Musicians

Livestreamed concerts are now a common feature of the coronavirus age, with musicians vying for a spot on the overcrowded virtual stage even when they're doing it for free.

"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" is getting turned upside-down as a gritty drama set to be executive produced by Will Smith, Hollywood trade publications reported on Aug. 11.     

The idea for a dark modern-day "reimagining" of the smash hit 1990s sitcom that launched Smith's acting career came from superfan Morgan Cooper, who shot and posted his own four-minute trailer last year.    

Beyonce on June 7 delivered a message to the graduating Class of 2020, marking their achievement with a speech amplifying messages of the Black Lives Matter movement and praising change-makers.

The superstar artist was among a roster of A-listers to participate in YouTube's global virtual commencement ceremony "Dear Class of 2020."

The Court of High Misdemeanours in Zagreb on Wednesday ruled that the controversial nationalist singer Marko Perkovic, widely known as Thompson, did not violate public order and breach then peace with his use of the chant "Za dom spremni" ("Ready for the homeland") in his song Bojna Cavoglave.

Hundreds of Greeks danced and sang from their cars at a drive-in music concert, the first such event since the country banned mass gatherings to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Turkish viola player Ruşen Güneş died on May 29 at the age of 80 in London, where he had been living since 1969.

Cardi B, Diddy, Ciara and LeBron James led the way of celebs outraged over the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd, after a police officer drove his knee into the back of Floyd's neck, rendering him unable to breath

Renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli said on May 26 he had caught the novel coronavirus but was now recovered, describing the experience as "a nightmare".    

Bocelli, who has been blind since age 12, raised spirits in Italy during the pandemic, which has killed nearly 33,000 people, by singing alone in Milan's Duomo on April 12.    

Jimmy Cobb, a percussionist and the last surviving member of Miles Davis' 1959 "Kind of Blue" groundbreaking jazz album which transformed the genre and sparked several careers, died on May 24.

His wife, Eleana Tee Cobb, announced on Facebook that her husband died at his New York City home from lung cancer. He was 91.

Singer Rihanna has stormed into the Sunday Times Rich List of musicians at number three, with an estimated wealth of 468 million pounds ($576 million), thanks partly to the success of her fashion and cosmetics brands with Louis Vuitton-owner LVMH.