Remember, last December, when reports briefly swirled that Dua Lipa was dating Jack Harlow, who had semi-recently released “Dua Lipa,” a song about Harlow “tryna do more with her than do a feature”? Romain Gavras probably watched that fever dream unfold (and then promptly fold) from afar, thinking, How cute. The French filmmaker and music video director knew better.
In May, Lipa, 28, and Gavras, 42, made their red-carpet debut at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Omar La Fraise (The King Of Algiers). At the time, Lipa posted red-carpet photos with Gavras to her since-archived Instagram grid alongside the caption, “Last night in Cannes with my sweetheart” (as preserved by Billboard).
Per Entertainment Tonight, Lipa and Gavras were spotted holding hands while leaving Saint Laurent’s show at Paris Fashion Week on February 28 — shortly after being seen leaving a Netflix BAFTA afterparty together (as captured by The Daily Mail). Lipa and Gavras have been photographed together several times since, including a since-expired (and unfairly idyllic) Instagram Story by Lipa in August.
According to Gavras’ IMDb page, his most recent directorial output was the Netflix film Athena in September 2022. He is also known for directing the 2012 video for Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church In The Wild” featuring Frank Ocean.
As for previous partners, Lipa had most recently been publicly linked to Anwar Hadid from 2019 to late 2021 (as chronicled by People), while Gavras had dated Rita Ora from 2019 to late 2020. Citing a spokeswoman for Gavras, The Daily Mailreported in March 2021 that Gavras and Ora had broken up “months ago” — before Christmas — “because of difficulties with their respective work commitments.”
Dua Lipa and Jack Harlow are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The next person who can name every Planet of the Apes movie by their full title without looking it up will be the first.
At least Fast and Furious throws in a Fast Five or Furious 7 every so often. Meanwhile, the talking primates saga went from Escape from the Planet of the Apes to Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and more recently, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to War for the Planet of the Apes. I’m not complaining, mind you. More movies should have the words “planet” and “apes” in the title.
Plus, the reboot installments have been good! Shockingly good. Next up is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which follows Cornelius (played by Owen Teague), the bird-wielding son of Caesar (Andy Serkis). Based on the teaser trailer above, it looks, well, shockingly good. I’m a simple man. Give me an ape chasing humans while riding a horse, and I’ll be there opening night.
Here’s more:
Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic, franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which also stars Freya Allan, Peter Macon, Eka Darville, and Kevin Durand, opens in theaters on May 24, 2024.
The next person who can name every Planet of the Apes movie by their full title without looking it up will be the first.
At least Fast and Furious throws in a Fast Five or Furious 7 every so often. Meanwhile, the talking primates saga went from Escape from the Planet of the Apes to Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and more recently, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to War for the Planet of the Apes. I’m not complaining, mind you. More movies should have the words “planet” and “apes” in the title.
Plus, the reboot installments have been good! Shockingly good. Next up is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which follows Cornelius (played by Owen Teague), the bird-wielding son of Caesar (Andy Serkis). Based on the teaser trailer above, it looks, well, shockingly good. I’m a simple man. Give me an ape chasing humans while riding a horse, and I’ll be there opening night.
Here’s more:
Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic, franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which also stars Freya Allan, Peter Macon, Eka Darville, and Kevin Durand, opens in theaters on May 24, 2024.
Yesterday marked one year since the death of Takeoff in a bowling alley shooting. His surviving Migos bandmates, Quavo and Offset, both posted emotional tributes to him on social media for the anniversary, mourning his untimely death and vowing to carry on his legacy.
“Can’t forget it won’t Forget It NEVER Forget it” Quavo wrote alongside a rocket emoji. The rocket was a favorite motif for Takeoff, who named his one and only solo album The Last Rocket. Quavo titled his latest solo release Rocket Power as a tribute to Takeoff as well.
Meanwhile, Offset posted a video compilation of Takeoff moments set to a fan mashup of Takeoff’s verse from “Last Memory” with Floetry’s “Say Yes” beat. The caption reads, “The times we spent is priceless what we built in this game they never wanted to give us our flowers we influenced the world…I Love you Take you still here with us I just know you are!!!! Migo 4Life!!!!!!”
In May this year, the man accused of shooting and killing Takeoff was formally charged with murder. Meanwhile, Quavo and Offset reunited at the BET Awards after spending the past two years throwing veiled insults at each other. Quavo also insinuated that a posthumous Takeoff album is in the works.
Yesterday marked one year since the death of Takeoff in a bowling alley shooting. His surviving Migos bandmates, Quavo and Offset, both posted emotional tributes to him on social media for the anniversary, mourning his untimely death and vowing to carry on his legacy.
“Can’t forget it won’t Forget It NEVER Forget it” Quavo wrote alongside a rocket emoji. The rocket was a favorite motif for Takeoff, who named his one and only solo album The Last Rocket. Quavo titled his latest solo release Rocket Power as a tribute to Takeoff as well.
Meanwhile, Offset posted a video compilation of Takeoff moments set to a fan mashup of Takeoff’s verse from “Last Memory” with Floetry’s “Say Yes” beat. The caption reads, “The times we spent is priceless what we built in this game they never wanted to give us our flowers we influenced the world…I Love you Take you still here with us I just know you are!!!! Migo 4Life!!!!!!”
In May this year, the man accused of shooting and killing Takeoff was formally charged with murder. Meanwhile, Quavo and Offset reunited at the BET Awards after spending the past two years throwing veiled insults at each other. Quavo also insinuated that a posthumous Takeoff album is in the works.
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.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Brent Faiyaz — Larger Than Life
It’s only been a little over a year since Brent Faiyaz released his second album Wastleland, but the DMV singer is back with a new body of work. Larger Than Life arrives as a 14-track project that feels more like a mixtape, but with features from A$AP Rocky, Missy Elliott, Babyface Ray, Lil Gray, Coco Jones, and more, Faiyaz delivers a body of work that proves that he’s indeed Larger Than Life.
BJ The Chicago Kid — “Long Time”
Later this month, BJ The Chicago Kid will release Gravy, a joint album with super-producer Yeti Beats. The latest preview from that is “Long Time,” a solo record that quite the infectious vibe from BJ as he sings about the “one that got away” long after the relationship’s end.
Destin Conrad — Submissive
Destin Conrad continues to be one of R&B’s brightest gems and his new EP Submissive is proof of that. Making for his third project in as many years and the follow-up to Satin, Conrad delivers nine tracks that find him “submitting to non-physical things, submitting to change, submitting to not knowing.” He accomplishes this with help from Jordan Ward and Masego.
Masego — “You Never Visit Me (Remix)” Feat. Wale & Enny
Seven months after releasing his self-titled second album, Masego breathes new life into it with a new remix of “You Never Visit Me.” The standout track from Masego gets an update with a pair of rap verses from Wale and Enny.
Rema — Ravage
Rema takes another step forward in his crossover agenda with the release of his new EP Ravage. It arrives weeks after his “Pretty Girl” collaboration with Ice Spice, and through five songs, Rema sinks back into his afrobeats while showing off new tricks and styles in the genre.
Mr Eazi — The Evil Genius
Years in the making and Mr Eazi finally checks in with his debut album The Evil Genius. Once a leading voice in the rise of afrobeats in the 2010s, Eazi proves that he hasn’t lost a step or any of his unique qualities over the years. The Evil Genius blends afrobeats, afropop, gospel, hiplife, highlife, and folklore for a unique representation of what afro-fusion can be through its 16 songs.
Blaqbonez — Emeka Must Shine
A year after releasing his album Young Preacher, a project that Uproxx recognized as one of the best afrobeats albums in 2022, Blaqbonez gets back to work with another album. Emeka Must Shine delivers 14 songs with features from Black Sheriff, Victony, Odumodublvck, Ludacris, Young Jonn, and more. “I wanted to create something that not only celebrates my personal journey but also showcases the immense talent and potential that Nigerian hip-hop possesses,” Blaqbonez said about the album.
Alicia Creti — “Crazy”
Meet Montreal singer Alicia Creti whose soaring vocals and incredible range and helping her rise in the R&B and pop world ahead of her upcoming EP Self/Less. With that project still on the way, Creti returns with “Crazy,” a bouncy and vibrant record that explodes at its chorus as she sings about a relationship that pushes her to the edge.
Hennessy — “I’ll Be”
After releasing Time Revealed to close 2022, Hennessy is making sure to end another year with new music for fans. This time we have “I’ll Be,” the follow-up to “Forever & A Day.” The new record is a heartfelt slow jam that’s sultry and drips of honey from start to finish. In the end, it’s a record that stands as one of the best in Hennessy’s catalog.
Erykah Officer — Ery’s Diary
Straight out of the CXR household comes Erykah Officer whose name you may have caught alongside fellow CXR acts Dende and Chris Patrick. Now, she gets her moment to shine with her Ery’s Diary EP. Through six songs, Officer delivers a delicate and vulnerable project that also showcases her sweet vocals and honest lyrics.
Chxrry22 — Siren
Ahead of her tour in Australia and New Zealand as the opener for The Weeknd, who signed her as the first woman to XO Records, Chxrry22 returns with her second EP Siren. It’s a big step up from her debut The Other Side as Chxrry22 widens her artistic range with new collaborations (Vory & Offset) and expanded sounds. “This is a soundtrack to the art of being a siren,” Chxrry22 says of the project.
SuperSmashBroz — Loved Ones
The Boston-based duo SuperSmashBroz, comprised of brothers Muyi Fre$co and Noma Nomz, shared their third album Loved Ones to close out October. The project is drenched with afrobeat sounds like afro-fusion and amapiano and it celebrates collaboration and relationships in and outside of music with help from Wani, Xenia Manasseh, TeaMarrr, Prettyboy D-O, BenjiFlow, Tobes44, and more.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Brent Faiyaz — Larger Than Life
It’s only been a little over a year since Brent Faiyaz released his second album Wastleland, but the DMV singer is back with a new body of work. Larger Than Life arrives as a 14-track project that feels more like a mixtape, but with features from A$AP Rocky, Missy Elliott, Babyface Ray, Lil Gray, Coco Jones, and more, Faiyaz delivers a body of work that proves that he’s indeed Larger Than Life.
BJ The Chicago Kid — “Long Time”
Later this month, BJ The Chicago Kid will release Gravy, a joint album with super-producer Yeti Beats. The latest preview from that is “Long Time,” a solo record that quite the infectious vibe from BJ as he sings about the “one that got away” long after the relationship’s end.
Destin Conrad — Submissive
Destin Conrad continues to be one of R&B’s brightest gems and his new EP Submissive is proof of that. Making for his third project in as many years and the follow-up to Satin, Conrad delivers nine tracks that find him “submitting to non-physical things, submitting to change, submitting to not knowing.” He accomplishes this with help from Jordan Ward and Masego.
Masego — “You Never Visit Me (Remix)” Feat. Wale & Enny
Seven months after releasing his self-titled second album, Masego breathes new life into it with a new remix of “You Never Visit Me.” The standout track from Masego gets an update with a pair of rap verses from Wale and Enny.
Rema — Ravage
Rema takes another step forward in his crossover agenda with the release of his new EP Ravage. It arrives weeks after his “Pretty Girl” collaboration with Ice Spice, and through five songs, Rema sinks back into his afrobeats while showing off new tricks and styles in the genre.
Mr Eazi — The Evil Genius
Years in the making and Mr Eazi finally checks in with his debut album The Evil Genius. Once a leading voice in the rise of afrobeats in the 2010s, Eazi proves that he hasn’t lost a step or any of his unique qualities over the years. The Evil Genius blends afrobeats, afropop, gospel, hiplife, highlife, and folklore for a unique representation of what afro-fusion can be through its 16 songs.
Blaqbonez — Emeka Must Shine
A year after releasing his album Young Preacher, a project that Uproxx recognized as one of the best afrobeats albums in 2022, Blaqbonez gets back to work with another album. Emeka Must Shine delivers 14 songs with features from Black Sheriff, Victony, Odumodublvck, Ludacris, Young Jonn, and more. “I wanted to create something that not only celebrates my personal journey but also showcases the immense talent and potential that Nigerian hip-hop possesses,” Blaqbonez said about the album.
Alicia Creti — “Crazy”
Meet Montreal singer Alicia Creti whose soaring vocals and incredible range and helping her rise in the R&B and pop world ahead of her upcoming EP Self/Less. With that project still on the way, Creti returns with “Crazy,” a bouncy and vibrant record that explodes at its chorus as she sings about a relationship that pushes her to the edge.
Hennessy — “I’ll Be”
After releasing Time Revealed to close 2022, Hennessy is making sure to end another year with new music for fans. This time we have “I’ll Be,” the follow-up to “Forever & A Day.” The new record is a heartfelt slow jam that’s sultry and drips of honey from start to finish. In the end, it’s a record that stands as one of the best in Hennessy’s catalog.
Erykah Officer — Ery’s Diary
Straight out of the CXR household comes Erykah Officer whose name you may have caught alongside fellow CXR acts Dende and Chris Patrick. Now, she gets her moment to shine with her Ery’s Diary EP. Through six songs, Officer delivers a delicate and vulnerable project that also showcases her sweet vocals and honest lyrics.
Chxrry22 — Siren
Ahead of her tour in Australia and New Zealand as the opener for The Weeknd, who signed her as the first woman to XO Records, Chxrry22 returns with her second EP Siren. It’s a big step up from her debut The Other Side as Chxrry22 widens her artistic range with new collaborations (Vory & Offset) and expanded sounds. “This is a soundtrack to the art of being a siren,” Chxrry22 says of the project.
SuperSmashBroz — Loved Ones
The Boston-based duo SuperSmashBroz, comprised of brothers Muyi Fre$co and Noma Nomz, shared their third album Loved Ones to close out October. The project is drenched with afrobeat sounds like afro-fusion and amapiano and it celebrates collaboration and relationships in and outside of music with help from Wani, Xenia Manasseh, TeaMarrr, Prettyboy D-O, BenjiFlow, Tobes44, and more.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Megan Thee Stallion is gearing up to release her new single, “Cobra.” However, some new fans might be wondering, what exactly is the rapper’s real name? Here’s what to know about her beginnings.
What Is Megan Thee Stallion’s Real Name?
Megan Thee Stallion’s real name is actually Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, and she was born in San Antonio, Texas. Her mother’s name was Holly Thomas, who also rapped for a time under the name “Holly-Wood.”
How Did Megan Thee Stallion Get Her Rap Name?
Megan Thee Stallion started going under the rap name, after pulling inspiration from her nickname. Since the rapper is 5’10”, she was called a “stallion,” as it is a term used in the South to describe women of a certain body type. This also led to her first single being called, “Like A Stallion.”
Does Megan Thee Stallion Have Any Other Names?
In addition to her stage name Megan Thee Stallion, she has used a few other different rap names over the years. When Meg started, she started writing raps at age 14. Then, as her career was taking off, she released an EP in 2018 named after her alter-ego, Tina Snow.
Some other nicknames for Meg include “Hot Girl Meg” and “Hot Girl Coach.”
Megan Thee Stallion is gearing up to release her new single, “Cobra.” However, some new fans might be wondering, what exactly is the rapper’s real name? Here’s what to know about her beginnings.
What Is Megan Thee Stallion’s Real Name?
Megan Thee Stallion’s real name is actually Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, and she was born in San Antonio, Texas. Her mother’s name was Holly Thomas, who also rapped for a time under the name “Holly-Wood.”
How Did Megan Thee Stallion Get Her Rap Name?
Megan Thee Stallion started going under the rap name, after pulling inspiration from her nickname. Since the rapper is 5’10”, she was called a “stallion,” as it is a term used in the South to describe women of a certain body type. This also led to her first single being called, “Like A Stallion.”
Does Megan Thee Stallion Have Any Other Names?
In addition to her stage name Megan Thee Stallion, she has used a few other different rap names over the years. When Meg started, she started writing raps at age 14. Then, as her career was taking off, she released an EP in 2018 named after her alter-ego, Tina Snow.
Some other nicknames for Meg include “Hot Girl Meg” and “Hot Girl Coach.”
When Charlize Theron was 15 years old, her mother killed her father in self defense. Her dad Charles was a “pretty hopeless” alcoholic who came home with a gun one night. Her mother Gerda barricaded herself and Charlize behind a door. “He took a step back and just shot through the door three times,” the Oscar-winning actress told NPR in 2019. “None of those bullets ever hit us, which is just a miracle.” Gerda retrieved a gun from inside the house, and “in self-defense, she ended the threat,” Theron said.
Years later, Theron founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, which supports “transformative, locally-led change by partnering with community-based organizations that support young people, their sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender-based violence prevention,” according to the organization’s website. When asked in a recent interview by Town and Country magazine if she was inspired to start CTAOP after what happened to her and her mother when she was a teenager, Theron, who was born in South Africa, replied, “I would say this: It’s a simple correlation to make.
The Mad Max: Fury Road star continued, “But I think it’s way more complicated than having just one night of trauma in your life. With or without that, gender-based violence is so in your face in South Africa and globally. It’s hard to not be aware of these things just purely by being a woman.”
Theron said that the bigger trauma “was growing up in a country under apartheid and having AIDS come. Those things really, really marked me — I almost want to say more than just that one night in my life.”
You can find out more about the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project here.
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