Showtime‘s Dexter cannot be stopped as a TV institution. Eight seasons of the main series and one spin off added up to two head-scratching finales, and Michael C. Hall’s Code-following killer still remains so popular (streaming on both Paramount+ and Netflix) that two Dexter spin offs were greenlit for this year. The first, Original Sin, stars Patrick Gibson as the young-adult Dex coming to grips with his Dark Passenger, and last week’s season finale (streaming on Feb. 14) ended in a way that suggested more was possible.

Will There Be A Dexter: Original Sin Season 2?

Paramount+ hasn’t officially renewed the series, but these are early days, so no worries yet. Also, a slight cliffhanger makes the situation look promising.

When quizzed, showrunner Clyde Phillips revealed to Hollywood Reporter that the cliffhanger wasn’t always in the cards. The season finale tweaked a scene that originally showed Dexter’s brother, Brian, with “a passport in his hand” and leaving town. That planned ending would have provided temporary closure following Brian’s rooftop scene with Harry, who insisted Dexter should be left alone without the knowledge that he has a brother.

The edited scene, however, stopped after showing Brian watching the Morgans as they celebrated with a stalker vibe prevailing. That leaves room for the outsider (who had brutally killed a case worker that separated the brothers after Brian tried to kill Deb as a child) to continue his tour of terror in Miami. Still, viewers realize that Dexter isn’t aware of Brian’s existence until the first Dexter season, and the events that follow do not end well for Brian. So in a way, there’s room leftover for a second Original Sin season to prolong the Brian tease, but the story would work equally well without followup.

So, will there be more? From Phillips’ perspective, he currently believes, “I honestly don’t know. I’m busy shooting Resurrection now and haven’t been thinking about the next season of Original Sin. We’ll see.” And at least we know that Dexter: Resurrection will debut this summer.

The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Drake, PartyNextDoor, and Cash Cobain.

Ah, Valentine’s Day. A day for romance — or, if you’re a rapper, for flying in the face thereof. It also happens to be the busiest release day of the year so far, with folks dropping new music all over the place, including new EPs from Coi Leray (What Happened To Forever?) and Chow Lee (Girls Cum First), to celebrate the holiday. This week, we got new singles from the likes of:

Jack Harlow, who got an early jump on the festivities with the Tuesday release of “Set You Free.”

Cash Cobain, who was joined by Bay Swag and Rob49 on the genre-bending “Trippin On A Yacht.”

Macklemore, who returned with a characteristic protest song, “F*cked Up.”

And Offset, who chose to use the holiday to send a reverse Valentine to his ex, Cardi B, with “Ten.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending February 14, 2025.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

ASAP Twelvyy — I Did More With Less

While his former ASAP Mob compatriots duked it out in court last week, Twelvyy shared a 12-song collection (heh) of soulful, observant street rap. He’s low-key been the most consistent member of the erstwhile blog-favorite collective, putting out one smooth compilation after another. After taking the year off, this was one heck of a return.

Brother Ali & Ant — Satisfied Soul

From its worshipful intro (delivered by none other than Yasiin Bey) to its 17th track, the latest offering from the purposeful poet refuses to compromise or bow to modern rap mores. Atmosphere’s Ant shoots the instrumentation through with nostalgic ’70s bop, infusing funk, gospel, and soul into the hard-hitting beats.

Nems — America’s Sweetheart

Very little tickles my funny bone like the incongruity of the rough and rugged “Bing Bong” guy dropping a V-Day themed album — especially as he refuses to reel in his signature New York bark, boasting of all the unhinged behaviors he’ll engage in, from tackling UPS trucks to smacking foes.

OhGeesy — Paid N Full

The central artist of the Shoreline Mafia revolution returns with his first official studio album. In our interview with OhGeesy, the LA native noted he had elevated his rap game on the album, just in time for an official Shoreline reunion at Coachella in a couple of months.

P-Lo — For The Soil

In addition to a certain holiday, the weekend also brought the NBA’s annual All-Star festivities in the Bay Area. So it’s fortuitous timing for the Bay’s foremost flag-bearer of late to drop a collection of new tracks embracing the freaky funk the region’s purveyed for the past 40 years, along with a who’s-who of local faves from E-40 and Too Short to Larry June and Rexx Life Raj.

PartyNextDoor & Drake — Some Sexy Songs 4 U

Despite Party’s front billing, don’t get it twisted; most fans were checking this out for Drake — even if only to see if he addressed his rough 2024. Those fans won’t be disappointed, as the two Torontonians deliver what it says on the tin with a sprinkling of spiteful shoulder brushing to prove they’re unscathed.

Westside Gunn — 12

Gunn absolutely refuses to slow down. His first tape of 2025 is his third project in four months, but the quantity of his releases hasn’t yet affected the quality. Stove God Cooks appears on three tracks, while Estee Nack, Brother Tom Sos, and Elijah Hooks get highlighted this time around.

Singles/Videos

Dave East & Ransom — “THE MOSQUE”

Two of New York’s underground titans have teamed up to seemingly work on a joint project, and the latest preview turns out to be very promising, indeed. If bars full of double entendres and street crime tales are your thing, this is the one for you.

Eem Triplin — “Duya”

Upon hearing the intro to this track, my brain first drew a connection to Tyler The Creator’s last album — not a bad first impression. The Pennsylvania rapper has had some early success fiddling around in the space between melody and rhythm, and while his sound is still raw, there’s an undeniable charisma to it, making a spin of his new project Melody Of A Memory a promising proposition.

Hurricane Wisdom — “Drugs Callin”

Built on a deconstructed sample of a Future hit, the Florida rapper gives his take on the subject, with his slick, slippery delivery on full display. Taken from his mixtape Perfect Storm, “Drugs Callin” is a terrific calling card ahead of the project’s release.

Kamaiyah — “The Flood”

In addition to popping up on P-Lo’s ode to the Bay for NBA All-Star, Yaya also released this smooth riding single, splashed with her signature melodic raps.

Logic & Oddisee — “Pipeline”

In other “unexpected, but not really” collaborations, Logic and Oddisee are, weirdly, two names I wouldn’t have thought I’d see together. It makes perfect sense, though; they’re both from the Maryland area, and Logic’s style has always leaned more toward backpack rap aesthetics than his Billboard placements would have you think. With Oddisee producing, Logic sounds better than he has for a while, and Oddisee always raps his best when paired with another MC to bounce off. A match made in mumbo sauce heaven.

With the trade deadline and All-Star Weekend in the books, we are officially in the stretch run of the NBA regular season. Each team has ~28 games left to make a move in the race for playoff and Play-In position in the East and West, but not all games are created equal on the schedule.

Yes, each game is important for those teams clawing for a playoff berth, but head-to-head matchups with the teams around you are ways to make up full games on your closest rivals. The second half of the NBA season isn’t always at front of mind as college basketball takes center stage in March, and as such we wanted to get a headstart on circling the calendar for the biggest games left on the schedule for each team as it pertains to playoff and Play-In races.

For some teams at the top, the stretch run is about making a couple statements and then just getting to April healthy. That’s not a luxury afforded to teams in the thick of the battle for the all-important top-6 (or, further down, top-10), and with some tight races there will be a lot of games that play important roles in who ends up with a playoff spot, Play-In spot, or a flight to Cancun in mid-April.

EAST

Cleveland Cavaliers (44-10, 0 GB)

2/21 vs. Knicks, 2/28 at Celtics, 4/2 vs. Knicks

The Cavs don’t have much left to prove in the regular season, but their three remaining games against the other top-3 seeds in the East will give them a chance to assert themselves as the East’s team to beat. A win over Boston, in particular, would give them some added cushion for the 1-seed.

Boston Celtics (39-16, 5.5 GB)

2/23 vs. Knicks, 2/28 vs. Cavs, 4/8 at Knicks

The Celtics haven’t seemed as dominant as people have wanted them to be in their title defense, but they’ve still been very good this season and have three more opportunities in the regular season to make a statement against the other top competition in the East.

New York Knicks (36-18, 8.0 GB)

2/21 at Cavs, 2/23 at Celtics, 4/2 at Cavs, 4/8 vs. Celtics

The Knicks aren’t going to get the 1-seed, but they will have two cracks at both of the top teams in the East coming down the stretch, playing both immediately after the All-Star break and again right before the end of the season. The 2-seed and homecourt in a semifinals series with the Celtics isn’t out of the question, but they’d likely need to sweep both against Boston to have a chance.

Indiana Pacers (30-23, 13.5 GB)

3/11 vs. Bucks, 3/15 at Bucks

The Pacers somehow don’t have any remaining games with the Pistons, but do face the Bucks twice (both in the same week) as the three Central Division teams all do battle for the 4/5/6 spots in the East. If they can pick up wins in that home-and-home over Milwaukee, that’ll go a long way to getting homecourt in the first round.

Milwaukee Bucks (29-24, 14.5 GB)

3/11 at Pacers, 3/15 vs. Pacers, 4/11 at Pistons, 4/13 vs. Pistons

The Bucks, meanwhile, have two games left against both of their divisional rivals. Before they can think about proving themselves as a legit contender in the East, they need to lock down the best possible seed they can, and those four games (including two with Detroit to finish out the season) will be pivotal.

Detroit Pistons (29-26, 15.5 GB)

2/23 at Hawks, 3/19 at Heat, 4/11 vs. Bucks, 4/13 at Bucks

The Pistons aren’t just battling for the division crown, but also have to fend off the teams below them for that final guaranteed Playoff seed. They get a couple cracks at teams below them in Atlanta and Miami to try and build more of a cushion for that coveted 6-seed, before closing out their season with a home-and-home with Milwaukee that could be for the 5-seed.

Orlando Magic (27-29, 18.0 GB)

2/20 at Hawks, 4/8 vs. Hawks, 4/13 at Hawks

The Magic won’t get many head-to-head matchups with teams around them in the standings down the stretch, but they do have three games left with Atlanta. Those games could be for homecourt in the first Play-In Game — or, if Miami were to leap them both, could be for the all-important 8-seed which gives you two cracks at the Playoffs.

Atlanta Hawks (26-29, 18.5 GB)

2/20 vs. Magic, 2/23 vs. Pistons, 2/24 vs. Heat, 2/26 at Heat, 3/27 at Heat, 4/8 at Magic, 4/13 vs. Magic

The Hawks aren’t expected to make a real push for the 6-seed, but they will be in control of their destiny for the Play-In as they get to face both Miami and Orlando three times each down the stretch. Those six games will likely determine whether they are in the 7/8 matchup or the 9/10 game in April.

Miami Heat (25-8 (18.5 GB)

2/24 at Hawks, 2/26 vs. Hawks, 3/8 vs. Bulls, 3/19 vs. Pistons, 3/27 vs. Hawks, 4/9 at Bulls

Miami’s games with Atlanta will be critical for them to climb up the standings, but they also have two games against the Bulls to make sure they keep Chicago behind them — that 4/9 game may very well be a non-factor by the time we get there.

Chicago Bulls (22-33, 22.5 GB)

2/24 at Sixers, 3/8 at Heat, 3/13 vs. Nets, 4/9 vs. Heat, 4/13 at Sixers

Should the Bulls be trying to make the Play-In? That’s an entirely different question, but it sure seems like that’s the goal and if they’re going to get there they will need to fend off the Sixers and Nets behind them. They have two games with Philly and one with Brooklyn left, plus the two games with Miami that could give them an outside chance at moving to 9th (even if unlikely).

Philadelphia 76ers (20-34, 24.0 GB)

2/22 vs. Nets, 2/24 vs. Bulls, 3/10 at Hawks, 3/23 at Hawks, 3/29 vs. Heat, 4/7 at Heat, 4/13 vs. Bulls

The Sixers have had a dreadful season but they will have some real chances at climbing the ladder. They have two games with each of the three teams directly ahead of them in the standings, as well as one with Brooklyn straight out of the gates from the All-Star break. They aren’t likely to catch the group of Atlanta/Miami/Orlando, but they’ve just gotta have wins against the middle of the pack to make up ground.

Brooklyn Nets (20-34, 24.0 GB)

2/22 at Sixers, 3/13 at Bulls

The Nets are supposed to be tanking but are just 1.5 games out of 10th. After not trading guys like Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton at the deadline, it’s possible the Nets will just see out this season, recognizing even the most aggressive tank likely won’t get them top-4 lottery odds. If that’s the case and they want to see if they can crack the Play-In field, they’ll need wins over Philly and Chicago in their two head-to-head matchups. It seems unlikely they make it to the 10-seed, but they’ve also already eclipsed their preseason win total so it’s not out of the question.

WEST

Oklahoma City Thunder (44-10, 0 GB)

3/5 at Grizzlies, 3/9 and 3/10 vs. Nuggets, 3/12 at Celtics

Even moreso than the Cavs, the Thunder enter the second half of the season with little reason for concern about the 1-seed. Everything is about making a statement, and they’ll have a few chances to do so in a one week stretch in early March. A visit to Memphis, a back-to-back at home with Denver, and a trip to Boston over the course of 8 days will be a chance to make a big statement before shifting full attention to being healthy for the playoffs.

Memphis Grizzlies (36-18, 8.0 GB)

3/5 vs. Thunder, 3/27 at Thunder, 3/29 vs. Lakers, 4/11 at Nuggets

Memphis isn’t catching OKC for the top seed, but their two games with the Thunder in March will be opportunities to prove something to themselves as much as the rest of the league that they can be a real threat to OKC’s apparent dominance in the West. From there, they’ll be looking to hold off Denver, Houston, and L.A. for the 2-seed (and, at least, land the 3-seed), and will face the Lakers and Nuggets late in the year in two games that could prove critical for seeding battles.

Denver Nuggets (36-19, 8.5 GB)

2/22 vs. Lakers, 3/14 vs. Lakers, 3/19 at Lakers, 3/23 at Rockets, 4/11 vs. Grizzlies, 4/13 at Rockets

Denver has three games against the Lakers in the next month, a team they’ve dominated in recent years, and if they can sweep the new-look Lakers they could give themselves a big cushion for a top-4 seed in the process. They also get a pair of games with the Rockets, including the season finale in Houston, and that late game with Memphis, all of which could be important for seeding,

Houston Rockets (34-21, 10.5 GB)

3/23 vs. Nuggets, 3/31 at Lakers, 4/9 at Clippers, 4/11 at Lakers, 4/13 vs. Nuggets

Houston doesn’t have any more head-to-heads with Memphis, but they do get two games with Nuggets directly ahead of them and two games with the Lakers right behind them that could determine if they hold on to a top-4 seed. Their closing stretch of Clippers-Lakers-Nuggets could provide a real opportunity for upward movement in the standings, but also the danger of falling right before the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers (32-20, 11.0 GB)

2/22 at Nuggets, 2/27 vs. Wolves, 2/28 vs. Clippers, 3/2 vs. Clippers, 3/14 at Nuggets, 3/19 vs. Nuggets, 3/31 vs. Rockets, 4/9 at Mavericks, 4/11 at Rockets

The middle of the West is very condensed, and as the schedule happens to fall, the Lakers play everyone around them multiple times. They have three games with Denver, two games with Houston, two with the Clippers, and two with the Mavericks, along with a game with Minnesota left on their schedule. Those are a lot of opportunities to get some head-to-head wins, and of all the teams in the West Playoff race, the Lakers will have the most chances to move up (or down) thanks to that schedule.

An aside, I only listed one of the Mavs games, because the game in L.A. will be while Anthony Davis is still out, but that April 9 game will be the most-watched game of the regular season as Luka Doncic returns to Dallas.

Los Angeles Clippers (31-23, 13.0 GB)

2/28 at Lakers, 3/2 at Lakers, 4/4 and 4/5 vs. Mavs, 4/9 vs. Rockets, 4/13 at Warriors

The Clippers have two games with the Lakers coming up in two weeks that’ll give them a chance to move back ahead of their crosstown rivals for fifth in the West. They also are trying to hold off Minnesota, Dallas, Golden State, and others for that all-important 6-seed, and will face Dallas twice and the Warriors once in the final two weeks of the regular season in what could be important games for playoff and Play-In seeding.

Minnesota Timberwolves (31-25, 14.0 GB)

2/27 at Lakers, 3/2 at Suns, 3/28 vs. Suns

The Wolves are at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Lakers, as they have very few head-to-head opportunities left on their schedule. The only have three games left against teams from 5-12 in the West standings, which is pretty wild. The good news is they do have a lot of games with the East and with some of the bottom feeders, and will need to take full advantage of those because they’ll have very few chances to make up full games on teams in head-to-head matchups.

Dallas Mavericks (30-26, 15.0 GB)

2/23 at Warriors, 2/25 at Lakers, 3/3 vs. Kings, 3/9 vs. Suns, 4/4 and 4/5 at Clippers, 4/9 vs. Lakers

The Mavs have the aforementioned two games left against the Lakers, but beyond that they’ll get a look at every team other than the Wolves around them. They have a back-to-back at the Intuit dome late against the Clippers and games with Golden State, Sacramento, and Phoenix that will all be big for Play-In seeding. How they navigate this early stretch of Golden State, L.A., Sacramento, and Phoenix over the next few weeks while they are without most of their bigs will be huge in determining if they can hold onto a spot in the 7/8 Play-In game.

Sacramento Kings (28-27, 16.5 GB)

2/21 vs. Warriors, 3/3 at Mavs, 3/7 vs. Spurs, 3/13 at Warriors, 3/14 at Suns, 4/13 at Suns

The Kings are something of the forgotten team in the West Play-In, but they’ve got plenty of chances to spoil the party for someone and get themselves into the postseason. The biggest games are those four matchups with the Warriors and Suns, as wins over those teams will go a very long way to getting them into the Play-In. From there, they also get the Mavs while they’ll still be without key guys in early March, which could be an opportunity to leapfrog Dallas and get some breathing room from the 10-seed race.

Golden State Warriors (28-27, 16.5 GB)

2/21 at Kings, 2/23 vs. Mavs, 3/13 vs. Kings, 3/30 at Spurs, 4/8 at Suns

Of the teams on the Play-In bubble, the Warriors seem to be the most dangerous after adding Jimmy Butler to the mix. They’ll get a chance to move up quickly with games against Sacramento and Dallas right after the All-Star break, and will have their sights set on that 7/8 game. The 6-seed isn’t out of the question, but they need to focus on the immediate task at hand and get out of the precarious position of the 10-seed.

Phoenix Suns (26-28, 18.0 GB)

2/20 at Spurs, 3/2 vs. Wolves, 3/9 at Mavs, 3/14 vs. Kings, 3/28 at Wolves, 4/8 vs. Warriors, 4/11 vs. Spurs, 4/13 at Kings

All you can ask for if you’re Phoenix are chances to make up ground, and they’ll have plenty. They get two with the Kings, two with the Wolves, and two with the Spurs in the stretch run, and will need to find the kind of consistency that has eluded them to this point of the season if they’re to make a push into the Play-In field.

San Antonio Spurs (23-29, 20.0 GB)

2/20 vs. Suns, 3/7 at Kings, 3/10 vs. Mavs, 3/12 vs. Mavs, 4/9 at Warriors, 4/11 at Suns

We’ll probably know by the end of that 3/12 game against Dallas if the Spurs have a shot at the Play-In, as Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and company need to get busy to climb past Phoenix and one of the Play-In teams to make it to the postseason. They do have some chances, including a vital opener against Phoenix coming out of the break, but if they don’t get hot over the next three weeks it’ll likely be one more year before we see Wemby in a playoff or Play-In environment.

Saturday Night Live has been going all out with celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary. It culminated with last weekend’s SNL50 special, but now, it’s time to move on, and that’s just what SNL is doing: Today (February 18), they show announced the guest hosts and musical guests for its next two episodes.

On March 1, comedian Shane Gillis is hosting, while Tate McRae will be the musical guest. On March 8, Lady Gaga will be both host and musical guest.

Gaga has an extensive history with SNL: She was a musical guest in 2009, 2011, and 2016, and she also pulled double duty for a 2013 episode. She also popped up to introduce a Bad Bunny performance during his 2023 episode.

As for McRae, this will be her second time on the show, as she was previously a musical guest in 2023, on an episode hosted by Jason Momoa.

Meanwhile, Gaga participated in the SNL anniversary festivities: On SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, she joined Andy Samberg to wield the piano for a rendition of “D*ck In A Box.” This comes as she’s in the middle of the promotional cycle for her upcoming album Mayhem. Just today, she shared the album’s tracklist, which includes recent singles “Abracadabra” and “Die With A Smile.”

Anyone who thinks fast food is now prohibitively expensive isn’t paying enough attention to the deals. Yes, most fast food meals out there will run you close to $15, which we admit is expensive. Why pay that price for drive-thru food when you can get the same type of food with a higher quality and better service at a restaurant for the same price?

That’s fair, but fast food is still king if you want to save the most money, you just have to follow the deals.

Keeping track of what food is on a discount can be time-consuming, and frankly, pretty annoying, so we went ahead and did it for you. Below are the best fast food deals right now that’ll get you fed on the cheap.

But act fast, most of these deals expire at the end of the month, when surely there will be a new set of deals you can take advantage of. But don’t worry, next month we’ll collect ‘em all again. Let’s dive in.

7-Eleven — At 7-Eleven you can score a free small Slurpee every Friday in February. Simply hit up 7-Eleven on a Friday and inquire about the deal. It’s not a food deal, but we’ll take it. But act fast, there are only two Friday’s left in February.

Arby’s — Anticipating Lent, Arby’s has just dropped the $6.99 Surf & Turf Deal for an unspecified limited time. The deal allows you to mix and match any two of the following: the Beef ’n Cheddar, a Crispy Fish Sandwich, or the Fish n’ Cheddar Sandwich.

Domino’s — From now until March 2nd, you can score any size of the Handmade Pan, Hand Tossed, Thin Crust, New York Style, or Gluten Free pizza, with as many toppings as you’d like for just $9.99. To claim the deal, order via the Domino’s Pizza app and hit the “Coupons” tab. This deal excludes all Specialty and X-Large pizzas.

Dunkin’ — For an unspecified limited time, you can grab a medium Dunkin’ Shakin’ Espresso for $3 anytime after 12:00 PM. To claim the deal, order through the Dunkin’ app.

Jack in the Box — In celebration of Jack in the Box’s 74th anniversary, you can score a Jumbo Jack for just .74¢ from now until February 23rd when you add the burger to any order. To claim the deal, order via the Jack App and apply the promo.

Little Caesars — The pizza chain is offering a killer deal that’ll get you a whole lot of food for just under $20. The Big! Big! Bundle consists of two large one-topping pizzas, a side of Crazy Puffs, and a 2-liter of Soda for $17.99. It’s enough to feed a family. To claim the deal use the code “BIGBUNDLE,” when ordering through the Little Caesars app or website. California residents must use the code “BIGBUNDLECA.”

Popeyes — From now until February 23rd, you can pick up a 3-piece order of tenders at Popeyes for just $5. Unfortunately, that deal doesn’t include a side order, but at least you get to choose between spicy, classic, or blackened chicken! Our pick is spicy, couple that with a large order of Cajun fries, and you’ve got a meal for under $5.

To claim the deal order via the Popeyes app, the deal will be added automatically. We wish more fast food restaurants would apply deals automatically. Popeyes continues to show the other big brands how it’s done.

Red Robin — This is an ultra location-specific deal, but we’re going to go ahead and include it anyway. If you’re in Denver, Phoenix, Portland, or Sacramento, you can pick up the $9.99 Big Yummm Burger Deal from Red Robin.

The deal includes Red’s Double Tavern Burger (included in our ranking of the best restaurant burgers), your choice of a Bottomless side, and a Bottomless drink. That’s better than just about every fast food restaurant out there. To score the deal, mention it in restaurant, or check out using the code “BIGYUMMM” when ordering via the Red Robin app.

Wendy’s — From now until March 16th, you can score a Son of Baconator for just $3 at Wendy’s restaurants nationwide. To claim the deal, claim the offer via the Wendy’s app or mention the deal to your cashier.

The Son of Baconator might sound small, but you get two patties of meat here as well as a double layer of bacon, so it’s still meaty even though it’s not the meat mountain that is the OG Baconator.

The WorldPride Music festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, so they’re going all out for the 2025 event, the lineup for which was just announced.

The poster is led by Jennifer Lopez and Troye Sivan. From there, there’s also RuPaul, Paris Hilton, Tinashe, Kim Petras, Zedd, Raye, Rita Ora, Grimes, Marina, Sofi Tukker, Galantis, Purple Disco Machine, Essel, Aluna, Anabel Englund, Anne Louise, Betty Who, Coco & Breezy, Crush Club, Dombresky presents Disco Dom, Hayla, Kaleena Zanders, Karsten Sollors, Leland + Friends, LP Giobbi, Matt Suave, Patrick Mason, Sasha Colby, Slayyyter, Spencer Brown, Trisha Paytas, and Ty Sunderland.

The two-day, 18+ event goes down on June 6 and 7 at Washington DC’s RFK Festival Grounds. Tickets are set to be made available soon, and in the meantime, there’s a waitlist on the festival website.

Sivan told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement, “I’m so excited to perform at WorldPride in DC. At a time when community is more important than ever, celebrating love and pride feels like a necessity. Pride is all about joy, resilience, and making unforgettable memories, and I’m excited to be a part of this year’s celebrations.”

Dreamland’s Jake Resnicow, the event’s producer, also says, “With legendary artists and our global community coming together, we’re creating an electrifying celebration that unites, uplifts, and amplifies LGBTQ+ voices like never before. Hosting this festival in our nation’s capital makes it even more powerful — it’s not just a party; it’s a global movement.”

Much has changed for Ricochet over the last year. Just six months into his stint in AEW, his mindset has shifted. No longer just happy to be here, Ricochet acknowledges the focus used to be on who he was in the ring with.

“I would have said it’s cool to be able to get in there with these guys who have accomplished so much, and just be able to show the world that I belong,” Ricochet tells Uproxx Sports. “But at the end of the day, all these guys, they were watching me.”

While Ricochet was navigating the next stage in his career, he watched guys like Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, and MJF carve their own respective paths in AEW. They’ve all had their moments in the spotlight with two world titles and numerous main events between them.

“Seeing a lot of the guys that I had traveled the world with, that I had honestly beaten already, go on to achieve such status or such acceptance and such accomplishments was definitely intriguing, incentivizing,” Ricochet says. “I wanted to prove that Ricochet is that good, and Ricochet can get in there with your favorites, and he can show that he’s better than your favorites.”

The turning point in Ricochet’s character wasn’t actually a turning point. He says since Day 1, he didn’t want to be famous. He says he was poor, wrestling in a small backyard company and didn’t think it was possible for him to get to where he is now. The drive to be the absolute best he could be was simply to show himself he could do it.

“I always said I wanted to be a wrestler, and this was my opportunity to do something that I loved to do. Whether that was in a backyard in front of nobody or in Wembley Stadium in front of thousands,” Ricochet says. “This feeling of, I don’t want to act this way or say this because the people might think this, it was holding me back. I was trying to, again, be something that I wasn’t, and the people called me out for it. And instead of coming at me with kindness, they came at me with harassment and bullying and they tried to embarrass me.”

People begged Ricochet to come to AEW, he says. He thought he was coming for the good of the people only to see them turn on him. Now, it’s not about getting respect, it’s about demanding it. That mindset has evolved on television in the form of a focused Ricochet, one that attacks his opponents with scissors, takes opportunities to get the upper hand, and isn’t content simply biding his time before rising to the top.

That started with getting the job done and adding to his catalogue of victories with his biggest win to date over Swerve Strickland, a former world champion who hadn’t been pinned since 2023.

“I know Swerve, he’s a former champ. The self proclaimed forever champ. I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task, but, get the job done, prove a point, prove your point to these people,” Ricochet continues.

The venues, the matchups, the opportunities in AEW reminds Ricochet of the feeling he had when he first started wrestling more than 20 years ago. The flexibility to “create (his) own art” is one of the primary reasons he joined AEW.

And the last few weeks have opened Ricochet’s eyes to how he builds the next phase of his career in AEW.

“It’s been freeing, it’s been uplifting, it’s been like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. A burden, a facade I no longer have to be a part of. I can speak freely. I can talk freely. I can say what’s on my mind, I can just say it without feeling bad about what the people are gonna think about if I think this. I don’t care about the people,” Ricochet says. “No, I started wrestling because I knew I would be great at it. So these past couple of weeks, maybe you’ve been able to see. I’ve just been feeling more free, like another shackle has been lifted, another shackle, one after another until they’re all gone.”

This year isn’t necessarily about championship gold, some dream match or headlining one of AEW’s premier shows. Any of that would be a byproduct of simply proving his point — that he’s been consistently great at this and he belongs on the same level of AEW’s top talent.

“Now I would say Ricochet is where he belongs, amongst the greats,” Ricochet says. “And not only that, but he’s showing that he can thrive.”

In a little under two weeks, K-pop star Lisa is releasing her debut solo album, Alter Ego, supported by the eclectic singles, “New Woman,” “Moonlit Floor,” and “Born Again.”

While the music on the album will represent different aspects of the Thai singer’s personality, she’ll also be showing off those facets in another medium: comic books. To celebrate Alter Ego, Lisa has announced the launch of her own comics imprint, Lalisa Comics under Zero Zero Entertainment. Naturally, the first book is called Alter-Ego: The Official Comic and is inspired by Lisa’s upcoming album. Illustrated by Japanese artist MINOMIYABI, a former Disney Imagineer whose previous works include collaborations with ANA, Gorillaz, BoyWithUke, Yungblud and more, the 56-page comic is available for pre-order now and ships on March 24th with two art prints of characters from the book (one of which is a random alter ego of the main character, Vixi).

You can pre-order the book here, and see below for the synopsis.

Step into a neon-drenched cyberpunk city where Vixi—a quiet tech genius—prefers fixing arcade machines to seeking the spotlight. Despite her reserved nature, she becomes the unexpected bond that unites four remarkable friends: Roxi, a pressured social star yearning for genuine connection; Kiki, an unstoppable arcade champion with an unyielding spirit; Sunni, a gentle peacekeeper concealing her inner storms; and Speedi, a fearless risk-taker learning to slow down.

When three ruthless bullies trap Vixi in a virtual reality nightmare, her friends dive headfirst into the digital battleground, proving that while Vixi may work alone, she never has to fight alone.

In 2018, Paul Simon declared he was retiring from touring, explaining at the time, “I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing,” adding that he expected to still do “the occasional performance.”

Well, he’s upped it from “occasional” to a full-blown tour: Today (February 18), Simon ended his touring retirement by announcing a lengthy run of shows dubbed A Quiet Celebration, spanning from April to August. At the shows, Simon (who just performed with Sabrina Carpenter on SNL50) will be joined by his wife Edie Brickell and a 10-piece band, and they’ll perform Simon’s 2023 album Seven Psalms in its entirety.

Check out a tour trailer above and find the tour dates below.

Paul Simon’s 2025 Tour Dates: A Quiet Celebration

04/04 — New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theater
04/05 — New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theater
04/08 — Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
04/10 — Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
04/11 — Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
04/14 — Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
04/16 — Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
04/17 — Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
04/20 — Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
04/22 — Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
04/23 — Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
04/26 — Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
04/28 — St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre
04/29 — St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre
05/07 — Dallas TX @ AT&T Performing Arts Center
05/08 — Dallas TX @ AT&T Performing Arts Center
05/11 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium,
05/13 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium,
05/14 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium,
05/17 — Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
05/18 — Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
05/21 — Chicago, IL @ Symphony Center
05/23 — Chicago, IL @ Symphony Center
05/24 — Chicago, IL @ Symphony Center
05/27 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
05/29 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
05/30 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
06/06 — Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
06/07 — Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
06/10 — Boston, MA @ Boch Center, Wang Theatre
06/12 — Boston, MA @ Boch Center, Wang Theatre
06/13 — Boston, MA @ Boch Center, Wang Theatre
06/16 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
06/18 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
06/20 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
06/21 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
06/23 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
06/26 — Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
06/28 — Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
06/29 — Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
07/07 — Long Beach CA @ Terrace Theater, Long Beach Performing Arts Center
07/09 — Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
07/11 — Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
07/12 — Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
07/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
07/16 — Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
07/19 — San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
07/21 — San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
07/22 — San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
07/25 — Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum,
07/26 — Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum,
07/28 — Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum,
07/31 — Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
08/02 — Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
08/03 — Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall

How bad do u want the tracklist for Lady Gaga’s upcoming album, Mayhem? Unless you’re part of the poorly-aged “Stefani Germanotta, you will never be famous” Facebook group, the answer is probably “very.” Well, you’re in luck: today (February 18), Gaga shared the 14 songs that make up her eighth studio album, including early singles “Die With A Smile,” “Disease,” and “Abracadabra.” There’s also tracks like “Zombieboy,” “LoveDrug” (it’s giving “LoveGame” from The Fame), and “How Bad Do U Want Me.”

When describing the process of making Mayhem, Lady Gaga told Elle, “I was actually pretty hard on myself about not walking into the studio with any preconceived ideas that I was going to strangle onto. Mayhem is about following your own chaos into whatever cranny of your life that it takes you to. And in that way, it was about following the songs. Writing as many songs as I did for this album was a labour of total love. And then you just have to be very cutthroat by the end.”

Check out the Mayhem tracklist below.

Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Tracklist

1. “Disease”
2. “Abracadabra”
3. “Garden Of Eden”
4. “Perfect Celebrity”
5. “Vanish Into You”
6. “Killah” Feat. Gesaffelstein
7. “Zombieboy”
8. “LoveDrug”
9. “How Bad Do U Want Me”
10. “Don’t Call Tonight”
11. “Shadow Of A Man’
12. “The Beast”
13. “Blade Of Grass”
14. “Die With A Smile”

Mayhem is out 3/7 via Streamline/Interscope. Find more information here.