‘It was something I was never [going to reveal] ever…just take it to the grave.’

The quote above was lifted from rapper Lil Nas X‘s first televised interview after stunning the music world by coming out of the closet.

The announcement – which the 20-year-old lifted to Twitter on June 30 (‘Gay Pride Day’) – may have been met with overwhelming support for the ‘Old Town Road’ hitmaker, but there were still some who opted to respond with disappointment and even lend homophobic remarks (click here to read). X hit back at the detractors online, but in a recent interview with our friends at BBC he went into detail about how the backlash that followed his big reveal affected him.

Hear it all from him inside:

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With the world waiting with bated breath for ‘The Lion King,’ more details have emerged about the mysterious original song recorded by Beyonce.

Full story below…

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With a career fueled by hits chock full of provocative language and content, many were puzzled when Nicki Minaj accepted a gig at Saudi Arabia’s ‘Jeddah World Fest.’ A country renown for its conservatism, as well as repressive treatment of women and minorities, reports have it the nation’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman authorized the performance – an invitation accompanied by a seven figure payout for the rapstress.

As news spread about the forthcoming appearance, locals, fans, and human rights activists alike spoke out to urge the Grammy nominee to withdraw.  While Saudi Arabians were generally more concerned about the femcee’s suggestive songs and stage attire, the latter seemed to focus on the country’s mistreatment of its citizens.  The most headline-grabbing criticism came courtesy of Thor Halvorseen – the CEO and President of the Human Rights Foundation (who recently the rapper a lengthy reprimand for her involvement and strongly advised her to reconsider the outing).

Did you miss it?  Read highlights inside:

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Weeks of rumors related to kidney failure and other health issues have plagued R&B legend Stevie Wonder as longtime fans and supporters have flooded his social media pages with well wishes, despite previously unconfirmed reports.

Now, the ‘I Wish’ singer wishes to set the record straight and ease fan fears about his condition.  Taking a moment onstage during his set at London’s BST Festival on Saturday (July 6), Wonder did confirm the rumors of his kidney problems were true.  However, he remains hopeful as he is set to undergo surgery.

Details inside:

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Ciara‘s no stranger to pulling double duty on television specials and this year’s ‘Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular’ was no different as the singer served as the extravaganza’s hostess and a performer.

The 33-year-old, still hot on the promo trail in support of her 7th studio album, ‘Beauty Marks,’ left her mark on the stage in grand fashion – rocking the audience with cuts from the opus (‘Level Up,’ ‘Thinking ‘Bout You’) and even strolled them down memory lane with hits from earlier in her career.

Did you miss any of the action? It awaits inside:

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Earlier this week industry insiders predicted that Daniel Caesar‘s studio set ‘Case Study 01‘ would move under 3,000 copies in pure sales (and around 20,000 units with streams) in its opening week.

Now, his final numbers are in and showcase the full extent of the damage his decision to condemn African-Americans (who made up the lion’s share of his fan base) has caused.

@YesJulz is there a reason why you didn't promote the @DanielCaesar album? He literally ruined his career and lost his fanbase to defend you. Inquiring minds would like to know.#yesjuelz #danielcaesar pic.twitter.com/uwoIfls51Y

— Sarah SJ Simon (@sarahsjsimon) July 6, 2019

Full story below…

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It may have been nearly 7 years since the last time Waka Flocka Flame saw his name alongside a hit on the Hot 100 as a leading act, but that hasn’t stopped the Atlantan rapper-turned-reality star from hitting out at gay men who’ve given (or plan to give) him compliments in person or on social media.

In a video that went viral earlier this week, the 33-year-old threatened to have gay men literally shot who figuratively shoot their shots at him – flattery the Rap star says is “disrespectful.”  As the video continues to make its rounds, social media users weigh in on the commentary which conveniently surfaced just as Pride month came to a close.

Hear the words from his mouth that caused the uproar:

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Nicki Minaj wants the world to know that she has a great deal of respect for the Hip-Hop icon Lil Kim.

The ladies were once engaged in an unfortunate feud which saw Kim release the ill-fated ‘Black Friday‘ in response to Nicki Minaj‘s record-setting debut album ‘Pink Friday’ and jab each other a series of diss tracks and radio interviews.

At the heart of their spat? Kim’s feeling that Minaj did not pay homage to her.

Today, Nicki has revealed that this isn’t the case.

Warm words below…

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Katy Perry is making new moves.

Full story below…

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ASAP Rocky’s clash with a man in Sweden has escalated to worrying levels.

Bad news below…

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She may have ruled over competition last week with her 9th #1 album, ‘Madame X’ (click here to read more), but this week Queen of Pop Madonna suffered a royal disappointment after peruse of the Billboard 200 saw her drop over 70 rungs from the chart’s perch.

Topping the tally thanks to a merchandise/ticket bundle deal that saw fans in line to purchase tickets of her highly anticipated ‘Madame X’ tour also get a free copy of the album, the move gave her just the edge she needed to outpace Bruce Springsteen for the top position.  Fast forward to this week, however, Springsteen – who suffered quite the drop himself – still managed to stay in the top 30.

Madge on the other hand…

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‘Can’t nobody tell me nothing’ would be right if you’ve looked at the Billboard Hot 100 charts at least once over the last three months.  Despite attempts from heavy-hitters like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello, Post Malone, and more, no one has been able to unseat newcomer Lil Nas X and his inaugural chart entry, ‘Old Town Road.’

The Billy Ray Cyrus-assisted number galloped to #1 on the back of controversy and some record-breaking streaming 12 weeks ago and has not been dethroned once in that time period.  With this past Sunday marking the beginning of its 13th week atop the tally, the achievement came with another record-breaking stat.  Billboard reports:

Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, leads the Billboard Hot 100 for a 13th week, rewriting the record for the longest reign ever for a hip-hop hit.

The track passes three such songs that led for 12 weeks each: “See You Again,” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth, in 2015; “Boom Boom Pow,” by The Black Eyed Peas (2009); and “Lose Yourself,” by Eminem (2002-03).

As we congratulate the 20-year-old for yet another career milestone, look inside to see who joins him in the top 25 on this week’s TGJ Chart Check:  Hot 100 edition:

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