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Nearly four years after his chart-topping debut with 2018’s Not All Heroes Wear Capes, Metro Boomin returns to music with his highly anticipated sophomore effort, Heroes Vs. Villains.

Despite rumors that the prolific producer pushed the album back because of Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss, which was released earlier this month, he revealed that the album would be delayed because he couldn’t get the samples cleared in time. The album was initially set to release on November 4, but it has been pushed back to December.

“I couldn’t get all the samples on my album cleared in time for next week, so I’m dropping on December 2 now, so I have enough time to make sure you all get this masterpiece as intended,” he tweeted. “I promise it’s worth the wait!! P.S. I would NEVER move my album date because of anyone else [laughing emoji].”

This past September, the “Runnin” producer announced that he would drop his forthcoming project and shared a trailer about the upcoming project on YouTube.

Yesterday (November 22), Metro shared the cover for his forthcoming project on Twitter. To date, no tracklist or features have been released for the long-awaited project, but it’s fair to assume they will be coming quickly.

Heroes & Villains is out 12/2 via Boominati Worldwide/Republic. Pre-order it here.

Nicki Nicole is returning with her new single “Frío” that’s dropping tonight (November 23). The rising Argentine star talked with Uproxx about her upcoming synth-pop track, being in a relationship with Argentine rapper Trueno, and what to expect on her next album.

Nicole emerged from Argentina’s Latin trap wave that has gone global. Since then, she has proven herself to be an all-around pop star, experimenting with genres like reggaeton, R&B, and electronica music. With her single “Frío” that will be released tonight at 7 p.m. ET, Nicole is taking her music career to the next level. In the frosty kiss-off track, she seamlessly blends reggaeton beats with a synth-pop twist.

“The inspiration was born out of a nostalgic feeling,” Nicole told Uproxx. “That heartbreak you can feel from losing someone and it leaves you feeling cold that you don’t want to be with anyone else. You’re cold with everyone from the fear of being betrayed again. It’s inspired by everything that gives us a bit of heartbreak.”

Earlier this month, Nicole received a co-sign from Latin trap pioneer Arcángel. When asked about the new artists that he’s listening to, he listed all the female artists from Argentina like Nicole, María Becerra, Cazzu, and Emilia. Arcángel added that it’s the women who are the top artists in Argentina today.

“First of all, thanks so much [to Arcángel] and I hope a lot of women keep tearing it up in Argentina and around the world,” she said. “The women today are on another level. Women have always been there, but I feel like before they didn’t have that much visibility. I feel like the talent has always been there, but it wasn’t valued as it is today. I’m happy to see that’s changed.”

Nicole is in a relationship with rapper Trueno. The Argentine power couple have released a few duets together like “Mamichula” and “Dangerous.” She is happy that she can relate to her partner as both artists in the music industry.

“There’s something very positive about having the same job,” Nicole says. “We’re doing the same things and we understand each other 100 percent. I believe that I couldn’t have any better partner than I do now. We flow very well with each other in the studio and the songs we made carry that love that we share. Hopefully we can make 1,000 more songs.”

As for what’s next, Nicole is hard at work on her third album that’s due out next year. She added that she’s exploring “futuristic themes” on the LP like in the upcoming “Frío” music video.

“Beyond the message [of ‘Frío’] that’s a bit sad, I want people to dance with the song and enjoy it, and leave behind the heartbreak,” she said.

After waiting 15 years for a sequel, Enchanted fans finally got their wish in the form of Disenchanted, which recently arrived on Disney+ with original stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, and James Marsden reprising their roles. However, the sequel has been met with tepid reviews as it failed to capture the magic of the original film where Adams delivered a knockout performance as Gisele, a cartoon Disney princess who’s banished to the live-action real world of New York City by an evil queen.

As for what went wrong? Well, for starters, original Enchanted director Kevin Lima wasn’t brought back for the sequel. The director, who cut his teeth as a Disney animator, had been a fierce champion for the first film that almost died several times in pre-production over concerns from Disney marketing.

“They didn’t think boys would go to see this movie,” Lima told The Hollywood Reporter. However, Enchanted went on to a solid box office performance and three original song Oscar nominations. But despite that success, Lima was never even asked to return for the sequel:

“A perfect storm of a change of executives and Hollywood politics made it so that I was uninvited to the party, unfortunately,” he says of Disenchanted. “It was a very, very sad turn. I haven’t seen the movie; I haven’t read the script. So I’m going to experience the characters that I helped create, grow and live on as the audience does.”

Disney might come to regret that move. While the original Enchanted has a 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (it really is a delightful movie), Disenchanted is sitting at 40 percent as of this writing. That’s a pretty far drop.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

For just $45,000 a month, a Taylor Swift fan can live in one of the pop star’s most notable residences — a townhome in New York City on Cornelia Street.

Swift first mentioned the residence in her 2019 song “Cornelia Street,” which was featured on her 2019 album Lover. The track chronicles her time renting the home in 2016 while her Tribeca property was undergoing renovations. On the way, Swift sings, “I rent a place on Cornelia Street, I say casually in the car.”

The Grammy-winning singer has listed the townhouse for rent to the tune of $45k a month. People reports that when Swift rented the luxury property back in 2016, it was for $38k a month — almost $7k less than the new listing price.

The townhome was listed for rent by the Corcoran Group under agents Laurence Carty, Irene Lo, and Jennifer Rahilly. The 1870s-themed carriage house is nearly four stories, spanning almost 5,400 square feet, according to a recent press release. The rental is 21 feet wide, with four bedrooms, five full baths, and two half baths with “dramatic double-height ceilings.”

Additionally, the home features three gas fireplaces and hardwood floors and even boasts an elevator. But it doesn’t stop there: the luxury residence also has an indoor pool, outdoor patio, and a rooftop terrace, the release said.

R&B superstar Summer Walker isn’t just skilled melodically. On her new track, “Sense Dat God Gave You,” the singer gives a shot at rap, as she and her bestie Sexyy Red remind men that their love doesn’t come cheap.

“Put that cash straight in my hand / If you got the sense that God gave you / Don’t leave me ’round your man / We finna tear down them all / You know we got a plan,” she raps on the song’s chorus.

In the song’s video, Walker and Redd are seen dancing in a convenience store, twerking in the parking lot, and having a fabulous, carefree time.

The clip arrives just over a week after Walker expressed her disdain toward the Grammys after neither she nor her 2021 album, Still Over It received any nominations for the 2023 ceremony.

“as for the grammys for a 2nd time, the math is literally not mathing…” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “I was gone post some numbers but it’s ok, atleast the streets f*q with me. y’all always pack out every show & support every time I drop so thanks for the love I do receive.”

At the time of writing, the song has not received a proper release on streaming platforms.

Check out the video above.

One government’s trash is another government’s treasure. At least that seems to be the thinking of David Marlowe, the CIA’s deputy director of operations, who is using Russia’s botched invasion of Ukraine as a way to possibly recruit new spies to the agency from among the ranks of Vladimir Putin’s progressively disillusioned top officials.

On Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin’s failure has opened up a rare opportunity for his agency to recruit Kremlin insiders to share what they know about their increasingly unhinged leader. As Warren P. Strobel wrote:

David Marlowe, the Central Intelligence Agency’s deputy director of operations, told an academic audience that the invasion of Ukraine has been a massive failure for Russian President Vladimir Putin and opens opportunities for Western intelligence agencies among disaffected Russians.

“Putin was at his best moment the day before he invaded,” when he still had the ability to coerce Ukraine, influence NATO, and demonstrate that Russia is a powerful nation, Mr. Marlowe said at George Mason University’s Hayden Center. “He squandered every single bit of that.”

“We’re looking around the world for Russians who are as disgusted with that as we are,” he said. “Because we’re open for business.”

Marlowe is hardly the first CIA official to suggest that the current situation in Russia has provided what Strobel described as “fertile ground” to recruit new agents.

The Hayden Center posted a full video of the event, which was centered on the “CIA at 75.” You can watch the full conversation below (the comments about Russia begin around the 33:50 mark).

(Via The Wall Street Journal)

Holly Humberstone appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last night (November 22) to deliver a mesmerizing debut TV performance of her new single, “Can You Afford To Lose Me?.”

Sitting at a piano with a microphone attached, Humberstone details an honest and heartbreaking tale of a relationship that’s in the final moments. “You were my home planet / You were my stars, my holy place / Hmm, but you took me for granted / Right from the start now, didn’t you, babe?” she sings on the opening verse.

Humberstone was also joined by a backing band, although the lighting placed the focus solely on her. The stage design elevated the mood with dark blue hues and subtle spotlights.

“Can You Afford To Lose Me?” doubles as the title for her recent collection of tracks written at different points in her career. According to coverage in Far Out, Humberstone has called it “one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written.”

“I guess this is me closing the chapter on the first part of my journey,” she says of the collection. “I’m writing my debut album as we speak and it’s going to come next year. It’s my most personal music yet, and I hope I can continue to document my experiences for them to become yours.”

Watch Humberstone perform “Can You Afford To Lose Me?” on Colbert above.

Doom Patrol beat the Warner Bros. Discovery chopping-block odds (at least for now), which makes the DC misfit superheroes almost as lucky as Harley Quinn and Joker. In the show, however, they aren’t feeling too fortunate, largely because of how they became “heroes” (largely born through trauma). Season 4 will soon arrive with the principal cast intact, which means that you’ll soon see a bunch of dancing butts along with an in-the-flesh version of Cliff Steele. That Brendan Fraser character is incredibly layered, and that’s easy to overlook like Fraser’s voice spews profanity and frustration everywhere. However, it’s time to revisit where Season 3 ended, so you’re ready to dig into more impending “doom.”

The Season 4 trailer promised a new big bad on the horizon, but Season 3 was all about vanquishing the Brotherhood of Evil. The end result of this was that the misfits realized that they really could save the world (as heroes), something that one would have never expected from the likes of Crazy Jane, at least when we first met her years ago with all of her troublesome personalities bubbling to the surface.

Speaking of Jane, the finale saw her still attempting to tame all of those aliases, so that maybe a primary could surface and not throw everything out of whack. And of course, this wouldn’t be Doom Patrol without a profane display that’s so absurd that one marvels at the show’s glorious audacity. This is, after all, a series that previously put everyone into an orgasmic state, to the point where Fraser grew even more frustrated than usual that he had to fake it. In the Season 3 finale, however, the show upped the ante by placing the world’s fate in the hand of demonic set of testicles, which led to a showdown at the Suez Canal.

In the end, the world survived, although this might not remain the case. The Doom gang will pick up with Michelle Gomez as Madame Rouge, who may or may not figure as a member. We will definitely, however, see the return of April Bowlby as Elasi-Girl, Jovian Wade as Cyborg, and Matt Bomer as Negative Man. There will be some form of time shenanigans and maybe the heroes confronting their pasts, which should either bode well or horribly for the future.

Interestingly enough, Brendan Fraser’s character took quite a turn (his disembodied brain ended up inside of a different, larger robot) in the Season 3 finale, and TV Line spoke to showrunner Jeremy Carver about where this could lead:

“Cliff’s [previous] robot body was damaged, but I don’t know if I’d say it was officially squished,” Carver says. “For us, this was a fun opportunity to take Cliff’s small problems and extend them times 100. Now he’s an even more massive version of himself that he hates, which was interesting for us to explore. We’re excited to take this trip and to see where it leads us by the end of Season 4.”

Man, those existential issues are not going away for Cliff Steele. Speaking of which, this role gives Fraser a chance to really stretch his abilities to be both tragic and funny, and although we mostly don’t see him onscreen, his voice work is so incredible that you always know that he’s there. In fact, this performance should earn as many accolades as Oscar fare as The Whale, in which he plays 600-pound man, will have to offer. Fingers crossed!

We’ll find out soon how the Doom gang continues to process all of the terrible things that happen to them and in their universe. Season 4 debuts on December 8, likely with three initial episodes and weekly single-episode releases, so we’ll soon see their in-progress, collective-therapy existence in motion.

This article first appeared on 1.14.22

Laughter is one of the most natural impulses in humans. Most babies start to laugh out loud at around 3 to 4 months, far earlier than they are able to speak or walk. Expressing enjoyment or delight comes naturally to us, but we’re not the only creatures who communicate with giggles.

Researchers at UCLA have identified 65 species of animals who make “play vocalizations,” or what we would consider laughter. Some of those vocalizations were already well documented—we’ve known for a while that apes and rats laugh—but others may come as a surprise. Along with a long list of primate species, domestic cows and dogs, foxes, seals, mongooses and three bird species are prone to laughter as well. (Many bird species can mimic human laughter, but that’s not the same as making their own play vocalizations.)

Primatologist and UCLA anthropology graduate student Sasha Winkler and UCLA professor of communication Greg Bryant shared their findings in an article in the journal Bioacoustics.

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The authors explored various play vocalization sounds, recording them as noisy or tonal, loud or quiet, high- or low-pitched, short or long, a single call or rhythmic pattern.

But really, what we want to see is what animal laughter sounds like from various species, right? While the researchers said that it can be hard to document laughter in the wild, especially among animals with quieter vocalizations, we do have some examples captured on video.

Check out these foxes laughing like little kids:

Or maybe little kids on helium. How fun is that?

Ever seen a bonobo chimp laugh? Just as cute.

I’m not sure if tickling a baby bonobo is sweet or torturous, though these researchers surely know what they’re doing. It’s always delightful to see the instinctual playfulness of primates.

Laughter in some animals isn’t as audibly apparent as it is in these foxes and chimps, though. Researchers from Humboldt University of Berlin found that rats laugh when they are tickled—and appear to enjoy tickling, as they seek it out—but their vocalizations are ultrasonic, so it’s hard to hear them without special instruments.

The UCLA researchers shared that the study of laughter in animals can help us better understand our own evolutionary behavior.

“This work lays out nicely how a phenomenon once thought to be particularly human turns out to be closely tied to behavior shared with species separated from humans by tens of millions of years,” Bryant said, according to UCLA.

“When we laugh, we are often providing information to others that we are having fun and also inviting others to join,” Winkler said. “Some scholars have suggested that this kind of vocal behavior is shared across many animals who play, and as such, laughter is our human version of an evolutionarily old vocal play signal.”

Raise your hand if you just want to see a cow laughing for real now.

This article first appeared on 4.4.22.

Rick Astley has to be the luckiest ’80s musician on the planet. The whole “Rickrolling” phenomenon has given his hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up” a reach far beyond its natural life span, and kept the guy a household name far longer than he probably would have been.

(For those who are unfamiliar, Rickrolling is when you make someone think they’re being sent to a website, but the link goes to Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” video instead as a joke. It’s a silly viral bait-and-switch gag that’s been going since 2006.)

But what people may not realize, because his most famous song has become an internet joke, is that Rick Astley is actually a really freaking great musician. The man can saaaang and it seems he’s only gotten better with age.

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If you were to choose the most unlikely combo of musical mashups, it might just be Rick Astley and Foo Fighters. Right? Like who would put them together?

Oddly enough, they put themselves together in 2017, when Foo Fighters brought Astley on stage during a concert to sing “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl even created his own Rickroll-inspired meme, the Dave G’Roll, with the band’s song “Best of You.” So there’s a history there.

But nothing has been more surprising than hearing Rick Astley do an acoustic cover of Foo Fighters’ “Everlong.” It’s so good. Like, so good.

Not to knock Rick Astley of the 1980s, but that strangely deep voice on a young man was sort of his signature thing. Ergo, you’d think it would be easy to recognize Astley’s voice no matter what he was singing. But you’d be wrong. If you close your eyes and listen to this, you’d likely never guess it was Rick Astley.

Maybe it’s because the song itself isn’t something you expect from the “Never Gonna Give You Up” guy. Maybe it’s because you had no idea that Rick Astley was still making music. Who knows. All I know is that my jaw dropped watching him knock out an awesome version of a grungey rock song with just his voice and acoustic guitar.

Seriously, that was amazing, right? Even hardcore Foo Fighters fans gave Astley props in the comments:

“As a huge Foo Fighters fan, all I can say is this cover didn’t let me down.”

“Tbh I could listen to a whole album of Rick Astley doing grunge covers.”

“Are you kidding me?????? That voice from the 80’s… And one of the greatest numbers of all times…. Didn’t think you could pull that of…. But you did….. Respect to you Rick.”

And, of course, some had to make jokes:

“I love this cover. It feels like the singer is never going to give you up or never gonna let you down. He doesn’t run around and desert you. He will never make you cry and never say goodbye. He doesn’t tell a lie and hurt you. I think that is special.”

“This guy should stop making memes and stick to music! He’s got talent!”

“I’m glad he’s never given up. This did not let me down.”

But this comment perhaps best summed up what most of us walked away thinking:

“God now I feel bad that we’ve ridden on Rick Rolling for so long that we missed the part where Rick Astley is actually a badass musician…”