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Anitta And Producer Murda Beatz Are Officially Dating And Working On New Music Together Too

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As far as emerging pop stars go, it’s hard to name anyone who has had a bigger year than Anitta so far. Her Coachella performance featured appearances from Snoop Dogg and Saweetie and was one of the most talked-about of the two-day weekend. The Brazilian pop singer released her latest album, Versions Of Me in April, with appearances from Cardi B, Saweetie, and Khalid among others. But on the personal side of things, Anitta has always been notoriously single — until now.

June 12th in Brazil is the country’s equivalent to Valentine’s Day (Dia dos Namorados) and Anitta made her relationship with Canadian hip-hop producer Murda Beatz Instagram official, posting pics of the pair getting close. On the surface, they look sort of like an odd couple, but Murda Beatz’s credentials speak for themselves. He has produced tracks for 2Chainz, Drake, G-Eazy, and loads more.

For his part, Murda Beatz has also posted about an upcoming collaboration between him, Anitta, Quavo, J Balvin, and Pharrell. The track “No Más” is due out on July 5th.

Speaking of J Balvin and Anitta, the two recently spoke in an artist-led interview about relationships and Anitta made it clear how serious she is about this. “I never date anyone and think they’re going to be an ex,” she told Balvin. “I date the person thinking we’re going to get married and have kids. I think I’m going to die with this person holding hands and we are going to be buried in the same cemetery side by side.” When pressed by Balvin if she was in love right now, Anitta replied, “Yes and it’s going to happen… I’ll have the kids and you’ll be the padrino!”

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

Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’ Album Is Said To Be Heavy On Both Country And Dance Tunes

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Classifying Beyonce’s massive discography of music into any specific genre is a mostly fruitless exercise (which didn’t stop us from trying in 2020) because the versatile star is constantly evolving and experimenting, refusing to be kept to just one box or genre. That musical dabbling will apparently continue on her upcoming new album Renaissance; Variety reports that the album will see Beyonce leaning more heavily into the country direction she flashed on her last full-length album Lemonade in 2016, as well as incorporating more “dance” music — although that’s a broad category which could figure in a lot of musical directions.

A source familiar with the album says that Bey has tapped Ryan Tedder, whose past contributions to her oeuvre included the angelic “Halo,” and neo-soul demigod Raphael Saadiq, who deserves far more credit for both his production work and his own extensive catalog. Since the surprise announcement for the album labeled the collection due on July 29 “Act 1,” that could be an indication that the album will either be released in parts or will be a “multi-disc” affair, in which case the songs could be organized by similar sounds.

In British Vogue‘s cover story about the album, editor-in-chief Edward Enninful describes being “transported back to the clubs of my youth,” which suggests a possible house, ball culture-inspired sound — which would be timely, since drag is enormous right now, with all kinds of artists tapping the sound of the underground subculture. It’s also big on television thanks to competition shows like Legendary on HBO Max. In any case, this is all just speculation until the album actually drops, but one thing is for sure: The Beyhive will be going crazy ’til then and Beyonce remains one of the biggest stars on the planet.

Woody Harrelson Weighs In On Jack Harlow’s ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ Remake: ‘I’m Feeling Great About It’

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When the news broke that Jack Harlow would be starring in a remake of the classic 1992 basketball comedy White Men Can’t Jump, many of the original movie’s fans were distraught. After all, remakes of classics are rarely as good as the originals (or so goes the conventional wisdom about such things), and Jack Harlow is far better known for rapping about Tyler Herro than imitating him on the court. As I noted way back in my interview with Jack for the Bleacher Report two-on-two for NBA All-Star, though, he’s a committed, regular hooper, so I always liked the casting.

It turns out one of the original film’s co-stars agrees with me, so I feel even better about this assessment now. During an interview with Yahoo Entertainment about his upcoming film The Man From Toronto, the hosts asked Woody Harrelson how he felt about Jack Harlow potentially recreating his role as hot-headed trash talker Billy Hoyle in the remake. Woody’s answer is unequivocally enthusiastic as he gushes, “I’m feeling great… I think Jack’s gonna crush it. They’re gonna make a better movie than we made. I’m looking forward to watching it.”

Those still skeptical about the “First Class” rapper’s basketball chops needn’t worry. Earlier this year, Jack showed out in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, knocking in a couple of long-range jumpers — harder for the average person than NBA fans might realize, considering the length of the NBA three-point line — and played some respectable defense. He also appears in an ad for Kawhi Leonard’s New Balance sneakers alongside the Clippers star, which means he probably got at least a few pointers. And while the whole “acting” component of starring in a movie remains a question mark, the film’s producers were obviously confident enough in his audition to give him a shot. With Woody’s co-sign, the torch has officially been passed. Now, let’s see what Mr. Harlow does with it.

J. Cole’s Interview With Kid Journalist Jazzy Is Both Adorable And Insightful

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Twelve-year-old Jazlyn Guerra, aka Jazzy, is a hustler on the non-stop grind. You might remember seeing her interview with Jay-Z last November on the streets of her native New York, where her youthful exuberance coaxed some words of wisdom from Hov about what it takes to be successful. Well, she’s at it again as the latest guest on her Jazzy’s World TV YouTube channel is J. Cole.

Jazzy met up with Cole backstage at last weekend’s Governor’s Ball Festival and wasted no words in cutting straight to the chase with Cole. Bubbly, but beyond composed, Jazzy’s first question to the rapper was about persistence. “Why is persistence so important… no matter how many ‘no’s’ you get?” Cole got philosophical with his response:

“Let’s say you want something really bad and you keep trying and you keep trying and you keep trying. And on the 10th try you don’t get it still? And then you say, ‘Uhh… OK, it must be a sign that I need to stop doing what I need to do.’ But what if you didn’t know that on your 11th try you would’ve made it happen and got what you wanted to get? If you really truly love something and you truly believe, you should just do it for the love, and even if you don’t get to where you were trying to go, you’re still doing it for the love.”

“Heck, it might even take like a 1,000 years until you get it, right!?” the spritely Jazzy replied before asking an even harder-hitting question: “You Left North Carolina… How can leaving your hometown or your comfort zone help you mentally?” Cole was floored for a second by this one. “Hoo… that’s a deep question!,” he said, before being incredibly honest once again:

“It’s the fastest way for growth. It’s hard to grow when you’re comfortable. You’re not stretching yourself or your limits. When I left a small city in North Carolina for New York, I was for sure uncomfortable — and just like you interviewing Jay-Z — I felt some nerves. But more importantly, I felt focused and ready for the task.”

“I think that’s really important especially for kids, and everyone else, too,” Jazzy replies. “Because if you step out of your comfort zone, you might learn new skills and gain new hobbies because you stepped out of your comfort zone.”

“How old are you?” Cole asks, clearly impressed by the young journalist. “12 years old,” Jazzy says, before Cole responds, “Yeah! For sure, you got it. You already understand life, so you got it.”

Props to Jazzy for literally embodying the two traits she asked Cole about. Something tells us she’s got some more tricks up her sleeve and she looked ready for the next interview as she signed off, “Until next time, Jazzin out!”

Watch Jazzy’s World TV’s interview with Cole above.

Millyz Performs The Motivational ‘Sometimes’ For ‘UPROXX Sessions’

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Cambridge, Massachusetts rhymer Millyz is a longtime veteran of the rap business, independently releasing albums and mixtapes since 2013. Over the years, he’s worked with other established forces in street rap like Dave East, G Herbo, and Jadakiss, and appeared in the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher. Though he’s in his 30s, he’s still up and coming, gaining new fans and followers all the time.

Today, he brings his new single “Sometimes” to the UPROXX Sessions stage. The song is both reflective and motivational, seeing him look back at how far he’s come to find the drive to go even further. “I had to make it out the dark, I always knew I would shine,” he croons in the chorus, summing up the spirit of his everlasting hustle. “Sometimes” appears on his newly released project Blanco 5, which features appearances from Fivio Foreign, Mozzy, Styles P, and more.

Watch Millyz perform “Sometimes” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

The 2022 BET Awards Performance Lineup Is Led By Lizzo, Jack Harlow, And Chloe

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The 2022 BET Awards are coming up quickly, as the show goes down on June 26. Now, ten days before the event, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of what the broadcast is going to look like, as BET has announced who will be performing during this year’s awards.

Taking the stage will be Lizzo, Jack Harlow, Chloe, Chance The Rapper, Roddy Ricch, Latto, Giveon, Babyface, Doechii, Ella Mai, Fireboy DML, Joey Badass, Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin, and Muni Long. Additionally, GoGo Morrow and OGI will perform on the BET Amplified Stage. On top of that, more artists are set to be announced at a later date.

The BET Awards were in the news earlier this month after the nominations were revealed and Lil Nas X, whose late-2021 album Montero was a hit, didn’t have a single one. In response, Nas tweeted, “Thank you bet awards. An outstanding zero nominations again. black excellence!” He later used his snub as a launching point for a conversation about “the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community.”

As for who was nominated, Doja Cat leads the pack with six total nods, followed closely by Drake and Ari Lennox, who each have four nominations.

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

Megan Thee Stallion’s Ex-Friend Kelsey Harris Reacts To Her Suggestion That Tory Lanez Bought Her Silence

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Megan Thee Stallion recently opened up in a Rolling Stone interview about when Tory Lanez shot her in her feet. She talked not only about the pain of the situation, but also the way she felt betrayed by her friends, specifically Kelsey Harris, who she suggested may have taken a bribe to keep quiet.

“I’m like, ‘Kelsey, as my best friend, why would you meet up with the person you saw shoot your best friend?’” she explained. “She said, ‘Megan, y’all wasn’t answering my calls. My back was against the wall. I didn’t know what to do.’ What the f*ck do you mean, ‘Your back is against the wall? You’re the only person in this situation that would clear this up for me.’”

Harris has now come out with a statement on social media, writing, “When people can’t control you, they try to control how people view you,” She posted a video afterwards, saying, “If y’all not catching onto the social media games by now […] then I don’t know what to tell y’all. I knew this was going to happen. This is just the beginning y’all. I know y’all want me to talk. So, like, when it’s my turn. Just know. I’m going to break everything the f*ck down and we going to see who really look bad in the end.”

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Meechy Darko Launches His Solo Debut Album Rollout With The Defiant ‘Kill Us All’

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The man with the best rap voice in the business, Meechy Darko of Flatbush Zombies, has announced his solo debut album, Gothic Luxury, is coming on August 26. He launches the first salvo today with the release of the intense, trippy video for the defiant lead single, “Kill Us All.” Over a suitably menacing backdrop, Meechy ruminates on America’s seemingly endless campaign of terror of Black American citizens, from derailing the Black Panther movement of the 1960s to the media framing Blaming people as inherently violent. He isn’t saying much we don’t know but the passion behind his bars makes them all the more poignant.

Gothic Luxury is executive produced by Dot Da Genius and was recorded in the wake of Meechy’s father being killed by Miami police in 2020. “I had no choice but to make this the most personal thing I’ve ever done because fortunately or unfortunately, I’m in an extremely soul-stirring part of my life right now,” Meechy explained in a statement. “Who I was yesterday may not be who I am tomorrow. I’m not who I was last week. There’s no telling who I’ll be next year or the year after, so it’s very important to capture this while I can still feel.”

Meechy is the second member of Flatbush to announce a solo album after Erick The Architect. We’re waiting on you, Juice!

Watch the “Kill Us All” video above and pre-save Gothic Luxury, out 8/26 via Loma Vista Recordings, here.

Eminem Packs A Ton Of Elvis Presley References Into ‘The King And I,’ His New ‘Elvis’ Biopic Song

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The soundtrack for the upcoming Baz Luhrmann biopic Elvis is packed, with the most notable participant perhaps being Eminem. Now, he has shared his contribution to the movie, a new CeeLo Green collaboration called “The King And I.”

The track, naturally, is filled with references to Presley. Most obviously, the instrumental is based on the iconic “Jailhouse Rock” riff. Eminem also plays off of the classic “Blue Suede Shoes” lyric with the line, “It goes: one for the trailer park, two for my baby-ma /
Three for the tater tots, four if you ate a lot / Five if you came to rock, straight up while I’m sh*ttin’ on my comp’.”

Elsewhere, Em makes comparisons between Presley and himself, rapping, “Now I’m about to explain to you all the parallels / Between Elvis and me, myself / It seem obvious: one, he’s pale as me / Second, we both been hailed as kings.”

In an interview from earlier this month, Green said of working with Eminem on the song, “Me and Eminem have been friends for years. I’ve longed for an opportunity to work with him. He said, ‘Hey man, can you do this for me? I need it really quickly, I need it tonight.’ So when Eminem says he needs something tonight, you deliver.”

Listen to “The King And I” above.

Joey Badass Reveals That His New Album, ‘2000,’ Has Been Postponed Due To Sample Clearance Issues

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It looks like we may have to wait a little longer for Joey Badass’ new album, 2000. The album, originally set for release this week, has been pushed back.

Joey revealed the news this morning via Twitter.

“Man I got some terrible news,” he said in a tweet. “my album won’t be coming out tonight due to sample clearance issues… Right now, it’s unclear how long I’ll have to postpone it but my hope is no more than 2 weeks.”

It appears Joey had known about the delay for a while, however, was hoping he’d have a new date by now.

“I wanted to have a new date before I told you guys but it’s out of my control,” he continued.

The release of 2000 would’ve coincided with the 10th anniversary of Joey’s breakthrough mixtape, 1999, which spawned hits like “Waves” and “Hardknock.” Joey did not reveal a new release date for 2000, however, hopes to be able to share a new one soon.

“I’ll keep you guys updated obviously,” Joey said. “I’m almost certain I’ll have a new date by Monday. On the bright side, me and Chance’s new song drops tmrw.”

The song to which Joey is referring is Chance The Rapper’s new single, “The Highs And The Lows,” which is thought to appear from Chance’s upcoming comeback album.