Lately, Kid Cudi’s music future has felt a little up in the air. Towards the end of last year, he hinted he was considering the end of making music as Kid Cudi, but he later noted he has another album in him. Later, he said he recorded 11 tracks in the span of just a week. Now, the pendulum continues to swing towards productivity, as Cudi is now laying out plans for a new album cycle to start later this year.
Today (February 27), Cudi tweeted, “Album this Fall. First singles this summer. The new chapter has begun… Ur not prepared man. We’ve reached a new level.” In response to a fan asking for a tour, he added, “World tour next year. Count on it [winking emoji].”
Album this Fall. First singles this summer. The new chapter has begun…
Towards the end of 2022, he also noted some of what he was looking forward to doing in 2023, answering a fan who asked what he was looking forward to, “Man, so much. My clothing line, directing my first movie that im starring in from a script I wrote, couple movies coming out, a lil tv, Im seriously the most hyped about it all.”
Man, so much. My clothing line, directing my first movie that im starring in from a script I wrote, couple movies coming out, a lil tv, Im seriously the most hyped about it all https://t.co/yQchCE5SkD
Carlile performed “The Story” and “The Climb” with Cyrus on the first-ever Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party on December 31, 2021, while Sia appeared on the latest edition of the NBC special.
Flowers is #1 @ Pop Radio for the first time & #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 again for the 5 Week in a row! THANK YOU & I LOVE YOU! pic.twitter.com/m8ecCmc0FR
When Endless Summer Vacation was announced on January 5, a press release described Cyrus’ forthcoming eighth studio album as “her love letter to LA,” which she recorded in Los Angeles. The record was produced alongside Kid Harpoon, Greg Kurstin, Mike Will Made-It, and Tyler Johnson.
Lil Baby is going harder than ever in the wake of his undisputed star run over the past couple of years. Picking up where he left off last year with his third studio album It’s Only Me, the Atlanta native dropped the video for the album’s standout track “Forever” with Fridayy today.
The video, shot on location in the tropics, finds Baby recounting a toxic relationship with a woman he only manages to see sporadically thanks to his jet-setting lifestyle. “You be on some toxic shit but I cannot get off this bitch,” he worries. While he wonders if the couple should keep going or call it quits, Fridayy’s crooned chorus illustrates the issue in plain terms: “I know you miss me,” he sings. “Who it’s gon’ be if it ain’t me, lil’ baby?”
Upon its release in October, It’s Only Me became Lil Baby’s third No. 1 album, receiving favorable reviews for Baby’s polished technique, although some reviews were critical of its formulaic nature. Baby performed “Forever” on Saturday Night Live earlier this year, continuing his momentum and showing that he intends to continue supporting his latest album, even four months later.
Watch Lil Baby’s “Forever” video with Fridayy above.
In the battle of the animal movies, the drug-addicted bear crushed the half-man, half-ant. Cinema is back.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania dropped 69 percent in its second weekend at the box office, from $105 million to $32 million. That’s not great! In fact, it’s the biggest weekend-to-weekend decrease in the 15-year history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Meanwhile, Cocaine Bear — which had a much smaller budget than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — outperformed expectations: the Elizabeth Banks-directed film about a bear… that does cocaine made $23.1 million at the domestic box office (it was tracking to open in the $15 million to $17 million range).
Sensing an opportunity, the Asylum — the studio behind The Fast and the Fierce, 18-Year-Old Virgin, and Titanic II — has found its next low-budget ripoff. Replace a bear with an alligator and cocaine with meth, and you’ve got Attack of the Meth Gator. “Hold our bear… I mean, beer. Coming for your life this summer,” the Asylum tweeted. It’s not a bit: “This is real! We’re pumping the meth into Floridas fresh water reserves as we speak!”
The Lorretto Police Department has a reasonable request: please don’t flush your meth down the toilet. “On a more or less serious note: Folks please don’t flush your drugs m’kay,” LPD wrote on Facebook. “Now our sewer guys take great pride in releasing water that is cleaner than what is in the creek, but they are not really prepared for meth.”
The Last of Usstar Storm Reid has some choice words for any trolls who might be thinking about review-bombing the latest episode of the HBO drama: Get over it.
Episode seven’s “Left Behind” gave fans some much-needed backstory on Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her childhood in the Boston QZ. Not only did we see flashbacks of her growing up as a ward of FEDRA, but we also got to meet her best friend Riley (played by Reid), who ran away from the military detention center where they were living and enticed Ellie to join her. The girls enjoyed a night out at an abandoned mall that eventually ended in tragedy but not before they shared a kiss and confessed their feelings for each other. It was all very sweet and romantic and, of course, it triggered some people who seem to enjoy broadcasting bigotry with review ratings on sites like IMDb.
Already some viewers are complaining about the show’s decision to highlight the romance between the two girls — which was a feature of the game as well — and Reid for one is just not having it.
“I think Bella put it perfectly a couple of weeks ago: ‘If you don’t like it, don’t watch,’” the actress told Variety when asked about the potential homophobic backlash to the episode. “There’s so many other things to worry about in the world. I think being concerned about who people love is just absurd to me. I just don’t — I will never understand it. I don’t get it.”
This isn’t the first time trolls have come for the show over a Queer romance subplot. In episode three’s “Long Long Time,” guest stars Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett played a gay couple fighting for their happily ever after amid the fungal apocalypse to rave reviews from critics and more than a few zero-star ratings from the prejudiced crowd. Ramsey has addressed the controversy before, advising fans to “get used to” Queer characters appearing in the series — especially since they feature so heavily in the game — but Reid backed up that sentiment by encouraging audiences to focus on the positive when it comes to Ellie and Riley’s love story.
“I think despite what people are going to say, if they don’t like it, I think there are going to be a lot more people that appreciate it,” Reid continued. “A lot more people that feel represented and seen and heard. So that’s what matters.”
Ted Lasso is an interesting phenomenon. The series was universally acclaimed and gave fans a wholesome little sports show to take their minds off of things when the first season launched in 2020, though the follow-up season was not as well-received, and characters began betraying one another. Still, the AFC Richmond crew will return for a third (and possibly final) season next month on Apple TV, so it’s time to start perfecting your biscuit recipes now!
Season three will bring back the regular cast, including the titular Mr. Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, as he continues his coaching journey in the wild world of professional sports, while also dealing with his own personal anxieties and drama back home. This time, however, his former right-hand man Nate, played by Nick Mohammed, has gone over to work at West Ham United after betraying his former teammates/pals, who are scrambling to really “believe” here. As per the official description:
In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) steps up as assistant coach, alongside Beard (Brendan Hunt). Meanwhile, while Ted (Jason Sudeikis) deals with pressures at work, he continues to wrestle with his own personal issues back home, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) is focused on defeating Rupert and Keeley (Juno Temple) navigates being the boss of her own PR agency. Things seem to be falling apart both on and off the pitch, but Team Lasso is set to give it their best shot anyway.
While there hasn’t been any official confirmation, most of the cast has alluded to the show ending after three seasons. After winning big at last year’s Emmys, Sudeikis seemed unsure: “I don’t know. It’s up to more factors than myself.” Aside from the series, Sudeikis has had a pretty tough few months all around, so maybe he will welcome the time off.
Ted Lasso returns on March 15th. Check out the trailer above.
Lanez is appealing the ruling and preparing for his sentencing tomorrow, February 28, but Meg has another complicated legal matter still up in the air.
“Unfortunately, me and Megan, we haven’t talked since 2019, so we’ve been going through I guess what you guys see online, and like I said, it’s unfortunate as well because I never wanted to have a situation where I was going back and forth with her on the internet,” he said.
Crawford later added, “I never had any problems with Megan Thee Stallion. It’s just the social media stuff. It really just turned really, really sour. You take this social media part out of it, [and] we don’t have a problem. So, yeah, this is the moment for me to — I’m done with that. You won’t hear me mention Megan Thee Stallion’s name in the media unless I’m doing something like this or it’s just a big-time interview [and] I gotta say it. But you won’t see me texting or making a post or doing any of that stuff that would cause social media to go crazy.”
In late December, a Texas judge denied 1501’s request to not count Meg’s 2021 project Something For Thee Hotties as an album toward her obligations to her record deal, allowing her lawsuit to continue to a formal trial.
Megan Thee Stallion had filed in February 2022, requesting that Something For Thee Hotties be deemed an album to effectively release her from her contract with 1501. After releasing Traumazinelast August, she amended her suit to specify that Traumazine could also be counted as her fourth and final record for 1501, additionally suing for $1 million in damages.
Read more about the situation here, and watch Crawford’s full TMZ segment below.
Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Last week it was reported that actor Jansen Panettiere, brother of Hayden Panettiere, passed away suddenly at the age of 28. Today, the family has confirmed his cause of death, while also celebrating his life and career.
The family released a statement (via ABC) that reveals that the actor died of an enlarged heart. “Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications.”
Less than a month ago, Panettiere posted a picture of him getting a haircut from his sister Hayden. His last acting credit was a role on The Walking Dead in 2019. The sibling duo (who are five years apart) appeared together on the Disney Channel before Hayden became the star of the country music drama Nashville.The statement continued, “His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered.”
The family then thanked fans for reaching out with support after Panettiere’s death. “We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning, We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.”
In the late ‘70s, the FBI started the ABSCAM operation in an attempt to catch New York City underworld figures dealing in stolen art. Agents had no idea that it would grow to ensnare prominent national leaders and open the public’s eyes to rampant corruption.
To connect the bureau with crooks willing to sell stolen works of art, the FBI enlisted the talents of con man Mel Weinberg, who was facing prison time for fraud and willing to lend his talents to settle for probation.
“Mel was a fabulous con man,” former FBI agent John Good, mastermind of the operation, told Inside Jersey. “He was a very, very intelligent guy. A little on the crude side, but with a magnificent ability to con people. He was a significant part of the case. Without him, it’s unlikely we ever would have had a case.”
If this story sounds familiar, Christian Bale played Weinberg in “American Hustle,” a fictionalized version of the ABSCAM operation.
The centerpiece of the operation was a fictional Arab sheik named Kambir Abdul Rahman who, with the help of a group of FBI agents posing as members of Abdul Enterprises, was looking to invest oil money in stolen works of art. The operation was a success, nabbing $1 million in stolen goods. The art thieves led investigators to criminals dealing in fake stocks and bonds, stopping the sale of nearly $600 million worth of fraudulent securities.
“From there, our investigation led to southern New Jersey, and on to Washington, D.C. Our criminal contacts led us to politicians in Camden willing to offer bribes to get our ‘business’ a gambling license in Atlantic City,” the FBI wrote on its website.
What began as a scheme to nab shady art deals quickly evolved into a political scandal after the FBI realized that state and federal officials were more than happy to accept bribes to do favors for the fake sheik. After learning that Angelo Errichetti, the mayor of Camden, New Jersey, was on the take, Abdul Enterprises approached him about getting the phony oil baron a gambling license to buy a casino in Atlantic City.
“He was a nice guy. But he was just an unbelievable crook. He had no fear,” Weinberg said about Errichetti. The mayor was later charged with promising a casino license for $25,000 upfront and a total payment of $400,000.
At one meeting, Errichetti intimated that he knew of congressmen who were willing to take bribes.
So the sheik and Abdul Enterprises approached Democratic Rep. Raymond F. Lederer of Pennsylvania who said he’d gladly sponsor legislation so the sheik could become a permanent resident of the U.S., if need be, for $50,000 upfront and another $50,000 upon delivery.
The agents then approached Democratic Rep. Michael “Ozzie” Myers of Pennsylvania with the same proposal. “I’m gonna tell you something real simple and short: Money talks in this business and bull**it walks. And it works the same way down in Washington,” Myers told Abdul Enterprises. Before he left the meeting, he too was given an envelope containing $50,000 in $100 bills.
u201cOn February 2, 1980, the FBI released details of ABSCAM, an undercover operation targeting political corruption in government. Agents, disguised as sheiks, met with officials and offered money or other items in exchange for favors. More than 30 political figures were investigatedu201d
The sting would go on to nab Democratic Sen. Harrison A. Williams, Jr. of New Jersey after he promised to use his influence to aid the sheik in return for a multi-million dollar loan to a titanium mining corporation in which the senator had a secret financial interest.
Williams would be indicted and found guilty on nine counts, including bribery, receipt of an unlawful gratuity, conflict of interest and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
“When the dust settled, one senator, six congressman, and more than a dozen other criminals and corrupt officials were arrested and found guilty,” the FBI says on its website. Of the six congressmen, two resigned, three were defeated when running for reelection and Myers was expelled by the House.
On February 2, 1980, NBC News shocked the world after making the ABSCAM operation public.
The ABSCAM operation was an overwhelming success, but it also faced accusations of entrapment from critics who believed that making bribes so easily available was unlawful.
But in the end, all of the convictions stuck. “It was so easy,” Weinberg says of the investigation. “But it could never happen again.”
One wonders if a similar sting was run today, how many in Congress would take the bait?
At Upworthy, we love to share cuddly, feel-good videos of heartwarming stories about animals.
This is not one of those stories.
Behold, today we offer instead a video of a parasite crawling out of a praying mantis. Sure, it might not be as cute as a beaver building a dam out of household items, but rest assured, it’s mesmerizing in its own dark and twisted way.
Shared by @WowTerrifying on Twitter (with the original video being credited to “Insect World”), the video shows a mantis gently having its bottom submerged in water.
Only a few seconds go by before these super creepy, spindly, dark black lines start crawling out of the mantis, and they clearly have a mind of their own. Honestly, it’s beyond gross. The only silver lining here is that the person handling the mantis appears to be offering help to the poor creature.
Watch below…at your own risk.
Praying Manis lowered into water to entice out the parasite within! 🪱😱 video credit: Insect world. pic.twitter.com/R5zvLp6KsJ
This nightmarish sight is a parasite known as a horsehair worm, which is best known for a) looking a bit like the symbiote from “Spider-Man” and b) hijacking an insect’s nervous system to control their minds. Usually the latter entails getting insects like mantises and crickets to drown themselves in water so that the horsehair worm can lay eggs…thus repeating one of Mother Nature’s more morbid cycles.
If you’re feeling traumatized, you are not alone. Pretty much everyone who saw the video shared their instant regret.
“That’s enough scrolling for me,” one person lamented.
“This will haunt me,” wrote another.
Sure, the natural world is full of wonders both beautiful and terrifying, but it never fails to provide something fascinating.
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