Category: Viral

Chadwick Boseman’s death at age 43 came as a shock to almost everyone. Even Spike Lee, who directed Boseman in this year’s Da 5 Bloods, never suspected that anything was amiss with Boseman’s health. The Black Panther star shielded virtually everyone from news of his Stage 3 diagnosis in 2016 — the same year he first appeared as the MCU’s T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War, all the way though Avengers: Endgame. A new report from the Hollywood Reporter reveals that even Marvel Chief Kevin Feige had no idea that Boseman was ill, and of course, people are now wondering what this all means for Black Panther 2 (due to arrive in May 2022).

According to the report, Boseman (who suffered from Stage 4 colon cancer with noticeable weight loss this year) fully believed “until about a week before his death that he was going to beat cancer and would be able to gain the weight back.” He hoped to do so prior to Black Panther 2‘s planned filming date in March 2021. Boseman also wished to start training for the sequel in September, but then his health took a turn for the worse. Here’s more about Boseman’s desire to keep his condition under wraps:

Only a handful of non-family members knew that Boseman was sick, including producing partner Logan Coles, longtime agent Michael Greene, trainer Addison Henderson and 42 director Brian Helgeland — with varying degrees of knowledge about the severity of the actor’s condition. No one involved with Black Panther was aware, says a source. It was Boseman’s wish to keep his cancer battle private.

Given that Boseman was so beloved in the King T’Challa role (he was also heroic offscreen as well as in his other cinematic endeavors), there’s little reason to believe that Marvel Studios and Disney would dream of having another actor portray T’Challa in a sequel to the 2018 movie that grossed over $1 billion.

Hollywood Reporter discusses that point, as well as an option that might be feasible: to have Letitia Wright’s Shuri, sister of T’Challa become the new Black Panther. It’s an idea that will probably find (bittersweet) audience support, especially considering that fans panicked while worrying whether Shuri would survive the snap. The idea of Shuri becoming the new Black Panther also slides into comic-book lore, so surely, Feige and the rest of Marvel Studios will tie up all the proper knots if they decide to make it happen.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

Long the target of NBA teams in need of a strong player development mind in their head coaching seat, Villanova head men’s basketball coach Jay Wright was bound to get tied up in rumors again this offseason with the Philadelphia 76ers’ vacancy right in his backyard.

Wright is one of the most successful coaches in recent NCAA men’s basketball history, having won four national championships last decade and produced numerous NBA players in his program. And while he’s clearly qualified for an NBA job, rather than allow rumors to percolate, Wright announced on Twitter on Wednesday that he is not in the running to coach the Sixers.

“The 76ers have an incredible leader in Elton Brand, outstanding young talent, and an incredible opportunity for any coach to compete for a championship,” Wright wrote. “As a lifetime 76ers fan, I have confidence they will bring in the right coach to build on what Brett Brown has developed.”

In recent years, teams have targeted Wright to develop their young players and be a strong leader for their team. Wright turned numerous players into NBA prospects while building Villanova from an experimental program that played ultra-small into a consistent powerhouse in the sport, with two national championship rings as proof of concept. But it seems Wright’s comfort at Villanova and success every year are too good a gig to give up to coach elsewhere in Philadelphia.

Chicago’s Tobi Lou pays homage to his hometown in the oddly tranquil video for his new single, “Pretty Much.” Shot all in one day in Southern California, the Windy City native manages to throw a salute to his roots in the form of a video-in-a-video appearance from Chief Keef. While much of the video revolves around Tobi’s laid-back performance in a deserted poppy field, those shots are interspersed with an in-studio performance with Keef’s “I Don’t Like” video projected on the wall behind him while he raps on a stage.

“Pretty Much” is the first single from Tobi’s upcoming sophomore album, Parrish Blue, which is due this autumn and follows his recently-released EP, Lingo Starr. Parrish Blue appears on Uproxx’s Most Anticipated Albums Of Fall 2020 list after his debut album, Live On Ice, made waves last year, putting him in contention for a spot on XXL‘s coveted Freshman Class cover for 2020. While he didn’t quite make the cut, being included on the outlet’s shortlisted fan voting site undoubtedly raised his profile, as did appearances on Peter Cottontale’s recent album alongside Chance The Rapper, Kota The Friend’s Everything album on the song “Morocco,” and on the soundtrack to Netflix’s original film Beats. Although he stays out of the sort of controversies that granted Chief Keef notoriety, it won’t be long before Tobi Lou is just as well-known as his Second City compatriot.

Watch Tobi Lou’s “Pretty Much” video.

The November election is just over sixty days away and Kanye’s presidential campaign is continuing their push to have the rapper included on as many state ballots as possible. But the effort is proving difficult as Kanye has either been banned or removed from a handful of ballots. The rapper will not appear on Illinois’ ballot as his campaign was found of using thousands of false signatures. Now, Kanye’s campaign is once again being accused of fraudulent actions, this time in Virginia.

According to a report from Rolling Stone, Kanye’s campaign is facing legal challenges against appearing on Virginia’s ballot. Kanye’s campaign was originally successful getting the correct number of electors and voter signatures needed to secure a ballot slot, and it was announced that he would, in fact, appear on Virginia ballots. However, two electors are now claiming they were duped into vouching for Kanye’s presidency, and they want him removed from the ballot.

Matthan Wilson and Bryce Wright were two electors who had originally signed onto Kanye’s campaign. They’ve now filed a writ which claims they have no intention of voting for him in November. In the writ, Wilson alleges he was approached by a member of Kanye’s campaign, who never once mentioned the rapper’s name when asking for his support:

“On or about August 11, 2020, Plaintiff Matthan Wilson was approached by a representative of the West campaign while he was riding his bike. The representative asked Wilson to sign to be an ‘elector for the state’ and told him that his name ‘would be entered into a pool to be individually picked to be part of the Electoral College.’ Wilson was not told that he was committing to vote for West or any other candidate. At the time Wilson signed the Elector Oath, he did not know he was signing to be an elector for West: ‘Kanye West’s name was never mentioned.’”

Both Wilson and Wright are seeking immediate action from the Virginia Board of Elections as mail-in ballots will be sent out to citizens on September 4. As of now, Kanye remains on the ballot but time will tell if the rapper’s name will be removed.

Read the full writ here.

The sibling bond between Chadwick Boseman‘s T’Challa and Letitia Wright‘s Shuri is one of the numerous highlights of Black Panther, which presumably has a lot to do with the real-life bond that quickly formed between the two actors. As Boseman’s death continues to reverberate around the world, Wright shared a personal and touching visual poem on Instagram to honor the late actor.

In the 5-minute video, Wright narrates over a series of nature photos and candid moments featuring Boseman as she expresses the shock of losing the man she immediately loved as a brother. In an emotional moment, Wright shares that she messaged Boseman a few times before his death, but assumed he was just busy. “I didn’t know you were dealing with so much. But against all the odds, you remained focused on fulfilling your purpose with the time handed to you,” Wright says. “God told me that you are my brother and that I am to love you as such. And I always did, and I always will.”

You can watch Letitia Wright’s tribute to Chadwick Boseman below:

The instant connection between Boseman and Wright was also noted in Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s tribute to Boseman who recalled the first time the actors met. While praising Boseman for coming to every audition for supporting roles, which most lead actors in major Hollywood movies don’t do, Coogler specifically remembered Wright’s ability to shatter Boseman’s defenses and break his stoic demeanor while in character.

“He was there for several M’Baku auditions,” Coogler wrote. “In Winston Duke’s, he turned a chemistry read into a wrestling match. Winston broke his bracelet. In Letitia Wright’s audition for Shuri, she pierced his royal poise with her signature humor, and would bring about a smile to T’Challa’s face that was 100% Chad.”

(Via Letitia Wright on Instagram)

January 15th, 1994, wasn’t just any other winter day. It was the day when the now-iconic rapper Snoop Dogg dropped his debut album Doggystyle. It’s also the day we first heard Snoop’s tribute to pot-smoking, drink sipping, and house-partying called “Gin & Juice.”

This week, more than 25 years later, Snoop is paying homage to the classic song about the simple cocktail of gin and fruit juice (usually grapefruit juice) by launching his own gin brand. It should come as no surprise that the man who set a world record when he made a 500-liter gin and juice cocktail (a Paradise cocktail technically) back in 2018 would eventually start his own gin brand. It’s called INDOGGO, and even though it immediately makes us think of IndieGoGo, it was designed to be a “laid-back” California-style gin.

It should come as no surprise that while Snoop Dogg knows an awful lot about crafting lyrics, he doesn’t know much about making gin. That’s why he partnered with Keenan Towns of Trusted Beverages — a beverage supplier known for creating celebrity wine and spirits brands — as well as Prestige Beverage Group to make his gin-filled dream a reality.

“I can’t wait for the world to taste my remix on gin,” Snoop said in a press release. “When I wrote ‘Gin & Juice’ back in ’94 it was about good feelings and real experiences, it just naturally became a global anthem.”

His goal with INDOGGO was to recreate those same feelings from 25 years ago. He did this by making a gin that was distilled five times and is smooth enough to drink on its own as it is to mix into his favorite cocktail. It’s made from seven herbs and botanicals but really makes a statement by being infused with natural strawberry flavor. Unlike many gins, it doesn’t rely on a large kick of juniper to get its point across. Instead, it carries a lot of orange peel, coriander, and cassia bark flavors in an effort to make it more well-rounded.

It should be noted that this isn’t Snoop Dogg’s first foray into the booze world. This summer, he collaborated with 19 Crimes Wine to launch Snoop Cali Red, a blend of Lodi-based Petite Syrah, Zinfandel, and Merlot.

The wine is readily available, but the gin is set to launch this month in California only. If you live anywhere else, you won’t have to wait long to make your own gin and juice as it will be available throughout the U.S. by the spring of 2021.

It’s not the same thing as a fancy in-person world premiere, complete with a red carpet and photographers screaming “over here! over here!” at celebrities, but Shithouse had its digital world premiere at this year’s called South by Southwest, where it won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative. The college romance was written and directed by Cooper Raiff, who also stars as a college freshman who’s having a tough time adjusting to his new life away from home. But then he meets a sophomore played by Dylan Gelula (Xanthippe from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt!). They quickly become friends until things get complicated after — you know where this is going — they sleep together.

The plot may sound familiar, but as IndieWire‘s David Ehrlich writes in his glowing review, “Here’s the catch: It’s good. Like, really good. And more than that, it somehow feels completely singular despite its lo-fi approach and even lower-concept premise.” I would also accept, “Sh*thouse? More like, not a sh*tty movie!” as a review.

Alex (Cooper Raiff) is a lonely, friendless college freshman who is seriously contemplating transferring to a college closer to his mom and sister, to whom he is still extremely tethered. Everything changes one night when Alex takes a leap and attends a party at his campus’ party house “Shithouse,” where he forges a strong connection with his RA, Maggie (Dylan Gelula).

Shithouse opens in theaters and debuts on VOD on October 16.

It feels like just yesterday that we were all bouncing around house parties singing along to The Front Bottoms’ “Flashlight” from their 2011 self-titled debut. But somehow the New Jersey duo just released their fifth LP, In Sickness & In Flames. The band is more focused than ever, honing in on their ever-improving pop sensibilities, which come fully into form across the album’s twelve tracks. In Sickness & In Flames features the band’s biggest choruses to date, anchored with hooks and deeply personal songwriting that will turn heads. Watching this band grow over the last several years from writing eccentric acoustic ballads to arena-filling pop-rock anthems has been a true joy.

To celebrate the new album, Brian Sella and Mathew Uychich talk Marvin Gaye, hot dogs, and Alaska in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Fun punk rock poetry.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

As a good time. Don’t take life so serious.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

Fairbanks, Alaska.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

We find a lot of inspiration and support in each other. So we’re always finding ways to imagine new things.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Hotdogs in our toaster.

What album do you know every word to?

We can’t even remember all the words to our albums.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Manchester Orchestra at the Ryman Auditorium.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

No shoes, only socks. It’s the way we’re most comfortable.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

We don’t have personal Twitter or Instagram accounts.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”

What album makes for the perfect gift?

The new TFB album, In Sickness & In Flames

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

A chicken house.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

Mat’s first tattoo is a music note, no big story behind it, he just wanted to get a tattoo.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

One we have never heard of before.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Listened to our music.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

“Do what you want to do!”

What’s the last show you went to?

Corona Capital Festival in Mexico City.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Cast Away.

What would you cook if Kanye were coming to your house for dinner?

We guess we’d leave that decision up to Kanye.

In Sickness & In Flames is out now on Fueled By Ramen. Listen here.

The Front Bottoms are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Gus Dapperton first captivated audiences with his slow-burning bedroom pop sound on his 2017 debut EP Yellow And Such. But with his upcoming sophomore album Orca, the singer is honing his sound and shifting to more introspective, moody pop ballads. Offering another preview of the record, Dapperton shares “Medicine,” one of his most stripped-down efforts yet.

The singer previously said much of his album was written after he had come off a tumultuous tour. Dapperton was stuck in unhealthy habits on the road and turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. “Medicine” is an example of a track Dapperton penned after deciding to get help. Opening with melancholy piano keys, Dapperton croons a reflection on healing and struggling to kick an addiction. “I always say I’ll get ahead of it / But every time they try to fix me up / I get addicted to the medicine,” he sings.

In a statement alongside the single’s release, Dapperton “this track defines the album most explicitly. I wrote it as a song that would narrate my life. ‘Medicine’ is about someone who is self destructive so that they can get high off of the process of healing. the hurting phase is of no concern to them.” The singer added on Twitter that the track is his “favorite” song he’s ever written.

Listen to Dapperton’s “Medicine” above.

Orca is out 9/18 via AWAL. Pre-order it here.

Another week, and another controversy for the Mission: Impossible 7 production as it pushes through Europe to completion.

This time, the Tom Cruise spy thriller finds itself in hot water after renting a pair of cruise ships in Norway. According to reports, at least one of the boats will serve as a “hotel-ship” for the cast and crew, but there is no official confirmation on their intended use. However, the more concerning issue is that the production is allegedly violating the Norwegian Immigration act by using the ships’ underpaid Filipino crews. The move has put Cruise and the filmmaking team in the crosshairs of two local labor unions.

Via Variety:

“It is completely unsustainable that it should be possible to only dock a boat with a wage level down to NOK 29 [$3.30] per hour,” union leader Johnny Hansen told the Norwegian Seamen’s Association.

“It is not okay to use a ship that is to go in international shipping as a hotel in Stryn, close your eyes, and hope no one will find out that the employees are not close to the pay and working conditions that are statutory,” Fellesforbund leader Jørn Eggum told Verdens Gang.

Back in July, Cruise personally called Norway’s Culture Minister in an effort to jumpstart Mission: Impossible 7‘s paused production as quickly as possible, so it remains to be seen whether this controversy will cause friction with government officials after allowing the film into the European country. The labor issue also arrives on the heels of trouble in Poland where the production faced criticism over its plan to blow up a bridge. Media headlines claimed the bridge scheduled to be detonated was a “national monument,” but director Ralph McQuarrie set the record straight in an open letter. According to McQuarrie, the bridge had no historic value, and local officials were enthusiastic about the production doing the local economy a favor by removing it, so a new one could be built to increase tourism.

(Via Variety)