Hedy Lamarr was a movie star, and a total hot commodity in Hollywood. If you look around the Internet, you’ll find lots of images of her makin’ out with famous dudes from the ’40s.
She once said, “All creative people want to do the unexpected.”
Let’s be real: It was the 1940s, and no one was expecting a famous movie starlet to up and invent a torpedo radio system with the goal of fighting the Germans during World War II. But she did!
When she heard that a a German sub had torpedoed two boats carrying British children to Canada to avoid the Blitz, she was horrified.
Lamarr and Antheil got a patent for their idea in 1942, in the middle of Hedy’s career as a Hollywood star! And even though the U.S. military didn’t use the technology until the ’60s, the work they did laid the foundation for the complex radio communications that are behind cellphones, Wi-Fi, satellite tech, and more.
Not only did Hedy make space in her life to play and invent, but she took herself seriously.
She saw something she wanted to change, so she did it. She got her patent. She made a difference.
On what would have been Hedy’s 101st birthday, artist Jennifer Hom celebrated her legacy creating this Google Doodle (below). Hedy’s life is a masterclass in following your passion, no matter what.
Deion Sanders, the NFL Hall of Fame inductee and current head coach at Jackson State University, has a height minimum for cornerbacks: “5’11 or bigger,” Sanders says. “Have to be.”
When looking at Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, however, Sanders is paying attention to far more than just cornerback play. As a head coach, Sanders tells Uproxx, he has to look at the whole game and evaluate how all of the pieces fit together. It’s also how he looks at his daily grooming routine, something he’s come to take more seriously after his playing days came to an end.
Uproxx caught up with Sanders via his partnership with Gillette Labs. Coach Prime gave insight into how’d he prepare to go against both high-powered offenses in Super Bowl LVI, his grooming routine, why he’s a daily shaver, and his Super Bowl pick.
Tell me a little bit about what you’re doing here with Gillette Labs.
Gillette is doing a phenomenal thing — I love that they provide options for every man with this new Gillette Labs Razor with this great exfoliating bar. Gives a shave as quick and easy as washing your face, man. And the nationwide launch is happening at the Super Bowl.
One of the reasons I partnered with them is that they provided me with so many options and I loved it. My kids loved it, too, and they are always well-groomed. That’s mandatory in the Sanders family. I’m happy about the Super Bowl activation.
What makes shaving with this product different?
I like the smoothness, I like the way it hugs my face, I like the way it grabs the hair. The moisturizer is great, too. The razors are just unbelievable. I like everything about it, man, and it’s quick and easy. It’s really quick and easy and I need to shave expeditiously, and I am able to do that with this. I’m a daily shaver. I’m not a weekly shaver. I’d be fully gray after two days, man, so I shave daily. And I like it.
So what is the Deion Sanders grooming routine?
I shower in the morning, of course. And I’m a shower shaver, so I have these little mirrors in my showers that has a razor holder and all of that. I can easily put my Gillette products in there. And I shave at the conclusion of the shower.
Were you a daily shaver and this meticulous when you were playing, or is this more of a recent development?
It’s something that kind of evolved. When I played, I was groomed on gameday or when I had to be on camera. But now, I’m on camera every day because of what we are doing at Jackson and the documentaries that we are doing on a daily basis. I’m shaving daily. But when I played, I definitely didn’t shave daily. But I shaved when it was time to look the part and be the part.
Do you find there’s a mental benefit to this doing this level of daily grooming?
It’s the old quote, man: You look good, you feel good. The way you look has a lot to do with how you feel and how you see yourself. I’m a guy that always looks up and looks for improvement, and looks at my glass half full instead of half empty.
To move to some football questions: How would you approach defending Cooper Kupp considering the season he’s had for the Rams?
Cooper Kupp is phenomenal. He presents a problem for everyone. He’s had one of the best seasons in NFL history in leading in three different categories as a receiver. The kid is phenomenal and he deserves all the credit.
With that extra week that’s not normal in an NFL season, do you think that’s helpful for players and preparation as much as we think it might be from the outside?
Nah, man, you want to play. You want to get it over with. You don’t want that extra week. You want to go play.
What stands out about Joe Burrow to you? And what about Matt Stafford?
[Burrow’s] very confident. And knows the game, understands the game and understands defenses. He’s very effective. [Stafford] has proven he can perform in a big game. He’s proved that he is the guy. He’s just got to prove that he can win it all. That’s the only thing left for him to prove.
Do you have a pick for the Super Bowl?
The Rams.
Why the Rams over the Bengals?
Well, they are the home team. They have true home field advantage. Secondly, I think they have more of a veteran sense and feel to them and more playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. I always look at the defense first. Usually, the team with the best defense in the end wins. I know everyone is trying to make it into an offensive game, but normally, the team with the best defense wins.
It has been a while since Diplo last released an album under his own sobriquet — 18 years, actually. This year, though, the EDM mainstay will end that drought with the 14-track album, Diplo. Dropping on March 4, the self-titled album will contain collaborations with Aluna, Busta Rhymes, Leon Bridges, Lil Yachty, and R&B singer Miguel, with whom he worked on the new single Diplo released today, “Don’t Forget My Love.”
The new track is straight-up old-school House, with a dramatic build over a scatting rhythm with bold piano chords rushing into a pulsing four-on-the-floor beat anchored by Miguel’s soulful vocals. Miguel’s lyrics evoke a classic “tonight is the night” vibe, describing a free-for-all party while admonishing his companion to remember him in the morning.
In support of his new album, Diplo has a few high-profile performances planned, including a set at Shaq’s Super Bowl party, Shaq’s Fun House, tonight in Los Angeles, and select appearances on Bad Bunny’s upcoming World’s Hottest stadium tour. And while it hasn’t been quite as long since Miguel’s last full-length release, fans still eagerly await the follow-up to his 2021 EP, Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 4 and his 2017 album, War & Leisure.
Listen to “Don’t Forget My Love” above. Diplo is due 3/4.
For Corook, a 26-year-old readying her first-ever releases, being a queer female songwriter means writing songs that are specific to her experience — and refusing to change those stories for anyone. “There’s always the ‘who produces your music question,” she said in a recent email interview. “And the inevitable shock that comes with the answer, “me.” We all know that’s because I’m a girl. When it comes to my queerness, I’ve gotten the note from some industry people that certain songs are too specific about my own story — they can’t hear themselves in them. And to that I say….duh? It’s my story. I don’t want to tell a story broad enough to include everyone. I want my music to create a community of my people the queers, the weirdos, the chubbys, the activists, the Rubix cubers, the ones that don’t f*ck with snakes.”
As a kid, Corook, born Corinne Savage, remembers using humor to navigate difficult moments in her family life, and she’s continued to flex that muscle in her songwriting: “Making dark things light is kind of my specialty!” Following up her first two singles, “Sims” and “Bad Friend,” Corook recently shared her third-ever song, “Degree,” and is readying her first EP, achoo, for release on March 4. She’s just one of the many queer young women of a new generation who are determined to change the long-held stereotypes of this industry.
In 2022, there’s more support, awareness, and championing of queer voices than ever before. The love and acceptance that the LGBTQ community has garnered in recent years is heartening, but the fact remains that queer artists still face stigma, and have a harder time making their way in the music industry than other artists. For women and femme or female-identifying musicians, getting noticed can be an even steeper climb. With that in mind, here’s ten queer female songwriters making waves in the pop world, and in the process, reshaping the genre in their own image.
Janelle Monáe
One of the most influential songwriters, producers, and performers of our era, Janelle Monáe changed the game when it came to mainstream acceptance of Black, femme queerness when she came out as pansexual in a Rolling Stone interview in 2018. “I read about pansexuality and was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too,’” Monáe told the publication. “I’m open to learning more about who I am.” Janelle’s shapeshifting, sleek and funky, vulnerable and psychedelic compositions catapulted her to fame — most notably, The Electric Lady in 2013 and 2018’s Dirty Computer, but also on her hit single “We Are Young” with fun. But it’s impossible to deny that since Monáe’s emergence, the ledgers of pop have shifted, and today’s playlists are filled with a lot more funky, soulful young black stars who are unapologetic about their identities and who they love.
Muna
Aside from the world-stopping brilliance of “Silk Chiffon,” their first Phoebe Bridgers collaboration and my personal pick for best song of 2021, Muna have been quietly carving out their own place in the pop world for a while now. Starting off with their debut album, About U in 2017, the trio was then tapped to open for Harry Styles during his first solo tour, an opportunity that expanded their audience exponentially for their 2019 follow-up album, Saves The World. Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson were initially wary of being labeled as a “queer band,” but have seen the importance of talking openly about their own identities to support and uplift their fans. Muna’s sound is a perfect marriage of dark synth-pop and lyrics focused on emotional excavation, bringing a deeper, more grounded sound to the queer pop world.
Siena Liggins
“I am literally the founding father of America’s worst nightmare — A gay, Black, powerful woman,” Siena Liggins joked in an interview last year. Even so, this Atlanta artist represents a huge part of American culture, with bangers that approach hookup culture from a lesbian perspective like the flirty “Girlfriend” or the highly explicit “Dirty Girl,” which features another Uproxx favorite, Baby Tate. These emerging hits anchor her debut album, Ms. Out Tonight, which combines the sparkle of ‘00s bubblegum pop with the trap sensibilities that have long been exported from Liggins’ Georgia to bolster the sound of other stars. While plenty of gay artists cloak their desires in euphemism or coded language, Liggins’ blunt expression of her queer desires is something mainstream pop still needs more of. With Siena leading the way, more explicit, female-gaze-driven pop will definitely be coming soon.
Fletcher
Speaking of pop that centers the female gaze, no one does it better than Fletcher. Closing out 2021 with a bang, the rising pop songwriter teamed up with Hayley Kiyoko, aka “Lesbian Jesus” herself, to deliver the blissed-out sapphic anthem that is “Cherry.” Since she’s been in the spotlight since 2015, Fletcher has repeatedly resisted a specific label, and even recently spoke out about how she doesn’t want to be put in a box when it comes to her sexuality. “In regards to how I identify, I just am,” she told Out magazine. “In a constant state of evolution. Of in between. Of letting go. It’s about energy. But I am attracted to strong feminine energy which just so happens to more likely than not be women.” With a sparkling pop sound and flirtatious, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, Fletcher’s new single brings a breeziness that the top chart hits are sorely lacking of late. (Adele, I’m looking at you.)
Raveena
Raveena Aurora is a bisexual, Indian-American singer/songwriter who loves to use queer women of color to populate her colorful and sensual music videos. As a first-generation immigrant, Raveena’s sound is a mix of pop, R&B, and the classically romantic Indian music that has made Bollywood films one of the biggest genres in the world. Following up her first album, 2019’s Lucide, which she released completely independently, Raveena signed with Warner Records and is releasing her follow-up album, Asha’s Awakening. Even in a world that is striving to offer better representation and center women of color, it’s still rare to see an Indian woman in the pop mainstream, so Raveena’s proud centering of her intersectional identity is part of what makes her music so special and important.
Ethel Cain
Aside from her riveting tweets, where Cain doles out acerbic cultural commentary and personal anecdotes in short spurts, Ethel’s music is just as essential. Her 2021 Inbred EP was a distillation of her lo-fi, layered folk-pop sound, a gritty template that she splays her sometimes macabre, sometimes tender imagery out on. Somewhere between Perfume Genius and Pavement, fans of ’90s grunge and layered ballads will find something to love here. A self-proclaimed former “backwoods churchgoer in the deep south,” Cain is a transgender woman who has shed some of that past, but prods at the line between sacred and profane, delighted to shorten the distance between the two. Dubbing her loyal listeners as “daughters,” Cain recently collaborated with Lil Aaron, and is clearly headed toward big things in 2022.
Corook
Though Corook literally only has two singles out, this quirky young songwriter has already made quite an impression. “I tried to live there / I f*cking hate Brooklyn,” she proclaims on her second-ever track, “Bad Friend,” immediately separating herself from a whole slew of songwriters fully intent on gaslighting us into thinking New York is the only place an artist can possibly be happy. Taking full responsibility for her own attachment issues on the song, Corook’s self-deprecation definitely resonates with plenty of other “chubby” girls skirting avoidance issues. “My best friend left when I told her I’m gay,” goes another particularly poignant line, revealing an all-too-common ignorant stigma that still somehow exists – even into 2022. On her debut single “Sims,=” Corook gets into the virtual worlds that we build, that are sometimes easier to face than reality. This pair of songs clearly illustrate that this Gen-Z artist is well on her way to internet fame, putting her finger on the issues that plague the very-online of every generation.
Hayley Kiyoko
Since the internet went crazy for this rising pop star, dubbing her “Lesbian Jesus” and worshipping at the altar of her decidedly female gaze-y bangers, Hayley Kiyoko has embraced her role as one of the standard bearers for queer women in music. As a half-Japanese woman who was certain of her queer identity from a young age, Kiyoko has shared a lot about her childhood experience of not fitting in with her peers, which led to a sense of isolation. Now, her entire ethos is centered around helping young people who feel lonely in their queerness to find a sense of community and belonging. Stepping into the spotlight at an impossibly young age, now that she’s almost 30, Kiyoko is growing into her role as one of the most visible lesbian figures in mainstream pop. Following up her 2018 breakout Expectations, her second album is slated for release later this year, which will no doubt catapult her to even more success.
PineappleCITI
While the hip-hop side of pop still tends to be dominated by men, PineappleCITI is shifting that stereotype one glitchy ballad at a time. Born Brittany Dickinson, the Red Bull Records-signee grew up in Newark, New Jersey, her humble upbringings contrasted with the billboard in Times Square she was thrilled to show off back in 2019. Since then, the singer, rapper and songwriter has released a series of one-off singles like “Lift Me Up,” Balance,” and “Dance” that showcase her versatility. Assuming a trap-pop sound that blends rap and R&B with effortless hooks, Dickinson laughed off the stereotype that she’s simply a hip-hop artist just because she raps. “Originally, people assumed I was just a rapper,” she told DJBooth. “There’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s so much to my musicality. I love making R&B songs. I’ve written pop ballads for Kelly Rowland.” Open about both her queerness and her struggles with ADD and debilitating injuries from a bad car accident, PineappleCITI has been putting on for rappers who don’t think they fit in hip-hop, and artists who want to dabble in pop, rap, and everything in between.
Rina Sawayama
Whatever the “it” that talent scouts talk about really is, Rina Sawayama has it. Born in Japan and raised in London, this international star broke out with her 2017 EP Rina that mixed ‘90s R&B nostalgia with the bubblegum craze that defined ‘00s pop. That EP and a string of one-off singles, including the girl gaze hit “Cherry,” catapulted Rina to international fame, and led her to come out as pansexual. “Definitely this song, ‘Cherry,’ is my most personal but political,” she told Vice at the time. Off the strength of that initial EP she signed with Dirty Hit, the UK indie better known as The 1975’s label, and began prepping her full-length debut. Sawayama was slated for release in April 2020, when the world’s attention was focused on the pandemic, and it was sorely underrated due to that timing. But a new collaboration with Charli XCX, “Beg For You,” and with plans for a second album already underway, Rina’s nostalgic pop girl gaze is poised for a major breakthrough in America.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
If you’re lucky enough to be in a relationship where your partner smokes just as much weed as you (or more!), you’re probably well aware of that special moment that is shared when you first crack open a fresh flower jar. The act of passing it between one another, breathing in the aromatic terpenes, breaking up the sticky buds, and putting them in your smoking device of choice — it’s downright ritualistic and few things make you feel more intimate and connected.
As we head into Valentine’s Day weekend, we want to help ensure that your February 14th smoke sesh is just a bit more special than your average ritual. The easiest way to do that is with really really good weed. Good weed melts your stress and anxiety away, it focuses you, on your feelings, on your partner, on touch, smells, sight and sounds. It heightens every sense and makes each second feel vivid and explosive, we all want that, so our weed writers shouted out some of their favorite strains on the market right now that will get you there.
This beautiful cross between Animal Mints and Triangle Kush features frosty crystals caked across deep green buds with wiry orange hairs that taste just as good as it looks. With dominant terpenes like limonene, myrcene, and linalool, Wedding Cake gives off a light tropical sweetness that is accented by bright citrusy notes. It’s almost meringue-esque!
It’s an absolute pleasure to smoke, and with a THC of 28% it packs a powerful punch — so take it slow with this one. Inhale those sweet tropical notes, let the calming euphoric effects take over, and just feel it out, the last thing you want to do before that Valentine’s day action is fall asleep before it starts.
Bottom Line:
As beautiful to look as it is to smoke, CBX’s Wedding Cake delivers on all fronts and truly feels like a special occasion weed.
For just $50 for an eighth of flower this good-looking and sticky, 22Red feels like a steal. This hybrid strain has love in the name, but that didn’t really impact our decision, we’re including this because of its sweet combination of sweet orange creamsicle-like notes, and soothing minty floral finish. The smoke produced by this bud is thick, milky, and super smooth, thanks to its combination of Gelato 33 and Kush Mints genetics.
With a THC potency of 30% this stuff is going to send you to the moon, but never in a way that makes you feel weighed down like a super strong indica.
Bottom Line:
Smooth and flavorful, 22Red smokes like a premium top-shelf strain with a budget-friendly price.
A Golden State’s flagship indica strain, Night Sky, is heavily sedating, so be careful with this one. The THC potency hovers around 26% percent from strain to strain and features deep green leaves with flecks of purple throughout. The flavors here are rich, deep piney flavors dominate with the occasional floral lift and almost chocolate-like finish on the exhale. A single hit will get your body buzzing, so we’re going to suggest you keep it at one, no matter your tolerance.
While the heavy is high and a bit sedating, it also makes sensations feel tremendous, like you’re in a waking dream.
The Bottom Line:
The perfect nightcap, smoke this at the end of the day when you’re ready to get in bed with your partner and never leave.
Insane’s Honey Moon is a strain in a similar style to CBX’s Wedding Cake but at a more affordable price point. It has that same mix of tropical citrus flavors, but it’s a bit more earthy and spicy and less sweet. While that doesn’t interact with the palate as nicely, the high this strain will offer you is highly euphoric.
After a few hits of this stuff, I started to feel a vibration behind my eyes and even the lightest sensations brought a smile to my face.
The Bottom Line:
Highly euphoric, this strain will have your body buzzing with good vibes and heighten your sensitivity.
Until recently, I hadn’t had any experience with the insanely popular weed brand Wonderbrett, and then I smoked Orange Sunset. I’ve been meaning to branch out and try the brand’s other strains, but I just haven’t gotten around to it because this one is so good. Featuring a cross between Orange Banana and OG Kush, this strain is dominated by limonene, pinene, and linalool, producing a flavor that is citrusy, herbal, and a bit flowery.
It’s a soothing smoke that brings on feelings of tranquility and instantly elevates your mood. It has a way of unlocking this creative side of your brain that keeps you open to experimentation, which on Valentine’s Day, is never a bad thing.
The Bottom Line:
Flavorful, relaxing, mood-boosting, everything good weed should be.
There are multiple ways to do Valentine’s Day. Some prefer a night on the town, while others a night on the couch. If the latter speaks to you, this is the weed for that. Fumé is a Northern California weed brand HQ’ed in Napa Valley, which is typically more famous for wine. Don’t let that sway you — this is high-quality indoor and their “Indica” strain, which is a Double Chem OG, which is a cross between OG Kush and Chemdog. Gas is the name of the game with this cultivar, and it also has other savory notes, like skunk and wood chips.
The high is deeply calm and soothing and very much centered in the body, rather than the head.
Tasting Notes: Fresh from the hills of southern Humboldt County is Ridgeline Farms, which grows award-winning outdoor weed on a second-generation legacy farm. Green Lantern is one of the cult famous strains from grower Jason Gellman, who still grows on his family’s homestead. It was picked up by rapper Berner’s brand Cookies earlier this year. A high-THC cultivar clocking in at around 35% THC, it’s gassy bud with a true Kush lineage that will get you so lit you will honestly have little else you can do but focus on what’s right in front of you.
Expect a bright head high on this one, too — ideal for stimulating conversation.
Bottom Line: This terpy, outdoor-grown cultivar won the 2019 Emerald Cup.
As the name implies, this sungrown bud from Mendocino County’s Emerald Spirit Botanicals smells and tastes of roses, yes, but other flowers like violets and green elements like moss. This bud is lovingly grown on a small family farm that stretches back a couple of generations and comes from a host of other lower-THC cultivars that were specifically selected for its high CBD content. The high from Harmony Rose, in particular, is surprising. It’s a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio, which could indicate that the smoker won’t get very high, but the wide variety of major and minor terpenes combined with other flavonoids presents a multi-faceted high that is surprisingly stoney and delightfully heady.
It’s honestly perfect weed, and this being the holiday of roses, it’s perfect for the occasion.
Bottom Line: For the toker who appreciates all aspects of the weed smoking experience, not just getting high.
Long Beach’s No-Till Kings grow indoor buds in living soil, which is a healthy, regenerative, and sustainable cultivation tactic that utilizes only natural and organic materials, like worm castings, to enrich soil and grow plants in. Their Cookies & Cream #2 is a hybrid that is sure to leave smokers in a nice headspace, while smelling and tasting like a true classic cookies strain we all know and love. Think heavy vanilla and sweet notes on the nose and in its taste. This strain was bred with an unknown Cookies & Cream mother crossed with Starfighter F2. Seeds were bred by Exotic Genetix, the pheno was selected in-house by No Till Kings.
Bottom Line: This is for the Valentine’s Day smoker who is looking for something sweet.
Cheer up, every Los Angeles Lakers fan, there’s something to look forward to. No, not the playoffs, but Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, the HBO Max series about the NBA-dominating Showtime-era Lakers. On second thought, maybe being reminded of a better period in the team’s history won’t make you feel better. Ah well.
Co-created by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht and directed by Adam McKay (Step Brothers, Anchorman, and Succession), Winning Time stars John C. Reilly as Lakers owner Jerry Buss, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson, Sally Field as Jessie Buss, Rob Morgan as Earvin Johnson Sr, Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss, Jason Segel as Paul Westhead, Sean Patrick Small as Larry Bird, Michael Chiklis as Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach, and Adrien Brody as Lakers coach Pat Riley, seen here with a fantastic mustache.
hbo max
Here’s the official plot summary:
Welcome to the hottest show in town. It’s gonna be exciting. From Adam McKay, director of The Big Short and Vice, comes a story about the rise of basketball Hall Of Famer Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and the lengths one man (John C. Reilly) will go in pursuit of securing a basketball dynasty.
Nigerian singer Fireboy DML took a huge step in crossing over to US success in 2021 with his tropical single “Peru” — especially after adding British singer Ed Sheeran to its remix earlier this year, launching the single onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Today, Fireboy gave the single a shot of added adrenaline with another new remix, this time tapping trap rap superstar 21 Savage and emerging West Coast crooner Blxst to contribute similarly optimistic verses to the upbeat single.
In his verse, 21 Savage brags about his success over the past few years, boasting that he’s accumulated “twenty million dollars in a year and that’s with no shows.” Meanwhile, Blxst offers a romantic stanza of his own, pining for the company of a woman who makes him ponder changing his plans. “I’ve been wanting you so bad / That you might make me backtrack,” he rhymes. “Might just fly away / Just touched down from MIA.”
Fireboy’s toehold on US pop culture has steadily increased over the past year after collaborating with burgeoning talents like D Smoke on “Champion” and established stars such 6lack on “Sere.” By this time next year, he could very well be one of the can’t-miss talents from his home country who are leading Afrobeats’ mainstream takeover, joining such stars as Davido and Wizkid at the forefront of the genre’s globalization.
Listen to Fireboy DML’s “Peru” remix 21 Savage and Blxst.
When Peacock announced a reboot of the beloved ’90s sitcom, many were expecting a hilarious take on the Will Smith comedy, but for an updated 21st century audience. In a way, they were right, but the show is not a comedy.
Bel-Air will begin streaming on Peacock on Sunday, February 13th, and it will drastically differ from the original feel-good comedy. First of all, the show will be an hour-long drama, a very different take from the original half-hour sitcom.
Starring newcomer Jabari Banks, who coincidentally shares a last name with the show’s Banks family, the show will have the same premise: Will Smith, a young man from West Philly (also where the actor Bans is from) is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Bel-Air, California. The swanky neighborhood full of rich families is far from what Smith is used to.
Instead of fun-loving pranks and basketball games, the show will tackle more serious issues that relate to a modern day family. In the official synopsis, the show is described as a reimagined vision:
Bel-Air is described as an hourlong dramatic retelling of the beloved ’90s sitcom that leans into the original premise of Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases of what it means to be a Black man in America today, while still delivering the swagger and fun nods to the original show.
Will Smith is the producer for the show, which will premiere with its first three episodes on Super Bowl Sunday. If you want to get caught up on the lore, the original Fresh Prince From Bel-Air is streaming on HBO Max.
Spoilers for The Power of the Dog will be found below.
Much has been made out of Netflix’s The Power of the Dog, rightfully so, given that it’s an incredible movie, even if it isn’t the easiest watch at times. The Jane Campion-helmed movie should do well at the Oscars, and the film continues to generate discussion about toxic masculinity, viewed through lenses past and present, but how about that ending?
Let’s give the lowdown on what happened. To be perfectly blunt here, the film heavily implies that Peter killed Phil. This was the case despite their (also implied) budding relationship, and Phil had seemingly had a change of heart toward the young man, which may have had something to do with Phil opening up about his past with suggestions about his own sexuality.
Then Phil fell ill and surprisingly died, and this seemed to happen fast, and the anthrax poisoning detail surprised Phil’s brother, George, given the degree of care that Phil generally took during his duties on the ranch. Yet Peter, motivated to protect his own mother, Rose, from Phil’s sinister ways, had handed over contaminated rawhide to Phil, whose open wound likely facilitated infection from the anthrax bacterium.
Peter’s decision, of course, presents larger questions about identity and sexuality and whether this was a deserved ending for the film’s leading character. And inside of all of that, there’s a necessary conversation happening, one that will likely continue as the Oscars approach for a March 27 broadcast. (Also, hopefully, Rose lived a peaceful life!)
The Power of the Dog is currently streaming on Netflix.
Charli XCX’s new album Crashis due out on March 18th and the Charli hive has been buzzing. Unfortunately, some of the pop star’s fans have been acting none too nice on social media in regards to the rollout, causing Charli to reconsider her presence on social media. She has nothing to worry about from us though, because everything she’s put out in the Crash orbit thus far has been straight fire. Especially, the UK dance floor romp of “Beg For You” featuring Rina Sawayama, which now has a brand spankin’ new video out.
In the clip, Charli and Rina are cult-ish figures (sound familiar?) in a power field. They lead a rebellion of followers through a ritual of sorts, replete with buzzing dance moves from the pair and the ensemble behind them. Charli previously teased the training and work that went into the dance portion of the vid and it totally hits. It’s a totally electric clip for the absolute banger of a track and it keeps building excitement for the release of Crash.
Watch the video for “Beg For You” above.
Crash is out on 03/18 via Asylum Records UK/Warner Records UK. Pre-order it here.
Charli XCX is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
