For months now, fans have wondered just when Drake’s upcoming album, Certified Lover Boy, will be released. While Drake has periodically offered updates on the album’s expected release date, nothing had been set in stone yet… until today. This morning, viewers of ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter were surprised by the reveal of the album’s release date, which is set for September 3.
The reveal wasn’t a grand affair, but rather, snuck in for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. During the show’s introduction, there were brief clips of a sign that read, “CLB September 3.” While there’s nothing here that explicitly says “Certified Lover Boy,” given Drake’s association with and love for the sports world, it seems more than likely that he worked with the worldwide leader in sports on this announcement.
It would make sense that the album would have a release date that’s not too far away, as he said recently that Certified Lover Boy is finished and on the way: “Album’s ready… album’s cooked, looking forward to delivering it to you. Certified Lover Boy on the way and that’s for anyone in the way.” It would seem Kanye West won’t be making an appearance on the album, as he and Drake have revived their feud in recent days.
Orson Welles once said that, “The notion of directing a film is the invention of critics—the whole eloquence of cinema is achieved in the editing room.” For Spike Lee, the chance to go back into the editing room with NYC Epicenters 9/11-> 2021½, his HBO docuseries that chronicles the September 11 attacks and how New York City has changed over the 20 years since that day, should also mitigate the rash of criticism he has received for devoting part of his running time to airing 9/11 truther conspiracy theories. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Lee has edited out the inclusion of these preposterous ideologies from the final part of his four-part series, and that “the final chapter is also now 30 minutes shorter than previously planned.”
On Monday, The New York Times published an interview with Lee in which writer Reggie Ugwu questioned the director’s decision to include interviews with members of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, a conspiracy theory group that believes the collapse of the Twin Towers was the result of a controlled demolition. While Lee didn’t say he agrees with that particular theory, he admitted that, “I got questions. And I hope that maybe the legacy of this documentary is that Congress holds a hearing, a congressional hearing about 9/11.” When pressed further on whether he believed the “official explanations,” Lee responded:
“The amount of heat that it takes to make steel melt, that temperature’s not reached. And then the juxtaposition of the way Building 7 fell to the ground—when you put it next to other building collapses that were demolitions, it’s like you’re looking at the same thing. But people going to make up their own mind. My approach is put the information in the movie and let people decide for themselves. I respect the intelligence of the audience.”
When Ugwu wisely responded with, “Right, but you don’t say ‘make up your own mind’ about whether or not the vaccine is poison, or ‘make up your own mind’ about whether Joe Biden was legitimately elected,” Lee concluded that, “People are going to think what they think, regardless. I’m not dancing around your question. People are going to think what they think.”
Clearly, the conversation—and the uproar surrounding it—was enough to lead Lee to think that he might be better off removing these controversial takes altogether. As The Hollywood Reporter notes:
In addition, part three also presented conspiracy theories about Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to take back control of the plane from hijackers. The theory, which wasn’t initially included alongside any expert knowledge, argues that the plane didn’t crash, but had instead been shot down. There have been no new edits to part three.
The re-cut—and shorter—part four of NYC Epicenters 9/11-> 2021½ will air on HBO on September 11.
Rudy Giuliani has been called many things: America’s Mayor. Time Person of the Year. Cousin Marrier. Trump Flunkee. FBI Person of Interest. Public Farter. Ovary-Shriveler (ok, that one’s mine). While he has happily embraced some of these monikers, one characterization that he totally disagrees with (in between hiccups) is that he’s a raging alcoholic )who was reportedly “shit-faced” while pushing Trump to do a coup). Or does he?
As Raw Story reports, Giuliani—who is rumored to be going broke as he’s drowning in legal fees as a result of trying to defend all the lies he told on behalf of former president Donald Trump—sat down with WNBC for an interview just ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. But if Rudy thought this was going to be his chance to relive his glory of being a beloved icon of New York City strength, well, he was wrong (and not for the first time).
The entire segment is four minutes of pure magic, with interviewer Melissa Russo’s narration at times seeming like a Ron Howard Arrested Development voiceover. Russo somehow managed to maintain her composure as she walked and sat down with Giuliani as random people shouted things like “I loved your work in Borat 2!” At one point (around the 3:00 mark below), the conversation turns to Rudy’s reputation as a befuddled boozehound, with Russo noting that “Giuliani says he’s as sharp as ever… And he denies claims and published reports and from colleagues that a drinking problem is to blame for the change people perceive in him.” Here’s how that went:
Russo: Have you ever struggled with alcohol?
Rudy: Never at all. Never at all.
Russo: Were you drunk during those interviews when they said you were?
Rudy: Absolutely not. I don’t think I’ve ever done an interview drunk. I have sometimes—I mean, I drink normally. I like scotch. I drink scotch.
Russo: So you do not believe you have a drinking problem?
Rudy: No, I don’t believe it—I know I’m not. I mean, I… [giggles] No, I’m not an alcoholic. I’m a functioning… I’m probably… I probably function more effectively than 90 percent of the population.
“I don’t think I’ve ever done an interview drunk” isn’t exactly a definitive no.
Over the past however many months, there have been reports about the progress of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s divorce. Based on information that has been made public, though, the whole thing seems quite amicable. Kardashian, for example, has showed up to West’s recent Donda listening events. She again had a presence at his Chicago event last night, although she was more involved than usual.
This time, she became part of the show. At the end of the performance, during the song “No Child Left Behind,” she took the stage in a wedding dress (a Balenciaga Couture wedding dress, as TMZ reports). She approached West, and as the show concluded, the pair left the stadium hand-in-hand.
TMZ also notes that according to their sources, while Kardashian and West aren’t getting back together, they still have familial love for each other and will continue to support each other.
Meanwhile, the Chicago event will packed with headlines aside from the Kardashian appearance. Aside from her, Marilyn Manson and DaBaby, who are both controversial figures in the music world at the moment, were also part of the proceedings. Speaking of DaBaby, fans noticed that West replaced a Jay-Z verse with one from DaBaby, and folks aren’t pleased.
We’re growing closer to the end of summer, already, before it even began, but it’s been another heck of a year so far. Fortunately, Netflix is here to help distract you from the rougher realities in life. As a result, the streaming service is offering up a tidal wave of content to keep you occupied all darn weekend. There’s an origin story for The Witcher franchise that’s full of monster-hunting adrenaline, and Adrian Grenier returns to the small screen with muchos problemos. A thriller series and a gender-swapped remake of a 1990s romantic comedy are on tap, as well as an installment of the UNTOLD docu-film-series from the director of Betty. There’s almost too much here to handle, but we’ve laid out the most bingeworthy options for you.
Here’s everything else coming to (and leaving) the streaming platform this week.
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (Netflix film streaming 8/23)
To tide us over until The Witcher‘s second season arrives with more grumpy Geralt of Rivia, please set your calendars accordingly for this prequel anime film. The picture will go back in time to explore the early monster-hunting years of Geralt’s mentor, Vesemir, who appears to be enjoying himself a lot more than his successor. Theo James voices the character, who will be live-action portrayed by Kim Bodnia further down the line. At least we’ll know that, although the iconic Witcher baths only recently become canon, they’ve always been there, at least retroactively. Also, zombies.
Adrian Grenier plays a loving family man who mysteriously disappears, only to surface in a viral internet video that accuses him of being a domestic abuser who will be killed after a certain number of views. No one’s sure whether this is a confession or a threat, and yikes. This promises to be (according to the synopsis) a “high stakes thriller that explores the ways in which our most dangerous and uncontrolled impulses are fueled in the age of social media,” but it sounds awfully stressful.
UNTOLD: Caitlyn Jenner (Netflix film streaming 8/24)
Crystal Moselle (Betty, The Wolfpack) directs this docu-film-series’ third installment to cover the 1970s Olympic run of Caitlyn Jenner. The decathlon is no joke in terms of the athletic feat required for the job, but for Jenner, the more difficult challenge was coming into her own identity. American superstardom is one thing, but what came afterward is what allows Jenner to reflect about past and present.
Post Mortem: No One Dies in Skarnes (Netflix series streaming 8/24)
A small Norwegian town takes center stage due to its stagnant death rate, which is causing a family-driven funeral home to suffer. One of those family members, Live Hallangen, dies and wakes up on a forensic table, and she’s dying of hunger. This leads her to quite a conundrum: will she help the family business survive by helping herself survive, and by sacrificing the lives of the town’s residents? Dark stuff.
An amnesia patient begins to recover after her family’s killed in an accident, and she bonds with those who have similarly traumatic experiences. Soon enough, things get mysterious with visions and odd dreams, and she wonders exactly where she’s receiving the treatment and whether all is really as it seems. These leads to an attempted escape, and plenty of suspense while mysteries continue to unfold.
Cobra Kai‘s Tanner Buchanan stars in this gender-swapped version of 1999’s She’s All That. He portrays an antisocial outsider, and of course, a social media influencer (played by Addison Rae) takes it upon herself to transform him into a prom king. And yeah, of course she starts to fall for the guy… is there any other way that this film would go? That’s part of the franchise’s charm.
This unscripted series follows a highly successful high-school football program in Georgia that’s known as “TitleTown.” The Wildcats team is chasing their old glory days while grappling with rivalries, romance, and other drama. The show promises unprecedented access on the field and behind the scenes in order to provide a compelling look at American football culture.
Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:
Avail. 8/23 The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
Avail. 8/24 Oggy Oggy
Untold: Caitlyn Jenner
Avail. 8/25 Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed
Clickbait
John of God: The Crimes of a Spiritual Healer
Motel Makeover
The November Man
The Old Ways
Open Your Eyes
Post Mortem: No One Dies in Skarnes
Rainbow High: Part 2
Really Love
The River Runner
Tayo the Little Bus: Season 4
The Water Man
Avail. 8/26 Edens Zero
Family Reunion: Part 4
Avail. 8/27 He’s All That
I Heart Arlo
Titletown High
And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:
Leaving 8/29 Strange but True
Leaving 8/30 Casino Royale
The Eichmann Show
Full Out
Quantum of Solace
Stranger than Fiction
Leaving 8/31 Adrift
Angel Eyes
The Big Lebowski
Chinatown
The Departed
Election
The Girl Next Door
Hey Arnold! The Movie
Hot Rod
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
Love Actually
Love Happens
The Manchurian Candidate
Monsters vs. Aliens
The Muppets
Muppets Most Wanted
Nacho Libre
Moon Kingdom
Pootie Tang
The Prince & Me
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Resident Evil: Extinction
The Ring
Road to Perdition
The Social Network
Superbad
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Zola showed that a tweet could make for a good movie — Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista want to prove it wasn’t a fluke. Earlier this month, the Guardians of the Galaxy star tweeted, “Just going to throw this out into the atmosphere and see what happens. Here we go… Me and Momoa in a Lethal Weapon type buddy cop movie directed by David Leitch. Ok! There it is. Now we wait.” They didn’t have to wait long.
“It’s amazing — you try to work your whole career to get an opportunity like this, and he just tweets something [to make it happen],” Momoa told Entertainment Weekly. “And then I got asked about it on Corden, and now our phones won’t stop ringing. So, it’s safe to say that one is happening.” He’s hoping to shoot the film in his home state of Hawaii.
The Aquaman star also praised his See co-star for still kicking butt in his 50s.
“I’m hoping when I’m Bautista’s age I can still do what he does,” he continues. (Bautista is 52.) “He’s one of those big guys that can move and fight really well. I have a lot of respect for him and Dwayne [Johnson], because doing that kind of wrestling is a lot of tear on your body for a long time. I know I feel it, and I’m 42. And those guys are still badasses.”
Until the buddy cop movie gets made, you can catch Momoa and Bautista together in season two of Apple TV+’s See; the pair also appear in Dune, which was not filmed in Hawaii. Hawaii has the sand, but not the worms.
Three years after sharing his fifth project, Immigrant, XO Records signee Belly is back in actually with his newly-released album, See You Next Wedneday. It’s a project that comes with 19 songs and guest appearances from Big Sean, Young Thug, The Weeknd, Nas, Benny The Butcher, Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Nav, PnB Rock, and more. In addition to the album’s arrival, Belly graces fans with a video for “Die For It,” an effort that features contributions from The Weeknd and Nas.
The visual opens with Belly walking in the midst of destruction. Rumble and burning buildings surround him as he raps about the many hardships he overcame in life. Following a haunting hook from The Weeknd, Nas steps to the mic to relay thoughts that fall in line with those that Belly shared in his own verse. While Belly and Nas can be seen in the video, The Weeknd’s presence is captured on various screens that appear throughout the visual.
Prior to the album’s release, Belly revealed that See You Next Wednesday received approval from none other than Jay-Z. “Before I officially close out an album, there’s two people I play it for to get the seal of approval: Hov and Abel,” Belly wrote in a tweet. “That being said, I can officially say the album is done.”
You can listen to “Die For It” in the video above.
See You Next Wednesday is out now via XO Records/Roc Nation. Get it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Julia Wolf is quickly turning heads in the pop space for getting as far as she has an independent artist. Garnering the support from streaming giant Spotify, Wolf is unafraid to comment on society’s ridiculous double standards on breakout tracks like “RBF: Part 1” and “Resting B*tch Face: Part 2.” Now, Wolf is readying a longer project for release this October called Girls In Purgatory, and the EP will mark the two-year anniversary of the first song she wrote.
That full project is still a few weeks away, but in the meantime, she’s shared another new track called “Falling In Love.” While that song title might not seem original, the song’s take on the subject is in a lane all by itself. Referencing mood rings just like her fellow summer 2021 pop icons Kississippi and Lorde, the song begins with an exasperated voice memo from Wolf about trying to write a love song without actually experiencing the feelings. “Until it happens, I’m not writing about it,” she decides.
Instead, the song is about how it feels to wonder if finding someone perfect is only going to happen for everyone else. Combining her razor sharp melodies with itchy beats, Wolf just keeps refining her glitchy pop sound with every new release. Listen above and look for Girls In Purgatory out October 7.
Blockbuster films hitting streaming services amid shuttered movie theaters continues to be a controversial subject in Hollywood, and in the wake of Scarlett Johansson’s dustup with Disney over Black Widow another woman in Hollywood spoke out about their project seeing a simultaneous debut on streaming.
Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins spoke at CinemaCon on Thursday and expressed frustration with the rollout of her film on HBO Max. Debuting on Christmas day in 2020, the movie had a a disappointing theatrical performance because many theaters were closed in the still-ongoing pandemic. But while the decision to put Warner Bros movies on HBO Max has helped juice the streaming platform’s subscriber count, it’s clear that filmmakers aren’t nearly as happy with the experience as Warners execs.
Patty Jenkins has spoken out today about the release of her superhero sequel Wonder Woman 1984, calling the film’s hybrid rollout—which placed it simultaneously on both HBO Max and in theaters—“heartbreaking,” and, “the best choice of a bunch of very bad choices.”
As the report noted, Jenkins was speaking to a group of theater owners, so there’s certainly a favorable audience to hear her lament the rise of streaming. But as the filmmaker noted, the hope among many is that the current model that’s sparking so much movie theater anxiety among owners and those in Hollywood is merely temporary.
“It was such a dark time,” she noted, in reference to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the release of her superhero movie. “I don’t think it plays the same on streaming. I did practical effects and shot it in Imax. It was painful. I’m not a fan of day-and-date and I hope to avoid it forever. … I make movies for the big screen experience.
While lamenting unfortunate circumstances for a movie that got middling reviews in general seems pretty standard among directors, the “best choice of a bunch of very bad choices” perspective is extremely valid in this case. It’s easy to simply say that movies are made to be seen in theaters and always will be, but the realities of the pandemic have made consumption of these films a very different — and even potentially dangerous — activity. Most directors have either expressed ambivalence or disappointment about the current model, but few people in general want things to remain as they are. But if the pandemic continues, things will continue to be harrowing for theater owners and the people making movies to put on screen.
In their wildly eclectic music, Blackstarkids manage to weave all the relevant sounds of the last twenty years into one cohesive thought. Hot on the heels of their critically-acclaimed album, Whatever, Man from 2020, the final release in their “black coming of age trilogy,” following up Surf in 2020 and Let’s Play Sports in 2019, the group are now readying yet another new project. Puppies Forever will be released on the UK tastemaker record, Dirty Hit, and serves as the group’s official debut album. The first single introducing their new record, “Juno,” was an upbeat introduction, whereas today’s second single, “Fight Club,” is a little more chaotic.
In the video for the clip, the group spread out in a convenience store, rapping and dancing their way through the visit and marking their territory with plenty of their signature early 2000s pop culture references and spitfire rap verses. Luckily, the song and accompanying video seem to have very little to do with the film of the same name, or any of the rules that the iconic film’s signature anti-hero Tyler Durden purports to live his life by. Puppies Forever will be out later this year, and starting November 1, the band will be on tour as support for label mate Beabadoobee. Check out the new song and video above.
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I WAS WATCHING @SportsCenter AND THIS HAPPENED!! #CLB SEPTEMBER 3rd!!!
