Ahead of Sunday’s telecast of the 94th Academy Awards, Varietyis reporting that Beyonce is planning to perform at this year’s Oscars via satellite. Beyonce, who is nominated for Best Original Song for “Be Alive” from King Richard is reportedly planning to perform the song live from tennis courts in Compton, California.
Compton is where Venus and Serena Williams honed their tennis skills, encouraged by their father, Richard, played by Will Smith in King Richard. In 2016, The Lueders Park courts were officially rebranded as the Venus and Serena Williams Court of Champions.
According to Variety, “One possible scenario would have Will Smith…appear onsite with Beyonce and then presumably head north to Hollywood in time to take his seat for the announcement of the best actor category.”
In an interview with Vanity Fair, songwriter Dixson revealed Bey had reached out to him to collaborate on a song for King Richard. Dixson, who had been trying for a while to send demos and song ideas to Beyonce’s team, said of their collaboration, “I wanted to just give her the bones of the song first because what I don’t think people talk about a lot is Beyonce’s ability to craft a song. A lot of it happens in her vocals and her delivery, but she’s also a great songwriter and an amazing producer.”
Snoop Dogg’s love of gaming is well-documented; last year, he hosted a Super Bowl XBox tournament alongside Saweetie, this year, he joined the gamer crew FaZe Clan, and he’s a well-known streamer on Twitch, bringing his unique personality and wisecracks to the masses. He’s even been in a few games, perhaps most notably in Def Jam: Fight For NY as that game’s surprising final boss. Now, gamers can play with Snoop Dogg in another popular game, although this time in a different genre.
Today, Activision announced that Snoop will join its immensely popular shooter series, Call Of Duty, as a playable character in three of the franchise’s current offerings: Call Of Duty: Mobile, Call Of Duty: Vanguard, and Call Of Duty: Warzone. To acquire the character in the console versions, players can look for him on April 19 at 10 am PT. The character includes “a full Operator progression track,” along with alternate outfits. The mobile version will be available via Lucky Draw on April 1. Naturally, Snoop will be voicing himself, as he did in Call Of Duty: Ghosts
“The D O Double G is back in Call of Duty and this time I’m in the freakin’ game!” Snoop said in the press release. “Excited to be working with the COD team to bring some fly features for you all to enjoy. It’s dope….. y’all can play as me and get these sick items that have Snoop written all over them. Check it out.”
See photos of Snoop in action courtesy of Activision below.
Taylor Swift has been prolific with releasing new music in recent years, and now she’s at it again. A trailer for Reese Witherspoon’s film adaptation of Delia Owens’ 2018 novel Where The Crawdads Sing was shared today and it features a snippet of a new Swift song called “Carolina.”
Swift shared the trailer on social media and wrote, “Where The Crawdads Sing is a book I got absolutely lost in when I read it years ago. As soon as I heard there was a film in the works starring the incredible @daisyedgarjones and produced by the brilliant @reesewitherspoon, I knew I wanted to be a part of it from the musical side. I wrote the song ‘Carolina’ alone and asked my friend @aarondessner to produce it. I wanted to create something haunting and ethereal to match this mesmerizing story. You’ll hear it fully soon, but for now check out the @crawdadsmovie trailer for a clip!”
As for the movie, a publisher’s statement on the book reads, “For years, rumors of the ‘Marsh Girl’ have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life — until the unthinkable happens.”
Kanye West has been making headlines, and not for good reasons. His feud with Kim Kardashian’s new boyfriend Pete Davidson has led to only more drama, with celebrities like Jake Paul, Jimmy Kimmel, and Trevor Noah intervening either to try to help or just to make jokes. West, at one point, was suspended on Instagram for 24 hours because of the situation, and then eventually his performance at the Grammys was pulled. Now, his performance at California festival Coachella next month might have the same fate.
The rapper is a headliner for the third day, but a recent petition was made on Change.org titled “Remove Kanye From Coachella.” Its description reads: “We have watched Kanye harass, manipulate, and hurt Kim, Pete, and others for over a year now. No one seems to want to stand up to him, and the ones that do, he puts under fire as well. Most recently, he has been threatening actual bodily harm on others. This is ridiculous that he is allowed to freely do this. Coachella (along with other brand names that are still working with him) should be ashamed of themselves and should not be giving him any more of a platform. Please sign & share!” It currently has almost 30,000 signatures. The festival takes place next month, from April 15 to 24.
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.
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Mattiel — Georgia Gothic
Duo Mattiel dropped their third album this week, Georgia Gothic. A collection of 11 breezy and playful tunes at times infused with just the right amount of twang, Georgia Gothic pays homage to their home state of Georgia and marks a strong effort from the indie rockers.
Hana Vu — Parking Lot
NYC-based musician Hana Vu surprise-released the EP Parking Lot this week, following up on last year’s Public Storage album. Parking Lot shows off a more intimate side of the musician’s songwriting, combining introspective ballads and some live renditions of her recent songs.
Arcade Fire — “The Lightning I, II”
After teasing their new era of music for a few weeks now, Arcade Fire returned in a big way this week, releasing a pair of new singles, “The Lightning I” and “The Lightning II.” The tracks are exactly what fans hoped the band’s new music would sound like: cinematic and inspiring. The songs are set to arrive on the band’s upcoming release We, which drops in May and was mostly recorded in 2019 and 2020.
Weezer — “A Little Bit Of Love”
Emo music is on the rise among Gen Z, so that means its a perfect time for Weezer to make their comeback. The band’s new single “A Little Bit Of Love” points to a new batch of uplifting music. The harmonica-driven track is upbeat and carefree, detailing the importance of perseverance and reflecting on how far you’ve come.
Alex G — “End Song”
Alex G is another indie musician who shared their first new music in several years. But this time, the new song was written for a film. Included in the soundtrack to the upcoming movie We’re All Going To The World’s Fair, “End Song” is an intimate and nostalgia-inducing acoustic tune invoking his early 2010’s albums.
Muna — “Anything But Me”
Now as full-fledged members of Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory label, trio Muna share a tune from their forthcoming self-titled album. The shimmering indie-pop ballad “Anything But Me” is cheery and infused with confidence and, as one YouTube commenter aptly put it, is “giving Manic Pixie Dream Girl with healthy boundaries.”
The Smile — “Skrting On The Surface”
The Smile, the side project of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons Of Kemet drummer Tim Skinner, shared their third track in the form of the cinematic single “Skrting On The Surface.” Armed with Yorke’s recognizable falsetto, the dreamlike song boasts pronounced strings and a comforting drum beat.
Hovvdy — “Everything”
It’s only been a few months since Hovvdy released their album True Love, which revolved around themes of marriage and parenthood. Now, the duo have shared “Everything,” a tender track written during the True Love songwriting sessions that didn’t make the final album cut. “Everything” is an upbeat tune laced with just the right amount of twang and fits in nicely with the more subdued tracks on the album.
Saya Gray — “If There’s No Seat In The Sky”
Talented up-and-comer, Saya Gray is the newest signee to UK label Dirty Hit, and has now dropped a new song, “If There’s No Seat In The Sky (Will You Forgive Me???).” The single starts off on the acoustic side before heading into an edgier, head-spinning direction. Gray’s track is set to appear on her upcoming release 19 Masters, which is “a battle of self-preservation and an ode to the human experience.”
Ethan Gruska, Bon Iver — “So Unimportant”
Bon Iver hasn’t made an album since 2019, but vocalist Justin Vernon has been appearing on a number of collaborative projects lately. His latest is the woozy new track “So Unimportant” with folk songwriter Ethan Gruska. “So Unimportant” is a comforting and electronic-twinged laid-back tune impressively made remotely between the two musicians.
Sudan Archives — “Home Maker”
Sudan Archives made her triumphant return with “Home Maker,” her first new track in several years. The snappy tune is both wildly fun and captivating, layering Sudan Archives’ honeyed voice over R&B and pop-inspired rhythmic beats.
Christian Lee Hutson — “Cherry”
Christian Lee Hutson has made a name for himself after penning gentle and ruminating tracks on his 2020 album Beginners. Now rolling out a new batch of songs in anticipating for his sophomore release Quitters, Hutson shares the lulling acoustic number “Cherry,” a ballad about an important-yet-fleeting connection.
Flasher — “Sideways”
Following up on their acclaimed debut album Constant Image, Washington, DC-based duo Flasher teases their upcoming LP Love Is Yours with the hazy and tranquil “Sideways.” With a lively bass lick and dreamy production, “Sideways” gives an exciting taste of what seems like is a more danceable project.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
This week was teeming with new releases, but the highlights included some of the pop albums we’ve been waiting for. Charli XCX finally unveiled Crash, an album that marks her return to bombastic, radio-friendly anthems like the polarizing “Baby.” At the same time, Rosalía unleashed Motomami, which had been all the talk for months because of its provocative artwork and its catchy singles. The up-and-coming Ethel Cain announced her debut album Preacher’s Daughter and released the haunting “Gibson Girl.”
Former Fifth Harmony member has been working on her debut solo album for quite some time. Now, we at least have this sparkling, honest song “Fair,” which is addressed to an old lover and proves her skill at crafting music that cuts deep. While reckoning with their breakup, she asks: “Is it fair that you moved on?”
Gayle — “Luv Starved”
Singer of the gigantic TikTok hit “Abcdefu” Gayle dropped her debut EP, which includes that track as well as this emotionally charged, slower song “Luv Started.” It’s packed with plainly depressing lyrics contrasted against clever quips: “Swear to God imma change but I’m agnostic,” she drawls. Momentum builds at the end and turns into an anthem about no longer wanting to be “taken advantage of by sh*tty guys.”
Muna — “Anything But Me”
Along with the announcement of their forthcoming self-titled album, Muna shared the fed-up “Anything But Me,” which opens with the snarky line: “You’re gonna say that I’m on a high horse / I think that my horse is regular-sized.” Instead of resorting to anger or exhaustion, the song celebrates its newfound freedom and independence.
Charli XCX — “Yuck”
Though Crash has plenty of bangers, “Yuck” has an effortless groove to it as well as an amazing amount of attitude: “Put me on a pedestal / ‘Causе my love’s incredible,” she deadpans. For a little over two minutes, she carelessly revels in narcissism and it makes for an addictive listen.
Juice WRLD — “Sometimes”
Late rapper Juice WRLD’s second posthumous album Fighting Demons arrived in December, but was just updated with this new song “Sometimes.” It showcased exactly what made Juice WRLD rise to the top so fast — his honesty about his struggles, especially his feeling of loneliness and failure despite being rich and famous. It’s inspiring when he sings, “Nobody ever felt the pain I felt, so I share it / And put it out to the whole world, I ain’t embarrassed.”
Still Woozy, Remi Wolf — “Pool”
Still Woozy and Remi Wolf teamed up for this twinkly ballad that follows a complicated love story. The pair take turns with the chorus and the verses; both of their voices are tender and sincere, and the song reaches its peak at the end when they harmonize with one another beautifully.
Syd, Lucky Daye — “Cybah”
Syd and Lucky Daye joined forces for this new song, “Cybah,” which broods and sizzles with fiery, otherwordly synths. On the chorus, Syd repeats the pulsating question: “Could you brеak a heart?” It holds a lot of weight, but the meaning seems to change every time she croons it.
Ethel Cain — “Gibson Girl”
Ethel Cain seems to be on a mission to see how haunting she can make her songs. Her autotuned drawls on “Gibson Girl” are bone-chilling, and the words amplify that feeling: “Baby, if it feels good / Then it can’t be bad.” At nearly six minutes, the track is something of an exorcism of lust and leaves the listener wanting more.
Rosalía — “Candy”
Rosalía’s “Candy” is also haunted, but instead by a past lover. Their presence can be felt in the song; the tension is palpable and the complex longing in Rosalía’s voice is unmissable. Still, despite the layer of sadness, “Candy” is as danceable as any of her songs.
Love You Later — “Keepintouch”
Love You Later, the rising project of Lexi Aviles, released this lively track that grapples with the difficulty of navigating relationships when trying to take care of yourself: “I’m losing touch with everyone else / Trying to keep in touch with myself.” Her voice is genuine and soars mesmerizingly over the upbeat instruments.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ted is the new Karen. Over the weekend, a video surfaced in which Ted Cruz seemed to be getting surly with an airline employee at the Bozeman International Airport in Montana after he missed his flight. While the words being exchanged are not audible, eventually law enforcement was called over to help sort out the mess—and it’s hard for anyone to take any of this seriously, given the Texas senator’s history with causing airport-related drama. Of course, it didn’t take long for people to make comparisons to Cruz’s infamous Cancun getaway, and the jokes began flowing like yards of beer at Señor Frog’s, with Jimmy Kimmel joining in the torment.
On Monday night, Kimmel—who regularly finds himself at odds with Cruz—couldn’t help but laugh at the whole debacle. As he told viewers:
The big Ted story today… is a video shot at the Bozeman, Montana airport. A man who looks suspiciously like Ted Cruz has a heated exchange with an airline employee and then, after the airline employee, a police officer. Apparently, he missed his flight and demanded to speak to the manager of the airport about a dozen times to the point where they had to call in security.
He should stay out of airports, right?
Kimmel pointed out the irony of the incident in light of Cruz’s comments just a few weeks back, while meeting with the trucker convoy, that, “Almost without exception, every time I’m on an airplane, either the captain or a flight attendant will come up to me, will hug me and say, ‘Thank you for fighting for us.’”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) during meeting with D.C. trucker convoy:
“Almost without exception, every time I’m on an airplane, either the captain or a flight attendant will come up to me, will hug me and say, ‘Thank you for fighting for us.’” pic.twitter.com/27eoBrBlMb
But Kimmel’s not buying it: “There’s no way he’s getting spontaneously hugged. Can you imagine hugging Ted Cruz? Donald Trump hugs Eric more than flight attendants hug Ted Cruz.”
You can watch the full video above, beginning around the 2:00 mark.
The tension between Megan Thee Stallion and Carl Crawford’s 1501 Certified Entertainment flared up last month when the rapper sued the label over the classification of her latest project, Something For Thee Hotties. While Megan contends that she was told the release would count as an album off of her four-album contract with 1501, it appears 1501 instead classified it as a mixtape — as the label also did with Fever and Suga. Now, the label has issued a countersuit, according to Billboard, arguing that the project only constituted 29 minutes of new material.
The label’s attorney, Steven M. Zager, wrote, “MTS knows that each ‘album’ must include at least twelve new master recordings of her studio performances of previously-unreleased musical compositions. She also knows that 1501 gets to approve the musical compositions to be included on each album. And MTS knows that none of that happened here.” The countersuit blames Roc Nation, Megan’s management company, for “trying to persuade its management clients to leave their record labels.”
Megan was unhappy about the claims, expressing her frustration on Twitter. “First the man over my label said I don’t make him any money,” she wrote. “Now he counter suing trying to keep me on his label because he wants to make more money lol if I ain’t making you no money why not just drop me?”
First the man over my label said I don’t make him any money … now he counter suing trying to keep me on his label because he wants to make more money lol if I ain’t making you no money why not just drop me?
She explained, “My lawyers asked him for an expense report(money 1501 supposedly has spent on ME)… why this grown ass man put his jewelry and chains on there… lord free me from this joke ass label… Carl I don’t wanna be signed to yo pill popping ass! You talking abt I ain’t paid for a show and you sound slow. Im the artist I don’t pay you directly maybe fight with THE MAN YOU SIGNED TO AND YOU MIGHT SEE SOME MONEY YOU FUCKING POWDER HEAD! You hiding behind JPRINCE. Carl you got a wholeeee contact with 300 and talking shit to me like I got yo fucking money! You are ATTACKING ME ..why? Bc you want to be FAMOUS NOT RICH. Ask KEVIN LILES WHERE YO MONEY AT STUPID.”
My lawyers asked him for an expense report(money 1501 supposedly has spent on ME)… why this grown ass man put his jewelry and chains on there… lord free me from this joke ass label
Carl I don’t wanna be signed to yo pill popping ass! You talking abt I ain’t paid for a show and you sound slow. Im the artist I don’t pay you directly maybe fight with THE MAN YOU SIGNED TO AND YOU MIGHT SEE SOME MONEY YOU FUCKING POWDER HEAD! You hiding behind JPRINCE
Carl you got a wholeeee contact with 300 and talking shit to me like I got yo fucking money! You are ATTACKING ME ..why? Bc you want to be FAMOUS NOT RICH. Ask KEVIN LILES WHERE YO MONEY AT STUPID
Megan also insinuated that she’d been in contact with 1501 artist Erica Banks, who some fans tried to pit against her, calling the “Buss It” rapper a “replacement” for Meg. Instead, Thee Stallion suggested that even Banks is fed up with 1501, writing, “I choose not to say nothing back abt court and address shit online but im getting tired of being painted the BAD GUY 2/47 the last girl on 1501 mad at this man too !”
I choose not to say nothing back abt court and address shit online but im getting tired of being painted the BAD GUY 2/47 the last girl on 1501 mad at this man too !
Ahead of his upcoming Mathematics Tour, Ed Sheeran took to Instagram and Twitter yesterday to tease new music. In a series of posts, he recounted meeting Colombian singer/rapper J Balvin at a gym last year around Christmas.
“It was just me and him very early in the morning. I recognised his voice when he was on the phone so I just went up and said hi,” said the “Shivers” singer.
Included in the posts was a video with clips of the two in a recording studio, along with them on the set of what appears to be a music video.
So I want to share something with you that I’ve been working on. I met @JBALVIN in a gym in New York last year. It was just me and him very early in the morning. I recognised his voice when he was on the phone so I just went up and said hi… pic.twitter.com/O21klmbJnf
Sheeran followed up the video clip, revealing he and Balvin later went for lunch and afternoon tea. The two would later take to the studio to write and record two songs — “Sigue” and “Forever My Love.”
“He wanted to bring me into his world, and I wanted to bring him into mine,” Sheeran continued “Was a proper challenge learning Spanish for this and I had so much fun doing it.”
Neither Sheeran nor Balvin have revealed an exact release date for their collaborations, however, Sheeran teases they will be out “soon” and he “absolutely” loves them.
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
During an interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News on Monday night, the white trash rapper-turned-heartland rocker spoke about his 2017 visit to the White House with Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent. “I was there with [Trump] one day when he ended the caliphate,” he said, referring to the Islamic State. “He wanted to put out a tweet… I don’t like to speak out of school. I hope I’m not. But… the tweet was, and I’m paraphrasing, but it’s like, you know, ‘If you ever joined the caliphate, you know, trying to do this, you’re going to be dead.’ He goes, ‘What do you think?’ [I said] ‘Awesome. I can’t add any better.’ But then it comes out and it’s… reworded and more political, to look politically correct.”
He also said he and Trump were once “looking at maps. I’m like, you know, like, ‘Am I supposed to be in on this shit?’ Like I make dirty records sometimes. I do.
“‘What do you think we should do about North Korea?’ I’m like, ‘What? I don’t think I’m qualified to answer this.’”
In four years in office, Trump both threatened and met with the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. No progress was made in ending the US standoff with the nuclear-armed dictator.
If only Trump had reached out to Uncle Kracker. He would have found a peaceful solution to the conflict in the Middle East.
“I think I crawled out of the womb with both middle fingers in the air.”
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