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Since his explosive debut in 2019, DaBaby has faced a plethora of lawsuits stemming from his tendency to swing first and ask questions later, but at least one of those cases is now off his plate. The Charlotte rapper received a favorable verdict in a $6 million Florida case as the jury found him not liable for battery, breach of contract, and defamation after a five-day trial, according to Rolling Stone.

The case originates from a January 2020 incident in which DaBaby was accused of assaulting a pair of Miami nightclub promoters for allegedly stiffing him on an appearance fee after he was promised $30,000 but only paid $20,000. DaBaby countersued the plaintiffs, Steve Anyadike and Kenneth Carey, for invasion of privacy and unauthorized use of name or likeness. The jury found them liable, although Rolling Stone’s report does not include any damages they may have to pay DaBaby. Criminal charges against DaBaby were dropped by Miami police in March 2020 after the victims refused to cooperate, although the rapper did spend a “weak-ass 48 hours in jail.”

The win would appear to be much-needed for DaBaby after the rough year he’s had. In October, he claimed that his homophobic faux pas at Rolling Loud Miami last year cost him $10 million in performances and sponsorships, and he was flamed in November for allegedly trying to give away tickets to a recent show since demand to see him has apparently dropped so precipitously. He also claimed he’s been blackballed by the music industry — during an interview with the biggest syndicated radio show — blaming this on his low album and ticket sales. Even lions at the zoo appeared to be over him, which has gotta suck. At least he’s got this win in court, or things would look bleak, indeed.

RBD broke the Latinx Internet on Monday (December 19) with the news of their reunion next year. Five of the six members were celebrating the Mexican band’s comeback minus Alfonso “Poncho” Herrera who decided not to return. Later that night, Herrera referenced the music of RBD in a post to help refugees around the world.

Instead of posting about RBD’s reunion on Monday, Herrera referenced one of his old band’s hits in a post for ACNUR, a Latin American division of the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees. Using the lyrics from “Rebelde,” he wrote in Spanish, “If you are a rebel and don’t follow others… I invite you to donate to a good cause.”

ACNUR is an organization that helps support refugees who are in search of safety and shelter. Earlier this year, Herrera also starred in season four of Ozarks. RBD will reunite sans Herrera on January 19, 2023.

Through the Mexican telenovela Rebelde, RBD rose to prominence in 2004. The Latin Grammy nominated-group was formed by Anahí, Dulce María, Christian Chávez, Christopher von Uckermann, Maite Perroni, and Herrera. After multiple successful world tours, RBD split in 2009.

Following his time in RBD, Herrera has focused on his acting career in Mexico and the US. He has starred in shows like Netflix’s Sense8, Fox’s short-lived The Exorcist, and Queen Of The South. When Anahí, Chávez, von Uckermann, and Perroni reunited under RBD momentarily in 2020, he also opted out of that reunion. Even though Herrera has shifted his priorities in his career, he continues to show love to his former band mates on social media.

Yesterday, dancer Todrick Hall opened up on an Instagram video about a sweet story for the holidays — involving none other than Taylor Swift.

Hall had received a message from his friend Holly saying someone she knew was a “gigantic Taylor Swift fan” and was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. Holly’s friend, Estelle, had thrown a Swift-themed bridal shower.

From there, Hall sent Swift videos of Estelle’s bridal shower in the hopes of fulfilling his mutual friend’s dream.

“When I saw the footage of this incredible bridal shower, I was like, ‘OK, Taylor has to see this,’” Hall said. “So I sent the videos, the footage and the message to Taylor and [she] responded so sweetly and said, ‘I would love to send her something. What is her address?’”

Swift went on to gift Estelle a box of merch and possibly other surprises… maybe tickets to The Eras Tour?

“I know that she has a smile from ear to ear,” Hall added. “She’s been DM’ing me all day.”

“I just wanted you to know there are so many stories like this that that I could tell, but this story in particular warmed my heart,” he told listeners. “I hope it touched your heart, I hope it put a smile on your face.”

New York rapper MIKE has been rolling out his new mixtape, Beware Of The Monkey, for the past month with videos for “Nuthin I Can Do Is Wrng,” “What Do I Do?,” and “Stop Worry!” featuring Sister Nancy and today, the project arrived fully formed along with a new video for its track “No Curse Lifted (Rivers Of Love).”

Built atop a single that sounds right out of an ’80s infomercial, “No Curse Lifted” finds MIKE breathlessly unraveling a cerebral, intricately-patterned verse detailing his gift for rappity-rapping. The video, directed by Ryosuke Tanzawa, sees MIKE rapping in front of a brand-new Mercedes-Benz against a white background, being handed a glistening bubble jacket, and watching his team count his money via machine.

Embracing an indie grind mindset, MIKE has slowly been gaining momentum in rap’s underground scene thanks to his associations with stalwarts of the genre like Earl Sweatshirt and Na-Kel Smith. He also spent much of the year touring, including a stint opening for Freddie Gibbs on the Gary native’s Space Rabbit Tour this past spring. Keep your eyes and ears open for MIKE’s next move — something tells us he’s just getting started.

Watch MIKE’s “No Curse Lifted (Rivers Of Love)” video above.

Beware Of The Monkey is out now. You can get it here.

Kid Cudi has given us a wide range of projects over the past year. Back in March, he starred in the A24 horror film, X. In September, he released his 10th studio album, Entergalactic, which was accompanied by an animated movie on Netflix.

Though Cudi has teased that we can expect one more album out of him, it’s safe to assume it probably won’t be the much-anticipated collaborative album with Travis Scott.

Back in 2020, Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, released a song with Travis Scott called “The Scotts,” which was also said to be the title of an upcoming collaborative project between the two.

The song, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, proved to be a hit, however, Cudi revealed that the planned project has since been scrapped.

This morning on Twitter, a fan asked Cudi, “Is The Scotts album still on the cards?”

Cudi replied, saying, “Naw im not doin that. The moment has passed.”

Though the album may no longer see the light of day, Cudi said he is still down to record one-off collaborative singles with Scott in the future.

Cudi also revealed that we won’t be getting a sequel to Entergalactic, however, he has some other animated projects in the works.

“my next project im workin on is gonna f*ck u up in the best ways too,” he said.

While Bad Bunny has said he plans to take a break next year, he’s not slowing down just yet. Last night (December 20), the Puerto Rican superstar teased a preview of a new song on TikTok. Fans are speculating it could be a collaboration with Ñengo Flow.

After his record-breaking year of having the top-selling album with Un Verano Sin Ti and the top-grossing tour, Bad Bunny told Billboard earlier this month that he was going to take some time off. He also mentioned that he will still be putting in time in the recording studio occasionally.

“I’m taking a break,” Bad Bunny said. “2023 is for me, for my physical health, my emotional health to breathe, enjoy my achievements.”

Bad Bunny surprised his fans last night when he released a preview of a new song on TikTok. “To close out the year!” he yelled over the music. In the alluring reggaeton track, Bad Bunny sings about a woman who likes a bad boy like him. “Even though you’re a sinner, I’ll follow you to hell,” he sings. Foreign Teck confirmed on Instagram that he produced the song with Smash and Bass Charity.

Bad Bunny also posted a photo wearing the chain of Puerto Rican rapper Ñengo Flow. Fans are speculating that the new song could be a collaboration between them. There’s even more hope among fans that Anuel AA could be on the track with them. Bad Bunny hasn’t announced the release date for the song, but it should be dropping anytime soon.

Weezy F Baby and the “F” is for flatterer? Rapper Lil Wayne dropped by ESPN’s Monday Night Football (December 19) broadcast to give a play-by-play of the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers game but was nearly left speechless thanks to an on-air surprise.

Hosts former NFL players Peyton and Eli Manning broke from the game’s live stream during a break to premiere a new rap song recorded, especially with the New Orleans native in mind. The brother duo shared that Eli, the retired New York Giant quarterback, had picked up a new hobby in his free time — rapping. However, while Eli seemed excited to share his latest song with the Young Money Records boss, big brother Peyton wasn’t quite as supportive.

As the music video loads, Eli appears in the booth dressed in fashion designer Celine (now prevalent in hip-hop) from his hips up to the top of his head and a gold Cuban link chain to match his new swagged-out drip. Backed by a drill beat as gunshot ad-libs loop, Eli gives off his best 8 bars. Finally, the video ends, and Peyton anxiously awaits Lil Wayne’s feedback. At first, Lil Wayne is speechless, but as he takes it all in, he responds, “Somebody ended up sending me a full-body picture of it, and then I saw that you had on some khakis or something. That’s when I knew this must be a spoof or something.”

Later adding, “I didn’t know what was going on. I saw the Cuban around your neck. I’m glad I actually saw a video of what that was all about. But you killed it. You killed it. Yeah, you killed that.”

In typical sibling fashion, Peyton jumps in to play the contrarian proclaiming, “No, it wasn’t.”

Pleased by Wayne’s response, Eli confessed that Lil Wayne’s music inspired him. More specifically, his songs “A Milli” and “Fireman.”

“I wasn’t watching a lot of Lil Wayne, but I was listening to him,” he said. “I was listening to ‘A Milli,’ I was listening to ‘Fireman,’ I was listening to ‘Stuntin’ Like My Daddy’ — that’s my personal favorite,” said Eli.

Lil Wayne has inspired many fellow musicians, including Machine Gun Kelly, JID, and Jack Harlow, to name a few. His music has inspired a few cringe-worthy videos, including a Florida police department’s drug bust. Maybe Lil Wayne will go on to mentor Eli’s future music career as he did with Tiffany Haddish.

Watch the full video below.

The Atlanta Hawks season has taken quite the twist, and it has nothing to do with the team’s roster or coaching staff. It was announced on Wednesday morning that Travis Schlenk, who has been with the franchise since 2017 and has served as Atlanta’s President of Basketball Operations since 2019, will step down from his position and move into an advisory role for the team’s owner, Tony Ressler.

“Throughout this season, Tony and I have had multiple, honest conversations about some of the personal things I’ve been going through and how I’ve been feeling, and I appreciate the counsel he has provided me as well as the opportunity he gave me six seasons ago to be a first-time general manager,” Schlenk said in a statement. “As we enter a new year, the timing feels right for me to take a step back, reflect and prioritize my family.”

“I am proud of the group I assembled both on the floor and in the front office,” Schlenk continued. “We have built a strong foundation for the Hawks franchise and achieved a high level of success. As an advisor, I look forward to working with Tony and Landry and continuing to make contributions in less visible but still impactful ways.”

With Schlenk moving into a different role, the team’s general manager, Landry Fields, will take over basketball operations. Fields will oversee a team that sits at 16-15, which is good for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Before we get into the most anticipated indie albums of 2023, let’s revel in what an undeniably packed year 2022 was for indie. From Alex G’s stunning God Save The Animals to The Beths’ explosive Expert In A Dying Field, there was an abundance of albums to remind us of the flourishing scene. Meanwhile The 1975’s Being Funny In A Foreign Language and Arctic Monkeys’ The Car made millions of twentysomethings nostalgic for 2014 Tumblr in the best way possible. Luckily, there’s still a lot more coming our way next year. Here are the most anticipated indie albums of 2023.

Samia – Honey

January 27

The Baby, Samia’s 2020 debut, was praised for its visceral lyricism matched with a delicate, sweet sound. Singles like “Sea Lions” and “Kill Her Freak Out” have previewed refined songwriting and a bigger sense of intensity for the next effort; “You said when I come on the radio it makes you wanna die / Well if I shut up can I come inside?” she sings on the unforgettable piano-driven ballad “Sea Lions.”

Narrow Head – Moments Of Clarity

February 10

There are tons of bands getting in on the grunge revival right now, but Narrow Head are one of the most notable. Their EPs and albums have been magnetic and ferocious, packed with blaring guitars and unsettling textures that bring to mind alt-rock veterans like Smashing Pumpkins or Hum. Moments Of Clarity retains their forceful energy, as proved by the single “Gearhead,” a destructive, distorted anthem about isolation: “Alone again is time well spent / Alone, forever falling.”

Paramore – This Is Why

February 10

Paramore’s last album was 2017’s bombastic After Laughter, which contained one of their biggest hits, “Hard Times.” Fans have been begging for new material since then, and the announcement of This Is Why was an exhilarating one. The singles “This Is Why” and “The News” have exceeded expectations; both possess the band’s catchy, explosive personality, leaning into new wave and not holding back on the sass.

Andy Shauf – Norm

February 10

Andy Shauf has a knack for concept albums that linger in the listener’s mind long after they’ve finished, like his 2016 cult classic The Party. He’s preparing for the release of his fifth studio LP, Norm, about which he explained, “The character of Norm is introduced in a really nice way. But the closer you pay attention to the record, the more you’re going to realize that it’s sinister.” These themes have been teased in the compelling singles “Wasted On You” and “Catch Your Eye,” especially the latter, which calmly plays with the intensity of longing and desire against a tranquil sonic backdrop.

Pile – All Fiction

February 17

In four words to Uproxx, Pile described their sound as, “Noisy rock but also…” This sums up the mystique of Pile. The singles previewing All Fiction have an unnameable, disturbed quality to them, something brewing beneath the surface. The haunting instrumentation, detached vocals, bleak lyricism — especially on the off-kilter “Poisons” — create a dark, dreary world that has a strong gravitation pull.

Runnner – Like Dying Stars, We’re Reaching Out

February 17

Noah Weinman’s sprawling Always Repeating was a preface to his discography as Runnner. His forthcoming debut Like Dying Stars, We’re Reaching Out is the official kickoff, and the movement is swift and strong, not unlike a gut punch. The lead single “I Only Sing About Food” showcases his knack for disarming, intimate scenes of feeling: “I’m an idiot, I cried in your car / When I couldn’t find the words I was looking for / I overanalyze, I never let it feel good / I only think about death / I only sing about food,” he sings. The following single “Bike Again” soars with a dreamlike, glimmering instrumental that communicates more than words ever could.

Gorillaz – Cracker Island

February 24

The singles from Gorillaz’s forthcoming album Cracker Island have been enticing previews. From the colossal title track featuring Thundercat to the mesmeric earworm “Skinny Ape,” the LP is looking like a special experience. To make it even better, it’ll feature artists like Stevie Nicks, Beck, Bad Bunny, and Adeleye Omotayo.

Fever Ray – Radical Romantics

March 10

Radical Romantics is Fever Ray’s first album in over five years. “What They Call Us” was a bewitching comeback single, seething and soaring with sporadic, haunting sounds like a sonic collage. Karin Dreijer, the face behind the project, seems to address the hiatus in the song: “It’s a common misperception, this is not a band, ready for a dissection / Now mommy’s gotta work, see the land.” The whole record is sure to be a trip.

100 Gecs – 10,000 Gecs

March 17

Just recently, 100 Gecs unleashed the chaotic EP Snake Eyes, which contained the ridiculously infectious track “Doritos & Fritos.” They’re already gearing up for their next album, fittingly titled 10,000 Gecs to follow-up their critically acclaimed debut 1000 Gecs. “As I’ve been exploring my voice more, I’m like, ‘I can do this,’” Laura Les said. “And also I’m sick of worrying about it. If I don’t just fucking do it, then I’m just a scaredy cat. And I don’t want to be a scaredy cat.”

Smashing Pumpkins – Atum

April 21

Smashing Pumpkins are not playing around. They’re going to be unveiling Atum next year, a rock opera in three acts made up of 33 songs. It will serve as the sequel of 1995’s Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina/Machine Of God. Pronounced “Autumn,” the LP’s first single is the electrifying “Beguiled” which came with a cinematic music video. The “1979” group is creating a whole world with this record, and it’s gonna be good.

Blink-182

So much happened this year that we barely got time to process the return of Tom Delonge in Blink-182. While the releases the band offered with Matt Skiba were pleasant and enjoyable, fans never stopped begging for the original vocalist and guitarist to come back. The song “Edging” is the perfect mischievous entrance back into the scene. They confirmed an album is on the way, and the fact that their tour has openers like Turnstile and The Story So Far proves that they’re keeping in touch with current blazing rock.

Blondshell

Blondshell was one of the most alluring emerging artists this year. From the haunted reckoning of a detrimental relationship in “Olympus” to the cathartic spurt of alt-rock in the latest song “Veronica Mars,” 25-year-old Sabrina Teitelbaum has managed to keep up the momentum with every release, and hopefully these tracks are fragments from a bigger project coming soon.

The Gaslight Anthem

In our conversation with The Gaslight Anthem bandleader Brian Fallon, he offered an estimation to when a new record may come, guessing around “early next year, early spring,” depending on how his writing goes. The band reunited this year; their last LP was 2014’s Get Hurt, though Fallon has put out solo material since. What led to this comeback isn’t very surprising: “During quarantine, I had gotten so bored,” he admitted in that same interview. Their recent tour was a great way to increase the anticipation, and now we wait.

Meet Me At The Altar

Bombastic EPs, crazy tours, signing to the one and only Fueled By Ramen label — Meet Me At The Altar are obviously on the verge of something big. The pop-punk group have been raging since before the whole revival spearheaded by Machine Gun Kelly started, and they’re obviously in it for the relentless energy, which all of their songs burst with. Their debut is sure to be a big deal.

My Chemical Romance

The long-awaited return of My Chemical Romance was postponed due to the pandemic, so this year was a relief for their fans. Their tour was nothing short of anyone’s expectations; beloved bandleader Gerard Way sported a dress onstage, performing timeless hits like “Teenagers” and “Helena” as well as deep-cuts from their debut, pleasing the whole audience every night. Their comeback song “The Foundations Of Decay” captured their singularly theatrical, explosive essence, and there simply has to be an album on the way — it’s been over a decade since Danger Days.

Wednesday

Wednesday’s Twin Plagues was one of the most stunning records of 2021, seamlessly blending immersive, staticky shoegaze with an endearing twang, made all the better by Karly Hartzman’s hypnotizing soprano. In September they released the 8-minute ripper called “Bull Believer” and deservingly signed to the iconic label Dead Oceans, which is a good sign that an LP may be on the way. The new track signals a direction that digs deeper into their grit; it even features an unrelenting scream from Hartzman, giving the song the texture of a horror movie.

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

As the trial date in the racketeering case against YSL Records nears, yet another member of the label/crew has accepted a plea deal for release. Unfoonk might be a lesser-known name among the roster to casual fans, but longtime followers are probably aware that he’s probably the closest member to YSL founder Young Thug, as he’s Thugger’s older brother. Like Gunna and Walter Murphy before him, Unfoonk pled guilty to one count of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and a count of theft by the reception of stolen property on Tuesday (December 21), according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Unfoonk, whose real name is Quantavious Grier, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with two years commuted to time served and the remaining 10 to probation. He must also complete 750 hours of community service and stay away from anyone else listed in the 56-count indictment against YSL, including his brother. On Instagram, Unfoonk addressed brewing rumors that he testified against Thug, writing, “Damn, people really think I told on my own brother SMH. Show me in my paperwork I told on anybody lol. I’m not even finna entertain any of it. Peace and blessings.”

The fact that so many members of YSL were offered plea deals in exchange for release seems to lend credence to Murphy’s lawyer’s theory that the true target of the indictment was Young Thug all along. The case has drawn scrutiny and criticism for using Thug’s lyrics to tie him to the alleged criminal enterprise, with some calling it an effort by Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis to burnish her resume with a high-profile conviction.

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