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Ashnikko made our rising pop stars list at the beginning of this year, and her fierce, darkly funny sound has continued to unfold throughout 2021. Kicking off with her Demidevil project in January, she’s been busy doing things like starring in her “Slumber Party” video with Princess Nokia and collaborating with Lady Gaga on the Dawn Of Chromatica remix album for a new version of “Plastic Doll.”

Now, she’s back with two brand new singles, and both “Panic Attacks In Paradise” and “Maggots” build on her sound in unexpected ways. Check out her thoughts on writing both singles below.

“‘Panic Attacks In Paradise’ and ‘Maggots’ were both written when I was in a very low place,” she said. “‘PAIP’ is a commentary on how much I was annoying myself at the time. I was healthy and my career was going great. I was in a metaphorical “paradise.” But alas my brain chemistry had other plans. I was an insufferable mess, so obsessed with my own hurt. I was leading it around with me like a rabid dog, letting it bite anyone I came into contact with. Where ‘PAIP’ is soft and forlorn, ‘Maggots’ is pure rage. I’m casting a protective shield of electricity around myself and daring anyone to try to cross it. I’d rather be a raging b*tch than let people take advantage of my kindness. I will take every parasite burrowing its way into my flesh and flatten it under my boots.”

Listen to the softer “Panic Attacks In Paradise” above and the rageful “Maggots” below.

Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of those Republicans who are too hot for Fox News. Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave her with too many other credible outlets to talk to. Perhaps that’s why the controversial congresswoman — last seen bringing Scooby Doo memes to the floor of the House of Representatives — found herself talking to someone who goes by the name “Catturd.”

You might remember this “Catturd” gentleman. His Twitter handle “catturd2” — alas, plain old “catturd” had already been taken — went viral late last year after former president Donald J. Trump re-tweeted three of his posts, all spreading voter fraud misinformation. His Twitter bio describes him as “The impeach 46 turd who talks s*it.” He also writes “parody novels” with names like The Adventures of Cowfart, Literally.

And on Wednesday, Catturd appeared on the same podcast with an elected member of Congress.

It was Greene, though, who seemed starstruck. After being introduced on the show, entitled Patriots In Talk Show, she gushed that she was on the same program as a guy who named himself after animal feces.

“You’re one of my favorite Twitter accounts,” a visibly excited Greene told a beaming Catturd. She added, “I said I’d rather be on Catturd’s podcast than Fox News.”

You can listen to the whole shebang here, all two hours of it, which no doubt offer a window into a strange and disturbing and wacky subset of the far right. Or you could just keep living your life.

(Via Raw Story)

Good news for Mark Hoppus fans! He just announced on Instagram that he is officially cancer free. “Just saw my oncologist and I’m cancer free!!” he wrote on Instagram today. “Thank you God and universe and friends and family and everyone who sent support and kindness and love. Still have to get scanned every six months and it’ll take me until the end of the year to get back to normal but today is an amazing day and I feel so blessed. Can I get a W in the chat?”

Earlier this year the Blink-182 member let fans know that he was battling with the disease, and has been keeping the public informed about his journey along the way. Like plenty of other cancer patients, he lost his hair due to chemotherapy, and debuted a new bald look around the 4th of July. Around September, fans knew that the chemotherapy portion of his treatment had ended, but this new diagnosis is the best possible outcome.

In a potential silver lining, he also shared that the diagnosis helped improve his somewhat tenuous relationship with his bandmate Tom DeLonge. Sometimes the worst moments in life do help people realize what’s most important, so that’s a win for fans and the two musicians alike.

Sending all our hope for a speedy recovery to you, Mark!

The Wonder Years (ABC, 8:30pm) — At the very least, it’s worth tuning into this reimagining to see whether the different perspective (from the Fred Savage-starring original show) will be a successful one or, well, not so much. Savage is executive producing and (sometimes) directing here, and the focus here is on an African-American family and their home base in 1960s Montgomery, Alabama. Don Cheadle narrates as the adult version of Dean (played as a 12-year-old by Elisha “EJ” Williams), who’s not only going through the usual tween ordeals but also the experience of being part of a Southern Black family that’s, of course, navigating vastly different circumstances than the franchise’s white O.G. family. This week, Dean experiences heartbreak and betrayal for the first time, and the grown-ups take their empathy in the wrong direction, which Dean might use to his advantage.

Riverdale (CW, 8:00pm) — Alice’s imaginary musical fantasy world takes center stage, all while attempting to make the Coopers the portrait of happiness again, but mom has different ideas.

Archer (FXX, 10:00pm) — Archer and the gang are attempting to dispense with their enemies, all while a stranger and a scavenger hunt are pivotal elements.

American Horror Story: Double Feature (FXX, 10:00pm) — Deadly conspiracies that have been building for decades swoop in on college students who are taking a camping trip. Never go camping, man.

Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens (Comedy Central, 10:00pm) — Awkwafina’s semi-autobiographical series is deep into its second season, in which she gazes into the future with starry eyes.

The Chestnut Man (Netflix series) — This Danish psychological-thriller series (from The Killing‘s creator) finds its roots in Nordic noir. The story follows police (within a Copenhagen suburb) who discover a brutal murder, which is accompanies by (bizarrely enough) a small figure rendered with chestnuts. That accessory leads to the possibility of a serial killer at hand, which all might be tied to a politician’s daughter’s fate.

No One Gets Out Alive (Netflix film) — A young immigrant woman takes up residence in an American boarding house, which turns out to be a much more terrible deal than it seems. The low price arrives with disturbed tenants and nightmares for all and echoes from the basement, and soon enough, she realizes that the house is evil and a living nightmare, all where screams go unnoticed, including her own.

Sounds Like Love (Netflix film) — This fluffy movie presents a fashion assistant who’s attempting to get over a devastating blow to the heart, all while the man in question keeps surfacing in her life, to screw things up while her best friends are going through similar ordeals. Can they all get their sh*t together? Let’s hope.

What If…? (Disney+ series) — We’re in the multiverse, baby. The MCU’s officially launching headfirst into that realm after Loki‘s season finale. Enjoy this show full of alternate realities that stand separate from the existing canon (thus far), including Agent Carter taking the super-soldier serum, T’Challa materializing as Star Lord, Doctor Strange feeling some real pain, and Black Widow and Nick Fury taking on a murder mystery while Tony Stark eats a donut. Will Tony Stark die again? Knowing this show, probably so.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Maluma, Michael Gandolfini, Giveon

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Anita Hill, Alessandro Nivola

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Demi Lovato, Neal Brennan, Audrey Nuna Ft. Saba, Nick Baglio

In case you missed these streaming picks from last Wednesday:

Dear White People: Volume 4 (Netflix series) — Enjoy this version of a post-pandemic future while the characters take on senior year look back on their most pivotal year yet. This season’s a 90s-inspired musical event that’s also Afro-futuristic in its bent, all to prove that moving forward often involves the all-important act of looking towards the past.

Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends: Season 1 (Disney+ series) — Spidey completists will dig this collection of stories about Miles Morales and Ghost-Spider, who team up with Spidey to form the Spidey Team. So much Spidey! Also, enjoy Trace the Spider-Bot.

FaZe Clan has built a reputation as a haven for some of the coolest personalities in e-sports, with ties to basketball through LeBron’s son FaZe Bronny and plenty of hype in the ever-growing gaming community. FaZe has always made it clear that their scope stretches well beyond just e-sports or video games, though, with a focus on becoming one of the biggest lifestyle brands in the space.

And that’s not the only space the brand is intent on conquering, as they made clear this week with the announcement of their first musician and gamer, FaZe Kaysan. Check out his introduction video below:

Not content to simply roll out this artist with a walkthrough detailing how cool his every day life is, the company also shared a new song that was co-produced by Kaysan and Wondagurl. And while plenty of hip-hop artists thrive off the collaboration ecosystem, Kaysan is coming out of the gate strong with a pair of rappers on his debut single that plenty of fledgling artists would be thrilled to have co-signs from — Future and Lil Durk. On the production side, Wondagurl was also thrilled to be involved and praised Kaysan’s enthusiasm.

“It was a lot of fun connecting with Kaysan on this project,” WondaGurl said of the track. “He has a great vibe and is super enthusiastic, two things that are really important to me when I’m working with new artists. Kaysan has a vision for himself and is driven to succeed and make his mark.”

HBO is still basking in the glow of The White Lotus, one of the best TV shows of 2021, but there’s big premieres on the horizon: season three of Succession on October 17, and season 11 of Curb Your Enthusiasm and season five of Insecure on October 24.

It’s also the final season of Issa Rae’s Emmy-nominated series about glowin’ up and growin’ up, which “continues to follow our favorite characters as they evaluate their relationships, both new and old, in an effort to figure out who and what comes with them in this next phase of their lives,” according to HBO. You can watch the trailer above.

“To sum it up in three words: grounded, growth, and legacy,” Rae told Vogue when asked what fans can expect in season five. “When I started, I knew when it would end and the space the characters would be in, but didn’t know the ending — I’m excited for people to see it.” She added that she’s “flattered that people think I’m an idiot for ending it. Without a doubt, it was mostly positive feedback and I’m going to miss the show.”

Insecure, which also stars, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Natasha Rothwell, Amanda Seales, Kendrick Sampson, and Courtney Taylor, returns to HBO on October 24.

After a surprising trip to the NBA Finals this summer, the Phoenix Suns enter the 2021-22 NBA season with something unfamiliar for most of the roster: expectations. While their free agency panned out splendidly and allowed them to run it back with an even deeper squad, the Suns will have to deal with a deep Western Conference and a league that will be far more ready for them now.

Roster:

Deandre Ayton
Devin Booker
Mikal Bridges
Jae Crowder
Chandler Hutchison (two-way)
Cameron Johnson
Frank Kaminsky
JaVale McGee
Abdel Nader
Chris Paul
Cameron Payne
Elfrid Payton
Chasson Randle (training camp)
Dario Saric
Landry Shamet
Jalen Smith

Projected Vegas Win Total: 51.5

Biggest Addition: Landry Shamet

The instinct is to say JaVale McGee, who plugs a hole that forced the Suns to turn to the likes of Kaminsky and Torrey Craig at center in the NBA Finals last season. But the pick here is Shamet, a forgotten yet talented young guard who was once a centerpiece of the Tobias Harris trade for Philadelphia and is still just 24.

Shamet’s defense is likely why he’s never been able to crack an NBA rotation, as he has never had a positive Daily Plus Minus and DARKO projects him to be at minus-1 this season. But what Shamet does give the Suns is another knockdown shooter who should excel in an egalitarian pick-and-roll offense similar to how the Clippers played during Shamet’s career-best 2018-19 season. We also know role players have tended to outplay expectations under Monty Williams in Phoenix, and Shamet should be the latest beneficiary.

Biggest Loss: Torrey Craig

While Craig was probably a rung too high in the Suns’ pecking order during the postseason due to his lack of offensive juice, he is nevertheless a strong defender and offensive rebounder who plays with elite energy and somehow managed to shoot 41 percent from deep during the 2021 playoffs. The problem isn’t that Craig is irreplaceable, or that the Suns should have matched the surprising $5 million deal he got from Indiana, but more so that the Suns will rely on inexperienced players like Nader and Smith to step in for Craig. It’s hard to expect those two to be playoff difference-makers, though it was unlikely that Craig would be, either.

Biggest Question: Who takes a leap?

While this year’s team goes deeper with NBA-level talent, the stars are unlikely to align for them in 2022 the way they did in 2021. We should be in for another fantastic Suns regular season, but come playoff time, they will likely need to raise their game. Because they did not add a major player in free agency, the question becomes more about who from their young core can raise their game. The best money is on Johnson, who has always been an underrated defender and flashed exciting shot creation in the playoffs. He is entering his third season, and due to his age, his prime.

What Makes This Season A Success: A return to the Western Conference Finals

It’s quite hard to pinpoint expectations for Phoenix. Sure, they over-performed in 2021, but not by quite as much as most would think. At the same time, a return trip to the Finals is tough. Split the difference, and it seems reasonable to expect the Suns to get to round three and have a puncher’s chance at Chris Paul’s first title.

What Makes This Season A Failure: A first-round exit

No matter how you slice it, the Suns are one of the four best and most complete teams in the West. That spells at least a second-round appearance. Anything less would be a disappointment in the Valley.

During a recent interview to promote the new season of My Life Is Murder, Lucy Lawless revealed that the fan campaign to have her replace Gina Carano on The Mandalorian may have backfired. Back in February, Carano was reportedly fired after a series of controversial social media posts that included tweets railing against wearing masks and Black Lives Matter. Carano also allegedly posted anti-Semitic imagery. Once it was announced that she would not be returning as Cara Dune on The Mandalorian, fans immediately started rallying around Lawless as a replacement, which she now says may have cost her an unrelated Star Wars gig that she was negotiating at the time. Via Metro:

‘It might have hurt me in some way, because then they couldn’t hire me because it would seem to be pandering to… I’m just guessing here, I don’t know anything, but in some ways, it can be unhelpful, because if they pander to this fan group, then how are you going to pander to every other fan group, do you know what I mean?’

According to Lawless, the fan campaign would’ve made hiring her look like a “political” move instead of it being based on her merits as an actor. However, she has absolutely no hard feelings about the situation.

“But that’s the way the world is and they meant it out of love,” Lawless said. “And I thank the fans for their fealty to me.”

(Via Metro)

“‘Fat Joe scared to do Verzuz with Busta Rhymes’ and so is everybody else.” So says… Fat Joe, who spoke on the possibility on his latest Friday live stream on Instagram. Amid talking about all the hot topics heading into the weekend, Joe touched on his recent Verzuz battle with Ja Rule, addressing the fan criticism that he’d ducked a similar faceoff against the other hip-hop legend, whose career of hits extends back 30 years to his breakout appearance on A Tribe Called Quest’s seminal posse cut, “Scenario.”

In defending himself, Joe praised Busta’s legacy and untouchable record of fan-favorite jams. “You gotta understand, sometimes you ever notice — you seen boxers and they knock everybody out?” he asked before insisting that, “People be scared to fight those boxers. Busta Rhymes is gonna out-rap, outperform anybody who goes up in a Verzuz with him. That’s a fact. Yo, Busta Rhymes, nobody wanna get in there with you, man. You might have to be an honorary — they gotta give you the check for no reason.”

Joe would know; in his battle with Ja Rule, despite his advantage in longevity, Rule pulled out way too many undeniable jams for him to keep up (it didn’t help he played a lot of his backpack rap favorites in a hits battle). Meanwhile, Rule had been taunting 50 Cent, hoping to joust with his onetime rival — who declined. Meanwhile, suitable opponents have yet to be found for other such legends like Eminem, Jay-Z, and Nas.

21 Savage is currently on tour with J. Cole for the latter’s new album The Off-Season, and while performing in Atlanta, the hometown hero almost took an inadvertent stage dive as he emerged from backstage before catching himself to join J. Cole at center stage. He took the awkward moment in stride (heh), posting a video on Instagram along with a good-humored caption teasing himself for nearly falling. “this the closest I’ll ever be to falling off,” he joked.

Of course, that wasn’t enough to keep some of his famous peers from also taking advantage of the moment, including Drake. The Toronto rapper commented with a sarcastic “Agile,” while fellow Atlanta trap rapper Skooly noted 21 “Caught that Mfr doe.” Chicago rapper G Herbo simply commented with a string of laughing emojis, and Atlanta rapper Trouble praised Savage’s reflexes, writing, “a Boy wasn’t goin fa nannnn.”

Other commenters noted that it looked like 21 “slipped on a banana peel” and one even compared his stumble to the new Korean Netflix show Squid Game. The amusing moment wasn’t the rapper’s first viral hit this week. Speaking with DJ Akademiks, he noted that in Atlanta, Future always seemed to be bigger than Drake, sparking a debate on Twitter about whether he was right or just blowing smoke. He later clarified the comment, explaining that growing up, he and his associates listened to more mixtapes than albums.

Watch 21 Savage’s near spill above.