New Selena Documentary Faces Backlash from Quintanilla Family And Fans

Abraham Quintanilla, the father of the late Tejano icon Selena, has expressed his disapproval of a new documentary featuring Yolanda Saldívar on Oxygen True Crime. He stated that neither he nor any family member was involved in the production of the two-part series titled “Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them”. He also questioned the decision to interview Saldívar, who is currently serving a life sentence for Selena’s murder, arguing that she has a history of lying and will lack credibility with the audience.

Saldívar, who was in charge of Selena’s fan club, shot the Tejano star in 1995, just as she was on the verge of a mainstream commercial breakthrough. This happened after Selena accused Saldívar of embezzlement.

Promotional materials from Oxygen True Crime indicate that the documentary includes an in-prison interview with Saldívar, marking the first time in over two decades that the convicted murderer has spoken at length in English and on camera about the shooting. The series will also feature interviews with members of Saldívar’s family.

The broadcast date is approximately a year before Saldívar is eligible for parole. The documentary will include a series of prison interviews with her, as well as interviews with some of Selena’s family members and previously unseen documents. Fans are far from understanding the purpose of the documentary. One fan commented on X/Twitter, “It’s pointless. I can see something with something like the docuseries for Mckamey Manor, or how they did for some of the more prolific serial killers. Where they aren’t giving them excuses.” Others are calling for a boycott, saying, “I’m Boycotting it. Everybody should too. She took a Valuable, Irreplaceable life.” Another fan criticized Oxygen, saying, “Shame on you! This is so unbelievably disrespectful to Selena’s family. Those poor people have had to grieve the loss of their loved one and you’re allowing her killer to have a platform.” Selena’s father told TMZ, “No one’s gonna believe what she has to say anyway. Everyone knows there’s zero truth to anything that comes out of her mouth.”

Selena Por Vida

Trump Claims He Made Taylor Swift Rich, Doubts Her Support for Biden

On Sunday, former President Trump dismissed the possibility that pop star Taylor Swift would back President Biden, as rumors circulated that the president’s team was trying to get her endorsement.

“I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists. Joe Biden didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will,” Trump said on Truth Social on Sunday. “There’s no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money.” “Besides that, I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be a Liberal, and probably can’t stand me!” He was referring to Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end who is dating Swift.

Trump was talking about a 2018 bill he signed that addressed copyright issues and was considered a milestone for the music industry.

Swift’s possible role in politics was raised last month after The New York Times reported that Biden’s aides were seeking the support of the “Shake It Off” singer for the upcoming election in November. The Times said the campaign received many ideas to involve Swift, such as sending Biden to one of Swift’s “Eras Tour” concerts. Trump’s remark on a potential Swift endorsement came just before Kelce and the Chiefs faced the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday in Las Vegas.

Swift’s new relationship with Kelce has sparked wild conspiracy theories on conservative media. The theories are based on the baseless claim that the league is fixing games to ensure that the pop singer and her boyfriend’s team both reach and win the Super Bowl and then support Biden’s bid for a second term.

Swift has not said anything about endorsing Biden’s 2024 run, but she did express her support for him in the 2020 presidential election in an interview with V Magazine. Swift’s endorsement could boost Biden’s numbers, with some noting that Swift’s single Instagram post last year urging her followers to go to the nonpartisan, nonprofit Vote.org resulted in 35,000 new voter registrations.

Why Usher and Other Super Bowl Halftime Stars Don’t Get Paid

Usher, an eight-time Grammy winner, will perform in the halftime show of Super Bowl 2024, one of the most prestigious stages in the world. However, he will not receive one of the highest paychecks in the world. In fact, he will earn less than the cost of a ticket — if he gets paid at all.

What is the payment for Super Bowl halftime show performers?

Usher will not make any money from his performance on Sunday, except for union scale, a minimum amount guaranteed by a union contract, as reported by various sources. Based on the latest contract of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union, that would be around $1,000 a day, according to People Magazine.

What is the reason for the NFL not paying Super Bowl halftime performers?

The NFL has a consistent policy of only paying union scale for halftime performers, who have included Beyoncé, Rihanna, Prince, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney in the past. The NFL has never paid performers, and even tried to charge them for the opportunity to perform in front of a huge Super Bowl audience. The NFL asked Rihanna, Cold Play and Katy Perry to pay fees to perform in 2015, but they refused.

Perry agreed to perform, but not to pay for it, saying to Forbes: "I want to be able to say I played the Super Bowl based on my talents and my merit, thank you very much."Why do Super Bowl halftime performers agree to do the show for free?

Why would musicians who usually make six or seven figures per show agree to perform for free or for a very low amount? One reason is that they get to display their music to more than 100 million people without paying for any of the expenses, as the NFL covers travel and production costs. And those can be expensive. The NFL spent about $13 million to cover the costs of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s halftime show in 2020.

For Usher, his performance on Sunday, which will last 12 minutes, will help him promote his new album and his upcoming world tour, and it will also be a special moment for him.

“It’s gonna be a celebration. I’m gonna try my hardest not to cry, break down and cry on the stage,” he told CBS Mornings’ Gayle King.

How Stick Figure Is Changing the Game with Refundable Tickets

Stick Figure, the American reggae and dub band, has announced a new ticketing policy for their upcoming summer tour that gives fans more flexibility and peace of mind. The band will offer full refunds for any ticket purchased from their website up until ten days before the show, no questions asked.

The band, which has released seven albums and one instrumental album since 2006, said they wanted to look out for their fans and understand that life can be unpredictable. They said they were taking matters into their own hands to ensure fans have the freedom to make plans, knowing that the band has their back. Concert tickets are notoriously non refundable making this venture unique to the band.

The refundable ticket policy applies to all of the band’s headlining shows on their Sacred Sands Summer Tour, which kicks off on July 11, 2024, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ends on September 9, 2024, in Morrison, Colorado. The tour will also feature SOJA, Little Stranger, Sensamotion, and other special guests.

Fans can purchase fully refundable artist presale tickets now at stickfigure.com using the code “SACREDSANDS” and general on sale is Friday at 10am PST. The band said they were trying something new and asked fans to email family@stickfigure.com if they had any questions or wanted a refund.

The band also warned fans to avoid buying tickets from resale sites, as they would not be eligible for refunds. They said they would offer absolutely no refunds to scalpers and did not support the concept of buying tickets with the sole purpose of taking advantage of fans by reselling those tickets at higher prices.

Stick Figure is known for their distinctive sound that has redefined American reggae and dub. Their latest album, Wisdom, was released in September 2022 and features songs such as “Old Sunrise”, “Paradise”, and “Railroad Shelter”. The band is also famous for their tour dog, Cocoa, who often joins them on stage.

Fans can find more information about the band, their music, and their tour dates on their website, stickfigure.com, or follow them on social media.

Paramore Reflects On Historic Grammy Win And Calls For More Inclusion

The band did not show up at the ceremony, but they revealed on social media through two posts that they were following the awards on TV, and in the first photo they had a pair of cakes prepared no matter the outcome. The group from Tennessee won the award for their 2023 album ‘This Is Why’, defeating Foo Fighters‘ ‘But Here We Are’, Greta Van Fleet‘s ‘Starcatcher’, Metallica’s ’72 Seasons’ and Queens of the Stone Age’s ‘In Times New Roman’. Paramore became the first band with a female lead singer to receive the award, which solo female artists Alanis Morrissette and Sheryl Crow had won in the ’90s before.

In another post, the group shared on Instagram: “First off, infinite thanks to our fans, our team, and the voting academy for making ‘This Is Why’ such a moment for us, 20 years into our career.” They also said that they had a good time “sitting together in Zac’s living room, dressed in our regular clothes.” Regarding their historic achievement, Paramore said: “Turns out, our win for Best Rock Album was a historic feat as we are the first female-fronted band to ever take home a trophy for this category. Ridiculous yet true! It’s an honor for Paramore to be a small but constant reminder for people to keep pushing these rock and alternative spaces to be more inclusive.”

The trio – made up of Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro – removed all posts and pictures from social media pages a month ago, while their official website showed a 404 error message. This happened after the band expressed a “level of uncertainty” about their future, after finishing their ‘This Is Why’ tour and fulfilling their commitments to their label, Atlantic.

The band also spoke about their departure from Atlantic, writing in their statement: “Some of you will know that ‘This Is Why’ was our last album for our deal with Atlantic Records. To end anything well is something to be proud of. Thank you to anyone who supported the ethos of Paramore as much as the music.” Lately, Paramore released their cover of Talking Heads’ ‘Burning Down The House’ as part of a forthcoming Talking Heads tribute album, featuring Lorde, The National, Girl In Red and more. The project was revealed last month when A24 announced that the album was coming soon, with 16 artists offering their own versions of Talking Heads classics.

Killer Mike Responds to Grammy Night Arrest

Apart from the buzz around Taylor Swift, the 2024 Grammy Awards were marked by the arrest of Killer Mike. Footage of the rapper’s detention, which occurred shortly after his triple Grammy win, circulated widely on social media that Sunday night. He was subsequently released, but the reasons behind his arrest remained largely undisclosed. A source for Rolling Stone has now revealed that the arrest was a result of a dispute with a security guard following his victories.

The source detailed that the artist, whose real name is Mike Render, was halted by a guard who requested his tickets and guided him towards a security checkpoint. Render attempted to bypass her, leading to a second halt, during which she claimed that Render knocked her to the ground. The guard reportedly sustained injuries from the alleged assault, prompting her to summon additional security and contact the police. She received medical attention and filed a citizen’s arrest for misdemeanor battery.

This explains why the authorities didn’t postpone the matter until after the Grammys to address it discreetly: because “it was a private citizen, and she had everything she needed to exercise her rights to make a citizen’s arrest,” as the source clarified to the outlet. “And we are bound by law to make that arrest.”

Killer Mike, on the other hand, refutes the accusation. A representative from his team informed Rolling Stone that the “situation has been overblown, but we are confident that the facts of the case, when laid bare, will show that Mike did not commit the alleged offense, and he will be exonerated.” In his personal statement, Render expressed, “As you can imagine, there was a lot going and there was some confusion around which door my team and I should enter. We experienced an over-zealous security guard, but my team and I have the upmost [sic] confidence that I will ultimately be cleared of all wrongdoing.”

In the aftermath of his awards, he stated, “We are incredibly proud and are basking in this moment.” He also shared his gratitude for a personal blessing: “I am also grateful that one of my prayers has been answered—the day after my Grammy win—I learned that my son, who has been on the list for a kidney for years, finally has a match. Obviously, we are elated.”

KILLER MIKE AREESTED FOR MISDEMEANOR BATTERY AFTER WINNING 3 WHOLE A** GRAMMYS

The Los Angeles Police Department arrested Killer Mike on Sunday after he had won three Grammy Awards at the 66th annual event. The rapper and activist, 48, was involved in “a physical altercation” just after 4 p.m. local time on Chick Hearn Court, a street near the Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles where the ceremony took place, and was taken into custody.

The real name of Killer Mike is Michael Render, and he faced a misdemeanor battery charge at the LAPD Central Division. His lawyer said on Sunday night that Killer Mike was out of jail: “He’s out and will be celebrating his sweep tonight.” Killer Mike received three awards at the pre-show event, which gave out several Grammys before the main show started at 5:00 p.m. PT. A video by Gardner on X/Twitter showed police taking Killer Mike away in handcuffs around 4:22 p.m. PT

Killer Mike swept all three categories he was up for: best rap song and best rap performance for his song “Scientists & Engineers” and best rap album for “Michael,” his sixth studio album that came out in June 2023.

KILLER MIKE ARRESTED AFTER A SWEEPING WIN AT THE GRAMMYS: ARRESTED AT EVENT

It was a day of mixed emotions for Killer Mike, who won three Grammys but was also arrested shortly after. The Cryto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA was the scene of both his triumph and his trouble, as he was handcuffed by cops and escorted out of the venue. The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner broke the news of Mike’s arrest on social media, sharing videos of the rapper in cuffs. Gardner said he did not know what Mike was accused of, but an official told him it was “a misdemeanor.” The same official also said the arrest was unrelated to “anything that happened today here inside the arena.”

Mike had a clean sweep at the Grammys this year, winning all three categories he was nominated for. His album Mike, which shares part of his name, won Best Rap Album. His song “Scientists & Engineers”, which features André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane, won both Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. His collaborators also received awards for their contributions to Mike’s song. Gardner said he did not know what Mike was accused of, but an official told him it was “a misdemeanor.” The same official also said the arrest was unrelated to “anything that happened today here inside the arena.”

Aston Barrett, Bob Marley’s Bassist and Reggae Icon, Dies at 77

The world mourns the loss of Aston Barrett, a “LEGENDARY” bassist for Bob Marley and the Wailers, who passed away at 77.

His family revealed that he had a “long medical battle” without giving more details. His son Aston Jr. broke the news on social media.

He wrote: “With the heaviest of hearts, we share the news of the passing of our beloved Aston ‘Familyman’ Barrett after a long medical battle.”

"This morning, the world lost not just an iconic musician and the backbone of the Wailers but a remarkable human being whose legacy is as immense as his talent.

"Our family is asking for privacy during this challenging time, as words cannot express our profound loss."Barrett was born in 1946 and grew up in Kingston, where he pioneered reggae and dub music.

He crafted his first bass guitar from plywood, a curtain rod and an old ashtray.

He joined Bob Marley in 1974 and played in most of the Wailers albums, contributing to many of their greatest hits such as I Shot the Sheriff, Get Up Stand Up, Stir It Up, Jamming, No Woman, No Cry and Could You Be Loved.

He became the leader of Marley’s backing band and stayed with them until Marley’s death. He was one of the few surviving original members of the group.

Known as the rhythmic ‘Architect of Reggae’, Barrett also collaborated on classic albums by artists such as Burning Spear, Peter Tosh and many more.

In 2021, Jamaica honored Barrett with an Order of Distinction for his role as the musical “backbone” of the reggae genre.

NYC Gives Pre-Paid Cards to Migrants, 50 Cent Says ‘Maybe TRUMP is the Answer’

A new initiative by Mayor Eric Adams’ administration will give pre-paid credit cards to migrant families staying in New York City hotels. The program, which costs $53 million and is run by Mobility Capital Finance from New Jersey, will help asylum seekers at the Roosevelt Hotel by 1 APP using city money to buy food only, as official city records show. The news made rapper 50 Cent comment online that “maybe TRUMP is the answer” to NYC’s $53 million program for illegal immigrants. “WTF mayor Adams call my phone, I don’t understand how this works, somebody explain. Ari Melber can’t explain this I’m stuck maybe TRUMP is the answer,” he wrote. The pilot program, starting with 500 migrant families in temporary hotel stays, will take the place of the current food services at these places, City Hall says. The pre-paid cards can only be used at bodegas, grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Migrants have to sign a paper saying that they will use the money only for food and baby supplies to stay in the program. recommended. 50 also slammed California for making a law to give health care to migrants in the state. "I don’t understand this, this it going to cost 2.6 billion dollars for tax payers,” Jackson said on Instagram. “They don’t even give veterans health insurance. @arimelber call my phone now, help me understand this s—. [shrug emoji] WTF.” California was the first state in the country to give health insurance to undocumented immigrants on Monday. A law that started on January 1 let 700,000 of the state’s 39 million people get insured.

Elon Musk Loses $56bn Pay Deal to a Former Metal Drummer

A former heavy metal drummer, Richard Tornetta, won a huge legal victory this week against Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO, who lost his $56bn pay package in a case that Tornetta filed. Tornetta, who lived in Pennsylvania and owned only nine Tesla shares, sued Musk in 2018. The case went to trial in late 2022 and on Tuesday, Tornetta won, as the judge ruled that the massive pay deal was unfair to him and the other Tesla shareholders. Before Tornetta’s case, Musk had won several lawsuits that accused him of various wrongdoings, such as defamation, breaching his duty to shareholders and violating securities laws. Tornetta’s online profile suggests that he is more into making audio equipment for car enthusiasts than pursuing corporate wrongdoing and greed. He has shared humorous videos of his inventions or accidents, such as how he burned his eyebrows. Tornetta also appeared in videos playing drums at the famous old New York club CBGB with his former metal band Dawn of Correction, which described its sound as “a swift kick to the face with a steel-toed work boot”. On social media, Tesla and Musk fans were outraged by the case and wondered about Tornetta’s motives and political views, asking how a shareholder with such a small stake could have such influence. Delaware corporate case law has many cases with the names of individual investors with tiny stakes who ended up changing America’s corporate law. Eric Talley, a corporate law professor at Columbia Law School, says that many law firms that represent shareholders have a group of investors they can use to file cases. They could be pension funds with a wide variety of stocks, but they are also often people like Tornetta. The plaintiff signs the papers to start the lawsuit and then usually stays out of it, Talley says. The investors do not pay the law firm, which takes the case on a no-win, no-fee basis, as the lawyers did in the Musk case. Tornetta gains from winning the case the same way other Tesla shareholders gain: saving the company billions of dollars that a compliant board of directors gave to Musk. Business groups have long complained about cases filed by individuals as a sign of possible litigation abuse. Delaware had a problem 10 years ago with lawsuits led by retail investors with a few shares who challenged merger deals. The cases were often settled quickly with worthless settlements that always paid the lawyers who filed the cases. Delaware judges and lawmakers eventually stopped the practice. Experts said that people like Tornetta are important for keeping an eye on boardrooms. Lawmakers and judges have always wanted large investment firms to lead such corporate litigation, since they are better able to monitor their lawyers’ actions. But experts said that fund managers do not want to risk their relationships on Wall Street. So Tornetta had to challenge Musk. “His name is now engraved in the history of corporate law,” Talley said. “My students will be studying Tornetta v Musk for the next 10 years.”

TikTok Faces Music Blackout as UMG Ends Licensing Deal

UMG, the record label of major artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and BTS, said it will stop licensing music to TikTok, which could mean their songs will disappear from the app.

The label posted an open letter on its website, saying its music licensing deal with TikTok ends on Wednesday, and they have not reached a new agreement yet. The label listed several problems that prevent a fair deal, such as how much artists and songwriters get paid, how to protect them from the impact of artificial intelligence and how to ensure TikTok users are safe, echoing the Hollywood strike issues from last summer.

UMG’s music will be taken off TikTok soon, starting from Wednesday.

The label said TikTok tried to "bully us into accepting a deal."The label, which has Swift, Drake and other big stars on its roster, said TikTok wanted to pay its artists and songwriters “at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay.”

TikTok told USA TODAY that UMG’s claims are a “false narrative” driven by “greed.”“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” the statement said. “Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.”

The app added: "TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans."Songs by Swift, Rodrigo, Drake, Bad Bunny, SZA, Rihanna, Adele, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Harry Styles and more on TikTok could be gone soon.

Other artists whose music could be affected are BTS, Blackpink, J. Cole, Demi Lovato and Kendrick Lamar, among others. UMG includes Capitol Records, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Def Jam Recordings, Abbey Road Studios, Virgin Music Group, Motown, Dreamville and more labels. UMG said TikTok only makes up 1% of its total revenue, even though it has a "massive and growing user base, rapidly rising advertising revenue and increasing reliance on music-based content."UMG claimed that TikTok tried to “bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth” as “negotiations continued.”

The label also said TikTok is making a lot of AI-generated music and creating tools to "enable, promote and encourage AI music creation. TikTok, UMG said, is "demanding a contractual right which would allow this content to massively dilute the royalty pool for human artists, in a move that is nothing short of sponsoring artist replacement by AI."The label said TikTok was not only bullying, but also “intimidation.”

The label wrote: “When we proposed that TikTok takes similar steps as our other platform partners to try to address these issues, it responded first with indifference, and then with intimidation.”

Reports from Tik Tok creators are saying that the sound from their videos have been removed.

Roger Waters Loses Publishing Deal with BMG after Political Disputes

Variety has reported that BMG will end its relationship with Roger Waters, the co-founder of Pink Floyd who has stirred up controversy with his remarks about Israel, Ukraine and the United States. The company, based in Germany, had a publishing deal with the artist since 2016 and planned to release a new version of Pink Floyd’s iconic 1973 album “Dark Side of the Moon” last year, but the new CEO Thomas Coesfeld cancelled the project after he took over on July 1, 2023. The album was eventually released by Cooking Vinyl, a U.K. company. Sources said that BMG is now getting ready to cut ties completely with the seasoned musician.

Waters’ work with Pink Floyd is undoubtedly one of the most important and profitable catalogs of the rock era, but his divisive political views in recent years have some saying he has crossed the line from anti-Zionism to antisemitism, and he spoke to the United Nations Security Council at the invitation of Russia last year, asserting that Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine was “not unprovoked.” Waters has faced a lot of backlash for his comments, expressing them often on his recent tours and denying any accusations of antisemitism. His former bandmates have been enraged by his statements, as they have scared away several potential buyers of the aging band’s recorded-music catalog, which was reportedly up for sale for half a billion dollars.

Waters himself said he was “fired” by BMG in a video interview with Glenn Greenwald last November, but the news was hidden 24 minutes into the chat in which the artist blamed his departure from the company on pressure from pro-Israeli groups on BMG’s parent company Bertelsmann; Waters has frequently talked about conspiracies against him spreading his beliefs, especially in a 2022 Rolling Stone interview. A source says that BMG does not agree with Waters’ account of what happened — he seemed to refer to the Creative Community for Peace’s open letter urging the company to “reconsider” its relationship with the musician” — and that Coesfeld, who belongs to the family that owns Bertelsmann, made the decision by himself. Bertelsmann issued a statement showing “solidarity with Israel” shortly after the Hamas attack on the country on Oct. 7. While it is usual for artists to be “dropped” from their record deals by record labels, it is much rarer for major publishing contracts. In recent years, both R. Kelly and Kanye West’s actions or statements put them in conflict with their labels and publishers, despite their huge sales; Kelly, who is serving a long prison term for multiple crimes related to sexual abuse, has had his royalties with Sony Music and Universal Music Publishing given by a judge to his victims, while West’s contracts with Universal’s recorded-music division and Sony Music Publishing were not renewed.

Lil Pump Gets An Ugly A** Tattoo Of Trump’s Mugshot

Lil Pump, the artist behind “Gucci Gang,” is a staunch supporter of the former president, Donald Trump, and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. His loyalty to the one-term Republican leader was recently demonstrated when he tattooed a well-known image of Trump, from his time on The Apprentice, onto his leg. On Tuesday (Jan. 30), the 23-year-old Pump, whose real name is Gazzy Garcia, shared a photo on Instagram of the new tattoo, which is a replica of a widely circulated mugshot of Trump. This mugshot was taken when Trump was arrested and processed in Fulton County, Georgia, in August of the previous year after he turned himself in following his indictment for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2022 election in that state. This indictment is one of four, amounting to 91 felony charges, that the current GOP presidential front-runner is facing as he campaigns for the presidency for the third time.

Alongside the image, Pump wrote, “MAGA [two American flag emoji].” The post also included an older photo of a grinning Pump standing next to Trump at a rally. In a November post featuring the same photo of Pump and Trump, the rapper referred to the former real estate tycoon as the “Greatest president of all time.”

Pump has been vocal about his support for Trump for almost four years, starting in October 2020 when he posted a video criticizing President Biden’s proposed tax policy, which aims to make the wealthy pay a larger share of taxes. This was followed by the release of the song “Lil Pimp Big MAGA Steppin.” Trump, in turn, invited Pump, who was wearing a MAGA hat, to join him on stage at a rally in Michigan just before the 2020 election polls opened (though he mistakenly called him “Lil Pimp”). However, as reported by the Smoking Gun, Pump, who was 20 at the time, was not eligible to vote for the first time because he did not register in his home state of Florida in time.

Pump’s tattoo tribute is the latest in a series of hip-hop endorsements for Trump. Chicago rapper Bandman Kevo also tattooed the first-ever presidential booking photo on his leg in August of the previous year. Trump has received endorsements or words of praise from rappers Benny the Butcher, Sexyy Red, Kodak Black, and most notably, Ye, who visited Trump in the White House in November 2002.

Just this week, after years of animosity, Snoop Dogg expressed “nothing but love and respect” for Trump. This change of heart was brought about by one of Trump’s final actions as president: granting clemency to Death Row Records co-founder Michael “Harry-O” Harris in the final moments of his single term in office.

Trump launches a “Holy War” On Taylor Swift

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift hasn’t even endorsed President Joe Biden for reelection yet. That hasn’t stopped members of Trump Supporters upper crust from plotting to declare — as one source close to Donald Trump calls it — a “holy war” on the pop megastar, especially if she ends up publicly backing the Democrats in the 2024 election. According to three people familiar with the matter, Trump loyalists working on or close to the former president’s campaign, longtime Trump allies in right-wing media, and an array of outside advisers to the ex-president have long taken it as a given that Swift will eventually endorse Biden (as she did in 2020). Indeed, several of these Republicans and conservative media figures have discussed the matter with Trump over the past few months, the sources say. While Swift has not yet issued an endorsement in the 2024 race, The New York Times reported Monday that Swift is a key name on Biden aides’ “wish lists of potential surrogates.” A potential Swift appearance at Super Bowl LVIII alongside her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, has already prompted the MAGA right’s culture-war into a battle about how this NFL season has been rigged to boost Biden. Behind the scenes, Trump has reacted to the possibility of Biden and Swift teaming up against him this year not with alarm, but with an instant projection of ego. In recent weeks, the former president has told people in his orbit that no amount of A-list celebrity endorsements will save Biden. Trump has also privately claimed that he is “more popular” than Swift and that he has more committed fans than she does, a person close to Trump and another source with knowledge of the matter said. Last month, the source close to Trump adds, the ex-president commented to some confidants that it “obviously” made no sense that he was not named Time magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year — an honor that went to none other than Swift in December. in an email, Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller shrugged off the prospect of a Swift endorsement for Trump’s rival. “Joe Biden might be counting on Taylor Swift to save him, but voters are looking at these sky-high inflation rates and saying, ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,’” Miller wrote. The former president has already taken public swipes at Swift because of her endorsement of two Tennessee Democrats running during the 2018 midterms. “I like Taylor’s music about 25 percent less now,” Trump said following the pop singer’s statement. Swift also blasted Trump during the 2020 election, accusing him of trying to “blatantly cheat and put millions of Americans’ lives at risk” following the Trump administration’s efforts to hinder mail-in voting amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, as Trump has been having a popularity contest with Swift in his own head, others close to him — including GOP operatives, some of his 2024 staff, and Trump-y media figures — have been brainstorming different ways to go after Swift. Since late last year, these Trump allies have repeatedly discussed how to turn the culture-warrior dial up to 11 if she re-endorses Biden this year, the sources recount. “It would be more fuel thrown onto the culture-war fires,” says an official working on the Trump reelection efforts. “Another left-wing celebrity who is part of the Democrat elite telling you what to think.” Publicly, members of Trump’s inner sanctum and social circle are already signaling Swift’s prominent position atop their enemies list — a situation that has reached fever pitch now that Swift’s boyfriend will once again be playing in the Super Bowl.

Kat Von D Prevails in Legal Battle Over Miles Davis Tattoo, But Loses Passion for Tattooing

On Friday, a jury ruled that Kat Von D, a famous tattoo artist, did not infringe on the photographer Jeffrey Sedlik’s rights when she tattooed a friend’s arm with Miles Davis’ image, based on his 1989 portrait of the jazz icon.

The jury in Los Angeles took just over two hours to conclude that the tattoo by the former reality TV star of “Miami Ink” and “LA Ink” was different enough from Sedlik’s portrait that she did not need his permission to use it.

“It’s been two years of a nightmare worrying about this, not just for myself but for my fellow tattoo artists.” Von D, who gave her friend the Davis tattoo as a present about seven years ago, said outside the court. “I’m obviously very happy for this to be over.” The jury also agreed that a drawing Von D did from the portrait to make the tattoo, and several social media posts she shared about the process, which Sedlik sued her over, did not violate his copyright. They also decided that the tattoo, drawing and posts were all examples of fair use, a legal principle that allows some use of protected works for purposes like commentary, criticism and parody. This gave Von D and other tattoo artists who backed her and followed the case a complete victory. “This case never should have been brought,” Von D’s lawyer Allen B. Grodsky said after the verdict. “The jury recognized that this was just ridiculous.”

Sedlik’s lawyer Robert Edward Allen said they will appeal. He said the images, which both showed a close-up of Davis looking at the viewer and making a “shh” sign, were so alike he didn’t understand how the jury could reach their decision.

“No one’s art is safe,” Allen said, “if those two things are not substantially similar.”

He told the jury in his closing arguments earlier on Friday that the case was “not about tattoos.” “It’s about copying others’ protected works,” Allen said. “The tattoo industry will not be hurt. No one will come after the tattoo artists.”

Allen highlighted the careful work Sedlik did to arrange the shoot, to create the lighting and mood, and to put Davis in the pose that made for a classic photo that first appeared on the cover of JAZZIZ magazine in 1989. Sedlik got the copyright in 1994.

And he said that afterwards, licensing the image to others including tattoo artists was a big part of how he earned money.

Von D said during the three-day trial that she never licenses the images she copies, and she thinks of the Davis tattoo as a kind of “fan art.”

“I made zero money off it,” she said. “I’m not mass-producing anything. I think there is a big difference.” Her lawyer Grodsky stressed to the jury that that absence of an attempt to profit from the image was key to the tattoo being a form of fair use.

Allen argued in his closing that the social media posts about the tattoo were a way of advertising her and her studio, and thus a way of making money from the image.

If the jury had found for Sedlik, they could have given him anything from a few hundred dollars to $150,000.

Von D was one of the stars of the reality show “Miami Ink” then was the main artist on its spinoff “LA Ink,” which ran on TLC from 2007 to 2011.

The 41-year-old Von D, whose real name is Katherine von Drachenberg, was already a well-known young tattoo artist when she became a TV star through her appearances on TLC’s “Miami Ink” starting in 2005 on TLC. She was the leading star of its spinoff, “LA Ink,” which ran from 2007 to 2011 and made her perhaps the most famous tattoo artist in the nation. Von D said that even though she won, she’s not excited about returning to work. “I think I don’t want to ever tattoo again, my heart has been crushed through this in different ways,” she said.

Snoop Dogg's Surprising Change of Heart: 'Nothing but Love' for Donald Trump

Snoop Dogg recently expressed 'nothing but love and respect' for Donald Trump, praising the former president's actions, including the 2021 pardon of Snoop's friend, Michael Harris. Despite past insults and a parody of Trump's assassination in his music videos, Snoop now highlights Trump's positive impact in an interview with the Sunday Times. The rapper acknowledges Trump's contributions, stating, 'He ain't done nothing wrong to me. He has done only great things for me. He pardoned Michael Harris. So I have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump.'

In 2021, Snoop commended the 'great work' of Trump's administration upon learning about Harris's pardon, expressing appreciation for their efforts. This shift in perspective contrasts with Snoop's previous criticism, where he called Trump a 'racist, f**king clown president' and discouraged people from voting for him. Despite once urging government employees not to vote for Trump in a profanity-laced video, Snoop now emphasizes the positive aspects of their interaction.

While Snoop had a tumultuous public relationship with Trump, including calling him 'f**k Trump' and parodying an assassination in a music video, he now credits Trump's actions in the Harris case. Despite Snoop's history of criticizing Trump and even predicting his run for president in 2011, he now acknowledges the positive impact of Trump's pardon, demonstrating a change in his perspective.

It's noteworthy that Snoop, who previously condemned Trump and his supporters with strong language, has evolved to express gratitude for specific actions taken by the former president. This transformation in Snoop's stance, from vehemently opposing Trump to acknowledging acts of kindness, adds a layer of complexity to their public dynamic.

In a podcast interview in September 2018, Snoop bluntly directed expletives at both Trump and his supporter Kanye West, criticizing those who aligned with them. Snoop's shift from such explicit disapproval to expressing respect for Trump's actions showcases the rapper's evolving sentiments over time.

Despite a history of animosity, Snoop's recent statements underscore a change in his perception of Donald Trump, acknowledging positive aspects while refraining from a full endorsement. This evolution adds nuance to their previously contentious relationship, highlighting the complexity of public figures' opinions over time.

The Rap Song That Knocked Off Taylor Swift, Eminem, and Nicki Minaj: “FACTS” by Ben Shapiro and Tom MacDonald

“FACTS”, the new rap song by Ben Shapiro and Tom MacDonald, has become a sensation on iTunes, reaching the #1 spot on the overall and rap charts. The rap duo announced their collaboration on Wednesday and launched the music video at 12 pm eastern time, which quickly gained almost a million views on YouTube in 6 hours. The idea of making a song together was first discussed in an interview they did last May. Shapiro, who had previously recited the lyrics of Cardi B’s “WAP” in a podcast and faced a lot of ridicule from the media, celebrated the song’s success on X, where he boasted about knocking off several popular artists, such as Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, and Taylor Swift. He also used X to taunt rappers like Nikki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, saying “Hey Megan [Thee Stallion] we’re coming for thee.” Tom, seeing the song’s popularity, predicted that they would break the internet the next day, saying “Take a good look at the internet this evening……appreciate its beauty……and hold on to that image… Because tomorrow morning…we’re breaking the internet once and for all.” However, not everyone was impressed by the song, which touched on some controversial topics in American society. Ben, who is known for being divisive and having many enemies, received a lot of negative feedback on social media, where many people called the song embarrassing, lame, silly and a contender for the worst rap ever. Despite the criticism, Ben encouraged his fans to buy and listen to the song, and it seemed to work, as the song climbed up the music charts.

White House Condemns AI Porn of Taylor Swift and Calls for Legislation

The White House reacted to artificial intelligence-generated porn of Taylor Swift, the country’s most popular pop star, that have been spreading online lately, describing the false pictures as “alarming.”Sadly, though, too often, we know that lax enforcement disproportionately impacts women and they also impact girls, sadly, who are the overwhelming targets,"said Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary at the White House briefing on Friday. Jean-Pierre called for Congress to pass laws to address the problem of artificial intelligence-created images and the abuse of this technology. She also blamed some of the responsibility on social media platforms, such as X, formerly Twitter."We believe they have an important role to play in enforcing their own rules to prevent the spread of misinformation and nonconsensual, intimate imagery of real people,"Jean-Pierre said.These remarks have sparked debate about Taylor Swifts involvement with the state. This is something that Jesse Watters, a Fox News commentator, alleged earlier this month when he said swift was a pentagon psyop to win votes for Joe Biden in 2024 and to help silence the internet. The Pentagon denied any claims that Swift was working with the government. With this statement from the press secretary, rumors have resumed.In addition to the graphic photos of Swift, other fake celebrities — such as a new comedy show by the late George Carlin — have gained more attention. The Carlin estate is taking legal action against the makers of the AI special.

Notorious Troll Doxxed By swifties Over AI GENERATED Nudes of Taylor Swift

It has been reported that Taylor Swift is “furious” about the explicit, AI-created images of her that are being shared on social media.

Indeed, the “Cruel Summer” artist is contemplating legal measures in response to the explicit pictures from NSFW sites that became widespread this week, as per an informant.

“Whether or not legal action will be taken is being decided, but there is one thing that is clear: These fake, AI-generated images are abusive, offensive, exploitative and done without Taylor’s consent and/or knowledge,” the source disclosed to the Daily Mail Thursday.

“The Twitter account that posted them does not exist anymore. It is shocking that the social media platform even let them be up to begin with,” the informant continued.

Swift’s loved ones are also “furious,” according to the report. “Legislation needs to be passed to prevent this, and laws must be enacted,” the source insisted.

While Swift, 34, has yet to make a public statement about the controversy, her dedicated followers promptly filled X, previously known as Twitter, with supportive messages and finding the troll in an effort to counteract the dissemination of the unsuitable pictures.

After some investigation, fans identified the troll as: Zvbear. Swifties have been doxxing him, trying to get him arrested and even killed. Zbvear wrote on X, “I don’t care how powerful Swifties are they’ll never find me I’m like the Joker I use fake numbers and addresses for everything I do As long as my account is still active I can never lose”.

After the onslaught from the swifties, he stated, “I gotta go private till this tsunami passes… The only time in history I privated my account was cause of Jen*na Ortega fans for 24 hours Now I’m dealing with Swifties A whole different animal… This is a Tactical Retreat, every great army has done this”. Zbvear then disappeared and made his account private. Zbvear is allegedly a Somalian troll notorious for these kinds of pranks.

Will Zbvear face charges for the AI nudes of our beloved Taylor or will he vanish into the darkness? We will be tracking this story as it unfolds.