Indian rapper Divine excited about Dubai gig
Indian rapper-composer Divine – whose autobiographical single Jungli Sher had a music video shot with an iPhone – has shared his excitement about his gig at The Music Room in Dubai tomorrow. "I am very excited and totally looking forward to be performing for the first time in Dubai. This set will also include the renowned Jai Row Kavi with his magic on the drums, in addition to Spin Doctor on the turntables and Joel D'souza doing the hyping business," Divine said. The rapper, real name Vivian Fernandez, rose from Mumbai's slums to become a poster boy for Indian hip-hop following the 2013 release Yeh Mera Bombay. He was named Best New Artist 2015 by iTunes and Apple Music in India, and as one of the top six artistes to watch out for in 2016 by the BBC Asian Network. His song Meri Galli Mein was honoured as Best Video of last year by the Rolling Stone magazine. – IANS
Latin Grammy honour for Marc Anthony
Salsa star Marc Anthony has been named 2016 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. The academy will honour the five-time Latin Grammy and two-time Grammy winner on November 16, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, on the eve of the Latin Grammys. “I was ecstatic when I received the news,” Anthony said. “It is an honour and I am humbled.” He has sold more than 12 million albums, with hits including salsa songs in Spanish and pop hits in English, including I Need to Know and You Sang to Me. – AP
Salsa star Marc Anthony has been named 2016 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. The academy will honour the five-time Latin Grammy and two-time Grammy winner on November 16 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, on the eve of the Latin Grammys. “I was ecstatic when I received the news,” Anthony said. “It is an honour and I am humbled.” He has sold more than 12 million albums, with hits including not only salsa songs in Spanish but also pop hits in English, including I Need to Know and You Sang to Me. He is also co-founder and vice chairman of the Maestro Cares Foundation, which helps rescue and providing critical resources to impoverished children in Latin America. – AP
John Williams greets musicians outside home
Two musicians earned a personal greeting from legendary Hollywood film composer John Williams by playing his Star Wars theme outside of his Los Angeles home. A video of their performance was posted on YouTube by Michael Miller, himself a TV composer. The clip shows him playing the famous sci-fi movie theme on flugelhorn alongside 13-year-old trumpet player Bryce Hayashi. The 84-year-old composer came out and joked that he didn't think the teenager would be able to hit the high notes – but he did. Miller said he came up with the "wild and crazy" idea to take the youngster, who he was mentoring, to serenade the composer. – IANS
Matt Damon ‘makes a million a line’
Matt Damon has made headlines after revealing his iconic character has only 25 lines in the latest Bourne film. The amnesiac super-spy returns to the big screen next week in the first new instalment of the Robert Ludlum-based thriller series since 2012, and the first starring Damon in nine years. Vanity Fair pointed out that, given his limited dialogue, Damon was probably earning at least US$1million (Dh3m) a line in the blockbuster. His fee for being wooed back to the franchise has not been made public, but he was paid $26m for The Bourne Ultimatum in 2007, according to Forbes magazine. Paul Greengrass, director of The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) was persuaded to rejoin Damon for the new chapter of the franchise after both men sat out 2012's The Bourne Legacy, which starred Jeremy Renner. – AFP
Twilight author writes spy thriller
Twilight author Stephenie Meyer's next novel is a thriller, without vampires. Little, Brown and Co announced on Tuesday that The Chemist will be published on November 15. The company says the book features a former government agent living underground and forced to "take one more case to clear her name and save her life". The Chemist is Meyer's second book for adults after 2008's The Host. Meyer's Twilight books have sold more than 150 million copies and were made into a blockbuster film series starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. – AP
Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney ‘taking a break’
Lady Gaga and her fiancé, actor Taylor Kinney, are "taking a break", a representative for the singer announced on Tuesday. No more details were provided. Gaga and Kinney, a star of the NBC series Chicago Fire, were engaged last year on Valentine's Day. They met in 2011 on the set of Gaga's You & I video. Gaga is working on her next solo album, which comes after 2014's Grammy-winning Cheek to Cheek with Tony Bennett and Artpop, released in 2013. She won a Golden Globe this year for her role in the series, American Horror Story: Hotel, and she was nominated at the Academy Awards for her song, Til It Happens to You. – AP
