TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAKS OUT ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS & CALLS OUT THE ERASURE OF TRANSGENDER AND NONBINARY PEOPLE – (06/29/2020)

Taylor Swift is calling out the 2020 census.

Swift took part in Pride Live’s Stonewall Day livestream event, an annual commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall uprising where she addressed the issue. “We had a really good step forward recently with the Supreme Court ruling based on discrimination, based on sex, but we still have so far to go in terms of equality and protections for LGBTQ people and people in the trans community,” she noted in her pre-recorded message for the event.

Taylor continued that “The Equality Act has still not been passed and that needs to happen” and further called out the 2020 Census, which doesn’t have the option of checking transgender or nonbinary for your gender.

Taylor used this as a call to action for her fans: “Obviously, we all need to exercise our right to vote this year. We need to check out our absentee ballot policy in our states and we need to make sure that we elect people who care about all communities.”

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Full Story: Billboard

ALESSIA CARA DONATING ALL PROCEEDS FROM NEW LIVE LP FOR THE NEXT 21 YEARS – (06/29/2020)

Alessia Cara says she will be releasing a live EP on July 17th.

This Summer: Live Off the Floor features live performances of the six songs on Alessia’s EP This Summer, which she released last September, as well as live performances of her signature hits “Here” and “Scars to Your Beautiful.”

Cara is donating her share of net royalties from the project to Save the Children. “I put out an EP last September and shortly after recorded a live off the floor version, which was set to come out this summer. Then the world flipped upside down,” Alessia says in a lengthy statement. “So I decided to donate all my proceeds from this EP for the next 21 years to ‘Save the Children,’ a global organization that saves and improves the lives of children who have been denied their rights by ensuring they have shelter, food, protection, healthcare, and education…this includes…anyone who needs help across 117 countries,” she continues.

Alessia will perform one of the songs, “Rooting for You,” at this year’s virtual Juno Awards ceremony, where she’s the leading nominee, with six nods, including Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year (for The Pains Of Growing). While the award ceremony was cancelled, amid COVID-19, a virtual awards show will be held today.

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Full Story: uDiscoverMusic.com

BEYONCE DEDICATES BET HUMANITARIAN AWARD TO BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTERS – (06/29/2020)

During the 2020 BET Awards last night (June 28th), Beyonce dedicated her Humanitarian Award to the Black Lives Matter protestors who are fighting for change. The singer was honored for the work she’s done through her BeyGOOD Foundation. Former first lady Michelle Obama presented the singer with the award and highlighted the singer’s work for her community.

She said,“She’s always turning up, looking out and making us all a little bit better, a little more fierce, and she’s doing it all while staying devoted to her children and the loved ones she holds dear. . . . You inspire me. You inspire all of us.”

During her speech, Beyonce said,  “Thank you so much for this beautiful award. I want to dedicate this award to all my brothers and sisters out there, inspiring, marching and fighting for change. Your voices are being heard. You’re proving to your ancestors that their struggles were not in vain.”

She continued, “We have one more thing we have to do, and that is to vote. I’m encouraging you to continue to take action, continue to change and dismantle a racist and unequal system. We have to continue to do this together, to fight for each other and lift each other up. There are people banking on us staying a home during local elections and primaries. We have to vote like our life depends on it — because it does.”

Beyonce also won the BET HER Award for “Brown Skin Girl” featuring her daughter Blue Ivy.

BIG MOMENTS AND PERFORMANCES

Other big moments from the 2020 BET Awards, which was virtual for the first time ever, included the show’s opening, which featured Keedron Bryant, the young man that went viral from his Instagram performance of his song “I Just Wanna Live” after George Floyd‘s death. After Bryant’s performance, Nas, Black Thought, YG, Rapsody joined Public Enemy for a 2020 revamp of the 1989 claissic “Fight the Power.”

During her opening monologue, the outspoken Amanda Seales was quick to mention that the cops that fatally shot Breonna Taylor have not been arrested yet and she also threw a little shade at Terry Crews — who has been criticized for his recent comments about “black supremacy.” She said, “Terry Crews didn’t show up. I’m not suprised.”

DaBaby teamed up with Roddy Ricch for a performance of “Rockstar (Black Lives Matter).” During the performance, the rapper reenacted the tragic death of George Floyd, with a cop’s leg on his neck at the start of the clip.

Alicia Keys also paid tribute to victims of systemic racism and police brutality with a performance of “Perfect Way To Die.” The singer-songwriter and pianist performed in the middle of an empty city street. At the end, she took a knee and the camera pulled back to reveal the names of the many Black lives that have been lost written in chalk on the street.

Wayne Brady hit the stage for an energetic tribute to Little Richard, performing “Lucille,” “Good Golly Ms. Molly,” and “Tutti Frutti.” Followed by Lil Wayne, who paid tribute to Kobe Bryant with his song “Kobe Bryant.”

The big winners of the night included Megan Thee Stallion, who took home the award for Best Female Rap Artist, Lizzo, who was awarded Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and Roddy Rich, who took home the trophy for Album of The Year. DJ Khaled ft. John Legend and the late Nipsey Hussle took home the award for Video of The Year for “Higher.”

MORE PERFORMANCES

John Legend kept it soulful with a performance of “Never Break.”

Roddy Ricch showed off his piano skills during a performance of “High Fashion” and followed it up with his chart topping hit “The Box.” During the performance, he rocked a Black Lives Matter shirt.

D-Smoke and his brother SiR hit the stage with a powerful performance of “Let Go,” a song they recorded the same day George Floyd was killed.

Megan Thee Stallion put her knees to work with a sexy performance of “Girls in the Hood” and “Savage” with some hot girls in the desert!

Jennifer Hudson bought the house down with a performance of Aretha Franklin‘s “Young, Black & Gifted.

Anderson. Paak and Jay Rock performed a powerful protest song called “Lockdown.” The performance depicted Paak and Jay Roc at a protest, with Paak ending up with a bloodied, black eye on his face.

Chloe x Halle showed off their amazing vocals with performances of “Forgive Me” and “Do It.”

Gospel singers Johnathan McReynolds and Kane Brown inspired with a performance of “People” and “Worldwide Beautiful.”

Summer Walker gave an intimate acapella performance of “Session 32.” Usher later joined her for a performance of “Come Thru.”

Karen Clark Sheard and Kierra Sheard closed out the show with a soul shaking performance of “Something Has To Break.”

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