Category: Worldwide

As a 2020 XXL Freshman Class member, Jack Harlow has been on a fast track to stardom. But even with his newfound fame and recent No. 1 single (“Industry Baby” with Lil Nas X), Harlow hasn’t forgotten his Louisville, Kentucky hometown. The rapper has oftentimes credited the city for their support early on in his career. So, to thank his hometown fans, Harlow plans to play several back-to-back shows in Louisville later this year.

The rapper recently unveiled five dates across five different venues for his No Place Like Home tour, which kicks off December 14 and comes to a close on the 18th. Along with playing shows in his home city, Harlow recently made some charitable donations to Louisville organizations including AMPED, Center For Women And Families, Grace M. James Academy Of Excellence, Louisville Urban League, and Metro United Way.

“I spent all my life fantasizing about being someone that could put Louisville on a pedestal,” he said about the donations in a recent interview with Billboard. “There’s a spirit and pride that runs deep, and it becomes more obvious to me when I travel to other cities and realize that that doesn’t exist everywhere.”

Check out Harlow’s No Place Like Home dates below.

12/14 — Louisville, KY @ Palace Theatre
12/15 — Louisville, KY @ Headliners
12/16 — Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
12/17 — Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
12/18 — Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

Tickets to Harlow’s No Place Like Home Tour go on sale 10/22 at 10 a.m. ET. Get them here.

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

Welcome back to UPROXX’s Athlete Heat Index, where sports marketing executive and self-described “brand geek” Michael Ehrlich ranks athletes by the strength of their personal brands.

The latest ranking is inspired by the NBA’s 75th season tipping off on October 19th, the league’s first full 82 game regular season since the 2018-19 campaign.

With such a historic season ahead, full of “75 top players of all-time” lists and the league’s massive new “NBA Lane 75” marketing campaign featuring basketball legends of past and present, it’d be easy (and boring) to list the biggest names in the game – LeBron, Giannis, Durant, etc. – and rattle off how strong their personal brands are.

Instead, we analyze the players who took the biggest leaps this offseason and are poised for legendary status of their own.

Here is my starting five of the strongest NBA athlete brands heading into the new season:

5. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

The last time Thompson was on the court, it was Game 6 of the 2019 Finals and the Warriors’ historic championship run was coming to an end at the hands of the Raptors. After Achilles and ACL tears shelved Thompson for the past two seasons, most personal brands would take a major hit not being in the spotlight. But this Splash Bro isn’t your typical personality.

While some athlete injury recovery processes have led to inspirational and intense workout content, brand commercials or marketing campaigns, Thompson’s authentic quirkiness shined during his rehab – further distinguishing him amongst a league full of strong personal brands – while not even performing on the court for two years.

His Instagram Live sessions while boating in the San Francisco Bay to workouts at the Warriors facility took on iconic status, even getting recreated by pop culture/hip hop royalty. Starting out swimming, kayaking and ultimately upgrading to his own boat, Thompson’s aquatic adventures was among the most engaging social media content of the NBA offseason. His stream of consciousness commentary – about life, basketball and the future – while traversing the waters led to a lip-sync recreation from Drake, further crossing over the Thompson brand into the pop culture landscape.

Once Thompson was back on land though, his unique personality continued to take shape via his Jackie Moon from “Semi-Pro”-inspired workouts, complete with headband, short shorts and trick shots – committing to a bit he began on Halloween in 2018.

In such a challenging time for him physically and professionally, Thompson has made rehab and recovery look fun. His timetable for a return to the court will be one of the top headlines as the season tips and as the Warriors get back to their winning ways, the narrative around Thompson putting them over the top will continue to build.

A Comeback Player of the Year campaign will no doubt be in order, but regardless of how he performs on the court, Thompson’s personal brand has continued to rise even without stepping foot on the hardwood.

4. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year came into the league already one of the most intriguing up and coming personal brands, due to his massive social media footprint – with a follower count and engagement rate that outpaced All-Star players and team accounts – his highlight reel style of play and his famous family.

His unique basketball journey – which took him from a high school junior to playing professionally in Lithuania and Australia to the NBA Draft – only added to the uniqueness of the youngest Ball brother’s personal narrative.

Every move the entire Ball family makes garners headlines, opinions and haters so there were certainly critics that didn’t think LaMelo’s game or body would hold up against top competition in the NBA. But once he hit the floor for the Hornets, his flashy skillset was on full display and he made an immediate impact.

His style of play parallels his off-court look – the bright color wardrobe, massive chains that mirror his tattoo designs, his grills, sunglasses and neon Lamborghini – but that alone doesn’t build a unique brand.

Ball’s partnership with Puma further tapped into his motto of being “1 of 1” and throughout his rookie season, the brand teased an upcoming signature sneaker to come, a rarity for such a younger player. Their Shorty Awards-winning social media campaign showcasing the on and off court talents that make Ball “not from here” continued to set him apart amongst his NBA peers.

Prior to the new season, Puma unveiled Ball’s debut shoe the bright red MB. 01, the brand’s first signature model since Vince Carter in 1999.

An offseason GQ feature on Ball accurately summed up his instant impact on and off the court for the league, calling him “the avatar of its future.”

League brass has certainly taken notice as they included Ball in the “NBA Lane 75” commercial, a sign that even after just one injury-shorted season, he’s already considered a future pillar of the NBA.

Ball and the Hornets are definitely on the rise and an increase in national televised games this season will only help bring more attention his way, further connecting his legitimate skillset with his polarizing personal brand.

3. Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks

At just 22, twice an All-Star starter and first team All-NBA member (the youngest to do so), Dončić is a triple-double threat every night, a top fantasy pick and an MVP candidate heading into the new season.

His on-court accolades speak for themselves, but he’s been one of the most improved personal brands off the court and poised for further mainstream breakout this season.

Hailing from Slovenia, his own brand has a built-in global audience and scale that continues to expand his narrative and makes him that much more attractive for corporate partnerships. Transitioning from an “international man of mystery” of sorts when he entered the league to now a bonafide superstar, Dončić’s marketing portfolio has begun to take shape– from Jordan Brand to Panini to BioSteel.

After his incredible third season with the Mavericks, Dončić carried the Slovenia National Team in its first-ever Olympic appearance in men’s basketball to within one point of the gold medal game putting up ridiculous stats the entire tournament, further cementing himself on the international stage.

When 2K Sports announced Dončić as the featured cover athlete on their new NBA 2K22 game – an honor every season, but especially ahead of the league’s 75th – they explained his selection as wanting to “inspire more international basketball players to pursue their goals.” Dončić’s cover even featured a design and color scheme honoring the Slovenian flag and as part of his 2K22 relationship, Dončić refurbished courts in his hometown, including where he practiced as a kid.

Dončić’s brand narrative has begun to infuse a bit of fun as seen when announcing his partnership with BioSteel as his first equity investment. The Mavs star created a tongue-in-cheek LinkedIn profile listing himself as their Global Chief Hydration Officer and featuring “Basketball” under the Skills and Endorsement section. A unique way to build association between talent and brand, that garnered a groundswell of positive conversation across social media and editorial.

To further build his brand portfolio, Dončić signed with Hollywood talent agency WME for representation across brand partnerships, talent ventures, content, digital and social strategy, a clear sign that he is serious about continuing to build his footprint across new avenues.

Heading into the new season, Dončić’s on and off court brand is front and center across the sports landscape. Sports Illustrated’s NBA preview issue featured him – and our number 1 ranked athlete brand – stating “the future is now” as the two players are at the forefront of a wave of young stars who will shape the league’s future.

It’s yet to be determined if an MVP season and deep playoff run are in the cards for Dončić, but he will certainly continue to elevate his off-court portfolio and has taken steps to further establish his unique brand narrative in and out of basketball.

2. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Booker’s on-court performance over the last two seasons – All-Star appearances, an undefeated stay in the NBA Bubble in 2020, a dramatic run to the NBA Finals in 2021 and his first Olympics – certainly elevated him to the upper echelon of players, but this offseason his personal brand followed suit.

With all eyes on the Suns in the playoffs and Finals – a team that hadn’t earned much media coverage so far in Booker’s career – the All-Star guard’s unique brand elements were on full display.

While some/most NBA players use the pre-game tunnel walk as a fashion show to highlight their personal styles, Booker created a whole new trend by pulling up to the arena with a variety of vintage cars, earning broadcast and social media coverage each time.

His fashion and sneaker game is also elite – earning consistent coverage in GQ and a recent SLAM Magazine “Kicks” cover – but owning a unique differentiator in a crowded space made him truly stand out. Media and fans began to anticipate his arena arrival to see what car he was driving, as this became Booker’s “thing.”

This trend continued in the league’s “NBA Lane 75” campaign where Booker was not only featured in a vintage car, but had the most coveted spot in the commercial, paying tribute to his idol, the late Kobe Bryant with a salute to a large mural of the legend.

Booker’s connection to Bryant runs deeps – he writes “Be Legendary” on his Kobe shoes before every game (that was Kobe’s note to him after his last game vs. the Suns) and now has the phrase tattooed on his arm. Prior to shooting his Kobe salute in the league’s campaign, Booker asked Bryant’s wife Vanessa for her blessing. His relationship to the Bryant family is an authentic, organic and genuine way for him to continue to honor his idol.

But beyond everything basketball-related, it’s Booker’s romantic relationship that has put his brand over the top outside of the game. Over the years, there has been much talk about the “Kardashian/Jenner effect” on athletes who are romantically connected to the famous family – but Booker’s relationship to Kendall Jenner seems like it’s working. Yes, they are consistently photographed by paparazzi and garner a ton of coverage in the tabloids and on social media, but it all is positive – zero drama, zero fuss. They appear genuinely happy and Booker’s brand audience and following has now extended well beyond the sports landscape.

Heading into the new season – and for the first time in his career – the expectations are high for the Suns and Booker. He can continue to shape his own narrative while staying authentic to himself, his game, his style and his relationships.

1. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

No player in the league had a stronger breakout season, playoffs and offseason than Trae Young. The combination of his on-court success, dramatic playoff moments on the biggest stages, launching his own signature sneaker and making a heel turn to “villain,” is a case study in personal brand development.

Even before his epic year, Young’s below-the-rim style of play – at a slender 6’1” – made him more approachable from a fan and brand level, similar to when Steph Curry came on the scene. The old adage that “big men don’t sell shoes” in regards to marketing, still rings true, because the general consumer – especially youth players – can’t relate to 7-footers but my 6-year-old nephew for example, loves Young and asked for a jersey for his birthday, but has zero connection to Atlanta or the Hawks. He just appreciates that Young is small, confident and dominates against much bigger opponents. This perspective extends amongst fans and potential corporate partners alike.

Young’s major coming out party was against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in the playoffs, where he took on the role of Reggie Miller from the 90’s as enemy number one knocking the home team out. His dominating play, fan taunting and unique “ice cold Trae” celebration – another amazing brand differentiator – on one of sports’ biggest stages was huge for his narrative evolution.

After the season, Young returned to MSG for WWE SmackDown where he was met with boos from fans and after teaming up with the “bad guys” was ultimately thrown out of the wrestling action, further cementing his new “New York villain” narrative.

The offseason brand momentum expanded with the debut of the adidas Trae Young 1, which he revealed on-court during his dramatic playoff run. In GQ’s coverage of the sneaker launch, they stated that Young has “reached wrestling villain status,” the perfect continuation of his narrative.

Heading into the new campaign, Young shared Sports Illustrated’s NBA preview issue with Dončić further connecting the two stars who were traded for each other on draft night in 2018 and setting up a potential similar career-long rivalry narrative a la Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. The Hawks and Mavs stars’ brands will continue to grow as a result of this association with each other, both playing off of each other’s successes.

Now as one of the faces of the future of the league, a signature sneaker athlete and in some basketball circles a “villain,” Young’s personal brand momentum is stronger than anyone in the NBA and will continue to grow with his on and off-court evolution this season and beyond.

TDE rapper Isaiah Rashad is currently on tour promoting his new album The House Is Burning, but that didn’t stop him from continuing the other part of promoting an album — releasing a new music video. This time, the eerie “THIB” video turns the title track into a darkly surreal thriller, as Rashad wakes to a spooky rumbling that turns into an explosion, leaving his house… well, burning. From there, Rashad wanders the nighttime neighborhood, hovering above the action like a ghost and taking in the odd, paranormal goings-on of his quiet cul-de-sac.

The release of The House Is Burning ended a nearly-five-year hiatus for the Chattanooga rapper during which he struggled with addiction, going broke, wrecking his boss’s car, and getting clean. When he did come back, he brought with him the rowdy Memphis rapper Duke Duece for the exuberant return single “Lay Wit Ya.” And while his new album naturally features appearances from his TDE cohorts like Schoolboy Q, who appeared in the reflective video for “Runnin’,” Rashad also helped introduce newcomer Doechii with “Wat U Sed” and linked up with a superstar in the form of Lil Uzi Vert on “From The Garden.”

Watch Isaiah Rashad’s “THIB” video above and read Uproxx’s full review of the album here.

Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain have the kind of (platonic) chemistry that comes with knowing someone for years — although it helps that they’re both very talented and very attractive. They set the internet on fire with a red carpet embrace, and before they filmed a sex scene for Scenes from a Marriage, Chastain said that Bearded Space Daddy sang to her to calm her nerves. Once Llewyn Davis, always Llewyn Davis.

Chastain and Isaac are so simpatico that she agreed to appear nude on the HBO limited series… but only if he did too. “I said to Hagai [Levi], who wrote and directed the series, in the very beginning, I said, ‘I’m comfortable with all the nudity, but any part of my body that you show, you’re going to have to show the same with Oscar. So there’s a shower scene that I have in episode two, and you see my body. So now you see his body. So for me, I wanted it to be balanced,” Chastain said on a recent episode of The View.

As for Isaac’s thoughts on his nude scene:

“I was surprised because I didn’t know that was going to happen. You get sent the stuff to look at to be like, ‘OK, I’m fine with that.’ But I saw it on a laptop quite dark and I didn’t notice what was happening down there. It was a surprise when I started seeing all these things like, ‘It’s full frontal’ – I was like, ‘No, what are you talking about?’ And I saw it, and clear as day on the big TV there, it’s there for everyone to see.”

IMAX should show that episode before screenings of Dune this weekend, as a treat.

Real Estate released their sophomore album and Domino Records debut, Days, ten years ago, setting the stage for the band to become a touring machine and a rightfully revered indie act ever since. The charming melodies and warm, inviting guitars of songs like “It’s Real” and “Out Of Tune,” instantly channeled the nostalgic days of our youth and were damn near universally appreciated.

Starting next month, the band will go out on tour to commemorate the album’s 10th anniversary and today, have released a cover of Television’s song “Days.” The version is equal parts a worthy homage to the late 70’s art rockers, as much as it feels like it could easily be mistaken for a Real Estate original (albeit with a slightly deadlier guitar.) The always-affable Alex Bleeker of Real Estate explained in a statement that the song was 100 percent an inspiration for the album’s sound and obviously, the title:

“The shrewd, completist bootlegger will always remember 6/30/2011 as the day that we debuted the album Days live in its entirety at 285 Kent in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Back then Domino Park, across the street, was still a dilapidated sugar warehouse, and our unreleased sophomore album didn’t yet have a name. Real heads (or as we like to call them, ‘agents’) might also recall that this show was a release party for the new 33 1/3 book recounting the history of Television’s Marquee Moon. Somewhere in the introduction to that volume author Bryan Waterman declared that even though the song ‘Days’ was on Television’s often overlooked second record, it provided a blueprint for all of the melodic guitar-based indie rock that would soon follow in its wake.

We were of course huge fans of that tune, this was in fact our second record, and we saw ourselves humbly as the torchbearers of that tradition. So the story goes like this – we were on tour, sitting in our fire engine red Dodge Ram 2500 somewhere along the I-95 when someone in the band read that sentence aloud, and said, ‘why don’t we call the album Days?’ As I recall, nobody loved it, but more importantly, nobody hated it and it stuck. It’s true, this now decade-old album is named after this fantastic, under-appreciated Television tune, which was a joy for us to cover and record for you after all these years.”

Listen to Real Estate’s cover of “Days” above, check out the dates for the Days anniversary tour dates below, and get tickets here.

11/03 — Buffalo, NY @ Asbury Hall at Babeville
11/04 — Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
11/05 — Ferndale, MI @ Loving Touch
11/06 — Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
11/07 — Madison, WI @ High Noon
11/09 — Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theatre
11/10 — Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
11/11 — Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
11/12 — Lexington, KY @ The Burl (outdoor show)
11/13 — Columbus, OH @ Skully’s Music Diner
11/14 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Music Hall
11/16 — Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
11/17 — Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace
11/18 — Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts
11/19 — Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios
11/20 — Atlantic City, NJ @ Anchor Rock Club
11/22-23 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Made
12/15 — San Francisco, CA @ August Hall

At one point in time not all that long ago, there was real concern that Lil Nas X would be a one-hit wonder with “Old Town Road.” Even if that had been the case, his name would have still gone down in music history, considering that by some key metrics, “Old Town Road” is the most successful single of all time. However, Nas has proven that he’s more than his first hit, as he’s had a pair of No. 1’s since then: “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” and now on this week’s chart, “Industry Baby.”

Nas is grateful that he has another chart-topper, so he decided to celebrate by taking to the streets of Hollywood to thank his fans for their support. He went ahead and rented a bus, got decked out in a pink prison jumpsuit, then rode around on top of the bus and gave thanks to his fans.

When Nas learned yesterday that the song had reached No. 1 weeks after its release, he tweeted, “IT TOOK A FEW MONTHS BUT WE HERE! THANK U EVERYBODY! INDUSTRY BABY IS THE NUMBER 1 SONG IN THE WORLD! LESSSSSGOOOOOO!” His partner on the song, Jack Harlow, was especially excited, since “Industry Baby” is his first No. 1 song. He tweeted, “My first number one… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see this coming while I was writing my verse. This song is something I’m gonna be proud to be a part of for the rest of my life. Thank you for having me @LilNasX.”

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

With his buoyant debut album Giver/Taker, Anjimile was undoubtedly one of 2020’s breakout indie stars. Thanks to the album’s success, Anjimile is now armed with new music and a new label. Announcing he’s signed with 4AD, Anjimile shares the thoughtful new single “Stranger.”

The single opens with the emotive strumming of an acoustic guitar as Anjimile’s captivating voice floats in. The instrumentals swirl between nostalgic piano keys and boisterous horns, mimicking the tumult that’s detailed in the song’s lyrics.

In a statement about the new single, Anjimile says “Stranger” is a reflection on all the changes that came with his transition:

“‘Stranger’ is something of a confrontation between my past and present selves in relationship to my trans identity. I started testosterone about 3 or 4 years ago, and it’s been simultaneously liberating and alarming to note the changes to my mind and body over the years. ‘Stranger’ is an admission to myself that, while I welcome all of those changes — especially the deepening effect of testosterone on my singing and speaking voice — it’s still scary and there is a degree of internal ambivalence to my transition. In transitioning I lost, or gave up, a part of myself. And that is hard to reconcile. ‘Stranger’ is an attempt at some semblance of reconciliation, I guess.”

Listen to Anjimile’s “Stranger” above.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are hopeful that this will finally be the year things start trending up for them. They have pieces in place that point towards optimism, starting with All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, alongside Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, and Malik Beasley.

There’s very real talent on board, but still questions about how it all comes together and whether it’s enough to claw into the playoff picture in the highly competitive Western Conference. For some time, the Wolves have been trying to figure out their identity, and it’s clear that this year the goal is to be tougher. For Karl-Anthony Towns, he’s taking that task to some strange places to try and tap into something of a primal “kill or be killed” feeling going into games by…watching gorilla fights.

Listen, whatever works to get you in that zone before a game, but I gotta say this one’s a new one for sure. There are strange pregame rituals across the sports landscape, but watching a couple of gorillas duke it out to the death is definitely different. The best response to KAT’s quote came from head coach Chris Finch who has a decidedly different pregame viewing ritual.

If Towns comes out more aggressive and physical because he watched a couple of gorillas beat the hell out of each other, then the Wolves will happily put a staffer on full time gorilla video duty, finding him the gnarliest gorilla fights to watch before each game.

Combo Chimbita is making some of the most incredibly inspired music in the world right now. The first three singles they’ve dropped this year have explored different traditionalist themes pertinent to their native Colombia. Led by singer Carolina Oliveros’s banshee howl, the explosive “Mujer Jaguar” saw the band yearning for new a new world for the people of their native soil. Signed to Anti- Records and now based in Brooklyn, the band has now released “Babalawo,” the fourth song and accompanying video in the storytelling singles series, and it might just be the most visceral expression yet.

The band initially debuted the song when playing along with famed free jazz outfit Sun Ra Arkestra and have now presented it in a video, centered on Puerto Rican interpretive dancer and queer icon, Edrimael Delgado Reyes, whom director Oscar Diaz calls “the father of the vogue and ballroom scene in Puerto Rico.” Reyes’ movements act as a vessel for a tale of Plato’s cave, where humans in an almost zombie-like state just tow the line of the status quo before finding enlightenment (too real these days). Guitarist Niño Leto expanded on the overall themes of the song in a statement:

“It has some hints of trap, a bit of rock, but also carries influences from Haitian music and sounds. Carolina’s lyrics are also important since they describe some of our first encounters with Regla de Ocha (often known as Santeria). These intimate moments of spiritual guidance are incredibly important to us as a band with decolonial aspirations.”

At a time when marginalized communities are truly getting an opportunity to tell their stories and be acknowledged, but are still facing adversity at every turn, Combo Chimbita is pushing incredible boundaries in keeping these stories at the forefront of their music. The follow-up to 2019’s can’t miss album, Ahomale, has yet to be announced, but songs and videos like “Babalawo” should keep the band’s upcoming output firmly on the radar.

Watch the video for “Babalawo” above.

Future turtle-stomping Italian plumber Chris Pratt has officially confirmed that he’s filming the long-waited Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, and he’s got the facial hair to prove it. In a new Twitter video that’s pulling double duty in the promotion department, Pratt shows off his “sick-ass” mutton chops while revealing that he’s currently on set for Day 1 of the final Guardians film in writer/director James Gunn trilogy.

But that wasn’t all Pratt was pushing. The Marvel star was also promoting his appearance on Rob Lowe and Alan Yang’s Parks and Recollection podcast, which is about, you guessed it, Parks and Recreation. On the just released episode, Pratt will dissect his time as lovable dumbass Andy Dwyer on the hit NBC sitcom, which helped launched his career to its current A-list movie star state.

Pratt wrapped up the video by making a joke about his American flag sweater and whether it was patriotic enough, which you can see below, via Team Coco:

As for when Pratt will have time to record the voice of Mario in the upcoming animated movie of the same name, that film isn’t scheduled to hit theaters until December 21, 2022. So despite being clearly tied up with Guardians for the foreseeable future, Pratt has a while to nail down his approach to the most recognizable video game character of all time. No pressure.

(Via Team Coco on Twitter)