Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry 

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Tyler Perry Talks Doing "Madea" Impressions For Aretha Franklin

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Tune into "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" on Sunday, March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS to see the actor and comedian on host duties
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Mar 4, 2019 - 11:52 am

No one can say no to the Aretha Franklin, especially not actor and comedian Tyler Perry, who will host the star-studded show, Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul, airing on Sunday, March 10 on CBS and features performances from Patti LaBelle, Common, Janelle Monáe, Jennifer Hudson,  John Legend and more. 

So when The Queen of Soul called Perry up and said, "I wanna talk to Madea," he immediately got into role. "Can't say no to Aretha," he told the Recording Academy, before doing an impression of his beloved grandmother character: "Hellur?"

Tyler Perry Shares Memories Of Aretha And Madea

"Her voice was so universal and so strong and so powerful ... You could be from some small island in the south pacific and never heard her sing and hear her voice and know, wait a minute this woman is special. Her voice was the raising of the flag for all of us," Perry continued. 

Tune into "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" on Sunday, March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS to see Perry on host duties and the tributes that will honor the queen. 

Patti LaBelle On Her Hero, Aretha Franklin: "She Was The Greatest Singer In The World"

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Shirley Caesar

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Shirley Caesar Honors Aretha Franklin Through Gospel Music

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The singer performs "Mary, Don't You Weep" along with Yolanda Adams and BeBe Winans on "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul," airing on March 10
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Mar 6, 2019 - 1:05 pm

GRAMMY-winning gospel icon Shirley Caesar pays tribute to her longtime friend, the late Aretha Franklin, during the "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" airing on March 10.

"Aretha was my friend, we traveled together when we were children, we sang together," she said. "I am so glad, I am so glad that everybody, that all of these different organizations, if you will, are remembering her because she was such a blessing."

Shirley Caesar Honors Aretha Franklin With Gospel

Caesar will pay tribute to the legend's gospel roots. "Aretha comes from a background of preachers and singers and so she could not help, but be the person that she was when it comes to gospel," she said.

The singer performs "Mary, Don't You Weep" along with Yolanda Adams and BeBe Winans. She told the Recording Academy backstage during the taping earlier this year: "I know I can't sing it like her, but I can Caesrize it, you know."

Tune in this weekend to see all the special moments celebrating the icon. "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" will air on Sun., March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS.

Sneak Peek: Patti LaBelle, John Legend, SZA, Alicia Keys, Common & More Celebrate Aretha Franklin

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Patti LaBelle

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Patti LaBelle On Her Hero, Aretha Franklin: "She Was The Greatest Singer In The World"

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Watch LaBelle pay tribute to her hero with a "Call Me" cover
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Feb 28, 2019 - 11:30 am

What does one legend have to say about another? GRAMMY-winning singer Patti LaBelle had admirable words for the late soul icon Aretha Franklin at the taping of "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul," airing on CBS on Sun. March 10.

"She was a solid performer. She never stopped giving," LaBelle said. "She was the greatest singer in the world, to me. She's my hero and so many others' hero, she is." 

Patti LaBelle: No One Can Channel Aretha Franklin

Franklin died last August, and, as a tribute to the late performer, artists including Common, Janelle Monáe, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and more came together to sing some of her greatest songs. Regarding the performances, LaBelle, who sang "Call Me" at the celebration, shared more wisdom:

"You can't channel Aretha. Heck no. You just go up there and pray that she loves you," LaBelle said. "Ain't no channeling the queen, honey."

Tune into "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" on Sunday, March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS to catch LaBelle's full performance. 

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Wiz Khalifa

Photo: Timothy Norris/Getty Images for Coachella

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Wiz Khalifa Announces Decent Exposure Tour With French Montana & More

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The tour announcement comes days after the rapper released the 'Fly Times, Vol.1: The Good Fly Young' mixtape
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Apr 22, 2019 - 1:36 pm

Wiz Khalifa has announced plans to hit the road for his Decent Exposure Tour and will bring French Montana, Playboi Carti and more along with him.

The tour will kick off on July 9 in Atlanta, stop by in Cincinnati, Chicago, San Antonio, Texas, Denver and other cities before its last stop in Boise, Idaho on Aug. 15. Moneybagg Yo, DJ Drama and Chevy Woods will also tour with Khalifa. 

The tour announcement comes days after the rapper released the Fly Times, Vol.1: The Good Fly Young mixtape.

Tickets for the tour will be available to the general public Friday, April 26. For more information on tickets, visit the Ticketmaster website.  

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Imogen Heap of Frou Frou

Photo: Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images

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Frou Frou Release First Song In 15 Years, "Guitar Song (Live)"

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The duo, which comprises Imogen Heap and Guy Sigsworth, disbanded in 2004, but have reunited for Heap's Mycelia world tour
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Apr 19, 2019 - 4:16 pm

GRAMMY-winning musician and singer Imogen Heap and GRAMMY-nominated producer/musician Guy Sigsworth have released their first song in 15 years as electronic-pop duo Frou Frou.

"Guitar Song (Live)"  was released Friday (April 19) and is an acoustic love song. "Take your time, we'll feel our rhythm/ And find our feet, just like lovers do/ Me and you," Heap sings. 

 "Guitar Song: It’s a song—with guitar! Easy, breezy and summery. Like João Gilberto playing shoegazer music. Or something :),” Sigsworth said in a statement. 

The duo released their debut and only album, Details, in 2002. The album featured "Breathe In" and "Let Go," which appears and helped bring to life Zach Braff's film Garden State. The duo disbanded in 2004 but reunited for Heap's Mycelia World tour. 

"So happy to be releasing dear ‘Guitar Song’ with Guy, as Frou Frou,” Imogen Heap said in the statement. “We never really got to tour as Frou Frou that much but we are making up for it and opening every show on this World Tour we are on with this song."

The two will launch the U.S. leg of the Mycelia world tour on April 28 in Miami. For more information on the tour, visit Imogen Heap's website. Listen to their latest above. 

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