Month: November 2021

In the most recent episode of Succession, Connor Roy attends his brother Kendall’s desperately douchey 40th birthday party in a coat he refuses to take off and his arm in a sling. When pressed about the mysterious injury, the presidential candidate (one percent isn’t nothing!) blamed it on “ranch stuff,” a.k.a. “he had a fall” while doing an Irish jig after drinking cognac. We’ve all been there, but seriously, what really happened?

During Monday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Alan Ruck, who plays Connor on the Emmy-winning HBO series, explained that he hurt his shoulder in real life. “We shoot the show in New York primarily. I was living in New Jersey and it snowed, and like a dumbbell, I tried to shovel some snow,” he said. “And I felt it pop — I mean I’m an older guy now — it just went pop and when I finally talked to a surgeon in March, he said, ‘Yeah, you should have had this sewn up before Christmas.’” Ruck called Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, and told him, “Jesse, the guy says I have to do it now or I’m gonna be messed up for the rest of my life.” Armstrong’s reply: “We’ll write it in.”

It worked out. Maybe not for Ruck, but for Succession: Connor is the type of guy who would show up to a party with a random injury. Not from shoveling snow, of course. He pays someone else to do that, but everything else checks out.

You can watch the full interview above.

For the past couple years, Foo Fighters have been trying to celebrate their 25th anniversary with a tour, but given everything that’s been going on in the world, the band hasn’t quite been able to realize that vision. In 2022, though, Dave Grohl and company going to try again, as the band has announced a run of North American tour dates for next spring and summer.

The newly announced shows start with a trio of May shows: one in Pennsylvania and two in North Carolina. The run then picks back up in July and hits New York, Toronto, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, and other places. “Special guests” for the shows are expected to be announced soon as well.

Check out the band’s upcoming tour dates below.

05/14/2022 — Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake
05/20/2022 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park
05/24/2022 — Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
07/17/2022 — New York, NY @ Citi Field
07/19/2022 — Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
07/22/2022 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
07/24/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field
07/27/2022 — Bangor, ME @ Maine Savings Amphitheater
07/29/2022 — Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival
08/01/2022 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
08/03/2022 — Minneapolis, MN @ Huntington Bank Stadium
08/06/2022 — Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High
08/08/2022 — Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheater
08/10/2022 — Big Sky, MT @ Big Sky Events Arena
08/13/2022 — Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park
08/18/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ Banc Of California Stadium
08/20/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ Banc Of California Stadium

This week in pop music saw some fiery releases despite coming off of a relaxing holiday. Kali Uchis and Ozuna shared a song from a movie soundtrack, DJ Khalid linked with Panamanian singer Sech for a rhythmic single, and Anuel AA released pumped up song about losing love.

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

Kali Uchis, Ozuna — “Another Day In America”

Fresh off her Grammy nomination, Kali Uchis and Ozuna teamed up to deliver a song that is honest about this country’s roots. The single is cut from the soundtrack Stephen Spielberg’s forthcoming West Side Story film. Throughout the lyrics, Uchis flips the idea of the American dream on its head, singing about mass incarceration and immigration issues.

Sech, DJ Khaled — “Borracho”

After some major wins on his 2021 album Khaled Khaled, DJ Khaled returned for a hip-swinging collaboration with Latin Grammy nominee Sech for the new track “Borracho.” True to the rest of DJ Khaled’s catalog, the song is a dance-ready anthem about forgetting your problems and getting drunk for the weekend.

Anuel AA — “Llorando En Un Ferrari”

This week, Puerto Rican singer and rapper Anuel AA dropped a song that got real about heartbreak. “Llorando En Un Ferrari” may feature a thumping beat, but its lyrics reveal that fame and opulence don’t keep someone safe from sadness — thus he’s crying in a Ferrari.

Mura Masa — “2gether”

Electronic producer Mura Masa pivoted away from stadium-filling EDM in favor of a more vulnerable love song “2gether.” Of course, the song still features gritty synths and resonating bass drops that made him a staple in the scene, but Mura Masa also adds a layer of acoustic guitar and leaves space for his lovelorn lyrics to cut through.

Allie X — “Milk”

The last we heard from Allie X, she was released her 2020 album Cape God (which featured a great Mitski collaboration as well). Now, the Canadian songwriter drops off a deluxe version of the release which includes several brand-new tracks, including “Milk.” The new song showcases Allie X’s captivating vocals and metaphor-laden songwriting.

Jessie Murph — “Always Been You”

17-year-old rising songwriter Jessie Murph makes a statement with her latest track, “Always Been You.” The song is a way for Murph to flex her soaring vocal range as her honeyed voice sings of imagining a perfect life with her soul mate.

Morgen — “Fine By Me”

Breakout bedroom pop singer Morgen fired off an effortlessly catching tune “Fine By Me” this week. The glistening track features dance-ready production, offers another preview of her debut EP, Unaccompanied Minor, and positions her as a soon-to-be star.

Liv Dawson — “Don’t Let Me Lose You”

UK singer Liv Dawson dropped the snappy single “Don’t Let Me Lose You” this week as a way of being honest about her shortcomings. The sunny pop tune details how she may be forgetful when it comes to remembering her keys and phone, but she just hopes that she doesn’t lose track of something much more important to her — her crush.

Nina Kraviz — “This Time”

Russian producer and DJ Nina Kraviz released the atmospheric pop tune “This Time” inspired by chart-topping music of the ’80s. The song leans into a slightly different direction from Kraviz’s other euphoric, club-ready music and is instead her version of a heart throbbing pop ballad.

Dylan — “You’re Not Harry Styles”

After picking up traction after teasing her track “You’re Not Harry Styles” on her TikTok page, songwriter Dylan has finally released the kiss-off tune. The wildly fun song is a slap in the face to a self-centered ex as she sings of how they’re not as great as they think they are, summed up by the song’s title.

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

R&B fans might have been surprised to wake up to find singer Omarion’s name trending on Twitter this morning, as he hasn’t announced a new album and isn’t the type to get himself into the sort of legal trouble that usually prompts widespread discussion of a legacy artist. Instead, curious Twitter users would have found that there’s a new variant of COVID-19 roaming the streets, after “Black Twitter” noticed the similarities between “omicron” and “Omarion” and have apparently decided the latter is not only much catchier but also riper for making memes.

And so, we’ve gotten a slew of clips from Omarion’s 2005 “Touch” video with cheeky captions like, “Not the Omarion variant and the booster having a lil tussle” and “The Omarion Variant chasing me down like.” There are also other jokey captions roasting the singer’s recent performance in Chicago that has apparently gone (ahem) viral on TikTok, with one user quipping, “They say in order to keep the Omarion Variant away, you have to do this routine 3 times in the mirror.”

Of course, in the face of a scary new mutation of the COVID-19 virus, using a little humor to lighten the mood serves an important purpose even as it highlights the need for these scientists to come up with better names for things (I’m no Greek expert, but it seems like they skipped a bunch of letters between delta and omicron, no?). Still, though, get your vaccine, if you’re vaccinated, get your booster, and continue to practice safety measures like distancing and wearing a mask in public — we’re not out of the woods yet. Check out more “Omarion variant” jokes below.

Dave Chappelle’s reportedly contentious visit to his high school last week has received clarification in a statement from Duke Ellington, and it’s a pretty lengthy statement that also follows up on Chappelle’s donation-poll, so we’ll get there momentarily.

To briefly recap, Chappelle’s The Closer controversy still continues unresolved as he cracks trans jokes onstage while touring for his documentary film, after backlash over his trans jokes in Netflix’s The Closer. His high school alma mater, Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown, has been stuck in the middle of this mess while responding to student concerns and beefing up security over student-focused threats, which Chappelle reportedly addressed during his surprise visit to the school shortly before Thanksgiving.

A Politico report detailed exchanges during that Q&A session, in which Chappelle reportedly responded to boos and being called a “bigot” by declaring, “I’m better than all of you.” The report also quoted multiple students who were unhappy with Chappelle responding to concerns with more jokes, and Politico also alleged that Chappelle called attention to a female student who walked out of the auditorium. Well, Duke Ellington’s statement on the matter reveals that the school will proceed with renaming the theater after Chappelle (despite postponing a fundraiser), no matter the outcome of Dave’s poll that asks people to donate for-or-against the renaming.

Via Hollywood Reporter, the school expresses gratitude for how Dave is raising funds for the theater and reveals that, no matter the outcome of his poll, the decision for the renaming is set in stone:

“While we appreciate Dave’s impromptu and spirited fundraising initiative, we stand behind our decision to honor the wishes of our co-founder, the late Peggy Cooper Cafritz, to name the theatre after Chappelle. All donations will go towards arts programming and every donor, irrespective of their support or opposition to the theater naming, will receive an official thank you from our team.”

In addition to sticking with the decision of its late co-founder on the theater-renaming issue, the school pushed back at what they’re calling “inaccurate” stories that “neglected to include the nuances of art” while reporting on Dave’s visit to Duke Ellington. The school’s also stressing that a large number of students remain in favor of the theater being named after the comedian:

“While there has been extensive media coverage about the theatre naming and Chappelle’s most recent visit to the school, the source stories that have gone viral have been inaccurate, devoid of context, and neglected to include the nuances of art. As an art institution, we educate our students on the importance of media literacy and art as a free and open form of expression to both reflect and challenge society. Although it appears that the clear majority of students at Ellington favor naming the theater for Dave Chappelle, we are seizing this moment to demonstrate the importance of carefully listening to every voice within our diverse and inclusive community.”

You can read the rest of the Duke Ellington statement here.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

For months now, it has been rumored that Adele was planning a Las Vegas residency. Rumors first surfaced this summer, and in October, it was reported that she was deciding between two locations for the run of shows. Now, we’re done with rumors and moving into confirmed news: Today, Adele officially announced that she is fact doing a Vegas residency, dubbed “Weekends With Adele.”

Starting on January 21, Adele will take the stage at Caesers Palace’s Colosseum every Friday and Saturday through to April 16, save for a weekend off on February 18 and 19, which seems to be due to the run of shows Van Morrison is set to perform at the venue that weekend.

Check out the full list of Weekends With Adele dates below.

01/21/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
01/22/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
01/28/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
01/29/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
02/04/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
02/05/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
02/11/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
02/12/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
02/25/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
02/26/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/04/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/05/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/11/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/12/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/18/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/19/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/25/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
03/26/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
04/01/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
04/02/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
04/08/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
04/09/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
04/15/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum
04/16/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ Caesers Palace Colosseum

After remaining uncharacteristically quiet, Marjorie Taylor Greene has finally inserted herself into the Lauren Boebert “Jihad Squad” fracas, and naturally, Greene is backing her fellow congresswoman who also rode into office on a wave of QAnon conspiracy theories. Greene rode to Boebert’s defense after she was called out by South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who condemned the “Jihad Squad” comments and said there’s no place in Congress for “racist tropes and remarks.”

Greene responded to Mace on Twitter, and in the process, continued to refer to Rep. Ilhan Omar and her progressive colleagues by the same Islamophobic nickname that has Boebert in hot water.

“@NancyMace is the trash in the GOP Conference,” Greene tweeted without a sense of irony. “Never attacked by Democrats or RINO’s (same thing) because she is not conservative, she’s pro-abort. Mace you can back up off of @laurenboebert or just go hang with your real gal pals, the Jihad Squad. Your out of your league.”

As for what suddenly has Greene so fired up, according to Mediaite, Mace also called for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to take a tougher stance on out of control members of Congress.

“Quite frankly, I’m tired of it,” Mace said. “It’s time for us to work together and do something better for our nation.”

UPDATE: Mace didn’t waste any time firing back at Greene, who she called either “batsh*t crazy” or a “batsh*t clown,” depending on how you interpret Mace’s use of emoji:

(Via Marjorie Taylor Greene on Twitter, Mediaite)

In a sea of blue and black writing utensils, Pen15 is an actual rainbow gel pen of a TV show. And if that sentence makes absolutely no sense to you, you’ve clearly been missing out on what is one of the most original comedies on television right now. But when the second half of Pen15’s second season drops on Hulu on December 3, it will be a bittersweet moment for fans of the series, as The Wrap reports that the upcoming seven episodes will indeed be the show’s last.

On Monday, The Wrap confirmed that Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle—co-creators (along with Sam Zvibleman) and stars of the middle school-set series—have mutually decided to end the show with its highly anticipated second season.

“Anna and Maya are the stewards of Pen15 and Hulu is extremely supportive of their vision and decisions around the series,” a source with knowledge of the discussions told The Wrap. “While they feel the story they wanted to tell has come to an end with the upcoming second half of season 2, Hulu will continue to leave the door open for more Pen15 in the future and look forward to working with them again!”

In the series, which kicks off in the year 2000, Erskine and Konkle play themselves as 13-year-olds while surrounded by a cast of actual 13-year-olds. Which is both part of the show’s charm, and what makes it painfully awkward to watch at times, as Erskine and Konkle revisit their teenage years in all its gawky angst. While it tackles all of the typical tween tropes likes first kisses and sibling rivalries, Erskine and Konkle also mined their own teenage years in order to go deeper, as Erskine deals with racism and Konkle revisits the painfulness of her parents’ divorce. The series earned three Emmy nominations in 2021, including a nod for Erskine for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for “Play,” plus Outstanding Comedy Series.

Shortly after the series premiere in 2019, Erskine told The Wrap that while making the series could be cathartic, it could also be painful.

“It wasn’t fun in some moments… To go back to some of those traumatic memories,” Erskine said. “And we didn’t anticipate that fully when we were writing it, but it ended up being cathartic and strangely healing because other people, after this show came out, would reach out and say, ‘Yeah, that happened to me too,’ or, ‘I felt that same way.’ So, we felt less alone. I felt like I got some closure from sharing the things that I felt so scared to share.”

The final seven episodes of Pen15 will arrive on Hulu on Friday.

(Via The Wrap)

Year after year, hip-hop continues to grow in variety and breadth of content and styles. We’ve long grown used to the melodic and trap-based offerings of the mainstream, but even those genres have kept pushing their boundaries, as has the underground, where adherents are burrowing down further and further into strange sounds and deconstructed rhythms to get their points across. Of course, with the increased variety and volume, it becomes more and more challenging to hit everything on a year-end list like this one. With that said, we believe these are the best representatives of that diversity, showing everything that hip-hop can be, should be, will be, and stubbornly remains in the face of massive cultural upheaval and growth.

Boldy James & The Alchemist — Bo Jackson

In much the same vein as his Griselda compatriots, Boldy stacks syllables like Jenga blocks, building precariously teetering constructs of assonant vowel sounds to the point you wonder how the whole thing supports its weight. But it does, and Boldy sticks the landing as well as most — perhaps even better — delivering whirlwind tours of trap houses and Detroit city blocks in which he did dirt and learned to survive. On Bo Jackson, he pairs once again with The Alchemist, whose elaborate production offers a smooth-playing counterpoint to the grit of Boldy’s street tales. While many of both artists’ frequent collaborators (Earl Sweatshirt, Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs) pop up throughout, the focus remains fixed on Boldy’s dazzling displays of verbal acrobatics. – Aaron Williams

D Smoke — War & Wonders

The follow-up to D Smoke’s excellent 2020 debut, Black Habits, is far less insular and self-centered; whereas its predecessor focused on telling the story of the Inglewood native’s family and upbringing, War & Wonders is instead concerned with the impact D Smoke looks to have on the world around him. He warns of the dangers of gang life on “Crossover,” admonishes listeners to make the most of their opportunities on “Stay True,” and sets lofty goals on “Better Half.” Employing hard-hitting production and a percussive vocal delivery to make his points, each word lands like a blow on the heavy bag at the boxing gym he recently opened in his hometown. – A.W.

DDG — Die 4 Respect

DDG’s 2021 mixtape Die 4 Respect with the Grammy Award-nominated producer OG Parker of Quality Control is everything the project’s title implies. “I really feel passionate about it to the point where I’d die about this shit like you gonna respect me at the end of this,” the Pontiac, Michigan raised artist told us earlier this year in reference to his transition from being a bonafide YouTube star to a full-fledged artist. In turn, DDG saw several hits off Die 4 Respect. Among them is the platinum-selling hit “Moonwalking In Calabasas” featuring Blueface, “Impatient” featuring Coi Leray, and “Money Long” with 42 Dugg. His heartfelt opener, “Hood Melody” with Youngboy Never Broke Again, tells the story of how he lost his brother to gun violence and is a true display of his abilities as a lyrical storyteller. OG Parker and our July 2021 cover star came through with a project that was both cohesive and offered music that was clearly set out to prove the mixtape’s Die 4 Respect title. – Cherise Johnson

Don Toliver — Life Of A Don

Don Toliver’s Life Of A Don deserves to be played in its entirety starting from the project’s glowing opener “Xscape” to its buoyant closer “Bogus.” Though the loving “What You Need” and “Drugs N Hella Melodies” were the album’s supporting singles, even more desirable songs await for anyone who takes a dive into the full collection of 16. If you have never been to Houston before, “Double Standards” takes you right to the center of the city and its follow-up “Swangin On Westheimer” keeps you there. It’s one of the most beautiful transitions that serenely introduces a side of the H that is palpable for anyone who has never been. “Outerspace” featuring Baby Keem is another standout track off Life Of A Don (more Don and Keem collabs please) and “You” with Travis Scott is a sleeper for sure. H-Town OG Mike Dean’s presence is all over this as well as help from Hit-Boy, Sonny Digital, Mustard and Metro Boomin — yet it all still sounds like it came from the same planet. Donny is devotedly opening a new paradigm for melodic rap and what it means to be an artist with Life Of A Don, it’s just up for the rest of the world to catch up. – C.J.

Guapdad 4000 & Illmind — 1176

There were many, many projects that were bigger than Guapdad’s collaborative effort with Illmind this year. None of them were as personal, as vulnerable, or as real as 1176, which is all of the things hip-hop is supposed to be. As he exorcises his demons, Guapdad showcases his storytelling skills (“Uncle Ricky”), his devilish sense of humor (“She Wanna”), tender regard for his Filipino roots (“Chicken Adobo“), and a gift for personal exegesis (“Stoop Kid”), all while Illmind stretches his sonic palette in unexpected ways (the Alice Deejay flip on “How Many” is a favorite). Guapdad 4000 may be known as a scammer but in 1176, he’s as authentic as it gets. – A.W.

Huey Briss — Grace Park Legend

If Vince Staples holds an arm’s length disdain/acceptance of his tormented past in Long Beach, Huey Briss‘ sophomore effort is like a reporter standing in a hurricane, describing the events happening around him. Detailing his harrowing hood narratives with an unrattled placidity, there is a sense that, unlike his fellow citizen, Briss hasn’t quite lost hope — or maybe that he’s found the same sort of sardonic fatalism with a slightly more upbeat sense of humor. Entirely produced by Nikobeats (the son of the legendary DJ Babu of Dilated Peoples fame), the Grace Park marries smooth backpack beats with Huey’s densely-packed witticisms for a project that rides from beginning to end. – A.W.

IDK — USee4Yourself

For IDK, following up his excellent debut album, the existentially inquisitive Is He Real?, presented something of a challenge. After all, once you’ve set the bar that high, it’s hard to clear it — and even if you do, there will be plenty of naysayers who will almost certainly dispute the results. However, in not succumbing to the pressure to cater to those naysayers by sticking to emotionally and sonically safe material, IDK manages to not only clear the bar he set but raise it as well. Eclectic and wide-ranging both conceptually and musically, IDK bares his flaws, insecurities, and epiphanies with rare panache. – A.W.

Isaiah Rashad — The House Is Burning

If you’re going to take a damn-near five-year hiatus between albums to get your life right, your return project has to justify that wait for ravenous (and fickle) fans, or you may as well have retired. Fortunately for the TDE hotshot, his comeback feels every bit as electric as his debut. It’s more weathered and in some places, he sounds weary (“Darkseid,” “THIB“), but he also sounds revitalized and recentered (“From The Garden,” “Wat U Sed“), issuing hard-won observations and heavy-hearted moments of clarity. – A.W.

J. Cole — The Off-Season

J. Cole has received a lot of flak over the years for a lot of reasons, but one thing no one can take away from him: The boy can rap his all-American ass off. By restricting the aims of his latest album to simply proving that, he accomplished the unlikely goal of turning all the “J. Cole is boring” doubters into believers. That makes The Off-Season a triumph, a testament to the benefits of hard work, practice, and stubborn dedication. – A.W.

Lakeyah & DJ Drama — My Time: Gangsta Grillz Special Edition

The second Gangsta Grillz tape produced by DJ Drama in the span of a year (the first being Tyler The Creator’s also-excellent album, Call Me If You Get Lost, which you’ll find further down this list), this one has the special distinction of being one of the very few granted to a female rapper. Given hip-hop’s regrettable relationship to the female gender and Drama’s well-earned reputation, you can rest assured of at least one fact: Lakeyah is a rapper’s rapper. The Milwaukee native followed up her impressive showing in the rollout of XXL’s 2021 Freshman Class with this tape, which is a strategy that must certainly pay dividends with her rap credibility as she works her way up the Quality Control priority list. – A.W.

Lil Baby & Lil Durk — Voice Of The Heroes

Each year, some corner of the music world grants us collaborative projects between artists who were able to fine-tune their chemistry for a full-length project. In 2021, that came about through Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s Voice Of The Heroes. The project came through the rappers’, and their respective fan bases, realization that their vision and artistry fell in line enough for a full body of work. Propelled by highlights like “2040” and “That’s Facts,” Durk and Baby delivered on expectations for the project that flaunts what two of today’s best hip-hop acts have to offer. – Wongo Okon

Lil Nas X — Montero

The quintessential pop star for 2021, Lil Nas X’s Montero is the ultimate wink and a smile to anyone who doubted him as an industry one-hit-wonder. On “Dead Right Now,” he sings: “Left school, then my dad and I had a face-to-face in Atlanta / He said, ‘It’s one in a million chance, son,’ I told him, ‘Daddy, I am that one.’” It’s pensive moments like this tucked within an album of tongue-in-cheek mega-hits like “Industry Baby” and “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” that flash true dynamic artistry across pop and hip-hop. When the dust settles, this will go down as the year of Lil Nas X, after all, who else can claim that they gave Satan a lap-dance, had a track with Elton John on their album (“One Of Me”), and was named The Trevor Project’s Suicide Prevention Advocate of the Year? – Adrian Spinelli

Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Talk about a breakthrough album. London’s Little Simz emerged as one of the best newly established voices in hip-hop on the Inflo-produced Sometimes I Am Introvert. She tackles the album in complete fashion, showing that no subject is too difficult for her to master as a songwriter. She extols the mind and presence of Black women on “Woman,” flaunts her panache with fellow British-Nigerian Obongjayar on “Point And Kill,” and unapologetically opens up about the toll her relationship with her estranged father has taken on her in “I Love You, I Hate You.” In the latter, she rises above the pain, emerging triumphantly as a person and an artist, flawlessly sliding in between every note of the beat and leaving a lasting mark in the process. – A.S.

Lute — Gold Mouf

For those artists who are fortunate enough to be signed to more established artists’ labels, as Lute is on J. Cole’s Dreamville imprint, life can be something of a struggle to stand out enough to earn fans’ approval separate from their benefactors. Fortunately for Lute, he does enough well on Gold Mouf to prove he deserves to be seen every bit as much as his label peers (JID, Earthgang, Bas). Executive produced and sequenced by Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte Coleman of Little Brother, respectively, the album is an emotive experience that recounts Lute’s relatable insecurities, anxieties, and victories. – A.W.

Mach-Hommy — Pray For Haiti

Rapping like a waterfall over deconstructed samples and muted drums, Mach-Hommy has found a niche over the past few years — the same niche occupied by contemporaries such as Griselda Records rappers Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, as well as longtime New York underground stalwarts like Roc Marciano. Incidentally, it was in linking up with the Griselda gang that Mach-Hommy’s profile shot up, and Westside Gunn executive produces here, once again demonstrating his gift for pairing bar-heavy rappers with just the right production and collaborators to best offset their crowded writing with the contrast that only a drum-less jazz sample can provide. – A.W.

Moneybagg Yo — A Gangsta’s Pain

Moneybagg Yo’s hustle over the decade paid off in the highest form in 2021. The Memphis rapper’s fourth album A Gangsta’s Pain grew to be his most successful project to date as it spent multiple weeks atop the album charts. The success behind this project can be credited to a well-orchestrated blend. A hit single (“Wokesha”), highlight guest appearances from Future, Jhene Aiko, Lil Durk and more, as well as a story to tell proved to be the perfect concoction for Moneybagg’s latest project. Best of all, he was able to avoid sounding repetitive on A Gangsta’s Pain, an underrated quality that helped boost the album’s overall experience. – W.O.

Playboi Carti — Whole Lotta Red

For many Playboi Carti fans, the wait for Whole Lotta Red was a grueling one. However, to their delight, the project arrived beside their holiday presents on Christmas in 2020. Carti’s entire brand is unharnessed energy, and while Whole Lotta Red attempts to reel in that that energy, unintentional room for that to thrive appears in various pockets of the album. Through 24 songs and contributions from Ye, Future, and Kid Cudi, Whole Lotta Red adds another chapter to Carti’s thrilling story as one of hip-hop’s biggest rockstars. – W.O.

Polo G — Hall Of Fame

With every project that Chicago rapper Polo G releases, his stock in the rap game increases. His debut Die A Legend made him a young name in hip-hop worth paying attention to. His sophomore effort The GOAT solidified his presence in music for years to come. Now, his third album Hall Of Fame presents a rapper who can stick to his roots and present himself as a top-selling rap product. Through 20 songs, Polo G not only shows that his pen has improved but also his awareness towards records that will pop and bring a bigger spotlight to him. – W.O.

Rico Nasty — Nightmare Vacation

When Rico Nasty first roared onto the SoundCloud rap scene in 2016, her rawness was part of the appeal. Now, five years, seven mixtapes, and a debut studio album later, she’s one of mainstream hip-hop’s most interesting figures, as much — more — of an innovator than any of her punk-rock-influenced peers. On Nightmare Vacation, she justifies every ounce of hype while utilizing every tool on her belt. There are her signature yell-rap anthems (“STFU,” “Smack A Bitch Remix”), hyperpop experiments (“iPhone”), and dreamy trap bangers (“Don’t Like Me”), all utterly saturated in her uniquely rebellious spirit. – A.W.

Skyzoo — All The Brilliant Things

Being independent in the rap game is both a supreme gift and a withering curse. Take, for instance, Skyzoo’s latest album. Untethered to the limits of the major-label system, Sky was able to craft one of the most inspiring and intricately-constructed rap albums of the year. However, without those major-label resources, it went largely overlooked — which is a shame, because there were few projects this year as consistently… well, brilliant as this one, on which tracks like “I Was Supposed To Be A Trap Rapper” turn staid hip-hop tropes on their ears and “Bodega Flowers” implores us all to salute our greats before they’re pushing up daisies. Well, salute, Skyzoo, one of the best out today. – A.W.

Topaz Jones — Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma

It’s not every day that one of the best albums of the year also picks up a short film jury award for non-fiction at Sundance Film Festival but that’s what Topaz’s latest managed at the top of the year. A stunningly executed concept album in its own right, Don’t Go Tellin’ is an incredible rap genealogy project, following the Montclair, New Jersey native as he explores his family’s history, then shares it with the world. Awash in the influences of funk mainstays such as Sly And The Family Stone, peppered with jazz intonations and marked by Jones’ deft recollections, Don’t Go Tellin’ shows what a refined version of the artform can look like when crafted with care. – A.W.

Tyler The Creator — Call Me If You Get Lost

Pound for pound, one of the most impressive studio releases of the year, Call Me If You Get Lost finds rebellious Tyler taking a nostalgic step back to redeem the blog era credit from which he was either barred or that he himself spurned (depending on which version of him you ask). Tapping mixtape maestro DJ Drama and emblazoning his latest with the Gangsta Grillz label is deceptive, though; as much as he revels in the sheer art of rhyme (“Lumberjack,” “Juggernaut“), he also finally gets more vulnerable and expansive than he’s ever been (“Massa,” “Manifesto”), pushing the series beyond mere mixtapes into something richer and much more vital. – A.W.

Vince Staples — Vince Staples

Call me biased (Long Beach, stand up), but I don’t think a single rap project this year came close to touching Vince Staples’ eponymous fourth studio album. Clocking in at just ten tracks — as many of the great albums do — Vince’s new approach strips away bells, whistles, and several layers of anything resembling varnish to expose the gritty truths he bares throughout its harrowing narratives. Trading in his frantic yelps for a laconic, resigned incantation, Vince invites listeners to not just watch the movie but inhabit his point of view. If you don’t get it, that’s on you. – A.W.

Wale — Folarin 2

For years, Wale has not only believed his own hype but also been its main proponent. While he’s never exactly labored in obscurity, he’s unfortunately been regarded as something less than what he actually is by hip-hop fans at large, which is one of the best bar-for-bar rappers the game has ever seen. He came by that assessment honestly too, via a deep, abiding, and near-obsessive love for the art form. Here, he displays that love, culling samples from across the breadth of the genre (Q-Tip on “Poke It Out“). As a result, it looks like that love is finally being reciprocated as fans learn to appreciate just what he brings to the game. – A.W.

Young Thug — Punk

Young Thug’s career is filled with individual eras. There are the rapper’s red-haired and blonde eras as well as that for Slime Season and Jeffery. Thug’s second album Punk issues another chapter for the rapper’s extremely unique career. Falling on the opposite side of the spectrum from his debut So Much Fun, Punk finds Thug going against the grain of his own career and the expectations of his fans. Vulnerability, honesty, and a story to tell all stand at the forefront of Punk. However, just like Thug’s previous projects, it serves as another example of the rapper doing what he wants. – W.O.

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

Last week, The Late Show host Stephen Colbert chatted with Peter Jackson about his new documentary, The Beatles: Get Back. On last night’s episode of the show, Colbert aired more of the conversation, in which Jackson talks about a moment from the documentary that he believes shows how The Beatles could have avoided breaking up.

Colbert asked Jackson about how the band reacted to the documentary and if they learned anything from it, and Jackson responded with a story about George Harrison and John Lennon:

“There’s actually a moment where Paul McCartney leaves the room… it’s lunch time, Ringo and Paul leave the room, and John and George are left there. George very nervously says to John, ‘John, I’ve got all these songs I’ve written, I got 20 songs I’ve written. My normal quota being two songs per album…,’ that The Beatles let George do. He says, ‘It will take me ten years to get these songs out, so I’m thinking I might just like to do an album on my own, just get my songs out of the way.’

And John says, ‘You mean all by yourself?’ He said, ‘Yeah, it would be great to do an album with all my songs, I could hear what that’s like.’ And John says, ‘Yeah, that would be great, that’s fantastic.’ He says, ‘We’ll still do the Beatles thing.’ And John says, ‘Yeah yeah, it can be George does a solo album then the Beatles do an album.’”

Jackson continued, “So that to me was a picture of how The Beatles could have survived going forward: Do their solo work and still come together every now and again to do The Beatles. Now Paul didn’t hear that conversation in 1969 and he didn’t know that even happened. He sees the film and I ask him, ‘What do you think about that conversation that you would have seen for the first time where George and John talk about the solo album? That sort of paints a picture of how The Beatles could have carried on in the future.’ You know what Paul said to me? He said, ‘I wish I knew they said that at the time.’”

Watch the new Jackson interview clips above and below.