Latest news with #SundayService
Hindustan Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Kanye West assigns Bianca Censori his power of attorney in 2024 lawsuit amid marriage troubles
Rapper Kanye West, aka Ye, has assigned his wife, Bianca Censori, his power of attorney (POA), amid rumours of their split. An In Touch report claims that this was revealed when Ye was asked to provide documents for an ongoing 2024 lawsuit against him. (Also Read: Did Kanye West really sue Kim Kardashian for neglecting their kids, going to Met Gala? Here's the truth) A POA gives someone the power to execute business transactions and manage their personal affairs. According to court documents obtained by the publication, Ye dropped the bombshell about Bianca during the 2024 lawsuit against him and his company for discrimination and wrongful termination. For weeks, Benjamin Deshon Provo, who filed the lawsuit against Kanye, has claimed that he is struggling to obtain documents. During the back-and-forth, Ye revealed that Bianca is his POA and serves as his agent. The rapper also stated that he would turn over a document titled Designation of Agency, but wouldn't do it without a protective order in place. However, the complainant reportedly 'scoffed' at the idea that a protective order was necessary for it. Kanye's lawyer, Eduardo Martorell, noted that the document was: 'Confidential in nature and shall not be used, disclosed, or disseminated for any purpose outside of this proceeding, except as expressly permitted by law or further order of the Court. Responding Party reserves all rights to seek further protective measures if necessary to prevent misuse or improper disclosure,' according to the publication. Benjamin, however, claims that despite four requests to provide that Bianca was Kanye's POA, the rapper failed to provide any documentation supporting it. He also asked that the rapper sanction of $2,610 for failing to turn over documents and be ordered to produce them immediately. Benjamin claims in his lawsuit that he was hired to work as security at Donda Academy in Los Angeles and later given duties at Sunday Service and another one of Ye's businesses. Over time, he claims to have noticed black employees being treated differently from white ones. '(Benjamin) and other Black employees, in relation to his non-Black counterparts,' claims his lawsuit. Ye and other employees also allegedly pressured Benjamin to cut off his dreadlocks he wears due to his Muslim faith. He claims to have been terminated for refusing to comply with that demand. Kanye was ordered to be deposed in the case after months of delay. The publication notes that Bianca, too, will be 'grilled' under oath.
Forbes
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Will Smith's Comeback Album Fails To Make Any Commercial Impact
Will Smith has been on a long and quiet journey back into the public eye since his infamous altercation with Chris Rock at the Academy Awards several years ago. After keeping a relatively low profile in the aftermath of that moment, he's been slowly re-engaging with audiences, and he recently stepped back into his first love, music. For Smith, hip-hop isn't just the genre that made him famous, it also may be the key to a redemption arc – or at least that's what he was hoping. Unfortunately, that plan isn't panning out quite the way he might have anticipated. Smith's new album Based on a True Story is his first in two decades, but it makes virtually no commercial impact. Despite months of buzz and big name collaborations, the album just didn't hit with the American public in any meaningful way. Based on a True Story ix Smith's first album since 2005's Lost and Found. The project was promoted with a steady stream of singles and features from major names in the music industry, including Big Sean, Joyner Lucas, and his own son Jaden. The Grammy winner tried to push the project properly, but even anticipation and what seemed like a fair amount of media coverage – at least in the music-focused press – couldn't move the needle. The full-length doesn't make it onto a single Billboard ranking this week. Not the Billboard 200, not the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, not any genre-specific or consumption-specific tallies. For an artist of Smith's stature, that's a harsh result. He's still a household name, and with so much attention focused on the release, it felt like it could become at least a minor win. It didn't. Throughout his music career, Smith has only released four prior solo albums. All of them made it onto the Billboard 200, and three even cracked the top 10. His 2002 effort Born to Reign stalled just outside that space, peaking at No. 13. A few years earlier, Willennium soared to No. 5 – his all-time peak – driven by hit singles and the momentum of his acting career. Now, for the first time, he's released an album that doesn't make it to the all-genre tally. Based on a True Story also fails to send a single cut to the Hot 100. That's especially disappointing given the roster of collaborators featured on the set. Smith was never the biggest star on the Hot 100, but he has earned multiple top 10s and even a few No. 1s throughout his career. This time around, not one of the several official singles gained enough traction to appear on the tally. Even though the album itself doesn't chart, a few of the tracks from Based on a True Story do manage to land somewhere. Three cuts from the set make a home on Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs chart, a tally that Smith was previously largely unfamiliar with. Two brand new tunes — 'The Reverend (Rave Sermon)' and 'Rave in the Wasteland ' —debut at Nos. 8 and 22, respectively. At the same time, 'You Can Make It,' a collaboration with Fridayy and Sunday Service, reappears at No. 18. Smith claims a trio of the most-consumed gospel tracks in the country this week, which is a curious outcome for an effort largely pitched as a hip-hop project.
CairoScene
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Mehdi M Drops Minimal House EP ‘The Funky Mission' on Faith Beat
Mehdi M Drops Minimal House EP 'The Funky Mission' on Faith Beat The five-track record is a mix of headstrong house, techno and post-speed garage basslines all rolled into one funky mission. Algerian-born, France-based DJ and producer Mehdi M debuts a minimal house EP titled The Funky Mission on Ryan Elliott's record label, Faith Beat. Drawing inspiration from warm analog sounds and machine-driven productions—a sound he demonstrated in the early stages of his career—Mehdi delivers an eclectic mix of headstrong house, techno, and post-speed garage bassline, all rolled into one funky mission. 'Faith Beat provided the perfect home for this EP, allowing me to push my sound even further while staying true to the sound that defines my approach,' Mehdi M tells SceneNoise. 'There was a back-and-forth process that we went through for almost a year, fine-tuning every detail until it was exactly right.' Despite the implications of the EP's title, The Funky Mission doesn't have a singular focus. Instead, each track skates through various electronic influences and shifting textures, demonstrating the breadth of Mehdi's sonic toolkit. On the A-side, the titular track offers a refreshing, feel-good start that sets the tone for the record, kicking things off with a tight house groove backed by a solid drum pattern of punchy kicks and sharp snares. As we move to 'Sunday Service,' the vibe shifts slightly, dabbling in a more atmospheric space where deep basslines rumble beneath a hypnotic rhythm without losing energy. On the flip side, 'Funky Version,' as the name suggests, brings a sense of playfulness with a bouncy bass, tight percussion, and breaks that fold into loops of minimal and tech-house funk. Meanwhile, 'Tare Mode' stands out with a steady pulse that drives the track into full motion, accompanied by a somewhat sinister, low-slung electro rhythm that almost feels hypnotic in its repetition. Mehdi M's The Funky Mission vinyl record is now available for pre-order via KMA60 and for purchase at select record shops across Europe, including Sound Metaphors and Hardwax. The digital version will be released on all streaming platforms in the coming weeks.
Express Tribune
16-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Kanye West threatens 'war' with Kim Kardashian after involving daughter North in Diddy scandal
Kim Kardashian is reportedly devastated after Kanye West released a song involving their 11-year-old daughter, North West, amid the growing scandal surrounding Sean 'Diddy' Combs. The track, titled "LONELY ROADS STILL GO TO SUNSHINE", debuted Saturday on West's X account, sparking backlash and legal tension. My good friend @P2istheName has passed away… wow. I'm honestly at a loss for words. He was always so kind to me and gave me so much content creation advice. May he rest in peace. This breaks my heart. — COLETHEMAN (@colethemanyt) March 15, 2025 The song allegedly opens with Diddy's voice thanking Kanye for support while he awaits trial on sex trafficking charges. It also features verses from Christian 'King' Combs and a brief appearance by North, who raps, 'When you see me shining, then you see the light.' A source told DailyMail that Kardashian attempted to prevent the track's release by sending cease-and-desist letters and requesting an emergency hearing. Although Kanye reportedly agreed to delay the song, it was ultimately shared publicly. Adding to the controversy, West posted—and later deleted—screenshots of a heated text exchange with Kardashian. In it, he threatens legal warfare over North's involvement, claiming: 'Amend it or I'm going to war.' Kardashian, in return, allegedly insists she holds the copyright to their daughter's name and had already sent legal paperwork to protect her from being associated with the track. Insiders say North recently joined West in the studio where she recorded her vocals. West reportedly promised her that the song would lead to the release of his upcoming Sunday Service revival. Kardashian, an aspiring lawyer, is said to be doing 'whatever it takes to protect her kids' and has asked a judge to restrict the children's exposure to what she describes as 'hateful speech' from West. The incident intensifies the public fallout between the former couple, with Kardashian now working to distance North from Diddy, who remains jailed and under federal investigation.
Euronews
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Kanye ‘Ye' West posts KKK photo after announcing return of his gospel choir
The controversial rapper has followed his online series of hateful rants with another disturbing image that has led social media users to feel "sick to the stomach." WARNING: Article contains images some readers may find disturbing. ADVERTISEMENT Kanye 'Ye' West has teased the return of his Sunday Service - choir events he began back in January 2019 to coincide with his Christianity-themed album 'Jesus Is King'. The Sunday Service Choir performs gospel songs and covers from Ye's discography, which sounds like some much-needed respite from his antisemitic rants. 'Sunday Service Returns March 16 2025,' he wrote in an Intagram post, accompanied by a screenshot of a text message exchange with Sunday Service choir director Jason White. Don't get too comfy, however, as any sense of normalcy was short-lived. Once the controversial rapper had finished teasing the return of the choir, he posted a picture of a Klu Klux Klan (KKK) robe straight afterwards. Indeed, Ye took to Instagram to post a now-removed picture of a white robe typically affiliated with the white supremacist group with the caption: 'Outfit of the day'. He also shared the same picture on X, with the caption: 'FIT PIC'. The posts have been criticised by social media users, with some expressing their outrage and saying they feel 'sick to the stomach'. 'Someone hit ctrl + alt + delete and restart Kanye please,' commented one social media user, while another added: 'Is someone gonna tell him he's black?' The KKK have a history of carrying out acts of violence against minorities. The white supremacist, far-right hate group violently opposes Jews, Catholics, and Southern / Eastern European immigrants and – most confusing of all considering West's post - Black people. Not that has bothered him previously. This year, West has come under fire for selling a white t-shirt with a large swastika emblem on the chest – an item listed as 'HH-01' on his website, a possible reference to the 'Heil Hitler' chant. The site was taken down by Shopify – although the online retailer stated that West's website was taken down not because it was selling swastika merchandise, but rather because of the potential for fraud. However, Shopify did condemn the item, calling it 'vile, disgusting and inexcusable'. This also follows highly controversial posts in which he declared himself 'a Nazi' - something he backtracked days later, saying on X that 'after further reflection' he had 'come to the realization that I'm not a Nazi.' His rants last month also saw him declare 'dominion' over his wife Bianca Censori, whose see-through dress at the Grammys provoked worry over her wellbeing. Kanye West and Bianca Censori on this year's Grammys red carpet AP Photo The rapper was dropped by his talent agency following these horrific rants. ADVERTISEMENT 6 March post X The KKK post by West also adds itself to an offensive remark the rapper made on 6 March, in which he wrote: 'This next album got that antisemitic sound. My new sound called antisemitic.' It is unclear if this is related to the release of his 'Bully' album, which he teased at the beginning of 2025. What's clear is that West's case has not only tested the limits of separating the art from the artist, but has made defending him a total impossibility.
