LOS ANGELES – There’s a general unease at the Shrine Auditorium. The Call of Duty League event hosted by Optic Gaming LA and the Guerillas is lacking the juice of some prior weeks. It’s understandable, as the far-reaching effects of a world transformed aren’t yet set into motion and won’t be for another few days. For now, people are a bit guarded and a bit reserved, that is until Michael B. Jordan walks into the event space. It’s a universal language of hushes, neck craning, and pointing that almost every celebrity is used to by now. Except in the gaming world, Jordan isn’t just another celebrity. He’s part team owner (an investor in Andbox, which runs the CDL’s NY Subliners team, along with Overwatch’s Excelsior), an avid gamer himself, and a role model for those who love gaming, love anime, or love comics.

Jordan is equally at home courtside during Lakers games as he is at events like this, flashing a smile before he gets down to business in a 2v2 event where he and teammate Miles easily dispatch King Bach and former Rams running back Todd Gurley. But even he notices the strangeness of the moment, giving appropriate distance between himself and others while limiting daps and handshakes. This will be the last live CDL event for an unspecified amount of time, as live sports in general fade into the background of the new reality. What gaming and eSports does have is a platform to go mainstream, and with NASCAR’s iRacing events, the NBA’s 2K tournaments, and fans flocking to Warzone, Fortnite, Animal Crossings, and other trusted games, Jordan’s belief that gaming is for everyone has its watershed moment.

CDL returns April 10 in an online series, with Dallas hosting as it normally would have during the live event rotation. And it will be up to the league to make the contests engaging from a viewer perspective, continuing to bring in special guests, managing tech issues like lag, latency, and disconnections, and using production to enhance the experience.

It’s very well possible Jordan will be involved in some way, as New York hosts on July 10-12. The multi-talented actor, businessman, and gamer made time for UPROXX Gaming as he explained why he’s looking to usher in the next generation of gamers, what it’s like to have LeBron James as a trusted resource, and how hard it is seeing the Knicks continue to struggle.

Martin Rickman: So the story always is every musician wants to be an athlete, every athlete wants to be a musician. Now it seems like everybody wants to be a gamer. You’ve been early on this. I mean, this is like part of your DNA, right?

Michael B. Jordan: Yeah, man. I’ve been gaming since I was a kid, so this is like, to finally see us get our just do and the respect that we deserve to be taken seriously. As far as, once people start out, they find a way to make money off of it, now all of a sudden it becomes mainstream but it’s cool. I think the biggest opportunity I see for this one, for me that makes me most excited, is the fact just to rebrand it. Noting that like gamers have gotten a bad rep for a long time of just being like, “Oh, it’s not a real this or it’s not a real that.” Or like, “Get off that game. What are you doing?” There’s perception of gamers and I feel like we have a great opportunity to kind of reshape that and help usher the next generation of gamers, and guilt-free.

I was talking to Vince Staples about this a few weeks ago and he basically said what’s so big for it is the kids who don’t necessarily have that confidence growing up, it’s tough. Now you’ve got this ability to, in an oversharing culture anyways, kind of connect with people on a level. And then they see you guys not just as role models on a screen, but then, “Oh, they’re doing the same thing I’m doing. So I can become that.”

Exactly. I think that’s finding ways to close the gap between the fans and the people at home and people that look up to us for whatever reason and give them positive examples and encouragement that what you’re doing is cool and you should keep it up. Don’t let anybody discourage you. If this is what makes you happy and you’re good at it, keep working at it.

You’ve done some voiceover work in games, whether it’s 2K or Gears of War. How was that experience compared to some of the other stuff you’ve done, whether it is VO or onscreen stuff? Because, it’s harder than people think.

It is. It’s definitely a different muscle when you doing some of the motion capture stuff and being able to read the lines. Acting is one thing, but when it’s just the voice and you’re in these rooms and being able to project and voice act, it’s a lot of fun. And like I said, it’s a lot of hard work, so I respect voice actors and everything they do.

All the projects that you’re working on, I know you’re trying to build up, not just onscreen stuff, but all of the stuff behind the scenes. How have guys like LeBron helped influence you when it comes to something like that with an empire he’s built? Because, I know how often you’re at Staples.

Yeah, no big time. And I think honestly, LeBron — and you know Maverick [Carter] and Rich [Paul] and Randy [Mims] and everybody that he has and PR and everybody that’s around his circles — like I’ve definitely looked at it, that as an example of what entrepreneurship would look like. And yeah, so his camp has definitely been like a North Star for some of the ambition that we’ve had and some of the things and companies that I’m developing now and just trying to find our niche, our lane. And know that we have the abilities and the tools to do what we need to do. In order to be very successful and make an impact and disrupt. So it’s cool.

The power is not just saying yes to projects, and then you get to a point where you have that control over saying, no you don’t want to disappoint anybody but you only got so many hours in a day. How do you juggle deciding what you want to do next?

I think it is a balance and finding out how to go between the things that you really want to do versus the things that you feel you have to do. And then the things that you know that you have time for later. I think it is about finding that balance. But you know, there’s certain people that are wired, like a work horse and that’s kind of me. I really don’t stop. So I think I’m just going to keep going until I have to sit down, so that’s kind of where I’m at with it. And then yes, I think self care and self love is really important also. So being able to meditate, relax, and take time in yourself. You have to decompress before you just get thrown into the next thing. So just try to find time to sit still is important.

And it’s funny like gaming didn’t use to be treated as something that was that way. But you can think when you meditate like you’re allowing your brain to breathe. That was always a barrier or me. I thought I had to clear my head. I was like, I’ll never be good at it because I can’t stop moving.

That’s actually cool. It’s actually a great stress reliever. Maybe just to go ahead and be quiet, go to play on the game and just get it out and then be able to get back to whatever you got to do.

With regards to the Knicks, I know you grow up following that closely. Everything that’s been going on with them, especially the last week, with Spike Lee and everything. How do you approach a team like that? What would you do if you were in charge?

As a Knicks fan, it’s really tough, because Spike Lee is one of the reasons why I became a Knick fan. I think growing up, seeing him at the Garden all the time, I got a chance to see somebody that looked like me sitting courtside, every game rooting these guys on. It was really a part of why I became a Knick fan, obviously with the players and stuff like that. So to see where they are now, it’s been tough. It’s been really tough and hopefully they get it together, but it’s really hard for me, the way they treat certain people, you know what I’m saying? It’s really hard for me to go back. Yeah, the [Charles] Oakley situation was really tough too.

And obviously this is not being able to have a full understanding of everything that goes on. But I’ve been through that entrance a million times. I’ve been to the Garden for different venues outside of Knick games and so I understand how it goes. So I think there’s definitely something there that we won’t be able to see until later. But yeah, it’s really disappointing that the Knicks haven’t, as an ownership, as a team, as a franchise, really stepped up and embraced the people and embrace the fans in a way who, made the Knicks who they are.

It’s insane seeing you on Friday courtside at the Lakers wearing a Naruto shirt. You wouldn’t grow up thinking you could do that.

Exactly. And that’s why I did it. [Laughs] Just to make sure that people saw it, I think it was important.

Dreamville singer Ari Lennox continues to roll out videos from her soulful solo cuts from Revenge Of The Dreamers III, getting pampered with her friends in the sensual video for “Bussit.” Tajana B. Williams directs the colorful video, which depicts a girls’ day at the spa, with Ari’s crew wearing eye-popping, fuzzy furs in complementary bright shades of pink and purple. As Ari sings the lustful lyrics, she and friends show off an array of flirty dance moves, from slow-moving body rolls to full-on twerking.

While “Bussit” was Ari’s standout from the “director’s cut” deluxe edition of Revenge Of The Dreamers III, the singer also recently followed up her own debut album, Shea Butter Baby, with a remix EP of its own featuring Durand Bernarr, Smino, and Doja Cat on remakes of three of the original album’s highlight tracks. Lennox also recently appeared on Inglewood rapper D Smoke’s album, Black Habits and on K Camp’s tongue-in-cheek “Black Men Don’t Cheat” single with 6lack and Tink.

The director’s cut of Revenge also partnered Ari with Buddy, Smino, Mez, and Guapdad 4000 on “Passcode” as well as “Revenge” with Lute, Omen, Earthgang, Childish Major, and Reason. It’s out now on Dreamville/Interscope. Get it here.

Watch the video for “Bussit” above.

While quarantine is keeping everyone’s favorite musicians bored in the house, many are using the time productively. While Migos are finishing up their follow-up to Culture II, the group’s individual members have been working on solo endeavors as well. Offset has been promoting his new Quibi show, Skrrrt With Offset, while stockpiling blunts and (presumably) helping Cardi B create coronavirus content. Meanwhile, Quavo has seemingly decided that the current crisis won’t stop him from launching his long-awaited record label, Huncho Records.

Yesterday, the North Atlanta rapper, producer, and now label owner posted the official logo for Huncho Records on Instagram along with the tag for the nascent label’s official Instagram profile. “You Can Rap, Produce, Or Be A Athlete,” he wrote in the caption. “Be All You Can Be!”

Browsing the new label’s page reveals the label’s first three roster additions. Street Bud, the 16-year-old rapper who first got his start on Jermaine Dupri’s Lifetime reality competition show The Rap Game, put out his debut mixtape earlier this year. The two new additions include 904 ReeBock, whose debut single “Rocky” released today, and Brooklyn’s Pop Out Boyz, including four rappers: Joey Fettuccine, Fleazi Bambino, Apey Baby, and Stay Maccin.

Check out the trailers for each of Huncho Records’ new artists above.

The family of John Prine confirmed the legendary singer passed away Tuesday night after a battle with COVID-19. Prine had spent over a week in intensive care after he developed pneumonia in both of his lungs. Musicians across genres, like Big Thief and Joan Baez, have offered their tribute to the songwriter by covering some of his iconic tracks. Celebrities like Stephen Colbert have given their condolences to Prine’s family following the news of this death. Now, Bill Murray shares how Prine’s music has had a lasting impact on his life.

In a video posted to Twitter, Murray explained how listening to Prine’s music helped lift him out of a depressive episode:

“So, once upon a time, it was the first time in my life I was, not what people call ‘clinically depressed,’ but a real bummer to be around, like, a real downer to be around. And I just couldn’t get myself to having any fun and I thought to myself, I remembered something my friend Hunter S. Thompson said during kind of an addled state he said, ‘We’re going to have to rely on John Prine for a sense of humor.’ Which I thought was one of those addled things that you say.”

But Murray followed Thompson’s instructions and put on Prine’s lengthy record Great Days. “I’m thinking to myself, ‘Who the hell put him in charge of a sense of humor,’ as I’m going way into this record,” Murray said. “But, there it was, this song ‘Linda Goes To Mars.’ And I heard the song and I went, ‘Huh.’ And that was the beginning of the return.”

Watch Murray speak about the importance of Prine’s music above.

On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the first NFL franchise to kick off something of an annual offseason tradition: teams unveiling their new uniforms for the upcoming campaign. One day later and the team that some joked inspired the Bucs’ new threads have dropped a new uni of their own.

The Atlanta Falcons sent out a tweet indicating that something new was on the way, marking the first time in nearly two decades that they’d change up their look.

This announcement came shortly after apparent photos of the team’s new look leaked. One day later and the team revealed what it has in store.

On their website, the Falcons indicated that the all-black ATL jerseys will be worn during home games, while their all-white threads are for road games. The red and black gradient unis will serve as alternates, with the black and white kits as alternates. Those alternates are, for me, the clear-cut best of the bunch, and while the all-black and all-white ones have some promise, the gigantic ATL across the chest and the font on the numbers are both a bit much. The gradients, meanwhile, look awfully video gamey.

In terms of the full scope of the team’s uniform options, they’ll also have a pair of red pants in the mix.

And beyond the jerseys and the pants, the Falcons will use this as a chance to bust out a new helmet, too.

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The Office fans can still find all nine seasons of the beloved comedy series on Netflix, but the streaming giant wanted more of the same vibe, and by god, they’ve got it now. Space Force sees The Office creator Greg Daniels re-team with Steve Carell, and this time, he’s managing people who send folks into space. In other words, bye bye, Scranton, Pennsylvania, and hello to new frontiers (apparently focused in Colorado), which will launch on May 29.

Space Force promises not only Carell but some damn fine talent to back him up. That includes John Malkovich (seen below in a still while holding an ominous-looking Post-It-type note), Lisa Kudrow, Ben Schwartz, Diana Silvers, Tawny Newsome, Jimmy O. Yang, Noah Emmerich, Alex Sparrow, and Don Lake. From the synopsis:

A decorated pilot with dreams of running the Air Force, four-star general Mark R. Naird (Steve Carell) is thrown for a loop when he finds himself tapped to lead the newly formed sixth branch of the US Armed Forces: Space Force. Skeptical but dedicated, Mark uproots his family and moves to a remote base in Colorado where he and a colorful team of scientists and “Spacemen” are tasked by the White House with getting American boots on the moon (again) in a hurry and achieving total space dominance.

The series will arrive not too long after a real-life “Space Force” (and this is still somehow not a joke) was launched by President Trump as the sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces, although we’ve yet to see exactly what this branch shall do, especially since a key satellite launch was postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. So, we’re probably gonna see what the Netflix series has to offer in a fictional sense before anything literally gets off the ground. Check out some Space Force stills below.

During these times of social distancing, people around the world have expressed their gratitude for those who put themselves at risk in order to try to curb this coronavirus pandemic: healthcare workers. Britney Spears is one of the latest to offer her thanks, and she did so with a partial re-write of one of her classic songs.

Spears shared a drawing (by Venezuelan illustrator Patricia Urrutia) of herself from her classic “…Baby One More Time” video, holding up a bottle of Purell hand sanitizer and with the text, “My loneliness is killing me saving me!” Spears wrote alongside the post, “Enough said, and thank you to all of the healthcare workers tirelessly working to keep us safe during this time !!!!”

She also recently took to Twitter to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her hit “Oops!… I Did It Again,” which was originally released on March 27, 2000. Spears shared a photo from on set and wrote, “Oops!…how did 20 years go by so fast?! I can’t believe it. I remember that red suit was so freaking hot … but the dance was fun and it made the shoot fly by !!! You have all shown so much support for this song & I thank you for it … sending love to you all!!”

When George Lucas appeared at Star Wars Celebration in 2017, he gave a necessary reminder to the thousands-strong crowd: much like the Wu-Tang Clan, Star Wars is for the children. “It’s a film for 12-year-olds. This is what we stand for,” he said. “You’re about to enter the real world. You’re moving away from your parents. You’re probably scared, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Here’s what you should pay attention to: Friendships, honesty, trust, doing the right thing. Living on the light side, avoiding the dark side.” Also, death sticks. Stay away from death sticks.

Star Wars as kid-friendly entertainment is one of the reasons why Ahmed Best, who played the much-maligned Jar Jar Binks in the prequels, agreed to host the Disney+ series Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge. Think: Legends of the Hidden Temple in a galaxy far, far away. “[Kids have] always given me the feedback and the positivity that I always looked for,” he recently told interviewer Jamie Stangroom. When I was Jar Jar, I would always get great responses from kids and I really wanted to, not just continue that, but give back to the kids. I wanted to give them something else, because Star Wars has since skewed older and there isn’t very much for the kids anymore in Star Wars.”

In the post-Lucas era, Best believes Star Wars has gotten too adult.

“It’s very much for the millennials and gen-Xers like myself…so kids are kind of left out of these, and the kids have to go to the animated series in order to get their dose of Star Wars, or they do like Phantom Menace. Phantom Menace is very much a kids movie. The new iterations of Star Wars are not really skewed towards kids, which is not something that George ever really wanted to do. George was always about the kids, and he used to say that if you get the kids, you have fans for the next 20 years; he was very much about kids. This idea that the movies are for adults is a very new thing, to be honest.”

Best’s point can be picked apart (how kid-friendly is talk of trade disputes?), but to be fair, I thought this was the funnest sh*t ever, pun intended, when I was nine years old.

It’s still kinda funny now.

(Via Comic Book)

New Zealand indie-rockers The Beths spent the last year and a half touring the world to devoted fans and opening for the likes of The Pixies and Death Cab For Cutie. Following the arduous period, the quartet reflected on their nomadic life, regrouped, and wrote an album: The Beths announced their sophomore record Jump Rope Gazers with the spirited lead single “Dying To Believe.”

According to a statement, Jump Rope Gazers “tackles themes of anxiety and self-doubt with effervescent power-pop choruses and rousing backup vocals, zeroing in on the commonality and catharsis that can come from sharing stressful situations with some of your best friends.” The recent track is woven with the same themes, as vocalist Elizabeth Stokes reckons with the distance that inevitably comes between friends as life passes by. “I’m sorry for the way that I can’t hold conversations / They’re such a fragile thing to try to support the weight of,” Stokes sings.

Listen to “Dying To Believe” above. Below, find The Beths’ Jump Rope Gazers cover art, tracklist, as well as the band’s upcoming tour dates.

1. “I’m Not Getting Excited”
2. “Dying To Believe”
3. “Jump Rope Gazers”
4. “Acrid”
5. “Do You Want Me Now”
6. “Out Of Sight”
7. “Don’t Go Away”
8. “Mars, The God Of War”
9. “You Are A Beam Of Light”
10. “Just Shy Of Sure”

11/08 — Perth, WA @ HBF Park*
11/11 — Melbourne, VIC @ Marvel Stadium*
11/14 — Sydney, NSW @ Bankwest Stadium*
11/17 — Brisbane, QLD @ QSAC Stadium*
11/20 — Dunedin, NZ @ Forsyth Barr Stadium*
11/22 — Auckland, NZ @ Mt Smart Stadium*

* with Green Day, Weezer, and Fall Out Boy

Jump Rope Gazers is out 7/10 via Carpark Records. Pre-order it here.

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