Month: December 2020

Mariah Carey may be the pop star most commonly associated with Christmas, but Ariana has been in that lane for a while now, too. Grande’s Christmas & Chill EP has been a fan-favorite for the holidays, but for those who love both of these stars, a new collaboration is about to top everything that came before. This new track, “Oh Santa!” doubles down on both stars’ love for the season, and with the powerhouse pipes of Jennifer Hudson on deck too, pop has a new holiday anthem.

In an extremely seasonal video complete with elves and Christmas decorations galore, all three divas get a chance to sing about how Santa needs to help them rekindle a recently ended romance. Of course, this is a theme that Mariah has addressed plenty of times before, like on the classic “Baby Please Come Home” and the iconic “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” but despite the subject matter, this new track is actually very cheerful. And when it comes to those hair-rising high notes, Mariah is fine with sharing a spine-tingling moment with Ari where they both hit them toward the end of the song.

Given how dreary the rest of the year has been with the pandemic, a chaotic election, and the pressures of unemployment and quarantine, it’s nice to have an upbeat, celebratory Christmas anthem to ring in the season, even if things might look a lot different for a lot of us this year. Watch the video above, and don’t forget to tune in for the Christmas special Mariah is hosting with Ariana and plenty of other guests on December 4.

This year saw the rise of many female rappers in the music world. Listeners were introduced to names like Flo Milli, Sukihana, and Mulatto, while they witness more familiar acts — Megan Thee Stallion, Blimes And Gab, and others — boost their stock and solidify their position in the game. Looking to insert her name into the conversation before the year ends, Yung Baby Tate arrives with her third project in as many years thanks to After The Rain, which comes with an enthusiastic collaboration with Flo Milli.

Standing tall in their respective positions in the rap game, Yung Baby Tate and Flo Milli flex some muscle on their first-ever collab, “I Am.” The track is a bouncy effort that finds them both in an extremely boastful state. “I am healthy, I am wealthy / I am rich, I am that b*tch,” they rap on the song’s hook, adding “I am gonna get that bag and I’m not gonna take your sh*t.” After hearing both verses from the young rappers, it’s clear that it’ll take more than a few insults to stifle their confidence.

Yung Baby Tate’s After The Rain is a seven-track effort that she’s released through Issa Rae’s Raedio label with guest an additional guest appearance from 6lack. As for Flo Milli, if you’re interested in more from the Alabama rapper, revisit her Ho, Why Is You Here? debut which Uproxx ranked at the sixteenth-best album of the year and the seventh-best hip-hop album of the year.

You can listen to “I Am” above.

After The Rain is out now via Raedio. Get it here.

It’s been two years since Justin Timberlake has graced his fans with an album, which was his 2018 Man Of The Woods album, a project that left fans disappointed as it departed from his usual sound and choice of content. While it’s unknown when the Tennesse native will deliver his next body of work, fans can be happy in the meantime as Timberlake returns with his second guest appearance of the year thanks to a collaboration with up and coming R&B singer, Ant Clemons.

The singers brought their talents together for their new single, “Better Days.” The track is an optimistic number that finds them both alluding to the light at the end of the tunnel for a world drowning in a number of issues: heightened political battles, the coronavirus, and more on top of the issues that already existed in a “normal world.” According to a press release, the song was written on this year’s Election Day, which explains its uplifting and supportive mood.

“Better Days” arrives after Ant Clemons was nominated in the Best R&B Album category for his debut project, Happy 2 Be Here. The effort arrived in February with guest appearances from Pharrell, Timbaland, and Ty Dolla Sign. The song also comes just a day after Timberlake was celebrated for purchasing a wheelchair-accessible van for a 17-year-old boy with cerebal palsy.

You can listen to “Better Days” above.

This year has been all about growth and expansion for California native Blxst, and looking back at the past 12 months, it clear that the singer has achieved that. Following a great feature on Mozzy’s “I Ain’t Perfect” track from his Beyond Bulletproof album, Blxst set out on his own and released his debut solo project, No Love Lost, towards the end of the summer. The effort quickly proved that the singer was here to stay and now, he’s back with his deluxe version.

Adding six more songs to the project, one of the best additions to No Love Lost finds Blxst calling on a pair of well known West coast names, Ty Dolla Sign and Tyga, for “Chosen.” The collaboration sees the three acts praising the woman they have respectively chosen as a partner with stay beside them for the foreseeable future. Across their three verses, Blxst, Ty Dolla Sign, and Tyga introduce their individual love interests to a new lifestyle that will hopefully convince them to stay and enjoy it for as long as possible.

Aside from Ty Dolla Sign and Tyga, the re-issue of No Love Lost also sees guest appearances from Dom Kennedy and Blxst’s frequent collaborator, Bino Rideaux.

Listen to “Chosen” in the video above.

No Love Lost (Deluxe) is out now via Evgle/Red Bull Records. Get it here.

Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Star Wars show everyone is talking about these days is The Mandalorian, but more are on the way and are being shot despite the still-ongoing coronavirus pandemic. One of those is the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show, with Ewan McGregor apparently reprising his Episode I-III role as the Jedi Master on Disney+.

Casting information for any Star Wars show has been tough to come by in the Mandalorian era. But it seems some details about where the latest Star Wars TV show will film has leaked out, and people are having a lot of fun with the news of one reported filming location. The Boston CBS affiliate reported Thursday that the Disney+ show is scheduled to shoot in The Hub in early 2021.

It looks like “Star Wars” is coming to Boston. A posting by the Film & Television Industry Alliance on productionlist.com says “Star Wars: Kenobi” is set to shoot in Boston on Jan. 4, 2021.

…

“Tatooine-a harsh desert world where farmers toil in the heat of two suns while trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from the marauding Tusken Raiders. A backwater planet on the edge of civilized space. And an unlikely place to find a Jedi Master in hiding, or an orphaned infant boy on whose tiny shoulders rests the future of a galaxy,” a project summary states.

It’s weird to imagine Star Wars filming anywhere that’s tethered to this Earth, but it has to film somewhere despite looking like a galaxy far, far away. Boston is one of the most architecturally interesting cities in America, partially because it’s one of the oldest. But while there are some locations in the city that may pass for a temple, it’s unclear where in the city they’ll recreate Tatooine.

Still, the idea of the franchise setting up shop in Boston mostly had people thinking not about what Boston looks like, but stereotypically what it sounds like. Which is why a lot of people made jokes in a Boston accent on Thursday when they learned the news.

There was also plenty of room for sports-adjacent jokes.

As a number of people pointed out, Bill Burr’s Boston accent has already entered the Star Wars canon thanks to The Mandalorian, so it’s entirely possible that Beantown itself is in the Star Wars universe.

Once the show’s CGI wizardry is all said and done, there probably won’t be many signs of Boston or London in the finished product of Star Wars: Kenobi. But it is fun to think of the Star Wars galaxy actually existing somewhere much closer to our own.

After an entire year away from the hip-hop game, Amine made his return this year with his Limbo album. The 14-track effort was an incredibly strong release from the Portland native, which served as a successor to his 2018 effort, OnePointFive. UPROXX named Limbo as the 27th-best album of the year and the ninth-best hip-hop album of the year. Looking to give the album one last push before the year ends, Amine returned with a deluxe re-issue of Limbo and one of its early highlights comes on a track with Saba.

Connecting for the first time in their careers, Amine and Saba flex some muscle on “Talk.” The track finds them both emphasizing their needs to back up their proclamation: talk the talk and walk the walk. For Amine this is a requirement because the last thing he wants is for the competition and other spectators to think he’s “out here for f*cking jokes.” After the “Compensating” rapper leads the way with bars of his own, Saba follows suit with a second dose of confidence and a reminder that he’s achieved so much while others struggle to do half as much as he has.

The Limbo deluxe comes with seven additional songs and guest appearances from Toosii, Valee, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

You can listen to “Talk” in the video above.

Limbo (Deluxe) is out now via Republic. Get it here.

Kamaiyah quickly rose to fame back in 2017 thanks to a string of strong songs and guest appearances, most notably “Why You Always Hatin?” with YG and Drake. Signed to the My Krazy Life rapper’s 4Hunnid imprint at the time, Kamaiyah departed the label to do things her own way. The result? Two projects in the span of seven months: February’s Got It Made and September’s Oakland Nights. To most, a pair of releases would be enough in a calendar, but not to Kamaiyah as the West coast native returned with a new song and news of a third project set to arrive by the end of the year.

Looking to end the year on a high note, Kamaiyah announced that No Explanations — her third project of the year — would arrive next week December 11. The news came with the release of the project’s lead single, “Still I Rise” with Jackboy. The song is a boastful effort that finds Kamaiyah and up and coming rapper confident in their abilities to fight through adversity and life’s hard moments as its something they’ve done below. “Still I Rise” also comes with a matching music video that… As for No Explanations, the upcoming project stands as an 11-song effort with an additional feature from fellow West coast rapper Mozzy.

You can watch the “Still I Rise” video above and check out the No Explanations artwork and tracklist below.

01. “Big Step”
02. “Still I Rise” Feat. Jackboy
03. “Bend Da Corner”
04. “Art Of War”
05. “Go Crazy”
06. “Scared To Lose”
07. “Momma Said” Feat. Mozzy
08. “Chosen”
09. “The Distance”
10. “Cash On Delivery”
11. “Bape Hoody”

No Explanations is out 12/11 via Grnd.Wrk/Empire. Pre-order it here.

The high school football playoffs are underway around the country, producing some wild highlights and, on Thursday night in Texas, a scary scene involving a player and a referee.

Edinburg High School’s Emmanuel Duron was ejected from their playoff game against PSJA High for a late hit on the quarterback and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and after the referee announced the ruling, the defensive lineman sprinted onto the field and hit the referee before his coaches and others could get to him.

Duron was escorted off the field by police, who reportedly did not offer any comment on the incident after or any potential charges in the immediate aftermath. The referee who was hit was carted off the field and underwent evaluation for a concussion and possible shoulder injury, per Andy McCulloch who was covering the game.

It is a reprehensible act by Duron, who McCulloch notes is one of Edinburg’s best players both as a defender and as their primary kicker and punter. Edinburg would go on to win the game, 35-21, but they figure to be without Duron for what one would think would be the remainder of the playoffs no matter how long they continue. No matter what the frustration was with the decision to eject him, it’s entirely unacceptable to run on the field and hit the referee and hopefully the referee was not seriously injured in the incident.

Donald Trump’s time in the White House is coming to an end, and those in the administration are searching for new jobs. That includes other members of the Trump family, and according to a report one of Trump’s sons is looking to make a pretty big move.

According to a Business Insider report, Trump Jr. is reportedly considering a bid to take over as leader of the National Rifle Association. The outlet published a reporter that said a small team has looked into whether Trump Jr. could take over for current NRA president Wayne Lapierre.

As The Independent pointed out, Trump Jr. would not be able to simply say he wanted the gig and make it happen. There’s also some legal woes the NRA itself is currently dealing with that may not make it the most enticing of job options.

The NRA’s board chooses its leadership, not the membership. One of the Republicans who spoke with BI said the board was filled with people loyal to Mr Pierre, so it is unlikely Mr Trump Jr could simply express his interest and ride his name to the top.

Taking over the NRA might also prove more of a headache than Mr Trump Jr is willing to take on; the organisation has been wracked with infighting and legal battles for the better part of a year.

It’s not the only thing that Trump Jr. is weighing in the wake of his father’s impending departure from the White House. As CNN reported in November, the oldest Trump son apparently has also expressed interest in a spot with the Republican National Committee along with his girlfriend, former Fox News anchor Kimberley Guilfoyle. That move could set up for another run at the presidency from Trump, who has been rumored to want another crack at a second term four years from now.

Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle could seek leadership roles at the RNC to position the committee for a comeback run for the President in 2024, the sources said.

“Don Jr. and Kimberly have an eye on the RNC, through themselves taking over or somebody close to them taking over,” a well-placed Republican Party source close to the White House said.

Despite all the rumors and reports of Trump Jr. and his interest in the NRA, there’s even some doubt expressed in the initial report from some sources that he would want the job. Trump Jr., fittingly, tweeted on Thursday that the story was “fake news” though he did say he is a big fan of the organization. It’s often tough to know what’s real and what’s not from the Trumps, but what is certain is that his father will also be looking for a new job next month, too.

After a few weeks in the wilderness, Week 12 was a nice bounce-back in this space when it comes to NFL handicapping. Even with Aaron Rodgers and company running wild on Sunday evening, a 4-1 week isn’t something to (ever) complain about, and that brings a bit of optimism for the final five weeks of the slate.

Week 13 should be quite interesting but, before we get to this week’s group of five selections, let’s take a glance at the full-season progress.

• Week 12: 4-1
• 2020 Season: 31-27-2

Come get these winners.

Cincinnati Bengals (+11.5) over Miami Dolphins

The Bengals really miss Joe Burrow. Everybody knows that. This number is still out of control. Miami has a good defense, and they do have some weapons, but the Dolphins are not the kind of offense that should be laying double figures against another NFL team. Sometimes, you have to stand on principle and this is one of those times.

Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans UNDER 53.5 points

Derrick Henry and company are legitimately good on offense and I wouldn’t say otherwise. However, this number is a few points too high after what Tennessee did to Indianapolis last week. The Browns are pretty good on defense and, almost more importantly, Cleveland is keen on running the ball and keeping the clock moving. Give me punts, field goals and a lot of handoffs.

Arizona Cardinals (+3) over Los Angeles Rams

At a full three, the Cardinals are the only side you can have in their own building. Arizona hasn’t been quite as explosive, and Kyler Murray may not be 100 percent, but the gap between these two teams isn’t large enough for the Cards to be getting a field goal at home. It’s that simple on this one.

Los Angeles Chargers (PK) over New England Patriots

It makes me want to throw up to take the Chargers here, but we have to do what we do. Los Angeles is maddening, not particularly well coached and used to losing games in horrific fashion. New England has the best coach of all-time. That’s scary, but I am not a believer in the Pats and the Chargers are undervalued because of all of their nonsense. Send help.

San Francisco 49ers (PK) over Buffalo Bills

I believe in the getting-healthy Niners. That defense is legitimate, and this is still priced like it would’ve been three weeks ago when San Francisco’s roster situation was dire. I know the game is in Glendale (and you should know that too!) but we’re getting a good price on the Niners. I firmly believe that here.