Month: January 2023

Fred White, the former drummer of Earth, Wind & Fire, has died. He was 67.

The percussionist’s brother and bandmate Verdine White shared the sad news through social media on Sunday (Jan. 1). Neither the date nor the cause of White’s death had been disclosed at press time.

“Our family is saddened today with the loss of an amazing and talented family member. Our beloved brother Frederick Eugene ‘Freddie’ White,” Verdine White wrote on Instagram alongside photos of his brother.

“He joins our brothers Maurice, Monte, and Ronald in heaven and is now drumming with the angels!” he added. “He was the wonderful bro that was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous! And we could always count on him to make a seemingly bad situation more light-hearted.”

Fred White was born on Jan. 13, 1955 in Chicago. He began drumming at the age of 9 and later performed with Linda Ronstadt and Donny Hathaway before joining Earth, Wind & Fire in 1974. He was the fourth of the White brothers to perform in the Grammy-winning R&B band.

White sat behind the kit for some of Earth, Wind & Fire’s most successful songs, including “Shining Star,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1975. He also scored top 10 hits with “Let’s Groove,” “September,” “Sing a Song,” “After the Love Has Gone,” “Boogie Wonderland” and others.

White left Earth, Wind & Fire in the mid-1980s, but he returned for the band’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2000.

During his career, White also lent his drumming talents to recordings for Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, Deniece Williams, the Emotions, Ramsey Lewis, Jennifer Holliday, and Diana Ross. Most recently, he collaborated with Ross on her 2021 album, Thank You.

Verdine White’s tribute post drew a slew of responses from fellow musicians, including Questlove, Lenny Kravitz and Nile Rodgers.

“Sending my love and deepest condolences to you and the family,” Kravitz commented. “I was blessed to have been in his presence and blessed to have been influenced by him. A true king. Rest in power.

See Verdine White’s tribute to his brother Fred on Instagram here.

Gangsta Boo, a pioneering Southern female rapper and former member of hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, has died, according to Fox 13 in Memphis, Commercial Appeal and other reports. She was 43.

Boo, born Lola Mitchell, was reportedly found dead on Sunday (Jan. 1) at approximately 4 p.m. at a home in Memphis. The cause of her death had not been released at press time.

Shortly after the news of her passing, Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul and Juicy J shared tributes to their former bandmate on Instagram. DJ Paul shared an captionless photo of the late rapper, while Juicy J posted a snapshot of the pair accompanied by a broken heart emoji.

“Man we was jus together three weeks ago,” Lil Jon commented in DJ Paul’s post. “Rest well quenn.”

The Three 6 Mafia members’ tribute posts also garnered comments from Ludacris, Bun B, Outkast’s Big Boi, Ty Dolla $ign, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s Krayzie Bone, Cypress Hill’s B-Real, and others.

On New Year’s Eve, Boo shared a video on Instagram about her accomplishments from the past year. “Some of the things that I did in 2022! So fun and productive, climbed out my shell alot!! 2023 go be 23’n! #JORDAN #BOOPRINT #recap Happy New 2023 everyone!” she captioned the clip.

Boo was born in the Whitehaven section of Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 7, 1979. She joined local hip-hop collective Three 6 Mafia — founded by DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous — at the age of 15 in 1994. That same year, she recorded her first solo song with the group, “Cheefa Da Reefa.” The track would set the tone for the Memphis femcee, who later unveiled her most popular hit “Where Dem Dollas At?” from her 1998 debut album, Enquiring Minds.

Boo went gone through a number of transformations during her career, renaming herself Lady Boo in 2001 and releasing numerous solo albums. In 2013, she joined Da Mafia 6ix before the passing of band member Lord Infamous in December of that year. In 2014, she and Da Mafia 6ix’s other femcee La Chat, also recorded Witch together.

In recent months, Boo was featured on GloRilla and Latto’s collaboration “F— The Club Up,” a play off Three 6 Mafia’s “Tear Da Club Up.”

Boo spoke with Billboard in December 2022, revealing that she was working on a new project called The BooPrint, which she hoped to release early this year. She also touched on her legacy as a rapper in the hip-hop scene.

“I would honestly say that I have to admit, respectfully and humbly, that I am the blueprint. I hear my cadence in a lot of men and female rappers,” Boo told Billboard. “My sound is a Memphis sound. It’s a Gangsta Boo sound, it’s a Three 6 Mafia sound. So, I am the blueprint and I wear that badge proudly as f—.”

Sara Bareilles is ringing in 2023 by announcing plans to marry longtime boyfriend Joe Tippett.

The musician and Girls5Eva star took to Instagram on New Year’s Day to reveal that she said “yes to marrying” the Mare of Easttown actor.

“You are exactly who I want,” Bareilles wrote of Tippett in an Instagram caption alongside a photo of the two of them looking into each other’s eyes, with Bareilles wearing a gold band on her left ring finger.

“The more I know you the more I know I love you…and you have introduced me to parts of myself I was afraid to love. And now I love ME more because of you,” she continued before joking. “So really this is all about me. Just kidding.”

Getting serious again, she wrote, “What a gift you are. Let the games begin. Onward into absolutely everything with you.”

In her Instagram Story, Bareilles wrote that her New Year’s resolution was to “marry this man,” posting a carousel of photos of the two of them in which they “tried to be normal.”

A few months ago, Bareilles celebrated the pair’s seven-year anniversary, writing on Instagram, “The world that is burning has somehow brought me someone like @joetipps who I am constantly in awe of and inspired by and challenged by and infuriated by and loved by in a way I can’t even describe except I know it is Truth with a capital T.”

And earlier this month, Tippett — whose credits include Spirited, Alaska Daily, The Morning Show and Rise — called Bareilles his “absolute favorite person” in a post marking her birthday.

“Happy Birthday to the sunshine in my eyes. The star at the center of my solar system. My lighthouse in a storm. The laugh that melts away my cynicism,” Tippett wrote on Instagram of the Grammy winner.

According to reports, the two met while working on the Broadway musical adaptation of the Adrienne Shelly film Waitress. Bareilles wrote the music and lyrics for the production while Tippett played Earl. Bareilles also spent time starring in the production as Jenna.

It was recently announced that after two seasons on NBCUniversal’s Peacock, Girls5Eva is moving to Netflix for its third season.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show earlier this year, Bareilles talked about how Tippett helped calm her nerves over acting in the comedy series executive produced by Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Meredith Scardino and Jeff Richmond.

“I was struggling with insecurities about being able to meet the challenge of it and I felt really out of my depth,” Bareilles said. “And he’s like, ‘If Tina Fey believes that you can do this, why don’t you just trust her? If you can’t find it in yourself, just trust that one of your heroes is not going to put you in a position to fail.’ And that was really good advice.”

The pair previously sparked engagement rumors when Bareilles commemorated their three-year anniversary on Instagram, writing, “Can’t wait for it to be forever.”

She later clarified that the pair were not engaged, sharing a photo of her ringless hand and writing, “Not engaged everyone but thank you for all the cute wishes and the reminder that my post may have [misled] you. Haha sorrryyyyyyy.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

SZA’s SOS rules the Billboard 200 chart (dated Jan. 7) for a third straight and total week as the set earned 128,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 29 (down 29%), according to Luminate. Plus, five holiday albums populate the top 10 — the most in a year — led by Michael Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Jan. 7, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Jan. 4 (one day later than usual, due to the New Year’s Day holiday on Jan. 1). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of SOS’ 128,000 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 126,500 (down 29%, equaling 168.73 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 1,000 (down 20%) and TEA units comprise 500 (up 3%).

SOS is the first R&B album by a woman to spend three weeks at No. 1 since Beyoncé’s self-titled effort also spent its first three weeks atop the list in 2013. (R&B albums are defined as those that have hit Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart.)

Taylor Swift’s former No. 1 Midnights is a non-mover at No. 2 with 106,000 equivalent album units (down 32%), while Bublé’s Christmas rises 5-3 with 62,000 units (down 14%). Christmas is one of five holiday albums in the top 10, the most in the region since the chart dated Jan. 2, 2022, when the top 10 also housed five festive sets.

Metro Boomin’s chart-topping Heroes & Villains is stationary at No. 4 with 58,000 equivalent album units earned (down 24%). Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song hits a new peak, rising 7-5 with 57,000 units. It previously topped out at No. 6, first achieved on the Jan. 2, 2021-dated list.

Drake and 21 Savage’s former leader, Her Loss, holds at No. 6 with 50,000 equivalent album units earned (down 16%) and Bad Bunny’s former No. 1 Un Verano Sin Ti climbs 10-7 with 48,000 (down 9%). A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector climbs to a new chart high, rising 11-8 with 47,000 units (down 1%). The set had earlier plateaued at No. 10 on the Jan. 8, 2022-dated tally. Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas is a non-mover at No. 9 with 47,000 units (down 10%) and Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack falls 8-10 with 45,000 units (down 20%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

Nick Cannon has a message for those who question whether he should stop having kids: “My body, my choice!”

Just days after welcoming his 12th child, the Masked Singer host was questioned by Andy Cohen during CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live special on Saturday night (Dec. 31) about his growing family and whether he’d consider getting a vasectomy.

“Nick, I mean, you are singlehandedly repopulating the Earth. I give it up to you, man. What is your plan here? What is your endgame with the kids? You just want to keep going, or is there a number? Do you want to hit 20? Where are we going with this?” asked Cohen, who was co-hosting the broadcast alongside Anderson Cooper.

Cannon, dressed in all white, laughed off the comment, responding, “Andy, clearly I don’t have a plan. Honestly, man, it’s just so much joy and elation to have the family that I have. I embrace it, and I love it, but I don’t have a plan. That should’ve been clear from the jump.”

Cohen quickly hit back suggesting that perhaps Cannon should consider getting a vasectomy. “Is that what you want me to get?” Cannon said before flashing a smile and adding, “This is my body, my choice!”

The Masked Singer host closed out the segment by sharing his advice for new father’s in 2023. “Just operate out of love. Some people may say that’s what got us here in the first place, but that’s what I would always do, and always do it with a smile,” he said.

On Thursday (Dec. 29), Cannon announced the birth of his second child — a daughter named Halo Marie — with Alyssa Scott. He’s now father to five daughters and seven sons.

Cannon shares twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex-wife Mariah Carey, and twins Zion and Zillion with Abby De La Rosa, who gave birth to her third baby with Cannon, Beautiful Zeppelin, less than two months prior to Halo’s birth.

He is also dad to Golden Sagon, Powerful Queen and Rise Messiah, whom he shares with Brittany Bell; Legendary Love, whose mom is Bre Tiesi; and Onyx Ice Cole with LaNisha Cole.

Watch the exchange below on CNN’s Twitter account.

Jeremiah Green, founding member and drummer for rock band Modest Mouse, has died following his battle with cancer. He was 45.

The musician’s passing was announced by Modest Mouse in an emotional social media post on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31).

“I don’t know a way to ease into this: Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah. He laid down to rest and simply faded out,” the band wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of Green.

“I’d like to say a bunch of pretty words right now, but it just isn’t the time. These will come later, and from many people. Please appreciate all the love you give, get, have given, and will get. Above all, Jeremiah was about love. We love you.”

Green’s mother, Carol Namatame, initially broke the news of her son’s cancer in a Facebook post on Christmas Day (Dec. 25). In her note, Namatame included the detail that his cancer was stage 4.

“Please send healing vibes for my son, Jeremiah Green, who is battling stage 4 cancer. He’s is so strong and so brave and hanging in there!” Namatame wrote alongside photos of the rocker.

Following the announcement of Green’s passing, numerous artists from across the music community shared their condolences in the comments section of Modest Mouse’s post, including Maggie Rogers, Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, and former Modest Mouse guitarist Jim Fairchild.

Rogers shared an emoji of a light gray heart, while Carney wrote, “Rest In Peace Jeremiah.” Fairchild added, “JG. I love you. Always. Forever.”

Former Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr also shared a tribute to Green on Twitter. “The great Jeremiah Green. My friend, bandmate, and the most creative musician I ever met,” he wrote.

Due to his chemotherapy treatments, Green was forced to pull out of Modest Mouse’s recently completed tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 1997 sophomore album, The Lonesome Crowded West. The group’s most recent studio set, meanwhile, was 2021’s The Golden Casket, which was the last to feature members Jim Fairchild and Lisa Molinaro, and included singles “We Are Between,” “Leave a Light On” and “The Sun Hasn’t Left.”

Green helped form the popular rock band in Seattle back in 1992. He played on every one of the band’s albums, except for Good News for People Who Love Bad News, which was released in 2004. The star took a break from the band from 2003 to 2004.

See Modest Mouse’s post about Green’s passing on Instagram below.