Month: April 2022

There’s something to be said for how Lauren Boebert’s never afraid to make proclamations based upon subjects that she doesn’t understand at all. That something might not be good, but it is remarkable, and one need only witness her confused Russia-Ukraine tweet to realize that she doesn’t know much about international relations. The same goes for the stock market and beer vs. a founding father and voting-rights tweet and even a Bible verse, but Boebert will not be deterred.

Her latest gem of a mean tweet involves her outrage over possible student loan forgiveness, which is being mulled over by the Biden administration. The president’s being grilled by both major political parties in Congress, and as one would expect, Boebert’s coming down on the far-right side of things. That’s the case even though she illegally used campaign funds to pay her personal bills, not nonetheless, she’s disgusted with the idea of relief.

“To everyone who demands student loan forgiveness,” Boebert tweeted. “What makes you think universities will be the ones to pay off the debt? Taxpayers are going to foot that bill — YOU’RE going to foot that bill.”

This didn’t go over well at all, and people piled onto her, starting with Boebert’s GED status and how she never went to college, so she probably shouldn’t carry much weight on this subject.

Boebert also couldn’t possibly understand the predatory tactics of some lenders.

Also, no one will forget how Boebert gave herself a free ride and also draws a government salary from taxpayer dollars.

The midterm elections take place on November 8 this year, and let’s just say that Colorado will be worth watching.

The Northman, the new film from The Witch and The Lighthouse writer and director Robert Eggers, features a naked sword fight on a volcano. Marvel could never. “When I first thought, ‘I want to make a Viking movie,’ I knew three things,” Eggers said in a recent interview. “I knew it needs to take place mostly in Iceland, it needs to have a revenge story, and it needs to have a naked sword fight on a volcano.”

His dream came true, and best of all, Alexander Skarsgård didn’t have his “bits” cut off.

“We actually had to add things digitally because they were wearing thongs [instead of being naked] because no one wanted to get their bits chopped off,” Eggers told the Hollywood Reporter. “We actually had to add some CG genitals for certain shots so that they didn’t look too Ken doll-ish. You’ve got to make it look real, so I’m sure we did some full-body scans of Alex. They’re out there.” Internet detectives, you know what to do.

Eggers also discussed what it’s like working with Anya Taylor-Joy now on The Northman vs. working with Anya Taylor-Joy in her breakout role on The Witch. He said “she was great when she was 18” and “she’s great now,” but “where she’s changed the most is just that her professionalism on set is an inspiration for everyone who works with her. I know that’s boring, but it is cool, especially when she’s wearing a potato sack barefoot in the mud with horizontal rain, and she’s got a good attitude.”

Meanwhile, Black Phillip is still waiting for his The Northman callback.

The Northman is out in theaters now.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

Jimmy Kimmel went to town on Rudy Giuliani‘s bizarre The Masked Singer appearance, which finally made its debut this week after being spoiled earlier in the year. The late night host ripped Fox for making the very odd choice to rope in the disgraced lawyer for Donald Trump who’s been a constant peddler of election conspiracy theories to the detriment of his own career.

“They finally get a Republican to wear a mask, and that’s how it goes,” Kimmel quipped while setting up the Giuliani reveal that led to Masked Singer judge Ken Jeong walking off of the show in protest.

Kimmel also took a shot at the weird clue Giuliani gave to guess his identity, which was “I get put in the box a lot.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Kimmel said in response the odd hint. “Oh, because he’s a vampire, right? That’s the coffin he sleeps in. That’s the box. They put him in a box in the parking lot of a dildo store.”

After getting in that solid Four Seasons Landscaping dig, Kimmel turned his attention to Fox for signing off on such a ridiculous stunt and joked about which offensive guests The Masked Singer is going to line up next.

“I mean, I know it’s Fox, but I still can’t believe they did this. They put him on,” Kimmel said. “Rudy Giuliani tried to overthrow our government. Who do they have? Is Jared from Subway and the Zika virus next?”

(Via Jimmy Kimmel Live)

2022 has so far been a big year for PinkPantheress. She started by releasing a remixed version of her debut mixtape, To Hell With It. Also in January, she announced her first run of US tour dates, which is set to go down in May. On top of that, she’s opening for Halsey on some shows, too.

Now, she’s back with new music, a fresh single called “Where You Are.” The track is a collaboration with Willow but also with Mura Masa and Skrillex, as PinkPantheress co-produced the song with the latter two. The rhythmic electronic-pop tune sees PinkPantheress’ signature reserved vocal style melding with Willow’s more in-your-face pop-punk proclivities, although Willow has some tender moments, too.

PinkPantheress said of the tune, “I had a lot of fun writing this song. It took loads of attempts to get it right but this is probably my proudest work to date, and I’m super happy for everyone to hear it.”

This is the second collaboration between PinkPantheress and Mura Masa in recent times: In February, Mura Masa dropped “Bbycakes,” which featured PinkPantheress, Lil Uzi Vert, and Shygirl.

Listen to “Where You Are” above.

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

Last year, Erica Banks took over the world with her fierce, bass-heavy single “Buss It” that showcased her knack for intense beats and flawless flow. It became so big that it prompted the #BussItChallenge and celebrities like Chloe X Halle got involved. DaBaby even invited her to join his label Billion Dollar Baby Entertainment, but she turned it down.

Now, the viral star is back with the equally as addictive “Pop Out,” a club anthem with a very pink music video. The bass is as prominent as ever, and the song opens with a nod to iconic rapper Nelly’s “Hot In Herre”: “Hot off in the club, clothes off / I’m Nelly,” she raps.

That hit is actually also sampled in “Buss It,” about which she told Uproxx: “I have not talked to Nelly. It would be dope if I got to talk to him but I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to him. However, he did hit me with a follow on Instagram the other day. He also reposted his girlfriend dancing to the song, doing the ‘Buss It’ challenge. So, he has let me know that he does see me.”

Watch the video for “Pop Out” above.

Erica Banks is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

After a Donald Trump-appointed federal judge struck down a nationwide mask requirement, many of the country’s largest airlines, including American, Southwest, Delta, and United, said they would stop requiring masks on flights. The Tomi Lahrens of the world are rejoicing (despite hundreds of people still dying every day from the coronavirus). But surprisingly, Donald Trump Jr. has vowed to continue wearing a mask when he’s in public — although not for the reason you think. Unless you think it’s for a selfish, “I’m so famous” reason, then you’re right.

In response to a poll that found that 56 percent of Americans favor requiring people on public transportation to wear masks, a glassy-eyed Trump Jr. tweeted, “Must be a lib poll. I’ve flown out of Miami & Cleveland in the last 2 days and about 90% of people are massless. I’m sitting in an airport now and I can see 60+ people and can count 5 masks including me but I’m wearing one for anonymity not bc I think a small cloth does anything.”

Later, Trump Jr. replied to a tweet that claimed, “The best part of lifting the mask mandate is that you can now tell with 100% certainty exactly how many libs are on your flight.” He wrote, “99.99% I’ll keep wearing one so I can stay under the radar.”

As the replies point out, “Your not wearing a mask for anonymity, your wearing it in case someone would approach u and do something to you, your a coward should anyone tell u off!!!!!” If Trump Jr. is so concerned with being recognized, why is he flying commercial? And when has a Trump ever wanted to be “under the radar”? How convenient.

While most of Kanye West’s new music these days is locked behind his Stem Player, a couple of streaming-friendly Ye tracks surfaced today via Pusha T’s new album, It’s Almost Dry: He features on “Dreamin Of The Past” and “Rock N Roll.”

In a line from “Dreamin Of The Past,” West references the biblical birth of Jesus Christ before seemingly reflecting on his status as a divorced parent, saying, “Born in the manger, the son of a stranger / When daddy’s not home, the family’s in danger.”

Then, on “Rock N Roll,” Ye appears to address apparent issues he and Kim Kardashian have had co-parenting their children in recent months, saying, “Finally tired of comin’ and goin’, make up your mind / I ain’t come to pick up the kids to pick a fight.”

In January, West claimed he was blocked from visiting his kids at Kardashian’s because Pete Davidson was there. The next month, he said Kardashian didn’t allow him to bring their kids to a basketball game. In March, Kardashian asked West to leave the topic alone in the public eye, commenting on an Instagram post of his, “Please stop with this narrative, you were just here this morning picking up the kids for school.”

“Rock N Roll,” by the way, is the song both West and Kid Cudi appear on. A few days ago, Cudi tweeted of the track, “I did this song a year ago when I was still cool w Kanye. I am not cool w that man. He’s not my friend and I only cleared the song for Pusha cuz thats my guy. This is the last song u will hear me on w Kanye.”

Listen to “Dreamin Of The Past” and “Rock N Roll” above.

It’s been a few months since The Weeknd dropped his sixth album Dawn FM, and since then the project is still one of this year’s best releases. He’s promoted the project with a few videos and he’s set to bring Dawn FM and other songs from his discography to different corners of the United States and Canada through his After Hours Til Dawn Tour with Doja Cat. Fresh off his performance as a headliner at last weekend’s Coachella Festival, The Weeknd teams up with Kaytranada for a new remix to one of the most popular songs fromDawn FM.

Kaytranada, known for his groovy and spirited production, breathes new life into The Weeknd’s “Out Of Time” with a new take. Through his remix, Kaytranada speeds up the tempo on the track, which originally arrived as a lovelorn and slow-paced effort, thus granting listeners a new record to dance to. The remix arrives after The Weeknd teamed up with Jim Carrey and Squid Game star Jung Ho-yeon in his video for “Out Of Time.”

On a more recent note, The Weeknd caused some eyebrows to raise when he played an apology voicemail at Coachella, which many people believed was from his ex Bella Hadid. As for Kaytranada, the new remix comes after he teamed up with IDK for their record, “Taco.”

You can listen to Kaytranada’s remix of “Out Of Time” above.

IDK is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

There’s no stopping Blxst’s hustle. The West Coast crooner made a big splash in 2020 with his debut project No Love Lost, and since then, he’s done nothing but provide great music to his growing fan base. The following year, he reconnected with frequent collaborator Bino Rideaux for their second joint project Sixtape 2, which came after he secured a spot in the 2021 XXL Freshman Class. Blxst’s streak of sharp releases continues with the arrival of his second solo project Before You Go. In addition to sharing the new body of work, he also drops off a brand new visual with it.

Blxst lays off a new video for “Every Good Girl.” The track arrives as an ode to a new romance where he deems himself and his lover as the ideal companions for each other. The video captures Blxst and his new girl enjoying some intimate moments together as they go for a drive by the water and take videos together.

Before You Go arrives with 13 songs and appearances from Arin Ray, Rick Ross, Grandmaster Vic, and Zacari who contributed to the project’s second single, “Sometimes.”

You can watch the video for “Every Good Girl” above.

Before You Go is out now via Red Bull Records and Evgle. You can stream it here.

(SPOILERS for this week’s Atlanta will be found below.)

Following last week’s chaos in Budapest, the cast and crew of Atlanta are onto the next city as Paper Boi continues his European tour. This week, we don’t know the exact city that the group is in, but if one thing’s for sure, the awkward yet funny adventures that Earn, Paper Boi, Darius, Vanessa, and company find themselves in are still in full effect.

In this week’s episode, which is titled “White Fashion,” Atlanta tackles appropriation and the flaws in social justice reform. Darius experiences the former when he meets a woman (who’s taken an interest in Nigerian cuisine) while Paper Boi deals with the latter when he’s called to help a white fashion company apologize for their offensive errors.

Here are some of the biggest questions we had after season three’s sixth episode.

The ‘Little Mix-Up’ Is A Bit More Than A ‘Little Mix-Up,’ Would You Say?

This week’s episode of Atlanta kicks off with a white fashion designer apologizing for their company’s “little mix-up” during a meeting with Earn and Paper Boi. This “little mix-up” is the “Central Park” No. 5 jersey that was shown in the opening scene as the designer worked out final designs, which he says were inspired by New York’s Central Park. However, the designer failed to notice that the jersey inadvertently referenced the 2012 film Central Park 5. The movie examined the 1989 case of five teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of raping a woman, and as a result, the group spent 6-13 years in prison before a serial rapist confessed to the crime. To add insult to injury, the jersey was promoted with an image that featured a white woman wearing it as she laid beside a group of Black people. With that being said, there’s nothing “little” about this “mix-up,” but it’s another example of the questions decisions that fashion brands make (see: Gucci, H&M, and Burberry).

They Can’t Be This Oblivious To Their Appropriation And Wrongdoings, Right?

By the end of “White Fashion,” you can’t help but be a bit baffled that white people are this oblivious to their appropriation and wrongdoings. So much so that calling them oblivious may be cutting them unnecessary slack for their actions. There’s the white designer’s “Central Park” No. 5 jersey and Sharon’s decision to buy out the property of the Nigerian restaurant, shut it down, and then start her own Nigerian cuisine food truck despite having no knowledge or experience in crafting Nigerian food. We also have the fashion company’s decision to take Paper Boi’s “Reinvest In Your Hood” idea and, as he puts it, “all lives matter” it into something far removed from his original idea. These incidents are detailed with a comedic touch, but as the saying goes, “behind every joke there is some truth,” and the truth here is just as baffling as it is frustrating.

Wouldn’t It Be Easier To Fund An Idea Rather Than Steal It And (Unsuccessfully) Emulate It?

I mean think about it! Would you steal a luxury car that you have no idea how to operate? Probably not, because when you steal something, which we strongly advise against doing, you should have some sort of getaway plan in place to make sure you’re successful. It would make a lot more sense to pay someone who’s experienced in operating the vehicle to get the job done. This same applies to Sharon and her Nigerian food trunk. Shutting down the owner’s restaurant, which offered authentic Nigerian cuisine, in order to serve her own Great Value version of it, which will ultimately prove to be a failure sooner than later, makes little sense. The creations that Black people make are taught by family and/or inspired by our experiences in this twisted world. Without either of those, emulating these creations will lack the authenticity it truly needs to be successful. There are other ways, many of which are more beneficial, to support these causes.

Why Is A Finesse Needed For Social Reforms?

Paper Boi learns a few lessons when he joins the social justice cohort in this week’s episode. Despite everything that the world has shown him in terms of their treatment of Black people, he still approaches the reform with the thought that white people will make changes and take a step towards making a more equal world once Black people explicitly tell them what needs to be done. So when his idea to “reinvest the hood” is taken and turned into something completely different than what he imagined, his anger is very understandable. However, Khalil, a fellow member of the social justice cohort, notes that as good as Paper Boi’s idea was, it was no monetary benefit to the company which caused them to alter it. We’d love to think that white people will sacrifice their power, control, and influence, for a more equal world, but the direct or indirect question more times than not is “what’s in it for us?” And thus, enter: the finesse.

Is Earn Too Worrisome Or Is Vanessa Too Nonchalant?

Aside from Darius and Paper Boi’s dealings during the show, Earn has a few moments of his own during the episode, one of which sees him reconnect with Vanessa. They run into each other at a hotel, and after Earn helps fend off a white woman’s loud, obnoxious, and maybe true accusations of robbery against Vanessa, they head off to their hotel room to end the night. It’s here that Vanessa says Earn is too worrisome, which he denies. Earn’s worries, especially when it comes to Vanessa’s whereabouts as they share a child, are completely valid, but there is a bit of truth to Vanessa’s words. A relaxed and carefree moment or two would probably serve Earn well, but managing an artist and their tour overseas leaves little room for that. One could also say that Vanessa is too nonchalant as she sees no issue with aimlessly wandering who knows where in Europe without communicating with Earn. Long story short, two truths can exist when it comes to this question.

FX’s ‘Atlanta’ airs on Thursdays at 10:00pm EST.