Month: April 2022

It’s been a long week of Oscar-fiasco talk. It’s not over yet, either, despite Daniel Radcliffe recently telling everyone that he was “dramatically bored” with hearing about Will Smith hauling off and smacking Chris Rock. And even though there have been some entertaining takes otherwise (like noted hothead Alec Baldwin referencing the Jerry Springer Show) it’s also quite something to hear people say that they’re tired of hearing about it and need a little break.

Or at least, don’t ask about it if you’re talking to Ice-T. The no-nonsense SVU star has had enough. In fact, he’s fed up with the subject: “I’m Smackin the Sh*t outta the next MF that asks me about the Oscars….”

That’s an understandable sentiment, especially since Rock himself isn’t talking much and continue to process the incident. The discussion will no doubt continue, but if you need a distraction, perhaps reading Ice-T’s takes on Russia-Ukraine and gas prices are enough to get you going. Or you can read the below tweets, where he’s discussing how car prices are astronomical lately, even without taking inflation into account.

Yep, it’s almost the weekend, and hopefully, everyone will be able to take a load off, but in the meantime, Ice has something else to say…

Last month, a 31-year-old woman who was shot and killed at a bowling alley in Atlanta was identified as LaKevia Jackson, the mother of rapper Young Thug‘s oldest child. Today, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta police working with US Marshals arrested 25-year-old Joshua Fleetwood, charging him with felony murder, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Jackson was attending her best friend’s birthday party at the bowling alley on March 17 and was allegedly shot by Fleetwood while leaving the venue after an argument over a bowling ball. Jackson’s 14-year-old, Kyvion Jackson, is Young Thug’s oldest child, conceived when they were living in the same apartment complex before his rap career took off. Jackson’s mother, Sherina Jackson, told CBS 46, “I didn’t know that was going to be the last time I talked to my baby. I could hear her over the phone crying and screaming then her best friend said, ‘She’s not breathing!’ … I lost my baby all over a bowling ball.”

Lt. Ralph Woolfolk, an APD homicide commander, made a video statement regarding the arrest, saying, “This was a relentless investigation in which we worked through the night and into the next day in trying to gather all the facts and circumstances regarding the investigation.”

Young Thug, who has been executive producing his YSL artist T-Shyne’s newly released project Confetti Nights, has not commented on the shooting or the arrest.

The casting for Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut continues to heat up. Keke Palmer — the former child star who busted out dramatic chops in Hustlers and will soon appear in Jordan Peele’s next project, Nope — has now joined the Bill-Murray starring dramedy, Being Mortal, which also recently picked up Seth Rogen. As for what roles the actors will be playing… that is anybody’s guess. Ansari is keeping details about the project close to his chest, but we do know that the Searchlight Pictures film is based on the non-fiction book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande.

Via The Hollywood Reporter:

Logline details for Mortal are being kept in the casket, but the book explored the concepts of death and aging and how the medical profession tends to mishandle both. Searchlight has previously described the project as being at the intersection of “insightful humor and pathos.”

As Master of None fans know, Ansari’s father, who played himself on the Netflix series, is a doctor, so the medical profession isn’t unfamiliar ground for the comedian. Nor is tackling the emotional bonds of life. After the overwhelming response to seeing Ansari’s actual parents on Master of None, the comedian wrote a Tumblr post expressing how great it was to reconnect with them after years of not visiting his hometown as often as he should have.

“What’s strange is doing that episode and working with my parents has increased the quality of my relationship to my parents IN MY REAL LIFE,” Ansari wrote. “In reality, I haven’t always had the best, most open relationship with my parents because we are weirdly closed off emotionally sometimes. But we are getting better.”

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

Earlier this year, Aziz Ansari announced his directorial debut Being Mortal based on the popular non-fiction book from Atul Gawande. Now, actress Keke Palmer has signed on to the project.

Palmer joins Seth Rogen and Bill Murray for the movie from Searchlight Pictures. The movie will be a comedy-drama based on the book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, a non-fiction account of Dr. Atul Gawande and his experience working as a surgeon in hospice and end-of-life care. Ansari wrote the script himself.

After becoming the breakout star of Akeelah And The Bee in 2006, Palmer became a Nickelodeon star, leading her own series True Jackson VP as a teen. Most recently, she has been a voice actor in Netflix’s Big Mouth and starred in 2019’s hit film Hustlers alongside Jennifer Lopez. This year, she is slated to star in Jordan Peele’s highly-anticipated horror movie NOPE with Daniel Kaluuya and Euphoria’s Barbie Ferreria.

Ansari is known for his work on Parks and Recreation and co-creating Netflix’s hit Master of None, which snagged two Emmys. This will be his first time in the director’s chair for a major motion picture, though the actor previously directed a handful of episodes of Master of None. In addition to writing and directing, Ansari is also expected to star in Being Mortal.

LeBron James has missed the last two games for the Los Angeles Lakers due to an ankle injury. It came at the absolute worst time for L.A., which is trying to hold onto a spot in the play-in tournament as it waits out Anthony Davis’ potential return for an injury, although a report from Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports earlier this week indicated that the former league MVP hopes to return soon.

On Friday, James announced that is not going to happen via his Twitter account. The Lakers star posted that the ankle injury is going to keep him out for the remainder of the season, and that we can expect to see him back in the fall.

Now, if you have looked at a calendar today, you are probably going to jump to the assumption that James is pulling a fast one for April Fool’s Day, and at some point in the next few hours, he’s going to post that this is a joke and he’s going to play on Friday night against the Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena. And unsurprisingly, a whole lot of basketball fans think the exact same thing.

Others want James to ease up on the jokes and focus on the whole making the play-in thing.

As of Friday afternoon, Los Angeles is 31-45 on the year, putting them in a tie for 10th place in the Western Conference with the San Antonio Spurs. Because the Spurs hold the tiebreaker, the Lakers would miss out on the postseason altogether if the season ended today.

Of the 86 Grammy categories being awarded this year, one of the most intriguing is the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. Over the years, eclectic sonics have been a hallmark of the category, which was first awarded in 1998 as the Grammy Award for Remixer Of The Year, Non-Classical. Because these songs are remixes, the source material nominated isn’t limited to genre. In 2022, it’s safe to say Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical is the only Grammy category to include Papa Roach (nominated due to Spencer Bastin’s “Born For Greatness (Cybek Remix)”), Deftones (“Passenger (Mike Shinoda Remix)”), and Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande (“Met Him Last Night (Dave Audé Remix)”).

Naturally, over the years, the artists who triumphed in this category have been equally intriguing. Here’s the top 10 winners, ranked.

10. Song: Madonna — “I Rise (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix)”

Winner: Tracy Young
Year: 2020

Madonna and dance music have gone hand in hand since the ’80s. In fact, Madonna herself has won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording (“Ray of Light”) and Best Electronica/Dance Album (Confessions On A Dancefloor). However, in 2020, Tracy Young was the first woman to be nominated, much less win, the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category for an inspired take on Madonna’s pro-gun control anthem “I Rise.” Young’s interpretation amplifies the icon’s empathetic vocals and the song’s resiliency — as well as the voice of Emma González, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting — with low-key house beats and a chill (but verve-laden) tempo. Consider this remix of a piece with dance music’s long history of political activism.

9. Song: No Doubt — “Hella Good (Roger Sanchez Main Mix)”

Winner: Roger Sanchez
Year: 2003

No Doubt‘s hard-left turns to ’80s synth-pop throwbacks on 2001’s Rock Steady were ideal for dance remixes — as evidenced by this no-frills, brisk re-do by global superstar DJ Roger Sanchez full of rollicking percussion and beat drops that emphasizes the lines “You got me feeling hella good, so let’s just keep on dancing.”

8. Song: Cher — “Believe (Club 69 Mixes)”

Winner: Club 69
Year: 2000

Cher‘s Y2K comeback came because of the already-unstoppable dancefloor anthem “Believe.” The Club 69 remixes are peak late-’90s house, with over-the-top beats, blocky stacks of keyboards, and an arrangement that places Cher in the role of vocal diva — something she comes by naturally.

7. Song: MGMT — “Electric Feel (Justice Remix)”

Winner: Justice
Year: 2009

It’s a fitting bow on the blogrock era that French electrofunk act Justice won a Grammy for a sophisticated remix of MGMT’s “Electric Feel.” Rich horns, squelching beats and a choppy vibe transform the swank electro of the original into a swaggering mid-’80s synth-rock throwback.

6. Song: Nero — “Promises (Skrillex and Nero Remix)”

Winner: Joseph Ray, Skrillex & Daniel Stephens
Year: 2013

This remix is peak dubstep era, with Skrillex (aka Sonny Moore) and two members of Nero teaming up for a re-do of Nero’s “Promises.” There’s a massive beat drop at about a minute in that leads directly to an explosion of grimy zippered beats that alternate with dramatic, piano-driven interludes with caution-heavy vocals from Nero’s Alana Watson. The net effect is a song that’s both unsettling and moving—a fine combination.

5. Song: Public Enemy — “Bring the Noise (S-faction Remix)”

Winner: Benny Benassi
Year: 2008

Superstar DJ Benny Benassi deconstructed Public Enemy‘s 1988 hit with surgical precision. At first, he leaves in only select exhortations (“Bring the noise!” and “Bass!”) atop a pulsing, surging bed of techno-house beats, before introducing more of the song’s lyrics — building excitement and tension alike with a natural rhythm.

4. Song: Curtis Mayfield — “Superfly (Louie Vega EOL Mix)”

Winner: Louie Vega
Year: 2006

There’s a long history of classic songs receiving a boost thanks to a modern dance remix — witness how Junkie XL’s re-do of Elvis Presley’s “A Little Less Conversation” breathed new life into the tune. The same thing happened when Louie Vega took a crack at remixing Curtis Mayfield’s already-unimpeachable “Superfly.” Vega added salsa beats and a languid touch to the 1972 soul-funk hit, making it (improbably) even more smooth than it was to begin with.

3. Coldplay — “Talk (Thin White Duke Mix)”

Winner: Jacques Lu Cont
Year: 2007

Stuart Price records under many aliases — to name a few, Les Rythmes Digitales, Zoot Woman and Jacques Lu Cont. Under the latter moniker, he’s known for recording retro-tinted synth-pop remixes; in fact, he won a Grammy in 2005 for his take on No Doubt’s “It’s My Life.” He won another Grammy two years later for his spin on Coldplay‘s “Talk,” a song that interpolates Kraftwerk. Lu Cont plays up that association by adding in robotic vocal flourishes and stripping the song down to insistent, Krautrockian rhythms and streamlined synths.

2. Song: SAINt JHN — “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”

Winner: Imanbek Zeikenov
Year: 2021

Back in mid-2020, you couldn’t scroll through your TikTok #FYP without running into Imanbek’s remix of “Roses,” by the rapper SAINt JHN. This viral hit was a radical re-work of the original, speeding up the vocals and adding sharp-edged, electro-driven rhythmic contours that doubled as mega earworms. Remixes with Future and J Balvin followed, although Imanbek’s take remains tops for how it took fresh source material and made it sound even cooler.

1. Song: Lana Del Rey — “Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)”

Winner: Cedric Gervais
Year: 2014

Lana Del Rey‘s originals are already known for being mesmerizing and hypnotic. However, the Cedric Gervais remix of “Summertime Sadness” elevated the song to a different level entirely, tapping into the melancholy hinted at in the title by plucking out Del Rey’s wistful refrain (“I got that summertime, summertime sadness”) and pairing it with turbulent house beats. “Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)” peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart — but, more important, became an instant-classic anthem for every type of summer bummer imaginable.

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

In case you haven’t already fallen victim to some sort of hoax today, here’s a helpful reminder: Today is April 1, aka April Fools’ Day, which means you ought to be especially skeptical when it comes to anything you read online, particularly things that seem too good (or bad) to be true. With that in mind, Lil Nas X made a (probably fake) reveal this afternoon.

Lil Nas X tweeted today, “I am so excited to announce that MONTERO DELUXE (featuring Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, Tyler the Creator, NBA Youngboy, Saucy Santana, and more!) WILL BE YOURS TONIGHT at 7P EST! [wilted flower emoji].” The tweet also includes new cover art, which features multiple versions of Lil Nas X striking various poses and sporting various looks.

While Doja already features on the original version of Montero (on “Scoop”), some of the other added artists seem like unlikely gets here, especially Rihanna, whose last featured appearance was on Kendrick Lamar’s 2017 single “Loyalty.” So, that in combination with the fact that Lil Nas X has one of music’s best senses of humor seems to suggest this deluxe version of Montero probably isn’t a real album you’ll be able to listen to later tonight.

That said, there’s still a chance this is actually happening, so it wouldn’t hurt to at least check in on Lil Nas X’s Twitter later today and see if there’s an update, whether it be the album itself or Lil Nas X revealing it was all a big joke.

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

With just a week or so remaining in the 2021-22 NBA regular season, Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons has yet to suit up. Initially, he sat out with the Philadelphia 76ers because he was mentally unready to play. Since being dealt to Brooklyn in mid-February, he’s intended to ramp up toward a season debut, though it’s been interrupted by a lingering back injury.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Simmons “has resumed light on-court workouts” and the goal is that he can progress for a “potential return in time for the playoffs.”

“The Nets and Simmons have worked together on managing his back issues, which flared up when he was previously aiming for a mid-March return,” Charania says.

Simmons joining this Nets team would provide some much-needed defensive versatility at the point-of-attack. Brooklyn’s offense has been potent since Kevin Durant returned from injury in early March, but its defensive execution remains highly inconsistent. Simmons is a two-time All-Defensive Team honoree and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting a season ago.

The Nets are currently 40-37 and tied for the eighth seed out East. They’re two games back of the seventh-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and 4.5 back of No. 6 Toronto. Aside from some miracle circumstances, the play-in is locked into their plans this season. They’ll be dangerous regardless of Simmons’ status, but his presence would only further improve them on both ends.

Jim Carrey has been around for a long time, going from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective to The Truman Show, and eventually playing God in Bruce Almighty. But his reign may be over. In an interview with Access Hollywood, Carrey admits he has “done enough” and it’s time for him to maybe retire.

When asked about potential upcoming projects (besides Sonic The Hedgehog 2, of course) the actor said, “Well I’m retiring. Probably,” Carrey said. “I’m being fairly serious, yeah. It depends, it depends if the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink that is going to be really important for people to see, then I might continue down the road, but I’m taking a break.”

Carrey’s television show Kidding was canceled in 2020 after two seasons. Since then, has been busy working on other projects, including lending his voice on The Weeknd’s Dawn FM and also apparently launching a new line of NFTs based on his art, which is a whole other conversation, as more and more celebs choose the controversial art form. It seems like Carrey just appreciates the quiet life a little bit more than his chaotic characters.

“I really like my quiet life, and I really like putting paint on canvas and my spiritual life, and I feel like, and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists: I have enough, I’ve done enough, I am enough.” Maybe he is still shaken over the whole Slap incident.

Check out the full interview above, with the retirement talk beginning around the 4:15 mark.