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Simone Biles withdrawing from the team final in the Tokyo Olympics and subsequently withdrawing from the individual all-around finals after getting a case of the “twisties” has the world talking. She’s received overwhelming support as well as overwhelming criticism for the move, with some praising her for recognizing her limits and others blasting her for not persevering through whatever she’s dealing with.

Some people pointed to Kerri Strug, who landed on one foot after vaulting with a broken ankle in the 1996 Olympics to help the U.S. win gold, as an example of the kind of sacrifice an athlete should be willing to make for their country.

Byron Heath shared some thoughts about that fateful day in a viral Facebook post that has been shared more than 370,000 times in less than a day.

Heath wrote:

“This realization I had about Simone Biles is gonna make some people mad, but oh well.

Yesterday I was excited to show my daughters Kerri Strug’s famous one-leg vault. It was a defining Olympic moment that I watched live as a kid, and my girls watched raptly as Strug fell, and then limped back to leap again.

But for some reason I wasn’t as inspired watching it this time. In fact, I felt a little sick. Maybe being a father and teacher has made me soft, but all I could see was how Kerri Strug looked at her coach, Bela Karolyi, with pleading, terrified eyes, while he shouted back ‘You can do it!’ over and over again.

My daughters didn’t cheer when Strug landed her second vault. Instead they frowned in concern as she collapsed in agony and frantic tears.

‘Why did she jump again if she was hurt?’ one of my girls asked. I made some inane reply about the heart of a champion or Olympic spirit, but in the back of my mind a thought was festering: *She shouldn’t have jumped again*

The more the thought echoed, the stronger my realization became. Coach Karolyi should have gotten his visibly injured athlete medical help immediately! Now that I have two young daughters in gymnastics, I expect their safety to be the coach’s number one priority. Instead, Bela Karolyi told Strug to vault again. And he got what he wanted; a gold medal that was more important to him than his athlete’s health. I’m sure people will say ‘Kerri Strug was a competitor–she WANTED to push through the injury.’ That’s probably true. But since the last Olympics we’ve also learned these athletes were put into positions where they could be systematically abused both emotionally and physically, all while being inundated with ‘win at all costs’ messaging. A teenager under those conditions should have been protected, and told ‘No medal is worth the risk of permanent injury.’ In fact, we now know that Strug’s vault wasn’t even necessary to clinch the gold; the U.S. already had an insurmountable lead.

Nevertheless, Bela Karolyi told her to vault again according to his own recounting of their conversation:

‘I can’t feel my leg,’ Strug told Karolyi.

‘We got to go one more time,’ Karolyi said. ‘Shake it out.’

‘Do I have to do this again?’ Strug asked. ‘Can you, can you?’ Karolyi wanted to know.

‘I don’t know yet,’ said Strug. ‘I will do it. I will, I will.’

The injury forced Strug’s retirement at 18 years old. Dominique Moceanu, a generational talent, also retired from injuries shortly after. They were top gymnasts literally pushed to the breaking point, and then put out to pasture. Coach Karolyi and Larry Nassar (the serial sexual abuser) continued their long careers, while the athletes were treated as a disposable resource.

Today Simone Biles–the greatest gymnast of all time–chose to step back from the competition, citing concerns for mental and physical health. I’ve already seen comments and posts about how Biles ‘failed her country’, ‘quit on us’, or ‘can’t be the greatest if she can’t handle the pressure.’ Those statements are no different than Coach Karolyi telling an injured teen with wide, frightened eyes: ‘We got to go one more time. Shake it out.’

The subtext here is: ‘Our gold medal is more important than your well-being.’

Our athletes shouldn’t have to destroy themselves to meet our standards. If giving empathetic, authentic support to our Olympians means we’ll earn less gold medals, I’m happy to make that trade.

Here’s the message I hope we can send to Simone Biles: You are an outstanding athlete, a true role model, and a powerful woman. Nothing will change that. Please don’t sacrifice your emotional or physical well-being for our entertainment or national pride. We are proud of you for being brave enough to compete, and proud of you for having the wisdom to know when to step back. Your choice makes you an even better example to our daughters than you were before. WE’RE STILL ROOTING FOR YOU!”

Many people shared Heath’s sentiment, with comments pouring in thanking him for putting words to what they were feeling.

We’re in a new era where our lens of what’s admirable, what’s strong, and what’s right has shifted. We understand more about the lifelong impact of too many concussions. We have trainers and medics checking on football players after big hits. We are finding a better balance between competitiveness and well-being. We are acknowledging the importance of mental health and physical health.

We are also more aware of how both physical and mental trauma impacts young bodies. Though Kerri Strug pushing through the pain has long been seen as an iconic moment in sports, the adults in the room should have been protecting her, not pushing her through an obvious injury.

And the way this fall of Dominique Moceanu at age 14 was handled is downright shocking by today’s standards. She said she never received an exam for it, even after the competition was over. So wrong.

u201cIn our sport, we essentially dive into a pool w/ no water. When you lose your ability to find the groundu2014which appears to be part of @Simone_Biles decisionu2014-the consequences can be catastrophic. She made the right decision for the team & herself. @bispingu201d

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dominique Moceanu)
1627483863

“@Carolinafan0279 @Simone_Biles Nope 👎🏻”

u201c@Carolinafan0279 @Simone_Biles Nope ud83dudc4eud83cudffbu201d

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dominique Moceanu)
1627483863

Athletes are not cogs in a wheel, and the desire to win a competition should not trump someone’s well-being. Elite gymnasts already put themselves through grueling physical and mental feats; they wouldn’t be at the top of their sport if they didn’t. But there are limits, and too often in our yearning for a gold medal—or even for a triumphant Olympic story—we push athletes too far.

Now we see some of them pushing back, and knowing what we know now, that’s 100% a good thing.

This article originally appeared on 07.28.21

Even though Taylor Sheridan already has a hefty resume filled with cowboy hats, he can never have too many shows. This is why your dad loves him so much. The Yellowstone creator has teamed up with Chad Feehan to produce Lawmen: Bass Reeves, an upcoming drama based on the true story of the first Black U.S. Marshal, Bass Reeves.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves is the latest series to take place in the West, this time following David Oyelowo as the legendary lawmen himself, alongside Dennis Quaid, Garrett Hedlund, Forrest Goodluck, Barry Pepper, Grantham Coleman, Demi Singleton, and Lauren E. Banks. Here is the official synopsis for the series, which will consist of eight episodes:

From Executive Producers Taylor Sheridan and David Oyelowo comes the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West: Bass Reeves. Lawmen: Bass Reeves, follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.

The first two episodes of Lawmen will premiere on November 5th on Paramount+, and continue weekly through December 17th. Until then, you can also stream other Sheridan favorites on Paramount+, like Tulsa King, the Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923, and Mayor Of Kingstown. If you’re looking to stream the original Yellowstone series, you’ll have to hop on over to Peacock for now.

Even though Taylor Sheridan already has a hefty resume filled with cowboy hats, he can never have too many shows. This is why your dad loves him so much. The Yellowstone creator has teamed up with Chad Feehan to produce Lawmen: Bass Reeves, an upcoming drama based on the true story of the first Black U.S. Marshal, Bass Reeves.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves is the latest series to take place in the West, this time following David Oyelowo as the legendary lawmen himself, alongside Dennis Quaid, Garrett Hedlund, Forrest Goodluck, Barry Pepper, Grantham Coleman, Demi Singleton, and Lauren E. Banks. Here is the official synopsis for the series, which will consist of eight episodes:

From Executive Producers Taylor Sheridan and David Oyelowo comes the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West: Bass Reeves. Lawmen: Bass Reeves, follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.

The first two episodes of Lawmen will premiere on November 5th on Paramount+, and continue weekly through December 17th. Until then, you can also stream other Sheridan favorites on Paramount+, like Tulsa King, the Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923, and Mayor Of Kingstown. If you’re looking to stream the original Yellowstone series, you’ll have to hop on over to Peacock for now.

In Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny gives a haunting performance as Priscilla Presley. In a film spanning around 15 years of Presley’s life, we first meet her when she’s 14, living in Germany where both her father and Elvis are stationed while serving in the military. Spaeney has the task of bringing Priscilla Presley’s point of view to life, first through the adoring eyes of a teenager, then as a world weary adult just south of 30.

Spaeny already has credits ranging from Pacific Rim: Uprising to Mare of Easttown, but her performance in Priscilla is going to be a giant leap for the actor, pushing her into the limelight. It’s interesting, because she talks about growing up in Springfield, Missouri and contrasting that to this life she’s living now. (As someone who happened to go to junior high school in Springfield, Missouri, I’m in a unique position to be able to definitively say, yes, I see her point here.)

I spoke to Spaeny early on a Saturday morning over Zoom. When she appeared on screen she was wearing a Kansas City Chiefs sweatshirt (um, so, yes, I am a fan of that particular sports franchise), which I will admit endeared herself to me in a way that probably wouldn’t have happened if she was wearing, say, a Bills or Bengals sweatshirt. As we started, I debated asking something I was wondering. For some reason, I was really curious if, for research, Spaeny watched the Naked Gun movies, which could have easily been answered, “What does that have to do with her time with Elvis?,” which would be a very fair point. Anyway, it turns out I’m glad I asked.

You grew up in Springfield, Missouri? I went to junior high there…

No way!

Oh, you’re wearing a Chiefs shirt? I’m a huge Chiefs fan.

Oh, my gosh. The world’s colliding right now. Where’d you go?

Hickory Hills.

Oh, my God. Then you went to Kansas City?

Yeah. I went to high school in Kansas City.

What’d you think of Springfield?

It was a nice place to go to junior high. It was right around when Brad Pitt was starting to pop up in stuff and people were excited. I think he went to Kickapoo High School?

Yes, I know.

You know what, people are going to love this interview…

Springfield will love it. Missouri will love it.

Yes, they will. Springfield is also the home of Kathleen Turner.

Yeah, it’s true. Who else do we have? There are actually some really good young musicians that are coming out of Springfield. But Kansas City is the place right now.

I know, and they have a new airport!

I love the Springfield-Branson Airport so much because it’s like a hallway. It’s great.

Branson … Silver Dollar City.

I worked there for seven years!

What?

I worked there every Christmas — Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for seven years. I knew that place like the back of my hand. I went through all the back doors, ate funnel cakes every lunch. Oh, my God. It was honestly one of the best ways for a child… that’s how I grew up, was at a theme park. I grew up at a theme park. It was the best experience. But Branson, I need to go back. What a funny place. Oh, my gosh. And it’s so hard to describe places like that unless you’ve been there.

I don’t know why I kept thinking this when I was watching Priscilla, but I’m curious if you ever watch Priscilla Presley in the Naked Gun movies?

I hadn’t. When I dove into the work and the book and also talking to Priscilla herself, I was like, do I need to watch these Naked Gun movies for prep? And I’m like, yeah, I’m going to do it. I watched her in it and I remember I called her. I was like, “Oh, my God, Priscilla, you’ve lived so many lives and you’re so full of surprises.” Her comedy in those movies is amazing.

She’s really funny in those movies.

Her timing is incredible. She’s hilarious and it just speaks to her. She’s so unexpected and layered and really highly intelligent and has always been an old soul. I think because she’s always been so observant. She doesn’t speak that much. When she’s in a public place you can tell she watches everything like a hawk, but she doesn’t speak that much. But when she went into those roles? I also watched some episodes of Dallas too, which was fascinating.

Oh, wow, you really went for it. You went back to Dallas.

There’s not a ton of footage of her online, so I would just go to sleep listening to interviews or anything I could get my hands on to try to get little nuggets of information. But she is extraordinary. She’s tricky to put your finger on. The second you feel like, I got her, I know exactly who this person is, then you watch her in Naked Gun and you’re like, oh.

I think there’s a whole generation that only knows her from Naked Gun.

That has to be true.

Well, I’m talking about myself basically. I, of course, realize she was married to Elvis, but she’s the star of the Naked Gun movies.

Well, that’s what’s so interesting is because I grew up, coming from the southern Midwest, I was born in Tennessee, raised in the southern Midwest. Elvis is a huge icon in America. But for the South he is this God. And my mom was such a huge Elvis fan. She collected memorabilia and we went to Graceland growing up on vacation. And it is funny that you say that, that was my first introduction to her because, growing up an Elvis fan, I obviously knew who Priscilla was, but I didn’t know her stories or her side of the story at all. And I was shocked by that because we were big Elvis fans. He was talked about and his music was playing a lot growing up. Whenever this project came my way and I read the book for the first time, it was shocking. Not only the facts from the book and her perspective on that side of the story, but also the fact that I had no idea, her experience.

At what point in the process do you first meet her and what’s that like?

Well, I got the book and the script and Sophia said, “I’m passing you her information and you can reach out and see if she’s open to meeting.”

Oh.

Yeah.

That’s intimidating. It’s left up to you.

Very intimidating. But obviously of course I had to meet her. But so strange to take that on. I remember we met for lunch and she was walking towards the table and I got so nervous and words just couldn’t come out of my mouth. And I remember she sat down and there was this awkward silence. And she had to say, “Are there any questions you want to ask me?”

Wow.

“Oh right, yes.” I also wanted to be respectful of her and her telling the story over and over again. I wanted her to feel safe and I didn’t want her to feel like I was just interviewing her. I wanted her to feel comfortable with me and only tell me what she felt like she wanted to relive again. But once we started talking, I think we ended up talking for three or four hours the first time we met. She was very gracious with her time. And sometimes we’d talk about Elvis and there were little nuggets of gold in there of specific feelings and emotions.

For example, on the night she first met him. And then sometimes we’d start talking about something completely random like her animal activism. But just being in front of her and taking her presence in and how she holds herself because she’s a different generation of woman. The way that she still presents in a way and she always looks very nice and has high heels on. It’s not only playing her, but also playing a woman from that time. Just being around her and getting to sit down with her and taking time was really a vital piece of the puzzle of putting together how I was going to portray her, my own version of her.

I know it doesn’t work like this, but it is weird that the Elvis movie came out last year. And now Priscilla does feel like her being able to say, okay, wait a second, here’s my version of what happened. Do you think about that?

Yeah, sure. In the sense of that it’s coming back around to … we’ve heard the Elvis story so many times. I haven’t seen that movie actually, but people loved it and the family is really supportive of it. But in terms of not knowing her side of the story, it is, I think, an interesting… they are completely different films.

Oh, yes, that’s true.

They’re told in such different styles. But I think it is strange that we don’t know her side of the story. And I think I found it fascinating to dive into that world. And what were the big questions she was asking herself and how did she find her way out of that life with him? I think, it’s hard to wrap your head around when she was living every girl’s dream fantasy. But what was happening behind closed doors and what was the human side of that story? Hopefully people are interested in that and they are moved by the story.

I think they will be. Also, it was fun meeting someone else who lived in Springfield…

Well, I think without having to tell you my story and journey, you already get the base level of what that was like, going from Springfield to this life I’m in now.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

In Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny gives a haunting performance as Priscilla Presley. In a film spanning around 15 years of Presley’s life, we first meet her when she’s 14, living in Germany where both her father and Elvis are stationed while serving in the military. Spaeney has the task of bringing Priscilla Presley’s point of view to life, first through the adoring eyes of a teenager, then as a world weary adult just south of 30.

Spaeny already has credits ranging from Pacific Rim: Uprising to Mare of Easttown, but her performance in Priscilla is going to be a giant leap for the actor, pushing her into the limelight. It’s interesting, because she talks about growing up in Springfield, Missouri and contrasting that to this life she’s living now. (As someone who happened to go to junior high school in Springfield, Missouri, I’m in a unique position to be able to definitively say, yes, I see her point here.)

I spoke to Spaeny early on a Saturday morning over Zoom. When she appeared on screen she was wearing a Kansas City Chiefs sweatshirt (um, so, yes, I am a fan of that particular sports franchise), which I will admit endeared herself to me in a way that probably wouldn’t have happened if she was wearing, say, a Bills or Bengals sweatshirt. As we started, I debated asking something I was wondering. For some reason, I was really curious if, for research, Spaeny watched the Naked Gun movies, which could have easily been answered, “What does that have to do with her time with Elvis?,” which would be a very fair point. Anyway, it turns out I’m glad I asked.

You grew up in Springfield, Missouri? I went to junior high there…

No way!

Oh, you’re wearing a Chiefs shirt? I’m a huge Chiefs fan.

Oh, my gosh. The world’s colliding right now. Where’d you go?

Hickory Hills.

Oh, my God. Then you went to Kansas City?

Yeah. I went to high school in Kansas City.

What’d you think of Springfield?

It was a nice place to go to junior high. It was right around when Brad Pitt was starting to pop up in stuff and people were excited. I think he went to Kickapoo High School?

Yes, I know.

You know what, people are going to love this interview…

Springfield will love it. Missouri will love it.

Yes, they will. Springfield is also the home of Kathleen Turner.

Yeah, it’s true. Who else do we have? There are actually some really good young musicians that are coming out of Springfield. But Kansas City is the place right now.

I know, and they have a new airport!

I love the Springfield-Branson Airport so much because it’s like a hallway. It’s great.

Branson … Silver Dollar City.

I worked there for seven years!

What?

I worked there every Christmas — Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for seven years. I knew that place like the back of my hand. I went through all the back doors, ate funnel cakes every lunch. Oh, my God. It was honestly one of the best ways for a child… that’s how I grew up, was at a theme park. I grew up at a theme park. It was the best experience. But Branson, I need to go back. What a funny place. Oh, my gosh. And it’s so hard to describe places like that unless you’ve been there.

I don’t know why I kept thinking this when I was watching Priscilla, but I’m curious if you ever watch Priscilla Presley in the Naked Gun movies?

I hadn’t. When I dove into the work and the book and also talking to Priscilla herself, I was like, do I need to watch these Naked Gun movies for prep? And I’m like, yeah, I’m going to do it. I watched her in it and I remember I called her. I was like, “Oh, my God, Priscilla, you’ve lived so many lives and you’re so full of surprises.” Her comedy in those movies is amazing.

She’s really funny in those movies.

Her timing is incredible. She’s hilarious and it just speaks to her. She’s so unexpected and layered and really highly intelligent and has always been an old soul. I think because she’s always been so observant. She doesn’t speak that much. When she’s in a public place you can tell she watches everything like a hawk, but she doesn’t speak that much. But when she went into those roles? I also watched some episodes of Dallas too, which was fascinating.

Oh, wow, you really went for it. You went back to Dallas.

There’s not a ton of footage of her online, so I would just go to sleep listening to interviews or anything I could get my hands on to try to get little nuggets of information. But she is extraordinary. She’s tricky to put your finger on. The second you feel like, I got her, I know exactly who this person is, then you watch her in Naked Gun and you’re like, oh.

I think there’s a whole generation that only knows her from Naked Gun.

That has to be true.

Well, I’m talking about myself basically. I, of course, realize she was married to Elvis, but she’s the star of the Naked Gun movies.

Well, that’s what’s so interesting is because I grew up, coming from the southern Midwest, I was born in Tennessee, raised in the southern Midwest. Elvis is a huge icon in America. But for the South he is this God. And my mom was such a huge Elvis fan. She collected memorabilia and we went to Graceland growing up on vacation. And it is funny that you say that, that was my first introduction to her because, growing up an Elvis fan, I obviously knew who Priscilla was, but I didn’t know her stories or her side of the story at all. And I was shocked by that because we were big Elvis fans. He was talked about and his music was playing a lot growing up. Whenever this project came my way and I read the book for the first time, it was shocking. Not only the facts from the book and her perspective on that side of the story, but also the fact that I had no idea, her experience.

At what point in the process do you first meet her and what’s that like?

Well, I got the book and the script and Sophia said, “I’m passing you her information and you can reach out and see if she’s open to meeting.”

Oh.

Yeah.

That’s intimidating. It’s left up to you.

Very intimidating. But obviously of course I had to meet her. But so strange to take that on. I remember we met for lunch and she was walking towards the table and I got so nervous and words just couldn’t come out of my mouth. And I remember she sat down and there was this awkward silence. And she had to say, “Are there any questions you want to ask me?”

Wow.

“Oh right, yes.” I also wanted to be respectful of her and her telling the story over and over again. I wanted her to feel safe and I didn’t want her to feel like I was just interviewing her. I wanted her to feel comfortable with me and only tell me what she felt like she wanted to relive again. But once we started talking, I think we ended up talking for three or four hours the first time we met. She was very gracious with her time. And sometimes we’d talk about Elvis and there were little nuggets of gold in there of specific feelings and emotions.

For example, on the night she first met him. And then sometimes we’d start talking about something completely random like her animal activism. But just being in front of her and taking her presence in and how she holds herself because she’s a different generation of woman. The way that she still presents in a way and she always looks very nice and has high heels on. It’s not only playing her, but also playing a woman from that time. Just being around her and getting to sit down with her and taking time was really a vital piece of the puzzle of putting together how I was going to portray her, my own version of her.

I know it doesn’t work like this, but it is weird that the Elvis movie came out last year. And now Priscilla does feel like her being able to say, okay, wait a second, here’s my version of what happened. Do you think about that?

Yeah, sure. In the sense of that it’s coming back around to … we’ve heard the Elvis story so many times. I haven’t seen that movie actually, but people loved it and the family is really supportive of it. But in terms of not knowing her side of the story, it is, I think, an interesting… they are completely different films.

Oh, yes, that’s true.

They’re told in such different styles. But I think it is strange that we don’t know her side of the story. And I think I found it fascinating to dive into that world. And what were the big questions she was asking herself and how did she find her way out of that life with him? I think, it’s hard to wrap your head around when she was living every girl’s dream fantasy. But what was happening behind closed doors and what was the human side of that story? Hopefully people are interested in that and they are moved by the story.

I think they will be. Also, it was fun meeting someone else who lived in Springfield…

Well, I think without having to tell you my story and journey, you already get the base level of what that was like, going from Springfield to this life I’m in now.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

The late Matthew Perry‘s 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing, included the usual kiss-and-tell and rivalry-inspired revelations, but more than that, it included raw accounts and insights regarding his nearly lifelong history of drug and alcohol addiction.

Perry actually nearly lost his life years ago, and he previously revealed that he timed his memoir for when he felt completely “secure in my sobriety.” At that point, he’d been clean for at least 18 months, and while speaking with Tom Power’s Q podcast (via Decider and Comedian Daniel O’Reilly on Twitter), Perry stated that he’d rather be remembered for helping others achieve sobriety than for his decade-long run as Chandler Bing on Friends:

“The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking. Can you help me?’ I can say yes and follow up and do it. That’s the best thing … I’ve said this for a long time. When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want [helping other people kick addiction] to be the first thing that’s mentioned and I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”

Perry’s sudden passing this past weekend came as a shock to many. His cause of death is pending further investigation by the medical examiner, and tributes have been pouring out from his friends, fellow artists, and more.

(Via Decider)

The late Matthew Perry‘s 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing, included the usual kiss-and-tell and rivalry-inspired revelations, but more than that, it included raw accounts and insights regarding his nearly lifelong history of drug and alcohol addiction.

Perry actually nearly lost his life years ago, and he previously revealed that he timed his memoir for when he felt completely “secure in my sobriety.” At that point, he’d been clean for at least 18 months, and while speaking with Tom Power’s Q podcast (via Decider and Comedian Daniel O’Reilly on Twitter), Perry stated that he’d rather be remembered for helping others achieve sobriety than for his decade-long run as Chandler Bing on Friends:

“The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking. Can you help me?’ I can say yes and follow up and do it. That’s the best thing … I’ve said this for a long time. When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want [helping other people kick addiction] to be the first thing that’s mentioned and I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”

Perry’s sudden passing this past weekend came as a shock to many. His cause of death is pending further investigation by the medical examiner, and tributes have been pouring out from his friends, fellow artists, and more.

(Via Decider)

Rap is back. Rapsody, that is. The North Carolina rapper’s last album came out over four years ago, but she’s been teasing her return on social media for the past few weeks. Today, she officially kicked off her return with a new song, “Asteroids,” which is produced by Hit-Boy, coming fresh off his triumphant run with Nas. Over a mellow, spacey beat, Rapsody serves up a punchline-laden reminder of why she’s been so respected in hip-hop for so long, spitting that “oh my god sh*t to rearrange your molars.”

While her last album was 2019’s Eve, Rapsody has maintained a strong presence since, appearing on multiple other rappers’ projects, as well as the soundtrack to Halle Berry’s 2021 Netflix film Bruised. In 2022, she appeared on Robert Glasper’s album Black Radio III, joining him for a live TV performance of “In Tune” and “Black Superhero.” Her 2022 song “Dust To Diamonds” honored the 50th anniversary of Title IX with ESPN, while she honored the 50th anniversary of hip-hop this year with DJ Premier, appearing on the producer’s commemorative Mass Appeal EP with Remy Ma for “Remy Rap.” Also this year, she teamed up with John Legend on his new album and fellow 9th Wonder protege Reuben Vincent on his.

Rapsody hasn’t yet revealed too many details of the upcoming album, only that it’s done. Stay tuned for more, and check out her “Asteroids” lyrics video above.

Rap is back. Rapsody, that is. The North Carolina rapper’s last album came out over four years ago, but she’s been teasing her return on social media for the past few weeks. Today, she officially kicked off her return with a new song, “Asteroids,” which is produced by Hit-Boy, coming fresh off his triumphant run with Nas. Over a mellow, spacey beat, Rapsody serves up a punchline-laden reminder of why she’s been so respected in hip-hop for so long, spitting that “oh my god sh*t to rearrange your molars.”

While her last album was 2019’s Eve, Rapsody has maintained a strong presence since, appearing on multiple other rappers’ projects, as well as the soundtrack to Halle Berry’s 2021 Netflix film Bruised. In 2022, she appeared on Robert Glasper’s album Black Radio III, joining him for a live TV performance of “In Tune” and “Black Superhero.” Her 2022 song “Dust To Diamonds” honored the 50th anniversary of Title IX with ESPN, while she honored the 50th anniversary of hip-hop this year with DJ Premier, appearing on the producer’s commemorative Mass Appeal EP with Remy Ma for “Remy Rap.” Also this year, she teamed up with John Legend on his new album and fellow 9th Wonder protege Reuben Vincent on his.

Rapsody hasn’t yet revealed too many details of the upcoming album, only that it’s done. Stay tuned for more, and check out her “Asteroids” lyrics video above.

In just a few days on November 10, artists like Kim Petras, Jeff Tweedy, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and more will be uniting to unveil the nominees for the 2024 Grammy Awards. Given that fans have been waiting to see if their favorites will get a nod in any of the major categories, they also might be wondering how to livestream the announcement.

Here’s what to know.

On that day, fans will be able to watch the Grammy nominees get revealed through a stream that will run on both YouTube and their official website here. The ceremony will start by announcing the general and then select categories.

According to Billboard, this year the awards show is limiting the number of nominees in categories like Album Of The Year and more down to just 8. (It used to be up to 10.) Rounding out the general awards are Song Of The Year; Record Of The Year; Best New Artist; and now, the added Producer Of The Year; Non-Classical; and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical.

The Grammy nominations pre-show will start at 10:45 a.m. ET. At 11, the livestream event will then kick off and will run until 11:25 a.m. ET. For those who miss the stream, the nominees will be posted online immediately after it finishes.

Then, the 2024 Grammy Awards will be held on February 4, 2024, where the winners will be revealed.