Tag: celebrity

Ari Lennox Arrested in Amsterdam Airport

On By troypittman13In UncategorizedLeave a comment

“I’m being arrested in Amsterdam for reacting to a woman racially profiling me”

– Ari Lennox

R&B singer Ari Lennox was reportedly arrested in an Amsterdam airport on Monday, November 27th for allegedly “disturbing public order”. She accused the airline staff of racially profiling and discriminating against her, posting about the incident on Twitter. The Dutch military police at the Schiphol airport stated that Lennox was taken into custody because of her “aggressive behavior” towards an airline official. There is also speculation that Lennox was drunk in public. It was unclear how long Lennox would remain in custody as Dutch police investigated claims of threats made by the singer during the altercation. But Dutch police are currently investigating this incident to properly address the press and public. Lennox is best known for her debut single “Shea Butter Baby”(2019) and is currently signed to Dreamville Records. This isn’t the first time Black artists have faced racial profiling in European countries, regardless of their fame and status.

A similar incident occurred in 2019 when American rapper and record producer A$AP Rocky was arrested in Sweden. He was charged with assault that caused bodily harm in Stockholm, Sweden in early July 2019. This arrest followed a fight that was captured on video, with A$AP stating that he acted in self-defense. His entourage had been followed by a group of men who were harassing them on the street. The video shows A$AP Rocky explaining the situation and clearly stating that his group wanted to avoid conflict with the instigators. They were followed for blocks while still recording, asking the men to leave them alone. After Rocky and his entourage were physically assaulted, the situation escalated causing bodily harm to some of the men.

Despite A$AP’s claims for self-defense, the Swedish prosecutor reviewing the case stated that a crime had been committed on his part. Though there were many witnesses to speak on behalf of A$AP and his entourage, an assault that results in bodily harm in Sweden carries a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case caught the attention of American celebrities such as Kim Kardashian West, Kanye West, Donald Trump, etc. Another aspect to consider is that white-American rapper G-Eazy was arrested in Sweden for possession of drugs and narcotics. He didn’t get nearly the same public backlash, and after this incident, he received a $10,000 fine. He was released a day and a half later after being in Sweden police custody. Could it be that American celebrities of different races visiting foreign countries, face greater consequences because of skin color?

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Petition Surpasses 60,000 Signatures for Ban of James Corden in ‘Wicked’ Movie

On By troypittman13In UncategorizedLeave a comment

James Corden is known for many things, but what’s most memorable is his outgoing television personality. The Late Late Show with James Corden airs weeknights from 12:37am/11:37 pm c. According to CBS, the Late Late Show is the “ultimate late night party”. With a mix of celebrity guests, performances, comedy segments and games, Corden’s sure to keep you entertained. He’s also known for his popular carpool segment that features him driving in downtown LA with celebrities. He sings a variety of songs with his guests as they talk about their career accomplishments and upcoming business their fans should look out for.

Corden is also seen in Disney’s ‘Into The Woods’ (2014) alongside actors like Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, and Johnny Depp. The film got a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and generated $212.90 million in gross revenue. Corden played the Baker in this film who wishes to break a spell given to his family by a witch. Corden is also featured in ‘Cats’ directed by Tom Hooper. ‘Cats’ was a star studded with actors like Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Idris Elba, Jason Derulo, etc. Although the star filled cast grew the films anticipation for its debut, the film received horrible reviews. It earned a 20% on rotten tomatoes and 2.7 on IMDb, making people scratch their heads at how this could be. Critics believed the film to be a disaster because of its overuse of CGI and wandering script. Many fans believed it to be straight up “bizarre” and “creepy”, despite its musical/fantasy approach. James Corden can also be found in Amazon Prime Video’s Cinderella and The Prom on Netflix. But James Corden has not been a fan favorite as it pertains to Broadway musicals.

 On November 16th, 2020 Ariana Grande was chosen to sing ‘The Wizard And I’ for the 15th Anniversary of Wicked. Grande is best known for her singing, songwriting, and acting abilities. Her recent albums like Positions, Dangerous Woman, and Sweetener can be found on Apple Music, Spotify, and iHeart radio. Cynthia Erivo best known for her acting, singing, and songwriting abilities were nominated for various awards: Golden Globes, Daytime Emmy Award, Primetime Emmy Award, Grammy, etc. She can be seen in ‘Harriet’ (2019), ‘Widows’ (2018), Boss Baby: Back In Business (2018), etc. With Corden having close ties with the Broadway community, this appeared to be surprising to some of his fans. This stems from his bad history with musical adaptations and a decrease in his popularity. Musical critics believe Corden isn’t talented enough to handle any role in Wicked. And fans began this petition to encourage directors and producers to not include Corden in this timeless musical. But enough negativity. James Corden still hosts The Late Late Show on CBS at 12:35 am and still receives good reviews from loyal watchers. His YouTube channel for The Late Late Show has maintained a whopping 27.1 million subscribers since the last episode/segment featured on the channel.

Does Music Artists Personal Life Connect to Our Consumption of Their Music?

On By troypittman13In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Recent comments by singer Katy Perry, about singer Adele and her new project 30 (debut November 19th) sparked a popular topic in the music industry. Perry’s comments stated “Adele drops new music when everyone is vulnerable and sensitive” typically during the Autumn seasons. She says it in a joking tone, indicating that she is excited to hear this new music. But acknowledges a tactic that labels and music artists use to generate the most traffic to their projects. Adele being a highly anticipated artist, understands her influence on the music industry and her fans. She releases heartfelt ballads that are praised but often associated with love and sorrow. Katy Perry being more of an upbeat pop artist, she joked that other artists release music when they know the world is about to be “sad”.

Other artists like Drake have been associated with promoting his music by thriving on his fan’s highs and lows. Since debuting his first studio project Comeback Season  Drake was associated with jokes like “don’t drake and drive” or “Drake is so sensitive and lonely, always longing for a woman”. His Toronto sound became a staple in the music industry because of his reminiscent lyrics and personal life. This age of celebrities shares so much of their lives with their fans. Drake’s been romantically associated with women such as Serena Williams, Rihanna, Jorja Smith, Jennifer Lopez, etc. Drake acknowledges his failed romances, childhood traumas, and feuds in his music. His fan’s connection and opinion towards his romantic relationships, somehow correspond with his album/streaming success. A pattern shown in Drake’s release dates shows that he thrives on his fan’s highs and lows: releasing music strategically in the colder seasons and summertime.

Perry emphasized in her comment that Adele’s songs alone don’t keep the fans anticipated. It’s the fact that Adele releases her music during the colder seasons, when there is a rise in seasonal depression. Another artist associated with his industry strategy is the singer Kehlani. In a recent interview with Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club radio show, she expressed her appreciation for fans that support her music. She then described a common theme in reaction to her music, saying “my fans love when I’m heart-broken”. Implying that she releases more “fire” music when she’s dealing with emotional trauma. Now that her fans hear more “self love and happy songs”, they still admire it, but it gives them a different feel.

To name one more artist whose name is associated with heartbreak, strategic release dates, and close connection to fans is Summer Walker. Without getting too deep into her personal life, Summer Walker is an R&B singer who debuted her first EP in 2019 and first album the same year. Walker has been associated with her now ex-boyfriend, producer London on da Track. This up and down relationship led to him producing her first studio album, along with causing a great amount of heartbreak for the two of them. Because Walker uses social networking sites to connect with her fans, they got a front-row seat to the madness. Since their break-up, Walker announced her new album to be released November 5th, not produced by London. Her fans are excited for her music because they thrive on her heartbreak songs that just so happen to be released when “everyone is most vulnerable” like Perry says. Is it true heartbreak and seasonal depression bring album sales? 

Cancel Culture–Harmful or Effective in Holding Our Fellow Celebrities Accountable?

On By Kirsten BeachIn Brand, Commercials, Diversity, Instagram, Media Covergence, Music, News Media, Social Media, Television, Twitter, Uncategorized, YouTubeLeave a comment

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For those who aren’t as familiar with what cancel culture is, canceling and cancel culture have to do with the removal of support for public figures in response to their objectionable behavior or opinions (which can include boycotts or refusal to promote their work.)

In late 2018, comedian Kevin Hart publicly stated he would be hosting the 2019 Oscars; an announcement that triggered intense public scrutiny regarding homophobic jokes and tweets he had previously put forth. While the backlash against Hart came from many different directions, a majority derived from the social media platform, Twitter. Although ‘cancel culture’ is not a new phenomenon, it is evident that it was brought to the forefront of American pop culture after Hart’s “canceling,” and has continued since.

With this idea of “canceling” in mind, the question many have is whether or not canceling is harmful or effective in holding these celebrities and public figures accountable.

Last night during the Oscars, Joaquin Phoenix gave a discursive speech in which he both criticized “cancel” culture and advocated for social justice while accepting the Oscar for best actor for his performance in “The Joker.” In his speech he said,

“I have been a scoundrel all my life, I’ve been selfish. I’ve been cruel at times, hard to work with, and I’m grateful that so many of you in this room have given me a second chance,” Phoenix said. “I think that’s when we’re at our best: when we support each other. Not when we cancel each other out for our past mistakes, but when we help each other to grow. When we educate each other; when we guide each other to redemption.”

Like Joaquin, many believe that cancel culture is merely harmful to society and those individuals being “canceled,” but, according to the article on Daily Toreador, many also feel that it’s unfair that celebrities can seemingly “get away” with hurting other people or making damaging and harmful statements, even after being canceled for a little while. At the same time, however, it is both concerning and detrimental that as a society, we perpetuate a culture of simply canceling someone instead of encouraging them to be better and holding them accountable in a constructive way (similar to what Joaquin said.)

I think we can all agree that public outrage against celebrities is expected and sometimes even justified in some cases, but is it possible that sometimes cancel culture can go too far? What do you think?

 

Sources:

http://www.dailytoreador.com/opinion/opinion-what-another-hostless-oscars-says-about-cancel-culture/article_b66c13f6-4ba0-11ea-ae0d-9fe86d0364ea.html

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/joaquin-phoenix-criticizes-cancel-culture-in-oscars-acceptance-speech/