Category: News

Back in October, Willow released her fifth studio album, COPINGMECHANISM, and delivered a killer performance on Saturday Night Live. Earlier in the year, her Tyler Cole collaboration, “Meet Me At Our Spot” became a viral hit on TikTok, despite being released two years ago.

It’s safe to say it’s been a busy year for Willow, who has accomplished a lot in the realm of music, however, is often labeled as a “nepo baby.”

The term “nepo baby” (short for “nepotism”) is often used by art consumers to describe actors, musicians, and other notable entertainers who are believed to have received their platform by way of nepotism. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Willow, who is the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, was asked how she feels about the label.

“I don’t focus on how other people feel about me,” she said in response. “If you love me, amazing. If you hate me, fantastic. That’s none of my business. I was put on this planet to be someone who uplifts the lives of people with my art and my words and that’s it. That’s pretty much how I feel. Anyone can feel how they feel, and I don’t mind.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Willow revealed that she doesn’t care to be described as a “pop star.”

“I love doing weird sh*t that pushes the envelope and inspires people to perceive life and music and themselves in a grander, wider point of view,” she said. “That’s how I see myself. And sometimes a pop hook does that really well.”

Taylor Swift and Ticketmaster is so yesterday. The top trending topic on Twitter today is #RIPJimmyFallon.

No, The Tonight Show host isn’t dead — unlike his film career after the one-two punch (to the groin) of Taxi and Fever Pitch — but that hashtag has been all over Twitter since last night. A tweet reading, “Gone but not forgotten. Rest easy king Sept 19, 1974 – Nov 15, 2022 #RIPJimmyFallon,” along with a photo of James Corden, may have kickstarted the Paul Is Dead-esque rumor, which has made its way to Fallon himself.

“Elon, can you fix this? #RIPJimmyFallon,” Fallon tweeted. Elon Musk, who should probably be focused on more important things than replying to the guy who sang “Idiot Boyfriend,” wrote back, “Fix what?” That’s a good motto for Twitter in the Elon era.

Around the same time that Fallon fired off his tweet, Musk sent an email to Twitter employees demanding that they make the social media platform “extremely hardcore,” whatever that means, or else they’re fired.

Elon Musk has given employees until Thursday evening to commit to “extremely hardcore” work or else leave the company, according to a copy of a late-night internal email… In the memo, Musk goes on to outline how Twitter will be “much more engineering-driven” and then gives staff an ultimatum. “If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter, please click yes on the link below,” directing staff to what appears to be an online form.

Fallon shouldn’t worry about Musk fixing the hashtag. Twitter might not exist next week.

(Via CNN)

In case you haven’t heard, Yellowstone is back with a vengeance. The Taylor Sheridan-created, Kevin Costner-starring series may not impress Sam Elliot (who, not incidentally, starred in the 1883 prequel), but approximately 12 million premiere viewers can’t be wrong. Hopefully, several million of those viewers will trickle into Tulsa King territory, too, but at the moment, viewers are a little bit obsessed with a new character, who might be threatening the Montana ranch-reign of John Dutton.

That would be newly installed rival, Sarah Atwood. Who is she, and have we seen this actress before now in this universe?

That’s an interesting question. Actress Dawn Olivieri is, in fact, familiar to this universe, and she’s thrilled to now be in Yellowstone proper, as her Instagram posts reveal.

Olivieri picks up the role of Atwood, who’s barging into view after John somehow ends up being governor. Sarah represents Market Equities, which is intent upon scooping up as much property as possible, and naturally, the Duttons are in her sights. As the Pioneer Woman blog points out, Sarah is keen to “take advantage of a spurned Jamie to turn him against the rest of the family.” That task doesn’t seem like it will be too difficult, given Jamie’s emotional state, and your dad is probably very interested in the outcome of this instant rivalry between Sarah and John.

As for Olivieri herself, this franchise is playing head games with people because the actress portrayed widow Claire Dutton in 1883. Now, she’s zooming ahead in time while making an effort to trounce John Dutton, which should make for high cowboy drama. In between both of these roles, however, Dawn comes by her livestock-associated ways naturally. Here, she appears to be quite the attraction for a herd of deers.

Yellowstone airs new episodes on Sunday nights.

Yet again, Lizzo not only proves that she wants her fans to feel their best but to look their best as well. The Grammy-award-winning singer answered a last-minute fashion request from a non-binary fan on TikTok.

Activist, author, and journalist Aurielle Marie took to the platform back in October to get the “About Damn Time” singer’s attention. In their initial post, they explained that they were selected to receive the Out 100 award but couldn’t find an outfit suitable for the joyous occasion. Marie went on to share they aren’t just some deranged fan but an advocate for body positivity, a cause that Lizzo holds dear.

Later in the video, Marie states, “I know you know how it feels to be the biggest b**** in the room and all the scrutiny and hypervisibility that comes with that. Because I’ve watched you talk about it. But the longer I go without something to wear, the less I want to be there… let me make a little TikTok and see what happens.”

Originally, the fan requested the singer’s red-tiered tulle number from this year’s Emmys, where she won for her Amazon-backed docuseries, This Is For The Big Girls. Instead, the singer sent something a bit more suiting. Just a few days before the ceremony, Lizzo’s romantic magenta capped-sleeve tulle gown worn at the 2019 American Music Awards arrived on the fan’s doorstep.

The fan tearfully thanked the singer for coming in to save the day.

The singer didn’t stop there. Lizzo also sent a tailor to the fan’s home to ensure the gown fit their figure like a glove.

We love a generous Queen. What a kind gesture from Lizzo, and congratulations to Aurielle Marie.

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

Last night (November 15), the Latin Recording Academy honored the 2022 Latin Grammy nominees for Best New Artist. All 11 nominated artists, including Silvana Estrada, Nicole Zignago, and Pol Granch, performed at a live showcase in Las Vegas.

The Latin Grammy Awards category for Best New Artist includes many acts from across Latin America, Spain, and the US. Estrada represents Mexico in the category. The singer-songwriter achieved a breakthrough year with her third album, Marchita. At the showcase, she performed a moving version of her heartfelt ballad “Te Guardo.”

Zignago is representing Peru in the Best New Artist category. She has crossed over from writing hits for other artists like Sofía Reyes‘ “1, 2, 3” to releasing her own music. Zignago dropped her debut EP Así Me Siento Hoy earlier this year. She provided one of the showcase’s more upbeat moments with the performance of her breakup anthem “Corazón Frío.”

Granch is holding it down for Spain in the Best New Artist category. After breaking out on last year’s hit remix of “Tiroteo,” with Marc Seguí and Rauw Alejandro, he released his second album Amor Escupido. His performance was introduced by Spanish icon Alejandro Sanz in a video message. Granch turned the showcase into a pop concert with his emotional performance of “Solo x Ti.”

Angela Alvarez, who is making history as the oldest Best New Artist nominee at 95 years old, also hit the stage. She performed a powerful ode to her homeland Cuba. Yahritza y Su Esencia was missing band member Mando, so they opted not to perform. Other nominees include Sofía Campos, Cande y Paulo, Clarissa, Nabález, Tiare, and Vale. The 2022 Latin Grammy Awards will take place in Las Vegas on Thursday, November 17. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Univision.

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

Earlier in the week, media baron Rupert Murdoch reportedly made it clear to Donald Trump that he should not announce a presidential run after the disastrous midterm results. Murdoch even went so far to say that his vast media empire would back a Democratic candidate should Trump become the Republican nominee.

Rupert wasn’t playing around.

Following Trump’s Tuesday night announcement that he will once again seek a return to the White House, the Murdoch-owned New York Post executed a brutal snub by burying the Trump news on page 26 of Wednesday’s paper. Granted, the Post opted for a fear-mongering front page hyping concerns about crime, but it also let readers know that Trump’s announcement didn’t warrant the attention he so desperately craves.

Not content with burying Trump’s announcement, the Post staff also wrote a scathing report that ridiculed Trump for the Mar-a-Lago raid, his cholesterol levels, and his frequent claims of being a “stable genius.”

You can read the full text below:

With just 720 days to go before the next election, a Florida retiree made the surprise announcement Tuesday night that he was running for president. In a move no political pundit saw coming, avid golfer Donald J. Trump kicked things off at Mar-a-Lago, his resort and classified documents library. Trump, famous for gold-plated lobbies and for firing people on reality television, will be 78 in 2024. If elected, Trump would tie Joe Biden as the oldest president to take office. His cholesterol levels are unknown, but his favorite food is a charred steak with ketchup. He has stated that his qualifications for office include being a “stable genius.” Trump also served as the 45th president.

Again, Rupert Murdoch is not messing around. However, there are reportedly conditions for his media empire backing a Democratic candidate against Trump. Should Joe Biden run for re-election, Murdoch will reportedly remain neutral. But should a new “more promising” Democratic candidate emerge, News Corp will support that ticket “for the sake of stability and a sensible White House.”

Not gonna lie, that feels like a trap, but it does appear Murdoch is already making moves to shut down Trump in more ways than one.

(Via New York Post on Twitter, Christine Romans on Twitter)

Yesterday, the nominations for the 2023 Grammys were unveiled. With that, Beyoncé earned nine total nods in various categories and broke a ton of records in the process. She is currently tied with her husband, Jay-Z, as the most-nominated artist of all time. Both have received a total of 88 nods from the Recording Academy.

She did break the record to become the female artist leading the way for the most nominations ever. In addition, Beyoncé surpassed Frank Sinatra for the most nominations in the Record Of The Year category. They had previously been tied at seven. Now, with her newest acknowledgment for “Break My Soul,” she is leading the way at eight.

According to Billboard, she holds the record as the first woman of color (as a solo artist) to receive four nominations for Album Of The Year. Mariah Carey, HER, and Whitney Houston each hold three.

Beyoncé’s additional nominations this year include Song Of The Year and Best Dance/Electronic Recording (“Break My Soul”), Best Dance/Electronic Music Album (Renaissance), Best R&B Performance (“Virgo’s Groove”), Best Traditional R&B Performance (“Plastic Off The Sofa”), Best R&B Song (“Cuff It”), and Best Song Written For Visual Media (“Be Alive”).

Out of Beyoncé’s nine total nominations, she only needs four wins to become the highest-awarded artist by the Recording Academy of all time. Currently, she has won 28 total times and would beat out Georg Solti and Quincy Jones if this happens, according to their official website.

The Grammys are being held on February 5, 2023.

SZA fans have been waiting a long time for her second album, S.O.S., but it looks like they’ll be having a merry Christmas this year. According to Billboard, the singer — who has been ambivalent about whether or not she even wants to be one — has settled on a December release date for the album, which will feature standout singles from the past year such as “Shirt” and “I Hate U.”

It will also feature, according to SZA, improved songwriting, as she was a “more carefree writer” on her beloved debut, CTRL, and has become more focused since. SZA also made an effort to explain why the process took longer than fans might have wanted. “I feel like music, in this capacity, I don’t see longevity,” she said. ” like to create, I like to write, I like to sing, and I like to share. But I don’t know if chasing after superstardom or whatever I’m supposed to be doing right now is sustainable for me or for anybody. I’mma take a good swing at it, and I’mma give ’em my absolute best.”

Fans have speculated that the album is coming out next month ever since she was announced as the musical guest for the December 3 episode of Saturday Night Live. They also interpreted a possible easter egg in her video for “Shirt” as a clue to the release date. If it does turn out to be correct, SZA heads will be having a happy holiday, indeed.

On her newest single, “Do You Miss Me?” PinkPantheress enjoys time with a lover. As her infatuation grows, she finds herself approaching obsessive territory.

In the first verse of the single, which features hypnotic, dance-ready percussion by Kaytranada, PinkPantheress sings, “I can’t let go of your hand / I can’t even breathe without you / I don’t think you understand  / I love to watch you as you speak / And you say the words ‘I love you’ / Tell me, when you fall asleep.”

Back in October, Paramore brought out PinkPantheress to perform the band’s iconic song, “Misery Business” at Austin City Limits. Paramore is one of PinkPantheress’ all-time favorite bands, and in an interview with Alternative Press, PinkPantheress recalled seeing them perform live and coming to the realization that she, herself, wanted to be a musician.

“I’ll never forget the thought I had: ‘She’s having so much fun, and she’s getting paid.’ Money is never a factor,” she said, “but I realized you can really make a living off of this. It’s more than just dancing and being onstage, obviously, but it just looked so appealing to me right then. I was like, ‘In any imaginary world where I can do this, this is what I want.’”

Check out “Do You Miss Me?” above.

PinkPantheress and Paramore are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Will Smith has stayed very quiet since The Incident earlier this year that had Hollywood perpetually divided. After taking several months off to meditate and avoid the media, Smith is back with a striking new trailer for the upcoming film Emancipation from Antoine Fuqua, director of The Equalizer franchise.

Inspired by a true story, Emancipation stars Smith, Ben Foster, Steven Ogg, Charmaine Bingwa, Mustafa Shakir, and Timothy Hutton. Here are the official plot details:

Emancipation tells the triumphant story of Peter (Smith), a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom. The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of “Whipped Peter,” taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper’s Weekly. One image, known as “The Scourged Back,” which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery.

Despite Smith’s rocky year out of the spotlight, Fuqua said that Apple was nothing but supportive of the film, which was filmed last summer in New Orleans, months before The Slap. “As a filmmaker, you want your work out there, especially something this important,” Fuqua told Deadline last month. “It was Apple, behind the scenes, they were pushing that as well, trying to navigate through the waters. They never stopped talking about releasing the film, and when would be best strategically. Apple would call me often, with Will, and I have to say Apple has been amazing through this whole film. We moved from Georgia to Louisiana, and they never blinked. We weathered hurricanes, Covid, all those things.”

Even though Smith will be unable to snag an Academy Award for this film due to being banned from the ceremony, Fuqua says he just hopes the actor is able to move on from the ordeal. “Will Smith is a great guy. I was with him for a couple of years, making this movie. He is a wonderful person, an amazing partner and he did an amazing job on this movie. Chris Rock’s a good guy, I know Chris as well…and I just pray it works out for them as friends, and we can move forward.” Yes! It’s time to move forward.

Emancipation will be released in select theaters on December 2nd, and streaming on AppleTV+ on December 9th.