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Day in Pop Report for 02/26/2016


Today's Top Stories


Jack White To Appear On 'The Muppets' Season Finale

(Radio.com) The Muppets is a show that's known for having plenty of famous guest stars. The latest star to hang out with Kermit and the crew is rock musician Jack White.

White announced on Facebook he will make an appearance on the season finale of the show which is set to air March 1st. According to a release, White will be helping Kermit the Frog deal with some matters of the heart.

"It's safe to assume that means Jack will try to help Kermit sort out his issues with longtime love Miss Piggy. The world was shocked last year when it was discovered Kermit and Miss Piggy split and he moved on to another woman. Maybe Jack will try to bring Kermit and Miss Piggy back together. Read more here.

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Steven Tyler Performs With Eric Paslay and Lindsey Lee

(Radio.com) Steven Tyler tapped two special guest stars to share the stage with him when he performed "Love Is Your Name" as part of his appearance on Front and Center. The Aerosmith frontman-turned-country artist asked the song's co-writers Eric Paslay and Lindsey Lee to accompany him.

Front and Center invited Tyler to perform as part of its CMA Songwriters Series. "The stripped down country inspired set features Tyler sharing the story behind the making of his first country single, 'Love Is Your Name,'" according to the show's website. The Loving Mary Band also joined Tyler onstage for his episode.

After Paslay intros the song on the guitar and a slide guitar segues into the opening verses, Tyler leaps into the song, which feels fuller with Lee's harmonies performed live. Read more here.

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Lorde Does Moving Tribute To David Bowie At Brit Awards

(Radio.com) Lorde performed a tribute to her hero David Bowie at the Brit Awards earlier this week and video of the performance and as well as two moving speeches by Annie Lennox and Gary Oldman have been posted online.

Bowie's band ran through an instrumental medley of the iconic singer's hits before being joined on stage by the New Zealand songstress for a rendition of "Life On Mars?"

The performance is in stark contrast to the Grammy's Bowie tribute, which featured Lady Gaga, a series of projected facial images and costume changes. Watch the video here.

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Carrie Underwood Covers 'I Will Always Love You'

(Radio.com) During the Pittsburgh stop of her Storyteller tour, Carrie Underwood took a moment to honor one of her idols. "Whether the artists of my generation know it or not, we were being taught by these artists," Underwood told the crowd. "And I feel like one name that comes up constantly, especially amongst females in country music, is the name Dolly."

"She has the career that we all strive to have," she added. "She does it all, she does it all well, and on top of that I think she's probably one of the nicest people I think I've ever met in this business.

"So, I'm going to try my best right now not to screw up one of her classic songs, and everybody and their dog knows this song, so you guys feel free to sing along with me."

Watch Underwood sing Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You", which was performed by Whitney Houston for the Bodyguard soundtrack, here.

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Kesha Releases Statement About Dr. Luke Ruling

(Radio.com) Kesha has broken her silence regarding a judge's ruling denying her injunction against Dr. Luke. Kesha alleges that Dr. Luke drugged and raped her a decade ago and has committed ongoing abuse, and had been pushing for a preliminary injunction that would allow her to record outside of Dr. Luke's purview.

But according to Billboard, New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich was skeptical. "You're asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry," he said to Mark Geragos, the attorney for Kesha. Kornreich also spoke of the lack of evidence to corroborate assault allegations. "I don't understand why I have to take the extraordinary measure of granting an injunction," she said.

Kesha issued a statement, via her official Facebook page, which reads in part, "All I ever wanted was to be able to make music without being afraid, scared, or abused. This case has never been about a renegotiation of my record contract - it was never about getting a bigger, or a better deal. This is about being free from my abuser. I would be willing to work with Sony if they do the right thing and break all ties that bind me to my abuser.

"But at this point, this issue is bigger than just about me. I think about young girls today - I don't want my future daughter - or your daughter - or any person to be afraid that they will be punished if they speak out about being abused, especially if their abuser is in a position of power.

"Unfortunately I don't think that my case is giving people who have been abused confidence that they can speak out, and that's a problem. But I just want to say that if you have been abused, please don't be afraid to speak out. There are places that will make you feel safe. There are people who will help you. I for one, will stand beside you and behind you. I know now how this all feels and will forever fight for you the way perfect strangers have been fighting for me." Read her full statement here.

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Drake Performs With Section Boyz In London

(Radio.com) Drake is getting around a lot these days. After performing "Work" with Rihanna at The BRIT Awards, Drake jumped in a cab to head over to Village Underground in East London to grab the mic at a Section Boyz show.

Skepta is a Section Boyz member and owner of the label, Boy Better Know, which is London-based. Skepta just released his latest song "Ladies Hit Squad" with fellow grime artist D Double E and A$AP Mob's A$AP Nast.

Drake also announced on his Instagram account that he was the first Canadian artist signed to BBK (Boy Better Know- Skepta's record label). Watch Drake's performance with Skepta here.

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A Lost Ol' Dirty Bastard Freestyle From 1995 Goes Online

(Radio.com) A new freestyle from late Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard has been unearthed. The rapper engages in a nearly 12 minute freestyle session with Buddha Monk from 1995.

The Throwback Thursday rhymes were dusted off by British DJ and TV host, Tim Westwood. The deceased rapper goes through several flows and rhymes in his signature style of rap. Listen to it here.

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Xzbit Joining Cast Of Empire Next Season

(Radio.com) Although Xzbit shot to stardom as a rapper, he's turned his attention to the world of acting. He recently received praise when he appeared on the hit CBS cop drama Hawaii 5-0. Xzbit's next role is said to be on FOX's hit musical drama Empire.

According to Deadline, Xzbit, real name Alvin Joiner, will appear on the show as Terrance Howard's character Luscious Lyon's nemesis Leslie Johnson.

The Johnson character is said to be a popular businessman who is involved in illegal activities such as drug dealing and extortion. Johnson, who was once a top-selling artist, turns to artist management.

He carries an animosity towards many players in the industry, especially Luscious Lyon, because they alienated him from the business. Read more here.

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Chris Janson Does Rockin' Harmonica On 'Folsom Prison Blues'

(Radio.com) Chris Janson recently brought his lively show to the Grand Ole Opry which featured his take on the Johnny Cash's classic "Folsom Prison Blues" and the performance has made its way online.

"You see that look in my eyes, it's fixin' to get real in here," Janson said as he approached the mic. He then started into his performance of "Folsom Prison Blues."

After a few moments, he stopped and asked the crowd, 'would you like to see 135 pounds of all-white male play this harmonica like Jerry Lee Lewis plays the boogie woogie piano?" And then he did. See the full performance in the clip here.

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Lil Wayne, Birdman, Mannie Fresh and Juvenile Reunite on 'Hate'

(Radio.com) Two Hot Boys reunite with Mannie Fresh and Birdman as if it was 1996 again! Lil Wayne and Juvenile join Mannie Fresh on the new track, Hate, with an appearance by Cash Money CEO, Birdman.

The new track marks the first time that Lil Wayne and Birdman have recorded together since the recent reconciliation between the label owner and its biggest star.

Although they have recently been seen together, Lil Wayne's $51 million lawsuit is still pending, but maybe this track will go a way towards a settlement between the parties. Read more here.

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Adele Reveals Interesting Names For 'Lady Parts'

(Radio.com) International treasure, singer, songwriter, good sport--these all describe Adele, which is why Ellen Degeneres filmed more segments than she could air in a single show. Facing a surplus of Adele riches, Ellen aired a new segment from her visit to the show last week, and it got personal.

The duo played a game called Five Second Rule--which requires players to list three entries in a given category in just five seconds. Some of them were tame: Adele aced the "three ways to say 'Hello'" round.

Others took a more provocative term, as the songstress was asked to name three words for "lady parts." "Mimi-moo [sic], vajayjay, pizza," Adele offered, without missing a beat. Read more here.

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Ariana Grande To Host And Perform On Saturday Night Live

(Radio.com) Ariana Grande will be pulling double duty come March 12th. The pop star will not only be performing on Saturday Night Live, but she'll be hosting as well.

Grande made the announcement today (February 25th) on the website for her upcoming album Dangerous Woman. After introducing fans to the website and explaining its purpose, she said:

"I'm so excited to be hosting and performing on SNL on March 12th. I am having a minor heart attack, and by minor I mean a major one, so, I�yeah, I'm really excited to�I can't even." Read more here.

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Diddy Announces SJGirls Clothing Line

(Radio.com) Diddy is expanding his Sean John brand. Releasing his first-ever girls collection, the music and fashion mogul launches SJGirls, inspired by his 3 daughters.

"I am beyond thrilled to work with my girls on this new endeavor and I look forward in watching them grow with this project," Diddy said in a statement. "They are young dreamers and will serve as an inspiration to girls everywhere."

The young girls' apparel will come in sizes 7-16, will be in the $35 to $100 price range and is scheduled to be in Macy's and available online later this month. Watch a brief teaser here.

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Singled Out: Andy Ferro's Hood

London-born, Nashville-raised songwriter Andy Ferro released his debut solo album "Muirhead" today (on cassette, no less) and to celebrate we asked Andy to tell us the humorous inspiration for the song "Hood". Here is the story:

"Hood" is kind of a fragmented song and also the only one that I've ever written even remotely about smoking pot. The first part is about one of my best friends that was stuck in the dark for a while, as we all tend to get now and again. Not feelin' good, you know? The verse was sort of an emotional get well soon card. He's one of the most talented and kind humans I've ever known, but I think all of those bong rips mixed with some poor circumstances were beginning to form a nasty cloud over his head. Naturally, it passed and he's happy again.

On a lighter note, the next verse is the story of another friend and I riding our bikes down to the river to smoke a joint but upon arrival realizing that neither of us had a lighter in our pocket. Then we got in a funny sort of argument about who's responsibility it had been to bring one along. I'm sure we figured it out and promptly forgot all about it.

The outro takes a sharp curve into much more personal territory that I'd rather not elaborate on too much. Another friend, a different story. It's pretty straight forward if you listen closely.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself, go old school and order the new album on cassette here and learn more about the album right here!

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Kip Moore Chipping His Tooth When Tackled By Fan

(Radio.com) Kip Moore had a lot to share during his appearance on The Talk. Apparently, he recently chipped his tooth on stage when an overzealous fan tackled him.

'Well, a girl was just really excited," he explained. "I think she had had a little bit too much to drink and she rushed the stage. I actually had my eyes closed when it happened.

"I was singing with my eyes closed and I felt like the mic just slam into my mouth and it chipped the bottom of my tooth. But you know what? It adds character. Now I got a story no one else has." Read more here.

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Lee Harvey Osmond Announces U.S. Tour Dates

(Radio.com) Lee Harvey Osmond, a.k.a. Tom Wilson, has announced that he will be hitting the road for run of U.S. shows with fellow Canadian artist Matt Anderson next month.

The short run of dates are set to begin on March 11 at Club Metronome in Burlington, VT on with stops in Boston, MA, Philadelphia, PA and New York City, NY, among other cities before wrapping in Fall River, MA on March 20 at Narrows Center for the Arts.

Osmond will be touring in support of "Beautiful Scars," his new full-length (and third album release) set for its U.S. release via Latent Recording and distributed by Megaforce/RED on Friday, March 25. See the tour date here.

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Zendaya Clarifies Her Relationship With Odell Beckham Jr.

(Radio.com) You may have noticed a high profile man on Zendaya's (age 19) arm at the 2016 Grammys. That would be New York Giant Odell Beckham Jr. (age 23). But don't get the wrong idea.. they're not dating, yet.

Of course TMZ jumped all over the story, but Zendaya's father put them back in their place, telling the tabloid 'what relationship? We're just friends. If you see my daughter out on a date without me, it's a relationship. It's like an audition' it's an interview."

Zendaya elaborated on her father's statement saying, 'here's the thing' a couple of things' first of all it wasn't really a date. We went to some events together, because we're friends." Read more here.

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Listenbee Releases 'Nottamun Town' Video

(MSO) Listenbee has released a new music video for his unique take on the traditional folk song "Nottamun Town." The track has received almost 2 millions plays on Spotify since it was released last October.

We were sent the following details: The song has a rich history... Said to have originated as far back as Medieval England, the folk tale of "Nottamun Town" quickly became a far-reaching oral tradition, spreading overseas and through the Appalachian Mountains over time. Enchanted by the song's mysterious nature as a child, legendary folk singer Jean Ritchie brought the song into prominence in the 1950s.

"When I first heard Jean Ritchie's version of 'Nottamun Town,' I felt like I had stumbled into some kind of cool ass time warp," Listenbee shares. "I could feel the history in it. I wanted to create a song that could exist in the modern world but still have the pulse and feeling of all that history. This song is special to me, and I hope it captures people's imaginations the same way it captured mine." Watch the video here.

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Mary Mary's Tina Campbell Wins Two Steller Awards

(PAM) Tina Campbell of the Gospel duo Mary Mary took home two Stellar Awards at the 31st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Las Vegas this past weekend. We were sent the following details:

Of the total 11 nominations combined with sister Erica, Tina scored double wins for Traditional Female Vocalist and Traditional CD of the Year. Both awards were for her chart topping, independently solo debut cd release "It's Personal."

The event on Saturday, February 20th was hosted by Rickey Smiley with co-host Sherri Shepherd. The Stellar Awards will then premiere live on TV One on March 6th and broadcast on 150 stations in 125 markets around the country from March 12th -April 10.

Tina's wins follow a major acknowledgement earlier this month when she took home the honor for Outstanding Gospel Album at the 2016 NAACP Image Awards also for It's Personal. Earlier this year, Tina and Erica were the recipients of the prestigious BMI Trailblazer's of Gospel Music Award. And next week, on Thursday, March 3rd, the WE tv network will launch the highly anticipated season 5 of the duo's hit series Mary Mary. The sisters' social media following has hit record heights and continues growing. On Instagram alone, they have over 2 million followers.

The accomplished singer/songwriter and entertainment mogul announces her national tour, An Evening with Teddy and Tina Campbell, that hits 36 cities this fall. Dates, cities and venues will post on her web site and socials late spring.

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LeBron James Urges Kendrick Lamar To Release His 'Untitled' Tracks

(Radio.com) NBA Superstar, LeBron James, took to Twitter to directly ask Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment's CEO Anthony Tiffith about releasing the series of Untitled tracks Lamar has performed on various talk shows and the latest GRAMMYs Award performance.

James tweeted, "Yo dangerookipawaa after that @kendricklamar Grammy performance , you have to release those untitled tracks asap!!! What's up? Talk to me"

Will this Tweet encourage Kendrick and TDE CEO to release the previously unreleased versions of the Untitled trio? Tiffith tweeted Lebron back, saying he needed a couple of days to consider. See the tweets here.

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