Month: July 2021

Vince Staples may have received a polarized response from fans and critics, but Vince Staples himself remains undeterred in promoting his latest project, maintaining his usual cavalier air in a mellow NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance backed by Kenny Beats and featuring Foushée. The Long Beach rapper performs songs from his self-titled third studio album in the Hollywood Hills, where he jokes he’d “never live,” reminiscing with his manager Corey Smyth (who, as always, remains offscreen) about times he was arrested in the affluent area.

While some fans found the relaxed production on Vince Staples to be off-putting, it turns out to be perfect for a Tiny Desk performance. Vince, as laid-back as ever, coasts through album standouts “Law Of Averages,” “Sundown Town,” “The Shining,” and “Take Me Home,” with Foushée joining him on the last song and Kenny Beats playing bass throughout. Fellow South LA rapper 03 Greedo gets a shout-out, while Vince reflects on the release of his first album Summertime 06 and dedicates his performance to “all the bad b*tches worldwide… whether you have two legs or no legs.”

Watch Vince Staples’ Tiny Desk Concert above.

Vince Staples is out now on Blacksmyth Recordings/Motown Records. You can get it here

Ben Simmons is still a member of the Philadelphia 76ers despite popping up in trade rumors for weeks. Ever since the Philadelphia 76ers were bounced in the second round of the playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons’ future with the franchise has been in doubt, in large part because of his visible struggles during that series.

But despite this, he’s still with the Sixers, with a new report by Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice adding some context as to why. Apparently, the various offers that have popped up in reports don’t really interest the front office, which is not interested in turning Simmons into flotsam.

Internally, team sources view a lot of the reported offers floated around the league as transparent attempts to lower Simmons’ trade value below where it actually is. The Sixers are uninterested in packages returning multiple role players and picks in exchange for Simmons, according to a source familiar with the situation.

While it did seem like there was pessimism about what Simmons could fetch in the general basketball discourse at the end of the postseason, he’s still a 25-year-old All-Star selection who is about to enter year two of a five-year contract extension. For whatever flaws he has, players like this do not pop up on the trade market all that frequently, and Philly seems content to hold firm instead of take the best of a handful of less-than-stellar trades.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Japanese Breakfast‘s Michelle Zauner is kind of becoming a low-key cover queen. In the past, she’s performed renditions of Tears For Fears‘ “Head Over Heels, The Cardigans’ “Lovefool,” Wilco’s “Jesus, Etc,” and The Mamas & The Papas’ “California Dreamin,’” among others.

As Stereogum notes, in a wellness diary for Vanity Fair, Zauner wrote in April about how she was trying to learn a cover of Dolly Parton‘s “Here You Come Again,” saying, “I struggle to learn a Dolly Parton cover with three key changes, but boy does it make me happy. I dare you to listen to ‘Here You Come Again’ without smiling.” Well, she’s achieved that goal, covering Dolly’s “Here You Come Again” at a performance at the National in Richmond, Virginia. Sitting at a keyboard, Zauner offered a light and lovely take on Dolly’s 1977 classic, and audiences seemed to appreciate it too, with many voices joining to sing along. Have a look below.

Yesterday, Zauner offered up a Simlish version of her Jubilee track “Be Sweet” into a gibberish tune for the game’s upcoming Cottage Living expansion pack. Zauner also recently spoke to Uproxx about the making of Jubilee and how Wilco’s Tweedy inspired her to play an epic guitar solo.

“I was just really inspired by Wilco. Jeff Tweedy and Nels Cline write some of the greatest guitar solos. But they’re a specific type of guitar solo. They’re not like a bad rock solo. They have a narrative. I was really inspired by that song ‘At Least That’s What You Said.’ It feels like this sort of very quiet moment between two people that’s really stripped down for the first minute or two, and then Jeff Tweedy just says everything that’s not said between these people in his guitar solo. ‘Posing For Cars’ is very much about two people who love each other in very different ways, and how both are really valid and deep. It felt like that same kind of buildup moment, where I needed to express all of the underlying emotion in that song through a guitar solo.”

Jubilee is out now via Dead Oceans. Get it here.

If you thought Tony Soprano was the king of making hard decisions and betraying friends, it sounds like you haven’t played a game of Monopoly in awhile. Luckily for all you Sopranos fans out there, a version of the game custom-tailored to your interests now exists.

The OP Games recently announced the Emmy award-winning HBO series Sopranos is the next popular television series to get its own special edition of Monopoly. Per usual, the rules and objective of this killer new version of the classic game will remain the same, but the board and all its various pieces have been designed to represent the show and all the unique moments it shared with fans over its six seasons. Among the properties available to purchase are the Soprano’s family house and Satriale’s Pork Store, which you can get to in style with one of the game’s six unique tokens. In the Sopranos edition, the game’s iconic silver tokens take the shape of Baby Duck, The Stugots, Bobby Bacala’s Toy Train Engine, Satriale’s Pig, Dr. Mefli’s Chair, and, of course, the Barone Sanitation Truck.

In addition to these changes, the game’s houses have been renamed “stashes,” and hotels are now “contraband,” making that 17 and older recommended rating make a whole lot more sense. Lastly, Chance cards are now simply “AYY!” cards, and the Community Chest now reads “OHH!”

The Sopranos Monopoly edition comes just ahead of the upcoming Sopranos prequel film — The Many Saints of Newark — which follows a young Tony Soprano coming-of-age during a particularly tumultuous time in New Jersey. The film is scheduled to hit theaters and HBO Max on October 1. Until then, step up your Sunday night dinners with Monopoly: The Sopranos edition, which is $40 and available now over on The OP Games official website.

After gaining popularity as the de facto frontman for West Coast party rap crew Shoreline Mafia, LA’s OhGeesy plans to release his debut solo mixtape, Geezyworld Vol. 1, later this summer. To help drum up interest, he solicits YG’s co-sign on his latest single, “Big Bad Wolf,” dropping a money-and-women-themed video for the song that finds the two rappers caught up in a veritable blizzard of bills.

In addition to bundling up against the cash storm, YG and OhGeesy make it rain at the strip club as they spit their turnt-up boasts.

Although Geezyworld Vol. 1 will be OhGeesy’s solo debut, he’s built up enough experience and connections in the rap game to warrant an impressive list of guest stars which not only includes fellow LA upstarts like BlueBucksClan but also features bigger stars like A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and DaBaby. You can see the full tracklist below.

Watch OhGeesy’s “Big Bad Wolf” video featuring YG above.

Geezyworld Vol. 1 is due 8/27 on Atlantic Records. Pre-save it here.

1. “Intro
2. “Startn Up” Feat. Central Cee
3. “Get Fly” Feat. DaBaby
4. “Big Bad Wolf” Feat. YG
5. “Keeper” Feat. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
6. “Secret Service”
7. “Coochie” Feat. Moe Faygoo
8. “Po’ Up”
9. “Who Else” Feat. BlueBucksClan
10. “Peaches N Cream”
11. “They Don’t Know”

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

If you’re one of the 56 percent of Americans that are fully vaccinated (only 56 percent?!), then you’re probably already in the midst of planning out your summer travel itinerary. But what plans are you making for next year? Travel influencer Ravi Roth, host of Gaycation Magazine’s Gaycation Travel Show, as well as his own YouTube show Ravi ‘Round The World thinks you should pick Glasgow unless you don’t like great food and nightlife, beautiful parks, and of course, whisky.

“When people think of Scotland, one of the first cities they associate it with is Edinburgh,” Roth tells us. “However, Glasgow is growing massively as the vegan capital of the U.K., has an avant-garde and super fun Queer nightlife, and is bursting with individuality.” Roth goes to point out that while Glasgow is a “city of grit and fearlessness,” it’s also become a “shining the light on inclusivity and visibility.” Consider us sold!

Roth hit us up with his perfect guide to Glasgow, keying us in on the best food and drink spots, the best places to party, and all of the best ways to spend time in the city. Once you’re done checking out his guide, be sure to watch Ravi’s “Gay Travel Glasgow” video where Ravi takes us on a rapid-fire five-minute tour of the city pre-covid, offering even more selections not covered in this list. For more recent travel mostly focused on the U.S., be sure to catch Ravi on the Gaycation Travel Show, which uploads new episodes every week.

Let’s dive in!

Best Place In Glasgow To Grab A Drink?

Stereo

Stereo is an eco-friendly, vegan, environmentally conscious bar and restaurant. They offer tapas-style small plates which are sharable and a huge assortment of beer, ranging from IPAs to stouts to sours to ciders and everything in between. If you are into a radical environment and love beer, this is your spot. This is one of the only spots in Glasgow that also offers an assortment of gluten-free beer.

Brutti Compadres

Brutti Compadres in the merchant city specializes in Spanish-style tapas. Super affordable and Queer owned. It’s also a great spot to meet people. I love to sit at the bar and drum up a conversation with locals. The espresso martini will get you GOING and the jug of sangria hits the spot. For small plates, I highly recommend Haggis Croquettes Vegetable Paella and the Deep Fried Halloumi to start!

Clydeside Distillery

Do you fancy a cheeky wee drum tasting of whiskey? Visit the Clydeside Distillery, which is Glasgow’s first dedicated single malt whisky distillery. Here, you will experience how whiskey is made, take a tour of the distillery, and have an hour of tastings. I highly recommend a nap after tasting all of this delicious whiskey!

Best Breakfast Spot In Glasgow?

Uniquitous Chip

Glasgow is known for haggis, which is made out of the blood and guts of a lamb. If you are vegetarian like me, that might sound like a “NOPE,” however I experienced the most magical vegetarian haggis at Ubiquitous Chip, a lovely restaurant in the cornerstone of Ashton Lane. Here you will find the cutest aesthetic inside with trees lining the walls and a gorgeous patio.

Stravaigin Glasgow

Stravaigin Glasgow is nestled between Kelvingrove Park and Glasgow University. I have yet to visit a brunch spot where the atmosphere matches the food for an unparalleled experience. The food is local with a Scottish fusion and a hint of East Asian flavor. Vegans, get ready to have your mind blown. You must order the vegan breakfast which includes oyster mushroom okara cake, Morrocan chickpeas, grilled tomato, tattie scone, mushrooms, and wilted spinach.

Eusebi Deli

Eusebi Deli in Glasgow’s West End has become an institution. This Italian hot spot features its own deli and sells freshly made pasta, bread and pastries, as well as its popular restaurant and terrace at the entrance to Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park. It’s never too early for pasta, right? For brunch, I highly recommend their Italian coffee to start your day. As an appetizer, get the whipped ricotta, which melts in your mouth and dive right into the potato and truffle pizza.

Best Late-Night Dinner Spot?

Bloc+

Y’all want steak, pizza, fries, grease, and a bomb atmosphere? Here, you will find a progressive and independent live music that is bar smack in the centre of Glasgow. They have live music seven nights a week that’s free of charge. From street eats to sweet treats and an array of burgers, you will definitely leave here feeling full.

Ka-Pao

Ka Pao has Asian-inspired food and small sharing dishes. If you aren’t feeling like late-night pizza or grease then come here for Southeast asian delights. The coconut old fashioned melts in your mouth.

Topolabamba

Topolabamba is a Mexican street food restaurant in Glasgow City Centre with attitude! Here they offer heady cocktails, a mouthwatering menu, friendly staff, and an electric atmosphere. You must get the guac and queso to start. Hands down the best Mexican food in Glasgow.

Best Place To Party In Glasgow?

Barrowland Ballroom

Barrowland Ballroom is located in the East End of Glasgow and is one of the World’s most legendary music venues. The Barrowland neon sign out front is said to be the largest in Europe making it a great spot for photo ops. Come here to see both local and iconic performers.

Shoot Your Shot

Shoot Your Shot is an LGBTQIA+ event that’s fully inclusive to the Trans, Black, Brown, and the Non-Binary community. This party happens on the first and third Saturday each month. This is an all-inclusive party for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community, welcoming everyone with sick dance beats, and super fun theme nights.

Polo Lounge

Polo Lounge is the hottest club in town with a swanky lounge area, cabaret room, and a massive dance club downstairs. Everyone — both tourists and locals alike — ends the night at Polo. I sat in the cabaret room listening to ferocious vocals then danced my face off for half of the nights downstairs. I was truly trying to meet my next ex-husband but instead made the best of friends with the locals.

Best Place To Grab A Whisky?

Ben Nevis Bar

Named after Scotland’s largest mountain, Ben Nevis Bar is a hole in the wall that’s serious about whisky. There’s a cozy, intimate vibe. It remains solid with regulars and has real authenticity. This whisky bar is located in Finnieston Glasgow, one of the trendiest areas of the city. I highly recommend doing a flight of whiskies here. Get the Holy Smokes flight if you are into smokey whisky.

The Pot Still

The Pot Still doesn’t have a lavish interior, but you will get to know all the friendly characters of Glasgow. This bar screams local and has an array of whiskies to choose from including a little something from every style and region of the world. I didn’t even know that this many whiskies existed … welcome to Scotland!

Best Place To Take In The Culture Of Glasgow?

Glasgow Necropolis Graveyard

Glasgow Necropolis graveyard might sound like a “yikes!” choice but it’s here because you get an excellent view of the east end of the city. This 37-acre cemetery is out of this world. If you are in need of a fresh post for Instagram then you must check out the Necropolis. They offer guided tours or you can stroll on your own. Come here, unless you are afraid of ghosts, then it’s a hard pass.

Queen’s Park

Queens Park in Glasgow is a huge outdoor space where cultural events take place, locals picnic and walk their dogs, or hang out with friends! It’s a thriving green space loved by locals and offers one of the best views of the city. The park was dedicated to the memory of Mary, Queen of Scots. If you go on the weekend, I suggest grabbing a coffee while enjoying a relatively short walk (accessible for all) to the top of the park to take in a dramatic view of the city. If it is a clear day, the views are out of this world.

Best Place For A Great Hike Or Way To Take In The City?

Kelvin Walkway/Kelvingrove Museum

Kelvin Walkway is a great hike to take in the nature of Glasgow. If you are like me and love nature within a city then you must hike this gorgeous trail. Bring hiking boots as it can get quite muddy. There is a fantastic spot for bird watching and sightseeing. There is so much greenery inside this old industrial city.

The Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow’s leafy West-End recently completed a multi-million-pound renovation. This attraction is free and filled with historical artifacts, modern art, and natural history. You get there by walking through Kelvin Park, which is the home to Glasgow University. One look at the university and you will immediately be transported into Hogwarts.

Favorite Thing To Do In Glasgow?

Walking Around/Bar Hopping

Glasgow gets the nickname “Dear Green Place” because it has so many public parks, so you will never run out of nature within a city. It is not a concrete jungle. I love to walk around the entire city and bar hop around Merchant City to catch avant-garde drag shows. The winner of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’, Lawrence Chaney, performs all over town and you do not want to miss her.

What Is Your Fondest Memory Of Visiting Glasgow?

Staying At Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel

A city can make it or break it depending on where you stay. If you want chic luxury, you must stay at the Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel in central Glasgow. It is a 15-minute walk to Merchant City, the gayborhood of Glasgow. This hotel has a state-of-the-art spa, one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in, and a brand new farm-to-fabulous restaurant called Bo and Birdy. Definitely have dinner here (get the risotto) and make sure to order it with their signature drink ‘The Bo and Birdy’ which has a peacock feather in it!

One Thing Everyone Visiting Glasgow Must Experience?

Category Is Books… And Whisky

Whisky, but also, Category Is Books, which is one of three Queer bookstores in the U.K. shining the light on ending transphobia, genderphobia, biphobia, and homophobia. How? By providing a safe space for Queer people and being visible. This independent bookstore attracts locals and tourists alike and is located on the south side of Glasgow. A fun perk is that they also offer tea inside. During the pandemic, the ferocious owners of this bookstore would do drop-offs so that folks could continue to learn.

Earlier in June, global pop star Ava Max released her bumping single “Everytime I Cry.” Now, there’s a cinematic new video to go with the song, featuring Max building a lush landscape out of a desert using only her tears. As the water level rises, it’d be easy to draw visual comparisons to TLC’s classic “Waterfalls” visual. And while I’m making Y2K video comparisons, Max’s dancing and overall reliance on CGI and green screen nature landscapes definitely brings to mind Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever,” too.

In a statement about the clip, Max said, “This video demonstrates power within vulnerability. I wanted to tell a story that has the viewer watch me turn weakness into strength.” As previously noted, Max, who released her debut album Heaven & Hell in 2019, is still working on her next era of music. In June, she tweeted, “This is not the next era quite yet […] it’s a continuation of heaven and hell.”

As Uproxx’s Carolyn Droke pointed out, Max is still getting great momentum out of her Heaven & Hell era; the project cemented her stardom, arriving after two of her songs had gone No. 1 in several countries. Her album’s track “Kings & Queens” boasts over one billion streams, making her the one of the most-streamed female artists in the world.

Watch “Everytime I Cry” above. Heaven & Hell is out now via Atlantic. Get it here.

Ava Max is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

As the Loki finale approached, there was one thing fans of the show wanted more than anything: Owen Wilson’s Mobius on a jet ski. The character’s inexplicable love for the aquatic vehicle that effortlessly merges form and function popped up in the second episode, and by Episode 3, we learned that all TVA employees are Variants, which means at some point in time, Mobius might have had a sweet jet ski and possibly even a family, which are kinda neat, too.

However, when the Loki finale wrapped up its dramatic introduction of Kang and the start of a Multiversal War, Mobius and his jet ski were nowhere to be found. In fact, by the episode’s end, he doesn’t even recognize Loki, so what gives? Well, according to a new interview with director Kate Herron, there was a plan to show Mobius’ backstory, but those plans were put on hold so that whoever takes the reins on Season 2 (Herron is not returning) can fill in the blanks as needed. Via Comic Book:

“So I think for us, we had spoken about, I think there were a few drafts of the script where you did see like a family or you did see a life, but I think we all kind of decided we don’t know what it is yet. And I think that’s exciting, right? Because it gives more road to travel with him. And I think it’s more painful when he is going to be deleted, him saying, ‘What if I had a family’ Because, maybe he did or maybe he didn’t, I don’t know where the writers will take his character,” Herron explained.

It looks like Loki fans will have to wait until Season 2 to see Mobius on a jet ski, and if that doesn’t happen, we riot in the streets. Your move, Marvel.

(Via Comic Book)

During today’s 2020 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony, a lot of recognizable music popped up, including a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine” performed by John Legend, Keith Urban, and some other singers from around the world. Video game fans were also pleased to hear that orchestral renditions of songs from classic Japanese games soundtracked the parade of countries.

As The Associated Press notes, the medley kicked off with “Roto’s Theme” from the Dragon Quest series. Other franchises that were represented include Sonic The Hedgehog, Final Fantasy, Tales, Monster Hunter, Kingdom Hearts, Chrono Trigger, Ace Combat, Phantasy Star, Gradius, NieR, Saga, Soul Caliber, and eFootball (formerly but more commonly known as Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer).

Video game fans know that Sonic’s connection to the Olympics runs deep, as he and Nintendo mascot Mario have appeared in a bunch of Olympics video games together over the years. The series started with 2007’s Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games, and the latest installment is 2019’s Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Speaking of Mario, songs from his games were nowhere to be found during the medley, even though the plumber played a major role in Japan’s presentation at the 2016 Olympics Closing Ceremony.

Leon Bridges‘ third album Gold-Diggers Sound is out today, and to celebrate, the Texas soul luminary is releasing a video for album single “Steam.” On top of being a silky-smooth song, “Steam” has Bridges in full-on groove mode. Over the course of several scenes, Bridges moves in synchronized steps with friends (and occasionally solo), while other scenes are more overtly sedate, with the camera moving through clusters of trees in twilight.

Following his last album, 2018’s Good Thing, Gold-Diggers Sound has a few singles already out, including “Sweeter,” “Motorbike,” and “Why Don’t You Touch Me.” Prior to sharing “Motorbike,” Leon gave some insight about Gold-Diggers Sound. “I created this world with @rickyreed and @natemercereau at Gold Diggers Studio in East Hollywood over the course of two very long years,” Bridges wrote in an Instagram post. “With immense joy, greater purpose, and sometimes doubt, I labored over these eleven songs, but the record truly came together when I immersed myself in everything @golddiggersla making it my home, my escape, and the center of my creative world.”

The singer added, “The record features some remarkably talented friends, longtime collaborators and I believe it’s my most personal album yet.” Gold-Diggers Sound is highlighted by guest appearances from Terrace Martin, Ink, and Robert Glasper.

Press play on the video for “Steam” above.

Gold-Diggers Sound is out now via Columbia Records. Get it here.