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!

John won a Tony!!! He has a GOT!

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) June 12, 2017

JITNEY!! #TonyAwards2017

— John Legend (@johnlegend) June 12, 2017

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?

Remy Ma is refusing to take her foot off of Nicki Minaj. 

The pair made headlines after the former Terror Squad rapper uncaged ‘Shether’ – one of the most scathing, direct draggings heard in years. A move, she says, was provoked by Minaj’s constant digs.

Months removed, Remy continues to peddle the petty. Case in point tonight at Hot 97’s Summer Jam 2017. 

During her set, which featured a guest spot from rap legend and Onika’s rival Lil Kim, Remy projected a Nicki obituary on the screen before performed ‘Shether.’

And then Remy Ma Just Either Nicki Minaj on that #SummerJam stage for The Culture ?? pic.twitter.com/4SWn2JGxyj

— Real?Deplorable? (@Culture_God) June 12, 2017

Yikes!

We here for both ladies, but the back and forth definitely makes for much needed excitement in female rap sphere.

In keeping it 100%, Nicki has continued to throw shots and Remy clearly needs to keep the drama a’rolling as she tries to cook up buzz for her incoming new solo album ‘Seven Winters & Six Summers.’

Should Nicki clap-back?

Your thoughts?

Mariah Carey‘s relationship with dancer Bryan Tanaka is back on.

Initially, the union appeared like a synthetic storyline conjured up for her poorly performing reality series ‘Mariah’s World.’ A stance not helped by the fact that the pair went their separate ways almost as soon as the show wrapped.

However, recent weeks have seen the duo smitten once again.

The latest snap shared on social media saw Tanaka looking adoringly at Mimi – 13 years his senior – in the studio.

According to the 34-year-old, his 47-year-old bae was hard at work baking material for her next project.

He told his followers:

In the studio watching the Queen in her element the way nobody else gets to see. ??? #Moments4Life#MuchLove

As reported, Mimi recently inked a deal with Epic Records – who’ll house her new label, Butterfly MC Records. At the time of the announcement, it was stressed that an album would follow by the end of the year.

Although the recent departure of Epic head L.A Reid potentially puts that in question.

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

We want to be excited, as Mariah tends to come through with the quality even when underperforming commercially (see: ‘Elusive Chanteuse,’ ‘Memoirs,’ and even ‘Charmbracelet’.)

However, she still has a fair amount of work to do with her image – this showmance included – before we can muster up anticipation.

Music, as ever, is only one piece of the product puzzle. Image and perception matters. And looking at the image above doesn’t fill us with hope.

Your thoughts?

Taylor Swift‘s supposed attempt to steal Katy Perry‘s chart thunder this week has done little to kill the love the latter has for the ‘White Horse‘ vocalist.

For, Perry has revealed that she forgives Swift for everything she may or may not have done to her and hopes that they can come to a place of peace and understanding.

She told The Thrive Global Podcast…

I am ready to let it go. I forgive her and I’m sorry for anything I ever did, and I hope the same from her. I think it’s actually like, I think it’s time. There are bigger fish to fry, and there are real problems in the world. You know what I’m saying?

I love her, and I want the best for her. And I think she’s a fantastic songwriter, and I think that if we, both her and I, can be representatives of strong women that come together despite their differences, I think the whole world is going to go like, ‘Yeah, well we can do this.’ I don’t know. Maybe I don’t agree with everything she does and she doesn’t agree with everything I do, but I just really, truly want to come together in a place of love and forgiveness and understanding and compassion.

Your thoughts?

The Hip-Hop gatekeeper Charlamagne Tha God isn’t impressed by Nicki Minaj‘s new material and isn’t afraid to tell her so.

During the ‘Rumor Report‘ portion of his hit radio show ‘The Breakfast Club’, the radio personality was played a piece of her verse on a 2 Chainz-fronted cut named ‘Realize.’

On it, the performer mocks her nemesis Remy Ma with a line which suggests it was Ma’s husband Papoose- and not Ma- herself who penned the diss track ‘Shether.’

A bored Charlamagne had this to say about it…

Charlamagne can expect to hear a whole lot more of Nicki’s flow later on this year when she releases her fourth studio album via UMG.

Your thoughts?

The shocking reality is Katy Perry‘s current era is her least anticipated to date.

Her new project, ‘Witness’ (available now), made its debut at 12am EST after a four month promotional onslaught not only saw her hit major award shows, talk shows, the late night TV circuit, the radio circuit, print, concert festivals, and many other places, but it’s also seen her team with Citi and other business giants to promote the album’s bearings.

Yet, even with the exhausting promo efforts and glossy music videos to assist, the set’s lead single – ‘Chained to the Rhythm’ – stalled at #4 while its follow-up, ‘Bon Appetit’ (featuring Migos), never cracked the top 50 on the Hot 100.  With the nonperformance of the aforementioned and the Nicki Minaj-assisted ‘Swish Swish,’ it appeared music lovers were simply not here for what the diva was serving this go round – a reality that’s made ‘Witness’ her first album to ever be released without a #1 single preceding it.

Even with these things in tow, the project (post-release) has shown promise by jetting to the top of iTunes just minutes after it was released.  Some 12 hours later, it’s remained in that same position.  As fans and critics sing the praises of ‘Witness,’ deeming it a “breakup album,” we come to you to ask…

Now that you’ve had time to stream #Witness:

Your thoughts?

#Katycats wasted no time getting their claws on ‘Witness,’ the latest album from Katy Perry.

The album, which houses the hits ‘Chained to the Rhythm,’ ‘Bon Appetit’ (featuring Migos), and more, comes as her first full length release 2013’s chart-topping ‘Prism.’ And, despite what appeared to be an atmosphere of minimum buzz for the set, the singer/songwriter may be well on her way to witnessing her fifth LP follow ‘Prism’s suit.

Details below:

As we reported just moments ago, ‘Witness’ was available everywhere for streaming and digital download at 11:59 EST.  Less than 10 minutes later, real-time U.S. iTunes charts revealed the project had already bested the tally’s top-seller.

‘Witness’ also looks poised to repeat the feat in the U.K. [as of time reported].

While we await official first week predictions (usually rendered by mid-day on Saturday), we can say it does look like Perry’s off to a promising start…at least on the digital front.  Streaming victory, on the other hand, may be offset by an old rival of hers – Taylor Swift.  Click here to read more on that.

Your thoughts?

As Nicki Minaj’s fourth studio album glides closer to its release date the rapper continues to give the world good reason to anticipate it.

In an interview with her old friend DJ Whoo Kid, the entertainer revealed that the set will be classically Hip-Hop and how her fan base, The Kingdom, have inspired its stories.

She shared:

My fans are a different level of die-hard. I always feel like I gotta make them proud. I gotta go hard. I gotta impress them. They always waiting for me. That’s a blessing in itself.

I know it’s going to be my best body of work and I always love to be in real time, see my fans reacting to something. That’s what I’m looking forward to now. Obviously, I’m not telling them when my album is coming out, but I know that it’s gonna be amazing because I want to thank the people who’ve rocked with me for all of these years.

Are you looking forward to the album?

Is Hip-Hop’s aversion for Lil Yatchy‘s pro-gay ‘Teenage Emotions’ album to blame for the modest first week sales it drew in?

Execs at Capitol will undoubtedly search high and low for the answer to that question as they find themselves faced with after watching the project welcome only 46,000 units in its opening week.

The set opened at #5 and was outsold by Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Damn’ which spent this week at #2, almost three months after its unveiling.

How Yatchy feels about it all?

Message to all my fans. I just want to thank you for giving me your all. Supporting me and backing me up when I'm not around but am always in spirit. I didn't make this 21 project for the old reviews and bloggers. I made it for real Lil yachty fans who have been dying for new music from me… that's why I put so many songs.. that's why it's mostly just me. Because it's from me to you. I understand first week numbers didn't do what most people expected but that's only because they don't understand me. They don't understand us. I don't expect anybody to. I make it for those who listen. I feel like my brand is so big and blew up so big, it blew up bigger than my actual music. Which isn't the worst situation it could be worse all I have to is make it to where my brand hype and music hype equal out.. I am back in the studio. Working on my next ep. I know what you guys (my fans) liked about the project and didn't like.. I'm putting that into consideration. It is now time to focus on my tour. Teenage Tour. Which is going to be fucking lit. A fucking experience to the young youth ready to lose there minds!!!!!!!! With this being my last few months of being a teenager I am just living with no regrets having fun and enjoying life. And that's what I did with this album. I'm glad I made it and I personally love it. Think it's awesome. I need to see everybody at the local date on the teenage tour singing there heart out. I need to meet y'all at the meeting greets and I need to know y'all' favorite song and why. Videos coming soon. To my fans. I appreciate you for riding this journey with me. I love you guys always and forever. Fuck the outsiders.. do you. See you on tour. ⛵️

A post shared by KING BOAT #fortheyouth (@lilyachty) on Jun 5, 2017 at 10:14am PDT

Your thoughts?

As the breakout star of Oxygen’s ‘Bad Girls Club‘ empire Natalie Nunn‘s hilarious, witty and endearing personality sees her stand as one of reality television’s more sought-after stars.

Now it seems that ‘Love & Hip Hop’ maitre’ d’ Mona Scott-Young hopes to welcome Nunn to the fray by placing her in its Hollywood edition.

Alas, she’s been rejected.

Why?

Natalie explains it all below…

News of Natalie’s meeting comes after fans of ‘Love’s ‘Atlanta’ offering learned that its leading lady Joseline Hernandez had left the show following a long-running feud with Mona who used to manage Missy Elliott.

Quite interestingly, a YouTube channel housing key moments from ‘Love and Hip Hop’ lore began to post clips unveiling Mona’s supposedly problematic history with the show’s cast.

Your thoughts?

Ne-Yo is officially back!

After tiding fans over with loose cuts after the release of his 2015 LP, ‘Non-Fiction,’ the R&B crooner tapped producers Dr. Luke and Cirkut to help craft the official kickoff to his yet-titled 7th album.

An upbeat summer jam titled ‘Another Love Song,’ the cut – released by Motown Records and Ne-Yo’s Compound Entertainment – has a timely release as it coincides with the premiere of NBC’s reality dance competition ‘World of Dance’ (which features Ne-Yo, Jennifer Lopez, and Derek Hough as judges).

Get into it below:

(more…)

It’s curtains for WGN America‘s ‘Underground.’

For, after just two seasons the cable network has confirmed that the popular series will not be back for a third.

The move has come as a surprise to many given that the show was a strong performer in the ratings.

Its cancellation has little to do with numbers though.

See, WGN is going through a brand overhaul and ‘Underground’ – a slave drama – does not fit said agenda. Peep the statement from the CEO Peter Kern below:

“As WGN America evolves and broadens the scope and scale of its portfolio of series, we recently announced that resources will be reallocated to a new strategy to increase our relevance within the rapidly changing television landscape. This move is designed to deliver additional value for our advertising and distribution partners and offer viewers more original content across our air.

“Despite Underground being a terrific and important series, it no longer fits with our new direction and we have reached the difficult decision not to renew it for a third season. We are tremendously proud of this landmark series that captured the zeitgeist and made an impact on television in a way never before seen on the medium. We thank the incomparable creators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski and the great John Legend, along with the talented creative team and cast who brought the unsung American heroes of the Underground Railroad to life. We are grateful to the loyal fans of Underground and our partners at Sony Pictures Television. It is our hope that this remarkable show finds another home and continues its stories of courage, determination and freedom.”

As at writing, both OWN and Hulu are said to be interested in picking up the show. However, some feel its hefty per-episode production price may count against it.

Still, as always in entertainment, never say never.

We love the series and are crossing our fingers that it finds residence at another channel.

Your thoughts?