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Exclusive: Industry star Myha’la Herrold and Never Have I Ever star Benjamin Norris are entering the world of scripted podcasts.

The pair are to star in YA podcast series Academy, which has been described as having a “tinge of Euphoria” from Wondery and At Will Media. The series will launch exclusively and ad-free on Amazon Music and Wondery+ on July 20.

The series is a coming-of-age audio drama set at Bishop Gray Academy, a world of high-stakes and cut-throat competition. It follows Ava Richards (Herrold), a scholarship student who transfers to Bishop Gray, one of the most elite and competitive boarding schools in America. As Ava tries to find her place in this high-pressure environment, she soon crosses paths with an underground society known as The Night of the Wolf, which caters to the school’s wealthiest students and enforces strict secrecy. With trust in short supply, Ava must navigate a...

Macklemore is opening up about his 2020 relapse. In an interview for The Kelly Clarkson Show, the rapper opened up about the “intense time,” and how it became a “catalyst for art” in his upcoming album, Ben.

“I’m used to a certain schedule of touring, of being gone, of being home, of recovery and being able to go to a physical 12-step meeting. That stopped during Covid. Eventually, I’m on Instagram while being on Zoom and I’m just not really paying attention to the meetings,” he said. “Eventually,...

Macklemore pays tribute to his less-than-savory childhood idols on his new song, “Heroes,” featuring DJ Premier.

The track boasts throwback boom-bap production from Budo, with Premier crafting a hook out of his signature scratching and chopped-up samples. Over his two verses, Macklemore puffs his chest as he recounts his childhood fascination with gangsters, rappers, and petty crooks of all kinds. The most self-aware part comes when he nods to his present-day status as a dad, comparing viewings of Frozen with his kids to his childhood viewings of Menace II Society:...

Macklemore is reflecting on the difficulties of staying sober. On Friday, the rap star released his latest single “Faithful” with Nle Choppa, where he opened up about his mental health and his friendship with Mac Miller. He also announced that his upcoming album Ben, his first LP in six years, comes out on March 3.

“They say that a day clean is a day won,” the rapper tweeted with the song.

On the song — and in the John Peterson-directed video — Macklemore speaks on the difficulty of trying to stay off drugs,...

Macklemore appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform his recent single, “Maniac.” Appearing with Windser, his guest on the track, Macklemore gave the performance at vintage flair, complete with backup singers and a ’50s backdrop.

“Maniac” arrived last month following Macklemore’s single “Chant,” which dropped in July. It was produced by Ryan Lewis, Macklemore’s former musical partner, and Budo.

“The first time I heard Windser singing the hook on ‘Maniac’ I fell in love with it,” Macklemore said in a statement when the single dropped in August. “It...

The video for Macklemore’s new single “Chant” begins with the rapper rising out of a misty lake and directly addressing his deepest insecurities. “They told me that I vanished,” he raps in his opening lines. “They told me that I had it/They told me that I’m gone…They can’t take my talent/They can’t take my stripes.”

This might be a surprising sentiment for an artist who’s racked up billions of streams over the past decade, headlined huge concerts all across the globe, and won major awards.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest is down two performers, with LL Cool J and singer-actress Chlöe both cancelling their planned appearances on the ABC special.

LL Cool J, who was set to perform some of his best-known songs live from New York City’s Times Square, confirmed to our sister site Variety that a positive Covid-19 test prompted his exit from the lineup, sharing, “I know it’s disappointing to the millions of fans but my test came back positive for Covid, which means I’ll no longer be able to perform as scheduled...

LL Cool J is pulling out of this year’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022″ after testing positive for Covid-19. The ABC special, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, is still moving forward as planned with hosts Seacrest and Liza Koshy, but will have to make an adjustment due to the hip-hop star’s absence.

“I know it’s disappointing to the millions of fans but my test came back positive for Covid, which means I’ll no longer be able to perform as scheduled at ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,'” LL Cool J said in a statement. “We were ready and I was really looking forward to ringing in 2022 in my hometown in a special way, but for now I wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year. The best is yet to come!“

As had been planned, 2021 Rock & Roll...