Names and faces
Jimmie Allen has made history as the first black artist to have his debut single reach No. 1 on country radio, and it happened on the same
week Kane Brown, who is black and white, has the top country and pop album in the U.S. Allen said he cried when he got the news his song, “Best Shot,” hit the top spot on Billboard’s country airplay chart, which tracks radio success. “First I screamed, like, ‘Thank, God. Finally! Finally, man.’ Then after that I’m filled with gratitude and motivated to work even harder,” Allen said. Allen co-wrote “Best Shot” and it appears on his debut album, Mercury Lane, released last month. Brown’s sophomore album, Experiment, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s 200 albums and country albums charts, respectively, this week. The 32-year-old Allen — who moved from Delaware to Nashville at age 21 — said he’s happy to diversify contemporary country music while also paying tribute to other black artists in the genre, from Charley Pride to Darius Rucker. Pride and Brown have had No. 1 country radio hits, but not with their debut songs. Rucker’s first country single did hit the No. 1 spot, but his official debut song was with Hootie & the Blowfish, thus making Allen’s recent feat historic. “It feels great to be a part of something that I feel is bigger than me,” said Allen, who will open for Brown on tour next year.
The Los Angeles district attorney declined to prosecute attorney Michael Avenatti on felony domestic abuse charges on Wednesday and referred allegations that he roughed up his girlfriend to the city attorney for a possible misdemeanor case. Avenatti, 47, was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence last week after his girlfriend told police he abused her at his Los Angeles apartment after an argument. A restraining order against Avenatti was issued after actress Mareli Miniutti said he dragged her by the arm across a bedroom floor. Avenatti, who had called the allegations “completely false” and a fabrication, said in a statement he was thankful the district attorney had rejected the charges and was “especially grateful for justice” at Thanksgiving. A spokesman for the district attorney would not say why prosecutors declined to take the case from Los Angeles police. Documents supporting the decision were not released because the case was referred to the city attorney and was still under investigation. The city attorney’s office will review the case, a spokesman said. Avenatti, who is mulling a presidential run, is best known as the attorney for porn actress Stormy Daniels, who has said she had an affair with President Donald Trump in 2006, a claim Trump denies.