Latest news with #RollingStone
France 24
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
Springsteen digs into the vault to rewrite his 'lost' '90s
It turns out "The Boss" never bought into that narrative, and now he's aiming to overturn it with a new collection of unreleased material, "Tracks II: The Lost Albums," released on Friday. "I often read about myself in the '90s as having some lost period," the 75-year-old rocker said in a 17-minute documentary released last week. "Actually, Patti and I were parenting very young children at the time, so that affected some of your workout," he conceded, referencing his wife and E Street Band member, Patti Scialfa. "But really, I was working the whole time." During the Covid pandemic, Springsteen returned to his archives and "finished everything I had in my vault." The result is a sprawling box set compilation of 83 songs organized thematically into seven albums, spanning his output from 1983 to 2018. But the greatest spotlight falls on the 1990s -- a decade long seen as a wilderness period for the New Jersey native, who was said to be struggling to find a solo identity during his hiatus from the E Street Band. Springsteen first burst onto the national scene in the '70s as a would-be heir to Bob Dylan, hit new commercial heights in the '80s with "Born in the USA," and delivered what many view as the definitive artistic response to the 9/11 attacks with "The Rising." One album in the box set revisits the "Streets of Philadelphia Sessions," evoking the namesake hit with a moody blend of synthesizers and pulsing drumbeats as he explores dark emotional terrain. "I'd made three albums about relationships, I had a fourth one," Springsteen said. "It was particularly dark, and I just didn't know if my audience was going to be able to hear it at that moment." Another record, "Somewhere North of Nashville," is a rollicking, country-rooted romp. A third, "Inyo," recorded in the late '90s along California's borderlands, is an ode to Mexican-American culture. Springsteen is far from the first major artist to unearth new material from songs that were originally shelved, following a tradition established by Dylan's "Bootleg Series" in 1991. "Tracks II," as the name suggests, is a sequel to 1998's "Tracks" -- and "Tracks III" is set to follow. Over the years, critics have often argued there's a reason some tracks remain unreleased -- with "new" Beatles songs based on the late John Lennon's homemade demos often cited as proof that not every vault needs to be reopened. So far, however, "Tracks II" has been received favorably by many reviewers. "For any fan, it's a revelation to hear the secret mischief that Bruce Springsteen was making in the shadows, during his most low-profile era -- the music he made for himself, after years of making music for the world," wrote Rob Sheffield in Rolling Stone. © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Is Doing Crypto Corruption With a Billionaire Leader of Fake Country: Report
One of the many ways that Donald Trump's first presidential term was unprecedented is that his brazen self-dealing triggered multiple federal lawsuits alleging violations of the Emoluments Clause, or the provision of the U.S. Constitution that bars federal officials from accepting money and gifts from both foreign and domestic actors. But two of those suits were dismissed after Trump lost the 2020 election, while a third was dismissed by the Supreme Court, overturning lower court rulings that let the case against Trump proceed. In the opening months of his second term, Trump has been more aggressive than ever about cashing in on his powerful position, particularly in the cryptocurrency space. And new research from the anti-corruption watchdog group shared exclusively with Rolling Stone, suggests that he is flouting the federal law against receiving emoluments in a new way. Trump isn't only cozying up to foreign governments, including the United Arab Emirates, through deals with his family's burgeoning crypto empire. He is also increasingly entangled with a major investor who claims the title of prime minister for a tiny European nation that doesn't technically exist — yet. More from Rolling Stone Supreme Court Hands Trump 'GIANT WIN' in Birthright Citizenship Case Trump and Hegseth Are Melting Down Over Leaked Iran Strike Intel Scarlett Johansson, Sheryl Crow, Zayn Malik Urge Congress Not to Cut Food-Assistance Programs The crypto industry backed Trump in 2024 — becoming the biggest corporate spender of the election cycle — and the president's family has been substantially enriched by their new crypto plays, including collectible meme coins and the crypto exchange World Liberty Financial. Their combined net worth has soared by billions, crypto now accounts for a majority of Trump's personal fortune, and his administration has made every effort to deregulate the digital asset economy. The situation has created obvious opportunities for individuals from within the U.S. and abroad to try to get close to the president by backing the Trumps' digital asset ventures. Last month, for example, Eric Trump and Zach Witkoff, a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, announced an eyebrow-raising deal. The United Arab Emirates-backed venture firm MGX, they said, would use the World Liberty digital coin USD1 for a $2 billion deal with Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange. The Trumps and Witkoffs — Zach is the son of billionaire Steve Witkoff, the World Liberty co-founder emeritus and White House envoy to the Middle East — stand to reap tens of millions from the transaction. What's more, in 2023, Binance pleaded guilty to an array of financial crimes, including money laundering, paying a fine of $4 billion. A separate Securities and Exchange Commission civil suit against the company was formally dropped in May as the agency abandoned a spate of enforcement actions against crypto firms. Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley warned in a letter that the creation of the USD1 token had 'set the stage for a new level of public corruption by creating a fuss-free mechanism for foreign governments to provide [Trump] with kickbacks and bribes.' The lawmakers also noted that the MGX deal 'may provide a template for other foreign governments to curry [Trump's] favor.' Trump's ties to one crypto magnate in particular may raise similar emoluments concerns, according to That would be Justin Sun, a Chinese-born crypto billionaire who until recently could not travel to the U.S. for fear of arrest for alleged financial crimes. Sun no longer has any problem attending events on American soil — including events with the president, or the ultra-MAGA Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas — because after he invested $75 million into $WLFI, the first digital token from World Liberty, the SEC froze its fraud case against him. Now Sun is an official advisor to (and prolific promoter of) World Liberty, and his own digital asset platform, Tron, which the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes has called a 'preferred choice for crypto money launderers' in Asia. Tron is set to go public in the U.S., with Eric Trump taking a role at the company. Sun has separately spent an estimated $40 million on $TRUMP, the meme coin the president launched two days before taking office, making him the largest investor in the gimmick token; he and approximately 200 other top buyers were invited to an exclusive dinner banquet at Trump's golf club outside Washington, D.C. last month. That's not all. In October, Sun was elected prime minister of Liberland, a globally unrecognized micronation. Founded in 2015 by the Czech libertarian activist Vít Jedlička on about 2.5 square miles of land in Croatia next to the Danube, it remains mostly forested and has no permanent residents. But a website for the project claims that it has more than 1,000 citizens and has received nearly 800,000 applications for citizenship. The country's theoretical economy and administrative functions are all blockchain-based, with one token used for business transactions and another for voting. There is no gun control, and taxes are voluntary, though only those who contribute them can vote on political candidates and legislative policy. Its motto: 'To Live and Let Live.' Sun serves as a de facto ambassador from the theoretical country and is campaigning along with Jedlička, the president of Liberland, to legitimize it in the eyes of other nations — the U.S. included. In May, Jedlička shared a video of Sun entering the White House complex with the caption 'Prime minister of @Liberland in White House today!' Speaking about his initial investment in World Liberty ahead of Trump's inauguration, Sun called it 'a very precious opportunity for Liberland in 2025' and mentioned meeting with Steve Witkoff, who has retained a stake in World Liberty even while working for the White House. 'I think if we have a very good stand on U.S. policies we will have a big breakthrough in the diplomatic relationship,' Sun said in a video shared on the Liberland YouTube account. Sun, Jedlička, and Liberland vice president Bogie Wozniak were all VIP guests for Trump's inauguration festivities. Richard Painter, a lawyer and professor and vice-chair of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, thinks Sun is probably 'living in fantasyland' when it comes to turning Liberland into a real country. But he says that a 'real, genuine effort to set up a sovereign nation' — which Sun represents as a head of state — could put the emoluments question in play. Such a separatist campaign could encompass Sun claiming 'his own financial regulations in this country,' says Painter, who served as George W. Bush's chief White House ethics lawyer, asserting that 'you can do things in crypto in [Liberland] that you couldn't do in Croatia, because [Sun] can make the rules. This sort of becomes what Bermuda is for tax havens.' Likewise, Sun and his fellow ministers could signal a serious attempt to break away from existing governance by defying the financial regulations of the European Union, to which Croatia belongs. In this type of scenario, Painter explains, Sun might indeed be seen as a foreign leader, and Trump profiting from his investments would be improper under constitutional law. 'The Emoluments Clause applies to foreign princes and heads of state of foreign governments, but would also apply to those who claim to be foreign governments who claim sovereignty, whether or not the United States recognizes that,' he says. 'We don't formally recognize Taiwan anymore, but if something came in from the government of Taiwan, we'd see it as an emoluments violation.' Having the Trump administration acknowledge Liberland as a distinct state outside Croatian and EU law would throw this corruption issue into sharper relief — yet Sun and his allies clearly stand to gain from such a diplomatic development. Running their own blockchain-based sovereign country as a cabal of crypto kingpins, they would no doubt make the most of the freedom from regulatory oversight there. Neither World Liberty Financial nor Sun returned requests for comment about the ethics of the business relationship between Sun, the president, and the crypto ventures controlled by the Trumps. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly did get back to Rolling Stone with a statement. 'The President is working to secure good deals for the American people, not for himself,' she wrote. 'President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public — which is why they overwhelmingly re-elected him to this office, despite years of lies and false accusations against him and his businesses from the fake news media.' Executive Director Tony Carrk disagrees about Trump's priorities. 'In total disregard for the Emoluments Clause and every presidential ethical standard, Trump and Steve Witkoff are using a barely regulated crypto scheme to grab up tens of millions from an accused Chinese crypto fraudster whose riches seemingly helped elevate him to be leader of his own micronation — and now wants recognition from the U.S. government,' Carrk said in a statement shared with Rolling Stone. 'While Sun and many other foreign investors with hidden agendas were invited to buy first-class access to the president, Trump has yet to make time for any one of the millions of Americans about to lose their health coverage and food aid under the 'beautiful' Trump tax giveaway for the rich,' added Carrk. 'Wearing corruption on his sleeve seems to be President Trump's strategy for avoiding congressional scrutiny. But his allies in Congress shouldn't wait around for Trump's many self-enrichment schemes leveraging the power of the White House to leave American working people and our national security worse off.' Representatives for World Liberty Financial have not been shy about advertising how major investments in the firm can secure a line to the president, who until recently was listed as the company's 'chief crypto advocate' and is the first person featured on its website, as a co-founder emeritus, alongside his sons. He also, of course, effectively dictates U.S. crypto policy. World Liberty has approached a wide range of foreign businesses in looking to establish relationships that raise its profile and, as of March, had sold more than half a billion dollars worth of its tokens. When it comes to the conflicts of interest Trump has embraced in this field, and the scale of these possible emoluments violations, both have absolutely dwarfed the repeated allegations of foreign governments paying Trump through his hotels and restaurants in his first term — the deals that brought the unsuccessful emoluments suits against him in his first term. Liberland did once get in on the Trump hotel scheme, though. In 2018, a year after a delegation from the tiny region attended the president's first inauguration, its leadership threw an exclusive reception for American lawmakers at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., spending at least $750,000 on accommodations. The Trump Organization sold the hotel in 2022, and today, the first family sees far bigger windfalls from its crypto partners. After more than a century as real estate moguls, the dynasty has found greener pastures. Best of Rolling Stone Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best The United States of Weed Gaming Levels Up
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kesha Gears Up for Tits Out Tour With Slayyyter, Rose Gray Collab, ‘Attention!'
It's time to get sleazy! On Friday, Kesha released her new single 'Attention!' featuring Rose Gray and Slayyyter in what appears to be a teaser for the high energy expected on the Tits Out Tour where both rising stars will open for Kesha. 'Love it, hate it, leave it, take it / Click on the link to see me naked,' sings Kesha before the nightclub-ready chorus. Gray and Slayyyter join in for verses, with Slayyyter declaring, 'No guest list shit, I walk in the club while everybody still outside / Big comeback like Jesus' resurrection. Can I have your attention?' More from Rolling Stone Natanael Cano Launches Urbano Era With 'Blancanieves' Cardi B Is Feisty and Ready for Summer on 'Outside' Xavi Questions If He's Really the Bad Guy on New Single 'El Malo' The song is a full-circle moment for Slayyyter, who credits Kesha for being the reason she makes music. 'My music would not exist without Kesha's Sleazy remix,' Slayyyter wrote after the song dropped. 'I can't believe we're on the same track. Dreams came true today.' Both Gray are Slayyyter are set to be openers for Kesha's upcoming Tits Out Tour with Scissor Sisters, which kicks off in July, shortly after Kesha drops her upcoming albm. 'I'm going TITS OUT this summer to bring as much safety, fun, acceptance, love, connection, and celebration to this country because we are just as much the fabric of this FREE nation as anyone else,' Kesha said as she announced the run. 'We will not be quiet, and we will fight through joy! I think it's time to make LOVE, not content. LOVE, not anger. LOVE, not hatred, and love, not war.' The new track follows the release of the NSFW video for 'Boy Crazy,' which Kesha dropped earlier this week. She's set to share her album Period, stylized as the punctuation mark (.), on July 4. She started the era with 'Joyride' last summer, followed by November's 'Delusional.' Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cardi B Finally Announces New Album ‘Am I the Drama?,' Shares Release Date and Cover Art
Cardi B has announced her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama?, by revealing its cover art and release date across social media. The follow-up to her Grammy-winning, four-times platinum debut 2018 album Invasion of Privacy has been hotly anticipated in the years since, often stoked by Cardi teasing a completed project herself. She was even hard at work on the album for a 2024 release when Rolling Stone shadowed her at studios last spring for the June cover story. However, she's now made it clear that the real thing is ready, sharing a pre-order link for an album due September 19. The cover art finds Cardi in a striking red body suit surrounded by ravens, with a one large one perched on her massively-heeled shoe. Per Apple Music, the album will have 23 songs, including 'WAP,' 'Up,' and her latest single 'Outside.' More from Rolling Stone Karol G, Cardi B, Lorde, and All the Songs You Need to Know This Week Cardi B Is Feisty and Ready for Summer on 'Outside' Cardi B Is Getting as Impatient as Her Fans While Waiting on Features to Finish New Album On Sunday, she teased the album announcement with a video of herself framed by fake black birds in a black gown, narrating in a voice over that, 'Seven years and the time has come. Seven years of love, life and loss. Seven years I gave them grace, but now, I give them hell. I learned power is not given, it's taken. I'm shedding feathers and no more tears. I'm not back, I'm beyond. I'm not your villain, I'm your karma. The time is here. The time is now.' She's been punctuating the posts with emojis of black birds and feathers, marking a new symbol for the rapper. Similarly, artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Doechii have defined their musical eras with animal avatars as well: leading up to the release of her self-titled third studio album, Megan was into snakes, and Doechii's imagery around her Grammy-winning mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal (which made her the first woman to win the Grammy for Best Rap album since Cardi won for Invasion of Privacy in 2019) has included tons of the swampland creatures. When Rolling Stone spoke to Cardi B about the forthcoming album last year, she was still looking to finalize an intro, at least three more songs, a title, features, and a rollout plan. At the time, she wanted the album to have a wide reach, but also reflect her many moods. 'I'm a different person every single day,' she said. 'When I'm in a good mood and I'm with my friends, [I'm] like, 'Damn, I want my shit to be played in this club.' But then I might be mad with my man, so it's like now I want to do this song. But then I want to do a pop record. I want to do my sing-y shit.' However, she was also balancing pressure from fans and critics, unrelenting travel, and a difficult family life while contemplating the future of her relationship with her now-estranged husband, Offset. She filed for divorce less than two months before she announced the birth of their third child last September. On June 20, Cardi released the raucous single 'Outside,' where she slams certain men and celebrates others, and promises to have a wild time. 'Well, let's go wrong for wrong/let's go lick for lick,' she raps. 'If I can handle that/ let me see you handle this.' Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Reneé Rapp Says Her Mom Manifested Her Career By Giving Her a ‘Pop Star' Name
Reneé Rapp can thank her mom for her career in music. Speaking on podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler, Rapp shared that her mom, Denise Rapp, specifically chose her name to ensure success. 'My mom chose my first and last name to be—well, okay, arguably chose my first and last name to both have R's,' Rapp told Poehler. 'She was like, 'Alliteration, just in case she wants to be a pop star.' Like before I was born.' She added that she's aware the decision was 'conceited,' but said 'I'm obsessed with the way she did it. I'm like, 'Thank you, God.'' More from Rolling Stone Reneé Rapp Gets Sexy at the AMAs With Live Debut of 'Leave Me Alone' Reneé Rapp Comes Back to Break NDAs and Spill Secrets on New Single 'Leave Me Alone' 2025 AMAs: Benson Boone, Reneé Rapp, Lainey Wilson to Perform Poehler replied, 'She gave you a pop star name just in case, because Reneé Rapp is a huge pop star name.' Rapp agreed: 'It's a really good one!' Poehler added, 'And Reneé Rapp is a huge pop star.' Elsewhere in the interview Rapp spoke about developing as a singer, meeting Beyoncé, and coming out on Saturday Night Live. She recounted being on SNL and how some of the writers wrote a sketch where she would be referred to as a 'little bisexual intern.' 'At that time I was very publicly bisexual,' Rapp said. 'I had been for a very long time. In private I was talking with my girlfriend and a lot of my friends for the last maybe eight months before that of being like, 'I actually don't really feel very bi at the moment. I feel very much like a lesbian and it feels so nice and that word feels amazing.'' She asked the writers to change the sketch to 'lesbian.' 'Labeling yourself publicly is really, really, really empowering,' Rapp added. 'And also, I think, can be kind of intimidating.' She said that coming out as a lesbian on SNL was 'pretty cunty,' but it felt 'so fucking good' and she 'didn't even look online' at the response after. Earlier this week, Rapp live debuted a new song, 'Leave Me Alone,' at the American Music Awards. 'Leave Me Alone' marked the first release from Rapp as a lead artist since sharing the deluxe edition of her debut album Snow Angel in 2023, and is a glimpse into her forthcoming second LP, Bite Me, out Aug. 1. On the single, Rapp takes jabs at her departure from the recently-cancelled HBO Max series Sex Lives of College Girls and her label chasing her down for new music. 'Signed a hundred NDAs but I still say something/Leave me alone, bitch, I wanna have fun/Took my sex life with me, now the show ain't fuckin',' she sings over banging percussion and blaring guitars. 'Can I tell you a secret/I'm so sick of it all.' Rapp left Sex Lives after two seasons to focus on her music career. The series was cancelled following the conclusion of its third season. By that point, the singer had already moved on to headlining tours in support of Snow Angel, packed festival sets, and a lead role in the film adaptation of Mean Girls: the Musical. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
