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Popular ‘Love Rock ‘N’ Roll’ Songwriter Dies Of Coronavirus

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The co-writer and original singer of I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll, Alan Merrill, has died after contracting coronavirus.

His daughter Laura shared the news, saying the 69-year-old had been healthy enough to play shows a few weeks ago.

“He played down the ‘cold’ he thought he had,” she wrote, before warning other families not to be complacent.

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“You don’t think It’ll happen to you or your strong family. It has,” she wrote. “Stay home if not for you, for others. For my dad. This thing is real.”

I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll became a global hit for Joan Jett in 1982 and has been covered by artists ranging from Britney Spears to Weird Al Yankovic.

A parody version, I Love Sausage Rolls, was last year’s Christmas number one in the UK, with proceeds going to charity.

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Musicians hit by coronavirus

Coronavirus also claimed the life of country singer Joe Diffie over the weekend, while the family of Nashville legend John Prine said he was critically ill on a ventilator and being treated for Covid-19 symptoms.

READ ALSO: German Finance Minister Commits Suicide Over Coronavirus

Prine, an influential singer-songwriter who is known for lyrical, melancholy folk songs like Hello In There and Angel From Montgomery, has previously survived cancer twice.

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As news of his condition broke, musicians including Joan Baez, Bette Midler and Kacey Musgraves sent the Grammy Award winner their love and support.

Alan Merrill, who was born Allan Preston Sachs in New York, had a long and varied career as a musician. He signed his first record deal as lead singer of the band The Lead, who had a big hit in Japan with Aoi Bara (Blue Rose).

After releasing two successful solo albums and hosting TV shows and acting in soap operas, he left Japan for the UK in 1974 to form The Arrows, who put a glam rock sheen on classic pop melodies.

The group scored hits with A Touch Too Much and My Last Night With You, and I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll was written by Merrill and guitarist Jake Hooker as “a knee-jerk response to the Rolling Stones’ It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)” in 1975.

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Originally issued on the B-side of The Arrows’ single Broken Down Heart, it became a hit after DJs started playing the flip side instead.

Its success led to the band getting a weekly ITV series, with musical guests including Marc Bolan, Slade and The Bay City Rollers – and that was where US singer Joan Jett first heard, and fell in love with, I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll.

In the mid-1970s, Jett tried to convince her band The Runaways to cover it but they refused. When the band broke up, Jett recorded it and spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard chart.

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After his death, she paid tribute to Merrill on Instagram, writing: “My thoughts and love go to his family, friends and music community as a whole. I can still remember watching The Arrows on TV in London and being blown away by the song that screamed hit to me.

“With deep gratitude and sadness, wishing him a safe journey to the other side.”

Merrill later joined Meat Loaf’s band for two albums and played with Rick Derringer.

Writing on Facebook, Meat Loaf said: “Let this be a lesson to all of us, try to stay in touch with the people you really love and care about. Life is very short. Alan I am sorry that I didn’t reach out to you years ago. I love you very much.”

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(BBC)

(PHOTO: bbc.com)

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Afrobeat Superstar, Wizkid, Sets Social Media On Fire After Slamming Davido, Don Jazzy

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Afrobeat music giant, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, on Monday, set microblogging site, X.com, on fire when he took swipes at Davido and Mavin Records boss, Michael Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy.

As a result of the controversial tweet, Wizkid is now trending on X. He is number 4 on Nigeria’s X trends.

During exchanges with his followers, Wizkid dismissed the very successful music producer and label owner, Don Jazzy, as an ‘influencer’, and mocked Davido for his recently leaked viral video where he was seen on his knees crying and begging someone believed to be a female associate.

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The Jaiye Jaiye crooner who hardly tweets but has a penchant for posting controversial tweets set X on fire when he tweeted, “Every day I get things to say but my mouth no good”, at exactly 4:28 am on Monday, to which a fan who tweets as @demigadd responded, “Sha release song”, prompting Wizkid to respond with “Na by force.”

This singular tweet set the pace for an avalanche of conversations, resulting in Wizkid eventually taking a sarcastic swipe at Davido and Don Jazzy.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Finidi George Appointed New Super Eagles Head Coach

It was like the ‘On Top Your Matter’ hitmaker’s fans had been anticipating his tweet, the comment section came alive with a barrage of comments, retweets, likes and views.

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As of the time of this report, his first tweet (Every day I get things to say but my mouth no good), had garnered a whopping 3.5k comments, 8.8k retweets, 36k likes and 1.3m views, and also generated a series of conversations.

At 4:42 am, a fan who tweets as @iretomiwa03 asked if Wizkid could revert to when he used to be very active and interactive on X. The fan wrote, “Can you just go back to old Twitter wiz”, to which the ‘Holla at your Boy’ singer responded by saying “That’s a bully! Let’s leave him for now”.

When another fan who tweets as @patdafenet also pleaded with him to release a new song, Wizkid responded with a viral video of Davido on his knees begging an unseen person, with the caption “Beg me like this. Send video.”

Recall that on April 15, 2024, a leaked video of the ‘Unavailable’ crooner went viral on social media. In the video, he was seen on his knees crying and begging someone.

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READ ALSO: Edo Police Arrest Suspected Cultists Who Allegedly Killed Rival In His Daughter’s Presence

While speculations went viral that he was probably begging his wife, Chioma, for an offence he might have committed, some Netizens speculated that he might have been begging American model, Bonita Maria for an undisclosed offence.

The not-so-friendly fire released by Wizkid then turned in the direction of Don Jazzy when a fan who tweets as @miracledc12 posted, “Wizkid Ladipo still talk nonsense yesterday o. Abeg enter that one too.”

Like he was out for his fellow music stars, the ‘Ojuelegba’ hit singer responded at 6:03 with an innuendo describing Don Jazzy as an influencer. He wrote, “Lol, never chatting to anyone signed to an influencer. Next.”

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Ladipoe is a Nigerian rap artiste signed to popular record label, Mavin Records, headed by ace music producer, singer and music executive, Don Jazzy.

This is not the first time Wizkid would be slamming of fellow celebrity or posting something very controversial on social media.

In April 2016, he took a swipe at Celebrity Blogger, Linda Ikeji, when she posted that the Afrobeat singer had received an eviction notice from his Lekki apartment which he claimed to own.

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She wrote, “In 2013, Wizkid showed off his new place of abode and many people, including myself assumed he bought the house. But it’s been revealed that he only rented the place…and this is a fact. His rent at the 4-bedroom duplex at Ayinde Akinmade in Lekki Phase 1 expired in January 2016 and for reasons best known to him, he refused to renew his rent.

“He was served quit notice yesterday Friday, April 1st. (His reps collected it on his behalf) and he was given until April 11th to vacate the premises. A source close to the singer said his people had already started to gradually move his things out of the house”, to which Wizkid replied with unprintable comments on the blogger’s Instagram page.

Disappointed by their messy public war, popular filmmaker, Charles Novia, reacted. He said, “Wizkid’s reaction was true-to-type. He’s a street kid. A Surulere or Ojuelegba product and he’s not expected to have any chill. Unlike Linda, who is also from a poor background and has some understanding of the rules of the streets of Surulere. Wizkid is a supposed nouveau rich kid whose fame and fortune are grounded in the music of his streets.”

Recall that in November 2022, Wizkid surprised his fans when he made a shocking revelation about his relationship status, lamenting that he had been single for too long. He wrote, “Been single for so long! Gotta find one or two.”

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Many were shocked by his remark because the singer had before then shared a rare family photo of himself, his son, Zion, and a then-pregnant Jada Pollock.

READ ALSO: Lawyer Drags NERC, AGF, Minister Of Power To Court Over Electricity Tariff Hike

Reacting to the comment, Pollock, music executive and Wizkid’s baby mama, said, “Taking arguments to social media is never going to end well.”

She also followed up with another tweet that read, “controlling emotions,” with a padlock and key emoji. The tweets by Jada have since been deleted.

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However, reacting to Wizkid’s tweets which have since gone viral, popular Nigerian journalist and afrobeat music enthusiast, Joey Akan, said, “A manufactured and enforced silence made everyone forget who Wizkid was on the come up. A troll, Linda Ikeji had to go beg the commissioner of Police for protection. The same person who gave Dammy Krane a sneak attack at Quilox.

“With Afrobeats to the world, he simply stopped talking and interacting, leading everyone to ascribe maturity to a mischievous machine on hiatus. The moment he’s started talking again, it’s back to familiar ways. “Una Papa.” “I go do giveaway.” “I make Bollywood.” “…signed to an influencer.” Just like he never left. Same old Wizkid. Same old troll.”

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You’re Wicked Soul – Actress Okorie Slams Zubby Michael For Mourning Junior Pope On Instagram

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Actress Angela Okorie has again slammed her colleague, Zubby Michael for mourning late actor Junior Pope on Instagram.

In an Instagram post she shared, Angela alleged that Zubby took to the social media platform to mourn Junior Pope because he was called out. She also claimed that Zubby never celebrated Junior Pope when he was alive, adding that he should take his ‘’fake love” to Lucifer.

Angela further claimed that some people have planned to attend Junior Pope’s burial to ‘’pack sands from his grave to chain his spirit.”

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READ ALSO: Junior Pope: Delta Billionaire Clergy Gifts Late Sound Engineer’s Family N10m, Nigerians React

She wrote: “Zubby onye bu Nwanne gi cos we don drag you,you Dey post JP make people think say you be better person,
You are a very wicked soul zubby everybody knows that
You have never celebrated him RIP too sweet u to post E
what de heck nigga Ina puala onye iberibe
Take your fake love elsewhere we know you Lucifer
You have never ment well for him people wey know know,
You never posted his birthdays,films,achievements, why posting him now Muderfu*cker

Zubby boli boli wey you give demonic money
Where is he, we all know anybody wey you give money,
His or her life never remains same,is either they stop growing or stop excelling,or fall sick and die, you are evil
Untie peoples destinies else you will have me to contend with for the rest of your life, I Angel of the most high God is your karma, I am the Lords battle Axe, you know say spiritually and physically all of you can’t do me shit,touch me by mistake and die by correction filthy things.
I am light and I have no business with darkness.

READ ALSO: Junior Pope: Delta Billionaire Clergy Gifts Late Sound Engineer’s Family N10m, Nigerians React

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Note: The lord revealed that some people going to Junior pop’s burial are planing to pack sands from his grave to chain his spirit.
Y’all should put your eyes on the ground , his grave should be sealed immediately no1 apart from his family members should go close to his grave,they want to chain his spirit Ndi ala

Rest in power Bro, it’s so painful to know you are gone forever but you are in our hearts forever,we will never forget all your good deeds
While you are alive,The world will miss you, I miss you, nollywood is miss you , bro is still like a dream to me so na JP we Dey go put for ground ah I Dey
Vex.”

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JUST IN: Nollywood Veteran Actor, Ogunjimi Is Dead

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The Nigerian movie industry has again been thrown into mourning after the news of the death of another veteran Yoruba Actor Ganiyu Oyeyemi popularly known as Ogunjimi, surfaced on social media on Friday.

Ogunjimi’s death was announced by a Yoruba actor, Kunle Afod, in a post on his Instagram page.

READ ALSO: Nollywood Actor, Zulu Adigwe Is Dead

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Mourning the actor, Afod wrote, “We tried our best but God loves you more.

“May his soul rest in peace. Baba Ogunjinmi, RIP, Sun re oooo.”

At the time of writing this report, the cause of death has not yet been ascertained.

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