Latest news with #Louisiana-born
Cosmopolitan
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Addison Rae Makes Intimate Live Debut at NYC's Iconic Club The Box — Review
Addison Rae lost herself and found herself again. With the release of her highly anticipated debut album, we saw a rebirth right before our eyes. Rebirth, rebrand, reintroduction—whatever you call it—the Louisiana-born TikTok dancer transformed into one of the most promising pop acts of the current age with the release of 'Diet Pepsi' last summer. Since then, skeptics and day 1 superfans have tuned in to watch her every move, whether it's because of the push-and-pull of her sexy girl next door persona or her slinky hooks and booming production from her collaborators, Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjärd. So, when I got word that Addison and Spotify were hosting a rare live show on the eve of her album release, I knew I had to be there. Especially because it would technically be her first official live performance of tracks from her self-titled debut album. She took center stage at New York's famously sleazy and glamorous nightclub, The Box, which acted as her playground for the night. The room was filled to the brim with magazine editors, late-night producers, and devoted fans who waited hours for a glimpse of the star. Bushwick's elite even crossed the bridge to Manhattan to capture the newly minted pop princess in all her glory. As aerial artists and dancers donned lingerie underneath burning disco balls, I brushed shoulders with Addison's star-studded stan list, from Julia Fox, Richie Shazam, and Amelia Gray to Conan Gray, Lola Tung, and Clairo. The intimate inauguration marked a new beginning for Addison. As she opened her set with 'Fame Is a Gun' in a kitschy satin bed, bated breaths escaped the lips of attendees who couldn't take their eyes off her. The mic was on, and soon enough, she treated fans with her original cabaret-inspired 'musical theater' rendition of 'High Fashion.' Her it girl-in-crime, Lexee Smith, served a campy, melodramatic poetry reading in Louboutins in between one of her outfit changes as a makeshift interlude until Addison returned for a particularly transcendental moment. When the opening notes of 'Aquamarine' trickled through The Box's theater, not one word was missed by fans. I even overheard a friend over my shoulder say, 'This song is so gay.' (Complimentary. Not in the way that would prompt Hilary Duff to pull her allyship card.) As Addison hit her marks in a flowy bright blue mini dress, we not only found catharsis on the dance floor—she did, too. In 2021, I covered the early days of Addison's crossover from TikTok to real-world fame at Seventeen, and I'll admit it: I was always intrigued by her essence, but I wasn't totally sold on 'Obsessed' once it dropped. It wasn't until one of my best friends dragged me to our living room to catch her performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that I locked in and saw her for what she truly was: a small-town girl aching for the life of a big-city star. Let it be known that this was the moment she unlocked her potential as a Main Pop Girl in my eyes. From then on, I fully understood her vision. When most of her catalogue leaked in 2022, I clicked play for research purposes and fully became hooked by the following summer. Before her 7-track performance last night, she teased what could come from the Addison Rae live experience, making cameos with her close friends and collaborators on multiple occasions. There was the 'Von Dutch' remix at Charli XCX's pre-brat Boiler Room set in Brooklyn and their post-brat performance on Coachella's main stage, her 'Arcamarine' stint during Arca's more intimate set in the desert, and, of course, 'Diet Pepsi' with Charli and Troye Sivan's Sweat tour stop at Madison Square Garden. These moments inched us closer to the glittery dance pop world of Addison, yet we didn't see the star fully in her element. Until now. She's no stranger to a Britney Spears comparison—in fact, she seems to fully welcome it, knowing they're both hometown heroes in Louisiana—but she pays homage to her heroes. In interviews, she's openly named Britney, Madonna, Prince, and Michael Jackson as influences. On her tongue-in-cheek satirical number, 'Money Is Everything,' she wistfully sings about her dream blunt rotation with Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga after name-dropping Norma Jean. It's abundantly clear she's at the top of her class as a pop culture student, and she's well on her way to becoming a teacher. She no longer has to dream of being seen, because all eyes are on they'll stay there. Stream 'Addison' on Spotify
Los Angeles Times
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Rapper NBA YoungBoy, pardoned by Trump, looks ahead to ‘future I've worked hard for'
NBA YoungBoy, the Louisiana-born rapper who has faced a flurry of legal woes in recent years, said on Wednesday he can soon put all of that behind him. The musician — born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden and also professionally known as YoungBoy Never Broke Again — expressed relief and optimism for a new chapter as President Trump issued out a series of pardons for the 25-year-old rapper, a former New York congressman and and several others. In an Instagram story, Gaulden credited the president with 'granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building — as a man, a father, and as an artist.' 'This moment means a lot,' said the 'Make No Sense' artist. 'It opens the door to a future I've worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this.' Trump pardoned Gaulden less than six months after he was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for gun-related charges in December 2024. At the time he acknowledged possessing despite being a convicted felon. A month before his sentence, the rap star pleaded guilty to his involvement in a years-long prescription drug fraud scheme in Utah. He pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree felony identity fraud, two counts of third-degree felony forgery, and six counts of misdemeanor unlawful pharmacy conduct and pleaded no contest to remaining charges. He did not receive a prison sentence for that case, but was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. Gaulden's legal woes also include being indicted by a federal grand jury in 2021 for possessing an unregistered firearm and 'possession of firearms by a convicted felon' in connection to a 2020 case. Joining Gaulden on the roster of Trump's latest pardonees are former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover and 'Chrisley Knows Best' reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley. Trump also pardoned New York labor union leader James Callahan, former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, former congressman Michael Grimm and Army Lt. Mark Bradshaw. The Grammy-nominated 'Need It' rapper also thanked Trump's pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson. She was convicted in 1996 for her role in a Memphis-based cocaine trafficking operation and Trump commuted her life sentence in 2018. Gaulden credited Johnson with 'fighting for second chances for so many people' and thanked his attorney Brittany K. Barnett and supporters. Gaulden embarks on his live tour in September, including two shows at Arena in Los Angeles on Sept. 9 and 10. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
NBA YoungBoy pardoned by Trump: His legal troubles, explained
President Donald Trump has pardoned NBA YoungBoy. The Louisiana-born rapper, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, was serving a 23-month sentence for federal gun charges. Trump announced his pardon along with others, including former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover, on May 28, a White House official confirmed to USA TODAY. Gaulden, 25, also known as YoungBoy Never Broke Again, recently announced a 32-date national tour set to kick off in September, his first headlining tour. USA TODAY has reached out to NBA YoungBoy's reps for comment. In November, Gaulden pleaded guilty to his involvement in a Utah pharmacy drug ring, including felony identity fraud and felony forgery charges that were reduced to misdemeanors. In that case, he avoided jail time and paid a $25,000 fine. But the following month, in a related federal gun case, the "Make No Sense" rapper was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison, five years of probation and a $200,000 fine. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Trump's latest wave of pardons includes rapper, GOP governor convicted of corruption Police arrested Gaulden in Utah amid house arrest in April 2024. Inmate records reviewed by USA TODAY at the time showed the rapper was arrested in Cache County, Utah, on six charges, including unlawful activity, procuring or attempting to procure drugs, identity fraud, forgery, possession of controlled substances and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. He was later charged with the aforementioned federal crimes and taken into federal custody, KSL-TV reported. NBA YoungBoy's legal troubles amid Trump pardon The rapper has been involved in numerous criminal cases, including two attempted murder charges in 2016, when he was 17 years old. The charges were reduced to aggravated assault with a firearm, according to WAFB in Louisiana, which led to a suspended 10-year prison term plus probation. Other cases include a 2018 assault and kidnapping, a 2019 assault and battery lawsuit and a 2019 shooting in Miami. Amid a 2020 federal drug and firearm case in Louisiana, Gaulden was arrested in March 2021 for alleged possession of a weapon in Los Angeles. He went to trial for the Los Angeles case in July 2022 and was acquitted of the charges, per court records. The rapper pleaded guilty to that federal gun charge in early 2024, court records reviewed by USA TODAY show. YoungBoy began growing a fanbase in 2014 with his first mixtape, "Life Before Fame." His latest single, "Shot Callin," joins the list of viral hits like "Slime Examination," "Don't Try This at Home," "Outside Today" and "No Smoke." Contributing: Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY; Amani Bayo, The Columbus Dispatch
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump's latest wave of pardons includes rapper, GOP governor convicted of corruption
Trump's latest wave of pardons includes rapper, GOP governor convicted of corruption Show Caption Hide Caption Trump pardons reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley President Trump called Savannah Chrisley from the Oval Office in the White House to tell her he wanted to pardon her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley. President Donald Trump pardoned a former GOP governor and a rapper, while commuting the federal sentence of a gang leader convicted of murder, a White House official said on May 28. Trump pardoned former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, who pleaded guilty in late 2004 to one count of conspiring to commit tax fraud and depriving the public of honest service over $107,000 in gifts he accepted from companies doing business with the state. A decade later, Rowland was convicted of obstructing justice, conspiracy, falsifying government documents, and other violations of campaign finance laws. He served from 1995 to 2004 and was once the youngest governor in the United States. 'I am very humbled and appreciative,' Rowland said in a statement to local TV station WTNH. 'I have been blessed with a wonderful family and friends that have been through a great deal over the years. This is a wonderful final resolution.' Trump also pardoned Louisiana-born rapper NBA YoungBoy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, who pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge in 2024. Trump also commuted the federal sentence of Larry Hoover, a Chicago gang leader who co-founded the Gangster Disciples and was convicted of murder in 1973. Hoover still must serve state sentences. The moves were part of a fresh wave of pardons by Trump on May 28 that also included a former U.S. Army officer who was found guilty by a special court martial during the Biden administration for refusing to follow COVID-19 safety measures, a pair of reality television personalities and former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who resigned after being convicted of tax fraud. Contributing: Joey Garrison, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Catalina Camia, Taijuan Moorman
Daily Tribune
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Dustin Poirier to Cap UFC Career with Max Holloway Trilogy Title Fight
TDT | Manama Dustin Poirier, the Louisiana-born mixed martial arts star, will bring his UFC career to a close with a blockbuster trilogy fight against Max Holloway for the BMF title on 19 July at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The 36-year-old lightweight, hailing from Lafayette, Louisiana, will face Holloway, 33, for the third time in a highly anticipated clash to headline UFC 318. Poirier previously defeated the Hawaiian in their two encounters—first via a first-round submission at UFC 143 in 2012 and then by unanimous decision at UFC 236 in 2019. Both fighters are coming off defeats in championship bouts. Poirier (30-9) was submitted by lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in June 2024, while Holloway (26-8), the current BMF titleholder, suffered a knockout loss to featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in October 2024. The event marks the UFC's return to New Orleans after a 10-year absence, and the significance of Poirier fighting in his home state is not lost on UFC executive vice president Peter Dropick. 'It's a special moment for Dustin Poirier to close his remarkable career in New Orleans,' Dropick said. 'We're grateful to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, New Orleans & Company, and Smoothie King Center for making this possible. The fans are ready for our return.' The card also features a compelling middleweight bout between No. 10-ranked Marvin Vettori (19-8-1) and No. 11 Brendan Allen (24-7). The pair were set to meet at UFC Vegas 90 in April 2024, but Vettori's withdrawal led to an unsanctioned altercation at a Florida casino later that year. Their official encounter is expected to be explosive. Other notable fights include:
