Music

TikTok y Universal Music Group (UMG) están en las últimas horas de un enfrentamiento épico, que implicará que toda la música del sello será eliminada de la aplicación más grande del mundo, y ninguna de las partes está cediendo.

UMG emitió un largo comunicado el martes defendiendo su postura en el contrato, el que está a punto de expirar esta medianoche, en donde acusa a TikTok de relajarse y hacerse "asquerosamente" rico sin pagar lo que consideran "justo".

Es por eso que están tomando la posición de sacar la música de sus artistas de la plataforma, pues sienten que TikTok debe pagar más para licenciar sus canciones.

Universal también argumentó que han aplicado todas las contramedidas que hay para asegurar que sus artistas estén protegidos de suplantación de identidad por IA y ciberseguridad, algo que TikTok no ha hecho por la industria de la música ni por sus fans.

El sello Big 3 tiene una enorme lista de artistas, incluyendo Taylor Swift, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Ice Spice, Rosalía y docenas de otros nombres que pronto se verán afectados, pero UMG dice que tienen una mayor responsabilidad que atender.

TikTok contraatacó señalando que el problema es la clásica codicia de las corporaciones y acusaron a Universal de fomentar una "narrativa falsa". Además, señalaron que tienen acuerdos saludables con los artistas con cada sello y editor.

UMG ha estado revisando sus cuentas de cerca. A principios de enero, Variety informó de que el sello se estaba preparando para despedir a cientos de empleados, principalmente en la división de música grabada. Así que, a primera vista, parece que se están apretando el cinturón en todos los frentes.

Russ, el rapero, ha estado hablando sobre la política de la industria desde que se hizo totalmente independiente hace un par de años y también está haciendo sus críticas diciendo que ambas partes tienen demasiado en juego para dejar caer la pelota a medianoche. Él piensa que la cruzada de Universal para proteger a los artistas es simplemente el lenguaje que están usando para apaciguar sus propios asuntos.

TikTok and Universal Music Group are in the final hours of an epic standoff that will see all the label’s music removed from the world’s biggest app … and neither side is budging.

UMG let off a lengthy statement on Tuesday defending their stance on their waning contract -- which is set to expire at midnight -- accusing TikTok of sitting back and getting filthy rich off their product without "paying its fair share."

That's why they're now taking the position of yanking their artists' music off the platform ... basically, they feel TikTok needs to pay more cash to license their tunes.

Universal also argued they’ve applied every potential countermeasure available to ensure their artists are protected from AI impersonation and online security … something they say TikTok has failed to do for the music industry and its fans overall.

The Big 3 label has a huge roster ... Taylor Swift, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Ice Spice, Rosalía -- and dozens of other superstar names will soon be affected, but UMG says they have a greater responsibility to uphold.

TikTok snapped back at UMG, pinpointing the issue on classic corporate GREED … they accused UMG of spinning a “false narrative” and noted they have healthy 'artist-first' agreements with every other label and publisher.

UMG has been monitoring its books closely ... earlier in January, Variety reported that UMG was preparing to fire hundreds of employees -- primarily targeting the recorded music division. So, on its face, it appears they're tightening their belt on all fronts.

Russ, the rapper, has been speaking out on industry politics since going fully independent a couple of years ago and he's weighing in here as well ... saying both parties have too much stake in the game to drop the ball at midnight. He thinks UMG's crusade to protect the artists is simply code language to appease their own bottom line.

Justin Bieber lleva más de 5 años casado y todavía se siente muy enamorado de su esposa Hailey, antes de salir de fiesta en un lugar de moda en Beverly Hills.

El cantante le dio un cariñoso beso a Hailey durante una salida al restaurante Funke, y la señora Bieber se acurrucó en el hombro de su marido en otras fotos.

Justin y Hailey, al igual que muchas otras parejas de alto perfil, han estado plagados de rumores de divorcio en los últimos años, pero su acogedora cita nocturna el pasado fin de semana debería silenciar esos rumores.

El cantante de "Yummy" dejó que las fotos hablaran por sí mismas, ni siquiera escribió un comentario, mientras que la fundadora de Rhode Beauty mantuvo vivo el romance en los comentarios, diciendo: "Somos lindos".

La sección de comentarios también estaba a reventar con los fans de la famosa pareja. Muchos decían que son la pareja que todos quieren ser.

En general, los fans están encantados de ver que su relación va viento en popa. A finales de este año, celebrarán su sexto aniversario. Incluso estaban tomados de la mano como un par de estudiantes de secundaria mientras caminaban afuera del restaurante.

La pareja ha sido abierta sobre los altos y bajos de su relación desde que se casaron, y Hailey incluso admitió que sus luchas le hicieron darse cuenta de que iba a pelear por su matrimonio "no importa qué".

Donald Trump y sus aliados más cercanos están aparentemente preparándose para ir a la batalla contra Taylor Swift y cualquier demócrata que podría terminar recibiendo su apoyo, esto de acuerdo con un nuevo informe.

Rolling Stone dio a conocer algunos detalles tras bambalinas de lo que se está discutiendo últimamente en el círculo de Trump, en particular en lo que respecta a Taylor Swift y la (probable) posibilidad de que apoye a Joe Biden a medida que nos acercamos a las elecciones del 2024.

Por lo que están escuchando, Donald Trump y compañía se están quejando de la posibilidad de que Taylor utilice su enorme influencia para apoyar la candidatura de Biden, tanto es así, de hecho, que Rolling Stones informa que algunos en el equipo de Trump están declarándole una "guerra santa" a la cantante, vaya a saber uno qué diablos eso significa.

El medio dice que el tema de Taylor ha aparecido bastante en la órbita de Trump en los últimos meses, sobre todo porque se ha vuelto cada vez más popular por su vínculo con la NFL últimamente. Cuanto más sube en el inconsciente colectivo (zeitgeist), más humo echa Trump y compañía de rabia.

Rolling Stones incluso afirma que Trump le dijo recientemente a sus confidentes que era "más popular" que Taylor y que tenía una base de fans más leales que ella. El medio continúa diciendo que el expresidente anduvo diciendo que "obviamente" él debería haber sido elegido la Persona del Año de TIME.

Por más descabellado que pueda parecer, ya hay pruebas de que es cierto, especialmente en el frente de la "guerra santa", porque algunos populares sustitutos de Trump han hablado de ello últimamente.

El personaje político Jack Posobiec dijo recientemente frente a una multitud de inclinación MAGA (Make America Great Again) que su lado tenía que pelear fuego contra fuego cuando se trata del efecto Taylor, lanzando estrellas en su propio mundo de que presumiblemente podría agitar su base y llevar a las personas a las urnas por Donald Trump.

Algunas de las estrellas que mencionó son Kid Rock, Ted Nugent y Jon Voight, por nombrar algunos.

A primera vista, parecería que los partidarios de MAGA se sienten como si estuvieran en una lucha por sus vidas, y de acuerdo todos estos informes, ¡parecería que ven a Tay Tay como el anticristo!

Mientras tanto, en realidad, todo lo que Taylor ha hecho, es ir a los partidos de fútbol y animar al equipo de su novio.

Eso, en sí mismo, sin embargo, parece haber desatado a los fanáticos de Trump en todo el país, quienes están lanzando un poco de furia sobre la posibilidad de que Taylor se pueda involucrar en política de nuevo este año.

Justin Bieber's more than 5 years into this marriage thing, and still feeling real lovey-dovey ahead of a night out at a Bev Hills hot spot with his wife Hailey.

The singer passionately locked lips with Hailey during an outing to the much-buzzed-about restaurant Funke, and Mrs. Bieber cuddled up on her husband's shoulder in other pics.

Justin and Hailey, like many high-profiled couples, have been plagued by divorce rumors over the years -- but their cozy date night last weekend should silence that talk.

The "Yummy" hitmaker let the pics do all the talking, opting to go captionless ... while the Rhode Beauty founder kept the romance alive in the comments, writing: "we're cute."

The comments section was also bursting at the seams with fans branding the pair "couple goals."

In general, fans are just thrilled to see their relationship is going strong as they'll hit their 6th anniversary later this year. Hell, they were even holding hands like a couple of high school kids as they walked out of the eatery.

The couple's been open about the ups and downs of their relationship since tying the knot -- and Hailey's even admitted their struggles made her realize she'd fight for their marriage "no matter what."

Donald Trump and his closest aides are apparently ramping up to go to battle with Taylor Swift and any Democrats she might end up endorsing -- this according to a new report.

Rolling Stone dished out some alleged behind-the-scenes deets about what's being discussed lately in Trump world -- particularly as it pertains to T-Swift and the (likely) possibility that she'll throw her weight behind Joe Biden as we get close to the '24 election.

From what they're hearing ... DT and co. are grousing at the prospect of Taylor using her massive influence to support the Biden ticket -- so much so, in fact, that RS reports some in the Trump camp are declaring a "holy war" against her ... whatever the hell that means.

The outlet says that the topic of Taylor has come up in Trump's orbit quite a bit in recent months -- especially as she'd become ever-more popular due to her NFL tie lately. The more she's surged in the zeitgeist, the more Trump and co. have reportedly fumed with anger.

RS even goes so far as to claim that Trump recently told confidants he was "more popular" than Taylor and that he had a more loyal fan base than her as well. The outlet goes on to say Trump was telling people he "obviously" should've been TIME's Person of the Year.

As wild as this might sound, there's already evidence out there that it's true -- especially on the "holy war" front ... 'cause some popular Trump surrogates have talked about it of late.

Political persona Jack Posobiec recently told a MAGA-leaning crowd at an event that their side had to fight fire with fire when it comes to the Taylor effect ... throwing out stars in their own world who could presumably rile up their base and get people to the polls for DT.

Some of the A-listers he mentioned ... Kid Rock, Ted Nugent and Jon Voight, to name a few.

On its face, it would seem MAGA supporters feel like they're in a fight for their lives here -- and based on all these reports ... it would seem they see Tay Tay as the anti-Christ!

Meanwhile, in reality, all Taylor has done, really, is ... just go to football games and cheer.

That, in and of itself though, has apparently triggered Trumpers around the country -- who are throwing a bit of hissy fit over the prospect she might get political again this year.

Justin Timberlake saying he's been in the studio with his boy bandmates isn't what it seems ... there's no new *NSYNC music on the way, but they did lend their voices to JT's album.

Here's the deal ... Justin gave *NSYNC fans the ultimate tease this week when he told Kelly Clarkson he was cooking something up with the boy band, leading lotsa folks to believe new tracks and potentially a tour was coming, building on their recent reunion.

But our sources at RCA Records are pumping the brakes, telling us ... Justin's tease was referencing *NSYNC members recording background vocals for his his upcoming album, "Everything I Thought I Was."

We're told when Justin, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick got together last year to record "Better Place" for 'Trolls Band Together,' they also used their time together in the studio to lay down vocals for JT's new offering.

So, JT's just hyping that collab ... background vocals for that one track, which we guess some might consider a reunion of sorts.

We're also told RCA Records honchos are adamant that when/IF *NSYNC does make a comeback, it needs to be the band's own sound and not Justin's which would also include JC singing half the leads with JT just like with all the hit *NSYNC records.

Unfortunately for *NSYNC fans, that isn't imminent ... we're told Justin is full steam ahead with his upcoming world tour and there are no plans for his old band members to join him on stage.

Of course, there's no doubt fans are clamoring for an *NSYNC reunion album and tour ... and that could become a factor in the future. Right now, our sources say RCA is concerned with Justin's first single stumbling out of the gate.

We're told RCA is nervous fans are upset they're not getting a true *NSYNC song, and that might be why Justin's "Selfish" isn't performing as well as hoped.

Justin Timberlake dice que ha estado en el estudio con sus compañeros de banda, pero no es lo que parece... ya que no hay nueva música de *NSYNC en camino. Lo que sí hicieron fue prestar sus voces para el álbum de Justin.

Justin le dio a los fans de *NSYNC falsas esperanzas esta semana cuando le dijo a Kelly Clarkson que estaba cocinando algo con la boy band, llevando a mucha gente a creer que había nuevas canciones y una gira.

Sin embargo, nuestras fuentes en RCA Records están siendo realistas, y nos dicen que todo el asunto se trata de los miembros de *NSYNC grabando voces de fondo para el próximo álbum de Justin, "Everything I Thought I Was".

Nos dicen que cuando Justin, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez y Chris Kirkpatrick se reunieron el año pasado para grabar "Better Place" para "Trolls Band Together", también utilizaron su tiempo juntos en el estudio para ponerle voces a la nueva canción de JT.

Por lo tanto, JT está promocionando esa colaboració. Son simplemente voces de fondo para esa pista, que suponemos que algunos podrían considerar una especie de reunión.

También nos han dicho que los jefes de RCA Records son inflexibles respecto a SI *NSYNC hacen un regreso, tiene que ser el propio sonido de la banda y no el de Justin, que también incluiría a JC cantando la mitad de las pistas con JT al igual que en todos los discos exitosos de *NSYNC.

Desafortunadamente para los fans de *NSYNC, eso no es inminente. Nos informan que Justin está a todo vapor con su próxima gira mundial y no hay planes para que sus antiguos miembros de la banda se unan con él en el escenario.

Por supuesto, no hay duda de que los fans están clamando por un álbum de reunión de *NSYNC y una gira. En este momento, nuestras fuentes dicen que RCA está preocupado con el primer single de Justin tropezar fuera de la puerta.

Nos dicen que RCA está nerviosa porque los fans están molestos porque no están recibiendo una verdadera canción de *NSYNC, y que podría ser la razón por la que "Selfish" de Justin no está funcionando tan bien como se esperaba.

One of the most famous casino resorts in Las Vegas is closing, and one of its longtime headliners says it spells trouble for Sin City entertainers.

The Tropicana announced this week it's shuttering in April, and will ultimately be demolished to make way for a new baseball stadium being built for the Las Vegas Athletics, the MLB team relocating from Oakland.

Murray The Magician, who has a residency at the Tropicana, tells TMZ ... the impending closure could create major problems for performers who've been doing their thing at the property.

As the 'AGT' alum explains, the Las Vegas Strip is hypercompetitive for entertainers -- there are more than 70 shows a night on the 2.5-mile stretch, with only so much wealth to go around ... and the Tropicana closing eliminates 2 venues.

So, some acts are going to be left out in the cold.

There's a historical layer to this too ... the Tropicana's been a launching pad for so many Vegas performers, and Murray says the property changed the way folks are entertained in Sin City.

Siegfried and Roy got their start at the Tropicana, and Murray says without them there would be no Cirque du Soleil. The Tropicana also hosted the Folies Bergere for nearly half a century, and it's where Gladys Knight and Wayne Newton once had residencies.

Murray does his show at the Laugh Factory at the Tropicana, and the property also hosts tribute shows for Michael Jackson and Prince.

For what it's worth, there are reports the "MJ Live" and "Purple Reign" tribute shows are relocating to new spots in Vegas -- and, likewise, Murray says he's sticking with the Laugh Factory, which is finishing a deal to move on the Strip.

Dua Lipa and Callum Turner look smitten ... packing on the PDA while out shopping and grabbing coffee.

The "One Kiss" singer and her British actor boyfriend were all over each other Tuesday in Los Angeles' Larchmont Village.

Dua and Callum were kissing, hugging and smiling as they picked up some java and did a little bit of shopping.

As you can see, they look like a super happy couple in the very early stages of a romance ... which is exactly where they are.

Ever the gentleman, Callum kept an arm around Dua's shoulder and he ever carried their shopping bags. It's 2024 and chivalry is very much alive, even in L.A.

This PDA sesh is the second time we've seen Dua and Callum making out this month ... last time, they were kissing outside a super popular West Hollywood sushi spot as they made their relationship official.

Safe to say Dua and Callum are off to a hot start.

Chrisean Rock mostró un poco de tinta fresca la semana pasada, revelando la cara de su novio, Blueface, y mientras algunos pensaban que no era real... nos dicen todo lo contrario.

El propietario de la tienda de tatuajes Lakimii -donde Chrisean se hizo este trabajo- nos dice que la estrella de la realidad se acercó para este nuevo tatuaje el sábado pasado y mientras que normalmente tienen una política contra la aguja en la cara de alguien, hicieron una excepción para Chrisean.

Nos dicen que este trabajo tomó alrededor de 4 horas en total para completar, lo cual es evidente en lo detallado y elaborado que es. No se sabe si le cobraron o no, pero el propietario, Timo, nos dice que ya le han hecho tatuajes en el pasado, así que están familiarizados con ella como cliente.

De todos modos, puedes echarle un vistazo al tatuaje con más detalle aquí. Mientras que ha habido algunos creen que es falso, Timo insiste en que es real.

Ciertamente se pueden ver sus poros abiertos y la tinta llenándolos. Además, su cabeza está ligeramente afeitada alrededor de la zona en cuestión, lo que es un signo revelador de que está a punto de hacerse un tatuaje.

Hay un puñado de personas que todavía son escépticos acerca del tatuaje, pero por lo que parece, Chrisean parece haber sido atacada de nuevo, esto después de volver a dedicarse a Blueface, que está actualmente entre las rejas por una violación de libertad condicional en Los Ángeles.

Ella ciertamente está esperando a que sea puesto en libertad y sabemos que Lakimii también está emocionado. Nos dicen que el negocio está en auge para ellos desde el trabajo de tinta que hicieron para ella.

Y escucha esto, nos han dicho que el propio Blue también tiene planes de venir a entintarse, aunque no se sabe cuándo exactamente podría suceder.

Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson says his heart is broken ... because his wife of 28 years has tragically died.

Brian just announced the death of his spouse, Melinda Kae Ledbetter Wilson ... and their kids say she died peacefully Monday at home. An official cause of death is unknown... and the exact circumstances surrounding her death haven't been revealed either.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Brian says ... "Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career."

Brian continues ... "She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us."

The couple adopted five children together and Brian says they are all in tears and are lost.

Brian and Melinda first met way back in 1986 when she sold him a Cadillac ... dating on and off for a couple years until rekindling their romance in 1992 and getting hitched in 1995 at Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.

Their relationship even inspired a biopic ... 2014's "Love & Mercy" starring John Cusack as Brian and Elizabeth Banks as Melinda.

Briana and Melinda's kids are remembering her as "a force of nature and one of the strongest women you could come by. She was not only a model, our fathers savior, and a mother, she was a woman empowered by her spirit with a mission to better everyone she touched."

They say she taught them lasting lessons, like ... "How to take care of the person next to you with out expecting anything in return, how to find beauty in the darkest of places, and how to live life as your truest self with honesty and pride."

Melinda was 77.

Trippie Redd is distancing himself from all things demonic ... this after YEARS of, in his eyes, unfounded accusations he's a pawn of Satan!!!

An incensed Trippie launched into a tirade Tuesday, laying into anyone who wanted to attach any antichrist connotation to his name.

In the posted video, Trippie fumed, "Stop saying I worship the f****** devil!!! I can't wear all black? I've been wearing all black -- that's my thing!!!"

Now, according to him, he's just a Goth guy from Ohio who likes black cats and furniture ... born to be the "sad-boy." He also explained his many face tattoos are simply the type of art he prefers.

Trippie was adamant he had no idea where fans were getting the satanic sticks and stones -- but it's kinda hard to deny the Diamond-selling rapper has leaned into the occult throughout his career ... like the time he adopted '666' for his brand.

Or when he released his "Demon Time" music video where he twists his hair into devil horns, and he and Ski Mask the Slump God killed people outside a seedy motel.

Even his peers took notice ... Meek Mill publicly roasted Trippie for allegedly having a dark soul and being a snitch a few months ago.

And, that was after DJ Akademiks' fiery rant aimed at Trippie, Playboi Carti, and Lil Uzi Vert for still pushing for shock value tactics after their fans had grown up.

Chrisean Rock showed off some fresh ink last week that bared the mug of her on-and-off boyfriend, Blueface, and while some thought it wasn't real ... we're being told otherwise.

The owner of the Lakimii Tattoo Shop in WeHo -- where Chrisean got this job done -- tells us the reality star came by for this new face tat last Saturday ... and while they normally have a policy against needling up someone's face, they made an exception for Chrisean.

We're told this work took about 4 hours in total to complete ... which is evident in how detailed and elaborate it is. No word on whether they charged her or not -- but the owner, Timo, tells us they've done tats for her in the past ... so they're familiar with her as a client.

Anyway ... you can take a look at the tattoo in more detail here. While there've been some who've believed this may have been a henna thing ... Timo insists it's the real McCoy.

It certainly looks like it could be based on what we're seeing -- you can see her pores opened up, and the ink filling them. Plus, her head is slightly shaved around the area in question -- which is a telltale sign that a tattoo is about to take place.

There's a handful of folks who are still skeptical about whether this is fake -- but from the looks of it, Chrisean appears to have gotten blasted again ... this after re-devoting herself to Blueface, who's currently behind bars on a probation violation in L.A.

She certainly seems happy waiting for him to be released ... and we know Lakimii is also stoked. They tell us business has booming for them ever since the ink job they did for her.

And get this ... we're told Blue himself apparently has plans to come and get some fresh ink as well. No word on when exactly that might happen -- he could be locked up for a while.

GloRilla has a few hot takes that will definitely ruffle some feathers ... especially if you're a guy who enjoys puffing on hookah, or a woman who's raising a kid. She said it, not us!

Big Glo laid out her gripes on Tuesday, claiming every woman she knows who's a "baby mama" is a few sandwiches short of a picnic ... to put it kindly.

She actually called 'em dumb bitches.

The "FNF" creator even went so low as to call those particular chicks the "r-word." Remember, Lizzo recently caught flak for dropping that word in a song, and ended up apologizing and changing the lyric.

Glo identifies as an equal opportunist, so she also has smoke for the males, especially the ones she calls "fake tricks" -- guys who pretend like they have the money to spoil her, but actually have empty pockets.

But, her biggest pet peeve is guys who smoke hookah! Glo even claimed she turned down a guy who caught her eye, after seeing the hookah hose hit his lips.

She might be on her own defending her "baby mama" comments, but 21 Savage is also fully against guys who smoke hookah.

He scolded Kai Cenat last night for partaking in such a "girly" activity.

Megan Thee Stallion's beef with Nicki Minaj has taken an ugly turn -- cops are getting involved to protect her late mother's gravesite, this after doxxing by her arch-rival's fandom.

The Texas cemetery where Megan's mom, Holly Thomas, was laid to rest after passing away from brain cancer in 2019 -- tells TMZ ... they've notified local authorities and increased security personnel at their facility in light of the escalating feud.

What's more ... we're told PSC will continue to monitor the situation as they take all matters regarding safety and security seriously -- and lately, things have been getting too real.

They do add ... as of yet, thankfully nothing has happened to the gravesite, but they emphasize they're on high alert regardless.

The extra precautions come after some of Nicki's "Barbz" -- AKA, her army of fiercely loyal supporters -- first leaked the location of Holly's burial site on social media ... encouraging others to go and desecrate her grave as a way to get back at MTS for her OG diss.

It all kicked off last week when Nicki distastefully cracked a joke about MTS' mother on the streaming platform Stationhead. Her exact line at the time was ... "You better go conjure up your mother and apologize. That's disgusting." It seems some of her fans took that to heart.

No doubt, ya gotta figure that was particularly heartbreaking for Megan to hear ... as she's been super candid and emotional over the years about her mother's influence in her life.

Megan has also been very open about what the loss of her mom has meant to her -- and by all accounts, it's been very difficult ... something that's been well-documented and discussed.

Now, Nicki did later explain that she only took the shot at Meg's mom cause MTS was coming after her own family. In particular, MTS seemed to reference Nicki's husband, Kenneth Petty, in her new track "Hiss" -- making a "Megan's Law" reference that many interpreted as shade toward Petty's legal trouble.

So, tit for tat really ... many felt Nicki had just gone too far, and doubly so for any one of her supporters who was seriously considering heading over to Holly's grave.