In a new interview with XXL, Lil Nas X recounts coming out in the wake of the success of his hit song “Old Town Road,” calling it a “duty” to represent other queer people within hip-hop. He previously called the making of his song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” therapeutic for him after coming out, which he tells XXL is something he would not have done had “Old Town Road” not been so popular and successful.
“I don’t think I would have ever came out,” he says. “I honestly felt like it was kind of my duty. Especially if I wanted to move forward. And what I was doing, because authenticity is very real, and I feel like people can see right through that. And that’s a part of me.”
His reluctance is understandable. While his announcement was greeted with plenty of acceptance, there were also those who rejected him — as he rightly predicted they would when he refused to admit to being a Nicki Minaj stan. Almost immediately, he faced backlash from other famous figures. He was forced to check Kevin Hart on The Shop over Hart’s old homophobic bits, while in the wake of his success, he’s had to field knee-jerk reactions from other rappers like Dave East, Joyner Lucas, and Boosie Badazz, while shutting down Twitter commenters who claim he’s “being gay for success.”
Nas also had a hard time recruiting other rappers to feature on his debut album Montero, telling a fan on Twitter, “maybe they didn’t want to work with me.” Fortunately, he’s got others on his side such as Kid Cudi, who believes Nas will “break down” the “cloud of homophobia” stifling hip-hop simply by being an example to the youth who might feel left out right now.
This week, pop heavy hitters Coldplay and BTS united for a shimmering new single, “My Universe.” The upbeat song features a catchy chorus and expertly combines both groups styles of music, continuing Coldplay’s venture into classic pop on their upcoming album Music Of The Spheres. “I love them, and we love them, and it’s been such a joy,” Chris Martin said in a statement. “It’s something you could look at so cynically, and we have at times, but anytime there’s actual communication or music between us, it just feels so good.”
Elton John, Charlie Puth — “After All”
Elton John and Charlie Puth teamed up for the tender tune “After All,” a gentle ballad about believing in love. The song arrives on John’s upcoming collaboration album The Lockdown Sessions and started with a chance encounter at an LA restaurant. “As a songwriter, I have admired and looked up to Elton John my entire life,” Puth said about working with the legend. “It is truly incredible how the melodies and chords seem to come to him instantly whenever he sits down at the piano. I got to witness that firsthand when we wrote this song together. He is world class and the true definition of a musical genius.”
Karol G — “Sejodioto”
After releasing the album KG0516 earlier this year, prolific songwriter Karol G returns with yet another piece of new music. “Sejodioto” is an empowering anthem that adds another catchy tune to her catalog and she sings of finding power in being on her own over traditional reggaeton and hip-hop style beats.
Alessia Cara — “Best Days”
When all the hardships we’ve collectively experienced over the last two years, Alessia Cara knows we’re all dreaming of the “Best Days.” Her new stripped-down ballad arrives on her new album In The Meantime and is a powerful reflection on the anxieties of the future and the passing of time.
Poppy — “Hysteria”
With her new album Flux and high-profile partnership with WWE, Poppy leans into her new alt-rock brand. The song “Hysteria” still holds onto elements of shimmering pop, positioning Poppy’s soaring vocals over a kaleidoscopic of electric guitars.
Gia Woods — “Next Girlfriend”
Offering another preview of her upcoming EP Heartbreak County, which arrives in early October, Gia Woods delivers the playful track “Next Girlfriend.” The song is the latest buoyant offering from the singer, which combines a groovy beat at Woods’ captivating lyrical delivery. “As a gay girl, I didn’t explore my sexuality as freely as most of my friends,” Woods said in a statement. “Navigating coming out of the closet, feeling like an outsider, and not knowing how to tell if other girls were gay, all affected how I experienced growing up in LA.”
Alina Baraz — “If You Let Me”
Soulful pop singer Alina Baraz offered her fans the four-track EP Sunbeam this week. The project featured the vibe-heavy song “If You Let Me,” a swooning tune combining a quick-tempoed beat with Baraz’s sultry vocals to make a perfect late-night listen.
Disclosure — “Observer Effect”
After making a grand return with their 2020 album Energy, UK electronic duo Disclosure return with a new single, the fully instrumental track “Observer Effect,” which arrives on their upcoming DJ-Kicks mixtape. The club-ready tune features a driving beat that makes for an irresistibly dancey single.
Hana Vu — “Keeper”
LA-based songwriter Hana Vu shared the effortlessly dreamy new track “Keeper” this week. The song officially announces her upcoming album Public Storage, which is set for a November 6 release date, and features urgent lyrics and atmospheric production.
Amber Mark — “What It Is”
Four years after releasing her last project, Amber Mark’s new single “What It Is” officially announces her upcoming album Three Dimensions Deep. The track continues on the same themes of Mark’s previously released singles, combining a funk-forward and dance-ready rhythm with deeply introspective lyrics to create an undeniable bop.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Los Angeles Lakers added some reinforcements at the center position this offseason, as Dwight Howard returned to the place where he won a ring and DeAndre Jordan hopped on board to bring some veteran savvy. But on Tuesday during the team’s media day, Anthony Davis made clear that he will line up at the 5 for long stretches this year.
Davis said that, while Howard and Jordan could start depending on some matchups, he’s spoken to Frank Vogel and is “comfortable with” anchoring the team’s starting rotation.
“That was the expectation and that was discussed, and I expect to play center,” Davis said. “I’m not sure what’s gonna happen, me and Frank talked about it a couple of times and that’s the plan. Right now, nothing is set in stone, but we wanna see what that looks like, and I’m comfortable with that. Obviously there’s times where Dwight or DJ might get the start at center depending on games, but for the most part, I think the plan is to go with me playing center.”
It’s a big boost for the Lakers, because while the team has looked lethal in recent years with Davis playing the 5, he’s said on a few occasions that his preference is playing the 4. With L.A. presumably having something of an issue with floor spacing due to LeBron James and Russell Westbrook being in the team’s starting lineup, putting Davis at center and having the space to start someone who is a more dangerous shooter should help.
As one of the world’s best-selling artists with fifteen Grammy Awards to her name, fans are constantly on the lookout for new music from Adele. Seeing as the celebrated singer’s last album arrived in 2015, it’s often that news about her personal life is in the headlines more than information about her next release. But that changed this week after a rumor started circulating on social media that Adele is about to drop new music this week — and of course her fans were over the moon.
Rumors of Adele’s new music were ignited by The Morning Hot Tub 89.9 Hot FM radio host Mauler. In a since-deleted tweet captured by Uproxx, Mauler wrote, “New Adele. This week.”
Twitter
Mauler didn’t disclose her sources, but it was enough to get Adele fans excited about the possibility of hearing new music from the singer.
Some fans talked about the emotional toll they’d take from hearing a new Adele ballad.
i cant handle rumors that adele is releasing a new album this week. id emotionally implode.
Though Adele has neither confirmed or denied the new rumor, the singer has recently addressed the status of her next era. Just before the pandemic, her manager suggested the singer would drop some songs in 2020. The singer then teased that her next album could be expected in September of 2020. That clearly didn’t happen, but the pandemic could have delayed the singer’s release plans.
HBO just dropped the new teaser for Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 11, and it’s pure Larry. While it doesn’t give away any plot lines for the long-awaited season, the teaser is just simple, silly, and dumb, and we love it. Set to the tune of 2001’s iconic opening theme, the teaser notes that “the world has changed,” as it zooms in on the sun rising above the Earth. Except it’s not the Earth, it’s Larry David‘s giant head because, clearly, one thing has stayed the same.
Here’s the official announcement from HBO for Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 11, and like the teaser, it’s not giving away anything either:
The comedy series continues to prove how seemingly trivial details of one’s day-to-day life – a cold cup of coffee, a stained shirt, a missing toothbrush – can precipitate a catastrophic chain of events. To keep the narrative spontaneous, the series is shot without a script and cast members are given scene outlines and improvise lines as they go.
Considering the teaser hints at the ongoing pandemic, you’d assume Curb will tackle… all of that, and it will, according to star Jeff Garlin. However, as Garlin explained in the spring, only the first episode will touch the “COVID stuff,” and then after that, it’s a post-COVID world on the show. It’s a decision that Garlin couldn’t have been happier with after watching the South Park pandemic special.
“I didn’t laugh once,” Garlin told the 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt podcast in April. “People don’t want to watch COVID stories. We’ve got our own COVID stories. Get them away from me.”
Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 11 premieres October 24 on HBO.
Bartees Strange has long cited TV On The Radio is a primary musical influence, and now he’s gone ahead and covered the indie-rock favorites: Today, he teamed up with Eric Slick and Ohmme for a rendition of “Province,” recorded as part of a singles series from Sylvan Esso’s new label, Psychic Hotline.
Strange said in a statement, “I’ll never forget when I found TVOTR. I saw their performance on Letterman while channel surfing. I jumped out of my bed. They gave me somebody to look up to. I don’t think I really knew what I wanted to do musically until I saw them. That was a big deal for me.”
Slick, meanwhile, went into detail about how the recording came to be, saying:
“Bartees and I started talking earlier this year. I loved his album and there seemed to be some interest in working together. We talked about our admiration for TV On The Radio. I was driving around one day and thought about how much I listened to Return To Cookie Mountain in 2006, and how it was a formative record for me. It’s such a strange and simultaneously straightforward album. I made a basic acoustic cover of their song ‘Province’ and from there Bartees added his vocal take. Then I reached out to Ohmme, one of my favorite bands from Chicago. Sima and Macie added some ethereal swells and tied the whole song together. Then I removed all of the rough tracks and built a more modern structure underneath with Mellotron, Moog, and MPC. I’m so excited about the way it came out, and I am deeply inspired by what Bartees and Ohmme brought to the table.”
Listen to Strange, Slick, and Ohmme’s cover of “Province” above.
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.
Andy Shauf – Wilds
Andy Shauf released one of last year’s best albums with The Neon Skyline. Shauf wrote 50 songs for that record, cutting a lot of great material from the final product. His new album, Wilds, finally showcases some of this material, building upon the world that he generated through song with The Neon Skyline
Angels & Airwaves – Lifeforms
Tom DeLonge has been busy with almost everything but music over the last several years. You’ve probably read about it. But amidst the effort to, you know, shift the very concept of life on earth as we know it, DeLonge was piecing together a new album with his band Angels & Airwaves. The resulting effort Lifeforms is finally here, existing as a document of and homage to DeLonge’s entire musical life, echoing his biggest inspirations and even his own discography, as he explained to me in a recent interview. DeLonge knows how to write a hook, and Lifeforms is an impressive return for Angels & Airwaves that is certainly not lacking in moments that will get your head bobbing.
Laura Jane Grace – At War With The Silverfish EP
Just about a year after dropping her debut solo album Stay Alive out of the sky, Laura Jane Grace has once again surprise-released a new project. At War With The Silverfish is a new EP of songs born of “late night madness and loneliness, orphan songs that came wandering in looking to feed like insects.” The seven-track effort is a demonstration of Grace’s pure songwriting talent, with very few — if any — studio flourishes outside of light drum programming.
Shortly – Dancer
At long last, Detroit’s Shortly has finally “officially” arrived with a full-length album. Dancer was produced by Shortly and Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Beach Bunny, Smidley, Diet Cig), and was developed from sketches on codependence, gender dysphoria, and the tenderness of belonging. The resulting album is emotional and raw, illustrative of Alexandria Maniak’s talents as one of Michigan’s strongest songwriters.
Frames – Every Room
Richmond emo outfit Frames make twinkly, driving rock songs full of catchy guitar riffs and Sarah Phun’s soaring vocals anchoring impressive arrangements. Their new album Every Room is their strongest to date, with lyrics detailing unresolved resentment and guilt that will draw you in and spit you out.
Japanese Breakfast – Sable (Original Video Game Soundtrack)
Japanese Breakfast has been attached to the just-released video game Sable for some time, and now we can immerse ourselves in the full soundtrack. The 32-track project is full of glitchy, ambient soundscapes that create a world unto themselves. “It was important to me that each biome in this world felt unique,” Michelle Zauner explained in a statement. “I used woodwinds and vocal layering to make monumental ruins feel ancient and unknown, industrial samples and soft synths to make atomic ships feel cold and metallic, classical guitar and bright piano to make encampments feel cozy and familiar.”
Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine – A Beginner’s Mind
After leaning into electronics on his latest album The Ascension, Sufjan Stevens has returned to the world of folk for his new collaboration with Angelo De Augustine. The 14-track album A Beginner’s Mind began to come together when “the pair headed to a friend’s cabin in upstate New York for a ‘monthlong songwriting sabbatical,’ writes Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx. “At the ends of their days, Stevens and De Augustine would unwind by watching movies, and the duo’s songs soon began to reflect on the films. The album was inspired by ‘shoshin,’ a word from Zen Buddhism that means ‘Beginner’s Mind’ (hence the album title) and refers to a sense of openness and eagerness.”
Bartees Strange – “Weights”
Celebrating a massive year of growth, Bartees Strange is gearing up to release a deluxe version of his debut album Live Forever, which features a new track called “Weights.” Produced by Will Yip, “the song immediately kicks off with a wall of sound,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx. “Washed out guitars and a driving beat accompany Strange as he sings of feeling distant from a past flame and regretting how their timing didn’t work out as he had hoped.”
Let’s Eat Grandma – “Hall Of Mirrors”
On their first new song in three years, UK indie-pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma — aka Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth — deliver what Rachel Brodsky calls for Uproxx a “shimmery dream-pop jam.” Although there’s no official word of a forthcoming new record from Let’s Eat Grandma, “Hall Of Mirrors” sets the bar quite high for what’s to come.
Faye Webster – “Overslept”
It’s only been a few short months since Faye Webster dropped her excellent sophomore album I Know I’m Funny Haha, but she’s showing no signs of slowing down. The newly-released track “Overslept” is what Carolyn Droke describes for Uproxx as “a wistful tune features vocals by Japanese artist Mei Ehara, who Webster said was a big source of inspiration for her on the album.”
Ovlov – “Land Of Steve-O”
Connecticut cult legends Ovlov have been putting out music on and off over the last few years, but now they are finally officially back with a new record. Buds is previewed by “Land Of Steve-O,” which is “an upbeat, antsy track that moves along with persistent percussion and sharp guitar solos,” according to Rachel Brodsky for Uproxx.
Blackstarkids – “All Cops Are Bastards”
Blackstarkids’ debut project Whatever, Man was one of 2020’s most exciting releases, and the trio’s proper debut album Puppies Forever is shaping up to do the same in 2021. The latest single “All Cops Are Bastards” is a raucous track that “kicks off with fuzzy guitars and a catchy hook,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx. “As a crashing beat arrives, the trio fire off verses making it clear that they’re no friend of the police.”
Heart Attack Man – “Pitch Black”
Heart Attack Man are back with a vitriolic, bombastic new EP called Thoughtz & Prayerz. The excellent lead single “Pitch Black” is a driving, melodic meditation on not letting your past dictate your present, which the band described in a statement as “truly being in X-Games mode with your emotions and shit.”
The Copyrights – “Stuck In The Winter”
I first discovered The Copyrights on the excellent punk compilation The Thing That Ate Larry Livermore. Nearly ten years later, the band is about to drop a new record called Alone In A Dome on Fat Wreck Chords. The new single “Stuck In The Winter” is an excellent melodic punk track with a massive hook that is hard not to fall in love with.
The Regrettes – “Monday”
The Regrettes’ 2019 album How Do You Love? was a first look at the ways that 2000’s-era rock and punk music was about to make a comeback in a big way. Now, the band is back with “Monday,” a uniquely modern track that Lydia Night explains is about “really learning and trying my best to keep on dancing the pain away so I hope people can relate to that and dance with me.”
RIVER – “Dance In The Darkness”
German duo made waves with their debut single “Inappropriate,” and now they’ve returned with “Dance In The Darkness,” a highly danceable track that is built upon a groovy baseline and harmonized vocals. It’s a promising look at what’s to come as the duo continues to roll out new music.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Houston rapper Don Toliver has had a relatively eventful two years. While most of the entertainment industry was shut down over the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cactus Jack Records product toiled away, building on the buzz he’d accumulated since appearing on his mentor Travis Scott’s 2018 album Astroworld. In addition to popping up on Eminem’s “No Regrets” early in 2020, Toliver dropped his debut album Heaven Or Hell, then featured on projects from Nav, Kaash Paige, Nas, and Rico Nasty, the F9 soundtrack, and on the runaway Internet Money smash, “Lemonade” with Gunna.
Now, he’s set to capitalize on all that hard work with the release of his second album, Life Of A Don. After teasing the project on Twitter earlier this year, Toliver finally shared the release date, October 8, via a grandiose trailer featuring a pair of ballroom dancers onstage in an empty, elegantly appointed theatre.
In addition to the trailer, Toliver has teased the future release with a handful of singles including “What You Need,” “Drugs N Hella Melodies” with Kali Uchis, and “Don’t Go” with Justin Bieber and Skrillex. He’s currently on tour through October 30 with BIA, which means fans on the back end of the tour may well get the opportunity to hear the new album live after its release.
L.O.A.D. (Life Of A Don) is due 10/8 through Cactus Jack and Atlantic Records.
Don Toliver is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Before getting the axe as not just as the new permanent host of Jeopardy! but also the executive producer for the game show and Wheel of Fortune, the controversy-soaked Mike Richards filmed an entire week’s worth of episodes that aired earlier in the month, and now we get to see how he did. According to the latest ratings report, Richards’ sole week as the host of Jeopardy! cost the game show the number one spot, which went to Family Feud.
However, Jeopardy! did make some gains, but not because of Richards. Well, entirely. Via The Wrap:
“Jeopardy!” was the only game show to grow from the same week last year. With the return of champion Matt Amodio, who continued his 18-game winning streak to start the new season, the Sony quiz show rose 2% year over year.
There was likely some viewer intrigue for Amodio, and even more trainwreck tune-in for the lone Richards week.
In fairness to Richards, this is not the first time that Jeopardy! lost the top ratings spot since Alex Trebek’s death. Katie Couric earned that honor back in March, but she performed better than Richards when the show once again fell behind Family Feud. While Richards brought in a 5.1 rating with his second place week, Couric held strong at a 5.3 for a hard-fought loss to the Feud.
Seth Meyers has never missed an opportunity to bust out his Rudy Giuliani impression. So it was hardly surprising when he dedicated Monday night’s “A Closer Look” segment to the recent stories swirling around about both Rudy and his shouty son Andrew being banned from appearing on Fox News because of the libelous drivel that is constantly spilling from their mouths (and occasionally leaking from Rudy’s head). And Meyers can’t wrap his head around with a Fox News without Rudy might look like:
“They banned Rudy from Fox News? That’s like banning a turtle from its shell… Forget the interviews: If he’s banned from Fox News’ greenrooms, where’s he going to sleep? He can’t go back to his own place. The Feds probably took his bed when they raided his apartment because, knowing Rudy, he wrote incriminating notes on his sheets when he couldn’t find any paper.”
While Fox has denied that Rudy has been banned, Meyers isn’t buying it. And says that even in the network’s official statement on the matter, “they found a way to wound his ego yet again. They said he’s not technically banned—they just don’t want him… I’d use the old showbiz expression and say Rudy can’t get arrested, but I’m pretty sure he can get arrested.”
The ban, or non-ban (whichever you choose to believe), comes on the heels of Rudy seeing his license to practice law suspended in both New York and Washington, D.C. And being ghosted by former BFF Donald Trump, who got him into this mess in the first place (and reportedly refuses to even pay Rudy for the many hours he logged lying for the former president). Those rants are also what led Dominion Voting Systems to sue the former New York City Mayor for $1.3 billion for the many election lies he has spewed.
You can watch the full clip above.
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