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Beyoncé drops ‘Act II: Cowboy Carter’

Beyoncé has dropped her new album, Act II: Cowboy Carter, the follow-up to her Grammy-winning album Renaissance.

A press release detailing the album drop states in part that “COWBOY CARTER, executive produced by Beyoncé, is about genres, all of them, while deeply rooted in Country. This is the work of an artist who thrives in her freedom to grow, expand, and create limitlessly. It makes no apologies, and seeks no permission in elevating, amplifying, and redefining the sounds of music, while dismantling accepted false norms about Americana culture. It pays homage to the past, honoring musical pioneers in Country, Rock, Classical, and Opera”

Per The Hollywood Reporter the album features 27-songs, including a cover of Dolly Parton’s classic hit “Jolene,” as well as a collaboration with Willie Nelson on a song titled “Smoke Hour.” Post Malone is also reportedly featured on the track “Levii’s Jeans,” while Miley Cyrus is a guest vocalist on “II Most Wanted.”

In addition to her previously released singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the tracklist for Act II: Cowboy Carter includes the songs: “Protector,” “Ameriican Requiem,” “Bodyguard,” “Daughter,” “Spaghettii,” “Smoke Hour II,” “Just for Fun,” “Flamenco,” “Ya Ya,” “Oh Louisiana,” “Desert Eagle,” “Riiverdance,” “Tyrant,” “II Hands II Heaven,” “Sweet Honey Buckin’,” “Alliigator Tears,” “Amen,” and a cover of The Beatles’ classic “Blackbird.”

Beyoncé, who recently shared the artwork and a note prior to the release of Cowboy Carter, stated: “This ain’t a Country album .. This is a ‘Beyoncé album.”

To stream “Cowboy Carter” head here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Beyoncé drops ‘Act II: Cowboy Carter’

Beyoncé has dropped her new album, Act II: Cowboy Carter, the follow-up to her Grammy-winning album Renaissance.

A press release detailing the album drop states in part that “COWBOY CARTER, executive produced by Beyoncé, is about genres, all of them, while deeply rooted in Country. This is the work of an artist who thrives in her freedom to grow, expand, and create limitlessly. It makes no apologies, and seeks no permission in elevating, amplifying, and redefining the sounds of music, while dismantling accepted false norms about Americana culture. It pays homage to the past, honoring musical pioneers in Country, Rock, Classical, and Opera”

Per The Hollywood Reporter the album features 27-songs, including a cover of Dolly Parton’s classic hit “Jolene,” as well as a collaboration with Willie Nelson on a song titled “Smoke Hour.” Post Malone is also reportedly featured on the track “Levii’s Jeans,” while Miley Cyrus is a guest vocalist on “II Most Wanted.”

In addition to her previously released singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the tracklist for Act II: Cowboy Carter includes the songs: “Protector,” “Ameriican Requiem,” “Bodyguard,” “Daughter,” “Spaghettii,” “Smoke Hour II,” “Just for Fun,” “Flamenco,” “Ya Ya,” “Oh Louisiana,” “Desert Eagle,” “Riiverdance,” “Tyrant,” “II Hands II Heaven,” “Sweet Honey Buckin’,” “Alliigator Tears,” “Amen,” and a cover of The Beatles’ classic “Blackbird.”

Beyoncé, who recently shared the artwork and a note prior to the release of Cowboy Carter, stated: “This ain’t a Country album .. This is a ‘Beyoncé album.”

To stream “Cowboy Carter” head here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Sports Daypop

NY Yankees’ Gerrit Cole placed on 60-day IL amid elbow injury

New York Yankees right-handed pitcher Gerrit Cole was placed on the 60-day injured list ahead of Thursday’s season-opener against the Houston Astros. Cole won’t throw for three to four weeks because of nerve irritation and edema in his throwing elbow, with the hope the rest will help his elbow recover. New York also placed pitchers Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) and McKinley Moore (knee) on the 15-day injured list and infielders DJ LeMahieu (foot) and Oswald Peraza (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Monday.

ESPN reports that on March 16, “Cole said he wouldn’t throw for three to four weeks in an effort to heal his ailing throwing elbow,” telling reporters that nerve irritation and edema were the source of his problem, with rest and recovery the prescription. Cole said before Saturday’s game against Toronto: “I think we’ve determined that we just got a little too hot a little too quick. I just got to a certain point where we just didn’t hit baseline and recovery. That’s important at this time of the year.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said if the team needed a 40-man roster spot that Cole would be placed on the 60-day injured list, which means the earliest the AL Cy Young award winner could be back is late May.  Said Cashman: “I feel really comfortable based on all the feedback and the experts that were involved in deciding to go (with) rest. Best-case scenario we wouldn’t be dealing with anything, right? But second-best case, right?”

Cole is coming off a Cy Young season that saw him post a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 222 strikeouts in 209 innings. He led the AL with 33 starts in 2023, with his ERA, WHIP and strikeout numbers all the best in the American League.

The righty is entering the fifth season of a $324 million, nine-year contract that pays $36 million annually. He has the right to opt out after the season and become a free agent, but if he opts out the Yankees can void the opt-out by adding a guaranteed $36 million salary for 2029.

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Sports Daypop

Khamzat Chimaev vs Robert Whittaker set as main event at UFC Saudi Arabia debut on June 22

Middleweights Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker will headline the first UFC event ever held in Saudi Arabia. UFC president Dana White announced the news in a video on Instagram and X along with the caption:P “BOOOOOOM!!!!!! UFC is heading to Saudi Arabia for the first time with a BAD ASS card, headlined by Whittaker vs Chimaev LIVE and FREE on ABC on June 22nd”

CBS Sports reports that the event, which was originally scheduled to take place on March 2, was pushed to this summer after White said that the card they would have placed there wouldn’t have been up to UFC’s standards. The even will also be a ‘Fight Night’, airing on ABC in the United States, not PPV. The fights will be held at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital city. Preliminary action will start at noon EDT on ESPN and ESPN+. The main-card broadcast is expected to start at 3 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+.

White shared in the video posted to social media: “Our first fight in the Kingdom will be a fight night that will air live and free on ABC. The main event will be former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-7) versus 13-0, undefeated Khamzat Chimaev to see who will be the No. 1 contender for the UFC middleweight championship … This card is going to be bad [expletive], from top to bottom. It’s going to be historic. It’s our first-ever show from the Kingdom.”

White added that the co-main event will feature No. 6-ranked heavyweight Alexander Volkov (37-10) and No. 3 Sergei Pavlovich (18-2). Kelvin Gastelum (18-9) will battle fellow welterweight Daniel Rodriguez (17-4) in another matchup. In addition, No. 7 light heavyweight Johnny Walker (21-8) also will meet No. 9 Volkan Oezdemir (19-7). Middleweight Ihor Potieria (20-5) will take on undefeated Shara Magomedov (12-0) in another fight on the card.

 

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

‘Sex and the City’ to premiere on Netflix on April 1

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the classic HBO comedy Sex and the City will make its Netflix premiere on April 1. All 94 episodes of the show, which ran between 1998-2004, will be made available on the streaming services. Netflix’s social media read: “Hello, lover! Sex and the City — The Complete Series — is coming to Netflix on April 1”

Sex and the City starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon and Kim Cattrall as best friends Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha, navigating careers and relationships in New York City. The show was followed by two movie sequels in 2008 and 2010.

Parker, Davis and Nixon reunited in 2020 for the Sex and the City followup series, ‘And Just Like That …’, which will return for its third season this year. Sex and the City will continue to stream on Warner Bros. Discovery’s in-house streaming service, which is also the home of ‘And Just Like That…’

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Pop Daypop

Milwaukee’s Summerfest 2024 lineup: Maroon 5, Kane Brown, Mötley Crüe, Lil Uzi Vert & more

The lineup for Milwaukee’s 2024 Summerfest was revealed, featuring artists across all-genres including Keith Urban, Maroon 5, Mötley Crüe, REO Speedwagon, Illenium and more (per The Music Universe).

Festival organizers posted on social media: “Living in our mind rent-free 😍 The Summerfest lineup presented by @AmFam is here 🙌 Now sound off and tell us who you’re excited to see and tag your Summerfest Squad to get the party started ✌

The Wisconsin music festival runs across three consecutive weekends in downtown Milwaukee, from noon to midnight on June 20-22, 27-29 and July 4-6. The festival hosts 140 headliners over three weekends, comprising more than 1,000 performances across 12 different stages.

Additional performers at SUMMERFEST 2024 include: Kane Brown with Kameron Marlowe, Tyler Childers, Lil Uzi Vert with Lil Yachty, JID, Rico Nasty, Maroon 5, AJR with Carly Rae Jepsen, Keith Urban, Mötley Crüe with Seether and Buckcherry, Ivan Cornejo, Bryson Tiller, MUNA, Mt. Joy, David Kushner, Hippo Campus, Alison Wonderland, Jessie Murph, Lil Tecca, Cold War Kids, FLETCHER, Sleater-Kinney, Black Pumas, REO SPEEDWAGON, Umphrey’s McGee, En Vogue, Charles Wesley Godwin, Goo Goo Dolls, Ken Carson, Key Glock, Ethel Cain, The Wallflowers, Taking Back Sunday, Mariah the Scientist, Local Natives, Three Dog Night, and many more.

Sarah Pancheri, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc: “Our 2024 lineup embodies the essence of what makes Summerfest so special. With a curated selection of artists spanning genres and styles, the festival reflects the vibrancy of today’s music scene. With 600 artists at a 75-acre permanent festival park, Summerfest creates a one-of-a-kind environment that our fans look forward to every summer.”

Visit Summerfest.com for ticket information, and for the full festival lineup (including artist date, stage, and times), head here.

Editorial credit: James Meyer / Shutterstock.com

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Sports Daypop

NCAA president Charlie Baker calls for ban on college sports prop bets

NCAA president Charlie Baker announced on Wednesday that he wants states with legalized sports gambling to ban prop betting on collegiate athletics. Baker’s remarks come as the NBA is in the midst of an investigation into prop betting activity earlier this year.

Baker’s statement reads: “Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed. The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets. This week we will be contacting officials across the country in states that still allow these bets and ask them to join Ohio, Vermont, Maryland and many others and remove college prop bets from all betting markets. The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game — issues across the country these last several days show there is more work to be done.”

Proposition (prop) bets are those unrelated to the score of a game. They can include an individual player’s expected points, rebounds and more. The NCAA prohibits betting activity and providing information to those involved in betting in relation to collegiate, amateur and professional sports competitions.,

The NCAA announced March 19 that it launched a “Draw the Line” campaign, which provides student athletes with education on the effects of sports gambling while also addressing additional issues with gambling. A 2023 NCAA study found that 67% of 18- to 22-year-olds on college campuses have engaged in sports betting, with the NCAA stating on its website that “player-specific prop bets create circumstances where student-athletes and other athletics personnel received targeted harassment by bettors.”

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Sports Daypop

Denver Broncos sign ex-Lions WR Josh Reynolds to 2-year deal

Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday that free agent, ex-Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds signed a two-year deal worth up to $14 million with the Denver Broncos. The addition of Reynolds’ comes after the Broncos traded wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns earlier this month.

Reynolds, 29, spent his first four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams after being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft.  The veteran wide receiver was waived by the Tennessee Titans in 2021, after which he signed a two-year extension with the Lions before the 2022 season Reynolds was a consistent target for Lions quarterback Jared Goff over the past few season; he finished with 608 yards on 40 catches with 5 touchdowns in 2023.  Lions general manager Brad Holmes said he hoped to re-sign Reynolds during the NFL’s league meetings this week in Orlando, Florida, sharing: “He’s one that was part of the original [free agent] plans. Still having dialogue, we’ll just kind of see where that goes. But that’s really the only one that’s still out there that we had originally planned so far.”

Reynolds has 220 career receptions for 2,933 yards and 19 touchdowns in 107 games, averaging 13.3 yards per catch over seven seasons. With the Broncos, Reynolds joins a depth chart that includes Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Tim Patrick and others.

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Entertainment Daypop

Neve Campbell to return for ‘Scream 7’ with director Kevin Williamson

Neve Campell announced that she will return for ‘Scream 7’, posting a photo of her script on Instagram along with the news that ‘Scream’ creator Kevin Williamson will direct the script from Guy Busick. Christopher Landon was originally hired to direct the seventh Scream in the film’s franchise, but during development, Scream and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera was fired by Spyglass Entertainment for comments about the Israel-Hamas war.  In addition, Jenna Ortega left the seventh film reportedly due to scheduling conflicts, prior to Barrera’s firing; after which Landon announced his departure as director in December.

Campbell posted on her social media: “Hi All. I’m so excited to announce this news!!! Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!! It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled!!! Well actually I could. While I’ve been so incredibly lucky to make these films with both the master of horror Wes Craven and the wonderfully talented Matt and Tyler team, I’ve dreamt for many years of how amazing it would be to make one of these movies with Kevin Williamson at the helm. And now it’s happening, Kevin Williamson is going to direct Scream 7! This was his baby and it’s his brilliant mind that dreamt up this world. Kevin is not just an inspiration as an artist but has been a dear friend for many years. To the amazing Scream fans, I hope you are as excited as I am. See you on set @kevwilliamson”

Campbell played Sidney Prescott in the first five films of the ‘Scream” franchise, but declined to be involved in ‘Scream VI’, telling People at the time that the offer for her to appear in the film was below fair market for a franchise star in a sixth installment: “I honestly don’t believe that if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man.”

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Entertainment Daypop

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs speaks out after raid of his homes by federal agents

The attorney for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ has released a statement after Homeland Security raided the rapper’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles on March 25.

In a statement to E! News, Diddy’s attorney, Aaron Dyer, is accusing the government of using excessive force while searching his home reportedly as part of a sex trafficking investigation in his statement. Dyer denounced Homeland Security’s use of force while searching Diddy’s homes, saying: “Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”

The statement said that Combs, 54, spoke to the authorities and he was not arrested, and maintained Diddy’s innocence: “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”

The raid comes four months after Diddy settled a lawsuit after his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who accused him of sexual assault. In total, five women have come forward accusing the rapper of sexual assault since late 2023; Diddy released a statement denying the allegations against him.

A rep for Homeland Security Investigations confirmed that their New York branch “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation” on March 25, with sources familiar with the investigation telling NBC News that the raid may be tied to a federal investigation regarding accusations of sex-trafficking and sexual assault, as well as the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms against Combs.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com