Beatles Bits: Weekly news roundup

Billboard looks at the creators of the hit tune "Black Beatles" and the song's Paul McCartney connection.
Mike Will Made-It: You know what’s crazy. When I was first running around with Rae Sremmurd, they came to my DJ set at Coachella. This was my first time at Coachella, this was their first time at Coachella and we went to go see OutKast. The one person that we met backstage was Paul McCartney and we were like, what the f--k? It was crazy ‘cause when he saw us, he knew who I was and I was like, 'This man don’t know who I am' but he was showing love, went out of his way to chop it up with us and dipped out of nowhere. So a couple of years later, I think that’s why Jxmmi felt so comfortable to say “Black Beatles, this man Paul McCartney related.” We just know he was actually like a super cool dude when we met him.

Slim Jxmmi: This was early in our career so I didn't really speak to [Paul] because I was enchanted by his presence. He's a big figure and I couldn't believe I was really seeing Paul McCartney. This was really me being new to the industry so I wasn't used to seeing stuff like that so it was amazing ... He solidified us because I said [on the song] "Black Beatles me and Paul McCartney related." Because you know we is. All of us is just people. I really feel like it's bridging the gap between hip-hop and people having this stigma on hip-hop. I feel like it's a certain way that a rap record has to be and I think we're proving that there's no rules.
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Ringo Starr's copy of the White Album, stamped #1, is the world's most valuable vinyl album, according to this tally.

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Fifteen years after her brother's death, Louise Harrison tells the Daily Mail she's been cut off from receiving financial help from his estate and that she was kept in the dark about George's cancer.
'I was in Toronto two weeks before he died when I finally heard that he was ill. I drove through New York, so I could try and get a chance to see him.

'As luck would have it, I was able to get in touch with his doctor who gave me the information to go to see him and I was able to see him for a couple hours.

'But the person who was in charge of him did not let his brothers or me know that he was sick.'
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Speaking of George, Rolling Stone posted a better-than-most listicle detailed "10 Things You Didn't Know George Harrison Did" feature. Good info about George's many, often under-appreciated accomplishments.

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Ringo Starr is among celebrities donating old eyeglasses to a "specs appeal" charity auction to benefit Sightsavers, an organization that provides eye screenings and glasses to those who need them.

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A new book recounts John Lennon and Paul McCartney's 1975 near reunion in New Orleans.
"McCartney's premise for his old partner's visit to Sea-Saint was: come down and visit us, and watch us record," White writes. "Having already spent two weeks in the Crescent City, Paul would happily welcome John back into the creative fold. Pang was convinced that if Lennon reached Louisiana, something new could be initiated. She also felt sure that McCartney would do the rest and bring Lennon back into the studio. It's possible that Paul, and John, too, privately anticipated an opportunity to play, write or even record together again."
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Al Brodax, producer of the Beatles' animated "Yellow Submarine" film, died Nov. 24 at age 90.
In 2010 and 2012, he appeared at the Westport Arts Center to discuss his Beatles film and the 2004 book he wrote about the experience, “Up Periscope Yellow: The Making of the Beatles Yellow Submarine.”

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