Music

Meek Mill Calls On New York Legislators To Pass The Parole Reform Act, ‘Less Is More’

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As someone who’s been a victim of the prison system, Meek Mill has spent the last few years advocating for reform that would provide fairer circumstances to those who have been incarcerated or face jail time. So it should come as no surprise that the rapper is in full support of a parole reform bill that New York State legislators will soon vote on. If passed, the Less Is More bill will eliminate incarceration for a large number of technical parole violations. And in a post on Twitter, Meek showed his support for the bill.

“I am calling on NYS Legislature to pass the Less is More Act before they leave town next week!” the rapper wrote. “We need meaningful parole reform in NYS now!”

In addition to eliminating incarceration for technical parole violations, the Less Is More bill would also improve due process, provide quicker hearings, and deliver earned time credits for people under community supervision. According to Revolt, the bill is currently supported by more than 275 community and advocacy groups in New York as well as several Democratic members in Congress.

According to LessisMoreNY.org, a site dedicated to the bill, there are “approximately 35,000 people under active parole supervision in New York State who at almost any time can see their efforts to successfully rejoin the workforce and reintegrate into their families and their communities disrupted by reincarceration for a technical violation.” It adds that this risk “drives up the population in the state prisons and local jails, wasting taxpayer money.”

You can read Meek’s tweet above.

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

‘Friends’ Fans Think One Of Rihanna’s Recent ‘Vogue’ Looks Is A Joey Cosplay

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Rihanna doesn’t miss, ever. Especially when it comes to fashion, RiRi has long been ahead of the curve, and she is frequently a cover star due to that very aspect of her fame. In a recent shoot for Vogue Italy, though, one of the looks had fans thinking about a moment from the Friends sitcom that involved Joey pranking his roommate Chandler. Maybe everyone just has Friends on the brain after the long-awaited reunion racked up Marvel movie numbers, or maybe this layered look would’ve brought Joey’s own version to mind no matter what.

See if the above photo doesn’t remind you of the shot where Joey puts on all of Chandler’s clothes in the episode “The One Where No One’s Ready,” in retaliation for Chandler hiding all of his clothes. You can revisit his version of the layered look in the clip above. And though plenty of Rihanna’s celebrity friends praised the look without a second thought, one fan mentioning the comparison in a comment was all it took for the Joey cosplay idea to take hold:

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Of course, this wasn’t Rihanna’s only look in the shoot either, she had plenty of other high-fashion shots, including the epic cover. Check those out below.

Travis Scott Answers SZA’s Request To Perform ‘Love Galore’ Again Live

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An undeniable highlight from SZA’s classic debut album, Ctrl, was of course “The Weekend” and the side-chick tales she delivered on it. Another excellent moment from the project came on “Love Galore,” her collaboration with Travis Scott. The song would grow to be one of the highest-charting tracks from the album. Fast forward almost four years and SZA expressed her desire to perform it live once again. The only issue, however, was she couldn’t get in contact with Scott as she no longer had his number. After sending out a tweet asking the rapper to perform the song with her one more time, Scott arrived to answer her request.

“Of courseeeee,” he replied to SZA’s initial tweet. “1 last time, a couple more times !!!! When and where? We got the fest coming soon Love galore and Good dayzzzz,” a reference to the singer’s “Good Days” track which became her first top-10 Billboard singles chart entry. As for the festivals, Scott is set to headline Rolling Loud in Miami this summer, and his Astroworld festival is set to return later this fall as well.

SZA caught wind of his reply and answered back with pure excitement. “AAHHH PERIADDD!!!” she wrote. “Count me INN for the fest for all the things!!! I BEEN wanted to play astro ! iss WAY PAST time !”

The back and forth came after SZA said she “burst into tears” while rehearsing “20 Something,” the outro from Ctrl. It turns out the performances are all in preparation for a show she will hold as a part of American Express’ Unstaged series. SZA will perform on June 17th at 8 p.m. EST, just a week removed from the fourth anniversary of Ctrl and tickets for it can be purchased here.

Solange Debuts Her Short Film, ‘Passage,’ With Help From Dionne Warwick, KeiyaA, And More

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Solange is a woman of many talents, so it’s only right that she was asked to put together a video that shined a light on the finalists for the 2021 International Woolmark Prize. According to the award’s website, The International Woolmark Prize “celebrates outstanding fashion talents from around the globe who showcase the beauty and versatility of Australian Merino wool. It is the world’s most prestigious award for rising fashion stars.” The 2021 finalists for the award include Bethany Williams, Kenneth Ize, LECAVALIER, Matty Bovan, Thebe Magugu, and Casablanca.

The singer’s short film, titled Passage, features a cast of celebrities who wear clothing designed by the finalists for the International Woolmark Prize. Dionne Warwick rocks clothing created by Magugu while Dominique Jackson from FX’s Pose is found in work by Kenneth Ize. Rapper SahBabii and singer KeiyaA also appear in the visual directed by Wu Tsang. In a lengthy statement, Solange spoke about Passage and her inspiration behind the film.

In continuing Saint Heron’s world-making practice, Passage further explores my interest in theatrical production through the translation of identity, spirit, philosophy and creation. Whether it be through album artwork, stage design, or filmmaking, I’ve always sought to create new visual languages that encompass the expressions my other works cannot communicate. I’m inspired to expand these processes through the Saint Heron Agency with a wider scope of collaborations and projects. To reflect on and honor the creative process with the 2021 International Woolmark Prize finalists, Passage aligns with Saint Heron’s mission to reverence creation as life, from abstraction to being. I’ve been a longtime fan of Wu Tsang’s work and to be able to work alongside her, the Saint Heron team, and all of the incredible artists and designers in the film, really fortifies the ethos of collaboration and communal creative exchange that we wish to continue to embody.

You can watch the film in the video above.

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

Florence Pugh’s Mom Got Super Baked With Snoop Dogg At The 2020 Oscars

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Even though vaccination rates have slowed to the extent that Anheuser-Busch had to promise people free beer, America is still very quickly reopening. The movies are more or less back. So are concerts. Broadway will reopen soon. And just in time for what experts agree will almost certainly be a slutty summer. One of the last big events that happened before the pandemic was the Oscars, held late last February. And while promoting the long-delayed Black Widow, Florence Pugh had a pretty good story about a time when we could all party.

The acclaimed actress appeared (still remotely) on Jimmy Kimmel, armed with a new Black Widow clip. But arguably better was a tale about her parents. She was able to bring both of them to the 2020 Academy Awards, and she was a little worried because they are both, in her words, “big characters.”

Sure enough, they went mad at post-show parties. Both, she told Kimmel, have a habit of splitting off and getting into misadventures, befriending as many as they can. Her dad hit it off with Noel Gallagher and reconnected with Renee Zellweger, whom he’d met earlier at the BAFTAs. Her mom, meanwhile, got on with Kate Hudson. But at one point, she vanished for hours, to the point where Pugh was a bit worried.

Finally, her mom “came crawling from somewhere, holding onto bannisters and doors.” She looked disheveled, out of sorts. Was she okay? Yes, she said, but she’d “been hanging out with Snoop Dogg.” So not only was she fine but Pugh had a new thing she could brag about: “My mom got high with Snoop Dogg!” she exclaimed to Kimmel and crowd.

Black Widow, which in another timeline would have kicked off the 2020 summer movie season, will finally hit theaters as well as PVOD Disney+ on July 9. You can watch Pugh’s Kimmel appearance in the video above.

(Via The AV Club)

Lil Reese Arrested For Domestic Violence After He Allegedly Punched His Girlfriend In The Face

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Lil Reese found himself on the wrong side of the law on Friday night. The Chicago rapper was arrested for domestic violence following an incident with his girlfriend. According to XXL, Reese was taken into custody on May 29 at 10:25 p.m. after officers were called to his home by his girlfriend. When they arrived, officers were told that the couple had gotten into a verbal argument that eventually turned physical. She claims the rapper yanked her hair and punched her in the face, which left a clear injury on her lip. Reese was charged with a domestic violence misdemeanor. Hours later he was released from jail after posting a $10,000 bond.

In a statement to XXL, the rapper denied the domestic violence claims. “I got lied on by someone,” Reese told the publication. “[Never] did hit anyone.” He added that he was a victim of false information.

The arrest comes three weeks ago Reese was shot in the face. The incident occurred in the rapper’s hometown of Chicago, and upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered him and two other victims. XXL reports that the shooting was the result of a dispute over a stolen Dodge Durango. A man allegedly tracked down the vehicle with a GPS device. When he came across the car, he discovered Reese and company sitting in it and tried to detain them but someone outside the vehicle began firing at them. The man returned shots and struck the men in the car.

21 Savage’s Video For ‘Betrayed’ Looks Like It Came Straight Out Of A Video Game

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21 Savage and Metro Boomin are certainly one of the better rapper-producer duos in today’s industry. The latter helped create the landscape for the rapper’s 2016 breakout mixtape, Savage Mode, which received an excellent sequel last year. The two have also worked on countless other songs together, their latest being a contribution to the soundtrack for the new film Gully.

Their new song, entitled “Betrayed,” is one of ten that comprise the movie’s soundtrack, and it was released with a music video that looks like a video game. 21 Savage raps as sparks of fire rain in front of him, all while Metro Boomin stands in support of his frequent collaborator’s rhymes.

Gully is the second movie this year in which 21 Savage had a hand. Last month he released the soundtrack to Spiral: From The Book Of Saw — a short effort with just four songs, featuring appearances from Gunna, Young Thug, Young Nudy, and more. As for Gully, the film is led by music video director Nabil Elderkin, who is credited mononymously as Nabil in his videos. His résumé includes video direction for Kanye West’s “Welcome To Heartbreak,” Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA.,” SZA’s “Love Galore,” and many more. Gully‘s soundtrack is also features contributions from 2 Chainz, 21 Savage, Don Toliver, Dua Lipa, Miguel, Snoh Aalegra, and Ty Dolla Sign.

You can watch the video for 21 Savage’s “Betrayed” above.

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

ASAP Rocky’s Documentary ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ Will Premiere At This Year’s Tribeca Film Festival

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Back in 2019, ASAP Rocky spent more than a month in a Swedish jail following a brawl involving him and his entourage and which left one Mustafa Jafari with a number of injuries. The incident saw heavy news coverage, as the rapper’s fans, fellow artists, and then-President Donald Trump called for his freedom. In the end, Rocky was charged and convicted of assault, given a suspended prison sentence, and hit with a fine of $1,270 in damages to the victim. The conviction did not, however, require any additional prison time, nor did it bar him from returning to the country. Now, nearly two years later, Rocky will recap the incident in its entirety in a new documentary.

According to Rap-Up, the film, entitled Stockholm Syndrome, is set to premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, as a part of the showcase’s Juneteenth programming on Sunday, June 13, at 8 p.m. The 105-minute film is directed by The Architects and will cover the rapper’s stay at the Swedish jail through interviews, archival footage, live concert footage, and more. It will also feature apperances from Kim Kardashian, Naomi Campbell, Tyler, the Creator, Michèle Lamy, and A$AP Ferg.

“Stockholm Syndrome chronicles the meteoric rise of this contemporary trendsetter,” a press release for the film reads. “Capturing the exuberance of youth and urgency of hip-hop in equal parts, before taking a detour into darkness.”

Pop Smoke Has A New Album On The Way, According To His Manager Steven Victor

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One of the highlights of 2020 was the arrival of Pop Smoke’s debut album, Shoot for The Stars, Aim for The Moon. The project arrived five months after Pop was shot and killed during a home invasion in a Hollywood mansion he was renting. The album became one of the most streamed of 2020 and has remained a mainstay in the top-10 of the Billboard album charts. For those who wanted more, the late rapper’s manager, Steven Victor, has some good news.

In a post to Twitter on Friday, Victor hinted at more music, writing, “POP SMOKE ALBUM,” with a slew of fire emojis. He also teased an upcoming album from Pusha T. The announcement comes after Rico Beats, who also worked with Pop Smoke, spoke about an upcoming project from the late rapper. “I see and hear everything,” he wrote under an Instagram post. “Kept it cool tho no worries. Pay back around the corner. Pop Smoke new album loading…”

As we wait for updates about the album, fans can expect to hear Pop Smoke on a pair of upcoming projects. He’s set to appear on “Lane Switcha” with Skepta, ASAP Rocky, Juicy J, and Project Pat, from the upcoming soundtrack for Fast & Furious 9. He will also make an appearance on Polo G’s upcoming album, Hall Of Fame, out on June 11.

Lil Baby And Lil Durk’s Elegant ‘How It Feels’ Video Is A High-Class Caper

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Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s newly released joint album is titled Voice Of The Heroes, but in their elegant “How It Feels” video, the two rap stars play crooks in a high-class caper — although, it turns out to be for a good cause, so perhaps they’re best described as anti-heroes.

Taking inspiration from such big-money caper flicks as Ocean’s Eleven, the “How It Feels” video sees the duo pull up to an auction house just before the sale goes down. Despite making an honest bid for a diamond necklace, they are forced to resort to the thievery, splitting up to take out the cameras, knock out the guards, and break into the case containing the necklace. They make off with the goods, fencing the diamonds in exchange for cash, but they don’t keep it for themselves. Instead, they bring it to the streets, handing out the duffle bags with the money from the back of a truck, a la Frank Lucas in American Gangster.

Watch the video for “How It Feels” above.

Voice Of The Heroes is out now via Quality Control Music. Get it here and check out the self-titled lead single, along with the two rappers’ previous collaboration on DJ Khaled’s “Every Chance I Get.”