My Publicist Note Book

The 61st Grammy Awards on Sunday night could be more forward-looking and eclectic after recent firestorms over diversity and representation. The pop music industry is in flux — reshaped by the rise of streaming services, remixed by cutting-edge genres and styles, redefined by the swift ascent of new voices from across the globe. In recent years, the Grammy Awards has sometimes lagged behind the times and stumbled into cultural firestorms. But this year's ceremony (Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS), hosted by 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys, could be more forward-looking and eclectic. Here's a look at some of the major storylines heading into the show. WOMEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT In the wake of last year’s ceremony, the Record Academy was embroiled in a furor over gender representation and diversity. But this year’s show is shaping up to be a loud-and-clear showcase for female artists, from reigning hip-hop queens to rising stars. The four marquee categories — rec...

All of the awards have been handed out at the  2018 MTV Video Music Awards  and we have the full list of winners right here! There was no artist that swept the show and instead, MTV handed out awards to many different artists throughout the night. Camila Cabello  went home with two of the biggest awards of the night - Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for "Havana." Cardi B  went home with two awards and some of the other winners included  Ariana Grande ,  Nicki Minaj ,  Childish Gambino , and the late  Avicii . VIDEO OF THE YEAR Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” -  WINNER The Carters – “APES**T” Childish Gambino – “This Is America” Drake – “God’s Plan” ARTIST OF THE YEAR Ariana Grande Bruno Mars Camila Cabello -  WINNER Cardi B Drake Post Malone SONG OF THE YEAR Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix...

Back in April, Cardi B was sued for $10 million by her manager, Klenord “Shaft” Raphael, who claimed the rapper had frozen him out of her career. Cardi has now filed a counter-suit. In Raphael’s original suit, the manager alleged that he had discovered Cardi B and that she defamed him by telling people he stole money from her. Cardi broke from Raphael’s KSR Group and moved to Solid Foundation in March The counter-suit claims that Shaft put “barriers between [Cardi] and people close to her in an effort to maintain complete control over her” and dictated “who she should and should not see romantically.” It also alleges that “Shaft proved increasingly willing to take advantage of, deceive and exploit Ms. Almanzar and he had the ability to do so through complete control over all legal documents and virtually every dollar that Ms. Almanzar earned in the entertainment business.” It calls Shaft “deceitful and disloyal” and “self-serving and controlling.” The counter-suit says, “Ms. Almanzar...

After making historic waves on the Billboard charts and racking up at her very first BET Hip Hop Awards, there was no way rap’s beloved breakout star Cardi B would've repaid the people with a lukewarm performance. Your girl went  all  out by bringing a piece of the Bronx to Miami. Cardi B was bussin’ all kinds of money moves on a set designed to look like a block in the Boogie Down Bronx. No, we’re not talking about cheesy little subway backdrops. Cardi emerged on staged from a bodega with street dudes shooting dice and doing jungle gym pull-ups in the distance. As if that weren’t enough, Cardi's army of dancers turned the sexy all the way up, adding high energy to her performance. Oh, can we just talk about how fab she looked? There was absolutely nothing regular about her floor-length multi-color mink coat with matching Gucci shades – a look fit for a star! Now  that’s  how you prove your talent and put on for your city! Way to go, Cardi ...