In the midst of his anti-Pete Davidson campaign last month, Kanye West took great pains to bat back criticisms that minimized his issues to him being “crazy.” In fact, he’s taken issue with that particular label ever since revealing his bipolar disorder in 2018. Now, he’s got a new defender in the form of Joyner Lucas. Hate him or love him, Lucas goes out of his way to try to find creative angles for many of his releases, from the “both sides” argument of “I’m Not Racist” to the chameleon-like special effects on “Will.”
Joyner keeps that tradition going with his new single, “Ye’s Not Crazy,” which he shared with a video in which he again takes on the likeness of one of his heroes to reproduce some of Kanye’s more iconic moments of the past couple of years, including his Donda listening events. A Kanye lookalike — insomuch as you can look like someone who’s been wearing masks for the past year and a half — dances in the background as Joyner compares himself to Kanye and explains his interpretation of Kanye’s outspoken philosophy.
Of course, Joyner’s been known to leap to the defense of some pretty terrible people in the past, and defending Kanye only excuses his offputting and childish behavior, so the song itself has received a mixed reception. At least it gets folks’ minds off of Joyner’s own recent meltdown, during which he berated Lollapalooza Festival for booking the objectively more popular Machine Gun Kelly as a headliner, and which he later blamed on Russian hackers.
Watch Joyner Lucas’s “Ye’s Not Crazy” video above.
Of the 86 Grammy categories being awarded this year, one of the most intriguing is the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. Over the years, eclectic sonics have been a hallmark of the category, which was first awarded in 1998 as the Grammy Award for Remixer Of The Year, Non-Classical. Because these songs are remixes, the source material nominated isn’t limited to genre. In 2022, it’s safe to say Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical is the only Grammy category to include Papa Roach (nominated due to Spencer Bastin’s “Born For Greatness (Cybek Remix)”), Deftones (“Passenger (Mike Shinoda Remix)”), and Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande (“Met Him Last Night (Dave Audé Remix)”).
Naturally, over the years, the artists who triumphed in this category have been equally intriguing. Here’s the top 10 winners, ranked.
10. Song: Madonna — “I Rise (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix)”
Winner: Tracy Young Year: 2020
Madonna and dance music have gone hand in hand since the ’80s. In fact, Madonna herself has won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording (“Ray of Light”) and Best Electronica/Dance Album (Confessions On A Dancefloor). However, in 2020, Tracy Young was the first woman to be nominated, much less win, the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category for an inspired take on Madonna’s pro-gun control anthem “I Rise.” Young’s interpretation amplifies the icon’s empathetic vocals and the song’s resiliency — as well as the voice of Emma González, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting — with low-key house beats and a chill (but verve-laden) tempo. Consider this remix of a piece with dance music’s long history of political activism.
9. Song: No Doubt — “Hella Good (Roger Sanchez Main Mix)”
Winner: Roger Sanchez Year: 2003
No Doubt‘s hard-left turns to ’80s synth-pop throwbacks on 2001’s Rock Steady were ideal for dance remixes — as evidenced by this no-frills, brisk re-do by global superstar DJ Roger Sanchez full of rollicking percussion and beat drops that emphasizes the lines “You got me feeling hella good, so let’s just keep on dancing.”
8. Song: Cher — “Believe (Club 69 Mixes)”
Winner: Club 69 Year: 2000
Cher‘s Y2K comeback came because of the already-unstoppable dancefloor anthem “Believe.” The Club 69 remixes are peak late-’90s house, with over-the-top beats, blocky stacks of keyboards, and an arrangement that places Cher in the role of vocal diva — something she comes by naturally.
7. Song: MGMT — “Electric Feel (Justice Remix)”
Winner: Justice Year: 2009
It’s a fitting bow on the blogrock era that French electrofunk act Justice won a Grammy for a sophisticated remix of MGMT’s “Electric Feel.” Rich horns, squelching beats and a choppy vibe transform the swank electro of the original into a swaggering mid-’80s synth-rock throwback.
6. Song: Nero — “Promises (Skrillex and Nero Remix)”
Winner: Joseph Ray, Skrillex & Daniel Stephens Year: 2013
This remix is peak dubstep era, with Skrillex (aka Sonny Moore) and two members of Nero teaming up for a re-do of Nero’s “Promises.” There’s a massive beat drop at about a minute in that leads directly to an explosion of grimy zippered beats that alternate with dramatic, piano-driven interludes with caution-heavy vocals from Nero’s Alana Watson. The net effect is a song that’s both unsettling and moving—a fine combination.
5. Song: Public Enemy — “Bring the Noise (S-faction Remix)”
Winner: Benny Benassi Year: 2008
Superstar DJ Benny Benassi deconstructed Public Enemy‘s 1988 hit with surgical precision. At first, he leaves in only select exhortations (“Bring the noise!” and “Bass!”) atop a pulsing, surging bed of techno-house beats, before introducing more of the song’s lyrics — building excitement and tension alike with a natural rhythm.
There’s a long history of classic songs receiving a boost thanks to a modern dance remix — witness how Junkie XL’s re-do of Elvis Presley’s “A Little Less Conversation” breathed new life into the tune. The same thing happened when Louie Vega took a crack at remixing Curtis Mayfield’s already-unimpeachable “Superfly.” Vega added salsa beats and a languid touch to the 1972 soul-funk hit, making it (improbably) even more smooth than it was to begin with.
3. Coldplay — “Talk (Thin White Duke Mix)”
Winner: Jacques Lu Cont Year: 2007
Stuart Price records under many aliases — to name a few, Les Rythmes Digitales, Zoot Woman and Jacques Lu Cont. Under the latter moniker, he’s known for recording retro-tinted synth-pop remixes; in fact, he won a Grammy in 2005 for his take on No Doubt’s “It’s My Life.” He won another Grammy two years later for his spin on Coldplay‘s “Talk,” a song that interpolates Kraftwerk. Lu Cont plays up that association by adding in robotic vocal flourishes and stripping the song down to insistent, Krautrockian rhythms and streamlined synths.
2. Song: SAINt JHN — “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”
Winner: Imanbek Zeikenov Year: 2021
Back in mid-2020, you couldn’t scroll through your TikTok #FYP without running into Imanbek’s remix of “Roses,” by the rapper SAINt JHN. This viral hit was a radical re-work of the original, speeding up the vocals and adding sharp-edged, electro-driven rhythmic contours that doubled as mega earworms. Remixes with Future and J Balvin followed, although Imanbek’s take remains tops for how it took fresh source material and made it sound even cooler.
1. Song: Lana Del Rey — “Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)”
Winner: Cedric Gervais Year: 2014
Lana Del Rey‘s originals are already known for being mesmerizing and hypnotic. However, the Cedric Gervais remix of “Summertime Sadness” elevated the song to a different level entirely, tapping into the melancholy hinted at in the title by plucking out Del Rey’s wistful refrain (“I got that summertime, summertime sadness”) and pairing it with turbulent house beats. “Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)” peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart — but, more important, became an instant-classic anthem for every type of summer bummer imaginable.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
In case you haven’t already fallen victim to some sort of hoax today, here’s a helpful reminder: Today is April 1, aka April Fools’ Day, which means you ought to be especially skeptical when it comes to anything you read online, particularly things that seem too good (or bad) to be true. With that in mind, Lil Nas X made a (probably fake) reveal this afternoon.
Lil Nas X tweeted today, “I am so excited to announce that MONTERO DELUXE (featuring Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, Tyler the Creator, NBA Youngboy, Saucy Santana, and more!) WILL BE YOURS TONIGHT at 7P EST! [wilted flower emoji].” The tweet also includes new cover art, which features multiple versions of Lil Nas X striking various poses and sporting various looks.
I am so excited to announce that MONTERO DELUXE (featuring Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, Tyler the Creator, NBA Youngboy, Saucy Santana, and more!)
While Doja already features on the original version of Montero (on “Scoop”), some of the other added artists seem like unlikely gets here, especially Rihanna, whose last featured appearance was on Kendrick Lamar’s 2017 single “Loyalty.” So, that in combination with the fact that Lil Nas X has one of music’s best senses of humor seems to suggest this deluxe version of Montero probably isn’t a real album you’ll be able to listen to later tonight.
That said, there’s still a chance this is actually happening, so it wouldn’t hurt to at least check in on Lil Nas X’s Twitter later today and see if there’s an update, whether it be the album itself or Lil Nas X revealing it was all a big joke.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
“I’m a fan of Will, Jada, Chris, all of them,” Rocky replied. “They OGs. I think it’s unfortunate that, like, he emasculated another Black man in front of all them people like that. But I do think that, like, it’s some built-up shit that probably wasn’t really targeted at Chris Rock. I don’t know. … Like what you said, it seems like it’s more than just a G.I. Jane joke.”
Well, he’s certainly right about things being built up. For one thing, Jada has suffered alopecia, an immune disorder that causes hair to fall out in patches. This is why she keeps her head shaved, a look that drew the comparison to the titular character from Demi Moore’s 1997 woman-in-the-military film (it probably doesn’t help that the movie was pretty bad and roundly rebuked on its release). In the preceding years, the Smiths have been a lightning rod for criticism and ridicule as a result of their rumored open marriage and the press run for Will’s memoir. A lot of quotes were taken out of context and used to demean and mock the man, who we know has social media and uses it often. In addition to the way people have talked about his kids, it probably is safe to say he’s had just about enough of the jokes.
Tyler Okonma has come a long way. The former Fairfax district skate rat is now a mogul on top of being a Grammy Award-winning rapper, singer, and producer as Tyler the Creator. But he never forgot his humble beginnings, which formed the focus of a large part of his concert at the Staples Center — sorry, Crypto.com arena — in Los Angeles Thursday night for his Call Me If You Get Lost Tour. During an intermission in the songs, right before he diverged into a nostalgic mini-set of his raucous early Odd Future material, Tyler reminisced with the crowd about those aimless but hopeful years, drawing a direct line between his rebellious nature and the success that he’s accrued in the past few years.
That go-against-the-grain mentality is what makes him such a great musician — and such a great performer. While so many rappers are content to simply show up and rap, Tyler brings a sort of unhinged glee to his performances, which makes him wildly fun to watch. He’s like the Jim Carrey of musicians, always moving, his coltish proportions adding another fun level to his wacky waving inflatable tube man arm flailing. His face contorts, his body accordions and expands, and his legs splay out. At one point, he did a full-on double leg dip — that’s a death drop, for you Drag Race fans out there, showing off a level of flexibility normally reserved for ballrooms and gymnastics competitions.
Then there are the props. Did I say “the Jim Carrey of musicians?” Sorry, I meant Carrot Top. I’ve been going to rap shows longer than I can even remember. I’ve seen dancers and pyrotechnics and guest stars and all manner of odd things on stage from piles of tires to vending machines to tanks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone unpack luggage from a vintage Rolls Royce Wraith while rapping. Tyler’s love for bags is legendary; he’s got a chain based on his nickname of “Bellhop,” telling you exactly how much he loves luggage. At most, you’d expect him to have a few bags stacked onstage. Instead, he did the stacking himself — while rapping. He even has a butler!
The staging was some of the best I’ve ever seen too. Rappers love reproducing houses onstage; 2 Chainz, Kanye West, and YG are all examples who’ve employed this fairly standard trope. Tyler takes it to the next level, just like everything else. Silhouettes wafted across the lit windows, standing in for band members and guest rappers. Not content to simply stand on one stage and float along to the whimsical ’60s spy jazz of his latest album, he traversed the arena floor to a grass-covered stage in the middle. How did he get there? On a speedboat, from which he performed his album’s standout track “Wusyaname.” Once on his grassy getaway, he launched into older material from Flower Boy and his aforementioned Odd Future classics.
Tyler knows how to pick his guests too. Kali Uchis, who took the set immediately preceding his, received a warm reception for her Selena-lite renditions of tracks from her 2018 album Isolation and TikTok-favorite “Sad Girlz Luv Money” by Amaarae. Vince Staples, never one to waste a perfectly good platform, delivered his set from the floor stage, which was redressed and lit from below, amplifying the haunting effects of songs like “Señorita.” And Teezo Touchdown, the oddball with a wig made of nails, set things off as always with his hype man Austyn Sux, challenging Tyler for most props used in a single performance (at one point he used a traffic cone as a megaphone, which was hilarious considering he was already miked up). If there’s anything I’d change about the show, it’s the venue; the sound is just so much better at The Forum, where entry and moving around is easier as well. Let the stars bring the chaos onstage; leave the lobby alone.
The crowds at a Tyler show are always fun; young, diverse, and reflective of his devil-may-care attitude towards convention and other people’s expectations. I think the entire row behind me sported septum piercings and crowd-watching felt vaguely like falling through a time warp to the mid-’90s. Curse the zoomers for bringing back wide-leg pants after all the hard work my generation did to make the cozy style functional and fashionable, but it’s pretty amusing to watch younger generations repurpose old styles in their own, funky way. In a way, they got that from Tyler, too; he’s constantly deconstructing his influences like Eminem and Pharrell, retooling them, and retrofitting them to his own unique way of doing things. That — and a healthy dose of persistence — is what got him here and judging from his show, is what’ll keep him here far into the (steadfastly odd) future.
Trevor Noah is set to host this weekend’s Grammy Awards (on Sunday, April 3), but the host isn’t the only one who speaks on stage. Others come on to present awards and now the Recording Academy and CBS have revealed who will be on hand to do that. The list includes Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, Questlove, Avril Lavigne, Ludacris, Anthony Mackie, Billy Porter, Bonnie Raitt, Jared Leto, Joni Mitchell, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lenny Kravitz, and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.
Drum roll please! Presenting this years #GRAMMYs presenters.
Aside from the presenters, also taking the stage to perform during this year’s show are Lady Gaga, Silk Sonic, Carrie Underwood, J Balvin, John Legend, Maria Becerra, BTS, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, Brandi Carlile, Brothers Osbourne, Nas, HER, Jon Batiste, Chris Stapleton, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Rachel Zegler. Foo Fighters were previously included, but it was later confirmed they dropped out of the show after scrapping all their upcoming performances in light of Taylor Hawkins’ death.
The presenters have some 2022 Grammy nominations between them: Megan’s “Thot Sh*t” is up for Best Rap Performances, Questlove’s Summer Of Soul is up for Best Music Film, and Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) is up for Best Historical Album.
Find the full list of 2022 Grammy nominations here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Sometimes,SNL promos can be very silly. This occasionally works to their benefit, especially when one or more of the trio of stars making them gets to play the unassuming straight man. Usually, this is the musical guest and the effectiveness of the bit depends on how game they are. Some guests are super good at this, like they’re in on the joke, while some (coughcoughBadBunnycoughcough) aren’t great. Shockingly, this week’s musical guest, Gunna, falls into the former category, mostly by pretending he’s going to land in the latter one ’til the last second.
Of course, guest host Jerrod Carmichael does the necessary setup, introducing Gunna, and hands it off the Heidi Gardner, who lights the fuse. “Guys, let’s a promise right now that we’re all gonna bring our A-game this week,” she says, somehow keeping a straight face. “Jerrod gonna,” Jerrod replies. Heidi maintains that straight face, even though we all know what’s coming: “You know Heidi gonna.” Both expectantly side-eye the stone-faced rapper, who looks for all the world like he resolutely refuses to make the joke.
… A loooong pause…
“Gunna gonna.”
You know, as hard as I tried not to, I laughed. Good for Gunna. Good for Heidi. Good for Jerrod. Great for all of us. A job well done.
Watch the SNL promo above and check out Gunna as the musical guest on Saturday night.
Say what you want to about James Corden, but he’s got a winner in Carpool Karaoke. The late-night segment is an absolute delight, one of the few completely wholesome things to look forward to in our modern-day hellscape of the internet. Sure, it’s basically easy PR for celebrities, but watching the Stranger Things kids belt out Biggie Smalls or Cardi B struggle to parallel park are fun little ways of both bringing these people down to earth and commiserating in our common faults.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 safety protocols, the bit has been off the air for the past two years, as social distancing complicated the filming too much to make it a regular occurrence. Well, social distancing guidelines have relaxed — for better or worse — and it’s pretty obvious the world could use more joy, so Corden and the gang are bringing the beloved segment back. Beginning on April 6, Carpool Karaoke returns to The Late Late Show with first guest Nicki Minaj, according to the show’s Twitter:
— The Late Late Show with James Corden (@latelateshow) April 1, 2022
Nicki’s appearance will be followed on April 18 with another segment featuring Camila Cabello. The announcement lends fuel to the rumors that Nicki Minaj is planning to release an album this year after sharing a slew of singles and feature verses including her own “Do We Have A Problem?” and Coi Leray’s “Blick Blick.” Cabello’s also got a new album coming, Familia, which will feature Ed Sheeran and Willow. Check out the teaser above.
Keeping track of all the new albums coming out in a given month is a big job, but we’re up for it: Below is a comprehensive list of the major releases you can look forward to in April. If you’re not trying to potentially miss out on anything, it might be a good idea to keep reading.
Friday, April 1
Alabaster DePlume — Gold (International Anthem)
Amine Mesnaoui And Labelle — African Prayers (Lo Recordings)
Battle Ave — I Saw The Egg (Friends Club Records/Totally Real Records)
Beau Diako — Nylon (Juno Records)
Big Cheeko — Block Barry White (Nature)
Blue Wilson — Future Street (Acrophase Records)
Casually Here — Possible Worlds (Algebra Records)
Christian Alexander — I Don’t Like You (Video Store)
Christian Lee Hutson — Quitters (ANTI- Records)
Confidence Man — Tilt (Heavenly Recordings)
Crows — Beware Believers (Bad Vibrations Records)
Daniel Johns — FutureNever (BMG)
Daryl Hall — BeforeAfter (Legacy Recordings)
The Dead Tongues — Dust (Psychic Hotline)
Deathcave — II EP (Satanik Royalty Records)
Desaparecidos — Live At Shea Stadium (Freeman Street Records)
Devon Kay & The Solution — Grieving Expectation (Pure Noise Records)
Erisy Watt — Eyes Like The Ocean (American Standard Time Records)
Fatherson — Normal Fears (Easy Life)
Field Works — Station (Temporary Residence)
Gerald Clayton — Bells On Sand (Blue Note Records)
Graeme James — Seasons (Nettwerk Records)
The Greyboy Allstars — Get A Job: Music from The Original Broadcast Series Soul Dream (Knowledge Room Recordings)
The Hara — We All Wear Black EP (Scuff of The Neck)
Hari Sima — Solo en Occidente (Abstrakce Records)
Horojo Trio — Set The Record (obsessionrecords)
Jon Spencer & The HITmakers — Spencer Gets It Lit! (In the Red Records)
Karima Walker — Demos EP (Keeled Scales)
Lights — PƎP (Fueled By Ramen)
Luaka Bop — I Just Want To Be A Good Man (Luaka Bop)
Melissa Manchester — Live ’77 (Real Gone Music)
Meshuggah — Immutable (Atomic Fire)
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway — Crooked Tree (Nonesuch Records)
Nakaya — Fire Becomes Me EP (Better Company)
Night Palace — Diving Rings (Park the Van Records)
No Frills — Downward Dog (Big Soup)
Paul Cauthen — Country Coming Down (Velvet Rose Records)
Pillow Queens — Leave The Light On (Royal Mountain Records)
Plastikman & Chilly Gonzales — Consumed In Key (Turbo Recordings)
Presenting this years 
