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Kanye West’s next Donda listening event is scheduled to take place in his hometown, Chicago, this Thursday ahead of the latest release date for the album, Friday, August 27. While West’s associates previously hinted to “expect a more detailed show on a whole other level,” this week, we’ve received more information about just how detailed the show we can expect it to be.

On Monday, photos of the interior of Soldier Field, the venue for the upcoming listening event, popped up on Twitter suggesting that West is building a replica of his childhood home inside the stadium. That house was previously the site of the Donda House foundation set up by Kanye and his early rap partner Rhymefest and the subject of a feud between the former friends when Kanye was unable to pony up the funds to fix up the house or support the foundation’s art programs.

Now, it looks like he’ll be rebuilding the house after all, albeit in a different location and with a different function in keeping with Kanye’s sense of extravagance. Of course, two listening events have come and gone without a release of the album named after his mom, so if he’s going all-out with this listening, he’s put a lot more pressure on himself to deliver.

In 2017, Sturgill Simpson made a post on Instagram that laid out the rest of his career. After quoting the chorus of Kris Kristofferson’s “The Pilgrim: Chapter 33” — in which the legendary troubadour sings about “a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction” — Simpson wrote that “my entire ‘country music career’ is a character based performance art piece in the form of five sequential concept albums all following the traditional Christian narrative of the journey of the human soul.”

This was heady stuff! At the time, Simpson had released only three albums. His most recent, A Sailor’s Guide To Earth, had been nominated for an Album Of The Year Grammy earlier that year. He was in his prime, and appeared to be rising even higher. It was, in other words, a strange time to be hinting that your quote, country music career, end quote, might soon be over.

But the Instagram post didn’t come completely out of the blue. Simpson had suggested for years in various interviews — most notably on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2014 — that he was ultimately only going to make five LPs. While Simpson quickly deleted his Instagram post, he reiterated his five albums promise one week later while busking outside of the 2017 Country Music Awards. During an informal press conference, he offered up a detailed sketch of how each album fit into his so-called “Christian narrative”:

Yes. I’m only making five albums. And they all do serve a cohesive narrative of a life journey of a human soul from a traditional Western perspective. So High Top Mountain was a seminal album or a past life, you can’t go home. Metamodern Sounds in Country Music was ethereal, literally like the soul’s journey through space. A Sailor’s Guide To Earth represents birth, and life lessons learning them. The next one is going to be about life and sin. We’re literally going to go to hell. And the fifth one will be returning to the light. Absolution.

What nobody beyond Simpson’s inner circle knew at the time is that he had already recorded the bulk of his fourth record, Sound And Fury, which finally came out in the fall of 2019. That caustic and hard-rocking album did indeed prove to be about “literally going to hell,” which reflected Simpson’s self-described “miserable” headspace in 2017, when he achieved his greatest mainstream exposure yet while also feeling extreme weariness from an exhaustive tour schedule. These factors — along with being waylaid by a sinus surgery and mourning the death of his beloved grandfather, Lawrence Gray “Dood” Fraley — fed into the extreme negative mojo of Sound And Fury.

But Simpson’s fantasies about a finite, five albums-only career can’t only be attributed to a temporary funk. According to a Rolling Stone profile posted last week upon the release of Simpson’s latest record, The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita, he insisted again that he’s stopping at five Sturgill Simpson albums. “This is the last Sturgill record,” he told the magazine. “I always said there would be five, and I wondered if I’d go back on that. But it really has cemented every step of the way how much I don’t want to carry all that weight.”

So … is this it? Is the reigning outlaw country singer of our time going to actually retire in the prime of his career? If it is it, what are we to make of the five albums he’s made and how they fit together? (Actually, he’s made seven — more on that in a moment.) Is this five-album arc an incredible called shot on Sturgill’s part, or just plain weird and even misguided?

For starters, it’s worth mentioning that Simpson gave himself an out in that Rolling Stone interview. “Going forward, I’d like to form a proper band with some people who I really love and respect musically, and be a part of something truly democratic in terms of creativity,” he said. “Not having to stand up there behind my name would allow me to be even more vulnerable, in a way.” So, he’s not done done. He’s just done making music in which “Sturgill Simpson” is the predominant brand … maybe. (At the 2017 CMAs, he floated the tantalizing possibility of a Highwayman-like supergroup with Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, and Margo Price. I’d be very curious to find out if that is still on the table.)

As a fan of both Sturgill and five-album arcs, I love that he’s been pushing this “‘Christian narrative” concept for his catalogue, especially since it appears that he’s not actually retiring. I love it so much that I’m willing to overlook the obvious flaws in Simpson’s logic, starting with the fact that he’s conveniently leaving off the two volumes of Cuttin’ Grass records he put out in 2020. (Which I think is justified, given that those albums consist of old material reworked in a bluegrass style. They function essentially as greatest hits records.) I’m also skeptical that Simpson had the foresight to truly map out his discography with such precision. For instance, did he really know that Covid would kill the 52-date Sound And Fury tour, therefore alleviating his professional angst and leading him to work with the crack bluegrass pickers who back him on the Cuttin’ Grass records and his concluding “absolution” LP, The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita? Is this a country singer or Nostradamus?

Let’s set all that aside. The same premeditation about his art and career that has annoyed some critics — particularly in light of the divisive Sound And Fury — has endeared Simpson to me. And it has also endeared him to his most loyal fans, who have written insanely detailed and deeply fascinating Reddit posts about how his catalogue parallels the five stages of mysticism.

I wouldn’t go as far as to call his career “performance art,” but the overtly conceptual aspect of Simpson’s work puts him closer to self-conscious pop superstars like Kanye West and Frank Ocean than anyone in the Americana sphere. It’s a big reason why he’s more interesting than almost all his peers; he’s not merely presenting himself as an “earnest” master of “authentic” music, he lets you know that he may in fact be playing a character. Whether he actually plotted his career out well in advance or improvised the particulars on the fly in accordance with the ups and downs of career is irrelevant. The fact is that you can look at his albums, including the new Dood, and see a through-line that more or less does tell a redemption story … if that’s what you want to see.

While Simpson posited his proposed discography as “five sequential concept albums” in that deleted Instagram post, I would argue that (aside from Dood And Juanita) he operates mainly in song cycles. His previous records don’t tell stories as much as riff on a central idea. High Top Mountain is the “nostalgist” record. Metamodern Sounds is the “subverting nostalgia with psychedelics” record. A Sailor’s Guide is the “subverting psychedelics with fatherhood” record. Sound And Fury is the “subvert my entire damn career” record. Then you have the Cuttin’ Grass records as palate cleansers. (Carrying over the “Christian narrative” metaphor, perhaps these albums can be likened to purgatory between hell and heaven.)

And now comes The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita, his first real concept record and a culmination for his catalogue, in which you can hear elements of all the other albums come together in one 28-minute package. It’s traditional but subversive, equal parts witty and melancholy, with a feeling of peace leavened with an undercurrent of violence. It’s his Once Upon A Time In Hollywood — both an expertly rendered homage to Simpson’s old reference points in ’60s and ’70s country and an elegiac summation of the themes and ideas he’s embedded throughout his work.

It also feels cyclical with how he started. Simpson has said that he made his traditionalist 2013 debut High Top Mountain to please his grandfather, a hardcore “classic” country fan and the very same “Dood” who is saluted on Dood And Juanita. (Juanita is the name of Simpson’s real-life grandmother.) The new record is precisely the sort of music that fans of High Top Mountain have likely been waiting for him to make again. But it’s also more iconoclastic and cinematic than the debut, following a trend in which film has played an increasingly large role in Simpson’s career. (His part in Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming movie marks a new peak in his acting career.)

A tale of love and revenge that crosses a Sergio Leone-style story with Coen Brothers-like eccentricity, Dood And Juanita practically is a film for the ears, with a plainly told story involving cold-blooded killers, a heart-rending romance set to Latin-tinged guitar licks played by none other than Willie Nelson, and a very sweet and very dead hound dog. If this is the end of Sturgill Simpson as we know it, The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita is an appropriate closing statement.

Of course, this likely is the end of just this part of his career. And I think it will be worth regarding these five albums as a discrete section of his discography, however it may take shape from here. (Also, for the record: I think he passes the Five Albums Test with The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita.) Then again, it’s equally likely that Simpson will change his mind and knock out a pedal steel-accented prog-rock album under the Sturgill Simpson banner by Thanksgiving. I admire Sturgill, but I don’t exactly trust him. I do appreciate, however, that he remains unpredictable, even if he claims that he’s told us what he’s up to all along.

The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita is out now via High Top Mountain Records. Get it here.

Co-signs from an established artist can be huge in the music industry, and perhaps the biggest co-sign an up-and-coming rapper can get from Eminem is being signed to his Shady Records label. Now, Eminem has revealed what he looks for in a Shady Records artist.

Atlanta rapper and Shady signee GRIP is the subject of a new Complex profile, and for that, the publication spoke with Eminem, who said of GRIP, “We all got excited about GRIP after we heard [the 2019 album] Snubnose. It was really refreshing to hear a new artist so focused on making a conceptual project and it caught my attention.”

Eminem went on to detail his desired traits in a Shady rapper, saying:

“It’s definitely great when artists we sign connect with a larger audience, and 50 [Cent] is a perfect example of that. Obviously we want anyone who signs with Shady to succeed. But first and foremost we’ve always focused on the raw talent and ability of the artist as an MC. We’ve always been pretty clear on that being the main thing we look for: high level fundamental skills and mechanics are definitely the priority.”

He also spoke about his philosophy on collaborating with Shady artists, saying, “It’s really important in a creative collaboration for there to be that personal connection for it to succeed. Shady is a boutique label and we don’t sign a lot of artists, so we have a chance to get involved at a deeper level with the ones we do. And I think that goes both ways. I like to be motivated by the artists we sign and I want to feel pushed by their creativity as well. The people we sign have a point of view and vibe that made us want to work with them in the first place. Part of our job is to help them get out to a bigger audience but also I don’t like to insert myself where I’m not needed. I am looking to find where and how I can get involved that adds to or builds on what the artist is already doing.”

Check out the full feature here.

Ahead of their upcoming collaboration for Don’t Look Up, a Netflix original that takes a dark comedic look at the pending climate crisis, Jonah Hill sat down for a lengthy interview conducted by director Adam McKay in which the two reminisced on Hill’s career. Interestingly, Don’t Look Up is their first time working together, but they’ve known each other going all the way back to Hill’s breakout performance in Superbad. As Hill recalls, he could tell his life had significantly changed thanks to an unforgettable experience involving McKay, Will Ferrell, and a taco shop. Via GQ:

I remember when we met, because Seth Rogen lived in an apartment behind Canter’s [Deli, in Los Angeles], and then Seth was the first one to start making paper. And so he got a house, and then I moved into his apartment behind Canter’s. There was a taco shop around the corner, and you and Will Ferrell were eating tacos. It must’ve been right before or after Superbad came out, but I remember that you guys wanted to talk to me. And I sat down and talked to you guys. And you guys were, like, talking to me. And I was like, This is the sickest! This is it! I get to talk to these people I’m obsessed with.

As McKay recalls, he was actually aware of Hill thanks to his small turn in I Heart Huckabees, and he also remembered the taco shop meeting because Hill kept cracking him up with taco jokes. “Anyone who can talk about tacos with joy and humor is okay by me,” McKay said. This is a good life lesson for all of us, really, and especially today. It is Taco Tuesday, after all.

(Via GQ)

If Oscar-winning actor and all-around laidback dude Matthew McConaughey is serious about making a run at becoming the next governor of Texas, he might have just coined his slogan: Mask, Vax, Just Keep Livin.

That’s the message the Surfer Dude star and apparent anti-deodorant advocate had for current Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is currently in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. Over the weekend, as MySanAntonio.com reported, McConaughey made his wishes that that the governor would be alright, alright, alright public when he tweeted: “Glad you’re now testing negative for Covid Governor Abbott. Thank you for mentioning that ‘the vaccination you received made your infection brief and mild.’ Health to you, Cecilia, Texas, and beyond. mask, vax and just keep livin, mcconaughey”

McConaughey’s message could be 100 percent genuine and heartfelt; he does seem to be that sort of peace and happiness-loving kind of guy, after all. But it could also be one of the first shots fired in the actor’s rumored desire to transition into politics in his home state of Texas, as Abbott would be McConaughey’s political opponent if the rumors of his planned gubernatorial run turn out to be true.

It is, of course, worth noting that Abbott has been working tirelessly—and successfully—to outlaw mask mandates, and has wanted to do the same in terms of COVID vaccinations… even though he himself is vaccinated. While some clever organizations have found ways around Abbott’s sadistic disdain for small protective measures against COVID, his overall stance on not requiring masks or vaccinations is clearly in direct opposition to McConaughey’s soon-to-be iconic “mask, vax and just keep livin” battle cry.

(Via MySanAntonio.com)

It’s disappointing, but unsurprising, that so many celebrities are so vehemently anti-mask and anti-vaccinations. When your livelihood revolves around public appreciation, the common-sense safety measures that have been put into place (albeit haphazardly) like lockdowns and vaccination checks are bound to feel limiting and unnecessary. So, the rich and famous have my empathy.

But when they use their platforms to spread misinformation or outright encourage their fans to selfishly dismiss public safety measures for their own personal comfort, that empathy pretty much goes out the window. Busta Rhymes did just that recently during a show in St. Louis, Missouri — a state where vaccination rates lag while new COVID cases surge — in a video which is beginning to make the rounds on Twitter, rallying the usual array of responses from dismay to smug, misguided satisfaction.

“This is my second show in front of human life in the last 15 f*cking months,” he says in the clip. “COVID could suck a d*ck.” However, while his introduction might be relatable, the rest of his speech turned out to be pretty irresponsible. “All these little weird-ass government policies and mandates… suck a d*ck!” he shouts. “Stop trying to take our civil liberties away… No human being is supposed to tell you [that] you can’t even breathe freely! F*ck your mask.”

So, there are a few reasons why this statement is, let’s just say “misguided.” For one, masks don’t prevent people from breathing — tests have shown you get the same amount of oxygen whether you wear one or not. However, wearing a mask DOES prevent droplets of moisture where the virus lives from leaving your mouth and nose when you sneeze, talk, cough, or even breathe, which helps prevent the SPREAD of the virus. It’s not for you, it’s for other people. Since you don’t know if you have it or not, it’s better to be safe than to kill someone’s grandma.

Finally, there’s no real civil liberty being violated here. People in other countries wear masks during flu season without being asked because they don’t want to spread the flu and they have baseline respect for other people in society. Busta’s argument, that masks make it more difficult to rhyme, eat food, or see people smile, pales in comparison to the threat of over half a million deaths from COVID — and potentially more, as the virus could mutate and become more deadly the longer it circulates through an unvaccinated population.

So yeah, just wear the damn mask. Be uncomfortable now so we can all breathe more freely later.

Watch Busta’s anti-mask rant above.

Making TV shows is David E. Kelley and Nicole Kidman’s business, and business is good. Big Little Lies — which he created and she starred in (and won an Emmy for) — and The Undoing were huge hits for HBO, and their most recent colloboration, Nine Perfect Strangers, is breaking ratings records on Hulu.

Deadline reports that the limited series “was the most-watched Hulu original ever — drama, comedy, limited series, or unscripted — on premiere day, as well as after five days on the service.” The previous title-holder was the season four finale of The Handmaid’s Tale. Of course, the usual asterisks apply, in that this is Hulu reporting on Hulu and no actual numbers were released, but it turns out people like watching things with Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Samara Weaving, Manny Jacinto, Regina Hall, and Bobby Cannavale. Who knew!

In our review of Nine Perfect Strangers, we called it a “fun follow-up to The White Lotus” with a “superior performances and decent script.” And did I mention that Jason from The Good Place plays a consultant for Kidman’s wellness guru? This feels important to know. The first three episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers are available now, while episode four drops on Wednesday. You can watch a preview below.

For all the things that LeBron James gets too much attention for—a tossed-off tweet or Instagram post, a postgame comment, the quality of his acting in not-quite-sequels to iconic live-action crossover Hollywood blockbusters—there’s at least one aspect of this very public superstar’s public life about which we should probably be talking much more than we do.

This dude built a school.

Okay, so no, he didn’t literally build it, but the I Promise School is undeniably the result of LeBron’s singular vision, more-than-an-athlete ambition, and arguably unrivaled cultural and financial cachet. Opened in the summer of 2018, the I Promise School serves some of the most at-risk elementary school kids in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. As adjectives go, innovative sells short the school’s educational philosophy; visionary gets closer to describing the holistic approach not only to classroom instruction, but to ensuring its students are nurtured mind, body, and soul. It sounds like hyperbole, until you see it for yourself.

I had the chance to do just that in the winter of 2018, a few months after it opened. Some of the tangible initiatives that set the I Promise School apart are obvious enough: The brightly decorated hallways and classrooms designed to inspire; the free breakfasts and lunches and clothing closet that ensure no student will go hungry or cold as long as they’re attending; and of course, the teachers, a collection of educators whose dedication is nothing short of humbling. But there’s so much more, resources that the average school administrator wouldn’t even think to dream of.

A partnership with a local food bank stocks the shelves of a pantry that parents with financial need can shop to make sure there’s enough to eat at home. Those same parents can also take advantage of on-site GED or ESL classes, invaluable options in an increasingly diverse population with limited career opportunities. Those services are complimented by the school’s family resource center, which offers legal and career guidance, and counseling for issues ranging from mental health to domestic abuse.

They are, in other words, the sort of resources every child and every family should have access to, and without which many kids will struggle to meet their academic potential. LeBron’s own grade-school experience serves as his stated motivation: the 80 (or so) days of school he missed in fourth grade are an indelible part of his biography, the reality of a kid raised by a struggling single parent, whose life—if not for the group of extended family, friends, and community members who looked out for him—might have turned out very differently. With I Promise, he’s now helping provide the village necessary to raise so many children.

The school has gotten a fair amount of attention, of course, but there’s a sense of taking for granted both its impact and uniqueness — this is a public school, don’t forget. There really is nothing quite like I Promise. That said, it’s easy to forget that the physical school isn’t LeBron’s first foray into educational initiatives that have the potential to change hundreds of lives. Back in 2015, he announced a partnership with the University of Akron that would fund $42 million in scholarships for more than 1,000 underserved students at his hometown university. In January of this year, the I Promise initiative was expanded with a new scholarship program that covers not only tuition but also room and board.

Again, this is life-changing stuff, with the potential to impact entire communities. If we’ve failed to fully appreciate it, perhaps it’s because of the scale; it’s all too big and impersonal to really connect with. That’s where seeing it in person helps. If you ever have a chance to visit the school — less than a mile up West Market Street from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where LeBron first exploded onto the national scene — you’ll see it in the physical building, in the words and actions of the teachers and staff, and on the faces of those kids.

The day I visited, it was another face and voice that stuck with me. Cleveland Browns receiver Jarvis Landry was there that day as well, one of a number of elite athletes and entertainers who’ve come through since the school opened. What struck me was not the impact that Landry had on the kids, but the impact the school had on him. Though not on LeBron’s level as far as fame or finances, he’s still a six-time Pro Bowler, one of the best players in the country’s biggest sport. And yet he was clearly, massively humbled by the experience.

Calling LeBron an “idol of mine,” Landry said he was blown away by the realization that “an athlete took this step, to change so many lives.” Humbling, inspiring, destiny-altering. That’s impact. It remains worthy of our attention.

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.

DVSN and Ty Dolla Sign lead the way this week with their joint album Cheers To The Best Memories. The 11 track effort meshes the singer’s different styles for a project focused on seeing the best in all situations as well as their difficult journey through love. Elsewhere, Aaliyah’s sophomore album, One In A Million, became available on digital platforms for the first time since its release in 1996 and Lucky Daye continues his streak of impressive guest features by standing beside the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire for “You Want My Love.”

DVSN & Ty Dolla Sign — Cheers To The Best Memories

DVSN and Ty Dolla Sign collaborated for the first time on “Dangerous” from the latter’s third album, A Muse In Her Feelings. The track highlighted the duo’s chemistry, something they’re bringing to a new level with their new joint album. Cheers To The Best Memories unveils 11 tracks, including the previously released “I Believed It” with Mac Miller and “Memories,” and additional guest features from YG and Rauw Alejandro. All in all, the project champions the unique moments that happen with love even if they don’t result in what both parties originally hoped for.

Aaliyah — One In A Million

Nearly 25 years after the album was released, Aaliyah’s One In Million has finally made its way to streaming platforms. It comes after a lengthy battle between the late singer’s estate and Blackground Records, the label that the album was released on. Thankfully, both new and old fans can experience Aaliyah’s sophomore album once again, but it doesn’t come without controversy as the re-release will not bring any profits to the artists.

Earth, Wind & Fire — “You Want My Love” Feat. Lucky Daye

Lucky Daye is on an absolute roll this year on the guest feature side of things. The Keep Cool singer has lent a hand to VanJess’ “Slow Down (Remix),” BJ The Chicago Kid’s “Make You Feel Good,” Adekunle Gold’s “Sinner,” Alex Isley and Masego’s “Good & Plenty (Remix),” and more. This week, his latest release puts him beside the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire on “You Want My Love.” Soulful voices from yesterday and past combine for an elegant and graceful number focused on two people infatuated with each other.

JoJo — “Worst (I Assume)”

It was just a half-decade ago that JoJo returned with her third album and her first in 10 years. The break was caused by a lengthy battle between her former label, Blackground Records, which concluded in late 2013. Nowadays, JoJo is free of any crippling restrictions as an artist as a deal with Atlantic and then Warner granted the world two projects from the singer within four years. Now she’s gearing up to share a new capsule project, titled Trying Not To Think About It, with her brand new single “Worst (I Assume).” The single is a strong start on the campaign towards Trying Not To Think About It, which arrives on October 1.

Nija — “Ease My Mind (Come Over)”

While Nija Charles may have just one song under her belt at the moment, the 23-year-old New Jersey native is far from a rookie in the music industry. The Grammy-winning songwriter has penned hits for the likes of Cardi B, The Carters, Summer Walker, Meek Mill, Ariana Grande, Kehlani, and many more. After building up this undeniable resume, Nija is ready to show off some of her own artistry and it comes with her debut single, “Ease My Mind.” The track uses an ear-pleasing blend of drill rap production and R&B to call for the presence of her supportive lover.

Kyle Dion — “Money”

Next month, Kyle Dion will share his third album Sassy. The singer shared the news on his Instagram page and today, we’ve received the third single from the project. Following “Purr” with Kari Faux and “Placebo” with Ja Rule, Dion stands out on his own for “Money.” The easygoing track is quite reminiscent of the brightest moments on the singer’s sophomore album, Suga. This time around, however, Dion’s not letting love distract him as he seeks to stay focused on getting money and avoiding everyone and everything that distracts him from that.

Eric Bellinger — “Go Get It”

Eric Bellinger began the year by teaming up with Hitmaka for their joint project, 1-800-Hit-Eazy. If there’s anything we know about the singer, it’s that he takes little to no days off. Proof of that is clear thanks to the release of his new single, “Go Get It.” The track is his third single in as many months and it’s becoming more and more clear that the releases could lead to Bellinger’s second project of the year. Until that becomes clear, enjoy “Go Get It” which focuses

RINI — “Red Lights” Feat. Wale

The last time RINI gifted the world with a project was back in 2018 with his After The Sun, but thankfully, the Melbourne-raised vocalist is ready to grace the world with a new body of work. The next step towards that comes through “Red Lights” with Wale. The sultry slow jam sees the singer present a fiery passion for his love but one he keeps under control with tender loving care. Wale arrives as the poetic genius to elevate the feeling RINI aims to paint with the song. Altogether, it joins “Out The Blue” as singles that will appear on RINI’s upcoming album, Constellations.

Abby Jasmine — “SOS”

After releasing her second project Who Cares? last year, singer Abby Jasmine is back to make her impression on 2021 with “SOS,” her first single of the year. The reflective track unveils her hazy thoughts about drowning in feelings, addictions, and relationships. “SOS” is her attempt to save her partner from their vices as much as is hers to come out of the mess as unscathed as possible.

Tiwa Savage — Water & Garri

Almost a year after she released her fourth album, Celia, Tiwa Savage returns with more music for fans to enjoy through her Water & Garri. The five-track EP includes guest appearances from Brandy, Tay Iwar, and Amaraae. The singer also described the project as her “most spiritual journey through music so far.”

MMYYKK — “Bout Dat”

Minneapolis-based singer MMYYKK thrives in multiple genres that include soul, future-funk, R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and fusion. His latest track, “Bout Dat,” is the lead track off his upcoming EP Science, which arrives on September 10. A press release for the upcoming project revealed that his hometown inspired the project as he found himself in the middle of tragedy and turbulent times with last year’s social justice protests. “The City was literally burning…” he recalls from his experience.

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

James Corden has gone ahead and made The Late Late Show TV’s musician guest house. A couple months ago, Ed Sheeran spent a week on the show, and now, Lorde is taking over the program this week.

She kicked things off with a performance of “Solar Power,” which, unlike the majority of late-night TV performances from over the past year-plus, was actually done in-studio instead of being pre-taped somewhere else. Aesthetically, she kept things pretty close to her video for the song. It starts with a close-up shot of her face before the shot widens to reveal that she’s on a beach-like set, with a sky backdrop and a tan floor beneath her, with band members to match.

Earlier in the episode, Lorde’s week-long visit to the show was introduced with a comedy bit. The premise of it was that the show’s head writer, comedian Ian Karmel, booked Lorde to guest-host the show for the week because they wanted the show to do well on its first week back from vacation. An indignant Corden was taken aback by the whole thing, especially when Lorde shows up and rebrands the show as The Lorde Lorde Show.

Watch clips from the episode above.

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