ASHANTI

Popular composer Burt Bacharach has died at 94.

Asakaa, or Ghana drill, is the latest hot sound from Africa, following the global success of Afrobeats.

2022 New Year's Eve Times Square Performances Ja Rule, Ashanti and Ryan Seacrest perform at the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Ben Hider/Invision/AP) (Ben Hider)NEW YORK — (AP) — Ryan Seacrest is still the king of New Year's Eve television, no matter what Andy Cohen may think. Seacrest, inheritor of ABC's 50-year-old “New Year's Rockin' Eve” from Dick Clark, reached 19.6 million viewers between 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. last weekend, the Nielsen company said. CBS had 3.9 million, Fox had 3 million, ABC had 2.8 million, Univision had 1.4 million, Ion Television had 1 million and Telemundo had 890,000. Its schedule stuffed with college football bowl games, ESPN had the highest prime-time average of any network last week, at 8.09 million.

Rockin' Ryan Seacrest is still the king of New Year's Eve television, no matter what Andy Cohen might say.

Earlier this summer, fans of Nelly and Shantel Jackson were shocked to learn that the two had called it quits after seven years of dating. […]

Soul Train Awards: Ashanti performs onstage during the 2021 Soul Train Awards presented by BET at The Apollo Theater in New York City. ( Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage)NEW YORK — Fifty years later, “Soul Train” is still the hippest trip in America. >> Read more trending newsOn Sunday night, the 2021 Soul Train Awards celebrated 50 years of the music dance show started by the late Don Cornelius in October 1971. “‘Soul Train’ has meant darn near everything to me over the years,” El DeBarge told Essence. Having DeBarge on ‘Soul Train’ as many times as he did -- because we didn’t have many videos out -- back then, Don kept us visual.

Ashanti‘s month-long birthday celebration known as “Shantober” appeared to be in full effect on Oct. 21 after she uploaded a sultry bikini video. The singer, […]

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. “The White Tiger” shows her acting chops in a way that American productions have thus far failed to. The film, from director Gabriela Cowperthwaite (“Blackfish”), is adapted from Matthew Teague’s Esquire article about his own experience. — AP Film Writer Lindsey BahrMUSIC— After a hectic 2020, all you need is the smooth and soothing sound of Rhye to help you start the new year right. — AP Music Editor Mesfin FekaduTELEVISION— The rise and impact of one of the first female rap groups is dramatized in the Lifetime movie “Salt-N-Pepa” (8 p.m. EST Sunday).

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. Shia LaBeouf co-stars as her partner and Ellen Burstyn gets a meaty supporting role as her mother. “Pieces of a Woman” is not for the faint of heart but in the trauma, there is catharsis too. It’s loosely based on Davidson’s own life and childhood loss and the comedian gets a co-writing credit, too. It adds to the anticipation of his sophomore album, “Dangerous: The Double Album,” to be released Friday.