Movies

It Turns Out Donald Glover Won’t Be Retiring Childish Gambino After All — And New Music Is On The Way

by
donald glover as childish gambino
Getty Image

For years, Donald Glover worked to keep his music work distinct from his other endeavors thanks to the Childish Gambino persona. However, now that he’s more successful in both worlds than probably even he dreamed, the line has become blurred and he’s hinted at retiring the internet-generated name, even going as far as having a farewell show in Los Angeles a few years ago. While he’s since hinted at resurrecting the name, this week, he gave the first outright confirmation that Childish Gambino is coming back.

While on the red carpet at the Golden Globe Awards last night (Tuesday, January 10), Glover told E! News’ correspondent Laverne Cox, “I’m making music right now, I love it. I’m actually working, I’m in the studio. I’ve been bringing people in, like secret people, working on little things. But I just been, you know, making it for fun right now. But soon something will happen, I promise. Something will happen.” Regarding the past comments he’d made about retiring his alter ego, he admitted, “You don’t have to worry about that … He’ll be back.”

It’s likely that he’s backtracking now due to an abundance of free time now that his critically acclaimed show Atlanta has come to an end. And while he’s likely still got plenty to do while developing projects like a Mr. And Mrs. Smith series and playing Hypno Hustler in a Spider-Man spinoff, it’s clear the music bug has bitten him all over again. Hopefully, we’ll see what he’s been working on soon enough.

50 Cent Details Confronting Tyler Perry About Mo’Nique’s Career

by

50 Cent helped Mo’Nique pick her career back up but that only came after a difficult conversation with Tyler Perry.

At the time, Mo’Nique struggles to find work in the entertainment industry after failing to thank Lee Daniels during her Oscar speech for Precious. She also claimed that Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry blackballed her.

with TWESTWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 03: Actress / Comedian Mo’Nique attends the premiere of “Almost Christmas” at Regency Village Theatre on November 3, 2016 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

However, 50 Cent was adamant about reviving her career. He encouraged the Black film community to cast her in new films while pushing back against cancel culture.

“We only [supposed] to cancel shit that ain’t good for the culture. We need you to WIN again now MO’NIQUE,” he wrote.

During his recent interview on Big Boy’s Neighborhood, 50 Cent discussed helping Mo’Nique and his conversation with Perry following the incident. While the famed filmed director initially asked Mo’Nique to apologize for “blackballing” claims, Fif offered another perspective to Perry.

“Like, Mo’Nique, why is she cancelled? I had to revisit that,” he explained. He was confused that she was out of work for 13 years because of something she said.

“I know Tyler wouldn’t support that,” he continued. “He never told nobody not to work with her… When I talked to him, he was like, ‘Nah, I never told no one not to work with her.’ And I said, ‘But you’re Tyler Perry and you never told anyone to work with her.’ He was like, ‘I never looked at it like that.’”

50 Cent recalled telling Perry that, in this instance, he needed to recognize how powerful his influence is on the industry.

Mo’Nique will appear in the second season of STARZ’s BMF, executive produced by 50 Cent. Check out the episode 1 recap here.

Check the clip out below.

The Weeknd Revealed He’s ‘Been In The Studio’ Working On New Music Amid Oscars Buzz

by
the weeknd avatar way of water 2022
Getty Image

The Weeknd just celebrated the one-year anniversary of his fifth studio album, Dawn FM, but it looks like a new era may soon be upon us. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed that he has begun working on new music.

“I’ve definitely been inspired,” he said. “I’ve been in the studio.”

Earlier in the interview, he shared that this bout of inspiration has been largely in part to being placed on the shortlist for the upcoming Academy Awards. His song, “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength),” which was used as the theme for Avatar: The Way Of Water.

“I feel honored to be part of that list,” he said. “Any kind of recognition for it feels like a blessing.”

The original Avatar premiered in 2009, which The Weeknd said was a dark time in his life. At the time, he had dropped out of high school and wasn’t sure where his musical endeavors.

“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to live to see tomorrow,” he said. “And I remember I somehow got to see the film in theaters. I don’t know how I got in. It was such an escape from my real life that the film is tattooed in my brain.”

Landing his song in the second movie sure feels like a full-circle moment for the pop star.

Rihanna Loved Jerrod Carmichael’s ‘Very Controversial’ Joke About Her Upcoming Album At The Golden Globes

by
Rihanna 2023 Golden Globe Awards
Getty Image

At the 2023 Golden Globes last night (January 10), Rihanna’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever song “Lift Me Up” didn’t take home the award for Best Original Song, Motion Picture. She still stole the show, though, by getting multiple shout-outs during the broadcast. That included one from host Jerrod Carmichael, who cracked a joke that Rihanna fans are probably wishing he hadn’t.

Addressing Rihanna between awards, Carmichael said, “You know what? Honestly, only because I see Rihanna is here, and I’m gonna say… I’m gonna say something very controversial that… I will actually get in trouble for this: Rihanna, you take all the time you want on that album, girl. Don’t let these fools on the internet pressure you into nothing!”

As Carmichael got to the part about his comment being “controversial,” Rihanna smiled as she waited for the punchline. When that dropped, she gave a laugh and a clap, putting her hands on her face and saying something to the people around her.

As for those fools on the internet, they don’t seem to feel the same as Carmichael. One Rihanna fan wrote, “Who this [clown] Jerrod Carmicheal calling a fool? Talking bout ‘don’t let these fools on the internet pressure you into nothing.’ Rihanna owes us that album and we need it ASAP!” Even the Golden Globes themselves got in on the moment, tweeting, “Jerrod Carmichael may want you to take your time but we’d like that album ASAP.”

Find the full list of 2023 Golden Globe winners here and check out some more reactions to Carmichael’s Rihanna joke below.

Rihanna, Taylor Swift, And Lady Gaga Lost At The Golden Globes To An Extremely Popular Song You May Not Have Heard Of

by
Rihanna Golden Globe Awards 2023
Getty Image

The 2023 Golden Globe Awards ceremony took place last night (January 10), and while the proceedings are focused on TV and movies, music makes its way into the mix, too. Specifically, there are two music categories: Best Original Score, Motion Picture and Best Original Song, Motion Picture. The former was won by Justin Hurwitz’s work on Babylon.

As for the latter, songs by Taylor Swift (“Carolina” from Where The Crawdads Sing), Rihanna (“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), and Lady Gaga (“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick) were in contention. None of those ended up winning, though. Instead, the Best Original Song award went to Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, and Rahul Sipligunj’s “Naatu Naatu,” a Telugu-language song from the hit 2022 Indian movie RRR.

While “Naatu Naatu” may not be backed by the star power of a song by Gaga, Rihanna, or Swift (among American/English-speaking audiences, at least), it has achieved massive popularity with over 111 million views on YouTube. That puts it right up there with its competitors: “Hold My Hand” has 138 million views while “Lift Me Up” is at about 92 million and “Carolina” has around 8 million.

Rihanna was in attendance and was a good sport, as she made sure to offer her congratulations to the folks behind RRR.

Meanwhile, RRR was also up for Best Picture, Foreign Language, but that award went to Argentina, 1985.

Find the full list of 2023 Golden Globe winners here and listen to “Naatu Naatu” below.

Keke Palmer Thanked Nicki Minaj For Helping To Bring Her Stunning New Maternity Photo To Life

by
keke palmer nyfcc 2023
Getty Image

Keke Palmer is on cloud nine. With a baby on the way, she is more than elated to welcome in her bundle of joy. Yesterday (January 9), the Nope actress shared an elegant photo of her on Instagram, which depicts her standing on top of a globe in a bedroom, as her partner Darius Jackson looks at her in awe.

“its giving POETRY. it’s giving MICHAEL ANGELO. it’s giving SISTINE CHAPEL. it’s giving MASTERPIECE,” she said in the post’s caption. “behold, a mother, a father and the blessed baby we await in pure awe. the greatest gift from above we could ever dream. we can’t wait to meet you little one! we are so glad to be your earth parents as God’s hands are placed so gently over your life.”

She continued in the post, thanking rapper Nicki Minaj, who connected her with legendary photographer and music video director David LaChapelle to spearhead the maternity shoot.

Her post was met with an outpouring of support in the comments from rapper Baby Tate, actor Jabari Banks of Bel-Air, singer Justine Skye, and actress Ryan Destiny.

LaChapelle himself also took to the comments to thank Minaj, and also share some kind words and benedictions to Palmer.

“it was a privilege and pure pleasure to photograph you,” he said. “God Bless You & your family.” He added, “you are the Nicest person i’ve met in a long time.”

Check out the photo above.

They Said ‘Avatar’ Has No Cultural Impact, But Now Lizzo Is Doing Na’vi Thirst Traps And We Don’t Know What To Believe

by
Lizzo SNL Saturday Night Live 2022
Getty Image

The original 2009 Avatar movie and the new Avatar: The Way Of Water film are both major hits. Box office numbers don’t lie. Regardless, there have been questions about what cultural impact the series (the first movie, more specifically) has actually had. Of course, this discourse is all subjective, but if Avatar didn’t have impact, then why is Lizzo on the beach doing Na’vi thirst traps?

In a TikTok video shared today (January 9), the right half of the frame shows a female Na’vi walking on the beach. On the left is Lizzo, doing a spot-on imitation of the character in a clip that was Avatar-ized with a video filter. She later shared another video of herself with the filter, enjoying some time in the water. “tell James Cameron I’m ready…,” she captioned the second video.

@lizzo

#duet with @lizzo yes i saved this video.. uploaded it private…then duetted myself… 🤭

♬ original sound – lizzo

@lizzo

Replying to @g6brie1 tell James Cameron I’m ready…

♬ Becoming one of “The People” Becoming one with Neytiri – James Horner

Hey, James Cameron: Lizzo is ready.

Speaking of Cameron, he addressed the “cultural impact” conversation in a recent interview, saying, “There’s skepticism in the marketplace around, ‘Oh, did it ever make any real cultural impact? Can anybody even remember the characters’ names?’ When you have extraordinary success, you come back within the next three years. That’s just how the industry works. You come back to the well, and you build that cultural impact over time. Marvel had maybe 26 movies to build out a universe, with the characters cross-pollinating. So it’s an irrelevant argument. We’ll see what happens after this film.”

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

Terrifying Killer Doll M3GAN’s Spooky Rendition Of ‘Titanium’ Is On The Film’s Official Soundtrack

by

M3GAN is sweeping the nation. The Gerard Johnstone-directed film centers around “a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally,” according to the film’s official synopsis. The murderous, terrifying doll was designed by a roboticist named Gemma (Allison Williams) and voiced by Jenna Davis — and the latter has a song on the official soundtrack.

In the movie, M3GAN’s chosen lullaby to serenade Cady (Violet McGraw) with is “Titanium” (as analyzed by The Daily Beast). The 2011 hit by David Guetta featuring Sia peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 over a decade ago, and apparently, one of M3GAN’s underrated abilities is that of reviving a dance-pop earworm.

Previously, at the December world premiere of M3GAN in Los Angeles, the titular doll aligned herself with Taylor Swift. More specifically, eight M3GAN-looking dancers made “It’s Nice To Have A Friend” way creepier than Swift likely ever intended. There was also some Meghan McCain discourse sparked by McCain tweeting, “I feel personally attacked by this movie and the entire premise.”

M3GAN hit theaters on Friday, January 6, and debuted with $30 million across North American box offices, per Variety. The full official soundtrack from Anthony Willis can be found here.

“You People” Netflix Trailer Expertly Roasts Drake’s “Views” Era

by

Not all Netflix Original films are made equally. However, an upcoming one has managed to capture the public’s attention in particular. You People, which stars Superbad actor Jonah Hill and California native Lauren London, received a new trailer a few days ago. Of course, fans couldn’t help but notice the way it expertly roasts Drake.

Specifically, the new clip finds the 39-year-old’s character, Ezra, chatting with comedian Sam Jay about his love life. “I don’t think I’ve heard of a man ever who wanted to be in a relationship so badly besides Drake. And I’m talking ‘Views’ Drake,” the latter quips. This comes after hearing his friend talk about the lack of romance in his life.

As HipHopDX notes, the trailer later shows scenes of the characters living their daily lives. “I feel like ‘Views’ Drake,” Hill’s voice says. “Alone, on a building, dangling my legs off wondering what it’s like to feel companionship,” he adds, referencing the project’s famous artwork.

From what we know about You People so far, Ezra later has a chance encounter with Amira (played by London). As they get to know each other better, her conservative Muslim parents and his “progressive, semi-woke” Jewish parents also spend more time together. The latter’s family comes to life via Seinfeld‘s Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny.

Other celebrities who appear in the project include La La Anthony, Deon Cole, Mike Epps, and even City Girl Yung Miami. This marks Caresha’s second acting credit, as she already aided 50 Cent with his BMF series last year.

Playing Amira’s parents are two Hollywood legends – Nia Long and Eddie Murphy. They hit up several Los Angeles hot spots throughout filming. London previously said this was her favourite part of the project.

“My favourite location was Simply Wholesome,” she told Tudum. “Growing up in LA, I used to walk to Simply Wholesome and grab a patty or a smoothie. Being inside a Black establishment that promotes wellness and health in the heart of our community, and that business being highlighted and shown in a big-budget film, that was very special.”

Check out Netflix’s new trailer for You People below. Afterward, let us know in the comments if you plan to check out the film upon its January 27 premiere.

[Via] [Via]

Steven Spielberg Says He Doesn’t View Seth Rogen’s Films As “Stoner Movies”

by

Steven Spielberg says that he doesn’t consider Seth Rogen’s films to be “stoner movies,” since he’s never been high before. Spielberg made the comment on the red carpet for the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala.

“Well, having never been stoned, I don’t see them as stoner movies,” he told Variety reporter Marc Malkin, before referencing Superbad. “I see them as movies about a police officer giving solid, sound advice to an impressionable person.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 19: Director Steven Spielberg attends the European Premiere of ‘Ready Player One’ at Vue West End on March 19, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Malkin then asked for Spielberg to do live commentary on Rogen’s films, to which Rogen said, “One day.”

Back in 2018, Rogen appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he revealed that Spielberg isn’t a “big fan” of weed. Despite this, that didn’t stop Rogen from engaging in front of him.

“I just kept smoking it in Steven Spielberg’s face as I saw, like, the look on his face where he’s just like, ‘I’m never working with this motherfucker, ever,’” Rogen said at the time.

Rogen ended up going on to star in Spielberg’s newest film, The Fabelmans. For the movie, Rogen plays Bennie, a character heavily inspired by Spielberg’s uncle.

“[He’d be like] ‘My uncle did that all the time, do that, and let’s get another one,’ and it was like these new memories would form, and you’d capture them on film in real-time,” Rogen recalled. “Yeah, I’ll never have another experience like this.”

The Fabelmans hit theaters on November 11, 2022. The movie is based on Spielberg’s own adolescence and his introduction to the art of filmmaking. It also stars Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, and Gabriel LaBelle.

Check out Steven Spielberg’s comments on never having been stoned below.

[Via]