Every year it feels like the new Super Bowl ads drop earlier than the previous year, which is great news for the people who only watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. I’m one of those people, I like watching the game too but as a person living in the streaming age, the only time I even come across commercials is during the Super Bowl — so I revel in the madness that is these ads. Right now, my favorite Super Bowl LVIII commercial is undoubtedly the Doritos Dinamita ad.
There are three reasons for this: Jenna Ortega, Doritos, and Danny Ramirez, in that order. In my book, that’s an unbeatable combination.
The one-minute spot features Jenna Ortega shopping at the supermarket with her abuelas, appropriately named Dina & Mita. When Ortega steps away for a second, the two grandmas spot the last bag of Doritos Dinamitas (Doritos version of Takis) on the shelf and reach out to grab it before Danny Ramirez comes in, snags the last bag, shoots them a dirty look and walks off. If you’ve grown up in a Mexican family you’ll know that you don’t f*ck with anybody’s abuelita unless you want hell. This is exactly what happens — a high-speed chase ensues between Dina, Mita, and Ramirez that involves motorized carnage, a scooter, and rappeling grandmas.
I won’t ruin the ending for you and instead, we’ll just link the video below. Ad aside, we’re psyched for the new flavors which include Flamin’ Hot Queso, Hot Honey Mustard, Smokey Chile Queso, and Tangy Fiery Lime. Once we try them we’ll be sure to add them into our definitive Doritos ranking.
Per usual, the Grammys have prompted discourse about the coveted Album Of The Year award. Many viewers were disappointed that SZA’s critically acclaimed sophomore album SOS didn’t win the award, however, SZA herself didn’t seem to be fazed.
On the night of the 2024 Grammys, SZA won three awards — Best Progressive R&B Album for SOS, Best R&B Song for “Snooze,” and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her Phoebe Bridgers collaboration, “Ghost In The Machine.” In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, SZA expressed her gratitude for winning those three awards, despite not winning Album Of The Year.
“I’m grateful I won three,” SZA said. “I could have left with nothing and I didn’t, and I’m grateful. My parents got to see it and I didn’t bomb on live television, and that was so scary. And I faced some really big fears and I’m just happy that it all went well, genuinely. And I’m happy for everybody.”
Also on Grammy night, SZA delivered a killer performance of the SOS fan favorites, “Kill Bill” and “Snooze.” She also shared a new song, “Saturn,” which is said to appear on her upcoming album, LANA.
When asked about the new album, SZA remained tight-lipped, noting that she doesn’t want the energy of the album to change.
“I’m just kind of here while energy is forming and I’m just trying to allow it to do what it needs to do, and my voice just follows whatever the frequency is,” she said. “So I feel like I want to allow it to finish shaping itself and form itself before I speak on it and possibly change the trajectory of what it could be. But I will say I’m in a beautiful space creatively and I feel just very new.”
Brock Purdy’s had quite the rise from Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft to where he is now. On Sunday, Purdy will line up under center for the San Francisco 49ers as the team takes the field for the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. When that happens, he’ll be the first Mr. Irrelevant to quarterback a team in the NFL’s biggest game.
Purdy’s ascent has turned him into a household name, and on Monday, a viral tweet made its way around in which one Chiefs fan said that Purdy looks like Lee Harvey Oswald, who, uh, well you’ve probably heard of Lee Harvey Oswald but if not you can Google him.
Holy shit.
Been trying to figure out who Brock Purdy looks like for the last 2 years and it’s Lee Harvey Oswald. pic.twitter.com/Bad7tJfycj
Frankly, I don’t really see it all that much, but if you do, I won’t begrudge you, dear reader. Anyway, Purdy met with the media in Las Vegas on Tuesday, and because weird questions get asked during pre-Super Bowl media availabilities every single year, someone decided to ask Purdy if he agreed with the assessment. Spoiler: Brock Purdy does not think he looks like Lee Harvey Oswald.
I like how you can clearly tell that Purdy is baffled by the fact that this comparison exists, and that he’s trying to find a gentle way to say that he disagrees with it. Anyway, good on Purdy for not being nearly as upset about this question as he could probably justify being.
Since its launch in 2022, Bill Maher’s Club Random has been a safe space for those worried they might be held accountable for things they say in public. Or is it? One of the Real Time host’s most recent guests was no less than Kanye West, who over the last couple years has rebranded as, well, an anti-Semite. Late last year he apologized to the Jewish community — in Hebrew — for his comments. But apparently he’s back at it again, as his Club Random hang was apparently too bigoted even for Maher.
“I thought it was going to be a learning moment,” Maher told Levin. Alas, though Maher said they had an “amazing, fun time,” what he said was not fit for public consumption. The decision came down to not wanting to provide a lectern to someone who could actually make the world a worse place by spreading bigotry and inflaming an already febrile situation.
“The problem, I think, is that he appeals mostly — of course he’s a rock star — to young people,” Maher explained. “They don’t know much and they surely don’t know much about the Middle East or Jews. So the combination of Kanye out there — I feel like he was helpful for spreading the fertilizer, and I do mean fertilizer, for this idea that Israel and the Jews are the worst people in the world.”
Levin pointed out that had Maher made West’s anti-Semitic public, it could give “other people permission to say it, too.”
“Yes, exactly,” Maher replied. “That’s why I wouldn’t air that episode, because I’m not going to contribute to this.”
Maher concluded that West is a “very charming antisemite,” then added, strangely, “And by the way, he’s not the only one in America who feels that way. It’s not like the Jews are universally loved except for Kanye West.”
West must have spouted a lot of anti-Semitism for the free speech absolutist Bill Maher to draw a line. The public may never know how far a guy who’s even been banned by fellow anything-goes public figure Elon Musk went while sitting in Maher’s mock-basement. But perhaps for Maher it was a ”learning moment,” making him realize that words can have consequences, even they’re uttered by a guy who got owned by Pete Davidson.
Rap icons Master P and Snoop Dogg are filing a lawsuit against Walmart. The two revealed the news in a press conference today, and alleged that Walmart purposely hid their cereal they launched last year with their brand, Broadus Foods.
According to the reported suit, which was filed by attorney Ben Crump, Walmart and major food brand Post partnered with Broadus Foods to distribute the cereal in the super retailer, however, intentionally stocked their cereals in shelves and areas that weren’t immediately visible to customers.
“Broadus Foods is seeking damages suffered by the deceptive trade practices under various causes of action,” reads a press release on Crump’s website.
According to a report from TMZ, Walmart showed the cereal, called Snoop Cereal, to be sold out at various Walmart locations, however, employees reportedly discovered cases of Snoop cereal in the back room of a Walmart store, allegedly uncoded for sales.
At the time of writing, it appears Walmart has not been served with a complaint yet.
“Walmart values our relationships with our suppliers, and we have a strong history of supporting entrepreneurs,” said a Walmart representative to TMZ. “Many factors affect the sales of any given product, including consumer demand, seasonality, and price to name a few. We will respond as appropriate with the Court once we are served with the complaint.”
Additionally, Post also issued a statement to TMZ, claiming that consumer demand did not match what Post and Walmart had initially imagined.
“Post Consumer Brands was excited to partner with Broadus Foods and we made substantial investments in the business. We were equally disappointed that consumer demand did not meet expectations.”
Snoop and Master P were reportedly expecting their cereal to be stacked with other leading brands, however now feel that Post and Walmart only agreed to the partnership to shut them out of the market.
Did you know you can now play games on Netflix? Back in 2022 the streaming giant — known, of course, for its online movies and TV series — added a bunch of games to their coffers. There’s some based on popular original titles of theirs, including Stranger Things, Money Heist, and Shadow and Bone. There are even some classic video games, including three Grand Theft Autos, allowing subscribers to cosplay as straight-up psychopaths while riding the subway in front of innocent on-lookers.
But is it an added luxury to pay for these? Or do they come with your subscription.
The answer is the latter. But how do you play them? Some can be played on your laptop or desktop. Others, like the Grand Theft Autos, can only be done so on your handheld device, be it iOS or Android. To play those you’ll have to download them as a separate app to your phone. Can it be awkward trying to play a game on your phone that was originally designed for a fancy doodad with lots of buttons? It sure can! But if you have a Netflix account, at least it’s “free.”
Though Netflix added games last year, it didn’t appear to take off with the public. At one point the vast majority of subscribers didn’t even know they had games. Those that did weren’t sure if they were part of their subscription, hence articles like this. But you can, and now that you know that, sally forth and play the game for their Chicken Run game called, naturally, Eggstraction.
When it comes to diversity and inclusion in our everyday lives, we’re reminded both of how far we have come and how far we still have to go. While there have been immeasurable societal strides, particularly within the last few years, the work won’t end until all races, ethnicities, and genders feel seen, accepted, and included.
This fact is especially pertinent in the arts, as this portion of the culture largely serves as a microcosm for the world at large. Many of the artists we know and love had their share of struggles when it came to inclusion, yet their hard work and dedication to their craft paid off in historic spades.
As Black History Month commences, take a look at some of the iconic “firsts” in music history throughout genres. Black musicians helped to pave the way for artists all over to create magic of their own, and continue to do so decades — even centuries — later.
GENERAL
1890: George W. Johnson is the first Black person to record a best-selling phonograph record. His novelty vaudeville hit “The Whistling Coon” showcased his vocal abilities in more ways than one.
1955: Marian Anderson is the first Black singer to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera.
BLUES
1920: Mamie Smith’s “Crazy Blues” is heralded as the first significant blues song ever recorded by a Black musician. It was entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994 and was entered into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2005.
1969: Blues trumpeter WC Handy becomes the first Black musician to be featured on a U.S. postage stamp.
JAZZ
1925: Louis Armstrong records his Hot Five and Hot Seven combos, considered by many as the pieces of music that kicked off the jazz revolution.
1958: Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie become the first Black musicians to win a Grammy Award. Both artists took home two trophies.
1992: Thanks to her album Unforgettable… With Love, Natalie Cole becomes the first Black woman to win the Grammy Award for Album Of The Year. So far, there have only been two other Black women to take this award home: Whitney Houston and Lauryn Hill.
GOSPEL
2018: Due to her work on the SpongeBob SquarePants musical, Yolanda Adams is the first gospel artist to be nominated for a Tony Award. (Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre.)
COUNTRY
1971: Charley Pride is the first (and so far last) Black artist to win the Country Music Association’s most prestigious award, Entertainer Of The Year. In 2000, he became the first Black inductee at the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Harmonica player DeFord Bailey is the second (and only other) Black artist to be inducted into this prestigious academy.
2020: Mickey Guyton becomes the first Black female musician to be nominated for a country music Grammy Award in a solo performance category: Best Country Solo Performance for her song “Black Like Me.” (The Pointer Sisters won the award in 1974 for their writing work, not their music.)
ROCK
1977: Black Death — widely acknowledged as the first Black heavy metal band — is formed.
1986: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inaugural class is announced, and the first Black musicians inducted are Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, and Little Richard.
1987: Aretha Franklin is the first Black woman (and first woman) inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1990: Thanks to their song “Cult of Personality,” Living Colour becomes the first Black band (and first musicians) to win the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. They would go on to win it again in 1991.
HOUSE
1984: “On & On,” Jesse Saunders’ single with Vince Lawrence, becomes the first record featuring a house DJ to ever be pressed and sold to the public.
1987: Steve Silk Hurley’s single “Jack Your Body” becomes the first house track to top the UK charts.
POP
1950: Nat King Cole becomes the first Black solo artist to have a No. 1 hit on the Billboard charts. His song “Mona Lisa” hit the top of the now-defunct “Best Sellers In Stores” chart.
1983: Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” is the first music video by a Black artist to play on MTV, which was heavily focused on rock in their earliest years. In 1991, MJ was also the first Black artist (and first artist) to have a song debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, thanks to his song “You Are Not Alone.”
1987: Whitney Houston becomes the first Black woman (and first woman) to have an album debut at No. 1, thanks to her eponymous album. In 1992, she also became the first Black artist (and first artist) to have an album sell a million copies in a single week with The Bodyguard soundtrack.
R&B
1972: Isaac Hayes becomes the first Black artist to win an Academy Award in a non-acting category. The “Theme From Shaft” won the Oscar for Best Original Song. He is also the first musician to have written and performed their own Oscar-winning song.
1974: Stevie Wonder is the first Black artist to win the Grammy Award for Album Of The Year for Innervisions.
HIP-HOP
1980: “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugarhill Gang becomes the first rap song to chart on Billboard’s Hot 100, peaking at No. 36.
1989: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince win the first Grammy in the hip-hop genre. “Parents Just Don’t Understand” won for Best Rap Performance, but the duo famously boycotted the ceremony to protest the historic honor not being televised.
1990: Tone Loc becomes the first rapper to be nominated in the Best New Artist category.
1999- Lauryn Hill becomes the first hip-hop artist to win a Grammy for Album of the Year for her sole solo LP, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. She is still the only woman hip-hop artist to do so.
2006: Three 6 Mafia becomes the first hip hop group to win an Oscar for Best Original Song. (“It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp” from Hustle & Flow.) Per an interview with Variety, Juicy J recalled the win seeming “unreal.” (“We didn’t prepare no speech because we didn’t think we was gonna win,” he said.)
2018: Kendrick Lamar becomes the first rapper to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, thanks to his album DAMN.
Jonathan Kuminga has reportedly been frustrated with his role on the Golden State Warriors on a few occasions over the last few years, as the former top-10 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has struggled to get consistent playing time on a team that has championship aspirations. But due to his recent play, things have changed with Kuminga to the point that Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports he’s “pretty much untouchable” before the trade deadline gets here on Thursday.
“I know there’s been some discussion there about whether they could trade Chris Paul, I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” Windhorst said. “I do think Andrew Wiggins … also, Jonathan Kuminga’s playing the best basketball of his career. They’ve boosted his playing time by about eight minutes a game over the last ten games. He’s pretty much untouchable right now — I think it’s Steph, and Kuminga, and then everything else.”
In the aftermath of a loss to the Denver Nuggets last month in which Steve Kerr opted to keep Kuminga on the bench down the stretch despite putting up big numbers, a report hit the internet which indicated that Kuminga lost faith in his coach’s ability to help him reach his potential. Since then, Kuminga has been quite good for Golden State, even as the team’s struggled to pick up wins — he’s averaging 21.9 points and 6.2 rebounds in 32.1 minutes per game while shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three over the last 13 games.
The Warriors have not had an especially great 2023-24 campaign, as the team is 22-25, sits in 12th place in the Western Conference, and sit a full game back of the 10-seed and the final spot in the Play-In Tournament. And if they are able to make up some ground and get a spot in the postseason, it appears Kuminga will be around to play a part.
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.
Usher delivered one last single before his Coming Home album with “Ruin” alongside Pheelz while Tyla delivered a video for “Truth Or Dare.” SZA, Kaytraminé, and Snoh Aalegra were revealed as the headliners for Sol Blume’s 2024 festival. Elsewhere, Usher revealed the details of a supergroup he was almost in, and Ty Dolla Sign made an appearance in a recent episode of Power Book III: Raising Kanan.
Daniel Caesar — “Waiting In Vain (Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Film)”
With the film out next week, Daniel Caesar steps out as the latest artist to contribute to the Bob Marley: One Love soundtrack. The Canadian artist delivers a cover of “Waiting In Vain” and revealed a personal connection to Marely’s music in a press release. “My dad used to sing around the house a lot and play the guitar and one of his favorite songs to play was ‘Redemption Song,’” he said. “That was one of the first songs I remember learning how to play as well.”
Ledisi — “Perfect Stranger” Feat. Kenny Lattimore
Next month, Ledisi will release her 11th album Good Life, a soulful testament to her growth as an artist. Its latest single, “Perfect Stranger” with Kenny Lattimore, is a compelling preview of what’s to come on Good Life. As for the album, fans can also expect an appearance from Butcher Brown on the 13-track release.
Ryan Leslie — You Know My Speed
Who would’ve thought that 2024 would bring us an album from Ryan Leslie? That’s exactly what happened as the legendary singer-songwriter returned with You Know My Speed, his first full-length album since 2012’s Les Is More. Throughout the 10 songs on You Know My Speed, Leslie doesn’t do too much to conform to the times as he brings his trademark 2010s sound to the present day.
Zacari — “Ocean”
At long last, TDE singer Zacari is just months away from releasing his debut album. Though there isn’t an official release date for it, Zacari kicks off the campaign for it with his new single “Ocean.” The genre-bending sounds reflect on a connection so strong between two lovers that it could only be compared to that of the ocean and the seashore.
Hennessy — Maybe I’m Oversharing
Honesty is the best policy, but it isn’t easy to be completely honest and transparent with ourselves. Rhode Island singer Hennessy overcomes that challenge with a hint of second-guessing on Maybe I’m Oversharing. The three-track project opens with an honest intro that dives into her oversharing concerns before “Therapy Session” arrives as a vulnerable and honest look back to her last meeting with her therapist. Maybe I’m Oversharing then closes with “Me, Myself & I,” a painfully honest battle between the hurt and regret of a past situation and the desire and drive to heal and forgive herself, as the blame is not on her.
4Fargo — “She’ll Be Ok (Remix)” Feat. Jacquees
Back in November, Atlanta artist 4Fargo released his “She’ll Be OK” single, a record focused on the toxic aspects of love and how he repairs his partner’s moments of frustration. Months later, 4Fargo invites Jacquees onto the track for a remix that adds to the song’s central message.
SAFE — “Superficial”
For his third single in as many months, Toronto singer SAFE delivers “Superficial.” Back airy synths and a thumping bass that drives the song, SAFE dives into the struggles of being with a woman who can’t open her heart and reveal her true self. Instead, she remains superficial and plays it safe (no pun intended), something that SAFE is growing a bit tired of.
CD Rose — “Flagarant”
Boston singer CD Rose’s first release of the new year is a bold declaration that arrives on “Flagrant.” Bothered by the constant nonchalance from her partner, Rose questions the audacity and declares the relationship dead with a few ego-crushing statements of her own.
Asiahn — “Ijs”
With a new project hopefully on the way soon, New Jersey singer Asiahn steps into 2024 with “Ijs.” The seductive record swoons about the beauty of a new relationship and the warm passion that exists within it. Asiahn is happy to take the blame for the way this relationship turned out, but she’s happier to be even in it in the first place.
Kali Claire & Phabo — “Escape Plan”
After collaborating with Jaz Karis and Shae Universe to end 2023, Kali Claire unites with Phabo for their “Escape Plan” single. The track leans on the passion and excitement between two lovers whose chemistry is at an all-time high. Claire makes her infatuation clear through her search for a late-night escape while Phabo provides the destination as his need for intimacy matches Claire’s own.
David Saint Val — “For You, To You”
Houston singer David Saint Val’s new single “For You, To You” is the perfect release for the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday. Blown away by the profound existence of pure love in his current relationship, Saint Val commits to giving his all to his partner to ensure that the relationship lasts a lifetime.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Production on movies and TV has only recently began to kick back in gear, but already there’s been an on-set tragedy. Per The Hollywood Reporter, on Tuesday a crew member working on the Marvel show Wonder Man fell from the rafters. The show wasn’t filming that day, but the crew were working. The victim was employed as a rigger, a specialist scaffolder who sets up lighting and scenery.
Marvel Studios released a statement about the incident. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and friends,” it read, “and our support is behind the investigation into the circumstances of this accident.”
Also releasing a statement was IATSE, the union that represents behind-the-scenes workers.
“Everyone in the IA family is shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic loss. We are working to support our member’s family, and his fellow members and colleagues,” said IATSE President Matthew D. Loeb. “Safety on set is our highest priority and we will assist Cal/OSHA in their investigation in any way that we can. If you feel unsafe on set for any reason, members can call the IATSE Safety Hotline at 844-422-9273 or use our safety info app.”
An investigation into the calamity is currently underway.
Wonder Man stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, a stuntman-turned-superhero. The character was created by writer Stan Lee alongside artists Jack Kirby and Don Heck in 1964, and he was originally a supervillain who eventually crossed over. The show was one of many that began principal photography before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and a source says most of the shooting has since been completed.
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