Sports

Taylor Swift Praises Simone Biles After She Returned To The Olympics: ‘We All Learned From You’

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Last week, Simone Biles withdrew from the US women’s gymnastics team due to mental health issues. She later revealed that she suffered from the “twisties,” a condition that leads to “not having your mind and body in sync.” (She later returned to the team and won a Bronze.) Despite her honesty towards an absolutely reasonable excuse, she faced criticism from the likes of Piers Morgan and Michael Che while receiving support from names like Justin Bieber, Kevin Love, and now Taylor Swift.

https://twitter.com/taylorswift13/status/142269233749966029

“Throughout the last week, her voice has been as significant as her talents,” the singer said in a video with NBC. “Her honesty as beautiful as the perfection that had long been her signature. But don’t you see? It still is. She is perfectly human. And that’s what makes it so easy to call her a hero. Simone Biles, back on the beam, in Tokyo.”

Biles caught wind of the video and hopped on Twitter to thank Swift for her words. “I’m crying how special. I love you @taylorswift13,” the gymnast wrote. Swift replied, “I cried watching YOU. I feel so lucky to have gotten to watch you all these years, but this week was a lesson in emotional intelligence and resilience. We all learned from you. Thank you.”

Ariana Grande Will Be The Latest Star To Host A Concert In ‘Fortnite’

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As we continue moving into the digital age, we’re seeing stars across the world get more creative in bringing fans to them, especially in music. It used to be that the only way to check out your favorites was to go to a concert, a music festival, or maybe a meet and greet of some kind. Now we’re seeing some of these same events stretch out to a wider audience through the connectivity of online platforms, and particularly gaming.

One of the more unique ways we’ve seen this happening is in Fortnite. The battle royale may be most well known for all the dance trends it spawns, but it’s also hosted a lot of crossovers with real life stars such as Travis Scott and LeBron James.

Joining the trend of celebrities making their appearance in Fortnite will be pop star Ariana Grande. The former child actor turned pop singer, will be a part of Fortnite’s “Rift Tour” where she’ll put on virtual concerts for anyone that attends the in-game events. Of course, because this is Fortnite, there will also be quests to complete and Ariana Grande themed loot to collect throughout the Rift Tour.

Among the items that players can earn while playing Fortnite during this event is a Cuddly Cloudcruiser umbrella that players will be able to glide in with after dropping. The event begins Friday, August 6, and will take place throughout the weekend. The final showing will be on August 8, Sunday, at 6 p.m. ET.

Ensuring that fans around the world can catch the Rift Tour, the experience spans five showtimes over three days. We recommend fans arrive in Fortnite 60 minutes before showtime, and the Rift Tour Playlist should be live 30 minutes before each show. Before Ariana’s arrival, the Rift Tour kicks off with Fortnite-themed experiences — pairing popular tracks with moments based on elements from the game.

This might seem weird to some, but these events have been wildly successful in the past. During Travis Scott’s virtual concert he managed to break Fortnite’s concurrent players record with over 12 million all playing at once. Considering the extreme popularity of Ariana Grande, and that FFortnite is a free game, there’s a pretty solid chance that this concert is going to break a few records of its own.

Drake, LeBron James, And More Team Up For A Documentary That Follows The Journey Of Black Hockey Players

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Drake will join forces with LeBron James, Maverick Carter, and Adel “Future” Nur to executive produce a new documentary about the experiences of Black hockey players in both Canada and The United States. Titled Black Ice, it will also be directed by Oscar nominee Hubert Davis and it will explore, as per a press release, “the history, influence and racialized journey of Black hockey players” in addition to their dealings with systemic racism.

A number of Black players who participated in the sport’s Colored Hockey League — from Canada’s Maritimes all the way to today’s NHL — will be highlighted in the documentary. In a statement about Black Ice, Davis shared his feelings about the film and what he took away from it.

“I was not only surprised but inspired to learn about the stories of the often overlooked and unheralded Black pioneers of hockey,” Davis said, according to Complex. “I think it is more important than ever before for all generations, particularly young people of colour, to understand and see the diverse faces who have contributed and shaped one the essential fabrics of our country.”

Black Ice is the result of a partnership between Uninterrupted Canada and The SpringHill Company, which was founded by James and Carter. The company is also responsible for Space Jam: A New Legacy, More Than A Game, and The Carter Effect. A release date for Black Ice has not yet been shared.

From Call of Duty To NBA 2K, Bankrol Hayden Never Forgets How Video Games Helped Him

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ATLANTIC RECORDS

With hits like “Cabo” and “Brothers,” 19-year-old Bankrol Hayden is making his name known, but despite the time and effort that goes into finding and then building on early success, Bankrol still has love for his time spent gaming with his friends back in the day and for what gaming has meant for him in his life. That’s part of why he’s set to be one of the key talents driving Xbox and Atlantic Records’ unveil of the Green Room, a streaming crossover event happening tonight at 6PM ET on Atlantic’s YouTube channel.

Hayden is set to be a member of one of the 10 squads playing Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare (additional guests include Seth Curry, A Boogie, and Vikkstar) for bragging rights and a share of a $10,000 prize pool. Uproxx spoke with Bankrol about the event, his training, and what song he’d put on the NBA2K soundtrack if he had the chance.

Talk to me about why you wanted to be involved with the launch of the series.

Bankrol Hayden: Yeah, it’s really cool. Honestly, I was excited when they told me about it, especially because GaryV is on it. I’ve always been a big fan of his. Also, I’ve just been playing video games since I was a kid. So it was good news when I got to hear that.

How much Call of Duty do you play?

I’m going to be honest, when I was little I played a lot of Call Of Duty: Black Ops, Black Ops Two. But I don’t play much Call Of Duty [now]. I’m actually getting into training right now. I don’t play that much to be real with you, bro. I play more 2K and Madden, I play a lot of GTA. I still play the OG Call Of Duty [games] and shit with my boys when I go back home. I used to go on zombies and go crazy. Nuketown. [In Modern Warfare 3] we used to be taking out the juggernauts. Now that bro brought that back to my memory, it would be every level you would get a new gun or something, but we would be taking out like three or four juggernauts every round. That shit was lit. This was before Black Ops Two, Black Ops One. Yeah, this is way back. But man, I’m really excited for the event. It’s going to be a great time. We’re going to have a blast.

So when you are playing, is it more of a relaxed, hang with friends thing, or just an escape from the world?

It just gets my mind off stuff. I used to be in the hospital and when I was going through surgeries and I was like, I’ve got a back surgery tomorrow, I would be like, okay, playing Fortnite is taking my mind off all that. Or playing Call Of Duty, playing 2K with my boys, with a headset on. That’s always kind of what video games did for me. But as I’m moving into my rap career, I’ve got to be focusing. I’ve got to watch how much time I spend on the game. So I actually put it away. It’s in my closet right now.

I like that. That means you’re really focused.

It was draining for me because I had it in my living room bro, and I was like, you know what? We are here to make music. That’s why we are in LA. But it’s still good and I like it. That shit really helps people’s minds.

When you’re playing 2K, who’s your team?

Man, bro, I liked playing 2K Blacktop, bro. That’s my favorite thing. You gotta watch what I did with Faze Blaze. I beat him in 2K. I like playing that stuff, but my team is going to be the Warriors because that’s where I’m from, out there in the bay.

Are they going back to the playoffs next year?

We’re going back to the playoffs with Klay [Thompson].

How do you feel about Giannis Antetokounmpo winning a championship?

Bro, that shit is inspiring, bro. Just seeing bro win, all the videos of him wanting it before, and now he’s here, it’s respectable. He deserved it.

What song of yours do you feel would be best on a 2K soundtrack?

I’m going to say “Costa Rica” with Kid Laroi remix. That shit would go crazy, I feel like. Or “Drop a Tear,” Lil Baby with me.

What was it like doing a song with Lil Baby?

Shoot man, it was a cool experience. We shot it in a church in Atlanta and all those people had great vibes. It was cool people and it was good, man. It was a good experience. It was crazy. Because I’m a big fan a Lil Baby. So I was like, man, this is surreal.

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

Kanye West Took A Break From Working On ‘Donda’ To Hang Out With The Atlanta United Crowd

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Kanye West’s next album, Donda, is on its way. West, who held a highly anticipated listening party for the still yet to be completed album in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium late last week, has been holed up at the home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United working on it ever since, with a new target release date of August 6.

What is making this album process even more fascinating is that he’s seemingly commandeered a room in the stadium to continue working on it, even while events are ongoing. On Saturday, Ye’s stay at the Benz overlapped with Atlanta United playing host to the Columbus Crew, so he decided to take a stroll around the stadium and hang out with Atlanta United supporters during the game, posting videos of his afternoon taking in some MLS action on Instagram.

As many have pointed out, Kanye appears to be wearing the same thing he was for the album listening party, as maybe even he wasn’t prepared for this long of a stay at the stadium.

Naturally every other comment on his video is some form of “drop the album,” but it is pretty funny that while the world is watching for info on the much-anticipated release, he’s just out here posting videos of fans chanting at a soccer game with no commentary of his own. It’s great pub for Atlanta United, if nothing else, and it’s good to see Kanye taking a little break from a long day in his makeshift studio to take in some soccer.

A Group Featuring John Legend And Keith Urban Sings ‘Imagine’ At The 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony

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The 2020 Summer Olympics are getting started today, and they began, as they always do, with a grandiose Opening Ceremony. This year, singers from around the world came together to sing the John Lennon classic “Imagine” (a song, by the way, that features the lyric, “Imagine there’s no countries / It isn’t hard to do”).

Participating in the pre-taped performance were Keith Urban (representing Oceania), John Legend (America), Coro Suginami (Asia), Angelique Kidjo (Africa), and Alejandro Sanz (Europe). During the performance, a fleet of drones was positioned in the sky to form an image of a globe of Earth. As CNN notes, a guide to the ceremony explains, “Imagination has the power to unite and to move us forward. By singing this much-loved song in relay, we will spread its powerful message all over the world.”

In an interview clip Urban shared, he said, “It’s one of those songs that feels like it’s just always been there. It’s sort of like a spiritual classic. It’s almost more of a hymn than a song, you know? What lyrics stand out to me? Just the ones between the beginning and the end [laughs]. It’s an amazing song! […] Even if you don’t speak English and you don’t know what’s being said in ‘Imagine,’ you can feel it. You can feel that song.”

Watch some clips from the performance above.

A Group Featuring John Legend And Keith Urban Sings ‘Imagine’ At The 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony

by
Getty Image

The 2020 Summer Olympics are getting started today, and they began, as they always do, with a grandiose Opening Ceremony. This year, singers from around the world came together to sing the John Lennon classic “Imagine” (a song, by the way, that features the lyric, “Imagine there’s no countries / It isn’t hard to do”).

Participating in the pre-taped performance were Keith Urban (representing Oceania), John Legend (America), Coro Suginami (Asia), Angelique Kidjo (Africa), and Alejandro Sanz (Europe). During the performance, a fleet of drones was positioned in the sky to form an image of a globe of Earth. As CNN notes, a guide to the ceremony explains, “Imagination has the power to unite and to move us forward. By singing this much-loved song in relay, we will spread its powerful message all over the world.”

In an interview clip Urban shared, he said, “It’s one of those songs that feels like it’s just always been there. It’s sort of like a spiritual classic. It’s almost more of a hymn than a song, you know? What lyrics stand out to me? Just the ones between the beginning and the end [laughs]. It’s an amazing song! […] Even if you don’t speak English and you don’t know what’s being said in ‘Imagine,’ you can feel it. You can feel that song.”

Watch some clips from the performance above.

A Group Featuring John Legend And Keith Urban Sings ‘Imagine’ At The 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony

by
Getty Image

The 2020 Summer Olympics are getting started today, and they began, as they always do, with a grandiose Opening Ceremony. This year, singers from around the world came together to sing the John Lennon classic “Imagine” (a song, by the way, that features the lyric, “Imagine there’s no countries / It isn’t hard to do”).

Participating in the pre-taped performance were Keith Urban (representing Oceania), John Legend (America), Coro Suginami (Asia), Angelique Kidjo (Africa), and Alejandro Sanz (Europe). During the performance, a fleet of drones was positioned in the sky to form an image of a globe of Earth. As CNN notes, a guide to the ceremony explains, “Imagination has the power to unite and to move us forward. By singing this much-loved song in relay, we will spread its powerful message all over the world.”

In an interview clip Urban shared, he said, “It’s one of those songs that feels like it’s just always been there. It’s sort of like a spiritual classic. It’s almost more of a hymn than a song, you know? What lyrics stand out to me? Just the ones between the beginning and the end [laughs]. It’s an amazing song! […] Even if you don’t speak English and you don’t know what’s being said in ‘Imagine,’ you can feel it. You can feel that song.”

Watch some clips from the performance above.

Sha’Carri Richardson Starred In A New Beats Ad Featuring A Song From Kanye West’s Upcoming Album ‘DONDA’

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Earlier this month, Sha’Carri Richardson tested positive for marijuana and was issued a one-month suspension, disqualifying her from participating in the Olympics in Tokyo. Richardson did have possible alternate routes to the United States Olympic Team, but every door closed and Richardson, who many viewed as a favorite to win gold in the 100-meter dash, sparked a great deal of conversation that included high-profile support.

With that as the backdrop, Richardson was back at the forefront of the discourse on Tuesday when she was featured in a new Beats spot scored and edited by Kanye West in anticipation of his new album, DONDA, during Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals.

Richardson was seen wearing Beats Studio Buds and she ran 100 meters with the backdrop of West’s “No Child Left Behind.” West’s album, set to debut on Friday, July 23, is also highly anticipated, and the combination of the two made for quite a launch.

As for Richardson, it will be interesting to see how she is discussed as the Olympics begin later this week, particularly through the lens of mainstream coverage of the track and field events. It certainly doesn’t seem as if she will be fading into the background, though, and a prominent placement in the midst of an NBA Finals telecast is a reminder of that.

The Crossover Between Rap And Basketball Showcases Dual Threats On Both Sides

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Basketball players and rappers occasionally crossing into one another’s worlds is by no means a new trend. For years, some hoopers have viewed music as an interest to pursue when they’re not out on the hardwood, while rappers have viewed the basketball court as a place to go have some fun in between recording sessions.

In today’s Dime Breakdown, we decided to look at both sides of the coin. We start by highlighting a pair of NBA players who are two of the best on the mic right now. Of course, Damian Lillard is at the top of the NBA’s rap game right now, but there are plenty of other dudes on the come up. One of them, Sacramento Kings youngster Marvin Bagley III, has actually gotten into it with Dame (and, if we can be honest, came up short), but can still hold his own in the booth.

On the other side of things, we highlighted a pair of rappers who have game for days. J. Cole was an easy mention here, as he’s coming off of a spell as a professional basketball player in the Basketball Africa League earlier this year, while NLE Choppa is as bright a star on the court as he is in the studio.