Category: Trending

The 27-year-old murder case of Tupac Shakur took a turn last month when it was reported that Las Vegas Police had arrested Duane “Keefe D” Davis after raiding his wife’s home in July. Davis was charged with murder with use of a deadly weapon in Tupac’s death; he maintains that he in the vehicle with others who committed the drive-by shooting that killed the rapper in 1996.

However, Tupac’s fellow occupant of the other involved vehicle, Death Row Records founder Suge Knight, said that the police have the wrong man. Furthermore, he said he will refuse to testify against Davis despite being one of only a handful of people who might have firsthand knowledge of the shooting (and one of only two still alive to talk). TMZ reports that Knight expressly denied Davis’ account of events and that Davis’s nephew Orlando Anderson pulled the trigger. According to police, though, Davis was the owner of the gun used to kill Tupac in retaliation for a brawl at the MGM Grand just after Mike Tyson fought Bruce Seldon.

Although Knight has said that Anderson didn’t shoot Tupac and that Davis wasn’t involved, he will never tell who did — if he even knows. However, Davis has been adamant for years about his recollection, even writing a memoir that detailed the events leading up to the shooting. That memoir was a big part of what prompted the raid, and a copy was among the evidence collected. Knight’s reasoning for defending Davis is simple; per TMZ, “he’d never wish prison time on anyone.”

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from Slow Pulp, Wilco, Oneohtrix Point Never, Molly Burch, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Truth Club — “Siphon”

From the colossal “Blue Eternal” to the eerie “Uh Oh,” Truth Club’s singles from their upcoming album Running From The Chase have been evocative and addicting. “Siphon” is no exception; the new song is a dreamy catharsis of enveloping, fuzzy guitars constructing an otherworldly atmosphere.

Liza Anne — “Internet Depression”

“My eyes are stinging / Is it the phone light or the weed? / I think I’m slipping / Can somebody catch me?” Liza Anne sings on the existential piano ballad “Internet Depression.” They capture the algorithm-fueled dread painfully well, narrating the paralysis it can create: “I think it’s f*cked up how I know what I need / But most days, I just don’t.”

Cherry Glazerr — I Don’t Want You Anymore

I Don’t Want You Anymore by Cherry Glazerr is grunge bliss. Haunted opener “Addicted To Your Love” is a tame but visceral introduction to the album. “You are my bad habit,” Clementine Creevy drawls simply on the disco-flecked “Bad Habit.” Things are heavier on “Touched You With My Chaos,” exploding with razor-sharp guitars as she sings apologies: “I just can’t forget about you / So sorry I did this.”

Slow Pulp — Yard

After all the wonderful singles, it’s no surprise that Slow Pulp’s Yard is an absolute delight. The whirlwind “Cramps” was a highlight, and the title track proves that their slower songs have the same magnetism. Emily Massey’s vocals are enchanting against the lively piano as she sings emotionally, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there enough / It’s on me.”

Molly Burch — Daydreamer

“I’m looking for something special / One in a million honey,” Molly Burch sings on “Made Of Glass,” ” Be careful I’m so fragile / It’s not even funny.” Daydreamer is aptly titled, as it drifts sweetly with the aura of a daydream. The heartbreaking piano ballad “Tattoo” is a standout, ending with the crushing sentiment: “And I’ll just see you when I’m dreaming / Like I’ve been doing for years.”

Oneohtrix Point Never — Again

An orchestra kicks off Oneohtrix Point Never’s new album Again, then dripping into sputtering, off-kilter synthesizers that grow into a deafening buzz. The album fluctuates between clamor and tranquility; there are hallucinatory voices and chirping birds on “Krumville,” and a peaceful, ambient landscape on “Gray Subviolet.”

Thank You, I’m Sorry — Growing In Strange Places

“Self improvement has proved / Itself hard to do,” Colleen Dow sighs on “Self Improvement,” a twinkling ballad from Thank You, I’m Sorry’s disarmingly honest new album Growing In Strange Places. From wanting to hide on “Mirror” to spending days scrolling on “Chronically Online,” the record narrates relatable struggles with an indie rock sound that buoys the songs along beautifully.

Duster — Remote Echoes

Earlier his year, slowcore icons Duster shared their album Moods, Modes, and now they’re already back with another, called Remote Echoes. Off the bat, it possesses the contemplative sonic landscapes that fans love them for with the meditative, sprawling “Before The Veil.” It only gets weirder from there, with the playful “The Weed Supreme” and off-kilter “Country Heather.”

Wilco — Cousin

The fuzzed-out opener “Infinite Surprise” is an intriguing introduction to Wilco’s new album Cousin. Throughout the record, the instrumentation is soft and introspective as Jeff Tweedy sings pensively, “Why worry about the rain and the wind / When I know it comes from within?” he contemplates on the gorgeous “Levee.”

Blonde Redhead — Sit Down For Dinner

Blonde Redhead’s first record in nine years is here with the dreamy Sit Down For Dinner. Aside from the wonder album artwork of a strawberry, the music itself is engaging, idiosyncratic indie rock, from the mysterious “Melody Experiment” to the enchanting “I Thought You Should Know.” The songs flow into each other with ease.

A story that recently went viral on Reddit’s AITA forum asks an important question: What is a parent’s role in taking care of their grandchildren? The story is even further complicated because the woman at the center of the controversy is a stepparent.

The woman, 38, met her husband Sam, 47, ten years ago, when his daughter, Leah, 25, was 15. Five years ago, the couple got married after Leah had moved out to go to college.

Leah’s mom passed away when she was 10.

Last year, Leah became pregnant, and she wanted to keep the baby, but her boyfriend didn’t. After the disagreement, the boyfriend broke up with her. This forced Leah to move back home because she couldn’t afford to be a single parent and live alone on a teacher’s salary.

Leah’s story is experienced by many young mothers who are facing difficulties. The father isn’t involved in the baby’s life as a caretaker or financially. Sadly, 33% of all children in the U.S. are born without their biological fathers living in the home.

The new mother is a teacher and can’t afford to live on her own with a child. A recent study found that out of the top 50 U.S. cities, Pittsburgh is the only one where a new teacher could afford rent.

The stressors of taking care of the baby made Leah realize she needed help.

“But once she had the baby around 4 months back, Leah seemed to realize having a baby is not the sunshine and rainbows she thought it was,” the woman wrote on Reddit. “She barely got any sleep during the last four months. All the while Sam was helping her with the baby while I did almost all chores myself.”

“Now her leave is ending. She did not want to leave the baby at daycare or with a nanny,” the woman continued. “Sam and I both work as well.”

Leah asked her stepmother if she would stay home with the baby. The stepmother said no because she never wanted to have a baby and she has a job. “I asked why Leah can’t stay home with the baby herself,” the woman wrote. “She said how she was young and had to build a career. I said many people take breaks to raise kids, and she broke down crying about how she was so tired all the time being a mom and needed something else in her life too.”

After the woman told her stepdaughter no, her husband pressured her to stay home with the baby. But she refused to give up her job to raise her stepdaughter’s child. “Leah said yesterday how she wished her mom was alive since she would have had her back. She said I didn’t love her, and my husband is also mad at me,” the woman wrote. The woman asked the Reddit community if she was in the wrong for “refusing to help my stepdaughter with the baby,” and the community responded with rapturous support.

“[The woman] should tell her husband to knock it off and stop trying to pressure her into raising his daughter’s baby. If he wants a family member to look after her baby while she works, then he can do it,” Heavy_Sand5228 wrote.

“This is Leah’s baby that she alone chose to have. That doesn’t obligate you to change YOUR life to suit her desires. The whole business of saying you don’t love her because you won’t quit your job to watch her baby is manipulative and messed up, and I’m shocked your husband is siding with her,” SupremeCourtJust-a** added.

Leah and many women like her are in this situation because, in many places, teachers are underpaid, rent is high, and not all dads pay child support, even those required by law.

Another commenter noted that the baby is much more the father’s responsibility than the stepmother’s. “To add, Leah should consider seeking child support from her ex. Her kid should be getting that money,” Obiterdicta wrote.

“Amazing Grace” may just be the world’s most beloved and recognizable hymn, with people from all faith traditions and walks of life finding meaning and comfort in its lyrics. It was written in 1772 by John Newton, a former slave trader, after a near-fatal shipwreck caused him to reevaluate his life, convert to Christianity and become a devoted abolitionist.

Newton’s spiritual has been sung by countless people in countless renditions, but there’s a good chance you’ve never seen it sung quite like this.

Heavy metal singer Dan Vasc recorded a solo rendition of “Amazing Grace” and shared it on his YouTube channel, where it has received over 7 million views. If you’re thinking that the grungy, high-pitched scream-singing that marks metal music is a strange match for a traditional Christian hymn, you could be right. But give Vasc’s version a listen before passing judgment because he might just change your mind.

It does help that Vasc begins the song in a more traditional way, with his rich tone and impressive vocal control making his classical singing training evident. Then it builds and goes up an octave. A harmonica comes out of nowhere. Then it builds more. Another octave. And finally, that scream-singing that you don’t expect to work but totally does, making believers of even the most ardent metal music skeptics.

Oh, and for the record, Vasc arranged and recorded all of the instruments and vocals here himself.

Enjoy:

If you’re sitting there picking your jaw up off the floor or reaching for the replay button, you aren’t the only one. People in the comments—young and old, religious and non-religious, metal fans and non-fans—shared similar reactions:

“I’m a 62-yr-old Scot and have always felt this song was meant to be belted out, your version is how this should be sung. I bet yours rattled the doors of heaven, absolutely brilliant.”

“The best most passionate version I have ever heard in my 60 years! I felt every powerful note into my soul! Incredible performance.”

“This was sung at our wedding. Wow, this is such a powerful version. I love the history of the song. While not super religious, this moves me.”

“This song was written to be sung EXACTLY like this! With honor, respect, and power! This isn’t just a quiet little song. Thank you for doing this song the way it was designed to be done. It’s beautiful! I’ve never heard it sung like this in my entire life. You have a beautiful voice!”

“I am a 64-year-old preacher’s son. I grew up singing this song and have done so my entire life. You, sir, captured the true emotion John Newton intended for us to feel. The most beautiful rendition I have ever heard.”

“I’m not a metal fan….but I am a music and musician fan. You have delivered a powerful and beautiful rendition of this song. Your control of your gift is fabulous. Timing, diction, expression and air control. As someone else mentioned….I’ve heard it done a thousand ways and sung it myself too many times. I felt it in my heart as you sang it here. A great and stirring performance. Thank You.”

Find more of Dan Vasc’s music on YouTube.

Is there a perfect time of year to get pregnant? One that avoids having to skip even looking at holiday foods for fear of stirring up morning sickness? That offers a stress-free wardrobe transition? Makes swollen feet, frequent urges to pee, and relentless heartburn somehow more bearable?

According to one mom—the answer is yes.

In fact, this month not only makes pregnancy a cakewalk, it even gives parents a kid with the best astrological sign, if you’re into that sort of thing.

In a now-viral post, mom and content creator Love Frances Chie claims this magical window of opportunity exists only between “the end of July or the month of August.”

She of course is speaking from experience.

“I was lucky enough to have this with my first, and it was the best,” she boasts in the clip.

For one thing, Chie attests that with a Late July/August conception, morning sickness should be over just in time for the holiday season. “That means you’ll be feeling good and ready to chow down on Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

(It goes without saying that this isn’t always the case, especially for moms who suffer from HG. But generally speaking, nausea wanes around month four, according to Mount Sinai)

@lovefranceschiee Replying to @Olivia Best time to get pregnant ✅ nothing tops it, prove me wrong 😌👌🏽 | #greenscreen #pregnant #pregnancy #pregnanttiktok #firsttimemom #momsoftiktok #fypage ♬ original sound – Love Frances Chie 💕

Second, beginning a pregnancy in late summer means more time in comfy, cozy, easily stretchy clothes.

“Seven of your months will be spent in the cold weather so you get to wear oversized sweaters, hoodies and sweatpants, and be comfy. Also, since it’s cold you’re not missing out on a thing,” she says. Honestly, great point.

Lastly, having a spring baby might help with postpartum, offering new moms more opportunities to get out and get some fresh air throughout the summer, Chie notes.

Plus, moms could be “lucky enough” to bring a Taurus into this world, which Chie calls the “best sign.” They are known to be reliable and down-to-earth, both good things!

Chie invited other parents to challenge her opinion on what month is best for getting pregnant, and it wasn’t long before thousands chimed in.

Some wholeheartedly agreed. One viewer wrote. “Hell yeah pregnant in July and due in April 🥰🥰”

Another added, “I CAN CONFIRM THIS. My 2nd was end of April and THE BEST PREGNANCY & PostPartum! Enjoyed Summer & she was walking by next Summer(1yr)AMAZING!”

Others weren’t so convinced.

One viewer argued the winter was actually the best time, writing “end of December! you’ll have a September baby and still have good weather on birthdays. and you can snuggle with your baby in the cold months 💕

Another felt like the end of spring, not summer, was best. “I would say end of March/April. Cute bump summertime, jumpers in autumn, Birth at Christmas (I’m due 19th), off work until Jan 2025. 👌🏼” they commented.

One person even joked that Chie’s proposed conception season is a no-go as it risks giving birth to a “Gemini baby.” The astrology bias is real, y’all.

And while these varying opinions might make for a fun discussion, Chie’s did conclude her video with the caveat that “every baby is a blessing, no matter when they are conceived, and we should all feel very blessed that we were able to bring forth life.”

I think, no matter what conception month or sun sign we think is best, that we can all agree on that.

And just for fun: if you want to hear Chie’s “worst months” for getting pregnant, you can find them here.

As the reviews for Loki Season 2 continue to drop, there’s an overwhelming issue that repeatedly pops up: Jonathan Majors.

Shortly after the premiere of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where the actor made his full debut as the MCU’s next big bad Kang the Conqueror, Majors was arrested on assault charges that brought his skyrocketing career to a screeching halt. However, Majors still appears in Loki Season 2, and according to reviews, his presence is much more prominent than Marvel has revealed.

In a new interview with Variety, Loki executive producer Kevin Wright opened up about why Majors is still in the new season despite facing assault charges. According to Wright, Loki Season 2 is the first time that Marvel shot a series that didn’t require additional photography and had every thing locked by the end of 2022. Months before Majors’ arrest.

“We went out there with a very specific idea of what we wanted this to be, and we found a way to tell it in that production period,” Wright said. “It’s very much what’s on screen on Disney+.”

As for why Marvel didn’t reshoot scenes following Majors’ arrest, Wright said that would’ve been “hasty” given Majors has yet to stand trial. (As of this writing, his next court date is October 25.)

“I know as much as you do at the moment,” Wright told Variety. “It felt hasty to do anything without knowing how all of this plays out.”

However, that decision has led to Majors’ awkward presence being noted in reviews for Loki Season 2.

“Majors is in this second season of Loki so much (at least through the first four episodes I saw) that it would be impossible to just take him out,” Mike Ryan wrote for Uproxx. “His imagery as Kang is everywhere. My best guess is Marvel just decided, well, here it is, and fully expect a bunch of pieces like this one to come out since it’s the first time we are seeing Majors in literally anything since his March arrest.”

“To say he’s a distraction would be an understatement, considering the role’s prominence in ‘Loki’ and its impact on the MCU’s future,” IndieWire‘s Ben Travers wrote. “Majors’ talents are undeniable, and he’s mercifully disarmed here — more comic relief than terrorizing villain — but it’s hard to kick back and enjoy his frenzied energy or stilted intonations when you know the monstrous accusations levied against the man in real life.”

Loki Season 2 premieres October 5 on Disney+.

(Via Variety)

While many popular shows are often found on your run-of-the-mill streamers like Hulu or Netflix, the real stars of the world are all found in one place: The Food Network. Ina Garten, Bobby Flay, and the Mayor of Flavortown himself, Guy Fieri, are just a few of the iconic alums of the network. The Food Network is where people go when they are artists. So Selena Gomez is making the trek over to the cable network for a fun holiday special of her wildly popular series, Selena + Chef, and this move just makes sense.

Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays will debut on The Food Network on November 30th (for those of us who don’t have cable, you can also stream it on Max, thankfully). “The holidays have always meant so much to me. It was an honor to have these amazing chefs in my kitchen to introduce some of their favorite foods and what makes the holidays special for them,” Gomez said, via Deadline. The amateur cook is bringing on real-life chefs Eric Adjepong, Alex Guarnaschelli, Michael Symon, and Claudette Zepeda on board for the special.

Season four of Selena + Chef premiered last summer, and while no updates have been made regarding an upcoming season, many fans were speculating that the series was gone for good after Max went on a show-canceling spree. It seems like they are appeasing the fans with the holiday specials which is just as nice!

This is just one of the many various hobbies that Gomez has, in addition to starring in Only Murders In The Building, releasing catchy pop tracks, and being BFFs with Taylor Swift, which we all know is a full-time job. How does she find the time?!

(Deadline)

If this past Friday’s release of Latto’s new single “Issa Party” was your first time being exposed to Baby Drill, you might just be wondering who the young Atlanta rapper is and how he’s connected to the former Uproxx cover star. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you need to know about Baby Drill.

At just 22 years old, Baby Drill — whose real name is DelQuristo Wilson according to independent Atlanta courtroom reporter George Chidi — has already had a full life. Baby Drill had been accused last year of murder and violations of Georgia’s controversial RICO law, which has recently come under scrutiny for its broad application in the case against Young Thug and YSL. Before that, though, he told Revolt he was sent to boot camp at 15 after catching an armed robbery charge, among others, and pursued a welding certification at Georgia Tech.

However, music and the streets kept calling, and apparently, he’s proven receptive to both (allegedly). Encouraged by fellow rappers and early successes in collaborating with established names such as 21 Savage, G Herbo, and Young Nudy, he’s been pursuing rap with a greater fervor than ever. Now, he’s apparently signed — or at least affiliated — with PDE, Young Nudy’s label (and the accused gang, for which he received those charges last year, since dropped). His connection with Young Nudy is likely the source of his working with Latto; during her Uproxx photo shoot, she insisted that Nudy is currently her favorite rapper from her hometown. The duo has worked together multiple times in Baby Drill’s short time in the business, including on his second mixtape Drill Season.

The appeal in Drill’s music — which is inspired by the migratory mini-genre from which he takes his name — is in its descriptive, unfiltered accounts of street life in Atlanta. Those accounts are also why he’s found himself in hot water with the authorities, and hopefully, he can find the balance between authenticity and offering up evidence. If he can, he could have a long career ahead of him and not a long prison sentence.

Ex-President Trump’s fourth indictment came with a bonus piece of curiosity for non-MAGAs: Would the notoriously fast-food-loving Trump be truthful about his weight? The answer, as people found out quickly, was “nope.” He was allowed to self-report at 6’3″ and 215 pounds, which no one believed because there is an array of pro athletes who handily illustrate those measurements. Who else didn’t buy it?

That would be seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger, who knows a thing or two about physiques and was on hand to discuss his new self-help book, Be Useful. In the above video, Arnold can be heard elaborating on how he threw the mattress of his son, Patrick, out the window. As well, Jimmy Kimmel could not resist broaching the subject after the 6:30 mark above: “You are one of the foremost experts on the male physique, bodybuilding, etc. When you size him up, what would you guess that man weighs?”

Arnold at first declined to name a number but did elaborate on what he could “do for fitness.” Then he made his thoughts fairly clear with this instruction: “Run around yourself three times and you’re going to be in great, great shape.” The FUBAR star then likened the weight lie to climate change denial, and Kimmel pressed the actor to name a number, which led to this: “I think everyone laughs about it because he does not look like he weighs 215 … he’s a little more like 315.”

Struggles with weight are of course nothing to poke fun at in and of themselves, but Trump’s insistence on keeping himself happy with a 100-pound lie is on a whole other level. The late night shows are back, baby.

Doja Cat isn’t the only musician pulling inspiration from the underworld into their music. The lead single for duo Sleater-Kinney’s forthcoming album, Little Rope, takes its name from a rather grim destination. Today, the group announced their project due out at the top of the year with a haunting new video for the lead single, “Hell.”

In the visual co-directed by Ashley Connor and starring Miranda July, the gritty rock track examines the religious pitfall as they sing, “Hell is just a signpost when you take a certain path.” Last year, Sleater-Kinney released the 25th-anniversary edition of their Dig Me Out album. That career reflection could’ve served as the inspiration behind their spooky track.

You can watch the video for “Hell” above. Continue below for the artwork, tracklisting, and Little Rope Tour dates.

Little Rope is out 1/19/2024 via Loma Vista Recordings. Find more information here.

Little Rope Tracklist

1. “Hell”
2. “Needlessly Wild”
3. “Say It Like You Mean It”
4. “Hunt You Down”
5. “Small Finds”
6. “Don’t Feel Right”
7. “Six Mistakes”
8. “Crusader”
9. “Dress Yourself”
10. “Untidy Creature”

Little Rope Tour dates

11/10/2023 – London, UK @ Pitchfork London Roundhouse
11/19/2023 – Mexico City, MX @ Corona Capital
02/28/2024 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
02/29/2024 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
03/01/2024 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
03/02/2024 – Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater
03/04/2024 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
03/05/2024 – Dallas, TX @ Studio at the Factory
03/06/2024 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at the Moody Theater
03/08/2024 – New Orleans, LA @ Joy Theater
03/09/2024 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
03/11/2024 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
03/12/2024 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
03/13/2024 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
03/14/2024 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
03/16/2024 – New York, NY @ Racket
03/17/2024 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
03/18/2024 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
03/20/2024 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
03/21/2024 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
03/22/2024 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
03/23/2024 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
03/25/2024 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
03/26/2024 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
03/28/2024 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
03/29/2024 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco
03/30/2024 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
03/31/2024 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
04/02/2024 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
04/03/2024 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
04/04/2024 – Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue
04/05/2024 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom