Month: August 2024

It’s very simple, you see: in Joker: Folie à Deux, Lady Gaga is playing Harley Quinn, but not the same Harley Quinn as Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad, which starred a different Joker than Joker: Folie à Deux‘s Joker, and The Suicide Squad. Like I said: simple.

Joker: Folie à Deux director Todd Phillips spoke to Variety about how Gaga’s Harley is different than other takes on the character. “The high voice, that accent, the gum-chewing, and all that sort of sassy stuff that’s in the comics, we stripped that away,” he said. “We wanted her to fit into this world of Gotham that we created from the first movie.”

The likelihood of hearing a “Mr. J” is low.

Gaga also discussed how she and co-star Joaquin Phoenix — who proved with Walk the Line that he can carry a tune — had to train themselves to sing worse. “We asked ourselves what would need to be true for two people to just break into song in the middle of a conversation?” she said. “Where does the music come from when no one can hear it but the characters? Neither Arthur nor Lee are professional singers, and they shouldn’t sound like they are.” They even both agreed to sing live on set, instead of using a pre-recorded track.

Joker: Folie à Deux opens in theaters on October 4.

Back in November 2022, Kanye West was sued by rights holders over an unauthorized sample of pioneering rap group Boogie Down Productions’ 1987 hit “South Bronx” on Kanye’s album, Donda. The sample allegedly appeared on the song “Life Of The Party” after Kanye first submitted, then retracted, a licensing request the year before.

According to Billboard, that lawsuit has now been settled. Both sides have agreed to dismiss the case, with each paying their own legal fees, although the terms of the settlement and any exchange of rights, royalties, etc. were not revealed.

Phase One Network, the group that owns Boogie Down’s copyrights, had alleged “final clearance for use of ‘South Bronx’ in the infringing track was never authorized,” but that “the infringing track was nevertheless reproduced, sold, distributed, publicly performed and exploited.” Meanwhile, Kanye’s lawyers argued that BDP frontman KRS-One had promised the free use of his catalog to “all MCs” in the 2006 documentary The Art of 16 Bars, in which he publicly stated “you will not get sued” for sampling his music.

Of course, KRS does not own the catalog which he freely offered, so his standing to make such a claim was derided as “bizarre” by Phase One’s attorneys. While Kanye West has since been dismissed from the case, the lawsuit will still continue against the makers of Kanye’s Stem Player, KANO, who were included for their role in distributing the album. A spokesperson for KANO told Rolling Stone in 2022, “The KANO and STEM team were assured by Kanye and Yeezy that they would provide music with ‘all intellectual property rights, licenses and consents.’”

Doing media ahead of his AEW All In main event against Swerve Strickland at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Bryan Danielson was asked which song he’d like to have played at his funeral.

Symbolic of sorts, the same song he’d named – Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” – was coincidentally chosen by AEW CEO Tony Khan as the song featured over a montage for Danielson ahead of what may be the final match of his professional wrestling career.

“I did the interview with Kerrang! magazine like a week before. And then it took, I don’t know, five or six days or whatever it is for the thing to come out. But I think it came out right around the same time that Tony announced he was going to play it with the Green Day song,” Danielson tells Uproxx Sports.

“So I think people thought they were connected, but Tony got the rights to the song before he even knew that I did that interview. So the timing of it, when he told me, I thought, ‘Oh, did he do that because he read the interview that I did last week?’ But I didn’t realize at that point that it hadn’t even come out. It was just this weird coincidence.”

If Danielson loses on Sunday, a funeral it would be for the career of quite possibly the greatest professional wrestler to ever grace the ring. But Danielson has been here before, and he’s ready for what happens next.

“It’s a night and day difference in the sense of being able to choose your retirement versus it being forced upon you,” Danielson continues.

In 2016, concussions required him to step away from the ring despite his body feeling, generally, pretty good. The opposite is true this time around.

“Now, the rest of my body doesn’t feel so good,” Danielson says. “As you get older, it becomes a little bit more difficult and especially with the style of wrestling that I like to do. I like to go in there and I like to get physical. If this is going to be the end, I’m really happy that I spent the last three years in AEW because it’s really allowed me to go out there and, on the tail end of my career, do the style of wrestling that I love most.”

His decision to possibly walk away isn’t about the potential inability to wrestle his style, or out of fear that he’ll become a shell of himself in the ring. Danielson says when you put limits on yourself he believes it actually enhances creativity, at the same time, keeping issues like concussions and his neck top of mind.

“One of my favorite matches I’ve had in a AEW was last year at All Out. I had broken my arm and wasn’t supposed to come back for three months, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I came back in two months. I wasn’t really able to use my right arm very much at all and had a strap match with Ricky Starks. And that’s actually one of my favorite matches that I’ve had in AEW,” Danielson continues. “You can never foresee a concussion, right? My history of concussions and then neck stuff. Just simple falls on your back, things that you wouldn’t think of as a dangerous thing. When you have a bad neck, all those things bother it, but that’s not the main reason I’m (considering retirement).”

He wants it to be crystal clear that his decision to put his career on the line right now is not about what he may or may not be able to do in the ring, rather an intentional decision to focus on family.

“I’m ready to step away from wrestling now because I want to be there for my family,” Danielson says. “I think that it’s been really important for me that my daughter understands that — my son, he’s only four, so he doesn’t understand these concepts — but the idea that I’m not stepping away because I can’t do it anymore. I’m going to be stepping away because I want to spend time with you. And I think that’s an important distinction for your kids. So I’ve really tried to make that a priority when I talked to her about it to the point where my daughter is hoping I lose next Sunday because that means for sure daddy’s coming home.”

Regardless of the result, the chance to wrestle at Wembley Stadium and become part of wrestling history isn’t lost on Danielson. Sitting at home last year while AEW broke the all-time attendance record at All In, he simultaneously felt like he was missing out, but at the same time says he was really excited for his friends to make their mark.

From a history perspective, wrestling at the iconic venue that played host to Davey Boy Smith’s SummerSlam 1992 classic against Bret Hart is a moment Danielson strived for. As he sat at home, he remembers thinking he’s got to be ready for next year.

In less than a week, he’ll walk the entrance ramp to the ring with his career on the line and a chance to claim the AEW World Championship against Strickland.

“For me, this is just an incredible dream that’s about to be fulfilled,” Danielson says.

Danielson’s opponent, Strickland, is essentially at the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of carving his own path. A veteran in his own right, Strickland has spent the last two years skyrocketing to the top of the wrestling world.

“As a human being, he’s just remarkable. He’s an incredible wrestler who really understands what fans want from a wrestling match. He’s just such an incredible athlete and has an incredible mind. But what really sets Swerve apart is his ability to define his own character and come across as different,” Danielson says. “As soon as he walks to the ring, you feel like he’s special because he is. He’s an incredibly intelligent guy. He’s an incredibly athletic guy. He has a great mind for wrestling. He has a great mind for entertainment. He has a great mind for music. And so I think that the character that he’s able to present on TV has really been remarkable.”

A match of this magnitude deserves the proper stage, and Khan is known to pull out all the stops to give these moments everything he can. But Danielson wants fans to temper expectations when it comes to hearing the memorable “The Final Countdown” song blaring over the speakers when he makes his way to the ring at Wembley.

“I have no idea,” Danielson says when asked if fans should expect to hear an iteration of his entrance music. “All I know is that’s a very expensive song to get. So please, please everybody do not be disappointed. (Khan) hasn’t told me anything about it. I’m just kind of anticipating I’ll come out to my normal song, which I also really like.”

The way this story has been built, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Sunday will be his last match. But what happens if The American Dragon avoids retirement and puts an early end to Strickland’s incredibly successful title run?

“I haven’t really thought that far ahead. I’m not under contract. If I do win, we’d have to get my neck checked and see what the next step is,” Danielson says.

While he’s participated in the creative process alongside Khan, Danielson was non-committal when it comes to his future in creative.

“The big thing for me is not having to travel very much because I don’t want to be away from my family. Traveling sometimes feels like it’s just as hard on my body as the wrestling,” Danielson says. “I really enjoy that part of wrestling as the creative outlet for my entire adult life. Anytime Tony wants to run ideas by me or get my input in the creative process, I’ll be more than willing to help out because that’s one of the things that I really love.”

If this really is it for his pro wrestling career, Danielson is going out not thinking about defining moments or matches, but rather his body of work over the last three years.

“When I think of this time, this has been the most fun I’ve ever had in my career. For the first time in my life and in my wrestling career, it didn’t feel like I was sacrificing family to do this thing that I loved,” Danielson says.

“I love wrestling and I loved being in WWE. I make no bones about that. I loved being in WWE, but it wasn’t my favorite style of wrestling. In AEW, I’m able to wrestle the style that I want to wrestle. And then on top of that, you have a lot of creative freedom there. And I also get to come home and spend a lot of time with my family. It’s really what I think of these last three years. I think of them as just this huge, huge blessing as far as this cherry on top of of a career that I’m not quite sure I deserved anyways.”

Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars had not released original material since 2021 and 2022, respectively, but they just proved that they can reclaim top billing whenever they so choose. Halsey is still ramping up toward her first album since 2021’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, and Demi Lovato reasserted her vocal dominance in a bilingual collaboration with Grupo Firme.

Check that out and more in Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”

Lady Gaga gave us something “while you wait till LG7,” and if the appetizer features Bruno Mars, the full-length album should be stacked. “Die With A Smile” is reminiscent of Mars’ formative sentimental palette, and his voice blends beautifully with Gaga’s, as they belt, “If the world was ending / I’d wanna be next to you / If the party was over / And our time on Earth was through / I’d wanna hold you just for a while / And die with a smile.” The soft track marks the first collaboration between Gaga and Mars, and hopefully, it won’t be the last.

Halsey — “Lonely Is The Muse”

Halsey has never been afraid to go there lyrically, but it’s still refreshing every time. “Lonely Is The Muse” falls in the same thematic vein as previous singles “The End” and “Lucky” — exploring the visceral impact of being isolated and misjudged — but particularly keys in on feeling objectified and used. Halsey’s upcoming album, whatever it may be called and whenever it may arrive, is shaping up to be her bravest and most comprehensive body of work yet.

Lisa Feat. Rosalía — “New Woman”

Blackpink’s Lisa used her first solo release since 2021 to remind everyone she’s a “Rockstar,” and “New Woman” featuring Rosalía eradicates any misguided doubt that she has potent staying power outside of K-pop. The bilingual bop arrived alongside the Dave Meyers-directed video. Lisa delivers the confident chorus over layered, upbeat beats: “B*tch, you better swerve / Revvin’ up my au-au-au-au-aura / Focus on my mind, takin’ my time / I’m a new woman.” Then, Rosalía adds yet another dimension to the track, as the pace slows down markedly to fully immerse in her verse. If that all weren’t enough, Tove Lo is a credited co-writer, and ILYA and Max Martin co-produced the song.

Post Malone Feat. Jelly Roll — “Losers”

Post Malone’s freshly released F-1 Trillion is a pure country album. That has been made abundantly clear for months. But Post and Jelly Roll individually embody the influx of country-pop crossover, so it only makes sense that their collaboration automatically qualify as pop. “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen topped the Billboard Pop Airplay chart for two weeks, and while I don’t anticipate “Losers” capturing the zeitgeist to that degree, I would be entirely unsurprised if it has legs.

Benson Boone — “Pretty Slowly”

Benson Boone made a habit out of climbing this charts, led by “Beautiful Things” peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending 29 weeks on the chart. “Slow It Down” has enjoyed at No. 34 peak, followed by “Cry” at No. 60. Boone also contributed “Death Wish Love” to Twisters, and now, he responded to fan demand and released “Pretty Slowly.” The melodic, folky song showcases Boone’s infectious tone and unique grasp of anecdotal and quippy lyricism — making Boone a reliably effective storyteller.

Grupo Firme & Demi Lovato — “Chula”

Grupo Firme’s Eduin Caz and Demi Lovato spoke with Tomás Mier of Rolling Stone about their spectacular bilingual track “Chula,” and it sounds like it could very well be a precursor for Lovato’s next solo LP. Lovato divulged she’s “exploring with a bunch of different songs” in the studio while writing the album, and she’s “pivoting from the rock era.” Lovato has repeatedly proved that her voice thrives in any context, and “Chula” captures her range.

Tinashe — “No Broke Boys”

Everybody is looking forward to experiencing “Nasty” at Tinashe’s upcoming Match My Freak World Tour, but the chorus of fellow Quantum Baby track “No Broke Boys” is of equal scream-sing value: “No broke boys, no new friends / I’m that pressure, give me my tens / Ain’t no lie, ain’t no shade.”

DJ Snake & Fridayy — “Complicated”

Fridayy bookends the summer with dance-based collaborations. First, he let loose on a mountaintop with The Chainsmokers for “Friday”; most recently, his smooth vocals accentuated DJ Snake’s mesmerizing soundscape on “Complicated.” Fridayy sings it best: “It could be so simple, babe / Don’t know, but you’re driving me crazy / Please don’t make it complicated / We ain’t gotta complicate it.” This song is simply a vibe.

Fousheé — “War”

Fousheé featured on Childish Gambino’s Bando Stone And The New World, and then the former Uproxx cover star announced Pointy Heights, her sophomore LP due out September 13. “Bad girls don’t fuss, they’d rather be / Living a life of harmony,” Fousheé sings in the chorus of “War,” the latest single from the album. “What’s watered grows, and as for me / I’d rather not be at war.” According to press release, “War” is “vintage calypso style instrumentals with a downbeat coastal sensibility,” setting the tone for the album named after Jamaican land Fousheé’s grandfather bought for the family.

Isabel LaRosa — “Pretty Boy”

Isabel LaRosa was named among Spotify’s “Pop Rising Artists To Watch” for 2024, and “Pretty Boy” shows why. LaRosa’s breathy vocals balance out a synth-based, uptempo beat. “I belong to you,” the 19-year-old artist sings. “Baby, be my pretty boy / I’m so obsessed, it’s not a choice.” The song was co-written and produced by her brother, Thomas LaRosa, and follows in the footsteps of her bilingual viral smash “Favorite.”

In the world of entertainment — from TV to movies to video games — nothing sells quite like nostalgia. We are constantly seeing reboots, as studios and networks try to capture the magic of the past, but while it’s easy to drum up initial excitement for the return of a beloved franchise, nailing the execution can be difficult.

The double-edged sword of nostalgia plays is that it’s an easy way to get folks excited, but when people have fond memories of something from their childhood, their expectations for the final product are going to be extremely high. For sports fans of a certain age, the Backyard Sports franchise (headlined by Backyard Baseball) brings back cherished memories of sitting down at the ol’ family computer and letting Pablo Sanchez rip baseballs after school. On Tuesday, Backyard Sports released a teaser trailer for the return of Backyard Baseball, with Pablo and all of your other favorites returning to play ball.

There’s no firm release date, just a website that takes you back to the tree house with the trailer and the ability to sign up for email alerts when there are updates on a release. I’ll be fascinated to see how well a Backyard Sports reboot does, because it was about as simple a game as you could play (but addicting as hell when you’re 12). Will that translate for kids in 2024? Will the adults that remember it fondly want to play it now? We’ll find out, but I will say something I appreciate is they didn’t try to reinvent the wheel and make a huge update on presentation, keeping the same animation and graphics — just looking smoother and faster than they were 20 years ago.

Just two weeks ago, on August 9, Polo G released his long-awaited fourth studio album, HOOD POET, after it was pushed back due to his recent legal troubles. The album, which features 42 Dugg, Fridayy, Future, G Herbo, GloRilla, Hunxho, Lil Durk, Offset, and The Kid Laroi, was supported by the singles “BBarely Holdin’ On,” “Angels In The Sky,” and “We Uh Shoot” with Lil Durk, and now, Polo has announced the dates for its accompanying tour.

Tickets for the HOOD POET Tour will go on sale on Friday, August 23 at 10 AM local time, with presales Wednesday, August 21. You can find more info at polocapalot.com. See below for the dates.

Polo G HOOD POET Tour Dates

10/24 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium ^
10/27 – Minneapolis, MN @ Uptown Theater Minneapolis ^
10/29 – Kansas City, MO @ The Midland Theatre^
10/30 – St. Louis, MO @ Pageant^
11/01 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Ballroom^
110/2 – Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom^
11/03 – Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe^
110/4 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit^
11/05 – Toronto, ON @ REBEL^
11/07 – New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square !
11/08 – Hartford, CT @ The Webster !
11/09 – Providence, RI @ The Strand Ballroom !
11/10 – Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont Theater !
11/11 – Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues Boston !
11/13 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia !
11/14 – Washington, DC@– Echostage !
11/15 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz !
11/16 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern !
11/18 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte !
11/20 – New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore New Orleans @
11/21 – Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center @
11/22 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater @
11/23 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom @
11/26 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues San Diego ^
11/27 – San Francisco, CA @– The Midway ^
11/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern ^

^ With Support From VonOff1700, Skylar Blatt, Scorey, and TwoTime
! With Support From VonOff1700, Diany Dior, Scorey and TwoTime
@ With Support From VonOff1700, Scorey and TwoTime

In 2024, some observers have noticed that Ice Spice is looking thinner than she did in 2023. Inevitably and unfortunately, the rapper has been subject to speculation about the cause of the change. Given that diabetes drug Ozempic has become popular as a weight-loss tool, some believe that’s where Ice turned, but now she’s saying that’s not the case.

As XXL notes, during an X Spaces session yesterday (August 19), Ice said (find the audio here), “I wish y’all never learned the word ‘Ozempic.’ That’s one thing I wish. Oh my god, like, what even is Ozempic? What the f*ck is that? Like, genuinely, what is that, bro? Like, you lazy [expletive] never heard of a gym? It’s called the gym, it’s called eating healthy, it’s called being on tour. Like, what the hell? Maybe if I was sitting home all day, it would be easier to stay big.”

As Ice noted in that quote, she has a lot going on at the moment. She recently launched her Y2K! World Tour and released her Y2K! album. She’s already looking forward, too, saying in a recent interview, “I am definitely so ready to start another album. So that’s great. I know my label is gonna be really excited to hear that. I don’t wanna start teasing the next album, we in Y2K!.”

The NFL is returning to the United Kingdom and Frankfurt for the 2024 season, but the league’s continued international expansion now includes a game between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil. Both teams are expected to compete for the playoffs, so the stakes are high. But to raise the excitement, the NFL booked Brazilian superstar Anitta for the halftime show.

“I am incredibly excited to perform in São Paulo at the NFL’s first game in my home country of Brazil,” she told Billboard Español. “Growing up here has completely shaped me as an artist and, of course, as a person. So it means everything to be able to bring fans around the world the excitement and joy of our amazing music and culture. It’s really a dream come true to be a part of this moment.”

When asked what to expect from her halftime show, the “Casi Casi” singer said, “While I want to keep a lot of elements of the show a surprise, I can tell you I will perform Brazilian funk! I can’t wait to do this in front of so many Brazilians at home, as well as the global audience who will be able to see the show as well. It’s going to be big, and I’m excited for everyone to see what we have in store.”

The week 1 game kicks off on September 6 at 8:15 p.m. ET.

Beyoncé is currently approaching billionaire status, and her new business move might help push her closer to that milestone: She’s launching SirDavis, a new whisky brand.

The information was shared on Beyoncé’s press website yesterday (August 19), with a description that reads:

“Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has joined forces with Moët Hennessy, a subsidiary of LVMH, to create SirDavis, a groundbreaking new whisky. The first-of-its-kind joint venture reflects a shared vision between Knowles-Carter and Moët Hennessy, two vanguards of culture and craft, around the future of American whisky.

This unique product was years in the making after Knowles-Carter, a Japanese whisky enthusiast, sought out Moët Hennessy to help craft a one-of-a-kind flavor profile that reflected her whisky ideal. Meanwhile, Moët Hennessy had been exploring ways to deepen its presence in the American whisky market, making the timing kismet for a partnership between the world-leading luxury group and Knowles-Carter.”

It also notes that the whisky sells for $89 and can be pre-ordered via SirDavis.com. It’s set to become available at retail in the US — as well as select airports and stores in London, Paris, and Tokyo, in September.

The SirDavis website offers specific details about the whisky, including tasting notes that describe color, aroma, taste, and finish. The site also explains the origin of the brand’s name, saying:

“[Beyoncé] came to uncover that her paternal great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, had been a successful moonshiner in the American South during Prohibition and would stash his bottles in the empty knots of cedar trees on his farm for friends and kin to find and enjoy. She quickly understood why her own love for whisky ran so deep. Her affinity for whisky was fated and SirDavis was born. Four generations from when Davis Hogue made whisky on his land, his legacy is honored.”

Beyoncé herself also says, “I’ve always been drawn to the power and confidence I feel when drinking quality whisky and wanted to invite more people to experience that feeling.”

A global crisis was avoided when the calendar flipped from December 31, 1999, to January 1, 2000, thanks to the hard work of countless programmers. But what if the “year 2000 problem” had resulted in major computer malfunctions or, even worse, a robot uprising? That’s essentially the premise of Y2K, the new comedy from former SNL cast member Kyle Mooney.

A24‘s Y2K takes place on the last night of 1999, when two high school juniors, played by Jaeden Martell and Julian Dennison, crash a New Years Eve party only to find themselves fighting for their lives against various robots and household appliances. The nostalgia-heavy film also stars Rachel Zegler, who talked to Screen Rant about how she joined the cast.

“I came across it really late in the game. There ended up being an opening in the cast. I was in the middle of Death Valley, Nevada on a commercial shoot, and I had no service, and my agent was breaking up on the phone,” the West Side Story actress said. “I was wandering around the desert, this is a true story, trying to get the script to load on my phone. And I read it in-between takes of this commercial I was doing.”

She continued, “I just loved that it was so self-aware of what it was both portraying and making fun of, in a way. And I love Kyle so much. I’m such a big fan of Kyle’s. Anything that he does, I immediately can subscribe to, so I just really enjoyed it. It was so different than anything I had done before.”

Y2K, which also stars Alicia Silverstone, The Kid Laroi, and Fred Durst, opens in theaters on December 6, 2024.