Category: Trending

The controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans remarks is showing no signs of slowing down. Nearly a month later, the author is still facing intense criticism for her incendiary views on sex and gender on Twitter, and now, it’s coming from the Harry Potter fan community that once revered Rowling for creating the magical literary world.

Two of the largest Harry Potter fan sites, MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron kicked off July by posting joint statements denouncing Rowling’s views on the transgender communities. Along with scrubbing their sites of her name, they have pledged to limit their coverage of the author and only link to content concerning the Harry Potter Wizarding World. Fan art and memes featuring Rowling will also be banned.

Via Entertainment Weekly:

“Although it is difficult to speak out against someone whose work we have so long admired, it would be wrong not to use our platforms to counteract the harm she has caused. Our stance is firm: Transgender women are women. Transgender men are men. Non-binary people are non-binary. Intersex people exist and should not be forced to live in the binary. We stand with Harry Potter fans in these communities, and while we don’t condone the mistreatment JKR has received for airing her opinions about transgender people, we must reject her beliefs.”

The statements arrive just a few days after Rowling rekindled the firestorm around her anti-trans stance by causing a scene on Twitter after she mistakenly assumed fellow author Stephen King supported her views and publicly thanked him. When King later tweeted “Trans women are women” in response to a fan question, Rowling immediately deleted her tweet praising King and unfollowed him on Twitter. It was not the best moment for a situation that was already doing considerable damage to Rowling’s public image, and it seems the fallout isn’t over just yet.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

This Independence Day weekend will be considerably more muted than those in the past, and for many will be a quiet chance to stay in and watch Hamilton. But another holiday classic is getting some buzz thanks to a Twitter account reporting the events of 1996 Will Smith classic Independence Day.

The movie isn’t really about the Fourth of July as much as it is a framework for a stirring speech by a president near a bunch of fighter jets, but the movie does take place on the days that surround the national holiday. Which is why one enterprising Twitter account is cruising through the movie’s plot and tweeting it out in real time.

ID4 in Real Time joined Twitter in 2019 with the purpose of “tweeting the sights, sounds, and news from 1996’s historic alien attack and subsequent global military response in real time.” This year, however, it’s gotten considerably more buzz this year as thousands of folks online have signed up to watch the account matter-of-factly tweet the plot of the movie like it were reporting news actually happening in real time. The account did the bit in 2019 and had occasionally tweeted things unrelated to the movie in the months in between, but on June 28 unceremoniously started with the movie’s opening movements.

The tweets have no descriptions of actors, just “factual” information from the movie and how the plot evolves as it introduces characters from the film who have important roles in saving humanity from alien invaders.

There are, however, some photos reported like images that might get shared on social media, just of alien ships hovering over New York, which if you’ve seen the movie mean disaster is coming.

As of Friday evening, the movie was just getting good.

The Twitter page’s icon when that was tweeted was of Will Smith dragging an alien through the desert on his parachute, which was a nice touch. It might serve as a good distraction from all the real bad news on your Twitter account if you’re spending more time inside this weekend. Or you could always, you know, break out the ID4 VHS and watch the whole thing for yourself.

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 music that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This week, Queen Naija and Wale delivered a refreshed version of “Butterflies Part 2” that is an absolute must-hear. Ty Dolla Sign also came through this week with an all-star lineup for his R&B-house crossover “Ego Death” featuring Kanye West, FKA Twigs, and Skrillex. In addtion, R&B sensation Ye Ali delivered the music video for his single “Tyra.” Check out the rest of the best new R&B below.

Queen Naija & Wale — “Butterflies Part 2” Remix

Queen Naija’s “Butterflies Part 2” just got even better (as if that was even possible), with a fresh verse from Grammy Award-winning artist Wale. Off her self-titled album, which was released in March, “Butterflies Part 2” explores all the different stages of a relationship and Queen Naija’s sweet vocals carry the story with perfection. Wale’s addition to the song is just the chef’s kiss.

Ty Dolla Sign — “Ego Death” Feat. Kanye West, FKA Twigs, and Skrillex

Ty Dolla Sign released his latest musical venture “Ego Death” this week with the help of Kanye West, FKA Twigs, and Skrillex. It’s a dreamy melodic treat mixed with a danceable futuristic buzz, paying an obvious tribute to house music using vibes from Ralphi Rosario’s club single “You Used to Hold Me” and Ultra Naté’s “Free. The fusion of all elements makes “Ego Death” a beautiful sonic trip worth taking.

Ye Ali — “Tyra”

Ye Ali unleashed Traphousejodeci 2 late last year and last month the talented singer-songwriter ramped things up with six additional tracks for the deluxe version. Among the added songs to Traphousejodeci 2 deluxe is the reassuring “Tyra,” named after the famed supermodel, which just received the visual treatment. The song is a gracious celebration of women’s beauty and the newly released music video features baddies on top of baddies.

Allyn — “Tap In” Feat. Mozzy

Earlier this year, Allyn hinted at a potential collaboration with fellow Sacramento native and Grammy Award-nominated rapper Mozzy and the song, titled “Tap In,” has finally arrived. Allyn and Mozzy pay an ode to their hometown on the melodic track, with love. “I need you to hit me first, make time for me,” she sings. “Tap In” follows her previously released single “Dirty Laundry.”

The Mxxnlight — “Saanson Ko (Rendition)”

Singing twins The Mxxnlight are bringing their Indian roots to another level with their Bollywood-R&B fused rendition of “Saanson Ko,” produced by Taylor Gang’s Sledgren. The visual, set in Brazil, stars Luv and Kush spending time with their love interests as they sing a beautiful mixture of their native tongue and English.

Lonr. — “Make The Most”

Grammy Award-winning singer Lonr. graced the virtual BET Awards 2020 stage with a live performance of “Make The Most” featuring HER, off his recently released debut EP Land Of Nothing Real. His performance of “Make The Most” was incredible and shows that he is a star in the making and one to watch.

Abisha — “One Night”

Abisha‘s “One Night” follows the release of her Scorpio EP and is a continuation of the singer’s insane talent. It’s summery pop-R&B track filled with passionate energy. “‘One Night’ was one of those songs that just needed to be written,” she said via email. “I had so much emotion inside me and I needed so badly to release it. It’s an apology…reminiscence and closure in the form of a song.”

Check out this week’s R&B picks, plus more on Uproxx’s Spotify playlist below.

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

The tabletop industry has exploded in recent years, and life in quarantine has made games more popular than ever. But the competition to get to market is as fierce as ever, and the Gamemaster documentary out next week shows just how much work it takes to make it big in a crowded industry.

“We’re in the middle of a tabletop renaissance,” a narrator says in the trailer. “It’s a $3 billion industry and every year it grows.

The documentary highlights designers trying to make it big in the industry and also talks to those behind some of the biggest games in the table top industry, including Settlers of Catan, a game that’s spawned a number of variations and digital versions while selling millions of copies all over the world. One of those is Exploding Kittens, a card game from The Oatmeal creator Matt Inman and designer Elan Lee. Launched on Kickstarter, the game was a huge success and has sparked expansions, spinoffs and toy components to make it an industry mainstay.

In this exclusive clip from the documentary, Lee explains one of the many ways they’ve tried to make Exploding Kittens stand out in a very crowded game industry: giant versions of cards that force players to use a bit of teamwork to play at conferences and conventions.

The tactic is effective because it draws big crowds watching people navigate the super-sized cards while serving as a huge advertisement for the game’s colorful illustrations and quick gameplay. In an industry where those conventions are essential for spreading word of mouth about games, getting that kind of attention can be the difference between a quiet launch and tabletop super stardom.

The documentary is a blend of exploring lesser-known designers and their quest to make their games as well as taking lessons from successful designers who have made many of the titles likely to be in your game collection. It’s a fascinating look at an industry often overlooked by some but one that, like its digital gaming counterpart, continues to grow

Gamemasters hits video on demand on July 7.

The Indiana Pacers will not have the services of their top star when they head to Orlando for the NBA’s upcoming bubble league. Victor Oladipo spoke to Shams Charania of The Athletic and said that while he wants to take the floor when the league resumes following its COVID-19 hiatus, he does not want to risk suffering some sort of setback with his surgically-repaired quad.

“I really want to play, and as a competitor and teammate this is tearing me apart,” Oladipo said. “I feel like I’m at a great place in my rehab and getting closer and closer to 100 percent. With all the variables, from how I have to build my 5-on-5 workload back up, to the increased risk of a soft tissue injury which could delay my rehab, and the unknown exact set up of the bubble, I just can’t get my mind to being fully comfortable in playing. I have to be smart and this decision hasn’t been easy, but I truly believe continuing on the course I’m on and getting fully healthy for the 2020-21 season is the right decision for me.”

Oladipo suffered the quad injury in early 2019 and missed a year worth of basketball as he recovered. While he came back on January 29, Indiana made it a point to take things slowly with its All-Star guard, and as a result, Oladipo never quite looked like himself as he was working off the rust. In 13 games this year, Oladipo averaged 13.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and three assists in 25.9 minutes per game while connecting on 39.1 percent of his attempts from the field and 30.4 percent of his threes.

Previously, Oladipo said that he wanted to test out his quad before making his decision on playing in Orlando. The Pacers currently sit at 39-26 this year, putting them in a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Last month, there were rumblings that Gucci Mane was growing dissatisfied with his label, Atlantic Records. Those rumblings were started by Mane himself, as he referred to Atlantic as “polite racist” and asked his followers if he should “go independent.” However, that situation seems to have been resolved, as he tweeted an apology earlier this week, tweeting, “I’m not going independent but so respect those who go that route I apologize for my rude harsh language lately I’m a do better #1017/Atlantic.”

Now his relationship with Atlantic has taken on a new dimension: The rapper has his own label now, The New 1017, in partnership with Atlantic. The first artist signed was Foogiano, followed by Pooh Shiesty, Big Scarr, and So Icy Girlz (K Shiday and Enchanting).

This news arrives alongside Gucci Mane Presents: So Icy Summer, which serves as a celebration of the new label. Mane leads the first twelve tracks, and the aforementioned New 1017 artists feature throughout the project, as do Future,, Young Thug, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Young Nudy, Key Glock, Ola Runt, Moneybagg Yo, and Big30.

Gucci Mane Presents: So Icy Summer is out now via The New 1017/Atlantic Records.

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

One of Sony’s most unique console exclusives is headed for a surprise PC release in August. Guerrilla Games announced on Friday that Horizon Zero Dawn will arrive on both Steam and the Epic Games Store on August 7, removing the PS4 exclusive title just months before the console’s successor is expected to drop in late 2020.

The 2017 release will come with a few new bells and whistles when it drops in August. Most of them come on the graphical side with multiple ways to improve resolution, including an option for superwide resolutions. These graphic updates will only whet the appetite of those who wanted to play Horizon, but were unwilling to play it for the Playstation 4.

On top of the graphical updates, this PC edition will also carry The Frozen Wilds DLC as well, giving PC gamers the full Aloy experience. An experience that if you haven’t experienced yet, you absolutely should.

Rumors started flying in January about a potential PC port of Horizon Zero Dawn, but until today’s announcement nothing was substantiated. Also, Horizon isn’t the only PS4 exclusive to head to PC as Death Stranding will be out on PC later this month. With this release, it’s fair to wonder if the PS5 will see a similar re-release with updated graphics. A new title in the series, Horizon: Forbidden West, is reportedly slated for a release in 2021 and there are few better ways to stoke excitement than re-releasing this game for all to enjoy.

The NBA’s bubble league in Orlando faces a number of questions that stem from the fact that it is occurring amid a global pandemic, something that is magnified by the fact that Florida has been one of the states hit hardest in recent days and weeks. But beyond that, the United States is in the midst of frequent calls for social reform following the death of George Floyd, a Minnesota man who was killed by a police officer earlier this year.

In the aftermath, untold numbers of individuals have taken to the streets worldwide in an effort to spur widespread change in the face of systemic inequality that disproportionately targets individuals of color. A number of NBA players have reportedly raised this as a concern, with the belief being that basketball coming back would take away from the attention that is currently on this moment.

The NBA’s response to this has included promising to “drive direct action and create meaningful and generational change” through off-court initiatives that spark societal change. There have also been examples of things the league will do in Orlando to show solidarity with this movement, like a report that indicated players can have social justice-inspired messages across the backs of their uniforms where their nameplates would be. On Friday, we got the entire approved list of slogans that players can use, as approved by the NBA and the NBPA.

Via Marc Spears:

The list of the approved suggested social messages, per the source, for the back of the NBA jerseys: Black Lives Matter; Say Their Names; Vote; I Can’t Breathe; Justice; Peace; Equality; Freedom; Enough; Power to the People; Justice Now; Say Her Name; Sí Se Puede (Yes We Can); Liberation; See Us; Hear Us; Respect Us; Love Us; Listen; Listen to Us; Stand Up; Ally; Anti-Racist; I Am A Man; Speak Up; How Many More; Group Economics; Education Reform; and Mentor.

Spears had previously reported that, in an effort to be sensitive towards those who have lost a loved one, players would not be allowed to display the names of those that “died in police custody or in racially motivated incidents.”

Next week marks two months since Tekashi 69 made his return to music, social media antics, trolling, and all things that come with the package of being the outspoken rapper that he is. Since his return, Tekashi has debut two new singles, “Gooba” and “Trollz,” and landed a No. 1 spot on the Billboard singles chart thanks to the latter Nicki Minaj-featuring single. He also stirred up a bit of controversy following accusation of chart manipulation against Billboard as well as a “Locked Up” remix with Akon that social media was not too happy about.

With all that in the past, Tekashi pushes full-steam ahead with his latest release. Returning to Latin music for the first time since his sophomore album, Tekashi debuts his latest release, “Yaya.” He previewed the single earlier this week directly from his home studio. On the song, Tekashi shows off his Spanish skills as he speaks it for the majority of the song. Tekashi’s last dive into the Spanish language came on “Bebe,” from his sophomore album, Dummy Boy.

The new single arrives after Tekashi proudly announced he was just a month away from ending his house arrest sentence. “I have about 34 more days til house arrest is over, about 34 more days and the ankle monitor comes off and the king of New York is back on the street,” he said earlier this week.

Watch the “Yaya” video above.

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

Hamilton (Disney+, Friday) — After a bumped-up release date, the cinematic version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original Broadway production (which nearly broke the Tony Award record and fetched a Pulitzer Prize, a Grammy, and an Olivier Award as well) will be streamable in your living room for Independence Day weekend. The movie version promises to bring “live capture” to viewers in an artistic way, which will harness the power of streaming in an intimate manner, for something that Hamilton fans have never experienced. Read our interview of Okieriete Onaodowan, the longest-tenured original cast member, and enjoy the new behind-the-scenes documentary after the show.

I Am Not Your Negro (Hulu documentary, Friday) — This James Baldwin doc (narrated by Samuel L. Jackson) is based upon his unfinished manuscript, Remember This House, and is based upon his equality-seeking experiences as well as those from civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Warrior Nun (Netflix series, Thursday) — This manga-comic-book adaptation does indeed contain warrior-ing and nunn-ing, but it’s much more than that, including a superhero origin story, a coming-of-age tale, and an often-schlocky creation that arrives with certain expectations from the title itself. The action might take a few breaks, but when it’s on, expect some serious butt kicking of demons.

Hanna: Season 2 (Amazon Prime series, Thursday) — The gritty TV adaptation of Joe Wright’s 2011 film continues after saying goodbye to Joel Kinnaman’s Erik (RIP). Now, the teen assassin has a foe in Utrax’s new leader, John Carmichael, who’s portrayed by Dermot Mulroney. Nothing like a dose of Dermot to antagonize things up, and Mireille Enos will also return as her CIA operative character.

Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix series, Wednesday) — This revival should satisfy fans of the original and newcomers alike. Yes, there are some key differences between the show that ran for 14 years, but it feels fresh while still maintaining familiarity. That is to say, these cases will still thrill and chill and captivate the true crime-buff audience, so enjoy this six-episode batch with more to come.

The Whistlers (42 Km Film on Hulu, Thursday) — Romanian New Wave director Corneliu Porumboiu’s 2019 festival-circuit film has a heist for you. The story involves a Romanian cop. who just happens to be a whistleblower, learning a coded whistling language (for real) to help mobsters escape from prison and steal millions of euros.

Thiago Ventura: POKAS (Netflix special, Thursday) — Another stand-up comedy special’s here to bridge the gap between the streaming giant’s regular Tuesday comedy infusions. Thiago Ventura will tell anecdotes about growing up in a poor Brazilian community while digging into social issues and taking a clear stance of actions mattering much more than words.

Say I Do (Netflix series, Wednesday) — Just what we need, another reality romance show, right? This one revolves around couples who have always planned on getting married but just never got around to tying that knot. Interior Designer Jeremiah Brent, Fashion Designer Thai Nguyen, and Chef Gabriele Bertaccini are all about creating dream weddings, and hopefully, we’ll see some Bride- and Groom-zillas.

Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:

Black Monday (Sunday, Showtime 8:00 p.m.) — Blair greets election night with a risky proposition, and it’s double-date time for Mo and Dawn.

Perry Mason (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — Mason and Strickland are working to gain some unauthorized access to physical evidence at the city morgue while the DA uses a new development to gain favor with the public.

The Chi (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Emmett’s working on getting his new business of the ground, so he and Tiff move in with Jada.

Snowpiercer (Sunday, TNT 9:00 p.m.) — The time for revolution has arrived, so Melanie can say goodbye to power while Layton leads an armed rebellion.

I’ll Be Gone In The Dark (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — This true-crime docuseries is revolutionary, much like the Michelle McNamara book that fueled it. This is a duel-edged story of obsession and a “portrait of an artist” — one who pursued justice for dozens of survivors and victims’ families, decades after law enforcement let the Golden State Killer case go cold. It’s about those survivors, and it’s about the citizen investigators, including Michelle. She was a wife (to Patton Oswalt), a mother, a friend, and, yes, an obsessive, who was instrumental in solving this case, but not before it consumed her as well.

NOS4A2 (Sunday, AMC & BBC America 10:00 p.m.) — Charlie Manx is looking for a favor from an old friend while Millie’s revisiting the past, and Vic’s hopping on the shorter way while leaving Lou and Wayne to confront a threat on their own.

Outcry (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — This five-part documentary launches to examine the case of high school football star Greg Kelley’s controversial conviction and sentencing for child molestation, along with the subsequent quest for truth and justice.

Desus & Mero (Sunday, Showtime 11:00 p.m.) — The illustrious guest will be New York educator and politician Jamaal Bowman.