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frobeats sensation Ayra Starr gears up for her sophomore album release this May, The Weeknd donates $2 Million to provide 18 million loaves of bread to Gaza families, Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou loses 15-month-old son. Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
1. Ayra Starr gears up for sophomore album release this May
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Nigerian pop star Ayra Starr is set to drop her highly anticipated sophomore album this May, according to a recent social media announcement. Details about the album remain scarce, but Starr has hinted at a more mature sound compared to her earlier work. In a previous interview, she described it as an “evolved” project that reflects her growth as a 21-year-old artist. This news comes after the release of her hit single “Comma” earlier this year, which has become the most streamed Nigerian song on Spotify in 2024.
The excitement is amplified as the album is rumored to feature rising Afrobeats stars Asake, Coco Jones, Giveon, Seyi Vibez, and more artists. Ayra Starr’s sophomore album promises to be a firecracker, blending her signature sound with the talents of these collaborators.
2. The Weeknd donates $2 Million to provide 18 million loaves of bread to Gaza families
The Weeknd donates an additional $2 MILLION to provide meals in Gaza, bringing it to a total of $4.5 MILLION. pic.twitter.com/NtTqifElUa
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) April 29, 2024
The Weeknd, who now uses his real name, Abel Tesfaye, has donated $2 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund to the World Food Programme to help people in Gaza. This donation will provide over 1,500 tons of fortified wheat flour, enough to make more than 18 million loaves of bread. This bread will feed more than 157,000 Palestinians for a month.
As fighting continues in Gaza, Tesfaye is actively helping those affected by the crisis. In December, he donated $2.5 million from his fund to support the World Food Programme’s efforts in Gaza. This earlier donation supplied around 1.8 million pounds of food, enough to feed over 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks. Currently, over one million Palestinians in Gaza are facing severe food shortages due to Israel’s bombardment of the strip.
3. South Africa: Thuso Mbedu, John Kani, and Kagiso Lediga cast in ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’
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South Africa’s Thuso Mbedu, John Kani, and Kagiso Lediga will star in Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King.” The movie’s first trailer came out on Monday. It tells the story through Simba, Timon (voiced by Billy Eichner), and Pumbaa (voiced by Seth Rogen). John Kani will voice Rafiki again, and Kagiso Lediga will voice a younger Rafiki. Thuso Mbedu, now based in the US, has gained international fame with roles in major movies like “The Woman King.” While Mbedu’s role isn’t known yet, she has been confirmed to star in the movie.
Renowned composers Lebo M. and Lin-Manuel Miranda will create new songs for this film. The director, Barry Jenkins, has shared that the film will explore two time periods: Mufasa’s past and Kiara’s present.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” is set to be released in theaters on December 20, 2024.
4. LeBron James’ wife, Savannah James, launces podcast
Savannah James and her friend, April McDaniel, have started a new podcast called “Everybody’s Crazy.” On the show, they discuss topics typically talked about among friends, and listeners also call in to share their stories. James, who usually keeps her personal life private, finds the podcast a new and liberating experience.
James said, “I think that for me, it’s freeing because it allows me to show a side of my personality. We are both very private, and I’ve been very private and kind of played the background this far in my husband’s career. But I am excited to venture off into new things, we’re going into new phases of our lives.”
The podcast “Everybody’s Crazy” launched on April 30.
5. Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou loses 15-month-old son
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Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou has announced the heartbreaking death of his 15-month-old son, Kobe. Ngannou shared his deep sadness in a moving social media post. “Too soon to leave, but yet he’s gone. My little boy, my mate, my partner, Kobe, was full of life and joy. Now, he’s laying without life. I shouted his name over and over but he’s not responding. I was my best self next to him and now I have no clue of who I am. Life is so unfair to hit us where it hurts the most.”
“How do you deal with such a thing? How can you live with it? Please help me if you have an idea because I really don’t know what to do and how to deal with this,” he wrote. The details of Kobe’s death have not been disclosed. Ngannou was supposed to start competing in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) against champion Renan Ferreira this summer, but now, his future in fighting is in doubt due to this sad news.
Featured Image: @ayrastarr/Instagram
Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2024.
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