Category: Viral

The Killers are currently touring their latest album, Pressure Machine, but before that album was Imploding The Mirage, which arrived in 2020 in the thick of quarantine. It offered a glimpse of hope and comfort for listeners, but it was also a source of conflict for the band as their tour got canceled.

This is the topic the group grapple with on their new song released today, “Boy.” It bubbles with an upbeat sound and positive energy as leader Brandon Flowers sings the refrain, “Don’t overthink it, boy,” providing solace to his old self.

“This was the first song written after we had to cancel the Imploding The Mirage tour due to the pandemic,” he said of the song in a statement. “I had recently moved back to Utah and started to make trips to Nephi, where I grew up. I found that the place I had wanted to get away from so desperately at 16 was now a place that I couldn’t stop returning to. I have a son approaching the age I was at that time in my life. With ‘boy,’ I want to reach out and tell myself — and my sons — to not overthink it. And to look for the ‘white arrows’ in their lives. For me now, white arrows are my wife, children, my songs and the stage.”

Listen to “Boy” above.

“Fake it till you make it” is an oft-used phrase, but it was also an operating philosophy for Tenacious D. “We were presenting ourselves as the greatest band on earth, but we were also a total catastrophe,” Jack Black tells us, recounting how he and bandmate Kyle Gass didn’t know how to plug in their amps early in their careers. What a difference a few decades makes.

On a break in between legs of their latest tour, the hard rocking and hilarious folk metal duo best known for “Tribute,” “Fuck Her Gently,” and the film Pick Of Destiny is triumphant yet hungry for more, working on a new album and promoting a fiber bar capable of enabling the “perfect deuce,” according to Black. They’re also surfing nostalgia waves while talking up Tenacious D: Words + Music, an Audible Original that takes fans through the band’s origins, peaks, and valleys with the help of archive audio from early in their run. The project, which you can download now, is the latest act of powerful and effective legend reinforcement by a band that has charmed, worked, and wished themselves into the hearts and minds of millions.

We spoke with Black and Gass about the project, moments of doubt, the impact of “Hollywood Jack’s” film success, the creative DNA they share with Kanye, and why you never rent a house in Joshua Tree without NBA League Pass.

When you guys talk about how you’d written an earnest song, one of your first songs, and then you realize that you should lean into the comedy and lean into your personality, is there a sadness over not being super serious?

Gass: I think it was kind of a relief. I think that was Jack’s kind of thrust at the time. It was like, oh, yeah. I feel much more comfortable in the comedy realm. Just made a lot of sense. And then going back to the Spinal Tap model too. It was like, no, those guys are playing, they’re writing some great songs. They’re just funny. And it seems like that’s because that’s who they are. [Adopts British accent] “To thine own self be true.” If we could all learn that lesson.

You’re introducing audio here that I guess no one’s heard before or that no one has heard in a long time. Is there some kind of vault, like the Prince vault that you guys have all this stuff in?

Gass: Oh, Jack had a lot of old cassette tapes and wisely kept them in a box, a shoebox I believe. And those were the historical archives. And then our producer, John Spiker, digitized all those, which was really great because those cassettes can go away and dissolve. I fantasized about listening to all of them and picking up the best parts. And then I don’t think I listened to any of them. No.

Black: We did a thing where we would jam and we would record. “Always record,” was our motto from the very beginning. Well, not from the very beginning, because at the very beginning we would jam and not record, and then go, “What was that jam we were doing? I can’t fucking remember. Why weren’t we recording?” Because we didn’t know it was going to be magic. And we quickly realized, okay, we have to record always because we won’t remember. We would play and we would jam and record and then we would go, stone-y playback. We would get stoned and listen back. And then we would record some more after the stone-y playback when we were stoned. Because we were like, now that we’re stoned, maybe the jams will be more stone-y. And sometimes it actually worked, but usually not. Usually, the good stuff came in the first half.

How has the process changed from then to now?

Gass: It hasn’t changed that much, really? I think probably a lot less weed.

Black: Now we have to pay for a very expensive Airbnb to have our writer’s retreats.

Joshua Tree, yeah?

Gass: Exactly.

Black: How did you know Joshua Tree? That is exactly where we went on our last writer’s retreat.

Research. This is my business.

Black: When we got out to Joshua Tree, we did have some good jams, but we got distracted because Kyle became obsessed with the fact that we couldn’t watch the NBA. It wasn’t even playoffs. It wasn’t even playoffs.

Every game matters.

Black: We can’t stay in Joshua Tree. All we get is Netflix on this TV. It took a few hours out of our jam set, but trust me, the next Airbnb we get, I’m going to make sure that we have the NBA.

Gass: Dude, no TV for me. We won’t have time for that.

Black: We did have some side trips, also. Aside from NBA, we had to watch all of the Kanye West documentary, Genius? Whatever that’s called. It was good. We were digging the Kanye behind the scenes. It’s kind of like the Tenacious D Words and Music where you get a little sneak peek behind the curtain. And his origin story, and how he started off as this kind of vulnerable and insecure, but super confident and super talented DJ. And a mix master and producer, that was his real strong suit. And it was interesting because, and this is going to sound real dumb, but we share some of that narcissism that he has in his soup. That’s been part of our comedic shtick, and it’s part of his secret ingredients too, is like thinking that you’re the best in the world. I don’t know that he could exist without having that kind of streak. And in a way that’s been central to our comedy, this whole time; saying that we’re the greatest band in the world. But truth be told there’s always a little tiny bit of us that does think we are the best. And I think John Lennon said it, didn’t he? That if you don’t think that you’re the best band in the world then there’s no point in doing it. I think there’s a truth to that. That whether or not you are, it doesn’t even matter if you’re any good. You need to think that you’re potentially the best ever, of all times, just to fucking get out bed in the morning. [Laughs]

Gass: Yeah. It’s too hard.

How could you weather any kind of adversity if you don’t think that you’ve got something in you that people have to hear?

Gass: Exactly.

Black: You have to go out there in front of a big crowd of people. That’s terrifying stuff. You have to have a kind of insane confidence.

[Jack steps away from the Zoom for a moment leaving Kyle and I.]

I thought it was really interesting when you both spoke about sort of the birth of Hollywood Jack and Jack starts getting all these movie roles. Kyle, take me through sort of what that feels like. Is there jealousy?

Gass: Well it’s a double-edged sword. Because one, he’s my best mate. And then we’re both trying to make it in Hollywood. And then also he’s almost 10 years younger than me, but we’re still kind of fighting in the same soup. And then he just busts out. It’s just amazing to watch and real exciting. You go, how high can he go? And then he just keeps going. And then, there’s the other part where it’s like, “God dammit, [it’s] taking so much time away from the D. You know, movies take a long time. That’s been a challenge for sure. Kind of frustrating. And then also, you’re not supposed to compare. Compare to despair, I believe, is what they say. But it’s just hard not to.

Difficult to have blinders on.

Gass: I’ve gotten some fun parts. I really enjoy acting and stuff, but yeah, it’s definitely a double-edged sword. It’s frustrating at times, but it’s kind of magic too. And you know, Jack is a great star. But also early on, it was definitely like, “No, I think he’s that talented.” You just got to step aside and let the man go by.

[Jack has returned.]

Jack, I’m curious, when the birth of Hollywood Jack happens and you start booking all these roles and you’re a juggernaut. What’s your fear as far as holding onto the band, holding onto the friendship? Do you worry about stuff like that? Are you just drowning in money?

Gass: All the way to the bank.

Black: I remember when I got the offer to be in High Fidelity, we had Tenacious D rolling. We were on HBO and we were cooking with gas. And that’s why I got the offer for High Fidelity; I think how it went down is John Cusack liked Tenacious D. He liked what I did on that and was like, “We want you to play Barry.” And it was a juicy role, but I remember thinking, it’s kind of about music and rock and roll. And it’s about some of the themes that we got going in Tenacious D and now I kind of feel like we’re a real band now. Tenacious D is a real thing. And I don’t know if I want to do a movie about that world, because then it might eat its own tail a little bit, or it might step on Tenacious D’s heat. And also I was just scared because I didn’t know if I would be good in a movie with a big role like that. So I was kind of finding ways to sabotage that whole thing and say no. And then I finally realized, wait a second, this is fucking John Cusack with Stephen Frears, who is one of my favorite directors. What am I doing? I’ve got to fucking do it. So anyway, yeah, I did have misgivings. Because I was like, what if this fucks up Tenacious D? But in the end I said, “Fuck Tenacious D. I got to make this movie!” [Laughs]

Gass: Duh. You got to do that.

Black: And in the end I felt like it actually was a blessing because it helped both things.

Gass: Good for the goose, good for the gander.

In the same breath though, do you think that your career has led to maybe less production from you guys as far as less albums, things like that? Has that been a trade-off that you guys have both had to deal with?

Black: I don’t know. I don’t think so. We do things pretty slowly, regardless. I think we’re on a six year-cycle. Every six years we put out a record. Maybe it would go faster if we weren’t doing other things, but I don’t think so.

Gass: If it were the only game in town for you, there’d probably be. But you know, that’s just not the way [it is].

Black: Maybe. Maybe we would’ve exploded and stopped being a band years ago. It’s an alternate reality that we can never know.

Gass: It’s an unknown.

What’s next for you guys? You just put out The Who medley which is great. You’re on a tour right now or about to be?

Black: We are in between legs. We had a great, greatest hits first leg in June. And we got another leg coming up in September. Looking forward to that. As always, looking forward to the live shows. We got this record that we’ve been working on for a few years and yeah, we can’t really tell you anything about that. Because it’s kind of like a Marvel movie. It’s so grand in scope. And if we let out any spoilers, then you know, Flight of the Conchords or one of the other bands would steal it for sure.

I’ll let Andy Samburg know if you tell me.

Black: Oh my God.

Gass: He’s watching our every move.

‘Tenacious D: Words + Music’ is available for download now.

The content culling has begun over on HBO Max.

There are plenty of reasons why the streaming platform is dumping some of its recently released movies and (possibly) TV shows — most of them have to do with money — but we’re not here to make sense of the executive decision-making that happens at multi-million dollar tech companies or to even pass judgment on the Silicon Valley tyrants holding our beloved IP hostage.

No, we’re here to scry the future using a crystal ball crafted from years of industry experience and all the disappointment, heartbreak, and futile outrage that comes with it to make some educated guesses about which HBO Max series might be safe, and which might be headed for an early grave. Will most of these predictions eventually devolve into a pathetic attempt at bargaining with the powers that be to save a bunch of weird TV we’ve grown too attached to over the years? Probably.

Hacks

The idea that HBO Max would put Hacks – an award-winning, critically-beloved series about a legendary female comic on the road to getting her stand-up groove back – to pasture all for a measly tax break is, quite frankly, a storyline you’d expect to see on Hacks. But hear this, corporate overlords – you’ll have a gay mutiny on your hands. Queer cruise lines everywhere will join forces, creating a rainbow-colored armada that will lay siege to Warner Media’s headquarters. Dead shrimp will be thrown. Chainsaws cranked.

The idea that Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder might be robbed of the chance to showcase their comedic chemistry if the show doesn’t get its already-promised third season is just too much to bear. What’s worse? Hacks is also a show that’s given underrated and unseen talent like Paul W. Downs, Meg Stalter, and Carl Clemon-Hopkins a platform to brandish their own comedy chops, playing supporting characters that have sparked their own fandoms online. In other words, Hacks is a series that transcends generational gaps and manages to interrogate archaic societal norms like sexism in stand-up and ageism in Hollywood without preaching or proselytizing. There’s really no series like it on TV – which is even more reason it needs to be saved. — Jessica Toomer

Peacemaker

This should be a pretty short blurb. Totally one you can skim past. Creator James Gunn already offered assurances in the form of a tweet. And while the desire is supposedly for more blockbuster-y big-screen adventures for DC properties, someone has to acknowledge that Gunn is one of the best in the biz at delivering those and you probably don’t want to piss him and his army of fans off by killing one of his darlings. A popular one that’s already tapping into that sweet, sweet Funko Pop money. Seriously, if they touch that title sequence or a feather on Eagley’s head, we riot. — Jason Tabrys

Dune: The Sisterhood

Before director Denis Villeneuve brought his epic adaptation of Dune to the big screen, HBO Max had already announced plans for a spin-off series focused on the Bene Gesserit, a sisterhood of preternaturally gifted women operating in the shadows of a galactic empire. Following the success of the film – and plans for its sequels – a prequel show set 10,000 years before the fall of House Atreides seemed like a no-brainer. Every streamer is hoping to craft their own version of a Marvel cinematic universe on the small screen these days and HBO’s already betting on House of the Dragon to revive its Game of Thrones fandom. What better pre-existing IP to build on than Frank Herbert’s imaginative and beloved sci-fi franchise? But, with only a director and writer attached to the project at the moment, The Sisterhood could be one of the easier deadweights to drop, from a business standpoint.

We’re not saying we want that to happen. In fact, the idea that the world of Dune could be explored with seasonal arcs that focus on rival Houses and politically-ambitious factions warring over rights to a galaxy full of strange resources like spice is exciting for any kind of genre fan. No, we definitely don’t want to see this kind of potential wasted, we’re just warning you, it might be. — Jessica Toomer

The Other Two

While this new season, which is set to debut in late September, is probably safe, I don’t feel rosy about the prospects for a season 4. The show, which debuted on Comedy Central 73 years ago in 2019, has already had a roller coaster ride of an existence and while it’s beloved by very smart people such as me and probably you if you’re reading this (Goddammit do we have great taste, amiright?), it doesn’t get the awards love or loud critical praise of something like Hacks. Which is also on this list. Gulp. — Jason Tabrys

Minx

If the current state of the world hasn’t convinced you we’re living in a soft launch of Hell, this should: HBO Max might cheat us of another season’s worth of ogling at Jake Johnson’s chest hair. As preposterous as it sounds, we have to prepare ourselves for a future in which Johnson’s sleazy, seductive 70’s porn publisher — who harbors an affinity for peacocking his furry bosom with low-cut button-ups and brightly-patterned silks – doesn’t return to give us more thirst-trap material to post on main. The good news here is that the show has already been renewed for a second season and it sports a devoted fan following. Add that to its captivating and comedic plot about an ambitious journalist who starts an erotic magazine for women, and, well, we have high hopes that our anxiety is whispering doomsday predictions in our susceptible little ears for absolutely no reason and Johnson will, in fact, get to revive his musky manwhore for round two. — Jessica Toomer

Harley Quinn

You’d think this animated series, currently streaming its third season, would be as far from the chopping block as metaphorically possible at this point. After all, during a time of upheaval and uncertainty within its movie verse, DC’s TV roster feels like a safer, surer bet. Especially Harley Quinn, an animated, action-packed, darkly-comedic take on the beloved Gotham villain, her girlfriend Poison Ivy, and the crew of misfits they’ve assembled to wreak havoc in Bruce Wayne’s backyard. Sure, cartoons used to fly under the critical radar – we’ve had to spend years trying to convince comic fans to give this show a shot simply because it’s pixelated – but that seems to be changing and Harley Quinn is a big reason why. With polarizing bad guys, morally-grey anti-heroines, NSFW Batman content, and storylines that approach complicated social issues with a surprising amount of insight and care, Harley Quinn is Peak TV, and not just for the animation crowd. We’d be sad to see this one go especially since, now more than ever, DC needs some consistency in the projects it’s greenlighting, but if the Scooby-Doo shelving has taught us anything, it’s that streamers are happy to gut anything – even a successful, already-filmed follow-up – if it’s in cartoon form. — Jessica Toomer

Conan

This is a weird one because this show is, as far as we can tell, still theoretical, launched into the minds of Conan O’Brien fans as a comfort and a promise for something new after he left TBS more than a year ago. Since then, we haven’t heard much about when or what it would be, and with this burst of news and rumors, wonder creeps in about if we ever will hear anything more about it and what that means for Conan and “TV.”

Now, of course, it’s not like the late-night legend ran off to milk cows on a Wyoming cattle ranch, he’s staying close by with his podcast empire, but the lack of clarity around this new HBO Max show allowed for a lot of theorizing. And now those theories have turned into expectations that may not get the payoff some of us demand. So I just want to know who to blame for the cancellation of the never formally announced Conan And The Masturbating Bear Play Old Time Baseball On All The Continents show, assuming it doesn’t still happen. — Jason Tabrys

The Flight Attendant

Kaley Cuoco’s murder-mystery series was one of HBO Max’s first big wins – in the ratings department and in the eyes of critics. So, naturally, you’d think the streamer would have some loyalty to the show that helped put it on the map. And it might. Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys has already teased a third season which means there’s support for the show at an executive level. The problem? Cuoco isn’t sure if she’d come back to continue Cassie’s story – one that had a satisfying if incomplete ending in season two. After solving a murder despite her alcohol-induced blackouts in season one, Cassie began working for the CIA, using her flight attendant day job as a cover for her many missions. She thwarted assassination attempts, deranged doppelgangers, and her own inner demons to grow and evolve in season two but for the show to get another crack at things, the creative team will likely need an idea that’s more outrageous and watchable than what’s come before. Knowing how the comedy series loves to reinvent itself and push its storytelling to the limit, that’s certainly possible. — Jessica Toomer

The Penguin

Once again, this show would appear to be an anathema to the rumored big screen dream corporate think, but like Gunn, Matt Reeves’s projects are likely protected by a forcefield thanks to his successes. Plus, there’s just too much Batworld for him to unfurl in cinemas and it’s got a big name in Colin Farrell. But wait! Isn’t Batgirl a Batworld project with big stars? It is, but there isn’t that linear connection to something that worked undeniably like The Batman. The DCEU is either in a state of crisis or turnover, The Batman and Joker are clear from any of that baggage, likely making it easier to cut ties with anything not that. Which sucks. This isn’t fair or right, it just is. — Jason Tabrys

Starstruck

Starstruck is a terrific little comedy, a story about a woman who accidentally hooks up with a celebrity and has her life thrown into chaos. It’s the stuff fanfiction writers create on the daily, done well thanks to Rose Matafeo’s charisma and charm and willingness to look absolutely ridiculous on-screen for a good laugh. There’s romance, there’s self-contemplation, and there’s some cringe-comedy that feels painfully relatable to every millennial-aged woman who once had a poster of Jonathan Taylor Thomas hanging in their childhood bedroom. Please, for JTT, just watch this show. If you don’t watch Starstruck then HBO Max might kill Starstruck and then what has this all been for? — Jessica Toomer

Our Flag Means Death

They would NEVER! Put aside the fact that this show is as charming as a basket of puppies, filled with great singular performances, and a storytelling triumph. It also has a vocal fanbase that has spent the space between the season 1 finale and the season 2 premiere making fan art and enough social posts to make the show and its characters trend repeatedly. There’s just so much positivity here and so much nuance to explore (and celebrate) with the show’s central romance between Ed and Stede. Losing this show would be the deepest cut on this whole list as far as I’m concerned and the biggest PR disaster for the mothership. The internet would literally never stop talking about the stupidity and callousness of that decision.

Our Flag Means Death is also the most powerful reminder of what we’d be losing if HBO Max (and the streaming landscape, on the whole) is fundamentally changed or retracted. Niche programming gets written off constantly, and a pirate show probably fits under that heading, but look what they made! Magic happens in entertainment when ambitious and creative people get a little bit of land and a little bit of water. We joke about there being too much TV all the time, but streaming also enables a ton of shows that aren’t exactly mainstream and that creates a lot of chances for things to expand the idea of what mainstream means and for people to connect deeply and truly with their favorite thing in a world where that can mean so much. — Jason Tabrys

Doja Cat’s Instagram Live session yesterday was an eventful one, as it marked a major aesthetic shift for the artist: She debuted her newly buzzed head and went on to shave her eyebrows off during the broadcast.

She also explained why she decided to get rid of her hair, saying, “I don’t like having hair. I’ve never liked having hair. I cannot tell you one time, since the beginning of my life, that I’ve ever been like, ‘This is cool.’ I just do not like to have hair.”

Doja then broke down some issues she has had with with wearing wigs and continued, “I just can’t believe that it took me this long to be like, ‘Shave your f*cking head.’ Because first of all, I don’t wear my hair out. You guys have seen me wear my natural hair out… I had like two eras. I had like two eras where my hair would be out. I would straighten it. There was a moment where it was natural and then I don’t even wear it natural ’cause I don’t feel like it, and then… it’s just a f*ckin’ nightmare, dude. I’m over it. I’m gonna… I’m really liking this. What is the use of having hair if you’re not gonna f*ckin’ wear it out? I don’t even sport it.”

She also assured fans that she’s doing well, responding to comments from “all the Terry-Jo’s and the country girls” by saying in a Southern accent, “I’m fine, Terry-Jo. I’m just fine. I’m doing dandy.”

Doja got some positive feedback on the new look from Lady Gaga, who commented on a TikTok video about it, “Beautiful.” Snoop Dogg also left some positive comments during the live broadcast, writing in one, “That style is dope on u sis.”

The Meghan McCain-era of The View officially came to a screeching halt a year ago, but it unofficially came to an end this week when former-Trump staffer Alyssa Farah Griffin, along with Ana Navarro, was announced as the new co-host. McCain — who, little known fun fact, is the daughter of John McCain — discussed what made her want to exit the day-time talk show on a recent episode of Commentary Magazine Podcast.

“I finally went back to the show, and the day I went back to the show, Joy Behar said on air, ‘Nobody missed you, we didn’t miss you, you shouldn’t have come back.’ And I just… I started hysterically crying. Sorry gentlemen, I know, I started lactating on air, and I started crying,” she explained. McCain went to her office and called her brother, who suggested that she quit. “I didn’t feel supported when I had my baby, and I didn’t feel supported coming back, and that was ultimately it,” she said. “That was why I left!”

Thank you for your service, Joy Behar.

“You can’t imagine how it messes with your self-esteem working in an environment where the worst thing you can be in the world is a Republican during the Trump years,” McCain wrote in an excerpt of her new audio memoir, Bad Republican. “As the country got worse under Trump, the treatment from Whoopi, Joy, and some of the staff grew meaner and less forgiving.”

McCain now works for the Daily Mail, where she writes about Gina Carano being “un-cancelable” and wanting Meghan Markle to run for office so she can see her eat “deep-fried Oreos at the Iowa State Fair.” It’s nice to follow your passion, y’know?

(Via the New York Post)

To put it lightly, 2022 hasn’t been a great year for Brittney Griner. Back in March, the WNBA star was detained in Russia after hashish oil was found in her belongings in an airport. Now, just about the worst possible outcome of the situation has been reached: Yesterday, Griner, who has been in Russian police custody all this time, was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in prison, slightly less than the 10-year maximum sentence.

This doesn’t necessarily mean Griner will actually spend nine years in a Russian prison, though, as the US government is trying to work out a deal to bring Griner home.

In the meantime, Griner has earned the support of folks on this side of the world. That includes Justin Bieber, who wants to do anything in his power to help out. On his Instagram Story yesterday, the pop star shared a post about the Griner news and wrote, “THIS HURTS. If anyone knows of anyway I can help please let me know.”

Bieber wasn’t the only musician to show support for Griner. Margo Price tweeted, “say it with me: FREE BRITTNEY GRINER.” Dreezy shared a similar message, writing, “Free Brittney Griner.” Boosie Badazz also posted a video of himself passionately talking about the issue.

Beyoncé has herself a hit with Renaissance, but that didn’t stop her from making changes to the new album shortly after its release: She vowed to alter the lyric of “Heated” following backlash over an ableist slur, and after getting called out by Kelis, she removed a sample of Kelis’ “Milkshake” from “Energy.” Now that Kelis has gotten her way, she offered a reaction and she’s pretty pleased.

The comments of a recent Kelis Instagram post not related to the Beyoncé situation was full of comments about it and Kelis responded to a good amount of them over the past couple days. One user just noted the sample removal and Kelis responded, “yeah I won lol only a moron wouldn’t understand that.”

A fan congratulated Kelis and accused Beyoncé and her fans of having a “bullying energy about them.” Kelis responded, “thank you. You can’t be afraid to speak up for yourself no matter how big the bully’s. They are robots. I don’t care about any of them.”

Speaking of the Beyhive, Kelis didn’t mince words with or about them. One apparent Beyoncé fan commented, “Beyonce really tried to make you relevant again (since you haven’t been since the 90s or early 2000s) and you called her a ‘thief’?” Kelis replied, “I called out what it was . You are a mindless sheep. There I go again speaking truth. Lol I guess I just can’t help it lol.”

In other comments, she called the Beyhive “a joke” and said, “it’s got cult written all over it.”

Check out the post and some of the comments below.

Trippie Redd, despite his charisma, carries a menacing personality. Though he is a fun-loving guy, he doesn’t look like the type you want to cross either. “Big 14” is the Canton artist showing more of that serious side alongside Offset and Moneybagg Yo. Together, the trio flexes their riches but also makes it very clear that no one should try and come for them.

“Don’t come outside we sending killers at your door,” Redd groans in the chorus before taking on the first verse, followed by Offset and Moneybagg Yo in succession. Their aggressive lyrics are amplified by the scenery surrounding them, whether it be abandoned buildings or what appears to be a hospital corridor. The Honorable C.N.O.T.E. production is an ideal canvas for each spitter to then add their own twist.

For Trippie, this is his first proper release in 2022, taking a bit of a hiatus since his 2021 album Trip At Knight. Moneybagg Yo seems to never stop working, with a slew of features and multiple appearances on the latest CMG compilation album Gangsta Art. As for Offset, it is still unclear whether Migos are split up or not but he is teasing new music coming soon.

Check out the video for “Big 14” above.

Earlier this week, rumors circulated that The Weeknd would release a remix to “Best Friends,” a Dawn FM cut, featuring Summer Walker. The Starboy quickly confirmed the reports, saying the “Girls Need Love” singer “carried” and “f*cking crushed it.” Well, the track is officially here and he did not lie.

The Over It artist’s emotive vocals and sharp pen provide an even fresher take than the original version. The emotionally bound narrative here aligns well with what she often sings about, struggling to balance love and friendship as well. As two of the most vulnerable voices in music today, this was a smart choice.

This unexpected collaboration comes at an opportune time for both artists. The Weeknd is surfing the waves caused by his 80s-inspired January album Dawn FM featuring Lil Wayne, Tyler, The Creator, Quincy Jones and Jim Carrey. “Out Of Time” and “Sacrifice” emerged as standouts and maintained that place for some time.

As for Summer Walker, aside from verses on Lil Durk and Kendrick Lamar’s 2022 albums, she has been quiet. The “Come Thru” broke streaming records back in November with Still Over It powered by appearances from Lil Durk, SZA, City Girls and more.

Check out the “Best Friends” Remix above.

The next phase of DJ Khaled’s career is officially here. The producer tapped Drake and Lil Baby for “Staying Alive,” a video which finds Lil B performing surgery and Khaled giving his own form of a pep talk to women nurses. As for the music, there is an obvious Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” interpolation in the hook, but the two rappers turned in some of their best verses to date.

“Staying Alive” is the leadoff single for the highly promoted God Did album set to release on August 26. As usual, DJ Khaled is hellbent on reminding everyone of his naysayers’ lack of faith and how divine intervention has led him to the success he now enjoys. Heading into his thirteenth studio album, he could not have picked two better feature artists.

Drake, a longtime Khaled collaborator, is still riding the momentum of his June surprise album Honestly, Nevermind which came just nine months after his sixth studio album Certified Lover Boy. Lil Baby has been ubiquitous in Hip-Hop over the last few years, being tapped for features and delivering his own tracks “U-Digg,” “Frozen,” “Right On,” and “In A Minute.” Not to mention consecutive Nicki Minaj collaborations in “Do We Have A Problem?” and “Bussin.”

The Six God may be the undisputed leader of the game right now, but Lil Baby is on top when it comes to his peers. Now it is just a matter of who else DJ Khaled has in the tuck for God Did. Who else went against the grain and believed in him like Drake and Lil Baby?

Check out “Staying Alive” above.