Lauryn Hill and Jazmine Sullivan Celebrate Nina Simone With Apollo Performance
Nina Simone received a grand tribute last night (June 1) at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre, as Netflix honored the iconic singer with a screening of the documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?, followed by Ms. Lauryn Hill and Jazmine Sullivan performances. The duo covered Simone classics like “Ne Me Quitte Pas,” “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” and “Baltimore.” It sounds like a fitting celebration of the High Priestess of Soul and her Liz Garbus-directed doc, which debuts on Netflix on June 26. “Thank you, Nina Simone,” Hill said, “for existing—and being bold enough to speak.”
Erykah Badu Says She’s “Just Fat,” Not Pregnant
On Sunday (May 31), gossip sites attempted to blow up Erykah Badu’s spot, pointing to photos of the neo-soul deity wearing a crop top as evidence of her pregnancy. Even her musical neophyte Janelle Monáe bought into the rumors, tweeting, “I just heard you were preggo. Why wouldn’t you tell me Twinn?? Feeling hurt and lost.” Well, the 44-year-old singer shot down the chatter via her Twitter account (@fatbellybella) with the simplest, most blunt response: “No, just fat.” Ha! She continued: “What y’all think Fatbellybella MEAN? I just be hongry. I feel sick if I don’t eat…& eat.” Badu famously has children with rappers André 3000, Jay Electronica and the D.O.C.
Drake and Pharrell to Help Launch Apple Music
The battle of the streaming services continues to heat up, as Apple reportedly plans to rebrand Beats Music as Apple Music—with help from some marquee names. According to Billboard, Drake and Pharrell will be involved with the launch of the revamped player, gunning for rivals like Spotify, Pandora and Tidal. Their roles are uncertain thus far, although a New York Post reports that they might serve as “celebrity DJs.” Apple Music is expected to roll out at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers’ Conference, which runs from June 8-12.
