Month: September 2023

For new hip-hop fans, it may be hard to recall when Chance The Rapper was the genre’s golden child. But as the Chicago native continues to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his breakout mixtape Acid Rap, his impact on the culture and his fellow emcees is reentering mainstream consciousness. However, according to Chance, he didn’t always feel appreciated.

During a sit down with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden on The Ebro Show, the entertainer opened up about the more difficult points of his career.

“The toughest challenge I ever experienced was I went on tour with Macklemore,” said Chance.

He quickly clarified that the stain had nothing to do with his past collaborator, adding, “Macklemore is an amazing, amazing person and helped me out tremendously as well. But his shows were in Europe, and I think it was 38 dates, all 20,000 capacity rooms, all like off markets, too, like Poland and Dusseldorf. These people didn’t speak English at all. And not only did they not speak English, he sold out all these shows before I was announced on the ticket.”

Chance continued, “So it’s really bad when you go to a show, and there’s an opener that you don’t want to see. It’s way worse when it’s a surprise opener that you don’t want to see. That’s speaking a different language and Black, a lot of negatives on top of each other for the Swedish crowds. So I’m dealing with that.”

All in all, eventually, Chance used that experience to help improve his performance and as fuel for when it was his tour to headline. “When I came home, I got to finally feel at the end of that year when I went on my own solo tour, I got to feel having my own crowd, selling my own tickets and really built my whole off that tour,” he exclaimed.

Fast-forward to the present day, there aren’t many people who don’t know in some shape or form who Chance The Rapper is.

Fall shall soon be here, but September might still make you want to hide inside from all the natural disasters plaguing the world these days. That’s highly understandable, and fortunately, TV is streaming up a storm of new and returning shows for you after Justified: City Primeval moseys off into the sunset and while Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building continues to unravel the leading trio’s latest homicidal mystery.

This month, some crowd favorites return with Daryl Dixon making his already-renewed debut in a The Walking Dead spinoff (also, Keanu Reeves will take a Ride with Norman Reedus). The Boys will introduce the Gen V offshoot for a dose of satiric mayhem, and 50 Cent throws his latest punch with the return of Power Book IV: Force. From there, a John Wick prequel series will paint a portrait of that assassin society’s earlier days, and keep your eyes open for The Other Black Girl to f*ck with some preconceptions.

Here are the must see shows for September.

The Wheel of Time: Season 2 (Amazon Prime series streaming 9/1)

Fantasy lit lovers turned out for the first season of this Rosamund Pike-starring series, boosting it to the top three of most-watched Amazon Original series thus far. The sprawling series is based upon Robert Jordan’s bestselling novel series that follows a world where only choice women can access magic (man, Elon Musk would be so mad). Pike stars as Moiraine, who hails from the all-powerful Aes Sedai organization. Under her guidance, the prophesied Dragon Reborn is destined to appear and either save humanity or crush it.

Power Book IV: Force: Season 2 (Starz series returning 9/1)

Do you have to watch Power before heading into Book IV? We’ve got you covered on that front, and long story short, it’s a good idea to watch the first Power (with Book II and Book III being optional) to see necessary background context of Tommy Egan. This season picks up with him descending upon Chicago on his way to California. However, he gets deterred by the Windy City’s drug game, and you can probably guess that this distracts him for awhile.

The Changeling: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series streaming 9/8)

LaKeith Stanfield heads into the horror realm in this adaptation of Victor LaValle’s acclaimed novel. The show promises to be a grown-up fairytale begins in a New York City library and heads into a version of the Big Apple that usually remains closed from human eyes. It’s also a parenthood fable, and yes, it truly feels like the scariest horror stories often revolve around kids, whether they happen to be good or evil. Given Stanfield’s ability to showcase the surreal in various other projects, one can bet that this quality adds to the spooks in this series.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Season 1 (AMC series streaming 9/10 on AMC+)

Daryl, the only one to receive a solo spinoff here, will soon awaken in France without an inkling of how he arrived there and without Dog by his side. Norman Reedus’ unwashed hero will soon embark on a new kind of journey, one where he has no motorcycle, but at least a pistol crossbow finally materialized in previews. That weapon of choice might be the only thing that makes sense about this series yet, although I will say that this looks like an unmissable attempt to shake up this franchise with one of its most beloved boos at the helm. We’ll get to see Melissa McBride’s Carol at some point, too.

Ride with Norman Reedus: Season 6 (AMC series streaming 9/10 on AMC+)

Sunday nights will soon be Daryl nights, and Norman Reedus isn’t letting go of his audience after only one hour. Instead, he will ride “through the otherworldy landscapes” of Utah with Keanu Reeves before reuniting with a The Walking Dead co-star at Talladega Superspeedway. If you end up adoring this travel-reality show, be sure to also fire up Colman Domingo’s food-reality show, Bottomless Brunch At Colman’s. Yum.

Welcome to Wrexham: Season 2 (FX series returning 9/12)

Who said it would never last? Screw ’em. Here comes match two from the Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney series that follows them buying Wrexham A.F.C. football club and not knowing what the hell to do. Will this end up being the ultimate underdog story or a crash course that also transforms a community, or both? The 5th tier Red Dragons are into it, and their new owners are committed while giving the world a new team to root for.

The Morning Show: Season 3 (Apple TV+ series streaming 9/13)

One of Apple TV+’s flagship series is still kicking, and within those confines would be Reese Witherspoon’s brash co-anchor (Bradley Jackson) alongside the more mainstream-friendly counterpart portrayed by Jennifer Aniston (as Alex Levy). Billy Crudup will return as the show’s Kermit The Frog, and this season, the very future of this network might be in jeopardy due to a tech titan on the scene. Dude, those billionaires cannot resist turning into chaos agents, so expect alliances and truths to morph before the leading ladies’ eyes.

The Other Black Girl: Season 1 (Hulu series streaming 9/13)

Seriously, watch this trailer. This is not a fluffy little comedy, as you’ll quickly see. The story is based upon Zakiya Dalila Harris’ NYT best-selling novel about an editorial assistant is who is overjoyed to no longer be the “only Black girl” at her work place. However, the novelty of newcomer Hazel quickly fades when it becomes apparent that sinister (and possibly supernatural) vibes are going down. Rashida Jones executive produces this story that takes on tokenization and racial identity in America. Girls, watch out!

The Continental: Season 1 (Peacock series streaming 9/22)

This three-part series does not seem likely to feature a Keanu Reeves cameo as suggested years ago. For one thing, well, John Wick 4 ended in a certain way, but additionally, this story takes place in the 1970s, long before Wick’s most pivotal pup was even born. As such, this spinoff will focus on the earlier days of the franchise’s assassin-welcoming hotel, where Colin Woodell portrays Winston, who’s attempting to do his day job and also navigate the hellish underbelly (and this hotel’s particular underworld) of the era’s New York City. If you’re not into the Mel Gibson aspect of this prequel, then perhaps Katie McGrath can still sway you as The Adjudicator.

Gen V: Season 1 (Amazon Prime series streaming 9/29)

As the world waits to find out how The Boys will follow up on “Herogasm,” this franchise will take us to the place where Supes are weeded out for their chance to ultimately join The Seven. Introducing Godolkin University, where a Homelander statue will inspire all who undertake the challenge of competing with their fellow hormonal Supes. Expect this series to embrace the raunch factor of the original show with that same patented blend of humor and heart. The series stars Jaz Sinclair as a budding Supe who can “explode his d*ck,” as the above teaser promises. There might be some surprise cameos along the way, but definitely plan on seeing Jessie T. Usher’s A-Train and Colby Minifie’s Ashley, who might very well go insane one day while attempting to control Vought International’s outward image despite the collateral damage involved.

Since reuniting with original member Tom DeLonge last year, Blink-182 has been on a world tour. It’s been eventful with covers of Taylor Swift, their first Coachella performance in nine years, and all that weird stuff with the son of the missing titanic submersible passenger.

However, the band has shared that several shows are postponed. “Due to an urgent family matter, Travis has had to return home to the States,” drummer Travis Barker posted in an Instagram Story, as ET notes. “The Glasgow, Belfast, and Dublin shows are being postponed. More information in regards to his return to Europe and rescheduled dates will be provided as soon as available.” Along with that, he added photos of a prayer room.

Perhaps on a related note, Barker and his wife Kourtney Kardashian announced in June that they were expecting a baby, which will be the couple’s first child together. Kardashian held up a sign reading “TRAVIS I’M PREGNANT” during a Los Angeles Blink-182 concert. They also revealed the sex of the baby with Barker doing a gentle drumroll on his drum kit with Kardashian on his lap before blue confetti filled the sky to indicate a boy.

Blink-182 is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

This week’s Indiecast was recorded a few days earlier than usual, so if there was some major indie news that is not discussed, that is why. Why did the guys record early? Well, Steven shipped off to Dayton, Ohio to see the 40th anniversary shows for Guided By Voices. Before he left, he previewed the weekend — which he dubbed “45-Year-Old Indie Fan Woodstock” — with Ian.

After that, Steven and Ian review the new self-titled album from Zach Bryan, a country superstar who has some strong indie/emo guy tendencies. Then the guys discuss the new album by actual emo-adjacent star Jeff Rosenstock, who attempts to segue to a more mature sound with Hellmode.

In Recommendation Corner, Ian talks about a new EP from the darkwave act Drab Majesty, while Steven recommends the 1980s era Australian indie band Died Pretty in light of the recent death of lead singer Ron Peno.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 153 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at indiecastmailbag@gmail.com, and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Having fans is a bit of a mixed bag: People enjoying your work is great, but sometimes, they can say things that get under your skin. In a recent interview, Sexyy Red was asked about fan interactions that annoy her, and she responded, “I hate when they say I look like Young Thug ’cause no the f*ck we do not look alike.”

In the comments of a DJ Akademiks upload of the interview clip, a lot of the responses were disagreeing with Red. Comments include, “She literally do look like thugger tho,” “Man she ain’t fooling nobody I know thug when I see him,” and, “I never seen young thug n sexy redd in the same room before.”

Now, Red has given in. In a tweet from August 30, the rapper shared a side-by-side image of her and Thug, adding, “Yea that’s my twin I must admit [laughing emoji].”

Meanwhile, she just announced The Hood Hottest Princess Tour, which kicks off with a Boston concert in October and will hit a number of other North American cities between then and the end of November. She also recently linked up with Tyler The Creator and the two snapped some photos together, one of which really got people talking.

On her new song “Single Soon,” Selena Gomez sings, “I know I’m a little high maintenance, but I’m worth a try.” Gomez doesn’t necessarily think that she’s high maintenance, though, but she does have standards, as she explained in a recent SiriusXM Hits 1 interview.

“I think I have standards, and I think I live in a world right now where boys confuse standards with high maintenance. […] The line was really fun because I’m not ashamed to say, ‘I actually require X, Y, and Z for you to be with me.’ So in a way, it was just meant to be for the attitude of the song, and that’s genuinely how I feel.”

As for what those standards are, she explained, “You gotta be cool, man. Not cool in the sense that people think you’re cool. You just gotta be nice and like, please make me laugh and also just be good to my family and people around you.”

ET notes she also said, “I think everybody goes through the phase of, ‘Oh, it’d be nice to like have someone,’ and I get that. But you know, I’m just enjoying where I’m at and I just want to be happy with who I am so that whenever that person comes into my life, I can just have them add on to me instead of being this insecure, you know, person that I normally used to be.”

(WARNING: Spoilers for this week’s The Chi episode will be found below.)

A bit of a time jump in The Chi season six has brought us to prom season for the kids in the series. In episode five, we check in with Kevin & Maisha, Jake & Jemma, Papa & Kenya, and Bakari & Lynae as they prepare for their prom. Though it should be a fun time, each couple has their own worries and inconveniences that arrive to disrupt things. Elsewhere, Keisha is forced to take matters into her own hands as she grows more and more frustrated with her life. Some new tensions arise between Emmett and Douda, Victor gets taken in for questioning by the FBI, Shaad is reluctantly pushed back into his old ways, and Marcus and Tierra have their first big disappointment.

The events mentioned above in the fifth episode of Showtime’s The Chi season six, titled “One Of Them Nights,” are soundtracked by songs that help to accentuate the emotions behind each scene. You can find a list of them below and details about the scenes the records played behind.

The following records were provided thanks to the Showtime Entertainment Public Relations team. Some records are unreleased and will not be on streaming until a later date. Check back for updates on a release.

J Sound — “Hold On To The Cape”

We hear this record around the 1:14 mark as Emmett helps Kevin show for a jacket to wear at prom. There seems to be a time jump with this episode as Kevin reveals that he and Maisha are an official couple now. It’s here that Kevin also lets Emmett know about a video game opportunity that will allow him to take his talents to Los Angeles.

Alex Isley — “Love Again”

This song plays around the 3:07 mark as Papa surprises Kenya with a promposal at Smokey’s. The room is filled with balloons as he presents her with roses and a sign that says “Anita Prom Date,” a cheesy reference to their mutual love of Anita Baker. Kenya, who is smiling from ear to ear, happily says yes to Papa’s promposal.

Jade McKenziie — “Gooddays”

Around the 12:15 mark, this song can be heard as Maisha is helping Lynae with her nails ahead of prom. Lynae shares that she’s worried about how Bakari and her brother Jamal’s meeting will go as Jamal is worried about Lynae being with someone who is in the streets. Maisha gives her advice and tells her to remind Jamal that most people are in the streets because they need to be, not because they want to be.

Iman Jordan — “All Over Again”

This record plays around the 34:02 mark as Kevin, Maisha, Jake, Jemma, Papa, Bakari, and Lynae all step out to show off their prom look and take pictures with family. Bakari also has his first meeting with Jamal where he promises to make sure that Lynae stays out of harm’s way.

Nardo Wick — “Who Want Smoke” Feat. Lil Durk, G Herbo And 21 Savage

Nardo Wick’s hit record can be heard around the 38:55 mark as the gang kicks off prom by turning up and having the time of their lives on the dancefloor. Kevin also informs Jake and Papa that he’s considering a move to Los Angeles for a video game opportunity.

Destin Conrad — “In The Air”

We hear this record around the 46:53 mark, as Quincy and his partner have an intimate moment together following a gathering at Victor and Fatima’s house. Quincy warns his partner about working with Douda, but he brushes it off citing no concerns in their relationship up to that moment.

Crown — “Drill 3”

This song plays around the 48:05 mark as Bakari and Lynae are driving throughout Chicago after prom. Bakari is speeding through the city and he’s eventually pulled over by the police which leads to a tense moment with officers.

Josiah Bell — “Danger”

Josiah Bell’s “Danger” plays around the 49:06 mark as Lynae walks out of the police station where she’s hugged by Nina and Dre. Jamal is also there to make sure she’s okay, and shortly after, we see Bakari from the police station where he’s greeted by Papa, Papa’s dad, and a look of disappointment from Jamal.

Travon Potts — “Hold My Hand”

Around the 50:54 mark, this record can be heard as Bakari sits in the car with Papa as Papa’s dad drives them home. The song, and the aftermath of being taken into the police station, seem to overwhelm Bakari as he begins crying in the backseat of the car.

Z. Rich — “Reminiscing”

This record plays around the 55:08 mark as Maisha lays with Kevin on his couch at his apartment. Kevin asks her if she’d move to LA for her music career, and without hesitation, Maisha says yes. This conversation seems to push Kevin to accept the video game offer that will bring him to LA, despite failing to inform Maisha of the opportunity.

New episodes of ‘The Chi’ are available through the Paramount Plus With Showtime plan on Fridays at 3am EST/ 12 pm PST. Weekly episodes also air Sundays on Showtime at 9pm EST/PST.

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent The Chi episode will be found below.)

Following a bit of a time jump in The Chi season six, we’re now in prom season for the kids in Chicago’s south side. Kevin & Maisha, Jake & Jemma, Papa & Kenya, and Bakari & Lynae all prepare for their big day, but it doesn’t come without a few issues and/or unexpected occurrences within each of the couples. Kevin was offered a video game opportunity in Los Angeles and he’s left to contemplate whether or not he will leave Chicago to pursue it. Jemma runs into dress issues hours before prom and it forces her to spend time with Tierra, who she hasn’t been a fan of. Kenya backs out of prom at the last second and it leads to a surprise that Papa was not ready for. Lastly, Bakari finally meets Lynae’s brother Jamal, and while he promises to keep her out of harm’s way, their conclusion to prom night finds him doing the opposite to Jamal’s disappointment.

Elsewhere, Emmett and Keisha are reaching a breaking point in their relationship as stresses in and outside of them are breaking them down individually. Keisha lost her teaching position and Emmett had a gun pointed at him by Douda after he confronted him about Tiffany’s car being stolen by his street boys. Nina and Dre have a disagreement in their relationship after Dre reconnects with her ex, but only for work reasons as they now work at the same place. Marcus and Tierra have a rift of their own in their growing relationship thanks to comments from Marcus, and lastly, Shaad is forced back into his old life after Bakari forces him to watch a duffel bag of guns for a short period of time

Here are some of the biggest takeaways that we have after season six’s fifth episode, “One Of Them Nights”:

Papa Got The Surprise Of A Lifetime

Kenya’s entrance into Papa’s surprise was a wonderful surprise for him. He found who lives a similar life as he does with similar interests — a love for Anita Baker being one of them. Papa recognized the good in Kenya and pursued her relentlessly and respectfully, and despite her initial hesitations, she finally let her guard down and things seemed to be going well for the two. Considering that the “One Of Them Nights” episode is a time jump from season six, episode four, we can assume that Papa and Kenya have been going steady for a while now. This explains his pure shock as he arrives at Kenya’s house to find out that she’s had a son the entire time that they’ve been dating. Papa is a pretty accepting and nonjudgmental person, but this might prove to be a lot for him. If not his own, the thoughts of others around him, like his judgmental and critical father or his friends, could prove to be a heavy weight on him. Then again, everyone might be as accepting of their situation as they are Emmett and Keisha’s. It all remains to be seen, but Papa will certainly need a second to wrap his mind around everything.

Bakari Might Lose Everything That’s Been Good To Him

A magical prom day and night took a sharp turn for the worst for Bakari once he and Lynae were pulled over by two police officers and taken into custody. Luckily for them, it seems like Bakari wasn’t charged with anything, but with this, he failed to keep his promise to Lynae’s brother Jamal to not put her in harms way. The disappointment is clear in Jamal’s eyes as he looks at Bakari before leaving the police station with Lynae. Right now, despite all the wrong he’s done in his life, Bakari still has people like Lynae, Papa, and Papa’s family in his corner, but if he continues going down this road, he could very well lose it all. What makes it all worse is that he puts these goods things at risk for someone like Douda, who could care less about anything outside of his own interests. I mean, who threatens a kid into making sure a duffle bag of guns is taken care of? Douda has no interest in Bakari’s well-being or safety, and while the money he gets from Douda is nice, it’s not worth it if he’s on his way to losing it all.

Kevin’s Ability To Go Against The Grain Is Admirable

Kevin has always done things his way. While everyone has or is in pursuit of regular nine-to-five jobs, he looked to video games as his source of income. As most of his friends desired to stay home with their parents, Kevin moved out and found an apartment to call his own. Now, as most of his friends and the adults in his world look to call Chicago home forever, Kevin eyes a move to Los Angeles with the hope of exploring and seeing what else the world has to offer him. Kevin’s ability to go against the grain is admirable. He seems to conclude that maybe breaking away from the expectations of a full life in Chicago is the way to avoid an adult life like the ones of those around him. During a mini argument with Emmett, he notes that he’s considering a move to Los Angeles for a video game career simply to see what else life has to offer him and what life outside of Chicago looks like. Sometimes exploration allows you to see the true heights and depths of your dreams, and Kevin seems to understand that. At a minimum, he’s curious to see if that can be proven true and as he did with his video game interests and moving into his apartment, he’s not going to let anyone stop him.

Emmett Actually Needs A Lot More Than Therapy

Emmett after this episode is the epitome of the dog from the webcomic Gunshow who sits in a room engulfed in flames. His girlfriend Keisha just lost her job and she feels completely lost in her life while also being frustrated at him for leaning on her so heavily and not giving her the space to breathe and cash her own dreams. His baby mother Tiffany just had the car he bought her broken into and briefly stolen before it was later recovered. Lastly, the investor in his business, Douda, was actually one of the people who was behind the robbery of Tiffany’s car. When Emmett confronted Douda about it, he was threatened with a gun to his neck. Emmett is stressed in more ways than one and while he claims that the group therapy sessions with Victor, Shaad, Darnell, Marcus, Quincy, and Jamal are a help, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be enough for him. The world is on his shoulders and it’s pushing its weight down on him more and more by the day. One-on-one therapy, as Keisha suggested, would be great for Emmett, but that plus a break from the world and finally detaching himself from Douda is what will actually make things better for Emmett. However, with Keisha finding the bag of money that Nuk forced Emmett to hold on it, we know that things are going to get worse for him before they get better.

New episodes of ‘The Chi’ are available through the Paramount Plus With Showtime plan on Fridays at 3am EST/ 12 pm PST. Weekly episodes also air Sundays on Showtime at 9pm EST/PST.

We are just weeks away from Doja Cat’s upcoming fourth studio album, Scarlet. Though this hasn’t been the smoothest album rollout for Doja, Scarlet looks to be one of the more interesting releases of the year — especially as we hear Doja experiment with a variety of sounds. On her latest song, “Demons,” we get to hear her tap into her rock bag.

“Demons” features Doja positioning herself as one of the best in the game, as she dismisses controversies and criticisms.

“How my demons look / Now that my pockets full / How my demons look / Now that you b*tches shook,” she raps, approaching the chorus softly, then leaning into a scream, showing off her rock chops.

In the accompanying visual, Doja is seen in the bedroom of Christina Ricci, crawling on the ceilings, scaring the daylight out of her. Ricci attempts to make an escape, but can’t outrun Doja.

None of the songs Doja has released from Scarlet thus far have sounded the same. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Doja described her upcoming effort as a “fun canvas” for her to experiment with her sounds.

“This new album is more introspective, but I’m not leaning so hard into that to where it becomes boring,” Doja says. “So I want to give stories and bops. It’s a nice mixture of both.”

You can listen to “Demons” above.

Scarlet is out 9/22 via RCA. Find more information here.

At long last, Nicki Minaj is back. Tonight (September 1), the Queen Barb has shared her new single, “Last Time I Saw You,” just two months ahead of her upcoming fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2.

On “Last Time I Saw You,” Nicki taps into her vocals, delivering a pop and R&B-influenced hit with a painfully relatable message. Throughout the song, she expresses regret for not holding someone closer the last time she saw them.

“I wish I’da hugged you tighter the last time that I saw you / I wish l didn’t waste precious time that night when I called you / I wish I remembered to say I’d do anything for you / Maybe I pushed you away because I thought that I’d bore you,” she sings.

With “Last Time I Saw You,” the Barbz are sure to keep the song on repeat as they dance this form of universal pain away.

Nicki hasn’t revealed too much about her upcoming album, but back in July, she teased a “masterpiece,” saying that her new collection of songs would “save & restore hope in mankind.”

You can listen to “Last Time I Saw You” above.

Pink Friday 2 is out 11/17 via Republic Records and Heavy On It.