Month: August 2022

Kendrick Lamar is famously reclusive when it comes to social media. His Instagram account has 11.6 million followers and has been scrubbed down to zero photos. His Twitter frequently goes dormant for many months at a time and even when posts get made, they feel like mostly promotional material posted by his team — like the puzzle pieces that led to announcing Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. One can’t fault a world-renowned artist who is frequently under the microscope from laying off the oft-toxic world of social media. But in a recent cover story with Citizen, Kendrick gave some insight into why he stays off of social media.

“People ask me, ‘Man, you’ve never been on social media, you really hate it?’ Bro, I don’t really know how to use it like that to be 100% real with you,” he said. “I got friends, family, my team, they send me things, so I got good sentiments on what’s going on.” In the new interview, he speaks about much more than social media, including wanting to reject notions of being labeled as “the greatest,” and trying to perfect the balance between, “Distinguishing between Kendrick and Kendrick Lamar.”

He added, “Because I’m so invested in who I am outside of being famous, sometimes that’s all I know. I’ve always been a person that really didn’t dive too headfirst into wanting and needing attention. I mean, we all love attention, but for me, I don’t necessarily adore it. I use it when I want to communicate something.”

Check out a longer excerpt of the new Citizen cover story here, where you can also order the full issue.

Toronto rapper Nav has returned and announced his fourth studio album, Demons Protected By Angels, which drops later this year on XO/Republic. It follows 2020’s Good Intentions, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart led by the single “Turks” featuring Gunna and Travis Scott. Since then, he’s released a deluxe version of Good Intentions titled Brown Boy 2, a reference to his 2019 EP, and contributed to Internet Money’s massive hit “Lemonade” alongside Gunna and Don Toliver.

Earlier this summer, after initially announcing his upcoming album, he dropped the first single, reuniting with both Lil Baby and Travis Scott on “Never Sleep.” Today, he’s followed up with another moody single, “Wrong Decisions,” which finds him reflecting on his fame-fueled malaise over a down-tempo self-produced beat. In the first half of the song, he raps in his usual monotone drone over an atmospheric, cavernous beat in the vein of the murky introspective jams that made Drake famous, but at the end, as he shakes off his blues, an orchestra crescendoes, giving the song a more triumphant air.

So far, Demons Protected By Angels does not have an official release date, but it is said to be dropping sometime this year. For now, you can listen to “Wrong Decisions” above.

Perhaps you have decided to sit down and enjoy the first (and currently only) installment in the Avatar franchise ahead of its long-awaited sequel. And perhaps while you were preparing to be immersed in James Cameron’s watery blue world (not that one) you realized: it’s not on Disney+ anymore. Of course, you could drop $3.99 on a rental but the point here is that the movie is not on streaming at the moment, so haters are unable to shut up about it!

The move makes sense, as theaters are gearing up to show the 2009 sci-fi epic again on September 23rd. This isn’t super surprising, since Avatar tends to make its way back into theaters every once in a while in order to reign supreme over any other movie that is currently making a lot of money (last time it was due to Avengers: Endgame).

But this time is different! Now there is a polished new poster!

Don’t worry: Avatar will make its way back onto Disney+ sometime before its sequel premieres on December 16th. After years of delays and false starts Avatar: The Way Of The Water will bring back Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana along with Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Edie Falco (!), Jemaine Clement, Kate Winslet, and Michelle Yeoh.

If you need some memory jogging before seeing the second installment, Way Of The Water will take place a decade after the events of the first film, as Jake Sully (Worthington) and his family struggle to keep their home safe. Also, they are giant blue creatures. That part is important to remember.

(Via Deadline)

Matt Reeves has officially become the first director to be given a first look deal with the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery. The move signifies that the studio is committed to continuing Reeves’ take on the Dark Knight universe that kicked off with The Batman starring Robert Pattinson earlier this year. There were concerns about the film getting a sequel following the Batgirl shake-up. Variety reported that The Batman sequel was in development but not greenlit, and just this week, a new Batman animated series produced by Reeves was axed at HBO Max.

However, Reeves signing a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is being touted as proof that Battinson will swing again. There’s also renewed hope that Colin Farrell’s Penguin series will still see the light of day. Via Deadline:

“Matt is one of the most imaginative and creative minds in the business,” said Channing Dungey, Chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the wonderful 6th & Idaho team and expanding the world Matt so artfully created with The Batman film through our upcoming series The Penguin.”

Reeves also released a statement, which Warner Bros. Discovery desperately needs as its ongoing cuts have led many industry veterans to worry that the studio may have alienated creators who will become wary of working under its new management.

“Making this legendary studio my home is a dream,” Reeves said. “I am so excited to be working with Mike, Pam, and Channing and our teams to bring captivating stories I am truly passionate about to the big and small screen.”

(Via Deadline)

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from The Beths, Cass McCombs, Gordi, Field Medic, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Cass McCombs — Heartmind

Revered songwriter Cass McCombs returned with Heartmind, expanding his catalog to an impressive ten studio albums. Thought-provoking, moody, and at times nihilistic, the album gives McCombs space to show off his hard-rocking sensibilities across eight seamless tracks.

Gordi — Inhuman

Over the past few years, Gordi, the moniker of Australian-born songwriter Sophie Payten, has made a name for herself as one of indie’s most honestly emotive songwriters. Her latest EP Inhuman makes good on her reputation, stitching together six sentimental tracks. Atmospheric and pastoral, Inhuman is a work of gentle and tender reflections on life and love.

The Beths — “Knees Deep”

New Zealand rockers The Beths are nearing the release of their upcoming LP Expert In A Dying Field, and they’ve just returned with another shimmering indie-rock number. “Knees Deep” is a jaunty and upbeat track laced with propulsive power pop sensibilities that, according to vocalist Liz Stokes, speaks to wishing you were the kind of person who would jump into new situations head-first: “I wish I was the kind of person who was brave and decisive instead of cautious and scared.”

Field Medic — “I Think About You All The Time”

Field Medic, aka acclaimed songwriter Kevin Patrick Sullivan, offered up the new tune “Think About You All The Time” as the second single off his upcoming project. The folk track single is a raw and wistful ballad about longing and self-control, written as a way for the musician to frame his sobriety in a positive light. “I wanted it to sound like a love song so it could speak to anyone who’s missing anything, be it a person or in my case; a substance,” Sullivan said.

Mamalarky — “It Hurts”

Giving another taste of their sophmore LP Pocket Fantasy, art rockers Mamalarky leans into a dreamworld fantasy in the mesmerizing track “It Hurts.” The metaphor-laced tune is a gauzy daydream, swirling with piano-driven melodies and lyrics which speak to the idea that musicians feel pressured to capitalize on their emotions and let everyone into their personal world.

The Brazen Youth — “1TL2DU4” Feat. Girlpuppy

Despite their name, The Brazen Youth’s music is anything but brash, as proved by the ultra-comforting new single “1TL2DU4.” Soothing and touching, the new track is taken from their forthcoming 14-track LP Eagle, Idaho and was recorded with Atlanta-based artist Girlpuppy, who offers a lighthearted refrain. Like the upcoming album as a whole, “1TL2DU4” is an ode to the endurance of friendship and celebrating the small moments.

Jean Dawson — “Three Heads*”

Beloved alt rock innovator Jean Dawson continues his audacious artistry with “Three Heads*,” an energetic track that moves fluidly between explosive power pop chords and tantalizing refrains. The track officially points to his upcoming album Chaos Now*, which follows his breakout 2020 project Pixel Bath, and further proves Dawson is an artist to keep on your radar.

Skullcrusher — “They Quiet The Room”

After winning hearts with her bucolic 2020 and 2021 EPs, Helen Ballentine (who adopts the moniker Skullcrusher), readies her anticipated debut album Quiet The Room. To celebrate the album announcement, Ballentine debuted the track “They Quiet The Room” to give a preview of what she has in store. The song is a hushed, piano-driven ballad evoking a peaceful, solitary reflection on love and trust.

Nick Hakim — “Happen”

Acclaimed songwriter and instrumentalist Nick Hakim shares the brooding number “Happen,” a slow-burning and silky ode to the small moments that make up the feeling of falling in love. The song officially heralds his upcoming LP Cometa and features a cameo by Alex G on the piano.

Blondshell — “Sepsis”

After sharing two well-received tracks, Blondshell is back and full of catharsis with her new tune “Sepsis.” Witty, catchy, and unfortunately relatable, the song is about choosing to fall back into a relationship you know (and your therapist knows) isn’t good for you. As proved by “Sepsis” and her other singles, Blondshell manages to capture the modern feminine experience through a charming and hard-rocking lens.

The MTV VMAs are coming back this month to crown the best music videos of the past year. The 2022 MTV VMAs will be hosted by a familiar host personality in LL Cool J and two more co-hosts, Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow. Kendrick Lamar, Harlow, and Lil Nas X lead the way with seven nominations a piece and there are a ton of notable performances happening at the August awards show.

When Are The MTV VMAs?

The MTV VMAs will be broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on August 28. You can watch it at 8 pm EST on much more than just the MTV network now. The MTV VMAs will be broadcast on MTV, BET, The CW, CMT, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, BET Her, TV Land, Nickelodeon, Logo, MTV 2, and even VH1.

Nicki Minaj will be receiving the 2022 VMA Video Vanguard Award and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be receiving the 2022 VMA Global Icon Award. Both will be performing at the MTV VMAs, along with Lizzo, J Balvin, Harlow, Maneskin, Blackpink, Kane Brown, Marshmello with Khalid, and Panic! At The Disco. There will also be pre-show performances from Dove Cameron, Yung Gravy, and Saucy Santana.

The 2022 MTV VMAs are on August 28 at 8pm EST. Get full details on the award show here.

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

50 Cent, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Mariah Carey are all hugely successful musicians, but baseball fans may know them best as purveyors of some of the worst ceremonial first pitches in the history of the sport. It’s not all bad when it comes to musical artists doing athletic stuff, though, as Kevin Morby just had a fantastic first pitch at a Kansas City Royals game in July. At Yankee Stadium yesterday (August 22), it was Pharrell’s turn to take the mound before the Yankees played the Mets, offering a perfectly fine throw that was closer in quality to Morby than it was to Carey.

Alongside 13-year-old son Rocket Ayer Williams, Pharrell stood just in front of the mound and offered a throw that was a bit of a lob, but his form looked comfortable and the pitch landed in the strike zone, with the catcher only having to get out of his crouch slightly to catch the ball as it sailed over the plate. Considering how poorly moments like this have gone in the past, Pharrell did a good job and kept his name off an all-time-worst list.

As Pharrell took the field, he wore items from his new Billionaire Boys Club x Yankees special edition apparel line the launched yesterday, which was the reason for Pharrell’s presence on the field. The clothing and other goodies are available for purchase in various ways, including at Yankee Stadium and on the Billionaire Boys Club website.

JID‘s rollout for The Forever Story continues. Yesterday, the Atlanta rapper piqued interest by releasing the tracklist, sans features. While previously released tracks like “Dance Now” and “Surround Sound” had their featured artists included, the rest were obscured, suggesting they’d remain a mystery until the album’s release this Friday, August 24. However, just a day later, JID has shared an updated tracklist with social media, revealing an eclectic assortment of supporting acts including fellow Dreamville artists Ari Lennox and Earthgang, rappers Lil Durk, Lil Wayne, and Yasiin Bey, and singers Eryn Allen Kane, Johnta Austin, and Ravyn Lenae.

On Instagram, JID also included a sweet dedication to other collaborators and contributors who didn’t quite warrant feature credits. “The official features on The Forever Story,” he wrote. “Wana say thank you to everyone who helped put these words and sounds together, this meant the world to me because none of this was easy and you gave your all to my vision also.” The other names included were James Blake, Justine Skye, Foushee, Spillage Village compatriot Benji., Asiahn, Mereba, and more.

The Forever Story is JID’s first solo full-length since 2018’s DiCaprio 2 and is out 8/26 on Dreamville/Interscope. You can get it here and see the full tracklist below.

1. “Galaxy”
2. “Raydar”
3. “Dance Now” Feat. Kenny Mason
4. “Crack Sandwich”
5. “Can’t Punk Me” Feat. Earthgang
6. “Surround Sound” Feat. 21 Savage & Baby Tate
7. “Kody Blu 31”
8. “Bruddanem” Feat. Lil Durk & Mustafa The Poet
9. “Sistanem”
10. “Can’t Make You Change” Feat. Ari Lennox
11. “Stars” Feat. Yasiin Bey
12. “Just In Time” Feat. Lil Wayne Kenny Mason
13. “Money”
14. “Better Days” Feat. Johnta Austin
15. “Lauder Too” Feat. Ravyn Lenae & Eryn Allen Kane

Mayim Bialik won’t grab the Jeopardy! host baton from Ken Jennings until next year, but until then, she’ll oversee Celebrity Jeopardy!, the game show’s less-serious spinoff.

On Tuesday, Entertainment Weekly revealed this year’s contestants, including Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu, comedian Patton Oswalt, and actress Constance Wu. The other players: Iliza Shlesinger, Ray Romano, Aisha Tyler, Michael Cera, B.J. Novak, and Candace Parker. My money’s on Tyler to win it all. After years of hosting a show where everything is made up and the points don’t matter, she’s ready to win some money.

Jeopardy! decided to continue splitting the hosting duties between Jennings and Bialik because “we have so much Jeopardy! to make, and so many plans for the future, that we always knew we would need multiple hosts for the franchise and we are just so grateful that Mayim and Ken stepped in and stepped up to put the show in a position to succeed,” executive producer Michael Davies explained. “In Mayim and Ken, we have two outstanding hosts at the beginning of their Jeopardy! hosting careers who connect with their own unique fanbases, new fans, and the traditional Jeopardy! viewer.”

Celebrity Jeopardy! premieres on September 25 on ABC.

In a self-own that would make Ted Cruz green with envy, pro-Trump ally John Solomon published what he claims are “damaging” documents that would prove that Joe Biden “worked to instigate” the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. Instead, the documents published by Solomon showed that Biden stayed completely out of the process and deferred judgment to the National Archives and Department of Justice. In fact, the only thing that was damaging in the whole thing was a letter warning Trump that he had possession of highly classified materials that the federal government needed to secure and assess for matters of national security. So… whoops?

Via Just the News:

As the Department of Justice’s National Security Division explained to you on April 29, 2022: There are important national security interests in the FBI and others in the Intelligence Community getting access to these materials. According to NARA, among the materials in the boxes are over 100 documents with classification markings, comprising more than 700 pages. Some include the highest levels of classification, including Special Access Program (SAP) materials. Access to the materials is not only necessary for purposes of our ongoing criminal investigation, but the Executive Branch must also conduct an assessment of the potential damage resulting from the apparent manner in which these materials were stored and transported and take any necessary remedial steps.

As Mediaite reports, political journalists are stunned at how Solomon thought any of this would exonerate Trump. “Amazing own goal by Team Trump,” tweeted Lachlan Markay of Axios. “They released this letter thinking it’d show political meddling by Biden. In fact, it shows the opposite.”

“Ironically, Trump’s media guy shows how NARA was bending over backwards for Trump before it finally gave the FBI access to the classified records,” wrote Bradley P. Moss.

Maggie Haberman of The New York Times noted that, most damagingly, the documents shut down Trump’s defense that he was allowed to have the documents because of executive privilege.

“NARA letter also confirms that Trump team was delaying the process, and given extensions,” Haberman tweeted. “And it makes clear that there’s no presidential privilege in a case like this.”

The good news is at least Trump’s own son-in-law didn’t go to Fox & Friends and try to distance himself from the documents scandal. Except, no wait, that’s exactly what Jared Kushner did. Is all of this bad? It seems bad.

(Via Mediaite)