To mark the 20th anniversary of Austin Powers in Goldmember, and more importantly, the film’s surprise casting of Beyoncé as Foxy Cleopatra, Vulture has cobbled together an oral history of how the pop star’s presence in the Mike Myers comedy transitioned her from pop singer to one of the largest superstars on the planet. While the film didn’t exactly blow the doors off the box office, Beyoncé was a favorite amongst critics who lamented that her character wasn’t given more to do.

According to the deep dive, working with Beyoncé was a surreal experience. Not because she was a diva or anything (by all accounts she was surprisingly shy), but because she was a cordial collaborator who wanted to make sure she looked “fabulous” as a Black woman in the ’70s. As part of that pursuit, the producers were surprised when she made an uncommon request for an actress, according to an anecdote from makeup artist Kate Biscoe.

Via Vulture:

When we were shooting, someone brought her a poster that would be promoting the movie. He showed it to her, like, “Do you like it?” And she was kind of like, “Yeah.” He goes, ’What’s the matter?” And she says, “You made me too skinny. It’s not me.” Then she did this hourglass shape. And he said, “Okay, we’ll fix that.” She walked away to go do the scene, and I looked at him and smiled, like, “Is that the first time that you’ve ever had an actress ask to make her body bigger?” He was like, “Yes. It’s going to cost me thousands of dollars, but I am going to do it.”

Keep in mind, Beyoncé made this request in the early 2000s during the heyday of Maxim magazine and super-thin actresses and socialites. She was bucking a pretty significant and unhealthy trend, and it clearly didn’t harm her career one bit.

(Via Vulture)

The best new hip-hop this week features albums, videos, and songs from Latto, Joey Badass, and DJ Premier.

We have reached the mid-point of July; this summer sure feels like it is flying by. Still, many rappers are adding their flavor to these hot days, whether through their melodic croons or gritty backpack raps. New Latto is always welcome, but so is new Bobby Shmurda. As you should already know by now, I got you all with everything you need to hear and might have missed.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending July 15, 2022.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

DJ Premier — Hip Hop 50, Vol. 1

DJ Premier is hip-hop, through and through. He’s got an extensive plan to celebrate the genre’s 50th anniversary and kicks it off with this first EP Hip Hop 50, Vol. 1 featuring Nas, Lil Wayne, Joey Badass, Remy Ma, Run The Jewels, Rapsody, and Slick Rick. With a star cast like that and his elite production, this is bound to be the start of something beautiful. For now, the highlight is Nas’ high-level rapping on “Beat Breaks.”

CMG The Label — Gangsta Art

CMG is simply one of the best things moving right now. Their roster of talent, highlighted by Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, EST Gee, 42 Dugg, and new signee Glorilla, has provided many of the hottest sounds over the last few years. It only made sense for the label to come together for the full-length compilation Gangsta Art. While they do solicit outside acts, CMG shines brightly over the course of the project’s 27 records.

Kid Cudi — A Kid Named Cudi

Kid Cudi is continuing his victory lap this week with the official DSP release of his seminal mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. There will likely be many fans saying “I have this already!” but for those who enjoy the convenience of having all of their music in one place, this re-release is for you. Enjoy “Maui Wowie” without having to restart it on YouTube or Soundcloud. You deserve this moment.

Rowdy Rebel — Rebel Vs. Rowdy

Rowdy Rebel has been a fixture in music for almost a decade, but legal troubles have hindered the NY rapper from fully blossoming. However, brighter days are ahead as he has released his full-length album Rebel Vs. Rowdy. The project features A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Fivio Foreign, French Montana, Jadakiss, Dreezy, Kaimikaze Kai, and Drizzy Juliano. If you know Rowdy, then you know to expect high energy and funny punchlines here.

Sheff G — From The Can

Sheff G is one of the best young talents in the Brooklyn drill rap scene. Though he is currently imprisoned, he didn’t want to leave his fans without music and delivered the aptly-named project From The Can. Fivio Foreign, Rowdy Rebel, Polo G, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie join the rapper, with Sleepy Hallow appearing on three different records.

Lloyd Banks — The Course Of The Inevitable 2

It is always great to see our rap veterans age gracefully. Lloyd Banks has followed up 2021’s The Course Of The Inevitable with its sequel, starring Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, Jadakiss, Tony Yayo, Vado and Dave East. It’s New York rap galore.

Seddy Hendrinx– Well Sed

Seddy Hendrinx clearly has a knack for wordplay, evident in the title of latest LP Well Sed. The 10-track album boasts features from Fivio Foreign and T-Pain, but Seddy commands the other eight songs on his own. Much like one of the album’s songs, this will be something you play “Monday Thru Sunday.”

Rexx Life Raj — The Blue Hour

Rexx Life Raj is a special talent. While the sun illuminates out outdoor activities, Raj is focusing on the down moments with his latest album The Blue Hour. The immediate standout here is “Beauty In The Madness” featuring Fireboy DML and Wale, but don’t sleep on “Settled” featuring Russ.

Singles/Videos

Latto — “P*ssy”

It’s giving equality! Latto takes a turn from her usual output with the “P*ssy” video, sitting on a couch as multiple cats circle her and rapping her feelings about men, misogyny, and the recent Roe V. Wade decision. She spits with aggression and disdain, offering dismissive eye rolls and side eyes at the current state of the world. Right on, Latto. Not to mention, she samples Beyonce’s “Upgrade U” flawlessly.

Bobby Shmurda — “Hoochie Daddy”

Bobby Shmurda loves a good time and has been especially having a blast ever since being released from prison in 2021. “Hoochie Daddy” finds the NY rapper fully leaning into one of this summer’s viral trends and offering an upbeat dance bop for the men. Ladies, let your men wear those above-knee shorts. Boys just want to have fun too.

Redman — “So Cool”

Redman is all about self-affirmations in his latest single “So Cool.” The hook is smooth but he is sure to bring his haymaker flow to the verses. “I murder sh** without any effort” properly captures his performance on this song; it simply feels too easy for the rap veteran.

Rico Nasty — “Skullflower”

Rico Nasty is eccentric in all of the best ways, but especially musically and visually. The “Skullflower” video finds the artist prancing through a sunflower field with a specially made-up face as her distorted vocals levitate over the EDM-like production. Despite all the fixings, her rap roots shine through the lyrics. The woman can do it all, even amidst chaos.

Zubin, Coi Leray, YungManny — “Givenchy”

“Givenchy” is what some would call a “smooth banger.” There’s a silky essence to the record with moody synths and soft drums. Zubin, Coi Leray, and YungManny match the energy with their melodic vocals. This is a favorite from this week’s offering.

Fredo Bang — “Say Please”

Fredo Bang is an enigma. With a microphone somehow suspended in the middle of the street, he yearns for his lover in the “Say Please” video. Fredo asserts that no one can love her like him, and even asks for specific details about her other lovers to make sure he’s ahead of the curve. Whatever works, bro.

G Perico — “Young And Reckless”

G Perico keeps it honest on “Young And Reckless.” He raps about racing to the hood to show off his new car but still wants more. Humans are tough to keep satisfied for long, but G Perico is definitely content with his success. Through it all, he remains true to his roots as he links up with his crew throughout the video. “Young n***** gotta eat.”

Mic King — “Build”

Mic King opens the “Build” video being interviewed in a formal setting about the agency he just started. Then the beat drops and the script flips to an extent, as throughout the visual he shows himself delivering speeches and deep in thought in an office setting. The man is about his business and about his bars.

AG Club — “Kevin”

AG Club puts their own spin on Godzilla in the “Kevin” video. Although, the creator looks more demonic than lizard-like. AG raps with a fire that matches the flames engulfing the office in the visual.

Omeretta The Great — “Baba”

Omeretta The Great brings the energy on “Baba,” switching from full-on attacking the beat to letting it breathe before jumping in again. Her breath control is especially impressive. “Baba” is fun and that’s all you can ask for.

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

There are a lot of celebrity cannabis brands out there. Surprisingly, most of them — particularly the newer ones — are… at least pretty good. Sometimes overpriced, sure, but those are the breaks of the game when you have a big name attached. What separates the good brands from the great ones is how involved with the cannabis production process (“the grow”) the famous face is. For some celebs, cannabis is a cash-grab, a marketing gimmick, and a good tie-in to their connected pieces of cultural currency. For others — the Seth Rogens and Bella Thornes — it’s an extension of their personality and a true passion project.

Tyson 2.0, a cannabis company formed by Mike Tyson, falls into the latter camp. As someone who has followed the “weed-loving podcast host” portion of his career — after his runs as one of the best boxers ever and then “pop culture dude who shows up to Comedy Central roasts and has cameos in movies” — the fact that Iron Mike turns out quality bud actually doesn’t surprise me much. He’s no stranger to cannabis, having re-embraced his love for weed a few years back after an 18-year break.

“For 18 years I was drinking like an animal,” Tyson told NBC at an event promoting Tyson 2.0. “My life was miserable. I started using pot a few years ago. My whole life changed for the better.”

Now herb is a centerpiece in Tyson’s life. Aside from his cannabis brand (which is actually his second cannabis venture, hence the “2.0”) he also hosts a podcast called “Hotboxin’” where he regularly smokes with guests, talks about how believes the world would be better if everyone smoked (a classic stoner viewpoint), and says stuff like this: “Using cannabis only rises me to my highest potential… When I do cannabis I don’t do it to relax, I do it to think. That’s what the word ‘high’ means, your highest capability of thinking.”

Yup, that’s legit stoner talk. And more to the point, this guy knows his weed.

Tyson 2.0’s mission is to produce high-quality cannabis products that strike a balance between being premium, affordable, and accessible. With a reach that includes Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington, Tyson 2.0 is pretty widely available and seems to constantly be adding new markets — definitely delivering on the accessibility front. Unlike Rogen and Thorne’s brands, Tyson 2.0 caters to an audience that wants high-quality bud but doesn’t want to drop nearly $70 on a single eighth and there’s definitely an audience for that.

We tested out whether the brand meets its mission by sampling three flower strains, a few joints, and the edible gummy ears. That’s right, edible gummy ears, bold move Champ!

Pre-Roll — The Toad

Retail Price: $10

THC: 25%

Flavor and Effects:

The Toad is, according to the Tyson 2.0 website, the brand’s debut strain and is available in both the flower and pre-roll form. It’s very much the flagship strain of the brand and is available in several variants dubbed the Southern Toad, the Sonoran Toad, and the Desert Toad. What’s the deal with all the toads? The strain was apparently named after the Colorado River Toad, a toad that exudes psychoactive toxins through its skin.

We smoked the OG Toad (a cross between Chemdawg OG and Girl Scout Cookies) in pre-roll form and while it got us high, the trip was far from psychedelic. This single gram pre-roll is only $10 and you sort of get what you pay for — it’s harsh, dry, and burns fast, like most pre-rolls. That said, the bud inside is vibrant green, a bit sticky, and features a nice coarse grind.

For a $10 joint, it provides a good cerebral high but didn’t wow us on flavor or overall quality.

The Bottom Line:

Pretty good for a $10 joint, but probably the worst way to experience what Tyson 2.0 offers as a brand.

Edible — Mike Bites

Retail Price: $16

THC: 10mg per gummy.

Flavor and Effects:

In 1997 when Mike Tyson bit the ear of Evander Holyfield during their heavyweight championship battle it was a controversial moment not just in boxing history, but in contemporary culture. It shocked the world. Now, 25 years later, it’s a piece of Mike Tyson merch that gets you high. That’s insane. But as dark an indication of where we are as a society as these edible gummy ears are, it’s also really really funny. They even have a chunk missing from them in the same spot where Tyson bit Holyfield.

As a product, they’re pretty fucking good too. This seems to be quickly becoming common knowledge as they’re currently sold out at the Tyson 2.0 store.

The gummies are available in Black Raspberry, Watermelon, and Sour Apple. We tried the Black Raspberry and flavor-wise, it’s pretty good. Initially. The gummy has a great chew, and the berry-forward flavor is delicious, with a sugar exterior not unlike peach rings, but after you chew on it a bit it has that distinct bitter cannabis flavor that most edible gummies feature.

Each gummy boasts 10mg of THC per gummy and after about 40 minutes after consuming one on a full stomach (just after lunch) I started to feel a pronounced body melt that whisked me into couch lock. But while the body high was strong, I never felt dumbed down or too high to function — I consider this more of a relaxation product than a head high.

This is the sort of edible you want to eat when you’re looking to chill out on the couch, a beach, or a park — whether that means binging your favorite show, staring up at the clouds, or listening to your favorite music.

The Bottom Line:

A great, sweet berry-flavored edible that produces a strong and relaxing body high.

Flower — Dynamite Cookies

Retail Price: $50

THC: 31%

Flavor and Effects:

The flower is where Tyson 2.0 really shines. This is where the brand feels like it’s living up to its mission — at just $50 an eighth, Dynamite Cookies is affordable, while still punching above its weight. This isn’t the top-shelf artisan craft cannabis of Seth Rogen’s Houseplant brand, but it’s still pretty good, and for the money, it’s well in line with the sort of quality you’d expect in this range.

Dynamite Cookies feature deep green buds with light orange hairs intertwined between dense and slightly sticky buds. The flavor is sweet and distinctly citrusy with a tangerine-rind flavor to it and the slightest hint of licorice.

This Sativa strain keeps the high cerebral, expect feelings of euphoria with a strong high that doesn’t come on too fast. You can expect to get blazed out of your mind off a single hit but don’t expect it to hit you right away — this is a high that marinates and slowly takes over.

The Bottom Line:

A strong Sativa with a citrus-forward flavor and a high that stays cerebral and feels euphoric.

Flower — Tiger Mintz

Retail Price: $50

THC: 27%

Flavor and Effects:

Tiger Mintz is aimed at indica fans and as an indica fan myself, this one really delivers. The flavor here is sweet with a rich coffee body and a nice minty herbal finish. The buds are super dense and covered in orange hairs and sticky crystals.

While the high wasn’t nearly as intense as the Dynamite Cookies, the Tiger Mintz provides a nice body buzz and a relaxing stress-melting high. It’s the sort of high that feels like an escape, it’s not that your problems and stressors cease to matter, it’s just that you can’t hold a thought in your head for long enough to care. About anything.

This is great not just for those plagued with feelings of stress and anxiety, but for people who are looking for a good dessert strain to smoke after dinner before bed. It’s a high that feels like you’re unplugging from the world, which is just what you need sometimes for a good night’s sleep.

The Bottom Line:

Vacation as a weed strain. This indica will melt your stress and anxiety with a strong body and mind high.

Flower — Southern Toad

Retail Price: $50

THC: 36%

Flavor and Effects:

The Southern Toad strain is from the same lineage as The Toad but with an added confidential phenotype. At 36% THC, it’s Tyson 2.0’s strongest strain, and it’s noticeably more premium than the other strains I’ve smoked in the series. The bud is more fragrant, crystal-covered, and flavorful, with a strong piney minty flavor, citrus after taste, and a cool and soothing throat feel.

Smoking Southern Toad produced thick milky clouds from my Pax 3 vaporizer and a high that started cerebral and euphoric and gently tapered into full-body relaxation and relief. After a few hits, I felt a buzzing behind my eyes that continued to melt throughout my whole body, producing feelings of well-being.

This is the sort of strain that makes you want to do yoga, get a massage, or feel the sun’s rays on your body. It enhances tactical sensations in a really powerful way.

The Bottom Line:

The strongest strain, both in THC, flavor, and effects in the Tyson 2.0 lineup. If you’re going to try the brand, start with the Southern Toad.

The music world has lost an irreplaceable titan today. TMZ reports that William “Poogie” Hart, the lead singer of the iconic R&B trio The Delfonics, passed away Thursday, July 14, at the age of 77. His son Hadi said that he was taken to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia after he reported trouble breathing and suffered complications during surgery.

The Delfonics, which Hart and his brother Wilbert formed in Philadelphia in 1965, are credited with helping to popularize the Philly vocal sound, which was characterized by their use of falsetto on songs like “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” “La-La (Means I Love You),” and “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide From Love).” Although the height of their popularity was primarily in the 1960s and ’70s, they remained active to this day, performing at festivals like Like Upon A Time In LA and working with contemporary producer Adrian Younge in 2013 to release Adrian Younge Presents the Delfonics. They also appeared in Marvel’s Luke Cage series on Netflix.

Hip-hop fans may know the vocal group from their work with Younge and samples by The Fugees, Ghostface Killah, Nas, and The Notorious B.I.G. Their music was also used extensively in films like Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 thriller Jackie Brown, in which “Didn’t I” was pivotal to the plot. Poogie’s death leaves his brother Wilbert as the last remaining original member of the group, which had splintered in the 1990s, performing as two separate groups under the same name.

Larry June stays busy. Straight up. It’s a never-ending hustle for the San Francisco rapper who is a mightily prolific force. Last year, he dropped two albums: The Cardo-produced Into The Night and one of our standouts, in the Bay Area-to-the-world mentality of Orange Print. He’s already released the 2 P’s In A Pod EP with Jay Worthy this year, recorded an NPR Tiny Desk Concert and now, more new music in the form of the standalone single “Private Valet.”

The track is pure heat, with the video seeing June kickin’ it in East London, riding around in a Lamborghini — an orange one, of course. In the video directed by LX, he finds himself literally on top of the city taking in the skyline, before snagging a bottle of Veuve Clicquot at a corner store, and then drinking it with a lady over late night fast food at Morley’s. “Might do the mink with the midnight, doors open up on the Lamborghini like fisheye,” he raps. Produced by Jake One, the track has orchestral strings and horns over a punchy snare sample that June just soaks right into. “I can talk like this cause I live that,” he spits; as real as they come.

Watch the video for “Private Valet” above.

In 2019, two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Blade after the character was previously played by Wesley Snipes in 1998’s Blade, 2002’s Blade II (it rules), and 2004’s Blade: Trinity. There are no hard feelings about the recasting from Snipes, who thinks Ali will do “great” because “he’s a good actor, he’s a talented actor, and he appreciates the craft, the art form of acting,” he told Forbes. “Those who approach the craft that way usually do very, very well, and I think he’s done pretty good so far, so I have great confidence. And his name is Mahershala Ali, c’mon!”

Snipes was also asked whether he’s been contacted by Marvel about appearing in the Blade reboot. “I hear it from other people who hear it from other people,” he answered. “But they haven’t backed the truck up yet to the house and said, ‘Let’s ride.’ They haven’t done that one yet.” (They call that the Krusty the Clown special.) If Spider-Man: No Way Home can have three Spider-Men, why can’t Blade have two Blades?

Blade, which is directed by Bassam Tariq and written by Tariq and Stacy Osei-Kuffour, does not currently have a release date.

(Via Forbes)

If the Marvel Cinematic Universe is doing anything for cinema, it is keeping some of our best actors gainfully employed for doing the bare minimum. It seems like every MCU project contains a recognizable actor in a usually inconsequential supporting role who, otherwise, would probably play a major role or a role with more than a few lines.

These performers, who bring their effortless talent to thankless roles for an easy paycheck, are the true heroes of the MCU and this here is an appropriately brief celebration of the best of them.

Note: the absence of Stan Lee isn’t a statement, his ongoing appearances warrant their own exploration.

Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster (Thor: Ragnarok)

In Thor: Ragnarok, Jeff Goldblum plays the Grandmaster, the vile, horny, and colorful ruler of the planet Sakaar. In his performance, Goldblum pulls you in with his irresistible charisma while capturing the character’s sinister nature. Apparently, he was booked for a return in the latest Thor but didn’t make the cut. Too wonderfully weird?

Michael Stuhlabrg as Nicodemus West (Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)

The devil is rumored to work hard, but Michael Stuhlbarg works harder, even when he doesn’t have to. In Doctor Strange, the actor who is still owed an Oscar for his affecting supporting performance in Call Me By Your Name does the most with absolutely nothing in a thankless role as a colleague and sort of rival to Stephen Strange. He doesn’t have much to do but performs as if his life depends on it. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Stuhlbarg reappears in a brief scene made memorable by his new long blonde hair and the best acting the MCU will ever see.

Chris O’Dowd as Richard (Thor: The Dark World)

Fresh off the success of 2011’s Bridesmaids in which he played the love interest, Irish actor Chris O’Dowd makes a small but significant (depending on who you ask) appearance in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, a film that some might classify as one of the MCU’s dumbest entries. But if you ask me, it is this dumbness that makes Thor: The Dark World brilliant. But that’s a story for another day. O’Dowd plays Richard, a charming but boring lad Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster goes on a date with as she’s trying to get over Thor. Unfortunately for Richard and O’Dowd’s future in the MCU, Jane decides that the Norse god of thunder is a better catch than some Irish guy. Despite his lack of a future with Jane and in the MCU, O’Dowd is one of the best parts of the movie, a welcome change in an unnecessarily dark movie.

Russell Crowe as Zeus (Thor: Love and Thunder)

In Thor: Love and Thunder, Zeus, played by Russell Crowe, serves the ultimately insignificant purpose of providing Thor and friends with a weapon. In the process, Zeus invites and then almost immediately uninvites them to an orgy. And sure, Crowe uses an accent that sounds more like Chris Pratt as Mario than a Greek God, but that’s okay.

Garry Shandling as Senator Stern (Iron Man 2, Captain America: Winter Soldier)

One of the late Garry Shandling’s final roles was as Senator Stern, a senator who works for the bad guys, in Iron Man 2 and Captain America: Winter Soldier. Appearing in a thankless role in a Marvel film could have been one of the comedian’s final bits, but Shandling makes sure the role isn’t thankless by simply being Garry Shandling.

Arian Moayed as Agent P. Clearly (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Ms. Marvel)

Emmy-nominee Arian Moyaed appears in a small role in Spider-Man: No Way Hone and reprises the role in Ms. Marvel. As Stewy in Succession, Moayed sniffs lavender and serves as an antagonist to the Roy family. Moayed brings a similar sass to his role in the MCU as an agent for the Department of Damage Control, which is responsible for handling enhanced individuals.

Carrie Coon as Proxima Midnight (Avengers: Infinity War)

Carrie Coon can do whatever she wants, and when she does it she should win an award. In Avengers: Infinity War, Coon portrays Thanos minion Proxima Midnight via motion capture. Coon didn’t have to do much but she did the most with her limited role, making her extremely tall lady villain more iconic than she needed to be.

Michael Pena as Luis (Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp)

Michael Peña’s scene-stealing performance in the Ant-Man franchise is, if I’m being honest, the only thing I really remember about them. Peña’s role is inconsequential but essential to the fun, comedic tone. His character, Luis, serves as an optimistic, just-happy-to-here sidekick to Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang/Ant-Man. He’s a fast talker with a gift for storytelling.

YoungBoy Never Broke Again (aka NBA YoungBoy; neé Kentrell Gaulden) has been on trial in Los Angeles on a federal gun possession charge this week. The case stems from an arrest in Los Angeles where a FN FNX .45 caliber pistol was found on the floor of the Mercedes Maybach that the “Late To Da Party” rapper was driving around in March of 2021. But today, NBA YoungBoy has been found not guilty of these federal gun charges.

The case saw some advancements this week that were both favorable for the Baton Rouge rapper’s not guilty ruling. First off, the lyrics to his songs like “Gunsmoke” and “Lonely Child” were deemed inadmissible in court. He mentions FNs in the music, which refers to the Fabrique Nationale Herstal maker of the pistol found in the car. YoungBoy’s defense successfully argued, “Even if Mr. Gaulden is familiar with various models of guns and sings about them, it does not mean that he knew this particular gun was secreted on the passenger floor of the Maybach when police attempted to pull his car over to arrest him.” Then, and more importantly, YoungBoy’s defense attorneys cited a lack of fingerprints on the pistol.

As Rolling Stone reports, it was in fact the aforementioned combination of factors that NBA YoungBoy’s attorney, Andre Belanger, cited in his closing arguments, along with the fact that the rapper wasn’t aware that the gun was in the car. He elaborated that it wasn’t just YoungBoy who had access to the car, there were no witnesses linking YoungBoy to the gun that day, and ultimately, that he had no intent to possess it.

“[NBA YoungBoy] was acquitted and walked out the courtroom saying he was never guilty of this,” Belanger told XXL. “I am grateful we could challenge what little evidence they had before 12 people. This verdict shows the power of a jury and the ability to check government power.”

Meanwhile, NBA YoungBoy still has to stand trial in Louisiana for a separate gun charge stemming from an arrest in September of 2020.

YoungBoy Never Broke Again is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Back in 2008, when the first Iron Man movie came out, Hollywood didn’t realize what they had done.

Marvel would continue to put out movies like Captain America and Thor, which were huge box office draws at the time, but the numbers were nothing compared to where they are now. For example, the opening weekend of Thor in 2011 brought in $65 million in the US, while the latest installment that has been out for a week has already passed the $144 million mark domestically. Conclusion? These movies are… pretty popular!

Of course, as the saying goes, you don’t get to $144 million in opening sales without making a few enemies… or something like that. It’s common to roast the MCU at this point, as studios pour money into elaborate CGI and cameo after cameo. Many well-liked and respected directors have blasted the franchise for this, and now the Russo Brothers have chimed in on the debacle.

The duo has worked on four MCU titles, including the mega-hit Avengers: Endgame, and they don’t quite understand why people have so many issues with them, as the franchise clearly has many fans. Or maybe it’s all just that one guy who just keeps buying tickets.

As Anthony Russo points out in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “The overwhelming success of [Marvel] movies has caused them to represent something that has become ‘other,’ or maybe not attainable to some others for whatever reason. Not every movie has to be liked globally.”

Meanwhile, Joe had a longer, strongly-worded explanation for why Marvel has been getting hate: because so many people like them.

When I was 19, I used to love U2. And then they started getting some commercial success, beyond their MTV early days, where they were the biggest band in the world. And I was like, “I hate U2. I’m sick of U2. They’re so ubiquitous!” That was just my ego trying to define myself against the masses. Then, 10 years later, I was like, “I fucking love U2. Why did I do that?” I outgrew it. It feels like a very juvenile conversation. The whole thing feels sad and cynical and pessimistic. You’re talking about movies that 10-year-olds are weeping over and begging to go see. They’ll remember for decades that they were there with their grandfather. Like, give me a f*cking break

Joe also adds that fans need to get used to it. After Disney+’s successful first quarter, The Russo’s don’t see the streamer stopping anytime soon. “I also think, too, that Disney’s gone very conservative. Post-[Bob] Iger, they seem to be in IP management mode. You’re going to get all the Star Wars and all the Marvel you can handle for the next decade. They’re all changing.”

Whether or not the hate is justified, it’s obvious that the movie industry has had a disastrous few years, so many it’s not so bad to get people back in their reclining AMC seats, even if it’s just a bunch of hyped-up kids. That’s all Tom Hanks wants, anyway!

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

Last week, thousands of The Weeknd fans were upset to learn that his show at Toronto’s Rogers Centre was postponed last-minute. The reason was due to a nationwide outage impacting Rogers Communications, which meant that some essential venue operations were a no-go. The Weeknd wrote at the time, “I’m crushed & heartbroken. Been at the venue all day but it’s out of our hands because of the Rogers outage. Operations and safety are compromised and I tried my absolute best.”

There was one fan who took the news particularly hard, as a young boy, donning a slick After Hours-era red suit outfit, was photographed crying outside the venue. The Weeknd himself saw this, shared the photo, and tweeted, “can someone please find him for me?”

The boy is 6-year-old Phoenix Prince, whose father, Blake Prince, later told CBC, “Phoenix was getting attention with his suit. We had a breakdown moment. He got upset over the fact the show was postponed and somebody captured a picture.”

It turns out The Weeknd ended up coming through for Phoenix. Last night, he performed in Philadelphia and flew Phoenix and Blake out for the show, where Phoenix met The Weeknd, got his red jacket signed, and spent some time checking out backstage and other behind-the-scenes areas.

Sharing some photos from the day, Blake wrote on Instagram, “I wouldn’t be able to put this last week into words if I tried. We are forever grateful for this moment in time. We are beyond thankful to Abel and his beautiful crew for their friendship, hospitality, generosity and for spending day with Phoenix and I today. He will cherish this experience forever. Thank you a million times over.”

Check out the photos below.