That’s precisely what California congressman Robert Garcia did Wednesday, taking the House Of Representatives floor to give an impassioned speech praising the super for her contributions to women’s history (and Black history, since February was also Black History Month).
You can check out a video of Garcia’s speech, courtesy of People, below, along with a transcript.
She’s an icon, a legend, and is now and forever the moment. Congratulations to @Beyonce on making Grammy history. pic.twitter.com/TV7SwGnlF3
— Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) March 1, 2023
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the end of Black History Month and the beginning of Women’s History Month by honoring an individual who represents both so well. She’s an icon, a legend, and she is now and forever the moment. I want to celebrate none other than who I believe is the queen of pop and R&B: Beyoncé Knowles Carter.
Now a few weeks ago, this brown-skinned girl out of H-town won her 32nd Grammy, giving her the most Grammy wins of all time. But Beyoncé is so much more than a performer and a singer. She’s a creator and an artist. Beyoncé’s also a role model for millions across the country. She’s stood up for voting rights, for feminism, for women and girls, for my community — the LGBTQ+ community. For my generation and others, she simply is the greatest of all time. Her story is history.
Garcia was elected to the House Of Representatives after serving as the mayor of Long Beach, California from 2014 to 2022. A Peruvian immigrant who moved to the US when he was young, Garcia is the first queer immigrant to serve in Congress.
(SPOILERS for this week’s Bel-Air episode will be found below.)
Bel-Air didn’t get off to the most peaceful start for season two. It began with Will living at Jazz’s apartment after he had a fallout with Phil, Vivian, and his mother over the truth of his estranged father. Fortunately, Phil and Will were able to patch things up in the season two premiere and Will even returned home to the Banks’ Bel-Air mansion, but not before partying with family and friends for Ashley’s 13th birthday. In episode two of this season, the focus shifts to Will, Carlton, Hilary, and Jazz’s individual and interconnected lives where they all seek to make some type of progress toward their goals. Will has his eyes set on a getting a division one college basketball project while Carlton looks to make an impact in the Black Student Union and take a step forward in his battle with anxiety. Hilary and Jazz made things official in the season two premiere, but they aren’t exactly on the same page — something they hope to fix this week.
The aforementioned events in the second episode of Bel-Air season two, titled “Speaking Truth,” are soundtracked by songs that help to accentuate the emotions behind each scene. You can find a list of them belong as well as details about the scenes that the records soundtracked.
KAMI & Smoko Ono — “Superstar Moves”
KAMI & Smoko Ono’s track can be heard at the 01:15 mark during a Bel-Air Academy basketball game. Tensions are high as Will and his coach are not on the same page. Will wants to carry the team to a win while his coach wants it to be more of a team effort.
Easy McCoy — “Deja Vu”
At around the 06:40 mark, Easy McCoy’s “Deja Vu” briefly plays as the Bel-Air title flashes on the screen. This record is the theme song for Bel-Air.
Last Verse — “Semper”
Last Verse’s “Semper” checks in around 06:54 mark as Will and Carlton arrive at school. Will is venting to Carlton about his basketball frustrations. Carlton’s crush Yazmin arrives shortly after and asks him about attending and contributing ideas at the next Black Student Union meeting.
Tupac — “Can U Get Away”
Tupac’s track from his 1995 album Me Against the World plays around 09:05 as Jazz is tyding up at the record store. Hilary walks in as he’s dancing and rapping, but he doesn’t notice right away. She surprises him with lunch, but her agenda comes alive as she asks to use his Impala his for a video shoot with Ivy. He initially says no, but after some convincing, he changes his mind.
Jade Amar’s “My Own Boss” can be heard at the 16:04 mark as Hilary, Ivy, and friends are filming the video shoot with Jazz’s car. Contrary to Jazz’s wishes, Hilary reluctantly lets Ivy drive the car. Unfortunately for Hilary, Jazz finds out about this as he makes a surprise visit to the set.
YG — “Scared Money” Feat. J. Cole & Moneybagg Yo
YG’s “Scared Money” checks in in around 26:19 as Will and Carlton sneak out with Jazz to go to a party in South Central. Will meets with Jackie, where he also finds Doc, while Carlton lets his wild side out with a couple ladies in the club.
Inka Delli — “Bank”
Inka Delli’s record can be heard around the 28:42 mark as Carlton finds himself dancing, and rather happy, with a couple of ladies in the club. Will also gets his groove on with Jackie.
Iain Harper’s “Look Alive” plays in the background during a conversation at the club between Doc and Will. Doc questions Will about his sudden appearance in Bel-Air before telling Will that the Bel-Air basketball team is hurting his potential. Doc also introduces the idea of joining an AAU team to improve his stock, something that piques Will’s interest.
Julian Roy — “Trouble”
Julian Roy’s “Trouble” checks in around the 34:15 mark as Jazz is back working at the record shop. While there, he receives a text from Hilary asking for them to meet up for a conversation about their relationship. It leads to Hilary deciding to introduce him as her boyfriend to her parents.
Coast Contra — “Legacy”
Coast Contra’s record plays around the 37:10 mark as Carlton suggests that the Black Student Union hold a protest, a walk-out specifically, in defense of Mrs. Hughes unjust firing. The idea is fully supported by the BSU.
Chel Strong — “I Know You See It”
Chel Strong’s “I Know You See It” plays around the 40:59 mark during the latest Bel-Air basketball game. Will is on a whole new level during the game as his arrogance and cockiness is at an all time high. However, once again, Will and his coach clash during a timeout.
Armani White — “Billie Eilish”
At around the 42:38 mark, Armani White’s viral hit “Billie Eilish” plays as Will goes on an absolute tear, one that is also selfish and against his team’s wishes, to end the basketball game. Will’s team wins the game, but it appears that Will may lose his team.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
New episodes of ‘Bel-Air’ are available Peacock on Thursdays at 5:01 am EST/ 2:01 am PST.
The Billboard Women In Music Awards took place last night (March 1), using Women’s History Month as a reason to celebrate women in the music industry. A spotlight was on Chlöe, who’s releasing her new album In Pieces soon as well as taking it out on a tour. She was on hand to present Latto with the Powerhouse Award.
“We just need the opportunities,” she said when asked in a red carpet interview how the industry could help women producers. “I definitely think there’s a lot more than who are given opportunities. The reason I got into producing as a young girl was because for sis and I, no producers wants to produce things for a 12- and 10-year-old. So I took matters into my own hands. I always loved math and science and had been a huge nerd with that, so it was fun combining my love of technology and music together. I executive-produced my album dropping in a month and there’s only two songs I didn’t produce.”
Unfortunately, Chlöe has also been at the center of criticism for having a Chris Brown feature for the track “How Does It Feel” on her new album due to his history of harassment, battery, sexual assault, and more. That song is out now as a single.
Watch her full interview above.
In Pieces is out 3/31 via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records. Pre-save it here.
Worlds are about to collide: BTS’J-Hope announced that he’s dropping the solo track “On The Street” tomorrow (March 3) and that appearing on the tune is J. Cole.
The Cole appearance is revealed in a new teaser video, which starts with a shot from behind J-Hope as he walks on a city roof. As he approaches the ledge, Cole comes into view and the two lean against the ledge together and look out over the city.
This collab is probably particularly exciting for J-Hope, as he’s long been a Cole fan. On BTS’ 2014 track “Hip Hop Lover,” J-Hope raps (translated to English via Genius), “Hope hope world / Before I made my own world, Cole world / Ever since he shone on Friday nights.” In 2018, he named his debut solo mixtape Hope World, similar to Cole’s 2011 debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story. Then, J-Hope got to meet Cole at Lollapalooza 2022 and a video of the encounter makes it clear how special the moment was for him.
J-Hope (whose real name is Jung Ho-seok) didn’t actually model his stage name after Cole like it may seem, though. Rather, the J-Hope name came about because he wants to be a source of hope for the BTS Army.
Just days after dropping his live concert film Live At SoFi Stadium, The Weeknd is dropping a companion album. The pop star announced the live album via social media today (March 1).
In the concert film, fans see The Weeknd performing at the iconic Los Angeles venue, delivering live performances of songs from all of his eras. Fans are seen singing and shouting the lyrics to his universal hits like “I Feel It Coming,” “The Hills,” and “Die For You” — the latter recently got an Ariana Grande remix nearly seven years after its original release.
In a 2021 interview with GQ, The Weeknd shared what he thinks makes his music so timeless.
“What makes any of my albums a successful album, especially this one, is me putting it out and getting excited to make the next one,” he said. “So the excitement to make the next project means that this one was successful to me. I want to do this forever. And even if I start getting into different mediums and different types of expressions, music will be right there. I’m not going to step away from it.”
Find the cover art for Live At SoFi Stadium below.
Republic
Live At SoFi Stadium is out 3/3 via Republic Records.
In a new piece from Rolling Stone, anonymous members of the cast and crew of Sam Levinson and The Weeknd’s forthcoming HBO show, The Idol, opened up about the reportedly toxic work environment that spiraled out of control.
The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) both starred and co-created the show. However, it was originally set to be directed by Amy Seimetz before she left the show — and Levinson (Euphoria) took over in her place. This is reportedly when the chaos started, resulting in an overhaul of Seimetz’s direction and shoots.
“It was like the Weeknd wanted one show that was all about him — Sam was on board with that,” a source shared. However, they also faced alleged difficulty with Tesfaye’s schedule as a musician, causing him to be less hands-on: “It was really frustrating because they were working so hard to make it possible to shoot and be released with his concert or whatever his timeline was [and] it all got thrown out the window.”
Last April, there was also a Deadline report that Tesfaye felt the show was focusing too much on his co-star, Lily Rose-Depp, as he thought it had too much of a “female perspective.”
When it was reported that the buzzy upcoming HBO show The Idol was undergoing massive production changes last April, all anyone could do was speculate on the supposed “new creative direction” it would take. Interest in the show was high, given its all-star cast consisting of co-creator Abel Tesfaye (better known as The Weeknd) and Lily-Rose Depp and the involvement of high-profile producer Sam Levinson of Euphoria fame.
However, a new report from Rolling Stone suggests that the changes have mostly been for the worst, with the show going from “a dark satire of fame and the fame model in the 21st century,” according to one production member, “to the thing it was satirizing.”
The show, which was to follow Depp’s character as she became involved in a cult led by Tesfaye’s character, was overhauled as The Weeknd apparently felt it was focusing too much on the “female perspective” and wanted to highlight his character more. This reportedly led to director Amy Seimetz (She Dies Tomorrow, The Girlfriend Experience) dropping out and Levinson replacing her as director, then promptly throwing out everything she’d already shot — 80 percent of the six-episode series.
The new material has been described as “any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show,” with lurid depictions of sexual encounters between Tesfaye and Depp’s characters in scripts, ramped-up explicit nudity, and even a violent scene in which Tesfaye’s character beats Depp. While some of these scenes were never shot, one source described the scripts as “sexual torture porn.”
Many of the sources say they don’t even know what will make it into the final show because so many scenes were reshot, scripts were changed daily, and the shoot went wildly over budget and time. High-profile castings such as Blackpink’s Jennie amounted to inconsequential storylines, with a crew member saying, “Her job was to sit there [and] look pretty, basically.” Meanwhile, other actors were “wiped from the show” entirely after thinking they’d gotten their big breaks.
With so many issues, there’s no telling how the show itself will actually turn out, but HBO continues to promote it with multiple trailers, even though a release date has yet to be determined (it’s still aiming for sometime in 2023).
We’ll see if Levinson, The Weeknd, or any of the cast have anything to say, but for now, things aren’t looking great. Still the show is already shaping up to be another hit for HBO — the real question is, will it be worth it?
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
In the leadup to the release of his third album, Love Sick, Houston rapper-singer Don Toliver said enough of the right things to make me believe that this would be the project of his that would finally tell us who he is.
“On this particular album, I really locked in on the actual story and the theme of the album and basically the tracklist is going in sequence, in motion of the actual story, of what it will be,” he said in one interview.
“I want people to listen to my music and think it’s timeless,” he echoed in another. “To think about Marvin Gaye, Sade, Jay-Z, and just listen again. All I strive for is to be in the conversation with some of the greatest of all time.”
The one thing all of those greats did, though, is put themselves into their music. When you push play on “Song Cry,” you get the impression that Jay is letting us in on a moment in his life. When Marvin Gaye made “What’s Goin’ On?” it was considered a massive creative risk, but it was a sentiment he cared about deeply enough to take that risk.
With Don Toliver, I’ve never gotten the impression that I’m learning anything about him or what he truly cares about in his music. I tend to believe that he’s the consummate aesthete – his presentation is everything, and he’s going for a look rather than a feel.
The feeling that pervaded his prior releases Heaven Or Hell and Life Of A Don is that his primary preoccupation in making them was imitating and improving upon the aesthetics of stylistic forebears like his mentor Travis Scott, Future (both of whom appear here), and Young Thug – i.e. the wounded melodic howling, eerie vocal effects, and clipped, erratic rap deliveries that made them stand out from the pack when they first broke out in the middle of the last decade.
Love Sick, on the other hand, seemed like it would be a step forward when we’d begin to see more of the artist in his work. Love, after all, is the most personal and primal of human emotions, even as it remains the most universal. If any subject could crack the facade and reveal the interiority missing from Toliver’s past projects, this would be it.
After a few listens to Love Sick, though, I still haven’t figured out who Don Toliver is.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s a polished, pleasant body of work. If nothing else, he’s upped his game with regard to developing his own artistic flourishes. Perhaps credit belongs to his expanded roster of production partners. After all, it’s hard not to notice that the Kaytranada-produced “Honeymoon” is a standout, nor is the dreamy quality of “Let Her Go,” which features James Blake.
The hyperfocus on subject matter allows Toliver much more room to play around sonically. So while there are still cavernous club 808s and bellowing synthetic bass lines aplenty – “Leave The Club” is a prime example – “Leather Club” finds a smooth, almost ‘80s adult contemporary vibe well suited to his Drake-lite lamentations of one-directional affections.
“Slow Motion” with Wizkid is a surprising dance floor banger that goes in a completely different direction than you’d expect with the Afropop star involved, “If I Had” recruits quiet storm favorite Charlie Wilson for a classic example of the genre, and Chicago heads will almost certainly figure out a few new juke steps to “Bus Stop.”
Throughout Love Sick, I get the feeling that Don Toliver is a nice guy who is really kind of a music nerd, someone collaborators really enjoy testing out new sounds with. But there’s still no sense of identity, that undefinable something that instantly lets you know when you’re hearing a song from Future, Travis Scott, or Young Thug.
The good news is that Toliver is really good at executing an idea, and that’s a step in the right direction for where he wants to be. Coming up with a concept and making music that effectively conveys those ideas is really hard – that’s why we hold such respect for artists. If Love Sick has more style than substance, that style is really charming and enjoyable.
And if Toliver hadn’t managed to at least do that much, we wouldn’t be talking about him at all. If he wants us to talk about him in the same breath as Sade Adu, he’s laid a decent foundation for that conversation to take place. But he still needs to give us something to talk about. He’s almost there.
Love Sick is out now via Cactus Jack and Atlantic Records.
Don Toliver is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After an already-record year for Rihanna, between playing the Super Bowl halftime show and announcing that she’s having another child with ASAP Rocky, it seems she still has a lot more surprises in store. Today (March 1), Puma teased that the singer’s Fenty x Puma collaboration will be making a return — through a straight-to-the-point message.
“She’s back,” Puma’s social media post read, adding, “Coming soon.”
Back in 2014, Rihanna was appointed by Puma as their Women’s Training Ambassador and Women’s Creative Director.
“It’s great to find a brand that celebrates strength and individuality,” Rihanna said back in 2014 (as Complex notes). “I couldn’t think of a more perfect partner to collaborate with as a creative director. I’m excited for you to see what Puma and I come up with.”
A few years later, she went on to appear on the runway at the Fenty Puma 2016 fashion show, in support of the popular partnership. The collection previously included sneakers, fur slides, backpacks, jackets, bodysuits, and more.
While there is not much else on information regarding Fenty x Puma’s return, fans can still purchase past items on resale spots like The Real Real and other sites. They can also expect to see Rihanna perform at the Oscars on March 12.
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
Glockoma 2 is Key Glock’s first full-length album since the passing of Young Dolph. As such, it would seem that there’d be a lot of fanfare around its release, some pomp and circumstance worthy of Dolph’s standing in the Memphis rap scene and Glock’s proximity to him as his protege and frequent collaborator.
But that’d run counter to both rappers’ modus operandi, the way they eschewed big-name guests and moved in modes consistent with the gritty street narratives they unraveled in their music. Key Glock is not a flashy guy, although he does sport the usual array of chunky, diamond-encrusted necklaces common to his profession.
Instead, what we get on Glockoma 2 is a microcosm of the Paper Route Empire ethos of consistency and authenticity, with little window dressing or build-up. The album was released quietly over the weekend after only a pair of straightforward singles (“Dirt” and “Work” both of which are frontloaded here) and a tour announcement. The music included is similarly unfussy, with no featured artists and a familiar lineup of producers including BandPlay, Hitkidd, and Sledgren.
What makes it stand out among a slew of similarly-themed projects is Glock’s intense focus on improvement. He’s always been cleverer rhyme-smith than he’s perhaps been given credit for, but here, he elevates his craft impressively, stunning with subtly witty one-liners and plainspoken but deft boasts (“I just pulled up with my chopper like the Undertaker,” he barks on “2 For 1”).
Of course, the spirit of Dolph hovers over the proceedings. While Glock dodges obvious references to the tragedy that knocked his world off its axis, his mentor’s influence is clear in both his improved delivery and in overt lyrical references. On “Ratchet,” he nods to the Dolph-shaped void, “I took a couple losses, that shit there made me a winner / Boss shit, baby, yeah, I do this for Flippa.”
There isn’t much variation on these themes in Glock’s lyrics, but he keeps the content sounding fresh with a versatile selection of beats. They demand enough course correction to keep him in a variety of pockets, which helps distinguish each song and prevent his voice – the only one on the album thanks to his “F**k A Feature” mentality – from becoming monotonous. From the sauntering horns on “Randy Orton” to the Gothic trap bounce of “Money Over Hoes,” there’s enough variation in sounds to prove Glock’s adaptability.
If there’s anything missing here, it’s a more in-depth excavation of the principal’s emotional state of mind. He took a full year off after consistently releasing at least an album a year since 2016 as a result of the emotional hit he took with Dolph’s death. While maintaining his unfazed persona is likely good business – it’s what’s worked for him so far – it’d be nice to see him drop kayfabe at least here to address a traumatic experience without framing it as a temporary setback.
He similarly put off this reckoning on his late 2022 EP PRE5L, which seemed less pressing because of that project’s positioning as a warm-up of sorts for his grander return. Now that he’s made that return, it’s comforting to see him getting back on track, but a little disheartening to know that he still feels like he can’t address how he’s really been feeling. Perhaps on his next project, he’ll be more comfortable emoting a little.
However, for now, a return to form is enough – or, at least, it’ll have to be. Glock is back to big stepping, and for the first time, doing so without the support of his respected mentor. It’s nice to see him finding his footing. Dolph’s shoes likely can’t and won’t be filled – maybe they shouldn’t be. But Key Glock is walking his own path now, as assuredly as he’s able… and perhaps it’ll lead him to even greater success down the road.
Inependet Music Collection 