Category: Viral

Perfume Genius shared his shimmering fifth studio album Set My Heart On Fire Immediately back in May. Since the singer can’t tour behind the release, he’s come up with different ways to stay engaged with his fans. The singer recently stopped by Santa Monica’s KCRW station to perform a few songs with a full band. Along with sharing some originals, the singer gave a moving rendition of Leonard Cohen‘s “Bird On The Wire.”

For his cover, Perfume Genius gave his backup band a break, opting to tackle the song with just his vocals and a piano. “If I could play this cover anywhere, I think I’d want to play it in a big church with a big pipe organ,” he said about the song. “Or, if somehow we could get the pipe organ to a deep, dark cave.”

Before covering “Bird On The Wire,” Perfume Genius gave a rendtion of his Set My Heart On Fire Immediately tracks “On The Floor” and “Jason.” Providing context to his music, the singer said: “I wrote ‘On The Floor’ about the idea of a crush, and how when it becomes desperate and obsessive, it can turn into this thing that lives on its own separate from you and almost detached from the person you care about,” he said. “Its own weird world with fictions and ideas all swirling around, and how it can be like a plague on you, and really taxing.”

In other Cohen news, the singer’s estate may sue the Republican National Convention over the use of his song “Hallelujah.” When the RNC reached out to Cohen’s label and his estate, they both promptly denied the request to use the song. But the RNC went ahead with it anyway, playing two covers of the track, which Cohen’s estate still owns the rights to. The family’s legal representative said they were “surprised and dismayed that the RNC would proceed knowing that the Cohen Estate had specifically declined the RNC’s use request, and their rather brazen attempt to politicize and exploit in such an egregious manner ‘Hallelujah’, one of the most important songs in the Cohen song catalogue.”

Listen to Perfume Genius sing “On The Floor,” “Jason,” and Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On The Wire” above.

Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is out now via Matador. Get it here.

In the days since Steve Nash was hired to coach the Brooklyn Nets, the assumption among fans and media has been that the decision was made mostly in accordance with what Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would want. And while that still may be true, Nash put to bed the idea that his hire was made with Durant’s hands on the controls.

In fact, Nash made it clear that it was him who reached out to Nets general manager Sean Marks himself, rather than the other way around. We know Nash and Durant formed a strong relationship when Nash was an advisor with the Warriors, but this was not a case of behind-the-scenes negotiations between a superstar and a coaching candidate.

“Kevin and I have a relationship, we’re friends, but I did not talk to him specifically about this,” Nash said at his introductory press conference. “For me it was really trying to hone in on what I could bring to the table here and fulfill what this franchise is looking for.”

Since being hired, Nash has spoken with both Durant and Irving, he said. Even if their blessing wasn’t the sole green light for Marks, it’s clear Nash will have to gain buy-in from both players to be successful in Brooklyn.

Nash and Durant have their own relationship — the former was a consultant with the Warriors during the latter’s tenure in the Bay — but Nash expanded upon his past with Irving as well, dating back to when the two worked out together a few years back and which has continued to the present day. Nash went on to call Irving one of his all-time favorites.

Whether Nash explicitly spoke with either star player about the job and their involvement in the search won’t matter much when the basketball begins. That Nash has cultivated relationships with both and whether he can continue to do so will be the decisive force in the Nets’ success next season as they pursue the franchise’s first championship.

Spillage Village’s upcoming album Spilligion is coming out this month after the group released the video for its lead single “End Of Daze” at the beginning of June. The Atlanta-based group — consisting of 6lack, Earthgang, Hollywood JB, JID, Jurdan Bryant, and Mereba — last released a full-length project in 2016. This time around, they’ve added new members Deanté Hitchcock and Benji, and they’ve got some impressive backing from J. Cole’s Dreamville Records after the group featured prominently on the Revenge Of The Dreamers III compilation.

Since their last album, 2016’s Bears Like This Too Much, the collective has seen a marked rise in their individual profiles — especially for core members 6lack, Earthgang, and JID. Of course, 6lack released the critically-hailed Free 6lack in 2016, following up with East Atlanta Love Letter in 2018 and most recently delivering the 6pc Hot EP all while preparing his highly-anticipated third album.

Meanwhile, JID received massive praise for his 2017 debut The Never Story and its 2018 followup DiCaprio 2, making him one of Dreamville’s biggest standouts. He’s since toured practically non-stop, only taking a break for vocal cord recovery. Finally, Earthgang’s Rags, Robots, and Royalty trilogy of EPs brought attention to their debut album Mirrorland, which they’ve been promoting with creative videos throughout the pandemic and subsequent precautionary lockdown.

Other members like Deanté Hitchcock and Mereba released solo albums of their own — Better and The Jungle Is The Only Way Out, respectively — but fans have long wondered whether the group would ever return to recording as a whole. Today, they got their answer, along with the imminent release date: September 25.

Check out the official announcement from Dreamville Records above.

While filming Mission: Impossible 7 in Europe, director Christopher McQuarrie has been sharing travel photos on Instagram to give his followers some natural scenery to enjoy. There’s just one small problem. They’re now convinced each picturesque scene will be the target of one of Tom Cruise‘s wild, death-defying stunts. Case in point, on Thursday, McQuarrie posted a photo of a scenic waterfall:

On any other Instagram account, this would be a run of the mill pic from somebody’s vacation. But when you know that Cruise is in the mix, and filming another Mission: Impossible, then the possibilities are endless. Within minutes, McQuarrie fans like YouTube filmmaker Patrick H. Willems were already going to town wondering what insanity Cruise is going to do these rapids.

The comments on McQuarrie’s Instagram post are loaded to the gills with similar suggestions. However, the director shouldn’t be surprised, and he kind of set a precedent for these sort of reactions. Earlier in the week, McQuarrie shared this photo of Cruise standing next to a massive motorcycle ramp that looks big enough to launch the actor into the stratosphere.

On top of that, Cruise and McQuarrie found themselves in hot water after local media outlets began accusing the production of planning to blow up an historic bridge. While McQuarrie was able to defuse the situation by confirming that the bridge was not a national monument and that he had local officials’ blessing, the secret is out. Mission: Impossible 7 might be out here blowing up bridges that may or may not have Tom Cruise on them. Couple that with his unyielding pursuit of being the first Hollywood actor to rocket himself into space to film his next movie, and you really can’t blame fans for seeing an innocent photo and wondering how Cruise will use it to risk his life. The guy has a brand.

(Via Christopher McQuarrie on Instagram)

Maybe it’s because I haven’t been to a movie theater since March (shoutout to The Hunt, ugh), but the release of the Dune trailer is a capital-e Event. It’s because of the cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, and Jason Momoa (I need to know how he got the “With” credit). It’s because of the director, Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. It’s because of the source material, Frank Herbert’s novel of the same, and David Lynch’s “half-satisfied” adaptation. And it’s because of the sandworms, which make a last-second appearance in the trailer above.

Here’s the official plot synopsis:

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence — a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential — only those who conquer their fear will survive.

Dune opens on December 18. Merry Christmas?

Earlier this year, Rick Moranis decided to officially end his retirement with a new Honey, I Shrunk The Kids movie (after sitting out multiple Ghostbusters opportunities), but given that the announcement dropped in February, those wheels probably aren’t turning too swiftly. Ryan Reynolds knows how to seize an opportunity, so he decided to nab Moranis for a sorta-preview event in the form of a Mint Mobile ad. The cellular company is one of Reynolds’ many investments, and he recently launched the “world’s most affordable” (and short-lived) streaming service to that end.

Now, we can take a look at Reynolds hanging out with Moranis while they promote Mint Mobile’s new unlimited plan. Reynolds uses their onscreen time to liken Moranis prolonged disappearance from the public eye to the cell company’s lack of an unlimited option. Until now.

Yes, it’s awkward, and intentionally so, but it’s good to see the 1980s mainstay, and fans of Spaceballs in particular should enjoy the absurdity of him making a return in this fashion. However, Reynolds is savvy enough in most cases, other than, you know, that plantation wedding, which he truly now knows was a “giant f*cking mistake.” It’s a nice way to tide over people who still hold a place in their heart for Rick Moranis, until he joins with Josh Gad, who will play his son (who also, you know, shrinks his kids) in the eventual Honey, I Shrunk The Kids followup.

Wiz Khalifa turned 33 years old yesterday and to celebrate, he dropped some music in the form of his Big Pimpin mixtape. Wiz must have been feeling young again despite getting a year older because he released the tape in a throwback fashion: Directly to digital mixtape site DatPiff, which was pivotal in his early come-up as it hosted early tapes like Kush & Orange Juice and Taylor Allderdice.

Big Pimpin contains 17 tracks (including three skits), with production by Harry Fraud, Mufasa, and Tai. It also includes guest appearances from Wiz’s Taylor Gang cohorts Chevy Woods, Saxlrose, and Young Deji, as well as a reunion with longtime partner-in-rhyme (and smoking), Curren$y, who comes through on the hazy “Prove It” to catch a vibe or two. The duo last collaborated on their 2019 album 2009, which commemorated ten years since their first joint mixtape, How Fly.

In other Wiz Khalifa news, the Pittsburgher is delving into the food service industry this autumn with HotBox By Wiz, a delivery-only restaurant operating in partnership with DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates, and Uber Eats in his hometown, as well as Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C., among other cities.

Listen to Wiz and Curren$y’s “Prove It” above.

Wiz Khalifa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The 2019-20 college basketball season was one of the first major sports cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some conference tournaments took place, a number were unable to reach their conclusions and, ultimately, the sport’s crown jewel was canceled, marking the first year since the NCAA Tournament’s inception that it was unable to take place.

Trying to map out next college basketball season — which appears likely to take place in some form or fashion despite the pandemic still happening — is next to impossible, but coaches from the ACC have an idea. According to multiple media reports, they would like if all 353 teams in Division I college hoops make the Tournament next season.

As Forde explained, this wouldn’t exactly mean that we have one gigantic bracket. Instead, conference tournaments would serve as the “first rounds” of the Tournament before the round of 64/68 takes place.

Having said this, adopting a tournament where every college team is eligible to play one another is a wonderful idea. This is a common thing in European soccer with tournaments like England’s FA Cup, where every team from every level of English football participates. It gives the occasional Cinderella story, but the coolest element is usually watching the biggest teams in the sport have to go to small pitches in every corner of England — could you imagine Duke having to travel to, say, Bucknell?

This, of course, is a much more feasible idea for when a pandemic isn’t happening. But in the interim, the idea of playing a gigantic tournament appears to have piqued the interest of the coaches from perhaps the sport’s most prominent conference.

AMC is announcing that The Walking Dead is coming to an end. The show will conclude after a two-year eleventh season that will span 24 episodes in all. With six more season 10 episodes coming this year and next, that means that there are still 30 episodes remaining. The series will conclude in late 2022.

In other words, there is still plenty of The Walking Dead left, and even when the series leaves the air, The Walking Dead will continue on with a spin-off focused on the popular Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) characters. That series will debut in early 2023, and Angela Kang — who currently runs The Walking Dead — will also run the spin-off.

Moreover, there will be no shortage of The Walking Dead, as AMC also also greenlight Tales of the Walking Dead, an episodic anthology from Scott Gimple with individual episodes or arcs of episodes focused on new or existing characters, backstories or other stand-alone experiences. Moreover, no plans have been announced ending Fear the Walking Dead, while the limited series, The Walking Dead: The World Beyond, will also run for two seasons.

AMC doesn’t say as much, but it’s likely that the end of The Walking Dead and The World Beyond will be capped with the Rick Grimes movies. It all makes some sense in the grand scheme, because Robert Kirkman’s source material will run out soon. My guess is that The Walking Dead and the Rick Grimes movie will essentially use up the remaining source material, while the Carol and Daryl spin-off will allow the universe to reset, so to speak, with two (and possibly more existing characters to go along with a fresh new cast.

In other words, The Walking Dead may be leaving us in two years, but The Walking Dead universe will be around for a long time to come.

Gorillaz have been releasing tracks from their Song Machine project gradually, revealing the guest on their next song shortly before the track drops. Now, though, a bunch of their upcoming collaborators have been unveiled.

This news comes via a tracklist for a deluxe compilation of the songs, Song Machine, Season One (Deluxe). The tracklist popped up on the Record Store Day website, but has since been removed (an archived version of the page can be found here). Featured artists that had not yet been announced include Elton John, 6lack (those two on the same track), St. Vincent, Beck, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Jpegmafia, Earthgang, Goldlink, and others.

A blurb about the album from the page reads:

“Song Machine, Season One is Gorillaz’ newest concept which started in January 2020, releasing brand new material episodically – as and when it happens – and has continued throughout the year. The ongoing and ever-evolving process has seen our favourite characters joined by an expanding roster of collaborators captured live in Kong Studios and beyond. The result is an expansive collection of 17 tracks embracing a myriad of sounds, styles, genres and attitudes from a breath-taking line-up of guest artists including Beck, Elton John, Fatoumata Diawara, Georgia, Kano, Leee John, Octavian, Peter Hook, Robert Smith, Roxani Arias, ScHoolboy Q, Slaves, Slowthai, St Vincent and 6LACK, as well as CHAI, EARTHGANG, Goldlink, Joan As Police Woman, JPEGMAFIA, Moonchild Sanelly, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Skepta and Tony Allen.”

Find the Song Machine, Season One (Deluxe) art and tracklist below.

1. “Strange Timez” Feat. Robert Smith
2. “The Valley Of The Pagans” Feat. Beck
3. “The Lost Chord” Feat. Leee John
4. “Pac-Man” Feat. Schoolboy Q
5. “Chalk Tablet Towers” Feat. St. Vincent
6. “The Pink Phantom” Feat. Elton John & 6lack
7. “Aries” Feat. Peter Hook and Georgia
8. “Friday 13th” Feat. Octavian
9. “Dead Butterflies” Feat. Kano & Rosani Arias
10. “Désolé [Extended Version]” Feat. Fatoumata Diawara
11. “Momentary Bliss” Feat. Slowthai and Slaves
12. “Opium” Feat. Earthgang
13. “Simplicity” Feat. Joan As Police Woman
14. “Severed Head” Feat. Goldlink and Unknown Mortal Orchestra
15. “With Love to An Ex” Feat. Moonchild Sanelly
16. “MLS” Feat. Jpegmafia and Chai
17. “How Far?” Feat. Tony Allen and Skepta

Song Machine, Season One (Deluxe) is out 10/23 via Parlophone.

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