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There are 11 films in the “Star Wars” saga and the funny thing is that none of the romantic relationships seem to work out. Han and Leia break up after having a psychopath for a son. Luke and Leia didn’t work out because they’re related.

Anakin Skywalker force-choked Padmé Amidala, ending that relationship, and who knows what was happening between Rey and Kylo.

Sorry, Rose, Finn just really wasn’t that into you.

The only couple that sticks together throughout the entire series is R2-D2 and C-3PO.

Korey Lewis hoped to break that trend by proposing to his girlfriend Gray McKinley through an amazing trailer he made for a nonexistent fan film titled, “Star Wars: Union of the Jedi.”

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In the trailer, Lewis plays a Jedi who has found a device that looks like the wayfinder from “The Rise of Skywalker” and holds the ring he must give to his girlfriend. But first he has to fight off what appears to be a Sith lord. The trailer is super sweet because it features the couple’s family, including Lewis’ father and McKinley’s mom and sister.

Much like the Skywalker saga, it was truly a family affair.

At the end of the trailer Lewis pops the question: “Will you marry me?” To which McKinley said yes.

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Good luck Gray and Korey and may the force be with you.

With the world in a near-constant state of chaos, the appeal of shimmering, joyful pop music is stronger than ever. It might not necessarily change the reality of our sometimes dark news cycles, or the bouts of anxiety plenty of us are facing, but music has always worked best as a wonderful balm. And, at the moment, no one is offering a stronger antidote for the pain than women in pop music. Even when they’re singing and writing about difficult things, these are the artists who are making the world a better place with their voices.

Chlöe

Yes, off the strength of one single this woman is readying her world takeover. Ok, that’s not the whole story: She has two albums in collaboration with her sister, Halle, as Chloe x Halle, and 2020’s Ungodly Hour was a critical pick for best R&B project of the year. But it was in social media clips over the last year that fans noticed Chlöe coming into her own. First, fierce live performances, then sexy, unassuming Instagram clips and dancing along to TikTok memes, and finally, a solo single so meticulously constructed only Beyonce herself could’ve topped it. Considering she’s had Bey on her side for years now, as a direct mentor, it’s not surprising that Chlöe is facing down all the fame with unflinching grace and an unstoppable work ethic. The seamless combination of hip-hop swag and pop vocal acrobatics in “Have Mercy” leaves no doubt that this is an artist who knows her audience. Any and all additional singles will be welcomed, and if a solo album is coming next year, there’s no doubt it will be one of the year’s best. Until then, we have all the additional HBCU versions of “Have Mercy” to look forward to.

Griff

After a massive breakout with the early anguished hit “Black Hole,” Griff immediately proved she had more than just a breakup anthem up her sleeve by releasing an entire EP, One Foot In Front Of The Other. Anchored by the unstoppable momentum of “Black Hole,” the EP yielded several other gems that showcase her expert storytelling abilities, like the unexpectedly tender “Shade Of Yellow” or the brutalist lullaby, “Earl Grey Tea.” Griff uses the flexibility of synth-pop’s ever-shifting melodies to interrogate pre-existing ideas about love and loss, and establish her own perspective on the biggest, most important subjects in our lives. Already tapped by the BRIT Awards as a Rising Star and streaming giant Spotify as their first international Radar artist, this 20-year-old is a star in the making. Following up her EP with yet another hit single, the excellent, self-affirming “One Night,” she’s the rare artist who is releasing music even more interesting than her first big song, and getting better and better as she goes along. Sarah Faith Griffiths is on track to be one of 2022’s biggest pop voices, so start listening now before you’re playing catch up.

Sara Kays

Sometimes there’s just a certain magic about a song. It’s inexplicable, really, the lyrics hum along like they’re more than words, like you’ve always known them, the melody balloons into something bigger than instruments, everything goes. That’s how a lot of people, including myself, felt when they first heard “Remember That Night?” by Sara Kays, a song about the mid-point after a break up where a memory sparks the kind of regret that almost hurts more than the initial break. The Nashville-based singer/songwriter has plenty of other songs to back up this one big, soaring hit, but if anything, its success is an omen of things to come. For those who live and breathe Taylor Swift’s Red, well, Kays is basically the logical continuation of that record’s themes — pop that tilts a little country, an emphasis on under-the-surface stories, wistful nostalgia, strange loves, growing pains, unspeakable emotions that overwhelm the body… it’s all here. Check out “Struck By Lightning” as a follow up if you like what you hear, or all of Kays’ latest EP of the same name. And for the record, Sara doesn’t just sound good in the studio; a recent live show at The Echo elicited several sing-a-longs, and her debut on late night further proved she’s ready for the big leagues. Taylor will probably be calling soon, that’s how excellent Sara’s songwriting is.

Tems

Tems reached mainstream audiences off the strength of her feature on WizKid’s massive single “Essence,” initially released last year as part of his Made In Lagos album. Still sticking around well into 2021, the song just got a remix from none other than pop’s Midas touch master, Justin Bieber, and that new No. 10 hit sets the table perfectly for Tems to release a new EP of her own, If Orange Was A Place. Between a co-sign from Apple Music as part of their Up Next series, and another big feature on the song “Fountains” off Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, there’s no stopping this angel-voiced Nigerian powerhouse from turning into a full-fledged diva. Hey, if she’s good enough for SZA, she’s good enough for you.

Julia Wolf

Julia Wolf kicks off her debut EP, Girls In Purgatory, by refusing to write a love song when she doesn’t feel it. Instead, “Falling In Love” is an all-too-relatable meditation on those nights when being single and scared about it is all part of going out to the club. Wolf manages to channel the understandable anger and frustration that come along with being a young woman in the social media era without ever slipping into bitterness. Her edge is part of what makes these songs pop beyond the normal heartache, love story, or self-love scripted anthems, and while they don’t technically qualify as “sad girl” pop, there’s something so cathartic about her unflinching honesty. Like Julia Michaels before her, Wolf mines the rich world of interpersonal exchange as mediated by technology in a way that only young millennial and Gen Z artists could, reflecting just how much the internet has shifted our behavior. Check “Resting B*tch Face: Part 2” for a nice dash of pop-punk guitar, “Checkmate” for a rap flow that rivals some of your favs, and “In My Way” to hear her sing in perfect Italian. As an independent artist, Wolf doesn’t have the luxury of a big label machine working behind-the-scenes, but it’s arguably this independence that lets her be as real as she is. And frankly, f*ck the machine, an artist this talented doesn’t need it.

PinkPantheress

Listening to PinkPantheress is like tuning in to a supercut of all the best DJ sets you’ve ever heard. Though she does sing original vocals, there’s an otherworldly, timeless quality to her voice that makes it impossible to distinguish what era or what genre she belongs to — instead, her work encompasses them all. The breakout TikTok star cites influences as disparate as Lily Allen, ’90s and ’00s pop and punk acts, and K-pop, but she also manages to mix the best parts of these various eras into one post-pop conglomeration. Instead, her work hits the same pleasure centers as soothing house or glitchy trance, even when her vocals are present, they’re always slightly buried in service to the beat. After a couple hits went so viral that she got a label deal, the enigmatic London producer just put out a short mixtape called To Hell With It that will only continue to build hype. If you’re a fan of both soulful electronic music and hyper-pop, PinkPantheress might be the first artist to successful combine both — think H.E.R. meets PC Music, and settle in for the unexpectedly blissed-out ride.

Rosé (of Blackpink)

K-pop is having a moment, but Rosé is the moment. Even as the girl-group Blackpink is gaining an international following at hyper-speed, fresh off the release of their debut album last year, the band’s solo stars are coming into their own, too. With the release of her solo single “On The Ground” earlier this year, Rosé established herself as an artist that will last way beyond the hype. Without needing to lean into hip-hop features, trendy pop sounds, or compromising her crystal clear voice, she still managed to break the record for most views on a YouTube video for a Korean artist with 41.6 million views. In 24 hours. And the numbers don’t lie — “On The Ground” channels a ’00s pop nostalgia (that still sounds fresh twenty years later) in order to excavate the emptiness of fame. Backed with her second solo track, “Gone,” an acoustic-leaning breakup song, it’s clear that as soon as she wants it, Rosé can have a stage all to herself. But let’s hope her solo star doesn’t conflict with the domination of Blackpink, we still need them in our area!

Nessa Barrett

Fresh off the release of her Pretty Poison EP, Nessa Barrett is another rising pop artist turning her TikTok views into full-blown fame. Unafraid to go dark as f*ck, Nessa’s sound is always infused with a creepy, eerie sense of dread, even as she churns out some of the catchiest songs of the year. Leaning into the femme fatale vibe implied by her EP title, tracks like “I Hope Ur Miserable Until Ur Dead” and “I Wanna Die” turn Halloween sentiments into a year-long lifestyle. Even if the production for her songs is top-notch, and Nessa’s singing voice is surprisingly great, it’s still the music videos where she really shines. Barrett seems the most comfortable and happy when she’s performing on screen, and a string of inventive, melodramatic videos accompanying her new singles has made the release cycle feel more like a mini-movie than anything else. Plus, when it comes to the cinematic world of Nessa Barrett, anything goes, from peep shows in a theater to dead bodies in the morgue.

Gracie Abrams

Elder millennials will happily remember when artists like Ingrid Michaelson, Vanessa Carlton, and A Fine Frenzy ruled the airwaves with their downtempo anthems. Yes, I said anthems. There’s a way to make a pop song soar and rise while still keeping things very chill, and luckily for all of us, that style is back in full force with Gracie Abrams. “Feels Like” has the hushed piano feel and stretched-out vowels that take me right back to the early 2000s, but nothing about this is throwback or derivative. She’s just one of those singers who makes more sense when things are slowed down, like her collaboration with Benny Blanco on “Unlearn” illustrates. Think about a Blanco collab like Bieber’s “Lonely” — some topics just need to be addressed sad and slow. On her 2020 EP minor, Abrams showcased just how powerful a minor thing can be, channeling heartbreak on songs like “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” and locking into a beat for the harmony-laden “21.” Whenever your next chill night in presents itself, let Gracie provide the soundtrack, her sound is sharply sweet, sometimes sad, and oh so comforting.

Slayyyter

It’s hard enough to survive a pandemic, let alone navigate releasing your debut album during one. Slayyyter had a massive surge of internet support that catapulted her into the alt-pop atmosphere, then a few hiccups where she jumped labels and dealt with backlash over old, stupid comments. But through it all, she kept focused on living what has been her lifelong dream — entering the upper echelon of the pop world like Britney, Christina, and Gaga — and this summer Troubled Paradise finally dropped. While it still included some of Catherine Slater’s more aggressively sexual early material like “Throatzillaaa,” the album showed serious range! From the bait-and-switch hyperpop of “Cowboys” to the pop-punk inflected “Over This!,” Slater flexed her songwriting muscles in every direction for her debut. The standout remains “Clouds,” a foggy rainbow blast of masterful sad-pop that gets more and more danceable the darker the lyrics get. It’s a brilliant execution of oppositional forces that encapsulates the best thing about Slayyyter, her maddening contradictions. Maybe the album came out this year, but she’s just going to get bigger and more beloved in 2022. The clouds can’t last forever.

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

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 Ed Sheeran drop an anticipated new album and Megan Thee Stallion treat her fans to some goodies. 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.

Ed Sheeran — “Overpass Graffiti”

Ed Sheeran graced 2019 with No.6 Collaborations Project, but as far as proper solo albums, his latest one before that was 2017’s ÷. He got back on the mathematical horse last week, though, with his fourth solo album, =. On the album’s release date, he marked the occasion with a video for “Overpass Graffiti,” which has a propulsive The War On Drugs-like rhythm that makes it a perfect driving tune.

The War On Drugs — “Change”

Speaking of The War On Drugs, Adam Granduciel and company dropped a new album last week, too, titled I Don’t Live Here Anymore. They’ve become today’s best purveyors of heartland-inspired rock, and they showed that off with their final pre-album single, “Change.” The track is the band right in their pocket, pumping out rock that’s epic and grand without being overbearing.

Megan Thee Stallion — “Megan Monday Freestyle”

Megan Thee Stallion treats her fans well, like last week when she dropped a new mixtape, the name of which makes clear it’s especially for them: Something For Thee Hotties. The project is a collection of loose tracks from Meg’s archives, and appealingly, it makes some fan-favorites available on streaming platforms for the first time, like 2020’s “Megan Monday Freestyle.”

Jay-Z and Kid Cudi — “Guns Go Bang”

Jay-Z is showing off his versatility with one his latest projects: serving as a co-producer on the Western movie The Harder They Fall. He lent his musical talents to the film as well, as he and Kid Cudi linked up on a track for the movie’s soundtrack, “Guns Go Bang.” The track includes influences from the film’s subject matter and is far more than just OST filler.

Big Sean and Hit-Boy — “Loyal To A Fault” Feat. Bryson Tiller and Lil Durk

Former GOOD Music artist Big Sean came out of nowhere last week with an intimate treasure trove of new material, teaming up with Hit-Boy to drop a new six-song project, an EP called What You Expect. While the effort is mostly just Sean and Hit-Boy unaccompanied by nobody but each other, they let Lil Durk and Bryson Tiller in on the fun with “Loyal To A Fault.”

Spoon — “The Hardest Cut”

The last time we got an album from Spoon was 2017 with Hot Thoughts, but now Brit Daniel and his cohorts are plotting a return for next year with Lucifer On The Sofa. They announced the project last week, at which time they also shared the single “The Hardest Cut,” the working title of which is a fine indication of what’s going on here: “Texas Riff.”

ASAP Ferg — “Green Juice” Feat. Pharrell and The Neptunes

As far as songs about juice, ASAP Ferg and The Neptunes/Pharrell had probably last week’s best one with “Green Juice.” Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes of the track, “While [Ferg] stomps his way through a signature brag-filled verse, The Neptunes’ buzzing, booming production, and Pharrell’s oddly inspirational chorus, make ‘Green Juice’ into a futuristic, chest-thumping anthem.”

Lil Uzi Vert — “Demon High”

Lil Uzi Vert’s The Pink Tape was initially set for a Halloween release, but he ultimately ended up delaying the project. What did manage to drop in time for spooky season, though, is the single “Demon High,” of which Uproxx’s Aaron Williams wrote, “Employing a Pro Logic-produced, ’80s New Wave-inspired beat, Uzi dances his cares away as he laments a lost love, expressing his distrust for women.”

Baby Tate — “Pedi”

Baby Tate is fresh off a rebrand (she goes by Yung Baby Tate no longer) and her first output under her new moniker is “Pedi.” The track, her first song released as a Warner Records artist, is energetic and frenetic and comes with a wild video that matches that energy.

Snail Mail — “Madonna”

Lindsey Jordan is now just days away from releasing her upcoming Snail Mail album Valentine, and last week brought a preview of it, “Madonna.” She explained that it’s about one way in which love may not be how it seems: “In summation, it’s about why love can’t exist between a person and a concept of a person. Remove the pedestal and you might realize there was never anything there at all.”

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

The New Orleans Pelicans have opened the season 1-6 and find themselves at the bottom of the Western Conference. They’ve played all seven games without their franchise superstar, Zion Williamson, and it doesn’t sound like that will change anytime soon.

According to Will Guillory of The Athletic, Pelicans head coach Willie Green said Williamson underwent scans on his right foot and is taking part in some on-court activities. However, “he still isn’t cleared to do any 5-on-5 work. The plan is for him to get another round of scans in 2-3 weeks that’ll free him up to be a full participant in practice,” Guillory tweeted.

During the offseason, Williamson, who averaged 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 64.9 percent true shooting in 2020-21, underwent surgery to repair the fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. This is the second time in three years he’s begun the season on the sidelines.

At the earliest, it seems as though he could be a full participant in practice by mid-November, at which point he’d still have to work his way back into game shape. A return sometime in December seems like an optimistic outcome.

The Pelicans will look to snap their three-game losing streak Tuesday night when they take on the Phoenix Suns.

Is there a better deal in video games than Game Pass? Microsoft’s service where players can pay a fee and then have access to an always growing and changing library of games can’t be beaten right now. Anyone inside the Xbox ecosystem — Xbox console owners or PC users on Windows — can take advantage of the huge library of Game Pass games. The only downside is that with such a huge library of games it can be difficult to keep up with what’s coming in, going out, and where to go next. We’re going to try and help with that by suggesting games that everyone should play.

We’ll break this down into three categories. A new game coming to Game Pass that is worth playing, one that is on the way out that should be played before its gone, and a game that’s been on Game Pass for awhile now that is worth giving attention. These games might be underappreciated, games that are better on a service like Game Pass than as a full price $60 – $70 purchase, or a can’t miss classic that everyone should play. We just want everyone to get the opportunity to play some fun video games and we hope these suggestions will help anyone undecided about their next experience to give them a try.

One New – It Takes Two

It Takes Two came out back in March and met immediate critical acclaim for being a really well done co-op experience, while also telling an emotional story about an uncommon video game topic, divorce. It Takes Two forces a mom and dad getting ready to end their marriage to work together so they can escape the predicament they’ve ended up in. Along the way, they’ll be faced with platforming, puzzles, and put through an extremely emotional ordeal. It’s the kind of game that leaves players thinking as they watch the credits roll at the end.

The only downside to It Takes Two is that it’s a forced co-op game. There isn’t a way to play it by yourself so that means the only way to experience the game is with someone else that either also has Game Pass, owns the game, or is on the couch right next to you. This might be a turn off for some people as well because not everyone has a friend or significant other they can play a co-op game with, but for those who do this is a great way to experience one of the best games of 2021.

One Going Away – River City Girls

Anyone that’s a fan of classic beat’em ups should use the time that it’s still on Game Pass to play River City Girls. This modern homage to River City Ransom flips the script of the NES original and sees the player take on one of the two main characters Misako or Kyoko to go rescue their boyfriends that have been kidnapped. Along the way, players will take on tough bosses and waves of enemies as everyone tries to get in the way of rescuing Misakao and Kyoko’s boyfriends.

What makes River City Girls so fun though is the same things that made River City Ransom feel so revolutionary at the time and it’s the RPG elements. Players can level up, learn new moves, and feel themselves become stronger as they go on their journey. This helps the game feel like it’s more than just mashing a couple of buttons until everyone falls down. It’s also a fantastic co-op experience for friends to play through together and compete to get the highest score. It has a lot of old-school nostalgia to it, but it has plenty of newnesses to feel fresh and unique. Give it a try before it disappears on November 15.

One Staying – Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling

Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling is the best Paper Mario game since Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Okay, so that’s a little dramatic especially since the most recent game in the Paper Mario series was received extremely well critically, but it’s extremely non-traditional. Bug Fables meanwhile has been the perfect game to scratch that Paper Mario RPG style itch.

Bug Fables is a very clear homage to that series and fans love it as a result. It’s also been criminally under-appreciated since coming out in 2019. It’s been on Gamepass since June 2021 and while it’s been getting a little more attention it still needs a stronger push. For anyone that wants a strong, fun, and stylistic RPG to play right now then why not give Bug Fables a try? It doesn’t show any signs of leaving Game Pass at the moment, but that could change at any time. Bug Fables deserves more recognition for how fun it is and everyone with Game Pass should give it a try.

Games coming to Game Pass in November

Minecraft: Java and Bedrock Editions (PC) – November 2

Unpacking (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) – November 2

It Takes Two (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) – November 4

Kill It with Fire (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) – November 4

Football Manager 2022 (PC) – November 9

Football Manager 2022: Xbox Edition (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) – November 9

Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) – November 9

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One) – November 11

One Step from Eden (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) – November 11

Leaving on November 15

Final Fantasy VIII HD (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

Planet Coaster (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

Star Renegades (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

Streets of Rogue (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

The Gardens Between (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

River City Girls (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

Before every Game of Thrones fan was mad about the series finale, every Game of Thrones fan was mad about Ed Sheeran’s cameo. The chart-topping singer appeared in the season seven episode “Dragonstone” as Eddie, a House Lannister soldier who bonds with Arya around a campfire before having his face burned off by Drogon. Eddie wasn’t “brutally murdered,” like Sheeran wanted, but how many other people can say they have no eyelids because of a dragon? (Three. My guess is three.)

Sheeran has joked about the backlash to his cameo, which was meant as a surprise to super-fan Maisie Williams, but he was also hurt by how much people didn’t like it. “It was great,” he said on the Armchair Expert podcast about shooting the scene, adding, “I feel like people’s reaction to it sort of muddied my joy to it.”

“She’s always been awesome,” Sheeran said of his friend, Williams. “I don’t think they had written the ending yet. It was meant to be her last season but it wasn’t. And as a surprise for her, [they got] me on. So, she was meant to turn up on set. and I was by the fire.”

It wasn’t only viewers who had a negative reaction to Sheeran’s appearance. Kristian Nairn (Hodor) called celebrity cameos on Thrones “stupid,” and added “I don’t mind going on the record on that. I just think it takes you right out of the world… I was like, ‘Why is Ed Sheeran here?’ I mean, Ed Sheeran’s great. He’s a great guy, great musician, but why is he in Game of Thrones?” Nairn clarified that he’s not an Ed Sheeran fan, but “I think most people would agree with me there. It was a big snap to reality.”

It was distracting but I don’t hold it against Sheeran. If I had a chance to be on my favorite show, I would do it. What I’m saying is, I would like my face to be melted by a dragon on Succession. I would settle for cracking open a cold one with Greg.

You can listen to the Armchair Expert podcast below.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

Straight up, streetwear wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for hip-hop. The two entities go hand-in-hand, pushing up against and off of one another in their steady quest to take over the world. That’s not hyperbole, streetwear and hip-hop have taken over the world. Hip-hop went from a niche genre that was written off as a fad in the late ’70s and early ’80s and blossomed into a phenomenon that has since influenced every other genre of American music (see autotune country) and become the dominant musical genre of cultural expression in America. Streetwear similarly went from being a niche fashion aesthetic to a world-dominating force in modern fashion. Whether you’re a small fashion label just getting started, or an iconic luxury house like Gucci or Louis Vuitton, if you’re not designing streetwear, you’re not connecting with the people.

Streetwear and hip-hop haven’t just been growing parallel to one another, they feed off of one another. Hip-hop provides the face, streetwear provides the look, and the two entities rely on one another to move product. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of the best sneakers (arguably the emblem of streetwear itself) have a rapper’s name attached. In a celebration of hip-hop and streetwear, we’re running through the most important hip-hop sneaker collaborations of all time, starting with…

Adidas Superstar, 1986

The Adidas Superstar is not technically a hip-hop sneaker collaboration, but because of Run-DMC’s hit single “My Adidas,” it felt wrong to start this list anywhere else. Make no mistake, a fresh white pair of Adidas Superstars with contrasting stark black stripes is a look wholly owned by Run-DMC Streetwear fans treat this sneaker silhouette and colorway as a stone-cold classic, and Adidas has “My Adidas” to thank for that.

The song’s video gave the world its first glimpse of hip-hop’s new look and from “My Adidas” on, the two entities have been in lock-step. The sneaker features a leather base with a shell toe cap, it’s one of Adidas’ oldest and best-selling sneaker silhouettes. Adidas would go on to let Run-DMC design their own version of the silhouette, but nothing beats the OG.

Nike Dunk High Wu-Tang, 1999

No other rap group quite understood the synergy between streetwear and hip-hop like the Wu-Tang Clan, who went off and started their very own successful streetwear label, Wu-Wear. In 1999 Nike tapped them with a special Friends And Family Only release of the high-top Nike Dunk.

The colorway was lifted from a set of sneakers celebrating different university sports teams, this black and gold iteration was meant to represent Iowa University, but since it shared a color scheme with the Wu-Tang logo, Nike slapped a W on the heel and tongue, and with that simple move created one of the most sought after sneakers of all time.

ICECREAM Dollars & Diamonds, 2003

Pharrell Williams doesn’t get enough credit for being lightyears ahead on seeing the linkage between not just hip-hop and streetwear, but the importance of Japanese designers to the medium. Streetwear wouldn’t be what it is today without the influence of Japan, and it was Pharrell who was smart enough to link up with cutting-edge designers like BAPE figurehead NIGO before anyone else. The result was his very own label, Billionaire Boys Club, and the brand sneaker brand ICECREAM.

Pharrell was the first rapper turned sneaker designer, and this pair Diamonds and Dollars silhouette was his attempt at fusing streetwear and skatewear into a single entity. It was a success, it signified a turning point in streetwear that would see the aesthetic completely absorb the world of skateboarding.

Air Jordan 4 Encore, 2004

When “My Adidas” and the Wu-Tang Dunks dropped, streetwear was still pretty niche, but by the mid-00s the fashion aesthetic started to hit the mainstream. When Eminem linked up with Nike for the Air Jordan Encore, named after Eminem’s album of the same name, people lost their minds. This shoe single-handedly created the modern sneakerhead.

It remains one of the most popular sneaker colorways of all time, fetching bids exceeding $20,000 on aftermarket sites like StockX and eBay. Nike will occasionally drop a refresh of this sneaker in very limited runs, so it’s still possible to own a pair without paying a fortune for it. Good luck.

BAPE Kanye West Bapesta College Dropout, 2007

Long before Kanye West had his own sneaker brand, and even before he started calling himself “Yeezy,” West linked up with Japanese streetwear label BAPE for the College Dropout version of the brand’s Bapesta sneaker silhouette. The sneaker features a tan and brown leather upper with red accents and a cartoon graphic of Kanye’s Dropout Bear character.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen the Dropout Bear, Ye ditched the mascot after the “Graduation Album” which was released the same year. It’s a reminder of a younger more playful Kanye and still to this day, a pretty dope design, even if it’s a far cry from what Kanye would design with his own Yeezy brand.

Odd Future x Vans Syndicate Old Skool Pro S Golf Wang Pack, 2013

Pharrell combined the worlds of street skating and hip-hop, and out of that came Tyler The Creator’s Odd Future collective. Inspired by the sort of bright color palettes you’d expect out of a Wes Anderson movie and not what you’d find in a typical hip-hop music video (at the time) Tyler The Creator presented his dark strain of hip-hop with a juxtaposing visual aesthetic that forever changed the look of modern rap music.

Before Tyler The Creator, the idea of a rapper wearing a sneaker with a pink sole is something only Kanye West would do, but he didn’t. Tyler did, and this early collaboration with Vans eventually caught the eye of Converse, who swooped up Tyler and gave him his own sneaker line by the name of Golf Le Fleur.

Air Yeezy 2 SP Red October, 2014

Another Kanye West sneaker? Yes. If you can’t talk hip-hop without mentioning streetwear, you can’t talk about either without mentioning Kanye West. His presence will weigh heavily throughout this roundup. While his cultural status is not quite at the heights it was just seven years ago you can’t deny that the name Kanye West still holds a lot of weight amongst hip-hop fans and sneakerheads alike.

But before Kanye West put his stamp on the world of footwear with his Yeezy Brand, he tried things out with Nike. Ultimately, it didn’t work out (Nike didn’t want to give Ye as much creative control as he wanted) but 2014’s Air Yeezy Red Octobers were the first indication that people needed to take West the sneaker designer as seriously as they took West the hip-hop producer and rapper.

Even today, it’s impossible not to fall in love with this all-over scarlet red colorway. Just look at the thing! Tell us you don’t want a pair.

Air Jordan 12 White OVO, 2016

Drake hasn’t had quite the same level of success attaching his name to sneakers as his contemporaries, but the Jordan 12 White OVOs is one of the finest colorways the sneaker has ever seen in its entire run, and it has Drake to thank for that. There is nothing special about this sneaker, Drake didn’t offer up any radical suggestions for a re-design, but what it presents is a highly effective colorway that exudes luxury and class thanks to its mix of white leather and gold accent work.

You can hardly tell Drake has anything to do with the sneaker, and that’s kind of its strength.

Adidas Yeezy BOOST 700 Wave Runner, 2017

We can’t overstate just how important Kanye West’s name is to the world of sneakers. It’s arguably just as big as Michael Jordan’s, so we couldn’t finish this list without talking about West’s label with Adidas, Yeezy Brand. By 2017 Kanye West and Adidas had already been making sneakers together for five years, but West wasn’t really taken seriously as a footwear designer. That all changed with 2017’s Wave Runner.

When the Wave Runner dropped, which is still the 700’s best colorway, Kanye West singlehandedly made the ‘90s influenced “dad shoe” the hot footwear item everyone had to have. The world of sneakers changed once this shoe dropped, brands like New Balance, Nike, and Adidas started to bring out more of their ‘90s designs and Adidas was able to slash the price of these shoes from the usual $300 to the more affordable (but still expensive) $240.

After the success of the Wave Runner, Adidas themselves started to put more faith in Kanye, increasing the sneaker release runs of all of his future shoes in an effort to make them more accessible amongst the public.

Jordan 1 High OG SP Fragment x Travis Scott, 2021

If Kanye West dominated footwear in the 2010s, it’s looking more and more like Travis Scott will inherit that crown for this current decade. This year saw the release of Travis Scott’s 13th Nike collaboration, the Jordan 1 High OG SP Fragment x Travis Scott, a partnership with streetwear label Fragment Design. It’s not the first sneaker people would associate with Travis Scott — that would be the Jordan 1 Mocha — but, and brace yourself for this one, it is the best.

No, it’s not quite as iconic as the coffee-toned Mocha that it’s meant to be a sequel of, but give it time, that combination of University Blue, white leather, off-white midsole, and a black oversized backwards swoosh will no doubt go down as not only one of Travis Scott’s best sneakers but one of hip-hop’s best sneaker collaborations of all time.

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

Hey, remember Morbius, the Marvel vampire movie starring Jared Leto that completely fell off the map as Sony bumped its whole film slate an entire year because of the pandemic? Well, it’s back. The Sony/Marvel film is dropping an all-new trailer on Tuesday, and to get fans pumped, Leto appeared in a new featurette for Fandango that has Spidey fans tingling over a specific word choice by the actor.

After briefly describing the character of Michael Morbius the Living Vampire, and showing off some brief new footage that will undoubtedly appear in tomorrow’s trailer, Leto ends the clip by saying that the character opens up a “web of opportunity.”

Why does Leto saying “web of opportunity” with an extra bit of gusto have Marvel fans freaking out? Spider-Man. For those who don’t know, Morbius is a Spider-Man villain from the comics. But like the first Venom movie, the Morbius film was originally intended to live in its own separate universe. However, that has been increasingly appearing not to be the case. Michael Keaton’s MCU version of the Vulture popped up in the first trailer, which was a major tease that Morbius will have a connection to Tom Holland’s Spidey. Now, you’ve got Leto not so casually making web puns, and it definitely caught Marvel fans’ attention.

You can see some of the reactions below:

(Via Fandango on Twitter)

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This week is carried heavily by singles. T-Pain delivered his follow-up to his and Kehlani’s summer hit “I Like Dat” with the slow tempo “I’m Cool With That.” BJ The Chicago Kid revives his weekly series from earlier this year by dropping his second single in as many weeks with “6 Months.” Lastly, Mario recruits Chris Brown for their “Get Back.”

T-Pain — “I’m Cool With That”

T-Pain’s comeback is still in progress and the latest chapter of it grants the world a new solo single. The singer returns with “I’m Cool With That,” which finds T-Pain being extremely optimistic with his lover, even when it appears that she’s leading him on. Despite the red flags, T-Pain commits to sticking around and being by her side.

BJ The Chicago Kid — “6 Months”

Months after sharing his 4 AM EP, BJ The Chicago Kid gets right back to work. He returns with “6 Months,” his second single in as many weeks following last week’s “Smooth,” a tender record that features BJ’s gentle vocals and his plea to let his current love last forever. He acknowledges that bumps in the road will appear, but he also reminds his partner that their “love shouldn’t change” as a result.

Mario & Chris Brown — “Get Back”

After dropping Closer To Mars to end 2020, Mario returns to action alongside Chris Brown with “Get Back.” The track combines sultry intimacy with a drive pedaled by a thumping bass as both singers speak about their desires to return to the arms of their awaiting partners.

Buju — Sorry I’m Late

Nigeria’s own Buju has primed himself for what could be a massive 2022 year. The singer puts himself in the best position to accomplish this with his latest project Sorry I’m Late. It arrives after a string of features, with acts like Wizkid, Wani, Timaya, and more, which helped show exactly what the singer brings to the table with each song.

Mayorkun — Back In Office

Three years after his debut project The Mayor Of Lagos, Nigeria’s own Mayorkun gets Back In Office for his sophomore album. The 12-track project features appearances from Gyakie, Joeboy, Victony, Flavour, and DJ Maphorisa, as well as Kabza De Small. In a conversation with Apple Music, he explains why it took so long for his second album to arrive. “I feel like I had to master peace to make this,” he said. “I had to be okay before I made this album.”

Alina Baraz — Moongate

A little over a month after she dropped her Sunbeam EP, Alina Baraz returns with a B-side project of sorts with her Moongate EP. Just like Sunbeam, Moongate presents four songs for listeners to enjoy, but this time around, Baraz tackles a different aura and vibe for the project — one fitting for the late-night hours.

Che Ecru — Til Death (Deluxe)

Che Ecru recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his Til Death project — one of three projects the singer released in 2020. To further the commemoration of this project, Ecru returns with its deluxe reissue which features three additional songs: “Baggage,” “Xtc,” and “Candy.”

Ama Lou — “Trust Nobody”

More than two years after her last drop, which was her 2019 EP Ama, who?, British singer Ama Lou returns with her new single, “Trust Nobody.” Lou unveils her struggles to trust others and her extreme desire to maintain her personal space and space. The track is hopefully the first of a lot more music to come from the singer.

Jonxlewis — “Play” Feat. Aaron Rose

After delivering records like “Hold It Down,” “Thinking Too Much,” and “Not What You’re Used To,” singer-songwriter Jonxlewis keeps the streak going with “Play.” The track is equally passionate and determined as he strives to get his intimate moment with an unnamed woman. Pro Era’s Aaron Rose contributes a slick verse that fits perfectly with the song’s theme.

Thuy — I Hope U See This

After delivering a string of singles that dates back to 2019, singer Thuy finally steps out on her own with her debut EP, I Hope U See This. It delivers nine songs that touch on heartbreak, love, empowerment, and self-confidence through her soft vocals and authentic lyrics.

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

It’s the beginning of a new month so you know what that means: more original content from Netflix.

The streaming platform is dropping a handful of really great series this November and all of them are worth a watch. We’ve whittled the list down to six shows that will give you the most bang for your binge-watching bucks, a lineup that includes live-action anime adaptations, cartel crime dramas, animated comedies, and more.

Here are the new Netflix original series you should add to your queue this November.

Cowboy Bebop (streaming 11/19)

3, 2, 1 … Let’s jam! The live-action adaptation of this beloved anime series lands on Netflix this month. Here’s what it’s promising fans: John Cho with a perfectly-coiffed head of hair and an affinity for well-fitting blue blazers, bounty-hunting adventures in space, a soundtrack curated by the legendary Yoko Kanno, and a corgi. A CORGI you guys! What more do you want?

Tiger King 2 (streaming 11/17)

No, we haven’t all jumped in some kind of time travel machine and crash-landed in the early days of COVID lockdown circa 2020. Instead, Netflix is recreating some of the pandemic pandemonium courtesy of another round of shady zoo owners, murderous big cat madames, and Joe Exotic — the Queer tiger-wrangling convict who, sadly, did not get pardoned by Trump. Season two of this wild docuseries will dive deeper into the underground exotic animal market while profiling the people who benefitted most from the Tiger King’s downfall.

Narcos: Mexico Season 3 (streaming 11/5)

The final season of Narcos: Mexico picks up as Diego Luna’s crime boss makes himself comfortable behind bars, leaving a power vacuum in the cartel world that more than one criminal family is happy to fill. While the Sinaloa, Tijuana, and Juárez cartels battle for control of the drug trade, Scoot McNairy’s DEA Agent finds himself in the crosshairs.

Big Mouth: Season 5 (streaming 11/5)

Creator Nick Kroll is back to personify some of our worst puberty demons in cartoon form with another season of his animated comedy series. Joining the anxiety mosquitos and depression kitties this time around are creatures known as lovebugs / hateworms. All of the main crew gets infected with one or the other (or both) as this season explores the thin line between love and hate, plus some bigger cultural issues like toxic masculinity and cystic acne.

True Story (streaming 11/24)

Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes star in this dramatic thriller from the team behind Narcos. Hart plays a stand-up comic on the rise who gets into some serious trouble one-night thanks to his wayward brother’s (Snipes) criminal enterprising. Expect more crime than comedy here.

F is for Family: Season 5 (streaming 11/25)

This animated raunchy comedy from Bill Burr returns for its final season this month as the Murphy clan celebrates the holiday season. The final outing should take place over the Thanksgiving – Christmas time frame as Frank deals with his father’s ongoing health crisis, welcomes a new baby, and tries to get in the holiday spirit.