tiffany Haddish, 44, was arrested on Thanksgiving weekend when she was allegedly found asleep behind the wheel of her Tesla by officers of the Beverly Hills Police Department. The charges included one misdemeanour count of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Tiffany Haddish, the 44-year-old actress known for her roles in films such as Girls Trip and Nobody’s Fool, has pleaded no contest to reckless driving charges stemming from her arrest last year during her Thanksgiving holiday. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office confirmed that Haddish had her two misdemeanour charges dropped after accepting a plea deal.

The actress appeared in person on Thursday, entering a no-contest plea to a violation of Vehicle Code sections 23103 and 23103.5, commonly referred to as a "wet reckless." This misdemeanour charge is a reduction from a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge and does not trigger an automatic suspension of the driver's license.
In a statement obtained by TMZ and Rolling Stone, Haddish's attorney, Alex Spiro, clarified, "Ms Haddish has agreed to a simple vehicle code violation – not driving under the influence, which has been dismissed -- and looks forward to this being behind her."

As part of the plea deal, Haddish has been placed on summary probation for one year and ordered to complete 40 hours of community service. Additionally, she is required to enrol in the Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s Victim Impact Program and attend a HAM (Hospital and Morgue) Program, along with an SB1176 driver’s education program.

Haddish must also pay standard fines and fees and has been given a "Watson" admonition – a legal document those with DUIs must sign stating that they are aware of the harmful or deadly impact their actions can cause.
The Haunted Mansion actress, who originally pleaded not guilty in December, must now provide proof of program completion to the clerk’s office. There are currently no future scheduled court appearances.

For those unaware, Haddish was arrested on Thanksgiving weekend when she was allegedly found asleep behind the wheel of her Tesla by officers of the Beverly Hills Police Department. The charges included one misdemeanour count of driving under the influence of alcohol and a misdemeanour count of driving with a .08% blood alcohol content.

Following her release on the same day, Haddish humorously addressed the situation during a performance at the Laugh Factory in Long Beach, California. At the event, she said, "I had prayed to God to send me a man with a job, career, preferably in a uniform, and I answered my prayers."

In an Entertainment Tonight interview published on November 27, Haddish said that the incident "will never happen again" and explained that her Tesla had parked itself after she fell asleep.

Selena Quintanilla’s Killer Up for Parole Next Year; Three Part Docuseries Will Air On Oxygen This Month
A new docuseries will air on Oxygen True Crime that will be based on the complex relationship between Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla and her killer Yolanda Saldivar.
The three-part docuseries, Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them, premieres with back-to-back episodes on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/P. It will feature prison interviews with Saldivar, who is eligible for parole on March 30, 2025, almost 30 years after the Grammy winner’s murder.

Selena was 23 when she was fatally shot by Saldivar, who was also her close friend and business associate, in 1995.
Saldivar allegedly killed Selena after the singer learned Saldivar had been embezzling money from her clothing boutiques, PEOPLE reported.
Witnesses testified during her trial that Saldivar applied for a permit to buy a gun and told gun store employees that family members of mentally ill people for whom she worked had made threats against her, according to the AP.

She shot Selena at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas, on March 31. Saldivar held police at bay while she sat in her pickup in the motel’s parking lot threatening to kill herself.
Prosecutors called the killing a “senseless and cowardly act of violence,” while Saldivar’s defense attorneys argued that the fatal shooting was a tragic accident and that Saldivar was trying to kill herself not Selena.

Oxygen’s new docuseries “examines Saldivar’s interpretation of events that ended in Selena’s death and her claims that everything wasn’t as it seemed.”
Saldivar, 63, was interviewed at Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas, as well as Saldivar’s family, the hostage negotiator who responded to the crime scene, Corpus Christi Police Department detectives, and prosecutors.

Target Employee Who Killed Co-Worker For Eating His Lunch Sentenced to 100 Years

The Virginia man who killed his co-worker for stealing and eating his lunch out of their Target work refrigerator has been sentenced to 100 years in prison.
Bazn Berhe, 25, received the 100-year sentence with 30 years suspended, meaning he will serve 70 years of active incarceration, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney confirmed Tuesday.

Berhe was charged with first-degree murder after he beat and stabbed his coworker Hernan Leiva, 58, to death in the parking lot of the Target in Bailey’s Crossroads on April 17, 2021.
Berhe was upset that that Leiva, who worked as a janitor at the retail store, had taken his lunch from the office fridge three days prior, prosecutors claimed.

After his lunch was stolen, presecutors say Berhe started planning to kill his co-worker. Two days before the crime, he purchased a hammer and two knives from Target. The next day he admitted to “training” to murder Leiva.
On the morning of April 17, Berhe arrived at the employee parking lot early and waited for Leiva to arrive. When he did, Berhe stabbed and bludgeoned him to death then left the scene, Fox News reported.

Berhe confessed to the killing immediately and pleaded guilty late last year to first-degree murder.
“Mr. Leiva’s unnecessary and tragic death leaves behind a grieving family and community, one that will never be the same after such a senseless act of violence,” Commonweath’s Attorney Steve Descano said. “In this case, because of the unique and self-proclaimed danger the defendant continues to pose to the community, today’s sentence was a necessary outcome for maintaining public safety.”