Rina Sawayama has been quickly working her way towards the top of the music world. At the start of 2020, she hadn’t even released an album. Now, she has dropped Sawayama, has an Elton John collaboration under her belt, and perhaps a Lady Gaga remix is on the way as well. Now she’s establishing some footing in the acting world, too: Deadline reports that Sawayama has landed a big film role, in John Wick: Chapter 4.
Director Chad Stahelski offered a brief statement about the casting, saying, “I’m so glad to have Rina on board to make her feature film debut in John Wick: Chapter 4. She’s an incredible talent who’ll bring so much to the film.” Sawayama shared the news as well, posting a screenshot of the Deadline article and writing, “my feature film acting debut in John Wick 4 !!!!!! I’m so excited !!!!! [crying emojis].”
This actually won’t be her first acting role: In 2019, she had a recurring role on the UK comedy series Turn Up Charlie, which was created by and stars Idris Elba as a DJ-turned-nanny.
Meanwhile, she also has a new album on the way. At the end of 2020, she said her sophomore effort was half-done and she teased that it could even have a country-influenced sound.
It looks like Eminem’s long-held animosity for 20-something rappers has subsided, as the 20-year rap veteran has reached out to two of today’s quickest-witted spitters, Cordae and Jack Harlow, to remix the upbeat Music To Be Murdered By track, “Killer.” Em teased the track ahead of its arrival, offering fans a tiny snippet of the track and its animated music video on Twitter. Its visual style resembled a pulp noir comic, with white ink on a black background and action shots that homage hardboiled thrillers and the comic books that Em loves collecting.
Incidentally, both rappers share more in common than just a love for complex rhyme schemes. Cordae’s breakout moment came with the release of his “My Name Is” freestyle over Eminem’s own breakout major-label debut single from two decades ago. Jack Harlow, meanwhile, has expressed his love for Eminem, checking his peers for underrating the Detroit icon during an interview with Pitchfork and putting his own spin on another one of Em’s classic records, “Without Me,” in an SNL sketch “explaining” how NFTs work.
The “Killer” remix drops tonight at midnight ET.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After sharing a handful of singles and EP’s Girl In Red‘s debut album If I Could Make It Go Quiet was her breakout moment. Now, Girl In Red shares an ominous video to her hit “Mind And Body” track. Additionally, she has also announced a 2022 tour.
The singer’s “Mind And Body” video was directed by horror specialist Thea Hvistendahl. The sinister clip depicts Girl In Red being captured by witches at an abandoned cabin.
“Making this video and giving ‘Body And Mind’ a new dimension with these visuals is really dope,” the singer said about the visual. “It feels like it’s been awhile since I’ve seen some witch sh*t so it was about time!”
Listen to “Body And Mind” above and find Girl In Red’s 2022 North American tour dates below.
03/08/2022 — Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
03/09/2022 — Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
03/11/2022 — Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
03/12/2022 — Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!
03/14/2022 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
03/15/2022 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
03/16/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
03/18/2022 — Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
03/19/2022 — Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
03/20/2022 — Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
03/22/2022 — Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
03/23/2022 — Columbus, OH @ EXPRESS LIVE!
03/24/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Metro
03/25/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Metro
03/27/2022 — Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
03/28/2022 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
03/29/2022 — Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
03/31/2022 — Austin, TX @ Emo’s
04/01/2022 — Houston, TX @ House of Blues
04/02/2022 — Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
04/05/2022 — Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
04/06/2022 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
04/08/2022 — Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
04/09/2022 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
04/11/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
04/12/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
If I Could Make It Go Quiet is out now via AWAL. Get it here.
For over four decades, actor and artist Val Kilmer has been filming himself, even as he navigated his rise to Hollywood stardom in the ’80s and ’90s. Now, that footage will be seen in the first time in the new documentary, Val, directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo. In an interesting twist, the documentary is produced by A24 Films as part of the studio’s new foray into non-fiction films, and it’s already been picked up by Amazon Studios for a 2021 release.
“At least once a day for years I looked around and got this bittersweet feeling that there are a thousand reasons that this project could’ve been shipwrecked,” Kilmer said in a statement announcing the Amazon acquisition. “I mean, what could a film look like of a man filming himself, sometimes daily, years at a time? It is unimaginable that this movie actually could’ve ever come to light without the partnership of my dear friends, Leo and Ting, and my producing partners. Tireless hours of editing and endless emotions with each new cut! I couldn’t be more proud to share this with the world!”
Here’s the official synopsis:
For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood’s most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.
Pete Davidson has somehow been on SNL for seven years (!), and after some growing pains, he finally feels comfortable and happy on the long-running sketch series.
“I was at a really different place a year or two ago,” he said in a Hollywood Reporter roundtable interview with, among others, Ted Danson, Lamorne Morris, and his fellow SNL cast member, Chris Redd. “I’m not exactly proud of how I handled or was handling things a few years ago. Looking back on it, you’re like, ‘Ahh, come on, dude.’ Luckily a pandemic happened and I got kicked in the balls and had to sit with all of my immature irrational decisions.” Davidson said he was “really excited” when SNL came back during the pandemic and that he was “really excited just to work and see people and I had a different outlook for this season and moving forward. I think I’ve been able to have a lot of fun and I just really appreciate it — not working at all really sucks.”
Later on, Danson praised Davidson for being “dangerous”:
“Pete, I just have to say I love funny, which you are, but you’ve got an edge of danger in you that I find fantastic to watch, to know that I’m going to laugh but also be a little nervous… I wish I had that. I’m your run-of-the-mill nice actor. You’re dangerous and I love that. I love watching you.”
The Suicide Squad star was also asked about whether he was any intention of trying to top Kenan Thompson’s record-setting 18 season run on SNL. “I’m good. I’m surprised I made it to seven. I’m ready to hang up the jersey. Kenan’s like f*cking Karl Malone out there,” he replied. Between this comment and the season finale, which felt like a goodbye for both Davidson and Cecily Strong, it would be a surprise to see Chad again.
If Ted Danson gave me a compliment, I’d be ready to leave, too. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Finding a solid, cheap vodka is not hard. Finding one that actually has a good flavor profile and texture can be… a bit harder. There are a lot of vodka bottles on the shelf and they’re not all created equal. No one wants oily vodka that tastes like hand sanitizer. Even for mixing cocktails.
To help you pick the right vodkas, we’re blind-tasting iconic expressions that all ring in at under $30. All ten vodkas I tried for this piece are pretty familiar to me. I lived in Moscow for a year, where I drank my fair share of the stuff. On the personal level, I have a special place in my heart for Stoli, thanks to my grandfather sneaking me nips from the bottle on summer holidays. Based on nostalgia factor alone, I went into this blind tasting pretty much convinced I’d rank Stoli first.
For this tasting, I ranked each bottle based on taste alone. Next time, I’ll taste some high-end vodkas with some cheap ringers thrown in to try to trip myself up!
This opens light and creamy with a hint of green peppercorn. There’s a soft mineral water feel on this one that leads towards a final note of faded mint, kind of like the last legs of minty chewing gum.
Taste 2:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a note of rye bread next to wet wheatgrass that leads towards soft notes of … almonds? The texture of this sip is incredibly soft, like a bottle of super-soft Italian mineral water that comes in a glass bottle. The end holds onto the grassy notes and ends up back on the nutty vibe through the finish.
Taste 3:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Cold lemon tea, maybe mint-lemon tea, opens this one up. That mintiness leads towards a minty gum vibe again (no, I’m not chewing gum) while the lemon fades out, leaving a slight nutty end with an almost mint candy sweetness.
Taste 4:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Holy shit! This is lemon soda in a glass. It’s full of overly sweet citrus that loses its effervescence until it feels like cold lemon tea with too much fake sugar in it.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say this is flavored vodka. It’s so damn sweet.
Taste 5:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a slight graininess next to a pure water taste. Going back in, there’s a slight creamy oatmeal note next to a very soft and neutral water taste.
Taste 6:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
A note of lemon oils sits next to vanilla cream and dried mint (oh, hi, Stoli). An almost bitter orange/lemon note arrives (think of the white pith of the peel) with a crystal clear water flavor and a mildly nutty finish.
Taste 7:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Interesting. There’s a chili pepper vibe next to a hint of grain and, maybe, leather. Woody spices, Evian-soft water, and unsweetened almond paste drive the taste. The mouthfeel is luscious while bringing back the notes of chili, almond, and wood.
Taste 8:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This has a peppery spice next to wet straw and raw leather (almost raw steak). There’s a light rye bread maltiness next to an almost tap water feel. The end has a slight nuttiness but not much else.
Taste 9:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Lemon oils arrive with a few dry grains and a very faint touch of … cumin? The lemon combines with fresh green herbs for an almost tabbouleh vibe. The overall taste is very soft and full of minerals with a bright edge.
Taste 10:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This has a wet wheat taste with a very clear rainwater texture. There’s a slight vanilla/cream soda note in the sip that leads back to that soft rainwater.
This French vodka is made with 100 percent Ugni Blanc grapes. It’s then distilled five times in a bespoke copper still. Finally, the spirit is cut with local water and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This is the true outlier on the list (and a country mile behind the rest of the entries). It was so obviously something different than the other grain-based spirits that it straight up felt like flavored vodka. It’s just too saccharine while still being kind of listless. I don’t even know what I’m going to do with this bottle now.
Wyborowa (Vee-bo-Rova) is made from 100 percent locally sourced Polish rye. The distillate is then cut with well water from the nearly 100-year-old Wyborowa facility.
Bottom Line:
This was fine. A little watery — it’s under 80 proof after all — but perfectly serviceable.
If you’re in Poland, you can get a full bottle of this for 99 Złoty ($25) in some restaurants (with complimentary mixers like Sprite or juice). Those are fun dinners/nights.
This Japanese vodka is made with a mash of polished white rice and koji rice and then double distilled in both pot and column stills. The spirit is then filtered through bamboo charcoal before getting proofed down with super soft spring water.
Bottom Line:
Again, this was fine. The lemon turned sweeter than bitter which was a little bit of a turn-off. Overall, I’d say this is a perfectly suitable cocktail vodka.
This Swedish vodka is made from 100 percent winter wheat. The brand is one of the most recognizable bottles of booze in the world thanks to its unique bottle and the easy-to-drink juice inside of that bottle (and a hell of a history of excellent marketing).
Bottom Line:
This reminded me of going to Popeyes. It’s great fried chicken but it’s still mass-produced fast food. Absolut is great vodka but it still feels mass-produced and very neutral (not a bad thing, per se).
Old No. 21 is the Connecticut vodka that became one of the best-selling spirits in the world. The spirit is made from non-GMO corn, continuously distilled, and then charcoal filtered before getting cut down to 75 proof.
Bottom Line:
This, again, falls into the fast-food vodka category. It’s great for what it is but nothing to write home about. That being said, this is a solid candidate for infusing with ginger or chili or anything to make killer cocktails.
SKYY Vodka has become a classic American vodka over the last nearly 30 years. The vodka is a grain spirit that’s cut with triple-filtered spring water. Though, starting next month, this will be the “classic” SKYY as a new version is coming out with mineral-enriched water at its core.
Bottom Line:
This was pleasant. There were clear flavor notes and a very delicate water feel. Still, there was nothing that popped out or grabbed my attention.
This Dutch vodka is made with European wheat. The mash is then distilled in a column still and an old coal-fired pot still. The two vodkas are then vatted and cut down with local water.
Bottom Line:
This was a surprise. That cumin note came out of nowhere. This definitely piqued my interest the most when it came to unique flavor profiles but it wasn’t necessarily the most cohesive one.
This Russian vodka is made from wheat and rye deep in the Russian hinterland. The spirit is then shipped (by train) to Riga, Latvia where it’s proofed with local well water and bottled.
Bottom Line:
Well, f*ck. I guess my go-to vodka wasn’t my favorite today. Anyway, this did have a very dialed-in flavor profile that felt confident and refined. It was bright and very easy to drink with a real softness that helped it reach the top three.
This 100 percent winter wheat vodka from Russia feels like a throwback classic. The spirit is cut with local spring water and then bottled in an old-school bottle with a pop cap.
Bottom Line:
Yeah, I’m not surprised this ranked this high. I drank a lot of this when I lived in Dushanbe for a couple of months. I really got a taste for the rye bread and nutty vibe with a super soft mineral water feel. This is just a really well-crafted, classic Russian vodka.
This St. Petersburg vodka is made from 100 percent Russian winter wheat. The distillate is filtered with both charcoal and quartz before it’s cut with local spring water.
Bottom Line:
Huh… I didn’t expect this to be number one. I’ve drunk my fair share, but it was never a bottle I really bought (or buy now, to be honest). Looking at it from the blind taste, this was refined while also casting the widest net when it came to classic vodka flavors. The softness of the water on the mouthfeel was distinct without being bland. It was well-rounded and felt like there was a real “there” there.
I don’t know. I’m pretty hard-wired for Stoli so I don’t think I’ll be switching over. But that doesn’t change the number “1” I scratched next to my tasting notes for taste number seven.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
I’m kind of intrigued and baffled Russian Standard won the day. I thought my deep history with Stoli would have subconsciously led me to that. It is what it is.
The thing I’m most sure about though is that Cîroc is a bizarre entry in the vodka canon. Sure, vodka can be made from pretty much anything in its mash. But maybe it shouldn’t be grapes? Just a thought.
In the end, I don’t think this really changed my passive vodka buying habits. There is now and will always be a bottle of Stoli in my freezer. That being said, Russian Standard and Green Mark will have spots on my shelf while Absolut and Smirnoff will remain my mixing vodkas.
Breakout Kentucky rap star Jack Harlow got to live his dream by appearing on this week’s season premiere Complex‘s Hot Ones, but his dream turned out to be more of a nightmare after his saucy fingers got a little too familiar with his right eye halfway through the episode. He spends quite a bit of the interview suffering, but before that, he got in a few really fun responses to questions about lyrics from his debut album, That’s What They All Say.
Host Sean Evans references the reflective song “Rendezvous,” on which Harlow rhymes about being “Eight deep at the show, it might be eight fans,” and asks Jack about his most “character-building” experiences on tour. Jack recalls the tour for his 2017 mixtape Gazebo where, “night after night, I was getting character builders.” He describes situations where he had as many people on stage as there were in the crowd. “One that stuck out was the first night of the tour, which really set my expectations. It was Birmingham, Alabama. There was as many people in the crowd as we had come to the venue with… I had some humbling shows, but they prepared me for this.” He also talks a bit about doing his own stunts in a Call Of Duty ad.
He’s certainly seen a turnaround in his fortunes since. In the same month that he released his debut album on Atlantic, he appeared on The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, and in an NBA All-Star Weekend game of two-on-two, bringing his audience from “eight fans” to millions in just three years.
Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
JoJo made a grand comeback with her evocative 2020 album Good To Know and now, she returns with an earnest reflection on toxic relationships. Debuting a hypnotic video, JoJo shares “Creature Of Habit” as her second track of the year.
Leaning on her powerhouse vocals, “Creature Of Habit” features JoJo passionately delivers lyrics about the all-too-familiar story of feeling trapped in an unhealthy relationship cycle. The song itself features a snappy beat, offering a contrast to her folksy 2021 single “American Mood.” About the track, JoJo said she was inspired by recognizing her own habits within her love life:
“‘Creature of Habit’ is about someone who feels addicted to the habit a relationship, even though they’re not truly happy in it. Having experienced my own cycles of habits allowed me to find aspects of myself in the lyrics. Walking away from what you’ve become so used to can be really daunting. Sometimes it just feels more comfortable to stay in the habit, rather than allowing yourself the discomfort of letting it go. Essentially, it’s the fear of the unknown that keeps us in the habit.”
The vibrant visual arrives on the heels of her reveal as the Black Swan on The Masked Singer. About her experience as a contestant on the series, JoJo wrote: “I am so grateful to everyone who helped me behind the scenes mentally and emotionally because there’s no way to know WHAT to expect when you sign up. It was fun becoming this character and singing for people every week with such amazing production around me. It allowed me to reclaim my passion for singing, writing, and even interpreting other people’s songs. The Masked Singer is an experience I’ll always be grateful for. I’ll lowkey miss the swan!!!”
Listen to “Creature Of Habit” above.
JoJo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The 2021 BET Awards have been announced and once again, DaBaby leads the field — although this year, there’s a little twist. Whereas last year, he had 12 nominations by himself, this year, he’s tied with Megan Thee Stallion with seven nominations each after what was an interesting and relatively slow year for hip-hop thanks to the pandemic shutdown. Behind them is another tie; Cardi B and Drake both received five nominations apiece. The BET Awards will air Sunday, June 27 at 8 pm ET/PT from the Microsoft Theater in LA. See below for the full list of music nominations.
Album Of The Year
The Weeknd — After Hours
DaBaby — Blame It On Baby
Megan Thee Stallion — Good News
Jazmine Sullivan — Heaux Tales
Nas — King’s Disease
Chloe X Halle — Ungodly Hour
Best Collaboration
Cardi B — “WAP” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
DaBaby — “Rockstar” Feat. Roddy Ricch
Dj Khaled — “Popstar” Feat. Drake
Jack Harlow — “What’s Poppin (Remix)” Feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne
Megan Thee Stallion — “Cry Baby” Feat. DaBaby
Pop Smoke — “For The Night” Feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby
6Lack
Anderson .Paak
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd
Best New Artist
Coi Leray
Flo Milli
Giveon
Jack Harlow
Latto
Pooh Shiesty
Best Group
21 Savage & Metro Boomin
Chloe X Halle
Chris Brown & Young Thug
City Girls
Migos
Silk Sonic
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat
Megan Thee Stallion
Latto
Saweetie
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
Viewer’s Choice Award
Cardi B — “WAP” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
DaBaby — “Rockstar” Feat. Roddy Ricch
Dj Khaled — “Popstar” Feat. Drake
Drake — “Laugh Now Cry Later” Feat. Lil Durk
Lil Baby — “The Bigger Picture”
Megan Thee Stallion — “Savage (Remix)” Feat. Beyoncé
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”
Video Of The Year
Cardi B — “Up”
Cardi B — “WAP” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
Chloe X Halle – -“Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
Drake — “Laugh Now Cry Later” Feat. Lil Durk
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”
Video Director Of The Year
Benny Boom
Bruno Mars And Florent Déchard
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Hype Williams
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
A Philadelphia 76ers fan has lost out on their ability to attend games moving forward. During Wednesday night’s Game 2 win over the Washington Wizards, one Sixers fan poured popcorn on Russell Westbrook as the former league MVP was making his way to the locker room to tend to an injury he suffered during the game. Westbrook, who has experience both with fans crossing lines with him and overzealous Sixers fans, was incensed, needing to be held back by a number of individuals with the Wizards organization.
Westbrook spoke about the incident after the game and received support from LeBron James. One day later and he’s also received support from the Sixers organization, as the team released a statement regarding the fan. While their identity was not revealed, the fan will have their season tickets rescinded and is now banned from attending events at the Wells Fargo Center moving forward. Philly also made it a point to apologize to Westbrook and the Wizards, stressing that these sorts of actions have “no place” in basketball.
Additionally, the NBA put out a statement saying that “an enhanced fan code of conduct will be vigorously enforced.”
The return of more NBA fans to our arenas has brought great excitement and energy to the start of the playoffs, but it is critical that we all show respect for players, officials and our fellow fans. An enhanced fan code of conduct will be vigorously enforced in order to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all involved.
Westbrook and the Wizards will head to more friendly confines for Games 3 and 4 of the series, as things shift to Washington beginning on Saturday evening.
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