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The rise of NFTs in the music industry has been rapid over the past several months, with seemingly every big artist breaking into the cryptocurrency art market. But the prevalence of NFTs have also caused some backlash among fans who have noted the massive amount of energy it takes to use cryptocurrency. But a new NFT marketplace aims to offer an environmentally-friendly option, and artists like Doja Cat, H.E.R., and Charlie Puth have already signed on.

OneOf is an NFT marketplace aimed specifically at musicians and their fans. The platform uses Tezos blockchain, which they claim in press materials uses “over 2 million times less energy than other networks such as Ethereum, and requires the same energy as sending out a tweet.” Along with reducing energy consumption, OneOf has committed to donating a percentage of their platform’s revenue from every sale to charity.

Doja Cat has already signed on to be one of the first artists to mint an NFT on OneOf’s platform. “I cannot wait to release my first Juicy Drops collection,” she said in a statement. “However, I want to be mindful of environmental concerns and accessibility to all of my fans before we go live. Happy to now be working with OneOf who is addressing both of these issues.”

This isn’t the first time Doja Cat will be minting NFTs. Back in April, the singer launched her first collection of NFTs through her own curated NFT marketplace, Juicy Drops. The cryptoart was designed by toy designer BOOMTRONIC and was inspired by her 2021 Grammys performance.

Along with Doja Cat, H.E.R., and Charlie Puth, other artists that have signed onto OneOf’s platform include Quincy Jones, John Legend, TLC, Jacob Collier, G-Eazy, AURORA, The Kid LAROI, and Alesso. It was co-founded in partnership with Quincy Jones and Quincy Jones Productions, and raised over $63 million in funding so far.

OneOf officially launches to the public in June. Find out more information here.

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

I’ve said it before and I’ll say that again: there are not enough movies about a team of female assassins starring Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino, and, uh, Paul Giamatti. In fact, there’s only one: Gunpowder Milkshake.

It sounds like an expression born on Urban Dictionary, but it’s actually a fun-looking action movie directed by Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves) starring Gillan as a hit-woman raised by a crime syndicate who reunites with her mom (Headey) to protect an eight-year-old girl. “There’s not a single person on Earth I’d rather kill people with.” “Thanks mom.” It looks like a blast.

Here’s the official plot summary:

Sam was only 12 years old when her mother Scarlet, an elite assassin, was forced to abandon her. Sam was raised by The Firm, the ruthless crime syndicate her mother worked for. Now, 15 years later, Sam has followed in her mother’s footsteps and grown into a fierce hit-woman. She uses her “talents” to clean up The Firm’s most dangerous messes. She’s as efficient as she is loyal. But when a high-risk job goes wrong, Sam must choose between serving The Firm and protecting the life of an innocent 8-year-old girl, Emily. With a target on her back, Sam has only one chance to survive: Reunite with her mother and her lethal associates: The Librarians. These three generations of women must now learn to trust each other, stand up to The Firm and their army of henchmen, and raise hell against those who could take everything from them.

Gunpowder Milkshake comes out on Netflix on July 14.

Frankie Cosmos is a beloved group in the indie scene, but less renowned is the YouTube channel the band’s Greta Kline runs. On her “floponyourbelly” account, she has a hair over 300 subscribers and has been sporadically active, uploading a few dozen videos over the past decade. Her two latest uploads, though, are pretty great: Over the weekend, she covered Taylor Swift’s “Invisible String” and Guided By Voices’ “Game Of Pricks.”

Both renditions are simple bedroom recordings, with Kline wearing comfy clothes, sitting cross-legged and playing guitar. The finger-picked melodies of “Invisible String” work nicely when played on electric guitar by Kline.

She wrote in the description of the video, “challenging myself to play covers and to view myself as a player, not just a writer. i never really think of myself as a performer (especially after the past year of not touring), so I like to do covers purely because they feel good to play. also learning from filming myself that what feels good doesn’t always sound good, but sounding good doesn’t really mean anything?” In the description of the Guided By Voices cover, Kline also noted that her new videos are her just “playing songs in my house for fun and learning only.”

Check out Kline’s Swift cover above and her Guided By Voices cover below.

Jimmy Kimmel and Ted Cruz’s feud shows no sign of slowing down.

Last week, the sh*tposting senator shared a Russian propaganda video in an attempt to shame America’s “woke, emasculated military.” He has been endlessly mocked ever since, including by the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host, who brought up the tweet during his monologue on Monday. “Ted Cruz, who four years ago took permanent residence up the ass of a man who beat him in every election by calling his wife ugly and slandering his elderly father, says this is emasculating. Primarily because Ted Cruz is not human. He is a moist, gelatinous tubeworm whose elastic-band pants are filled with an inky discharge every time he speaks,” he said, adding, “Maybe this would be more Ted’s speed.”

“Ted’s speed” is however fast he can get out of Texas during a crisis. Anyway, in response to the insult, Cruz tweeted, “[Jimmy Kimmel] keeps talking crap. Really tough guy. Here’s a reminder, when we played one-on-one, I kicked his ass. He has to live with that… forever. Rematch, punk?” He’s referring to the basketball game they played for charity in 2018, where the late-night host asked the senator, “Did you spend more time this week practicing basketball than trying to get those kids out of that detention center?”

A potential rematch will have to wait, as Kimmel did not accept Cruz’s invitation.

Just a typical Monday night for Ted. Watch the monologue above.

Arkansas rapper Bankroll Freddie has been on the come-up in recent months, signing with Quality Control Music, releasing celebrated videos for “Add It Up” and “Pop It” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, and receiving a profile in XXL‘s “The Break” column. However, the trap rapper has perhaps kept it too real as he rises to fame (see his “Last Real Trap Rapper” video above), as reports and rumors recently surfaced that he’d been shot. While the sources themselves were somewhat dubious — among them VladTV and SayCheeseTV — Freddie himself seemed to confirm the reports on social media.

Reposting a well-wisher’s screenshot of one outlet’s headline, Freddie’s post seemed to verify the original post’s content. Meanwhile, a separate video on the story was captioned “I’m good” as Freddie leaned back to show a wound on his chin, although it’s unclear whether this is the reported gunshot wound.

While getting shot sucks, it’s a doubly inopportune moment for him, as he’s just about a month past the release of his debut project for Quality Control, Big Bank. Released in early April, the mixtape is a star-studded affair that includes appearances from major stars like 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane, and Young Dolph, as well as fellow rising artists Big30 and EST Gee. As far as breakout projects go, Big Bank is as close to a star-making vehicle as it gets, so hopefully, Freddie can recover soon and get back to promoting his music on Instagram rather than showing off scars.

You can see Freddie’s response and his video for “Last Real Trap Rapper” above.

This week in pop music saw a number of highly-anticipated releases. Olivia Rodrigo dropped her debut album Sour, Lil Nas X shared a more personal tune, and Lana Del Rey offered a taste of her upcoming LP.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Olivia Rodrigo — “Enough For You”

Breakout star Olivia Rodrigo released her buzzyworthy album Sour this week after her debut single “Drivers License” made her one of the biggest stars to watch in 2021. The eclectic effort boasts a number of dancey tunes, but it also features a handful of lovelorn tracks like “Enough For You.” The acoustic number allows for Rodrigo’s radical honesty and showcases her soaring vocal range as she sings of finally realizing her self-worth in a relationship.

Lil Nas X — “Sun Goes Down”

Following the release of his his hip-shaking tune “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X dropped “Sun Goes Down” ahead of his SNL performance as his most vulnerable track to date. Over a rolling beat, the musician details the insecurities he faced growing up and feeling like an outsider. He sings of coping with his demons and learning that life truly does get better.

Lana Del Rey — “Blue Banisters”

Though it’s only been a few months since the last Lana Del Rey album, the singer is already gearing up for another release. Without warning, Del Rey dropped three tracks from her upcoming project this week, including the title track “Blue Banisters.” The song goes back to her singer/songwriter roots as she delivers a tender piano ballad detailing real-life scenarios (she even name drops her two dogs Tex and Mex)!

Marshmello, Jonas Brothers — “Leave Before You Love Me”

Ever since the Jonas Brothers released their 2019 album Happiness Begins, they’ve more than made a comeback. Now, they are returning for their first single of 2021 (discounting Nick Jonas’ solo effort). The summer-ready jam “Leave Before You Love Me” is a groove-driven collaboration with producer Marshmello, dropped just ahead of their performance at the Billboard Music Awards.

BTS — “Butter”

After weeks of teasing, BTS‘ new single “Butter” is finally here. Complete with a captivating hook, grand chorus, and shimmering chords, it’s sure to be their next hit. It’s also their second-ever fully English language song, which follows the massive success of their first English track “Dynamite,” so this one is sure to be equally successful.

Anne-Marie — “Our Song” Feat. Niall Horan

With “Our Song,” Anne-Marie announces her upcoming album Therapy as a follow up to her 2018 breakout Speak Your Mind, which was the UK’s biggest-selling debut release of that year. The fluttering duet details the difficulty of being constantly reminded of a past relationship, a vulnerability that Anne-Marie shares elsewhere on her upcoming album. “My lyrics are my open diary to you all and writing this album has helped me focus and understand my feelings,” she said about the LP.

Marina — “Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land”

Marina returned to share another look at her upcoming album. This time, it’s the snappy and futuristic title track “Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land,” which features buoyant synths under Marina’s hypnotic lyrical delivery. “Our ancestors had to fight to survive / Just so we could have a chance of a life / We’re not here so we can blow it all / We could bear witness to the rise and the fall,” she sings, reflecting on her place in history and how our actions impact the earth’s future.

Oneohtrix Point Never, Rosalía — “Nothing’s Special”

The last we heard from Oneohtrix Point Never, he was collaborating with The Weekend and dropping the album Magic Oneohtrix Point Never. Now, the musician has tapped Rosalía to add her vocals on his LP’s album closer “Nothing’s Special.” The reimagined track adds much dimension to the song. Rosalía’s moving vocals melt over drawn-out synths, evoking a certain melancholy as she sings of losing a friend.

Rebecca Black — “Worth It For The Feeling”

With her recent singles, Rebecca Black has been leaning into hyperpop territory. But her latest track “Worth It For The Feeling” offers a more sultry R&B tune. The song moves Black one step closer to her impeding album, which she said is going to be a reintroduction of her artistry. “This year has really been a reintroduction of not only where I’m at in my music but really everything surrounding that to create a full picture,” Black said. “It’s so fun for me to play sexy in a more unconventional and unusual way – and I want to keep challenging myself to disrupt the idea that people might have of the direction I am going in next.”

Bleachers — “Stop Making This Hurt”

Jack Antonoff has spent the last few years producing the biggest pop hits for artists from Taylor Swift to Lana Del Rey. But now, he’s reviving his band Bleachers with the effortlessly fun tune “Stop Making This Hurt.” While the song has been in Antonoff’s head for years, he said it came to light after missing playing life shows: “‘Stop Making This Hurt’ is what you get when we are not allowed to go play for our people. it’s a line that had been ringing in my head for years. i fell into a dark place after a loss and then starting to have that feeling of rage towards the depression — which is when you know there’s a way out. started looking at the people close to me in my life and finding all the ways we keep ourselves from breaking through.”

Banoffee — “Tapioca Cheeks”

With her first single of 2021, Banoffee melts heartbreak into a moody electropop tune. “Tapioca Cheeks” features skittering beats and Banoffee’s metallic-tinged vocals about a complicated relationship. “It’s about the fears that come with diving in with someone,” Banoffee said of the track. “How love can be awful as well as wonderful at the same time, because it’s just so damn scary. ‘Tapioca Cheeks’ is a dedication to someone, for them to feel loved and held even when they feel completely incapable or unlovable.”

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

When Hollywood needs to cast a good guy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt—the Hall & Oates-loving leading man from (500) Days of Summer (2009) and the boy who would become Robin (if only he’d had the chance) in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)—is always a fine choice. But he’s apparently pretty great at playing total a**holes, too. As Variety reports, Gordon-Levitt has just been cast as Uber co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick, a self-described “terrible person,” in the new Showtime series Super Pumped.

Originally announced in 2019, the plans for Super Pumped have changed a bit over the past two years. Most notably, it will now be presented as an anthology series, with the first season focusing on Kalanick’s meteoric rise and fall with the rideshare app, which ended in him resigning from the Uber board under pressure from investors.

Super Pumped’s first season is based on Mike Isaac’s book Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber. Billions co-creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien will write, executive produce, and serve as the series’ showrunners alongside Beth Schacter.

“Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a remarkably intelligent and charismatic actor, embodying charm with an unpredictable edge,” Amy Israel, Showtime’s executive VP of scripted programming, said of the casting. “We are beyond excited to see what he will bring to the role of Travis Kalanick, the hyper-brilliant and controversial CEO whose ambition and reckless drive threatened the very enterprise he was determined to build.”

No release date has been announced.

(via Variety)

On Monday night, Jimmy Kimmel gave a rundown of some of his personal picks for “worst person of the weekend,” and the competition was pretty fierce. First there was Ted “Kremlin” Cruz who, in comparing a Russian military recruitment ad to a U.S. Army one, decided that America’s “woke, emasculated military is not the best idea.” Though in Cruz’s defense, he’s definitely a man who knows about emasculation! Then there was Rand Paul, a guy so annoying that even his neighbor beat him up for just being him; Paul, of course, is still droning on about how he won’t get vaccinated—as if there’s anyone who cares to stand closer than six feet away from him. But neither of these jackasses could out-buffoon Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has quite possibly never read a history book in her life—or even watched Schindler’s List.

As Kimmel put it, “Klan Mom is very upset with Nancy Pelosi, who’s making her wear a mask to work—a restriction she compared to, that’s right, you guessed it, the Holocaust.”

Here’s what MTG had to say on Pelosi and the matter at hand:

“This woman is mentally ill. You know, we can look back at a time in history when people were told to wear a gold star, and they were definitely treated like second-class citizens. So much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about.”

It’s early, so let us put that another way: A congresswoman with no real experience whose main political agenda seems to be stalking Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at work thinks that the state-sponsored annihilation of millions of people is the equivalent of being told to wear a thin sheet of fabric across your face while at work so that we can mitigate the total number of people who have already been killed by a virus that does not discriminate, and that has so far claimed the lives of 3.47 million people worldwide.

Regardless of which political party you belong to, basic logic should tell you that those two things are not the same!

Kimmel, as usual, said what we’re all thinking when he concluded his MGT chatter by simply asking: “What’s wrong with this woman?,” then advised her to: “Go home. Go back to keying other parents’ cars at soccer games you monster.”

You can watch the full clip above (the Terrible Person segment begins around the 4:40 mark).

Fayetteville, North Carolina has long been renowned as the birthplace of superstar J. Cole but lately, a new rapper from the ‘Ville has been gaining steam as a star on the rise. Morray even recently appeared on Cole’s new album The Off-Season, providing a symbolic passing of the torch for the new Southern rap hero.

Capitalizing on the renewed attention, Morray returned to the promotion of his own debut mixtape Street Sermons, following up the video for “Trenches” with a new clip for “Nothing Now.” A heartbreak anthem that finds Morray coaching himself out of his regrets — the sort of negging pep talk many of us have given ourselves at some point or another — “Nothing Now” arrives with a video depicting the aftermath of the relationship’s breakdown, packing up his car, and driving off through the night to relocate, leaving his ex-lady behind to pick up the pieces.

Morray’s increased buzz hasn’t only put him on J. Cole’s radar. Before his surprise appearance on Cole’s new album, the North Carolina native also made his television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! performing his breakout single “Quicksand.”

Watch Morray’s “Nothing Now” video above.

Street Sermons is out now via Pick Six Records/Interscope Records. Get it here.

With the Friends reunion only a few days away, Matthew Perry has stirred up reactions with his latest round of merch. One shirt in particular contains a sly reference to his Chandler Bing catchphrase that promotes the COVID vaccines, and folks are having mixed feelings about the actor making money off anything pandemic-related, especially after landing a multi-million dollar payday from HBO Max for the Friends special.

In the tweet, Perry writes, “Could I BE Any More Vaccinated? Get your shot and then get your shirt,” before directing fans to his official webstore for Matthew Perry merchandise.

While the “Could I BE Any More Vaccinated” T-shirt does encourage people to get the COVID shot, the listing has no language about a portion of the profits going to any sort of charity, which led to some angry reactions on social media. On Instagram, where he also promoted the T-shirt, Perry was told, “I love you but this tshirt is not it haha,” while others dinged Perry for the profit-grabbing move.

However, Perry has received an overwhelming number of positive responses from Friends fans around the globe saying they love the shirt, and (more specifically) him.

Naturally, Perry also received flak for promoting the COVID shot from anti-vaxxers who accused him, and all celebrities, of being “propaganda machines for life.” These reactions were predominantly contained to his Instagram replies, where Perry was hit with the usual misinformation from conservatives and vaccine skeptics who refuse to get the shot and are holding back herd immunity levels. It’s safe to say they weren’t swayed by the Chandler-themed merch.

(Via Matthew Perry on Twitter)