Sacha Baron Cohen did it again — with Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan — during a time when no one thought it possible for blockbuster movies to ride high in the United States. Nearly everyone I spoke with over the weekend (from a distance) watched the movie, so it’s easy to guess that it’s already a hit for Amazon, which can rightfully claim the movie as their first original tentpole. Even the Kazakhstan tourism board has given into Baron Cohen’s charm, and he’s received more good news today of a toppled lawsuit against the film. How are the numbers looking, though?
Well, that’s a good question, and we may never know a concrete answer. Initial data reported by TV analytics provider Samba TV (via Variety) pointed towards at least 1.6 million households tuning into the sequel. That already bested Mulan‘s 1.12 million households (at $30 a Disney+ premium pop), so that’s certainly a “very nice” viewership milestone, but Amazon has countered Samba TV’s data.
Of course, Amazon hasn’t released specifics, but they’re claiming a larger number, which might be possible (people are stuck at home and want to laugh, the weather’s getting colder, and new movie offerings are sparse). The streamer revealed on Tuesday that the film was viewed by “tens of million of customers” (out of a total of 150+ Prime members globally) over the weekend. Imagine if those were movie tickets sold? There’s gotta be studio heads looking at these numbers and pressing for similar streaming deals.
Here’s an Amazon Studios statement that’ll make everyone forgive Bruno‘s existence, via Hollywood Reporter:
“Sacha has masterfully created one of the most well received films of these unprecedented times — showcasing some of the best and the worst of us, wrapped in one outrageous moment after another. But at its core, Borat 2 is a heartwarming story of a father daughter relationship and of female empowerment seen through a hysterical, satirical lens. With the tremendous launch of this global, tentpole movie, it’s clear our customers around the world want content that is both relevant and entertaining.”
Two months after Baron Cohen was spotted in Borat attire in Long Beach, it’s all happened so fast. And October turned out to be the perfect time to release Borat 2, not only in terms of the pandemic calendar but because Baron Cohen can manage to be both relevant and funny. The last few days ahead of release were intense, too, with all the details of the Rudy Giuliani portion finding their way online, along with Borat’s response to Rudy’s explanation and Cohen’s out-of-character remarks.
Congrats to Borat and Tutar. In fact, only John Oliver could make this whole thing weirder. Speaking of which, Oliver and Baron Cohen (not fistfighting) need to have a dream-team chat for all of us.
“I cried, and I’m not even American!” That’s one of the thousands of comments posted on the newest Black Eyed Peas video, which has been viewed more than 28 million times in one week on YouTube. “THE LOVE” with Jennifer Hudson and Black Eyed Peas was produced by will.i.am and it might be the most powerful campaign-ad-that’s-not-actually-a-campaign-ad that’s ever been made.
The video is a remake of the Black Eyed Peas’ popular song “Where is the Love,” but with revised lyrics and a powerful opening of Jennifer Hudson singing along with Joe Biden’s DNC speech. As Biden recalls the events of Charlottesville, the video shows clips of news coverage from three years ago, followed by the prayerful chorus, “Father, father, father help us. Send some guidance from above, because people got me, got me, questioning, ‘Where is the love?'” Soon will.i.am comes in rapping about the hatred in the world today, we see more of Biden’s words backed up by the music, and the effect of the whole thing is just deeply moving.
Some people in the comments refer to the video as an ad, but neither Joe Biden’s name nor his campaign are on it anywhere. He’s surely pleased with the video, but it doesn’t appear to be something that came from his campaign. The end screen of the video simply says “VOTE LOVE.”
If not an official ad, it’s a pretty darn clear endorsement. The Black Eyed Peas left a message in the comments on YouTube about why they made the video and what they hope people will take from the video:
“On November 3rd, the United States will decide as a nation which path it would like to walk, a path which will affect generations to come.
We want this video to be a reminder that in these unprecedented times, we must stand together.
We must choose the path we would like to walk for our future, and whether that path is one of inequality and hate–or equality, unity, and love.
We would like to formally invite you to #VOTELOVE this November 3rd.
Thank you for watching.”
Comments have poured in from Americans eager to end the chaos of the past four years, as well as commenters from around the world, from Germany to Thailand to Peru, and more. And people reacted with strong emotion and inspired encouragement, with comments like:
“This gave me goose bumps. So powerful.”
“Try to watch this without a tear in your eye. Our country’s core in on the line. VOTE”
“See, that’s the thing about America: we really are a great nation when we simply admit our mistakes, and do better. We consistently forget our history and it’s always to our peril. My hope is that this time is different.”
“Let’s bring some love, unity, character, democracy and justice. They’re all on the ballot.”
“Waoooo, this is the most powerful Ad I’ve ever watched , common AMERICA , wake up , PLEASE choose Unity, compassion and character.”
“That is the most beautiful & powerful political ad/endorsement I’ve ever seen. That should be on every TV every commercial break now through the election.”
“Beautiful song, beautiful sentiment, very powerful political and social statement. I’m from UK but this message is relevant throughout the world. Thank you.”
“I have watched this dozens of times over over the past few days & it still brings tears to my eyes.”
“Thank you for this. It is heartbreaking but beautiful, and makes me hopeful for a better tomorrow. Whether you are right or left, hate has no place in our society. Respect and love for each other, regardless of our differences in theology, religion, heritage, identity or appearance, is the only answer.”
It’s a universal message that resonates with people of goodwill everywhere. Here’s to voting love, and here’s to a future where we don’t have to keep bringing back this song with each generation.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it seems there’s a bit of a generational gap when it comes to hip-hop. Old rappers sometimes don’t like new rappers and new rappers often don’t even know who old rappers are. Hip-hop no longer has a monoculture and now there are 40-plus years of classic records and personal faves to sort through, so it’s harder than ever to find common ground.
But that’s exactly what Uproxx is trying to do with our new show, React Like You Know. Each week, we’ll sit our group of panelists down and show them an old-school video they may have never seen before to capture their honest reactions. Maybe they’ll be funny, maybe they’ll be insightful, and maybe they’ll prove that some classics never die, even if MTV and BET video countdowns are a thing of the past.
This week, Blac Chyna, Guapdad 4000, Lil Keed, and NLE Choppa check out the rainbow-hued video for Lil Kim’s 1997 hit “Crush On You” featuring Lil Cease. While this song’s an undeniable dance floor filler in real life, some of our rappers, like Guapdad, admit they’ve never actually seen the video — even though they’ve seen all of Kim’s iconic looks from it (I’m thinking Beyonce’s Halloween costumes from a couple of years ago).
Watch the first episode of React Like You Know above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
50 Cent has had a career full of highs, and some of those came as part of G-Unit alongside Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck. The group had a pair of top-5 albums, 2003’s Beg For Mercy and 2008’s TOS (Terminate On Sight). While some people might look back on that era fondly, 50 Cent himself is not among them.
During a recent interview with DJ Whoo Kid, 50 was asked about the possibility of a G-Unit movie ever coming out, and 50 was frank with his response, saying that the idea doesn’t interest him: “I don’t care to do that. I’d like to forget the G-Unit.”
He then continued with a comparison to Kendrick Lamar and his TDE labelmates like Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul, saying, “Kendrick don’t even let those boys come on his stage when he perform. He does his shows all by himself. I could have did that. What the f*ck I’m bringing these dirty n****s on the stage for? I could have did it like Kendrick, dolo.”
The Wisconsin Badgers throttled Illinois in their season opener on Friday night, as redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz became a national sensation with his incredible play against the Illini. Mertz completed 20 of his 21 pass attempts (including his first 17 in a row) for 248 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-7 rout of Illinois, and after Minnesota got blown out at home by Michigan, the Badgers appeared to be the clear frontrunners once again in the Big Ten West.
However, on Monday, word emerged that Mertz and backup Chase Wolf had both tested positive for COVID-19 in antigen testing and were awaiting confirmation by way of the more accurate PCR test. That confirmation arrived on Tuesday for Mertz, per CBS’ Dennis Dodd and ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, putting him in the Big Ten’s COVID protocol that will keep him out for 21 days as he must test negative and then undergo testing for various potential effects of the virus, including myocarditis. The first concern is for the health of Mertz, who is a budding star with a bright future ahead of him both in college football and potentially the NFL.
For Wisconsin as a team, they will face Nebraska, Purdue, and then Michigan the next three weeks and be, potentially, down to their fourth string quarterback. Mertz was starting because Jack Coan, last year’s starter, suffered a foot injury in practice and is out indefinitely, and if Wolf’s test likewise is confirmed, they would have to turn to fourth-stringer Danny Vanden Boom, a redshirt junior with an objectively incredible name, for the next three weeks, pending Mertz and Wolf passing all of the Big Ten’s tests to return to action later.
The Big Ten schedule is very condensed with very little wiggle room, as there are no byes in the eight-game conference schedule, and as such, there’s not an opportunity to simply postpone a game or two even in the circumstance of Wisconsin being without almost the entirety of its quarterback depth chart. The hope was to avoid such situations, particularly at such a key position, but it serves as a reminder of the reality that the pandemic is still very real and once again we’re seeing a spiking case count in the U.S. seven months in.
While Megan Thee Stallion has been making headlines after she confirmed she was shot in the foot by Tory Lanez, the rapper is also staying focused on her music. Teasing some upcoming tracks, Meg shared a sizzling freestyle from the studio and said it’s just the first of many.
Sharing the freestyle to Twitter, Meg hinted that she has an album on the way. “I think ima drop these up until my album drop,” she wrote. The two-minute clip sees the rapper laying down some clever verses. “Freak in the sheets, freak on the beats / n****s been hooked since ‘Big Ol’ Freak’ / I realized that I was the sh*t when R&B n****s wanna start rap beef,” she raps.
This isn’t the first time the rapper has teased her upcoming record. After sharing photos from the studio, Megan took to social media to say that her album is about “to go crazy.” Before that, the rapper sat down for a profile in GQ where she revealed that fans can expect to see her addressing the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the project. “I feel like everything that’s going on right now, if it hasn’t moved you to speak out or try to make some type of difference, then something might be slightly wrong with you,” she said. “Even though I haven’t already come out with a song with that messaging, I definitely plan on it.”
Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The NBA calendar for the 2020-21 season (or, potentially, just the 2021 season) is very much up in the air right now. After pretty much resigning themselves to a January or even later start date, there is a sudden push from the Board of Governors to get the season underway on December 22 to get their traditional Christmas Day window.
The big hurdle is getting the NBPA on board, but with reports indicating many players don’t want a permanent schedule change that would take away their summers off, there might be ample support for the swift return to play. Danny Green of the Lakers noted the issues with the quick turnaround for the champs and other teams that made deep postseason runs, pointing out that vets on those teams, including the likes of LeBron James, might just not play the first month or so as they seek longer recovery this offseason and would then be getting ready to play while the season begins.
In any case, the push for a December start seems to be gaining steam and we got some more details on what the calendar for such a season start may look like from Marc Stein of the New York Times on Tuesday. Per Stein, should they go with the December start, teams are preparing for free agency to begin as soon as November 20, two days after the NBA Draft on the 18th.
Some teams, I’m told, are preparing for NBA free agency to begin as early as Nov. 20 or Nov. 21 — 48 to 72 hours after the Nov. 18 NBA Draft — if the plan to start the 2020-21 season Dec. 22 goes ahead. Further clarity is expected by week’s end …
Most anticipated a rather quick turnaround from draft to free agency, but this would be extremely soon after draft night. Still, with a camp date of Dec. 1 it makes sense to have free agency begin as quickly as possible and effectively roll it all into one crazy week of league transactions.
While campaigning for Democratic candidate Joe Biden in Florida on Tuesday, former President Barack Obama launched a scathing attack on Donald Trump‘s failed response to the pandemic. While citing Trump’s ongoing obsession with arguing over the size of the crowd at that 2017 inauguration, a fiery Obama got straight to the point: “Who is thinking about that right now?”
As Obama went on to note, along with over 225,000 deaths, the entire nation is facing a resurgence in coronavirus cases with some states recording record numbers, but you wouldn’t know by Trump’s words alone as the president continues to downplay the severity of the situation going into the last week of the election.
“And what’s his closing argument?” Obama asked the crowd. “That people are too focused on Covid. He said this at one of his rallies. Covid, Covid, Covid, he’s complaining. He’s jealous of Covid’s media coverage. If he had been focused on Covid from the beginning, cases wouldn’t be reaching new record highs across the country this week.”
Obama then went on to his most scathing remarks. “If we were focused on Covid now, the White House wouldn’t be having its second outbreak in a month.” While citing his time in the Oval House and how it’s a “controlled environment” where you can easily take “preventative measures,” Obama was astounded that at least five people on Mike Pence’s staff have tested positive for the virus just a few weeks after the Rose Garden event that most likely infected Trump. “This guy can’t seem to do it. He’s turned the White House into a hot zone.”
You can watch more of Obama’s fiery speech below:
“If we were focused on Covid now, the White House wouldn’t be having its second outbreak in a month,” Barack Obama says to Orlando voters, adding that President Trump has “turned the White House into a hot zone” pic.twitter.com/R3RABEi9WB
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
On his twentieth album, Bruce Springsteen finally comes to term with his own myth. Recorded live in the studio with the legendary E Street Band over the course of just a few days and comprised of songs that look back on a historic life and career, Letter To You is “the most immediate and best-sounding album Springsteen has made since the ’80s,” according to Steven Hyden for Uproxx.
Gorillaz – Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
Gorillaz have been rolling out the first installment of their Song Machine series for the better part of 2020, dropping singles here and here featuring the likes of Elton John, Slowthai, and The Cure’s Robert Smith. It all culminates in the hourlong Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, which, despite the fragmented release schedule, feels like Gorillaz’ most cohesive release in years.
Adrianne Lenker – Songs and Instrumentals
Within a year of Big Thief’s dual album release in 2019, Adrianne Lenker can’t seem to be stopped, as she has now released two new solo albums that were born out of quarantine. Songs is a more proper folk-rock album, while Instrumentals is comprised of two twenty-minute soundscapes. As the leaves turn and the days grow shorter, I can’t think of a more fitting pair of albums to soundtrack autumnal living.
Jeff Tweedy – Love Is The King
Jeff Tweedy’s two new 2020 projects — a new book and a new album — are both now out in the world. Love is The King is a collection of country songs that find Tweedy counting his blessings, while never shying away from the constant barrage of fear that we experience in everyday life.
The Mountain Goats – Getting Into Knives
Getting Into Knives is the second Mountain Goats album of 2020, and their third overall since 2019. There are few songwriters that able to dig into the human condition as succinctly and cuttingly as John Darnielle, who can “always delivers quality along with quantity,” writes Steven Hyden in the October 19 Indie Mixtape newsletter
Jean Dawson – Pixel Bath
In press materials, Jean Dawson is described as an “experimental pop polymath,” and his new album Pixel Bath certainly lives up to the term. Seamlessly integrating hip-hop beats and rock drums, Pixel Bath toes the line at the intersection of genre, leaving something for everyone.
Pup – This Place Sucks Ass EP
Perpetual pessimist Canadians Pup are back with a new EP, fittingly titled This Place Sucks Ass. Although the songs about getting stung by a bee and other unfortunate circumstances, Pup, as always, are able to funnel the existential dread and anxiety of their lyrics into an onslaught of punk magic that sounds and feels like an uplifting rallying cry.
The Big Easy – A Long Year
The Big Easy caught our attention with the music short film for their recent singles “Alone” and “Fake It Till I Make It,” which found both tracks working in tandem to tell a story about trying to fit in by also being yourself. The tracks and more are all included in A Long Year, an album that is emo, pop-punk, and indie rock all at the same time. It’s hard to pin down The Big Easy, which is what makes them so exciting.
Julien Baker – “Faith Healer”
On her first single since teaming up with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus for Boygenius in 2018, “Faith Healer” came with the announcement of Julien Baker’s third solo album Little Oblivions. The track signals a bit of a sonic shift for Baker, employing a more full-band approach wherein almost all of the instruments — including bass, drums, synthesizers, banjo, and mandolin — were played by Baker herself.
The Wonder Years – “Brakeless”
To celebrate ten years of their breakthrough album The Upsides, The Wonder Years’ vocalist Dan Campbell found himself digging through hard drives of old demos and voice notes. “Brakeless” started an idea that Campbell never brought to the band while they were writing the album originally, and was fleshed out in the studio with the new songwriting experience the band brings to the process. The result is one of the band’s biggest and most infectious choruses to date, and evidence that these Philadelphia punks still have what it takes to make magic.
Tigers Jaw – “Cat’s Cradle”
Tigers Jaw’s spin was one of the most underrated indie albums of 2017, and now the band is back with I Won’t Care How You Remember Me, which is due in March. “Cat’s Cradle” is the first preview from the album, a synth-forward track with Brianna Collins taking the lead vocal role for an infectious and gorgeous indie-pop track featuring backing vocals from Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull.
Strange Ranger – “Needing You”
It’s been a little more than a year since we interviewed Strange Ranger about their album Remembering The Rockets. “Needing You” is the band’s first new music since their adventurous lo-fi 2019 LP, and it takes on a bit more production, with clear inspiration in equal parts from ’90s Brit-pop, while also incorporating some more modern vocal elements like autotune.
Glass Beach – “1015”
Released last year, The First Glass Beach Album was one of the most exciting releases of 2019. “1015” doesn’t leave behind the band’s penchant for synth arrangements, but also brings in a more robust production and an epic guitar solo that makes the track feel like a soundtrack for a futuristic steampunk Blade Runner city. (This is a good thing.)
The Sonder Bombs – “Crying Is Cool”
For their sophomore album Clothbound, Cleveland’s The Sonder Bombs teamed up with Hop Along guitarist Joe Reinhart (Modern Baseball, Joyce Manor) as a producer, and the result is a more polished and refined version of Sonder Bombs than we heard on their debut album Modern Female Rockstar. “Crying Is Cool” features doo-wop vocals in the verses and a massive indie-pop hook in the chorus, making it an instantly exciting listen.
Miloe – “Change Your Mind”
With a new EP called Greenhouse right around the corner, 19-year-old Minneapolis songwriter Miloe delivers the goods with “Change Your Mind.” With light percussion and layered vocals, “Change Your Mind” takes on a ’90s R&B influence that gives Miloe an impressive appeal and makes Greenhouse and EP to keep your eyes and ears out for when it drops later this week.
Sydney Sprague – “Steve”
Sydney Sprague’s new album is called Maybe I Will See You At The End Of The World, and if that doesn’t resonate in 2020, I don’t know what will. “Steve” is a taste of pop-punk goodness with heavy instrumentals and Sprague’s alt-rock drawl, telling the story of losing touch with someone she once loved.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
South Florida rapper Snot may have an unappetizing nom de plume, but fans can’t get enough of the caustic, punk-influenced rap music the 22-year-old has been putting out over the past year or so. Today, he premiered the latest single from his upcoming debut Beautiful Havoc, “Sangria” featuring fellow Floridian rabble-rouser Denzel Curry. Curry, who happens to be one of the closest stylistic forebears of Snot’s chaotic mode, joins the rising rapper on an uptempo, flute-driven beat produced by Pro Era’s Powers Pleasant to show they can have laid-back fun as easily as starting a mosh pit.
With Beautiful Havoc dropping this Friday, October 30, Snot’s previous singles have prepped the project for a powerful takeoff. First, he released the Cole Bennett-directed video for “Revenge” at the end of September, setting the stage for his misfit approach. Then, he followed up a few weeks later with “Mean” featuring Flo Milli, building his buzz and continuing the storyline of “Revenge.” Beautiful Havoc follows Tragedy, his debut tape that released in March of this year.
Snot is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
