SXSW 2024 is hurtling toward its conclusion, and the music portion of the festival entered the weekend with a bang on Friday. The loudest, busiest night so far this year featured tons of great sounds if you knew where to look, or even if you didn’t — in a year that’s been as much about unofficial shows as the ones on the schedule, serendipity was the rule. Here are the best things we saw on March 15.
Eliza McLamb Takes Us to the Dmv
Eliza McLamb already had fans present in the sweaty Shiner’s Saloon,...
Eliza McLamb Takes Us to the Dmv
Eliza McLamb already had fans present in the sweaty Shiner’s Saloon,...
- 3/16/2024
- by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Christian Hoard, Angie Martoccio and Simon Vozick-Levinson
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins assembles a crew of influential artists like Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart for the P-Funk legend’s latest single, “The Influencers.”
Fantaazma and Westcoast Stone, a pair of artists on Collins’ Bootzilla Records, also appear on the track, which offers a preview of what the bassist has been cooking up at his Cincinnati studio over the past year.
“I am an influencer, you are an influencer,” Collins said of the track in a statement. “Together we influence change within our journey through life. So hold on tight,...
Fantaazma and Westcoast Stone, a pair of artists on Collins’ Bootzilla Records, also appear on the track, which offers a preview of what the bassist has been cooking up at his Cincinnati studio over the past year.
“I am an influencer, you are an influencer,” Collins said of the track in a statement. “Together we influence change within our journey through life. So hold on tight,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
David Libert, a founding member of the ’60s pop group The Happenings as well a tour manager for Alice Cooper and Prince, manager for George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, the Runaways, Living Colour and many more, died February 20, according to a post on his official Instagram page. He was 81.
The title of Libert’s 2022 memoir is Rock and Roll Warrior, and it’s an apt one. Over the course of his decades in the music business, the Paterson, NJ-raised Libert found success as a musician, songwriter, road manager, concert promoter, author and (briefly) drug dealer, for which he spent about a year in prison.
Just out of the Air Force in 1961, Libert started The Happenings with four other kids from Paterson. The group’s major hits were “See You in September” in 1966 and a cover version of George & Ira Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” the following year, both of which peaked at No.
The title of Libert’s 2022 memoir is Rock and Roll Warrior, and it’s an apt one. Over the course of his decades in the music business, the Paterson, NJ-raised Libert found success as a musician, songwriter, road manager, concert promoter, author and (briefly) drug dealer, for which he spent about a year in prison.
Just out of the Air Force in 1961, Libert started The Happenings with four other kids from Paterson. The group’s major hits were “See You in September” in 1966 and a cover version of George & Ira Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” the following year, both of which peaked at No.
- 3/6/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
The historical significance and impact of the “Godfather of Soul” are explored in James Brown: Say It Loud which airs February 19 & 20 on A&e. The four-part documentary chronicles the singer’s roots from middle school dropout and juvenile delinquent to music legend and cultural icon. Archival footage and images along with exclusive interviews help tell the story of a multi-dimensional, often controversial figure. Among those featured in the doc are Mick Jagger, Questlove, Bootsy Collins, LL Cool J, Rev. Al Sharpton, Chuck D, Dallas Austin, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis. Brown’s kids Larry Brown, Dr. Deanna Brown Thomas, and Dr. Yamma Brown also reflect on their dad they knew beyond the bright lights and Apollo Theater and other grand stages. Here Deanna and Yamma open up about being part of the project. What does it mean for you to see this multi-part documentary made on your dad, especially during Black History Month?...
- 2/17/2024
- TV Insider
Photograph courtesy of A&e Networks A&e will premiere the two-night documentary event “James Brown: Say It Loud” delving into the immeasurable musical and cultural impact of the entertainment icon. Directed by Deborah Riley Draper (The Legacy of Black Wall Street, Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution) and executive produced by legendary artist Mick Jagger, Academy Award® winner Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter, Peter Afterman, David Blackman, Victoria Pearman, Bruce Resnikoff, Shawn Gee, Zarah Zohlman, Charlie Cohen, and Mari Keiko Gonzalez, the documentary examines Brown’s incredible life that was as innovative as it was influential. The special examines Brown’s legacy through exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage and his beloved music catalog. “James Brown: Say it Loud” premieres Monday, February 19 and Tuesday, February 20 at 8Pm Et/Pt on A&e. Across four hours, “James Brown: Say it Loud” traces the incredible trajectory of Brown’s life and career from...
- 1/20/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Artists don’t always appreciate other artists. Quentin Tarantino was a massive fan of Elvis Presley but not The Beatles. On top of that, he preferred a band that’s often accused of copying The Beatles to The Beatles themselves.
Quentin Tarantino rejected The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and many other rock stars
In the 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed learning about music history from his friend Floyd. “I was all ears about this firsthand rock ‘n’ roll history, because I wasn’t into ’70s white-boy rock,” he said. “I didn’t give a f*** about Kiss, I didn’t give a f*** about Aerosmith, I didn’t give a f*** about Alice Cooper or Black Sabbath or Jethro Tull. I didn’t own Frampton Comes Alive! I openly rejected that entire culture.
“At 16, I think I heard of Bruce Springsteen, but I’d never heard Bruce Springsteen,” he added.
Quentin Tarantino rejected The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and many other rock stars
In the 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed learning about music history from his friend Floyd. “I was all ears about this firsthand rock ‘n’ roll history, because I wasn’t into ’70s white-boy rock,” he said. “I didn’t give a f*** about Kiss, I didn’t give a f*** about Aerosmith, I didn’t give a f*** about Alice Cooper or Black Sabbath or Jethro Tull. I didn’t own Frampton Comes Alive! I openly rejected that entire culture.
“At 16, I think I heard of Bruce Springsteen, but I’d never heard Bruce Springsteen,” he added.
- 12/15/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Artists don’t always appreciate other artists. Quentin Tarantino was a massive fan of Elvis Presley but not The Beatles. On top of that, he preferred a band that’s often accused of copying The Beatles to The Beatles themselves.
Quentin Tarantino rejected The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and many other rock stars
In the 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed learning about music history from his friend Floyd. “I was all ears about this firsthand rock ‘n’ roll history, because I wasn’t into ’70s white-boy rock,” he said. “I didn’t give a f*** about Kiss, I didn’t give a f*** about Aerosmith, I didn’t give a f*** about Alice Cooper or Black Sabbath or Jethro Tull. I didn’t own Frampton Comes Alive! I openly rejected that entire culture.
“At 16, I think I heard of Bruce Springsteen, but I’d never heard Bruce Springsteen,” he added.
Quentin Tarantino rejected The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and many other rock stars
In the 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed learning about music history from his friend Floyd. “I was all ears about this firsthand rock ‘n’ roll history, because I wasn’t into ’70s white-boy rock,” he said. “I didn’t give a f*** about Kiss, I didn’t give a f*** about Aerosmith, I didn’t give a f*** about Alice Cooper or Black Sabbath or Jethro Tull. I didn’t own Frampton Comes Alive! I openly rejected that entire culture.
“At 16, I think I heard of Bruce Springsteen, but I’d never heard Bruce Springsteen,” he added.
- 12/15/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Bootsy Collins, Sheryl Crow, and many other musicians have united to raise awareness of gun control via a new initiative called Artist for Action to Prevent Gun Violence. The goal, in Eilish’s words, is to “end the gun violence epidemic.” Those artists — as well as Nile Rodgers, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, Rufus Wainwright, Pixies’ Joey Santiago, Soffi Tukker, LP, and Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor — ask people to volunteer, donate, and vote to raise awareness around the issue.
In a video for Artist for Action,...
In a video for Artist for Action,...
- 9/22/2023
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Gun violence has been a major problem in the US, with both the common public and celebrities protesting against it. Recently, Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow among others decided to stage their protests against this phenomenon through some live events.
The roster of celebrities, which alongside Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow also includes Nile Rodgers, Bootsy Collins, Sofi Tukker, Rufus Wainwright and Bush among many others have joined a coalition of musicians called Artist for Action to Prevent Gun Violence (Aapgv) according to Variety.
The organisation is a union of like-minded musicians which is designed to inspire people to volunteer, donate and vote to end the epidemic of gun violence plaguing the country for a long time, which has recently even seen an upscale trend leading to shootouts in malls, shops and schools.
The coalition of musicians is launching their protests, through a series of live events, including...
The roster of celebrities, which alongside Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow also includes Nile Rodgers, Bootsy Collins, Sofi Tukker, Rufus Wainwright and Bush among many others have joined a coalition of musicians called Artist for Action to Prevent Gun Violence (Aapgv) according to Variety.
The organisation is a union of like-minded musicians which is designed to inspire people to volunteer, donate and vote to end the epidemic of gun violence plaguing the country for a long time, which has recently even seen an upscale trend leading to shootouts in malls, shops and schools.
The coalition of musicians is launching their protests, through a series of live events, including...
- 9/6/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
These unflinching documentaries, indie thrillers and anime fables can help us to understand the climate emergency, and how to respond
We are rapidly becoming the all-star cast of the biggest disaster movie of all time, and tragically it’s a global success. Towering infernos blaze over Canada, the Canaries and Rhodes, Bangladesh, China and even northern England have had their own devastating Poseidon adventures while the whole world continues to reel in the socioeconomic chaos of the Covid contagion and in fear of an H1N1 outbreak. Only the dramatic effects are no longer computer-generated, they are real, and people are really dying.
I went to the Odeon in the 1970s and was terrified and wowed by the disaster film genre. Since the late 1980s I’ve been watching the real world’s climate effects department ramp up its protests to our wholesale inactivity and disregard for the science that says,...
We are rapidly becoming the all-star cast of the biggest disaster movie of all time, and tragically it’s a global success. Towering infernos blaze over Canada, the Canaries and Rhodes, Bangladesh, China and even northern England have had their own devastating Poseidon adventures while the whole world continues to reel in the socioeconomic chaos of the Covid contagion and in fear of an H1N1 outbreak. Only the dramatic effects are no longer computer-generated, they are real, and people are really dying.
I went to the Odeon in the 1970s and was terrified and wowed by the disaster film genre. Since the late 1980s I’ve been watching the real world’s climate effects department ramp up its protests to our wholesale inactivity and disregard for the science that says,...
- 7/30/2023
- by Guy Lodge, with an introduction by Chris Packham
- The Guardian - Film News
Margo Price is leading off a new all-star tribute album to Leon Russell, A Song for Leon, with her take on the great singer-songwriter’s 1971 tune, “Stranger in a Strange Land.”
Price’s rendition of the Leon Russell and the Shelter People opener is rich and booming, a glorious country rocker that feels at once distinct from, and lovingly faithful to, the original. In a statement, Price described “Stranger in a Strange Land” as a “prolific” song and noted that, since recording the cover, it’s become a staple at her live shows.
Price’s rendition of the Leon Russell and the Shelter People opener is rich and booming, a glorious country rocker that feels at once distinct from, and lovingly faithful to, the original. In a statement, Price described “Stranger in a Strange Land” as a “prolific” song and noted that, since recording the cover, it’s become a staple at her live shows.
- 7/11/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins, singer and original member of Parliament-Funkadelic and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, has died at the age of 81.
P-Funk mastermind George Clinton announced Haskins’ death Saturday on social media. No cause of death was provided.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of an original Parliament Funkadelic member Clarence Eugene “Fuzzy” Haskins (born June 8, 1941-March 17th, 2023),” Clinton wrote.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Parliament Funkadelic (@werpfunk)
Haskins’ former band mate Bootsy Collins tweeted, “Prayer’s going out to Clarence ‘Fuzzys’ Haskins family & friends.
P-Funk mastermind George Clinton announced Haskins’ death Saturday on social media. No cause of death was provided.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of an original Parliament Funkadelic member Clarence Eugene “Fuzzy” Haskins (born June 8, 1941-March 17th, 2023),” Clinton wrote.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Parliament Funkadelic (@werpfunk)
Haskins’ former band mate Bootsy Collins tweeted, “Prayer’s going out to Clarence ‘Fuzzys’ Haskins family & friends.
- 3/18/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Live streaming platform Volume.com has inked a deal with musician and host Andy Frasco to be the new home for the videos of his lifestyle podcast and its associated content Andy Frasco’s World Saving Podcast which has reached an audience of over 45 million to date. Top guests have included Tony Hawk, Bert Kreischer, Melissa Etheridge, LP, Stevie Van Zandt, Fatboy Slim, Billy Strings, Laura Lee (Khruangbin), Bootsy Collins, and Nathaniel Rateliff.
“So excited to be working together with one of the best live stream networks on the internet. Their team is exactly what this podcast needs to take our discussions of mental health, addiction, and life with artists, comedians, and athletes who mean the world to us into the stratosphere.” - Andy Frasco
On March 14, 2023 the 210th Episode featuring Daniel Donato will launch.
(Volume.com also hosted Daniel Donato & Cosmic Country in 2 free live streams from Nectar’s in Vermont,...
“So excited to be working together with one of the best live stream networks on the internet. Their team is exactly what this podcast needs to take our discussions of mental health, addiction, and life with artists, comedians, and athletes who mean the world to us into the stratosphere.” - Andy Frasco
On March 14, 2023 the 210th Episode featuring Daniel Donato will launch.
(Volume.com also hosted Daniel Donato & Cosmic Country in 2 free live streams from Nectar’s in Vermont,...
- 3/17/2023
- Podnews.net
The breast pump was waiting for Meg Remy at her Toronto home when returned from the hospital with twins. A friend had given it to her, even though Remy wasn’t initially sure if she’d use the machine. But with two newborns to feed, she charged it up, flipped the switch — and out came a guttural womp.
“The minute I heard it, I was like, what is this fucking sound?” says Remy, 37, bandleader and creative force behind the always-inventive, always-evolving, always-searching pop outfit U.S. Girls. “I just knew...
“The minute I heard it, I was like, what is this fucking sound?” says Remy, 37, bandleader and creative force behind the always-inventive, always-evolving, always-searching pop outfit U.S. Girls. “I just knew...
- 1/10/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
As The Eighties began winding down, Bootsy Collins was in his element during nights on the town in Washington, D.C. Flashing his signature star-shaped shades, according to one report, he was chilling with fellow musicians — including some who’d played with Miles Davis — and sharing stories about his former boss and colleague George Clinton from their Parliament-Funkadelic days. Every so often he’d slip into one of the giddy, over-the-top voices heard on Bootsy stompers like “Bootzilla.” And he was living as large as one would expect: “We’re...
- 11/25/2022
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Three all new celebrities in disguise took to “The Masked Singer” stage for “Hall of Fame Night” on Wednesday, singing their hearts out to become Group 3’s first King or Queen. Despite his best efforts, Gopher was eliminated following his funky performance of “It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers and a Battle Royale against Bride that had them both belting out “All Star” by Smash Mouth. The adorable rodent was revealed to be “Mr. Funkadelic” himself, the legendary George Clinton.
“It’s hot as hell in here, but I’m cool,” he told host Nick Cannon during his unmasked interview. “Y’all was having too much fun on here. I saw T-Pain on this thing. I saw Gladys [Knight], Dionne [Warwick]. I had to get some of this.”
“Your music has inspired so many of us,” panelist Robin Thicke told him. “It still does today. When you...
“It’s hot as hell in here, but I’m cool,” he told host Nick Cannon during his unmasked interview. “Y’all was having too much fun on here. I saw T-Pain on this thing. I saw Gladys [Knight], Dionne [Warwick]. I had to get some of this.”
“Your music has inspired so many of us,” panelist Robin Thicke told him. “It still does today. When you...
- 11/10/2022
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 8, episode 7, of “The Masked Singer,” “Hall of Fame Night,” which aired Nov. 9 on Fox.
“The Masked Singer” paid tribute to late actor Leslie Jordan on Wednesday night’s episode, opening with a brief card dedicating the episode “to a beloved member of the Fox family, Leslie Jordan 1955-2022.”
Jordan, who had previously appeared as a guest judge on “The Masked Singer,” returned as a panelist for this week’s show, which was taped back in August.
As for the episode’s unmasking, it was a night of double “George” reveals. Living up to the “Hall of Fame” theme, boxing and portable grill entrepreneur George Foreman and funk legend George Clinton – of Parliament/Funkadelic fame — were the next to go.
Foreman, as the Venus Flytrap, was the first to go, with the fewest number of votes. Later, Clinton...
“The Masked Singer” paid tribute to late actor Leslie Jordan on Wednesday night’s episode, opening with a brief card dedicating the episode “to a beloved member of the Fox family, Leslie Jordan 1955-2022.”
Jordan, who had previously appeared as a guest judge on “The Masked Singer,” returned as a panelist for this week’s show, which was taped back in August.
As for the episode’s unmasking, it was a night of double “George” reveals. Living up to the “Hall of Fame” theme, boxing and portable grill entrepreneur George Foreman and funk legend George Clinton – of Parliament/Funkadelic fame — were the next to go.
Foreman, as the Venus Flytrap, was the first to go, with the fewest number of votes. Later, Clinton...
- 11/10/2022
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Rolling Stone interview series Unknown Legends features long-form conversations between senior writer Andy Greene and veteran musicians who have toured and recorded alongside icons for years. All are renowned in the business, but some are less well known to the general public. Here, these artists tell their stories, giving an up-close look at life on music’s A list. This edition features drummer Bryan “Brain” Mantia.
Guns N’ Roses’ 2002 Chinese Democracy tour and Tom Waits’ 2004 Real Gone tour were such wildly different affairs that comparing them almost seems ludicrous. Gn...
Guns N’ Roses’ 2002 Chinese Democracy tour and Tom Waits’ 2004 Real Gone tour were such wildly different affairs that comparing them almost seems ludicrous. Gn...
- 8/4/2022
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Here he comes now, sauntering down the sidewalk in L.A.’s Westchester neighborhood, a few blocks from Lax — iced coffee in hand, friend by his side, and a Whitney Houston song on his mind. “I’m saving all my love for youuuu,” he hum-sings with effortless soul and a soft smile, a friendly giant at 6’5″. He introduces himself as he approaches: “Hi, I’m Omar.”
Omar Apollo leads us into an unassuming house that looks like the venue for a typical college party inside, with strange doodles on the wall,...
Omar Apollo leads us into an unassuming house that looks like the venue for a typical college party inside, with strange doodles on the wall,...
- 4/1/2022
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins presides over a kaleidoscopic funktopia in the video for his new song “Hip Hop Lollipop,” a remake of “Club Funkateers” from his recent album, The Power of the One. The clip features Hamburg artist Fantaazma rapping and dancing around clips of Collins singing the “Funkateers” chorus — “How much you got, how much you gon’ get?” The song features a virtuosic bass solo break by Victor Wooten that’s so hot sparks come flying off his instrument in the clip, as well as impressive saxophone licks by Branford Marsalis.
- 2/25/2022
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Silk Sonic’s Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak are joining the world of Fortnite. On Thursday, Fortnite‘s developer Epic Games announced that music by the duo will be featured in a new radio station for the game, while fans of Silk Sonic — and their Seventies vibe — will get to dress their characters in outfits inspired by them.
With Bootsy Collins as a radio host, fans of the group will have the chance to listen to songs from An Evening With Silk Sonic while riding in-game cars and tuning in...
With Bootsy Collins as a radio host, fans of the group will have the chance to listen to songs from An Evening With Silk Sonic while riding in-game cars and tuning in...
- 2/3/2022
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
Silk Sonic is Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s lavish love letter to Seventies soul music, particularly post-What’s Going On Motown and the sumptuous, string-bathed Philadelphia sound of greats like the Stylistics, the Delfonics, and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. They created A Night With Silk Sonic during Covid quarantine, as chronicled in their recent Rolling Stone cover story, giving the famously obsessive Mars all the time in the world to fixate on getting every period detail perfect. The pair hunted down old drum magazines to make sure...
- 11/12/2021
- by Jon Dolan
- Rollingstone.com
Seems like Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak just couldn't wait until next year to release their collaborative album. The R&b duo, aka Silk Sonic, shocked fans this past Friday with a new announcement about their highly anticipated album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, that's now slated to arrive on Friday, Nov. 12. "Silk Sonic Coming at you November 12," Mars wrote in an Instagram post with a photo of him seated next to Anderson .Paak and legendary funk musician Bootsy Collins. Silk Sonic originally told Rolling Stone that their album wouldn't drop until January 2022, citing that they didn't want the project "to be binge-watched."
In an interview with the publication, Mars explained that he would like to put out more songs and let each one breathe before they drop the entire project, which will also feature Collins as its "special guest host." "We're really in touch-up mode now," he said. "We've...
In an interview with the publication, Mars explained that he would like to put out more songs and let each one breathe before they drop the entire project, which will also feature Collins as its "special guest host." "We're really in touch-up mode now," he said. "We've...
- 10/11/2021
- by Kelsey Garcia
- Popsugar.com
After years of trying to funk his way to stardom, Rick James finally broke through in 1978 on the back of a pair of dynamite singles: “You and I,” an eight-minute dance-floor workout that includes a lovely, soaring falsetto kiss-off (“they all can go to hell”), and “Mary Jane,” the most hummable ode to weed this side of D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar.”
The man behind “Mary Jane” and other urgent funk hits like “Give It To Me” is the subject of Bitchin: The Sound and Fury of Rick James, a...
The man behind “Mary Jane” and other urgent funk hits like “Give It To Me” is the subject of Bitchin: The Sound and Fury of Rick James, a...
- 9/7/2021
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
“I want to be nasty, and I want to be raw,” Rick James says early in the trailer for the upcoming documentary, Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James.
The two-minute clip features archival interviews with the funk-pop pioneer, who died in 2004, as well as commentary from Ice Cube (“This man was a genius”) and Bootsy Collins (“He had an attitude”). The clip shows that the doc, which premieres September 3rd on Showtime, will tackle the problematic aspects of his life as well as his music, both of which reflect his unrepentant lifestyle.
The two-minute clip features archival interviews with the funk-pop pioneer, who died in 2004, as well as commentary from Ice Cube (“This man was a genius”) and Bootsy Collins (“He had an attitude”). The clip shows that the doc, which premieres September 3rd on Showtime, will tackle the problematic aspects of his life as well as his music, both of which reflect his unrepentant lifestyle.
- 8/3/2021
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Showtime has released a trailer for “Bitchin’: the Sound and Fury of Rick James,” a new documentary directed by Emmy-nominee and hip-hop journalist Sacha Jenkins (“Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men”). Judging by the trailer the doc aims to present an accurate look at one of the most controversial and confrontational figures in the history of R&b and popular music.
James, who died in 2004, is known for his 1980s hits like “Super Freak” and “Give It to Me”; his prison term for a sexual misconduct; and of course Dave Chappelle’s famous parody. Yet as documented in the trailer, his confrontational nature — he was very upfront about his sexual and drug habits, among many other things — have clouded the perspective on his music and his importance, particularly in advancing Black music into the video age. His videos for “Super Freak” and other hits were, along with Michael Jackson’s,...
James, who died in 2004, is known for his 1980s hits like “Super Freak” and “Give It to Me”; his prison term for a sexual misconduct; and of course Dave Chappelle’s famous parody. Yet as documented in the trailer, his confrontational nature — he was very upfront about his sexual and drug habits, among many other things — have clouded the perspective on his music and his importance, particularly in advancing Black music into the video age. His videos for “Super Freak” and other hits were, along with Michael Jackson’s,...
- 8/3/2021
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
Parliament-Funkadelic founder George Clinton turns 80 on July 22nd, and to celebrate, we sat down with him for an in-depth conversation that looks back on decades of musical innovation. In the interview, Clinton reminisces about the earliest days of Parliament and Funkadelic, and he explains how his music was influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Vanilla Fudge(!), Louis Jordan, his friend Sly Stone, and others.
Though Clinton grew up in New Jersey, Funkadelic’s style drew heavily from New Orleans. “To me, the only genre that wasn...
Though Clinton grew up in New Jersey, Funkadelic’s style drew heavily from New Orleans. “To me, the only genre that wasn...
- 7/22/2021
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
Omar Apollo performed his new single “Go Away” on The Tonight Show, complete with a cinematic storyline and sets. In the clip, the singer waits at a bus stop with his suitcase, boards a plane alongside three dancers, and then ascends into the clouds, where he finishes the lovelorn tune.
Apollo premiered “Go Away” earlier this month, marking the singer’s first new music since releasing his project Apolonio last year. Apollo produced “Go Away” with the help of Carter Lang and Chromeo.
The song also arrived with a music video,...
Apollo premiered “Go Away” earlier this month, marking the singer’s first new music since releasing his project Apolonio last year. Apollo produced “Go Away” with the help of Carter Lang and Chromeo.
The song also arrived with a music video,...
- 7/21/2021
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
Q-Tip, Missy Elliott, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea and Bootsy Collins were among the many artists to pay tribute to Biz Markie on social media following the “Just a Friend” rapper’s death Friday at the age of 57.
“All of my love to the one of a kind bringer of love and joy, the great Biz Markie,” Flea tweeted. “I will bang his records til the day I die and my heart will rejoice. I love you Biz.”
Missy Elliott wrote of the “Clown Prince of Hip-Hop,” “I can remember...
“All of my love to the one of a kind bringer of love and joy, the great Biz Markie,” Flea tweeted. “I will bang his records til the day I die and my heart will rejoice. I love you Biz.”
Missy Elliott wrote of the “Clown Prince of Hip-Hop,” “I can remember...
- 7/17/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Tributes flooded Twitter following the news that rapper Biz Markie died Friday at age 57. The rapper nicknamed “the clown prince of Hip Hop” was best known for his humorous lyrics, original flow and his 1989 hit single “Just a Friend.”
“It is with profound sadness that we announce, this evening, with his wife Tara by his side, Hip Hop pioneer Biz Markie peacefully passed away,” the rapper’s family said in a statement. “We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years.
Markie’s brother, the musician Diamond Shell shared his condolences on Facebook saying, “To the baddest in the beats icon legend … my brother Biz Markie… I’LL miss...
“It is with profound sadness that we announce, this evening, with his wife Tara by his side, Hip Hop pioneer Biz Markie peacefully passed away,” the rapper’s family said in a statement. “We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years.
Markie’s brother, the musician Diamond Shell shared his condolences on Facebook saying, “To the baddest in the beats icon legend … my brother Biz Markie… I’LL miss...
- 7/17/2021
- by Loree Seitz and Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Bootsy Collins has tapped G-funk super-producer FredWreck for a new remix of his Power of One track, “Bewise.”
FredWreck’s remix offers a streamlined take on the original, boosting the bubbling bass and letting the slick drums cruise beneath verses delivered by Robert “Bewise” Harding. “I called on one of my West Coast G-Funk Dog FredWreck to ensure that G-Funk would be infused with P-Funk so that we could continue to Funk Up the World with a Purpose,” Bootsy said in a statement.
Along with dropping the “Bewise” remix, Bootsy...
FredWreck’s remix offers a streamlined take on the original, boosting the bubbling bass and letting the slick drums cruise beneath verses delivered by Robert “Bewise” Harding. “I called on one of my West Coast G-Funk Dog FredWreck to ensure that G-Funk would be infused with P-Funk so that we could continue to Funk Up the World with a Purpose,” Bootsy said in a statement.
Along with dropping the “Bewise” remix, Bootsy...
- 7/7/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s duo Silk Sonic turned the BET Awards into a smokey lounge with their velvety “Leave the Door Open” performance. The track has remained a hit since debuting in March.
Mars and Paak looked dapper in their suits as they sauntered down a red carpet at the beginning of their performance. From there, they sang to a small audience in a club layout where they moved between the bar and VIP booths. Both showed off their vocal runs as backup dancers and singers played VIP clubgoers and bottle service girls.
Mars and Paak looked dapper in their suits as they sauntered down a red carpet at the beginning of their performance. From there, they sang to a small audience in a club layout where they moved between the bar and VIP booths. Both showed off their vocal runs as backup dancers and singers played VIP clubgoers and bottle service girls.
- 6/28/2021
- by Brittany Spanos
- Rollingstone.com
A new documentary, Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James, will explore the lows, highs, and very highs of the funk icon’s life story. A clip from the film, which premiered during the Tribeca Film Fest and will get a wide release on an unspecified date via Showtime, focuses on how James gave funk music a pop edge and cleaved his way to commercial success, much to the chagrin of rival groups like Parliament. “All is fair in funk and war,” comments former P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins in the clip.
- 6/15/2021
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
A posthumous Dmx album, Exodus, produced by Swizz Beatz, will be released May 28th via Def Jam Recordings.
The album will mark the first Dmx album since 2012’s Undisputed and feature all-new original material. It will arrive nearly two months after Dmx’s death, April 9th.
“My brother X was one of the most pure and rare souls I’ve ever met,” Swizz Beatz said in a statement. “He lived his life dedicated to his family and music. Most of all, he was generous with his giving and loved his fans beyond measure.
The album will mark the first Dmx album since 2012’s Undisputed and feature all-new original material. It will arrive nearly two months after Dmx’s death, April 9th.
“My brother X was one of the most pure and rare souls I’ve ever met,” Swizz Beatz said in a statement. “He lived his life dedicated to his family and music. Most of all, he was generous with his giving and loved his fans beyond measure.
- 5/10/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins celebrated Gregory Jacobs — the Digital Underground rapper-producer better known as Shock G and Humpty Hump — in a tribute shared with Rolling Stone following the musician’s death Thursday at the age of 57.
Collins and Parliament-Funkadelic were a tremendous influence on Shock G, who sampled funk’s elder statesmen religiously and took a nod from them too with his penchant for various costumes and characters. He was such a fan that, as Bootsy recalls in his tribute, when Shock G got the chance, he drove all the way from...
Collins and Parliament-Funkadelic were a tremendous influence on Shock G, who sampled funk’s elder statesmen religiously and took a nod from them too with his penchant for various costumes and characters. He was such a fan that, as Bootsy recalls in his tribute, when Shock G got the chance, he drove all the way from...
- 4/23/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins has dropped a new music video for “Slide Eazy,” his collaboration with Ellis Hall, Rod Castro, and Brennan Johns from his most recent album, The Power of One.
Directed by Jameson Mangan, the clip is an eye-popping kaleidoscopic collage that finds Bootsy and his collaborators breezing through the upbeat funk jam. The psychedelic visuals are put to particularly perfect effect when Castro appears to unleash his dazzling guitar solo.
In an email to Rolling Stone, Bootsy explained how he built “Slide Eazy” with his three key collaborators. It...
Directed by Jameson Mangan, the clip is an eye-popping kaleidoscopic collage that finds Bootsy and his collaborators breezing through the upbeat funk jam. The psychedelic visuals are put to particularly perfect effect when Castro appears to unleash his dazzling guitar solo.
In an email to Rolling Stone, Bootsy explained how he built “Slide Eazy” with his three key collaborators. It...
- 4/7/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s Grammys performance as Silk Sonic on Sunday night must have left a big impression on James Corden, who spoofed the duo’s Seventies throwback vibe on The Late Late Show Monday.
The segment began with Stephen Colbert, host of CBS’ preceding talk show The Late Show, introducing Corden via an analog television set. Corden and his band, holed up in a yellow-walled studio, then performed “Leave the TV On,” a parody of Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” that essentially boils down to,...
The segment began with Stephen Colbert, host of CBS’ preceding talk show The Late Show, introducing Corden via an analog television set. Corden and his band, holed up in a yellow-walled studio, then performed “Leave the TV On,” a parody of Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” that essentially boils down to,...
- 3/16/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Silk Sonic have officially made their debut at the Grammys, and unsurprisingly, we are firmly in our feelings. The super duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak released their first single on March 5, and the banger has been stuck in our heads ever since. Much like the music video, the live performance of "Leave the Door Open" delivered all the smooth notes and sensuality that we expect from the duo. Although it was just Mars, .Paak, and two singers on the stage, their crooning and old-school swaying were all we needed to get into our mental happy place. And those orange suits?! Silk Sonic knows how to set a mood!
Although the group aren't nominated for any awards, they are dropping their debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, sometime this year. The album features musician Bootsy Collins as a "special guest host." We're definitely looking forward to hearing more...
Although the group aren't nominated for any awards, they are dropping their debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, sometime this year. The album features musician Bootsy Collins as a "special guest host." We're definitely looking forward to hearing more...
- 3/15/2021
- by Mekishana Pierre
- Popsugar.com
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have joined forces for new band Silk Sonic and they’ve released their video for their first single. “Leave the Door Open” will appear on Silk Sonic’s upcoming album, which they announced last week.
In the retro-vibed video directed by Mars and Florent Dechard, the group performs the smooth slow jam in a studio. The pair trade verses and harmonize alongside their backing band on the Mars-led chorus: “I’ma leave the door open/I’ma leave the door open, girl,” they sing. “I’ma leave the door open,...
In the retro-vibed video directed by Mars and Florent Dechard, the group performs the smooth slow jam in a studio. The pair trade verses and harmonize alongside their backing band on the Mars-led chorus: “I’ma leave the door open/I’ma leave the door open, girl,” they sing. “I’ma leave the door open,...
- 3/5/2021
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have announced they’ve teamed up for a new band called Silk Sonic. The pair have recorded a collaborative album and their first single arrives next week.
“We locked in and made an album,” Mars wrote on Twitter. “First song drops next Friday 3/5.” The project will feature Bootsy Collins as a “special guest host.” Paak also shared the news on Instagram.
✨We locked in and made an album. The band’s called Silk Sonic. First song drops next Friday 3/5.✨ pic.twitter.com/kzCQ3f7NRa...
“We locked in and made an album,” Mars wrote on Twitter. “First song drops next Friday 3/5.” The project will feature Bootsy Collins as a “special guest host.” Paak also shared the news on Instagram.
✨We locked in and made an album. The band’s called Silk Sonic. First song drops next Friday 3/5.✨ pic.twitter.com/kzCQ3f7NRa...
- 2/26/2021
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
In “Viva Nigeria,” one of Fela Kuti’s earliest 45s, the Afrobeat pioneer proclaims, “Men are born, kings are made.” Kuti, who was born a man in 1938 and died a king of music in ’97, transformed his home country and the world at large into something more inclusive and compassionate through driving, dynamic drums, big, funky horns, and scabrous lyrics that skewered the violent military junta controlling Nigeria. He had studied music in London, where he played piano in jazz, R&b, and rock groups — creating a tight bond with Cream...
- 2/17/2021
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Danny Ray, James Brown’s longtime emcee and “cape man,” has died at the age of 85.
Ray, a staple at the Godfather of Soul’s legendary live shows, died Tuesday night of natural causes, the Richmond Country coroner confirmed to the Augusta Chronicle.
“The James Brown estate mourns the passing of Mr. Danny Ray, the legendary emcee and cape man for James Brown.” the estate said in a statement. “Ray worked with Brown from 1960 until the music legend’s death on Christmas day 2006. He became famous for draping a cape...
Ray, a staple at the Godfather of Soul’s legendary live shows, died Tuesday night of natural causes, the Richmond Country coroner confirmed to the Augusta Chronicle.
“The James Brown estate mourns the passing of Mr. Danny Ray, the legendary emcee and cape man for James Brown.” the estate said in a statement. “Ray worked with Brown from 1960 until the music legend’s death on Christmas day 2006. He became famous for draping a cape...
- 2/3/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins has released a video for his funked-out slow jam, “Lips Turn Blue,” featuring vocals from Cincinnati singer Emmaline.
Directed by Oscar Arce, the eye-popping clip finds Bootsy and Emmaline delivering their parts against a kaleidoscopic backdrop of puckering neon lips. The video also features singer Olvido Ruiz as an extra back-up dancer.
“Lips Turn Blue” notably marks Bootsy’s first bilingual track, with Emmaline singing part of the chorus in Spanish. “It’s pretty exciting to introduce something we have never done together as a team to the world,...
Directed by Oscar Arce, the eye-popping clip finds Bootsy and Emmaline delivering their parts against a kaleidoscopic backdrop of puckering neon lips. The video also features singer Olvido Ruiz as an extra back-up dancer.
“Lips Turn Blue” notably marks Bootsy’s first bilingual track, with Emmaline singing part of the chorus in Spanish. “It’s pretty exciting to introduce something we have never done together as a team to the world,...
- 1/29/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins has released a new video for his song, “Creepin’” featuring ace blues musician Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.
The clip finds Kingfish and his band performing the track in a dive bar, with the guitarist peeling off a dizzying number of equally dizzying solos while providing some fine lead vocals as well. Bootsy appears via an old television set, broadcasting live with characteristically eye-popping style (and even occasionally appearing with a werewolf’s mask to lend the “Creepin’” clip some cheeky creepiness).
“Creepin’” appears on Bootsy’s most recent album,...
The clip finds Kingfish and his band performing the track in a dive bar, with the guitarist peeling off a dizzying number of equally dizzying solos while providing some fine lead vocals as well. Bootsy appears via an old television set, broadcasting live with characteristically eye-popping style (and even occasionally appearing with a werewolf’s mask to lend the “Creepin’” clip some cheeky creepiness).
“Creepin’” appears on Bootsy’s most recent album,...
- 12/21/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
So, How Was Your 2020? is a series in which our favorite entertainers answer our questionnaire about the music, culture and memorable moments that shaped their year. We’ll be rolling these pieces out throughout December.
Most 69-year-old funk legends would probably be content to rest at home during quarantine and reminisce about minor things like helping to invent one of the most upbeat genres of all time. But Bootsy Collins used his time to enlist Snoop Dogg, Larry Graham, Branford Marsalis, Christian McBride and Victor Wooten and finish The Power of the One,...
Most 69-year-old funk legends would probably be content to rest at home during quarantine and reminisce about minor things like helping to invent one of the most upbeat genres of all time. But Bootsy Collins used his time to enlist Snoop Dogg, Larry Graham, Branford Marsalis, Christian McBride and Victor Wooten and finish The Power of the One,...
- 12/10/2020
- by Rolling Stone
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins has released a new video for “Want Me 2 Stay” — his take on Sly and the Family Stone’s 1973 hit “If You Want Me to Stay” — featuring the song’s original bassist, Larry Graham, as well as Branford Marsalis and Uché Ndubizu.
The simple clip puts the song front-and-center, with Collins, Graham, Uché, and horn player Brennan Johns all performing in front of an array of psychedelic backgrounds (Marsalis does not appear in the clip). The scenery behind Uché remains comparatively calm, but that only heightens the emphasis on his stellar vocals.
The simple clip puts the song front-and-center, with Collins, Graham, Uché, and horn player Brennan Johns all performing in front of an array of psychedelic backgrounds (Marsalis does not appear in the clip). The scenery behind Uché remains comparatively calm, but that only heightens the emphasis on his stellar vocals.
- 11/24/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins has released a characteristically eye-popping new clip for “Jam On,” his recent collaboration with Snoop Dogg and 17-year-old guitarist Brandon “Taz” Niederauer.
The clip is a delightfully outlandish space-age blast with Bootsy — wearing a stunning, glittering red top hat and matching outfit — and Co. delivering the song from a funked-out future. Niederauer steals the show with his impeccable shredding, while the clip also serves as a tribute to late Parliament-Funkadelic keyboard player, Bernie Worrell, who appears via archival footage.
Along with releasing the “Jam On” video, Collins...
The clip is a delightfully outlandish space-age blast with Bootsy — wearing a stunning, glittering red top hat and matching outfit — and Co. delivering the song from a funked-out future. Niederauer steals the show with his impeccable shredding, while the clip also serves as a tribute to late Parliament-Funkadelic keyboard player, Bernie Worrell, who appears via archival footage.
Along with releasing the “Jam On” video, Collins...
- 10/30/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Bootsy Collins has tapped Snoop Dogg for “Jam On,” off his upcoming album The Power of the One, out October 23rd.
The track opens with Snoop Dogg rapping across Collins’ spacebass: “And when I do it/You know I did it/’Cause my groove is exquisite.” The pre-chorus nods to Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove,” with 17-year-old Brandon “Taz” Niederauer on guitar and Midnight Star’s Belinda Lipscomb on backing vocals.
“Working with Snoop is always like a breath of fresh air,” Collins tells Rolling Stone. “He is...
The track opens with Snoop Dogg rapping across Collins’ spacebass: “And when I do it/You know I did it/’Cause my groove is exquisite.” The pre-chorus nods to Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove,” with 17-year-old Brandon “Taz” Niederauer on guitar and Midnight Star’s Belinda Lipscomb on backing vocals.
“Working with Snoop is always like a breath of fresh air,” Collins tells Rolling Stone. “He is...
- 10/16/2020
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Rapper Common, Sudanese-American artist Dua Saleh, and the Southern California band Asiatica are among the artists who’ve been added to AfroPunk’s 2020 virtual festival, Planet Afropunk, taking place October 23rd through 25th.
The new additions to the lineup also include the North Carolina experimental outfit Black Haüs, Kenyan rapper Mc Yallah, and the Soweto punk group Tcyif. These artists join an already-packed lineup of musicians who will stream performances from across the globe, including Bootsy Collins, Ari Lenox, Yves Tumor, Tobe Nwigwe, Sampa the Great, Serpentwithfeet, Meshell Ndegeocello, Moses Sumney,...
The new additions to the lineup also include the North Carolina experimental outfit Black Haüs, Kenyan rapper Mc Yallah, and the Soweto punk group Tcyif. These artists join an already-packed lineup of musicians who will stream performances from across the globe, including Bootsy Collins, Ari Lenox, Yves Tumor, Tobe Nwigwe, Sampa the Great, Serpentwithfeet, Meshell Ndegeocello, Moses Sumney,...
- 10/15/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
“You don’t miss a kiss until the lips are gone.” That’s how Bootsy Collins describes making music by himself, ever since Covid-19 forced him and the musicians he wishes he could jam with into quarantine. “I think we took for granted the freedom that we had to be together and do things together,” he says. “I think that taking that away for now made everybody realize what we’ve been missing.”
That longing to collaborate is what fueled Collins during the creation of his upcoming new album, The Power of the One,...
That longing to collaborate is what fueled Collins during the creation of his upcoming new album, The Power of the One,...
- 9/16/2020
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
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