Category: News

Gayle has received a lot of online negativity since breaking through with “ABCDEFU.” The furor inspired “Everybody Hates Me,” her angsty yet empowering March single. She recently revealed to Teen Vogue the reaction she received from Taylor Swift after telling her about her ordeal. It also seems to have inspired her new single, “Don’t Call Me Pretty.”

Gayle is among Swift’s openers on her The Eras Tour, so she’s been exposed to real-life positive reinforcement — brought to tears during one of her opening sets because she couldn’t believe her “dream come true” was really happening. “Thank you for paying attention,” Gayle told the audience at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

In “Don’t Call Me Pretty,” Gayle doesn’t care about anyone’s outside opinion, especially someone she describes in the opening lines as “a good friend but a bad idea.” She dropped the single and an accompanying video on Friday, May 5.

The video captures Gayle enjoying a carefree afternoon at an amusement park and the zoo. As Gayle issues a warning to someone from her past who she regrets blurring boundaries with, she approaches a sign, warning, “DANGEROUS ANIMAL DO NOT CROSS.”

“I don’t wanna be pretty to you,” she belts in the guitar-fueled chorus. “I don’t wanna be nice / I don’t wanna be the girl that kept you warm for the night / Oh, no, not anymore, anymore.”

Gayle is disgusted that this person would “tell me I should smile more” and dismisses “all your little compliments” because she’d rather they “own up to your part in this.”

Ultimately, she appears to get the last laugh. Her uninhibited lyrical expression is illustrated in the video by screaming on a rollercoaster and smiling in a photo booth with her bandmates.

Watch the “Don’t Call Me Pretty” video above.

Gayle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kevin Costner’s had an eventful week. For one, Yellowstone — the show that gave him his biggest hit in ages — is coming to an end. The Paramount Network smash will film one more batch of episodes to wrap up its fifth season in August, though it’s unclear if its star will even be in it. For another, Costner is getting divorced. Do these two life changes have anything to do with each other? Doesn’t look like it.

On Tuesday, Christine Baumgartner, whom Costner married in in 2004, filed for divorce. But a source told People the split “has nothing to do with Yellowstone,” adding, “The two situations are unrelated.”

For months, rumors that Costner was leaving the show that revitalized his career have swirled, though it’s been tricky for anyone to confirm specifics. There’s been plenty of drama, too. Back in April, fans of the show rebelled after neither Costner nor creator Taylor Sheridan showed up as scheduled to a Paleyfest event in Los Angeles.

At least this won’t be the end of the Yellowstone franchise. Along with those prequels, there’s a new series starring Matthew McConaughey in the offing, and it might wind up being the original show’s official sequel. In the meantime, Sheridan himself is raking in the dough using his own ranch as the set for the shows he himself created — a savvy way to game the system if we ever heard one.

(Via People)

The Writers Guild of America strike is still in its first week, but its impact has already been seismic. Late night chat and sketch shows, including SNL, were the first to go dark. Audiences won’t notice any blip in movie releases for a good, long while, but one thing’s for sure: Anyone stoked for Marvel’s long-in-the-works new Blade film with Mahershala Ali will have to wait even longer — if it ever arrives at all.w

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel has shut down pre-production on their attempt to bring their bloodsucking antihero back to the big screen. The film, which was announced back in 2019 and has endured one hiatus after another, almost got there: It was set to start principal photography next month. But with thousands of Hollywood writers now on the picket lines, demanding things like fair pay and regulation over the use of AI technology, that isn’t happening.

That doesn’t mean a new Blade, with or without its two-time Oscar-winning star, will never happen. Marvel plans to restart pre-production when the strike ends, whenever that is. When/if it arrives, it will be the second big screen stab at the character, who was iconically played by Wesley Snipes over three films. Back in 2021, Snipes had shown support for the new film.

This latest iteration even reunited Ali with True Detective creator/writer Nic Pizzolato, who had been recently hired to pen the script. Another new hire was X/Pearl star Mia Goth. Alas, as one insider said, “time simply ran out.”

The WGA strike began last Tuesday after negotiations with the major studios and streamers came to an impasse. Given the long list of demands by the WGA — and the studios/streamers’ intransigence on several key items — it’s been predicted that this won’t end any time soon.

(Via THR)

Ckay detailed the intense rise of his seminal track “Love Nwantiti” as Uproxx’s January 2022 cover star, and the Nigerian further explained his relatively new stature as a global artist for Uproxx’s How I Blew Up in August 2022.

Ckay ostensibly has the world at his fingertips, but his desires remain simple. Look no further than the first line of “Hallelujah” featuring Blaqbonez, his latest single: “I just wanna make love and money.”

Ckay released it alongside an official lyric video and another video that finds him completely unbothered in a bathtub full of cash:

“See me, I come from nothing / See me, I come from trenches,” Ckay sings in the first verse of “Hallelujah.” Later in the infectious Afrobeats song, he boasts, “I been hot for like 4 years, and they wonder if I’m done yet / People be like rice for my concert / Welcome, welcome the new converts.”

The arrival of “Hallelujah” was also marked with side-by-side photos juxtaposing the modest home Ckay had in 2014 and what his hard-earned wealth has afforded him in 2023:

As an Uproxx cover star, Ckay said, “I see music as art. I don’t really see it as a product. Art comes from where you are in your life and the timing of making the art. It comes from your essence and your experience as a human being.”

Listen to “Hallelujah” above.

CKay is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

On Saturday, King Charles III was formally crowned at Westminster Abbey. It was, as promised, a lavish to-do, as befitting a monarchy that’s ridiculous in more ways than one. There were over 2,000 guests from around the world. There were throngs of spectators and thousands of troops. There were hats. There wasn’t Ed Sheeran. And there was the coronation regalia, which included such funky items as scepters and what many on social media thought looked like an iconic item from an iconic Monty Python film.

That item was the Royal Orb, one of the flashier things handed to Charles during his coronation. According to Vox:

It was made in the 17th century, and it symbolizes the sovereign’s power over the Christian world. It’s topped with a cross and divided into three sections with bands of jewels, symbolizing the three continents known at the time of its manufacture.

But what many online chuckleheads saw was the “holy hand grenade of Antioch,” a weapon employed during a key scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It’s what Graham Chapman’s ever-flustered King Arthur and gang use to fell the Rabbit of Caerbannog, a creature that looks like a typical woodland critter…until it’s approached, at which point it can brutally dismember people with shocking swiftness.

And so, while many were celebrating the coronation of the 13th monarch in British history, others were quoting one of the most quotable films in British history.

Others were simply helping make the words “the holy hand grenade of Antioch” trend.

Anyway, Anthony Bourdain wouldn’t have been amused by any of this.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation took place on Saturday, May 6, at Westminster Abbey in London. Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were among celebrities in attendance (as relayed by Vanity Fair).

Perry, Richie, and Andrea Bocelli were announced as performers last month after The Daily Mail reported that the likes of Adele and Ed Sheeran were “unable to perform.”

Ed Sheeran cleared up the reason behind his absence.

“I want to clear something up actually because there was loads of stuff in the press that I turned down the coronation, and no one ever asked me — ever,” Sheeran told SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up (as noted by People).

He added, “I assume if they went online and went, ‘What’s Ed doing on May 6?,’ they would’ve been like, ‘Oh, he’s playing in Dallas.’ I think that’s what happened, but obviously, [the] press had the negative story of loads of people turning down the coronation. But I never ever turned it down.”

Sheeran noted he was “excited to tune [in]” because the coronation is “historic.”

The UK-born global pop star is scheduled to begin the North American leg of his Mathematics Tour tonight, May 6, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Sheeran also recently revealed dates for his Subtract Tour in support of his album by the same name, which arrived on Friday, May 5.

– (Subtract) is out now via Asylum and Atlantic. Find more information here.

Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

On any other night of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, Phoebe Bridgers joining Swift for the live debut of “Nothing New” would have been the prevailing takeaway. With everything Swift pulled during her first of three Nashville shows last night, May 5, it’s a footnote.

The headline from Friday’s tour stop is that Swift announced Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) will be her next re-recorded release due out July 7. There was also an alleged Matty Healy sighting, which is relevant because The Sun claimed earlier in the week that Healy and Swift are dating and were “ready to go public with their romance in Nashville.” Oh, and Bridgers used her first night as one of Swift’s The Eras Tour openers to bring out her Boygenius band members Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus.

But back to Bridgers with Swift. The two performed “Nothing New (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault],” their collaborative track from Swift’s 2021 re-recorded album, Red (Taylor’s Version). Of course, this came within the Red era of Swift’s sprawling three-plus-hour set.

Red (Taylor’s Version) is the most recent of Swift’s re-recorded albums. Swifties have been convinced for months that Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) would be next, especially after Swift dropped Easter eggs in the video for her Midnights track “Bejeweled” last October.

The evidence became almost undeniable when the wristbands handed out for The Eras Tour lit up in purple at the end of last Sunday’s (April 30) show in Atlanta. Once Swift confirmed Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) mid-show in Nashville, the city’s John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge turned purple.

“It fills me with such pride and joy to announce that my version of Speak Now will be out July 7 (just in time for July 9th, iykyk) I first made Speak Now, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20. The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness,” Swift posted across her socials.

Her post continued, “I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing… and living to speak about it. With six extra songs I’ve sprung loose from the vault, I absolutely cannot wait to celebrate Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) with you on July 7th.”

Swift and The Eras Tour is scheduled to be in Kansas City, Missouri on July 7-8.

So, while Bridgers’ song with Swift is titled “Nothing New,” it felt like everything was new in Nashville on Friday night. Catch up on it all below.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is out 7/7. Find more information here.

For one reason or another, NBA players getting hit in the nuts seems to be at an all-time high during the 2023 playoffs. On Friday night during Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinal series between the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns, Nikola Jokic became the latest player to have to deal with a shot below the belt.

Jokic came up to set a screen on Cameron Payne, who was guarding Jamal Murray. Nothing unusual happened here — Payne ran into Jokic, while Murray decided to go to his left instead of using the screen — but as Payne bumped into the former NBA MVP, his left arm got acquainted with Jokic’s groin, which led to the big fella hitting the deck in some serious pain.

Interestingly, unlike some other nut shots we’ve seen this postseason, Payne benefitted from this getting reviewed by the officials. Prior to this getting reviewed, Payne was hit with a technical foul for the contact with Jokic. But after the review, that ended up getting rescinded, and Payne was only called for a personal foul on Murray for the contact that happened after he ran into Jokic. Regardless of the penalty, we must insist that NBA players stop hitting each other below the belt.

Drop everything now! Taylor Swift‘s show has been quite the chaotic one tonight, as the pop star kicked off the first of her three Nashville dates. Between an appearance from rumored boyfriend Matty Healy of The 1975 and bringing Phoebe Bridgers out for “Nothing New,” it seems Swift had even more tricks up her sleeve — as she promised earlier in the night.

During her surprise song segment, Swift mentioned her love for planning, tossing in a subtle “speak” reference before telling the audience to direct their attention to the screen. The backdrop then changed to announce Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) will be out July 7. She then performed “Sparks Fly” and “Teardrops On My Guitar” as the two song selections.

“I first made Speak Now, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20,” Swift shared to social media. “The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness. I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing… and living to speak about it.”

She has also revealed that this version will have six new vault songs.

In the days leading up to the show, fans had speculated it was coming, as a lot of the bracelets at her previous shows were blinking purple (the era’s color), and the official Taylor Nation account was making a lot of song references from the record. Her website has also updated, seemingly revealing the album’s cover, which features a present-day Swift in an updated purple dress.

Swift’s last re-recording was also Red (Taylor’s Version) back in 2021, so fans had hoped for a while that another was on the way. And now it is.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is out 7/7. Find more information here.

Gucci Mane is back with his brand new song, “Pissy,” and it features none other than Roddy Ricch and Nardo Wick to help deliver the attitude. The track is also produced by Avo No Sleep, Koncept-P, and Will No Sleep.

“Grandma raised me, I’m from the Westside where it get sticky, and my four wheels come with road kits / I got Elliott like I’m Missy, stack my bread up, cut the corners off, it ain’t no way you could diss me, b*tch / I got the yellow gold / I got the yellow stones and my wrist and ring / It look pissy,” Gucci raps alongside Roddy for the second chorus.

Throughout the track, the three rappers continue to showcase their extravagant possessions, women, and other vices. “Hey, put on them Daisy Dukes / Show me what that new Mercedes do / Real trap house, all the pots and pans come with residue,” Roddy adds in his verse.

Meanwhile, Nardo joins Gucci later in the track, as the two add, “They say we litty, uh, I say, ‘We ain’t lit enough’ / They say we did it, uh, I say, ‘We ain’t did enough.’”

Gucci Mane’s last project was his compilation record last year, so fans have been waiting for a possible new album — with this adding to the anticipation.

Check out Gucci Mane’s “Pissy” with Roddy Ricch and Nardo Wick above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.