Category: News

The streaming wars aren’t looking the peachiest today for Roku users, who may not be pleased with a YouTube TV development. Granted, the news today isn’t a complete red alert, although it might signal a transition on the horizon following Roku’s warning earlier this week about YouTube TV subscribers potentially losing access to the YouTube TV app. At this point, current subscribers still retain access to that app, but the cause of the back-and-forth continues to escalate and points towards what Roku says is a growing dispute with Google. Roku essentially claims that its attempt to re-up its carriage agreement has led to Google playing favorites with its own products (in this case, Google’s separate YouTube app and preferential results for YouTube content searches), and negotiations between the two companies still aren’t resolved.

Previously, Roku accused Google of “predatory, anti-competitive and discriminatory” practices that “harm Roku’s users.” Earlier this week, Variety noted that Google denied requesting preferential Roku search results or for access to user data from Roku while stating of the dispute, “We hope we can resolve this for the sake of our mutual users.”

Fast forward to today, and Roku says that re-up negotiations are no closer to success. As of Friday, Roku has pulled the YouTube TV app from the channel store; this means that new subscribers won’t be able to access it, although existing subscribers can (“at this time”) keep using YouTube on Roku. It’s also worth noting that this dispute only involves the paid live TV service known as “YouTube TV,” rather than the free YouTube app. Here’s a statement from a Roku spokesperson:

“We are disappointed that Google has allowed our agreement for the distribution of YouTube TV to expire. Roku has not asked for one dollar of additional financial consideration from Google to renew YouTube TV. ​
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“We have only asked Google for four simple commitments. First, not to manipulate consumer search results. Second, not to require access to data not available to anyone else. Third, not to leverage their YouTube monopoly to force Roku to accept hardware requirements that would increase consumer costs. Fourth, not to act in a discriminatory and anticompetitive manner against Roku. ​
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“Because our contract has expired, we have removed YouTube TV from our channel store. To continue to provide our users with a great streaming experience, we are taking the extra step to continue to offer existing subscribers access to YouTube TV on the Roku platform unless Google takes actions that require the full removal of the channel. Because of Google’s conduct, new subscriptions will not be available going forward until an agreement is reached.”

The streaming wars are only bound to include such a perpetually shifting landscape, although Roku users sure have to roll with those changes. For several months, Roku fans felt left out of the HBO Max launch party until both services finally struck a deal. Hopefully, things will settle down soon for Roku’s YouTube TV subscribers, too.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

Last we heard from Hayley Kiyoko — aka “Lesbian Jesus” — she was pivoting from music for a bit to release a gender-inclusive fragrance, Hue. The perfume-making business was something the singer compared to songwriting when we spoke about the process, and clearly, making music will always be her first love. That’s why it’s a welcome surprise to have a brand new single from Kiyoko. First she released the track itself last night, “Found My Friends,” and today has shared a moody but bright video that was shot on on 16mm film and filmed at the Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Speaking on the song, Hayley said in a press release that she wrote it “during a challenging time when I realized instead of being my own worst enemy, I could actually be my own best friend.” She continued, “It’s about discovering and nurturing a strong friendship with yourself. This song resonates even more so now with everyone experiencing isolation in quarantine, when we still somehow find the resilience to connect with one another and find comfort in each other.”

As for the video, above, Hayley characterized it as a chance to capture a moment of “being fully present.” She also described it in a press release as “about taking control and owning it.” The other major element of the video is that it’s shot on film, which can be limiting, but has a huge payoff. “Color is always a huge inspiration and so it was truly a dream come true to have the opportunity to shoot this video entirely on film,” she explained. “Shooting on film captures color differently than digital but can be a very challenging process because the lighting has to be perfect, the number of takes is limited, and you can’t see the true outcome until you are in the editing room. I am so grateful for our crew who worked hard to pull it all off, especially while still following all the CDC Covid protocol to keep everyone safe on set. I hope when people watch ‘Found My Friends’ they share the same feelings of liberation that I felt when shooting it.”

Check out the video above, and hopefully this is just the start of a new era from Kiyoko, following up her 2020 EP I’m Too Sensitive For This Shit and 2018’s breakout debut, Expectations.

DJ Khaled released his new album Khaled Khaled today, but just yesterday, he changed the tracklist by adding a new Cardi B-featuring song, “Big Paper.” It turns out the song truly was a last-minute affair, as Cardi says she wrote and recorded her contributions to the track in just two days.

In a recent Instagram Live broadcast, Cardi said, “Literally, I didn’t [think] I was going to make the record, to be honest with you. I didn’t [think] I was going to make it. I got the beat before yesterday… and yes, I wrote the record. And I was just like brainstorming, brainstorming […]. One thing I’ve been really insecure about is my accent — I have a really big accent — and my pronunciation. So I was making sure that everything was mixed right. Literally, I think Khaled got the song today […] at 7 a.m. my time. […] I hope you guys like it. It’s just a little something-something to hold y’all up until I release my next project.”

Following the broadcast, Cardi had doubters who didn’t believe that she actually made the song as quickly as she says she did. Cardi responded by sharing a video from Khaled (which she has since deleted), which he filmed on Wednesday and in which he says he’s still waiting for Cardi’s vocals.

Khaled Khaled is out now via Epic Records. Get it here.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Coi Leray may have blown up this year with the TikTok favorite “No More Parties,” but the 23-year-old New Jersey rapper is no greenhorn. While her appearance on The Tonight Show to perform the breakout hit on Thursday constituted her television debut, the performance itself was more polished and professional than many, with an off-camera band performing a dazzling arrangement, engaging staging that played into the theme, and the sort of swaggering confidence that comes with putting in the work to be a star.

The charisma exuded by the second-generation rap star (her dad is Benzino, the Boston rapper who famously battled with Eminem in the early 2000s) is what prompted her inclusion in Uproxx’s “Rappers To Watch Out For In 2021,” bolstered by her slick performances on mixtapes Everythingcoz and EC2.

I first caught on the wave with her 2018 video for “Huddy,” a hard-hitting thumper that showcased Coi’s quirky personality and a real gift for penning blunt witticisms. While “No More Parties” is something of a departure from the more straightforward bars and rhymes on “Huddy,” the seeming disparity between the singles actually highlights her versatility as an artist. That’s why she’s suddenly in such high demand, with features on Yung Bleu’s “Thieves In Atlanta,” DDG’s “Impatient,” and TruCarr’s “Beat It Up,” as well as a cameo in Mooski’s “Track Star” video — her star power is shining through the TikTok trending, revealing an artist who is destined to be more than just a one-hit wonder.

Watch Coi Leray’s television debut with “No More Parties” on The Tonight Show above.

The Handmaid’s Tale is back for its fourth season and Gilead, along with all of her subjects, is in trouble. That’s mostly thanks to Elisabeth Moss’s scrappy heroine June, who managed to send 84 children and a handful of Marthas across the border to Canada at the end of season three. June’s victory was a major blow to devout Gilead followers, chief among them, Aunt Lydia, the maternally-inclined overseer of the Handmaids, and when the show returns — the first three episodes are already streaming on Hulu — a reckoning amongst those in power will be had.

For Ann Dowd, who’s spent the past few years playing an abusive tyrant, the chance to peel back some of Aunt Lydia’s layers was enough reason to return to Margaret Atwood’s particular dystopia. The author’s latest book, The Testaments, imagines Gilead years into the future as Aunt Lydia, now firmly in opposition to the world she helped build, tries to take down the theocracy from the inside. It’s a major shift for the character, one that made all the clawing and social-climbing she’s forced to do this season to reclaim her status even more interesting for Dowd.

We chatted with her about this season’s cat-and-mouse game between Aunt Lydia and June, future spin-off possibilities, and yes, her thoughts on being compared to character actress Margo Martindale.

Aunt Lydia is in a very bad way when we meet her this season. What’s her mindset?

Well, it’s certainly a humbling position she’s in. I think she is very tough on herself regarding the fact that this happened on her watch, so to speak. She is personally in favor of taking ownership of one’s mistakes so she has a long road there, just to forgive herself, but then on top of that of course, are the commanders. It’s their job to punish her and have her tortured.

They’re putting the blame on her.

That’s enraging to her, I’m sure. She has the good sense to push a little but not too far, to fight for her job and her position. I think it’s a tremendous period of personal adjustment and I would say personal growth in terms of her relationship with Gilead.

There are some heavy scenes this season, especially between you and Elisabeth Moss. Do you have room for downtime? Do you get to have a little laugh in between these torturous scenes?

That’s the built into the day, hun. That has to be present, or madness happens. [laughs] Yeah, we’re very comfortable with one another. There’s a great deal of laughter going on. We know each other well. We trust one another and we take the time we need just before we do our scenes, but other than that it’s a lot of laughter or chatting or just checking in with one another. It’s a terrific environment.

Why is it that Aunt Lydia can’t actually watch June be tortured by Gilead after her capture in episode three?

I would say because it’s unbearable.

She actually cares about her, still?

There’s tremendous love for her and despite the anger she feels, the rage she feels, that’s her girl. She doesn’t want to watch her suffer.

The Testaments, Margaret Atwood’s sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, came out last year and it basically charts Aunt Lydia’s crusade against Gilead years into the future. Is some of the groundwork for that – and maybe for a spin-off series – being laid this season?

I think what makes a lot of sense is — as in life — change happens slowly in a human being and I think the experiences of this season deeply affect her. I think they will gradually bring her to the place where she begins The Testaments. She doesn’t miss a thing, Lydia. Do you know what I mean? She takes it all in. I think she believes in that motto, ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’ She’s endured a lot. She’s provoked a lot; she’s caused a lot of pain in people’s lives but she also loves them. Who is that person?

This new power struggle she has with Commander Lawrence – does that also play into her future rebellion? Who’s in control of this relationship right now?

She’s risking a tremendous amount because at the end of the day women do not have power. She hopes, of course, that what she has on him will push power in her direction, which is pretty thrilling. , There is information that could sink him. She’s got something. The question is, will he fold?

Lawrence seems disillusioned with Gilead’s belief system. Does Aunt Lydia really believe in Gilead or is she also just playing a part?

I think that’s a conflict for her. I do think she’s attached to the ideology. I do think she’s attached deeply to her belief in God and how she thinks one should live one’s life. On the other hand, it’s about survival as well. You either do as we say or you die. She’s very aware of the imbalance of power.

Freaks and Geeks just came to Hulu. People are re-watching The Leftovers. There’s a lot of Ann Dowd on social media right now. Looking back on your career, which roles are you happy to be recognized for?

This is so boring, my answer here, hun, but so many of them, you know? Because I loved them. When people say they watched Law and Order — that’s just the birthplace for actors. That’s the christening. You’re an actor, man. But I’m just grateful for every single one. As I’ve said before, celebrating the small victories — I mean every single job. I don’t believe I ever took a role I didn’t want to take. There are probably some I enjoyed more than others, but just the fact that someone said ‘Yes.’ It just all means so much.

Are you just trying one-up character actress Margo Martindale at this point?

[laughs] She’s a doll. I adore her. We had an interview together sort of about that. We laugh because, first of all, I think she’s phenomenal, and there’s nobody like her. We laughed at each other like, ‘How are we alike? Someone help me out here.’We had a good laugh about that and a great time. We also did a Zoom film, which is to say we did it on Zoom, but also the story takes place on Zoom in large part. It was a fantastic experience and just getting to work with her, I just love her. We have a very nice relationship.

This week’s episode of Indiecast kicks off with Steve and Ian recounting their worst and toughest interview experiences with artists. There’s a difference between a good bad interview, like a conversation with Liam Gallagher, and a plain bad interview, like an inaudible conference call with Migos. The main topic of this week’s episode is a conversation about new albums from Manchester Orchestra and the revival of the long-dormant collaborative project of Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney.

Manchester Orchestra has been one of the staples of the emo universe for the better part of the last two decades and their latest effort, The Million Masks Of God, is their grandest work to date. Meanwhile, the last time Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney worked together was before Manchester Orchestra even released their debut album, with 2005’s Superwolf. Now, 16 years after their last collaboration, the duo is back for an album fittingly entitled Superwolves. After two decades apart, how does the collaborative spirit between the two artists hold up?

In this week’s Recommendation Corner, Steve can’t with for the forthcoming EP from Mannequin Pussy, while Ian is enjoying the latest from Porter Robinson.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 37 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify below, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts here. Stay up to date and follow us on Instagram and Twitter. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Vin Diesel wasn’t exactly an unknown before he was known worldwide as Dominic Toretto. He had been in Saving Private Ryan and Pitch Black and he voiced the title character in The Iron Giant, a masterpiece. But he wasn’t as famous as his co-star Paul Walker, who was a teen idol for his performances in She’s All That (where he delivers the immortal line, “Check out the bobos on super freak”), Varsity Blues, and Pleasantville. He also played one of the Deedles in Meet the Deedles, but that is neither here nor there.

The point is, Walker spoke with experience when he gave Diesel a piece of advice about dealing with fame that the F9 star remembers to this day.

“We went to Mexico for MTV Spring Break, and on our way home, we just wanted to go back commercial, Paul and I,” Diesel said during the first episode of Entertainment Weekly‘s BINGE: The Fast Saga podcast about promoting The Fast and the Furious in 2001. “And I’ll never forget this: We’re sitting on the floor of this airport, bags to the side, legs stretched out, thousands of people walking by, walking over us.” He continued:

“Now he had already had some films out, so he was a little more familiar with what was to come, and he said, ‘Vin, take all of this in. Take in the fact that all these people are just walking by us.’ I said, ‘Why,’ and he said, ‘Because when this movie comes out, our anonymity will be gone.’ It was so telling, and it was so surreal, how he knew.”

Unfortunately, the footage of Diesel and Walker, who tragically died in 2013, does not exist online. But here is Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder presenting the duo with Best On Screen Team at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards. Almost as good.

You can listen to the podcast here.

(Via EW)

The indie music genre has no doubt grown and shifted immensely since it had a peak in the ’90s. Thanks to the upcoming Apple Music series I Miss ’90s Indie, listeners will now be able to uncover some nostalgic ’90s music and learn how artists like Sleater-Kinney and Beck continue to shape the music landscape today.

Over six episodes, I Miss ’90s Indie will take a deep dive into the world of ’90s indie and explore the ethos of the distinct sound. Host Strombo will cover the importance of the indie music genre by featuring insights direct from ’90s indie originators such as Beck, Liz Phair, Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, Bob Nastanovich of Pavement and Silver Jews, Britt Daniel of Spoon, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Stephin Merrit of The Magnetic Fields. The series will then contrast veteran indie rockers with commentary from contemporary artists like Kurt Vile, Soccer Mommy, and Perfume Genius, who will speak about how ’90s indie informed their current sound.

In an upcoming installment of I Miss ’90s Indie, Brownstein details her experience on what was important in the 90s Indie scene at the time:

“There was a time when Indie was about having the ideological and literal freedom to operate outside of corporate culture. There was definitely a time when it felt like there were a lot of artistic compromises that might come with signing to a major label. There were also benefits of course, and most of those were financial and broader exposure. But there was a real push to be Indie at a certain time. That it symbolized an ethos that a lot of people really believed in, that there was kind of a purity or an authenticity married to this notion of Indie.”

Along with speaking to artists directly, I Miss ’90s Indie will focus on the culture of indie music. It will explore how the ’90s indie scene was shaped by music venues and the proliferation of zines, the act of discovering music at a record store, and how the advent of the internet changed the genre forever.

I Miss ’90s Indie is the latest installation of Apple Music’s I Miss… series. It follows hit shows that similarly unpacked niche genres of music like I Miss Britpop, I Miss Golden Age Hip-Hop, I Miss ’90s Country, and I Miss Emo.

I Miss ’90s Indie premieres 5/2 at 10 am PT. Tune in here.

Olivia Rodrigo has what is easily the year’s biggest breakout hit with “Drivers License,” a heartbreaking tune that is rumored to have been inspired by the end of Rodrigo’s supposed relationship with her High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star Joshua Bassett. Despite whatever tensions may or may not exist between the two, though, they are still co-workers on the show, the second season of which is set to premiere on Disney+ in a couple weeks. Ahead of then, a new song from the season has been shared, a duet between Rodrigo and Bassett called “Even When/The Best Part.”

Billboard notes the song was recorded before “Drivers License” became a hit, and that it appears in the “Valentine’s Day” episode, which is scheduled to air on May 28. The publication summarizes the plot of the season and the episode:

“Nini (Rodrigo) and Ricky (Bassett) navigate their long-distance relationship after she heads off to the Denver-based Youth Actors Conservatory, leaving Ricky, the East High Wildcats and their spring musical production behind in Salt Lake City, Utah. The ‘Valentine’s Day’ episode spotlights Nini and Ricky struggling to physically spend the holiday together, after Ricky takes a bus to Denver to surprise Nini with the new love song he wrote for her titled ‘Even When’ — only for Nini to surprise Ricky outside his (old) house in Salt Lake City and sing her own romantic ballad ‘The Best Part.’

Toward the end of the episode, the high school sweethearts simultaneously perform their songs while leaving voicemails for each other shortly before the clock strikes midnight and signals the end of Valentine’s Day. The result is ‘Even When/The Best Part,’ a swoon-worthy ‘accidental duet’ featuring Bassett on guitar and Rodrigo on ukulele that strategically synthesizes their individual songs together like two pieces of a puzzle.”

Bassett also told Billboard of the track, “‘Even When/The Best Part’ is a truly special duet. I played guitar when we filmed it, and sang along to Olivia’s vocals in my ear while she shot her side separately! I’m stoked to see how it all came together and really think people are gonna love it! Hands down: one of my favorites this season!”

Watch Rodrigo and Bassett perform “Even When/The Best Part” above.

Of the many, many ill-advised things Ted Cruz has done throughout his life and career, deciding to pick a fight on Twitter with Trevor Noah ranks among the top of them. Especially if he thought he had a chance of coming out on top. Cruz, of course, has never been known for making the wisest decisions, just as he’s never been praised for his rapier wit. But even after being blindsided by Jon Stewart entering (or some might say ending) the argument, the Trevor vs. Ted debacle had one more twist no one saw coming: The Daily Show host actually agreeing with Cruz on something. Namely, that Cruz wasn’t wrong to doze off during Joe Biden’s Wednesday night policy speech.

During the hour-long sermon, Biden laid out a lot of big plans for his next four years, including raising the minimum wage to $15, lowering insurance deductibles for working families, reducing prescription drug costs, offering four years of free college to every person in America, making childcare affordable for working parents, building trust between police and the public, banning assault weapons, ending racism, and curing cancer.

These, of course, are all admirable goals. But as Noah noted, it’s a big ask—even without the plans for eradicating both cancer and racism. “I half-expected him to go: ‘You know what, f*#k it, we’re going to Mars right now. Get in the rocket everyone—there’s a rocket outside,’” Noah said, describing Biden’s plan as “hella progressive.”

But all commendable intentions aside, the moment in the speech that struck the strongest personal chord with Noah was when the camera panned to a sleepy Cruz trying his best not to nod off.

“Ted Cruz was so bored at that speech that he fell asleep,” Noah said, getting in one more subtle dig at the senator. “I know what you’re thinking right now. You think I’m going to say something like, ‘Oh that’s weird. I thought lizards slept with their eyes open.’ But I’m not going to say that. Because honestly, that was the most relatable thing that Ted Cruz has ever done. Because that speech was boring. And when you consider that almost none of Biden’s goals are actually going to get past Congress… we basically just listened to an old man talk for about an hour about his dreams.”

But Noah did have an idea for how Biden could spice things up in the future: Get himself a hype man/emcee to shout things like “You down with GDP? Yeah, you know me” each time the president makes a particularly salient point.

On the other hand, with the exception of the past four years—where any presidential address felt a bit like watching a David Lynch movie, where you’re just waiting for something bizarre and seemingly non-germane to the plot to happen—having a president be boring sort of feels like politics as usual.

You can watch the full clip above.