Month: July 2023

The seemingly sudden decision by Elon Musk to rebrand Twitter as X continues to look more and more like a seat-of-the-pants operation with little to no planning. Amongst the numerous jokes roasting Musk for the abrupt product change, reporters begin digging into the details of the “X” rebrand. To the surprise of no one, there was a whole lot of diligence left on the table.

Despite Musk having a decades-long obsession with the name X, to the point that it led to his ouster at PayPal, it appears that nobody at Twitter thought to check if anyone had already registered the X trademark. Turns out, Musk’s rival Mark Zuckerberg is already sitting on the name along with 900 other copyright registrations (including Microsoft). Whoops.

Via Reuters:

X is so widely used and cited in trademarks that it is a candidate for legal challenges – and the company formerly known as Twitter could face its own issues defending its X brand in the future.

“There’s a 100% chance that Twitter is going to get sued over this by somebody,” said trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who said he counted nearly 900 active U.S. trademark registrations that already cover the letter X in a wide range of industries.

News that Musk never checked the trademark claims to X arrived on the heels of reports that he attempted to remove the Twitter logo from the company headquarters in San Francisco, but was stopped by the police because of a permit issue. In short, the first 24 hours of X were a typical Musk mess, and once again, he got ruthlessly roasted on his own platform.

You can see some of the reactions below:

And congrats to whoever’s squatting on X.com. They might be about to get paid.

(Via Reuters)

Coming into the last week of July, there were three big deals still waiting to be done in the NBA. Damian Lillard and James Harden’s trade requests were the most talked about, as the two former All-NBA guards looked to push their way to Miami and L.A. respectively.

There was also the question of Jaylen Brown’s contract extension in Boston, where the two sides had somewhat surprisingly not come to an agreement on the max extension he was eligible for on July 1. The Celtics didn’t have much choice but to make the max offer, but the details of the contract were where the two sides had to work things out. On Tuesday, that finally happened with Shams Charania and Marc Spears reporting Brown was signing his 5-year, $304 million deal that was fully guaranteed, with no player or team option, and included a trade kicker that will make it highly unlikely he gets moved out of Boston any time in the near future.

After the way this season ended for Boston going down 3-0 to the Miami Heat, fighting back to force a Game 7, and then losing at home, there was an expectation for some serious changes for the Celtics this summer. That resulted in Marcus Smart being traded to the Grizzlies in a three-team deal to bring in Kristaps Porzingis, and the longer Brown’s extension talks dragged, there was at least some wonder to whether they were looking at whether he was the right guy next to Jayson Tatum long-term.

With this extension now done, they’ve answered that question and now it’s incumbent on he and Tatum to find a way to get them to the next level, having made five trips to the conference finals together, but just one Finals appearance. Success for Celtics stars is measured in championships, and with both of them now on max deals, that’s the expectation. This year they’ll have a new co-star in Porzingis to work in, and we’ll see if that was the missing piece to bring a bit more balance to their offense.

Britney Spears has kept relatively quiet in terms of her post-conservatorship musical output: She and Elton John unveiled “Hold Me Closer” last year, then she and will.i.am came through with “Mind Your Business” last week. will.i.am reckons, though, that Spears is actually sitting on a massive vault of unreleased songs.

In an interview with TMZ, the Black Eyes Peas member said:

“I could tell you from this experience of fine-tuning ‘Mind Your Business’… she sent over some ideas, like, ‘Hey, put this on it!’ And then I’m like, ‘Yo, Britney, this idea that you just gave right there, it’s actually a new song. This is freaking crazy.’ She gave this idea that was like, ‘Wow, wait wait, you can’t just throw this away in this song. This is a whole song within itself.’ She has ideas and an idea factory. […] I could only imagine that Britney is sitting on a plethora of songs that she’s done with different producers. I’m pretty sure her and Pharrell probably have stuff that was unreleased, I’m pretty sure that… yeah, she has to have them. No artist that is that prolific, that’s an ideation machine doesn’t have a plethora of stuff.”

He also spoke about collaborating with Spears over the years, saying, “I always love working with Britney. I’ve had the honors of working with her for multiple songs. […] To have four songs with the princess of pop is amazing.”

Chris Christie famously prepped Trump for some of his debates against Joe Biden. So, it would be quite something to see them face off (again) for 2024 GOP primary debates, but Trump has refused to do so. His team put out the message that he’s the clear frontrunner and doesn’t need to, thank you very much, but it also sounds like he might be afraid to defend his abysmal record (and those indictments).

As a result, Chris Christie is pretty darn amused, but he’s still challenging Trump to show up. “Makes my life even better, because then I won’t have to talk over him,” the ex-NJ governor quipped. “He loves to interrupt everybody, so my biggest debate prep would be to get my voice even louder than his, so I could talk over him. Look, I’m going to talk about Trump and his record whether he’s on the stage or not, so my suggestion is to get on the stage, so there’s going to be somebody there to defend why you didn’t build any more than 52 miles of wall in four years. And that Mexico hasn’t paid for it.”

Fair enough. That “big beautiful wall” never really materialized, and Trump also wanted to put cows on ladders or something? The wall failure is probably much more embarrassing for Trump than his troubles with the law. He will blame everyone but himself for all of it, but Christie would still drag him all the way. This would be even more fun to watch than the supposed Zuck-Musk cage fight. Speaking of which, Christie previously declared, “The guy’s 78 years old. I’d kick his ass.” That’s probably (and bizarrely) true.

Latin music’s biggest power couple is reportedly no more. Entertainers Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro brought fans into their blissful love story in the official video for their single, “Beso.” At the end of the visual, the couple revealed they were taking the next steps in their romantic journey. However, according to People, Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro have reportedly ended their engagement.

The outlet did not provide the supposed reason for the split. Neither party has issued a statement regarding the report. Instead, Rosalía’s last post on Instagram focused on her music. A rough translation of the gallery post reads, “It’s over, Motomami, but my gratitude to God, my family, my team, and all of you who support me is lifelong. Motomami has been a whirlwind that has brought and taken so many things in my life that I don’t even know where to begin. Thanks to all the Motomamis around the world for giving me so much love throughout this whole time. To each and every one of you, I want you to know that I adore you, and I never take you for granted because you give meaning to what I do, and you are the best thing that has happened to me. See you soon!”

Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro began dating in 2020, but they weren’t spotted holding hands until 2021. Since then, the entertainers have collaborated on several projects together, including their recent RR EP pieces, which they performed together during Coachella. Both recording artists even went as far as getting matching sentimental tattoos. Rosalía’s is on the bottom of her left foot, whereas Rauw Alejandro’s is in the center of his stomach.

In the words of a pop artist, it’s these “hot summer nights [in] mid-July” that have fans hoping for some great danceable drops. This week certainly delivered. And while Lana is not on this week’s list, there is a return of a legend, a ballad from a doll, and much much more.

Continue scrolling to see Uproxx’s Best New Pop roundup — and check back each Tuesday for more. Every two weeks, Uproxx’s Pop Life newsletter goes out as well and is definitely worth a read, as we spotlight specific artists and unique moments in Pop’s past.

NewJeans — “Cool With You”

Following the success of their last EP, NewJeans dropped Super Shy, featuring the standout “Cool With You” — a dark and moody spin about trying to get a love interest’s attention. Even more thrilling is the music video for Side B, which made waves online for the two surprise stars of it.

Britney Spears, Will.I.Am — “Mind Your Business”

Britney and Will.I.Am have been longtime collaborators, so it’s no surprise that the duo returned with “Mind Your Business.” Spears’ vocals had reportedly been recorded around that time, but they decided to put a new production spin on it. “Working with her is like teaming up with a kindred spirit: We both love music and the art of expressing ourselves,” he told Vogue about the track.

Ryan Gosling — “I’m Just Ken”

“I’m just Ken and I’m enough / And I’m great at doing stuff,” Ryan Gosling cheerfully points out in “I’m Just Ken,” which has become a breakthrough for being his musical number from the Barbie movie. For those who have caught the movie, it ken and will be stuck in your head. (Haha, get it?) While it’s not his only musical number in it, Gosling proved here that he does have the ken-ergy.

Zayn — “Love Like This”

Zayn is welcoming fans into his new album cycle with the lead single, “Love Like This.” With him describing it as a “summer tune,” it opens with a club-ready electronic instrumental that signals a change of pace from his slower past songs. It also shows off the fact that he can tackle different energies as a vocalist.

Stormzy, Raye — “The Weekend”

Raye has been one of this year’s major stars with her debut album, My 21st Century Blues. She shines just as bright on “The Weekend,” when she opens the collaboration with Stormzy. The duo works well together, switching seamlessly between their turns on the same beat.

NCT Dream — “ISTJ”

The title track of NCT Dream‘s new album, “ISTJ” finds the boys trying to discover themselves while falling in love. Complete with a fast-paced video that shows off their dance moves, it’s definitely a fun one.

Slayyyter — “Miss Belladonna”

“He lives for love and I live for drama,” Slayyyter declares on “Miss Belladonna,” the latest glimpse of her upcoming record. The synth dance anthem is seriously setting the standard for what fans are calling her best era yet.

Bruno Major — “The Show Must Go On”

One of the highlights from Bruno Major’s new album, Columbo, is “The Show Must Go On,” which finds him reflecting on the anxieties of performing along with hiding his emotions.

Baby Queen — “We Can Be Anything”

“We Can Be Anything” is Baby Queen’s in-the-moment retelling of a party encounter that builds in tension and emotion. By the dreamy chorus, she is reciting advice she received — tying right back into the title.

Becca Means — “My Darling”

“I was raised on The Beatles and The Beach Boys, so having those influences in my music has always been really important to me,” Becca Means shared about the song. “
Lyrically, ‘My Darling’ was initially written as a classic love song, but after a toxic relationship and a hell of a year, I decided I wanted it to be more of a breakup anthem instead.”

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

John Legend has unveiled his newest brand partnership. While he’s collaborated with companies like Axe, SK-II, Etsy, and more in the past, his latest business venture definitely takes a unique turn — into the land of Neopets.

What is a Neopet? Well, for those who didn’t play the early-2000s online video game, you could adopt creatures and play various games.

Legend’s role in the revival was announced during a reported Neopets Era Party at San Diego Comic Con recently, according to Pop Insider. He also shared his excitement for the project on social media.

“Excited to announce that I’m the new brand ambassador for @Neopets!” Legend posted. “My family and I have been long time fans of the game, and I can’t wait for you to experience it too. Looking forward to more adventures together!”

“You know the game. The classic pet game. It’s long been a favorite in our house. I can’t wait to share the joy and nostalgia with all of you,” he added in a video.

Interestingly enough, Legend’s wife, Chrissy Teigen, has also been a longtime lover of the game. She posted on Twitter back in 2018, pointing out how much she missed the Neopets.

Check out Legend’s Neopets ambassador reveal video above.

On Monday, Bronny James collapsed on the court after going into cardiac arrest while practicing with the USC basketball team. James was treated by medical personnel at USC and taken to the hospital where he has been discharged from the ICU and is now in stable condition.

It is good to hear that James is in stable condition after such a terrifying scare, and as noted in the statement LeBron and Savannah thanked the USC medical and athletic staff for their quick work to take care of Bronny when he collapsed. Bronny will now work towards recovery and, one would think, go through tests to determine what caused him to go into cardiac arrest. He was set to be one of the biggest stars in college basketball this season for the Trojans, but will now focus on getting healthy and taking care of his heart until doctors clear him to return to the field.

James can look to the similar situation Damar Hamlin went through over the past year after he went into cardiac arrest during a Bills game and has worked his way back into being cleared by doctors to be back on the field this summer for camp. Hopefully James can make a full recovery as well and return to playing basketball in the future.

Ryan Gosling is the Matchbox Twenty-loving king of Kens, but there’s more than (K)enough (K)energy to go around. In Barbie, different versions of Kens are played by, among others, Gosling, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, and Jona Cena as the long-haired mermaid Ken.

“They were definitely really different, but they had to feel like a cohesive group,” Barbie co-casting director Lucy Bevan told Vanity Fair about the search for Ken. “You wanted to cast people who were really going to get on and be great and enjoy it.” Other Kens were considered for the movie, including Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang, Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy, and nepo baby Ben Platt, but because Barbie was filmed in London during the COVID lockdown, they weren’t able to make the travel schedule work.

“They were, I’m not kidding, really bummed they couldn’t do it,” co-casting director Alison Jones.

Even Allan — weird, pale Allan, the only Allan in Barbie Land — was a part that actors were heartbroken over. “Dear, dear Jonathan Groff was like, ‘I can’t believe I’m typing this, but I can’t do Allan,’” says Jones.

No offense to Jonathan Groff, but Michael Cera is the one true Allan, literally and figuratively.

(Via Vanity Fair)

Before was an A-list rap star with his own festival and a $13 million house, Tyler The Creator was just a blog-era upstart who generated a buzz by word of mouth and being a menace toward many of those blogs for not posting his music. Even without the blog love, Tyler’s rambunctious self-promo was enough to garner the attention of some big names, including Jay-Z and Diddy — although, in typical Tyler The Creator fashion, he blew them off to do his own thing.

In the latest episode of DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz Podcast Tyler recounts how he turned down a deal from Jay-Z over tacos. According to @nfr_podcast on Twitter, Tyler tells Drama, “[He] invited us to one of his LA homes & we just ate tacos… We ate some tacos & he wanted to sign us. I was like ‘man you’re cool, but no.’ Him, Puff… a lot of people were interested… I don’t know, I just want creative control & do everything.”

And despite making an album he describes as “f*cking terrible” with that creative control, it paid off eventually. Tyler and DJ Drama’s album Call Me If You Get Lost won the award for Best Rap Album at the 2022 Grammy Awards, and Tyler certainly seems to be doing pretty well for himself otherwise. I guess we know the right answer to that meme about dinner with Jay-Z now.

You can listen to the full episode of Gangsta Grillz Podcast (with an Amazon Prime membership) here.