Category: News

One of the biggest moments in hip-hop this year arrived back in February with Bobby Shmurda’s release from prison. The rapper previously spent nearly seven years locked up on conspiracy to commit murder and weapons charges. Bobby was welcomed back to the world with open arms from people in and outside of hip-hop, and fans of his music couldn’t wait to hear what the rapper would drop after nearly a decade away from the scene. While he’s yet to give them a new single, the rapper’s first offering to the music world since his release comes in the form of a bilingual verse on a new remix.

Bobby joins J Balvin and Daddy Yankee to remix Eladio Carrion’s “Tata.” The rapper fits effortlessly with the trio as the song’s Latin trap beat suits him perfectly as they all contribute verses in both English and Spanish. The remix also comes with a gritty and flashy visual that captures the four artists flexing muscles in the streets and on the MTA buses before things come to a close with Daddy Yankee concluding the song as he peacefully lounges on a hammock.

The new remix arrives after Bobby returned to the stage at Miami’s Rolling Loud festival for one of his first performances since his release from prison. There he performed hits like “Hot N****” and “Computers” as well as unreleased tracks that left festival attendees extremely excited for what Bobby has in store for them.

You can watch the video for the “Tata” remix above.

While fans are still regularly clamoring for the follow-up to Rihanna‘s stone cold classic, Anti — which came out all the way back in 2016 might I remind you — the beauty and fashion mogul is unbothered. And she’s still much more interested in doubling down on her array of Fenty offerings. On Instagram today, RiRi announced that a new “Fenty Parfum” was coming soon, taking a moment to debut/showcase some side bangs in the shots she posted along with the news. Visuals tend to give some sort of hint as to what their accompanying scent will be like, and these black and white shots with a subtle modern twist via the shorter side burn/side bang are promising.

Between her makeup, lingerie, and now perfume offerings, and that new relationship with ASAP Rocky, it’s obvious that Rihanna has her hands full at the moment. Still, she hasn’t totally abandoned music, and rest assured that R9 will be here eventually. Until then, keep an eye out for a new scent hitting Fenty stores very soon. And if you really need more from her in the meantime, well there’s always the new terry lingerie, or Chloe Bailey covering “Love On The Brain.” That’s as good as it’s gonna get for a while.

If you expected every member of the House of Representatives to be calm and collected, even in opposition, regarding the freshly reinstated mask mandates (in the face of rising Delta cases), you’d be sadly wrong. Rootin’ tootin’ Lauren Boebert reportedly threw a mask before she popped onto Twitter to call Nancy Pelosi’s mandate “totalitarian.” And that’s not the end of the animosity. As reported by CNN congressional reporter Daniella Micaela, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Rep. Byron Daniels (R-NY) got into “a yelling fight outside the House floor” on Wednesday.

This report quickly reached “confirmed” status when the two colleagues began tweet-firing at each other. On one hand, it’s great that no more legwork was required to confirm. On the other, well, two elected officials began sh*t-posting at each other, which says a lot about the ongoing state of politics.

“I just had to take a different elevator,” Huffman tweeted. “[B]ecause an unvaccinated, defiantly unmasked GOP colleague doesn’t give a sh*t about anyone but himself.”

And Donalds had a comeback. “Adding @JaredHuffman to the growing list of privileged liberals patronizing me for being a free-thinking American,” he tweeted while adding an infamous GIF (that of Kobe Bryant unflinchingly taking on Matt Barnes’ basketball-toward-the-face move) for humorous effect. “Mind your business; I said what I said.”

Huffman was in no mood to mind his own business because of, well, all the reasons why not wearing a mask can detrimentally affect other people.

Donalds stood firm. “The real epidemic in America is liberals continuing to tell free people how to think,” he insisted. “Jared, mind your business and I’ll mind mine.”

It’s 2021, not 1918 (although it kind-of is), and people still act like wearing a mask to protect others is the most onerous ask in the entire universe.

John Micheal Stewart plays a character known as “The Boss” on the social media hit “Breadstick Ricky and the Boss” but he has some solid advice on why employees shouldn’t overwork themselves.

“Breadstick Ricky and the Boss” has over 2.3 million subscribers on TikTok and follows the on-the-job shenanigans of The Boss and his coworker, Ricky, a high-voice tradesman who has a knack for getting into trouble.

Comments on the videos show they have a big following with hard-working good ol’ boys like the Boss and Ricky characters.

Stewart gets real in one of his latest videos where he discusses the perils of working too hard and why people need to have a good work-life balance.

“Use every single minute of PTO they give you. You agreed to do a job in exchange for pay and benefits,” Stewart says. “You didn’t sign up to sell your soul and every previous minute of your spare time.”

“Coz if you don’t have a work and life balance, I got bad news, you’re gonna lose one of ’em,” Stewart says.

A good work/life balance is important

www.youtube.com

Simone Biles withdrawing from the team final in the Tokyo Olympics and subsequently withdrawing from the individual all-around finals after getting a case of the “twisties” has the world talking. She’s received overwhelming support as well as overwhelming criticism for the move, with some praising her for recognizing her limits and others blasting her for not persevering through whatever she’s dealing with.

Some people pointed to Kerri Strug, who landed on one foot after vaulting with a broken ankle in the 1996 Olympics to help the U.S. win gold, as an example of the kind of sacrifice an athlete should be willing to make for their country.

Byron Heath shared some thoughts about that fateful day in a viral Facebook post that has been shared more than 370,000 times in less than a day.

Heath wrote:

“This realization I had about Simone Biles is gonna make some people mad, but oh well.

Yesterday I was excited to show my daughters Kerri Strug’s famous one-leg vault. It was a defining Olympic moment that I watched live as a kid, and my girls watched raptly as Strug fell, and then limped back to leap again.

But for some reason I wasn’t as inspired watching it this time. In fact, I felt a little sick. Maybe being a father and teacher has made me soft, but all I could see was how Kerri Strug looked at her coach, Bela Karolyi, with pleading, terrified eyes, while he shouted back ‘You can do it!’ over and over again.

My daughters didn’t cheer when Strug landed her second vault. Instead they frowned in concern as she collapsed in agony and frantic tears.

‘Why did she jump again if she was hurt?’ one of my girls asked. I made some inane reply about the heart of a champion or Olympic spirit, but in the back of my mind a thought was festering: *She shouldn’t have jumped again*

The more the thought echoed, the stronger my realization became. Coach Karolyi should have gotten his visibly injured athlete medical help immediately! Now that I have two young daughters in gymnastics, I expect their safety to be the coach’s number one priority. Instead, Bela Karolyi told Strug to vault again. And he got what he wanted; a gold medal that was more important to him than his athlete’s health. I’m sure people will say ‘Kerri Strug was a competitor–she WANTED to push through the injury.’ That’s probably true. But since the last Olympics we’ve also learned these athletes were put into positions where they could be systematically abused both emotionally and physically, all while being inundated with ‘win at all costs’ messaging. A teenager under those conditions should have been protected, and told ‘No medal is worth the risk of permanent injury.’ In fact, we now know that Strug’s vault wasn’t even necessary to clinch the gold; the U.S. already had an insurmountable lead. Nevertheless, Bela Karolyi told her to vault again according to his own recounting of their conversation:

‘I can’t feel my leg,’ Strug told Karolyi.

‘We got to go one more time,’ Karolyi said. ‘Shake it out.’

‘Do I have to do this again?’ Strug asked. ‘Can you, can you?’ Karolyi wanted to know.

‘I don’t know yet,’ said Strug. ‘I will do it. I will, I will.’

The injury forced Strug’s retirement at 18 years old. Dominique Moceanu, a generational talent, also retired from injuries shortly after. They were top gymnasts literally pushed to the breaking point, and then put out to pasture. Coach Karolyi and Larry Nassar (the serial sexual abuser) continued their long careers, while the athletes were treated as a disposable resource.

Today Simone Biles–the greatest gymnast of all time–chose to step back from the competition, citing concerns for mental and physical health. I’ve already seen comments and posts about how Biles ‘failed her country’, ‘quit on us’, or ‘can’t be the greatest if she can’t handle the pressure.’ Those statements are no different than Coach Karolyi telling an injured teen with wide, frightened eyes: ‘We got to go one more time. Shake it out.’

The subtext here is: ‘Our gold medal is more important than your well-being.’

Our athletes shouldn’t have to destroy themselves to meet our standards. If giving empathetic, authentic support to our Olympians means we’ll earn less gold medals, I’m happy to make that trade.

Here’s the message I hope we can send to Simone Biles: You are an outstanding athlete, a true role model, and a powerful woman. Nothing will change that. Please don’t sacrifice your emotional or physical well-being for our entertainment or national pride. We are proud of you for being brave enough to compete, and proud of you for having the wisdom to know when to step back. Your choice makes you an even better example to our daughters than you were before. WE’RE STILL ROOTING FOR YOU!”

Many people shared Heath’s sentiment, with comments pouring in thanking him for putting words to what they were feeling.

We’re in a new era where our lens of what’s admirable, what’s strong, and what’s right has shifted. We understand more about the lifelong impact of too many concussions. We have trainers and medics checking on football players after big hits. We are finding a better balance between competitiveness and well-being. We are acknowledging the importance of mental health and physical health.

We are also more aware of how both physical and mental trauma impacts young bodies. Though Kerri Strug pushing through the pain has long been seen as an iconic moment in sports, the adults in the room should have been protecting her, not pushing her through an obvious injury.

And the way this fall of Dominique Moceanu at age 14 was handled is downright shocking by today’s standards. She said she never received an exam for it, even after the competition was over. So wrong.

In our sport, we essentially dive into a pool w/ no water. When you lose your ability to find the ground—which app… https://t.co/4ItAGMPIZj

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dmoceanu)
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@Carolinafan0279 @Simone_Biles Nope 👎🏻

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dmoceanu)
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Athletes are not cogs in a wheel, and the desire to win a competition should not trump someone’s well-being. Elite gymnasts already put themselves through grueling physical and mental feats; they wouldn’t be at the top of their sport if they didn’t. But there are limits, and too often in our yearning for a gold medal—or even for a triumphant Olympic story—we push athletes too far.

Now we see some of them pushing back, and knowing what we know now, that’s 100% a good thing.

Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk was hospitalized on Tuesday night after collapsing on the set of the AMC series. It was a scary day of no updates on the status of the comedy legend, but TMZ reports that he’s “out of the woods.”

His reps also sent out a statement. “We can confirm Bob is in stable condition after experiencing a heart-related incident,” it reads. “He and his family would like to express gratitude for the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, as well as his cast, crew and producers who have stayed by his side. The Odenkirks would also like to thank everyone for the outpouring of well wishes and ask for their privacy at this time as Bob works on his recovery.” His son, Nate, confirmed the good news on Twitter:

All throughout the day and night, several of his collobaters wished him well on social media. “I will share what I know when I can but Bob is one of the strongest people I know both physically and spiritually. He WILL get through this,” Mr. Show co-creator David Cross tweeted. On Instagram, Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul wrote, “I love you my friend,” while Bryan Cranston added, “Today I woke up to news that has made me anxious all morning. My friend, Bob Odenkirk collapsed last night on the set of Better Call Saul. He is in the hospital in Albuquerque and receiving the medical attention he needs but his condition is not known to the public as yet. Please take a moment in your day today to think about him and send positive thoughts and prayers his way, thank you.”

Fingers crossed for more information as it’s made available. Get better, Bob.

The controversy surrounding DaBaby’s homophobic and misinformed comments from his Miami Rolling Loud set just wouldn’t be complete without the release of some new music, would it? The Charlotte rapper doesn’t disappoint, releasing the new video for his song, “Giving What It’s Supposed To Give.” Apparently filmed the day before the controversial set, the video is already drawing attention and criticism for making references to AIDS and oral sex, the two topics for which he’s been under fire for the last three days.

The video is a wild, abstract jumble of vignettes playing off of his raunchy lyrics and is obviously meant to be played for humorous effect, but honestly, I’m not entirely sure that it wouldn’t have gotten a chilly reception from some of the imagery even without the Rolling Loud controversy. With it, the scene in question, which features DaBaby holding up a sign that says “AIDS” before shooting two arguing men as he raps “we like AIDS, I’m on your ass,” seems grotesque and in poor taste.

He couldn’t be happier, gleefully sharing the link to the video on Instagram with the caption: “It never seizes to amaze me the way God puts me in situations I’m already equipped to handle. Enjoy.” Skating over the part where the correct phrase should be “it never ceases to amaze me,” it does seem as if the seriousness of his offense is lost on him. It looks like he really thinks he’s just teasing, it’s all in good fun, and people are being wet blankets for pointing out the real-life harm that has come to people over comments like his — often by people espousing the same rhetoric. (Someone should also probably point out how “giving what it’s supposed to give” as slang was hijacked wholesale from drag culture, but it won’t be me).

That hasn’t stopped fans from pointing out the discrepancy between his words and actions on Twitter, criticizing him for deciding to double down instead of re-shooting/recording the video/song.

Watch DaBaby’s “Giving What’s Supposed To Give” video above.

After 25 years on the air, beloved children’s series Arthur is coming to an end, and if we weren’t so bummed about it, we’d definitely insert that clenched first meme here. The news comes not only as a shock for fans, but for D.W. voice actor Jason Szwimmer as well, who was told about the show’s cancelation when he invited series developer Kathy Waugh on his Arthur-themed podcast, Finding DW. Waugh chose the podcast to make the big announcement, revealing to Szwimmer that “Arthur is no longer in production” and the cast had their wrap party two years ago. However, Waugh went on to reassure fans (and Szwimmer) that the show still has a final season coming and you’ll be able to catch Arthur and friends in various PBS public service announcements in the meantime.

Following Waugh’s appearance, Arthur executive producer Carol Greenwald confirmed the show will be leaving PBS following its winter 2022 season. She then further elaborated on the future of the Arthur, stating the show “will continue to be available on PBS Kids for years to come” and “producer GBH and PBS Kids are continuing to work together on additional Arthur content, sharing the lessons of Arthur and his friends in new ways.”

Arthur’s end marks the end of one of the longest-running children’s series in television history. The four-time Emmy award-winning cartoon first debuted on tv back in 1996, and since then has released 240 episodes. However — despite as prolific and long-running as that may seem — Waugh believes even 25 years was far too short a journey for the lovable aardvark.

“I think they made a mistake, PBS, and I think Arthur should come back and I know I’m not alone in thinking they made a mistake. I don’t know if it was a ratings issue or if it felt like it needed to be retired. To me, it felt evergreen, like it was never going to end. But it did end. We finished the last episode [of] Season 25 two years ago.”

In a time where fans have brought back plenty of shows before, our fingers are still crossed Arthur might find a home elsewhere. However, if nothing else, the final season of Arthur will air in the winter of 2022.

With the Delta variant causing a spike in COVID-19 cases, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has reinstated a mask mandate, which reportedly did not go over will with freshman Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. The gun-toting Colorado representative started off Wednesday morning by tweeting out her thoughts on the latest health protocol which requires the “wearing of a well-fitted, medical grade, filtration face mask is required when an individual is in an interior space and other individuals are present,” according to Raw Story.

“My thoughts on @SpeakerPelosi’s anti-science, totalitarian mask mandate,” Boebert wrote above a video of Donald Trump saying the word “bullsh*t.”

However, Boebert’s protest reportedly didn’t stop with the Trump video. Two Capitol Hill reporters say Boebert threw a mask at a House staffer after she arrived inside the Congress chamber without observing the mandate.

“Wow. GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert just threw a mask in the face of a floor staffer when she came to the floor not wearing one, per someone watching the exchange,” Politico’s Sarah Ferris tweeted.

“Rep. Lauren Boebert just threw a mask back at a Democratic floor staffer who tried to give her one, per source on the House floor who saw it happen,” ABC’s Ben Siegel tweeted. “As of last night, the latest House guidance requires mask wearing on the floor and in most group meetings/spaces.”

Of course, the outlandish behavior has been par for the course for Boebert, who (like Marjorie Taylor Greene) arrived in Congress on a wave of QAnon support. However, Boebert’s actions have not been going over well with some constituents, who expressed concern last month after the freshman representative shirked her campaign promises to be an advocate for small business owners.

“But she has been so terribly disappointing,” Pueblo, Colorado resident Gus Garica told Politico. “I am humiliated and embarrassed when she speaks on the House floor. She screams all the time, and she seems to have affiliated herself with white supremacists.”

(Via Raw Story)

On July 1, college athletes found themselves eligible to make money off of their name, image, and likeness, signing endorsement deals and more to finally begin profiting off of their followings and popularity while in school. For some, it just means being able to make a little money off of smaller deals, but for those who have created massive online followings or play at prominent positions at big programs, it has provided an opportunity for much greater earning potential.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, an incoming freshman who has yet to even step foot on the field for the Tide, has already racked up nearly seven figures in NIL deals, according to Nick Saban. That type of money is out there for big players and big programs, and because of it, top recruits suddenly find themselves with some interesting decisions to make as they aren’t afforded the same opportunities in high school.

Quinn Ewers could be the first to reach this crossroads, as the top recruit in the 2022 cycle is committed to Ohio State for next year, but is considering foregoing his senior season in Texas to enroll at Ohio State a year early because he too has close to a million dollars in NIL deals on the table right now. Ewers and his family spoke with Yahoo’s Pete Thamel about the decision they are facing, noting Ewers has been taking his final required English class online so that, should he choose to, he could enroll at Ohio State this fall and join the Buckeyes in camp next week.

“I don’t really know, I don’t have a final decision made quite yet,” Ewers said in a phone interview on Wednesday. “I’m leaning toward leaving and going up to Ohio, just so I don’t have to deal with UIL stuff and can get comfortable with Ohio and Columbus and start to learn.”

In Texas, Ewers would be barred from signing such deals, and leaving that much money on the table is certainly hard to do. It also doesn’t hurt that the Ohio State quarterback situation coming into this season is seen as wide open, and there is a path to playing sooner than later in Columbus. What decision Ewers makes in the coming week could be a landmark moment for college football, and also could apply pressure to state high school athletics associations to consider taking a different stance on NIL for their athletes. Ewers situation is certainly unique to the elite of elite recruits, but, particularly in a place like Texas where high school football is so important, the possibility of seeing some of the top talent, particularly at the quarterback position, pass on senior seasons to enroll early might be the thing needed to make them take a step back and reassess their stance on players making money as high schoolers.