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Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Her New Christmas Special, Collaborating With Ariana Grande & Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston and More

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In the latest holiday-themed edition of his ‘At Home With’ conversations, Zane Lowe is joined by Mariah Carey who discusses her star-studded Magical Christmas Special on Apple TV+, collaborating with Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson on “Oh, Santa”, writing the holidays classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, her love for Billy Eichner, her infamous unreleased alternative album, the power of writing her bestselling memoir, her connection to the late Whitney Houston, the gift of songwriting, what Christmas means to her, and more. Listen to Mariah’s hand-chosen At Home With Playlist on Apple Music HERE.

Video, photo and key quotes below. Feel free to use and credit Zane Lowe on Apple Music. Check out all of the artist-curated ‘At Home With’ playlists on Apple Music HERE. Listen to Zane’s interviews with leading artists on Apple Music HERE and Apple Podcasts HERE. Watch Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special on Apple TV+ HERE.

Video | Mariah Carey: Magical Christmas Special on Apple TV+ and ‘The Meaning of Mariah Carey’
Watch: https://youtu.be/JvZPWwhz-gU
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Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Partnering With Apple For Her New Christmas Special…
Yeah, it’s been intense. And when we first talked about doing this special, it was last year, prior to COVID, and it was February and we were all so excited and like, oh, we’re going to make it huge and great and everything. And then the world… So luckily, Apple has been the most incredible partner ever, and we’ve just been able to really get creative. Luckily, this was already slated prior to everything, and everybody just kind of jumped in and said, “We’re not letting them ruin Christmas. It will not be foiled.”

I’ve always wanted to do a special, like basically Live from the North Pole, which is what we’re going to feel with this special, I hope. It’s what I felt while filming it. And Done  + Dusted, the producers that I’ve worked with and collaborated with, really got that vision. And I just always want to do something special for Christmas, and I usually do live shows. And last year, when “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” right before it went to number one on the Hot 100, Billboard Hot 100… Yeah, no, it was an amazing moment. And I remember being there, and I talk about it in my memoir, where it was like everybody was there celebrating, singing back to me, all different races of people. You could see just all different ages and different people just celebrating and really feeling the holiday spirit. And I love doing that, doing my concerts all around the world, but obviously this year we can’t, and we’re not encouraging gatherings and definitely not doing that. But I feel like people can gather around the TV with their friends and family, or just not gather around, but people can watch it simultaneously, kind of hang out, do whatever they’re going to do, Zoom, FaceTime, whatever, just enjoy the moments together, because it’s really designed to make people feel good this year, and forever, hopefully.

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Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Writing “All I Want For Christmas Is You”…
I’ve reinterpreted this song a lot of times and started writing it on a junky, little keyboard, whatever. And I’m not a good player, but I know what I hear. And then I usually have somebody great translate that for me into the chords. But I’m hearing the chords as I hear the melody. So I started that one, and I’ll just always have the recollection of writing it. And it’s my first Christmas song that I ever wrote. And then I was just like, “What do I really, really want to hear at Christmas? What do I want to talk about? But how do I make it all-encompassing in terms of the love aspect of it?” And I think that, you know what, I’m not saying it’s the world’s greatest thing, but it makes me happy. And it’s made a lot of other people happy. And when I see people dancing in the streets to the song and having these big, huge festivals, and they’re playing it, it’s what holidays mean to me. It’s the memories. It’s being around the people. It’s the song that takes you through the memories that you can create your own new memories from.

For me… Christmas music is timeless and should be timeless. And if it strikes a chord with people, that’s the goal. And so I have so many memories attached to the song, but people come to me and tell me about their memories. And that’s what means the most.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About The Meaning of Christmas To Her…
For me, it’s the birth of Christ. It’s the actual meaning of the holiday, but it’s the meaning of love. And it’s the meaning of I like to feel at peace. I don’t often feel at peace. At Christmas, sometimes I’ll just be by myself, steal a moment, and just be in the room, look at the tree, listen to the music. And there I am.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Collaborating with Billy Eichner…
Billy Eichner was the most fun moment, I have to say. Not to play favorites, but I just mean a lot of our scenes actually didn’t end up in there. I’m hoping maybe we have some outtakes, and I just love him. We did an episode of Billy on the Street together last year, one of my favorite things I’ve ever done. His personality is so just raucous and kind of out there, but he’s also subtle, and his humor is…But I live for that, because when I’m on stage, my thing is not, I’m not a dancer, I’m not a this, I don’t do all the choreography, but I talk to the audience and relate to the audience as if they’re having a one-on-one experience with me. And I feel like his ability to sort of be in the moment, improvising, saying whatever, I love to play off of somebody like that. And he’s a rare bird in that way. It’s a rare quality that he has. And I really, really, really enjoy him. And I’m so happy he was able to do it.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Her Unreleased Alternative Album…
I don’t even have a copy, but I did the artwork myself. It’s been so long and I never talked about it with anybody. I actually just found the version with my vocals, but I need to find the board mixes from back then.Only my closest friends and the people that I actually made the album with knew about it. One of the people that was so cool to me, before I ever had a deal or ever had any of that stuff, Clarissa, came in, and because I got kind of in trouble for making this album, the alternative album, because back then everything was super controlled by the powers that be. And I never really was like, “Oh, we’re going to release it.” But then I was like, I should release it. I should do it under an alias. And then let people discover it and whatever, but that got squashed.

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First of all, it was fun. Second of all, in terms of writing, it was the complete antithesis of what my, like “One Sweet Day” and “Fantasy,” I love these songs, all those songs, and then the deeper cuts and stuff. But that was literally, I would sit down and just write anything that came to my mind, five minutes, say to the guitar player, can you play [guitar sounds]? Can you play this? And they would play that. And then we would just do it, and I was in character, and then we did it. And then I was saying, the woman Clarissa, who was a dear friend and really helped me out when I was first starting out, I said, can you come in, once they were like, you can’t do this, the label and whatever, once the label tried to control me, as they tend to do, or always did with me, then I was like, “Come in and just sing on top of what I did,” and we collaborated with it.

But I was so married to what I had done, even though it was like a fun escape and it was all jokes, but then again, at the end of the day, once I live with it and listen to it, I was like, this is freeing and empowering, and I’m living for the moment. So I just kind of kept it to myself. I had done the album art. I did the whole thing. I’ve never even talked about this.It was just fun. And honestly, it was so necessary. I think I sort of survived through that, and I literally made a whole album and just kept it to myself.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Working With Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson on “Oh, Santa”…
Well originally, Oh, Santa, a song I collaborated on with Jermaine Dupri and Brian-Michael Cox, two of my favorite people to write with, and I went to Jermaine and I was like, ” I want to do a fun, uptempo Christmas song. I want it to be like [clapping beat] that’s a beat. That’s how we work. We took it from there. I did a layered vocal arrangement, which is why I thought when we had the whole chance with Ari and with Jennifer Hudson, I was like, “Let’s do a girl’s group, like a Supremes vibe,” because that’s what I was thinking when I did it originally because it’s a classic type sounding record. That’s like an “All I Want for Christmas Is You” vibe. That was the original “Santa.” When the opportunity presented itself to work with Arianna and with Jennifer Hudson, and I have to think as a producer because vocal producing is really one of my favorite things, and I think one of the things that I’m best at, particularly with layering, and background vocals, and s tuff like that, just how we’re going to do it and what’s the layering… and it was the one song that was like, “We can have fun with it,” because it was never super serious or whatever. It’s fun. It’s festive. To me, those are the best type of Christmas songs, when you don’t have to think so much about it, even though I have songs like that, it’s when you can be free. I feel like the featured moments here were really fun because you hear J Hud, you know it’s her. You hear Ariana, you’re like, “Oh wow, that sounds so great,” a new interpretation of that moment. Then I’m there as the one that wrote the song and put the whole thing together. It’s fun. There’s the chant. There’s a whole thing. I think kids are going to like it, who maybe never got a chance to hear it before. I’m excited.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About The Power of Her Memoir…
I think people have read this book and found a different understanding because it’s really been a difficult road just with all the issues I grew up with and talk about in great detail in the book. It was interesting because a lot of the issues are about race and identity and just the struggle of the ambiguousness of being black and biracial yet still to this day are like, “We don’t know. Is she black? Is she white? Is she Hispanic? What is she?” And that was always a question, “What are you?” And it’s like, “What are you?” I’m a person, but that’s not the way the world is. And so I know that writing this book, it was very emancipating.

So releasing all of that with this book was really healing, very healing and my collaborator and I, Michaela Angela Davis, I knew I love her. She’s brilliant. And we really worked hard on every single part of it in the same process. And I told her this was the best creative processes that I’ve ever had. And she’s like, “I won’t tell Jermaine.” No, but it’s true because it was a three year thing. But even before that, I had offers to do the book and I wanted to collaborate with her. And then people were like, “No, we just want to hear specifically from you.” I’m like, “But I think this is going to be the best way because I love collaborating.” Particularly when I’m coming to the table with, “These are my stories, these are my lyrics, let’s present it this way. Let’s figure it out.

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Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Her Connection to Whitney Houston…
She started before I started. She inspired everybody, myself included, obviously. And I like a lot of the deeper cuts that not everybody knows, like the song she did with Kashif and the stuff that people will be like, “What? I don’t know that.” But “Thinking About You” and those songs, that’s when I first heard her, before she was even that big. So obviously, she was inspiring to me and to us all.

What brought us together, I think, well, first of all, the corporate entities that wanted that duet to happen got involved, made it happen. I would have preferred to have written the song “When You Believe,” yeah, but at that point it was, and no offense to anybody, but that male-dominated structure. And I didn’t even have anybody on my team that was like, “No, Mariah’s got this.” It was me against a whole team of super powerful men.

And then we did our thing, and thankfully the song won an Academy Award, and it was this whole thing. And I talk about it in the book, but she and I, I think the best thing about it, when we got through all of the other stuff, was the fun, the sense of humor. And when we weren’t in front of the camera, that was the best. And we have some great times with the “try it on me,” with the VMAs and ripping off the brown dresses, the Vera Wang dresses, and those little moments.

But it was the moments behind the scenes and in the trailer and when we were not around other people, where we would say stuff. And for me, it was all good. But I mean, I know it’s the camps, the different people that are around people that create this kind of thing. And I know she was fun. That’s what I’m saying. She was real. And people, I think the average person, they had their perceptions, but she was the truth.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music Why Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” Is Christmas To Her…
I mean, look, I think it depends on the way we reflect. If we’re at the end of the year and that’s what somebody is thinking about, like they’ve gone through a whole year and where  are they at and whatever. And especially in this past year but I just refuse to allow myself to not enjoy the holidays because I love everything about the holidays. I know people get sad during the holidays, “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole. I understand why you would feel maybe a bit melancholy with that song. It’s so beautiful. The arrangement is so lush, the production, his voice. It really is Christmas to me. There have been so many other renditions of that song, but for me, I love that one. And I always, always will. Sometimes when there’s a classic, you just don’t need to mess with it. And I don’t get sad when I hear it. It’s like I’m getting goosebumps thinking of it now. That’s how real the whole Christmas thing is to me.

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Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About Fame…
Well, I think this industry, maybe not so much now because of social media and because people can speak up for themselves via social media, but before, and I write about this in the book, when people were coming after you or stalking you or hunting you in the press, in the media, you’re kind of screwed because a scandal went on for months. Now, it’s like, oh, this happened. Okay, what’s tomorrow’s thing? I think it’s easier, but I do think the coping mechanism situation comes from the fact that this is not normal, being under the scrutiny of constant focus and attention and making it all about you, it is a thing where then, when you come down from it, you really, really, really do need a support system. Because nobody else, unless they become you, even if they think they’re your best friend, and they totally get you, and they understand your music, and they understand the things about you that people don’t understand, they will never know what it’s like to be in your skin. And that’s why people are gone too soon because it just gets excruciating.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music Why The Studio Is Like Church For Her…
I was in the studio working on something all day, and then came here, and stuff like that, but I love that. That’s like church to me. That’s the creative environment in which I thrive. The other stuff is great, and it’s fun, and it’s fabulous, and it’s glamorous, but creating, and working, and producing in the studio is everything. I would be happy being in the studio forever, or just at least spending a few months out of the year. Certain albums I’ve done, whether it’s the Rainbow album, or Emancipation of Mimi, a lot of them, I went to Capri and lived at the studio in a little apartment that I made for myself right off the live room. I would just sleep until I was ready vocally, and then go and record. That was some of the best stuff I’ve ever done.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About George Michael…
I loved George, growing up. I loved Wham! And I loved the album, Faith. To me, that was a perfect album. I live with it. From high school to living as a kid in the city, struggling and looking at it and watching his videos and what he did, how he presented himself, and how he was multi-format, and I really believe he loved R&B music and that he was a brilliant producer and songwriter. And he really created so many classics, “Father Figure,” “I Want Your Sex,” all those great songs, “One More Try,” which I actually did a remake of.

Before he passed away, we had a dinner. We had a lot of things in common. We had a lot discussions. But anyway, cut to I remade “One More Try.” And he was still living, and he wrote me something about how much he loved it. And I had hoped that he and I would be able to actually perform it together live, somewhere, but it didn’t happen. So God bless him and… And then he passed away on Christmas. And that affected me in a really intense way. But we have his music, and I think the fact that “Last Christmas” is such a timeless, timeless classic.

Mariah Carey Tells Apple Music About The Gift of Songwriting…
I mean, every song that I do I feel is a gift. If I’m writing, it comes from another place. That is the gift. The greatest gift, to me, is being able to be a songwriter and hear music and then articulate it, write it down, sing it, hear the chords. And I love collaborating, as we said, but I am at the place where I’m like, “Wow, this is something I did.”

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Cristiano Ronaldo faces $1bn lawsuit over Binance ads

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Football star Cristiano Ronaldo has been hit with class-action lawsuit seeking at least $1 billion in damages for his role in promoting cryptocurrency-related “non-fungible tokens,” or NFTs, issued by the beleaguered cryptocurrency exchange Binance. (more…)

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10th Duhok International Film Fest to be Held with French Cinema Focus Duhok Film Festival President Invites Prominent Global Movie Companies

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The 10th edition of Duhok International Film Festival will be held in the city of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, focusing on French cinema, with its president inviting prominent global movie companies to attend this event.

According to the report of Mansour Jahani, an independent and international cinema journalist, Presided by Ameer Ali Mohammed Tahir and artistic management by the Kurdish director, Shawkat Amin Korki, the 10th round of Duhok International Film Festival is set to be held on 9-16 December, 2023, at Duhok University’s congregation hall and the Duhok Mall Cineplex in Duhok, Kurdistan Region. Heralding the motto of “Mother Tongue (Kurdish),” this edition of Duhok will showcase 100 films by directors of different geographical backgrounds, in a variety of formats such as feature films, shorts, and documentaries in the two categories of competition and out-of-competition.

by Amir Ali Mohammed Tahir, the president of Duhok International Film Festival, stated in a press conference, “The festival agenda has not been that easy so far, only accomplished through the consistent efforts of my colleagues as they have been preoccupied with these affairs for a long while.”
He said, “The festival’s advisors and selection committee have picked out the best films for the competition and out-of-competition categories upon thorough counsel. Each year we try to engage the most excellent cinematic works and elevate the festival in a sense; it is of utmost significance to us that the people travelling to Duhok get to observe the region’s exquisite cinematic culture.”
by Amir Ali Mohammed Tahir said, “Our strategy is to set more prominent objectives each year and that in my opinion is of crucial importance. In each round, Duhok residents have joined the dear people of Kurdistan in the enhancement of the culture and art of this region. Our consistency in holding the festival is a triumph as this part of the Middle East has surpassed numerous obstacles and struggles, and we hold this event each year through a shared effort.”
“Another goal of the festival is to first of all introduce the culture and art of Kurdistan Region to other nations, and the expansion of such cultural and artistic bonds is vital to us. On the other hand, the provision of suitable platforms and contexts for Kurdish youths and filmmakers to produce cinematic works is necessary. Next, the presence of global filmmakers in Duhok festival leads to the creation of cultural and artistic ties and the introduction of Kurdish cinema to the powerful and valuable global movie industry,” Tahircommented.
“Our main goal is to invite a number of prominent global movie companies to this event so that they may choose the Kurdistan Region as their principal setting of their works. I hope that in the near future we get to see the beautiful and intact culture and nature of Kurdistan Region, especially Duhok through the lens of global filmmakers. Also, the economic, touristic, and other growths of the region is another motive for holding this cinematic event,” said the president.

Hassan Arif, the public relations manager of the 10th Duhok Film Festival stated in another segment of the press conference, “We announced that we’d be accepting this round’s submissions via the film portal from 10 June, 2023; after three weeks, we received 500 films in the world cinema and Kurdish cinema sections. Around 200 films were selected by the festival committee members who had attended several global festivals. After closing the film portal, the committee started to work and as a result 100 films in formats namely feature-length, shorts, and documentaries entered the final phase of the festival.”

“This year’s theme is mother tongue which in this case is Kurdish; a rich and extensive language, with numerous accents and particular characteristics. Many Kurdish filmmakers either domestically or outside the region annually produce works in a variety of languages and this is a message for them to keep making Kurdish films so that this tongue may remain alive and lasting,” stressed the public relations manager.
He added, “We have chosen France as the guest country of this year’s Duhok film festival, with screenings of feature-length films, shorts, and documentaries. France is undoubtedly one of the birthplaces of cinema, and at the moment, the international film festival of Cannes is one of the most prestigious cinematic events all across the globe.”
“We have annually received requests for the submission of children films, and this year we have added another category titled “children and youth cinema” showcasing 10 selected films that will be screened in the festival. Also, as usual, the classic cinema category of Duhok Film Festival will feature several prominent world cinema films,” reiterated Arif.

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Trusted member of Asia Pacific Screen Awards

Based in Iraq, Duhok Film Festival is a trusted member of Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Australia known as Asian Oscars, introducing global films in this cinematic event.

 

Jury members of “World Cinema” competition category in this festival will grant a statue, a plaque, and Yılmaz Güney’s $10,000 award to best feature film, $5000 to best director, $5000 to best international short film, $5000 to new talent, jury’s special $1500 award to best short and the French Goethe Institute’s $5000 dollar award to best international documentary.

 

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Duhok Film Festival, presided by Amir Ali Mohammed Tahir, with artistic management by Shawkat Amin Korki, and in memoriam of Yılmaz Güney, the 1982 Palme d’or winner in Cannes, is in an effort to bridge the gap between Kurdish directors and those from the rest of the world, facilitating cultural exchanges among the nations all around the world.

For more details:

http://www.duhokiff.com/

https://www.facebook.com/duhokiff/

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Engineering Wonder: Behind the Scenes of Emaar’s New Year’s Eve Extravaganza at Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain

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As anticipation builds for Dubai’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration, Emaar Properties reveals the extraordinary technological expertise and human creativity that went into the making of the legendary Emaar New Year’s Eve 2024 show in Downtown Dubai.

The visual composition on the Burj Khalifa’s façade was meticulously designed by a daring crew of visionaries and technicians throughout 671 working days. An increase from previous seasons, the 325 strategic firing positions in this year’s show are choreographed to create a breathtaking spectacle in the sky.

Paying tribute to the spirit of Dubai, more than 2800 shooting directions transform the night sky into an intricate pattern of colours and shapes, thereby contributing to the show’s complexity. An unprecedented 15,682 pyrotechnic elements will be featured in the performance; each will have a distinct firing sequence coordinated using state-of-the-art computer technology.

In perfect harmony with this spectacular display, the nearby Dubai Fountain is set to present a breathtaking choreography of its own.

Under the expert direction of Peter Kopik, WET’s chief choreographer with a rich history of nearly three decades in fountain choreography, this year’s Dubai Fountain show promises an awe-inspiring blend of water artistry, light, and sound, perfectly timed and synchronised with Burj Khalifa’s display.

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The show features over a thousand MiniShooters creating dynamic water sequences, dozens of HyperShooters and XtremeShooters propelling water up to 150 meters, and hundreds of Oarsmen and Fan Oarsmen that add elegance and fluidity to the water dance. Over 6,600 lights and 127 strobe strings will illuminate the water, while 6,700 fog nozzles create an ethereal atmosphere, setting the stage for a night of enchantment.

Despite its extraordinary magnitude, Emaar’s New Year’s Eve celebration is more than just figures. We take great pleasure in the sense of togetherness and unity that this technological achievement will cultivate among family and friends across the globe.

Emaar ensures the meticulous planning and execution of the New Year’s Eve shows at Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain, prioritising high quality in producing its events over quantity. Beyond being just another fireworks extravaganza, the Emaar New Year’s Eve show exemplifies the seamless integration of technology, artistic excellence, and human ingenuity.

In anticipation of the forthcoming event, Emaar cordially invites people worldwide to partake in this momentous occasion characterised by ingenuity, solidarity, and wonder. Together, let us celebrate an unforgettable moment to ring in 2024.

Note: A limited number of tickets for a prime viewing spot in Burj Park is still available for those who wish to enjoy a hassle-free experience on this magical evening. Book your tickets now on Platinumlist.

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For more information, log on to mydubainewyear.emaar.com

  • With 671 workdays invested, the setup for the New Year’s Eve show at Burj Khalifa represents a monumental effort of planning and precision.
  • A record number of 325 firing positions have been strategically installed on Burj Khalifa, surpassing past years’ setups and ensuring a breathtaking display.
  • 2,800 unique shooting directions have been meticulously programmed, merging cutting-edge technology with optimised creative vision.
  • Over 15,682 individual pyrotechnic elements create an unparalleled visual symphony.
  • In parallel with Burj Khalifa’s display, the Dubai Fountain show, designed by the celebrated Peter Kopik, promises an enchanting experience with intricate choreography featuring innovative water features and synchronised effects.
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Jamie Foxx sued by woman over alleged sexual assault in 2015

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Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx was accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed in New York City on Wednesday that alleges he groped a woman at a rooftop bar and restaurant in Manhattan in August 2015. (more…)

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Diageo Cites Diddy Rape Claims in Renewed Push to Keep Him Out of Tequila Ads

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After settling rape and abuse allegations with the singer Cassie last week, Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing growing scrutiny in the midst of his push to refresh and expand a business portfolio he spent decades cultivating.

In a letter filed with a New York court Friday, the London-based spirit maker Diageo cited the accusations to bolster its monthslong effort to prevent Combs from serving as the face of DeLeón tequila, which he has run in a joint venture with it for a decade.

The letter came after a series of lawsuits Combs filed against Diageo, whose other brands include Johnnie Walker, Don Julio and Smirnoff.

In May, he accused the company of pigeonholing DeLeón and Cîroc, the vodka he fronted for 15 years, as “Black brands” for “urban” consumers, allegedly violating an equal treatment provision in their contract. In a subsequent October complaint, Combs said Diageo had blackballed him from the spirit industry over his racial discrimination claims, which have been put on ice until next spring. He alleged in last month’s retaliation suit that the company was sending him the message “speak up and you will be punished.”

Diageo ended the Cîroc partnership over the summer, saying at the time that Combs had breached his contract. But the parties are still feuding over the use of up to $15 million in advertising and promotional budget, including for DeLeón’s marketing next year.

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In recent months, Diageo has argued in court documents that Combs’ accusations of racism, which it denies, have already made him an ineffective spokesperson. The new “public and disturbing accusations” against the music mogul risk “devastating and permanent damage” to the tequila brand, the company said Friday, adding that one influencer had already asked to cut ties with DeLeón on moral grounds.

In its court letter, Diageo pointed to a statement by Combs’ lawyer to The New York Times indicating the artist was aware that Cassie wanted to expose details of their relationship for at least six months before they emerged publicly. That period, the company said, “happens to correspond with the pendency of Combs Wines’ original lawsuit against Diageo.”

Diageo declined to comment beyond the statements in the court documents.

A spokesperson for Combs didn’t comment on the Diageo dispute but said the decision to settle with Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, “does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.”

In the days after the rape accusations emerged, scrutiny of Combs and members of his business circle has intensified. On Wednesday, his music label, Bad Boy Records, was sued along with its parent company and former president, Harve Pierre, accusing Pierre of sexually assaulting an unnamed assistant at the label.

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“The allegations are from many years ago that were never brought to the attention of the company,” a Bad Boy Entertainment spokesperson said. “Neither the plaintiff nor the executive are current employees of the company. We are now investigating the allegations, and our top priority is the safety and well-being of our employees.”

Pierre didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Monday, the co-host of a podcast on Combs’ Revolt media network announced she wouldn’t participate in a third season. “I am a [sexual assault] survivor & I cannot be part of a show that’s supposed to uplift black women while @Diddy leads the company,” Dawn Montgomery, who hosts “Monuments to Me,” a podcast about Black women’s issues and successes, posted on X.

Montgomery told NBC News that she empathized with Cassie’s allegations. “I cannot sign back on and say that I want to be paid to do a podcast where a few of the episodes were probably going to reflect this conversation,” she said. “Diddy and his people could never do anything towards me to make me feel like I needed to continue to be quiet.”

Revolt didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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Old interviews with Combs’ associates addressing his alleged behavior and new comments critical of him have circulated on social media. Some users included the phrase “Surviving Diddy,” an apparent reference to the Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly” that featured accounts of women who accused the R&B artist of abuse over several decades. Kelly is currently serving time in prison for multiple sex crimes convictions.

During a performance in Los Angeles last weekend, the singer Kesha dropped lyrics referring to Combs in her 2009 hit single, “Tik Tok,” whose opening line mentions him.

The pushback follows a flurry of business moves by the 54-year-old entertainment mogul over the last 12 months.

Combs announced in September that he was returning publishing rights to some Bad Boy artists, telling Variety he was “doing the right thing” by making good on plans in the works since 2021. Several artists criticized the offer, saying they’d been asking for the rights for years but were unlikely to earn much from music that was more profitable decades ago.

In February, he rebranded his Combs Enterprises as Combs Global to reflect his evolution “as a business leader and a bigger vision to build the largest portfolio of leading Black-owned brands in the world.” The venture includes Empower Global, an e-commerce marketplace launched in 2021 aimed at supporting Black entrepreneurs.

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The refresh came three months after Combs agreed to acquire a pair of cannabis operations in a deal valued at up to $185 million at the time, but the plan fell through in July after the merger that would have spun them off collapsed. In May, Combs rolled out a new R&B label, Love Records, as part of a deal with Motown Records that saw the release in September of his fifth studio album.

Combs, whose net worth has been estimated at around $1 billion, shot to fame in the early 1990s as a music promoter turned talent director before setting out to run his own label, with Bad Boy Records representing artists from the late Notorious B.I.G. to Faith Evans. One of his earliest major ventures outside music was in fashion, with the Sean John streetwear label launching in 1998. Combs sold the bulk of the brand in 2016 for an estimated $70 million, then bought it back from its bankrupt owner for around $7.5 million five years later.

A Macy’s spokesperson said the retailer began phasing out Sean John starting this fall in a move unrelated to the allegations against Combs. Other major sellers of the line, including Nordstrom and Saks Off 5th, didn’t respond to requests for comment, nor did Sean John’s parent company.

Some crisis communications experts said Combs’ quick settlement of the abuse claims could blunt further damage to his brand and businesses.

“Diddy avoided much of that pain by getting this thing resolved quickly,” said Evan Nierman, CEO of the public relations firm Red Banyan. “I think resolving the legal matter and having it completely closed to their mutual satisfaction is going to help inoculate him against seeing his career permanently destroyed.”

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He said he wasn’t surprised that other celebrities and major brands largely haven’t weighed in. “I expect people to remain quiet on the topic now while it’s in the headlines,” he said, adding, “This is not going to have a lasting damaging effect on him.”

NBCNews.com story by Nicole Childers, Sara Ruberg and Diana Dasrath Click Here to Read on NBCNews.com

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10 acclaimed photographers team up for a charitable, carbon neutral print sale to raise funds for Planet Impact Fund

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The world leading global agency Laird and Good Company have announced their inaugural edition of  Good Works Prints  launching on Giving Tuesday 28 November, with 100% of the proceeds from the print sale going to support 1% for the Planet® Impact Fund at National Philanthropic Trust.

 

Featuring 10 artists from the agency’s impressive roster of photographers, directors and stylists, the November print sale marks the start of the agency’s wider philanthropic initiative Good Works in which the first effort is Good Works Prints. Good Works is dedicated to raising awareness around environmental causes, and celebrating the community of artists the agency represents. The artists included in the first sale are Ciril Jazbec, Finn Beales, Gentl and Hyers, Leeor Wild, Mark Elzey, Maureen M. Evans, PEDEN + MUNK, Rich Stapleton, Richard Phibbs and William Jess Laird.

 

Good Works Prints is launched to raise awareness and funds for organizations and charities making a difference in our world, with a focus on conservation and restoration, climate adaptation, and climate emergency relief efforts. Each of the print sales will fund positive environmental change – our inaugural sale in collaboration with the Planet Impact Fund will do this through targeted philanthropic grantmaking and impact investing. Laird and Good Company wish to support innovative projects that protect the planet’s ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and combat climate change while using art as a vessel for doing so.

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The first collection will feature 10 donated images by Laird and Good Company artists, which will be available to purchase globally in three different limited edition sizes. The prints are distributed by The Print Space a carbonneutral printing company with  optional FSC-certified Wood framing available at  checkout. All of the prints will be available to purchase on Good Works Prints online store launching on 28 November and all purchases made by 5 December will be delivered internationally before Christmas.

 

The 10 chosen artists represent the diverse range of artistic talent Laird and Good Company champions, hailing from a variety of backgrounds internationally, including Ciril Jazbec – an artist whose work explores themes of climate change and the solutions developed by communities at the front lines, forced to adapt; Gentl and Hyers, a New York based directing and photography duo tenured and deeply experienced through twenty-five years of shared life and creativity which has led them to photographing some of the most well known chefs, brands and more; Richard Phibbs who alongside his profile clientele is a staunch advocate for animal rights and recently photographed 700 abandoned animals for the Humane Society of New York with a vision to create an immediate emotional connection between humans and homeless animals.

 

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Charles Laird, the Managing Director UK/EU of Laird and Good Company:

 

“It is very fortunate and fulfilling to be able to work within the creative industry and in our own way and with the tools at our disposal, we want to create a space where we are able to give back as well as pay it forward. We believe we have an indisputable responsibility to our planet and the people on it. Knowing that, we constantly reevaluate our impact to support, protect, and best conserve Mother Earth. We want to forever be operating in an open state of learning, evolving and making a difference.

Earlier this year we officially became a member of 1% for the Planet, an amazing global organization that exists to ensure our planet and future generations thrive. Launching Good Works is another step in our commitment to sustainability.

Using creativity as an agent of change, Good Works connects our roster of storytellers and image makers with organizations and communities dedicated to making a positive impact on the world. Our team could not be more excited to launch this initiative and help facilitate new ways our community of artists can give back to our planet.”

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