Kesha Celebrates an Extra Special Independence Day With New Single ‘Joyride’: Stream It Now

Kesha is celebrating liberty and justice for all with the Independence Day release of her new single “Joyride,” the star’s first track since being set free from her contract with Kemosabe Records in December.

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Kesha

Kesha Says She’s Permanently Changing Diddy Lyric in ‘Tik Tok’: ‘I Know What I Stand For…

Dropping early Thursday (July 4) morning, the summer-ready song features Kesha revisiting her EDM-pop signature sound from the 2010s while asserting her right to take exactly what she wants without faking any smiles. “Don’t even try to give me s–t/ I’ve earned the right to be like this,” she sings over a flashy club beat. “Joy ride, joy ride/ I’m just looking for a good time tonight.”

The 37-year-old singer-songwriter hasn’t dropped music since 2023’s Gag Order, which was her last contractual release with Kemosabe. It’s also her first project since settling her nearly decade-long defamation lawsuit with the label’s founder, Dr. Luke whom she accused of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in 2014.

“I haven’t felt this free since I was 18,” Kesha wrote in a December TikTok post, shortly after it was first reported that her contract had been fulfilled.

The “We R Who We R” singer has been teasing “Joy Ride” for days leading up to its release, sharing campy videos of her dressed in a red leotard at a gas station to promote the track. One of the posts revealed that the song is presented by “Kesha Records.”

The musician also gave “Joyride” its live debut ahead of its official arrival, playing the song for her audience at New York City’s Planet Pride Saturday (June 29). “Good news: I’m a free motherf–king woman,” she said before starting the track. “And do you know what I want to do? I kinda wanna play my first song in almost 20 f–king years … as a free motherf–king woman.”

Stream Kesha’s “Joyride” below.

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Justin Timberlake’s Mugshot Becomes Art After DWI Arrest

In a bizarre twist of events, Justin Timberlake’s mugshot from his recent arrest for driving while intoxicated has been transformed into an art piece, currently on display at the Romany Kramoris Gallery in Sag Harbor, N.Y.

The “Selfish” singer was arrested on June 18, 2024, in Sag Harbor, after he was found to be operating his vehicle under the influence, according to the Sag Harbor Police Department. Timberlake was arraigned the following morning and released on his own recognizance.

Justin Timberlake, Sag Harbor Police Department
Justin Timberlake

The incident has not only made headlines but also inspired an art piece featuring his mugshot.

The artwork, created by artist Godfrey Lohman and titled “Tuesday Night Out Featuring Justin Timberlake,” has garnered significant interest, according to the gallery, with visitors lining up to view and photograph the piece that is available in several colors including pink, green, and blue.

Gallery owner Romany Kramoris expressed her excitement over the artwork, saying, “My reaction was, ‘Oh my God! That’s great! It’s just great!’” she told Page Six. Kramoris, fondly known as the “Queen of Sag Harbor” after operating her gallery for 44 years, added that the piece has become the gallery’s “most contemporary” work.

The gallery has sold “two or three” of the works at $520 each so far, and, “a lot of people are coming back,” Kramoris said.

Despite his arrest, Timberlake’s Forget Tomorrow World Tour is set to continue as scheduled, with upcoming shows in Chicago and New York City before embarking on an overseas leg in late July.

During his June 29 performance in Boston, the singer seemed to address his arrest with a touch of humor, asking the crowd, “So, uh, is there anyone here tonight that is driving?” The comment drew a mixture of gasps and laughter from the audience, which he quickly followed up with, “No, I’m just kidding,” before resuming his performance.

The singer had previously addressed the incident during a Chicago concert on June 21, telling the crowd, “It’s been a tough week. I know I’m hard to love sometimes, but you keep loving me right back. We’ve been together through ups and downs, lefts and rights … but you’re here, and I’m here, and nothing can change this moment right now.”

Timberlake’s lawyer, Edward Burke Jr., has vowed to “vigorously” defend the singer against the allegations, stating, “He will have a lot to say at the appropriate time.”

Timberlake’s next court hearing is scheduled for July 26, coinciding with his performance at Tauron Arena Krakow in Poland.

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Another Day, Another Object: Morgan Wallen Hit With Phone at Denver Concert

Morgan Wallen‘s concert at Denver’s Mile High Stadium on Wednesday (July 3) was interrupted when a fan threw an iPhone at him while he performed “Cowgirls.”

In a video caught by a crowd member, Wallen is seen performing the hit when a phone strikes him on the shoulder. Barely flinching, the singer picks it up and tosses it back into the crowd before continuing his performance.

Wallen has had a tumultuous time with fans throwing objects at him. During a show in Melbourne, Australia, back in March 2023, the “Last Night” singer narrowly missed a drink that was thrown by an audience member.

In a fan video that captured the wild moment, Wallen stops the music and stares at the area where the cup came from while the crowd shouts “kick them out! kick them out!” Wallen, pointing, says, “Go ahead. One of y’all own up to it or I’m gonna kick your whole f—in’ group out. One of y’all go ahead and say ‘I did it.’ All right, kick that kid out of here then.”

Then, during a show in Minneapolis last month, the singer was hit in the face with women’s underwear while performing.

The incident is part of a troubling trend of fans throwing objects at artists, which has been on the rise.

In June 2023, Pink was left shocked when a fan threw their mother’s ashes onto the stage during a performance at BST Hyde Park. Similarly, Cardi B had water thrown at her during a concert in August 2023, and Bebe Rexha was hit with a phone in June 2023, causing injury.

Harry Styles and Kid Cudi have also faced similar disruptions, with Styles being hit in the eye by a Skittle during a 2022 show in Los Angeles and Kid Cudi cutting his Rolling Loud set short due to fans throwing bottles at him.

In addition to these incidents, Wallen recently faced legal troubles for his own object-throwing episode.

On April 7, he was arrested for allegedly throwing a chair off a rooftop bar in Nashville, just days after starting his One Night At A Time North American tour.

He was charged with three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of disorderly conduct. The case is set to continue later this summer, with the next hearing scheduled for Aug. 15.

Despite his legal woes, Wallen’s popularity continues to soar. His collaboration with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help,” recently rebounded from 2-1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking its sixth non-consecutive week at the top. The song, Post Malone’s sixth leader and Wallen’s second, spent its first five weeks on the list at No. 1 beginning upon its debut in May.

The collaboration is the first to log six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2024, surpassing the five weeks on top (of six in total dating to late 2023) for Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me.” No song has led longer since Wallen’s “Last Night” rang up 16 weeks, nonconsecutively, at No. 1 in March-August last year.

“I Had Some Help” also hits No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart, becoming a rare title that has topped the all-format airplay tally as well as the Country Airplay survey.

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Zach Bryan’s ‘The Great American Bar Scene’: All 19 Tracks Ranked

By now, Zach Bryan fans know what to expect from his music: overwhelmingly mid-tempo, acoustic guitar-based songs that are inevitably going to pack a punch. Without ever changing his inflection much, Bryan’s songs continue to deliver an emotional wallop thanks to his economical, but cinematic, trenchant lyrics. You wouldn’t think he could be much more stripped down than he’s appeared on previous sets, but on The Great American Bar Scene, out today on Warner Records, he feels even rawer.

This is Bryan’s fifth album in five years (there are also some EPs thrown in there for good measure) and his third since signing with Warner Records and breaking through with 2022’s 34-track American Heartbreak. He followed that set with last year’s self-titled 16-track effort that included his No. 1 Hot 100 hit, “I Remember Everything” with Kacey Musgraves, and also became his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

In a very short time, the 28-year old Bryan has put together quite a canon. His ongoing conversation with his fans feels like he’s sharing intimate observations with just a few key words that then leave the listener to fill in the details. It’s a masterful skill. 

ZACH BRYAN, THE GREAT AMERICAN BAR SCENE

On The Great American Bar Scene, Bryan is joined by one of his most obvious influences, Bruce Springsteen, on “Sandpaper.” Like The Boss, Bryan’s music sounds uniquely American (which may explain why he dropped the album on the 4th of July) and traffics in troubled, common-man characters who easily lurk unnoticed in the shadows as they wrestle with their demons and sketchy circumstances. Bryan finds a less likely duet partner in John Mayer on “Better Days.”

At 19 tracks, the album feels less overstuffed than American Heartbreak, but could have still used a trim or two given the relative sameness in the sound of the tracks. However, Bryan’s fans seem to have an unlimited capacity to absorb his prolific output. 

Here is a preliminary ranking of Bryan’s The Great American Bar Scene. A double vinyl version will be released Oct. 10.

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Kendrick Lamar Teases ‘Not Like Us’ Music Video With New Photos

Kendrick Lamar just threw gasoline on the simmering flames of his feud with Drake, sending fans into a frenzy with a series of explosive teaser photos from the set of his upcoming “Not Like Us” music video.

The track, a blistering diss aimed at the 6 God, has been a juggernaut since its release, skyrocketing to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominating the cultural conversation.

Anticipation for the video reached a fever pitch following K. Dot’s Juneteenth concert at The Forum on June 19, The Pop Out – Ken & Friends, where he performed “Not Like Us” a staggering five times in a row.

The 18-track set also featured guest appearances from Kendrick’s Black Hippy crewmates and his longtime industry mentor Dr. Dre.

Among the images causing the biggest stir is a shot of Kendrick obliterating an owl piñata, a not-so-subtle jab at Drake’s OVO brand.

The photo, cheekily captioned “DISCLAIMER: NO OVHOES WERE HARMED DURING THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO,” set social media ablaze with excitement over the music video’s contents and the escalating tensions between these two rap titans.

But it’s not all barbs and bravado.

Another snap shared offers a rare glimpse into Kendrick’s personal life, showing the Compton native posing alongside his longtime partner Whitney Alford and their two children. The tender family moment suggests that the video may offer a more multifaceted look at the rapper, balancing its hard-hitting disses with an intimate portrait of the man behind the mic.

Shot on location in Kendrick’s hometown of Compton, Ca., the “Not Like Us” video looks to continue with the authentic, gritty aesthetic that has become synonymous with the rapper’s celebrated body of work.

While the exact release date remains under wraps, one thing is certain: the cultural impact of this video is bound to be seismic.

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Zach Bryan’s ‘Great American Bar Scene’ Is Here: Stream It Now

What’s better than some new country music on the Fourth of July? Zach Bryan unveiled his highly anticipated new album, The Great American Bar Scene, on Thursday (July 4) via Warner Records. Guests on the set include Bruce Springsteen and John Mayer.

Leading up to the album’s release, Bryan sent the songs on tour to nearly two dozen bars across the United States and Canada to preview tracks from The Great American Bar Scene early. “My intent with all this is to give everyone an early glimpse of this album, but more importantly, this is in the spirit of bringing people together for a memorable moment,” Bryan said on Instagram. “I have chosen 23 bars across the country that embody the spirit of American culture. These bars will play select cuts from The Great American Bar Scene starting June 24th. As much as I’d kill to play all these timeless bars, it won’t be possible. I will be visiting a few off the list to have a drink with y’all. The Great American Bar Scene will be released on July 4th. With love from the road, ZB.”

The 19-track project includes 18 songs and a poem, led by previously released tracks “Pink Skies” and “Purple Gas.” A double vinyl version of The Great American Bar Scene is also slated to be released on Oct. 10. In addition to prepping new music, Bryan has been headlining his Quittin’ Time tour, which welcomes a slate of openers including Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Turnpike Troubadours and The War & Treaty.

Listen to The Great American Bar Scene below.

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Sauce Walka Blacks Out Over ‘Hard Knock Life’ Beat in New Freestyle: Watch

Houston’s very own Sauce Walka appeared on Los Angeles radio’s Power 106 with Justin Credible and did what he does best: rap his a— off.

All he did was give us game and display some elite wordplay with lines like, “We been shootin’ choppers, changin’ lives before Obamacare” and “I’ll slap a n—a left ear, his eyes separate /How you buyin’ sections, yo’ kids still livin’ Section 8” and “H—e, n—a, pull off Rolls Royce bumpin’ GloRilla.”

There are honestly too many quotables to point out, but pay attention during the second half of the freestyle where he channels the ghost of Hulk Hogan and finishes every line with “brother” like Kendrick on “Family Ties.” There’s just something special about how he sounds over an East Coast beat, especially something as classic as Jay-Z‘s “Hard Knock Life.”

We all remember the now classic freestyle over that Daringer beat with the white Benz truck bouncing in the background, right? We still haven’t gotten that mythical tape he was supposed to do with Griselda’s in-house producer.

According to The Alchemist, the album is done and “is so good.”

That was two years ago.

The Houston rapper was recently in the news for turning down an Adam22 interview because the No Jumper host tried to lure him with a pint of lean and a bag of weed. Sauce Walka decided to talk with Adam’s associate Sharp instead and crashed an interview Adam was conducting with Wack 100 to send him a message.

“I just want to let the entire world know Sauce Walka stood on the business and showed I ain’t a dope fiend, I’m a Black king and if you want to get me on your platform, it has to be earned,” Sauce said with conviction.

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The War and Treaty Feel ‘Betrayed’ After Finding Cotton Plant in Their Music Festival Dressing Room

Though Black artists have made major strides on the recent country music scene — with Beyoncé and Shaboozey launching No. 1 hits and acts like Brittney Spencer and Tanner Adell marking breakthroughs — racism in the genre still exists. For Americana-country husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty, it came last week at the Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival in Austin, Texas.

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Tonya and Michael Trotter photographed on April 15, 2024 at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

The War and Treaty Are ‘Proud to Be a Part of’ Country Music’s…

Ahead of their performance, Michael Trotter Jr. tells The Hollywood Reporter, “There was a cotton plant” in their dressing room. “And we all know what that means. We all know what that represents in this country to people that look like us.”

“Anger is what I felt. Disrespect is what I felt. Sadness is what I felt. Sadness not just because of what that plant represents to people that look like me but sadness for myself because I am a son of this country. I served this country honorably in the United States Army 16th Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. I’m wounded for that service. I’m very vocal about my wounds and my scars, and I felt betrayed,” he explains. “It’s not fair. It’s something that white artists don’t have to worry about at all. … It just happens to come through the bowels of this genre. So, I feel that it’s not enough for us to talk about it, we have to demand that we be about it.”

The Grammy-nominated duo went on to perform on the main stage, though Trotter explains: “When I demanded that we quickly leave this festival and get out of there, Tanya and I had a moment in our hotel room where we wanted to address our son, Legend, who’s 12, and he ended up addressing us. He said that this is not the time to be quiet about it. He was very upset, and he understood exactly what it meant. He’s home schooled, and he knows what that means, and he doesn’t know what it means because Ty and I have sat down and drilled it in his head.”

The War and Treaty released their major-label debut, Lover’s Game, to critical acclaim last year and made history at the 2023 CMA and ACM Awards, becoming the first Black performers to be nominated for duo of the year at both shows. And they launched their first Top 15 hit on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Hey Driver,” their collaboration with streaming juggernaut Zach Bryan.

This year, they earned two Grammy nominations, including best new artist; they performed during the in memoriam segment at the Emmy Awards; and they will open for The Rolling Stones at SoFi Stadium on July 10 and 13.

Tanya Trotter says their experience in Austin “hits hard when you are a granddaughter of a sharecropper.”

“My grandfather actually bought the plantation that he picked cotton on in New Bern, North Carolina. My family actually still lives there. So when you see these things, you look at it and you’re like, ‘Wow, even though my grandfather bought the plantation, there’s still a lot of pain rooted for people that didn’t get an opportunity to change it into economic development for their families.’ I didn’t want to sit in there and educate because it’s not my position to educate anybody on what cotton is and what it represents in this country. It just shouldn’t happen. Beyond it just being about racism, it’s broader now. It’s now a safety issue because we have to feel safe coming to these festivals,” she says.

She continues, “If we’re going to infiltrate and we’re going to have Black people, Asian people, Hispanic people, then you have to look at it as a safety issue the same way they did when they integrated the school in Arkansas. They had the police there. It has to be safe for people to come to get an education, to be entertained, whatever the case may be. So that’s the position that I take as we are moving into this genre and the spaces broadening not just for us but for everyone. Anybody with melanin in their skin, you have to provide an environment of safety for them.”

A representative for the Sips & Sounds Music Festival didn’t immediately respond to The Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment. 

“My skin color is red, white and blue — the flag. I’m an American soldier. That is what this country called upon when it asked me to serve, so I feel betrayed,” Michael says. “Yes, it’s a safety issue, but it is bigger than that. It is a humane problem. It is humanity, and I was put in a position where I felt I had to protect my wife, and my son, and my daughter, and my band members at all costs, which would mean I got to go into war mode in my own country.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

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Karol G’s ‘Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido’ Debuts at No. 2 on Hot Latin Songs

Karol G achieves her 27th top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart as “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” debuts at No. 2 on the July 6-dated list. The song, released June 21 via Bichota/Interscope/ICLG, launches in the upper region three months after “Contigo,” with Tiesto, finished its four-week run in the top 10.

“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” starts at No. 2 with activity across all metrics integrated into Hot Latin Songs (airplay, streams and sales). In the July 21-27 tracking week, the song recorded 11.9 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate. Thanks to that sum, the song opens at No. 33 on the overall Streaming Songs chart and an No. 2 on Latin Streaming Songs.

For the remaining metrics that contribute to Hot Latin Songs, song sales and radio airplay, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” sold 2,000 downloads in the same period for a second week atop Latin Digital Song Sales. Plus, it starts at No. 29 on the overall Latin Airplay chart with 4.1 million audience impressions.

With “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido’s” No. 2 entrance, Karol G claims her 27th top 10, and 10th unaccompanied by another artist. Her first top 10 unaccompanied by another act was the No. 5-peaking “Ay, Diso Mío” in 2020. Of her 27 top 10s, eight reached No. 1. Her most recent leader was “Qlona,” with Peso Pluma, for five weeks in 2023. 

Notably, Karol and Gloria Estefan remain the only two women to debut in the top two on Hot Latin Songs with titles unaccompanied by another artist. Karol has debuted in the top two with three solo, unaccompanied songs (“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” and “Provenza”) and Estefan did it with “Hotel Nacional” in 2012.

Beyond Karol’s No. 2 debut on Hot Latin Songs, the merengue-based track places Karol back on the top 10 on Tropical Airplay after almost eight years, where “Conocido” rallies 18-3 in its third week. Her first and last visit to the top 10 arrived through “Casi Nada” in 2016.

Further, “Si Antes” grants Karol her 31st career entry on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, with a No. 34 start.

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Will Shaboozey Hit No. 1 on the Hot 100? Quavo & Lana Release “Tough” & More | Billboard News

Darius Rucker thinks Morgan Wallen should be forgiven, Quavo & Lana Del Rey get steamy in the release of their newest collaboration and music video, “Tough,” and more!

Tetris Kelly:

Darius Rucker thinks it’s time to forgive Morgan. Shaboozey aims for the top spot on the Hot 100 and Quavo & Lana get “Tough” and sexy. Here’s three things to know in country today.

Darius Rucker told Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast that he thinks Morgan Wallen should be forgiven for being caught using the N word multiple times back in 2021.

Darius Rucker:

Do I think Morgan’s become a better person since that? I know Morgan Wallen since all that happened? You know, Morgan tried to really better himself and become a better person and see the world in a much better, better way.

Tetris Kelly:

Darius pointed out how Morgan didn’t get nominated for Entertainer of the Year at the CMA’s or the ACM’s, but he has broken chart records on the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 and currently holds the top spot on the Hot 100, so listeners seem to have forgiven him. Speaking of the Hot 100 Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” sits at No. 2. But could he surpass Morgan and Post Malone next week? Thanks to a huge performance where he brought out J-KWON at the BET Awards and an increase in radio play, he’s got better odds. We’ll find out for sure on Monday. Also entering the country space is Quavo. His new song with Lana Del Rey, “Tough,” not only brings the backroad vibes, they get pretty sensual in the video, too. Which country track are you bumping? Let us know in the comments.

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