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Normally, when you think of a balanced breakfast, Snoop Dogg doesn’t immediately jump to mind (unless your idea of a balanced breakfast includes a different kind of greenery than the spinach some folks like with their omelets). But that might change soon, as Snoop adds a breakfast cereal to his growing portfolio of side hustles. Snoop Loopz, the new cereal, are like gluten-free Froot Loops, according to Billboard, which notes that Snoop’s fellow rapper-turned-mogul Master P made the announcement on his Instagram, promising that Snoop Loopz has “more corn, more flavor and more marshmallows” than their analog.

Snoop’s Broadus Foods brand (named for its founder, whose real name is Calvin Broadus) apparently already has a range of breakfast items under its Mama Snoop’s range, including grits, oatmeal, and pancake mix, and more. Snoop Loopz features a blue puppy mascot — naturally — and like all your other favorite breakfast cereals, a box adorned with games and even a box top sweepstakes to win a Nintendo Switch. To be honest… I’d give them a try.

As far as his day job goes, Snoop most recently collaborated with K-Pop megastars BTS on the Benny Blanco-produced “Bad Decisions.” Meanwhile, he’s also added another acting credit in the vampire hunter action comedy, Day Shift, now streaming on Netflix.

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Megan Thee Stallion unleash her long-awaited new album and Nicki Minaj come through with a heater of a single. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters. Also find our Uproxx HQ Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly with the best new music, at the end of this post.

Megan Thee Stallion — “Red Wine”

Last week, Megan announced Traumazine, her new album. And on Friday (after a stint co-hosting The Tonight Show) it was out. One of the 18 tracks that immediately caught people’s attention was “Red Wine,” a particularly sensual new song that just oozes sex, even more so than most of Megan’s other music that already very much does that.

Nicki Minaj — “Super Freaky Girl”

New Nicki is always welcomed, especially when it includes a killer Rick James sample. The tune is “Super Freaky Girl,” which sees Minaj in top form, rapping about her various levels of excellence over a catchy beat.

Ronald Isley and Beyoncé — “Make Me Say It Again, Girl”

Beyoncé is on top of the world right now fresh off the release of Renaissance and she apparently can’t stop dropping new music. Following her many “Break My Soul” remixes is a collaboration with Ronald Isley, a soulful and modernized rework of the 1975 Isley Brothers track “Make Me Say It Again Girl, Pts. 1 & 2.”

Ari Lennox — “Hoodie”

Shea Butter Baby came out in 2019 and fans have been eagerly awaiting Lennox’s sophomore album ever since. News of that finally arrived last week (it’s set for release in September) along with “Hoodie,” a smooth and rhythmic tune on which Lennox flexes her superlative vocal abilities while asking to wear her man’s hoodie.

Rod Wave — “Yungen” Feat. Jack Harlow

After announcing Beautiful Mind in May, Rod Wave’s latest is finally here. Immediately, fans were blown away by the album’s gorgeous melodies, including on the LP’s standout Jack Harlow collaboration “Yungen.”

Anitta and Maluma — “El Que Espera”

Anitta’s profile is rising by the day and now she’s teamed up with another international superstar, Maluma, on “El Que Espera.” The collaboration has a warm, mid-tempo, summery, tropical rhythm that should serve as a chill (but still groovy) respite from this season’s more upbeat hits.

Cordae — “So With That”

It recently dawned on Cordae that in his opinion, his debut album is better than his latest one, this year’s From A Birds Eye View, and that he now “got sumn to prove.” He did some proving last week with two new singles: “Unacceptable” and “So With That,” with Uproxx’s Armon Sadler saying the latter “sounds like he took a road trip to the past, with a backpack rap-type beat laced with high-pitched vocal samples.”

JID — “Dance Now”

JID released DiCaprio 2 nearly four years ago, but we won’t have to wait much longer for its follow-up. That’s set to drop later this month, but what dropped last week was a taste of it in “Dance Now,” on which JID’s slithering and rapid-fire flow sounds fantastic over a hard-hitting beat.

The Dare — “Girls”

Here’s an exciting new face: Harrison Patrick Smith, who has previously toured with Porches and performed as Turtlenecked, just re-branded as The Dare and dropped his debut single. The song is “Girls” and it’s a delightful, punchy, electro-pop romp reminiscent of early LCD Soundsystem material, meaning it’s made for dancing and has a bit of a rock/punk edge to it.

Niki — “Keeping Tabs”

88rising up-and-comer Niki (who once upon a time opened for Taylor Swift in her native Indonesia) is forging a path after her 2020 debut album Moonchild. Last week brought her sophomore LP, Nicole, which is highlighted by tracks like the head-bobbing indie-pop of “Keeping Tabs.”

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

The Stranger Things creators, brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, have vowed to include fewer new characters in the final season of the Netflix series. “We’re trying not to do that so we can focus on the OG characters, I guess,” Ross said. It’s a good thing they waited until season five, otherwise we never would have been introduced to Eddie Munson.

The breakout character of season four (much to the delight of Metallica’s bank account) is played by Joseph Quinn, who comes across as a delightful person. The actor’s rise to magazine profile-fame seemingly came out of nowhere, but five years before making his Stranger Things debut, Quinn was on an even bigger show: Game of Thrones.

Quinn played Koner, a House Stark soldier, in season seven’s “The Spoils of War.” That’s the episode where Arya Stark returns after five years to Winterfell, where she receives a chilly welcome. “Arya Stark’s dead,” Koner tells the very much alive Arya, not realizing who she is. “It’s cold. We’re busy. So, you know, best f*ck off,” he adds. Eventually, Arya gets her way by intimidating Koner and the other doofus guard who’s supposed to protect Winterfell. If only the Watergate was that easy to get into.

You can watch the scene below:

(Via HBO/Instagram)

When Liz Cambage signed with the Los Angeles Sparks this offseason, it was in hopes of bringing L.A. back into the playoff conversation in the WNBA. However, a tumultuous season in L.A. ensued, with coach and general manager Derek Fisher getting fired, reports of internal drama and turmoil, and ultimately Cambage agreeing to a contract divorce with the team as they fell shy of the playoffs, losing nine of their last 10 games.

We still don’t know exactly what happened between Cambage and the organization, as there were reports of frustration from the team that Cambage “quit” on the team, which were unsurprisingly denied by the star’s camp. On Monday, Cambage released a public statement that didn’t offer any further detail on the situation, but did make a major announcement that she was going to “step away” from the league, calling for the WNBA to create “safer environments and a stronger support system for players.”

Playing for the Sparks was a dream come true and I’m honored to have shared the court with such amazing ladies for as long as we did. I’m sorry to have left abruptly and I wish it would have ended on a different note. I’ve decided to step away from the league for the time being and I’m hopeful that the WNBA will do their part in creating safer environments and a stronger support system for their players. While I’ll miss rocking the purple and gold, I’ll be taking this time to focus on my healing and personal growth before providing clarification on past rumors. Thank you to all my supporters, family and friends for all the love and light you continue to surround me with

Cambage notes she will wait to address “past rumors,” which isn’t just about what happened in L.A., but also her alleged use of a racial slur towards the Nigerian national team that led to her departure from the Australian national team last year. All told, it has been a rocky year-plus for the former All-Star and it’s unclear what her future holds in the WNBA as she plans to take some time away from the league.

Following last week’s Mar-a-Lago search, there’s been a dramatic spike in threats against the FBI and Steve Doocy is not liking where this is going. During Monday morning’s episode of Fox & Friends, Doocy specifically called on Donald Trump to pull back on his criticism of the bureau after agents searched his Florida residence. A FBI field office in Cincinnati has already been attacked resulting in the death of the gunman, and the situation has only exacerbated after it was revealed that Trump is under investigation for violating the Espionage Act.

Via Mediaite:

“With all of these threats going around, it would ultimately be great if the former president, who has always been a great supporter of law enforcement and who has posed with 1000 police departments coast to coast — it would be great if he called for an end to the violent rhetoric against federal law enforcement and, in particular, the FBI that was just doing their job,” Doocy said.

While co-host Brian Kilmeade tried to steer the conversation towards the agency treating Democrats differently, Doocy stayed on track and reiterated that the FBI agents were just doing their job. However, things went slightly sideways as Doocy suggested that the scrutiny and attention should be pointed towards Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“If you want to personify that search, look to the attorney general of the United States, Merrick Garland is the one who has staked his entire reputation on it,” Doocy said. “If there’s not something really big there, he’s done.”

(Via Mediaite)

The 2022 WNBA Playoffs are upon us, as all 12 teams finished out their regular seasons on Sunday, with the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty landing the final two playoff spots after New York beat Atlanta and Minnesota lost to Connecticut in the final game of the season.

Elsewhere, the Aces locked up the 1-seed with an impressive win over Seattle, and the playoff picture was set in stone, with postseason play starting on Wednesday night. The new bracket format the WNBA introduced this season sees a Best of 3 first round, followed by Best of 5 series for the semis and Finals, which means gone are the days of single elimination in the first round. Each higher seed will host the first two games of the first round series, meaning they’ll have a chance to wrap things up at home without needing to go on the road, but if a lower seed can steal a game, they’ll ensure at least the chance to close things out in their home arena.

The daily schedule for first round action will look like this, with all times listed being Eastern.

Wednesday, August 17

New York Liberty at Chicago Sky (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces (10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Thursday, August 18

Dallas Wings at Connecticut Sun (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPNU/NBATV)
Washington Mystics at Seattle Storm (10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Saturday, August 20

New York Liberty at Chicago Sky (12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Sunday, August 21

Dallas Wings at Connecticut Sun (12:00 p.m. ET, ABC)
Washington Mystics at Seattle Storm (4:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Tuesday, August 23 (if necessary)

Chicago Sky at New York Liberty (TBD)
Las Vegas Aces at Phoenix Mercury (TBD)

Wednesday, August 24 (if necessary)

Connecticut Sun at Dallas Wings (TBD)
Seattle Storm at Washington Mystics (TBD)

Are you looking for something to make you smile? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Starting off on a positive note can set the tone for the rest of the week. For those who enjoy our weekly 10 things that made you smile this week article, here’s an extra dose coming at the start of each week. Now you can find some bright spots to look forward with each passing day!

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Mondays can be a drag for a lot of us. Unless you’re starting your week on vacation, of course. For the rest of us, we’re just trying to get through the work week while keeping our sanity intact. If you’re looking for a little sunshine, we’ve got you covered. Read on…

1. Throw on your most comfortable pajama pants and call your boss.

August 15 is National Relaxation Day. Yes, you heard me right. It’s a day dedicated to relaxing and as it’s a national day, it should be paid time off right? Well, I’m not sure if that’s how it works but it should. In the event that you don’t have any PTO days saved and are terrible at faking a cough, you can set your day up to be as relaxing as possible for when you get home from work. Grab some ready-made margaritas from your local grocery store on your way home and do your best to become a human burrito for the rest of the day.

2. Beauty, brains and an uncontrollable tenancy to turn green.

“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” premiers on Disney+ August 18. I love everything Marvel so sign me up. This trailer is amazing. Who wouldn’t want a hulk for their attorney? Mark Ruffalo is still The Hulk so no need to get all huffy about the studio changing things. The series looks pretty entertaining, especially if you’re a Marvel fan.

3. Music brings people together.

How many of us remember screaming at the top of our lungs at our favorite artist’s concerts as teens? Heck, some of us still do this as adults. Well, you’re in luck if you’re a Harry Styles fan. Styles is touring from August 15 through November 15. Now, he may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I’m sure there are teen and young adult girls and nonbinary people who would be thrilled to get their hands on some tickets. That’s if the shows aren’t already sold out.

4. Roses are red, violets are smelly and no matter what you try, they won’t taste like jelly.

I’m sure someone appreciated the bad poetry, and August 18 is the day you should read some of yours out loud. You may be wondering why someone would read bad poetry out loud. It’s because it’s National Bad Poetry Day! Look, I’m sure someone sits around trying to think of the most ridiculous things to celebrate and through a petition or I don’t know, putting it on a super-official-looking website, it becomes a thing. Let’s not ask questions. It’s the little things in life that bring us joy. Now gather some friends, grab some wine and have a bad poetry reading event in your living room. Some towns even have events just for bad poetry, so see if your town has one. Someone’s bound to make you laugh hard enough to pee a little.

5. This one’s for the thriller movie fans.

Many people enjoy being scared. They go to haunted houses, prepare for Halloween like it’s a year-round event and, of course, watch horror movies. Within the horror genre there are thrillers to really mess with your head to keep you on edge long after the movie has ended, such as “Orphan.” The movie is still on enough people’s minds after the original was released 13 years ago, so the creepy child looking murderer is returning on August 19. This movie will keep you in suspense and make you walk around filled with anxiety long after. If that’s your thing, you’ll appreciate the late sequel.

With the MTV VMAs airing on August 28, MTV has been slowly revealing the performers to build hype for the show. The first batch was revealed earlier this month and included Anitta, J Balvin, and Khalid, while the latest group was announced today and features Blackpink, Jack Harlow, and Lizzo.

In addition to the performers, MTV previously announced the full list of nominees, which is led by Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar, and Lil Nas X, who have seven each. Artists of the Year include Bad Bunny, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X, and Lizzo, while the coveted Video of the Year category sees Doja Cat, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift nominated for their biggest videos of the year.

Of course, not everyone is excited about the award show. During an interview last year, Ed Sheeran noted that American award shows have “a horrible atmosphere” compared to their British counterparts. He blamed it on a sense of resentment driven by artists’ entourages, saying “It’s just lots of people wanting other people to fail and I don’t like that. It’s a really horrible atmosphere to be in. I always walk away feeling really sad, and I don’t like it.” Let’s hope this year’s VMAs can break that tradition.

The 2022 VMAs are on 8/28 at 8 pm ET.

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

Marvel’s latest streaming series, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, will have its premiere this week, and while fans are excited to see the titular hulk in action, both in court and beyond, there is one burning question that has yet to be answered: when exactly does this show take place?

While sometimes Marvel gives concrete hints about specific eras and timelines (remember when Captain Marvel visited a Blockbuster?) it’s been pretty close-lipped regarding where in the timeline She-Hulk, who is played by Tatiana Maslany, will reside. Fans have pointed out that some stills from the series feature the original Hulk Bruce Banner wearing his sling from his arm injury post-Avengers: Endgame, while in other shots he seems fine. So, when does this series actually take place?

Writer and executive producer Jessica Gao confirmed that the show does do a good job of explaining where it lands on the timeline, though it is set “not too far” after the events of Shang-Chi. Gao told TVLine, “It’s not, like, years later. It’s a relatively short amount of time.” The timeline is supposed to be made a bit clearer after episode two.

To put this into a little more perspective: Shang-Chi takes place after the series Wandavision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier but before Eternals, and the last two Spider-Man installments. This is confirmed on Disney+, where you can sort the titles by chronological order.

She-Hulk: Attorney At Law also stars Jameela Jamil, Josh Segarra, Ginger Gonzaga, Jon Bass, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Tim Roth, the Hulk himself Mark Ruffalo, and Benedict Wong. The series begins streaming on August 17th on Disney+, with new episodes weekly through October 12th.

(Via TVLine)

As is usually the case in July and August, the sports calendar has slowed down considerably after the end of the NBA and NHL seasons, with football just now starting to ramp up alongside the MLB and WNBA playoff races. In that time, ESPN has still had to fill the hours, but they’ve been unable to turn to their most reliable innings eater to do so, as Stephen A. Smith has been out after having shoulder surgery after the NBA Draft — he did make an impromptu appearance prior to free agency because he couldn’t resist a chance to discuss the Kevin Durant trade request, but otherwise has stayed off air for six weeks.

That’s as long a time as Smith has ever taken away from the airwaves, as he is notorious for always being on — often calling in from vacation to get takes off when a big story breaks. However, on Monday, Smith made his triumphant return to First Take amid great fanfare, as ESPN celebrated having their star back by putting the show on a boat in New York City for some reason — with Stephen A. apparently raiding Derek Dooley’s old closet for his finest Tennessee orange suit.

While Stephen A., Michael Irvin, and Molly Qerim rode around the Hudson on a boat, ESPN made sure to welcome Smith back with some help from some of the biggest names in sports. From the NBA, ESPN tapped none other than commissioner Adam Silver — who had some questions about the legitimacy of Smith’s “shoulder surgery” — and Warriors owner Joe Lacob to welcome him back to the show.

Silver wasn’t the only one with jokes about Smith’s return from injury, as Nick Saban also recorded a message for Stephen A.’s return and made sure to note that when he had hip surgery, he was back at work the next day, questioning Smith’s commitment to the game.

You can tell how much Stephen A. loved all of this, and also how the folks they had record messages enjoyed getting a chance to poke at the man who is always the one that gets the final word on TV.