Katy Perry‘s official response to Taylor Swift‘s supposed plot to ruin her career?

I love her.

The ‘Witness’ entertainer invited Access Hollywood into her home hours ago to discuss all things music and streaming and was forced to confront Swift’s decision to release her entire discography on streaming platforms on ‘Witness’‘ release date.

Though she tried, the vocalist was unable to get around addressing the matter when quizzed on it.

Watch below…

Your thoughts?

After a number of setbacks, pushbacks, and reschedules Halle Berry‘s serially delayed thriller, ‘Kidnap,’ finally has an official release date (we hope).

The film, originally set for release in late 2015 then moved to mid-2016 before being rescheduled for late 2016, can finally boast the release of promotional materials that specifically list August 4th as the date of its theatrical open in U.S. theaters.

An action thriller that sees Berry portray a mother go to dangerous lengths to rescue her son from kidnappers, ‘Kidnap’ has reportedly won favorable reviews by “test” audiences.  Now, after nearly two years of waiting, we’ve finally arrived to time to see if that reaction is shared by the general public.

Check out the refreshed trailer inside:

(more…)

Tinashe‘s narrative has been one of the more puzzling among artists who’ve had buzz over the last few years.

Her inaugural set, ‘Aquarius,’ made quite the splash on Urban charts in mid-2014 thanks to its DJ Mustard-produced hit, ‘2 On.’ Yet, despite nabbing one of that summer’s biggest anthems, the ‘Joyride’ singer turned left and since then has seemingly had her eyes set on seeing her name scribbled on pop charts.

The pursuit – which has seen the ‘All Hands on Deck’ singer try her hand at everything from EDM to emo-pop and collaborate with the likes of some of music’s biggest names (see:  Chris BrownBritney Spears, and Nick Jonas) – has admittedly proven futile.  As such, even though she’s 3 years in the game, many still consider her a “new” or “buzzing” artist.

Tinashe believes she has the answer to that:  colorism and racism in the industry.  Recently taking to The Guardian, she discussed what she believes is the industry’s take on black women:

“There are hundreds of [male] rappers that all look the same, that sound the same, but if you’re a black woman, you’re either Beyoncé or Rihanna. It’s very, very strange.

[There was Ciara, but] it felt like they almost had to sacrifice someone because there wasn’t enough room, which isn’t true. Ciara’s an amazing artist, Beyoncé’s an amazing artist, Rihanna’s an amazing artist, and they’re all very different!”

“There’s colourism involved in the black community, which is very apparent,” she says carefully. “It’s about trying to find a balance where I’m a mixed woman, and sometimes I feel like I don’t fully fit into the black community; they don’t fully accept me, even though I see myself as a black woman. That disconnect is confusing sometimes.”

Tinashe says all the separation and setbacks with her music have been discouraging, but have never completely broken her spirit.

“It’s definitely been discouraging, and I have days where I’m less confident, but at the end I know that I’m going to get to where I need to go.”

“There’s doubt that seeps in, there’s self-deprecation, because you look to someone to blame and you can’t blame anyone but yourself, but I’ve never, ever thought, ‘I’m going to work in a mall.’”

Has Tinashe’s success narrative been impacted by the black community ‘not accepting’ her?

Weigh In!

The Xscape reunion will indeed be televised.

Rumors have been rampant that the R&B outfit would be assembling for a reality series and now said talk has been confirmed.

TMZ report that the group – comprised of Kandi Burruss, Tiny Harris, LaTocha and Tamika Scott – will star in a “docu-series” for Bravo.

Currently filming in Atlanta, the show will chronicle Xscape’s preparation for their first performance in 20 years – which takes place next month at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

Set to premiere in November, the as yet untitled series will interestingly air alongside Bravo smash as ‘The Real Housewives Of Atlanta.’ A move designed to maximize exposure – especially given the presence of Kandi on both shows.

Mona Scott-Young, creator of VH1’s ‘Love & Hip Hop’ franchise, will serve as executive producer.

We’ll most definitely be watching. Will you?

Your thoughts?

As the response to SZA‘s LP ‘CTRL‘ proves, today’s music lovers would sooner spend their money on alternative and artistic female artists than acts modelled on the Urban Pop showgirls of yesteryear.

With this in mind, the rising star upped her promotional ante this week by visiting several outlets to discuss the well-received set and her journey thus far.

Watch R&B’s new Queen in action below…

1. Supermodel
2. Love Galore (ft. Travis Scott)
3. Doves in the Wind (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
4. Drew Barrymore
5. Prom
6. The Weekend
7. Supermodel
7. Go Gina
8. Garden (Say It Like Dat)
9. Broken Clocks
10. Anything
11. Wavy (Interlude) (ft. James Fauntleroy)
12. Normal Girl
13. Pretty Little Birds (ft. Isaiah Rashad)
14. 20 Something

Your thoughts?

Katy Perry‘s ‘Witness’ live stream continues to birth fascinating content.

Today, she welcomed RuPaul to her home for a conversation after he came under fire by several music lovers who accused him of stealing Azealia Banks‘ sounds to create his own.

What he and Perry discussed?

Watch below…

Their conversation stands as the latest piece of her live stream’s puzzle which also delivered an intense conversation about racism with Caitlyn Jenner.

Watch here!

Your thoughts?

The accolades continue to accumulate for Beyonce.

Music’s reigning Queen Bey proves that her bank balance is losing none of its shine, even as she readies the arrival of twins.

Forbes have released their 2017 list of Highest Celebrity Earners – and Mrs Carter is sitting pretty at #2 with an annual estimated earning of $105 million.

In occupying said spot, the 36-year-old is the top placed female and is overall only bested by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (whose savvy business moves earned him $122 million).

So what’s beefing up Bey’s pockets?

Per the report, coins are raining in from last year’s colossal ‘Formation World Tour’ and sales of the star’s premium-priced ‘Lemonade’ visual album are contributing too. Unsurprising given that the LP is nearing double platinum status.

*************

Beyonce remains at the forefront of what it means to truly achieve the American Dream. Indeed, few others in the Pop cultural sphere are as exemplary of the reality of working hard and yielding the rewards.

Ever about upping her own levels, it’ll be both intriguing and exciting to see her approach to dominating the musical and cultural landscape upon the birth of her babies.

Because, if one thing is a given about Bey, it’s that she won’t be letting her reign let up anytime soon.

Your thoughts?

June 5th brought with it the first day of filming for ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s tenth season.

When it’s set to premiere? November. However, you won’t have to wait until then to catch a meaty piece of what it is to come this time around.

That’s right…we have your very first look right here on TGJ!

Th snap and footage above was pulled from a party thrown by friend to the ‘Wives’ Shamea Morton whose wedding will feature in the season which is to welcome NeNe Leakes to the mix in the coming weeks.

Quite interestingly, there’s still no official word on Phaedra Parks‘ supposed dismissal.

Are you looking forward to the new season?

The wait for Tinashe‘s much delayed sophomore album has been anything but a ‘Joyride’ for fans of the singer.

Talk of the set’s arrival dates back to 2015. Yet, what has followed has been a succession of “lead” singles that have ultimately led to incessant push-backs. So much so that its current status is quite the conundrum.

However, in a new interview with The Guardian, the ‘Flame’ belter provided an update. One we’re not sure will be entirely thrilling for fans but is an update nonetheless.

She told the British publication:

“Things haven’t always gone according to my original plan, but that’s life, and things change.”

It’s not like it’s sitting in a vault locked up, it’s always getting better and improving. I plan on doing a solid few more months recording then hopefully getting it out this year.”

She also addressed rampant rumors that Rihanna had pouched the actual track ‘Joyride’ in the midst of the delays. Interestingly she verified the speculation. She said:

Yeah, that’s true. But I don’t know if it was personally Rihanna, like, ‘I’m taking that from Tinashe.’ I don’t think that’s how it worked. But it’s back now.”

***************

It’s unfortunate that there still seems to be so much uncertainty surrounding the set.

Without being privy to the specifics of the drama, our primary observation is the lack of consistency in the sound of the songs released thus far.

Indeed, when listening to tracks such as ‘Super Love’ and ‘Flame,’ it appears the “plan” is to birth music’s next big “Pop girl.”

Yet, when sandwiching edgier, left-leaning offerings such as ‘Party Favors’ and the ‘Nightride’ mixtape between her Pop-ier releases, it becomes quite confusing to ascertain what her core proposition is.

Sure she’s incredibly versatile, but at such an early stage of her career that can actually be problematic in that it makes it hard to package her in a way that is both consistent and palatable to her eventual audience.

And while some will argue about the unfairness of artists being “boxed” or confined to lanes, the harsh reality is that that is quite literally “how it is” for the vast majority. Unfortunately.

Hopefully, Tinashe and her team hone in on the best positioning for her, stick to it, and achieve the success her talent deserves.

Your thoughts?

TLC are pounding the promotional pavement for their self-titled final album.

Today they stopped by The Breakfast Club to plug the set (due June 30th) and certainly made for an interesting visit.

Prior to chopping it up about a range of topics, host Charlamagne asked why member Chilli she had blocked him on social media. She didn’t reveal why, yet proceeded to largely ignore him and throw shots over the course of the interview. And yes, it’s as awkward as it sounds.

Elsewhere, Chilli and T-Boz spoke about their LP, drama within the group (including a tense time with the late Left Eye), ageism, the status of Pebbleslawsuit against them, their current relationship with LA Reid, the “All Lives Matter” fiasco and much more.

A tense, yet insightful interview awaits below…

That was all sorts of awkward.

Sure, the ladies have a narrative that is so compelling that they’ll always make for great guests. But whatever Chilli was bothered about kinda placed a dark cloud over the entire interview.

Like at points it literally made for uncomfortable viewing – especially as she wouldn’t say what the issue was.

From where we’re sitting, surely the savviest approach would have been to air out any differences before the interview and have folk be none-the-wiser about any disagreements.

Because, in visiting his platform to plug her album, parts of this saw Chilli come across a touch salty.

And who knows, perhaps she’s actually in the right. But the fact she refused to say what the problem was just made this not the best look for her and, by association, the group.

Just saying.

Your thoughts?

John Legend continues to soar to higher ground.

Following multiple Grammy wins and unforgettable Oscar glory, last night brought with it a Tony award win for the performer!

What for? His role as co-producer of the Broadway show JITNEY which now means he stands only an Emmy away from bagging all four major American entertainment awards!

 


Best Musical

WINNER: Dear Evan Hansen
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Groundhog Day The Musical
Come From Away

Best Play

WINNER: Oslo
Sweat
Indecent
A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Revival of a Musical

WINNER: Hello, Dolly!
Falsettos
Miss Saigon

Best Revival of a Play

WINNER: August Wilson’s Jitney
Present Laughter
Six Degrees of Separation
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes

Best Actress in a Musical

WINNER: Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Denee Benton, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon

Best Actor in a Musical

WINNER: Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
Christian Borle, Falsettos
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

Best Actress in a Play

WINNER: Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Laura Linney, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes

Best Actor in a Play

WINNER: Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation

Best Book of a Musical

Come From Away, Irene Sankoff and David Hein
WINNER: Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levenson
Groundhog Day The Musical, Danny Rubin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Come From Away, Irene Sankoff and David Hein
WINNER: Dear Evan Hansen, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Groundhog Day The Musical, Tim Minchin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

WINNER: Michael Aronov, Oslo
Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
WINNER: Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

WINNER: Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
WINNER: Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia

Best Scenic Design of a Play

David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
WINNER: Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
Michael Yeargan, Oslo

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Korins, War Paint
WINNER: Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!

Best Costume Design of a Play

WINNER: Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Linda Cho, Anastasia
WINNER: Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, War Paint

Best Lighting Design of a Play

WINNER: Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
WINNER: Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen

Best Direction of a Play

Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
WINNER: Rebecca Taichman, Indecent

Best Direction of a Musical

WINNER: Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!

Best Choreography

WINNER: Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Best Orchestrations

Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
WINNER: Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

* * *

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: James Earl Jones

Special Tony Award: Gareth Fry & Pete Malkin, Sound Designers for The Encounter

Regional Theatre Tony Award: Dallas Theater Center, Dallas, TX

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award: Baayork Lee

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre: Nina Lannan, Alan Wasser

Your thoughts?

Keen to give the world unedited access into hers, Katy Perry welcomed us all into her home via a live stream built to promote her new album ‘Witness.’

On it, fans are pulled into Perry’s place as she entertains guests, discovers herself through therapy and enjoys the #1 album before the launch of her tour.

Hours ago, she invited the creative Amanda Seales and the Trans icon Caitlyn Jenner for dinner and what happened next must be seen to be believed?

What happened when the Trump-endorsing Jenner found herself in the middle of a conversation about systemic and covert racism in America?

Watch below…

Your thoughts?

**