Posts tagged: Kevin Hart

Nothing sizzles like Las Vegas in July. And with the temperature topping 100 degrees, these weekend events were no exception.

Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Weekend Takes Over Resorts World

It was an action-packed weekend at Resorts World Las Vegas as Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Weekend took over the property from July 6 to 9.

The actor and comedian celebrated his 44th birthday in partnership with AEG Presents and Resorts World, drawing J. Cole, Jack Harlow, Ludacris, Kaskade and RL Grime to Zouk Nightclub and Ayu Dayclub. Also on deck was stand-up comedy, exclusive events, podcast tapings, and the final shows of Hart’s Reality Check tour inside Resorts World Theatre.

Elsewhere in the comedy realm, the return of BET’s ComicView—featuring host and executive producer Mike Epps—highlighted live stand-up comedy performances at the resort’s Jalisco Underground. Additional headlining events included the inaugural Hartbeat Poker Invitational.

Victor Wembanyama & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Connect at NBA Con

Just three days after a member of his security team was accused of “backhanding” Britney Spears, 19-year-old Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4-inch San Antonio Spurs phenom, sat down with 76-year-old Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the inaugural NBA Con hosted by basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas.

A family-friendly celebration of hoops culture, NBA Con welcomed thousands of diehard basketball fans, over 100 talented stars and hosted a series of industry conversations to Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 7 to 9.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, formally announced the new NBA In-Season Tournament where he revealed it will culminate with semifinals on Dec. 7 and a championship on Dec. 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the 11-day NBA Summer League 2023 continues through July 17 at Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV where fans can witness the rise of talented rookies who are making their NBA debuts. Many special packages are available.

Denver Nuggets Bring Championship Trophy to Hakkasan

Keeping with basketball, the newly crowned NBA champions Denver Nuggets headed to Tao Group Hospitality hotspot Hakkasan at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino for a victory celebration. NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and the team fueled up for the night with dinner at the restaurant, feasting on signature dishes before making their way to Hakkasan Nightclub where they entered to cheers from the packed crowd at the stroke of midnight.

Players including Jamal Murray, Michael Porter, Bruce Brown, Aaron Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took over VIP tables on the stage and joined DJs Pauly D and Justin Credible in the booth and toasted their win with a three-liter bottle of Perrier Jouët Brut Champagne.

Vegas Golden Knights Showcase Stanley Cup at Wynn Las Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights reaped the rewards of their championship victory by visiting multiple Sin City venues. Wynn Las Vegas welcomed the team to Delilah supper club where they indulged in a full six-course meal from executive chef Joshua Smith, accompanied by bottles of Screaming Eagle wine.

The team continued their evening at Encore Beach Club at Night, where FAED duo DJ Five and EricDlux kept the party going. The night concluded with the team checking into Encore Tower Suites. The team also brought their post-game celebrations and Stanley Cup to OMNIA Nightclub inside Caesars Palace. The champs and the Stanley Cup joined DJ Steve Aoki in the booth to the cheers of the ecstatic crowd.

Later in the week, Barry’s Downtown Prime at Circa Resort & Casino welcomed the team fresh off their championship parade. Chef Barry S. Dakake prepared a feast for the 2023 champions and the team continued to celebrate its historic win in style. On another day, the team was spotted at Ski Lodge at Superfrico inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas where players celebrated their win by drinking out of the iconic Stanley Cup and toasting with the crowd.

If that wasn’t enough, Wynn Las Vegas welcomed the Vegas Golden Knights back to the resort for a second time in one week, where this time they celebrated at XS Nightclub. After joining award-winning DJ duo The Chainsmokers onstage, the Knights showered Perrier Jouët champagne over the crowd.

Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar Debuts at Mandalay Bay

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end and two-time Pro Bowler, Maxx Crosby, co-hosted the grand opening of Carver Road Hospitality’s Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill, retired NFL great Marshawn Lynch, Las Vegas Raiders’s O.J. Howard and Matthew Butler, and “Big Brother” alumnus Corey Brooks were among those in attendance.

Described as “the evolution of the Vegas sports bar,” Flanker features American favorite dishes like steaks, burgers, seafood, salads, and over-the-top desserts. The beverage program features craft cocktails and one of the Strip’s most formidable beer lists. The elevated environment is complete with a ceiling lighting design inspired by the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix track at night which guides guests through the main dining room and towards the massive 30-foot by nine-foot-tall LED viewing screen. Flanker also features a hidden and private karaoke room.

Ocean Prime Restaurant Opens in the Heart of the City 

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants has officially opened the nearly $20 million Ocean Prime Las Vegas at 63, the new four-story shopping complex at the southwest corner of Harmon and Las Vegas Boulevard, steps away from The Cosmopolitan and Crystals mall. The restaurant boasts 14,500 square feet with a nearly 2,500 square-foot rooftop terrace, more than 400 total seats, three bars and three private dining rooms. Numerous items are uniquely designed and exclusive to Ocean Prime Las Vegas including caviar and vodka service and the lounge menu featuring several new creations such as chips and caviar dip, crispy whole Maine lobster and A5 Wagyu Stix. The Las Vegas outpost is also the first Ocean Prime to offer regular brunch service every weekend.

La Popular CDMX Reveals Third U.S. Location at Palms

Mexico City’s premier restaurant group, Grupo Carolo, and California-based Eureka! Restaurant Group have unveiled the third La Popular CDMX location in the U.S. inside the Palms Casino Resort. Located on the casino floor, in the former Bobby Flay’s Shark space, the upscale chef-driven Mexican restaurant is an elevated take on classic dishes.

To celebrate its Sin City opening, La Popular’s Las Vegas location features specialty items exclusively available at Palms, such as quesabirria tacos, al pastor enchiladas and ribeye or adobo prawns fajitas. La Popular also serves breakfast all day from Friday to Sunday. La Popular’s cocktail menu features rare Mexican spirits, as well as emerging artisan products sourced from a variety of small-batch distilleries in Oaxaca, Jalisco, and Guadalajara.

True to La Popular’s brand, guests will be able to spot the signature disco ball in the center of the restaurant, along with nods to the mirrored globe throughout. A custom neon sign stating “Vegas Made Me Do It” is also featured on the extended veranda.

Green Valley Ranch Undergoing ‘Elevated’ Transformation

Station Casinos is continuing to reinvest in its portfolio of off-Strip resorts and has announced the start of a transformation coming to Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa & Casino in Henderson this year.

The property, which opened in 2001, recently showcased a newly refreshed pool and cabanas experience at the Backyard. Polaris Bar has opened and is centrally located on the casino floor featuring multiple screens for sports watching and a craft cocktail menu inspired by key coordinates worldwide.

Eric and Bruce Bromberg of Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Restaurants will bring Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill to the resort and the brothers will unveil an all-new Mediterranean concept featuring daily fish, meat, poultry and vegetable selections prepared in an open-concept kitchen. An upscale high limit slot will room will feature approximately 125 of the latest games and will offer personalized service and access to a dedicated bar and 14 bartop games.

Stars Around Town: Mark Wahlberg, Carrie Underwood and More!

• Continuing his Flecha Azul Tequila tour, Mark Wahlberg manned the bar at SOAK Pool at Palms Casino Resort on June 24. Fans lined up to catch a glimpse and have a chance at being served by the star who spent time posing for photos and interacting with the crowd.
• At Resorts World, Carrie Underwood dined with her family in the private Whiskey Room at Carversteak. The superstar, who has a residency at Resorts World Theatre, rocked a black Guns N’ Roses T-shirt and black Louis Vuitton pants and enjoyed the Cookie Monster dessert.
• Also at Carversteak, Alex Rodriguez, with his lady-of-the-moment, Canadian fitness model Jaclyn Cordeiro, dined with a large group.

Also spotted at Resorts World was former LA Laker and now Washington Wizards star Kyle Kuzma, who just re-signed to the Wizards with a four-year, $102 million contract. He and girlfriend, Winnie Harlow, celebrated his new contract in a three-bedroom Crockfords suite at the resort and they dined at FUHU restaurant alongside 25 of his friends and family. After, the group made their way to Zouk Nightclub with over 200 guests for his private afterparty including Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Tim Hardway Jr., Jayson Tatum, Matt Barnes, Larry Nance, and Frank Vogel. Kuzma and Harlow were also seen taking in Usher’s residency show later in the weekend at Dolby Live at Park MGM.

Kathy Griffin performed a sold-out show at The Mirage Las Vegas’s Center Stage Comedy venue. The show was the comedian’s first performance in Vegas in more than six years. The crowd greeted the comedy legend with a nearly three-minute standing ovation as she walked onto the stage. Spotted in the audience were Sia, Stormy Daniels and other friends. Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble sent Griffin flowers in honor of the milestone show. Later, the group headed to Griffin’s private lanai at the resort for an intimate afterparty.

Swae Lee made a surprise appearance at Drai’s Nightclub on June 30 by hopping on the stage alongside headliner and resident artist French Montana to perform their smash hit “Unforgettable.” Also at Drai’s, Floyd Mayweather, along with Las Vegas Aces superstars, Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson, enjoyed 2 Chainz’s show stopping performance the next night.

Down the strip at Wynn Las Vegas, Avril Lavigne performed with Marshmello at Encore Beach Club where she performed her hit songs “Girlfriend,” “Bite Me,” “What the Hell,” and “Sk8er Boi” as the crowd sang along. The singer was seen posing with fans for photos throughout the club. Lavigne also had some catch up time with rumored ex Tyga, who sat in a VIP section of the deejay booth watching her perform.

Not far away, Jackie Siegel (The Queen of Versailles) participated in a conversation with Vernon Davis at the PlayersTV + Victoria’s Voice Foundation event at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, where Russell Wilson was also in attendance.

For editorial consideration in L.A. to Vegas, email us at [email protected].

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Few movies in recent memory have garnered as much pre-release hype as Barbie. The studio behind the title clearly has aspirations of it achieving summer blockbuster status, and early projections suggest that the film might indeed become a massive success. Complementing the cinematic score (according to some reviews) is the highly-anticipated and heavily promoted Barbie soundtrack, which boasts more than a dozen brand new tracks from a healthy mix of superstars and rising talents.

The Barbie album, in its aim to be just as monumental as the film it accompanies, enlisted the participation of chart-toppers like Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, and Nicki Minaj to create original tunes. Alongside these music heavyweights, emerging talents like Dominic Fike, Karol G, Gayle, and Ava Max have also joined the impressive lineup, and all were apparently eager to be part of this musical journey.

Corralling such a star-studded cast may seem like a challenge, but surprisingly, almost every artist Atlantic Records reached out to was excited to be a part of the soundtrack and did what they had to in order to make it work. Brandon Davis, the label’s EVP and Co-Head of Pop/Rock A&R, said, “We were lucky enough where almost every artist we reached out to was a yes, if not an insta-yes.”

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Contrary to what some might expect, the process of putting together this impressive array of talent was remarkably smooth. “You think there’d be a lot of ego,” commented Barbie music supervisor George Drakoulias, but despite the megawatt stars attached to the album, that wasn’t the case. “Barbie is bigger than everything. Barbie is bigger than me. Barbie’s bigger than anybody” he said, adding, “It’s Barbie’s world, we just live in it.” Drakoulias later called the process of putting the album together “a complete joy.”

Kevin Weaver, Atlantic Records’ West Coast President, agreed with Drakoulias. “There’s just so much good will for Barbie out there within the artist community” he commented, underlining how thrilled musicians were to be asked.

Atlantic Records began work on the album years ago, long before filming started. “We really like to get into things early, so we could be a part of the DNA of what the music becomes,” Weaver explained. That way, they are part of the conversation from the beginning, which makes it easier to find the right names and sonic direction and move forward.

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From the earliest stages of the pink-hued film’s development, Atlantic staff was tracking the project, leveraging existing relationships with director and co-writer Greta Gerwig, Mattel and even star Margot Robbie to ensure the soundtrack would land on their schedule. “We always felt like this was a right IP and a right opportunity to come in and curate a phenomenal body of work,” Weaver stated.

According to him, curating the Barbie soundtrack was seen from the outset as a chance to create something that could have a lasting cultural impact beyond the movie itself. Atlantic strategically selects projects like this album, only going after one every year or so, as it’s a huge drain of resources. If done right, a masterfully executed soundtrack can propel a film’s legacy and success even further, becoming a win in multiple parts of the entertainment industry.

Davis said that when it comes to opportunities like this one, “We’re always looking for something that feels like it has cultural stickiness outside of the four walls of the film.” Barbie’s pervasive influence made it the perfect candidate for an extraordinary soundtrack. The film effortlessly embedded itself into the pop culture conversation before its theatrical release, thanks to the power of the iconic brand…and a huge marketing spend, of course. All it needed to complete the package was some music for the party.

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Super producer and songwriter Mark Ronson took the creative helm of the Barbie soundtrack, executive producing the album (alongside Atlantic’s Weaver and Davis) and actually crafting several of the songs featured on it. His track record of countless pop hits, multiple Grammy wins and even an Oscar for Best Original Song alongside Lady Gaga demonstrated his prowess when it comes to creating successful music, especially for film. Ronson collaborated with all the artists involved, discussing their connections to specific moments or scenes in the film, which inspired their compositions, and helping them finish their work.

To ensure that the songs aligned perfectly with the movie’s essence, the musicians sent in demos for review, leading to meetings between the label, the artists, Ronson, and even Gerwig. Ronson even set them to picture, ensuring they worked perfectly in the movie itself, as almost every track is present in the film. Most of the talent involved got it right and apparently didn’t need much help finishing their submissions. “People took the assignment and they really nailed it” Drakoulias admitted.

The level of collaboration and dedication invested in the soundtrack exemplifies the effort and expense dedicated to making the Barbie album a stellar musical experience. Other successful soundtracks have been developed without people going to such great lengths, but when it comes to Barbie, everyone stepped up and worked extra hard to get it right.

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The Barbie soundtrack’s impact has been impressive so far. Several singles have been released already, several of which have become Billboard chart hits. Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” the first of the bunch, peaked at No. 29 on the Hot 100, while Nicki Minaj’s “Barbie World,” featuring rapper Ice Spice and Aqua (the pop band responsible for the original “Barbie”-themed hit song in the ‘90s, which is sampled in the new cut), reached as high as No. 7. Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” is also poised to make its mark on the Hot 100 in a few days, and any number of the remaining tracks could also find their way to various lists now that the full collection is available.

Chart numbers don’t necessarily define a successful soundtrack, but they certainly help show that the effort has been worth it and that the masses are reacting positively to what they hear. The Barbie soundtrack has already made plenty of noise and proved itself to not just be about the hype—so in more ways than one, it follows the movie perfectly.

The Barbie soundtrack drops Friday, July 21.

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