MNOTW: Kendrick set to perform at Milano Festival, new album confirmed, Pa Salieu fashion week debut & more

A quick round-up on both major and minor happenings in the world of music. This week’s news includes a totally unexpected confirmation of Kendrick’s next album, a successful week for Kanye’s futuristic Stem Player, Pa Salieu’s LFW debut, Wireless Festival 2022 line-up, artists pull shows in response to Russian attack on Ukraine and more from the world of music this week.

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Kendrick’s new album has been confirmed by Milano Summer Festival where he is set to perform in June

After changing his thumbnail on Spotify the sirens went off once again over suspicion of a new Kendrick album. But low and behold–it’s been confirmed, by Milano Summer Festival in June where Kendrick is set to perform. The statement from the festival says, “dove suonerà i pezzi dei nuovo album” which translates as “where he will play the pieces of the new album.”

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Oswald Boateng returns to LFW staging an occasion to remember, brings out Pa Salieu, Kojey Radical and more

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After a 12-year hiatus, Ozwald Boateng made his return to fashion week at the London Savoy Theatre. With a show chock-full of the finest on the UK music scene right now, decked out in bold, hand-tailored suits, paying homage to Boateng’s Ghanaian roots via an abundance of colour, Kente fabrics, and subtle Adinkra symbols splashed across silken bombers and velvet tuxedos.

Amongst them was Pa Salieu making this his fashion week debut alongside numerous other leading black creatives including Goldie, Unknown T, Kojey Radical, Dizzie Rascal, and Top Boy actor Nicholas Pinnock. The show was something of a multimedia spectacle with a jumbo screen proving a poetic backdrop as it iconised influential Black creatives in fashion, art, music, and film, including a heartfelt and powerful tribute to Jamal Edwards who died suddenly on Sunday, aged 31. As drums began to crescendo, the 100-strong cast crammed into view, dancing to a live rendition of Soul II Soul’s “Back to Life”.

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Ye’s Donda 2 earns $2.2 million in 24 hours after being released exclusively on Stem Player

“We’ve made $2,22,012.05 in 24 hours,” writes Ye on his latest post to Instagram God is good Thank you guys for taking this journey.” It’s been a week since Ye announced he will be releasing Donda 2 exclusively through his Stem Player, a £200 device that allows you to split any song into ‘stems’. In just 24 hours since releasing the album, he racked up $2.2 million.The announcement comes following an influx of complaints towards streaming giants and their erroneous royalty payout systems–an important conversation for anyone in the music industry right now.

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Russian rapper Oxxxymiron cancels sold-out dates as resistance to Ukraine invasion grows

Russian rapper, and activist, Oxxxymiron has cancelled his first headlining tour in five years in protest of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, The New York Times reports. The sold-out shows were set to take place in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Another story in the growing anti-war movement within the borders of Russia even as the government cracks down on protestation. Thousands took to the streets across numerous Russian cities this week with police arresting hundreds. Kasta, Shym, Vladi, Khamil, and Zmey, a group of Russian MCs, shared a joint statement on Thursday decrying Russia’s “military aggression.”

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Wireless Festival UK annouces it’s festival line up for 2022, tickets now on sale

Revealed via a fun video featuring Chunkz, Yung Filly, Harry Pinero, Nella Rose and Tiffany Calver, the festival will be spanning three different locations this summer – London’s Crystal Palace Park, London Finsbury Park and Outdoor at theBirmingham NEC. Brimming UK exclusives there is a seemingly unending list of big names hitting the stage, including: Jhené Aiko (EU exclusive), Popcaan, Mahalia, Ghetts, Unknown T, Rico Nasty, Tyler the Creator, AG Club, Baby Keem, Fireboy DML, Ski Mask, Fivio Foreign, Potter Payper and more. Joining them are headliners Nicki Minaj, SZA, Cardi B, Tyler The Creator, Dave, J.Cole and A$AP Rocky.