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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.

With Jimmy Kimmel taking one of his customary breaks from hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the show has fallen into good hands with this week’s run of guest hosts, including last night’s host, Stephen A. Smith. And who better to prepare the perpetually wound-up Smith with than the ultra-mellow king of cool, Snoop Dogg? Because the two have known each other for what seems like forever, their rapport was evident from the moment Uncle Snoop strolled out of the green room to the house band’s Shaft soundtrack.

Among the topics that the two discussed was their mutual friendship with the late, great NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who would have turned 42 yesterday. Stephen A. asked Snoop about his relationship with the Laker legend, asking him what made Kobe Snoop’s personal hero. “It felt like we both arrived at the same time,” Snoop answered. “When he got to the Lakers, I got into the industry. And it felt like our rides were together.”

He continued, “When I would go to Laker games and build a relationship with him, knowing that I was a diehard fan, and I seen him build a family [while] I built a family… I was known for rap and he was known for basketball but outside of our professions, we was becoming better people. That’s what made him my hero.” By way of example, he explained that Kobe always took pictures with the employees at Snoop’s infamous compound, even when they were reluctant to ask.

Another topic the guest host and the guest discussed was Stephen A.’s well-known advice to athletes: “Stay off the weed!” Snoop surprisingly agreed, understanding that Stephen’s position has more to do with wanting athletes to avoid trouble than any moral compunctions against the substance. Snoop then explained his own advocacy toward removing certain kinds of drug testing in sports leagues with mostly Black players, such as the NBA and NFL.

Watch Snoop Dogg and Stephen A. Smith’s conversation above.

Stephen A. Smith, ESPN’s yelliest on-air personality (and recurring General Hospital star), extended his airtime on Monday night when he hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! While it might seem like a move straight out of Kelly Ripa’s playbook, Stephen A. had another ubiquitous star in mind when he declared that “There’s 24 hours a day of Stephen A. Watch out Ryan Seacrest—I’m coming for your ass!”

One of the many topics Stephen A. wanted to chat about: the Milk Crate Challenge. Or, more specifically: How f***ing dumb are the people doing the Milk Crate Challenge?

“There’s another crazy thing going on with Americans right now. It’s called the Milk Crate Challenge. And I’m going to tell y’all something: I challenge anybody—anybody on Earth, anybody—to find people who are dumber than these people!”

After showing a few videos of people who allegedly have functioning brains attempting to climb a pile of rickety milk crates, and inevitably falling to the ground and nearly breaking their faces (props to the guy who just kicked the crates out from under his buddy), Stephen A. was even more perplexed.

“Damn. What is wrong with these people? First you drink the milk from the crates to get strong bones. Then you fall off the crates to break ‘em? We’re all so worried about COVID, but TikTok is what’s going to kill us. Can you imagine that eulogy? Just take a moment to imagine this eulogy: He died doing what he loved. Acting like a total—a total—dummy! ‘Hey, I’m sorry your cousin died… falling off that milk crate. That’s ok though; he got 2 million likes.’”

You can watch the full clip above, which begins right around the 5:05 mark.

Donald Trump is still banned from Twitter (“due to the risk of further incitement of violence”), Facebook (“Mr. Trump created an environment where a serious risk of violence was possible”), and Twitch (“we believe this is a necessary step to protect our community and prevent Twitch from being used to incite further violence”). The former president also had his account suspended on YouTube following the events of January 6, but he’s trying to get back on the video-sharing platform.

Trump asked a judge in Florida “to issue a preliminary injunction in his case against YouTube that would compel the company to reinstate his access to the platform,” the New York Post reports. “The request for a preliminary injunction against YouTube argues that a failure to issue one would result in irreparable harm to both Trump as a potential political candidate in the future and the Republican Party as a whole, court documents dated Monday show.” There’s another reason he’s trying to rejoin the ranks of “Cat Jump Fail” and “Rubber Band Crash and Burn Weezer Cover,” however.

Notably, the injunction would allow Trump to continue selling merchandise on YouTube, potentially critical to political fundraising efforts.

In other words, he wants to sell his overpriced MAGA merchandise on YouTube. Trump previously filed lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter, and Google for “illegal and shameful censorship of the American people,” claiming that the tech titan’s alleged First Amendment violations were costing him (and other people, but mostly him) “trillions” of dollars. Where else can Trump’s supporters buy $14 jelly beans and a $90 gold sequin shirts if he’s not on YouTube, except by going to his official website? Censorship!

(Via the New York Post)

Never forgetting his roots as “The People’s Champion,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson absolutely melted the minds of a lucky group of fans talking a celebrity bus tour in Los Angeles on Saturday. In a video shared to his Instagram, the Jungle Cruise star can be seen smiling as pulls up next to the bus and makes it an unforgettable event for everyone on board by rolling down his window and asking, “Hey, you guys know where I can find The Rock?” Needless to say, the reaction was huge. The folks on the bus couldn’t believe what was happening as they yelled, screamed, tossed up peace signs, and generally went bananas.

“Love pullin’ up in my pick up truck beside all these tour buses that tour my neighborhood and surprising the heck outta people!!!” The Rock captioned the video. “One of the cool parts of fame & my job ~ makin’ a few folks happy.”

As The Rock pulls away, you can tell he enjoyed the moment too as he says, “That was fun. A good way to start off my Saturday.”

Fortunately for everyone downwind of his truck, The Rock recently made it a point to confirm that he is not one of the celebs who have been revealing their questionable hygiene habits.

“Nope, I’m the opposite of a “not washing themselves” celeb,” The Rock tweeted. “Shower (cold) when I roll outta bed to get my day rollin’. Shower (warm) after my workout before work. Shower (hot) after I get home from work. Face wash, body wash, exfoliate and I sing (off key) in the shower.”

(Via The Rock on Instagram)

Selena Gomez is in her 20s, while her Only Murders In The Building co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short are in their 70s. So, it’s fair to say there’s a generational gap between them when it comes to certain things. That includes music, as Gomez explained that she introduced the comedy legends to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s hit “WAP,” as well as some other non-PG rap songs.

Gomez, Martin, and Short recent chatted with BBC Radio 1’s Ali Plumb, and the host asked Martin and Short about their favorite Gomez songs, much to Gomez’s horror. Martin responded with a reference to a song a young Gomez sang during her time on Barney & Friends, while Short cited her cover of “WAP” (which doesn’t exist), but pronounced the song title’s individual letters. That got a correction out of Gomez, the tone of which was similar to an exasperated explanation of something to your parents got painfully wrong.

They then spoke about how Gomez introduced them to the track and other “inappropriate rap songs.” Martin joked that “WAP” is “the naughtiest thing I’ve seen or heard since the [1959] movie Pillow Talk.” Gomez went on to note that she also showed the comedians Big Sean’s “I Don’t F*ck With You” and Kanye West and Lil Pump’s “I Love It.”

It’s a delightful conversation, so check it out above.

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

Dave Bautista thinks he and Jason Momoa can be the next Riggs and Murtaugh.

Last week, 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.” It’s an intriguing idea: Bautista and Momoa are big action boys who are adept at comedy, and David Leitch directed John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and the upcoming Bullet Train, about a speeding train full of assassins. This movie needs to happen ASAP.

Momoa, for one, is down.

“I’m not on Twitter, but he literally texted me about four days ago, going, ‘We need to do a buddy cop film.’ We love each other, you know, obviously we met on See, we’re on Dune together, so I said absolutely,” the Aquaman actor said on The Late Late Show. “And he’s like, ‘Let’s do it in Hawaii.’ I’m like, ‘Let’s do it.’ I’m like, ‘I got an idea.’ So it’s off to the races now. We’re doing it.” Momoa has the dynamics figured out (“Dave loves wearing speedos. I love wearing board shorts… Both of us with our shirts off. You know, buddy cop film. He’ll be grumpy, I’ll be charming”), but he needs helps with a title.

Hmm. Let’s see. It’s a murder mystery set in Hawaii. How about “The White Lotus“?