Month: January 2023

Miley Cyrus announced that she would drop her eighth album, Endless Summer Vacation, this Spring. This would be the first project the pop singer and former Disney star has made since 2020’s Plastic Hearts. The new album is set to debut on March 10. During her Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party NBC special on New Year’s Eve, the singer shared she would be dropping her first single off the upcoming album “Flowers.”

On Tuesday, Cyrus took to social media to share more album promo, including a trippy teaser trailer.

Release date

Endless Summer Vacation is out on 3/10 via Columbia. You can pre-order it here.

Tracklist

The “Wrecking Ball” singer has yet to release the tracklist for the upcoming album, but it will presumably be coming soon.

Features

Regarding features, Cyrus has been mum about who will join her on the album, but names will hopefully be released soon. However, it was revealed that she worked with producers Kid Harpoon, Greg Kurstin, Mike WiLL Made-It, and Tyler Johnson, according to a press release. The project will serve as the singer’s “love letter to LA.”

Singles

The album’s lead single, “Flowers,” will arrive on January 13, coincidently the same day as her ex-husband, actor Liam Hemsworth’s birthday.

Trailer

In September of last year, Trevor Noah announced that he would be exiting The Daily Show after seven years behind the iconic desk. After finishing up his duties last month, The Daily Show has been living in a host-less limbo until it returns this month with new episodes. Thus asking the big question: who is going to be hosting this thing now?

Instead of picking a last-minute permanent host, Comedy Central decided to go the Jeopardy! route and enlist in a bunch of comedians to take over until a new host can be named in a Comedy Central coronation of some sort. That’s how they do that, right?

Today, the network released the upcoming lineup of hosts starting with Leslie Jones (Jan. 17), followed by Wanda Sykes (Jan. 23), D.L. Hughley (Jan. 30), Chelsea Handler (Feb. 6), and Sarah Silverman (Feb. 13). Dates regarding the other upcoming hosts, Al Franken, John Leguizamo, Hasan Minhaj, Kal Penn, and Marlon Wayans will be announced later on.

Even though there is no permanent Daily Show host for the future, there is one late-night lady who recently lost her own show and could be a very great replacement host. Just a thought!

As for Noah, next up he will reprise his hosting duties for the third year in a row with this year’s Grammy awards on February 5th, 2023. He is really becoming a huge fan of music lately. Good for him.

(Via The Wrap)

Eight months after Young Thug’s arrest alongside 27 other members of the alleged street gang/record label YSL, jury selection for the trial has begun, while the trial itself will take place shortly afterward. Since the initial 56-count indictment and arrests, numerous members of the group have been offered and accepted plea deals that will at the very least see the end of YSL as we know it, including Gunna and Thug’s brother Unfoonk.

Young Thug himself, though, remains on the hook for eight charges after a search of his home yielded several new charges in addition to one count of conspiracy to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The charges against him are now: possession of a firearm while committing a felony; possession of a machine gun; two counts of participating in criminal street activity; and three counts of violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act. A charge of street racing was tacked on in December, drawing criticism from Thug’s lawyers.

The high-profile trial is estimated to last between six and nine months, according Fulton County Judge Ural Glanville (per Fox Atlanta), and has attracted the scrutiny of multiple recording industry professionals who feel that the use of Thug’s lyrics to connect him to the initial RICO indictments has racism written all over it. Regardless of the outcome, the terms of the plea deals given to Thug’s artists prevents them from associating with other accused members of the alleged gang and even mentioning it in their lyrics, which means that YSL will essentially be no more.

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

Despite the fact that Ron DeSantis has become the GOP’s presumed new Golden Boy, MyPillow magnate Mike Lindell is continuing to put all of his eggs — and reportedly more than $40 million of his own money — into Donald Trump’s gilded golden basket. And while he’s obviously already #TeamTrump for 2024, he doesn’t understand why no GOP congressperson has offered up the former president’s name for Speaker of the House. On Wednesday night, Jimmy Kimmel admitted that he might like to see what that would look like.

After adjourning for the evening on Wednesday following six rounds of voting, no Speaker of the House named, and Kevin McCarthy absolutely sh*tting his pants with an awkward smile permanently plastered on his face, the House of Representatives — which currently technically has zero members — will reconvene and try again. Kimmel, however, is not particularly optimistic that they’ll be able to come to any sort of agreement, noting that House Republicans are “giving Southwest a run for their money right now. They’ve been in power for two days and so far, putting Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives has been like putting woodchucks in charge of your lawn.”

But if any GOP members were watching Mike Lindell’s live-streaming channel yesterday (despite the fact that no one watches Mike Lindell’s livestreaming channel), they might be compelled to cast their next vote (and the one after that, and the one after that…) for everyone’s favorite stable genius. The pillow scion even claimed that “everybody’s texting me going, ‘Why doesn’t somebody put his name in there and get this done?’” Which seems dubious — mostly because we’re pretty sure the FBI still has his phone. “But think what [Trump] could get straightened out in three months,” Lindell said with the greatest enthusiasm.

Between bouts of hysterical laughter, Kimmel admitted that he was equally intrigued by the idea:

Can you imagine Donald Trump as Speaker of the House? Nothing would EVER get [done]. He’d spend every session banging that gavel like it was a porn star.

You can watch the full clip above, beginning at the 2:10 mark.

With a new year comes a whole new slew of titles to add to your watchlist, including the hundreds of shows you keep saying you are going to watch but never get around to it. We are all guilty of that, but now, more than ever, there are so many choices of what to watch, it can be hard to determine which show will be your next favorite and which one will end up on your “Worst Of” list 11 months from now.

You can’t really go wrong with a good comedy, and since there are so many to choose from on so many different platforms, here we have narrowed it down to the 25 funniest shows streaming on Netflix as of this moment. Whether or not you’ve seen them, it’s always nice to be reminded that there are full seasons of your favorite comfort show out there, or your next go-to show to put on while you’re falling asleep, only to wake yourself up by laughing too hard.

1. Community

Year: 2009
Cast: Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Alison Brie
Genre: Comedy, Sitcom
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 seasons
Created By: Dan Harmon
Trailer: Watch here

Even though Community didn’t immediately get the same amount of love as other sitcoms of its time, the Joel McHale-led comedy has secured a lasting legacy thanks to its dedicated fan base, who would not rest until a movie was ordered (spoiler: it was ordered). The series follows a group of misfits as they attend a local community college, where they encounter various shenanigans and over-the-top bits that are almost too hard to explain. There are alternate realities, bottle episodes, and a dramatic pillow war that has since gone down in history. Be sure to catch up before the movie comes out. It’s happening this time! Really!

Watch it on Netflix

2. Seinfeld

Year: 1989
Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Genre: Comedy, Sitcom
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 9 seasons
Created By: Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld
Trailer: Watch here

While it’s often described as a show about nothing, there is definitely something about this show that helps it remain one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 20th century. It really is just a group of four friends who lead ordinarily hilarious lives, while also annoying the heck out of each other. People really love their shows about quirky misfit friends, right? With classically awkward run-ins and timeless bits that are always referenced in other shows, it’s never too late to watch the landmark series again…or for the first time.

Watch it on Netflix

3. Arrested Development

Year: 2003
Cast: Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Portia de Rossi
Genre: Comedy, Sitcom
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 5 seasons
Created By: Mitchell Hurwitz
Trailer: Watch here

Arrested Development is one of those perfectly acted and written shows, it makes you wonder if this is a real family that might actually hate each other. After a series of bad business decisions, Micheal Bluth (Jason Bateman) is forced to keep his family’s real estate development company alive after his father is arrested. Of course, this all goes downhill in a disastrous way, but it’s very entertaining! Netflix even revived the series for two more seasons in 2013 and 2018.

Watch it on Netflix

4. Bojack Horseman

Year: 2014
Cast: Will Arnett, Aaron Paul
Genre: Comedy, Animated
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 6 seasons
Created By: Raphael Bob-Waskberg
Trailer: Watch here

Don’t let the ‘comedy’ tag and animation fool you: this show is a deep dive into what it’s like to be a good person. Only it’s about a horse, so it seems funny and quirky at first, and then you’ll get hit with some heartbreakingly realistic scenes about family and growing up. Will Arnett voices the titular BoJack, a former sitcom star who has to navigate Hollywood after his golden years and subsequent downfall. Still, there are some great laughs in between each emotional crisis!

Watch it on Netflix

5. The Good Place

Year: 2016
Cast: Kristen Bell, Ted Danson
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 4 seasons
Created By: Michael Schur
Trailer: Watch here

Yes, this former NBC comedy is about death, but there is also other stuff going on here! After dying, Eleanor Shellstrop finds herself in The Good Place due to a tiny little error in which she was mistaken for someone else. The good news is that this inspires her to be a better human in the afterlife! In order to avoid being sent to The Bad Place, Eleanor is desperate to stay, with the help of her also recently-deceased new pals.

Watch it on Netflix

6. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Year: 2015
Cast: Ellie Kemper, Jane Krakowski, Titus Burgess
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 4 seasons
Created By: Tina Fey, Michael Carlock
Trailer: Watch here

If you’re looking for a show to fill the 30 Rock void but even more ridiculous, this is for you! Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt follows the lovable but naive Kimmy after being rescued from a cult led by Jon Hamm. Can you really blame her? Slowly but surely, she is taken in by various new friends who help her out along the way. It does tend to get a little absurd at points, but hey, females are strong as hell!

Watch it on Netflix

7. I Think You Should Leave

Year: 2019
Cast: Tim Robinson, Sam Richardson
Genre: Sketch Comedy
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 2 seasons
Created By: Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin
Trailer: Watch here

If you are looking to lean into the selection of absurd shows on Netflix, this is the one. Tim Robinson’s series features now-classic sequences that will go down in history as the most bizarre but strangely heartwarming sketch shows. There are two seasons of the series, and a third is on the way, so now is the time to research why exactly everybody is buying these really neat hats.

Watch it on Netflix

8. Key And Peele

Year: 2012
Cast: Keegan-Michael Kay, Jordan Peele
Genre: Sketch Comedy
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Keegan-Michael Kay, Jordan Peele
Trailer: Watch here

Before Jordan Peele was crafting innovative horror stories and churning out the biggest blockbusters of the summer, he was part of the aptly named comedy duo Key and Peele. The two had a sketch show which consisted of various spoofs on movies, pop culture, and intense substitute high school science teachers.

Watch it on Netflix

9. GLOW

Year: 2017
Cast: Alison Brie, Marc Maron, Betty Gilpin
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Liz Flahive, Carly Mensch
Trailer: Watch here

Full of bright neons and sequin suits, GLOW shows a group of aspiring actresses in the ’80s as they train to become to strongest (and most gorgeous) ladies in the women’s Southern California wrestling circuit while participating in various shenanigans and spending hours on those updos. While we never got the ending we deserved, there are still three seasons of the misfit comedy that are well worth watching.

Watch it on Netflix

10. Cobra Kai

Year: 2018
Cast: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Xolo Maridueña
Genre: Comedy, Action
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 5 seasons
Created By: Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Trailer: Watch here

The series picks up three decades after the original story that was introduced in The Karate Kid, with Johnny Lawrence slowly getting back to his karate roots by helping some kids learn how to defend themselves. Sometimes violence is the answer? While fans still have no answer on if Netflix will bring the boys back for a sixth season, a re-watch is never a bad idea.

Watch it on Netflix

11. Big Mouth

Year: 2017
Cast: Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein
Genre: Comedy, Animated
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 6 seasons
Created By: Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin, Jennifer Flackett
Trailer: Watch here

Inspired by real-life buds Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg, Big Mouth is a modern take on the worst years of your life: puberty. The show follows a group of high schoolers as they discover the ins and outs of being a teenager in the 21st century. Spoiler: it involves a lot of hormones and a whole subplot about dating a pillow. Teenagers are scary!

Watch it on Netflix

12. Russian Doll

Year: 2019
Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 2 seasons
Created By: Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler
Trailer: Watch here

Half “comedy” and half “what am I watching,” Russian Dollis a psychedelic experience that is a great example of how shows can (and should be!) pure fun and a little mind-bendy. Natashia Lyonne stars as Nadia, a woman who gets trapped in a time loop on her 36th birthday, and becomes faced with her own morality over and over (and over).

Watch it on Netflix

13. Sex Education

Year: 2019
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa
Genre: Comedy, Coming-Of-Age
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Laurie Nunn
Trailer: Watch here

In the hit British comedy Sex Education, Asa Butterfield portrays Otis, the teen who has to navigate puberty and high school while also hearing his mom talk about sex all the time. Hey, high school is hard! But with the help of some friends and potential crushes, Otis and his group of friends begin to break out of their shells. It’s still a pretty universally tough thing to be a kid.

Watch it on Netflix

14. New Girl

Year: 2011
Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 7 seasons
Created By: Elizabeth Meriwether
Trailer: Watch here

It’s like that one show about all of the Friends who live together in New York, but instead, they are in California! Jessica Day moves in with a group of guys after a particularly rough breakup, and they go through the ups and downs of adulthood together, like losing your dream job, getting dumped by a model, and of course, roommate fights.

Watch it on Netflix

15. Santa Clarita Diet

Year: 2017
Cast: Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Victor Fresco
Trailer: Watch here

Santa Clarita Diet didn’t live long enough to give fans a proper conclusion, but the comedy/zombie series was able to bring together the most iconic TV couple of all time, portrayed by Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, who won’t let something like dying get in the way of being a happy family. Just because someone may crave flesh and blood doesn’t mean they are a bad parent!

Watch it on Netflix

16. Derry Girls

Year: 2018
Cast: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Nicola Coughlan, Louisa Harland
Genre: Comedy, Teen
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Lisa McGee
Trailer: Watch here

It’s universally known that being a teen in any era is tough, but attending a Catholic school in Northern Ireland during the late ’90s was definitely a challenge for these Derry girls. Still, they are able to find the humor and beauty in the world and each other throughout their various teenage antics.

Watch it on Netflix

17. Dead To Me

Year: 2019
Cast: Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Liz Feldman
Trailer: Watch here

Sometimes, death and grief can be funny, because the human brain is a strange thing to understand. And sometimes, death makes for a good comedic arch! In Dead To Me Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini star as an unlikely duo, who must deal with very morbid life events and lean on each other in order to survive and thrive.

Watch it on Netflix

18. Never Have I Ever

Year: 2020
Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani
Genre: Comedy, Teen
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher
Trailer: Watch here

After a traumatic family death, teenager Devi is determined to make her high school years count. With the help (and sometimes dismay) of her friends and family, Devi and pals set out to rebrand themselves and make high school bearable. The show is loosely based on creator Mindy Kaling’s upbringing, which means it is filled with hilarious (and awkward) situations.

Watch it on Netflix

19. Gilmore Girls

Year: 2000
Cast: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Scott Patterson
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 7 seasons, 1 revival season
Created By: Amy Sherman-Palladino
Trailer: Watch here

It doesn’t matter if you love Dean, Jess, or Logan (or if you are smart enough to realize that Marty has more potential than all of them), it’s still always a good idea to take a trip to visit those Gilmore Girls in Connecticut. The cult classic show stars mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory as they go bout their daily lives in the quirky town of Stars Hollow, where everybody knows everyone’s business.

Watch it on Netflix

20. Master Of None

Year: 2015
Cast: Lena Waithe, Naomi Ackie, Aziz Ansari
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Aziz Ansari, Alan Yang
Trailer: Watch here

This acclaimed series focuses on Dev and Denise, two thirtysomethings experiencing the great big world of New York City, where people are always cutting in front of the line at ice cream parlors! But Aziz Ansari’s witty one-liners paired with Lena Waithe’s seemingly effortless humor makes this a must-watch.

Watch it on Netflix

21. Jane the Virgin

Year: 2014
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Andrea Navedo, Justin Baldoni
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 5 seasons
Created By: Jennie Snyder Urman
Trailer: Watch here

Jane (whose younger counterpart is played by Wednesday Adams herself, Jenna Ortega) vows to not have sex until marriage, only her life quickly becomes chaotic after she is accidentally inseminated by a doctor and becomes pregnant. While it sounds like a horror story premise, the show itself blends comedy and familial drama in a light-hearted way, you can’t help but root for them all.

Watch it on Netflix

22. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Year: 2015
Cast: Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriguez III, Santino Fontana
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 4 seasons
Created By: Rachel Bloom, Aline Brosh McKenna
Trailer: Watch here

Rachel Bloom plays Rebecca Bunch, a young woman who, despite all of her various successes, still pines after her ex-boyfriend from high school summer camp. Who among us hasn’t yearned for the past, after all? The series quickly turns into a dazzlingly funny musical comedy that will have you thinking that maybe you should move across the country to be with your ex you haven’t seen in 10 years. Why not!

Watch it on Netflix

23. The Mindy Project

Year: 2012
Cast: Mindy Kaling, Chris Messina, Ed Weeks
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-PG
Runtime: 6 seasons
Created By: Mindy Kaling
Trailer: Watch here

After years on The Office Mindy Kaling finally secured her own show in 2012, and that became the romantic comedy The Mindy Project. Kaling stars as Dr. Mindy Kuhel Lahiri, a hopeless romantic who aspires to spend less time on men and more time trying to work on herself. It’s a cute little show that has many fun guest stars for any fans of The Office.

Watch it on Netflix

24. Mo

Year: 2022
Cast: Mohammed Amer, Teresa Ruiz, Omar Elba
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 1 season1
Created By: Mohammed Amer, Ramy Youssef
Trailer: Watch here

Mo is based on comedian Mohammed Amer’s own life as a Palestinian refugee living in Houston, Texas, while dealing with casual racism, providing for his family, and learning about his own religion. Amer wrote the series with pal Ramy Youssef after guest starring on Ramy, another great series that isn’t on Netflix, which is why it isn’t on this list. But it’s still worth a watch!

Watch it on Netflix

25. Tuca and Bertie

Year: 2019
Cast: Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, Steven Yeun
Genre: Comedy, Animation
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 1 season on Netflix
Created By: Lisa Hanawalt
Trailer: Watch here

Tuca and Bertie was one of those short-lived Netflix shows that had a dedicated fan base but never got enough push. Still, the series is a classic buddy comedy, only the buddies are birds who are just trying to get through the day.

Watch it on Netflix

Tucker Carlson is owning up to the fact that he called the midterm elections wrong, but he’s also blaming the whole thing on liberals. In a new interview with Charlie Kirk, Carlson admitted that he leaned way too hard on the prospect of a “red wave” because of his scolding hot “hatred” of the Left and desire to see them lose.

“That loathing clouded my judgment,” Carlson said. “I was like, ‘I dislike these people so much. What they’re doing is so wrong. It is helping so few people and hurting so many. It’s so immoral on every level that I just want it to be repudiated.’”

However, Republicans ended up losing in key states and only managed to squeak by with a narrow win in the House. In a surprisingly self-deprecating moment, Carlson also revealed that the election outcome reinforced the fact that he’s not very smart when it comes to politics. Via The Hill:

“I wanted that so much, not because I like the Republicans — I really dislike them more than I ever have — but I dislike the other side more,” he added, saying, “I did learn that, like, I have no freaking idea what goes on in American politics.”

To Carlson’s credit, he’s not making the same mistake as Donald Trump who’s refusing to learn any lesson from the disastrous midterm results. While Trump has been roundly accused of costing the Republicans a victory, the former president is now blaming hardcore pro-lifers for pushing the “abortion issue.”

According to Trump, Republicans who refused to allow for exceptions “in the case of Rape, Incest, or Life of the Mother,” are the real culprits.

(Via The Hill)

Music festival goers can smile once again. Coachella is back. The annual music festival will take place this Spring, from the weekends of April 14-16 and April 21-23. While the lineup hasn’t been released yet, it has been announced that Frank Ocean will be a headliner. The festival will take place in its usual location in Indio, California.

The annual multi-day outdoor event is one of the year’s most highly anticipated musical events. From celebrity appearances and stylish fashions to its wide array of food options and unique visual art installations, there are plenty of activities to keep attendees busy.

Last year’s lineup included artists like Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Harry Styles, and more. Kendrick Lamar stopped by to surprise fans at his cousin Baby Keem’s set. Initially, Ye was listed as a performer for the epic music concert before dropping out last minute.

News of Frank’s upcoming performance could hint at possible new music — his last project Blonde came out in 2016 — but you can never be too sure with the elusive singer-songwriter. Frank, whose real name is Christopher Breaux, released his highly successful debut album, Channel Orange, in 2012.

Tickets for the 2023 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival are available now. To order your tickets, click here.

Thirty years ago, AT&T launched its “You Will” ad campaign, which predicted future technological developments that seemed pretty far-fetched at the time. But, in hindsight, the ad was surprisingly accurate in anticipating technology that’s commonplace today.

“Have you ever borrowed a book from thousands of miles away?” the first ad asks. “Crossed the country without stopping for directions? Or sent someone a fax from the beach? You will. And the company that will bring it to you is AT&T.”

OK, the fax prediction was a bit off because that technology fell by the wayside after email was developed. But the sentiment was correct.

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The series of ads predicted grocery checkout machines that process an entire cart at a time, telemedicine, distance learning, smartwatches (“[Have you ever] gotten a phone call, on your wrist?”) and video on demand, to name a few.

The ads were voiced by actor Tom Selleck, who was an A-list movie actor at the time. They were made by director David Fincher, who wasn’t a household name in ’93, but would go on to direct “Fight Club,” “The Social Network” and “Mank.”

The “You Will” campaign did an incredible job of predicting the future but, as Vox points out, it wasn’t necessarily AT&T that made the advancements possible. “AT&T does provide some of the infrastructure on which the world’s communications flow,” Timothy B. Lee wrote for Vox. “But the gadgets and software that brought these futuristic capabilities to consumers were created by a new generation of Silicon Valley companies that mostly didn’t exist when these ads were made.”

Three-quarters of a billion dollars are on the line in a new class-action lawsuit filed against Universal Music Group, according to Rolling Stone. The suit is spearheaded by classic rap duo Black Sheep, who are best-known for their 1991 hit “The Choice Is Yours (Revisited).” The duo was also part of the Native Tongues collective which included A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and Queen Latifah.

Their lawsuit alleges Universal Music Group accepted both cash and company stock from Spotify in exchange for its labels’ music, but only paid royalties to its artists from the cash received from Spotify, cutting artists out of more than $750 million in royalties. Black Sheep argues that this violates the original terms of their 1990s contract with Polygram (since folded into the UMG umbrella), under which the label would have paid 50 percent of all net receipts from Black Sheep’s music.

The suit claims, “In the mid-2000s, Universal struck an undisclosed, sweetheart deal with Spotify whereby Universal agreed to accept substantially lower royalty payments on artists’ behalf in exchange for equity stake in Spotify – then a fledgling streaming service. Yet rather than distribute to artists their 50 percent of Spotify stock or pay artists their true and accurate royalty payments, for years Universal shortchanged artists and deprived plaintiffs and class members of the full royalty payments they were owed under Universal’s contract. For approximately a decade, Universal omitted from the royalty statements Universal issued to plaintiffs that it had received Spotify stock in connection with the ‘use or exploitation’ of Black Sheep recordings.”

According to the documents filed in Manhattan federal court, Universal valued its stake in Spotify at around $1.7 billion as of September 2021, with “substantial portion” of that coming from the above-mentioned deal. Since Universal could have withheld royalties from “thousands of artists” that have been signed to UMG’s subsisdiaries over the years, Black Sheep says they don’t know the “exact size” of the lawsuit’s possible class but that certification is forthcoming and that Universal’s records can reveal more information once subpoenaed.

The implications of this lawsuit could be massive, as streaming royalties have been at the center of numerous controversies at DSPs like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal for years.

For those looking to find the next chapter in the wellness journey, there are a number of great new books that will help you do just that. Not only do these works provide insights from renowned experts in their chosen fields, but the practice of sitting down with a book for some quiet reading time brings its own wide range of health benefits.

Studies show that spending time with the written word can improve brain connectivity, reduce stress, prepare you for a better sleep, help depression, and even aide you in living longer. Now merge those benefits with some quality self-improvement literature, and you potentially have a truly fulfilling practice on your hands.

Below, we have a list of great books for anyone looking to turn the page on bad habits and fill their heads with novel ideas. As always, everything you see featured has been read-tested by the crew here at Uproxx and given our stamp of approval. Enjoy!

BORN TO RUN 2: THE ULTIMATE TRAINING GUIDE – Christopher McDougall, Eric Orton

Price: $27

From The Publisher:

From the best-selling author and renowned coach duo from Born to Run, a fully illustrated, practical guide to running for everyone from amateurs to seasoned runners, about how to eat, race, and train like the world’s best. Whether you’re ramping up for a race or recuperating from an injury, Born to Run 2 is a holistic program for runners of every stripe that centers on seven key themes: food, fitness, form, footwear, focus, fun, and family.

Why It’s A Good Read:

The pair’s first collaboration, Born to Run, about the Tarahumara Indians in the Cooper Canyons was widely acclaimed by runners and non-runners alike. The book perfectly balanced its inspirational human story with motivational messaging. This worthy follow-up is a guide for runners who want to start or improve their practice through better training and nutrition.

BUY HERE

NEVER FINISHED: UNSHACKLE YOUR MIND AND WIN THE WAR WITHIN —David Goggins

Price: $22

From The Publisher:

Can’t Hurt Me, David Goggins’ smash hit memoir, demonstrated how much untapped ability we all have but was merely an introduction to the power of the mind. In Never Finished, Goggins takes you inside his Mental Lab, where he developed the philosophy, psychology, and strategies that enabled him to learn that what he thought was his limit was only his beginning and that the quest for greatness is unending.

Why It’s A Good Read:

David Goggins is a Retired Navy SEAL and the only member of the U.S. Armed Forces to complete SEAL training, Army Ranger School, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller training. Even though Goggins is an outlier when it comes to physical ability his writing and message transcend and are applicable to all

BUY HERE

THINK LIKE A MONK: TRAIN YOUR MIND FOR PEACE AND PURPOSE EVERY DAY — Jay Shetty

Price: $25

From The Publisher:

Jay Shetty grew up in a family where you could become one of three things – a doctor, a lawyer, or a failure. Instead of attending his college graduation ceremony, he headed to India to become a monk, meditate every day for four to eight hours, and devote his life to helping others. In Think Like A Monk he distills the timeless wisdom learned as a monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life.

Why It’s A Good Read:

There is a reason that Shetty has become one of the biggest personalities on social media and YouTube over the years. In a landscape that is usually filled with ego and superficiality, he has consistently shared a message of positivity and kindness. For those curious about finding a different frame of mind, Shetty’s experience with the monks can offer a refreshing new perspective on old issues.

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THE 30-DAY SUGAR ELIMINATION DIET — Brenda Bennett

Price: $29

From The Publisher:

The last detox you will ever need to conquer sugar cravings for good. Nutrition expert Brenda Bennett puts you in control with an easy-to-follow meal plan. No gimmicks, no pre-packaged diet foods, and no juicer required, this complete sugar detox starter guide is unlike any other you have seen before. The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet is complete with 90 nutrient-dense recipes that incorporate leftovers, shopping lists, and treats to satisfy every craving.

Why It’s A Good Read:

The hardest part of a diet is not starting it, it is keeping up with it. You don’t need to be a nutritionist to know that consuming too much sugar is bad for you, and the majority of Americans are sold on foods that have too much added sugar. The great thing about this book from Bennett is it includes a full plan to follow on two tracks, either keto or low-carb, without any ambiguity. So if you commit to the book, you should find yourself well on the way to healthier eating habits by the end of three months.

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THE ART OF RESILIENCE: STRATEGIES FOR AN UNBREAKABLE MIND AND BODY — Ross Edgley

Price: $22

From The Publisher:

Bestselling author and award-winning adventurer Ross Edgley has been studying the art of resilience for years, applying all he has learned to become the first person in history to swim around Great Britain, breaking multiple world records. Now Ross focuses on mental strength, stoicism, and the training needed to create an unbreakable body.

Why It’s A Good Read:

Edgley is one of the most impressive figures in the world of sports science, having done a marathon pulling a 1.4-ton car, climbing a rope the height of Everest, and swimming around the entire island of Great Britain. The athlete shares the lessons he learned during those feats in an earnest and academic way. Don’t be surprised if you feel empowered to take on the world after reading.

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HOW WE HEAL: UNCOVER YOUR POWER AND SET YOURSELF FREE — Alexandra Elle

Price: $18

From The Publisher:

Beloved wellness author and teacher Alexandra Elle offers a life-changing invitation to heal yourself and reclaim your peace. In this book, readers will discover essential techniques for self-healing, including journaling rituals to cultivate innate strength, accessible tools for processing difficult emotions, and restorative meditations to ease the mind.

Why It’s A Good Read:

Elle is masterful at recommending new practices in self-healing, mindfulness, and boundary setting, all while sharing insights from her own journey of self-discovery. But it is not just Elle you can learn from, she also includes stories from fellow luminaries like Nedra Tawwab, Morgan Harper Nichols, Dr. Thema Bryant, and Barb Schmidt.

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DOPAMINE NATION: FINDING BALANCE IN THE AGE OF INDULGENCE — Dr. Anna Lembke

Price: $24

From The Publisher:

Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author, explores the exciting new scientific discoveries that explain why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain, and what to do about it. Condensing complex neuroscience into easy-to-understand metaphors, Lembke illustrates how finding contentment and connectedness means keeping dopamine in check. In essence, Dopamine Nation shows that the secret to finding balance is combining the science of desire with the wisdom of recovery.

Why It’s A Good Read:

Few books in the world of wellness really address the times that we live in, instead sticking to more practiced and fundamental information. But with this book, Lembke takes into account our unprecendented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, TikToking… The title comes from Lembke’s likening of the smartphone to a modern-day hypodermic, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation.

The insights are delivered through the experiences of her patients, making for reading that is both entertaining and relatable.

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INTELLIGENT FITNESS: THE SMART WAY TO REBOOT YOUR BODY AND GET IN SHAPE — Simon Waterson

Price: $22

From The Publisher:

Drawing on his vast experience as an elite trainer in the movie industry and former marine, Simon Waterson reveals how to enhance your energy, sleep, and confidence with his intelligent approach to fitness. The practices in the book were utilized by Waterson’s impressive client list including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Hiddleston, Thandiwe Newton, and John Boyega.

Why It’s A Good Read:

Though his client roster is star-studded, Waterson brings much more to the pages of Intelligent Fitness than just showbiz stories. There are a great number of practices that can be adopted in order to vastly improve your physical fitness, mental sharpness, and ability to recover. There is no guarantee that you will look like Daniel Craig in his James Bond role, which Waterson trained him for, but you could just become your own version of super spy.

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YOUNG FOREVER: THE SECRETS TO LIVING YOUR LONGEST, HEALTHIEST LIFE — Dr. Mark Hyman

Price: $24

From The Publisher:

In Young Forever, Dr. Mark Hyman challenges us to reimagine our biology, health, and the process of aging. To uncover the secrets to longevity, he explores the biological hallmarks of aging, their causes, and their consequences—then shows us how to overcome them with simple dietary, lifestyle, and emerging longevity strategies. You’ll learn how to turn on your body’s key longevity switches; reduce inflammation and support the health of your immune system; exercise, sleep, and de-stress for healthy aging; and eat your way to a long life.

Why It’s A Good Read:

The title is a grabbing one, who doesn’t want to live a longer, healthier life?

But it isn’t just wishful wonderings that Dr. Hyman shares, there are a great number of science-based strategies and tips shared in this book’s chapters. Well known for bringing the “pegan diet” a hybrid paleo-vegan eating practice, Dr. Hyman has a wealth of knowledge that he brings into this practical guide.

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