With The Walking Dead currently on hiatus, its long-time special effects guru, executive producer, and frequent director Greg Nicotero has had an opportunity to expand the audience for his reboot of Stephen King’s horror anthology series, Creepshow, a series that he obviously loves enough to include an Easter Egg for it in The Walking Dead. The series originally aired on AMC’s niche horror streaming service, Shudder, but to help fill the void left behind after 40 uninterrupted episodes from The Walking Dead universe were interrupted by the pandemic, AMC has begun to air the series on Monday nights (it’s also AMC On Demand now). It’s very good — worth the Shudder subscription, in fact — and for the time being, it helps scratch that The Walking Dead itch.

Of course, since Nicotero is the boss over on Creepshow, he gets final say. Meanwhile, over on The Walking Dead, Nicotero gets plenty of input, but the final word is that of the showrunner, and Nicotero hasn’t always agreed with their decisions. For example, Nicotero “vehemently disagreed” with Robert Kirkman’s decision back in season 2 to let Rick kill Shane instead of allowing Carl to kill Shane, as he did in the comics.

More recently, in the season finale of season 8 — which is when the All-Out War between Rick’s group and Negan’s group ended — Nicotero wanted to end the episode in a completely different way that would have had long-lasting effects on the series, as he told the Collider podcast, The Witching Hour.

“When Rick cuts Negan’s throat,” Nicotero said. “I think Maggie should shoot him. I think Maggie should either kill Negan or shoot him, or do something, because she’s right there.”

“It was a really hard moment to shoot,” Nicotero — who directed that episode — continued. “Knowing that Maggie collapses to her knees when Rick spares Negan’s life. I had pitched this idea to [Scott Gimple]: ‘Why doesn’t Maggie shoot him? Why doesn’t Maggie kill him?’ But obviously, Negan had more of a journey, and there was a lot more going on.”

If viewers had known that Nicotero had lobbied for Negan’s death at the end of season 8, I think nearly everyone would have backed him. Two seasons later, however, and a redeemed Negan is one of the best things about The Walking Dead, which Nicotero acknowledges. “I think that [showrunner Angela Kang] has done a wonderful job. And I think with Samantha [Morton] and Ryan [Hurst], and all the actors, Jeffrey [Dean Morgan] and Melissa [McBride] and Norman [Reedus] and everybody, the last two seasons have been really, really fun … the story really, really moves.”

The Walking Dead will return later this year with its finale, which will feature the return of Lauren Cohan’s Maggie.

(Via Collider)

Today’s news is perhaps expected, but no less tragic, as the body of former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard has been recovered on Venice Beach, near where he disappeared on Sunday. We did our best to hold out hope when the story broke on Monday that he had disappeared, but that hope was in short supply yesterday when the search for Gaspard was called off.

According to TMZ, a citizen called the police at 1:30 AM today to report that they’d found a body near Venice Pier. Officers recovered the body and a few hours later confirmed it to be Shad Gaspard.

It seems that Gaspard’s last act was to save his 10-year-old son, who was swimming with him when they were both caught in a rip tide. When a lifeguard reached the two of them, reports ESPN, Gaspard told the lifeguard, “Take my son.” His son later added, “Dad told me to push off to the guy,” meaning the lifeguard. By the time the boy was safely ashore, Shad Gaspard had disappeared under the waves.

Shad Gaspard competed on Tough Enough in 2002 and then signed with WWE, where he worked until 2010. He’s best remembered as half of the tag team Cryme Time with JTG. Since leaving WWE, he’s wrestled on the independent scene and also found a career as an actor and stunt performer, working on films including Black Panther and Birds of Prey.

Our thoughts today are with Gaspard’s family and loved ones.

During his recent Verzuz hits battle with Nelly on Instagram, Ludacris previewed a new track which met with a backlash from some fans on social media over a line name checking R. Kelly and Bill Cosby. Fans were apparently upset at a couplet in which he mentions both disgraced stars, rapping, “The world screwed if n****s pouring drinks like Bill Huxtable / I love R. Kelly but around my daughters, I’m not comfortable.” Today, Luda addressed the controversy over the line during an interview with Atlanta radio station V103, explaining the meaning behind the lyric and why he thinks people “misconstrued” it.

“Sometimes when you speak on records, you speakin’ like it’s just me and you having a conversation as friends,” he explains in the video below. “But you just speaking, and just being honest. I saw that a lot of people kind of misconstrued or didn’t understand what it was that I was saying.” Turning the question on host Big Tigger (shout-out Rap City Tha Basement!), Luda asks, “What do you think I meant when I said that?” Tigger’s response: “You meant, ‘I loved his music… but I’m a father of daughters, and you’re not gonna be around my daughters.’”

“You’re a smart man,” the rapper replies. “It’s that simple.”

The kerfuffle surrounding the line just illustrates how easy it is to misinterpret hip-hop and maybe also how quick some parties are to jump to conclusions or strip meaningful context — whether accidentally or on purpose — for the sake of creating conversation on social media. If there’s a takeaway, it might be to give art the benefit of the doubt before going into outrage mode.

Watch Ludacris’ response above.

Charli XCX earnestly addressed the camera in her hand with glazed eyes that offer a glimpse into weeks of sleepless nights. “Yesterday I cried,” she admitted. “I’m frustrated that I’m so obsessed with working.” The art-pop singer was vlogging from her quarantine in LA to update fans on the album she had been creating in isolation, all within the abbreviated span of a month and a half.

Charli was doing something unprecedented. The coronavirus aimed a ubiquitous blow at the music industry and, like the rest of humanity, musicians have been forced to adapt to their new reality. With venues closed for the unforeseeable future, artists have elected to cope with the pandemic through a variety of means. Some opted to delay releases while others have adhered to their pre-pandemic promotion schedule. A few even chose to release projects early as an offering of escapism through music. But Charli XCX has taken a different path entirely, emerging as a trailblazer for artists everywhere. Charli instead chose to create an entire record from scratch using social media to crowdsource collaboration. The result is more than just a synth-fused, 11-track pop record. Charli XCX’s How I’m Feeling Now has innovated the album recording process and forged a new path for musicians succeeding her.

Charli’s exhausted confession of workaholism wouldn’t be the last time she admitted an emotional episode to the internet. Later, on a Zoom call with fans and collaborators, Charli spoke frankly about her headspace. “I’m feeling a bit nervous about the deadline that’s approaching. I definitely had a bit of a breakdown yesterday,” she candidly expressed, adding: “I’m definitely beginning to crack a little bit.”

This admission arrived in the introduction of a bi-weekly Zoom call, one of the many ways Charli used the internet to collaborate with fans on How I’m Feeling Now. Along with fielding questions and suggestions from fans over regular video calls, Charli relied on her social media followers for their honest input. Her constant dialog with fans touts her as an example of an artist who has successfully honed a niche on social media.

“Going live on insta now, need ur help on some verse lyrics,” Charli tweeted one evening. These real-time brainstorming sessions are a part of what makes her songwriting process unique. She’s not just offering fans a preview of the upcoming record. She’s trusting them with their opinions — and really listening to them. Sure, other musicians have been recording music in quarantine. But no one has cultivated fan collaboration like Charli. From workshopping lyrics to designing album artwork, using fan-record clips in videos, and even accepting homemade beat submissions, Charli has truly joined forces with her listeners. And these exchanges between artist and fan have strengthened Charli’s cult following among art-pop connoisseurs and boundary-pushing Gen-Zers.

Charli previously admitted that she’s been surprised about “just how receptive” her listeners were to the album’s singles. But her collaboration methods warrant positive reactions. Charli has already primed fans on her album’s sound through detailed updates. This allows room for experimentation on a record. Fans aren’t surprised by the jarring, glitchy synths that arrive in the hook of her album closer “Visions” because they had already heard a preview through a number of Instagram live sessions. Moreover, they feel deeply connected to the music because they effectively played a role in its creation. Those who have followed along with, and even contributed to, How I’m Feeling Now can’t help but feel the album is also theirs.

Along with receiving positive feedback, Charli’s record sets a new standard for artists. It exemplifies how connecting with followers and creating music synchronously can empower both artists and fans by challenging convention. Charli’s detailed updates demonstrate what it’s like to record an album. It’s not glamorous. It’s turbulent, and Charli has worn her heart on her brightly-colored mesh sleeve. By following her guidelines, musicians can similarly create a static interpretation of their sentimentality through music.

Through her How I’m Feeling Now recording process, Charli has successfully broken down the barrier between artist and fan, or in her case, pop star and stan. She doesn’t put on a facade that details an apathetic narrative about making music as a global pop icon. She has wielded her way past naysayers and proven the efficacy and innovation in her songwriting methods. Charli has given fans a voice, and their voice speaks loudly.

How I’m Feeling Now is out now via Atlantic. Get it here.

Charli XCX is a Warner Music Artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

On the first day of 2018, Jeff Rosenstock dropped a new album, Post-, without any forewarning. For his follow-up, he decided to do the same thing: Today, Rosenstock has surprise-released a new album, No Dream. Not no surprisingly, it’s a raucous, guitar-driven affair, so Rosenstock fans ought to be pleased with today’s new drop.

Rosenstock says of the album:

“It was feeling like a very personal record for me. A lot of it was stemming from the anxiety I was feeling from the last two years, this existential crisis of wondering who I am. I didn’t expect to be doing well, in my life, ever. […]

I got so used to putting out records that only a few people in the punk underground liked, and a lot of people in the punk underground also didn’t like them, either. […] I was trying to not be afraid of using phrases that weren’t immediately clear to me, aside from how they sounded and felt, then allowing them to reveal themselves over time. […]

I thought I had just made a record for no one. What’s the point of feeling this way? Does it help to vocalize it?”

The album is available on streaming services now, but it is also available to download for free. There are paid downloads available, and ten percent of proceeds from purchases will go to Food Not Bombs.

Stream No Dream above.

No Dream is out now via Polyvinyl. Get it here.

The new trailer for Antebellum, a mysterious horror film starring Janelle Monáe, has an unassuming beginning, with majestic animals grazing in a sun-drenched field and a happy family rolling around in a bed. “There are precious things that can never be lost. Family, happiness, hope,” the teaser above reads before the record-scratch moment: “Unless you are chosen.” Chosen for what? That’s left unsaid, but considering the plot of the Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz-film appears to involve Monáe’s modern-day character being transported to the pre-Civil War south, it can’t be anything good.

Here’s the official plot synopsis:

Successful author Veronica Henley (played by Janelle Monáe) finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it’s too late. Antebellum is a terrifying new thriller from the producer of the acclaimed films Get Out and Us, and groundbreaking directors Gerard Bush and Christoper Renz (Bush+Renz), an exciting new voice in filmmaking.

Antebellum, which also stars Marque Richardson II, Eric Lange, Jack “Richard from Boardwalk Empire” Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Tongayi Chirisa, Gabourey Sidibe, Rob Aramayo, Lily Cowles, and Jena Malone, was originally schedule to come out in April, but now it opens on August 21. Until then, you can catch Monáe in Homecoming.

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Three words to sum up this week’s episode of Killing Eve: “This. Is. Bullsh*t.”

The show’s sixth episode, appropriately titled “End Game” gave us all the angst, but not the sexually-charged kind between Eve and Villanelle … no, this time we’re watching our happy-go-lucky assassin having full-on emotional breakdowns and her ex-government lover Hulking-out on unassuming vending machines. This is a show about spycraft and organized killing, so murder is always on the menu, but this latest episode’s assassination didn’t feel as important as it’s build-up — and aftermath. Let’s dig in.

The Bathroom Breakdown

First, a bit of good news. Niko, despite being pitchforked by Dasha just two episodes earlier, is alive. He’s recuperating in a London hospital because his larynx didn’t fare so well. Still, he’s found a way to destroy Eve emotionally when she comes to visit.

Eve spends the episode hunting Niko’s would-be killer, and while it’s fascinating to see her agonize over the possibility that her ex-girlfriend is responsible before settling on Dasha as the true culprit — and then confronting her during the tensest TV bowling match we’ve ever seen — the biggest drama follows Villanelle, who’s still strung out over that whole “killed-my-mom-and-burned-her-house-down” thing.

She has a meeting with Elena, the woman who’s been threatening Dasha this season, who reveals that Villanelle is finally getting that promotion she’s been gunning for. She’s officially a Keeper, but kids, achieving your dreams isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and the new title doesn’t mean Villanelle won’t still be sent on jobs — like the one in Romania where she’s ordered to kill a high-profile politician.

Fed up with being the psychotic, bloodthirsty lapdog of a secret organization that can’t even spring for top-shelf champagne, Villanelle goes to Konstantin, asking to flee with him once he finally breaks free of the group. He’s reluctant, for obvious reasons, but when he learns Villanelle killed her own mother, he settles with a clear “Not gonna happen.”

So Villanelle bonds with Konstantin’s daughter Irina, suggesting she kill her irksome step-father while learning Konstantin intends to head to Cuba.

She’s got a trip to Romania planned, though, where she poses as a stylist to get close to the politician. You’ll never feel comfortable going to a salon again after watching this scene — even if this pandemic one day ends.

But Villanelle is careless, and the politician manages to put up a bit of a fight before having his brains fried, which leaves Villanelle escaping a bloody crime scene and having a pity-party in her hotel room’s bathroom afterward. She breaks the one rule Konstantin advised her to follow and reveals to Dasha that she wants out of this life of crime. Dasha suggests ordering a pizza.

Same Villanelle, same.

And just like that, we’re left wondering where this show will go next. It’s clear that, despite having said this before, Villanelle is done with working for The Twelve, but we think she also realizes that vanishing, as Konstantin plans to do, just won’t work for her. With Eve also on a warpath, “End Game” felt like the emotionally-draining build-up to their partnership, if only because they’d both be served by getting rid of their mutual enemy. The only problem? Dasha, who’s still around, threatening to kill Eve and wield her influence over her protege.

Oh, and we can’t imagine Konstantin will be too pleased with Villanelle once he discovers it was her hand puppeteering this shocking kill:

Imagine raising not one, but two deranged murderers. Yikes.

When Rich Brian plans a posse cut, he really shoots for the moon. The Indonesian born, LA-based rapper wants to do an all-star quarantine cut, and to do so, he shoots his shot with a plethora of notable names from across the rap game. Posting a video call capture to his Instagram, Brian phoned his pal Denzel Curry to detail the plan, while the latter minute and a half of the video is dedicated to a preview of the song playing on his laptop screen. The caption reveals his wishlist, which includes: Buddy, Childish Gambino, Chris Travis, Danny Towers, Denzel Curry, Earthgang, Higher Brothers, IDK, J. Cole, Jaden Smith, JID, Joji, Jpegmafia, Kevin Abstract, Pouya, and Tyler The Creator. In the video, he mentions that Guapdad 4000 may already be on board, as well.

While that list of names may seem like a heft lift to pull off, there’s no better time for Brian to ask than now, when the vast majority of artists are sheltering at home — many with their own recording setup somewhere in their living space. It probably doesn’t hurt that many of the names are already either good friends or collaborators; most of the artists he named have appeared as guests at Tyler’s annual Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival and some have previously collaborated with Brian in some capacity, like Buddy and Guapdad appearing in his “Bali” video a few weeks ago or Higher Brothers, with whom Brian entered the rap game as part of 88 Rising’s all-Asian roster of artists. Can Brian pull it off? Who knows, but even if he falls short a few names, the end result will still end up being pretty impressive anyway.

Watch Rich Brian’s posse cut preview above.

About half a year ago, The National leader Matt Berninger revealed that he had a solo album in the works. He hasn’t said much about it since then, but now Serpentine Prison has officially been announced: The album will be out on October 2 via Book Records, a new label co-founded by Berninger and Serpentine Prison producer Booker T. Jones.

The announcement comes alongside a video for the album’s title track. The understated song scores a similarly spirited video, a black-and-white clip that shows the process of Berninger, Jones, and their collaborators recording the song.

In a post making the announcement, Berninger thanks a long list of people who helped bring the album to life. It includes Andrew Bird, Walter Martin (of The Walkmen), Gail Ann Dorsey (a longtime David Bowie collaborator), Harrison Whitford (who plays in Phoebe Bridgers’ band), and others.

When Berninger initially teased the album, he wrote, “Kind, patient, visionary genius @bookertjonesmusic produced and arranged my solo record. It’s called Serpentine Prison. More about it soon but basically I’m the luckiest man in the universe with lots of brilliant friends who can play instermints. Not worthy!”

Watch the “Serpentine Prison” video above.

Serpentine Prison is out 10/2 via Book Records.