Month: August 2020

Beck’s music career has spanned over 30 years and it’s not coming to a halt any time soon. Back in November, Beck debuted his 14th studio album, Hyperspace, and at the time shared a handful of videos alongside popular singles. But Beck has now created something different. The singer teamed up with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to craft a stunning visual Hyperspace album complete with footage of space.

Each song on the visual record revolves around a different part of our solar system and combines NASA images with animation and data from AI technology to craft stunning graphics. For each video, scientists trained a special AI program to analyze NASA’s wide catalog of space images to extrapolate on a new vision of the universe.

About the project, Beck said the space visuals are fitting for the record because each song lends itself to escaping reality: “I think each song is kind of a different way that different people ‘Hyperspace’ — We escape from the reality that we’re all dealing with.”

Watch Beck’s “Die Waiting” video above, see the Hyperspace: A.I. Exploration tracklist below, and explore the entirety of Beck’s project here.

1. “Hyperlife” Feat. Landsat 8 and the International Space Station
2. “Uneventful Days” Feat. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Apollo 12
3. “Saw Lightning” Feat. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Curiosity Rover, and the Viking 1 Orbiter
4. “Die Waiting” Feat. Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
5. “Chemical” Feat. Cassini-Huygens
6. “See Through” Feat. Juno
7. “Hyperspace” Feat. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
8. “Stratosphere” Feat. Spitzer Space Telescope
9. “Dark Places” Feat. Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
10. “Star” Feat. Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Swift, and the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope
11. “Everlasting Nothing” Feat. Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

Hyperspace is out now via Fonograf. Get it here.

Back in 2018, Netflix announced a “reimagined live-action” Avatar: The Last Airbender, despite the original series being perfect as is. “We’re thrilled for the opportunity to helm this live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender,” showrunners Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who created the animated show (which has seen a resurgence in popularity since being added to the streaming service), said at the time.

But on Wednesday, the pair revealed that they have departed the project.

“When Bryan and I signed on to the project in 2018, we were hired as executive producers and showrunners,” DiMartino wrote on his website. “In a joint announcement for the series, Netflix said that it was committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series. And we expressed how excited we were for the opportunity to be at the helm. Unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped.”

DiMartino said that he “couldn’t control the creative direction of the series, but I could control how I responded,” so he, along with Konietzko exited. They’re not ready to write off the live-action series, however. “And who knows? Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar has the potential to be good. It might turn out to be a show many of you end up enjoying. But what I can be certain about is that whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make,” he wrote.

You can read the entire letter here. Also, watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show, not the movie. NEVER the movie.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

With the NBA playoffs set to begin next week, the league has finalized rules on just who is actually allowed inside the clean site at the Wide World of Sports complex in Florida. The details were reported by Adrian Wojnarowski over at ESPN.

Who can come?

Here’s what it comes down to: Up to four family members or romantic partners will be allowed into the Bubble per player, and children don’t count toward that total. Player agents, massage therapists, and other accessory staff for players will not be among the four people allowed in, while those with whom players have “long-standing relationships,” i.e. friends or romantic partners, will be.

Players cannot bring people “known by the player only through social media or an intermediary.” This means that if a person has never met a player, or if they’ve only met a time or two, or if they’re friends only because they’re tight on Instagram, they aren’t allowed in.

How do they get into the Bubble?

Family and friends joining players in the Bubble will have to quarantine for at least four days and take a negative test before riding an organization’s charter jet to Orlando, where they will then isolate for another four days in Orlando, where they will partake in the league’s strict resting regimen. If they’d rather just get down to Orlando, they can opt to fly there and quarantine for seven days.

Can they attend games?

The short answer is yes. Wojnarowski reports that “players are allowed one ticket per guest per playoff game, with an additional seat available to a child 32 inches or shorter, according to the memo.”

They’re not visible from most angles on television, but there are seats in the arenas at the Wide World of Sports complex, where media members who are not actively covering the game are allowed to sit. This is where families will likely sit and watch playoff games in the coming weeks.

Will they be able to move about?

Just like the players and staff who have been in the Bubble since early July, families and friends will be able to fish, hit the pool, and do anything they want on the campus, but they will be prevented from attending Walt Disney World theme parks or leaving the clean site. One would assume they’d be subject to the same quarantine and testing protocols as players and staff in the event that they had to leave for an emergency, like Lou Williams, Zion Williamson, and Montrezl Harrell all did this summer.

Anything else?

Two additional team staff members from each organization will be able to join the team in Orlando starting next week when the postseason begins.

College football is probably not happening at all this Fall, but at least we still have the NFL, right? …Right? Honestly it’s still up in the air, but at the very least, there’s Hard Knocks on HBO to fill the void. Hard Knocks is the long-running docuseries that gives us entertainment junkies everything we love about sports: the human interest stories! Xs and Os are for Nate Silver and the stats kissers. What I want to know is, which player came from a broken home? Who’s the guy no one believed in fighting for a spot on the practice squad? Which musclebound lineman secretly runs a shelter for disabled cats? FEED ME THE STORIES. Sports docs are my crack, for reasons I don’t entirely understand.

This year’s Hard Knocks, if you didn’t know, takes us to sunny Los Angeles, California, for training camp with both the Rams and the Chargers (sharing SoFi stadium, as soon as it’s ready), which is fitting for the Chargers, a team that abandoned the only city that ever gave a shit about them and will probably only ever sell tickets based on the draw of the opposing team.

Uh, anyway… it’s the first time in Hard Knocks‘ long run (Jesus, has this show really been around since before 9/11?) that it has attempted to cover more than one team. That’s twice the personnel, with none of the intense football action! (More on that in a second)

We’re going to do this in the form of a “depth chart,” but keep in mind that this was only the first episode and apparently these guys won’t even get to put on the pads until week three (KILL ME), so a lot of these “positions” are only going to be one “player” deep. (Whatever, man, you get it.)

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Starter: Is there even going to be a season this year?

This year’s training camp, which will involve zero preseason games (probably good for anyone who can’t help but watch terrible preseason games and terrible for Hard Knocks watchability), mostly involved walking through plays in between seminars about COVID safety (drink every time a coach says “You guys call me out if I’m not doing a good job too!”). The quarterbacks took some snaps, and threw to… uh… some butterfly nets? I guess throwing to actual receivers was against protocol? But snapping the ball from center to quarterback was still okay? Man, this is going to be worse than I thought. The NFL can’t have preseason games, but we may have needed a preseason episode of Hard Knocks just to lay out all the rules.

Second: Where do all those tests come from?

They’re COVID testing these guys every day? I guess the test shortage is over, huh? Also, did anyone else notice that they were using the not-as-accurate just-swab-around-the-nostril test, and not the jam-the-q-tip-all-the-way-through-the-nasal-cavity-to-where-the-cocaine-drips test? And the players were still being babies about it.

That’s Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward Jr., by the way. Come on, Casey, you regularly smash your head into 300-pound men running full speed, a q-tip half an inch into your nostril is the least of your worries.

Third: Is this season actually going to suck ass?

See above. Spending the first 300 words of this post talking about COVID is really dampening my whole sports-as-an-escape-from-reality vibe. Honestly, could one thing this year not be horribly depressing? I just thank God HBO doesn’t have commercials, because if I had to watch some brand or celebrity tell me how they understand how hard this pandemic can be during breaks from the Hard Knocks cast not playing football I might actually stick a shotgun in my mouth.

MOST VALUABLE CANINE

Starter: Sean McVay’s dog Callie.

Callie is obviously an extremely good girl, and her pool basketball scene with Sean McVay turned out to be the most exciting sports action we saw the entire episode.

Second: (empty)

We can only hope more players are drafted to fill this position. Cassie seems like a lock but she could use some competition to bring out her best.

DULLEST BANTER

Starter: Sean McVay and his wife, Veronika.

Man, if you thought COVID safety seminars were boring, just watch the Kardashians-lite back and forths between Sean and Veronika McVay. Jesus, these guys make a job interview seem relaxed and candid. I really hope this scene was just a way to introduce the dog.

Second: Every Zoom chat.

I don’t want to drag the players or the show too hard for this, but I think at this stage of quarantine we can all agree that Zoom chats are terrible. And the only thing worse than having to do your own Zoom chats is watching someone else’s.

RIDICULOUS VEHICLE

Starter: Melvin Ingram III’s high-powered tricycle

Watching Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram III show up to camp in a high-speed motortrike almost felt like old times. I love that you can simply jet ski through the streets nowadays.

Second: (empty)

The players aren’t even wearing pads yet. Come on, Hard Knocks, the least you could do is give us more unorthodox vehicle footage. I know it’s out there.

LOVABLE UNDERDOG TRYING TO MAKE GOOD

Starter: Dont’e Deayon

This requisite “lovable player on the bubble” slot felt pretty forced this time around, and Dont’e Deayon desperately trying (and failing) to get Aaron Donald to acknowledge him somehow was almost as tragic as watching the quarterbacks throw balls to nets instead of people. He also seemed more “manic” than “lovable” per se, but dammit I need an underdog to root for and Dont’e Deayon is who the producers have given me. I will spend the next four episodes rooting for him because I am a hopeless shill.

JAMES HARRISON MEMORIAL AWARD FOR TERRIFYING JACKEDNESS

Starter: Aaron Donald

Eh, he’s pretty buff, I guess.

LEAST VALUABLE MONTAGE

Starter: The “sanitizing” sequence.

Not that we didn’t know this would be coming, but the staff-spraying-hand-sanitizer montage set to Outkast’s “So Fresh, So Clean” was exactly as groan-worthy as you’d imagine. Which isn’t necessarily a knock on the Hard Knocks production crew, I realize they’re trying to make a football show without any actual football footage here. So keep spraying down those benches and we’ll all pretend everything doesn’t suck.

Following Disney’s monumental decision to move one of its biggest blockbusters to streaming as pandemic conditions continue to wreak havoc on the chances of American theaters opening, Disney+ has released a new trailer for Mulan to pump up fans for its rapidly approaching release date. It’s easily the most action-heavy trailer for the reboot as it showcases epic, high-flying fight scenes that make it very clear that Yifei Liu’s Mulan is a badass you don’t want to under-estimate.

While the film will still have an international theatrical release, Mulan is arriving on Disney+ on September 4 in the U.S., but for a price. Thanks to a new feature called Disney+ with Premium Access, subscribers can purchase Mulan for $30. Originally, there was some confusion over how this release strategy would work, and whether the price is for a one-time rental, but according to The Verge, Disney has clarified that once you pay the premium price for Mulan, you will “own” the film as long as you’re a Disney+ subscriber. It’s yours to watch as many times as you want.

As for whether Disney will attempt this strategy with its other upcoming blockbusters like Black Widow, the studio’s current stance is that Mulan‘s streaming release is a “one-off.” Here’s the official synopsis:

Acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro brings the epic tale of China’s legendary warrior to life in Disney’s Mulan, in which a fearless young woman risks everything out of love for her family and her country to become one of the greatest warriors China has ever known. When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation… and a proud father.

Mulan will be available for streaming on Disney+ with Premium Access starting September 4, 2020.

(Via Walt Disney Studios)

Deanté Hitchcock continues the promotion for his major label debut album Better with the hilarious video for “I Got Money Now” featuring JID. The Atlanta rapper has been on a hot streak since being invited to participate on Revenge Of The Dreamers III and keeps it going with a clip showing off his quirky sense of humor.

The video opens with Deanté dressed as a postal worker, seemingly delivering a giant stimulus check to a resident in the suburbs. However, the plot is quickly revealed; his delivery is just a distraction while he and his friends commit a home invasion, breaking out the back door to get away with the goods. The video then reveals a number of other lucrative scams, from pulpit pimping to injury fraud. The tongue-in-cheek visuals reflect the lyrics of the song, which unfortunately do not include JID’s verse from the album — likely due to pandemic precautions fouling up the logistics.

Hitchcock’s rollout also included the socially conscious “Attitude” video with Young Nudy, while his recent appearance on Guapdad 4000’s “Orgasms Full Of Pain” Falcon Fridays release helped raise his profile as well.

Watch Deanté Hitchcock’s “I Got Money Now” video featuring JID above.

Better is out now via ByStorm Entertainment and RCA Records. Get it here.

Kanye West’s bid for the presidency is kicking into first gear as election day looms in the near distance. But Kanye’s campaign has definitely hit some major speed bumps along the way as the rapper is currently polling at just two percent of the Black vote. It was recently reported that Kanye sought the assistance of a few Republican party members in his campaign, but now he’s gone straight to the White House. Kanye set up a private meeting with Senior Trump Advisor Jared Kushner over the weekend in Colorado.

According to a report from the New York Times, West was camping with family in Colorado and Kushner was on his way to see Ivanka Trump when the two scheduled a private meeting in the small town of Telluride. West tweeted about the meeting, saying he and Kushner discussed Dr. Claude Anderson’s popular 2001 book PowerNomics.

West also noted he’d be willing to further discuss the meeting directly with the New York Times but when the publication asked West a follow-up question, he didn’t speak about his meeting with Kushner. Instead, the rapper “expressed anger about abortion rates among Black women and said he didn’t reflexively support Democrats.”

The private meeting came after Kanye’s failed attempt to get his name on a number of ballots. The rapper’s name was recently removed from the Illinois ballot, Kanye’s home state, after the legitimacy of his petition signatures went under investigation.

Of course, if Kanye’s political aspirations don’t come to fruition, the musician could always fall back on drawing.

Between Family Guy, Ted, and A Million Ways To Die In The West, Seth MacFarlane’s “mature jokester” reputation stands firm, and one has to respect his ability to bring an audience. Oliver Stone recently groused about being trounced by a Ted movie, and though nerds probably don’t appreciate him snarking on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, some of them have come around to rather enjoy MacFarlane’s dive into sci-fi with The Orville. That series got a little bit dramatic, and that’s where MacFarlane intends to keep moving, apparently, with news that he’s edging into the World War II game.

Hollywood Reporter details the upcoming project for NBCUniversal, which will obviously be dramatic in nature, given that MacFarlane’s The Winds of War limited series will see him adapting two historical novels from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Herman Wouk (The Winds Of War and War And Remembrance), decades after the ABC miniseries of the same name (and source material). Universal Content Productions is on the producing beat, and UCP president Dawn Olmstead issued a statement about how they’re looking forward to seeing Seth “expand his oeuvre in the next phase of his career.”

The World War II-set series will also function as a turbulent family saga, and MacFarlane sounds like he’s a fan of Olmstead as well:

“I’ve been a devoted fan of Wouk’s WWII epic for decades, and its depiction of small-scale human endurance in the face of large-scale global upheaval has never been more relevant than it is today. In my very first meeting with Dawn Olmstead, we connected over this project — I learned that she herself comes from a Naval family — and to bring it to fruition under her stewardship and that of her UCP team will be a perfect fit for all. We can’t wait to get started.”

MacFarlane will be aided in his writing efforts by Seth Fisher (The Alienist), and this will be first of MacFarlane’s several projects to come for NBCUniversal after he left what’s now known as 20th Television (following his clash with Fox over Tucker Carlson’s antics on Fox News). The Winds Of War doesn’t have a home yet, but it could land anywhere, from cable to streaming services, so there will be more on that subject to come.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

On Monday, Nas announced that new music was being released on August 21. In true Nas fashion, there was, and is, mystery as to exactly what’s coming. His “HitBoyOnTheBeats” Instagram caption led most people to conclude that he was set to release a project of some sort with Hit-Boy.

The legendary rhymer had announced earlier this year that he was working on two projects, including one with Hit-Boy. He stirred anticipation with his announcement, but there are also plenty of Nas fans who remember the DJ Premier, Common, and Mobb Deep collab project promises and know not to hold their breath. What’s known is that something is coming in two weeks, and Hit-Boy will be the executive producer. What’s unclear is what the “project,” as the press releases deem it, is an EP or album, or what its name is.

There are two safe bets based on the names involved: Nas will be rhyming well, and he’ll be rhyming over modern, cutting-edge production for the first time in years. He’s lost some of his luster because of Kelis’ abuse allegations, but he’s still in the highest of esteem in many hip-hop circles (which is another story in itself). His diehard fans will be clamoring for whatever he releases, but this particular project is different: it’s a chance to reassert his greatness to a younger hip-hop generation.

To be clear, Nas never needs to release another second of music to be solidified. Please read that twice, if you’re unsure of where this piece is coming from. Nas’ lyrical excellence is as objective as it gets in rap; his most ardent musical criticisms stem from beat selection (not his lyrics), and residual bias from the Jay-Z rivalry. His catalog is undeniable.

But despite his top-tier lyricism, which was still evident on his Lost Tapes 2 project, Nas is increasingly perceived as a classic act among the younger crowd. His greatness is grandfathered into their consciousness through the mere iconography of Illmatic, which he recently said he wanted to stop “celebrating” — perhaps for that reason. There are plenty of young hip-hop heads who adore his music, but there’s also a sizable faction of fans, young and older, who have found his production choices inaccessible over the years. Fellow 40+ lyricists like Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Pusha T rap over enticing, up-to-date production. The brand of underwhelming production makes it too easy for some fans to simply respect Nas from a distance or only listen to him during certain moods.

Nas doesn’t want that. His stans are as rigid as it gets and will be the first to condemn someone as a scourge to hip-hop for rapping over an 808 drum, but that conservatism isn’t representative of who Nas is. Yes, he made Hip-Hop Is Dead, but the mid-2000s ringtone era was a trying time for diversity, and he’s since distanced himself from that perspective. Nas is a true hip-hop head, but he’s had his moments of seeking mass appeal.

In 1996, Nas linked up with music executive Steve Stoute after Illmatic because he wanted to expand his sound and become more of a mainstream star. He sought radio play with polarizing tracks like “You Owe Me” and “Oochie Wallie.” And today, there are remnants of that same mentality.

He comes from an era of New York rap where one had to have a foothold with the youth to be perceived as “relevant.” He’s sought to maintain that mainstream appeal throughout the 2010s, even as he’s backed away from rap to pursue venture capitalism. He did a freestyle over Future’s “March Madness” in 2016, and a “Rodeo” remix with 20-year-old Lil Nas X earlier this year. When Nore asked him who he was listening to on Drink Champs, he said DaBaby and LIl Baby. In June, he was seen at a Fivio Foreign studio session full of 20-somethings. In short: Nas may be older, but he’s still outside, he’s still tapped into youth culture, and like any great rapper, he wants to hear his new music in the mix in New York City.

While they could easily play some of his classics, he wants to be seen as more than an OG, and working with Hit-Boy is a strong bet to help him on that mission. Hit-Boy, famed for producing modern classics like “N****s In Paris,” “Clique,” and “Backseat Freestyle,” is one of the youngest people to do a Verzuz. He’s a young legend, but he’s also of the now, as indicated by his work on Travis Scott and Drake’s “Sicko Mode,” SOB X RBE tracks, and a slew of Juice WRLD Death Race For Love songs. Hit-Boy is as up for the task of marrying Nas with modern production as anyone.

Nas’ beat selection has always been an Achilles heel. He cleverly opined, “never sold a record for the beat, it’s my verses they purchase” on Nasir’s “Simple Things,” but why not a little bit of both? His most iconic efforts were backed by strong production. Lyrics are vital to his formula, but compelling production should be, too.

In April, Nas told legendary hip-hop figure Ralph McDaniels that he had “fun” recording with Hit-Boy, which should bode well for what to expect. There’s no need to hear that quote and jump to a hyperbolic conclusion that Nas will be channeling his inner Lil Uzi Vert or Fivio Foreign. He doesn’t need to jump on distracting, bassy tracks, or drill beats. But “modern production” doesn’t necessarily mean quaking 808s and synth loops. His work on DJ Khaled’s “Album Done,” where he got busy over a smooth, subcutaneous “Fu-Gee-La” sample, shows what he’s capable of with modern production.

He gave the purists their fix on Lost Tapes 2. Now, he might be looking to feed the streets. Hearing Nas in boastful mode over some fresh, creative Hit-Boy production would be just what many rap fans need to bolster an already strong 2020 music-wise.

After kicking off the rollout for his sophomore album with smooth cuts “Black 2” and “Faces,” Compton rapper Buddy switches it up for his latest single, “Ain’t Sweet” featuring 15 year-old rapper and labelmate Matt Ox. Featuring a jangling, bass-pounding beat and high-energy raps from both Buddy and Matt Ox, the song revives the infectious, rambunctious vibe of some of Buddy’s earliest mischievous bangers like his 2011 debut single “Awesome Awesome” — which he released, incidentally, when he was the same age Ox is now.

Although Buddy hasn’t officially announced his upcoming album, in a recent interview with Document, he does mention, “My album was supposed to be out already. I was supposed to be on tour already. When the pandemic struck, everything got postponed. It was a blessing and a curse because I feel like it gave me more time to properly package up my album to be released with a rollout. I feel like prior to the pandemic everything was kind of rushed, largely because of scheduling. Now I just feel more confident about the music—I just know it is going to last.”

In the meantime, though, he held fans over with the collaborative Janktape, Vol. 1 featuring Los Angeles vocalist and close friend Kent Jamz, following it up with the video for mixtape standout “Bad Boys.”

Listen to Buddy and Matt Ox’s “Ain’t Sweet” above.