Lil Uzi Vert’s new, Jersey club-inspired single “Just Wanna Rock” is taking over the streets. Its popularity has grown so much in such a short time, though, that it’s begun receiving comparisons to another Philadelphia-bred rapper’s classic anthem.
DJ Drama, the Generation Now label head responsible for bringing Uzi’s unique style to the world, told TMZ that “Just Wanna Rock” was the new official rap anthem of Philly, replacing Meek Mill‘s “Dreams And Nightmares Intro,” after Uzi walked out the Eagles ahead of their NFC Championship win over the San Francisco 49ers.
However, Uzi seems not to agree. Uzi addressed Drama’s comments at the Grammys, telling Revolt TV (via The Shade Room), “That song been around for a very long time, and that song is still hitting exactly the same way. I’m just gonna have to see, you know, in a couple of years or a decade or whatever.”
Uzi did have praise for the elder rapper though, saying, “That’s one of my big homies. I just feed off the energy that he gives, to be able to even produce or put out that type of music… He would hope that for me too. Not yet though — it’s too early to tell.”
Meek himself — who got a similar co-sign from the Eagles for their Super Bowl championship in 2018 with “Dreams And Nightmares” — tweeted what appeared to be a response shortly after Drama’s original comments. “Intro been lighting the world for 10 years!” he wrote. “Like shaking rooms for years!”
Intro been lighting the world for 10 years! Like shaking rooms for years!
Last week, an interview clip in which Matty Healy of The 1975 implores Noel and Liam Gallagher to reunite Oasis went viral. “Stop marding!” he exclaims, invoking English slang for “complaining” that Americans might recognize from an Arctic Monkeys deep cut. “Grow up! Headline Glastonbury!” Even those of us who have occasionally found Healy to be a bit much could not deny the undeniable truth of his conclusion: Anyone who attends a solo show by either Gallagher brother in 2023 would rather be at an Oasis gig.
If Healy’s words occurred in a vacuum, they might not register as anything more than a funny soundbite. But in the past month, there have been signs that the seemingly insurmountable divide between Noel and Liam might be narrowing. Indeed, it’s possible that in the not-so-distant future the “marding,” so to speak, might cease so that the rocking (Britpopping?) can resume.
The British press, unsurprisingly, has already been close-reading tweets and interviews from the brothers for any signs of hope. Over the weekend, for instance, Liam tweeted about a successful hip operation — the man is 50 years old, after all — and offhandedly remarked to one of his followers that the “comeback is real,” a phrase that appeared instantly in numerousheadlines in a manner that, for now, seems misleading.
Over here on the other side of the Atlantic, I am conducting my own investigation. I admit that I am biased — at the beginning of the year, I predicted that Oasis would get back together and announce a tour in 2023. At the time, this was a Hail Mary based on wishful thinking: Their classic debut album Definitely Maybe turns 30 next year, and surely there is a pile of reunion money the size of the Burj Khalifa just waiting for them to hoover up like the white lines that fueled the making of Be Here Now.
One other thing: From the beginning, Noel has been the most adamant about not working with his brother. He was the one who ended the band in the first place back in 2009 after an argument in Paris in which Liam allegedly threw a plum at Noel’s head. (I probably didn’t need to mention the part about the plum — it just makes me laugh any time I think about it.)
But Noel’s reasoning against getting the band back together (which in the best-case scenario will also include guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, because when you have a guy named Bonehead in your band you must invite him back) has grown strained. In October, he said that Oasis is as popular now as they were when they were an active band, which in his mind means there’s “no point” in reuniting. I think I understand what he means — in terms of streaming numbers Oasis never really went away — but the logic is flawed. Their enduring popularity makes a reunion more relevant, not less. At some point that window will close. Now is not that time.
This is not to say that there aren’t good arguments to be had over whether an Oasis reunion should happen. But let’s put them on hold for a minute. First, let’s wildly speculate on the reasons the comeback could happen.
1. Noel is getting divorced
At the risk of sounding crass — the marriage busted up after 12 years, our thoughts are with him at this emotionally difficult time — I must point out that this development suggests that Noel will need a fresh infusion of cash very soon. And touring arenas and stadiums with his musical ex obviously represents a more economically advantageous situation than playing clubs and theaters with his solo band, the High Flying Birds. Noel will likely be reminded of this once again when his latest High Flying Birds album, Council Skies, comes out in June.
There’s also the matter of Noel’s ex supposedly not being a fan of Oasis’ music, as Liam claimed in 2020. Is this true? I have no idea! Marrying the man who wrote music you hate seems bizarre to me. But we are talking about the Gallaghers here, so the threshold for nonsense is much higher than normal.
If I can make a more sentimental case: In the wake of a divorce, there is an opportunity to reflect on other relationships in your life that might be broken or dysfunctional. And after that period of introspection, there can be grace and forgiveness and reconciliation. Put another way: Why not throw a plum at his head and call it even?
2. Noel literally said “never say never” regarding an Oasis reunion last month
News of Noel’s divorce was reported on January 16. The very next day, Noel went on BBC Manchester and said “you should never say never” regarding Oasis getting back together. While he indicated that “it would have to take an extraordinary set of circumstances” for it to happen, he also added, “That’s not to say that those circumstances would never come about.”
Excuse me, Noel, but you have said “never” regarding a reunion for more than a decade. Now you are essentially negotiating terms for your involvement in a public forum. This is a huge turn of events! Might as well start drawing up potential set lists. May I request that you play “Acquiesce” first? It’s a great song, and the double meaning regarding the thematic significance of the tour is clear.
3. Noel allegedly phoned Liam and was “begging for forgiveness”
Even a person like myself who has gone mad with confirmation bias for an Oasis reunion can’t take this Liam tweet about Noel wanting to meet up at face value. But let’s pretend for a moment that it’s not just trolling: Liam tweeted this the very next day after that BBC interview. Now, I’m guessing Liam saw that interview and thought it would be funny to paint a scenario in which his brother calls him with the proverbial hat in hand. Because Liam has been the one before now who has openly pined for an Oasis reunion, and now he finally has a measure of power in their dynamic.
I prefer to believe that Noel and Liam really did sneak off to a pub and shared pints while hashing out their differences. “Sorry about the plum, mate.” “Fookin’ ‘ell, ’bout time you said that.” If these guys could just get drunk together, they might realize that all they have to do is take separate private jets to every show and stand on opposite ends of enormous stadium-rock stages for six months in order to make a cool $100 million each.
Also, guys, if you did get drunk together, any chance you recorded it for “Wibbling Rivalry” Part II?
4. Their mum Peggy just turned 80
Am I stretching here? Or is this secretly the most important factor of all? The beloved matriarch of the Gallagher household, who raised her brood after the boys’ father abandoned the family, celebrated her birthday on January 30. Reportedly, it is her wish for Noel and Liam to patch up their differences. According to the British tabloid The Mirror, a “source” claims that “in recent years there has been distance within the family, especially with Liam and Noel at war. Peggy has told Liam to mend the rift and she is hoping there will be genuine reconciliation.”
That’s right — I’m quoting English scandal rags now. That’s how far I’ve been pushed. Sooner or later, I’ll have to turn in my badge and gun. But until then: You don’t care about money? You can’t tolerate your brother? What about your elderly mother? You can’t disappoint your elderly mother, Noel and Liam! Just pick up a guitar and a tambourine and play “Slide Away” already!
To review: Noel likely will need money. Noel is publicly negotiating his terms. Noel maybe (?) already reached out to Liam. And their 80-year-old mother wants them to reconcile. All of these things suggest a reunion could take place. But should it?
Oasis is a notoriously inconsistent live act. Tickets for a reunion tour will be obscenely expensive. The shows will take place in cavernous spaces that will render the songs as muddy as an Owen Morris production. They might let us down. It could be a train wreck. And that would suck.
At the 2023 Grammy Awards that took place this past Sunday (February 5), Kendrick Lamar took home the award for Best Rap Album for his fourth major-label album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
Though Lamar’s fiancée Whitney Alford, and their two children — daughter Uzi and son Enoch — couldn’t be at the Crypto.com arena on Grammy night to witness the special moment, the three of them were tuned into the television to watch it happen.
Alford shared a video on her Instagram story, featuring herself and their children watching Lamar deliver his acceptance speech.
“First and foremost I want to thank my family for giving me the courage and vulnerability to share these stories and share my truth with this album,” said Lamar during the speech. “I want to thank my fans for trusting me with these words. As artists… we say things to provoke thoughts and feelings and emotions.”
When three-year-old Uzi heard the word “family,” she was overjoyed to know Lamar was talking about her, Enoch, and Alford.
“Daddy! He’s talking about us!” she says in the clip shared to Alford’s story. “He’s talking about us. He’s talking about his family… Uzi and Enoch and mommy.”
On Grammy night, Lamar also took home the awards for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “The Heart Part 5,” bringing his total number of wins for the night up to three, and his overall Grammy wins up to 14.
Actor and former Punk’d host Ashton Kutcher dropped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he spilled some stories from his and Fallon’s partying days before cell phones and Uber existed. The conversation eventually segued into talking about Kutcher’s attendance at a neighbor’s karaoke party that has fans talking, after he previously told Esquire the Harry Styles-featuring story.
“Mila [Kunis] and I went to the party, and we’re sitting there, and this guy gets up, and he starts singing this ABBA song,” Kutcher says. “And he was unbelievable. I was like, ‘This guy’s really good.’”
He then explains that since he used to frequently go to karaoke, there would be performers known as “ringers” that jump from one spot to another, which is what he thought this guy was.
“We turn to our friend and we’re like, ‘Man, that guy was really good,’” he added. “They’re like, ‘That’s Harry Styles.’” Needless to say, the audience burst out in laughs.
“But I didn’t know who that was. And I still don’t really,” Kutcher went on, admitting he only really knew “Watermelon Sugar” and wouldn’t be able to tell who Styles is out of a lineup of three “5’6″, handsome, dark-haired fellas.”
Even Fallon himself was shocked, as Styles is one of the world’s biggest pop stars at the moment. Kutcher went on to chalk it up to being “pop culture anemic” and noted that his interests lie in the Hubble telescope, Alzheimer’s research, and… AI chatbots? He got a big groan from the studio audience when he noted that Styles was in “some D12 band or something,” in an attempted reference to One Direction.
Janelle Monáe may have gotten their foot in the door as a musician, but these days, newer fans tend to forget that little fact due to their blossoming acting career. So despite Monáe’s schedule filling up with more on-screen opportunities partly due to the success of Glass Onion, they’ve promised to give day-one fans new music to hold them over.
Last month, the triple threat shared a video of them working on new material in the studio. Then finally, a few weeks ago, Monáe released an extended teaser video for their upcoming single, “Float.” But thanks to a viral tweet, the whole track may never see the light of day.
A user on Twitter garnered a lot of attention by tweeting, “Janelle Monáe finally showing off how fine she is instead of dressing like the monopoly man.”
janelle monae finally showing off how fine she is instead of dressing like the monopoly man
Monáe’s signature monochromatic black-and-white fashions, oftentimes suits, were a way to pay homage to their mother and grandmother every time they took the stage. The singer told the Huffington Post, “It’s a dedication to uniformity, and I’m a minimalist by heart, but a lot of it had to do with me wanting to have a uniform like the working class, like my mom and my grandmother.”
Well, once the tweet crossed the desk of the singer, she came back with a playful response: “35.7k likes?? No new tour. hope it was worth it beloved,” closing with the winky kissy face emoji.
Chile lemme go dust off the archandroid because the tweet is at 44k+ likes now… we’re never getting anything from you ever again at this rate pic.twitter.com/lBggLePufy
The original users’ mentions were riddled with angry fans, but they stood firm in their comments, saying that although it was a joke, they meant what they wrote and also respect Monáe’s artistry. Monáe jumped back in to say, “Monopoly man?? [crying emoji] You’re pretty and funny. [kissy face emoji].”
Squid Game star O Yeong-Su reportedly expressed regret for his behavior while entering the courtroom for his sexual misconduct trial in South Korea. “I am sorry. I think I behaved badly,” the 78-year-old actor said. However, despite his apology, the Golden Globe winner is denying the charges that were brought against him.
“O admitted his wrongdoing when the victim asked for an apology, but he has denied the charges during the investigation, failing to show any remorse for his act,” the victim’s attorney said in a statement ahead of the trial. Via The Hollywood Reporter:
The police report said that O attempted to hug the unidentified woman by force and kissed her on the cheek while they went out for a stroll together. O has admitted that he held the victim’s hand but denies there was any indecent assault. The allegations were originally brought in 2021, but the police dropped the case due to a lack of evidence. Later, the prosecutors reopened the investigation after the woman appealed.
The woman was reportedly traumatized by seeing O receive accolades for Squid Game, including his Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor in the Netflix series and filed charges. The alleged incident reportedly occurred in 2017 when the victim was 22-years-old and was working on a play with the veteran actor.
For his part, O claimed in an interview that he only held her hand to “guide her way while they were strolling around the lake” and that he apologized “not as an admission of guilt,” but because she “wouldn’t make an issue” if he said he was sorry.
Ben Affleck’s apparently terrible time at the Grammys was more than simply his usual, you know, face. That sounds awkward as heck for me to phrase it that way, but surely, you’ve seen all of the paparazzi photos of Sad Batman looking less than thrilled to be on camera when he isn’t acting. He also seems very “over it” in terms of attending glitzy parties, but that could also be due to his resting face as well. After all, he doesn’t even look happy when grabbing Dunkin,’ and everyone knows how much he adores Dunkin.’ His reported Super Bowl commercial for that Affleck paradise will be coming soon.
Ben also loves JLo, and they’re still technically newlyweds, but he still couldn’t muster up some grins (or any enthusiasm at all) while supporting her at the Grammys, where people noted that he looked “miserable.”
however bad of a day you’re having, I promise you’re not as miserable as Ben Affleck at the Grammys right now pic.twitter.com/OQxA54H9P1
At one point during the evening, the cameras also caught an awkward, apparently conflict-filled moment between Ben and JLo. Reports have surfaced that indicate that she told him to “[l]ook more friendly. Look motivated.” To which he reportedly responded, “I might.” I suspected that Ben simply wanted to go home, and that’s what a source told Entertainment Tonight:
“Jen and Ben had a fun date night out at the Grammys, but they have both been very busy working on several projects, and Ben was feeling tired… He wanted to go and support Jen, but he wasn’t his usual self … Ben is more of a homebody, and it isn’t his thing to be out at events all the time.”
That’s still not fantastic, given that JLo appears to be about doing the most while attending events, including dancing while Ben looked like he was dreaming about his next Dunkin trip. Hopefully, they can work out some sort of compromise for future events because Ben’s lack of enthusiasm will be remembered the next time they walk the red carpet together (if they ever do again).
Jay-Z has long been open about his mixed feelings about the Grammys. In his and wife Beyoncé’s 2018 single “Apesh*t,” he famously rapped, “Tell the Grammys, ‘F*ck that 0 for eight sh*t,’” after being nominated eight times that year, but not winning a single award. But still, he will make his impact on the culture known by maintaining a presence at the ceremony each year.
This year, he was super adamant about his wife receiving her much-due flowers. In an interview with Tidal conducted before this year’s Grammys, Jay said he feels that Bey’s seventh studio album, Renaissance was objectively the Album Of The Year.
“Look what it’s done to the culture. Look how the energy of the world moved,” Jay said. “They play her whole album in the club. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that. The whole entire joint — like, everything?! Every remix is amazing. Everyone’s inspired. It has inspired the world. Every remix is better than the other one. From anybody, we’re just finding these joints out in the street.”
Renaissance, however, did not win the coveted Album Of The Year award, but ended up taking home the award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Songs from the album won several awards — “Break My Soul” for Best Dance/Electronic Recording, “Plastic Off The Sofa” for Best Traditional R&B Performance and “Cuff It” for Best R&B Song.
The aforementioned wins brought her total number of wins up to 32 Grammys throughout her career, making her the artist with the most Grammy awards.
Over the weekend, Lizzo had a blast at the 2023 Grammy Awards. Not only did she take home Record Of The Year for her song “About Damn Time,” but she also was one of the star performers to play during the event.
“Ok… last thing,” she wrote. “Can I say IM SO PROUD OF MY VOCALS!!! Like… I been working on my voice for the last couple years… some people think I’m a born singer but I’m a rapper first! I wanna thank God & my vocal coach for getting me here.”
Ok… last thing. Can I say IM SO PROUD OF MY VOCALS!!! Like… I been working on my voice for the last couple years… some people think I’m a born singer but I’m a rapper first!
Over the years, many fans have admired Lizzo for both her vocal and breath control — as she is also insanely talented at playing the flute.
She also dedicated her win to Prince and Beyoncé during a tearful speech. “I’m just so proud to be apart of it,” she said. “Not only can people do good, but we are good.”
Continue scrolling for some additional fan reactions to Lizzo’s recent post about her Grammys performance.
“She even emailed us last night,” Witherspoon said about Kunis on the Today show. “She goes, ‘You guys look so awkward on the red carpet together.’” The Legally Blonde actress wasn’t offended, though. She and Kunis have been friends for years. “It’s just fun because when you know a girlfriend so much, it was just fun to get to know her significant other because I’ve loved her for so long,” Witherspoon explained. “He’s so professional. He’s the funniest guy. I mean, such a goofball. We had so much fun.”
Your Place or Mine director Aline Brosh McKenna (who co-created the wonderful Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) told the Hollywood Reporter that Witherspoon and Kutcher both wanted to “make something fresh and modern that felt very today and a reality and a grounded-ness to it, so like where she lives, her clothing, how her kid dresses and his apartment is a nice apartment, but it’s not like a $20 million apartment. It’s a perennial genre, my favorite romantic comedies come from the ’30s and ’40s, so you can always find a way to update it and I hope that’s what we did.”
But based on the photos, if the question is “your place or mine,” the answer is “neither.”
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(@JanelleMonae) 
You’re pretty and funny. 
(@thatsstra) 
︎ (@memorieskickin) 