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Lil Yachty’s Measured Risks On ‘Let’s Start Here’ Are Still A Triumph

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

Let’s get this out of the way up front: No, Lil Yachty is not the first rapper to release an alternative project. Obviously, within the past few years, a number of artists have made swings that way: Kid Cudi, Machine Gun Kelly, and Post Malone all spring to mind.

Notably, though, Yachty’s new album, Let’s Start Here, isn’t just a departure from his own oeuvre; it also differentiates itself from its peers like Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven, Tickets To My Downfall, or Twelve Carat Toothache by tapping into a different lane in the psych-rock stylings of bands like Animal Collective, MGMT, and Tame Impala.

Yachty also took care to tap members of the modern psychedelic scene as collaborators on the album, recruiting Jacob Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Justin Raisen, known for his work with Yves Tumor and David Bowie, Patrick Wemberly from synth-pop duo Chairlift, and MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser to produce and play on it.

As Lil Boat himself put it ahead of the album’s release, “I wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, not just some SoundCloud rapper. Not some mumble rapper, not just some guy that made one hit.” While it would have been impossible to reduce him to “one hit” given he’s been directly responsible for several to date, the result of Let’s Start Here is that he’s received much praise — and criticism — for the creative risk of diverging so sharply with was thought to be his established lane.

It’s fascinating to watch the divided responses roll in. On the one hand, you’ve got those who are absolutely thrilled to see Yachty pulling from late-aughts Brooklyn barbecue staples like MGMT, evoking what’ll likely end up being the first wave of nostalgic nods to that era (right on time for the 15-year cycle, no less).

On the other hand, there are those who lived through that era who are if not perhaps a little grouchy about entering the second or third phase of internet-era nostalgia for their late teens and early twenties, then taking the same, high-handed hipster approach of being cooler than the latecomer (who was, I shouldn’t have to remind anybody, just 12 years old around the time Modest Mouse and Vampire Weekend ruled the airwaves).

There are those who undoubtedly see in Let’s Start Here echoes of the exaggerated fawning over Childish Gambino’s Funkadelic homage Awaken, My Love! Maybe they don’t want the originators, the King Gizzards and the Rain Parades, to get overshadowed by this upstart, as happens so often when imitators sometimes became the avatars of past scenes.

But then, when someone like Questlove, who’s been there for it all and is as unimpeachable as a music figure can possibly get, has such glowing things to report of the album, it’s hard to see Yachty’s creative grasp as anything less than a success for the recording industry as a whole — even if he doesn’t quite reach as far as some would have hoped.

As for myself, I land in that fourth quadrant of hoping for the best in all respects. I want this album to be the gateway for younger fans to discover the wealth of incredible art in its foundations. And I hope that it does cast Yachty in a new light, capable of besting the wobbly “Minnesota” and its spiritual successor “Poland.”

And I’m a little sad that a hip-hop artist still can’t really get his or her due operating primarily in that mode. Yachty sort of raps on a handful of tracks, like “I’ve Officially Lost Vision” and “The Alchemist.” But 50 years later, it still feels like hip-hop is an afterthought, a second cousin, a red-headed stepchild to every other genre, save for rare exceptions like the hyper-heady Kendrick Lamar or the genre shapeshifter Drake.

But I’m impressed that we’re in a place where an artist who was written off as a gimmick early in his career can rediscover himself like this. I love that the once solid walls between genres are now so fluid and hazy. The musical freedom this album exemplifies — not just for Yachty but for all artists — is heartening, especially in a world where algorithmically-generated music looms as an existential threat to the very nature of artistry.

It’s ironic that the cover of Yachty’s latest is an AI-generated monstrosity. It seems to mock the idea that the computers can do what flesh-and-blood artists can. They can take in influences from multiple sources and blend them together and spit out something approximating art. But they can’t take risks, they can’t change their minds, they can’t have the idea, and they can’t execute it in the one unique way that Yachty can. In only in proving that and nothing else, Let’s Start Here is a triumph.

Let’s Start Here is out now via Quality Control and Motown. You can get it here.

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Breanna Stewart Announced She’s Headed To The New York Liberty

The New York Liberty have landed the biggest name in the 2023 WNBA free agency class. In a video posted to her social media accounts on Friday afternoon, four-time All-Star Breanna Stewart announced that she’ll leave the Seattle Storm and bring her talents to the Big Apple.

Stewart posted a tweet that included the video and the Empire State Building lit up with her nickname.

Stewart is the latest splash the Liberty have made this winter, after the team pulled off a trade with the Connecticut Sun and the Dallas Wings to acquire Jonquel Jones and Kayla Thornton. It will mark the first time in her career that she suits up for a WNBA team other than the Storm, as the team selected her first overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft.

The 2018 WNBA MVP and a two-time champion with the Storm, Stewart averaged a career-best 21.8 points per game last year with 7.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in 30.9 minutes a night while connecting on 47.2 percent of her attempts from the field and 37.9 percent of her threes.

Last season, New York went 16-20, which was good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. It was the second year in a row that the team made it to the postseason, where they ended up losing to the Chicago Sky in three games.

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Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Shania Twain, And More Will Present At The 2023 Grammy Awards

We are just days away from the 2023 Grammy Awards, and while we’re still not sure who’s performing, we can still expect to see some of our favorite artists at the ceremony. Today, the Recording Academy has revealed some of the presenters.

Olivia Rodrigo, who won the Best New Artist Grammy last year, as well as the Best Pop Vocal Album award for her debut album, Sour, and Best Pop Solo Performance for her breakthrough hit, “Drivers License,” is one of the artists scheduled to present an award on Sunday night. Cardi B, who won the Best Rap Album Grammy in 2019 for her debut album, Invasion Of Privacy, is also among the presenters for the awards show. Five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain will also present an award this Sunday.

In addition to some of our favorite artists, some notable figures will also deliver music’s highest honor. First Lady Jill Biden will be in attendance to present awards. Actor Billy Crystal, who is currently nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for his work in Mr. Saturday Night, and actress Viola Davis, who is nominated for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for her memoir, Finding Me, are also set to present.

Also among this year’s presenters are The Late Late Show host James Corden, who hosted the Grammys back in 2017, as well as actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

The Grammys will air on Sunday, February 5 beginning at 8 p.m. EST on CBS. The ceremony will also be available for streaming on Paramount+.

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

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Dr. Dre’s 1992 Classic ‘The Chronic’ Has Returned To Streaming Services

For a year, Dr. Dre’s groundbreaking solo debut record, The Chronic, has been unavailable to stream after being pulled down while Dre and his respective labels, Death Row Records and Interscope, wrangled over the rights behind the scenes. Today, though, it’s finally back as part of its 30th-anniversary celebration (it was released in December 1992, so it’s kinda borderline, but we’ll take it).

In a statement, Dre said, “I am thrilled to bring The Chronic home to its original distribution partner, Interscope Records. Working alongside my longtime colleagues, Steve Berman and John Janick, to re-release the album and make it available to fans all over the world is a full circle moment for me.”

The last time The Chronic was on streaming was in 2020, however, after Snoop Dogg secured the rights to the Death Row Records catalog early last year, several of the label’s seminal releases went missing from DSPs, with Snoop explaining that he wanted to create a new platform since DSPs pay reportedly minuscule royalties on streams.

There was also some confusion over just who owned the rights to The Chronic; while Snoop initially said it was part of the Death Row catalog, Dre’s lawyer denied that it was. Eventually, it seems they got things cleared up and the real winner in all this is the fans, who get to revisit the album that changed gangsta rap forever.

Check it out below.

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Will Beyoncé Tour In The UK And Europe?

If you thought Beyoncé’s surprise Dubai concert was the only time she set foot on an international stage, you thought wrong. With Queen Bey formally announcing her Renaissance Tour, the nearly 50-date tour will actually kick off over the pond. Starting in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 10, the singer will travel across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Although Dubai is not listed on the international schedule after she recently played a show there, Beyoncé will make stops in Brussels, Belgium, and several cities in the United Kingdom, including Cardiff, Edinburgh, Sunderland, and London, multiple times. The entertainer will make a stop in Paris, France, Barcelona, Spain, Warsaw, Poland, and a couple of stops in the country Denmark and the city of Amsterdam.

For the full list of international tour dates, continue below.

05/10 — Stockholm, SE @ Friends Arena
05/14 — Brussels, BE @ Baudoin Stadium
05/17 — Cardiff, UK @ Principality Stadium
05/20 — Edinburgh, UK @ Murrayfield
05/23 — Sunderland, UK @ Stadium of Light
05/26 — Paris, FR @ Stade de France
05/29 — London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
05/30 — London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
06/02 — London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
06/06 — Lyon, FR @ Groupama Stadium
06/08 — Barcelona, SP @ Olympic Stadium
06/11 — Marseille, FR @ Orange Vélodrome
06/15 — Cologne, DE @ RheinEnergieStadion
06/17 — Amsterdam, NL @ JC Arena
06/18 — Amsterdam, NL @ JC Arena
06/21 — Hamburg, DE @ Volksparkstadion
06/24 — Frankfurt, DE @ Deutsche Bank Park
06/27 — Warsaw, PL @ PGE Nardowy

To learn more about how to get tickets for the Renaissance World Tour, click here.

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When Will Tickets For Beyoncé’s 2023 Tour Go On Sale?

No one can break Beyoncé’s soul, but the Beyhive can certainly break the internet. Upon the announcement of her upcoming Renaissance World Tour, fans crashed the Citi Entertainment site, which revealed the guidelines on how to register for the pre-sale.

When will tickets for Beyoncé’s 2023 tour go on sale?

The Citi pre-sale link is now active again, and fans can begin registering to receive their pre-sale codes now.

The pre-sale is powered by a program called Verified Fan, in which fans can register to potentially be invited to purchase pre-sale tickets. Registering, however, will not guarantee each fan will be verified, receive a code, or have the ability to purchase tickets.

Those who are invited will receive an access code the night before the Citi presale inviting them to shop for tickets.

According to Citi Entertainment’s website, “Registration for the Citi presale powered by Verified Fan in Chicago, East Rutherford, Washington DC, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Houston will go through Thursday, February 2 at 11:59 PM EST. Verified fans will be notified and the Citi presale will begin Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 10 AM EST through Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 6 PM EST.”

The following week, “Verified Fan in Minneapolis, Boston, Tampa, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle and Dallas will go through Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST.”

At the time of writing, registration is only available to those with a Citi credit card. It is unclear when general on-sale will begin, however, non-Citi cardholders will be able to purchase tickets here.

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Britney Spears Called Out Alyssa Milano Over A Tweet That ‘Definitely Feels Like A Form Of Bullying’

Yes, Britney Spears has been freed from her conservatorship, but the public refuses to ease up on their grip on her. A few days ago, supposed fans crossed the line when they called the police requesting a wellness check on the pop singer as a prank. Well, the police followed through, popping by Spears’ home to ensure she was safe. Days before that, fans rushed the entertainer to record videos of Spears while she and her husband, Sam Asghari, were out having dinner, an incident she later addressed. What makes it worse is another public figure has joined in on the spectacle.

Back in December, actress Alyssa Milano tweeted, “Someone, please go check on Britney Spears,” presumably in response to the singer’s risque social media posts, which led some to assume she was having a mental breakdown. This assumption being perpetuated by a celebrity without verification can cause far more harm than good.

Now, the tweet has reached Spears, who took to her Instagram Stories today (February 1) to respond, sharing the tweet and writing, “It saddens me to see things about me from people who don’t know me. This definitely feels like a form of bullying!!! Ladies, were are supposed to be rooting for one another not pulling one another down!!!”

Britney Spears Calls Out Alyssa Milano 02012023
@britneyspears/Instagram

The irony in Milano’s concern is during the height of Spears’ conservatorship trial to get the ruling reversed, Milano remained eerily quiet. Milano only made one surface-level post using the #FreeBritney in June of 2021 in response to a New York Times opinion piece about the ongoing legal proceedings.

On the contrary, after its reversal, Milano issued several posts on social media as well as in the press.

Supporters of Spears immediately called out the hypocrisy.

Britney Spears may regret some tattoo choices, but she isn’t ashamed of her revealing Instagram posts or expressing how she feels. So, for those that have some negative to say, do her a favor and don’t.

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Matt Reeves Dropped Some Hints About Who ‘The Batman 2’ Main Villain Could Be

It’s official: The Batman sequel has a 2025 release date, as recently announced by new WBD/DC films boss James Gunn. While we don’t have confirmation about which bad guy will be taunting our favorite eyeliner-wearing superhero, we do know that director Matt Reeves is excited about opening up the WBD world by using iconic characters from the comic books. There is nothing stopping Reeves from adding in Bane or another fan-favorite bad guy, but there are many other, cooler villains, like for example Mr. Freeze. Cooler! Get it?

There are a few villains that Reeves seems interested in when it comes to the sequel, including Thomas Elliot, aka Hush. Elliot was a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne’s who slowly turns into a jealous villain intent on bringing Batman down. I mean, who isn’t at this point? Last year, Reeves told Twitter Movies that he is interested in Hush as a potential opponent in the franchise. “That’s a character that I love, that I would love to see down, and maybe we’ll get the opportunity to do it.”

Going back to Mr. Freeze: Reeves also previously stated that he enjoyed the “fantastical” side of the Batman universe, including the character who was portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1997’s Batman and Robin. While promoting The Batman in 2022, Reeves told Collider that he would love to get Mr. Freeze back in the frozen saddle. “The idea of something like Mr. Freeze, that such a great story, right?” Reeves said, adding that he wants to explore that side of the story. “I think there’s actually a grounded version of that story, which could be really powerful and could be really great. So, I love the fantastical side of Batman.”

(Via Collider, Twitter Movies)

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Missy Elliott, The White Stripes, And Kate Bush Are Among The 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has announced their nominees for the upcoming 2023 induction.

Among this year’s nominees are Kate Bush, whose song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” saw a resurgence in popularity last year after it was featured prominently throughout the fourth season of Netflix’s Stranger Things. This is Bush’s fourth time being nominated, as she was also nominated in 2018, 2021, and 2022. and Iron Maiden, Soundgarden, A Tribe Called Quest, Rage Against The Machine, and The Spinners are also among the repeat nominees. This is also the fourth time The Spinners have been nominated, having been previously nominated in 2012, 2015, and 2016. This year marks Rage Against The Machine’s fifth time being nominated.

Artists and bands are eligible for a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination 25 years after their music is first commercially available.

Among the first-time nominees are the White Stripes, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, and Willie Nelson. Joy Division and New Order are also nominated and are packaged as one entity.

The inductees will be chosen from this list of nominees, and will be announced in May. The chosen artists will later be inducted during a ceremony in the fall.

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

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Mike Lindell Actually Agreed To Be Interviewed By Jimmy Kimmel From Inside An Arcade Claw Machine

Mike Lindell returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday night, but as always, this wasn’t your typical interview. On top of being his usual conspiratorial self, Lindell was only allowed to appear on the show if he agreed to be interviewed from inside an arcade claw machine from Dave & Buster’s. He readily accepted the offer and even boasted about it on Twitter. “I am willing to be humiliated to help save our country,” Lindell tweeted ahead of the taping.

However, the MyPillow CEO may have underestimated just how he was going to be roasted. Kimmel immediately started throwing jabs in his monologue and quipped that he put Lindell in the arcade game to help him get over his fear of machines.

“All the way from whatever planet he came from, Mr. My Pillow, Mike Lindell is here to finally answer the question, ‘What if Ted Lasso was on the FBI watchlist?’” Kimmel quipped before shooting down a wild theory that Lindell was spreading before the show. Via The Daily Beast:

And while Lindell has been telling anyone who will listen that Kimmel wants him in a glass cage because of his COVID-19 vaccination status, Kimmel clarified, “I did not insist that Mike be in a claw machine because he’s not vaccinated. I insisted he be in a claw machine because it’s hilarious,” adding, “This isn’t a political statement. This is just for fun.”

Kimmel also peppered Lindell with questions about his failed bid to become chair of the Republican National Convention, which ended with the MyPillow CEO getting a comically low number of votes. Surprisingly, Lindell accepted the results and said he didn’t think the RNC election was rigged because machines weren’t involved, which opened him up to more jokes from Kimmel.

“You distrust machines,” Kimmel noted. “Does that extend to sewing machines? What about ice machines?” But the questioning didn’t get very far as Kimmel brought out Lindell impersonator James Adomian who wanted to know what kind of “dark magic” was happening as he looked at the real Lindell inside the claw machine.

(Via The Daily Beast)