Rina Sawayama flexed her matured songwriting with her recently-released sophomore record Sawayama. The effort is packed with commentaries, some aimed at societies and others directed inward. Sawayama’s track “Bad Friend” is an example of a song inspired by an introspective dive into her past actions. Now, the singer returns with a visual accompanying the reflective track.

Directed in a film noir style, Sawayama’s “Bad Friend” video depicts her as a quiet local bar regular. Sawayama encounters a rowdy old friend and her gritty true colors appear at the video’s close, concluding with regretful violence.

In a statement accompanying her visual, Sawayama says it was inspired by the feeling of realizing she had played a role in the dissolution of a friendship:

“The ‘Bad Friend’ video was one of the last videos we shot before UK lockdown with director Ali Kurr. We had so much fun making this, as it was my first time doing stunts and being in prosthetic makeup. The song is about the heartbreak of losing a friendship and realizing that you were the cause of the breakdown. When you hear the song this is not the video you imagine – but that’s exactly what we wanted. The music video is a reimagining of the themes in ‘Bad Friend’; of longing, loss, self hate and ultimately self love. Choosing a slow, film noir style focuses all the attention on performance and acting, which was definitely very daunting but I had so much fun making a video that is so wildly different from my previous videos.”

Watch Sawayama’s “Bad Friend” video above.

Sawayama is out now via Dirty Hit. Get it here.

TDE rapper Reason channels The Purge in his menacing video for “Pop Sh*t” featuring Schoolboy Q, donning a light-up mask in the style of the leering villains from the film series’ third installment, Election Year. Directed by Jon Primo, the video sees Reason and a squad of jumpsuited goons invade a fancy party hosted by… Reason. The double role leads to a mirror-style reveal as “Purge Reason” kidnaps “Fancy Reason” at gunpoint, tossing him in the trunk as the video ends on a fearful closeup.

Reason’s been on a tear as he builds anticipation for his “official” TDE debut album after the label re-released his independently released debut album There You Have It in 2018. Since then, he’s only grown his fanbase after terrorizing his and Dreamville’s respective label bosses on the Revenge Of The Dreamers III standout, “Lambo Truck” alongside Dreamville’s West Coast rep Cozz, dropped a South Park-esque stream of Slim Shady-style insult raps in his “Might Not Make It” video for TDE Week, and solidified his presence as TDE’s next big star with Ab-Soul and Boogie on “Trapped In.” Meanwhile, he’s also been teasing a collab album with Jay Rock in addition to his debut, making him one of the label’s most anticipated breakout stars.

Watch Reason’s “Pop Sh*t” video above.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the Muppets are good. Maybe the only good thing. Have you ever met someone who doesn’t like the Muppets? No, of course not, they don’t exist, but if you were to meet this hypothetical (non-cookie) monster, you would have no choice but to whack them in the head with a boomerang fish. Anyway, Disney+ has a decent selection of Muppets content, including The Muppet Movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island, as well as the two recent films and ABC’s ill-fated The Muppets, but still no The Muppet Show. How come, Chief Iger?

We are, however, getting a new Muppet show, one that premieres this summer.

Muppets Now is an unscripted series that shows Kermit and the gang “like never before.” According to Disney, “In the six-episode season, Scooter rushes to make his delivery deadlines and upload the brand-new Muppet series for streaming. They are due now, and he’ll need to navigate whatever obstacles, distractions, and complications the rest of the Muppet gang throws at him.” There will be “surprising guest stars and more frogs, pigs, and bears (and whatevers) than legally allowed.” What about beakies?

What a great show. Muppets Now premieres on Disney+ on July 31.

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One of the defining scenes from the second season of HBO’s Succession was when Kendall Roy (played by Jeremy Strong) decided to honor his father Logan Roy at a 50th work anniversary celebration with a song. The song, of course, was a cringeworthy rap titled “L To The OG.” The scene was an instant hit with fans, and now, months after the episode first aired, a full studio version of the song has been released.

Strong said in a recent interview that he really went to bat against the song at first, but eventually came around to the idea:

“We were doing a table read in Glasgow, Scotland, and got to the point in the script where we were at the tribute for my dad. Some painfully awkward lines read: ‘Kendall does a rap. ‘Yo MC, kick it.” And there was a lyric that sounded like it was from a bad Bar Mitzvah. I lobbied hard to cut it. I thought it was going to be stupid and let’s think of something else. […] It was amazing and serious. I said to Nick, ‘I love hip-hop and it seems in the idiom of Kendall and the show.’ I had to pull it off.”

He also noted that his performance actually got some love from Frank Ocean: “It became apparent when people were dressed for this thing as Halloween, and I did get a text from Frank Ocean that said, ‘L to the OG’ with a crying face emoji. I took it as the highest possible compliment because he’s one of my heroes. It was small props but it meant the world.”

Listen to “L To The OG” above, and revisit the original scene below.

Experimental producer Arca is anything but conventional. Back in February, Arca teased a new era by releasing the hour-long stand-alone single titled “@@@@@.” Now, Arca returns to divulge details about her fourth album and share a video accompanying a new single, “Time.”

Arca’s lush “Time” video follows her lead single “Nonbinary,” which offered a glimpse of her forthcoming record Kick I. Directed by MANSON, Arca’s “Time” visual shows the producer artfully seducing the devil. Following her avant-garde style, the visual depicts Arca as a half-cyborg, half-human character parading the streets with her newfound nefarious lover.

Alongside her captivating visual, Arca shares details about Kick I. Unveiling the cover art, tracklist, and official release date, Arca teases a handful of big-name features. Included on her tracklist are artists like Rosalía, Björk, and fellow producer Sophie. In a statement about the album’s sound, Arca explained that she aims to remain free genre confines: “I don’t want to be tied to one genre,” said Arca. “I don’t want to be labeled as one thing.”

Listen to “Time” above and find Arca’s Kick I cover and tracklist below.

1. “Nonbinary”
2. “Time”
3. “Mequetrefe”
4. “Riquiqui”
5. “Calor”
6. “Afterwards” Feat. Björk
7. “Watch” Feat. Shygirl
8. “KLK” Feat. Rosalía
9. “Rip The Slit”
10. “La Chíqui” Feat. Sophie
11. “Machote”
12. “No Queda Nada”

Kick I is out 6/26 via XL. Pre-order it here.

The 2020 Major League Soccer season had just barely begun when the global coronavirus pandemic forced it to a halt in March. LAFC winger Carlos Vela, who was named the league’s 2019 MVP and won the Golden Boot, started off this season strongly, helping the team advance to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals and scoring the game winner in the season opener against Inter Miami FC.

With the league on hiatus, though, Vela has been working out at home in Los Angeles, spending quality time with his family, and sharpening his NBA 2K skills — the Mexican international is one of MLS’ premier talents, but he is a well-documented NBA fan as well. Vela spoke with Uproxx on behalf of BODYARMOR about how he’s been staying healthy at home, how MLS teams are slowly working their way toward a season restart, and what he learned from ESPN’s The Last Dance.

How are you and how have you been spending this extra time at home?

Really great. I think like everyone else I have been trying to handle quarantine the best way possible. I would say I have been active and spending quality time with my family. I have a son that’s 3 years old and a pregnant wife, so there’s positive things right now and that is what I’ve been focused on. I’ve just been enjoying the time I have with them and finding ways to stay in shape to be prepared for when it is time to train again.

Since the MLS season has been suspended, how have you been staying positive and fit at home?

Obviously I would like to be training with my teammates and playing this season, but that’s life. You must take it as a new challenge there is no excuse to not keep training. I will usually go out for a run or I will train with the club even though we are training individually, but we’re going back to our routine. But like I said, always looking for a way to stay active, stay in shape, and always be prepared. Even though the coronavirus is going on right now, there is always a solution. You can always train and prepare your mind and body for when it is time to get back out there.

Earlier this month, LAFC began running individual training sessions. I am sure they don’t feel quite normal, but how have the training sessions have been so far?

Obviously, it is not something we thought would happen within our teammates but to be able to go to the facilities and being able to go back to our routine is something positive. Training alone, not running with my teammates, working on drills like passes against the wall is not something every player enjoys but it is a step forward. It is also a step closer to being able to play the game. It gives me pure joy to train and being able to prepare myself for the game. Like I said, take things positively and just enjoy it.

I know you are also a big basketball fan. Did you watch any of The Last Dance on ESPN and if so, what did you think about it?

Of course, I never missed an episode. They were sacred moments. Obviously, I always admired Michael Jordan and after watching this the way he played to be the best and to win championships, it’s something that motivates me to try to win the league and be a part of history. I think it is a way for many athletes to look at themselves in a mirror and just see all the dedication and hard work he put into every game and practice is something to admire. I hope every athlete can — not like him, because it is impossible — leave a mark and make history.

Now that you had some more free time, have you been playing a lot more NBA 2K and working on your skills?

I think I can beat any player and if you like I can demonstrate it to you.

Who is your favorite team to play with?

I love the Lakers because I am a big fan of LeBron, but in NBA 2K I prefer playing with the Brooklyn Nets.

As a professional athlete you have to be very conscious about what you eat and drink — can you tell us why you like BODYARMOR and how it helps you as an athlete?

I think a lot of people think that as an athlete all we need to do is work out and we are all set but that’s not reality. After we train, we must take care of our nutrition most importantly, our health because it is something that is important to maintain a healthy body. That is why BODYARMOR is the best because it is tasteful, but it also does not use artificial ingredients. I think that is the best way to keep a healthy body by using natural ingredients. That is what helps with my post workout. The way it tastes makes it easier to stay hydrated and enjoy a good drink.

Can you talk a little bit about the new BODYARMOR campaign, #OnlyYouCan?

I think this campaign is very important because it has been made for everyone. It does not matter where you come from, what is most important is the motivation, the attitude, and the dedication you put. That is something that grabs people’s attention which is something the campaign is about. The campaign is something we all want everyone to be a part of. So, if you are hardworking and dedicated you can achieve anything you put your mind to. I recommend for the fans to be a part of this and for everyone to enjoy what was created.

With The Walking Dead currently on hiatus, its long-time special effects guru, executive producer, and frequent director Greg Nicotero has had an opportunity to expand the audience for his reboot of Stephen King’s horror anthology series, Creepshow, a series that he obviously loves enough to include an Easter Egg for it in The Walking Dead. The series originally aired on AMC’s niche horror streaming service, Shudder, but to help fill the void left behind after 40 uninterrupted episodes from The Walking Dead universe were interrupted by the pandemic, AMC has begun to air the series on Monday nights (it’s also AMC On Demand now). It’s very good — worth the Shudder subscription, in fact — and for the time being, it helps scratch that The Walking Dead itch.

Of course, since Nicotero is the boss over on Creepshow, he gets final say. Meanwhile, over on The Walking Dead, Nicotero gets plenty of input, but the final word is that of the showrunner, and Nicotero hasn’t always agreed with their decisions. For example, Nicotero “vehemently disagreed” with Robert Kirkman’s decision back in season 2 to let Rick kill Shane instead of allowing Carl to kill Shane, as he did in the comics.

More recently, in the season finale of season 8 — which is when the All-Out War between Rick’s group and Negan’s group ended — Nicotero wanted to end the episode in a completely different way that would have had long-lasting effects on the series, as he told the Collider podcast, The Witching Hour.

“When Rick cuts Negan’s throat,” Nicotero said. “I think Maggie should shoot him. I think Maggie should either kill Negan or shoot him, or do something, because she’s right there.”

“It was a really hard moment to shoot,” Nicotero — who directed that episode — continued. “Knowing that Maggie collapses to her knees when Rick spares Negan’s life. I had pitched this idea to [Scott Gimple]: ‘Why doesn’t Maggie shoot him? Why doesn’t Maggie kill him?’ But obviously, Negan had more of a journey, and there was a lot more going on.”

If viewers had known that Nicotero had lobbied for Negan’s death at the end of season 8, I think nearly everyone would have backed him. Two seasons later, however, and a redeemed Negan is one of the best things about The Walking Dead, which Nicotero acknowledges. “I think that [showrunner Angela Kang] has done a wonderful job. And I think with Samantha [Morton] and Ryan [Hurst], and all the actors, Jeffrey [Dean Morgan] and Melissa [McBride] and Norman [Reedus] and everybody, the last two seasons have been really, really fun … the story really, really moves.”

The Walking Dead will return later this year with its finale, which will feature the return of Lauren Cohan’s Maggie.

(Via Collider)

During his recent Verzuz hits battle with Nelly on Instagram, Ludacris previewed a new track which met with a backlash from some fans on social media over a line name checking R. Kelly and Bill Cosby. Fans were apparently upset at a couplet in which he mentions both disgraced stars, rapping, “The world screwed if n****s pouring drinks like Bill Huxtable / I love R. Kelly but around my daughters, I’m not comfortable.” Today, Luda addressed the controversy over the line during an interview with Atlanta radio station V103, explaining the meaning behind the lyric and why he thinks people “misconstrued” it.

“Sometimes when you speak on records, you speakin’ like it’s just me and you having a conversation as friends,” he explains in the video below. “But you just speaking, and just being honest. I saw that a lot of people kind of misconstrued or didn’t understand what it was that I was saying.” Turning the question on host Big Tigger (shout-out Rap City Tha Basement!), Luda asks, “What do you think I meant when I said that?” Tigger’s response: “You meant, ‘I loved his music… but I’m a father of daughters, and you’re not gonna be around my daughters.’”

“You’re a smart man,” the rapper replies. “It’s that simple.”

The kerfuffle surrounding the line just illustrates how easy it is to misinterpret hip-hop and maybe also how quick some parties are to jump to conclusions or strip meaningful context — whether accidentally or on purpose — for the sake of creating conversation on social media. If there’s a takeaway, it might be to give art the benefit of the doubt before going into outrage mode.

Watch Ludacris’ response above.

Today’s news is perhaps expected, but no less tragic, as the body of former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard has been recovered on Venice Beach, near where he disappeared on Sunday. We did our best to hold out hope when the story broke on Monday that he had disappeared, but that hope was in short supply yesterday when the search for Gaspard was called off.

According to TMZ, a citizen called the police at 1:30 AM today to report that they’d found a body near Venice Pier. Officers recovered the body and a few hours later confirmed it to be Shad Gaspard.

It seems that Gaspard’s last act was to save his 10-year-old son, who was swimming with him when they were both caught in a rip tide. When a lifeguard reached the two of them, reports ESPN, Gaspard told the lifeguard, “Take my son.” His son later added, “Dad told me to push off to the guy,” meaning the lifeguard. By the time the boy was safely ashore, Shad Gaspard had disappeared under the waves.

Shad Gaspard competed on Tough Enough in 2002 and then signed with WWE, where he worked until 2010. He’s best remembered as half of the tag team Cryme Time with JTG. Since leaving WWE, he’s wrestled on the independent scene and also found a career as an actor and stunt performer, working on films including Black Panther and Birds of Prey.

Our thoughts today are with Gaspard’s family and loved ones.