Category: News

Although biographical films about hip-hop pioneers have become a hot commodity in recent years — just see Straight Outta Compton, Roxanne, Roxanne, and Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B for proof — one group that has yet to see its story adapted to the big screen is Wu-Tang Clan, which instead has been recounting its origin in the Hulu original series Wu-Tang: An American Saga. However, according to group member Raekwon, the group did come close thanks to an unlikely ally: Leonardo DiCaprio.

In an excerpt of Raekwon’s upcoming memoir From Staircase To Stage: The Story Of Raekwon And Wu-Tang Clan published on Rolling Stone today, Raekwon detailed his efforts to produce a Wu-Tang film with DiCaprio’s help — and how RZA ultimately shut those plans down in favor of the television series concept.

“We started talking about the possibility of a Wu-Tang movie and I told Leo I’d love to see him play a role in it, anything he wanted to do,” Rae recounts of meeting the actor at what he calls “an old mafioso-looking pizza spot.” “He talked about his production company and all the directors he thought might do a great job — and these were big names and people he’d worked with.”

However, Rae recalls, “RZA’s energy was entirely different. He barely said anything and seemed to be going through the motions, nothing more. I could tell he wasn’t going to agree to do it, and my instincts told me why: my guess is that he was already in bed with a production company, deep into developing the scripted series for TV, even though none of us had signed off on it.”

The “Ice Cream” rapper said the move hurt his feelings “because it proved to me that he’d already counted me out before I began. He didn’t think I could bring that kind of power to the table, but I’d gotten them there, all ready to rock and roll.” Eventually, though, the TV show plans went ahead and the show itself has become a well-received success, so even if Raekwon’s movie idea could have been a winner, it looks like the story was told how it needed to be after all.

Since it first set sail in early 2012, Holy Ship! has been a glittering fixture in the lives of traveling dance music enthusiasts and festival-goers worldwide. With good reason, too. Despite its intimate size, the 4,000-person cruise-wrapped-in-a-music-festival brought “shipfam” from more than 30 different countries together to party.

The success of Holy Ship! isn’t a huge surprise to those who know how it all began. Gary Richards, who is accredited with the invention of Electric Daisy Carnival and goes by the onstage moniker Destruco, originally founded and ran the event. Then, in 2017, Meagen DesChenes’ legendary all-women crew at HARD Events (who had been supporting Richards since the inception of the event) took over production in partnership with Cloud9 Adventures and The Bowery. With DesChenes at the helm, the splash got bigger. In fact, word spread quickly about the limited-capacity boat party-music festival making waves in picturesque tourist meccas like the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.

Unfortunately, Covid-era logistics and travel paperwork eventually beached the plan for a festival on a boat in 2020. But from that setback, Holy Ship! Wrecked was born.

For 2021, the event drops its proverbial anchor in Mexico’s illustrious Maya Riviera. From the 3rd to the 7th of December, music fans will enjoy an all-inclusive takeover of the iconic Hard Rock Hotel where they’ll party with shimmering on-stage stars like Alison Wonderland, Charlotte de Witte, Chris Lake, Madeon (DJ Set), Marc Rebillet, Nora En Pure, Seth Troxler, Subtronics, and ZHU, among others. To make the moments even more memorable, the organizers will continue their signature tradition of arranging activities, games, and other shenanigans with the DJs, so fans can rub elbows with their heroes in the wildest ways. This year, for instance, music fans can enter to win a “Master of the Universe” pageant with Desert Hearts; get DJ lessons with heavyweight turntablist A-trak; or be simultaneously fed and entertained at Marc Rebillet’s insanely energizing Brunch Cook-Off.

Are you one of the lucky ones who have joined in the onboard debauchery at Holy Ship over the years? If so, the photos ahead will be a nostalgic set of dance steps down memory lane. If not, here’s a chance to get a glimpse at what you’ve been missing — because while Holy Ship! Wrecked is sold out, there’s still a wait list!

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The rock and roll supergroup is very much alive. Just last week, the Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins and Pat Smear played on stage with Jane’s Addiction members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney as the group NHC. But what Pearl Jam’s venerable leader Eddie Vedder has in store with The Earthlings, just might top that.

Vedder’s first solo album in 10 years, Earthling, is due out next February and his backing band (The Earthlings) is a decorated bunch. On the drums is Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, with former Chili Pepper (and Pearl Jam touring member) Josh Klinghoffer on keys, guitar, and backing vocals. Andrew Watt, the reigning Grammy Producer Of The Year (for his work with Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, etc.) is on guitar, Chris Chaney is doing double supergroup duty on bass, and The Swell Season’s Glen Hansard is on guitar and vocals.

If you’re already a member of the Pearl Jam/Vedder Ten Club fan club, then you can sign-up for a pre-sale link here. If not, tickets to the general public are available via Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan Registration page here.

Check out the full tour dates below and go to pearljam.com for additional details on the tour.

02/03/2022 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
02/04/2022 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
02/06/2022 — Newark, NJ New Jersey @ Performing Arts Center
02/09/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre
02/15/2022 — El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia
02/17/2022 — Inglewood, CA @ YouTube Theater
02/21/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
02/22/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall

Earthling is out 2/11/2022 via Seattle Surf/Republic Records. Pre-order it here.

Billie Eilish has been vocal about the fact that she is vegan, and now all her work related to animal rights is being recognized by the biggest organization in that space: PETA has named Eilish their 2021 Person Of The Year. Eilish is now the youngest person to ever receive the honor.

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk says, “With all eyes on Billie Eilish at her first Met Gala, she turned the spotlight onto the plight of animals killed for food and fashion. PETA is happier than ever to celebrate her for pushing the fashion industry toward its sustainable vegan future.”

Newkirk refers to the Oscar De La Renta dress Eilish wore at the gala, which Eilish revealed recently she only wore after the brand confirmed they would stop using fur: “I wore a big, beautiful dress made by Oscar De La Renta, who, I said at the beginning of the conversation of, ‘Let’s make a Met Gala dress,’ ‘You have to stop using fur, because if you don’t, I’m not working with you.’ That was also thanks to my mom for being with me on that one, and fighting for it with me. So I got Oscar De La Renta to stop using fur, completely. And that was a really, really big thing for me. I hope that more brands follow along with being environmentally conscious and try to help the world instead of make it worse.”

Meanwhile, Eilish recently implored her followers to stop eating turkey, and her recent Air Jordan sneakers were 100 percent vegan.

The Miami Heat have cooled off a bit, going 6-4 in their last 10 games after a hot start. Still, the team sits third in the Eastern Conference at 13-8. After an offseason that saw them add Kyle Lowry to bolster their hopes of returning to title contention, the early portion of the season has provided plenty of reason for optimism.

However, as is the case with a few teams so far, injuries and illnesses have forced some key players out of the lineup in Miami, most notably Jimmy Butler who has missed four games and is dealing with a tailbone injury currently. On Wednesday, the Heat announced another key starter will be out for some time as Bam Adebayo will have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb suffered in Monday’s loss to the Nuggets.

While there won’t be a timetable for his return set until after he has surgery, the expectation is a 4-6 week absence, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

For a Miami team without a lot of frontcourt depth beyond Adebayo, particularly in terms of replacing what he does for them as a defensive unit, that is a significant absence. Dewayne Dedmon is dealing with a knee injury of his own that has him listed as questionable for Wednesday night’s game against the Cavs, and an increase in small-ball lineups with PJ Tucker at the five could be in order for a banged up Miami team.

Coming in hot off the latest episode of Succession, where his character, Cousin Greg, scored a date with Kendall Roy’s PR consultant Comfrey (Dasha Nekrasova), the very tall Nicholas Braun stopped by The Tonight Show and revealed the most famous person to hit him up for spoilers about the hit HBO series: Bradley Cooper.

According to Braun, he was invited to watch a football game at Cooper’s house, and despite not being a big football fan, of course, he wasn’t going to miss a chance to meet the extremely famous actor. However, as Braun discovered, Cooper is a huge fan of Succession and started peppering Braun with his different theories about the show.

“He has so many theories,” Braun told Jimmy Fallon while also noting that Cooper is a “close talker,” which made the interaction very intense. We’re talking, like, Cooper was asking about very specific facial expressions in hopes of figuring out what happens next on the show.

Of course, Fallon wasn’t going to let an opportunity slip by to hit Braun with one of Questlove’s theories. According to the musician, Cousin Greg is secretly a NARC for the government, and he’s going to bring the whole Roy family down in Season 6. In an impressive show of acting skill, Braun did his best to not react at all to this theory and just coyly played along. “I’m not nodding yes or no,” Braun said with a smoothness that Cousin Greg could never pull off.

(Via The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen is turning his prison stint into profit, teaming up with a company called ArtGrails to auction off some NFTs of his time behind bars.

The non-fungible tokens will be on display this week at Art Basel and are said to include portions of the handwritten manuscript that Cohen penned while locked up, plus video of him writing his memoir and his prison ID badge. Cohen called the NFTs “documents which people will claim are of a historical nature.”

“The goal is to create a political NFT scenario that is obviously historically relevant,” he told Page Six about the project.

Along with parts of Disloyal, the memoir he wrote while serving time in New York’s Otisville federal prison on tax fraud charges, ArtGrails will also be hosting a VIP party and Q&A event where Cohen is scheduled to make a live video appearance to read from his book and take questions from the audience. (He’s currently under supervised release at his Park Avenue apartment in NYC after serving out the rest of his time under house arrest due to COVID-19 concerns.)

We’re not really sure who would want to buy a disgraced Washington fixer’s prison badge or who told Cohen what an NFT is, but our money’s on Kanye West as a possible suspect. Apparently, the two have been lunching together on the Upper East Side.

(Via Page Six)

Congress has devolved into a dangerous high school bullying session following Lauren Boebert’s targeting of Ilhan Omar, who the far-right representative has subjected to a string of “jihad squad” remarks and a suicide bomber “joke.” Marjorie Taylor has defended Boebert because (presumably) she wants to be on the wrong side of history, and Omar has since called for Boebert to face punishment of some sort, though that hasn’t happened as of yet.

Omar has since revealed death threats, including a voicemail (received following Boebert’s attacks) from someone threatening to “take you off the face of this f*cking Earth”), which she says represents hundreds of similar messages she’s received since being elected to Congress in 2020. Given that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy hasn’t even reprimanded Boebert yet, AOC stepped up to support her fellow Democrat, aaaand she has a nickname for McCarthy.

“People truly don’t understand the scale, intensity, & volume of threats targeting @IlhanMN,” AOC tweeted. “Kevin McCarthy is so desperate to be speaker that he is working with his Ku Klux Klan caucus to look aside & allow violent targeting of woc members of Congress. This cannot be ignored.”

Granted, she’s responding to racially-charged labels with more racially-charged labels. However, AOC further called out the GOP for being “given freedom to incite without consequence,” and “targeting those least likely to be institutionally protected first.”

For her part, Boebert only half-apologized publicly before making a tense call to Omar, to whom Boebert refused to acknowledge her Islamophobic remarks or show true remorse.

While K-pop may have had some of YouTube’s most-watched videos in 2020, rappers definitely dominated in 2021. It may seem given that the top-trending music video on the platform would be by an established artist. But this year, the top slot was actually taken by a relatively new act: 22-year-old Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty had the top YouTube music video of 2021 with bigger artists following behind him.

Shiesty’s video for his Lil Durk collaboration “Back In Blood” was No. 1 for 2021 with 211.5 million views. While it wasn’t the most-viewed content of the year, it did stay trending on the platform for a while. Other rappers like Polo G, Rod Wave, and Cardi B made the list while Olivia Rodrigo’s buzzworthy video to her debut single “Drivers License” landed at No. 9.

Check out the full list below, as well as YouTube’s other top-trending lists.

Top Music Videos
1. Pooh Shiesty — “Back In Blood” Feat. Lil Durk
2. The Weeknd — “Save Your Tears”
3. Lil Nas X — “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
4. Polo G — “Rapstar”
5. DJ Khaled — “Every Chance I Get” Feat. Lil Baby, Lil Durk
6. Mo3, OG Bobby Billions — “Outside (Better Days)”
7. Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”
8. Cardi B — “Up”
9. Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
10. Rod Wave — “Street Runner”

Top Trending Videos
1. I Spent 50 Hours Buried Alive — MrBeast
2. Minecraft Speedrunner VS 5 Hunters — Dream
3. Glitterbomb Trap Catches Phone Scammer (who got arrested) — Mark Rober
4. The Weeknd’s FULL Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show — NFL
5. Friday Night Funkin’ Keeps Getting Better And Better — CoryxKenshin
6. Kids Make Fun Of Boy With Autism And Instantly Regret It — Dhar Mann
7. Golden Buzzer: Nightbirde’s Original Song Makes Simon Cowell Emotional — America’s Got Talent
8. The Inauguration Of Joe Biden And Kamala Harris | Jan. 20th, 2021 — Biden Inaugural Committee
9. I Spent 100 Days In A Zombie Apocalypse In Minecraft… Here’s What Happened — Forge Labs
10. Game Night Stereotypes — Dude Perfect

Top Creators
1. MrBeast
2. Dhar Mann
3. SSSniperWolf
4. CoryxKenshin
5. Dream
6. TommyInnit
7. Mark Rober
8. Kallmekris
9. Technoblade
10. The Royalty Family

Breakout Creators
1. Kallmekris
2. Ranboo
3. Adin Live
4. Beluga
5. Ryan Trahan
6. TapL
7. Kinigra Deon
8. Tubbo
9. BrentTV
10. Casual Geographic

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

If you could stop what you’re doing and travel the world full-time, would you do it? Taking that leap of faith is something many people — avid travelers even — don’t ever truly consider. But Esther Susag did it. She’s devoted her life to travel and capturing her unique experiences along the way.

Originally from Minnesota, Susag is a photographer and content creator who’s spent the past six years living completely abroad. Her adventures began in 2015, when she traveled to 12 countries in a single term with Semester at Sea. After graduating college the following year, she found the perfect opportunity for more exploration — a seasonal job in Guam.

In the years since, there’s been no slowing Susag down. After Guam, she moved to Germany — her home base for further voyages around Europe.

“Living in Europe has been the perfect gateway for so much more than I ever expected,” she says. “It’s also led me to do what I do best, which is intermingle my journeying and content marketing skills.”

Of all the places Susag has lived and visited, Santorini, Greece ranks at the top of her list. Home to breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea, beautiful Cycladic architecture, and just-from-the-ocean seafood, the island is a feast for the senses.
To help you plan your own Agean adventure, we asked the budding travel star to share her favorite spots with us.

WHY SANTORINI?

There are certain places that I’ve gone to that have this magical quality about them that makes me want to return. Santorini is definitely one of those places. I’ve visited this spectacular Greek island four times now, and each time I’ve gotten to experience it a different way, either due to where I’ve gone or who I’ve gone with.

My first time in Santorini my mind was absolutely blown. When I arrived it was exactly how it was described to me while also being a wonderful surprise with the unique landscape and beauty all around me.

One of the most pleasantly shocking things was probably how kind the locals were for how “touristy” of a location Santorini is! It felt like they wanted me to be able to share in the magical place they were living in.

Probably one of the things I appreciate most about Santorini is the ability for anyone to have a worthwhile time there; from the luxury seeker to the budget traveler — Santorini is extremely accessible for whatever you’re looking for!

What’s one thing that every first-time visitor should see or do in Santorini?

Narrowing it down to just one thing is practically impossible. So I think I’ll give you five (but they’re all easily doable in one trip!):

1. Touring the island via ATV. Riding an ATV lets you fully explore the cities at your own pace without having to rely on public transportation. Plus, once you see Fira or Oia you’re going to have a tough time wanting to leave.
2. Hiking from Oia to Fira. Like with the ATVs, you get to experience seeing the actual land of the island, but this way you’re much closer to nature and will have more opportunities to take in your beautiful surroundings. It’s only about two to three hours and you don’t even have to do the whole thing to gain a new appreciation for where you are.
3. Boat tour! I’m a huge proponent of spending a day on the sea whenever I go to a new place with ocean access. You can go for a full day or just the sunset and you won’t regret it.
4. Visit some wineries. Santorini wine is famous for a reason. Not only is it well priced and has a rich history but it also tastes delicious! Hitting a few wineries with friends and learning about the wine culture is something I could never say no to.
5. The famous Santorini Sunset. You have to set at least one day aside to experience the sunset in all of its glory. It’s a truly breathtaking experience that I could never be able to fully describe the pure majesty of.

Favorite place to enjoy a glass of wine in Santorini?

Like I mentioned, wineries are an absolute must in Santorini. There are two wineries I find myself returning to every time I travel there: Venetsanos Winery and Santos Winery. They’re both located in the southern half of the island and the breathtaking views, which pair very nicely with some friends to cheers with, and some memories to be had!

If you’re looking to stay more Northern, my top pick is Ambrosia in the city of Oia. The view of the caldera is unbeatable! Then, if you’re not done yet and looking for a nightcap, you can find a great drink at Sphinx or at Karma.

Best spot to indulge in saganaki and fava?

I don’t know if you’ve noticed in my previous answers, but a huge aspect of a good experience for me includes being able to take in the views! So if you’re looking for great food alongside jaw-dropping sights, you have to go out and eat on the terrace at Argo. Reservations are definitely recommended because you want to make sure you get to enjoy a nice romantic evening outside with amazing classic Greek food.

Most fun thing to do on a sunny day in Santorini?

Let’s be honest, if you’re going to an island and you don’t go on a boat at least once you’re missing out. Boat tours are a personal favorite activity for me and Santorini has so many different opportunities on the water: you can go from something shorter like a sunset cruise to an all-day volcano hopping tour!

The most authentic tours I’ve had are when I’ve booked through Airbnb Experiences since you usually get a local guide who truly loves sharing their island with you.

Coolest hotel or place to stay in Santorini?

One of the best parts of Santorini is that you can make it a budget experience or luxury travel and you’ll still have an amazing time. If you’re willing to splurge then you have to stay in Oia, specifically in Canaves Oía Suites and Spa or in Katikies. Staying there will make you feel as spoiled as a Greek Goddess.

If you’re looking to save you can still get an amazing experience in Fira or Imerovigli, my favorite spots being Aria Suites and Petit Palace Suites in Fira and Astra Suites and Hotel San Antonio in Imerovigli.

Where to get the best view in Santorini?

Well, let’s be honest, where isn’t there an amazing view? There’s the classic and iconic view at the Oia Castle during sunset but that is also the most crowded and popular spot by far to go see the sunset. Depending on the season, you will be crammed trying to get there. So definitely go early, if you do decide to go.

My personal favorite views are from the Blue Dome Churches, another place that is very popular but if you go early, around sunrise, you will miss the majority of the crowds. Another favorite of mine is going to Ammoudi Bay and enjoying the views there. So many picturesque spots there and a lot of great restaurant choices as well!

Best time of year to visit Santorini?

Typically, travelers enjoy the most from June to September. This is when the weather is the sunniest and warmest. If you love the beach and relaxing, these months are the absolute best time to go. But unfortunately, the downfall is that this is when prices are the highest and the most crowded. I personally like going during the shoulder seasons in May, June, September, and October.