Big music festival announces lineup for return to Las Vegas
FILE - This Oct. 25, 2014 file photo people watch The Roots perform at the Life is Beautiful festival in Las Vegas. The Life is Beautiful arts and music festival has announced its performer lineup, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, marking a return of large annual events to Las Vegas after cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)LAS VEGAS – The Life is Beautiful arts and music festival announced its performer lineup on Wednesday, making a return of large annual events to Las Vegas after they were canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Festival director Lauren DelFrago said organizers are working closely with local and state officials to ensure a safe return of live music. The announcement came after the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority allocated $150,000 for Life is Beautiful among $3.5 million in marketing and sponsorships for events over the next 16 months.
‘All Screwed Up’ aims to untangle the legacy of Houston icon DJ Screw
NEW YORK – When DJ Screw started trending in August, it wasn’t because of newly discovered music or a coordinated effort by his devoted fans. “They don’t know that this ‘trend’ came from a very important person to our culture.”“All Screwed Up” combines biopic film elements with animation to detail the early years of Screw’s life before his “screwed” music technique exploded in Houston and spread throughout the South. The project will be released on www.allscrewedup.com for $99, which includes a commemorative giftset designed to look like an original DJ Screw grey tape filled with an “All Screwed Up” tribute cassette, a cassette player and other commemorative items. Born Robert Earl Davis, Jr., Screw began slowing down songs on the south side of Houston in the early 90s. So people know, ‘Hey man, you can come to Texas and do major things, major productions.’”The “slowed and reverb” controversy wasn’t the only time this year that DJ Screw got renewed attention.
Trump cheers as rapper A$AP Rocky freed in Swedish assault case
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - U.S. rapper A$AP Rocky and two of his friends were released from custody in Sweden on Friday three days into their highly publicised assault trial, a development hailed by President Donald Trump who had tried to intervene in the case. Trump tweeted: A$AP Rocky released from prison and on his way home to the United States from Sweden. It was a Rocky Week, get home ASAP A$AP!A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, took off by plane from Stockholms Arlanda airport in the evening. TT News Agency/Fredrik Persson via REUTERSThe case has drawn huge media attention, particularly since Trump asked Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to help free Mayers. FREE ROCKYAround 20 A$AP Rocky fans had gathered outside the court on Friday chanting Free Rocky and playing his music.
feeds.reuters.comAssault trial witnesses say did not see A$AP Rocky hit teenager with bottle
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Witnesses told a Swedish court on Friday they did not see U.S. rapper A$AP Rocky or his friends hit a 19-year-old man with a bottle during a fight in Stockholm. The case has drawn huge media attention, particularly since U.S. President Donald Trump asked Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to help free Mayers. In his testimony, Jafari said he was also hit on the head with a bottle after he followed Mayers group to retrieve his headphones. Giving testimony by video link on Friday, two witnesses said they had not seen any of the three accused hit Jafari with a bottle. On Friday, around 20 A$AP Rocky fans gathered outside the court chanting Free Rocky and playing his music.
feeds.reuters.comU.S. rapper A$AP Rocky's Stockholm assault trial enters final scheduled day
A courtroom sketch shows Rakim Athelaston Mayers alias ASAP Rocky and his defence lawyer Slobodan Jovicic during the third day of ASAP Rocky's trial, at the district court in Stockholm, Sweden August 2, 2019. Swedens judiciary is independent of the political system, and Lofven has said he will not influence the rappers case. Mayers and his companions pleaded not guilty at the start of the trial on Tuesday, saying they had acted in self-defense. Mayers had on Friday swapped prison clothes for a black suit and white shirt, looking more relaxed than the first two days of the trial. Mayers, best known for his song Praise the Lord, was in Stockholm for a concert.
feeds.reuters.comMusic festival VestiVille cancelled last-minute, drawing Fyre Festival comparisons
VestiVille was a concert festival promising luxury accommodations, A-list entertainers like Cardi B, Migos and Future and it's supposed to be happening this weekend. The three-day gathering in northeastern Belgium was canceled Friday as concertgoers were arriving at the venue, drawing comparisons to the infamous Fyre Festival. In 2017, Fyre Festival lured thousands of concertgoers to the Bahamas, only to strand them when organizers couldn't provide enough basic services for the guests. Fyre Festival LLC filed for bankruptcy in July 2017 because it couldn't pay its vendors and other creditors. He and his business partner, rapper Ja Rule (whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins), also faced a $100 million class action related to Fyre Fest.
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