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Monday, August 11, 2014

Pitbull Given Own SiriusXM Channel, Will Host Weekly Show

Pitbull is going to have his own SiriusXM channel.

Scheduled to debut in early 2015, the channel will feature both music by the Miami star as well as personal selections from other artists. The anchor of the channel will be a weekly show hosted by Pitbull.

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Although SiriusXM currently offers 21 Spanish-language channels tailored toward Hispanic listeners, Pitbull will be the first Latin artist to have his own full-time channel on the service. Although more details will be available closer to launch, Pitbull’s channel will likely be bilingual as is his music, appealing to both Hispanic and mainstream listeners.

Robin Williams, "Cocaine for me was a place to hide".

It's been a busy few months for SiriusXM, which fired a popular DJ in July, hired Steve Aoki, and canceled a relatively popular program, '20 on 20.'

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Miley Cyrus raised eyebrows with Azz-Stealing Pics

Written by Cyrus Langhorne

Pop star Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj appear to have a beef brewing following a handful of photos showcasing the former Disney Star's head cropped onto the NSFW "Anaconda" artwork.

Miley raised eyebrows over the weekend by releasing the must-see altered images.

Miley Cyrus is an Instagram wizard. Just about every day brings another magical, mystical image sprung from Miley's fertile, psychedelic mind. But even we weren't prepared for her latest brainstorm. You see, like so many of us, Cyrus seems to have been hypnotized by the cover art for Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" single. So, Miley being Miley, she adopted it as one of her own. (MTV)

Robin Williams, "Cocaine for me was a place to hide".

Instead of letting things die down, Minaj jumped onto social media and lashed out.

Minaj subsequentely Instagrammed one of the Cyrus-as-Nicki photos, along with the message, "Give me one good reason why Miley made this her twitter avi. #AnacondaOniTunes" (It's important, even mid-beef, to always get in a plug.) Cyrus, for her part, wasn't deterred, and uploaded yet another photo of herself on the "Anaconda" cover, only this time it contained info on how to vote for Cyrus at the VMAs. Something tells us Nicki won't be voting to help Cyrus get a Moonman. (Billboard)

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Although the self-proclaimed "Barbie" did admit they all hooked up, she revealed nothing solid came out of their studio session with Miley last year.

Well, it almost actually happened. Buzz about a collaboration between the two began after a photo of Cyrus, her "23" partner Mike WILL Made It and Minaj in a recording studio together hit Instagram in early August. "I didn't make any music with Miley," Minaj told me yesterday while promoting her new fragrance, Minajesty, at the L'Ermitage Beverly Hills hotel. "There was a song that was a possibility but it didn't work out." (E! Online)

Drakes Costs Team $25,000.00!!!

In June 2013, Cyrus denied media and fan speculation of her trying to be a white version of Miss Minaj.

"A lot of people wanted to try to make me the white Nicki Minaj," Cyrus says. "That's not what I'm trying to do. I love 'hood' music, but my talent is as a singer." To that end, Edge is particularly excited about "Wrecking Ball"-a defiant power ballad produced by Dr. Luke with a thrilling vocal performance. "We were inspired by OneRepublic, and the way Timbaland used to do those big ballads," Cyrus says. Edge adds: "When Miley came to us she had really good songs already, including 'Wrecking Ball,' which blew us away. It could be a career song for her." (Billboard)

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A few years ago, Miley decked herself out in a Nicki Minaj-themed costume for Halloween.

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Cyrus certainly got into the Halloween spirit, dressing up as a spot-on Nicki Minaj. On Wednesday (October 31), Miley tweeted a photo of herself as the Young Money rapper, opting not to recreate one specific Minaj outfit, but rather several different looks that Minaj has rocked. Cyrus covered up her short hair for a bright yellow wig, showed off mismatched nails, arm tattoos and a skin-tight leopard-print body suit, complete with butt padding.

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"@NICKIMINAJ you a stupppppiddddd hoe#stupittttstupitttt," Cyrus tweeted. It seems that Minaj not only approved of Cyrus' look since she retweeted her tweet, but was also flattered and is now considering a clever costume of her own. "I think I'm gonna go as Miley Cyrus because she's going as me, and I just saw her picture on Twitter," Minaj told Ryan Seacrest on Wednesday. "Should I do the short, blond cut like Miley?" (MTV)

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EXCLUSIVE // Robin Williams' Long Struggle With Addiction

AP Images/Invision

Robin Williams

The comedian, found dead Monday, often talked (and joked) about his battles with cocaine and alcohol

Robin Williams’ unexpected death Monday brings to an end the comedian’s long battle with cocaine and alcohol addiction.
Williams checked himself into a renewal center just a few weeks ago, but his battle with addiction dated back more than 30 years. He struggled with cocaine and alcohol abuse in the early '80s, after his rise to fame on Mork and Mindy.

"Cocaine for me was a place to hide. Most people get hyper on coke. It slowed me down," Williams told People in 1988, the magazine recalled in a 2006 piece about the actor seeking treatment (again) for alcohol addiction,

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Williams was even with John Belushi during the Saturday Night Live star’s all-night cocaine and heroin binge that led to his fatal drug overdose.

Belushi's death and Williams' then-wife Valerie’s pregnancy with the couple's son, Zak, forced the comedian to quit cocaine and alcohol cold turkey.

"The Belushi tragedy was frightening," Williams told People. "His death scared a whole group of show-business people. It caused a big exodus from drugs. And for me, there was the baby coming. I knew I couldn't be a father and live that sort of life."

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Williams even joked about the dangers of cocaine addiction in his Live at the Met stand-up performance
After 20 years of sobriety, though, Williams checked himself into rehab for alcohol abuse in 2006.

He later told the New York Times that he hadn’t confronted the underlying issues at the root of his addiction.
“There was still, in the background, this voice, like, ‘Psst,’ ” he told the newspaper. “So when I relapsed, I went back hard. The one thing I hadn’t dealt with was, how honest do you want to live?”

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Once again, it was his son, Zak, who was an integral part of Williams’ decision to get sober. Without going into detail, the younger Williams told The Times of his father’s rehab stint, “There was an ultimatum attached to it. I’m pretty confident that if he continued drinking, he would not be alive today.”

Williams checked himself into Oregon’s Hazelden Springbrook treatment center in August 2006; after two months of treatment, he recalled his battle to get sober in an interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America.

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He said it was a “very gradual” descent back into using.

"It's the same voice thought that … you're standing at a precipice and you look down, there's a voice and it's a little quiet voice that goes, 'Jump,' " Williams told Sawyer. "The same voice that goes, 'Just one.'… And the idea of just one for someone who has no tolerance for it, that's not the possibility."

NEWS
More specifically, Williams told Parade in 2013 of the moment that led him to drink again: “One day I walked into a store and saw a little bottle of Jack Daniel’s. And then that voice — I call it the ‘lower power’ — goes, ‘Hey. Just a taste. Just one.’ I drank it, and there was that brief moment of ‘Oh, I’m okay!’ But it escalated so quickly. Within a week I was buying so many bottles I sounded like a wind chime walking down the street. I knew it was really bad one Thanksgiving when I was so drunk they had to take me upstairs."
And as with his cocaine crisis, another star also spurred Williams to seek help. This time, it was Mel Gibson, Williams told GMA, whose DUI arrest served as a “wake-up call” for him to get help; Williams joked that Gibson’s public struggle took the spotlight off him.

Williams also joked about being an alcoholic in his stand-up act.

Drakes Costs Team $25,000.00!!!

Just recently, Williams had checked into a center that is affiliated with the 12-step program to help him focus on his ongoing sobriety.

At the time, the comedian’s rep told The Hollywood Reporter, "He has been working hard and now has a break in his schedule, so wants to come back and be the best that he can be. This is his version of a retreat."

Drake's Mouth Costs His Team $25,000

Written by Biz Jones

Young Money's Drake has reportedly cost his Toronto Raptors $25,000 after making a public plea for Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant.

According to reports, the team ambassador's comments at his OVO Fest last week ended up becoming costly for the Raps.

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Toronto Raptors global ambassador and semi-famous musician of note Drake thought he could escape the NBA's tentacles by recruiting concert attendee Kevin Durant to Toronto in the safe confines of thousands of fans at OVO Fest in Toronto. He was sorely mistaken. "Hearing Raptors fined $25,000 for comments Drake made at a concert about Kevin Durant that were seen as violation of anti-tampering rules" (SB Nation)

NEWS
Footage of Drizzy making his plea for KD to join his Raptors in the future went viral last week.

"Before we leave, I just want to show one of my brothers something," Drake announced to the crowd. "You know, my brother Kevin Durant was kind enough to come to the show tonight and watch us. I just want him to see what would happen if he came to play in Toronto. Let him know what would happen." The Oklahoma City Thunder star and reigning NBA MVP then received an ovation from the crowd, which reportedly launched into a "KD" chant. (ESPN)

Robin Williams, "Cocaine for me was a place to hide".

Reports claim Durant has another two seasons to go before being able to switch teams.

Durant becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016 and various teams -- notably his home-state Washington Wizards as well as the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers -- are already known to be positioning themselves to have sufficient salary-cap space to make a run at him. (ESPN)

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Last year, Drake made headlines after becoming the Raptors' team ambassador.

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The hip-hop star will also launch a clothing line in conjunction with the team. Most intriguingly, he is being asked to consult on a complete redesign of the club's image to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the franchise in the 2014-15 season. According to sources at MLSE, everything about the team is on the table . . . aside from the name. Give up your Huskies dreams. MLSE and Drake are sticking with dinosaurs. Going forward, this will be more than a business arrangement. It would be wrong to call what comes next a renaissance. That would imply that the Raptors have a legacy to build on. After 18 years, all they have is one playoff series win and Vinsanity to draw from. That's it. It's within Drake's power to change that. (The Toronto Star)

Rebekah Alperin Named SVP of Marketing & Communications at Universal Publishing

Rebekah Alperin has been named senior vp of marketing and communications, moving on from a parallel position at Kobalt Music Group. Alperin will report to UMPG North American president Evan Lamberg and Will Tanous, the company's executive vp and head of global communications.

“Rebekah’s depth of experience and the strength of her reputation make her a great addition to our communications team,” said Tanous in a statement released this morning (August 11). "Her global marketing skills coupled with her being one of the best PR experts in the music publishing business is a real win for us,” said Lamberg.

EXCLUSIVE

Rebekah Alperin Named SVP of Marketing & Communications at Universal Publishing

Alperin joins UMPG at a time of significant change at the company. On August 1, UMPG announced that Zach Horowitz was stepping down as the head of UMPG, ending a thirty-year career with Universal Music Group. Horowitz was to be replaced by Jody Gerson, who moved to the company from Sony/ATV, where she was mentored and highly respected by well-known industry leader Martin Bandier. It was rumored that Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of UMG, had been courting Gerson for some time before the move was made official.

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Alperin joins UMPG as it -- as the publishing arm of the world's largest record label but second-place in publishing market share -- no doubt sets out to challenge Sony/ATV's dominance in the space.
"I'm so grateful to Evan and Will for this opportunity to work alongside some of the most creative and progressive executives in the business on behalf of so many of the most important artists, writers and music catalogues in the world," said Alperin in a statement.

Remy Ma Calls Up Bad Boy's Past & Present For Newest Post-Prison Anthem

Former Terror Squad member Remy Ma continues her march back to the mainstream spotlight after calling up The LOX's Jadakiss and Bad Boy Records' French Montana for their new "Megadeath."

Remy shines with the New York-themed track courtesy of production from Swizz Beatz.

Remy Ma is back with a vengeance. After guesting on a remix to DJ Khaled's "They Don't Love You No More," the Bronx rapper joins French Montana and Jadakiss on "Megadeath." Over a crushing beat produced by Swizz Beatz, the Ruler reps her clique and shuts down her haters with witty punchlines. "So actually I practically raised you b*tches / I got a wallet in my pocket with your baby pictures," she spits. (Rap-Up)

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Within her new FADER feature, Remy delved into what she wanted to do once her freedom came and how important it was to get back to rapping.

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"I want to do little stupid things that people may even be surprised about. I want to go to an amusement park. I want to get my hair done, my nails done. I want to get some Popeyes, for real. But more than anything, I want to get back in the studio. When you've wanted to say something for years, and couldn't, and didn't have that platform--that's all I want to do. I'm not rapping about popping bottles and being in the club, because it's different experiences. But I'm ready to go in. I want people to know Rem is back." (The FADER)

Robin Williams, "Cocaine for me was a place to hide".

Remy Ma released photos alongside Miami producer DJ Khaled earlier this month.

"I had a busy first day #ImAround," Remy captioned August 2.

"Woke up n my own bed, still can't believe it ! #ImAround #TheRulersBack" (Remy Ma's Instagram)

Drakes Costs Team $25,000.00!!!

Khaled also jumped onto his Instagram page to reveal in-studio photos and footage.

"@therealremyma welcome home," Khaled captioned August 2.

"@therealremyma #theydontloveyounomore remix a gift for the streets" (DJ Khaled's Instagram)

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TOP STORY// Robin Williams Dead at 63, Suicide Suspected

By Kimberly Nordyke and Duane Byrge

Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams has died at age 63, according to police in Marin County, Calif.

The full statement is below.

On August 11, 2014, at approximately 11:55 a.m, Marin County Communications received a 9-1-1 telephone call reporting a male adult had been located unconscious and not breathing inside his residence in unincorporated Tiburon, CA. The Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Tiburon Fire Department and Southern Marin Fire Protection District were dispatched to the incident with emergency personnel arriving on scene at 12:00 pm. The male subject, pronounced deceased at 12:02 pm has been identified as Robin McLaurin Williams, a 63-year-old resident of unincorporated Tiburon, CA.
An investigation into the cause, manner, and circumstances of the death is currently underway by the Investigations and Coroner Division s of the Sheriff’s Office. Preliminary information developed during the investigation indicates Mr. Williams was last seen alive at his residence, where he resides with his wife, at approximately 10:00 pm on August 10, 2014. Mr. Williams was located this morning shortly before the 9-1-1 call was placed to Marin County Communications. At this time, the Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made. A forensic examination is currently scheduled for August 12, 2014 with subsequent toxicology testing to be conducted.

Williams' publicist Mara Buxbaum told The Hollywood Reporter: "Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late. This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time."

His wife, Susan Schneider, said: "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions."
Williams, a four-time Oscar nominee, won a supporting actor Oscar for Good Will Hunting for his portrayal of a wise and morose psychologist. He most recently starred in CBS' comedy The Crazy Ones, which lasted only one season.

His next project is the feature film Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, the third film in the trilogy, which is set to hit theaters Dec. 19.

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He recently checked in to a renewal center in an effort to maintain his sobriety.

A dazzling comic force whose career extended from stand-up to a major acting career, Williams' comedic talents were so quick and brilliant that he often intimidated other comedians. His improv skills were meteoric and stupefying: Williams could wing off the cuff better than any of his peers. He burst through the stand-up world into television, captivating audiences with his portrayal of the endearing extraterrestrial Mork in the '70s series Mork and Mindy. He first limned the Mork role as a guest star on Happy Days.

He fractured movies audiences with his comedic and endearing performance in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987). He delighted audiences in the box-office hit The Birdcage (1996), playing a gay club owner who tries to convince his conservative, future in-laws of his heterosexual mainstream values. He tapped into a fey side and feminine side, as well: He delighted with his slapstick values as a hausfrau in Mrs. Doubtfire (1993).
His rapid-fire delivery bespoke a warp-speed, associative intelligence.

“The mystery is in the motion: What miracle of the synapses got him from point A to point Z? At once a satirist, a comedian and a superb actor, this one-man repertory company dashes from mask to mask, voice to voice, like a man possessed by comic demons,” David Ansen wrote in Newsweek in 1986.

As a dramatic actor, he delivered stirring performances in such films as Dead Poets Society (1986), where he played an inspirational prep-school teacher who takes on the stuffy administration He also portrayed serious and complex characters in Awakenings (1990) and The Fisher King (1991). He could tap into a dark side, limning psychologically maladjusted characters in Insomnia and One-Hour Photo.

Williams also won Oscar nominations for Best Actor for his varied roles in Good Morning, Vietnam, The Fisher King and Dead Poets Society. He could play morose, wise men, such as his turn as a psychologist in Good Will Hunting.

He showed his versatility in a wide range of films, including: The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Hook (1991), Patch Adams (1998), Flubber (1997), Toys (1992) and Jumanji (1995).

He won four Grammy Awards. He also won Emmy Awards for his TV specials Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin and ABC Presents a Royal Gala.

Drakes Costs Team $25,000.00!!!

He vocalized many films: He did the vocal work for a bat in the animated movie Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest (1982) and he voiced the Genie in Aladdin (1992).

Given his child-like charm, he played boy-ish characters in Toys (1992), Jumanji (1995) and Jack (1996).
He did a number of movie cameos: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989), Dead Again (1991) and The Secret Agent (1996).

Robin McLaurin Williams was born in Chicago on July 21, 1952. He was raised in affluence, but he was brought up, as he admits, by the maid. He developed comedy to please his mother. He mimicked Jonathan Winters. The family moved to San Francisco where he graduated from high school.

He studied political science at Claremont Men's College and entered College of Marin to study theater. He won a scholarship to student at The Julliard School in New York, where he spent three years under the tutelage of John Houseman and other. He returned to San Francisco before graduating. His goal was to become a dramatic actor but could not get a foot in the door. He turned to stand-up comedy, supporting himself by tending bar and working at an ice-cream parlor.

Williams moved to Los Angeles and enthralled at open-mike nights. He became a regular at such clubs as the Improv and the Comedy Store. He got spots on such TV shows as the Richard Pryor Show and America 2-Night.

His big break came when the producers of Happy Days decided to add an alien to the show. Williams won an audition. He guest-starred on a 1978 episode that brought in avalanches of fan mail. Based on the outpouring the network decided to create a spin-off series Mork & Mindy. The sitcom, featuring Williams as a good-natured alien from the planet Ork. The show afforded him great opportunity to improvise. It was hugely popular and generated such crazes as the Mork doll, with such Orkian words as “nanu nanu” for hello.

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Williams's spellbinding delivery vaulted him from being a complete unknown to national fame.

Self-admittedly, fame arrived too fast and he careened through a period of drug and alcohol abuse. His first movie role in Robert Altman's Popeye (1980) was disappointing. In his second role, he showed his charm as a young writer in The World According to Garp (1982).

He performed in the mid-1980s in a series of mediocre movies: The Survivors (1983), The Best of Times (1986) and Club Paradise. He excelled as a Russian saxophone player who defects in Bloomingdale's in Paul Mazursky's Moscow on the Hudson (1984).

He hit his movie stride with Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) where his comic versatility as an anti-authority G.I. Disc jockey played to his manic, improvisational strengths.

He executive produced and starred in Jakob the Liar (1999), a story of life in a Nazi-occupied Polish ghetto.

Like the best of comics, Williams, at heart, was utterly serious. He was a driving force in Comic Relief to benefit the homeless.

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Williams was awarded the Chicago international Film Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
More recent film credits include: Deconstructing Harry (1997), Patch Adams (1988), Bicentennial Man (1999), Death to Smoochy (2002), The Final Cut (2004), House of D (2004), The Big White (2005), Everyone's Hero (2006), Man of the Year (2006), Night at the Museum (2006) and its sequel (2009), License to Wed (2007), August Rush (2007), World's Greatest Dad (2009) and Happy Feet (2006) and its sequel (2011).