Aubrey Plaza will soon host SNL, long after she bombed her audition for the Lorne Michaels mainstay. She’s frankly everywhere lately, and this feels long overdue. From her foreboding turn on The White Lotus to her shattering performance in Emily The Criminal, she will always be the Parks And Rec star that I’d most like to have a drink with, even though our combined mutual awkwardness into one room could cause the world to implode.
The above-mentioned film, however, will stick with you, and although Jimmy Fallon doesn’t ordinary get too heavy, he and Aubrey got into the thick of the plot around the 4:30 mark above. In the movie, Emily descends into a sinister underworld to pay off her student loans while saddled with an old felony conviction. Notably, the film does not include gun violence despite many terrifying scenes and attacks. Early on, Emily protects herself with pepper spray, and later, Theo Rossi’s “mentor” character gives her something stronger: a stun gun. That becomes her weapon of choice, and she wields it well. While speaking with Fallon, Plaza expressed pride in how the movie might actually be more tense without those deadly weapons:
“But I think it actually makes it more anxiety-inducing because you’re like, ‘How is she going to take these guys down without a weapon like that?’ … I was kind of proud of that because I don’t think you need guns. We don’t need guns.”
She’s not wrong. The film’s close-quarters use of a stun gun makes the story’s most dangerous scenes feel more intimate in the most tension-inducing way possible. Emily The Criminal surfaced as one of Barack Obama’s favorite movies of 2022, and it’s a horrifying story that puts the focus on why Emily feels driven to do the crime that she does, nothing more and nothing less. That doesn’t include shooting anyone, which makes the film’s central message even more devastating. And it certainly doesn’t hurt to avoid gun violence in Hollywood wherever possible, especially considering the ongoing fallout from Alec Baldwin’s Rust production.
Kali Uchis is waiting to collaborate with Ariana Grande, but she isn’t waiting to roll out new music. Earlier this month, Uchis tweeted, “My third album & the next are both finished, one is an English album one is a Spanish album.” She confirmed both will drop in 2023 but left the order up to her fans. It would appear that the fans chose to hear Uchis’ English album first because Uchis dropped “I Wish You Roses” today, January 19.
“This song is about being able to release people with love,” Uchis said in a statement, per a press release. “It could be a friend, a lover, or someone else, but the point is to celebrate releasing people from your life without being resentful or bitter.”
Uchis has been teasing the sensual, hypnotic single all week, including snapshots from the Cho Gi-Seok-directed video that earned comments from boyfriend Don Toliver, Omar Apollo, and Snoh Aalegra.
The colorful video leaves little to the imagination. Uchis appears shirtless — her skin tastefully painted — as she sings, “When I’m here, I’m someone to honor / When I’m gone, I’m someone to mourn.” Elsewhere, she’s laying in a field of roses and aptly singing, “Never thought I would be without you / I wish you love, I wish you well / I wish you roses while you can still smell ’em.”
As Uchis told Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, “I Wish You Roses” marks Cho Gi-Seok’s first-ever music video.
“He basically already has this concept that he does flower studies and the flower studies felt so perfect for the song. Obviously the song, how much he wrote, I got it so locked into my mind,” Uchis told Lowe. “I need to work with this person to do flower studies for this music video. So I had told him, he was immediately like, ‘Yes, let’s make it work.’ And I went straight to Korea. So, it ended up being a really intense video shoot — like 24 hours, we were on set.”
Yung Miami‘s podcast, Caresha Please, returns this week with special guest Trina, the Miami rap pioneer whose influence can be heard throughout the City Girls’ catalog. Fans were delighted by a new teaser previewing the interview, which promises to get into all the spicy details of Miami’s industry relationships — including one that seemed to confuse a few observers.
In addition to addressing rumors about Trick Daddy and more, one of the names Miami throws out is Missy Elliott. “Why would Caresha ask Trina if she dated Missy Elliott?” asked one bewildered fan.
As it turns out, though, that particular rumor is actually a parody of the kind of celebrity-obsessed speculation that flew around even in the pre-social media days of the internet from Missy’s 2002 single “Gossip Folks.” In the song, a series of the titular folks discuss silly pitches like, “I heard she only eats one cracker a day,” and “I heard the bitch was married to Timb, then started f*ckin’ with Trina.”
“I heard the bitch was married to Timb, then started fuckin with Trina”
And some interpreted this as another one of Yung Miami’s journalistic faux pas, it could also just as easily be read as the City Girl’s commitment to leaving no stone unturned in her search for the hottest of tea. After all, that song did drop when Miami was all of eight years old. Try explaining satire to one of them. You can check out more responses to the Caresha Please trailer below.
Last year around this time, Robert Pattinson was gearing up to make his Bruce Wayne debut in TheBatman, when he got into all sorts of trouble for talking about how he didn’t really work out to prepare. Of course, we are all used to watching Christan Bale and other movie stars transform themselves into buff superheroes, but Pattinson did not really care to explain how the role affected his body. Which is nice! But his trainer did not like that.
Pattinson recently admitted that his team didn’t appreciate him downplaying his Batman routine. “I got in so much trouble for saying that I don’t work out, even from my trainer, who was like, ‘Why would you say that?’” Pattinson told The Evening Standard in a new cover story via Variety.
The actor, who has been in the spotlight since he was a fresh-faced teen in Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire, says that it’s hard for him to work on roles that affect his body and routine. Even though certain action stars love to hype up their obsessive routines, Pattinson says that it can be dangerous.
“Even if you’re just watching your calorie intake, it’s extraordinarily addictive — and you don’t quite realize how insidious it is until it’s too late,” Pattinson explained. He then admitted that he “basically tried every fad you can think of, everything except consistency.”
Pattinson then described some of the wild diets he has tried for his various roles, including keto, which he didn’t like due to the unfortunate lack of beer, and a steady two-week diet of potatoes: “I once ate nothing but potatoes for two weeks, as a detox. Just boiled potatoes and Himalayan pink salt. Apparently, it’s a cleanse… you definitely lose weight.”
As for his current role, Pattinson is filming the highly anticipated Mickey 17, Bong Joon-Ho’s first project post-Parasite, where he will portray a clone of himself. Hopefully, he is now eating enough potatoes for two of himself.
The Golden State Warriors haven’t quite been themselves this season. While the defending champions are among the favorites to make the NBA Finals out of the Western Conference, the team sits at 22-22 and are much closer to falling out of the postseason altogether than they are pushing the Denver Nuggets or the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 1 seed.
As is oftentimes the case, there’s no one reason why Golden State hasn’t been at its high-flying best. But during a conversation with Jamal Crawford on his podcast, Draymond Green identified himself as the source of “a lot of our shortcomings this year.”
“I think a lot of our shortcomings this year are my fault”
Green and Crawford both believe that the Warriors have a switch they can flip, but Green made it a point to say that he doesn’t believe that’s why the team has had such a stop-and-start campaign.
“I think a lot of our shortcomings this year are my fault,” Green said. “Why is it my fault? Because I have not been the leader that I am and that I need to be for this team. And the reason I have not been that leader is also my fault.”
Green, unsurprisingly, alluded to his incident in a practice before the season where he punched Jordan Poole before saying he’s needed to “kind of walk a fine line of not really being Draymond, and when I’m not really being myself, that’s not the best thing for this team.” As a result, he says, there has been an issue with accountability on both ends of the floor.
“You know the accountability that it takes to have a winning team, and that’s my role on this team, and I fell short in that area,” Green said.
Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish movies available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
A group of friends decides to hunker down during the COVID-19 lockdown together at nice little lake house and… wait a second. This sounds like the plot of a horror movie. Which makes sense because… it is the plot of a horror movie. This horror movie. The Blumhouse team is at it again, with a slasher on the loose and a deadly virus in the air and about four other things to be terrified of. Maybe there’s a monster in the lake, too. Who knows? Only one way to find out…
Bullet Train is chaos. Bloody, funny, frivolous, superficial chaos. Nothing and everything happens in this film about a group of assassins all vying for a briefcase that may just offer the biggest payload of their respective careers thus far. It’s jam-packed with action — the fast-paced, tightly-choreographed kind that gives you whiplash if you stare too long – and with a cast of A-listers, the best of which being Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry, who play a pair of Brit brothers constantly bickering on the job. It’s got enough twists and surprises to keep you entertained plus Brad Pitt unironically sporting a bucket hat for its two-hour runtime. It’s just plain fun. We wish there were more movies like it out there.
Noah Baumbach’s latest movie has a loaded cast (Adam Driver! Greta Gerwig! Don Cheadle! Andre 3000!) and a wild premise (a toxic cloud forcing a college professor and his family to flee their home town) and all the kind of things you would expect from a phrase like “Noah Baumbach movie” (Comedy! Drama! Comedy and drama!). It’s all based on a Don DeLillo novel from 1985 and it’s right there on a streaming service you probably have. If this all sounds like your deal… well, get in there.
Guillermo del Toro made a stop-action version of the classic “liar puppet becomes a real boy” story and guess what: it’s great! Smart people are saying it’s the best Pinocchio since the first one, which is both high praise and a decently sick burn on the other version that just came out a few months ago. Either way! Feels like a fun one to watch with the family over the holidays. It’s definitely better than, like, talking. No one wants to do that. Let the adorable wooden puppet fill the air with his sweet journey toward being a human.
There are not a lot of comedies about people dropping babies. Probably for a good reason. You should try not to drop them. They are small and soft and kind of fragile, as far as humans go. But that’s what this movie is! Anna Konkle and Jermaine Fowler play a married couple whose world is thrown into chaos when she drops a friend’s baby while staying at a tropical resort for a destination wedding. There is good news here, though: One, it’s on Hulu now so you can watch it from the comfort of your couch; two, at least you weren’t the one who dropped the baby.
This documentary uses archival footage shot by the United States government that shows military training to combat rioters in fictional towns that were constructed after the upheaval of the 1960s. It’s a heavy watch, and probably a little unsettling, but sometimes that’s how history works.
In Bruges hive assemble for this reteaming of writer/director Martin McDonagh and stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. More sparse, but no less brilliant in its well-chosen dialogue than the 2008 crime comedy classic, Banshees Of Inisherin is a beautifully told tale of loneliness, the hazards of both bluntness and naivete, and what happens when a friendship crashes into the rocky shores. Set on an island near Ireland 100 years ago, the film is a slow burn in every sense of the term with tough love, hard feelings, and severed digits scattered all over the place. Things never do stay the same for as long as you need them to, do they? What a gutting treasure of a movie.
That loud whooshing sound you heard this summer could have been one of two things: the sound of jet engines blasting out of movie theaters around the country or the sound of massive crowds rushing into and out of those same theaters to hear those jet engines inTop Gun: Maverick. The sequel to the original movie — released over 35 years later, which is kind of wild — picks up right where the first left off, in spirit if not chronology, with Tom Cruise and a bunch of new hotshot pilots (Miles Teller and Glen Powell leading the way) taking back to the skies and talking trash and sometimes riding motorcycles. It is a lot of fun and better than it has any right to be and one of the first real-deal, must-see movie theater movies we’ve had in a while. It was nice to get one of those again. Let’s do it again in another 35 years when Tom Cruise is… uh, 95 years old. He’ll probably still be up for it. You will, too. Don’t lie. Watch it on Paramount Plus.
Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc with a whole new cast of potential murdermakers to relish. Dave Bautista as a scantily clad social media sensation is only one of the ensemble highlights, and the endless buffet of cameos can not be stopped, nor do the story’s twists feel gratuitous or implausible. Instead, the film dances through mischief and swings bigger and better with a series of bewitching wrinkles and knots that will make you forgive the runtime. In fact, you’ll barely notice the passage of time because this film is fun and cerebral and makes perfect sense when all is revealed. Also, one of the greatest TV murder detectives in history makes a (bittersweet) cameo, for crying out loud. Netflix really should have run with a longer theatrical window, but at least it’s streaming for you now.
A horror-comedy set on an island where a fancy young couple has traveled to dine at a world-class restaurant led by a world-class chef who may have other things in store for them beyond your standard filets and Caesar salads. It’s… weird. But also surprisingly fun. Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult are out there — apologies for this awful pun but it had to be done — making a meal of it all. In a good way. Definitely in a better way than their characters do. It’s a good time. Just maybe don’t start it before dinner.
Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
Brendan Fraser’s back as the eternally frustrated disembodied brain inside of a robotic body. It is his finest performance (yes yes, we know there’s Oscar chatter elsewhere), and he’s backed up by Diane Guerrero as many iterations of Crazy Jane, along with Matt Bomer as Negative Man, April Bowlby as Elasi-Girl, and Jovian Wade as Cyborg. DC’s misfit superheroes are facing what might be certain doom, but at least some of them other than Fraser’s Cliff got to have a collective orgasm already.
The animated series that focuses on a crew of mutated clone troopers doing missions after the events of the Clone Wars returns for a second season. If you need your Star Wars fix before The Mandolorian returns or just want to see a cartoon about mercenaries, this might be just the thing for you.
Nicolas Winding Refn, the director who brought Drive and Too Old to Die Young to audiences around the world, is back once again, this time on Netflix, with a Danish-language series about a renegade seeking vengeance against her nemesis in a semi-fictional and partially supernatural version of Copenhagen. That… might sound like a lot. But the John Wick franchise started with a dude’s dog dying and that dude is still on a worldwide revenge tour three movies later. Dip your toe in and see how it feels. Vengeance is a universal language.
So we have a weirdo new show that is kind of like The Rehearsal, sort of, from Jason Woliner, who was one of the brains behind the Borat movie and the Human Giant sketch show. It’s all very hard to explain. Here is a pretty decent crack at doing so anyway. If you’re in the mood for a potentially awkward and experimental comedy that might melt your brain a little bit, here you go.
The first season of Abbott Elementary was a feel-good network sitcom that caught a massive wave of popularity and won a bunch of Emmys in a time when feel-good network sitcoms are kind of not supposed to do that. Credit for this goes to creator and star Quinta Brunson, who realized that an underfunded inner-city public school was exactly the right place to show us people with good hearts working inside a system that can be cold. Kind of like Parks and Recreation but in Philadelphia. The second season is underway and does not appear to be missing a beat. This is basically a miracle, all around.
M. Night Shyamalan’s movies might be hit-and-miss, but this series has stayed consistent in delivering upon well-laid arcs full of suspense and mysteries that don’t (at least not yet) carry too much in the “gotcha” realm. Those punches are why a lot of people gave up on Shyamalan’s films sometime around The Village and haven’t looked back, but shows an altogether different creature. Perhaps he should have been showrunning all along? The painstakingly crafted storytelling of this series (which began with a Philly couple attempting to overcome the loss of their infant) takes us miles away from the quick wrap-ups of his usual fare, and the fourth season will soon show if the writing can truly overcome the Shyamalan-ending curveball curse. Fingers crossed.
Well, it’s a heist show starring Giancarlo Esposito, which is already a pretty good start. And it’s got a different structure, where you can — in theory — watch every episode other than the finale in any order you want, which could change your interpretation of the things you’re watching and give you a different experience from someone else who watches it in a different order. That’s kind of interesting. Does it all work? Maybe? Kind of? Your mileage will probably vary. But it’s worth checking out just for the novelty of it all.
Jeremy Renner’s had a tough time of things in real life, but he’s still part of the Taylor Sheridan universe. The Yellowstone king co-created this show with Hugh Dillon, and the story follows Dillon’s observations from his formative years near Ontario’s Kingston Penitentiary. Renner is the figurative “mayor” of the title, meaning that he’s the sales dude who negotiates deals between inmates and law enforcement. Renner truly hits a higher gear crime drama mode.
Red and Kitty are back, along with some of the other regulars from That 70s Show, in a new series that zips 20 years into the future and over to Netflix. There’s a grandkid involved now. Everything is very… what’s a good 90s word to describe it all… tubular? Rad? It’s strange. But it could be a lot of fun. If nothing else it’s a double dose of nostalgia — a show from the 90s that now takes place in the 90s — for people on the hunt for that. Worth a shot.
One of the most popular video games of all-time comes to HBO as a television series, with Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal leading the cast on a post-apocalyptic trek through a harsh landscape filled with horrors. The reviews are really good. HBO gave it the primo Sunday night slot it reserved for shows like Game of Thrones and Succession. It’s led by Craig Mazin, who also produced Chernobyl, another gripping watch about the potential end of the world. There is a lot to be excited about here. Dive in so you know what your cool friends are talking about.
To truly understand the works, legacy, and longevity of William Leonard Roberts — better known as Rick Ross — it helps to consider the work he released under his first rap name, Teflon Da Don. Once upon a time, the portly Carol City, Miami rapper popped up on Erick Sermon’s Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis under his former title, delivering a solid, if unmemorable, verse that laid the groundwork for what his on-wax persona would eventually become.
The reason this verse — the context of it as well as the content — is so instructive is that it tells us who Rick Ross is right away. The fact that he’s on an Erick Sermon record illuminates a deep and abiding love and respect for the craft and history of hip-hop. The fact that he wisely rejiggered his polished delivery to something more resonant to the streets for which he wanted to speak highlights his gift for transformation. And discarding the generic Teflon Da Don for the eye-catching Rick Ross shows he knows the importance of committing to the bit.
He’s committed to the bit for just about 15 years now — an accomplishment that would have been unheard of around the time he got his start (although his one-time mentor Sermon was getting close at the time). But behind the gimmick is a deeply considerate, master craftsman who can’t help but refine and sharpen his skills and the tools of his trade any chance he gets. In another lifetime, Rick Ross is a guy who still shows up to every cipher, eager to demonstrate his latest batch of improvements, an MC’s MC, just having fun with it while he can.
That’s why he’s been so good for so long, why he’s earned the respect and friendship of the top artists in the business, and why, no matter how tired of the bit we can all claim to be, his career shows no signs of slowing up just yet. Here are Rick Ross’ best songs from his massive — and still growing — catalog.
32. “Here I Am” Feat. Avery Storm, Nelly
Admittedly, the first time I played this back to record my thoughts about it, I was taken aback at Avery Storm’s chorus. It’s so twangy and his pronunciation of “her” made me burst out laughing. Was this really what we all listened to in my twenties? … Well, yeah. And it rode at the time, too. If you were picking up your girl for a date, you didn’t want to pull up listening to R&B — you’d look soft. But she would probably be turned off by all that gangsta stuff. You’d go home sad, that’s for sure. Songs like this offered a comforting middle ground before the “soft boy” agenda (and its accompanying “sophistiratchet” movement for the ladies) blurred the lines between these stifling binaries. It might play like The Flintstones now, 14 years later, but nostalgia is a helluva drug, and I’m bopping along like I’m 25 all over again. — Aaron Williams
31. “Nobody’s Favorite” Feat. Gunplay
2019’s Port Of Miami 2 was an incredibly solid work that somehow went unremarked upon by the rap world at large. Perhaps Rozay titling it after his debut album nearly 20 years after that album was initially released left some fans unsure about the project. Was he going backward? Would he try to update the sound that made him a Southern trap figurehead so long ago? The answer to both was “no.” Although it wasn’t by leaps and bounds, the album saw Ross embrace further evolution. And while much of it got overlooked in the rush of projects that marked its release year, it’s impossible to ignore the reunion between Rick and one of his staunchest (and wildest) soldiers, Gunplay. “Nobody’s Favorite” is a nihilistic standout that ironically became many fans’ favorite from the sequel project, with Ross flashing glimmers of his grimy past and Gunplay stealing the show as always. — A.W.
30. “Richer Than I Ever Been”
The title track from Ross’s latest release oozes both smooth, athletic cool, and lurking, tightly coiled menace. Over a stripped-down piano loop — which somehow sounds every bit as lush as some of the most boisterous compositions he’s rapped on — Ross delivers a hypnotic hook that harkens back to his first major hit. Katt Williams once joked that “Hustlin’” could make a listener feel like a baller even while stocking groceries. In that same way, “richer than I ever been” is like an affirmation, an incantation, and a manifestation all rolled into one. You might not be able to relate now, but it makes you feel like you will. — A.W.
29. “Magnificent” Feat. John Legend
Confession time: This one is for the ladies. You know who you are. A relic of the time when this was a legit business practice in the recording industry (along with the “club record,” the “street anthem,” and other colorful archetypes that eventually became redundant in the streaming era), this track is kind of a blatant overture to the portion of the listening public that prefers R&B and slow jams to the roughneck rap Ross usually traffics in (no pun intended). But although he became way more proficient at incorporating those aesthetics into his usual fare on later material, this Trilla standout was a fantastic example of the form and holds up. — A.W.
28. “Not For Nothing” Feat. Anderson .Paak
The lilting slack guitar and console organ are something of a change for Ross — not a big, splashy lane switch, more of a subtle trajectory shift — that somehow promises just as much road ahead of him as behind. It suggests that there are modes we still haven’t heard from him and that he’s willing to challenge himself to find them. Sure, the lyrical content is well-trod territory for Rozay, but you can make anything sound fresh with just minor adjustments. Case in point: This song, also employs a slick, smoky chorus from Anderson .Paak, with whom Ricky is developing some intriguing chemistry. — A.W.
27. “Gold Roses” Feat. Drake
Rick Ross and Drake make a great team (their collaborations are neck-and-neck with Ross’ Jay-Z team-ups). Ross lends a veneer of… if not “credibility,” then at least “feasibility” to Drake’s Sopranos-style braggadocio. And Drake’s admittedly sharply pointed pen game certainly lights a similar fire in Ross. “Gold Roses” lives more in Drake’s wheelhouse, sonically, but Rozay’s comfort level over the muted, trilling sample is a testament to his understated chameleonic tendencies. He often becomes exactly what the song needs, but getting to hear him out of his element, so to speak, highlights just how good at it he really is. — A.W.
26. “Amsterdam”
Production separates good rappers from great tastemakers. The Cardiak-produced “Amsterdam” is fine tastemaking. How Ross rhymes his way around the Cortex sample is like watching Usher Raymond rollerskate: Suave, self-assured, moving in a motion that enchants. A slight but effective addition is the Teedra Moses vocals. They whisper in the background as if a part of the beat, too reserved to distract, but essential to the ambiance. How well the “Barry Gordy of the streets” is able to coexist between loud, brassy anthems and atmospheric, quiet storm contemplation is why his catalog will be regarded highly for years to come. With fans pointing to “Amsterdam” as a premium deep cut. — Yoh Phillips
25. “911”
Where some rappers struggle with their identity, Ross knew that his music was to promote choruses for corner boys, hymns for hustlers, mantras for manifesters, and sutras for street pharmacists. “911” conveys all those ideas in a single explosive track overflowing with juggernaut energy and lionhearted exuberance. Of all his trap classics, “911” sounds made to make the listener feel bulletproof. A song that boils with the reckless vigor of a rapper audacious enough to call an album God Forgives, I Don’t. But that is why he is so compelling: Ross sells a character who gambles in a world where only the strong survive and risks get rewarded. “911” is strength and risk-taking personified. — Y.P.
24. “Maybach Music 2” Feat. Kanye West, Lil Wayne, T-Pain
As with any sequel, expectations were higher than the average record for “Maybach Music 2.” Swapping Jay-Z for T-Pain, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West was a good call in 2009 when all three artists were in stride, burning up Billboard and torching every song they touched, qualifying their appearance on the “Maybach Music” follow-up. Together they assemble like the 2017 Golden State Warriors, a super team with enough primetime talent to be a championship franchise. And although the features changed in future editions, “Maybach Music 2” solidified what the series would become: A gathering of greatness to make songs in the key of opulence, luxury, and splendor. — Y.P.
23. “Rapper Estates” Feat. Benny The Butcher
A truly astonishing amount of Ross’s best stuff is, surprisingly, on his last album, 2021’s Richer Than I Ever Been. Unrestrained by the commercial demands of most major-label releases (Epic gives him a thrilling degree of free reign), The Boss gets to indulge his rapper’s-rappers impulses, resulting in a project packed to the brim with the sort of rhymes he’d have reeled off in his Teflon days. He’s only gotten more proficient over time, tapping one of the heavyweight bar-focused lyricists of the modern age in Benny The Butcher and hanging with him line for line. This is the Ross I’d wanted to hear ever since he changed his rhyme-de-plume in the mid-2000s. — A.W.
22. “Foreclosures”
Rap allowed Rick Ross to cultivate an image of a money-making businessman with a mogul mind and empire-building ambitions. “Foreclosures,” a 2015 deep cut, adds depth to that character by critiquing financial irresponsibility. Prior to its release, 50 Cent filed for personal bankruptcy, a possible source of inspiration for why “Foreclosures” is a lyrical lashing against living beyond your means. Even if the motivation was a petty shot at an adversary’s misfortune, there is timeless validity in the overall message: Success is a precious jewel that won’t stay in your possession if it’s mismanaged. Look no further than Sam Bankman-Fried as a modern example of what happens when you don’t act your wage. — Y.P.
21. “3 Kings” Feat. Dr. Dre, Jay-Z
“3 Kings” doesn’t attempt to be anything more than a session of stunting. And why should it? How often do three larger-than-life lyricists get together to take a victory lap? “You should listen to this beat through my headphones,” rapped Dr. Dre, a brag that few rappers will ever be able to repeat. Ross flipped the line, saying, “We should listen to this track in my Maybach.” Then you have Jay, who goes, “Play this shit while you play around with my crown.” All three are brimming with triumphant energy as they swap achievements and wax poetics over pristine Jake One production. It was a moment then, when the track first appeared in 2012 on God Forgives, I Don’t, and it even feels like a moment now. — Y.P.
20. “Maybach Music V” Feat. Dej Loaf
There’s no such thing as “over the top” when you’ve been a boss for a complete decade. For Rather You Than Me in 2017, Ross had the supreme confidence that comes from knowing that his spot was cemented, his legacy as Teflon as the mafiosos he’d modeled his public persona after. So, why not do something truly unexpected? For the fifth “Maybach Music,” Ross cedes over two minutes — crucially, the first two — to highlight a voice he loved that might not have been getting as much love as he believed it should (I tend to agree; Dej Loaf’s last two independently released projects were criminally overlooked). — A.W.
19. “Rich Is Gangsta”
In the 1988 Blaxploitation spoof I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, Harlem hero John Slade explains the group of musicians standing behind him is there to provide his “theme music.” As he puts it, “every good hero should have some.” “Rich Is Gangsta” is what that band would play if that film came out today. Continuing the Rick Ross tradition of exultant horns, exuberant drums, and chant-like soul samples, the Black Metaphor and Diddy-provided beat backdrops another ferocious declaration of his mission statement. Dropping as it did after his correctional officer kerfuffle, it also gave him a chance to explain his side of the story: The streets got cold, so he got a job. Hey, it all worked out in the end. After all, the heroes always win. — A.W.
18. “The Devil Is A Lie” Feat. Jay-Z
By this point, you’ve probably figured out that it’s no coincidence that I claimed the bulk of the Rick Ross songs with Jay-Z features on them for this list. Can you blame me? Something about working with Rick Ross — a fellow former hustler with an undying, almost compulsive love for the craft of rap — brings the best out of Jay. The bluesy beat gives both rappers a plush playground in which to get their kicks, yes. But also: some of my favorite verses are the ones where Jay one, blasphemes, and two, delves as deep into his “watch my wordplay” bag as he can possibly get. Here? Check and check. — A.W.
17. “Outlawz” Feat. 21 Savage, Jazmine Sullivan
One would expect Rick Ross and 21 Savage to be frequent collaborators. Both run in close proximity to Drake, they have an affinity for financial literacy, and their ears are both drawn to soul beats and trap sounds, yet, for reasons unknown to me, the AraabMUZIK-produced “Outlawz” is their sole crossover effort. The swelling, soulful score constructs a suitable meeting ground for two straight shooters with gospel truth to get off their chest alongside Jazmine Sullivan, who sings to the heavens on the hook. As a strong record, where all three co-stars performed worthy of their stature, “Outlawz” achieved what was necessary with a lineup that may never happen again, so cherish it. — Y.P.
The first flex is the Willie Falcon intro, a helluva way to open a record called “Little Havana.” The second flex, if it’s worth considering a flex, is how Ross was on his 11th album in his 15th year rapping with the veritas of a reflective veteran, yet, he doesn’t seem worn or burnt out, but rather revived and resolute. “Problem was I never was a prodigy,” begins the first verse, starting honestly, before name-dropping Roger Goodell, Meek Mill, Omarion, and L.A. Reid throughout his stream of consciousness. Although short, “Little Havana” is potent. Like hearing an entry from an audio journal recorded while overlooking the Miami skyline on a day when the MMG boss had a lot on his mind with no one to speak with. This brand of isolative recollection often makes for good rap music, especially when done right. — Y.P.
15. “Diced Pineapples” Feat. Drake, Wale
As great as Ross is at booming, boastful luxury rap, it’s impossible to overlook how similarly skilled he is at sex raps — indeed, he’s probably one of the only male rappers who actually seems kind of good at them. Maybe it’s the Barry White-esque vocals, perhaps it’s the fact that he litters his come-ons with stuff that women might actually want to hear (“baby girl, I just want to see you well off”) rather than juvenile locker room talk, but it’s undeniable. That he pairs these sweet nothings with two of rap’s other finest smooth talkers in Drake and Wale makes this single from 2012’s God Forgives, I Don’t the perfect date-night playlist inclusion. — A.W.
14. “Maybach Music VI” Feat. John Legend, Lil Wayne
By the 2019 release of “Maybach Music VI,” the Maybach Music series had spent over a decade upholding a standard for luxurious compositions and high-life lyricism. Much like its predecessors, the sixth installment added a fresh page to the magical portfolio of J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League-produced symphonies. Rick Ross, John Legend, and Lil Wayne all have inspired vocal performances that complement the exquisite live instrumentation quilted together like audible fabric woven from the finest silk. By now, we all know you don’t listen to a Maybach Music record just for bars, but also the beat, and “Maybach Music VI” sonically delivers magic carpet music for street rats with genies who would use one of their three wishes on a 2021 Mercedes S-Class. Or, as John sings on the hook, “It feels like we’re floatin’ up in outer space.” — Y.P.
13. “Big Tyme” Feat. Swizz Beatz
There is an underrated quality to rap songs where guest features only do the ad-libbing. Jeezy’s background vocals on Kanye’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” is a top example, but Swizz Beatz’s animated ad-libs on “Big Tyme” deserves an honorable mention. His lively cadence enhances the conviction-filled verses that course over the rollicking Just Blaze beat to create a record that sends a double dose of adrenaline to the eardrums. Not many songs on this list can be considered underrated, but “Big Tyme,” as a cut found on the 2019 Port of Miami 2, hasn’t had the chance to age like other classics. Give it time though, history will honor this boisterous banger. — Y.P.
12. Rich N**** Lifestyle” Feat. Nipsey Hussle, Teyana Taylor
Port of Miami 2, the tenth studio album by Rick Ross, was released on August 19th, 2019, five months after the tragic passing of late Crenshaw rapper Nipsey Hussle. Nipsey appears on track eight, “Rich N**** Lifestyle,” with a verse that references everything from Tekashi 6ix9ine snitching, hip-hop’s dominating presence on the Billboard charts, and his courtside appearance in a viral Lakers video. And although the Cardiak-produced, Teyana Taylor-featured record is more than Nip, his presence alone gives the song a stamp of timelessness. He was so alive, so aware, so gifted, and to know this song holds one of his last observations in rhyme, it’s just a bit more special than if it didn’t. — Y.P.
11. “Hold Me Back”
Rick Ross primarily operates in two modes: Either laid-back in an opulently-appointed lounge, puffing a Cuban cigar with a three-digit glass of whiskey in hand, or marching through the streets of Carol City, with a three-week beard, wild-eyed, and waving a pistol. This one fits firmly into the latter mode, with a clamorous, gothic trap beat announcing his coming like that ominous whistle that presaged Omar strolling through the Terrace projects with that shotgun over his shoulder. Ross, four years into his career proper at this point, still sounds voracious, like he hasn’t even seen an edible meal in weeks, much less the decadent treats he’d undoubtedly become accustomed to by then. His ability to do so is what’s kept him at the top of his game ever since. — A.W.
10. “Free Mason” Feat. Jay-Z
Some of y’all might be too young to remember this, but there was a time on the internet, before QAnon and junk vaccine science, when all the conspiracy theories revolved around a handful of Black recording artists, for some reason. And nearly incalculable inches have been written about the whys and hows, and yes, it was just as exhausting as it sounds here. But it was all worth it, if only because it sparked Jay-Z and Rick Ross to cook up this gem, which is half a cheeky response to the nonsense that frankly didn’t warrant it and the other half a pure lyrical exercise that finds Jay splaying out his lanky limbs in a churchy, epic-sounding production by The Inkredibles and establishing just how badly the game needs him around. — A.W.
9. “Tears Of Joy” Feat. CeeLo
As much as it pains me to co-sign a song that misrepresents the words of Bobby Seale and the philosophy of the Black Panthers, conflating them with Ross’s hedonistic abandon, here’s the thing: “Tears Of Joy” is quite simply one of the best-produced, best-written, most compelling works in Ross’s extensive catalog. There’s an authentic pleading behind CeeLo’s voice on the hook and No I.D.’s beat, replete with gently weeping guitars and driving pianos straight outta the pulpit, the tension between the divine and profane is palpable. A revolutionary he isn’t, but we’ll forgive Ross a little sacrilege for relating to the struggle. — A.W.
8. “Maybach Music III” Feat. Erykah Badu, Jadakiss, T.I.
They say “bigger is better” and it’s obvious Rick Ross subscribes to this viewpoint, as each successive installment in the “Maybach Music” series seems to get (it’s necessary to keep these observations in the present tense at this point) more elaborate, more grandiose, with higher profile features and heightened crescendos. By the time Teflon Don came out in 2010, fans thought they knew what to expect, so the obvious solution was to bring in a full orchestra, complete with some big-band drumming and an operatic mid-point breakdown, and one of the signature soul singers of the past decade to smooth out the chorus as the guest verses — courtesy of prime Jadakiss and T.I. — got more rugged. — A.W.
7. “Idols Become Rivals”
“Idols Become Rivals” was not a record anyone saw coming. Not if you followed the career of Rick Ross and understood his admiration for Birdman and Cash Money Records. But Ross is a rapper of honor; a businessman of ethics and Birdman’s history of unethical behavior finally reached a point where he could no longer turn a blind eye. The disgust, the disappointment, the disapproval, all that went unsaid from years of silent acceptance comes out in a scathing yet poetic assessment of a friend turned foe. “Idols Become Rivals” is masterful as an artful attack and a hall-of-fame-worthy exhibition of killing your heroes with critique, not kindness. — Y.P.
6. “Santorini Greece”
“Santorini Greece” samples Judy Bailey Quartet’s “Colours Of My Dreams,” a mesmerizing source made even more majestic by Bink! and his ingenious rearrangement of each note, riff, and melody to build an exquisite beat layered in lush tones, touched by jazzy textures. The music brings a brand of extravagance synonymous with private islands, foreign cars, and expensive taste. A perfect canvas for picturesque verses delivered with laid-back assertion. Although boastful, “Santorini Greece” is where wealth-talking braggadocio meets race-related introspection from a Black American in a manner only possible for late-career Rick Ross, the poet laureate of hood billionaires. — Y.P.
5. “Maybach Music IV” Feat. Ne-Yo
As the only Maybach Music not to feature any guest verses from star-studded associates, “Maybach Music IV” may not look like a summertime blockbuster in the liner notes, but give the sun-kissed track a listen. You will find another gorgeous J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League-produced work of art. Musically, the satisfying instrumental does not stop progressing, an ever-moving composition that conveys a rich and soulful sound deserving of the fan-favorite series. The aid of Ne-Yo in the latter half makes “Maybach Music IV” feels like an evolved, more mature version of their 2010 collaboration, “Super High.” Giving the piece a sense of artistic refinement, a show of growth. — Y.P.
4. “Hustlin’”
Repeating “22” seven times in the third verse of “Hustlin’” did not earn Ross any prestige as an exceptional emcee, but his 2006 debut single wasn’t to prove technical prowess, instead, the Street Runner-produced anthem promoted a far more significant fact: Repetition invokes remembrance. With its repetitious hook, a savvy soundbed, and simple summer-time lyrics, “Hustlin’” successfully stuck to eardrums. Creating a lane for a newcomer barely known outside of Miami. As the street record that introduced his voice, name, and style to an unsuspecting industry, “Hustlin’” advanced the young Rozay to higher heights without having to use those favors owed to him by Noreiga. Classic. — Y.P.
3. “Aston Martin Music” Feat. Drake, Chrisette Michelle
“Aston Martin Music” is a song that could not fail. Every element feels carefully curated to win over listeners, young and old. The LL Cool J interpolation, Drake and Chrisette Michelle sharing half the chorus, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League’s balmy 90’s R&B-inspired beat found an intersection between simple and sexy, new and nostalgic that ultimately gave Ross a 3x platinum hit with over 330 million views on YouTube. To hear it today, more than a decade later, the magic hasn’t worn off. For those who came of age in the 2010s, the track will return you to memories of when 106 & Park still existed, when radio still broke records. A different time, a different era. — Y.P.
2. “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)”
The sound: colossal. The verses: colossal. The attitude, the energy, everything about “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)” towered over the trap soundscape in 2010 with an anatomy bigger, more gigantic than its sizeable contemporaries. The Lux Luther-produced atom bomb not only separated the giants from the gladiators but further proved that the Dade County boss wasn’t just building a catalog for stadiums, he could make massive records fit for Roman Colosseums, fit for Caesars Palace. Thirteen years later, the music still communicates a keen sense of glorious demolition, invigorating destruction, and a feeling best described as an intoxicating upheaval over enemies and opposition. — Y.P.
1. “Maybach Music” Feat. Jay-Z
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Fortunately for Rick Ross, when he kicked off the signature series of anthems named after his record label (before it ever was a series), he knocked it out of the park. Coming off the platinum debut Port Of Miami, Ross faced the dreaded sophomore slump and the challenge of topping the fan-favorite “Hustlin’.” He more than accomplished that with the No. 1-selling Trilla, which spawned another top-40 hit in “The Boss”; however, the true achievement was “Maybach Music,” which established the luxury mafioso rap sound that would come to define much of his latter-career output and give him the perfect, elegant image overhaul that ensured his longevity throughout the 2000s and ’10s. That Jay-Z raps one of own his best late-career verses here, re-establishing himself after his own critical stumbles in 2006’s Kingdom Come, is just icing on the cake. — A.W.
Live performances will always hit differently compared to the original studio track we hear. However, when the live performance includes a live band? Consider it a game-changer.
It’s not often in K-pop you get to hear some of your favorite tracks performed with a live band. Usually, it’s a stripped-down version of the backtrack or instrumentals being used. But if you’re making a major comeback after a six-year hiatus, it’s “go big or go home” for a K-pop icon like Taeyang. Especially if you’re collaborating with one of today’s most popular pop acts, Jimin of BTS.
Released earlier today (January 19), a day shy since its one-week release, Taeyang shared a special live performance of his newest single “Vibe” with Jimin, while accompanied by a six-piece band. Starting off with Taeyang on the keyboard, the retro-R&B, New Jack Swing-inspired track gets a soulful intro with the BIGBANG member doing adlibs. Compared to the original track where the drums and percussion come in after the intro and into the first verse, the live performance adds in the drums in the chorus for a dramatic effect. From there on out, “Vibe” becomes a feel-good, chill track as both Taeyang and Jimin’s voices take turns and blend until the end.
“Vibe” is Taeyang’s first single under TheBlackLabel, since his departure from YG Entertainment late last year. The song was composed by him, Teddy Park, Vince, Jimin, Kush, and 24.
Ted Cruz can’t resist wading into the TV and movie realms when it suits his purposes. Usually, this turns into an embarrassing exchange, like that time when he misinterpretedWatchmen while going off on an anti-environmentalist bender. He has also broken the First Rule of Fight Club to disastrous ends, and that wasn’t as amazing as when the noted The Princess Bride superfan tangled with Cary Elwes. Now, Ted has decided to poke a horror maestro, and although that figure appears to be ignoring him, there’s still comeuppance coming from elsewhere.
The subject of this Cancun Cruz adventure happens to be banned books, which Ted has spun into a conservative issue. Stephen King, who has reportedly removed one of his own books from circulation and who tweets about everything from salmon recipes to dad jokes, picked up the topic without firing shots at anyone in particular.
“Hey, kids!” the Cell author tweeted. “It’s your old buddy Steve King telling you that if they ban a book in your school, haul your ass to the nearest bookstore or library ASAP and find out what they don’t want you to read.”
Hey, kids! It’s your old buddy Steve King telling you that if they ban a book in your school, haul your ass to the nearest bookstore or library ASAP and find out what they don’t want you to read.
Ted decided to turn the tweet around while falsely suggesting that the Bible has been banned: “And just like that, millions of kids began reading the Bible…”
As mentioned above, King has not dignified Ted’s tweet with a response, but that’s alright. The Stand author’s followers are doing it for him while letting Ted know that he’s “outmatched” and that, no, the Bible has not been banned, and maybe Ted hasn’t read any Stephen King books, or he would have noticed the plentiful biblical themes at work. The separation of church and state also popped into the discussion.
Nobody has banned the Bible. So the only people this will work on is people who are already all aboard the conservative media fear mongering train. I’m deeply Christian. And I’m not being persecuted in America.
I’d encourage anyone interested in literature to read the Bible as it is the most referenced book in Western Civilization. Have you ever read Steven King’s work, Ted? There is plenty of biblical references and themes in his stories. Everyone should read more books. All of em
Yeah…no. The Bible isn’t in public schools because…wait for it…a little something called separation of church and State. It’s astounding you don’t know this.
And all the banned books too. As long as they aren’t reading the Bible in any public schools it is fine with me. Remember that little thing called separation of church and state ? I know you learned that in law school.
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