The time for just looking and not acting is long gone. At a time where our country is reevaluating itself and processing before the upcoming midterm elections, music streamer Tidal unveiled their fourth annual Tidal X show at the Barclays last night, with a heavy emphasis on social justice. Lil Wayne and Lauryn Hill headlined the benefit concert with hip-hop’s poster child for social justice, Meek Mill also appearing on the marquee. Tidal is working in conjunction with different organizations to fight social injustice, such as Cut 50, which is dedicated to cutting crime in in all 50 states, and the Equal Justice Initiative, who fight mass incarceration of minorities. 
 
Teyana Taylor started the night, backed by a squadron of dancers who all wore red, as did she. With a navy blue Yankee fitted hat, the multitalented performer served “Gonna Love Me,” a highlight from her K.T.S.E. (short for Keep That Same Energy).
 
Following with short but soulful sets were Patrick Droney, on guitar, and Cautious Clay. Newcomer Arin Ray sped up the tempo with and lightened the mood with his sing-songy raps on “We Ain’t Homies.”
 
“Y’all ready for a fu--in’ show tonight?” Ray asked the crowd who responded with a hearty “yeah.”
 
Ray, as many remember, was eliminated from the “X Factor” when he was just 15 years in 2011. Since then, the singer has written songs for Chris Brown and most recently toured with H.E.R. 
 
Ray made way for S.I.R., T.D.E. Record’s latest superstar-in-the-making. The crooner started with a stirring serving of “Something New,” then went into “War.”
 
“I'm not backing down,” he sang. “I made it too far to say that the war is over now. Somehow I was neglecting the fact. That your heart is what you're protecting. And that makes it special. Which is why I'm here. Standing on this ledge, trying to make it clear.”
 
Sir’s affection went from a woman to Mary Jane on “D’Evils.” The Inglewood, CA native told the New York crowd that he smokes on that Cali OG and harmonized as the sampled chorus on his song rang throughout Barclays, “One spliff a day, keeps the evil away.”
For more coverage on Tidal X, stay tuned to LiveXLive.

We’re less than 2 weeks away from the opening of a film fans have been waiting on for nearly a decade. Bohemian Rhapsody, the Queen/Freddie Mercury biopic, opens nationally on November 2nd, and the Slacker fam could not be more excited. Since the project was announced in 2010, we’ve been through at least three possible Freddie Mercury incarnations & two different directors.

But it’s finally here! And we know it because Rami Malek is on a press tour. He sat down with Stephen Colbert recently to talk about the stress of having to perform AS Freddie in front of the actual remaining members of the band, and how the spirit of Freddie had a message for him.

See what Rami has to say about playing a Rock Legend and then gear up for the film with Slacker’s Queen: The Count Up station!

LeBron James is trying to take all the jobs. Being a perennial NBA All-Star and four-time MVP wasn't enough, so he added a television and film producer credits to his resume. To go with that, he’s also become a flawless talk show host, conducting hip hop’s most talked about interview on his HBO show “The Shop,” when Drake dropped by to discuss his grievances with Pusha T and Kanye West.
And yet, with sports, television, movies and hosting on the resume, James seems to be pushing into his next gig: music influencer.
Anyone that follows James on social media knows his other passion is music. He enjoys showcasing himself vibing to the latest and greatest tunes, whether it be the Push T “Daytona" LP (oh, the irony) or Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter V. Last week, the LA Laker co-signed Usher’s "A," telling the world his appreciation for the song “Peace Sign” in particular.
 
“I saw LeBron and he put my name in it. Shout LeBron. He shouted me out,” Zaytoven told LiveXLive on Friday in New York, as he was in town to screen his new movie “Birds of a Feather II” at a Tracklib event, and to shoot an Axe commercial with Lil Yachty.
 
Usher and Zaytoven connected in Los Angeles for just a few days on the A. The album was  completed in just about a week. James’ favorite “Peace Sign” is one of the project’s crown jewels, serving as a muse for subsequent songs during the recording process. 
 
“’Peace Sign’ was the first song we did that made me feel like ‘we got something now,’” according to Zaytoven. “Like, ‘we got the core sound of what it needs to sound like.’ You know how you just doing songs like ‘oh that sounds good; that’s pretty hard.’ ‘Peace Sign’ was the one that made me be like ‘oh wait a minute. Now we got something.’”
 
Zay produced all eight songs on the album and true to his expeditious reputation, the beats took him an average of five to ten minutes to concoct. 
 
“Usher and the other people that were in the room that’s writers, they was kinda just piecing it together,” Zay told of the process. “As I’m making the beat, we’re coming up with ideas or they’re coming up with ideas to how to sing the song. Somebody got an idea, ‘go get in the mic booth. Say it. Ok Usher go put your piece on it.’ Once you hear Usher’s voice on the beat, you know it’s magic.”
 
You’re free to listen to “A" and decide for yourself, but influential media mogul and sometimes-music-influencer LeBron James is clearly feeling that magic.

So what artist is going to be the next to benefit from the Zaytoven sound and garner a hit? The bet says he’s working with “everyone.”

While at the screening at IMI studio in Manhattan, Zay Also divulged he’s adding some more arsenal to his repertoire by sampling for the first time ever. He recently recently joined the Creators Advisory Board for Tracklib, the world’s first and only online crate-digging and music sample clearance service. Legendary hitmakers Erick Sermon and Prince Paul are also among those working with Tracklib.

Pardi’s party with Cardi. Newburgh, NY’s own Pardison Fontaine made his stage performance last night at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in grand fashion, joining collaborator/superstar Cardi B to perform their new single “Backin’ It Up."

Fontaine collaborated heavily via his pen on Cardi’s "Invasion Of Privacy," and the two are carrying the momentum over on Pardison’s club banger.

“Sleeping in the studio, sleeping on the couch,” Pardi reminisced on the BET green carpet award show in Miami. “I’m out here. 10 million views later. On the carpet. I made it to the carpet.”

And on that carpet, Fontaine ran into fellow New Yorkers, Dream Doll and producer/ DJ/ label CEO DJ Self. Dream has aspirations of getting from the carpet to the stage to collect some awards.

“I ain’t gonna know how to act. Turn the f--k up!l" Dream said of her reaction whenever she earns her first award. “Live my best life.”

Dream isn’t nominated this year but she did just drop her project Life in Plastic 2.

Fontaine did hit that stage, though, joining a long list of fan favorite performers at this year’s BET Hip-Hop Awards, including T.I., Lil Duval, Lil Pump, Lil Baby, Gunna, Gucci Mane and Young M.A.