Month: September 2023

There was initially a bit of an issue with the cover art of Doja Cat’s just-released new album, Scarlet. When it was revealed in August, some people realized that the art was pretty much exactly the same as a metal band’s album that was even set for release on the same day. Shortly after that, Doja updated the cover, going with an illustration (by the same artist as before) featuring two spiders.

That hasn’t pleased everybody, though, as some don’t particularly care for the cover. Doja, though, doesn’t particularly care about what detractors think.

A Doja fan page on X (formerly Twitter) shared the cover art for all four of Doja’s albums and wrote, “.@DojaCat never disappoints when it comes to having unique Cover Art’s for her Albums.” Another user, in reference to Scarlet, wrote, “Until those ugly ass ticks.”

Doja responded, “The art I chose for my album is beautiful and I like it a lot. The two spiders signify conquering your fear. None of my album covers had meaning until this album. You not accepting me was a fear I used to have. I don’t care anymore about satisfying you.”

Scarlet is out now via RCA. Find more information here.

Things for Lizzo have been tough on the legal front over the past couple months: In August, she was sued for alleged harassment by some of her former dancers, and another similar lawsuit was also just filed against her. She put that aside for at least a night yesterday (September 21), when she accepted the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the Black Music Action Coalition Gala.

Accepting the award, Lizzo teared up as she spoke (as Variety reports), saying, “Black Music Action Coalition, y’all really are about that action. Thank you so much for this, because I needed this right now. God’s timing is always on time! I didn’t write a speech because I don’t know what to say in times like these.”

From there, she described some of her humanitarian and activist efforts and continued, “It’s easy to do the right thing when everybody’s watching you, and it’s what you do in those moments when nobody’s watching that defines who you are. And I’m going to continue to be who I am, no matter who’s watching. I’m going to continue to shine a light on the people who are helping people, because they deserve it. I’m going to continue to amplify the voices of marginalized people because I have a microphone and I know how to use it. And, I’m going to continue to put on and represent safe spaces for fat Black women, because that’s what the f*ck I do!”

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

(WARNING: Spoilers for this week’s The Chi episode will be found below.)

The Chi season six arrives at its midseason point where we stumble upon crucial moments for the show’s characters. Kevin is ready to move to Los Angeles to continue his pursuit of a video game career. This also means that he and Maisha have reached a big point in their relationship, one that results in them exchanging “I love you”s rather than breaking up due to the distance. Rob and Emmett decide to take their shot to kill Douda, but that goes horribly wrong, leaving Victor to clean up the mess, or so it seems at the end of this episode. We also watch Papa deal with his grief which leads to surprising decisions like pursuing a career as a pastor and breaking up with Kenya. Jake decides to move into Kevin’s old apartment, which leads to a disagreement between him and Jemma. They’re able to work through it, but a move by Britney to appeal to Jemma sparks another argument between them.

The events mentioned above in the eighth episode of Showtime’s The Chi season six, titled “Who Shot Ya,” are soundtracked by songs that help to accentuate the emotions behind each scene. You can find a list of them below and details about the scenes the records played behind.

The following records were provided thanks to the Showtime Entertainment Public Relations team. Some records are unreleased and will not be on streaming until a later date. Check back for updates on a release.

BJ The Chicago Kid — “Comin From Chicago”

BJ The Chicago Kid’s track plays around the 1:45 mark as Kevin rides the train in Chicago and reflects on his final moments in his hometown by looking back at key moments from his past. They include memories with Maisha, others with Kevin and Papa, his family, Emmett, and more.

Quan — “Big Booty”

We hear this record around the 5:30 mark during a sex scene between Emmett and Keisha. It happens during a bit of a stalemate between the couple, but this moment of intimacy is sparked by Emmett’s willingness to take a week off to handle things at home so that Keisha can search for a job.

Durand The Rapper — “Leave Me Alone”

This song plays around the 8:20 mark as Kevin packs up his luggage for his move to Los Angeles. He’s interrupted by a man who arrives at the apartment to collect his furniture. Kevin says the guy is here a few days early, and though the man doesn’t believe him at first, Kevin proves that he’s still early. That doesn’t matter because the man still decides to take the future, saying they’ll be out of business by the time Kevin’s actual appointment comes around.

Penzilla — “You Or Me”

Around the 11:18 mark, this song plays after an argument between Emmett and Keisha after they had sex. Emmett believed their moment in bed was Keisha’s way of saying sorry, but she quickly corrected him and said it was a thank you for him taking a week off of work. She adamantly expresses that she’s still upset over Douda’s money being in their house and doubles down on her request to Emmett to fix their situation.

The scene then transitions to Smokey’s where we see that Papa has returned to work. Kenya approaches him, surprised that he’s back to work so soon. Papa apologizes for taking out the frustrations about his father’s death on her but stands firm on his decision to not continue a relationship with Kenya.

Alonda — “Ocean Flow”

This record can be heard around the 21:02 mark as Kevin, Papa, and Jake take their bikes out to the Chicago streets for one final ride before Kevin’s departure. It’s all smiles as once again, they reminisce on the memories they made together.

Rapsvmm — “Physical”

We hear this record around the 25:06 mark at the end of a conversation between Keisha and Nuk. We transition to Jake who lets Jemma know that he will be moving into Kevin’s apartment. She assumes the apartment is for both of them, but Jake says the apartment is a place for him. This starts an argument as Jake says they’re too young to live together and Jemma counters by asking how that logic doesn’t apply to them having sex. She eventually storms out and Jake lays down on his bed.

Amari Noelle as Britney — “Her”

This song plays around the 29:39 mark during Britney’s studio session which Jemma is sitting in. The two are vibing to Britney’s new song and Britney approaches Jemma for a dance, and the two eventually share a kiss, but Jemma breaks it off. Jemma sets a boundary and calls for a professional relationship between the two.

Arrow Benjamin & Marley Waters — “Reign”

Around the 33:36 mark, this record plays after a sweet moment between Keisha and Kevin. They eventually go on a jog through their neighborhood as they used to do in past seasons.

BChe — “Camera Ready”

This record can be heard around the 37:12 mark as the going away party for Kevin begins. All of his family and friends are there as they eventually share a toast to really get the party started.

Aerin — “Energy”

We hear this record around the 37:51 mark during a meeting between Zay and Rob’s mother. She tries to recruit Zay to work for her while giving him a warning that something might happen to Douda.

Dot Marv — “I’m Going In”

This song plays around the 40:03 mark as we check back into Kevin’s going away party and see a sweet moment between Lynae and Kevin. They both thank each other for being supportive and bringing the best out of each other and Lynae makes Kevin promise to come back and visit.

A. Rich — “Life Of The Party”

Around the 40:53 mark, this song plays after a tearful speech from Kevin where he thanks all family and friends for their support and love. This leads to an even more emotional moment between Kevin and his mom as they share a tight embrace as the party continues.

Vic Mensa — “$outhside Story” Feat. Common & Malik Yusef

Vic Mensa’s new track plays around the 53:41 mark as Kevin packs up his last items and heads out of his apartment, finally ready for his move to Los Angeles. He turns out the lights and fights back tears once again before stepping out of the apartment for the last time.

New episodes of ‘The Chi’ are available through the Paramount Plus With Showtime plan on Fridays at 3am EST/ 12 pm PST. Weekly episodes also air Sundays on Showtime at 9pm EST/PST.

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent The Chi episode will be found below.)

We’ve reached the midseason finale for The Chi season six. In episode eight, titled “Who Shot Ya?” the main event is Kevin’s departure from Los Angeles. Fresh off of high-school graduation, here’s prepared to move out west to pursue a video game opportunity. Throughout the episode, we see Kevin reminisce on his time in Chicago, looking back at memories with his friends Kevin and Papa, his mom and stepmom Dre and Nina, his now-girlfriend Maisha, and others. There are sweet moments all over the episode, especially during a going-away party. He shows his love to Lynae, who lived in the same home as him for some time, and his mother which turned out to be the sweetest part of the episode.

Elsewhere, Emmett decided that it’s time to take out Douda and connected with Rob, who also wants to kill Douda, to get the job done. They strike up a plan to get the job done, and while it looked like things would go according to plan, it went left and Rob was left with a bullet wound. This outcome is exactly why Victor warned them against going through with this plan. When Victor hears that Rob was shot, he decides that he has to get the job done himself. Fatima tries to talk him out of it, but it doesn’t seem to work as he sneaks out of their home to seemingly complete the mission.

We also see Papa’s deal with his grief following his father’s death. Through it, he makes some interesting decisions that, though they are in honor of his father, they’re choices that are completely different than what he wanted to do prior to his death. This includes breaking up with Kenya and setting his eyes on a career as a pastor. We also see that Jake decide to move out of his house and into Kevin’s apartment. This leads to an argument with Jemma when he tells her that the apartment is for him and not for the both of them to live. However, Jemma gets a $10,000 payment from Britney, who has feelings for her, in order to get an apartment of her own and it’s something that upsets Jake.

Here are some of the biggest takeaways that we have after season six’s eighth episode, “Who Shot Ya?”:

Kevin Embodies The Potential Of Chicago’s Youth

For the last few episodes in The Chi season six, we’ve been building up to this moment of Kevin leaving the city to pursue his gaming career in Los Angeles. When you really think about it, this has been the trajectory that the adults in Chicago have hoped to see the youth partake in. The main kids that we see in the series have all been dealt bad a hand to varying extents. Kevin, along with Keisha, had their fair share of family issues. Jake doesn’t have his parents in his life and his brother Victor, who had a heavy criminal past, is left to take care of him. Lynae also saw her brother get locked up, and with her parents out of the picture, she ended up moving in with Kevin and Keisha’s family. Long story short, you get the point. With Kevin finding success unconventionally through video games, it’s proof of how the sky is the limit for the youth in Chicago. This also extends to the youth all over. They and anyone else can put their mind to anything and achieve their goals. It’s this hope that’s behind Victor’s pursuit of a city council seat, Emmett’s decision to clean himself up and get right in life, and even Keisha’s love for education. It can all be done so long as the children are given the chance and space to achieve.

Emmett And His Family Are In More Danger Than Ever

Emmett was supposed to do whatever it took to free himself from Douda and ensure his family’s safety. His relationship with Keisha, and quite frankly, his own safety rested on him completing this mission. So when he connects with Rob for the ultimate task of killing Douda, it comes with the knowledge they have to get it done on the first try. Victor warns them that they’re not built for the task, citing both Rob’s and Emmett’s law-abiding pasts, but nonetheless, the duo goes through with their plan. Things quite literally backfire on Rob as he ends up being the one getting shot, leaving Emmett to rush him to the hospital to hopefully save his life. Even worse, they both failed to kill Douda who absolutely knows that at least Emmett was behind the shooting as he called to meet with Douda where the shooting took place. Emmett was supposed to put his family in a position where they were protected, but in taking a shot at Douda and missing, he put them in a worse position, leaving them in more danger than ever. Things are now in Victor’s hands, an event that can turn into a bigger mess that will be Emmett’s fault.

Papa Wants To Stay As Connected To His Father As Possible

The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. With this episode, it’s safe to say that Papa has left the anger stage and is now in the bargaining stage. In episode seven, Papa took out much of his anger on Bakari and Kenya. By the end of that episode, he’d cleared things up with Bakari but it was unclear where things stood between him and Kenya. We got our answer this week when Papa apologized to Kenya for lashing out at her, but he stood firm on his decision to end their relationship. Papa believes that he would be disrespecting his father by continuing his relationship with Kenya while his father being very clear about not wanting him to be with her. Though one might question the logic behind his decision, it’s clear that Papa wants to stay as connected to his father as possible and he’s doing all things possible to ensure that relationship is ever-present. Later on in the episode, he expresses his desire to become a preacher and honor his father as he did during his funeral with his speech. Kevin and Jake try to remind him that he’s allowed to live his own life, but in this moment, Papa believes his life is one that should be dedicated to making sure he becomes everything his father wanted him to be.

Victor, For Better Or For Worse, Will Always Be Superman

Ever since his arrival in The Chi, Victor has prided himself on being able to save loved ones in their time of need. It grew from loved ones to people in his community as he began to take on roles of leadership. Sometimes, however, Victor ends up in situations that are more harmful to himself than they do good to others. “Who Shot Ya?” provides a perfect example with Victor stepping in to seemingly clean things up after Rob and Emmett failed to kill Douda, a task that Victor advised that they don’t do. After visiting Rob and Emmett in the hospital, Victor arrives home with the tunnel-visioned goal of heading out to kill Douda to ensure that Rob, Emmett, and anyone else won’t have to face retaliation from Douda. Fatima begs him to not go through with it, and for a moment it seems like she got through to him. However, instead of heading to the shower like he said he would, Victor slipped out the back door to seemingly make his way to Douda and this is where the episode ends. Fatima is fairly new to Victor’s life, and it’s through the events that eventually take place that night that she will learn about Victor’s superhero persona. For better and certainly for worse, Victor will do his best to be Superman for his people — even if it comes at a huge loss for him.

New episodes of ‘The Chi’ are available through the Paramount Plus With Showtime plan on Fridays at 3am EST/ 12 pm PST. Weekly episodes also air Sundays on Showtime at 9pm EST/PST.

Doja Cat is putting it all on the table. Tonight (September 22), the multitalented rapper/popstar dropped her much-anticipated fourth studio album, Scarlet.

On Scarlet, Doja touches on several topics, including her complicated relationship with her fans, and the rumors that have plagued her throughout her career. Over the course of this era, many listeners and viewers have expressed disdain toward the imagery she’s used in her music and visuals. On a new song called “Skull And Bones” from Scarlet, Doja addresses these comments and rumors.

What does Doja Cat’s “Skull And Bones” say about satanism?

On the first verse, Doja seemingly refutes the idea that she sold her soul for fame or success.

“The only thing that I sold was a record / The only thing I folded under was pressure / Can I say I digress? You the aggressor / Now y’all say y’all impressed I’m the successor / I don’t need no intervention or one of ya lectures,” she raps.

On the second verse, she makes it known that she’s God’s favorite, and that she doesn’t need to tamper with satanic forces in order to achieve what she has in her career.

“Trust me baby, God don’t play with hate like that / So you gonna be real upset when he pick Cat / to be the one up on them charts all over the map,” she raps.

You can listen to “Skull And Bones” above.

Scarlet is out now via RCA. Find more information here.

Just a year after dropping her second album, You Can’t Kill Me, it appears 070 Shake is kicking off her new era. Tonight (September 22), Shake dropped a new single called “Black Dress” — a song she’s been teasing and previewing at shows and festival appearances over the course of the past year.

On “Black Dress,” Shake comes face-to-face with her triggers, attempting to move forward from a past love.

“Even when it’s dark / I still can see your bone structure / I can see the light in you / Even when it’s dark / I still can see your bone structure,” she sings on the pre-hook.

On the chorus, she dives deeper into the titular black dress, which brings back haunting and loving memories for her.

“My baby was in a black dress when she married me / I’m the reason that you walked that way / And you do with me,” sings Shake on the song’s chorus.

In the song’s accompanying video, Shake is seen after surviving a plane crash. She floats through air and runs through lush feels, on a mission to unite with a special love.

While it hasn’t been too long since Shake dropped music, she always aims to be timely with her work. In an interview with Our Generation Music, she said she knows her music will always arrive to those who need it.

“The people that understand my music don’t underrate it,” said Shake. “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, and the people that need my music will always have it.”

You can see the video for “Black Dress” above.

With his music, Jean Dawson seeks peace and equilibrium. At the age of 27, he’s accomplished quite a bit — from touring with Brockhampton, performing at Coachella and Lollapalooza, and garnering a large following with viral tracks through TikTok. Tonight (September 22), Dawson has shared “No SZNs” a collaboration with SZA which he’s been teasing since May.

On “No SZNs,” Dawson opens up detailing his complicated relationships with the individual seasons.

“I decided I don’t like fall / I decided summer doesn’t feel the same anymore / In winter, it makes me melt / Lose my shell / Mail myself overseas in the spring / And all my fears died in the summer,” sings Dawson on the song’s opening verse.

SZA then chimes in, singing of a special type of love that transcends all seasons. On the song’s chorus, the two show love to California, where they find peace in the stability and regularity of the climate.

“In the spring, I can’t hear a thing / All the birds and bees, nobody thinks / In the summertime, people off the brink / In California, we ain’t got no seasons / It’s all the same to me / ‘Cause in the heat, like to press repeat / Every day is every day,” they sing on the song’s chorus.

You can listen to “No SZNs” above.

Bakar continues to deliver timeless classics. Tonight (September 22), the British singer-songwriter has dropped his sophomore album, Halo. But day-one Bakar fans may notice that the album’s tracklist boasts a familiar fan-favorite.

On the album is a remix of “Hell N Back,” a track that was originally featured on his 2019 EP, Will You Be My Yellow?. On this special updated version is Summer Walker, who, in her special way, revives the song, carrying its way through the treacherous love Bakar first depicted in the Yellow cut.

Bakar’s first verse remains the same as that of the 2019 original, but Walker’s verse continues the story, as the two sail on toward love.

“Life been lifin’ lately, so I save you if you save me / I was up and out, I had enough, then I found you / I was no doubt, stressed out without you / All we got is us, when nobody does, I got you,” she sings on her verse.

While the original song is over four years old, its jazzy production and fresh new remix give the song an evergreen feel.

You can listen to the “Hell N Back” remix above.

Halo is out now via Epic Records. Find more information here.

Doja Cat‘s new album, Scarlet is finally here. Over the course of the album rollout, Doja has explored some new avenues in terms of her sound. Scarlet‘s lead single, “Attention” has a more melodic influence to it, while “Demons” and her No. 1 single “Paint The Town Red” feature her stepping into her rap and rock bags. But tonight (September 22), Doja reminds us of her sweet side with her new single, “Agora Hills.”

On “Agora Hills,” Doja is undeniably in love, and reminds us once again of her multifaceted musical talents. Much of the song is her delivering soft-tinged vocals as she sings “I wanna show you off” about her man, but she also reminds us of her fire rap skills throughout

“Front seat chillin with the window down / I be ten toes down on the dash, getting fast food / Hope you can handle the heat / Put your name in the streets / Get used to my fans looking at you,” she raps, explaining how she wants to make this special man part of her world.

In the song’s accompanying video, directed by Hannah Lux Davis and Doja herself, Doja is seen talking to her lover on the phone in her colorful pink bedroom. Elsewhere in the video, she is joined by her girlfriends, as they dance throughout the city until sunrise in Agora Hills.

You can see the video for “Agora Hills” above.

Scarlet is out now via RCA. Find more information here.

The world would be a much better place if humans weren’t so … human. We all fall short of perfection. Common sense is, sadly, not too common. And there’s one guy out there who always manages to screw things up when things start getting good.

Call it Murphy’s law. Call it the great “reason we can’t have nice things.” Call it entropy. It feels like a whole lot of pain could be avoided if we all had just a little bit more sense.

But what if there was one rule that we all agreed to follow to make everyone’s life better? What would this magical rule be?

A Reddit user who goes by the name P4insplatter came to this realization and asked the AskReddit subforum, “What simple rule would fix the world if everyone actually followed it?” They received dozens of simple rules that if everyone got behind would make the world drastically better.

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It’s no shock that most of them felt like a variation of the Golden Rule. It’s funny that a lot of folks believe the world would seriously improve if we could just abide by a simple saying that we all learned in kindergarten.

Also known as the “ethics of reciprocity,” the Golden Rule is so innate to humans that versions of it have been found in religions and cultures throughout the world.

Here are 17 of the best responses to P4insplatter’s simple, but world-altering question.

1. Let go

“Let go or be dragged” an old zen proverb I heard at a meditation class. Really changed the way I let myself worry about things.” — civagigi

2. Simple, but true

“Don’t be a dick.” — WuTangLAN93

3. The Golden Rule

“Treat others how you want to be treated.” — AlbanyGuy1973

4. It starts with you

“I read somewhere that if you want to change the world, you have to change the community, to change the community change your relationships, and to change your relationships change yourself.” — cagibaxii

5. Simple Earth math

“Don’t use more resources than what the Earth is capable of renewing.” — DaethSpiral321

6. Bill and Ted’s rule

“Be excellent to each other.” — pnotar

7. The law of Lebowski

“Fuck it, Dude. Let’s go bowling.” — Bonhomme7h

8. Signal

“Use your turn signal(s) properly.” — futilelord

9. The principle of non-agression

“Simple, the non-aggression principle. You don’t do, initiate or threat any harm unto others, unless acting in true self defense.” — ufrag

10. It works for everything

“Leave it better than you found it.” — Narcoid

11. Generosity and humility

“Be generous and humble. Being generous and kind encourages us to perceive others in a more positive light and fosters a sense of community. Humility teaches you to improve and make a positive impact on the world.” — SuvenPan

12. STFU

“If you are not educated on the subject, sit down and stfu. Let the experts with years of education and experience talk.” — Ch3m1cal420

13. Fairness first

“Everyone gets a chance at one [thing] before anyone gets seconds.” — ehsteve23

14. Permanent daylight

“Obviously making daylight savings permanent.” — ObviousINstruction18

15. Two ears, one mouth

“Listen more, talk less.” — TryToHelpPeople

16. Turn off the lights

“All empty buildings should not have any lights/ac/heating on at night or after business hours depending on the nature of the work. their ac/heating and lights if necessary should only be turned on before the start of the day. This will not only help with energy costs but also with light pollution.” — hadrainsgate

17. Don’t tread on anyone

“You cannot do ANYTHING without consent.” — DeepCompote

This article originally appeared on 03.17.22