GoneTrending

NPR Music is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a string of live concerts at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., and fortunately for anyone who isn’t located in the capital city, NPR is sharing the performances on YouTube. So far, NPR has tapped names like Amber Mark, Bartees Strange, and Yendry, and the latest addition is masked MC Leikeli47, who put on a glittering, ball-inspired performance that had the crowd voguing like an episode of Drag Race as she blazed through renditions of songs from all three of her albums, including “Wash & Set,” “BITM,” and of course, inescapable hit “Money.”

Last year, Leikeli47 saw roaring success with the release of her third album, Shape Up, which features the singles “Zoom,” “Chitty Bang,” “LL Cool J,” and “BITM,” as her public profile continued to skyrocket in spite of her apparent commitment to anonymity. She popped up on a few film soundtracks, including for the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, continued to place her songs in trailers and on television (including, yes, the season 15 premiere of the aforementioned Drag Race), and landed on many of the year’s “best of” lists, including Uproxx’s own Best Albums of 2022, all while leading a resurgence of Black presence in electronic and dance music scenes.

Theo James rose to Hollywood fame as a franchise guy (in the Divergent YA adaptation), so it stands to reason that he’s not exactly jumping at the chance to leap back into a tied-down role. He’s also not interested in any “f*cking boring” characters, which is not to say that James Bond is boring. Played out in his ongoing incarnation, though? Perhaps. James visited with Jess Cagle for SiriusXM, and The White Lotus flasher waved away any rumors that he could be the next James Bond.

Those are not new rumors for many actors. Aaron Taylor Johnson seems to be a distinct possibility for 007 after Daniel Craig went onto more varied pastures, including portraying the delightful Benoit Blanc for Rian Johnson. As for James, he firmly believes that some reinvention is in order:

“You know, I honestly think with the, I’m a big fan of, of this, the concept of it. And I love, you know, Casino Royale. I love some of the Sean Connery movies, but I think they need to do something else. Do you know what I mean? They need to really go with a, a reinvention of it in a different way and that wouldn’t be me.”

What could work as a reinvention? I’m guessing that Henry Cavill would qualify if he still wore his Geralt of Rivia wigs. Admit it, the people would show up for that kind of take. However, Cavill seems incredibly busy these days despite leaving The Witcher and closing the door (although not by his choice) on Superman. And it won’t be Theo James! Hmm, let them hire Jason Momoa. That’d be a reinvention, and he works in everything.

(Via Sirius XM)

The Indiana Pacers weren’t projected as the worst team in the Eastern Conference this season but, in the eyes of many, the Pacers were in that discussion. Indiana entered the campaign with an over/under win total in the low-to-mid 20’s and, after a 25-win performance in 2021-22, that modest projection didn’t seem to be totally out of line. The Pacers then started the 2022-23 campaign with a 1-4 record and were off the radar for most casual observers. Since then, Indiana is 22-14 and the Pacers are a blistering 8-2 in the last ten games.

Over the last two weeks, Indiana’s only loss came on the road in overtime against the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Pacers continue to be rock-solid on offense. Indiana is scoring more than 1.17 points per possession in the last ten games, with Tyrese Haliburton leading the way with 22.7 points on 50.6 percent shooting and 44.6 percent from three-point distance. Haliburton also leads the NBA in total assists (402) and assists per game (10.3) for the full season, producing a career-high 20.3 points per game and operating with sky-high efficiency, including a 61.4 percent true shooting mark. His performance doesn’t entirely explain Indiana’s team-wide showing, but Haliburton’s ascent to at least fringe stardom is a fantastic building block for the franchise.

Haliburton is flanked by a pair of quality veterans in Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, both of whom have been in trade conversations for months but remain on the roster. Turner is a splendid defensive anchor, while Hield is scorching-hot from the perimeter right now, shooting almost 54 percent from three over the 8-2 stretch. A deeper look does indicate that the Pacers may be due for some regression, though, and just how much the team’s performance dips will be the determining factor in next steps.

Indiana has been incredibly resilient, leading the NBA with 11 wins in games after trailing by double figures. The Pacers are also 16-10 in games featuring what NBA.com describes as “clutch” situations, and Indiana is outscoring opponents by nearly 16 points per 100 possessions in those situations. As such, Indiana’s win-loss record is more impressive than its underlying metrics, and the good folks at Cleaning The Glass indicate that the Pacers have won 3.1 games more than expected from the team’s point differential, the second-largest gap in the league.

In the end, the Pacers may be over-performing their overall quality, but Indiana is already two wins from reaching last season’s win total of 25, which is wild when considering the team has played only half of its 82-game slate. In addition, Indiana is essentially a coin flip to make the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight, and that is a fantastic story by all accounts.

How high are the Pacers in this week’s DIME power rankings? Let’s find out.

1. Memphis Grizzlies (27-13, Last week — 2nd)

We have a new No. 1 this week, even when acknowledging the margins are very slim at the top right now. Memphis has the longest winning streak (seven) in the NBA, pushing the Grizzlies into a tie for the Western Conference lead. With a home game against the lowly Spurs on Wednesday, that run projects as likely to continue.

2. Boston Celtics (29-12, Last week — 4th)

Boston’s bizarre blowout loss to Oklahoma City last week prompted a dip, but the climb is happening again. The Celtics have the NBA’s best record and had a huge road win over the previously scorching Mavericks this week. It should be noted that the offense has fallen off after an unreal start, but there is no denying Boston’s season-long profile right now.

3. Denver Nuggets (27-13, Last week — 3rd)

Denver continues to roll, winning 13 of the last 16 games. The Nuggets are tied with the Grizzlies at the top of the West, and Nikola Jokic has at least nine assists in 11 of the last 12 games. That is preposterous for any player, much less a center who is also averaging 25.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game over that same sample.

4. Brooklyn Nets (27-13, Last week — 1st)

On performance alone, the Nets should probably be No. 1 right now. Brooklyn has won 18 of the last 20 games, including two strong road wins over the weekend. However, we’re splitting the difference due to the reality that Kevin Durant will miss the next few weeks with a knee injury. Brooklyn obviously isn’t the same team without Durant, and we’ll see how they hold up.

5. Philadelphia 76ers (25-15, Last week — 5th)

Joel Embiid missed more than a week before returning on Tuesday. In 24 (!) minutes of action, he scored 36 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a blowout win over Detroit. The 76ers are also 13-3 in the last 16 games, and Embiid has at least 35 points in five of his last six games.

6. Milwaukee Bucks (26-14, Last week — 7th)

The Bucks were randomly blasted by the Hornets (at home) on Friday in a game that was such an outlier that it’s almost worth ignoring. Milwaukee responded with a road win over the Knicks, and the Bucks are at least staying afloat without Khris Middleton. It helps to have Giannis and a great defense.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (26-16, Last week — 8th)

Cleveland is in the middle of a five-game trip through the West, and the Cavs are only 1-2 so far. That isn’t great for a potential contender, of course, but both losses were competitive and the Cavs have beaten the Suns twice in the last week.

8. Indiana Pacers (23-18, Last week — 12th)

This might be as high as the Pacers climb all season. Part of that is the team’s schedule is tough this week with road games in New York and Milwaukee sandwiched around home tests against Atlanta and Memphis.

9. New Orleans Pelicans (25-16, Last week — 9th)

The Pelicans have lost four of six and New Orleans has to face the Celtics on the road on Wednesday. That isn’t the best recipe even in the best circumstances, but it’s even less exciting with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson both on the shelf with injuries. Ingram hasn’t played since the end of November.

10. Dallas Mavericks (23-19, Last week — 6th)

I guess we cursed the Mavericks. Dallas was featured in this space a week ago and promptly went 1-3 over the next seven days. The Mavs have three games left on a five-game trip, and the first is a TNT showdown against the Lakers on Thursday.

11. Miami Heat (22-20, Last week — 11th)

Miami made 40 free throws on Wednesday, which is a lot in any situation. The Heat also made 40 free throws… while attempting 40 free throws. That’s a new NBA record, and it’s just another way for Miami to remain frisky despite a weirdly middling season to this point. They just never go away.

12. New York Knicks (22-19, Last week — 13th)

This feels high for the Knicks, but there is a morass in the middle. New York’s four-game winning streak was snapped on Monday, but a narrow loss to Milwaukee isn’t grounds to drop in the pecking order.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-21, Last week — 24th)

No team can match the “all over the place” nature of the Wolves. In only half of a season, Minnesota has eight (!) different streaks of at least three wins or losses consecutively. This time, it’s a four-game winning streak and a big jump in the rankings. Perhaps Rudy Gobert coming alive can bring some more stability in the Twin Cities.

14. Los Angeles Lakers (19-22, Last week — 19th)

Los Angeles is 17-12 in the last 29 games and 5-1 in the last six. The Lakers did have a winning streak stop on Monday (without LeBron) in Denver, but a five-game homestand begins on Thursday. Things are pretty positive, all things considered.

15. Sacramento Kings (21-18, Last week — 17th)

It would be difficult to construct an easier schedule for a week than what the Kings have coming in the next seven days. Sacramento has Houston twice at home and then a trip to San Antonio with a day between. Nothing is guaranteed, but the Kings should at least be able to maintain their upward trajectory.

16. L.A. Clippers (22-21, Last week — 16th)

The Clippers were going to tumble until a double-digit win over Dallas on Tuesday. L.A. still isn’t playing very well (and Paul George hasn’t played for a week), but that was a good and helpful win on multiple levels.

17. Phoenix Suns (21-21, Last week — 15th)

Title contenders don’t usually lose nine of 11 games. Granted, Phoenix operated most of that stretch without Devin Booker, and the Suns did beat the Warriors on the road on Tuesday. Things don’t get easier either, as the Suns travel to Denver, Minnesota, and Memphis over the next six days.

18. Golden State Warriors (20-21, Last week — 10th)

Until this week, the Warriors did a tremendous job holding down the fort without Stephen Curry. Then, Golden State lost at home to Detroit and Orlando. If you scroll down, you’ll find the Pistons and Magic, and that speaks for itself. Still, Curry returned on Tuesday, and that is the most important thing.

19. Atlanta Hawks (19-21, Last week — 26th)

Atlanta still isn’t firing on all cylinders, but the Hawks managed to post a 2-2 mark on a California road trip. That is a small win for an otherwise struggling team, but the Hawks are still facing some uncertainty following a summer of “win now” momentum and a sub-.500 record.

20. Chicago Bulls (19-22, Last week — 22nd)

It was a good week for the Bulls, even if it ended in a loss. Chicago lost in Boston on Monday, but three straight wins came before that minor hiccup. The schedule is also quite favorable in the next week or two for the Bulls, with some optimism creeping back in after a frustrating start.

21. Utah Jazz (21-23, Last week — 21st)

The Jazz are just 11-20 after a blazing, 11-3 start, and Utah’s defense is quite shaky. The Jazz are third-worst in the NBA in defensive rating over that lengthy sample, and gone are the days when Utah was seen as a potential buyer on the market. It seems like sell or nothing at this point, even as the Jazz are still in the play-in mix on paper.

22. Toronto Raptors (18-23, Last week — 25th)

Everyone is talking about the Raptors with the trade deadline looming, and that is the nature of an oddly constructed team with an 18-23 record. Toronto gets a boost here after back-to-back wins, but there is a great deal of uncertainty, both in the short term and the long term.

23. Orlando Magic (16-26, Last week — 23rd)

Monday’s 25-point loss in Sacramento wasn’t great, but Orlando showed some resilience in beating Portland on the road the next night. The highs are pretty high for the Magic, even if the lows are also pretty low. Also, Orlando is kind of in its own tier from a net rating perspective, with the Magic at -3.6 and the closest teams sitting at -6.5 (Charlotte) and -1.5 (Washington).

24. Oklahoma City Thunder (18-23, Last week — 18th)

The Thunder were on the wrong end of Miami’s 40-free throw eruption on Tuesday, but OKC was right in that game. It’s not really the fault of the Thunder that they are this low in the rankings, because OKC has overachieved compared to any rational expectation.

25. Portland Trail Blazers (19-21, Last week — 14th)

Trouble in Portland? The Blazers are 3-9 in the last 12 games, including four straight losses. All three wins came by double-figures, meaning Portland’s metrics don’t look awful in that sample, but a home loss to Orlando on Tuesday sounded some alarms.

26. Washington Wizards (17-24, Last week — 20th)

Washington’s roller coaster continues. The Wizards lost 10 in a row in late November and early December before winning six of the next seven. Now, Washington has lost three in a row by a combined 47 points. It’s an odd situation.

27. San Antonio Spurs (13-28, Last week — 27th)

The Spurs were already dead-last in the NBA in net rating and defensive rating. Now, they’ll be without Devin Vassell for an indefinite period of time after a knee procedure, and San Antonio’s outlook is even more bleak without him.

28. Charlotte Hornets (11-31, Last week — 28th)

On Friday, the Hornets beat the Bucks by 29 points on the road. That was one of the more shocking results of the season, but Charlotte continues to scuffle overall. For example, the Hornets are 4-16 in the last 20 games.

29. Detroit Pistons (11-33, Last week — 29th)

Detroit handed Golden State its third home loss of the season to begin this week, and that is a nice win even without Stephen Curry. The Pistons lost the next three by double figures, though, including a 31-point beatdown at the hands of the Sixers on Tuesday.

30. Houston Rockets (10-30, Last week — 30th)

The Rockets have exactly one (1) win in the last four weeks. Houston is on a seven-game losing streak with a 1-12 mark in the last 13 games. Since mid-December, the Rockets have been terrible on both ends of the floor by the numbers, including a -10.4 net rating, and Houston begins a four-game California road trip on Wednesday. It’s pretty dire.

Ahead of this year’s Grammys, the Recording Academy and the Black Music Collective unveiled the recipients of the 2023 Global Impact Awards. The annual honors are going to Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott, Lil Wayne, and Epic Records CEO Sylvia Rhone for their “personal and professional achievements in the music industry.”

“I am so thrilled to honor and celebrate these four giants in the music industry,” Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., shared in a statement. “Last year’s inaugural event was such a highlight during GRAMMY Week and now with Dre, Missy, Wayne, and Sylvia there to pay tribute to this year, it’s definitely going to be another night to remember. I continue to be proud of the work of our Black Music Collective as it’s a vital part of what we do here at the Academy.”

The Recording Academy first launched the initiative last year with John Legend, MC Lyte, D-Nice, and the record label Love Renaissance as the first winners.

This year’s four winners will receive their trophies onstage at the Hollywood Palladium on February 2. Grammy nominee Adam Blackstone will serve as the musical director for the Global Impact honor.

The event serves as one of the many celebrations during Grammy Week, ahead of music’s biggest award night airing on February 5 from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena.

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

In his new movie, A Man Called Otto, Tom Hanks plays the titular character — an old curmudgeon. But last night (January 10), Hanks was all smiles during his appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers. He was particularly happy to see drummer Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes as part of Meyers’ TV band.

“I’m very excited by The Strokes, man,” said Hanks. “It’s not often — what, how many guitars are in The Strokes?”

“Two guitarists,” replies Meyers.

“Two guitars and a drum,” says Hanks. “There you go, that’s all you need, baby.”

Shortly after, Hanks gives Meyers two lottery tickets, prompting him to keep one and give one to the band. Meyers said it would be exciting if the band won, as they would be able to split the prize money, however, Hanks noted that Moretti should get just a little bit more.

Elsewhere during the interview, Hanks discussed A Man Called Otto, and what it was like to work with his son in the film. In the movie, Hanks’ son, Truman, plays a younger version of Otto.

“I said ‘Look, if you want to do this, understand, you’ve got to fight self-consciousness like crazy. There’s only one way to do it, show up, know your stuff, let go, and ski!,” said Hanks.

You can check out the clip above.

Fresh off the release of his joint album with Danger Mouse, Cheat Codes, Black Thought will continue his recent prolific streak with another collaborative album this spring. This time, he’s teaming up with El Michels Affair, a self-described “cinematic soul” band from New York best known for backing Freddie Gibbs and Madlib in their 2019 NPR Tiny Desk Concert, to release Glorious Game. The album is due April 14 through Big Crown, and accompanying the announcement, they have shared the first track, the reggae sampling “Grateful.” Check it out below.

According to a press release, Thought first met El Michels Affair frontman Leon Michels in the early 2000s, performing together at charity concerts in their respective hometown. During the pandemic, Thought reached out to Michels for new beats to record to, resulting in the foundation for Glorious Game. Michels had previously released the albums Adult Themes in 2020 and Yeti Season in 2021, as well as a handful of tribute albums covering songs from Isaac Hayes and Wu-Tang Clan. In 2020, they also reimagined Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s Bandana on The Diamond Mine Sessions.

Meanwhile, Black Thought has been extremely prolific of late outside his role as frontman for The Tonight Show house band The Roots. While the majority of his output prior to 2018 was with The Roots, that year he put out the Streams Of Thought EPs with 9th Wonder and Salaam Remi, following up with the full-length Streams Of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able produced by Sean C in 2020, then Cheat Codes last year. He’s also working on a stage show and writing for television alongside longtime production partner Questlove.

While reading the first batch of reviews for Plane, the latest action thriller starring Gerard Butler, there’s a word that pops up a lot: “throwback.” Despite looking like the type of film that would go straight-to-video, Plane is surprisingly racking up rave reviews as critics are here for the ’90s-style action that’s gone missing in these days of CGI superhero extravaganzas. It also doesn’t hurt that Butler has continued to be a certified action star even after his years of churning out romantic comedies. (Remember those?)

Like M3GAN, Plane is disrupting the old maxim that January is a dumping ground for films because critics are loving this tight action thriller filled that would’ve been right at home next to Air Force One or Executive Decision back in the day.

You can see what the critics are saying below:

Mike Ryan, Uproxx:

A movie like Plane is so rare and such a throwback, it comes off as a refreshing breather from what we usually get fed at theaters these days. Like its title, Plane is a tight and to-the-point movie and I had a whole lot of fun watching it. (Also, as a bonus, like most movies from that era, once the plot is wrapped up, it “just ends.”)

David Ehrlich, IndieWire:

Jean-François Richet’s “Plane” becomes the most airworthy Gerard Butler vehicle this side of “Greenland” by answering a question that Clint Eastwood didn’t even have the courage to ask: What if, instead of ditching US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River like a total loser, Capt. Sully Sullenberger had been man enough to land that baby in the middle of a steroidal ’80s action movie?

Owen Gleiberman, Variety:

“Plane” is fodder, but the picture brazens through its own implausibilities, carried along — and occasionally aloft — by Gerard Butler’s squinty dynamo resolve.

Nick Schager, The Daily Beast:

Arguably the best of Hollywood’s old-school action heroes, Butler is in fine macho form in Jean-François Richet’s feature, which hits theaters Jan. 13, proving once again that few marquee leads are as comfortable, and skilled, at kicking ass in do-or-die genre efforts.

Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter:

In his newest film, Plane, Butler plays an airline pilot, so you can rest assured that his flight is not going to go smoothly. Fortunately for moviegoers, the veteran Scottish actor is an engaging, charismatic presence, and Plane is the sort of breathlessly paced suspenser that barely leaves a moment for audiences to stop suspending their disbelief.

Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times:

Jean-François Richet’s “Plane” is as efficient, economical and effective as its title, which is a good one, actually — clear, descriptive, communicates what the film is about. The characterization in the screenplay by Charles Cumming and J.P. Davis is lean to the point of scanty, but we’re given just enough to suffice, and any more would be overkill. Much like the aircraft itself for the majority of “Plane,” this taut thriller remains grounded and gritty.

Plane lands in theaters on January 13.

Colin Farrell has had a busy week between winning awards and being in the presence of Jennifer Coolidge, but he also took some time to reach out to co-star Jeremy Renner after his serious snow plow injury. The two starred together in the 2003 action movie S.W.A.T alongside Samuel L. Jackson.

Farrell said that he had “been in touch” with Renner after the actor’s accident left him in the ICU. “He’s doing good, I believe,” Farrell told Entertainment Tonight. “All prayers are with him.” Renner has been in good spirits after the accident and even shared some posts from his hospital bed, so things are looking up on that front.

Farrell recently won a Golden Globe for his role in the friendship breakup drama The Banshees of Inisherin where he was injured by a donkey named Jenny. This is quite a different legacy than he was expecting, as Farrell recently admitted that he thought he was never going to make it as an actor after starring in the critically-panned epic Alexander.

“The reviews came out, and I remember someone going, ‘Oh God, it’s not good.’ And my publicist going, ‘It’s really not good.,’” the actor explained in a recent interview. “And then after that, yeah, I did question. I went, ‘I’m just shite at it. I’m a crap actor. I’ve been found out,’” of course, nobody remembers that, so Farrell is still a well-loved actor….by most, but not all, of his co-stars.

(Via People)

Yesterday, SZA dropped the entertaining video for her hit song, “Kill Bill.” Drawing visual inspiration from the Tarantino movie of the same title, SZA enlisted one of the original actresses, Vivica A. Fox, to help her carry out a revenge plot.

Still, fans watching SZA’s music video were clearly on the hunt for any and all possible Easter eggs. Given that she’s dropped clues in her past videos, from teasing snippets of songs at the end of “Shirt,” to using a license plate to announce when her sophomore album, SOS, would drop — it’s not far-fetched that there could be some secrets embedded in “Kill Bill.”

Fans spotted that the motorcycle license plate used in the “Kill Bill” video read August, sparking speculation that the deluxe version of SOS would be dropping this summer. (It also had “SOS” in bright red letters.)

However, SZA logged on to social media to shut those theories down, tweeting, “The deluxe is not coming out in august lol it’s just a license plate.”

Despite her statement, fans in the quotes joked back about the fact that the deluxe version might be dropping earlier and the fact that they couldn’t trust her. “She knew to have these comments off,” one person wrote.

“Then wtf is coming on aug 2023,” another added.

View some additional fan reactions to SZA’s SOS deluxe tweet.

Vladimir Putin and his remaining allies sure are a sensitive bunch. Perhaps those fancy “rings of power” do something to the psyche? There’s no telling if that’s the case, but Putin’s ego has led him to persist in reportedly planning to draft another 500,000 Russian recruits for his ill-fated Ukraine invasion. And from there, the massive casualties look to pile up even further.

The Daily Beast relays how the Kremlin currently has its nose out of joint after David Pressman, the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, referred to Putin as a “small man” who can only “can only lead through fear and intimidation.” Pressman also credited Ukrainians for refusing to “return to a broken, abusive system that had failed them for so long.” And from there, the Kremlin apparently spurred up a response from a Russian embassy regarding Pressman’s remarks:

In a Telegram post on Tuesday, the Russian embassy in Hungary went on a tirade against Pressman’s “unacceptable” remarks about “the personality of a foreign Head of State,” calling his comments “an outrageous violation of basic diplomatic protocol and practice,” according to Russian state news agency TASS.

In addition, Pressman (and his “lack of professionalism”) received a recommendation to absorb the works of Henry Kissinger, including Diplomacy. It’s bizarre! There’s no word on whether Vladimir Putin was in on this bookstore push, but he’s also got enough to clean up, considering that his war has been going for nearly a year with zero signs that a Russian victory is in the cards.

(Via The Daily Beast)