GoneTrending

In the midst of already scheduled and highly-anticipated new K-pop music this month, the roster of releases only grew bigger when ITZY announced a surprise pre-release English single last Sunday (October 16).

On Friday midnight (1 p.m. KST), the leading performance K-pop group unleashed their inner pop punk princess for their single “Boys Like You,” alongside a Halloween-themed music video to celebrate spooky season. With an addictive chorus that will get stuck in your head, and lyrics that will help you call out a boy playing games with you (“Boy, gonna diss me? / Boy, I’m so pissed / Boy, gonna miss me, / Boy, you are dismissed / ‘Cause I don’t fall for boys like you”), ITZY’s pre-release single is a pop track that further proves how relatable they can be.

The music video, on the other hand, follows the enemies to friends trope when Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna all turn against each other until they found out they were all getting played by the same guy and seek revenge.

ITZY’s “Boys Like You” releases ahead of the group’s US leg of their ITZY First World Tour: Checkmate. The K-pop quintet will kick off their US tour next Wednesday, October 26 at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, CA. Check out the full tour dates below.

Taylor Swift‘s 10th studio album, Midnights is finally here. As Swifties are wont to do, fans are already picking apart the tracks. One of the tracks that have already proven to be buzzy is “Midnight Rain.”

On the album’s sixth track, Swift sings of the lingering effects of heartbreak, recalling the comfort that led to the demise of a relationship.

“He was sunshine I was midnight rain / He wanted it comfortable I wanted that pain / He wanted a bride, I was making my own name / Chasing that fame, he stayed the same / All of me changes like midnight,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

Throughout the song, listeners hear a low voice, singing portions of the song’s chorus.

Fans have already taken to Twitter to guess who the person behind the voice could be.

“what’s that voice on midnight rain is it just modulated voice or is it someone else,” asked one Twitter user.

“Who is this singing on Midnight Rain?!? Is this just Taylor’s voice with effects?” asked another.

A source close to Taylor confirmed to Uproxx, “That is Taylor’s voice pitched down on Midnight Rain”

Check out “Midnight Rain” above.

Midnights is out now via Republic. Stream it here.

Though she announced her 10th studio album, Midnights, at the MTV Video Music Awards back in August, Taylor Swift had not released a lead single to kick off the era. Until tonight, that is, upon the album’s release. On the album’s lead single, “Anti-Hero,” Swift recalls various tales, in which she always seems to root for the stories

“It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me / At tea time, everybody agrees / I’ll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror / It must be exhausting, always rooting for the anti-hero,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

Elsewhere in the song, she sings, “I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money / She thinks I left them in the will / The family gathers around and reads it and someone screams out / ‘She’s laughing up at us from hell!’”

Of course, this particular line has sent the Swifties into a frenzy, as Swift has never mentioned having a daughter-in-law, nor even a child.

“I’m gonna need an explanation on how Anti-Hero is from someone else’s POV cause WHO IS THIS DAUGHTER-IN-LAW” said one Twitter user.

“You’re allowed to freak out that she’s dreaming about having a daughter in law,” said another Twitter user.

Check out “Anti-Hero” above.

Midnights is out now via Republic. Stream it here.

Roddy Ricch may still be out on the road with Post Malone, but he’s still making time to drop heaters. On his latest track, “Aston Martin Truck,” Roddy details his luxurious life over a glimmery beat.

On the Teddy Walton-produced track, Roddy expresses gratitude for his lifestyle, while maintaining a boastful demeanor.

“Aston Martin truck, ride it, tail out / Had to get a new butler, four new maids to clean my house / Got my mama, my daddy… a key to my house / Make $500,000 every time you see me out,” he raps on the song’s chorus.

“I’m about my money, about my cake, about my cream,” he raps elsewhere on the track.

In the song’s accompanying visual, Roddy is seen boarding private helicopters, spending time in Queens, New York, buying jewelry, and more.

The track is set to appear on Roddy’s upcoming album, Feed Tha Streets 3, which he says will be a more personal effort.

“I want to be closer to my fans and show all the sides no one ever sees,” said Roddy in an Instagram post. “I want to show my album process, my new journey of fatherhood and all the things that comes with the life of being RR.”

Check out “Aston Martin Truck” above.

Roddy Rich is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Carolina Panthers are in the midst of a full teardown, with the organization recently moving on from head coach Matt Rhule and jettisoning Robbie Anderson to Arizona between Week 6 and Week 7. However, Carolina took another giant step on Thursday evening, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the Panthers will trade star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for draft compensation.

Shortly after, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Panthers were discussing McCaffrey deals with both the 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, ultimately agreeing with San Francisco on a deal that includes four picks.

McCaffrey, who is still only 26 years old, is one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the NFL, though he has struggled to stay on the field in recent years. McCaffrey has appeared in only 16 games since the start of the 2020 season but, when he is on the field, the former Stanford standout is always effective. In fact, he has 7,272 yards from scrimmage in 64 career games with 50 career touchdowns in less than six seasons.

On the San Francisco side, McCaffrey brings an intriguing element alongside Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and a creative offensive design under Kyle Shanahan. McCaffrey is best utilized as a versatile piece, headlined by elite receiving ability for a running back, but he also projects as the top ball carrier on a team that has used Jeff Wilson and Elijah Mitchell in prominent roles in recent months.

It remains to be seen as to whether McCaffrey can stay healthy but, if he does, San Francisco could have one of the best skill position groups in the NFL, making life easier for Jimmy Garoppolo. For Carolina, this is arguably the biggest step yet in the moves toward the future, and no one is safe from the trade block.

After teasing her “surprise projects” over the past week, Taylor Swift has revealed that her 10th studio album, Midnights will be accompanied by a series of short films. She announced the appropriately-titled “Midnights Music Movies” during the third quarter of the New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals football game on Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football.

The videos will feature appearances by Jack Antonoff, Laith Ashley, Mike Birbiglia, Laura Dern, Pat McGrath, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Dita Von Teese, and all three Haim sisters, Alana, Danielle, and Este. The “Midnights Music Movies” were directed by Swift herself, with cinematography by Rina Yang, who previously worked with Swift on the short film for “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”

“I love storytelling, I love songwriting, I love writing videos, I love directing them,” said Swift in an introductory clip that played before the trailer. “…So we really wanted to challenge ourselves to do different things this time around and stretch, and I’m really proud of what we made and I really hope you like them.”

At the time of writing, it is unclear when she plans to release all of the visuals for Midnights, however, fans can expect the “Anti-Hero” video at 3 a.m. EST.

Check out the trailer for “Midnights Music Movies” above.

Midnights is out 10/21 via Republic. Pre-save it here.

Klay Thompson’s journey to being one of the NBA’s greatest shooters in history started in Pullman, Washington where he starred at Washington State for three years. In his junior year, which was his last year before entering the NBA Draft, he averaged 21.6 points per game and had the Cougars on the precipice of the NCAA Tournament when he got a pulled over and cited for weed possession late in the season.

It became national news and a question about his character going into the 2011 Draft where the Warriors ultimately took him 11th overall. At the time, Thompson didn’t find it particularly funny but looking back now he can only laugh about it, as evidenced by the hilarious way he told the story to Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on the All The Smoke podcast.

When asked for his favorite college memory, Thompson laughs and goes “You wanna hear a funny one? When I got rolled for a dime bag in my driveway.” He proceeds to lament how weed became legal two years later in Washington, but he ended up on the national news for “the only time” that year because he was trying to enjoy a night of Rock Band with “a nice little sack” and ended up just worrying that his mom and dad were gonna be disappointed in him (32:30 mark of the video).

The Rock Band anecdote kills Barnes, who brings it up multiple times, while Klay recounts getting suspended for the UCLA game, which he calls the second biggest regret of his basketball career, and having to apologize to Wazzu fans for letting them down. It really is an incredible story made funnier by the fact that Klay keeps noting how absurd it was that he got popped for weed when now you can just get it delivered to you.

If it had any impact on his draft stock, it turned out to be a positive in the end because he ended up with the Warriors which has obviously been great for both he and the team, and he has a pretty funny story he can tell now that he’s 10 years removed from the incident.

Odds are, if you were a teenager in the early 2000s, Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” was an anthem for self-acceptance. The iconic music video—which featured a more grounded, less pop diva Aguilera—touched on themes of distorted body image, gender identity and LGBTQ issues while sending a clear message of “you’re perfectly fine, just the way you are.”

It’s a message that still bears repeating today, especially for teens. It’s no secret that social media does real harm when there’s too much exposure, and younger generations in particular are flooded with images that seem to say anything but “you are enough.”

On October 19, 20 years after the original music video was released, Aguilera marked its anniversary with an updated version. Though it takes on a modern spin, the song’s inspiring message still rings true.

---

Aguilera herself does not appear in the video. Instead, viewers witness a slew of various teens, nearly all staring blankly into their phones. Each group is affected somewhat differently—a group of young dancers apply makeup under a ring light and obsessively find their best pose, another young woman surrounded by photos of voluptuous models contemplates breast implants, a boy watches an older, hypermuscular man lift weights, another girl stares into a vending machine filled with diet supplements, a teen boy sits alone in a mental health facility while staring at a razor and pills.

We also see a group of five very young girls awaiting plastic surgery, as indicated by the black marks on their faces, juxtaposed between a series of “before-and-after” shots. While the video itself is jarring, the sad reality is that there’s little exaggeration in it.

The video does end on a more hopeful note, concluding with the same kids playing together on a grassy field. You know, actually getting to be kids. And that kind of freedom, without a doubt, is truly beautiful.

However, the very last few frames are still rather sobering, depicting blood ominously flowing out of a cellphone, with the warning, “Social media has transformed our relationship with our bodies, and in turn, our mental health. Research suggests that time spent on social networking sites is associated with body image issues, self-harm and disordered eating in children and teens. This needs to change.”

Aguilera posted a short version of the music video onto her Instagram page, along with the caption:

“We are Beautiful, no matter what they say ❤️A message I will always stand by and a message I prioritize to instill in my own children through every chapter of their lives!”

“Today, it’s harder than ever to hear our own voice amongst so many others infiltrating our feeds and minds with mixed messaging… ultimately leading us to tune-out our own truth and self worth.

“The original ‘’Beautiful’ video set out to bring awareness and a sense of compassion in the face of judgment, criticism, and outside opinions. It still carries an important message to remember our core values outside of what’s being fed to us…to find a sense of balance and accepting ourselves for who we are.”

See on Instagram

I can still vividly remember how much this original song meant to me as a teenager drowning in feelings of unworthiness, caused largely in part to being told how I didn’t measure up to standards projected by the media (namely magazines, in my time). Where I wish that young people today didn’t have to endure a similar kind of subliminal attack to their self-esteem, hopefully this video can offer them the same empowering reminder to not let toxic messaging bring them down.

Since 2015, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has highlighted the funniest photos taken by some of the world’s best photographers. The competition was started by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to create a competition that focused on the lighter, humorous side of wildlife photography while assuming an essential role in promoting wildlife conservation.

“With so much going on in the world, we could all use a bumper dose of fun and laughter and this year’s finalists have definitely delivered that! When you see these amazing photographs like the one of an elephant seal, trying to use his neighbour’s head as a pillow (and we’ve all been there) or a wallaby at sunset, seemingly about to launch another wallaby into space, it makes you smile and wonder at the incredible animals that are on this earth with us, and we love that about the competition,” Sullam said in a press release.

This year, the competition supports the U.K. charity Whitley Fund for Nature, which supports conservation leaders working in their home countries across the global south. Over the past 29 years, it has channeled £20 million ($22.4 million) to more than 200 conservationists in 80 countries.

This year, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has chosen 40 finalists. Here are 15 of the best.

1. “Jumping Jack” (red squirrel) by Alex Pansier, Netherlands

---

“A red squirrel jumps during a rainstorm, so you can see the drops flying around.”

2. “Talk to the fin!” (gentoo penguins) by Jennifer Hadley, U.S.A.

“This was shot on the Falkland Islands. These two gentoo penguins were hanging out on the beach when one shook himself off and gave his mate the snub.”

3. “The wink” (American red fox) by Kevin Lohman, U.S.A.

“An American Red Fox casually walked up to the edge of the woods and sat down, then turned around and gave a wink. Moments later, this sly fox disappeared into the trees.”

4. “Hello everyone” (Raccoon) by Miroslav Srb, Czech Republic

“I photographed a raccoon on a Florida beach, where I fed him shrimps. Then he thanked me like that.”

5. “Monkey wellness centre” (monkey) by Federica Vinci, Italy

“Walking near a cambodian temple where groups of wild monkeys lived, I came across this scene: a wild monkey in total relax, while its friend was taking care of it.”

6. “Not so cat-like reflexes” (lion cub) by Jennifer Hadley, U.S.A.

“This 3-month-old cub and his sibling were in a tree. The other lionesses were in other trees and on the ground. He wanted to get down and walked all over the branches looking for the right spot and finally just went for it. It was probably his first time in a tree and his descent didn’t go so well. He was just fine though after landing on the ground. He got up and ran off with some other cubs.”

7. “Happy feet” (emperor penguin) by Thomas Vijayan, Canada

“This chick has grown old enough to take to the seas and fish for their own food.”

8. “Maniacs” (lappet-faced vultures) by Saverio Gatto, Italy

“Lappet-faced Vultures in the display.”

9. “Excuse me… Pardon me!” (duckling, turtles) by Ryan Sims, U.S.A.

“A duckling walking/waddling across a turtle covered log at the Juanita wetlands, the duckling fell off after a few turtle crossings, it was cute.”

10. “I CU, boy!” (spotted owl) by Arshdeep Singh, Bikaner, India

“Few hundred miles away we went to explore wildlife of a small town named ‘Bikaner’. It was after almost a year I travelled because of covid. We hired a guide to explore places around. During last day of our trip we came across a pipe in a city where we spotted an owlet. I have earlier clicked owls in a pipe before so I was sure that I wasn’t mistake. We waited for a short while and it didn’t take a long time and one of the spotted owlet came out of the pipe. It was really funny when he came out and looked at me straight, before going inside he closed one of his eyes and felt like he wanted to say ‘I CU boy!’ and I immediately snapped a picture when he gave this pose.”

11. “Tight fit” (eastern screech owl) by Mark Schocken, U.S.A.

“I was going to see and photograph this eastern screech owl nest in a local park in Florida. One morning, a few days before the two owlets fledged, one owlet tried to squeeze into the nest hole with mom, maybe to see the outside world for the first time. It was hilarious and I was glad I was there that morning to photograph it. The moment lasted only a few seconds as Mom didn’t seem very happy with the arrangement. Check out the expression on her face.”

12: “Three-headed” (Kamchatka brown bears) by Paolo Mignosa, Italy

“The three cubs seem to form a ‘Kerberos’, the three-headed dog of Greek mythology.”

13: “Rushing Little owl fledgeling” (owl fledgeling) by Shuli Greenstein, Israel

“I was told that I can find a lot of little owls in the Judean Lowlands in Israel. So, I went on a journey early in the morning and really, I found a lot of little owls standing on the ground, on stones, near the nest and on tree branches. Suddenly, my eyes were caught by two fledgelings that were playing with each other on the ground. One of them crossed my field of vision. I started taking pictures in sequence and this is what came out.”

14. “Misleading African viewpoints 2” (hippopotamus and heron) by Jean Jacques Alcalay, France

“Hippo yawning next to a heron standing on the back of another hippo.”

15. “Lisper squirrel” (squirrel) by Lee Zhengxing, China

“We encountered this little squirrel when climbed mountain in June. When noticed our approaching, instead of escaping right away, he just kept standing on the edge of cliff and overlooked into the distance, then turned around to staring at us as if we had interrupted his meditation. We left him with some biscuits for inconvenience and I took a photo of him telling thanks, just found that he was a lisper.”

When Black Panther came out in February 2018, it broke box office records and turned its star, Chadwick Boseman, into a cinematic legend. The film is one of the best MCU films to date, with outstanding performances from Boseman and Michael B. Jordan, who played Kilmonger, the villain who kind of had a point. Boseman’s tragic death after a battle with cancer he kept private changed plans for the film’s sequel which was announced in October 2018. Over four years later, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is finally near.

Here’s everything we know about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, including the cast, plot details, and its lengthy run-time.

When does Wakanda Forever come out?

Wakanda Forever comes to theaters on Friday, November 11, 2022.

Who directed it?

Ryan Coogler returned to direct Wakanda Forever, although it wasn’t easy. Coogler said that he almost quit filmmaking altogether as a result of Chadwick Boseman’s sudden death in 2020.

“I was at a point when I was like, ‘I’m walking away from this business,’” Coogler told Entertainment Weekly. “I didn’t know if I could make another movie period, [let alone] another Black Panther movie, because it hurt a lot. I was like, ‘Man, how could I open myself up to feeling like this again?’ I was poring over a lot of our conversations that we had, towards what I realized was the end of his life,” the director explains. “I decided that it made more sense to keep going,” he said.

What’s the plot?

The film will mirror real life, as the characters grapple with the sudden and tragic loss of T’Challa/Black Panther. The film will also set up a conflict between the nation of Wakanda and Tenoch Huerta’s Namor, the ruler of the underwater kingdom Atlantis (not to be confused with DC’s Aquaman, who is the human-born heir to a different version of Atlantis). In the comics, Black Panther and Namor have always been rivals, and fans have been anticipating the character’s debut in the MCU ever since Black Panther came out in 2018.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis, from Marvel Studios:

Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.

Who is in it?

Returning in their roles from the first film include Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Dani Gurira, Winston Duke, and Martin Freeman. Joining the cast include I May Destroy You’s Michaela Coel, The West Wing’s Richard Schiff, and, of course, Tenoch Huerta as Namor. Daniel Kaluuya, who played W’Kabi in Black Panther, is not reprising his role. Kaluuya said that he could not appear in the film due to scheduling conflicts with his latest film, Nope.

Who is the new Black Panther?

We do not know for sure, but all signs are pointed toward Shuri (Wright), but the trailer could be deceiving us.

How long is the movie?

Very long, apparently. According to reports, Wakanda Forever is on track to be the second-longest MCU movie ever, right behind 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which had a run time of three hours and two minutes. The reported run time of Wakanda Forever is two hours and forty-one minutes. So… if you don’t want to miss anything, make sure you use the bathroom before the film starts and don’t consume too many liquids beforehand.

Anything else?

Well, yes. There’s a rumor that Rihanna, who has famously not recorded music in almost seven years, has recorded not one but two songs for the Wakanda Forever soundtrack. And one of the songs will reportedly be featured during the end credits.