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Keke Palmer has had quite a year: she starred in Jordan Peele’s summer blockbuster Nope, judged her own game show, and ended her whirlwind 2022 by hosting Saturday Night Live. On top of all the career milestones, she is also expecting a baby, who will likely inherit her impressive work ethic.

“Honestly this has been the biggest blessing, and I am so excited. Guys, I’m going to be a mom,” Palmer said during her Saturday Night Live monologue. “Even though some people feel a little weird about me having a baby cause I was a child actor, I just wanna say, look, I’m 29, I’m grown, I have sex, I own a home, I stormed the Capitol on January 6, you know? Things adults do.” Palmer joked after showing off her pregnancy.

Palmer has been dating her current partner Darius Jackson since they were reportedly introduced at Diddy’s Memorial Day Party in 2021. The pair had kept a low profile since then, only posting the occasional photo of one another on social media (they have since been deleted).

Just a few years ago, Palmer told Harper’s Bazaar that she likes to keep her love life separate from her work. “I don’t really do relationship stuff online, mainly because I don’t know how I would do it without looking, like, cheesy or something, you know?” But when Palmer met Jackson in early 2021, her outlook changed.

Palmer told Bustle in March of this year that she didn’t want to “hide” anymore when it came to her personal life. “This is the happiest I’ve ever felt with someone. So why would I go out of my way to hide this person? That’s a lot more work than just living in my life and being in my life.”

Jackson works as a fitness instructor and actor, and Palmer explained in a 2021 interview with Tamron Hall that he is “industry-adjacent,” meaning he understands the demands of Palmer’s life and job. “I’ve always been somebody that hasn’t wanted too much industry stuff in my life, he’s very industry-adjacent, meaning he understands it but that’s not what he’s about,” she explained. Jackson is also the brother of Sarunas Jackson who starred in Insecure, where Palmer also had a brief guest starring role.

Even though not much is known about Palmer and Jackson’s relationship, Palmer is clearly excited to be a mother…even if she jokes about the timing. “I was trying so hard to keep it on the down low, because I’ve got a lot of stuff going on. People kept coming up to me [saying] ‘Congratulations,’ I’m like ‘Shh! Can y’all stop, I’ve got a liquor sponsorship on the line. Let the check clear, then we can get to the damn baby shower.”

(Via People and Bustle)

No, Metallica has not gotten into Crypto. Following the announcement of their new album, 72 Seasons, last week, it appears the metal rockers are the subject of several crypto giveaway scams — to the point where they’ve now warned fans not to fall for it.

“In the wake of last week’s exciting news of our new song, new album, and new tour, unfortunately the ugly side of social media made an appearance. Many of you have let us know about YouTube channels and live streams, as well as websites, claiming to offer Metallica Crypto giveaways in conjunction with last week’s announcement,” they posted.

“Let’s be as clear as possible. These are scams,” it continued. “They’re being streamed on fake YouTube channels posing to be ours and all pointing to websites that we do not run. Please remember – all of our official social media channels are verified. Always look for official verification before believing something wild and crazy to be true. We thank all of you who have been vigilant in reporting these live streams to YouTube and to us… please don’t let up!”

One of these scams was spotted by a fan on Twitter three days ago after a fake Metallica YouTube account used a band interview from 2020 to encourage people to send in their Crypto earnings under the guise of a “giveaway.” And sadly, some have fallen for it. A 51-year-old man lost $25,000 in the Bitcoin transfer that Kansas police are now investigating.

If anyone here is considering sending in your Crypto to the fake Metallica… Just don’t.

Some songs are what you might call “infuriatingly catchy.” You know the ones. You don’t want to like them. You resist them for as long as possible. Then, one day, out of the blue, you find yourself humming the chorus or quoting the intro and the song has evolved into a full-blown guilty pleasure. (Here’s some old head advice: Skip the process. Like the thing. No one can judge you, and if they do, who cares? They’re miserable, you’re having fun. You win.)

Aqua’s 1997 Europop hit “Barbie Girl” was one of those songs. It dominated MTV and radio, it drove music snobs crazy. But it was fun and a little dumb but irresistible in the way so many things were in the late ’90s. I still like it a lot. Saweetie — whose music has been subject to the above-mentioned phenomenon in its own way — knows a thing or two about repurposing the inescapable hits of yesteryear in her own music. In fact, that’s when she’s at her best, according to many fans, and it’s the thing that’s been missing from recent attempts to recapture the public’s imagination.

Well, Sample Saweetie just might be back with her next big swing for the top of the Hot 100. During an Instagram Live “cyber party” stream with fans, she debuted a striking new look and previewed a potential hit called, fittingly, “Icy Girl, Icy World” which samples “Barbie Girl” and might just be her next infuriatingly catchy smash. Fans are already expressing approval and — provided we can all follow the old head advice from above — “Icy Girl, Icy World” might just bypass all the negativity that has been swirling around Saweetie’s long-delayed debut album and return her to rap fans’ good graces — or at least skip their nonsense and find a pop audience ready and willing to give something new a try.

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

As the newly-merged Warner Bros. Discovery looks to significantly shift its streaming strategy, HBO Max is reportedly returning to Amazon Prime Video Channels. HBO content had been pulled from Amazon Prime’s ecosystem back in September 2021 following contentious negotiations with HBO Max’s previous corporate overlords AT&T. However, new Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is attempting to right some of the wrongs of the previous regime through aggressive spending cuts and refocusing the company’s overall approach to streaming, which had previously put HBO Max at odds with key device providers like Amazon and Roku.

Via Variety:

Business terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. In a statement about the new Prime Video Channels deal, Bruce Campbell, Warner Bros. Discovery’s chief revenue and strategy officer, noted that “Warner Bros. Discovery is committed to making HBO Max available to as broad an audience as possible while also advancing our data-driven approach to understanding our customers and best serving their viewing interests. Today, we are thrilled to take an important step forward by announcing that HBO Max is returning to Prime Video Channels.”

Of course, this news only affects Amazon Prime Video subscribers, which is a pretty sizable audience. According to Variety, HBO Max lost five million subscribers when the content was pulled from Prime Video Channels last year. However, now that the two companies have reached a tentative agreement until the end of 2024, Prime users can once again subscribe to HBO Max through Channels. (Think adding a premium package to your cable service.) That subscription will allow Prime users to access HBO Max content directly through the Prime Video home screen without having to use a separate HBO Max app.

(Via Variety)

It’s hard to imagine Wheel of Fortune without Pat Sajak and Vanna White. It’s also hard to imagine Jeopardy! without Alex Trebek, but following a bumpy transition period, Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik have steadied the ship. But what will happen to Wheel of Fortune when the two hosts, who are both over 65 years old and have worked together for over 7,000 episodes, announce their inevitable retirement?

“I don’t even want to think about that,” White told People when asked about leaving the syndicated game show. “I mean, we’re a team. That’s depressing. I don’t even want to think about it.” She added, “I just visualize us just being there. I can’t think beyond that.”

But White also has “no idea” whether the show will continue on without them. “I can’t imagine. Everybody relates Wheel of Fortune to Pat and Vanna. We’re like Ken and Barbie, you know?” she explains. “We’ve been in everybody’s homes for 40 years, so it would be weird having somebody else turn my letters.”

Now there’s an idea: get Ryan (Ken) and Margot (Barbie) to replace Pat and Vanna. I’m sure those two very famous, Oscar-nominated actors would love to spend the next three decades roasting contestants and giving away Florida timeshare vacations.

(Via People)

Whether or not you’re an active user on the platform, you can not deny the impact of the social media platform TikTok. From legacy acts like Dolly Parton joining the site to funny one-off collaborations, the platform has proven to be a dominant force in today’s music scene.

Many rising acts, including Bronx rapper Ice Spice, have TikTok to thank for their boom in popularity. Like Spotify’s Wrapped list, TikTok has released its data for the year to provide the music power rankings.

In a statement, TikTok’s Chief Operating Officer, Vanessa Pappas, shared her excitement about this year’s list, “We’re honored to celebrate our global community who shaped this year’s trends, shared new ideas, learned from one another, and turned their passions into careers and livelihoods throughout 2022.”

At the top of their emerging artists’ list is the “Munch” rapper, and in the second position is “Bad Habits” singer Steve Lacy.

Budding music star Bailey Zimmerman came in at number three with the help of his single, “Rock and A Hard Place.” Pop singer JVKE’s “Golden Hour” secured him the fourth slot. Finally, former American Idol contestant Benson Boone arrived at the number five position due to his song “Ghost Town.”

Thanks to “F.N.F.,” Memphis rapper GloRilla secured the number six slot, whereas “Big Energy” landed Atlanta’s Latto at seven.

Grammy Award winners Omar Apollo and Muni Long, then Anees close out the last three spots. Apollo’s viral hit was “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All).” Long’s viral hit was “Hrs and Hrs.” Anees’ viral hit was “Sun and Moon.”

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 Boris, Nilüfer Yanya, Wallice, Ratboys, 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.

Boris — Fade

Boris is known for immersive, crashing walls fo sound that can put the listener in a kind of hypnosis. With the surprise-drop of this new record Fade, they’ve done it again. The title feels appropriate for the way songs drip into one another gradually and sounds blend and fade into each other; it’s an album to listen to in full with no breaks.

Nilüfer Yanya — “Midnight Sun – Sapha Remix”

Painless by Nilüfer Yanya was a sprawling album that made lasting impressions earlier this year. Now a deluxe is here, and it features this bewitching remix of “Midnight Sun” by Sampa, who adds a layer of personality to an already idiosyncratic, compelling song.

Brakence — “5g”

While the riders of the pop-punk revival wave are often either a hit or miss, Brakence is the real deal. His distinct voice and dynamic, unpredictable instrumentation make for a song that keeps the listener interested, especially with his youthful charm: “I’m gettin’ this tightness in my chest that make me grind my teeth / So I’ma just take another edible and go 5g,” he sings on “5g.”

Jesus Piece — “An Offering Of The Night”

Jesus Piece don’t relent, especially on this new single “An Offering Of The Night,” the first preview of their forthcoming LP. At only a little over two minutes, it proves they haven’t lost their knack for packing a punch in as little space as possible. The vocals are powerful roars, conveying a new level of fury.

Storefront Church, Phoebe Bridgers — “Words” (Low Cover)

The news of the tragic passing of Low’s Mimi Parker was a devastation to the music world. Sometimes the only way to respond to grief is through music, so Storefront Church and Phoebe Bridgers came together to share a visceral, poignant cover of Low’s “Words,” a beautiful honor to Parker.

Ratboys — “Love Is A Wild Thing”

Musicians recently joined forces to unveil a Kacey Musgraves cover album, including Ratboys who made their own rendition of “Love Is A Wild Thing.” The ballad is thoughtful and becomes more endearing as it flows on, feeling both upbeat and nostalgic.

Teenage Priest — “Let It Pass”

Teenage Priest offer a nice dose of psychedelic, contemplative rock with “Let It Pass,” a Tame Impala-indebted track that moves softly and freely. The band are predictably based in California, and their bubbling synthesizers and warped guitars have the texture of a late-night pool party.

Wallice — “Japan”

24-year-old singer-songwriter Wallice Hana Watanabe has a knack for powerful storytelling. On “Japan,” the words shine through with their concise, emotional edges: “My grandfather passed / When I was barely one / Burning incense around the pine trees / Fell and scraped knee / Always on the run,” she sings.

Nervus — “Microsmiling”

“‘Microsmiling’ is about navigating an increasingly hostile world,” Nervus shared in a statement about their new song, “and it’s about being a little bit braver than you feel capable of.” “Microdosing” sparkles with this sense of hope with its unhurried pace and earnest vocals, singing memorable melodies: “Wait / Another day / No harm in being safe.”

Day Wave — “Cold Like Me”

Day Wave’s “Cold Like Me” definitely feels like a summer song with its surfy riffs and aura of recklessness, but it still hits hard in the winter. It sounds like the beginning of an adventure, the start of an exhilarating drive across the coast — its energy is infectious.

In Georgia, today is the day when citizens will cast their votes in a runoff election and we’ll soon find out whether Herschel “I’d Rather Be a Werewolf” Walker will actually fill a seat in the U.S. Senate. As the minutes ticked down to this momentous occasion, Republicans were pulling out all the stops to bring their heavy-hitters to the Peach State, as Jimmy Kimmel shared on Monday night.

“Over the past couple of weeks, a parade of Republican senators have humiliated themselves making in-person appearances to support Herschel Walker,” Kimmel explained. “But none of all those who appeared proved goofier than Louisiana senator John Kennedy,” who explained that it’s easy to recognize “these woke, high IQ stupid people” (by which we assume he means Democrats) because of the “Ziploc bags of kale” they’re always carrying.

“I have some bad news for Senator Kennedy,” Kimmel said. “That green stuff we’re carrying around in Ziploc bags? That is not kale.”

But Kennedy still had nothing on Walker, who offered up yet another one of his impossibly stupid ideas when he suggested that the best way to protect America’s children is to “Get them 87,000 IRS agents to get out to that schoolhouse and protect our family.”

Kimmel could not contain his laughter when he commented on “what a fabulous idea” this is: “Arm the IRS and send them to kindergarten!”

While millions of Georgians, mainly Democrats, have already cast their votes via mail-in ballot, Kimmel noted that Republicans have instead decided to wait in line to cast their votes today — much like they plan to wait in line to see Walker star in the new Avatar movie, which Kimmel ran the trailer for. It featured a very blue Walker and some of his most inane quotes, which — if Walker was watching — Kimmel says probably had him confused and wondering, “When did I do that?”

You can watch the full clip above, beginning at the 5:30 mark.

It’s about damn time for TikTok‘s top trending songs of 2022 to be revealed. Today, the video-sharing platform has shared its top songs of the year, many of them launching their lives through TikTok, and others gaining a second life despite being released years ago.

At the top of the list was the breezy “Sunroof” by Nicky Youre and dazy.

Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” came in at No. 4. Her comeback anthem was used in several video clips this year, in many of which, the user dances to a portion of the song’s second verse to specific step-by-step choreography.

At No. 5 was “Just A Cloud Away” by Pharrell Williams, from the 2013 film Despicable Me 2.

While Willow‘s collaboration with Tyler Cole, “Meet Me At Our Spot” proved to be a sleeper hit this year, another song of Willow’s, “Wait A Minute,” came in at No. 7. The song was first released in 2015, as part of her debut album, Ardipithecus.

Another song that received new life was “Nothing” by N.O.R.E., which was sampled in breakthrough artist Armani White‘s hit single, “Billie Eilish.” “Billie Eilish” placed at No. 9 and also resulted in White landing a deal with Def Jam.

Closing out the top 10 list is Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)“, which received a major resurgence in streams and radio airplay after it was played during season 4 of Netflix’s Stranger Things.

You can check out TikTok’s top 10 trending songs of 2022 below.

1. “Sunroof” by Nicky Youre & dazy
2. “L$d” by Luclover
3. “Ginseng Strip 2002” by Yung Lean
4. “About Damn Time” by Lizzo
5. “Just a Cloud Away” by Pharrell Williams
6. “Forever” by Labrinth
7. “Wait a Minute!” by WILLOW
8. “Jiggle Jiggle” by Duke & Jones & Louis Theroux
9. “Billie Eilish” by Armani White
10. “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”

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

TikTok, which has grown exponentially over the past few years, released its year-end stats for 2022 via Variety — and the results might surprise some casual social media users. Out of millions of videos on the platform, TikTok narrowed down the Top 10 Trending Videos in the US.

At the top with 23 million likes was a video of a man constructing a chocolate giraffe, followed at No. 2 by a viral video of a chipmunk. It turns out TikTok users LOVE animals.

They also love Rosalía, as the star sits at spot No. 3, for the viral video of her chewing gum — set to her song, “Bizcochito.” Given it was a huge trend this year for fans and music lovers… and literally, everyone, to recreate her signature pose, this comes as no surprise. The Motamami singer’s video also gave us a TON of memes, for which we are eternally grateful.

Lizzo also made the list at No. 6, making her the only other musician to do so this year. She taught fans the choreography for her song “About Damn Time” and they thoroughly enjoyed it, enough to make it a major trend. Dancing gave TikTok its start, so it’s only fitting. Plus, Lizzo is so much fun.

As for the rest of the videos on the list, there’s everything from the Corn Kid remix to a showdown between lava and ice. (Or, what Jesse Pinkman says in Breaking Bad, science, b*tch.)

Continue scrolling to view Rosalia and Lizzo’s trending TikToks from 2022.

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