Month: May 2023

Over the past few years, rap fans have unfortunately gotten plenty of calls to debate the ethics of posthumously releasing an artist’s works — especially when it comes to collaborations that the artist may not have approved. With the advent of AI technologies that reproduce artists’ voices and likenesses, that debate has heated up a lot lately.

The latest figure in hip-hop to join the debate is Timbaland, who used AI to “collaborate” with The Notorious B.I.G. — someone he never got the chance to work with in real life before Biggie died. He shared part of the song, in which Big’s voice shouts out artists he never lived to see such as Nipsey Hussle and Young Dolph, on Instagram, saying:

We know that it’s a lot of talk about AI and we know how the feelings of violating certain things. But let me tell you something: I got a solution, I’m working on it. It’s gon’ be beneficial to everybody. I gotta share something I’ve been working on because I always wanted to do this and I never got a chance to. I always wanted to work with Big and I never got a chance to.

Fans on social media have received the “collaboration” with some trepidation — people who pay for Twitter Blue aside — pointing out that although the machine-learning algorithm can reproduce Christopher Wallace’s voice, Tim’s still just talking to a computer simulacrum.

The Los Angeles Lakers have put forth quite the in-season turnaround. The team started 2-10 this year, rallied during the regular season, made some trades, got into the Play-In Tournament, and after taking down the 2-seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the postseason, are currently in the driver’s seat in their Western Conference Semifinal series against the Golden State Warriors, where they hold a 1-0 lead after winning in San Francisco earlier this week.

A major reason why all of this happened was those midseason trades where they were able to pivot and double down on a defense-first identity. And two of the players who were moved at that time, Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook, apparently really want to get rings in the event the team goes on to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy this season.

Beverley was part of a four-team trade that saw the Lakers also move Thomas Bryant in exchange for Mo Bamba, Davon Reed, and a bunch of second-round draft picks. He was sent to the Orlando Magic, who bought out his deal and freed him up to sign with his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. Westbrook, meanwhile, was sent to the Utah Jazz along with a first-round pick as part of a three-team deal that got D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley on Los Angeles’ roster. He was likewise bought out, which let him return to L.A. as a member of the Clippers.

As Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll noted, there is a little bit of precedent here for the Lakers.

The 1975’s controversial singer Matty Healy loves pissing off the general public, whether he’s sucking a fan’s thumb or making offensive comments on a notorious podcast. Apparently, it’s quite possible that his next move to rile people up is by dating Taylor Swift, according to tabloid rumors.

Many publications have reported that the two are mingling, following Swift’s recent breakup with her boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn. However, Jezebel have pointed out that Healy discussed the idea of dating Swift in 2016, saying it would be “emasculating” in an interview in an issue of the magazine Q.

Here’s what he said, via NME:

“So the one time I did have a flirtation with a girl it ends up going everywhere… I mean, I got on E! News and people were like, ‘Who’s Matt Healy?’ so that was cool. But I didn’t make a big deal out of it myself. It’s not really anything to talk about, because if she wasn’t Taylor Swift we wouldn’t be talking about her. She wasn’t a big impact on my life. It’s just interesting to me how interested the world is about Taylor Swift. […] And the reason I mention that is because if I had gone out with Taylor Swift I would’ve been, ‘F*cking hell! I am NOT being Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.’ You know, ‘F*CK. THAT.’ That’s also a man thing, a de-masculinating, emasculating thing.”

As aforementioned, that quote comes from 2016, or before Healy ended his era of “being a f*cking asshole.”

BeachLife Festival generated anticipated in January by identifying its 2023 headliners as The Black Keys, Gwen Stefani, and The Black Crowes and John Fogerty.

As of Wednesday, May 3, we also know each act’s set time.

The 2023 BeachLife Festival is happening this weekend, May 5 to 7, at Redondo Beach in Southern California. Gates will open at noon local time on Friday, May 5, and at 11 a.m. local time for Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7. The festival will feature four stages: Hightide, Lowtide, Speakeasy, and Riptide.

The Black Keys’ headlining Friday set is scheduled from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. local time, and they will be preceded by the likes of Modest Mouse (7:35 to 8:50 p.m.), BabyJake (7:35 to 8:35 p.m.), Pixies (6:30 to 7:30 p.m.), Tegan And Sara (5:30 to 6:30 p.m.), and several more.

Saturday’s headliner is Stefani, and she will also perform from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The day’s other acts include Sublime With Rome (7:20 to 8:50 p.m.), Band Of Horses (6:15 to 7:15 p.m.), The Lagoons (7:20 to 8:20 p.m.), Aly & AJ (3:10 to 4:10 p.m.), Sugar Ray (2 to 3:10 p.m.), and more.

Bringing it home on Sunday will be The Black Crowes from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Before them, Fogerty will take the Lowtide stage from 5:55 to 7:20 p.m. Other Sunday performances include Noah Cyrus (2:30 to 3:30 p.m.), The Head And The Heart (3:30 to 4:30 p.m.), and Mavis Staples (1:30 to 2:30 p.m.).

See the full lineup and schedule below, and find all additional information here.

Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ed Sheeran, who is being sued by the Ed Townsend estate over alleged copyright infringement, spoke up on the case in an interview with Apple Music, which was resurfaced by Rolling Stone. Sheeran, who has already had to miss his grandmother’s funeral due to the trial and said he would quit music entirely if found guilty, again expressed his frustrations with the process, condemning the people who brought the case.

“The thing with these cases, it’s not usually songwriters that are suing songwriters,” he said. “I feel like in the songwriting community, everyone sort of knows that there’s four chords primarily that are used and there’s eight notes. And we work with what we’ve got, with doing that.”

Townsend’s heirs sued Sheeran in 2017 over alleged “striking similarities” between Ed’s hit “Thinking Out Loud” and the 1973 Marvin Gaye classic “Let’s Get It On.” However, Sheeran denied that “Let’s Get It On” was even a consideration. Rolling Stone notes that after a similar suit against Robin Thicke over another Gaye classic, the landscape changed, creating a climate wherein many more lawsuits are being issued for copyright infringement over the slightest similarities. This has prompted stars to seek clearances even when there are only superficial connections between songs.

“I had a song that I wrote for Keith Urban and it sort of sounded like a Coldplay song,” Ed himself admitted. “So I emailed Chris Martin and I said, ‘This sounds like your tune. Can we clear it?’ And he went, ‘Don’t be ridiculous. No.’ And on the song I made sure they put, ‘I think it sounds like “Everglow,” Coldplay.’ But he was just like, ‘Nah, I know how songs are written. And I know you didn’t go into the studio and go, I want to write this.’”

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

It can be hard to commit to a Marvel movie because, like many people, it comes with an absurd amount of baggage. You can’t just put on Thor: Love And Thunder without first watching Chris Hemsworth parade around the galaxy a few times prior in various other installments. But that’s why Guardians of the Galaxy is a great middleman because you don’t need to watch the 31 previous MCU films in order to understand it. But you would benefit from watching two of them!

Guardians operates on a smaller scale than the rest of the Avengers crew. While Tony Stark and Peter Parker are galavanting around New York City, another Peter is bopping around the universe, aka Starlord, played by the busiest man in the universe, Chris Pratt. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 and 2 are both good introductions to the saga in their own little corner of space, safely tucked away from Captain Marvel and Co (for now). They do overlap, of course, but it’s not integral to understanding their storyline.

While you don’t need to venture into the many Marvel phases to watch the latest Guardians, watching Vol 1 and Vol 2 would give you enough context to actually enjoy the latest installment. Due to its emotionally-charged plot and certain storylines wrapping up, it’s best to watch the first two chapters in the Guardians saga before venturing into theaters for Vol. 3.

The good news is that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 and 2 are both available on Disney+. There is also the holiday special from last year, which is more of a stand-alone storyline, but worth watching if you want to see more Kevin Bacon. Who doesn’t want to see Kevin Bacon?

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters this Friday, May 5th.

Following a round of concerning reports that Jamie Foxx is still hospitalized after suffering an undisclosed “medical complication” last month and will be replaced by Nick Cannon as the host of Beat Shazam, Kevin Hart shared a promising update on Foxx’s condition. Hart delivered the news on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, and from the sound of things, Foxx is improving.

“The dope thing is that he’s getting better in his situation, and you know, everybody’s prayers, everybody’s love, energy — all that stuff is seen and felt,” Hart said. “So in this case, man, you just want the guy to get out of the situations and then get back home.”

As for the exact nature of Foxx’s medical emergency, Hart didn’t say out of both respect for the actor’s privacy and because he doesn’t know the “exact details as to what’s going on.”

Via Rolling Stone:

“To my knowledge is there’s a lot of progression and a world of betterment,” he said. “So you know, my love, synergy, energy goes out to him. He’s needed, he’s necessary. I know that he knows that, and I know that he feels that, because there’s been an outcry, an outpour, of support in this regard. So I can only hope that it continues.”

Hart’s update arrives on the heels of an Instagram post from Foxx who thanked fans for their support. It was the actor’s first statement since being hospitalized.

“Appreciate all the love!!!” Foxx wrote. “Feeling blessed.”

(Via Rolling Stone)

Russia announced this week that a failed assassination attempt on Vladimir Putin had gone down at the Kremlin. Putin was not on the premises at the time that two drones landed on the presidential headquarters. He was being manly and vigorous somewhere else, and if it sound like I’m being a little too flippant, you might be correct. However, the footage of those drones has caused pause among experts, while Russia is already accusing the U.S. of being involved in helping Ukraine do the deed.

At issue, though, is the fact that Putin loves his propaganda and has even recently staged pseudo-celebratory welcomes for when he visits Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. As well, The Daily Beast points towards chatter that suggests how odd it is that residents reported drone sightings that were ignored by Russian security forces, basically because it was nighttime and a few days away from Victory Day celebrations. Here’s more:

The drones the Kremlin says were intended to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in a late-night attack were reported by residents outside Moscow before they struck–but security forces shrugged off the sightings, according to a new report. The Russian Telegram channel Baza reports that residents of the Moscow region outside the capital phoned emergency services to warn about the incoming drones, but police dismissed the calls as unfounded panic.

Newsweek provides details from the experts at the Institute Of War, who believe that there’s no way that Russia could have simply dropped the ball on any legitimate attack on the Kremlin, and their conclusion is that this incident was a set up to justify more propaganda:

The ISW report asserts that “several indicators” suggest the attack was staged, noting that Russia recently enhanced “domestic air defense capabilities” while arguing it was “extremely unlikely” that Ukrainian drones could have thwarted “multiple layers of air defense” and be destroyed “in a way that provided spectacular imagery caught nicely on camera.”

Naturally, the ISW believes that Putin is laying groundwork for a larger draft by making Russian citizens fear that the war has arrived at their doorstep. That sounds terribly realistic, given that Putin has already carried out multiple massive drafts and faced backlash that would only increase without drastic measures, like a fabrication. Additionally, CNN has provided a full-on analysis (which is worth reading) of all the odd circumstances that don’t add up regarding the claimed assassination attempt.

(Via Reuters, Newsweek & CNN)

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B and Afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

After many calls, tweets, posts, and more, Miguel finally returned to the R&B world with his sultry new single “Give It To Me” while Halle Bailey delivered a shimmering rendition of The Little Mermaid “Part Of Your World.” Usher revealed that his absolutely down to perform at a Super Bowl Halftime Show and The Weeknd had a little back and forth with fans who had some complaints about Dawn FM. Elsewhere, SZA earned her first No. 1 album on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to “Kill Bill,” Chlöe performed songs from Ungodly Hour with Halle Bailey during her tour, and 6lack and Davido announced their Since I Have A Lover and Timeless tours, respectively.

Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:

Rema — Rave & Roses Ultra

More than a year after he dropped his Rave & Roses debut, an album that place him in a new tier within afrobeats and music overall, Rema is back with its deluxe album. Rave & Roses Ultra checks in with four additional entries, one of them being “Holiday” which was released prior to the project. The remaining records showcase Rema’s versatility, but keep an eye on “Charm” which could become Rema’s next hit ahead of the summer.

Baby Rose — Through And Through

Let’s give a warm welcome to Baby Rose who is back with her first album since 2020’s To Myself. Her latest release, Through And Through, arrives with 12 songs and features from Smino and Georgia Anne Muldrow for a captivating body of work that Rose describes as “a reminder that everything, good and bad, is necessary, and every iteration of me deserves peace.”

DaniLeigh — “Tasty”

With producer BongoByTheWay by her side, DaniLeigh checks in with quite the bop. On “Tasty,” DaniLeigh stops the show to flaunt the qualities of herself that she and the men around her find irresistible. Their moments together leave men with a taste in their mouths that they’ll never forget, and that alone, is a badge of honor for the singer.

Amaria — All For You

Nearly two years after her debut project Bittersweet, Los Angeles’ own Amaria is back with her second body of work All Of You. Throughout the project’s seven songs, Amaria’s soft vocals tantalize the ears with a warmness that makes All Of You a heavenly listen. You can also relish in guest appearances from some extremely talented R&B acts in Destin Conrad, Amber Navran, and Phabo.

Aáyanna — “Won’t Cry”

This year has been a productive one for Avant Garden signee Aáyanna. The singer kicked things off with “Can’t You Take It” and followed that up with “Kill For Me,” and now she’s back with “Won’t Cry.” The gentle and emotive record finds Aáyanna wondering if the love was real in a relationship that is now over. Despite her questions and upset feelings, Aáyanna refuses to let the tears to fall.

Amir Obé — After

It’s been six years since we received a full-length record from Toronto singer Amir Obé, but good things come to those who wait and he’s back with After. The 13-track record tackles all corners of the alternative R&B landscape through gloomy records that accentuate the slip-ups and quarrels in love that Obé sings about with help from PARTYNEXTDOOR and Naomi Wild on the album.

Stonebwoy — 5th Dimension

When it’s all said and done, Ghanaian singer Stonebwoy will have one of the best afrobeats albums of 2023 with 5th Dimension. Its 17 songs are everything that we’ve recently come to love and appreciate within the genre: it’s vibrant, confident, and authentic. Stonebwoy masters the moments of love just as well as he does those of faith on 5th Dimension. Appearances from Stormzy, Jaz Karis, Davido, Mereba, and more also add to the sharp quality of the project.

Victony — “Soweto (Remix)” Feat. Omah Lay & Tempoe

Earlier this year, Nigerian singer Victony released a remix of his hit record “Soweto” with Don Toliver and Rema. Even before the song’s release, there was a lot of talk about who would appear on it as Omah Lay shared his own take on the record. Now, fans are able to relish in his version through a second remix of the track with more possibly on the way.

KiDi — “I Lied”

Ghanaian singer KiDi could have another project on the way in what would be a productive 12-month stretch for the singer. After a few singles following his 4 Play EP, KiDi is back with “I Lied.” The record is an honest account of his state of mind as he confesses to lying about his well-being in order to keep those closest to him from worrying about him.

Young Jonn — “Aquafina”

Fresh off a Home Session with Apple Music, afrobeats singer Young Jonn checks back in with “Aquafina.” It’s a solid follow-up to “Stamina” with Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr as well as “Currency” with Olamide. Young Jonn uses “Aquafina” to detail the possibility of changes in love as time goes on. Through it all, Young Jonn simply wants honesty so that hurt feelings can be avoided as much as possible.

CD Rose — “God Speed”

Boston singer CD Rose returns with “God Speed,” her second single of the year. It’s an angelic record that glides with passion and honesty as CD Rose lets her fears and questions go with the belief that a higher power will take care of them. “Sometimes you just have to trust in something higher, something bigger than yourself,” she said in an Instagram post, adding, “and whatever that may be for you, has the power to show you bits and pieces of who you are.”

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

Alex G unveiled one of his best albums yet last year with the introspective God Save The Animals. After profound singles, a moving NPR Tiny Desk performance, and vulnerable late-night television performances, he announced a highly anticipated co-headlining tour with Alvvays happening this summer.

Now, the 30-year-old musician is back with more. Today, he announced Live From Union Transfer, a vinyl-only live album from his performance at the Philadelphia venue. It features John Heywood on bass and vocals, Sam Acchione on guitar, keys, and vocals, Tom Kelly on drums, and Molly Germer on violin, keys, and vocals. It comes from his three-day sold-out run at Union Transfer from last November and is sure to build up anticipation for his forthcoming shows.

The 14-track record spans a short portion of his discography, mostly containing songs from the new record, as well as some from 2019’s House Of Sugar and 2014’s fan-favorited DSU.

Find the album artwork and tracklist below.

1. “Headroom Piano (Live)”
2. “S.D.O.S. (Live)”
3. “Runner (Live)”
4. “Hope (Live)”
5. “No Bitterness (Live)”
6. “After Ur Gone (Live)”
7. “Ain’t It Easy (Live)”
8. “Mission (Live)”
9. “Blessing (Live)”
10. “Early Morning Waiting (Live)”
11. “Cross the Sea (Live)”
12. “Gretel (Live)”
13. “Miracles (Live)”
14. “Forgive (Live)”

Live From Union Transfer is out 6/30 on Domino. Pre-order it here.