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Rubby Pérez, Merengue Singer, Dead at 69 After Nightclub Roof Collapse in Dominican Republic: Report

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Dominican merengue singer Rubby Pérez has died Tuesday afternoon (April 8) after 5pm E.T., following a tragic incident where he was trapped in the rubble of a nightclub in Santo Domingo whose roof collapsed in the early hours of the morning, confirmed Listín Diario, a Dominican newspaper. The artist was 69 years old.

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Billboard Español reached out to Pérez’s two managers. Following the news, Perez’s Instagram profile picture was changed to a black image.

Pérez’s death follows the tragic collapse of the Jet Set nightclub roof in Santo Domingo, where he was performing early Monday morning. The incident has claimed the lives of at least 60 people and injured more than 160, according to AP News.

The collapse occurred roughly an hour into Pérez’s midnight performance. The iconic venue, known as one of the most popular establishments in the Dominican Republic, was hosting more than 300 attendees when the roof gave way, trapping dozens beneath the rubble. Authorities have reported that around 146 people have been rescued, and rescue teams are still searching for an estimated 100 people who remain unaccounted for.

Born Francisco Arturo Pérez in Hato Mayor, Rubby Pérez rose to fame as the lead vocalist of Wilfrido Vargas’ orchestra before embarking on a highly successful solo career in the 1980s. Known for timeless hits like “Volveré” and “Enamorado de Ella” — which latter hit reached No. 29 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart — he became an international ambassador for merengue, earning accolades and respect throughout Latin America and beyond.

Rubby Pérez’s saxophone player also died in the collapse.

On Valentine’s Day, Pérez released his last single, “No Voy a Llorar,” and announced several concerts in the U.S. beginning in May, including one scheduled for July 18 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The singer was known as “The highest voice of merengue.”

Rescue operations at the site of the nightclub collapse are ongoing.

Officials urge anyone seeking updates on missing loved ones to contact the Center of Emergency Operations in Santo Domingo.

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Ed Sheeran, Weezer Added to 2025 Coachella Lineup

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Ed Sheeran and Weezer were two previously unannounced acts spotted on the 2025 Coachella lineup when set times for the this year’s festival were posted on Saturday (April 5). They’ll each pop in for a one-day, daytime set.

Weezer will play the Mojave tent on Saturday afternoon (3:10-3:55 p.m.) on April 12, during the festival’s first weekend.

Sheeran takes a Saturday afternoon (3-4 p.m.) Mojave time slot on April 19, during weekend two. Both acts perform just before Yo Gabba Gabba!’s 4:45 p.m. set at the same stage.

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Their addition to to the Coachella bill arrives ahead of several upcoming festival dates for Weezer, who’ve been celebrating the 30th anniversary of their 1994 self-titled debut, known as The Blue Album. Sheeran also has a summer full of shows scheduled, and a just-released single, “Azizam,” from his upcoming album Play; “Azizam” means “my dear” in Farsi, and was inspired by producer Illya Salmanzadeh’s Persian heritage.

The lineup update comes just after FKA Twigs dropped out of the fest due to “ongoing visa issues.” Anitta also had to cancel her Coachella performance, citing “unexpected personal reasons.”

Lady Gaga, Green Day, Travis Scott and Post Malone are headlining the main Coachella stage at the Indio, California, festival taking place over the next two weekends, April 11-13 and April 18-20. Charli XCX, Megan Thee Stallion and Missy Elliott are also among the all-star music lineup.

See the full schedule of set times by scrolling through the Instagram slides below, or get all the details directly on Coachella’s website.

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Deshonne Redeaux Shares His Game Day Playlist as He Commits to USC Football, With Help From Snoop Dogg & JuJu Watkins

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Deshonne Redeaux just made his college commitment official — and he did it with the kind of hometown love story only Los Angeles can write.

The four-star running back from Carson, California, known for his speed, field vision and unshakable confidence, announced his commitment to the University of Southern California in a full-circle moment that brought two L.A. icons into the spotlight: Snoop Dogg and JuJu Watkins.

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“It means a lot to have Snoop Dogg support me at one of my biggest moments,” Redeaux tells Billboard. “I played in his Snoop Youth Football League, and it pathed the way for me to reach my goal of getting a Division 1 college scholarship.”

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Also featured in the announcement video (seen in the Instagram post above) was JuJu Watkins, USC’s breakout basketball star and a longtime friend. “JuJu supporting me at this time means so much to me because we grew up together and she has inspired me watching her make history in the city that raised her,” he says. “Can’t wait to share a campus with her, impact the community, and bring national championships back to the city!”

Redeaux says staying home and playing for USC was about more than football. “I choose USC because nothing is more powerful than impacting the hometown community and being the light in my own backyard,” he says. “Some of the determining factors were the amazing USC tradition and legacy — specifically at the running back position — and being a difference maker to bring the winning culture back to USC football and to the city of Los Angeles.”

To mark the occasion, Redeaux shared his ultimate game day hype playlist exclusively with Billboard, highlighting the music that keeps him focused and fired up before he hits the field.

“Drake featuring Rick Ross, ‘Lord Knows’ — the message behind the song is all about motivation and reflection,” he says. “And with the Lord’s guidance, you can accomplish anything. It really gets me in my mode!”

When it’s tunnel time, he turns to NBA YoungBoy’s “Head Blown.” “It puts me into dog mentality to be a lock in the field,” he says.

Other key tracks include J. Cole’s “Love Yourz,” Ginuwine’s “Same Ol G” and Nipsey Hussle’s “Dedication.”

“I’m most excited about strapping it up for the first time at the Coliseum — that will be a dream come true,” he says. “I want to give back to the youth and always show up for the next generation.”

Check out Deshonne Redeaux’s full Game Day Hype Playlist below, featuring Playboi Carti, EBK Jayboo, SWV, Lil Durk, Icewear Vezzo, BlueBucksClan and more.

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Jared Leto’s ‘Tron: Ares’ Character Comes to Life in Thrilling First Teaser: Watch the Trailer

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Tron is back.

On Saturday (April 5), Disney unveiled the first trailer for Tron: Ares, the third installment in the Tron franchise, following the original 1982 film and its 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy.

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The new trailer offers a glimpse of a dark, brooding landscape where reality and the virtual world collide. The minute-and-a-half-long clip opens with a high-speed chase between the police and programs riding futuristic motorcycles. From there, it delivers a visual feast of laser-filled action and intense, electrifying sound effects, all set to a pulsating soundtrack. Midway through, Jeff Bridges — who reprises his role as Kevin Flynn from the original film — can be heard saying, “Ready? ‘Cause there’s no going back,” as Jared Leto‘s Ares character digitally comes to life.

Featuring original music by Nine Inch Nails, Tron: Ares also stars Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Cameron Monaghan, Sarah Desjardins, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro and Gillian Anderson. The upcoming sci-fi film is set to hit theaters on Oct. 10.

Directed by Joachim Rønning, the movie serves as the sequel to Tron: Legacy, which featured a score by Daft Punk that reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

It was confirmed at Disney’s D23 in 2024 that NIN would be composing the score for Tron: Ares, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross making the announcement during a teaser for the film. The duo has collaborated on numerous film and television scores over the years, including Challengers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Soul and The Social Network. Tron: Ares marks the first time the Oscar-winning pair’s film music will be credited under the Nine Inch Nails name.

Watch the first trailer for Tron: Ares below.

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