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Anitta, an international superstar and Grammy-nominated artist, proudly releases her long-awaited new album, “Funk Generation,” today through Republic Records/Universal Music Latin Entertainment, marking a watershed point in the spread of Brazilian funk to a global audience.

“Funk Generation” positions Anitta at the forefront of spreading Brazilian funk to a new generation worldwide. The album features hit songs such as “Grip,” “Fria,” and “Ahi,” including a collaboration with Sam Smith. To celebrate the release, Anitta has dropped a fiery new music video for the track “Grip.”

Anitta spoke about the album, saying,”‘Funk Generation’ embodies all the nuances of this 100% Brazilian musical genre that has shaped my journey as a person and as an artist. Funk is rooted in the culture of those living in the Brazilian favelas, where I come from, and has often been unfairly judged as lacking artistic value, even associated with organized crime. It reflects the classism and racism that plague our society. I belong to a generation that embraced the rhythm, emerged from the favelas, and conquered Brazil.”

“My new project is very special because it signifies my intention to create an international funk album, something I’ve always dreamed of. It’s gratifying to see funk now serving as a source of inspiration and art in the global music scene, a genre with value, awards, and admiration.”

“With infectious rhythms, ranging from strong to melodic, the songs on my album draw from various influences, from funk carioca to pop and electronic music. I made sure to collaborate with renowned Brazilian funk producers. Together, we’ve created something that can be enjoyed, danced to, and sung along with.”

The album comes after a string of critically acclaimed performances, including last night’s appearance at the Latin American Music Awards, where she performed the singles “Double Team” and “Sabana,” and a surprise performance at Coachella last Friday, where she joined Peso Pluma on stage to perform their hit “BELLAKEO.”

Furthermore, Anitta has recently announced the “BAILE FUNK EXPERIENCE TOUR,” in which the international diva will provide a one-of-a-kind funk experience at exclusive intimate venues in cities throughout the world, giving fans a real taste of Brazil’s renowned funk parties.

Anitta’s first North American tour, which begins on May 18 in Mexico City, will include stops in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, and Toronto, among others. Tickets for many of the gigs, including those in Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, and New York, sold out quickly after they went on sale last week.

A second New York concert on June 3rd has been added. Following the North American phase, Anitta will take the BAILE FUNK EXPERIENCE to South America and then Europe, stopping in Bogota, Buenos Aires, London, Paris, Ibiza, and other cities. Tickets for the worldwide superstar’s appearances in Berlin, Amsterdam, London, and Paris have already sold out. The full tour itinerary is available below.

“Funk Generation” follows Anitta’s three-track compilation “Funk Generation: A Favela Love Story,” which was released in 2023 as a prelude to the new album. The three songs, “Funk Rave,” “Used To Be,” and “Casi Casi,” became fan favorites. Following the successful release, Anitta released “BELLAKEO,” a collaboration with Peso Pluma; watch the official video here. “BELLAKEO” was Anitta’s highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 to date.

To cap up 2023, Anitta released “Joga pra Lua,” a collaboration with producers Pedro Sampaio and DENNIS. Anitta just gave her fans a taste of what to anticipate from FUNK GENERATION with the blistering lead single “Double Team” (feat. Brray & Bad Gyal) and an official music video (watch here). Botlok produced the tune, while Sam Hayes directed the music video.

The FUNK GENERATION has arrived.

BAILE FUNK EXPERIENCE TOUR:

18.05.24 Mexico City, MX Salón LA

21.05.24 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern

23.05.24 Miami Beach, FL Filmore

26.05.24 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live

28.05.24 Boston, MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway

29.05.24 Toronto, ON HISTORIA

06.01.24 Chicago, IL Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom

06.02.24 New York, NY Brooklyn Paramount

06.03.24 New York, NY Brooklyn Paramount

06.07.24 Bogota, Colombia Lourdes Music Hall

06.09.24 Lima, Peru CCB

14.06.24 Santiago, Chile Basilea

16.06.24 Buenos Aires, Argentina Vorterix

25.06.24 Berlin, Germany Metropol

26.06.24 Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg

28.06.24 London, UK O2 Kentish Town Forum

29.06.24 Paris, France Elysee Montmartre

07.01.24 Ibiza, Spain Pacha

07.03.24 Madrid, Spain Sala La Riviera

07.04.24 Barcelona, Spain Razzmatazz

07.07.24 Milan, Italy Fabrique

07.08.24 Ibiza, Spain Pacha

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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Prosecutors in Texas asked the state’s highest criminal appeals court on Thursday to reverse a ruling that overturned a Fort Worth woman’s voter fraud conviction and five-year prison term for casting an illegal provisional ballot.

Last month, Crystal Mason’s illegal voting conviction was overturned by the Second Court of Appeals. Now the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office is asking the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to reverse that ruling.

Mason was convicted in 2018 of illegal voting in district court. Prosecutors maintained that Mason read and signed an affidavit accompanying the provisional ballot affirming that she had “fully completed” her sentence if convicted of a felony.

But the Second Court of Appeals ruled that even if she read the words on the affidavit, she may not have known that being on probation for a previous felony conviction left her ineligible to vote in 2016.

Tommy Buser-Clancy, an attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, which has been one of Mason’s representatives in the case, said in a statement that the request for further review of Mason’s case was “disappointing,” but they were “confident that justice will ultimately prevail.”

“The court of appeals’ decision was well reasoned and correct. It is time to give Ms. Mason peace with her family,” Buser-Clancy said.

The ACLU of Texas said Mason wasn’t doing interviews on Thursday.

Mason, a former tax preparer, had been convicted in 2012 on charges related to inflating refunds for clients and served nearly three years of a five-year sentence in prison. Then she was placed on a three-year term of supervised release and had to pay $4.2 million in restitution, according to court documents.

Mason’s long sentence made both state Republican and Democratic lawmakers uneasy. In 2021, after passing a new voting law measure over Democrats’ objections, the GOP-controlled state House approved a resolution stating that “a person should not be criminally incarcerated for making an innocent mistake.”

Texas is among dozens of states that prevent felons from voting even after they leave prison.

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Editor’s note: The following article includes a discussion of sexual coercion and abuse.

What does Sean “Diddy” Combs have in common with R. Kelly and fallen Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein?

All three men have been accused of sexual grooming. But what’s that mean, exactly?

Grooming is a process that sexual predators use to win the trust and cooperation of their potential victims. A groomer gradually makes their victim comfortable with unwanted touching and sexual acts.

In an analysis of cases involving sexual grooming, the New York Times’ Anne Barnard writes that grooming by itself is not codified in law as a crime – but it’s among the first steps toward breaking down the victim’s barriers and resistance to sexual abuse.

In his federal lawsuit, music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. alleges that Diddy attempted to groom him to have sex with men. According to the complaint, Diddy showed Lil Rod a video of Stevie J. penetrating a man “to ease Mr. Jones’ anxiety concerning homosexuality,” telling him that homosexuality “is a normal practice in the music industry.”

“Mr. Combs used access to Stevie J., and his knowledge of Mr. Jones’ admiration of Stevie J to groom and entice Mr. Jones to engage in homosexuality,” the lawsuit states.

Lil Rod also claims that Diddy was grooming him for sex trafficking to the billionaire mogul’s friends, including Cuba Gooding Jr. Lil Rod alleges that Diddy introduced him to Gooding and suggested that they “get to know” each other before leaving them alone on his yacht, where Gooding allegedly made unwanted sexual advances.

The Pied Piper

Grooming typically involves underaged victims, as was the case with fallen R&B star R. Kelly, who’s serving two federal prison sentences after his conviction in New York City and Chicago. His offenses includes child pornography, enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, sex trafficking and racketeering.

Over a period of decades, alleged victims have come forward and said Kelly would groom them for sexual acts that he recorded on video. Many of them were underaged aspiring singers when he exploited them.

But, as Diddy and Weinstein have proven, adults are also vulnerable to grooming: Typically, predators leverage the power imbalance they have with potential victims, which can include employer-employee, mentor-mentee and doctor-patient relationships.

Sexual groomers are masters of using psychology and behavioral dynamics in targeting minors and adults, attorney Paul Mones wrote in The Los Angeles Times about Weinstein, who was convicted of rape and other sexual offenses in New York and Los Angeles, setting off the #MeToo movement.

“With the obvious difference that Weinstein’s alleged victims weren’t children, he reportedly employed similarly manipulative tactics to achieve his ends, promising movie roles and attempting to normalize such propositions by rattling off the names of other actresses who had purportedly complied,” Mones wrote.

Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction was overturned Thursday, bringing into question the future of his incarceration. But Diddy, who has denied all allegations against him, will have his day in court to respond to his grooming claims – along with the rest of his laundry list of claims.

 

 

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Issa Rae has announced a dynamic collaboration set to bring laughter to the big screen. According to Variety, Rae will produce a buzzy new buddy comedy featuring the talented duo of Keke Palmer and Grammy-winning artist SZA.

The untitled feature, slated for production under TriStar Pictures, is already generating buzz within the industry. Lawrence Lamont, known for his work on Rae’s “Rap Sh!t,” will take the directorial reins, while the screenplay comes from the creative mind of “Rap Sh!t” showrunner Syreeta Singleton.

Notably, the project emerged from the ColorCreative lab at Sony Pictures, as part of a groundbreaking initiative to nurture emerging diverse screenwriters’ first studio features.

Palmer, who will also serve as an executive producer through her Big Boss banner alongside Sharon Palmer, joins forces with Rae’s Hoorae banner, represented by Rae and Sara Diya Rastogi. Deniese Davis and Charles D. King of ColorCreative, along with James Lopez and Poppy Hanks of MACRO Film Studios, round out the impressive producing team, with Singleton serving as co-producer.

The chemistry between Palmer and SZA is already evident, as the duo shared the stage on a memorable December 2022 episode of “Saturday Night Live.” Palmer showcased her hosting skills, while SZA captivated audiences as the musical guest, setting the stage for what promises to be a dynamic on-screen partnership.

For SZA, this project marks a significant milestone, as she makes her acting debut in the comedy genre. Despite her newcomer status in the acting world, SZA is no stranger to the spotlight, having delivered captivating performances in cinematic music videos. Notably, her collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on “All the Stars” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack garnered critical acclaim in 2018.

Director Lawrence Lamont brings his expertise from the world of music videos to the project, boasting an impressive resume that includes collaborations with top-tier artists such as J. Cole, Kanye West, and Snoop Dogg. With such a talented team assembled, expectations are high for this upcoming buddy comedy, set to deliver laughs and memorable moments on the silver screen.

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

The Black church has long been a critical incubator for Black singers. So many of our iconic singers got their start in church. That’s why I love hearing people who’ve come up through the church explain how growing up singing in church helped them as a singer. Gospel legend Erica Campbell from Mary Mary is my next guest on “Masters of the Game” and she spent her formative years going to church five or six days a week. She was a preacher’s kid. I was eager to hear her talk about how the church made her the singer she is.

Campbell went to the Evangelistic Church of God in Inglewood, Calif., and she says it was extremely important to her development as a singer. “Christ is definitely part of the reason I’m successful,” she said. “The pushing, the nurturing, the constant singing in the various conditions, good microphones, bad microphones, knowing the song, not knowing the song, not feeling well, singing anyway.” Multiple times a week she had an audience that she had to entertain no matter what. There was a demand for her to sing as well as she could in spite of how she felt on a given day. That was great training for her professional career — just because you have a concert doesn’t mean you feel like singing, but you’ve still got to go out and give it your all. Campbell was doing that day after day as a kid.

Campbell’s mother was a talented singer, too, and she coached her daughter through her church performances. “When I was still very shy,” Campbell said, “I’d be standing behind the pulpit and my mom would be in the back of the church. … I’d walk just on the side of the pulpit and I’d be singing my song, just rocking back and forth, and then she’d do like this. That means walk. And she would say, if you’re talking about God is great, like, you point to God, and you say, God is great. My mom’s so sassy. But I learned all that watching her in church and her teaching me.” Campbell was learning to perform as she sang and to give a bit of theater to the lyrics.

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One of the biggest reasons why singing in church helps build professional singers is that in church you’re communicating with an audience and learning how to move them. “You’re singing in front of 100, 300, 500 people,” she said. “People who want to react to you, right? So you’re learning like when I do this, this happens. And that prepares you for being a professional singer.”

That church audience will usually be polite whether or not you’re good. “Some people are cheering, Go ahead, baby! If it’s not so good? That’s all right. Bless her heart. Now, if you mess up the words or sing the notes wrong, there’s like, church shade. It’s cold-blooded, but it teaches you that you still have to stand there and sing the song. You can’t run off crying.” You have to be professional no matter what.

Having an audience that will sit there and listen to you sing, whether or not you’re killing it is fantastic training. Sometimes, on the road to success, you fail. When Campbell made mistakes as a singer the church audience didn’t walk out or demand their money back. They listened and let her mess up and grow. 

Now, Campbell isn’t totally telling the truth when she says you can’t run off crying because she once did get flustered and ran off crying. After that, she didn’t sing solo again for years. How did she get back to it? For that you have to watch Erica Campbell on “Masters of the Game.” It premieres at noon on Saturday on TheGrioTV.  

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Touré is a host and Creative Director at theGrio. He is the host of Masters of the Game on theGrioTV. He is also the host and creator of the docuseries podcast “Being Black: The ’80s” and the animated show “Star Stories with Toure” which you can find at TheGrio.com/starstories. He is also the host of the podcast “Toure Show” and the podcast docuseries “Who Was Prince?” He is the author of eight books including the Prince biography Nothing Compares 2 U and the ebook The Ivy League Counterfeiter.

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If you’ve been on social media and you’re a usual watcher of new Netflix series, then you may have seen the recent discourse of the latest animated show, “Good Times.”

Inspired by the original 1974 “Good Times” series and dubbed as a reboot, the adult comedy made negative waves on X/Twitter the day the trailer dropped, with many calling the show grossly stereotypical, dated and exploitative. Others held out hope, crossing their fingers that the show in its entirety would present something different than originally thought.Well, unfortunately for all those involved—including Yvette Nicole Brown, J.B. Smoove, Marsai Martin, Jay Pharoah and showrunner Ranada Shepard—the series premiere still left a sour taste in people’s mouths with many still expressing their disdain.

And while there were a handful of folks who’ve given the show a chance and liked it, an overwhelming majority are still put off by the trailer and the themes, characters, scenes portrayed. Given its ties to beloved 70’s show, it’s newly reimagined version seems to be in stark contrast to the original and has prompted many to question why a show about a Black family that showcases a myriad of seemingly negative stereotypes and tropes—even for the sole purpose of adult comedy and exaggeration—is necessary in today’s day and age. To put it simply, there’s hardly anything good about these “Good Time” if you’re going off a large sector of public opinion (and the NAACP, for that matter)—so where did the creative team miss the mark?

Could it have been when they parted ways with “The Boondocks” co-EP and writer Carl Jones who admitted to leaving the project over “creative differences?

“For the record, I was involved with the Good Times animated series in the very VERY beginning. But due to creative differences, I had to walk away. So I haven’t even seen one episode or script of this version of the show,” he wrote in a post on X/Twitter in late March.

If that’s not the reason, could it be due to the lack of heavy promo from majority of the cast, e.g. junket clips, daytime and late night show appearances, radio spots and the like? That seems to be the reasoning showrunner Ranada Shepard is leaning towards.

“You haven’t seen J.B. [Smoove] and Yvette [Nicole Brown] and Marsai [Martin] and Jay Pharoah and Slink Johnson on couches all across America, which typically happens when you’re rolling out a show,” Shephard explained in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday. “There was no framing that the audience had, it was just: Watch this and form an opinion. And, they watched and they formed an opinion.

She later added:

“I was always rooted in [the fact that] I understand if this is jolting. Because what you needed was someone to tell everyone, ‘I know you’re used to the sweet sitcom, but this is not only a reimagination, it’s in a different genre that requires it to be loud and offensive with hard jokes and inappropriate.’ Without that type of framing you can never blame the audience and I never would.”

So who is to blame? If audiences can’t be trusted to come up with the correct assesment of program without the aid of insight and information from the people behind it…and the people behind it aren’t doing much to provide insight and information prior to the programs release or even shortly after..what other outcome do you expect?

Maybe it’s a classic case of impact over intent.The intent may have been good but due to seemingly off-kilter execution and lack of explanation for things going into—viewers are left to draw their own conclusions based off the impact of how it lands with them.

I can appreciate an explanation after the fact but maybe things would have panned out differently and people would have been more receptive if conversations and breakdowns were given before the first episode dropped. You can’t blame the audience and you can’t blame the creators involved to a degree, so who’s left?

3

Real Madrid showcased their dominance in LaLiga by securing their sixth consecutive league victory, maintaining their relentless pursuit of the title. The match, marked by brilliance and strategic gameplay, saw Real Madrid emerge triumphant with a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad.

The game’s defining moment arrived in the 29th minute when Arda Güler, capitalizing on a beautiful team move orchestrated by Tchouameni and Carvajal, slotted home a precise left-footed shot past the opposition’s goalkeeper, Remiro. This goal underscored Real Madrid’s attacking prowess and highlighted their exceptional teamwork and cohesion on the field.

Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, made strategic changes to the lineup, emphasizing the depth of the squad. Despite facing pressure from Real Sociedad, Madrid’s defense demonstrated resilience, thwarting numerous attempts by the home side to find the back of the net. Notably, goalkeeper Kepa made crucial saves, including an impressive stoppage in response to a shot from Kubo and a long-range effort from Turrientes.

The match was not without controversy, as Real Sociedad thought they had equalized with a goal from Kubo in the 32nd minute, only for it to be disallowed by VAR due to a previous foul committed by Barrenetxea. Real Madrid maintained their composure, with Tchouameni coming close to doubling their lead with a powerful shot saved brilliantly by Remiro.

As the game progressed, Real Madrid’s defensive solidity was evident, culminating in their 17th clean sheet in La Liga this season. Although Real Sociedad attempted to mount a late resurgence, Real Madrid’s defense, marshaled by Rüdiger, remained resolute, denying any opportunities for an equalizer.

With this crucial victory, Real Madrid now finds themselves 14 points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona, who are yet to play their matchday 33 fixture. Should Barcelona drop points against Valencia, Real Madrid could potentially clinch the La Liga title in their upcoming fixture against Cadiz at the iconic Bernabéu stadium next week.

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Nobody should be surprised that we’re getting another lawsuit from one of Kanye West’s former employees at the short-lived Donda Academy.

On Thursday, Benjamin Deshon Provo, a Black man, filed a suit in Los Angeles claiming that the “Vultures” rapper treated his Black staffers worse than his white staffers. Provo worked as a security guard for the now-defunct Donda Academy.

In court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Provo claims that white people on Ye’s staff were paid at least $5 more per hour than Black employees. He also alleges that West randomly demanded that he shave his locs, telling him, “Alright y’all, it is time for you to shave your heads. I am not messing around.”

When Provo refused, an associate of West told him, “Kanye said, ‘Tell the one with the dreads to shave his head or he is fired.’”

Provo’s refusal resulted in his termination.

Earlier this month, another former Donda Academy employee accused West of treating white staffers better than his Black staffers, but the allegations did not stop there.

In his lawsuit, Trevor Phillips claims that West did many odd and inappropriate things including watching “The Batman” on mute, pretending to “please” himself in front of others, threatening to punch a staffer and ranting about the greatness of Adolf Hitler.

According to Rolling Stone, Phillips recalled a time when Ye had the intention of installing a jail in the school as a way to punish students.

Similar to Provo, Phillips was fired after Ye wasn’t happy with how he tended a garden. Allegedly, in front of a crowd, Ye told Phillips to “get the fuck out of here” and that he was fired.

In an attempt to keep his job, Phillips pleaded with Ye, explaining that his daughter and brother both attended Donda Academy and that he was dealing with medical issues. West allegedly didn’t care and told him, “‘F**k your daughter. I don’t give a fuck about none of that.’”

He also claimed in the lawsuit that the rapper later threatened to punch him in the face.

4

The highly anticipated soundtrack for the upcoming Disney Original movie, “Descendants: The Rise of Red,” is now open for pre-order and pre-add on Walt Disney Records. Scheduled for release alongside the film premiere, this musical compilation promises to captivate fans once again with its catchy tunes and engaging performances.

“Descendants: The Rise of Red” marks the fourth installment in the wildly popular “Descendants” franchise. Set to premiere exclusively on Disney+ on Friday, July 12, followed by a special encore presentation on Disney Channel on Friday, Aug. 9, at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT, the movie promises to take viewers on another thrilling adventure into the world of Villain Kids (VKs).

The soundtrack’s lead single, “What’s My Name (Red Version),” accompanied by a vibrant music video, debuted today on DisneyMusicVEVO. Fans will be delighted to see China Anne McClain reprise her role as Uma, alongside Kylie Cantrall, who stars as Red, the newest Villain Kid and daughter of the Queen of Hearts.

Featuring seven new original songs, two reprises, and a cover of “So This Is Love” from Disney’s classic animated film, “Cinderella,” the soundtrack offers a diverse and dynamic musical experience. Fans who pre-order the soundtrack will receive an instant download of the “What’s My Name (Red Version)” single, allowing them to dive into the world of “Descendants” music ahead of the movie’s release.

Here’s the tracklist for “Descendants: The Rise of Red” Original Soundtrack:

1. “Red” – Kylie Cantrall and Alex Boniello






2. “So This Is Love” – Brandy and Paolo Montalban






3. “Love Ain’t It” – Rita Ora, Kylie Cantrall, Brandy, and Malia Baker






4. “What’s My Name (Red Version)” – China Anne McClain and Kylie Cantrall






5. “Fight of Our Lives” – Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker






6. “Life Is Sweeter” – Descendants Cast






7. “Perfect Revenge” – Dara Reneé, Anthony Pyatt, Joshua Colley, Mars, and Peder Lindell






8. “Shuffle of Love” – Ruby Rose Turner






9. “Get Your Hands Dirty” – Malia Baker and Morgan Dudley






10. “Life Is Sweeter (Reprise)” – Rita Ora and Kylie Cantrall






11. “Life Is Sweeter (Remix)” – Descendants Cast






12. “Bad Reputation” – Kylie Cantrall






13. “Descendants: The Rise of Red Score Suite” – Torin Borrowdale

In addition to the new soundtrack, fans can also enjoy the “Music from Descendants” vinyl album, featuring 13 of the franchise’s greatest hits. With over 15 billion audio and video streams, the music from the “Descendants” movies has garnered widespread acclaim, earning multiple certifications from the RIAA, including three gold albums, three platinum singles, and two gold singles.

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