Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee was recently forced to resign from the Country Music Association Foundation board of directors. Among other things, Sarah Sanders’ dad’s bigoted stance on LGBTQ+ issues (he once said legalizing gay marriage was like legalizing incest) led to such outrage from artists and industry leaders, he quit the board (which supports music education and other charities) less than 24 hours after joining it. The failed bassist later said he was outraged, suggesting the CMA had been bullied into the decision (eye-roll emoji) and his faith and “conservative and traditional political views” (three eye-roll emojis) were the reason everyone was being so mean to him. Extra eye-roll and face-palm emoji for this outlet's freezing-cold take that Country music has turned on Christians for denouncing the Huckster.
WARM: Jay-Z vs. Zimmerman
This summer will see a new documentary series co-executive-produced by Jay-Z about the life and controversial death of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old shot and killed in 2012 by George Zimmerman (who was acquitted of murder charges). Late last year, Zimmerman issued threats to the Hip Hop heavyweight over the series, claiming filmmakers harassed his family for interviews. He reportedly told theblast.com that he knew how to “handle people who fuck with me, I have since February 2012” and appeared to suggest he’d feed Jay-Z to an alligator. Jay-Z finally responded, destroying Zimmerman with just 33 words on the new DJ Khaled track “Top Off”: “Meanwhile Georgie Porgie sinnin’ and sendin’ me threats/Save your breath, you couldn’t beat a flight of steps/Try that shit with a grown man/I’ll kill that fuckboy with my own hand.”
COLD: Keith Turns on Mick, Drugs
With The Rolling Stones gearing up for a tour, Keith Richards’ latest press rounds have unsurprisingly sparked a million shards of residual coverage thanks to his various barbs. Targets this time include Taylor Swift (a “flavor of the month”) and his bandmate Mick Jagger (after commenting on the 74 year old having another child in 2016, Richards said “it’s time for a snip… those poor kids”; he later issued an apology). He also took a swipe at another old friend, saying he’s slowed down a little because “drugs are not interesting these days,” calling them “institutionalized and bland.”
