Lupe also dismissed long-running speculation that he dislikes Kendrick Lamar. “I genuinely don’t have any issues, I really don’t,” he said. “I do not have a problem. No matter what was said in the past, what you think happened, what happened, what didn’t happen. I personally and professionally do not have a problem with my brother in arms, Kendrick Lamar.”
Just now on Spaces @JoeBudden and @LupeFiasco talked about Drake and Kendrick. Lupe says he loves Kendrick and Joe says he loves Drake. Both ask for the narratives to end. pic.twitter.com/TYXr1y8qkd
Perhaps Lupe was just too busy finalizing preparations for his new album, Samurai, and his upcoming Samurai tour, which starts in October. Or maybe he just tired of the conflict, as he pointed out during a separate Spaces chat that it undermined hip-hop as a whole to fight about who deserves to be “in” or “out.” “I don’t think we should be choosing who comes in and out and making decisions on that sh*t anyway… I think it is going to do more harm than good,” he said. “I think you are going to miss out on a lot of beautiful things because of it. I think you are going to ostracize people and like I said, there are going to be a group of motherf*ckers that you think you actually control and sh*t and its dudes doing 50 city tours who you ain’t never heard of. ‘Cause they like, ‘F*ck that dude. I’m finna do this because I love it.’ But now, they are the ‘out group,’ but they are selling more records than you and selling more tour dates than you. But you are the spokesperson for hip-hop? That don’t make no sense.”
There was a time not so long ago (the year 2017) when we thought we would never see Hugh Jackman and his metal claws again. That’s because they really made it seem like we would never see Hugh Jackman and his metal claws again, and yet here we are! Just days away from his triumphant return in Deadpool & Wolverine, with his metal claws. Again.
Deadpool & Wolverine follows the two enemy superheroes (Ryan Reynolds and Jackman) forced to team up as the Time Variance Authority sends them on a mission which subsequently changes the history of the MCU. But it’s all good because it needed some changing anyway.
The movie clocks in at 2 hours and 7 minutes, which is the equivalent of roughly 230 Mint mobile ads. This makes Deadpool & Wolverine the longest movie in the Deadpool franchise. It’s also the goriest, allegedly.
But will these be the last 2 hours and 7 minutes we get to see Wolverine? Who knows. When asked by Collider if this would actually be Wolverine’s last hurrah, Jackman couldn’t say. “It literally does not matter how I answer this, Steve, because I’m clearly a liar. But what’s so great about my lie is I believed it. Fully. I fully believed it,” he said. That’s what makes him such a good actor! We fully believe him even when he’s lying.
Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters this Friday, July 26th.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormons, are a conservative group who aren’t known for being vocal about sex.
But best selling author, blogger, and mother of six, Gabrielle Blair, has kicked that stereotype to the curb with a pointed thread on reducing unwanted pregnancies. And her sights are set directly at men.
If you want to stop abortion, you need to prevent unwanted pregnancies. And men are 100% responsible for unwanted pregnancies. No for real, they are. Perhaps you are thinking: IT TAKES TWO! And yes, it does take two for _intentional_ pregnancies.
But ALL unwanted pregnancies are caused by the irresponsible ejaculations of men. Period. Don’t believe me? Let me walk you through it. Let’s start with this: women can only get pregnant about 2 days each month. And that’s for a limited number of years.
Here’s the whole thread. It’s long, but totally worth the read.
u201cThat makes 24 days a year a women might get pregnant. But men can _cause_ pregnancy 365 days a year. In fact, if youu2019re a man who ejaculates multiple times a day, you could cause multiple pregnancies daily. In theory a man could cause 1000+ unwanted pregnancies in just one year.u201d
But what about birth control? If a woman doesnu2019t want to risk an unwanted pregnancy, why wouldnu2019t she just use birth control? If a women can manage to figure out how to get an abortion, surely she can get birth control, right? Great questions.
u2026 because of the side effects. And the list of side effects was about 1/3 as long as the known side effects for women’s oral contraception.https://ow.ly/Hqdx30lOrKJ
But good news, Men: Even with the horrible side effects, women are still very willing to use birth control. Unfortunately itu2019s harder to get than it should be. Birth control options for women require a doctoru2019s appointment and a prescription. Itu2019s not free, and often not cheap.
If weu2019re talking about the pill, it requires consistent daily use and doesnu2019t leave much room for mistakes, forgetfulness, or unexpected disruptions to daily schedules. And again, the side effects can be brutal. Iu2019M STILL GRATEFUL FOR IT PLEASE DONu2019T TAKE IT AWAY.
Men can keep them stocked up just in case, so theyu2019re always prepared. Amazing! They are so much easier than birth control options for women. As a bonus, in general, women love when men use condoms. They keep us from getting STDs, they donu2019t lessen our pleasure during sexu2026
Oh. I remember. Men _donu2019t_ love condoms. In fact, men frequently pressure women to have sex without a condom. And itu2019s not unheard of for men to remove the condom during sex, without the womenu2019s permission or knowledge. (Pro-tip: That’s assault.)https://ow.ly/UHgP30lOse3
Sou2026 there are men willing to risk getting a woman pregnant u2014 which means literally risking her life, her health, her social status, her relationships, and her career, so that they can experience a few minutes of _slightly_ more pleasure? Is that for real? Yes. Yes it is.
So itu2019s not like sex with a condom is _not_ pleasurable, itu2019s just not _as_ pleasurable. An 8 instead of a 10. Let me emphasize that again: Men regularly choose to put women at massive risk by having non-condom sex, in order to experience a few minutes of slightly more pleasure.
Itu2019s mind-boggling and disturbing when you realize thatu2019s the choice men are making. And honestly, Iu2019m not as mad as I should be about this, because weu2019ve trained men from birth that their pleasure is of utmost importance in the world. (And to dis-associate sex and pregnancy.)
Itu2019s mind-boggling and disturbing when you realize thatu2019s the choice men are making. And honestly, Iu2019m not as mad as I should be about this, because weu2019ve trained men from birth that their pleasure is of utmost importance in the world. (And to dis-associate sex and pregnancy.)
But did you further know that men CAN get a woman pregnant without HER feeling any pleasure at all? In fact, itu2019s totally possible for a man to impregnate a woman even while causing her excruciating pain, trauma or horror.
No matter how many orgasms she has, they wonu2019t make her pregnant. Pregnancies can only happen when men have an orgasm. Unwanted pregnancies can only happen when men orgasm irresponsibly.
Letu2019s talk more about responsibility. Men often donu2019t know, and donu2019t ask, and donu2019t think to ask, if theyu2019ve caused a pregnancy. They may never think of it, or associate sex with making babies at all. Why? Because there are 0 consequences for men who cause unwanted pregnancies.
Blair’s controversial tweet storm have been liked hundreds of thousands of time, with the original tweet earning nearly 200,000 likes since it was posted on Thursday, September, 13.
The reactions have earned her both praise and scorn.
Most of the scorn was from men.
Men AND women both need to take responsibility for their own actions. I’ve said that many times. To say otherwise just isn’t being realistic.
You are incorrect. A woman having an orgasm while with a man risks nothing and hurts no one. A man having an orgasm while with a woman risks her life. A dick without a condim is a dangerous thing and has killed more people in human history than any war or weapon.
For other men, the tweet thread was a real eye-opener.
I just want you to know from a guy that your entire line of argument on this thread is 100% accurate. Thanks for taking the time to put this out there. Every adult in this country SHOULD read this.
Thank God for this. I have had so many arguments with men over the years about their part of responsibility for pregnancy. The phrase “she got pregnant” sends me to the moon! Blessings to you Gabrielle!
— What else is possible? (@What else is possible?) 1537204198
Pulitzer, Nobel, everything else. You deserve the whole lot!
Much of the Joker: Folie à Deux trailer is centered around the chaotic romance between Joaquin Phoenix‘s Joker and Lady Gaga‘s Harley “Lee” Quinn, but there’s another major Gotham City figure in there, too — even if you don’t see his face. Or should I say, faces?
The Joker: Folie à Deux trailer begins with Arthur Fleck, a.k.a. Joker, in the backseat of a cop car as off-screen figures discuss his crimes. “Two years ago, the name Arthur Fleck hit Gotham like a hurricane,” one man says, while another sounds disgusted that Joker’s followers believe him to be “some kind of martyr.” If you turn on the closed captioning for the trailer, you can see who the voice belongs to: Harvey Dent, the righteous Gotham City district attorney who — spoiler alert? — turns into Two-Face.
warner bros.
It’s unclear how big of a role Harvey Dent will have in the movie, and even who’s playing him. But one thing is for sure: you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see multiple actors win an Oscar for playing the Joker.
Here’s the official logline: “Joker: Folie à Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.”
Joker: Folie à Deux opens in theaters on October 4.
But fans of one rapper have seemingly turned on the record-breaking WNBA star after she supposedly “disrespected” Nicki Minaj in a video on TikTok. The Barbz are now attempting to undercut the All-Star, digging up more examples of perceived anti-Minaj sentiment. So, what’s got the notoriously prickly fanbase riled this time?
In the TikTok video, Reese and some friends are seen lounging in the entrance hall of a mansion listening to the remix of Sexyy Red’s breakout single “Pound Town.” Reese appears for a few seconds to lip-sync to the lyrics and lightly twerk, but slides out of the frame as Minaj’s verse starts. This was, in the view of some Barbz, a sign that Reese does not mess with the Queens rapper, and the green light to dig up as much dirt as they could find.
It didn’t take long for them to find a video of Reese answering an interview question about who she’d want to perform if she hosted SNL in which she names Cardi B, GloRilla, Latto, and Megan Thee Stallion. The Barbz noted that she did NOT say Nicki Minaj — because nobody is allowed to have their own opinions, I guess — and that everybody she DID name has been targeted by Minaj (conveniently ignoring the common denominator here).
A*gel R*ese is a loser. She was the biggest barb on TikTok quoting and copying Nicki down on IG until she appeared in PIOTF video. Goofy bitch, that’s why Caitlin Clark better, is paid more and getting all the brand deals/ promo pic.twitter.com/Iz3aWfrGDO
— WRITE A RAP | FAN Account (@WriteARapSis) July 22, 2024
Of course, cooler heads have pointed out how much Barbz appear to be overreacting.
why tf yall getting mad at angel reese for stepping out a video when nicki came on ??? IF SHE DONT LIKE HA , SHE DONT LIKE HA OH WELL HO . Like people really irritated tf outta me
Barbs/Milagro upset that Angel Reese moved out of the way when Nicki Minaj’s verse came on and how she said in an interview she listens to Cardi, Meg, Glorilla.
Do y’all REALLY expect ANGEL REESE, a tall woman like MEGAN, who gets critiqued and masculinized in the same exact…
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.
Alan Sparhawk – “Can U Hear”
It feels impossible to talk about Alan Sparhawk without also talking about Mimi Parker, Sparhawk’s bandmate in Low and wife who died in late 2022. Low had an incredible run, an inimitable catalog spanning decades, from 1994’s slowcore opus I Could Live In Hope to 2021’s noisy, BJ Burton-produced Hey What. Sparhawk, as a part of the grieving process and the desire to continue making art, has returned with new solo music, his first album since 2006’s Solo Guitar. “Can U Hear,” the lead single of White Roses, My God, is Sparhawk’s most electronic material yet. While Low’s last two records dabbled in synthesizers and digital manipulation, “Can U Hear” doesn’t pick up where those albums left off, and it’s for the better; it leaves Low’s legacy untouched, captured in brilliant amber. Pitch-shifted vocals and glitchy drum machines abound, paving a new path for Sparhawk to walk.
Japandroids – “Chicago”
The musical equivalent of Uproxx’s very own Steven Hyden and Ian Cohen have returned. Japandroids, one of the ultimate Indiecast duos, have announced their fourth and final album, Fate & Alcohol. While it’s sad that Japandroids is coming to a close officially, it’s fun to hear David Prowse and Brian King make their exit with a sense of fiery urgency. Lead single “Chicago” conveys that urgency with its brisk pace and suffocating guitars, ensuring that the beloved duo go out like an explosive firework.
Nicole Miglis – “Lure”
Nicole Miglis’ new solo music plays like a real-time documentary. Written via a portable setup while on the road, the Hundred Waters vocalist wrote songs for Myopia, her forthcoming solo debut, as they came to her naturally. Going solo can sometimes feel like a contrived effort toward reinvention. On her new songs, including the latest single “Lure,” Miglis doesn’t force a new style so much as she scans out and organically expands her core sound, composed of piano arrangements, orchestral pop, and her gossamer voice, all before shifting to an arpeggiated-synth dance loop fit for a club. “Lure” doesn’t sound myopic in the least.
Los Campesinos! – All Hell
The UK’s only emo band are back in action. It has been seven years since the Welsh septet has put out a new record, and they’ve self-released and self-produced the immaculate All Hell, their seventh studio album. Straddling the line between late-aughts blog rock and early-10s Tumblr emo, Los Campesinos! have created an album that perfectly encapsulates what makes this band so campy and, by that extension, so damn fun.
Jasmine.4.t – “Skin On Skin”
The latest signing to Phoebe Bridgers’ Dead Oceans imprint, Saddest Factory Records, is also its first UK signing. Jasmine.4.t, the indie-pop project of Jasmine Cruickshank, comes to the label armed with an excellent new single, “Skin On Skin,” produced by Bridgers herself and her other two Boygenius bandmates, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. “Skin On Skin” shifts from a gentle, Perfume Genius-esque aura before it quickly opens up halfway with ‘90s alt-rock-tinged guitars, as Cruickshank’s winsome voice serves as the tune’s melodic through line.
Oso Oso – “That’s What Time Does”
Jade Lilitri, the leading figure of emo stalwarts Oso Oso, is a big fan of surprises. Sore Thumb, the fourth Oso Oso album, was a surprise drop in early 2022, but this time around, Lilitri is giving us plenty of time (three weeks, a lot by his usual standards) to bask in the glow of this exciting news. The next Oso Oso record, Life Till Bones, will be released on Aug. 9. In the interim, he has shared “That’s What Time Does,” a banger abundant with the Long Beach, NY band’s core signifiers: sunny guitars, Lilitri’s pristine yet raw vocals, and a chorus so catchy it’s stuck in your head even after only one listen.
Chat Pile – “I Am Dog Now”
Chat Pile is moving from God’s Country to a Cool World. After outlining the faults of the U.S. on their 2022 debut with seething excoriations like “Why” and “Slaughterhouse,” the Oklahoma City sludge metal-meets-noise rock quartet takes their anti-capitalist ethos to a wider, global stage on their forthcoming second record, Cool World. “I Am Dog Now,” the lead single and album opener, sets that stage perfectly. When frontman Raygun Busch screams “Trash mouth, veins full of garbage,” you can practically see his vocal cords ripping apart. Gritty basslines and disgusting (complimentary) guitar tones ensue, setting up Chat Pile for what is sure to be one of the best albums of the year.
Wild Pink – “The Fences Of Stonehenge”
John Ross is among the most consistently excellent songwriters in indie rock. Under the name Wild Pink, Ross has refined and expanded upon the heartland rock template he set out with on his 2017 debut. Along the way, the New York songwriter has steadily evolved his sound, culminating in the ambitious, sprawling ILYSM in 2022. For Dulling the Horns, the first Wild Pink album for Fire Talk, Ross has condensed its predecessor’s towering sentiments into a tighter package. It’s more concise but no less affecting. As the stellar lead single “The Fences Of Stonehenge” shows, it marks another worthy entry in Wild Pink’s no-miss catalog.
The Linda Lindas – “All In My Head”
School sucks. So goes the typical adage of suburban youth stuck in the malaise of classes, homework, and the general restrictions of teenagedom. It may suck even more if you’re also a touring musician with gigs opening for Rancid and Green Day, the progenitors of suburban angst. Such is the case for The Linda Lindas. With several members still in high school and a viral performance of “Racist, Sexist Boy” at the LA Public Library under their belts, their strain of summery pop-punk has kept them plenty busy. No Obligation, their forthcoming sophomore album, solidifies that notion even further. Their new single “All In My Head,” with its roaring choruses and pristine production, once again ensures their virality wasn’t a flash in the pan. It was merely the beginning.
Drug Church – “Demolition Man”
Drug Church are sticking to what they know. And that’s a good thing; Drug Church do what they do incredibly well. On the cusp of their fifth album, Prude, the Albany band have planted their proverbial flag in the hardcore scene. Patrick Kindlon’s signature half-sung, half-screamed vocals, Nick Cogan and Cory Galusha’s fat riffs, Chris Villeneuve’s punishing drums, and Pat Wynne’s gravelly basslines alchemize into one of modern punk’s defining sounds. Just as they have been doing since 2011, they’ve created that alchemy again on lead single “Demolition Man.” The video stars Bill Wiff, whose famous I Think You Should Leave line comes through loud and clear in the band’s new tune: Drug Church just go fuckin’ nuts in there.
When Darby Allin rappelled down from the rafters at the conclusion of the 250th episode of AEW Dynamite, there was no question about how far he’s come. He wrestled on AEW All Out, the very first episode of AEW Dark, the second episode of Dynamite, and now is one of the focal points of the entire roster.
“I was there from essentially the very, very beginning of the whole company. You bust your ass, put your head down, and you get to work,” Allin tells Uproxx Sports. “You always get rewarded for that. And that was a payoff for all my hard work.”
The spot, where Team Elite faced off against Team AEW and Allin appeared out of nowhere to even the odds was reminiscent of Sting’s arrivals back in the WCW days. Allin says that decision to come down from the ceiling was him “paying homage” to the Icon, but he’s not trying to “cosplay Sting” and this won’t be a regular occurrence, rather it will be reserved for special moments.
With regards to how it came together, he confirmed a Fightful report that he and AEW CEO Tony Khan met with Martha Hart in Calgary, spoke about his entrance being a possibility, and she said, “Absolutely, I trust your team, you guys are super professional.”
Top to bottom, Dynamite 250 offered another example of their weekly shows being built on exceptional wrestling. For Allin, the difference between current-day AEW and the early days couldn’t be more opposite.
“The shows are just so much better. I feel like you kind of have to throw crap at the wall and see what sticks for the first few years,” Allin says.
“To get on Dynamite, you really have to be good. It’s no longer, ‘Oh, you know, I’m friends with this guy, so I’m gonna give him a hand out and just put him on the show,’ it’s not about that anymore. You gotta put up, you gotta perform and you gotta actually bust your ass or you’re not gonna get on the show and a lot of the people that were not good were weeded out the first couple of years.”
Allin points to MJF and Will Ospreay’s classic as an example of two guys putting on a masterpiece, and the bar that’s been set to get on television.
“It lasted like an hour and it was insane. This isn’t a friggin’ spring break for your buddies to hang out. We’re putting our souls in that ring,” Allin continues. “If you don’t have that chip on your shoulder, I do not want you in the locker room for sure.”
That chip on Allin’s shoulder comes from a dedication to the business and a passion that developed early on in life. If you’d asked him if any of this would ever be possible growing up, the answer is unlikely.
“I don’t even remember my first time watching wrestling because it was always in the background when I was growing up,” Allin says. “At the same time, growing up. you just figure I don’t know if I’d be able to do that. It just seems like such a world of steroids and crap. The fact that times have changed is pretty cool.”
Instead Allin’s journey took him down varied paths, from life as a dishwasher, to film school (which he hated), and eventually he turned to wrestling. In wrestling, tapping into that passion for film has helped separate him from the pack.
“If you do anything outside of the ring to help get fans intrigued with what you’re doing, that’s clearly worked my whole career. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that, all those extra vignettes and everything that I do outside of the ring definitely put me in the position I’m at today,” Allin continues.
More than eight years into his career, Allin has dedicated his body to putting on a show for fans night in and night out. He says he’ll never take the night off because he doesn’t take any of this for granted. He remembers how awful life as a dishwasher was and says you won’t ever see him going out to the ring and playing his greatest hits. Instead, Allin is the underdog, the scrappy fighter who’s going to keep getting up at the count of nine, and won’t stay down unless you make sure he can’t stand.
He’s a disruptor, and when the opportunity to land with a startup ready to change the entire landscape of wrestling appeared, he was determined to make his mark in AEW.
“One of the first times I heard (AEW had) creative freedom, I was like, what’s that? I couldn’t care less if it wasn’t a guaranteed TV thing. I just wanted to be on a company from the ground up, so I’d stop at nothing to get to that company,” Allin says.
Creative freedom to do interesting things alongside Sting is what made the Icon’s final professional wrestling run so special. That and just how natural their partnership was.
“Tony wanted to pair me up with him. But if you don’t have natural chemistry, people are going to see through it right away,” Allin says. “So we had good chemistry. We got along really good outside of the ring and that’s why I felt like it speaks to how his career went in AEW.”
Their chemistry developed right off the bat, from the very first evening they met.
“There was like that essence to him, where he didn’t have an ego or anything like that,” Allin says. “He was actually like, ‘I like your presentation, your videos.’ So I feel like there was a level of trust right off the start with him.”
The trust imparted on Allin to work with Sting was enormous, showing early on the potential Khan and those in AEW see in him.
“I feel like he saw my work ethic and he saw that I could do something with (Sting). You ain’t going to fumble that. You ain’t going to just put Sting with some guy that’s going to waste everybody’s time,” Allin continues.
Allin did all that he could to make every match memorable on Sting’s last ride. And when it came time to put the proper bow on his career, Allin took what he calls the most dangerous spot of his career when he flipped from a ladder inside the ring through a pane of glass being held up by chairs against the Young Bucks at AEW Revolution.
“It wasn’t painful. It just was very dangerous. I’m lucky to have dodged a bullet on that one, even though I got my side sliced open. That was definitely the most risky, if you look at it,” Allin continues.
In a world sometimes dominated by behind-the-scenes politics, Sting gave Allin an outlook on wrestling that things could be different. He says the biggest takeaway from working with Sting was seeing him as “humble and a normal human being outside the ring” instead of letting the wrestling world “eat you alive.”
Across their journey together, Allin has essentially become an extended family member. Just as Allin learned from Sting, Sting’s son Steven, is continuing to train with Allin in hopes of transitioning into professional wrestling.
“He’s still training. He stays outside in the tent in my front yard. And then yeah, it’s still coming. Definitely want to take our time with that and not rush anything. Because we don’t want it to look like, ‘Oh, Sting’s son’s getting a handout and we’re just going to rush him in there and this guy sucks really bad in the ring.’ No, we want to make sure he’s ready to rock, you know, whenever he steps foot in the ring you only get one shot at a first impression,” Allin continues.
“To be there from the very beginning with (Sting) and AEW and him to just let me into his life like this. Now that I can try to help his son, it’s like a full full circle moment for sure because he’s done a lot for me so if I could do something for his son, let’s go.”
Allin’s breakaway from Sting was executed perfectly. But injuries have derailed Allin’s next stage of his career. He broke his foot, was hit by a bus, got hung upside down at Double or Nothing and was kicked in the face with thumbtack shoes, each injury forcing him out of action. And now he’s making his return just in time for the appropriately named Blood and Guts double cage match event alongside Swerve Strickland, The Acclaimed, and Mark Briscoe this Wednesday night.
“If anybody’s sleeping on this match, they’re in for a surprise for sure,” Allin says.
The match offers another chance to kickstart the next stage in his career. For Allin, it’s all about taking things day by day and doing it his way.
“I want to look back and be like all that matters is I did it on my own terms and I didn’t have to change anything,” Allin continues. “I’ve said it before with wrestling companies in the past, they knew they were the only game in town and they knew that they could, you know, ‘Oh, if you really want to be with us, you’re going to have to wear a skirt or a dress or cut your hair or do this or that,’ things that are totally opposite of what you would be doing. And people would say, ‘yes sir, I will,’ and sell their souls. But the fact that I could make it to the top by being myself, that’s all that matters at the end of the day.”
What’s in focus next for Allin is taking the leap, becoming the face of AEW, and elevating the company to place it hasn’t been before.
“Becoming the face of this company,” Allin says. “That’s literally the whole goal. It’s fun to put your head down and get to work. That’s what excites me, to get more eyes on AEW and just build this whole brand up. It’s so awesome to be there from the ground level and see what we’ve done in six years.”
Check that out and more in Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Jimin — “Who”
Jimin just released Muse, the BTS member’s second solo project. “Who,” co-produced by Jon Bellion, finds Jimin contemplating whom his ultimate muse is (“Is she someone that I see every day? / Is she somewhere a thousand miles away?”) and wondering why he hasn’t met her yet (“If every day I think about her / Yeah, every day of my life / Then tell me why I haven’t found her?”). The accompanying YongSeok Choi-directed video spotlights Jimin’s impressive range as a performer, as he executes mesmerizing choreography with expert precision. Being in the world’s foremost K-pop boy band will do that.
Stray Kids — “Chk Chk Boom”
Ryan Reynolds’ love for Stray Kids cannot be questioned. Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, his Deadpool & Wolverine co-star, appeared in Stray Kids’ “Chk Chk Boom” video dressed in their respective superhero costumes. Jackman attempts to do the weather, but Reynolds is chewing someone out in the background. Finally, we see Reynolds take the desk as a CCB News anchor. Stray Kids are not overshadowed, however. Their undeniable star power oozes throughout the “Chk Chk Boom” video. “Chk Chk Boom” comes from Stray Kids’ newly released ATE album, their ninth mini-album.
Joe Jonas — “Work It Out”
This summer — more commonly known as Brat summer — has been dominated by the pop girlies, but Joe Jonas is undeterred. “Work It Out” arrives as the lead single from Music For People Who Believe In Love, his recently announced solo album due out on October 18. Jonas allows listeners into his inner monologue about anxiety, insecurities, and general wallowing. The song works to uplift himself and listeners, and while “Life’s gonna work it out” is the song’s hook, “Even baddies get saddies” is the internet’s motto.
Madison Beer — “15 Minutes”
Madison Beer did Megan Fox proud in her “Make You Mine” video, and she one-upped herself with “15 Minutes.” The pulsating beat underscores Beer’s impulsivity while her hushed vocals outline her racing thoughts, “Fifteen minutes ago, I was layin’ in bed / Then I had a crazy thought in my head / So I took the keys and got in the car / Don’t know how I got here, but baby, here we are.” It should also be noted that Beer seems to call back to her previous hit in the second verse — “Never forget I made you mine” — which only further immerses fans into the new world she’s unfurling.
Khalid — “Ground”
Next month, Khalid will release Spirit, his third studio album and first LP since 2019. It’s been five years, but “Ground” shows that his ethereal, melodic delivery is still well in tact. He appears to have gained new perspective from his time in relative obscurity with lines like “When you’re gone, the world doesn’t starve.” Khalid has always been uniquely capable of hypnosis, and Spirit figures to propel him back into the mainstream.
Rauw Alejandro — “Déjame Entrar”
Not to be outdone by Stray Kids, Rauw Alejandro enlisted Oscar winner Adrien Brody to grace his “Déjame Entrar” video. Directed by Martin Seipel and El Zorro, the video shows Brody and Alejandro driving around at dusk, and eventually, Brody asks, “Do you think she’s the one?” Alejandro doesn’t know, but “she’s different.” Throughout, Alejandro flirts with temptation. By the end, he concedes, “She’s the one.” This is cinema.
Role Model — “Scumbag”
Role Model released Kansas Anymore, his sophomore album, and self-deprecation is at an all-time high on “Scumbag.” The song’s beautiful video finds Role Model in his hometown Cape Elizabeth, Maine — so, yes, he is not in Kansas anymore — and grappling with understanding why anyone would think highly of him. “I’m a scumbag,” he sings in the country-pop’s chorus. “I’m a setback / I’m a stain on the kitchen floor / I’m a trainwreck / I’m a cigarette / I’m the side that no one’s rooting for / But you stand by me / Yeah, you stand by me.” Fans will be validated in standing by him after listening to the rest of Kansas Anymore.
Benson Boone — “Death Wish Love”
Benson Boone has steadily kept within the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 with his TikTok breakthrough “Beautiful Things,” so naturally, the next step was contributing to the blockbuster Twisters soundtrack. “Death Wish Love” accentuates Boone’s captivating voice and aching lyricism.
EarthGang & Snakehips — “Glimmer”
UK production duo Snakehips teamed with Atlanta hip-hop duo EarthGang for SNAKEGANG EP Volume 1, which is exactly what it sounds like. “Glimmer” embodies classic house music and prompts inevitable shimmying. “Like our past collaborations, we aimed to blend EarthGang’s flow with dance-oriented beats, creating a vibrant party atmosphere,” Snakehips said in a statement. “‘Glimmer’ came together last; by then, we were completely immersed in the vibe, and the energy on that track felt electrifying.”
Daydreamers — “All I Ever Dream About”
Daydreamers made everyone want to sprint to the nearest beach house with May’s lilting “Beach House.” The London-based alt-pop group fell further down the romanticism rabbit hole with “All I Ever Dream About,” an airy, free-spirited song. “You’re super obsessed with somebody, and you know it’s not good for you,” vocalist and songwriter Riley said in a statement. “It’s pure infatuation, but I think this song also comes from a place of slight irony.” There’s nothing ironic about Daydreamers’ artistic viability.
As part of an experiment, a man asks for help translating a Facebook message he has received.
There’s a man in Lithuania who speaks only English. The message is in Lithuanian. He can’t read it, so he asks some locals to translate it for him.
As he asks one person after another to translate the message for him, two things become obvious.
1. He’s received a message full of hate speech.
2. Translating it for him is breaking people’s hearts.
It’s nearly more than these people can bear.
There’s a sudden, powerful connection between the translators and the man they’re translating for. They want to protect him, telling him not to bother with the message.
They apologize for the message.
They look like they want to cry.
Words hurt.
Most of us would never think of saying such horrible things. This video shows people realizing in their gut what it must feel like when those words are pointed at them — it’s all right on their faces. And so is their compassion.
The Facebook message is horrible, but their empathy is beautiful. The video’s emotional power is what makes it unique, and so worth watching and passing around.
Here it is.
The video’s in English, subtitled in Lithuanian. Just watch the faces.
One of the biggest problems with coffee production is that it generates an incredible amount of waste. Once coffee beans are separated from cherries, about 45% of the entire biomass is discarded.
So for every pound of roasted coffee we enjoy, an equivalent amount of coffee pulp is discarded into massive landfills across the globe. That means that approximately 10 million tons of coffee pulp is discarded into the environment every year.
When disposed of improperly, the waste can cause serious damage soil and water sources.
However, a new study published in the British Ecological Society journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence has found that coffee pulp isn’t just a nuisance to be discarded. It can have an incredibly positive impact on regrowing deforested areas of the planet.
In 2018, researchers from ETH-Zurich and the University of Hawaii spread 30 dump trucks worth of coffee pulp over a roughly 100′ x 130′ area of degraded land in Costa Rica. The experiment took place on a former coffee farm that underwent rapid deforestation in the 1950s.
The coffee pulp was spread three-feet thick over the entire area.
Another plot of land near the coffee pulp dump was left alone to act as a control for the experiment.
“The results were dramatic.” Dr. Rebecca Cole, lead author of the study, said. “The area treated with a thick layer of coffee pulp turned into a small forest in only two years while the control plot remained dominated by non-native pasture grasses.”
In just two years, the area treated with coffee pulp had an 80% canopy cover, compared to just 20% of the control area. So, the coffee-pulp-treated area grew four times more rapidly. Like a jolt of caffeine, it reinvigorated biological activity in the area.
The canopy was also four times taller than that of the control.
The coffee-treated area also eliminated an invasive species of grass that took over the land and prevented forest succession. Its elimination allowed for other native species to take over and recolonize the area.
“This case study suggests that agricultural by-products can be used to speed up forest recovery on degraded tropical lands. In situations where processing these by-products incurs a cost to agricultural industries, using them for restoration to meet global reforestation objectives can represent a ‘win-win’ scenario,” Dr. Cole said.
If the results are repeatable it’s a win-win for coffee drinkers and the environment.
Researchers believe that coffee treatments can be a cost-effective way to reforest degraded land. They may also work to reverse the effects of climate change by supporting the growth of forests across the globe.
The 2016 Paris Agreement made reforestation an important part of the fight against climate change. The agreement incentivizes developing countries to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, promote forest conservation and sustainable management, and enhance forest carbon stocks in developing countries.
“We hope our study is a jumping off point for other researchers and industries to take a look at how they might make their production more efficient by creating links to the global restoration movement,” Dr. Cole said.
This article originally appeared on 03.29.21
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
(@BoujeeNBanjee) 
| FAN Account (@WriteARapSis) 
(@NikkiNasty_) 
(@ashxlyy_) 
(@goddessskeesh_) 
: 
: 
