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There have been significant changes brewing at Warner Bros over the last few months, which seemingly all started when Batgirl was unfairly given the axe, though it’s probably been bubbling under for quite some time. After months of various schedule shifts and show cancellations, the company announced it would merge with Discovery, which means even more changes are upon us. And the next one was just revealed: the death of its beloved animation channel Cartoon Network.

As a part of their “strategic realignment,” the WB laid off 82 animation employees this week, leaving 125 empty slots that will not be filled. As a part of the realignment, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios will merge to become one, meaning the company will still technically exist. However, it’s unclear how much control over their content they will have.

After the new boss David Zaslav took over, he expressed his desire to rely on popular franchises instead of new and unique content, which is basically what Cartoon Network thrived on for years, churning out cult hits like Over the Garden Wall, We Bare Bears, and Steven Universe. The current Cartoon Network roster is available for streaming on HBO Max.

As of right now, there still seem to be employees at Cartoon Network and various projects in the works, so it looks like CN will still exist in its limited capacity…for now!

It looks like only time will tell what will happen to the legendary animation studio when HBO Max and Discovery merge to become a single streamer next year. As far as cartoons in the HBO Max realm, we do know that Harley Quinn is safe, and for that we are grateful.

(Via Cartoon Brew and Variety)

In this week’s episode of Fresh Pair, Atlanta trap rap godfather T.I. sits down with Just Blaze and Katty Customs to recount his start and subsequent two decades in the rap business, share his top rap albums from the Georgia capital, and the trap museum that he founded to highlight the culture and history behind the genre he helped start so long ago.

Tip got his start — at least, as far as mainstream exposure goes — in 2000 when he signed to Arista Records and released his debut album I’m Serious a year later. But it wasn’t until 2003 that his popularity exploded after signing a joint venture deal with Atlantic Records for his own imprint Grand Hustle Records and putting out Trap Muzik, the album that gave the burgeoning Atlanta subgenre an official title and set the stage for nine more albums and a slew of platinum and gold hits throughout the next decade and a half. The same rules apply as last week’s list for The Game; here are T.I.’s ten best songs, ranked.

10. “Dead And Gone” Feat. Justin Timberlake

2008’s Paper Trail was probably Tip’s most obvious swing for mainstream hits, and “cross-cultural” appeal — understandably, considering he was facing a good 20 years on federal weapons charges. This was an open-handed petition for empathy, explaining his circumstances in plain terms and almost — but not quite — apologizing for his past actions. You can take a lot of points away for that but the savvy in recruiting Justin Timberlake at the height of his powers (before the backlash over cultural appropriation to come) is undeniable. “Dead And Gone” is also far less annoying in hindsight than “Live Your Life” or “Swagga Like Us,” even if it was never as big of a hit (it peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100).

9. “Why You Wanna”

Bald-faced bids for cross-gender appeal are always a little iffy in my book — y’know, the songs on the album “for the ladies” — but T.I. manages to make it work well, after taking a few cracks at it on pre-King projects. By 2006, though, he’d settled into his role and distanced himself just enough from the tough-guy image he’d cultivated on Trap Muzik that he was able to pull it off. It probably helps that the track interpolates a couple of the coolest songs from the previous decade, “Gypsy Woman” by Crystal Waters (Black people invented house, and don’t you forget it) and “Find A Way” from A Tribe Called Quest.

8. “About the Money” Feat. Young Thug

The most recent song on this admittedly nostalgic list, this one is here mainly for being one of the first songs to introduce the rap world to the then-emerging Young Thug. Certainly, T.I. was the first major artist to see the potential in the skinny trapper with the slurred flow and co-sign what was to many a little too left-field. T.I. can take the last laugh now if he wants it, but considering Thugger’s current situation, maybe he’ll have to wait until that case is resolved. Still, T.I.’s ear for talent (however volatile) is undeniable (he also signed B.O.B., Killer Mike, and Travis Scott to Grand Hustle, which is an insane hit record to contemplate).

7. “24’s”

T.I.’s first single under Atlantic, the lead single from Trap Muzik introduced the world to the chemical reaction that is the connection between T.I. and DJ Toomp. Here was a Southern artist who kind of rapped like a country-ass Big L, flying in the face of New Yorkers’ preconceived notions of Dirty South rap with still maintaining an edge (and a drawl) that rooted him stalwartly in that infamous red clay. What a way to kick off your career (again).

6. “Bring ‘Em Out” Feat. Swizz Beatz

Ugh. I nearly chucked this one out of spite; its beat is (like most Swizz Beatz productions) way too busy and it’s still kind of a headache to get through — but maybe that’s because it’s the sort of song that everyone knows because everyone plays it so damn much. There’s something to be said about a song you hate but can’t help but hum along to. It was also T.I.’s first top-ten, so there’s that.

5. “Rubberband Man”

While “24’s” was the song that introduced T.I. to the larger rap audience outside of the Peach State, it was “Rubberband Man” that solidified the attention he’d been receiving, giving him his first appearance in the Top 40 and teeing up his entry into the US Rap chart’s top ten with its follow-up, “Let’s Get Away.” More often than not, the second hit is actually the one that defines an artist; “Rubberband Man” presented a hitmaker without equal.

4. “Top Back”

On King, T.I. took a straight-up victory lap after the success of Urban Legend, and “Top Back” is emblematic of the triumphant vibe. Toning back the gangster aesthetic for big flexes and a hypnotic flow, “Top Back” presented T.I. at his most confident, backed by a perfectly regal beat from Mannie Fresh, with whom he’s always had the best chemistry, his rock-solid partnership with DJ Toomp notwithstanding.

3. “Stand Up” Feat. Trick Daddy, Lil Wayne, and Lil Jon

Although it was never released as a single in its own right, “Stand Up” is undoubtedly one of T.I.’s absolute best songs. On it, he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with two of the South’s longest-running rap mainstays, including a Lil Wayne who was just beginning an absolutely devastating run that would last through the remainder of the decade. You may notice that this list is kind of Urban Legend heavy; that’s because it was the last time T.I. sounded this hungry while also being utterly self-possessed and confident enough to hang with the best.

2. “U Don’t Know Me”

If T.I. would come to be known as a slick hitmaker in his latter years, “U Don’t Know Me” is the song that ensured the streets would never turn away from him. Aggressive and gritty, but with a cocky flair that only the fast-talking Tip could master, the second single from Urban Legend was called a “Street Anthem of the Year” by Vibe magazine and established T.I. as a consistent hitmaker

1. “What You Know”

It might not be T.I.’s biggest hit, but real ones know that this anthem from King held the summer of 2006 in an absolute chokehold. It spent 20 weeks on the Hot 100 chart, with the RIAA certifying it platinum before the year was out. It was also the closing theme of ATL Tip’s acting debut and a bonafide hood classic coming-of-age tale that still spawns memes, pop culture moments, and nostalgic references to this day. “What You Know” is a rare example of a cult hit that also functions as an inescapable mega-smash.

Netflix’s new Mila Kunis-starring movie, Luckiest Girl Alive, began streaming over the weekend, and let’s just say that people have strong feelings. The movie, which adapts a novel by Jessica Knoll (in a screenplay also by Knoll), has been criticized by viewers for its lack of a trigger warning. And that’s perfectly understandable, given that the film’s trailer only vaguely alludes to a high-school “incident,” when that incident actually turned out to be a mass shooting. In addition, Mila’s protagonist, Ani, endured multiple rapes by her fellow high schoolers. It’s a difficult movie to watch for those reasons, but those viewers who made it through did appreciate the the relatable way it portrayed trauma and its impossible-to-deny aftereffects.

In a new Vogue essay, Jessica Knoll discusses the long journey from bestselling book to movie, which the author describes as “nothing short of psychological warfare.” She rewrote the script several times, and the project hopped from Lionsgate to Netflix, where the casting process began. Mila Kunis popped into mind, and Knoll was sure that this wouldn’t go well due to the “risky” nature of the subject matter. As it turns out, Mila was excited to have been contacted for the project. At the time, “[s]he was looking for a dramatic role to take her back to her Black Swan days,” and overall, she loved the story, except for one thing, which she requested be changed. Via Vogue:

“The ending wasn’t there. That old ending, which already deviated from the ending of the book, which I had already written and rewritten dozens of times already, involved Ani getting a big fat book deal for coming forward with her story. There’s no arc for the character, Mila said in our first Zoom meeting. It’s all about using money and status as a crutch to feel superior to others, which is exactly who she is when we meet her at the start. Either let’s hang a lantern on that or let’s show at least an inkling of change. Mila was in, but only if I could resolve that. Preferably overnight, one of my producers added, joking but not.”

Knoll actually did come up with a new ending overnight: Ani still broke up with her wealthy fiancé, Luke, but she didn’t have an enormous book deal. Rather, she fostered a sense of community among survivors by penning an essay (in a pre-Me Too era) about how it’s alright to admit to not being alright. Ani acknowledged that striving for perfection (and “revenge” in life) is no way to recover from the damage that has been done by sexual assaults, and Luke had wanted her to stop tying her identity to what she’d endured, so she said see ya. It’s actually a more satisfying (and relatable) ending that way, rather than Ani continuing to secretly be miserable and put on a polished face.

The movie still could use a trigger warning, but hey, at least Scoot McNairy‘s teacher character is a genuinely good person and true to the book as well.

Luckiest Girl Alive is currently streaming on Netflix.

(Via Vogue)

Martin Scorsese‘s movies have made over $2 billion at the worldwide box office, but you won’t hear him bragging about that the next time he’s hanging out at the pool.

While speaking at the New York Film Festival, where his documentary about the New York Dolls singer David Johansen premiered on Wednesday, the Oscar-winning director discussed Hollywood’s “repulsive” obsession with how much movies make.

“Since the ’80s, there’s been a focus on numbers. It’s kind of repulsive,” he said. “The cost of a movie is one thing. Understand that a film costs a certain amount, they expect to at least get the amount back, plus, again. The emphasis is now on numbers, cost, the opening weekend, how much it made in the U.S.A., how much it made in England, how much it made in Asia, how much it made in the entire world, how many viewers it got.”

As a filmmaker, Scorsese continued, he finds this financial fixation “really insulting. I’ve always known that such considerations have no place at the New York Film Festival, and here’s the key also with this: There are no awards here. You don’t have to compete. You just have to love cinema here.” Marty has one word for the Marvel Cinematic Universe-obsessed box office prognosticators out there: silence.

(Via Indiewire)

Chicago indie-rap super crew Pivot Gang has been through some tough times, but they’ve also shown their resilience through the annual John Walt Day concert. Dedicated to one of their fallen members, who was killed in 2017, John Walt Day is not just their way of remembering their friend but also of celebrating the scene that has grown up around them. Previous iterations have highlighted Windy City rising stars like Femdot and Jean Deaux, while also giving the group a chance to showcase their individual and collective growth as well.

In the years since John Walt’s passing, Pivot Gang released a group album, You Can’t Sit With Us, while members like Saba and MFnMelo have released critically acclaimed solo projects. Care For Me, Saba’s album processing the grief of losing John, his blood cousin, is now considered an indie-rap classic and its follow-up from earlier this year, Few Good Things, has been tabbed as one of the albums of the year.

Unfortunately, Pivot Gang also suffered another loss in 2021, when producer/DJ Squeak was shot last summer, prompting an outpouring of grief from fellow Chicagoan artists like Chance The Rapper. Before he passed, though, he and Melo completed an album, En Route, along with a deluxe version featuring the single “Mood Swing.”

John Walt Day 2022 will take place on November 26 at Metro in Chicago. Further details will be announced.

Before his death in 1991, Freddie Mercury wrapped up his Queen career with two final albums: 1989’s The Miracle and 1991’s Innuendo. Now, Queen is preparing a reissue of The Miracle, and the expanded album will include “Face It Alone,” a song featuring previously unreleased Mercury vocals that were recorded 34 years ago, during the album’s 1988 sessions.

The track is a tender and powerful rock ballad, the chorus of which features Mercury’s iconic, unmistakable voice singing, “Your life is your own / You’re in charge of yourself / Master of your home / In the end, in the end / You have to face it all alone.”

In a BBC Radio 2 interview from June (as Billboard notes), Roger Taylor said of the track, “We did find a little gem from Freddie that we’d kind of forgotten about. And it’s wonderful. Actually, it was a real discovery.” May added, “It was kind of hiding in plain sigh. We looked at it many times and thought, ‘Oh no, we can’t really rescue that.’” He also noted they managed to give the song new life with help from studio professionals and dubbed the track a “very passionate piece.”

Listen to “Face It Alone” above and learn more about the reissue of The Miracle here.

It seems like the pre-award season is in session and award shows are finally waking up and recognizing K-Pop’s significance.

This morning, the year’s American Music Awards nominations introduced a new category. And, of course, it’s Favorite K-Pop Artist.

Quite similar to MTV EMAs’ Best K-pop nominees this year, the AMAs have K-pop power players like BLACKPINK, BTS, SEVENTEEN, TXT, and TWICE go up against each other for the award.

Polls are now open to vote for your favorite K-pop artists. You can vote via Twitter or on VoteAMAs.com. The 2022 American Music Awards will broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, November 20 at 8 p.m. EST.

Yesterday, the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards announced their list of nominees for Best K-Pop, Best Metaverse Performance, Best Fans, Best Push, and Best Asia Act — all of which consist of at least one Korean musical act. Blackpink, Blackpink’s Lisa, BTS, ITZY, SEVENTEEN and TWICE are nominated for Best K-Pop. While Best Metaverse Performance lists Blackpink and BTS, Best New and Best Push mentions Seventeen, and Best Asia Act names TXT as the sole Korean representative in the category.

Voting is also now open for the 2022 MTV EMAs until November 9 at 11:59 p.m. CET. The awards show will take place in Germany and will broadcast live on November 13.

The fallout from Kanye West’s antisemitic social media comments continues to affect him. After having his Instagram and Twitter accounts suspended for spreading conspiracy theories about Jewish people and threatening to go “Death Con 3” on them (which is still bewildering, not just because of malaprop for “Defcon,” aka defensive readiness condition, but also because how could anyone think that this would be an okay thing to type in the first place?). Now, though, he’s apparently lost a much more vital account, in the grand scheme of things: His bank account.

According to a tweet from Kanye’s apparent new confidant/press secretary Candace Owens, Kanye was sent a letter from JP Morgan advising him to transfer to another financial institution, as the bank will be closing his accounts and mailing him a check for the balance. He’s supposedly got until the end of November to clean house, and according to Owens, no reason was given for the account closure — but I think we all know why. Of course, it’s Candace Owens telling us all this, so take the news with a hefty grain of salt — she’s not exactly known for her honesty and forthrightness, y’know?

For example, she just released a — let’s very loosely call this thing a “documentary” with a heavy side of eye-roll — called The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd And The Rise Of BLM (oy, that title). Kanye attended the premiere, where he reunited with Ray J, of all people. To be a fly on that wall…

The first reactions to Black Adam are rolling in, and the critics sure seem to be smelling what The Rock is cooking. The film introduces the world to the DC Comics character who’s been a long-running foil to Shazam and has the strength to go toe-to-toe with Superman. In fact, Black Adam was originally supposed to be introduced in a film that would provide the origin stories for both hero and villain, but The Rock personally called up Warner Bros. studios and said nope, Black Adam deserves his own film. That decision looks to have paid off as the reactions are overwhelmingly positive for the antihero tale that apparently lets The Rock really cut loose.

Here’s what critics are saying after experiencing Black Adam for the first time:

“@TheRock is fantastic as Black Adam,” Steven Weintraub tweeted. “He spent 10 years getting ready for this role and he literally kills anyone and everyone in his way and I loved that he didn’t pull back on who Black Adam is. Left the theater wanting to see the sequel immediately.”

“@TheRock is terrific in #BlackAdam, which includes a hearty amount of real world touchstones (most affecting is it reinforces the need for heroes in bleak times),” Courtney Howard wrote. “Director Juame Collet-Serra lays out building blocks for a larger, grand universe. Action is lively & BIG in scale.”

“DC’s #BlackAdam ROCKS! Tons of action, characters you’re instantly invested in & terrific pacing,” Erik Davis tweeted. “Dwayne Johnson finds a great balance in being menacing & badass, but also empathetic. Especially loved Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman & Pierce Brosnan’s Doctor Fate. More JSA movies please!”

“#BlackAdam is a worthy new piece of the DC puzzle, but not the savior it promised,” Germain Lussier wrote. “A surprising compressed timeline keeps the action exciting & pace propulsive, but also turns its many (many) themes, plots, & characters into fancy window dressing. It’s messy in a watchable way.”

You can see more Black Adam reactions below:

Black Adam arrives in theaters on October 21.

So much has happened through eight episodes of House of the Dragon that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remember how congenial Rhaenyra and Alicent were before the whole “marrying your dad” thing permanently altered their friendship. Milly Alcock and Emily Carey, who played the younger versions of the characters, have discussed the “closeness between [the] two young women” that resides somewhere between platonic love and romantic lust, but is it still there while they’re adults?

Emma D’Arcy (adult Rhaenyra) and Olivia Cooke (adult Alicent) were asked this question in a recent interview with the New York Times. “I don’t know if Alicent knows what it feels like to feel those things now,” Cooke answered. “There’s layers and layers of repression; sexuality and lust are probably a prehistoric, sedimentary layer by now. From Alicent’s point of view, I don’t think she’s that self-aware, in terms of what she’s feeling, to know what’s propelling her to reach out to Rhaenyra again.”

D’Arcy added that there’s an “erotic energy” to their early interactions, but with everything that’s happened since, “the hurt and pain is so dominant that I don’t know if there’s a space, at this point, for a conscious interaction with sexual lust, but she definitely yearns for the old physical intimacy that they shared. It’s different from what she shares with her current husband and her children. A different form of contact.”

Rhaenyra pines for a more innocent time, when she could have sex with her uncle in a brothel (how could she resist that haircut?). You can read the rest of D’Arcy and Cooke’s interview here.

(Via the New York Times)