Month: May 2024

BTS will remain on hiatus until at least 2025 due to its seven members completing their mandatory Korean military service, which RM and V began last December, as reported by The Associated Press at the time.

Despite that, RM dropped Right Place, Wrong Person, his sophomore solo album, last Friday, May 24. On Monday, May 27, RM sweetened the pot with the official video for “Groin,” a biting track showcasing RM’s rap acumen.

The video was directed by Pennacky and creative directed by San Yawn. In it, RM seamlessly alternates between delivering English and Korean bars while confidently strolling the streets of an empty neighborhood. RM boasts, “I f*ck it u,p” and, at one point, insults someone because “You walk like a duck, b*tch,” but ultimately, the outro finds him softly singing, “I see what I see / I be what I be / I’ll set you free.”

“Groin” joins “Come Back To Me” and “Lost!” as Right Place, Wrong Person tracks to receive the video treatment. All three videos were creative directed by San Yawn, while “Come Back To Me” was directed by Beef creator Lee Sung Jin.

Watch RM’s “Groin” video above.

Right Place, Wrong Person is out now via BigHit. Find more information here.

Lady Gaga is wisely double-dipping on promotion. On May 23, at the Los Angeles premiere of her HBO Gaga Chromatica Ball concert film, Gaga teased a new album as “nothing like anything that I’ve ever made before.” The Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist used similar phrasing when discussing her role of Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux.

“My version of Harley is mine, and it’s very authentic to this movie and these characters, and I don’t want to give anything from the movie away,” Gaga told Access Hollywood. “I think it’s really something you have to experience in the theater. This film has music. It has dance. It has amazing acting in it. I loved working with Joaquin [Phoenix]. I loved working with [director] Todd [Phillips]. What I will say is that I’ve never done anything like I’ve done in this movie before, so it’s all going to be completely brand new and really fun.”

Gaga stars opposite Phoenix as Harley Quinn and Joker/Arthur Fleck, respectively, in the Joker sequel due out on October 4. But Gaga might release new music before then. During the end credits of Gaga Chromatica Ball, a message flashes across the screen: “LG7 GAGA RETURNS.” Of course, Gaga’s next album will be her seventh studio album and and first since 2020’s Chromatica.

Watch the trailer Joker: Folie à Deux above, and check out the Gaga Chromatica Ball clips below.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are on the brink of elimination after watching the Mavericks win another close game on Sunday to go up 3-0 in their Western Conference Finals series.

Dallas has been phenomenal closing out games, with Luka Doncic taking control in the fourth quarter with Kyrie Irving in support. Their two stars have simply been better than the Wolves top two of Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, who have shot a combined 33.3 percent from the field through the first three games.

Towns in particular has had a disastrous series, culminating in an 0-for-8 night from three in Game 3, with two key misses down the stretch. Towns got benched in favor of Naz Reid late in Game 2, and that may have been the better strategy for Minnesota in Game 3 as well.

After the game, Towns tried his best to shrug off the shooting woes, insisting he’s been putting up 1,500 shots per day in practice. The Inside the NBA crew immediately called “cap” on that, and explained why.

Draymond points out that no one is shooting that much right now, while Kenny does the math on how long he would have to be in the gym extra to get that many up and says it’d be 2.5 hours on top of practice and shootaround and games. Charles then notes that, while he’s lying, if he was doing that, he is taking too many shots from the perimeter and needs to be able to get inside and get himself going.

Beyond all that, if he really is taking 1,500 shots a day after practice in the playoffs, I’m not surprised he hasn’t looked good in games because he would have to be gassed if he’s taking game speed reps. If he’s not taking game speed reps, then it’s mostly worthless work, which isn’t any better. Towns may have just one more game to try and redeem himself in this series, because if he falls flat again, there will be a lot of conversation about his place as the Wolves No. 2 going forward.

A retired merchant navy engineer in England has found a treasure that would have made his country’s most popular folk hero proud. Graham Harrison, a 64-year-old metal detector enthusiast, discovered a gold signet ring that once belonged to the Sheriff of Nottingham.

The discovery was made on a farm in Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, 26.9 miles from Sherwood Forest. The forest is known worldwide for being the mythological home of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. A central road that traversed the forest was notorious in Medieval times for being an easy place for bandits to rob travelers going to and from London.

Today, the forest is a designated National Nature Reserve. It contains ancient oaks that date back thousands of years, making it an important conservation area.

“It was the first big dig after lockdown on a glorious day. We were searching two fields. Other detectorists kept finding hammered coins but I’d found nothing,” Harrison said according to the Daily Mail. “Then I suddenly got a signal. I dug up a clod of earth but couldn’t see anything. I kept breaking up the clod and, on the last break, a gold ring was shining at me. I broke out into a gold dance.”

Gold Ring that Belonged to Real Sheriff of Nottingham.nnRead more: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/sheriff-nottingham-0016568u00a0u2026pic.twitter.com/K7rhf2E62O

— Ancient Origins (@Ancient Origins)
1648812786

Harrison sent the ring to the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme to have it authenticated. After doing some research they found that it was once owned by Sir Matthew Jenison, who was the Sheriff of Nottingham between 1683 and 1684.

The first accounts of Robin Hood, then known as Robyn Hode, first appear in the 12th century, a few hundred years before Sir Matthew served as sheriff.

But there’s no doubt that the archer and leader of Merry Men would have been delighted to know that an everyday guy came into possession of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s ring.

Sir Matthew was knighted in 1683 and acted as a commissioner to examine decaying trees in Sherwood Forest. He was later elected to Parliament in 1701. However, a series of lawsuits over shady land dealings would eventually be his ruin and he’d die in prison in 1734.

The gold signet ring bears the coat of arms of the Jenison family, who were known for getting rich off a treasure trove of valuables left for safekeeping during the English Civil War. The valuables were never claimed, so the Jenisons took them for themselves.

Harrison decided that he would sell the ring to someone who appreciates its importance.

“There can’t be many people who’ve found anything like that. I’m only selling it because it’s been stuck in a drawer,” Harrison said. “I hope it will go to someone who will appreciate its historical value.” It was sold at auction by Hansons Auctions for £8,500 ($11,115).

March Historica & Coin Auction. 24 March u2014 25 March. The Sheriff of Nottinghamu2019s gold signet ring #Historica #Auction @HansonHistoricannCheck out HansonsAuctions’s video! #TikTok https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLmGN476/u00a0pic.twitter.com/cbdwbWrqdH

— Hansons (@Hansons)
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WOW! The final moments as the Sheriff of#Nottingham ring goes under the hammer… @HansonHistorica @HansonsAuctionsn@[email protected]/NLssFdaksL

— Hansons (@Hansons)
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Let’s hope that the man who sold the ring does what Robin Hood would have done with a piece of jewelry that adorned the hand of a nobleman whose family came into money by taking other people’s loot. Surely, he’d take the proceeds from the auction and give them to the poor.

This article originally appeared on 04.06.22

For those not well versed in moose facts, the shedding of antlers is normally a fairly lengthy process. It happens only once a year after mating season and usually consists of a moose losing one antler at a time.

It’s incredibly rare for a bull moose to lose both at the same time—and even more rare that someone would actually catch it on film.

That’s why shed hunter (yes, that’s a real term) and woodsman Derek Burgoyne calls his footage of the phenomenon a “one-in-a-million” shot.

According to The Guardian, Burgoyne was flying his drone through a remote patch of forest in Canada when he spotted three moose in a clearing. His drone followed one of the bulls, who began doing the wobbly little shake thing that signals these antlers are going bye-bye.

Burgoyne knew he had to keep his camera on the moment—but he had no idea that he’d hit the jackpot.

Watch below:

It’s hard to tell which is more fun to watch— the super rare moment in nature or Burgoyne’s pure passion for his hobby.

“I shook a little bit. It was an adrenaline rush for sure,“ he told CBC News, sharing that he has previously found hundreds of shed antlers in his life.

Antler hunting has become a hot and profitable pastime over the past few years, although Burgoyne affirms that his shed hunting ambitions are born from a desire for well-being, not monetary gain.

“I enjoy being in the woods. It’s great exercise and it’s fun tracking the moose through the winter and looking for their sheds in the spring. Each one you find feels like the first one. It never gets old,” he told The Guardian.

Well Derek Burgoyne, thank you for doing what you love. Thanks to your passion, we too can share this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Here’s to good moose news!

This article originally appeared on 1.20.23

A dad is sharing his first encounter with a transgender woman in his small Texas town, and the simple lesson he taught his son is inspiring hope in others.

James Eric Barlow (oddragon226 on TikTok) shared a video from his car describing how he and his son saw a trans woman in real life for the first time. “We all know that there’s people that are disgusted whenever they see a trans person,” Barlow begins. “And we all know of the people who don’t care if they see a trans person.

“But apparently, we’re a third type of person (or at least I am, I can’t speak for him),” he says, indicating his son in the backseat who chimes in with “I am, too!”

Barlow then goes on to explain how they had just had their first experience with a trans woman. It wasn’t anything major—she just walked through a door behind them and Barlow held the door for her, just as he would any other person. He didn’t even notice she was trans at first, but once he did, his immediate reaction was one we can all learn from.

“When I tell you how happy it made me,” he says, beginning to tear up, “to be able to see somebody be out and open to the world here in small town Texas. You just gotta know how much bravery that takes. Right, Mikey?”

“Hell yeah!” the son agrees.

Barlow wanted to say something to her, but he didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, either.

“But if you’re a trans woman and you came here to the Landmark truck stop in Clyde, Texas, just know we’re proud of you,” he concludes.

@oddragon226

our first trans woman experience #trans #transwoman #transpeoplearepeople #transrights #translivesnatter

Barlow’s video was shared on Reddit, where it’s received 37,000 upvotes and a slew of comments that prove parents set the tone for their kids’ sense of acceptance.

“Indoctrinate your children with kindness, compassion, consideration and respect for others.” – Toddthmpsn

“When I was younger I would get my hair cut by a woman named Liz. She spoke Spanish so it was hard for to understand her English sometimes. My dad spoke Spanish so would translate for her and me. I noticed Liz looked a little different then other women. But I never said anything, I never felt any differently about her. She never scared me, or made me question anything. She was just Liz. As I got older I realized she was a trans woman. And it literally changed nothing. She was still just Liz. Liz was always kind and treated everyone warmly. I havnt seen her in years but I hope she is doing well. I really liked her.” – PerplexedPoppy

“This literally happened to me as a child in the 80s. A cashier at a store we visited suddenly started dressing in a feminine style and it appeared that they were transitioning. My mom explained to me in an age appropriate way that sometimes people decide they want to be a man instead of a woman, or a woman instead of a man. She told me that people would probably be mean to the cashier and it was important for us to remember that and always be polite to her, as we would anyway. This was way before trans issues were as mainstream as they are now, but my mom had seen an episode of Phil Donahue where transwoman discussed their stories, and she recognized it as a medical issue. Core memory for me.” – ZipCity262

“As a trans woman, im deathly afraid whenever I have to go to rural areas. I can instantly feel physical tension when I walk into a gas station or a restaurant in these areas. Thank you for being supportive. Trans people need you now more than ever.” – rainbow_lenses

It really is a simple matter to accept people as they are and treat all humans with dignity, kindness and respect, even if we don’t fully understand them. And as this dad and son show, it’s a simple matter to demonstrate non-judgmental acceptance in front of our kids so they hopefully will grow up without being bound by chains of bigotry they’ll later have to learn to unload.

This article originally appeared on 7.7.23

People say having children is like having your heart walk around outside of your body. You send them off to school, practices or playdates and hope that the world treats them kindly because when they hurt, you hurt. Inevitably there will be times when your child’s feelings are hurt so you do your best to prepare for that day.

But what prepares you for when the child you love so much winds up accidentally healing your inner child. A mom on TikTok, who goes by Soogia posted a video explaining a phone call she received from a parent in her daughter’s classroom. The mom called to inform Soogia that their kids had been sharing lunch with each other.

Soogia wasn’t prepared for what came next. The classmate’s mother informed her that her son loves the food Soogia’s daughter brings to school and wanted to learn how to cook it too.

That may seem like a small thing to some, but the small gesture healed a little bit of Soogia’s inner child. Growing up as a Korean kid in California, Soogia’s experience was a bit different than what her children are now experiencing.

“I guess I just never thought that my kids would be the generation of kids that could go to school and not only just proudly eat, but share their food with other kids that were just so open and accepting to it,” Soogia says through tears. “Knowing that they don’t sit there eating their food, feeling ashamed and wishing that their fried rice was a bagel instead or something like that. And I know, it sounds so small and it sounds so stupid, but knowing their experience at school is so different from mine in such a positive way is just so hopeful.”

Soogia’s tearful video pulled on the heartstrings of her viewers who shared their thoughts in the comments.

“Soogia! It will never be small. Your culture is beautiful & the littles are seeing that every day. You’ve even taught me so much. I’m grateful for you,” one person says.

“Beautiful! I can see your inner child healing in so many ways,” another writes.

“Welp. Now I’m sobbing at the airport. This is beautiful,” someone reveals.

“These Gen Alpha babies really are a different, kinder generation. I love them so much,” one commenter gushes.

You can hear the entire story below. You may want to grab a tissue.

@soogia1

These kids, man. They’re really something else. #culturalappreciation #breakingbread #sharing #

This article originally appeared on 3.23.24

Don’t be alarmed, Paramore fans. Last year ended in a flurry of panic over whether Paramore was breaking up and, by extension, if Paramore would still serve as Taylor Swift’s openers across the European and UK The Eras Tour legs. Paramore is still opening for Swift, but Swift announced additional openers for her The Eras Tour shows at Wembley Stadium in London.

Who Is Opening Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour In London In 2024?

According to Swift’s official website, METTE and Paramore will open on Friday, June 21, Griff and Paramore on Saturday, June 22, and Paramore and Benson Boone on Sunday, June 23.

On Monday, May 27, Swift wrote on her Instagram Story, “I just found out ‘Fortnight’ is #1 on the UK airplay chart!!!! You guys are amazing, and I can’t wait to see you SO [soon emoji]!! Thought this might be a fun time to announce the first group of opening acts I’ll be adding to the London shows, going on before @paramore. I chose artists whose music I love listening to, and I can’t wait for them to add an extra jolt of excitement to our shows at @wembleystadium in June.”

In December 2020, Swift was “a huge fan” of Griff’s “Exile” cover alongside Uproxx’s July 2023 cover star Maisie Peters. Boone is known best for his Billboard Hot 100 charter “Beautiful Things,” and METTE previously danced for Pharrell and released her debut EP, METTENARRATIVE, last September.

Swift will return to London’s Wembley Stadium for five more consecutive The Eras Tour concerts from August 15 to 20, but Swift is holding that announcement for later, it seems.

At this point, the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has died down significantly: The last time either rapper dropped a new diss track was early May, with Lamar’s No. 1 single “Not Like Us” and Drake’s poorly received “The Heart Part 6.”

But, folks aren’t done picking sides and fortifying their positions. Such appears to be the case with YG on his new song “Weird.”

Did YG Diss Drake In Support Of Kendrick Lamar On His New Song “Weird?”

At one point on the new song, YG raps, “When it’s smoke, don’t ever mention my name (Mention my name) / You gon’ have me jeopardizin’ my fame / Jeopardizin’ the gang, jeopardizin’ where you hang, n****.” Some have perceived this as a response to a line in Drake’s Lamar diss track “Family Matters”: “You know who really bang a set? My n**** YG.”

Notably, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” contains a sample of YG’s 2011 song “I’m Good.” Since YG would have had to clear that sample for Lamar to use it, that would be seen as YG choosing his side in the beef.

Meanwhile, Apple Music recently unveiled its much-discussed list of the 100 best albums of all time, and Lamar made the top 10 with Good Kid, m.A.A.d City.

Unlike other music festivals during Memorial Day Weekend, BottleRock Napa Valley was successfully staged. BottleRock is also the only music festival that can lay claim to a surprise performance by Jackson Maine.

On Saturday, May 25, Cooper joined Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder to sing “Maybe It’s Time” from A Star Is Born, Cooper’s 2018 directorial debut in which he starred as Maine. “Maybe It’s Time” was written by Jason Isbell for the film. AdmiralNeeda posted YouTube videos of Cooper and Vedder singing “Maybe It’s Time” and “Rockin’ In The Free World.” Consequence circulated the “Maybe It’s Time” video on X (formerly Twitter) as seen below.

In 2018, Cooper confirmed that Vedder served as his inspiration while forming Jackson Maine for his A Star Is Born remake.

“I went up to Seattle and spent four or five days with him and I asked him 9,000 questions,” Cooper told Yahoo Entertainment at the time. “And he gave me minor, little things that only musicians know about what to do, just aesthetically and the inner workings.”

Cooper also sang along to “Shallow,” his and Lady Gaga’s Grammy-winning A Star Is Born duet, while on the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. The paper reported that Cooper, Golden State Warriors All-Star point guard Stephen Curry, and award-winning chef José Andrés “drew the largest crowd to the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage in the history of BottleRock Napa Valley” on Saturday.

See the clips below.