Month: September 2021

As if Hurricane Ida itself wasn’t horrific enough, Louisianians are now facing a new dilemma: navigating all the various hazards it created. While power outages and demolished buildings each come with their own unique set of challenges, a heartbreaking story has drawn attention to just how dangerous a simple walk down your street could be post-hurricane.

According to NBC News, a 71 year-old man was walking in the floodwaters outside his home in Slidell, Louisiana when he was attacked by an alligator. In a recounting of the events given by the victim’s wife, she told authorities she was inside their home when she heard a commotion, and rushed outside to witness her husband being attacked by a gator, which bit off one of the man’s arms. Following the attack, she was able to bring him in a bit closer to their home, where she then ran to retrieve first aid for his severed limb. However, upon returning to her husband, his body was nowhere to be found, leading officials to presume the man had been finished off by the gator.

According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office:

When she [..] realized the severity of his injuries, she immediately got into her pirogue and went to higher ground, which was approximately a mile away, to get help. When she returned, her husband was no longer lying on the steps. STPSO used high water vehicles and flatboats in an attempt to locate the victim, but as of this time all attempts have been futile.

The tragic event serves as an unfortunate reminder that humans were not the only living things displaced during hurricane Ida, and flooded areas are now particularly hazardous to trek through. St. Tammy Parish Sheriff Randy Smith went on to urge residents to be “extra vigilant” when walking in flooded areas, as “wildlife has been displaced as well during this storm and alligators and other animals may have moved closer into neighborhoods.”

As of right now, the victim’s name has not been disclosed. In addition to the missing man, at least four people in Louisiana and Mississippi have died following Hurricane Ida, one of the strongest storms to ever hit the region. Here’s hoping the in the coming days we don’t see too much of an increase in that, folks stay safe, and demolished areas start to be rebuilt.

MTV announced today that Justin Bieber will be joining the list of performers at the upcoming 2021 MTV VMAs, which are taking place on September 12 live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The last time Bieber performed at the VMAs was in 2015 when he sang Purpose track “What Do You Mean?” This year, Bieber has seven VMA nominations, including Video Of The Year and Artist Of The Year. He released his sixth studio album Justice earlier this year.

Speaking to Vogue earlier this year about Justice, Bieber said, “I named [the album] Justice because there’s so much injustice in this world and there has been since the beginning of time […] My name [Justin] actually means justice, so there’s that. I’m really honored to play a small part and be able to make music that inspires and can uplift people in this time.”

Other artists performing at the 2021 ceremony are Kacey Musgraves, Chloe Bailey, Doja Cat (who is also hosting), Sean Mendes, Twenty One Pilots, Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde, Machine Gun Kelly, and Camila Cabello. MTV also announced that Foo Fighters would receive a special Global Icon Award this year.

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

Ben Simmons trade rumors are heating back up after a report indicated he told the Philadelphia 76ers he wants to play elsewhere so badly that he is not going to show up to training camp. One of the teams listed among the favorites to bring him on board is the Sacramento Kings, but there appears to be a bit of a gulf between what Philly wants and what Sacramento will give up.

According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, the Sixers want to get back one of the Kings’ two young standout guards, De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton, in a potential deal. The issue: Sacramento does not want to part ways with them, and instead has its eyes on a different deal.

As for Sacramento, sources have suggested the 76ers would only be willing to consider an offer that includes De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton. The Kings are unlikely to part with either player, but they can offer Buddy Hield, a prolific 3-point shooter who would space the floor for Joel Embiid; Marvin Bagley III, a former No. 2 pick who has yet to reach his potential; and other assets, including multiple first-round draft picks.

Hield’s name always seems to pop up in trade rumblings when the Kings are involved, and while he’s by no means a bad player, all the reporting around a Simmons trade seems to indicate that they’re setting their sights on an All-Star-level player. Hield’s shooting would do well in Philly, and betting on Bagley’s talent along with a collection of picks is understandable. The disconnect appears to be that the Sixers want all of that in addition to Fox or Haliburton, and don’t view that package as nearly enough to convince them to part way with Simmons, at least for now.

For a self-purported advocate of free speech, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) seems mighty fearful of people hearing what she has to say. At least what she has to say in private, and especially as it pertains to the events surrounding the January 6th insurrection on the Capitol. On Tuesday night, crackpot met even-more-cracked-pot when Greene—a politician with essentially zero power—spoke with Tucker Carlson, where she essentially threatened the country’s telecommunications with extinction should they decide to abide by Congressional requests for said documents.

According to Mediaite:

That committee is reportedly seeking phone records and other data from devices owned by certain members of Congress as part of the investigation. Its stated reason is to ascertain whether those members were coordinating with any of the rioters, as well as to understand the nature of any communications with the White House that day.
While it may seem like a fairly standard request in such an inquiry, Greene and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy seem to be running scared—and running their mouths off.

“I think it’s outrageous,” Greene told Carlson. “This is leading us into waters we’ve never been in in America. You see, America was never meant to be a communist country. But these are the tactics that Democrats are wanting to use.”

With all due respect to Greene (ok, not really), we’ll take our history lessons from someone who acknowledges that the Holocaust actually happened. And has a firm understanding of the definition of communism.

In many ways, Greene is simply regurgitating what House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had already said earlier in the day when he issued a statement threatening: “If these companies comply with the Democrat order to turn over private information, they are in violation of federal law and subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States. If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law.”

But Carlson, for one, seems to think that people should take Greene seriously. Seriously?

“Well, yeah!” Carlson said in reply to Greene’s pathetic attempt to sound tough. “I mean, demanding your text messages if they don’t like your politics? Now we’ve been tough on Kevin McCarthy for being weak. That statement is not weak. That statement is a flat-out promise, threat, whatever you want to call it. If you do this, there are consequences.”

Greene’s ominous reply? “These telecommunications companies, if they go along with this, they will be shut down. And that’s a promise.”

(Via Mediaite)

Minneapolis quartet Vial make raucous punk rock that sounds like something that would have been on the iconic (to me at least) 2012 compilation The Thing That Ate Larry Livermore. They’re the type of band you’d see in a basement and leave saying “they’re going to do big things.” The band’s debut full-length Loudmouth was released earlier this year, expanding on their vision and illustrating a bright future for the band.

To celebrate Loudmouth, KT Branscom and Taylor Kraemer sat down to talk Warped Tour, Twilight, and grandma’s cooking in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Cathartic, unapologetic, fun, and rebellious.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Best consumed in a group of friends in a car, screaming the words out open windows.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

We have never performed outside of Minneapolis really, but a dream location to play would be London.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

I’d say either Rex Orange County or Sidney Gish. They’re very different musicians style-wise, but their lyrical content is always inspiring me.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

My grandma’s house. No one can beat her cooking.

What album do you know every word to?

Frankie Cosmos — Next Thing

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Probably Warped Tour! I went from 2016-2019 and every year was great.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

A dress with biker shorts underneath! Nice and breezy, moveable, and comfortable!

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

I love following the band Hoity-Toity because they both make amazing music and they’re hilarious on social media.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

We’ve never toured! But we most frequently listen to “King For A Day” by Pierce The Veil to get hyped for shows.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

I think it was a cheat that I needed to use in The Sims to manually give my sims money.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

I would kill to be gifted a My Chemical Romance album. Specifically Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

We’ve never toured! But when we went to Rochester, Minnesota, for a festival, we camped out in our friend’s parents’ backyard.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

My first tattoo was a stick n poke that I did on my finger. It’s faded now, unfortunately, but it was my first ever tat. My favorite tattoo is my only “real” tattoo which is a melting Frankenstein skull.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

Any local band-friends of ours! Otherwise, also Fleetwood Mac, Joanie Mitchell, Lizzo, Mitski, and Lil Nas X!

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

My bandmates put together a faux graduation ceremony for me since I graduated high school in the middle of the pandemic. It was a complete surprise filled with snacks, gifts, and so much love! I almost cried it made me so happy!

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

You can’t control how/what people think about you, so don’t lose your mind over it.

What’s the last show you went to?

Our show with Gully Boys, Bugsy, and Dad Bod at Fine Line!

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Any Twilight film or Good Burger.

What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?

Unsure how to feel about a dinner with Obama, but if it were dinner with, perhaps, Lizzo: Definitely a nice citrus-y risotto.

Loudmouth is out now via Get Better Records. Pick it up here.

In the video for “Chad,” the latest single from Isaiah Rashad’s long-awaited comeback album The House Is Burning, the Chattanooga rapper asserts his stardom alongside fellow Chat-town native YGTUT. Employing the “video shoot at a gas station” trope that has become so popular over the past year, Rashad fills the video with cameos from his friends in the music business. The cameos include Aminé, who appears as a delivery man, Denzel Curry, who maintains the gas station sign, and Dominic Fike, who appears to be assisting Rashad’s TDE cohort Jay Rock in some shady business. In addition, many members of the TDE posse show up, including new signee Ray Vaughn and Reason.

The video arrived just in time to highlight TDE’s next generation of stars as Kendrick Lamar departs the label after over a decade of partnership. Rashad recently had to clear up a fan misconception that one of his recent tweets dissed Kendrick for leaving; after a subtweet to his ex was interpreted as a shot at Kendrick, Isaiah deleted the tweet and explained the context on The Breakfast Club. It appears there isn’t really any bad blood between them, and Top Dawg himself wished the Compton rapper well in his future endeavors.

Isaiah, meanwhile, has been hard at work promoting his new album, releasing videos for “Runnin,” “Wat U Sed,” “From The Garden,” and now, “Chad” in relatively rapid succession while preparing to head out on Lil Sunny’s Awesome Vacation tour this month.

Watch the video for “Chad” above.

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

It was almost the perfect crime until 24-year-old Chloe Mzorak forgot one small detail: How to spell “Moderna.” The Illinois native was arrested in Hawaii after entering the state with a fake vaccine card, which was flagged after she attempted to duck the state’s mandatory 10-day quarantine by claiming she was vaccinated. One look at her card, which listed her vaccine as “Maderna,” proved that was clearly not the case, but by that point, she was already on the island and ducking authorities. However, Mzorak eventually had to fly home, and that’s when she was snatched up at the airport, according to KHON2 News:

After finding her profile on Facebook, the special agent determined that Mrozak had a distinctive tattoo on her left hip. On Aug. 26, he met with other special agents with the Quarantine Compliance Check (QCC) Team to discuss her case. The team believed she would return home via Southwest Airlines and not American Airlines since majority of the flights are purchased as round-trip tickets to reduce the cost.

“It was a joint effort that we were able to locate her, and found out when she was leaving even though she was evasive about her lodging location.” Special Agent Lau said.

News of Mzorak’s caper quickly reached Twitter and caused “Maderna” to trend as the jokes start pouring in:

While most Twitter users got a kick out of “Maderna,” others noticed another glaring tidbit about Mzorak’s vaccine card. She claimed to have been vaccinated by the… NRA?

Remember, kids, spelling is your friend.

(Via KHON2 News)

Earlier in the summer, Bachelor — aka the collaborative project between Palehound‘s Ellen Kempner and Jay Som‘s Melina Duterte — released their debut album Doomin’ Sun. Now, the duo have shared a standalone single, “I See It Now.” A gentle, lo-fi track, “I See It Now” plays out over a hushed, dissonant melody as Kempner and Duterte harmonize about insecurity with a sexual partner.

They share about the track in a press release:

“Back in January when Bachelor was filming our music videos for Doomin’ Sun, we found ourselves with a day to kill at Ellen’s house in Poughkeepsie. Ellen had assembled a small recording setup in her basement that she was mystified by and still figuring out how to work so we decided to record a song to mess around with the gear. Melina wrote the creepy intro keyboard part and we built the song from there. What came was ‘I See It Now,’ a kind of lethargic muse on sexual regret and insecurity.”

Back in May, Uproxx spoke to Bachelor about the band’s genesis. Duterte told us, “We came up with that because I love the ABC show The Bachelor. I’m really obsessed and I think at the time I was really into the current season. I knew everything about it and I would force Ellen to watch it with me. But I think it was actually Ellen’s idea to name the band Bachelor because it’s cute. It’s the opposite of what we are, it’s very strange sounding. You picture a cis guy in a suit. And we’re just, like, really gay and not that.”

Listen to “I See It Now” above.

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

24-year-old songwriter Indigo De Souza isn’t defined by any one thing. Though she grew up in a tiny conservative town in North Carolina, her vibrant style and open-mindedness prove she’s anything but a small-town girl. When it comes to her music, De Souza doesn’t stick to just one genre. Her sophomore album Any Shape You Take moves fluidly from sparkling pop to somber suburban emo, mimicking how each song encapsulates a range of emotions from heartbreak and loss to unbridled love and endless joy.

Any Shape You Take was born out of a period of intense loss and existential crisis. But rather than let her experiences spiral into Nihilistic tendencies, De Souza was instead reborn with eternal compassion for both herself and those around her. Exploring this newfound tenderness, Any Shape You Take details love in all its forms, surveying the importance of self-love, platonic love, and romantic love in her life. “I was inspired by the idea that real and healthy love is when someone loves you through all of the changes that you undergo,” De Souza said over the phone ahead of her album’s release. “And whether you’re heavily in their life or not, they still have this place of love and acceptance for what you are and what you’re becoming.”

De Souza hasn’t always felt the warmth of love and acceptance. Growing up in a conservative town of just over 2,000 people with a boundary-pushing visual artist mom, De Souza oftentimes felt out of place. “It felt as if something was very wrong with us,” she recalled. “Visually, it was so obvious that we were the only people that were adorned with these colors and these crazy things.” At the time, her shyness wasn’t helped by her mom’s fearless and unapologetic individuality. De Souza recalls being picked up from school in a beat-up pickup truck outfitted with naked Barbie dolls and plastered with the names of countries America has bombed over the years. Or, the times her mom would display her sex-positive Kama Sutra-inspired cartoons to conservative community members, who would promptly leave the gallery disgruntled.

Upon reflection, De Souza is grateful for her mom’s lessons of defiant self-expression. She now translates this to music through the clever use of her voice as an additional instrument. Her Auto-Tuned vocals on the album-opener “17” distort and bend over a synth’s low hum before a bouncing beat catapults the song into a glistening pop tune. On “Real Pain,” De Souza’s yelps and wails mirror her lyrics’ mournful breakup ruminations. During the song’s bridge, the choral screams of her fans can be heard, who submitted intimate voice recordings to her over the pandemic. Screeching guitars melt into the ear-piercing shrieks of collective pain, creating a cacophony of unsettling noise that acts as a relatable metaphor for the past year.

Along with using her voice in inventive ways, De Souza is unafraid of honesty in her lyrics. Her song “Pretty Pictures” describes an unglamorous breakup story more common than popular romance movies lead us to believe, detailing a relationship that slowly fizzled out instead of ending in an explosive argument. Other songs like “Die/Cry” tackle the sometimes frightening feeling of intense love for a partner. Repeating the mantra, “I’d rather die than see you cry,” De Souza grapples with a love so overwhelming that she’d sooner put herself in harm’s way than see the other person discouraged.

De Souza detailed her creative decisions in a conversation ahead of the release of Any Shape You Take, discussing how her childhood, existential crises, and important relationships led to the creation of her captivating sophomore album.

As I understand, you grew up in a small town with less than 2,000 people. I can imagine that wasn’t the easiest environment to be raised in. What was that like for you?

Definitely not ideal. It was just very limiting and the people were not very accepting. There was an energetic idea that I needed to be a certain way to be accepted there. Rather than explore any expression that I wanted to, I didn’t feel free to do that, or uplifted to do that. Yeah, I think that was my main qualm with it. And I don’t think I even really knew that that was happening, or that I was being limited in that way until I left.

Was it a culture shock of sorts when you moved to Asheville? Or was it mostly a positive experience?

It definitely was a culture shock, but also a very, very positive culture shock. I realized for the first time [my town] was not the whole world and that people outside of Spruce Pine were very different, and that affected me very positively. I felt much freer to express myself. I felt celebrated. I rose to the occasion. I remember making a lot of new friends and feeling like my world had gotten much bigger and that there were many more possibilities.

You’ve talked a few times about how a lot of this album was inspired by existential crises that you had, the idea of mortality being one of them. What was that experience like?

I had a series of existential crises when I was in my teenage years. And it started with this one instance where I was at a festival with my mom and my mom was dancing under this light, this little canopy thing where people would play music. I was watching her dance and I noticed all of her bones moving underneath her skin as she was dancing. A little later, I gave her a massage and she was bouncing my arms because her body was hurting. I just became suddenly aware of the make-up of her body physically, and how fragile she was.

That woke me up. It almost felt like I was tripping on psychedelics, but I was actually not, I was just going through a series of cut-tos where I realized how sad I was gonna be when she died. And then I realized how sad I was going to be when I lost anyone that I love. And that I was absolutely going to lose everyone that I love and that everyone I love is going to lose everyone they love. We will all be experiencing loss throughout our whole lives, but at the same time, a lot of love. It triggered this awakening where I started to see things in a different way. I started to feel more grounded and more aware of people’s mortality and people’s humanity and I just started to see people with a lot more compassion and a pure sense of sadness for everyone that we are all going to have to weather so many losses. That’s with me every day.

On ‘Real Pain,’ you had fans send you voice memos of their screams. What was the original idea behind that?

I had thought of it before the pandemic, but I also didn’t have as many listeners. During the pandemic, I had a surge in listeners and people following along with what I was doing when I realized I didn’t have that many recordings. I also didn’t really know what I wanted to do with them fully yet, I just felt called to collect them for something on the album. And then, during the pandemic, it just kind of all came together. I realized exactly what I wanted to do with them. It felt so much more powerful to collect some more recordings from people who are all experiencing the pandemic. I wanted to know what was going on with them and how it was feeling for them. It was crazy to get those recordings, they were all so heavy. Some of them were just really funny.

Did some people talk to you in the voice recording and give you a message? Or was it mostly just people screaming?

Some people talked to me and some people just sent recordings but then attached a personal letter. It was interesting because some of the recordings that people sent were old recordings that they had on their phones for a while. Like, ‘I’ve had this recording of me having a mental breakdown in my car for years. I don’t really know why I even recorded myself. But this is the perfect thing to give it to and thank you for this.’ Those ones were the most excruciating to hear for sure. It was cool though because I really relate to that. I do that so much, I’ll just record things. I have a recording in my phone from a breakup. I’m just crying and explaining to my future self why I broke up with that person so that I don’t forget because I knew that I would forget and spiral back to them. That recording helped me to stay in line.

Speaking of that, you wrote “Kill Me” a while ago as a stream of consciousness that you recorded on your laptop and then revisited a year later. What was it like to listen to that after being more removed from that situation?

It’s was wild. The recording is a video. I was just kind of slumped over. It’s really darkly lit and I’m on the floor with my guitar lazily singing this string of words that are all rhyming and really dark. When I watched it, I was wild because I didn’t remember doing it but knew it was me singing the words. It felt like something I had done from a very deep state of the subconscious.

Did you surprise yourself by listening back and hearing some of those lyrics?

Yes. I remembering thinking, ‘This is really dark but also this is sick because this is a whole song.’ I was just writing down all the lyrics as I was listening. Then I started playing it live with a band and we added a chorus because at first, it was just a long run-on sentence with all the verses stringed together.

I love how your song “Hold U” is an ode to love and friendship. What was your inspiration behind the song?

I wrote the song a while ago. I was in a relationship with someone who was really special to me in many different ways. I was so amazed by how love can be so many different things and can change and take many forms with a person. You can choose to honor all the different forms that it takes. It can sometimes be romantic, or can sometimes be platonic, and there doesn’t need to be a limit to the ways that you could feel about a person.

For the video, I felt I should involve the community around me that is so vibrant and beautiful. It really reflects that idea. All of the people in the video are my community and my friends. They’re just so sweet to each other. I get emotional when I watch the video too because we barely directed them much. We were kind of all just having a good time and doing what we always do. It was also filmed in my house, in my bedroom, and in all those spaces so it felt very personal.

Is there a specific track on the album that holds a special place in your heart?

Probably “Real Pain” because I’m always trying to connect with my audiences. Music gives me the opportunity to help people feel seen even though I can’t personally meet them and be a part of their lives, water a relationship with them, and create a safe space for them to be. But music gives me an opportunity to create that through sound. That song feels really special because I did what I am trying to do with music.

Any Shape You Take is out now via Saddle Creek. Get it here.

Slowly but surely, Lil Nas X has been unveiling more info about his upcoming album Montero. He revealed last week that the album is currently set for a September 17 release, and not long after that, she shared the cover art. The rapper teased yesterday that that tracklist would arrive today, and this morning, he tweeted, “posting tracklist in a little bit. ahhh my balls are tingling and trembling. i’m so excited.”

Now, the tracklist has arrived, and of course, it includes recent singles “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” “Sun Goes Down,” and the Jack Harlow collaboration “Industry Baby.” Beyond that, though, it will also include features from Doja Cat, Elton John, Megan Thee Stallion, and Miley Cyrus. All in all, the project spans 15 tracks and runs for about 43 minutes.

Check out the Montero tracklist below.

1. “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
2. “Dead Right Now”
3. “Industry Baby” Feat. Jack Harlow
4. “That’s What I Want”
5. “The Art Of Realization”
6. “Scoop” Feat. Doja Cat
7. “One Of Me” Feat. Elton John
8. “Lost In The Citadel”
9. “Dolla Sign Slime” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
10. “Tales Of Dominica”
11. “Sun Goes Down”
12. “Void”
13. “Don’t Want It”
14. “Life After Salem”
15. “Am I Dreaming” Feat. Miley Cyrus

Montero is out 9/17 via Columbia Records. Pre-save it here.

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