Netflix’s animated series We The People drops in exactly one month, and today, one of the stars set to be highlighted in the series, HER, has shared her musical contribution to its soundtrack, “Change.” Opening with a mean bass riff, the song describes parts of the political process and advocates for education and participation, acclaiming the power of one person to make a difference. “One day, I’ll be a leader,” she sings. “Believe in ‘We the people.’”
The singer has been lauded in recent months for the string of socially conscious hits she’s released in the past year, which includes the Golden Globe-nominated “Fight For You” from the Judas And The Black Messiah soundtrack and the Grammy-winning “I Can’t Breathe,” released in response to the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin.
We The People, streaming July 4, is produced by Barack and Michelle Obama and Black-ish creator Kenya Barris and aims to inspire viewers to become more engaged with their community and government. A description from Netflix reads:
Combining music and animation to educate a new generation of young Americans about the power of the people, We the People is a series of 10 animated music videos that covers a range of basic U.S. civics lessons in not-so-basic ways. Set to original songs performed by artists such as H.E.R., Janelle Monáe, Brandi Carlile, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adam Lambert, Cordae, Bebe Rexha, KYLE, Andra Day, and poet Amanda Gorman, with a groundbreaking mix of animated styles — each episode of We the People is an exuberant call to action for everyone to rethink civics as a living, breathing thing and to reframe their understanding of what government and citizenship mean in a modern world.
Listen to “Change” above. We The People starts streaming 7/4 on Netflix.
It was made official a few weeks ago that the second season of Lil Dicky’s beloved FX series Dave will premiere this summer. Now there’s a new trailer for the upcoming episodes and it reveals some of what will be going on this season. The new season, by the way, is set to premiere on June 16 at 10 p.m. on FXX before streaming on Hulu the next day.
Dicky seems to be experiencing a creative block and having trouble making his debut album, despite other things in his life going well. For example, Dicky seems to have connected with Doja Cat through an online dating platform. Elsewhere, he encounters Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi of Rae Sremmurd, as well as Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner at Benny Blanco’s house. The trailer wraps up with him hilariously talking with NBA legend (and Airplane star) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar about how basketball used to be.
Other celebrities not in the trailer but previously revealed to be making appearances this season are Lil Nas X, CL, Kyle Kuzma, J Balvin, Lil Yachty, Kevin Hart, and others.
Press materials previously said of the new season, “Dave knows he’s destined for rap superstardom — but at what cost? With the pressure mounting as he records his debut album, he has to decide if he’ll sacrifice friendships, love, and his own sense of self in order to make his dream come true. Simultaneously exasperating and inspiring to his friends, Dave vows to leave no stone unturned on his quest to become the next superstar.”
Netflix just dropped the first official trailer for We the People, an animated music video series created by Chris Nee and produced through a joint collaboration between Kenya Barris and Barack and Michelle Obama. Featuring a powerhouse set list of musical stars like H.E.R. and Janelle Monáe, the 10 episodes series will feature a collection of music videos that will hopefully inspire viewers to rethink their civic engagement. A “Civics Remix,” as the trailer calls it.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Combining music and animation to educate a new generation of young Americans about the power of the people, We the People is a series of 10 animated music videos that covers a range of basic U.S. civics lessons in not-so-basic ways. Set to original songs performed by artists such as H.E.R., Janelle Monáe, Brandi Carlile, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adam Lambert, Cordae, Bebe Rexha, KYLE, Andra Day, and poet Amanda Gorman, with a groundbreaking mix of animated styles — each episode of We the People is an exuberant call to action for everyone to rethink civics as a living, breathing thing and to reframe their understanding of what government and citizenship mean in a modern world.
Action Bronson may have lost 140 pounds since last year, but he’s still got that unmistakable Action grin. It comes paired with a “smiling eyes” brand of warmth that’ll make you feel like you’ve known the guy for years. His vibe has always been to live loud. Smoke what you want, eat what you want, do what you want, and give yourself over completely to life’s pleasures. It’s part of what makes his personality so infectious and why people flock to catch his show F*ck That’s Delicious, currently airing on YouTube, which is literally just about Action eating at the places he likes to eat (now with more kettlebell squats!).
But if you were worried that the new, healthier Action Bronson might live like a monk, fear not. He’s still the same dude with the same passion for food and life. He just felt like the fast life was catching up to him and he needed an adjustment.
“I put it out there for people to be free and fat and this and that, and eat what you like,” he says. “But unfortunately, some people have genetics like me where it just fucking sticks to your ass. I wanted to make amends… I realized that I was a fuckhead and I should stop doing these things and change shit up.”
That realization came while the multi-hyphenate was working on his new self-help book, Fuck It I’ll Start Tomorrow, which Action admits began as an attempt to get a check before morphing into a genuine journey of self-examination. We linked up last week over Zoom to talk about writing the book, getting fit, eating plant-based, and how it will all affect Fuck That’s Delicious going forward.
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Let’s talk a bit about your new book Fuck It I’ll Start Tomorrow. It’s positioned as a self-help book — what kind of lessons do you teach people in the book?
Deceit, lying, lying to yourself, coming to the realization that you’ve lied to yourself and you’ve lied to everybody else… you know all kinds of things. It’s experience-based, a lot of people can relate to some of the things I’m saying, but I wrote it with deceit in my mind. When I wrote the book I had no intention of putting my all into it, which is unfortunate because I only do things that I put my all into. This I did strictly because it was a check and a way to get to another cookbook, which I really wanted to do. I didn’t want to do a fucking self-help book because “I don’t fucking give a shit,” that was my attitude.
The bottom line is, this book was written with bad intentions but somehow it turned a mirror on me and I realized that I was a fuckhead and I should stop doing these things and change shit up. Never do anything that you don’t put your all into and this book taught me a lesson.
The book ended at the pandemic, it was a prequel to all the change that’s happened now, but it was a catalyst. The book was a catalyst unknowingly, I hated every second of it, you could ask Rachel Wharton the woman who wrote the book with me, James Beard award winner, two times New York best-selling author. She went through hell with me to do this shit, I feel terrible. At one point I called them up and was like “Yo, I’ll give you the money back I’m not fucking doing this.” It was a shit show, but I’m just glad everything worked out.
In the book, you could feel my pain and my joy.
This year has been a definite journey, you’ve totally changed your life and changed the way you eat. What has impacted you the most about transforming, not just the way you look physically, but your diet, which was originally built around excess?
I’ve always been able to eat right, I actually went to school and got a 100 in nutrition, I know what we’re supposed to eat. I know what we need to eat to be healthy, I know what not to eat, I know not to eat 10 desserts at one time, but I’m an addict.
You have to break through that addiction, but the mind is stronger than anything and I feel like my mind is ironclad. 140 pounds bro. That’s not easy, I was disgusted I had 140 to lose, I still got to lose another 20 to 30, it’s unreal. At least I’m at a normal weight now, before I was so abnormal, it was disgusting.
I caught some of the new episodes of Fuck That’s Delicious, and I noticed just because you’ve gotten healthy, you haven’t gotten soft, you’re rocking the kettle ball to the pizza joint, you’re still as passionate about food as you’ve always been. That’s particularly inspiring because you’ve changed your whole life around but you haven’t given up the joy, and I think that’s an important message to share with people. What was your thinking going into the new season?
My thinking going into it was pretty much trying to mix my new lifestyle with the show. Every time we do Fuck That’s Delicious, all this shit was made up because this is my life. It was chronicling my life with the homies, and that was it, we never put any stage shit on, it’s all just one take, put a camera on and we just lived. So I just put the camera on and lived again, and this is just the way I’m living now so we’re capturing this.
For so long, it’s been just “blast yourself with 45 meals a day and desserts. It’s okay, just laugh, drink your face off, and smoke your life away.” Yeah, cool. There comes a point where it catches up and it caught up heavy to me. I had to chill out but the love of food is always going to be there. It doesn’t mean you have to stop eating, it just means you have to stop being an animal.
You gotta know when to hold them and you gotta know when to fold them. I learned when to fold them. Before, I didn’t know how to fold them.
Right now you’ve got a partnership happening with Field Roast and their show Make Taste Happen, what should we expect out of that partnership?
Big things man, it’s exciting, I love doing things where it’s something I use organically and it’s not just some bullshit. I was once a little bit intimidated by food that was mimicking real food but is made with plants, but these things, they’ve made in an approachable way. I understand sausage, I understand the way it is, I understand what’s going on in the world now.
It’s innovative and delicious and healthy. It’s this canvas that allows you to make unbelievable things, not just from a taste angle alone. It allows you to imagine and take the mind places you’ve been in the past — some real nostalgia stuff.
What makes Field Roast different? Why partner with them?
Just in my own opinion, I’ve tried plant-based sausage and plant-based burgers, and the texture usually isn’t there. It’s grainy or the flavor is off. There are only a couple of brands that seem like they’re doing the right thing, and in my estimation, Field Roast has been the best product I’ve tried so far. It’s very versatile, it browns up the way it should, it tastes amazing, it’s a vehicle for all kinds of flavors.
If you just have a couple of items in your pantry it’s really all you need — you can create masterpieces.
What are some of your favorite things to prepare? You sent me a photo of you doing apple sausage, broccoli, onions — what are we cooking here?
See that’s a classic Italian dish, I believe it’s a Roman dish, when you do the sausage with the orecchiette, the little ear pasta, with the broccoli. I decided that I’m going to mimic a dish that I have and I love and make it ethnic as well and take you around the world and give you flavors that go “mmm.”
I made this unbelieved pistachio pesto [full recipe here] to top it with, you could eat it every day. Use a little bit of Sambal. People submitted some items that I should be using and they tried to trick me on some Chopped stuff but I just created a masterpiece.
Field Roast
What’s your secret to a plant-based meal?
Not treating it as if it’s something different. You don’t put white gloves on like “ooh its plant-based” you just hit it with hard flavor like you normally would. It’s all about flavor, good olive oil, good products, it’s still all about the products. Make sure you keep it nice and fresh and creative.
Lil Nas X has done it all in the less than two years since his 2019 breakout moment. The singer has two Grammy awards to his name, the record for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart, and the most certified single in music history.
Despite the long list of achievements and milestones, prior to this weekend, one thing that Lil Nas hadn’t done yet was appear on Saturday Night Live. All of that changed last night when the singer stepped onto the Studio 8H stage to perform “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Sun Goes Down.”
i know i do a lot of planned shit but ripping my pants on live television is not one of them
The singer kicked off the night with a performance of the ever-so-controversial “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” Sticking with the fiery theme of the song’s music video, Lil Nas danced and sang in front of a backdrop of hell that even featured a stripper pole for him to dance on.
Unfortunately, as he danced on the pole, Lil Nas accidentally ripped his pants in what proved to be a funny SNL moment. Afterward, he spoke about the wardrobe malfunction on Twitter. “I know i do a lot of planned sh*t but ripping my pants on live television is not one of them,” he wrote.
Lil Nas X would push past this potentially embarrassing TV moment and return to the SNL stage to end the night with a performance on “Sun Goes Down.”
You can watch the performances in the videos above.
Lately, it seems like all the rappers I grew up with, the ones conservative commentators railed against daily (a la Cardi B now), have been remodeled into family-friendly brands. Snoop Dogg has a cooking show with Martha Stewart, T-Pain is releasing a book of drink recipes, and Ludacris is learning to cook on television and fly planes. Today’s circumstances are a far cry from the days when Bill O’Reilly called for a boycott of Pepsi over Luda’s endorsement deal. Another hip-hop figure who revamped his public image is Lil Jon, who’ll now be giving homeowners his unconventional renovation ideas for HGTV.
<New Show> GRAMMY Award winner, Lil Jon, reveals his passion for renovation in “Lil Jon Wants To Do What?”
Follow Lil Jon & expert designer/builder Anitra Mecadon (Mega Dens), as they win over home DIYers with a not-so-typical vision for their renovations. Coming this summer! pic.twitter.com/HcUJ0xOD0r
Lil Jon Wants To Do What? is the show’s title and it’ll co-star Mega Dens host, interior designer Anitra Mecadon. The show is currently shooting in the Atlanta area — naturally — and according to a statement, will feature “ideas ranging from removing a ceiling to expand the height of the living room to accommodate huge new windows to gutting the basement to add a fully decked-out speakeasy for entertaining, Lil Jon and Anitra push homeowners out of their comfort zones with ingenious renovations and ideas that are sure to inspire daring and dramatic transformations.”
If the show sounds like a bonkers idea, just imagine being in high school when this man was screaming “Don’t start sh*t, won’t be no sh*t” out of car sound systems. Now, they’re letting him redecorate peoples’ houses. America, amirite?
Jon’s quote from the press release gives a hint of what’s to come when the show airs this summer. “I love walking into someone’s house and turning it upside down,” he proclaims. “When people hear my name, they automatically think… fun! That same energy goes for my designs as well. I don’t love following design trends — I would rather be the trendsetter.”
With the Saw spin-off Spiral: From The Book Of Saw coming out over the weekend, it was only right that the guests on last night’s episode of The Tonight Show would be the film’s star Chris Rock and the executive producer of the film’s soundtrack, 21 Savage. Given the film’s gory, film noir style, host Jimmy Fallon decided to play detective himself, inviting Rock and Savage to play a game of “True Confessions.”
Giving each of the stars two envelopes containing “confessions,” one true and one false, Fallon challenged them to interrogate each other to determine which was the true one. The shy 21 turned out to be the most game — and credulous — when he instantly believes Chris’ first confession (“I’ve shared a joint with Woody Harrelson on top of the Empire State Building”) is true, no questions asked. This prompts some hilarious commentary from the comedian, naturally, but Savage holds fast.
Jimmy’s confession turns out to be about him dating Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen — which 21 believes again, despite not knowing who Gisele is. Seriously, deal me in at his poker table, I’m bluffing him every time and taking ALL his money. Savage’s confession involves getting his pilot’s license and wanting to be in the Air Force. I won’t spoil it for you but it’s great TV. To check out something Savage is good at, check out his raps on “Emergency” and Young Nudy’s “Child’s Play.”
Watch 21 Savage and Chris Rock face-off with Jimmy Fallon above.
Issa Rae’s breakthrough show, Insecure, is coming to an end after its fifth and final season, but it’s clear she has more where that came from. Recently it was announced she’s helming the reboot of Project Greenlight, the IFC reality show from the aughts in which Matt Damon and Ben Affleck helped filmmakers make their dream projects (with lots of nightmares along the way, of course). Rae spoke about the revival during a recent profile with Vanity Fair, though she also shared a story about the late Nipsey Hussle.
According to the Insecure star, HBO initially thought Insecure should star not Rae but a woman of lighter skin color would be a better fit. When they suggested London, Rae took offense, but she later discovered that London, who was Hussle’s partner from 2013 until his death, heard about her complaint and even took offense.
But in 2019, at Diddy’s 50th birthday party in 2019, Hussle played mediator. “He was like, ‘You should just talk to her. Let me set it up,’” she said. “It actually sparked an amazing two-hour conversation. We had so much in common. She was like, ‘People don’t understand, I’m an awkward Black girl.’” She added, “In the same way that I was upset about the limited portrayal of Black women, she was like, ‘People do the same thing to me.’ I completely get that.”
Nipsey Hussle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Questlove and Black Thought both keep themselves plenty busy outside of The Roots, and now the pair is teaming up for yet another new endeavor. This time, it’s Rise Up, Sing Out, a series of animated shorts they’re making with Disney Junior.
The series, which is set to premiere later in 2021, will feature music from the pair. Press materials describe the show, “Presenting important concepts around race, racism and social justice for the youngest viewers, the series consists of music-based shorts that are designed to provide an inspiring and empowering message about noticing and celebrating differences and providing a framework for conversation.”
In a joint statement, Questlove and Black Thought said, “It is an honor to work with the Disney Junior team to help create a series of shorts that will empower and uplift the future generations in the way we know best, through music. We hope these shorts will encourage the young audience to recognize and celebrate our differences as human beings while learning the tools to navigate real-world issues of racial injustice.”
Joe D’Ambrosia — senior vice president, Original Programming and general manager, Disney Junior — also said, “We recognize that many kids are experiencing a multitude of feelings around what’s happening in our world today and know that many families are struggling with how to discuss sensitive issues around race. Our goal with these shorts is to open up the conversation and provide families with the tools and knowledge to address these important topics with their preschoolers in an age-appropriate manner through music and relatable kid experiences.”
Seth Rogen is one of the most famous people on earth, but you know who’s even more famous? Beyonce. The actor and filmmaker has been making the rounds, promoting his new tome, Yearbook, and he’s done everything from telling behind-the-scenes stories to slamming Ted Cruz (again). On top of it all he also has a pretty hilarious Beyonce story.
Rogen spilled the beans on E! News’ Daily Pop (as per Entertainment Weekly), recounting the time he saw her while presenting at the Grammys. (It appears to be the 2011 edition.) He saw her with Gwyneth Paltrow and he likely figured it wouldn’t be too big a deal if he just walked up to her, unannounced.
“And I charged over. Instinct took over,” he said. But one of her employees wasn’t having it. “I was hit so hard by her security guard that I spilled a drink. I was drinking a screwdriver, which is a bad drink. I deserved what I got.” He added, “I was humiliated and I didn’t get to meet Beyonce.”
What’s worse, he still had to present an award. And so he held his arms in what he called “a very weird position,” to obscure the spilled screwdriver on his clothes.
It’s a tale Rogen’s told before, both on Jimmy Kimmel back in 2019 and again in Yearbook, which is a collection of anecdotes and personal essays. When telling the tale to Kimmel, he said he’d learned his lesson about storming up to other famous people, especially if they’re Beyonce Knowles.
“So I was wary of going near her because I look like someone who you would want to keep away from Beyoncé in general,” Rogen said. “I waited for her to approach me, which they teach you. She was very nice and my beard actually got stuck in her sequin a little bit. If you look closely, you’ll see some gray hair on her shoulder.”
The two would eventually share the screen, sort of: They both appeared as voices in the 2019 “live-action” (but still CGI) remake of The Lion King.
(@LilNasX) 
