Month: February 2021

Is there anyone better at the internet than Vince Staples? At least in the realm of hip-hop, there are very few who can hold a candle to his posting game (his live show is pretty great, too). He knows just how to get a rise out of people, make jokes, and offer helpful and necessary cultural commentary when needed. However, that’s not what he was up to tonight.

Instead, his focus right now was on some internet haters, ones who would not stop falsely claiming that his mother has recently laid hands on him. The claim, Staples states, is simply false. The Long Beach rapper posted a snippet of a text conversation the two had about said haters, and Vince confirmed his case with a material witness to the truth.

“Mama these n—-s on Twitter trying to say you was just beating my ass,” Vince texted. “Can you please tell them I ain’t get a whooping since the 90s and I been turnt up since birth.” Not one to disappoint her son, or his legion of fans who thoroughly enjoyed the exchange, Mama Staples wrote back: “That’s just like n—-s, talking about something they know nothing about!! You always been turned up!!!”

There you have it. Have a great weekend and know that if your mom doesn’t have your back like Vince Staples’ does, she needs to get in gear.

There are many practical considerations that we tend to take for granted when it comes to putting on an NBA game. We just assume that the basketball will be fully inflated, that the lights will all be turned on, and everyone’s microphones will be working. But sometimes, it’s the little things that tend to stand out the most when they go wrong.

Take, for instance, the color clash that happened on Friday night during the Thunder-Hawks game. Apparently, there was some sort of miscommunication during the scheduling because OKC ended up taking the court in their orange jerseys, which looked nearly indistinguishable from the Hawks’ red uniforms.

It was enough to make your eyes bleed, and by halftime, the league had seen enough and requested that the Thunder change into their white jerseys, as the Hawks had only traveled with their red jerseys and did not have a change available. Needless to say, it was quite a relief to the visual palette.

who thought this was a good idea…? pic.twitter.com/AfROQpw4qS

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 27, 2021

Wardrobe change at halftime.

Sound to hear @nickgallo22 explain it all on @FOXSportsOK pic.twitter.com/xWrRENmChd

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) February 27, 2021

With so many things done on the fly in this compressed season, it’s wonder we haven’t seen more snafus like this. Thankfully, it was an easy fix, and our headaches have mostly since subsided.

Last September, Cardi B went public with some footage of a group of Trump supporters in the Hamptons who were seemingly harassing her sister, Hennessy. Cardi labeled the harassers’ actions as “racist,” and they promptly responded with a defamation lawsuit. The rapper reportedly now wants the lawsuit dismissed, claiming they’re only going after her money.

It all started when Cardi’s sister Hennessy was looking to spend a casual day at the beach with her girlfriend. But then, according to Hennessy, she and her partner were approached by MAGA hat-wearing beachgoers who asked them to move their car. They obliged, but the altercation didn’t end there. Hennessy claimed that they were followed by the group and repeatedly told, “Go back to your own country.”

Cardi B shared Hennessy’s account of the argument and label them “racist MAGA supporters,” which the plaintiffs are using as grounds for the defamation suit. But according to TMZ, Cardi isn’t willing to go through with the case. The rapper reportedly filed a motion for a judge to dismiss the lawsuit because she believes they want to capitalize on the fact that she’s a celebrity. Cardi reportedly added that her heated words were just her “opinion,” and do not constitute defamation. “The remedy for thin skin is thicker skin, not a lawsuit,” the rapper allegedly stated in court documents.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

A report from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report earlier this week indicated that the Dallas Mavericks are gauging the league’s interest in Kristaps Porzingis, just in case there is momentum for a potential trade. While both head coach Rick Carlisle and owner Mark Cuban have clearly stated that this is not the case, Porzingis doesn’t seem to be totally buying it.

The Mavericks’ big man spoke to the media on Friday, one day before a high-profile showdown with the Brooklyn Nets, and was asked about the rumblings going around. In response, Porzingis more or less said he wasn’t sure what was going on, saying he is completely in the dark and that he believes it would be counter-productive to think too terribly much about something out of his control.

An important note from Fischer’s reporting is that the Mavericks are believed to be doing their due diligence on every player on the roster outside of Luka Doncic, which is understandable as Doncic is the franchise’s best player at a young age and it wouldn’t make sense to not try and build the best possible team around him. Whether or not Porzingis — who is in year two of a $158 million extension — is a player capable of helping them doing that is one of the biggest questions that Dallas’ front office has to answer.

Still, for now, it seems like Porzingis isn’t going anywhere, and this is a bunch of informal conversations to gauge the market. On the season, the big man is averaging 20.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game.

The Boston Celtics have found themselves in a tough position here as we head toward the All-Star break. At 15-17 on the season, they’re currently in ninth place in the East and have lost three straight games. The organization’s CEO Wyc Grousbeck had a curious explanation for that, pointing the finger at Kyrie Irving’s departure two summers ago, claiming that it set off a “domino effect” from which the team is still trying to recover.

It’s not as crazy as it might seem on the surface. Of course, there are plenty of other factors that have led to them under-performing this season. Multiple players have missed significant time due to COVID protocols and/or injury, but for a team that was in the conference finals last season, they expectations were much higher for this point of the season.

To make matters worse, the universe has added both insult and injury to Brad Stevens’ woes as he tries to navigate the treacherous road ahead. In an appearance on a local Boston radio show on Thursday, Stevens revealed that he had to undergo dental surgery and was the victim of identify theft, both in the same week.

A week in Brad Stevens’ shoes according to him:
Root canal & identity theft >>> Celtics’ recent skid

(@ZoandBertrand) pic.twitter.com/SqC12QlPbG

— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) February 25, 2021

“I was just telling my wife, I had a root canal and my identity stolen last week and I think those were two of my better days in the last eight days. Like, it’s just been what it is,” Stevens said.

Stevens and the Celtics will try to end their three-game skid on Friday night in Boston as they host the Pacers.

Shaquille O’Neal has his hand in any number of endorsement deals, many of which date back to his playing days when he began to capitalize on his enormous popularity and marketability. Some of them are purely for his own entertainment, while others carry greater historical significance.

Take, for instance, the Krispy Kreme store that Shaq owns on Ponce de Leon Ave. in Atlanta, which is often remembered for providing free doughnuts to local churches where mourners gathered following the death of Martin Luther King Jr. It’s also one of the first locations outside of the company’s North Carolina headquarters.

After a fire ravaged the store earlier this month, Shaq promised that it would “return stronger than ever,” and on Friday, authorities announced that arson was the cause of the blaze and have released two photos of a suspect they believe might be involved.

The fire that occurred at @krispykreme Doughnuts (295 Ponce de Leon) on February 10th, 2021 has been determined to be a result of ARSON. We are seeking the public’s help in identifying & locating the suspect in these pictures. Up to $10,000 reward. 1-800-282-5804 #AFRD pic.twitter.com/HotJquoNC1

— Atlanta Fire Rescue (@ATLFireRescue) February 26, 2021

Two employees were reportedly at the store when the fire broke out, but fortunately no one was injured. Cell phone video offered terrifying image of the blaze that caused significant damage. The Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department is offering up to a $10,000 reward for information.

Discussions about gender reveal parties gone wrong seem to have reached a fever pitch lately, and between said parties and new narrow-minded legislative designed to hurt young trans women in sports, the emphasis on supporting those who identify as transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals has also increased.

Such support is coming from one pop star, Demi Lovato, today, who re-shared a post by Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender nonconforming writer, performer, artist, public speaker and advocate.
“@alokvmenon with the real,” Demi wrote before reposting the caption. “Thank you for sharing your knowledge and educating us always.”

The lengthy post includes several slides breaking down how a binary celebration of coded and colored cis gender baby leaves no room for the other possibilities. “This is not about being politically correct, it’s about being correct,” Vaid-Menon wrote in the caption to their post that Lovato shared. “The refusal to acknowledge this stems from a misunderstanding of what transphobia is. Transphobia is not just prejudice or violence against an individual trans person, it is a belief system that presumes non-trans people to be more “natural” than trans people. Only individual people can self determine their gender.”

You might remember Alok’s work helping people understand the reaction to Harry Styles in a dress on the cover of Vogue, as cited by the inimitable AOC. Please scroll through the full slideshow if you’re still seeking to understand what’s at stake when assuming genitals determine gender.

The slides were designed by Nabi, and for any further questions considering purchasing Alok’s book, Beyond The Gender Binary and educating yourself.

In the before times, when 2020 was just going to be a normal year and not one marked irrevocably by an isolating pandemic, Taylor Swift was throwing a couple of music festivals. Dubbed Lover Fest east and west — after her album Lover which was, at that time, her latest album — the mini fests were slated for Los Angeles and Foxborough, MA. When the reality of the pandemic began to sink in last spring, Swift moved to postpone all of her tour dates, including the festivals. Sadly, we are almost one full year into this thing, and she has decided it’s time to officially cancel the dates permanently.

Taylor shared a post on Twitter today, letting fans know how disappointed she is as well, and hoping for some good news to share very soon. Check out her full statement below:

I love coming on here to tell you good news, or to share a new project with you. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to have to tell you news I’m sad about. This is an unprecedented pandemic that has changed everyone’s plans and no one knows what the touring landscape is going to look like in the near future.I’m so disappointed that I won’t be able to see you in person as soon as I wanted to. I miss you terribly and can’t wait til we can all safely be at shows together again.

New dates were never scheduled for the shows, and fans have had the option to refund their tickets since the shows were postponed.

Of course, there’s a nother reason the shows no longer make sense — during isolation Swift used her time quite productively (such a Sagittarius!) to make not one but two new albums, giving fans Folklore and Evermore to listen to while we all safely quarantine. Whatever live shows she does embark on next, in whatever form, will hopefully include “Invisible String” and “Champagne Problems” in their setlist. Thanks in advance, Tay.

The last we heard from Swedish sister band First Aid Kit, they released their critically-acclaimed 2018 album Rumors. Now, the duo are returning to commemorate the work of the late songwriter Leonard Cohen in a big way.

First Aid Kit announced the 20-track live tribute album Who By Fire Friday. It was was recorded across two nights at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm in 2017 with the help of fellow Swedish guest musicians, an eight-person band and string section, two actors, as well as a 20-plus person choir on two of the songs. According to press materials, Who By Fire not only includes covers of Cohen’s music, but is also a “theatrical staging” of Cohen’s songs, poems, and letters.

About the project, First Aid Kit said in a statement:

“We recently listened back to this concert and realized that this was something out of the ordinary for us. It was a challenge to create a performance that wasn’t centered around First Aid Kit songs. It was something we’d never done before, but everything came together so well. Dwelling deeply into Cohen’s world was a pleasure, he was so prolific as both a poet and a songwriter, and everything he ever put out held a very strong standard. He cared immensely for his work. The band, the guest artists, the atmosphere on stage…everyone had a great passion and it felt magical. This is definitely a record that is best enjoyed listening to back-to-back with no interruptions. Allow yourself to just disappear into Cohen’s world for a little while.

We decided not to edit any of the performances. The flaws are part of the live experience. In a time when you sadly can’t go to an actual physical live show, you can listen to this and imagine you were there…”

Listen to the lead single “Suzanne” above and find First Aid Kit’s Who By Fire cover art and tracklist below.

1. “Tired”
2. “Suzanne”
3. “Sisters of Mercy”
4. “Who by Fire / As The Mist Leaves No Scar”
5. “Twelve O’Clock Chant”
6. “Everybody Knows”
7. “Avalanche”
8. “The Future”
9. “Chelsea Hotel No.5”
10. “You Want It Darker”
11. “If It Be Your Will”
12. “The Asthmatic”
13. “Famous Blue Raincoat / Anthem”
14. “Show Me The Place”
15. “Hallelujah”
16. “Prayer for Messiah”
17. “Bird on the Wire”
18. “Who by Fire”
19. “So Long Marianne”
20. “You’d Sing Too”

Who By Fire is out 3/26 via Sony Sweden/Columbia Records. Pre-order it here.

A group of beachgoers in Mexico proved that when people join together and stand up for justice, you can triumph in even the direst of circumstances.

Municipal police in Tulum, Quintana Roo got received a tip that there were men allegedly committing “immoral acts” on the beach. So the officers, armed with AR-15 rifles, picked up two Canadian men.

“The officers approached a group of young foreigners,” local politician Maritza Escalante Morales recounted in her video. “After about 20 minutes passed, a patrol car arrived and proceeded to arrest them with handcuffs.”

When Escalante asked the officers why the two men were being arrested, she learned it was “because they were gay and they kissed.” However, two men are allowed to legally kiss in Mexico. The officers claimed they were being arrested because they did so in front of children.

“The policemen were violent, and gave arguments such as ‘there are families and children and they cannot be watching this,'” Morales later said.

When the police loaded the two men into the back of their truck, a crowd began to mobilize around the vehicle. They booed and jeered the police. The crowd rallied around the men chanting “No!” and “I’m gay, too!”

Morales captured the incident on video.

“We are gay, that is why they are taking us,” one of the arrested tourists says in the video.

“They were not committing any crime, we were by their side, at no time did they do anything wrong, simply by kissing like any other couple,” Morales later wrote. “I am FURIOUS because it is not possible that in the 21st century this type of oppression against the LGBT+ community continues.”

However, the protests worked. Even though the police were heavily armed they capitulated to the angry crowd and let the two men go. It was a beautiful display of the power a crowd can have when they stand up for what’s right. Especially when the two men weren’t doing anything wrong or illegal.

Homosexuality is legal in Mexico and same-sex marriage has been allowed for over a decade. But that doesn’t prevent some authorities from overstepping their boundaries and threatening LGBT people.

According to World Nomads tourism site, in Mexico “The culture is stronger than the printed law, and each Mexican state can override national decriminalization laws by finding ‘adjacent’ excuses — like public decency laws — for making an arrest in rare situations.”

The site urges LGBT people to be cautious about expressing public affection in the country.

“Basic displays of same-sex affection, like kissing and handholding in public (except for in or around a gay bar in, say, Mexico City), are invitations for scrutiny and potential backlash, which wouldn’t be much different from a small, conservative, rural town anywhere in the world,” the site continues.

The incident has resulted in several human rights groups filing complaints with Mexico’s government. It has also inspired a “kiss-in” at the beach to protest the actions of the police.