Quavo talks new album, fatherhood, viral 'Hotel Lobby' and working on Migos project with Offset

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quavo is embracing fatherhood and healing with a sense of purpose. His new album, "QRÖMELIFE," executive produced by Pharrell Williams, is out Friday. The album features artists including Justin Timberlake, Tyler, The Creator, and reunites Quavo with Offset. Quavo says fatherhood has changed his perspective, motivating him to be present for his daughter. Pharrell helped him return to his melodic roots. The album's release coincides with the viral resurgence of Quavo and Takeoff’s 2022 “Hotel Lobby” performance. Quavo reflects on balancing Takeoff’s legacy with new projects, including a potential Migos album.

Victoria Monét’s ‘Frequency of Love’ aims to strike the optimal sonic vibration

NEW YORK (AP) — Victoria Monét is back with 22 new tracks of music for her project “Frequency of Love.” The work follows three years after the artist's Grammy-winning “Jaguar II” album. The new studio project will be out Friday and features heavyweights Bruno Mars and SZA, as well as Bryson Tiller and Leon Thomas. Monét says she was inspired by Michael Jackson’s risk-taking creativity between “Off the Wall” and “Thriller.” The singer won best new artist, best R&B album and best non-classical engineered album at the 2024 Grammys. She's now gearing up to tour starting in late October. She also recently graduated as the top student from a culinary school.

Movie Review: In 'Digger,' a 'Dr. Strangelove' for the climate change era

Just as the fate of the world hangs in the balance in “Digger,” movie creator Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s over-the-top climate-disaster satire teeters on the brink. AP Film Writer Jake Coyle says the film is an audacious plate-spinning act, juggling exaggerated farce, sober anxieties and an oil-mad Tom Cruise. Iñárritu is an art house showman, and he has always delighted in a grandiosity of vision. You come to an Iñárritu movie for swagger, not subtlety. And “Digger,” which is “Dr. Strangelove” for the climate change era, isn’t trying to mince words. Its desire to make a statement and shake up its audience is unlikely to find broad critical favor. But there are times to go big. Can you dig it?

No longer a secret, Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes doc 'You Can See Everything' lands in New York

NEW YORK (AP) — No longer a secret, “You Can See Everything,” Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary, has premiered at the New York Film Festival. The film screened Wednesday is a strange, hard-to-believe coda to the preposterous saga of the founder of medical testing company Theranos. Since first debuting in a surprise, no-phones screening at the Telluride Film Festival on Sept. 6, “You Can See Everything” has become one of the year’s most buzzed-about films. Shot secretly over three years, the nearly three-hour documentary captures Holmes in the 34 days before reporting to prison.

Donor revives fraud claims against Christian worship leader Sean Feucht over a $250,000 donation

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal lawsuit in California accuses Christian worship leader Sean Feucht of lying about needing funds for a nationwide concert tour.  Southern California businessperson Steve Bray claims Feucht solicited a $250,000 donation for the tour, which was already fully funded by another large organization. Bray's initial lawsuit was dismissed due to lack of evidence, but he has refiled with more specifics. Feucht, known for protest concerts during the pandemic, denies the allegations. He insists all donations were used appropriately. This isn't the first time Feucht has faced financial scrutiny. Former associates have accused him of mismanagement and emotional abuse.

'Verity' puts Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett in a steamy Colleen Hoover thriller

Anne Hathaway stars in “Verity,” a psychological thriller where trust is elusive. She plays a novelist who can't speak or move after an accident, but her secret autobiography reveals much. Dakota Johnson plays Lowen, a struggling author hired to finish Verity's novels, who becomes entangled in Verity's life and marriage. Josh Hartnett plays Verity's husband, adding to the suspense. The film, based on Colleen Hoover's bestseller, opens Friday. It is directed by Michael Showalter who was inspired by Hitchcock. Hathaway, also a producer, wraps up a busy year with this release, marking her fifth major film.

Tokyo court grants legal protection to human voices in AI clone case

TOKYO (AP) — A Tokyo court has awarded legal protection for the human voice in a landmark case involving a popular Japanese anime voice actor. The court ruled Wednesday that Kenjiro Tsuda's voice was used without permission on TikTok. The decision marks Japan's first acknowledgment of voice rights. Tsuda, known for his roles in anime, sued over an AI clone of his voice used in videos. The court found this unauthorized use an infringement of publicity rights. The ruling comes as concerns rise among voice actors about AI cloning. The TikTok account in question has already been closed.

At Paris Fashion Week, Chloé bets on stars, lingerie and lace in a tougher luxury market

PARIS (AP) — Chloé's latest show at Paris Fashion Week features lingerie, lace and fishermen’s coats, drawing attention amid a challenging time for luxury brands. L’Oréal recently surpassed LVMH as France’s most valuable company, and experts predict modest growth in personal luxury goods this year. Designer Chemena Kamali revisits Chloé’s archives for her spring-summer 2027 “Obsession” collection, blending personal affection with the brand's legacy of easy dressing. The collection includes broderie anglaise, puffed sleeves and romantic harnesses. Fishermen’s coats and capes add drama, while tailoring offers structure, highlighting Kamali's clear vision and love for Chloé.

Rapper Rick Ross stands charged with battery after a woman alleges domestic violence

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say rapper Rick Ross was arrested in Miami Beach and charged with battery after a woman he was living with told police he hit her. Officials say Ross, whose legal name is William Roberts II, surrendered himself at the Miami Beach Police Station early Thursday. He has since been released on cash bond. Online court records show Ross faces a felony charge of battery by strangulation, as well as a misdemeanor battery charge. An attorney for Ross said in a statement that Ross is being wrongfully accused by an ex-girlfriend whose true motivations are unclear. The attorney said the 50-year-old rapper has pleaded not guilty.

As India and China repair ties, a Tibet film tells the story of a forgotten resistance

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — “Four Rivers Six Ranges” brings Tibet’s little-known resistance history to the screen through the story of ordinary Tibetans who helped the Dalai Lama escape to India in 1959. Director Shenpenn Khymsar covertly filmed the historical drama in Nepal’s Mustang region, where Tibetan guerrillas later fought Chinese forces in the 1960s. The film comes as the Dalai Lama’s succession looms and India and China seek to repair ties. Chinese state media has accused the film of platforming separatism. The film's Indian release was delayed as China's leader visited the country. The filmmaker and experts said it was important for Tibetans to tell their own history before those stories are lost.