New this week: 'Me Time,' DJ Khaled and Sylvester Stallone
This weekโs new entertainment releases include fresh music from DJ Khaled and his celebrity pals, an HBO documentary about the unending toll Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans' children and a film starring Sylvester Stallone as an aged superhero.
The joy of music returns for Grammy winners, performers
Beyonce, left, and Megan Thee Stallion accept the award for best rap song for "Savage" at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sunday, March 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)Beyoncรฉ, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish made history at the Grammy Awards. Just as joyously, dozens of creators largely sidelined for a year due to the pandemic got to make music again. 's topical โI Can't Breatheโ won song of the year and Megan Thee Stallion was named best new artist. Further crowding the family trophy case is husband Jay-Z, whose songwriting on โSavageโ earned him his 23rd Grammy on Sunday, and even their 9-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, who won best music video together with mom.
Who run the Grammys? Beyoncรฉ becomes most decorated female act in Grammy history
Four women won the top four prizes Sunday, including Swift, who became the first female performer to win album of the year three times. Beyoncรฉ โ with her 28th win โ became the most decorated woman in Grammy history. And 9-year-old Blue Ivy Carter โ who won best music video alongside her mother โ became the second youngest act to win a Grammy in the showโs 63-year history. Megan Thee Stallion, who won three honors, also made history and became the first female rapper to win best rap song. She's also the fifth rap-based act to win best new artist.
Cavs, Indians, Browns unite police, area youth for change
Cleveland Indians head coach J B.Bickerstaff directs his team in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)CLEVELAND โ Trying to strengthen the strained relationship between the community and city police, the Cavaliers hosted dozens of area youth for what the NBA team โ in its partnership with the Browns and Indians โ hopes leads to permanent change. Soon, they were standing side by side with the exercise designed to shown their commonality and not differences. The images of last summer's unrest flashed across the arena's giant scoreboard, which on most nights shows game highlights. One speaker suggested the possibility of holding an event just to get to know the officers on a more personal level.
APโs song of the year: Keedron Bryantโs โI Just Wanna Liveโ
This cover image released by Warner Records shows "I Just Wanna Live," by Keedron Bryant. Bryant's song was named one of the top 10 of the year by the Associated Press. Keedron Bryant, โI Just Wanna Live": During times of turmoil and unrest, people respond differently. She asked her son, then 12-year-old Keedron Bryant, to sing the song and the rest is for the history books. The song not only helped Keedron Bryant land a record deal, it helped heal the world at a time when music is a language that unites us all.
3 things to watch in Houston sports this week
Hereโs what we can expect this week in sports. As we head into the playoffs, several local teams are heating up both on the volleyball court and the football field. Whether itโs the undefeated Dobie Longhorn football team or the ladies of Klein volleyball, weโll be tracking local teams this week as always. Last week was rough for the Texans, as both Will Fuller and Bradley Roby were popped for PEDs. The team now sits at 4-8 and looks to bounce back against Chicago on the road.
James Harden gifts Prada bag with $100K cash to rapper Lil Baby
To celebrate his friend rapper Lil Babyโs 26th birthday this week, Harden gifted him a Prada duffle bag filled with goodies, TMZ reports. Lil Baby shared a video showing off his pricey gifts from the Rockets player on Instagram. โA Prada bag โcause he proud of me [and] full of honey buns with a honey bun, you know what Iโm saying?โ he said in an Instagram video. Included in the $300,000 designer gift bag, honey bun pastries surrounded by a bundle of hundreds referred to in the video as a โhoney bun,โ which is slang for $100,000, TMZ reports. Lil Baby also received a Richard Mille watch worth $200,000, totaling the value of Hardenโs gift to him at approximately $600,000.
Roddy Ricch has Apple Musicโs top album, song of 2020
NEW YORK โ Roddy Ricch is the king of Apple Music: The rapper has the music platformโs most-streamed song and album of the year. The Weekndโs โBlinding Lightsโ was the second most-streamed song of the year, followed by Australian singer Tones and Iโs โDance Monkey,โ DaBaby and Ricchโs โRockstarโ and โLife Is Good" by Future and Drake. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this year, was the most Shazamed song of the year (Apple acquired Shazam in 2018). Ranked by time spent viewing lyrics in Apple Music, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallionโs raunchy hit โWAPโ tops the list of most-read lyrics of 2020. Other songs in the Top 5 include โDance Monkey,โ YOASOBIโs โYoru ni Kakeru,โ Ricchโs โThe Boxโ and Official HIGE DANdism โPretender.โ
Amid racial reckoning, Grammys honor the Black experience
This combination photo shows from left, Mickey Guyton, Beyonce Knowles and H.E.R., whose songs about the Black experience all landed Grammy nominations Tuesday. Months later, the song โ and others focused on protesting, police brutality and the overall Black experience โ are taking center stage at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Beyoncรฉโs โBlack Paradeโ scored nominations for two of the top awards: song of the year and record of the year. The track will also compete for best R&B song and best R&B performance. For song of the year, โBlack Paradeโ will compete with H.E.R.โs โI Canโt Breathe,โ the R&B singerโs track about police brutality.
12 Grammy facts: BTS and Dr. Luke in, The Weeknd out
And it earned him his first Grammy nomination in six years. 3 spot on the pop charts โ is up for best rap song and best rap performance. And Anderson .Paak's โLockdown," about police brutality and racial injustice, is up for best melodic rap performance and best music video. JAY-Z, THE SONGWRITERS, SHINESHappy wife, happy life: Jay-Z has lent his songwriting hand to his wife Beyoncรฉ and he's earned Grammy nominations for it. PAUL McCARTNEY, THE ART DIRECTORPaul McCartney scored his 79th Grammy nominations this year โ as an art director.
Swift wins top prize at AMAs, says she's re-recording music
In this screen shot provided by ABC on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020, Taylor Swift accepts the award for artist of the year at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (ABC via AP)NEW YORK โ Taylor Swift won her third consecutive artist of the year prize at the American Music Awards, but she missed the show for a good reason: She said she's busy re-recording her early music after her catalog was sold. She also won favorite music video and favorite pop/rock female artist, winning three honors and tying Bieber, Dan + Shay and the Weeknd for most wins Sunday. Breakthrough singer-rapper Doja Cat performed and won new artist of the year and favorite soul/R&B female artist. And Megan Thee Stallion โ won favorite rap/hip-hop songs for โWAP" with Cardi B โ performed โBody" from her recently released debut album โGood News."
Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Taylor Swift win Apple Music Awards
FILE - Roddy Ricch performs at the 7th annual BET Experience in Los Angeles on June 21, 2019. Ricch, whose successful year included a Grammy win, No. 1 song, won two Apple Music honors that were based on streaming data. His debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial," has been streamed more than 1.5 billion times on the platform and was named top album of the year. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)
Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Taylor Swift win Apple Music Awards
1 song, won two Apple Music honors that were based on streaming data. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK โ Rapper Lil Baby has been named artist of the year at the second annual Apple Music Awards. The editorial team also named Taylor Swift songwriter of the year and Megan Thee Stallion breakthrough artist of the year. 1 song, won two Apple Music honors that were based on streaming data. His smash hit โThe Box" logged more than 460 million Apple Music streams and was crowned top song of the year.
MTV VMAs honor Chadwick Boseman; The Weeknd, DaBaby perform
NEW YORK The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, a night highlighting music and pop culture, kicked off with heartfelt words in memory of Chadwick Boseman, as host Keke Palmer told viewers the event was dedicated to the Black Panther icon. Moments after, the Weeknd brought his Blinding Lights" music video where he is bruised and blooded in a red suit to life. DaBaby, backed by the dance crew Jabbawockeez, also performed, running through several of his hits, including Rock Star." The shifts artists have made because of the pandemic are reflected in two new categories: best music video from home and best quarantine performance. Megan Thee Stallion who topped the charts this year with the Beyonc-assisted Savage" and WAP," her viral song with Cardi B earned multiple nominations, including one for artist of the year.
Gaga, Grande top MTV VMA noms; quarantine categories added
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande both scored nine VMA nominations each, including video of the year for their No. Rain on Me is also competing for song of the year, best collaboration, best pop, best cinematography, best visual effects and best choreography. The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Aug. 30 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Gaga and Grande both scored nine nominations each, including video of the year for their No. Rain on Me is also competing for song of the year, best collaboration, best pop, best cinematography, best visual effects and best choreography.
Rockets James Harden cruise Houston streets in Lamborghini with rapper Lil Baby
HOUSTON Houston Rockets point guard James Harden was seen floating around Houston in a Lamborghini with rapper Lil Baby, according to Clutch Points. Harden, the 2018 NBA MVP, has been in his home in Houston since the regular season was paused as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. Like many other local athletes, he has volunteered and supported local relief efforts in Houston. The Rockets last game was in March, but the season resumes in Orlando next month. 22 teams were invited to participate in an unprecedented eight-game format to finish the 2019-2020 regular season and determine the final playoff seeds. Some teams though, including the Houston Rockets, have already clinched a postseason berth.