Flau'jae and DJ Khaled Step into the Studio
It’s Flau’jae’s world and we’re just living in it. On Wednesday, the recently-crowned LSU national champion announced via Instagram that she’s working with producer to the stars, DJ Khaled. The freshman captioned the news with: “Wow, God doing his big one. Flau’jae x DJ Khaled. Coming soon. The biggest 4444. ‘I’ma talk that talk on there.’” Between earning the first golden buzzer for a rapper in America’s Got Talent history to lifting the most coveted prize in college basketball, the 19-year-old is doing big things.
Nate Diaz to Take on Jake Paul in Epic Showdown
The stage is officially set. On Aug. 5, YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul and former UFC competitor Nate Diaz will compete in a boxing match at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Per Ariel Helwani, the eight-round contest will be decided at 185 pounds. DAZN will distribute the match globally live on pay-per-view.
Queen Latifah, Madonna, and Mariah Carey Make Music History
There are good songs, and there are songs so profound they deserve the utmost recognition. On Wednesday, the U.S. National Recording Registry announced the addition of 25 albums, singles and song artifacts regarded as “the defining sounds of the nation’s history and culture,” per the Library of Congress. Included in that distinction is the Super Mario Bros. theme song, Queen Latifah’s 1989 album All Hail the Queen, “Like a Virgin” by Madonna and of course, everyone’s favorite holiday bop, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” by Mariah Carey. This is the 21st year the U.S. National Recording Agency has celebrated these iconic tunes.
LeBron and the Lakers Lead NBA Second-half Merch Sales
King James might not hold the No. 1 seed in this year’s NBA playoffs, but that hasn’t stopped basketball fans from stocking up on LeBron James and Lakers merch. The NBA released its top-selling jerseys list for the second half of the season, and the future Hall-of-Famer reigns supreme in the top spot. Data was taken from the second half of the 2022-23 season. The four-time Finals champ took down Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, who led the pack for the first half of the campaign. Curry now sits at No. 2, Jayson Tatum at No. 3, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in fourth place, and rounding out the top five is Luka Dončić.
Boardroom’s Griffin Adams has all the details of the complete top 10 list.
Latin Music Rides Global Wave to $1B in Sales
From the WWE to the MLB, Coachella to the Grammys, Bad Bunny is everywhere these days. The trap rap superstar is just one of the many Latin artists who have seen their fame catapult in the last year. According to the newest numbers from RIAA, Latin music surged past $1 billion in sales, reflecting a 24% year-over-year increase in 2022. The data reflect a combination of streaming, video-driven ad revenue, and physical sales. Overall, the rate of growth in Latin music outpaced the broader industry at large.
Jay-Z Set to Honor Art World Greats in Paris
Through the years, Jay-Z and Beyoncé have assembled an art collection that resembles a major museum. From Kerry James Marshall to Jean-Michel Basquiat, the two collect works of some of the most famous artists in history. Now, Jay-Z will honor two of those inspiring artists this Friday. Hov is set to perform a “celebratory concert” for the Basquiat x Warhol. Painting Four Hands exhibition in Paris. The Tiffany & Co. sponsored event, honors the “friendship and collaboration” of the two iconic artists who conducted “conversation occurring through painting, instead of words.”