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Black America Web
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Posing In The Rain Is One Of The Most Iconic Moments We've Seen This Year
Source: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis / Getty Rihanna and A$AP Rocky didn't simply arrive at the Cannes Film Festival – they gave us a red carpet romance that felt straight out of a movie. Their movie . The couple, who always find ways to blend love, business, and fashion into something unforgettable, made a splash (literally) at the premiere of the Highest 2 Lowest premiere. Their now-viral rainy moment proves that nobody does a red carpet like they do. RELATED: Rihanna And A$AP Rocky Star In New Fenty Beauty Film Teaser Wrapped in a custom bright turquoise-blue Maison Alaia gown, Rihanna was glowing from head to toe. Her dress complemented her beautifully, with delicate fabric that hugged her curves and a gorgeous color that popped against her skin tone. The high neckline was tied gently at the shoulder, while a cutout across her belly showed off her pregnancy with pride. Source: Karwai Tang / Getty Her glam was giving fresh and radiant. She rocked glossy nude lips, glowing skin, and a messy updo that framed her face and perfectly held up in the rainy weather. The Bajan beauty finished the look with stacked diamond rings and couture leaf-shaped earrings. A$AP held his own in a look equally as red carpet-ready. The fashion icon wore a tailored black double-breasted tux with a white shirt, slim black tie, brooch pin, and shades. (His slightly oversized trousers are chef's kiss). STAY INFORMED! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! His signature braids were neat, his grill was shining, and his energy was unmatched. Every camera flash caught him fully present, whether holding the umbrella over Rhi Rhi, kissing her on the cheek, or wrapping his arms around her bump. We are swooning! READ MORE STORIES: What makes this appearance extra special is that it's one of the first times the hip-hop couple has walked a carpet together since Rihanna's pregnancy announcement at the Met Gala. While she officially debuted her bump that night, Rocky didn't walk with her as he arrived earlier as a co-chair. But in Cannes, they were all about their shared moment – and the rain didn't stop a thing. From their outfits to their aura, it was the kind of moment that had social media lit. Fans wrote, 'relationship goals,' 'fashion goals,' 'we love to see it,' and more. Let the rain fall—this couple's glow is weatherproof. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK . FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER . SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE . STAY INFORMED! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! HEAD TO THE HOMEPAGE SEE ALSO Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Posing In The Rain Is One Of The Most Iconic Moments We've Seen This Year was originally published on
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
J-Hope Announces A One-Night-Only Live Concert In Cinemas Globally
J-Hope's solo Hope on the Street Tour ends with a live cinema broadcast, capping off a milestone ... More year filled with new hits, global touring, and Billboard history. PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 20: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) J-Hope from BTS attends the Dior Homme Menswear Fall-Winter 2023-2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 20, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) 2025 has been an especially busy year for J-Hope. The BTS musician has been focusing heavily on his solo output, as the group that brought him to superstardom remains on hiatus until all seven members complete their military enlistment. In addition to releasing several new tracks and making history on the Billboard charts in the past few months, J-Hope also embarked on his first solo tour. The trek, which has taken him to a number of countries across several continents, only has a few dates left – and one of them will be truly special. Fans around the world will get to take part in the concert, as it will be broadcast live to theaters globally. J-Hope's Hope on the Street Tour is ending in about a month, with his final two shows scheduled for May 31 and June 1 in Osaka, Japan. The May 31 concert will be broadcast to cinemas worldwide, live. This special event gives people a chance to take in the show once more — or finally get to see J-Hope live if they weren't able to attend one of the performances. The film, titled J-Hope – Hope on the Street in Japan: Live Viewing, is sure to be a thrilling show for die-hard J-Hope followers who didn't live close enough to one of the concerts in the trek to attend, and perhaps also a quick moneymaker for Hybe and BigHit, as the companies are credited as both director and producer. Concert films have become increasingly popular and populous in traditional movie theaters over the past several years, as streaming platforms continue to claim more market share in the movie industry. With both streaming-only titles gaining popularity and the window between theatrical and home release shortening, theater chains have had to find creative ways to attract audiences. Music has been a major part of that strategy, especially via concert films. Most of these projects are not live, though, which makes the South Korean star's move an especially exciting one. While J-Hope is not the first to attempt a real-time screening, it's still a daring technological move to sell what may be thousands — if not tens of thousands — of tickets for one night and hope everything goes off perfectly. Tickets for the approximately three-hour movie go on sale Friday, May 9, less than a month before the film hits theaters. J-Hope has a sizable solo catalog with which to create his tour's setlist. He launched his solo career with the mixtape Hope World in 2018, followed it up with the 2022 album Jack in the Box, and just last year, he dropped the EP Hope on the Street Vol. 1. In 2025 alone, he's reached the Hot 100 with a trio of new tunes. "LV Bag," a collaboration with Don Toliver, Speedy, and Pharrell Williams, came first. J-Hope also fronted both "Sweet Dreams" with Miguel and "Mona Lisa," which helped promote the tour and may be the beginning of another exciting chapter in his solo musical journey, as a part two of his Hope on the Street EP may be in the works.
Forbes
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
J-Hope Matches His BTS Bandmates RM, Jin And Suga
J-Hope's 'Mona Lisa' debuts at No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart, selling over 12,000 copies and ... More tying him with several BTS bandmates among the most successful K-pop soloists. PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 20: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) J-Hope from BTS attends the Dior Homme Menswear Fall-Winter 2023-2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 20, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) J-Hope has made a name for himself both as a member of BTS and as a soloist, and this week, he proves once again that he doesn't need the band to reach a lofty position on a major ranking. The superstar is back at No. 1 on a Billboard chart, and his latest win is an especially exciting one. His new single 'Mona Lisa' launches as a brand new bestseller in America, instantly helping the superstar make history and tie several of his closest musical friends in the process. J-Hope's new track 'Mona Lisa' arrives on several Billboard charts this week, and it's most impressive starting point is on the Digital Song Sales chart. That list, which ranks the bestselling tracks in the U.S. based on purchases via platforms like iTunes and Amazon, crowns the tune as the bestselling cut in the country. It starts its run at No. 1, earning the BTS alum his second leader on the tally. According to Luminate, 'Mona Lisa' sold 12,300 copies in its debut frame. That sum is easily enough to secure the title the top spot, as no other song even comes close this week. The runner-up, 'Anxiety' by Doechii, sold 7,700 copies. J-Hope's new drop is the only track to break into five-digit territory in the most recent period. 'Mona Lisa' is J-Hope's second career leader on the Digital Song Sales chart. What makes his latest winner especially notable is that it follows just one month after his first. His only other chart-topper is 'Sweet Dreams,' a collaboration with Miguel. While he had previously appeared in the top 10 on the tally 11 times, it took him years to finally hit No. 1. Now, he has two such wins, and they arrived almost back-to-back, as 'Sweet Dreams' ruled in March. With two No. 1s now to his name, J-Hope joins an exclusive group. Among all K-pop soloists, he is now tied for the fourth-most leaders in the history of the Digital Song Sales chart. Leading the way is Jimin, who has collected six No. 1s. Jung Kook isn't far behind with five, while Suga — who also goes by Agust D when releasing music on his own — has managed three. At the moment, J-Hope is even with RM and Jin, his BTS bandmates, who have each landed two winners as soloists. 'Mona Lisa' is a bestseller, but that's not the only Billboard chart where it appears. The track also debuts on the Hot 100, the main list of the most-consumed songs in America, at No. 65. It becomes J-Hope's seventh solo placement on that competitive ranking. Globally, the tune performs even better. It starts its run at No. 9 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., giving the singer and rapper his first top 10 on that tally. Over on the Billboard Global 200, 'Mona Lisa' nearly reaches the same position, opening instead at No. 14.
Forbes
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
AI Art Heist? Can Blockchain Save Studio Ghibli's Style
Studio Ghibli art - is it the largest art heist? (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via ... More Getty Images) I opened my social media to be flooded with AI Art generated in Studio Ghibli style pictures. Jumping into the fun, I quickly opened up OpenAI's new model and created my own. Later, I started to read about protests from artists about this being one of the biggest Art Heists ever. Many creators are understandably upset, viewing this technological advancement as outright theft of their distinctive styles and intellectual property. The outrage centers around the belief that AI-generated art, especially pieces directly inspired by well-established styles, crosses ethical boundaries. Studio Ghibli, known globally for its distinctive, hand-crafted animation style and heartwarming storytelling, represents more than just visuals—it symbolizes decades of artistic dedication and original creativity. In fact accordingly to Fun Fact Co, seven Ghibli films are among the 15 highest grossing anime films of all time. Robert Scoble, AI Sherpa and Co-author, "The Infinite Retina,' said 'We're entering uncharted territory—when AI generates content inspired by existing work, it's not immediately clear if it's innovation or infringement. The real question is how we define originality in the age of AI. Ultimately, creators deserve clarity, protection, and credit, regardless of how the lines are drawn.' Is it an art heist or fun with AI? Stepping back, technological innovation has always had a complex relationship with creativity and originality. Photography, for instance, is often praised for its democratization of art, but its development heavily relied on techniques pioneered by legendary artists like Ansel Adams. Adams meticulously refined exposure, composition, and visual storytelling—skills that today's automated smartphone cameras effortlessly replicate without acknowledgment or compensation. Similarly, the world of writing faces a parallel scenario. Large language models (LLMs), trained on vast bodies of text written by countless authors—including myself—continuously create new content based on learned styles and knowledge. These models "borrow" extensively from published materials, often without direct consent or compensation to original authors. Ann Handley wrote in Linkedin, 'Meta used all 3 of my books and millions of other books, ebooks, and research papers to train its AI. All without consent, compensation, copyright concern, credit. You find out only by searching a database published a few days ago by The Atlantic.' Ann Handley advocates for protection of copyrighted material (Photo byfor ... More NAMM) Despite legitimate grievances, society undeniably benefits from these advancements. Social media feeds overflow with engaging visuals and compelling narratives, significantly enhancing our everyday experiences. Yet, the convenience and widespread appreciation for AI-generated works shouldn't diminish the discomfort and ethical dilemmas faced by original creators whose styles and painstaking efforts are appropriated without explicit consent. This ethical and creative dilemma could find a promising resolution through blockchain technology. Blockchain, a decentralized digital ledger system known for its transparency, immutability, and secure record-keeping, could serve as a crucial tool for protecting artists' rights and intellectual property. Blockchain's most significant potential lies in the ability to tokenize artwork—transforming each piece into a unique digital asset with traceable provenance. Tokenization enables permanent, transparent records of authorship, creation date, ownership transfers, and even detailed licensing agreements. Each artwork becomes more than just visual content; it evolves into a verifiable digital asset, preserving the rights and ownership unequivocally in the digital age. Take for instance CrowdGenAI (I am an advisor to the company). Combined with blockchain technology, solutions like CrowdGenAI's TraceID create a powerful anti-piracy mechanism designed to significantly reduce the losses experienced by creators and copyright holders. The integration of cryptographic watermarking with blockchain ensures that every digital asset, whether text, image, or video, carries an immutable digital signature, providing indisputable proof of authenticity, ownership, and provenance. CrowdGenAI's invisible watermarks and blockchain TraceID. This robust combination of watermarking and blockchain transparency helps deter unauthorized distribution and piracy, as every asset can be tracked back to its origin and verified instantly. Such traceability makes infringement significantly riskier and easier to prosecute, discouraging piracy before it occurs. Innovative blockchain projects like Custos and Vevue further illustrate the effectiveness of digital watermarking combined with blockchain. Custos employs blockchain-enabled watermarking technology to identify and incentivize the reporting of unauthorized content distribution, creating a transparent and community-driven anti-piracy solution. Similarly, Vevue leverages blockchain and watermarking to protect creator rights transparently, ensuring royalties and rights management are enforced efficiently and effectively. Together, these groundbreaking technologies showcase a powerful new framework for content protection, providing creators and rights holders with the tools necessary to confidently secure their digital assets in an increasingly interconnected and digital-first world. Integrating smart contracts—self-executing contracts with the terms directly written into code—can further enhance the value proposition blockchain offers to artists. These contracts automate royalty payments, licensing arrangements, and other critical transactions whenever a derivative or inspired piece is created. Essentially, whenever AI or human artists utilize a distinct style or specific artwork for generating new content, blockchain would automatically execute royalty payments to the original creators. Applying this concept practically, consider Ghibli-inspired AI-generated art. Each generated piece could automatically trigger royalty payments back to Studio Ghibli or individual artists whose distinctive styles are used. By streamlining and automating this process, blockchain technology could create an equitable environment, alleviating many ethical concerns and transforming resentment into cooperative creativity. This blockchain-driven approach doesn't merely safeguard artists' economic rights; it fosters a new creative culture that balances innovation with integrity. Artists gain not only financial benefits but also recognition and validation of their contribution to evolving art forms. Meanwhile, technology enthusiasts and AI creators can confidently explore artistic styles, knowing they're contributing positively to the broader creative ecosystem. However, practical implementation faces several challenges, including establishing universal blockchain standards, integrating existing platforms, and addressing potential privacy and copyright disputes. Resolving these issues requires robust dialogue and cooperation between technologists, artists, lawmakers, and audiences. We stand at the crossroads of what could either become history's greatest art heist or its most profound artistic renaissance. How society collectively addresses the tension between technology-driven innovation and creative integrity will profoundly shape the future of art and creativity. Blockchain provides a tangible path forward, offering practical solutions for ensuring fairness, recognition, and compensation for artists. More importantly, it creates an ethical foundation upon which technological advancements in AI art can flourish, supported by mutual respect and sustainable collaboration. Public sentiment plays a significant role in navigating these challenges. Greater awareness and nuanced discussions about artistic rights, technology ethics, and intellectual property laws must continue. Engaging artists, technologists, and broader audiences in open dialogue helps establish socially accepted norms and regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation without sacrificing fairness. Ed Newton-Rex, CEO of FairlyTrained, commented on X, 'We are in the middle of the biggest art heist in history. And, despite widespread protests from creators, huge numbers of people are cheering it on.' Ed Newton-Rex's tweet that calls out the issue and expresses public opinion. Moreover, regulatory clarity is paramount. Clear, supportive laws are essential to enable blockchain's potential fully. Policymakers must actively participate in this dialogue, crafting policies that balance innovation with protection, ensuring an equitable digital creative economy. Ultimately, the heated debate surrounding AI-generated art represents an invaluable opportunity to revisit and strengthen our collective commitments to creative integrity, fairness, and technological progress. Rather than succumbing to division, we can unite technology and creativity, leveraging blockchain to build an ecosystem where everyone benefits fairly. What do you think? Is it an art heist or fun with AI? We might currently experience the greatest art heist by AI in history—but with thoughtful integration and collaboration, it could instead be remembered as a turning point towards a future where art and technology thrive together harmoniously.
