Category: Viral

Dev Hynes has proven himself to be an artist who is well versed in multiple styles, whether he’s playing R&B as Blood Orange, scoring films like Queen & Slim, or performing classical music. Today he is showing off his skills in the latter field by sharing a piano improvisation he performed, based on the Julius Eastman composition “Evil N*****.”

The performance took place last month as part of Black Power Live, a virtual music festival presented by FORM and Jammcard, which also featured performances by artists like Kamasi Washington and Vagabon. Aside from sharing the audio of the performance, Hynes also posted the video, in which he hunches over his piano and riffs on the song.

Eastman was a minimalist composer born in 1940 and who passed away in 1990. He often gave his works provocative titles, like “Crazy N*****” and “Gay Guerrilla.” The New Yorker noted that Eastman said he uses the word “n*****” in his works because it represents “a basicness, a fundamentalness, and eschews that thing which is superficial or — what can we say? — elegant.” They also previously said that “Evil N*****” “becomes fixated on a minor-key figure, in falling fourths, that resembles the opening motif of Mahler’s First Symphony.”

Watch Hynes perform his “Evil N*****” improvisation above.

50 Cent‘s son has replaced him in his personal top five best rappers with the rapper whose posthumous album 50 helped produce. 50 Cent has been estranged from his oldest son Marquise since he separated from Marquise’s mother Shaniqua Tompkins in 2008. Since then, the two have feuded online multiple times but it would seem that Marquise finally found a way to really get back at his dad: By declaring that Pop Smoke is a better rapper than 50 Cent.

During a recent Instagram Live, when Marquise was asked which of the two was better, he didn’t hesitate: “Pop Smoke,” he replied, confidently. After some debate, he gave his reasoning, “Because he had both: He could do what 50 do. He sounds like him and he has melody.”

50 Cent executive produced Pop Smoke’s posthumous debut album, Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon, which accounts for the similarities between the two, although 50 did receive some criticism for stocking the album with big-name features rather than Pop Smoke’s Brooklyn drill cohorts.

Marquise’s comments aren’t likely to help the two reconcile; in a recent interview with Van Lathan, 50 noted that he “used to” love his son and would rather be related to Tekashi 69. Marquise responded on Instagram, criticizing the comment due to 69’s reputation as a snitch, referencing the similar rumors that have dogged 50 for much of his career. A reconciliation might not be impossible though. 50 recently proved that he does have the capacity to apologize when he did so to Megan Thee Stallion after joking about her shooting.

Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy returns this Friday with all sorts of switch-ups, due to Five screwing up a blinking maneuver and transporting the group back to 1960s Dallas. Everything’s bigger in Texas, and anything can happen on this show, so of course Five finds himself in the midst of a war zone when he lands. To no one’s surprise (including Five’s), the Hargreeves siblings have screwed up the timeline, and as a result (to the sound of Frank Sinatra), viewers can watch the U.S. and Soviet conflict come to a nuclear head. The action-packed results represent a lot of what comic-book fans are missing in theaters this summer.

Pure chaos unfolds when Allison rumors soliders’ heads into exploding, Klaus gathers an army of undead soldiers to assist, and Vanya’s powers remain unrivaled, but the fact that she took at chunk out of the moon (although not really her fault) is why this whole debacle is happening. That’s not to say that the whole season is apocalyptic. There’s plenty of time for levity, including all of the scenes involving Klaus’ doomsday cult (we spoke with Robert Sheehan about that lovefest and more), and Baby Pogo will also get some of the spotlight.

This opening scene, however, lays some excellent groundwork for what unfolds throughout the season, as Gabriel Bá and My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way’s graphic novels continue to come to life. The Umbrella Academy‘s second season streams on July 31.

Jaden Smith is no longer going by his full name — a trend that he began about a year ago when he was releasing videos for his project Erys — and during a recent interview with Beats 1 Radio’s Zane Lowe, he explained how his sister Willow inspired the decision and why it works with the creative endeavors he’s currently pursuing. He also gives a shout-out to David Bowie, who was well-known for inventing alter egos to differentiate his various projects from each other.

“I realized that Willow changed her name to Willow at some point in time,” he told Lowe. “And that she was no longer Willow Smith. Yeah, it took me a while. It took me a while. Because if you look Willow Smith up, it’ll still come up. But then it took me a while to see that it was just Willow. And I was like, ‘Yo. That’s so strong. You feel like you don’t have to say your last name. You’re just Willow. I create different characters for myself — that’s also one of the reasons I love Bowie so much — it’s like, Jaden, that’s music and Jaden Smith, that’s 501(c)(3), that’s acting in movies. I wanted to just make that little distinction there, just a little bit.”

The 22-year-old star not only further distinguishes himself from his famous father as just Jaden, he’s also doing so by branching out musically. His latest track, “Cabin Fever,” adopts a pop rock bent, showing that he’s growing as an artist and ready to truly make his own way.

Watch a clip of Jaden’s interview with Zane Lowe below.

Angel Olsen released her latest album, All Mirrors, last year, which arrived three years after its predecessor, 2016’s My Woman. Olsen isn’t waiting that long between albums this time, though: Yesterday, she announced that her next album, Whole New Mess, will be out in a month. She also shared the title track, and she gave it its live debut on The Tonight Show yesterday.

Like Perfume Genius before her, Olsen played the song from an empty performance space. It was just her, a guitar, and a microphone on the stage, and the camera moved around the space to capture the performance in a single, lovely shot. Olsen began the stripped down tune, “Won’t be long now before it’s really showing / It’s every season where it is I’m going / I stretch my bones out on the floor / I think I’ll really do the change.”

When announcing the album, Olsen explained the inspiration behind it, saying, “I had gone through this breakup, but it was so much bigger than that — I’d lost friendships, too. When you get out of a relationship, you have to examine who you are or were in all the relationships. I wanted to record when I was still processing these feelings. These are the personal takes, encapsulated in a moment.”

Watch Olsen perform “Whole New Mess” above.

Whole New Mess is out 8/28 via Jagjaguwar. Pre-order it here.

On May 21, 2019, author George R.R. Martin made a promise to his millions of readers: if he didn’t finish The Winds of Winter, the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, by July 29, 2020, he should be thrown in prison. Guess what day it is!

“As for finishing my book… I fear that New Zealand would distract me entirely too much. Best leave me here in Westeros for the nonce,” he wrote on his Not a Blog (current mood: amused). “But I tell you this — if I don’t have THE WINDS OF WINTER in hand when I arrive in New Zealand for worldcon, you have here my formal written permission to imprison me in a small cabin on White Island, overlooking that lake of sulfuric acid, until I’m done. Just so long as the acrid fumes do not screw up my old DOS word processor, I’ll be fine.” New Zealand’s CoNZealand (virtually) kicks off today, with Martin serving as “toastmaster.” More like roastmaster, because he’s getting roasted online.

I feel bad for Martin, I really do. Writing is hard, even when you’re not creating a dense fictional universe that was turned into one of the most popular TV shows of all-time, as he is. Maybe an isolated location, with or without sulfuric acid lake, isn’t the worst idea, though; at least it would keep him safe. GRRM, if you need some help, I’ll give you the first line for The Winds of Winter: “It was the best of times, it was the Westeros of times.”

Good luck!

(Via Not a Blog / Fandom)

BBC reports that grime star Wiley has been banned from Facebook and Instagram — which Facebook owns — after another anti-Semitic tirade the company says violated its policies. The British rapper posted anti-Semitic comments on his personal Facebook page after having a similar rant removed from Twitter. Since then, Wiley has been called out by several prominent British public figures, including the Prime Minister, who also called for Twitter to review its anti-hate protocols. Wiley was also dropped from his management and lost his label’s distribution deal as a result of his comments.

According to BBC, the posts “aimed abuse at Jewish celebrities” who had previously called him out over his initial Twitter rant. He also repeatedly mentioned a Jewish majority London neighborhood, Golders Green. The comments on his posts — numbering less than 100 each, per BBC, but still disturbing — also aimed invective at Britain’s Jewish community. Wiley’s fan page was also removed, although the posts did not appear on the fan page. Initially, his accounts were suspended but later, they were removed entirely. A Facebook spokesperson said Wiley’s account had “repeated violations” of Facebook’s policies.

WIley’s actions and the reaction to them mirror Nick Cannon’s fall from grace several weeks ago after he discussed and promoted several anti-Semitic canards on his podcast. He was dropped from his contract with Viacom, later issuing an apology. Along with Ice Cube, who shared conspiracy theory memes on Twitter, none of the rappers involved seem to believe that their actions and words were actually anti-Semitic, suggesting they don’t know what anti-Semitism actually is.

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

Before the streams, Billboard charts, accolades, and other quantitative things the music industry obsesses over, an artist’s enjoyment in their occupation should proceed all else. When undeterred by these industry pressures, it’s a wonderful thing to see an artist enjoying their spotlight and that’s exactly what Flo Milli is doing. With her debut project, Ho, Why Is You Here? the 19-year-old Alabama native has no plans to be anything besides her most authentic self and flaunt it enthusiastically for the world to savor.

Born in a state that isn’t quite known for birthing hip-hop acts outside of YBN Nahmir, NoCap, Yelawolf, and Mick Jenkins, Flo Milli first hit internet stardom with her daring take of Playboi Carti and Ethereal’s track “Beef,” one she dubbed as a Flomix. Landing on her debut project, it’s easy to see why her take of “Beef” went viral on practically every social media app. An explosion of hair-flipping teenage confidence, Flo Milli shows impenetrable zeal for being the most fly, bougie, top-notch woman around. “He love my confidence and that’s what you lack,” she proclaims. “If you think I’m stealin’ swag, b*tch, come and sue me.”

Flo Milli didn’t just stop there. In fact, her debut project Ho, Why Is You Here? is twelve songs of finger-snapping confidence at the highest levels. Maintaining a fierce attitude for the project’s half-hour duration, the Alabama-native is bold in her approach to anything that isn’t herself, something she highlights on “Like That B*tch.” Arriving in the first quarter of the project, Flo walks in with authority and quickly distances herself from those who incorrectly believed they competed with her. “I buy shit with straight cash, b*tch, you broke, you financed,” she brags. “Big top, small legs, b*tch built like a wine glass.” The sharp attack disqualifies all parties from the competition and allows her to stand atop the Olympic podium of elite women.

Ho, Why Is You Here? questions the audacity of others to stand in the same space as Flo Milli. “None of you b*tches is f*ckin’ with me” she repeats on “Pocket Bigger” while sending a brash reality check on “May I” rapping, “I’m not your bestie, not your sis / I’m not the one, I am that bitch / It’s slow for these hoes.” However, as she makes clear on several instances on the album, the guys are not excluded from her reign, one that plays more like a boastful trip. “I smoked all his weed and I told him to leave,” she says on “In The Party. “Use him for his money, that’s all that I need.” Flo Milli refuses to be brought down from her self-built cloud-grazing pedestal, taking a loss is something the Alabama native has unheard and even if it were to happen, the bounce-back would practically erase it from existence.

Flo Milli is a believer in all things herself and her debut project is living proof of that. There is nothing she can’t accomplish and she’s the only person who can get in her own way. The Flo Milli that struts with infectious confidence will be damned if her progress is stunted by someone listed as a nobody in her books. The self-proclaimed “head b*tch in charge,” as she reveals on “Pussy Cat Doll,” assumes her throne and brings order to her people while banishing those opting to talk down on her instead.

Ho, Why Is You Here? finds Flo Milli arriving with a heavy dose of valiance that presents her infectious confidence in a lightly comical tone. Flo Milli is here to establish her position in the rap game and do so firmly, but not without enjoying it in the process. Just like it did for Cardi B, many of the Alabama native’s punchlines bring a smile to the face of listeners all while getting the core message across. Within hours of the project’s release, many of music’s prominent women boosted the young rapper’s album, aiming to spread the word on Flo Milli and ensure she received the moment she truly deserved. Supporting Flo Milli’s rise is nothing short of essential as she holds the talent and charisma to be one of her generation’s next stars.

Ho, Why Is You Here? is out now via RCA Records. Get it here.

Throughout the summer, comedian Dave Chappelle has been hosting social distance-friendly stand-up shows through his “Dave Chappelle & Friends: A Talk with Punchlines” series in his home state of Ohio. That’s where his powerful 8:46 special came from last month, and earlier this week, Chris Rock dropped by to perform for 100 lucky people.

According to Consequence of Sound, “The privacy of the shows has been part of their charm, and little has leaked in the way of photos or clips. It was Rock who broke the embargo, sharing two pictures from the secretive event on Instagram.” He also revealed the night’s secret guest, writing, “So I went to Ohio and did a Covid tested show with Dave and Jim Carrey on FaceTime. Crazy year indeed. Jim closed the show. It’s been a horrible year but this was definitely a bright spot.”

I’m not sure if this technically counts as Carrey’s return to stand-up after he claimed in 2017 that he had “no” interest in doing so, but for those in attendance, it must have been a treat to see the Ace Ventura star returning to his comedy roots. Sure, it was through an app on a phone (the only working phone in the venue), but still! Here’s another look.

No word on if he answered the call by saying “hello” through his butt.

(Via Consequence of Sound)

Seth Rogen’s not afraid to upset countries (see: North Korea back with 2014’s The Interview), and now, he’s speaking his mind on Israel. In HBO Max’s upcoming An American Pickle movie, Rogen portrays a 1920s Jewish immigrant who falls into a pickle vat and wakes up a century later to meet his grandson, also played by Rogen. The outspoken U.S.-Canadian actor, who is Jewish, visited with Marc Maron (also Jewish) on the WTF Podcast. Over the course of the hour, they dug deep into The Pineapple Express actor’s views (with which Maron agrees) on Israel.

While addressing his childhood, Rogen (whose parents met in Israel) revealed that he was never told (while attending Jewish camp) that the Jewish state had been created on land where Palestinians were living at the time. Rogen and Maron candidly discussed the subject with Maron pointing out that “we’re gonna piss off a bunch of Jews.” Rogen wasn’t deterred, stating that “I was fed a huge amount of lies about Israel my entire life.” He maintained that he was never told that Palestinians occupied the land, and his schooling made “it seem like it was just like sitting there, like the fucking door’s open.” Rogen then questioned why Israel exists at all:

“If it is for truly the preservation of Jewish people, it makes no sense, because again, you don’t keep something you’re trying to preserve all in one place — especially when that place is proven to be pretty volatile, you know? ‘I’m trying to keep all these things safe, I’m gonna put them in my blender and hope that that’s the best place… that’ll do it.’ It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Maron, who realized that there would be backlash coming their way, pointed out that “I get frightened to talk about it.” To that, Rogen exclaimed, “I’m afraid of Jews! I’m 100% afraid of Jews.” Certainly, the conversation won’t ease any tensions between Israel and many North American Jews. Rogen’s perspective aligns with a refugee crisis that remains unresolved, given that during the 1948 war, a mass exodus occurred (numbering around 700,000 Palestinians) from Israel. The exiting families and their descendants now number several million people.

The Jerusalem Post‘s Lahav Harkov has responded to Rogen in a tweet thread, in which she claims that his “comments are made from a position of really, really great privilege – and ignorance – if he can’t understand why Israel makes sense to millions of Jews around the world. I just hope he appreciates it.”

Rogen and Maron did also talk about An American Pickle during their hour-long chat. In doing so, Rogen revealed that he and Simon Rich first envisioned it back in 2007 when Rogen first hosted SNL. While speaking to the movie’s long gestation, he revealed, “It was a hard movie to crack, the tone is weird and it’s something that I wanted to spend a lot of time making sure we got right.” The HBO Max movie streams on August 6.

(Via WTF Podcast)