Month: April 2022

“Whole Lotta Money” rapper BIA has been receiving a lot of attention in the wake of her viral favorite single. The single not only caused some stores to sell out of the Bottega Veneta shoes she name-checks on the song but it was also one of the first songs Nicki Minaj blessed with a verse for its remix as she edged her way back into rap’s spotlight. BIA didn’t stop there; in the months since, she’s released more well-received singles including the G Herbo-featuring “Besito” and the MC Hammer-sampling “Can’t Touch This.”

Her next single has the potential to be her biggest to date, though. The Beantown rapper teased her next single, “London,” on Instagram, revealing an intriguing collaborator: none other than Dreamville founder J. Cole. Cole’s been on a mercenary streak of late that rivals his features run from 2020. He has raised eyebrows and boggled minds on tracks with both frequent collaborators like Wale (“Poke It Out“) and newcomers such as Benny The Butcher (“Johnny P’s Caddy“) and YG (“Scared Money” with Moneybagg Yo).

As with YG, a collaboration with BIA seems very left-field for Cole, but considering that his verse on “Scared Money” was one of his best-received ever, there’s a lot of reason to be hopeful for his “London” appearance. On the other hand, if BIA somehow issues a verse that manages to keep up with — let alone upstage — Cole, it could be her Nicki Minaj “Monster” moment, launching her to a new level of respect and popularity. Basically, it’s a win-win for the up-and-comer — and fans of hip-hop, in general.

“London” is due 4/8.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This week, we have Kehlani back in action with “Up All Night,” the latest track from her upcoming album Blue Water Road. The song features an appearance from Justin Bieber making for their second collaboration together. Elsewhere, Ella Mai returns with “Leave You Alone” from her upcoming album Heart On My Sleeve and Leven Kali drops his second track of 2022 with “Let It Rain.”

Kehlani — “Up All Night” feat. Justin Bieber

Later this month, Kehlani will release her third album Blue Water Road. It appears that the project will be a pop-leaning effort as its two singles — “Altar” and “Little Story” — have suggested. However, Kehlani’s R&B roots will still be intact on Blue Water Road as her third single, “Up At Night” with Justin Bieber, reveals.

Ella Mai — “Leave You Alone”

Finally, after almost four years, Ella Mai is a month away from dropping her sophomore album Heart On My Sleeve. So far she’s released “DFMU” and “Not Another Love Song” from the project, and now she’s back with “Leave You Alone.” The track finds Ella head over heels for a new lover as she admits to wanting to be by their side at all times.

Leven Kali — “Let It Rain”

The last time West Coast singer Leven Kali dropped a project was back in 2020 with Hightide. There’s no word on when his next one will arrive, but his latest single “Let It Rain” could be a sign that it’s coming sooner than later. Kali uses the groovy record to preach about letting go of life’s pains.

Alex Isley & Jack Dine — Marigold

Music from Alex Isley is always welcomed and appreciated, and thankfully she has a brand new batch of records for us to enjoy. The endearing singer is back in action with Marigold. Her new project is crafted with producer Jack Dine, whom she connected with last in 2019 for their Wilton. Marigold presents nine songs and guest appearances from Robert Glasper and Bas.

Savannah Re — “Last One” Feat. Dylan Sinclair

It might safe to say that Toronto singer Savannah Re has an exciting new project on the way. She’s already impressed with work like her 2020 EP Opia, and nearly two years later, Re has made it clear that she’s only improved her game. After kicking off the year with “Fiji,” Re recruits fellow Toronto native Dylan Sinclair for their romantic track “Last One,” one that finds them both committing to a lifetime of love.

Phabo — “Before I Let Her Go”

Phabo made quite the official entrance into the R&B game in 2021 with his debut album Soulquarius. The impressive project, which was highlighted on Uproxx’s Best R&B Albums of 2021 list, showed Phabo’s excellent songwriting skills as well as his ability to craft records worthy of infinite listens. The West Coast singer, who’s not one to fall off his game, returns with his first song of the year, “Before I Let Her Go.”

Asake — “Sungba” Feat. Burna Boy

Back in February, Nigerian singer Asake released his debut project Ololade Asake (which is his birth middle and last name). The four-track EP was highlighted by “Sungba,” a truly excellent record that will go down as one of this year’s best afrobeats songs. Now, to make matters even better for Asake and everyone involved, Burna Boy hopped on the track for a thrilling remix and he even joined Asake for an equally chaotic and exciting music video.

BNXN fka Buju — “For Days”

If you had to craft a XXL Freshman class list for afrobeats, BNXN fka Buju would absolutely make this year’s roster. He’s thrived through guest features on Wizkid’s “Mood,” Timaya’s “Cold Outside,” Wani’s “Times Two (X2),” and more, as well as his own work like his 2021 project Sorry I’m Late. After getting off to a rocket start in 2022 with his assist on Pheelz’s “Finesse,” Buju keeps his streak alive with the vibrant “For Days.”

Col3trane — “Logan Paul”

May will mark three years since Col3trane released a project, that being 2019’s Heroine. Hopefully, Col3trane is putting the finishing touches on his next body of work, but until then, feel free to indulge in his latest single, “Logan Paul.” It’s another strong release that sits perfectly beside his most recent tracks “Plus Minus” with Erik The Architect and “Bag” with Lucky Daye.

PsychoYP — “Midlife Crisis/WYDTM”

Nigerian artist PsychoYP is looking to bring some more attention to himself, and his latest release might just do the job. He arrives with a pair of singles, “Midlife Crisis” and “WYDTM (What You’re Doing To Me),” and they’re records that lean more towards the afrobeats sub-genre, alte. The songs arrive after he dropped his Euphoria project last year.

Tank And The Bangas — “Why Try”

Next month, Tank And The Bangas will release their third album Red Balloon. It’s an effort that will feature contributions from Wayne Brady, The Hamiltones, Trombone Shorty, Jamison Ross, Lalah Hathaway, Big Freedia, and Jacob Collier. So far Grammy-nominated band has released two singles from the album, “No ID” and “Stolen Fruit,” and now they follow up those records with the dance-ready and groovy “Why Try.”

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

When Tony Hernandez Pumarejo was a young child growing up in Puerto Rico in the early ‘90s, his family felt there was something “different” about him. At the age of three, when most children are uttering full sentences, Tony did not speak.

Tony’s family sought out more information regarding their son, but they received conflicting opinions about his condition. Teachers asserted that there wasn’t much hope for Tony’s future, with one telling his mother that he was “never going to do anything in life.”

“There was a lack of education, there is still to this day, especially in the Hispanic community, about autism,” Tony told Upworthy. “Stereotypes and other misconceptions are obstacles many families face in seeking answers, making it difficult to get the help and resources we need.”

Finally, Tony’s family found a doctor who diagnosed him with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The diagnosis was a huge relief for them because it meant he could finally get the correct therapies and enroll in special education classes.

According to Psychology Research and Behavior Management, early diagnosis and treatment with evidence-based interventions “can significantly improve the quality of life of individuals with ASD as well as of their caregivers and families,” as it lays a strong foundation for better outcomes and will help a child improve mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially.

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via Tony Hernandez

After obtaining the proper diagnosis, Tony received speech therapy from the ages of four to eight, and over the course of his lifetime, received vital support and assistance from teachers and therapists.

“Getting the right therapies was crucial in improving my verbal skills. I still faced a number of challenges over the years, including struggles with social communication, short-term working memory, anxiety disorder, and building relationships,” he said, “but an early diagnosis made all the difference in my life.”

In 2012, at the age of 21, Tony moved to Florida where his mom was living.

Since then, Tony has excelled in academics and professionally. He graduated from Seminole State College with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Information Management with Magna Cum Laude honors.

MY GRADUATION FROM COLLEGE: DECEMBER 14TH 2016

www.youtube.com

Tony has worked in customer service for companies such as Sherwin Williams, Sam’s Club, and Home Depot and has been a tireless advocate for people with ASD for the past decade. He’s also regularly appeared on Univision Orlando for the past two years where he hosts a segment called “Tu Proposito” which in English translates to “Your Intention” and delves into the obstacles people on the spectrum regularly encounter and how they can rise above them.

See on Instagram

Additionally, Tony is an accomplished author who released his memoir, “An Autism Unscripted Life,” in 2018, which was translated into Spanish in 2019 as “Una Vida Autista Sin Libreto.” In his free time, Tony loves to go hiking, explore new places, attend church, and exercise. He is currently working on putting together a 1,000-piece “Star Wars” puzzle.

Tony now works full time for Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of individuals with autism and their families, as a member of their Autism Response Team where he helps to support people with ASD and their families.

Although it probably seemed impossible at the time, the young kid in Puerto Rico who had a hard time finding his words would flourish into an in-demand public speaker in both English and Spanish. Tony regularly does presentations for schools, businesses, and other community organizations on the topics of autism, disability rights, and neurodiversity.

He believes that being diagnosed early played a huge role in his success.

“I was fortunate to have been able to get an early diagnosis. It led me to getting the support I needed to overcome challenges in the early years of development in my life,” Tony told Upworthy.

Learning that your child has ASD can be daunting at first. However, there is nothing more fulfilling as a parent, than to experience and support your child in reaching their full potential.

“An autism diagnosis can trigger feelings of panic and uncertainty for many families,” Tony told Upworthy, “but it is important for parents to take a deep breath and focus on the next steps to take to help their child achieve a better life.”

Tony lives by a simple, but powerful motto, “Each person has a purpose in this world. Never give up on achieving your dreams.”

If you have questions about your child’s development, Autism Speaks offers access to a free Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT-R) test on its website. The test can help assess whether your child needs further evaluation, bringing them one step closer to unlocking their full potential and realizing their dreams.

While no one ever wants to kick a man when he’s really down—or witness someone else do it—all bets are off when it comes to Rudy Giuliani, who has been in a permanently prostrate position for some time now… beginning at the exact moment the former New York City Mayor decided to become the world’s loudest cheerleader for Donald Trump and The Big Lie.

As if being sued for $1.3 billion by Dominion Voting Systems—a sum that would take him 4 million Cameo videos to pay off—weren’t bad enough, the man who was formerly known as “America’s Mayor” and was named TIME’s Person of the Year in 2001, has become a cautionary tale for bad actors in politics. As Mediaite reports, this default disdain was on full display on the House floor on Wednesday, where members voted to hold former Trump aides Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino in contempt for defying subpoenas sent to them by the January 6th House Select Committee (yep, the same event where Marjorie Taylor Greene attempted to heckle Jamie Raskin, only to feel his wrath). But Giuliani inadvertently became the bigger story when Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice-chair, just casually torched him from the House floor like he was a Fox News Christmas tree to make a point about the ridiculousness of Trump & co.’s stolen election claims:

“The election claims made by Donald Trump were so frivolous and so unfounded that the president’s lead lawyer did not just lose these cases, he lost his license to practice law.

“The New York Supreme Court found, quote, ‘There is uncontroverted evidence that Mr. Giuliani communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers, and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump’s failed effort at reelection in 2020.’”

Cheney’s brutal takedown didn’t end with Giuliani, however. In her final remarks to her fellow lawmakers, she suggested that, “Those in this chamber who continue to embrace the former president and his dangerous and destructive lies ought to take a good hard look at themselves. At a moment of real danger to our republic, when the need for fidelity to our Constitution is paramount, they have abandoned their oaths in order to perform for Donald Trump. That will be their legacy.”

Meanwhile, Cheney’s ability to verbally eviscerate members of the MAGA crime family as nonchalantly as if she were ordering a latte at Starbucks will undoubtedly be remembered as part of her own legacy.

(Via Mediaite)

Last night, James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” segment returned to The Late Late Show after a two-year hiatus. Fans were elated to see Nicki Minaj as the first guest upon the segment’s return. During her slot, Minaj and Corden ran through her hits, including “Anaconda,” “Super Bass,” and “Starships.”

In true Minaj fashion, the rapper at one point spoke to Corden in a British accent, explaining that her music is “motivational speaking for the world.”

Corden tells her she sounds like Adele and asks if she’s seen the “Easy On Me” singer’s episode of “Carpool Karaoke” in which she raps Minaj’s verse of her Kanye West collaboration, “Monster.”

“I just loved it,” Minaj said of Adele’s 2016 segment. “She made me so, so happy. She embodied Nicki Minaj.”

The screen then cuts to Minaj rapping along to “Monster” as Adele’s 2016 clip appears on a split-screen. Corden and Minaj then proceed to sing Adele’s “Someone Like You,” Minaj showing off her vocal chops.

After bringing Adele’s “Monster” recreation full circle six years after the fact, Corden and Minaj rap along to Minaj’s collaboration with Coi Leray, “Blick Blick.”

“Pop up on an opp and watch it blick blick,” the two rap, before Minaj asks Corden “You have opps?” Corden replies “I don’t know what we’re talking about… what does opps mean? Opportunities?”

“Opposition,” Minaj explains. “Anybody that is opposing you in the world.”

Speaking of opps, Minaj revealed her struggles with anxiety, which, in part, is linked to criticism from her “opps” in real life.

“I don’t think it’s natural,” Minaj said. It’s not natural for a human being to always feel like everyone’s critiquing them. When I first came into the industry, I had this amazing sense of freedom, because nobody gave a sh*t about what I was doing. I could get away with doing anything and they’re just like, ‘Oh, haha! Nicki Minaj.’ And then it goes from that to the complete opposite where it’s like, if I blink my eye wrong, they’ll have a story made up about why I’ve blinked my eye that way.”

Later in the segment, Corden pulls out a clarinet from the backseat of the car. He asks Minaj, who played clarinet in middle school and high school, “Do you still got it?” Minaj then plays the theme to Jaws, and then the ad-libs to her 2018 hit “Chun Li.”

Check out the full video above.

People seem to have mixed feelings about Machine Gun Kelly: Mainstream Sellout is the No. 1 album in the country right now, but people often shake their heads at his and Megan Fox’s distinct approach to their relationship and their lives. Now Kelly has gotten to see first-hand what people think of him by donning a disguise and going undercover to interview people for a new Jimmy Kimmel Live! segment.

Kelly asked somebody how they feel about him and they responded, “Um, not a huge fan. I think his new direction is a little forced.” That person was also tasked with describing MGK in three words and they went with, “want-to-be emo, blonde…” As she was giving her answer, a guy off-camera, later revealed to be wearing a Spider-Man costume, recognized Kelly and gave away his real identity.

Elsewhere, somebody else noted, “I like his music. I find the whole blood-drinking thing a bit unusual.” When asked to offer a message for Kelly, she said, “Congratulations on the wedding, please don’t sacrifice a goat at it.”

It wasn’t all hate, though, as Kelly met up with a fan who he suspected recognized him. After the jig was up, the fan noted he jumped off a roof at a Kelly concert in Venice Beach. Kelly remembered the moment immediately as he excitedly replied, “Oh my god, you’re him?! Dude, you won MVP of that whole show.”

Check out the segment above.

Donald Trump has never had much of a filter when it comes to speaking with, well, anybody, so of course, he’s now telling people that he regrets not marching with the MAGA rioters who ended up storming the U.S. Capitol building in the January 6 insurrectionist attack. He also, as always, refuses to take the blame for anything and is blaming the disastrous day on Nancy Pelosi.

While sitting down for an interview with The Washington Post, Trump actually bragged that he deserved more credit for drawing such a huge crowd to Washington D.C., and that if it were up to him — which it was, because he was the president at the time — he would’ve been marching with them. “Secret Service said I couldn’t go. I would have gone there in a minute.”

Via Mediaite:

“The crowd was far bigger than I even thought. I believe it was the largest crowd I’ve ever spoken to. I don’t know what that means, but you see very few pictures. They don’t want to show pictures, the fake news doesn’t want to show pictures,” he said. “But this was a tremendous crowd.”

As for the crowd violence, naturally, that was also Nancy Pelosi’s fault and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser shared some of the blame, too, says the man who literally just bragged about enticing a massive mob to stop the 2020 election results from being certified.

“I thought it was a shame, and I kept asking why isn’t she doing something about it?” Trump said. “Why isn’t Nancy Pelosi doing something about it? And the mayor of D.C. also. The mayor of D.C. and Nancy Pelosi are in charge. I hated seeing it. I hated seeing it. And I said, ‘It’s got to be taken care of,’ and I assumed they were taking care of it.”

(Via Mediaite)

Before Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Jim Carrey had only starred in two sequels, one much better than the other: 1995’s Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (that’s the good one, including the funniest scene in movie history imo) and 2014’s Dumb and Dumber To (that’s the bad one). (Also, before you start yelling at me through your butt, something like Kick-Ass 2 doesn’t count, because he wasn’t in the original.) Carrey recently reprised his role as “Chip” from The Cable Guy in a Super Bowl commercial, but would he be interested in playing another one of his famous characters like Ace Ventura again?

Yes, but only if it’s directed by someone like blockbuster auteur Christopher Nolan.

“I think after the fact when there’s been a lot of years, unless some genius person, director, auteur comes to you with a completely new take on what’s going on, you know,” Carrey told E! News about a potential third Pet Detective movie. “If Chris Nolan came to me and said, ‘I want to make Ace Ventura real and I want to do something, you know, something more interesting…’ then I might listen. But for the most part, you know, after a certain time there’s not one cell in your body that is that person anymore so you end up just imitating what you did in the old days and the original inspiration isn’t there.”

There are more jokes in this one scene than in every Nolan movie combined:

That being said, I would love to see Nolan make a studio comedy. It would still be three hours long with a booming soundtrack and star Tom Hardy, except his dialogue would be so muffled that you wouldn’t understand any of the jokes. There’s real potential here.

(Via Comic Book)

Dana Margolin of Brighton’s Porridge Radio famously embraced the moniker of “the best band in the world,” assigned to them by noted British music journalist Everett True. It was a helluva way to make a statement upon the release of their 2020 Mercury Music Prize-nominated breakthrough album, Every Bad. Judge for yourself, but Margolin is undoubtedly an impassioned lyricist and the band crafts lasting post-punk indie rock that flat out shreds. Now as the band gears up for the release of their new album, Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky, out May 20th, their latest single, “The Rip” is very much in step with the brilliance of Every Bad.

A downright electric tune, “The Rip” has rousing guitar distortion and a radical riff into the explosive bridge. Everything keeps building sonically and emotionally as Margolin repeatedly belts, “And now my heart aches! And now my heart aches!”

Margolin said in a statement:

“At the beginning it was a song about a power dynamic where I was in control, by the end it was about one where I had none. My friends always accuse me of making up idioms and using them like they are well known phrases and I think this song is full of those. I love the idea of something being sick at the seams, like it’s disintegrating from its core. I like things that are so simple they are universal. I wanted it to sound like when your heart breaks so badly that your entire body aches. I wanted it to feel like your soul is dropping out of your body.”

Watch the video (which was directed by Margolin’s sister Ella, by the way) above.

Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky is out 5/20 via Secretly Canadian. Pre-order it here.

Last holiday season, rootin’ tootin’ Lauren Boebert (owner of Shooter’s Grill) showed off a gun-filled family Christmas photo, which led to her acting triggered when SNL took aim with a parody sketch. Then cast member Chloe Fineman responded to the congresswoman’s complaints while calling her an “actual clown,” and none of that has quelled Boebert’s zest to continue confusing herself over the constitution.

That trend has continued with Boebert talking about the Second Amendment and how happy she is about “CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY states” because she really digs people walking around, armed, without permits. Boebert tweeted, “More than HALF the country will be returning to 2A in it’s [sic] intended form, a great victory for liberty, but we still have a lot of work to do!”

Confusion reigns here, but that’s Boebert’s usual M.O. In response, one zinger came right out of the gate, from Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg, who suggested that Boebert wouldn’t be around after the midterms: “Good thing I have the one thing on my side that you don’t. Time.”

From there, people reminded Boebert of the Second Amendment’s plain language, which is for a “well regulated Militia,” rather than people wandering around the street with any manner of firearm. As some pointed out, there’s also the existence of “automatic high ammunition weapons,” which didn’t exist back in the day, along with the whole concept of times changing in multiple ways.

Boebert’s cheerleading got shot down, and it wasn’t pretty, but she’s never been one to brush up on the founding fathers, let alone those who attended the constitutional convention, before firing off her passionate tweets about them.