Music news: Snoop Dogg is all class, and Blur's 'Ballad of Darren' blows up
By Lee Vowell
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Isn't it fantastic when our favorite musical artists or athletes take a stand for something that helps the greater good? This is exactly what Snoop Dogg is doing in canceling two Hollywood Bowl shows he had scheduled for October 20th and 21st. Instead, per an Instagram post, he decided to stand in solidarity with the striking writers in the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the people involved with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
WAG has been on strike since early May. SAG-AFTRA went on strike earlier in July. Both labor disputes seem to have no end in sight, though the people striking are likely to have the worst of it. The executives who run the companies that contract them still are rolling in the money. For now.
Snoop Dogg's shows were originally scheduled on June 27th and 28th, but they were pushed back to October due to the WAG strike. Produced by Dr. Dre, the shows were supposed to be in honor of the 30th anniversary of the release of Snoop Dogg's album, Doggystyle. Now, with this ever-lasting strike, Snoop Dogg has decided to just go ahead and cancel.
This might upset some of his fans, but it is the correct thing to do. Like most of the writers, most likely, Snoop Dogg lives in Los Angeles. If everyone is part of the entertainment industry in your neighborhood and they are holding out for more money, would you still go to work too? Snoop Dogg isn't and good for him.
Snoop Dogg stands up and Blur is selling like crazy
As far as sales for Blur's new album, The Ballad of Darren, they are likely exceeding expectations in the UK. In fact, the album is selling so well that it has sold more copies than the rest of the top ten combined. Good to see Blur can still produce great music.
And the new album might be the best of the year so far. Sure, it may be too melancholy for some, but not fans of the band. And obviously, since the record is selling so well, people need a bit of melancholy in their lives.
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