Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

ISTANBUL, Turkey — American rapper and music producer Kanye West delivered a historic performance in Istanbul on Friday, drawing a record-breaking crowd of approximately 118,000 fans to the city’s iconic Atatürk Olympic Stadium.

The concert, held on May 30, marked West’s first-ever performance in Turkey and is being hailed as one of the largest ticketed live music events in the country’s history.

Fans from across Europe, the Middle East and beyond travelled to Istanbul to witness the highly anticipated event, with attendees arriving from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland and several neighbouring countries.

The nearly two-hour performance featured a catalogue of some of West’s most celebrated hits, including “Runaway,” “Power,” “Flashing Lights,” “Heartless,” “Black Skinhead,” “Homecoming,” and “Stronger,” which closed the show to thunderous applause.

The concert’s production matched the scale of the occasion, featuring a massive spherical stage, elaborate lighting displays, visual effects and atmospheric smoke installations that transformed the stadium into an immersive audiovisual experience.

According to Turkish media reports, the performance opened with “Father” before moving through a setlist spanning multiple eras of West’s career. The event was also livestreamed globally via YouTube, allowing millions of fans around the world to watch the spectacle in real time.

The show attracted a number of Turkish entertainers, public figures and industry leaders, underscoring its significance as one of the country’s most prominent cultural events of the year.

During the concert, West reportedly announced that the Istanbul event had set a new record for the largest ticketed stadium concert ever staged in Turkey. While official verification of the claim is yet to be released, the turnout has already positioned the performance among the most attended concerts in the region’s history.

The event has also generated renewed discussion among Turkish officials and tourism stakeholders about expanding Istanbul’s role as a destination for major international entertainment events.

Industry analysts noted that the combination of large-scale international attendance, advanced stage production and global livestreaming reflected the growing economic and cultural importance of mega-concerts in attracting tourism and showcasing host cities on the world stage.

For Turkey, the success of the event represents another milestone in its efforts to establish Istanbul as a leading hub for global music and entertainment, while for West it adds another chapter to a career defined by record-breaking performances and cultural influence across the international music industry.

The post Kanye West Draws Record Crowd of 118,000 at Historic Istanbul Concert appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

ISTANBUL, Turkey — American rapper and music producer Kanye West delivered a historic performance in Istanbul on Friday, drawing a record-breaking crowd of approximately 118,000 fans to the city’s iconic Atatürk Olympic Stadium.

The concert, held on May 30, marked West’s first-ever performance in Turkey and is being hailed as one of the largest ticketed live music events in the country’s history.

Fans from across Europe, the Middle East and beyond travelled to Istanbul to witness the highly anticipated event, with attendees arriving from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland and several neighbouring countries.

The nearly two-hour performance featured a catalogue of some of West’s most celebrated hits, including “Runaway,” “Power,” “Flashing Lights,” “Heartless,” “Black Skinhead,” “Homecoming,” and “Stronger,” which closed the show to thunderous applause.

The concert’s production matched the scale of the occasion, featuring a massive spherical stage, elaborate lighting displays, visual effects and atmospheric smoke installations that transformed the stadium into an immersive audiovisual experience.

According to Turkish media reports, the performance opened with “Father” before moving through a setlist spanning multiple eras of West’s career. The event was also livestreamed globally via YouTube, allowing millions of fans around the world to watch the spectacle in real time.

The show attracted a number of Turkish entertainers, public figures and industry leaders, underscoring its significance as one of the country’s most prominent cultural events of the year.

During the concert, West reportedly announced that the Istanbul event had set a new record for the largest ticketed stadium concert ever staged in Turkey. While official verification of the claim is yet to be released, the turnout has already positioned the performance among the most attended concerts in the region’s history.

The event has also generated renewed discussion among Turkish officials and tourism stakeholders about expanding Istanbul’s role as a destination for major international entertainment events.

Industry analysts noted that the combination of large-scale international attendance, advanced stage production and global livestreaming reflected the growing economic and cultural importance of mega-concerts in attracting tourism and showcasing host cities on the world stage.

For Turkey, the success of the event represents another milestone in its efforts to establish Istanbul as a leading hub for global music and entertainment, while for West it adds another chapter to a career defined by record-breaking performances and cultural influence across the international music industry.

The post Kanye West Draws Record Crowd of 118,000 at Historic Istanbul Concert appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

R&B legend Peabo Bryson has died at the age of 75 after suffering a stroke, his family has confirmed. He passed away peacefully at 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, surrounded by loved ones.

In a statement, his family paid tribute to his more than five decades in music, describing his voice as a defining presence in some of life’s most memorable and emotional moments.

Born in South Carolina, Bryson began his career in the 1970s performing with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display before embarking on a solo journey that would establish him as one of the most recognisable voices in contemporary R&B. His early breakthrough came after signing with Bang Records in Atlanta, releasing his debut album in 1976. He later moved to Capitol Records, where his reputation as a master of smooth, soulful ballads was firmly cemented.

Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Bryson delivered a string of R&B successes, including “Feel the Fire” and “Reaching for the Sky”, before achieving mainstream pop recognition with his 1984 Top 10 hit “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again”.

His duet work became particularly celebrated. Collaborations with artists such as Roberta Flack on “Born to Love” and later with Angela Bofill and Regina Belle further established his reputation as a premier vocal partner in contemporary soul and pop balladry.

Bryson also achieved global recognition through his Disney contributions, most notably alongside Celine Dion on “Beauty and the Beast” and with Regina Belle on “A Whole New World”, both of which became defining romantic standards for a generation.

Beyond his own recordings, Bryson’s work has had a significant and enduring influence on hip-hop production. His vocals have been widely sampled and reinterpreted by successive generations of producers and artists.

In 2015, Drake and The Game sampled “Feel the Fire” for their track “100”. Later, in 2022, producers Metro Boomin and artists A$AP Rocky and Takeoff reimagined elements of the same material for “Feel the Fiyaaaah”.

His influence also extended across a wide spectrum of hip-hop and R&B, with artists including Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Nas and Jadakiss drawing on his musical legacy.

Bryson’s death marks the end of an era for a vocalist whose work bridged classic R&B, pop, and modern hip-hop sampling culture, leaving behind a catalogue that continues to shape contemporary music.

The post Peabo Bryson Dies at 75 Following Stroke, Leaving a Lasting Cross-Genre Musical Legacy appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

R&B legend Peabo Bryson has died at the age of 75 after suffering a stroke, his family has confirmed. He passed away peacefully at 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, surrounded by loved ones.

In a statement, his family paid tribute to his more than five decades in music, describing his voice as a defining presence in some of life’s most memorable and emotional moments.

Born in South Carolina, Bryson began his career in the 1970s performing with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display before embarking on a solo journey that would establish him as one of the most recognisable voices in contemporary R&B. His early breakthrough came after signing with Bang Records in Atlanta, releasing his debut album in 1976. He later moved to Capitol Records, where his reputation as a master of smooth, soulful ballads was firmly cemented.

Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Bryson delivered a string of R&B successes, including “Feel the Fire” and “Reaching for the Sky”, before achieving mainstream pop recognition with his 1984 Top 10 hit “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again”.

His duet work became particularly celebrated. Collaborations with artists such as Roberta Flack on “Born to Love” and later with Angela Bofill and Regina Belle further established his reputation as a premier vocal partner in contemporary soul and pop balladry.

Bryson also achieved global recognition through his Disney contributions, most notably alongside Celine Dion on “Beauty and the Beast” and with Regina Belle on “A Whole New World”, both of which became defining romantic standards for a generation.

Beyond his own recordings, Bryson’s work has had a significant and enduring influence on hip-hop production. His vocals have been widely sampled and reinterpreted by successive generations of producers and artists.

In 2015, Drake and The Game sampled “Feel the Fire” for their track “100”. Later, in 2022, producers Metro Boomin and artists A$AP Rocky and Takeoff reimagined elements of the same material for “Feel the Fiyaaaah”.

His influence also extended across a wide spectrum of hip-hop and R&B, with artists including Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Nas and Jadakiss drawing on his musical legacy.

Bryson’s death marks the end of an era for a vocalist whose work bridged classic R&B, pop, and modern hip-hop sampling culture, leaving behind a catalogue that continues to shape contemporary music.

The post Peabo Bryson Dies at 75 Following Stroke, Leaving a Lasting Cross-Genre Musical Legacy appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

MADRID — Spain coach Luis de la Fuente expects Lamine Yamal to be fit to play in the team’s World Cup opener.

De la Fuente said Wednesday that Yamal will not play in Thursday’s warmup match against Iraq in A Coruña, but all signs point to him being available to face Cape Verde in the team’s opener in Atlanta on June 15.

“If nothing changes, he could be ready to play on June 15,” De la Fuente said. “It doesn’t mean that for sure he will play, we’ll see. Maybe a few minutes, maybe just practice so he can improve his condition for the second match. We will have to evaluate.”

Yamal injured his left hamstring while converting a penalty kick for Barcelona in a Spanish league match on April 22. He said this week he was scared of missing the World Cup and prayed that he could recover in time for the tournament that begins on June 11 in North America.

The 18-year-old Yamal is expected to lead the Spain squad that will try to win its second world title.

De la Fuente said the two other injured players in the squad — Nico Williams and Víctor Muñoz — also won’t play on Wednesday, nor will the ones who took part in the Champions League final.

Spain’s final warmup match will be against Peru in Mexico on Monday. De la Fuente did not say who is expected to play in that match.

After opening against Cape Verde in Group H, Spain will face Saudi Arabia on June 21 in Atlanta and Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara.

Spain has never gone past the round of 16 at the World Cup since it won its lone title in 2010.

“We are all excited to get started and try to do well at the tournament,” De la Fuente said.

Source: AP

The post Spain coach confident that Lamine Yamal will be fit for World Cup opener appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.