The Last Of Us‘ second season is bringing high human emotion amid zombie drama over on HBO, but the infected will soon rise elsewhere. AMC’s The Walking Dead: Dead City will head back into Manhattan after Maggie (Lauren Cohan) screwed over Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and promptly regretted her decision, thanks to a guilt trip from Hershel. Luckily for the audience, those second (and third thoughts) will keep this arm of the franchise going before Daryl Dixon wakes up again in Europe.

The urban jungle will have been grinding in the show’s absence with new characters portrayed by Dascha Polanco (Orange Is The New Black) and Kim Coates (Sons Of Anarchy), so it’s time to consider when the cockroach-laden action will begin again.

When Does The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 Episode 1 Come Out?

Sunday, May 4 at 9:00 pm EST. The debut episode, “Power Equals Power,” will arrive concurrently on AMC and AMC+ in line with the following description: “In the war for control of Manhattan, Maggie and Negan find themselves trapped on opposite sides.”

During a recent Screenrant interview, Jeffrey Dean Morgan commented upon Negan’s ongoing evolution from reprehensible villain to survivor of a long-lived redemption tour. The Supernatural veteran then teased how “this year, we’ll find out yet another side of Negan and his relationship, and how that works with Maggie in this world of post-apocalyptic New York. And, you know, the story continues. It’s going to be a fun year.”

How so? Lucille 2.0 will be featured prominently, and she is surely the reason that Negan has regained his swagger in this trailer, so that the redeemed villain can cope with being betrayed after his long-lived redemption tour. However, that same trailer culminated with Maggie holding onto that wire-wrapped weapon, and all bets are off on predicting how that happens.

The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Aminé, Key Glock, and Quavo.

Even light weeks like this one have their gems. For reference, just check out Rico Nasty’s latest Lethal single, “Butterfly Kisses.”

Then, Samara Cyn dropped her own thoughtful single, “Bad Brain,” while on tour with Smino.

Meanwhile, the F1 soundtrackhttps://uproxx.com/music/samara-cyn-bad-brain/ paired Don Toliver and Doja Cat for the high-octane “Lose My Mind.”

Aminé continued the rollout for his album 13 Months Of Sunshine with the fittingly breezy “Vacay.”

And Quavo reunited with his late partner-in-rhyme Takeoff on “Dope Boy Phone.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending May 2, 2025.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Benny The Butcher — Excelsior

Benny puts out music at a slower pace than many of his Buffalo-bred brethren, but the quality of his releases remains consistently high. Following up 2024’s Everybody Can’t Go, Benny touches down with a seven-track release of epic beats and muscular bars, with appearances from Boldy James and Styles P.

Boldy James & Real Bad Man — Conversational Pieces

You know what they say: “If it ain’t broke…” Boldy and RBM displayed sharp, complementary chemistry on their 2022 team-up Killing Nothing, so why not go back to the well? Boldly tends to shine the most when he links up with a single producer for a full project (just see last year’s The Bricktionary for proof), so you know Conversational Pieces brings out his best. Conway, Dreamcastmoe, and El-P put in helpful appearances, but it’s the Boldy show over Real Bad Man’s woozy, smoke-laden beats.

Key Glock — Glockaveli

Memphis stalwart Key Glock has been promoting Glockaveli for quite some time, and the final product does not disappoint. Surprisingly, Glock goes totally solo for the duration of the 18 tracks, but unsurprisingly, he lives up to the lofty ideal presented by the project’s title. While I might hesitate to compare him directly to the late, great Tupac, the revolutionary rap legend’s influence is clear, even with the stylistic, regional, and generational differences between the two MCs.

Le$ — Water Under The Bridge

Le$ is clearly on a mission to release an album a month in 2025; just 30 days after dropping Million Dolla Dreams (which itself arrived just about a month after Dollas & Sense), the Houston native follows up with another collection of dreamy, easy riding rap ruminations building on his habit for soul, funk, and the finer things in life.

Ro$ama — Orange Tape

Fans of BigXthaPlug, That Mexican OT, and Maxo Kream who feel that the Texas trio just hasn’t put out enough material of late (which, fair, but mighty greedy) will surely enjoy Ro$ama’s seven-song offering. BigX’s acolyte has plenty of potential, and a similar gift for boastful but introspective storytelling, sharing that same off-kilter self awareness.

Singles/Videos

1999 WRITE THE FUTURE — “Timeless” Feat. The Pharcyde

The title track from the four-song EP released today from the 88rising-backed production collective, “Timeless” is emblematic of the full project, which pairs LA alt-rap pioneers Pharcyde with an eye-opening collection of dynamic beats that give the old-school faves a whole new sound.

2 Chainz — “The ATL Experience” Feat. The Isley Brothers

Okay, here’s something that I wasn’t expecting but that I need more of ASAPtually. The Isleys are here more for atmosphere than anything, but what an atmosphere it is. 2 Chainz is on like his third or fourth career revival/evolution and as a big fan of his pairing with player talk purveyor Larry June earlier this year, I’d like to think the Bay Area boss rubbed off on him a little. I’m looking forward to more of the backpack rap-ification of 2 Chainz.

Bia — “We On Go”

Something different from the Beantown native, who has built a reputation for feel-good get-money anthems. Here, she’s got a little more edge, with a militant chant of a chorus, some aggressive bar work, and a synthesized rock guitar that makes this sound more like fight music than most of what she’s known for. A welcome swerve.

Connie Diiamond — “Letter To My Fans”

Directly addressing her supporters, Connie Diiamond opts for a more confessional approach on this single than the upbeat drill she’s known for. It’s an interesting direction for her to take, and the inspirational, gospel-inflected chorus promises even more artistic growth as the Bronx native looks to build her following.

Taylor Sheridan is all clear for landing on new series, both this year and beyond. The Madison will be the future of the Yellowstone saga later this year, and 1944 will further trace Dutton roots after 1923‘s series finale last month. Sure, there’s a current drought in the Sicario scribe’s televised flow that is being answered by Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, but there’s no substitute for Sheridan with those who adore Neo-Westerns or his standalone series.

Speaking of which, let’s not waste any more time and follow the Texas tea on what to expect from Landman‘s second season.

Plot

All signs are pointing toward a big shift for Billy Bob Thornton’s frontman, Tommy Norris, becoming the actual frontman of M-Tex following Monty Miller’s (Jon Hamm) untimely death. This plan was already outlined near the end of Landman‘s first season with Demi Moore’s Cami suggesting that she would like Tommy (who would prefer to sell M-Tex) to continue Monty’s legacy in what is perhaps some ill-advised immortality quest.

First thing’s first: is Monty really dead? Well, Jon Hamm has already confirmed no return for his character after Monty was clarified as dead by series-co-creator Christian Wallace. Additionally, Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that “funeral scenes” are being filmed in Jacksboro, and it’s hard to imagine that the show would be doing so for any other character.

Further emphasis on Tommy’s more complicated existence came from Thornton to Variety (he admitted that Tommy will never want “to stop being a Landman,” but he knows that carrying out Cami’s wishes is “the right thing to do”) and during a recent Deadline panel. Not only will Tommy have to adjust to dressing slightly fancier and doing the tycoon thing rather than a guy taking speculation-related risks in the oil field, he will have to educate Cami:

“Since she doesn’t really know the oil business that well, I’m there with her to show her how these people operate,” Thornton said. “You can know something intellectually but what are the street smarts behind it? I know how to deal with these people she’s going to have to deal with. I just tell her, ‘Look, some of these deals you can take but when it gets really weird and difficult, let me know because I know these guys.’”

Thornton added, “He goes from having a job that’s really difficult and a job that’s very dangeorus to having two.” Now comes the stormy lowdown: “Now I’m kind of executive and a landman and a family man in the midst of this tornado. It makes for some pretty interesting stuff I have to say.” And don’t forget that Tommy will still need to navigate the relationship between M-Tex and the cartel run by Andy Garcia’s Galino.

Not only is Tommy dealing with professional upheaval, but Hamm previously told Hollywood Reporter that Tommy has quite the stack of responsibilities going forward, both in his new professional role and while juggling family drama from ex-and-current-flame Angela (Ali Larter) along with Aynsley (Michelle Randolph) and Cooper (Jacob Lofland).

Cast

Billy Bob Thornton will remain the only Tommy Norton in town. He will be joined by 1883 veteran Sam Elliott, who we all know is very good at wearing cowboy hats along with that infamous ‘stache.

Again, there will be no Jon Hamm to be found. Demi Moore, however, will have an expanded role and will (this is such a strange detail) have some type of action scene, which was revealed by a casting notice searching for a “running double” for Moore.

Other returning cast members include Ali Larter, Michelle Randolph, and Jacob Lofland with probable ongoing turns from Paulina Chávez, James Jordan, Andy Garcia, and Kayla Wallace.

Release Date

A current absence of new Sheridan seasons might make the wait feel longer, but with filming already in full swing, Landman could return in late 2025 or early 2026.

Trailer

Without official footage, this is a bittersweet place to relive the cameo from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

I first heard Jai’Len Josey’s music about four or five years ago. I stumbled across her name and decided to press play on a few tracks before dozing off for the night. One of the first songs I heard by her was “Can You Do It For Me?” — a standout from her impressive debut EP Illustrations. Vocals like Josey has are hard to come by nowadays in music, so when you do, it’s only right that you celebrate them.

In the years following Illustrations, Josey has worked hard toward reaching a simple but meaningful goal: “My one goal is having a large amount of people listen to my music,” she tells Uproxx over a Zoom call. “My goal is to find the next stepping stone that pushes me to where I’m supposed to be or where my dreams and my goals are. That’s bigger stages, bigger audiences, [and] more people listening to my music.”

I could go all day telling you how talented Jai’Len Josey is, but it’s time we let the music speak for itself. Her latest single “New Girl” officially kickstarts the campaign toward her upcoming debut album Serial Romantic, executive produced by the legendary Tricky Stewart. Guided by an infectious groove and a sultry sway, Josey sings about giving into “feeling like a girl” with lines that drip with confidence and excitement toward a new potential love interest.

With “New Girl” out now and Serial Romantic on the way, we placed Jai’Len Josey under the Uproxx Music 20 spotlight to learn more about her influences, inspirations, and aspirations. Scroll down to discover the best of Jai’Len Josey.

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What is your earliest memory of music?

My earliest memory of music is my mother cleaning. She would be cleaning the house to so many different things. She’s from Detroit and their radios were weren’t segregated at all. So she would be cleaning the house to, Earth, Wind and Fire, but then the next would be Fleetwood Mac. One would be Aretha Franklin, and then the next one would be Elton John. She was cleaning the house to a lot of things, and that’s my earliest memory of music.

Who or what inspired you to take music seriously?

I was really loud, so it wasn’t more so what inspired me, [but] what was going to get all of this energy out of me. I was just very obnoxious, very loud. My mom saw it and decided to put me in different classes growing up. I was in the youth ensemble of Atlanta. My high school, Tri Cities High School, had so many music programs for music theater, so that’s how it was. I was always inspired by what my mom did back in the day. She worked at So So Def and LaFace Records for a minute. I was always inspired by that I’ll say, but I was really just loud. I didn’t really know I could hold a tune until somebody told me that I could hold a tune.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I can get around on the piano. I create my own beats, so I can do a little some something. I would more so want to dive into actually learning the piano. I had piano lessons when I was a kid, but it never really stuck. I could do an arpeggio, or whatever, but I more than that? Probably not. I think what I would want to really, really learn is piano

What was your first job?

My first job was on Broadway. I left college to go work on Broadway, that was my first job. But a legitimate nine to five I’ve never had, I’ve been blessed to not have to have that. SpongeBob on Broadway [was the play].

What is your most prized possession?

My dignity. Oh no, my mental health! That’s my most prized possession. If I ain’t saying that, then I would say my dog. If I’m not saying that, then I would just say my family.

What is your biggest fear?

Spiders.

Who is on your music Mt. Rushmore?

In no particular order, Stevie Nicks, Brandy, Beyoncé, and Aretha Franklin.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I am buying a whole new wardrobe, booking a first class flight to Japan, buying souvenirs… Dang, the flight to Japan will take up all my time. Yes, a long flight. Let’s go back: Wardrobe, a new hairstyle, I’m gonna just get my whole thing together. I’ll get my lashes, my hair, a facial. I’m gonna pay my bills. I’ll buy a town house or a condo or a house. I could buy a house and pay it off that day. 24 hours? I will make the time to do all of that. I don’t need to do a house viewing, I don’t need none of that. I would make it happen in that day. Basically, I would do all the things that I need to do because an unlimited amount of money right now will be heavenly.

What is the best song you’ve ever made?

There’s an unreleased song that I have called “Stupid Man Of Mine” and it’s been floating around because I gave it to someone. It always finds its way back to me, and they’re like, “Oh my gosh, this is, this is you?” or “I heard the song being played in the studio.” I was truly in love with the person that I was talking about, but I didn’t realize that the relationship was fueling some of the best lyrics I’ve ever put down on paper. I was told that they’re keeping my voice on the record, so it’ll be out. It just won’t be published by me. It’ll be out by somebody else, a producer who wants to put it on their compilation album.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

A Doechii feature.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

I need to be in an episode of Sex In The City. I just need the streetlights. I need to be carelessly walking down Fifth Avenue or Manhattan. I just need to not have a care in the world, an iced coffee with more cream than coffee, a fresh hairstyle, fresh lashes, heels, some mules on, and a nice, cute little summer dress just walking to nowhere — maybe a date that might happen at the end of the night. I really need to be an episode like that. I really, I want that to be my life at some point. Just come to me for the script. Bring the film crew, that’s it.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Prince’s personality. Just the embodiment of knowing who you are and knowing that you’re hot sh*t or a diva, as many would say. I think that that’s cool. I’ll be watching the YouTube videos of like Aretha Franklin giving shade, or Prince giving shade, like little looks that may happen. It brings them down to earth and it’s like, you know what? I be looking like that when some somebody say something crazy, you know? I just like Prince’s personality because it’s like, okay, he’s a human.

The idea of a celebrity is starting to morph as well. People are more so gravitating to people who they can see themselves in rather than somebody who’s out of reach. For the fact that, the sun is humongous, so it’s likethere’s enough sun to go around that they could find their way and be a celebrity in the same light as the person that they’re looking up to. I like seeing the real sides of celebrities.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Aliens, and this is my whole spiel: Nobody could ever change my mind about the stars and the ocean. Nobody could ever change my mind about Bigfoot. Nobody could ever change my mind about ghost, spirituality, and weird things like that. I believe that everything is possible. I think that we are sitting on this humongous rock and it’s floating for some odd reason, and I think that that is crazy in itself. If there is proof for that, then there has to be proof for the other crazy things: aliens, the Loch Ness Monster, if dinosaurs can be a thing, then you think that vampires can’t be? I mean, maybe vampires is a stretch, but I mean just supernatural things. Nobody can ever change my mind about the supernatural.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

Nina Simone’s “Little Girl Blue.” I love it because it paints such a beautiful picture. Her playing the piano at the beginning sounds very childlike, and then it goes into her legitimately showing her skills of being a pianist. The lyrics follow the same summary of it as well. I think it’s one of the pretty songs that I’ve ever heard, and I’ve been listening to it since I was a child. It’s such a gorgeous song. I love it. No notes, just all 10s.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

New York was a great crowd. I think it’s because I performed there when I was a child, so coming to New York to perform again was like being home. I think a city that I’m really most excited to perform in again would be New Orleans.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

I gotta do it in my hometown, I’m having the festival in Atlanta. I’m bringing out Victoria Monét, SZA, and Brandy as the headliners. Durand Bernarr — and you know how they have different stages? I’ll have Samaria joy on the jazz stage. We’ll have a special guest of Mariah The Scientist, because I love her down, and Summer Walker. [They’ll] do a joint set because they’ll feed off of each other.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

I would be a marine biologist. I was really good at science and I loved water. I love water, I live by a lake. I won the science fair when I was in high school. If [singing] wasn’t my lane, it would be marine biologist. I love bioluminous. I like those type of things. I like jellyfish, things like that.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

I don’t want to go back five years into the past because I like Jai’Len with her frontal lobe fully developed, so I don’t want to do that. I will probably go five years into the future.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Stop eating those freaking dumplings. I was living in New York, and I was living above a dumpling shop, and I was going H.A.M. I feel like now I work out so much just to avenge my younger self and I’m just like all of this could have been avoided if I just would have stopped eating those dang dumplings. If we’re playing yeah, but if we’re being serious, I probably would just tell her to have patience or be understanding and grateful of the stepping stone you are on right now because a plethora will come. More will come now.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Therapy. I want it to be remembered in a therapeutic way. I would want people to immediately feel the frequencies that run through the songs when they listen to my music. It has helped me with therapy. Music has been my therapy, so I would hope and pray that in 2050 people are also feeling healed by my music.

The French electornic duo Air (Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel-Barbier) are staging a comeback. The band is currently on the second wave of their Moon Safari 25th anniversary tour (the album first dropped in 1998, it’s a classic), an album that helped usher in a new era of ambient pop music. Where would bedroom pop and homespun electronica be without Air? We shudder to imagine that world!

Air started the anniversary tour for Moon Safari last year and if you missed that, you now have a second chance to catch their restrained but expertly orchestrated and immersive stage show in celebration of the album.

Despite not doing a ton of press or interviews as a duo, we were able to score an interview with the iconic pair to discuss what touring looks like for a band from a country known for its exceptional cuisine, eating local non-processed foods and the pitfalls of American food industrialism. We also discussed each member’s favorite pastries, and touched on what Nicolas Godin likes to order off the Nigiri menu, and Jean-Benoit’s struggles with vegetarianism.

What is on your rider?

Nicolas: Oh, it’s very simple because we don’t ask for food really. We just have beers and water, because after a show you’re so thirsty that you don’t want to drink champagne or wine, you prefer to have a nice cold beer. That’s the main thing we need for getting all this freshness we need when we get out of stage.

Is there a particular beer or water brand that you prefer?

Nicolas: For water, we ask Evian, because it’s French. For the beer we take Corona because there’s no gluten in it. It’s made out of corn, so you can drink Corona and don’t have a big belly after that.

Just Corona straight, no lime?

Jean-Benoît: There is a lemon. Yes. I can see it now on the table because I’m backstage now. I’m a little bit boring because I’m eating boring things on tour. Basically, it’s like I’m the nursing person, no alcohol, no sugar, nothing. And when we are on tour, I just try to eat the minimum I can. Nicolas said we are drinking Coronas, but we have Coronas with alcohol and Coronas with no alcohol, and no alcohol is for me. So I know it’s really boring, but this is the only way to survive and to play well.

JB, I read an article where you once said that you liked to have a shot of vodka before you perform. Is that no longer the case?

Jean-Benoît: No, because I stopped (consuming) alcohol. I used to because when you sing, if you take a shot of strong alcohol, it warms all your throat and it’s really helpful to sing well because it’s cleaning everything inside.

Nicolas: I used to take rum, black rum, but not anymore.

So when you guys are recording, are there any foods or drinks that need to have in the studio with you?

Nicolas: No, we used to go out to have lunch or dinner. As a French person, we do very scheduled eating times. We have lunch and then we have dinner. We don’t eat between. We were coming to the studio after lunch and we were leaving before dinner, so we didn’t need food or drinks in the studio.

Would you eat a special lunch or dinner before or after recording or is it just very typical, whatever you eat normally?

Nicolas: I remember when we used to work with the American musicians, they were so shocked that we spent so much time at restaurants before going to the studio. And the fact that we take real meals, they were also shocked too. They were not used to that. They used to be on a more efficient rhythm to work. Food is very important for balance and we take it very seriously.

Snacking is not a part of your culture, right?

Nicolas: No.

Jean-Benoît: This is the main difference with American musicians we met, it’s like the musicians, when they’re hungry, they eat, but it can be like whenever during the day. But us, we don’t do that. We have hours, we have special hours to eat and we don’t have to eat in-between. This is how to be healthy.

For example, we take a little breakfast in the morning when we wake up and then we have lunch at 1 PM, and then there is dinner at 7:30 PM. But you are not supposed to eat in-between, otherwise you’re going to get fat and you’re going to tire your system.

So when you’re touring like you guys are now, is it hard to keep that structure or is that something that you still try to implement?

Nicolas: It’s very hard, and that’s the main problem when we travel and when we tour. That’s really an issue for us because it breaks all our habits. Each country has got its strengths and its weaknesses, and for some reason the strength of France is really it’s food. We have very good products and very good food everywhere. As a French person, that makes it difficult because everybody has to eat three times a day, and so it’s hard when you are not in France and you have to eat three times a day and you have to put something bad in your body three times a day.

French rock is horrible music, people think it’s terrible, but I will never oblige you to listen to French rock three times a day. You could listen to a whole album of Toni Halliday three times a day. But me, when I go (on tour) in the States, I have to eat bad three times a day. That’s a very big problem for me.

So do you travel with food or do you go to local grocery stores to get your own fresh ingredients?

Nicolas: The problem is the bread, the bread is horrible and it’s not that complicated to make good bread. America have sent people to the moon but you didn’t take time to make good bread, which is much easier. I don’t understand what’s the problem. The only thing I took from France is I brought some chocolates from a chocolate maker in the center of the country, and so I always have good chocolate with me. It cheers me up and it’s always there.

Jean-Benoît: The food is a reflection of the economy, and the problem in America, is that the brands of food that prevail are the industrial ones. Food can’t be industrial. Good food, it cannot be manufactured as an industry, it can’t be transported, because only bad food can be transported far away because it’s full of chemicals and it’s bad for you. Good food is something local and bad food is something international or industrial.

Everything is done for the people to buy industrial food in grocery stores because it’s cheaper. People are obliged to do that and they eat transformed food with chemicals. Food can’t be industrial, it has to be local, and it has to grow near you and you have to cook it. If you don’t cook, you’re going to eat food made by brands and with the cheapest way and with the most horrible chemicals in it.

Nicolas: I will never eat anything that comes from the factory. Never. Never. It’s impossible.

What type of chocolate do you bring with you?

Nicolas: It’s pure dark chocolate. It’s made by a guy called Bonnat. I also like Chocolate from Claudio Corallo – He’s a guy on the island of Principe in front of West Africa.

This is the kind of thing you can have in your suitcase. Same for champagne and wine. It’s hard, because we have good quality (in France), so we prefer not to drink champagne and wine when we are abroad.

JB, is there any food that you bring with you on tour from France or from home?

Jean-Benoît: No, because we are not allowed to bring food in our suitcase. You can’t cross the borders. You can’t go to Canada or to US with food. It can be a ruse because they have dogs and they can smell your food. Everything like fruits or everything organic is forbidden. I just bring some medicine, some natural medicine like vitamins, because it helps me to hold on.

Is there anywhere that you found that actually does have decent food locally or has locally sourced ingredients that are okay to eat?

Nicolas: Well, we love the food in the southeast area around the Mediterranean Sea, like Spain, Italy, Greece. France, of course. North Africa. Maybe some soul food in Latin America. We love Mexican food. When we go to Mexico City, we love tacos, handmade, fresh made, and you can choose your ingredients you put in it. It’s very good. We love Chile with all the sandwiches.

We love when there’s a soul, but basically we never eat well in Protestant countries.

Nicolas, I read in an article that you love Japanese food.

Nicolas: That’s the greatest thing about California — you get the most amazing Japanese restaurants. The best Japanese restaurants in Paris, will be an okay restaurant in LA. The best Japanese restaurant in LA, you will never have that in Paris. It doesn’t exist.

What’s your go-to Japanese dish? Do you order sushi or you like the hot dishes?

Nicolas: I like sushi because it’s kind of neutral. It has to do with Zen culture and it’s something very pure. I love to drink sake as well to calm down, because the problem we find in the USA with the food is that there’s too much salt. If you drive a car and then people buy a bigger car, then you buy a bigger car in case you have an accident, you want to be protected, and then people buy bigger cars, and at the end everybody’s got a big car. I think with the salt it’s the same because when you’re used to a certain level of salt, then you don’t feel it anymore. Then you have to raise the level.

But around here, it’s like half of the time in the restaurant I cannot eat because it’s too salty.

What’s your favorite piece of sushi?

Nicolas: I love mackerel, and I love yellowtail.

JB, are you a vegetarian?

Jean-Benoît: I used to be, but I abandoned it because I was feeling a little bit tired. I saw my face one day in the mirror when I was a vegetarian and I was white and thin. I was not looking good and said to myself, “It’s because of the meat.” So I’m eating meat now, but only sometimes, rarely. I feel that my skin needs to have fish, so I eat a bit of fish. I try to alternate in-between vegetarian and vegan and meat. Sometimes once a week or two times a week I eat fish or meat.

What are some of your favorite restaurants in Paris?

Jean-Benoît: In Paris, there is a homemade Japanese food restaurant. It’s called Chez Miki. It’s a tiny restaurant near Opéra because near Opéra you have a lot of Asian restaurants, and it’s incredibly, incredibly good. Usually I’m not a big fan of desserts in Japanese restaurants, but there, it’s so so so good. I invited some friends that I know who love Japanese restaurants and they were amazed. They were in shock. They had a tasty shock.

Nicolas, I read somewhere that you have lunch with your mom every week in Versailles? Do you still do that? And what do you usually eat with your mom?

Nicolas: My mom, she’s the most amazing cook. She even cooked for the best chef in Paris. I cannot pass that. He went to my house and my mom cooked for him and it was crazy. She knows a thousand stuff, it’s amazing. I’ve been spoiled because since I’m a baby, I eat some amazing stuff. I couldn’t be more spoiled. A lot of my family, a lot of the moms, they cook very well.

At home, we cook a lot. We couldn’t have the kitchen in the living room like you have in the States because we cook too much. It’s too messy to have that in a living room. Every Sunday I go there, we go to see the family every Sunday.

What’s one of your favorite dishes that she makes?

Nicolas: My God, I can’t say one.

Jean-Benoît: Does she do couscous, no?

Nicolas: Yeah, she does an amazing couscous, because couscous is a favorite food for French people, but my mom does amazing couscous. She cooks very well the fish. I got a house in Corsica, and so every summer we eat fish all the time, like fresh fish straight from the fisherman in the morning.

She does an amazing fish soup and it’s a whole day to make it. She pass the fish with the hand mill. The day before we buy some crayfish and then we eat them, and then she keeps the water where she cooked them and then she put the water in the fish soup, and it’s amazing. She add some drops of Pastis in it, and the result is just amazing. She makes her own mayonnaise, and then she burns some piece of bread, croutons. You put the mayonnaise on the croutons and you put that in the soup and it’s just… wow.

What’s your favorite pastry?

Jean-Benoît: I like eclair au chocolat.

Nicolas: Mine is lemon tart. That’s my favorite pastry, lemon tart. Pastry is very different from some salted food because pastry is like mathematics. You have to be super strict. If you put 10 grams more and then it ruins everything. It’s very difficult.

The way other chefs cook when it’s not pastry, it’s more like inspiration to try something and say, “Oh, let’s try that,” and they do it. You can always have a good surprise. You can never do that with pastry. Pastry is really serious, serious work.

Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Flea co-founded the Silverlake Conservatory Of Music, a nonprofit educational organization, a couple decades back. The endeavor continues today, and now some students have shared a collection of The Pretenders covers. Recognition Music Group and Hipgnosis Songs have agreed to waive Chrissie Hynde’s royalties for Our Loving Tribute To The Pretenders, which will instead by donated to the the Silverlake Conservatory Of Music.

Flea says in a statement:

“Music education! From the lesson room, to the practice at home, to the band rehearsal, to letting it all out in the recording studio. And now, to your earholes! The kids at the Silverlake Conservatory Of Music have recorded something incredible, and the first three songs, an homage to The Pretenders, are out today. Please support the kids, support music education, listen to it and cheer them on. Thank youuuuuuuu!”

Merck Mercuriadis, executive producer and founder of Hipgnosis Songs, adds, “Flea’s passion, commitment to music education, the Silverlake Conservatory Of Music and the kids it serves is contagious for good reason. Seeing these amazing young people benefit from learning an instrument and start making records in tribute to their favorite artists and songwriters is truly special. All proceeds will benefit SCM so please listen to these amazing performances of songs you know and love and support these amazing kids!”

This is just the first of three planned releases, as a collection of Neil Young covers is set to follow in July, then a RHCP set in September.

Listen to the cover of “The Wait” above. The project also includes renditions of “Show Me” and “Talk Of The Town,” which can be found below.

Some Sexy Songs 4 U, Drake’s collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, continues to pick up streams online. But it is Drake’s older discography that is on the minds of fans online. Well, at least Yeat is paying close attention to it.

Last month during his Coachella 2025 appearance, Yeat performed a cover of Drake’s “Feel No Ways.” After Yeat’s version sparked a split response from users online, supporters believed the tune would never again see the light of day. Whelp, today (May 2), Yeat decided to troll the trolls online by uploading it onto digital music platforms.

While “Feël No Wayz (Yeat mix)” features the same moody original lyrics and most its somber tonality of “Feel No Way” Yeat took a gamble with on the song’s production. Instead of the blend of melodic rap and R&B Drake has been synonymous with, Yeat opted for a fuzzy electronic approach.

In the comment section for its supporting visualizer on YouTube, users are still divided. However, many former detractors have begun to walk back their disdain disdain after taking a moment to process the sonic re-imagination.

“They changed the mix, this is a lot better than the preview everyone was hatin on,” wrote one user.

“Growing on me hella. Loved how he really brought out his own style and vibe to the song while keeping the same energy from the Drake version. Sh*t gets better with every listen,” penned another.

Listen to “Feël No Wayz (Yeat mix)” above.

Taylor Sheridan’s path toward the neo-Western future remains solid with Yellowstone being laid to rest and yielding to the upcoming The Madison and 1944, but do not sleep on his standalone series. Those recent juggernauts include Landman, which is currently filming a second season, and Special Ops: Lioness, which hasn’t officially been renewed for a third season that does seem inevitable, given that Zoe Saldaña initially signed on for three, and numbers have been good on Paramount Plus.

The series is like no other in Sheridan’s portfolio, and word on the Internet street is that the show has joined the other spy thrillers on Netflix. However, some confusion abounds, so here’s our chance for clarity on the subject.

Is Taylor Sheridan’s Special Ops: Lioness On Netflix?

Yes and no. Clear as mud?

The series did land on Netflix a few weeks ago in very limited territories that do not include the United States. The views that have been racked up have still pushed Lioness: Special Ops onto the current Top 10 English Language series list with a total of 15.4 million hours streamed in two weeks. This restrained success (at least in comparison to numbers at the Paramount Plus home base) could prompt Netflix to spread that love around.

If and when that happens stateside, then there will be the question of whether Sheridan’s obligatory shirtless performance will be among those episodes. Intrigue, man.

Special Ops: Lioness stars Saldana as a military and CIA operative named Joe, who molds recruits to infiltrate terrorist cells. Co-stars include Nicole Kidman, Michael Kelly, Morgan Freeman, and Laysla De Oliveira with Genesis Rodriguez making a splash during the second season. Fingers are crossed for that third season renewal announcement soon.

Bruce Springsteen has one of the most iconic, widely recognized nicknames in contemporary music history: The Boss. That doesn’t mean he loves it. In fact, it looks like he kind of dislikes it.

On an episode of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast (as People notes), Springsteen said, “‘The Boss,’ which dogged me my whole life, still does. I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve given up and gotten used to it, I suppose.”

Springsteen also explained that the nickname started from his band and crew: “‘Hey, boss.’ You know? ‘Are we getting paid this week?’ ‘Sure.’ And then some DJ heard it and started using it on the radio and it, you know, went viral, as they say. And so there it is.”

In Peter Ames Carlin’s 2012 biography Bruce, E Street Band member Stevie Van Zandt said, “I remember people calling him that and not taking it seriously. Not ’til I started calling him the Boss. Then they took it seriously because I was a boss, too. So when I started calling him the Boss the vibe was, ‘If Stevie’s doing it, there’s something to this!’”

Meanwhile, Springsteen is set to be portrayed in an upcoming biopic by Jeremy Allen White, and he’s impressed by the actor’s vocal abilities.

“Iconic.”

That’s how Charli XCX once (accurately) described herself, and it also applies to the Brat tour.

After releasing Brat — which, among other accomplishments, won three Grammys and topped the Uproxx Music Critics Poll — the “360” singer first hit the road with Troye Sivan, and is now winding down the green-album era solo.

I caught the first concert of Charli’s mini-residency at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center this week. All four shows at the spacious 19,000-capacity arena are sold out, an impressive achievement for someone who, the last time I saw her, was in a venue that holds maybe 1,500 people. Charli has always been ambitious enough to be a headliner; now she is one. (“Miss Should Be Headliner” is a funny joke, but there’s truth in comedy, as they say.)

However, Charli finds herself at a crossroads. She’s “reached this new level of success,” as she put it in an interview, and she’s suddenly (and deservedly) popular enough that she can do pretty much whatever she wants. And what she wants to do is act.

A quick look at Charli’s filmography on IMDb shows that she has nine projects in the works. They are:

• The Moment, an A24 film based on her own original idea.
• Overcompensating, a Prime Video college-set comedy series from creator Benito Skinner where she serves as executive music producer and also guest stars as a fictionalized version of herself who hates singing “Boom Clap” (OK, maybe it’s not so fictionalized).
• The Gallerist, the new movie from Birds Of Prey director Cathy Yan about a “desperate gallerist who conspires to sell a dead body at Art Basel Miami” that also stars Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega.
• Erupcja, the secret movie she filmed in Poland during Brat summer.
• 100 Nights Of Hero, a “feminist fairy tale inspired by One Thousand And One Nights” with Emma Corrin, Maika Monroe, and Nicholas Galitzine.
• I Want Your Sex, an intriguely-titled descent into “sex, obsession, power, betrayal, and murder,” about a fresh-faced youngster (Cooper Hoffman) who becomes the “sexual muse” for a provocative artist (Olivia Wilde).
• Sacrifice, the English-language debut from acclaimed music video director Romain Gavras, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy as a Joan Of Arc-like zealous spirit who is on a mission to save the world from a fiery reckoning, as well as Chris Evans, John Malkovich, Salma Hayek Pinault, Sam Richardson, and Yung Lean.
• Faces Of Death, a modern update of the cult horror favorite.
• Untitled Takashi Miike Movie, an unlikely but potentially awesome pairing of Charli and the director of Audition, Ichi The Killer, and One Missed Call. There are no plot details yet, but expect the film to be violent.

That’s a lot of movies! (And one TV show!) But after seeing Charli on the Brat tour, I’m more convinced than ever that she can pull it off.

The Brat tour is a (relatively speaking) “simple” production. There’s no dancers, no band, no backup dancers — all eyes are on Charli, all the time. Even when she walks off stage to strut through the scaffolding underneath, there’s a camera operator following her, or circling the singer when she’s gyrating on the floor in one of her party-girl outfits.

There’s a confidence and effortless quality to the way that she interacts with the camera. The proven keys to success apply to both live music and movies: she knows her angles; hits her marks; trusts her collaborators (in this case, the cameraperson); and makes strong, organic choices — like spitting on the floor and licking it up, or dancing in a ripped-up shirt in the rain.

Charli also knows her limitations. Her filmography currently consists of documentaries, concert films, and voice roles in animated kid flicks The Angry Birds Movie and UglyDolls, which is why instead of headlining a four-quadrant blockbuster, she’s starting small.

“I’m enjoying learning about being on a set and learning from great directors and actors,” she told Variety. “I hate it when musicians dive into a different field, head-first, without really researching or learning much of anything about it. So I did a lot of reading to educate myself over the past three or four years before I actually did anything.”

Charli XCX is about to do a lot of things. If the Brat tour and her thoughtfulness are any indication, her acting is going to be, well, iconic.