Category: Viral

The world of English soccer got a huge bit of news on Friday afternoon. Leeds United, once regarded as one of the top clubs in all of European football, completed a 16-year journey back to the Premier League on Friday afternoon. Thanks to West Brom failing to get a result against Huddersfield Town, Leeds secured a top-2 finish in the EFL Championship, which means they earned automatic promotion to the English top flight.

Leeds is quite the story — the gist of it is that due to financial issues that led to an all-out implosion, they fell all the way down to the English third division, League One, and have spent 16 years trying to get back to the Prem. The club opted to hire Marcelo Bielsa, viewed as one of the most innovative and influential minds in all of football, as manager in 2018, and after coming excruciatingly close in 2018-19, managed to get over the hump this year.

The club also has some of the most proud and passionate supporters in the world, so the reaction to Leeds’ promotion was a sight to behold. Among these supporters is former Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who recorded a video for BBC in which he thanked Bielsa — who Coster-Waldau says became “immortal” with the accomplishment — and celebrated the club’s promotion with a quick poem.

Coster-Waldau also retweeted a video from an appearance he did on Jimmy Kimmel Live! ahead of the Game of Thrones finale in which he said the chosen one is not Jon Snow, but rather, “a guy called Bielsa.”

We still need to figure out who will join Leeds in the top flight, which should happen sometime soon. Regardless, Friday was a day Leeds supporters have been counting down the days until, and while we do not know when next season will begin or whether fans will be allowed into stadiums or not, it is probably safe to assume that Coster-Waldau will make his way to the club’s revered ground, Elland Road, for a Premier League match as soon as he can get in.

This November will mark two years since JID released his sophomore album, DiCaprio 2. The album served as the sequel to his 2015 EP and arrived just a year and some change after his debut album The Never Story. Despite going the entirety of 2019 without a solo single or project, JID was anything but quiet that year as he made plenty of noise with his guest appearances on Dreamville’s Revenge Of The Dreamers III. Continuing work on his upcoming album, JID hopped on Instagram Live to give fans a preview of what’s to come.

Enjoying himself in what looks like his home studio, JID didn’t hold back with the previews. Playing a number of songs, one of the tracks featured his quickfire flow over bouncy production as he boastfully flaunted his track record with music saying, “When I miss, it’s a hit out the park.”

Another track found him in a more reflective state putting aside the upbeat production for a more mellow beat. Lastly, a third track he previewed was very dark in its nature as JID detailed some of the hardships of his youth, using a very toned-down voice effect on his voice as he rapped. The track previews got the attention of Dreamville co-founder, Ibrahim “Ib” Hamad, who tweeted, “My n**** @JIDsv just built different with that pen.”

JID previously revealed the struggles of attempting to release a project in the middle of quarantine, citing the inability to “see u guys and celebrate” as a reason why he’s been holding off on any releases. While a release for any of his own work remains unknown, fans can hear him in Amine’s upcoming Limbo.

NBA players have to come up with ways to kill time while they’re in the league’s Disney bubble. While the league has put forth a number of things for players to do in the bubble, there’s only so much ping pong a person can play in a day and so many times you can go fishing before things start to get a bit repetitive.

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has decided to use this time to explore his off-court passion, music. Lillard is, of course, revered in the worlds of basketball and music for his proficiency as a rapper, as he’s released three albums and a number of singles under the moniker Dame D.O.L.L.A. The Associated Press (via ESPN) brings word that Lillard will set up a recording studio in his suite, although it’s hardly a gigantic, professional-grade operation.

Lillard’s room is equipped with a microphone perched on a stand, headphones, laptop with recording software and audio interface to control everything. He said the thick carpet in his room should help the sound quality.

He said the setup is “simple,” but it’s good enough for him to create music in a room where he can isolate himself.

As Lillard said, his room — which, thanks to C.J. McCollum, we know is a presidential suite — is set up in such a way that he does not believe anyone will hear him as he records. It’s unclear exactly what Lillard is going to work on, but his third album, Big D.O.L.L.A., came out last August, and he released a track titled “Home Team” on July 16.

Twenty-nine of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball are based in the United States, which is dealing with the world’s worst outbreak during the COVID-19 pandemic. This presents some problems when dealing with the 30th team, the Toronto Blue Jays, which are located in Canada and are in a province (Ontario) that has had a little more than 39,000 identified cases. For reference, nearly 76,000 cases were identified in the U.S. on Friday alone.

As such, our neighbors to the north made the decision that the Blue Jays cannot play their home games in their home city this season. The news was first reported by the Associated Press, and soon after, Canadian Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino issued a statement, citing the fact that teams would come and go from the United States.

Soon after, the Toronto Star reported that the franchise is headed just over the border for this season, indicating that Buffalo, N.Y. will serve as the Jays’ home this season. Buffalo is the home of the team’s triple-A affiliate, and while the Star notes the facility isn’t perfect, it is able to host high-level baseball.

The Star reported that the other proposed option was heading to the club’s spring training home of Dunedin, Fla., but of course, there is an inherent risk in heading to a place that has been a COVID-19 hotspot. The Blue Jays’ season begins on July 24, when they head to Tampa Bay to take on the Rays, and their first home tilt is on July 31 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Earlier this month, Pop Smoke’s team delivered on their promise of sharing the late rapper’s debut album, Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, to the world by summertime. Fans were finally able to hear Pop Smoke alongside notable names like Future, DaBaby, Lil Baby, and more. While all were happy to receive it, many were critical of the decision-making on the album, most notably that certain fellow Brooklyn artists —like Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, Rah Swish, and more — were not invited to be on the album. On what would’ve been Pop’s 21st birthday, his team announced a release date for the deluxe version of the record, which will hopefully right some perceived wrongs.

Set to arrive on July 20th, his birthday, the deluxe version of Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon will feature 15 tracks, nearly doubling the number of the original.

A tracklist for the upcoming deluxe album — which may double as Meet The Woo 3 — made its way online, though no one from Pop Smoke’s team has yet confirmed its legitimacy. It will feature appearances by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Fivio Foreign, Gunna, Young Thug. 50 Cent also revealed that the video for “The Woo,” featuring Roddy Ricch, debut on the same day.

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

Lots of actors have fake beefs — most notably longtime faux-nemeses Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds — but the most Mad Libs one is between Robert De Niro and Mickey Rourke. It also doesn’t appear to be a joke. Last year, the Oscar-nominee claimed that the Oscar-winner prevented him from appearing in Martin Scorsese’s epic The Irishman based on a grudge that goes back to their twisty 1987 thriller Angel Heart. Nearly a year later, Rourke took to Instagram to step that tussle way up.

Alongside a picture of De Niro from Casino, Rourke penned a lengthy tirade. It began with a reference to his iconic mirror monologue from Taxi Driver, and it went downhill from there:

Hey Robert De Niro, that’s right i am talking to you, you big f*cking crybaby. A friend of mine just recently told me that a few months back you’re quoted as saying to newspapers “Mickey Rourke’s a liar he talks all kind of sh*t”. Listen Mr.Tough Guy in the movies, you’re the 1st person that ever called me a liar and it was in a newspaper. Let me tell you something, you punk a*s, when i see you i swear to God on my Grandmother, on my brother and all my dogs,i gonna embarrass you severely 100%. Mickey Rourke “ as God is my witness”

So there’s that! Last year, Rourke told reporters that Scorsese wanted him for The Irishman — though it’s not clear as who — but that the “casting person told my manager that Robert De Niro said he refused to work with me in a movie.” Rourke said that while making Angel Heart, De Niro wound up telling him, “I think it’s better if we don’t talk.” Director Alan Parker has spoken up about working with Rourke on the film, saying he was “a nightmare. He is very dangerous on the set because you never know what he is going to do.”

Meanwhile, Rourke in the same interview said that while he once “looked up” to De Niro, now he sees “through him… I came up from the sh*t. He doesn’t know that life. I lived that f*cking life, so every time I look him in the face, I look right through his a*shole.” And now this.

Jack Harlow has found mainstream success thanks to “What’s Poppin,” his single from late last year, which has slowly yet steadily been embraced by the social media users. He eventually placed the song on his march project, Sweet Action, as it made its way up the Billboard songs chart. Harlow would release its remix with DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne, which helped push the song to its peak position of No. 2 on the Billboards song chart. Now he’s shared a video for the remix version of the hit song.

The rap posse puts on quite the show. Harlow leads the way, the Lousiville spitter popping his collar and showing off dances moves before letting DaBaby take the spotlight. Standing beside Harlow for much of his verse, DaBaby mostly keeps things straightforward while Tory spends most of his verse solo. Lastly, Wayne opts to turn things upside down — literally — for his verse, rapping on the ceiling of a flipped living room.

The video arrives just days after Justin Bieber revealed he added a verse to the song via his Instagram story. He would later release his verse in its entirety on his SoundCloud page.

You can watch it in the video above.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Puma added a number of NBA players to its roster when it decided to get back into the basketball game last year, with a special emphasis placed on agreeing to endorsement deals with rookies from the 2019 NBA Draft. A number of those players — whether they be young dudes or wily veterans — who are participating in the NBA’s bubble league in Orlando are using the time in the spotlight to show off one of the company’s most highly-anticipated upcoming releases.

While a number of details, like a release date or an official name, are still to be announced, Hypebeast noted that a number of Puma athletes are wearing J. Cole’s upcoming signature sneaker, the RS Dreamer, as they prepare to play this summer. Six dudes on Puma’s roster — Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Rudy Gay, Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Marcus Smart — have been spotted at one time or another in the kicks. WNBA star and fellow Puma athlete Skylar Diggins-Smith also showed them off at the league’s “Wubble” in Bradenton.

Hypebeast laid out some specifics about the shoe, which includes a nod to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records.

Technical specifications for Cole’s kicks have yet to be revealed, but from a looks standpoint it seemingly borrows from the RS-X line for its midsole tooling. This sizable midsole features mint green, purple, yellow and orange hits, and sits atop a translucent herringbone outsole. Uppers are muted by comparison, constructed of a black knit material with a lace overlay that snakes around the heel and is secured by anchors with hi-vis reflective hits. A “Dreamer” logo graces the heel to round off the look.

As reported by Sole Collector, Puma plans on releasing more details about the sneakers sometime in the near-future.

Today, America lost one of its true political heroes with the passing of John Lewis. For more than 30 years, Lewis served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the state of Georgia. He took part in many key historic votes and fights over legislation that have shaped our country and world over the past two generations. But for most Americans, his legacy stretches back to the fight for civil rights, where Lewis marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders.

His personal bravery was truly exceptional. In 1963, Lewis was one of the key organizers of the landmark March on Washington where King gave his famous “I have a dream” speech. Lewis has rightfully been heralded by Democrats and Republicans alike for honoring the legacy of non-violent protests. At just 21-years-old, he was brutally assaulted by two white men in South Carolina while peacefully attempting to enter a whites only waiting room. In recent years, Lewis described how he stayed true to his principles of non-violence in the face of hatred and real violence: “We were determined not to let any act of violence keep us from our goal. We knew our lives could be threatened, but we had made up our minds not to turn back.”

One of the many Americans inspired by Lewis is former President Barack Obama. The direct line between the leadership Lewis demonstrated and the historic presidency of Obama is clear to anyone. So, it’s not surprising that Obama has written an incredibly powerful essay in honor of Lewis and his life.

“He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise. And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice, but inspired generations that followed to try to live up to his example,” Obama writes in his essay published on Medium.

Today you will hear many accounts of Lewis the lion, how he bravely stood up in the face of hatred and discrimination. All of that praise is deeply earned. However, Obama writes that another aspect of Lewis’ character that had a deep impact on him was how humble the icon remained, even knowing he was a living part of American history:

“Considering his enormous impact on the history of this country, what always struck those who met John was his gentleness and humility. Born into modest means in the heart of the Jim Crow South, he understood that he was just one of a long line of heroes in the struggle for racial justice. Early on, he embraced the principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as the means to bring about real change in this country, understanding that such tactics had the power not only to change laws, but to change hearts and minds as well,” Obama writes.

Lewis remained active in politics right up until his passing on July 17, finally leaving this world after a battle with cancer. Although our nation is embroiled in a series of unnecessary crises: the coronavirus, a subsequent economic meltdown and the ongoing protests for racial equality, Obama says Lewis was inspired by the action the younger generations were taking to keep the forceful yet peaceful fight going for true equlity:

“Afterwards, I spoke to him privately, and he could not have been prouder of their efforts — of a new generation standing up for freedom and equality, a new generation intent on voting and protecting the right to vote, a new generation running for political office. I told him that all those young people — of every race, from every background and gender and sexual orientation — they were his children. They had learned from his example, even if they didn’t know it. They had understood through him what American citizenship requires, even if they had heard of his courage only through history books.”

Today, America sees the ending of a life permanently tethered to our deeply imperfect fight for equality for all its citizens. But the legacy of John Lewis will only grow stronger as his memory cements itself into our living history. There’s no greater time to honor his life’s work and to contribute what we can in our own way to the cause of justice. And as Obama wisely notes, doing it with a dash of humility and humanity is an even better way to honor people like John Lewis who worked so hard to help move the needle of justice toward the light.

Last week word spread about Bridger Walker, a six-year-old boy who went viral after it was revealed he had placed himself between his sister and an attacking dog, saving her life. Walker received 90 stitches for his efforts as well as the praise of a number of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Among those are a number of Avengers. Chris Evans was the first to Face Time with the boy, promising to send him an “authentic Captain America shield.” Evans was followed by Chris Hemsworth, then Tom Holland, who invited him to visit the set when they’re back to filming.

Now the first MCU star, Iron Man’s Robert Downey Jr., has joined his fellow heroes. As caught by Entertainment Weekly, the actor Face Timed with the boy, whose face was affected by the attack, to shower him with praise.

“Bridger, you’re a rock star,” Downey Jr. told him. “My name’s Robert Downey Jr., I play ‘Tony,’ that makes me an old friend of Cap’s. I heard he sent a shield your way: I’m going to do one better. You call me on your next birthday, I got something special for you. ‘Late. By the way – that’s a promise; a promise beats a shield.”

Walker’s story went viral after his aunt posted about the incident on Instagram. When asked why he bravely threw himself in front of the dog, Walker replied, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” Anne Hathaway, not an Avenger but a DC alum, was one of the first celebrities to sing his praises.

(Via EW)