Lawyers for ousted state data analyst Rebekah Jones on Wednesday asked the court to order state police to return the computer equipment seized from her home, arguing that the state … Click to Continue »
President Donald Trump has been using songs in his campaign videos and rallies without permission throughout his term, and Nico Vega has now compiled all of those tracks into a convenient and aptly titled “Cease and Desist” playlist.
In response to Trump’s unauthorized use of their song “Beast” in a “Fight for Trump” video last week, former members Aja Volkman-Reynolds and Dan Epand, who now make up the band Two, issued a statement on Twitter.
“To be clear, we do not support the use of our song ‘Beast’ in the recent Trump video,” the group wrote. “We have love and empathy for people of all backgrounds, races, and beliefs, and we feel sick how ALL Americans’ fears and vulnerabilities have been exploited over the last four years and more,” the band says. “We will not participate in a form of propaganda that pits Americans against one another. The meaning of this song is to love thy neighbor. To stand up for the underdog and to rise together around the commonality of LOVE. Without division!”
“It sends out a message to people that music isn’t respected or valued as craft,” Volkman-Reynolds added in a press statement. “It hurt me that someone took our music without asking, and twisted the message to fit a political agenda. We don’t want our song to be used to manipulate anyone or to tell half of a story that might cause divisiveness. We are a small independent band with a mighty message and though this puts a target on our back, we cannot sit quietly in silence. Our song is about bringing people together. We must stand by the message of our song ‘Beast.’”
The statement was accompanied by a 31-song playlist, highlighting bands that have had their music used without permission by the 45th President of the United States. Among the tracks are “Beast,” Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” Elton John’s “Rocketman” and “Tiny Dancer,” Rihanna’s “Please Don’t Stop the Music,” Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” and more.
See it below.
In October 1988, Angie Roloff and her husband Ron opened Strictly Discs in Madison, Wisconsin, after Ron left a career in the biomedical research field to pursue his love of music full time. Nearly 31 years later, the couple made the difficult decision to shutter in-store operations due to COVID-19, roughly a week before Gov. Tony Evers forced a mandatory shutdown of all non-essential businesses. Now that the Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned Evers’ stay-at-home order — ruling it “unlawful” and “unenforceable” — the Roloffs and their employees have reopened the store.
As part of Billboard’s efforts to best cover the coronavirus pandemic and its impacts on the music industry, we will be speaking with Roloff regularly to chronicle her experience throughout the crisis. (Read the previous installment here and see the full series here.)
We talked last time about how December is a really important month for you. How has business been the last couple of weeks?
It’s been good. Madison has a very strong ‘buy local’ spirit, and we’re really feeling that love this year. In addition, so many customers, either on the phone or in person, are asking how we’re doing with genuine concern. I think everybody realizes that we’re at a critical point for retail and restaurants and local establishments, and everybody is hoping that their favorites will stay.
That’s really heartening to hear, especially now with the pandemic, when it’s a lot more convenient and, I guess, safer for people to buy online or on Amazon.
We definitely feel that in our business. I hesitate who I say this to, but the warning that we all need to hear is that I don’t think any of us want to live in the United States of Amazon. If we’re not careful with how we spend our dollars, that’s the trend that we could be going towards.
How about curbside pickups? You previously mentioned those had been picking up a lot recently because of coronavirus numbers going up there. Have those continued to be a significant part of your business?
Yes. In general, people are approaching the season a little bit differently. People are calling or emailing ahead of time to make sure that we have what they need or want, and then a lot of times they’re either coming in very quickly to pick it up, or they’re doing curbside to minimize that interaction. It just seems like there’s a lot more of that on the front end than maybe years past. But definitely curbside is way up.
How about the appointment-only slots that you’ve opened up for customers? Have you seen a lot of people making those appointments?
We have. We have appointments every day that we’ve made them available. And at least in a couple of instances, I have seen regular customers that haven’t made it into the shop since COVID came about. This was an opportunity where they felt comfortable to come in, so that’s really been nice.
We’ve been talking for quite a while now. I talked to you the first time in March, actually, right when you guys had to shut down. Can you reflect on how you felt then, when you were first forced to shut down? Was there any part of you that felt like, “Oh my god, I don’t know if the store is going to survive this”?
Absolutely. I remember Ron was working at the warehouse with one of our guys, Eric, on the 14th, the day that we closed. And I texted them both. I’m like, “I just locked the door, and [then] I cried.” [Chokes up] You just have no idea. It was very stressful.
I hear you getting emotional, and I totally understand. This is your livelihood, and your life.
It is, and I also feel so much responsibility to do the right thing for all of our employees. That adds another layer of stress, and a lot of them have families. It was just something that we didn’t have any experience with, naturally. We don’t even close for blizzards.
Did you also feel like you needed to put on a brave face for your staff?
Definitely. I certainly don’t want them to pick up on my anxiety. So yeah, [after we closed] we just went into planning mode. The emotion that I would describe then was just anxiety, making sure that we were doing what we needed to do and being as aggressive as we could on the parts of the business that we could preserve. That [was] just adrenaline, it feels like, for about the next two months. I remember Ron would say, “Do you have pressure in your chest and shortness of breath?” You know, the two main COVID symptoms. I’m like, “Oh yes, all the time.”
Was there a point where you felt like, “Okay, I can relax a little bit now”?
Yes. I still felt [anxiety], but when we were able to bring some of the staff back, and I felt like we could handle customer requests — especially those for curbside and delivery — more effectively than when it was just me, that was a huge relief. All of a sudden we had a team back in place. We only had everybody at home for a couple of weeks, and thankfully, two of our main guys were willing to come back and take the risk of being here and doing what we were doing. That felt good.
What are your plans for Christmas?
I haven’t really even gotten that far. We’re open on Christmas Eve, a shortened day. And probably just cooking and have a fire and be at home will likely be the plan. Christmas Day is one of the four days a year we’re closed.
Aside from an end to the pandemic, at least as we’re living it right now, do you have any specific hopes for the new year?
Naturally I hope for everybody to be healthy, and for as may of us as possible to make it to the end of this. It’s hard not to be hopeful with the second vaccine getting approval. I think I just look forward to seeing people’s faces and resuming some of the things that we miss most, like hugging people and going out to dinner and toasting with cocktails. The little things. Travel and some of those bigger things are less of a priority than just taking a deep breath, without a mask on.
Do you think the pandemic will change the way you do business long term?
I think how we approach everything has changed, so it’s hard to imagine going back to a lot of the ways things were done before. People have gravitated to our website business. I think we’ll continue to see that. And I think, or I certainly hope, that this concept of buying local and supporting local will continue to really flourish. I hope that that’s something that has legs outside of the pandemic.
Happy holidays, Saweetie!
The rapper’s boyfriend Quavo surprised her on Tuesday night (Dec. 22) with a characteristically luxurious Christmas present. In a video uploaded to Instagram, the Migos member is seen uncovering a white Bentley — followed by a jaw drop from Saweetie.
The “Tap In” star let out an excited scream before hilariously throwing herself on top of the car. “Oh my God! What?” she’s heard shouting in disbelief.
“Best gift ever!!! Thank u baby,” she captioned the adorable video. See it here.
In a series of photos shared by Quavo, the “ICY GRL” rapper is seen sitting in the driver’s seat, which is embroidered with the word “icy.” See here.
John Fletcher of hip-hop trio Whodini has died, Billboard can confirm. The artist, known by his stage name Ecstasy and recognizable from his signature Zorro hat, was 56. No cause of death has been revealed.
“The African and Native American ancestors have gathered around and chosen this day, during the Winter Solstice, Dec 23rd, 2020 to call upon a most endeared, generous, and sincere soul who graced The World’s heart through performance, hip-hop, family, children and grandchildren,” his family shared in a statement to Billboard. “John ‘Ecstasy’ Fletcher was a beloved man, the life partner to Deltonia and ex-husband to Carla, twin brother to Joseph, artist, friend, and lifetime performing partner to the Legendary Jalil of Whodini. Whodini set a hip-hop course of legendary status that we are all sure to pass on to our grandchildren. Please send love and prayers to our family, and with open hearts we ask the ancestors to cover his soul in peace and tranquility. Play his music if it moves you, and know he’ll be hearing you on his way home this day, Dec 23rd.”
“‘One Love’ to one of Hip Hop’s Greatest! There will never be another,” Jalil of Whodini added.
“A pillar. One of our foundational pieces. Our Temptations. Our Four Tops. Our Isley Brothers. A standard. That’s what Whodini was and is to us,” producer 9th Wonder mirrored. “Mr. John ‘Ecstasy’ Fletcher was a part of that standard. So many of us in this culture have taken away from him, Jalil, and Grandmaster Dee…..from words and lyrics, to the beats. They not only had songs that shaped our culture, but lyrics that became sayings. Friends…how many of us have them? One Love. It’s so many. Thank you Ecstasy. Thank you for the road you paved for the thousands and thousands of women and men who want to one day call themselves a rapper. May your spirit live on, forever.”
Brooklyn-based Whodini — which consisted of Fletcher, vocalist Hutchins and DJ Drew “Grandmaster Dee” Carter — formed in the early ’80s. The group started to make a name for itself with their 1982 single “Magic’s Wand,” the lead track off their self-titled debut album. The song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and was also the first rap song to feature an accompanying video. Their tune “Friends/Five Minutes of Funk” off sophomore album Escape, was the only one to enter the Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at No. 87.
Whodini’s sophomore album, 1984’s Escape, was certified platinum in 1987, and also peaked at No. 35 on the all-genre Billboard 200. The third and fourth studio albums — 1986’s Back in Black and 1987’s Open Sesame — peaked at Nos. 35 and 30, respectively.
News of Fletcher’s passing began circulating on Wednesday (Dec. 23), as luminaries from the music world remembered the artist on social media.
“One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini,” Questlove tweeted. “This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop. This is sad man.”
“My God, this one hurts me so bad,I can’t even believe I’m posting this,” Jermaine Dupri tweeted along with a video of a young Ecstasy. “Ex you know I love you thank you for every word,every conversation every good time,may your soul Rest In Power.”
See how those in the music industry are remembering the artist:
RIP to Ecstasy from https://t.co/MiqnKeBFeK of the most under appreciated voices in hip hop. Too many hits! Condolences to his fam
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 23, 2020
#RIPecstasy to the family & friends of the legendary Ecstasy from the landmark hiphop crew #Whodini. The 1st to make adult hop hop, w melodic, huge soundscapes & sex appeal 4 the ladies. SORELY MISSED! If you love (ruled the world by Nas) and other classics, THANK WHODINI
— ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (@ADtheBand) December 23, 2020
Leslie West, known best as the frontman and guitarist for rock band Mountain, died on Tuesday (Dec. 22). He was 75 years old.
His brother, Larry West Weinstein, shared news on Facebook of the star’s declining health on Sunday, according to Variety. “I am asking for all your prayers,” he wrote. “Jenni [Leslie’s wife] is by his side in Florida but it’s not looking good. Thanks Jenni, he wouldn’t have made it this far without you. His heart gave out and he’s on a ventilator. May not make it through the night.”
Mountain formed on Long Island, New York in 1969 and released three albums before they broke up in 1972 — though they’ve reunited frequently since and released a number of other projects including 1974’s Avalanche, 1985’s Go for Your Life, 1996’s Man’s World, 2002’s Mystic Fire and 2007’s Masters of War. The group notably performed at Woodstock in 1969.
Their best-known song, “Mississippi Queen,” peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart in 1970.
West was inducted in to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and appeared on dozens of other recordings from a vast universe of artists. Samples of his performances lived a secondary life on the masters of hip-hop and rap stars.
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