Month: August 2020

(Warning: Spoilers from this week’s Lovecraft Country will be found below.)

This week’s Lovecraft Country showed off striking sights of this world (Jurnee Smollett tearing down the street with a baseball bat) and of another realm inside her home. That’s where those racist Chicago North Side neighbors had stirred up dormant spirits, and we saw one heck of an exorcism scene that was attended by a baby-headed ghost. That ghost, which was really something, also managed to scare the bejesus out of some white home invaders. The sight of a giant man with a tiny baby head may very well have scared them to death. What a terrible (and fitting) fate for them, but seriously, imagine that ^^^ being the last thing that you see.

From what we learned later in the episode, it was clear that this poor soul had been experimented upon by Hirem Epstein. Presumably, the guy was insane and sociopathic and so on, but is there a reason that a baby head sat atop this ghost? Yes, and the explanation might be even more disturbing than the sight itself. Creator Misha Green revealed to CinemaBlend that Epstein’s acts were based upon the Tuskegee experiments “and the kind of medical things that have been done to people of color on American soil.” That fits right in with the show’s contextual tapestry thus far, but then Misha revealed exactly how they wove this idea into the mythology of the show:

“Okay, well, what is then the mythology? What is Hiram the ghost testing?’ He’s testing a time machine. So if he sent people through this time machine, what would happen to them? Like, would part of their body change in time? So then, their head is their baby self, but their body is their adult self. And so, it’s like you go down those things and then you get to ‘baby-headed ghost.’”

Soooo, time travel is now a part of this show. Not only that, but Hirem’s apparently got some sort of contraption upstairs that might be a part of that process. Perhaps we’ll find out more next week about that device, but we also know that Christina is very interested in the Winthrop House, though I still cannot figure out where she sits on the good-evil spectrum. I can’t even process thought right now, though, because… Baby. Headed. Ghost. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

(Via CinemaBlend)

BTS are one of the biggest bands globally, and they’ve increased their stronghold over the American music industry in recent years as well. Their two latest Korean albums — Love Yourself: Tear and Map Of The Soul: 7 — topped the Billboard 200 chart. Before today, they hadn’t had a No. 1 single in the US, though. They came close recently with “On,” which achieved a peak of No. 4 on the Hot 100. Now, however, they’ve done it: The group’s first English-language single, “Dynamite,” debuts at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart dated September 5.

This is a historic moment for BTS and K-pop more broadly, as “Dynamite” makes BTS the first all-South Korean group to ever top the Hot 100. It’s also their fourth top-10 hit, following “On,” “Boy With Luv” (which peaked at No. 8), and “Fake Love” (No. 10). “Dynamite” is the 43rd song to ever debut on top of the Hot 100. “Dynamite” relegates Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s hit “WAP” to the No. 2 spot on the chart

The past two days have been great for BTS, as they’re just coming off a tremendous night at the VMAs. They were nominated for four awards, and they won all of them: Best Pop, Best K-Pop, Best Choreography (all for their “On” video), and Best Group.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When the 2019-20 NBA season shut down in mid-March, it wasn’t abundantly clear that Vince Carter’s playing career was over. The future Hall of Fame forward previously indicated that he would likely step away following the season but, with the Atlanta Hawks out of the playoff picture, Carter spoke emotionally following a loss to the New York Knicks on March 11, and that ended up being his final post-game press conference as an active player. Since then, attention has shifted to Carter’s post-playing career, with Andrew Marchand of the New York Post now reporting that the 43-year-old will be joining ESPN.

Even before this report, all indications were that Carter would be shifting into broadcasting in some form, even while reportedly keeping the door open for work with the Hawks. Carter currently hosts a podcast, alongside Hawks digital reporter Annie Finberg, for The Ringer, and he was active in media work during a two-year stint with the Hawks. With that said, his role at ESPN will reportedly be “full-time,” according to Marchand.

Though it is unclear what Carter’s responsibilities will be with the worldwide leader, Marchand reports that Carter “was looked upon as a top broadcasting free agent once he finished playing.” At ESPN, there are myriad opportunities, both in the studio and with the potential for in-game work, and Carter famously announced his intent to play one more season on The Jump in 2019.

Carter is an astute basketball observer, as evidenced by his podcast work, previous on-air experience and consistent insight delivered in media appearances during his playing days. That approach, combined with his expansive profile as a former All-Star turned valuable role player, gives Carter a leg up on many players transitioning into analyst work, and he should be able to draw from varied experiences as a result.

The MTV Video Music Awards have never been about just music, which is why many fans were irked when one of basketball’s biggest stars didn’t make the show’s In Memoriam segment on Sunday night. Kobe Bryant’s death in late January shocked the NBA and the world at large, and sparked a number of tributes to Bryant and his life in recent months.

The NBA continued to honor Bryant earlier in the month on what would have been his birthday, with the Lakers wearing their Mamba black jerseys and wearing patches honoring both Bryant and his daughter, who died in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles. Tributes have taken shape all around the world and at many other major events, including the Grammy Awards which were held the night of their death.

Which is why his omission on Sunday night was immediately noticed. The awards paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who died on Friday night in yet another tragic loss to the entertainment community in what’s been a heartbreaking year. But later in the show, when a video In Memoriam tribute was aired, Bryant was nowhere to be found.

Bryant wasn’t a musician, of course, but the show paid tribute to a number of other artists and notable celebrities on Sunday night. According to Billboard, the In Memoriam segment highlighted musicians like Eddie Money, Bushwick Neil Peart, Bill Withers, Adam Schlesinger, Kenny Rogers and Little Richard. But it also honored actress and Glee musician Naya Rivera and Boseman, who played a musician on screen in Get On Up but wasn’t strictly known for music. It’s unclear why Bryant was excluded, and whether it was intentional or an oversight, but it’s clear many fans noticed on Sunday night.

It’s a big music day for Compton. First, YG and Day Sulan released the raunchy video for their new single “Equinox” and now, their fellow Hub City native Buddy follows up with a single of his own. On “Glitch,” the Harlan & Alondra rapper recruits singer Tinashe to sing the hook on the aggressive, boastful track.

Buddy comes in hostile from the jump, barking, “System got a glitch, bitch / Money comin’ in, it got an itch, bitch.” He continues in that vein for the rest of the song, never letting up for an instant. Tinashe comes in on the hook to accentuate his braggadocious stance, chanting the refrain: “Money bags, cash cars, clothes / Hunnid racks, stack tall, woah.” Incidentally, the two artists were labelmates on RCA until Tinashe took her leave last year.

“Glitch” is the fourth single from Buddy’s delayed second studio album, following “Black 2,” “Faces” featuring Lucky Daye, and “Ain’t Sweet” with Matt Ox. Despite the steady stream of new tracks, the follow-up to Harlan & Alondra doesn’t have a release date or even a title yet. However, that doesn’t mean there’s been a dearth of new Buddy tracks; he and Los Angeles rapper/singer Kent Jamz released their joint project Janktape, Vol. 1 earlier this year, and Buddy has been featured on a number of tracks, including the Dreamville posse cut “Don’t Hit Me Right Now.”

Listen to Buddy’s new single “Glitch” featuring Tinashe above.

Doja Cat has a fruitful night at the MTV VMAs yesterday: She was nominated for three honors and took home one of them, the PUSH Best New Artist award. After she heard the news, she sat down with MTV News for an interview, in which she discussed her upcoming third album.

She didn’t want to reveal too much, but she did tease a diverse effort and compared it to Hot Pink, saying:

“I’m always kind of winging it. But, I have my album coming, can’t say when, but that’s pretty much it. I really want to make it a surprise, I don’t want to say too much. It’s very similar to Hot Pink in the sense that each of the songs do have their own personality to them and sound. It’s not gonna be perfectly consistent. I’ve never been, anyway. But I definitely wanted to have fun and just do that again. We have some dancehall stuff on there, some Afrobeat stuff, we have some funk, house kind of stuff on there. I’m trying to cover all bases, is what I’m saying. I’m having a lot of fun doing this album and I can’t wait for people to hear it, and I think my fans are excited, so I’m excited, too.”

Watch the full interview above.

From the moment that he burst into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Civil War, Chadwick Boseman‘s Black Panther instantly became a captivating presence on par with Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America. That presence only grew larger when Boseman’s compelling performance in his solo outing, Black Panther, took the world by storm and is one of the first Marvel movies to come within reach of Oscar Best Picture gold.

In light of Boseman’s death after a four year battle with cancer, Marvel has shared a behind-the-scenes tribute featuring filmmakers and fellow Avengers praising their experience with the Black Panther actor. The four-minute video includes Downey Jr., Evans, and Scarlett Johansson speaking in awe of Boseman’s “regal” performance and the multiple layers he brought to the table when the Marvel veterans first met him while filming Captain America: Civil War.

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Boseman’s co-stars Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright also appear in the tribute video and reveal their first impressions of the late actor. While the clips were clearly filmed during the making of Black Panther, Bassett’s comments about forming an instant maternal bond with Boseman echoes her touching statement on his passing. “It was meant to be for Chadwick and me to be connected, for us to be family,” Bassett wrote on Instagram before sharing an incredible anecdote about how Boseman was her student escort when the actress received an honorary degree from Howard University.

The Marvel tribute ends with Boseman opening up about his decision to play Black Panther. He says taking the role was about more than giving people an escape. It was about giving them “hope.” As the video concludes with footage of Boseman touching the lives of fans, Marvel ends with a simple, powerful message for the late actor: “You will always be our king.”

Welcome to a surreal VMAs happening in the middle of a global pandemic and the biggest American civil rights uprising in decades. It might feel like a strange time to think about pop music, but then again, part of surviving these surreal conditions is finding a moment to care for your heart and spirit, and that’s what the lighthearted feel of pop has always been about. This year’s show wasn’t all escapism, the realities of what’s happening in our country were necessarily brought into the show, but it was still nice to see a glimpse of the performers who previously seemed so easy to see on tour, at festivals, or popping up as surprise guests at other people’s concerts. Here’s a rundown of the best pop moments at an admittedly strange night — but MTV kept trekking on and so will we.

BTS perform their already record-breaking single “Dynamite” live for the first time

Though it was only released a few days ago, BTS have shattered countless records with their addictive new pop hit “Dynamite.” Of course, the VMAs offered the perfect platform to debut it live for the first time, and the Korean boy band didn’t disappoint in dapper suits and flawless choreography, set against the backdrop of New York City. Assuming these guys have been quarantining together for a while now, there was no need for masks as they skated through the song’s high trills, signature key change, and retro dance moves.

Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga perform their anthem “Rain On Me”

Lady Gaga is well-known for her incredible live shows, so the fact that she hasn’t been able to tour behind her brand new return-to-form pop classic Chromatica has been a disappointment not just for fans, but surely, for Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta herself. So, she showed up in full force for the VMAs with a retro throwback opener, an interactive mask that was hard to look away from, and a medley of fan-favorite “911” that led directly into her collab with Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me.” As one of the biggest singles off the album, the first time these two modern pop icons have collaborated, and a song that went No. 1 in a year of rap-dominated chart-toppers, “Rain On Me” set the pace for VMA performances that sizzled even without a massive audience present. And that whistle note Ari hits at the end? Chef’s kiss.

Lady Gaga face masks, period.

Though it might be strange that anyone have a resistance to wearing a mask given the life-saving power they have repeatedly been shown to have when it comes to a disease like COVID-19, there has been an ongoing debate in America about their use. After seeing Lady Gaga’s multiple, stunning masks at the VMAs last night, I’m assuming that debate is now over. She showed up a number of times throughout the show, each time wearing a stylish, jaw-dropping, incredible face covering. It served as a reminder for all the little monsters out there that staying safe and protecting others doesn’t mean giving up an ounce of personal style. And I’m guessing most Lady Gaga fans are shopping for look-alike masks right now.

Miley Cyrus is a wrecking ball, yet again

Though she isn’t quite the cultural lightning rod she was back in 2013, it’s still a special moment when she shows up to debut new music. Her latest single “Midnight Sky” pulls in influences like Stevie Nicks and Heart, hearkening back to strong rock and roll ’70s icons, and her new haircut is definitely pulled straight from that era, too. But there’s nothing like a little self-referential moment to spice up a live performance, and as she debuted the new single live for the first time at the VMAs, Miley climbed a staircase in the dark, dropped the skirt of her dress, and wrapped her legs around a disco ball to bring back her old “Wrecking Ball” look. It was a touch of dramatic flair that nodded to her past while this bold new sound kept pulling toward her future as a single woman.

Doja Cat is a star in the making with a medley

The ever-controversial Doja Cat brought everything back to the music on Sunday night by remixing and reimagining two of her biggest hits, “Say So” and “Like That” with a crew of dancing aliens and space explorers. With a self-deprecating jab at the beginning of the clip that no one knows who she is, let’s not forget that “Say So” went No. 1 earlier this year. Though that recent jab from Nas undoubtedly left a mark, she still brought it for a high-energy performance.

Chloe x Halle are ungodly excellent

It took me a moment to warm up to the new Chloe x Halle album. Ungodly Hour was already getting rave reviews the moment it dropped, but I wasn’t in the mood for upbeat pop music about relationships in June. Given a few months to simmer with their electrifying mix of pop, hip-hop, and R&B, I have fully become a fan of these two incredible performers, and if any doubts were left, their rendition of their debut’s title track “Ungodly Hour” at the VMAs last night eviscerated them. These two are going to be full-blown pop stars who might even have the potential to eclipse their mentor Beyonce one day.

The Weeknd calls for justice for Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake in his acceptance speech

In pop years, “Blinding Light” happened approximately four centuries ago, so while The Weeknd was gloomy and fascinating as ever in his live performance of the still-sparkling hit, it was his acceptance speech that really hit home last night. One of the few stars to get political during the night, despite the intensity of unrest felt around the country this summer, Abel Tesfaye laid it out as straightforward as possible when he won for Video Of the Year: “It’s hard to celebrate, so I’m just going to say justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor.” While that’s a sentiment that’s probably echoed by most of the people featured on this list, Abel was the one to say it. And though the escapism and joy of the music made the show special, his decision to simply take a stand and address what’s happening with police brutality in America was one of the most inspiring moments of the whole night.

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it appeared that the shut down of worldwide touring might be temporary, but thanks to a piecemeal and inconsistent national response, that reality now seems like a pipe dream. Since virtual concerts have become a normal part of our lives now, concert promoters have begun finding new ways to bring live entertainment to fans who might be stuck at home as a result of the interminable quarantine keeping us from congregating en masse.

One of the biggest festivals, Rolling Loud, announced its solution today: an exclusive streaming partnership with Twitch, with three virtual festivals coming down the pike. The first is kicking things off September 12-13, with each festival bringing five hours of live performances to the streaming platform. Rolling Loud will have its own Twitch channel where the festivals will stream along with a spate of original content, including gaming, music commentary, and freestyles from Rolling Loud regulars.

Matt Zingler, Co-Founder/Co-CEO, said in a statement: “Partnering with Twitch, we also saw the opportunity to further connect fans with the Rolling Loud brand beyond our flagship live events… We’ve always had our eyes on content creation; it felt like the natural next step for the brand, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that we had the bandwidth to execute these ideas to the fullest. Twitch gave us the creative control to produce unique shows that hold true to our ‘ahead-of-the-curve’ mentality and play to Twitch’s strengths as the leading live stream platform out there.”

Among the programming cooked up for the partnership are five shows: “The Leak,” premiering new music the night before its official release; “Got Bars?,” a freestyle competition whose winner will perform at future Rolling Loud festivals; “Loud Gaming,” a competition between pro gamers and hip-hop artists; “The Founders,” a podcast hosted by Zingler and co-founder Tariq Cheriff; and “Live From The Studio,” a live docuseries allowing fans to watch the process of a song’s creation from within Rolling Loud’s recording studio.

The lineup for the first virtual festival, Loud Stream, will be announced soon and the festival expects to return to it live roots in Miami 2021. For more info, check out Rolling Loud’s website.

“To be Young, Gifted, and Black,” Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman declared at the 2019 SAG Awards while referencing Nina Simone’s 1969 song. “We all know what it’s like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured. We knew that we had something special that we wanted to give to the world. That we could be full human beings in the roles we were playing.”

Boseman, of course, was speaking on behalf of an entire Marvel Cinematic Universe ensemble cast. Together, they had unveiled the fictional African nation of Wakanda to the world as a celebration of Black culture in the Ryan Coogler-directed movie that churned up $1 billion at the box office. For Boseman, the role of King T’Challa now marks the apex of an incredible legacy for the 43-year-old actor struck down by cancer only a few days ago. His words found powerful resonance regarding Black Panther — which arrived at a time when the U.S. began to feel increasingly divided by racism and xenophobia — yet Boseman always had a flair for not only playing “full human beings” but also downright iconic ones, pulled from the pages of history.

We’ll talk about those roles soon, but it’s worth noting that Da 5 Bloods director Spike Lee has revealed that he never suspected that anything was amiss with Boseman’s health. He apparently shielded virtually everyone from news of his Stage 3 diagnosis in 2016. That’s the same year that he surfaced as T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War, and he kept on superhero-ing through Avengers: Endgame. I must mention here that Endgame featured Boseman in my most indelible recent theatergoing memory, one that makes me (like our own Brian Grubb) miss movie theaters even more than I did last week.

It already feels like forever ago, but Endgame can fairly be described as the last real “event movie” we’ve seen. Theaters were packed while everyone awaited the gathering of superheros against Thanos. A year had passed since Infinity War, which left T’Challa and Peter Parker fans feeling particularly shredded. The demise of either character seemed unfathomable, and Marvel redelivered them at the perfect moment. As a hush fell over the theater, Captain America turned to see the Wakandan heroes as the first to emerge through the portal. As soon as T’Challa popped back onscreen, a woman in my theater shouted, “My boo!” That was followed by the loudest chorus of theater-bound shouts and cheers (“Wakanda Forever!”) that I’ve heard in many years.

It was a wonderful communal moment. I don’t know whether we’ll see one like it again, pandemic or not. Whenever Black Widow finally arrives in theaters, and people see the Taskmaster mimicking the king’s signature gesture, well, that’s going to feel bittersweet. Beyond that, I do believe that there can be no recasting of T’Challa. Boseman’s legacy is so tied to that role that replacing him feels virtually impossible. Further, the startling news of his death has found extra resonance from the day that he died. Not only was last Friday the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, but it was also Jackie Robinson Day. On that note, let’s move onto the roles — Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall — that made Boseman a superhero of starring in historical biopics.

Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013)

Boseman struck a careful balance here, much like the icon he played. As the first African-American Major League baseball player, Robinson was tasked with having “the guts not to react” to the racist taunts that plagued his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Even while playing a character forced to be stoic, though, Boseman allowed Robinson’s warmth to shine through at choice moments, and at one point, he was even able to let all of his character’s frustrations hang out, by himself, off-field. And I did grow misty over Boseman’s reaction when (as shown above) Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) tells Robinson, “Maybe tomorrow we’ll all wear 42, that way they can’t tell us apart.”

Looking back, it’s evident from this performance that Boseman himself was destined for superstardom and heroism, much like Robinson, who found himself surprised to not only be a ballplayer but a hero to Black children everywhere. Every single moment that Boseman shares onscreen with Harrison Ford (as Dodgers GM Branch Rickey) showcases the teaming of two pioneering greats, who came together to chip away at racial prejudice in the U.S. It’s ultimately an uplifting story, full of courage and endurance and entertainment value. Such a fine-tuned performance of inner struggle would have been lost upon an actor without as much depth as Boseman always brought to the table.

James Brown in Get On Up (2014)

Boseman turned in an intoxicating performance of an electrifying performer with all the dark humor that the role required. From Brown’s double-take at finding himself at a “honky hoedown” to his refusal to be “just the show” while letting the “white Devil” take charge of his business, this was an expansive performance that also included Brown’s later run-ins with the law. All of these shades were necessary to form a “full human” (to borrow Boseman’s words) during his portrayal of the Godfather of Soul, including superstardom and the mayhem that followed. And what a challenge it must have been to portray this larger-than-life juggernaut without overshadowing a musical legacy.

The most striking scene in this film, however, takes place in the immediate aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 assassination. Boseman presided over Brown’s live Boston Garden audience in a guardian-like way, diffusing what could have become a dangerous situation, given that the police officers manning the venue were edging toward brutality toward people who wished to join Brown onstage. It was a commanding performance that showcased all of Brown’s humanity, as well as his insistence that both public officials and the audience show respect for him and each other during a time of great upheaval. One also has to respect the whip-smart air demonstrated by Boseman as Brown changed a game “where the rules have already been set.”

Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017)

Boseman took an MCU breather to step into the early life of the first African-American justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s a streamlined chapter that focuses on Thurgood Marshall’s defense of a wrongfully accused Black defendant, Joseph Spell, against charges of rape and attempted murder. The film’s bolstered by fine performances by Sterling K. Brown, Kate Hudson, and (yes, even) Josh Gad, all of whom infused a 75-year-old case with contemporary relevance. Anchoring them all, however, is Boseman, whose character is forced to take a backseat in court proceedings when the judge wouldn’t let him speak in open court. It’s an important chapter in Marshall’s career, particularly because, even back then, he saw the big picture, and Boseman’s self-assured performance finds particular resonance while declaring, “My jury is not just 12 people in the box, it’s the whole nation.”

Thurgood is the perfect film to revisit while reflecting upon a recent Instagram post from Boseman, who reflected upon this year’s Black Lives Matter protests while sharing a New Yorker cover about George Floyd and writing, “From this country’s founding history; its economic base, its social standard, its penal system, its protection of property…⁣ White Supremacy and Racial Prejudice are its Pre-existing Conditions.⁣”

This was also a decidedly unflashy, meticulous performance of a civil rights icon. As Marshall, Boseman reminded modern audiences that, yes, defendants and suspects were often (and still are) treated differently because of their race. We see that even in 2020, as Kenosha police treated a white vigilante teen murderer better than Jacob Blake, and Boseman’s undertaking of this role (while ill) underscores his commitment to reminding audiences that, yes, he’s always been committed to using his platform to shine a light on how racial injustice in the U.S. isn’t truly a thing of the past.

Boseman’s commitment to using his talent to showcase his messages couldn’t be more evident than his eventual rise as King T’Challa in Black Panther. Audiences embraced him in that role, at least in part, because he built a sturdy foundation through his telling of historical biopics. He sought out roles that fostered the transformation that he wanted to bring to the world. In that way, Boseman really did become the real-life superhero of playing iconic figures. While reflecting on Boseman’s performances in these roles, I couldn’t put it better than CBS Sports Managing Editor Adi Joseph, who recently observed of Boseman, “Someday, someone will get to play him.”