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Grizz Chapman, Beloved 30 Rock Actor, Dead at 52

Eric Alper
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Grizz Chapman, Beloved 30 Rock Actor, Dead at 52

Grizzwald “Grizz” Chapman, the towering actor best known for his recurring role on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, died on May 22, 2026, at the age of 52. Born on April 16, 1974, in New York City, Chapman stood 6 feet 11 inches tall and brought an unforgettable presence to the screen. He is survived by his wife, Diana, whom he married in 2002, and their two children.

Chapman came to acting after being discovered by 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan, who met him while Chapman was working as a bouncer. His role as Grizz on the beloved series made him a fan favorite, and his career spanned from 2006 to 2021. Off-screen, he channeled his creativity into a YouTube series called “Grizz Chroniclez” and was developing his own show, The Lair, based on a comic book store he owned in the Bronx.

Chapman was no stranger to adversity. He received a kidney transplant in July 2010 after battling severe hypertension and undergoing dialysis, and he subsequently became a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation. In December 2024, his home in Woodbridge, Virginia was destroyed when a tractor-trailer crashed into it, though he was fortunately not present at the time. He faced each hardship with resilience, leaving behind a legacy both on screen and in the communities he championed.

Photo Gallery: Imagine Dragons and Talk at Toronto’s RBC Amphitheatre

Eric Alper
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Photo Gallery: Imagine Dragons and Talk at Toronto’s RBC Amphitheatre

All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons
Talk
Talk
Talk
Talk
Talk
Talk
Talk

Ne-Yo Drops Line Dance-Ready “Ms. Tundra” Ahead of Country-Inspired Album ‘Highway 79’

Eric Alper
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Ne-Yo Drops Line Dance-Ready “Ms. Tundra” Ahead of Country-Inspired Album ‘Highway 79’

Ne-Yo releases “Ms. Tundra” today, the latest single from his forthcoming country-inspired album ‘Highway 79’, arriving July 10 via Compound Ent. Produced by Chuck Harmony, the high-tempo, line dance-ready track fuses Ne-Yo’s signature smooth vocals with upbeat country instrumentation, built for communal movement and crowd energy. The album was recorded entirely in Nashville and takes its title from Ne-Yo’s birth year and Highway 79 in Arkansas, the state where he was born.

‘Highway 79’ continues a country exploration that gained serious traction through 2025, including a historic Grand Ole Opry debut where he premiered “Simple Things” and performed a medley of hits including “So Sick.” Previously released tracks “Simple Things” and “Up Out & Gone” are expected to appear on the full record alongside “Ms. Tundra.”

Ne-Yo is currently on the road for the 57-city Nights Like This global tour alongside Akon, which kicked off April 24 at the 3Arena in Dublin and runs through August 21 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, hitting London, Paris, Atlanta, Houston, and Toronto along the way.

The release also lands during the 20th anniversary of his debut album ‘In My Own Words’, home to the breakout hit “So Sick,” marking a milestone moment as he opens an entirely new creative chapter.

Old Dominion Guitarist Brad Tursi Drops Cheeky Fifth Single “Hard To Get High” Ahead of Solo Album ‘Colorado’

Eric Alper
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Old Dominion Guitarist Brad Tursi Drops Cheeky Fifth Single “Hard To Get High” Ahead of Solo Album ‘Colorado’

Brad Tursi releases “Hard To Get High” today, the fifth single from his forthcoming sophomore solo album ‘Colorado’, arriving June 12 via Universal Music Corp/Turs and Chorus. A tongue-in-cheek look back at excess and the search for escape, the track rides a head-bopping, rhythm-driven groove with a grittier edge than his work with Old Dominion while keeping the hook-driven writing that’s made him one of Nashville’s most trusted songwriters.

“The stuff that feels good in life is, unfortunately, sometimes also bad for you,” Tursi says. “Unless it’s good love, of course. You can never get enough of good love.” That balance of wit and warmth runs through the whole single and points toward what ‘Colorado’ is building toward.

Earlier this month, Tursi shared “Time With You,” a ragtime-leaning barroom collaboration with Lukas Nelson that showed the album’s range from a completely different angle. Together the singles make a compelling case for what’s coming June 12.

‘Colorado’ is entirely self-produced and self-written across 11 tracks tracing the arc of falling in love and building a life, with contributions from Josh Osborne and Trevor Rosen among others. With multiple number 1 hits and CMA Triple Play Awards already on his resume, this record turns that hitmaking instinct inward, and the result sounds like the most fully realized version of Brad Tursi yet.

Paris Jackson and Linda Perry Unleash Distortion-Heavy Alt-Rock Single “Teenage Drama”

Eric Alper
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Paris Jackson and Linda Perry Unleash Distortion-Heavy Alt-Rock Single “Teenage Drama”

Paris Jackson releases “Teenage Drama” today via Republic Records, the second single from her forthcoming project and another co-write with producer Linda Perry. Opening on a thick bassline and loose guitar before dropping into a distortion-heavy hook, the track balances gritty alternative rock with sharp cultural commentary, taking aim at performative culture, conformity, and the generational anxiety of growing up in a fractured modern world. “Here comes all the teenage drama, breaking bones to reach Nirvana,” she sings, and the song’s energy matches the line’s tension completely. It follows “Zombies in Love,” which explored how modern technology quietly numbs human connection, and together the 2 singles signal a bold, alternative-rock-leaning direction from an artist finding her footing with real confidence. Jackson performs at BottleRock Napa Valley tomorrow, May 23.


Joe Bonamassa Releases Two More Live Rory Gallagher Singles Ahead of ‘The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork’

Eric Alper
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Joe Bonamassa Releases Two More Live Rory Gallagher Singles Ahead of ‘The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork’

Joe Bonamassa releases “Bad Penny (Live)” and “Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)” today, the latest previews of ‘The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork’, his full tribute album and concert film arriving June 19 via J&R Adventures. Both tracks were recorded during Bonamassa’s sold-out three-night stand in Cork, Ireland, a tribute performed with the blessing of Gallagher’s family that grew from a planned one-off concert into something far larger as fans travelled from around the world to celebrate Gallagher’s music in the city most closely tied to his legacy.

“Bad Penny,” originally from Gallagher’s 1979 album ‘Top Priority’, was a live staple built on punchy groove and defiant blues-rock energy. Bonamassa’s Cork version leans into the tension and drive of the original rather than smoothing it out, with the crowd audibly locked in throughout. “Back On My Stompin’ Ground,” from Gallagher’s 1973 album ‘Blueprint’, offered one of the set’s most personal moments, a song about return and belonging performed in Gallagher’s hometown, with the arrangement given room to breathe and the audience carrying much of the emotional weight.

The full album spans 14 songs across the many dimensions of Gallagher’s catalog, from the explosive “Walk On Hot Coals” and “Bullfrog Blues” to more reflective moments like “Tattoo’d Lady” and “I Fall Apart.” DVD and Blu-ray editions include bonus features, among them ‘The Inspiration of Rory’, featuring conversations with Brian May and Slash, plus behind-the-scenes footage from Cork.

‘The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork’ arrives June 19 digitally, on CD/DVD, CD/Blu-ray, and double 180-gram red marble vinyl.

Four-Time Grammy Nominee Ingrid Andress Takes the High Road, Sort Of, With New Single “All The Best”

Eric Alper
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Four-Time Grammy Nominee Ingrid Andress Takes the High Road, Sort Of, With New Single “All The Best”

Ingrid Andress releases “All The Best” today via Warner Records Nashville, and the title is doing a lot of ironic work. A post-breakup song built around a biting, sarcastic chorus, the track finds Andress departing a deeply dysfunctional relationship and wishing her ex well, in the most pointed way possible. “I’m at a point in my life where I don’t get overly angry at someone if the relationship doesn’t work out, just annoyed,” she says. “Consider this a playful breakup song.” The release arrives as she wraps the Low-Key Sessions Tour, a six-city fan-curated run of stripped-down shows featuring unreleased material, closing out in Minneapolis. More new music is coming throughout the year as Andress finishes her third studio album, the follow-up to her celebrated sophomore record ‘Good Person’ and her Grammy-nominated debut ‘Lady Like’.

Universal Music Group and TikTok Sign New Multi-Year Global Licensing Agreement With Expanded AI Protections

Eric Alper
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Universal Music Group and TikTok Sign New Multi-Year Global Licensing Agreement With Expanded AI Protections

Universal Music Group and TikTok have announced a new multi-year strategic licensing agreement, building on their 2024 partnership and expanding what both companies can offer artists, songwriters, creators, and fans. TikTok will continue carrying UMG’s full recorded music and publishing catalogs, while the new deal adds enhanced marketing and advertising campaigns, e-commerce tools, and deeper artist development initiatives designed to help emerging artists build global audiences.

The AI protections built into the previous deal get a significant extension here. Both companies commit to removing unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform and to improving artist and songwriter attribution, a direct reinforcement of human artistry at a moment when the industry is navigating that terrain carefully. “This new agreement will help create even more opportunities for artists and songwriters to engage audiences, grow their communities and achieve career success on a global scale,” says Tracy Gardner, Global Head of Music Business Development at TikTok.

UMG’s Michael Nash called the deal a step toward “innovative new fan experiences” while improving social media monetization. The practical result for artists is a platform that combines music discovery, cultural conversation, and commercial tools in one place, with more resources behind the relationship than before.

Good Charlotte Bring the Motel Du Cap World Tour to Europe and the UK This November

Eric Alper
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Good Charlotte Bring the Motel Du Cap World Tour to Europe and the UK This November

Good Charlotte have announced their Motel Du Cap European and UK Tour, kicking off November 8 in Stockholm and running through a closing stretch of London at The O2 and Manchester at Co-op Live, with Yellowcard joining as support across the run. The announcement follows a sold-out arena run across Australia and New Zealand and comes the same weekend the band headlines Slam Dunk Festival, their first UK shows since 2019 and a fitting return for a band that helped shape the pop-punk scene the festival was built around.

The 2026 edition of Slam Dunk marks the festival’s 20th anniversary, and Good Charlotte headlining the main stage carries real weight given their role in defining the genre’s early 2000s peak. The European tour that follows hits Stockholm, Munich, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, and Paris before the UK dates close it out.

Alongside the tour announcement, Good Charlotte unveiled a limited capsule collaboration with cult British jewellery house The Great Frog and Painted Flowers, the Los Angeles and Tokyo-based creative collective founded by the Madden Brothers in collaboration with Tadaaki Wakamatsu. The capsule includes a handcrafted silver ring and a long-sleeve T-shirt, bringing together music, design, and subcultural craft in a way that reflects the band’s broader creative world.

Presales open May 27, with general on-sale following May 29 at 10am local time.

Good Charlotte 2026 European/UK Motel Du Cap Tour Dates:

Nov 8 – Stockholm – Hovet

Nov 11 – Munich – Zenith

Nov 13 – Brussels – Forest National

Nov 14 – Düsseldorf – Mitsubishi Electric Halle

Nov 16 – Amsterdam – AFAS Live

Nov 17 – Paris – Zenith Paris La Villette

Nov 19 – London – The O2

Nov 20 – Manchester – Co-op Live

Vince Gill Delivers a Career-Spanning Tiny Desk Concert That Earns Every Emotion It Asks For

Eric Alper
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Vince Gill Delivers a Career-Spanning Tiny Desk Concert That Earns Every Emotion It Asks For

Vince Gill brought 50 years of songwriting to the Tiny Desk, and the five-song set moves through his catalog with the quiet authority of an artist who has nothing left to prove and everything left to feel. The set opens with the rollicking “One More Last Chance” before settling into “Whenever You Come Around,” written about the first time Gill saw Amy Grant’s smile, then moves through the unreleased “Heroes,” destined for his ambitious 50 Years from Home monthly EP project, and “When a Soldier Dies,” inspired by a visit to Arlington Cemetery, before closing with “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” written after losing his brother 33 years ago and just added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. Backed by John Meador, John Jarvis, Jimmie Lee Sloas, and Billy Thomas, Gill’s voice remains extraordinary, and the blend of harmonies throughout the set is something that doesn’t happen without decades of trust between musicians. One of the best Tiny Desks in recent memory.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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