As a result of these moves, Irving is now being fined $35K by the league. To make matters worse, the Brooklyn Nets organization is also being fined $35K which just goes to show how seriously the NBA takes this kind of stuff.
Realistically, this amount of money won’t prove to be a significant deterrent for Irving who makes millions of dollars every year. However, it will be interesting to see if Irving makes the effort to talk with the media more often, especially if there are financial implications involved.
With the Brooklyn Nets heading towards the playoffs, they will need Irving to be at his best and at this point, it looks like avoiding the media has given him that edge the team needs.
All too often, it goes forgotten that Future once went by Meathead, coming up alongside the legendary Dungeon Family in the late nineties and early millennium. So the story goes, it was producer Rico Wade (Future’s cousin) of Organized Noize that actually gave him the Future moniker we’ve all come to know and love. And while remnants of his early days are few and far between, a previously unearthed Meathead track gave an interesting peek into what might have been — check it out for yourself below.
Curiously enough, Future’s hip-hop roots were explored during our recent interview with Yelawolf, who recently wrapped up his April Onslaught with four brand new projects — including his brand new studio album Mud Mouth. A clear student of the game, Yela took a moment to reflect on how the past era of MCs stacks up to the present, citing the importance of recognizing and appreciating different talents.
“I feel like the era of MCs that I grew up on has never been superseded. Kendrick is the closest, and I say that with all due respect,” he begins. There’s a lot of talent out here man, a lot. I’m not going to go down the list of people that I listen to currently, but it’s long. There’s a lot of new talent that I’m into, but I’ve learned to appreciate it in a different way.”
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“I’m not looking for their lyrical capabilities, I’m more vibing with the music for vibe’s sake and appreciating what they’re doing,” explains Yela. “I’m a huge fan of Future, but then again, Future is a son of Organized Noize — that’s Atlanta. I didn’t know that before I loved it so much, but then I was like aww that makes sense, the cleverness of it. How clever it is musically, how clever it is melodically, how clever it is lyrically.”
“I’ve always had an appreciation for the more simple style of music,” he continues.” I mean you always crave what you don’t have yourself. So like it’s easy for me to be complex, that’s why I appreciate listening to Crunchy Black from Three 6 Mafia. I was a huge fan of Group Home and the Nutcracker when I was coming up. People didn’t understand why. I was like “Damn, it’s hard to be that simple and dope.”
It’s refreshing to see an MC like Yelawolf not only giving Future his flowers, but recognizing the lineage of his craft and how it still lives within his music — especially in his lyricism — today. For much more insight from Yela, be sure to check out our interview with him right here.
Aaron Rodgers might be one of the best quarterbacks in the world right now but that doesn’t mean anything when it comes to whether or not he is happy with his current team. Since last week, there have been reports and rumors that Rodgers permanently wants out of Green Bay and that he will do anything to make it happen. The Packers are deadset on repairing the relationship although for now, it seems like a stalemate is upon us.
While Brett Favre used to not have a good relationship with Rodgers, things have changed for the better. In the midst of the craziness, Favre asked Rodgers if he was truly leaving, to which Rodgers replied that nothing is certain. However, Favre did tell ESPN that he believes Rodgers truly is done in Green Bay for good.
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“I think I know Aaron fairly well,” Favre said, “and honestly I just don’t see him coming back and just saying, ‘All right, let’s just bury the hatchet, whatever caused the rift, and I’m just going to come back and play because I love the guys, I love the Green Bay fans’ — I assume he does — but his rift isn’t with the fans or the players. It’s with the front office. Will he just swallow his pride and come in? Maybe. But I don’t see that happening. If there’s not a trade, my gut tells me that he’d rather sit out than play. That’s just my gut. There’s no reason for me to say that other than that’s what my gut’s telling me, and I think you guys know Aaron fairly well enough to sort of feel the same way.”
This is going to come as a hard pill to swallow for Green Bay fans although there is still some hope that the tide can be turned. After all, Rodgers is one of the greatest to hit the field, and the Packers are aware of it.
Some internet sleuths have speculated that the date would be significant for Isaiah Rashad, who has been teasing his new album The House Is Burning for months. While there is still a chance that we could be hearing new music from Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, or anybody else on TDE, some insider blogs have started to report that the video is indeed for Zay. As we wait for confirmation from the label, excited fans are looking forward to the special release, going crazy on social media.
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The song coming out, which some fans are reporting is already listed on international streaming services, could be for a song by Isaiah Rashad featuring Duke Deuce called “Lay Wit Ya.” Again, that much has not been confirmed by any TDE-affiliated sources, so it may not be legit. The song was teased a while ago though, so there is a chance this is real.
Regardless of what arrives this afternoon, we’re excited for new music from TDE. Check out what people are saying under the Isaiah Rashad trend below.
To keep the momentum going for both projects — the features alone on Supercut gives the LP a completely new vibe — Kenny decided to drop a “Strays 02” live performance in similar fashion to the one he released back in September 2020.
Image: Jason Koerner/Getty Images
The video for “Strays 02” is directed by Nasser Boulaich, and pans out for almost 12 minutes of unfiltered raps and a cinematic focus that puts the light directly on the ATLien at hand. Tracks he performs throughout the video include “rih,” “ptsd,” “chevron,” “4ever,” “pup” and the title track “angelic hoodrat.”
While they don’t make an appearance in “Stray 02,” the guest features on Supercut really proved that Mason is in a class of heavyweights when it comes to rap peers. Denzel Curry gave him one serious banger with “A+,” both Angel White and Ambar Lucid helped him slow things down with more acoustic vibes on “Titan” and “Breathe Again”, respectively, and we don’t even have to mention how well him and Freddie Gibbs murked it on “Much Money” to get our point across. Long story short, Kenny Mason did’t play any games on Angelic Hoodrat or Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut, and it’s just nice to see that it all translates in-person as well.
Take a look at “Strays 02” by Kenny Mason above, and make sure to stream both Angelic Hoodrat or Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut right now on your preferred streaming platform. Got a favorite track on either one or both versions of the LP? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off below in the comment section with any and all music opinions:
Paul George is a big fan of video games and he has certainly expressed that over the years. Perhaps the best example of this is his signature shoes with Nike, which have received quite a few PlayStation collaborations. With his latest model, the Nike PG 5, making waves in retailers throughout the world, it would only make sense that PG teams up with PlayStation once again, this time on a colorway that pays homage to the almighty PS5.
The PS5 is the most popular video game console in the world right now and it is incredibly difficult to secure one if you don’t keep up with the restocks. As for this particular colorway, it is immediately apparent that it is an homage to the console. For instance, we have an all-white upper all while flashes of black and blue are spread throughout. Paul George and PlayStation branding are placed on the tongue as well as the insole, which helps bring the entire concept together.
As for the release date, it is believed these will drop in the United States on May 27th although there will be a global launch on May 14th. The price of the shoe is $120 USD, which is the standard price for most basketball shoes these days.
Though HBO’s Game Of Thrones left many fans lamenting the final season, the series remains a generally beloved piece of television history. As such, it’s no surprise that the network has opted to plot a return to Westeros, with their upcoming House Of The Dragon prequel series currently in the works.
Set to take place 300 years prior to the events of Thrones, House Of The Dragon will follow house Targaryen, detailing the family’s extensive and dramatic history — a history filled with both fire and blood, no doubt. With a cast that includes Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as The Sea Snake, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, many have been excited to see how House Of The Dragon unfolds.
As it happens, HBO has been ramping up the hype for the series, officially sharing a few promotional pictures of the characters on their Instagram page. “Fire & Blood. The original series @houseofthedragonhbo, coming to @hbomax in 2022.” Now, fans can get their first glimpses at Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Prince Daemon Targaryen, The Sea Snake, and Alicent and Otto Hightower.
Check them out for yourself below, and sound off if you’re excited to take a return trip to the soils of Westeros. House Of The Dragon will feature heavy involvement from A Song Of Ice & Fire author George R.R. Martin, who will serve as co-creator and executive producer of the ten-episode series.
For more Game Of Thrones nostalgia, check out our own Top 10 Best Episodes round-up right here.
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.
Shelley — the Virginia artist formerly known as DRAM — is not in the midst of a rebrand. Those who met the singer-slash-rapper with his breakout single “Broccoli” or even his groovy fun-spirited effort, “Cha Cha,” might think so, especially after finishing his second album, Shelley FKA DRAM. However, a deeper look into his discography brings us to efforts like “Caretaker” and “Best Hugs,” proof that Shelley’s soulful agenda has long been entwined in his DNA.
So what do we make of Shelley’s new album? Perhaps it’s a new chapter in his career, but that again plays into the “rebrand” idea that underscores the aged talents he presents on Shelley FKA DRAM. Instead, settling on an acceptance of one’s identity seems to be a much more fitting label for this project. Its ten songs detail Shelley’s shoulder-shrug that precedes a cannonball jump into a journey through the good and bad of love.
Shelley FKA DRAM tells a story of a love so beautiful and wholehearted that it’s worth spending a lifetime dreaming about. Its delicate songwriting wraps its warm hand around the tender production Shelley uses to paint a picture of intimacy to a degree so high that it often seems too good to be true. “Exposure” delivers words that would easily land you the woman or man of your dreams, no matter how many leagues away they might be. “The Lay Down” with HER brings the sounds and atmosphere of bedroom magic for a fiery and passion-exploding anecdote that ends with the fireworks of Watt’s searing electric guitar solo.
In between these songs comes a thought from Shelley. “Isn’t love just beautiful?” he ponders at the end of “Something About Us.” “I mean, every aspect of it / From the pursuit, you know the cold sh*t part / To actually feeling and embracing it.” And you know what? Shelley’s right. It is beautiful to sprout a connection, taking a romantic trip to wherever the heart chooses to go. Unfortunately, the journey isn’t guaranteed to last a lifetime, and the second half of Shelley FKA DRAM sees him become victim to what proves to be a flimsy promise in companionship. It all crashes and burns on “Cooking With Grease” and while he dusts himself off to start all over on “Remedies,” things aren’t the same.
Shelley approaches love with no guard to get around and without a wall to climb over. He makes it quite clear just minutes into the album. “Since we not stoppin’ ourselves,” he sings on “All Pride Aside” which features a sultry contribution from Summer Walker. “I’ll keep lettin’ you if you keep lettin’ me.” Pride blocks some of a relationship’s most necessary qualities from existent: vulnerability, communication, and compassion, just to name a few. Disposing of it is always easier said than done, and when one does, the highs of love feel really high, but its lows hurt more than anything else.
There’s a line on “The Lay Down” that sticks out to me like no other on Shelley FKA DRAM. “Can’t blow my high on airplane mode,” Shelley and HER sing at different points of the song. Life’s moments are what you make of them and not for anyone else to dictate. Keep your head in the clouds because anyone who’s up there with you understands the absolute glory in that. As for those stuck on the ground, they’re not to be worried about because you’re too out of reach for them to pull you down. This same philosophy takes life with Shelley’s sophomore album. As many may have tried to box him in as the artist we hear on “Broccoli,” he dictated his own life and artistry, accepted an identity he always knew he had, and gave the world an album that came from the heart’s core.
Shelley FKA DRAM is out now via EMPIRE/Atlantic. Get it here.
Shelley is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It’s been a few months since Drake announced the release of his own line of scented candles for the holidays and with Mother’s Day coming up, it looks like he’s decided to give folks another chance to pick some up. He’s also sweetening the deal, so to speak, by offering his fellow Canadians the chance to get the candles for free when they order from their favo(u)rite restaurants on Uber Eats and Postmates.
The candle brand, Better World Fragrance House, sent a limited number of candles to a curated list of Toronto and Vancouver restaurants, and from May 7 to 9, customers who order $50 or more worth of food can get a free candle as long as supplies last. Drake also shared a teaser of the brand’s “first scent series” which also releases on May 9.
The candles initially launched in five scents: Carby Musk, Good Thoughts, Muskoka, Sweeter Tings, and Williamsburg Sleepover, all inspired by Drake’s day-to-day activities, with Carby Musk allegedly smelling like Drake himself. The candles sold out on Revolve relatively quickly, and the star also sent several to his friends, including members of the Toronto Raptors.
Meanwhile, this offer isn’t the first time delivery services have teamed up with rappers. Uber Eats previously offered Migos-themed meals from Popeyes, while Postmates became the home of Wiz Khalifa’s delivery-only restaurant HotBox By Wiz last year. Even DoorDash got in some hip-hop love, albeit indirectly; Providence, Rhode Island rapper Brendan Rush went viral earlier this week when a driver included his Spotify info with deliveries and a fan tweeted about it.
