Month: May 2024

The WNBA is set to expand for the first time since 2008 when the Bay Area gets the league’s 13th franchise. On Tuesday, with the 2024 WNBA season set to tip-off later that night, they announced their new team name, the Golden State Valkyries, and unveiled their new logo and color scheme.

There is still plenty left to be announced for the Valkyries, from uniforms to how the team will be constructed. We know there will be an expansion draft, but won’t know exactly how many players each team will be able to protect. We also know the Valkyries will have a pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, but whether they’re given a spot in the lottery with a chance at the No. 1 pick or simply assigned a pick (like the Atlanta Dream at No. 4 in 2008) hasn’t been officially announced.

That final piece could be particularly important to their initial trajectory as a franchise. The 2025 WNBA Draft will be headlined by UConn star Paige Bueckers, as she is widely expected to go No. 1 next spring. The Minnesota native will have plenty of teams interested in landing her with the top pick, but it seems like she wouldn’t mind donning the new purple color scheme in San Francisco.

From a league perspective, having a new franchise be able to build around a star like Bueckers would be pretty incredible to helping the Valkyries gain traction immediately. That said, the teams at the bottom of the standings wouldn’t be thrilled if the new team swiped the top pick from them. We’ll have to wait to see if the Valkyries will be given a chance at taking Bueckers or if they’ll end up a bit further down the draft order, but if they did land the top spot, the Huskies star is a fan of their look.

Cheer up, Toronto. It’s not all bad news. While Drake licks his wounds, another of T. Dot’s favorite sons, Nav, has announced his new album, On My Way 2 Rexdale, is… well … on the way. The XO signee announced the impending release with a dramatic trailer, which promises a summer 2024 release date and features teases of the album’s featured guests through some suggestive imagery. It’s like a scavenger hunt for clues, from weathered skulls wearing bat-ear hats to looming cactuses and slithering snakes.

Nav has been off the radar for almost a year, ever since completing his Never Sleep Tour and livestreaming his hometown show in Toronto. While he joined Metro Boomin at the producer’s Red Bull Symphonic performance in Los Angeles, he has stayed out of the spotlight while working on On My Way 2 Rexdale, which follows his fourth album, Demons Protected By Angels, released a little under two years ago in September 2022.

That album had guest features from Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, and Gunna, and the imagery from the trailer suggests that they might all be back to help Nav kick off his next era. You can try and decipher the clues in the video above, or just wait ’til summer — which is only about a month away — to find out.

Seattle hardcore group The Blood Brothers released their classic album Crimes two decades ago. The band has decided to celebrate the occasion in a big way: There’s a vinyl reissue out on October 4, and the band is playing their first shows in ten years later in 2024.

Crimes (20th Anniversary Limited Collector’s Edition will feature an expanded double LP with b-sides and a 20-page booklet that includes new liner notes and photos.

Singer Jordan Blilie says, “As we’ve been putting together the 20th anniversary reissue of ‘Crimes’, what I’m struck by most listening back is the energy. It feels both feral and weirdly focused, like whatever chemistry we’d been tinkering with had finally crystallized. It was on stage, though, where that energy reached its most joyful, reckless, collective state. It’s an experience that never really goes away, and one we wanted to share again. So, we’ll be playing a handful of shows this fall. We hope to see you there.”

Check out the band’s upcoming tour dates below.

The Blood Brothers 2024 Tour Dates

11/02 — San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
11/03 — San Francisco CA @ The Regency Ballroom
11/06 — Santa Ana, Ca @ The Observatory
11/07 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco
11/08 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco
11/10 — Denver, CO @ The Summit
11/12 — Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
11/14 — Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
11/15 — Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
12/07 — Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
12/09 — Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
12/11 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
12/13 — New York, NYC @ Irving Plaza
12/14 — New York, NYC @ Irving Plaza
12/20 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
12/21 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall

We all remember where we were when the fine folks of House of the Dragon introduced the world to the enticing appeal of a Negroni Sbagliato (with prosecco!). Emma D’Arcy mentioned the cocktail in an interview, to which Olivia Cooke replied, ‘Stunnin!” and the world was never the same. Suddenly everyone and their mother was a cocktail connoisseur and bartenders across the world were slammed by hip millennials wanting to try the fancy drink.

Even though the bit offered a rare moment of internet solidarity, the two don’t really know why it went so viral. “I don’t have anything illuminating to say on it because it’s very hard to know how to react when you become a meme,” D’Arcy told Entertainment Weekly in a new interview.

Cooke contended that it was an organic moment which went viral for basically no reason. “We were just trying to make each other laugh. There’s no rhyme or reason to it,” she said, adding, “I did hate it for a very long time. I was in the pub. A woman opened the door for me and she said with a thick Spanish accent, ‘Stunnin’!’ I was just like, ’Oh my God. Over a decade’s worth of work reduced to a single word in my lexicon.”

All of this just proves that anything can sound cool if it is said in an accent. It’s actually physically impossible to not say “Negroni” in an English accent. Try it! See?

House of the Dragon returns to HBO and Max on June 16.

One of the most acclaimed TV shows of the year is coming to an end this week.

X-Men ’97, the nostalgic revival of ’90s favorite X-Men: The Animated Series, has split the “Tolerance is Extinction” season finale into three episodes: parts one and two are already streaming on Disney+, while part three debuts on the streaming service on May 15 at 3 a.m. EST / 12 a.m. PST.

X-Men ‘97 creator Beau DeMayo (who was shockingly fired from the show) gave viewers an assignment for the finale. “Your final #xmen97 homework assignment: X-Men: The Animated Series – ‘The Final Decision,’” he wrote on Twitter, referring to an episode from the original series. What can be gleaned from that episode? Total Film explains (possible spoilers head.)

For those without an encyclopedic knowledge of ‘90s X-Men cartoon titles, “The Final Decision” – the finale of the first season of 1992’s X-Men: The Animated Series – features the X-Men and Magneto joining forces to combat a greater threat: Master Mold and legions of mutant-killing Sentinels. As luck would have it, the X-Men are in a similar position again, facing down Bastion and the Sentinels. This time, though, Magneto seems less than willing to team up with the X-Men – and even recreated a brutal Wolverine comics moment to really put his point across.

You can watch the final trailer for X-Men ’97 below.

Monsters Of Folk was a major moment in its day, as the indie supergroup featured Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, and M. Ward. The band’s self-titled album, their only release, came out in 2009. Now that it’s 15 years old, the group is celebrating with a new reissue that includes previously unheard bonus tracks. Ahead of its June 15 release, the band has shared “Disappeared” today.

The album will be available in a number of multi-colored vinyl editions, too, available exclusively via Barnes & Noble, Vinyl Me Please, and Rough Trade.

James, Oberst, and Ward shared statements reflecting on the project. James says:

“Making this album brought me back to the same feelings I had when I first started a band, or first started playing music in general – there’s a real simplicity and excitement to playing with folks you don’t normally play with. The spirit of play is alive on this whole thing. […] I feel like it really expanded my way of thinking about music, and my thinking in general. It was so special to create with artists that I respect so much–to come into the project from a place of already loving so many of their songs and their outlook on the world, and then feel the whole experience opening me up to life in such a fresh and beautiful way.”

Oberst says:

“It was amazing to have a ringside seat for the way Jim and M make records. Jim’s outside-the-box knack for soul and harmony and M’s sense of space and songcraft were so inspiring and invaluable to me then, and continue to be to this day.”

Ward says:

“Debut records have a freedom that can’t be matched, because there’s no history to work from. I just hear the four of us following wherever the songs seem to be leading us.”

Listen to “Disappeared” above and find the reissue’s tracklist below.

Monsters Of Folk’s Monsters Of Folk Tracklist

1. “Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)”
2. “Say Please”
3. “Whole Lotta Losin’”
4. “Temazcal”
5. “The Right Place”
6. “Baby Boomer”
7. “Man Named Truth”
8. “Goodway”
9. “Ahead Of The Curve”
10. “Slow Down Jo”
11. “Losin Yo Head”
12. “Magic Marker”
13. “Map Of The World”
14. “The Sandman, The Brakeman And Me”
15. “His Master’s Voice”
16. “Dear To The Assassin” (bonus track)
17. “Sweet Silence” (bonus track)
18. “The Living Thing” (bonus track)
19. “Museum Guard” (bonus track)
20. “Disappeared” (bonus track)

Monsters Of Folk (Deluxe Edition) is out 6/14 via ATO. Find more information here.

Controversial social media influencer DJ Akademiks has been named in a lawsuit accusing him of rape, sexual assault, and defamation. According to Rolling Stone, the plaintiff, Fauziya “Ziya” Abashe, alleges that the influencer — whose real name is Livingston Allen — invited her to his home in July 2022, where he and two other men drugged her, raped her, and later showed her security footage of the incident.

Abashe says she went to the police for testing, and a rape kit confirmed traces of Allen’s semen. Authorities allegedly also photographed bruises on her arms, legs, and back. Although she did not press charges at the time, she says that police did record a call between the two that confirmed sexual intercourse, and that a search by police revealed “several items (bed sheets, etc.)” had been disposed of in a dumpster near his office — which the suit calls proof he was trying to get rid of evidence.

Over a year later, during a December livestream, Allen denied assaulting Abashe, claiming he was asleep during the assault. However, rather than expressing empathy or regret, he made the claim that Abashe was “getting trained by my two mens on my pool deck,” arguing that her participation was voluntary. According to the suit, his claims were “misleading and false, as he was in possession of text messages from Ms. Abashe, where she stated that she did not know what happened to her on July 16, 2022, and that it was Mr. Allen who informed her of the night’s events.”

The suit was filed by Tyrone Blackburn, who is also litigating the controversial sexual harassment lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Only one model has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated‘s “Swimsuit Issue” five times: Elle Macpherson. But Kate Upton is catching up.

Upton appears on the 2024 edition of the annual cover for a fourth time, and first since 2017. “After my first cover with [SI Swimsuit] in 2012, it really started this conversation about body positivity and inclusivity,” she told Sports Illustrated. “When I look back at my first cover, I see how young I was and I also can’t help but be taken back to that massive moment [when] that cover launched and that conversation of my body and what my body was.”

If Upton appears on 300 more covers, she’ll only be (approximately) 150 covers behind Brett Favre!

This year, Upton joins three other incredible women — including brand icons Hunter McGrady and Chrissy Teigen, as well as first-timer Gayle King — who were each honored with individual 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue covers.

Upton actually presented King with her issue of the magazine on Tuesday’s episode of CBS Mornings. To show her excitement, for both herself and the Emmy-winning anchor, Upton used a Simpsons GIF of Homer Simpson doing Curly’s floor spin from The Three Stooges while sharing a clip from the episode in an Instagram Story. You can see that on Upton’s account before it’s gone.

Here she is talking about the cover on CBS Mornings.

(Via Sports Illustrated)

Amazon has been crushing the Original Series game with a vengeance. Their Tuesday Upfront event revealed information on the next Mr. & Mrs. Smith season as well as a peek at the new The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power season, and of course, there’s much more on the way soon. The sort-of sad news is that Reacher will not return until 2025.

However, there’s no reason to be upset for more than a few moments. The Boys returns in June, and before that happens, a truly hypnotizing series, Outer Range, comes back with Josh Brolin as a time-traveling rancher in a series that defies concise explanation. Royal Abbott will soon return to screens, so you might be wondering how much of him (and fam) that we will receive.

How Many Episodes Are In ‘Outer Range’ Season 2?

Unlike the series itself, there’s a very simple answer: 7 episodes.

Rest assured, however, that the second season is as jam-packed with mystical moments as its predecessor was in 8 episodes. Also, Brolin decided to get nude while promoting the new season, so you know that he’s very excited.

With that said, answers still remain on the following questions: Who is Autumn, really? Will anyone ever see Perry Abbott again after he dove into the void? And will Deputy Sheriff Joy ever receive the respect that she deserves?

Hopefully, the truth will unfold when Outer Range returns to Prime Video (Amazon) on May 16.

That Mexican OT is a rising star. The Texas rapper has watched his profile rise precipitously in the past year, with two albums, Lonestar Luchador and Texas Technician, land in the top 100 and a slew of collaborations with high-profile stars from his home state like Maxo Kream, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, and Z-Ro.

Now, he’s taking the show on the road with his upcoming summer tour, backed by Maxo Kream and Drodi. Tickets go on sale on Friday, May 17, at ThatMexicanOT.net. You can see the tour dates below.

06/12/2024 — Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
06/13/2024 — Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Ballroom Headline
06/14/2024 — Chicago, IL @ Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash
06/16/2024 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore
06/18/2024 — Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
06/20/2024 — Albuquerque, NM @ Revel
06/21/2024 — Amarillo, TX @ Azteca Music Hall
06/22/2024 — Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion
06/23/2024 — Wichita, KS @ Cotillion Ballroom
06/25/2024 — Omaha, NE @ Steelhouse Omaha
06/26/2024 — Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom
06/27/2024 — Kansas City, MO @ The Midland Theatre
06/28/2024 — St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
06/30/2024 — Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
07/03/2024 — Corpus Christi, TX @ Concrete Street Pavilion
07/05/2024 — San Angelo, TX @ Riverstage Amphitheatre
07/06/2024 — Lubbock, TX @ Lonestar Events Center
07/09/2024 — Laredo, TX @ Casablanca Ballroom
07/10/2024 — Beaumont, TX @ Roxy Theater
07/11/2024 — Waco, TX @ The Backyard
07/12/2024 — Plano, TX @ The Lexus Box Garden at Legacy Hall
07/14/2024 — Tyler, TX @ Country River Club
07/17/2024 — Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
07/19/2024 — Newport, KY @ Megacorp Pavillion
07/21/2024 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
07/23/2024 — New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
07/24/2024 — Washington, DC @ The Fillmore
07/25/2024 — Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
08/17/2024 — Odessa, TX @ West Texas Truck Show
10/06/2024 — Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/10/2024 — Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live
10/13/2024 — Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
11/10/2024 — Fayetteville, AR @ JJ’s Live