Miguel to Perform at 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Miguel is ready to rock (& roll)…

The 38-year-old half-Mexican American Grammy-winning singer and songwriter, whose full name is Miguel Jontel Pimentel, will appear during the 38th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

MiguelMiguel joins a roster of presenters and performers that includes Olivia Rodrigo, Stevie Nicks, Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, Common, Ice-, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and Sia.

Miguel will serve as a performer.

The induction ceremony is set for November 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

This year’s inductees are Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners, along with DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray for musical influence; Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin for musical excellence; and Don Cornelius for the Ahmet Ertegun Award (formerly known as the non-performers award).

The induction ceremony will be broadcast live coast-to-coast via Disney+ on Friday, November 3 (8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT) and will be available to stream following the ceremony. ABC will air a three-hour prime-time special, 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring performance highlights and standout moments on Monday, January 1 (8-11 p.m. ET), available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

This year’s show will be produced and directed by Joel Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions.

Apple Music will livestream audio from the ceremony on Apple Music 1 on Friday, November 3. A four-part audio series, Class of ‘23: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, will also be available on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts leading up to the ceremony.

Here’s the full list of presenters and performers for the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony:

Adam Levine
Brandi Carlile
Carrie Underwood
Chris Stapleton
Common
Dave Matthews
Elton John
H.E.R.
Ice-T
LL COOL J
Miguel
New Edition
Olivia Rodrigo
Queen Latifah
Sia
Stevie Nicks
St. Vincent

Swizz Beatz to Participate in Grammys’ Star-Studded Segment Celebrating Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary

Swizz Beatz is helping celebrating hip-hop history…

The 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 5, will feature a star-studded segment celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop that will include the 44-year-old half-Puerto Rican recording artist, music producer and entrepreneur.

Swizz BeatzWith a career spanning over two decades, his catalog includes “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem“, “Party Up (Up in Here)” (DMX), “Gotta Man” (Eve), “Jigga My Nigga“, “Girl’s Best Friend” (Jay-Z), “Upgrade U“, “Check on It“, “Ring the Alarm” (Beyoncé), “Good Times” (Styles P), “Bring ‘Em Out“, “Swing Ya Rag” (T.I.), “Hotel“, “I’m a Hustla” (Cassidy), “Touch It” (Busta Rhymes), “Ultralight Beam” (Kanye West), and more.

In addition to Beatz, the segment will include performances by Big Boi, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Missy Elliott, Future, GloRilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-T, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, The Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, RUN-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella, Scarface and Too $hort.

LL Cool J will introduce the segment, perform and give a dedication to hip-hop.

Questlove will serve as producer and musical director, The Roots will provide music and Black Thought will narrate.

“For five decades, hip-hop has not only been a defining force in music, but a major influence on our culture,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “Its contributions to art, fashion, sport, politics, and society cannot be overstated. I’m so proud that we are honoring it in such a spectacular way on the Grammy stage. It is just the beginning of our yearlong celebration of this essential genre of music.”

The Grammys will also honor hip-hop with one of three breakout performances in this year’s In Memoriam segment.

On Wednesday (Feb. 1), the Academy announced that the In Memoriam segment at the 2023 Grammy Awards will include breakout tributes to three diverse artists who died last fall — Loretta Lynn, Christine McVie and Takeoff.

Kacey Musgraves will perform Lynn’s 1970 classic “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in tribute to the country legend, who died on October 4 at age 90; Sheryl Crow, Mick Fleetwood and Bonnie Raitt will team to perform “Songbird” from Fleetwood Mac’s album of the year-winning Rumours to honor McVie, who died on November 30 at age 79; and Maverick City Music will join Quavo for Quavo’s sentimental ballad “Without You” to honor Takeoff, who died on November 1 at just 28.

Also, Cardi B, who four years ago became the first female solo artist to win a Grammy for best rap album, will serve as a presenter on the show.

And the Grammys aren’t done celebrating hip-hop’s anniversary. In partnership with the Recording Academy, CBS will broadcast a special hip-hop music event later in 2023.

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards will air live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will be hosted for the third year in a row by Emmy-winning comedian Trevor Noah. The show will be broadcast live on Sunday, February 5, at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT on CBS and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Zack de la Rocha & His Rage Against the Machine Band Mates Among This Year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

Zack de la Rocha is hoping the fifth time’s the charm…

The 53-year-old Mexican American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper and political activist and his fellow Rage Against the Machine band mates are among the fourteen 2023 nominees for induction into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Zack de la Rocha x Rage Against the MachineFormed in 1991, the two-time Grammy-winning rock band is known for its melding of heavy metal and rap music with punk rock and funk influences, and its revolutionary socialist political views.

Rage Against the Machine was previously nominated in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Here’s the complete list of nominees as announced by the The Rock Hall Foundation:

Kate Bush
Sheryl Crow
Missy Elliott
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
Cyndi Lauper
George Michael
Willie Nelson
Rage Against the Machine
Soundgarden
The Spinners
A Tribe Called Quest
The White Stripes
Warren Zevon

To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. Eight out of 14 of the nominees are on the ballot for the first time: Crow, Elliott, Joy Division/New Order, Lauper, Michael, Nelson, The White Stripes, and Zevon.

This is the first year of eligibility for Elliott and The White Stripes.

“This remarkable list of nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “These artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps.”

The nominees were announced today on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame social channels and on SiriusXM Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Radio and Volume on the SXM App.

Nominee ballots will be sent to an international voting body of more than 1,000 artists, historians and members of the music industry. An artist’s musical impact and influence on other artists, length and depth of career and body of work, as well as innovation and superiority in style and technique are taken into consideration.

Last year’s Hall of Fame inductees were Dolly Parton, Eminem, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Judas Priest and Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo.

Inductees will be announced in May. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023 Induction Ceremony will take place this fall with date, venue, and on-sale information to be announced.

Mariah Carey to Perform at This Year’s Lovers & Friends Fest in Las Vegas

Mariah Carey will be celebrating with lovers and friends…

The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer will perform at this year’s Lovers & Friends Fest, presented by Usher.

Mariah CareyThe one-day only festival will take place on May 6 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds; and it’s proving to be a star-studded smörgåsbord of nostalgia for Y2K natives and newcomers alike. The festival also recruited some 2010s and 2020s favorites for their 45-act festival.

In addition to Carey and Usher, featured artists and groups will include Christina Aguilera, Frankie J, Missy Elliott, Chris Brown, Nelly, Busta Rhymes, Flo Rida, Master P and No Limit Soldiers, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Chris Brown, Ginuwine, Remy Ma, JoJo, En Vogue, Blackstreet, Jagged Edge, Next, Wayne Wonder, Kevin Lyttle, 702, Lumidee and many, many more.

The festival is perfectly positioned amidst the ongoing early 2000s obsession in popular culture, with TikTokers promoting over-the-ear headphones, low rise jeans, rhinestones and paper-thin brows–in other words, the Y2K starter pack.

This year’s Lovers & Friends will be promoted by C3 (Austin City Limits Music Festival and Lollapalooza), with general ticket sales available on loversandfriendsfest.com. Individual ticket prices range from $250 to $585.

Pabllo Vittar Added to LETSGETFR.EE Festival Lineup

Pabllo Vittar’s schedule is FREEing up…

The 28-year-old Brazilian drag queen and singer has been added to the lineup for this summer’s LETSGETFR.EE festival.

Pabllo Vittar Vittar is among a list of lineup newcomers that includes Tokischa, DJ Camilo and more.

They join the previously announced Missy Elliott, El Alfa, Ozuna, Kali Uchis and Bomba Estereo, to name a few.

The two-day event, taking place on August 20-21 in Queens, N.Y., is designed for and by Black, Brown, Asian/Pacific Islander and LGBTQIA+ individuals, and according to a press statement, “Its mission is to close the equity gap for Black, Brown, Asian, and other underrepresented people in the entertainment industry, with the aim of achieving a diversified workforce across all levels in the industry by 2030.”

For more information, click here.

Swizz Beatz to Face Off Against Timbaland in Verzuz Battle This Memorial Day Weekend

Swizz Beatz is preparing for a showdown…

This Memorial Day weekend, the 42-year-old half Puerto Rican recording artist, music producer and entrepreneur and his Verzuz co-creator Timbaland  will show off their producing skills as they face off in a battle once again for their hit web series.

Swizz Beatz

The pair first dueled onstage in 2018 at the Hot 97 Summer Jam in East Rutherford, N.J., as part of a producer clash battle — long before Verzuz premiered virtually in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a post shared on the official Verzuz Instagram on Tuesday (May 25), the showdown was announced. “Did y’all guess who the rematch was going to be!? @THEREALSWIZZZ vs @TIMBALAND THIS SUNDAY ‼️ LIVE from @LIVMIAMI  Celebrating Memorial Day Weekend with our new #VERZUZLive .”

Beatz, né Kasseem Dean, 42, commented the post, “Let’s go then .” Timbaland, born Timothy Mosley, 49, wrote, “Alrite [sic] now .”

With Timbaland’s extensive history of producing megahits for fan-favorites including JAY-Z, Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliott, Kanye West, Aaliyah, Cher and Madonna, Beatz — who has produced for Eve, Diddy, Lil’ Wayne, The Weeknd, Drake, the late DMX, among many more — is in for a tough rematch.

Since its inception, Verzuz has featured friendly competitions between Monica and Brandy, Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, Alicia Keys and John Legend, and the late DMX, who faced off against Snoop Dogg in July. DMX, né Earl Simmons, died on April 9.

Tune in on Sunday (May 30) at 8 p.m. ET to catch the Verzuz battle between Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, streaming on Instagram Live via the VerzuzTV account or Triller. It will also air on TV via FITE.

https://twitter.com/verzuzonline/status/1397184322537345026

Mariah Carey Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Mariah Carey has the write stuff, and could soon have the prize to prove it…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan American songstress is one of the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees.

Mariah Carey

Carey, a five-time Grammy winner, has penned or co-written some of her biggest hits, including her insta-classic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Fantasy,” “We Belong Together,” “Emotions,” and “Make It Happen.”

In all, Carey wrote or co-penned 17 of her 18 Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers:

Songs, Weeks at No. 1
“Vision of Love,” Four Weeks
“Love Takes Time,” Three Weeks
“Someday,” Two Weeks
“I Don’t Wanna Cry,” Two Weeks
“Emotions,” Three Weeks
“Dreamlover,” Eight Weeks
“Hero,” Four Weeks
“Fantasy,” Eight Weeks
“One Sweet Day,” Sixteen Weeks
“Always Be My Baby,” Two Weeks
“Honey,” Three Weeks
“My All,” One Week
“Heartbreaker,” Two Weeks
“Thank God I Found You,” One Week
“We Belong Together,” Fourteen Weeks
“Don’t Forget About Us,” Two Weeks
“Touch My Body,” Two Weeks

Joining Mariah Carey as performing nominees are Missy Elliott, Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, Jeff Lynne, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Lloyd Price, Tommy James and The Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart).

Non-performing nominees are Jack Tempchin, Dean Dillon, Jerry Fuller, Tom T. Hall, Roger Nichols and Dallas Austin, who wrote hits for TLC, Madonna, Monica, Pink and Boyz II Men.

Nominated non-performing songwriting duos include P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, Russell Brown and the late Irwin Levine, musical theater writers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Bobby Hart and the late Tommy Boyce.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years.

Six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 50th annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York on June 13, 2019. Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and three performing songwriters until December 17.

Fox Renews Bratt’s Drama Series “Star” for a Second Season

Benjamin Bratt’s star is still shining bright…

Fox has renewed its freshman drama series Star, starring the 53-year-old half-Peruvian American, for a second season.

Benjamin Bratt

The music-centric series was co-created by Lee Daniels, the co-creator of Fox’s hit series Empire, as well as Tom Donaghy.

It follows three talented singers – running from their pasts and desperate for a new start – with ambitions of stardom, as they navigate the cutthroat music business. The Season 1 finale airs March 15 before Empire returns to the Wednesday 9 PM time period. Guest stars set to appear on Star over the next four weeks include Naomi Campbell, Big Boi, Rickey Smiley, Missy Elliott and Paris Jackson.

“Lee Daniels is a true visionary, and he and Tom Donaghy have delivered a series with a unique and meaningful point of view,” Fox Entertainment president David Madden said.

Launching behind the fall finale of Empire, Star hasn’t been a breakout hit like the soapy hip-hop family drama. But it has had a stable audience, averaging a Live+Same Day rating between 1.2 and 1.3 in adults 18-49 for the past five weeks, rising to about 1.9 in Live+7. Its L7 average of 2.1 demo rating is below Lethal Weapon (2.5) and above Lucifer (1.9), both of which were recently renewed, along with Fox flagship Empire.

Star, whose cast includes Bratt, who plays talent manager Jahil Rivera, Queen Latifah, Jude Demorest, Brittany O’Grady, Ryan Destiny, Amiyah Scott and Quincy Brown, averages 7.5 million multi-platform audience, according to Fox.

Star is a production of 20th Century Fox Television in association with Lee Daniels Entertainment.

Lopez to Release Latin-Flavored Single in the Near Future

Jennifer Lopez is thisclose to dropping a new (Latin) beat…

The 46-year-old Puerto Rican singer, actress and American Idol judge will release a Latin-tinged track in a few days, according to NYC’s Z100 program director Mark Medina.

Jennifer Lopez

Medina shared the news in a recent Twitter exchange with a JLo fan who wondered what her new song would sound like.

“Fun, hi energy, Latin flair, global, timely on @Z100NewYork soon- probably days,” he wrote.

Lopez’s latest album “A.K.A.” arrived last year. In the past few months, she’s been busy with her acting career and her judging stint on American Idol, in addition to making contributions to the Home soundtrack, Prince Royce’s “Back It Up” and Jason Derulo‘s Everything Is 4 LP.

In late May, she was rumored to have started working on a new project after a fan noticed that she and Missy Elliott followed each other on Twitter. A few days later, the two superstars fueled the collaboration report when they were pictured together.

So far, there’s still no official word on what Lopez is actually cooking up, but she’s currently preparing herself for her Las Vegas residency, which starts in January 2016 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

Dolce & Gabbana Outfitting Mars for His Upcoming World Tour

Bruno Mars will be rockin’ some serious style during his upcoming world tour.

Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana will outfit the 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican crooner for his Moonshine Jungle world tour.

Bruno Mars

Kicking off with a sold out show in Washington D.C. on June 22 and wrapping up in Auckland, New Zealand next March, Mars will tour the globe in a series of exclusively-designed black tuxedos and white button downs by the high-end Italian label better known as Dolce & Gabbana. Midway through each performance, concertgoers will see the Grammy-winning singer in a bright red suit and ocelot-printed shirt.

“Bruno’s style and music are so eclectic that oftentimes we have taken inspiration directly from his work to create looks that were at the same time in line with his very personal taste, as well as with the DNA of Dolce & Gabbana,” the designers said in an official statement. “With time, we have managed to establish with him a relationship of absolute faith in each other and mutual trust, that allows us to create and work together in an atmosphere of complete harmony.”

This isn’t the first time the duo — who have dressed everyone from Kate Moss to Amy Adams on the red carpet — have costumed a major music show.

In 1993 they outfitted Madonna‘s Girlie Show tour, a role they reprised for her 2000 Music tour — the same year they provided Mary J. Blige‘s stadium show costumes

Kylie Minogue‘s Fever tour followed suit in 2002, and Beyonce and Missy Elliott wore glittery wares by the label while performing in Verizon‘s Ladies First concert series in 2004.