Month: March 2021

This week on React Like You Know, we’re switching things up. We’ve touched on all the party classics like Lil Kim’s “Crush On You,” Busta Rhymes’ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” Trick Daddy and Trina’s “Nann,” and Mark Morrison’s “Return Of The Mack,” but this week, we’re slowing things down and pulling out a body-rolling R&B classic.

Mid-’90s staple singer Adina Howard — who is finally releasing her shelved 1997 album Welcome To Fantasy Island to streaming this week — debuted in 1995 with “Freak Like Me,” well before some members of our panel were even born.

So, it’s a blast to watch BRS Kash, DaniLeigh, DDG, and Toosii’s minds get blown by the laid-back G-funk stylings of the singer’s sexy debut single, which sounds little like the trap-heavy production of today. Wait for the moment BRS Kash finally realizes what the song is; he lights up like a Christmas tree. Meanwhile, Bobby Sessions makes this astute observation: “If your mom her hair like this, you was for sure getting your ass whipped.” Almighty Suspect also mishears a lyric, leading to one of the best facial reactions we’ve seen.

Watch the latest episode of React Like You Know above.

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

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) made himself a household name (and not in a good way) by helping to incite the failed (and deadly) MAGA coup. In doing so, he prompted Hallmark to take a stand against his insurrection-cheerleader ways, and several of Hawley’s hometown publications have taken him to the woodshed for his seditionist lies. Well, Hawley was photographed delivering fist-pumping encouragement on January 6 outside the U.S. Capitol complex, and he took a central role in questioning FBI Director Christopher Wray as part of a Senate Judiciary hearing on the MAGA riot.

As the Kansas City Star noted, Hawley quizzed Wray about how the FBI would use cell phone data (including geolocation data) against the insurrectionists by tracking their whereabouts on January 6. Hawley undoubtedly sought to couch his inquiries within a personal-liberty blanket, and here’s what he asked about cell-phone data pertaining to a riot that he, you know, helped to fuel:

“Are you saying… you don’t know whether the bureau has scooped up geolocation data, metadata cell phone records from cell phone towers? Do you not know, or are you saying maybe it has or maybe it hasn’t? Tell me what you know about this.”

Wray responded that it “would not surprise me” if cell phone records might be used in this way by the FBI during this investigation because “we do use geolocation data under specific authorities and specific instances,” but he couldn’t claim that he definitively knew that geolocation data would be used against the insurrectionists. Wray did stress that any actions by the FBI would be well within its jurisdiction and authority, and it remains to be seen how that collected cell phone data might shake out. In any event, social media noticed that Hawley seemed super interested in the subject. In fact, people wondered if he was “asking for a friend” while noting that “[s]omeone seems nervous.”

Well, we should find out more about this geolocation data soon? What a fine mess.

This week in the best new pop music saw some energetic releases. Nick Jonas returned to announce a solo album, Chloe x Halle dropped two new Ungodly Hour songs, and pop up-and-comer Madison Beer shared her anticipated debut album.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.

Nick Jonas — “Spaceman”

Following the Jonas Brothers’ 2019 comeback, Nick Jonas has returned to expand his solo career. Announcing the LP Spaceman with its slow-burning title track, Jonas said: “‘Spaceman’ kind of came into my mind as I was thinking, ‘What’s the one thing that all of us have felt during this time? Completely disconnected from the world.’ We’ve gotten so accustomed to looking at a screen instead of human interaction and I think the thing that keeps us all encouraged and hopeful is the idea of knowing that there will be a tomorrow when this is our reality.”

Chloe x Halle — “80/20”

After breaking out into the mainstream with their sizzling sophomore album Ungodly Hour, sister duo Chloe x Halle served up two new tracks on its deluxe release. Like the remainder of their album, “80/20” displays the singers’ sensual side, shedding their innocence while showcasing their impressive vocal ranges.

Madison Beer — “Sour Times”

Nine years to the day since she posted her first singing video to YouTube, Madison Beer released her debut album Life Support on Epic Records. Showcasing her cutting edge sound, the album melts together Billie Eilish’s apathetic attitude with Ariana Grande’s saccharine harmonies. “Writing songs is like therapy for me.” says Beer said about the project. “That’s why this album is called Life Support. It helped me get rid of the darkness and see the light.”

India Shawn — “Too Sweet” Feat. Unknown Mortal Orchestra

After making a name for herself with her first two albums, India Shawn is back with her fluttering voice for the Unknown Mortal Orchestra collaboration “Too Sweet.” About her musical inspirations, Shawn sites Aaliyah: “I remember watching an interview of Aaliyah talking about her love for alternative music. I think that’s where my deep dive into alt & indie rock began. It’s been a goal of mine for years now to create the kind of music that I listen to.”

Two Feet — “Never Enough”

With his simmering track “Never Enough,” NYC-based producer Two Feet heralds his voyeuristic LP Max Maco Is Dead Right?. About the upbeat, euphoric single, Two Feet said, ”I wanted to make a dance record for the album that serves as a manifestation of Max Maco’s extroversion, social life and absurd antics. I think I did that with ‘Never Enough’.”

Slayyyter — “Clouds”

Singer Slayyyter is working her way into the mainstream with her upcoming debut album Troubled Paradise. This week, Slayyyter offered another preview of the impending effort with the opulent single “Clouds,” which features her euphoric lyrical delivery over a club-ready beat.

Danny L Harle — “Take My Heart Away”

Hyperpop producer Danny L Harle has worked extensively behind-the-scenes with artists like Charli XCX, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Caroline Polachek. But with his newly-released album Harlecore, the artist is stepping onto center stage. With songs like “Take My Heart Away,” Harle proves he knows how to set the tone for a night on the dance floor.

Pussy Riot — “Toxic” Feat. Dorian Electra

After Pussy Riot featured on Dorian Electra’s 2020 sophomore album, the two team up once again for a new, glitchy single. “‘Toxic’ is political, because personal is political,” Pussy Riot vocalist Nadya Tolokonnikova said. “The single reflects on the importance of self-care, cherishing your mental health and staying away from relationships that poison you.”

Kero Kero Bonito — “The Princess And The Clock”

Following their acclaimed 2019 album Time ‘N’ Place, Kero Kero Bonito announced their upcoming EP Civilisation II alongside “The Princess And The Clock.” About the single, the band says they crafted their own fable to serve as inspiration: “‘The Princess And The Clock’ is the tale of a young explorer who is kidnapped while sailing the world, imprisoned at the top of a tower and worshiped as royalty by an isolated society. Trapped in her chamber, she spends years dreaming of escaping, until one day she disappears.”

Lana Condor and Anthony De La Torre — “Anyone Else But You”

After starring in the hit Netflix film To All The Boys: Always And Forever, Lana Condor once again teams up with songwriter Anthony De La Torre for a snappy love tune. “Anyone Else But You” describes the exact moment of falling in love, and all the warmth that comes with it.

Cautious Clay — “Roots”

Offering another taste of his anticipated debut album, Cautious Clay serves-up the shared tune “Roots.” About the single, Clay says: “Roots’ is about having an established history with someone and coming to the often-difficult realization that things ultimately will not last because of elements in the relationship that are toxic.”

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

The pandemic has been tough for everyone, but it’s been especially difficult on teachers. To help ease one teacher’s burden, Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, the hosts of Showtime’s Desus & Mero, stepped in to sub for Mr. David Robles and his fifth grade class at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Harlem, New York.

Desus and Mero covered all the important topics: the Revolutionary War (“Not the Nas song, but the actual Revolutionary War”), where Megan Thee Stallion is from, and if there’s time, Tory Lanez’s hair. They also fielded questions from the students, including which one of them is more likely to be a ninja (the correct answer seems to be “neither”) and the story behind their Zoom backgrounds. The kids, who all got a free pair of sneakers, also had nice things to say about Mr. Robles, who described what it’s like to teach during the pandemic.

“It’s insane. My nephew calls it ‘Zoom Doom.’ You know how like the yellow in your battery, like no matter how much you charge your battery, it still stays yellow? That’s what it feels like,” he said. “But you draw energy from the other students in your class, so we’re all looking out for each other and charging each other’s battery.”

Watch the clip above. Desus & Mero airs on Sundays and Thursdays on Showtime.

A new series of Tom Cruise videos have been racking up the views since appearing on TikTok last week. They feature the Mission: Impossible star swinging a golf club, performing a magic trick, and tripping over his own two feet in an unusual move for the normally agile actor. There’s just one small catch: It’s not really Cruise.

In what’s being described by experts as “the most alarmingly lifelike examples” of Deepfake technology, according to the New York Post, the Cruise videos have been captivating social media users due to how closely they pass for the real thing. Of course, the terrifying implications of Deepfake tech is that it can be used for nefarious reasons by creating extremely realistic videos of anyone from world leaders to celebrities doing things that they’re not actually doing.

“Deepfakes will impact public trust, provide cover & plausible deniability for criminals/abusers caught on video or audio, and will be (and are) used to manipulate, humiliate, & hurt people. If you’re building manipulated/synthetic media detection technology, get it moving,” online security expert Rachel Tobac tweeted shortly after the Cruise videos went viral. “Also important to mention that just because you feel you can personally tell the difference between synthetic & authentic media, it doesn’t mean we’re good to go. It matters what the general public believes. Altered media has real world safety, political, etc. impact for everyone.”

While the persons responsible for the “deeptomcruise” TikTok channel are not known, you can see below why the videos are freaking people out, and why experts for the UK Times are placing them in “the top 5 percent of deepfakes out there in terms of quality.”

(Via New York Post)

Over the last decade, Rostam went from being a member in Vampire Weekend to launching his solo project and producing albums by Clairo and Haim. His debut album under his own name, Half-Light, eventually arrived in 2017 and showcased his cutting-edge pop production. Now, after much anticipation, Rostam has officially unveiled details surrounding his sophomore album.

Rostam debuted the shuffling single “4Runner” Tuesday, offering another preview of his upcoming project titled Changephobia. Rostam has teased the LP with his previous singles “These Kids We Knew,” “Unfold You,” and “Under Control,” but the album has been in the works for some time now. The musician began drafting music for the record three years ago, continuing to write for it while simultaneously producing Clairo’s Immunity and Haim’s Grammy-nominated Women In Music Pt. III.

About the upcoming project, Rostam said described how the theme of change is incorporated into his music:

“A few years ago I met a stranger on a park bench, somehow I found myself opening up to him; revealing recent changes in my life that had altered its course, and he said, ‘Change is good. Go with it.’ I realized that I had never heard that sentiment expressed before. Transphobia, biphobia, homophobia— these words hold a weight of threat, and it occurred to me that the threats they bare— the fears they describe— are rooted in a fear of change: a fear of the unknown, of a future that is not yet familiar, one in which there is a change of traditions, definitions, and distributions of power. So gender, too, was on my mind while creating this album, as I came to find myself writing about love and connection but not wanting to place relationships in a gendered context. This collection of songs is not celebrating a fear of change. Rather, it’s the opposite. It’s about who we are capable of becoming if we recognize these fears in ourselves and rise above them.”

Listen to “4Runner” above and see Rostam’s Changephobia album art and tracklist below.

1. “These Kids We Knew”
2. “From The Back Of A Cab”
3. “Unfold You”
4. “4Runner”
5. “Changephobia”
6. “Kinney”
7. “Bio18”
8. “[Interlude]”
9. “To Communicate”
10. “Next Thing”
11. “Starlight”

Changephobia is out 6/4 via Matsor Projects. Pre-order it here.

UK songwriter Arlo Parks is on the heels of releasing her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams, an LP that has already garnered much praise. She made her US TV debut back in January with a performance of her hopeful track “Hurt” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Now, Parks once again brings her tender ballads to late-night TV, this time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Performing her breakout single “Black Dog,” Parks decorates herself and the surrounding stage with a sea of sunflowers. The brightly-colored petals offer a captivating juxtaposition to Parks’ earnest musings, as she sings about serious topics.

At just 20 years old, Parks wrote Collapsed In Sunbeams as a masterclass in dealing with the difficulties of mental health and identity. “Black Dog” in particular showcases her unique ability to delicately cut to the core of her subject matter over dreamy chords, poetically addressing the weight of helping a friend break out of a depressive episode. “I’d lick the grief right off your lips / You do your eyes like Robert Smith / Sometimes it seems like you won’t survive this / And honestly it’s terrifying,” she sings.

Watch Parks perform “Black Dog” on The Tonight Show above.

Collapsed In Sunbeams is out now via Transgressive. Get it here.

Controversy has been brewing for months at the University of Texas at Austin as student-athletes petitioned the school to stop playing the school’s alma mater song, “The Eyes of Texas.”

The issue is that the origins of the song are allegedly steeped in racism. It was written in 1903 by two students who were inspired by speeches given by then-UT President William Prather, in which he used the phrase “The eyes of Texas are upon you.” Prather himself had been inspired by General Robert E. Lee—leader of the Confederate army that fought for the right to own slaves—who used to say “the eyes of the South are upon you.”

That’s not all. The song is set to the tune “I’ve Been Workin’ On the Railroad,” which has its own questionable origins, and according to the Austin American-Statesman, “The song debuted at a Varsity minstrel show, a fundraiser for UT athletics, and was at some points performed by white singers in blackface.” (Minstrel shows were a long, disturbing part of America’s history of racism, in which white performers made themselves into caricatures of Black people and Black performers acted out cartoonish stereotypes in order to entertain audiences.)

This summer, in the midst of nationwide protests against racial injustice, students at the university launched a petition asking the school to confront its historic ties with the Confederacy in the names of buildings on campus and to formally acknowledge the racial roots of the alma mater song. A second student petition asked the school to replace the song with one that didn’t have “racist undertones” in an attempt “to make Texas more comfortable and inclusive for the black athletes and the black community that has so fervently supported this program.”

The school responded with a pledge to “own, acknowledge and teach about all aspects of the origins of ‘The Eyes of Texas’ as we continue to sing it moving forward with a redefined vision that unites our community.”

The song stayed, but students protested by simply not participating in the singing of it. Some members of the school band said they didn’t feel comfortable playing it, and most of the Texas Longhorns football team left the field when the song was being sung.

Some alumni and donors did not like that and made their feelings known in hundreds of emails, some of which were blatantly racist and some of which were blatantly childish.

“My wife and I have given an endowment in excess of $1 million to athletics. This could very easily be rescinded if things don’t drastically change around here,” wrote one donor. “Has everyone become oblivious of who supports athletics??”

It seems that this donor has become oblivious of who actually performs the athletics that they support and enjoy. Is forcing Black athletes to participate in something they feel is demeaning to them any better than asking Black performers to dance in minstrel shows in order to earn your money?

“The Eyes of Texas is non-negotiable,” wrote a long-time season ticket holder and graduate. “If it is not kept and fully embraced, I will not be donating any additional money to athletics or the university or attending any events.”

To be clear, the school has kept the song. They’re threatening to withhold donations not because the song wasn’t kept, but because Black athletes aren’t fully embracing it. They might as well say, “You will not only dance for me, but you will show me you enjoy it!” Gross.

“It’s time for you to put the foot down and make it perfectly clear that the heritage of Texas will not be lost,” wrote a donor who graduated in 1986. “It is sad that it is offending the blacks. As I said before the blacks are free and it’s time for them to move on to another state where everything is in their favor.”

So yeah, using the phrase “the blacks” is a pretty obvious tell, but saying Black people should move to another state if they don’t like the racism in Texas is really something.

Caden Sterns was a team captain and safety for the Longhorns football team who left at the end of the season to enter the NFL draft. He posted yesterday on Twitter that he and his teammates were threatened by some alumni that they would “have to find jobs outside of Texas” if they didn’t participate in the singing of the song. Wow.

Black athletes—especially football players in football-loving Texas—are the backbone of the athletics program these alumni and donors cling to. And these people are willing to defund the athletics program over a song? Threaten the futures of these students over a song? Take down the entire institution over a song? Who exactly are the ones reallybeing overly sensitive here?

On the one hand, we have the actual harm of hundreds of years of racial oppression being called to mind by a song with unquestionably racist undertones, which students (who are literally the purpose of a university) are asking to be changed. On the other hand, we have the hurt feelings—or rather, mild discomfort—of people who haven’t been students for decades who want to be able to sing a song because they’ve always sung it. These alumni and donors have made it clear that their priority is tradition over all things, including the very real issue of racism and the wishes of the Black athletes they rely on for the carrying forward their favorite sport.

If UT Austin decided to change the alma mater song, do you know what would happen? Nothing. No one would be harmed. After years of controversy, the Washington Redskins finally changed their name, and what happened? Nothing. No one was harmed. It turns out people get over these things pretty quickly.

Getting over a song or team name or building name being changed is a million times easier than getting over racism that has persisted for hundreds of years and continues to this day. Traditions can be fun and unite people, but if it’s not fun for everyone and is actually causing a divide, then it’s time for that tradition to be replaced with a new one. This really shouldn’t be that hard to understand.

Good for the students for standing their ground.

Infowars host Alex Jones has built his multimillion-dollar empire, in part, by posing as Donald Trump’s hype-man, but a recently-leaked interview with the far-right radio personality suggests that the bromance is all for show, at least on Jones’ part.

Caolan Robertson, a filmmaker who shot propaganda material for the conservative conspiracy theorist, shared outtakes of a 2019 documentary starring Jones that show the radio host disparaging Trump. “I wish I never would have fucking met Trump,” Jones says in the clip that Robertson gave Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch. “I wish it never would have happened. I’m so sick of f*cking Donald Trump, man. God, I’m f*cking sick of him. And I’m not doing this because, like, I’m kissing his f*cking ass, you know. It’s, like, I’m sick of it.”

According to Robertson, those on-air comments were just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Sandy Hook denier’s cynical business model. While Jones has pandered to Trump’s base in order to attract listeners to his show, in private, he’s often mocked his fans and expressed disgust for Trump supporters. Robertson detailed how, behind the scenes of that same shoot, Jones joked he could sell those people “dick pills” and that they’d “buy anything” from him before bragging about the millions of dollars he’s made in the past year.

Robertson also shared text messages sent by Jones, telling the filmmaker, “Please don’t put me bitching in the film,” referring to his comments about Trump. The leaked video comes as the FBI and the Department of Justice are investigating the extent of Jones’ involvement in the Jan. 6th insurrection. According to the Wall Street Journal, Jones donated $50,000 to Trump’s “Stop The Steal” campaign in exchange for speaking to crowds attending the Washington D.C. rally that day. He also actively participated in sowing doubt around the 2020 presidential election results on his programs.

“Alex Jones doesn’t care about most of the stuff he professes to,” Robertson told Hatewatch. “He doesn’t like Trump but then goes on camera talking about how Trump is the savior. It just shows he doesn’t care about anything he talks about.”

(Via Southern Poverty Law Journal)

When it comes to audacious looks and styles, the biggest boundary pusher in hip-hop right now is arguably Playboi Carti. The Atlantan ad-lib master has delighted fans and befuddled foes with his unconventional looks, the inspirations of which he detailed to Kid Cudi in a conversation for Interview Magazine. While the punk-rock influences are pretty obvious, he says he gets inspiration from another unusual source, as well: Vampire movies.

“I’m a big, big, fan of punk artists like Sid Vicious,” he tells the elder rapper. “I just feel like my lifestyle is so rocked out. This is the lifestyle I live, and I ain’t no damn poser.” Prompted to elaborate on his fashion choices by Cudi, Carti explains, “This shit that I do is not just for the ’gram. It’s not just to make people think I’m weird. This is really me. I get a lot of my inspiration from vampire movies because when you see a vampire, he always looks good. He don’t age. He can’t die. He’s beautiful. I won Best Dressed in high school. That’s what I was on. I did the streetwear sh*t. Now let’s see if I can pop this sh*t that they’re wearing on the runway. If it’s a challenge, I’m doing it.”

He also explains how he comes up with his unorthodox raps on albums like Whole Lotta Red: “Everything is freestyle,” he says. “Shout out Lil Wayne. I use whatever I bring with me that day. If something is stressing me out, I’ll come to dish that. If I’ve been hanging around my street, I’ll make street sh*t that day. No matter the vibe of that day, that’s how I come.”

You can read the full interview here.