Month: August 2022

Flatbush Zombies‘ Meechy Darko is dropping his album Gothic Luxury later this month and today, he shared the tracklist and cover art to give fans a glimpse of what to expect from his solo debut. Gothic Luxury, dropping August 26 on Loma Vista Recordings, will boast 13 tracks (including the previously released “Kill Us All” and “Get Lit Or Die Tryin’“) supported by appearances from Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Denzel Curry, Kirk Knight, and Vita. To accompany the reveal, Meechy also released the album’s third single, “On God,” which features Freddie Gibbs and A-Trak. You can check that out above.

Gothic Luxury, which features production by Dot Da Genius, Jay Versace, and Tyler Dopps, was inspired by the death of Meechy’s father in 2020. Ryan Simms was shot to death by Miami police officers in January after allegedly threatening them with a knife. One officer was hospitalized with a stab wound. In response, Meechy issued a statement reading:

My heart is shattered. Never ever in my life felt pain like this before. On January 12th My father was Shot & Killed by Miami PD. I’m trying to stay strong and be tough for him. ’m filled with so many emotions right now. I don’t want to come on here for any type of sympathy. I want to spread this message. To Any and everyone out there dealing with Mental illness. Please get help. To Any and everyone out there that has a loved one dealing with mental illness. Please help them. It’s not an easy road but it’s one that needs to be taken. I wish there was a handbook or some type of guide for this. This has been a Battle that My Family and I have been dealing with for over a decade, suffering in silence. I used to think there was strength in that. Like a badge of honor or something…like I’m some kinda warrior cus I can take the burden and not ever have to say much about it. Hmmm…Wonder who I learned that super power from. I was wrong though. We was wrong. Real strength is dropping the veil.

You can see the Gothic Luxury tracklist, due on 8/26, below.

01. “The Genesis”
02. “Cursed” Feat. Kirk Knight & Vita
03. “Never Forgettin’”
04. “Kill Us All (K.U.A.)”
05. “Lavï$H Habits (Gothika)”
06. “Get Lit or Die Tryin’”
07. “On God” Feat. Freddie Gibbs & A-Trak
08. “The Moma” Feat. Black Thought
09. “Prada U”
10. “What If?”
11. “Hennessy & Halos”
12. “Lost Souls” Feat. Denzel Curry & Busta Rhymes
13. “Blk Magic”

After a series of confusing moves on behalf of DC superheroes everywhere, HBO Max decided to pull the highly-anticipated Batgirl movie from its release schedule while the film was already filmed and in post-production. That, on top of a series of reported layoffs, is causing quite the stir among fans of various HBO properties (there is no doubt that House Of The Dragon is probably safe, whether you want it or not).

In the midst of confusion, many fans are outraged that their favorite actors are being axed from the DC universe, including Brendan Fraser and Michael Keaton, who was set to make his return as Batman. After news of Batgirl’s cancellation, it was also revealed that Keaton had originally filmed a cameo in the upcoming Aquaman installment, though that seems to have been axed as well! Is fun not allowed anywhere anymore?

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Keaton, who first portrayed Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton’s 1989 take on the caped crusader, filmed a scene for the Jason Momoa-led Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but according to sources, test audiences were “confused” at how his character fits into the universe. That confusion was supposed to be cleared up in the upcoming Flash movie, but the jury is still out on if that movie, which stars disgraced actor and frequent bar fighter Ezra Miller, will really surface as planned.

Aquaman 2 also features Ben Affleck as his own Batman iteration, though it was really supposed to be a surprise that Momoa “spoiled.” But maybe there was a timeline somewhere that featured both Batmans meeting for the first time in a multiverse-type of situation since that’s how movies work now.

For now, it seems like HBO and Waner Bros are looking to reassess their content and release schedules, despite the fact that the $90 million dollar movie was nearly done, and made headlines earlier for its casting of a Latina superhero. But, as we have seen before with Warner Bros, the movie might get some special release several years after the fact, and maybe fans will get to see Keaton as Batman once more. Though the actor famously does not watch superhero movies, so perhaps he isn’t really mad about this one.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

In a shocking move to people who just want to watch their stories, NBC has announced that Days of Our Lives will end its 57-year run on the network as it makes the jump to Peacock next month. The soap opera’s time slot will be filled by NBC Daily News as its predominantly older audience is now tasked with the option of joining the streaming world or giving up on the show entirely.

As news of the unprecedented move hit social media, people had plenty of jokes about how Days of Our Lives‘ target audiences will navigate these waters. If you’ve ever got a frantic call from your mom asking how to turn off the ads on Hulu, then you probably have an idea where this is all heading.

You can see some of the reactions below:

As for how NBC justified the move, a statement from the network claims that most of Days of Our Lives audience isn’t even watching the show on broadcast anymore, which could be the case given the pervasiveness of streaming devices. Via Entertainment Weekly:

“This programming shift benefits both Peacock and NBC and is reflective of our broader strategy to utilize our portfolio to maximize reach and strengthen engagement with viewers,” said Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, in a statement. “With a large percentage of the Days of Our Lives audience already watching digitally, this move enables us to build the show’s loyal fanbase on streaming while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers.”

New episodes of Days of Our Lives will stream daily on Peacock starting September 12.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

The man who killed Nicki Minaj’s father in a hit-and-run has been sentenced to a year in prison, according to TMZ. Charles Polevich hit Robert Maraj with his car while the latter was walking on Long Island in February 2021. Polevich turned himself into police three days later and was charged with leaving scene of crime involving a person’s death and tampering with physical evidence, both felonies. According to witness statements, after hitting Maraj, Polevich got out of his car and asked if he was okay, then fled, concealing his vehicle in his home’s garage.

Three months after Maraj’s death, Nicki Minaj released a statement saying, “Tho I can’t really bring myself to discuss the passing of my father as yet; I can say it has been the most devastating loss of my life. I find myself wanting to call him all the time. More so now that he’s gone. Life is funny that way. May his soul rest in paradise. He was very loved & will be very missed.”

Polevich pled guilty to both of the charges against him in May this year, reportedly avoiding a longer, seven-year sentence. In addition to his sentence, he’ll have his license suspended for six months and pay a $5,000 fine.

When in doubt, vote for Eric. That’s the big takeaway Missourians seem to have understood from Donald Trump, who proudly declared that he was endorsing “ERIC” for senator… except two men named Eric were on the ballot. On Wednesday night, Seth Meyers was ready to run with what was either an epic flub or a sneaky way to double the former president’s chances that his candidate would win the race.

Describing the situation as a story that “perfectly captures the current state of the Republican party,” Meyers went on to lay out the facts of what happened:

Donald Trump—a man who, let’s not forget, tried to overthrow American democracy and is currently under multiple criminal investigations—created confusion in Missouri’s Republican Senate primary by endorsing someone named Eric in a race with multiple Erics without specifying which Eric he was endorsing. And then, both Erics bragged that they’d been endorsed by Trump. A man who, again, is not only under multiple active criminal investigations for inciting a coup to overthrow American democracy, but is also beginning to look less like a former president and more like the Nick Nolte mug shot.

I mean, is his head getting smaller or is his hat getting bigger? It looks like his hat is some kind of organism feeding on his blood. Look how pale he is!

Meyers went on to compare Trump to looking like he’s “halfway through a Raiders of the Lost Ark face melt” and—in a reference that only Meyers could make work—suggested that the former president “looks like he’s starring in the next Martin McDonagh film as the ghost of an Irish priest opposite Colin Farrell.”

You can watch the full clip above beginning at the 4:40 mark.

Fox News is practically demanding to be mocked after attacking Beyoncé and her “vile” lyrics and confusing Chris Rock and Kid Rock and “schlong COVID” and… yeah, there’s a lot to make fun of. But don’t forget to spread the mockery around to Fox Business.

Fox News contributor Joe Concha appeared on Fox Business on Thursday to discuss the dangers of marijuana like it’s the 1950s all over again. “We’re allowing these people out on the streets and we wonder why there’s an exodus going out of New York and out of San Francisco and Los Angeles,” he told host Dagen McDowell while discussing liberals letting criminals walk free. “It is primarily due to crime. It’s due to the drug use that we see in the open air.” Concha then shared a “only in New York, baby!” story.

“I took a walk up to Central Park yesterday, had some time to kill, I could not escape the smell of weed everywhere! And it’s just, New York is not what it used to be. I know that personally. You go through Penn Station when you take the train into the city and you’re walking over bodies, and you don’t know if people are alive or dead.”

Boy, someone really needs to chill. If only there was a way to do that…

You can watch the clip above.

(Via Raw Story)

Currently, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have two kids, Luna and Miles. Teigen just revealed, though, that soon, they’ll be adding a third.

In an Instagram post shared yesterday, Teigan dropped photos of her baby bump and wrote, “the last few years have been a blur of emotions to say the least, but joy has filled our home and hearts again. 1 billion shots later (in the leg lately, as u can see!) we have another on the way. Every appointment I’ve said to myself, ‘ok if it’s healthy today I’ll announce’ but then I breathe a sigh of relief to hear a heartbeat and decide I’m just too nervous still. I don’t think I’ll ever walk out of an appointment with more excitement than nerves but so far, everything is perfect and beautiful and I’m feeling hopeful and amazing. Ok phew it’s been very hard keeping this in for so long!”

This comes after the couple previously revealed in August 2020 that they were expecting a child, via Legend’s video for “Wild.” That October, though, Teigen revealed the tragic news that they had lost the baby, writing in part, “We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before. We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions. It just wasn’t enough. […] To our Jack — I’m so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn’t give you the home you needed to survive. We will always love you.”

Willow has been unleashing a plethora of experimental material since the release of last year’s dynamic LP Lately I Feel Everything, which featured Avril Lavigne, Travis Barker, and more. Songs like “Purge” with Siiickbrain, “Where You Are” with PinkPantheress, and “Psychofreak” with Camila Cabello lean into her sharp edge and dark energy. Today, she’s announced Copingmechanism, her next album coming this fall.

She announced Copingmechanism on Instagram, which will arrive on September 23 and be available for pre-order tomorrow, along with a new single, “Hover Like A Goddess.” She shared the album art as well, which depicts an electric guitar smashing through a television set.

Willow’s last song was the fiery, idiosyncratic “Maybe It’s My Fault,” about which she said in the press release, “It’s all too often in tender emotional states we try to blame our hurts on other people. Even though none of us are perfect, in some capacity it’s us who allow ourselves to get into situations that don’t serve our highest purpose.” She added that the song “explores what it’s like to hold ourselves equally accountable for the emotional pain we feel while also allowing ourselves to be human and fully process ALL of our feelings without shame.”

New Orleans rapper Mystikal was denied bond Tuesday afternoon after being arrested Sunday for rape and false imprisonment, according to New Orleans’ ABC affiliate. The bond denial may have to do with the details of the alleged crimes he committed, described in an arrest report also obtained by WBRZ. A spokesperson for the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office said, “He didn’t show the victim any sympathy, and he won’t get any sympathy or special treatment. He will be in general population and incarcerated like anyone else.”

The alleged assault occurred on Saturday after Mystikal — real name Michael Tyler — accused the victim of stealing $100 from him. After allegedly punching her, choking her, pulling some of her hair out, and taking her phone and keys to prevent her escape, she says he fluctuated between agitated and apologetic. While searching for the money, she says she found a “crystalline substance” in a drawer, which police think may have been methamphetamine. Mystikal reportedly asked the woman if he could “feel” her, but when she refused, he pushed her onto a bed and raped her.

He returned her phone so he could CashApp himself $150 dollars — adding the extra $50 himself — and once she drove away, she phoned a friend who she met at a Baton Rouge hospital. After examining her rape kit, deputies found her injuries consistent with her description of the alleged attack, which is the third incident of sexual assault Mystikal has been accused of in the past twenty years. In 2003, he pled guilty to raping his hairdresser, and in 2017, he was accused of an assault at a Shreveport casino. The 2017 case was dropped, however, and he was released on a $3 million bond.

In addition to first-degree rape, false imprisonment, domestic abuse battery (strangulation), simple robbery, and simple criminal damage to property, Mystikal is also being charged with possession of meth, marijuana, Xanax, heroin, and drug paraphernalia after a search of his home.

Ela Minus is a synth wizard. She’s even engineered the electronic instruments that she’s uses to craft her music, including 2020’s breakthrough debut LP, Acts Of Rebellion. But for Corazón, the Colombian’s upcoming collaborative EP with New York-based producer DJ Python, she took a backseat instrumentally and focused instead on just lyrics and vocals. On “Pájaros En Verano” the first single from the newly-announced EP, the result is sublime.

“It’s way more intimate and vulnerable,” Minus says of only focusing on the words for a change. “I want people to listen to the songs and feel like I’m holding onto them. I’m giving people a place in this EP where they can feel like they belong.”

The EP (which is actually titled with just a heart symbol) comes out on September 14th via Smuggler’s Way, the new electronic-focused imprint of London’s famed Domino Records.

“We literally didn’t talk about how the tracks should sound,” Python added. “I sent her instrumentals and she sent them back with perfect vocals. It was this unspoken communication, a process to know the self and the other endlessly.”

Their connection is palpable on “Pájaros En Verano,” a track that Python crafted using an Octatrack sampler and a Virus TI Snow digital synth. The drums hit with a cymbal-like hiss and the loops buzz with sweet melodies; melodies that are felt even deeper through Ela Minus’ vocals as she sings, “After all the days that never happened and the nights that didn’t exist.”

The tune shows a deep appreciation for the time we were afforded to focus on the world around us during the pandemic’s loneliest days. “I made a list of things I was grateful for,” Minus said. “Clouds (and the time to look at them),quietness, sleep, books, food. I wanted to celebrate that ‘after all the days that never happened and the nights that didn’t exist,’ we are here, alive, and together.”

Listen to “Pájaros en Verano” above and check out the Corazón album art and tracklist below.

1. “Kiss U”
2. “Abril Lluvias Mil”
3. “Pájaros en Verano”

Corazón is out 9/16 via Smugglers Way. Pre-order it here.