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HipHopDX reports that the longstanding discord between R&B/pop stars T-Pain and Usher finally came to an end last night in Atlanta as the two singers met onstage at a concert afterparty for Dave Chappelle’s documentary premiere event. After the initial film and comedy set, the show reportedly consisted of sets from the likes of local legends such as 2 Chainz, 21 Savage, Jeezy, Monica, and more.

Although phones weren’t allowed inside the venue, a video of Pain and Usher reconciling still found its way online, giving a glimpse into their reunion. T-Pain told Usher, “I love you, bro. I’m telling you, we ain’t going through nothing, bro. We ain’t going through a god damn thing. It’s all love. In a time when we’re divided the most, we need to be together the most. I love you, bro. I’m never not gonna love you, bro, trust me.”

While there was likely never any real ill will between the two artists, Pain’s comments on Netflix’s This Is Pop docuseries could have lent the impression that he held a grudge after he admitted a chance encounter between the two sent him into a deep depression. “[Usher] was like, ‘Yeah man you really f*cked up music for real singers,’” he recalled. Meanwhile, Usher claimed that the encounter never happened in Billboard, prompting T-Pain to tell Power 105’s Angie Martinez that he’d reached out to Usher to settle the dispute.

“I hit Usher after the interview came out, and I’m like, ‘I’m sure you saw what happened,’” he said. “‘That was the truth. That’s what happened, you definitely said that.’ I remember that whole day. Then all he texted me back was, ‘Let’s not text, let’s talk.’ And I was like, ‘Cool, hit me up.’ And I never heard from him, he never called me. I feel like I initiated the contact.”

It appears that the two were able to make good on Usher’s suggestion and turn the page on that particular chapter of both their lives.

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

This week saw the culmination of Adele’s comeback and Cardi B show up on a terrific new project. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.

Adele — “Woman Like Me”

Adele has been forthcoming about the fact that her new album 30 is often about her divorce and the life events that followed. No song on the LP makes that more clear than “Woman Like Me,” which sees the singer addressing an early failed post-divorce relationship. She sings on the track, “Complacency is the worst trait to have, are you crazy? / You ain’t never had, ain’t never had a woman like me / It is so sad a man like you could be so lazy / Consistency is the gift to give for free and it is key / to ever keep, to ever keep a woman like me.”

Saweetie — “Icy Chain”

Saweetie achieved a major career milestone this past weekend when she made her first Saturday Night Live appearance. Ahead of the show, though, she figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a shiny new song to perform on the program, so she dropped “Icy Chain,” a Memphis trap-inspired look at how to secure some iced-out neckwear.

Cardi B — “Bet It”

Halle Berry did something pretty great with her her movie Bruised: Only female artists are included on its soundtrack. Cardi B came through with a new track for the occasion, “Bet It.” Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes of the song, “Backed by a classic Canción melódica sample from Spanish singer Camilo Cortés, Cardi showcases a polished flow that suggests that she’s been hitting the gym as hard as Halle’s main character Jackie Justice in the film itself.”

Rico Nasty — “Money” Feat. Flo Milli

Rico Nasty established herself as one of hip-hop’s brightest up-and-comers with last year’s Nightmare Vacation, and now she’ back to building her clout up even further with “Money.” Uproxx’s Aaron Williams describes the Flo Milli collaboration as having “a hyperactive call-and-response anthem with big jock jam energy.”

100 Gecs — “Mememe”

Music’s most delightful head-scratchers just wrapped up a tour (save for a couple of December dates), but before they ended that run of dates, the duo dropped “Mememe.” The egocentrically-titled track is yet another example of how well the group is able to balance genre-spanning absurdity with songwriting that’s undeniably catchy, in spite of (or perhaps because of) the eclectic package in which it’s delivered.

FKA Twigs — “Measure Of A Man” Feat. Central Cee

FKA Twigs might have a “deep, emotional, and honest” mixtape coming at the end of this year. Whether or not that comes to fruition, she did give fans at least some new music to wrap up 2021: She linked up with UK rapper Central Cee for a track called “Measure Of A Man,” which is understandably cinematic given that it’s set to appear in the upcoming spy thriller The King’s Man.

French Montana and Doja Cat — “Handstand” Feat. Saweetie

It had been a minute since fans heard from French Montana in terms of new albums, as his latest was 2019’s Montana. He changed that last week, though, with his latest full-length, They Got Amnesia. The “they” in the album title surely isn’t referring to Montana’s peers in hip-hop, because they certainly remember who he is when the signed on to collaborate for the album. One such highlight comes as Montana links up with Doja Cat and Saweetie on the upbeat “Handstand.”

Saba — “Stop That”

Chicago favorite Saba is approaching the release of Few Good Things, which is highly anticipated given that it’s going to be his first LP in nearly four years. He previewed the effort last week with “Stop That,” the song’s title being a message to himself as he works to not let his insecurities get the best of him.

Petey — “Perfect Teeth”

Petey offered one of this year’s indie highlights with his stellar debut album Lean Into Life, and he leaned into life even more last week by adding a new song, “Perfect Teeth,” to the tracklist. It’s an intimate tune compared to the album’s more boisterous moments, as it’s mainly carried by piano, acoustic guitar, and Petey singing about, as he put it, “accepting a dissociative state as a new normal and just going with it.”

Big Thief — “Time Escaping”

Big news for Big Thief fans: The band has a big album (it has 20 tracks) with a big name (Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You) that’s set to drop in February. They offered a look at it last week with “Time Escaping,” a rhythmic and psychedelic effort from the ever-productive group.

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

Lindsey Jordan released her latest Snail Mail album, Valentine, earlier this month, and she was expecting to launch a tour behind it in just a few days now. Unfortunately, the shows will not go on as planned, as Jordan revealed today she was forced to postpone the trek upon discovering an issue with her vocal cords.

She made the announcement with an Instagram post today, which reads, “Lindsey here – unfortunately, with terrible news this time. I’ve been struggling with my vocal health more and more each year. I lose my voice after a couple days of singing. I went to see an ENT [ear, nose, and throat doctor] last week and they found massive polyps in my vocal cords (surprisingly from vocal trauma due to talking!! shocker lol) that need to be operated on to prevent permanent damage to my voice. The recovery time is three months/speech therapy and in an effort to make sure the rest of the tour can happen, I will be postponing our first US tour which was supposed to begin this week as well as our initial UK/Euro tour :(. I’m devastated to be pushing off shows even longer. My team is working overtime to reschedule everything that we’re postponing–we will have everything rescheduled imminently. Thank you so much for all the support you’ve given the new record so far.”

The US tour dates have already been rescheduled, as those are now set for August and September 2022. Meanwhile, the UK and European dates scheduled for February and March 2022 are in the process of being rescheduled and new dates will be announced “soon.” The North American tour dates originally scheduled for 2022 remain unchanged.

Find Snail Mail’s upcoming tour dates below.

04/05/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer #
04/06/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer #
04/07/2022 — Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre #
04/08/2022 — Boston, MA @ Royale #
04/09/2022 — Montreal, QC @ Club Soda #
04/11/2022 — Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre #
04/12/2022 — Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre #
04/14/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre #
04/15/2022 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue #
04/16/2022 — Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall #
04/17/2022 — Denver, CO @ Ogden Theater #
04/19/2022 — Olympia, WA @ Capitol Theater ^
04/20/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre ^
04/21/2022 — Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre ^
04/22/2022 — Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom ^
04/23/2022 — Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom ^
04/24/2022 — Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater ^
04/27/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium ^
04/28/2022 — San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park ^
04/29/2022 — Mesa, AZ @ The Nile ^
04/30/2022 — Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf ^
05/02/2022 — Austin, TX @ ACL Live at the Moody Theater ^
05/03/2022 — Dallas, TX @The Factory Studio ^
05/05/2022 — Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Heaven Stage ^
05/06/2022 — Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel ^
05/07/2022 — Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle ^
05/08/2022 — Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville ^
08/12/2022 — Providence, RI @ Fete Music Hall
08/16/2022 — New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
08/17/2022 — Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony
08/19/2022 — Richmond, VA @ The National
08/20/2022 — Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
08/21/2022 — Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
08/23/2022 — Orlando, FL @ The Beacham Theater
08/24/2022 — Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
08/26/2022 — Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
08/27/2022 — Knoxville, TN @ The Mill & Mine
08/28/2022 — Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
08/30/2022 — Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theatre
08/31/2022 — Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
09/02/2022 — Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
09/03/2022 — St Louis, MO @ The Pageant
09/04/2022 — Columbus, OH @ The Athenaeum Theatre
09/06/2022 — Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
09/07/2022 — Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
09/09/2022 — Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore

# with Joy Again
^ with The Goon Sax

Valentine is out now via Matador. Get it here.

Everyone likes Keanu Reeves. Heck, even Succession‘s Logan Roy (sort-of!) likes Keanu Reeves. And it’s difficult to envision a world where Keanu doesn’t exist, and one would be hard pressed to find a movie lover who hasn’t gobbled up a majority of Keanu’s movies. Well, Keanu is out there promoting The Matrix Resurrections, which (I’m unofficially declaring) will be the moment when movies are fully back, even though the box-office cut will be diminished by simultaneous HBO Max streaming.

Reeves sat down for an Esquire interview to promote the return of his second-best franchise (I hear you, John Wick fans, and for Speed holdouts, two movies does not quite a franchise make, especially with no Keanu in the sequel), and he fielded a few variant questions on what movie he’d most recommend to those who haven’t been initiated to his awesomeness. In both answers, The Devil’s Advocate came out strong. And it’s no wonder, for that movie was devilish fun [it’s one of our top Keanu picks, too, even if it’s not the only Hell-themed flick (there was also Constantine) in Keanu history]. Here’s what he had to say to those people who have no idea that Keanu movies exist:

“Okay, let’s just start with The Matrix–and when I say The Matrix, let’s do the trilogy–that’s one. Then let’s do The Devil’s Advocate. And then let’s do…we need something action-y in there, so let’s do Point Break.”

And he’s also sticking with the sentiment while discussing his 1990s flicks:

“I’m not going to pick a favorite. I have searing incredible memories from all of these films. I will say that working on The Devil’s Advocate and getting the chance to act with Al Pacino, I mean…”

Yep, not only did Reeves get to act with fiery, scenery chewing Pacino, but that movie also had plenty of Sinatra moves and some (waist-up) flamenco dancing. It’s no Scent of a Woman, but it’ll do. You should watch both movies over the holidays. You won’t be sorry.

The Matrix Resurrections will arrive in theaters (and will stream on HBO Max) on December 22.

(Via Esquire)

The non-fungible token craze will continue with rare photos of a rap legend who never lived to see high-speed internet. According to Rolling Stone, rare photos of Tupac Shakur from the late rapper’s debut album release party will soon be sold as NFTs on the OpenSea platform. The flicks are being released by the original photographer, Lawrence “Loupy D” Dotson, who took the photos at the party for 2Pacalypse Now in Los Angeles in 1992.

There will be 17 photos released, as well as one “Super NFT” collage of all 17 for a total of 18 NFTs. Each will come with a signed, framed print, and part of the proceeds will be used to plant trees in Shakur’s hometown — although it isn’t specified whether that means New York (where he was born), Oakland (where he grew up), or LA (where he became a superstar). Dotson explained how the photo collection came to be to Rolling Stone:

“I bought a disposable, black and white 35mm camera from the Thriftys on the corner of La Brea and Rodeo,” he said. “Later that night I got to Glam Slam, Prince’s old club on Boylston Street downtown. I couldn’t wait to see this brotha perform. I loved the energy he put out on stage as a backup dancer for Digital Underground; the same with his performance in the video when he dropped the verse on ‘Same Song.’ I knew that he was going to give it up that night for his debut release party. Surprisingly, there weren’t many people at the show: mostly industry execs and a few heads from the underground community.”

He says he never published the photos and remained unsure of what to do with them, although they came in handy in his job as a substitute teacher as a reward for students. Now, he says, he wants to “create a traveling exhibit of the collection” and show them worldwide.

Earlier this month, Adele took to London’s Palladium to tape her ITV concert special An Audience With Adele. The program aired over the weekend and during it, Adele had an emotional reunion with one of her favorite childhood teachers.

From the audience, actress Emma Thompson asked Adele if there was anybody from her childhood who had a lasting impact on here and Adele was quick to respond by citing Ms. McDonald, who was her English teacher at London’s Chestnut Grove Academy. Adele credited the educator with getting her into literature and her voice started to waver as she continued, “She was so bloody cool, so engaging. She really made us care and we knew that she cared about us. […] She was just bloody cool and so relatable and likeable that I really looked forward to my English lessons.”

McDonald then revealed herself in the crowd, which moved Adele to tears. The two met on stage and hugged as McDonald told Adele, “I’m so proud of you.” Adele exclaimed, “I didn’t know that you were coming!” Through tears, she added, “You look exactly the same.” McDonald then said, “Thank you for remembering me,” to which Adele responded, “Oh my God. No, you really, you really did change my life.”

It was a moving moment, so check it out above.

What does it say about the state of things that the idea of Connor Roy (Alan Ruck) running for President within the world of Succession feels like a glove-perfect fit? That sense that consequences are for poor people, obliviousness is an asset, and that mediocrity always rises.

Previously insipid and often out of view, Connor and his politically aspirant rumblings have grown stronger and louder in season 3. His eye is on a really big prize right now while everyone else in his family scrambles while trying to deal with the fallout of Kendall’s very public and very messy separation from the inner circle of the Roy family and the business at its center. As has often been his cross to bear, no one seems to be taking his intentions seriously, though a few words of consideration from Logan at the end of the most recent episode likely meant the world to the prospect of candidate Connor, even if it may have been head game and a bit of a show from a master player.

What now, though? Uproxx spoke with Ruck, the actor behind Connor, to get a sense of where Connor’s head has been this season and to get his take on what kind of President Connor Roy would be.

I really want to talk about Connor and his political aspirations, but the first question is just going into this season, how has Connor changed in terms of his relationship to the family?

I think what has happened with Connor is that he’s decided he’s going to do this thing. He’s made up his mind that he’s going to run for office, that he’s going to run for POTUS. And I was talking to somebody else, I said, “It’s like the Dunning-Kruger effect. It never occurs to him that he has no aptitude.” It’s just like, in a way it’s true. It’s a thing that has turned into a popularity contest.

And I think that’s how Connor views it right now. It’s just if you get enough people to like you, you can be President of the United States. And you’ll figure out your platform somewhere down the road. You’ll figure out what your ideology is as you go along. And I think that Connor has just finally accepted the fact that the only way to get ahead in this family or in this corporation is to play dirty and to use whatever it is you have. If you have some information about the old man and the way he treated Connor’s mother, whatever that might be, it’s just let him know that you’re getting serious. And he’s been… The black sheep [label] would indicate that he’s a bad boy in some way. It’s just that Connor has never added to the family brand, to the luster of the family. So he’s just been pushed to the back for decades. And I think he’s just decided that he’s going to go for broke and he’s going to do whatever it takes to try to get what he wants.

Is that fulfilling to play that kind of turn, not a “heel turn,” but to play great scenes like the back and forth between Connor and Shiv in the “Retired Janitors of Idaho” episode when you were looking to get some time with Logan?

Yeah, I mean, yeah. When I auditioned for this show, the little email from the agency said, “Connor, the only child by the first marriage, not involved actively in the family business. This part will grow over time,” is the way it was described. And I had some things to do in the first season. In the second season, I was around, but I didn’t do that much. And now I have more to do again. And if you think about it, if you sit around and people are just dismissive of you, even if it’s just a character, it gets under your skin. People say, “You’re an idiot. Shut up. That’s stupid. Just be quiet, go away.” So to finally get a chance to snap back at some of this stuff is, yeah, it’s very satisfying to actually engage.

Is it a leap of faith to go into a show and see that “will grow over time” note and have faith? Because obviously shows change course all the time.

Well, sure. But I mean, when anybody says HBO, well, the chances are this is going to be a really good show because they’re the standard-bearers. And so I was very excited that it was an HBO show. And then I heard that Brian [Cox] was involved and this character is a member of the family. So yeah. But I mean, it was a pretty safe bet that it was going to be a good gig.

What kind of President would Connor be?

Well, there’s not a lot of depth to the platform right now. He basically doesn’t want to pay taxes. So in terms of that, he’s as far to the right as anybody else in the family, certainly. But then he’s concerned about the environment basically because he has this ranch and his aquifer underneath his vast property is diminishing and becoming tainted with pollutants. And so now, because it’s affecting Connor, he thinks it’s… and it is a world-class problem, but he thinks that everybody should take this very seriously. It’s a very serious problem. But if he didn’t have that ranch and he didn’t know anything about the water supply, he wouldn’t care. He has a very short attention span. So I think the country would hold its breath for four years.

And pass out. Would he be happy in the job of President because of all the luxury he’s experienced and the life that he’s led, where he hasn’t really had to be held accountable and hasn’t really had to work fully?

I think he would be very happy for a short period of time. And then I think he would just say, “When do I get a day off?” And, “Can’t somebody else, can’t Maxim Pierce (Mark Linn-Baker) handle this for me?” I think he’d be very pleased with all the pomp and pageantry at the beginning and then the excitement of meeting all these powerful people. And then I think he would quickly become fatigued.

Not to give anything away but, with this last episode, it’s very clear that there’s obviously another candidate that gets the rose from the family. For Connor and his political aspirations, is that episode a beginning or an end?

I think it’s a continuance. I just think, he lost a battle, but the war is still going on. I don’t think he’s given up.

Is this something where he has to have the support of the family to do it? Or is it something where he would potentially go it alone?

I mean, I think there are different places to find money and different ways to get money and maybe different ways to get money out of the family. And so I don’t think it’s the end and I certainly think that he’s made up his mind to do this and he’s going to try by any means necessary. So if that means going third party, he’d do that. I’m not saying that’s going to happen.

No, no. I get it. I don’t want HBO assassins to jump in through the window.

No, they’re around, man.

Oh, sure. So I’ve heard people say that this show and shows like Billions are not relatable because you’re dealing with titans. Why do you think the show connects so well? Because to me, the relatability [criticism] doesn’t necessarily scan.

Right. I think it’s something that everybody can relate to and that’s family dynamics. And in any larger family, it doesn’t matter what the economic station is, just the dynamics between siblings. It wouldn’t necessarily have to be a wealthy family where everybody wanted to get the old man’s approval. Everybody was still looking for daddy’s love. So I think that’s how people relate to our show more than anything. Because they’re, I mean, what a wretched bunch of people. I mean so, the relatability, I agree with you. I don’t think you have to relate to them in that way, but it’s just, maybe it’s the family.

Connor’s still the best of them, but he’s still an absolute monster.

Yeah. He’s a sociopath. I mean, he has no idea of how the world really works.

As someone who I’m sure watches the show too, do you want to see these people pay for their sins and to have consequences? Just as a viewer.

Well, I mean, I think you always want to see an asshole get his comeuppance. But I do think that our show tries to hold a mirror up to nature. The thing is these people rarely do pay the price. I really can’t think of an instance actually, at least nothing comes to mind. And so I think that would be really satisfying if somebody got their nose rubbed in shit, but I just don’t think it’s going to happen.

‘Succession’ airs every Sunday at 9PM ET on HBO

As part of the promotional campaign for her stunning new album Billboard-topping album, 30, Adele hosted a TV concert special, An Audience with Adele, where she told stories, sang, and made two British ladies with the first name Emma lose their minds.

Here is Emma Thompson imploring the crowd to get up and dance:

And here is Emma Watson taking her advice:

Dance like no one is watching, even if millions of people are watching on ITV.

The crowd at An Audience with Adele included “friends, family, fans, her own personal heroes and heroines, fellow musicians, artists, actors, sportsmen, sportswomen, and more,” but of all the famous people in attendance, the one Adele most wants to collaborate with is Daniel Kaluuya. “Obviously I’m not an actress, but I just think that you are the greatest actor. I really, really do. I am mesmerized by you and your work,” she said. The Oscar-nominated Get Out star is a great choice (and his reaction was priceless), but after seeing all the videos of Emma Thompson living her best Live, Love, Laugh, And Sing and Dance to Adele life, she may want to change her answer.

An Audience with Adele unfortunately won’t air in the United States, but luckily clips of the Emmas are all over Twitter.

For what feels like forever, Matthew McConaughey has been toying with the idea of running for Texas governor but has remained frustratingly elusive whenever he’s asked if it’s something that he’s actually serious about or just a pipe dream he likes to toss around in interviews. Turns out his strategy is working.

According to a major new poll, McConaughey is leading the pack amongst Texas gubernatorial candidates. Not only would he mop the floor with Beto O’Rourke in the Lone Star State, but the actor is also poised to take down incumbent Greg Abbott. Via Mediaite:

According to a survey released by the University of Texas and the Dallas Morning News, the actor — in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup — tops current Gov. Greg Abbott (R) by 8 points. In all, 43 percent of respondents say they would back McConaughey, 35 percent would support Abbott, and 22 percent would pick someone else.

McConaughey fared even better against another prominent candidate in the 2022 race. According to the poll, the actor would trounce Democrat Beto O’Rourke in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup by a 49-27 margin.

Here’s the rub though. McConaughey has been hedging his bets policy-wise, and it’s not clear if he’d run as a Republican or a Democrat. But should he enter a three-way race as an independent, it’d be a bad move. According to the poll, McConaughey would strip Democratic voters from O’Rourke and hand the race to Abbott, which would not be an alright alright alright logical move.

(Via Mediaite)

Taylor Swift has been busy re-recording her older material, but now she’s given a recently released track a fresh coat of paint. The tune in question is “Christmas Tree Farm,” which Swift only just released in 2019. The new recording, dubbed the “Old Timey Version,” is out now and exclusive to Amazon Music.

The track was teased on Good Morning America today and Swift says of the rerecording, “This new version is amazing because it feels like it’s that more sort of laid-back Christmas feel of doing all your shopping and relaxing by a fire, and it’s definitely a little bit more of that old-school Christmas song feel.” GMA notes the song was “re-imagined with a 70-piece orchestra and a cozier, more old-timey feel.”

In a 2019 video about the making of the original version of the track, Swift said, “So the idea I have for the song is ‘Christmas Tree Farm,’ because I grew up on one, do you see what I mean? These are chords I don’t usually use, so bear with me, but it would be, like… it’s about how you’re in the city and you’re stressed out and your life is feeling really low, but in your heart [laughs] is a Christmas tree farm.”

Listen to “Christmas Tree Farm (Old Timey Version)” above.