Just days after suing the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, R. Kelly has been removed from suicide watch, according to Pitchfork. Kelly had been placed on suicide watch for the first time in October 2021 after being convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking in a federal case tried in New York in September. However, Kelly sued the prison last week after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being placed under observation again, calling the suicide watch conditions “harmful and punitive.”
He claims that he did not have any thoughts of self-harm and believes the additional measures — wearing a thin smock and being denied eating utensils — were intended to further punish him. Kelly’s lawsuit pursued an unspecified “award of compensatory damages for all emotional distress, humiliation, pain and suffering, and other harm.” Meanwhile, MDC Brooklyn filed a memo on July 2 saying that a staff psychologist had recommended the suicide watch after an in-person assessment, noting that Kelly had been allowed to keep some “comfort items and personal effects.”
In addition to his 30-year prison sentence, Kelly was ordered to get treatment for an unspecified sexual disorder and will have five years of supervised release upon the completion of his sentence. In August, he’ll have another trial in Chicago — this time, for child pornography.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s on the defensive after “disgusting” world leaders took some shots at his “macho” shirtless photos, but maybe he needs to focus on that war he launched in Ukraine? Because even though Putin has claimed victory in a province of Ukraine, stories keep leaking out about how this conflict’s not going as well as he’d like it to appear. Leaked audio recently revealed how Russian troops nearly blew up their general in an act of mutiny, all because many of them feel disillusioned about why they’re being forced to impose Putin’s imperialism upon Ukrainian civilians.
The Daily Beast is now reporting upon intercepted phone calls from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, and the audio reportedly suggests that multiple Russian military leaders are giving away the location of his troops for money. Details remain scarce, but an apparent Russian soldier (who reportedly seemed “concerned”) spoke with a female acquaintance with shelling ongoing in the background, and then this happens:
The conversation then takes an interesting turn when the unnamed woman notes that a squadron of the “31st Brigade” was given up by their own Russian colonel, apparently referring to the 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade.
“The airborne troops taken captive?” the man asks. “Yes, yes, 76 people were taken,” she says, adding that “they were sold out by their own” and naming a “Colonel Matkovsky” for the betrayal.
“There have already been many such instances,” the man responds, noting that “they leak information” about the troops.
From there, the woman relayed how “[t]hey found 17 million in his account,” and it’s understood that she’s referring to the colonel. There’s no telling how true the information (within the intercepted call) will turn out to be, but it surely will not bode well for the demoralization of Russian troops who say they feel “duped” while fighting Putin’s war. As of now, the invasion’s been ongoing for over four months, and it sure doesn’t seem like there will be an end soon. Putin’s obviously now running short on global allies, but he does have a QAnon cheerleader on his side. Hmm.
Two years ago, Atlanta rapper Hunxho (pronounced “huncho”) didn’t even have one full-length project to his name. Then, on the last day of July, he dropped his official debut project, Street Poet, following up with its sequel, Street Poet 2, just one year later. Since then, his pace has only increased. Instead of waiting another year to drop a new mixtape, he offered Street Poetry in March of this year. Then, perhaps unable to let another nine months go by, he followed up again with his latest mixtape Xhosen in the middle of June — this time, with the backing of 300 Entertainment, home of such street-certified stars as Megan Thee Stallion, Tee Grizzley, and Young Thug.
Named for his son, Xhosen is a polished project in the vein of fellow red clay-rooted rappers Future, Lil Baby, and Migos. Led by the driving, motivational single “Fight,” the nine-track project sees Hunxho boasting that he’s “Made It This Far” while predicting “Where I’m Going.” Meanwhile, on songs like “Heartless,” he details his early struggles and the sense of dogged persistence they’ve left him — the same hustler mentality that compels him to do whatever it takes to make good on the promises of “It’s Gone Be Alright.”
In a Zoom interview, Hunxho explains his relentless work ethic and hands-on approach to his prolific creative process, and acknowledges the adjustments he’s made over the past year as he learns the rap business and sees his newfound notoriety pay off.
Street Poetry came out in March, and Xhosen is out just three months later. Why did you want to do such a fast turnaround?
Because I love dropping music. I just want to drop, drop, drop. I feel like I got to put the music out and whatever they catch on to, they just going to catch on to. It ain’t on me, the way to choose what songs are going to be a hit. I’m here to make the music and be myself and drop the music and let the people choose what they want to choose. If I could, I would drop another tape this week. I can, but I’ll probably give it some time.
That actually kind of reminds me of Gucci Mane. Do you remember when he was dropping back to back to back? Or Lil Wayne when was dropping back to back to back. It’s a winning strategy, it can work for you.
Yo, for sure. I ain’t going to lie, I got so much music, I can not make music for three years and have enough music to drop, for real.
With such a short gap between the releases, how do you try to push yourself or evolve your sound between the albums?
I just stay locked in. Then I be putting some of the most recent sh*t on the tape, but while I’m putting the tape together, I’m still making the music. So, I might start something new and put something else on there.
So for you, it’s more important to continue making music, because every day you’re going to have something new. Right?
Yeah. It’s important for me to keep making music. But I just recently was trying to take a break from making music to work on everything else — like my performance and whatever else that got to do with music, instead of making it.
I love hearing that. I think that a lot of artists get so focused on doing the thing that they don’t think about how we’re going to present it to people. What kind of things have you done to get performance ready?
I really ain’t even started yet but I’m about to start. I’m going to get somebody who do stuff like that, who works with people on their performance. I got big shows coming up and I really ain’t did no big shows. I’ve mainly been doing club shows, so it’s different from a club and a big stage.
I know you can get a little burnt out or maybe run out of things to say when you produce so much music. How do you stay inspired?
I ain’t going to lie, I’m self-motivated. My motivation really come out of myself, sh*t I’ve been through, and where I came from. And I know where I want to be. I don’t never get comfortable. I’m a forever be hungry. I never want to make myself feel comfortable. I really want to be bigger and better.
So, let’s talk about Xhosen. I heard that it was inspired by your son?
Yeah, most definite.
Is this named after him?
Yeah, Xhosen. It’s just like that on his birth certificate.
That’s pretty tight. The substitute teachers are going to freak out though.
They’re going to mix his name all up.
What would you say is the main idea of Xhosen, the album? What do you want people to take away from it when they hear it?
I mean it’s not really no main idea. It’s just… I’m telling them my pain, my stories, my struggles. And then I want them to put it in and they can tell me what they get out of it.
If someone were to only listen to one song from Xhosen, which one would it be and why?
Probably “Heartless,” the first one on there. The energy is hard and it’s different. But I stay listening to old music. I like bringing the old to the new.
One of the things that struck me when I was doing the research for this, the video for “Fight” is heavily influenced by the Black Panthers. What’s your experience with that movement and what makes it relevant to what you’re doing musically on that song and today?
I mean, it wasn’t really that. It was really just me trying to push the concept of “Fight” by showing different fights.
Yeah. So like the fight for civil rights or the fight for liberation?
Yeah, yeah.
You know, I think that still holds up. What was the process of filming that video like?
I had come up with the idea and I had sat down with Marco Speed and explained it to him. And I just tell him, “I need you to bring it to life.” A video shoot came up and he told me to be there. It started at like eight o’clock. I was out there all day and I didn’t leave until five in the morning because we were shooting a lot.
Had you ever done a video on that level of production before?
Not where I was already set up. I never did a video like that. [Usually] I set it up myself. I did everything.
What’s the difference between having it done for you versus doing it for yourself?
I don’t really know. I be wanting to be editor. If I could’ve stayed editor too, I would have did it.
So you’re more of a hands-on type of artist?
Yeah, most definitely.
That’s good to hear. That probably explains why you came up in such a relatively short amount of time. What is the biggest difference between your life five years ago and your life now?
Five years ago? I ain’t going to lie. I wasn’t even really mainly focused on music five years ago. I was living in the street just focused on making me some money. I wasn’t really even rapping or doing… When I found out I could rap, I would put it out in a rap.
For someone who just started rapping professionally, you’re a lot more polished than I see with a lot of newer artists. How did you get so good so fast?
I just be dedicated. I really put my all into it. I be locked in. Any chance I was going to be in the studio, I would be in the studio. Whatever I got to do, shooting videos and everything. Every day try to do something that’s got something to do with me perfecting my craft.
Yeah. So, in your perfect world, if everything pans out 100% correctly, how would you like to have changed in the next five years? So if we talk again in 2027, and you’ve been rapping for 10 years, what do you want to see different?
I don’t know where I’m going to be. I just want everybody to be straight. That’s all I know. I just want everybody to be good.
Hunxho is a Warner Music artists Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Bruery/Kros Strain/Weihenstephaner/Great Central/istock/Uproxx
If you’re a casual beer drinker, you might see the word “lager” and assume you’re in for a crisp, easy-drinking, golden-hued beer. While you wouldn’t technically be wrong, there’s more to your lager than it seems. As with many beer styles, there are myriad subsets including pilsners, American lagers, bocks, Vienna-style lagers, and Helles lagers. The latter variety is what we’re going to delve into today.
The term “Helles” translates to “bright” in German. If you’re a fan of pilsners, but wish your beer was a little maltier, without as much of a hops presence — all while still remaining crisp and refreshing — the Helles lager is for you. A classic Helles lager is usually lightly sweet on the malt end with a nice balance of floral, spicy hops, with very little bitterness. All in all, a great summer beer.
Since we’ve established that the Helles lager is a highly crushable, thirst-quenching beer option for hazy summer days, it’s time actually drink some. Since we want to find you the best possible options, we turned to professionals for help. We asked a handful of well-known craft beer experts and brewers to tell us their picks for the Helles lagers you should be drinking right now. Keep reading to see all of their picks.
The Bruery Ruekeller Helles
The Bruery
Eric Espinoza, bartender at Signia by Hilton in San Jose, California
The Bruery Ruekeller Helles. I like this because it’s a nice, local take on traditional Helles. It’s familiar with a full body and bready, but balanced. There’s something just unique enough about this one to make me look forward to cracking open a can when I’m craving something off the beaten path.
Faction Helles Lager
Faction
Jeremy Marshall, brewmaster at Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma, California
ABV: 5.1%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Helles Lager by Faction Brewing. I like this beer because Rodger Davis (brewer at Faction) tends to bridge that gap between embracing styles, while also pushing boundaries—but all the while casting a suspicious glance on all the “modern” trends like the Haze Bros or over-hyped hops. A hugely influential Bay Area brewer who has influenced many younger brewers (myself included). Faction knows what they are doing and it’s a lovely place to go visit and absorb views of the Bay Area you simply can’t get anywhere else.
About three hours north of Kansas City is a brewery that I have absolutely fallen in love with named Kros Strain Brewing. It is located outside of Omaha, Nebraska. While I don’t normally gravitate toward a Helles, they have one that is extremely well done. Whenever I am in the area, I stop by for one of their hazy IPAs or kettle sours, but I always leave with some Helles Creek. It almost reminds me more of a light lager than a traditional Helles because it is mildly sweet and has next to no bitterness to it.
Sanibel Light brewed by Point Ybel Brewing. Crisp, clean, and true to style. Just enough of a malty backbone to keep things interesting. One of my favorite light brews. It’s a great, easy-drinking summer Helles and one that you should definitely try if you can find it.
Von Trapp Natur Helles strikes a nice balance between complex yet simple malt profile and traditional noble hop spiciness. It’s the unfiltered version of its original Helles. It has a nice combination of crisp, floral hops and bready, sweet malts.
Hill Farmstead Marie
Hill Farmstead
Matt Canning, assistant manager and beer concierge at Hotel Vermont in Burlington, Vermont
ABV: 5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Hill Farmstead, Marie. From one of the best breweries in the world comes the palest and most nuanced style of lager. If you don’t know, now you know. It’s an unfiltered, German-style Helles lager brewed using organic malts. It’s hazy, crisp, and very refreshing on a hot summer day.
Weihenstephaner Original Helles is the pinnacle of the style for me. Beautiful malty aromas of freshly made bread with a touch of grassy hops. Uber clean taste with a perfect balance of sweet toasty malt and spicy hops. The finish is perfect, not bitter, just a celebration of German brewing tradition.
Bierstadt Lagerhaus Helles
Bierstadt
Chris Pinns, tasting room manager at Societe Brewing in San Diego
Bierstadt Lagerhaus Helles. The epitome of refined elegance in a glass. No one flavor stands out in this beer. The supreme balance is what truly makes it a great beer for the style. Crisp, thirst-quenching, complex, and highly memorable.
There Does Not Exist – 60 Days in Hell (Bavarian Helles). 60 Days In Hell is their take on a Bavarian Helles, and moving forward it will be the benchmark by which I judge all Helles. Brewed with 100% German raw materials and fermented ice cold. Conditioned for an additional 45 days, the end product is a clean, slightly sweet easy-drinking beer. The beer is so crushable that if you don’t try to take your time, you might miss the wonderful nuances that make this an exceptional version of this traditional style, but you’ll enjoy the hell out of it.
The Mountain Mama Helles from Lone Tree Brewing is all I drink while it’s on tap. The grainy/bready aromas fall into the flavors as you sip while complimenting the hops and finishing slightly sweet. It’s a great example of American craft brewers embracing the style and expanding on it.
Great Central Helles is my go-to. They really know their German styles. Sipping on this beer takes me back to sitting in biergartens in Munich. It’s got a true-to-style malt and bitter balance with a refreshingly clean finish.
It doesn’t get much better than Hofbräu Original. This classic Helles lager is complex and flavorful with a nice sweet, bready, grainy, malty backbone that moves into floral, herbal, and slightly spicy hops. It’s crisp, easy to drink, and perfect for summer sipping.
It is not uncommon for fans to get critical of their favorite TV shows (that’s basically what half of Twitter is, in a nutshell) but it is always interesting to see who is complaining about what. As the eighth season of the hit reality showLove Island continues to polarize viewers, many have been sending complaints about the subject matter.
According to media regulator OfCom, the show has received over 700 complaints (not quite Piers Morgan territory) in just four weeks. An Ofcom spokesperson confirmed to Variety: “So far we have received a total of 781 complaints about the current season of Love Island.” The complaints consisted of viewers concerned about bullying, harassment, and a teen being paired off with a 27-year-old earlier this season.
The complaints are often regarding the stability of the contestants on the show, who are paired off with fellow contestants and participate in (sometimes raunchy) challenges. The series recently implemented various protocols to ensure the contestants are getting mental health treatment while on the show.
Love Island is no stranger to backlash for its drama, in fact, a 2021 episode of the super popular series received a monumental 24,000 complaints after Faye Winter’s aggressive shouting match. Winter has since admitted she regrets the way it all went down. Despite the drama, Love Island is a viewer magnet, pulling in nearly 2.4 million viewers for its season eight premiere last month. Perhaps all of the complaints are worth it?
A good movie soundtrack should not only make you think about the scenes in the movie when you hear the songs after the fact, but the movie soundtrack should also create an artistic canvas that can live on its own, independent of the film. These picks represent the best movie soundtracks of all-time, whether it’s focused primarily on a singular artist like Eminem, Whitney Houston, Kendrick Lamar and Prince, or whether it’s comprised of a collection of songs that captured a moment in time or a period in a genres history. Whether it’s the ’80s, gangsta rap, Britpop, disco, indie, the ’70s, or grunge, they’re featured here on our list of the best movie soundtracks of all-time.
20. 8 Mile (2002)
For all the shine that Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” got as the movie’s most iconic number (and one of the biggest rap singles of all time), the 8 Mile soundtrack was also a stellar showcase for Shady Records, the sound of Detroit rap as a whole, and the legends that helped shape Em’s world-sweeping sound. You can’t talk about the Shady Records’ beginnings without mentioning 50 Cent, and “Wanksta” was the second single off of the soundtrack that helped propel 50’s illustrious career. Gang Starr, Jay-Z, Xzibit (“Spitshine” is perennially slept on and vintage X), Rakim, and Detroit’s Obie Trice all feature prominently alongside Eminem and D12.
19. Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)
Scott Pilgrim’s indie band Sex Bob-Omb performed throughout the flick and these were much more than just scene-filling songs. Co-written by Beck, their tunes totally rock, and Michael Cera and company shred through the slacker swing of “Garbage Truck” and the technicolor rock-a-billy explosiveness of “We Are Sex Bomb-Omb.” Metric’s “Black Sheep” as performed by Brie Larson’s Envy Adams is a bonafide banger that now appears on 2021’s Expanded version of the soundtrack, “We Hate You Please Die” is another bop from one of the film’s fictional bands (Crash And The Boys) and there’s even a little Broken Social Scene on the album for good measure. As if you needed another stamp of approval, the whole soundtrack was executive produced by Nigel Godrich.
18. Trainspotting (1996)
The soundtrack to Danny Boyle’s ’90s cult-classic film cemented Britpop standards from Blur, Elastica, and Pulp, alongside UK club hits from Underworld and Iggy Pop’s timeless proto-punk. From the moment that Trainspotting begins with Ewan McGregor’s Renton running from the cops to the tune of Pop’s “Lust For Life,” the music is inextricably tied to every scene of the film. Heck, that song is forever synonymous with the flick. Underworld’s “Born Slippy” heightens the emotion’s in the movie’s closing moments as McGregor delivers his memorable soliloquy, illustrating how Boyle and company harnessed the power of these songs to make a great movie even better.
17. The Wedding Singer (1998)
It’s like The Wedding Singer took everything that was great about unforgettable ’80s movies soundtracks (Pretty In Pink, The Breakfast Club, etc..) and supercharged it. I suppose it’s easier for a movie that came out in 1998 to look back on an entire decade’s worth of music and totally nail where to drop it all into a movie about peak ’80s nostalgia. There are ’80s staples by New Order, The Smiths, and even “Pass The Dutchie” by Musical Youth. And in a highlight moment, Drew Barrymore and Christine Taylor sing Billy Idol’s “China Girl” in a scene, before Idol emerges as a major character in the movie’s big ending. Ultimately, The Wedding Singer is an ode to the decade’s fun musical history that takes full advantage of its hindsight.
16. Juno (2007)
Yes, another entry from a movie with Michael Cera (we clearly stan). Apparently, director Jason Reitman asked Elliott Page what they thought the movie’s title character listened to, and Kimya Dawson and her bands The Moldy Peaches and Antsy Pants came up. The very twee selections makes for perfect accompaniments to a quaint and sweet film about teenage pregnancy. Belle and Sebastian and Cat Power (“Sea Of Love”!) round out the classic indie collection, with Juno’s crowning moment of Page and twee king Cera singing The Moldy Peaches’ “Anyone Else” in the heartwarming finale.
15. Friday (1995)
If you’re gonna make a movie about a dog day afternoon in South Central LA, it better be set to gangsta rap and g-funk joints through and through. Surprisingly, there is only one Ice Cube cut, in the album-opening title-track slap. But it is surrounded by unshakeable tracks like Dr. Dre’s “Keep Their Heads Ringin’,” 2 Live Crew’s “Hoochie Mama,” and Mack 10’s stoner anthem “Take A Hit.” Speaking of weed, Rick James’ “Mary Jane” soundtracks the classic scene of Cube’s Craig and Chris Tucker’s Smokey getting high on the porch, setting the stage for more moments like this in the Friday franchise.
14. Good Will Hunting (1997)
It’s funny how Good Will Hunting seems to be remembered for lines like “How do you like dem apples?” delivered in a silly Boston accent, more so than for breaking out a then-emerging Portland singer-songwriter named Elliott Smith. Director Gus Van Sant, who also lived in Portland at the time, tabbed Smith’s music to be stitched throughout the film, and then Smith offered an original, “Miss Misery,” which went on to receive an Oscar nomination. There’s something so humble, sublime, and painful about Smith, a tortured soul who would commit suicide (allegedly) six years after the film’s release in 2003, soundtracking the story about another brilliant mind with a troubled past. Smith’s genius is immortal on this one.
13. Dazed & Confused (1993)
Dazed & Confused is beloved as one of the greatest coming of age movies set in the ’70s, paired with the best rock and roll from the era. Every song fits its purpose masterfully. Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” is a vibey beginning credits choice, setting the mood for the laid-back Austin summer. Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” plays on the last day of school, War’s “Why Can’t We Be Friends” soundtracks incoming freshman girls getting hazed by the seniors, and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Tuesday’s Gone” is the backdrop for an epic kegger coming to a close. Then, as Randall “Pink” Floyd, Wooderson, Slater, and Simone get on the highway to go buy Aerosmith tickets in Houston (“top priority of the summer!”), “Slow Ride” by Foghat takes viewers into the sun.
12. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
The 2002 Grammy Album Of The Year is about much more than just George Clooney’s Everett and the Soggy Bottom Boys singing “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow.” The T Bone Burnett-produced album is a portrait of Southern Americana styles that harken back to the film’s Depression-era setting and have held strong to the present day. It shined a light on amazing talents like Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss on “I’ll Fly Away” and “Go To Sleep You Little Baby” (the latter of which also features the great Emmylou Harris.) But the soundtrack also tipped a cap to early folk numbers like Harry McClintock’s Mississippi scene-setting “Big Rock Candy Mountains.”
11. Singles (1992)
Great grunge rock soundtrack, or greatest grunge soundtrack? We’ll take the Pepsi challenge on Singles being the end-all-be-all soundtrack for ’90s grunge, especially considering Cameron Crowe’s film centers on Seattle coffee shop culture and the city’s famed grunge scene. And it really checks all of the boxes in the process: Pearl Jam contribute two songs to the soundtrack, (“Breath” and “State Of Love And Trust”) and members of Pearl Jam even appear in the movie as Matt Dillon’s bandmates. Chris Cornell is included, Screaming Trees’ “Nearly Lost You” is featured, Paul Westerberg’s “Dyslexic Heart” is the film’s punchy theme song of sorts, and Alice In Chains’ “Would?” actually debuted as the soundtrack’s lone single before it appeared on their seminal album, Dirt.
10. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Before O Brother, Where Art Thou and The Bodyguard took home Grammys for Album Of The Year, Saturday Night Fever was the first soundtrack that could lay stake to the claim. The Bee Gees-heavy tracklist includes a veritable checklist of disco-era anthems. “Stayin’ Alive,” “More Than A Woman,” and “Night Fever”? Check. Even the balladry of “How Deep Is Your Love?” is not only featured on the album, but was also written specifically for the movie.
9. Hackers (1995)
You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller, Matthew Lillard, and friends hacking the planet while blasting The Prodigy’s “Voodoo People.” The hilariously bad, but quite frankly also awesome visual depictions of what the internet “looks like” felt like a trippy Winamp visualizer for ’90s electronic thumps like Orbital’s “Halcyon & On & On,” The Prodigy’s “One Love,” and Underworld’s “Cowgirl.” This was the early cyberspace culture phenomena at its finest and even features a David Gilmour easter egg track at the end that was only released 25 years later.
8. Save The Last Dance (2000)
The quintessential soundtrack for the marriage of hip-hop and R&B. Yes, Save The Last Dance often gets pigeonholed as a campy dance-centric romcom, but its accompanying music was undeniable. For starters, it has the version of “Only You” by 112 that features Mase and The Notorious B.I.G. Both K-Ci & Jojo’s “Crazy” and “You” by Lucy Pearl, Snoop Dogg, and Q-Tip were original singles to the film. Montell Jordan’s “Get It On Tonight” and Q-Tip’s classic “Breathe & Stop” add to this legit hip-hop dance club collection, while Fredro Starr and Jill Scott’s “Shining Through” shows that in the end, even the toughest rappers have a sensitive side.
7. Batman Forever (1995)
I could tell you that Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose” topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart as part of the Batman Forever soundtrack and call it a day. But this incredible movie soundtrack album is about so much more than just your drunken friend’s favorite karaoke jam. U2’s “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me,” is one of the group’s most underrated songs (that never appeared on a U2 album, just this soundtrack.) The album also features multiple other singles, like Method Man’s thematic “The Riddler” and The Offspring’s raucous cover of The Damned’s “Smash It Up.” But it’s the superfan cuts like The Flaming Lips’ “Bad Days,” playing in the film as Jim Carrey’s downtrodden Edward Nygma becomes The Riddler, and Nick Cave’s sinister “There Is A Light,” that round this out as one of the best, and most diverse, soundtracks of all time.
6. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Like with Dazed & Confused, the Pulp Fiction soundtrack is one that found the perfect song for every scene, but Quentin Tarantino’s approach was far less literal. Dusty Springfield’s “Son Of A Preacher Man” plays as John Travolta’s Vincent Vega awaits his boss’s wife, Mia Wallace played by Uma Thurman, before a very awkward non-date. Then, as Mia overdoses at the end of the night, it’s to Urge Overkill’s Neil Diamond cover, “Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon.” The Pulp Fiction soundtrack also found a uniquely artistic way to re-introduce surf rock into mainstream consciousness, with Dick Dale & His Del-Tones’ “Misirlou” as the movie’s ubiquitous opening song, and then somehow making shooting up heroin look more glamorous than disgusting, through The Centurians’ “Bullwinkle, Pt II..”
5. Forrest Gump (1994)
How do you tell the story of the major events in modern American history through the eyes of a peculiar protagonist without including the music that was literally playing when it all happened? Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” plays as Forrest gets to the Vietnam War and meets Lieutenant Dan, Jenny sings “Blowin’ In The Wind” on stage at a seedy bar, and a young Forrest is forever changed when he sees Elvis performing “Hound Dog” on a TV behind a department store window. There are so many hits from the late ’50s to the late ’70s on the double-disc soundtrack, that it’s scary to think of how many checks must have been written to license all the music. It was worth it.
4. Garden State (2004)
The Garden State soundtrack marked the beginning of indie music’s ascent into the new millennium and indie fans still hold the collection dear as if it was made by a cult-ish band. The Shins had not one, but two songs featured on the album that led to a considerable spike in their notoriety. I mean, you try to resist the thought of Natalie Portman putting headphones over your ears saying, “You gotta hear this one song, it’ll change your life I swear.” Elsewhere, Coldplay’s “Don’t Panic” reminds listeners of a time before Coldplay went pop, Thievery Corporation’s “Lebanese Blonde” blew up from its inclusion, and many were introduced to Zero 7’s stunning “In The Waiting Line” that players while Zach Braff trips on ecstasy. But it wasn’t just new music that made the Garden State soundtrack stand out, as it also revived Nick Drake’s “One Of These Things First” and found the stars shouting into a rainy endless abyss as Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Only Living Boy In New York” plays?
3. Black Panther (2018)
It can’t be understated how monumental of a release Black Panther: The Album was. With Kendrick Lamar coordinating the project as the executive producer, he rounded up what felt like every of-the-moment name in hip-hop to create all original music for the first Marvel movie centered around a Black superhero. And these weren’t just great songs, these were straight-up world-beaters. On the strength of hits like Kendrick and SZA’s “All The Stars,” The Weeknd and Kendrick’s “Pray For Me,” and Jay Rock, Kendrick, Future, and James Blake’s “King’s Dead,” the album immediately topped the Billboard 200 chart upon its release. And when Kendrick was peaking on the heels of DAMN., Black Panther was just icing on the creative crest of his career.
2. Purple Rain (1984)
It’s wild to think that Prince’s sixth album, among the best in his deep catalog (if not the best) was the soundtrack to the titular film that he starred in as well. Say what you will about the movie’s merits, Purple Rain the soundtrack ushered Prince into a new era of super stardom, where he revolutionized the intersection between pop and rock with his unabashed flamboyance and unapologetic style. “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Purple Rain,” “I Would Die 4 U,” and “When Doves Cry” were all written for the film and are all vying for spots on any Top 10 Prince songs list worth a damn. The way the crowd in the movie is jaw-droppingly stunned at the performance of the title track is pretty much how every new and existing Prince fan felt when this album came out. A masterpiece in every way.
1. The Bodyguard (1992)
Much like Purple Rain is far more memorable for the soundtrack than the film, The Bodyguard achieves the same effect in spades. Where Prince pushed the envelope of his sound, Whitney Houston is absolutely breathtaking across The Bodyguard soundtrack. You’re gripped the moment she begins to sing “I Will Always Love You” a capella. “I Have Nothing” is the definition of a tour de force, ditto to the elegant “Run To You.” Whitney shows her range on the anthemic “I’m Every Woman” and the early-’90s dance class revue on “Queen Of The Night.” Kenny G and Aaron Neville deliver a glorious adult contemporary jam with “Even If My Heart Would Break” and there are forgettable songs by Joe Cocker and Lisa Stansfield that are a brilliant contrast to how impeccable Whitney is on the album’s first half. This was the most incredible she had sounded since her 1987 debut and when we look back on the legacy of Whitney Houston, it’s The Bodyguard soundtrack that we’ll turn to forever as her finest work.
Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
[This post contains spoilers for Stranger Things 4]
For the second season in a row, the Stranger Things season finale debuted over the long July 4th weekend. Good thing, too, because otherwise there may not have been enough time to get through the nearly The Godfather-length episode. But now that another season is in the books (and with season five not premiering until “mid-2024” at the earliest), it’s time to ask: what’s your unpopular opinion about Stranger Things 4?
For me, it’s that Will should have died. Or Hopper, or Jonathan, or anyone but Steve, Robin, and Dustin. The only popular characters to die in season four were Dr. Brenner and Eddie Munson (I’d include Jason but he was never popular). Co-creators the Duffer Brothers joked about George Lucas-ing a mistake from earlier in the season, but by killing and quickly resurrecting Max, they also pulled a Jon Snow. There are simply too many main characters on Stranger Things. I know Millie Bobby Brown agrees.
The ending was wayy too light-hearted for Eddie having died and Max being in an indefinite coma.
Where the heck did Jonathan’s photography interest go? I wish they’d given him a job at a photo shop or something, smoking in dark rooms & getting an acceptance letter to a photography program in California
There should have been some element of danger towards Mike, Will, Argyle and Jonathan while El was piggybacking. They had such a dull storyline this season.
The whole Steve Nancy Jonathan love triangle thing is absolutely unnecessary and boring.
The stuff in Russia went on way too long for me.
I thought Vickie was too alike to Robin to be a ship I’d actually ship. They’re like the same person.
The two day jump was really annoying. Why did the upside down not continue to pull into the real world until eleven and hopper made it there? It was bizarre to me. It was like the writers didn’t know how to bring everyone together so they just hit pause.
Mike’s monologue to save El was cheesy AF and I thought the whole final act could’ve been scripted better. Vecna literally calls El mediocre
Mike, Will, and Jonathon’s entire season arc was basically just “be Eleven’s Uber ride in the desert.” They accomplished a whole lot of nothing. And they didn’t even bother letting Will tell everyone he’s gay.
Argyle was the one redeeming quality of that story arc.
Did Dustin and Eddie really need to be present for the rock n roll diversion? Like couldn’t they have just set up a boom box and peaced out? And if they did, they went to a huge ammo/weapon store called war zone, did the group really not get anything for them? They had to make their own shield and spears? Common man
Over the years, Meghan McCain has repeatedly referred to herself as a “hardcore conservative,” but despite her well-documented love of guns and penchant for dipping into right-wing conspiracy theories, the former television personality has been a frequent critic of Donald Trump. While a lot of McCain’s animosity towards Trump can be directly traced to the former president repeatedly insulting McCain’s father, the late Senator John McCain, Meghan has always tried to present herself as one of the “sane” Republicans who didn’t give into the rabid populism of Trump that’s still gripping the party.
During a recent interview with Britian’s GB News, McCain took her anti-Trump stance even further by revealing that she’s genuinely mulling a run for office to help pull the GOP away from all things MAGA.
“Maybe in a few years,” McCain said. “It’s the first time in my entire life I’ve ever considered it. But this fever of MAGA has to break—one way or the other.”
According to McCain, Trump is stifling the party, but she also wouldn’t be surprised if he cinches the presidential nomination in 2024. And if he does, McCain feels he better win after everything he’s done to the party. Via Newsweek:
“President Trump has to get re-elected—God forbid—again, or he has to just leave the national stage. Because as we have seen in the last election and in the primaries right now, he can’t make candidates but he can break them,” she said. “And right now there’s still just a lot of people who are winning that are following in his footsteps and I would really love more ideological diversity in the party.”
As for what’s holding McCain back, the former View host conceded that America isn’t really feeling political dynasties right now, which is a surprisingly self-aware statement for her to make.
“There’s a real palette for it where people really don’t like it,” McCain said.
Steph Curry will hold his UNDERRATED tour for the fourth summer in a row. Launched in 2019, the mini-tournament style tour was developed by the Golden State Warriors’ icon to seek out and elevate high school recruits who are, like he was at that point in his career, not as highly-regarded in the world of basketball recruiting. The ultimate goal of the tour, while functioning as a competition, is to provide a platform to young athletes in hopes that they’ll make inroads into Division I schools
Stretching from late-July into the end of August, this summer’s tour will make stops in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Philadelphia in search of athletes from each city. For each regional stop, 75 girls and boys are selected to participate in the first round, while 30 from each group are invited to return after the second day. Things are eventually pared down to the top eight in each group from each region. From there, they’ll go on to compete in the UNDERRATED Championship Stop in San Francisco, in early 2023.
“From the beginning, the UNDERRATED Tour was created and designed to raise visibility for often-overlooked three-star high school players, like myself, and we continue to evolve the program each year,” Curry said in a release. “Right now, our team is empowered to advance our mission by shedding light on overlooked talents through continuing these regional games, and ultimately the championships.”
One of those talented yet overlooked athletes was Jacobi Sebock, who took part in last summer’s Tour and went on to compete in the UNDERRATED Championships. Sebock, who grew up in a suburb of Oklahoma City, was a sports nut as a kid but got a late start because of several health conditions including a first-degree heart block, asthma, and hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED), a condition that can cause a person to be born without sweat glands.
Sebock and his parents figured out how to work with and around his HED symptoms so that he’d be able to follow his dream of being drafted into the NBA, and the UNDERRATED Tour gave him the window to make up for lost time. After the Championship stop, Sebock committed to Northern Oklahoma College and was named the conference MVP at the end of his high school career.
For someone who was famously dubbed a 3-star recruit, the program and competitive spirit of the UNDERRATED Tour obviously sits close to Curry’s heart. The day he showed up at the Bay Area Championships this past March saw him just as lit up as the young athletes vying for his insight and working to follow in his footsteps. Whether they’ll one day be on pro teams, competing for titles, or seeing how far basketball can take them in college as a conduit into their adult lives, the UNDERRATED Tour hopes to give young athletes the tools and support to get there.
Westside Gunn is certainly one of today’s more active artists in hip-hop. in just the last five years, he’s released 14 solo or joint projects and also joined his Griselda labelmates for their WWCD debut album in 2019. Westside’s solo catalog boasts highlights like 2020’s Pray For Paris and Who Made the Sunshine, the latter being his debut project with his ex-label Shady Records. After last year’s Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sincerely, Adolf, Westside is looking to give his fans another memorable project with the upcoming release of Peace “Fly” God.
After teasing the project for some time, Westside finally shared some key details about Peace “Fly” God. He revealed in a tweet that the project will arrive on July 8. In that same post, he also unveiled its tracklist which flaunts a crisp 10 songs with production from Madlib, Don Carrera, Daringer, and Conductor Williams. Additionally, Peace “Fly” God will also feature appearances from Stove God Cooks and Estee Nack, but Westside did not reveal which song(s) they will be on.
You can read Westside’s announcement for Peace “Fly” God in the post above and see its tracklist below.
Peace “Fly” God is out 7/8 Griselda Records / EMPIRE.
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