Snoop Dogg, Sade Among 2023 Songwriter Hall of Fame Inductees

Snoop Dogg

The Songwriters Hall of Fame has released the names of the seven inductees that make up its class of 2023, and it includes several hip-hop and R&B powerhouses.

Gangster rapper turned entertainer extraordinaire Snoop Dogg, New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley and soul music icon Sade made the cut.

They will be officially inducted at the organization’s 52nd Annual Induction and Awards Gala on June 15 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, along with the "Queen of Latin Pop," Gloria Estefan, Electric Light Orchestra founder Jeff Lynne, Glen Ballard — a writer who co-wrote some of Alanis Morissette's and Michael Jackson's biggest hits — and frequent Taylor Swift collaborator Liz Rose.

"The music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first. Without them there is no recorded music, no concert business, no merch . . . nothing, it all starts with the song and the songwriter," Nile Rodgers, the hall's chairman, said in a statement.

"We are therefore very proud that we are continually recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time and that the 2023 slate represents not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who have enriched our lives and, in their time, literally transformed music and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world."

For more info on the inductees, the process used to determine their worthiness for the hall and their official bios click here.

Mimi and Missy to Headline Second Annual Lovers & Friends Fest in Las Vegas

Las Vegas will be the center of the R&B music universe for the second year in a row, at least for a day, this May.

Usher announced the lineup for his Lovers & Friends music festival Tuesday, putting the world on notice that some of the genre's biggest acts and their hip-hop brethren are headed to Sin City.

"We’re back at it! Lovers & Friends Festival in Vegas Saturday, May 6, 2023. Time to “Get Ur Freak On,” wrote the self-declared "King of R&B" on Twitter, alongside an image of the festival's lineup.

Standing out among the loaded list of performers, which features over 45 acts, are some marquee names, including first-time headliners Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott and Pitbull.

Along with the festival's host, Usher, they give this second edition of the annual event some serious star power.

🎧We’re back at it! Lovers & Friends Festival in Vegas Saturday, May 6, 2023 👈🏾
Register now for presale tickets, available on Friday, January 20th at 10AM at https://t.co/DIKuR9PIOh pic.twitter.com/EuLXrbj0At

— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) January 17, 2023

The bill is rounded out by fellow music luminaries Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown, Boyz II Men, and an astonishing array of chart-topping acts from previous decades to the present including Ginuwine, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Master P, T.I., Flo Rida, Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller, Shaggy, Eve and Omarion.

Lisa Marie Presley, Singer-Songwriter and Elvis' Only Child, Dead at 54

Lisa Marie Presley, a singer-songwriter who was the only child of Elvis, the man many people regard as the king of rock n’ roll and who was married briefly to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has died at the age of 54.

She passed away Thursday after being rushed to the hospital earlier in the day for treatment after going into cardiac arrest at her Calabasas, California, home.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” her mother, Priscilla Presley said in a statement Thursday evening. “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.”

Presley was eager to follow in her footsteps earlier in her career, releasing three albums. Her debut effort in 2003, "Whom It May Concern," reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and was certified gold. Her second release "Now What" peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in 2005.

While critics heaped some praise on her songwriting ability and her voice, Presley's music career stalled after her third release "Storm & Grace" in 2012.

My beloved daughter Lisa Marie was rushed to the hospital. She is now receiving the best care. Please keep her and our family in your prayers. We feel the prayers from around the world, and ask for privacy during this time.
-Priscilla Presley pic.twitter.com/j5oNfNMYJx

— Priscilla Presley (@Cilla_Presley) January 12, 2023

In addition to being the only heir of one of the most famous men in music, and retaining ownership of his legendary estate Graceland, Presley's short marriage to Jackson further cemented her standing as music royalty and sparked the curiosity of the world.

 

The duo was married from 1994 to 1996. Together they weathered child molestation accusations against Jackson, before the constant attention and Jackson's health issues led Presley to file for divorce in 1996, citing irreconcilable differences.

She later revealed in a 2010 interview with Oprah Winfrey, that she and Jackson — who died of a drug overdose in 2009 — had attempted to reconcile on and off for four years following their divorce, and that she had traveled to different parts of the world to be with him.

Mama Lion with cubs ❤️💙🖤🧡🦁😘 pic.twitter.com/UiYoceWHWN

— Lisa Marie Presley (@LisaPresley) June 20, 2019

Presley was married three other times: musician Danny Keough (1988-1994), actor Nicolas Cage (2002-2004) and guitarist Michael Lockwood (2006-2021).

The unions produced four children: Actor Riley Keough, her brother Benjamin Keough who committed suicide in 2020 and twins Finley Lockwood and Harper Lockwood.

Dr. Dre Selling Catalog Assets to Universal Music Group and Shamrock Holdings in $200 Million-Plus Deal

After falling to No. 5 on the list of Hip-Hop's richest moguls in 2022, as curated by Forbes magazine, with a fortune estimated at $400 million, it looks like Dr. Dre has found the perfect prescription to put himself back among the genre's top earners.

The super-producer, who once wrongly proclaimed himself hip-hop's first billionaire, is close to reaching a deal to sell some of his music assets for more than $200 million. 

It's not enough to get him into the coveted three-comma club with Jay-Z ($1.5 billion), and Diddy ($1 billion) but it will provide a significant boost to his net worth, which peaked at $800 million.

According to reporting from Variety, the sales are being made to Shamrock Holdings and Universal Music Group through a pair of deals for assets making around $10 million a year. The assets being purchased include his artist royalties from N.W.A. and for two solo albums, along with producing royalties and other entities.

The master recording of Dre’s iconic debut solo album following his departure from N.W.A., 1992′s "The Chronic,” will also be acquired by UMB. The triple-platinum album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2019 as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Dre, 57, will reportedly maintain control of his Aftermath Entertainment record label.

Naomi Osaka is Expecting First Baby With Boyfriend Cordae

Naomi Osaka and Cordae on the cover the March 2021 issue of GQ

Three-time Grammy Award-nominee Cordae and former world No. 1 tennis player Naomi Osaka are having a baby.

Osaka, 25, made the announcement that she and the rapper were expecting Wednesday on social media.

"Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023," she labeled a post on her official Instagram account featuring photos of a sonogram along with a letter to fans in both English and Japanese.

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“The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that it’s the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun. These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to,” it reads.

“I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure. I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘that’s my mom,’ haha. 2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons for me and I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I'll be at [Australian Open] 2024."

Osaka added, "I don’t think there’s a perfectly correct path to take in life but I always felt that if you move forward with good intentions you’ll find your way eventually."

The announcement sheds new light on Osaka's withdrawal from the upcoming Australian Open, which was announced Sunday by tournament organizers.

It was scheduled to be her first on-court action since September when she played in the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

Osaka and Cordae, 25, have been dating since 2019 after meeting at a Los Angeles Clippers game.

Watch: Angela Bassett Make History as First MCU Actor to Win a Golden Globe

Photo Courtesy Marvel 

Angela Bassett paid a touching tribute to late "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman, Tuesday, while accepting her Golden Globe for best supporting actress in a drama film for her performance as Queen Ramonda in the film's sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

“We embarked on this journey together with love. We mourned, we loved, we healed. We were surrounded each and every day by the light and the spirit of Chadwick Boseman,” Bassett said following the historic win, the first for an actor in a Marvel movie.

Congratulations to @imangelabassett for taking home the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture! A well deserved honor 🙌

Watch LIVE on NBC and Peacock! #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/zcuzdg46Jf

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 11, 2023

“We have joy in knowing that with this historic ‘Black Panther’ series, it is a part of his legacy that he helped to lead us. We showed the world what Black unity, leadership and love looks like, behind and in front of the camera."

The win was the second for the 64-year-old actor. Bassett, who has been nominated twice for Golden Globes, also won the award for best actress in a musical or comedy for 1993’s Tina Turner biopic “What’s Love Got to Do With It."

Gordy Harmon, Co-Founder of R&B Hitmakers the Whispers, Dies At 79

Early promotional material for the Whispers featuring Gordy Harmon. 

The Whispers, and fans of the acclaimed California-bred R&B group, are in mourning following the death of one of its founding members.

Singer Gordy Harmon, who co-founded the quintet in Watts, California, with twin brothers Wallace and Walter Scott, Marcus Hutson, and Nicholas Caldwell in 1964, has died at the age of 79.

No cause was given for Harmon’s death, but his family confirmed the news to ABC 7. The media outlet reported that the musician died peacefully in his sleep at his Los Angeles home on Thursday (Jan. 5). 

The surviving Whispers shared their condolences on social media. 

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“We are saddened by the passing of one of the founders and former member of the Whispers,” the group captioned a collage of photos during Gordy's time with it on its official Instagram page. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and his memory and his contributions will never be forgotten. Much love.”

Before leaving the band in 1973, after his larynx was damaged in a driving accident, Harmon helped lay the groundwork for the group's future success. 

He sang on early hits like 1969's "The Time Will Come," which peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard R&B chart, and “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong” which became the group's first top 10 R&B entry in 1970.

Harmon was replaced by, Leaveil Degree, formerly of Friends of Distinction, and the Whispers went on to enjoy even greater success.

During the eighties and early nineties, the group scored multiple hits on the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts, putting out five gold and two platinum-certified albums. 

In 1987, their signature hit "Rock Steady" peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100, while taking the top spot on the R&B chart. 

The Whispers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003, the Soul Music Hall of Fame in 2012 and the R&B Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

De La Soul's Music is Officially Headed to Streaming Platforms

De La Soul (Photo Courtesy Instagram: @wearedelasoul)

De La Soul has finally gone digital.

On Wednesday, the Grammy Award-winning rap group announced its iconic catalog will be released on streaming services for the first time ever on March 3 — the 34th anniversary of its debut album "3 Feet High and Rising."

"We can’t believe this day is finally here, and we are excited to be able to share our music with fans, old and new. Golnar, Rell, Faith and the Reservoir team have been great partners in this entire process. We’re grateful that our relationship with them all has enabled this to happen,” De La Soul said of the long-anticipated release in a statement.

The rest of the group's first six albums, "De La Soul Is Dead," "Buhloone Mindstate," "Stakes Is High," "Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump" and "AOI: Bionix," will also be made available.

De La Soul's label AOI will distribute the music in partnership with Reservoir Media and its subsidiary Chrysalis Records.

The move ends months of speculation on whether or not the move would really happen. Previously, infighting between the trio and their label Tommy Boy had kept De La Soul's work from being digitally distributed. 

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A post shared by De La Soul (@wearedelasoul)

As we reported earlier Reservoir acquired Tommy Boy — founded by Tom Silverman in New York in 1981 and instrumental in launching the careers of Afrika Bambaataa, Queen Latifah, Digital Underground and Naughty By Nature amongst others — in June for a deal valued at $100 million dollars.

The purchase proved fortunate for De La Soul which was at an impasse in negotiations with Tommy Boy over streaming rights in 2019 after the label acquired the rights to its back catalog from Warner Records.

In August the group revealed during an Instagram live session that its whole catalog would be made available for streaming as a result of the deal.

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"We have finally come down to a deal between ourselves and Reservoir Media to release our music in 2021," group member Dave "Trugoy" Jolicoeur said. "Our catalog will be released this year, we are working diligently with the good folks at Reservoir, and we sat down with them and got it done pretty quickly actually."

Made up of Jolicoeur, Kelvin "Posdnuos" Mercer and Vincent "Maseo" Mason, De La Soul were pioneers of alternative rap and prominent members of the so-called Native Tongues collective, along with A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers and others known for the positive Afrocentric lyrics, eclectic samples and jazz-influenced beats. A 2006 collaboration with the Gorillaz on the single “Feel Good Inc.” earned it a Grammy.