Month: July 2022

Kyler Murray’s new contract with the Arizona Cardinals raised eyebrows this week, and not for the massive price tag of five years, $230.5 million.

For the past few days a clause about “independent study” that put in writing that Murray was to do four hours of film work on his own each week became the lead topic for NFL fans and media. It was a bizarre contract clause to include in a star quarterback’s contract considering how much film work they do to be ready for opposing defenses (and self-scouting of their own team), and raised some red flags for many about whether the Cardinals believe in Murray’s work ethic to be one of the league’s elite — and, of course, there were tons of jokes about Murray being forced to do homework from fans on social media.

On Thursday, Murray addressed all of the commentary on his contract with a forceful impromptu press conference, calling it “disrespectful” to assume he could get to this point without putting in the right amount of work off the field. Following that, word broke that the clause that caused all of this kerfuffle had been removed by the team on Wednesday.

It’s odd to have a team remove a contract clause like this, but if it quiets questions of Murray’s work ethic (or the Cardinals commitment to him and belief in him) it’s probably smart. Still, the inclusion of it in the first place was the issue and while that may not be a stipulation of his massive deal anymore, few people are going to forget about it soon.

Say it ain’t so. After months of speculation over whether Migos will remain a trio, the answer may have just been given by an unexpected source. The Atlanta trio is slated to perform at the upcoming 2022 Pepsi National Battle Of The Bands which celebrates HBCU marching bands; only, there are just two of the three men on the poster: Quavo and Takeoff. The promotional video throws another curveball as it specifically says “a live performance by the Migos: Quavo and Takeoff.”

The questions about the group’s status began back in May when it was revealed that Offset and his wife, superstar rapper Cardi B, unfollowed Quavo and Takeoff on social media. That same month, the “Gang Gang” artists formed the duo “Unc & Phew” and released “Hotel Lobby.” Offset took to Instagram shortly after to promote some music of his own, but none of the rappers spoke directly on Migos’s future until earlier this month. Quavo was interviewed by GQ and said that their solo activities simply make them better individuals and a better group, which they have attempted before with 2018’s Quavo Huncho and The Last Rocket, plus 2019’s Father Of 4.

“It was all about Migos, Migos, Migos. The three of us,” the “Workin Me” artist said. “I feel like every group member has to establish themselves. Their own body of work. If not, you start losing members.”

This Pepsi Battle Of The Bands performance is an understandable cause of concern, but perhaps not all hope is lost and Quavo’s word is bond.

Check out the poster and promotional video above.

The Tham Luang cave rescue captivated the world’s attention when a children’s soccer team and their coach were trapped by heavy rains inside a deep cave system. The resulting multi-national rescue mission was an astonishing feat, and its success has echoed into the imaginations of multiple film and TV projects. That includes a project from director Jon Chu, the drama The Cave from Tom Waller, a documentary from National Geographic, a docuseries from Netflix, and the Ron Howard project Thirteen Lives. Set for release tomorrow, it stars Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and a thankfully-still-alive Viggo Mortensen.

As it turns out, even the filming of the rescue came with its own dangers. Speaking with People, Mortensen explained how one of the valves to his oxygen tank turned off while he was inside one of the replica caves. “All of a sudden I couldn’t breathe,” Mortensen told People. “It seemed like a long time, but it was only a matter of seconds. I panicked.” Before filming, the actor trained with Rick Stanton, the real-life hero he’s portraying, understanding the person he’s meant to be playing and getting technical advice that ultimately saved him. After he pushed past the panic, Mortensen was able to do a simple maneuver that fixed the issue. “It’s not that complicated. But at the moment, it’s hard to think clearly.”

No kidding. Now we have Stanton to thank for Mortensen’s survival, too. Naturally, the rest of the interview features the Lord of the Rings star describing other moments where he almost died in water, and the list is long enough (more than one time) to cement his status as a legit daredevil who should bring a reserve oxygen tank with him at all times. Please, stay safe out there, Viggo.

(via People)

Issa Rae’s follow-up to Insecure is already off to a strong start, as fans have taken to the first two episodes of Rap Sh!t on HBO Max the same way they took to her breakout show. And, in an immaculate example of Issa’s marketing prowess, the signature song from burgeoning on-screen Miami rap duo Mia and Shawna, “Seduce & Scheme,” has received an official release from Issa’s Atlantic-backed label, Raedio.

In the show, “Seduce & Scheme” is the result of a drunken late-night reunion between the two lead characters after their post-high school falling out. It goes viral, becoming the launching point for their rap group ambitions, with Mia encouraging the passionate but preachy Shawna to loosen up while Mia learns to take herself and her own talent more seriously. The show, which is also executive produced by City Girls, is a loose re-telling of the Quality Control hitmakers’ own origin story, with some Issa Rae flair thrown in.

So far, fans have been loving the show’s subtle social commentary on subjects like the double standards for women in rap and the seemingly incessant cultural appropriation surrounding the genre. Highlighting the latter, viewers were delighted by the show’s use of a real-life viral moment to promote an in-show character’s “hit” song. Atlanta rapper Omeretta The Great had posted what looked to be a white woman covering her viral hit “Sorry Not Sorry,” imitating the streetwise declarations that the surrounding suburbs were “not Atlanta.”

In reality, it turns out that the rapper, Reina Reign, was actually an actor, Kat Cunning, gamely playing the role of a clueless appropriator who switches from doing acoustic covers of rap songs to full-on Black girl cosplay in an effort to bank off the increasing popularity of female rappers. And just like that video went viral, Rap Sh!t‘s signature single — which was penned in part by real rapper Dreezy and some of the show’s staff, looks like it’s going to be a hit as well.

You can listen to “Seduce & Scheme” above.

Raedio is a subsidiary of Warner Music. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs which stripped away Constitutional protections for those needing an abortion, several large companies have signaled that they will pay for their employees in states where abortion is illegal to travel to states where it is. It’s a kind of cultural bandage of a judicial bullet hole, not barring the dicey arena of having to tell your boss that you need an abortion in order to get time off and reimbursement. It’s all messy, and a group of 411 major TV creatives have sent a letter to all the major production houses asking that they make things clearer.

The letter, obtained by Variety, is signed by a slew of producers and head writers, from Shonda Rhimes to Carrie Brownstein to Diablo Cody to Natasha Lyonne to Ava Duvernay. It is, quite simply, an assembly of size and importance that cannot be ignored. The demands that they sent to Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., and more are as follows:

“● Published policies and procedures to provide an abortion travel subsidy for employees of your productions including specific information on how the employee’s medical privacy will be safeguarded.
● Protocols outlining the scope of medical care for employees of your productions, including ectopic pregnancies and other pregnancy complications that require medical treatment via abortion while working for Netflix.
● Policy regarding criminal and civil legal protection, including indemnification and defense against liability, for any member of a production who facilitates Netflix’s protocols or provides Netflix’s policy information and guidelines to an employee seeking an abortion.
● Pledge to discontinue all political donations to anti-abortion candidates and political action committees immediately.”

The undersigned are giving ten business days to have written responses returned, although it’s not specified what will happen if those demands are not met within that timeframe. It’s an urgent need because many productions are currently taking place in states where abortion is illegal already or may soon be. That includes Georgia, which is a hot spot for major productions and whose 6-week fetal heartbeat law is on the books and being challenged.

The notable absence on the roster? Men. It’s not like there are only a handful; there are none. It’s possible that the letter was designed by its writers to be that way, but, if not, it’s a bizarre black eye to women who should not be fighting this fight alone. The full roster of signees can be seen at Variety, but if you can think up a (female) name, you’re almost sure to find it there.

Troy Kotsur became the first deaf man to win an acting Oscar earlier this year for his portrayal of a fisherman struggling to make ends meet as his daughter, the only hearing member of his family, struck out on her own in a school choir. If you’ve never teared up at watching a man “listen” to his daughter sing by feeling her vocal chords, you owe it to yourself to snuggle up, get comfortable, and cry your heart out while streaming CODA. Now that he’s conquered the Academy, Kotsur is heading to Disney+, where he’ll star in a series about the football team at California School for the Deaf Riverside. According to Variety, Kotsur will play the team’s coach and tell the story of the real-life CSDR’s epic 2021 season as they rolled toward championship victory.

It’s also got a stellar, surprising name writing and directing the pilot. Ron Shelton (a list of credits too long to mention, including Bad Boys II and Bull Durham) is set to helm the project, drawing on veteran status writing complicated sports stories and directing powerfully dramatic narratives. Shelton was most recently a writer for L.A.’s Finest, the Bad Boys spinoff TV show.

Disney+ is working alongside CSDR for the project, and Kotsur’s CODA co-star Marlee Matlin is also executive producing. Plus, they’re promising that the cast and several members of the crew will be deaf. It’s a very cool story that has found the right home and the right leading man, but he probably won’t have nearly as cool a beard for it.

(via Variety)

Dwight Howard remains unsigned by an NBA team. And while he’d like to continue playing in the NBA, he also has his eyes on the WWE.

Per Arash Markazi, Howard said he’d make the move to the WWE if an NBA deal does not materialize. Howard was a participant in the WWE’s tryout today ahead of Saturday’s SummerSlam in Nashville, cutting a promo before talking to Markazi about his future, both on the court and in the ring.

“I think it’s something that is in my future,” Howard said. “I love the WWE. I love wrestling. I love being a part of something that’s, you know, built up by characters and stuff like that.”

“I would love to play in the NBA,” Howard said. “That’s where I’ve been my whole entire life. I love basketball, it’s my passion. I still have years left in me. So I would definitely love to play and just end my career on a high note, a great note and then transition to the best business in the world, the WWE.”

Howard, 37, spent last year with the Los Angeles Lakers, playing in 60 games with averages of 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He won a title with the Lakers in 2020 and was one of the league’s best players while a member of the Orlando Magic early in his career, leading them to the 2009 NBA Finals, before bouncing around the league with stints with the Lakers (three times), Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.

“I’ve been watching this my whole life and I told myself If I had an opportunity to do this, I would do it with my whole heart and be the best that I can,” Howard said about a wrestling future.

Dwight wouldn’t be the first NBA player to make the jump to pro wrestling, as Dennis Rodman rather famously had a run as a member of the NWO while still playing for the Bulls — and skipping a Finals practice to do so. Howard won’t try to replicate that level of double duty, but sure seems genuine about at least making a go at a wrestling career whenever he reaches a point where NBA teams aren’t calling anymore.

First, Michael B. Jordan picked up the gloves as Apollo Creed’s son, Adonis, and then Florian Munteanu jumped in the ring as Ivan Drago’s son, Viktor. Now, it’s time for the spin-offee to become the spin-offer. The thing that does the spinning off. You get it.

According to The Wrap, MGM is moving forward on a project that focuses on the Russian boxer. Despite weirdly missing the opportunity to call it House of the Drago, the film is being written by Film Academy Nicholl Fellowship winner Robert Lawton, who won over the scholarship panel and producers with a Rocky-centric spec script. Back in 2019, Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren were trying to sell an action drama to network TV, and the project never quite got off the ground, but late last year, Lundgren nodded toward the possibility that Drago would get his own movie following an appearance in Creed II. At the time, Lundgren told The Hollywood Reporter that “when I played the character, I did a backstory about how he was brought up by the state and they controlled him. He didn’t have much say. He wasn’t really an evil person; he was just a product of the system. He’s Frankenstein’s monster. He’s not Dr. Frankenstein; that was the Soviet Union. So I always played that, and some of that came across in ’85.”

So, essentially Ivan Drago is Black Widow. Noted.

There are currently no plot details for Drago, but Creed III is still set to hit theaters November 22, 2022, and they could presumably keep spinning off new stories about new contenders every year if they wanted to.

(via The Wrap)

Earlier today, Kelis voiced her frustrations over one of her records being sampled on Beyoncé’s upcoming album Renaissance without it being cleared. She commented on the @kelistrends Instagram page and went back and forth with fans who were excited about the “collaboration.” Evidently, the Harlem artist had much more to get off of her chest in the form of a near three-minute rant that a fan posted to Twitter, where Kelis called out Pharrell and Chad Hugo for purposely participating in the “theft.”

From the very beginning of the video, the 42-year-old clarifies that her beef is not only with Beyoncé, who she says has copied her before much like many other artists. “The issue is not only are we female artists, Black female artists, in an industry that there’s not that many of us,” Kelis says. “We’ve met each other, we know each other, we have mutual friends. It’s not hard, she can contact me.” She then compares the situation to when Ashnikko went through the proper channels to connect with her to clear “Deal With It,” where she sampled Kelis’s “Caught Out There.”

Kelis continued her diatribe by calling the “Bey Hive” sheep for defending her and pointing out how Kelis doesn’t own her music before turning her attention to Pharrell and Chad Hugo.

“Chad really is like an amoeba, he’s spineless. It’s a miracle he can keep his neck up, but Pharrell knows better. This is a direct hit at me, he does this stuff all the time. It’s very petty–very, very, very–and the reality is that it’s frustrating. I have the right to be frustrated. Why? Because no one had the human decency to call and be like ‘Yo, hey, would like to use your record.’ Which, by the way, is the reason I’m annoyed because I know it was on purpose.”

A new Beyoncé release always causes hysteria, so this situation isn’t too surprising, but it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. As of now, there have been no comments from the Lemonade artist, Pharrell, or Hugo.

Signs are pointing at a new Nicki Minaj era imminent. As the Barbz wait on bated breath for her upcoming single, “Freaky Girl,” Minaj surprised fans today by sharing the trailer for her upcoming six-part docuseries, Nicki.

The trailer is filled with footage from several eras of Minaj’s career, from her mixtape era of the mid-aughts, her breaking into the mainstream pop landscape in the early 2010s, all the way up to the era of her most recent album, Queen. Fans will also see clips of Minaj alongside her husband, Kenneth Petty.

The docuseries, produced by the Canadian Bron Studios, was first announced in 2020, with plans to stream on HBO Max. However, she appeared to indicate on Instagram she is looking for a new platform on which to release the docuseries.

“Coming out SOONER THANK YOU THINK,” she said in a caption. “I took some time to perfect this very intimate, delicate, electrifying, inspiring body of work. As I decide on a home for this project, I can’t help but reflect on what I’m including in this doc. Some things are so personal, it’s scary. It’s like NOTHING you’ve seen before & I need it to be handled with care. Love you so much. Thank you for the continued support.”

Check out the trailer above.