Monday, September 12, 2022

Watch: Halle Bailey as Ariel in First Teaser for Live-Action 'The Little Mermaid' Movie

Over the weekend the world finally got a sneak peek at Disney’s controversial live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid,” starring Black R&B singer and actress Halle Bailey as Ariel.

A teaser trailer for the adaptation of the animated Disney classic was released Friday at Disney's D23 expo and already has more than 104 million (more than those of any other tease for a live action Disney adaption) views globally according to reporting from Variety.

It has also drawn praise from celebrities, parents and the original voice cast for Bailey —who has faced criticism of "blackwashing" since taking on the iconic role of the fictional red-headed mermaid who dreams of a life above the waves.

Following the premiere, Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the original 1989 animated film praised Bailey on Instagram writing, "Halle, you were absolutely amazing! I'm SO proud of you and your beautiful performance as Ariel."

The 60-year-old actress added that she had a great time celebrating the achievement with Bailey, 22, at D23 and shared some words of adulation for the film's director Rob Marshall as well.

She added, "Thank you for creating such a stunning film!!!"

The clip gives fans a brief look at the underwater world Marshall has created for the film and Bailey in action as Ariel — red hair and all — as she hits the beginning notes to bring to "Part of Your World."

Watch the teaser below:

Drake, Ye and Kendrick Lamar Lead 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards Nominees

Photo courtesy Republic Records
America may have invented hip-hop, but thanks to the 6 God, Canada may currently have the edge on it
when it comes to excellence.

The Great White North's greatest rapper, Drake, leads the nominations for the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards announced today with 14, including Best Live Performer, Lyricist of the Year, Hip Hop Album of the Year and Hip Hop Artist of the Year.

While the Certified Lover Boy has a chance to take home a lot of trophies at the network's 17th edition of the annual award show, he has plenty of competition from some homegrown stars.

Billionaire fashion mogul and former presidential candidate, Kanye West, garnered 10 nominations for his work on the eponymously named "Donda" album he conceived as a tribute to his late mother and Cardi B's "Hot Shit" featuring Lil Durk, which is in contention for Song of the Year.

Kendrick Lamar's powerful return to form this year with the release of "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers" and the accompanying cutting-edge tour, earned nine nods including Best Live Performer, Lyricist of the Year, Hip Hop Album of the Year and Hip Hop Artist of the Year.


Other notable nominations include Doja Cat, Latto, Lil Durk, Tems, and Young Thug, with three. Benny The Butcher, City Girls, Fivio Foreign, Glorilla, Jay-Z, Megan Thee Stallion, Nas, and Usher each received two nominations.

This year's show will be hosted by Fat Joe and a taping will be held at Atlanta's Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Sept. 30. BET will broadcast the event on Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. ET.

 A complete list of official nominees follows:

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO


D.M.B. — A$AP ROCKY
FAMILY TIES — BABY KEEM & KENDRICK LAMAR
GOOD LOVE — CITY GIRLS FEAT. USHER
HOT SHIT — CARDI B, KANYE WEST & LIL DURK
LONDON — BIA & J. COLE
WAIT FOR U — FUTURE FEAT. DRAKE & TEMS
WAY 2 SEXY — DRAKE FEAT. FUTURE & YOUNG THUG

BEST COLLABORATION
FAMILY TIES — BABY KEEM & KENDRICK LAMAR
GOOD LOVE — CITY GIRLS FEAT. USHER
HOT SHIT — CARDI B, KANYE WEST & LIL DURK
JIMMY COOKS — DRAKE FEAT. 21 SAVAGE
JOHNNY P’S CADDY — BENNY THE BUTCHER & J. COLE
WAIT FOR U — FUTURE FEAT. DRAKE & TEMS
WAY 2 SEXY — DRAKE FEAT. FUTURE & YOUNG THUG

BEST DUO OR GROUP

42 DUGG & EST GEE
BIG SEAN & HIT-BOY
BIRDMAN & YOUNGBOY NEVER BROKE AGAIN
BLXST & BINO RIDEAUX
DABABY & YOUNGBOY NEVER BROKE AGAIN
EARTHGANG
STYLES P & HAVOC

BEST LIVE PERFORMER
CARDI B
DOJA CAT
DRAKE
J. COLE
KANYE WEST
KENDRICK LAMAR
TYLER, THE CREATOR

LYRICIST OF THE YEAR
BABY KEEM
BENNY THE BUTCHER
DRAKE
J. COLE
JACK HARLOW
JAY-Z
KENDRICK LAMAR

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
BENNY BOOM
BURNA BOY
COLE BENNETT
COLIN TILLEY
DIRECTOR X
KENDRICK LAMAR & DAVE FREE
TEYANA TAYLOR

SONG OF THE YEAR
BIG ENERGY — LATTO
F.N.F. (LET'S GO) — HITKIDD & GLORILLA
FIRST CLASS — JACK HARLOW
HOT SHIT — CARDI B, KANYE WEST & LIL DURK
SUPER GREMLIN — KODAK BLACK
WAIT FOR U — FUTURE FEAT. DRAKE & TEMS
WAY 2 SEXY — DRAKE FEAT. FUTURE & YOUNG THUG

HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
777 — LATTO
CERTIFIED LOVER — BOY DRAKE
DONDA — KANYE WEST
I NEVER LIKED YOU — FUTURE
IT'S ALMOST DRY — PUSHA T
KING'S DISEASE II — NAS
MR. MORALE & THE BIG STEPPERS — KENDRICK LAMAR

HIP HOP ARTIST OF THE YEAR
CARDI B
DOJA CAT
DRAKE
FUTURE
KANYE WEST
KENDRICK LAMAR
MEGAN THEE STALLION

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
ATL JACOB
BABY KEEM
HIT-BOY
HITMAKA
KANYE WEST
METRO BOOMIN
PHARRELL WILLIAMS

BEST BREAKTHROUGH HIP HOP ARTIST
BABY KEEM
BLXST
DOECHII
FIVIO FOREIGN
GLORILLA
NARDO WICK
SAUCY SANTANA

DJ OF THE YEAR
D-NICE
DJ CASSIDY
DJ DRAMA
DJ KAY SLAY
DJ PREMIER
KAYTRANADA
MUSTARD
NYLA SYMONE
LA LEAKERS: DJ SOURMILK AND JUSTIN INCREDIBLE

BEST HIP HOP PLATFORM
BIG BOY'S NEIGHBORHOOD
BREAKFAST CLUB
CARESHA PLEASE
COMPLEX
DRINK CHAMPS
HIPHOP DX
MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME
NPR TINY DESK
VERZUZ

HUSTLER OF THE YEAR
50 CENT
CARDI B
DJ KHALED
DRAKE
JAY-Z
KANYE WEST
MEGAN THEE STALLION

SWEET 16: BEST FEATURED VERSE
DRAKE — CHURCHILL DOWNS (JACK HARLOW FEAT. DRAKE)
J. COLE — POKE IT OUT (WALE FEAT. J. COLE)
J. COLE — LONDON (BIA & J. COLE)
LIL BABY — GIRLS WANT GIRLS (DRAKE FEAT. LIL BABY)
KANYE WEST — CITY OF GODS (FIVIO FOREIGN, KANYE WEST & ALICIA KEYS)
DRAKE — WAIT FOR U (FUTURE FEAT. DRAKE & TEMS)
JADAKISS — BLACK ILLUMANTI (FREDDIE GIBBS FEAT. JADAKISS)

IMPACT TRACK
ABOUT DAMN TIME — LIZZO
CITY OF GODS — FIVIO FOREIGN, KANYE WEST & ALICIA KEYS
FAMILY TIES — BABY KEEM & KENDRICK LAMAR
NOBODY — NAS FEAT. MS. LAURYN HILL
PXSSY — LATTO
THE HEART PART 5 — KENDRICK LAMAR
WOMAN — DOJA CAT

BEST INTERNATIONAL FLOW
BENJAMIN EPPS (FRANCE)
BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
BLXCKIE (SOUTH AFRICA)
CENTRAL CEE (UK)
HAVIAH MIGHTY (CANADA)
KNUCKS (UK)
LE JUIICE (FRANCE)
NADIA NAKAI (ZIMBABWE)
TASHA & TRACIE (BRAZIL)

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Megan Thee Stallion Ties for Songwriter of the Year, Busta Rhymes Honored as Icon at 2022 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

Megan Thee Stallion tied for songwriter of the year honors.
Hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes was honored for his contribution to the art form and burgeoning superstar Megan Thee Stallion tied for songwriter of the year at the 2022 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, held at LIV Nightclub Miami Beach on Wednesday night.

BMI president and CEO Mike O'Neill co-hosted the private event, which sets out each year to honor the best in R&B and hip-hop and presented Rhymes as the BMI Icon citing his "defining impact on hip-hop and for mentoring the next generation of talent," to close the show.

A video tribute featuring a who's who of his famous peers and former collaborators was shown before he accepted the award — including Janet Jackson, Lil Wayne, Missy Elliot, Fat Joe and Mariah Carey, sharing their love for Rhyme's work.

Super-producer and sometimes artist Pharrell Williams was then called to the stage. He reminisced about his longstanding relationship with Rhymes and said that he felt "honored to be in the presence of someone who had the courage to be so different… and still does today."

Before performing a melody of his biggest hits to end the ceremony Rhymes commented on receiving the honor, "We're all blessed with this gift. It's one thing to identify with the gift, it's another thing to believe in it once you identify with it."

He added, "The most beautiful part about it is I earned this… I've never been celebrated as an icon before, but I never had to question whether I was one."

It was a fitting finale for a night highlighted by recognition of some of the best talent the music industry has to offer.

Megan Thee Stallion, whose career has skyrocketed in recent years and is coming off a viral appearance on the Marvel television show "She-Hulk," tied with Christopher "YC" Pearson for songwriter of the year for her co-writing her hits "Body," "Cry Baby" and "Thot Shit." Pearson co-wrote Moneybagg Yo' hits "Time Today" and "Wockesha," and Pooh Shiesty's "Back in Blood" (featuring Lil Durk).

Other major awards include Justin Beiber's massive hit "Peaches"(song of the year), Dernst "D'Mile" Emile was named producer of the year for his work on "Fair Trade" by Drake and Travis Scott, and "Smokin Out the Window," "Skate" and "Leave the Door Open" by Silk Sonic.

Sony Music was named publisher of the year for representing 20 of the previous year's most performed songs.

Click here to see a complete list of winners.

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