Month: August 2022

Whereas Donald Trump became known as “The Twitter President” for his penchant for vomiting up everything from childish insults to near-declarations of war in 280 words or less (well, before they permanently banned him), Joe Biden’s social media presence has been far less divisive. But the sheer hypocrisy of Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who are decrying Biden’s student loan forgiveness program as being “unfair” while benefiting from similar programs in the past, was one step too far for the Biden administration. So on Thursday, the official White House Twitter feed began simply calling those people out.

Among the individuals taken to task were Greene, who had more than $180,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans wiped out; Pennsylvania congressman Mike Kelly, who saw nearly $1 million in PPP loans erased; and Florida Man Matt Gaetz, who was bitching not about student loans, but the amount of money the U.S. is spending to help Ukraine—all while having more than $480,000 of his own PPP loans disappear.

As The Hill reports, Greene has been one of the loudest critics of Biden’s recently announced student loan plan. On Wednesday, the shouty Georgia representative was doing her thing on Newsmax, where she declared that “for our government just to say, you know, ‘Ok, well your debt is completely forgiven,’ … it’s completely unfair.”

Greene went on to argue that taxpayers “shouldn’t have to pay off the great big student loan debt for some college student that piled up massive debt going to some Ivy league school. That’s not fair.”

Some might say the same about bailing out a business owner who doesn’t know how to manage their business.

(Via The Hill)

Mark Zuckerberg continues to work on the metaverse, although recent feedback hasn’t been positive. He shared an image of an avatar that was promptly and thoroughly dragged, so much so that he quickly debuted a new one. The new image, along with other aspects of Horizon Worlds and the metaverse, haven’t quelled Grimes’ concerns, as she thinks the whole thing is doomed if Zuck is leading the way.

On Twitter today, Grimes wrote of the Facebook co-founder, “If zuck ‘oversees the Metaverse’ it is dead and people who care about art and culture are building something else. also this is bad art. The quality of this image alone speaks to how wildly under qualified he is to build alternate reality, literally every indie game looks better.”

A Twitter user responded, “Slapping AAA quality graphics onto a new tech that’s just started being created few years ago, before having most of the important systems and features in isn’t a way to go, Horizon Worlds =/= Metaverse, it’s simply here in its current form just because nothing is ready yet.” To that, Grimes replied, “aesthetics aside , they have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt they are not ethically capable of running smthn so powerful and shud not have the power they have now.”

Meanwhile, Grimes also recently used Twitter to explore her options for some unconventional cosmetic procedures.

For the first time in a long time, Britney Spears fans got a new song from the pop icon today, via her and Elton John’s “Hold Me Closer.” Also involved in the track was producer Andrew Watt, who was blown away by Spears’ vocal abilities.

In a new interview with The Guardian, Watt said:

“She’s unbelievable at layering her voice and doubling, which is one of the hardest things to do. She really pushed herself vocally. Sometimes when you produce, the greatest thing in the world you can do is say nothing, so I just let her do her thing. She’s so good at knowing when she got the right take. She took complete control. […] She kept going, ‘Nope, again, again, again.’”

He also noted that Spears was “incredibly specific” about how she wanted her vocals mixed, saying, “She was really collaborative and had really good ideas about the production. She’s an expert in music to make you dance. So many of her records are pop perfection, she worked with the greatest of all time and made timeless pop. We experimented with speeding the record up and turning certain elements of the sound up to get it pumping and make you wanna dance.”

Of first meeting Spears, he also said, “She asked me who my favorite artists were — Prince — and I asked her who hers was. She said Elton John. The song meant so much to her and you can hear it in her vocal performance. She’s singing her ass off.”

Check out more from the feature here.

At long last, Britney Spears has made her post-conservatorship return to music with “Hold Me Closer,” her and Elton John’s modernized rework of “Tiny Dancer.” John spoke about working with Spears in a new The Guardian interview, in which he notes there was some apprehension from Spears.

John said it took some convincing and reassuring for Spears to approve the song after it had been recorded:

“We had to get her to approve what she did. She’s been away so long – there’s a lot of fear there because she’s been betrayed so many times and she hasn’t really been in the public eye officially for so long. We’ve been holding her hand through the whole process, reassuring her that everything’s gonna be alright.

I’m so excited to be able to do it with her because if it is a big hit, and I think it may be, it will give her so much more confidence than she’s got already and she will realize that people actually love her and care for her and want her to be happy. That’s all anybody in their right mind would want after she went through such a traumatic time.”

He also noted, “Rehabilitation is such a wonderful thing for anybody, and I’m just crossing my fingers that this will restore her confidence in herself to get back into the studio, make more records, and realize that she is bloody good.”

Find the full interview here.

It is not every day that one hears Eminem rap on a gospel song, but, as one can imagine DJ Khaled would say, “Khaled did!” On the producer’s 13th studio album God Did, he includes a remix to Kanye West’s 2019 record “Use This Gospel” from Jesus Is King.

The track is remixed, carrying an air of early 2000s Eminem nostalgia with harder-hitting drums and slight rock influence, which makes sense as Dr. Dre produced it. Slim Shady raps about not knowing if he can hold on and putting his faith in “the Father.” It’s his usual speed raps and flow switches, but definitely, a surprising effort as he makes several religious references.

The original “Use This Gospel” featured Kenny G and Clipse, made up of Pusha T and No Malice. In September 2020, Ye tweeted his gratitude to Eminem for rapping on the record. “@Eminem THANK YOU FOR RAPPING ON THE DR DRE REMIX OF USE THIS GOSPEL I HAVW ALWAYS LOVED AND RESPECTED YOU AND IM HONORED TO HAVE YOU BLESS THIS SONG … ITS ALSO NORTH WEST’S FAVORITE KANYE WEST SONG OF ALL TIME.”

God Did released on Friday (August 26) and boasts a star-studded tracklist made up of Jay-Z, Drake, Future, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Sza, Latto, and many more. Notably, the title track features a four-minute Hov verse plus the usual impressive performances from Lil Wayne and Rick Ross.

Check out the “Use This Gospel” remix above.

God Did is out now via Epic. Listen to it here.

Amid rumors of a split, all of the members of Migos are dropping music tonight, whether it be together, or with a bandmate, in some way, shape or form. Tonight, Offset has dropped a new single called “Code,” while Quavo and Takeoff were featured on a song called “Party All The Time” from DJ Khaled’s new album, God Did. Earlier today, Quavo and Takeoff caught fans by surprise when they announced they would drop another single tonight called “Big Stunna.”

On “Big Stunna,” Quavo and Takeoff maintain their momentum as a duo, driving fast cars and rocking expensive jewelry. Though neither of the Migos directly address the rumored split, Quavo says, “I can’t hang / Ain’t no snakes / In none of my campaign,” which might just be a subtle reference. Birdman, the number one stunna himself, lists several famous duos, including, “Bird and Wayne, Stef and Klay, Take and Quay,” the latter referring to Migos members. This may imply that Birdman considers the Migos more iconic as a duo, in a similar vein to the other aforementioned pairs.

The song’s accompanying video sees the rappers drag racing and doing donuts in luxury vehicles.

Talk about stunting!

Check out “Big Stunna” above.

It is always a moment when Jay-Z steps into the booth, but there was much hysteria leading into his appearance on DJ Khaled’s 13th studio album God Did. As the day approached, industry heads shared their commentary on the verse, with one even causing Young Guru to step out and tell them to wait for everyone to hear it. Well, the record is here; Hov raps for four straight minutes on the “God Did,” also featuring Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and John Legend. Despite the all-star cast, listeners have much to say about the Jay-Z verse.

The Roc Nation leader has a lot to say, specifically how Roc is responsible for four billionaires in Kanye West, Rihanna, and himself, with special inclusion of LeBron James because he’s a “Roc Boy.” He addressed a multitude of things, flexing his vintage sharp wordplay and shape-shifting flows. Fans had much praise for the verse overall.

It has been a quiet year for Jay-Z on the music tip aside from his appearance on “Neck & Wrist” from Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry. In 2021, he collaborated with Drake on “Love All” from Certified Lover Boy, Ye on “Jail” from Donda, Khaled, Nas, and James Fauntleroy on “Sorry Not Sorry” and the late Nipsey Hussle on “What It Feels Like” from Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album. Even with a slowed output, he has built up enough of a catalog to move at his own pace, and he is confident no one can compete with him in a Verzuz battle if it came down to it.

Check out “God Did” and the reactions above.

God Did is out now via Epic. Listen to it here.

The last time I saw Mark Wahlberg, he was starring in a hard-sell Catholicism movie directed by Mel Gibson’s girlfriend called Father Stu. The last time I saw Kevin Hart, he was sponsoring a combo meal at Wawa consisting of a classic hoagie with a C4 energy drink.

Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Hart both occupy some pretty weird, pretty variable space in the celebrity landscape is what I’m saying, so when I saw this poster for their latest Netflix movie, Me Time, featuring them carrying a tortoise, I wasn’t sure what to expect. (Excellent poster, by the way. Kudos to any comedy poster that leaves me intrigued, thinking “I wonder what that’s about,” rather than what most comedy posters do, which is leave me thinking “I know exactly what that’s about and now I don’t need to see it.”)

Me Time, written and directed by John Hamburg (Along Came Polly, I Love You Man, Why Him) turns out to be kind of a tweener. Most of the jokes in it seem like they’re aimed at my 9-year-old stepson (Kevin Hart slipping on a wet floor, Kevin Hart wrestling a mountain lion, Kevin Hart generally falling and yelling like he’s auditioning for the next Home Alone movie) and yet the movie is rated R, for drug use and (very) occasional swears. Most of the joke premises feel like they’re aimed at adults (broad relationship comedy in the vein of I Love You, Man and Along Came Polly) and yet the punchlines mostly won’t work on anyone over 12. There are juvenile jokes that make you feel like a kid again, and there are those that just make you feel old.

Kevin Hart plays Sonny Fisher, a hen-pecked househusband who spends his days making goji berry smoothies for his two kids, chairing the PTA, and falling down. This to support his career woman wife, played by Regina Hall, who is off being an architect and generally living the life George Costanza pretended to. But while they’re living the suburban dream in Sherman Oaks, California, Sonny’s best friend Huck Dembo is on the “George Clooney plan,” — single, hanging out with 23-year-old women and partying well into his forties.

Me Time introduces Sonny and Huck (I don’t even like typing these names) in a flashback to Huck’s 29th birthday, when Huck dragged his best pal Sonny to Moab, Utah to BASE jump/squirrel suit off a mountain. One joke is that the parachutes have Mark Wahlberg’s face on them (Huck loves branding). Another joke is that Kevin Hart hits a bird on the way down (Sonny is accident-prone and has terrible luck with animals). Are you laughing yet?

90% of the jokes in Me Time are just Kevin Hart doing an excessive act-out for a C+ bit, which will occasionally go on so long that they will, Baba Booey-like, circle around to being funny again through sheer commitment to tedium. Which I guess has sort of been Kevin Hart’s shtick all along. Wahlberg, who hasn’t done any acting since The Fighter, is mostly there to do his fast-talking, out-of-breath thing, and generally look like the kind of guy who would still be trying to smash 20-somethings into his late forties. (That casting works, presumably thanks to Mark Wahlberg’s ludicrous workout schedule of waking up at 3 am and squeezing in a half hour of golf at 7:30).

The conceit is that because Kevin Hart (Sonny) is such a committed homemaker, he never takes time to do anything for himself or has any fun (am I right, fellas??). So when he gets the invite to Huck’s 46th birthday extravaganza, his wife, and his fellow school parents urge him to go. Meanwhile, Sonny suspects his wife of having an affair with one of her clients, a billionaire tortoise enthusiast played by Mexican actor Luis Gerardo Méndez. I shan’t spoil any more of Me Time. You can probably fill in the blanks.

Me Time is a paint-by-numbers script with Kevin Hart act-outs doing most of the coloring between lines. There is one standout poop joke in the middle of the film, but mostly Hamburg seems too lazy to write good toilet jokes (which are genuinely fun for the whole family) and is content to film mediocre slapstick that’s only funny if you’re eight or have consumed eight C4 energy drinks. There’s a character arc with Sonny’s son, who wants to be a comedian even though Sonny wants him to practice the piano, that’s head-slappingly obvious from the first five minutes of the film but that Hamburg nonetheless takes the time to wrap up in a nice little painfully earnest bow.

All things considered, Me Time is the kind of middling streamer that you leave on while you’re cooking dinner or working out that you don’t need to pay much attention to in order to understand, and is good for a mild chuckle every 15 minutes or so. I can’t say it’s the best way to spend your “me time,” but it’s certainly a way.

‘Me Time’ hits Netflix August 26th. Vince Mancini is on Twitter. You can access his archive of reviews here.

Offset is back with his second single in as many weeks, this time tapping Moneybagg Yo for “Code.” The two rap with a fury over the uptempo beat, with Offset in particular branding a smooth autotune while Moneybagg employs his usual brooding vocals. It’s a simple visual, with the two sporting exquisite outfits over a white background.

Offset and Moneybagg Yo are no strangers to trading bars with one another. Earlier this month, the two joined forces on Trippie Redd’s “Big 14,” in addition to appearing on Lil Tjay’s “Run It Up” from 2021’s Destined 2 Win and “Style Ain’t Free” off of Moneybagg’s 2019 album 43va Heartless.

For Offset, “Code” comes just a week after his first solo single in quite some time, “54321.” While solo efforts aren’t new to him, having released an entire solo album Father Of 4 in 2019, these singles feel a bit different with the drama surrounding Migos throughout this summer.

It began with Quavo and Takeoff forming their own duo Unc & Phew, Offset unfollowing both on social media, and a myriad of rumors surrounding the “Bad & Boujee” trio. The situation reached a tense climax this week when TMZ reported Offset filed a lawsuit against his label Quality Control before engaging in a Twitter back and forth with QC CEO Pierre “P” Thomas.

Despite the drama, it appears Offset will continue releasing music as he works towards his forthcoming solo effort.

Check out “Code” above.

Joji is no stranger to viral fame. Before making it big as a musician, he produced and starred in a YouTube sketch comedy series as Filthy Frank. Recently, his song “Glimpse Of Us,” reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, as a result of several sound placements on TikTok.

Ahead of his upcoming Smithereens tour, which kicks off next week on September 1, Joji has premiered a new single called “Yukon (Interlude).” On the fast-paced, piano-driven ballad, Joji seems to have moved on from the past love on whom “Glimpse Of Us” is fixated.

“When my eyes get low in that all-white truck, I can barely see sh*t / Hit the gas, like you wouldn’t believe it / Thank God, I was always healing,” he sings on the song’s chorus. Later in the song, he sings, “I overflow like Mercury / Glowing with uncertainty.”

In the song’s trippy video, Joji appears to be at peace with his solitude, as he wakes up on a beach, drives through a flashy, colorful carwash, and dancing in an empty room, as a disco ball melts and spills onto his head. The cinematic compilation of footage is poised to make another viral hit for memelord-turned-musician.

In addition to a new song, Joji has announced his second studio album, Smithereens, will arrive this fall.

Check out “Yukon (Interlude)” above.

Smithereens is out 11/4 via 88Rising. Pre-save it here.

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