Category: News

How do you turn a dream into a legacy?

It’s a question only Porsche could help answer. The brand is celebrating 90 years at the forefront of originality and innovation — a journey that started when its founder, Ferry Porsche, realized his singular vision would only become real if he worked to make it so. That’s exactly the kind of vision and self-determination we want to celebrate with The Next 9, a new series presented by Porsche that spotlights a collection of musicians, artists, visual storytellers, fashion entrepreneurs, chefs, and entertainers who are making an indelible mark in their chosen fields. These trailblazers are channeling the ambitious, intrepid energy that Porsche defines by building atop the foundation of their own dreams and carving out their own legacies in real-time.

Housed within a bespoke digital experience, these insightful micro-profiles will pair with original portrait photography to showcase a bit of the personality and origin stories of these talented vanguards while also focusing on how they define success for themselves and what inspires them to keep striving.

For artist and multimedia designer Sunni Colon, who blends his love of music with architectural design to create immersive soundscapes, an aspirational life means building art installations and crafting unique sounds while cementing a legacy for himself that inspires others. For filmmaker and photographer Lauren Dunn, who has partnered with cutting edge popstars and global icons to create art that subverts expectations, aspiration simply means not taking no for an answer or accepting anyone’s limits for her as she works to create work that moves people.

These creative trailblazers (who you can meet in the above trailer) and the others included within The Next 9 embody the fearless drive, imagination, and caliber synonymous with Porsche. They also embody our focus on remarkable talents who power culture. We’re so pleased to share their stories with you. Please do follow along here [will link to hub].

In the Yoruba faith, Ibeyi is a deity represented by twins. Throughout their career as under that name, twins Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz have unpacked the lore and mysticism surrounding this concept. Their breakthrough self-titled debut in 2015, and then 2017’s elegant sophomore album Ash, raised the stakes for the pair and even saw them included in Beyonce’s video film Lemonade. Nearly four years after Ash, in early 2021, they went back into the studio to work on their next album.

The first song from those sessions was “Made Of Gold,” and it features Gambian-British rapper Pa Salieu. Set to rhythmic drum patterns and the joint vocals from Ibeyi, it’s a well-produced tune that gets additional flair from Salieu. It plays on different points of energy, closing with Lisa-Kaindé reading an excerpt from The Ancient Egyptian Book Of The Dead. In a statement, she shared some insight into the track:

“The first song we produced in the studio was “Made of Gold.” Whilst we were creating the layers of the backing vocals, we could feel that we were making contact with our ancestors; that what we were recording was calling on the brujas and our ancestors for their ancient knowledge. “Made of Gold” is about connecting to our ancestors’ knowledge, to the truths of the past and the power of the ancient. The line is not broken, nor is it lost. Protected by these spells, our third album will see us conveying our reconnection to that power and channeling that magic into our new music.”

The video, which the pair said was inspired by Frida Kahlo’s painting “The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Diego, Me, and Senor Xolotl,” is loaded with Yoruba iconography. It also features an entrancing interpretive dance number performed by Nigeria’s Ebinum Brothers. Pa Salieu drops down from the heavens in kingly attire and it all totally works to create the mystical canvas that Ibeyi sought out to paint.

Watch the video for “Made Of Gold” above.

Jockstrap are not your conventional electro-pop duo. They have a penchant for sonic exploration that others do not. Georgia Ellery, who’s the songwriter, and Taylor Skye, the producer, met at London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama and their music is a collision of Ellery’s lyricism, Skye’s left-of-center production, hip-hop, acid, house and more.

“They are Georgia’s songs; I don’t help with the lyrics,” Skye told Pitchfork in 2020. “Whenever I work with someone else, I don’t see the point of trying to figure out what they’re saying, because you don’t really know what they’re saying underneath—‘he broke my heart’ could mean millions of things. So I think the sound of what’s going on is what’s more interesting to work with, and that creates accidental clashes.”

It’s an insightful take on their creative partnership, and today saw them announce that they’ve signed with London’s famed Rough Trade Records. Along with the news comes their most decidedly club-centric jam yet, “50/50,” and an accompanying video. The pulsating beat from Skye see-saws back and forth from footwork to drum and bass rhythms. Ellery’s vocals call to mind J-Pop jump-up vibes. And you can see it all in the video, as they play to an ecstatic crowd from one of their shows at a Hackney club.

Jockstrap’s tunes have been showier in the past — more pop than electro, if you will. But they’ve leaned into collaborations with Phoenix experimental hip-hop group Injury Reserve on “Robert” and scored a modest hit with “Acid,” both off their 2020 EP Wicked City. Now with “50/50,” it foreshadows new horizons for the emerging group on their new label.

The Crown is slowly wrangling its way into the modern age, with its fourth season tackling the early Princess Diana years (albeit not to everyone’s liking). But the show moves inexorably on, and the fifth season is set to jump to the ‘90s — a particularly tumultuous time in the Royal Family’s history, to say the least. While we’ll have to wait how creator Peter Morgan handles…well, all that (although you can always check out his script for 2006’s The Queen, starring repeat Queen Elizabeth portrayer Helen Mirren), we do know who will be playing one of the key younger roles.

As per Variety, The Crown has found its 13-year-old Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, after a massive nationwide search. But in the end they wound up simply casting one the son of one of its big new stars. That person is Senan West, whose father is Dominic West, best known as McNulty on The Wire and who, on The Crown, will take over the role of William’s father, Prince Charles. Diana, his mother, meanwhile, will be played by Tenet actress and famous extraordinarily tall person Elizabeth Debicki.

It should be a trying role for the younger West. William was but 15 years old when his mother perished in a car accident involving the paparazzi. (His younger brother, Prince Harry, was only 13.) But when it arrives, not only will it presumably tackle arguably the most shocking thing to happen in Royal Family history, but it will add to the glut of Princess Diana movies and shows, including the new Kristen Stewart movie Spencer.

(Via Variety)

In what’s sure to be merely the second in a series of many lawsuits following the fatal on-set shooting of Halyna Hutchins on October 21, Alec Baldwin and several other Rust crew members are being sued again, Deadline reports. The lawsuit — which seeks compensation for assault and the intentional infliction of emotional distress and harm — was filed by script supervisor Mamie Mitchell on November 17, and places a great deal the fault for Hutchins death on Baldwin and his on-set negligence. According to the claim:

“Alec Baldwin intentionally, without just cause or excuse, cocked and fired the loaded gun even though the upcoming scene to be filmed did not call for the cocking and firing of the firearm. Mr. Baldwin chose to play Russian Roulette with a loaded gun without checking it and without having the armorer do so.”

The 29-page filing then proceeds to further elaborate on various failings that occurred on the set of Rust, citing Baldwin, Rust‘s various producers and production companies, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, first Assistant Director David Halls, property master Sarah Zachry, and others all as players that ultimately share the blame for Hutchins death.

“Alec Baldwin should have assumed that the gun in question was loaded unless and until it was demonstrated to him or checked by him that it was not loaded. He had no right to rely upon some alleged statement by the Assistant Director that it was a ‘cold gun .. Mr. Baldwin cannot hide behind the Assistant Director to attempt to excuse the fact that he did not check the gun himself.”

According to Deadline, Gloria Allred — the lawyer representing Mitchell, –is planning a press conference with her client later this afternoon where she will further elaborate on Mitchell’s claim. Allred has been working with Mitchell since October 26, six days after Mitchell made the call to the Santa Fe police asking for “help immediately.” Allred said that Mitchell “was standing very close to Halyna Hutchins and the director, Joel Souza, when both Halyna and Joel were shot.”

The investigation into what really happened on set — and therefore who is ultimately responsible for Hutchins death — is ongoing, though law enforcement has all but ruled out “sabotage.” More likely than not, it seems this is a case of widespread negligence, with many parties at fault for the tragic shooting.

Sure, The Wire is beloved now. If you tell people you haven’t seen it, they’ll still get on your case. But back when it was on, from 2002 through 2008, it wasn’t exactly a ratings bonanza. People were all about The Sopranos. Perhaps they didn’t have enough headspace for a complex and brutally honest look at how cities just barely work, if at all, as well. In fact, the last two seasons almost didn’t happen.

A new book by investigative reporter James Andrew Miller, who’s written bestselling oral history books on SNL and ESPN, has a new book out called Tinderbox: HBO’s Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers. True to its title, it takes an epic and far-ranging look, across 975 pages, at the cable giant that may have started it all, including the second Golden Age of Television that arguably began with the character based on someone actually named Toby Soprano.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Miller discusses The Wire, which began as a police procedural about Baltimore detectives using surveillance technology to probe the drug trade but gradually evolved into a wider look at the city as a whole, each season focusing on different areas of the town. The fourth season, about the school system in low-income neighborhoods, is often considered the best. The fifth, about journalism, is often considered the worst. But we almost got neither.

As per Miller:

The Wire was not a great ratings winner, and it wasn’t a great awards winner for HBO. [Former HBO chairman and CEO] Chris Albrecht was ready to end it [after season three] and David didn’t want to let it go. David wrote a memo about his vision for the [the show’s final two seasons], and then came into a meeting with Chris and [former HBO executive] Carolyn Strauss, and was able to basically argue for the show continuing. Fans should be thankful to Chris Albrecht because he actually listened to what David wanted to do with the show and changed his mind. How many executives would change their mind in a meeting? It’s like going to the Supreme Court on appeal and baring yourself raw. This was a great example of the importance of advocacy and having an executive who listens.

So there you go. A lot of shows aren’t as lucky as The Wire, possibly because they don’t have a home like HBO. Imagine Freaks and Geeks getting another season because Paul Feig was able to convince them to give him one more season. Ditto the newly revived Party Down. But we got another two rounds of The Wire, which means we got two more gos with the late, great Michael K. Williams.

(Via THR)

The “one cop show that hasn’t been cancelled” is back and ready to down one of America’s most infamous organizations: QAnon. Earlier today, Paramount revealed the first teaser for Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon, an upcoming comedy special slated to hit the streaming service on December 23rd.

According to Variety, Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon follows “the deputies of the Reno Sheriff’s Department as they hunt for Q, the one behind all the QAnon conspiracies.” In typical Reno 911 fashion, the hunt inevitably leads them to some pretty dark (and hilarious) places, with the adventure this time around ultimately leading them to none other than Jeffrey Epstein’s island.

Announced back in February, the upcoming special is the first one for Reno 911! since undergoing some serious network shuffling. While the show originally aired on Comedy Central from 2003-2009, Reno 911! was revived for a seventh season over at Quibi in 2020, where it aired in two parts and earned a total of four Emmy nominations. Following its success, Quibi announced they would be renewing the Reno 911! for an eighth season — but only just before they revealed they were shutting the company down. Luckily, Roku stepped in to pick up the show, which will be airing on the service sometime next year. Until then, folks can watch all of Reno 911!, and the upcoming special, on Paramount+ and HBO Max.

Fans of Reno 911! will be glad to know the Emmy-nominated original cast is reuniting for the special, meaning you can expect to see Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdsong, and Ian Roberts join in on the mayhem. In addition to starring, Garant is also on board as the special’s director, and will be executive producing alongside co-stars Lennon, Kenney-Silver, Yarbrough, Nash, Alazraqui, and McLendon-Covey, as well as John Landgraf, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Danny Devito, Peter Principato, Christian Hoffman, and David Lincoln.

Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon will premiere on Paramount+ on December 23.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly six years since the world lost David Bowie. One of the most tragic aspects of his death at 69 is he was in the middle of a career resurgence after releasing the critically acclaimed albums “The Next Day” (2013) and “Blackstar” (2016) just days before his passing.

In a rare, revealing interview on “The Today Show,” Bowie’s widow, retired supermodel and entrepreneur Iman, 66, discussed why it’s taken her six years to properly grieve the loss.

The couple were married in 1992 and have a 21-year-old daughter, Lexi Jones, together. Bowie and Iman both have a child from previous marriages.

See on Instagram

Iman finally began to grieve properly in 2020 after returning to the couple’s estate during lockdown. In the intervening years, she had neglected her feelings to focus on helping her daughter through the monumental loss.

“I had a daughter who was a teenager when her father passed away, so I was really more concentrated in helping her go through her grief,” Iman said on Today. “But I thought, oh yes, I did go through my grief, but I actually did not.

“Last year, I went to my house estate, this beautiful property that I haven’t spent time there since my husband passed away, and there I was stuck for the year and I was forced to deal with it,” she said. “All of a sudden grief knocked on the door and became a companion. And I went through all of it, and now it is the joy that I remember.”

u201cThis was truly the love of my life.u201dnn@hodakotb speaks with supermodel, philanthropist and entrepreneur @The_Real_IMAN about her marriage with the late David Bowie and the new fragrance she is releasing in his honor.pic.twitter.com/VPM2xS6JG1

— TODAY (@TODAYshow)
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Iman is happy that she’s reached a point where she can finally embrace the joyous aspects of her 24-year marriage to Bowie.

“I think there are days that are harder than others,” she said. “I don’t think it will ever go away, but the acceptance of it, and the remembrance of the joy, rather than saying every memory that, ‘Oh, I wish he was here, I wish we could experience this together.’ Now I remember the 26 joyful years I had with my husband.”

Iman had an immediate response when her daughter asked if she’d ever get married again.

“No,” she told Hoda Kotb. “People say to me when they talk, ‘Oh I loved your late husband,’ and I said, ‘He’s not my late husband, he’s my husband,’ so that’s how I feel about it. This was truly the love of my life, and I just wait until I meet him again.”

u201cAt the end of our days, the only thing we will have, if we are lucky, is our memories.u201dnn@The_Real_IMAN brings @hodakotb to tears discussing David Bowie.pic.twitter.com/irikivJCLU

— TODAY (@TODAYshow)
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Bowie isn’t around any longer, but Iman cherishes the memories the two were able to create and holds them close to her heart.

“I think at the end of our days, the only thing we will have if we are lucky is our memories,” she said to a crying Kotb. “That’s the thing that we will have and will sustain us after the person passes away.”

Young Dolph died on Wednesday afternoon in a shooting in his hometown of Memphis. The news was originally reported by Jeremy Pierre of the local Fox affiliate, and soon after, authorities confirmed that Dolph, born Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., was shot outside of a bakery after going inside and buying cookies. TMZ added to the reporting of the incident, saying that “Dolph went into the store, and a vehicle pulled up, firing through a front window and striking the rapper.” He was 36 years old.

The music world was devastated over the loss, something that applied to a number of NBA players, too. In the aftermath of Dolph’s death, basketball players took to Twitter and offered up their prayers and condolences.

Dolph had mentioned on multiple occasions that he was contemplating retiring from rap, but said earlier this year that he was unable to get to a place where he felt he could walk away, saying “I can’t do it, real talk. I can’t do.” Dolph released a number of mixtapes, EPs, and full-length albums over the years, most recently the 2021 release Dum and Dummer 2 alongside Key Glock. One year prior, Dolph dropped Rich Slave, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the highest-charting release of his career.

Marvel’s Hit-Monkey: Season 1 (Hulu series) — Hulu is crushing the game when it comes to adapting offbeat Marvel titles these days, as evidenced by the thoroughly enjoyable M.O.D.O.K., which gave us a better villain than we’ve ever seen in the MCU. Here, Jason Sudeikis, George Takei, and Olivia Munn voice the lead roles in a story about a Japanese snow monkey who somehow joins forces with an American assassin’s ghost, and they end up tearing up the Yakuza’s little underworld. This ain’t Ted Lasso, but since Sudeikis is onboard, it’ll be hard to escape that winning charm.

Tiger King: Season 2 (Netflix series) — This Joe Exotic stuff is still happening, somehow, even though he’s sitting in prison. The big-cat-owner saga keeps unfurling to show fallout from fame while more revelations surface, and that includes motivations and secrets of frenemies that include Jeff Lowe, Tim Stark, Allen Glover, and James Garretson, all while Carole Baskins maneuvers in the background.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (CW, 8:00pm) — The time machine goes bonkers and leaves the Legends stranded in a remote forest with no clues on their whereabouts.

The Wonder Years (CW, 8:30pm) — Lillian attempts to confront Michael’s parents after a bullying incident, but Dean’s upset by the action outcome of this action.

Batwoman (CW, 9:00pm) — Renee Montoya’s on the scene with a terrifying theory, even as she attempts to put Gotham on high alert to ensure its safety.

Jimmy Kimmel Live — Michael Keaton, John Wilson, The War On Drugs

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Lin-Manuel Miranda, Roman Reigns, Big Boi, Sleepy Brown

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Adam Driver, America Ferrera

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Benedict Cumberbatch, Latto, Nate Smith

The Late Late Show With James Corden — Kirsten Dunst, John Cho

In case you missed this pick from last week:

Passing (Netflix film) — Ahead of a theatrical release, you can watch this Sundance-acclaimed black-and-white movie that follows opposite stances of the New York 1929 color line. Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga portray two Black women (and childhood friends) who can pass as white, and they decide to take different routes during the Harlem Renaissance. They later have a chance encounter and soon find themselves deeply intwined in each other’s lives, which transforms the action into a story about obsession and repression while also exploring racial identity, along with sexuality and femininity.