GoneTrending

If you had a spare $100,000 burning a hole in your pocket, how would you spend on it? Maybe you’d take a vacation, or pay off your credit card debt, or bid on this Taylor Swift handwritten chai cookie recipe on eBay (this is what I would do). I know one thing you wouldn’t do with that $100,000: spend it on some chapstick — unless you’re Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“During GOP conference today, House Rs did about a 15-min fundraising auction for chapstick used by Speaker McCarthy. The winner: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), whose winning bid was $100,000, her Spox confirms to me,” Politico reporter Olivia Beavers tweeted. The median household salary in Taylor Greene’s home state of Georgia is $65,030, but this was a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (to own someone else’s secondhand lip grease).

It’s not like Republicans have anything better to do, with their time or money.

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy could not reach an agreement Monday on how to raise the U.S. government’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling with just 10 days before a possible default that could sink the U.S. economy, but vowed to keep talking.

“They doing this insane chapstick shit while the country teeters on default. Wild,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted about the auction, while Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) added, “MAGA Republicans are paying $100,000 for Speaker McCarthy’s chapstick while holding Social Security checks and retirement benefits hostage unless we cut food benefits for seniors, Medicaid funding, and childcare/preschool for low-income Americans.”

Others agreed about the GOP’s priorities.

Carmelo Anthony formally announced his retirement from the NBA after beginning his career as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft for the Denver Nuggets — the same draft that saw LeBron James go No. 1.

Melo’s impact was celebrated throughout the music world upon his announcement. Melo’s comments section was predictably full of love from the likes of Juicy J (“Congrats mane!”), Lloyd Banks (“Thanks for everything you’ve done for basketball,” and Rapsody (five rose emojis).

“We’ll done [sic] brother we’ll done [sic] @carmeloanthony Congratulations you deserve all the glory,” Fat Joe wrote to caption an Instagram photo of Anthony during his New York Knicks years.

Nas narrated and reposted an Instagram reel made alongside Jumpman — Fabolous reposted the same reel to his Instagram Story alongside, “Congrats on a hell of a career” — and Metro Boomin simply posted a throwback photo of Nuggets-era Melo posting up the late Kobe Bryant:

King James might be joining Anthony in retirement sooner than previously assumed after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs by the Nuggets last night, May 22. But for now, it’s about Melo, who ironically last appeared on an NBA court as a Laker during the 2021-22 season.

“I remember the days when I had nothin’ — just a ball on the court and a dream of something more — but basketball was my outlet,” the 10-time All-Star and future Hall Of Famer said in a video posted to Instagram on May 22. “My purpose was strong, my communities, the cities I represented the pride, and the fans that supported me along the way. I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me Carmelo Anthony.”

He continued, “But now the time has come for me to say goodbye. To the court where I made my name, to the game that gave me purpose and pride. With this bittersweet goodbye to the NBA, I’m excited about what the future holds for me.”

Anthony also explained that he believes his legacy is “more than basketball” and will live on through his son. The video was soundtracked by “All That I Got Is You” by Ghostface Killah featuring Mary J. Blige.

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

If South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone know when they will reopen the new and improved Casa Bonita (and surely they know), they are staying mum. Of course, they previously revealed that May is the magic month, so there’s only about a week left for the big reveal that already has people traveling across the country and planning entire vacations in the Lakewood, Colorado area, just in case they get lucky. Because according to neighboring businesses, Casa Bonita’s shroud of secrecy is like the CIA or something.

Well, some South Park fans believe that they now know when the doors will officially open, and everything has to do with the 14th Season episode that largely showcased Casa Bonita. And this theory — dudes, a real fan theory about Casa Bonita — makes note of how Kyle celebrated his birthday (May 26) at the eatertainment venue, so this must mean something. Maybe? Via local NBC affiliate 9 News, people are going there:

Why is this important? Because there’s a Casa Bonita connection.

In the “South Park” Casa Bonita episode, Kyle celebrates his birthday at the the iconic Lakewood restaurant.

Of course, the theory that Casa Bonita will open on May 26 because it’s Kyle’s birthday is only that: a theory, all in good fun, that some fans of the restaurant and the TV show are suggesting on social media.

Also “all in good fun”: people planning on a massive camp-out event in the parking lot, which will be a more chaotic situation than your local shopping mall at Christmastime. Or the grocery store on the day before Thanksgiving. Madness! Seriously though, Parker and Stone are apparently expecting millions of visitors annually, so expect a tourist attraction with the newfound “good” food on the menu.

(Via 9 News NBC)

Nick Cannon’s becoming almost as well-known for his bad music takes as for his many, many kids. While he occasionally has hits — take his Mount Rushmore of female rap, for instance — he’s just as quick to make a crotchety comment about the modern state of rap music that proves his non-stop daddy duties have probably left him out of touch.

His latest thoughts, courtesy of his own Amp Radio show The Daily Cannon on Monday, certainly won’t help in that regard. If anything, he’ll be facing down hordes of angry Swifties and the BeyHive like The Electric Mayhem after negatively comparing both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Bruno Mars. A bold choice, inciting two of the most hyperactive fan bases at the same time like this.

Debating with his cohorts about which artist he’d rather see on tour, he declared, “No offense, I would rather go to a Bruno Mars show than a Beyoncé or Taylor Swift show.” He then questioned, “Who got more hits?” insisting, “I am a Beyoncé fan. I still believe Bruno Mars actually has more hits records.” Wow, that’s a bold claim. If only there were some publication, established 100 years ago, that could numerically track the performance of artists’ singles… oh yeah, wait:

According to Billboard (via XXL), it ain’t even close. While both have the same number of No. 1 hits (eight), Beyoncé has 21 top tens and 81 total Hot 100 appearances to Bruno Mars’s 32, of which 18 have been top tens.

Bruno Mars is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Los Angeles Lakers were unable to take a game off of the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. While they fought admirably, the Lakers just did not have enough for the best team in the conference, and on Monday night, Denver was able to complete a sweep at Crypto.com Arena.

Los Angeles pivoted on the fly this season, going from a team that looked to be at serious risk of missing the postseason to a contender in the West. Now, the franchise enters an offseason where getting over the hump will be the No. 1 priority, unless, of course, LeBron James’ hint that he is considering retirement ends up leading to him ending his career.

The question is how they end up doing that. One rumor that has been around for some time is the team’s apparent interest in Kyrie Irving, but according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, there is another guard who the front office has discussed: Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.

For what it’s worth, Kyrie Irving and Trae Young, two All-Star-level point guards, were both sitting courtside in Los Angeles for the second time this postseason. Young, like James and Davis, is a Klutch client. The Lakers have had internal discussions about what a hypothetical trade offer for Young could look like this summer, according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publicly.

It’s not hard to see why Young would be an outstanding fit alongside James and Anthony Davis, if there was any way for such a move to come to fruition. His shooting, playmaking, and pick-and-roll mastery would be an outstanding fit alongside the pair, and there have been rumors in the past that he could start looking around for a change in scenery. Many of those rumors came, however, prior to the Hawks making moves in their front office and hiring Quin Snyder to be their head coach, with Young saying he enjoys playing for Snyder and that he believes Atlanta’s new coach will bring the city a championship.

While Lana Del Rey has cemented her status as one of the greats of our generation, her father, Rob Grant, is shaping up to be a star in his own right. At 69 years old, Grant is gearing up to release his debut album, Lost At Sea next month.

During an interview with GQ, featuring Grant and Del Rey, Del Rey noted Grant’s love for Hawaiian shirts. She also revealed that both she and her dad enjoy shopping at stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Though, fans who see them at those stores may more easily recognize Grant than they do Del Rey.

“He’s the only f*cking reason why we get stopped at TJ Maxx,” said Lana. “If I’m with you, then there is zero chance that we’re having a calm day at Marshalls.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Grant noted that he is unsure if he will go on tour with the album. He did, however, express interest in opening for Del Rey. He said that he would likely sit at the piano in one of his favorite Hawaiian shirts.

“This is all so new for me,” said Grant. “The idea of going out and actually going on a big stage and playing, that’s still intimidating to me. I’m willing to try it.”

Lost At Sea is out 6/9 via Decca Records and Universal. Find more information here.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from Blur, Bully, The Japanese House, Origami Angel, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Liza Anne — “Cheerleader”

Liza Anne was known for infectiously morbid anthems with her melancholy hits “I Love You, But I Need Another Year” and “1,000 Years.” Since then, she’s leaned into positivity with her 2020 album Bad Vacation watching her decide to want better for herself when it comes to relationships and mental health. “Cheerleader” is her more jubilant material yet, and it’s invigorating to witness, especially with its relentless groove.

Horse Jumper Of Love — Heartbreak Rules

The opening to Horse Jumper Of Love’s new min-album Heartbreak Rules feels like a movie: “A tune drifts out the window / Released into the world / I’ll bring it to your house / Somehow I already lost you.” Dimitri Giannopoulos’s tired vocals often paint weird, visceral images, yet this one is singularly devastating. Loss is a major theme on this work, coming up in the following song, the title track: “Through the transfer / There’s always something lost forever,” he sings. It’s a beautiful addition to the band’s already sprawling discography.

Origami Angel — “My PG County Summer”

Origami Angel don’t hesitate to go for blood. Their bombastic new track “My PG County Summer” is proof of that right off the bat: “Welcome all the tourists, infiltrate the capital / Protesting abortion, tickets to the nationals / Come every July, American as apple pie / Ever since I was a kid, it kinda blew my mind.” Politics in pop punk is hard to come by, and Origami Angel certainly have the wit and riffs for it to work.

The Japanese House — “Sunshine Baby”

“Sunshine Baby” is the perfect title for The Japanese House’s glimmering, weightless new track. The band captures the fleeting nature of everything, and the way it’s both beautiful and painful: “Hold on to this feeling ’cause you won’t feel it for long / You won’t feel it for long,” Amber Mary Bain sings. Luckily, when it ends you can click repeat.

Blur — “The Narcissist”

Blur is back. The project fronted by Damon Albarn, who’s often busy with Gorillaz, just announced their new album The Ballad Of Darren, their first in eight years. “The Narcissist” is the first taste, a mid-tempo song with vivid lyricism: “I took the acid / Under the white horses / My heart it quickened / I could not tear myself away / Became addiction / If you see darkness look away.” It’s an intriguing return.

Bully — “Change Your Mind”

Bully’s new album Lucky For You is out next month and the singles keep getting better. “Change Your Mind” finds her in brighter territory after a string of grungy songs; it’s more pop-leaning with a memorable chorus: “If I, I can’t change your mind / Or be the one in time / At least I know I tried / It hurt but I’m alive / And I’d do it all again,” she shouts passionately.

Spanish Love Songs — “Haunted”

“’Haunted’ is a reintroduction of sorts for us,” Spanish Love Songs said of their new song. It comes from their new album No Joy, the follow-up to 2020’s Brave Faces Everyone. It immediately bursts with their signature pop-punk pathos: “You pulled off the road so you could cry / It’s too quiet in the suburbs,” and it only gets more emotional from there.

Who Is She? — “Thursday”

Who Is She? made headlines the other month for getting disinvited from the Seattle Kraken games after playing a Jeff Bezos-dissing track in an Amazon arena. With members of Tacocat, Chastity Belt, and Lisa Prank, the group makes breezy music, and “Thursday” is a laid-back track with great lyrics: “Why do I get so obsessed with / People I don’t even like?”

Mandy, Indiana — I’ve Seen A Way

Mandy, Indiana’s I’ve Seen A Way is a sensory experience. The opening track “Love Theme (4K VHS)” places the listener in a rainy, warped atmosphere, followed by the pulsating “Drag [Crashed],” which is at once unsettling and infectious. No matter what’s going on, the songs can be felt reverberating through your body.

Koyo — “You’re On The List (Minus One)”

Lots of anthemic emo and pop punk has erupted from Long Island, and Koyo are the newest torchbearers. “You’re On The List (Minus One)” exemplifies their sticky melodies and explosive instrumentation; the lyrics capture the angsty sound: “When your catastrophic dial tone / Meets the fear of being all alone / It’s stillness I choose / Restlessly reading the room.”

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

Janelle Monáe and Lupita Nyong’o are great friends, so much so that there have been rumors the two dated each other. Now, speaking to Rolling Stone for a new feature on Monáe, Nyong’o talked about it.

“She has magnetism that they were obviously picking up on,” she said. “She is that enigmatic. People are curious about enigmatic people. I was not surprised. And I don’t mind being associated with her in any capacity.”

Nyong’o also spoke about first meeting Monáe at the Met Gala, following her breakout role in the 2013 movie 12 Years A Slave. She said, “This world is still extremely new to me and unbelievable. [Monáe] came up to me and just gave me the realest hug. I think we may have swayed to the music. She was just like, ‘I’m so proud of you, and just thank you for being you.’ […] At some point, [Monáe] asked me for my phone, put her number in, and said, ‘Let’s stay in touch.’ She was like, ‘I really mean it. If you need anything, I’m here for you.’”

She also said despite their friendship, she doesn’t necessarily feel like she truly knows Monáe: “Just because you’re a close friend of hers doesn’t mean you get to know everything about her. I think that’s what makes her interesting as an artist.”

Read the full feature here.

The release of Lil Durk‘s eighth studio album Almost Healed is just days away and the Chicago rapper has at last revealed the album’s tracklist. In addition to the previously released J. Cole-featuring single “All My Life,” Almost Healed contains 20 more tracks with features from 21 Savage, Alicia Keys, Future, Kodak Black, and reunions with country star Morgan Wallen and late fellow Chicagoan Juice WRLD. Some of the notable producers featured on the album include ATL Jacob, Metro Boomin, Southside, Wheezy, and Zaytoven.

In the lead-up to the album’s release, Durk has been focusing on committing positive acts to benefit his community. After declaring that he’d no longer drop foes’ names in his music after the death of his artist King Von, Durk has donated $350,000 to education and met with the new mayor of Chicago to discuss “saving kids’ lives.” However, lest anyone think he’d completely turned over a new leaf, he recently made comments calling Gunna a “rat” for allegedly “telling” on Young Thug. The album’s title is, after all, Almost Healed. You can see the tracklist below.

1. “Therapy Session” Feat. Alicia Keys
2. “Pelle Coat”
3. “All My Life” Feat. J. Cole
4. “Never Again”
5. “Put Em On Ice”
6. “Big Dawg” Feat. Chief Wuk
7. “Never Imagined” Feat. Future
8. “Sad Songs”
9. “Before Fajr”
10. “War Bout It” Feat. 21 Savage
11. “You Got Em”
12. “Grandson” Feat. Kodak Black
13. “300 Urus”
14. “Same Side” Feat. Rob49
15. “B4L”
16. “At This Point We Stuck”
17. “Cross the Globe” Feat. Juice WRLD
18. “Dru Hill”
19. “Belt 2 Ass”
20. “Stand By Me” Feat. Morgan Wallen
21. “Moment Of Truth”

A weekend in Napa Valley sounds relaxing, but fans attending the 2023 BottleRock Napa Valley festival won’t have a second to themselves if they want to catch all the dynamic acts. This year’s headliners are Post Malone and The Smashing Pumpkins on Friday, May 26, followed by Lizzo and Duran Duran on Saturday, May 27, and capped off by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lil Nas X on Sunday, May 28.

BottleRock shared its full three-day schedule on May 11. (All times are local.)

The festival, which also promises “food, wine, and brew,” will feature four stages: JaM Cellars, Verizon, Allianz, and Truly. Posty’s Friday headlining set will be on the JaM Cellars Stage beginning at 8:30 p.m., just after The Smashing Pumpkins’ 8:05 p.m. start on the Verizon Stage. Earlier in the day, options include Yung Gravy (4:45 p.m.) Bastille (5 p.m.), and KennyHoopla (7:15 p.m.).

Lizzo’s Saturday headlining perform is penciled in for an 8:15 p.m. start on the JaM Cellars Stage. Duran Duran will go on at 8:20 p.m. on the Verizon Stage. The day’s slate also boasts the likes of Lupe Fiasco (3:45 p.m.), Sudan Archives (4:15 p.m.), Carly Rae Jepsen (4:45 p.m.), Leon Bridges (6:15 p.m.), Tove Lo (6:45 p.m.), and more.

It all wraps on Sunday with Red Hot Chili Peppers, 8:15 p.m. on JaM, and Lil Nas X, 8: 15 p.m. on Verizon, with the soon-to-be-Rock-And-Roll-Hall-Of-Fame-inductee Sheryl Crow (3:30 p.m.), Teddy Swims (3:15 p.m.), Quinn XCII (4:45 p.m.) appearing earlier in the afternoon, and Warren G (Silent Disco) locked in at 8:45 p.m. on the Truly Stage.

See the full BottleRock lineup below, and find everything you need to know here.

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