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Last Friday, June 16, Asake released his album Work Of Art. Uproxx‘s Wongo Okon lauded it as among the best R&B offerings of the week, writing, “With amapiano-driven production and his trademark spirituality by his side, Asake proves that he is far from a one-album wonder.”

On Wednesday, June 21, Asake expanded the range displayed thus far through Work Of Art singles “Yoga” and “Amapiano” featuring Olamide by adding the luxurious “Basquiat” video to the bunch.

Directed by Joshua Valle and Edgar Esteves, the lively video sets an opulent tone in the first scene, finding Asake lounging with beautiful women on a yacht. Later, he launches off of the boat into the depths of the ocean. Everything is muted for a moment — except for Asake’s spirit, as he beams underwater to reveal his teeth covered in icy grills.

Immediately after his uninhibited dive, Asake is posing in a colorful two-piece between two painters in an art studio. The resulting artwork is as striking as Asake’s performative presence. It all merges when Asake begins throwing paint against a blank canvas — even painting his face. By the video’s end, there is no discernible gap between the artist and his art.

Asake will bring his infectious panache to the 2023 Broccoli City Festival next month.

Watch the “Basquiat” video above.

The beef between Cardi B and Tasha K was settled. Literally. In court.

Cardi B filed and won a libel lawsuit against the YouTube personality for posting videos online in 2018 and 2019 alleging Cardi had worked as a prostitute and contracted STDs. In early 2022, Cardi testified that Tasha’s videos left her feeling suicidal. It was ruled in April 2022 that Tasha K must delete her posts in question, and by that October, a judge additionally ruled that Tasha K pay Cardi B $4 million for defamation (as reported by Billboard at the time).

On Wednesday, June 21, Tasha K poked the bear by seemingly weighing in on Cardi B’s reaction to the ongoing mystery around the missing Titanic submersible. (Cardi took issue with the son of a missing passenger, Brian Szasz, attending a Blink-182 concert, sparking a back-and-forth with him this week.)

The Neighborhood Talk captured Cardi and Szasz’s exchange on Instagram, and Tasha K commented, “Wasn’t she posting guns right after Takeoff died? And on the internet, cutting up not long after his sudden takeoff? I’m just asking…Everyone grieves diff…”

Cardi B understandably did not take kindly to Tasha K mentioning Takeoff, who was fatally shot on November 1, 2022.

“And Tasha K with your despicable ass.. to bring up Takeoff to prove a fake ass point is disgusting. I lost weight, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, me and my man STILL dealing wit that to to this day,” Cardi B tweeted, referencing her husband, Offset, Takeoff’s former Migos groupmate.

Cardi continued, “I’m a rapper, we targeted all the time so of course I have guns for protection. But since you wanna be funny for comments, ima make sure your kid don’t go to college. You think my lawyers don’t know you hiding money in Africa? Ima make sure I get every red cent of my 4 mill. DONT EVER PUT TAKEOFF NAME IN YA MOUTH.”

Cardi also commented on The Neighborhood Talk’s Instagram post about her tweet, clarifying, “Y’all saying I’m talking about people kids.. I’m talkin about how her mouth is going to affect financials for YEARS all because she can’t stop talking but I’m wrong for saying that but it’s cool for her to bring up my family we lost less than a year ago? Yall saw me waving a gun after take passed or literally months later on put it on the floor music video? But let me guess I’m wrong as always.”

Billboard reported on May 30 that Tasha K had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Florida federal court, listing $58,595 in total assets.

Geraldo Rivera is a Republican and a Fox News correspondent-at-large, but for the last few years he hasn’t towed the party line. He’s regularly spoken out against his longtime pal Donald Trump, decrying his voter fraud nonsense early and often. (He still thinks Biden should pardon him just as Gerald Ford did to Nixon.) His sometimes liberal-ish views have gotten him into on-air clashes, including with his sometime The Five colleague Greg Gutfeld. Well, it looks like those spats are a thing of the past.

As per The Daily Beast, Rivera announced on Twitter Wednesday that he was “off” the exceedingly popular late afternoon Fox News discussion show. “My last scheduled show appearances are Thursday and Friday June 29th and 30th,” he wrote. “It’s been a great run and I appreciate having had the opportunity. Being odd man out isn’t always easy.” He assured his fans that he’s “still Correspondent at Large” at Fox.

It’s not the first time Rivera has claimed his future with The Five was in jeopardy. In May he claimed he’d been “cancelled” from the show as his appearances dried up. He later announced he’d been asked back after all. Perhaps something similar will happen here.

The reason for Rivera’s alleged exit from The Five’s revolving door roster is unknown, though sources have claimed one possibility is his on-air spats with Gutfeld, who’s also the apparent king of late night TV. Wherever the truth lies, Rivera hasn’t been on the show since May 24.

Rivera joined the program earlier this year after the departure of Juan Williams, who it’s alleged also didn’t get along with Gutfeld. Williams was replaced by a rotating threesome of token “liberal” voices, namely Rivera, Jessica Tarlov, and Harold Ford Jr. Rivera, as already mentioned earlier in this article, is a Republican.

(Via The Daily Beast)

Wednesday, June 21, is officially the first day of summer. Beck and Phoenix released their single “Odyssey” right on time: It’s an empowered, shimmering anthem begging to be blared with the windows down and sure to be a fixture during their upcoming co-headlining Summer Odyssey Tour.

Summery imagery is laced throughout the song’s lyrics, with verses like, “Somewhere / We’ll fall into the ocean / I’ll be there / On an odyssey in the sun.” Beck and Phoenix’s Tommy Mars handle lead vocals, blending seamlessly to create an utterly pleasant sonic palette.

An accompanying press release accurately describes “Odyssey” as “the spontaneous and perfect theme song” for the Summer Odyssey Tour, which was announced in January and is set to begin on August 1 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will hit 19 cities, including back-to-back shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on August 15-16 and a September 9 date at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden.

The alternating openers for the Summer Odyssey Tour are Jenny Lewis, Japanese Breakfast, Weyes Blood, and Sir Chloe. Find all of the dates here.

Before “Odyssey,” Beck dropped “Thinking About You,” his first solo original track since 2019. Phoenix dropped their latest album, Alpha Zulu, last fall.

Listen to “Odyssey” above.

Geraldo Rivera is a Republican and a Fox News correspondent-at-large, but for the last few years he hasn’t towed the party line. He’s regularly spoken out against his longtime pal Donald Trump, decrying his voter fraud nonsense early and often. (He still thinks Biden should pardon him just as Gerald Ford did to Nixon.) His sometimes liberal-ish views have gotten him into on-air clashes, including with his sometime The Five colleague Greg Gutfeld. Well, it looks like those spats are a thing of the past.

As per The Daily Beast, Rivera announced on Twitter Wednesday that he was “off” the exceedingly popular late afternoon Fox News discussion show. “My last scheduled show appearances are Thursday and Friday June 29th and 30th,” he wrote. “It’s been a great run and I appreciate having had the opportunity. Being odd man out isn’t always easy.” He assured his fans that he’s “still Correspondent at Large” at Fox.

It’s not the first time Rivera has claimed his future with The Five was in jeopardy. In May he claimed he’d been “cancelled” from the show as his appearances dried up. He later announced he’d been asked back after all. Perhaps something similar will happen here.

The reason for Rivera’s alleged exit from The Five’s revolving door roster is unknown, though sources have claimed one possibility is his on-air spats with Gutfeld, who’s also the apparent king of late night TV. Wherever the truth lies, Rivera hasn’t been on the show since May 24.

Rivera joined the program earlier this year after the departure of Juan Williams, who it’s alleged also didn’t get along with Gutfeld. Williams was replaced by a rotating threesome of token “liberal” voices, namely Rivera, Jessica Tarlov, and Harold Ford Jr. Rivera, as already mentioned earlier in this article, is a Republican.

(Via The Daily Beast)

It would appear that all is well for Hayley Kiyoko. The pop star’s May debut novel, Girls Like Girls, recently hit No. 1 on The New York Times Best Sellers list. She also participated in Can’t Cancel Pride 2023 last week.

But Kiyoko’s newest single, “Somewhere Between The Sand And The Stardust,” has brought attention to a more difficult part of her life, much like the bravely honest and self-aware single “Greenlight” did last month.

“A dear friend of mine recently passed away after a long struggle with mental health,” Kiyoko said in a statement. “It’s been difficult to balance my grief while also knowing that he is finally at peace. I wrote ‘Somewhere Between The Sand And The Stardust’ to remind those dealing with a loved one taking their own life that they are not alone — that all the complicated emotions they’re feeling are valid.”

She continued, “For me, it was a lot of anger, confusion, and what-ifs in that process. We must continue to care for those struggling with mental health issues as well as the people they rely on for support. This song is a tribute to loving the people who choose to stay and embracing and finding peace with the memory of those who don’t.”

In the powerful song, an ethereal beat swirls around Kiyoko’s poignant lyricism and evocative vocals. “I asked you to stay, but / You couldn’t wait anymore,” she sings. “I wish I was stronger, wish I convinced you / You said that it’s over, couldn’t continue / I love you forever / And I forgive you.”

Kiyoko also shared a throwback photo earlier this week with the late fashion designer Joshua Van Leader along with the caption, “This one is for you.”

Van Leader died by suicide last fall. Kiyoko posted an Instagram tribute to him on November 9, 2022. See it below, and listen to “Somewhere Between The Sand And The Stardust” above.

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

Wednesday, June 21, is officially the first day of summer. Beck and Phoenix released their single “Odyssey” right on time: It’s an empowered, shimmering anthem begging to be blared with the windows down and sure to be a fixture during their upcoming co-headlining Summer Odyssey Tour.

Summery imagery is laced throughout the song’s lyrics, with verses like, “Somewhere / We’ll fall into the ocean / I’ll be there / On an odyssey in the sun.” Beck and Phoenix’s Tommy Mars handle lead vocals, blending seamlessly to create an utterly pleasant sonic palette.

An accompanying press release accurately describes “Odyssey” as “the spontaneous and perfect theme song” for the Summer Odyssey Tour, which was announced in January and is set to begin on August 1 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will hit 19 cities, including back-to-back shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on August 15-16 and a September 9 date at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden.

The alternating openers for the Summer Odyssey Tour are Jenny Lewis, Japanese Breakfast, Weyes Blood, and Sir Chloe. Find all of the dates here.

Before “Odyssey,” Beck dropped “Thinking About You,” his first solo original track since 2019. Phoenix dropped their latest album, Alpha Zulu, last fall.

Listen to “Odyssey” above.

Since a submersible visiting the wreckage of the RMS Titanic went missing on Sunday, people’s thoughts have inevitably drifted towards James Cameron. Not only did he make the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, but he’s also, successfully, done 33 similar trips himself, as well as one to the even-deeper Mariana trench. (He’s also warned in the past about not taking such expeditions lightly.) But there’s also a freaky connection between the possible tragedy unfolding and the sinking of the actual Titanic.

As per The New York Times, one of the missing passengers is Stockton Rush, the chief executive of OceanGate, the company that offered the tour, as well as the submersible’s pilot. As it happens, his wife, Wendy Rush, is a descendant of two of the most famous people who died aboard the doomed vessel over 110 years ago: retailing magnate Isidro Strauss and his wife, Ida.

The Strausses were among the wealthiest passengers on the Titanic. However, they refused a seat on one of the lifeboats, seeing how many women and children were still hoping to flee to safety. The two were seen standing on the deck of the ship as it sank. Isidor’s remains were found at sea roughly two weeks later. Ida has never been located.

The pair were fictionalized in Cameron’s Titanic, shown cradling each other in bed as their cabin filled up with water.

Rush is descended from one of the Strauss’ daughters. According to her LinkedIn page, she has made three OceanGate expeditions to the Titanic remains. She is also the company’s communication director and a longtime board member of its charitable foundation.

(Via NYT)

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B and Afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

SZA signed on as a headliner for the 2023 Made In America festival which also features Miguel and Tems while Victoria Monet took another step closer to Jaguar II with “On My Mama,” a record for the ladies. Normani previewed her “Candy Paint” single in a new Bose commercial and Pharrell named Rihanna the first star of his campaign as Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director. Elsewhere, Uproxx caught up with Kiana Ledé to discuss her new album Grudges.

Kiana Ledé — Grudges

It took three long years, but Kiana Ledé is back with her sophomore album Grudges. It’s an incredibly honest and vulnerable account of the men and relationships that have frustrated her and how she worked through those feelings. She does it across 17 songs with help from Ella Mai, Bryson Tiller, Khalid, and more.

Phabo — Don’t Get Too Cozy

One of R&B’s best and most authentic gifts in Phabo is back with his second project Don’t Get Too Cozy. Phabo’s trademark cool, confident, and slick demeanor is splattered all over the project’s 18 songs that build a foundation on neo-soul while incorporating aspects of contemporary R&B for a body of work that makes you forget a skip button exists.

Ambré — Who’s Loving You?

Last summer, Ambré gifted us with her 3000° EP, and a year removed from that project’s release, she’s back with another EP, Who’s Loving You? With 5 songs to its name, Ambré picks up where she left off — quite literally thanks to a part two of “Drake & Drive” — with help from Mack Keane.

Alex Isley & Ernie Isley — “Brown Eyed Girl”

Alex Isley’s new record “Brown Eyed Girl” with her father Ernie Isley is one you might’ve thought would’ve happened earlier, but its release on Father’s Day weekend makes it perfect timing. The tender and lightweight song captures the beauty of a perfect love and all the feelings that swirl around it.

ASTN & Alex Vaughn — “How Soon”

Singers ASTN and Alex Vaughn join forces for what is truly beautiful record with their new release, “How Soon.” The song picks up in the aftermath of a breakup as both ASTN and Vaughn ponder when they begin to move on from the pain of a past relationship, especially when their next romance appears to be an upgrade.

Asake — Work Of Art

Just nine months removed from his stellar debut album Mr. Money With The Vibe, Asake is back with his second full-length body of work thanks to Work Of Art. With amapiano-driven production and his trademark spirituality by his side, Asake proves that he is far from a one-album wonder.

Ckay — Sad Romance

Less than a year after delivering his Sad Romance album, CKay is back with its deluxe reissue featuring 4 additional songs. Two of the songs are the previously-released singles “Nwayi” and “Hallelujah” with Blaqbonez. The remaining records are two new collaborations: “Capture My Soul” with Joeboy and “Come Close” with Ayra Starr.

Omah Lay — Boy Alone (Deluxe)

Omah Lay also joined the deluxe reissue wave by re-upping his debut album Boy Alone. Six additional songs were added to the original album which was one of the best afrobeats releases in 2022 thanks to “Bend You,” “Woman,” and “I’m A Mess.”

Raahiim — “Too Good”

It’s only a matter of time before Toronto singer Raahiim returns with his upcoming third project. The follow-up to 2020’s ii KNEW BETTER is led by “Spin The Block,” “Outside Freestyle,” and now “Too Good.” His latest record is an honest message to a lover who he believes is ruining their relationship.

Jahkoy — “Man On Fire”

Four months after his third project Healing Phase, Toronto singer Jahkoy is back with his latest single, “Man On Fire.” It’s a sultry number that shows off his vocal abilities and Jahkoy sings about the burgeoning love and passion he feels about a woman in their growing relationship.

Kali Claire & Jaz Karis — “I Want You”

After releasing “Before The World Ends” this past spring, singer Kali Claire is back with “I Want You” alongside Jaz Karis. The record is a warm and honest one as the singers lay their cards out to confess their love to a new partner.

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

On Sunday word broke that a small submersible containing five people had gone missing during a trip to visit the wreckage of the RMS Titanic. As of this writing, the vessel, operated by the company OceanGate, was still AWOL. There’s a good chance this could end in tragedy. The incident has inevitably got people thinking of James Cameron, director of the 1997 blockbuster Titanic and who’s done the same dive, successfully, 33 times. Some even dug up an old interview in which he warned people not to take deep sea trips lightly.

As per Mediaite, Cameron spoke with The New York Times all the way back in 2012, after he descended into the Mariana trench — the deepest part of the planet’s oceans, nearly seven terrifying miles down. Cameron was prepared: He’d teamed with leading scientists, a retired Navy officer, and other experts. He also took up yoga so he could spend some nine hours largely immobile.

His vessel, which descended vertically, was also tricked out with all manner of life-saving backup tools. Before his mission to the deepest oceanic trench on Earth, he took numerous test runs. He was nothing if not safe — while doing something that’s potentially suicidal.

“You’re going into one of the most unforgiving places on earth,” Cameron said. “It’s not like you can call up AAA to come get you.”

Cameron’s words sting even more given that OceanGate reportedly didn’t heed safety concerns. Some pointed out that the filmmaker consulted with scientists more than the OceanGate folks apparently had.

Or maybe the tourists — who paid $250,000 a person for the possibly doomed trip — should have just gone to Cameron instead.

After all, Cameron has done this thing right.

https://twitter.com/AChillGhost/status/1671635637542240256

Some wondered what Cameron is thinking about all this.

And some shared the strange story about Cameron emerging from one deep dive trip in 2001, only to learn about the September 11 attacks.

Cameron spoke further about the safety required for deep sea trips back in 2018 to Rolling Stone Australia.

“I call it bearing witness. I get to bear witness to a miracle that’s down there all the time,” he said. “This is not just some, you know rich guy ego thing. This is about, you’ve got so much time on this planet, so much life, so much breath in your body. You have to do something. If you should be fortunate enough to make some money and have some capital, some working capital, why not put it into your dream.”

In the meantime, here’s hoping that this ends on a happy note.

(Via Mediaite)