Even before a global pandemic knocked the education world on its hindquarters, some school systems were already hard-hit by budget issues — districts like Philadelphia providing some of the best examples. However, local celebrities are pitching in to make a difference. Today, Philadelphian rapper Meek Mill, along with hometown comic hero Kevin Hart and 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin, announced plans to donate $15 million to 110 Philadelphia schools for the 2022-2023 school year.
The $15 million figure marks a huge jump from the last big donation Meek and Rubin made in 2020 when they created a $2 million scholarship fund to help students through the pandemic and coinciding lockdowns. It also sees the partners following through on a commitment they made in 2019. During an interview on The Breakfast Club, Rubin said, “We care about education a lot. I don’t know if you guys saw, Meek and I have been talking a lot about education. We’re actually gonna commit, between Meek and I in Pennsylvania, millions of dollars to Pennsylvania schools this year.”
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a game that fans of the franchise have been asking for basically ever since the pink puff ball first went 3D on the Nintendo 64. They didn’t want a 2D adventure with 3D graphics, they wanted a full-on 3D world that Kirby could explore, battle, and copy his way through. So when it was revealed that the next Kirby game would be a 3D adventure, we were, of course, excited.
On Wednesday, Nintendo dropped a follow-up trailer for Kirby and the Forgotten Land that not only showed off some more gameplay of the upcoming 3D adventure, but also gave us some pretty important bits of information. For starters, the game will be released on March 25. While that’s expected to be a strong month full of heavyweight games, Kirby will fit right in, especially now that we know this game is also going to feature co-op. The Kirby games have always been really fun to play with friends, and we’re thrilled to know that tradition will continue with the next installment.
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Price: $60
Release Date: March 25 (3/25)
Genre: Adventure/Platformer
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: E10+
Where can I buy this: Nintendo eShop, Brick and Mortar stores
Single Player: Yes
Multiplayer: Yes
Early Access: No
Microtransactions: No
While appearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci brandished a fist full of receipts while calling out Rand Paul for campaigning off of prolonging the pandemic. But that wasn’t the only viral moment for the infectious disease specialist. As Republican Senator Roger Marshall prepared for a round of questioning, Fauci could clearly be heard saying, “What a moron, Jesus Christ,” over a hot mic. It was pretty great stuff if you enjoy seeing Fauci show up on the Senate floor and school Republicans on the reality of the pandemic, and one person was definitely here for it: Stephen Colbert.
During his opening monologue on Tuesday night, Colbert relished playing the clip of Fauci whipping out print outs of Paul’s campaign website that ask for donations next to an image that reads “Fire Dr. Fauci.”
“Get him, Fauch!” Colbert said. “Take off the gloves and a mask! ‘I have your results, senator, and I regret to inform you that you’ve contracted my boot in your ass.’”
The late night host was equally as thrilled with Fauci’s hot mic moment as well. Via The Daily Beast:
“And Fauci let it be known in no uncertain terms that it’s not his fault if the senator doesn’t know how to Google,” Colbert said, before sharing the moment that the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases could be heard uttering, “What a moron,” followed by “Jesus Christ” under his breath.
“And now that clip lives forever on the internet,” he said after he stopped laughing. “The one place where Senator Marshall and his staff will never be able to find it.”
So all in all, a pretty great day for… Fauch? Yeah, we’re not feeling that nickname either, but we’ll let Colbert have it. He seems so happy!
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.
In my review of Gunna’s last album, 2020’s Wunna, I wrote that he does just enough things right to warrant multiple listens and his inclusion in the debate over the best trap rappers. It has nearly been two years since then, but it has felt longer with a global pandemic, an attempted insurrection, and a half dozen natural disasters that have made finding moments of pure joy imperative to get through the slog. Gunna’s new album DS4EVERhas become one of those bright spots for many fans, again showing just enough artistic evolution to shine even in comparison to his last effort.
Don’t expect to hear very much topical material, though. While Gunna has expanded the scope of his philanthropy over the past few years, even earning recognition from his hometown for his community-building efforts, his music remains focused on flaunting the trappings of wealth. He shines the most, though, when he stretches outside the boundaries of his comfort zone. On the illuminating “Livin Wild,” he details a harrowing near-death experience which contrasts sharply with the flexes of the album’s first four tracks.
“I just left the hospital, might need another liver,” he admits. “Kidney failures, I tell you this sh*t couldn’t be no realer.” Gunna’s occasional substance abuse has been no secret but here he both reveals the inherent struggles and defiantly challenges detractors while referring to specific incidents from the past year. “I been getting high inconsistent, but you tryna show me different,” he raps. “Judging me for trying the whippets, I’m tired of the critics.”
Meanwhile, the vulnerable streak continues on the Jon B-sampling “You & Me” featuring Gunna’s maybe-girlfriend Chloe Bailey. A stark departure from his usual attitude toward romance — even elsewhere on this very album — “You & Me” finds Gunna waxing idealistic about the possibility of finding and keeping love. “I get selfish with you, babe, you mine, all mine,” he gushes. “Keep it solid, don’t tell lies / She one thousand with me and the best of all time.” Wisely, though, he keeps the track short, letting the sweetness have its moment before moving on to more pressing concerns.
With Gunna and the rest of his cohorts, you know it’s all about the money. From the opening track “Private Island,” DS4EVER finds Gunna sticking quite firmly to his guns. “Poochie Gown,” “A Lotta Money,” “25K Jacket,” and “Too Easy” — which features Future as well as a remix with frequent Gunna collaborator Roddy Ricch — are the standouts and the likely fan favorites here, containing effervescent boasts and thrilling production from the usual Atlanta trap rap suspects, Metro Boomin, Southside, and Wheezy. Here is where the album departs from the usual formula, however, with each of these producers taking a harder-edged approach to the usual melodic, fuzzy instrumentation they’ve employed on prior projects.
This gives Gunna the opportunity to play with a fresher delivery style. While fans have probably become accustomed to the singsong delivery Gunna has used on standout projects like Lil Baby joint project Drip Harder, Wunna, and 2021’s YSL Records compilation Slime Language 2, on DS4EVER, he often fires off a more clipped cadence, biting off the ends of words like Red Vines to emphasize the more forceful beats like “Mop” and “IDK That Bitch” with G Herbo. He even tries his hand at cooking up his own slang like mentor Young Thug on “Pushin P,” which finds Gunna, Future, and Young Thug employing a slurred, foggy take on the old-school in-and-out, pass-the-mic flow.
Although Gunna only takes a few steps into new territory, he executes well enough on the familiar material to justify hanging back from making any big artistic leaps. After all, he knows what his fans want, and he’s been clear from day one that he considers his job delivering on those expectations rather than making big statements — he leaves that work to his increasingly elaborate wardrobe and burgeoning philanthropic efforts. It’d be nice to see him branch out more in the future, but even if he doesn’t, his final Drip Season mixtape offers strong evidence that he’ll at least keep creating the music he’s known for at a high level for a while.
DS4EVER is out now via 300 and Atlantic. Get it here.
Gunna is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Already an accomplished wine and spirits entrepreneur, West Coast rap legend E-40 is making a statement in the beer game. Musically speaking, the tireless Bay Area rapper and mogul has been staying busy coming into the new year, putting in work with the Mount Westmore rap supergroup (E-40, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Too Short) and putting down a hyped New Year’s Eve performance at the Day One 22 function in the Coachella Valley. But there is no rest for the weary as they say, and E-40’s new E. Cuarenta Mexican Styler Lager is now out in the world.
“The beer goes hand in hand with my E. Cuarenta Tequila. That’s why I named it the same; which means E-40 in Spanish,” E-40 tells Uproxx. “But I always feel like the proof is in the juice.” The smooth-sipping golden Mexican style lager is made in the Bay Area in San Jose, CA, and clocks in at a party-ready 6% ABV.
Now with E. Cuarenta Cerveza, Stevens is adding to a robust wine and spirits portfolio that already includes brands in Tycoon Cognac VS and VSOP, Earl Stevens Selections wines (which also features the Earl Stevens Prosecco and Rosé Prosecco), E. Cuarenta Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo Tequilas, the popular Sluricane bottled cocktails, as well as his Kuiper Belt Bourbon whiskey. He also recently launched the Goon With A Spoon brand of meats.
“All these brands are 100% owned by me. 100% Black-owned,” Stevens says. “No silent partners. No investors and I’m not looking for any. There’s more products and varietals that I’m gonna bring to the table in the wine and spirits game; in pretty much every category that there is to touch. The sky’s the limit and it feels good.”
E. Cuarenta Cerveza is now available at BevMo and Total Wine & Spirits locations in California, but with distribution expanding quickly everywhere.
It’s been less than a year since Israeli pop star Noa Kirel first started releasing English-language singles and she recently capped off 2021 with her biggest gig yet. She took the stage for a showstopping performance of her single “Bad Little Thing” on the televised Miss Universe 2021, opening the night with a captivating choreography. Now ringing in the new year right, Kirel returns with “Thought About That,” her first new song of 2022.
“Thought About That” arrives alongside a futuristic and fun video directed by Roman Buchatsky. It sees Kirel waking up in a sci-fi fantasy world characterized by towering buildings and flying cars. She realizes her man has left her behind but has no problem dancing through a broken heart. “Oh did you think I’d hate dancing alone / Oh did you think I’d stay home / You should have thought about that before you broke my heart,” she sings.
In a statement about the dancefloor-ready track, Kirel said she hopes the song inspires young women everywhere to prioritize themselves when it comes to relationships: “I turned 20 this year and it’s so important for my music to inspire young women to be independent and stand up for themselves, especially in relationships.”
Watch the “Thought About That” video above.
Noa Kirel is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies are scorching hot right now, as the team is in the midst of a 10-game winning streak. The team picked up one of its most impressive wins of the season on Tuesday night, withstanding haymaker after haymaker from the Golden State Warriors en route to a 116-108 victory.
The game happened in Memphis, and the fans at FedExForum were raucous in support of their team all evening. But of course, the Warriors have fans all over, and a few of them drew attention for a moment involving Morant in the fourth quarter. Basically, some children were in Dubs jerseys and wanted the future All-Star guard to dap them up following his late bucket to seal a win, only Morant was so locked in that he refused to do it.
Morant staring down children for wearing Warriors jerseys in his own building is pretty funny, and after the game, he explained what was going on here while also making clear that he’s willing to hook them up with gear for the home team.
“It was disrespectful to have that jersey on,” Morant said, saying that there’s no mercy for anyone, even kids, who wear gear for the opposing team during games. “We in Memphis. It looked like he wanted to cheer but he had that jersey on. I apologized to him, but in that moment, bro, take that jersey off and dap me up.”
Congrats to the child in question on the new Grizzlies gear and for being the most popular kid at school for a few days.
It’s only been a few months since Adele returned to the limelight and dropped her hotly anticipated album 30 and it’s already a massive success. Her LP is dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became the best-selling vinyl album in the US last year. So far, “Easy On Me” is the only official video Adele released for 30, but that changed on Wednesday with the release of a regal visual to her fan-favorite track “Oh My God.”
Directed by Sam Brown, the “Oh My God” visual invites a number of innovative performers to join her in black-and-white studio. As she sings of putting herself first, Adele is caught up in the chaos of the movement around her.
Adele previously said the song was about her experience re-entering the dating world following her divorce. “I was terrified, I wasn’t ready to start dating anyway, but I was scared that if I did, that I would probably make some really bad decisions because I wasn’t ready,” Adele said. “I remember the first time [someone flirted], and I was like, ‘Do you mind? I’m married.’ And my friends were like, ‘But you’re not.’ And I was like, ‘Oh sh*t, OK, oh my God.’” Apparently, her dating tactics worked as she’s now boo’d up with sports agent Rich Paul, who she’s been seen out-and-about with in recent months.
Diane Kruger should have won an Oscar for her performance in National Treasure (everyone involved with National Treasure, one of the best extremely dumb movies ever made, deserves an Academy Award), but at least she was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for Inglourious Basterds. She’s fantastic as Allies spy Bridget Von Hammersmark in the 2009 movie, but on a recent episode of the Reign With Josh Smith podcast, Kruger revealed she was director Quentin Tarantino‘s last choice. “Literally.”
“He auditioned everyone. He didn’t want to audition me because he saw a movie that I was in that he didn’t like,” Kruger explained. “So he didn’t believe in me from the get-go. Literally, the only reason he auditioned me is because there was no one left to audition.” She had to “pay for my own flight from New York to go to Germany [to audition] because he wouldn’t, even though, obviously, he’s American, but he wouldn’t see me in the U.S.”
Kruger continued:
So, I had to jump through all these hoops that definitely put my nose out of joint, but I was like, ‘You know what, f*ck him. I’m just gonna do that and prove him that I could do it.’ Thankfully, it all worked out but sometimes it just seems so unfair, and you’ve got to change the narrative.”
Kruger thinks Tarantino (who she defended after the director was accused of mistreating actors) learned a lesson from the experience. “Sometimes you are the one that puts — and I’m sure I’m guilty of that too — you put people in boxes. You think they’re gonna be one way and then they’re not at all,” she explained. Kruger never specified which film QT “didn’t like” her in, but if it was National Treasure, I am boycotting his next movie.
Brian Gordon is a cartoonist. He’s also a dad, which means he’s got plenty of inspiration for the parenting comics he creates for his website, Fowl Language (not all of which actually feature profanity).
He covers many topics, but it’s his hilarious parenting comics that are resonating with parents everywhere.
“My comics are largely autobiographical,” Gordon tells me. “I’ve got two kids who are 4 and 7, and often, what I’m writing happened as recently as that very same day.”
Gordon shared 15 of his oh-so-real comics with us. They’re all funny ’cause they’re true.
Let’s get started with his favorite, “Welcome to Parenting,” which Gordon says sums up his comics pretty well. “Parenting can be such tedious drudgery,” he says, “but if it wasn’t also so incredibly rewarding there wouldn’t be nearly so many people on the planet.”
Truth.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.
1.
All comics are shared here with Gordon’s express permission. These comics are all posted on his website, in addition to his Facebook page. You can also find a “bonus” comic that goes with each one by clicking the “bonus” link. Original. Bonus.
I love Gordon’s comics so much because they’re just about the reality of parenting — and they capture it perfectly.
There’s no parenting advice, no judgment, just some humor about the common day-to-day realities that we all share.
When I ask him about the worst parenting advice he’s ever received, Gordon relays this anecdote:
“I remember being an absolute sleep-deprived wreck, sitting outside a sandwich shop, wolfing down my lunch quickly beside my 1-month-old son, who was briefly resting his lungs between screaming fits.
A rather nosy woman walked up to me and said, all smugly, ‘You should enjoy this time while they’re easy.’ It was the exact worst thing anyone could have said to me in that moment and I just wanted to curl up on the sidewalk and cry.”
Who hasn’t been on the receiving end of totally unneeded and unwanted advice? That’s why Gordon’s comics are so welcome: They offer up a space for us to all laugh about the common experiences we parents share.
Here’s to Gordon for helping us chuckle (through the tears).
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