The highlight of day one of D23 Expo 2022 was the “Celebrate the Magic of Disney and Pixar” panel, which included sneak peeks of upcoming live-action and animated Disney and Pixar movies. Not every trailer will be released to the public this weekend, or even for weeks or months, but here’s what was featured:

–Hocus Pocus 2 (September 30, 2022), reuniting Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy

–Disenchanted (November 24, 2022), the sequel to the delightful Enchanted

–Peter Pan & Wendy (2023), with Jude Law as a Jack Sparrow-ish Captain Hook

–Haunted Mansion (March 10, 2023), a campy and creepy take on the iconic theme park ride with Rosario Dawson, Lakeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Jared Leto (all but confirmed as the Hatbox Ghost), Danny DeVito, Winona Ryder, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who made a surprise appearance in a Doom Buggy

–Mufasa: The Lion King (2024), directed by Moonlight‘s Barry Jenkins

–Snow White (2023), with Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot (seemingly channeling Emma Stone in Cruella) as the Evil Queen

–The Little Mermaid (May 26, 2023), another live-action remake starring Halle Bailey as Ariel; there will be four new songs, one of which opens the film, as well as classics like “Part of Your World” (that sequence was screened to the D23 crowd — Bailey kills it)

Now to the Pixar section…

–Elemental (June 16, 2023), about two literal elements, Fire and Water, who look past their differences… and potentially fall in love

–Win or Lose (2023), Pixar’s first long-form series for Disney+ where every episode follows a different character on the same day (this was the best trailer I saw all panel)

–Elio (2024), about an 11-year old boy who is mistaken for Earth’s intergalactic ambassador by aliens

–Inside Out 2 (2024), which takes place inside the head of the same girl as the original, except now she’s a teenager; there will also be new emotions joining Joy, etc.

And finally, the Walt Disney Animation Studios projects…

–Zootopia+ (November 9, 2022), six standalone episodes set in the Zootopia universe

–Iwájú (2023), the first collaboration with an outside studio (Kugali) in Walt Disney Animation Studios history

–Strange World (November 23, 2022), a story of three generations of explorers inspired by the adventure stories of yesteryear; the voice cast is led by Jake Gyllenhaal, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union, Lucy Liu, and Dennis Quaid

–Wish (2023), a musical that blends watercolor animation with CGI — classic meets contemporary — in honor of 100 years of the Disney company

In all my friend groups, I am considered a bit of a woo ambassador. Whether it be from a crystal, intention-setting candle or meditative bath bomb, I love seeing the look of fascination and intrigue on a loved one’s face after receiving a bit of magic.

My favorite thing to do is gift someone their first oracle card deck. You’ve probably heard of tarot cards—oracle cards are like tarot’s laid-back younger sibling. Each card has a symbolic picture along with a simple, yet poignant message, usually of the empowering variety.

Sure, they’re a common staple of a modern-day spiritual practice, but the main reason I adore them, and why these little cards have become so mainstream over the years, is that they can be valuable self-reflection tools, helping us to make new connections, break old patterns and creatively work on personal development. Plus they’re endlessly fun and who doesn’t love pretty things?

There is, however, one issue. Oracle card decks can be given pretty much any theme you can think of—be it unicorns or angels or pop music icons—and yet, very few feature diverse images or delve into minority cultures. Understandably, when a person cannot even see themselves authentically reflected in the cards, it can leave them feeling missing from the equation. Assuming that it wasn’t created for them, some don’t explore the cards at all. Which is a shame, considering what a powerful tool they can be.

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Being a seasoned cardslinger, I was egregiously aware of this during my recent search for an appropriate deck to give my friend as a birthday present.

Luckily, I found the perfect one.

The African Goddess Rising Oracle deck contains 44 cards (works of art, really) that focus on prominent figures of African culture. From deities like Oshun—the Yoruba goddess of love—to real-world icons like Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau, each character helps the reader connect to what deck creator Abiola Abrams describes as the “foundational beliefs” of African spirituality: ancestral veneration, reverence for elders and community, respecting natural phenomena, and the power to transmute obstacles.

Abrams’ bio will inform you that she is an award-winning author and first-generation American daughter of multigenerational healers, seers and farmers in Guyana, South America, who are descended from several West African nations. But truly, one glance through her gorgeous deck will just as easily reveal her impeccable knack for storytelling and personal connection to the myths passed down in her family.

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Because of its rich historical context, this deck has a much more grounded quality than other more fantasy-based cards—it feels a bit more like receiving wisdom from a wise elder than a heady, esoteric concept. Because, well, that was all by design. As Abrams explains, her creation is “faithful to our sacred truths and secrets passed down through oral tradition.”

In case you were curious—my friend loved it. The very next day after receiving it, she told me how validating it felt to “see even my ancestors telling me I’m on the right track.” It’s that kind of insight and affirmation that oracle cards can help cultivate, which is why it’s so important to have diverse representation. Everyone needs that sort of thing now and again.

To be fair, there are other highly honorable mentions for more inclusive oracle card decks, but something about African Goddess Rising hits different. It helps that Abrams is also a recognized leader in the personal growth space—the empowering messages come from a sensible, well-founded place with simple, actionable steps.

Also—in case it wasn’t obvious, the African Goddess Rising deck can be for anyone. Each message is universal, rooted in humanity and able to speak to us all. I have since procured my own copy, and you can do the same here.

Upworthy may earn a share of proceeds from items purchased on this list.

For fantasy fans, it truly is the best of times, and the worst of times. On the bright side—there’s more magic wielding, dragon riding, caped crusading content than ever before. Yay to that.

On the other hand, have you noticed that with all these shows, something feels … off?

No, that’s not just adulthood stripping you of childlike wonder. There is a subtle, yet undeniable decline in how these shows are being made, and your eyes are picking up on it. Nolan Yost, a freelance wigmaker living in New York City, explains the shift in his now viral Facebook post.

The post, which has been shared nearly 3,500 times, attributes shows being “mid,” (aka mediocre, or my favorite—meh) mostly to the new streaming-based studio system, which quite literally prioritizes quantity over quality, pumping out new content as fast as possible to snag a huge fan base.

The result? A “Shein era of mass media,” Yost says, adding that “the toll it takes on costuming and hair/makeup has made almost every new release from Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu have a B-movie visual quality.”

He even had some pictures to prove it.

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Yost first addressed the Amazon Prime Series “The Rings of Power.” One of the many, many things that makes Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy so iconic is the costumes. But that legacy was the direct result of dedication to detail.

“The production spent years hand-making every single piece of armor with real metal, hand-dyeing all-natural fiber fabrics, and designing distinct embroidery and hairstyles specific to each race in Middle Earth that had continuity through the story,” Yost wrote.

He added, “the natural dyes and dedicated layers of fabrics for elves, for hobbits, wool/dyes, and for men had a much more muted/medieval look, yet ethereal because of the slight detail you don’t really notice, but the depth draws your eye to every inch of the costume regardless.” This, he says, is why those three movies stand the test of time.

Compare this to the two images from “The Rings of Power,” below. In one photo “they barely scrapped together an unnaturally gilded scale mail breastplate and just screen printed a stretched long sleeve shirt to match underneath, all over a skirt in a single layer of a warped poly skirt.”

The other image shows “they just saved money on an Elven wig altogether for a 2022 pompadour, with a velvet pleated priest smock (with crushed parts not even steamed out), and a neckline that isn’t tailored to fit like we’ve seen previously with Elrond or Celeborn.”

Yost then moved onto HBO’s “House of the Dragon.” Arguably even those who have never seen a single episode of its predecessor, “Game of Thrones,” would still recognize Daenerys Targaryen for her platinum white hair—an attribute that Yost notes was quite expensive.

He explained that for the show’s final season alone, Daenerys’ wigs cost tens of thousands, requiring human hair to be custom made into multiple wigs. Yost made a comment in his Facebook post that indicated he even supplied those hairpieces back in the day, so it’s safe to say he knows what he’s talking about.

Luckily, there was only one character with that signature look in the show. For “House of the Dragon,” however, with a cast almost entirely made up of silver-haired brooding powerhouses, Yost surmises that due to budget constraints, the creators opted for synthetic wigs.

You can see below the problem this cost-cutting decision makes in terms of authenticity.

“Synthetic hair reflects light throughout the whole hair shaft and it tangles extremely easily,” Yost writes. “With any shot where a character isn’t actively moving or is performing dialogue and the hair isn’t being actively smoothed down every couple of seconds between shots, each flyaway is going to show up on camera if there’s any indirect lighting and look messy. Not only that, synthetic hair is also twice as thick per strand than human hair, so regardless of that the wigs are going to look bulky in an uncanny valley sort of way.”

This affects not just sci-fi and fantasy, but other genres meant to transport viewers into other worlds, like period pieces, which Yost points out with a picture from “Bridgerton” by Shonda Rhimes.

“It’s obviously not meant to be historically accurate, which is totally fine,” he writes, but without important details or embellishments or even proper undergarments to make the clothes fit well, everything looks like a slightly more expensive Halloween costume.

Yost’s insightful post really shines a light on what audiences are having to trade off for the sake of constant output. The phrase “done is better than perfect” takes on a new meaning altogether as studios race to meet a deadline with whatever is easiest to mass produce. But if viewers are so easily taken out of these stories because of noticeable corner cutting, then perhaps it’s a sign that what we really want and need are stories worth waiting for, ones that truly pull us in and leave us captivated. This is no easy ask, for studio execs or customers alike (I too am a voracious binge-watcher), but as we can see in these examples, the most valuable experiences rarely, if ever, come from rushing.

Disney has revealed the first look at the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Today at Disney’s D23 expo, where fans got an exclusive preview of the company’s upcoming movies, series, and projects, The Little Mermaid director Rob Marshall revealed the teaser clip to a large audience, as reported by Variety.

In the clip, rushing waves splash across the screen, as the familiar harp intro to the movie’s iconic song, “Part Of Your World,” plays in the background. Fish swim throughout the ocean, amid various trenches, and toward the end, singer and actress Halle Bailey is seen as Ariel.

“Out of the sea, wish I could be, part of that world,” Bailey sings, donning Ariel’s red hair, purple seashell bikini, and green tail fin.

After Marshall shared the clip, Bailey arrived to the stage at the expo to roaring applause from the audience. Bailey revealed that the “Part Of Your World” number took three days to film, however, she channeled a younger, imaginative version of herself throughout the entire production process.

“Swimming in the pool, imagining I was a mermaid, I never thought I could see that come to life,” Bailey said.

The Little Mermaid arrives to theaters May 26, 2023.

Check out the first teaser above.

Ahead of a weekend of shows at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, rock band Pavement is inviting fans to see to DM them on Twitter to see them perform.

Earlier today, the band discovered a message written on a door outside of the venue, which seemed to be written by a zealous, disgruntled fan.

“Half of u that got 2 see Pavement just listened to them last week with your obsessed cat……” read the message. “Me bragging about I know Pavement more than people who don’t care 2 read this is prob why wife cheated.”

Pavement band member Stephen Malkmus shared an image of the message in a tweet, saying, “Creative frustration [outside] Orpheum. dm pavement account if you are free tonight and wanna see us.”

It’s unclear whether Malkmus is inviting fans to see the band for free, however, Pavement member Mark Ibold shared in a recent interview with The A.V. Club that amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the band is happy simply to return to the stage.

“It’s like nothing that’s ever taken place before,” Ibold said. “This has changed everything with our crew and the protocol and how everything’s working, and the quarantine. That kinda shit never happened before. It’s really frustrating. But I’m really happy to be playing shows at all, and hopefully, things will run smoothly once we’re out on the road.”

Fight week for UFC 279 has not gone according to plan, but after a wild 24 hours that saw a backstage brawl cancel Thursday’s presser and Khamzat Chimaev miss weight by 7.5 pounds on Friday for the main event, we have an official card set for Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Chimaev will move to the co-main spot where he’ll face Kevin Holland at a catchweight after plenty of talk and their role as the two at the center of Thursday night’s ruckus backstage. The two faced off on the stage on Friday night at the weigh-in ceremony and were plenty talkative for what figures to be a heated fight.

In the main event, Tony Ferguson will step up into Chimaev’s place in a welterweight bout with Nate Diaz that will still go five rounds, as the longtime UFC veterans will go toe to toe for the first time, something Diaz says was a long time coming while also calling out Chimaev for being afraid to fight him.

Li Jingliang who was scheduled to face Ferguson will now fight Daniel Rodriguez in a three-round catchweight fight with Rodriguez weighing 8.5 pounds more than Li. Diaz and Ferguson were apparently substantially compensated for the shakeup in what Diaz promises will be his final fight with UFC, while Chimaev seemingly gets his wish of facing Holland.

Still riding the highs of his sophomore album, Wasteland, which has proven to be one of the year’s most talked about albums, Brent Faiyaz has shared the visual for album cut, “Loose Change.”

In the visual, Faiyaz arrives to a theatrical adaptation of Wasteland, as performed by a group of ballerinas. Crowds fill up the theater in anticipation of witnessing dancers to bring new life to the project. Olympic gymnast Nastasya Generalova joins Faiyaz in the audience, although tension between the two is evident.

Although starring in a music video may be a new feat for Generalova, she revealed in an interview with C-Heads that she lives in a constant state of performance, so certainly, this new feat was nothing daunting for her.

“Being a rhythmic gymnast on the U.S. team, you are constantly performing,” she said. “I perform not only for the intent for the audience and judges to remember who I was and my personality, but I perform for myself as well. The best feeling is when you know you are alone with just your apparatus and it is as if you are dancing with a partner. Everything blurs out and you forget you are performing in front of thousands of people.”

Check out the video for “Loose Change” above.

Are there other “Weird Al” Yankovic biopics? I don’t think there are. And I’m not going to look this up. But I’m just putting it out there and I don’t care who knows it: Weird: The Al Yankovic story is the greatest Weird Al movie ever made about his life. (This hyperbolic statement with no real meaning is not a direct comparison to UHF, a movie starring Weird Al, but not about Weird Al’s life.)

Daniel Radcliffe plays the title role of “Weird Al” Yankovic, a man who, according to this movie, achieved fame and fortune as an accordion player who changes the lyrics of popular songs to topics that a lot of the time involves food. Later he will become an international assassin and one-man wrecking crew that involves Pablo Escobar’s drug cartel. Look, there are always some narrative liberties taken for the sake of making a better story and, I’m not totally positive, but I think that’s what happened here. I have a hard time believing “Weird Al” Yankovic killed 10 men with his bare hands, but this movie claims he did. And until I can confirm this didn’t happen, I’ll just have to take this movie’s word for it.

In all honesty, I do love Weird Al and, for someone out there who is not a fan, I’m really not sure what they might think of a movie where Weird Al is on a hallucinogenic LSD trip through literal hell and comes up with the lyrics for “Eat It.”

(Speaking of “Eat It,” I will in no way claim I was a fan of Weird Al before this song came out. I was not a cool enough eight-year-old to be listening to Dr. Demento. Until I was seven, my dad had me on a steady diet of Jerry Reed and Lee Greenwood. Also, it’s truly remarkable how big “Eat It” was. There was a few months’ period when the opening riff would start and I had to wait until the lyrics started to know if it was “Beat It” or “Eat It.”)

Eric Appel’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story borrows from the Walk Hard template of using biopic tropes and turning them on their head. Only Weird is much more, well, weird because it’s co-written by Weird Al.

I have a feeling Weird: The Al Yankovic Story will get compared to, and held to the standard of Walk Hard. That’s unfair for a couple of reasons. First, just because Airplane! is amazing and changed comedy for a decade didn’t mean Top Secret! and The Naked Gun (a movie Weird Al is in) aren’t great. (As an aside, I also love Airplane 2: The Sequel.)

Second, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story isn’t trying to be Walk Hard, strangely. It’s trying to be a movie co-written by “Weird Al” Yankovic and there’s just a certain THING about his comedy that’s hard to pinpoint but it’s actually weird, not “oh, this is the epitome of comedic genius.” Anyone who has seen UHF knows what I’m talking about. It’s not always supposed to be smart. He’s not “Smart Al” Yankovic. (For the record: He is a smart human being.) It’s supposed to be weird. And it is. And sometimes “weird” doesn’t work for everyone. Some of Weird Al’s humor (specifically his movies) throws a lot at the wall and see what sticks.

Anyway, whatever, maybe all of this is a long way of saying I loved Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. After our Toronto International Film Festival screening, I got a lot of “that seems like very much a Mike movie.” And I couldn’t tell if that meant the people I heard that from liked it or not? I am pretty sure they did. At least I choose to believe I am not alone in my love for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. In my mind , this will win the Oscar for Best Picture and Daniel Radcliffe will win Best Actor. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, will win more Oscars than Titanic. Long live Weird Al Yankovic. And I’ve fully decided to believe he killed 10 trained assassins with his bare hands. I have no doubt he did.

(Though, please do not ask me how to watch it. For the life of me I don’t know. This is a Roku movie and I do not own a Roku. I wish all of you the best of luck figuring this out. This is between you and your god.)

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

John Legend, born John Roger Stephens, has borne that as his stage name for nearly two decades now. It was given to him by Chicago poet J. Ivy who felt that Legend’s music reminds him of “that music from the old school” and that his voice sounded “like one of the legends.” Legend was reluctant to accept that name, but once it caught on, it was only right that he at least try to live to that new last name.

Twelve Grammy awards, four Platinum-selling albums, and countless TV show and movie appearances later, it’s beyond safe to say that Legend has lived up to his namesake. However, in a continued moment of humility, it wasn’t until now that he was truly ready to bring a sharp spotlight to the name that he once was a bit hesitant to bear.

Less than two years away from the 20th anniversary of his classic debut album Get Lifted, Legend returns with his ninth album, Legend — a double album that he believes captures everything that makes him the artist we’ve come to love.

Together with its release, John Legend sat with Uproxx to speak about Legend, why he is finally comfortable with its title, and a coincidental run-in with Saweetie.

Before we get into any music, I want to congratulate you on your new baby on the way. How are feeling as time progress, as well as, about having a third child around the house?

I’m excited! I feel like we’re pretty experienced parents now. We’re very comfortable and confident in inviting a new life into our world. I think we’ve got a sense of how we want to raise our kids and we just feel more comfortable than we’ve ever been, as far as being parents and our rhythm as a family. I feel like they can handle a new baby. Of course, you know, we’ve dealt with pregnancy loss before. So it’s always a bit of cautious optimism whenever you’re pregnant and you’ve lost one before because you just never know what could happen. But we’re excited to be parents and feel like we can do a good job of parenting together when we do bring the new baby into the world.

We’re officially in a new John Legend era, but I want you to tell it: how you would define this era in terms of the type of music and overall aesthetic at hand?

When I think about the music, I don’t know if it’s like a clean break from any era because I’m always growing and evolving as a musician. Each album has had its own character and its own personality, but it’s all me, it’s all who I am and where I am in my life at that time. I worked with different people on this album, to some extent, and I worked with some of the same people too. There are some songs that will sound very familiar and that will remind people of other things that I’ve done before and then other songs that we found a bit more new and different than what I’ve done before. This is the first time we’ve ever made an album that is self-titled, the first time we’ve ever done a double album, so that’s kind of a big and new thing for me with this project.

What gave you the confidence to go with a title like Legend?

I think the fresh start with Republic. I think also writing the audiobook that I’m doing with Audible that’s coming out in September. I was talking a lot about all that went into me changing my stage name and how I wasn’t sure whether or not I was ready to change my name back then because I was like, “How can I call myself ‘John Legend’ when I haven’t even gotten a record deal yet?” So, I told that whole story, and that’ll come out around the same time as the album, and it just made me really reflect on this whole journey was my name and how I finally felt like I was ready to not only to feel like I’m living up to this aspirational name that I gave myself when I was nowhere near being a legend, but also that I was ready to embrace it as an album title.

What would you say is the overall theme or main message you aim to deliver on Legend?

I think it’s a celebration of love, sensuality, intimacy, and connection. In that way, it’s a continuation of what I’ve been all about my entire career. I think musically, we did some fun and adventurous things that are a bit different from anything I’ve done in the past, and then some things that are more familiar. I think in general, I felt comfortable calling it Legend as well because it felt really representative of who I am as a musician. All the influences that made me who I am and all of it coming together on this really robust, double album that represents all the different parts of who I am.

This project is more collaborative than Bigger Love. What pushed you to reach out to more artists to work with this time around?

I think it’s important for me to stay connected to what’s new. I’ve been in business for a long time, but it’s really inspiring for me to connect with newer artists who inspire me and keep me fresh. I think collaborating with new people keeps you out of creative ruts I think, it pushes you and inspires you.

Is there a truly unique story with any of the collaborations on the album?

Saweetie was probably the most [unique]. It was almost random that she’s on the album because I literally ran into her and her manager at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I worked with her manager many years ago; he booked me and Kanye to do an event together way back — like before Get Lifted even came out, or right around when it came out, so it was literally the beginning of my career. He came up and said what’s up to me and was telling the story of how we worked together over 15 years ago. He’s standing there with Saweetie and I was just talking about Saweetie the day before because one of her songs came on the radio and was telling my wife how much I liked the song. I was telling Saweetie this and I was like, “We should do something together!” Then her manager sat with my A&R a couple of days later. We played them “All She Wanna Do” and they were like, “This is the one.” It all came from me running into her at the Beverly Hills Hotel Restaurant. I love her part on the album. I think it just adds extra flavor and it’s kind of unexpected, but it works really well with the song.

The current landscape of R&B is often criticized by some while others praise it. How do you perceive it?

People are always saying it’s dead or it’s this or that, but I feel like there have been so many talented R&B artists to come out in the last few years. I feel like there’s been some great music. and then there’s been some not-so-great music, but I feel like that’s always the case. I think it is a challenge thinking about this era of heavy auto-tune and where there’s a little less of a premium on really good singing. I think a lot of old-school cats are probably disappointed by that development in R&B and you know, I think it does hinder people’s live shows and hinders certain aspects of what it takes to be a great all-around artist. I still think there’s a lot of great R&B being made and a lot of great young artists that I listen to and enjoy. I love Leon Bridges, I love HER, I love Jazmine [Sullivan], I love Muni [Long], I love Daniel Caesar. There are a lot of just really talented people making R&B music these days. I think there’s always gonna be stuff that we don’t love and there’s always gonna be stuff we love. I just try to focus on the stuff that I love and listen to that and not worry about the rest.

At this point in your career, eight albums in with plenty of awards to your name, what’s your driving force nowadays?

The key is that I can never assume that people are gonna love the next thing I do. So I have to prove myself worthy of their attention and worthy of their love. For any new project I do, I feel like I have to hold myself to the highest of standards and that was the approach I had with this album. That’s the approach I have with every album and every show that I do. Nothing I did before is enough to make you love something new if it’s not good on its own, you know? So I have to prove myself to my fans and to everybody else every single time I make a new album.

What do you hope Legend contributes toward your overall artistry and career?

Well, I like that it’s a double album because it’s showing the different sides of who I am and both where I am now in my life, but also looking back to some extent at where I’ve come from. I think it’s as thorough of a representation of my influences and my artistry as any other project that I’ve done. So I think that’s why I felt like this was the one to call Legend. So I’m really confident making it a double album and that’s why I’m so excited for people to hear it.

Legend is out now via Republic Records. You can stream it here.

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

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Nicki Minaj, NAV, EST Gee, and more.

Numerically, today’s date is 9/9, which in fraction form would mean 100%. So this week, I’ve got nine albums and songs for you that all hit the bullseye. You’ll come for Nicki Minaj, NAV, and EST Gee, and then stay for the superb offerings from Tobe Nwigwe, Flvme, TiaCorine, and everyone else. Don’t just take my word for it–well actually, by reading this you kind of will, but listen for yourself too!

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending September 9, 2022.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

NAV — Demons Protected By Angels

After a high year of output in 2020, NAV took 2021 “off” before coming back in 2022 with fury. His new album Demons Protected By Angels features a who’s who in modern music, namely Future, Gunna, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, and Bryson Tiller.

Yeat — Lyfë

Yeat is one of the hottest up-and-coming rappers today. His new album Lyfë is a 12-track display of this notion as he takes on the majority of the project itself with the exception of the opening track “Flawless” featuring Lil Uzi Vert.

Benny The Butcher & Black Soprano Family — Long Live DJ Shay

As Benny The Butcher continues to rise up the ranks of the rap game, he makes sure to provide opportunities for his crew Black Soprano Family. Their latest project Long Live DJ Shay is 14 songs in length and includes appearances from Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, DJ Premier, Rick Hyde, Stove God Cooks, Boldy James, and more.

38 Spesh — 7 Shots

38 Spesh has 7 Shots in the chamber and an extra just for good measure. His new project features ballistic bars from Che Noir, Freeway, Ransom, Eto, and Tearz.

TiaCorine — I Can’t Wait

TiaCorine’s lack of patience conveyed in the title of her new project I Can’t Wait comes through in her pointed delivery. The 15-track album adds Kenny Beats, UnoTheActivist, and Tony Shhnow to the mix for a frantic yet calculated display of musical excellence.

Travis Thompson — If I’m Alive, That Is.

Travis Thompson’s latest work considers his mortality. If I’m Alive, That Is. is a 5-track EP featuring the ever-so-talented Guapdad 4000 and Rexx Life Raj. Though it carries a somber theme, the relatability of the music is sure to be comforting to many.

Sampa The Great — As Above So Below

Sampa The Great is confident as ever on the new project As Above So Below. Joey Badass, Denzel Curry, James Sakala, and more all contribute their touch to this effort toward displaying greatness.

Van Buren Records — DSM

Van Buren Records hits the listeners from all angles in their new album DSM. The collective brings together several different voices for a rap buffet with tracks like “Foul,” “How To Kill A Narcissist,” and “The Source” featuring Conway The Machine.

Flvme — Germander II

Flvme’s album title and accompanying songs are in all caps, but there’s no deception in the delivery. Flvme calls on Kewand, Mellow Don Picasso, Yung Tyran and more to further the authenticity of Germander II.

Bigg Unccc — Young Rich Villain

Bigg Unccc has no problem playing the bad guy on Young Rich Villain. Besides, people love villains. “Old Me,” “Gun Don’t Work,” and “Going Wild” are undeniable heaters that will make you questions whether heroes are overrated or not.

Singles/Videos

HDBeenDope — “Wake Em Up”

Roc Nation’s new signee HDBeenDope is coming full force with his new record “Wake Em Up.” With his producer Dizzy Banko by his side, the rapper delivers gut-crushing bars and oozes with confidence. This is the start of what will be a major career for the young rapper.

Tobe Nwigwe — “Catfish Blackened W. Grits” ft. CeeLo Green

Tobe Nwigwe never fails to provide sounds and visuals that listeners will never forget. Continuing the all-mint theme of past releases, he taps the celestial vocalist CeeLo Green.

Laya x Baby Tate — “Sailor Moon 2.0”

It’s giving anime and house music. Laya and Baby Tate soar over the upbeat production of “Sailor Moon 2.0,” blending rap cadences and angelic melodies throughout the three-and-a-half-minute spectacle.

Doodie Lo — “Back Bone”

OTF’s Doodie Lo doesn’t stay long on “Back Bone.” He spends the two-minute record paying tribute to his brothers who have his back, even when he doesn’t make the best decisions.

Prodigy — “Walk Out” ft. DJ Premier

Prodigy, you are missed. “Walk Out” is a welcome reminder of how talented the Mobb Deep member was in his hay day. You can never go wrong with DJ Premier production either.

Wifisfuneral — “Ahhhhh”

Wifisfuneral provides an upbeat jam loaded with scintillating synths and a steady drum pattern. In the end, whether hearing this in the car or in the club, the only appropriate response is the song’s title: “Ahhhhh.”

NewAge Poet — “Sticks And Stones”

NewAge Poet puts his emotions on full display in “Sticks And Stones.” With an intentional effort to advocate for mental health and let men know it is okay to feel things, this song has dualistic greatness.

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