Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson joins Chris Janson in the video for ‘Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get’

Chris Janson at the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7^ 2019 in Las Vegas^ NV

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is featured in the music video for good buddy Chris Janson’s latest single “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get”.  Janson shares: We had a great time making this video. Tons of genuine real fun. From Tennessee to Texas, we made it happen. Can’t thank DJ enough for starring in it and for being a great friend to me.” 

Per Billboard, the video isn a ‘fun escapade as the two ride around a field and lounge in the back of a 1970 brown Ford Explorer in the clip, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.’

Johnson and Janson met in 2022 in California, when Janson was with his son. They spotted Johnson in a parking lot while they were both waiting for their cars, and Janson says: “If it weren’t for my kid going, ‘Oh my gosh, The Rock is right in front of us! Daddy, please ask for a picture,’ this would have never maybe happened. I’m a pretty shy guy. I’ve never once, I’m proud to say, asked for a photo, because I understand the extent of what it constitutes when you are in the public eye. But God works in mysterious ways.”

Johnson adds: “’we bonded so quickly in a parking lot waiting for our cars to pull around – talking about ‘The Blues Man,’ talking about the Opry…what really moved me was Chris’ humility, his love for not only country music, which I love as well but his desire to work hard and take care of his family. He does it with such a grace and style – again, his humility, gratitude and always bringing some fun to the mix made us fast friends and I’m happy to be a part of his video.”

Check out the video for ‘Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get’ – here.

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Apple TV+ series ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ renewed for Season 2

Jennifer Garner and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau arrives for Apple+ ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ Premiere on April 13^ 2023 in Westwood^ CA

Apple TV+ has renewed the mystery-thriller series The Last Thing He Told Me for a second season. Jennifer Garner stars in the series as Hannah Hall, a woman who must forge a relationship with her 16-year-old stepdaughter Bailey (Angourie Rice) in order to find the truth about why her husband has mysteriously disappeared.

Season 1 of The Last Thing He Told Me was based on Laura Dave’s best-selling novel; while season two will be based on the author’s newly announced sequel to her book of the same name. The latter is set to be published in 2025, ahead of the show’s Season 2 premiere.  Garner, Rice, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and David Morse will return in the new season.

Garner said in a statement: “Like so many people, I fell for Hannah on page one of Laura Dave’s gripping novel. The move to actor and producer from reader and super fan was delicious — and made even sweeter by collaborating with Laura, Josh, Reese and everyone at Hello Sunshine, as well as the amazing teams at Apple and 20th. Being part of this group, not to mention part of such a stellar cast, was a career highlight for me. I’m thrilled to get to tell more of Hannah’s story — I couldn’t have said yes more quickly to season two! These characters and their story mean so much to me, as I know they do to the many who have championed our show; we’re excited to give audiences even more with this next chapter.”

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Donald Glover announces tour, previews music from upcoming Childish Gambino albums

Donald Glover at the 30th Vanity Fair Oscar Party. LOS ANGELES^ USA. March 10^ 2024

Donald Glover recently revealed that he has two new Childish Gambino albums on the way, and will release the soundtrack to his film, ‘Bando Storm and the New World’ – marking his final albums released under that name. The 40-year-old has also previewed new music during a stream on Instagram Live, including a collaboration with Ye – the artist formerly known as Kanye West.

Glover teased, per Uproxx: “We’re releasing Atavista, but after that, there’s the final Childish Gambino album, a soundtrack for the fans.” Before Glover hosted the GILGA Radio stream on Instagram, Glover stated that the first album will be a finished version of his surprise release “3.15.20,” which dropped in March 2020 under the original title “Atavista” along with a vinyl release.  He then said that he will follow that release with the last installment of the Gambino project, which will serve as the soundtrack to Bando Storm and the New World. Glover shared: “the project I put out, ‘3.15.20’ that no one’s ever heard of, people didn’t even know I put it out, it was originally titled ‘Atavista,’ it was supposed to be ‘Atavista.’ But we put it out quickly, I didn’t master or mix it, I just kind of put it out. I was going through a lot, n—s thought everybody was going to die because it was the pandemic. We put it out, we finished it, it’s ‘Atavista,’ we’re putting that out. But then after that, there’s a Childish Gambino album, the final Childish Gambino album.”

Glover also announced the upcoming tour, Childish Gambino’s New World Tour, on GILGA Radio. The arena tour is expected to kick off this summer, with dates forthcoming. Sign up at thenewworldtour.com for details.

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Ava Max shares video for hew new single, ‘My Oh My’

Ava Max at the Barbie World Premiere at the Shrine Auditorium on July 9^ 2023 in Los Angeles^ CA

Ava Max has dropped her new single, “My Oh My,” produced by Inverness and co-written by Ava with J Bach, Sam Martin, and Charles Roberts Nelsen. “My Oh My” was also featured in coverage for MLB’s 2024 Opening Day on the MLB Network and their affiliated social media accounts.

Ava wrote on Instagram: “So proud to announce “My Oh My” is out now. I have been working on this record for the last 6 months and I couldn’t be more excited for it to finally be yours. The third era begins now. ✩”

“My Oh My” is Ava’s first solo single release since 2023’s sophomore album, Diamonds & Dancefloors. She’s appeared on other tracks including the Tiësto collab “The Motto,” the Kygo collab “Whatever” and a single with DJ Alok, “Car Keys (Ayla),” and her song “Choose Your Fighter” was featured on the Barbie film soundtrack.

The track comes alongside an official music video directed by Hunter Moreno and choreographed by Matt Steffanina. Take a look at the video – here.

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Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal set to star in Ari Aster’s ‘Eddington’

Emma Stone at the 2024 Producers Guild Awards at the Dolby Theatre.LOS ANGELES^ USA. February 25^ 2024

Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler are among the actors set to star in Ari Aster’s next feature film, Eddington, produced A24.

Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward and Clifton Collins Jr. are also set to appear in the film, which centers on a ‘small-town New Mexico sheriff with lofty aspirations.’  The film does not yet have a release date.

A24 has released all three of Aster’s previous feature films: 2018’s Hereditary, 2019’s Midsommar and 2023’s Beau Is Afraid.

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Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough cast in Noah Baumbach’s next film

Laura Dern attends the premiere of the movie "Marriage Story" during the 76th Venice Film Festival on August 29^ 2019 in Venice^ Italy.

Laura Dern, Billy Crudup and Riley Keough have been cast in Noah Baumbach’s next, as-yet-untitled Netflix film. Dern, who won as Oscar for her role in Baumbach’s Marriage Story, joins previously announced stars Adam Sandler and George Clooney.

Baumbach and actress Emily Mortimer wrote the screenplay for the film, though plot details are being kept under wraps.  Baumbach will also produce the film, alongside Amy Pascal and David Heyman, who worked with Baumbach on Marriage Story and also produced Barbie, which the filmmaker co-wrote with Greta Gerwig. A film synopsis described the project as “a funny and emotional coming-of-age film about adults.”

This will be Baumbach’s fourth feature for Netflix, following White Noise, Marriage Story and The Meyerowitz Stories, which starred Sandler.

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Megan Thee Stallion sued by former cameraman for harassment

Megan Thee Stallion arrives for Michael Rubin's 2022 Fanatics Super Bowl Party on February 12^ 2022 in Culver City^ CA

Megan Thee Stallion’s former cameraman Emilio Garcia filed a lawsuit against her for harassment and creating a hostile work environment in Los Angeles County on Tuesday (April 23). Garcia became the rapper’s cameraman in 2018 and started working full-time for her in 2019. Garcia alleges that the rapper forced him to witness Megan, whose real name is Megan Pete, engaging in sexual activities with another woman while confined in a moving vehicle during a trip to Ibiza, Spain, in June 2022. The claim seeks compensation for unpaid wages, interest, statutory penalties, and additional costs.

In an interview with NBC News describing the allegations, Garcia stated, “I felt uncomfortable. I was kind of frozen, and I was shocked. At kind of just be the overall audacity to do this right, right beside me,” recalling how Megan instructed him the next day to keep silent about the incident, saying, “Don’t ever discuss what you saw.”  The suit also accuses Megan of verbal abuse andfat-shaming comments towards Garcia, which he found hypocritical and degrading coming from someone who publicly advocates for body positivity. Garcia’s attorney said he suffered from “mounting anxiety, depression and physical distress stemming from the toxic work environment.”

Garcia was dismissed in June 2023 by Roc Nation (Megan’s management company) just before a scheduled job, who informed him that his services were no longer required. Additional allegations made in the lawsuit include employment and wage violations related to Garcia’s classification as an independent contractor, which purportedly deprived him of necessary healthcare coverage and other benefits.

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Dua Lipa drops the video for ‘Illusion’ ahead of upcoming album

Dua Lipa at the World Premiere of "Argylle" at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London^ England. January 24^ 2024

Dua Lipa released the music video for her latest single “Illusion,” a new song from her forthcoming album, Radical Optimism, dropping on May 3rd.  ‘Illusion’ is the third single Dua has released of Radical Optimism, following the singles “Houdini” and “Training Season.”

The 28-year-old singer-songwriter celebrated the song’s release on Instagram, writing: “ILLUSION OUT NOW !!!!! I hope you love this song and video as much as we really truly loved and had fun making this. This song started everything for this album sonically and it was the first song I wrote with “the band” (@carolineailin @dannylharle @tobiasjessojr @tameimpala )it has just made me even more excited for Radical Optimism ~ aaaaahhh it’s all bloody kicking off!!! 🌀what a team, thank you I love you !! 💙

The Tanu Muino-directed music video for “Illusion” video shows Lipa perform alongside water polo players and artistic swimmers at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc in Barcelona, Spain, as she sings about taking her “rose-colored glasses off” and seeing a love interest for what they are.  Dua said in a press release: “Illusion was the first song we worked on together and it really broke the ice for the record. It’s about the fun of playing someone at their own game because ultimately you won’t fall for an illusion.”

The 11-track Radical Optimism album is Dua’s first full-length project since 2020’s Future Nostalgia. To pre-order, head here.
Take a look at the video for ‘Illusion’ – here.

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Disney+ to stream original Beatles’ 1970 ‘Let It Be’ film restored by Peter Jackson

'Let it Be' album from The Beatles. This music album is on a vinyl record LP disc. Album cover

Disney+ announced they will release a restored version of the Beatles film Let It Be, announcing in a press release that the film will premiere May 8

Per Billboard, the film chronicling the final days of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr will be available for the first time in more than 50 years when it airs exclusively on Disney+ on May 8. Let It Be, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, was originally released in May 1970. The film follows Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr as they rehearse and record songs in January 1969 for their 1970 album, Let It Be; the album was the group’s final before their split.

Director Peter Jackson and his Park Road Post Production, with the support of original director Lindsay-Hogg, restored the Let It Be film from the original 16mm negative. Jackson previously worked on 2021’s The Beatles: Get Back docuseries that explored the making of the Let It Be album, which featured unused footage and audio from the original Let It Be film.

Jackson said in a statement: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, ‘Let It Be’, has been restored and is finally being re-released after being unavailable for decades. I was so lucky to have access to Michael’s outtakes for ‘Get Back’, and I’ve always thought that ‘Let It Be’ is needed to complete the ‘Get Back’ story. Over three parts, we showed Michael and The Beatles filming a groundbreaking new documentary, and ‘Let It Be’ is that documentary — the movie they released in 1970. I now think of it all as one epic story, finally completed after five decades. The two projects support and enhance each other: ‘Let It Be’ is the climax of ‘Get Back’, while ‘Get Back’ provides a vital missing context for ‘Let It Be’.”

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Tyla makes history with self-titled debut album ‘TYLA’

Tyla Seethal attends the HM Mugler launch at Lexington Armory in New York on April 19^ 2023

Grammy-winning sensation Tyla has achieved a top 25 Billboard 200 debut, as well as hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s World Music chart, with her debut album, TYLA.  

TYLA became the highest-charting album on the US Billboard 200 Albums Chart by a female African soloist in chart history with its Top 25 debut at No. 24, due in part to over 26 million domestic streams.

Released on March 22nd via Epic Records, TYLA also achieved several other Billboard Top 5 chart debuts, including a No. 1 slot on the Current R&B Album Chart, No. 2 on the R&B Overall Consumption Chart, and No. 3 on the Current R&B & Hip-Hop Chart. It also marks Tyla as the first artist to occupy seven of the top ten spots on the Afrobeats chart.

TYLA, comprised of 14 tracks and featuring Travis Scott, Becky G, Gunna, Skillibeng and Kelvin Momo, is available for streaming – here.

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