Month: March 2021

The hospitality business felt the pandemic hit hard, and Hyatt can’t seem to catch a good look these days when it comes to Republicans hosting high-profile events at its hotels. First, Rudy Giuliani prompted a flurry of jokes after holding an Elite Strike Force “hearing” at an Arizona Hyatt, and then this past weekend, the CPAC weekend event (held at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando) is backfiring against the chain. Yep this is the same event where Donald Trump staked his claim upon the GOP for a 2024 run (after a golden statue was rolled out in his honor), and Ted Cruz did the “freedom!” yell from Braveheart. Yet people noticed something about the main event stage, and it’s not good for hotel PR by any stretch of the imagination. Hyatt is now using the word “abhorrent” to describe the symbol after a backlash, and we’ll detail that backtracking below.

First, it’s worth noting that Hyatt has pointed out (via MarketWatch) that they faced resistance against COVID protocols by CPAC attendees: “We were extremely disappointed by the disrespect many individuals involved in the event showed to our colleagues, as it is reflective neither of our own commitment to care for members of the Hyatt family nor of how we wish to conduct business.” And that wasn’t all, because the CPAC stage shape has created an enormous fuss.

As the Ben Jackson of The Boston Globe and The Hill pointed out on Twitter, “It is a rune which was used by the SS.” Jackson certainly wasn’t alone in noting the resemblance.

More specifically, the symbol resembles an othala rune, and it’s the same shape that was spotted on flags at the 2017 Nazi gathering in Charlottesville. Certainly, it’s not a symbol that Hyatt would want to align themselves with, but at first, the hotel chain didn’t do so hot while initially responding to the social media backlash. As Forbes noted (via journalist Nancy Levine of Raw Story), a Hyatt representative stated (over the weekend), “We believe in the right of individuals and organizations to peacefully express their views, independent of the degree to which the perspectives of those hosting meetings and events at our hotels align with ours.”

That’s an odd statement, given that it doesn’t even try to deny the resemblance of the stage to a Nazi rune and responds with a metaphorical shoulder shrug. However, the hotel’s tune has changed. On Sunday evening, The Guardian revealed a new statement from Hyatt: “We take the concern raised about the prospect of symbols of hate being included in the stage design at CPAC 2021 very seriously as all such symbols are abhorrent and unequivocally counter to our values as a company.”

What happened to change Hyatt’s response? Tweets like this one from Isa-Lee Wolf: “A platform for hate is not inclusive, Hyatt… A platform to spread the Big Lie that spawned a violent insurrection and is now fomenting another threatened one is not inclusive… Neutrality with nazis is endorsement of nazis.”

This one, too, from Heather Hale: “Oh for crying out loud, they probably would have given the honeymoon suite to Hitler too.”

That’s gotta sting, and Hyatt executives cannot be enjoying this Monday.

(Via MarketWatch, The Guardian & Forbes)

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw a boundary-expanding new album from Julien Baker and some name near-doppelgangers linking up. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

Julien Baker — Little Oblivions

Baker recently told Uproxx of the stylistic departure (or perhaps lack thereof) on her new album, “It’s actually not that extreme, it just feels extreme for me. I’m like, ‘Drum machines, wow.’ I’m slow to change, I’m slow to changing who I am as a person. It takes me a while to adjust to stuff. So, I thought of this as a weird record.”

Chloe x Halle — Ungodly Hour (Chrome Edition)

Months after releasing their breakthrough album Ungodly Hour last summer, the sister duo of Chloe x Halle returned with a new “Chrome Edition” of the album. This release adds a pair of new tracks onto the original tracklist: “Hazy” and “80/20,” which Uproxx’s Caitlin White describes as “[taking] on an even more confident, swaggering feel.”

Kyle — “But Cha”

Kyle always drops some of the most fun, smile-inducing music in all of hip-hop, and he’s back with more of that with “But Cha.” On the poppy tune, Kyle’s all in on his dream girl as he assures her he doesn’t intend to go anywhere.

Shelley — “Exposure”

Remember when DRAM hilariously dropped the periods from his name in 2017? Well, get ready to update his name in your internal contacts list again, because now he’s going by Shelley, his legal first name. His first release under the new moniker is “Exposure,” on which he wants his love interest to show him all of her, inside and out.

Noname — “Rainforest”

Noname has proven to be more thoughtful than a lot of her music peers, so fans are eagerly awaiting what she has to say on her upcoming album, Factory Baby. She offered a preview last week with “Rainforest,” on which she offers her thoughts on everything from extreme wealth to personal identity.

Bryson Tiller — Anniversary (Deluxe)

The progression of the deluxe edition album was one of 2020’s more interesting musical developments, one that seems here to stay. Tiller has dropped an expanded version of Anniversary, which adds five new tracks, including the Big Sean-featuring “Still Yours.”

Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats — “Cosmic.m4a (The Alchemist Version)” Feat. Joey Badass

Curry and Beats highlighted 2020 with their short-but sweet Unlocked project, and thankfully, they’re blessing 2021 with a new version of it. They previewed it last week with an Alchemist rework of “Cosmic.m4a,” for which they brought Joey Badass into the fold to add his vocal talents to the track.

Post Malone — “Only Wanna Be With You”

Noted catcher of ’em all Post Malone has teamed up with Pokémon to help to legendary media franchise celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, and ahead of his virtual concert over the weekend, he covered Hootie And The Blowfish’s “Only Wanna Be With You.” Despite the song not having a preexisting relationship with Pokémon, its themes of love and friendship feel relevant, and the musical Easter egg that nods to the older games was a nice touch.

Pop Smoke — “AP”

Pop Smoke has had an active posthumous presence since his passing around this time last year. A few days ago, for example, his estate dropped “AP,” a braggadocios tune that flexes the lavish lifestyle his rising star allowed him to enjoy before his untimely death.

Drakeo The Ruler — “Talk To Me” Feat. Drake

Drakeo The Ruler is just a backspacing of an “o The Ruler” away from sharing a pseudonym with Drake, and now the similarly named pair have linked up on a track, “Talk To Me.” All in all, this is quite the life turnaround for Drakeo, since he was in jail just about four months ago.

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

In a way, SpongeBob SquarePants is a show with its foundation built on trivia. The very first episode starts with the iconic theme song, which opens by asking a question the show has asked hundreds of times since its 1999 debut: “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” The answer to that one is easy (SpongeBob SquarePants!), but 2KBaby has proven that his SpongeBob knowledge goes well beyond the basics like that.

Uproxx and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run are teaming up to present “Rapid Fire,” in which the rapper has a progressively decreasing amount of time to answer questions about the show. The first question was the aforementioned one, which 2KBaby obviously nails. From there, he only gets stumped a couple of times, like when he misattributed a Patrick Star quote to Sandy Cheeks. In his defense, though, the line in question was an uncharacteristically intelligent-sounding one from Patrick, and since Sandy has flexed her smarts by doing things like launching a rocket to the moon and outwitting an Alaskan bull worm, 2KBaby’s mistake is an understandable one.

He also answered some questions about Sponge On The Run, the latest SpongeBob movie (which comes out on March 4 on Paramount+). In the film, which departs from the TV show in its 3D-animated visual style, SpongeBob tries to reunite with Gary after his beloved pet snail was kidnapped.

Watch 2KBaby answer SpongeBob trivia above and play along to see who between you and the rapper has a deeper understanding of Bikini Bottom and its inhabitants.

2KBaby is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

It was around mid-March of 2020 that the first shelter-in-place orders were issued in the United States. That was almost a year ago now, and the future of the live music industry is still uncertain. LiveNation seems to think, though, that they will be able to host large, mostly full concerts this summer.

CEO Michael Rapino said during Live Nation’s Q4 2020 earnings call last week that “a clear outline to a 75 percent to 100 percent” is likely to go forward, noting that 75-plus-percent capacity shows in large US markets are “within sight.” He also noted, “We might have certain states that might not be ready, but we have enough states and enough artists willing to play the open slots if we get to that level in the right markets. So as long as these states open up to the right capacities, we can start in midsummer and in the southern US we can go all the way into November.”

As for shows at a lower capacity, that doesn’t seem to be in LiveNation’s plans, as Rapino said, “[We] have not, to date, done a lot of work in the 0-percent to 50-percent capacity business. We don’t see that as a viable model to ramp back up [considering the] fixed cost.”

This news comes just about a week after Boston Calling decided to cancel its event this year for the second year in a row, so it remains to be seen if other events will follow suit or if LiveNation’s optimism is shared by others.

Before getting into politics, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was the co-owner of CrossFit Passion, a CrossFit-affiliated gym in Alpharetta, Georgia. It’s where she trained for the CrossFit Games, and also where she reportedly “openly cheated on her husband of 25 years with a polyamorous tantric sex guru and then moved on to another affair with the manager,” as the Daily Mail memorably put it. Taylor Greene could have lived a perfectly anonymous life helping people lift weights, but instead, she became a transphobic, QAnon-obsessed congresswoman and the frontrunner for the “worst human of 2021.”

She’s become so toxic that even her beloved CrossFit has cut ties with her.

BuzzFeed News reports that CrossFit has “disavowed” Taylor Greene over “her history of calling for violence against political enemies, support for QAnon, attempts to undermine the 2020 presidential election, and amplifying other dangerous and deceptive nonsense.” (Nothing on the polyamorous tantric sex guru.) A spokesperson for the right wing-beloved company said that “CrossFit supports respectful fact-based political dialogue to address our common challenges, and we strongly oppose the loathsome and dangerous lies attributed to Ms. Greene.”

One current CrossFit affiliate owner, who asked to remain anonymous, told BuzzFeed News that the national brand’s strong association with conservative-leaning groups, including some who remain supportive of Glassman or align with Greene’s political beliefs such as QAnon, had made CrossFit headquarters reluctant to publicly criticize Greene… The affiliate owner BuzzFeed News spoke with thinks the national reluctance has to do with an awareness that there are like-minded customers who agree with Greene.

“Glassman” is CrossFit founder and former-CEO Greg Glassman, who resigned last year after making offensive remarks about George Floyd and the coronavirus. In response to a tweet from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation about how “racism and discrimination are critical public health issues that demand an urgent response,” he wrote, “It’s FLOYD-19.” Glassman also wondered why he should mourn for the victim of police brutality, “other than that it’s the white thing to do,” on a Zoom call with gym owners.

As for Taylor Greene, I guess she’ll be doing a lot more hotel workouts now.

(Via BuzzFeed News)

Jason Sudeikis had a bit of a viral moment during Sunday night’s Golden Globes as the Best Actor winner delivered a rambling acceptance speech that prompted fellow nominee Don Cheadle to gesture for him to wrap it up. In response, a very chill Sudeikis, who won for his work in Ted Lasso, explained after the show that everything is cool, and he actually appreciates Cheadle flagging him to bring his speech in for a landing, according to Deadline.

“Hey that’s just Kansas City love,” Sudeikis said during a virtual press conference following the Golden Globes. “If anyone was going to tell me… He knew I’d listen to him. That’s all that is. A lot of people don’t know that he’s an excellent stage manager as well as an a American acting icon. The guy’s got chops, you know?”

As it turns out, Sudeikis has a penchant for going long on speeches, and it actually paid off when it comes to his work on Ted Lasso. One of the first season’s more memorable moments is the “Allen Iverson speech,” which co-creator Bill Lawrence admits was all Sudeikis who fought to keep the scene as is. Here’s what Lawrence previously told Uproxx:

That was 100 percent Jason Sudeikis. He insisted on it. And here’s what a good guy he is: he didn’t rub it in my face. In editing, I tried to cut it down and I’m like, “We don’t need all of this.” And he was adamant and really passionate about it, how he wrote it and performed it. The testament to his kindness is as we get to watch people on social media love that scene and react to it, he hasn’t once texted or emailed any “I told you so” messages. He hasn’t even forwarded a tweet to me; you know what I mean?

With a Golden Globe win under his belt, Sudeikis has even more reason to gloat, but we get the feeling that this would never be his style.

(Via Deadline)

Like many of us, Cardi B is a big Lizzo fan, as she has expressed on multiple occasions. She did so again over the weekend, which actually led to a bit of an annoying moment for Cardi.

Yesterday, Cardi tweeted a diverse gallery of Lizzo photos and wrote, “These pics do it for me.” Naturally, as tends to happen when one artist shouts out another, fans were quick to flood Cardi’s notifications with requests/demands that she and Lizzo collaborate. One person replied, “now drop that collab with her,” to which Cardi responded, “Can I do a song first thst I can put her on.” Somebody responded to that tweet, “YESSS WE WANT A COLLAB,” and Cardi answered, “Ok but stop pressuring me to do stuff .I can’t even show love to people with 100 collab collab collab.”

A handful of months ago, Cardi revealed that she actually tried to get Lizzo involved with her “WAP” video, but unfortunately, she was unable to take part due to a scheduling conflict. She also called Lizzo “the [nicest] person in the world” after she received flowers from her amid her divorce.

Cardi B and Lizzo are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The late, great Nipsey Hussle’s influence is undeniable. Not only did he leave a mark locally before his death in 2019, but he also continues to have a massive impact on pop culture after it. While he continues to receive reverent tributes from friends and admirers like LeBron James and Barrack Obama, his name also occasionally pops up in unusual circumstances — even for a self-made mogul whose funeral procession shut down the city of Los Angeles and whose memorial service filled the Staples Center.

Daniel Kaluuya, one of the stars of the thriller Judas And The Black Messiah, shouted out Nipsey Hussle during his acceptance speech at last night’s virtual Golden Globes ceremony. After winning Best Supporting Actor for his role as Black Panther Illinois chapter chairman Fred Hampton, Kaluuya quoted Nipsey, explaining how Nip’s worldview shaped his superb performance. “I gave everything,” he said. “Like the great Nipsey Hussle says, we’re here to give until we’re empty.”

Nipsey also appears on the film’s companion album alongside a slew of hip-hop all-stars, including Jay-Z, with whom Nipsey shared their first-ever collaboration, “What It Feels Like.”

Watch Daniel Kaluuya’s acceptance speech above.

Nipsey Hussle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Keeping track of all the new albums coming out in a given month is a big job, but we’re up for it: Below is a comprehensive list of the major releases you can look forward to in March. If you’re not trying to potentially miss out on anything, it might be a good idea to keep reading.

Friday, March 5

• A Day To Remember — You’re Welcome (Fueled By Ramen)
• Adult Mom — Driver (Epitaph Records)
• Alex Bleeker — Heaven On The Faultline (Night Bloom Records)
• The Anchoress — The Art Of Losing (Kscope)
• Andrew Bird and Jimbo Mathus — These 13 (Thirty Tigers)
• Arab Strap — As Days Get Dark (Rock Action/Best & Fairest)
• Barbarossa — Love Here Listen (Memphis Industries)
• Bernice — Eau De Bonjourno (Telephone Explosion)
• Charles Ellsworth — Honeysuckle Summer (Burro Borracho Records)
• Charlie Peacock — Trout Creek Ranch (Twenty Ten Music)
• Chevelle — NIRATIAS (Epic Records)
• Daniel Kehoe — Disco Body Buzz (Tin Angel)
• Decent Criminal — DC EP (Sell The Heart Records)
• Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats — Unlocked 1.5 EP (Loma Vista)
• Dodie — Build A Problem (The Orchard)
• Dreamshade — A Pale Blue Dot (Horang Music)
• The Drive — Can You Feel It (RCA)
• Elizabeth And The Catapult — Sincerely, E (Compass Records)
• Field Works — Cedars (Rollercoaster Records)
• Fruit Bats — The Pet Parade (Merge Records)
• Gabrielle — Do It Again (BMG)
• Genesis Owusu — Smiling With No Teeth (Ourness)
• G.S. Schray — The Changing Account (Last Resort)
• The Horrors — Lout EP (Wolf Tone)
• Ian Sweet — Show Me How You Disappear (Polyvinyl)
• Jay Gonzalez — Back To The Hive (Middlebrow Records)
• Jaz Elise — The Golden Hour EP (In.Digg.Nation Collective)
• Jessy Rose — Are You Home? EP (Killing A Friend)
• John-Robert — Healthy Baby Boy, Part 1 (Nice Life Recording Company/Warner Records)
• John Sharkey III — Shoot Out The Cameras (Mistletone Records)
• Judith Hill — Baby, I’m Hollywood (Regime Music Group)
• Juliet Quick — Glass Years EP (Substitute Scene Records)
• Kings Of Leon — When You See Yourself (RCA Records)
• Leon III — Antlers In Velvet (Monosonic)
• Mere Women — Romantic Notions (Poison City)
• Oliver Jean And April March — Palladium EP (Third Man Records)
• Painted Shrines — Heaven And Holy (Woodsist)
• Pat Metheny — Road To The Sun (Modern Recordings)
• Quintin Copper & Nas Mellow — Paradise (Sonar Kollektiv)
• Soul Station — Now And Then (UMe)
• Postdata — Twin Flames (Paper Bag Records)
• Ron Gallo — Peacemeal (New West Records)
• The Spill Canvas — Conduit (Pure Noise Records)
• Spirit Award — Lunatic House (Share It Music)
• Steve Almaas — Everywhere You’ve Been (Lonesome Whippoorwill)
• Thirdface — Do It With A Smile (Exploding In Sound Records)
• Thomas Blondet & Steven Rubin — Sea Songs EP (Rhythm & Culture Music)
• Tigers Jaw — I Won’t Care How You Remember Me (Hopeless Records)
• Various Artists — Coming 2 America (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Def Jam Recordings)
• William The Conqueror — Maverick Thinker (Chrysalis Records)
• Zara Larsson — Poster Girl (Epic Records)

Friday, March 12

• Allie Crow Buckley — Moonlit And Devious (Night Bloom Records)
• Baby Boys — Threesome (Transgressive Records)
• Blackmore’s Night — Nature’s Light (earMUSIC)
• Cactus Flowers — Solace EP (People.Parties.Places)
• Cameron Knowler & Eli Winter — Anticipation (American Dreams Records)
• Charles Lloyd & The Marvels — Tone Poem (Blue Note Records)
• Chez Kane — Chez Kane (Frontiers Music)
• Colin Miller — Hook EP (Oof Records)
• Cool Ghouls — At George’s Zoo (Melodic/Empty Cellar)
• DeeCRACKS — Serious Issues (uhfrecords)
• Dollar Signs — Hearts Of Gold (Pure Noise Records)
• Do Nothing — Glueland EP (Exact Truth)
• Electric Jalaba — El Hal / The Feeling (Strut Records)
• Flo Chase — Toi (Dull Tools)
• Haerts — Dream Nation (Rix Records/The Orchard & Humming Records)
• Hanalei — Black Snow (A-F Records)
• The Horrors — Lout EP (Wolf Tone/Virgin Music Label & Artist Services)
• Israel Nash — Topaz (Loose Music)
• Issa — Queen Of Broken Hearts (Frontiers)
• Jaialai — As Sweet As It Was EP (Super Music Group)
• James Levy — Soldier (Side Hustle Records)
• Joel Gabrielsson — Citadel EP (Jivvär Records)
• Jordan Hart — Only Pieces Of The Truth EP (Believe)
• Justin Courtney Pierre — An Anthropologist On Mars (Epitaph Records)
• Kelly McFarling — Deep The Habit (self-released)
• Lake Street Dive — Obviously (Nonesuch)
• Leanne Betasamosake Simpson — Theory Of Ice (You’ve Changed Records)
• Louisahhh — The Practice Of Freedom (He.She.They)
• Mike Dillon — Shoot The Moon / Suitcase Man / 1918 (Royal Potato Family)
• Minutian — Magical Thinking (Inverse Records)
• Neil Frances — Stay Strong Play Long (Ninja Tune)
• Nubiyan Twist — Freedom Fables (Strut)
• Ocie Elliot — Slow Tide EP (Nettwerk)
• The Paper Kites — Roses (Nettwerk)
• Pet Needs — Fractured Party Music (Xtra Mile)
• Perfume Genius — Immediately Remixes (Matador)
• Pino Palladino and Blake Mills — Notes With Attachments (New Deal/Impulse)
• Raissa — Herogirl EP (Zelig Records/Columbia)
• Reza Safinia — Yin (Terrorbird)
• Rob Zombie — The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Conspiracy (Nuclear Blast)
• Ronnie Atkins — One Shot (Frontiers)
• Saga — Symmetry (earMUSIC)
• Selena Gomez — Revelación EP (Interscope)
• Somni — Somni Presents: Up Too Early Volume 2 (Friends of Friends)
• Stepney Sisters — Stepney Sisters (Alcopop)
• Valerie June — The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers (Fantasy Records)
• The Vices — Looking For Faces (Mattan Records)
• Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno — Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno (Free Dirt Records)

Friday, March 19

• 24/7 Diva Heaven — Stress (NOISOLUTION)
• Alex Somers — Siblings (Travelling the Groove Records)
• Alex Somers — Siblings 2 (Travelling the Groove Records)
• Alice Phoebe Lou — Glow (self-released)
• American Culture — For My Animals (HHBTM Records)
• Bass Race — Tender Vittles (Northern Transmissions)
• Becca Mancari — Juniata EP (Captured Tracks)
• Bell Orchestre — House Music (Erased Tapes Records)
• Blanketman — National Trust EP (PIAS)
• The Blue Stones — Hidden Gems (Entertainment One)
• The Bones Of J.R. Jones — A Celebration EP (Technicolour)
• Chad Vangaalen — World’s Most Stressed Out Gardener (Sub Pop)
• Chinah — Feels Like Forever (The Orchard)
• Colin Miller — Hook EP (Chess Club Records)
• Dad Sports — I Am Just A Boy Leave Me Alone !!! EP (Grand Jury Music)
• Daniel Lanois — Heavy Sun (Maker Series)
• David Olney — Whispers And Sighs (Schoolkids Records)
• Deniz Cuylan — No Such Thing As Free Will (Hush Hush)
• Frances Luke Accord — Sunnyside EP (Two-Dale Records)
• Gentlemen’s Dub Club — Down To Earth (Easy Star Records)
• Greg Skaff — Polaris (SMK Jazz)
• Guapdad 4000 and Illmind — 1176 (Paradise Rising)
• Harry Connick Jr. — Alone With My Faith (Verve)
• Jane Inc. — Number One (Telephone Explosion)
• Janet Simpson — Safe Distance (Cornelius Chapel Records)
• Jon Batiste — We Are (Verve)
• Lana Del Rey — Chemtrails Over The Country Club (Interscope Records/Polydor Records)
• Lo Talker — A Comedy Of Errors (Arts & Crafts)
• Michael Feuerstack — Harmonize The Moon (Forward Music Group)
• Michigander — Everything Will Be OK Eventually EP (C3 Records)
• Middle Kids — Today We’re The Greatest (Domino)
• Mint Julep — In A Deep & Dreamless Sleep (Western Vinyl)
• Morgan Wade — Reckless (Thirty Tigers)
• New Bums — Last Time I Saw Grace (Drag City Records)
• Nik Bärtsch — Entendre (ECM Records)
• Nitin Sawhney — Immigrants (Outcaste Records)
• The Oddness — Distant Voices EP (Eskimo Recordings)
• Otzeki — Now Is A Long Time (Akira Records)
• Palm Ghosts — Lifeboat Candidate (Becky Warren)
• Real Numbers — Brighter Then EP (Slumberland Records)
• Riley Pearce — Love And Other Stuff EP (Nettwerk)
• Rivals — Sad Looks Pretty On Me (Smart Punk Records)
• Ronna Reason — Ronna Reason EP (Damaged Disco)
• Safety — Greetings from The Sunshine State EP (Jetsam-Flotsam)
• Serj Tankian — Elasticity EP (Alchemy Recordings)
• Show Me The Body — Survive EP (Loma Vista)
• The Snuts — W.L. (Parlophone)
• Souleye — Hunting Teardrops (self-released)
• Special Request — DJ Kicks (K7)
• Steve Gulley And Tim Stafford — Still Here (Crossroads Label Group)
• Sting — Duets (Universal Music Group)
• Stoner Control — Sparkle Endlessly (Sound Judgement)
• Tearjerker — Deep End EP (Bombshell Radio)
• Tunnelvisions — End Of Time EP (Forced Exposure)
• Vallens — In Era (Hand Drawn Dracula)
• Vegyn — Like A Good Old Friend EP (PLZ Make It Ruins)
• Veronica Swift — This Bitter Earth (Mack Avenue Records)
• William Doyle — Great Spans Of Muddy Time (Tough Love Records)
• Ziggy Alberts — Searching For Freedom (Alberts & Co. Music)

Friday, March 26

• 24kGoldn — El Dorado (Columbia)
• Afternoon Bike Ride — Skipping Stones EP (Friends of Friends Music)
• AJR — OK Orchestra (Bmg Rights Management)
• The Alex Leach Band — I’m The Happiest When I’m Moving (Mountain Home Records)
• Anna Fox Rochinski — Cherry (Don Giovanni Records)
• The Antlers — Green To Gold (ANTI‐)
• Band Of Spice — By The Corner Of Tomorrow (Scarlet Records)
• Ben Howard — Collections From The Whiteout (Island Records)
• Black Light Smoke — The Early Years (Cut Mistake Music)
• Blind Faith — Closer EP (Wormholedeath)
• Brigitte DeMeyer — Seeker (BDM Music)
• Carrie Underwood — My Savior (Capitol Records Nashville)
• Citizen — Life In Your Glass World (Run For Cover Records)
• Clark — Playground In A Lake (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Clever Girls — Constellations (Egghunt Records)
• Cujo Moon — Bridges II EP (Tone Tree Music)
• David Olney & Anana Kaye — Whisper And Sighs (Schoolkids Records)
• Death For Above 1979 — Is 4 Lovers (Universal Music Canada)
• Dntel — The Seas Trees See (Morr Music)
• Dr. Lonnie Smith — Breathe (Blue Note Records)
• El Michels Affair — Yeti Season (Big Crown Records)
• Esther Rose — How Many Times (Father/Daughter Records)
• Evanescence — The Bitter Truth (BMG Rights Management)
• The Eye Of Time — Acoustic II (Denovali Records)
• Fitz — Head Up High (Elektra)
• Floatie — Voyage Out (Exploding In Sound Records)
• Frankie & His Fingers — Universal Hurt (SubFamily Records)
• Fretland — Could Have Loved You (Soundly Music)
• Grande Royale — Carry On (Sign Records)
• The Holy Brothers — My Name Is Sparkle (Regional Records)
• Jackson Scribner — Jackson Scribner (State Fair)
• Janina Jade — Heart Of Rock N’ Roll (GMR Music Group)
• Jess Locke — Don’t Ask Yourself Why (Dot Dash)
• Joe Strummer — Assembly (Dark Horse Records)
• John Smith — The Fray (Thirty Tigers)
• Josh Carter — The Hideout Sessions (Pravda Records)
• The Juliana Theory — A Dream Away (Rude/Equal Vision Records)
• Kalbells — Max Heart (NNA Tapes)
• Magnet Animals — Fake Dudes (Rarenoise Records)
• Mike Clerk — The Space Between My Ears (Wardlaw Music)
• Minor Moon — Tethers (Ruination Record Co./Whatever’s Clever)
• The Mobile Homes — Trigger (Wild Kingdom Records)
• Naoko Sakata — Dancing Spirits (Pomperipossa Records)
• Neil Young — Young Shakespeare (self-released)
• Nisa — Guilt Trip EP (Terrorbird)
• Noga Erez — Kids (City Slang)
• Odd Dimension — The Blue Dawn (Scarlet Records)
• Play Dead — Skint EP (Blitzcat Records)
• Real Estate — Half A Human EP (Domino)
• Revoltone — For The Silent Voices (Secret Entertainment)
• Sara Watkins — Under The Pepper Tree (New West Records)
• Sarah Jerrom — Dream Logic (ECM Records)
• Serpentwithfeet — Deacon (Secretly Canadian)
• Simon Provencher — Mesures EP (Michel Records)
• Solstice Rey — Sunday, Someday (Get Better Record)
• Stepson — Help Me, Help You (SharpTone Records)
• Tim Cohen — You Are Still Here (Bobo Integral)
• Tune-Yards — Sketchy (4AD)
• Various Artists — Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Soundtrack: Seven Evil Exes Edition (ABKCO)
• Xiu Xiu — Oh No (Polyvinyl)

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

Atlanta trap rap godfather T.I. and his wife Tiny are being accused of multiple accounts of sexual assault, according to the New York Times, which reports that a lawyer has reached out to law enforcement in two states, urging authorities to pursue criminal charges. Although rumors about the couple’s alleged abuse have circulated for weeks on social media, criminal charges have yet to be filed.

Tyrone A. Blackburn, a lawyer representing 11 people who claim to have been victimized by the couple or their entourage, sent letters to state and federal prosecutors in California and Georgia on February 19, where the assaults allegedly took place. Four women accuse T.I. and Tiny of drugging and sexually assaulting them. The letter describes an “eerily similar” pattern in which multiple women, who do not know each other, allege “sexual abuse, forced ingestion of illegal narcotics, kidnapping, terroristic threats and false imprisonment” by the celebrity couple.

However, a lawyer for T.I. and Tiny dismissed the allegations, calling them “nothing more than the continuation of a sordid shakedown campaign that began on social media and now attempts to manipulate the press and misuse the justice system.”

Further complicating the issue is that many of the incidents described are either approaching or past the statutes of limitation in those states; Blackburn says the women feared coming forward previously because of T.I.’s fearsome reputation and past gun convictions.

The charges first emerged on social media several weeks ago, as first one woman, then others posted to Instagram and Twitter sharing their claims of abuse by T.I. and Tiny. Although T.I. refuted the allegations in his own video, accounts like The Shade Room magnified the accusations, prompting MTV Entertainment to postpone production of the VH1 show T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle.

The Times reports speaking with several of the women, who described their experiences in further detail here.