All Bodies Are Bikini Bodies: And These 10 Plus Size Influencers Prove It | The Curvy Fashionista

Some people might look at larger people on social media making big displays of plus size and fat people wearing swimsuits and think "why're they making a big deal about something so small" but that's just it; it's not a small feat.

When I see fat people in public wearing swimsuits, bikinis, two pieces, and everything in between, I am still overjoyed by the radical acts of rebellion against a machine that profits from us hating ourselves. What a sight to see!

From the makeup to my swimsuit, my bag, sandals, shades, music, etc. I plays no games. I like to think of those days, as giving a hug and a cradling to my younger self; the younger self that believed I didn't deserve to be in a swimsuit.

Kirsten shows us yellow is created for Black women in this 2 piece bikini by Shein. This bikini is fun and supports my message of plus size people not needing high-waisted bottoms for their swimwear to be valid.

Miss Janine reminds us that this summer is going to get whatever body we have! All bodies are summer bodies, and this swimsuit is the definition of bringing the beach to you.

Charisma_Monroe aka Top Shelf BBW is DOING IT!! In this reel, she slays us with not one but 10 swimsuits looks all from Shein. Charisma assures that no matter the style, the cut, or the color, plus size people can serve it ALL on the beach or poolside.

Anita of AnitaMatey_ is giving us bad and bougie in a black one-piece by Dia&Co. Paired with a red lip, sun hat, and shades, Anita reminds us that even swimsuits on fat women can be simple, classic, with a sprinkle of extra spice!

Simone creates art work in her red two piece as she brings sexy back. Fat girls can do sexy swimsuit beach looks and everything in between. Plus size people deserve sexy swimwear and Simone gives that reminder every time.

Karisma of Fat_Barbie showcases plus size swimwear but make it high fashion! Karisma demands attention in this beautifully patterned one piece with a statement purse and high heels. She runs the world and we're taking her orders!
Summer body with ANY BODY! And that includes apple shapes too.

From Publisher: The Curvy Fashionista

All of Your Embarrassing Bikini and Brazilian Wax Questions, Answered

Before you book your appointment, do your research on the salon you plan on visiting. You want to make sure you're seeing a licensed professional and that the salon is clean and safe.

First things first - make sure your hair is actually long enough to be waxed. "It's a good idea to stop shaving at least five days prior to your waxing reservation," said Petak. "Don't worry, your hair can never be too long to come see us."

24 to 48 hours before your appointment, exfoliate the area with a scrub that doesn't leave a film or residue on the skin. You should also moisturize the area for a few days leading up to your service to keep the skin and hair soft, but don't moisturize the day right before or the day of your treatment.

On the day of your appointment, drink plenty of water to keep you and your skin hydrated. "If your skin is too dry, your hair is more prone to breakage at the root when removed," said Grupenmager. You should also avoid alcohol and caffeine if possible.

"It may seem like a good idea to have a drink to calm the nerves, but alcohol thins the blood which actually causes a more painful experience," said Petak. "Caffeine leads to more skin sensitivity and also can up the pain during a wax." If you're concerned about the pain, you can take a painkiller like ibuprofen ahead of time.

Another tip for lowering the pain: stick with it. "Once your hair growth is in a pattern, it will be easier to remove, but if you're not maintaining your waxes, it could be more uncomfortable," said Grupenmager.

Depending on the type of bikini wax you're getting, you may have to get naked on the bottom half for your service. "If you are receiving a full bikini or a Brazilian bikini wax you want to take any underwear off," said Petak. "To get the best results with all the hair removed, you don't want to have anything in the way of your wax specialist." Waxing professionals see hundreds, if not thousands, of clients a week, so don't worry about being modest.

But if you're completely against the idea, you have options. "If you are not comfortable we recommend starting with a bikini line service," said Petak. "You can leave on your underwear because we are only removing the hair around your bikini line. Then maybe next time you'll try our Brazilian."

It's best to wear breathable, soft cotton underwear to your appointment to make the trip home more comfortable. Once you do get home, Grupenmager recommended you "apply a cold pack to the area to reduce inflammation. Then, apply a soothing moisturizer where possible."

Nicole Scherzinger Criticized Arching Back In Waterfall Bikini

Nicole Scherzinger is getting politely told that four dripping-wet bikini posts in a row might be one too many. The 42-year-old pop singer and "The Masked Singer" judge yesterday uploaded batch four of her open-armed, nature-loving waterfall posts, with the Pussycat Dolls singer's 4.9 million Instagram followers getting another round of nature appreciation as the star soaks up the goodness in her home state of Hawaii. Clearly, though, the 'Gram is a risky place. For this set of viewers, it was just too much. Check it out below.

Scroll for the photos and videos. Nicole shared her first, jaw-dropping video five days ago as she outstretched both arms while in a tiny brown bikini and sitting on natural rocks. With waterfall spray pouring all over her, the "Buttons" hit-maker had celebrated Earth Day saying she was "so excited to be home in Hawaii and honor the earth, Mother Nature."

Mother Nature proved the impetus for more posts from Nicole, who returned in couples mode with Scottish rugby player beau Thom Evans for round two.

Keep scrolling for the video. Sharing her third post, the stunning star was seen throwing her head back and flipping her hair in slow-motion for a post marking #manamonday. "The energy I be coming in to this new week like...," Nicole wrote.

By the time the fourth post landed, though, fans were questioning the repetitive nature, seemingly also deeming the star a little self-obsessed.

"No body could love her as much as she loves herself," the fan wrote. See more comments after the video.

"I know right picture after picture 😂," another added, with a separate comment seeing Nicole told: "Please do something else !!"

"GET OUR THAT WATERFALL," another said, possibly jokingly. Fortunately, for "The X Factor" judge, others were kinder. "Thank you for being so inspirational and motivational! you are the person who knows where their roots are! And that is why I love you so much ❤️🙌" one fan replied. Scherzinger is seemingly now back in L.A., having been photographed at celeb-adored eatery Craig 's on Monday. More photos below.

Posting today, this after making headlines for showing her massive, locally-sourced shrimp appetite , Scherzinger stunned backed by waters, writing;

From Publisher: The Blast

Jesse Palmer’s Gorgeous Brazilian Model Fiancée Flaunts String Bikini, “Beach

When not in front of a TV camera, Canadian-born Palmer spends time with his gorgeous Brazilian model fiancée Emely Fardo , who looks amazing in a string bikini, as seen in the stunning photo above. Palmer replied to the pic: “Beach hair” with a hearted-eye emoji.

Nicole Scherzinger Deemed Self-Obsessed In Dripping-Wet Bikini - The Inquisitr

Nicole Scherzinger 's endless string of arched-back and waterfall-set bikini photos are starting to wear thin for some fans. The 42-year-old pop singer and reality judge has been dropping jaws by taking in waterfall spray from Hawaii rocks as she flaunts her stunning bikini body, but with nothing breaking up the drenched swimwear photos this past week, not everyone is warming to the continued posts. Earlier this week, the "Buttons" hit-maker sent out her fourth bikini-and-waterfall post, and it's now seeing The Masked Singer face slammed. See why below.

Scroll for the photos, and expect a lot of them. Nicole, followed by 4.9 million on Instagram and recently making headlines for the waterfall post she used to mark Earth Day , updated on Tuesday with the mother of all flaunts, although the vibe from the Hawaii native was one of appreciation for mother nature.

The photo showed Nicole sprawled out on her back amid rocks, with a gushing waterfall backdrop soaking the star to a glistening-wet and goddess-like finish as she wore a tiny brown bikini.

A caption from Nicole read: "Open to receiving all the #mana this week and open to giving even more #mana in return 💚🌱💧🌬
Mana | pervasive supernatural or magical power."

Meanwhile, the Earth Day post, a video seeing the brunette beauty throw her arms up into the spray and take in the natural goodness, had come captioned: "So excited to be home in Hawaii and honor the earth, Mother Nature. 🌺 I cannot do all the things the earth needs. But the earth needs all the good that I can do."

Nicole, who largely received the thumbs-up in her posts, now finds herself a little under fire. "No body could love her as much as she loves herself," a fan wrote, with others agreeing. "I know right picture after picture 😂," a user replied.

"Please do something else!!" a separate comment read - seemingly, the consensus from more than one user. Nicole had semi broken up the solo vibe in her waterfall posts by sharing a shot of herself and boyfriend Thom Evans . See that shot below.

Nicole regularly features Scottish rugby player Thom Evans on her Instagram. The two, meeting in 2019 and even sparking pregnancy rumors this past year, are fresh from being spotted grabbing dinner at celebrity-adored Craig's restaurant in L.A. They're reported to be eyeing up a property purchase in London.

Unsurprisingly, zero backlash over the couples shot, with one fan replying: "Wow! Stunning love birds. Enjoy ones with nature and each other 💚 🦢 💚🦢💚." Nicole has not responded to the recent remarks.

From Publisher: The Inquisitr

Tammy Hembrow wears a daring see-through dress over a bikini that barely covers her curves |

Sheer daring! Tammy Hembrow modelled a daring sheer dress over a bikini that barely covers her curves on Wednesday

The mother-of-two showed off her famous curves in the blue striped mini dress, which was completely see-through.

Meanwhile, the blonde beauty's relationship with Ironman Matt Poole has grown from strength to strength.

After a slew of big celebrations for her 27th birthday earlier this month, she opted for a relaxed end of the week with her beau and her children.

The Saskia label founder shared a sweet photo on Instagram of her son Wolf, five, and daughter Saskia, four - who she shares with ex-fiancé, Reece Hawkins - hugging Matt.

Nothing to the imagination: Underneath she wore a tiny string bikini that barely covered her modesty

Elsewhere in the post, she shared a series of photos of herself, putting on a busty display in a green crop top and high waisted jeans.

Hugs all around! Tammy recently shared a sweet photo of her son Wolf, five, and daughter Saskia, four - who she shares with ex-fiancé, Reece Hawkins - hugging her boyfriend Matt Poole

From Publisher: Mail Online

Felixstowe firm to use bikini-clad women to recruit drivers | Ipswich Star

A haulage boss has defended his plan to use bikini-clad women to recruit lorry drivers, despite female industry figures branding the idea "sexist" and "embarrassing".

Adam Giles, boss of Felixstowe-based BWN Driver Management Group, is planning to use women dressed in bikinis to hold signs advertising his company at the roadside near the Port of Felixstowe.

Mr Giles admitted the stunt was sexist but said it was "tongue in cheek" and that he hoped it would help him "stand out from the crowd a little bit".

He insisted that he had tried everything else to recruit truck drivers but had failed because of a shortage caused by Brexit and the pandemic.

He continued: "I'm not interested in fighting the sexism battle, I'm just interested in covering my workload is the truth of it.

"I'm not getting into the politics of anything at all. It is as clear cut as a driver is driving down the road, how do you quickly get his attention?

"It is what is. As far as I can see sex is a tool to be used. People use sex to sell every day, every advert."

He added the idea was suggested by an advertising company but said he did not recall the name of the firm.

Caron Craft, transport manager at Penta GB, described the plan as "sexist" and "totally inappropriate".

From Publisher: Ipswich Star

NFL QB Justin Fields’ Gorgeous Sister Flaunts “Off Guard” String Bikini Pics

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields is one of the top five collegiate football players looking for a new home at 2021 NBA Draft . The 22-year-old played college football at Georgia (he’s from Kennesaw, Georgia) before transferring to Ohio State , where he was named Big Ten Championship MVP in 2019.

One of Justin’s biggest fans is his younger sister Jaiden Fields . The 5’9″ collegiate athlete is a redshirt sophomore softball outfielder at the University of Georgia .

When not out in the field, Jaiden is often in front of a camera as seen in the gorgeous string bikini pics above taken at Lake Lanier, which she captioned: “ off guard but on point.”

#HandsOffMyHijab: Bikini Or Burkha, Who Decides What's Empowering For Women?

For instance, in the 1850s, during the first wave of feminism, middle-class women launched the Victorian dress reform movement (a.k.a the rational dress movement). Women wanted to adopt a more functional form of dressing instead of being suffocated and sexually objectified in tightly-laced corsets, crinolines (skirt lining) and bustles (bust pads). According to the reformists, this style of dressing was not only hazardous for their health but also the results of male conspiracy to make women more obedient by instilling this slave psychology in them. The movement caught momentum and spread across the United States and multiple European countries, igniting the fire of change. The socio-political shift in women’s economic position in the 1920s further accelerated their say in what their closet should possess.

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From Publisher: Elle India

Hayley Kiyoko on 'Nurturing a Strong Friendship' with Herself | PEOPLE.com

"I was able to dance and feel liberated and free and totally be my queer self," Kiyoko says about recording the music video at a historic location for gay liberation

"I wrote this song during a challenging time when I realized, instead of being my own worst enemy, I could actually be my own best friend," she tells PEOPLE. "So, it was about discovering and nurturing this strong friendship with myself and embracing that, which was a very emotional discovery for myself and can tend to be challenging to realize that we can comfort ourselves."

RELATED: Hayley Kiyoko Says Her 20s 'Challenged Every Fiber of My Existence' as She Turns 30: a 'Restart'

Accompanying the track is its equally inspiring music video, which showcases Kiyoko finding herself through dance inside the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. For Kiyoko, filming the video was both emotional and "extremely challenging."

"We filmed on 16 millimeter, which was super exciting, but also another challenge since the lighting has to be perfect, the timing has to be perfect, the shot has to be perfect," she says. "But it was super exciting to take on that challenge."

"What was so emotional about shooting the music video is I hadn't shot a music video in forever and I hadn't performed; I hadn't danced. As I was shooting the music video and directing it and putting it all together, I felt like I was discovering and experiencing what I was experiencing when I wrote the song," she adds. "No matter what happened, if things go wrong or whatever we have to navigate, I will always have myself and I'll be able to comfort myself no matter what happens."

And filming the video was emotional for more than one reason. After recording the video, Kiyoko discovered that the hotel had been instrumental during the gay civil rights movement in the early 1970s, when activists interrupted a psychologist conference set to endorse electric shock therapy as a means to cure homosexuality.

"It's kind of crazy because I realized that after we shot. It's just so cool that I was able to be at that hotel and dance and feel liberated and free and totally be my queer self, knowing the history of that location," says Kiyoko.

Kiyoko looks forward to a year filled with surprises as she starts a new "cinematic and experimental" era that offers both "comfort and escape."

From Publisher: PEOPLE.com

'Wizards of Waverly Place': Hayley Kiyoko Calls Character Stevie Gay

Selena Gomez and Hayley Kiyoko have both come a long way since their days on Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place . The two actors both went on to pursue careers in acting and singing after the Disney show . Kiyoko recently reacted to clips of her character Stevie Nichols on Wizards of Waverly Place and her response is priceless . She joked in a TikTok that Stevie was gay.

Kiyoko appeared in four episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place in 2010, portraying trouble-maker wizard Stevie. She met Gomez’s character Alex Russo while in detention. Early on, Alex was unaware that Stevie was also a wizard. The pair shared a connection over causing mayhem and their dark sense of humor.

A year after Kiyoko’s Wizards of Waverly Place role, she acted in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Lemonade Mouth . The actor also appeared in one episode of The Vampire Diaries in 2013. She had a recurring role as Gabi on The Fosters the following year.

Kiyoko put out her newest single, “Found My Friends,” on April 30. But before that, she joked that her Disney Channel character Stevie was gay in a TikTok.

For some Wizards of Waverly Place fans, they wanted to see Alex and Stevie end up together as a couple. They had a clear chemistry that was apparent to many, who dubbed the duo “Stalex.” Kiyoko posted a TikTok of herself watching clips of Stevie and Alex on the show on April 21.

Her video received plenty of love. It has more than 10 million views. More than three million people “liked” the clip and many responded favorably to the video.

Someone else stated: “No literally I don’t understand how anyone thought y’all were just besties.”

From Publisher: Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Billie Eilish, Willow, Hayley Kiyoko, and More: Best New Music Friday | Teen Vogue

This week's Best New Music Friday roundup features hits from Billie Eilish, Willow, ITZY, Hayley Kiyoko, and so many more.

K-pop girl group ITZY just dropped their new album GUESS WHO , and with it lead single "In the morning." But one of our early favorites is the final track on the album, the bouncy, delightful "Tennis (0:0)." We love an extended tennis metaphor for budding romance, especially when ITZY flexes their vocal prowess.

Hayley Kiyoko's latest is a banging, dance-y number with a video that shows Hayley absolutely strutting around a theater, proving that dancing with yourself is sometimes all you need. Something about seeing Hayley thrive and dance makes us want to thrive and dance, too. "It's about discovering and nurturing a strong friendship with yourself," she said of the song in a statement. "This song resonates even more so now with everyone experiencing isolation in quarantine, when we still somehow find the resilience to connect with one another and find comfort in each other."

"How Do You Sleep," off rising singer-songwriter Kareen Lomax's debut EP Hard Feelings , feels like being underwater at a house party, music playing woozily from another room. The visual is all hypnotic moving statues, perfectly accompanying poetic lyrics about the end of a relationship. "A flower that never got to bloom," Kareen muses in her rich vocal tone. "Sunshine through an empty room."

In a match made in acoustic folk heaven, singer-songwriters Adam Melchor and Lennon Stella have teamed up for the lovely "Light Year." The video is a blurry spring dreamscape that Lennon and Adam float through, singing about pretenses and pedestals in perfect harmony. A soaring outro brings their voices together for a final climactic movie montage of a song.

Want more from Teen Vogue ? Check this out: Lennon Stella Talks New Album "Three. Two. One." and Embracing Space in Pop Music

From Publisher: Teen Vogue

Hayley Kiyoko Shares Epic Gay Kiss Montage Teasing New Song

The montage featured some of our favorite squeal-worthy moments from Kiyoko's music videos, including a series of sapphic kisses.

Lauren Jauregui, Hayley Kiyoko, Andrew Matarazzo & More – New Music Friday 4/30 | aly

This week, we are so excited to have new music from Lauren Jauregui , who just dropped her new song “Temporary” on Friday (April 30).

Lauren ‘s new song is part of a bigger picture, and is a part of Sound It Out , “a national campaign that uses music to help middle school kids and their caregivers have open, honest conversations about mental health.”

Hayley has also just released her new track “Found My Friends,” which is about “discovering and nurturing a strong friendship with yourself. This song resonates even more so now with everyone experiencing isolation in quarantine, when we still somehow find the resilience to connect with one another and find comfort in each other,” she said.

Andrew is back with his next single, “New York,” which is “about returning to a place that's entire identity is infused with a person from your past, and happier times.”

This week also brings new songs and music videos from Sofia Carson , Justin Bieber and DJ Khaled , and more.

Pride playlist: Songs to listen to by LQBTQ+ artists – Marquette Wire

Hayley Kiyoko is a singer/songwriter who is well known for her role in the Disney Channel original movie "Lemonade Mouth." Photo via Flickr

With Marquette University Student Government's pride week taking place this past week, below is a playlist featuring a few LGBTQ+ artists. Each artist briefly discussed also has a recommended song to add to your spring playlist. Though it is was pride week, Pride Month is during the month of June.

Hayley Kiyoko is a singer/songwriter who is well known for her role in the Disney Channel original movie "Lemonade Mouth." The single "I Wish" was released in 2019. The song talks about how Kiyoko seems to be in a relationship that she knows isn't working and wishes she could just find the perfect match. Some of the lyrics are "No, you don’t like that I do what I want like all the time/We butt heads ’cause you don’t pay me no attention/And you’re selfish with your affection (Oh)" and here it can be seen that Kiyoko is struggling with this relationship. This song is perfect to play while making breakfast in the morning.

Though there are many more LGBTQ+ artists, these are just a few on the list that you should go give a listen to. A few others include Clairo and Todrick Hall.

From Publisher: Marquette Wire

A timeline of LGBTQ+ influence in music – The Daily Aztec

Some of the featured artists include Hayley Kiyoko, Lady Gaga, Little Richard, Freddie Mercury and Janelle Monaé

There's a long-standing saying that goes "history is told by the victors." Usually, it's applied to entire nations and the regrettable atrocities they committed – events that stay uncovered because there's nobody left to challenge them. For this reason, many stories are never told. However, for the first time in modern history, oppressed populations have been able to openly express themselves and maintain a significant voice in current affairs.

As far as things have progressed, it goes without saying the removal of bias is still miles away from perfection. Also, it certainly doesn’t erase centuries of inexcusable actions or count as repentance. Human Rights Campaign predicts 2021 to be one of the most significantly damaging years for legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ people. Anti-trans sports bans have already been enacted in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, with more just waiting for a governor's signature. So to say things are perfect would be a gross denial that ignores the public malice appearing all around the nation.

As much of an influencer as Little Richard was, he also gathered influence from a lesser-known LGBTQ+ talent. Esquerita, born Eskew Reeder, was a black, homosexual pianist from the south. Little Richard has himself credited the talents of Esquerita as the main influence behind his dynamic, howling vocals and ferocious piano pounding.

Moving into the 1970s, representation continues to grow during the Me Decade. Superstar pianist Elton John announces he is bisexual in 1976. Disco phenoms Village People, named in reference to Manhattan's Greenwich Village and the large gay community residing there, reach peak popularity at the end of the decade. The group left an everlasting imprint on American culture with hit songs like "In The Navy" and "Go West". Their best work remains "Y.M.C.A.", an absolutely unmistakable song to any American. It is now part of the National Recording Registry in the U.S. Library of Congress.

Throughout the decade, fans began to see a clash with the traditional frontman look. Artists like Freddie Mercury, and David Bowie introduced an era of leading singers with more gender fluidity. They brought out elements of flair and flamboyance found in LGBTQ+ culture and applied it to music, which fans subsequently fell in love with.

With the 1980s came a new ingenious style: voguing. It gained mainstream attention in 1990 with Madonna's inspired " Vogue " music video and can trace its origins back to pageant competitions held during the Harlem Renaissance. Half a century later, these fashion spectacles evolved into underground dance battles. At its heart, voguing is performance art inspired by the acrobatic body movement of Egyptian hieroglyphs and displayed through a series of model poses used to sway judges and outshine opponents. Extravagance was the expectation and creativity had no limit.

Voguing was the defining piece of Harlem's late '80s ballroom scene among gay and trans-African-Americans and Latinos, with most roles performed by drag queens. Dancers competed as part of various factions or "Houses" and despite the fiery nature of their rivalries, the entire scene existed as a visionary world built by these surrogate families.

One of the period's more powerful displays of pride was "Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring lesbian spoken word artist Mary Lambert who steals the show on her powerful chorus. Their 2014 Grammy's performance of the ballad involved Queen Latifah officiating 33 marriages for same-sex and opposite-sex couples onstage. The next year, the monumental Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges ruled that same-sex marriage was a fundamental right, thereby eliminating straights-only marriage laws in the remaining 50 U.S. states.

From Publisher: The Daily Aztec

New Music Releases April 30: DJ Khaled, Billie Eilish, Thomas Rhett and More | Entertainment

Happy  New Music Friday ! It's every audiophile's favorite day of the week, and some of our favorite artists from all different genres have blessed us with new tunes.

After a hiatus filled with solo track speculation, Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett are back together for the second season of  High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and released a sweet new duet about their characters' long-distance love. And  Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist star Alex Newell joined  The Four breakout sensation VINCINT on his dance floor-ready new track, "Higher."

Perennial hitmaker Julia Michaels finally blessed fans with her debut album, Willow Smith channeled her mom's rocker days with some help from Travis Barker , Twenty One Pilots shared a new single off their upcoming album, Scaled and Icy , and Trixie Mattel and Orville Peck teamed up to cover the Johnny Cash/June Carter Cash classic, "Jackson."

Plus, Hayley Kiyoko jump-started summer with a perfect anthem for partying with your friends, Anitta reimagined "The Girl From Ipanema" to pay tribute to her Brazilian birthplace, and, after breaking out with her debut single, "As a Child," Madeline the Person dropped her 4-track EP, Chapter 1: The Longing.

Check out some of our favorite new songs and albums of the week below -- plus, where you can stream them now!

From Publisher: Entertainment Tonight

A “super pink” moon will shine in the sky tonight & it doesn’t get more

Today, April 26, marks Lesbian Visibility Day (alternatively called Lesbian Day of Visibility) around the world.

The holiday — organized by the National Coalition for LGBT Health for the first time in 2008 — aims to celebrate, recognize, and raise the visibility of lesbians.

LGBTQ Nation podcast host Alex Berg marked the day with a tweet, saying, "I have to laud the amazing butch, femme, chapstick, non-binary, wherever-you-are-on-the-spectrum, all around wonderful lesbians who hold this bi+ gal up."

Out star Hayley Kiyoko said to her fellow lesbians, "I love you and I love being a lesbian so I had to share some good news."

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) also tweeted to mark the occasion. Companies like Netflix and Twitter, and organizations like onePULSE, Whitman-Walker, and the Victory Fund joined them.

Today and always, we celebrate our sisters and stand in solidarity with all women in our community. Happy #LesbianVisibilityDay ! pic.twitter.com/TgcKwaZUad

Today on #LesbianVisibilityDay , we honor @suselparedes , who was recently elected to the Congress of Peru. Susel is the first out lesbian to win a congressional election in Peru and she'll be its only out LGBTQ member when she takes her seat. pic.twitter.com/Jqwi4vN8TR

From Publisher: LGBTQ Nation

Best New Music April: Billie Eilish, Rina Sawayama | HYPEBAE

Just in time for the weekend, we’ve put together our favorite releases from the month below. Keep scrolling to listen to the tracks, and we guarantee you’ll be adding them to your playlist.

From Publisher: HYPEBAE

Furin cleavage site crucial in SARS-CoV-2 for viral transmission in ferrets, finds study

Deleterious mutations occurring at the CS have been frequently documented in Vero cells, a popular laboratory cell line for testing replication of SARS-CoV-2. These mutations have been observed to reduce the polybasic nature of the site, potentially affecting the virus’ ability to gain cell entry.

Researchers based at Imperial College London, UK, have recently highlighted the effects of these deleterious CS mutations through a ferret animal model, demonstrating that furin cleavage sites are a necessary component in the virus’ ability to replicate. The paper is available to read at Nature Microbiology .

The research team synthesized a number of pseudoviruses based on SARS-CoV-2 containing the wild-type and mutant (Δ) cleavage sites, that either had or lacked the ability to be cleaved by furin. Ferrets are a common and practical animal model to test the transmission of respiratory viruses. However, prior to testing in this model, the efficiency of viral transmission was first observed in Vero and human cell lines.

Through competition assays, they demonstrated that ΔCS was able to quickly become the dominant virus in Vero cells, over the wild-type counterpart. However, in human cell lines (intestinal cells, airway epithelial cells, and lung cells) the wild-type was able to rapidly proliferate far greater than ΔCS, and completely replace it within 72 hours.

Pseudoviruses containing either the wild-type or ΔCS mutant spikes were then tested in human cell lines: 293T cells expressing human ACE2, Caco-2 cells, and Calu-3 cells. Spike mutants lacking furin cleavage were able to enter the 293T cells 3-fold more efficiently than the wild-type virus. However, they were significantly less efficient at entering Caco-2 and Calu-3 cells.

It turns out that entry of SARS-CoV-2 into 293T cells relies on a different process than entry to Caco-2, Calu-3, and human airway epithelial cells; the former is dependent on cathepsins, and the latter on the serine protease TMPRSS2.

The researchers then compared cell entry of SAR-CoV-2 in cell variants that expressed ACE2 with or without TMPRSS2. They observed that TMPRSS2 expression promoted cell entry for all coronavirus pseudoviruses, but crucially this protease expression also supported wild-type SARS-CoV-2 entry above mutant lacking furin CS. Furthermore, they found that SARS-CoV-2 containing furin CS have escape mechanisms from IFITM proteins that would otherwise disable virus-cell entry.

Finally, the team tested the CS variant strains in a ferret model. The research team found, consistent with findings from human cell line tests, wild-type SARS-CoV-2 virus-containing furin CS was far more successful in replicating and transmitting than mutant CS variants, indeed completely outcompeting such variants.

Ferrets and mink represent reliable models for observation and testing of respiratory viruses, such as influenza, avian flu, and now the novel SARS-CoV-2.

From Publisher: News-Medical.net

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From Publisher: Wiley Online Library

New study analyzes the influence of the extreme weather and geological conditions on the forced

In August of 2009, typhoon Morakot passed over Taiwan, triggering over 22,000 landslides and adding another chapter to the forced migration of indigenous settlements in the mountainous areas. A new study recently published in the journal Tectonophysics has analyzed how extreme weather such as that caused by Morakot, when coupled with local geological conditions, can trigger landslides that have caused two forced settlement relocations of one Paiwan group in southern Taiwan in the last 350 years.

In this study, researchers from National Central and National Tsing Hua universities in Taiwan and Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN-CSIC) in Spain combined information from the oral tradition of the Paiwan people with geological data to assess the effects of natural disasters on the communities that inhabit the Central Range of southern Taiwan.

Part of these interviews focused on the indigenous peoples stories of past natural disasters that had had an important impact on the community. The villagers recounted major events in their migration history, among which was the story of a “collapse of the rock in the mountain across the river” that was followed by a “great wáter that appeared suddenly”. The interviewees indicated that this rise in the water was a cause of their ancestors having abandoned the vilage of Tjuvung about 350 years ago when they moved to Paridrayan.

The authors then carried out site investigations in the area of Tjuvung and Paridrayan to determine the local geological and geomorphological conditions and their possible relation to the events that caused the abandonment of Tjuvung and forced the settlement migration as recorded in the Paiwan group oral traditions.
“The oral traditions told a story. What we did was to investigate whether or not there was a geological reason that could fit with these stories. We found that there was a plausible geological explanation”, said Dennis Brown , researcher from Geosciences Barcelona.

Geological measurements collected in the field were combined with Lidar data, satelliite data, and climate data. With all this information, the researchers were able to verify the occurrence of a landslide triggered by rainfall during a time of known enhanced typhoon activity in Taiwan. The data analysis also corroborated the oral tradition which says that the river was blocked resulting in a barrier lake that was deep enough to flood the lower parts of Tjuvung village.

“This is an area of high mountains, sharp relief, and dense jungle cover where typhoons and earthquakes are common. The locations of landslides are conditioned by the regional geology in that they occur on dip-slopes where the regional cleavage is parallel to the slope”, said Dennis Brown.

“Rainfall and the vibrations caused by earthquakes are two of the most common causes of landslides in the region. “Landslides typically occur along a planar element in the rocks, be it fractures, bedding, or cleavage. In our case, this part of southern Taiwan has a well-developed cleavage along which slip occurs. This fabric is the defining element in the geomorphology of the área”, said Giletycz.

“Landslides are difficult, if not impossible, to prevent, but the risks can be reduced if enough is known about the regional geology to more accurately determine the placement of man-made infrastructure”, concludes Dennis Brown.

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Agricultural trade slides by 7% in 2020 - BusinessWorld

THE VALUE of agricultural trade dropped by 7.1% year on year to $18.78 billion in 2020 as both exports and imports declined, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.

The PSA said agricultural exports declined by 7.1% to $6.20 billion in 2020. These products made up 9.5% of the country’s total outbound shipments last year.

Edible fruits and nuts and peel of citrus fruit melons, which accounted for the largest share or 37.5% of the total exports, were valued at $2.32 billion.

Meanwhile, exports of animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products were worth $32 million; preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs, and other aquatic invertebrates were valued at $231.49 million; and preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plants were at $142.40 million.

Cereals were the top imported goods at $2.55 billion. Miscellaneous edible preparations came second at $1.56 billion, and residues and waste from food industries or prepared animal fodder ranked third at $1.43 billion.

Among ASEAN countries, Malaysia was the top destination of the country’s exports, accounting for 33.8% or $226.77 million of the total, while Vietnam was the major source of imports at 27.4% or $1.19 billion.

The PSA said the top agricultural products exported to other ASEAN countries were tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes valued at $230.82 million; animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products, and prepared edible fats, and animal or vegetable waxes at $126.52 million; and preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; pastry cooks' products worth $62.59 million.

From Publisher: BusinessWorld

Boron insertion into alkyl ether bonds via zinc/nickel tandem catalysis

The boron moiety in the insertion products could also be conveniently converted into various other functional groups. For instance, the team could treat the crude product (3a) 2H-benzoxaborin, with hydrogen peroxide to obtain 1,2-tyrosol (6a) in excellent yield. The Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of the 3a molecule with bromo-benzene efficiently formed o-phenethylphenol (labeled as 7a). The method also allowed efficient one-carbon ring expansion reactions and provided boron-retentive ring expansion. During the experiments, the nature of the alkyl group in the coupling reaction and the role of the nickel catalyst were key to understand the subsequent steps of carbon-boron bond formation.

In this way, Hairong Lyu and colleagues demonstrated a method for boron insertion into alkyl ether bonds under the catalysis of nickel and zinc. Since ethers are readily available and robust substates, the boron-insertion method can also streamline the synthesis of complex target molecules by minimizing the functional group manipulations or by protecting group usages. The distinct reaction mode revealed by the mechanistic studies can have implications on Lewis acid / transition metal tandem catalysis reactions that are beyond this work. Explore further

Jingjing Wu et al. Synergy of synthesis, computation and NMR reveals correct baulamycin structures, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature23265

Angelica Ross, Indya Moore and Janet Mock lead the stars at Pose premiere | Daily Mail Online

Angelica Ross, Indya Moore and Janet Mock turned up the glamour factor at the Pose season three premiere in New York this week.

The stars of the FX program posed up a storm at Jazz At Lincoln Center on Wednesday evening in aid of the its final season.

Janet, 38, showed off her cleavage in a skintight gold gown that emphasized her statuesque figure as she strutted her stuff for the cameras.

Meanwhile Indya, 26, flaunted their endless legs in a high-waisted pair of black shorts and slipped into a matching blazer.

Indya was modeling a gleaming gold bra-lette that perfectly complemented the buttons on their fitted jacket.

Sharpening their features with makeup they added an extra splash of glitz to the outfit with a pair of drop earrings.

The TV star also modeled Faberge rings and balanced expertly on a pair of ankle-strap stilettos for their latest red carpet moment.

From Publisher: Mail Online

Jaden Smith and Chloe Bailey Caught Getting Flirty on Instagram

AceShowbiz - Jaden Smith and Chloe Bailey are apparently into each other lately and they have no intention to keep their feelings to one another a secret. The two young stars have caught fans' attention as they're getting flirty on Instagram.

One of the evidence was found on Chloe's Thursday, April 29 post. The one-half of Chloe x Halle showed no remorse despite criticism over her sultry contents, posting new sexy snaps of her rocking a black leather mini dress that bared her cleavage and toned tummy.

Striking various seductive poses against the wall, the 22-year-old singer wrote in the caption, "she's dangerous." Jaden, noticing Chloe's post, couldn't deny her charm as he acknowledged in his comment, "She really is."

And apparently the feeling is mutual. One week prior, Chloe also shot her shot with Jaden when the 22-year-old star posted a picture of him staring blankly to the camera while sitting and leaning against the wall in a white long-sleeve T-shirt and jeans.

"I'm Tryna Deluxe Myself," the son of celebrity couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith captioned it. Chloe then made her presence be known by simply leaving a fire emoji in the comment section.

Some others, however, doubt that Jaden and Chloe are really each other's type. "It's a running joke pretty much every where that he only dates," one skeptical user commented, adding, "White girls, calm down it's not that serious." Another warned Chloe, "Nope. Chloe stay away from jaden weird a**," as another shaded Jaden and his exes, "Chloe would be a step up from cokehead thieves."

From Publisher: AceShowbiz

Detect and destroy: CRISPR-based technologies for the response against viruses - Docwire News

Cell Host Microbe. 2021 Apr 22:S1931-3128(21)00151-7. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.04.003. Online ahead of print.

From Publisher: Docwire News

New COVID variant strain B.1.1.7 found in Lewis County – The Lewis County Herald

Lewis County Public Health Director Anita Bertram says that a COVID-19 positive test sample from a local resident earlier this month contains the B.1.1.7 strain.

This strain is also known as the United Kingdom (UK) variant. The UK variant is a mutation of the SARS CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.

This is the first confirmed case of this strain detected in Lewis County. The first confirmed case in Kentucky was reported in January.

Bertram said random sequence testing of specimens completed by LabCorp identified the B.1.1.7 variant in the Lewis County case. She said the specimen collection date was early this month.

"Sequencing takes a long time to complete and we were only just notified," Bertram said. "It is confirmation that this variant is here in Lewis County."

She said there is evidence that B.1.1.7 has increased transmissibility, so it has a greater ability to spread quickly in people.

"Now, more than ever, we must all be vigilant in taking the steps we know are effective – wearing face masks, social distancing, avoiding gatherings, handwashing and not going to work, school or events if you have any of the symptoms," Bertram said.

The health department is planning two vaccination clinics in May in the Clarksburg and Tollesboro communities. Vaccines are also being administered at the health department by appointment.

Lewis County ranks high in the state for unvaccinated individuals and has had the highest rate of COVID-19 incidence of all Kentucky counties over the past week.

SOLY HUX Bikini Might Be the Comfiest Swimsuit on Amazon

Buying bikinis is complicated in more ways than one. Of course, the look itself is important to us, including both the design of the suit and how it looks on our body. Apart from that, however, an equally high priority is that it needs to be comfortable . We want to feel comfortable and secure wearing it, and we want it to physically feel nice to wear — without any super tight ties or prodding underwire.

Basically, finding a top-notch bikini is a tough task. You shouldn't have to compromise on what's important to you, but it sometimes feels like that's the only way you'll actually make it to the beach or pool before the summer ends. Not this time. We found a bikini that looks cute, feels comfy and will let you experience summer fun at its very best!

Get the SOLY HUX Scoop Neck Bikini 2-Piece Swimsuit (originally $24) for just $21 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, April 29, 2021, but are subject to change.

This bikini was just recently released on Amazon, and we have a feeling it's soon to become a fan-favorite. Let's talk about that fabric first. It's ribbed and ultra-stretchy on top of being soft. It also has no hooks, ties or sliders to deal with, making it super quick and easy to put on. This also means you won't have to worry about it coming undone. The back lies flat and smooth against your skin for a lovely, flattering fit.

Over in front, the top has a scoop neckline, and while it does come with padding, you can always remove it if you're not feeling it. As for the straps, they're wider than spaghetti straps so they can wrap comfortably over the shoulders without leaving major indents or strains!

The bottoms of this bikini are cheeky and have a high-cut design for the legs, complete with a slight dip at the center of the waistline to really emphasize the elongating effect everyone is obsessed with right now. These details already being there means you don't have to hike the sides up yourself and waddle around uncomfortably all day!

This swimsuit basically fits like loungewear. It may even be comfier than a lot of loungewear you've tried. It's basically a buy you can wear all year, whether you're taking a dip or taking a nap at home. This exact version comes in a few different colors too, so make sure to check out the options on Amazon!

From Publisher: Us Weekly

Kourtney Kardashian Kisses Travis Barker in Thong Bikini Photo | PEOPLE.com

The steamy photo comes just a week after Travis Barker celebrated Kourtney Kardashian's 42nd birthday with a PDA-packed slideshow on Instagram

In the steamy shot, Barker can be seen lifting a bikini-clad Kardashian in his arms as they shared a smooch in the middle of the desert.

"Just Like Heaven," Kardashian captioned the shot on her Instagram , to which Barker replied in the comments section, "EVERYTHING."

RELATED: Travis Barker Shares Thong Bikini Photo of Girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian During Romantic Getaway

The couple also shared pictures from what appears to be a cheeky game of Bananagrams to their respective Instagram Stories.

In Barker's post, the lettered tiles from the popular game spell out "orgasm" in addition to "tip," "pop" and "ex," among other words.

Meanwhile, Kourtney's photo shows another set of tiles spelling out the words like "vegan," "girl" and "raw."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE 's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Last week, Barker celebrated Kardashian's birthday with an extravagant white  gardenia and tulip floral arrangement before whisking her away to Laguna Beach for a romantic getaway.

From Publisher: PEOPLE.com

Fitness influencer Hayley Madigan shares Oh Polly bikini fail | video

Fitness influencer Hayley Madigan has taken to Instagram to slam the design of a bikini. Picture: TikTok/hayleymadiganfitness Source:Supplied

Hayley Madigan, 32, shared a video of herself in a burnt orange G-string bikini that she bought from online retailer Oh Polly.

But the very confused look on her face said it all. The clip was also accompanied by a screenshot of a model wearing the two-piece bikini.

She said: 'When you order that cute bikini online and it's just not quite how it's meant to look.' Picture: TikTok/hayleymadiganfitness Source:Supplied

“When you order that cute bikini online and it’s just not quite how it’s meant to look,” she wrote in her post, adding: “WTF.”

The Women’s Health online coach told followers if they buy an item of clothing that doesn’t make them feel confident to just “chuck it away”.

From Publisher: NewsComAu

Lizzo Looks Drop-Dead Gorgeous In Birthday Bikini Photos

The birthday girl has made it to Las Vegas and she's looking absolutely stunning. Lizzo is celebrating another turn around the sun as she turns 33-years-old in style. After sharing a trio of nude pictures on Instagram with her girlfriends , the "Juice" rapper is back with more thirst traps, enjoying her time in Sin City with some poolside bikini shots.

Draping herself in an uncomfortable amount of gold chains and rocking an embroidered leopard-print two-piece swimsuit , Lizzo attached three birthday balloons to her braids and attracted all sorts of attention. Maybe even Chris Evans took notice?

From Publisher: HotNewHipHop

Woman Says Boyfriend Doesn't Want Her Wearing Bikini Around Other Men, Thinks Girls Do it For

Not only that, he also made a sexist remark, saying that when he sees girls wearing things like that he thinks they do it for attention.

In a post on Reddit, she explained, ”We argued over this a lot. He says that he does not trust other men if I was to wear something revealing when not with him. He has also stated that when he sees girls wearing things like that he thinks they do it for attention. I stated to him that this lets me take a walk into his mind a little bit because if he is so adamant about me not wearing certain things, he must look at other girls in ways he does not want me looked at. Of course he has denied this.

I just find this so disrespectful. I work hard to improve my body. Why can’t I feel confident in something feminine? I would never wear something for the attention of another man. He says it’s not that he wouldn’t trust me. Just that he doesn’t trust other men. Is this concerning? Does he have a dirty mind towards other women. Just thinking about it pisses me off.”

Well, many people replied to her post saying that he simply doesn’t trust her, while others said that he has a controlling and insecure behavior and it’s better to break up with him.

A third user commented, ”I mean, if he really trusts you this wouldn’t be a big deal. He can’t stop other guys from looking at you no matter how you’re dressed, nor can he control your reaction to them. He just has to trust that you’re committed to him – which you are. Which shouldn’t stop you from showing off your body because you think it looks great, dammit!”

From Publisher: India News, Breaking News | India.com

Woman Says BF Doesn't Want Her To Wear A Bikini, Others React

It is difficult to notice red flags, which appear obvious to others, when you are in love and in a relationship. Oftentimes, controlling behavior disguises itself as ‘care’ and ‘protection’. For example, has your guy ever asked you not to wear a particular item of clothing because he doesn’t “trust” other guys? Yep, that’s a red flag. How? Women online explained it well.

“My boyfriend doesn’t want me wearing a bikini. He says that he does not trust other men if I was to wear something revealing when not with him. He has also stated that when he sees girls wearing things like that he thinks they do it for attention,” she said.

She went on to ask, “I work hard to improve my body. Why can't I feel confident in something feminine? I would never wear something for the attention of another man.”

From Publisher: Storypick

Global Bikini Market (2020-2026) | Latest COVID19 Impact Analysis | Know About Brand Players: La

A recent research study on the global Bikini market presented by Zeal Insider offers a detailed analysis of key market players, market revenue, market segments, share, and geographic regions. It also offers several industry trends and predictions for upcoming Eight years. The report also puts light on the current COVID-19 pandemic situations on the Global Bikini Market enabling the user to propose strategic growth plans and tactical business judgments. The size of global Bikini market is estimated to grow during the forecast period of 2020 to 2028 with a CAGR of xx% and is estimated to reach.US$ xx million by 2028, from US$ xx million in 2020.

Checkout Free Report Sample of Bikini Market Report for Better Understanding: https://www.zealinsider.com/report/1712/bikini-market#sample

The report explains the degree of COVID-19 impact on every segment under the scope of the report with its trend over the forecast period. COVID-19 pandemic situations have led to a significant slowing down in the production and manufacturing of various sectors. Strict lockdowns imposed by several governments have led to a temporary shutdown of small as well as major market players. The report study offers a useful insight that explains the impact of government policies, import & export control, disruption of the supply chain, distribution network, and halts on production activities on overall revenue generation. Also, it helps clients to make strategic decisions to overcome these pandemic conditions.

The Bikini report focuses on the major players operating in the global Bikini market to study their market share, net sale, business strategies, top competitors, key business segments, and regional presence. The competitive landscape presented in the report will help clients to focus on the key parameters that will help them to achieve desired targets in the global Bikini market.

A research study offers a systematic estimation of the global market, comprising key growth trends and significant opportunities based on its segments which provides insights to draw effective strategies for business growth. The report bifurcates the global Bikini market by studying various factors into respective segments and their sub-segments. Further, the report comprises various existing, previous, and future growth trends for all segments and sub-segments for the forecast period 2020-2028. The study of segmentation outlined accurate calculations and predictions in terms of revenue and volume.

The regional analysis offered in the report will help clients to categorize significant opportunities of the global Bikini market presented in different regions and countries. The Bikini market is segmented based on various regions such as:

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry Expert@ https://www.zealinsider.com/report/1712/bikini-market#inquiry

The Bikini report has designed by taking in to consideration of latest trends and opportunities, potential threats, and key driving factors, as well as key revenue pockets. The study has been concluded based on thorough secondary research after studying several industry publications, government reports, company news and press releases. All these studies are backed with detailed primary studies which combinedly draw a revenue outlook for the Bikini market.

Buy single user with discounted price now: https://www.zealinsider.com/checkout?reportId=1712&&usert=su

From Publisher: KSU | The Sentinel Newspaper

DJ Khaled, Jay-Z and Nas Drop New 'Sorry Not Sorry' Music Video - Rolling Stone

DJ Khaled, Jay-Z and Nas Drop New 'Sorry Not Sorry' Music Video - Rolling Stone

DJ Khaled has released a new music video for “Sorry Not Sorry,” featuring Jay-Z , Nas and James Fauntleroy. The track appears on the hip-hop impresario’s new album Khaled Khaled , which arrived today, April 30th.

“Sorry Not Sorry” boasts a luxurious beat of heavy drums and atmospheric synths, accented by etherial vocals that swirl around the track (as to who provided those extra vocals, the song includes an additional credit, “Harmonies by the Hive,” which could refer to Beyoncé, whose unmistakable voice definitely pops up during Jay-Z’s verse). The video for “Sorry Not Sorry,” meanwhile, finds Khaled, Nas and Jay-Z taking over a card table at a casino, stacking chips and place bets with abandon.

Like all DJ Khaled endeavors, Khaled Khaled is packed with an array of guests. It includes two previously released Drake collaborations, “Popstar” and “Greece,” as well as tracks with Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, H.E.R., Migos, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Megan Thee Stallion, Post Malone, DaBaby, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Big Sean, Rick Ross, Bryston Tiller and Meek Mill.

From Publisher: Rolling Stone

Jay-Z Closes Deal to Sell Tidal for $350 Million to Jack Dorsey's Square

Jay-Z 's 6-year flip of Tidal's streaming service is complete -- he just closed the deal to sell the majority of the company to Square for $350 million ... a pretty good return on his initial investment.

Square, the financial services company owned by Jay's pal, Jack Dorsey , is now firmly in the music streaming biz. Jack had announced back in March that he planned to take Tidal off Jay's hands, but sources familiar tell TMZ they just closed the deal Friday morning.

For its $350 mil ... Square gets 80% ownership of Tidal, along with licensing deals with the major record labels and all the artists/owners will remain with the company too.

We're told Jay and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez , who helped broker the deal, will stay on board to help run Tidal.

Over the last year we've seen Jay and Jack hanging out several times -- sometimes sipping wine together in the Hamptons -- and now we know what they're discussing ... major tycoon stuff.

Jay's made serious bank of his Tidal investment. He'd previously sold 33% of it to Sprint back in 2017 for an undisclosed amount.

From Publisher: TMZ

DJ Khaled Joined By Jay-Z and Nas in 'Sorry Not Sorry' Video | Billboard

The narrative for the visual is pretty simple, really. The men, dressed in tuxedoes, puff on cigars and sip drinks in an empty casino as they push in their towering stacks toward the dealer during a late night gambling session you can't even imagine. With James Fauntleroy crooning the chorus -- "Sorry, not sorry, don't mind me/ I'm livin' the dream, don't mind me/ Came from nothin', whoever thought that we would be/ Livin' the dream, livin' the dream, yeah" -- Nas saunters up to the first verse with some serious crypto energy.

From Publisher: Billboard

Jay-Z blasts cancel culture | TheHill

Rap superstar Jay-Z is weighing in on the internet's cancel culture and says he believes it's not going anywhere anytime soon.

In an interview this week with The Sunday Times Style , the rapper was asked if he were 20 years younger and just starting out in the music industry if he would use social media more frequently, in which he immediately responded "No." Jay-Z, 51, appears to only have a Twitter account and uses it rarely.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

"You can't give someone a microphone for 24 hours a day and [have them] not think they have to use it," Jay-Z told the outlet, which noted the rapper seemed to "feel a bit sorry for the younger stars coming up today."

"These kids, it's unbelievable. Imagine having a microphone and you're asked about social justice questions at 18 years old? It's like, 'What? I'm meant to know the answer, and if I don't answer the correct way, if I don't say everything right, even if my intentions are right, and I don't say the same right thing, it's going to be everywhere," he said during the interview.

In a recent Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey , 64 percent of respondents said there is a "growing cancel culture" that is a threat to their freedom, while 36 percent said they did not view it as a threat to their freedom.

MARVEL INTRODUCES ASIAN SUPERHERO PLAYED BY SIMU LIU, BUT AWKWAFINA'S SUPPORTING ROLE STIRS BACKLASH

From Publisher: TheHill

Jay-Z opens up about how he and Beyonce parent their 3 kids | GMA

From Publisher: Good Morning America

Jay-Z reveals if he wants his kids to pursue a career in music

In a rare chat with The Sunday Times, the rapper said, "Feeling loved is the most important thing a child needs, you know? Not 'Here's this business that I'm going to hand over to you, that I'm creating for you.'"

He went on to say he does not want his kids, nine-year-old Blue Ivy and three-year-old twins Sir and Rumi Carter, to feel pressured to pursue a career in music necessarily.

"What if my child doesn't want to be in music or sports?" he said. "I have no idea, right? But as long as your child feels supported, and feels loved, I think anything is possible."

He continued, "[The goal is to] just make sure we provide a loving environment, be very attentive to who they want to be. It's easy for us, as human beings, to want our children to do certain things, but we have no idea. We're just guides."

The couple's daughter, Blue Ivy, is already winning laurels at just nine years of age for creating music.

Jay-Z invests in fitness company for home workouts | Fox Business

Jay Z's Venture Capital firm Marcy Ventures is investing in a fitness company. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter’s venture capital firm Marcy Venture Partners is backing the Los Angeles-based fitness company which specializes in strength training, cardio and physical therapy all in one machine. The machine includes an all-in-one water rower, Pilates reformer and resistance band training system that boasts hundreds of exercises like barre and strength training, the company describes on his website. 

Los Angeles Dodger and five-time MLB All-Star Adrian Gonzalez is also leading the funding round. The financial terms of the investments, however, have not been disclosed. 

Jay-Z co-founded Marcy Ventures in 2018 with Jay Brown of Roc Nation and Larry Marcus and the firm has backed companies like Rihanna’s clothing brand Savage X Fenty. 

It's unclear if Beyonce's husband will team up with LIT Method for a music streaming component. Beyonce partnered with Peloton last November to produce streaming content and workout classes with her music . 

From Publisher: Fox Business

Jay-Z curates playlist of Nas songs for Tidal; they appear together on new DJ Khaled song

Meanwhile, Jay-Z and Nas appear together on "Sorry Not Sorry" off the new DJ Khaled album Khaled Khaled , which comes out at midnight (4/30). Stay tuned for that and check out the full tracklist (also featuring Cardi B, Drake, Lil Wayne, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, DaBaby, H.E.R., Migos, Justin Timberlake, and more) below.

From Publisher: BrooklynVegan

Jay-Z Shares 'Most Important' Part of Parenting His, Beyonce's Kids

Raising their kids right! Jay-Z and Beyoncé are intentional about treating their three children as individuals.

Not only do he and the singer, 39, want to "provide a loving environment" to their little ones, but they work to "be attentive to who they want to be."

The New York native explained, "It's easy for us, as human beings, to want our children to do certain things, but we have no idea. We're just guides."

The "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" rapper became a parent in 2012, telling GQ that same year that "being there" was the most "important" part of fatherhood. "Parenting has its ups and downs and you're going to make mistakes, but the biggest reward is being around," he added at the time. "Providing — that's not love."

Jay-Z is a "good father," Beyoncé told Anderson Cooper the following year, noting that she and her husband "both" changed diapers.

The pair "do everything" with Blue, Sir and Rumi , a source exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2019. "Jay-Z and Beyoncé have nannies for the kids and their assistants help out too, but they mostly try and bring the kids everywhere. Blue always travels with Beyoncé and comes with her when she's working. The twins are getting older, and Beyoncé has been taking them out a little more too."

After calling the family of five "tight-knit," the source added, "Jay-Z does a lot of daddy duty stuff and he takes Blue to school and things like that."

Queen B's dad, Mathew Knowles , exclusively explained to Us in May 2020 how his grandchildren have already shown their distinct personalities . "Blue Ivy is just so incredible and reminds me of Beyoncé so much," the talent manager, 69, explained at the time. "Sir, he just wants his world to himself. Rumi reminds me of [my daughter] Solange [ Knowles ]."

From Publisher: Us Weekly