Entertainment

Jay-Z has made some changes to his name. The rapper subtly underwent a name change in preparation for his upcoming reunion with The Roots.  He added an umlaut to his moniker to read JAŸ-Z on the billing for the annual Roots Picnic in Philadelphia concert on May 30. Not only that, Jay, whose real name is Shawn Carter, also tweaked his stage name on major music streaming platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal to include the diacritical mark. It appears that the name change is the 56-year-old's way of staying in touch with his, well, roots. The cover art from his earliest records—including his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt and its breakout singles "Ain't No N---a," "Can't Knock the Hustle" and "Feelin' It"—featured an umlaut. This isn't first time the Beyoncé's husband ...

Nigerian skit maker and streamer Shank Comics has stirred reactions online after claiming that comedians make more money than music artists. Speaking during a livestream, he said many people assume musicians are richer because they tend to show off their wealth more than comedians. He went on to claim that top Nigerian comedians like Bovi and Basketmouth are wealthier than Afrobeats stars such as Asake, Wizkid, and Burna Boy. According to him, comedians are more focused on long-term financial stability and tend to invest their money rather than spend heavily on luxury items like exotic cars. “I think there is more money in comedy than music… they prefer to invest rather than buy cars,” he said

Riley Green was left bleeding after a disgruntled fan threw a phone at him onstage.  In a video posted to social media, the country star was performing at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne, Australia, when a phone was suddenly thrown from the crowd, hitting the musician in the ear.  A shocked Green paused the show and asked his crew to turn the house lights on in an effort to identify the thrower. With the help of the crowd, Green pointed to the fan and threw him out of the show. “This one right here? Get his fat a** out of here. Go on,” Green said. After the fan was escorted out the arena, Green — who wasn’t aware of his injury — thanked his fans for their support.  “I’d like to take a moment while I’ve got everybody’s atten...

The 95th Annual Academy Awards were presented on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theater, and it was hosted by Conan O'Brien. Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” took home six Oscars, including best picture, best director, and adapted screenplay at the 98th Academy Awards. “Sinners,” which earned a record 16 nominations, won four awards, including Michael B. Jordan for actor in a leading role and Ryan Coogler’s original screenplay. Jessie Buckley was another first-time winner, taking the Oscar for actress in a leading role for “Hamnet.” Amy Madigan won for supporting actress for “Weapons.” See the full list of winners and nominees below. Best picture WINNER: One Battle After Another Bugonia Frankenstein F1 Hamnet Marty Supreme The Sec...

Left - Right, Mavin Boss, Don Jazzy, Singer Crayon Nigerian singer, Charles Chibueze Chukwu, better known as Crayon, has sparked speculation about a possible exit from Mavin Records after calling out label boss, Don Jazzy, in a fiery rant on social media. Crayon, in a series of 𝕏 posts, also criticised the leadership of Mavin Records, including the label’s chief operating officer (COO), Tega Oghenejobo. Taking a swipe at Don Jazzy, Crayon wrote, “Don Jazzy na my boy!!!!!! Una dey maddddd!!?? Shayennnnn sharayyyyyy333,” before turning to Tega with a harsher remark, “Tega highest criminal!!!!!!!!!” He also claimed that he lost his mother due to the label, an allegation he did not expand on. Crayon, who was signed to Blowtime Entertainment, an imprint of Mavin Records...

US rapper, Nicki Minaj has sued Nigerian influencer, Dr Penking, over alleged cyberbullying and copyright infringement. The Nigerian social media influencer shared an old sizzling video of Minaj on X on Saturday, with the caption, “Nicki Minaj should understand that she has gotten old and retire.” Reacting, Minaj querried if he had permission to use her video before using it to “harras” her. She then informed him that he had been added to her lawsuit. “Do you have permission to use this video that I filmed years ago to harras me on this or any platform? You’ve just been added to the suit,” she wrote.

Veteran Nigerian actor, Abiodun Ayoyinka, popularly known as Papa Ajasco, has opened up about the struggles he has faced despite the fame that came with portraying the iconic character. Ayoyinka is widely recognised for his role in the popular Nigerian comedy series Papa Ajasco & Company, produced by Wale Adenuga through Wale Adenuga Productions. In a recent interview with media personality Lucky Udu, the actor revealed that ownership of the Papa Ajasco character has limited his ability to pursue personal projects and commercial opportunities outside the well-known comedy franchise. According to him, he does not have exclusive rights to use the character’s name or costume, as they are legally owned by the production company. As a result, he cannot freely appear in advertisemen...

Veteran Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, has addressed speculation surrounding her relationship with fellow movie star, Genevieve Nnaji. It had long been rumoured that the two actresses were no longer on good terms, particularly because they are rarely seen together these days compared to the early years of their careers in Nollywood. However, during a recent interview with Pulse Nigeria, Omotola dismissed the claims and assured fans that there is no rift between them, stating that their friendship remains intact. When asked directly if she and Genevieve were still friends, the actress responded emphatically, saying, “Oh, Jesus Christ. We are good.” Omotola also spoke about her admiration for fellow Nollywood actor Chidi Mokeme, describing him as her favourite actor i...

Nollywood actor Femi Adewole, popularly known as Femi Apefe, has reacted to allegations linking him to the pregnancy of late actress Aunty Ajara. Reports indicate that the actress died after suffering complications related to pregnancy alongside pre-existing liver problems. Following news that Aunty Ajara had been pregnant, old video clips featuring her and Apefe resurfaced on social media, prompting speculation and accusations that the actor may have been responsible. Addressing the claims in a video shared on his Instagram page, Apefe clarified that his relationship with the late actress was purely professional and friendly. He explained that he first met Aunty Ajara about two years ago and was immediately impressed by her acting skills, which led him to invite her to partici...

Kayla Nicole Jones is facing a lawsuit from her hairstylist, who alleges the influencer assaulted her during a work trip in Los Angeles. The lawsuit was filed by Hanissatou Adam, professionally known as Nissa The Super Stylist, who claims the incident occurred in 2024 while the two were travelling together for a music video project. According to court documents, Adam says tensions began after she asked Jones several questions that allegedly irritated the YouTuber. Adam claims Jones warned her to stop asking questions and threatened her, saying she would slap her if she continued. The hairstylist says the situation escalated the following day after a long day of work on the music video. She alleges she overheard Jones complaining about the way she was being treated. Adam says s...