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Last Updated: June 8th, 2020

History tends to be one of those subjects you either find insanely boring or deeply fascinating. That often comes down to how the stories themselves are conveyed. Sadly, Dan Carlin — who can make any slice of history that he decides to pay attention to feel incredibly engaging — doesn’t have enough time in the day to narrate everything.

Still, we need to know what came before us. And right now feels like an especially important time to learn the lessons of the past. We’re living through an era that will be the subject of documentaries for years, maybe even decades to come. To fully understand this moment, requires added context that only studying history can provide.

The ten documentaries listed below will widen your lens and help you understand the past in new ways. Whether profiling a war, a movement, or offering a straightforward primer, they’ll allow you to dive deep into the moments that define our species and the revolutions that shape our world.

Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)

Run Time: 144 min | IMDb: 7.7/10

Let It Fall chronicles the decade leading up to the LA riots. It’s an examination of life in LA as institutional and racial tensions came to head with the Rodney King trial. It’s a sobering, in-depth look at a city on the brink that eventually explodes in a cultural and racial war on the city’s streets.

This is living history that resonates heavily, especially in 2020.

Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz (2018)

Run Time: 83 min | IMDb: 7.5/10

Some stories need to be retold over and over again. The story of the last living prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials, Ben Ferencz, is one of those. This documentary follows Ferencz as he recalls liberating fascist death camps in Europe as a soldier and then moves into his time as a prosecutor of the Nazi’s infamous and murderous Einsatzgruppen soldiers — the people directly responsible for countless murders during the Holocaust.

Finally, the film looks at Ferencz’s life after Nuremberg, wherein he championed “law not war” as he helped create the international criminal court for crimes against humanity. It’s a harrowing-yet-promising story of how one man can fight great evil — a story we definitely need to hear right now.

John Leguizamo’s Latin History For Morons (2018)

Run Time: 90 min | IMDb: 7.3/10

John Leguizamo’s Netflix show is part Broadway one-man-show, part stand-up, part family dramedy, and part Indigenous American history. Leguizamo blends thousands of years of oft-ignored Latin American and Indigenous American history with a tale of a father and son figuring out where they fit in a world that wants to erase them. It’s both funny and deeply meaningful.

We aren’t kidding when we say this show is ground-breaking and an essential watch for anyone looking for a hilarious way to get into lost and too often ignored pieces of American history.

The Accountant of Auschwitz (2018)

Run Time: 78 min | IMDb: 7.2/10

This is a tough documentary that’s worth every minute of its run time. The Accountant of Auschwitz follows the trial of a 93-year-old man for crimes he committed when he was 23.

In short, Oskar Gröning was the person at the Auschwitz death camp who sorted through murdered people’s luggage for valuables and cataloged them. When the war ended, it was decided not to prosecute every single person culpable in the crimes of the Holocaust, until Germany changed the laws and started going after all of them. The documentary goes deep on the banality of evil while also asking if there is a statute of limitations on participating in genocide.

Spoiler alert: There is not.

Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History (2019)

Run Time: 62min | IMDb: 5.5/10

Comedian Kevin Hart is a hell of a teacher. His Guide To Black History is purely family entertainment that speaks to all generations. The conceit is easy, Hart expounds on the many, many Black Americans who’ve helped shape America and the world. These are people we should all be proud of and whose contributions to society we ought to know.

By making these stories straightforward, and comedic, Hart also makes them accessible for everyone. This is an easy watch that’ll fly by with plenty of laughs peppered throughout.

Hitler: A Career (1977)

Run Time: 150 min | IMDb: 7.5/10

The rise, career, and fall of Adolf Hitler is an event in human history that’s been picked apart more than any other. With reason, of course — there are few people who changed the course of history more and murdered more people along the way. Hitler – A Career takes a deep dive into Hitler’s power, personality, and even thoughts through footage Nazi Germany shot of the despot when he was active.

It’s a fascinating time capsule into how one man can convince throngs of people to work against their best interests and how easy it really is to manipulate the masses by leaning on fear and pie-in-the-sky promises.

13th (2016)

Run Time: 100 min | IMDb: 8.2/10

Ava DuVernay’s follow up to Selma is a bleak look at the life and times of African Americans stemming from the 13th amendment to the present day. It’s essential viewing for anyone who doesn’t understand how the justice system sets so many up to fail — centering on the constitutional nuance in the 13th amendment that allows slavery for the imprisoned.

The doc goes deep into the implications and real-world applications of the 13th amendment on people of color. DuVernay digs deep with activists, politicians, journalists, and artists to find out why we’re still adhering to an amendment’s clause that causes so much obvious harm. Unfortunately, the answers are not often what we want to hear.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017)

Run Time: 105 min | IMDb: 7.2/10

Marsha P. Johnson was one of the loudest voices for gay and trans rights in America. The untimely death and possible murder of Johnson after 1992’s Pride parade was written off by police as a suicide due to clear and deeply-rooted bigotry against the Black community, gay community, and trans community in New York. Eventually, the case would be reopened and investigated as a murder, adding a true crime element to this doc.

As much as the murder acts as a hook, the backbone of this documentary is really Johnson’s life as an activist who lived through big moments in LGBTQI history from the Stonewall Inn Raids and following riots to the AIDS crisis. The doc will leave you in awe of Johnson and the massive amount of bravery it took to keep up those fights.

Bobby Sands 66 Days (2014)

Run Time: 105 min | IMDb: 7.2/10

Bobby Sands staged a 66-day hunger strike that helped bring international attention to the ongoing British colocalization of Northern Ireland. Back in 1981, Sands was imprisoned by the British government but was refused the status of a political prisoner. In response, he started a fateful hunger strike, eventually dying from starvation in prison.

The film weaves Sands’ story with passages from his hunger strike diary that he kept in his prison cell throughout the protest. It’s a harrowing story of a person trying to get the attention of the world to help achieve a modicum of justice for his people and paying the ultimate cost

ReMastered: Who Killed Grand Master Jay? (2018)

Run Time: 58 min | IMDb: 6.6/10

This one-hour long doc comes from Netflix’s ReMastered series which focuses on moments in American music history. This installment takes a look at the unsolved murder of Run DMC’s Grand Master Jay in 2002.

The film breaks down how Jay was murdered in front of six witnesses and then, somehow, went unsolved. After the murder, it becomes clear that the cops never really cared about investigating. That along with people’s unwillingness to snitch, led to this case continuing to be unsolved to this day. It’s a tragic story that touches on how the police continually fail BIPOC communities.

This week in the best new pop music, much of the narrative shifted away from new music and towards the ongoing demonstrations protesting police brutality and the murder of George Floyd. Many musicians opted to delay releases in favor of refocusing attention on uplifting Black voices. But other pop musicians this week continued with releases and donated proceeds to charity organizations. Nadia Rose shared an empowering anthem of self-love, Omi returns with an upbeat and spirited tune, and Bruno Major shared his soulful sophomore record.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.

Nadia Rose — “Too Bad”

The niece of famed UK grime rapper Stormzy, Nadia Rose’s latest slick single earned her inclusion in Uproxx’s best new pop list. “Too Bad” is a confident confession of self-love, with Nadia touting her positive qualities over a captivating beat. “Can’t handle me? That’s too bad,” she sings.

Omi — “Bring My Baby Back”

Known for infusing a reggae-inspired beat with cotemporary pop, Jamaican singer Omi returns with “Bring My Baby Back.” The undeniably buoyant track calls forth nostalgic images of pool parties and laid-back beach days, helping lift spirits even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Bruno Major — “I’ll Sleep When I’m Older”

Bruno Major released his sophomore record To Let A Good Thing Die Friday. And with it came the shimmering number “I’ll Sleep When I’m Older.” Upon the record’s release, Bruno Major said he stands in solidarity with the Black community: “After genuine soul searching, and confiding in friends, family, and colleagues, I have taken the decision to release To Let A Good Thing Die today. I do so in solidarity with the Black community, and in deep reverence to Black culture, without which my music would not exist. You have shown me the power of an artist is in bringing people together, whoever and wherever they may be. I hope that in ‘To Let A Good Thing Die,’ you will find 32 minutes of warmth. I am really, really proud of this album.”

Joy Downer — “Paper Moon”

As one of ten siblings raised in the Mormon Church, Joy Downer’s childhood was filled with musical inspiration. The singer kept true to her musical roots on her debut EP, Paper Moon. The EP’s title track is exemplary of the effort, with Downer’s airy and captivating vocals melting over subdued keys and building up to a triumphant eruption. All proceeds from the record purchased Friday through Bandcamp were donated to Black Lives Matter.

R3HAB — “Bésame (I Need You)” Feat. Tini and Reik

Producer/ DJ R3HAB linked up with Argentine actress/singer Tini and Mexican boyband Reik for the sultry single “Bésame (I Need You).” About the collaboration, R3HAB said: “Right after we started working on the song, it was clear what the sound of the track will be like. Tini & Reik brought the perfect energy, which you can hear throughout the entire song. ‘Besame (I Need You)’ is being released right in time to provide these necessary summer vibes to our fans.”

NZCA Lines — “Prisoner Of Love”

British synthpop group NZCA Lines shared “Prisoner Of Love” this week off their upcoming record Pure Luxury. The dance-ready single is immaculately layered, boasting wonky synths and driving keys over lead singer Michael Lovett’s musings.

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

Since the beginning of the coronavirus-related lockdown, many musicians have taken to social media to host livestreams in lieu of canceled shows and tours. But livestreams on Facebook and Instagram can be tricky. Both the streaming and the sound quality is oftentimes low, and the livestreams are oftentimes rife with glitches. However, Angel Olsen has found a solution. The singer is hosting a ticketed benefit livestream concert series that will be professionally filmed from a studio in Asheville.

Angel Olsen announced her livestream concert series titled Cosmic Streams Tuesday. Filmed by Olsen’s longtime collaborator Ashley Connor, the singer will play music in a church-turned-recording-studio at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville. For the first stream, Olsen is performing the entirety of her 2012 debut album Half Way Home as well as other rarities.

With the purchase of a ticket option, fans will receive a limited edition of Half Way Home on vinyl with inverse artwork, white vinyl, and a postcard of the photo that inspired the cover drawing. The stream will be available for ticketholder to purchase for 48 hours after its initial airing and a portion of proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the YMCA Ashville.

Cosmic Streams kicks off 6/18 at 9 pm EDT. Get tickets here.

Back in 2018, at the height of Drake’s beef with Pusha T, Drake said that Pusha “crossed a line” with a lyric from his “The Story Of Adidon” diss track referencing Drake’s friend and producer Noah “40” Shebib. The line, which makes reference to 40’s Multiple Sclerosis, made Drake angry enough to record an apparently scathing diss track which he claimed he withheld on the advice of J. Prince. Ironically, Pusha has claimed that the real dagger of the song — the reveal of Drake’s son — came from 40 himself, a claim that 40 denies.

In a new profile in Rolling Stone, 40 revealed his own feelings on the line about him from Pusha’s diss track, saying he’d rather turn it into a positive than snipe back and forth with Pusha. “I guess all I’ll say is that was just a different thing for me,” he said. “Different than a bar that he gets off. No real comment. I made my comment. It was National MS Awareness day.”

“Ultimately, I like turning things into positive situations or brighter sides,” he continued. “And if that brings awareness to my disease on a bigger level, I was happy about that. That’s what I used it for. That ultimately is a good thing for me. I like that transaction we had from that perspective. I’m very vocal about it.” As to whether Pusha actually had “crossed a line,” 40 was straightforward. “Of course. That was something different than a bar in a song. That’s cool, I barely know that guy.”

Read the whole profile, which includes an in-depth discussion of the effects MS has had on 40, here.

UFC is moving forward with their “Fight Island” plans, with the location officially being Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, as was reported over the weekend and confirmed by Dana White on Tuesday.

The bigger news to come down on Tuesday, however, was a bout set for August that all parties involved, including fans, have been hoping to see for some time. Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic, the two best heavyweight fighters UFC’s seen in recent history, will meet for a long-awaited trilogy fight on August 15 as Cormier looks to avenge his loss to Miocic from last August.

Cormier teased the news on Monday, showing that he had virtually signed a contract.

Miocic won by fourth round TKO back in August at UFC 241, evening their head-to-head record at 1-1 after Cormier won their first bout with a first round knockout of Stipe at UFC 226. Since the loss, Cormier has been very open about wanting another crack at Miocic and told our Raj Prashad earlier this year he needs to “get that right” and avenge that loss or else he doesn’t “know how I’m going to live with myself.”

Now, a deal is done and Cormier will indeed get his shot at revenge, while Miocic can assert himself as the sport’s dominant heavyweight with a second win over the legendary DC.

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Music venues have been closed for months now as the coronavirus pandemic continues, and some parts of the music industry could be in big trouble. It was previously suggested that some concert promoters may find themselves out of business, and now it appears that owners of independent venues believe they could face the same fate.

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), whose 2,000 members come from every state, recently published a new survey (as Consequence Of Sound notes). In it, 90 percent of members believe “they will close permanently in a few months without federal funding.”

For this reason, NIVA is asking Congress to alter the Paycheck Protection Program so it better serves independent venues, so they can get money to cover six months’ worth of payroll, benefits, and other costs that still must be paid by these currently non-operational venues.

The survey also notes that opening at partial capacity isn’t a viable solution for independent venues, and they these concert spaces will not recover financially until the country is completely open again: “The ability to open at partial capacity is not economically feasible. Rents, utilities, payroll, taxes, insurance, and artist pay are not on a sliding scale matching the capacity we’re permitted to host. They are fixed costs. Due to the national routing of most tours, our industry will not recover until the entire country is open at 100% capacity. NIVA members need assistance in order to survive until that day.”

Read the full survey here.

As protests persist in all 50 states in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, many musicians have been outspoken about their support of the demonstrators. J. Cole is among several musicians, like Kanye West and even Ariana Grande, who showed up to stand alongside protesters in their home city. Now, J. Cole has given the green light to release a touching protest track from 2014 on streaming services.

Following the death of Michael Brown in 2014, J. Cole penned the track “Be Free.” The rapper shared the anthem on SoundCloud, but the track never saw a release on other streaming platforms. Now, amid a resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests, J. Cole has allowed his manager and Dreamville Records co-founder Ibrahim Hamad to share the song everywhere.

As Hamad explained on Twitter: “I’ve def seen a bunch of y’all tweets and got a bunch of texts asking for “Be Free” on streaming services.” Hamad got the go-ahead from J. Cole, so the track will likely appear on streaming services in the near future.

At the time of the song’s release, J. Cole added a heartfelt message alongside the track: “Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free.”

In other J. Cole news, the rapper recently commended the Minneapolis mayor and city council members for voting to disband the Minneapolis Police Department following the murder of George Floyd. In just his third tweet of the year, J. Cole shared the news, writing: “Powerful powerful.”

Listen to “Be Free” on SoundCloud here.

When the mysterious RMR appeared earlier this year with a trap-country take on Rascal Flatts’ “God Bless The Broken Road,” he became an instant viral sensation. His look contrasted so thoroughly from his sound, he quickly captured the attention of rap fans looking for something new. However, he quickly proved that he was more than just a one-hit gimmick with “Dealer” featuring Future and Lil Baby and “I’m Not Over You,” which he debuted on Showtime’s Desus & Mero.

Now, it’s time for him to release his debut project, Drug Dealing Is A Lost Art, which was pushed back one week out of respect for protests against police brutality. The masked crooner shared a trailer for the album called “Controlled Narrative” on YouTube, posing a philosophical question for all his newfound fans: “Do you trust me?” The video concludes with the reveal for the new album release date, this Friday, June 12, as well as the star-studded, seven-song tracklist. Along with the aforementioned Future and Lil Baby remix of “Dealer,” the features also include Young Thug and Westside Gunn. Check out the trailer above.

Drug Dealing Is A Lost Art is due 6/12 on Warner Records.

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