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In the early 1980s, G.I. Joe rebranded under the “Real American Hero” line of 3 3/4th inch action figures that were basically Hasbro’s answer to what Star Wars was doing over at Kenner. (They are the same company now.) G.I. Joe was no longer a 12-inch figure named Joe, now this was a code name for a highly skilled strike force that would spawn a terrific Marvel comic, an animated series, then, eventually, three live action films.

In the mid-1980s G.I. Joe started adding “real” people to the team. All of a sudden, Refrigerator Perry from the Chicago Bears was a member of G.I. Joe. And then so was professional wrestler Sgt Slaughter, who, in the universe of G.I. Joe, was not a wrestler, but, instead, was a drill instructor. (Though, there were some real-world ramifications for Sgt Slaughter’s participation with G.I. Joe as the then WWF wasn’t thrilled about this, eventually leading to his temporary departure.)

(Also, as an aside, one of the most bizarre examples of “real” people joining G.I. Joe was that of Rocky Balboa. No, Sylvester Stallone wasn’t joining G.I. Joe, but in an issue of Marvel’s G.I. Joe: Order of Battle, basically a Who’s Who of G.I. Joe characters, it was unceremoniously announced that, yes, Rocky was a member of G.I. Joe. Then, as quickly as that happened, in the next issue there was a retraction saying that, no, Rocky was not, nor has ever been, in G.I. Joe. At a time there was no internet, this would have made a great time for there to have been an internet because it just became this unsolvable mystery for years and years until someone involved said it had to do with a competing toy company.)

But of all these examples, Sgt Slaughter is the one who has persisted. But unlike other G.I. Joe characters, a deal has to be reached with the real Sgt Slaughter to use his likeness. And that has now happened for the popular G.I. Joe Classified line of action figures. Here’s a very enthusiastic Sgt Slaughter himself sharing the exciting news!

G.I. Joe Classified debuted in 2020 as a highly detailed line of six-inch figures based on the classic characters from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. For anyone familiar with the Star Wars Black Series, they are like that, only they seem to, as a whole, include more accessories. (It will probably not come as a shock to learn that, yes, I have purchased a few G.I. Joe: Classified figures.)

So now Sgt Slaughter is finally coming to the Classified line for the first time. The information we were given is stressing that this is a multi-year partnership between Hasbro and Sgt Slaughter. It also stresses that his figure, “comes with (surprise) exciting accessories allowing fans to recreate the 80s nostalgic Sgt Slaughter experience.” As of right now, there’s no street date for Sgt Slaughter’s Classified action figure, so this is all just to tell you ”he’s coming.” And Hasbro provided a digital mockup of what the figure will eventually look like that you can look at right now:

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Ivanka Trump’s White House run was curiously involved and then soon (at least in her mind) forgotten. Trump had installed his daughter in a prominent senior advisor position, and now, she and husband Jared Kushner (who busied himself with “bringing peace” to the Middle East) are pretending like they didn’t help run the joint. On January 6, Ivanka also famously tweeted and deleted a message to the “American Patriots” who were storming the U.S. Capitol in what turned out to be a deadly insurrection. And the House Committee on Jan. 6 has now turned up Ivanka’s texts (from group text chain with Chief of Staff Mark Meadows) leading up to that day.

Let’s just say that Ivanka was not passively hanging back from the text chain with Kushner, Hope Hicks, Jason Miller, Dan Scavino, and more. A few days after the election didn’t go as planned for Team Trump, she texted, “You are all WARRIORS of epic proportions! Keep the faith and the fight!” Seth Meyers, of course (at about the 1:00 mark above), roasted the heck out of her for being such an Energizer Bunny. “She’s trying to overturn the results of an election with the tone of a Peloton instructor. And also, just a tip, if you’re planning a coup, maybe don’t do it via group chat?”

From there, Meyers imagined what else Ivanka would say about the coup: “Should do the coup on TikTok? I think that would totally slay!! LMK!” Yep, that sounds plausible!

Fresh off of his unofficial coronation at Coachella where he put on a standout, headliner-worthy performance, Lil Baby has announced his summer tour dates. The One Of Them Ones Tour kicks off in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 15 and runs through August 27 in Las Vegas, backed by Rolling Loud and co-headlined by Chris Brown.

Lil Baby didn’t just put on a show at Coachella; he also recently earned his 100th Hot 100 song, a feat only a handful of artists have ever accomplished. It looks like he wasn’t exaggerating when he boasted that “the summer is mines” earlier this year. You can see his tour dates below.

07/15 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
07/16 — Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
07/17 — Philadelphia, PA @ Waterfront Music Pavilion (formerly BB&T Pavilion)
07/19 — Washington D.C. @ Capital One Arena
07/22 — New York City, NY @ Madison Square Garden
07/23 — Boston, MA @ Xfinity Center
07/26 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
07/27 — Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Center
07/29 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
07/30 — Detroit, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
07/31 — Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
08/02 — Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
08/04 — Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
08/05 — St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
08/06 — Indianapolis, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
08/09 — Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
08/10 — Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
08/12 — West Palm Beach, FL @ iThink Financial Amphitheatre
08/13 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
08/16 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
08/17 — Houston, TX
08/19 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre
08/20 — Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-chin Pavilion
08/21 — Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre
08/23 — Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion
08/26 — Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
08/27 — Las Vegas, NV

Dua Lipa has been keeping busy. She’s about halfway done making her third album. She’s on tour in support of Future Nostalgia. Her recent Megan The Stallion collaboration “Sweetest Pie” was a big chart success. On top of that, she recently managed to capture the “ultimate thirst trap,” as she dubbed it.

This morning on Twitter, Lipa shared a brief gallery of photos and wrote, “swipe to the end for the ultimate thirst trap.” Two of the photos are Lipa just doing ordinary things in her life and one is of her singing on stage. As for the “ultimate thirst trap,” it’s a photo of Lipa in bed, but not as saucy as that description might make it sound. Instead, it’s just a blurry picture of Lipa landing on a bed, so this whole thing was Lipa flexing her sense of humor.

(She shared a version of the post on Instagram a few days ago, but with more photos.)

Elsewhere in her life, Lipa started a podcast, dropped by The Tonight Show and met her viral 80-year-old superfan, and saw “Levitating” become the longest-charting Hot 100 hit by a woman.

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

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music by Bartees Strange, Soccer Mommy, The Smile, Fontaines DC, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Fontaines DC — Skinty Fia

This week marked the release of Skinty Fia, the anticipated third studio album by Dublin’s Fontaines DC. At times haunting and propulsive, Fontaines DC proves the post-punk genre is still alive, packing radically honest lyrics and unsettling instrumentals into an inventive 10-track effort.

Spiritualized — Everything Was Beautiful

Though they’ve been making music for over three decades now, Spiritualized are still in their prime with the new album Everything Was Beautiful. The space rock LP calls back to the band’s early days, mixing experimental soundscapes with tender lyrics that built to a wall of psychedelic melodies on tracks like “Always Together With You” and “I’m Coming Home Again.”

Hatchie — Giving The World Away

Australian dream-pop artist Hatchie displays her refined confidence on her sophomore album Giving The World Away. The LP drifts between gauzy chords and airy synths, proving Hatchie writes more than love songs; contemplating on aging, second chances, and dependency in 12 reflective, at times dance-leaning tracks.

Kate Bollinger — Look At It In The Light

This week also graced us with Kate Bollinger’s effortlessly charming EP Look At It In The Light, her first project since 2020’s independently released EP A World Becomes A Sound. On her new effort, Bollinger leans into her lingering, breezy melodies with pensive songs like “Connecting Dots” and upbeat tunes like “Who Am I But Someone.”

Soccer Mommy — “Unholy Affliction”

Soccer Mommy has started rolling out new singles ahead of her upcoming third studio album Sometimes, Forever. Her latest, “Unholy Affliction,” is one of her most experimental to date, featuring buzzing synths and a deadpan lyrical delivery that marks one of her grittiest songs to date. “‘Unholy’ was really fun in the studio because the end result was totally different from what we expected,” Soccer Mommy said about the single.

Bartees Strange — “Cosigns”

This week marked a new era of music for breakout Philly artists Bartees Strange. His new track “Cosigns” officially heralds his new album Farm To Table and leans into his genre-bending sound. Mixing auto-tuned raps and a hard-hitting breakdown of electric guitars, “Cosigns” points to an inventive sophomore effort.

The Smile — “Free In The Knowledge”

The Smile, the new group consisting of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood alongside Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, has been dropping a number of enticing singles ahead of their debut release as a group, A Light For Attracting Attention. The latest song, “Free In The Knowledge,” is their most subdued song yet. Featuring an orchestral arrangement and Yorke’s vocals at the forefront, “Free In The Knowledge” is a beautiful and moving ballad.

The Wonder Years — “Oldest Daughter”

Philadelphia emo group The Wonder Years, not to be confused with the ’80s sitcom or recent reboot, have been releasing music for over a decade and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. This week, they kicked off a new era of music alongside a nearly sold-out tour with the latest track “Oldest Daughter,” a kinetic and compelling track about coming to the understanding that you can’t save everyone yourself.

Young Guv, James Matthew VII — “Change Your Mind”

Prolific songwriter Young Guv announced his upcoming project Guv IV this week with the swirling, melodic tune “Change Your Mind.” Armed with warm tones and a fitting harmonica refrain, the song is Young Guv’s version of a psychedelic lullaby.

Momma — “Speeding 72”

Duo Momma have proved themselves one to watch with their 2020 debut album Two Of Me. Now gearing up for their sophomore effort Household Name, the band shares the fuzzed-out track “Speeding 72.” In the new track, Momma flexes a catchy guitar riff and references their love of Pavement’s “Gold Soundz” while singing of finding love at a local gig.

Say Sue Me — “To Dream”

Korean indie group Say Sue Me dropped off the tranquil number “To Dream,” heralding their forthcoming LP The Last Thing Left. Reflecting the title, the song is a dreamy number packed with cascading guitar tones, mixing elements of shoegaze with ’90s indie and surf rock sensibilities.

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

After putting out the charming LP I Know I’m Funny Haha last year, Faye Webster just announced Car Therapy Sessions, an EP of reimagined songs of hers backed by an orchestra. “I think I had actually even cried listening to the demos,” she said upon the release of “Car Therapy,” the first single. Now she’s unveiled the newer version of “Jonny” off of her beloved 2019 album Atlanta Millionaires Club.

This rendition combines “Jonny,” the swaying, intimate ballad, with “Jonny (Reprise),” a spoken-word moment that takes vulnerability to the next level as she confronts the person the song is about with a candid tone.

“This is the song that sparked the whole concept for this project for me,” Webster said, “It’s also one of the first songs that I ever wrote that I felt was truly honesty and had true transparency, which I think is maybe why so many people relate to it. I wanted to be able to relive this song in a way that felt new at the same time, which is why I really like the direction that Trey took these orchestral arrangements.”

The YouTube comments are full of people crying, so get ready for this tearjerker.

Listen to the song above.

Car Therapy Sessions is out 4/29 via Secretly Canadian. Pre-order it here.

This week in pop exploded with some unexpected and amazing collaborations. Willow — who has been teaming up with everyone from Machine Gun Kelly to Camila Cabello — joined forces with the rapidly rising PinkPantheress for “Where You Are,” while Bring Me The Horizon further shed their metalcore skin to immerse themselves in dark-tinged pop on the new song “Bad Life” with Sigrid.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Sub Urban, Benee — “Uh Oh”

Electic star Benee cares more about vibe than genre, so 22-year-old Daniel Maisonneuve, whose moniker is Sub Urban, recruited her for this disorienting track “Uh Oh.” It’s not so easy to categorize musically; it can only be described as simultaneously playful and eerie, and the video harps on that even more.

The Kid Laroi — “Thousand Miles”

“Thousand Miles” marks the start of a new chapter for The Kid Laroi, whose last one was so successful it must be hard to follow it up. But this new song retains his charm while conveying the struggles of love and self-esteem: “There’s nothing left to say / If I was you, if I was you then I would stay / A thousand miles away,” he sings.

The Chainsmokers — “Riptide”

New York City hitmakers The Chainsmokers returned with a new catchy single that has more of a sharp edge. The lyrics are full of vivid images: “Late night / Zip ties / Make you wanna miss your flight,” and poetic declarations of longing: “But If I only get one life this is what I wanna do / And If I only get one life I wanna live it with you.” It watches them keep a danceable beat, but also open themselves up to vulnerability.

PinkPantheress, Willow — “Where You Are”

This collaboration between the idiosyncratic PinkPantheress and the eclectic Willow is like a fever dream. “Where You Are” soars with both of their gorgeous vocals creating a rapturous harmony; the rhythm moves ecstatically, almost seeming to defy time and drift at its own pace.

Alesso, Zara Larsson — “Words”

Speaking of great collaborations, there was also this dance-worthy anthem from Alesso and Zara Larsson. The Swedish DJ’s frantic sounds are the perfect backdrop for Larsson’s silky vocals as she reckons with wanting to share her feelings: “I got the words / I love you / Sitting on the tip of my tongue,” she sings conflictedly.

Karol G — “Provenza”

This lush song from the blue-haired Colombian singer Karol G is bouncy and jaunty, but weighed down by a heavy darkness. Her voice overflows with a sense of bittersweetness, represented in the video by a storm that causes rain to pour down on a party. But they don’t let it ruin the fun; they just keep dancing.

George Ezra — “Green Green Grass”

George Ezra is in a getaway car with his lover in this new track “Green Green Grass,” a perfect summer song. His lover is completely carefree, talking about mortality with excitement and fearlessness: “She said / Green, green grass / Blue, blue sky / You better throw a party / On the day that I die.” This exuberant attitude is infectious and inspiring, especially with such a catchy melody.

88rising, BIBI — “Best Lover”

This sparkling new song from 88rising and BIBI is otherworldly, radiating a celestial energy that makes the experience of listening completely immersive. The dreamy vocals mix wonderfully with the captivating synths; the entire sound is rich and layered, so much so that the only option is to click repeat.

070 Shake — “Skin And Bones”

070 Shake is mesmerized on “Skin And Bones,” recalling a love that she wants to be eternal: “Write on your flesh / With permanent ink / Light the incense / Remember this scent.” The song is packed to the brim with desire, but the shadow of fear hangs over it, imbuing it with an alluring gloom. It intensifies as time elapses, leading into a powerful, synth-filled outro that feels like transcendence.

Sigrid, Bring Me The Horizon — “Bad Life”

Norwegian pop singer Sigrid linking up with former metalheads Bring Me The Horizon was unexpected, but the result is inspiring. “Bad Life” grapples with the inherent difficulty of existing; both vocalists sing about their hardships, but then team up on the chorus to create a beautiful harmony about staying strong: “Things won’t always be this way, no / It’s just a bad day / Not a bad life.”

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

Elon Musk actually did it: After some roadblocks, the SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and Boring Company billionaire actually bought Twitter yesterday, for about $44 billion. As the world reacted to the news, so too did Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey.

He first did so by digging into the Radiohead archives and sharing just a link to the band’s Kid A song “Everything In Its Right Place,” using the title to imply he’s on board with Twitter’s new owner. (Notably, the link he shared was from Tidal, presumably because his Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc.) owns the streaming platform.)

After sharing the song, Dorsey continued over the course of multiple tweets:

“I love Twitter. Twitter is the closest thing we have to a global consciousness.

The idea and service is all that matters to me, and I will do whatever it takes to protect both. Twitter as a company has always been my sole issue and my biggest regret. It has been owned by Wall Street and the ad model. Taking it back from Wall Street is the correct first step.

In principle, I don’t believe anyone should own or run Twitter. It wants to be a public good at a protocol level, not a company. Solving for the problem of it being a company however, Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness.

Elon’s goal of creating a platform that is ‘maximally trusted and broadly inclusive’ is the right one. This is also [Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal’s] goal, and why I chose him. Thank you both for getting the company out of an impossible situation. This is the right path…I believe it with all my heart.

I’m so happy Twitter will continue to serve the public conversation. Around the world, and into the stars!”

Before Dorsey’s reaction, Musk offered a statement of his own, saying, “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated. I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans. Twitter has tremendous potential — I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it.”

Find Dorsey’s tweets below.

Dr. Mehmet Oz is still actually running for that Pennsylvania senate seat, and of course he’s endorsed by Trump while doing so. This ex-presidential nod has caused MAGA backlash, including from Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, and let’s just say that Oz did not clean up at the debate.

As Mediaite reports, rival David McCormick (an ex-hedge fund CEO) owned Oz in a few contexts in only one line. Oz had already branded him as “Dishonest Dave,” who Oz claimed “went groveling to President Trump,” but Trump “did not endorse him.” The subject in question was, uh, fracking and Oz bragged, “I know how exactly to manage our energy issues.”

From there, McCormick nailed Oz for how he “keeps talking about President Trump’s endorsement is because he can’t run on his own positions and his own records.” He then declared, “And what’s true is that he has flip-flopped on every major issue we’re talking about in this campaign.” McCormick wasn’t done yet: “He’s never – in his entire media career – advanced a conservative agenda.” Do you want more? Sure: “The problem, doctor, is there’s no miracle cure for flip-flopping. And Pennsylvanians are seeing right through your phoniness and that’s what you’re dealing with. And that’s why you’re not taking off in the polls.”

At this point, Oz and McCormick are pretty darn close to each other in the polls. However, McCormick may have scored some points at this moment in the debate. Or rather, Oz may have lost them after making this face:

Naturally, people couldn’t resist responding to this face. “Dr. Oz staring dead ahead like he just farted loudly in church” is a response that happened. “Stuffed in a locker” also popped up as well as various mentions of Botox and edibles hitting hard.

Oh politics, you can be fun at times.

(Via Mediaite)

Lil Nas X is hitting the road this fall. The “That’s What I Want” rapper will bring his theatrics across North America and select cities in Europe on the Long Live Montero Tour.

Named for his debut album, Montero, the Long Live Montero Tour will likely see Lil Nas X perform his Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping hits, the album’s title track, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby,” which features Jack Harlow. If the tour is anything like his iconic music videos, we are — perhaps quite literally — in for a hell of a show.

Presale for the show begins this Wednesday for CashApp cardholders, with general on-sale beginning Thursday.

Check out the trailer above and the full list of tour dates below.

09/06 — Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
09/10 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
09/15 — Toronto, Ontario @ History
09/18 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall At Fenway
09/20 — New York City, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
09/22 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met
09/25 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem
09/27 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy
10/01 — Nashville, TN @ Nashville Municipal Auditorium
10/03 — Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
10/04 — Miami, FL @ James L. Knight Center
10/18 — Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theater
10/21 — Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre
10/23 — San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/08 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live
11/09 — Berlin, Germany @ Max-Schmelling Halle
11/10 — Hamburg, Germany @ Sporthalle
11/12 — London, United Kingdom @ Eventim Apollo
11/14 — Paris, France @ Zenith
11/15 — Brussels, Belgium @ Palais 12
11/17 — Barcelona, Spain @ Sant Jordi Club

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.