Church, Eric (1977- )

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    Moneybagg Yo Reaches No. 1 With ‘A Gangsta’s Pain’

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    The Memphis rapper’s fourth studio album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, and Eric Church landed a new LP at No. 4.Hip-hop and country music lead this week’s Billboard album chart, with the Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo notching his first No. 1 album and Eric Church opening in the Top 5.Moneybagg Yo, who has released four studio albums and a slew of mixtapes going back nearly a decade — with many of them reaching the Top 10 — has finally cracked the peak position with “A Gangsta’s Pain,” which features guest spots from Pharrell Williams, Future, Lil Durk and others. “A Gangsta’s Pain” opened with the equivalent of 110,000 sales in the United States, most of which were attributed to 147 million clicks on streaming services, according to MRC Data. (The album also sold 4,000 copies as a full package.) Moneybagg Yo reacted to the news of his achievement on Instagram, saying it “Feel Crazy, I’m Forever Grateful Tho!”“Slime Language 2,” the new project from the Atlanta rapper Young Thug and his label Young Stoner Life, which topped the chart last week, fell to No. 2. “Dangerous: The Double Album,” by the country singer and songwriter Morgan Wallen, which had a 10-week run at No. 1 earlier this year, remains a steady hit, holding at third place in its 16th week out.At No. 4 is the debut of “Soul” by the country star Church — the companion album to “Heart,” which opened at No. 5 last week. According to Billboard, it is the first time an artist has had back-to-back Top 10 debuts since Future’s albums “Future” and “HNDRXX” four years ago. Justin Bieber’s “Justice” dropped one spot to No. 5. More

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      The Weeknd’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Breaks With Tradition

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Coronavirus OutbreakliveLatest UpdatesMaps and CasesSee Your Local RiskVaccine InformationWuhan, One Year LaterAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyThe Weeknd’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Breaks With TraditionThis time, the field won’t be swarming with fans crowding the stage. In fact, the stage won’t be on the field at all, but in the stands.The Weeknd in concert. He will be headlining the Super Bowl halftime show in Tampa on Sunday.Credit…Hayoung Jeon/EPA, via ShutterstockJulia Jacobs and Feb. 4, 2021, 3:09 p.m. ETWhether it stars Al Hirt, Michael Jackson or Beyoncé, the Super Bowl halftime show has always taken center stage on the field.But for the first time in the 55-year history of the game, the Weeknd, who is headlining this Sunday in Tampa, Fla., will perform on a stage set up in the stands in keeping with strict coronavirus protocols intended to limit contact with the players and coaches; his act may, however, include a brief interlude on the field.In a typical year, a massive stage is rolled onto the field and hundreds of fans pour out to surround it; this year only about 1,050 people are expected to work to put on the show, compared with 2,000 to 3,000 most years. Performers and crew members will receive Covid-19 tests before rehearsals and before the performance.When he strode to the microphone Thursday at a news conference, the Weeknd took in the room and noted, “It’s kind of empty.” His words were perhaps a preview of how the stadium might look to people watching from home. (About 25,000 fans will be in the stadium — less than half its 65,000-person capacity — joined by thousands of two-dimensional cardboard cutouts of fans provided by the N.F.L.)The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye), is a 30-year-old Canadian pop star known for hits including “Can’t Feel My Face” and “Starboy.” His concerts often have a brooding feel and a dark, avant-garde edge. (The music video for his latest hit, “Blinding Lights,” opens with the Weeknd laughing maniacally, his face covered in blood.) He said that his halftime show would incorporate some of his trademark artistic themes but that he plans to be “respectful to the viewers at home.”“The story will continue,” he said, “but definitely we’ll keep it PG for the families.”This will be the second Super Bowl halftime show produced in part by Jay-Z and his entertainment company, Roc Nation, who were recruited by the N.F.L. in 2019. At the time, performers were refusing to work with the league, in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice.The Coronavirus Outbreak More