Month: August 2022

The fourth and final season of FX’s hit series Atlanta is finally upon us, and after nearly six years with Earn and his friends, a lot has changed! After the third season brought Earn and Co. to the weird and wonderful world of Europe, and it seems like they will head back home for the final batch of episodes.

The series took a long hiatus after season two due to the pandemic, and then filmed seasons three and four back to back, which is why the fourth season is airing just months after the third wrapped up in May. The fourth season will feature the core crew making their way back to Atlanta, where things are normal but not normal normal, you know?

Earn is seen going through the motions with both Van and his friends as he navigates his hometown filled with annoying children, wellness spas, and music studios when “all hell breaks loose.” According to FX:

Season 4 finds “Earn” (Donald Glover), “Alfred ‘Paper Boi’ Miles” (Brian Tyree Henry), “Darius” (LaKeith Stanfield) and “Van” (Zazie Beetz) back in their hometown. But the question is, has Atlanta changed, or have they?

The final 10 episodes will begin airing on September 15th on FX and streaming the next day on Hulu. Check out the trailer above.

With the release of Beyonce’s new album Renaissance, this has been an undeniably monumental week for pop music. The unveiling of Hayley Kiyoko’s stunning LP Panorama and Maggie Rogers’s long-awaited sophomore album Surrender only made it better.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Beyonce — “Pure/Honey”

It’s not easy to pick just one song from Renaissance to praise, especially when one of the most satisfying elements of the record is its sequencing. The songs all fit amazingly together. However, “Pure/Honey” is as infectious and badass as possible: “It should cost a billion to look this good / But she make it look easy like she got it,” she deadpans over a clubby beat.

Rosalía — “Despecha”

Somehow we were even blessed enough this week to get a new song from Rosalía, who released one of the biggest albums of this year, Motomami. Clearly, she never rests, and we’re lucky to get “Despecha,” a catchy anthem that proves she has nothing but bangers to churn out.

Tove Lo — “2 Die 4”

Tove Lo’s new song “2 Die 4” starts with something of a wholesome pickup line: “You don’t look like in your photo / You’re prettier than that.” Along with the charming lyrics and mesmerizing vocals, the beat is the best part. It’s a great feel-good anthem for dancing, but also for feeling the emotional intensity.

Rina Sawayama — “Hold The Girl”

Every single one of Rina Sawayama’s singles from her forthcoming album Hold The Girl have been unpredictable in the best way, previewing a dynamic, exciting LP. This title track continues with this theme; it’s hypnotic and attention-grabbing, with Sawayama’s vocals sounding strong and unafraid while she sings about growing up.

Maggie Rogers — “Overdrive”

After graduating from Harvard, rising pop star Maggie Rogers is persisting in dominating the music world. “Overdrive” is the opening track to Surrender, and it’s a lush, warm earworm that welcomes the listener into a place that’s bright and comfortable. Her vocals are sprawling and the emotion overflows.

King Princess — “Let Us Die”

King Princess’s new song “Let Us Die” from her forthcoming album Hold On Baby reflects on a complicated love: “Well, baby I’m starving / For your heart to soften / But pain makes me want you / Does that make me awful?” she sings, wondering aloud against a catchy rhythm.

Charli XCX — “Hot Girl”

Since Charli XCX’s idiosyncratic pandemic album How I’m Feeling Now, her songs have been imbued with a menacing aura. So it’s no wonder why she has a song in the forthcoming horror movie Bodies Bodies Bodies. This track, “Hot Girl,” will definitely accentuate the film’s eerie texture with its ghostly bass and Charli’s fearless deadpan.

Calvin Harris, Tinashe, Normani, Offset — “New To You”

This unexpected collaboration Calvin Harris, Tinashe, Normani, and Offset for “New To You” continues with this year’s theme of a return of a disco atmosphere in songs. It’s an undoubtedly feel-good anthem with each performer adding to the exuberance.

Hayley Kiyoko — “Underground”

“Underground,” from Hayley Kiyoko’s new album Panorama, finds power in honesty. The singer doesn’t hold back from being vulnerable on this track, but that doesn’t stop it from being a clubby banger: “Searching for rainbows in the sky / Maybe I’m wasting all my time,” she contemplates.

Hailee Steinfeld, Anderson .Paak — “Coast”

Under three minutes, “Coast” by Hailee Steinfeld Anderson .Paak is a great summer song that’s perfect for cruising down the highway or hanging out on the beach. Their vocals together are a nice contrast, and the sound buoys along with a sunny carelessness.

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

Top Dawg Entertainment’s first female rapper is about to drop her first EP. Doechii announced the title and release date for her debut EP yesterday, revealing that She/Her/Black B*tch arrives on Friday, August 5, following the release of singles “Persuasive,” “Crazy,” and “B*tch I’m Nice,” as well as the remix of “Persuasive” featuring SZA.

The timing for the release couldn’t be much better. Not only is Doechii fresh off of an impressive, attention-grabbing run of live performances including the BET Awards and The Tonight Show, but she was also selected as a member of XXL‘s 2022 Freshman Class, delivering a fantastic freestyle and a standout cypher verse.

But the thing that might be working to her advantage most is how hip-hop fans are newly (re)embracing house music as a popular production style thanks to newly released projects from the likes of Drake and Beyonce. While Doechii was just one artist in a long lineage of contemporary rappers who’ve blended rap with dance genres (see: Vince Staples, Duckwrth, Leikeli47, IDK, Channel Tres, and Azealia Banks), those artists have begun to receive renewed and increased attention now that it’s “cool” to rock with house and techno.

The fact that Doechii is no slouch on the mic and has a burgeoning following thanks to older viral tracks like “Yuck Blucky Fruitcake” only gives her more of an advantage as the summer of house heats up. She/Her/Black B*tch just might prove that on 8/5. You can pre-save it here.

The Green Knight? More like the green knife.

Australian outlet 7NEWS reports that Dev Patel helped break up a knife in Adelaide, Australia, where he lives with his girlfriend. “Emergency services had been called to the area following reports of a man and woman fighting in the street. The couple continued fighting inside a nearby service station where witnesses attempted to break up the fight. The woman then allegedly stabbed the man in the chest,” the article reads.

Patel “acted on his natural instinct to try and de-escalate the situation and break up the fight,” a representative for the Oscar-nominated actor said, and he and his friends were “successful in doing so, and they remained on site to ensure that the police and eventually the ambulance arrived.” Someone has clearly played Knifey Spooney before.

The representative added:

“This specific incident highlights a larger systemic issue of marginalized members of society not being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. The hope is that the same level of media attention this story is receiving (solely because Dev, as a famous person, was involved) can be a catalyst for lawmakers to be compassionate in determining long-term solutions to help not only the individuals who were involved but the community at large.”

The suspect was arrested on the scene, while the victim is expected to survive.

(Via 7NEWS)

Family Feud is a gift. Especially when things go straight to hell and Steve Harvey gets to lose his mind on contestants that can’t take the pressure. And sometimes, the contestants are celebrities like the guys from Boyz II Men.

All of that came to fruition in the above clip, in which Amber Ruffin’s crew lost to the Boyz, who then proceeded to blow their Fast Money opportunity in terrifyingly hilarious fashion. And, as is often the case, Harvey let the Boyz know exactly how badly they messed up.

Our first contestant, Wanya, actually does pretty well in his Fast Money round. Though there was one potentially fatal flaw: he did answer “July” when asked to name a month that has five letters in it. If you’re comprehending this paragraph, you know that “July” has four letters in it, not five. But even with the zero on that last answer, he took a cool 130 points into the second half of the contest. And you only need 200 to win, so the Men are more than halfway there.

“You smarter than me, Shawn,” Wanya says as his partner reappears on stage. “You smarter than me.”

And then disaster strikes.

Things go pretty well, more or less, until that final question comes up once more. Name a month with five letters in it.

“August,” Shawn says after a moment’s incorrect thought.

The audience actually laughs a bit, and Shawn realizes soon enough that he made a big mistake here.

“He’s not smarter than me, Steve!” Wanya yells. “He’s not smarter than me!”

Oh, but the worst was yet to come. Because while the first four answers were once again pretty solid, the Boyz were short of their goal by nine as the penultimate answer came across the board. What’s something people put on top of oatmeal? As it turns out, in the opinion of 100 people surveyed, they can’t believe it’s not butter.

It’s worth watching the full clip for Harvey’s rant before “August” comes up, as this is truly where the longtime host shines. But if you can’t watch it, for some reason, here’s a brief summary in three images.

At least everyone had fun, I guess.

The final season of Better Call Saul has had a wide variety of guest stars, including the legendary Carol Burnett and the Cinnabon-loving Jim O’Heir. While some were announced beforehand, others have just given viewers some delightful jumpscares on screen, like this week’s guest star, Devin Ratray AKA Kevin McAllister’s oldest brother and tormentor Buzz from Home Alone.

Slippin’ Jimmy also made his return to scamming various rich city-dwellers, which just so happened to include Ratray’s character, Alfred. In this specific scenario, Jimmy/Saul/Gene creates an elaborate scheme to steal credit card information from well-off strangers he meets in a bar. Jimmy and Alfred spend a fabulous evening together, doing karaoke and magic tricks before Alfred sets fire to Jimmy’s jacket and is whisked away in a meticulously placed cab, driven by Jimmy’s buddy (kinda?) Jeff. So a normal night in Nebraska.

Ratray’s cameo isn’t surprising once you learn that he starred alongside Bob Odenkirk in a movie titled Nebraska, which just so happens to be where the episode takes place. Perhaps it is a small place after all, and they will find Kim Wexler hanging out at the mall eating some soft pretzels.

This obviously wasn’t the major cameo of the night, which goes to Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, who reprised their roles as Walt and Jesse in a flashback to Breaking Bad’s second season. Though by the way they looked, you could easily tell that several years had passed. But it’s the thought that counts!

(Via Decider)

It was only a matter of time. With big-name artists like Drake and Beyonce (and emerging acts like Doechii and Leikeli47) sparking interest in dance music among hip-hop and R&B fans, Canadian dance maestro Kaytranada had to be planning his own comeback to take advantage. After both superstars released their respective dance efforts on the same weekend (Honestly, Nevermind and “Break My Soul“), Kay’s name trended on Twitter as fans wondered whether he had something new in the works.

Today, he made his highly-anticipated return with the help of another Black genre revivalist, Anderson .Paak, whose soulful sensibilities offer the perfect pairing for the nu-disco grooves of “Twin Flame.” In the song’s accompanying video, the two artists host a retro-futuristic rave with fashions right out of late ’90s sci-fi as they hold court above a packed dance floor.

Kaytranada’s last album, Bubba, came out in 2019, pre-pandemic, and was lavished with critical praise and awards including the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album and the Juno for Dance Recording Of The Year. Since then, he’s sprinkled his influence throughout the music world, dropping the Intimidated EP in 2021 and connecting with DMV rapper IDK earlier this year for Simple. Meanwhile, Anderson .Paak is fresh off of the funk homage group project Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars, on which they saluted ’70s and ’80s Black dad favorites like Con Funk Shun, The Gap Band, Isley Brothers, and Frankie Beverly and Maze.

Watch the video for “Twin Flame” above and stay tuned for more from Kaytranada, who’s currently touring the US and Canada alongside The Weeknd. Check out the dates for that below.

8/4 – Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium*
8/6 – Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium*
8/7 – Seattle, WA @ Day Trip Festival
8/18 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High*
8/20 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium*
8/23 – Vancouver, BC @ BC Place*
8/27 -28 – Pasadena, CA @ This Ain’t No Picnic
8/30 – Phoenix, AZ @ State Farm Stadium*
9/2 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium*
9/3 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium*
9/4 – Chicago, IL @ North Coast Festival
9/8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Mirage [SOLD OUT]
9/9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Mirage [SOLD OUT]
9/22 – Toronto, CA @ Rogers Centre*
9/24 – San Francisco, CA @ Portola Music Festival

After effectively riling up the audience with nostalgic hits, Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong took a moment during the band’s headlining Lollapalooza set to reflect on how much the festival has meant to him over the years. To a sea of tens of thousands of screaming fans spanning generations, Armstrong said attending an early iteration of the then-traveling festival gave small-town kids like him a chance to see all their favorite bands in one place. It affirmed his decision to start Green Day, who got their first chance to play the festival only a few years later in 1994.

Lollapalooza has changed a lot since its early, traveling days. Now a massive event that beckons nearly 400,000 people through its gates every year, Lollapalooza has found a permanent home in Chicago’s downtown Grant Park. With a 360-degree view of the dazzling city skyline, eight stages with minimal sound bleed, and thoughtful amenities, Lollapalooza is an example of a big city festival done right.

Lollapalooza’s lineup has also evolved a lot since the ’90s, but this year’s bill paid tribute to its early days by inviting bands like Metallica and Green Day to headline. Billy Corgan, who headlined with the Smashing Pumpkins in 1994, even made a guest appearance on stage with festival founder Perry Ferrell’s band Porno For Pyros. But the four-day event’s eclectic bill had something for everyone to enjoy. One stage was dedicated to EDM fans raging all day long to artists like Kaskade and Rezz. Hip-hop heads found a home at the festival too, getting a chance to see J. Cole, Big Sean, BLXST, and Lil Durk. Pop artists big and small like Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, and The Regrettes, took the stage and K-pop icons like Tomorrow x Together and BTS’ J-Hope were greeted by thousands of screaming fans. Even the kiddos weren’t left out at Lollapalooza, with a stage dedicated solely to interactive sets for children and parents to find respite from the massive crowds.

The giant crowds are definitely something Lollapalooza has earned a bit of a reputation for, though huge signs reading “fence jumpers will be prosecuted” may have deterred anyone thinking of sneaking in without a wristband. Due to Lollapalooza’s sheer size, the festival effectively takes over the entire city of Chicago each year. It’s located on a one-mile stretch in Chicago’s downtown Grant Park, but the festival manages to set the whole city in motion. Public transportation is jam-packed with excitable festivalgoers sometimes ignorant of the disruption they cause to the average commuter. Main streets like Michigan Ave are shut down and cars get re-routed to account for the hundreds of thousands of people flocking to the park. While Lollapalooza brings many out-of-towners, many who actually live in Chicago are used to avoiding the weekend like the plague. Even those who forget about it are subject to its aftermath, left to wonder things like: “Why are the trains so delayed?” and “Why does everyone downtown look like they were downloaded directly from the Shein website?”

And while the yearly festival may cause a headache for those not in attendance, it’s more than clear why Lollapalooza is one of the most-talked-about music festivals in the country. For one, every performer continually brings their A-game. Dua Lipa put her refined dance moves on full display and Charli XCX transformed an entire field of people into a euphoric, daytime club. It also wasn’t uncommon for artists to surprise guests on stage. During his Saturday set, Big Sean brought out his very pregnant partner Jhené Aiko for a few songs. The two shared some very tender moments on stage, like when Sean lovingly kissed Aiko’s belly before leaning in for an intimate embrace. But that wasn’t the only surprise appearance: J-Cole invited Bas and J.I.D to the stage during his headlining performance, Still Woozy was joined by Remi Wolf to sing their collab, and Sunday closer J-Hope had Becky G make a surprise appearance during his penultimate song.

Speaking of J-Hope, the BTS member’s performance was history in the making. Not only was the K-pop star’s set reportedly the highest ticket selling event in Lollapalooza’s history, but it also marked the first time a South Korean solo artist has headlined a US festival. The momentous occasion was more than tangible, as the entire festival was seemingly flooded by the BTS fandom. From the grounds, J-Hope’s performance would at times be washed out by the ear-piercing screams of the crowd.

Along with bigger artists going all-out, Lollapalooza also offered a space for up-and-coming musicians to shine. Gen Z favorite PinkPantheress managed to start a mosh pit when performing the short-but-sweet hit “Just For Me.” Newcomer GAYLE, who has gained a notable following thanks to an uber-viral TikTok song “Abcdefu,” showed off her rock-star status on stage. She had the crowd on their feet before ripping through an electrifying cover of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ “Bad Reputation.” Indie pop trio MUNA also fired off a fun cover during their set, getting the entire audience to shout along to a rendition of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.” Meanwhile, pop singer Fletcher played a main stage set for her first time ever and took the opportunity to lead the crowd through a cover of Billie Eilish’s popular song “Happier Than Ever.”

Most of Lollapalooza’s four days were accompanied by awe-inspiring sets and appreciative artists. But like any festival of its ilk, there were a few drawbacks. For one, many of the on-site amenities felt like corporate cash grabs in disguise; an intriguing art installation tent turned out to be an NFT gallery that implored you to sign up for an NFT minting service. Another installation designed to look like a haunted house ended up being a scheme to get your email address in exchange for a free can of water. Thankfully though, none of the drawbacks had anything to do with safety measures, other than an unforeseeable accident Lil Durk had involving pyrotechnics during his set. Efficient water stations were conveniently located near every stage and EMT volunteers were constantly on the lookout for anyone in need of help. After one attendee fainted just a few feet away, two medical professionals were on-site within seconds, handing them water and carrying them safely out of the crowd.

Overall, Lollapalooza 2022 lived up to its reputation in nearly every way. Yes, there were massive crowds and lots of rowdy teenagers, but there were also outstanding performances accompanied by breathtaking city skyline views. And after four days of music, dancing, and meeting new friends, I was left with a sense of gratitude for the festival, a camera full of unforgettable memories, and very sore feet.

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

Frankie Cosmos had just a short break between their last two albums: 2018’s Vessel was quickly followed by 2019’s Close It Quietly. Both of those projects were well received and now they group is looking for another hit: Their new album, Inner World Peace, is set to drop on October 21. Today also brings the lead single “One Year Stand,” a patient and lush tune.

Director Eliza Lu Doyle says of the visual, “We conceived of the setting for the video as a cross between a diorama and an empty arena stage. To me, the interaction between Greta and the camera is almost like an act of faith — a reach toward an absent audience. We wanted to channel the pleasure of half-performing for that imaginary gaze.”

The band’s Greta Kline also notes, “This music video was created with my best friend Eliza, who makes video and performance art. It feels like an encapsulation of the record in that it’s strange and vast while also being contained and interior. Clowning and playing are a huge part of collaborating for me and Eliza. We wanted to perform a dance without dancing — the kind of movements you fall into in private, banal moments, playing without even realizing. Choreographing together felt like we were in 6th grade again, all id and giggles. The album and the video were made in these environments of love and pleasure.”

Of the album, Kline says:

“To me, the album is about perception. It’s about the question of ‘who am I?’ and whether or not the answer matters. It’s about quantum time, the possibilities of invisible worlds. The album is about finding myself floating in a new context. A teenager again, living with my parents. An adult, choosing to live with my family in an act of love. Time propelled us forward, aged us, and also froze. If you don’t leave the house, who are you to the world? Can you take the person you discover there out with you?”

Watch the “One Year Stand” video above and find the Inner World Peace art and tracklist below.

1. “Abigail”
2. “Aftershook”
3. “Fruit Stand”
4. “Magnetic Personality”
5. “Wayne”
6. “Sky Magnet”
7. “A Work Call”
8. “Empty Head”
9. “Fragments”
10. “Prolonging Babyhood”
11. “One Year Stand”
12. “FOOF”
13. “Street View”
14. “Spare The Guitar”
15. “Heed The Call”

Inner World Peace is out 10/21 via Sub Pop. Pre-order it here.

WARNING: Spoilers for The Rehearsal below.

Where to even begin with this one? On the third episode of The Rehearsal, Nathan Fielder’s new show for HBO, a man by the name of Patrick is trying to figure out how to convince his brother to relinquish control of a trust set up by their late grandfather. As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that this is a frustrating experience for Patrick, who cared for his grandfather during his dying days, including changing his diaper. The problem is Patrick’s brother is concerned that Patrick’s latest girlfriend is a “gold-digger,” and his brother thinks their grandfather would want him to protect Patrick’s money.

Like previous episodes, Fielder created a “simulation” so that Patrick could rehearse talking to his brother, played by an actor. But when Fielder notices that Patrick isn’t emotionally invested in the simulation, it creates an even more elaborate scenario where, essentially, Patrick is tricked into thinking the actor’s grandfather (also played by an actor) needs help digging up gold buried in the woods. When Patrick, and not the fake grandson, helps find the gold, the fake grandpa promises to leave some of the gold to Patrick after he helps him change his diaper in the woods. However, the next day Patrick learns that the fake grandpa “died,” and now the actor doesn’t want to give him the gold because, well, he’s worried that Patrick’s girlfriend is a gold-digger. It’s so brutal that Patrick actually leaves the show and never comes back.

Since the episode became available last Friday, people have been going nuts about the actor who played the fake grandpa, and it turns out he’s not technically an actor. He’s actually Vincent A. Cefalu, a former undercover ATF agent, who is understandably as gobsmacked by the whole experience as everyone else. During a hilarious and insightful interview with The Daily Beast, Cefalu opened up about how he ended up on the show:

“My No. 1 goal in all of this was to get exposure for my book,” Cefalu tells The Daily Beast, in an interview following the episode’s debut. He was referencing his non-fiction memoir Ratsnakes, about his time working as an undercover agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The TV show promised a bit of promotion, Cefalu tells me, though the hour-long interview he filmed with HBO about it didn’t make the final cut. “They fell a little bit short on their representation… that the book would be pumped, somehow, on the show,” he says.

According to Cefalu, he ended up on The Rehearsal by “pure chance.” The production had reached out to “higher-ups” in the ATF looking for undercover agents. Cefalu ended up being the lucky one, but he quickly learned that the gig was not for a law enforcement show. Instead, Cefalu found himself in the woods pretending to need his diaper changed, which he actually had fun doing.

“My fleeting 15 minutes is awesome,” he told The Daily Beast while confirming that he’d gladly work on The Rehearsal again. As for the big question of whether Fielder is like his onscreen persona or putting on an act, Cefalu says it’s all real.

“He was pleasant enough, forthcoming enough, and engaging,” Cefalu recalled. “But what you see on that show, I don’t think he’s acting. [Laughs] He’s just a quirky dude.”

(Via The Daily Beast)