Britney Spears’ first post-conservatorship song was a success, as her and Elton John’s “Hold Me Closer” managed a peak at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2022. Now, it appears Spears might have her sights set on reuniting with “Scream & Shout” collaborator will.i.am.
In a recent interview on Good Morning Britain, will.i.am was asked if there’s anything new from him and Britney on the way. Smiling and looking away from the camera, he said, “Yeah, there’s been things in the works, things that we’ve done in the past.” The hosts prodded him to reveal whatever it is he’s thinking about, and he responded with a laugh, “I can’t reveal. I live a very private life.” The hosts asked when he intends to make an announcement and will.i.am coyly answered, “Announcement of what?”
Elsewhere in the conversation (as WRMF notes), will.i.am reflected on his past with Spears and her present, saying, “We’ve done cool things together, and I’m so happy that she’s on this new journey and shining. She’s still got hurdles, but you know what, we’re all there to support her.”
This comes shortly after a significant milestone for Spears and will.i.am: In May, the video for “Scream & Shout” surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube. It’s Spears’ first video to reach that benchmark and will.i.am’s second, following Black Eyed Peas and J Balvin’s “RITMO.”
Wes Anderson‘s movies are largely nudity-free affairs, but not Asteroid City (and the pre-The Darjeeling Limited short Hotel Chevalier with Natalie Portman). Scarlett Johansson has a brief nude scene in the 1950s-set film, one that made Anderson deeply “uncomfortable.”
“Wes is probably the worst person to talk to about anything like that. He’s so uncomfortable around that topic,” Johansson told Yahoo! Entertainment, while laughing. When asked how the director was giving directions from behind the camera, she replied, “I’ll leave it up to your imagination. There was a lot of throat clearing and [Wes] sort of hiding his face.”
Anderson has been described as “shy” and that he “needs a deep connection with his actors,” so it’s not surprising that he turned into a red-faced school boy while shooting a nude scene. This would have not have been the case if it involved Johansson’s Asteroid City co-star Willem Dafoe, however. He would have been too distracted by the actor’s “enormous d*ck” to be embarrassed.
Asteroid City, which also stars Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Steve Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, and Jeff Goldblum (pretty good cast imo), comes out on June 23rd.
For the upcoming Barbie movie soundtrack, Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice teamed up for “Barbie World,” a new spin on Aqua’s classic “Barbie Girl.” However, Jason Martin (the rapper/songwriter/producer formerly known as Problem who now releases music as JasonMartin) claims that Minaj stole the idea for the track from him.
Last December, Saweetie previewed the Aqua-sampling “Icy Girl, Icy World” during an Instagram Live session. Sharing a clip of that on Twitter on June 18, Martin wrote, “As a writer on this, I can confirm this song and idea was sent to her last year to submit for the Barbie movie. It’s sad to see that the original artist has been pushed off a song that was her idea and was meant for both of them. I have no side in this, but I will be compensated.” He continued in another tweet, “If or when I need to detail the whole way it went down in regards to this Barbie sh*t, you will understand why all writers need to be compensated with day rates and contracts protecting their intellectual properties the day of. Hopefully this gets sorted out quietly. But please no I don’t scare easy.”
As a writer on this, I can confirm this song and idea was sent to her last year to submit for the Barbie movie. It’s sad to see that the original artist has been pushed off a song that was her idea and was meant for both of them. I have no side in this, but I will be compensated.… https://t.co/gbVkItEVmM
If or when I need to detail the whole way it went down in regards to this Barbie shit, you will understand why all writers need to be compensated with day rates and contracts protecting their intellectual properties the day of. Hopefully this gets sorted out quietly. But please…
He spoke about it on Instagram Live, too, claiming he and Saweetie created the song and sent it to Minaj for Barbie movie consideration. She supposedly said she was going to use the song before making her own version without the two involved.
Jason Martin Speaking On How Nicki Minaj Allegedly Stole The “Barbie World” Idea From Him And Took Saweetie Off The Song For Ice Spice. #Barbiepic.twitter.com/oUUrWDqtJP
So far the MCU has staged resolutely, stubbornly PG-13. That’s going to change with Deadpool 3, which will likely be as gleefully R-rated as the first two. That doesn’t mean other modern Marvel films can’t go hard. Over at the comics line’s Sony wing, they’re going full tilt boogie gory with Kraven the Hunter, which just released its first, super bloody trailer.
The ad offers the first decent look at Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s antihero Sergei Kravinoff, the scion of a tough cookie of a father, played by a Russian-accented Russell Crowe. A drop of animal blood turns him into a kind of beast who can commune with the world’s most fearsome critters. But he appears to be just fine doing his own killing, which he does with big scary knives, bows and arrows, and other weapons that douse the screen in streams of blood. At one point he even bites off a dude’s nose and spits it at the screen.
The trailer also includes a last minute appearance by Alessandro Nivola as Rhino, a baddie briefly teased — without any follow-through — in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, in which he was played by no less than Paul Giamatti.
Not many get to play two characters in the MCU, but Taylor-Johnson is an exception. Once upon a time the British actor played Pietro Maximof, aka Quicksilver (though he wasn’t called that), His version of the character only appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and when they brought Pietro back briefly for WandaVision, it wasn’t him doing the honors. (Instead they did a Marvel in-joke.) Bringing Taylor-Johnson back should make up for that, but it’s not like he’s lacking for work: Heck, there’s been rumors that he could be the next 007.
You can watch the Kraven the Hunter trailer in the video above. The film is due in theaters on October 6.
Yesterday (June 18) was Father’s Day. Naturally, Nick Cannon is the musician that most prominently comes to mind on that occasion. ASAP Rocky, though, is one of music’s biggest power couples alongside Rihanna, so he has plenty to celebrate, too.
He did so with an Instagram post featuring a handful of photos and videos. The gallery starts with a video of Rocky brushing his teeth, followed by a video of him and RZA (his son, not the Wu-Tang Clan rapper) napping in bed and a photo of RZA flashing a big, happy smile. Next is a video of Rocky and Rihanna hanging out in the bathroom, as Rocky prompts RiRi to show off her pregnant belly as she insists, “This is so sad.” She then jokingly moves her belly around before Rocky pats his own stomach and insists he and his wife match, which gets a laugh from Rihanna.
The post ends with a photo of Rocky kissing Rihanna’s pregnant belly, a video of RZA, and Rihanna and RZA laying in bed. It’s a cute look into the couple’s family life and Rihanna seemed to enjoy it, as she commented on the post, “The Mayers boys stole my whole heart! Happy Father’s Day nerd.”
A third team, potentially the Clippers, is expected to be added to the deal to re-route Paul to a contender, which means right now the veteran point guard is a bit in the wind. It is fortuitous timing then that Paul is in New York doing an interview carwash for his new book, informing Good Morning America‘s Michael Strahan that he found out about the trade while flying to NYC on Sunday. The way he found out was by way of a text from his son, and he was surprised by the deal despite having apparently talked to James Jones earlier in the day, not getting any indication he was about to be dealt.
He provided those details to Sopan Deb of the New York Times in one of his other interviews on Monday, but the eye-opening part of his answers was the matter of factness with which he said Isiah Thomas was making personnel decisions with new owner Mat Ishbia.
But when it comes through and my son texts me, I realize that, you know, Mat and Isiah, I guess, just wanted to go in a different direction.
…
Like I say, it is what it is. But like I said, Mat and Isiah must have wanted to go different.
When Ishbia purchased the Suns there were immediately rumors he wanted to bring Thomas into the front office, but he insisted that wasn’t the case, even though Thomas was sitting courtside with him during the playoffs (Isiah was next to him during Ishbia’s kerfuffle with Nikola Jokic). Thomas had a failed run as an executive and coach with the New York Knicks that included him being named in a sexual harassment lawsuit by Anucha Browne Sanders, before a stint at FIU and back in the front office with the New York Liberty. Thomas has spent the last decade with NBA TV as an analyst, but is close with Ishbia given his Detroit ties.
Ishbia and the Suns have been adamant Jones is still in charge, but Chris Paul sure seems to want it on record that isn’t the case and believes Thomas played a role in Phoenix pursuing the Beal trade.
Spotify recently agreed to a mutual uncoupling with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who signed a pricey contract with the audio streamer back in 2020. At first the split seemed amicable — then Bill Simmons, head of their podcasting division, went off, calling them “f*cking grifters.” Now a new allegation has emerged calling into question the veracity of Markle’s podcast Archetypes.
According to Podnews (as caught by The New York Post), sources claim that some of the interviews Markle did for her podcast were not done by her. Instead, they were done by staffers. Markle then allegedly recorded her questions at another time, then edited them in to make it seem like she’d done the interviews.
It’s not the first time Markle and team have been accused of unseemly behavior. Back in 2021, a source told NY Post that they didn’t produce enough content to justify their $20 million deal.
Nor is it the first time people have suspected Markle of not doing her own interviews. As per NY Post, last year writer Alison Yarrow, while recording a chat for the podcast, took to Instagram to thank one of Archetypes’ producers for being “an excellent interviewer.” It was later reported that Markle’s questions were edited into the episode later.
The relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Spotify had already had its share of cracks. Last year they claimed they’d been begging them to police COVID-19 misinformation for months.
Markle and Archewell Audio, the podcast company owned by Harry and Markle, have not yet commented on the allegations. According to Archewell, Markle is hoping to take her show elsewhere.
In 2018, Drake dropped Scorpion, a project that’s not the most esteemed in his discography: It’s one of his lowest-rated projects on Metacritic, with 2021’s Certified Lover Boy being his only album with a worse score. Despite that, Jack Harlow thinks the album will eventually be regarded as a “classic.”
In a recent interview with Rap Radar (as Complex notes), Harlow spoke about nostalgia, saying, “What people want is changing, what the youth wants is changing, and it’s almost like Drake, Kendrick [Lamar], and [J.] Cole, their voices are damn-near nostalgic at this point. We know this is good ’cause this is from the days when things were a little better. […] It’s almost like we’re living in a time where people feel like this era isn’t special enough to stamp anything as timeless or classic as if the time of classic sh*t, it already happened.”
It was at this point that Harlow declared Scorpion “is gonna be a classic.”
He went on to speak about a conversation he and John Mayer had: “I was talking to John Mayer about this, about how culture’s so fragmented. Artists put out music and the artist’s job is to respond or comment on culture and society. He and I were talking about how there’s no shared human experience anymore because everyone’s living in their own pockets. Everyone’s choosing what to digest. You got your shows, you got your own artists, so you get to live in your pocket and you don’t need to be told who’s a star, who’s most important. When Kendrick, Drake, and Cole, that was still a time where people were saying, ‘Nah, everyone needs to know these are the most important people.’ Now everyone gets to choose what’s important to them. Everyone is living a fragmented version of culture.”
Bebe Rexha began her Best F*n Night Of My Life tour on May 31, following the April 28 release of her Bebe album, and the pop star’s experience was living up to the title heading into Sunday night, June 18.
“Not trying to be corny, but I’m definitely having the best f*cking tour of my life,” Rexha captioned an Instagram carousel. “Seeing your faces every night just makes me happy and my heart is so full. Alsooooo I’m Good is 6X platinum in Canada. Blessed.”
And then, Rexha was hit in the face by a fan-thrown phone while performing “I’m Good (Blue),” her aforementioned platinum-certified 2022 hit with David Guetta. Her headlining set at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York, New York ended prematurely because Rexha was injured.
This is Bebe Rexha being rushed out of the concert venue here in NYC after someone threw a fucking phone and hit her face as she was leaving the stage. We were all having a hell of a good time and so was Bebe, we were all having a blast, I mean who would even do that??? We hope… pic.twitter.com/QQk2DanPdu
Rexha updated fans on her condition today, June 19, with two Instagram photos and the clever caption, “Im good.” She’s giving the thumbs up despite a gnarly black eye and notable cut between her eyelid and eyebrow.
The comments section is full of encouragements. “please no one throw things at this beautiful woman unless they are bras!!” Betty Who wrote. “get well soon sister!!!”
Jamie Lynn Spears left a clapping-hands emoji, bicep-flexing emoji, and a silver heart emoji, while Lauren Jauregui wrote what most everybody is thinking, saying, “Dude what the f*ck?!? I’m so sorry babe [upset emoji] so f*cked up.”
According to ABC News, 27-year-old Nicolas Malvagna has been “arrested and charged with assault for allegedly throwing the cellphone at Rexha,” and he “is expected to be arraigned Monday.”
Rexha’s Best F*n Night Of My Life Tour is scheduled to continue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania tomorrow, June 20, at The Fillmore. See all of her remaining dates below.
Bebe Rexha is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.
This week saw Doja Cat earn some attention and Gunna come through with a statement. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
At this point, Doja Cat has presented a hundred different versions of what her upcoming album will be titled and sound like. Now, we know what at least one song that will presumably end up on the project has going on: She dropped “Attention” last week and it’s a jazz-influenced number that sees Doja, who’s been a major pop star in recent years, going all the way into her rap bag.
Gunna — “I Was Just Thinking”
Gunna has been through a lot lately, to understate it. He addresses part of it (namely all the alleged snitching stuff) on “I Was Just Thinking,” from his new album A Gift & A Curse. He raps, “Know you hearin’ the lies that your lil’ brother might fold / Yeah, I had popped out, but don’t let ’em say I told / No, I ain’t you lil’ boys, I’ma show you that I’m grown.”
Karol G — “Watati” Feat. Aldo Ranks
The Barbie movie has a star-packed cast and the talent featured on the film’s soundtrack is similarly illustrious. Among the favorites on the OST are Karol G and Aldo Ranks, who contribute “Watati,” a fun splash of reggaeton to bring even more color to the saturated soundtrack.
Earl Sweatshirt — “Making The Band (Danity Kane)”
Earl is trying something new on his latest single and it works out pretty well. Uproxx’s Aaron Williams explains, “‘Making The Band (Danity Kane)‘ is a bit of a departure from the murky, sample-driven music longtime fans might associate with Earl, featuring a glitchy, uptempo beat produced by Clams Casino and Evilgiane that prompts a more contemporary approach to rap from the Los Angeles native.”
Queens Of The Stone Age — “Paper Machete”
On the latest from QOTSA, there’s no mistaking that Josh Homme is singing about his ex-wife. He even confirmed so himself, saying, “I’m supposed to write about my life. It’s supposed to be real and honest. Am I supposed to write about the mating call of the upchuck swallow? All it’s really supposed to be is as real, honest, and vulnerable as it can be, because that’s my job.”
Gucci Mane — “Bluffin” Feat. Lil Baby
Gucci Mane has a new album, Breath Of Fresh Air, to roll out, and he kicked off that process last week with “Bluffin.” It’s a cut that sees Gucci getting some boasts in, while calling upon Lil Baby, another rapper who also has plenty to brag about, to come through with a feature.
Coi Leray — “Run It Up”
Coi Leray wants the women of hip-hop to come together and bust out the first No. 1 rap single of 2023. Who knows when or if that’ll happen, but in the meantime, we at least have last week’s “Run It Up.” It’s a confident tune that sees Coi setting the standard in the bedroom, rapping, “We get back home, we go from the floor, to the bed, to the floor / We f*ck but we don’t make love / Don’t wanna know what his day like, baby, don’t get too attached cause you f*cking a menace.”
IDK — “Win”
The second season of the Kevin Durant-inspired Apple TV+ series Swagger is set to return soon, but we’ve already gotten a taste of it via an IDK soundtrack contribution, “Win.” It’s a smooth and jazzy number, and not just in terms of a jazz-inspired instrumental: IDK gets his bars in, but he also lets them take the backseat for the majority of the song, which consists of an extended instrumental breakdown.
Killer Mike – “Scientists & Engineers” Feat. Future, Andre 3000, Eryn Allen Kane
All the way back in 2001, Killer Mike slotted himself into Outkast’s legacy by featuring on the duo’s beloved “The Whole World.” Now, he and André 3000 have reunited on his “Scientists & Engineers.” They’re not the only two on the track, as Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes, “Over a gospel and funk-inflected instrumental straight from the late-’90s Atlanta breakout, Mike, André, and Future deliver some of their hardest verses in a long time, while Eryn Allen Kane sings the soul-stirring chorus.”
JVKE, Jimin, Charlie Puth, And Muni Long — “Angel Pt. 2”
Back in 2015, Charlie Puth famously had his breakout moment by teaming up with Wiz Khalifa for Furious 7 soundtrack highlight “See You Again.” Now, he is indeed seeing the Fast And Furious world again: Last week, he, JVKE, BTS’ Jimin, and Muni Long linked up on “Angel Pt. 2,” a heartstring-tugging ballad from the Fast X soundtrack.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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(@BritneyTheStan) June 20, 2023
(@FckYaya) 
