By Wonderwall.com Editors
8:15am PST, Feb 7, 2020
Rolling Stones announce 2020 tour dates
Rolling Stones fans, rejoice! On Feb. 6, the band announced they they'll be hitting the road for a round of summer stadium shows. The group kicks off the 2020 concert run of their "No Filter" tour in San Diego on May 8 and wraps it up in Atlanta on July 9. The Rolling Stones continue to be one of the most successful touring bands (their last tour grossed more than $178 million). Many are questioning if this is that last outing for the group as the youngest member, Ronnie Wood, is 72 and the oldest, Charlie Watts, is 78. Tickets for the North American dates go on sale on Feb. 14.
RELATED: Music stars over 65 who are still rocking
Rihanna to receive President's Award at 51st NAACP Image Awards
Rihanna continues to rack up awards! The NAACP announced on Feb. 5 that the Bajan superstar will receive the President's Award at the 51st National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Image Awards on Feb. 22 in Pasadena, California. The award recognizes special achievement and distinguished public service. The NAACP released a statement saying, "Rihanna has not only enjoyed a groundbreaking career as an artist and musician, but has also distinguished herself as a stellar public servant. From her business achievements through [her beauty and fashion brand] Fenty, to her tremendous record as an activist and philanthropist, Rihanna epitomizes the type of character, grace and devotion to justice that we seek to highlight in our President's Award." In 2012, Rihanna started the Clara Lionel Foundation which is committed to aiding underserved communities through healthcare and education. Previous winners of this award include Jesse Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Colin Powell and Muhammad Ali. The NAACP Image Awards will air on BET on Feb. 22.
RELATED: Black stars who've made history
Justin Bieber gets candid about past drug addiction
Justin Bieber is opening up about his past struggles with drugs. On the Feb. 3 episode of his YouTube documentary "Seasons," he admitted to smoking marijuana starting at the age of "12 or 13." As he got older, the pop star moved to alcohol, lean (a mixture codeine cough syrup, soda and hard candy), pills, MDMA and psychedelic mushrooms. Recalling the depths of his struggles, he said, "My security and stuff would come into my room at night to check my pulse. People don't know how serious it got. It was legit crazy scary. I was waking up in the morning and the first thing I was doing was popping pills and smoking a blunt and starting my day. It just got scary." Longtime manager Scooter Braun described the years Justin was 19 to 21 his "dark period." Wife Hailey Bieber said she believes Justin's undiagnosed anxiety was what led him down the path of self-medication. "It might not seem that hard to some people to just get out of bed in the morning, but it's been really hard for me to just get out of my bed. And I know a lot of people feel that same way, so I just want to say you're not there alone in that. There's people that are going through it with you. Life is worth living," Justin told his fans in an emotional plea to the camera.
RELATED: Justin and Hailey's romance retrospective
Judge rules that Kesha defamed Dr. Luke
There's been movement in Kesha and Dr. Luke's ongoing nearly six-year legal battle: On Feb. 6, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled that Kesha defamed the music producer — whom she in 2014 accused of sexual assault and emotional abuse, which he's denied — in a text message she sent to Lady Gaga in which Kesha claimed that he raped Katy Perry. According to the judge, there was no supporting evidence for Kesha's claim, which Katy has also denied. The judge also does not agree that Dr. Luke is a "general public figure." Kesha's legal team has vowed to appeal the ruling, which also ordered Kesha to pay $374,000 in interest on back royalty payments to Dr. Luke's company in breach of her contract.
The 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show really delivered
Super Bowl LIV took place at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium Feb. 2 and saw the Kansas City Chiefs best the San Francisco 49ers. But the real stars of the day were the performers. Demi Lovato delivered a moving performance of the national anthem before the big game began, then Shakira and Jennifer Lopez delivered a raucous, energetic and critically praised Halftime Show performance featuring a medley of their biggest hits.
JAY-Z explains why he and Beyonce stayed seated during Super Bowl national anthem
JAY-Z and Beyonce made headlines when both remained seated during the national anthem at the Super Bowl on Feb. 2. But according to the rapper, they weren't making a political statement. During Jay's appearance at Columbia University on Feb. 4, a professor asked him if he and his wife were attempting to "convey a signal." Jay responded, "It actually wasn't. Sorry." The music mogul — who in 2019 signed a deal with the NFL with his Roc Nation company to serve as the league's live music entertainment strategist — then elaborated, saying he and Beyonce "immediately jumped into artist mode" during Demi Lovato's anthem performance. He said Beyonce was thinking about what Demi was feeling as she prepared to sing since, as Jay put it, his wife has "performed at the Super Bowl before, and I haven't." He said he was focused on the presentation. "I'm really just looking at the show. The mics start. Was it too low to start?" he explained. Jay added that there was no need for him to deliver a silent protest because they were "making the biggest, loudest protest of all" by choosing a diverse group of musical artists to perform on Super Bowl Sunday. (Jennifer Lopez and Shakira headlined the Halftime Show while Bad Bunny and J Balvin made guest appearances.)
Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill is dead at 64
Andy Gill, a founding member of the influential post-punk band Gang of Four, is dead at 64. On Feb. 1, the band released a statement announcing Andy's passing: "This is so hard for us to write, but our great friend and Supreme Leader has died today. Andy's final tour in November was the only way he was ever really going to bow out; with a Stratocaster around his neck, screaming with feedback and deafening the front row." The band's 1978 debut album is on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Brian Wilson tells fans to protest Beach Boys show
Former Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson is not having it when it comes to his former band: He's asking fans to boycott the upcoming Beach Boys concert at the Safari Club International Convention in Reno, Nevada, because of what he sees as the venue's archaic views. He tweeted on Feb. 4, "This organization supports trophy hunting, which Both Al (Jardine) and I are emphatically opposed to. There's nothing we can do personally to stop the show, so please join us in signing the petition," adding a link to a change.org petition with over 75,000 signatures. The club's website claims trophy hunting "plays a vital and irreplaceable role in not only land but also wildlife conservation." Many of Brian's fans chimed in, with one saying "It's incredibly disappointing that they are even considering performing at such an event. If they go forward, they will lose many fans, including me." Wilson led the band during their peak, but in the early 2000s, original member Mike Love won the right to use the band's name on tour.
Madonna's makes an offer to Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan
Madonna has some advice for Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan: Move to New York City! On Feb. 4, the music icon posted a video to Instagram offering to let the former royals live in her Manhattan apartment. "Hey, Harry — don't run off to Canada. It's boring there… I'll let them sublet my apartment on Central Park West." The musician continued, "It's [a] two bedroom, it's got the best view of Manhattan. Incredible balcony. I think that's going to be a winner, a deal breaker. No, Buckingham Palace has got nothing on CPW." Madonna has a history of problems with her NYC apartment: In 2016, she sued her co-op board after it ruled that her children and domestic help can't live in her apartment unless Madonna herself is actually "in residence."
