It’s that time of year again!

The BET Awards 2017 are set to air live from the Microsoft Theater at L.A Live on Sunday June 25th.

As always, all eyes are on who’ll be up for nominations at Urban entertainment’s biggest calendar night.

Well, wonder no more. For, the nominees list has been revealed. Beyonce – whose ‘Lemonade’ album was named the top-telling US LP of 2016 – leads with a seismic seven. Her Super Bowl comrade Bruno Mars earned several honors too.

What are you waiting for? The full list awaits below…

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
BEYONCÉ
KEHLANI
MARY J. BLIGE
RIHANNA
SOLANGE

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
BRUNO MARS
CHRIS BROWN
THE WEEKND
TREY SONGZ
USHER

Best Group
2 CHAINZ & LIL WAYNE
A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
FAT JOE & REMY MA
MIGOS
RAE SREMMURD

Best Collaboration
BEYONCÉ FT. KENDRICK LAMAR – FREEDOM
CHANCE THE RAPPER FT. 2 CHAINZ & LIL WAYNE – NO PROBLEM
CHRIS BROWN FT. GUCCI MANE & USHER – PARTY
DJ KHALED FT. BEYONCÉ & JAY Z – SHINING
MIGOS FT. LIL UZI VERT – BAD AND BOUJEE
RAE SREMMURD FT. GUCCI MANE – BLACK BEATLES

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
BIG SEAN
CHANCE THE RAPPER
DRAKE
FUTURE
J. COLE
KENDRICK LAMAR

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
CARDI B
MISSY ELLIOTT
NICKI MINAJ
REMY MA
YOUNG M.A.

Video of the Year
BEYONCÉ – SORRY
BIG SEAN – BOUNCE BACK
BRUNO MARS – 24K MAGIC
MIGOS FT. LIL UZI VERT – BAD AND BOUJEE
SOLANGE – CRANES IN THE SKY

Video Director of the Year
BENNY BOOM – KEHLANI “CRZY”
BRUNO MARS & JONATHAN LIA – BRUNO MARS “THAT’S WHAT I LIKE”
DIRECTOR X – ZAYN MALIK “LIKE I WOULD”
HYPE WILLIAMS – TYGA “GUCCI SNAKES FT. DESIIGNER”
KAHLIL JOSEPH & BEYONCÉ KNOWLES-CARTER – BEYONCÉ “SORRY”

Best New Artist
21 SAVAGE
CARDI B
CHANCE THE RAPPER
KHALID
YOUNG M.A.

Album of the Year
24K MAGIC – BRUNO MARS
4 YOUR EYEZ ONLY – J. COLE
A SEAT AT THE TABLE – SOLANGE
COLORING BOOK – CHANCE THE RAPPER
LEMONADE – BEYONCÉ

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
CECE WINANS – NEVER HAVE TO BE ALONE
FANTASIA FT. TYE TRIBBETT – I MADE IT
KIRK FRANKLIN FT. SARAH REEVES, TASHA COBBS & TAMELA MANN – MY WORLD NEEDS YOU
LECRAE – CAN’T STOP ME NOW (DESTINATION)
TAMELA MANN – GOD PROVIDES

Best Actress
GABRIELLE UNION
ISSA RAE
JANELLE MONÁE
TARAJI P. HENSON
VIOLA DAVIS

Best Actor
BRYSHERE Y. GRAY
DENZEL WASHINGTON
DONALD GLOVER
MAHERSHALA ALI
OMARI HARDWICK

YoungStars Award
ACE HUNTER
CALEB MCLAUGHLIN
JADEN SMITH
MARSAI MARTIN
YARA SHAHIDI

Best Movie
FENCES
GET OUT
HIDDEN FIGURES
MOONLIGHT
THE BIRTH OF A NATION

Sportswoman of the Year Award
GABBY DOUGLAS
SERENA WILLIAMS
SIMONE BILES
SKYLAR DIGGINS
VENUS WILLIAMS

Sportsman of the Year Award
CAM NEWTON
LEBRON JAMES
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
STEPHEN CURRY

Centric Award
FANTASIA – SLEEPING WITH THE ONE I LOVE
KEHLANI – DISTRACTION
MARY J. BLIGE – THICK OF IT
SOLANGE – CRANES IN THE SKY
SYD – ALL ABOUT ME
YUNA – CRUSH FT. USHER

Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
BEYONCÉ – SORRY
BRUNO MARS – 24K MAGIC
DRAKE – FAKE LOVE
MIGOS FT. LIL UZI VERT – BAD AND BOUJEE
RAE SREMMURD FT. GUCCI MANE – BLACK BEATLES
THE WEEKND FT. DAFT PUNK – STARBOY

Best International Act: Europe
BOOBA (France)
MHD (France)
CRAIG DAVID (UK)
EMELI SANDÉ (UK)
GIGGS (UK)
SKEPTA (UK)
STORMZY (UK)
WILEY (UK)

Best International Act: Africa
AKA (South Africa)
BABES WODUMO (South Africa)
DAVIDO (Nigeria)
NASTY C (South Africa)
STONEBWOY (Ghana)
TEKNO (Nigeria)
WIZKID (Nigeria)
MR EAZI (Nigeria)

Your thoughts?

#KatyCats rejoice!  Your chart-topping leader, Katy Perry, has officially (and finally) announced the title and release date of her new album.

As if that’s not enough to send her fans into a frenzy, the pop star also unveiled a slew of tour dates to support the project.

Details inside:

(more…)

Former Fifth Harmony star Camila Cabello hasn’t skipped a beat since the shocking announcement of her departure from the hitmaking quintet in December 2016.  Evidence of this can be found in the number of high profile musical and press features the songstress has enjoyed since the turn of the year, most notably the Pitbull & J. Balvin international hit ‘Hey Ma.’

Now, after months of building her solo profile, it appears Cabello is finally ready to turn the page on her own music.  Sending fans into a frenzy over Sunday night, the recently unveiled announcement from her camp not only reveals the title of her debut solo project, but also its first single (which is reportedly set to drop soon….very soon)!

Details below:

(more…)

Nicki Minaj is determined to elevate her fans to higher ground with the power of eduction.

After shocking a number of them by erasing their student loan debt, she has announced plans to build a charity designed to give young people the opportunity to educate themselves without the burden and fear of financial woes.

This makes me so happy. [A few from the other day] I’ll do another impromptu payment spree in a month or 2 but pls know that I’m launching my official charity for Student Loans/Tuition Payments VERY SOON! You’ll be able to officially sign up! I’ll keep you posted! ?

A post shared by Nicki Minaj (@nickiminaj) on May 12, 2017 at 10:34am PDT

Brilliant.

Minaj’s fan base can expect her new album to make its way to Pop’s shores later on this year.

Your thoughts?

Aaron Hernandez, the athlete who murdered Odin Llyod, stunned the world when he committed suicide during time as an inmate at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.

Tonight, as his family faces claim the murder and suicide were ignited by his supposed desire to conceal his alleged (and potentially baseless) dalliances with men, his fiancee’ will make her to Dr. Phil to bare all.

What she shared may surprise you.

He was very positive, so excited to come home. I spoke to him the night before and he was so, “Daddy’s going to be home,” and “I can’t wait to sleep in the bed with you guys, and I can’t wait to just hold you and love you.” There was no indication at all of such events.

‘I remember him saying “Babe I’ve got to go, they’re shutting the doors” and I honestly don’t think we said I love you to each other and that was it.

I just know that the feedback I was getting from our last talk had nothing to do with any suicidal thoughts.

I felt like we were looking so bright. We were going up a ladder to a positive direction.

Catch the interview in full when it airs in two parts on Monday and Tuesday.

Your thoughts?

90s babies rejoice!

This month, to celebrate and honour their respective fans and discographies, Bell Biv Devoe and En Vogue have announced that they are to embark on a join tour!

Its name? ‘The Three Stripes Tour’, named after Devoe’s latest album.

Want dates?

May 13 – Metropolitan Park – Jacksonville, FL
May 14 – Mahaffey Theater – St. Petersburg, FL
May 20 – Wolf Creek Amphitheater – Atlanta, GA
May 26 – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, CT
May 27 – Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel – Niagara Falls, NY
June 1 – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA
June 2 – Kings Theater – Brooklyn, NY
June 9 – Verizon Theatre – Dallas, TX
June 10 – First Security Amphitheater – Little Rock, AR
June 16 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO*
June 17 – Providence Amphitheater – Kansas City, MO
July 2 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX*
July 22 – Firstmerit Bank Pavilion – Chicago, IL*
July 28 – Cincinnati Music Festival – Cincinnati, OH
July 29 – Chene Park Amphitheater – Detroit, MI
Aug. 6 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD

Dates marked with * indicate dates on which En Vogue won’t hit the stage.

Devoe continues to tour as part of the group New Edition and continue to ride on the positive waves whipped up by the force’s BET biopic!

Buy tickets here!

Your thoughts?

If L.A Reid‘s shocking exit from Sony‘s Epic Records last week seemed sudden – it’s because it was. And it left many scratching their heads.

Indeed, why would Reid leave an imprint he helped rebuild during long-worked-for high and why would he bounce after only just relocating himself and the label from NYC to LA?

At the time, the only plausible reason seemed connected to changes in Sony’s higher hierarchy.

Well, it turns out there’s a far more chaotic situation at hand.

For, according to The New York Post, Reid’s Epic exit comes after a female staff member filed an “unlawful harassment” suit.

The report explained:

The music industry veteran allegedly made inappropriate physical advances toward an assistant at last December’s company holiday party, among other instances, according to a March 22 letter a lawyer for the woman sent to Julie Swidler, Sony Music’s General Counsel, said a source who provided details from the letter.

The female assistant, whose name is being withholding, also claims Reid, who has led Epic for nearly six years, also asked her to lie down in bed with him and give him a hug while the two were at a hotel while traveling on business, the letter alleges.

Reid, who is married, also made comments about what clothes he liked her to wear and described her as looking “fine,” the letter claims.

It’s not been determined if Sony’s investigation had confirmed any of the letter’s allegations. However, the company’s one-sentence statement about Reid’s departure – issued shortly after the initial news hit – is open to interpretation.

For what it’s worth, one person in Reid’s camp tells Billboard that the accuser’s letter contains inaccuracies.

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

Details are scarce, hence, the matter must be approached with delicacy. It must also be stressed that, at present, the allegations are just that — allegations.

That said, in the wake of a very public takedown of Dr Luke and the recent woes of Bill O Reilly, maybe the label didn’t want any battle remotely like that on their hands? Who knows.

What does become even more intriguing now is what Reid, age 60, will do as his next move. Both personally and professionally.

Will he release a statement combatting the claims? Keep quiet? Take up appointment elsewhere? There’s talk of him heading to Warner Music Group.

In the interim, it’s being reported that Epic will be shepherded by Reid’s deputy Sylvia Rhone.

During his unprecedented run at labels under both the Sony and Universal umbrellas, Reid has elevated careers of artists like Toni Braxton, Usher, Mariah Carey, and Justin Bieber – to name but a few.

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

Needless to say, the weeks and months ahead should be interesting. For Reid as well as the acts he leaves behind at Epic such as Fifth Harmony, DJ Khaled, Future, Camila Cabello, J.Lo, and a newly re-signed Mariah Carey. 

Your thoughts?

1) Tamar Braxton – My Man

2) LeToya Luckett – Show Me

3) Lady Gaga – The Cure

4) SZA – Love Galore

5) TLC – Way Back

What are Your Top 5 Songs of The Moment?

Katy Perry is prepping a major reveal tomorrow and is giving fans a preview ahead of time.

Today on Twitter she shared a snippet of a new song named ‘Witness’ – a track widely believed to be the title track of her hotly anticipated fourth studio album.

What are you waiting for? Take a listen below…

pic.twitter.com/2fVA3ZLoAq

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) May 14, 2017

With fans speculating about everything from a surprise release, to tour dates, it appears she’s enjoying keeping folk guessing.

In any case, an answer is due in a mere matter of hours.

Stay tuned.

Your thoughts?

Jason Blum, one of the minds behind the hit movie ‘Get Out‘ has teamed up with the charismatic creative Dee Rees to create a lesbian horror movie inspired by the release.

In a New York Times-penned piece named  ‘The Scarily Profitable Hits of Jason Blum‘, the publication reveals:

Rees, it emerged, was a serious horror fan. She told Blum about two recent movies that she especially admired, “Hush” and “Creep,” and Blum said that as it happened they were also Blumhouse projects. Rees said she had an idea for her own low-budget horror picture — one location, tiny cast — set in a small town not unlike the one where she has lived for the last year. Blum listened carefully. “You’ve got me and my wife, two black lesbians, and when we first moved in, we fought every day over all these little things: ‘Why is this over there? Did you move that?’ ”

A few weeks after Blum met Rees, I called her to see if anything had come of their impromptu pitch meeting. Something had, Rees said. They’d met for lunch and talked about a deal. She told me what was most surprising wasn’t that she was suddenly developing a horror movie centred on the domestic lives of black lesbians in rural America but that Blum had followed up at all. “I can’t tell you how rare it is that people mean what they say in this business,” she said. “He’s just letting me make the best possible version of what I want to make.”

The creatives are yet to unlock details on the black lesbian horror project set in rural America but Rees, who is to thank for the movie ‘Mudbound‘, did say this about its plot.

Maybe it was a ghost. Or maybe it was some other force — like us not wanting to be there or fitting in. 

 
Unfamiliar with Rees?
Watch the interview below…

Your thoughts?

Katy Perry is reportedly in advanced talks to join the revived ‘American Idol.’

According to TMZ, the ‘Bon Appétit’ belter is “very interested” in a judging role on ABC‘s incarnation of the singing show. So much so that she’s said to be willing to map out her upcoming tour around Idol’s taping schedule.

The only (major) detail being hashed out presently is money.

Although, with ABC losing out to NBC‘s no holds barred approach to snagging talent they were interested in (see: both Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson joining ‘The Voice’), Perry appears to be in a great position at the negotiation table.

**********

This actually makes an abundance of sense.

For Katy, Idol – regardless of the naysayers – will command an audience sizeable enough to be beneficial to her career. It’ll also line her pockets handsomely at a time when it’s uncertain what the returns would be from her music and touring efforts (see: current underperformance).

Meanwhile, for the show, Perry lends a heightened degree of star-power right out of the gate.

Make…it…happen!

Your thoughts?

Hankering for a new Shonda Rhimes legal drama?

You’re in luck!

Soaring towards ABC as part of its 2017/2018 is ‘For the People’, a ‘Law & Order’ style series packed with scandal, murder, crime, corruption, lies, and deception.

You’d like to see a teaser?

Press play…

A premiere date for the series, which follows the lives of new lawyers battling the aforementioned evils within the New York City judicial system, is yet to be set.

Want more from Shondaland?

Click here to learn about ‘Scandal’s forthcoming final season and here for details on its sister series ‘How To Get Away with Murder’.

Your thoughts?