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Travis Scott released his The Weekend collaboration “Wake Up” on his third studio record, Astroworld. The rapper followed-up the song with an eye-catching video in July of 2019 and, according to recent reports, it looks like Scott’s label still owes a large sum of money for the visual.

Epic Records is reportedly in debt $187,000 to the company Smuggler for their work on Scott’s “Wake Up” video. According to a report from HotNewHipHip, Smuggler recently filed a lawsuit against the label in order to make them pay up. Apparently, the entire video cost the label $749,000 but Epic tried to negotiate the price down to an even $600,000, eventually conceding after they paid Smuggler a first installment of $561,766.

However, over a year has passed and Smuggler is still waiting for the second installment to arrive from Epic — and the label has their excuses. When pressed for the rest of the cash, Epic label executives apparently said it’s missing because they “don’t like” the video. Epic reportedly claims the video was missing a few effects they were hoping for and even tried to scrap the initial contract months after the video had already debuted.

Watching the visual, it’s clear why the shoot racked up such a pricey bill. Not only was “Wake Up” directed by Jonah Hill, but its also set in an opulent mansion filled and featured a large number of extras.

Watch Scott’s “Wake Up” video in question above.

As part of (virtual) New York Comic Con, CBS All Access released the trailer for The Stand, a miniseries based on Stephen King’s prophetic 1978 novel. You may be thinking to yourself, “I’m not sure if I’m in the mood to watch a show about a deadly virus that wipes out 99.4 percent of the human population” (King even tweeted, “No, coronavirus is NOT like THE STAND. It’s not anywhere near as serious. It’s eminently survivable. Keep calm and take all reasonable precautions”). But what if I told you The Stand was about Whoopi Goldberg as a 108-year-old prophet and Alexander Skarsgård as the extremely tall “rock ‘n roll version of the devil”? Now you’re interested.

Here’s more.

The Stand is Stephen King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail (Whoopi Goldberg) and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård), the Dark Man. The Stand will close with a new coda written by the famed author himself.

The Stand, which also stars James Marsden, Greg Kinnear, Odessa Young, Jovan Adepo, Amber Heard, Owen Teague, and Marilyn Manson, premieres on December 17.

Editor’s Note: Over the past year Upworthy’s parent company was a proud partner with the WFP using our platform to share stories of their fight against hunger around the world.

Out of 318 candidates, including youth climate activist Greta Thunberg and President Donald Trump, the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 has been awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP) “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”

Having written about the work of WFP for Upworthy, this news warmed my heart. From researching WFP’s efforts to battle gender inequality with food security to reading their educational materials on how climate change impacts hunger and causes forced migration, I was blown away by the broad scope of what they do. As I dug in further and saw the various informational videos put together by my colleagues, the clearer it became that tackling hunger totally requires that kind of scope. Hunger is a multifaceted issue that impacts everything—including war and conflict—and our world will never be at peace if this most fundamental need is not being met for millions.

The World Food Programme is the largest organization addressing hunger and food insecurity in the world. According to the Nobel committee press release, “the WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 countries who are victims of acute food insecurity and hunger” in 2019. The committee pointed out that there has been an increase in acute hunger in recent years, with most of that increase being caused by war and armed conflict.

And of course, the pandemic is only making things worse.

The Nobel committee says that they want this award “to turn the eyes of the world towards the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of hunger.” They also point to the need for supporting organizations like WFP financially, making the direct connection between hunger and conflict:

“The world is in danger of experiencing a hunger crisis of inconceivable proportions if the World Food Programme and other food assistance organisations do not receive the financial support they have requested.

The link between hunger and armed conflict is a vicious circle: war and conflict can cause food insecurity and hunger, just as hunger and food insecurity can cause latent conflicts to flare up and trigger the use of violence. We will never achieve the goal of zero hunger unless we also put an end to war and armed conflict.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to emphasise that providing assistance to increase food security not only prevents hunger, but can also help to improve prospects for stability and peace.”

While every sincere effort to create peace deserves praise, peacemaking is a far more complex endeavor than signing pieces of paper. Addressing the root causes of war and conflict, understanding the connections between the various challenges facing humanity, and making sure people have what they need so they don’t have to fight for survival are all necessary components of creating a peaceful world for all.

Congratulations to World Food Programme for this well-deserved honor. Hopefully this prestigious recognition will lead more people to explore the issues of hunger and food security and support programs and solutions that are proving to be successful.

Learn more about the work of the World Food Programme at wfp.org and wfpusa.org.

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

The Haunting Of Bly Manor (Netflix series, Sunday) — Following Hill House, this anthology series brings back familiar faces for another disturbing story. This season puts a spin on Henry James’ The Turn Of The Screw, courtesy of showrunner Mike Flanagan, with more hauntings and murder and some unsettling orphans along for the ride.

The Boys: Season 2 finale (Amazon Prime series) — This season’s gone weekly while diving deeper into the skewering of superheroes and what makes them tick. Speaking of inner workings, Antony Starr helped us climb into Homelander’s head for his climactic raunchy scene that actually follows up on the season’s story-based climax, which largely deals with the Stormfront issue and the ladies getting it done.

Charm City Kings (HBO Max film) — During an acclaimed Sundance Film Festival debut, our own Vince Mancini singled out Meek Mill for his star turn in the coming-of-age story. Vince also praised the stunt work in this movie produced by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. Jahi Di’Allo Winston (Queen & Slim) co-stars as the teenage Mouse, who wants to fit in with the Midnight Clique group of bike riders while wavering between influences. One of those influences happens to be Mill’s stunt-happy ex-con, Blax, whose interests appear to be at odds with a detective (William Catlett of Black Lightning) and the teen’s mother (Teyonah Parris of If Beale Street Could Talk), who both want Mouse to reach his full potential, rather than dig into gang life.

The Right Stuff (NatGeo series on Disney+) — This eight-episode limited series (with two episodes dropping on Friday) is based upon Tom Wolfe’s landmark 1979 book about the American space program’s birth and the day-to-day lives of the original Mercury Seven astronauts. It’s an anti-nostalgic glimpse into what essentially functioned as the first U.S. reality show, and it’s executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Hubie Halloween (Netflix film) — This movie might be wonderfully funny escapism for you, or it might be Adam Sandler’s revenge for not receiving an Oscar nomination for Uncut Gems. Perhaps it can be both things? Regardless of intent from the Sandman, settle in for the latest Happy Madison production, which follows Sandler’s Hubie Dubois, a Halloween safety crusader who gets sucked into a murder mystery. Kevin James and Kenan Thompson play cops, and more co-stars include Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Noah Schnapp, Steve Buscemi, and Maya Rudolph.

The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix documentary) — New York playwright Radha Blank reinvents herself as rapper RadhaMUSPrime in order to engineer a breakthrough before age 40. She ends up finding her true voice in a deeply personal but refreshingly candid story while leaping in between worlds, and the final product won the Directing Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. This black-and-white 35mm feature takes a slice-of-life approach that ends up being an ode to those who seize fulfillment.

Deaf U (Netflix documentary series) — A collective of deaf students at Gallaudet University gathers in this coming-of-age film that offers a seldom-seen look inside the tight-knit Deaf community.

Fast & Furious Spy Racers: Season 2: Rio (Netflix series) — The animated series returns with teenage Tony Toretto hoping to be like Dom. The group gets recruited by the government to help take down a nefarious crime organization by joining elite racers.

Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:

Room 104 (Friday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — The series finale arrives for Duplass Brothers’ bizarre playground with a man preparing for a Generations Ceremony while reflecting on painful memories and life in general.

Saturday Night Live (Saturday, NBC 11:29 p.m.) — Host Bill Burr and a mystery musical guest after Morgan Wallen got dropped for partying during a pandemic. Jack White is pinch-hitting, which is promising news.

The Vow (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — Legal action finally comes down against NXIVM and its founders, as well as some members. Evidence has been gathered for the sex-cult aspects of the organization, along with some tax evasion. It’s serious trouble for Keith Raniere and company.

Fear The Walking Dead (Sunday, AMC 9:00 p.m.) — Season 6 begins with a bounty hunter stalking Morgan, who’s considering whether to assist a stranger.

Good Lord Bird (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Ethan Hawke stars as a violent abolitionist in this series that takes place in the Kansas territory in 1856. Hawke’s character, John Brown, accidentally mistakes a male slave for a girl and “frees” him. Things get complicated when Onion gets separated from Brown’s ragtag army and stumbles into a pro-slavery group.

Lovecraft Country (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — Hippolyta’s back? Apparently so, and she leads a journey for Tic, Leti, and Montrose to join. I hope the new pet monster comes along, too.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond (Sunday, AMC 10:00 p.m.) — The next spinoff in this universe continues to feel itself out with an episode that’s actually called “The Blaze of Gory.” What happens? Hope and Iris aren’t getting along, and Felix is attempting to deal with his past.

Fargo (Sunday, FX 10:00 p.m.) — Chris Rock’s 1950s Kansas City crime syndicate leader is still navigating a precarious situation while working toward business deals. This week, Ethelrida makes a discovery, Loy seeks retaliation, and Josto’s trying to dig into his leadership role.

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (Sunday, HBO 11:00 p.m.) — He’s back, baby.

The tangled legal web on display early in quarantine on Netflix has apparently grown larger, as another Tiger King fixture is officially in legal trouble of his own. Doc Antle is the latest person featured on the show to see legal trouble, as apparently that’s a prerequisite in having interest in big cats in the first place. This time, however, it’s not a plot to kill a husband or a plot to kill someone who people think killed their husband, but about the actual movement of the caged wildlife across state lines.

According to Variety, Antle was indicted on wildlife trafficking charges along with another man, Keith A. Wilson. Antle, as you may recall, owns one of the private animal refuges that were featured in the Tiger King series on Netflix.

Antle faces one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

Wilson has been charged with one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanor counts of violating the Endangered Species Act, four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

The charges stem from the movement of lion cubs between Wilson’s Wild Animal Park in Virginia and Antle’s Myrtle Beach Safari Park. As Variety noted, everything apparently started with the raid on Myrtle Beach Safari Park in 2019, which was mentioned briefly on the program but cameras were not around to capture.

While the show certainly had a lot of legal snafus and claims to explore in its subjects, and it certainly mentioned the practice of moving animals from various parks, it was far from the true focus of Tiger King. Those transactions, however, seem to have been the larger concern of authorities who now have brought charges against Antle, making Tiger King even more of a legal mess than it was when the program started streaming just a few months ago.

Mariah Carey is no stranger to No. 1 debuts but this week, she earned the distinction in a different way than she’s used to. Her memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction list, as well as the Hardcover Nonfiction list. Carey had been on a months-long media tour to promote the new book, using her appearances to reveal the motivations behind decades-old songs and indirectly troll Eminem, and it looks like that hard work (and slick shade) has paid off.

Carey also revealed — or rather, illuminated — the 1995 grunge rock album she recorded (and released!) while working on her fifth studio album, Daydream. She tweeted a “fun fact,” clueing in her followers on the album’s existence. They quickly sleuthed out the existing project under the band name Chick, turning up a pair of music videos on YouTube and a CD going on Amazon for well-above sticker price. Mariah later revealed that originally wanted to promote the album, titled Someone’s Ugly Daughter, but that her label ultimately nixed her plans, forcing her to “abandon the project.”

Mariah also auditioned for a role in a potential Mean Girls sequel during an interview with Tina Fey, promising to exchange licensing for an appearance.

The Meaning of Mariah Carey is out now via Holt, Henry & Company, Inc. You can get it here.

One of the key parts of the agreement struck between players and the NBA in the aftermath of the players’ decision to strike games in late August was that the two sides would form a council that would work together on issues related to social justice and the empowerment of Black people in America. The league on Friday announced the first set of board members who will lead that effort, highlighted by Michael Jordan.

As the Hornets’ owner, Jordan has been a behind-the-scenes leader all year as the league sought to join the fight against systemic racism more aggressively. In his partnership with Nike through Jordan Brand, the six-time NBA champion also committed $100 million over the next 10 years in strategic donations to activist groups and charities across the spectrum of social justice.

In a statement, the foundation announced it would “drive economic empowerment for Black communities through employment and career advancement” and that it would be responsible for the strategy behind how to use the $30 million that NBA governors pledged to give annually. The NBA Foundation will also develop a media and marketing plan to tell its story and work with local markets and national partners on these efforts.

Seeing big names like Jordan’s as well as the commissioner and NBPA head shows a commitment across all parts of the league to making the foundation a priority. The league has enormous resources at its disposal and now several passionate and active figureheads manning the controls through the NBA Foundation.

Earlier in the restart, Donovan Mitchell treated us to some of the most electrifying performances in Orlando. He had multiple 50-point games and went head-to-head with Jamal Murray in the opening round series between the Jazz and Nuggets, showing us why he’s one of the NBA’s brightest young stars.

But basketball was only one aspect of what made the Bubble experience so meaningful to him. Mitchell has helped spearhead the NBA’s Social Justice Initiative and is partnering with Dove Men’s C.A.R.E campaign (Care About Racial Equality) to bring greater awareness to these issues. And as a former student at Louisville, he was vocal about the need for justice to be served in the Breonna Taylor case.

For Mitchell, one of the central goals is to be willing to engage in the type of difficult or uncomfortable conversations that lead to broader understanding. In a recent interview, he shared his painful experience about what it’s like to be a Black man in America and how he and so many others are forced to modify their appearance and behavior purely for personal safety reasons.

Via Michael Pina of GQ:

“I think being able to change the way we’re being depicted in the media, not having to take my hood off because I feel like I’m a threat. I think that’s something white people don’t even think about, being afraid when you’re getting pulled over. Whether you said anything right or wrong, having that fear. I don’t think that’s a fear that anyone but Black people or minorities really have. And I feel like that’s just something that we addressed and will continue to let people know that this is real.

***

“Too many times we hear, I can’t wait for things to get back to normal. Or I can’t wait until this is all over. At the end of the day this is neverending for us. As a 24-year-old Black man who went to a predominantly white private school, there were times where I had to change the way I dressed just to not seem like a threat, or wear a letterman’s jacket or some sweats—that way I’m deemed as the safe Black guy in the area. That shouldn’t be a way Black people feel. And I feel like the bubble was a success in allowing us to at least make people see this is a thing.”

The formation of the NBA’s Social Justice Initiative was a response to the work stoppage in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting. Collectively, teams opted to temporarily halt play during the first round of the postseason to put pressure on the league and its owners to construct a concrete plan to fight against inequality.

Beyond that, Mitchell and many other players have regularly been using their platform to speak out on these issues. Experiences like Mitchell’s are endemic in American life, and the type of openness and honesty he’s displayed goes a long way toward empathy and understanding.

(Via GQ)

Donald Trump’s very big Friday started with an afternoon appearance on the Rush Limbaugh radio program for what was billed on Thursday as one of the largest radio rallies in presidential history. But what listeners got was Trump claiming that LeBron James voted for Hillary Clinton because he’s too tall and him dropping an F-bomb in a tirade about Iran.

In a rant that didn’t even get Limbaugh to look up from whatever he’s doing on his webcam, Trump said Iran was “put on notice” and then swore in a moment that will likely draw a few complaints to the FCC.

“If you f*ck around with us, if you do something bad to us,” Trump said. “We are gonna do things to you that have never been done before.”

For basically any other president in the history of the nation, this wild threat made on a Friday afternoon against a nation rumored to be developing nuclear capability would draw alarms worldwide. But given that we’re just a little over a week away from Trump disclosing he has coronavirus, breaking quarantine several times, and spending long hours ranting and raving about all kinds of things on social media and in interviews, it’s unclear just how big an international emergency this is or whether it’s a mere FCC violation.

Trump also has an interview on Fox News scheduled for later Friday night, his first on-camera interview since he was hospitalized and subsequently returned to the White House. He’s apparently scheduled to get a medical examination live on air, so hopefully, this f-bomb is the most vulgar thing that comes out of Trump’s body today.

The Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez situation has continued to evolve in recent weeks, and there was a major development yesterday: Lanez was charged with one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. If Lanez is convicted as charged, he could face over 22 years in prison. Lanez has had some time to digest the news, and now, he has shared his first public response to it.

In a tweet this afternoon, the rapper maintains his innocence, declaring, “a charge is not a conviction.” He wrote, “[Time] will [tell] … and the truth will come to the light … I have all faith in God to show that … love to all my fans and people that have stayed true to me & know my heart … a charge is not a conviction . If you have supported me or meg thru this , I genuinely appreciate u .”

As of press time, Megan has yet to share a public reaction to the news of Lanez’s charge.

These charges come not too long after Lanez released his new project, Daystar, in which he accused Megan of framing him for the shooting. He raps on “Money Over Fallouts,” “I thought you was solid too, but look at how you doing me / Look at how you doing me, people trying to ruin me.”