Jack Antonoff’s name pops up annually around this time of year, as it’s when he hosts the Ally Coalition Talent Show. The coalition was co-founded by Antonoff and his fashion designer sister Rachel and it raises money for LGBTQ+ people who are unhoused or at risk. One of the event’s shtick’s is that Antonoff never reveals the lineup of performers ahead of time, but give his connections in the industry, he always delivers when it comes to special guests.
This year’s show went down at the Skirball Center For the Performing Arts in New York last night (December 15), and the roster of guests included Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Florence + The Machine’s Florence Welch, and Phish’s Trey Anastasio.
Among the highlights was Bleachers, Williams, Welch, and Anastasio covering Judee Sill’s 1971 folk favorite “Lopin’ Along Through The Cosmos.” Elsewhere in the show, Williams performed her own “Good Ol’ Days” and “Love Me Different,” and also joined Bleachers to close the show with “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call,” Bleachers’ fan-favorite holiday tune that they officially released in 2024 after performing it live for the past few years.
Showing up elsewhere throughout the evening (as Stereogum notes) were Rachel Zegler, Claud, Samia, and others.
The first season of Prime Video’s Fallout gleefully detonated our expectations of what an open-world video game adaptation could be. Set centuries after nuclear annihilation, the show dropped viewers into a garish, atompunk wasteland where retro-futurist Americana rubbed up against desert-dusted violence, warped humor, and deeply human stakes. Produced by Westworld’s Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, the show overflowed with unhinged characters – sheltered do-gooders, undead ghouls, power armor outfitted opportunists – and even more bizarre worlds – vaults, wastelands, and techno-religious cults, just to name a few. The result? A post-apocalypse that was weird, funny, brutal, and, crucially, unburdened by the genre’s usual self-seriousness.
It should come as welcome news then, that Fallout’sbuzzed-about second season doubles down on all of the deranged, deliciously strange choices made in its first outing, oozing some well-earned confidence as it swings bolder and bigger. Star Kyle MacLachlan thinks so too. “Season two is even better because we’re leaning in more,” he tells UPROXX while teasing his character, Hank MacLean’s, heel turn. “We’re more comfortable, I think, with the characters and what we’re doing. The scope of it is opened up even more. You really get a sense of the size and the scale of these worlds, and it’s pretty exciting.”
MacLachlan’s no stranger to what makes for good TV, but even he was surprised by his character’s personality pivot in the season one finale. As MacLean, the actor spent most of his screen-time playing a doting, vault-dwelling dad taken hostage by a group of raiders with ulterior motives. It was his kidnapping that sent Ella Purnell’s Lucy, the show’s de-facto heroine, topside for the first time, emerging from the underground bunker she called home to trek across the California desert in search of her father and answers surrounding his questionable past. By the end of season one, Lucy (and the audience) learned the damning truth: Hank MacLean was simply another Vault-Tec fanatic, fully drunk on the Kool-Aid of a perfectly-controlled world, who was willing to commit genocidal atrocities to see his company’s vision come to life.
In season two, Hank drops the nice guy act completely, though he’s still torn between fealty to his human popsicle overlords and his daughter. “He still maintains such a strong love for his daughter, and yet at the same time, he has this allegiance, of course, to what he’s supposed to do. He is a man who does not shirk that responsibility,” MacLachlan says. “So the exciting thing for me was being able to stretch the distance between those, to play back and forth inside that.”
Diving into the twisted psyche of his character wasn’t an acting privilege reserved solely for MacLachlan though. Every cast member was pushed to their limits in some form this time around. For Walton Goggins, who raced from Thailand to the Mojave desert, swapping his White Lotus digs for a literal camper van, season two demanded he fully inhabit two very different men: the gun-slinging, shit-talking mutant known as The Ghoul, and Cooper Howard, the pre-war Hollywood cowboy who spent the last half of season one reckoning with the reveal that his own wife was planning a nuclear strike in the name of capitalism.
“In season one, you get to spend some time with Cooper. You understand who he is, you get to see the world as it was through his experience before the bombs dropped,” Goggins says. “But it was really more about The Ghoul, wasn’t it? And his journey through the wasteland. This season is no different. The Ghoul is on a journey, and most people won’t see where it’s going, but it’s Cooper Howard that I just didn’t guess.”
“I’m excited for people to see who he is and how it is a reflection of what’s going on in the world today. For me, Cooper Howard’s journey was about a person who didn’t understand what he didn’t know, and he’s seeing the world change in real time, starting with what happened at the end of season one, learning his wife is a principal architect of the ending of the world. How do you really process that?”
While The Ghoul and Lucy continue their buddy comedy road movie schtick as they slaughter their way to New Vegas in the show’s present day, in the past, Cooper is really going through it. “He is way out on a limb. He’s very, very, very vulnerable,” Goggins says. “Where it winds up for him and what it reveals about this world was surprising, even to me.”
Nuclear warfare, familial betrayal, zombified Elvis impersonators, and bloodthirsty bros who most definitely think about the Roman Empire more than once a day – it all fills this new world Fallout is building in season two, and it can be a lot to process. That’s especially true when you’re weighted down by prosthetics and expectations. But Goggins had a unique way to unwind during filming. He embraced that van life.
“I got this van during COVID,” Goggins says of his 22-foot Mercedes Sprinter he named Vacilando. “It was always a dream of mine to have the freedom to go anywhere that I wanted to go and stay for as long as I wanted to with my son and really kind of get out into nature.” Now, it’s something he can deploy on set, allowing him a chance to immerse more with Fallout‘s unique setting.
“We were filming out in the desert, close to the Nevada border, and instead of staying in a hotel and all of these locations where we filmed, I just drove my van there,” he continues. “Everybody else would go home for the night and they would have just me and a security guard watching over the rest of the equipment. And I would just make myself food and listen to music and camp out in the wasteland. The desert is some of my favorite topography in the world, and it was getting the opportunity to live in these places in a way that I had never lived in, while staying on set. I got up at four in the morning, would have my coffee, watch the stars, see the sun rise, and then it took me four steps to get to the makeup trailer.”
Goggins has a way of making the end of the world sound kinda beautiful.
Season two of Prime Video’s Fallout is streaming now.
We are now approaching four years since the latest episodes of Euphoria aired in early 2022. Ever since then, the return has been TV’s most anticipated. Soon, though, Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, and the rest of the gang are finally coming back.
Without getting spoiler-y, the second season ended with a pretty wild finale. If you want a refresher, get caught up with our recap, then continue reading to learn what to expect from the new season.
Plot
It was revealed earlier this year that the season will feature a time jump. Earlier this month, creator Sam Levinson offered some updates on specific characters. He noted that Zendaya’s Rue “is south of the border in Mexico, in debt to Laurie, trying to come up with some very innovative ways to pay it off.” He also said, “Cassie is living in the suburbs with Nate, they’re engaged and she’s very addicted to social media and envious of what appears to be the big lives that all of her high school classmates are living at this point in time.” (There are also unconfirmed rumors that Sydney Sweeney’s character will be on OnlyFans.)
“I think it’ll be exciting to explore the characters out of high school. I want to see what Rue looks like in her sobriety journey, how chaotic that might look. But also with all the characters, in the sense where they’re trying to figure out what to do with their lives when high school is over and what kind of people they want to be. What was special about this season was that we got to dive into [the other characters] in a much deeper sense. I think we can do that again with the third season. There’s so much talent, you want to make sure everybody has the chance to have that.”
Cast
Returning cast members include Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Eric Dane, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Maude Apatow, Colman Domingo, Martha Kelly, Chloe Cherry, Alanna Ubach, Daeg Faerch, Dominic Fike, Melvin Bonez Estes, Nika King, Paula Marshall, Sophia Rose Wilson, and Zak Steiner.
Newcomers include (takes a deep breath) Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch, Kadeem Hardison, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Toby Wallace, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Priscilla Delgado, James Landry Hébert, Anna Van Patten, Danielle Deadwyler, Natasha Lyonne, Trisha Paytas, Bella Podaras, Bill Bodner, Cailyn Rice, Colleen Camp, Eli Roth, Gideon Adlon, Hemky Madera, Homer Gere, Jack Topalian, Jessica Blair Herman, Kwame Patterson, Madison Thompson, Matthew Willig, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Sam Trammell.
“If there’s anything that excites me as much as creating a good melody or writing a great lyric, it’s becoming a better performer every day. Euphoria has been my favorite series over the last few years and I couldn’t be happier and more grateful to be acting alongside all of these incredibly talented people that I admire so much and contributing my ‘granito de arena’ to bring Sam’s vision to reality to make magic. I can’t wait to share what we’re doing!!! Besitos, Rosi.”
Release Date
The new season is set to premiere in February 2026.
Trailer
There’s no trailer yet, but a recent “Coming In 2026” video from HBO Max included a brief teaser, so check it out below.
On December 12, Fred Again.. gave his final performance of the year in Mexico City. He’s already planning for 2026, though, as new USB002 concerts have been announced.
The exact dates have not been revealed, but per a press release, Fred is playing six shows at New York’s East End Studios in January and four at London’s Alexandra Palace in February. On Instagram, Fred wrote that a link to sign up for tickets is in the link in his bio, but as of this post, that does not appear to be the case. (In that post, he added, “and two more songs maybe more idk usb is infinite!.”) Tickets are set to go on sale on December 18, per the press release.
In a recent post, Fred wrote of the tour, “These shows have been an honour to share with you all. Thank you to every single person who has been with us.” He also wrote of his pace in a post from last month, “n btw i know we’re on more than 1 song a week right now and i absolutely dont care. in fact i do care, very much. i actually am loving the way this is feeling. It feels alive. And things are happening naturally and feeling good so im going wit them. Kaythankubye.”
Cardi B is now about a month removed from giving birth to her latest child, her fourth. She’s not letting that stop her from staying active and ensuring she’s ready for her tour in 2026.
This past weekend, Cardi was performing at the MDLBEAST Sounstorm 2025 festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In a video she shared on Instagram, Cardi runs on a treadmill as she wears a black modesty covering and hijab, in respect of Saudi Arabia’s cultural norms. She says, “We in Saudi Arabia, baby! I told ya’ll. I told y’all, after I give birth, I’m-a be getting ready for the Little Miss Drama Tour! It is two months away!”
Switching to a stationary bike in the next shot, she continues, “Everyone keeps asking me, ‘Cardi, how did you lose all that weight after the baby? What did you do? You look great.’ I’ll tell you how I did it: Stress!” Back on the treadmill, she proceeds, “It is Christmas, it is Kwanzaa, it is Hanukkah. Get your tickets now, because in January, don’t be hitting me up, like, ‘Cardi, there’s no tickets left. There’s no tickets!”
Find Cardi’s upcoming tour dates below.
Cardi B’s 2026 Tour Dates: Little Miss Drama Tour
02/11/2026 — Palm Desert, CA @ Acrisure Arena at Greater Palm Springs
02/11/2026 — Thousand Palms, CA @ Acrisure Arena Parking
02/13/2026 — Paradise, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
02/15/2026 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
02/16/2026 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
02/19/2026 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center
02/21/2026 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
02/22/2026 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
02/25/2026 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
02/27/2026 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
03/01/2026 — Phoenix, AZ @ Mortgage Matchup Center
03/04/2026 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
03/06/2026 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
03/07/2026 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
03/09/2026 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
03/12/2026 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
03/14/2026 — Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
03/15/2026 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
03/17/2026 — Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
03/19/2026 — Cincinnati, OH @ Heritage Bank Center
03/21/2026 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
03/25/2026 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
03/26/2026 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
03/28/2026 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
03/30/2026 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
03/31/2026 — Hamilton, ON @ TD Coliseum
04/02/2026 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
04/03/2026 — Hartford, CT @ PeoplesBank Arena
04/04/2026 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
04/07/2026 — Philadelphia, PA @ Xfinity Mobile Arena
04/08/2026 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
04/11/2026 — Raleigh, NC @ Lenovo Center
04/12/2026 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
04/14/2026 — Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena
04/17/2026 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
04/18/2026 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is more than a tech spectacle — it’s where media, advertising, entertainment, creators, and connected-TV tech collide. If you’re heading to Las Vegas this January, here’s your tight, curated guide to the must-attend gatherings that matter most.
Kick off your CES week with the Digital Hollywood conference. Expect panels on AI’s impact on film and television, the economics of the creator ecosystem, and where streaming is headed. It’s included with your CES badge, though registration is required.
A must for brand-side thinkers and marketers. Four days of leadership sessions, AI marketing case studies, attention modeling, and fireside chats from top advertiser and agency execs.
An anchor event at CES. Future Decoded brings together leaders from Roku, IPG, Nielsen, UTA, and beyond to explore what’s next in data, creativity, and marketing transformation. This is consistently one of CES’s highest-caliber content programs.
Think of ADWEEK House as your CES clubhouse: conversations on commerce media, cultural credibility, AI-driven insight, and brand/creator partnerships — plus coffee, quiet workspace, and excellent networking.
A cozy, invite-friendly escape inside The Cosmopolitan. Enjoy cocktails, curated programming, and a standout fireside chat between Ari Paparo (Marketecture), Brian O’Kelley (Scope3), and Bill Wise (Mediaocean) on Jan 7.
A star-powered lineup featuring leaders from Netflix, Disney, NBCU, TelevisaUnivision, and Vizio discussing the future of streaming, advertising, content formats, and audience fragmentation.
Shelly Palmer distills the entire CES week into a succinct executive-level briefing on AI, media, advertising, and emerging tech. A longtime staple for agency and brand leaders.
Meetings & Suites Worth Booking
These aren’t “events,” but they are major opportunities:
These discussions feature leaders from Roku, Samsung, Google TV, Tubi, IMDb, and others — great for understanding where UPROXX’s distribution partners are headed.
Pro Tips to Maximize Your CES
Prioritize ARIA + Cosmopolitan — this is where the media world actually gathers. Book suite meetings early (Chase, iSpot, Amagi, Equativ). Attend at least one creator- or CTV-focused panel each day. Keep your badge handy — most of the best content is badge-only.
Rosalía has delivered a bunch of spectacular, high-concept visuals and appearances in support of her new album Lux. In her latest, though, she keeps it more low-key, in today’s (December 15) new video for “La Perla.” In the clip, Rosalía tries a handful of hobbyist pursuits, from fencing to ice skating to dog walking.
Rosalía is the only one on-screen here, but on Lux, she opens things up to a number of collaborators. The list includes Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk, Ryan Tedder, Björk, Carminho, Estrella Morente, Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Yahritza y su Esencia, and Yves Tumor.
Watch the “La Perla” video above. Check out Rosalía’s upcoming tour dates below.
Rosalía’s 2026 Tour Dates: Lux Tour
03/16/2026 — Lyon, FR @ LDLC Arena
03/18/2026 — Paris, FR @ Accor Arena
03/20/2026 — Paris, FR @ Accor Arena
03/22/2026 — Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion
03/25/2026 — Milan, IT @ Unipol Forum
03/30/2026 — Madrid, ES @ Movistar Arena
04/01/2026 — Madrid, ES @ Movistar Arena
04/03/2026 — Madrid, ES @ Movistar Arena
04/04/2026 — Madrid, ES @ Movistar Arena
04/08/2026 — Lisbon, PT @ MEO Arena
04/09/2026 — Lisbon, PT @ MEO Arena
04/13/2026 — Barcelona, ES @ Palau Sant Jordi
04/15/2026 — Barcelona, ES @ Palau Sant Jordi
04/17/2026 — Barcelona, ES @ Palau Sant Jordi
04/18/2026 — Barcelona, ES @ Palau Sant Jordi
04/22/2026 — Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome
04/27/2026 — Antwerp, BE @ AFAS Dome
04/29/2026 — Cologne, DE @ Lanxess Arena
05/01/2026 — Berlin, DE @ Uber Arena
05/05/2026 — London, UK @ The O2
06/04/2026 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
06/08/2026 — Orlando, FL @ Kia Center
06/11/2026 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
06/13/2026 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
06/16/2026 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
06/20/2026 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
06/23/2026 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
06/27/2026 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
06/29/2026 — Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
07/03/2026 — San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena
07/06/2026 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
07/16/2026 — Bogotá, CO @ Movistar Arena
07/24/2026 — Santiago, CL @ Movistar Arena
07/25/2026 — Santiago, CL @ Movistar Arena
08/01/2026 — Buenos Aires, AR @ Movistar Arena
08/02/2026 — Buenos Aires, AR @ Movistar Arena
08/10/2026 — Rio de Janeiro, BR @ Farmasi Arena
08/15/2026 — Guadalajara, MX @ Arena VFG
08/19/2026 — Monterrey, MX @ Arena Monterrey
08/24/2026 — Mexico City, MX @ Palacio de los Deportes
08/26/2026 — Mexico City, MX @ Palacio de los Deportes
09/03/2026 — San Juan, PR @ Coliseo de Puerto Rico
Lux is out now via Columbia. Find more information here.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are usually more busy with film scores than their work with Nine Inch Nails these days. There’s been a bit of a shift lately, though. Their score for Tron: Ares was credited to the band, not to Reznor and Ross like usual. The duo is also touring in 2026. It turns out they’re also working on new music, too.
“We are working on new stuff and we’re excited to work on it, and we are prioritizing working on Nine Inch Nails over just taking on every single thing that comes up in the other category. So, beyond that, I can’t say much, but the difference between now and a year ago is the fuse has been lit and the desire is there.”
Should this yield a new NIN album, it would be the band’s first since their 2020 ambient releases Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts, and the more traditional 2018 album Bad Witch.
Reznor also told Consequence about his initial reluctance to tour, saying, “The truth of this tour was I had put off touring for a while because I wasn’t sure how to present the music. I kind of feel like my goal as an artist at the age I’m at right now is not to just rinse and repeat and tour until you can’t tour anymore. Either you die or you can’t physically do it, or people aren’t interested… all of which aren’t great options.”
Delta Sky Club, Miami-bound for Art Basel, and Conway The Machine still moves like the world is trying to catch up. Airports are loud, frantic, impatient — he’s the opposite. Cool. Focused. Carry-on confidence. I’ve watched this man’s rise from close range through three Rap Radar Podcast conversations — the moments where his ambition spoke louder than his voice, the times he broke down how loyalty and legacy don’t come cheap. This isn’t a casual catch-up — it’s a checkpoint.
You Can’t Kill God With Bullets isn’t just an album title — it reads like his résumé. He was shot several times in 2012 resulting in a facial paralysis condition called Bell’s Palsy. Built from Buffalo with Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, Conway helped Griselda become a global force. Now, today he steps forward independently with his own imprint, Drumwork, and a newly sharpened set of personal goals.
Conway isn’t chasing culture — he’s curating it. Fashion moves. Art explorations. A quiet media play looming. And still rapping the grimiest gospel over beats that crack like broken glass windows.
Every bar, every decision, every pivot carries intention. Conway didn’t just survive. He evolved. Now he’s blueprinting his legacy — architecting a future on his own terms.
Pretty powerful album title. What inspired You Can’t Kill God With Bullets?
It started as a feeling before it was ever a title. I’ve been through a lot these last couple years — injuries, business stress, people switching up, the internet talking crazy. And on top of that, I literally survived being shot in the head. The words just hit me one day. It summed up everything I’d been carrying. That energy inspired the whole album.
This album feels different — darker but more focused. What space were you in?
A grateful one, honestly. Some days were rough mentally, but being forced to slow down taught me who’s really in my corner. It taught me how to lock in again. That’s why this album is so sharp. I feel reborn creatively. It’s revolutionary energy. It’s “I’m alive and inspired” energy.
On the project, you imply that people moved on from you, treated you like you were done. Did you really feel that?
Absolutely. I felt counted out. Like people found their new favorites and tossed me aside. But that’s cool — it motivated me. I’m still here. There’s only one Machine. Like I say on the album: It is he who remains.
You called out the competition on “Otis Driftwood.” Why step into that arena?
Because I want all the smoke. It’s one of the best years for rap in a long time — Slick Rick, Ghost, Rae, Wes, Nas and Preemo cooking up, Clipse… it’s crazy. I’m honored to be in that class. I’m not ducking anybody. I feel like I dropped the best album out.
The record with Tony Yayo gives G-Unit-era vibes. What was that like having the “Talk Of New York” as your hypeman?
Nostalgia. Shout out Yayo, Whoo Kid, 50, Uncle Murda. I’ve been around them a lot but never for clout — we just kick it. When I heard that beat, it felt like ’04 energy. I tapped into that bag. Yayo is really my guy — it was fun.
Then you got a Timbaland record. How did “Crazy Avery” happen?
Tim randomly hit me: “I need you to smoke this beat.” It was supposed to be for his EP. I recorded it, held onto it, then checked in, and he was like, “You ain’t use that yet?” So I threw it on the album. I didn’t know it had that Jay-Z “It’s Hot” resemblance — that was all Tim.
In that song, you talk about building an artist ecosystem. What do you mean by that?
Artists chase streams and forget impact. Meanwhile, somebody like Alchemist built a whole ecosystem — loyal fans, consistent art, real connections. That’s what I’m focused on. Not fake numbers. Not online noise. I like being hands-on with the fans. They’re the ones paying for your shows, merch, tickets. That’s who matters.
Now that the original Griselda trio — you, Westside Gunn, and Benny The Butcher — are on separate paths, what’s been the hardest adjustment building your company, Drumwork?
Seeing how people disguise personal wants as “work.” They say “Let me work with you,” but they really want me to fund their lifestyle. And when I don’t, I’m the villain. That part’s tough. But it made me sharper as a businessman.
The outro of your album, “Don’t Even Feel Real,” is emotional. Were you carrying that heaviness?
Not really the betrayal stuff — that rolls off me now. What weighed on me was expectations. Once you get successful, everybody wants something. Meanwhile, I’m dealing with depression, loss, pain. The last two, three years were dark. Nobody stops to ask how you’re doing. They just reach.
You still reflect on the 2012 shooting on “BMG.” Do those wounds ever really heal?
Nah. I accept it, but I haven’t fully healed. My face changed forever. Every morning, I look in the mirror and it hits me: “Damn, they shot me in my head.” Two times. And I’m still here rapping like this? That’s God. During the pandemic, I didn’t even want to record — I was basically retired. But avoiding it wasn’t healing me. I had to face it, accept it, and move forward. That got me back in the booth.
“Diamond” with Roc Marciano feels like a moment. Why was he the right feature?
I sat on that song for months. Sent it to the team, sent it to Benny, Wes — nothing came back. Maybe they weren’t feeling the beat, maybe they were busy. Me and Roc always talk. I realized I never heard him do a real back-and-forth. Once he heard my idea, he loved it. Sent the verse in two days. Then we shot the visual. It came out special.
The video was fly. Fans have noticed you stepping into Paris Fashion Week, popping out in a new way. What sparked this new fashion-forward direction?
That was my stylist, Jannique, and my team pushing me. “People need to see you in different lights.” Courtside is cool, but there’s a whole world out there. I’m usually the hoodie-and-fatigues guy, but they expanded my vision. I’m having fun with it.
On “Nu Devils,” you say, “You want to be Jordan — Mike had to punch a teammate in his face.” What does leadership look like for you?
I was literally watching The Last Dance. That moment where Jordan tells Steve Kerr, “I just want to win.” That mentality stuck with me. Being Jordan ain’t just about being nice — it’s about pushing your team, challenging people, sometimes being the bad guy. Greatness comes with uncomfortable moments.
Do you see this album as a new chapter, or the closing of an old one?
Both. It closes an old chapter and opens a new one. I’m launching my podcast, Talking Sideways, under The Machine Network. No rap talk — I’m a space nerd, I love sports, weird videos, random conversations. More like Joe Rogan vibes. This album unlocked that confidence. I used to hate interviews and photos. Now I’m leaning into it.
You’re branching into film, too, right?
Yeah. I’m working on a short film right now. And next year with the music, it’s The King with Justice League, Lulu 2 with Alchemist, then Reject 3 and Reject 4. Reject 3 should hit around March or April.
How will the podcast work? Guests? Just you talking?
Mostly just me talking shit, reacting to stuff, exploring topics I’m into. I might bring guests sometimes, but it’s about letting people see who I am off the mic. Fans don’t really know me — they know the rapper. This is a chance to show the person.
When you’re not making music or working, how do you stay grounded?
Silence. Literally silence. No music, no noise, no lights. Reading. Writing. Thinking. That’s my peace. I take time to be completely still. That’s how I recharge.
You’ve talked about battling depression and feeling isolated. How have you grown through that?
The last two years changed me. I learned so much about myself. I always isolated thinking it was healing, but it was depression. Now I still take time to think, but I don’t avoid my problems. If something bothers me, I address it. I communicate. I’m processing differently now. I’m healthier.
It feels like this album is the most honest, strengthened version of you.
Exactly. It’s me being vulnerable, confident, spiritual, aggressive — all at once. It’s pain and growth. It’s me realizing my power. You can’t kill God with bullets. That’s the message. A real message.
Wow, it looks like the 2025 sneaker year isn’t over yet. While overall this has been the weakest year of this decade for sneaker releases (blame an oversaturated market, the economy, and a shift in trends all hitting at once) it doesn’t seem to want to quit! This time of year is generally a quiet time for sneakers; we had already written this month off a few weeks ago, and yet we keep getting absolute heat.
Highlights from this week include the Gamma Jordan 11, the latest Shai 001 colorway, the return of the Air Griffey, and a Sézane New Balance collaboration! And that’s just scratching the surface. Here are this week’s best sneakers and where to find them.
Nike has a lock on basketball sneakers, the brand is practically synonymous with the sport. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Case in point, the Air Griffey Max 1. Ken Griffey Jr’s legendary signature sneaker sports a synthetic leather upper with nubuck overlays, an ankle strap for a locked in fit, and a chunky mid-90s design that feels comfortingly familiar.
Why don’t more baseball stars have signature sneakers? We feel like there is a real untapped market here. Get on it, Nike!
The Nike Air Griffey Max 1 Black and Freshwater is out now for a retail price of $180. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
New Balance has teamed up with the vintage-obsessed French brand Sézane for a new take on the 471. It doesn’t surprise us for a second that Sézane would opt to redesign the 471, considering the sneaker is a ‘70s silhouette, which slots directly into the brand’s aesthetic.
The Sézane version features an upper made from crochet-inspired materials with suede overlays with an EVA midsole, a herringbone outsole, and a classic ‘Fang’ NB toe box. Rounding out the design is a denim “N” logo. If you love ‘70s design but aren’t feeling what Adidas has to offer, this is a great alternative.
The Sézane x New Balance 471 Linen with Black is out now for a retail price of $149.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
LA-based streetwear brand UNDEFEATED are closing Nike’s Air Max 95 anniversary year with a killer collab. Dropping in a white and black colorway, this Air Max 95 takes design cues from the pair’s Air Max 97 collaboration.
The sneaker features a mixed upper of textured leather, nylon, and mesh with hints of reflective material and shiny patent leather. It’s a great release, easily one of the year’s best.
The UNDEFEATED x Nike Air Max 95 White is out now for a retail price of $190. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson’s signature Kobe 6 (weird sentence we know) grabs attention with its bold turquoise upper and metallic copper accents. Its low profile design is engineered for speed and quick court play which is an apt description for both Brunson’s and the sneaker’s namesake play style.
The Nike Kobe 6 Protro Jalen Brunson is out now for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
The Converse Shai 001 is a sneaker that just keeps grabbing our attention. It could be because the sneaker often drops in vivid impossible-to-ignore colorways, or because of the cool silhouette, but either way we’re not complaining. We’re ready for Converse to reassert itself in the “best basketball sneaker” conversation, as the brand was an absolute powerhouse in the ‘90s.
The Shai 001 Winter Red reminds us of the brand’s strength in this field! And it just looks dope. What’s not to love?
The Converse Shai 001 Winter Red is out now for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
The Jordan 11 Gamma is this week’s biggest draw. It’s also $235 — which is premium pricing, but there is a reason. Look at it! Its stealthy black and blue colorway, that patent leather mudguard, the translucent outsole, the beautiful embroidered blue Jumpman logo, there isn’t a single thing to dislike about this sneaker, aside from the price of course.
So if you’re a big Jordan 11 head, or know someone who is, this sneaker would make a perfect holiday gift. You’re welcome for the tip!
The Nike Air Jordan 11 Gamma is set to drop on December 13th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $235. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
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Jan 5 @ ARIA Resort & Casino
Prioritize ARIA + Cosmopolitan — this is where the media world actually gathers.
