Month: December 2021

FKA Twigs has been hard at work on her upcoming third album, which remains untitled at the moment. Back in September, during a conversation with fans on Discord, she teased a “capri season take over,” and assuming that she means Capricorn season, it suggests that something special could arrive between December 22, 2021 and January 19, 2022. As it happens, Twigs recently announced a new collaboration that is set to arrive at the end of the week, namely the song “Tears In The Club,” which pairs her with The Weeknd.

“Are u ready for capri sun takeover??” Twigs wrote in a tweet. “Us capri babies be so cute and prolific but don’t cross us cause we never ever forget.” The announcement falls in line with her earlier comments on Discord. During that conversation, she also revealed what listeners can expect with her next body of work.

“It’s really deep emotional and honest but hopefully more golden tears than blue i channelled my melancholy differently this time and it was so amazing,” Twigs said. “I made my next project thinking about all of u and my friends it’s for getting ready and going out to and being with people who make u feel good, turnt litty bronzer in the sink shimmer on the bathroom floor.” She also said that the project will feature work from Koreless, El Guincho, Cirkut, Mike Dean, Arca, and “lots beautiful others to be revealed soon and some stun and special collabs.”

“Tears in the Club” will be released on December 16 at 7pm EST.

No relationship on Succession is pure, or healthy, or good. Fathers use their children like pawns; children repeatedly try to destroy their fathers. Spouses betray each other, or simply “joke” about not actually loving them during foreplay. Things were even more febrile than usual on Sunday night’s shocking Season 3 finale, with so much big news that you might have missed a smaller character exchange: Amidst his own father all but destroying him and his siblings, Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) reached out to be Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron), the interim Waystar CEO with whom he has a history of phone sex and even d*ck pics. And she refused to help him.

In a new interview with Variety, Smith-Cameron was asked the inevitable: What’s next for everyone’s favorite weirdo couple (after Tom and Greg, that is)? She, of course, doesn’t know; she’s not on the writing staff. But she did have some insights into the character she’s played over three seasons. And she says Gerri, at least, was never actually interested:

The idea of them having a sexual relationship, from Gerri’s point of view, was always just a matter of time to get it through his head that it wasn’t going to happen. I don’t think he really wanted it to either. He’s got his weird hang-ups, and I think he would’ve been shocked if Gerri had said, “Sure, let’s go.” I feel like it was a sort of fantasy relationship and getting more and more on Gerri’s last nerve because she knew what was at stake, even before the worst possible thing that could happen happened. I feel like they were on borrowed time.

The actress says that while she doesn’t know what’s next for them, she laid out some possible pathways. “I’d like to think they have enough of a real connection that there’s something else coming — either they somehow make contact, even if it’s to be arch-enemies, or it takes the form of them being really furious with each other,” she explained.

Smith-Cameron has spoken about Gerri and Roman’s strange relationship many times before, even explaining its origins as some fun improv between the two that the writers took and ran with. It’s provided the show with some real kink — and with a loaded gun that didn’t go off until the season’s penultimate episode, in which Roman accidentally sent a private image intended for Gerri to his own dad.

Smith-Cameron also talked about where Gerri ranks on the list of characters with the closest thing to a sense of decency. And she thinks Gerri is up at the top, even if no one on the show is anyone’s idea of good.

“I think she has a soul. On the other hand, the universe of “Succession” is depicting the whole world of big business being soulless. In that sense, none of them have souls,” she told Variety. She continued:

I think within that, she has things she will and won’t do. She’s managed to distance herself from some of the more repellant things that have happened at Waystar. She picks and chooses how far she’ll go. I’m always the one telling [Logan], “Sorry, we can’t stop the publication of a book.” The one time you see Gerri in her apartment in Season 2 — after the shooting at Waystar and the first phone sex call from Roman — she’s watching the news, and it’s Pierce News, not ATN. I think she watches the real news; she knows the difference. She compartmentalizes and has a soul and a life and daughters whom she cares for. I think that’s a common thing about human nature, people can be very moral in some ways and have a completely desensitized take on other things. Within the gang of “Succession,” I think she’s one of the more soulful people.

Then again, Gerri does work for Logan Roy, played by a man who, unlike his character, actually cares about the well-being of others.

(Via Variety)

If you have been online at any point in the past few months you have almost assuredly at least seen this man, Billy Ragland, who has become a viral sensation for his ridiculous TikTok videos for Detroit Urban Survival Training, in which he shows you how to disarm people in various situations that you should certainly not try to disarm people in.

The videos are all incredible, provided you recognize them as ridiculous and don’t actually go around trying to grab guns from people which is surely not going to go as successfully as he would like you to believe. Ragland has become a meme because of the absurdity of his videos, and this week he hit mainstream sports, popping up at a Pistons game and then being the inspiration for Odell Beckham Jr.’s latest touchdown celebration in the first half against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football.

Odell is one of the NFL’s most online players, so it’s not surprising he would be the one to come up with this. It is a sensational celebration and the execution from he and Van Jefferson is fantastic, as he wrestles the ball away from Jefferson and then points it at him, with Jefferson sheepishly putting his hands up. I hope we get some more versions of this in the end zone and not in real life, where no one should be trying to actually take Ragland’s advice on disarming would-be robbers.

Ye has been trying his best to win back his ex-wife Kim Kardashian after she filed for divorce back in February. His latest efforts occurred during the Larry Hoover benefit concert, which he held with Drake. He added new lyrics to his 2011 track “Runaway,” rapping, “I need you to run right back, baby, more specifically, Kimberly.” Unfortunately for Ye, such efforts don’t appear to be working, as Kardashian recently filed to be legally single, according to documents obtained by Rolling Stone.

The filing also reveals how Kardashian perceived the end of their relationship. “There is no question that the marriage of the parties is no longer viable,” the documents read. “Petitioner has no desire to reconcile with Respondent and wants their marriage terminated. Irreconcilable differences have led to the irremediable breakdown of the marriage, and there is no possibility of saving the marriage through counseling or other means.”

It continues, “There will be no prejudice to Respondent if our marriage is immediately dissolved, especially given the fact that throughout our marriage, we adhered to the terms of our premarital agreement and maintained the separate property character of our assets.”

The new filing comes after Kardashian credited Ye with helping her interest in fashion during a speech she gave when she won the Fashion Icon Award at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards.

Bristol-based post-punk band Idles released Crawler, their fourth album, last month and it has kept them at the top of the ranks of the UK punk scene’s resurgence. Co-produced by Idles guitarist Mark Bowen and the typically hip-hop focused Kenny Beats, the album is furious, filled with caustic music that wants to pierce your chest plate and punch you in the heart. Breakneck bass and drums pair with singer Joe Talbot’s metaphysical lyrics. Uproxx’s Steven Hyden sums it up by writing that “This kind of music is so heightened that is bound to elicit equally charged reactions. Some will hear it as rousing and even potentially life-changing music; others will find it strident to the point of irritation.”

It’s not always easy to listen to, but it’s pure and is clearly a vessel for seeking greater truths about ourselves. Enter the video for “When The Lights Come on,” filmed in nightvision and sending up suburbia. Talbot calls the song a “poem of light and sound exploring the cold light of day.”

Idles are playing New Year’s Eve with The Strokes in Brooklyn and then are going off on a headlining tour through Europe, South America, and a range of music festivals from there. See full dates and get tickets here.

Crawler is out now via Partisan Records. You can watch the video above.

Succession may have had a barnburner of a finale, featuring a dad whose relationship with his kids is, put it lightly, not so great. But truth is often stranger than fiction. Logan Roy may be cruel, but he has nothing on Donald Trump. Don Jr., the former president’s eldest and most unhinged son, has been compared by some to Kendall: a screw-up whose attempts to please his father tend to result in failure. So what to make of the revelation that, on Jan. 6, Jr. tried to get his dad to put a stop to it by…texting his Chief of Staff?

As per The Daily Beast, the Jan. 6 committee held a meeting Monday where Liz Cheney, one of the only Republicans in the group investigating that fateful day, read out some damning texts that were sent amidst Trump’s inner circle. That included numerous Fox News hosts, all of them begging, pleading for him to do more to stop the deadly Capitol siege.

And there was Jr., who texted Mark Meadows, who’s been in the news an awful lot lately. “He’s got to condemn this s*it ASAP,” Don Jr. texted. “The Capitol Police tweet is not enough.”

“I’m pushing it hard. I agree,” Meadows responded.

“We need an Oval Office address,” Jr. wrote. “He has to leave now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand.”

According to Cheney, Jr. texted Meadows “over and over.”

Since the day’s events, which led to Trump being booted from much of social media and effectively ended his single term in disgrace, conservatives have gone out of their way to downplay the day’s events, even aired bonkers conspiracy theories. But it’s clear the violence that day left everyone, including Trump insiders, rattled, even if they pretended to forget it later.

“Can he make a statement. Ask people to leave the Capitol,” Sean Hannity texted Meadows.

Laura Ingraham also reached out to the ex-president’s ally in a panic: “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”

Ditto Fox & Friends’ Brian Kilmeade: “Please, get him on TV. Destroying everything you have accomplished.”

The Jan. 6 committee did more than read out embarrassing texts from prominent conservatives. They also voted unanimously to hold Meadows, who refused to be interrogated by their members, in contempt of Congress. Perhaps he’ll be the unfortunate prisoner sharing a cell with Steve Bannon.

(Via The Daily Beast)

Just a month ago, Taylor Swift released her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor’s Version), featuring updated versions of the 2013 album’s original 14 songs as well as 16 previously-unheard tunes that were made during the original sessions. After its release, the album would go on to be her fourth No. 1 album in just over a year and a half. It leaves Swift with plenty to be happy about, and her high spirits were on display as she celebrated her 32nd birthday over the weekend.

Swift shared a pair of pictures from the celebration, which shows her dancing with Haim’s Alana and blowing out candles on their respective cakes. (Alana’s birthday is on December 15, just two days after Swift’s.) “Don’t say it, don’t say it OKAY I’m saying it,” Swift wrote in her post. “I’M FEELIN 32. And Alana is feeling 30,” remixing a line from her 2012 song “22.” She continued, “Don’t worry we tested everyone! Thank you so much for the birthday wishes, I love you all so much.” Haim’s Twitter account also shared the picture of Swift and Alana blowing out the candles on their birthday cake and wrote, “It’s sagittarius szn [Sagittarius emoji] happy birthday @taylorswift13 and lanzo!!!!”

The posts come after Swift learned that she would have to face trial in a copyright lawsuit over her 2014 hit song, “Shake It Off.”

When the new game GTA Online: The Contract debuts later this week, it will feature Dr. Dre and Anderson .Paak as characters. But there’s more. Considering that Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto franchise has boasted some of the most profitable media in history, it’s only fitting that they’ve invested heavily in ensuring that the music that accompanies the game play is as fresh and of-the-moment as possible.

When new game bows on December 15th, there will be a new radio station: Rosalía and Arca are behind “Motomami Los Santos,” which not only features new music from Rosalía’s upcoming album, Motomami. It will also has feature tunes from Arca’s Kick series and a brand new track from Bad Gyal. Overall, the station spans the spectrum from Daddy Yankee to Playboy Carti, and Rauw Alejandro to DJ Spinn.

The game’s existing stations are also getting a total refresh, with an incredible amount of new music premieres that would make Zane Lowe jealous. On the Big Boy-hosted “Radio Los Santos,” Schoolboy Q will be premiering the new track “Let’s Get It.” There’s also new and unheard songs from Freddie Gibbs, Mozzy, YG, Tia Corine, Offset, and more. DJ Pooh’s “West Coast Classics” station is also set to feature a career-spanning Dr. Dre playlist. Leimert Park’s Dam-Funk is behind the games overall g-funk-soaked score.

Watch the trailer for GTA Online: The Contract above.

Last week, amid bizarre trials and lots of stories involving former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, one story stuck out more than most: Someone burned down the Christmas tree outside Fox News’ Midtown Manhattan headquarters. The network devoted a ton of time to it, with hosts and guests alike losing their minds over what was, end of the day, a freak occurrence. But they’re still not done with it yet.

On Monday, during a standard White House press briefing, Fox News’ Peter Doocy brought it up during a lengthy tête-à-tête with his longtime squabbling partner, press secretary Jen Psaki. He was asking about an uptick in crime in the nation’s cities. He blamed it on “prosecutors are too soft on crime.” Psaki explained to him that among the Biden administration’s solutions is to increase police budgets.

That didn’t satisfy Doocy. “But I guess what good does it do if you’re gonna give police departments extra money if they arrest bad guys, and they bring ’em to jail, and then they’re not prosecuted? They’re just right back out on the streets,” he said.

“I think Peter,” Psaki replied, “what our focus is on is making sure that the local leaders, the police officers and departments who know what they need for these communities have the assistance and the funding they need and that’s what we’re working around the clock on.”

He then brought up some recent examples of out-of-control crime. Sure enough, one of them was a guy who set a fake tree ablaze. “We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half a million dollar Christmas tree in New York City. Back out on the streets,” Doocy asked. “Does the President think that that’s good governing?”

Psaki didn’t engage with him, merely pointing out that she already addressed his issue and moved onto another reporter who wouldn’t ask her about a smoldering plant.

But perhaps Doocy buried the lede. People were gobsmacked to learn Fox News’ fake dead tree cost them half a million.

Others wondered what Doocy expects a world leader to do about a private business’ plant.

(Via Raw Story)

This past weekend was busy for Megan Thee Stallion. The rapper graduated from Texas Southern University and celebrated with fellow classmates and administration at the HBCU, as well as her rap peers and fans online. “Meg Thee Graduate I know my parents are looking down on me so proud,” she wrote in an Instagram post alongside a blue heart emoji. “Thank you everyone for all the love today.” The following day, she was honored by her hometown of Houston with the 18th Congressional District Humanitarian Award, which she dedicated to her late grandmother.

“I’m so honored,” Megan said before adding that she was very serious about the “responsibility to take care of the city that took care of me.” She continued, “My grandma always taught me to be kind and giving. I learned that from her. I was raised by very giving women. So I want to dedicate this award to my grandma because she taught me to be the woman I am today.”

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee also spoke about Megan receiving the award during the ceremony. “This award has not been given out often, or … to many,” she said. “When this award is given, it has that special promise and special history. … The Hero Award is wrapped up in humanitarianism. It means that you have exhibited humanity and you have helped without asking.”

You can watch Megan accept her award in the video above.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.