The actor and pop singer has been riding a high after a successful hosting stint (these days, as long as you don’t totally bomb, there’s a good chance you’ll be invited back someday) and took to TikTok to glow a bit. “How was snl? Iconic and I tried to be cool,” Gomez commented, on a video of her dancing in the SNL green room to Lizzo’s “About Damn Time.”
It didn’t take long for Lizzo, who’s a bit of a TikTok Queen herself, to have some fun with the video of Gomez. In a separate TikTok video, Lizzo superimposed herself doing the same dance moves as Gomez in front of the former’s video. It ends with both of them laughing at themselves (each other?) and Lizzo’s comment on the clip said simply “Collab? @Selena Gomez.”An elated Gomez, quickly replied to Lizzo’s post, saying “YES YES YES.” And that, is how we will someday (soon?) have a Lizzo and Selena Gomez collaboration track. Happy Monday.
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Freddie Gibbs is well-known for being one of hip-hop’s top trolls, but it appears that his mischievous ways may have caught up to him recently. Fans on Twitter are convinced that Gibbs’ back-and-forth with Benny The Butcher escalated into a physical altercation ahead of Gibbs’ show Sunday night in Benny’s native Buffalo, New York. The evidence backing these claims is a series of photos posted to Twitter that seemingly depict Gibbs performing with swelling around his eyes — the type you might expect from someone who’d recently been in a fight (or stung by a bee, I suppose).
There have certainly been a number of tweets that purported to have seen the incident in question. One commenter claimed, “I just saw Freddie Gibbs get beat up and his chain took while I was eating in buffalo Ny.”
The feud appears to have begun — at least publicly — with Benny citing that the duo’s working relationship “came and went” during an interview with Spotify. Gibbs issued an ornery response on social media, saying, “Just keep my name out y’all mouth when y’all talking to people or doing interviews,” in a video on his oft-suspended Instagram. They have been trading barbs ever since. Incidentally, one of those barbs was Freddie inviting an unnamed critic to a “head-up fade.” If he really did have a run-in with Benny’s crew, it looks like that invite was officially turned down.
Freddie Gibbs raps dont hit the same when you know niggas really be running up on him in real life
freddie gibbs got shot at in new york, pressed in detroit, beat up by jim jones goons and now beat up by benny the butcher’s goons. madlib shoulda worked with roc marciano instead
Before this, though, they seemed to enjoy an amicable working relationship, with Benny appearing on Gibbs’ 2020 album Alfredo (on the song “Frank Lucas“) and Freddie returning the favor on Benny’s own 2020 project Burden Of Proof.
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.
Back in 2019, the fourth episode of the second season of the Black-ish spinoff Grown-ish featured the debut of Leikeli47’s video for “Tic Boom.” The lead-up to the video throughout the episode found the show’s cast preparing a watch party for a mystery artist’s video premiere, with the cast debating what makes a musical genius. The episode was an obvious reference to then-recent album premieres from the likes of Frank Ocean and Kanye West, who both got name-checked, along with Chief Keef, Drake, and Young Thug.
Then, one character makes an observation that seems obvious in hindsight but highlights an ongoing problem in pop culture – especially when it comes to hip-hop. Why are all the so-called “geniuses” men? Even now, in an era with more female rappers charting than ever before – from Cardi B and Doja Cat to Latto and Saweetie – somehow, female artists still seem to receive less attention and respect than their male counterparts. I was reminded of this over the past weekend, as my social feeds buzzed over Kendrick Lamar’s new album.
Less pronounced was the buzz for Leikeli47’s new album, Shape Up. The culmination of a beauty shop-themed trilogy including 2017’s Wash & Set and 2018’s Acrylic, on the surface, Shape Up also bears all the hallmarks of a work of rap genius. As part of a trilogy, the 14-track project comes with rich mythology of its own built by the masked rapper’s prior works. Leikeli has always defied convention, eschewing both contemporary and traditional hip-hop sounds to craft her own unique, dancefloor-ready take on the genre. She’s as informed by the drag ballroom scene as she is the trap house, with beats featuring influences from house, techno, and dancehall.
She’s also a superb rapper with one hell of a hook; taking a page from the book of the late, great MF DOOM, she has yet to make a public appearance without one of her signature face masks. She makes them herself out of bandanas and balaclavas, occasionally bedazzling or otherwise embellishing them. We don’t even know her real name; she’s like a modern-day hip-hop superhero, using her anonymity to put the focus squarely on the boundary-pushing, eclectic style she’s pioneering.
It’s hard to hear booming, confident jams like “Chitty Bang” and “LL Cool J” without wondering how they aren’t as ubiquitous as those of her female peers – let alone the breezy No. 1s accumulated by men like Drake, Future, and Jack Harlow. They’re every bit as catchy and transportive, every bit as relevant to the times, every bit as quotable and cocksure, with lines like “It’s all checks and balances, baby, the world is mine,” feeling just as much like potential Instagram captions as any of the catchphrases the above-mentioned names have offered recently.
And Leikeli can sing, too. I mean, legitimately sing, not that weird, atonal humming thing a lot of rappers have been doing in recent years. On “Done Right” and “Hold My Hand,” she switches to full-on R&B, offering tender reflections on romance and relationships minus the toxicity that’s marked the genre lately. Meanwhile, “BITM” and “Jay Walk” practically beg the listener to catwalk, strut, and vogue like it was the ball culture heyday of the late 1980s. And lest anyone doubt her rap skills, her storytelling takes the fore on “Free To Love,” while her wordplay shines on “Instant Classic.”
If this album — this consistency and cohesion in eclecticism, this total commitment to the presentation, is not the work of a genius, then the list of who all deserves such a title needs to get several dozen names shorter. If anything, the muted buzz of excitement leading up to this project’s release just proves that in hip-hop, eclecticism can be a disadvantage as much as a strength. Pushing the genre’s boundaries can earn an artist a lot of love from critics and fans, but it can just as easily take them too far beyond the margins for rap centrists who want the genre to remain the same as much as they want it to grow.
It also proves that hip-hop still has a long way to go in terms of truly including women in the conversation. Just recently, both Lil Wayne and Ja Rule admonished their peers and successors to acknowledge the contributions of women in hip-hop, with Wayne singling out Missy Elliott for her own innovative catalog. Incidentally, one of the names Leikeli47 is most often compared to is Missy (both are from Virginia, which may explain their sympathetic resonance with one another). Sometimes, it feels very much like we’ve failed the latter, who only recently began to receive flowers in the form of lifetime achievement awards and belated shout-outs from the rappers she’s inspired. The same can’t happen for Leikeli47. They say genius is never appreciated in its time, but today, we certainly have the opportunity to acknowledge her as the genius she’s already proven herself to be.
The Phoenix Suns have entered their offseason earlier than expected after laying an egg in Game 7 of the West semis against the Mavs, getting thoroughly outplayed by Luka Doncic and company, who seemingly made the Suns quit on their home floor by halftime in a must-win game.
It was an astonishing thing to watch because the hallmark of the Suns for the past two years has been their fight and resiliency, only to fold almost immediately under the pressure applied by Dallas in the biggest game of their season thus far. While an impressive performance from Dallas that made it clear that they have grown from postseason heartbreak in recent years, it raises some questions about the Suns and where they stand going into this summer.
Another Finals run would’ve all but guaranteed the Suns run it back again, no matter the outcome, but with Chris Paul very suddenly looking old (to the delight of some like Patrick Beverley) and a weird situation involving Deandre Ayton and Monty Williams that saw the star big man play just 17 minutes in Game 7, that doesn’t seem assured.
The Suns brass will huddle up over the next month-plus to figure out their path forward, but with cap room tight, Ayton figures to be the decisive piece on how they will proceed. Ayton was not given the max extension his fellow Class of 2018 cohorts were, and he wasn’t happy about that but pressed on this season. For the Suns, they’ll have to decided whether to match a max offer or look to swing a deal for him (as just letting him walk doesn’t solve any cap issues). Bringing him back locks them into this group with little flexibility to make changes, but obviously this group has a high ceiling when everything is clicking. If they believe something needs to change, though, he is the only avenue to make significant upgrades elsewhere on the roster via a sign-and-trade.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski laid out those options and made clear that there wasn’t a world in which Ayton wasn’t getting a max this offseason, it’s just a matter of where he ends up. The Suns can match any offer sheet, but if they want to trade him, they’ll need to work with Ayton to find the place that best fits what he’s looking for in a team who can also offer something substantial in return for the Suns to get something out of the former No. 1 overall pick.
“Deandre Ayton did not feel valued by this Phoenix organization… [He] is going to get a max contract in the marketplace, somewhere… There are a lot of teams lining up to figure out: how can we acquire him?”@wojespn on Ayton’s future with Suns pic.twitter.com/d6flmZNCjz
It is rather stunning that Ayton finds himself in this position given his growth into a very good big man and a crucial piece of a Finals team last year. Still, his inconsistency in effectiveness and impact on games was evident this postseason, and the Suns may view their biggest need as some more ball-handling and creation rather than a big man who needs others to get him involved offensively. Ayton still has room to grow, and if he taps into that remaining potential, he’ll be well worth a max, but Phoenix clearly has questions about whether he will take that extra step.
Other teams won’t be as worried about that, believing they can bring the rest of it out of him and seeing the potential two-way dominance as a welcome addition worthy of a max. While the list of teams that can clear max cap space is very small, there are far more that could put together the salaries necessary to bring him in on a sign-and-trade. One would expect the majority of those teams to reside in the East, given the presence of Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, and other quality bigs.
When July 1 rolls around, we’ll start to learn where all parties involved stand, and it’s possible the West’s top-seed will see a major shakeup.
Disney and Pixar have started teasing details about their next surely beautiful to look at and emotional as heck animated feature, Elemental. Directed by Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur), the film will focus on characters named Ember and Wade in a city where residents representing the — you guessed it — four elements live together. According to Sohn, the film will pull heavily from his early years living in New York with his immigrant parents.
“My parents emigrated from Korea in the early 1970s and built a bustling grocery store in the Bronx. We were among many families who ventured to a new land with hopes and dreams — all of us mixing into one big salad bowl of cultures, languages and beautiful little neighborhoods. That’s what led me to Elemental,” the native New Yorker said in a statement.
You can check out Elemental concept art featuring the fiery young woman Ember and “go with the flow guy” Wade below:
Pixar
Elemental is tentatively slated to hit theaters on June 23, 2023. We say tentatively because Pixar employees have been bummed to see films like Turning Red and Luca get shifted to Disney+ during the pandemic. Obviously, the situation was unavoidable, and they get why Disney made the call, but these artists were a little let down after working for years for what they thought was a theatrical release.
Hopefully, Elemental will have smoother sailing towards its theatrical release, both for the artists and crew involved in making it and for, like, the rest of society, too. Real win-win there.
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn have been dating since 2016, and at this point, anything goes when it comes to each other’s careers, right? Well, that idea has been put to the test lately as Swift was on set for the filming of Hulu’s brand new TV seriesConversations With Friends, where Alwyn stars as Nick, opposite Alison Oliver’s Frances. That means Swift was there to witness a number of sex scenes between Oliver and Alwyn too.
In a recent interview with The Times, Oliver talked about Swift’s presence on the set and said that she was ‘totally cool’ with the filming of the steamier moments between the co-stars and that she understands that the sex scenes are, “…part of Joe’s job, all part of the story.” The Times piece also acknowledges that there were “a whopping great number of sex scenes” in the show.
Conversations With Friends is based on a novel by Irish writer Sally Rooney. The last TV show that was based on one of Rooney’s novels, Normal People, was the most-streamed series in the BBC’s catalog in 2020. So for Alwyn, who appeared (albeit mysteriously) on Folklore, and has had past standout roles in movies like The Favourite and Mary Queen Of Scots, his profile is sure to be soaring. It’s good to see that Swift is being a supportive partner in the process, by all accounts.
Self-proclaimed “Minister of Culture” Matthew McConaughey wants YOU to know that you should NOT think of things as unbelievable, okay? You better believe them, because they happened!
In a seemingly unprompted speech, America’s favorite Texan tweeted out a video of himself giving the world a pep talk about the word “unbelievable” which he hopes to “wipe from the dictionary.” He also added the hashtag “#soulcash.” Sure!
Perhaps the actor has seen enough people talking about all of the unbelievably horrible stuff going on in the world and wanted to set the record straight…but in a way that nobody really asked for. We don’t know who he is talking to, or why he’s saying it. But he is. Here is what he says:
Unbelievable. It’s my least favorite word, I think we should wipe it out of the dictionary. Why? What’s so unbelievable about tragedy, about triumph, about people [ha!] that raise us up or let us down. It happens every single day we shouldn’t think that the most beautiful sunset or the greatest play or the greatest love of our life or the greatest moment of euphoria is unbelievable. Believe it! It’s happening right in front of you. In you! We shouldn’t feel like the greatest tragedy of death or earthquakes or national disasters or loss is unbelievable. It’s part of life too! Believe it. We see it every day. Unbelievable? I don’t buy it. Awesome, horrible, incredible. I believe those. That’s a good way to explain things. But unbelievable? Nah. It just happened. Believe it.
Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron recently tested positive for COVID-19, the timing of which wasn’t great (not that it ever is) since the band is currently on tour. For the first show he missed, an Oakland Arena concert on May 12, he was replaced by a combination of Richard Stuverud and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. That same duo filled in at the next day’s show at the same venue. That time, though, they were also joined by Kai Neukermans, an 18-year-old high school drummer who got to perform “Mind Your Manners” with the band.
Now, in a new SFGate feature, Neukermans describes the wild experience. It’s worth noting Neukermans isn’t some random high school kid, but an accomplished drummer: He’s in a band called The Alive and they’ve performed at some major festivals, like Lollapalooza Chile and Shaky Knees.
As for how Neukermans came to join Pearl Jam on stage, the story goes that after he heard Cameron had COVID, he reached out to Vedder’s 17-year-old daughter Olivia, who he knew from performing at Vedder’s Ohana Music Festival last year. She told him that Klinghoffer was filling in, but the next day, she said the band was taking submissions from drummers, telling him to film himself playing one of their songs.
He was in school when he got the text, so he bolted, headed to a studio, recorded himself playing “Mind Your Manners,” and not long after that, Pearl Jam’s manager called him and gave him the good news.
When it came time to take the stage for his big moment, Vedder introduced him by saying, “He hasn’t graduated high school yet. This is the year, right? Everybody, this is Kai. Kai, this is everybody!” Then, in front of about 20,000 people, Neukermans got behind the drum kit and didn’t miss a (literal) beat.
Neukermans told SFGate, “It was surreal, the amount of people that were there. The arena lit up and everyone was screaming.”
Watch Neukermans’ performance above and read the full SFGate feature here.
At the time they came out, the initial Star Wars prequels were not very well-loved by hardcore fans. Sure, the teens loved it, but the love sort of stopped there. Now that it’s been two decades, it’s time to admit the movies are good. Even Anakin himself, Hayden Christensen believes it!
In a new interview with StarWars.com, the actor admits that the films needed some time to age, and he believes they aged gracefully. He’s right and he should say it! “It’s like those films had a gestation period, where they needed a little time to ferment in the public psyche,” Christensen said. “The reception that the films have now, it’s very heartwarming.”
Christensen recently admitted that he had to go back and watch the whole series to prepare for his role in Obi-Wan. He was impressed with just how great they were. Again, he is correct.
“Watching them again as a whole, I was really struck with the quality and depth of the storytelling and George’s vision for all of it. It’s so nuanced, complex, and layered,” he added. “Really remarkable.” Christensen went on to talk about his great relationship with Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan in the prequels and the upcoming series.
“We were very close and remain close. We just hadn’t seen each other in a little while. But we got together before we started filming, just to catch up, and it was so nice to reconnect with him. I love the man so much.” Once again, he’s always right! McGregor also recently admitted his love for the films, “I like them, you know? I like them. Episode 3 is a really good movie.”
Maybe Adam Driver will be able to convince us that the sequels were good 20 years from now.
St. Bernardus/La Senne/Val-Dieu/Chimay/istock/Uproxx
While craft brewers have taken the mantle admirably and certainly shown their own prowess over the past few decades, few US breweries have anywhere near the history of their European counterparts. This is especially true when it comes to Belgian beer. While Allagash might make a Belgian-style wheat beer with its iconic Allagash White, it still can’t beat the real thing.
A lack of popularity amidst the US boom means there are a ton of classic Belgian beers that are underrated, under-appreciated, and undervalued by today’s casual drinkers. Luckily, our favorite craft beer experts are here to help. We asked them to tell us their picks for the most underrated Belgian beers. They gave us a slew of great answers and more than a few to add to our list.
A lot of folks still go crazy for Westy 12 and for good reason: it’s incredible. However, I’d put St. Bernardus Abt. 12 up there any day of the week. This quad pours beautifully into the glass with a generous head that bottle-conditioned beers are known for. Flavors of burnt candy sugar, raisin, and plum lead to a delightfully dry finish that leaves you ready for another sip.
Bonus points are that it is much easier to find and much more affordable.
Is there such a thing as an underrated Belgian anymore? If I have to pick one, I’d go with Taras Boulba. I’m a huge fan of crisp, bitter beers and this one just hits it out of the park for me. It’s a light-bodied ale with a strong bitterness that I really enjoy.
I would say Duvel. I think it’s underrated even though it’s so widely available. And the aesthetic hasn’t changed since I started drinking it. But it’s a cool brewing process, a difficult-to-nail style, and it epitomizes the category. Candied citrus and phenolic spices, big fermentation character.
An amazing yeast-driven beer that gives you lots to think about and enjoy every time.
The most underrated Belgian beer will forever and always be Orval. Within a specific sect of the brewing community, this statement is not true, because many of our peers hold Orval in very high regard. On the other hand, I think for most beer drinkers, Orval is still criminally underrated. A kiss of brettanomyces, a vastly different experience depending on age, storage conditions, etc., and a clean and clear showcase of yeast and hops makes Orval a fun and ever-changing ride that you can enjoy in perpetuity.
I feel like Orval can appeal to the casual drinker looking for a somewhat “classic old-world character” and can also appease the nitpicker looking to dive deeper into nuanced flavor complexities. Orval always comes across as underrated, in my opinion, because there is no flashy trade/secondary market for it, and it does not carry any bold “new world” flavor edges (high acid, fruit, candy, cookies, lactose, etc.). Just another gem that is hidden to some within the vastness of the oft-overlooked world of good simple beer.
Westvleteren 6
Westvleteren
Douglas Constantiner, founder and CEO of Societe Brewing in San Diego
ABV: 6.2% Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Trappist Westvleteren 6 (Green cap) is my pick. Often Westie 12 is the shining star of this monastery’s brewery, and the blonde gets overlooked. The flavors this beer achieves with a low ABV makes it enjoyable yet it’s complex enough to remain interesting.
Dupont Foret Organic Saison is extremely underrated. It’s another beer overshadowed by a bigger name relative, this version of Saison Dupont is a bit stronger and utilizes a different yeast strain to give it a unique character that will surprise long time Dupont fans.
In this case, I’ll say that underrated means “often seen and often overlooked.” Hoegaarden is prolific and easy to get, and the perfect Belgian Wit. Cloudy wheat ale with the right mix of spice and citrus.
Very crisp, supremely drinkable.
Boon Oude Geuze
Boon
Marshall Hendrickson, co-founder and head of operations at Veza Sur Brewing in Miami
Boon Geuze: This is a classic lambic-style beer that is full of those bizarre farmhouse flavors, but somehow finishes tart and refreshing. It’s an incredibly dynamic beer with so much going on, and a great intro into farmhouse ales. Surprisingly underrated.
Val-Dieu Grand Cru
Val-Dieu
Jesse Mix, regional manager of beer and soft drinks at Sprecher Brewing Company in Glendale, Wisconsin
ABV: 10.5% Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Val-Dieu Grand Cru is a beautiful Belgian Quad. Dark roasted malts with hints of raisin, prune, caramel and toffee give this beer a very deep and complex flavor. It should be more well-known, but I’m kind of glad it isn’t.
Chimay Cinq Cents. Westmalle Tripel gets all the attention, and fairly so, but it ends up overshadowing the Chimay version. I’ve been guilty of passing up Cinq Cents in the past, but every time I go back to it, it reminds me that it’s every bit as good as the Westmalle version. They’re different tripels, the Chimay is softer, with more light, smooth fruit than the more pepper forward version from Westmalle.
Saison D’Epeautre from Brasserie de Blaugies is one of my favorite saisons and is just a perfect example of the style: dry, effervescent, hoppy, and with a balanced spicy/fruity profile. It flies a little under the radar in the US and can be hard to find but is always worth it when you do. Their house yeast strain is very popular with American brewers these days so you can taste a lot of the DNA of modern saison in this beer and see what the style should be when properly done.
I’ve got a deep cut here, Hop Verdomme from Brouwerij Kerkom. This beer has a real taste of place to it and straddles the line between IPA and saison in terms of the flavor profile. I don’t think there’s been enough attention on this brewery that is making awesome beers in the countryside of Belgium.
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/Kendrick Lamar’s Publicist (@big_business_) 
