Jay Z announces new LP and film 4.44

                                                      Jay Z has announced his new album ‘4.44’ and and a film is to be released exclusively on TIDAL on June 30.

The ‘Encore’ rapper’s company TIDAL shared the details on Twitter posting a 30-second clip of a new song called ‘ADNIS’.

The video features ‘Moonlight’ actor Mahershala Ali, 43, as a boxer using a punch bag, which is be being held by the trainer portrayed by Danny Glover, 70, and it also features actress Lupita Nyong’o.

A second image shared on the micro-blogging site revealed the release date of June 30.

Alongside the image, it reads:”@S_C_ x ‘4:44’ album x 6/30 http://Sprint.TIDAL.com #TIDALXSprint (sic)”

The track appears to be a letter to the 47-year-old hip-hop legend’s father filled with lyrics he’s never brought up before.

He raps: “Letter to my dad that I never wrote/Speeches I prepared that I never spoke/Words on a paper that I never read/Prose is never penned, they stayed in my head (sic)”

The movie is reportedly set to be released through TIDAL only via a partnership with Sprint.

It comes after billboards with ‘4:44′ were spotted around New York City earlier this month.

Jay is set to perform at V Festival this August Bank Holiday Weekend in England and has several US festivals coming up.

They include Made In America in Philadelphia on September 2 and 3 and the Meadows Festival at Citi Field on September 15.

The ’99 Problems’ hitmaker’s last studio album was 2013’s ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’.

The album couldn’t come at a more fitting time with Jay welcoming twins into the world over the weekend with his wife Beyonce Knowles, 35, whom he also has five-year-old daughter Blue Ivy with.

The ‘Crazy in Love’ singer’s father Mathew Knowles confirmed the arrival of the power couple’s newest additions to their brood on Sunday (18.06.17).

He posted a picture of a birthday note, which read: “Happy Birthday to the twins! Love, Granddad. (sic)”

And he captioned the snap: “They’re here!#beyonce #twins #jayz #happybirthday (sic)”

BET honours Princess of Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka

South African music legend Yvonne Chaka Chaka is being honoured internationally with a BET International Global Good Power Award, on 29 June 2017.

Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s latest accolade, BET’s International Global Good Power Award, isn’t for her music, but for her work related to improving the health of Africans.

The South African songstress, fondly known as the Princess of Africa, has long been synonymous with excellence in the music industry, locally and internationally.

Her lyrics resonated with freedom fighters during the apartheid years. After democracy, her focus shifted when one of her backup singers died of malaria.

“She began the Princess of Africa Foundation, where she works to eradicate the effects of malaria, tuberculosis and HIV and to carry out community and social charity works,” said BET. “There, Chaka Chaka focuses on healthcare, education and sanitation.”

The foundation’s work includes making healthcare and vaccinations available to those in need. It also provides items such as bed nets and anti-mosquito sprays. “The foundation also educates citizens about malaria treatment and prevention, and works to promote literacy.”

Beyoncé’s father confirms the arrival of twins

Beyoncé’s father Mathew Knowles has confirmed the arrival of her twins as he wished them a Happy Birthday on social media.

The 35-year-old singer and her husband Jay Z – who already have five-year-old daughter Blue Ivy together – were believed to have welcomed the two newest additions to their brood after reports of the birth surfaced in the early hours of Sunday (18.06.17) morning, and now the star’s father Mathew Knowles has confirmed the happy news.

Taking to Twitter, Mathew posted a picture of a birthday note which read: “Happy Birthday to the twins! Love, Granddad.”

And he captioned the snap: “They’re here!#beyonce #twins #jayz #happybirthday (sic)”

Mathew also posted the same picture on his Instagram account, which featured the same caption.

Meanwhile, all other details on the birth have yet to be announced.

The power couple – who got married in 2008 – announced they were adding to their brood in February when the ‘Formation’ hitmaker posted a photograph of her burgeoning baby bump on her social networking sites.

She wrote at the time: “We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. – The Carters. (sic)”

The pair have remained relatively silent throughout the pregnancy but Beyonce’s mother Tina Knowles hasn’t been able to contain her excitement.

She said recently: “I’m so excited. I can’t wait.”

And 63-year-old Tina – who is also mother to 30-year-old singer Solange Knowles – has also praised her eldest daughter for being an “incredible parent”.

She said: “[Beyoncé and Jay Z are] incredible parents. She’s a really good mom. Really patient and kind. [My biggest lesson was] teaching them that what is on the inside counts more than what’s on the outside. I see her passing it on, and it makes me really proud because that was my biggest lesson.”