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Nav returns with the first single from his upcoming album Demons Protected by Angels, tapping collaborators Lil Baby, Mike Dean, Tay Keith, and Travis Scott for “Never Sleep.” Tay Keith provides the beat, with additional production by Grayson and Mike Dean, and the three rappers let loose, calculating their income and detailing their spending through colorful metaphors hailing their wealth. The collaboration marks Nav’s second with Lil Baby after “Don’t Need Friends” from Emergency Tsunami and his fifth with Travis Scott.

Demons Protected by Angels will be the Canadian artist’s fourth studio album, following 2020’s Good Intentions. Since then, however, Nav did release Emergency Tsunami, a joint mixtape produced entirely by Atlanta producer Wheezy featuring appearances from Gunna, Lil Baby, the late Lil Keed, SahBabii, and Young Thug. The working chemistry between Nav and Wheezy started when they worked on a few tracks from Good Intentions together (three songs were placed on the final album).

In addition to featuring many of his frequent collaborators like Gunna, Future, and Travis Scott, Good Intentions also featured appearances from Don Toliver, Lil Uzi Vert, and the late Pop Smoke. It was followed by a deluxe reissue titled Brown Boy 2, adding Lil Duke and Quavo to its list of features.

Listen to Nav’s “Never Sleep” featuring Lil Baby and Travis Scott above.

Much of the buzz (fairly or not) going into Amazon Prime’s release of Paper Girls would tell you that the show’s a lot like Stranger Things. And granted, I get this. The show’s first trailer went there, and why wouldn’t the marketing team want to project that vibe, right after the Netflix juggernaut unfurled the squelch-filled Season 4? We’ve got kids riding bikes like Cadillacs in a fictional town and 1980s music and a very mysterious something going on, dark forces and whatnot. On paper, Paper Girls sounds like an amped-up version because there’s some immediate time travel as a bonus. And there’s Jason Mantzoukas as some kind of cosmic, vaguely-wizard-esque time dude, and you can see where things are going here, other than the Wizard of Oz similarities. This is akin to Stranger Things, but right off the bat, it sounds even stranger.

Here’s the thing, though. This show is actually not very nostalgic, aside from the soundtrack, and it doesn’t look back fondly upon the 1980s. Ronald Reagan references (and eerie cameos) abound, not in a good way, and when our protagonists get swept up in a war between travelers and find themselves far from home, the unappealing side of the 1980s spirit (which is at times bleak) comes with them. And the future is no less welcoming, but these literal paper-delivery girls are not alone. They have each other, and they’ve also got their future selves. It’s a trip, man, and I’m about to make a comparison that some people will actually laugh at when they see this show.

Yes, Stranger Things fans will probably like this show. Fans of Netflix’s Dark will like it even more. Fans of the celebrated Paper Girls comic (by Brian K. Vaughn) will delight in seeing the pages come to life. But what I’m also feeling — not in terms of plot but in spirit — is some Yellowjackets flavor. Granted, it’s a very, very tame aspect of the Showtime series’ that’s dancing in the corner, and Paper Girls is much different in plot than Yellowjackets. There’s no plane crash and no abundance of gross-out cult sh*t, but the four protagonists’ drive to survive in extraordinary circumstances, together and separately and both in the past and in the future, makes these two projects at least second cousins. Also, both shows tangle with a coming-of-age theme but kick through that well-treaded, makeshift wall to become greater than the sum of their parts.

However, this show takes a much more sentimental and less cynical view on female friendship than most of Yellowjackets did, but enough wiggle room exists to appreciate how, really, the conflict in this show can be witnessed in these girls’ inward and outward fights with themselves at other points in the timeline.

I couldn’t resist tossing a comic book image into this review because this is one project where familiarity with the subject matter will help, but it’s not necessary, to help with the shock value of certain visual spectacles as the girls fight to save the future. There are plenty of “is this really happening?” moments, like when there’s a massive f*cking robot in view. Some of those effects are wonky, as are CGI effects of gross bugs and so on. All of that is sheer spectacle, but it doesn’t distract from what’s really going on, which is the vivid rendering of each girl’s inner life. We really get to see inside of their souls and how they experience the future while reckoning with the past. And yes, the four protagonists are tweens, but that’s incidental, and this is no mere coming-of-age tale.

There are a lot of moving parts here that I would do a disservice to try and describe. Again, the paper girls (portrayed by Fina Strazza, Riley Lai Nelet, Camryn Jones, and Sofia Rosinsky) get volleyed from 1988 (within the spooky after-moments of Halloween, while they’re only trying to do their jobs) into 2019. One of the girls’ future selves is portrayed by Ali Wong, and let’s just say that this character’s future is not bright. She’s doing better than at least one of the other future versions, but oddly enough, the younger version of the character has a much better grasp on how to tackle life. And Sofia Rosinsky’s Mac (the first paper girl in town) isn’t as abrasive as expected, although there’s time for that later. I’ll just say that Mac is more likable than not, and at least she gets something out of the future (rocking out to a key Danzig tune).

In confronting the future, these girls transform into formidable women, fast. They’re well-drawn characters, and not mere archetypes, who command attention for their multi-dimensional rendering. What they experience in the future, both while attempting to save the world amid warring factions, turns deeply personal, and it is at times heartbreaking. Imagine trying to navigate adolescence while also dealing with the harsh realities of adulthood. It’s enough to make anyone collapse into a ball. You and I would likely be overcome by the stress of it all. These young ladies don’t have that luxury, and not only are they dealing with intergenerational stress within themselves, they’re breaking down the boxes that society would like to place them. And they’re wrestling with how to fix the future while jousting with what could happen if they tweak the past.

More than any of the spectacle or sci-fi themes — which do not always flow smoothly or conceivably or in a visually cohesive way in this show — the real attractions of Paper Girls are the paper girls themselves. There’s the new girl, the gamer, the somewhat misunderstood tough cookie, and so on. They arrive from vastly different cultures and backgrounds and come together with some resistance and difficulty, and a few of them are very tough nuts to crack, but they’re strong enough as entities to make the show worth enduring its weaker points — like the secondary characters who come and go and don’t always make sense, and the fact that this show’s emotionally harrowing at times. Yet I’m going to part with this: the Stranger Things comparison isn’t entirely fair, but the show will hit with a similar audience, maybe not with the same volume of viewers but with ones who are equally enthused. Time travel’s sorely overdone on TV lately, and so are kids on bikes, but this show does both equally well. You’ll probably dig it.

Amazon Prime’s ‘Paper Girls’ is currently streaming.

Shakira is in a bit of legal hot water at the moment: Prosecutors in Spain are calling for the singer to spend eight years (and two months) in prison, and pay a fine of 24 million euros (about $24.4 million), if she gets convicted for alleged tax fraud, the Associated Press reports.

Shakira is charged with failing to pay 14.5 million euros (about $14.7 million) in taxes to the Spanish government between 2012 and 2014, since she allegedly spent more than half of 2012, 2013, and 2014 in the country and therefore should have paid taxes there. Shakira recently ended an 11-year relationship with soccer player Gerard Piqué, with whom she has two children and used to live in Barcelona.

The indictment includes six charges against Shakira. Earlier this week, Shakira rejected a settlement deal offered by prosecutors, apparently finding going to trial the more appealing option. A trial date has not yet been set.

Shakira was named in last year’s Pandora Papers leak, but was not accused of wrongdoing. A representative offered a statement to Rolling Stone at the time, saying, “At the time, [Shakira’s companies addressed in the Pandora Papers] were set up for a specific operational purpose. Today they have no income or activity whatsoever and, in fact, they are in the process of being liquidated.” They also noted these companies were properly declared to Spanish tax authorities.

It’s been four months since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for not keeping his wife’s name out of his f*cking mouth at the 94th Academy Awards, even though it feels like it’s been four years. But for Smith, who later that night won his first Oscar and gave an extremely awkward speech, it’s only “been a minute.”

Smith uploaded a video to his YouTube channel titled “It’s been a minute” where he directly addresses The Slap. “I was fogged out by that point,” he said when asked why he didn’t apologize to Rock in his acceptance speech. “It’s all fuzzy. I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”

Smith said that there’s “no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment. There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults.” He also denied that Jada Pinkett Smith told him to “do something” following Rock’s G.I. Jane joke. “No,” Smith said. “I made a choice on my own from my own experiences, from my history with Chris. Jada had nothing to do with it.”

You can watch the video above.

A good way to show an artist you love them is to not pose major safety hazards at their shows. Unfortunately, an attendee at Dua Lipa‘s show at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on her Future Nostalgia Tour the other night did not get this memo and set off fireworks in the crowd.

The “Levitating” singer has since acknowledged this on her Instagram story, saying that “my team and I are just as shocked and confused by the events as you all are.” Read her full statement below, which appeared on her Instagram story last night.

“Last night, unauthorized fireworks went off in the crowd during my set in Toronto. Creating a safe and inclusive space at my shows is always my first priority, and my team and I are just as shocked and confused by the events as you all are.

There is an ongoing investigation into the events being conducted, and everyone involved is working hard to find out how this incident occurred. Bringing this show to life for my fans has been such an amazing experience, and I’m so deeply sorry for anyone who was scared, felt unsafe or whose enjoyment of the show was affected in any way.”

The Inside the NBA crew will keep its most prominent member. According to an interview he gave to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Charles Barkley will remain with the show where he’s been a stalwart for decades after conversations came to an end about a role with LIV Golf, the new professional golf league financed by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia.

“I want to thank Greg Norman and LIV for their interest in me,” Barkley told Marchand. “I wish those guys great success and nothing but the best. But, in my best interest, and being fair to Turner — because Turner and basketball have given me every single thing in my life — it is best for me to move on and I’m staying with Turner for the rest of my TV career.”

Marchand reported that negotiations had not gotten to a point where LIV Golf offered Barkley a contract.

The news of Barkley’s decision comes on the heels of a report from Dan Patrick, who indicated that Barkley would meet with LIV Golf decision-makers last week about joining in some capacity. Patrick further noted that Barkley, should he accept a role with the upstart golf league led by Norman, would have to leave Inside, where he has provided analysis about basketball and scores of other things since 2000.

Earlier this month, Barkley indicated he had some level of interest in joining LIV Golf in a cameo on The Next Round.

“I’m gonna meet with LIV,” Barkley said. “To be always transparent and honest, they called me and asked me if I’d meet with them. I said yes. Nothing’s imminent. I actually don’t know everything they want from me or what they technically want me to do. But you have to always look at every opportunity that’s available. So, to answer your question, yes, I’m gonna 100 percent meet with LIV.”

Barkley’s love of golf is nothing new — the NBA Hall of Fame inductee has long played the game, both for fun and in semi-competitive tournaments, while much has been made of the way his swing has been overhauled over the course of his life. There is no word on whether the door is open for something between the two sides down the line, but Barkley has said he would probably leave broadcasting when his current contract with Turner is up in two years because “I don’t want to die on TV.”

Post Malone‘s love for geeky games like Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering is no secret. Last year, he announced his partnership with MTG creators Wizards Of The Coast to promote the return of Friday Night Magic, a promotional campaign for the popular fantasy card game, promising “some cool stuff” to come in the following year. More recently, we discovered just what that “cool stuff” would entail. During a live stream next Friday, August 5, Post will select one viewer to fly to Los Angeles to play a one-on-one MTG match with him for $100,000.

Pardon me while I dig out and dust off my deck.

The actual match will take place on August 11 at 6 pm local time and stream via the Whatnot app. To enter, fans will need to download the app, create an account, and tune into the live stream on Friday. The winner will be randomly selected. According to the event website, no previous experience is required as MTG champion Reid Duke will coach the competitor ahead of the match (although, let’s face it; it’ll probably help to know what you’re doing ahead of time).

For the past month, Post has been hosting livestreams on Twitch, playing the battle royale-hero shooter Apex Legends and giving money to charity. Looks like mom was wrong about not being able to make a career out of playing video games — too bad I believed her, eh?

For a guy who quit the role over three years ago, Ben Affleck sure can’t seem to stop playing Batman. After filming an appearance in The Flash and reshoots for Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Affleck is apparently back again Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. The cameo was supposed to be a surprise, but fans on a Warner Bros. studio tour accidentally spotted the actor on the set of the Aquaman sequel. Realizing the bat’s out of the bag, Jason Momoa confirmed the news on his Instagram.

“REUNITED bruce and arthur,” Momoa wrote. “love u and miss u Ben WB studio tours just explored the backlot alright. busted on set all great things coming AQUAMAN 2 all my aloha j”

If you scroll through the photos of Momoa and Affleck hamming it up, the Aquaman star also shared the moment he knew the Batfleck cameo was busted. In the video, you can hear Momoa laughing (and dropping an “F-bomb”) as he realized that a shuttle full of tourists definitely saw Affleck walking around the set.

“Well, it’s not a f*cking secret anymore, is it? Sorry, children,” a laughing Momoa said to the group before turning to the camera to himself while continuing to crack up. “That’s what happens, Warner Bros., when you walk out of your set and there’s our fans. … Well, we tried to keep it a secret.”

Momoa then peeked into a trailer where Affleck was hiding in costume as Bruce Wayne after being spotted by the tour bus. “Sorry, bro!” Momoa said before walking away still laughing.

Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom swims into theaters on March 17, 2023.

(Via Jason Momoa on Instagram)

You’ve heard of meatless Mondays, but have you ever heard of meatless Fridays? This week, Indiecast hosts Steven Hyden and Ian Cohen are forgoing the meat of the episode in order to focus on the biggest indie news of the week. That’s right — it’s all banter to celebrate the last double-digit installment before Indiecast hits 100 episodes. That’s partly due to Steven and Ian not being able to get their hands on an advance of Beyoncé’s new album, but also because there’s simply too much indie news to discuss. In this week’s episode, Indiecast talks emo week, Joni Mitchell’s first performance in two decades, 10 years of Frank Ocean’s debut Channel Orange, and more.

In this week’s Recommendation Corner, Ian gives props to Chat Pile, an Oklahoma City band he hopes gains traction this year. Meanwhile, Steven gives a shout out to the Reigning Sound, a band formed in 2001 by Greg Cartwright who made eight great albums before disbanding.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 99 below and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Kenan Thompson is the longest-tenured cast member in Saturday Night Live history, which should give him seniority when it comes to making decisions about the sketch show. That’s unfortunately not how it works, however, not with Lorne Michaels still kicking around Studio 8H. He’s the one who ultimately decides what makes it to air and when the show will (eventually?) end. But maybe he’ll listen to Kenan?

“The rumor is, the show is ending at its 50th season because Mr. Lorne Michaels doesn’t want to do it after age 80. Is that true?” host Charlamagne tha God asked Thompson on his Comedy Central series, Hell of a Week. The former-All That and Kenan and Kel star pretended to play dumb (“Is that a rumor?”) before directly responding to the rumor. “There could be a lot of validity to that rumor, because 50 is a good number to stop at,” he said. “That’s an incredible package. He will be, probably, close to 80 years old at that point, and you know, he’s the one who’s had his touch on the whole thing.”

Thompson continued:

“So, if somebody tries to come into his shoes, you know it’s a good opportunity for NBC to save money as well, you know what I’m saying? So they might slash the budget and then at that point, you can’t really do the same kind of show. So that’s unfair to watch it just really go down kind of in flames or whatever for real because of those restrictions… Capping it a 50 might not be a bad idea,”

SNL has been around for 47 seasons — it could last forever, but 50 is a nice round number to end things. Then again, I thought the same thing about The Simpsons after 20 seasons… and 30 seasons… and now it’s up 33 seasons, with season 34 premiering in September. One thing’s for sure: the SNL series finale, whenever it happens, will feature Paul Simon. Even if he’s no longer with us, he’ll still be there, somehow.

You can watch the Hell of a Week video above.

(Via The Wrap)