Category: Worldwide

So far on his The Final Lap Tour, 50 Cent has been full of surprises, including an Eminem cameo in Detroit, a very controversial mic toss, and a bold proclamation from J. Cole. 50 and The Final Lap Tour is in Norway this week, in Stavanger, Norway on Monday, October 2, and Oslo, Norway, on Wednesday, October 4. Diddy did not make a surprise appearance at either show, but he was still present via surprising commentary from 50 Cent.

Earlier Wednesday, Daily Loud and HipHopDX circulated video on X (formerly known as Twitter) showing 50, presumably during one of his recent shows. In it, he took time between songs to take a shot at Diddy. Sort of?

“That’s why I don’t be going to them Puffy parties,” 50 Cent said. “Uh-uh. N***a hug you from the front and the back at the same time? F*ck you talkin’ about? Look, if you into that, you into that. I’m fine with it. To each his own. I’m just sayin’ this ain’t my motherf*cking kind of party. It’s uncomfortable. I think I belong in the girls bathroom when sh*t like that is going on.”

Welp! The context of what was said before the recording began is unclear, and it would be very helpful to know what led him into this anecdote about what allegedly does or does not happen at Diddy’s famed parties.

Regardless, 50 Cent will continue to have the floor to say whatever he wants until at least December, when his The Final Lap Tour is due to wrap. The next show is scheduled for Thursday, October 5, in Trondheim, Norway. See all of the remaining international dates here.

Back on September 8, James Blake released his album Playing Robots Into Heaven, and he spent the rest of the month playing shows in Europe.

Blake’s Playing Robots Into Heaven Tour began in Milan, Italy, and snaked through France, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, and The UK. Blake staged a sold-out tour stop at Alexandra Palace in London before coming to North America this week. On Tuesday, October 3, Blake performed at The Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, Georgia, and he’s scheduled to play back-to-back shows in Queens, New York on Thursday, October 5, and Friday, October 6.

The Playing Robots Into Heaven Tour is scheduled to wrap with back-to-back dates at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on October 19 and October 20. The second LA date had to be added because demand was so high to see Blake bring his latest album to life.

Below, you’ll see Blake’s purported setlist, according to fans who attended his London show at Alexandra Palace and chronicled it on setlist.fm.

1. “Asking To Break”
2. “I Want You To Know”
3. “The Limit To Your Love” (Feist cover)
4. “Life Round Here”
5. “Big Hammer”
6. “Loading”
7. “I’ll Come Too”
8. “Fall Back”
9. “Love Me In Whatever Way”
10. “CMYK” / “Stop What You’re Doing”
11. “Tell Me”
12. “Voyeur” (Extended)
13. “Retrograde”
14. “Fire The Editor”
15. “Godspeed” (Frank Ocean cover)
16. “If You Can Hear Me”

Encore
17. “Improv” / “Modern Soul” (Remix)

Paris, the famed city of lights, is one of the finest travel destinations in the whole world. It’s so popular in fact that bedbugs apparently can’t get enough of the French city. According to many media outlets, the city has been hit with a pretty significant bed bug problem since the summer — with videos of bug sightings everywhere from the Paris Metro to movie theaters and the Charles de Gaulle Airport popping up on social media.

And I know what you’re thinking, “But you can’t see bedbugs!” Well, these ones are so big that you can in fact see them, which adds an extra level of disturbing to the whole story.

This is a huge problem because Paris is set to host the Summer Olympics in 2024, which will bring visitors from all across the world into the already hot tourist destination, potentially exposing millions to the nasty little creatures. It’s gotten so bad that Paris’ Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has asked the government to step in.

But how much of this is overblown? It’s hard to tell. Let’s explore the available information out there.

How Bad Is The Bed Bug Problem In Paris?

Aside from the videos appearing on social media, CBS News reports that Paris companies specializing in the treatment of insect infestations say they’ve been “overwhelmed” in recent weeks. However, it should be noted that we haven’t come across a story that gives any information on who these alleged companies are, so it’s not entirely easy to look into. All we have to base this on is social media reporting, news sites regurgitating similar information, and the fact that the French government has responded to the issue.

Also, many of the videos posted by news sites (like the video below) seem sensationalized as f*ck. Where is this B-roll footage from? What’s with the dude spraying for bugs? How much of this is actually from France?

What Are The Best Tips For Travelers?

You’re going to want to be vigilant if you’re staying at a hotel. As we mentioned before, bedbugs aren’t always visible to the naked eye so be sure to investigate the sheets, bed frame, and underneath the bed in your hotel looking for blood spots, or anything that resembles pepper grounds on the pillows or sheets. That said, larger and more expensive hotels know how social media works and they’re sure to be vigilant about managing the issue.

According to the EPA, adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and are long and brown with a flat oval-shaped body. Younger bed bugs can be translucent or white and may be invisible to the naked eye. A good DIY recipe for combating bedbugs is rubbing alcohol, but it’s safe to say if you see traces of bed bugs in your hotel room, it’s probably a bigger problem than you can fix.

What Places Should You Avoid?

This entirely depends on how paranoid you are. For every video showing the horrors of the bed bug situation in Paris, there are videos of people who are being understandably cautious but haven’t actually seen any bed bugs and instead give in to pure hearsay. Videos have claimed bed bugs have been spotted in movie theaters, public transportation, and the airport but what are you going to do?

Not go to movie theaters? Take public transportation? Fly?

You’re really not going to take public transportation in Paris? We’re not convinced. Look I’m not saying give yourself over to the bed bug overlords willingly, but if the Paris bed bug situation is really as rampant as people are making it out to be, there is nothing you can really do aside from walking around outdoors. Luckily… Paris is a beautiful city, so enjoy your walk!

How Has France Responded?

According to Politico, this Tuesday French Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau urged calm in an interview with France Inter claiming that there is “no reason for a general panic,” and explaining that the city has not been “invaded by bedbugs.” CNBC reports that France’s transport minister, Clément Beaune, echoed Rousseau’s concerns to French Broadcaster BFM TV on Wednesday, telling reporters

“There is no resurgence, we must not fall into madness,” and assured that discussions would be held with cleaning companies and transport operators for efficient solutions.

Which, to be fair, sounds like a whole lot of damage control. That said, the media has a tendency to blow up tiny problems into big ones if those problems result in a high number of clicks. Look, we’re not saying Paris isn’t having a bed bug situation right now, like Las Vegas and most cities in the summer, it seems to be going through a marked and noticeable increase. That said, we’d be smart to remember that the city has a spotlight on it right now due to Paris Fashion Week — resulting in an influx of travelers to the city and scrutiny.

Going to Paris doesn’t guarantee you’re going to be met with bed bugs. Still… be sure to check for droppings or blood spots on your hotel pillows and metro seats just in case.

The ladies of The View aren’t huge fans of Donald Trump. That includes the one that used to work for him. Their animosity towards the former president is such that on Wednesday, while discussing his already chaotic and fast food-heavy fraud trial in New York, one of them let slip an old school slur that her colleagues weren’t sure would fly on network television.

That word is “jerkoff.” As per Mediaite, it was uttered by no less than Sara Haines, the nice registered independent who usually doesn’t lose her cool à la Whoopi Goldberg or Joy Behar. The gang was talking about the gag order placed upon Trump by presiding judge Arthur Engoron, who had it up to here with the big guy hurling dangerous insults at those controlling his fate.

Goldberg pointed out, as many have, that if anyone else had said what Trump has said about folks like Engoron or New York Attorney General Letitia James, they’d already be in the slammer. Sunny Hostin said, “I don’t know what that man is going to do if he can’t talk.”

Haines, though, decided to bring up a movie franchise: the Back to the Future movies. She pointed out that Bob Gale, one of the series’ screenwriters, admitted he based the villain Biff Tannen, especially the wealthy sleazeball he becomes in the first sequel, on ‘80s-era Trump.

“So think about what he was like in 1983 when he was a jerkoff doing what he does,” Haines said. “Nothing’s changed!”

Haines’ use of a colorful insult from a bygone era prompted a group discussion. Goldberg said she couldn’t say that on television. Haines disagreed, saying “that wasn’t even a swear!”

Eventually Haines realized — despite digging up an old-timey cuss word — that her vernacular had inexplicably shrunk. “I have no words left!” she cried. “I feel like Donald Trump!”

Behar then informed her, “We’re gagging you.”

At least Haines has a broad vocabulary. Meanwhile the guy she was insulting can’t even spell “rumor.”

(Via Mediaite)

At the start of the year, Kevin Abstract set the bar high for his solo pursuits outside of Brockhampton. He told GQ that he wanted to “put an album out this summer” and hinted at a tour as well as interest in dipping into film and television. In September, Abstract kept teasing with a trailer for “Blanket” and his first solo performance in six years.

On Wednesday, October 4, Abstract dropped “Blanket” alongside a video he co-directed with Cole Bat. The acoustic-driven, hushed song underscores an ominous plot, as Abstract is in a house in the middle of nowhere, alone in a dark living room, cradling a creepy baby doll and sitting alongside two cartoonish monsters.

They’re all watching the news, which shows apocalyptic meteors are plummeting toward Earth. That makes Abstract visibly anxious. He bobs his knee, sighs deeply, and looks down at his baby doll when one of the monsters flips the channel to show a disturbing cartoonish man with bulging eyes.

At the same time, the song’s tempo picks up. We hear someone whispering, “I thought these things about me were temporary,” and Abstract sings in the same whispered tone about memories.

Meanwhile, shots cut back and forth from Abstract with a chainsaw in the vast field and Abstract amid a group hug from his oversized monsters. By the end, Abstract drives off in a tractor as the meteors streak across the sky.

Watch the “Blanket” video above.

October is here. Time for Pumpkin Spice Latte, Taylor Swift —at football games, in theaters, or on the charts, take your pick — and Austin City Limits. The latter’s 2023 iteration will be staged this weekend, October 6-8, and next weekend, October 13-15, with headliners Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, and Mumford & Sons. The other big-text artists are Odesza, The Lumineers, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, The 1975, and Hozier. You can find all of the acts’ set times here.

But before you can enjoy any ACL performances at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, you’ll have to find somewhere to park. According to the festival’s official website, Zilker Park does not offer parking. However, per the site, “Pavemint has partnered with ACL Fest to provide parking for festival attendees with Pavemint’s smart parking solution.” Parking reservations can be made here. The website additionally clarifies, “There is limited accessible parking available near the festival on a first-come, first-served basis to vehicles displaying an appropriate state-issued plate or placard.”

The festival will kick off on Friday, October 6, with the likes of Delacey, Portugal. The Man, Lil Yachty, Little Simz, Maggie Rogers, Kali Uchis, The Revivalists, The Lumineers, and Kendrick Lamar. (Lamar will also headline on Friday, October 13.) Foo Fighters will deliver headlining sets on Saturday, October 7, and Saturday, October 14, while Mumford & Sons will headline on Sunday, October 8, and Sunday, October 15.

Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Last year something exciting happened to Winnie-the-Pooh: He and his cadre of woodland critters entered the public domain. The rights to A.A. Milne’s beloved characters had spent decades held hostage by The Walt Disney Company, who milked him for numerous beloved shorts, movies, and shows. Once Winnie, Eeyore, Rabbit, et al. were free, people have gone above and beyond to give them makeovers. There was that horror movie adaptation. And there’s a forthcoming body horror game that’s making people wish Disney had never let its rights lapse.

It’s called Winnie’s Hole, and believe it or not the title is not the most shudder-inducing thing about it. It comes from the Australian game studio Twice Different, and, as IGN reported a while back, players play a “virus traveling through Winnie the Pooh’s body.” It gets worse:

“As you spread throughout the bear’s rotund vessel like a cancer, you branch out the map and gather the resources you need to capture healthy cells and mutate them to grow as many extra appendages and eyes to transform Winnie into a monstrosity of your liking and adapt his form for survival.”

The game was announced back in June, but sometimes traumatizing things take a while to fully horrify the general populace. After IGN brought the game up again a few days ago, on Wednesday it finally went viral. And when it went viral, a lot of people couldn’t handle Winnie-the-Pooh going David Cronenberg.

Some couldn’t even handle the title.

Some over-analyzed the premise, deducing that it made no sense for a toy bear to be plagued with a virus wreaking biological rebellion.

Some speculated about other children’s IP entering the public domain.

Some hatched conspiracy theories about all these kid’s Ips getting edgy treatments, like that Grinch horror movie from last year.

Some mocked other “nightmare fuel” reboots.

Others welcomed the nightmare fuel.

You can watch the trailer for Winnie’s Hole (again, *shudder*) below.

(Via IGN)

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Power Book IV: Force episode will be found below.)

We’re about to cross the halfway point in the second season of Power Book IV: Force and it’s been quite the hectic season already. So far, the biggest moment has been the death of Walter Flynn, a character played by none other than Tommy Flanagan. He was killed by his son Vic Flynn who is now working with the police to take down his sister and Tommy Egan, though, he’s a bit reluctant to do the latter. As for Tommy, he’s moving forward on his plan to take over the Chicago drug with Diamond by his side as they partnered to lead CBI. It’s been a whole lot going on in this season of Power Book IV: Force. Here’s how many episodes you can expect to indulge in this season.

How Many Episodes Are In Power Book IV: Force Season 2?

Season two of Power Book IV: Force has a total of 10 episodes which is the same amount that season one had. The new episodes are available on Fridays starting at midnight EST/PST. Each week, the new episode will also air on the STARZ TV channel at 8 pm ET/PT.

What Is The Release Date For Power Book IV: Force Season 2, Episode 6?

Power Book IV: Force season 2, episode 6, titled “Here There Be Monsters,” will be released on the STARZ app on Wednesday, October 6 at midnight ET/PT. The episode will also air on the STARZ TV channel at 8 pm ET/PT that same day. You can read the synopsis for the episode below:

Tommy and Diamond expand their coalition by bringing Vic and Jenard into CBI, just as the Serbs declare war against them all.

New episodes of ‘Power Book IV: Force’ are available on the STARZ app on Fridays at 12:00 am ET/PT and on the STARZ TV channel at 8:00 pm ET/PT.

There’s jumping the gun, and then there’s what The Drew Barrymore Show did. Last month, the daytime talk show’s titular star announced it was returning, even though the WGA strike was still raging. Massive backlash ensued and Barrymore had to renege on her plans. Had she only waited a week-and-a-half, things might have turned out different. But the show’s on course to return for real this time, although with a bit of extra bumpiness.

As per Deadline, The Drew Barrymore Show is set to come back on October 16. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it will do so minus three of its head writers. Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon and Liz Koe, Deadline reports, have “decided not to return to the show.”

Sources say that after the strike ended, all three were extended new offers. All three declined. The show is in the process of interviewing new writers, with less than two weeks before its comeback.

Kinon was among those interviewed in September, when the strike was on its last legs. When asked what she thought about her show returning without its writers, Kinon said, “It’s not personal,” adding, “Everybody’s doing what they need to do. They’re going on with the show, and we are picketing.”

(Via Deadline)

Mutual Benefit, the project of songwriter Jordan Lee, sings of a massive flame that tears through the land on his Growing At The Edges track “Season Of Flame.” The song describes the feeling of looking out into a wasteland after a fire has blazed through, and the want to imagine another, better world that comes in the wake of destruction. That longing for a better world is something we can all relate to. But rather than focusing on the ruin, Mutual Benefit is more interested in the growth that follows.

As a whole, Lee’s fourth studio album Growing At The Edges is a meditation on change and transformation. “I became interested in the unruly first signs of growth after a disaster, and the beautiful ways lives start to blur into each other through relationships,” Lee said of the album in a statement. “Edges are where spaces are negotiated.”

As someone who makes self-described as “astral folk” music, Mutual Benefit’s songs are transportive. Throughout 10 tenderhearted tracks, Growing At The Edges examines changes both in the world and in Lee himself. It was also inspired by classical and jazz radio stations he’d listen to during lockdown, which comes through on the various tranquil instrumental tracks.

Celebrating the impending release of Growing At The Edges, Lee sits down with Uproxx to talk Joanna Newsom, opossums, and the fear of being misunderstood in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Contemplative, ornate, catchy, evocative.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

My hope for listeners in 2050 is the same as it is now, for my music to be a little portal where people can visit and hopefully feel some catharsis or comfort. I hope Mutual Benefit will still sound good through Amazon brain implant surveillance and shopping modules.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Back in the early days of Tumblr there was a bi-coastal collective called FMLY that inspired a lot of the ethos and trajectory of my music career. They championed the sort of DIY, book your own tour, record your own music, make your own cassette label, find the other freaks in your town and book shows in your kitchen sort of mentality that gave me permission to think of myself as a musician instead of a poser who needed outside permission to release music.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?

A narrowly-missed slice from Pizza Suprema in NYC after a long flight from Montana.

Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.

Joanna Newsom solo at El Museo del Barrio in Harlem. I was in a post-tour depressive slump and my partner surprised me with tickets. At the show she was effortlessly switching between piano and harp, sometimes mid-song, and masterfully reinterpreting these huge arrangements into their most important parts. It was absolutely spiritual to me.

What song never fails to make you emotional?

“River Man” by Nick Drake. The arrangement transports me like few other songs. The picked guitar part feels like rowing, the strings seem to be asking a question which the lyrics don’t answer, and instead the music just partially resolves. Just like life! I’m listening right now and getting emotional, mission accomplished haha.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“Do opossums live in Rhode Island?”

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

One memory that comes to mind is sleeping in a treehouse in Providence but getting awoken by what I think was a huge possum. I freaked out and ran back inside to sleep on the floor, it was so scary!

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?

I really like playing in Scotland. Something about the rowdy crowds, the weird sense of humor, the big bearded men who become sensitive after a couple pints. I love it, especially Glasgow. I’ve never performed anywhere besides North America and Western Europe and would absolutely love to play outside of that bubble someday. It feels more meaningful to be “invited” into a new country by a band or organization who is excited about my work instead of just randomly booking it so I’m biding my time…

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

I’d probably tell my 18 year old self to be less afraid of making mistakes but honestly I just found my journals from when I was that age and I miss the world feeling so open and new and feeling things so hard. Maybe I should get some advice from my teenager self haha.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

I can make a new friend within twenty minutes of sitting at an airport bar.

If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?

I’m a lot more interested in creating the conditions where the idea of charity doesn’t need to exist. That being said, I would redistribute that money to projects in my neighborhood doing mutual aid and food justice work like Brooklyn Supported Agriculture which is a Black-led cooperative that sources, packs, and distributes fruits and veggies. I’ve been admiring their efforts to take something as foundational as food supply and reimagining it as a more just system.

What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?

I see AI’s impact on the future of music as an extension of what is already happening when people whose main goal is to chase maximum profits are in charge of how music gets made and distributed. I’ve seen so much change happen in the 14 years my band has existed like the importance of catering to social media platforms, switching from posting songs to 15 second snippets of the catchiest moment, to touring though venues that are increasingly monopolized and corporatized. If there’s already rigid formulas and aesthetics for getting music to succeed on these platforms, why not have AI do it?

Still, I do have faith in underground and non-commercial music communities. I think there will always be interesting things happening, including right now. I just wish the economics of it were more fair and there was more incentive to be creative.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.

I like the idea of an outside camping festival somewhere beautiful like a desolate Big Sur type landscape where there is mountain, forest, and ocean at the same time. A manageable amount of people come, like 200 or so, and there would be music stations set up in different locations where people could collaborate to make ambient music, atmospheric music. The goal would be to make sure each location would be making some sort of sound at all times and that a wide range of people could use the music stations at any time. People could meditate, read, write poetry, nap, whatever.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

I see they’ve calmed down a bit, but there were a couple years where the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) was absolutely unhinged on twitter. They would make up these characters like Pasta Frog or The Eye of Destiny. I definitely wish more federal agencies used twitter for the sake of surrealist memes.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I don’t have any but on tour I’ve highly considered getting 3 diagonally stacked hearts as an homage to the Love’s logo because their bathrooms are so clean. In parts of the country it is like an oasis in the desert.

What is your pre-show ritual?

I like to practice harmonies with the band while jumping and rolling around to get all my nervous energy out and be loose for the show.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

Lady Marian from Disney’s Robin Hood. Take that as you will.

You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?

I heard there is a long mountain trail in Japan where you can visit the Shinto temples and camp. Doing something like that would be a dream. I’d bring my girlfriend along if it sounded fun and not miserable to her.

What is your biggest fear?

To be misunderstood.

Growing At The Edges is out 10/6 via Transgressive. Find more information here.