Month: August 2023

Over the weekend, Donald Trump confirmed reports that he will be skipping the first GOP debate, and instead, sit down for an interview with Tucker Carlson. The move is considered to be a “major affront” to both Fox News and the Republican National Convention, so this latest update is sure to be salt in the wounds.

According to a new report, Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle will be attending the GOP debate to act as media surrogates for the former president and promote their Rumble shows, of course.

Via The Daily Caller:

“We’re excited to see all of our friends in Milwaukee on Wednesday in support of President Trump. We’re confident that in 2024, GOP voters will reject the RINO establishment and re-nominate President Trump in a landslide,” Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle told the Caller.

The pair are going to do media for the former president and will be promoting their Rumble shows.

Sending Don Jr. and Guilfoyle arrives on the heels of speculation that the elder Trump is afraid to get on the debate stage with former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. While Christie continues to lag in the polls, he has been a relentless opponent for Trump. The former prosecutor has been on top of every blunder from Trump’s recent remarks about Putin to his last-minute canceling of a press conference that would have allegedly proved Trump’s innocence in Georgia.

In the meantime, Don Jr. linked the The Daily Caller‘s report on Twitter about his dad not showing up to the debate.

You can see some of the reactions below:

(Via The Daily Caller)

The 2023 FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup will get underway this Friday, August 25, with games being played in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia for this year’s event. As is the case at most every international basketball event, Team USA is the heavy favorite at -125 to win it all, but the Americans finished seventh at the 2019 World Cup (where Spain beat Argentina in the finals) and are bringing a young team without much of any international experience, meaning the outcome of this year’s tournament is far from a certainty.

As such, a number of teams have hopes of making a run at the World Cup crown, while plenty of others are looking to take a stride forward with the best result in their country’s recent basketball history. That second group is where all of the teams in Group A are at as this year’s tournament gets set to begin, as Angola, the Dominican Republic, Italy, and the Philippines will battle for a place in the knockout rounds. All four countries are long shots in the tournament — Italy at +5000 has the lowest odds of the group — but a berth in the knockout rounds would mean plenty to each squad.

The group favorites are Italy, with the Dominican Republic not far behind with a large gap back to the host Philippines and then Angola as one of the tournament’s biggest underdogs (via DraftKings).

Italy -165
Dominican Republic +150
Philippines +1600
Angola +10000

Here we’ll look at some players to watch, the biggest game, and the full schedule for Group A.

Players to Watch

Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic): The biggest NBA star in this group is Karl-Anthony Towns, who is finally making his international tournament debut for the Dominican Republic. Towns immediately brings some name recognition to the squad, but this is a team that’s had a terrific past year prior to his arrival, beating Argentina twice in qualifiers and winning the Central American and Caribbean Games back in July. A confident team adding a star the caliber of Towns makes them a genuine threat in this group and a dangerous team to potentially run into on the knockout rounds — as shown by their win over Canada last week in a tune-up game.

Lester Quinones (Dominican Republic): Quinones, who plays on a two-way with the Warriors, likewise steps into the Dominican team looking to make an impact from the backcourt. He starred for the Dominican national team at the U18 Worlds in 2018, averaging 17.5 points per game, and had 12 points in their game against Spain last week as he looks to have a similar impact on the senior squad.

Simone Fontecchio (Italy): Fontecchio had a solid rookie season in the NBA with the Utah Jazz last year, as the 27-year-old forward made the move stateside, which kept him away from Italy for most of qualifying. However, when he was able to join the squad, he scored 20-plus in each of his three appearances with the national team in the qualifiers. He’s continued that strong play in the tune-up games, scoring 26 against Brazil last week, and has proven himself as a leader for this Italian side.

Nico Mannion (Italy): Mannion will be a familiar face to American college basketball fans and anyone who was particularly fond of the 2020-21 Warriors. While he now plays in Spain professionally, he has become a stalwart for the Italian national team, averaging 15 points per game on 40 percent shooting from three in eight qualifiers for theWorld Cup. Mannion’s shooting from the perimeter is a big part of Italy’s high octane offense, as they are the highest scoring team in the world this year.

Jordan Clarkson (Philippines): The former Sixth Man of the Year will take on the starring role for the host nation, as he joins the Philippines team for this year’s World Cup. Clarkson is a dynamic scorer and with his talents on the roster, the Philippines will hope to find their way to an upset or two in the group stage to delight their basketball-crazed fans with a surprising push to the knockout rounds.

Schedule/TV Info (all times EST)

Aug. 25
Angola vs. Italy, 4:00 a.m., ESPN+
Dominican Republic vs. Philippines, 8:00 a.m., ESPN+

Aug. 27
Italy vs. Dominican Republic, 4:00 a.m., ESPN+
Philippines vs. Angola, 8:00 a.m., ESPN+

Aug. 29
Angola vs. Dominican Republic, 4:00 a.m., ESPN+
Philippines vs. Italy, 8:00 a.m., ESPN+

Game to Watch

Italy vs. Dominican Republic: This is the game that figures to decide the group winner as it pits the two group favorites against each other. More importantly, the winner of this game should be a lock to make the knockout rounds, even if the Philippines go on a crazy run. Italy has designs on a real run in this tournament, coming off of a quarterfinals appearance at EuroBasket a year ago, but Karl-Anthony Towns will be the best player in this game and whether Italy can come up with an answer for the Timberwolves star big man will be fascinating to watch.

The Iron Blossom Music Festival is scheduled for this Saturday (August 26) and Sunday (August 27) at Bon Secours Training Center in Richmond, Virginia. Lord Huron and Noah Kahan will share headlining duties on Saturday, leaving Hozier as the lone Sunday headliner.

The festival confirmed that gates will open at noon local time on both days, noting that the lineup and set times “are subject to change.” For now, though, Lord Huron will warm up the Iron Stage from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. local time, leading into Kahan’s set on the Iron Stage from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time.

Iron Blossom’s Instagram page teased that Kahan will perform his breakout hit, “Dial Drunk,” which received a Post Malone assist last month.

Come Sunday, Nikki Lane will take the Blossom Stage from 7:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. local time — sandwiched between Elle King (6:30 to 7:45 p.m.) and Hozier (8:30 to 10 p.m.) on the Iron Stage.

The other acts performing across the two-day event are Mipso, Rayland Baxter, Devon Gilfillian, Faye Webster, Briscoe, Josiah And The Bonnevilles, Trousdale, Colony House, Celisse, The Legendary Ingramettes, Angelica Garcia, Danielle Ponder, Amythyst Kiah, The Heavy Heavy, Matthew E. White, Neal Francis, and Son Little.

Check out the full lineup and schedule below, and find more information here.

Charlize Theron can do it all — and that includes shutting down rumors that she’s had plastic surgery.

“My face is changing, and I love that my face is changing and aging,” the Mad Max: Fury Road actress and drag queen ally told Allure. But “people think I had a facelift. They’re like, ‘What did she do to her face?’ I’m like, bitch, I’m just aging! It doesn’t mean I got bad plastic surgery. This is just what happens.”

Theron has “always had issues with the fact that men kind of age like fine wines and women like cut flowers. I despise that concept and I want to fight against it, but I also think women want to age in a way that feels right to them.” She continued, “I think we need to be a little bit more empathetic to how we all go through our journey. My journey of having to see my face on a billboard is quite funny now.” Or a perfume ad, topless.

“My oldest was just so embarrassed,” says Theron of a walk past one of her Dior J’Adore ads. “She’s like, ‘Oh, my God, Mom! You’re not even wearing a shirt.’ I was like, ‘You’re right. I didn’t even realize.’ She’s like, ‘All my friends are gonna see this. I mean, can you just wear a shirt?’”

Once the strike is over, Theron will resume production on two sequels, The Old Guard 2 and Atomic Blonde 2.

(Via Allure)

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 column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

Snoh Aalegra continued to journey toward her upcoming fourth album with “Wait A Little Longer” while Tinashe did the same for her forthcoming BB/Angel album with “Needs.” Jessie Reyez and Miguel connected for “Jeans” and Davido recruited Latto for a remix of “Unavailable.” Elsewhere, Usher and Kelly Rowland stirred up some controversy with their “Boyfriend” video, Brent Faiyaz dropped a video for “Jackie Brown,” Jamila Woods shared a visual for “Boomerang,” and Blxst and Bino Rideaux announced Sixtape 3.

Oh, and Victoria Monét dropped a phenomenal video for “On My Mama.”

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

Ciara — CiCi

Ciara dives head first into her “R&B era” with her new EP CiCI. Released four years after Beauty Marks, Ciara delivers seven songs with features from Chris Brown, Lil Baby, and Big Freedia that she says should “make you feel like you’re at an old school house party vibing to R&B.”

Leon Thomas — Electric Dusk

Leon Thomas has this week’s best R&B release with his debut album Electric Dusk. Through 12 songs and contributions from Victoria Monét, Benny The Butcher, and Ty Dolla Sign, Leon dives into topics that include love, heartbreak, and growth through excellent production, impressive songwriting, and crisp vision that makes for one of this year’s best R&B (and overall) albums.

Amaka — Oasis

Months removed from the official conclusion of VanJess, Jess — or Amaka as she goes by now — begins a new era with the release of her debut solo EP. Oasis arrives in collaboration with Kaytranada as a six-track project that Amaka says is “about feeling yourself and owning your confidence in peak form.”

Elhae & Xavier Omar — “Favourite”

Just a couple of years after coming together for “Sick Of Playing,” Elhae and Xavier Omar strike the match once again for “Favourite.” Their latest release is a heartfelt record dedicated to the special woman in their respective lives.

Dylan Sinclair — “Fly Girl”

Toronto singer Dylan Sinclair keeps his foot on the pedal in 2023 with the release of his “Fly Girl” single. The new record is dedicated to a “fly girl” he has in his life, one he has perfect chemistry and is enamored with thanks to her effortless style which he admits has her “geeked.”

Jozzy — Songs For Women, Free Game For N****s (Deluxe)

After releasing her Songs For Women, Free Game For N****s (Deluxe) EP at the top of the year, Jozzy checks back in with a deluxe edition of the project. With it comes four new additions: two new songs with “Like Me” and “Since 21,” a remix of Commotion, and a sped-up version of “Favorite Shirt.”

Lyfe Harris — “Sunkiss”

With his upcoming project SAGE (Such A Good Experience) on the way, Lyfe Harris arrives with “Sunkiss.” The warm record hones in on the feelings of love and lust for a record that questions whether the sun can provide the same warmth and love that Harris’ love can.

Ballad — “Stories”

Massachusetts singer Ballad is back with another vibrant and captivating single with “Stories.” With the new single, Ballad addresses a past lover by telling them to check his Instagram Story if there’s ever a point that they miss him. Life is better without them in his world and he prefers to keep it that way.

Samaria — “Tight Rope”

Centered in a moment of uncertainty, singer Samaria gets all the answers she needs on her new single “Tight Rope.” She says the record is a “final plea to make something work at the time that was showing me exactly why it absolutely would never work,” and with lovelorn lyrics on wax, Samaria makes it clear that she’s acknowledged and accepted this undesired outcome in love.

Shay Lia — “Upside Down”

On October 20, French-Djiboutian singer Shay Lia will release her Facets LP. Ahead of its arrival, she delivers “Upside Down” which strikes as an upbeat and lively record that was meant for the dancefloor. “It’s an expression of the fun that comes with the freedom I dream of,” Lia says of the record. “I took the time to discover what love can look like if I don’t focus on the challenges and fear of pain – UPSIDE DOWN is all about going back to ourselves and being authentic.”

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

Last November, Billie Eilish gushed to Vanity Fair about her then-boyfriend, Jesse Rutherford, whom she split from in May.

“I’m really happy about it. I managed to get my way to a point in my life where I not only was known by a person that I thought was the hottest f*ckin’ f*cker alive, but pulled his ass,” the 21-year-old phenom said about the 32-year-old The Neighbourhood singer last fall. “Are we kidding me? Can we just [claps] — round of applause for me. Thank you. Jesse Rutherford, everyone. I pulled his ass, all me. I did that sh*t. I locked that motherf*cker down.”

There was public critique about Eilish and Rutherford’s age difference, which Finneas promptly dismissed, but some think that Rutherford weaponized it in his new solo song, “POV.”

To start, Rutherford (as Jesse®) sings, “I’m at the top, you’re at the bottom,” and someone on X (formerly known as Twitter) accurately pointed out that very few people can claim to be above Eilish in terms of popularity, and that list does not include Rutherford.

“She been listening to me since 2013 / I know she’s got daddy issues, welcome to the family,” Rutherford sings in the second verse (as chronicled by Genius). “She said, ‘Jesse, baby, won’t you write a song about me?’ / I said, ‘I got a whole album, I could drop it next week.’”

Again, Eilish fans and the general public alike didn’t take kindly to the distasteful remarks they believe are aimed at her.

For what it’s worth, Eilish addressed her and Rutherford’s breakup while answering fan questions on her Instagram Story last week. She said she’s not dating anyone (“NO SIRRRRRR”) and noted that she’s “very very good friends only” with Rutherford, adding, “My homie forever.”

In May, an Eilish representative confirmed to various outlets that Eilish and Rutherford “split amicably and remain good friends” and denied any rumors that infidelity was the cause.

“POV” is included on Rutherford’s recently released &ONE project.

This weekend, a new festival, Evolution, kicks off in St. Louis, Missouri. Despite its title, it has no relation to the defunct Evolution Festival that used to take place in the UK. Instead, it’s taking over Forest Park on August 26-27 with two stages and a “Sauce Magazine Lounge,” where bourbon and barbecue experts will stage showcases of their knowledge and techniques.

The overall vibe of the fest seems to be a combination of soulful R&B, bluesy rock, and old-school hip-hop, with a very guitar-centric Saturday (Brittany Howard and The Black Keys) giving way to a seemingly out-of-place Ice Cube performance on Sunday. However, the festival looks to finish strong with performances by Ben Harper and Brandi Carlile, as well. Add in the barbecue and bourbon, and it’s looking like a fantastic time in the park. The doors will open at 2 PM both days; you can see the set times below.

Saturday, August 26

Missouri Stage

3:35p – 4:05p — Modern English
4:45p – 5:20p — Cautious Clay
6:00p – 7:00p — Brittany Howard
7:55p – 9:00p — The Black Crowes
9:30p – 10:45p — The Black Keys

Lindenwood University Stage

3:00p – 3:30p — Punk Lady Apple
4:10p – 4:40p — The Knuckles
5:25p – 5:55p — Sugarhill Gang
7:05p – 7:50p — Nikki Lane

Sunday, August 27

Missouri Stage

3:35p – 4:05p — Michigander
4:45p – 5:20p — Morgan Wade
6:00p – 7:00p — Ice Cube
7:55p – 8:55p — Ben Harper
9:25p – 10:45p — Brandi Carlile

Lindenwood University Stage

3:00p – 3:30p — Yard Eagle
4:10p – 4:40p — Smidley
5:25p – 5:55p — Carriers
7:05p – 7:50p — The Nude Party

Bill Belichick doesn’t often like talking about his life away from the football field, but every once in awhile we get a glimpse at the things that the legendary Patriots coach enjoys doing when he’s not in the facility or pouring over tape.

On Monday morning, Belichick joined The Greg Hill Show on WEEI in Boston and revealed that he had gone to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour stop at Gillette Stadium, and had some high praise for the pop icon’s toughness, taking note of Swift nailing her performance in driving rain (via Mediaite).

“That was pretty impressive,” Belichick said. “She’s tough, man. Stood out there and played right through it.”

Belichick was then asked if he’s officially a Swiftie, which led to him asking what that even means. The host then noted that Aaron Rodgers is one, which didn’t get Bill any closer to an answer, asking if that means he has a sweatshirt or something. As for Bill’s favorite Taylor song, well it’s naturally “You Need To Calm Down” given that’s a message he can really get behind.

“Well look, I’m definitely on the ‘You gotta calm down,’” he said. “That’s pretty good. Like, you gotta calm down. There’s a lot of times when that’s very appropriate. Just gotta calm down.”

It’s extremely on brand for Bill Belichick’s big takeaway from watching Taylor Swift to be that she’s got good toughness playing through the rain. I absolutely believe the first time the Pats end up playing in some kind of weather he is going to tell his team that Taylor Swift didn’t miss a single beat performing in the rain so they have no excuses for turnovers. I also hope he ends up on the sideline one day in a cutoff Eras Tour sweatshirt, making his Swiftie turn official.

You know how there are two separate, competing documentaries about the monumental disaster that was the Fyre Festival? What if I were to tell you that Billy McFarland, the mastermind behind said disaster, has not only been planning a second Fyre Festival, but is also now selling tickets to the show? I promise you, I am not joking.

As noted by Stereogum, McFarland made the announcement on his TikTok, where he’s been promoting his efforts to get Fyre Fest 2 off the ground, despite not apparently having any acts, a venue, or event the credibility to launch an event after spending four years in prison on wire fraud charges.

In the video, McFarland says:

It has been the absolute wildest journey to get here, and it really all started during the seven-month stint in solitary confinement. I wrote out this 50-page plan of how it would take this overall interest and demand in Fyre, and how it would take my ability to bring people from around the world together and make the impossible happen, how I would find the best partners in the world to allow me to be me while executing Fyre’s vision to the highest level… In the meantime, we’ll be doing pop-ups and events across the world. Guys, this is your chance to get in. This is everything I’ve been working towards. Let’s f*cking go.

Honestly, you sort of have to be impressed. McFarland is basically single-handedly responsible for sparking an entire genre that has become streamers’ bread-and-butter — the “true life” biopic of a charismatic scammer, a la Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos or
Adam Neumann of WeWork — and yet, here he is, fresh out of prison and doing it all over again. That’s moxie.