Category: News

Kanye West has long had an admiration for Gap, which he has been public about over the course of his career. The clothing retailer has earned mentions on Kanye’s music as far back as The College Dropout, as he used to work there as a high school kid. In a 2015 Vogue interview, Kanye said, “One of my dreams was to be the head creative director of the Gap,” adding that he’d “like to be the Steve Jobs of the Gap.”

Now, the rapper is getting closer to that goal: This morning, he started teasing a collaboration with the retailer. He shared an image of a person reaching into a bag that reads, “YZY Gap, developed by Yeezy and Gap.” From there, he got a little less opaque, sharing an image of a Gap-style Yeezy logo and writing, “YEEZY AND GAP FORM PARTNERSHIP.” Both posts were hashtagged #WESTDAYEVER.

More details on this partnership were laid out in The New York Times. They report that Yeezy Gap, a new clothing line from Yeezy and Gap, will be available in Gap stores and online during the first half of 2021. The deal reportedly has a term of ten years, with the option to renew after five years, “according to a person familiar with the negotiations, who was not authorized to speak publicly.”

The goal for the collaboration is to make “modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points.” It is also noted that Kanye’s “design vision” will also apply to how the line is presented in-store and online.

Earlier this week, former-The Daily Show host Jon Stewart expressed regret for not having done more to make the Comedy Central series more diverse during his tenure. “The river that we were getting the material from [was] polluted by the same inertia. And you had to say to them, send me women, send me black people. And all of a sudden, women got funny… but they’d been funny all along. We just hadn’t actively done enough to mine that,” he said on The Breakfast Club. Hiring more non-white males is one of the reasons why Stewart thinks The Daily Show is “better” under Trevor Noah.

Stewart recently appeared on The Howard Stern Show to promote his new movie, Irresistible, as well as discuss his time on The Daily Show, which he hosted from 1999 through 2015. “When we started, it was [that] sort of Harvard Lampoon school of pasty white guys sitting in a room… Evolving the show past that took a really long time. It was a lot of work and oftentimes it came with defensiveness,” he said. Stewart explained that one of the issues was that The Daily Show, and many shows both then and now, would often hire interns, but “any intern who could afford to take three months off on college and spend that time polishing your grapes is gonna to come from a wealthy background. So, all the people you were hiring were all socioeconomically at a very high level.”

Stewart admitted “it took us a long time to fix” that and one way was by paying interns.

“By paying the interns, suddenly you’re getting a much more diverse group of people that are coming in,” he added. “What we did before was diversity for diversity sake. It was ‘We don’t have enough women writers, let’s hire a woman. We don’t have enough black writers, let’s hire a black person.’ But what we realized is we weren’t changing the system, we were just granting access to a club everybody should have had access to in the first place.”

Stewart added, “It took 16 years to change it at a glacial pace. Because that kind of mindset to me, because I didn’t grow up in it… it’s not a part of me. For Trevor, it’s a part of him. It flows from him naturally… It makes it better. The show is better.” And wouldn’t you know? Stewart was on last night’s episode, being interviewed by Noah.

Earlier this week, Justin Bieber defended himself against one of the recent sexual assault allegations made against him, saying that it is “factually impossible.” In a series of tweets explaining his position, he concluded that he “will be working with Twitter and authorities to take legal action.” Now, legal action has been taken: TMZ and The Blast report that Bieber has filed a defamation lawsuit against his two accusers — known on social media as Danielle and Kadi — for $20 million, or $10 million each.

The suit says the alleged victims “fraudulently schemed to seek attention and fame by maliciously posting despicable, blatantly false, fabricated, defamatory accusations that Justin Bieber engaged in sexual assault.” The document continues, “It is abundantly clear that these two individuals are trying to capitalize on the climate of fear permeating the entertainment industry.”

The legal documents echo what Bieber tweeted about the accusation from Danielle. She claimed the alleged assault took place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas in 2014, but Bieber said he was never there, showing receipts for his stays at other locations as proof.

The lawsuit also addresses the accusation from Kadi, who alleged that Bieber assaulted her at New York City’s Langham Hotel at around 2:30 a.m. on May 5, 2015. Like the accusation from Danielle, Bieber claims Kadi’s story isn’t possible and called it “an elaborate hoax.”

TMZ says the lawsuit refers to Kadi as “a superfan who waits outside hotels for him, is desperate to meet him and desperate for fame.” The suit says, though, that Bieber and Kadi have never met, which Kadi apparently admitted in her tweets after the date the alleged assault occurred.

The lawsuit claims Kadi’s allegation was fabricated based on the knowledge that Bieber attended the Met Gala. Bieber did attend, but the suit says he attended a private after-party afterwards, at which he stayed until nearly 4 a.m. before visiting a hot dog stand, a visit of which Bieber says there is photographic evidence and witnesses. The suit calls the allegation an “impossibility — a poor, but damaging, fabrication.”

The suit suggests the two social media accounts that published the accusations against Bieber may be run by the same person, or they are working together to smear Bieber’s reputation. Bieber has not offered a public comment about this situation since the tweet in which he said he would “take legal action.”

Netflix sure isn’t stopping with the buffet of content during these quarantine times. If you’re looking for silly escapism (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), Will Ferrell’s teaming up with Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens in a quest to make Iceland proud. Meanwhile, the young-adult crowd will be thrilled to see the conclusion of Dark, which is fully worth the subtitles if you turn off the dubbing.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Netflix this week of June 26.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix film streaming 6/26)

Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams are Lars and Sigrit, respectively, and only looking to make Iceland proud at the world’s biggest song competition. Well, that, and they want to fight for any dream worth dreaming for and achieve pop-rock-god glory with one snappy song and Dan Stevens along for the ride.

Dark: Season 3 (Netflix series streaming 6/26)

The final season arrives with a mind-bending conclusion that sweeps past the space and time concepts while much of the group attempts to break the loop. The light and dark worlds collide with a love story bonus. It’s the first ever German language Netflix original series, and it’s coming to an end, so enjoy this last batch of episodes.

Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:

Avail. 6/19
Babies: Part 2 (Netflix Documentary)
Father Soldier Son (Netflix Documentary)
Feel the Beat (Netflix Film)
Floor Is Lava (Netflix Original)
Lost Bullet (Netflix Film)
Girls from Ipanema: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
One Way to Tomorrow (Netflix Film)
The Politician: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Rhyme Time Town (Netflix Family)
Wasp Network (Netflix Film)

Avail. 6/21
Goldie

Avail. 6/22
Dark Skies

Avail. 6/23
Eric Andre: Legalize Everything (Netflix Comedy)

Avail. 6/24
Athlete A (Netflix Documentary)
Crazy Delicious (Netflix Original)
Nobody Knows I’m Here (Netflix Film)

Avail. 6/26
Amar y vivir (Netflix Original)
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix Film)
Home Game (Netflix Documentary)
Straight Up

Avail. 6/29
Bratz: The Movie

Avail. 6/30
Adú (Netflix Film)
BNA (Netflix Anime)
George Lopez: We’ll Do It for Half (Netflix Comedy)

And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:

Leaving 6/29
The Day My Butt Went Psycho!: Season 1-2

Leaving 6/30
21
The Amityville Horror
The Andy Griffith Show: Season 1-8
Blow
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Brooklyn’s Finest
Center Stage
Chasing Amy
Cheers: Season 1-11
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chloe
Click
Cloverfield
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Elizabeth
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Ghost Rider
Happyish: Season 1
Here Alone
Inception
Instructions Not Included
The Invention of Lying
Julie & Julia
Kate & Leopold
Kiss the Girls
The Last Samurai
Limitless: Season 1
Little Monsters
Mansfield Park
The Mask of Zorro
The Matrix
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
Minority Report
Patriot Games
Philadelphia
The Polar Express
Race to Witch Mountain
The Ring
Scary Movie
Sliver
Stuart Little 2
Tremors
Tremors 2: Aftershocks
Tremors 3: Back to Perfection
Tremors 4: The Legend Begins
Tremors 5: Bloodline
What Lies Beneath
Yes Man

Since its founding, the United Nations has worked to drive global progress and tackle urgent problems on all fronts — from health and development, to human rights and equality, to peace and security.

As the world commemorates the UN’s 75th anniversary, let’s reflect on all that humanity has achieved together, and all that is still left to do.

To learn more, visit: https://unfoundation.org/un75

Tell the UN the future you want: https://un75.online/partner/unfoundation

Selena Gomez shared her first album in over four years with Rare to begin 2020. The album was welcomed by fans and beloved by critics throughout the pop world. A few months after its release, Gomez kept the new music coming offering a deluxe version of Rare for fans that included the official version of “Feel Me,” a track that fans had been waiting nearly four years for her to release. Hopping in the feature lane this time around, Gomez joined Trevor Daniel to remix his “Past Life” track.

The song touches down exactly three months after Daniel delivered his debut album, Nictonie. Speaking to Billboard, Gomez revealed what pushed her to remix Daniel’s track. “When I heard the song the first time, I loved the fact that it was kind of like a story about all the things that we tend to hold onto and the patterns that we have,” she said. “And I’m very, very vocal about my personal experiences making decisions that aren’t necessarily healthy for me.”

In addition to the remix, Daniel has also been teasing a deluxe version of Nictonie. Gomez is not the first well-known singer to remix one of Daniel’s tracks, as earlier this year Summer Walker remixed his “Falling” record after the track gained popularity on TikTok.

Listen to the remix of “Past Life” in the video above.

Nicotine is out now via Alamo and Interscope. Get it here.

Just two months into 2020, Lil Mosey got things rolling with a re-release of his second project, Certified Hitmaker. The re-release was propelled by the success of his “Blueberry Faygo” single, a song that saw its official release via a Cole Bennett-directed video a month after is was prematurely leaked. Sharing more music before embarking on the next chapter of his career, Lil Mosey slides through with Lil Baby for his new single, “Back At It.”

The bouncy single finds Lil Mosey and Lil Baby firing promises of returning to their hustle while sharing the details of their lifestyle. Lil Mosey dives into the melodic lane while steering through topics of jewelry, women, and money. Opting for bars instead, Lil Baby stays in line with Mosey’s topics as he rattles off some of his own possessions.

The single comes as Lil Mosey is preparing the release of the deluxe album for Certified Hitmaker, which has been teased for a summer offering. As for Lil Baby, the song lands at the backend of a week that found him atop the Billboard album charts once again thanks to the continued success of his My Turn album.

Press play on the video above to hear “Back At It.”

After a rocky start to the year following her contract dispute with her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, Megan Thee Stallion quickly added to the success that first made her a star back in 2019. She would release her latest mixtape Suga after receiving clearance from a judge. The tape produced her latest hit, “Savage,” one that landed within the top-20 of the Billboard singles chart thanks to an accompanying dance routine on TikTok before it shot up to the No. 1 position after being remixed by Beyonce. Keeping her hot streak going, Megan returns with another West Coast-sampling single.

Days removed from announcing the single, Megan comes through with her latest release, “Girls In The Hood.” The song samples Eazy-E’s 1987 hit song, “Boyz In The Hood” and also marks the second time that Megan has sampled a West Coast track. The first time came with her Suga track, “B.I.T.C.H.,” which sampled Tupac’s 1996 song, “Ratha Be Ya N****.” Megan’s take of the West Coast song finds her borrowing its ever-so-catchy keys while adding a bit of raunchy Southern flavor throughout the song. While Megan’s intentions may have been to pay homage to the West Coast legend, Eazy-E’s daughters have not taken too kindly to the single, with one citing that she “never even heard her speak my daddy name.”

“Girls In The Hood” comes nearly two weeks Megan received the second-most nominations for the upcoming 2020 BET Awards. Earning five nods, Megan will look to win in the Best Collaboration, Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Video Of The Year, Album Of The Year, and Viewer’s Choice Award categories.

Press play on the video above to hear “Girls In The Hood.”

Believe it or not, 2020 is already halfway over. The year has been more than eventful, to say the least, and much of it has been spent indoors in quarantine. But thankfully, pop musicians served up some great releases to provide solace from the state of the world. Dua Lipa looked to the past with her ’80s-inspired sophomore record, The Weeknd issued a brooding, vibe-heavy contender, and Charli XCX did something unprecedented with her latest release.

With all the new music that’s debuted this year, it’s hard not to let some slip through the cracks. That’s where Uproxx comes in. We’ve rounded up some of the best pop albums 2020 has seen thus far, check it out.

For more of our mid-year coverage, check out our Best Albums and Songs Of 2020 So Far.

20. Niia — II: La Bella Vita

Esteemed producer Robin Hannibal doesn’t work with just anybody, so the fact that he’s all over Niia’s second full-length album, II: La Bella Vita, should be a tip-off — this independent LA-based songwriter is the real deal. Tapping into her love for jazz and Mariah Carey, La Bella Vita expertly showcases Niia’s incredible voice and emotional storytelling.–Caitlin White

19. Camila Cabello — Romance

Camila Cabello’s second studio album, Romance, dropped late enough in 2019 that it’s getting counted in 2020 — right along with Harry Styles’ equally tardy Fine Line. Cabello’s collaboration with rising rapper DaBaby on “My Oh My” and her steamy duet with current boyfriend Shawn Mendes, “Senorita,” are the standouts on this sophomore effort.–C.W.

18. JoJo — Good To Know

JoJo came back like she never left and impresses with her Warner Records debut Good To Know. Though she was held captive by Blackground Records for years, JoJo proves why talent overrules all with each track that lives on the project. The nine-song release is a modern, intimate take on love with sensual tracks such as “So Bad” and “Lonely Hearts” rising to the next level. Further proving JoJo hasn’t missed a step since her long hiatus, her song “Comeback” featuring Tory Lanez is one of the most popular songs on TikTok. Good To Know is JoJo’s reintroduction to the world and she didn’t waste time making the most of it.–Cherise Johnson

17. Lady Gaga — Chromatica

There’s not much ground left to cover for Lady Gaga. She’s headlined the Super Bowl. She’s starred in a record-breaking movie. She’s scored No. 1 songs, sold-out world tours, and won an Oscar to go along with all those Grammys. So when Chromatica hit, fans weren’t totally sure where she would go. The answer, we should’ve known, is straight back to the dance floor. On one of her most cohesive and catchy records to date, Gaga feeds her core fanbase with banger after banger — and early single “Rain On Me” even hit No. 1, giving her yet another accolade to add to her ever-growing list.–C.W.

16. Boniface — Boniface

Boniface might be a relatively unknown band from Winnipeg, Canada, but that doesn’t stop their emotional, glittering debut from being one of the best pop albums of 2020. Not since the early days of Arcade Fire have sweeping, personal anthems about love, loss, and the space between the two felt so epic and important. The band’s frontperson, Micah Visser, is an unmissable presence live — definitely check them out the next time that tours and concerts are safe destinations for music fans.–C.W.

15. BTS — Map Of The Soul: 7

BTS’ fans (the “BTS Army,” if you will) have proven themselves more than deserving of world-class pop, and justly, that’s what BTS has provided and continues to offer on their latest. Map Of The Soul: 7 is a reflective album lyrically, and an adventurous one instrumentally, as the group brings disparate influences under their glossy pop umbrella.–Derrick Rossignol

14. Banoffee — Look At Us Now Dad

Excellent Banoffee singles have been floating around the indie-pop world for years now, and her early EPs built something of a cult following for the Australian songwriter. Well, 2020 was the year these diehards were finally rewarded. Look At Us Now Dad explores family trauma, fake friends, and the power of the people who love us unconditionally through a lens of glitchy, forward-thinking pop. Collaborators like Empress Of, Sophie, and CupcakKe round out one of the most compelling records in pop’s sometimes same-y genre.–C.W.

13. Lauv — How I’m Feeling

With his debut studio album How I’m Feeling, Lauv identifies the existential dread collectively felt by his peers and translates it into digestible yet pragmatic pop. Throughout the record, Lauv expertly critiques the dejection and anxieties of a generation that grew up online and reminds listeners that they aren’t alone. The record is also a showcase of up-and-coming singers that Lauv hand-picked to feature on a cluster of songs.–Carolyn Droke

12. Jessie Reyez — Before Love Came To Kill Us

Treading in the murky waters between chilly, Northern R&B and sultry nighttime pop, Before Love is highlighted by Reyez’ wicked sense of humor and lyrical sleight-of-hand. She casually references Casino, holds her own alongside seniors such as 6lack and Eminem, and shows both her vulnerability and strength through the back-half ballads that give her distinctive voice free reign to cut loose and prove that she’s got a different kind of range.–Aaron Williams

11. Halsey — Manic

A longtime advocate for mental health awareness, Halsey channels her experiences with toxic behavior in relationships on Manic. The record chronicles a wide range of emotions through lyrics, with Halsey at times revengeful while simultaneously finding empowerment through honesty. The record also sees a number of unexpected collaborators, with Halsey leaving space for musicians like BTS’ Suga and Alanis Morissette to work through their own rage.–C.D.

10. Kehlani — It Was Good Until It Wasn’t

Plagued by a few album delays, Kehlani returned with her latest set of love stories on her sophomore album, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. Across the record’s 15 songs, she showcased her maturity and self-awareness, while defending the heart she wore so boldly on her sleeve. With help from Masego, Lucky Daye, Jhene Aiko, and more, her sophomore effort stands as her strongest release to date.–W.O.

9. Empress Of — I’m Your Empress Of

Lorely Rodriguez told Uproxx the title of her latest is “an arrival point where I have this confidence on this record.” Indeed, I’m Your Empress Of is an undeniably self-assured effort, as Rodriguez expresses herself through varying means on songs as different as “Love Is A Drug” and “Give Me Another Chance.”–D.R.

8. Conan Gray — Kid Krow

After a tumultuous childhood, Conan Gray learned at an early age to channel his thoughts and feelings into art. His self-expression quickly led Gray to amass a devoted YouTube following, and when he eventually transitioned to songwriting and music videos, the writing was already on the wall — this kid is a star. Officially releasing his full-length debut, Kid Krow this spring, Gray has already had massive streaming hits many times over singing about the perils and pleasures of young love, the strength of friendship, and how the internet has forever changed the lives of Generation Z.–C.W.

7. Rina Sawayama — Sawayama

Another pop newcomer who is staking her claim in a big way, Rina Sawayama released her de facto self-titled debut, Sawayama in April, and if you’re a pop fan that hasn’t heard it yet, add it to your must-hear list immediately. Fearlessly combining elements of punk and glam rock with dance-floor beats and ‘90s pop, there’s something for everyone in the Japanese-British pop star’s eclectic sound. The cherry on top is her unstoppable smash, “Commes Des Garcon (Like The Boys),” which remains an early contender for my personal song of the year.–C.W.

6. Chloe X Halle — Ungodly Hour

The Bailey sisters have resided in the spotlight for the better part of the last couple years. Chloe x Halle played adolescent sisters on the hit TV show, Grown-ish, while blossoming as a promising R&B act. Two years removed from their Grammy-nominated debut album The Kids Are Alright, Chloe and Halle returned with the sophomore effort Ungodly Hour. The album’s thirteen songs not only showed the Baileys improved musically but it also proved that they were growing up, losing a bit of innocence and embracing their imperfections in the process.–W.O.

5. Selena Gomez — Rare

After finally getting free from the on-again/off-again relationship status with Justin Bieber that never ends, Selena Gomez made the kind of breakup album that is, well, rare. On her third solo album as an adult pop star, Gomez urges her exes (and her past self) to “Look At Her Now,” finds a way to “Dance Again,” and most of all, celebrates her newfound sense of self on her first No.1 hit, “Lose You To Love Me.” Bieber is married to someone else, and settled down, but Selena is just figuring out how to make the dance floor her own.–C.W.

4. Charli XCX — How I’m Feeling Now

Charli XCX broke the mold with How I’m Feeling Now. Written and recorded from quarantine using social media as her crowdsourcing tool for collaboration, the record boasts playful hooks, futuristic distortion, and all the emotions that arrive with experiencing a global pandemic alongside a longtime partner. Charli expertly melts together industrial grime, fluttering tones, and lively production that further cements her niche corner of pop with boundary-pushing music lovers.–C.D.

3. Harry Styles — Fine Line

Harry Styles is redefining what it means to be a rockstar with his sophomore album Fine Line. Styles previously admitted the album’s theme is “all about having sex and feeling sad.” But rather than being explicit, those themes are artfully woven throughout the record. Styles sheds the apathetic attitude so often attributed to rock stars and ushers in an era of emotional masculine maturity through soul-searching tracks like “Falling,” while still managing to hit cinematic high notes with “Adore You.”–C.D.

2. The Weeknd — After Hours

The Weeknd took pop in a bold new direction on his latest album… or rather, a bold, vintage direction. After Hours owes a lot to the synthwave music that came before it, but The Weeknd is too big a talent to simply turn in a genre-driven tribute: The style is a vessel for the superb songwriting and performance chops that have made him one of the biggest stars of recent years.–D.R.

1. Dua Lipa — Future Nostalgia

Future Nostalgia came out in March, which was really only a few short months ago, but given everything that’s happened since, it feels like this album came out years ago. The record’s earliest single, “Don’t Start Now,” did come out in 2019, so it’s not just quarantine that makes it seem like Dua’s next phase has been in the works for a while. But even if there’s a sense that Lipa’s pop sensibilities precluded our current darkest timeline, her timeless disco flair just keeps getting better with time.–C.W.

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

“I had a murder habit and it was bad…” – Michelle McNamara

I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, the six-part HBO docuseries that revolves around Michelle McNamara’s 2018 true-crime masterpiece, isn’t a standard true-crime series. It’s much more than that, just like McNamara’s work transcended the rest of her nonfiction literary genre. It must also be noted that the Liz Garbus-directed series is more than a straight-up adaptation of the book itself. Yes, the project digs deep into McNamara’s writings, but it’s also a “portrait of an artist” — one who pursued justice for dozens of survivors and victims’ families, decades after law enforcement let the case go cold. It’s about those survivors, and it’s about the citizen investigators, including Michelle. She was a wife, a mother, a friend, a blogger, and, yes, an obsessive, who was instrumental in solving this case, but not before it consumed her as well.

The obsession factor tears through the book and the series on several levels. Take McNamara’s meticulous piecing together of maps and clues and methods, the places and times where she wrote, her wildly popular website, and her 2013 article in Los Angeles Magazine that traced his footsteps — all of it points toward her dedication. She was obsessed with catching a madman, who was obsessed with his victims’ lives, watching their patterns and casing their existence before invading their homes, where he committed 50 rapes and 12 murders in the state of California throughout the 1970s and ’80s. Well, Michelle cased his psyche and tore apart his methods, and following her 2016 death (due to an accidental overdose of prescription medication, which was tied to the nightmares fueled by this case), her determination is unquestionably what inspired one detective to push harder with new DNA innovations to pin down a suspect.

Joseph James DeAngelo is expected to plead guilty, the day after this series debuts.

This documentary series isn’t really about DeAngelo, though, in the sense that he’s not given the spotlight once he’s apprehended. The way that this happens — this refusal to humanize him, to even speak his name more than necessary — is glorious and a fine flourish in an often devastating series. In this way, Liz Garbus honors Michelle’s quest to ensure that a victory in this case is about illuminating the stories of survivors and victims’ families. It’s about giving life back after decades of living with the ongoing terror that the Golden State Killer (once known as the East Area Rapist) wrought. More importantly, it’s about stripping away the final shreds of power held by a predator.

I’ll Be Gone In the Dark should be undertaken with a trigger warning. It’s not light viewing by any stretch, although it is ultimately affirming and a celebration of McNamara’s prowess. By the very nature of the story, the series is dramatic and suspenseful, but in no way does this series sensationalize the violent crimes that sparked McNamara’s search for justice. She deftly wrote about terrifying subject matter in an empathetic and non-sensationalized way. Never in her mind did she forget that the victims weren’t mere numbers. Instead, she was interested in people, and Michelle was unfailingly human as well. If you haven’t read the book, Amy Ryan’s reading of passages within the series will get you up to speed, soon after opening titles roll under an Aimee Mann cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Avalanche.” Like the lyrics of that song, Michelle wished to conquer pain: by throttling it and ripping away what it took away for all those years.

That’s exactly how Garbus directs this enormous undertaking of a TV series. She pieces together excerpts of Michelle’s 2018 book — which was completed by investigative journalist Billy Jensen and crime writer Paul Haynes with a greenlight from her husband, Patton Oswalt, who penned the afterword — with interviews from survivors (who react to the arrest), investigators, and Oswalt. Ultimately, this is an expansive docuseries that more than adequately does service to the epic source material.

Beyond that, even, the series contextualizes the shelving of the case for far too long. The “hows” and “whys” there are important, and if not for the dogged determination of Michelle, and her fellow amateur sleuths (and the message board for A&E’s Cold Case where many of them originally congregated), the Golden State Killer may have gone to his grave with his secret. Instead, he will soon be reduced to an afterthought within HBO’s I’ll Be Gone In The Dark series, the very title of which (like Michelle’s book) takes his words — once voiced to a victim after an hours-long sexual assault — and claims them in the name of justice. This is no paint-by-numbers true-crime docuseries. There’s no straightforward telling of events here, no singular “aha!” moment to be found. Instead, this is a six-hour journey that illuminates the power of survival and pays proper tribute to the unmatched legacy of writer Michelle McNamara.

HBO’s ‘I’ll Be Gone In The Dark’ premieres on Sunday, June 28 at 10:00pm EST.