Happy Veterans Day! Here are the latest hot topics about some of your favorite musicians:
Stevie Wonder is among 19 people who will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom this year. This medal is the highest honor awarded to US civilians and recognizes their contributions to US security, world peace and cultural achievement. President Barack Obama will be awarding the medals at a White House ceremony on November 24. According to the President, the winners of this prestigious medal “helped write new chapters in America’s story.” Congratulations, Stevie! [Billboard]
Rihanna is also getting the presidential treatment. The singer had a visit at the White House yesterday and channeled her inner Olivia Pope in a slew of Instagram photos. She posted photos of herself posed at various places in the West Wing and outside of the President’s residence with cheeky Scandal-themed captions like “Fitz, Darling…,” and “Cyrus, let me in!” while she was standing outside on the White House lawn. She later posted a group pic with the caption “West Wing Posse!! We wanna be O.P.A. so bad!!! #DayAtTheWhiteHouse” [Popsugar]
Seems like R&B singer Ginuwine may be on the verge of bankruptcy. The singer has reportedly fallen on hard times after his divorce from rapper Solé. Now Ginuwine—real name Elgin Baylor Lumpkin—owes over $300,000 to the IRS. “Mr. Lumpkin is very close to declaring bankruptcy,” said his lawyer, Bruce Beckner. “He owes my firm a ton of money and a bunch of other people a ton of money. He owes Uncle Sam 300-odd thousand dollars in back income taxes.” Robert Reives, the executive producer of Ginuwine’s debut album, says the singer also owes him royalties. Meanwhile, Ginuwine says “he isn’t owed anything,” and that Reives’ claim falls outside of the statute of limitations. The two will argue their cases in court. [The Grio]
We heard it through the grapevine that Solange Knowles is getting married this weekend! A source exclusively told Us Weekly that the singer plans to wed her longtime boyfriend, Alan Ferguson, near her home in New Orleans in just a few days. While details of the ceremony are being kept secret, the source claims that the wedding party will be having a movie night on Friday, a wedding rehearsal on Saturday, and that couple will officially take their vows in a small ceremony before their family and friends on Sunday. If the rumors are true, this will be Knowles’ second wedding. She married her son Julez’s father in 2004 at the age of 17. [Us Weekly]