Governor Mike Parson is awarding grants to dozens of schools in the state of Missouri in the first round of funding through the School Safety Grant Program.
In a release Monday, Parson’s office announced 169 schools received funding for safety and security measures in their respective districts and charters.
Officials say the measures include physical improvements such as new door locks, metal detectors, etc. as well as defibrillators and other first-aid equipment.
“Improving the safety and security of our schools is an issue we can all support, and these grants help ensure our schools remain safe environments for Missouri children to learn. While threats of violence are something we never want to see in our classrooms, we must be prepared and have proper resources and response plans in place.”
Several local school districts received funding, including; Sparta, Walnut Grove, Thayer and Aurora, among others.
Peezy may not be able to name his breakout moment – “I’ve always been popular,” he adds with a smile – but he does remember the first time he felt like a real rapper.
It was “March Badness” at Detroit’s Little Caesar Arena in 2019, a concert starring Yo Gotti and his CMG roster. The Memphis CEO brought out Peezy as a guest, just a few months before the local mainstay would have to turn himself in to serve an 18-month sentence for RICO related charges.
Walking on stage to his locally anthemic single “I’m Good Pt. 5,” he heard the crowd of 16,000 fans chanting back the lyrics behind a sea of cell phones, immortalizing the moment. “Everybody lost they mind,” he recalls. “I’m like, ‘Oh s–t — even though I’m on my way to jail, when I come home, I’m onto something.’”
Since his return from prison, “every day been lit,” the 34-year-old rapper says. This year, Peezy experienced a career high with his 2022 single “2 Million Up,” which achieved TikTok virality, accumulating nearly 200,000 video creations. The track’s success also translated to major Billboard chart impact, peaking at No. 8 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and No. 9 on Rap Airplay. “2 Million Up” also made appearances on Hot Rap Songs, Rhythmic Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
While “2 Million Up” led to unprecedented success, it was initially a point of contention. Peezy finished the track six months prior to its release, attributing the hold up to disagreements with his team. Since the track’s sample of Dennis Edwards and Siedah Garrett’s oft-lifted 1984 classic “Don’t Look Any Further” wasn’t cleared, Peezy wanted to release it for free rather than through DSPs — something he says his manager didn’t agree with.
But for Peezy, the money didn’t matter. His goal was instead to “catch a buzz, put some music out and get people talking.” And he did just that, defying his management, self-funding the video and releasing “2 Million Up,” which quickly began gaining 100,000 views a day, he says. “You try to listen out of respect for people being around a little longer than you — but at the same time, I know what I know,” he explains. “Me going against the grain is the reason why we’re sitting here now.”
Leaned back in the private room of a Los Angeles restaurant among his entourage of 14, Peezy is visibly exhausted from a busy few days, but cherishing his new life. Raised between the east and west sides of Detroit, Peezy describes his upbringing as “fair at times.”
“You don’t really see what’s bad when you grow up in it,” he continues. “It feels regular even though you know something’s not right.”
He recalls witnessing “a lot” of the crack cocaine epidemic, which took place throughout the United States in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, and reflected on members of his community achieving material success through the “smoke and mirrors” of illicit activities. “Of course you want certain luxuries,” he says, “But when you see the outcome, you want to find a way to still have [the luxuries], but with a different outcome.”
Despite the influences surrounding him, Peezy says he learned hustle, drive and determination at a young age from his parents, and aspired towards more than what he grew up around. He leaned on rap as a form of art and self-expression, dropping out of high school in the 11th grade and later joining Detroit’s notable rap group, Team Eastside, alongside then-members Deen, Babyface Ray, Dame, Snoop, Reke and Perry.
“When I started, it was just about the art,” he says today. “It wasn’t about the money. I just love making music.” His first project with Team Eastside was given out for free. “That was the marketing strategy,” he explains. “I be telling [my team] to just put the music out. Stop figuring out a way to trick the people [with marketing].”
Team Eastside, along with their early west side rivals, Doughboyz Cashout, soon became emblematic of Detroit rap. While the two groups had their fair share of clashes at first, they put aside their differences, avoiding a repetition of past fatal rap beefs in the city. (Doughboyz member Payroll Giovanni even calls Peezy to catch up during his interview with Billboard).
After Team Eastside amicably went their separate ways, Peezy signed to Ghazi’s Empire Distribution in 2017 — joining a long roster of fellow Detroit artists, like Babyface Ray, GT, Payroll Giovanni, FMB Deezy and Drago. Under Empire, Peezy continued making a name for himself outside of his home state, by way of popular underground projects like Ballin Ain’t a Crime and No Hooks.
His momentum was abruptly cut short due to his 2019 imprisonment, something he says Ghazi knew was coming before signing him. “Til this day I don’t know what he saw in me,” Peezy says of Ghazi. Thinking back on his time behind bars, Peezy feels the experience was harder on his family than it was on him. Detained in Ohio, the rapper received frequent visits from loved ones and passed his time reading, writing and doing “real n—a s–t,” he says, without elaborating.
“[Before], I wouldn’t read,” he says. “I was never going to sit, pick up a book and learn certain things until I was forced to.” During his three months in solitary confinement, he wrote plans for the future, journaled and read self-help, psychology and CEO books. Sometimes, Peezy would read the dictionary. “I’d go through it and find words I didn’t know to use them in raps,” he says.
The formative experience of being locked up led to a shift in Peezy’s lyricism and style upon his release, leading to a mainstream boom for the rapper, starting with his critically acclaimed 2021 album, Only Built 4 Diamond Links.
Currently on tour with thirteen stops to go — including Detroit, Denver, New York City and Atlanta — Peezy feels certain of his positioning in hip-hop and where he’s headed. “I think rap is at a standstill,” he explains. “Either you’re making drill or rap that’s talking about something. I listen to all of it, but I’m on the side that’s talking about something. Because I’ve been through a lot.”
While Peezy doesn’t consider himself to be a conscious rapper, he sees himself in a class of “substance” rappers, with messages to offer through their own wins, mistakes, hopes and experiences. “Yesterday, somebody [told me about] how I changed their life,” he says of his show the night before at The Belasco. “People say my music puts them in better moods, makes them want to hustle, go back to school, make money.”
Once he achieves his own goals as a rapper (including collaborations with John Legend, Cee-Lo Green and Andre 3000), Peezy wants to go back to school himself to study contract law and “be [his] own shark.” “That’s gonna be a new venture for me,” he adds. “I never want to stop learning.”
But there’s still much to accomplish for the Detroit mainstay. Many of his dreams center not on his own rapping career, but on #Boyz Entertainment, his indie label housing Flint up and comers Rio Da Yung OG and RMC Mike. He hopes to build his own empire, drawing inspiration from labels like Quality Control and the late Young Dolph’s Paper Route.
“It’s kind of like ‘each one, teach one,’” he says, referencing the African-American proverb. In line with the proverb’s message, Peezy played a role in advancing the careers of rising rappers, as other veteran acts in Detroit once did for him. Today, Peezy is committed to creating avenues for “the guys that everyone else is scared to deal with,” while also aspiring to raise up singers and pop stars.
He calls his latest project, Ghetto, “some of the best music I’ve ever made.” The eight-track offering exudes Detroit sensibilities through Peezy’s delivery and production choices, coupled with tracks that deviate into other rap regions, like “First Night” and “Heart In It.” The lone features are women: singer Brielle Lesley and first lady of Detroit’s rap scene, Kash Doll.
Once his albums are released to the world, the “kind of shy” rapper ceases to listen to them. Instead, his current rotation includes Benny the Butcher, Griselda, D Baby and Babyface Ray. “I be thinking a lot of music sweeter than mine,” he admits, adding with a smile, “Even though I know I’m sweeter than everybody.”
Jack Harlow continues his Jackman surge after releasing his third studio album on Friday (April 28) by dropping the first official video from the project with “They Don’t Love It.”
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Directed by Eliel Ford, Harlow gives viewers a mini-tour of his hometown of Louisville, Ky. From visiting his old schools to playing soccer to barbecuing with his family and friends, Harlow lassos his adversaries with barbs, questioning their passion and love for the sport, rapping, “Ya boy’s strivin’ to be the most dominant ever/ The hardest white boy since the one who rapped about vomit and sweaters.”
Harlow announced Jackman on April 26 with no singles or press leading up to the release. The 10-track effort is a sharp pivot from Harlow’s 2022 album, as he delivers more reflective cuts over soulful production. Come Home The Kids Miss You included Harlow’s first Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, “First Class,” which helped propel him into mainstream superstardom. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and earned several Grammy nominations, including best rap album, at this year’s ceremony.
Despite his pop wins, Harlow shouldered criticism from hip-hop critics for his pop-leaning direction on his sophomore release, which he addresses on Jackman. “What makes you think I’d rather have backpackers applauding me?/ Why do I feel I need approval from all my skeptics when I fill arenas up with a passionate following,” he rapped on the outro “Questions.” Harlow also addressed racism, sexual assault and more in his latest output.
In addition to being one a world-famous tourist attraction, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a high-profile honor. “This is the only award that can be shared with the fans,” Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies, tells Billboard. “The Oscar, the Grammy, the Tony is in somebody’s home. This one is on the sidewalk. [Fans] can sit next to it. They can pose with it. It’s an interactive award.”
The Walk of Fame, which originated in 1960, consists of more than 2,700 stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Los Angeles.
The Walk of Fame awards stars in six categories – motion pictures, television, radio, recording, live theatre/performance and sports entertainment. The Walk of Fame committee receives an average of 200 applications a year, according to Martinez, from which it accepts between 24 and 30.
Martinez, whose formal title is vice president of media relations, has been at the Walk of Fame since 1987. (Her clever tag line under her name on news announcements: “Handling the stars for many moons.”)
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the 2024 class of Hollywood Walk of Fame inductions. Nominations opened on Friday, April 28 at 12 p.m. PT and will close on Friday, May 26 at 12 p.m. PT. All nominations will be considered at the annual Walk of Fame committee meeting to be held in June. New selections will be announced in mid-to-late June.
Since a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a world-famous form of recognition, we dug into the rules and regulations that govern the awarding of stars. Here are 10 surprises in the Hollywood Walk of Fame rule book:
For proof that Taylor Swift has been “bejeweled” since 2006, check out the new pop-up at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The museum unveiled Monday (May 1) its Through Taylor Swift’s Eras exhibit, which features a fashion tour of the country-turned-pop star’s musical journey over the past two decades.
Open until May 31, the exhibit features 10 of Swift’s outfits, each representing one of her 10 studio albums. The oldest outfit on display is a peachy, floral dress and cowboy boots worn by the singer to the ACM Awards in 2006 — the same year she released her self-titled debut record — and the most recent of Swift’s featured looks is a knit vest and corduroy pant combo worn in the 2023 “Lavender Haze” music video.
“Taylor Swift has consistently reinvented herself,” reads a description of the exhibit on the Hall of Fame’s website. “Each new album, 10 since her 2006 debut, has brought changes in her stagewear, hairstyle, and often musical direction, defining that era of her career.”
Also on display are sparkly outfits from Swift’s Fearless (2008), Speak Now (2010) and 1989 (2014) album tours, a red ringmaster-inspired getup from a 2012 performance of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and the furry black leotard worn by the 12-time Grammy winner in her 2017 “Look What You Made Me Do” music video. Fans can also get an up-close look at Swift’s pink bikini and jacket worn in her 2019 “You Need to Calm Down” video, as well as the cardigan and plaid coat looks sported by the singer on the Folklore (2020) and Evermore (2021) album covers.
Home to the Taylor Swift Education Center since 2013, the Country Music Hall of Fame has also recently added new Swift looks to the display in the $4 million classroom space donated by the “Anti-Hero” artist 10 years ago. Education Center attendees can now examine the purple cap and gown Swift wore last year while accepting an honorary doctorate from New York University, the sequin-covered cape and bustier featured in the 2022 music video for “Bejeweled” and more.
The Through Taylor Swift’s Eras exhibit is included in the museum’s general admission tickets, available here. See more of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s brand new Taylor Swift exhibit below:
Carrie Underwood is set to take fans deeper into her world via the launch her exclusive, year-round SiriusXM channel titled Carrie’s Country in June.
The channel, to be curated and presented by Underwood, will highlight a range of the eight-time Grammy winner’s favorite music, including country, rock and gospel, workout hits and more. Carrie’s Country original programming will include monthly themed shows, as well as morning workout and late-night, hard-rock music blocks and Savior Sunday — a full day of inspirational music from Underwood’s own gospel catalog as well as other music that is close to her heart. She will also invite friends, peers and fans to join as special guest DJs. She’ll also introduce listeners to her band members and touring crew, and will share her passions for fitness and wellness, as well as gardening.
Over nearly two decades in music, Underwood has earned 16 No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hits, as well as three ACM entertainer of the year honors. Carrie’s Country will highlight milestones from throughout Underwood’s career, in a regular feature inspired by her current Las Vegas residency, Reflection. Listeners will also hear music from artists including Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and more.
“I’m thrilled to partner with SiriusXM on my new channel,” Underwood said via a statement. “I can’t wait to welcome listeners into my personal musical universe, sharing my favorite music across all of the genres I love, from classic rock to the latest in country.”
“Carrie Underwood is one of country music’s biggest and most multifaceted artists today, and to collaborate with her on her very own SiriusXM channel is truly special,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s president and chief content officer. “‘Carrie’s Country’ will give listeners and fans the opportunity to connect with her on a new level, beyond her musical choices and influences, as she curates the channel’s programming. We welcome her to the SiriusXM family as we continue to expand our country music offerings to our subscribers.”
Nixa High School has extra officers around the building today due to recent threats made by a student.
School officials say the threat was made on Friday, and that they are following normal disciplinary rules to address the matter.
There has been no indication as to when, or if, the student will return to school.
The district released a statement that read:
“Recent events at schools in other states have heightened everyone’s concern for the safety of students. we want to assure you that we take any threat seriously and have the full cooperation of local law enforcement.”
Police say the extra security is strictly precautionary, and that they don’t believe the threat is credible.
You can call it a tight, a nail-biter, or “miraculous,” but the result is the same — Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding are back at the U.K. chart summit.
Harris and Goulding’s “Miracle” (via Columbia) lifts 2-1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart for a third non-consecutive week, doing so just 267 chart units ahead of David Kushner’s “Daylight” (Miserable Music), according to the Official Charts Company. Kushner’s viral hit lifts 3-2 for a new high, while Lewis Capaldi‘s former leader “Wish You The Best” (Vertigo) is down 1-3, completing the podium.
The close call for “Miracle” is one for the record books, placing it in the all-time list.
You won’t find many narrower margins in the 68 years of Official Chart history, though few races have come down to the wire quite like the 2007 photo-finish which saw Timbaland’s “The Way I Are” pull ahead of Kate Nash’s Foundations by just 16 copies.
Also notable on the latest chart, published April 28, is Switch Disco’s “React” (Relentless), which lifts 12-8 for the dance act’s first appearance in the U.K. top 10. The track features vocals from Ella Henderson and samples from Robert Miles’ classic mid-‘90s house number “Children.”
Just missing out on the top 10 is London rapper Nines with “Tony Soprano 2” (Warner Records), new at No. 11. It’s his first top 20, and third top 40 appearance overall. And it’s the week’s top debut.
Further down the list is The Weeknd and Future‘s latest collaboration, “Double Fantasy” (Republic Records), lifted from the Weeknd’s HBO show The Idol. It’s new at No. 14.
K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty is flapping it wings with “Cupid” (ATTRAKT) up 26-18, while David Guetta, Anne-Marie and Coi Leray’s “Baby Don’t Hurt Me” (Parlophone), which interpolates Haddaway’s ‘90s club classic, improves 23-19.
Meanwhile, HStikkytokky and General G bag a top 40 debut with “Twust” (Hstikkytokky & General G), new at No. 21 and Raye’s Flip A Switch” (Human Re Sources) leaps 48-35, thanks to new remix featuring Coi Leray.
Finally, Kim Petras and Nicki Minaj crack the top 40 with “Alone” (Republic Records), sampling Alice Deejay’s 1999 house track “Better Off Alone.” It’s new at No. 37, for Petras’ second top 40, following last year’s leader “Unholy,” with Sam Smith; and Minaj’s 42nd.
After seven studio album releases, Enter Shikari finally snags a U.K. No. 1.
The St Albans, England-formed rock band blasts to No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart with A Kiss for the Whole World (via So Recordings), their sixth top 10 appearance.
Previously, the group scored top 10s with their 2007 debut album Take to the Skies (No. 4 peak), 2012’s A Flash Flood of Colour (No. 4), 2015’s The Mindsweep (No. 6), 2017’s The Spark (No. 5) and 2020’s Nothing Is True And Everything Is Possible (No. 2). Also, thanks to the release of a vinyl-exclusive pressing, Live At Alexandra Palace 3 enters the weekly survey at No. 15.
A Kiss for the Whole World completes a tight race, finishing just 800 combined units ahead of its nearest rival, The 1975’s Live with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (Polydor). The 1975’s live set, an exclusive physical-only release (vinyl, CD and cassette) for the 16th annual Record Store (April 22), is new at No. 2 on the Official Chart, published April 28.
After starting the week with a slim lead, British indie pop duo Everything But The Girl debuts at No. 3 with Fuse (Buzzin’ Fly), for a new career best. Fuse is Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt’s first studio album as a duo in 24 years, and it’s their fifth top 10, following 1985 debut Love Not Money (No. 10 peak), 1990’s The Language of Love (No. 10), 1993 greatest hits collection Home Movies (No. 5) and 1996’s Walking Wounded (No. 6).
Completing an all-new top four is Taylor Swift’s folklore – The Long Pond Studio Sessions (EMI), a Record Store Day exclusive. The Long Pond Studio Sessions is the U.K.’s best-selling album on wax for the latest chart week, and bows at No. 4 on the all-genres albums chart. The original version of folklore spent three weeks at No. 1 in 2020.
Finally, new releases from Jethro Tull (RökFlöte at No. 17 via Century Media), Post Malone (The Diamond Collection No. 25 via Republic Records), Songer (Skala at No. 30 via Hard Reality), and Tiësto (Drive at No. 34 via Atlantic) crack the U.K. top 40 on debut.
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