Pulse Music

Lorde shared her admiration for Kendrick Lamar in her latest newsletter.

In an email sent to fans on Tuesday (May 24th) the singer called him the "most influential artist in modern music."

She wrote, "I'm loving Kendrick. I cannot get over the most popular and influential artist in modern music displaying a working nervous system, admitting mistakes, trying to process intergenerational trauma and prejudice. I love the way the album opens, the pace and heat of the first few songs, and later 'Count Me Out,' the build and strings in 'Auntie Diaries' … special."

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea recalled the emotions the group was dealing with when they fired the band's guitarist for a decade -- Josh Klinghoffer -- upon John Frusciante's return to the band. Klinghoffer, who started out as Frusciante's guitar tech, as now tours as Pearl Jam's supplemental live guitarist, was let go by the Chili Peppers in December 2019.

Flea told Classic Rock that it was decision he didn't take lightly: "I crashed my car into the garage, I was so freaked out about it. Look, Josh is an amazing person. He was helpful for me personally, as someone I could go to when I was hurting and crying on the road. He played great, he contributed, he's an awesome person. But we had a language with John that we developed when we were all much younger."

He went on to explain the allure of John Frusciante as a guitarist and bandmember: "John Frusciante is the best musician I've ever played with. It's in everything from the little details to the big picture. His relationship to music is so pure and has so much integrity and knowledge and work and practice. Every note he plays is born of this immense heart. It's so beautiful."

John Frusciante, who has already quit the Chili Peppers twice before, was pressed as to whether the third go-'round with the band will be for good, and explained, "There's no way to see into the future. . . The beauty of playing with this band is that we really do love listening to each other. I love hearing the way they make me sound. We have a chemical effect on each other. We bring things out of each other that we can't bring out of ourselves. The way I play guitar with them is a style I can't play on my own. The chance to make another record like that has meant everything to me. We're all just glad this is happening right now. Our hearts are in it, and so it feels right."

A while back John Frusciante told us that there was a time when skateboarding was more important to him than guitar. "When I was a little kid I was a skateboarder at Marina Del Rey (California) Skate Park in like 1978 until they closed in '81, and that's when I started playing guitar and stopped skateboarding. I would imagine a lot of the emotional rudiments in the feelings of flying that took place in skateboarding, I probably am trying to emulate those same things with music."

Red Hot Chili Peppers next perform on June 4th in Seville, Spain at Estadio La Cartuja De Sevilla.

Duran Duran is riding high in 2022 with a high profile summer tour on the books and their November 5th induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. Co-founding bassist John Taylor spoke to Spin and discussed where Duran Duran fits into the rock universe, explaining, "I've spent 40 years sort of figuring out where we stand in the continuum of 20th century electric music. And I'm okay. I'm good with it. The thing about accolades is that, Duran Duran. . . we've always been a people's band. We were never overlauded by the institutions, and so we don't live or die by awards. I mean, it's nice. It's going to be great to perform. It's a great opportunity to perform with our peers. I had a fantastic time a couple of years ago, when Simon (LeBon) and I inducted Roxy Music. I really, really had a great time. Yeah. And that's what it is -- and life goes on."

Taylor went on to say, "We've been going a long time. I mean, 40 years is four times the Beatles. If you do anything -- if you're a writer, whatever it is that you do when you've been doing for that long -- you've really had to dig deep. I have to dig deep as a musician, as a bassist, to pick up that bass and practice. I've got to have a pretty deep philosophy about what it is I'm doing and what it's all about."

He added that keeping a group together for decades is perhaps the ultimate achievement: "We've got four out of our five original members (in Duran Duran). And to keep people together like that, and to keep us interweaving -- and it not be like, just passive aggression -- and just dialing it in to keep it fresh, we all have to dig deep."

John Taylor admitted that any time the band hits the road or releases new music, they've got a lot to live up to: "You can't take anything for granted. Y'know, and until the tickets go on sale, the record's in the stores, you just can't, y'know, you just can't. But, historically, we know, it can have a big effect on an audience, y'know, if the lights are right. We're hoping that when we take it to the people, they're gonna get it. They're gonna feed off our energy." (16 OC: . . . off our energy)

On August 6th, Peter Frampton will headline the Buddy Holly 85th Birthday Celebration in the legendary rocker's hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Joining Frampton at the Helen Devitt Jones Theater for the birthday concert will be Duane Eddy, Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson lead guitarist James Burton, E Street Band bassist Garry Tallent, Everly Brothers guitarist and collaborator Alvin Lee, Stax icon Steve Cropper, and Crickets guitarist and Buddy Holly collaborator and songwriter, Sonny Curtis.

The concert is being presented by the Lubbock Entertainment Performing Arts Association and the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation

The Everly Brothers frequently hit the road with the other forefathers of rock n' roll, and both Don and Phil Everly struck up an immediate and close relationship with Buddy Holly. The late-Phil Everly, who was a pallbearer at Holly's funeral in 1959, recalled the scene of rock's earliest tours in an upcoming documentary called Inventing Rock N' Roll, produced by Everly Films: "The first time I met Buddy Holly was. . . Don and I joined a big package tour, y'know. . . I believe it was the Fats Domino tour. Everybody was on it -- it was something. And, what it was, everybody was down in the, like, locker rooms, like at a sports event y'know, with a -- everybody had a hook (laughs), y'know, for your wardrobe, and we all sat on benches and we were all in the same room and that's when we first met him. I was 18 at the time, so it was like going to college. Everybody was a contemporary and all that. It was like being in a fraternity (laughs), it was really, really something. We rode buses together on the tour and just was the best of. . . I always call it the golden age of rock."

Tickets go on sale to the public on Thursday, May 26th at 10 a.m. (CT) and may be purchased at BuddyHollyHall.com and ETIX at 1-800-514-3849.

Eminem announced on social media Tuesday (May 24th) that the 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition of The Eminem Show will drop this week.

He wrote, "Well, if you want Shady, this is what I'll give ya" 📺 #TheEminemShow 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition drops Thursday 5/26."

The original, released on May 26th, 2002, was the rapper's fourth album and his second career No. 1 atop the Billboard 200.

Halsey revealed on TikTok that her forthcoming single, "So Good," won't be released until she starts trending on the social media app.

The singer teased the new track in a video with text on the screen that read, "ive been in this industry for 8 years and ive sold over 164 million records and my record company is saying that I can't release it unless they can fake a viral moment on tiktok. everything is marketing. and they are basically doing it to every artist these days."

In a follow up video she played a snippet of a planning call with her rep using the caption, "I wish I was kidding lol."

Olivia Rodrigo reflected on the one-year anniversary of the release of Sour Saturday (May 21st).

She wrote on Instagram, "it is impossible for me to sum up in words how much this album means to me and how grateful I am to have gotten the privilege to make it and watch it exist in the world. thank u @dan_nigro for making it with me and believing in me more than anyone. and thank u to everyone who has embraced my 17 year old lamentations and forever changed my life in the process."

In a separate Reel, the singer also reflected on the time since the album dropped, saying, "I graduated from high school. I went to the White House, which was amazing. And I won three Grammys, which is absolutely insane."

PopCrave reports that she also celebrated her debut album's anniversary by adding new Sour merch to her website, including three new vinyl colors set to release on May 27th.

Paul McCartney has once again topped London's Sunday Times' "Rich List" for the UK and Ireland with a staggering net worth of $1.08 billion. The former-Beatle's wealth increased by a whopping $56.1 million since 2021.

Coming in at Number Two is U2 with $780 million, at Number Three is composer / producer Andrew Lloyd-Webber with $618 million, Elton John at Number Four with $493 million, and rounding out the Top Five is Sting with a flat $300 million.

At a reported $3.5 million per gig, Paul McCartney remains one of the top paid entertainers in history. He admits that he's constantly amazed at how much time the press spends analyzing his net worth: "Y'know what? I do love it, because people make up about my finances. I mean, even I and my accountants don't actually know my finances, but it's marvelous. (A) couple of years ago I was up to $400 million, and then suddenly, two years later, I'm now up to $700 million? Well, thank you very much. It's not true -- but that's really cool."

The 10 richest musicians in the UK and Ireland, according to London's Sunday Times:

1. Paul McCartney - $1.08 billion
2. U2 - $780 million
3. Andrew Lloyd-Webber - $618 million
4. Elton John - $493 million
5. Sting - $300 million
6. Mick Jagger - $397 million
7. Keith Richards - $378 million
8. Olivia and Dhani Harrison - $368 million
9. Ringo Starr - $356 million
10. Ed Sheeran - $324 million

Billie Eilish opened up to David Letterman about living with Tourette's Syndrome during the latest episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.

The singer revealed that it started with "small" tics when she was a child. She said, "For me, they're very exhausting" but admitted she had "made friends with it now."

She also told the host that several other artists have the same condition, adding, "What's funny is so many people have it that you would never know."

Billie Eilish, Coldplay and Shawn Mendes have partnered with Global Citizen for an open letter calling on governments, private sector leaders and billionaires to take urgent action against poverty and climate change.

The open letter was announced on Sunday (May 22nd), Day One of Global Citizen NOW, an urgent gathering to defeat poverty and protect the planet bringing together 200 leaders across the private sector, advocacy, entertainment, government, and philanthropy.

The letter says, "We're calling for leaders to step up by fully committing the funding necessary to tackle the challenges we face. We need to improve opportunities for girls around the world, address the systemic barriers that keep people in poverty, and halt the climate crisis. But we can only succeed at addressing these issues by eliminating the barriers that have prevented us to end extreme poverty and committing to financing levels that will allow for real sustainable progress and not just a temporary fix."

Other artists who signed the letter include 5 Seconds of Summer, Adam Lambert, Alessia Cara, Alok, Bill Nye, Billy Porter, Bridget Moynahan, Camilo, Cathy Freeman, Charlie Puth, Chloe x Halle, Connie Britton, Criolo, Cyndi Lauper, Deborra-lee Furness, DJ Cuppy, Dikembe Mutombo, DJ Cuppy, Duran Duran, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Femi Kuti, FINNEAS, Hugh Jackman, Lali, Lang Lang, Loren Gray, Made Kuti, MÅNESKIN, Muzi, Nancy Isime, Nile Rodgers, Nomzamo Mba, and Tropkillaz.

As the Rolling Stones gear up to hit the road once again in Europe, Mick Jagger admitted that he's still mourning the loss of the band's late-drummer and musical bedrock, Charlie Watts. Watts died of cancer last August 24th at the age of 80.

Rolling Stone reported during Jagger's chat with The Times UK, he explained how Watts' passing has affected him: "I don't really expect him to be there any more if I turn round during a show. But I do think about him. Not only during rehearsals or on stage, but in other ways too. I would have phoned him up and talked about last night's Arsenal (soccer) game because he supported Tottenham and I'm Arsenal. I miss him as a player and as a friend."

Jagger went on to say, "In the show, when we come to the front and bow at the end, there's no Charlie. He'd always be the last one down. I'd go: 'Come on, what have you got to do?' He'd be fiddling with his sticks because he always had to have them in a row before he'd get off the seat."

When pressed about current pop sensation Harry Styles -- who bares more than a passing resemblance to rock's ultimate bad boy, Jagger said, "I like Harry -- we have an easy relationship. I mean, I used to wear a lot more eye make-up than him. Come on, I was much more androgynous. And he doesn't have a voice like mine or move on stage like me; he just has a superficial resemblance to my younger self, which is fine. He can't help that."

Mick Jagger has been dealing with the side effects of superstardom since he was 20-years-old. He admitted that it's a pretty heady experience when you figure that he and the Stones have affected the lives of millions of people that'll never get to meet: "I mean, it's fantastic that you can do that. People say to me, 'I lost my virginity when they played 'Beast Of Burden,' and I sometimes go out and think of that when we play the song, y'know? That is really. . . makes me feel really good."

Reports say that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are planning to raise their new baby in Barbados. According to The Jasmine Brand, reports say that a source revealed that two have been making arrangements to leave their L.A. home after the baby is a few months old.

The source said, "Rihanna loves Barbados and she loved growing up there….Both her and ASAP's family are in Barbados, so the couple are planning to move there in a few months' time."

The source added that the couple want to raise their baby away from the entertainment industry, saying, "She wants to give her baby the same experience she had – away from the world of showbusiness."

Elvis Presley's granddaughter, Riley Keough, admitted that the new biopic on "The King" affected her deeply. Keough, an actress own her own right, was at the Cannes Film Festival for both the Elvis screening as well as the premiere of her directorial debut, War Pony.

Elvis, which opens on June 24th, was directed by Baz Luhrmann with Austin Butler portraying Elvis and Tom Hanks as the legendary Col. Tom Parker.

AFP reported Keough spoke about the Elvis film at Cannes telling the crowd she had watched the film with her mother, Lisa Marie Presley and her grandmother, Priscilla Presley: "It was a very emotional experience. There's a lot of family trauma and generational trauma that started around there. It was a very intense experience. The first movie I ever watched in a theater where I knew I wanted to make movies was Moulin Rouge! when I was 12. That made me emotional and I started crying five minutes in, and didn't stop, so I need to watch it again."

Back in 1972, Elvis Presley spoke about his deepest musical influences, which started in -- but weren't limited to -- the church: "I grew up with this, because my folks took me there. When I got old enough, I started to sing in church. But I liked all type of music. Y'know, when I was in high school, I had records by Mario Lanza (laughs) and the Metropolitan Opera. I just loved music. And Spanish, I liked the Mexican-flavored songs. But this thing here, the gospel thing here, is really what we grew up with more than anything else."

Kurt Cobain's iconic 1969 Fender Mustang guitar sold for a cool $4.5 million on May 22nd. The famed guitar was but one of the many instruments that went under the hammer at Julien's Auctions' three-day, "Music Icons" sale. The Cobain guitar -- used most famously in Nirvana's groundbreaking 1991 "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video -- was purchased by Jim Irsay, owner and CEO of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The guitar, which was originally listed with an estimate for only $600,000, caused a bidding war, which led to the exorbitant final price.

Blabbermouth reported, "In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Cobain family is donating a portion of the proceeds of the legendary guitar and select Kurt Cobain items to Kicking The Stigma, the Irsays' initiative to raise awareness about mental health disorders and remove the stigma associated with these illnesses. Through grants, as well as personal donations by the Irsay family, more than $16 million has been committed to local and national organizations to expand treatment and research and raise awareness in Indiana and beyond."

Jim Isray said in a statement: "I am thrilled to preserve and protect another piece of American culture that changed the way we looked at world. The fact that a portion of the proceeds will go toward our effort to kick the stigma surrounding mental health makes this acquisition even more special to me."

Not long after Nevermind's mega-platinum success Kurt Cobain spoke about the effect the massive adoration and fame Nirvana was suddenly dealing with: "Either I've accepted it or I've gone beyond insane to where I can deal with it emotionally. I really don't care. I know that I'm too stubborn to allow myself to ever compromise our music or get so wrapped up in it and involved to where it's going to turn us into big rock stars. I mean, I just don't feel like that. Everyone else accuses us of it, but y'know, we're not as popular as everyone thinks and we're not as rich as everyone think, y'know? We've always had a good sense of humor, I don't think that's been translated very well. We'd rather laugh about it -- (feigns happiness) ha, ha, ha."

Sam Smith shared an intimate acoustic rendition of their latest single, "Love Me More" on Friday (May 10th).

Their performance of the new track, filmed at the iconic Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles, is a "candid introspection of Sam's relationship with themself."

The singer said in a press release, "I wrote this song for anyone who feels different, anyone who has to stop themselves every day from saying unkind things to themselves, in their head, all the time. I felt like that for the longest time and slowly I'm learning how to just be nice to myself. I wanted to share that because I captured it in this song. Over the last two years, music has been my therapy more than ever. So I hope this song can be your friend."

Lou Gramm claims that it was Foreigner co-founder Mick Jones' greed in regard to publishing revenue that led to the pair's eventual split. Over the years, Gramm and Jones co-wrote such signature Foreigner hits as "Hot Blooded," "Double Vision," "Blue Morning, Blue Day," "Head Games," "Dirty White Boy," "Juke Box Hero," "Say You Will," "Waiting For A Girl Like You," among others.

Blabbermouth transcribed some of Gramm's powerful chat with The Sessions, in which he explained that the credit for the band's one-and-only Number One hit -- "I Want To Know What Love Is" -- led to the schism between the two bandmates: "(Mick's home) home was about 15 minutes from my home. So I would drive over to his house and we would work on that song. . . I felt we had worked our tails off to make that song what it is. And at the end of (1984's Agent Provocateur), when it was time to decide what the percentages (for the songs) were, I wrote down what I thought it should be and he wrote down what he thought it should be. I think I wrote down 65-35 (percent) -- 35 for me, 65 for him. And I opened the little piece of paper that (contained his note on) what he thought (the correct split) was, and he wrote down 95-5. I was so stunned and crushed that he'd think I contributed next to nothing to that song."

Gramm went on to say, "Here's another (detail) for you. (Mick) was working with a choir in one studio while we were recording that song. I was in another studio with an engineer singing the lead vocals. I did them by myself -- I did all the ad-libs, I did all the emotional little nuances and stuff. . . I did the whole thing myself while he was working with the choir. And that ended up being the lead vocal. . . I thought that was a pretty serious accomplishment for me, only to be denigrated to (being) an author of five percent. That put a wedge in us that was the beginning of the end."

Gramm still holds a grudge about how the songwriting credits played out, explaining, "I should get 25 (percent) just for the vocal performance. All I could think of was greed. It was an awesome song. We all knew it was gonna be a smash. This was his chance to step on me. And y'know what I told him after (I saw his proposed split of) 95-5? I said, 'Five, Mick?' I said, 'You should just keep it all.' And he did. . . He just kept it all. And y'know the millions and millions that that song has brought in? Over the years, it's been covered by at least three or four artists who have gone to Number One with that song."

Although Lou Gramm loved singing Foreigner's mega-platinum ballads like "Waiting For A Girl Like You" -- and more specifically, "I Want To Know What Love Is" -- he believes that as the '80s progressed, the success of the band's softer side made for an uneven picture getting across to radio: "I love the song, but I didn't like what actually what it was doing to our rock reputation -- undermining it, y'know? And then after that came, (sings) 'I Don't Wanna Live Without You' -- and that was nails in the coffin, I think."

Mick Jones shed light on writing rock's ultimate '80s power ballad -- "I Want To Know What Love Is": "There was sadness in that song. Y'know, there's some really, kind of, private, personal pieces of my story in there, let's say. I've always enjoyed playing it; there's something about the chord patterns -- there's a slightly classical feel to it. It is one of my favorites, so. . . and 'I Want To Know What Love Is' is representative of the period where it started to go a little weird between Lou (Gramm) and I. But, now, when I look back, y'know, I guess that was yesterday."

Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that he is awaiting neck surgery. Osbourne is dealing with some lasting damage from a quad bike accident he had back in 2003. During an interview with Classic Rock for their 300th issue, the rock legend said, "I'm just waiting on some more surgery on my neck. I can't walk properly these days. I have physical therapy every morning. I am somewhat better, but nowhere near as much as I want to be to go back on the road."

When asked if he often thinks about mortality, Ozzy said, "At f*cking 73, I've done pretty well. I don't plan on going anywhere, but my time's going to come."

On Thursday afternoon (5-19) Ed Sheeran announced that he and his wife, Cherry Seaborn welcomed their second child and it's a girl.

He posted a photo on Instagram of a baby blanket and booties and said they are "over the moon" to now be a family of four.

He wrote, "We are completely in love with her. Both mum and baby are doing amazing and we are on cloud nine over here."

Sheeran, 31 and Seaborn, 30, are already parents to daughter, Lyra Antarctica who will turn two in August.

According to Sheeran's post, the new family member was born last week.

TL;DR:

• On Thursday afternoon (5-19) Ed Sheeran announced that he and his wife, Cherry Seaborn welcomed their second child and it's a girl.
• He wrote, "We are completely in love with her. Both mum and baby are doing amazing and we are on cloud nine over here."
• According to Sheeran's post, the new family member was born last week.

Kelly Clarkson and Alanis Morissette are both fans of Olivia Rodrigo. While interviewing Morissette, the two singers talked about Rodrigo and Clarkson said she immediately liked her music the first time she heard her sing.

Her first thought was "I'm 40 and I'm really into this!" Clarkson dubbed Rodrigo the Alanis of her youthful generation

Morissette had promised to give Rodrigo a "road survival kit" and share with her a few tricks that would help her survive all the bus travel.

She said something as simple as a favorite pillow from home could make all the difference.

TL;DR:

• Kelly Clarkson and Alanis Morissette are both fans of Olivia Rodrigo.
• Clarkson said she immediately liked her music the first time she heard her sing.
• Morissette had promised to give Rodrigo a "road survival kit" and share with her a few tricks that would help her survive all the bus travel.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have welcomed their first child -- a baby boy. According to TMZ, the singer gave birth in the Los Angeles area on May 13th. This is the first child for Rihanna and A$AP Rocky.

Meanwhile, Rihanna's ex Chris Brown congratulated the couple yesterday (May 19th), writing "Congratulations," along with a red heart, a pregnant woman and praying hands.

Out today (May 20th) is The Police: Around The World - Restored & Expanded on DVD/CD, Blu-ray/CD, and DVD/LP -- pressed on silver vinyl. The legendary 1982 live travelogue was originally available on VHS and laserdisc, with the film now seeing release on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time, with restored picture and remastered audio, as well as complete performances of four bonus songs featured in the documentary.

The Police: Around The World - Restored & Expanded includes never-before-released live audio on CD and LP. Boasting songs from their first two albums recorded in Japan, Hong Kong, and England.

As guitarist Andy Summers wrote in the collections' liner notes, "Like Napoleon, we wanted the world. Out of the messy and fervent atmosphere in London at that time we conceived the idea to go all around the world and film the whole adventure. As far as we knew no rock band, at least, had ever done that. We had just about enough popularity to get booked around the globe. Plans were made."

We spoke to drummer Stewart Copeland and he revealed that growing up trotting the globe as the son of a CIA agent, he and his brothers understood there was a bright and rich world beyond Europe and America -- which led directly to the Around The World doc: "I think Miles (Copeland), my brother and the Police's manager and creator of I.R.S. Records, he had that vision, which came from his upbringing -- and all of our upbringing -- in the weird places in the world where we actually realized that there is a world beyond Minneapolis. And it's very colorful and exciting and actually -- darn photogenic. So, let's get the band out in front of all these incredible scenarios around the world. I can say it's a consciousness that it's out there, it's cool lookin', let's put the band in front of it -- or in the middle of it."

When we last caught up with Sting, we asked him about how he rates the influence of the Police on the music that came after them: "Y'know, people say to me, 'That sounds like the Police, or it sounds like you' -- I don't hear that. Y'know, I really don't. Everybody sounds like them, to me."

Guitarist Andy Summers felt that the band's musicality, coupled with a sixth sense when creating new sounds, was the secret weapon of the Police: "Being in that setting, y'know, I come from a lot of different places harmonically -- as had Sting. We were, y'know, we were a bit more than, like, three-chord folk musicians. Y'know, we we're pretty sophisticated with what we knew. But, again, we were in a rock context and so, y'know, whatever we were doing, we were going to make it rock."

Lil Nas X will be honored at the upcoming Songwriters Hall of Fame gala with a special award. He's this year's recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award.

Each year, songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs, are chosen for this prestigious recognition.

Other artists before Lil Nas X include… Halsey, Ed Sheeran, Nick Jonas, Alicia Keys, and Drake.

The 51^st Annual Induction and Awards Dinner will take place June 16 in New York City.

TL;DR:

• Lil Nas X will be honored at the upcoming Songwriters Hall of Fame gala.
• He's the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award.
• Other artists before Lil Nas X include… Halsey, Ed Sheeran, Nick Jonas, Alicia Keys, and Drake.

The Kid Loroi's new single, "Thousand Miles" is about his girlfriend, TikTok star, Katarina Deme. He wrote it when he realized how attracted he was to her. He said he was questioning whether or not he was ready for a relationship. And was basically telling her that she should stay 1,000 miles, away because he liked her so much.

About their relationship, 18-year-old Laroi said, "I had to mentally be prepared for it, first. I had to ask myself a lot of questions over a couple months — like, ‘Do I really want to do this?'"

In the end, he went with his gut feeling and they stayed together.

The teen couple recently appeared together for the cover of Vogue Australia .

TL;DR:

Cardi B has opened up about why she talks politics on her platform. During an interview with David Letterman on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, the rapper said that although she doesn't talk politics in her music, she does find it important to discuss it on her platform. She explained, "You might think that people are not looking, but they are."

She continued, "I mean, I'm a hood chick, and I'm from the Bronx. A lot of people relate to me and follow me because they want to see how I'm dressed, they want to see my lifestyle. I feel like I have a responsibility to also share to them like, ‘Hey, while you here and you're checking my outfit and checking my music, check out what's going on over here in this part of the world.'"