Music

The Most Iconic Music Moments From ‘Euphoria’ Season 2

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Euphoria Season 2 Music
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If you’ve been keeping up with Season 2 of Euphoria, you’ve probably been on that emotional roller coaster for the past few weeks. Since the start of the show, Euphoria has always been known for its stunning cinematography and innovative approach to music. Sam Levinson’s vision in each character for Season 2 wouldn’t have been possible without Labrinth’s innovative scoring, resulting in another successful season. The 33-year-old singer-songwriter-producer is known for his ability to span across hip-hop, R&B, gospel, among other genres, allowing him to innovate storytelling, giving each scene a unique moment of its own. Over the past two seasons, Labrinth’s thrilling score earned him a 2020 Emmy win for Outstanding Music and Lyrics for “All For Us” as well as a Music Composition for a Series nomination.

It only went up from there as Season 2’s record-breaking launch had the strongest digital premiere of any episode of an HBO series and dominated Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart. The hype for the show’s original music only grew stronger as Spotify streams on the official Euphoria score increased by 260 percent since the Season 2 premiere and with listeners creating more than 600,000 Euphoria-related playlists on Spotify. Surprisingly, the show’s capability to bring back older music and mix it with current artists elevated this season in a modern and fresh way, which was interesting to see Gen Z engage and revive these old hits on their TikTok videos. Levinson’s script seamlessly blends with Labrinth’s experimental approaches, bringing back the season that was worth the wait. From the montages to the intense plot lines we’ve seen with our favorite characters, here are the top ten iconic music moments that were as powerful as the characterizations and storylines.

Check out the unranked list of the best songs from Euphoria Season 2 below.

Notorious B.I.G. — “Hypnotize” (Episode 1)

The beginning of Season 2 lived up to what we were all waiting for…a lit party. The first episode brought back a series of hip-hop classics as it kicked off the high-energy NYE party, exposing a lot of new and continuing storylines like the Cassie-Nate-Maddy situation, the start of ‘Fexi,’ Rue meeting Elliot, and many others. Choosing this ’90s classic hit was on-point as it gave a hint of nostalgia, feeling like a memory of high school even though our parties looked nothing like it…

Laura Les — “Haunted” (Episode 2)

In an interview with Paper Magazine, Laura Les discussed the inspiration behind hyper-pop hit “Haunted” which is about “getting overwhelmed by a feeling and how it changes things around you.” For people that love Lexi and are 100 Gecs fans, this song caught fans by surprise as she threw in her headphones and blasted this song to pump herself up for her bike ride to Fez’s store. It was interesting choice as revealed more of Lexi’s unique personality and it was definitely one of her more relatable moments.

Bobby Darin — “Call Me Irresponsible” (Episode 3)

The lyrics of this timeless jazz song fits with Rue’s intention of not staying clean as she dances around her bedroom. Initially watching Rue’s blissful moment led up to showing the reality of how her choices will affect the people she loves and cares about the most. Zendaya told Decider: “Those moments remind us of why she does it in the first place… When we live inside of her brain that’s joyous and beautiful until we zoom out and remember what’s happening. There’s a very harsh reality to what’s happening to her. “

Townes Van Zandt — “I’ll Be Here In The Morning” (Episode 4)

Episode 4 starts with Rue’s love note to Jules — a visually stunning montage — portraying pop culture’s most iconic love stories and artwork – including Annie Leibovitz’s famous photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Titanic, and Snow White. “I’ll Be Here In The Morning” flowing through the montage signifies Rue’s real love for Jules as she states: “This may be the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Labrinth — “I’m Tired” (Episode 4)

In a scene that was reminiscent of Rue’s overdose in the Season 1 finale, Rue continues her downward spiral, having a drug-induced hallucination of her own funeral, powerfully executed with Labrinth’s gospel-inspired vocals. Labrinth’s “I’m Tired” lyrics correlate with Rue and her journey with substance-abuse as this scene almost feels close to horrible, inevitable consequences. This ethereal scene was beautifully crafted as it constantly switched between Rue embracing Labrinth and her father, depicting how much the loss of Rue’s father has affected her.

Labrinth — “Left Behind” (Episode 4)

Even though this song isn’t officially released yet, I had to include this. After Cal’s confrontation to his family, the sequence at the end of Episode 4 showed the lowest points of all the characters. While we see Cassie feeling trapped, and the state of Kat and Ethan’s relationship, Rue’s narration returns, continuing her love note to Jules from the beginning of the episode. Creator Sam Levinson told Vanity Fair the visuals throughout the sequence was inspired by “Mexican murals from the turn of the century.” Once again, this proved that a Levinson/Labrinth collab always delivers as a masterpiece.

Labrinth — “Yeh I F*ckin’ Did It” (Episode 5)

This was where fans called for Zendaya to win another Emmy after her incredible performance. Even though it was devastating to see Rue hitting rock bottom, the overall episode stood out and further pushed boundaries from anything else on TV right now. Adding Labrinth’s single “Yeh I F*ckin’ Did It” had all of us at the edge of our seats as it added to the feelings of Rue’s helplessness and anxiety. At this point, we are patiently waiting for another Labrinth album.

INXS — “Never Tear Us Apart” (Episode 3)

We finally see Cal’s backstory in this season which reveals his secret relationship with his best friend Derek. INXS’s “Never Tear Us Apart” describes that instant connection with two people which further represents the significance of Cal and Derek’s story and how it’s affected him over the years.

Tove Lo — “How Long” (Episode 4)

Tove Lo’s featured track “How Long” is about love, denial, and betrayal. Season 2’s ongoing theme in our favorite friendships and relationships revolves around secrets. Whether it’s Rue and Jules’ relationship or Cassie/Nate/Maddie love triangle, this song perfectly depicts the good and bad of keeping secrets from the people you love and care about the most.

James Blake — “(Pick Me Up) Euphoria” Feat. Labrinth (Episode 4)

The collaborative “(Pick Me Up) Euphoria” track is unique in its own way as it relates to every character. Lyrics including “no control,” “escape,” and “sweet relief” are expressed through dissonant pitches and Blake’s falsetto, reflecting the different emotional extremes that we see each character throughout the show.

All in all, there were definitely more notable moments throughout the season that were done effortlessly. Labrinth previously stated, “Euphoria gave me the freedom to be whatever artist I want to be.” From the innovative music and cinematography to the revival of old classics, Euphoria is crafted from pure inspiration. Check out the full playlist below.

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

The Ukrainian Chorus Dumka Of New York Opened ‘SNL’ With A Performance Of ‘Prayer For Ukraine’

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Last week, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine reached a fever pitch when the former launched a “full-scale invasion” into the neighboring country. President Vladimir Putin might have believed that invading the nation would be an easy feat, but that has not been the case, as Russian soldiers have been met with strong resistance. Ukraine has made it clear that they won’t go out without a fight and the country’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is leading the charge on that front, having chosen to fight with his people instead of escaping.

The support for Ukraine has been strong. One example was on full display during last night’s episode of Saturday Night Live. Rather than their usual comedic cold open, the cast and crew of SNL welcomed the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka Of New York to begin the show. Following an introduction by SNL cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong, the choir sang “Prayer for Ukraine.” The chorus also performed in front of a table with candles that spelled out “Kyiv,” Ukraine’s capital.

The somber cold open was reminiscent of the first SNL episode, which also featured little in the way of humor, following the September 11 terrorist attacks back in 2001.

You can watch the performance in the video above.

After Big Sean’s Dick Pic Allegedly Leaked, The Rapper Denied It’s Him. The Internet Had Jokes Anyway

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There’s been a lot of ups and downs in Big Sean’s career, but rarely has a day on the internet been so #personal for the rapper. Namely: Fans now see exactly how the 5’8 rapper decided upon the moniker “Big Sean.” A photo is circulating that’s allegedly taken from Big Sean’s “Close Friends” Instagram story and then posted for the whole internet to see. And if it was real, that would be totally upsetting and not ok anyway. Even though, fans were definitely praising the pic because they thought his, ahem, endowment, was noteworthy.

After gossip publications like The Shade Room and others began reporting on the leaked nude, Sean made it clear from the jump that it’s not actually him, probably just another classic case of photoshop and posters wanting to post for clout. We get it. But since the world is descending back into hellacious chaos, and a pandemic is literally still going on, and some days it feels like these jokes are all we have, why not take a look at some of the reactions anyway, right? It’s a moment for all of us to gather together and celebrate the natural beauty of… someone? Hopefully whoever the member does belong to gets to see a few of these and have a laugh as well.

Megan Thee Stallion Takes Normani To Prom For Her Snapchat Show ‘Off Thee Leash’

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Everywhere you look, Megan Thee Stallion is there. And honestly? Former Fifth Harmony member turned breakout star Normani isn’t too far behind. The pair previously worked together on the song “Diamonds,” off the Birds Of Prey soundtrack, and it seems like they’ve developed a pretty tight bond. Which makes their latest bit of content together just that much cuter.

As part of Megan’s new collaboration with Snapchat on a short series called Off Thee Leash, she decided to do an episode with Normani. And once she found out that Normani missed her own prom because of touring with aforementioned girl group, there was nothing left to do but throw the “Wild Side” singer an idyllic prom. In the clip, Normani mentions that she might decide to turn one of her birthday parties into a full-on prom in the future, so this might not be the last prom-themed Normani we ever get.

Back to the most important aspect — Off Thee Leash is a show about pets, so Normani brings her dog, Sir Dior, with her during the episode. Fellow dog lovers will definitely appreciate his big, slobbering presence in the short. But Normani’s excitement about finally experiencing prom, broken corsage and all, is definitely the highlight. Watch above.

Doja Cat Praises Nicki Minaj’s Career: ‘I’m In Love With Everything’

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Doja Cat has been one of the most prolific female rappers in recent memory. The rising hip-hop and pop star has been continually featuring on tracks with other artists, sharing her life on social media, and released her own full-length, Planet Her to immense critical acclaim last year. But as Billboard kicks off another round of interviews with women in the music industry, honoring how much harder we have to work for recognition, it’s Doja’s turn to give flowers to someone who influenced her deeply. And it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the person she most wants to shout out is none other than Nicki Minaj.

Billboard asked Doja: “What performers did you look to growing up?” And her response included flowers for Nicki first and foremost, along with Janet Jackson, and Beyonce. “It’s pretty obvious that I’m in love with everything Nicki Minaj has put out into the world,” Doja assert, before citing some other artists she admires. “You have your Janets and your Beyoncés. I look at [other artists’] projects and performances and go, “Wow, I hope one day I get to that point.”

Well, most of us think she’s well on her way there. Check out the full interview here.

Megan Thee Stallion Says She’s Been Getting Threatening Messages On Social Media

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The last week has been eventful for Megan Thee Stallion, and not in the way that she might have hoped. A preliminary hearing in the rapper’s felony assault case with Tory Lanez, who is accused of shooting her in the foot during the summer of 2020, occurred on Wednesday. What should have been a smooth hearing, unfortunately, turned out to be dramatic after multiple false reports about it were shared on social media. Megan did her best to fight back against the claims, responding to messages from DJ Akademiks and Tory himself.

Days after the whole ordeal, Megan revealed something else that she’s been dealing with. She says she’s been receiving threatening messages on social media, with some going as far as to issue death threats. Megan shared one example on her Instagram Story. She posted a screenshot of a message from a user named “megantheestallionsbiggesthater” who wrote, “Megan Needs To Be Shot And Killed.” Megan shared the screenshot and wrote, “This is the type of sh*t i get online and see EVERY DAY.”

Megan’s revealing post comes after she sued her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, after they refused to claimed her 2021 project Something For Thee Hotties did not fulfill her contract.

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

Smino Cruises With Tiana Major9 In A ‘2 Seater’ Through Their Romantic New Video

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Smino is currently putting the finishing touches on his upcoming third album, Luv 4 Rent. He revealed the album’s title at the end of last year, but he hasn’t shared much else about it. Whenever it arrives, it will hopefully be an enjoyable follow-up to his 2018 album Noir. In the meantime, Smino is also lending his talents to other musicians, the latest being British singer Tiana Major9. The two joined forces for their new song “2 Seater,” and it’s a romantic effort that presents a couple who nurtures their relationship through their love for music and relaxing drives with the top down.

The new track is the lead single from Tiana Major9’s upcoming EP Fool Me Once, which is due on March 15. It will also be her first work since 2020’s At Sixes And Sevens, which featured an appearance from Earthgang and which was updated with a remix edition featuring collaborations from Jvck James, Haile, Vince Staples, SiR, Lucky Daye, and Beam.

Until the arrival of Fool Me Once next month, fans can enjoy performances from Major9 at Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales Tour, where Major9 is as an opening act for shows that continue until the end of March.

You can watch the video for “2 Seater” above.

Fool Me Once is out 3/15 via Motown Records. You can pre-save it here.

Kanye West And Beach House Were Spotted In The Studio Together

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Well here’s one that nobody had on their 2022 bingo card: Kanye West and Beach House appear to be in the studio together. Or maybe we could have seen this coming? Does anything surprise us with Kanye anymore these days? On the heels of releasing 16 tracks from Donda 2 directly onto his stem player this week, Ye posted a series of photos on Instagram from a studio session with two people who are very clearly Beach House’s Alex Scally and Victoria Legrande.

Beach House, who just released their double album Once Twice Melody last week, had a tour stop at The Sylvee in Madison, WI last night, and tonight, they’re performing at The Palace Theatre in St. Paul, MN. So assuming the series of photos aren’t from an old shoot, then it’s a good bet that these were taken in or near Madison or St. Paul.

West was in Miami this past Tuesday for the Donda 2 listening party and could be back in Chicago at this point. It’s also plausible that Beach House made a two and a half hour drive to Chicago after the Madison show to link with West and then took an hour and a half flight to St. Paul before tonight’s show.

Donda 2 co-producer John Cunningham took to Twitter to confirm the validity of the photo:

Regardless, even though you didn’t ask for it, we have proof that Kanye and Beach House linked in the studio. And for what it’s worth, this wouldn’t be the first time a prominent rapper has taken an interested in the dream-pop duo. The Weeknd famously sampled “Master Of None” for “The Party & The After Party” on his 2011 debut, House of Balloons, while Kendrick Lamar sampled “Silver Soul” on “Money Trees” off of his 2012 breakthrough, Good Kid m.A.A.d City.

Rick Ross Didn’t Want To Pay $10,000 To Have Ten Trees Cut Down, So He Put On A Cowboy Hat And Did It Himself

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If you want something done right, you got to do it yourself, right? Rick Ross seems to live by that mantra, as he made clear with a hilarious string of Instagram Story posts on Saturday morning. Ross, who is fresh off a deluxe release of his eleventh album, Richer Than I Ever Been, and videos for “Wiggle” and “Little Havana,” revealed a dilemma he faced: He wanted ten oak trees in his backyard cut down and the price to do so was $1,000 each. That amounts to a grand total of $10,000.

You might think that’s chump change to a successful artist like Rick Ross, but he decided there was a cheaper way to get it done. Ross sent a friend to purchase two chainsaws, which he says cost about $2,000. Then he put on a cowboy hat to cut down the trees himself. “They must’ve forgot who the f*ck I am,” Ross proclaimed after he put on his cowboy hat. “I’m hands-on, I’ll cut down my own motherf*cking trees. You can’t charge The Boss $1,000 a tree to cut it down, I’ll cut down my own motherf*cking trees. I gotta make room for my animals! I’m the biggest boss, y’all ready to go cut these trees down?”

True enough, the next few videos on his Instagram Story captured Ross taking the chainsaw to one of the oak trees. While it wasn’t the smoothest chop, Ross eventually cuts down the first of ten trees. After it falls down, Ross briefly celebrates before jokingly chasing down the person behind the camera.

Lucky Daye Unveils The Release Date And Cover Art For His Upcoming Album, ‘Candy Drip’

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It only took a few years for Lucky Daye to become one of the prominent voices of modern R&B. In 2019, Daye released his debut album, Painted, which became one of the best R&B releases of that year and scored multiple Grammy nominations. He’s also landed collaborations with the likes of Babyface, Ari Lennox, Wale, Ty Dolla Sign, and more. After dropping his EP Table For Two in 2021, Daye is ready to grace the world with his sophomore album, which he spoke about recently.

Daye previously announced that his sophomore album would be titled Candy Drip after he released its title track back in December. Now, he’s confirmed it will arrive on March 10. He also unveiled the cover art, which displays a close-up picture of Daye, who’s covered in some sticky liquid that looks a lot like honey. The announcement arrives after Daye shared “NWA” with Lil Durk, which is the second single from the forthcoming album.

Shortly after Candy Drip arrives, Daye will head out on a North American tour with singer Joyce Wrice. It kicks off March 18 in Portland, Oregon, and continues for a little over a month before coming to an end in New York City on April 25.

Candy Drip is out 3/10 via Keep Cool and RCA. You can pre-save it here.

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