Movies

RZA Launches His ‘Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater’ WIth A New Single Called ‘Pugilism’

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With Marvel’s release of the Shang-Chi trailer on Monday, expect kung-fu movies to start making a big comeback in the coming year (if they haven’t already; see Raya And The Last Dragon, the renewal of Warrior on HBO Max, and the recently premiered reboot of the classic show Kung-Fu). It’s likely that no one is more ecstatic about this turn of events than RZA, who based the Wu-Tang Clan’s entire aesthetic on hs Saturday afternoon forays to the matinee to catch the latest Shaw Brothers movies growing up in Staten Island, New York.

RZA is about to pay further homage to his first love as he revives his 36 Cinema platform he started at the outset of the pandemic, which hosts weekly screenings of classic kung-fu and blaxploitation films with live commentary from RZA and weekly guests. His new programming slate is fitting titled “Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater” and kicks off — heh — this Saturday, April 24 with a screening of Heroes Of The East at 9 pm ET with Portland’s Hollywood Theatre’s head programmer Dan Halsted.

Celebrating the announcement, RZA also resurrected his Bobby Digital persona for a new single called “Pugilism” — the first such release since 2008’s Digi Snacks album. It’s the first single from RZA’s upcoming fourth solo album, Bobby Digital: Digital Potions, which he’ll share more info about during this Saturday’s screening.

Listen to “Pugilism” above and get tickets for the inaugural Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater showing of “Heroes Of The East” here.

Lizzo Got Drunk, Slid Into Chris Evans’ DMs, And He Had The Perfect Response

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Sometimes, when people enter into an altered state, they find themselves engaging in activities that may be outside of their usual scope of goings on. These things happen, and this is a situation that Lizzo found herself in recently.

In a recent TikTok video, Lizzo revealed that she slid into the DMs of actor Chris Evans, messaging him simply with a trio of emojis: a puff of air, a woman playing handball, and a basketball, implying that she was “shooting her shot.” In the video, Lizzo lip syncs to audio that says, “The reason I’m upset about this one is because I know I’m not gonna be able to marry him, and honestly, it hurts me to the core. Because damn papi, he a rare breed, no comparing. Like, Chris…” She also wrote alongside her post, “Don’t drink and DM, kids…. for legal porpoises this is a joke.”

@lizzo

Don’t drink and DM, kids…. for legal porpoises this is a joke

♬ original sound – HI I’M TATI 💕

Last night, the saga continued with Lizzo shared a follow-up video, revealing that Evans responded to her message. A screenshot of Evans’ message reads, “No shame in a drunk DM [kissy face emoji] god knows I’ve done worse on this app lol [facepalm emoji].” His response is seemingly a reference to his NSFW mishap from a few months ago.

@lizzo

#duet with @lizzo BITCH

♬ original sound – HI I’M TATI 💕

Meanwhile, Lizzo is getting ready to get back on stage, as she was recently announced as a headliner for this year’s Bonnaroo festival.

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

Snoop Dogg Joins The Cast Of Jamie Foxx’s Netflix Vampire Hunter Movie

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There are so many elements about the headline above that make me so happy, but the details behind it (courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter) make me even happier. There is the fact that Netflix has a vampire hunter action thriller coming out called Day Shift, where the main character’s cover is that of a pool cleaner. There is the fact that the pool cleaner is played by Jamie Foxx in full “girl dad” mode. I was already all the way in, but then they went ahead and added Snoop Dogg to it. Give it to me now. Right now.

The film’s the directorial debut for J.J. Perry, a seasoned second-unit director on films like John Wick (yes), The Fate Of The Furious (yes), and Bloodshot (oh no), so we can be reasonably well-assured that the action scenes will be on-point — and really, isn’t that all you want from a Jamie Foxx vampire hunter/pool cleaner flick? The script, written by Tyler Tice, was discovered at a screenplay competition, so it can’t be all bad, and the cast, which includes Dave Franco, Eric Lange, Karla Souza, Meagan Good, and Zion Broadnax, among others, seems strong enough to support the admittedly kinda silly concept.

There are a lot of ways this could go wrong, but I’m choosing to remain positive because if nothing else, there is the possibility of watching Snoop Dogg react to a vampire attack to look forward to, and “Snoop Dogg reacting to things” is a genre with a wealth of fun moments — especially if the things turn out to be supernatural and unusual. Also, Jamie Foxx’s last Netflix action flick Project Power (in which he was again in full “girl dad” mode) was really enjoyable, as is his current ’90s-style sitcom on the platform, Dad Stop Embarrassing Me (do you see the theme developing?).

There’s nothing on when Day Shift will hit streaming, but turnaround on Netflix films is usually pretty quick so expect to see this one out at a theme appropriate time — say, Halloween.

‘SNL’ Paid Their Respects To DMX Through Jokes And A Tribute To Close The Show

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Early Friday morning, DMX’s family put out a statement confirming what the entertainment world would hope to be false. The legendary rapper sadly passed away at 50 following a reported drug overdose and heart attack. Tributes from all over, including the music and sports world, came pouring in and as the days go on, many are still finding their own ways to honor him with the latest being Saturday Night Live.

The first mention of DMX came during the late-night show’s cold open segment. The sketch was led by Kenan Thompson, Ego Nwodim, Kate McKinnon, and Alex Moffat who altogether played four Minnesota anchors that were initially discussing the murder of George Floyd but switch the topic after a disagreement.

“We lost royalty yesterday,” McKinnon said, in reference to Prince Phillip’s death on Friday. “Yes, the rapper DMX died,” Nwodim replied which was met by an applause from he audience. McKinnon tried to correct Nwodim saying, “I was talking about the prince,” but her attempt failed as Nwodim retorted, “Girl, Prince been dead!”

DMX’s came on a pair of occasions later in the show. The first came with a photo SNL put onscreen of the rapper and his stage name following a commercial break, the image from when he himself performed on the show back in 2000 where he performed “What’s My Name” from his 1999 album, … And Then There Was X.. Lastly, after host Carey Mulligan delivered her thank yous to the audience and viewers, Chris Redd held up a handwritten sign that read “R.I.P. DMX” in black lettering.

You can watch the cold open segment as well as view a screenshot of show’s closing moments above.

Nas And ASAP Rocky Appear In A Trailer For The Upcoming Netflix Film, ‘Monster’

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It appears that ASAP Rocky and Nas’ next move will take place on the big screen. The two rappers appeared in a a trailer for the upcoming Netflix film, Monster. In addition to starring in the movie, Nas is also one of its executive producers and in a post to his Instagram page, he revealed Monster would premiere on the streaming platform on May 7.

As for ASAP Rocky, the size of his role in the film is unknown at the moment, but based on the trailer, one could assume he gives a decent contribution to the movie’s entire plot.

Monster is based on Walter Dean Myer’s 1993 novel of the same title. Viewers will follow a 17-year-old honor student from Harlem, Steve Harmon, who is played by Kelvin Harrison Jr. Harmon is eventually convicted of murder is left to fight the case with the support of family and friends. Nas plays a prison inmate and Rocky takes on the role of Harmon’s co-defendant, William King. The Monster cast also features Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, John David Washington (who recently appeared in Netflix’s Malcolm & Marie), and more. John Legend also serves as another of the film’s executive producers.

The trailer arrives after Nas’ classic debut album, Illmatic, was recently honored by The Library Of Congress. ASAP Rocky, on the other hand, is slowly returning to the music world as he previewed a bunch of new music as this year’s Yams Day Festival and later dropped his “G-Unit Rice” track.

You can watch the trailer in the video above.

A Career-Spanning Kanye West Documentary Is Reportedly Heading To Netflix

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The tale of Kanye West has taken a bunch of turns over the past couple years, but even before that, his story was one of music’s more fascinating. Now that journey will reportedly be chronicled in a new documentary series that is coming to Netflix.

According to Billboard, Netflix reportedly acquired the currently untitled project from TIME Studios and Coodie & Chike (the duo of Clarence “Coodie” Simmons and Chike Ozah) for $30 million, and it is apparently set to debut on Netflix later in 2021.

Coodie & Chike directed two early West videos, for “Through The Wire” and “Jesus Walks,” and have since made some notable documentaries. Those include the 30 For 30 film Benji (a 2012 documentary about the death of promising basketball player Ben Wilson) and the 2019 Netflix documentary A Kid From Coney Island (about former NBA star Stephon Marbury). The duo has apparently been filming West since the ’90s, meaning the duo is working with plenty of footage from the past two decades.

The film will reportedly use previously unseen footage and home videos and will “deal with the death of West’s mother, Donda West, and the impact it had on the rapper; his personal evolution in recent years; his successful move into fashion design and his unsuccessful run for President in 2020.” West is not involved in the production in a creative capacity.

21 Savage Is Executive Producing The Music For The ‘Saw’ Spinoff, ‘Spiral’

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Gruesome horror movie imagery has always permeated 21 Savage’s music, so it’s only right that the Slaughter Gang head honcho takes his penchant for making murderous music on his first foray into Hollywood. Variety reports that the UK-born, Atlanta-bred Grammy winner has been tasked with executive producing the music for the upcoming Saw spinoff, Spiral: From The Book Of Saw. 21 also crafted his new single “Spiral” as the film’s theme song, which can be heard throughout the newly released trailer.

The film, which is produced by and stars Chris Rock, also features Samuel L. Jackson, as the two veteran actors portray a father-and-son police duo confronted by a Jigsaw copycat killer. 21 Savage’s ear for ominous beats and mayhem-inspired rhymes seems like the perfect match for the sadistic on-screen action.

However, as ominous as his taste would appear to be from his output, it’s also omnivorous. The lanky rapper has been known to post social media videos singing along to his favorite R&B tunes, as he did during the recent Verzuz show with Ashanti and Keyshia Cole. That versatility could also serve him well in his capacity as the soundtrack’s executive producer, as he could use lighter fare to set up the bigger scares — or completely invert fan-favorites as the trailers for Jordan Peele’s haunting thrillers Us and Candyman (which he produced, not directed) have done in the past.

Watch the trailer for Spiral: From The Book Of Saw above. The film premieres May 14, 2021.

Jason Statham Shoots Post Malone In A New ‘Wrath Of Man’ Trailer

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As Post Malone has become a bigger and bigger star in the music world, he has gradually been increasing his profile in the cinematic realm as well. Last year, he had a role in the Mark Wahlberg film Spenser Confidential, in which he had to opportunity to engage in fisticuffs with Marky Mark. Now he’s in another movie, and yet again, he squaring off against the leading man. Even just based on the new trailer for the Jason Statham-starring Wrath Of Man, it seems clear that Malone’s character doesn’t last too long.

In the film, Statham works for a company that uses armored trucks to transport large quantities of money. In a scene from the trailer, Malone is part of a crew trying to pull off a heist on one of these vehicles. Statham does his action star thing and kills everybody involved. It seem Malone gets away temporarily, only for Statham to track him down, shoot him from behind, then put one more bullet in him as he lays on the ground.

Malone filmed his parts in 2019, as photos of him on set surfaced around then, seemingly filming the scene depicted in the new trailer.

Watch the Wrath Of Man trailer above.

Freddie Gibbs Is Set To Make His Film Debut In ‘Down With The King’

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Freddie Gibbs has become a borderline rap superstar by sheer force of will, longevity, and his charismatic personality. The latter is mostly displayed through his irreverent social media presence, but soon fans will be able to see it on the big screen. Complex reports that the Gary, Indiana supreme rhyme technician has just wrapped principal photography on his feature film debut, the independently-produced Down With The King.

According to Complex, the film follows Gibbs’ Mercury Maxwell, a rapper who wants to leave hip-hop behind to become… a farmer. After being sent to the rural Berkshires of Massachusetts, Mercury decides to drop his Money Merc persona and announces his retirement. However, his manager isn’t ready to let his client walk away so easily. While those ingredients have all the hallmarks of a comedy — and Gibbs’ certainly has the chops for one — Complex reports the film’s a drama.

Produced by Breaker Studios, written and directed by Diego Ongaro, and co-starring Bob Tarasuk, David Krumholtz, Jamie Neumann, and Sharon Washington, Complex notes that Down With The King will appear at festivals later this year, where the creators hope to pick up a distributor. Gibbs, who wrote and performed original music for the film, “worked intimately together” with Ongaro “to craft Mercury’s character and backstory” according to the director, who wanted to combine two of his seemingly opposing passions.

“Many films that feature the hip-hop community tell underdog ‘success stories,’ whereas Down with the King does the contrary,” he says. “Mercury is at the top of the hip-hop world but desperately seeks a simpler life… It was an absolute thrill working with someone as sharp and multi-talented as Freddie in this collaborative way.”

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

John Legend Condemns The ‘Horrible’ Atlanta Shootings And Calls For A Reckoning For Asian Americans

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On Tuesday evening, a gunman in Atlanta took the lives of eight people, six of whom were Asian American, at three different massage parlors. The tragedy is believed by many to be racially-motivated and is an unfortunate example of an increased number of hate crimes against Asian Americans that have taken place since the pandemic’s outbreak. Many are calling for an awareness of anti-Asian violence, and John Legend is now the latest celebrity to speak out against the “horrible” news.

According to non-profit organization Stop Asian American Pacific Islander Hate, nearly 3,800 incidents of violence have been reported since the pandemic. Following the news of the tragic Atlanta shooting, many have shared an outpouring of support for the families affected and their fellow Asian American community members who fear for their own safety.

John Legend, whose wife Chrissy Teigan has a mother from Thailand, took to Twitter to condemn the crimes. “Absolutely horrible,” he wrote. “Sending love to all the loved ones of those whose lives were taken. Our nation needs to reckon with the increased threats being directed at our Asian-American brothers and sisters.”

Lana Condor, singer/songwriter and actor in Netflix’s popular film To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, similarly used her platform to spread awareness. “Wake up… your Asian friends and family are deeply scared, horrified, sick to their stomachs and wildly angry,” she wrote. “Please please please check in on us, please please please stand with us. Please. Your Asian friend needs you, even if they aren’t publicly grieving on social media.”

Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner also posted her thoughts on the upsetting news and shared several examples of racism she and her fellow Asian Americans have faced. “We are white adjacent until we are not,” she wrote. “Til someone calls us a chink, or mocks an accent, claims we started this virus from eating dogs and bats, attacks our elders, targets and kills us. Dunno wtf it does to say stop AAPI [Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders] hate but it is important to acknowledge this is very real.”