One of the interesting quirks about wealth and class in America is that many people have a hard time determining their socioeconomic status accurately. A poll published by Business Insider found that some Americans earning less than $50,000 feel rich, while others earning more than $100,000 feel poor. Nearly half of Americans earning $100,000 or more identify as middle class.
The same poll found that only 13% of millionaires believe they are wealthy and 60% define themselves as middle class.
A TikTokker named Geneviève explained how this disconnect could happen by using her girlfriend as an example. Geneviève grew up in a low-income family and her girlfriend was raised by affluent parents, with a live-in nanny and a maid. However, the girlfriend always thought she was middle class.
Interestingly, she tells the story in a very non-judgmental way. She simply wants to understand why people’s perceptions of wealth can be so skewed.
“Here are some culture shocks that I had as someone who grew up poor who’s now living with someone who grew up with money,” Geneviève said. “Firstly, is the fact that rich people don’t consider themselves rich because they surround themselves with people who are much richer than them.”
do y’all have any rich people experiences? i’m curious✨ #richvspoor #cultureshock #grwm #relatable
“It’s amazing that she was able to live this life, but it made me realize that everything is relative. Because although per my standard that qualifies as rich, she was by far not the richest person at her school, in her neighborhood, in her group of friends,” Geneviève said.
“So to her, she was actually middle class because she had never really come into contact with people who were properly poor, or even properly middle class,” she continued. “She had only ever really been exposed to people within her own community who were well-off until she went to college.”
Geneviève’s story is an interesting lesson on how we see ourselves and that, in the end, there’s always going to be someone richer than you and always someone who has less. The key is that if you’re genuinely grateful for what you have, you can feel like a king, regardless of what’s in your bank account. But if you’re rich and ungrateful, you’ll never have enough.
Two of the top heavyweights in the world stepped into the ring on Friday. Anthony Joshua, the decorated boxer and former heavyweight champion of the world, took on Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion who has started to break into the world of boxing following the expiration of his contract with the MMA promotion.
The fight took place in Saudi Arabia, and while it ended up not taking especially long to crown a winner, at least those in attendance got to witness some fireworks at the very end. After dominating the first round and knocking Ngannou down as it came to an end, Joshua came out in the second and decided to end the night early. He knocked Ngannou down with a big right hand, and while he was able to get up, Ngannou was clearly a bit woozy. Joshua took advantage, as he threw one gigantic right hand that knocked Ngannou out cold and secured a win.
Anthony Joshua BRUTALLY knocks out Francis Ngannou in the second round.
Prior to this fight, no one had ever knocked out Ngannou in the UFC or in the world of boxing. While Ngannou had 20 fights in the UFC and left the promotion as its heavyweight champ, this was only his second boxing match — he lost via split decision to Tyson Fury in October.
As for Joshua, this marks his fourth win in a row after he lost back-to-back fights against Oleksandr Usyk. The first cost him the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles, while the second put all five of those and the vacant The Ring titles on the line.
FLO is kicking off the new year with some new music to get fans excited. The first release since their 2023 EP 3 Of Us, “Walk Like This” is a confident anthem that brilliantly opens with the sound of their heeled boots.
Lyrically, it also gets a little bit spicy, as they declare “There’s a reason I walk like this (I walk!) / Side to side with a sway in my hip.” The band co-wrote and produced it alongside MNEK.
“We made ‘Walk Like This’ with our frequent and loved collaborators MNEK, Ashton Sellars, Kabba, Relyt, and Talay Riley,” the band shared in a statement. “It was the end of 2023 and we wanted to create something sexy, still fun and upbeat, and for the certified lover girl in us all.”
“The song is about that energy you have when you embrace your sensuality and womanhood,” FLO added. “It’s okay to admit a man’s doing well from time to time! We hope it makes you feel confident, a bit naughty, and adds that extra sway to your walk.”
As for what to expect from FLO throughout the rest of 2024, the London-based girl group will be performing at Coachella and NYC’s Governors Ball in just a few months.
Matt Champion, formerly of Brockhampton, officially announced his debut solo album titled Mika’s Laundry. Today, March 8, he also gave fans another preview of it by collaborating with Blackpink’s Jennie on “Slow Motion.”
Jennie’s voice opens the verse, setting a gentle and emotional tone as she is backed only by a slow piano instrumental. Then, Champion’s voice starts backing her, introducing the fact that a shift is about to happen. It then leans more into a faster electronic beat. The two are a talented vocal pairing, providing different perspectives of a relationship.
“If I could stop time for real / Would make it any easier for me to love you? / ‘Cause you know I’m shy for you still,” they sing, according to Genius. “So bad that it kills / And I can’t help but feel / Like we’re moving in slow motion.”
As for what else fans can expect from Mika’s Laundry, Champion will be including the previous releases of “Aphid” (feat. Dijon) and “Slug.” Both of these also had videos that were directed by Anna Pollack. He produced the entirety of the album alongside Henry Kwapis, Dijon, and more “close collaborators,” per a release.
Check out Matt Champion’s “Slow Motion” featuring Jennie above.
Mika’s Laundry is out 3/22 via RCA. Find more information here.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
4batz united with Drake a remix of the former’s viral track, “Act II: Date @ 8” and Mary J. Blige announced the lineup for her third annual Strength Of A Woman Festival. Tyla revealed that a longstanding injury would force her to cancel her Tyla Tour dates while Kehlani teased the release of her upcoming album and SiR revealed the tracklist for his fourth album Heavy. Elsewhere, Yaya Bey takes on the dancefloor with her video for “Sir Princess Bad B*tch,” Josh Levi stopped by Uproxx Sessions to perform “Birthday Dance” and “She Keeps Comin’,” and SZA made an appearance on Sesame Street.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
FLO — “Walk Like This”
London-based girl group FLO takes their first steps into 2024 with their confident new single “Walk Like This.” The record is presumably the first taste of their upcoming debut album which is set to arrive later this year. “It was the end of 2023 and we wanted to create something sexy, still fun and upbeat, and for the certified lover girl in us all,” the trio said about the song. “The song is about that energy you have when you embrace your sensuality and womanhood.”
Trevor Jackson — Heads Up
Four his first project since 2022’s Show Me Diamonds, Trevor Jackson returns with another 4-track EP thanks to Heads Up. The project brings Trevor back into the world of R&B with each song detailing a unique experience in love. It also delivers a pair of features from Malaika Terry and Parris LaDame.
Fridayy — “Without You”
Known for his powerful and heartfelt releases, Fridayy delivers another one with his latest single “Without You.” The sentimental record is one dedicated to the singer’s late father as Fridayy reflects on their last moments and picks up the pieces to move forward. The record is also one written for those who have dealt with the loss of a loved one.
Sinead Harnett — “The Most”
The road towards Sinead Harnett’s upcoming album Boundaries continues with her latest single “The Most.” On it, Harnett voices her frustrations with a partner who continues to do wrong despite their promises to improve and do better. The song also arrives with the promise of an official date for Boundaries coming soon.
Chase Shakur — The Stunt-Man Pack
After thriving in 2023 with It’s Not You, It’s Me, Atlanta-born singer Chase Shakur steps into his 2024 campaign with a two-pack for his growing fan base. The Stunt-Man Pack delivers the uptempo”Yolanda” and the sultry “Options” as new releases to join his impressive catalog. “I wanted to put two tracks together that felt different, but that a lot of people could relate to,” Shakur said about the songs.
Lekan — “614”
Nigerian-American singer Lekan blends the worlds of soul and trap R&B like few can and his latest single “614” proves that to be the case. The record begins as a soft, soul-leaning effort that’s nostalgic and warm before transforming into a bass-knocking effort that wakes up the room. It’s the duality you love to see in artists and Lekan does it well here. “This song is a slight introduction into my world and where I’m from, Lekan says in a press release. “I’m expressing the mentality I had to have within the place I grew up – hopeful and bright to dark and reflective.”
Tank — “Before We Get Started” Feat. Fabolous
Tank ended 2023 with his single “Willing” and now he’s back in 2024 with a new record. “Before We Get Started” arrives with a feature from Fabolous as both artists speak about the moment they decide to approach a woman who’s caught their attention. They acknowledge her hesitations about this love while promising to make it worthwhile.
Allyn — “Flood” Feat. BlueBucksClan
Sacramento singer Allyn has a fly bounce in her step on her new single “Flood” with BlueBucksClan. The record celebrates a successful life and the benefits that come with it, one being the ability to hit the strip club and flood the floor with money. “Flood” is surely a record you’ll want in your arsenal for the upcoming summer months.
Sango — “Show” Feat. Rochelle Jordan
With North Vol. 2 on the way, Sango teams up with Rochelle Jordan for their new single “Show.” The record is a promising taste of Sango’s upcoming album which will be his first since 2018’s In The Comfort Of, home of personal Sango-favorite, “Khlorine” with Smino. “Show” also follows “Masego’s Interlude” which is set to appear on North Vol. 2.
Devvon Terrell — “Call My Ex”
After ending 2023 with Weird Nights 2, Devvon Terrell has yet to take his foot off the gas, kicking off 2024 with three records. Following “Wasting You 20s” and “Simple Girls,” Terrell is back with “Call My Ex.” The record offers a simple solution to Terrell’s current relationship issues: to call his ex where he experienced a more genuine love than he currently does.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
One of the interesting quirks about wealth and class in America is that many people have a hard time determining their socioeconomic status accurately. A poll published by Business Insider found that some Americans earning less than $50,000 feel rich, while others earning more than $100,000 feel poor. Nearly half of Americans earning $100,000 or more identify as middle class.
The same poll found that only 13% of millionaires believe they are wealthy and 60% define themselves as middle class.
A TikTokker named Geneviève explained how this disconnect could happen by using her girlfriend as an example. Geneviève grew up in a low-income family and her girlfriend was raised by affluent parents, with a live-in nanny and a maid. However, the girlfriend always thought she was middle class.
Interestingly, she tells the story in a very non-judgmental way. She simply wants to understand why people’s perceptions of wealth can be so skewed.
“Here are some culture shocks that I had as someone who grew up poor who’s now living with someone who grew up with money,” Geneviève said. “Firstly, is the fact that rich people don’t consider themselves rich because they surround themselves with people who are much richer than them.”
do y’all have any rich people experiences? i’m curious✨ #richvspoor #cultureshock #grwm #relatable
“It’s amazing that she was able to live this life, but it made me realize that everything is relative. Because although per my standard that qualifies as rich, she was by far not the richest person at her school, in her neighborhood, in her group of friends,” Geneviève said.
“So to her, she was actually middle class because she had never really come into contact with people who were properly poor, or even properly middle class,” she continued. “She had only ever really been exposed to people within her own community who were well-off until she went to college.”
Geneviève’s story is an interesting lesson on how we see ourselves and that, in the end, there’s always going to be someone richer than you and always someone who has less. The key is that if you’re genuinely grateful for what you have, you can feel like a king, regardless of what’s in your bank account. But if you’re rich and ungrateful, you’ll never have enough.
The topic was inspired by a conversation she had with other volleyball parents who agreed that every kid should get a decent amount of playing time.
“I’ll tell you what I think. I think, if you’re paying to be there, so it’s not like high school sports, I think everyone should have the opportunity to play because this is a developmental league … and they’re there to develop and to learn,” she explained in a TikTok video.
“Especially if these parents are paying thousands of dollars for them to be in the league and then traveling, spending money on hotels for their kid to sit there and maybe play a minute or two the whole weekend. I think it’s unfair,” she continued.
What do you think? #travelball #clubsport #athlete #kids #mom #question
It’s reasonable for Kelley to believe that spending a lot of money and traveling all over the map only to watch your kid play for a few minutes feels pointless. However, a lot of parents disagreed with her in the comments.
“You pay for practice. Playing time is earned,” Nathan Sullins wrote.
“Absolutely not. If you want fair playing time you play rec ball. Travel ball playing time is performance based,” another user wrote.
But these parents haven’t changed Kelley’s mind.
“I’m not opposed to kids earning their spot or the best kids playing more, but I feel that every kid who makes the team should at least have some playing time,” she told Upworthy. “I know it’s not a popular opinion, but it’s how I currently see it.”
Kelley further explained the story in a follow-up video.
I love weeks like this one. While many rap fans are often disappointed by a lack of big-name releases, I relish the potential for discovery. Weeks like this one introduced me to some of my favorite artists, who might have gone overlooked otherwise, along with the time to give deep listens to underground and rising names that I might not usually be able to afford. With big releases from the likes of Cardi B and others coming down the pike, this might be the last quiet week for a bit, so enjoy the ride.
And Lola Brooke hit her stride, creating a fascinating, undeniably combo of New York grit and New Orleans bounce with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Big Freedia on “Bend It Ova.”
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 8, 2024.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Jae Skeese & Superior — Statement Of The Times
Jae Skeese
Buffalo, New York has become the capitol of gritty, throwback hip-hop that evokes a time when rappers didn’t smile, only rapped to get out of the crack game, and really, really wanted listeners’ to scrunch their faces up from the wordplay. Jae Skeese is an exemplar of this style, keeping up a steady stream of straightforward boom-bap releases alongside the likes of Conway The Machine, Rome Streetz, and their ilk. Testament is a solid entry to his personal canon thanks to Superior’s menacingly smooth production
Kyle — Smyle Again
Kyle
Kyle’s widely recognized breakout came with his 2015 album Smyle, which introduced the world to his “aw, shucks” approach to earnest, autobiographical rap. Despite honing his skills in rap batles, he stepped to his opponents with a Will Smith-esque, beguiling humor that translated to pop-rap likeability on songs like “iSpy.” While Smyle Again has a clear intention to harken to that era, Kyle avoids wallowing in nostalgia. Instead, Smyle Again is an upbeat, forward-looking experiment in plending genres with hip-hop you wouldn’t normally think to: 2-step, jungle, garage, and drum&bass rhythms undergird his flirty, lightweight rhymes. The way I was about Kota’s Protea last year, I am going to be even worse with this.
LNDN Drugs — Affiliated 2
LNDN Drugs
Compton’s Jay Worthy and Vancouver’s Sean House team up once again to deliver an unexpected blend of funky gangsta raps with weirdly catchy, yacht rock-y production. They take the blueprint established over 25 years ago by Warren G and Nate Dogg on “Regulate” and expand it into a whole cinematic universe populated by certified OGs like Compton’s Most Wanted, Kokane, and Big Hit along with blog faves like Stalley, ALLBLACK, and Domo Genesis. It works. C-walk to this.
MIKE & Tony Seltzer — Pinball
MIKE
I’m not totally sure what it means that adamant backpack revivalists like Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE are starting to embrace more accessible production but I demand more of it. MIKE’s latest — produced by Tony Seltzer — delivers, pairing his blunted, stream-of-consciousness observations with beats that WON’T “scare the hoes.” I’m widdit. It’s more spacey and pyschedelic than we’re used to hearing from these guys (yes, Earl shows up here), but it makes the whole endeavor more palatable than the choppy samples they normally use.
Spence Lee — S.H.O.T.T.A.
Spence Lee
Don’t judge me for the double-take I did when I Googled Spence Lee. The Chinese-Vietnamese American rapper, who’s been closely affiliated with 88rising and Mike Will’s Eardrummers label, brings a fascinating, engaging vibe to his music, bouncing off gospeldelic crooning and emphatic, lithe rhymes. His style is emblematic of the borderless sound of the internet (he’s from Franklin, New Jersey, but sounds a little more Southern), and his production choices sit far enough left of center that he sounds like a standout more than a try-hard. Color me intrigued.
Singles/Videos
Big Boogie — “Wizard” Feat. DJ Drama
A DJ Drama co-sign is usually a strong signal that a newer artist is worth paying attention to. As Big Boogie also bears the CMG seal of approval from Yo Gotti, giving the Memphis native’s music a listen turns out to be a rewarding experience. He’s got that souful sound and blunt delivery representative of his hometown but there’s silk under the gravel, giving “Wizard” a hypnotic quality that draws you in rather than beating you down. He’s on the radar. Keep him there.
Cochise — “Geeked”
I’ve slipped the Florida rapper into several previous columns and I intend to continue doing so until I start seeing some more pickup. Again, the kid has one of the most unique flows I’ve heard in my 30 years but not in that annoying, hipster blogger-favorite way that lets you know they’ll actually be ass as a performer and nobody actually messes with them in real life. Cochise has mastered the fundamentals, so his deconsructions actually sound purposeful, not sloppy. “Geeked” is a prime example.
Domani — “Forever Lasting” Feat. DC Young Fly & Seddy Hendrinx
Look. Yes. I know. Domani is, technically, a “nepo baby” (his dad is none other than trap godfather T.I.). But you’d think we as a people would have learned by now not to write off hip-hop artists as the products of their parents’ political connections in the industry. Domani’s music is a stark departure from his pops’ and as a result, he works double time to ensure that he can be taken seriously on his own merits (fortunately, he did inherent Tip’s gift for wordplay). On “Forever Lasting,” he takes a much more down-to-earth approach to the rap ballad than the elder Harris ever did, and pulls off an earnest love letter, with a surprsingly vulnerable turn from comic rapper DC Young Fly.
Ktlyn — “Plain Jayne”
There has long been a joke circulating on the less savory channels of social media: “The white girls are evolving.” While it’s usually used in a pretty gross context, fortunately, it also seems to apply to blonde-haired, blue-eyed rappers. Where acts like Kreayshawn and Iggy Azalea were the Vanilla Ice-like 1.0s, newer names like Ktlyn and Wynne are the more grounded Everlasts and Evidences of the archetype. Ktlyn got her first brush with stardom when Russ tapped her to appear on his 2022 “Handsomer” remix. Since then, though, she’s been working to earn her spot, issuing a steady stream of technically proficient singles and freestyles aiming to differentiate her from her slightly embarrassing forebears. “Plain Jayne” even has the brass to hint at the obvious comparison both she and Wynne have gotten (and shoot a stray at Lil Dicky), while brushing off the obvious knee jerk critiques they’re both likely to field for the foreseeable future.
Wynne — “Cut & Paste” Feat. WowGr8
The universal algorithms have a sense of humor. Wynne dropping the same day as Ktlyn is… one hell of a coincidence. However, while Ktlyn is still in her “proving herself” era, Wynne has pretty much already done just that by virtue of her solid collection of independently released projects running the gamut from battle raps to party music. So, on her latest, she instead tackles a universal subject with the help of one of her Earthgang compadres, WowGr8 (aka Doctur Dot). They each take a position in the conversation between a former couple about the current climate of overwhelming choices offered by perfectly curated social media and the insecurity it creates.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The topic was inspired by a conversation she had with other volleyball parents who agreed that every kid should get a decent amount of playing time.
“I’ll tell you what I think. I think, if you’re paying to be there, so it’s not like high school sports, I think everyone should have the opportunity to play because this is a developmental league … and they’re there to develop and to learn,” she explained in a TikTok video.
“Especially if these parents are paying thousands of dollars for them to be in the league and then traveling, spending money on hotels for their kid to sit there and maybe play a minute or two the whole weekend. I think it’s unfair,” she continued.
What do you think? #travelball #clubsport #athlete #kids #mom #question
It’s reasonable for Kelley to believe that spending a lot of money and traveling all over the map only to watch your kid play for a few minutes feels pointless. However, a lot of parents disagreed with her in the comments.
“You pay for practice. Playing time is earned,” Nathan Sullins wrote.
“Absolutely not. If you want fair playing time you play rec ball. Travel ball playing time is performance based,” another user wrote.
But these parents haven’t changed Kelley’s mind.
“I’m not opposed to kids earning their spot or the best kids playing more, but I feel that every kid who makes the team should at least have some playing time,” she told Upworthy. “I know it’s not a popular opinion, but it’s how I currently see it.”
Kelley further explained the story in a follow-up video.
If you thought the Masters Of The Aircast was stacked, then you will also want to have a gander at Apple TV+’s next dive into U.S. history. Anthony Boyle also happens to be a part of both casts, and he has moved on from portraying an ace navigator (who also happened to get very airsick) to John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Abraham Lincoln.
Apple TV+
That particular president is portrayed in this adaptation by the chronically underappreciated Hamish Linklater, who has moved on from being a vampiric priest to taking a more understated turn than in his usual fare. However, that’s only the beginning of Manhunt, so let’s discuss what to expect.
Plot
Manhunt takes a true-crime thriller approach in adapting James L. Swanson’ non-fiction book, Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. Most of the seven-episode series will, as that title suggests, follow the intense aftermath of law enforcement doing their damndest to catch the murderous fugitive. Naturally, there’s a hefty slice of historical fiction at work, but overall, this is a gripping adventure that dives into the emotions surrounding that era in time.
Apple TV+
As well, damn, Anthony Boyle really gets a chance to shine after being essentially lost in a massive ensemble during the most recent Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg WWII epic series. The series is being launched shortly after what would have been Abraham Lincoln’s 215th birthday, and the synopsis doesn’t give anything away that you haven’t already heard in history classes:
Based on The New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning non-fiction book from author James L. Swanson, “Manhunt” is a conspiracy thriller about one of the best known but least understood crimes in history, the astonishing story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
Cast
Hamish Linklater plays the ill-fated Abraham Lincoln. The cast includes Tobias Menzies, Anthony Boyle, Will Harrison, Lovie Simone, and Patton freaking Oswalt with not only muttonchops but a full-on beard.
Apple TV+
Release Date
Manhunt debuts on March 15 with two episodes, and five more will arrive on Fridays until April 19.
Trailer
Here you go, and Anthony Boyle is on (terrifying) fire:
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