Breakout Kentucky rap star Jack Harlow got to live his dream by appearing on this week’s season premiere Complex‘s Hot Ones, but his dream turned out to be more of a nightmare after his saucy fingers got a little too familiar with his right eye halfway through the episode. He spends quite a bit of the interview suffering, but before that, he got in a few really fun responses to questions about lyrics from his debut album, That’s What They All Say.

Host Sean Evans references the reflective song “Rendezvous,” on which Harlow rhymes about being “Eight deep at the show, it might be eight fans,” and asks Jack about his most “character-building” experiences on tour. Jack recalls the tour for his 2017 mixtape Gazebo where, “night after night, I was getting character builders.” He describes situations where he had as many people on stage as there were in the crowd. “One that stuck out was the first night of the tour, which really set my expectations. It was Birmingham, Alabama. There was as many people in the crowd as we had come to the venue with… I had some humbling shows, but they prepared me for this.” He also talks a bit about doing his own stunts in a Call Of Duty ad.

He’s certainly seen a turnaround in his fortunes since. In the same month that he released his debut album on Atlantic, he appeared on The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, and in an NBA All-Star Weekend game of two-on-two, bringing his audience from “eight fans” to millions in just three years.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

JoJo made a grand comeback with her evocative 2020 album Good To Know and now, she returns with an earnest reflection on toxic relationships. Debuting a hypnotic video, JoJo shares “Creature Of Habit” as her second track of the year.

Leaning on her powerhouse vocals, “Creature Of Habit” features JoJo passionately delivers lyrics about the all-too-familiar story of feeling trapped in an unhealthy relationship cycle. The song itself features a snappy beat, offering a contrast to her folksy 2021 single “American Mood.” About the track, JoJo said she was inspired by recognizing her own habits within her love life:

“‘Creature of Habit’ is about someone who feels addicted to the habit a relationship, even though they’re not truly happy in it. Having experienced my own cycles of habits allowed me to find aspects of myself in the lyrics. Walking away from what you’ve become so used to can be really daunting. Sometimes it just feels more comfortable to stay in the habit, rather than allowing yourself the discomfort of letting it go. Essentially, it’s the fear of the unknown that keeps us in the habit.”

The vibrant visual arrives on the heels of her reveal as the Black Swan on The Masked Singer. About her experience as a contestant on the series, JoJo wrote: “I am so grateful to everyone who helped me behind the scenes mentally and emotionally because there’s no way to know WHAT to expect when you sign up. It was fun becoming this character and singing for people every week with such amazing production around me. It allowed me to reclaim my passion for singing, writing, and even interpreting other people’s songs. The Masked Singer is an experience I’ll always be grateful for. I’ll lowkey miss the swan!!!”

Listen to “Creature Of Habit” above.

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

The 2021 BET Awards have been announced and once again, DaBaby leads the field — although this year, there’s a little twist. Whereas last year, he had 12 nominations by himself, this year, he’s tied with Megan Thee Stallion with seven nominations each after what was an interesting and relatively slow year for hip-hop thanks to the pandemic shutdown. Behind them is another tie; Cardi B and Drake both received five nominations apiece. The BET Awards will air Sunday, June 27 at 8 pm ET/PT from the Microsoft Theater in LA. See below for the full list of music nominations.

Album Of The Year

The Weeknd — After Hours
DaBaby — Blame It On Baby
Megan Thee Stallion — Good News
Jazmine Sullivan — Heaux Tales
Nas — King’s Disease
Chloe X Halle — Ungodly Hour

Best Collaboration

Cardi B — “WAP” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
DaBaby — “Rockstar” Feat. Roddy Ricch
Dj Khaled — “Popstar” Feat. Drake
Jack Harlow — “What’s Poppin (Remix)” Feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne
Megan Thee Stallion — “Cry Baby” Feat. DaBaby
Pop Smoke — “For The Night” Feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby

Best Female R&B / Pop Artist

Beyoncé
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
Summer Walker
Sza

Best Male R&B / Pop Artist

6Lack
Anderson .Paak
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd

Best New Artist

Coi Leray
Flo Milli
Giveon
Jack Harlow
Latto
Pooh Shiesty

Best Group

21 Savage & Metro Boomin
Chloe X Halle
Chris Brown & Young Thug
City Girls
Migos
Silk Sonic

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat
Megan Thee Stallion
Latto
Saweetie

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke

Viewer’s Choice Award

Cardi B — “WAP” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
DaBaby — “Rockstar” Feat. Roddy Ricch
Dj Khaled — “Popstar” Feat. Drake
Drake — “Laugh Now Cry Later” Feat. Lil Durk
Lil Baby — “The Bigger Picture”
Megan Thee Stallion — “Savage (Remix)” Feat. Beyoncé
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”

Video Of The Year

Cardi B — “Up”
Cardi B — “WAP” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
Chloe X Halle – -“Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
Drake — “Laugh Now Cry Later” Feat. Lil Durk
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”

Video Director Of The Year

Benny Boom
Bruno Mars And Florent Déchard
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Hype Williams

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

A Philadelphia 76ers fan has lost out on their ability to attend games moving forward. During Wednesday night’s Game 2 win over the Washington Wizards, one Sixers fan poured popcorn on Russell Westbrook as the former league MVP was making his way to the locker room to tend to an injury he suffered during the game. Westbrook, who has experience both with fans crossing lines with him and overzealous Sixers fans, was incensed, needing to be held back by a number of individuals with the Wizards organization.

Westbrook spoke about the incident after the game and received support from LeBron James. One day later and he’s also received support from the Sixers organization, as the team released a statement regarding the fan. While their identity was not revealed, the fan will have their season tickets rescinded and is now banned from attending events at the Wells Fargo Center moving forward. Philly also made it a point to apologize to Westbrook and the Wizards, stressing that these sorts of actions have “no place” in basketball.

Additionally, the NBA put out a statement saying that “an enhanced fan code of conduct will be vigorously enforced.”

The return of more NBA fans to our arenas has brought great excitement and energy to the start of the playoffs, but it is critical that we all show respect for players, officials and our fellow fans. An enhanced fan code of conduct will be vigorously enforced in order to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all involved.

Westbrook and the Wizards will head to more friendly confines for Games 3 and 4 of the series, as things shift to Washington beginning on Saturday evening.

A great hot dog is defined, in part, by its condiments. What those condiments are is, of course, totally up to you. That being said, there’s one condiment that stands above the rest: New York Hot Dog Onion Sauce. If you’re planning on grilling up some dogs (or burgers) this weekend, you should have a warm bowl of this regional classic at the ready.

Hot Dog Onion Sauce is widely available throughout New York’s hot dog scene — from Papaya’s to Nathan’s to Katz’s to all the pushcarts with Sabrett umbrellas. It’s basically homemade ketchup filled with cooked onions. Simple? Sure. Delicious? Abso-freaking-lutely.

I’ve been kind of obsessed with mastering this sauce lately, and I think I’m very close. I’ve taken my cue from eating a ton of dogs on the street of New York and from Sabrett’s own recipe. The ingredient list from Sabrett’s for their “Pushcart Style Onions in Sauce” is pretty straightforward, “Onions, Water, Tomato Paste, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Sugar, Olive Oil, Fumaric Acid, Spices.”

With that as my guiding light and a little cheffed up riffing, I’ve turned this into an easy-to-make-at-home hot dog sauce that’ll wow at your Memorial Day backyard BBQ.

New York Hot Dog Onion Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 large white onions
• 4-oz. tomato paste
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar [I use balsamic here, to give a little Italian flair. — editor]
• 1 tsp. of garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. of allspice
• 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. of sweet paprika
• White pepper
• Salt
• Olive oil

I’ve seen a lot of recipes online that simply call for ketchup as the base sauce that you jazz up with your own spices and so forth. This recipe is basically making your own ketchup; I think it’s much better after trying both methods. There’s a richer tomato base at play here when you use a thick tomato paste.

As for the spices, this is just my best guess from memory and it’s very close to Sabrett’s version. I’d recommend adjusting the spices to your own taste and playing around a little with it.

I also jettisoned the corn starch from the original recipe. Instead, I just simmer it all down for about ten minutes to thicken. It works perfectly well every time.

What You’ll Need:

• Cutting board
• Kitchen knife
• Medium pot with a lid
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Jar with a lid

Method:

• Skin the onions. Chop the onion in half from pole to pole. Then thinly slice the onion, again from pole to pole.
• Place the pot on medium heat with a thin layer of olive oil in the bottom.
• Add the onions and hit with a pinch of salt. Lower the heat and slowly cook the onions until they start to caramelize (at least 20 minutes) while stirring occasionally so they don’t burn.
• Once the onions have reduced and caramelization starts and smell very sweet, add the tomato paste to the bottom of the pan and use the wooden spoon to heat to tomato paste without burning, and then stir into the onions.
• Add the spices to the bottom of the pan and let them bloom for about ten or 15 seconds and then stir into the onions.
• Add the water, vinegar, and brown sugar and stir until completely emulsified.
• Keep on low heat and simmer slowly with an ajar lid, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes.
• Once the “sauce” is reduced by one-quarter, remove it from heat. It should have the same consistency as ketchup.
• Serve immediately or place in a jar and refrigerate.
• Always warm up to serve.

Bottom Line:

I’ve been making a lot of this over the last couple of months. It works wonders on a hot dog, obviously. It also rules on a cheeseburger. I put some in a quesadilla and it worked really well. This stuff is versatile!

As for the hot dog, I went old-school. Steamed bun, dirty water dog, spicy brown mustard, warm sauerkraut, and onion sauce. It was a delight. The soft bun, spicy mustard, and kraut all provided a great counterpoint to the sweet/spicy/umami onion sauce. The dog had a legit “snap” to it. I really couldn’t ask for more.

Plus, now I have plenty of sauce for burgers this weekend. That’s a big win!

Tucker Carlson has joined the growing list of conservatives who are blasting John Cena for his apology to China after accidentally sparking an international incident by referring to Taiwan as a country, which is a major faux pas when it comes to the People’s Republic. China does not recognize Taiwan’s independence, so in an attempt to fix the situation (and likely protect F9‘s box office haul), Cena spoke in Mandarian for an apology video on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. However, Cena did not specify what he was apologizing for, and the video created a new backlash in the U.S., where the actor/wrestler has been heavily criticized.

On Wednesday, Carlson called the apology “disgusting” and outright “groveling” as the Fox News host parroted the pervasive right-wing talking point of equating Cena’s apology with a hostage video. He also accused Cena of being part of a leftist cabal that caters to the communist nation. Via The Wrap:

Tucker said the video “was effectively a hostage tape” and added that, “He can never mention Taiwan again.”

Tucker also suggested that Cena is part of a larger left-leaning swath of society that Tucker believes cowtows to China because the country helps them get rich. “If you want to make money in China, you have to follow their rules,” he said.

Of course, Carlson’s comments aren’t exactly original. Since the apology video, Cena has been roundly criticized by conservatives like Senators Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton, Megyn Kelly, and former CIA director Mike Pompeo. However, Cena has also received criticism from Democrats like Keith Olbermann who dragged the wrestler for apologizing to a “dictatorship.”

(Via The Wrap)

BTS is undeniably one of the biggest musical groups right now. Not only did they recently secure a worldwide McDonald’s partnership, but they also tend to break massive streaming records every time they drop a new song. Their recently released English language track “Butter” is no different. The song was streamed so many times upon it’s debut that it has set five new world records.

Guinness World Records confirmed BTS’ new feats. According to the company, “Butter” broke the record for the most viewers on a YouTube music video premiere with 3.9 million concurrent viewers, a title which they previously held for their track “Dynamite.” Later, “Butter” set a new record for the most YouTube video views in 24 hours with 108,200,000 views, also giving them the record for most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours by a K-pop group.

YouTube isn’t the only place where “Butter” dominated. The track was streamed 11,042,335 times globally in just one day, giving them the record for the most-streamed track on Spotify in the first 24 hours. Their Spotify success officially makes them the most-streamed musical group on the platform with 16.3 billion plays as of April 27, beating out Coldplay who previously held the record with 16.1 billion streams.

This isn’t the first time Guinness confirmed a BTS world record. In fact, the group is getting their own dedicated page in the next Guinness World Records book. Their inclusion was thanks to their previous YouTube premiere record for “Dynamite.” But seeing as they’ve just bested their own world record, they may land a spot in next year’s book as well.

Brace yourselves, folks, because this is almost too friggin’ adorable to handle.

A 911 call can be a scary thing, and an emergency call from a dad having chest pains and trouble breathing is no exception. But thankfully, an exchange between that dad’s 5-year-old daughter and 911 dispatcher Jason Bonham turned out to be more humor than horror. If you missed hearing the recording that has repeatedly gone viral since 2010, you have to hear it now. It’s perfectly timeless.

RELATED: Teachers are sharing epic quotes from little kids, and they’re so wholesome and hilarious

When an Indiana dad used his cell phone to called 911 and couldn’t talk, his daughter Savannah picked up the phone. Remaining remarkably calm, cool, and collected, the articulate 5-year-old expertly answered Bonham’s questions—and added her own hilarious commentary as well.

At Bonham’s request, she made sure the front door was unlocked so the emergency crew could get in. She told him about their dog, Lou Lou, who was “small” and “barks a lot,” but was “friendly.” She consoled her dad—who may have been in the middle of a heart attack—with “Don’t worry, Dad,” and “Stay calm, Dad.” She also kept the dispatcher up to speed on what was happening, repeatedly saying, “So far, so good.”

But the pièce de résistance was when Savannah told Bonham that she and her dad were in their “jammies” so she’d have to change. “I don’t know what I’m gonna wear, but…he really needs oxygen, real fast.”

Five. Years. Old. This kid is seriously something else. Watch:

Little girl calls 911 – Adorable – “He can’t hardly breathe”

youtu.be

Bonham said he was surprised by how Savannah handled the call. “Most people when you talk to them, they’re hysterical,” he told Eyewitness News. “Every time I’ve listened to it it’s amazing. She’s just a little person.”

RELATED: A woman’s viral post about sitting next to these two kids at a Saints game is a must-read

Thankfully, despite the scare, everything turned out fine for Savannah’s dad. When the story went viral, her mom posted on Facebook, “We are so grateful & blessed that Savannah’s 911 call is still being circulated. It makes the whole entire night worth while. The more awareness it brings & the more adults that teach children what to do the better!”

Well done teaching that kiddo, mom and dad. She was truly amazing.

Gucci Mane admits his contentious Verzuz battle with Jeezy was “tense but real” in a new profile of the trap godfather for Billboard. Looking back on the night and the provocative goading the two rappers engaged in, Gucci expresses his appreciation for the opportunity. “It was a good step forward,” he says. “For us to do that and for nothing bad to happen, that was great.”

Gucci also spends some of the profile addressing his outsized impact on the rap game compared to the amount of credit he’s received for influencing some of the biggest names in rap — including, Future, Migos, Nicki Minaj, and Young Thug. “Is the true story of what really happened with all these artists and how I helped them going to come to light?” he wonders. “There are some interesting stories, and it was so long ago that they get lost. Nobody ever really told the true story. [Artists] want to tell you what made them look good… I don’t get the credit.”

Elsewhere, though, he acknowledges the possibility that he won’t receive those accolades in his time. “If you wait on [the world] to give some credit, either they’re going to do it when you’re dead or when somebody has fallen off and they’re not relevant anymore,” he reflects. “They never give it to the person when they’re still in the moment.”

Read Billboard‘s full cover story on Gucci Mane here.

Gucci Mane is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Just when you think Zack Snyder has run out of surprising revelations, the Army of the Dead director has confirmed that, yes, he was in talks to make a Star Wars movie sometime around the time of Man of Steel and Disney’s multi-billion dollar purchase of Lucasfilm. There were rumors at the time that were only further bolstered down the road when Snyder kept slipping Star Wars imagery into social media posts for Batman V Superman, but neither Snyder or Lucasfilm have ever acknowledged the project. His team even went so far to deny reports back in 2013 that he was developing an “Akira Kurosawa-inspired” film that would be entirely separate from the Skywalker Saga.

However, Snyder has been an open book these past few months while promoting both Army of the Dead and his Snyder Cut of Justice League, and during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he confirmed that he really was developing the project for Lucasfilm that would’ve taken Star Wars back to its roots by leaning heavily into the Kurosawa samurai films that originally inspired George Lucas. Obviously, Snyder’s Star Wars film didn’t happen, but he says it might see the light of day as its own standalone sci-fi movie. Via IndieWire:

Detaching the Kurosawa-inspired movie from “Star Wars” didn’t prove difficult, as Snyder said there was no overlap in terms of characters between what he was developing at Lucasfilm and the other movies in the franchise. The director added about his isolated “Star Wars” movie, “It was me saying, ‘Give me the keys and let me take it for a spin.’”

“The 11-year-old me still wants to make that, and now, I know how to,” Snyder said about the Kurosawa-inspired movie. “So, maybe we’ll see that someday.”

Snyder also revealed that he’s still tinkering with his project, and he’s fine with it no longer being set in a galaxy far, far away: “I’m just going to let Star Wars be Star Wars.”

(Via Happy Sad Confused & IndieWire)