Category: Viral

Joyner Lucas returns with a remix of Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” entitled “What’s Gucci” — a song that joins a long list of remixes by the Massachusetts-bred artist, including ones for 21 Savage’s “Bank Account” and Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA.” In conjunction with the newly-released single, Lucas also said he would also soon release a remix of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s chart-topping hit, “WAP.”

Prior to the new remix, Lucas confirmed that his upcoming EP, Evolution, would arrive next month, on September 18. Lucas shared the cover to Evolution on his Instagram page, which depicts the face of a younger Lucas on his adult body. The EP would serve as his second release of the year following the album ADHD from March. After a slew of delays and pre-release singles, the album arrived with 18 songs and guest appearances from Logic, Young Thug, Fabolous, and more.

Aside from the album, another high point in the year came when Lucas shared a video for his ADHD track, “Will.” In it, Lucas celebrated Will Smith and his numerous acting roles over the last decade. The actor later joined Lucas on a remix of the track.

Listen to “What’s Gucci” above.

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

A very difficult week for the basketball community continued on Saturday, as the UConn and NBA families lost Clifford Robinson at 53 years old, as confirmed by the UConn men’s basketball team on Twitter.

Robinson was part of Jim Calhoun’s first teams at UConn, helping build a program that would become one of the nation’s best and most consistent teams for decades. In the NBA, he played for 18 seasons, earning Sixth Man of the Year honors in 1992-93 and appearing in the All-Star Game in 1994 while a member of the Portland Trail Blazers. He would later play for the Suns, Pistons, Warriors, and Nets. For his career he averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from three-point range.

Robinson ranks 13th all time in games played in the NBA, having played 1,380 games and being one of the league’s true iron men. He also was ahead of his time in the NBA as a stretch big man, as he ranks 55th in NBA history in career made three-pointers with 1,253 and 52nd in three-point attempts with 3,515.

Fans beyond the NBA got to know Robinson as he was a beloved figure during his time on the 28th season of Survivor. Robinson had battled cancer in recent years, but no official cause of death was given for Robinson’s passing.

Last week, former Disney Channel star Bella Thorne broke records when she joined OnlyFans, the subscription service known as “the paywall of porn.” Within 24 hours of joining, the actress had racked up a whopping $1 million in revenue from new subscribers. She was only getting started: By the end of the week she had added another million. But there’s one group of people who weren’t pleased with Thorne’s windfall: sex workers, who claim her presence has negatively affected their own business.

According to The Wrap, some OnlyFans members voiced their frustration over social media. “So cute how Bella Thorne made her OnlyFans on a whim without doing an [ounce] of research on how it would impact the community and she immediately f–ed it up for us,” wrote OnlyFans user Savana Solo.
“LOVE that!”

What are some of the accusations laid at Thorne’s feet? For one thing, after the enormous sum she acquired, OnlyFans put a cap on how much users are allowed to charge for pay-per-view content. That reportedly came after Thorne, who had been charging $20 a month for no-nudity content, was allegedly charging a $200 for a photoset. On top of that, OnlyFans suddenly extended the waiting period for when users can cash out their earnings, from seven days to thirty.

In a statement provided to The Wrap, OnlyFans denied that any of their new changes had anything to do “any one user,” and that the transaction limits were “set to help prevent overspending.”

In an interview, Thorne stated that she sees her OnlyFans account as a way that she “can really just be more personal with my fans.” But she also said she primarily joined it as a form of research for a project she claimed she was making with filmmaker Sean Baker, of Tangerine and The Florida Project. But Baker — some of whose films are deeply compassionate looks at people who work in the sex industry — denied that that project had ever gone beyond a meeting.

“I would like to make it clear that the news of me making a film (documentary or fiction narrative) about OnlyFans and using Bella Thorne as research is false. I’m NOT attached to this project,” Baker wrote. “Earlier this month I had a conversation with Ms. Thorne and discussed a possible collaboration in the far future that would focus on her life and the circumstances leading to her joining OnlyFans.”

Furthermore, he said he does not approve of Thorne’s action negatively impacting the sex worker industry. “On that call, I advised her team to consult with sex workers and address the way she went about this as to NOT hurt the sex worker industry. This has been the extent of my involvement,” he wrote. “I’m an ally and have literally devoted my career to tell stories that remove stigma and normalize lifestyles that are under attack. I would never do anything that could possibly hurt the community.”

Thorne isn’t the only major celebrity to recently create an OnlyFans account. Cardi B launched one in early August, promising a behind-the-scenes look at her and Megan Thee Stallion’s in-some-circles-controversial single “WAP.”

(Via The Wrap)

Chadwick Boseman only broke through in 2014, after playing Jackie Robinson in the biopic 42. In the short period that he was a major star, he racked up a peerless résumé, playing other great African-American historical figures, like James Brown in Get On Up and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall. He also played a key role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as T’Challa, aka Black Panther — the franchise’s first black superhero to get a solo movie.

The MCU employs a ton of great actors, so it was inevitable that when news broke Friday night of Boseman’s death to colon cancer — a struggle he kept quiet, telling only close family and friends — many of his colleagues would sound off on social media, paying tribute to an actor who everyone assumed had decades’ more great work in him.

There was Nick Fury himself, Samuel L. Jackson.

There was Chris Evans.

And Mark Ruffalo.

And Chris Hemsworth

Don Cheadle, the MCU’s first black superhero, whose “Rhodey” Rhodes suited up as War Machine back in 2010’s Iron Man 2, was there to honor him.

So was Brie Larson.

And Chris Pratt.

And Zoe Saldana.

Tom Holland, the youngest MCU superhero, was there to honor him.

Ditto Clark Gregg, who’s played S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson since the start.

Taika Waititi, who now directs the Thor pictures and voices Korg, weighed in.

As did Marvel Studios itself.

One of the most moving tributes came from Angela Bassett, who played T’Challa’s mom in Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame, and who shared the story of how they first met, long before they played mother and son.

On Friday night, the world was shocked to learn of the death of Chadwick Boseman, who had spent the last four years quietly battling colon cancer. He was only 43. Tributes to the acclaimed actor came pouring in, from fans, from colleagues from Marvel and elsewhere, from musicians and sports figures, stunned at the incalculable loss. One of the most moving of these came from Angela Bassett, who played Ramonda, mother of Boseman’s T’Challa in Black Panther.

“It was meant to be for Chadwick and me to be connected, for us to be family,” the Oscar-nominated actress wrote on her Instagram feed. “But what many don’t know is our story began long before his historic turn as Black Panther.”

Her story went as follows:

“During the premiere party for Black Panther, Chadwick reminded me of something. He whispered that when I received my honorary degree from Howard University, his alma mater, he was the student assigned to escort me that day. And here we were, years later as friends and colleagues, enjoying the most glorious night ever! We’d spent weeks prepping, working, sitting next to each other every morning in makeup chairs, preparing for the day together as mother and son. I am honored that we enjoyed that full circle experience. This young man’s dedication was awe-inspiring, his smile contagious, his talent unreal. So I pay tribute to a beautiful spirit, a consummate artist, a soulful brother…”thou aren’t not dead but flown afar…”. All you possessed, Chadwick, you freely gave. Rest now, sweet prince.” #WakandaForever

Bassett also appeared as Ramonda in Avengers: Endgame. On top of that, she and Boseman both appeared in a 2008 episode of ER — a full six years before his break-out role in the 2014 Jackie Robinson biopic 42.

We’re deep into spirits award season and the accolades continue to drop. This week, the Internation Beverage Competitions — which runs spirits, beer, and wine competitions in Berlin, Melbourne, New York, and Hong Kong — just dropped their list of 2020 winners from the New York slate of spirits. All told 42 spirits across eight categories were awarded the coveted “Double Gold” this year. While there were a lot of favorites in the mix (shout out to Uncle Nearest), Jim Beam Single Barrel also popped up in the Double Gold winner’s list. We dig it.

Jim Beam often gets overlooked for being too big a brand with too many expressions. That’s a shame. Standard Jim Beam is solid workhorse bourbon to have on your shelf. Their rye is a delight. And their single barrel is a damn fine bourbon at one of the most accessible price points for any single barrel bourbon out there.

This is a bottle you should have on hand. Let’s break down why with our tasting notes.

Jim Beam Single Barrel

ABV: 47.5%
Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory)
Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

A classic mash of corn, rye, and malted barley is the base of this bourbon. Where this expression veers from the inexpensive standard most people know is the aging that goes into this dram. While standard Jim Beam is aged for around four years, this single barrel expression goes as long as it needs (though there’s no age statement).

The barrels are hand-selected by Jim Beam’s head distiller when those barrels hit just the right point of both look and taste. That means that less than one percent of the barrels in the Jim Beam rickhouses are used in this expression.

Tasting Notes:

This is a classic bourbon in every sense. The nose opens with a clear note of oily vanilla pods next to campfire embers spitting wisps of smoke. Fairground kettle corn dripping in caramel and crisp, tart apples mingle with heavily charred oak with an orange zest edge and ground dark spices. That spiciness edges into pepper territory as a billow of dark chocolate powder comes in on the end, especially with a few drops of water. The sip tends to fade away at just the right pace as your body warms and senses come alive.

Bottom Line:

I tend to keep this on hand to pour after dinners with a single rock. People are always pleasantly surprised when I tell them it’s just Jim Beam. And, at around $35 a bottle, you can actually keep this one stocked.

Chadwick Boseman, known best for his roles as T’Challa in the Black Panther and James Brown in Get On Up, died at 43 Friday after privately battling with stage IV colon cancer. Upon news of his death, many musicians like Chance The Rapper, Drake, The Weeknd, SZA, Kehlani, and more came forward to mourn the actor’s death and send his family their prayers.

Chance The Rapper took to Instagram to share a heartfelt photo of Boseman with his wife and daughter. “Thanks for being so kind,” the rapper wrote. “God bless you and your family.”

SZA, who collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the Black Panther soundtrack, said she was “honored” to have had the chance to meet Boseman. “thank you for changing our lives,” she wrote continuing: “thank you for always being kind. I’m so Honored to have met you at all.”

Drake, Kehlani, and The Weeknd also expressed their heartbreak over Bosemen’s passing. “gone way too soon,” The Weeknd wrote.

Other artists like Tinashe and indie group Mannequin Pussy praised the actor for continuing to star in films amid his health struggles.

See Chance The Rapper, Drake, The Weeknd, SZA, and more react to Boseman’s sudden passing above.

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

It’s been a tough week around the NBA. Players were left reeling after the news of another unarmed Black man shot by police officers, such that it prompted a historic and unprecedented walkout that has resulted in NBA owners agreeing to use their considerable power, money, and influence to affect social change.

But after the emotional rollercoaster of the past few days, there was no rest for the weary, as news of Chadwick Boseman’s death from colon cancer rocked the league once again. Boseman was 43 and had been undergoing treatment since 2016, while somehow starring in several major films during that time, including his iconic role as T’Challa in Black Panther, among many others.

Boseman was friends with several stars around the league and was often a fixture at NBA games, perhaps most memorably the 2018 Slam Dunk Contest, during which he loaned his Black Panther mask to Victor Oladipo for one of his dunks — he also judged the 2020 NBA Dunk Contest.

Boseman’s death has hit the league hard, and there was an immediate outpouring of grief on social media to pay respects to one of the talented and accomplished young actors of his generation.

Smh it’s just to much going on right now……. R.I.H #BlackPanther https://t.co/Vh9WvZz1bP

— Victor Oladipo (@VicOladipo) August 29, 2020

RIP https://t.co/8dgvrzumiZ

— Mike Conley (@MCONLEY10) August 29, 2020

this year ain’t it at all

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) August 29, 2020

R.I.P

— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) August 29, 2020

2020 ain’t shit.

— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) August 29, 2020

Rest in power @chadwickboseman !! Your legacy will live forever. 2020 man, been a tough one

— klay thompson (@KlayThompson) August 29, 2020

https://t.co/Pafd2yDjEs

— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) August 29, 2020

pic.twitter.com/SyolW0OSzk

— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) August 29, 2020

2020!

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 29, 2020

Mannnn no way!!! RIP KING https://t.co/q4aue9j2Xw

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) August 29, 2020

Rest in power, Chadwick Boseman. pic.twitter.com/7NN7YeEYeA

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) August 29, 2020

RIP legend https://t.co/j2yLUjzrVB

— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) August 29, 2020

Unreal https://t.co/rj5FJRsfn7

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorld37) August 29, 2020

Fighter till the end I’m sick https://t.co/pwS6onydNl

— JJJ (@jarenjacksonjr) August 29, 2020

Wakanda Forever!! RIP Black Panther

— Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) August 29, 2020

No way…

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) August 29, 2020

Chadwick Boseman?????????????? It can’t be…

— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) August 29, 2020

When you think this year can’t get worse R.I.P legend https://t.co/9O0hvBS9dF

— Jusuf Nurkić (@bosnianbeast27) August 29, 2020

https://t.co/JwBs3QrESf

— SLOWMO (@KyleAnderson5) August 29, 2020

https://t.co/ewj59WofBF

— Brandon Clarke (@brandonclarke23) August 29, 2020

Ciara’s 2004 debut single “Goodies” put the singer on the map as a break-out star, lead to an eponymous record, and many more hits. Only 18 at the time, Ciara’s single stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for several consecutive weeks. But Ciara recently revealed the song was nearly given to another pop star at the time, namely Britney Spears.

In a recent segment on her Apple Music show Level Up Radio, Ciara said she was under the impression the song was hers after she penned the track with a handful of producers, but that was not the case. Instead, she had to audition the track to her label. “I had to reaudition again, to be picked up and to be made a priority on the label. I did that, had a showcase, rocked it,” she said.

At the time of the audition, Ciara said her label was considering passing the song along to Spears. “Not knowing that behind the scenes, there was a conversation about this song being potentially taken from me and given to an artist like Britney Spears, who was on the same roster as me,” she said. “I learned about the story later, but the crazy thing for me is that if I would’ve known about it then, I would have fought tooth and nail.”

The singer continued that her experience was just one of the many “challenges” that comes with working in the music industry, but she’s happy she now has her own label. “When I had this record, I knew that it was a very, very special record,” Ciara said. “And I worked so hard on this record and this industry can sometimes bring you incredible challenges, hence why I love the power of having my own record label.”

Listen to the full episode of Level Up Radio here.

The NBA Playoffs came to an abrupt halt earlier this week when the Milwaukee Bucks staged a walkout to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man from Kenosha, Wisconsin who has reportedly been left paralyzed after officers fired at him seven times at close range.

In the wake of the wildcat strike, the players, the players’ union, and the owners held several meetings, both privately and with one another to determine the best way forward and exert pressure on the Board of Governors to come up with a concrete plan that would help enact concrete social justice reform.

The league announced the specifics of that plan on Friday, which includes, among other things, the use of team-owned arenas as voting locations in the coming elections, targeted ads and commercials designed to educate the public on social justice initiatives, and the earmarking of funds to put toward programs in education and civil relief in poor, minority communities across the country.

Prior to this outcome, it emerged that LeBron James and a group of players had reached out to former President Barack Obama for advice on how to best proceed with a plan that would prompt meaningful change. Later on Friday, Obama’s office released this statement on their conversation.

Statement from President Obama’s office on conversations with LeBron James and co: pic.twitter.com/87VdRKCrdN

— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 29, 2020

On the heels of the league’s renewed emphasis on social reform, the players announced that they would resume the NBA Playoffs where they left off on Saturday with the three-game slate that was originally scheduled for Wednesday, as well as an updated schedule for Sunday. They’ve since released the new schedules for Monday and Tuesday, so after a brief hiatus and a serious gut check on its priorities, the NBA is back in full swing in Orlando.