HOT: Ja Rule Rules on Docs
The dueling documentaries on Hulu and Netflix about the epically calamitous Fyre festival have dominated pop culture chatter recently. And Ja Rule would like everyone to please direct their hate and mockery elsewhere. The rapper co-founded Fyre in 2017 with Billy McFarland and sold it as a high-end (and highly expensive) experience in the Bahamas with models, tastemakers and performers like Major Lazer and Blink-182. It ended in a disaster and cancelations, with none of the accommodations and accouterments being anywhere near what was advertised. Ja Rule tweeted that both documentaries failed to paint the full picture, taking credit for the “amazing vision” but saying he “would NEVER SCAM or FRAUD anyone.” He also pointed out questionable sources behind the documentaries, alleging that Hulu paid McFarland (who was sentenced to six years in prison for his role) and Netflix paid FuckJerry (which marketed and publicized Fyre) to participate in the respective projects.
WARM: Frasier Gets National-ed
Depending on your tastes and tolerance of the Jazz vocal stylings of Kelsey Grammer, the theme from ’90s/early ’00s sitcom Frasier is either one of the worst or one of the best TV show theme songs ever. But if you loathe it and are a huge fan of the band The National, a new version of the song may just turn your whole world upside down. A version of the theme song about “tossed salads and scrambled eggs” reimagined in the Indie Rock band’s style is so spot-on vocally and musically, there might be an outbreak of simultaneous binge sessions of Frasier re-runs and The National’s discography. It’s apparently the work of producer/composer/musician Bobby Lord, who has worked with artists like Jack White and Jenny Lewis. Lord tweeted the minute-long audio clip from his @mysweetlord account on Jan. 19. Listen below:
Wow, the boys in @TheNational have done it again. This cover is gorgeous. pic.twitter.com/FINXEcpSU8
— Bobby Lord (@mysweetlord) January 19, 2019
COLD: Sony Mutes R. Kelly
After sexual misconduct allegations against R. Kelly resurfaced in a recent Lifetime documentary series, protests began to target the businesses still supporting the superstar singer. The “#MuteRKelly” movement and protests at its headquarters appear to have led Sony — which releases Kelly’s music — to dissolve its relationship with the artist, according to Billboard. That means Kelly (who was signed to Sony-controlled RCA) currently doesn’t have a record contract, though his catalog is still available from the companies and on all digital/streaming services.
This article appears in Jan 16-23, 2019.
