Author: JD
XS Las Vegas Snags #1 Spot on Nightclub & Bar’s Annual Top 100 Rankings
Nightclub & Bar, a website dedicated to nightlife trends and news, recently released their rankings on the top 100 clubs based on revenue generated in 2014. Not surprisingly, the compilation once again confirms Las Vegas as the nightclub mecca with seven spots in the top ten. Looking back at the results last year, it isn’t shocking that XS Nightclub, where Diplo, Calvin Harris & Diplo calls home, is sitting at the number one on the chart. In 2014 both XS Nightclub and Hakkasan generated over $100 million in revenue verifying their top rankings. However, revenue generated does not determine if a club is truly number one, though it definitely is a factor. Among other prominent party cities, Miami makes itself known at the top of the chart, with Story, LIV, and E11EVEN claiming high rankings on the charts. Continuing down the list, one can take notice of Las Vegas overshadowing all of the other cities, which leaves us wondering if any other city on the planet can compete with them. One thing is for sure, with megaclub Omnia underway, Las Vegas precedence as a party city with the top clubs is certainly not going anywhere. 1. XS Nightclub, Encore Las Vegas, $103 million to $105 million 2. Hakkasan, MGM Grand Las Vegas, $100 million to $103 million 3. Marquee, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, $80 million to $85 million 4. Tao, The Venetian Las Vegas, $50 million to $55 million 5. Liv, Miami Beach, $40 million to $45 million 6. Surrender Nightclub, Encore Las Vegas, $40 million to $45 million 7. Lavo, New York City, $30 million to $35 million 8. Story, Miami Beach, $25 million to $30 million 9. Hyde, Bellagio, $25 million to $30 million 10. Lavo, Palazzo Las Vegas, $20 million to $25 million See the rest of the list for yourself on the official Nightclub page.
Kim Kardashian West Admits She Regularly Wets Herself. Yes, She Really Did Say That.
She admitted: “I always pee all over my Spanx, it’s a disaster. They aren’t crotchless enough.” Oh. dear. God. And just when you thought Kim K couldn’t possibly overshare any further, she then totally outed her sister Kourtney Kardashian for peeing in public. Speaking to Cara Delevingne for Love magazine, she said: “Kourtney was a little bit notorious for that, actually. I remember we were at the Delano [Hotel] in Miami — they will probably never let us stay there again — and she went behind a curtain.” Kimmy goes on to reveal her favourite sex position is ‘from the back’ and there is no such thing as ‘too big’. *Blushes* And in the least surprising confession from a celeb like, ever, the 34-year-old also said she loved being naked. “I like nudity,” she said. “Kanye always says, ‘Dress sexier.’ He’s always encouraging.” Read the full interview with Kim in the new issue of Love Magazine
Malcolm X daughter Ilyasah Shabazz says white people should be allowed to use the n-word
Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcolm X‘s daughter, has argued that white people should be allowed to use the racially sensitive word – but only in hip hop. When asked if she thought the word was used too much in hip hop she told TMZ it was “ridiculous”. Then when Shabazz was asked if white people should be allowed to drop the “n-bomb” in music too, she said: “If you’re going to use it, then everybody should be able to use it, right?” “So if you don’t like other people using it, then we shouldn’t use it.” X is one of the most famous human rights activists in American history. He emphasised Black Power and sought to bring to light crimes perpetrated by white society against black people. Shabazz, who has written books about her father’s legacy, including recently released X: A Novel, said she thought her late father would have voted for Barack Obama. “I would imagine,” she said, when asked. “He’s a very strong candidate.” Talking about X, she said “he was a very young man who sacrificed a lot. He was killed at a very young age and in 12 short years he made a significant impact around the world when people weren’t even travelling [as much],” she said. “But he was travelling to search for solutions to the human condition.”
After J. Cole’s Success, RCA Exec Mark Pitts Gambles on New Roster
ByStorm Entertainment CEO also talks Miguel, Usher & Mali Music’s breakthrough. Between his dual roles as president of urban music at RCA and CEO of ByStorm Entertainment, a joint venture with the label, Mark Pitts, 44, rode into 2015 with 10 Grammy nominations and a third consecutive Billboard 200 No. 1 album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, from ByStorm management client J. Cole. Now he’s rolling the dice on multiple ByStorm acts, including Miguel and newcomer Luke Christopher, while overseeing an RCA slate spiked with new releases from Chris Brown and Tyga (Fan of a Fan 2), Charlie Wilson (Forever Charlie) and Usher. “I’m trying to build my own LaFace,” says Brooklyn native Pitts. “That’s the era I come from and the thing I pay attention to: developing quality artists.” How did you react to the Grammy nods? To be honest, it wasn’t the number. It was the quality of the projects nominated. I’m blessed by all the nominations, but the one that struck a nerve with me was Mali Music. Known for his gospel work when I signed him, my goal was to bring him into the middle; make him more worldly and give him some edge. The fact that Mali was nominated for best urban contemporary album with Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams, Beyoncé and Jhené Aiko … What I set out to do is happening. Mali recently performed on Late Night With Seth Meyers, and he’s getting media write-ups as if his album just came out. The same thing happened with Miguel two years ago when he was on that Grammy stage and a lot of people didn’t know him. It’s still a road [for Mali], but I feel we’ve definitely put a dent in the process. J. Cole had the biggest-selling week of any R&B/hip-hop album in 2014 without a formal single. I have to give all credit to Cole. He always likes to think out of the box. He didn’t want to put a single out but felt there was a way of making this happen. A lot of people were nervous, but he stood his ground and we supported him. There are a lot of things that come with not putting out a single. Then boom, lo and behold, wow that first week. Cole and I are actually about to segue into another venture. He’s now taking on more of a role in managing himself. I can’t talk about it yet, but there’s something else that he and I are partnering up to do. What’s the latest on Miguel’s new album? We’re 90 percent done. Its working title is Wild Heart and we’re talking second quarter. He’s more confident, and it’s going to show in the music, his look and in the videos. Miguel is ready to push the button. His first album was about trials and tribulations. The second was OK, we’re here; I wasn’t bugging. And now it’s here we go. He wants people to understand who he is. He’s tired of people asking who are you, what’s that, do you like girls?” He tells me, “I want everyone to know I am wild, funny, edgy and love women. I need this album to connect.” And what’s up with Usher’s album? It was just a matter of the direction in which we wanted to go. We started back up a couple of weeks ago, cutting a few more records. Now it’s about putting the album together. We’re 85 percent there. Besides Mali Music, Miguel and J. Cole, who else is under the ByStorm umbrella? On the label side there’s Luke Christopher, who has a record that’s bubbling, “Ms. Holy Water,” and also Treasure Davis. I’m about to go outside my normal comfort zone with a band called Carter Park, whose lead singer is Zach Goyne, white with a big, soulful voice. [Songwriter/producer] Rodney Jerkins and I have also put together a guy group called History in the Making [HIM] with members Jawan, Dylan and Pryce. We’re trying to recreate the whole Bell Biv DeVoe thing. I’ve been setting up everybody the last two years to have multiple releases this year. Between your work at ByStorm and RCA, you have a strong foothold in R&B/hip-hop. What’s your outlook for the genre in 2015? I don’t pay attention to that. I can’t. I’m a fan of the music. Most of the artists I’ve signed haven’t come with big followings. It’s a process; you’ve got to build. I know folks are saying R&B is going this way, it’s dying, not selling the same. But I’m a firm believer that when it’s real music, it may take longer to get there. But when it gets there, it’s going to stay. And based on what’s been going on here so far, I’m not going to veer off that path. I just tell the artists to stay true to the music. Race, unfortunately, is still a hot-button issue, and the industry continues to be criticized for its uneven playing field for urban acts. Is enough being done to engage artists and industry execs in smart dialogue about this issue? Sam Smith is incredible and congratulations to him. But say if an Usher had done his record [“Stay With Me”]? Would it have gone pop? Those questions are definitely in your head. I try not to dig too much into it. It does make you want to work harder. It is what it is. You have to make your shit bulletproof. One thing that bothers me: they should rename the Urban AC format. As soon as artists hear the name Urban AC, they think they’re getting old. And if I say a record is No. 1 on there, someone will say that’s records for old people. It’s not old, dog. It’s just real music. And we have to find other ways of getting the music heard. With that in mind, how successful was the move to make Usher’s “Clueless” an exclusive download in specially marked boxes of Cheerios? It really depends on what you mean by success. There was the fact of getting more eyes on him. It definitely built his brand awareness even more as did The Voice. For the song itself, it was bigger in concert than what it actually did on the radio. But I looked at that as a chess play. That’s what that song was.
John Legend Speaks on Beck’s Win & Kanye West’s Rant at the GRAMMYs
Kanye West’s near stage crash and post-Grammy rant after Beck won “Album of the Year” continues to a be hot topic in pop culture. Close friend and fellow G.O.O.D. Music artist John Legend spoke to US Weekly about the controversy, over Beck’s Morning Phase LP beating out albums by Beyoncé, Pharrell, Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran, calling Kanye’s move on stage “funny” and that “people should lighten up about it.” Immediately following his comments, many felt Legend was supporting Kanye’s post-Grammy rant interview on E! later that night. “I wasn’t referring to Kanye’s comments after the show which I have now seen and heard,” said the multiple Grammy winner. “I disagree with those comments. Beck is indeed a true artist’s artist,” he continued in a lengthy post on Instagram on Tuesday night. Click below to read the rest of his thoughts on Kanye vs. Beck. Continue after the jump….. “I want to clarify my thoughts on Kanye’s actions at the Grammys on Sunday. First of all, Kanye is my friend. He believed in me years ago when very few did, and I wouldn’t be here without his support. That doesn’t mean we’ll agree on everything, but it does mean that I am grateful to him. And I also believe he is one of the most gifted people I’ve had the privilege of working with. In my comments to US Weekly, I said that when Kanye walked up on stage, mimicking his interruption of Taylor Swift’s VMA acceptance speech, then turned around as if he was just playing, most of the room including me saw this as funny, as a way of taking the piss out of himself for his infamous behavior several years ago. When I said that was funny and people should lighten up about it, that’s what I meant. I wasn’t referring to Kanye’s comments after the show which I have now seen and heard. I disagree with those comments. Beck is indeed a true artist’s artist. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, a creative and unique singer-songwriter whose music I have bought and enjoyed over the years. While his win may have been a surprise to many, it’s not because he’s not a great artist deserving of recognition. All of the other nominated artists, including Beyonce, are incredible in their own right, and arguments could be made for any of them deserving to win. This is not an objective process. It’s completely subjective, in fact. We can all debate who we thought should have won. But even if you didn’t vote for him, plenty of our colleagues in the music business did. These voters are all creators who love music and have dedicated their lives to it, and the plurality of them chose Beck as the Album of the Year. I respect their decision and congratulate Beck on this outstanding accomplishment.”
Jordan Brand & Warner Bros. Announce Return of Hare Jordan Collection
Jordan Brand’s latest announcement has brought word of a renewed partnership with Warner Bros. on a forthcoming Hare Jordan campaign. In 1992, following Jordan’s first championship season, Jordan and Looney Tunes star Bugs Bunny first joined forces for the iconic advertisement. As part of the 30th anniversary festivities for the original Hare Jordan collection, Nike has made public its plans to release an array of footwear and apparel. Rumours surrounding Jordan Brand’s 2015 catalog have already indicated “Marvin the Martian” and “Hare” edition mock-ups. The limited collection will include a mixture of classic and contemporary styles.
Jon Stewart Leaving ‘The Daily Show’
Jon Stewart, the comedian who turned Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” into a sharp-edged nightly commentary on news events, the people behind them and the media that reports (and sometimes misreports) them, said on Tuesday that he would step down from the program after more than 15 years as its anchor. Mr. Stewart disclosed his plans to depart “The Daily Show” during a taping of the program on Tuesday. His announcement was confirmed by Comedy Central, which said in a statement that he would “remain at the helm of ‘The Daily Show’ until later this year.” Mr. Stewart, 52, became the host of “The Daily Show” in 1999, entering with the identity of a hard-working standup, if not necessarily known as an astute political commentator. A decade and a half later, his satirical sensibility helped turn “The Daily Show,” where he also serves as an executive producer, into an influential platform for news and media commentary, both in the United States and around the world. Under his direction, the program has been a humorous release valve for politically frustrated (often left-leaning) viewers and a bête-noir of (often right-leaning) critics who see too much collusion between politics and the fourth estate. Continue reading the main story REACTIONS ON TWITTER Elizabeth Warren · @elizabethformaWashington is rigged for the big guys – and no person has more consistently called them out for it than Jon Stewart. Good luck, Jon! 42 minutes ago· ReplyRetweetFavorite As recently as Monday night on the show, Mr. Stewart had been taking aim at the recent scandal that has engulfed the NBC news anchor Brian Williams, casting him as a journalist with a propensity for personal exaggeration and commenting on failure of the news media to more thoroughly question the underpinnings of the Iraq War. Speaking of Mr. Williams, a frequent “Daily Show” guest who on Tuesday was suspended without pay for six months, Mr. Stewart said: “See, I see the problem. We got us a case here of infotainment confusion syndrome. It occurs when the celebrity cortex gets its wires crossed with the medulla anchor-dala.” Noting the widespread media coverage of Mr. Williams’s woes, Mr. Stewart wryly added, “Finally someone is being held to account for misleading America about the Iraq War.” Created by Lizz Winstead and Madeleine Smithberg, “The Daily Show” had its debut in 1996 with Craig Kilborn, the former “SportsCenter” anchor, gaining some buzz for its mixture of “Weekend Update”-style news-driven comedy and Mr. Kilborn’s sarcastic celebrity interviews.
