Month: August 2024

Categories
Rock Daypop

Cage the Elephant and Sublime set to headline Las Vegas’ SEMA Fest

Matt Shultz of Cage The Elephant performs on day one of the 2017 Forecastle Festival on July 14^ 2017 in Louisville^ Kentucky.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has announced the return of SEMA Fest – the major trade-only automotive aftermarket event held annually in Las Vegas. This year’s SEMA Fest will be held on Friday, November 8, featuring headliners Cage The Elephant and Sublime, with Fitz And The Tantrums and Petey.

SEMA Fest will take place at a new location right on the Las Vegas Convention Center grounds, where attendees will be able to experience activations for the SEMA Show during the day, followed by music programming in the evening. The first SEMA Fest in 2023 featured performances from a range of today’s top and emerging artists including Imagine Dragons, Incubus, Wiz Khalifa, AJR, Third Eye Blind, Bush, Ludacris, Walk The Moon, The Struts and more.

SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola said in a statement: “The SEMA Show experience is always evolving to meet the needs of our constantly changing marketplace, SEMA Fest and the Friday Enthusiast Experience are the next steps in that evolution, serving our industry by creating opportunities to expand business-to-consumer connections.”

Tickets are on sale now via semafest.com.

Editorial credit: Ahanui / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Cardi B announces pregnancy after filing for divorce from husband Offset

Cardi B and Offset at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center. BEVERLY HILLS^ CA. March 12^ 2023

Cardi B confirmed on Instagram on Thursday, Aug. 1 that she is pregnant and expecting her third baby.

Cardi, 31, wrote in a social media post alongside photos of herself in a red dress showing off her baby bump: “With every ending comes a new beginning! I am so grateful to have shared this season with you, you have brought me more love, more life and most of all renewed my power! Reminded me that I can have it all! You’ve reminded me that I never have to choose between life, love, and my passion! I love you so much and can not wait for you to witness what you helped me accomplish, what you pushed me to do!  It’s so much easier taking life’s twists, turns and test laying down, but you, your brother and your sister have shown me why it’s worth it to push through!”  

Cardi’s pregnancy announcement comes shortly after it was a revealed that she had filed for divorce from husband Offset, 32, after six years of marriage. Page Six reported that Cardi is seeking primary custody of their children together, son Wave Set, 2½, and daughter Kulture Kiari, 6. The divorce filing was not publicly available at press time. Offset is also a father to sons Jordan, 14, and Kody, 8, and daughter Kalea Marie, 9, from previous relationships.

During an Instagram Live in December 2023, Cardi first confirmed that she is single, saying at the time “I’ve been single for a minute now, but I have been afraid … Not afraid, I just don’t know how to tell the world. But I feel like today has been, like, a sign.” Despite that, Cardi and Offset were still seen spending time together on New Year’s Eve, with Offset directing the music video for “Like What (Freestyle),”. That same month, Rolling Stone published an interview in which Cardi said the pair was “all right now .. because we do love each other It’s not even about love. We’re best friends. And it’s like, ‘OK. Well, there was a time that I didn’t have a best friend, or I didn’t have a support system.’ It’s not even about ‘How do you leave a partner?’ How do you stop talking to your best friend?”

Cardi B and Offset have had an on-and-off again relationship since they got married in September 2017, often the result of his alleged infidelity. They announced they were splitting in 2018 and, after reconciling, Cardi B filed for divorce in September 2020, which they later called off. In a 2020 interview with ELLE, Cardi addressed the couple’s ups-and-downs, saying, “I do know that my relationship has a lot of drama and everything. But there’s a lot of love there’s a lot of passion, there’s a lot of trust, there’s a big friendship. It’s always us against the world.”

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Cardi B announces pregnancy after filing for divorce from husband Offset

Cardi B and Offset at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center. BEVERLY HILLS^ CA. March 12^ 2023

Cardi B confirmed on Instagram on Thursday, Aug. 1 that she is pregnant and expecting her third baby.

Cardi, 31, wrote in a social media post alongside photos of herself in a red dress showing off her baby bump: “With every ending comes a new beginning! I am so grateful to have shared this season with you, you have brought me more love, more life and most of all renewed my power! Reminded me that I can have it all! You’ve reminded me that I never have to choose between life, love, and my passion! I love you so much and can not wait for you to witness what you helped me accomplish, what you pushed me to do!  It’s so much easier taking life’s twists, turns and test laying down, but you, your brother and your sister have shown me why it’s worth it to push through!”  

Cardi’s pregnancy announcement comes shortly after it was a revealed that she had filed for divorce from husband Offset, 32, after six years of marriage. Page Six reported that Cardi is seeking primary custody of their children together, son Wave Set, 2½, and daughter Kulture Kiari, 6. The divorce filing was not publicly available at press time. Offset is also a father to sons Jordan, 14, and Kody, 8, and daughter Kalea Marie, 9, from previous relationships.

During an Instagram Live in December 2023, Cardi first confirmed that she is single, saying at the time “I’ve been single for a minute now, but I have been afraid … Not afraid, I just don’t know how to tell the world. But I feel like today has been, like, a sign.” Despite that, Cardi and Offset were still seen spending time together on New Year’s Eve, with Offset directing the music video for “Like What (Freestyle),”. That same month, Rolling Stone published an interview in which Cardi said the pair was “all right now .. because we do love each other It’s not even about love. We’re best friends. And it’s like, ‘OK. Well, there was a time that I didn’t have a best friend, or I didn’t have a support system.’ It’s not even about ‘How do you leave a partner?’ How do you stop talking to your best friend?”

Cardi B and Offset have had an on-and-off again relationship since they got married in September 2017, often the result of his alleged infidelity. They announced they were splitting in 2018 and, after reconciling, Cardi B filed for divorce in September 2020, which they later called off. In a 2020 interview with ELLE, Cardi addressed the couple’s ups-and-downs, saying, “I do know that my relationship has a lot of drama and everything. But there’s a lot of love there’s a lot of passion, there’s a lot of trust, there’s a big friendship. It’s always us against the world.”

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

Fed leaves key interest rates unchanged, alludes to cuts coming in September

Photo illustration/logo of the central bank of the United States^ The Fed^ With chairman Jerome powell in the background

The Federal Reserve held its key interest rate steady again Wednesday but signaled that a long-awaited interest rate cut may be just weeks away – as soon as mid-September. According to an article from The New York Times, the Fed’s decision on a rate cut will come on Sept. 18, when policymakers next meet. The rate of inflation has dropped substantially from a peak of over 8% in 2022 down to 3% for the month of June.

Rates remained unchanged Wednesday afternoon after the bank’s July meeting on Wednesday, with the Fed deciding to hold interest rates steady at about 5.3 percent.  However, a report Wednesday morning provided the latest evidence that wage growth is slowing, bolstering the case for rate cuts. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, economists think chances the Fed will cut rates in September are 85%.

On July 15, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said he would not wait until inflation is down to 2% to begin interest rate cuts: “The implication of that is that if you wait until inflation gets all the way down to 2%, you’ve probably waited too long, because the tightening that you’re doing, or the level of tightness that you have, is still having effects which will probably drive inflation below 2%.”

Powell added at an Economic Club meeting in Washington: “For a long time, since inflation arrived, it’s been right to mainly focus on inflation. But now that inflation has come down and the labor market has indeed cooled off, we’re going to be looking at both mandates. They’re in much better balance.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. economy rose sharply in the second quarter, with GDP up a higher-than-expected 2.8%, while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shared that it will release its July jobs report Friday.

Editorial credit: Muhammad Alimaki / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Sports Daypop

US women’s soccer team defeats Australia with 2-1 win to advance to quarterfinals

A fan holds USWNT scarf before the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup match between USA and Chile.

The US women’s soccer team continued their unbeaten record at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with a 2-1 victory over Australia on Wednesday, qualifying them for the quarterfinals (per CNN.)

Trinity Rodman and Korbin Albert each found the net to lead the USWNT past Australia to closing out group-stage play at Marseille Stadium. Rodman opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, and Albert’s goal from long range doubled the USWNT’s lead midway through the second half. The Americans, who previously clinched a spot in the knockout rounds, outshot their foes 20-6 in Wednesday’s match.

The USWNT has  been one of the most dominant soccer teams at the Olympics since making their debut back in 1996, with four gold medals in five Olympic Games (including a three-peat from 2004 to 2012).  Since 2012, however, the USWNT lost  in the quarterfinals to Sweden in 2016, and won the bronze  in Tokyo three years ago. It also lost in the round of 16 of last year’s World Cup after having won back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019.

The US women’s national team will face Japan in the quarterfinals, taking place at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday.

Editorial credit: Mikolaj Barbanell / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Sports Daypop

Chicago Bears sign wide receiver D.J. Moore to 4-year, $110M extension

DJ MOORE (12) plays against the visiting Seattle Seahawks at Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte^ NC. November 25^ 2018

The Chicago Bears announced they have signed veteran wide receiver D.J. Moore to a four-year contraction extension (through 2029), with sources telling ESPN that the deal is worth $110 million  – the largest in franchise history. The deal includes $82.6 million guaranteed, which ranks third for a wide receiver on a single contract in NFL history (Justin Jefferson $110 million guaranteed, A.J. Brown $84 million). The 27-year-old had two years remaining on the extension he signed at the end of his rookie contract with the Carolina Panthers and was set to hit free agency in 2026.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles said in a news release: “I’m extremely excited to be able to re-sign D.J.  We all know he’s an impact player and a difference-maker for our offense, but his leadership and professionalism make him a cornerstone of our franchise.”

Moore entered the league as the No. 24 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and joined the Bears in a 2023 off-season trade from the Carolina Panthers. He totaled a career-high 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight scores over 17 starts last season. Moore logged 460 catches for 6,565 yards and 30 total scores through his first six seasons. He eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards in a season four times so far in his career.

The Bears will host the Houston Texans in their preseason opener — the annual Hall of Fame Game — at 8 p.m. EDT Thursday in Canton, Ohio.

Editorial credit: Grindstone Media Group / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

U.S. Senate introduces bill to protect artists from AI Deepfakes

The United States Capitol building in Washington DC^ sunrise

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the highly anticipated NO FAKES Act on Wednesday (July 31), which aims to protect artists and others from AI deepfakes and other nonconsensual replicas of their voices, images and likenesses. Led by Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, the senators introduced a revised version Wednesday of the No Fakes Act, which would make it illegal to create an AI replica of someone without their consent.

Unlike many existing state-law systems, the NO FAKES Act would create would not expire at death and could be controlled by a person’s heirs for 70 years after their passing. To balance personal publicity rights and the First Amendment right to free speech, the NO FAKES Act also includes specific carveouts for replicas used in news coverage, parody, historical works or criticism. The advance of artificial intelligence — and high-profile controversies involving Taylor Swift, Joe Biden, Scarlett Johansson, and most recently, Kamala Harris — have spurred renewed interest in both state and federal legislation.

The entertainment industry has united in support of the bill to outlaw digital deepfakes and create the first-ever federal right to one’s voice and likeness. If passed, the legislation would create federal intellectual property protections for the so-called right of publicity for the first time, which restricts how someone’s name, image, likeness and voice can be used without consent. Currently, such rights are only protected at the state level, leading to a patchwork of different rules across the country.

The bill has the support of SAG-AFTRA, Disney, the Motion Picture Association — which represents six major studios — as well as the Recording Industry Association of America, the Recording Academy, and the major music labels and talent agencies.  Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA, in a statement: “Game over A.I. fraudsters! Enshrining protections against unauthorized digital replicas as a federal intellectual property right will keep us all protected in this brave new world. Especially for performers whose livelihoods depend on their likeness and brand, this step forward is a huge win!”

In addition, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) has also come out in its support of the bill, with Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of MPA, sharing in a statement: “The Motion Picture Association thanks Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their work on the NO FAKES Act. We support protecting performers from generative AI abuse – and this bill thoughtfully establishes federal protections against harmful uses of digital replicas, while respecting First Amendment rights and creative freedoms. We particularly appreciate the sponsors’ inclusion of safeguards intended to prevent the chilling of constitutionally protected speech such as biopics, docudramas, parody and satire – which will be necessary for any new law to be durable. The MPA looks forward to working closely with the bill’s sponsors as the NO FAKES Act makes its way into law.”

Editorial credit: Pozdeyev Vitaly / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

U.S. Senate introduces bill to protect artists from AI Deepfakes

The United States Capitol building in Washington DC^ sunrise

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the highly anticipated NO FAKES Act on Wednesday (July 31), which aims to protect artists and others from AI deepfakes and other nonconsensual replicas of their voices, images and likenesses. Led by Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, the senators introduced a revised version Wednesday of the No Fakes Act, which would make it illegal to create an AI replica of someone without their consent.

Unlike many existing state-law systems, the NO FAKES Act would create would not expire at death and could be controlled by a person’s heirs for 70 years after their passing. To balance personal publicity rights and the First Amendment right to free speech, the NO FAKES Act also includes specific carveouts for replicas used in news coverage, parody, historical works or criticism. The advance of artificial intelligence — and high-profile controversies involving Taylor Swift, Joe Biden, Scarlett Johansson, and most recently, Kamala Harris — have spurred renewed interest in both state and federal legislation.

The entertainment industry has united in support of the bill to outlaw digital deepfakes and create the first-ever federal right to one’s voice and likeness. If passed, the legislation would create federal intellectual property protections for the so-called right of publicity for the first time, which restricts how someone’s name, image, likeness and voice can be used without consent. Currently, such rights are only protected at the state level, leading to a patchwork of different rules across the country.

The bill has the support of SAG-AFTRA, Disney, the Motion Picture Association — which represents six major studios — as well as the Recording Industry Association of America, the Recording Academy, and the major music labels and talent agencies.  Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA, in a statement: “Game over A.I. fraudsters! Enshrining protections against unauthorized digital replicas as a federal intellectual property right will keep us all protected in this brave new world. Especially for performers whose livelihoods depend on their likeness and brand, this step forward is a huge win!”

In addition, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) has also come out in its support of the bill, with Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of MPA, sharing in a statement: “The Motion Picture Association thanks Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their work on the NO FAKES Act. We support protecting performers from generative AI abuse – and this bill thoughtfully establishes federal protections against harmful uses of digital replicas, while respecting First Amendment rights and creative freedoms. We particularly appreciate the sponsors’ inclusion of safeguards intended to prevent the chilling of constitutionally protected speech such as biopics, docudramas, parody and satire – which will be necessary for any new law to be durable. The MPA looks forward to working closely with the bill’s sponsors as the NO FAKES Act makes its way into law.”

Editorial credit: Pozdeyev Vitaly / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Joe Rogan stand-up comedy special to stream live on Netflix Aug. 3

Joe Rogan experience podcast on smartphone screen.

Netflix announced that comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan is set to headline a live stand-up special on Netflix, airing Aug. 3 at 10 p.m. ET.

Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats,  Rogan’s first comedy special in six years, will be filmed live at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, Texas, directed by Anthony Giordano, a veteran director of televised UFC fights who has also helmed four of Rogan’s previous specials: 2018’s “Strange Times,” 2016’s “Triggered,” 2012’s “Live From the Tabernacle” and 2009’s “Talking Monkeys in Space.”

Rogan has performed as a stand-up comedian for more than 30 years, but is best known for “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the No. 1 podcast on Spotify which he’s hosted since 2009. The show has boasted guests including Elon Musk, Bernie Sanders and Dwayne Johnson, as well as controversial figures such as Alex Jones, Jordan Peterson and Candace Owens. Rogan inked a new multi-year deal with Spotify in February that is said to be worth up to $250 million, and the show — which had been exclusively available on Spotify for three years — is now available on other audio platforms.

See the trailer for Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats: here.

Editorial credit: Rokas Tenys / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Rock Daypop

Taking Back Sunday and The Used to embark on co-headlining tour

Taking Back Sunday guitarist Shaun Cooper^and vocalist Adam Lazzara. NEW YORK CITY - September 28^2016

Taking Back Sunday and The Used have announced their co-headlining tour, hitting the road together for the first time in over a decade with a series of shows this fall, featuring special guest Raue.

The tour kicks off on October 9th in Oklahoma City, with stops to follow in Tulsa, Reno, Fresno, and more, before wrapping up in Anchorage, Alaska on October 24th. The five dates in between will mostly be along the West Coast, with each band trading off on closing duties each night.

The Used frontman Bert McCracken shares, “It’s been a really long time since we toured with Taking Back Sunday and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve known the guys for 100 years and we hope to know them for 100 more.”

Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara adds, “Over the years we’ve had the opportunity to create some wonderful memories with The Used and we look forward to making some new ones come October.”

The co-headlining run will follow The Used’s previously announced headlining fall tour, which kicks off September 21st in Arkansas, and runs through an October 7th show in New Orleans. Taking Back Sunday, meanwhile, will precede the fall run with a headlining summer tour of their own.

All tickets and VIP packages are on sale now at www.takingbacksunday.com and www.theused.net.

Editorial credit: Ahanui / Shutterstock.com