Month: January 2023

Lizzo can throw it back with her fierce twerking skills, but she has also made clapping back at online trolls a sport. While at home on break from weeks of strenuously international touring, the Grammy-Award-winning singer took to TikTok to share her newest look.

In the video, the “About Damn Time” singer gushes over her new lace front wig that she deemed her “skinny weave.” Lizzo proclaimed, “I used to love bundles on bundles on bundles. Make me look like the Cowardly Lion, but ever since I got this barely there wispy weave, I feel like doing the majorette challenge,” adding, “something about it is giving me new enjoy for the year.”

But in typically TikTok style, users jumped into the video’s comment section pushing back against the musician’s new look. However, Lizzo was there to put them in their place. In her response video caption, “everyone’s hair is gonna be at 20% density, and they’re gonna name it the librarian girl aesthetic,” Lizzo proclaimed she isn’t worried about appealing to the public because they often catch on too late anyway.

“This comment is hilarious, but y’all love to make fun of me. Then a year later, everybody is doing what I’m doing. This has happened time and time again,” said Lizzo. She continued, “I’m proud of what I’m doing. I like it…but keep the jokes coming. Y’all are funny. I love internet comedians”.”

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

In November of last year, Selena Gomez shared an intimate documentary about her life called My Mind & Me that brought fans into her interior life. It was reported today, January 16, by US Magazine, that the singer is now allegedly dating Drew Taggart from The Chainsmokers.

An insider told the publication, “They aren’t trying to hide their romance by sneaking around at members-only clubs,” and added that they’re “very casual and low-key.”

This follows Taggart admitting on a podcast with other Chainsmokers half, Alex Pall, that they’ve had threesomes together with fans. “I think we were just like, ‘What the f*ck just happened?’ They were never planned,” Pall explained about the sexual experiences.

Taggart added, “I feel like that’s how threesomes happen, though.” It was never ‘die-hard fans’: “No one wearing merch or anything,” they said.

“It’s been a long time,” Pall continued. “But in the early days — it was also the days when we used to have to share the hotel rooms. We’d be in Europe. They have the two beds. They don’t even split them apart. They literally have two singles. So it’s almost like we were forced by the European government because they don’t separate their beds.”

The other week, Reason argued that Fabolous is a better rapper than Andre 3000. “[Fab] out-raps Wayne, he said. “If you can out-rap Wayne, you can out-rap Andre 3000. He’s out-rapped Wayne on records. … I’m not saying it’s easy for Fab, but I think if Fab came in with the mindset of ‘I want the best verse,’ I think Fab can out-rap Andre 3000.”

Now, Drake is singing Fabolous’ praises as well. In a new Instagram story, he posted a picture of the rapper with text that reads: “Real sh*t @myfabolouslife was really just taking in how much you influenced everything for me,” and he “wouldn’t be anywhere without this guy.”

In September, Fabolous made an appearance alongside Trina and DJ Whoo Kid at AEW’s Arthur Ashe Stadium show at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens for the Dynamite Grand Slam show.

Meanwhile Drake is still riding the success of his collaborative LP with 21 Savage, Her Loss, that came out last year. At the end of December, it surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. Before the album was even released, the pair decided to launch a whole fake promotional cycle, which included a photoshopped Vogue cover, a spoof NPR Tiny Desk, a parody SNL performance, a faux Howard Stern interview, and even more.

Just when you thought the ‘nepo baby‘ conversation was over, it reenters social media’s trending topics. This time at the center of the conversation is budding rap star, King Combs.

After landing at the Los Angeles International Airport, King (real name Christian), who is the oldest biological son of music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, was stopped by TMZ to ask him about his feelings around being labeled a nepotism baby. Initially, when asked by the cameraman, King laughs off the subject. Still, after the second ask, he humbly responds, “[It doesn’t bother me], not really. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. So [I] have a big legacy I have to live up to,” adding, “but right now, Bad Boy [Records] we’re number one, baby.”

When asked about how he feels about benefitting from his father’s two-decade-long career in the industry, King said, “I feel like I’m blessed. You know [my siblings and I] are going to take the legacy further and further.” Closing with his father’s signature slogan, “Bad Boy for life.”

King Combs, without a doubt, benefits from the groundwork his father has laid in music, but he continues to make way for himself. King hasn’t hidden from his father’s legacy. In fact, he has embraced it. His music leans into honoring his father every step of the way, as recently heard on his breakout song, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop,” featuring Kodak Black.

2023 is looking like the year of Cardi B’s return. A couple of days ago, the rapper teased her first album in five years. She also just hopped on the first episode of the REVOLT show to catch fans up on what she’s doing. The episode is full of a lot of interesting conversation, but she also discussed remembering Offset’s reaction to the tragic death of Takeoff.

“We was in bed,” she said. “We was going to go to La La’s party in New York, and my daughter threw up all over my costume… We just fell asleep, and out of nowhere, Offset’s phone kept ringing, and mine kept ringing.”

She continued, “Offset picked up the phone, and he’s just like ‘No!’ screaming [over and over].” Finally, when his wife asked what was wrong, Offset replied, “Takeoff is dead.”

She smacked her husband in disbelief, begging him not to say something so horrible.

Earlier this month, other Migos member Quavo shared a heartbreaking tribute to Takeoff, “Without You.” It captures the rapper’s grief in graphic detail. “Tears rolling down my eyes / Can’t tell you how many times I cried / Days ain’t the same without you,” he sang.

Listen to the podcast episode with Cardi B below.

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

CNN has fallen on hard times. Their ratings have been dwindling and their attempt at a streamer was an instant disaster. They also have a new boss, Chris Licht, who has already implemented big changes, including trying to tone down what he sees as a leftist bent. Now he’s thinking of doing something arguably even more seismic: spicing up its primetime line-up with some jokes.

A new report from Radar Online claims that Chris Licht, the 24-hour news network’s new honcho, is thinking of doing the unthinkable and axing its current, underperforming primetime lineup. He’s specifically looking to shake up the 9pm to 11pm slots, which are currently filled by the second hour of Anderson Cooper 360 and the first hour of CNN Tonight. Instead of straight, sober news, he wants to bring in a comedian.

“They’re looking for their own version of John Oliver,” a source says, alluding to the comic’s popular HBO show.

CNN may wind up going with another Daily Show alum. The report claims they’ve been in talks with Jon Stewart to fill those two hours on a weeknightly basis. Stewart, of course, already has his own show: Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart. But there are alternatives: CNN has also reportedly been speaking with Stewart’s Daily Show host replacement, Trevor Noah, who recently left the show, as well as Bill Maher and Arsenio Hall.

Having a comedy show on a news network isn’t a new idea. Since 2021, Fox News has the most watched late night show on television with Gutfeld!, hosted by the network’s biggest indie rock and Gwar fan, Greg Gutfeld, and which airs live starting at 11pm on weeknights. CNN seems to only make the news when it’s being funny anyway. Witness Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper’s New Year’s Eve shenanigans, which draw attention even when they’re not boozing it up on air.

(Via Radar Online)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are (to put it mildly) overexposed in the U.S. at this point, but that hasn’t stopped Harry’s book sales from reaching record-setting heights. That’s only bound to upset their critics even more, including Piers Morgan, who was so excited to trash their Netflix show that he spent his wife’s birthday hate-watching and tweeting about the bland production. In fact, that show was so uneventful that it’s remarkable how much vitriol it inspires, and that’s where former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson comes into this story.

Recently, Clarkson penned a column for The Sun, in which he confessed, “I hate her on a cellular level.” He was also “dreaming” of a scenario when Meghan would be stripped naked and forced to walk through the streets (as people toss excrement) like Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones Season 5. Naturally, this did not go over well with readers describing the column as “vile” in the course of 6,000 complaints to England’s press regulator.

Prince Harry quickly spoke out against the column, and Clarkson has insisted that he sent a Christmas Day letter to the Sussexes, to whom he is “profoundly sorry.” That hasn’t stopped the tide against Clarkson. On Monday, Variety reported that two of Clarkson’s Amazon shows were about to receive the ax:

Sources tell Variety that the streaming service won’t be working with Clarkson beyond seasons of “The Grand Tour” and “Clarkson’s Farm” that have already been commissioned. This means that the notorious “Top Gear” presenter likely won’t be appearing in any new shows on Prime Video beyond 2024 (though there’s every chance a final “Grand Tour” episode could carry over into 2025).

Variety notes that Amazon/Prime Video declined to speak on the subject, although a previously scheduled Clarkson’s Farm press conference has been shelved as of Monday evening. That event was due to happen on Tuesday and had been on the books prior to the GoT reference, although it remains to be seen whether the show cancellations do in fact occur. Following Variety‘s initial report, Clarkson did make another public apology, “a mea culpa with bells on.”

Read his Instagram post below.

(Via Variety)

Monday’s edition of First Take came live from Tampa, as ESPN sent its shows on the road ahead of their Monday Night broadcast of the final Wild Card game between the Cowboys and Buccaneers.

Being a Monday, ESPN had Michael Irvin joining Stephen A. Smith, which is the ideal desk to get two people yelling at each other about the Dallas Cowboys. Not only did they have a live audience of fans of both teams, but they invited out the fathers of Cowboys players, including Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott’s dads, so Stephen A. Smith could look them directly in the eyes and tell them their sons were garbage. The result is some incredible television, as Stephen A. stands up to deliver his prediction of two interceptions from Prescott and a Cowboys loss on a Tom Brady-led touchdown drive at the end of the game.

The best part of this is that it’s shot like an episode of Maury, with the fathers of the Cowboys players roped off on the side while Stephen A. tells them how their sons stink and they in turn just get to boo and make hand gestures to show their disapproval. I hope this is the future of First Take, having Stephen A. yelling about how someone stinks and then have whoever’s hosting that day to just yell “COME ON OUT” and either that player or a family member comes barging onto the set, furious with SAS.

Justin Quiles is stepping in 2023 with new music. On Friday (January 13), the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter teamed up with Myke Towers for his intoxicating love song “Whiskey y Coco.” Women of all shapes and sizes star in Quiles’ music video.

Quiles is a star in reggaeton music both as an artist and a songwriter. He has co-penned hits like Becky G and Karol G’s “Mamiii” and Rosalía’s “Saoko.” Quiles has also scored global hits under his own name with “Loco” and “Colorín Colorado.” For his first taste of new music this year, he is now joining forces with Puerto Rican rapper Towers in “Whiskey y Coco.”

“For me, doing this track with Justin was an honor because he is one of the most respected songwriters in the game, as well as being an artist,” Towers said in a statement. “It is the first time that El Young King (Towers) and La Nueva Promesa (Quiles) get together and in the song you can feel the essence of Puerto Rico very strongly!”

“Whiskey y Coco” is Quiles’ ode to the popular drink combination in Puerto Rico. In the reggaeton romp with an electronic touch, Quiles sings about an empowered woman that’s got him love drunk. Towers comes through with a fiery guest verse that turns up the heat of their feel-good track. In the video, a diverse cast of women are shown vibing to the song throughout Puerto Rico. Their beauty is highlighted as Quiles and Towers sweetly serenade them.

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

Anitta has new music on the way this week. Last night (January 15), Brazilian drag pop star Gloria Groove performed her upcoming single “Proibidona” with Anitta and Valesca Popozuda in São Paulo.

Yesterday in São Paulo, Anitta hosted her event Ensaios Da Anitta. For this year’s festival, she chose to honor the women that she admires with the theme of “Warriors.” During a special performance, Anitta brought out Groove for the live debut of her single “Proibidona.” Popozuda, who is also featured on the song, joined the two artists onstage. While dressed like warrior goddesses, the three artists sang the fierce track together as the crowd went wild.

After the concert, Anitta and Groove were spotted dancing to “Proibidona” backstage. The song will be released on Wednesday, January 18. The track will mark another high-profile collaboration for Groove following her epic banger “Ameianoite” featuring Pabllo Vittar, which released in October.

Earlier this month, Anitta announced that she was hard at work on her next album, which will be a return to her funk carioca, or Brazilian funk, roots. 2022 proved to be a breakthrough year for the Brazilian superstar thanks to the success of her single “Envolver” from the Versions Of Me album. Anitta is nominated for Best New Artist at next month’s Grammy Awards.

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