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Kenny Mason has been displaying Lebron James-level consistency, steadily building up toward his forthcoming 9 album for the better part of a year. Most recently the Atlanta artist dropped the three-track EP Highway 9, which followed in the footsteps of the three-track EP 3 last March and six-track EP 6 last June. The EP is due out March 14 via RCA Records.

“The 3 and 6 EPs are a part of an 18-track unique rollout leading up to his album 9,” a press release explained on Wednesday, March 6. “Having released EPs 3 and 6, which provided three and six tracks respectively, fans can expect a fresh batch of nine new songs on the album.”

Two of those songs are here, namely “Jumpin In” and “Us.” The singles dropped late on Tuesday, March 5, and represent Mason’s range.

“Us” is a rock-charged single showcasing Mason’s singing ability, as he aggressively and repeatedly calls someone a “b*tch,” narrates how he “grew up in a cold world,” and asks in the chorus, “Who in the f*ck, who in the f*ck / Who in the f*ck want it with us?” By contrast, “Jumpin In” is a smooth listen featuring Mason spitting bars about commitment and overcoming his formative environment: “I had to devise a plan to prove that I was divine / I demonstrate similar traits to the greats / But I’m in the space / Even thеy can’t imitate / I watch and wait.”

Watch the “Jumpin In” video above, and find more information about Mason’s Route 9 Tour below.

Kenny Mason’s Route 9 Tour Dates

03/22 — St. Paul, MN
03/23 — Chicago, IL
03/24 — Annarbor, MI
03/26 — Philadelphia, PA
03/28 — Boston, MA
03/29 — Washington, DC
03/30 — New York, NY
04/04 — Orlando, FL
04/05 — Atlanta, GA
04/11 — Dallas, TX
04/12 — Houston, TX
04/13 — Austin, TX
04/16 — Denver, CO
04/17 — Salt Lake City, UT
04/19 — Vancouver, BC
04/20 — Bellingham, WA
04/22 — Seattle, WA
04/24 — Eugene, OR
04/26 — Sacramento, CA
04/27 — San Francisco, CA
05/01 — Phoenix, AZ
05/02 — Santa Ana, CA
05/03 — Los Angeles, CA

Kenny Mason’s Route 9 Tour Poster

9 is out 3/14 via RCA Records. Find more information here.

On Thursday Joe Biden is set to deliver his third and maybe final State of the Union. You know what that means? Time for the more extremist members of the Republican Party to act like jackasses. During Biden’s first one, in 2022, Lauren Boebert infamously heckled him as he talked about his dead son Beau. Last year saw numerous interruptions, including Marjorie Taylor Greene calling him a “liar.” (She also threatened to troll him with a Pennywise joke.) What will happen this year? Maybe nothing, should they obey the Speaker of the House.

Per The Hill, in a closed door meeting, Mike Johnson reportedly begged House Republicans to not be total nuisances during Biden’s address. “Decorum is the order of the day,” one lawmaker claimed. Another echoed that, saying, “He said we should carry ourselves with good decorum.”

A lot has been said about Biden’s advanced age, but he managed to outsmart them last year. When discussing how Republicans are deadest on killing Social Security and Medicare, he earned loud booing from conservatives. So he demanded they agree, there and then, to leave the programs in-tact, lest they enrage voters.

“Let’s all agree — and we apparently are — let’s stand up for seniors,” he said, effectively offering a checkmate.

The State of the Union will be held on Thursday. Will it be as fun without watching Kevin McCarthy sitting there looking miserable for 90 minutes? You never know.

(Via The Hill)

On February 1, Universal Music Group removed its entire roster of artists’ catalogs from TikTok. In an open letter, UMG expressed that “TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than market value and not reflective of their exponential growth” during negotiations. In its own open letter, the service predictably rebutted UMG’s “false narrative and rhetoric.” It was an ugly situation, but it appears TikTok has another problem on its hands.

On Wednesday, March 6, Billboard exclusively reported that The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) license with TikTok is due to expire on April 30, and “do[es] not anticipate that there will be an option to renew or extend the current NMPA licenses or participate in a new license with TikTok through NMPA.”

See the full letter sent to NMPA members below, as obtained by Billboard.

“If you are receiving this Member Alert you are currently participating in a license with TikTok through NMPA’s 2022 model license opt-in.

NMPA is notifying all participants that these two-year licenses are set to expire on April 30, 2024.

Recently, the press has highlighted concerns around TikTok’s licensing practices, concerns that NMPA has heard directly from many of our members.

At this time, we do not anticipate that there will be an option to renew or extend the current NMPA licenses or participate in a new license with TikTok through NMPA.

NMPA members should make their own business determination whether to engage directly with TikTok to negotiate a license beyond April 30, 2024.

It is important that all NMPA members understand that without a license in place, TikTok should not be using your musical works on its platform. Starting May 1, 2024, any members who are not licensed with TikTok and would like to discuss enforcement options can contact attorneys at NMPA. If circumstances change prior to the expiration of the current TikTok licenses, NMPA will promptly notify members. We are here to answer your questions.”

Product placement has been a staple (if not scourge) of cinema since the dawn of the medium. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes it’s done as a satirical joke (while also serving as product placement). But no example is as out-there as what a Chilean advertising agency did when they hawked Cerveza beer back in the early aughts.

Over the weekend someone on Twitter/X dropped an example of what Chilean TV viewers saw when they watched the original Star Wars trilogy. Among the advertisers was Cristal Beer, but instead of stopping the movie for traditional commercial breaks, they had their product edited right into the film itself. For example, this is what happens early on in the first Star Wars, when Luke Skywalker first meets Obi-Wan Kenobi.

That’s right: Obi-Wan grabs a Cristal Cerveza, complete with a little jingle. Can they get Cristal at the Mos Eisley cantina? Probably not!

That wasn’t the only example. There’s the part where Obi-Wan is infiltrating the Death Star.

And the climax from Return of the Jedi, with Emperor Palpatine chilling on his throne with a cool one before he eats it (before coming back, of course).

Not only are these real, but the ads won awards. A 2004 piece by The Guardian reveals that OMD Santiago, the agency that came up with this idea, scooped up the top award at that year’s Cannes International Advertising Festival. Cristal wound up edited into a number of major films as they aired on TV, a move the judges deemed “genius.”

The posts blew up, and soon a new meme was born, with people splicing Cristal into all manner of movies and shows and whatnot. There were more Star Wars ones.

Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Lord of the Rings.

Dune.

Spider-Man 2.

Alien.

Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Se7en.

Surely Cristal is enjoying all this free advertising.

(Via Business Insider)

Kazuchika Okada is officially All Elite, siding with the Young Bucks in a completely rebranded The Elite faction.

The Young Bucks hit the ring as part of AEW Dynamite to reveal they had two special announcements. After complaining about how Sting and Darby Allin defeated them at Revolution over the weekend, the Bucks announced “Hangman” Adam Page would be suspended for his attack on numerous referees and they were firing Kenny Omega from The Elite for missing action over the last few months.

Before they could get to their second announcement, Eddie Kingston’s music hit and he came down to the ring to trash talk the Bucks. They attacked Kingston and set up for the EVP trigger before Kazuchika Okada’s familiar coin drop came across the speakers. Okada came down to the ring and aligned himself with Kingston before pulling him backwards into the Rainmaker.

While Kingston was laid out in the ring, the Bucks got back on the mic to announce Okada had joined The Elite.

Okada joins AEW at a time when business appears to be booming. After signing Will Ospreay and bringing in Okada, the promotion is reportedly on the cusp of debuting former WWE star Mercedes Moné, who is expected to be at next week’s AEW Dynamite.

Last May, Hunxho visited Uproxx Sessions to perform “True To My Religion.” Then the Atlanta-bred rapper was tapped to open on Lil Baby’s abbreviated It’s Only Us Tour. Now it’s time for Hunxho to embark on his first-ever headlining tour, The One Night Only Tour, as announced on Wednesday, March 6.

A press release revealed that the tour “capitalizes on the momentum” from Hunxho’s stand-alone, sold-out “One Night Only” concert at The Eastern in Atlanta last month, which Uproxx attended.

The press release also confirmed that a “special Spotify pre-sale goes live on Wednesday, March 6, at 12 p.m. EST, followed by promoter and venue presales on Thursday, March 7, at 12 p.m. EST. General on-sale commences on Friday, March 8, at 12 p.m. EST.” Find all ticketing information here.

Hunxho last released For Her last October, and the project became his first career Billboard 200 entry. In December, he dropped For Her (Deluxe), and most recently, Hunxho recruited fellow Atlantan Summer Walker for a remix of “Your Friends.”

Hunxho’s The One Night Only Tour Dates

05/10 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
05/16 — Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater
05/17 — Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
05/18 — Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
05/21 — New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
05/22 — Washington, DC @ Howard Theatre
05/24 — Richmond, VA @ The National
05/28 — Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
05/30 — Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
05/31 — Chicago, IL @ Avondale
06/02 — Houston, TX @ HOB Houston
06/03 — Dallas, TX @ HOB Dallas
06/06 — Tampa, FL @ Jannus Live
06/08 — Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
06/09 — Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theater

Hunxho’s The One Night Only Tour Poster

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

A few times in recent years, celebrities and social media influencers alike have made waves by sharing that they don’t make their kids bathe every day. For some parents, that was totally par for the course, but for others, letting a child go more than a day without bathing was seen as a travesty.

Doctors have made it clear that kids don’t need to bathe daily, with some going so far as to recommend against it when they are young to protect kids’ delicate skin.

But what about grownups? Most of us don’t take baths regularly as adults, but what’s the ideal frequency for showering?

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According to a YouGov poll of over 5,700 Americans, just over half of respondents said they shower daily and 11% said they shower twice or more per day. That means two out of three of us are showering at least once a day.

But according to doctors and dermatologists, that’s probably overkill for most people. Unless you’re doing heavy labor, exercising vigorously, working outdoors or around toxins or otherwise getting excessively dirty or sweaty, a few showers per week is enough for healthy hygiene.

In fact, Robert H. Shmerling, MD of Harvard Health says too frequent showering could actually have some negative effects on your health.

“Normal, healthy skin maintains a layer of oil and a balance of ‘good’ bacteria and other microorganisms,” Dr. Shmerling writes. “Washing and scrubbing removes these, especially if the water is hot.” He shares that removing that protective layer can make our skin dry, irritated or itchy, which can lead to damage that allows allergens and bacteria to cross the skin barrier. Additionally, our immune systems require exposure to microorganisms, dirt, and other environmental stimuli in order to create “immune memory,” and if we wash them away too frequently, we might be inhibiting the effectiveness of our immune system.

Dermatologists who spoke to Vogue had similar advice about shower frequency. Board-certified dermatologist Deanne Robinson, MD, FAAD told the magazine that you can skip showering for the day if you haven’t engaged in rigorous activity. Mamina Turegano, a triple board-certified dermatologist, internist and dermatopathologist. agreed. “I think that showering three to four times a week is plenty for most people,” she said.

Of course, everyone is different and what is good for one person’s skin isn’t good for another’s. Showering frequency and health also depend on what kinds of products you’re using, what temperature of water you’re using and how long your shower is. There’s a big difference between a quick pits-and-privates rinse-off and a long, hot shower.

While scorching yourself and steaming up the bathroom may feel luxurious and relaxing, especially if you’ve got sore muscles, dermatologists say it’s not good for your skin. Hot showers are especially problematic for people with skin issues like eczema.

“Any skin condition characterized by a defective skin barrier can be worsened by a hot shower,” board-certified New York City dermatologist Shari Marchbein told Allure. “[It] strips the skin of sebum, the healthy fats and oils necessary for skin health, and dehydrates the skin.”

In fact most dermatologists recommend keeping showers lukewarm. That sounds like torture, frankly, but who’s going to argue with the experts?

A lot of people, actually. Modern humans are pretty particular about our shower preferences, and judging from the comments on cleanliness discussions, some folks are dead set on the idea that a daily shower is simply not negotiable. Even with the experts weighing in with their knowledge and science, a lot of people will continue to do what they do, advice be damned.

But at least the folks who’ve been judged harshly by the daily shower police have some official backup. As long as you’re showering every couple of days, you’re golden. As it turns out, there really is such a thing as being too clean.

Dogs really do love their people. They’re not only excited to see them after a long day at work or a short trip to the mailbox, they also worry about their humans if they’re sick or hurting. One pit bull mix, Ares, possibly named after the Greek God of war and courage, showed incredible bravery and intelligence after she and her mom were in a car accident.

Ares and her mom, Melissa Fickle were driving with the windows down while they were on their way to the park. It was then that Fickle got into a car accident at an intersection causing Ares to bolt through the window and run off. The jolted woman thought the dog ran off into a neighborhood and worried she wouldn’t see the sweet girl again, but Ares knew just where to go for help.

Instead of roaming the streets scared, the black pibble ran a full mile to get to the doggy daycare she visits often, demanding someone notice her.

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In the security camera footage, you see Ares repeatedly jump at the door like she’s trying to knock. Eventually the owner at Hounds Town Metro Detroit notices the dog and comes out to check on her. When he didn’t see Fickle with Ares, the owner of the daycare called Ares’s mom, much to her relief. Since she was dealing with the aftermath of the accident, she could now rest assured that her brave pup was safe.

“Luckily, then he called me and said, ‘she’s here’ and I literally sank to the ground,” Fickle tells WXYZ-TV Detroit.

That sweet dog knew exactly where to get help. Thankfully the accident wasn’t a major one and the duo are back together. Ares is even brave enough to get back into the car for more trips to the park and daycare.

You can watch the video below:

Odds are you’ve heard Wally de Backer, aka Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.”

It’s the Australian musician’s biggest commercial hit, selling more than 20 million copies since its release in 2011, making it one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. Not to mention it inspired several amazing covers, which you might have also stumbled upon.

The music video, in its poignant simplicity, is every bit as iconic.

Gotye stands naked facing the camera, as featured singer Kimbra faces him. As they sing, they are slowly “painted” into and out of the background of geometric shapes using stop motion animation. There’s a very Wes Anderson feel to it that adds so much to the story told in the song, making it all the more memorable.

All this to say…it would be a challenge to recreate the magic that’s so inherent in the original. And yet, one dance company has clearly understood the assignment.

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All this to say…it would be a challenge to recreate the magic that’s so inherent in the original. And yet, one dance company has clearly understood the assignment.

Netherland based dance troupe CDK recently went viral for their highly stylized movement performance to the well known art pop ballad.

As thousands of viewers were quick to note, it’s not just the incredible dance moves that make this performance so captivating. It’s a killer combination of choreography, camerawork and costumes that make the piece impossible to turn away from.

“This is pure art,” one person wrote. While another added, “I think I’m going to watch it everyday for the rest of my life.”

Take a look for yourself:

CDK – Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye

This group is clearly at the top of their game, by how easy they make it all look (like, I’ve already convinced myself that I can pull off those moves). But what’s more evident is that they enjoy what they’re doing to the nth degree.

To find even more of CDK’s performances, follow them on Instagram.

Fun fact #1: Gotye allows small independent projects, like student films—and probably this dance piece—to use his music free of charge. “If someone wants to use it commercially I look at what the budget is and the creativity of the project,” he said, according to News.com.

Fun fact #2: CDK isn’t the only group to have recently breathed new life into the song. A few weeks ago, an electronic remix of the song titled “Somebody (2024),” created by electronic music producers Chris Lake, Fisher, and Sante Sansone, debuted. Much like it’s predecessor, “Somebody (2024) is topping the charts.

With the basic cost of living stretching many folks financially, people are always on the lookout for ways to save money. But with long-term commitments and ever-increasing costs, people are also often wary of memberships or subscriptions that might save you money (or at least be worth what they cost), but also might not.

Thanks to a Reddit user who asked fellow Redditors, “What membership is 100% worth every penny you pay for it?“ we’ve got a list of memberships that might actually be worth checking out.

The kinds of memberships people listed vary widely, from warehouse stores to learning programs to medical evacuation services, but everyone who shared made a strong case for why the cost of them are worth it.

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Here are the memberships people say are worth every penny:

Emergency Helicopter Services

“I live on an island in Alaska with limited healthcare. An emergency flight to a more capable hospital will cost $50000. For $100 a year I save $49900 if I ever need their services. That $100 covers everyone living under my roof. There is no limit on the number of flights. And seniors pay $75. Of course, the flight isn’t a guarantee. Bad weather or the donated jet needing repairs can, and does, prevent you from being flown out.” – Ksan_of_Tongass

“Can’t believe someone beat me to this.
A year and a half ago, I had to be medevaced to Seattle with a broken back. Price tag on the flight would have been $141,110.89…
Good thing we are a member of the air med network!” – Tedious_research

“More common than you would think. They have this same premise in rural Texas for about $25/m.” – sevargmas

The Great Courses (or Wondrium)

“The Great Courses. It’s now under the umbrella of Wondrium (and they have a bunch of other stuff, but I look for the GC stuff) They have hundreds of courses. Each one has roughly 26-40 lectures. They’re the best professors in the world – the ones that students report as their favorite teachers.

My boyfriend and I always have four on Thursdays: a science, an art, a philosophy (or wild card) and a history. We’ve done classes like: botany, the analects of Confucius, The Medici’s, the physics of time, early humans and the history of food.

I’ve got a good deal with them at $10/month all I can stream. Great for lifelong learners.” – Shaydie

“I bought a 2 year subscription (when it was 50% off) and never looked back. Ancient Egypt is probably the best course I’ve ever taken, even including courses I’ve taken in college. It’s old (1999) and some things have been disproven since, but it’s still so damn good. Now I’m watching Ancient Mesopotamia, which is also very good.” – Ok-Supermarket-1414

“I’ve learned so many things from having a Wondrium subscription (and mostly the great courses ones are my favourites). I think having the streaming version of this versus buying courses has led me to learn so many more things than I would have, and try and some and find out they weren’t really for me.” — Shipping_away_at_it

National Parks Pass

“The US National Park Senior Pass. The BEST bargain in the nation.” – BrunoGerace

“We toured the us in an rv this year, and the america the beautiful pass paid for itself many, many, many times over.” – mushnu

“And if you’re not a Senior (or Vet) the annual pass is still a deal. Visit 3 NPs or NMs in a year and it’s paid for itself.” – Kerensky97

“I’m canadian, I’ve seen national parks in canada, a lot of europe and the us, and it’s not even a fair contest. The national parks in america are s tier amazing sites. Diverse, well cared for yet wild, affordable, etc.” – mushnu

The YMCA (though this varies a lot by location and income)

“YMCA – I pay $70 a month for a family of four and it includes use of the pool, gym, and sauna and up to four hours of childcare a day. I go nearly everyday and have lost 60 pounds over the last six months. It’s also my only childcare as a stay at home mom so it keeps me sane.” – neopolitandynomite

“Came here to say this! I’m in WI and pay $82/month for my family of 7. We go 3-4 times a week, love it. Also have volunteered to coach soccer and have kids in the youth sports. Pool, hot tub and sauna is like a spa to me.” – Martini6288

“My family YMCA membership (one adult + children) is $115/mo, but even so, it’s totally worth it! I attend at least 3 group ex classes a week, my kids go in the kid zone, they get swim lessons, T-ball, summer camp, etc at reduced cost. It’s also very convenient as we live right across the street. We attend many of their special events too (Halloween party, pumpkins in the pool, etc).” – WhJoMaShRa

AAA

“AAA or equivalent roadside service club in your respective country. A single tow costs more than your membership and it quickly pays for itself. Plus all the other discounts and affiliated services they offer, it is absolutely worth the money.” – llcucf80

“Between tows and the times either I or someone I was with locked their keys in their car, it has more than paid for itself. It has been a life saver more than once.” – nelsonalgrencametome

“Family car broke down on a road trip. My dad had some upper level AAA membership or something, because they covered the tow, a bus ticket for me home while they got covered in the affiliated hotel for 2 nights, along with meals.” – DopeCharma

“I haven’t owned a vehicle in over 6 years, up until the last two years I’ve had a AAA membership.

It’s worth mentioning that it’s not like insurance, it’s your membership. I kept it because I could call them if a friend needed a tow, someone locked their keys in their car, needed gas but no way to get it, flat and no spare, doesn’t matter

If you have a membership, youre present, card in hand, doesn’t matter who’s vehicle it is, you’re golden. I even got complete strangers a tow, I wasn’t gonna use them.

One time I even got my own vehicle out of an impound using AAA because the tow company was certified with AAA and it was only impounded for expired tags. I didn’t pay a dime to the tow company, they just got more from me requesting the tow through AAA to an auto shop

Amazing service, 100% worth every penny.” – drklunk

Costco

“Costco… For the chicken and food court alone it is worth it.” – Peach3ater

“Even if you ONLY buy allergy med from Costco, it’s worth the membership fee. $70 membership + $14 bottle of 365 allergy pills is basically 2-3 months max of Claritin or other brands at regular grocery store.” – the_bio

“For me it’s my contacts. Just my regular prescription for a year is more of a discount at costco vs 1800contacts than the membership costs.” – MRoad

“There are so many things it can save you $10 a month on. It’s insane. My wife and I probably save $120 a month on everything from bulkier groceries/snacks, paper towels/toilet paper, laundry detergent, some clothes, tires and gas. We don’t even drink soda or have pets, both of which can more than pay for a membership. We live an hour away and factor our time/wear and tear on the car into how much it saves us. $120 a month easily even on a light month.” – sevseg_decoder

Spotify Premium

“I’ve had Spotify premium since 2011 and I listen to it all day every day. Best value subscription.” – Breakfast_1796

“Undoubtedly this, especially compared to what you used to have to spend on physical media. Even then, you’d be stuck with the same handful of albums with one good track instead of nearly every song ever recorded.” – Chewie83

“Sometimes I imagine explaining Spotify to my 16-year-old self. “So for about the price of a single CD a month… You can have all the music ever, on demand. All of it, Whenever you want…” It’s honestly a dream come true for me lol.” – DAFUQ404

“I’ve had the spotify family plan since like 2015 or so. 15/month for 6 people? Yes please!!! I’d be paying 10 just for me to have premium. Now my fiancée, my adult children, my bestie, and her husband all have a quality music service.” – eyemacwgrl