Salt-N-Pepa, the iconic rap trio known for their groundbreaking contributions to music and culture, has once again made history.
This time, they’ve become the first female rappers to have their action figures. The announcement has sent ripples of excitement through the music industry and beyond, marking a significant milestone in the recognition of women in hip-hop.
The journey of Salt-N-Pepa, consisting of Cheryl “Salt” James, Sandra “Pepa” Denton, and DJ Spinderella, began in the late 1980s. With hits like “Push It,” “Shoop,” and “Let’s Talk About Sex,” they revolutionized the rap scene, challenging stereotypes and empowering women with their bold lyrics and infectious beats. Their impact extended far beyond music, influencing fashion, feminism, and pop culture.
Now, decades after their rise to fame, Salt-N-Pepa’s legacy continues to resonate. The unveiling of their action figures represents a recognition of their enduring influence and cultural significance. These figurines capture the essence of the group, from their distinctive fashion sense to their dynamic stage presence, immortalizing them in plastic form.
The importance of Salt-N-Pepa’s action figures goes beyond mere representation. They serve as symbols of empowerment for women and girls everywhere, reaffirming that women belong in the male-dominated realm of hip-hop and that their contributions deserve recognition. By breaking new ground as the first female rapper with action figures, Salt-N-Pepa paved the way for future generations of female artists to claim their rightful place in the industry.
Furthermore, the release of these action figures highlights the growing demand for diverse and inclusive representation in toy culture. For too long, action figures have predominantly featured male characters, perpetuating narrow stereotypes and limiting children’s imaginations. Salt-N-Pepa’s presence in action figures challenges these norms, offering a more inclusive range of role models for young fans to look up to.
In addition to their cultural significance, the release of Salt-N-Pepa’s action figures is a testament to the group’s enduring popularity. Despite decades in the industry, their music resonates with audiences old and new, proving that true talent transcends generations. These action figures serve as both a celebration of their past achievements and a reminder of their ongoing relevance in contemporary culture.
The Chicago Bears announced Thursday that they will appear on HBO’s hit documentary Hard Knocks during this year’s training camp.
Since its inception in 2001, Hard Knocks has never featured the Bears, largely due to opposition from Chairman George McCaskey, who had long resisted allowing HBO access. I guess times are changing.
The arrival of No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams, a standout quarterback from USC, provides a compelling narrative for the series. Maybe that had something to do with the McCaskey’s change of heart.
“We are honored to feature such an iconic NFL franchise on ‘Hard Knocks,’” said Shannon Furman, NFL Films’ senior director and supervising producer. “The Chicago Bears have a talented roster, coaching staff, and front office all determined to match the expectations of a hungry fan base.”
The Bears will be the first team to report to training camp in late July and are scheduled to play the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, on August 1. Talk about history made in real-time. The first episode of Hard Knocks will air at 9 p.m. ET on August 6.
On the same day as Donald Trump’s historic criminal conviction, an essay by former producer Bill Pruitt, published in Slate on Thursday, renewed allegations about the former President’s behavior on the set of The Apprentice. This is not a new claim, but someone who was around back then backed it up with details for the first time.
Pruitt claims Trump used the n-word to describe a Black contestant, Kwame Jackson, and frequently commented on women’s appearances. Remember Kwame? He almost won the series’ inaugural season.
Now, of course, these allegations may not be so shocking because we’re talking about Donald Trump as they echo known aspects of Trump’s public and private behavior. This is who he is; if you deny that, you live in a fantasy world. The piece on Slate does provide direct testimony from Pruitt, reviving previous accusations of Trump using racial slurs.
Naturally, a Trump campaign spokesperson denied the claims made in Pruitt’s essay. As Trump seeks to attract Black voters and women for the 2024 election, it’s unclear how this essay might influence voters’ perceptions—probably not for his cult. However, the essay casts a renewed spotlight on Trump’s troubling history.
Pruitt details how Apprentice producers crafted Trump’s image as a successful businessman and effectively concealed his racist and sexist comments. “We scammed. We swindled. Nobody heard the racist and misogynistic comments or saw the alleged cheating, the bluffing, or his hair taking off in the wind,” Pruitt writes on Slate.
Now, get this: If you believe Pruitt, Trump dismissed Jackson’s strong performance in the final challenge, allegedly saying, “Yeah, but, I mean, would America buy a n—winning?” Pruitt described how such comments were edited out of the show and doubted the tapes would ever surface.
Pruitt also claims Trump prevented a camera operator from joining him on an elevator because she was “too heavy” and openly commented on another woman’s appearance, saying, “that’s all I want to look at.” He also recalls Trump referring to a contestant by gesturing toward his chest.
The essay revisits familiar issues, highlighting Trump’s history of racist remarks and misogynistic behavior, including over 20 women accusing him of sexual misconduct and his infamous Access Hollywood tape.
For Trump’s core supporters, the MAGA crowd, these revelations will surely not change their support, but the essay reignites discussions about his attitudes toward women and minorities. As Trump aims to win pivotal swing voters in 2024, these allegations underscore his challenges in gaining support from these groups.
Jay Ellis, star of HBO’s Insecure and co-star in Maverick, was just announced to join Mindy Kaling’s basketball comedy series Running Point for Netflix. The series also stars Kate Hudson.
Here’s the official synopsis:
When a scandal forces her brother to resign, Isla Gordon (Hudson) is appointed President of the Los Angeles Waves, one of the most storied professional basketball franchises, and her family business. Ambitious and often overlooked, Isla will have to prove to her skeptical brothers, the board, and the larger sports community that she was the right choice for the job, especially in the unpredictable, male-dominated world of sports.
Here’s the rundown of who Ellis will play … He’s set to come in as a recurring role of Jay Brown, whelp at least he keeps his real first name, who is a “former celebrated basketball player-turned-head coach who has led his team to multiple championships” as reported in Shadow and Act.
Here’s the rest of the cast aside from Ellis and Hudson … Brenda Song, Drew Tarver, Scott MacArthur, Fabrizio Guido, Toby Sandeman, Chet Hanks, Max Greenfield, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, Roberto Sanchez, Uche Agada and Dane DiLiegro.
“Running Point” is being produced by Mindy Kaling’s Kaling International in association with Warner Bros. Television. Kaling co-writes and executive produces alongside fellow The Mindy Project alums Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, who serves as the showrunner.
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
Ayra Starr was made to be a star. It’s a fact (and pun) too undeniable to avoid. The Nigerian Grammy-nominated singer, who is just a few weeks away from her 22nd birthday, not only embraces the spotlight but outshines the light that falls on her. Starr embodies this same spirit as we meet at Republic Records before a listening party for her sophomore album The Year I Turned 21. A big smile and her bubbly energy are hard to ignore as Starr and her team work on finishing touches for the night. “I’m blessed with being one of the most non-serious people on earth,” Starr tells me during a conversation before the party. “I try to have fun in every single experience. I’m blessed with that.” The reveling days of 19 & Dangerous are far from over for Starr, but The Year I Turned 21 proves that through the fun, she’s also grown up.
The Year I Turned 21 puts a stake in the ground as a time, place, and feeling to remember for Ayra Starr. The naivety is gone thanks to some new experiences in life and the industry, and in exchange for that comes added self-awareness as a career-sharpening tool. “I just wanted to be 19 & Dangerous,” Starr says, reflecting on her debut album. “With the sound, I was just trying different things. I’d never really worked on my sound, specifically. But I feel like with this album [The Year I Turned 21], I know exactly what I’m doing. I know my strengths and weaknesses.”
The album begins with the attention-grabbing quick strums of a violin on “Birds Sing Of Money” before equally quick strikes of a drum blare to welcome Ayra Starr to the stage. “It’s different from anything I’ve ever done,” Starr boasts of the song which she also called a “masterpiece in its own right.” She adds, “It’s such an iconic way to open an album [and] it’s definitely a genre I would like to try out more.” Records like these prove that Starr is more confident and comfortable than ever in herself and her artistry. “I don’t watch my tone ’cause I like how I sound, b*tch,” she quips on the song, before adding later, “I’m so careful with my energy, please never speak upon my name.”
The protection of peace and the promotion of enjoyment are the foundation of The Year I Turned 21, which supports a combative Ayra Starr ready to fight those that threaten her happiness. It’s the whole premise of “Commas,” a single from the album that grew to be one of Starr’s most popular records and one she says she’s “obsessed” with. “‘Commas’ is one of the most beautiful records I’ve made,” she adds. The sentiment was the same with fans who begged the singer to release the song after she posted a preview on social media. With lyrics like “Energy wrong, I log off” and “I carry God, so I fear nothing,” it’s no shock that an empowering Ayra Starr resonated with listeners. She manifested her inner strength and you can too.
These empowering moments are sprinkled throughout The Year I Turned 21 in different ways. “Goodbye (Warm Up)” with Asake, which has all the ingredients to be a surefire hit heading in the summer, is a celebratory departure from an inadequate lover with the comfort that better days are ahead. “Bad Vibes” with Seyi Vibez is a promise to only reap what her blessings have sowed her. It’s carried by a Yoruba proverb that reads, “Igi gogoro magun mi l’oju, mi o fọ” which loosely translates to “A tall tree does not poke me in the eye, so I don’t need to wash.” In other words, a big change or challenge doesn’t hurt me, so I don’t need to overreact to it. As she said earlier, Ayra Starr recognizes her strengths, and in putting them to action on The Year I Turned 21, she appears more free, more independent, and more of a force to reckon with.
This aura that so effortlessly wraps itself around Starr is one of the many reasons that collaborations like “Woman Commando” with Brazilian singer Anitta and American singer Coco Jones can happen. Starr, a self-described “girl’s girl,” aimed to create a record in the same vein of Beyoncé’s “Run The World (Girls),” and just like that, “Woman Commando” was born. When it came time to decide who would help make this feeling a reality, the decision of Anitta and Coco Jones was fairly easy for Starr. “I’ve [been] listening to Coco Jones since I was 11,” Starr said while recalling the time she begged her mother to let to watch the singer in her lead role on Disney’s 2012 movie Let It Shine. As for Anitta, that decision was a “no-brainer” thanks to a friendship already cemented between the singers.
“I love her, that woman is amazing,” Starr says of Anitta. “She’s my G, she’s the most hilarious person ever. We’ve just been chatting and sending each other memes. She’s so beautiful, her voice is stunning, and I feel like we kind of have the same background when it comes to music. She comes from and the favelas, and she wants to make it out. She’s already big in America, but she wants to be bigger and I respect it so much. Even having her on my album is just a blessing.”
Another feature Starr is proud of comes on “Last Heartbreak Song” with Giveon. The record, which grapples and eventually moves on from an unrequited love, was originally meant for 19 & Dangerous. However, after consulting with her team, Starr opted to save the song for another album. A couple of years and an additional Giveon verse later, “Last Heartbreak Song” takes space on the album it was “perfect” for. “I remember when I heard Giveon’s verse, I just started crying in the car because I felt like, ‘Thank God I waited,’” Starr says. “I called my A&R Rima and said this is perfect.” For Starr, this was undoubtedly another big moment in a career that has already produced so many, something she reflects on with “21.” It’s essentially the title track for The Year I Turned 21 as it documents the gravity of the years that prior and up to Starr turning 21. “I was at the house tryna figure out who the f*ck I am,” she sings about her first decade of life before noting the “big year” 18 was and the “big bag” she earned at 19 years old.
Mason “Maesu” Tanner, Starr’s friend and collaborator, is credited as the catalyst for this song as he gave her a demo of the record after hearing about Starr’s creative struggles. “I told him it’s so hard to write about my experiences I write about other people,” Starr explained. “It’s quite hard when it comes to me because I feel like I don’t see my experiences. I’m just living too much, there’s so much happening.” A month later, Tanner took everything Starr said and delivered the demo to her as a gift at her 21st birthday party. “I was like, this is perfect. I know what to do with this.”
The Year I Turned 21 is undoubtedly the start of a new era for Ayra Starr, one that will validate her as the growing global superstar we all know her to be. With future goals of learning how to produce her own records and how to dance, as well as getting more into her “fashion bag,” Ayra Starr’s star power is only going to increase by the second. Until then, Starr wants listeners to “feel inspired by the greatness” that is The Year I Turned 21. “I want them to feel very motivated because it is a coming of age story,” Starr says. “Through this album, they’re gonna know where I come from and where I’m trying to go.” She’s a star and it’s only a matter of time until everyone recognizes it and thinks the same, no matter where she goes next.
The Year I Turned 21 is out now via Mavins Global Holdings Ltd/Republic Records. Find out more information here.
Earlier this week, Compton rapper Roddy Ricch set his intentions for 2024 with an assertive Instagram post declaring that his comeback this year will be “personal, not business,” and today, he took the first major step back into the spotlight with the release of a new single, “Survivors Remorse,” and a chilling music video. Tapping into the spiritual energy of his debut album Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial outro “War Baby,” “Survivors Remorse” finds Roddy recounting the highs and lows of his life since finding fame, celebrating kicking his lean habit, and reveling in fatherhood as a choir sings the chorus over a moody, reflective instrumental.
Religious iconography runs through the Spike Jordan-directed video, which sees Roddy blessing friends and neighbors with portions of his wealth and building a home with his child’s expecting mother. At the end of the video, though, reality breaks in — along with a snippet of another, faster paced song — as a room full of mobile devices lights up with requests for Roddy’s attention and assistance.
The former Uproxx cover artist is no stranger to the demands of celebrity. But now that he’s spent some time off-cycle and recalibrated his own expectations, he’s clearly ready to face them with restored vigor as he rolls out his new album, Navy.
Watch Roddy Ricch’s “Survivors Remorse” video above.
Beastie Boys have a library filled with hit after hit, with one of the most enduring being “Sabotage.” The track was the lead single from the 1994 album Ill Communication, which turns 30 years old this year. The group is now celebrating the milestone with a limited edition deluxe version on vinyl and cassette.
The tracklist for the vinyl edition is the same as a previous deluxe version that was released as a limited run in 2009 and has long been out of print. It features a third LP containing 12 bonus tracks, including live versions, rarities, B-sides, and more. The cassette features just the original album, but it’s the first time in a long time that the project has gotten a new cassette release.
Check out the full tracklist for both versions below.
Beastie Boys’ Ill Communication Deluxe Edition (3LP) Tracklist
Disc 1, Side A
1. “Sure Shot”
2. “Tough Guy”
3. “B-Boys Makin’ With The Freak Freak”
4. “Bobo On The Corner”
5. “Root Down”
Disc 1, Side A
6. “Sabotage”
7. “Get It Together”
8. “Sabrosa”
9. “The Update”
10. “Futterman’s Rule”
Disc 2, Side C
1. “Alright Hear This”
2. “Eugene’s Lament”
3. “Flute Loop”
4. “Do It”
5. “Ricky’s Theme”
Disc 2, Side D
6. “Heart Attack Man”
7. “The Scoop”
8. “Shambala”
9. “Bodhisattva Vow”
10. “Transitions”
Disc 3, Side E
1. “Root Down (Free Zone Mix)”
2. “Resolution Time”
3. “Get It Together (Buck-Wild Remix)”
4. “Dope Little Song”
5. “Sure Shot (European B-Boy Mix)”
6. “Heart Attack Man (Unplugged)”
Disc 3, Side F
7. “The Vibes”
8. “Atwater Basketball Association File No. 172-C”
9. “Heart Attack Man (Live)”
10. “The Maestro (Live)”
11. “Mullet Head”
12. “Sure Shot (European B-Boy Instrumental)”
Beastie Boys’ Ill Communication Deluxe Edition (Cassette) Tracklist
Side A
1. “Sure Shot”
2. “Tough Guy”
3. “B-Boys Makin’ With The Freak Freak”
4. “Bobo On The Corner”
5. “Root Down”
6. “Sabotage”
7. “Get It Together”
8. “Sabrosa”
9. “The Update”
10. “Futterman’s Rule”
Sean Kingston and NBA YoungBoy are both dealing with some major legal issues at the moment. The Jamaican-bred singer and genre chameleon’s home in Florida was recently raided. Additionally, he is facing 10 charges which include, alleged fraud, grand theft, and identity theft. Furthermore, his mother, Janice Turner, was arrested on similar accounts but with two less charges. Then, there is NBA YoungBoy, who seems to be on a better path after he received a $100,000 bond following his April arrest in Utah over a whopping 63 charges.
It included everything from patterns of unlawful activity to procuring or attempting to procure drugs, identity fraud, forgery, possession of controlled substances, and possession of a dangerous weapon. However, that lengthy list was trimmed down to 48 as of a few weeks ago. However, if things go according to plan, YB will head back to his home state of Louisiana for trial for the separate federal weapon charges. With all of these moving parts, it was quite surprising that we received a new song.
Listen To “Why Oh Why” By Sean Kingston & NBA YoungBoy
“Why Oh Why” is the first-ever meet up between Sean Kingston and NBA YoungBoy and it was teased by the former a little while back, according to HipHopNMore. Another reason why this collaboration is quite surprising is due to their contrasting styles. But the song goes over better than expected, as YB goes into his more melodic bag, instead of his typical yelping vocals. Him and Sean talk about fighting through adversity, which makes perfect sense given their situations.
What are your thoughts on “Why Oh Why” by Sean Kingston and NBA YoungBoy? Did you ever think that we would get a collaboration from these two, why or why not? Would you want to hear them together again? Who had the better performance? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Sean Kingston and NBA YoungBoy. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
And I know, boy, I grew up, I just gotta get out I grew up as a man, as I let go my feelings I take out my type on a vent, n****, pay they get stretched F*** that British, it’s murder for Whitney I know I ain’t fell, but I gotta leave, oh Ride with no straps in my Bentley
