News

David Guetta returned to Brooklyn for New Year’s Eve, putting on a top-notch performance for attendees. Guetta brought his best for the show, with a sick light show, hypnotic lasers, and impressive visuals. David Guetta NYE via Poselski Photos/Mike Poselski The French DJ had the crowd roaring along to his popular hits like “Titanium” and “When Love Takes Over”. David Guetta NYE via Poselski Photos/Mike Poselski Guetta found time to unexpectedly mix in uplifting trance and the blissful “One Kiss” by Calvin Harris, keeping attendees captivated. With his career-spanning set, Guetta re-established himself as one of the most influential artists in the genre to-date. David Guetta NYE via Poselski Photos/Mike Poselski The supporting acts, Tom Staar from Ibiza and a Dirtybird favorite Weiss did there thing, throughly moving the dance floor. Both acts kept things groovy with rhythmic deep house and tech-house, adding to the excitement of the show. David Guetta NYE via Poselski Photos/Mike Poselski The event sold out several hours before the doors opened, proving that it was undoubtedly the best way to end 2018 for dance music fans ringing in the New Year in New York City. Follow David Guetta: Facebook Instagram Soundcloud Twitter The post How David Guetta and Friends Warmly Welcomed the New Years in Brooklyn appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source

Lil Pump closed out 2018 by hinting at a new song. Now, the Miami-born rapper has officially dropped “Butterfly Doors” and its accompanying music video. Check it out below. Like much of the news surrounding Lil Pump, this latest release comes with its own controversial baggage. An early version of the song, teased last month, saw the MC ad-lib racist lyrics. “They call me Yao Ming ’cause my eyes real low (ching chong),” he rapped in a preview clip. To make matters worse, he could also be seen pulling his eyes back to make them appear slanted. Following widespread backlash, Lil Pump deleted the teaser video and issued an apology. “I came to tell you for my part that I’m sorry and I apologize for posting that,” said the rapper. “It was not my intention to hurt nobody or do none of that. Dead ass. Because I’ve got Asian homies. I fuck with everybody, got nothing against nobody. It’s all love.” Nevertheless, today’s final version of “Butterfly Doors” does still feature the problematic lyrics — sans mention of former NBA superstar Yao Ming. In December, Lil Pump was arrested for disorderly conduct after being accused of bringing drugs on an airplane (though, it turned out there were no drugs). November, meanwhile, saw one of his UK shows get evacuated when someone tossed multiple smoke flares on the stage. Aside from the drama, the rapper spent 2018 teaming up with Lil Uzi Vert (“Multi Millionaire”) and Skrillex, Swae Lee, Maluma, and the late XXXTentacion (“Arms Around You”). He also, of course, joined forces with Kanye West on the absurd “I Love It”. However, Lil Pump’s mounting legal problems seem to have delayed his long-awaited Harverd Dropout project as well as its corresponding tour. Looking ahead, Lil Pump is scheduled to appear at Coachella, where he, Gucci Mane, and Smokepurpp are expected to debut their new collaboration under the name “Gucci Gang”. Source

Everyone is excited for Coachella after the festival dropped its massive 2019 lineup two days ago. Plus, tickets went on sale today. But, festival organizers have just announced something very exciting: every one. every one is a new initiative aiming to fight sexual, verbal and physical assault and harassment at Coachella. The every one announcement says it wants to create a safe festival culture for everyone. That means a safer festival for all races, genders, sexual orientations and religions. every one will employ trained ‘Safety Ambassadors’ to help anyone in need, including punishing offenders. Any offenders will be removed from the festival, in addition to possibly facing law enforcement and having their wristband cut. every one seems like a direct response to last year’s Vogue report about rampant harassment at Coachella, not to mention the #metoo movement. While it appears the Vogue report exaggerated the extent of harassment, Coachella seems to be taking things seriously, even including gender neutral bathrooms and designated safe spaces. Head over to the Coachella website to read more about every one. Stay safe, and see you at Coachella! Cover Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Coachella launches ‘every one’ initiative to fight assault and harrasment Source

Technics has revealed the next generation of its signature SL-1200 turntable. In a series of cryptic posts the company has revealed imagery of what appears to be the MK7. Darkened visual representations of the new model leave much to the imagination. However, according to Technics, the new equipment is soon to be revealed on January 7th. The wait is almost over. Technics’ turntables have pretty much been reserved for those with expensive taste, ranging from £1,200 to £2,700 per unit. While some speculate this could finally be a more affordable alternative, no one seems to be holding their breath. “Upholding a Legacy. Creating a New Standard” — Technics captions the video below. Lookout for more details on Monday. NOTE: Pictured above is the SL-1210GAE. H/T: DJ Mag This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Technics Shares New Generation of Signature Turntable In Series Of Cryptic Posts Source

Sony won the game of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle it played with Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, and Kevin Hart, with the film having become the studio’s biggest-ever title in the U.S. Now, as is custom, a rematch is order. A sequel is coming soon, and its returning foursome will be joined by a few high-profile names. Variety reports that Danny DeVito, who’s spent the majority of his latter-day career swilling beers with the It’s Always Sunny sect, will join the cast. In a statement about the casting, Johnson references the way Jumanji‘s characters are transformed into not-so-fitting adult avatars when they’re transported into the movie’s namesake video game. “The magic of Jumanji is who becomes who,” he said. “And the idea of Danny DeVito joining our cast was too irresistible and something we knew we wanted to deliver to our audience this upcoming Christmas.” Yesterday, Sony announced that Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina would also be joining the cast. Jake Kasdan will return as director, guiding the film towards a release date of December 13th, 2019. Source

A new report from BuzzAngle Music spells a promising, but changing, landscape for the future of the music industry. Examining industry trends and highlights throughout 2018, BuzzAngle attempts to create an accurate road map for the following year. Overall, music consumption has grown by double digit percentages in 2018. According to the report, total consumption grew 16.2% over 2017, which already showed a 12.8% increase over 2016. More people are listening to more music than ever before. (The number of unique titles audio-streamed in 2018 totaled 3M more than in 2017, a 9.2% increase.) Including both audio and video sources, total streams were over 809 Billion for 2018. With a ‘B.’ No doubt part of this is due to the massive rise in Asian pop groups like BLACKPINK, Baby Metal, and BTS going absolutely viral, but American and European artists like Drake and Ed Sheeran are doing their fair share, as well. However, the rise in streaming is also indicative of the death of sales. “Album sales and song sales continued to decline, 18.2% and 28.8% respectively,” states the report, “and physical sales declined 15.3%.” Though vinyl sales continued to grow, with an increase of 11.9% over 2016, the total number of sales (8.6M) is still a far cry from CD sales even in their declining state (74.5M). Regarding music exploration, the future is bright. There were only nine songs that were streamed more than 500 million times in 2018, compared to 16 in 2017, six in 2016 and two in 2015. However, there were 417 songs that streamed more than 100 million times in 2018, compared to 383 songs in 2017, 226 songs in 2016 and 111 songs in 2015. This shows that while consumers still appreciate the hits, they’re also broadening their taste and expanding into new territories. You can thank features like Spotify’s Discovery playlists for a lot of this. Still, for the second straight year, Drake took the three largest awards: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Scorpion, and Song of the Year, “God’s Plan.” You can read the full report available here. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Overall Music Consumption Continues To Grow In US By Double Digits As Album/Song Sales Decline Source

KimYe are working on a four of a kind… According to multiple reports, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expecting their fourth child together. The celebrity power couple are already parents to North (5), Saint (3), and Chicago (11 months), with a little one on the way. Kim gave birth to their first two children and Chi was delivered via surrogate. The couple is also going the surrogate route with their fourth baby. The stars have expressed their excitement in achieving their perfect balance with “two boys and two girls.” However, they might not stop at four… On a recent episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim said this: “Kanye wants to have more. He’s been harassing me. He wants seven. He’s stuck on seven. [Seven] crazy. I could never, especially in like the world we live in.” Kim and Kanye’s baby boy is expected in early May. Source: Daily Mail | Photo via @kimkardashian This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: KimYe Are Having Another Baby Together, Expected May 2019 Source

Less than 24 hours after dropping his latest single, “Crushed Up”, Atlanta’s own Future has announced the imminent release of a new album. The as-yet-untitled record is due to hit shelves on January 18th through Epic Records/Freebandz Entertainment. The forthcoming LP marks the proper follow-up to Future and Hndrxx, both of which were released in 2017. It also comes after Future’s pair of collaborative mixtapes from 2018, Beast Mode 2 with Zaytoven and Wrld on Drugs with JUICE WRLD. “The album’s so so crazy,” Future previously declared on Instagram. “I’m inspired, man. I’m so inspired. I got inspiration from everywhere. This is about to be my greatest album of all time right now, you know what I’m saying? Well to date. It’s going to be one of my best albums… watch this.” We’re officially on watch. In the meantime, revisit lead single “Crushed Up” below via its cinematic, snowy music video. A week prior to the new album, Future is expected to premiere a new documentary, The Wizrd. “The feature-length film follows the artist closely and peeks into corners of his world never seen before,” a press statement describes. Source

Imagine a supergroup that featured Metallica’s Robert Trujillo on bass, Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins on drums, and Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith on guitar? Well, it happened, at least for one day. A new Instagram post by guitarist Howie Simon, who was a member of ’80s metal band Alcatrazz and has played with Jeff Scott Soto and Winger, among others, shows him jamming with the aforementioned rockers, plus singer-guitarist Richie Kotzen (The Winery Dogs, Poison, Mr. Big). Along with the pic, Simon wrote, “Sometimes at parties I jam with the bass player from Metallica, the drummer from the Foo Fighters, the guitarist from Iron Maiden, and my friend Richie. I hope I’m not name dropping! Such a fun time – they always throw the best parties!” Yes, Howie, you were name dropping, but all is forgiven as a thank you for sharing a pic of this seemingly once-in-a-lifetime jam session. Now, if you can just post some video, as well. That would be great! Metallica’s Top 5 Songs Tool’s Top 5 Music Videos Behemoth's Top 5 Songs Alice in Chains' Top 5 Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” Annotated Video Source

Hardwell‘s follow up to his massive 2013 hit “Apollo” is finally here. Years later, “Being Alive” makes its way to our speakers and the producer’s distinct sound is more epic than ever. While the treatment is totally different, characteristics of the drops and arrangements are comparative. “Being Alive” rocks a theatrical open, electrifying builds, impactful lyrics and satisfying drops. It has all of the makings of an instant classic, as did “Apollo.” Sadly, we won’t be seeing Hardwell play this one out on the main stage anytime soon. The song debuted at Tomorrowland 2018 and that will remain one of the only festival settings in which “Being Alive” plays out for some time. “This new single means a lot to me and I’m super excited that it’s finally out!” Hardwell shares in a post. “What does ‘Being Alive’ mean to you?” Time to make your own assessment — listen to “Being Alive” right here! Hardwell – Being Alive  Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Hardwell Drops Massive Follow Up To “Apollo” Called “Being Alive” [LISTEN] Source

mau5trap has unleashed its We Are Friends, Vol. 8 compilation and it certainly doesn’t hold back in any sense. Boasting 35 tracks from labelmates and other associated acts, the album offers an array of progressive, techno and electro productions with endless creativity and impeccable sound design. i_o‘s refreshed take on “Imaginary Friends” puts the complication’s best foot forward. A dark, pulsing beat and exaggerated reverb drives the track into some new, never-before-heard territory. Balanced by the familiar melodies of “Imaginary Friends,” i_o makes this one his own electrifying creation. Remixing deadmau5 is no easy task, but i_o nails it. Bentley Dean draws on gritty, off-kilter sounds to build intrigue with his contribution. Blending bass-heavy UK vibes and Chicago house influences, “Coagulation” is another standout for us. The track disrupts the perfection heard with many mau5trap productions, making for a nice change of pace. We’ve barely scratched the surface here. ATTLAS, Dillon Nathaniel, No Mana, EDDIE, Julian Gray, and so many more talents make up We Are Friends, Vol. 8 — and every track deserves a good listen. mau5trap – We Are Friends, Vol. 8 Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: mau5trap’s ‘We Are Friends, Vol. 8’ Runs 35 Tracks Deep [MUST LISTEN] Source

Ask any trance fan to name a classic song in the genre, and it’s a safe bet that many will name “Till The Sky Falls Down.” Released by Dash Berlin in 2008, it’s a classic in more than just the nostalgic sense, using truly classic trance synths and progressions as well as drawing from real-life events for the song’s sorrowful lyrics. In a new series called “The Untold Story,” Dash Berlin begins to tell the origins of the classic. According to the videos, the song was originally written by member Sebastiaan Molijn during a particularly melancholy autumn one year, and produced together with fellow Dash member Eelke Kalberg. The lyrics are based off real events in Molijn’s life. Have you ever missed someone so bad that it made you feel empty inside? Surely it’s easy to see how the lyrics translate this sentiment. What isn’t as easy to see is the reasoning, or more importantly, timing, behind the videos. Recently, longtime member of Dash Berlin Jeffrey Sutorius split from the trio over irreconcilable differences, and has been playing solo shows since the end of 2018. Dash Berlin recently revealed there was new music coming out from the group, but without Sutorius at the forefront, it’s unclear if fans will even be receptive to the new tunes, or who would play them out live. All this time we have been silent. But in this new year… we are breaking the silence. Dash Berlin definitely has something to say, whether fans are ready to listen or not. Watch parts one and two of “The Untold Story” below — it’s currently unclear if there is a third part on the way. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Dash Berlin Reveal The “Untold Story” Behind Their Song “Till The Sky Falls Down” Source

Download | Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS This Friday on Kyle Meredith With…, Kyle Meredith interviews David Bazan of Pedro the Lion, who explains why he resurrected the name “Pedro the Lion” and what led to his new project, a concept series of five albums focused on different cities he has lived in throughout his life. He shares childhood stories that led to a song called “Black Canyon” and left him with a strange and haunting impression of Phoenix, Arizona. Bazan also discusses Fug Yep, a project that brings awareness to mental health and addiction, inspired by his relationship with the late Richard Swift. Kyle Meredith With… is an interview series in which WFPK’s Kyle Meredith speaks to a wide breadth of musicians. Each episode, Meredith digs deep into an artist’s work to find out how the music is made and where their journey is going, from legendary artists like Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, U2 and Bryan Ferry, to the newer class of The National, St. Vincent, Arctic Monkeys, Haim, and Father John Misty. Check back Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for new episodes. Rate the series now via iTunes. Follow on Facebook | Podchaser | Twitter Source

Mineral fans received the perfect Christmas gift late last year with “Aurora”, the band’s first new song in 20 years. Today, the seminal emo rockers continue their comeback with a second fresh offering. Dubbed “Your Body is the World”, the nearly five-minute cut is sees snaking guitars and steadily chugging bass coming together complementarily like a well-oiled machine. It all eventually builds up to not one, but two pivotal moments: a glimmering, reflective period of rest followed by a crunchier outro. There’s plenty of textures to go around, and this is coming from a band that’s just woken up from a long slumber. Take a listen below. Both “Aurora” and “Your Body is the World” were produced by Dave Trumfio (Built to Spill, Wilco) and recorded at Jim Eno’s (Spoon) studio in Austin. They are set to appear on a collectible 10-inch that accompanies One Day When We Are Young, a retrospective hardcover celebrating Mineral’s 25th anniversary, due out January 11th via House Arrest. Mineral are also celebrating by embarking on a world tour beginning next week. Find their upcoming tour dates here. Source

Members of Tool have long pointed to 2019 as the year they’ll finally release a new album. “I’ll go on record now saying you’re gonna see some new music next year,” frontman Maynard James Keenan previously promised. While fans have been spurned before, more and more evidence suggests Tool will in fact make good on their promise. In a new Twitter update, Keenan revealed his finals vocals have been fully tracked. That’s especially significant as Keenan is the last member of the band to record his parts, as he waits until the instrumentals are finished before entering the studio. Keenan added that the album is currently in the “long process of mixing now.” Update- Final vocals tracked MONTHS ago. Then U.S.-UK-Euro run w #APC. If Tool all inst are tracked, long process of Mixing now. Meanwhile write/film/track w @puscifer for #puscifer2020 & troll the band FBs with wine posts. #funnyshit #whileyouwerewhiningiwasworking — Maynard J Keenan (@mjkeenan) January 4, 2019 For a group as meticulous as Tool, it’s unclear just how long that mixing process will take. Still, it’s hard to imagine it won’t be finished by the time the band begins touring in May. Tool 2019 Tour Dates: 05/05 – Jacksonville, FL @ Welcome to Rockville 05/11 – Rockingham, NC @ Epicenter Festival 05/19 – Bridgeview, IL @ Chicago Open Air 06/02 – Berlin, DE @ Mercedes-Benz Arena 06/04 – Prague, CZ @ O2 Arena 06/05 – Vienna, AT @ Wiener Stadhalle 06/07 – Nurburg, DE @ Rock Am Ring Festival 06/09 – Nuremberg, DE @ Rock Im Park Festival 06/11 – Krakow, PO @ Impact Festival at Tauron Arena 06/13 – Florence, IT @ Firenze Rocks 06/16 – Donington, GB @ Download Festival 06/18 – Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome 06/20 – Copenhagen, DK @ Copenhell Festival 06/23 – Clisson, FR @ Hellfest 06/25 – Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion 06/28 – Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter 06/30 – Madrid, ES @ Download Festival Spain 07/02 – Lisbon, PT @ Altice Arena Tool’s Top 5 Music Videos Tour Preview: Bring Me the Atreyu In Our Wake Promo Alice in Chains' Top 5 Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” Annotated Video Source

It’s January, which means everyone’s looking to get fit — at least for the next few weeks — and leave it to Lizzo to get you going. The Minneapolis rapper and singer has let loose a new single and video that doubles as a jam and one of those dusty workout tapes you’ve got lying around your house. It’s all kinds of hilarious. Titled “Juice”, the bouncy single dips heavily into the ’80s, featuring glossy, midnight production that should send Chromeo’s Dave 1 over the edge. It’s a groove, alright, made even more entertaining by Quinn Wilson’s nostalgic video that finds the singer roaming through a wild, late-night infomercial. Whatever she’s selling here, we’re buying it. Watch below. It’s been nearly four years since Lizzo’s last album, 2015’s Big GRRRL Small World, and nearly three since her last EP, Coconut Oil. However, she’s kept herself busy, releasing a number of bops in 2018 alone with “Fitness” and “Boys”. Let’s hope 2019 brings more of these chummy tracks. Source

Shortly after being named the 2019 Oscars host, old, homophobic tweets from Kevin Hart’s past were unearthed. Hart was presented with an ultimatum by The Academy: either apologize for the tweets or give up his hosting duties. Hart ultimately opted to apologize and step down from his post, saying he didn’t want to detract attention from the Oscar nominees. However, less than a month after the Twitter controversy unfolded, it appears Hart may just end up hosting the 91st Academy Awards after all. Hart is now “evaluating” a return to his hosting gig at the urging of Ellen DeGeneres. In a lengthy, new interview on her daytime TV show, DeGeneres not only pleaded that Hart reconsider his decision, but she revealed that she’d spoken to The Academy and they, too, want him back. “They were like, ‘Oh my God, we want him to host,'” recounted DeGeneres, who is openly gay and has hosted the Oscars twice in the past. “The Academy is saying, ‘What can we do to make this happen?'” she said. (Read: Louis CK, Kevin Spacey, and the No Apology Tour: How Ignorance is Bliss in Trump’s America) Throughout the interview, Hart expressed remorse over his offensive tweets, but noted that the backlash against him remains strong. Still, DeGeneres pressed on and said he should tune out his “haters.” “Don’t pay attention to them,” she said. “They are a small group of people who are very, very loud. We are a huge group of people who love you and want you to host the Oscars.” “Don’t let those people win, host the Oscars,” DeGeneres insisted. “Thats why they [The Academy] haven’t found another host, because they are secretly hoping that you would come back.” Over on social media, DeGeneres has also expressed her support for Hart. “I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances,” she wrote on Twitter today. Her encouragements, as well as the supposed backing from The Academy, appear to have left an impression on Hart, as he’s now re-thinking his decision. “Leaving here, I promise you I’m evaluating this conversation,” the 39-year-old comedian told DeGeneres. “Let me assess, just sit in the space and really think.” Watch clips of the interview below. The 91st Academy Awards go down Sunday, February 24th. As DeGeneres has pointed out, The Academy has yet to fill the Oscars host position. Source

Bohemian Rhapsody may not be the most critically acclaimed rock biopic of all time, but it’s unequivocally the most successful. Part of what connected the film so well with audiences is its remarkably faithful recreation of landmark events in the life of Freddie Mercury and Queen, such as the band’s iconic Live Aid performance. Now, 20th Century Fox has revealed that an entire shot-for-shot remake of the concert will be presented in full on the movie’s home release. The film arrives digitally on January 22nd, followed by a 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release on February 12th (pre-orders are ongoing here). Each format will include the complete Live Aid performance not seen in theaters, featuring Rami Malek (Mercury), Ben Hardy (drummer Roger Taylor), Gwilym Lee (guitarist Brian May), and Joseph Mazzello (bassist John Deacon) delivering a near perfect reenactment of the 22-minute 1985 Wembley Stadium show. The full presentation will give fans their first chance to see songs like “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “We Will Rock You”, which weren’t included in the final film. Making the recreation even more impressive is the fact the actors shot the entire thing in one solid take. Watch them discuss the process, along with side-by-side comparisons of the cinematic and real-life versions, below. #BohemianRaphsody Blu-ray will have the full Live-Aid performance. He's a tease of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" side by side with real @QueenWillRock performance Details on Blu-ray here: https://t.co/1ZO7Np3J7i#FreddieMercury pic.twitter.com/3s84SibByW — Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) January 2, 2019 Source

Greta Van Fleet couldn’t have imagined that in just a few years they’d be touring the world as rock’s new sensations when they decided on a whim to name their band after an elderly woman who resided in their hometown of Frankenmuth, Michigan. Despite the honor, the 88-year-old Gretna Van Fleet admits “it’s not my favorite music”, but has respect for the hometown boys who made it big. When the band was just starting out, they lined up their first gig in Frankenmuth in 2012, when the youngest member was 13 years old. As bassist Sam Kiszka told the Detroit Free Press, “It was a pretty big deal. So we got to thinking: ‘We’re going to need a name.’ We were just playing in the garage day in and day out and hadn’t really been thinking about it.” Their drummer at the time was Kyle Hauck, and when his grandfather dropped him off to band practice, he told the boys, “All right, have fun. I’ve got to go cut wood for Gretna Van Fleet. I’ll see you when practice is over.” Sam says that’s when one of his brothers in the band, singer Josh Kizska, said, “That’s a band name!” The young musicians dropped the “n” from Gretna’s first name, and the rest is history. In the same article, the Detroit Free Press caught up with Gretna last month, and she told the newspaper, “Every day, out in town, somebody will stop me. People are so excited to meet me.” As far as what she thinks of the band whose name she inspired, Gretna said, “It’s not my favorite music, and the boys know that. But I think they’re very talented, and I support them.” She does add that her favorite GVF song is “Flower Power”. Gretna is a retired medical secretary but is also a musician herself, who plays the dulcimer and the drums. In fact, when Greta Van Fleet first started playing gigs around town, people would often ask her if she was playing a concert, to which she replied, “If I am, I missed rehearsals,” adding that she “couldn’t figure out how there was someone else with a name so close to mine.” She would eventually give the band her blessing to use the name moving forward, thinking, “I thought it was funny. I didn’t think it would last long — they wouldn’t hang on to this crazy name.” Now, Sam Kiszka thinks the name gives the band a sense of home when they’re out on the road. “We’re off in the world, traveling all the time. We’re not really based out of anywhere now. So it’s kind of nice to bring that piece of home everywhere we go.” Check out the very young Greta Van Fleet playing “Crazy Train” at that very first gig in 2012 in the video below, and see the band on their massive 2019 world tour. Tickets are available here. Source

It’s been nearly 15 years since The Notebook hit theaters and people still can’t get enough of it. Nick Cassavetes’ 2004 adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel has come to define the term “romance” for an entire era, prompting millions of young men to grow beards, row around in paddle boats, and pine for the “one who got away.” Okay, maybe not, but the movie’s certainly inspired a number of people. One person is Ingrid Michaelson, who wants to turn the romantic drama into a Broadway musical. Yes, according to Broadway News, the folk singer is working on music and lyrics for a show that’s being written by This is Us supervising producer Bekah Brunstetter and produced by Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch in association with Sparks himself. “From day one, Ingrid and Bekah have had a clear vision for the show, and even at this early stage, it has proven to be an exceptionally exciting and fruitful collaboration,” McCollum and Deutsch said in a joint statement. “The story sings to me so perfectly,” Michaelson also said in the press release. “I actually started writing that very night of the first meeting, before I even had the job! I cannot wait for the world to hear these characters come to life in a musical way.” (Read: A Guide to the Insanity of Nicholas Sparks) Michaelson’s brush with Broadway came in 2017 with her debut in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. More recently, she released a ’50s-inspired Christmas album titled Songs for the Season, which she discussed at great lengths on our tri-weekly podcast series, Kyle Meredith With… Stream that conversation below. Download | Listen and subscribe via iTunes | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | RSS Source

While all types of music share the beautiful ability to bridge the gaps between people, let’s not fool ourselves and act like the music industry works the same across the board. For instance, while most of the bands and pop stars who made waves in 2018 will now venture out on exhaustive tours, go on hiatus, or do anything for two or three years except consider putting out another album, many of the same names in hip-hop and R&B who commanded headlines, turned heads, and dropped dope records, collabs, and singles last year will be back in 2019. And as long as everyone is on their meds (seriously, take care of yourselves), we’re 100% down with that. In 2019, greats will get a chance to re-establish their greatness, underground talents will attempt to conquer the mainstream, and unique artists will continue to push hip-hop in new and thrilling places. Call it a repeat. Call it a rerun if you want, but it’s the best show on in 2019, and we ain’t flippin’ the channel. –Matt Melis Editorial Director __________________________________________________________ Cardi B – TBD Cardi B in “Money” music video Why We’re Excited: If Kendrick Lamar quietly proved in 2018 that he’s still the king, Cardi B struck a royal balance by ascending to her queenly throne with as much pomp and fanfare as possible. Cardi took over Coachella, stole the show on SNL with her classy baby bump reveal, sent an album’s worth of singles straight up the charts, and finally answered Austin Powers’ longstanding question: “Really, who throws a shoe?” Let’s face it: since “Bodak Yellow” hit the charts in mid-2017, Cardi B has run the rap game like cardio. Now, fresh off the presses (or day-old at worst), Cardi B has announced that her Invasion of Privacy follow-up will creep into fans’ hands in 2019. While most new mothers and reigning hip-hop royalty might consider stepping out of the spotlight for a time, Cardi has proven she’s got the swagger, flow, and “okuuuuuurts” to not wear out her welcome anytime soon. –Matt Melis Sample: _________________________________________________________ Childish Gambino – TBD Childish Gambino, photo by Ben Kaye Why We’re Excited: Now that he’s no longer making the Kessel Run alongside Han Solo, or nursing a broken foot, Donald Glover should have little to no distractions when it comes to music for 2019. Of course, we say that as if he didn’t deliver one of the best songs last year in “This is America”, even while juggling the aforementioned projects, so can you imagine what he’ll do with even more time? Something substantial, no doubt, and the stars are beginning to align. Already, Glover’s booked to headline Coachella, which has become the de facto billboard to promote a new album, and he even has appropriate material for the time of year with “Feels Like Summer” and “Summertime Magic”. Couple all of this with his forthcoming appearance in Jon Favreau’s The Lion King and we’re looking at a Summer of Gambino. Hopefully, it’s not his last. –Michael Roffman __________________________________________________________ EarthGang – Mirrorland EarthGang Why We’re Excited: “Don’t believe the hype” might be one of hip-hop’s Ten Commandments, but sometimes we just can’t help ourselves. Everything about EARTHGANG — the oddball hip-hop duo from Atlanta featuring Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot — suggests that they’ve got plenty to back up any buzz they’re getting. Hell, it’s why we made them our Artist of the Month last February. In 2018, not only did the pair brilliantly cap off their Rags, Robots, and Royalty EP trilogy, but they also dropped the first single from the upcoming Mirrorland, a freaky slow jam called “Stuck” that teases how these wonderful weirdos might just manage to squeeze into our solar system in 2019. –Matt Melis Sample: __________________________________________________________ Run the Jewels – RTJ4 Run the Jewels, photo by Philip Cosores Why We’re Excited: One of the only positives of last year’s Venom — other than seeing Tom Hardy trump a garbage movie — was hearing new music by Run the Jewels. After all, it’s been two years since the surprise Christmas release of RTJ3, and so much has changed in the interim, which makes their forthcoming sequel all the more exciting. “I’ve been collecting beats and we’re just going to kind of try and make the grimiest, rawest record we possibly can,” El-P told Beats 1 in October. Though, as Killer Mike countered, “We always really were just about making nasty rap records, man,” contending, “We never were the type of people who were looking to make records that were addressing specific political situations. If it happens, it happens, and it does on occasion, but we’re not Public Enemy. What we’re trying to do is be two guys in a friendship from different places having the time of their lives and making something that everybody can make the scrunchy face to when they hear.” Hey, that works, too. –Michael Roffman Sample: __________________________________________________________ ScHoolboy Q – TBD Schoolboy Q // Photo by Philip Cosores Why We’re Excited: Everyone needs time to grieve, even Schoolboy Q. If you recall, the Compton rapper had intended to release the follow-up to 2016’s Blank Face LP by the end of 2018. However, those plans changed when he announced to his fans at Chicago’s House of Vans back in September that he would delay the album following the tragic death of his friend and collaborator, Mac Miller. “I’ma go back, and I’ma figure out when I’ma put this fucking album out, because y’all are going to get this album,” he insisted. “I promise that. I’m just not ready to walk into the radio station and the first thing they ask me is ‘So Mac Miller…’ I’m not ready to deal with those questions. I’m not ready to put nothing out right now. I’m sorry.” Considering the album was reportedly “90%-95%” completed back in August, it really comes down to when he’s ready to let it go. –Michael Roffman __________________________________________________________ SABA, Noname, and Smino – TBD SABA, Noname, and Smino, photo by SABA Why We’re Excited: The only intelligent response is, why wouldn’t we be excited? For our money, Chicago emcees SABA and Noname dropped two of the best hip-hop albums of 2018, Care for Me and Room 25, respectively, and Smino wasn’t far behind them with eclectic singles “L.M.F.” and “KLINK” off his accomplished second full-length. However, before we get too excited, we have to acknowledge that the trio have only hinted strongly at this collaboration so far on social media. Nothing has been 100% confirmed. But as The Beach Boys said, wouldn’t it be nice? Imagine mixing SABA’s storytelling with Noname’s jazzy flow and Smino’s wildcard flavor, and you have a trio that have the chance to change what the future of hip-hop sounds like. If that doesn’t excite you, nothing will. –Matt Melis __________________________________________________________ Solange – TBD Solange, photo by Philip Cosores Why We’re Excited: Sibling rivalries don’t make much sense as you get older, especially when you count Queen Bey herself as Big Sis. But if there is one kid sister out there who could hold her own in the type of world where music critics just can’t help comparing siblings, it would be Solange. Her 2016 album, A Seat at the Table, earned her just that, especially the utterly gorgeous and relatable single “Cranes in the Sky”. Solange made her believers wait eight years for that full-length. And, quite frankly, after a record as unique and promising as A Seat at the Table, we couldn’t wait that long again. Luckily, we don’t have to. –Matt Melis __________________________________________________________ SZA – TBD SZA, photo by Natalie Somekh Why We’re Excited: By the time Spring hits, SZA may have both a Golden Globe and an Oscar sitting on her shelf, that is if either the Hollywood Foreign Press or the Academy deem “All the Stars” worthy for Best Original Song. (They have competition.) Still, that shouldn’t stop her from maintaining her day job afloat, and while there’s been no official announcement, the singer has been teasing her highly anticipated followup to 2017’s CTRL. In September, she responded to one disbelieving fan by tweeting, “…A’s already done,” casually confirming a possible title. In October, she spoke at length to New York’s 105.1’s Powerhouse, saying: “I want it to be 100 percent honest to whoever I am in this moment because that is the only way it will work. But I just personally think now it’s just about getting to the root of who I am. But faster, clearer, more concisely. Like just learning the understanding of self.” And, just last month, she teased clips in a since-deleted Instagram post. Simply put, something’s coming. –Michael Roffman __________________________________________________________ The Weeknd – Chapter 6 The Weeknd, photo by Natalie Somekh Why We’re Excited: Last year was a slow season for Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd. After popping up on Black Panther: The Album in February and dropping his My Dear Melancholy EP in March — both of which warranted him two Platinum-certified, Billboard-charting singles in “Pray for Me” with Kendrick Lamar; and “Call Out My Name” — the award-winning crooner kept things relatively low key with minimal buzz. In November, however, Tesfaye told his fans at a Toronto gig, “I haven’t been this inspired in years and I want you guys to be the first to know I’m working on my new album right now.” So far, we know very little with regards to features and its sound, but we do know that it’s titled Chapter 6 and that it won’t be another EP. As he later teased on Twitter, “some chapters are smaller than others. not this next one though…” Ooh, cryptic! –Michael Roffman __________________________________________________________ Kanye West – Yandhi Kanye West, photo by Joshua Mellin Why We’re Excited: It’s hard to believe that in a year when Kanye West produced five albums — two of which he starred on and all but one he appeared on — in just under a month that our focus would be on everything but his music. But Kanye tweeting at odd hours and wandering, sadly and quite literally, in front of television cameras speaking incoherently like a person off his meds stole the show. He’s since done some public relations tidying up, and we can only hope that the artist capable of helming an album like DAYTONA and delivering a song like “Ghost Town” will leave the little, red hat and superhero cape at home and go back to being an undeniable “genius” in the recording studio. –Matt Melis Source

Ice Nine Kills are mourning the death of their former bassist and clean vocalist, Shane Bisnett, who passed away at the young age of 31 on New Year’s Day in New York. No cause of death has been revealed, but Alternative Press reports that he tragically leaves behind a wife and two children. Bisnett joined Ice Nine Kills in 2009 and remained with the metalcore band until 2011, appearing on their 2010 sophomore album, Safe Is Just a Shadow. News of his passing came via Ice Nine Kills frontman Spencer Charnas, who paid tribute to his former bandmate in an Instagram post. “I am so incredibly sad to hear that my old friend Shane Bisnett died on New Year’s day. Shane was an immensely kind and talented musician who had such a powerful and beautiful tone to his voice. In addition to touring with Ice Nine Kills for years, Shane also wrote a ton of the great melodic elements of our Safe Is Just A Shadow album with me. I’ll always remember those cold Rochester, NY nights in 2009 working on songs with him and searching for that ‘perfect chorus’ together. Shane was built like a tough looking dude, but as soon as you engaged with him you realized what a lovable and gentle soul he was….and that smile! He was the kind of dude that would always have your back, no matter what. This video of us playing was filmed probably around 2010 when the band was still crashing on people’s floors after shows. It breaks my heart that I’ll never get to play music with him again, but I’m so thankful that I got to know him. My thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP my man. #RIPShaneBisnett” Following Bisnett’s departure from the band, Ice Nine Kills have released three more full-length discs, including their recent fifth album, The Silver Scream. The band premiered the video for “A Grave Mistake” at Heavy Consequence in September. A funeral service for Bisnett will take place on January 10th at the Garner Funeral Home in Potsdam, New York. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and bandmates during this difficult time. Source

R. Kelly, the R&B legend who numerous women have accused of sexual abuse, pedophilia, and more (and whose most recent single is called “I Admit It”). will again feel the heat as Lifetime airs its six-part docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, this weekend. One of the myriad issues to be explored in the docuseries will be R. Kelly’s relationship to the now-deceased pop star Aaliyah, who reportedly married Kelly in 1994 when he was 27 and she was only 15. Now, Aaliyah’s mother, Diane Haughton, is coming out ahead of the series to dispute a claim made by Jovante Cunningham, a former backup dancer for R. Kelly. In the docuseries, Cunningham alleges that she saw the two “having sex” in a tour bus. In a statement released to the Aaliyah For Mac Twitter account (the owners of which confirmed the statement’s veracity to Bustle), Haughton declares Cunningham to be “a liar,” adding that she and her husband “were always on tour with [Aaliyah] and at interviews and every place she went throughout her entire career.” She added, “Whoever this woman is, I have never seen her before anywhere on planet earth, until now.” The statement continued: “These lies and fabrications cannot be tolerated and allowed to be spewed from the forked tongues of saboteurs of Aaliyah’s legacy. My daughter only wanted to realize her dream of sharing her talent with the world, and give her all performing on stage, and in from top the camera for the fans she adored so much. She realized that dream, thanks to those true fans who still love and support her legacy unconditionally to this day. Shame on all those involved in this project who thought it kosher to drag Aaliyah’s name into a situation that has nothing to do with her today. Once again, this will not be tolerated. Sincerely, Diane Haughton.” See the full statement below. ATT: #TeamAaliyah #Aaliyah ‘s Mom , Diane has made a statement in regards to the lies from the #Lifetime #RKelly documentary coming out. PLEASE RT to make this go viral! We can’t let @lifetimetv lie on @AaliyahHaughton this way! If you need the quote tweet me. Let’s do this! pic.twitter.com/0sOnGV0g6q — Aaliyah For MAC (@AaliyahForMac) January 2, 2019 The three-night event premiered tonight and will continue at the same time on Friday, January 4th and Saturday, January 5th, with each night featuring a two one-hour episodes. Watch a preview below. Source

Imagine, for a moment, that you run one of the largest and most culturally relevant music festivals in the world. Each year it attracts 250,000 people across two weekends, features hundreds of artists across seven tents and stages, and showcases some of the largest global artists of the year. Your lineup announcements never fail to create a stir among journalists, pop-culture critics, and discerning festivalgoers. Each year, millions of people expect you to deliver something unique, something that fits within the cultural moment but still advances said moment, something that’s surprising yet focused, chaotic but not devoid of identity. Depending on who you are, this responsibility may either sound like a dream or a bit of a nightmare. Regardless, it’s the duty of Goldenvoice founder Paul Tollett, who The New Yorker aptly described in its profile as “The Mastermind Behind Coachella.” This year, against all odds, Tollett and Coachella pulled off a truly original and culturally robust lineup. Much like in 2017 (when Beyoncé cancelled due to her pregnancy), Coachella faced a series of setbacks prior to its lineup announcement. In December, Justin Timberlake was forced to cancel several tour dates due to vocal cords issue. The rescheduled dates of the Live Nation-promoted tour conflict with Coachella’s radius clause, prompting Coachella organizers to make alternate plans (sources tell Consequence that Timberlake was originally attached to play the festival, along with Kanye West and Childish Gambino). To make matters worse, Kanye West opted out of the festival late in the game due to disagreements relating to his stage setup. According to TMZ, Kanye did not want to perform on the festival’s traditional 40×60-foot stage because it was “artistically limiting.” This isn’t the first time Coachella has had headliners drop last minute (a Rolling Stones cancellation in 2013 delayed the festival’s lineup release by weeks), but it’s certainly a precarious situation to find oneself in just days before announcing, especially considering the heightened expectations the festival has grown accustomed to. Despite these setbacks, Coachella managed to release its lineup on schedule last night, and its depth and singularity are surprising. There is a reason that Coachella has stuck around for so long, and it lies with its ability to innovate, to take risks, and to understand and respond to the cultural zeitgeist that each year encapsulates. __________________________________________________________ Headliners Ariana Grande with The Roots Coachella found itself in a precarious position with two headliners dropping prior to the lineup’s release. However, one can’t help but feel that the festival dodged a bullet by swapping out Kanye for Ariana Grande. West felt out of touch as a pick given the cultural moment at present (and his apparent lack of awareness of it); meanwhile, the Grande pick feels fresh and exciting. Her last single, “thank u, next”, reached No. 1, and its video has since become the largest music video in YouTube history. Additionally, no other major festival has booked Grande, and she marks the fest’s youngest headliner to date at 25. She’ll have large shoes to fill following Beyoncé’s game-changing set last year, but better her to try and fill them than Kanye “MAGA” West. Thank u, Kanye (very cool), but unfortunately for u: Next! Tame Impala, photo by Killian Young Tame Impala, to a lesser extent, serves as another example of a fresh act replacing one that’s already had its moment. The band’s Currents world tour solidified their live set as one of the most innovative and engaging by a rock band in recent years. With a new album on the horizon and a new live show in tow, the band’s graduation to headliner feels like a wise elevation for Coachella and a necessary breath of fresh air. Tame Impala also satisfy a rock niche that’s been slowly tapering off over the years, and everything that the Australian psych rock outfit has exhibited so far tells us that they should find massive success in the desert. Childish Gambino, photo by Ben Kaye Finally, we have Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino), the lone headliner who didn’t serve as a last-minute replacement. Glover could not be more culturally relevant in 2019. It seems that everywhere one looks, he pops up. A true modern renaissance artist, Glover’s success with Atlanta and in Solo — coupled with the fact that he’s reportedly doing some of his last gigs as Childish Gambino — only elevates his breadth as a musical performer. When Glover released the music video to “This Is America” back in May, which now has more than seven million views on YouTube, one could envision his Coachella headlining slot opening out of thin air. There is perhaps no artist with their finger as close to the cultural pulse as Glover, and if he decides to release his upcoming album directly before the festival (a la Kendrick Lamar in 2017), it could serve as another unique, once-in-a-lifetime cultural moment. __________________________________________________________ Diversity Janelle Monae, photo by Philip Cosores Coachella’s lineup exhibits, at least on some levels, an awareness of the cultural dialogues taking place over the past year regarding not only gender balance on festival lineups but ethnicity and genre diversity as well. Ariana Grande’s replacing of Kanye West feels like a dodged bullet for the festival and an important moment for insuring female representation. Direct-to-main slots for Solange and Janelle Monáe feel warranted and entirely fitting, and it’s refreshing to see talents such as themselves being allocated the slots that they so readily deserve. Solange, photo by Philip Cosores The festival also showcases several international music genres that, up until now, have been relegated to the undercard of lineups, or worse, left off altogether. Several breakthrough Latinx inclusions, such as J Balvin and Bad Bunny, worked their way onto the bill’s second lines while the critically heralded Rosalia and the more traditionally recognized Tucanes De Tijuana both serve as welcome supplements for the genre’s presence. K-Pop is also having a moment with the all-female group known as BLACKPINK occupying prime second-line territory. In a festival landscape that often feels culturally limiting, Coachella has made an effort towards showcasing radically different world genres in top-billed positions. __________________________________________________________ Elements of Surprise Aphex Twin, photo by Philip Cosores The underground electronic iconoclast known as Aphex Twin is one of Coachella’s most daring bookings in recent years. Given his relative obscurity and lack of live performances through the last decade, Coachella has satisfied a thirst for something exotic and unmissable, something that drives the lineup home and makes attending the festival a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s acts like Aphex Twin that keep even the most discerning festival veterans coming back year after year. The performance also marks Aphex Twin’s first set in Indio since he shared the bill with Prince back in 2008. Gucci Mane, photo by Julia Drummond Elsewhere, one can gawk at the inclusion of — and no this isn’t a typo — Gucci Gang (the rap super group comprised of Gucci Mane, Lil Pump, and Smokepurpp), Bassnectar (who’ll carry his rabid fan base to the festival for the first time since 2012), and BLACKPINK (the all-female K-Pop group that’s been making waves internationally). While an act like Tame Impala seemed to be a natural and logical replacement for Coachella, Ariana Grande’s inclusion is the biggest surprise in terms of headliners. Due to her high-profile status, it’s surprising Coachella could pull off booking Grande in such a short time frame. It’s an exciting risk for the festival, one that will likely pay off in dividends. __________________________________________________________ Tiny Fonts Anderson .Paak, photo by Lior Phillips Coachella’s undercard has always been known to be incredibly dense, and this year is no exception. Wiz Khalifa and Anderson .Paak were relegated to third-line spots, even though both feel like shoe-ins for the second line. Such a phenomenon illustrates the festival’s staying power. Pusha-T also feels like an act that could have reasonably made the second line, given the widespread acclaim of DAYTONA, but, again, it’s such third-line acts that provide the festival with needed depth. Playboi Carti and Cirez D, nestled next to each other on the third line for Sunday, are both bound to be immersive sets in their own right. The former released one of the most intriguing hip-hop albums of the year with Die Lit, while the latter (an Eric Prydz alias) rarely brings his elusive act to major festivals. Soccer Mommy, photo by Heather Kaplan Thai funk band Khruangbin join the undercard with Baltimore hip-hop breakthrough JPEGMAFIA and ambient dance music producer Jon Hopkins, both of whom are fresh off critically acclaimed album releases. Other notable additions include Nashville pop rocker Soccer Mommy, New York trap prodigy Rico Nasty, post-punk provocateurs Iceage, and the experimental neo-soul outfit known as Serpentwithfeet. It’s a dense lineup with a lot to be discovered. If you’re a music nerd, there’s much here to be thrilled about, and if you’re more of a casual listener, there’s a lot to discover. __________________________________________________________ Possible Guests Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak on Saturday Night Live The possibilities for guests this year are vast and plentiful. Ariana Grande’s set will likely feature some of the highest-profile guests of the year. The 25-year-old pop phenomenon has collaborations with J Balvin, Diplo, Zedd, and Childish Gambino, all of whom are performing at the festival. Grande has also collaborated on tracks with The Weeknd, Calvin Harris, and Pharrell, all of whom have performed at Coachella before. Perhaps Grande will bring out the cast of Mean Girls for a live rendition of “thank u, next”? Diplo’s set could include a headache-inducing number of guests, considering the EDM mainstay’s celebrity status. Let’s just hope he integrates them better than DJ Khaled. Anderson .Paak could bring out a number of west coast figures, including Kendrick Lamar (whom he collaborated with on “Tints”), The Game, and, of course, Dr. Dre. Kid Cudi’s set is unlikely to bring forth Kanye West, given his disagreements with the festival, but there is still room for artists such as Travis Scott and Pusha T to join in on his set. The burning question, though, is whether or not Toto will join Weezer onstage for a joint performance of “Africa”. We can only hope not. __________________________________________________________ Final Verdict Ariana Grande on Ellen In the lead-up to this year’s lineup release, Coachella was faced with a sink-or-swim moment. With two headliners gone and not much time to fill the voids left behind, they had to act quick. The inclusion of Ariana Grande and Tame Impala was an expertly executed bit of improvisation that will likely serve them well as we look back on the lineup in future years. This year’s iteration is also more global than ever before, with Latinx and K-Pop acts commanding space in the festival’s top lines. Electronic music found itself on the bill in interesting ways: Dillon Francis and DJ Snake managed to commandeer prime territory in second lines (even though both feel somewhat stale having only performed two years ago) while acts like Aphex Twin, Bassnectar, and Jon Hopkins provide an eclectic alternative to those looking for more cerebral electronic soundscapes. There is a noticeable lack of hip-hop this year, with only Kid Cudi and YG occupying second-line spots. More than anything, Coachella has illustrated a willingness to listen to its attendees and critics alike and have created a lineup that’s more inclusive both in terms of who gets to play and what type of music will find its way to the festival’s many stages. Some might call some of these moves risky, but they are the types of risks that will likely heap rewards. Source

In Australia, it feels like we get shafted with the raw end of the stick when it comes to dealers. Most of them are proper bogans who don’t reply till 3-5 buisness days later and the ones that do make you feel as if they’re doing you a favour for talking to you at all. It’s a far cry from what goes on in other parts of the world, where dealers have to compete with each other to get your attention, take at look at the glorious Instagram page Shotta Texts if you’d like to see what I mean. Just as a bit of fancy wordplay can work wonders with a hesitant customer, it can also pull the wool over a sympathetic judge’s eyes who thinks if you can spell properly you clearly aren’t a criminal. Teenager Luke Rance found himself in hot water after he bought weed in bulk with the aim to sell it to 21-year-old dealer Brandon Kerrison but he was caught mid-deal and police eventually searched his apartment finding 2 bags of weed worth over $2K each. The pair were slapped with a whole host of charges, including possession of cannabis with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cannabis while Rance, also from Southgate, admitted possession of cannabis with intent and simple possession of cocaine. Both of the lad’s lawyers went pretty hard on the angle that they’re really good lads with lots of prospects on the horizon, and the judge should take that into account when sentencing. Well not only did he do that, he even dished the pair of young professionals a compliment, saying that their level of grammar and punctuation when texting about drugs was nearly unheard of amongst other dealers, clearly alluding to the fact that these fine young gents had gotten on the wrong side of the law. The judge said he “did not want to fetter the prospects of the young men with custodial sentences” and slapped them with a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work. In addition Kerrison will have to complete a rehabilitation programme. Next time you’re sending that cheeky 3 am “you around mate?” text make sure you use proper grammar, it could save your life. Source