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No one can derail a panel discussion like Whoopi Goldberg. While tackling the subject of vacation sex during Wednesday morning’s episode of The View, Goldberg initially seemed annoyed with the conversation. She even went so far as to tear up her note cards before looking at producers off-camera and asking “Seriously?”

However, the topic continued unabated thanks to Joy Behar who brought up her love of the Sex on the Beach drink, and soon, Goldberg couldn’t resist joining the conversation. Although, by the time Goldberg was finished, the producers were visibly wishing she hadn’t.

Via Entertainment Weekly:

“You know, sex on the beach is overrated,” Goldberg said. “Because, you know, if you tried to have sex in the pool, you know that’s not easy. Because you’re trying to go up the hill and you’re getting resistance from the water that is within. Because when you’re in the pool you’re surrounded in the water. Have you ever tried to put anything…”

At that point, Goldberg stopped talking as she noticed everyone from her co-hosts to the audience was dying with laughter. She then turned to producer Brian Teta, who was trying to hide his face at the hilarious chaos that just ensued.

“Oh, you’re trying to move me on now?” Goldberg said to a laughing Teta as he attempted to cut to commercial. “You tell me, ‘Get engaged in the conversation,’ then I start to get engaged, now you want me to stop talking?”

As the segment came to a crashing end, at least one person defended Goldberg’s aquatic lesson. “I was learning things!” Sunny Hostin could be heard saying.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

It must be exhausting to be a MAGA diehard these days. Sean Hannity is twisting himself into a pretzel on Fox News after Trump’s third indictment, and Jesse Watters used possible sarcasm to cope. These two somehow aren’t tired by all this winning, and Trump is characteristically lashing out over his ability to break legal record upon legal record.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, on the other hand, seems to be going through a real process. On her two Twitter accounts, you can see a shift in mood between her initial reaction and the harsh light of day. The former “Jewish space laser” pseudo-blamer began by declaring that she would still obviously vote for Trump, even if he’s in prison. She further accused the Biden administration of engineering this triple hot mess, so that Trump can’t go on winning elections (even though he lost the one that he’s in trouble for attempting to overturn). This happened last night after the latest indictment news broke:

This morning, Greene woke up and went all-caps with a “100% BULLSHIT,” DO THE RIGHT THING,” and “Impeach the CRIMINAL IN CHEIF!!! [sic]”

A few hours later, the congresswoman got seriously dark with a lengthy rant about the ills of society. It’s bleak stuff, and this is only the beginning:

“We have record numbers of homeless Americans, 300 Americans die of fentanyl daily, they tell women abortion is healthcare & birth control – killing over 63 million, that men can get pregnant, they brainwash children they can change their gender and amputate their growing body parts, our border is out of control and our government refuses to secure it, our very own nation is number one for child pornography and sex trafficking, our society is overweight and unhealthy, senior citizens can’t survive on social security anymore, inflation is crippling everyone, Americans are drowning in credit card debt, and America’s once great manufacturing is great no more – our supply chain comes from the rest of the world making us dependent on everyone else and weak and vulnerable.

“But they are telling you the most important thing they are doing is indicting President Trump for January 6, 2021.”

Then came the kicker with a quote-tweet on her other Twitter account: “But don’t worry they are going to put Trump in jail until he’s dead and stop the scary election deniers.”

Is Marjorie Taylor Greene alright? Asking a genuine question here.

With hip-hop celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, it’s been amazing to see a number of rap legends and leaders of the new school getting highlighted throughout the year. And while moments at the Grammys and BET Awards set the stage for a year-long celebration, there are still a number of icons in their own right who don’t get their due.

It’s been refreshing to see rappers like E-40 and Black Thought finally getting much-deserved credit for being certified all-timers in recent years, and while there are surely countless artists who could use more recognition, here are nine others who deserve their flowers; especially now in hip-hop’s 50th year.

Big L

Big L was an absolute killer on the mic, but his life was cut tragically short in 1999 at the age of 24. The Harlem rapper was on a major come up at the time of his death, primed to sign with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records before things were cut short.

He was a member of famed NY crew DITC, a pioneer of the independent hip-hop movement with his artist-run label Flamboyant Entertainment, and even collaborated with 2Pac on the supreme cut, “Deadly Combination” (Rumor has it 2Pac recorded the song with Big L less than an hour before 2Pac was shot and killed himself.)

Big L’s mastery was never more evident than on “Ebonics,” where he managed to lay out the entire hip-hop vernacular in a manner that was both entertaining and totally comprehensive.

MC Lyte

Coming up in the late ’80s, MC Lyte was actually the first female solo rapper to drop an album with Lyte As A Rock in 1988. This widely publicized factoid somehow still isn’t publicized enough, a testament to exactly why the Brooklyn rapper belongs on this list. Hip-hop was and is still male-dominant and Lyte blazed a trail in dropping sick rhymes that were firmly from the female perspective — before a lot of the women who currently get most of the credit for doing so. With each of her eight albums, the rapper and activist shapeshifted with an edge, normalizing the female point-of-view in hip-hop while the genre took form and flourished.

Aceyalone

Coming up with LA-based crew Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone is a crucial figure in the rise of West Coast hip-hop’s independent scene. A central figure on Freestyle Fellowship’s classic albums like To Whom It May Concern and Innercity Griots, it was on his own that Ace-one became a storied MC.

A Book Of Human Language is a benchmark for the hip-hop concept album, with Acey flashing elite skills on tracks like “The Balance” and especially, “The Guidelines.” And it’s how there never seems to be a pause button when Aceyalone gets going into another dimension of lyricism that truly sets him apart.

Gift Of Gab

The Blackalicious MC is best known for the now pop culture ubiquity of “Alphabet Aerobics,” and there’s nary been a wordsmith as loquaciously creative as he. Paired with producer Chief Xcel, the vocal half of the Bay Area duo floated over soul-sampled beats with existential rhymes that were pound-for-pound more technical than just about anyone else in hip-hop. He helped lead the Quannum Collective from the early ’90s onward alongside artists like DJ Shadow and Lyrics Born. Sadly, he died in 2021 after a courageous battle with kidney failure, but he’s undoubtedly a hip-hop hero.

Phonte

With Little Brother, Phonte is a force behind perhaps the last true great group to come out of hip-hop’s Golden Age. Every bar he’s ever laid down on a Little Brother record shows that he’s one of the smartest MCs who can shift easily from rapping about heavy themes to not taking himself too seriously. With the Foreign Exchange, he put down refined R&B alongside producer Nicolay and his solo work is honest, grown-man rap that’s never afraid to be vulnerable in order to get real. Today, the North Carolina product is also the co-host of the Questlove Supreme podcast and has composed music for TV and film. Drake even called Phonte one of his primary influences, even though he never featured him on a track. For shame, sir!

Jean Grae

There’s a problem with female rappers getting their due praise to begin with, but Jean Grae’s work is undoubtedly iconic. The New York City MC shines on her sharp delivery, her ability to align with melodies, and her give no fucks sense of humor. Released in the 2000s, Attack of The Attacking Things and Jeanius are underground classics — the latter produced by 9th Wonder. Grae has also been a go-to featured voice across a number of tracks by Talib Kweli, The Herbaliser, and more. Her collaborative album, Everything’s Fine, with her partner Quelle Chris was Bandcamp’s No. 1 album of 2018.

Roots Manuva

One of the early products of the British rap scene, Roots Manuva seemingly straddled the line of grime, predating its rise with his own style. Born to Jamaican parents, Roots’ music often incorporates heavy dub and dancehall influences, but the production also skews towards electronic, making him well ahead of his time at the turn of the millennium. His sage-like voice is unmistakable and he’s appeared on albums by heavyweights such as Gorillaz and Massive Attack.

Ishmael Butler

You might know Ishmael Butler by one of his alter egos: Butterfly (with Digable Planets) or Palaceer Lazaro (with Shabazz Palaces). His place in hip-hop lore is marked by one of the most fascinating transformations ever. With Digable Planets, Butterfly was the boho-hipster MC/producer of the seminal hip-hop group. Then with Shabazz Palaces, Butler took a mystical turn towards afrofuturism with the prolific experimental hip-hop duo. A Seattle native, he’s also helped storied indie rock label Sub Pop Records develop the more left-of-center part of their roster.

Kool Keith

A hip-hop OG, Kool Keith came up with Ultramagnetic MCs in the mid-’80s. Whether true or not, an early rumor claimed that he had previously been in an insane asylum, and Keith seemed to relish that tale throughout his career. Across solo projects as Kool Keith or his alter egos Dr. Octagon and Dr. Dooom, Keith delivers downright batshit crazy flows. He jumps from rapping in space to wreaking havoc in a deranged psychiatric ward to romancing a lady in his “Monkey-green ragtop Seville.” In the vein of the great Shock G, Keith led the charge on weird rap and embraced the lunatic personas he created for himself to become a true original.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

One full month has gone by since Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, and there still appears to be no resolution in sight. It’s been made clear that Lillard’s overwhelming preference is to join forces with Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler on the Miami Heat, but the Blazers are willing to let this process play out, with general manager Joe Cronin saying he’s comfortable with this taking “months” to resolve.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN laid out the current problem that the Portland faces: There’s apparently only one team that’s making a serious offer to try and get Lillard, and it’s the Heat.

“The real thing about the Heat, guys, is that as I look across the league and have conversations with executives and agents, I can’t identify another team that is seriously making an offer for Dame Lillard at this point,” Windhorst said. “And so, my belief is that the Heat can’t either. And so while people can look at what the Heat’s offer might be and scoff at it, if their offer is the only one on the table, it therefore is the best one on the table, and the fact that Portland isn’t going forward with anything is a verification of that, that they don’t have another offer. So, very low incentive for the Heat to improve their offer at this point, and no incentive, really, right now, for Portland to take that offer.”

It’s been indicated, both in reporting and in comments from his agent Aaron Goodwin, that Lillard wouldn’t be happy if he ended up anywhere other than Miami, to the point that league spoke to Lillard and Goodwin before sending out a memo to teams on the subject of players trying to force their way to specific places. Having said that, if no one other than the Heat are trying to make a serious offer here, it’s easy to say that these efforts by Lillard’s camp have worked to an extent. The problem with that, however, comes from Portland’s desire to get a monster package back for Lillard and their apparent resolve in this situation, because if there is no market for him outside of Miami, it’s easy for the Blazers to sit back, point out that he’s under contract through at least 2025-26, and let this play out.

Chlöe treated fans to a new cover on Instagram today (August 2) as she performed Gunna’s “Fukumean.” In the video, she sits in front of a microphone wearing a jumpsuit, some matching sunglasses, and a diamond necklace. Her version puts a slower-but-still-powerful spin on the song as she proves her vocals are stronger than ever.

“Callin’ me splurge / Watch me jump right off the curb,” she delivers her own rap spin of the original lyrics over an entertaining beat. Basically, this should be available to stream.

Fans in the replies are loving her rendition too. “Never thought I needed a singing version, but I did,” one user wrote. “She’s back!!! Such a freaking superstar!!!” another commented.

Gunna himself has since even approved of her take, adding some fire emojis with a blue heart. It’s also an interesting choice, considering last January the two had added to the dating rumors after being spotted holding hands. Back in 2021, they had also attended a basketball game together, but Gunna denied the rumors at the time — before the hand-holding.

As for Chlöe, she’s set to kick off her In Pieces Tour next month in support of her recent debut solo album. A complete list of dates and more information is available here.

Check out Chlöe’s Gunna cover above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Iranian-Swedish R&B singer Snoh Aalegra is gearing up for her fourth studio album. Today (August 2), Aalegra has shared “Sweet Tea,” a piano-driven ballad on which she reflects on a pleasant love.

“Sweet Tea” features Aalegra looks fondly on the time spent with someone in her life, finding safety and comfort in their presence.

“You make no sense / So perfect, it makes no sense / Like that empty cup you left in my, my fridge / And that sweet tea is sweeter than you, sweeter than you / Sweeter than you / It feels like I’m dreamin’, dreamin’ / But my dreams ain’t sweetеr than you,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

The song features production by prolific producer and Aalegra’s frequent collaborator, No I.D., and features a slight chord change near the end, encompassing the warmth and whirlwind of emotions accompanied by love. “Sweet Tea” follows Aalegra’s recent single, “Be My Summer,” which was released last month.

Though Aalegra hasn’t said much about her upcoming album, it’s likely that it may arrive soon. Her debut album, Feels, came out in 2017, and was followed by Ugh, Those Feels Again in 2019. In 2021, Aalegra dropped Temporary Highs In Violet Skies, continuing this biannual album release pattern. If this continues, we might be able to look forward to hearing Aalegra’s fourth album before the end of the year.

You can listen to “Sweet Tea” above.

Sucker Punch is the Star Wars: The Last Jedi of Zack Snyder movies. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the worst thing he’s ever made (Rotten Tomatoes thinks so), or it’s a misunderstood gem. “Polarizing” is the word Snyder used to describe the reaction to his action-fantasy film during a recent interview with Letterboxd.

“It was a very polarizing film. To be frank, the people I’ve run across who’ve come to me and said ‘Sucker Punch is my favorite movie’ are normally angsty teenage girls. It’s like a Morrissey song or something,” he said (the more you ignore Sucker Punch, the closer Zack Snyder gets).

Snyder felt disheartened by the main criticisms he heard of Sucker Punch, that it was “too exploitative” and that “people took the movie as if the girls fighting and all that stuff was the movie.” So he wants a Zack Snyder’s Justice League-like director’s cut in the hope that people will reconsider it.

“Brazil was a big influence on the movie as well. I’d say those three movies really – Brazil, Frances, and All That Jazz really were the main influences of the movie. I’ve never gotten around to doing the director’s cut. I still plan to at some point.”

If Sucker Punch does get a director’s cut, can everyone be chill this time?

(Via Letterboxd)

Back in December 2020, the burgeoning DC Universe made two momentous moves shortly after James Gunn took the reins of the studio: Henry Cavill was out as Superman, and Wonder Woman 3 was apparently not moving forward. One of those decisions appears to be permanent as Gunn has already cast a new Man of Steel for his upcoming Superman: Legacy, but according to Gal Gadot, the Wonder Woman situation is a bit more fluid.

While promoting her new Netflix movie, Heart of Stone, in an interview that took place before the SAG-AFTRA strike, Gadot surprisingly revealed that Wonder Woman 3 is still in the works.

Via Comic Book:

“I love portraying Wonder Woman,” Gadot says. “It’s so close to and dear to my heart. From what I heard from James and from Peter is that we’re gonna develop a Wonder Woman 3 together.”

While Gunn has been seemingly working towards a near-total rebooting of the DC Comics live-action universe, Gadot continued to be a presence in the latest films. She appeared in both Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash while Cavill was reportedly cut from the latter.

Shortly after the initial Wonder Woman 3 news hit, Gunn also shot down a fan who claimed that Gadot was “booted” from the Amazonian warrior role, which at the time, suggested that she may stick around for Gunn’s retooled DC Universe. Judging by this latest development, that might actually be the case.

Heart of Stone starring Gal Gadot starts streaming August 11 on Netflix.

(Via Comic Book)

Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa have had their ups-and-downs as friends over the years, but the pair were incredibly close — so much so that Raisa was the kidney donor to Gomez when she needed it.

Although the pair went through a public social media rough patch a few months back, Raisa opened up about the decision to be a kidney donor during a recent interview on the Good Guys Podcast.

“I’ve said this before,” Raisa said. “I just felt it in my heart. I knew I was a match. I knew it was gonna happen. No one forced me to do anything. It came out of the genuine kindness of my heart.”

“‘I take better care of myself now than I did before,” she added, pointing out that she now helps other organ donors with the process.

A few days ago, Gomez also shared a sweet birthday tribute to Raisa on Instagram, hinting that the two had possibly repaired their friendship. She included photos of the two of them throughout their friendship.

“Happiest of birthdays to this special human beings. No matter where life takes us, I love you. @franciaraisa,” Gomez captioned the post.

Raisa also reportedly follows Gomez back on Instagram again. Here’s hoping these two have patched things up.

Earlier this week, it was reported that a lawsuit had been filed by three women against the singer Lizzo claiming that she had created a hostile work environment. Among the claims listed in the suit were allegations of racial, religious, and sexual harassment, interference with prospective economic advantage, and false imprisonment, as well as others, leveled against Lizzo, her production company, and her dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley. Not every complaint applies to every defendant. Here’s a further explanation of the lawsuit.

Defendants Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez are all former members of Lizzo’s dance team. Davis and Williams were hired after competing on Lizzo’s show, Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, while Rodriguez was also hired around the same time after appearing in Lizzo’s “Rumors” video. Davis and Williams were both fired earlier this year, while Rodriguez voluntarily resigned. They have since secured the services of Ron Zambrano, the employment litigation chair at West Coast Trial Lawyers, who filed the lawsuit on their behalf on Tuesday, August 1.

In the suit, Lizzo is accused of organizing nights out at strip clubs and nude cabarets with her tour staff, where she is said to have coerced one of the dancers into touching a nude performer’s breast. Although she did not require participation in these outings, the plaintiffs claim that she offered preferential treatment to those who did, but did not always disclose the nature of the group activities ahead of time, making it harder for them to opt out.

She’s also accused of overworking dancers; a 12-hour rehearsal is explicitly mentioned. Dancers were threatened with dismissal if they gave unsatisfactory performances. One dancer says she was fired for pushing back when Lizzo accused the team of drinking before performances. One dancer also believes that comments Lizzo made about her commitment level were “thinly veiled” criticisms of her weight. She says she was fired for recording a meeting with the singer.

Meanwhile, Quigley is accused of shaming the dancers for their sex lives outside of work and trying to convert them to her religion. They also say she made inappropriate sexual comments. Although the suit does not specify a dollar amount, the three women are asking for damages including unpaid wages, loss of earnings, emotional distress, and attorney’s fees. You can see more information below.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8LRWfBo/