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No, that’s not a typo. Today’s UPROXX Sessions guest Lil Duece really spells his name like that — which actually benefits him on searches. Today, the Inglewood native delivers a laid-back performance of his signature single “Outside (Tiny Yung Freestyle),” leaning heavily into his trademark LA-inflected flow over the track’s swinging, saxophone-laden instrumental.

Duece might not be a household name outside the confines of Los Angeles County, but in his hometown, he’s a rising star, turning in standout guest verses alongside fellow Angelenos like 1TakeQuan (the crewmate of another Sessions alum, 1TakeJay), 2 Eleven, Rucci, and Skeme, while songs like “Judo” and his June 2021 collaborative mixtape with Shoreline Mafia’s Rob Vicious have raised his profile in recent years. Meanwhile, the Lyrical Lemonade-approved “Outside,” with its region-agnostic production, has provided a near-perfect vehicle to carry his obviously deeply-rooted rap style and LA gang life references to the nation at large.

Watch Lil Duece perform “Outside (Tiny Yung Freestyle)” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

In an either an exciting or extremely jarring new development, depending on how dystopian your views are, Disney is reportedly hard at work creating essentially sentient versions of its animatronic robots. Think a walking Groot that not only comes out to greet you, but interacts with you and reacts accordingly if you’re not paying attention to it. And if that sounds like something straight out of an episode of Westworld, New York Times writer Brook Barnes saw the three-foot tall robotic Groot with his own eyes.

In a new profile that required security clearance and secret meetings in abandoned warehouses, Barnes broke down Disney’s ambitious plans to evolve its animatronic offerings, which already took a massive leap forward with its Stuntronic Spider-Man that was recently revealed at Disney’s Avengers Campus attraction. The massive multi-million dollar expenditure is all in the name of captivating today’s tech-savvy kids. Via NYT:

Disney attractions have always required the suspension of disbelief: Those are real flying galleons in Peter Pan’s Flight, not plastic ride vehicles on a rail. But advances in movie imagery — computer-generated animation, the blending of live-action footage with elaborate digital effects — have put pressure on Disney to make its robots more convincing.

“You know how Elsa moves,” said Kathryn Yancey, an Imagineering show mechanical engineer, referring to the “Frozen” princess. “Kids have watched the movie over and over, maybe even in the car that morning. So our animatronic Elsa also has to be fast and lyrical. She can’t be lumbering.”

However, Disney currently has no plans of replacing its cast members who play live-action versions of Cinderella, Princess Jasmine, etc. The new push in robotics will focus on more “extreme” characters from Marvel and Star Wars, like the Hulk, because that’s what we definitely need a sentient robot of. Should be great.

(Via The New York Times)

Is it weird to anyone else that we’re getting a The Sopranos movie in October? Not bad weird, mind you. I’m very excited and think it will be great. But it’s been 14 years since the series finale (and 14 years of arguments about the series finale), so I do a double take every time I see a trailer or headline about The Many Saints of Newark — including Alan Sepinwall’s interview with creator David Chase for Rolling Stone.

After being asked when did he start thinking about casting the late James Gandolfini’s son, Michael, in the prequel movie as Tony Soprano, Chase answered, “Right away. Mostly because he looks like his father, and moves a little bit like him. He is his father’s son. So for a movie that’s supposed to be the same character, I thought, that would be the best.” Chase also called Gandolfini’s performance “miraculous.”

“Sometimes when things are miraculous or astounding, you start laughing, because it’s so incredible. But I remember looking across the room at the table read. And he was sitting there like this [re-creates adult Tony’s suspicious posture], and it wasn’t his scene.”

Chase’s reaction: “Holy sh*t. That’s incredible.”

The Many Saints of Newark hits theaters and HBO Max on October 1.

(Via Rolling Stone)

Texans have been through a lot this year (and it ain’t over yet) with the whole power catastrophe, and Sen. Ted Cruz fleeing to sunny Cancun, and house prices going through the roof. Marc Maron recently took a swing at Joe Rogan and the “human centipede in Austin” (with the other half being Elon Musk), and that doesn’t even touch the very serious issue of the Delta variant taking hold of Texas and Florida as frontrunners in new daily infections. Governor Greg Abbott even tested positive for COVID-19 this week, and he was subsequently whisked away to get Regeneron and other treatments that aren’t necessarily available to the public at large.

To put it bluntly, not everyone is happy with Abbott or the idea of his reelection, but Ted stepped up to endorse his old pal. Then Abbott tweeted about feeling “[p]roud to have my friend @TedCruz behind me.” He added, “We’ve fought for conservative principles for two decades, and we’ll continue working side by side to keep Texas the BEST state in the country.”

Welllll, how does Cruz feel about this? He’s into it, but bizarrely mentioned that he’s acting out of loyalty because Abbot supported his initial bid for Senate, and they’ve worked together for so long. In this cringeworthy video that was filmed at a Tea Party meeting (called the True Texas Project), Cruz declared, “Listen, I understand there are a lot of folks here who have concerns about some of the things Greg Abbott’s done.” He then added, “But I gotta say, as for me, I’m going to vote for Greg Abbott, and to be honest, I think I’d be a disloyal jackass if I didn’t vote for him, given two decades of our working side-by-side.”

As you can hear in the video (and this was pointed out by the Houston Chronicle), Cruz got booed. This wasn’t really a “strong” endorsement (as the above Twitter account claimed. It was rather “tepid,” and that’s worth pointing out.

From there, True Texas Project CEO Julie McCarty took the stage while wearing a shirt for former Texas state Sen. Don Huffines, who’s running against Abbott in the primary. In other words, let the games begin.

Britney Spears may have been able to celebrate the news that her father will eventually step down from his role as her co-conservator, but the singer has now reportedly landed herself in some more unwanted legal trouble. This time, it involves one of her housekeepers.

TMZ issued a report on the incident. According to the publication, Spears’ housekeeper filed a police report earlier this week, claiming she and the singer got into a physical altercation over an argument about her dogs. The housekeeper reportedly told the Ventura County Sheriff’s department that she had taken one of Spears’ dogs to the vet, claiming there was an issue with how the singer was treating her pet. The housekeeper then alleged that, upon returning, Spears confronted her and slapped her phone out of her hands. The housekeeper initially phoned police after the reported event, but ended up going down to Sheriff’s station to file a report.

Officers reportedly attempted to contact Spears about the incident, but she wouldn’t speak. TMZ claims the Sheriff’s department is investigating the incident, but someone from Spears team denies an altercation ever took place. The source took things one step further, reportedly claiming that the Sheriff’s department assured Spears’ team that the case wouldn’t hold up.

The last we heard from Britney, she was letting loose on social media. The singer has been posting a few topless photos to Instagram, which she said is her way of seeing herself “in a lighter way” after years of touring made her self-conscious about her body.

Kyrie Irving’s myriad of off-court works are pretty well-documented. While he tends to keep a low profile away from the court, Irving is known for using the platform he’s been given as a professional athlete to help improve the lives of others — the progress made by the K.A.I. Family Foundation, purchasing a house for George Floyd’s family in the aftermath of his murder by a police officer, the support he’s offered to numerous folks in marginalized and indigenous communities, etc.

Earlier this year, the KAIFF teamed up with the Paani Project, an organization founded by students at the University of Michigan, to bring a solar-powered water plant to the Rohal village of Tharparkar, a district in Pakistan’s Sindh province. A video posted by Paani’s co-founder, Sikander “Sonny” Khan, shows the struggles faced by people who live in the district, with one woman saying following the instillation of the plant that the organizations did not give them water, but instead, “it has given us a new life.”

In response, Irving received praise from the United States consulate in Karachi.

“It’s a cliché to me at this point because I’ve done it so much, but we take water so much for granted here, and just the little ripple effects of it,” Khan tells Dime. “If you’re over there, you literally spend a quarter of your day at times going to fresh water, and the water you’re getting isn’t even healthy. It’s not safe. But you still have to get it, because water is a necessity for life.”

This necessity is behind the work Paani does. From raising $600 via bake sales at Michigan during its first year as an organization in 2017 to where it is now, the organization is dedicated to bringing fresh water to people who live in areas where the lack of access could mean someone lives or dies, or can contract an illness by drinking what is available. As of this writing, the organization is on the verge of installing its 5,000th water system in its four years of existence.

Last month, one of those wells came via a partnership with Irving’s foundation. Khan loves basketball and viewed Irving as the kind of person with whom he wanted to work — even beyond the fact that he’s a fan of Irving as a basketball player.

“I saw that there was a lot of synergy between our mission and their mission,” Khan says. “They care so much about empowering women and children in communities, both local and abroad. I looked at their incredible track record of work, and I felt like there was an immediate connection between the impacts we were trying to create.”

He sent out an email to the KAIFF, and while Irving was tied up with the ongoing NBA season, Paani worked with the organization’s executive director, Tyki Irving.

“At the time, I was trying to think, could we have done this with anyone else?” Khan wonders. “I love all these other dudes, but I just feel like it was very out of reach to find somebody else that has that compassion for humanity, that extends to everyone.”

The well was installed on July 19. The list of things it’s able to do is longer than the list of moves Irving is able to bust out when he’s toying with a defender. It’s built in a place where it’s accessible to everyone in the community, making it easy anyone who wants to drink, clean, cook, or anything else. This does not just mean humans, as cows and other animals in the village use it as a way to nourish themselves.

Because they’re generating all of this via solar power, that energy’s also harnessed to provide light and electricity in things like community centers, schools, and mosques. At night, this light, along with hand lights Paani was able to provide, helps the populace avoid issues with things like snakes that might be harder to see when it’s dark out. Next to the solar water center, Paani set up a farm and provided seeds and instructions on how to grow things like tomatoes.

Within a few days of the project being announced at the end of July, Khan says the organization, which didn’t put out a release announcing the well, was able to raise $100,000 thanks to the coverage that came by way of Irving’s involvement. Paani does reports on a quarterly or six-month basis, meaning there’s still a bit of time before they return to the village and see exactly how things are going, even if they can make guesses on how things have gone in the aftermath of other projects.

The most important thing, though, is that the two organizations came together to make something incredible happen for a community that desperately needed it. The woman in the village’s quote about how the well gave them a new life takes on an extra level of significance in light of a report from the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration that July was the hottest month in recorded history. The effects of climate change impact all of us, but for those with scant resources, things are accelerated.

As such, when asked to reflect on that quote, Khan can’t help but think of the way we take access water for granted while others aren’t afforded that luxury.

“People go into the most rough conditions to grab [water],” Khan says. “And then even the water they’re drinking is not safe for them to drink, but what else are you going to do at that point? And so now, it’s not only saving them so much time for all the traveling, from all the risks that come with having to collect the water, but now it’s like, okay, you can dedicate your time to things like crafts, you can use the water that’s over there to invest into farming, and that also helps you combat so many other issues, whether it be self-ownership, or whether it be the hunger crisis over there. Because in that particular area, there’s hundreds of children every single year who died because of a lack of food.

“And so now, if you’re able to grow a farm, that helps that helps prevent any sort of issues when it comes to like, okay, where are you going to get your next meal?” he continues. “Okay, now you have water, you have your needs to provide fruit, tomatoes, things like that. So it provides so much and I think that statement encapsulated it so well.”

As for the well itself, it’s not the only one Paani has installed with a basketball tie — another one, also located in Pakistan, is named after Irving’s old teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James. Khan is a huge fan of James and Kobe Bryant, and has long considered himself a fan of the Lakers, but he’s also a fan of Kevin Durant and appreciated Irving even before joining forces with the KAIFF. With the two teams being the favorites in their respective conferences to compete for a championship in 2021-22, Khan predicts that his loyalties “probably” will be tested.

But as of now, he has an idea of which way he’s leaning.

“It’ll probably be Kyrie and the Nets,” he says.

Toronto outfit Goodbye Honolulu first came up on my radar after the internet exploded when Selena Gomez was spotted at one of their shows. As it turns out, this wasn’t just some sort of gimmicky fluke — the truth is, there are few bands more purely infectious in their songwriting and stage presence than Goodbye Honolulu. The band’s forthcoming debut self-titled album is due out in October, and was produced by Ben Cook (Fucked Up, No Warning, Young Guv) and Tony Price (US Girls, Slim Twig, Ice Cream, Michael Rault).

Ahead of the release, they sat down to talk Spinal Tap, The Clash, and Jimmy John’s in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Jacob, Fox, Max & Emmett.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

We’d like to still be excited about creating music, to have it be exciting for the listener as well as ourselves and to have it be ever changing. We’d like to continue to blur the lines between musical genres and just keep experimenting.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

Our hometown Toronto of course, but we’ve had some amazing times in Washington, DC, and New York is awesome and has an amazing energy to it.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

I don’t think we’d be able to choose just one artist. But any friends we’ve ever played a show with or have worked with closely have always inspired us greatly. I would also add each other… since day one we’ve all been extremely influenced by each other’s writing, style and general outlook on the world. We are family and are all super close.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Jimmy John’s have been an integral part of touring life and have been great friends to us out on the road. Jimmy John’s 4 Life.

What album do you know every word to?

Probably a Beatles record or like any early 2000’s music.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Best concert we’ve attended would probably be any of the shows we played with Hinds, when we toured with them. Their live shows are so much fun, so positive and just such a party. They are legends forever. Endless love & respect to them.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

A suit with some speeders on.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

Social Media is fake.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

Our most played tour van song is definitely just listening to hours of creepy podcasts.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Creepy Podcasts.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

The Clash – London Calling

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Haunted Air Bnb in Gatineau, Quebec.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

Fox has a Goodbye Honolulu tattoo & Emmett has Rock & Roll on each knee cap, given to him by Fox. Those ones are special.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

We love anything Broncho puts out. They’re a super cool band.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

That’s a big question.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Just keep going. Don’t give up, even when it feels overwhelming and difficult. Just keep pushing through and believe in your art or whatever you’re pursuing.

What’s the last show you went to?

Our last show we went to was the last show we played on tour with The Beaches in our hometown of Toronto at The Danforth Music Hall in February of 2020, two weeks before the world went into lockdown.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Spinal Tap.

What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?

We’d get him some Jimmy John’s or maybe some Gyros’ from Messinis in Toronto.

Goodbye Honolulu is out October 1. Pre-order it here.

Known for the deeply DIY ethos and biting commentary in her music, Illuminati Hotties‘ Sarah Tudzin is gearing up for the release of her next LP, Let Me Do One More. So far, the musician has previewed the effort with the fiery “Mmmoooaaaaayaya,” the Buck Meek-featuring “Uvvp,” and the sun-soaked single “Pool Hopping.” Now, Tudzin has enlisted the assistance of another indie rock favorite to remix one of her Let Me Do One More songs.

Tudzin tapped Bartees Strange, whose 2020 debut LP Live Forever was one of the best of the year, to rework “Pool Hopping.” The new version of the song takes the original up a few notches as Bartees Strange adds dimension with his complimentary vocals and jaunty guitar.

Speaking about the remix in a statement, Tudzin applauded Bartees Strange’s talents. “There is no one at this whole dang pool party that could give a better spin on ‘Pool Hopping’ than Bartees Strange,” she said. “I’m so honored to have found a collaborator and friend in Bartees. Also I’m thrilled that he said yes to adding his style so we can all celebrate ‘Pool Hopping’ Summer for just a little bit longer.”

Listen to Bartees Strange’s “Pool Hopping” remix above.

Let Me Do One More is out 10/1 via Snack Shack Tracks/Hopeless Records. Get it here.

St. Vincent’s current era has been all about the ’70s, whether she’s performing Daddy’s Home songs on late-night TV or in her videos. That carries on in her latest visual, for the title track. In it the visual, which currently is exclusive to Facebook, St. Vincent, all done up in era-appropriate garb, sings the song on the back of a flatbed truck as she makes her way through town.

St. Vincent previously told Apple Music of the song:

“The story is really about one of the last times I went to go visit my dad in prison. If I was in national press or something, they put the press clippings on his bed. And if I was on TV, they’d gather around in the common area and watch me be on Letterman or whatever. So some of the inmates knew who I was and presumably, I don’t know, mentioned it to their family members. I ended up signing an autograph on a receipt because you can’t bring phones and you couldn’t do a selfie. It’s about watching the tables turn a little bit, from father and daughter. It’s a complicated story and there’s every kind of emotion about it. My family definitely chose to look at a lot of things with some gallows humor, because what else are you going to do? It’s absolutely absurd and heartbreaking and funny all at the same time. So: Worth putting into a song.”

Watch the “Daddy’s Home” video here and revisit our review of Daddy’s Home here.

Daddy’s Home is out now via Loma Vista. Get it here.

Sonny Chiba, the Japanese actor and martial arts legend who appeared in American films like Kill Bill Volume 1 and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, died on Thursday from COVID complications. He was 82 years old.

Chiba “studied under karate master Masutatsu ‘Mas’ Oyama and earned a first-degree black belt in 1965,” according to Variety. “In 1984, he received a fourth-degree black belt. He also held black belts in ninjutsu, shorinji kempo, judo, kendo, and goju-ryu karate.” He began his acting career in the early 1960s, while his breakthrough international hit came in 1974 with The Street Fighter. The hyper-violent film, and its sequels Return of the Street Fighter and The Street Fighter’s Last Revenge, caught the attention of a young Quentin Tarantino, who references Chiba in True Romance; he also played swordsman Hattori Hanzo in the first Kill Bill movie. Chiba had another fan in Hollywood in Keanu Reeves, who met his hero while doing promotion for John Wick: Chapter 2.

I believe this tweet put it best: “The whole clip is so f*cking adorable.”

“This clip of Keanu meeting his hero Sonny Chiba says it all. RIP to a true legend. You will be missed, Sonny,” Talk Film Society associate editor Sam Van Haren tweeted. The footage is from 2017, but it resurfaced following Chiba’s death for being so pure and lovely. “Oh my goodness I’ve never seen this before. Amazing to see how starstruck Keanu was. Sonny Chiba’s legacy runs through much of today’s action movies,” one quote-tweet reads, while another notes, “Keanu is arguably the greatest living action star and he’s marking out on Chiba like he just met Santa Claus which is how you know that dude was one of the best ever.” The tributes continued to roll in:

Here’s some of Chiba’s finest work:

(Via Variety)