Month: November 2020

It was all of last week when much of TikTok was upset at the app’s biggest star, Charli D’Amelio. She lost nearly a million followers after requesting dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets during a seafood paella dish presented by a personal chef (I find nothing wrong with this), while her sister Dixie discovered a snail in her paella “and made faces and gagging noises.” In the video, Charli (not XCX) also made a fuss about wanting to hit 100 million followers on TikTok by the end of the year; she was around 99 million at the time the clip was filmed. That goal seemed impossible following the reaction to the “rude” clip, but the backlash was short lived. Charli’s at 100 million, and counting.

“Charli gained 1.5 million followers over the weekend, with an extra 200,000 already bumping her follower count on Monday morning,” according to BuzzFeed, putting her at 100.6 million followers on TikTok. “As well as this, the 16-year-old saw a rise of 260,000 followers on Instagram and 100,000 over on Twitter.” Bad press, no such thing, etc.

“I don’t even know how to react, mostly because this doesn’t feel real. How do people even react to this?” she said after hitting her goal. “I’m in my bathroom by myself watching edits on Twitter because they’re making me cry. I just genuinely do not know what to do. I’m so confused… Life doesn’t feel real. It’s just so weird to think a little over a year ago, I was in Connecticut doing regular school, doing nothing, and now I’m living in LA.” D’Amelio also announced that she and TikTok will donate $100,000 to the American Dance Movement, which increases access to dance education in the U.S.

(Via BuzzFeed)

Every year since 2017, Phoebe Bridgers has released a new project, whether that be a solo album, her Boygenius EP, or her Better Oblivion Community Center record. During that same frame, she has also released a new holiday-themed song annually around this time of year. It began with “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” in 2017, which was followed by a Jackson Browne-featuring rendition of “Christmas Song” in 2018 and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night” in 2019, for which she was joined by Matt Berninger and Fiona Apple.

Now, Bridgers has kept the streak alive in 2020, as she just dropped her yearly holiday song. This time, it’s a cover of Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December,” on which she is accompanied by frequent collaborator Ethan Gruska on piano. Last year’s holiday single benefited Planned Parenthood, but this year, proceeds from sales and streams of the song will go to Downtown Women’s Center, which describes itself as “the only organization in Los Angeles focused exclusively on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless women.”

2020 has been a good year for new Bridgers music. Aside from this song and her new album Punisher, she also just dropped her Copycat Killer EP, which features alternate versions of some Punisher tracks.

Listen to Bridgers’ cover of “If We Make It Through December” above.

Last night’s American Music Awards show was packed with memorable performances, like a surprise Nelly appearance that made the St. Louis rap veteran go viral on Twitter. However, one performance fans didn’t get to see was reggaeton star Bad Bunny’s; today, Billboard revealed the reason for his absence: he tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the show.

It was a blow for Bad Bunny and his fans after his “Dakiti” collaboration with Jhay Cortez reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and he won Favorite Male Latin artist and Favorite Latin album at the AMAs for his album YHLQMDLG. He was billed to perform “Dakiti” with Cortez but was forced to pull out due to his positive test. Billboard‘s sources say he’s doing okay.

Fortunately, the other big-name star who missed the show had a more positive reason for doing so. Taylor Swift also skipped the AMAs, but only because she is so busy re-recording her first six albums in an effort to reclaim ownership of her music. There were still plenty of crowd-pleasing performances from the likes of Bebe Rexha (who performed with Doja Cat), Billie Eilish, BTS, Dua Lipa, Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, and The Weeknd, who performed with Kenny G(!).

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

After his, shall we say, more rotund appearance in Avengers: Endgame, Marvel fans have been curious about what exactly Chris Hemsworth will look like in Thor: Love and Thunder. Well, now we know the answer: Dude is going to be jacked as hell. In a workout photo posted to Instagram over the weekend, Hemsworth shows off his hulking new frame that had even Jason Momoa hopping into the replies to call him a “beast.”

“Cheat day today. Decided to treat myself to this extra large donut, gosh it’s heavy,” Hemsworth wrote in the caption.

You can see Hemsworth looking swole below:

Chris Pratt also jumped into the comments to crack a joke about Hemsworth’s physique, which confirms reports that the Guardians of the Galaxy star will appear in Thor: Love and Thunder. “Hey bud, just heard from my trainer and he needs you to stop working out because since we’re gonna be in the same movie and everything he doesn’t want me to stand next to you if you look like that,” Pratt joked. “So I’m gonna need you to put on 26 lbs real quick cool thanks.”

Ever the benevolent god, Hemsworth set Pratt’s mind at ease with a joke of his own. “Don’t worry mate we can just both use the same fancy filter that’s been applied here. It’s called instashred.”

Of course, Hemsworth’s body transformation shouldn’t come as a total surprise. Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi hinted back in April that he wouldn’t keep the Lebowski Thor gag going. When asked by fans during a live Q&A if Fat Thor would return, Waititi responded, “We haven’t figured that out, but I feel like that’s done.”

(Via Chris Hemsworth on Instagram)

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

Next year, Megan Thee Stallion’s rollicking new album Good News will be the perfect complement to carefree nights out and liquor-fueled house parties. This year, however, it has the rotten luck to have been released into a nightlife-dulling pandemic, blunting its sharp nose for antics. That makes it a weird project to take in; on one hand, there’s intent to consider, while on the other, there’s context. They’re both always a factor in how music is listened to, processed, enjoyed, reviewed, or discarded, but in this case, how you view Good News depends on which aspect you give the most account. As it is, Good News is a breath of fresh air for a year that left many people feeling stifled and stuck indoors.

As a directive work of entertainment, it’s A1. Ever since entering the mainstream consciousness in 2018 with her fan-favorite EP Tina Snow, Megan’s been pretty consistent in offering her tongue-wagging status-quo-challenging brand of femininity and empowerment. She may only have one bag, but Good News demonstrates how impossibly deep it can get, expanding the range of classic 1990s hip-hop and R&B samples she can co-opt to her purposes (Adina Howard’s “Freak Like Me,” Michel’le’s “Something In My Heart,” and yes, The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Who Shot Ya” all make appearances). The production is absolutely stellar and Megan rarely misses a beat.

But as a historical document, a record of the state of the world as of its release, Good News seems mostly disinterested in speaking to the moment. The obvious exception, of course, is Megan’s head-on address of the most devastating event in her personal world: The July incident in which she accused fellow rapper Tory Lanez of shooting her in the feet. Fittingly set to the aforementioned Biggie classic, she defiantly dismantles his mewling defenses of his actions on the night in question and his frankly appalling counter-accusations on his own recently released project, Daystar.

“Talkin’ ’bout bones and tendons like them bullets wasn’t pellets,” she growls on “Shots Fired,” directly referencing Tory’s lyrics from “Money Over Fallouts” to undercut his objections. “A p*ssy n***a with a p*ssy gun in his feelings.” There’s a dismissive, almost perfunctory tone to the opener, almost as if Megan is exasperated she even has to address this nonsense still; this is her getting it out of the way so she can get back to being a hot girl. However, in the process, she inadvertently applies the same treatment to her Breonna Taylor callout toward the end of the song. With only one line devoted to the subject on pretty much the whole album, Meg leaves listeners with only her New York Times op-ed to find her comments on any topic deeper than twerking.

On standout tracks like “Freaky Girls” and “What’s New,” Meg judo flips patriarchal attitudes, turning the male gaze and its resultant criticism back on her critics. “Pussy n****s on the internet talk ‘bout some pussy they ain’t gettin’,” she sneers at them. Meanwhile, on “Go Crazy,” she steals the show from punchline pros 2 Chainz and Big Sean who turn in some of their funniest verses of the year (“Your ho just left, she a southpaw” sent me to heaven and back). And when Megan teams up with Juicy J — as she does on “Freaky Girls,” “Work That,” and “Outside” — their chemistry remains unmatched and every bit as potent as it was on Fever in 2019.

She even brushes up on the weak points from her spring EP Suga: The singing and poppier tracks that dragged down the back half of that effort. While they still aren’t her strong suit, she strategically scatters the dancehall-aping “Intercourse” and synth-pop reach “Don’t Rock Me To Sleep” to keep them from dragging the energy too far down. The latter is even a decent example of its particular species, it’s just not quite what you really want to hear this particular artist trying to do.

One thing you won’t hear her do here is address most of the noxious bad vibes from the course of this year. While you wouldn’t expect an album called Good News to sink too far into rehashing our various shared misfortunes, the “News” part does kind of entail some commentary on current events. That commentary is a no-go, though; the Breonna Taylor reference is about as topical as it gets. Whether that lack comes as a welcome break from the onslaught of terrible dispatches from the 24-hour doomsday documentary cycle or a critical failure on the part of the artist depends on your view.

This is where longtime readers might expect me to complain about the lack of depth on the majority of Good News, but to be honest, I think there’s a lot to be said for knowing your lane and staying in it. If literal legions of male rappers can get away with endless tributes to cars, chains, watches, and elaborate cocktails of drugs, surely Megan can serve up a collection of odes to her body — especially when they’re as well-executed and hooky as the song titled “Body,” which employs a Miami-bass-ish, uptempo drumline for her to chat about her “out-of-control” ass-to-waist ratio and love for herself (“If I wasn’t me… I would have bought me a drink”).

Megan takes enough steps outside her comfort zone to justify her staying in it, while she finds a truly astonishing range of ways to tackle her favorite subjects. If most of the songs here are club anthems they display a lot of variety — “Don’t Stop” is as different from “Body” as “Girls In The Hood” is from “Do It On The Tip” — and they get the job done; TikTok and Instagram are already swiftly filling with choreographed dance routines and confidence-building quotes inspired by Megan’s unbowed persona. If she can continue to pave the way for a wave of unabashed, uninhibited, empowered women with no use for the status quo, well then, that’s good news, indeed.

Good News is out now via 1501 Certified Ent/300 Entertainment. Get it here.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the hottest R&B jams that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This week, Jazmine Sullivan released a new song on Friday (Nov. 20) titled “Pick Up Your Feelings,” Summer Walker is spreading holiday cheer with the release of her rendition of “Santa Baby,” and Savannah Re dropped her first project of the year. Check out the rest of the best new R&B below.

Jazmine Sullivan — “Pick Up Your Feelings”

Jazmine Sullivan is a singer with soul who knows how to make her listeners really feel the music and nothing less can be said for her latest single “Pick Up Your Feelings.” Jazmine is currently working a new album, which is good news because her voice is a necessary addition to all R&B playlists.

Summer Walker — “Santa Baby”

“Santa Baby” is a Christmas classic and ahead of the winter holiday, Summer Walker shared her rendition of the 1953 Eartha Kitt jingle. The song currently lives on LVRN’s upcoming Christmas compilation album Home For The Holidays, which also features fellow labelmates 6lack, Westside Boogie, OMB Bloodbath, Dram and more.

Savannah Re — Opia

Savannah Re is a Toronto R&B gem and today she delivered her project Opia to much acclaim. Nine songs deep, Savannah flexes her vocals on each track over a production that’s fitting for her emotionallly-filled silky smooth voice.

Bri Steves — “Sober”

Drunk FaceTime calls are a thing and in the spirit of relatability, Bri Steves has arrived with her latest vibe “Sober.” It’s a relatable bop for anyone who has been a victim of those drunken moments of weakness when fleeting thoughts of lust about a past lover seems to linger. “I wrote ‘Sober’ about my ex,” Bri said in a statement. “We’ve always had this toxic relationship, and I’d always call him when I was drunk. That’s what ‘Sober’ is all about – the past, just like the liquor…It’s all intoxicating.” The song is the follow-up to her previously released track “Stick Up” with fellow Philly rapper Poundside Pop and is expected to live on her forthcoming EP.

DaniLeigh — “Monique”

DaniLeigh put on a swaggy performance of “Monique” off her recently released project Movie for our latest episode of Uproxx Sessions. The Miami native brought her bossy, yet fun energy to the set and delivered a live performance of the Retro Future-produced track.

Luh Kel — “Feen” Feat. Trippie Redd

In a mission to bring love back to music, Luh Kel offered the deluxe version of his album L.O.V.E. today and it features a new song with Trippie Redd called “Feen.” Catching up with Luh Kel on set of the music video he told us about it. “This is my biggest budget video,” he said to Uproxx. I’m flying in the air and getting captured by a gust of wind with a bunch of video effects.”

IV4 — “Work 2 Hard”

Rising singer IV4 is offering one for all the hustlers out this week with her latest release “Work 2 Hard.” This is the follow-up to her second single of 2020, “Swimming” with Trippie Redd.

Check out this week’s R&B picks, plus more on Uproxx’s Spotify playlist below.

One of the best feel-good stories of a year that could use as many of them as possible has been Dave Grohl’s virtual drum battle with 10-year-old wunderkind Nandi Bushell. The pair has gone back and forth sharing videos in recent weeks, but during an appearance on The Late Show last week, Grohl admitted defeat. Now, Bushell has shared a comedic video in which she accepts Grohl’s concession.

Bushell’s video starts with clips of Grohl’s Late Show appearance and press coverage of it, set to epic cinematic music and sounds of thunder. Bushell then pops up against a stormy background and declares in rhyme, “Mr. Grohl, thou declare defeat at my feet. The rock gods of old watch you retreat. Your legend in history will echo in time. But still, you resign to a child of 3-foot-9.”

She them summons drum sticks to her hands and calls upon the spirits of some rock icons: Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, Jimi Hendrix, and Queen’s Freddie Mercury. Bushell continued, “The legendary Grohl wants to jam with me and we shall create the greatest rhapsody,” then let out one of her famous screams. She then ends with a fun nod to Tenacious D’s “Tribute” video, in which Grohl portrays the Devil, and concludes, “It has been an honor battling you, Mr. Grohl, and I can’t wait to write our song together.”

Check out Bushell’s video above.

With rare exceptions, like the trippy “Open Your Mind” scene in Doctor Strange or much of Thor: Ragnarok, the Marvel Cinematic Universe rarely gets weird. That’s what makes WandaVision so exciting. It’s a superhero show (the first MCU show on Disney+, in fact), but it has as much in common with I Love Lucy and The Office as it does Avengers: Age of Ultron, where Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch made her credited MCU debut. Also, there’s an all-powerful android with a purple penis. Things are going to get weird.

“I loved TV, and watched far too much The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Love Lucy and Bewitched and everything,” Marvel Studios honcho Kevin Feige told Empire about WandaVision‘s inspirations (there’s no such thing as “too much” The Dick Van Dyke Show). “We go up to the Modern Family and The Office style. The talk-to-the-camera, shaky-camera, documentary style.” I can’t wait to see Olsen’s Jim Halpert face. Feige also discussed why he wanted Scarlet Witch (and the purple penis guy, to an extent) to get her own show:

“If you look at the Infinity Saga, I don’t think any single person has gone through more pain and trauma than Wanda Maximoff. And no character seems to be as powerful as Wanda Maximoff. And no character has a power-set that is as ill-defined and unexplored as Wanda Maximoff. So it seemed exploring that would be worthwhile post-Endgame. Who else is aware of that power? Where did it come from? Did the Mind Stone unlock it?”

WandaVision premieres on Disney+ on January 15, 2021.

(Via Empire)

Ted Cruz has embraced an amped-up version of his usual fight against “tyranny” during the pandemic. He slammed a fellow senator as a “a complete ass” for wearing a mask, long after Cruz declared that the virus would disappear after election day (because he argued that the pandemic is a ruse meant to boot Trump out of office). The evaporation of the virus obviously did not happen, but the junior senator from Texas has continued to push back against COVID-19 restrictions, even as his state — especially in El Paso — has watched its morgues overflow as patients succumb to the virus.

Over the weekend, Cruz illustrated his thoughts on the CDC urging people to not travel for Thanksgiving (and to only mark the occasion with family members already in their household) with a Turkey meme that reads “Come and Take It.”

In doing so, Cruz drew a (misguided) reference to the “Come And Take It” flag that hails back to the Texas revolution. He’s appropriating the saying as in an attempt to place COVID restrictions into the “culture wars”… because he apparently thinks the Left is using the virus to attack Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Iowa State professor Brian Behnken posted a useful thread about how the flag’s been previously appropriated by the right wing, including the Second Amendment crowd, for their own ends. He also points out how Cruz is “fixating on a manly, heroic moment in Texas history,” the Siege of Bexar, while completely losing sight of context. Instead, Cruz is rallying for his right to gather for turkey while food lines in Texas stretch for miles and his state is suffering from an unfathomable loss of life.

In the aftermath of Cruz’s turkey dump, further roasting commenced, including this illustration from El Paso Artist Patrick Gabaldon, who posted his own drawing of a PPE-clad worker attending to a dead body set against the El Paso mountains and the saying, “Come And See It.” The drawing blasts those who refuse to take the pandemic seriously.

“Maybe if people see the devastation, maybe they’ll acknowledge it, and so you know when I see the come and take it with the turkey, I thought well you should come and see it,” Gabaldon told KTSM. “You should come and see what we’re dealing with and what our healthcare workers what our brothers and sisters and grandparents are dealing with.”

The roasting of Cruz’s dumb Turkey meme continued on Twitter.

And of course we got a Zodiac Killer recipe, one that’s well done.

The 2020 American Music Awards were last night, and Taylor Swift came home with one of the evening’s biggest awards: Artist Of The Year. Swift wasn’t there to accept her award live, but she had a good reason for that: In a pre-taped video, she revealed she was busy re-recording her old music.

Swift, of course, does not own the rights to the albums she released on Big Machine — Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation — but beginning at the start of November, she was officially allowed to re-record the songs. Swift has already gotten started on that process, as she explained in her acceptance video, saying, “The reason I’m not there tonight is I’m actually re-recording all of my old music in the studio where we originally recorded it, so it’s been amazing and I can’t wait for you to hear it.”

Elsewhere in the video, she said, “This is a fan-voted award, which means so much to me. You guys have been beyond wonderful all the years of my career, but especially this one, when we’ve been so far apart. We haven’t been able to see each other in concert, but I still feel really connected to you through the music and your reaction to Folklore and all of the ways in which your imagination honored that album.”

Watch Swift’s acceptance speech above and revisit our review of Folklore here.