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50 Cent is one of the biggest names in rap but how did he get that name? After all, “Curtis Jackson” — the rapper-turned-mogul’s real name — is a far cry from “50 Cent.” Lots of rappers have entertaining stories behind their rap names, so what is his?

How Did 50 Cent Get His Name?

Like many rappers who got their starts in the ’90s, 50 Cent was inspired by a personal hero. However, while stars like Wu-Tang Clan took their inspirations from kung-fu movies and comic books, and others, like Nas and Tupac, used versions of their real names, 50 Cent split the difference, creating his persona from a hero that was a little more grounded and close-to-home.

Kelvin Martin was a drug dealer and stick-up kid from Brooklyn, New York, which shares a phone area code with Queens, where Curtis Jackson grew up. While growing up, he heard stories about the exploits of Martin, who was nicknamed 50 Cent. There are conflicting accounts of how the original 50 Cent, Martin, got the title, from his readiness to rob anyone, no matter how much (or little) money they had on them at the time, to a supposed win in a dice game that started with 50 cents and ended with Martin $500 richer.

Unfortunately, Martin, who inspired Jackson’s eventual stage name, was shot to death at the age of just 23 years old. His greatest claim to fame outside of the neighborhoods he once terrorized is inspiring the rapper who went on to sell 11 million copies of his debut album. In past interviews, 50, who was also short early in his career but survived unlike Martin, explained, “I took the name 50 Cent because it says everything I want it to say. I’m the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means.”

The 146-day WGA strike has finally come to an end. We don’t yet know the total financial toll that the work stoppage has taken, and of course, the impact will be compounded by the still-ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. For the moment, however, Hollywood will take any good news that it can get.

Writers will pick up pens again, late night shows shall soon return, and Drew Barrymore will begin attempting to forget the embarrassment from a backlash against her show firing up on filming weeks earlier than the rest.

What of the new WGA contract, though? Naturally, the document (which will be in effect from Sept. 25, 2023 to May 1, 2026) is lengthy, currently standing at 94 pages in its tentative form. The fine tuning will be ongoing, but the union has published a summary document with highlights that establish minimum pay rates (based upon job duration) and minimum staffing rates for writers rooms (in the interest of ending the whole “mini-room” phenomenon). A new bonus-based residual program will also apply to projects that release beginning on January 1, 2024.

Of particular interest to not only writers but anyone who fears the rise of AI and its effect on jobs, the summary contains a set of regulations for how studios can use AI on projects that fall under this contract:

AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not be considered source material under the MBA, meaning that AI-generated material can’t be used to undermine a writer’s credit or separated rights.

A writer can choose to use AI when performing writing services, if the company consents and provided that the writer follows applicable company policies, but the company can’t require the writer to use AI software (e.g., ChatGPT) when performing writing services.

The Company must disclose to the writer if any materials given to the writer have been generated by AI or incorporate AI-generated material.

The WGA reserves the right to assert that exploitation of writers’ material to train AI is prohibited by MBA or other law.

Variety further reports that the WGA’s negotiating committee is thrilled with the deal. “We can say, with great pride,” the committee wrote in an email to members. “[T]hat this deal is exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.”

The (eventual) final agreement will need to officially be voted in by members, but that seems to be a mere formality in this case. In the meantime, screenwriters are free to return to work, so let the storytelling recommence, and you can see the full temp agreement here.

(Via WGA, Variety & Reuters)

Lorde’s debut album, Pure Heroine, is celebrating its tenth anniversary today (September 27). In honor of the record that resonated with so many young fans at the time, the pop star had a few surprises in store.

First, she released a new merch collection tied to a full decade of the album. One of the shirts mimics the DARE logo, replacing it with “PURE,” and “Heroine” placed below. On the back, it reads “10 Years Clean” in bold letters.

The other is a long-sleeved top that is a CD image of the album — and appears to have a “With thanks to” dedication in tiny print on the back. Both are available to pre-order from Lorde’s website and will ship on December 1.

Lorde also released a special issue of her newsletter, where she unearthed some photos of herself as a sixteen year old and from that era.

“Going back through all of this has reminded me of something that feels important to point out, whether you make art or not: everything starts out as a bunch of bullsh*t in a laptop,” she wrote to fans. “Pure Heroine was a handful of Photo Booth selfies and emotional Word documents and Tumblr posts (and a gorgeous over-decorated bedroom) before it was even one song. I had no reason, on paper, to believe that I was capable of anything.”

Check out some of the photos below.

It’s been a while since Cardi B released an album. More than five years, to be exact. But it looks like her sophomore effort — the follow-up to her 2018 debut Invasion Of Privacy — may be arriving soon. Her collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos,” has shown to be a viral hit, with its dance-heavy music video. And with potentially more music on the way, fans are curious about the logistics of a new project and what her new era entails.

Who is Cardi B signed to?

Cardi B is currently signed to Atlantic Records. She signed her deal in 2017, months before the release of her single, “Bodak Yellow,” which would later change her life.

The song was the second solo Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 by a female rap artist, the first being “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill, which had topped the charts 19 years prior.

She would earn another No. 1 with her J. Balvin and Bad Bunny collaboration “I Like It,” also from Invasion Of Privacy.

In 2020, the viral “WAP” collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion would earn Cardi her third No. 1, and her solo single, “Up,” would become her fourth in 2021.

Though nearly six years have passed since Invasion Of Privacy, it looks like Cardi’s new era is upon us. In an interview on DJ Whoo Kid’s Whoo’s House podcast, Cardi revealed that she’s “still kinda working” on her second album, but she has a release “date in mind.

With four No. 1 hits to her credit, as well as a No. 1 album, it’s safe to say she’s in good hands at Atlantic, and that this next rollout will prove promising.

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

As K-pop’s… well… popularity has grown in the US, it’s been no surprise to see some of Korea’s biggest stars linking up with rappers. After all, K-pop takes a lot of inspiration from hip-hop; the crossover of audiences can also be mutually beneficial, with the K-pop stars benefiting from rappers’ stateside fanbase and rappers getting to see some more international support.

The latest rapper to jump on the K-pop collab trend looks to be Jack Harlow, has begun teasing a collaboration with BTS member Jung Kook. The Korean singer’s label, HYBE, also shared a teaser of the music video, which appears to have been shot in Harlow’s hometown, Louisville, Kentucky. You can check that out above.

Harlow is the second American rapper to collaborate with Jung Kook this year after Latto contributed a verse to his insanely viral, UK garage-inspired hit “Seven.” Meanwhile, as a member of BTS, he also worked with Megan Thee Stallion on a remix of their 2021 hit, “Butter.” Likewise, another BTS member, J-Hope, recently worked with a top rapper, J. Cole, for “On The Street.”

Jung Kook and Jack Harlow’s “3D” is due September 29.

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

Jeff Bezos has made no secret of wanting his own Game Of Thrones among Amazon Originals. Between Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power and Wheel Of Time, he’s captured a good chunk of the fantasy-loving audience, but if we’re talking about comparative juggernauts, The Boys is the slam-dunk of the streaming service. The 2019 arrival of the superhero-skewering franchise felt as timely as it did when Garth Ennis penned the source material in the aughts. Since then, the MCU and DCU have fatigued their own audiences, but The Boys feels even stronger for lighting those worlds on fire from the show’s inception.

In fact, The Boys has been such a subscription driver for Amazon that they swiftly greenlit spinoffs for the superhero-skewering franchise. The first of those, Diabolical, was an animated placeholder (including backstories) between seasons. The first live-action spinoff, however, is much more than a placeholder. The college-set series fits neatly into the current timeline of this franchise. That is, Gen V‘s events happen in between The Boys third season and the upcoming fourth round of Homelander’s homicidal escapades.

Also, let’s get this out of the way upfront: No franchise has successfully pulled off (or even attempted) as many penis-focused stunts as The Boys. Never forget what Mother’s Milk lived through in the “Herogasm” episode.

Thankfully, there are at least two significant dong-focused moments — which will cause a mixture of “oh my god,” “ew,” and “thank god this show exists” — within the first handful of Gen V episodes. These are stunts that somehow don’t come off like stunts, and this show manages to pull off what The Boys does, which is simultaneously going too far into depraved territory without it feeling like too much. That careful tightrope walking is down to the continued guidance of franchise creators Evan Goldberg, Eric Kripke, and Craig Rosenberg, along with Seth Rogen as a producer.

Let’s talk about the setup and what this season actually does. Because the bodily fluid quotient remains the same, but Gen V brings something new to the table. And it resembles what I have observed by being in close proximity to a few key Gen Z-ers. These younger Supes are somewhat jaded after watching older-generation Supes. Most importantly, they are aware of the f*cked-up world that grownups are handing them while being participants within the machine, too. These young adults landed at Supe-friendly Godolkin U shortly after Homelander received a resounding ovation for killing a civilian in broad daylight — inspired by the bragging from a certain real-life public figure — and it doesn’t take a stretch to imagine that it has affected some perceptions.

Additionally, the events of the Season 3 finale left some vacancies in The Seven. Those include Queen Maeve, who is hopefully enjoying her secret retirement on an upstate farm somewhere, and Starlight, who fully went rogue and is officially considered a dissident. So, there’s competition for spots among the younger characters, who also attend parties that go off the rails when someone’s showing off their powers, and it doesn’t go well. That’s entertaining, but this show is a crucial puzzle piece in the grander scheme of The Boys. What we see transpire at Godolkin makes it very easy to imagine the process of how Maeve became as world-weary as she did.

Gen V also never forgets that this franchise is satiric, so the spinoff maintains those undercurrents. One of those, obviously, is that Compound V has always been a substance that ultimately makes a ton of money due to the marketing of Supes. We have also seen, particularly from Starlight’s history, how some parents were all too willing to inject their kids with that garbage in exchange for cash and fame. And it’s no wonder. The super-speedy A-Train rakes in endorsement deals, and as such, Jessie T. Usher makes a handy cameo for this spinoff. The show hasn’t shied away from revealing who else makes appearances, so expect to see varying quantities of Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, Colby Minifie’s Ashley Barrett, and Chace Crawford’s The Deep.

Speaking of The Deep, it’s fair to say that his “powers” (which include f*cking an octopus), so to speak, are the most standout (and draggable) among of The Seven. At the very least, his abilities are more individualized, whereas a lot of The Seven rely upon more “classic” super-abilities like laser eyes, super strength, and so on. Well, Gen V gives the core characters highly individualized powers. And that’s part of what keeps this series — even without the franchise’s most depraved anchor on the scene — intriguing.

In many cases, these younger characters’ “powers” are also the source of inner turmoil. That paradox is something that has already been captured in The Boys as far as the vigilantes, not the Supes, go. What gives Hughie and Butcher and Mother’s Milk their drive is the traumas that they’ve experienced at the hands of the Supes. Similarly, the Gen V Supes have experienced their own (relative) traumas in the past, and some of them have come to recognize their powers as a source of self-loathing and pain. The struggle with these abilities also being worthy of renown adds more layers. In other words, come for the impressive variety of penis jokes, and stay for the characters who might climb inside of your own soul.

Then there’s Golden Boy. He would probably be the closest thing to a Homelander in terms of PR potential, and it’s no coincidence that Patrick Schwarzenegger was on the shortlist for the role that made Antony Starr a gleefully horrifying household name. Also, Patrick has gone on record to reveal that his dad (who’s no stranger to gore and once pretended to kill an entire army without reloading) freaked out over seeing set photos and wondering what the hell his son was filming. It’s fun to imagine Arnold’s face while watching some of the more disgusting scenes go down.

For sure, the show wastes no time in diving into raunch and gore as the character feel their way around the U. We meet Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) whose powers involve blood-bending as both a weapon and a healing mechanism. Her roommate, Emma Meyer (Lizzie Broadway), is known as Little Cricket for her ability to dramatically shrink (the better to climb into orifices). A gender-bending Supe, Jordan Li, is portrayed by both London Thor and Derek Luh. Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo) is a party tricks kind of guy, but he eventually shows depth, too. Also, we get to not see a Translucent-like Supe, an extreme empath, and more explorations of the variants that are often part of The Boys background pieces.

Ultimately, Gen V will please The Boys fans as much as any spinoff possibly could without the physical presence of Homelander. And I understand why they’ve kept him away. His revolting charisma would distract the audience from getting to know a whole new roster of screwed-up Supes. Like the original, this spinoff is subversive and giddy and full of characters worth caring about as they cope with a deluge of bodily fluids that confirms that, yes, this is very much The Boys territory.

Amazon’s ‘Gen V’ premieres on September 29.

Taylor Swift set the internet on fire over the weekend after she seemingly confirmed the rumors that she was dating Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce — by making a public appearance at the game with his mom. She rooted him on, and the two were seen leaving together, apparently going to rent out a restaurant afterward.

The next Chiefs game against the New York Jets is being held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium this Sunday, October 1. There is speculation whether Swift would make another appearance to support Kelce, or if she would appear at scattered games in the future.

Swift also has an apartment in New York, which would make it pretty easy, especially as she is currently taking a break between The Eras Tour dates.

Earlier this morning, Kelce opened up about Swift being at the game during the new episode of his New Heights podcast.

“That was pretty ballsy,” he told his brother. “I just thought it was awesome that everybody in the suite had nothing but good things to say about her, the friends and family. She looked amazing, everybody was talking about her in great light and the day went perfectly for the Chiefs.”

Time will tell if Swift and Kelce continue their football game interactions.

The 146-day WGA strike has finally come to an end. That means that work can at least partially recommence on Hollywood productions (hopefully, the SAG-AFTRA counterpart will also resolve soon). While prepping Cobra Kai‘s final season, the writers room duly went “pens down” as part of the work stoppage, but presumably, they’ll soon be crafting the end of the Miyagiverse’s current chapter. In the meantime, however, showrunners Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald have a new show on the way to tide over fans of their particular blend of action and comedy.

As one can witness in the above trailer, Obliterated will soon showcase slightly more adult subject matter. The plot revolves around an elite special forces team that believes they have saved Las Vegas from an imminent (nuclear) terrorist threat. However, once they get drunk, they realize that the job isn’t nearly done yet. From Netflix’s description:

Obliterated follows an elite special forces team who thwart a deadly threat to Las Vegas, then celebrate with booze, drugs, and sex. Unfortunately, the vibe is killed once they discover that the bomb they deactivated was a fake.

Cue the tipsy search for the real nuke — gotta hate it when that happens. The series stars Nick Zano and Shelley Hennig and promises to be like “[i]f 24 and The Hangover hooked up and had a baby.” You know what to do with this information.

Also, don’t forget: Cobra Kai will never die.

Obliterated streams on November 30.

It has now been six years and five seasons since Colin Kaepernick‘s last game in the NFL before being basically blackballed over his “controversial” (read: totally reasonable and understandable) opinions on the National Anthem. Despite the time away and unfair treatment by the league, it seems he hasn’t lost his passion for the game or his desire to play. And apparently, no one wants to see him get a second chance more than J. Cole.

The rapper, who is a friend of Kaep’s and one of his staunchest advocates, shared a letter the QB recently wrote to the New York Jets seeking an opportunity to prove himself. The Jets, of course, are down one starting field general due to Aaron Rodgers’ injury in the Jets’ September 11 game against the Buffalo Bills. Cole said he asked Kaepernick if he could share the letter, likely hoping that publicizing it would increase his chances at getting a callback — if not from the Jets than from one of the teams that could use a QB.

“My argument was that I believe the people and all organizations should know the truth about how hard he works and how much he still wants to play,” the rapper wrote. “And always has. In the end, he agreed to let me.” In the caption, he wrote, “Everyone from players, to coaches, to execs are feeling the pressure I’m sure. I hope y’all can turn it around, and I hope there’s a spot out there for my boy Kap.”

You can read the letter in its entirety below.

September 21, 2023

Joe Douglas New York Jets 1 Jets Dr. Florham Park, NJ 07932

Joe,
I hope this letter finds you in great spirits, despite the less-than-ideal start to a big season. I’m wishing you, your staff, and the players a great game this weekend as you look to bounce back.

I’m writing, of course, in response to the unfortunate loss of Aaron Rodgers. I know the aspirations this season were, and still are, to win a championship, and so that Hall of Fame-sized hole will need to be filled as best as possible to keep the team on a Super Bowl track. As of right now, Zach Wilson is charged with that task, and I wish him and the rest of the team the best moving forward.

However, I know that there are currently depth issues at the position, and I’ve heard that the back-up spot is likely to be filled by a veteran Quarterback. As much as I would love the opportunity to fill that spot, I’m writing you in hopes that you can imagine a much different approach involving me; I would be honored and extremely grateful for the opportunity to come in and lead the practice squad. I would do this with the sole mission of getting your defense ready each week. If I were able to fill this role for the team, I believe this allows for multiple things.

1. It gives your Defense the advantage of getting a truer read on the more mobile/athletic/versatile quarterbacks it will face when in weeks 4, 5 and 6 (Mahomes, Wilson, and Hurts). I would consider it a privilege to be able to do this and would take on this responsibility with the dedication and passion as if it were the QB1 position.

2. This would also allow you guys as an organization to take a real look at where I’m at football wise, in game-like situations against an elite defense, while also not putting any competitive pressure on Zach. I understand the importance of keeping him confident and focused as QB1, and I would only look to boost that confidence in any interactions that we may have if I was given this role within the team.

In a perfect world for the Jets, Zach Wilson finds his stride and shows that he is able to lead this championship caliber team that you’ve put together to the Super Bowl. I believe a confident Zach Wilson has the tools to do this. However, in the event that this is not the case, I would love to offer you a risk-free contingency plan.

I am sure of my ability to provide you with an elite QB option if, God forbid, QB1 goes down. However, I know that there may naturally be uncertainties from you and possibly from others about my playing abilities. This plan, I believe, allows me to be of great service to the team as a practice squad QB, while also giving you a low-commitment chance to assess my capabilities to help in any other capacity you may see fit.

Worst case scenario, you see what I have to offer and you’re not that impressed. Best case scenario, you realize you have a real weapon at your disposal in the event you ever need to use it. In either of these scenarios, I would be committed to getting your defense ready week in and week out, all season long, and I would wear that responsibility like a badge of honor.

As a final point, I would like to add this. Unlike many of the veteran QB’s that have been named in the media, I’ve never retired or stopped training. My training schedule has remained the same for 6 years; Monday through Friday, 5am-8am training on the field and in the weight room. I’ve kept this training schedule without failure for the past 6 years, in hopes that an opportunity will present itself. I say this to give you some perspective on where I’m at physically.

I have also attached a list of my references within the league that will vouch for my character, work ethic and ability.
Thanks so much for your time.

Colin Kaepernick

References

Jim Harbaugh — Michigan Head Coach – San Francisco 49ers Head Coach 2011-2014
Chip Kelly — UCLA Head Coach – San Francisco 49ers Head Coach 2016
John Harbaugh — Baltimore Ravens Head Coach
Mark Davis — Las Vegas Raiders Owner

A Wheel of Fortune contestant pulled off an incredible solve that left Pat Sajak stunned during Tuesday night’s episode. As the longtime (and soon to be retired) host of the hit game show, Sajak has seen a lot over the decades, but even he couldn’t believe it when dental hygienist Angelisa Cintron knocked out a puzzle with only two letters on the board.

During the category “Food And Drink,” the contestants were looking at a sizable board that only read “_ _ _ A _ _ _ _N _ _ _ _ _ _ _” thanks to the Triple Toss-Up Round where letters appear one at a time. Impressively, that was enough for Cintron to nail the answer, according to TV Insider.

“Himalayan sea salt,” Cintron guessed, prompting a stunned Sajak to ask, “How the heck did you do that?”

“I love salt,” a laughing Cintron responded, but the still gobsmacked Sajak needed more than that. “I love salt is not a sufficient answer.”

Unfortunately for Citron, she did not make it to the final round as Virginia coupon enthusiast Tameka Stephens became the night’s big winner. However, knocking the socks off of Pat Sajak is no small feat. Although, it probably didn’t hurt that Cintron’s incredible solve arrived on the heels of a solve that went in the completely opposite direction.

During Monday night’s Wheel of Fortune episode, contestant Jessica Washington whiffed a puzzle that only had one letter left. Instead of “Dining in the dining car,” she guessed, “Dining in the dining jar,” which is obviously not a thing. It was a pretty brutal loss that made Cintron’s solve look all the more impressive.

(Via TV Insider)