That's the end of a frenetic start to the last week of MNL for this year.

Scroll down for Cardi B defending her estranged hubby after he interrupts her gig with flowers, Vladimir Putin wants the Russian government to 'take charge' of rap music and Ariana Grande apologises for her Kanye West tweet.

Plus George Ezra and The Lightning Seeds lead the tributes to the glorious-yet-ultimately-defeated England World Cup team at SPOTY in Birmingham, and Ronnie and Ringo join Sir Macca on stage in London

We'll leave you with Alessia Cara at her most chilled, covering Ari' for a Radio 1 Piano Session., external

See you tomorrow.

Image source, Getty Images

The 22-year-old rapper checked into rehab in November following the shock death of Mac Miller in September.

Xan - whose real name is Diego Leanos and is still best known in the UK for dating Miley Cyrus's sister Noah - took to social media to announce he was clear of his addiction to opioids.

Before he entered rehab, he told website TMZ: “I've been way worse in the past. I've actually been 10 times worse than what I've been now. I want to do rehab just so I can get over this last hump or stretch so I can finally be just back to Diego.“

Xan - who stage name comes form the prescription drug Xanax - is reported to be reverting back to his own name.

The opening weekend of next year's classical music festival will welcome some of your favourite kids TV characters.

Two proms, possibly featuring the likes of Justin Fletcher aka Mr Tumble and co, will take place on 21 and 22 July.

CBeebies presenter, Chris Jarvis, said: “I’m thrilled to be part of the third CBeebies Prom; another chance to bring world class real music to young ears.

He added: "With this Prom, every single child can enjoy the power and magic of a real orchestra and I’ll look forward to joining a number of my CBeebies friends for this exciting project next summer!"

Watch more: CBeebies presents Something Special at the Proms

Image source, Getty Images

Spanish prosecutors have accused the pop singer Shakira of tax evasion, alleging she owes payments of more than 14.5 million euros (£13m).

The complaint covers the period between 2012 and 2014, when prosecutors argue she was living in Spain while listing her official residence as elsewhere.

People who spend more than six months a year in the country are considered residents for tax purposes.

Sources close to Shakira have previously denied that she evaded tax.

Prosecutors argue she was spending most of her time in the country with her partner, the FC Barcelona footballer Gerard Piqué and her children, and only travelled abroad for professional commitments.

Read more

Jered Threatin, the US musician who was revealed as a fake when playing to nearly empty venues in the UK, has been speaking to the BBC about the ruse.

The LA musician booked a string of shows with his band, Threatin, promising venues he'd already sold hundreds of tickets for the gigs.

But he left the venues, and the support bands he booked, out of pocket when nobody showed up.

In one case, Threatin played to an empty venue - after the support band had packed up their van and gone home.

Threatin - whose real name is Jered Eames - told the BBC: “There is no villain character anymore in rock music, or really in all music.

“I’m trying to vilify myself.”

Read more

The channel, which is owned by the Box Plus Network Limited, has been censured by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom over the use of bad language on her show Mariah's World.

The reality series stars Mariah and her family.

Ofcom received a complaint , externalabout offensive language in an episoe which was broadcast pre-watershed at 18:30 GMT.

Although there was no swearing in the soundtrack, the subtitles apparently included a total of 14 uses of the f-bomb.

According to Box Plus, it was an oversight as the programme has been previously broadcast post-watershed and had been re-versioned for an earlier transmission.

Although the offensive language was removed from the soundtrack, it was still visible on the subtitles.

Box Plus said the freelance subtitler responsible was no longer being used and it had implemented “additional checks" to to ensure inappropriate content is removed.

Variety

Image source, Getty Images

It's billed as 'the greatest show on earth' but it seems like Maroon 5 are running into trouble finding a support act for their upcoming Super Bowl Half Time show.

Previous artists who have taken to the stage include Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Madonna and Lady Gaga.

But, according to a report in Variety, the funk rock band have approached several artists but none have yet agreed.

Its all down to the ongoing controversy concerning the NFL’s stance on players' right to protest, beginning with football player Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem.

Among those apparently considering the appearance are Cardi B, who featured on the Maroon 5 hit, Girls Like You.

MNL has asked the band for a comment.

Read more, external

That gave us a huge amount of pleasure to write.

Team Ronson and Cyrus appeared on SNL at the weekend to perform their cover of a Lennon classic, alongside the late Beatle's son, in time for Christmas.

Grab and mince pie and enjoy.

Image source, Getty Images

The Rolling Stone, who popped up at Sir Macca's gig last night claims he feels "natural energy", like his kids, as his band prepare to tour the States in 2019.

The evergreen 71-year-old rocker told Hello! mag: "I'm looking forward to the circus rolling again.

"I'm blessed with a natural resource of energy, just like my kids."

Wood added that he has a "noisy" Christmas planned with his wife Sally and their two-year-old twin daughters, Gracie Jane and Alice Rose.

The guitarist, who has six children, said: "Christmas is for children and I find it really rewarding seeing the expressions of excitement on their faces.

"We always have a very noisy Christmas, with lots of music, fun and food.

Q Magazine

Well it wasn't going to Little Mix now, was it?

Although, with their latest album LM, the girl band did seem to follow the same naming conventions as the Monkeys did on their 2013 record, AM.

Guitar music champions Q mag have plumped for the band's divisively piano-driven sixth album, Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, as their best of 2018.

The record previously finished fourth in BBC Radio 6 Music's own top 10 list, while album track Four Out of Five was in Radio 1's top 20 Hottest Records of this year.

Martinis all round this Christmas back in Sheffield.

A Saturday Night Live sketch in which two Weezer fans debate their merits over their last few albums has got the band's attention.

In the skit, which was broadcast at the weekend, guest star Matt Damon and show regular Lesley Jones gets into an argument when the band's cover of the Toto classic Africa comes on.

"Can we all agree Weezer are the best band of all time?," asks Matt.

"Yes, they were, then they became the worst band of all time," argues Lesley to the utter bemusement of the other guests.

The Californian band's singer Rivers Cuomo was watching and tweeted he was "actually crying".

Weezer even posted a couple of fan membership cards for the actors.

BBC Sport

The singer/songwriter sported his best Southgate-esque waistcoat during his closing performance the at BBC's annual sports awards in Birmingham last night.

Check it out above.

Suits you sir.

George's sartorial effort wasn't the only musical tribute to England's World Cup semi-final exploits, as comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel reunited with Lightning Seed Ian Broudie for a rendition of their number one anthem, Three Lions.

There was even a brass band and an array of backing dancers.

Check it out below and imagine what would've happened had England actually won something?

Hello
Hello Magazine

Image source, Getty Images

Scary Spice says the festive season cannot come soon enough this year.

Speaking to Hello! magazine, the 43-year-old singer, who recently ended her turbulent marriage to second hubby Stephen Belafonte and also lost her dad to cancer, described Christmas 2017 as a "very dark time."

"I've been through hell and back over the last few years," she said.

"Part of the reason I'm so thankful and joyful about Christmas this year was that last year it was a very dark time for me."

She added: "You deal with everything life throws at you, good and bad, fair and unfair, and you try to be as happy and positive as you can.

Image source, Spice Girls

Mel, who is currently plugging a book, went on to add that she's currently single but "not looking for a relationship."

She also spoke of her joy at discovering that tickets for the Spice Girls 2019 reunion tour had sold out in minutes, as they had "no dea of what the response would be."

Image source, Getty Images

The Russian President has asked his government to "take charge" of rap music after a number of concerts were cancelled across the country.

He admitted efforts to ban rap were "impossible" and so the state should play a greater role in controlling it, he said.

His comments come after Russian rapper Husky (pictured above) was arrested following the cancellation of several of his concerts.

Speaking at a meeting of the presidential Council for Culture and Art in St Petersburg, President Putin said: "Rap and other modern [forms of art] are rested upon three pillars - sex, drugs and protest."

"I am most worried about drugs. This is the way towards the degradation of a nation."

Read more

State-sanctioned rap music. How bad could it be?

Oh.

Image source, Getty Images

It seemed relatively innocuous on Friday when Ariana sent a tongue-in-cheek post to social media criticising Kanye and Drake's beef, asking "two grown men" to stop arguing and let her and Miley Cyrus - who also released a new tune on Friday - have their moment.

Well, Ye wasn't overly enamoured and tweeted the pop star back, saying while Ari' "didn’t mean no harm", he did not like "even slightest level of slight commentary from someone I know loves and respects me."

• Kanye West vs Drake: What's the story behind their war of words (and emojis)?

In a series of tweets, Kanye admitted recent events in his life "weighed on my mental health".

He added: "You know I got love for you but until you’re ready to really make sure everyone’s ok don’t use me or this moment to promote a song."

Ariana responded on Saturday morning, writing "with all due respect, I don't need to use anyone to promote anything. period.

"I was making a comment ab what men were doing at the time vs. women.

"It was a joke which I understand now was probably insensitive. I apologise if I was in any way triggering and hope u feel well today."

Image source, Getty Images

Now Snoop (above) - never one to miss a promo opportunity - has waded in, telling someone to take Kanye's phone from him, saying he "tweets too much".

"Somebody get him on Jerry Springer," he said, in a profanity-laced Insta video.

In other Ariana news, the singer announced she will return to play in Manchester with "a special show" as part of her world tour next summer.

It will be two years after 22 people died in a bomb attack on her gig at the Manchester Arena.

"We are of course coming and we love you," the pop star, who currently has the UK number one with Thank U, Next, wrote on Instagram.

Image source, Getty Images

That's 'public display of affection', in case you didn't know.

They rarely work out well and now the Migos rapper has found out to his cost after fans criticised him for crashing Cardi's show in Los Angeles, to arrive on stage with a sign made of roses saying "Take Me Back Cardi."

Gulp.

The romantic/cringe-worthy gesture took place at the Rolling Loud festival on Sunday and Cardi didn't seem particularly happy about it as you might be able to tell above.

"I just want to tell you I'm sorry bro," said Offset.

"In person, in front of the world, I love you.

"Whatever I gotta do show me..."

Some people online described the move as "toxic", following Cardi's decision to publicly call time on the relationship.

Cries of "don't take him back," and "once a cheater always a cheater," were heard in the crowd, via some fan-shot footage online.

Image source, Getty Images

Now Cardi herself has posted a new Instagram video urging people not to "bash" her ex, who is the baby daddy to her daughter, Kulture.

Cardi said:"I know I see a lot of people bashing me because I'm defending my baby's father, they think I'm gonna get back together with him.

"You just saw [Ariana Grande's ex, comic] Pete Davidson was talking about how he don't want to be on this earth because mad people be coming at him every single day.

• Pete Davidson checked on by police after suicide concerns

"I wouldn't want my baby father to have that feeling because of millions of people be bashing him every day, that's a nasty feeling and I wouldn't want that."

Image source, Getty Images

Relationship councillor Gurpreet Singh told Newsbeat Offset may have been misguided: "Apology is something of a private thing.

"I think you first have to find out where the other person is and whether they want to be with you before you go and make a public statement about it."

Image source, Getty Images

Following in the footsteps of DJ Khaled, the Robster has signed up to be a new global ambassador for WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers.

The singer and X Factor judge will appear alongside US TV show host Oprah Winfrey to front the organisation's For Every Body campaign, sharing his, ahem, "wellness journey" on social media along the way.

Robbie, who you may recall actually has a track called No One Likes A Fat Pop Star, from his 2013 album Swings Both Ways said: "WW is the first programme that truly feels like it fits with my life.

"After my back injury last year, I definitely let my healthy habits slip and I felt as though I let myself and my family down," he said.

"I can't keep trying the same things and hoping for a different outcome."

Image source, Getty Images

Morning all and welcome back to the beginning of the final week of Music News LIVE for 2018.

Coming up today:

• Robbie Williams unveiled as a weight loss ambassador
• Vladimir Putin wants rap music to be state-controlled
• Cardi B urges people not to "bash" her ex, Offset after his public attempt to say sorry
• Mel B says she's been to "hell and back" and is grateful for Christmas this year
• Ronnie Wood says he's blessed with "natural energy" ahead of The Rolling Stones' US tour

Speaking of Ronnie, let's kick off today with him and former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr rocking up to join Sir Paul McCartney on stage at his big gig at the London's O2 last night.

Not bad for a Sunday evening we suppose.