Last year was, well, let’s just say an eventful one for Aaron Rodgers. He won a fourth MVP award, dominating in the regular season before a dreadful first round loss to the Niners in the playoffs, but also found himself as the NFL’s posterchild for vaccine misinformation with his numerous appearances on the Pat McAfee Show throughout the season.
As Green Bay prepares for the 2022 season, they’re hopeful Rodgers can put that latter part behind him and continue playing at an MVP level as he gets ready to turn 39 during the season. That will be a tall order, as Rodgers will have to navigate this season without the presence of his longtime favorite target, as Davante Adams now resides in Las Vegas playing for the Raiders.
On Tuesday, players around the league reported to training camp, including Rodgers, who is looking to get back to being everyone’s favorite NFL movie dork by dressing up in a startlingly good cosplay of Nic Cage’s character, U.S. Ranger Cameron Poe, from the beloved 1997 flick, Con Air.
Rodgers posted the side-by-side of him and Cage on Instagram, showing how close he got to the real look, along with the necessary “put the bunny back in the box” caption.
It’s not the first time Rodgers has gone all out for a costume, as he first grew out his hair so he could dress up as John Wick for Halloween, and has kept the hair, apparently for cosplay versatility as it works wonders for Cameron Poe as well.
Fresh off her critically-acclaimed performance in Nope, the “incomparable” Keke Palmer is already rolling out her next performance that show she’s not content with dominating screens in just one reality. In the premiere episode of the new webseries, Are We There Yet?, Palmer stars alongside Meta‘s VP of Metaverse (actual title) Vishal Shah as she helps guides everyday people through the wild potentials of the VR experience.
“Could I reconstruct the Titanic, sail past an iceberg, and scream, ‘Not this time suckers!’?” Palmer asks in the video and learns that the answer is yes. Via Variety:
The Meta-sponsored series, Palmer explains, is a “road trip into the metaverse” in which she “chat[s] with the most interesting creators, educators and experts to find out where the metaverse stands now — and what’s coming in the future.”
Shah tells Palmer, “I think the simplest way of thinking about it is, the metaverse is the next phase of the internet. And the main difference between the internet we use today and the next phase is that we can feel like we are there with other people in a way we can’t feel in our digital experiences today.”
Again, landing Palmer is a major get for Meta/Facebook as the actress is riding high from her performance in Nope. However, do not make the mistake of comparing her to Zendaya or she will set you straight.
“A great example of colorism is to believe I can be compared to anyone,” Palmer responded to a viral tweet that pitted her against the Euphoria star. “I’m the youngest talk show host ever. The first Black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon, & the youngest & first Black Cinderella on broadway. I’m an incomparable talent. Baby, THIS, is Keke Palmer.”
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
Flo Mill can really rap. That question was answered as soon as she drew breath on her debut project, Ho, Why Is You Here?, in 2020. As anticipation for its follow-up grew, the new question became whether or not she could expand her repertoire, find new topics to rap about, and layer in emotional depth – doing the things that separate good or even great rappers from recording artists with longevity in addition to short-term success.
A week ago, Flo Milli released her anticipated sophomore project, You Still Here, Ho?, to answer those questions. And while the answer may disappoint those who wanted to see artistic growth in the two years since the 22-year-old Mobile, Alabama rapper first captured all of our attention with her witty raps and bratty charms, the new release doubles down on those qualities to offer an entertaining entry to her growing catalog.
When I first heard Flo Milli, she reminded me of my younger sister and the rap battles we’d have with each other when we were both still in high school, four years apart. There was a juvenile, carefree quality to Milli’s raps, like a classroom roast session. The impression was helped along by her higher-pitched voice and bouncy, singsong rhyme cadence, which was buoyed by percussive, stripped-down, trap-lite production.
The whole package came together to present the persona of a snotty teenager rolling her neck and eyes while dismissively deriding your style, your presence, and your whole approach to life. The closest analog that jumps to mind at the moment is Kyla Pratt’s demeanor in those old WNBA commercials in which the then-child star confronted WNBA players to list in brutally accurate detail every flaw in their respective approaches to basketball.
On You Still Here, Ho? (even the title is haughty, and I really appreciate the commitment to the brand), Flo Milli maintains this cocky, Regina George-ish persona, but fine tunes around the edges to provide a fresh layer of glittery polish to the whole affair. Where the beats on her debut often sounded like first drafts, from the very first track here, the brash “Come Outside” (as in, “I just wanna talk” – as in, “we really gon’ beat yo’ ass”), it’s obvious that more time was spent on fleshing out the backdrops.
To be honest, this really props up Flo’s voice and taunting flow much better, allowing her tracks to sound like finished songs and not a kid’s first swing at recording at the local Boys & Girls Club. The addition of melodies – the sitar threaded throughout “Bed Time,” the ghostly loops on “Ice Baby” – buttress her raps, while the more regressive tracks come off distracting – the synthy percussions on “Big Steppa” – come off more distracting and eat her voice in the mix.
“On My Nerves” marks the slickest update to Flo’s original sound – sparse, but upbeat, giving space for her jabs to land squarely in the middle of their targets’ faces. “You think you street, but you sesame,” she sneers, a prime example of the understated wit of her one-two punchlines. It’s not exactly Shakespeare – and certainly no Jay-Z – but there’s something to the simple humor behind her boasts and jeers that makes them effective and relatable (remember when Lil Wayne said “I’m the bomb like tick-tick?” Yeah, it’s a little like that). The only missteps are when she tries to sing, as on “Tilted Halo.” That is not what we came for.
If Flo Milli’s music seems like it’s aimed more at appealing to middle schoolers than serious hip-hop heads, that’s because it probably is. At just 22 years old, she’s closer to that demographic than she is to Golden Era nostalgists who want to hear “real-life raps” from her. And truth be told, she hasn’t really lived enough life to merit trying to go deep on life lessons, while socio-political rap has always been a tough sell for anybody, let alone women just getting into the rap game. She’s young enough that she’s got time to get there – maybe in two or three projects down the line – but for now, she’s a girl who just wants to have fun.
And so are many of her listeners. As much fuss has been made on the internet about the contemporary class of female rappers’ lack of substance, they’re making the music people want to hear right now. The world is a disaster, women are losing their rights, and the two things it seems we all need are a confidence booster and a break from all the darkness. Sometimes, we just wanna feel like we did when we were kids: snotty, brash, and carefree. You Still Here Ho? lets the brat out.
You Still Here Ho? is out now on RCA Records. Get it here.
Fivio Foreign has become one of this year’s buzziest rappers. He first came to fame about three years ago, when his song, “Blixky Inna Box” became an underground hit. The song caught the attention of Mase, who immediately presented Fivio with the paperwork to sign to his RichFish label.
In an episode of the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, Fivio revealed that he signed the deal without hesitation and was granted a $5,000 advance.
“[Mase] was like, ‘Yo, man. Just sign that shit, You buggin,’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, read it.’ He’s like, ‘Alright, just sign it. It’s good.’ So, I just signed it.” Fivio, at the time, didn’t have an understanding of major label politics and anticipated that his advance would last him much longer than it actually did.
“That sh*t hit,” he said. “I thought that sh*t was going to last until whenever it was going to last. That sh*t ain’t last two weeks.”
The podcast host, Wallo267, was visibly disheartened by the little amount Mase gave Fivio, probably because Diddy gave Mase a similar deal in which he purchased the publishing rights to his music for only $20,000 in 1996. Mase has since voiced his disdain toward Diddy through a diss track called “Oracle 2: Standing on Bodies.”
Fivio assured the host that he wasn’t upset by the deal.
“I don’t really be complaining or crying over spilled milk,” Fivio said. “I already made this decision. For me, I’m in a better situation now. He get what he get… But I control my money.”
Earlier this year, Lana Del Rey joined the growing list of artists who have recently dealt with stalking and trespassing incidents around their homes, which includes DaBaby, Taylor Swift, and Drake. As for Lana Del Rey, she’s dealt with multiple incidents involving the same stalker, and as a result, she was recently awarded a temporary restraining order against them. According to TMZ, a judge gave Del Rey the order and set a hearing for next month to revisit the issue. The temporary restraining order states that the alleged stalker, a man named Eric Everardo, must stay at least 100 yards away from Del Rey and her sister.
The first incident between Del Rey and Everardo dates back to February of this year when the man visited the singer’s home without permission. It was here that Everardo allegedly stole one of Del Rey’s vehicles — a Jaguar — which he was later criminally charged for. More recently, Del Rey says Everardo came back to her home earlier this month and left a bag with a disturbing letter inside it. The note relayed his desire to see her again. Everardo is also accused of texting Del Rey’s sister on multiple occasions between February and this month which explains why the singer’s sister was included in the restraining order. It is unclear how Everardo obtained Del Rey’s sister’s number.
In more positive news, Lana Del Rey’s manager recently confirmed that she has a new album “coming soon.”
If ever there were a man gullible enough to sign a billion-year contract in exchange for a dead sci-fi writer’s demented idea of power, it would probably be Tucker Carlson. And on Monday night, he looked to be about one step closer toward embracing Scientology when he traveled all the way back to 2005 to replay Tom Cruise’s infamous rant against psychiatry and antidepressants while being interviewed by infamous creep Matt Lauer on the typically lighthearted Today show.
Carlson conceded that the reaction to Cruise’s appearance, in which the actor—who, by the way, is not a doctor—stated that “there is no such thing as a chemical imbalance” and that SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which are typically used to treat depression and anxiety, “are very dangerous… mind-altering antipsychotic drugs” was an immediate backlash. “Everyone in the media agreed, ‘Tom Cruise is crazy! He is in cult! Shut up!’ A lot of people thought that,” Carlson said. “We may even have thought that.”
But now, as Mediaite reports, Carlson thinks that Cruise—who was spouting various talking points of Scientology’s anti-psychiatry stance—may have been on to something. He went on to cite a few studies that “made Tom Cruise look a little less crazy.” (Note his empathetic use of the word “crazy” while attempting to reaffirm the actor’s position that “chemical imbalance” is just something big pharma made up to market antidepressants.)
According to the Fox News host’s research, birth defects, violent crime, and post-SSRI sexual dysfunction are all possible side effects of taking antidepressants and similar medications. And it’s that last one that seems to be most concerning to him: “If it steals your sex drive, maybe it’s stealing your soul?” Or even your thetan?
You can watch Tucker’s full rant over on Mediaite here.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Here are some more on the new music front that you should check out:
Xavier Omar — Blurr
Xavier Omar’s last project came in 2020 with If You Feel. With help from Masego, Mereba, and others, the project grew to be one of the more memorable releases in the R&B world. Two years later and Omar is back in action with his new EP Blurr. It’s a six-track effort composed of five songs and one skit with appearances from Kyle Dion and Pat Junior.
India Shawn — Before We Go (Deeper)
India Shawn’sBefore We Go project was a sharp body of work from the Los Angeles singer as it stood as her first project since 2015’s Outer Limits. Seven months after the release of Before We Go, Shawn returns with its deluxe reissue, Before We Go (Deeper). Seven songs and features from Ambre, Cory Henry, and Kaye Fox are now found on the project.
Kyle Dion — “Dance For Me”
Kyle Dion’s focus was to have fun on his third album Sassy and that’s exactly what he did on the 2021 project. Well, with its first anniversary not too far away, Dion is ready to have the fun continue with an upcoming deluxe reissue. After “Hazy” and “Spoon & Bang,” Dion adds “Dance For Me” to the list of great samples from the upcoming deluxe.
Savannah Re — “About U”
Finally, after a wait that’s lasted almost two years, Toronto singer Savannah Re is ready to begin the journey towards her upcoming second project. She kicks things off with “About U,” which presents her fight to end an unrequited love. Savannah sees the true value in their growing relationship, and all she wants is that her partner view it the same way.
Ruger — The Second Wave (Deluxe)
At the end of 2021, Nigerian afrobeats singer Ruger released The Second Wave with just four songs attached to it. After earning himself some more attention, he returns with a deluxe take of the project with four additional tracks. “Girlfriend” proves to be the fan-favorite while “WeWe” showcases his impressive versatlity.
Rory, Raahiim & Shantel May — “Not Me”
Rory Farrell — yes, that Rory, like the one from the Rory & Mal Podcast — is releasing a project soon. No, he isn’t rapping or singing on it, but he is playing a DJ Khaled-esque role and bringing talented artists together for songs. An example of that comes on “Not Me” with Toronto singers Raahiim and Shantel May. It’s a sweet and tender record that follows his first official single, “I Want You But You’ll Never Know…” with Alex Isley and Shelley.
Vedo & OG Parker — “Come First” Feat. Baby Tate
After releasing their “Face Down” collaboration, singer Vedo and producer OG Parker have announced their While You Wait. They shared news about the project with their new single, “Come First” with Baby Tate. The highly sensual record sees Vedo and Tate showcasing their selfless ways and emphasis on making sure their partner is satisfied during a passionate moment of intimacy.
Kirby — “Pineapple Cognac”
Philly singer Kirby continues her 2022 year with the slow-burning “Pineapple Cognac.” She uses the drink to form a comparison with her love and how it trumps that of other women this mysterious man seems fixated on. It follows “New D” and her 2021 project, Sis. He Wasn’t The One.
Zyah Belle — “Not The One” Feat. Tempest
After dazzling us with her Who’s Listening Anyway project last year, Bay area singer Zyah Belle quickly saw that a lot of people were indeed listening. With that, she’s back with her second single of the year, “Not The One” with Tempest who also appeared on Who’s Listening Anyway. The new record is a confident and slightly brash song that both Zyah and Tempest use to make it clear that they are not like the other women in the world.
Gabrielle B. — “Undeniable”
Last year was a fairly quiet one for LA singer Gabrielle B. Hopefully this year is a more active one for her, but for the time being, we can enjoy her new single “Undeniable.” The extremely sweet and tender record watches her wave a white flag and surrender her guard to a love that she finally sees as long-lasting and perfect for her.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Long before Jack Quaid’s Hughie experienced the A-train induced trauma that led him to start pounding Compound V like it was going out of style, he was part of the vast ensemble cast in the first The Hunger Games movie. He’s since starred as part of the equally vast ensemble cast in the newest Scream incarnation, and he’s a much more recognizable face these days. Whereas back in the day, his biggest claim to fame was being a District 1 career tribute named Marvel, who displayed some of the unsettling smile-factor that one would expect from the offspring of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan.
Lionsgate
A close up, if you will. It’s a face that’s up to no good:
Lionsgate
Jack also received plenty of grief for what Marvel did: He killed the beloved Rue, who was a friend to Katniss even when they were supposed to be mortal enemies. Previously, people called the actor out on Twitter after realizing that Jack played that dastardly role, and this led to Jack apologizing with an “Oh sh*t that’s right. Sorry.” He added, “I was brainwashed by my luxurious District 1 upbringing. But yes incredibly sorry.”
Well finally (via Indiewire), the time has come for a confrontation, but it worked out well! At this past weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con, Amanda and Jack came face to face in an E! News panel (which you can view on TikTok), and Amanda declared that she had finally forgiven him for “killing” her. He responded, “Yes! Yes! Thank you Amandla. Oh my god, people were spitting on me in the streets for years.”
Granted, those “streets” might actually be Twitter, but Quaid did endure plenty of ribbing whenever people stumbled upon the Panem reruns on cable TV. To update the situation: Jack Quaid did carry out the physical motions of killing Rue, but he’s very very sorry. And now, we have closure.
Of the many superlatives that Donald Trump could legitimately lay claim to—most impeached president, biggest liar, and most hated president among the contenders—most persecuted person in the history of America isn’t one of them… unless you ask the former president directly. Over the past few days, Trump has told the same story about “a friend” (which arises suspicion) pointing out that he’s been so busy fighting off all that persecution that he hasn’t even stopped to think about just how persecuted he has been—and Seth Meyers, for one, isn’t buying it.
On Monday night, Meyers recapped some of the most bizarre moments from this weekend’s Turning Point USA Student Action Summit, a conservative conference held in Tampa where Ted Cruz appeared on the stage like a goddamn rockstar, complete with smoke machines, and Trump trotted out his latest “woe is me” claim.
“Trump repeated a line he had also used at one of his rallies last week, that he is the most persecuted person in American history,” Meyers said, before cutting to a clip of the former POTUS in which recalled being told this very thing by “a friend” and at first dismissing the idea as a bit too strong. But when he had time to think about it, he realized that it very well may be true. Trump just “didn’t have time to think about being persecuted because I was fighting persecution.” Which might make sense, if “fighting persecution” meant doing whatever it takes to defend the outright lies you’ve told to the American people. The whole narrative was almost too comical for Meyers to even take:
I like the idea that this didn’t occur to Trump until “a friend” suggested it. Is this where he gets all his ideas? ‘You know, Donald, I was thinking, your situation kind of reminds me of, well, the Salem Witch Trials. It’s almost like it’s a hunt… for witches, Donald. You know, like a Witch Hunt…
I love that he never names the friend… I also love the idea that Trump sat back and thought about it after he finished conjugating ‘persecuted.’ He just sat back and came to the conclusion that yes, his friend was right. I’m sure he was just sitting in his study with a pipe and smoking jacket, surrounded by walls of books, comparing himself to other historical examples. ‘Famous persecuted Americans, let’s see: there’s me, there’s Rosa Parks, there’s Ruben ‘Hurricane’ Carter. I guess out of those three it’s gotta be me if it’s those three.’
Meyers’ opinion is that Trump is desperately embarrassed by the outtakes aired by the January 6th committee last week of the former president trying—and failing—to give a speech on January 7, 2021, in which he attempted to condemn the violent acts of the previous day… but kept getting hung up on the word “yesterday” (which, let’s face it, is always a tricky one—what with its three syllables).
Meyers was even more amused by the physical gestures Trump made while attempting to deliver his speech and being tripped up by words like, well, yesterday. “He looks like he’s surrounded by a swarm of invisible bees. Does he literally think he can fight off the word with his bare hands?”
Come mid-September, we’ll have a new Death Cab For Cutie album, as Asphalt Meadows is set for release on September 16. They announced the album back in May, and now they’ve made their first late-night TV appearance in support of it, popping up on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last night to perform their latest single, mid-July’s “Here To Forever.”
Ben Gibbard and company have been together for about a quarter of a century now, so they’re more experienced than just about any other indie band still kicking around today. That well-aged polish showed during the Colbert performance, as the group delivered a confident and engaging performance of the upbeat single that has a sound that ought to feel comfortably familiar to longtime DCFC fans.
Gibbard previously said of the track in a statement, “It’s a song both about our impermanence and the anxiety of these times. It’s also about wanting to believe in something bigger even when it feels like nothing is out there.”
Watch Death Cab For Cutie perform “Here To Forever” on Colbert above.
Asphalt Meadows is out 9/16 via Atlantic. Pre-order it here.
Death Cab For Cutie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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