“We live in a nation with a criminal justice system that is like a cancer on the souls of our country” said Senator Cory Booker speaking to the crowd at the Barclays Center last night for the fourth annual Tidal X show. Booker noted that America’s motto is “land of the free,” but one out every for incarcerated people in the world are here in the United States. He also pointed out that the U.S. has shockingly high rates of women in prison as well as “the vulnerable,” poor and drug addicted. Booker declared that you are treated better in the judicial system if you are rich and guilty than poor and innocent, admonishing the U.S. legal system for “the perpetuation of racial divide, overwhelmingly locking up Black and Brown people.” A sobering statistic was provided, stating that African Americans are 3.7 times more likely to be arrested than someone who is white. The politician told the crowd that there are more Black people in the United States under criminal supervision today than there were slaves in 1850. 
 
CNN Van Jones followed shortly after with equally potent and eye opening words.

Jones told the Brooklyn spectators he was proud to be in the building but was also very “tired.”
 
“Too much violence, too many prisons,” he lamented. “I’m tired of going to funerals with young people in the caskets and gray haired people in the pews.” Jones added he was also tired of going to prisons and seeing geniuses and artists locked up “for stuff that rich folks do every day…” Jones later admonished the U.S. judicial system for having “women trying to give birth, shackled and beaten like animals.”
 
He then promised change.
 
“We are going to bring the horror of mass incarceration to an end,” the journalist declared. “We are done with it. Thank you Roc Nation and Tidal for standing up to these people.”
 
Jones divulged that Roc Nation and Tidal have raised over ten million dollars for criminal justice reform prior to tonight and all of the proceeds from the charity concert are going towards four organizations; Jones’ own Cut 50, Equal justice, The Innocent Project and Reform. 
 
The heavy mood changed back to festive when Anderson .Paak, backed by the musical ensemble Free Nationals, came out for his single “Bubblin’.” After reaching back for his monster hit “Come Down,” the acclaimed Grammys winner brought out Too $hort for “Blow The Whistle.”
 
Nick Jonas kept the party going with “Right Now” and then preached reaching the “Levels” of his girl’s love. “I know we can get higher, there’s levels to your love” he belted out. Jonas then slowed the tempo, standing center stage on the mic in a stand on “Close.” 
 
“Cause if I want you, then I want you babe,” he explained. “Ain’t going backwards, won’t ask for space. Cause space was just a word made up by someone who’s afraid to get to.”
 
Jonas’ ended on a high note with his finale “Jealous.”

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!

There’s been a lot of talk over the last – oh, let’s say two decades or so, about how women in country music are not being fairly represented on the radio. “Women don’t want to hear women,” we’re told over and over, even though there’s lots of evidence that it isn’t true.

That’s why it was so important for CMT to recognize some of them in its annual Artists of the Year special – all of the honorees were women. Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, and Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild were recognized for their contributions to the format, and Loretta Lynn was given the Artist of a Lifetime award.

In her acceptance speech, Miranda talked about the importance of women lifting each other up.

Hillary, who accepted her award from her Lady A bandmates Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, talked about teaching her girls about chasing their dreams. (And this is how I also found out I’ve been pronouncing her daughter Eisele’s name wrong)

Maren’s speech started with the disbelief that Sheryl Crow handed her the award, and how inspired she is by her fellow honorees.

Kelsea talked about the gift of the women who’ve inspired and taught her who have also shared their stages with her and helped her, and the importance of supporting one another.

Little Big Town’s Jimi and Phillip were the ones to give awards their bandmates Karen and Kimberly, who promised to be Gladys Knight’s backup singers in heaven. And they talked about how important this night was for women, and listed a LOT of the up-and-coming women in country music who also deserve support.

Sadly, Loretta Lynn was sick and couldn’t make it to the show, but her good friend Sissy Spacek, who played her in Coal Miner’s Daughter, and who was already set to do the honors, accepted the award on her behalf, and to a standing ovation.

If you missed the show, it will air again on CMT, or you can watch the whole thing on their website. It’s worth the time – these women rock (in a country way)!

Slim Shady's not letting his age slow him down as he performs late night for Jimmy Kimmel atop the Empire State Building with his latest hit "Venom" from the new movie Venom soundtrack. Enjoy!