Month: April 2022

Drill rap’s heir apparent, Fivio Foreign, released his debut album, B.I.B.L.E., over the weekend, enjoying a positive response after months of buildup. However, fans of New York’s underground rap scene might have wondered why he didn’t feature any of the other members of the drill rap movement such as Sheff G, Kay Flock, Rah Swish, or Sleepy Hallow. Instead, the album contains guest appearances from big names like Alicia Keys, ASAP Rocky, Kanye West, and Quavo. In a new interview with Complex, the 32-year-old newcomer explained why he left off his peers in favor of big stars.

“Right now, I’m elevated,” he said. “For sure, I want to help people and put people on… But I wanted to have elevated, lit songs. I was thinking about going viral.” However, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t thinking about his immediate cohort when crafting the album. “I got a couple [drill] n****s on the deluxe.”

Fivio isn’t the only drill artist to receive criticism for seemingly leaving his fellows in the rearview on his major debut. Pop Smoke, Fivi’s predecessor to occupy the drill rap throne before being gunned down in early 2020, also featured big names like Quavo on his own debut rather than drill rap compatriots. However, like Fivi, Pop Smoke apparently wanted to prove himself a more expansive artist with Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon, and eventually did release a deluxe version that introduced listeners to more drill artists like Dread Woo and Dafi Woo, as well as featuring frequent collaborator Fivio Foreign.

A surprise trailer for Kingdom Hearts IV was unveiled on Sunday in celebration of the franchise’s 20th anniversary. What the unveiling gave us was a new more realistic look. It’s a little jarring at first seeing Sora in a city with actual people and not in a land that could double as a theme in Disney World. This fits the game’s themes since so much of it was about Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy going around to different Disney worlds such as Tarzan, Aladdin, and Hercules.

While going to a more realistic look did sap some of the charms of the series’ original run, it does allow Kingdom Hearts to open itself up to some different crossovers from the Disney brand. In particular, the live-action movies that Disney has taken ownership of over the last 20 years such as Marvel and Star Wars, are now potential locations for Sora to explore. The trailer for Kingdom Hearts IV puts a heavy emphasis on this potential by showcasing multiple realistic settings including city streets and green forests.

Some eagle eyed viewers believe that the trailer did more than just showcase the potential realism of the upcoming game, though. One frame in particular has the internet abuzz that it’s actually a hidden teaser for a Star War level in Kingdom Hearts IV. If you look closely, when the trailer is going through the forest a mechanical object is seen on screen and it looks eerily familiar to an AT-ST foot from Star Wars.

If Kingdom Hearts IV does have a Star Wars level it will create the possibility of giving fans something they’ve been begging for ever since Disney acquired the license: a lightsaber Keyblade for Sora. It makes sense why everyone has been asking for one because lightsabers are objectively extremely cool.

Whether these screenshots are a Star Wars level or just a coincidence, it does show that there’s potential for Kingdom Hearts to branch off into some new licenses and that’s exciting to think about.

The Barbie cast just added more star power to the dream house. Will Ferrell has officially joined the film, which will see Margot Robbie play the titular character under the direction of Greta Gerwig. While plot details are under wraps, Ferrell is believed to be playing the “CEO of a toy company that may or not be Mattel” as the film shoots for a “meta aspect,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ferrell joins a cast that already includes Robbie along with Ryan Gosling as Barbie’s main squeeze, Ken, and Shang-Chi star Simu Liu in an undisclosed role. As for behind the camera, Gerwig will be working from a script co-written with her longtime partner and acclaimed filmmaker Noah Baumbach.

Getting a live-action Barbie project off the ground has been a longtime pursuit for Hollywood. While this current iteration will arrive courtesy of Warner Bros., Sony had plans to bring the famed toy to life with Amy Schumer as the star. However, Schumer recently revealed that her approach to the character did not gel with what the studio was looking for, and there were warning signs from the jump.

Schumer wanted Barbie to be an “ambitious inventor,” which Sony agreed with, but only if Barbie’s first invention would be a high heel made out of Jell-O. “The idea that that’s just what every woman must want, right there, I should have gone, ‘You’ve got the wrong gal,’” Schumer said about her quick exit.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

The 2022 Grammy Awards, which took place on April 3, was more of a glitzy affair compared to last year’s ceremony. It could be due to the ease of COVID-19 restrictions on events or that it was held in Las Vegas, but the night was intent on highlighting memorable performances and unexpected wins.

Gen Z took over the MGM Grand Garden Arena’s stage, with artists like Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, BTS, and Olivia Rodrigo showing why they’re at the top of their generation’s class. But the night belonged to The Late Show bandleader and jazz musician Jon Batiste, the most nominated artist of 2022 with 11 nods. The Oscar and Golden Globe winner took home five awards, including the most coveted (and the most surprising moment of the night) Album of the Year for We Are.

Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s Silk Sonic also stole the show, with their Sin City-approved “777” performance and victory in all four of their categories, including Record and Song Of The Year for 2021’s “Leave The Door Open” smash.

It was also a historical night for Kanye West’s Donda (despite being barred from performing). The controversial rapper’s wins — Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Hurricane” featuring The Weeknd and Best Rap Song for “Jail” with Jay-Z — brought him to a total of 24, tying him with Jay-Z for the most Grammy Awards won by a rapper. Other notable wins were Olivia Rodrigo with Best New Artist, Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales for Best R&B Album, and Doja Cat hilariously running from the bathroom to accept Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Kiss Me More” alongside SZA.

With all the top prizes for 2022 out the way, there’s now room for even more of music’s key players — from Adele to yes, more Silk Sonic — to take lead at the 2023 Grammys.

Check out our picks below for how major album releases within the general Sept. 1, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022 eligibility period (and ones we’re still holding out on) could win on music’s biggest night next year.

Summer Walker, Still Over It

Summer Walker has yet to receive a Grammy nomination, but the critical acclaim that surrounded last November’s Still Over It may be the key she needs to earn well-deserved recognition. The singer’s sophomore effort is more of an open diary than an album, as Walker painfully recalls a rocky relationship with former flame, producer London On Da Track. The lyrics are raw and beautifully written, showcasing Walker’s growing relatability — which can possibly lead to Best R&B Performance nominations for the SZA-assisted “No Love” as well as Best R&B Album.

Silk Sonic, An Evening With Silk Sonic

“In the industry, we call that a clean sweep!“ Silk Sonic’s Anderson .Paak jokingly boasted as he and Bruno Mars picked up their Record Of The Year Grammy for “Leave The Door Open.” The major wins for the R&B super duo will surely continue at next year’s ceremony, thanks to the long-delayed An Evening With Silk Sonic. Released last November, the nine-track set features plenty of gems that can live up to the winning streak of “Leave The Door Open,” from the viral “Smokin Out The Window” to “Put On A Smile” that’s co-written by fellow Grammy King, Babyface. With the odds in their favor, Silk Sonic should begin prepping their Album Of The Year win speech.

Taylor Swift, Red (Taylor’s Version)

Taylor Swift’s Evermore may have lost Album Of The Year to Jon Batiste this year, but the pop star can be given a second chance in 2023 thanks to the virality of Red (Taylor’s Version). Released last November, it is a re-recording of Swift’s 2012 Red. The diehard fan-favorite marked a sonic turning point for the artist, where she began to experiment with other sounds outside of her country base. The re-recorded version showcases Swift’s vocal growth since the original’s release, but it’s most beloved for the chart-topping 10-minute unabridged version of “All Too Well,” which has a strong chance of securing Record and Song Of The Year slots along with the country and pop categories.

Adele, 30

Adele has been a Grammy darling since taking home the gramophones for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (“Chasing Pavements”) following 2008’s 21 debut album. After gathering a collective 15 wins and taking a six-year hiatus, the singer returned with last November’s 30. From filing for divorce to explaining love to her son to finding new, carefree lust, the album reveals even more layers of her personal life (and some of her strongest vocals to date). 30’s lead single “Easy On Me” is a major contender for Record and Song Of The Year, while the playful “Oh My God” may receive a nod for Best Pop Solo Performance. And of course, the album itself has a high chance for Album Of The Year. Adele’s been long missed from the ceremony, and 2023’s showing can likely be her reigning comeback.

Kanye West, Donda 2

West’s record-setting night at the 2022 Grammys could ultimately be broken in 2023 — by his own self. Donda 2, released in February as the sequel to last August’s Donda, sparked conversations about artists’ streaming rights as it was exclusively released on the Stem Player. Despite its mixed reviews and ineligibility to be charted on the Billboard 200 due to the Stem Player rights, the album may still receive a Best Rap Album recognition at next year’s ceremony.

Harry Styles, Harry’s House

Harry Styles became more of a critics’ favorite with the 2019 release of his sophomore album Fine Line, which earned two Grammy nominations and won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Watermelon Sugar.” The artist recently announced the anticipated follow-up, Harry’s House, set for a May 20 release. If the critical acclaim surrounding the zippy lead single “As It Was” is any indication, then Styles will earn a handful of nominations.

Post Malone, Twelve Carat Toothache

Post Malone confirmed with Billboard earlier this year the “imminent” release of his next album, Twelve Carat Toothache. There’s not much to gauge about the follow-up to 2019’s Hollywood’s Bleeding, but the artist has a growing track record of being recognized in the Big Four categories despite lacking any wins. In 2019, Hollywood’s Bleeding was nominated for Album Of The Year while “Circles” earned nods for Record and Song Of The Year. 2023 could be the year that Malone finally takes a gramophone home.

Florence & The Machine, Dance Fever

Florence & The Machine has received six nominations throughout their career, including Best New Artist in 2011. The indie rock band’s fifth album Dance Fever, the follow-up to 2018’s High As Hope, is set for a May 13 release. With co-production from Grammy favorite Jack Antonoff (who has six wins including this year’s Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical) and Glass Animals’ Dave Bayley, there’s a stronger chance for a win in the pop and rock categories come 2023.

Cardi B, TBA

Cardi B has brought the fun to the Grammy Awards since she first attended and performed “Finesse” alongside Bruno Mars in 2018. She ended up taking her first (and only one to date) gramophone the following year, winning Best Rap Album for her Invasion Of Privacy debut. The cheeky rapper has since been living her best life as a mother and businesswoman, dropping viral hits like “WAP” and this year’s Grammy-nominated “Up” in the interim. She’s also guested on Normani’s “Wild Side,” Lizzo’s “Rumors,” and Summer Walker’s “No Love” remix as she continues to build momentum for her long-awaited sophomore follow-up, which should be on the Grammys’ radar.

Kendrick Lamar, TBA

Following the 2017 release of his Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning album Damn., Kendrick Lamar became a bit of a musical recluse. But last August, he reassured fans he was working on his fifth and final album under TDE with a statement posted on Oklama.com: “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years.” The wait for Lamar’s next project doesn’t seem to be long, as he’s since guested on tracks for the likes of Beyoncé and Baby Keem, and performed during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show. The rapper currently has 14 Grammy awards to his name, and if he drops new music during the eligibility period, it’ll prove the wait was worth it.

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

Harry Styles has enjoyed a terrific solo career since leaving One Direction, as his two solo albums so far, his self-titled debut and 2019’s Fine Line, both topped the charts in the US. He also earned himself a No. 1 single with “Watermelon Sugar” in 2020. As of today, he now has two chart-topping singles: On the new Billboard Hot 100 chart dated April 16, Styles’ recent Harry’s House single “As It Was” debuts in the No. 1 spot, ending the five-week run Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” just had on top.

This debut wasn’t a surprise, as “As It Was” broke was such a hit that it broke multiple streaming records. Over three months into the year, “As It Was” is the first 2022 single to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100. This No. 1 comes thanks in part to the biggest streaming week tallied in 2022 so far with 43.8 million streams, along with 27.2 million radio airplay audience impressions and 10,300 downloads sold.

This latest achievement makes Styles the first member of One Direction to have multiple No. 1 songs on the Hot 100, breaking his tie with Zarn, whose “Pillowtalk” was No. 1 during its debut week in 2016. One Direction is also now the first group with two members to have solo songs debut on top of the Hot 100.

Sean Penn’s been on quite a trip lately, literally. He recently (and bluntly) opened up to Sean Hannity (about not trusting the Fox News host one bit) before they had a civilized discussion on Ukraine. The Oscar winning actor (who had vowed vowed to “smelt” his Academy Awards, should President Volodymyr Zelensky not virtually appear, and he did not) recently met with Zelensky during Penn’s filming of a documentary. The timing of that meeting meant that Penn was in the country during Russia’s invasion. He did flee to Poland while largely traveling on foot, and now, the Gaslit star has opened up about how he mulled over joining the Ukraine resistance.

The 61-year-old actor went there in spirit, at least, and he discussed (with the new quarterly Hollywood Authentic magazine) how absurd he felt while considering, “I’m now thinking about taking up arms against Russia?” No smelting followup materialized, but via Variety, Penn says that the post-invasion process had him even considering taking up arms without body armor for the below rationale:

“The only possible reason for me staying in Ukraine longer last time would’ve been for me to be holding a rifle, probably without body armour, because as a foreigner, you would want to give that body armour to one of the civilian fighters who doesn’t have it or to a fighter with more skills than I have, or to a younger man or woman who could fight for longer or whatever. So, where I am in life is short of doing that, but if you’ve been in Ukraine [fighting] has to cross your mind. And you kind of think what century is this?”

It’s quite a discussion. Penn also revealed how he had begun conversing with Zelensky, years ago, and the documentary was at least partially meant to chart his rise from the lead role in Servant of the People (in which he played an everyman who accidentally became president) to actual Ukrainian president. Obviously, the project took a turn, and Penn says that he intends to one day travel back to Ukraine, “But I’m not an idiot, I am not certain what I can offer.” He added, “I don’t spend a lot of time texting the president or his staff while they’re under siege and their people are being murdered.”

That’s sobering stuff for sure, and you can read the full interview at Hollywood Authentic.

(Via Hollywood Authentic & Variety)

Pusha T is gearing up to release his fourth studio album, It’s Almost Dry, in the coming weeks and to help promote the new project, he sat down for an hour-long interview with radio personality Charlamagne The God to discuss his new music, fatherhood, and a variety of other topics. In the course of the conversation, Pusha explained why he thinks It’s Almost Dry will be an “untouchable” body of work, crediting the album’s producers: Kanye West and Pharrell Williams.

“I had the best of both worlds in regard to production,” he muses. “In regard to two people who actually understand who I am and they like two different things from me.” Of course, Pharrell Williams was one of Pusha’s earliest supporters, signing Pusha’s group Clipse to his Star Trak Records imprint in the early 2000s, where the duo released three albums before splitting in 2010. It was then that Pusha signed to Kanye’s label G.O.O.D. Music, where he released three albums, including the critically acclaimed 2018 album Daytona, two mixtapes, and an EP.

“Just from that aspect,” Push continues, “I feel like this body of work is untouchable because it doesn’t lean too heavily on either side. It’s like you get the whole spectrum — probably my most well-rounded body of work.” That contrast has been most clearly visible in the two singles Push has released from the album: the Kanye West-featuring “Diet Coke,” which was produced by longtime West ally 88 Keys, and the Jay-Z-featuring “Neck And Wrist,” produced by Pharrell. Both singles have certainly heightened the hype surrounding his upcoming release, even though he hasn’t announced a release date yet.

You can watch the full interview with Charlamagne above.

The Sacramento Kings missed the postseason for the 16th consecutive season this year, finishing 12th in the West at 30-52, four games out of the final play-in tournament position.

It was a season of changes in Sacramento, as Luke Walton was fired after a 6-11 start to the season and Alvin Gentry was elevated to interim head coach. At the deadline, the Kings made a fairly stunning move by trading Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, but even that shakeup failed to kickstart a real push for a play-in spot and they eventually fell to lottery position once again. If there is good news for the Kings it is that they seem to have some stability in the form of Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox as their guard-big duo long-term, but now it’s incumbent on them to figure out how to build a playoff team around those two in a crowded Western Conference.

Part of that will be on the front office to piece together a cohesive roster, but it will also be the job of a new head coach to fit the puzzle pieces together and get the most out of the Fox-Sabonis duo, as it was widely reported on Monday that Gentry was not being retained.

That’s not a huge surprise, but it does raise the question of who will take over for a Kings organization that doesn’t exactly carry the best reputation. The next coach will be the 12th head coach or interim head coach since they last made the playoffs in 2006, and per Marc Stein and Adrian Wojnarowski they will make a run at a number of former NBA head coaches.

As of this moment, the only competition on the coaching market are the Los Angeles Lakers, who don’t seem to have much overlap in their candidate pool, so the Kings ought to have a pretty good chance at getting one of their lead candidates.

Larry David’s long-running comedy (not that one) Curb Your Enthusiasm just aired its eleventh season last year, and it seems like another season is in the works. The series has been on air since 2000, taking frequent breaks in-between seasons in true HBO series fashion.

At an Emmy panel for Curb, David confirmed there would be another season–though he didn’t specify when.

The series follows a fictionalized version of David and his frequent misadventures that often become uncomfortable situations, with many of the scenes ad-libbed. The show also stars Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, Ted Danson, and Richard Lewis. Season 11 just wrapped up in December, and David normally takes long breaks in between seasons, so it’s likely the next season won’t be for a few years. For reference, the break between seasons eight and nine was six years.

Earlier this year, David was supposed to release a documentary about his life and works, though the doc was pulled just days before its intended HBO release. Some fans were also confused after the comedian appeared in an ad for crypto during the Super Bowl, but it’s likely that David doesn’t really understand what crypto even is. On the other hand, being an ad for crypto is not as bad as Hines’ husband RFK jr. who just keeps saying horrible things. You can’t win them all.

If David Simon makes something for HBO, whether it’s one of the greatest television shows of all-time (The Wire) or a miniseries where Oscar Isaac has a mustache (Show Me a Hero), it’s worth watching. His creative collaboration with the network continues with We Own the City, Simon’s first series set in Baltimore since The Wire.

We Own the City “chronicles the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force and the corruption and moral collapse that befell an American city in which the policies of drug prohibition and mass arrest were championed at the expense of actual police work,” according to HBO. The six-episode limited series is directed by King Richard‘s Reinaldo Marcus Green, while Simon worked on the scripts with George Pelecanos, William F. Zorzi, and Ed Burns, all of whom also wrote for The Wire.

You can watch the trailer starring Jon Bernthal (there’s going to be a lot of confused Blue Lives Matter folks seeing their beloved Punisher as a crooked cop) above. Here’s more:

In the 2000s, the Baltimore Police Department struggled to respond to crime with meaningful police work, giving itself over to mass arrest and drug warring instead. We Own the City shows how the department’s desperate reliance on statistics over substance eventually led to the inability of department officials to supervise the Gun Trace Task Force and the further inability of the department to discipline rogue police. At the time of the GTTF scandal in 2017, though there were numerous indications of corruption within several plainclothes units going back almost a decade, Baltimore police commanders held to the belief that any street unit that could bring in guns and drugs consistently had to be championed and protected. We Own the City depicts the inevitable corruption of a unit given this carte blanche.

We Own the City, which also stars Wunmi Mosaku, Jamie Hector, and Josh Charles, debuts on Monday, April 25.