Category: News

After spending the better part of a decade as being Super Smash Bros. fans’ most requested addition, Kingdom Hearts’ beloved hero Sora has finally come to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The big announcement comes as a part of today’s Sakurai Presents, a series of live streams hosted by Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai in which the studio legend unveils new characters, maps, cosmetics, and various changes coming to the Nintendo Switch title. The latest Sakurai Presents marks the last one for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as Sora is confirmed to be the final piece of DLC headed to the 2018 game. However, the momentous, shocking, and surprisingly emotional reveal gives us far more reason to celebrate everything the Super Smash team accomplished rather than lament the game’s completion.

For starters, just getting Sora in the game was a feat in itself. As Kingdom Hearts is in-part a Disney property, a lot of fans wrote off the possibility of Nintendo ever acquiring rights to the character. However, obtaining Sora for the game became a priority for Sakurai, late Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, and the rest of the Super Smash team following a roster request survey sent to fans on 3DS and Wii U several years ago that revealed the character was the most requested to join Super Smash by a lot.

The big reveal shows the team did not take Sora’s demand lightly, as nearly unparalleled attention to detail went into designing the character and his assets. The light and flighty fighter uses his keyblade as well as his various spells to attack opponents, and appears to be a pretty solid choice for those seeking a character able to recover from powerful smash attacks with ease. Sora also comes with 9 Kingdom Hearts tracks, a new level that showcases Hollow Bastion and the iconic stained glass stages from the series, and his various outfits from all the series’ mainline games.

Oh, and last but certainly not least, Sakurai also snuck in another huge Kingdom Hearts announcement in his final Presents: the series is headed to Nintendo Switch. Shortly before the live stream came to a close, Sakurai revealed the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III are all headed to the console via cloud streaming. As of right now, prices and release dates for each of the games have yet to be announced, but Sakurai stated more information is coming soon.

Sora hits Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on October 18 and, just like the game’s previously-released fighters, can either be purchased individually for $5.99 or as part of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighter Pass Vol. 2 for $29.99. While you can expect some push-back from Super Smash fans who are tired of the series adding weapon-wielding characters (or sword-fighters), I gotta say, I think the outpouring of love, support, and tears from long-time Kingdom Hearts fans (and Sakurai himself) truly make up for it.

My first arena concert was Pearl Jam at the Forum in Los Angeles, on their Yield tour in 1998. Decades later, there are still things that stand out from that massive live show: my dad waiting in the parking lot the entire time with a book, my first time smelling marijuana smoke wafting in a crowd, Johnny Ramone joining the band for a ripping cover of “The KKK Took My Baby Away” during the encore. I now admittedly listen to the band less than I did in my youth, but at that time, Pearl Jam was a gateway to a musical education that couldn’t be harnessed in rock magazines and wasn’t yet available on the internet.

But even that sells them a bit short. It wasn’t just music that Pearl Jam introduced me and many others to, through both the songs they covered that could be found on expensive bootleg CDs at the local swap meet and their often inspired choices of tour support. Pearl Jam was also providing lessons in social consciousness that were not readily available in religious schools or conservative homes. Pearl Jam made it seem cool to care about things like women’s rights and the freedom of choice. They stood up to big corporations in a time when few others would, and held institutions like the Grammys and MTV at an arm’s length with healthy skepticism. For young people and teens in the ’90s, Pearl Jam took the power that fame gave them with the utmost seriousness and maintained a level of sincerity that could provide a roadmap to being a thoughtful adult. Such forward-thinking rock stardom is often credited to their misdiagnosed “rivals” Nirvana, but Pearl Jam proved equally to be on the right side of history, even if many mocked them for it at the time.

After more than 30 years as a unit, the Seattle five-piece has successfully transitioned from the biggest band in the world to a more comfortable place as a legacy artist still driven by their artistic whims. The pressure of relevance that they were often saddled with into the aughts has largely faded away, and instead they can revel in their long-term friendship, the incredible community they’ve built around them, and stand as totems for longevity and health in the musical space. Sure, it might seem strange to some that the same guy who used to scale lighting rigs and hurl his body into the audience is now hosting an Orange County beach event for the whole family, called Ohana Festival. As another aging rock star once said, “The kids at the show will have kids of their own, their singalong songs will be our scriptures.”

Pearl Jam changes by not changing, and even in Ohana Festival’s fifth year, the laidback atmosphere still retains the core values that the band emerged with. On Saturday’s bill, you could arrive and watch longtime PJ associate Sleater-Kinney, Margo Price, and Brandi Carlile, and realize you’d be hard-pressed to find as many female voices on festival stages elsewhere in the country. It’s that kind of booking that allows frontman Eddie Vedder to address the crowd — condemning Texas’ abortion band, advocating for women’s agency, and noting that some of the best sets of the event’s five days came from women — without seeming like a hypocrite. Saying the right thing from the stage is one thing, but putting that into practice from a place of power is another.

Other things about Pearl Jam remain consistent as well. The band sounds AND looks great. Vedder can still hit all the necessary shouts, growls, and hoots that fans hope for, while guitarist Mike McCready still relishes the chance to hold the spotlight for five minutes in the middle of “Porch” or “Even Flow.” They still have one of the best drummers in rock history in Matt Cameron (who played with five different artists on Saturday), while Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard shine in their respective roles, their initial Seattle relationship now spanning 38 years and providing a firm foundation for the band to exist. And, I only mention that they look great because, it makes ME feel better and less old when a band keeps it tight. With all the members in their mid-50s, they still move around with youthful exuberance that belies their age. For an audience aging with them, it’s an invitation to feel young again for a couple hours that we gladly accepted.

But maybe the aspect of Pearl Jam that remains least mutable is in the catharsis they provide. Vedder and his band were equally indebted to both punk and classic rock in their inception, and as they grew to stadiums and beyond, they never forgot the how vital the big gestures from the latter could be. There is power in intimacy, in the small sweaty clubs and DIY basements, of feeling like you belong somewhere. But nothing quite means the same things as being among tens of thousands of likeminded individuals, everyone there for the same reason, especially after a couple years of not going out much at all.

Vedder noted that for many of the bands that took the stage over Ohana’s two weekends, which also included Beck, Maggie Rogers, Sharon Van Etten, Lord Huron, My Morning Jacket and many more, were celebrating their first live shows since the pandemic. For the audience, it was surely the same thing. A song like “Alive,” which Vedder deftly switched from the singular “I” to the plural “We” for its final chorus, can take on new meaning as hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths grow daily. “Porch,” a song during which Vedder famously scrawled pro-choice messaging on himself while performing their MTV Unplugged in 1992, can hold a legacy from that moment, even as Vedder frustratedly admitted that it blows his mind that we still have to advocate for what should be common sense human rights in 2021. And then there is “Rockin’ In The Free World,” a song as subversive as “Born In The USA,” that saw the band jamming with Sleater-Kinney, Carlile, Taylor Hakwins, Chad Smith, and many others for a huge finale. Everyone’s smile was contagoeus as they crowded the stage for the Neil Young cover, live music’s power as palpable as ever, as the tragedy currently plaguing the world and all its social injustices faded away for just a moment of communal bliss. It’s safe to say that both musicians and fans will never take this privilege for granted again.

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Check out some photos from the event below. Brandi Carlile celebrated with the release of In These Silent Days with a firecracker of a set that included a showstopping opening of “Pride & Joy” as well as a cover of Soundgarden’s Searching With My Good Eye Closed backed by McCready and Cameron. Sleater-Kinney and Margo Price also warmed up the crowd with strong sets, while Pearl Jam’s headlining performance found the band’s newer songs from last year’s Gigaton able to stand up to some fan-favorite hits and deep cuts, including “Last Exit,” “Lukin,” “Wishlist,” “Not For You,” and “Smile.” Vedder also hinted that Ohana would return for a 6th year in 2022. We’d go back in a second.

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

Bobby Shmurda is for the children. The 27-year-old Brooklyn rapper, who was recently released after a six year stint in state prison on gang charges, is rapidly becoming a positive force in his community. On Father’s Day this year, he gave away free haircuts and meals, and he’s spoken repeatedly about how his experiences made him more socially aware and made him want to be a better role model.

To that end, Bobby donated 2,000 backpacks loaded with school supplies to schools all over New York City, including three elementary schools in Brooklyn, an all-boys middle school in Queens, another elementary in Harlem, and Health Opportunities High School in the Bronx. The backpacks were filled with needed items like folders, notebooks, and pencils, and each school was played a video message from Bobby himself, who encouraged the kids to behave, and praised them as “unstoppable.”

“Please do not give your mommas no trouble this year,” he said in the video. “And please do not give your teachers no trouble this year. I want to say that I’m proud of y’all for being brave, for being strong, and for staying in school. Always remember you guys are unstoppable. You can do anything you set your mind to.”

You can watch Bobby’s video message below.

This week in pop music saw some fun and introspective releases alike. Grimes dropped an unconventional breakup tune, Kali Uchis and SZA teamed up for a steamy collaboration, and Remi Wolf turned up the funk on her new single.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Grimes — “Love”

This week, Elon Musk announced he and Grimes are “semi-separated.” Shortly after announcing the split and joking that she’s moving to a “lesbian space commune,” Grimes shared the cutting song “Love.” While the singer didn’t confirm it was a breakup song, lyrics like “Every night I / Tell myself I’d rather die / Than heed your rage” coupled with the slow beat shows the singer is working through her life changes with the help of music.

Kali Uchis — “Fue Mejor” Feat. SZA

Following up on her popular 2020 LP Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios), Kali Uchis dropped a much-anticipated remix to her song previous PartyNextDoor collaboration “Fue Mejor.” Much of the song stays the same, but PartyNextDoor’s verse is swapped out for SZA’s fluttering addition, which she delivers the majority of in Spanish.

Remi Wolf — “Anthony Kiedis”

Remi Wolf is a few weeks away from sharing her highly anticipated debut album Juno. Continuing to tease the LP’s cutting edge sound, Wolf shares the exuberant new single “Anthony Kiedis,” a relatable ode to the monotony of life in lockdown — all while namedropping Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Kiedis.

Ashnikko — “Panic Attacks In Paradise”

Ashnikko has made a name for themselves with their vibrant hair color, vulgar lyrics, and playful sense of humor. But their new track “Panic Attacks In Paradise” details how their rise to fame hasn’t been all sunshine, rainbows, and dick jokes. The forlorn single is Ashnikko’s version of a stripped-down ballad, getting real about how they were an “insufferable mess” all while experiencing their breakout moment.

Nessa Barrett — “I Wanna Die”

With over 10 million followers on TikTok, Nessa Barrett is making the jump from internet fame to bonafide pop star. Her new track “I Wanna Die” arrives on her debut EP Pretty Poison, showing off Barrett’s talent for writing soulful yet playful alt-pop songs.

Jeremy Zucker — “Deep End”

Platinum-certified pop singer Jeremy Zucker dropped his anticipated 12-track album Crusher this week, and on it was the tenderhearted tune “Deep End.” The rolling track is a relatable reflection on the anxieties that plague his generation and the wish to disappear and start a new life. About his album Crusher as a whole, Zucker described it as “a desperate plea for compassion and understanding in the face of destruction.”

Gracie Abrams — “Feels Like”

It’s been two years since Gracie Abrams made her songwriting debut, and she’s already proved herself to be one to watch. This week, the compelling singer continued showcasing her minimalist songwriting with the captivating single “Feels Like,” a song that pays tribute to her mesmerizing vocals and intriguing lyrics.

Jessie Murph — “Sobriety”

17-year-old rising pop star Jessie Murph is well on her way to stardom with her latest track “Sobriety.” The gleaming pop song features Murph’s honeyed lyrics mixed with hip-hop-style production, creating an earworm that lends itself to be played on repeat.

Aldn — “Predictable”

Hyperpop producer Aldn, who has been making music since the age of 11, expands his sound to new territories with his nostalgia-inducing single “Predictable.” The melodic track is Aldn’s latest radio-ready tune, combining a catchy chorus with an intricately layered beat that is perhaps his most accessible work to date.

Chelsea Cutler — “Devil On My Shoulder”

Platinum-certified singer/songwriter Chelsea Cutler is gearing up for the release of her sophomore album, which she teased this week with the radically honest track “Devil On My Shoulder.” Her version of a piano ballad, Cutler’s new track is a snapshot of her struggle with mental health, showcasing her room-filling vocals and intimate lyricism. “Being able to see my depression as a separate entity has been liberating for me,” Cutler said about the song in a statement. “A lot of processing took place for me while writing this song. It has easily taken the place of my favorite on the album, and I hope that it helps others realize the things it helped me realize.”

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

Time and time again, indie stars Big Thief prove they are more than seasoned songwriters. After dropping two back-to-back albums in 2019, Big Thief are now set to return in 2022 with a massive, 20-track double album.

The band made the announcement in a recent print interview with Mojo Magazine, which was captured by a Reddit user, revealing how the majority of the songs were written in July of 2020 during a blistering hot two-week quarantine songwriting session in Vermont. Vocalist Adrianna Lenker said the band were feverish when it came to making new music. “We accumulated so many songs that we loved, maybe about 50,” Lenker said. “20 could be whittled down to 12, but not 50.”

Lenker continued that the songs can be described as “bombastic and wild, and hi-fi.” She said some song are “more serene, internal and reflective” while others are “raw and no fat, just songs, and acoustic.” “I’ve noticed that a lot of this record is more uplifting and hopeful,” she continued. “Which is funny, given the times we’re in. And there’s more acceptance, of the self and of the whole paradigm we’re in. The mysteries of humanity and how it’s all unfolding. I’ll probably be writing about that until I die!”

The album announcement arrives after Big Thief shared a handful of new tracks in recent months, including the songs “Certainty,” “Little Things,” and “Sparrow.” They also just finished up a month-long North American tour, which kicked off in early September.

Even when things get a little apocalyptic, Kim Petras never loses her focus. The pop star just released a new single — her first after signing with Republic Records — and the tone her next era is decidedly futuristic. Aptly titled “Future Starts Now,” the song gave us a peek into Petras’ new sound, a sleek, bombastic take that’s on the cooler side, but still in line with the massive warmth of last year’s epic love song, “Malibu.” Back then, Petras said the song introduced her new era of “superstar pop,” and she’s certainly doubled down on that with the video for “Future Starts Now.”

In the clip, Petras is Parisian chic in a beret at a party, slowly turning the gathering into a dance performance. But, elsewhere, the Eiffel Tower is floating and the weather is wrecking havoc on everything — except Petras’ dancing. Of the video, she said that it was inspired by all the chaotic events of the last few months:

“The ‘Future Starts Now’ video is inspired by going into the unknown, having the world change and break under you, and celebrating that change and the future after what feels like the end of the world. I was very into this amazing anime called Japan Sinks and, since I was so inspired by Europe when making my new music, I thought, ‘There’s no better way to do this music video than to have the Eiffel Tower sink.’ When I think of Europe, the first thing I think about is the Eiffel Tower. It’s a metaphor for life: Things are going to change whether you want them to or not and you can either roll with it and make the best out of it or let it drown you. The pandemic changed the world in bad ways but good ways too. It’s about not letting life sink you and to have fun and celebrate the world — whatever it becomes.”

Check out the video above and keep an eye out for more new music.

Things haven’t been going particularly well on the field for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team has gotten off to an 0-4 start this season, with their most recent loss coming last Thursday to the Cincinnati Bengals. But in recent days, all of the attention has been on the actions of head coach Urban Meyer, who stayed in Ohio and traveled to his old stomping ground of Columbus after the team flew back to Florida and was caught with a woman who isn’t his wife dancing close to his lap.

Meyer issued up an apology at his weekly press conference on Monday, while there have been high-profile calls for him to lose his job. And on Tuesday, veteran NFL reporter Mike Silver brought word that the situation in Jacksonville is reaching the point of being untenable.

Silver went on to report on how Meyer handled this with his players, and apparently, he wasn’t exactly convincing with his explanation of how things went.

Shortly after this report, Jaguars owner Shad Khan released a statement on the matter. While he appreciated Meyer for his explanation of what happened, he went on to say that the team’s coach “must regain our trust and respect.”

The Jaguars are scheduled to play host to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. They will then pack their bags and head to London for a game against the Miami Dolphins before their bye week.

During a fiery rant on Tuesday morning’s episode of The View, Whoopi Goldberg expressed zero sympathy for Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema who was followed into a restroom by angry constituents. In fact, Whoopi said if she was an Arizona voter, she’d be right there in that restroom demanding answers from Sinema, who was elected to work for her constituents, not delay vital fixes to roads and infrastructure for reasons that no one can seem to determine.

After ringing a bell, which seems like a feature should’ve had handy when Meghan McCain was around, Whoopi tore into Sinema and backed the voters who confronted her over the weekend:

“When it is something someone wants, they find the money. They find the money. And if this doesn’t get done now, it’s not going to get done. It’s just not gonna happen. Your roads, all of this stuff is not gonna get fixed. So, it’s very simple to me. I’mma follow you wherever you are if you’re not responding to me as someone who elected you. I’m trying to keep you in office because I tell ya, when I start voting and you’ve been null and void and nowhere to be found, you’re out. ‘Cause you’re not taking care of business.”

It was yet another solid rant from Whoopi who snatched up NBA star LeBron James for not endorsing the COVID vaccine last week. If going after King James doesn’t concern Whoopi, she’s certainly not going to lose sleep calling out Sinema.

“This is your job,” Whoopi said while wrapping up her contribution to the panel discussion. “Your job is not to play with Manchin. Your job is to take care of what we need in Arizona. That’s why we put you in, ’cause we thought you could do it better. And here you are blocking stuff.”

(Via The Chat on Twitter)

When Olivia Rodrigo dropped her debut album Sour last spring, it not only topped the charts in a record-breaking way, but it showed off her versatile songwriting. Because she catapulted into the mainstream pop sphere during the pandemic, many are wondering what’s next for the musician/actor. But instead of having concrete plans for the next year, Rodrigo is trying to keep from being “pigeonholed” into doing just one thing. That’s why the singer said she doesn’t want to rush her next album.

Rodrigo recently talked about the status of her sophomore LP in a lengthy interview with Teen Vogue. The singer contemplated the next steps in her career, saying she’s thought about heading to Nashville to learn from the country music greats. She also wants to follow the lead of her hit track “Brutal” and lean more into rock collaborations, taking a page out of Halsey’s recent album made with Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The singer said that Jack White is her hero, but she’s not quite ready to reach out to the rock legend.

Though she’s not certain what move to make next, Rodrigo is sure that a follow up to her Sour album won’t be coming any time soon. “I’m gonna take my time to figure out exactly what I want to say and how I want to say it,” she said about writing new music.

Read Rodrigo’s full interview with Teen Vogue here.

The fallout from DaBaby’s disastrous Rolling Loud Miami set continues to settle, as more voices enter the chat to debate his demerits. While the majority of the reactions to DaBaby’s comments have deplored his ill-chosen words, Dave Chappelle has a different question on his mind. In his new Netflix special The Closer, which debuted today, Chappelle juxtaposes the backlash to DaBaby’s homophobic comments with the rapper’s violent lyrics — which aren’t all stereotypical rapper bluster.

Chappelle leads into the observation by cheekily addressing the backlash to his own recent sets, on which he seems to have specifically targeted queer people in order to point out what he sees as discrepancies in the way they are treated in comparison to Black people (setting aside the fact that people can be … both). “All the questions you might have had about all these jokes I’ve said in the last few years, I hope to answer tonight,” he says. “And I’d like to start by addressing the [LGBTQ] community directly. I want every member of that community to know that I come here tonight in peace and I hope to negotiate the release of DaBaby.”

After some additional preamble, he reminds the audience that before DaBaby’s rise to fame (in fact, almost immediately before it) the rapper was involved in a fatal shooting, in which he claimed self-defense. Then, Dave poses his observation: “In our country, you can shoot and kill a n***a but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings.” It’s doubtful that anything’s as simple as that — queer people are often the targets of just as brutal crimes for little other reason than being queer — but to his credit, Chappelle promises to address the nuance in the special. We’ll see if he does.

DaBaby, meanwhile, has continued to address the fallout himself, meeting with organizations dedicated to HIV/AIDS awareness and sneering at some of his critics in his return to the stage at Summer Jam.

Watch the trailer for Dave Chappelle’s The Closer, which is now streaming on Netflix, above.