Fat Joe to Face Off Against Ja Rule in All-New Verzuz Battle

Fat Joe is ready for a hip-hop battle…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper will face off against Ja Rule in an all-new Verzuz battle on September 14.

Fat Joe

The friendly competition will take place in person, live from New York.

“The summer ain’t over!!” Verzuz co-creator Swizz Beatz wrote on Instagram revealing the news.

In a separate announcement post on Instagram, Ja Rule wrote, “#ICONN.” Meanwhile, Fat Joe captioned his identical post, “The price just went [up] @fatjoe @verzuz @jarule.”

This marks the first Verzuz battle since last month, when The LOX and Dipset hit the stage to deliver some fan-favorite hit songs.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Ja Rule has released eight No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 singles, including “Always On Time,” featuring Ashanti, which peaked at No. 1 in February 2002 and charted for 27 weeks. The hitmaker has released a total of 17 Hot 100 songs. His debut studio album, Venni Vetti Veccipeaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, where it charted for 31 weeks.

Fat Joe, who began his career in music as a member of hip-hop group Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), released his debut solo album Represent in 1993. His single from the album, “Flow Joe,” reached No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?” featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule, peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Ja Rule’s collaborative hit track “New York,” featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss, was a top 30 Hot 100 song. It peaked at No. 27 on the list in 2004, where it charted for 14 weeks.

Hip-hop fans can catch the newly announced Verzuz battle between Fat Joe and Ja Rule on September 14 at 9:00 pm ET, which will be available for live streaming via the Triller app, FITE TV or on the Verzuz TV Instagram account.

Salma Hayek to Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Salma Hayek will have a permanent place in Hollywood

The 54-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated actress and producer is among the 38 honorees invited to join the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Salma Hayek

Hayek, who moved to Hollywood in 1991, rose to acclaim in films like Desperado and From Dusk till Dawn. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in Frida.

But Hayek isn’t the only Latin honoree this year…

Tessa Thompson was selected in the Motion Picture category.

The 37-year-old Afro-Panamanian American actress gained mainstream recognition for her starring role as Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame.

Her other credits include Sylvie’s Love, Men in Black: International, and Creed.

Ashanti has been selected in the Recording category.

The 40-year-old part-Dominican American Grammy-winning singer and actress was first discovered as a teenager and later signed to Murder Inc. Records in 2002.

That year, she was featured on Fat Joe‘s “What’s Luv?” and Ja Rule‘s “Always on Time,” both of which became two of the biggest hit songs of 2002; Ashanti became the first female artist to occupy the top two positions on the Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously when “Foolish” and “What’s Luv?” were at numbers one and two, respectively.

Other Latin artists selected include Los Huracanes Del Norte and Angelica Vale.

These honorees were chosen from among hundreds of nominees at a meeting of the Walk of Fame selection committee and ratified by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors this week. Radio personality Ellen K, chair of the selection committee (and a past Walk of Fame honoree), announced the new honorees on the Walk of Fame’s website.

The selection panel, made up of fellow Walk of Famers, handpicks a group of honorees each year that represent various genres of the entertainment world. “The panel did an amazing job choosing these very talented people,” said Ellen K. “We can’t wait to see each honoree’s reaction as they realize that they are becoming a part of Hollywood’s history with the unveiling of their star on the world’s most famous walkway.”

Dates have not been scheduled for these star ceremonies. Recipients have two years to schedule star ceremonies from the date of selection before their selection expires. Upcoming star ceremonies are usually announced 10 days prior to dedication on the Walk of Fame website.

Here’s the full list of Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2022 honorees (using their full names as shown on their list):

Recording: Black Eyed Peas, George E. Clinton Jr., Ashanti Douglas, DJ Khaled, Avril Lavigne, Los Huracanes Del Norte, Martha Reeves and Ermias Asghedom (Nipsey Hussle, posthumous).

Motion pictures: Francis Ford Coppola, Macaulay Culkin, Willem Dafoe, Salma Hayek, James Hong, Helen Hunt, Michael B. Jordan, Regina King, Ray Liotta, Ewan McGregor, Adam McKay, Jason Momoa, Tessa Thompson and Carrie Fisher (posthumous)

Television: Byron Allen, Greg Berlanti, Ricky Gervais, Peter Krause, Robert Odenkirk, Holly Robinson-Peete, Norman Reedus, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jean Smart, Ming-Na Wen and Kenan Thompson.

Live theatre/live performance: Patti LuPone, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. and Angelica Vale

Radio: Richard Blade

Sports entertainment: Michael Strahan

Fat Joe to Appear on the Upcoming “MDA Kevin Hart Kids Telethon”

Fat Joe’s got hart… And, he’s ready to share it with the world.

The 50-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper, whose real name Joseph Antonio Cartagena, will take part in the MDA Kevin Hart Kids Telethon, the upcoming two-hour special hosted by Hart that reimagines the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s annual variety show fundraiser.

Fat-Joe

Fat Joe joins a lineup of talent additions that includes Don Cheadle, Common, Cindy Crawford, Whitney Cummings, Stephen Curry, Zachary Levi and Kelly Rowland.

The special, which will benefit the MDA and Help From the Hart Charity, streams live on Saturday from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET on Hart’s LOL Network and its digital platforms YouTube and Pluto TV, as well as on TikTok, Triller and Twitch.

SiriusXM will air an encore of the show on its Laugh Out Loud Radio channel on October 26 at 4:00 pm ET and again the next day at 10:00 am ET.

The telethon will feature entertainment, comedy, musical performances and MDA’s Let’s Play For a Cure gaming elements, a gaming stream hosted by Zedd running simultaneously. A Telethon Showcase to celebrate the members of the neuromuscular community and hosted by Nancy O’Dell and Jann Carl will follow the two-hour main show. It will stream on the MDA’s Facebook page.

As a warmup, an MDA-hosted online auction on CharityBuzz featuring items from Serena Williams, Curry and others launches Friday at mda.org/telethon.

The latest talent additions to the lineup join previously announced guests including Garcelle Beauvais, Aloe Blacc, Jack Black, Usain Bolt, Bryan Cranston, Adam Devine, Josh Gad, Liz Gillies, Aldis Hodge, Edwin Hodge, Michael B. Jordan, DJ Khaled, Daniel Levy, Loni Love, Leslie Mann, Jillian Mercado, Robin Thicke, Gabrielle Union Wade and John David Washington.

Jonathan Krisel is directing.

 

Cardi B Releases Wet & Wild Music Video for “WAP,” Her Collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion

Cardi B’s back with a Wap-ping good time…

The 27-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar has released the music video for “WAP,” her twerk-tastic new collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion.

Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion "WAP" Video

The music video for the thumping new track takes place in and around a luxurious mansion that has a fountain out front featuring a bootylicious fountain. 

“I just want to let y’all know, I wanna give y’all the heads up, the music video is going to be the censored version of the song, because the song is so nasty that YouTube was like, ‘Hold on, wait a minute, someone might be too Goddamn nasty,” Cardi B revealed on Instagram prior to the release, encouraging fans to listen to the full “nasty” version on streaming services.

The girl power-fueled video for “WAP” features cameos by the likes of Spanish singing sensation Rosalia, in full body red latex and a Spanish matador’s montera hat with the braids to match her hair color, Kylie Jenner and Normani to rising artists like SukihanaRubi Rose and Mulatto.

“I wanted a lot of different females, not just female rappers. I wanted different…A lot of different people. And y’all going to see it on the music video as well, from models to influencers and everything,” she told Zane Lowe in an Apple Music interview about the visual. “And I really wanted the video to be very sexy, very clean, very nice, very cut. All right, we need some female artists, rappers. And I’m like, ‘These are the girls that I personally like. That I like they music. That I really feel they are going to go mainstream, to me.’ All the girls right here, there’s different things that I like about them.”

“WAP” is Cardi B’s first music release of the year. It follows “South of the Border,” her collaboration with Ed Sheeran and Camila Cabello, released in July 2019; “Yes,” her collaboration with Fat Joe and Anuel AA, released in September 2019; and “Writing on the Wall,” her collaboration with French MontanaPost Malone and Rvssian, released in September 2019.

Cardi B Teaming Up with Megan Thee Stallion for New Single “WAP”

There’s another high-profile collaboration in Cardi B’s future…

The 27-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rap superstar is joining voices with Megan Thee Stallion for a scorching new track.

Cardi B

WAP” will be released this Friday, August 7, according to Megan Thee Stallion’s announcement on Instagram, which was accompanied by the song’s cover art.

The image features Meg and Cardi B in matching “WAP” gold hoops, with their hair entangled together into a flowing, curled bun.

“WAP,” Meg captioned the post with a tongue out emoji and a water droplet emoji. “@iamcardib and The Hot Girl Coach this Friday !!!”

Megan Thee Stallion & Cardi B

It’s Cardi B’s first pre-release single of her upcoming second studio album, which is scheduled to be released in late 2020. Her most recent collaborations: Yes,” with Fat Joe and Anuel AA and Please Me with Bruno Mars.

This all-female collab follows Meg’s previous “Savage” remix featuring Beyonce. In May, the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the “Hot Girl” rapper’s first-ever topper on the chart, and the seventh for Bey as a solo artist (to go with the four she notched as part of girl group Destiny’s Child). At the time, it was also just the seventh No. 1 in Hot 100 history to credit multiple female artists on its listing.

Cardi B Lands Three Songs on Michelle Obama’s 2020 Workout Playlist

Cardi Bhas made an extra special (play)list…

Michelle Obama is hoping to inspire people to exercise more in the new year by sharing her 2020 workout playlist, and the 27-year-old half-Dominican American singer is her go-to gal.

The former first lady, a dedicated health advocate, shared some of her favorite tunes to listen to while hitting the gym. 

The 35-song playlist includes three tracks from Cardi B. Along with her single “Press,” Cardi B’s collaborations with Bruno Mars (“Finesse”) and Ed SheeranCamila Cabello(“South of the Border”) get Obama’s blood pumping.

Bruno Mars has a second song, “Perm,” on Obama’s playlist.

Jennifer Lopez gives Obama’s playlist a little old school magic with her “Feelin’ So Good Remix,” featuring Fat JoeBig Pun.

And when it comes to her post-workout cool down, Obama turns to Miguel and Alicia Keys’ “Show Me Love,” among others.

Official Music Video Released for Cardi B’s “Yes” Collaboration with Fat Joe & Anuel AA

Cardi B is saying yesto the twerk

The visual has been released for the 26-year-old half-Dominican American rap sensation’s collaboration with Fat Joe and Anuel AA, ‘”Yes.” 

Fat Joe, Cardi-B & Anuel AA

Joey Crackunveiled the booty-filled clip on Monday, just about a month following the Héctor Lavoeand Willie Colón-sampling track’s release in September.

Eif Rivera‘s executed the trio’s vision of non-stop twerking featuring visually appealing backdrops, which includes neon lights and glistening diamond sets. Cardi B gets her Khalessi on, as she dons a silver weave and white corset. 

Even though she’s only released a few singles in 2019, Bard ihas remained busy in the features aisle. She’s hopped on additional records this year for collabs with Ed SheeranFrench MontanaLil Nas X, as well as DJ Khaled.

 

Fat Joe Releases Bilingual Hip-Hop Track “Yes” with Cardi B & Anuel AA

Fat Joe has said Yes to a new hit…

The 49-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper has joined voices with Cardi B and Anuel AA to release a surprise song. 

Fat Joe, Cardi B & Anuel AA

The trio took over streaming platforms on Friday after releasing their first song together “Yes,” a powerful hip-hop tune that honors the 1972 Héctor Lavoeand Willie Colónhit “Aguanilé.” 

What does aguanilé means? It’s a Yoruba word (a language from Nigeria in West Africa) that in salsa it stems from the Afro-Cuban religion called Santería, which basically asks for the purification of earthly possessions. 

In the song, Fat Joe, Cardi B, and Anuel AA use the word as a steady chorus.

Meanwhile, the song’s lyrics are about how life is on the New York streets. 

Fat Joe and Cardi B sing about power and the money, with Cardi rhyming, “La Cardi, Bardi/ Never been stressed by a ho, no/ Never been pressed by a bitch (by a bitch) Murder and the money on my mind (on my mind),” while Anuel AA adds his unique bad boy style in Spanish.

Bruno Mars Earns Five BET Award Nominations

Bruno Mars is serious BET Awards bait…

The 31-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer has picked up five nods for the 2017 BET Awards.

Bruno Mars

Among his nods, Mars is nominated in the Best Male R&B/Pop Artist category, as well as Album of the Year for his critically acclaimed LP 24K Magic and Video of the Year for album’s title track.

Kehlani has picked up a nod. The 22-year-old part-Spanish American singer is nominated in the Best Female R&B/Pop Artist category.

And, Fat Joe is up for Best Group alongside Remy Ma.

The BET Awards will air live on June 25 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET. The awards ceremony will cap off the annual BET Experience at L.A. Live in Los Angeles from June 22-25.

The BET Awards will also recognize achievements in film, television, sports and international music acts across more than 19 categories.

A complete list of the 2017 BET Awards nominees is available at the BET Awards‘ official website, but take a look at some of the categories 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
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

Fat Joe to Appear at 10th Annual Roots Picnic in Philadelphia

Fat Joe is returning to his Roots

The 46-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper is among the performers confirmed for this year’s 10th annual Roots Picnic in Philadelphia.

Fat Joe

“Ten years ago this started as a concept, an idea, a conversation between me, Tarik (Black Thought), Ahmir (Questlove) and Rich (Nichols),” says Roots longtime manager and Maverick Management partner Shawn Gee of the milestone anniversary. “It’s amazing that it has grown into such a valued piece of the cultural landscape of our hometown of Philadelphia.”

Fat Joe, who was nominated for two Grammy Awards this year, will perform alongside Black Thought & J Period Live Mixtape, Mobb Deep and Scott Storch.

The festival, which will be headlined by Pharrell and The Roots, Lil Wayne and Solange, will again take place at Festival Piers at Penn’s Landing on June 3, 2017.

Other performers to grace the stage this year include 21 Savage, Kimbra, Khalid, Michael Kiwanuka and more.

Here’s the full line-up below.

10th Annual Roots Picnic lineup
Pharrell & The Roots
Lil Wayne
Solange
21 Savage
Kimbra
Black Thought & J Period Live Mixtape Featuring Fat Joe Mobb Deep Scott Storch
Thundercat
Virgil Abloh
Pete Rock
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
James Vincent McMorrow
NoName
Gilles Peterson Featuring Mc Earl Zinger
Khalid
Michael Kiwanuka
DJ Spinna
PNB Rock
Tunji Ige
Anthony Somebody
DJ N.O.C.