Showing posts with label Beyonce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beyonce. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 21st to 30th, 2020 - Update #41

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

ACADEMY AWARDS - From YahooUSA:  Academy exceeds inclusion goal after #OscarsSoWhite: New voters are 45% female, 36% diverse.

CELEBRITY-BLM - From YahooEntertainmentJohn Wayne was not a racist says the late actor's son, Ethan Wayne.

MOVIES - From Collider:  The site has several images from David Ayers' upcoming thriller, "The Tax Collector," starring Shia LaBeouf and Bobby Soto.

BLM-CRIME-HISTORY - From Alabama.com:  16th Street Baptist Church bomber Thomas Blanton dies in prison.  The bombing, which occurred in 1963, is known for the "Four Little Girls."

MOVIES - From YahooMoviesUK:  "John Wick" director, Chad Stahelski, says that a reboot of the 1980s action-fantasy movie cult classic, "Highlander," is "in heavy development mode."

CELEBRITY-POLITICS - From TheDailyBeast:   How Mary Trump (President Donald's niece) Found Herself in the Hot Mess of a William Faulkner Novel

MUSIC-STREAMING - From Variety:  The streaming service, Disney+, will releases Beyonce's new visual album, "Black is King," July 31st.  The LP is inspired by "The Lion King," and its released date is just after the one-year anniversary of the 2019 release of Disney's live-action version of "The Lion King."

LGBTQ - From YahooLifestyle:  Gay ER doctor who survived COVID-19 says he can't donate plasma because he’s sexually active

POLITICS - From RSN:  "Saint Donald and the Dragon" - Donald Trump and the China!

SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Bubba Wallace on Confederate flag ban protests: 'We won’t see cops pepper-spraying them and shooting them with rubber bullets'

MOVIES - From THR:  Actor Margot Robbie and writer Christina Hodson, who teamed up on "Birds of Prey," are reunited on a new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.  It is separate from the other reboot being developed "Pirates" scribe, Ted Elliot," and "Chernobyl" writer Craig Mazin.

MOVIES - From THR:  The release date of Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" has been delayed again, from July 31st to August 12th, 2020.

MOVIES - From THR:  Inside "Hollywood's nastiest producer feud," the story of Roy Lee vs. John Middleton.

POLITICS - From TheGuardian:  How the US military has failed to address white supremacy in its ranks.  This is in the wake of an alleged plot by a young solider to coordinate with a neo-Nazi group to attack and kill members of his own army unit.

BLM-ANIMATION - From TVGuideJenny Slate will no longer voice Missy on Netflix's "Big Mouth": 'Black Characters on an Animated Show Should be Played by Black People'

From BuzzFeed:  Voice actor Mike Henry has retired from providing the voice of "Family Guy" African-American character, "Cleveland Brown."  He is the latest white voice performer to announce that he is exiting the voice role of a Black character, following Jenny Slate leaving Big Mouth and Kristen Bell shifting to a different role on Central Park.
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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Revenant") and Barry Jenkins ("Moonlight") have united to make a film adaptation of the documentary, "Virunga," about rangers who risk their lives to protect an African national park and its endangered gorillas.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  27 years after it first hit movie theaters, "Jurassic Park" was the #1 movie at the Father's Day weekend box office.  Steven Spielberg, who directed "Jurassic Park," had a big weekend as his 1975 classic, "Jaws" was a close second.

TRAILERS - From Deadline:  Disney+ releases the first trailer for the live-action version of the Broadway smash, "Hamilton."  The film arrives on Disney+ July 3rd, 2020.

CULTURE-BLM - From THR:  African-American Hollywood attorney, Nina Shaw, writes a guest column on being "the Only Black Person in the Room" for 30-plus years.

CELEBRITY - From YahooDailyBeast:  Actress Bryce Dallas Howard talks about having Oscar-winning producer-director, Ron Howard, as her father.  The interview is done in conjunction with Bryce's new documentary film, "Dads," which debuted on Apple TV+.

MUSIC - From YahooEntertainment:  An acoustic guitar belonging to the late Kurt Cobain of the band, Nirvana, sold for a record 6-plus million dollars at auction.  That is the highest auction price ever paid for a guitar.  The 1959 Martin D-19E is the guitar Cobain played for the entirety of his "MTV Unplugged" performance.

CELEBRITY-COVID-19 - From ABCNews:  Comedian D.L. Hughley passed out while performing on stage in Nashville TN.  Afterwards, he tested positive for COVID-19 at a local hospital.

MOVIES - From YahooGMAJamie Foxx shows off his body transformation for his starring role in a biopic of champion boxer, Mike Tyson.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Pioneering television comedy writer and director, Carl Reiner has died at the age of 98, Monday, June 29, 2020.  Reiner is best known as the creator and writer-director and actor on "The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66).  Five of the 9 Primetime Emmy Awards Reiner won were for his work on the show.  He first came to big TV fame and acclaim working on Sid Ceasar's TV series, "Your Show of Shows" (NBC, 1950-54) and "Ceasar's Hour" (NBC, 1954-57).  Reiner was also famous for being the son of television and film writer, director, and actor, Rob Reiner.

From Variety:  Animator and director, Kelly Asbury, has died at the age of 60, Friday, June 26, 2020.  Asbury co-directed "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" (2002) and directed "Shrek 2" (2004).  He began his career with Walt Disney Feature Animation and, he worked on such films as "The Black Cauldron" (1985) and "Toy Story" (1995).

From Deadline:  Noted film director, Joel Schumacher, has died at the age of 80, Monday, June 22, 2020.  Schumacher was known for a number of films, including "St. Elmo's Fire" (1985), "The Lost Boys" (1987), "Flatliners" (1990), "The Client" (1994), and "A Time to Kill" (1996).  He caused ire among comic book fans with his two contributions to the Batman film franchise, "Batman Forever" (1995) and "Batman and Robin" (1997).

From Deadline:  American businessman and film financier, Steve Bing, has died at the age of 55, Monday, June 22, 2020.  In the film business, Bing invested in two animated films by director Robert Zemeckis, "The Polar Express" (2004) and "Beowulf."  He founded Shangri-La Entertainment, which had interests in property, construction, entertainment, and music.

BLACK LIVES MATTER NEWS:

From RSN:  The four corners of police violence

From TheIntercept:  Black Lives Matter Wants to End Police Brutality. History Suggests It Will Go Much Further.

From YahooNews:  "The Confederacy of California": life in the valley where Robert Fuller was found hanged

From CNN:  Colorado police officers involved in the death of Elijah McClain reassigned for safety reasons.

From Truthout: " Three North Carolina Police Fired for Racist Rants, Threats to Kill Black People" - and what they said is crazy and scary

From Truthout: Bryant Gumbel Gives Powerful Commentary on the 'Black Tax,' the 'Added Burden' of Being Black

From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-nominated songwriter and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Ray Parker, Jr., may be best known for writing the theme to the film, "Ghostbusters," but when he was a teenager, Parker was beaten by Detroit police officers.

From RSNewYorker:  Jelani Cobb: An American Spring of Reckoning.

From NBCNews:  Baton Rouge, LA activist, Gary Chambers, makes an impassioned speech about changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Baton Rouge.

From YahooNews:  Racial violence and a pandemic: How the Red Summer of 1919 relates to 2020

From DemocracyNow:   Fear Grows of Modern-Day Lynchings as Five People of Color Are Found Hanged


CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From NPR:  A sad milestone: over 100,000 American have died due to COVID-19.

From TheAtlanticThe Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From Truthout:  Trump Moves to End Federal Support for Testing Sites Amid Record COVID Spikes

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

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Monday, June 29, 2020

Winners at The "BET Awards" 2020 Announced

Lizzo, Chris Brown, Migos, DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Michael B. Jordan, Issa Rae, and "Queen & Slim" Take Top Honors at the “BET Awards” 2020

THE “BET AWARDS” 2020 OPENED WITH A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC ENEMY’S “FIGHT THE POWER” FEATURING CHUCK D, FLAVOR FLAV, NAS, BLACK THOUGHT, RAPSODY, QUESTLOVE, JAHI AND YG

BEYONCÉ KNOWLES-CARTER HONORED WITH HUMANITARIAN AWARD

GLOBAL SUPERSTAR LIL WAYNE HONORED THE MEMORY OF NBA LEGEND KOBE BRYANT WITH A MOVING TRIBUTE

ROCK AND ROLL HALL-OF-FAMER LITTLE RICHARD REMEMBERED WITH TRIBUTE FROM MULTI-TALENTED ACTOR/COMEDIAN WAYNE BRADY

ALICIA KEYS, CHLOE X HALLE, DABABY, D SMOKE, JENNIFER HUDSON, JOHN LEGEND, JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS, KANE BROWN, LIL WAYNE, LONR., MASEGO, MEGAN THEE STALLION, RODDY RICCH,  SIR, SUMMER WALKER, USHER, WAYNE BRADY AND MORE DELIVERED EXTRAORDINARY, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PERFORMANCES

#BETAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET honored an incredible and inspiring lineup of artists, entertainers, cultural icons and humanitarians across more than 20 categories at The “BET AWARDS” 2020. The show, hosted by actress and comedian Amanda Seales, aired live at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and made its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28, 2020. 2020 marks both the 20th anniversary of the awards and BET’s 40th anniversary. This year’s show highlighted the absolute best in entertainment, social justice and culture with moving performances and appearances by some of the biggest names across television, film, and music; spreading an important message of hope and change.

The “BET AWARDS,” which has become synonymous with powerful artistry and social commentary, continues to spotlight and celebrate the artists and creators of tomorrow, making the ceremony one of the most news-provoking and talked-about broadcasts year after year.

This year’s awards used an array of innovative techniques, including stunning and dynamic artist-generated performances and packages, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the important and inspirational messages of Black Lives Matter and the urgent need for racial equality. The ceremony was an extraordinary celebration of black culture, love, joy, and pride, setting a new bar for awards shows produced during the ongoing pandemic.

The “BET AWARDS” 2020 Show Highlights Include:

  • Chuck D, Nas, Black Thought, Rapsody, Flavor Flav, Questlove, Jahi, YG opened the show with an amazing performance of their song “Fight the Power.”
  • Anderson .Paak and Jay Rock followed, delivering a powerful and emotional rendition of the newly released song “Lockdown.” The song, which debuted this past Juneteenth, paints a detailed picture of the recent Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the tragic killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
  • Megan Thee Stallion performed her new single “Girls In the Hood” along with her hit song “Savage.” The remix of the song featuring Beyoncé became Megan’s highest-charting song, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
  • Lil Wayne and Wayne Brady delivered emotional tributes to Kobe Bryant and Little Richard respectively. Brady sang renditions of Little Richard’s popular songs including “Lucille,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Tutti Frutti.”
  • DaBaby and Roddy Ricch brought the house down during their performance of hit song “Rockstar,” which spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was released as the second single of DaBaby’s third studio album “Blame It On Baby.”
  • R&B sweetheart Summer Walker and pop icon Usher sang their hearts out while performing multiple songs including “Session 32" "Come Thru" / "You Make Me Wanna.”
  • Jonathan McReynolds and Kane Brown took us all to church during their renditions of popular gospel songs "People" and "Worldwide Beautiful."
  • Legendary gospel titans Kierra and Karen Clark Sheard of the iconic Clark Sisters delivered a power-packed rendition of the new song “Something Has to Break” from Kierra’s newly released sixth album “Kierra,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums.
  • Introduced by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter accepted the Humanitarian Award for her years of her philanthropic service. Her heartfelt speech urged viewers to continue to fight against systemic racism by voting.

In addition to all of these must-see moments, the complete list of winners for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 can be found below:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
LIZZO

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
CHRIS BROWN

BEST GROUP
MIGOS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - “NO GUIDANCE”

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
MEGAN THEE STALLION

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - “HIGHER”

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
TEYANA "SPIKE TEE" TAYLOR

BEST NEW ARTIST
RODDY RICCH

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
KIRK FRANKLIN - “JUST FOR ME”

BEST ACTRESS
ISSA RAE

BEST ACTOR
MICHAEL B. JORDAN

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
MARSAI MARTIN

BEST MOVIE
QUEEN & SLIM

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
SIMONE BILES

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
LEBRON JAMES

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL (RODDY RICCH)

BET HER AWARD
BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN “BROWN SKIN GIRL”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)

For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.

Internationally, the show simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9 pm BST, France on June 30th at 8:45 pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9 pm KST.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”:
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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Tuesday, June 23, 2020

The "BET Awards" 2020 Nominations Have Been Announced

BET Announces Official Nominations for The “BET Awards” 2020

CBS Joins as Broadcast Partner to Simulcast The “BET Awards” 2020 Set to Air on Sunday, June 28, 2020 From 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT

Drake Leads With Six Nominations

Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch Follow With Five Nominations

Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo and DaBaby Tie With Four Nominations Each


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announced The “BET Awards” 2020 nominees with Drake leading the pack with six nominations. This year’s nominees reflect an abundance of creative expression and black excellence across music, television, film, sports, and philanthropy. The “BET AWARDS” 2020 will simulcast LIVE at 8 pm ET across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and will make its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28, 2020 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT, 7:00-10:00 PM, CT).

Drake returns to the top spot securing six nods, including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and two nods for both ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice’ for his features alongside Chris Brown ( No Guidance) and Future (Life Is Good).

Newcomers Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch garnered the second most nods with five nominations each. Megan Thee Stallion nominations include ‘Best Female Hip Hop,’ ‘Best Collaboration,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Roddy Ricch’s nods include ‘Best Male Hip Hop,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Best New Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo, and DaBaby are the third-highest with four nominations each.

In its twentieth year, the “BET AWARDS” continues its reign as the ultimate platform to showcase the best and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – celebrating Black music’s present and future, and elevating the culture and being a driving force for social change. BET recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 21 categories with The “BET Awards” 2020 nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is composed of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.

Internationally, the show will simulcast on BET Africa at 2am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9pm BST, France on June 30th at 9:45pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9pm KST.

The complete list of nominees for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 are:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
BEYONCÉ
H.E.R.
JHENE AIKO
KEHLANI
SUMMER WALKER

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
ANDERSON .PAAK
CHRIS BROWN
JACQUEES
KHALID
THE WEEKND
USHER

BEST GROUP
CHLOE X HALLE
CITY GIRLS
EARTHGANG
GRISELDA
JACKBOYS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - HIGHER

FUTURE FT. DRAKE - LIFE IS GOOD

H.E.R. FT. YG - SLIDE

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

WALE FT. JEREMIH - ON CHILL

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY
DRAKE
FUTURE
LIL BABY
RODDY RICCH
TRAVIS SCOTT

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
CARDI B
DOJA CAT
LIZZO
MEGAN THEE STALLION
NICKI MINAJ
SAWEETIE

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DABABY - BOP

DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - HIGHER

DOJA CAT - SAY SO

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

RODDY RICCH - THE BOX

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
BENNY BOOM
COLE BENNETT
DAVE MEYERS
DIRECTOR X
EIF RIVERA
TEYANA "SPIKE TEE" TAYLOR

BEST NEW ARTIST
DANILEIGH
LIL NAS X
POP SMOKE
RODDY RICCH
SUMMER WALKER
YBN CORDAE

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
CUZ I LOVE YOU - LIZZO

FEVER - MEGAN THEE STALLION

HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM - BEYONCÉ

I USED TO KNOW HER - H.E.R.

KIRK - DABABY

PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL -RODDY RICCH

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
FRED HAMMOND - ALRIGHT

JOHN P. KEE FT. ZACARDI CORTEZ - I MADE IT OUT

KANYE WEST - FOLLOW GOD

KIRK FRANKLIN - JUST FOR ME

PJ MORTON FT. LE'ANDRIA JOHNSON & MARY MARY- ALL IN HIS PLAN

THE CLARK SISTERS - VICTORY

BEST ACTRESS
ANGELA BASSETT
CYNTHIA ERIVO
ISSA RAE
REGINA KING
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
ZENDAYA

BEST ACTOR
BILLY PORTER
EDDIE MURPHY
FOREST WHITAKER
JAMIE FOXX
MICHAEL B. JORDAN
OMARI HARDWICK

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
ALEX HIBBERT
ASANTE BLACKK
JAHI DI’ALLO WINSTON
MARSAI MARTIN
MILES BROWN
STORM REID

BEST MOVIE
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
HARRIET
HOMECOMING: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ
JUST MERCY
QUEEN & SLIM

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
AJEÉ WILSON
CLARESSA SHIELDS
COCO GAUFF
NAOMI OSAKA
SERENA WILLIAMS
SIMONE BILES

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
KAWHI LEONARD
LEBRON JAMES
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
PATRICK MAHOMES II
STEPHEN CURRY

BET HER AWARD
ALICIA KEYS - UNDERDOG

BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN - BROWN SKIN GIRL

CIARA FT. LUPITA NYONG'O, ESTER DEAN, CITY GIRLS & LA LA - MELANIN

LAYTON GREENE - I CHOOSE

LIZZO FT. MISSY ELLIOT - TEMPO

RAPSODY FT. PJ MORTON - AFENI

VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DABABY - BOP

FUTURE FT. DRAKE - LIFE IS GOOD

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

RODDY RICCH - THE BOX

THE WEEKND - HEARTLESS

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
INNOSS’B (DRC)
SHO MADJOZI (S. AFRICA)
DAVE (U.K.)
STORMZY (U.K.)
NINHO (FRANCE)
S.PRI NOIR (FRANCE)

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
REMA (NIGERIA)
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)
CELESTE (U.K.)
YOUNG T & BUGSEY (U.K.)
HATIK (FRANCE)
STACY (FRANCE)

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.

For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow @BET_PR AND @BETAWARD

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Saturday, January 18, 2020

"2020 Grammy Nominees" LP Now in Stores

Recording Academy® and Warner Records Reveal The 2020 GRAMMY® Nominees Album Track Listing Featuring 21 Songs That Defined the Year in Music

The 2020 GRAMMY® Nominees Album Hits Stores and Digital Retailers Jan. 17 and Is Available for Pre-order Now At 2020GRAMMYAlbum.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Recording Academy®'s GRAMMY Recordings® and Warner Records have revealed the powerful track listing for the 2020 GRAMMY® Nominees album. Set for release on Jan. 17, 2020 in stores and via digital retailers, the latest installment of the best-selling series — now in its 26th year — features a diverse collection of the year's most impactful GRAMMY-nominated music. A portion of album proceeds will benefit the year-round work of the GRAMMY Museum® and MusiCares® — two charitable organizations founded by the Recording Academy that focus on music education programs and critical assistance for music people in need.

    “We're thrilled to band together with Warner Records to release a powerful, unifying blend of music that contributed to the world's soundtrack to 2019”

"We're thrilled to band together with Warner Records to release a powerful, unifying blend of music that contributed to the world's soundtrack to 2019," said Deborah Dugan, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "The album puts forth the tremendous opportunity to support to the GRAMMY Museum and MusiCares, and we can't wait to share this remarkable compilation with music fans worldwide!"

"All of us at Warner Records are proud to join forces with the Recording Academy for the 2020 GRAMMY Nominees album," said Tom Corson, co-chairman & COO, Warner Records. "The groundbreaking and diverse range of artists and songs featured on this latest collection are further testament to the incredible year we've had in music."

Music fans can log on to 2020GRAMMYAlbum.com to pre-order the album and enter for a chance to win a trip for two to the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards® on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

Music's Biggest Night® will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

*No purchase necessary to enter or win. Visit 2020GRAMMYalbum.com or cbs.com/GRAMMYs for details and eligibility requirements.

"2020 GRAMMY Nominees" Album Track List:

1.        
BILLIE EILISH
"bad guy"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year
Best Pop Vocal Album

2.        
ARIANA GRANDE
"7 rings"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year
Best Pop Vocal Album

3.        
LIL NAS X FEAT. BILLY RAY CYRUS
"Old Town Road (Remix)"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

4.
LIZZO
"Truth Hurts"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year

5.        
KHALID
"Talk"
Record Of The Year

6.        
H.E.R.
"Hard Place"
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year

7.        
SHAWN MENDES & CAMILA CABELLO
"Señorita"
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

8.        
ARIANA GRANDE & SOCIAL HOUSE
"boyfriend"
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

9.        
ED SHEERAN & JUSTIN BIEBER
"I Don't Care"
Best Pop Vocal Album

10.        
POST MALONE & SWAE LEE
"Sunflower"
Record Of The Year
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

11.
TAYLOR SWIFT
"Lover"
Best Pop Vocal Album

12.        
JONAS BROTHERS
"Sucker"
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

13.        
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
"Harmony Hall"
Album Of The Year

14.        
BON IVER
"Hey, Ma"
Record Of the Year
Album Of the Year

15.        
BEYONCÉ
"SPIRIT" (From Disney's The Lion King)
Best Pop Vocal Album

16.        
LANA DEL REY
"Norman F***ing Rockwell"
Album Of The Year
       
17.        
LITTLE BIG TOWN
"The Daughters"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

18.        
DAN + SHAY
"Speechless"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

19.        
MAREN MORRIS FEAT. BRANDI CARLILE
"Common"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

20.        
BROTHERS OSBORNE
"I Don't Remember Me (Before You)"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance

21.        
BROOKS & DUNN WITH LUKE COMBS
"Brand New Man"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance


ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

"62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards" Nominations Have Been Announced

Recording Academy® Announces Nominees for the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards®

First-time Nominees Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X Are This Year's Most Nominated Artists

Winners Announced Sunday, Jan. 26th, 2020

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Recording Academy® President/CEO Deborah Dugan, alongside Academy Chair of the Board of Trustees and renowned record producer Harvey Mason Jr., as well as GRAMMY Awards® host Alicia Keys and past two-time GRAMMY® nominee Bebe Rexha, revealed nominees for the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in select categories. This year's nominees reflect a melting pot of artistic innovation that defined the year in music, showcasing the unparalleled craftsmanship of established artists and the industry-shifting impact of rising music creators.

Leading nominees Lizzo (8), Billie Eilish (6) and Lil Nas X (6) not only topped the charts but ignited a cultural conversation around their genre-bending hits. As the only peer-selected music award, the GRAMMY Awards are voted on by the Recording Academy's membership body of music makers, who represent all genres and creative disciplines, including recording artists, songwriters, producers, mixers and engineers.

"I am in complete awe of the inspiring nominees who have poured their hearts and souls into their craft, and in turn, have provided fans worldwide a year of music that changed us, stirred our emotions and inspired us to do more," said Dugan. "Today's announcement reflects a new era for the Recording Academy—an army of engaged members that welcomes diversity, embraces creativity and champions young musicians on the rise. It's shaping up to be a year of firsts, and I can promise that the 62nd GRAMMY Awards will pack the same punch as this year's nominees. I am proud to march forward alongside our members and nominated artists."

This year's nominees were selected from more than 20,000 submissions across 84 categories, and reflect the wide range of artistic innovation that defined the year in music (Oct. 1, 2018–Aug. 31, 2019). The final round of GRAMMY voting is Dec. 9, 2019–Jan. 3, 2020. The Recording Academy will present the GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, live from Los Angeles' STAPLES Center and broadcast on the CBS Television Network from 8:00–11:30 p.m. ET/5:00–8:30 p.m. PT.

The following is a sampling of nominations from the GRAMMY Awards' 30 Fields and 84 Categories.

For a complete nominations list, visit www.grammy.com

Record Of The Year:
"Hey, Ma" — Bon Iver
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish
"7 Rings" — Ariana Grande
"Hard Place" — H.E.R.
"Talk" — Khalid
"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
"Truth Hurts" — Lizzo
"Sunflower" — Post Malone & Swae Lee

Album Of The Year:
i,i — Bon Iver
Norman F***ing Rockwell! — Lana Del Rey
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
thank u, next — Ariana Grande
I Used To Know Her — H.E.R.
7 — Lil Nas X
Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) — Lizzo
Father Of The Bride — Vampire Weekend

Song Of The Year:
"Always Remember Us This Way" — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
"Bring My Flowers Now" — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
"Hard Place" — Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris, H.E.R. & Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.)
"Lover" — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
"Norman F***ing Rockwell" — Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
"Someone You Loved" — Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pete Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn & Sam Roman, songwriters (Lewis Capaldi)
"Truth Hurts" — Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson & Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)

Best New Artist:
Black Pumas
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalía
Tank And The Bangas
Yola

Best Pop Solo Performance:
"Spirit" — Beyoncé
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish
"7 Rings" — Ariana Grande
"Truth Hurts" — Lizzo
"You Need To Calm Down" — Taylor Swift

Best Pop Vocal Album:
The Lion King: The Gift — Beyoncé
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
thank u, next — Ariana Grande
No. 6 Collaborations Project — Ed Sheeran
Lover — Taylor Swift

Best Dance Recording:
"Linked" — Bonobo
"Got To Keep On" — The Chemical Brothers
"Piece Of Your Heart" — Meduza Featuring Goodboys
"Underwater" — RÜFÜS DU SOL
"Midnight Hour" — Skrillex & Boys Noize Featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Best Rock Album:
Amo — Bring Me The Horizon
Social Cues — Cage The Elephant
In The End — The Cranberries
Trauma — I Prevail
Feral Roots — Rival Sons

Best R&B Performance:
"Love Again" — Daniel Caesar & Brandy
"Could've Been" — H.E.R. Featuring Bryson Tiller
"Exactly How I Feel" — Lizzo Featuring Gucci Mane
"Roll Some Mo" — Lucky Daye
"Come Home" — Anderson .Paak Featuring André 3000

Best Rap Album:
Revenge Of The Dreamers III — Dreamville
Championships — Meek Mill
I Am > I Was — 21 Savage
Igor — Tyler, The Creator
The Lost Boy — YBN Cordae

Best Country Song:
"Bring My Flowers Now" — Brandie Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
"Girl Goin' Nowhere" — Jeremy Bussey & Ashley McBryde, songwriters (Ashley McBryde)
"It All Comes Out In The Wash" — Miranda Lambert, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
"Some Of It" — Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde & Bobby Pinson, songwriters (Eric Church)
"Speechless" — Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers & Laura Veltz, songwriters (Dan + Shay)

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
Thirsty Ghost — Sara Gazarek
Love & Liberation — Jazzmeia Horn
Alone Together — Catherine Russell
12 Little Spells — Esperanza Spalding
Screenplay — The Tierney Sutton Band

Best Gospel Album:
Long Live Love — Kirk Franklin
Goshen — Donald Lawrence Presents The Tri-City Singers
Tunnel Vision — Gene Moore
Settle Here — William Murphy
Something's Happening! A Christmas Album — CeCe Winans

Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album:
X 100PRE — Bad Bunny
Oasis — J Balvin & Bad Bunny
Indestructible — Flor De Toloache
Almadura — iLe
El Mal Querer — Rosalía

Best Americana Album:
Years To Burn — Calexico And Iron & Wine
Who Are You Now — Madison Cunningham
Oklahoma — Keb' Mo'
Tales Of America — J.S. Ondara
Walk Through Fire — Yola

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Beastie Boys Book — (Various Artists) Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, Scott Sherratt & Dan Zitt, producers
Becoming — Michelle Obama
I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years As A Two-Time Cancer Survivor — Eric Alexandrakis
Mr. Know-It-All — John Waters
Sekou Andrews & The String Theory — Sekou Andrews & The String Theory

Best Song Written For Visual Media:
"The Ballad Of The Lonesome Cowboy" — Randy Newman, songwriter (Chris Stapleton), Track from: Toy Story 4
"Girl In The Movies" — Dolly Parton & Linda Perry, songwriters (Dolly Parton), Track from: Dumplin'
"I'll Never Love Again" (Film Version) — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Aaron Raitiere, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper), Track from: A Star Is Born
"Spirit" — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Timothy McKenzie & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Beyoncé), Track from: The Lion King
"Suspirium" — Thom Yorke, songwriter (Thom Yorke), Track from: Suspiria

Best Music Film:
Homecoming — Beyoncé
Remember My Name — David Crosby
Birth Of The Cool — (Miles Davis)
Shangri-La — (Various Artists)
Anima — Thom Yorke


ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards—music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

----------------------


Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Review: " The Lion King" Still Rules the Pride Lands

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 (of 2019) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Lion King (2019)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG for sequences of violence and peril, and some thematic elements
DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau
WRITER: Jeff Nathanson (based on the 1994 story written by Brenda Chapman and characters created by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton)
PRODUCERS: Jon Favreau, Karen Gilchrist, and Jeffrey Silver
EDITORS: Adam Gerstel and Mark Livolsi
COMPOSER: Hans Zimmer
SONGS: Elton John and Tim Rice and Beyoncé

FANTASY/DRAMA/FAMILY with elements of comedy

Starring:  (voices) Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Chiwetel Ejiofor, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, John Kani, Alfre Woodard, JD McCary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Keegan Michael-Key, Eric André, Florence Kasumba, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Amy Sedaris, Chance Bennett (Chance the Rapper), Phil LeMarr, J. Lee, and Josh McCrary

The Lion King is a 2019 musical, fantasy-drama film directed by Jon Favreau and released by Walt Disney Pictures.  It is a live-action remake of the 1994, Oscar-winning, animated film, The Lion King.  The Lion King 2019 focuses on a young lion prince who flees his kingdom after the death of his father, which he blames on himself.

The Lion King opens in the Pride Lands of Africa.  From his perch on Pride Rock, King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) leads a pride of lions and rules over the animal kingdom.  As the story begins, Queen Sarabi (Alfre Woodard) has given birth to a cub, Simba, who will one day succeed his father as king.  Simba (JD McCary) is a playful cub and enjoys romping with his best friend and future love interest, a lioness named Nala (Shahadi Wright Joseph).  Simba, however, is also a willful cub, so Mufasa must guide and prepare Simba for the day when he will rule.

Meanwhile, Mufasa’s younger brother, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), lurks in the shadows, bitter that he is not king, and he plots with a pack of hyenas to murder Mufasa.  After tragedy strikes, Simba leaves the Pride Lands, intending never to return.  Years later, an adult Simba (Donald Glover) lives in exile, and his constant companions are a meerkat, Timon (Billy Eichner), and a warthog, Pumbaa (Seth Rogen).  However, Simba’s past returns in the form of an old friend,  Now, Simba must learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery as he is forced to make important decisions about both his future and that of the Pride Lands.

The Lion King works better as an animated feature film than it does as a live-action film.  Still, The Lion King the live-action film is quite entertaining.  I think that many of Walt Disney's classic animated films need a retelling every two or three generations, and it was time for The Lion King to be retold for a new generation or two.  [No, I have never seen The Lion King the musical that was first staged in 1997 and won the Tony Award for “Best Musical.”]

The Lion King 2019 may be an inferior (but not especially inferior) work to The Lion King 1994, but director Jon Favreau and his visual effects collaborators present a visual spectacular.  When the story lags, which it does a few times, the bounding animals and the Pride Lands, with its seemingly infinite variety of environments, will grab your wandering imagination and pull you back into the story.

The animals, which, I am assuming, are mostly computer-generated and rendered, are dazzling in their photo-realism.  I find Scar to be the most impressive, looking not to lean, not to dirty, but clearly a bit raggedy, which goes great with his conniving ways and with his feelings of bitterness and envy.

The voice performances are good.  JD McCary and Shahadi Wright Joseph, who voice the young Simba and Nala respectively, are exceptionally good.  If The Lion King 2019 has star performers, they are McCary and Ms. Joseph; they give this film the energy it needs to carry it to the rousing finale.  These young performers assure that The Lion King 2019 keeps the heart of its story – learning the meaning of being responsible, accountable, and brave.

7 of 10
B+

Sunday, July 21, 2019


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

"The Lion King" Races to a Billion at Global Box Office

"The Lion King" Crosses $1 Billion Worldwide

With an estimated $999 million worldwide through yesterday, Disney’s The Lion King will cross the $1 billion mark today in its 19th day of release. Along with Aladdin, it’s the second Disney-branded live-action release to reach the $1 billion threshold this year and the sixth ever to do so, following Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, and the second and fourth Pirates of the Caribbean films. It is also The Walt Disney Studios’ fourth billion dollar release this year.

Preceded by a strong debut in China where it earned nearly $100 million in its first week, The Lion King debuted day-and-date globally July 19, 2019, with $446.1 million. Bolstered by an A CinemaScore, the Jon Favreau-directed film opened with $191.8 million domestically, the eighth biggest debut of all time, and continues to be No. 1 at the daily box office earning an estimated $361 million to date. Internationally, The Lion King has earned $638 million, with major markets Japan (August 9) and Italy (August 21) still to open. The film is the second highest release of 2019 in EMEA and is the highest grossing release from Disney Live Action in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Central America, Trinidad, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 7th to 13th, 2019 - Updated #20

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Apparently, there is going to be a sequel to the 2018 "Tomb Raider" reboot film, which now has a writer.

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, who has been besieged by accusations of inappropriate behavior, has won his defamation lawsuit in Australia against publisher, Nationwide News, which is owned by the deplorable Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. The Sydney, Australia newspaper, "Daily Telegraph," (owned by Nationwide) first published an article accusing Rush of inappropriate behavior towards a former co-star in 2017.

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MUSIC - From Yahoo:  Courtney Love and her band Hole's album, "Live Through This," is 25 years old.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Maestro Ryan Murphy has unveiled the titles of "American Horror Story" Season 9.  it is "AHS 1984."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  "Avengers: Endgame" directors, brothers Anthony & Joe Russo, have signed a deal to oversee the refurbishment ("spiritual creative architects") of properties in the MGM library.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheRinger:  This article offers a profile of actor David Harbour, who is the new "Hellboy" and is currently starring in Netflix's "Stranger Things."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  The death certificate for the slain rapper, Nipsey Hussle (March 31, 2019), has been released.  Details for the public memorial service, Thurs., April 11th, 2019, have also been released.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  AMC is ending its TV series, "Preacher," after the upcoming fourth season.

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MANGA-FILM - From ComicBook:  Apparently, the film "Akira" have major changes from its source material, the legendary manga, "Akira."

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Warner Bros. starts working on a sequel to its new hit film, "Shazam."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  AMC gives up more details on its third "Walking Dead" TV series.

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STREAMING - From TheWrap:  Netflix has announced that the Beyonce documentary, "Homecoming," will be released April 17th.  "Homecoming" is the documentary about Beyonce's "Coachella 2018" performance.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 4/5 to 4/7/2019 weekend box office is Warner Bros./DC Comics' superhero flick, "Shazam!," with an estimated take of 53.4 million dollars.

From Patreon:  A review of "Shazam!"

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MUSIC - From YahooFinance:  Beyonce's deal with Adidas could be really big for the German sportswear giant.

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MOVIES-MUSIC - From ShadowandAct:  April 13th is the date attached to Donald Glover, Rihanna, and Letitia Wright's "Guava Island."

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  The site offers a review of director Rashid Johnson's "Native Son," an update on Richard Wright's seminal novel of the same title.

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BUSINESS - From Deadline:  The WGA (Writers Guild of America) and ATA (Association of Talent Agencies) have reached an extension so that both parties can keep working on a new franchise agreement.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  First teaser trailer for "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker."

OBITS:

From ESPN:  Former NFL player and coach, Forrest Gregg, has died at the age of 85, Friday, April 12, 2019.  Known as the "Iron Man" for his then-record consecutive games played streak, Gregg was a part of six NFL championships, including two Super Bowl wins with the Green Bay Packers and one with the Dallas Cowboys.  As a coach, Gregg led the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XVI, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

From NFL:  Forrest Gregg (Hall of Fame Class of 1977) through the years in this photo essay.
--------------------------------

From THR:  The actor, Seymour Cassel, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, April 7, 2019.  Cassel was a favorite of the late director, John Cassavetes, appearing in at least six of his films.  Cassel earned a best supporting actor nomination for his role in Cassavetes' "Faces."  He also appeared in three of director Wes Anderson's films.


Saturday, November 24, 2018

2018 Soul Train Awards Nominees - Full List; Winners Announced Nov. 25th

BET Announces Official Nominees for the 2018 Soul Train Awards:
H.E.R. and Bruno Mars Lead with 6 Nominations Followed by SZA, Ella Mai, Daniel Caesar, and Cardi B

Iconic Best Friend Duo Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold to Host Annual Awards Taping at the Orleans Theater in Las Vegas on November 17th

4-Time Grammy Award Winning Songstress Erykah Badu to Receive the Legend Award

Multi-Platinum Songstress Faith Evans to Be Honored with Lady of Soul Award

Soul Train Awards 2018 Premieres on BET and BET HER, November 25th at 8PM ET

#SOULTRAINAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks announced the nominees for the 2018 Soul Train Awards across 12 different categories. The annual celebration will recognize the best in Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop from legends to the next generation. Filming on November 17th at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, BET presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards will air on BET and BET HER on November 25th, 2018 at 8PM ET.

2018 breakout star, H.E.R. ties with last year’s top winner, Bruno Mars, for the most nods, leading the nominations with six each. H.E.R.’s nominations include ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Album/Mixtape of the Year,’ ‘Best Collaboration Performance,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriters Award.’ Bruno’s nominations include ‘Best R&B/Soul Male,’ ‘Song of the Year, ‘Best Dance Performance, ‘Best Collaboration Performance,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriters Award’ ‘Video of the Year,’ for “Finesse.”

Other nominees include SZA who garnered 5 nods, Ella Mai, Daniel Caesar, and Cardi B each garnered 4 nods for this year’s awards.

Known for being the iconic best friend duo on the 90’s hit show Martin, real life best friends Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold are sure to bring the fun at this year’s awards.

Four-time Grammy Award-winning, singer-songwriter, artist, director/producer, holistic healer, activist, and mother Erykah Badu, is set to receive the Legend Award. No stranger to the Soul Train Awards stage, serving as the 2017 host of the awards, Badu’s career has roots deeply planted in soul. The New York Times described Badu’s groundbreaking debut, 1997’s “Baduizm,” as “traditional soul vocals, staccato hip-hop rhythms and laid-back jazzy grooves.” Yet, hindsight reveals that Badu’s debut was more than just an album, it was the introduction of a new lifestyle. In her career spanning over two decades, Badu has continued to use her platform as an altar. By incorporating instruments such as tuning forks, crystal singing bowls, and gem stones and more into her music, she has created a wave of healing energy throughout the planet. But her true instrument is the 'intent' with which she sings.

The fourth annual Lady of Soul Award will be presented to multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and record producer Faith Evans. With a music career spanning over two decades, Faith has released eight studio albums, with over 18 million albums sold and spawning over 30 singles. Faith has also performed on 20+ soundtracks and a host of guest appearances during her career. Faith Evans is a seven-time Grammy nominee; winning “Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group” in 1998 for “I’ll Be Missing You,” an homage to her late husband and hip-hop legend Notorious B.I.G.

BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards will feature an exciting lineup of unforgettable performances and viewers can expect special appearances by some of the brightest stars in entertainment. The event annually showcases Soul Train’s impact on the history of music and dance from the 70s to today.

BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Executive Producers of the network telecast are as follows: Connie Orlando from BET and Jesse Collins from Jesse Collins Entertainment.

For show information, please visit BET.com/SoulTrain, the official site for BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards.

The complete list of nominees for BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards are:

BEST NEW ARTIST
DANIEL CAESAR
JORJA SMITH
KALI UCHIS
LEON THOMAS
NORMANI
QUEEN NAIJA

SOUL TRAIN CERTIFIED AWARD
ASHANTI
JORJA SMITH
LEDISI
LENNY KRAVITZ
MAJOR.
TAMIA

BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
BEYONCE
ELLA MAI
H.E.R.
MARIAH CAREY
SZA

BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
BRUNO MARS
CHILDISH GAMBINO
DANIEL CAESAR
JOHN LEGEND
KHALID
TANK

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
ANDRA DAY
KIRK FRANKLIN
LECRAE
SNOOP DOGG
TORI KELLY

RHYTHM & BARS AWARD (BEST HIP-HOP SONG OF THE YEAR)
CARDI B - I LIKE IT FEAT. BAD BUNNY & J BALVIN
CHILDISH GAMBINO - THIS IS AMERICA
DJ KHALED - NO BRAINER FEAT. JUSTIN BIEBER, CHANCE THE RAPPER AND QUAVO
DRAKE - IN MY FEELINGS
THE CARTERS - APE S**T

SONG OF THE YEAR
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
ELLA MAI - BOO'D UP
H.E.R. - EVERY KIND OF WAY
SZA - THE WEEKEND
THE INTERNET - COME OVER

ALBUM/MIXTAPE OF THE YEAR
CHLOE X HALLE - THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
CHRIS BROWN - HEARTBREAK ON A FULL MOON
H.E.R. - H.E.R.
LEON BRIDGES - GOOD THING
MIGUEL - WAR & LEISURE
THE INTERNET - HIVE MIND

THE ASHFORD AND SIMPSON SONGWRITER'S AWARD
  • FINESSE (REMIX) - WRITTEN BY: GENE HERNANDEZ, BELCALIS ALMANZAR, CHRIS BROWN, JAMES FAUNTLEROY, PHILIP LAWRENCE, RAY MCCULLOUGH, KLENORD RAPHAEL, JEREMY REEVES, JAMES YIP, RAY ROMULUS (BRUNO MARS FEAT. CARDI B)
  • SUMMERTIME MAGIC - WRITTEN BY: DONALD GLOVER, LUDWIG GORANSSON (CHILDISH GAMBINO)
  • BEST PART - WRITTEN BY: ASHTON SIMMONDS, H.E.R., RILEY BELL, MATTHEW BURNETT, JORDAN EVANS (DANIEL CAESAR FEAT. H.E.R.)
  • BOO'D UP - WRITTEN BY: ELLA HOWELL, DIJON MCFARLANE, JOELLE JAMES, LARRANCE DOPSON (ELLA MAI)
  • FOCUS - WRITTEN BY: H.E.R., DARHYL CAMPER, JUSTIN LOVE (H.E.R.)
  • BROKEN CLOCKS - WRITTEN BY: SOLANA ROWE, CODY FAYNE, ADAM FEENEY, ASHTON SIMMONDS, THOMAS BEESLEY (SZA)

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
CHRIS BROWN - TEMPO
CIARA - LEVEL UP
HOODCELEBRITYY - WALKING TROPHY
JANET JACKSON - MADE FOR NOW FEAT. DADDY YANKEE

BEST COLLABORATION PERFORMANCE
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
DANIEL CAESAR - BEST PART FEAT. H.E.R.
JOHN LEGEND - A GOOD NIGHT FEAT. BLOODPOP
KHALID, 6LACK, TY DOLLA $IGN - OTW
SZA - DOVES IN THE WIND FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BRUNO MARS -  FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
ELLA MAI - BOO'D UP
H.E.R. - AVENUE
SZA - BROKEN CLOCKS
THE INTERNET - COME OVER

 
ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

About Soul Train Holdings
SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS, LLC was formed in May 2008 and is owned by InterMedia Partners and a partnership between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle's investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies. The iconic franchise and catalog consists of more than 1,100 episodes and 40 specials from Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated music program in television history. During its 35-year run, the show featured lasting innovations such as the Soul Train line and the legendary sign off “Love, Peace and Soul.” At the heart of the show was Don Cornelius, the dancers and influential artists such as James Brown, Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Prince, Run D.M.C. and Destiny’s Child.

About the Orleans Arena
The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation’s leading multi-purpose sports and entertainment facilities and the 2014 recipient of the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. In addition, the Orleans Arena is one of only a handful of arenas in the United States to achieve LEED Gold Certification and is part of the largest company in Nevada to achieve SHARP Certification for commitments to safe venue operations. According to Venues Today magazine, the Orleans Arena, which hosts more than 200 events each year, consistently ranks in the Top 10 for ticket sales in the United States and internationally among venues of similar size. These events include nationally touring concerts, NCAA basketball conference tournaments, family shows, motorsports and other unique events. For more information, call 702-365-7469 or visit www.OrleansArena.com. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orleansarena) and on Twitter (@orleansarena).

About Jesse Collins Entertainment
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the Grammy Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Honors, UNCF An Evening of Stars, ABFF Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins was an executive producer of the hit TV series, Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart, the critically-acclaimed The New Edition Story, a biopic on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series on BET in January 2017 and posted record ratings for the network and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. He is also the executive producer of VH1 shows Dear Mama and Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube. He has appeared on the cover of Vibe magazine and has been featured in numerous publications including Ebony magazine. JCE recent debut The Bobby Brown Story aired on BET on September 4 and 5, 2018 drawing over 13MM total viewers in its premiere week.

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Wednesday, August 15, 2018

2018 MTV "VMAs" Nominations - Complete List

MTV Announces 2018 “VMAs” Nominations

CARDI B AND THE CARTERS LEAD NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2018 “VMAS”

AIRING LIVE ON MTV MONDAY, AUGUST 20 AT 9:00 PM ET/PT FROM RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

FIRST-EVER AWARDS SHOW TO REVEAL NOMINEES ON INSTAGRAM’S IGTV

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MTV announced nominations across all gender neutral categories for the 2018 “VMAs.” The list includes dozens of artists whose reach and influence have elevated music’s relevancy within the cultural conversation. Cardi B received nods in 10 categories, including “Video,” “Song” and “Artist of the Year,” and The Carters secured eight, including “Video of the Year,” “Best Collaboration” and “Best Hip Hop” for their recent hit single “APES**T.” Other top contenders include Childish Gambino, Drake and Bruno Mars. The “VMAs” will air live from Radio City Music Hall on Monday, August 20, 2018 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, and across MTV's global network of channels in more than 180 countries and territories, reaching more than half a billion households around the world.

    “The extraordinary group of nominees have amazed us with their talent and inspired us with their creativity – and when you get them together for one night, anything is possible.”

“It has already been a monumental year in music, and this year’s ‘VMAs’ will take things to a whole new level,” said Bruce Gillmer, Head of Music and Music Talent, Global Entertainment Group, Viacom. “The extraordinary group of nominees have amazed us with their talent and inspired us with their creativity – and when you get them together for one night, anything is possible.”

MTV’s collaboration with Instagram to reveal the nominees on IGTV with an all-star group of creators is the first time an awards show has used the new platform in this capacity. With a combined reach of more than 23 million followers on Instagram alone, the team included Nyle DiMarco, Tessa Brooks, Bretman Rock, Scotty Sire, Toddy Smith and more. From live parrots to gospel choirs, workout videos to bathtubs filled with rubber duckies, each of the creators was tasked with revealing a category and its nominees in eccentric vignettes that emphasize that everything might happen at the “VMAs.”

Beginning today, fans can vote for their favorites across 12 VMA categories, including “Video of the Year,” “Artist of the Year,” “Best Collaboration” and more by visiting vma.mtv.com until Friday, August 10. Voting for the “Best New Artist” award, presented by Taco Bell®, will remain active until the VMA broadcast.

COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINEES:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
Drake – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello – Syco Music/Epic Records
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Drake – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Post Malone – Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
Drake – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Dua Lipa – “New Rules” – Warner Bros. Records
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – “rockstar” – Republic Records

BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by Taco Bell®)
Bazzi – iamcosmic/Atlantic Records
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Chloe x Halle – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
Hayley Kiyoko – Atlantic Records
Lil Pump – Warner Bros. Records
Lil Uzi Vert – Atlantic Records

BEST COLLABORATION
Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be” – Warner Bros. Records
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” – i am OTHER/Columbia Records

PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
JULY 2018 – Chloe x Halle – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
JUNE 2018 – Sigrid – Island Records
MAY 2018 – Lil Xan – Columbia Records
APRIL 2018 – Hayley Kiyoko – Atlantic Records
MARCH 2018 – Jessie Reyez – Island Records
FEBRUARY 2018 – Tee Grizzley – 300 Entertainment
JANUARY 2018 – Bishop Briggs – Island Records
DECEMBER 2017 – Grace VanderWaal – Syco Music/Columbia Records
NOVEMBER 2017 – Why Don’t We – Atlantic Records
OCTOBER 2017 – PRETTYMUCH – Syco Music/Columbia Records
SEPTEMBER 2017 – SZA – TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records
AUGUST 2017 – Kacy Hill – Def Jam Recordings
JULY 2017 – Khalid – RCA Records
JUNE 2017 – Kyle – Atlantic Records
MAY 2017 – Noah Cyrus – Republic Records

BEST POP
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry” – Island Records
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
P!nk – “What About Us” – RCA Records
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records

BEST HIP HOP
Cardi B ft. 21 Savage – “Bartier Cardi” – KSR/Atlantic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Drake – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
J. Cole – “ATM” – Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records
Migos ft. Drake – “Walk It Talk It” – Quality Control/Capitol Records
Nicki Minaj – “Chun-Li” – Young Money/Cash Money Records

BEST LATIN
Daddy Yankee – “Dura” – El Cartel Records/UMLE
J Balvin, Willy William – “Mi Gente” – UMLE/Republic Records
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – “Échame La Culpa” – UMLE/Republic/Island/Universal Music Latino
Maluma – “Felices los 4” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin
Shakira ft. Maluma – “Chantaje” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin

BEST DANCE
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” – Geffen Records
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – “One Kiss” – Columbia Records
The Chainsmokers – “Everybody Hates Me” – Disruptor Records/Columbia Records
David Guetta & Sia – “Flames” – Atlantic Records
Marshmello ft. Khalid – “Silence” – RCA Records/Ultra Records
Zedd & Liam Payne – “Get Low (Street Video)” – Interscope Records

BEST ROCK
Fall Out Boy – “Champion” – Island Records
Foo Fighters – “The Sky Is A Neighborhood” – RCA Records
Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes” – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records
Linkin Park – “One More Light” – Warner Bros. Records
Panic! At The Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” – Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Walk On Water” – Interscope Records

VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
Dej Loaf and Leon Bridges – “Liberated” – Columbia Records
Drake – ‘God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Janelle Monáe – “PYNK” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records
Jessie Reyez – “Gatekeeper” – Island Records
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alessia Cara – “Growing Pains” – Def Jam Recordings – Cinematography by Pau Castejón
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Cinematography by Benoit Debie
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Cinematography by Larkin Seiple
Eminem ft. Ed Sheeran – “River” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Frank Mobilio & Patrick Meller
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Cinematography by Jonathan Sela

BEST DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Directed by Ricky Saix
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Directed by Hiro Murai
Drake – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records – Directed by Karena Evans
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records – Directed by Jason Koenig
Justin Timberlake ft. Chris Stapleton – “Say Something” – RCA Records – Directed by Arturo Perez Jr.
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Directed by Jay Martin

BEST ART DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Art Direction by Jan Houlevigue
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Art Direction by Jason Kisvarday
J. Cole – “ATM” – Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records – Art Direction by Miles Mullin
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Pepper Nguyen
SZA – “The Weekend” – TDE/RCA Records – Art Direction by SZA and Solange
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Art Direction by Brett Hess

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Vidal and Loris Paillier for Buf
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” – Geffen Records – Visual Effects by KPP
Eminem ft. Beyoncé – “Walk On Water” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects Supervisor Rich Lee for Drive Studios
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “All The Stars” – TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier for BUF Paris
Maroon 5 – “Wait” – 222/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by TIMBER
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Phil Tayag & Bruno Mars
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge and Sara Bivens
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Jaquel Knight
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Choreography by Sherrie Silver
Dua Lipa – “IDGAF” – Warner Bros. Records – Choreography by Marion Motin
Justin Timberlake – “Filthy” – RCA Records – Choreography by Marty Kudelka, AJ Harpold, Tracy Phillips, and Ivan Koumaev

BEST EDITING
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records – Editing by Jacquelyn London
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Taylor Ward and Sam Ostrove
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records – Editing by Ernie Gilbert
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Editing by Deji Laray
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” – i am OTHER/Columbia Records – Editing by Taylor Ward
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes for Cosmo

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LEADING NOMINEES:

Cardi B – 10 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
SONG OF THE YEAR – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
BEST NEW ARTIST
BEST COLLABORATION – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
BEST COLLABORATION – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
BEST HIP HOP – “Bartier Cardi” – KSR/Atlantic Records
BEST LATIN – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
BEST EDITING – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records

The Carters – 8 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
BEST COLLABORATION – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
BEST HIP HOP – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
BEST DIRECTION – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
BEST ART DIRECTION – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
BEST EDITING – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment

Childish Gambino– 7 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
BEST DIRECTION – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
BEST ART DIRECTION – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
BEST EDITING – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records

Drake – 7 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP – “Walk It Talk It” – Quality Control/Capitol Records
VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
BEST DIRECTION – “God's Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records

Bruno Mars – 6 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
SONG OF THE YEAR – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
BEST COLLABORATION – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
BEST EDITING – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records

Ariana Grande – 5 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
BEST POP – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records

Camila Cabello – 5 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
SONG OF THE YEAR – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
BEST POP – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records

Ed Sheeran – 4 Nominations
SONG OF THE YEAR – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
BEST POP – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “River” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records
BEST DIRECTION – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records

Khalid – 4 Nominations
BEST COLLABORATION – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings
PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
BEST DANCE – “Silence” – RCA Records/Ultra Records
VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings

Young Thug – 4 Nominations
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
BEST POP – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records

Alessia Cara – 3 Nominations
BEST COLLABORATION – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings
VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “Growing Pains” – Def Jam Recordings

Dua Lipa – 3 Nominations
SONG OF THE YEAR – “New Rules” – Warner Bros. Records
BEST DANCE – “One Kiss” – Columbia Records
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – “IDGAF” – Warner Bros. Records

Janelle Monáe – 3 Nominations
VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE – “PYNK” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records
BEST ART DIRECTION – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records
BEST EDITING – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records

Shawn Mendes – 3 Nominations
BEST POP – “In My Blood” – Island Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “In My Blood” – Island Records
BEST DIRECTION – “In My Blood” – Island Records

SZA – 3 Nominations
PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
BEST ART DIRECTION – “The Weekend” – TDE/RCA Records
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – “All The Stars” – TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records

Taylor Swift – 3 Nominations
BEST ART DIRECTION – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records
BEST EDITING – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records

Radio City Music Hall was the home of the inaugural “VMAs” in 1984 and this will mark the 12th time the show has been held there – the most for any “VMAs” location.

Official sponsors of the 2018 “VMAs” include PEPSI®, Swiffer® and Taco Bell®.

Bruce Gillmer and Jesse Ignjatovic are Executive Producers for the 2018 “VMAs.” Melanie Block serves as Executive in Charge of Production. Amani Duncan is Executive in Charge of Music. Wendy Plaut is Executive in Charge of Celebrity Talent.

MTV is the leading youth media brand inspired by music, in nearly 180 countries and 450 million homes around the world, connecting with over 350 million fans across all social media platforms. A unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), MTV operations span cable and mobile networks, live events, and the new MTV Studios unit which produces original and reimagined content for SVOD and linear networks based on MTV’s library of over 200+ youth titles and franchises.

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