BIG FREEDIA

Organizers have announced a lineup of more than 270 acts for New Orleans’ 40th annual French Quarter Festival, billed as Louisiana’s largest free showcase of music, food and culture.

Beyoncé's "Renaissance" is the music artist's seventh record.

Celebrities Nene Leakes, Slim Thug, Ray J, Lamar Odom, Big Freedia, Stacey Dash, DreamDoll, and India Love took on the challenge of higher education while being welcomed into Tiger nation and getting a taste of what it’s like to attend historically Black college Texas Southern University.

A few of our favorite celebrities are headed back to school in the new series on BET+.

It’s going down in H-town with the return of the Red Bull SoundClash concert series, which will feature a battle of the bands-style competition between some of the “baddest” groups from Houston and New Orleans, Red Bull announced Thursday.

This week’s new entertainment releases include LeBron James leading the Tunes against the Goons in “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” a sequel to the 1996 movie that had Michael Jordan headlining with Bugs Bunny.

As we all know, June is Pride Month, and what better way to celebrate the rainbow flag than listening to some music made by those in the LGBTQ community?

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)A racial gap has opened up in the nation’s COVID-19 vaccination drive, with Black Americans in many places lagging behind whites in receiving shots, an Associated Press analysis shows. The AP analysis found that whites are getting vaccinated at closer to or higher than expected levels in most of the states examined. But there are other problems slowing vaccination among Black Americans and other groups, experts said. AdTo address mistrust, Thomas LaVeist, dean of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans, is recruiting notable Black Americans to help promote vaccination. This is a devastating disease and it has disproportionately impacted Black Americans.

FILE - In this May 14, 2019 file photo, Ryan Seacrest attends the Walt Disney Television 2019 upfront in New York. This week, he will return to New York's Times Square to host Dick Clark New Years Rockin Eve. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Ryan Seacrest will have a special pair of guests alongside the music stars at this year's New Year's Eve celebration on ABC — the president-elect and the future first lady. President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden are scheduled to give “their last interview of the year” in New York’s Times Square on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021.”The Bidens will "share an inspiring message as we come together to close out 2020 and look ahead with hope to 2021,” according to a statement by the producers. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021" will run until 2 a.m. Eastern on Jan. 1.

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. MOVIES— “Enola Holmes”: It’s somewhat fitting that “Stranger Things” breakout Millie Bobby Brown gets her first starring role in a Netflix film, “Enola Holmes,” coming to the streamer Wednesday. — The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was supposed to take place in June in Tennessee but was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. This week, though, the festival is launching Virtual ROO-ALITY, a three-night live broadcast featuring new performances as well as content from the Bonnaroo archive. The two-hour film will be available at 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday at pbs.org/frontline and on YouTube at 9 p.m. EDT.

Big Freedia and The Suffers bring raw energy and soulful sound to Houston's House of BluesFans to see Big Freedia and The Suffers perform at The House of Blues in downtown Houston on Friday, January 17, 2020 Fans to see Big Freedia and The Suffers perform at The House of Blues in downtown Houston on Friday, January 17, 2020 Photo: Jamaal Ellis, Contributor Photo: Jamaal Ellis, Contributor Image 1 of / 108 Caption Close Big Freedia and The Suffers bring raw energy and soulful sound to Houston's House of Blues 1 / 108 Back to GalleryNever demure on stage, always packing a punch with booming vocals, boundary-busting artist Big Freedia enthralled Houston fans with 'bounce domination' at House of Blues on Friday night. Hailed as the queen diva of bounce music, Big Freedia brought an infectious energy, a distinctive blend of hip-hopand plenty of dropping low to Houstons nightlife crowd. On HoustonChronicle.com: Mardi Gras Galveston lineup includes Blue October, La Leyenda, Bowling for SoupHouston-based band, The Suffers teamed up with Big Freedia to deliver their nuanced, hypnotic brand of Gulf Coast soul. The bounce genre was born in New Orleans in the 1990s and is a blend of hip-hop and Mardi Gras chants. Big Freedia has been a pioneer of the bounce movement and has created several New Orleans hit singles such as "Gin in My System" and "Azz Everywhere!"

Big Freedia & The SuffersHouse Of BluesJanuary 17, 2020The spirit and magic of New Orleans will always be a part of our identity here in Houston. The second new song was a fun bounce-inspired track called "Yadda Yadda", a not so subtle "f*ck you" to the establishment and the haters in the music industry. High above the stage was a crown encircled in booty, ready to be adorned by the Queen Of Bounce herself, Big Freedia. A Big Freedia show is non-stop action. Big Freedia later asked him to join the party onstage where he rapped two verses from the bounce rap anthem "Back That Azz Up".