Month: September 2023

“Barely Holdin’ On” rapper Polo G has quickly become one of the leaders of rap’s new school. Since the release of his debut album, Die A Legend, in 2019, the Chicago native hasn’t deviated from his annual tradition of dropping a new project for fans. However, that could change this year. So, why is Polo G’s forthcoming album, Hood Poet, being delayed?

On August 12, Polo G took to his official Instagram page to announce the album (which at the time was scheduled for Friday, September 15) via a new diamond necklace with accent lavender stones, an elaborate pendant, and other tricked-out personal modifications made by IceBox Diamonds & Watches. However, by September 9, he stunned fans when he revealed that the project was no longer dropping.

Yesterday (September 14), in an exchange on X (formerly Twitter), Polo G gave supporters more insight into why he ultimately decided to delay the album. When asked outright by a follower, Polo G replied, “[I] was going through some sh*t, gang. We are still pushing [forward] though. You know that.”

Although Polo G did not state specifics, the sh*t he’s referring to could be tied to his recent arrest (August 23) on alleged kidnapping, robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon charges. If Polo G is tied up in a legal battle of this magnitude, it would greatly hinder his ability to tour and travel for press.

Following the incident, Polo G’s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, released a statement regarding his arrest. Read the complete statement below.

“The incident surrounded someone staying in Polo’s home and not Polo directly. The officers have detained Polo to ‘verify’ that he is not a convicted felon, as they assert a firearm was found in the home. It is widely known that Polo is not a convicted felon and never was a convicted felon. I personally got all his charges in Miami dismissed when he was, in our opinion, wrongfully arrested and charged. They have refused to allow us access to our client, which is also an illegal and unethical practice, and someone will have to answer for these new wrongful actions. We are hopeful the LAPD will handle this matter with tact and transparency.”

Susanna Gibson, a nurse practitioner running for a seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates as a Democrat, made headlines this week after it was revealed that she and her husband filmed themselves performing sex acts on the streaming website Chaturbate.

“Chaturbate videos are streamed live on that site and are often archived on other publicly available sites. More than a dozen videos of the couple captured from the Chaturbate stream were archived on one of those sites — Recurbate — in September 2022, after she entered the race,” according to the Washington Post. “The most recent were two videos archived on Sept. 30, 2022. It is unclear when the live stream occurred.”

Earlier this week, Gibson released a statement about the videos being shared. “It won’t intimidate me and it won’t silence me. My political opponents and their Republican allies have proven they’re willing to commit a sex crime to attack me and my family because there’s no line they won’t cross to silence women when they speak up,” she said, calling it “gutter politics.”

The story caught the attention of Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who compared the Democratic Party to Pornhub. “All right, this is a real headline from the AP, ‘Virginia candidate who livestreamed sex videos draws support from women and a leading Democrat.’ Why is this something that women are supporting?” she complained. “No one leaked these videos of this Virginia candidate, she put them on a porn website for money, but somehow this is now a rallying cry for respect? What are women doing to themselves?”

Co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy said Gibson and her husband are “not good people,” even though they broke no laws (in fact, it might be the Republicans who are in legal hot water). Ingraham added, “Looks like the Democrat Party is just Pornhub. It’s not a hub for economic growth, but it is essentially Pornhub.” She meant that as an insult, but it sounds cool. It sure beats a Republican candidate for president refusing to “dine alone with a woman that’s not my wife.”

(Via Mediaite)

Kesha is back. In June, the pop star shared that the defamation lawsuit producer Dr. Luke filed against her in 2014 was settled out of court. “I am so full of light and excitement for the beautiful things to come, for shows to play, and art to make to share with you all,” she wrote.

Before that, the singer had announced The Gag Order Tour, but it’s now been renamed to The Only Love Tour.

“My animals. My fans. This has been a truly transformative year,” she wrote on social media. “And we have a LOT of overdue celebrating to do together. I’ve decided to change the name of my fall tour from ‘The Gag Order Tour’ to the ‘THE ONLY LOVE TOUR.’ Life is too short, and I want to celebrate the freedom and love in my life with all of you. LET’S DO THIS. Only love can save us now #OnlyLoveTour.”

Find the dates below.

10/15 — Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum
10/16 — Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
10/18 — New Orleans, LA @ Orpheum Theater
10/20 — Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
10/21 — Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
10/23 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
10/26 — Newport, KY @ MegaCorp Pavilion
10/28 — Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Resort Casino
10/29 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem
10/31 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
11/01 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
11/03 — New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
11/06 — Toronto, Ontario @ History
11/07 — Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Theatre
11/09 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
11/11 — Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Ballroom
11/12 — Prior Lake, MN @ Mystic Showroom
11/14 — Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
11/17 — Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
11/18 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium

Rootin’ tootin’ Lauren Boebert’s first week back from congressional hiatus did not revolve around any lawmaking but, instead, how she got kicked out of Beetlejuice last weekend and exited the venue while doing little twirly dances with a mystery companion. He was later revealed to be a Democrat Bar Guy, whose trendy Aspen cocktail bar held a drag show and participates in annual Gay Week festivities. Oddly, he’s apparently dating a diehard MAGA who has bashed drag shows, but that’s only one of the bonkers parts of this adventure.

Because this story cannot end, the pregnant woman who sat directly behind Boebert then revealed that she asked the congresswoman to stop vaping and received a flat-out “no.” A spokesperson strenuously denied any lawmaker vaping at the show, and Boebert thought the situation was too funny and tweeted that she would only “plead guilty to laughing and singing out loud.” Surprise, surprise — just like when Boebert was busted for lying by video footage showing her running up the Capitol steps when she missed a vote and claimed she skipped it as a “protest” — she was lying about the vaping, too.

Denver NBC affiliate 9 News acquired even more surveillance footage (tweeted by journalist Kyle Clark) that shows Boebert vaping before the show while a woman asks her to stop. She’s also shown “dancing” in her seat and generally acting like a menace to society.

Man, Boebert was really getting down here. She was *very* enthused over Beetlejuice. And I realize that “rootin’ tootin’” gets used a lot here while referencing her, but the term completely works to describe those arms-only dance moves. Her idol would be proud.

The United States men’s basketball team was unable to leave the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup without a medal. The Americans came in fourth place behind Germany, Serbia, and Canada at the event, but there is some good news: Despite all of this, Team USA has jumped back up to the No. 1 spot in the world.

FIBA, the international organizing body for the sport, released its most recent world rankings on Friday. After getting unseated by Spain earlier this year, the United States is back up to the top spot. Spain, which came in a relatively disappointing ninth place at the World Cup, fell to number two, while the rest of the top-5 is rounded out by Germany, Australia, and Serbia. The Germans knocked off the Serbians in the gold medal game at the event, while Australia, like their Spanish counterparts, failed to get out of the second round of group play.

As Marc Stein explained, FIBA’s rankings are not just a glimpse of what happened recently. Instead, it takes several years worth of data, and as a result, that catapulted the Americans back to the top of the ranking.

All of these teams except for Spain have already qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Three more teams were able to qualify via the World Cup — Canada, Japan, and South Sudan — while France will automatically make it as the host country for the event.

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

There aren’t too many records this week on The Chi as Pastor Jackson’s funeral and the tearful moments take precedence over it. In episode seven of season six, titled “Long Live,” we see that Papa, of course, and Bakari are most affected by Pastor Jackson’s death. Papa is initially frustrated with Bakari as the former knows that it is Douda’s crew who is responsible for the murder. Papa later takes out his anger on Kenya, but he seems to settle down by the end of the episode. The death also takes a toll on Bakari who shows his emotions in more ways than one in this episode.

Elsewhere, Kevin prepares for his move to Los Angeles, Jemma and Maisha’s rift grows now that Gianna is in the picture thanks to Jemma’s managerial interest in her, Keisha goes to therapy and discovers a harsh reality about herself and her mother, and lastly, Emmett and Keisha are closer than ever to a breaking point following Pastor Jackson’s death.

The events mentioned above in the seventh episode of Showtime’s The Chi season six, titled “Long Live,” 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.

Crown — “Foster Kid”

We hear this record around the 12:58 mark as Keisha arrives at a barbershop to meet Nuk. The two then go into a back room where Keisha asks Nuk to make sure that she, Emmett, and their family will always remain safe. Nuk promises to protect Keisha, but not Emmett, something that Keisha refuses to be okay with.

Genesis Denise Hale as Maisha — “B*tch”

This song plays around the 25:03 mark as Maisha records a track that is seemingly directed at Jemma. It comes after the two get into an argument at the studio following Jemma’s late arrival to their session. Maisha learns that Jemma is late because she met with Gianna, something that greatly upsets Maisha.

Lalah Hathaway, Kole & Ariza — “The Energy”

Lalah Hathaway’s record plays around the 34:46 mark as Emmett helps Kevin pack up for his move to Los Angeles. Kevin shares that he’s excited for the move and the two express that they’ll miss each other. Kevin thanks Emmett for his support and says he’ll always look at him like a big brother.

Amari Noelle as Gianna — “Damn Right”

Around the 38:20 mark, Gianna’s track plays as Jemma listens to it as she helps Jake with her hair. She says she likes the track, but Jake downplays it, saying it “sounds like everything else on the radio.” Jake warns Jemma about working with Gianna as he fears that Gianna’s intentions may not be strictly music.

Gavin Williams — “AL 2 Final Now”

We hear this record around the 40:39 mark as Douda plays a game of chess with Zay watching. Zay questions when he’ll be taught the game, and resorts to saying that he’ll figure it out on his own. Douda uses that as a lesson for the duo to always be willing to figure things out on their own. He also reminds them that they’ll have to sacrifice their queen in certain situations in order to win.

Alonda — “Never Stay Mad”

This song plays around the 41:55 mark as Victor returns home to see all the home decor improvements that Fatima has made. It pushes Victor to ask Fatima if she is ready to start a family with him. She initially has doubts which include the FBI’s investigation into him and his political career, but Victor assures her that he will not leave her alone in the task of raising their family. Fatima agrees to have further conversations about their future family.

Donny Hathaway/David Michael Wyatt — “For All We Know”

David Michael Wyatt’s take on Donny Hathaway’s “For All We Know” plays around the 47:17 mark as the funeral service for Pastor Jackson begins. Douda and his crew try to make an appearance but they’re quickly turned away. Papa gives a tearful speech about his father and how he will remember 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.

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

There aren’t too many records this week on The Chi as Pastor Jackson’s funeral and the tearful moments take precedence over it. In episode seven of season six, titled “Long Live,” we see that Papa, of course, and Bakari are most affected by Pastor Jackson’s death. Papa is initially frustrated with Bakari as the former knows that it is Douda’s crew who is responsible for the murder. Papa later takes out his anger on Kenya, but he seems to settle down by the end of the episode. The death also takes a toll on Bakari who shows his emotions in more ways than one in this episode.

Elsewhere, Kevin prepares for his move to Los Angeles, Jemma and Maisha’s rift grows now that Gianna is in the picture thanks to Jemma’s managerial interest in her, Keisha goes to therapy and discovers a harsh reality about herself and her mother, and lastly, Emmett and Keisha are closer than ever to a breaking point following Pastor Jackson’s death.

The events mentioned above in the seventh episode of Showtime’s The Chi season six, titled “Long Live,” 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.

Crown — “Foster Kid”

We hear this record around the 12:58 mark as Keisha arrives at a barbershop to meet Nuk. The two then go into a back room where Keisha asks Nuk to make sure that she, Emmett, and their family will always remain safe. Nuk promises to protect Keisha, but not Emmett, something that Keisha refuses to be okay with.

Genesis Denise Hale as Maisha — “B*tch”

This song plays around the 25:03 mark as Maisha records a track that is seemingly directed at Jemma. It comes after the two get into an argument at the studio following Jemma’s late arrival to their session. Maisha learns that Jemma is late because she met with Gianna, something that greatly upsets Maisha.

Lalah Hathaway, Kole & Ariza — “The Energy”

Lalah Hathaway’s record plays around the 34:46 mark as Emmett helps Kevin pack up for his move to Los Angeles. Kevin shares that he’s excited for the move and the two express that they’ll miss each other. Kevin thanks Emmett for his support and says he’ll always look at him like a big brother.

Amari Noelle as Gianna — “Damn Right”

Around the 38:20 mark, Gianna’s track plays as Jemma listens to it as she helps Jake with her hair. She says she likes the track, but Jake downplays it, saying it “sounds like everything else on the radio.” Jake warns Jemma about working with Gianna as he fears that Gianna’s intentions may not be strictly music.

Gavin Williams — “AL 2 Final Now”

We hear this record around the 40:39 mark as Douda plays a game of chess with Zay watching. Zay questions when he’ll be taught the game, and resorts to saying that he’ll figure it out on his own. Douda uses that as a lesson for the duo to always be willing to figure things out on their own. He also reminds them that they’ll have to sacrifice their queen in certain situations in order to win.

Alonda — “Never Stay Mad”

This song plays around the 41:55 mark as Victor returns home to see all the home decor improvements that Fatima has made. It pushes Victor to ask Fatima if she is ready to start a family with him. She initially has doubts which include the FBI’s investigation into him and his political career, but Victor assures her that he will not leave her alone in the task of raising their family. Fatima agrees to have further conversations about their future family.

Donny Hathaway/David Michael Wyatt — “For All We Know”

David Michael Wyatt’s take on Donny Hathaway’s “For All We Know” plays around the 47:17 mark as the funeral service for Pastor Jackson begins. Douda and his crew try to make an appearance but they’re quickly turned away. Papa gives a tearful speech about his father and how he will remember 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.

This past weekend’s 2023 MTV VMAs were full of noteworthy moments, and not just on the stage: A previously banned Madonna commercial aired over 30 years later, Megan Thee Stallion and Justin Timberlake had a widely misinterpreted moment, and Selena Gomez silently made her thoughts about Chris Brown clear. Taylor Swift and Nelly Furtado had themselves a pleasant interaction and the whole thing was really sweet.

In a backstage video that Furtado shared on TikTok yesterday (September 14), Swift peppers Furtado with compliments. She starts, “I was just streaming ‘I’m Like A Bird’ the other day.” Furtado responded, “No you weren’t!” Swift replied, “Yes I was! Versatility, dude. You can do anything. You can do anything.” An appreciative Furtado replied, “Every time you write another amazing song, I’m like, ‘She did it again!’”

In the comments of her post, Furtado wrote, “And yes her saying ‘you can do anything ‘is my new ring tone.”

Swift had a fantastic time at the VMAs, it appears. Aside from winning a bunch of awards, she was spotted in the crowd having an awesome time, and some suspect some liquid courage may have been involved.

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

This past weekend’s 2023 MTV VMAs were full of noteworthy moments, and not just on the stage: A previously banned Madonna commercial aired over 30 years later, Megan Thee Stallion and Justin Timberlake had a widely misinterpreted moment, and Selena Gomez silently made her thoughts about Chris Brown clear. Taylor Swift and Nelly Furtado had themselves a pleasant interaction and the whole thing was really sweet.

In a backstage video that Furtado shared on TikTok yesterday (September 14), Swift peppers Furtado with compliments. She starts, “I was just streaming ‘I’m Like A Bird’ the other day.” Furtado responded, “No you weren’t!” Swift replied, “Yes I was! Versatility, dude. You can do anything. You can do anything.” An appreciative Furtado replied, “Every time you write another amazing song, I’m like, ‘She did it again!’”

In the comments of her post, Furtado wrote, “And yes her saying ‘you can do anything ‘is my new ring tone.”

Swift had a fantastic time at the VMAs, it appears. Aside from winning a bunch of awards, she was spotted in the crowd having an awesome time, and some suspect some liquid courage may have been involved.

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

Suits, the legal drama that was always on before your daily House reruns, garnered a huge following this summer after the show was released on Netflix. The series, which ran from 2011 to 2019, starred former normal American citizen Meghan Markle before she became a Royal alongside Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, and Gina Torres as a crew of cutthroat lawyers in New York.

After landing on Netflix this summer, the series became a streaming hit thanks to a few TikTok trends, though there is one peculiar roadblock: the final season is missing from the streamer. Yup, after you get to the end of season eight when Specter and Donna finally get together, there is suddenly no more Suits for you on Netflix. Heartbreak feels bad in a place like that.

It’s unclear why the season isn’t on Netflix, and the streamer has not yet announced when (if ever) it will acquire season nine. The good news is that Peacock is using this to its advantage by bragging about having the final season available.

On the opposite side of things, Amazon Prime only has season nine of the series, while seasons 1-8 are only available for purchase. So next time you get to season eight in your re-watch, just be sure you are aware that there’s even more Suits out there for you to enjoy.