Category: News

It’s fitting that House of the Dragon premieres less than a week after the Better Call Saul series finale. Both shows are prequels to two of the most critically admired, award-winning, and popular TV series of the 21st century. The key difference, besides the dragons (don’t worry, we’ll get to them), is that after the unexpected success of Breaking Bad, AMC was playing with house money with Better Call Saul. If it worked, great. If it didn’t, well, no one expected the show about the Lionel Hutz-ass lawyer from Breaking Bad to be good, anyway. (The fact that Better Call Saul ended up being arguably better than Breaking Bad is a twist no one saw coming.) Meanwhile, HBO needs the “very big, very expensive” House of the Dragon to work. Game of Thrones is to Warner Bros. Discovery (rolls off the tongue!) as Marvel and Star Wars are to Disney; if the prequel is a bust following the unsatisfactory (to put it lightly) reaction to the Game of Thrones series finale, that puts the franchise’s reputation puts the 43 other spinoffs in limbo.

So… is House of the Dragon good? I’m happy to report: yes!

Set 172 years before the birth of the Mother of Dragons, House of the Dragon centers on the “Dance of the Dragons,” a civil war that pitted the Targaryen family against each other after King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) names a woman, his dragon-rider daughter Rhaenyra (the younger version is played by Milly Alcock; the older version is portrayed by Emma D’Arcy), as his heir. Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) believes he’s the rightful successor to the throne, while Rhaenys (Eve Best), the so-called “Queen That Never Was,” has a chip on her shoulder after she was passed over for the throne.

There are non-Targaryens in the show’s orbit — including “Sea Snake” ally Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), hand of the king Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), and his daughter, Alicent (Emily Carey / Olivia Cooke), who is described as the “most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms” — but they’re also impacted by the succession decision. (If creator Ryan Condal’s pitch to George R.R. Martin for House of the Dragon wasn’t “what if Game of Thrones plus Succession,” it really should have been.)

Viserys. Rhaenyra. Daemon. Alicent. Rhaenys. Corlys. Mysaria. Jacaerys. Rhaena. There are a lot of names (and wigs) to process in House of the Dragon (it doesn’t help that the Targaryens frequently reuse or only slightly tinker first names), and in later episodes, there’s a time-hopping element, too. But it’s not as confusing as it seems. Would I recommend keeping this cast and character guide handy while watching the first few episodes? I would. But House of the Dragon patiently takes its time introducing the main players in the game of thrones, and because the action is largely centered around one family, instead of an entire continent, it’s easier to keep track of everyone’s schemes.

So far, the biggest disappointment, although that’s too harsh of a word, is the lack of a Tyrion Lannister-like breakout character. Whether it was the small but fierce Lyanna Mormont, or the audience surrogate Samwell Tarly, or the stoic Davos Seaworth, Game of Thrones had a robust ensemble of scene stealers. House of the Dragon is well cast, but there’s no one who immediately pops with as much charismatic gusto as, say, Pedro Pascal’s Oberyn Martell. (Although, to be fair, I have only seen the first four episodes.)

Otherwise, House of the Dragon gets more right than wrong. There’s a lot of lore for the hardcore A Song of Ice and Fire book readers, but it’s not so dense as to bore casual Game of Thrones fans (yes, other familiar families pop up here and there). The show looks like a million bucks — or more accurately, 20 million per episode bucks — and it’s not lacking in violence. There’s less sex than on Game of Thrones, but more dragons, so that’s a toss-up. I can’t imagine enjoying House of the Dragon if you haven’t watched Game of Thrones, a person that I assume exists out there. Otherwise, if you liked Thrones, especially the talkative wheeling and dealing scenes in big rooms, you’ll enjoy House of the Dragon, too. It may not match the highs of Game of Thrones, but with the way the show is structured, it’s doubtful that it will sink to the lows, either.

To paraphrase Olenna Tyrell, the world is overflowing with horrible things, but House of the Dragon is not one of them.

House of the Dragon premieres on Sunday, August 21, at 9 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max.

Hit-Boy has been a force in the game for 15 years, producing tracks for the likes of Kanye West, Nas, Beyoncé, and more. On his new single, “Fire Proof,” the legendary beatmaker gives a turn at rapping.

“Fire Proof,” is further proof that Hit-Boy is equally as skilled as a rapper as he is a producer. On a particular line in the song, Hit-Boy says he’s “working on his gratitude / you don’t understand me / I say that’s understandable / I’m done with the back and forth / I’m in a territory unexplored.” Shortly after the song’s slow, downtempo intro, the beat switches into a fast, drum-driven track. over the course of the song’s two minutes, Hit-Boy maintains his momentum, riding the beat with ease the entire time.

In an interview with XXL, Hit-Boy revealed that an upcoming rap project is just one of the many musical endeavors he has in the works.

“I been seeing a lot of people saying I should do a compilation of my own with my beats and just different artists,” he said. “That’s something I wanna turn up on. Look out for that Hit-Boy compilation. My rap album, too. I got all types of joints coming.”

Check out “Fire Proof” above.

A new Blackpink era is upon us. Ahead of their upcoming sophomore album, Born Pink, the K-Pop group has dropped “Pink Venom,” their first single in two years.

On their single, the ladies deliver poison with their fiery bars and infectious vocals in both English and Korean, over a hypnotic, sitar-driven instrumental. The track calls back a couple of pop hits of the past, including Rihanna’s “Pon De Replay” and 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P.”

Channeling their star power, Jennie and Lisa swoop in with a confident, braggadocious verse, rapping, “Black paint and ammo / got bodies like Rambo / Rеst in peace, please light up a candle /This the life of a vandal / masked up and I’m still in Celine Designer crimes or it wouldn’t be me / Diamonds shining, drive in silence / I don’t mind it I’m riding.”

In the song’s accompanying video, the girls dance in various locations, wearing lavish, fashionable outfits, while reigning supreme as pop music’s leading girl group.

Later this month, Blackpink will perform at the MTV Video Music Awards. Following their album release next month, the girls will embark on a 27-city world tour, kicking off in Seoul in October.

Check out “Pink Venom” above.

Born Pink is out 9/16 via YG Entertainment and Interscope. Pre-order it here.

For years, WNBA fans have hoped to see a full-strength matchup between the Mystics and Storm in the playoffs, and this year they got that wish in the first round as both teams finished 22-14 on the season, earning the 4- and 5-seeds in the postseason.

The best-of-3 series got underway on Thursday night in Seattle and delivered an instant classic, as both teams put forth their A-game, including some brilliance from the marquee names, sensational defensive efforts, and both teams making big runs as they battled back and forth in what became an 86-83 Storm win to hold onto homecourt and move one game away from the second round.

In her first game back in the playoffs in three years, the former two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne went to work early, scoring the opening bucket of the game and asserting her presence back without a minutes restriction after navigating the regular season with load management for her back issues.

On the other side, it was Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart who got things going for the Storm, as the stars went to work early in the paint.

In the second quarter the Mystics took brief control, as Ariel Atkins and Natasha Cloud gave them a lift from the backcourt, each scoring 16 points on the night.

Seattle would fight to keep things close, cutting the deficit to just two going into the half, and in the third quarter, the Storm started to find success with Breanna Stewart both as the scorer and as the initiator, as she started letting it fly from deep and dealing out assists from the middle of the floor.

The Mystics answered the Storm run by turning to Delle Donne, who at one point scored nine straight for Washington to push them back in front by one going into the fourth.

In the fourth, it looked for a moment like Washington might pull away, as Delle Donne continued to find space to score inside as their actions scrambled the Storm defense early in the period.

However, Seattle would settle down defensively and start to fight their way back into the game, clawing back to being down just one with two minutes to go, with some help on the way from Jewell Loyd who finally found the bottom of the net from three after a quiet night otherwise.

As was the case all night, Delle Donne had an answer to keep the Mystics in front, as she put forth an incredible performance, creating tough bucket after tough bucket.

The Storm kept hanging around as Loyd picked up her scoring, finding the range with 14 second half points after just two in the first half, including the go-ahead basket on a tough pull-up late in the clock.

Washington would have the chance to take the lead back, but after a hard double forced Delle Donne to kick it back out to the perimeter, Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins weren’t on the same page, resulting in a turnover to give the ball back to the Storm. Loyd would get the ball and get fouled, going to the free throw line for two makes that put Seattle up three with just over 24 seconds to play. A Delle Donne contested three would go begging off the backboard, with Stewart hauling in the rebound and getting fouled, making her free throws to ice the game with 14 seconds to play.

Delle Donne finished with a game-high 26 points in the loss, putting forth an incredible shot-making display but one that fell just short of the depth of the Storm. While Atkins and Cloud gave Washington a great boost early, the Mystics struggled in the closing minutes to create offense anytime Seattle was able to get set and send help at Delle Donne. On the other side, when Stewart, who led the way with 23 points and 12 rebounds, started to slow down late in the fourth the Storm were able to turn to Loyd (16 points), who turned it on as the lead scorer to push Seattle over the finish line.

Game 2 on Sunday figures to be a must-watch, as it now becomes a must-win for the Mystics if they want to force a winner-take-all Game 3 in Washington, while the Storm will be intent on putting a bow on the series in their home arena.

The world may not have wanted to hear from Offset more than this week when it was known that he was dropping a single and had been teasing a solo project. After months of speculation, rumors, and silence, the “Ric Flair Drip” rapper has shared his first solo offering in years in “54321.” If people were hoping for answers to one of rap’s biggest current mysteries, this record may just leave you with more questions.

A few eyebrow-raising lyrics included the Atlanta rapper saying “Takeoff,” his group member’s name after the countdown in the hook. Of course, he could have easily been reimagining a space shuttle liftoff but the following line “Touch my brother, pull a gun.” There are also multiple allusions to him being in a group but no direct commentary on his status with Migos.

For Offset, “54321” follows his appearance on Trippie Redd’s “Big 14” also featuring Moneybagg Yo. It’s been a feature-heavy year for ‘Set, also delivering bars on “Step 1,” “Cake,” and “Rockin A Cardigan In Atlanta (Remix).” While Quavo and Takeoff do songs, interviews, and performances as just a duo, Offset seems unbothered as he pushes along.

Perhaps Quavo wasn’t lying about them simply pursuing other ventures but still remaining a group. We wouldn’t know otherwise as only one side is speaking on the matter.

Check out “54321” above.

When Fivio Foreign says “viral” and “movie” one cannot help but believe him. He takes his cinematic disposition on the road in his new video for “London Freestyle.”

Fivio Foreign is coming off of an incredible last 12 months, starting with his alliance with Kanye West evolving into their Donda collaboration “Off The Grid” also featuring Playboi Carti. They joined forces once again, this time with Alicia Keys for NYC anthem “City Of Gods” which kickstarted the momentum for Foreign’s debut album B.I.B.L.E. The LP featured the likes of Quavo, Coi Leray, A$AP Rocky, Lil Yachty, Yung Bleu, and more.

Prior to B.I.B.L.E and much like his recent run, Fivio was primarily known for big collaborations and those remain to this day. Just this year he has linked up with Chris Brown for “C.A.B,” City Girls for “Top Notch,” and Nicki Minaj for “We Go Up.” One can only imagine if fans and Fivio himself could have foreseen such a banner year after his 2019 breakthrough single “Big Drip” and being one of the first to innovate the Brooklyn drill wave.

Drake surely took notice when he tapped the “bulletpoint rapper” along with Sosa Geek for “Demons” in 2020, but the Drake feature only puts artists under more pressure to sink or swim. Fivio Foreign has his breaststroke and freestyle intact, as shown in this new record.

Check out “London Freestyle” above.”

What would be more stress-free than getting together to share a vacation with another family?

Director Christian Tafdrup’s Speak No Evil takes this not-at-all-fraught social situation and ramps up the anxiety to 11, testing the will (and social graces) of two parents as they try to co-exist with another couple who does things a bit differently. The horror film which shocked and delighted Sundance attendees will see theaters September 9th via IFC Midnight before streaming exclusively on Shudder September 15th. Just in time for Fall gatherings!

In the film, Danish husband and wife Bjørn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch) meet Dutch couple Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and Karin (Karina Smulders) on a holiday in Tuscany. The Danes are a bit more conservative, and the Dutch a bit more wild, but they hit it off and soon reunite on Patrick and Karin’s home turf, where their children, Agnes (Liva Forsberg) and Abel (Marius Damslev), can run loose while the parents bond. Those expectations of a blooming friendship are blown up quickly, and both Bjørn and Louise must find the line between staying polite to welcoming acquaintances and getting the f*ck out of a scary situation.

Starting a trip by insisting a vegetarian take a bite of your wild boar because you’re the host? Chef’s kiss. Speak No Evil looks just as awkward as it does frightening.

Vacationing with other people, especially those who you don’t really know anything about, is a minefield even before you haggle over who’s going to Venmo whom. By all accounts, Tafdrup’s satirical horror has captured that social fear with pristine beauty and abject WTFness. Why not watch it with another family you’re just getting to know?

On the heels of her critically acclaimed album, I Blame The World, singer/songwriter Sasha Alex Sloan has dropped a new video for “Thank You.” In the video, she is seen doing an interview, however, her adorable dogs, Frida and Dory, can’t help but interrupt.

Over the course of the video, directed by David Od, Sloan pays visits to various people and their dogs, as the song plays throughout.

“Thank you / For loving me when you don’t have to / Right by my side when I get in my head / or have a bad day / You stitch me up / when you could walk away / So thank you / For loving me when I forget to,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

In an interview with CelebMix, Sloan revealed she began working on the album two years ago, when she had fallen into a deep depression.

“I knew I wanted it to talk about how I was feeling at the time…but I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted to present it,” Sloan said. “It started off more folky, but as the album progressed I was craving tempo. My favorite songs are ones that feel happy, but are lyrically sad and that’s what I tried to do with this record.”

Check out “Thank You” above.

I Blame The World is out now via RCA. Stream it here.

JID is officially in album mode with the recent single “Dance Now” featuring Kenny Mason out now and the announcement that The Forever Story is looming. A sad reality for many album cycles comes in the form of difficulties clearing samples, which often hinders the inclusion of certain records entirely or the way the artist would like them to. Today (August 18), in lieu of sample issues on his upcoming album, JID shared “2007,” which was meant to be his album outro, featuring his father, labelmate J. Cole, and Dreamville President Ibrahim Hamad.

The Atlanta rapper primed listeners for the moment by requesting they turn on his post notifications for 8:00 P.M. EST. He then shared multiple promotional videos followed by the official link to “2007.” This is a special release for many reasons, namely the fact his father has a snippet on the song the very same day they are celebrating his birthday.

Additionally, Ib and Cole both speak about discovering JID and how he has evolved over the years. And, of course, JID has yet another impressive display of lyricism and storytelling. The wait for The Forever Story appears it may be more than worth it after this drop.

Check out “2007” above.

The Dallas Wings faced an uphill battle in their first round series against the WNBA’s 3-seed in the Connecticut Sun, as they were going to start the playoffs without star guard and leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale, who had core muscle surgery and was slated to miss, at minimum, the entire three-game series.

Without Ogunbowale, the Wings were going to have to get creative offensively, particularly against a very good defensive squad in the Sun. Allisha Gray, Marina Mabrey, and Satou Sabally, all double-digit scorers on the season, were going to have to pick up their production further with their star out, and Sabally did her best early on to fill that void in the most improbable of ways.

With the Wings down six in the closing seconds, the Sun missed a layup that came off the rim to Sabally, who turned up the floor and could only get just one stride past the Sun’s three-point line before needing to put up a heave to beat the buzzer, that somehow rattled home through the rim to keep Dallas within a possession after one.

It’s not often that a shot from that deep goes through without a kiss off the glass — particularly with how much rim that caught — but the Wings will absolutely take all the buckets they can get, and no matter what happens in the series, Sabally will always remember that playoff moment.