Category: Culture

Netflix cancelled ‘Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj’ and the internet was not happy about it

Man, this is tough.

Through its short two years of existence, Hasan Minhaj’s show Patriot Act had become one of the most popular shows on Netflix.

The show dove into the cultural and political landscape of America and deconstructed it through Minhaj’s incredible storytelling ability.

Its best quality was frequently diving in on global trends and subject matters and making them simple. It was just brilliant. Not only was it comedy, but it was always chock full of essential information about subject matters people encounter on a daily basis. And he frequently used journalism to do it.

And now, after six seasons on the platform, the show has been cancelled and it’s unclear why. Minhaj announced the news on Tuesday morning in a tweet.

The cancellation came out of nowhere despite. And, considering how critically acclaimed the show was, so many people had questions.

The internet went into a frenzy after Minhaj posted the news.

Netflix confirmed the cancellation to Deadline shortly after the news broke,  but they didn’t give a reason for it.

Patriot Act was yet another foray into the late night talk show space for Netflix that they’ve been trying to crack for years. If this show’s cancellation is any indication, they’ve really struggled to get things to stick.

Hopefully, for us, though, Minhaj will be able to continue doing the work he was doing elsewhere at some point. We just have to wait and see until then.

‘Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj’ Canceled After Six Seasons On Netflix

Billy Porter singing ‘For What It’s Worth’ is the must-see moment from the DNC

Porter’s message was weird, wonderful and impossible to ignore. 

Everyone was abuzz Tuesday morning about Michelle Obama’s keynote speech from the first night of the 2020 Democratic Convention, but what many people missed is what happened when the cameras cut away from her emotional rebuke of the sitting President.

Most networks went straight to their own talking heads for insight and analysis but in doing so deprived millions of viewers at home of this brilliant piece of performance art from Emmy Award winning actor Billy Porter. It had to be hard to follow up Obama’s speech, but Porter rose to the occasion with his rendition of Buffalo Springfield’s 60’s protest anthem “For What It’s Worth.”

If you missed the performance, it is my absolute delight to bring it to your attention now.

Accompanied by guitarist Stephen Stills, who wrote the song in response to the Sunset Strip crew riots of 1966, Porter stood in front of green screen that flashed images from today’s Black Lives Matter protests.

Decidedly and deliberately low tech, the number can really only be described as art, because like all good art, it really makes the viewer pause and wonder what the heck is going on.

Wearing a long, black vest with tails that he used to great affect, Porter’s stylized performance was over the top and the exact opposite of everything the DNC had done for the past two hours. There was nothing flashy about it, nothing that looked slick and over produced, which was the point. It had the feel of a cheap, 90’s home movie made in someone’s basement, which at least made it feel emotional and authentic.

He sang and danced while images of protests, NBA athletes kneeling and an inverted American flag flashed behind him. Like Porter himself, there’s nothing subtle about this performance and it’s designed to hold your attention (it literally features a giant screen with the word STOP written on it).  It was easy to tune out much of the ideologues from last night, but it was not easy too look away from Porter and Stills.

Regardless of your political leanings —whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or Libertarian or plan to vote for Kanye —Porter’s total and absolute weirdness should be embraced. Everyone wants slick, pre-produced messages that don’t actually say anything.  Always wiling to go against the grain, Porter’s message was joyous, powerful and impossible to ignore.

Nipsey Hussle fans everywhere celebrated what would’ve been the rapper’s 35th birthday

Rest in peace, Nip.

Nipsey Hussle was taken from this world far too soon.

Just a little more than a year ago in March 2019, Hussle was killed in his own “Marathon” clothing store by local rapper Eric Holder while making an impromptu visit as he would a few times a week.

His death dealt a big blow to Hip Hop as a genre. He had finally just released his debut and only studio album Victory Lap in 2018 after more than a decade of releasing critically acclaimed mixtapes.

Hussle was a legend in Hip Hop before his death because of how he worked and persevered as an independent artist for a decade before releasing his debut album. That same spirit he brought to the genre remains after.

His music was motivational. His songs were about just getting up and achieving goals until you’ve found success. People loved him for that.

While he is gone, he’ll never be forgotten. Fans made that clear on Saturday on what would’ve been his 35th birthday. They posted tributes all over the internet to remember the legendary rapper.

(Warning: There is some NSFW language contained in these tweets) 

Some just posted pictures.

Some posted his greatest quotes and moments that connected him with so many people.

Some posted stories about him.

Others posted pieces of hard hitting music from him. He never wasted a single word in his lyrics.

Nipsey is gone but his impact was very clearly made. His imprint will last forever. In his own words, the marathon continues.

Drake wore LeBron’s draft suit in ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’ video

And paid tribute to Muhammad Ali.

There were so many athlete cameos in Drake’s latest video for Laugh Now Cry Later — Kevin Durant! Odell Beckham Jr.! Marshawn Lynch! — but there were also some references you might not have gotten on the first viewing of the new video that dropped Friday.

Drake himself appears at one point — around the 1:25 mark — in an all-white suit, and of course he was wearing a Toronto Raptors hat. But that suit? It looks exactly like the one worn by LeBron James on the night the Cleveland Cavaliers took him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2003.

Check out the comparisons people made on Twitter:

And that shot of Drake posing at the bottom of the pool? That’s a nod to an iconic Muhammad Ali pool shot:

Here’s the full video (WARNING: there’s NSFW language in it):

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Kevin Durant, Odell Beckham Jr. among the athletes who make cameo’s in Drake’s ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’

So is Marshawn Lynch!

Drake dropped a new video on Friday with Laugh Now Cry Later, and like with some of his other videos, he had some sports connections.

There were the Kobe Bryant tributes in Toosie Slide and the DeMarcus Cousins jersey he wore for In My Feelings.

Now, there’s just a ton of athlete cameos in the latest video.

Around the 0:30-second mark, there’s Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant playing defense on Drake on a court. At around one minute, there’s Odell Beckham Jr. tossing him passes (one of which looks like Beckham’s classic one-handed catch). He and Lil Durk dress like NBA draft prospects (not a cameo but sports-themed!).

And who’s that taking down Drake on the field around 2:01? Marshawn Lynch!

WARNING: Some NSFW language ahead:

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Everybody clap your hands for the ‘Cha Cha Slide’ Google Easter Egg

Real smooth.

We all love a good Google Easter Egg, and thanks to the 20th anniversary of Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper, we have ourselves a really fun one.

(Apologies in advance for getting this song in your head like it did with my coworkers, but maybe we should collectively take a Cha Cha Slide break and dance for a few minutes).

It’s a simple one: just google Cha Cha Slide, find the microphone under the video and click on it. The result? Your web page will literally do the dance per DJ Casper’s instructions as you keep clicking on the icons.

[jwplayer 77jr8Gtv-q2aasYxh]

Bindi Irwin announced she’s having a baby with husband Chandler Powell in Instagram post.

Finally, some good news.

There are always these moments with the internet that leave you feeling incredibly old.

We had another one today when Bindi Irwin, the daughter of the late environmentalist Steve Irwin aka the Crocodile Hunter announced her first pregnancy in a post on Instagram.

Irwin’s announcement comes just five months after her wedding to husband Chandler Powell. The two married in the gardens of the Australia Zoo.

In the Instagram post, Irwin announced that she was currently in her first trimester but wanted to include her fans “to be part of our journey from the beginning of this new life chapter.”

Her mom, Terri Irwin, was super excited about the pregnancy.

Most people remember Irwin from her appearances on her father’s television shows. Here she is sitting in on a 60 minutes interview with her dad.

And now she’s all grown up! And having a kid! Life, y’all. Life. The internet was so happy for her and her family.

Everyone also missed Steve. A lot.

Ah, man. It’s getting a bit stuffy in here. Better open a window.

Kobe Bryant’s signature shoe is finally being released again

Finally.

Kobe Bryant’s sneaker line at Nike has basically been on a hiatus since his untimely passing in January.

After his death, nearly every Kobe sneaker available in Nike’s inventory was bought up by fans and sneaker resellers looking to turn one of the most tragic moments of the year into a profit. Yeah, that really happened.

The only shoe available from any of Bryant’s lines are the Mamba Fury, which is a cheaper and more accessible version of the shoes on Bryant’s main sneaker line.

But, luckily for fans of the Lakers legend, that’ll be changing soon. Nike is finally set to release new colorways of the Kobe 5 Protro just in time for August 24 (aka Kobe Day).

The shoes are already showing up on Eastbay’s sneaker release calendar.

This is really good to see. Kobe fans will finally get a chance to get another pair of his shoes. And on top of that, they’re the same shoes he wore in the 2010 NBA Finals.

It’s a big W any way you cut it. Hopefully, everyone who wants them gets a chance at getting them.

 

These teens just discovered ‘Feel it in the Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins and it’s great

It went how you’d expect it to go.

Music evolves quickly. Sounds shift, artist’s attitudes and styles change. That reflects itself through the art they create that pushes genres forward year after year.

But every once in a while, an artist creates an absolute masterpiece. A song that, no matter what time or era it’s played in, it’s going to go up.

Phil Collins’ Feel it in the Air Tonight is absolutely one of those songs. It came out in 1980 and still slaps 40 years later.

As a young Black boy who grew up listening to Hip Hop with absolutely zero interest in soft rock, I can attest. When this joint comes on, whoever has the aux is required to cut it all the way up.

Don’t take my word for it, though. Fred and Tim Williams, two 21-year old twins who review music on YouTube, played it for the first time themselves. Their verdict? It slaps.

Nah, that’s so relatable. Every single thing about it. Everyone has been down that road with this song before. Just hearing Collins’ electronic voice on the track carries you through to the beat drop after three minutes and then your soul leaves your body and you look something like this.

Yup. Looks about right. This was HILARIOUS to watch just because we’ve literally all been there with this song before.

The internet absolutely loved them discovering this song.

OF COURSE all the old heads love it. People love to get in their “what you know about this one here, youngin?!?!” bag. It’s no shock that they’re elated to see them listening to Collins.

They have more of these things on their YouTube channel, too. They’ve done Jolene by Dolly Parton.

Hilarious. And also correct — Jolene definitely slaps.

So much fun to watch. Shoutout to them for building this platform and putting people on to new music.

[jwplayer OL7ooIJs-q2aasYxh]

Why Reebok’s First Pitch Program is a big win for sneakerheads everywhere

This is pretty dope.

At its core, being a sneakerhead is all about finding shoes that you love and wearing the heck out of them. Simple, right?

That used to be what the game was all about. Now, it’s changed. There are always challenges that come with all that.

Of course, there’s shortened stock that always gets in the way. Of course, there are the bots. And then, last but certainly not least, the pricing. Sometimes, you’re just not willing to pay that much for a shoe.

Reebok is giving sneakerheads everywhere a unique way around those very problems and they’re doing it in the most simple way.

Instead of creating a shoe, limiting its stock and then shipping it out to the masses for it to sell out in 0.5 seconds, they’re handing over the reigns of control to the people who actually want the shoes they create through their new First Pitch platform.

Through it, sneakerheads have more say than ever in the shoes Reebok drops and even how much they want to pay for it.

Wait, First Pitch? What’s that?

First Pitch is a digital platform Reebok is launching on August 10. They’ll produce a bunch of new concepts and sketches, post them on the platform and allow people to tell them if they want to buy them or not.

So what makes this different?

Instead of actually just producing the shoe and throwing it on a site, they’re including the people in their process.

They produce these concepts and allow users to commit to buying the actual shoe. Each sneaker’s price starts at $1 and each commitment they get from different users increases the price of the shoe by $1. They keep going until they get a commitment from enough users to sell 500 pairs of the shoe.

Wait, wouldn’t that mean they’d be selling $500 shoes? That’s a lot of money, Sykes

It would be a lot of money and that’s why they’re absolutely not doing that.

Instead, they have a set retail price goal for each shoe they produce. And once that goal is hit, the price of the shoe stops going up.

Here’s an example. Let’s say they have a shoe with a retail goal of $90. It’ll start at $1. With each commitment from a person to buy the shoe, that price goes up by $1. Once it hits $90, it won’t go over that retail goal anymore. And once they hit 500 pairs, they sell the shoes to each person who committed to buying a pair for $90.

Whoa, that’s pretty cool

Yup! It is. Guaranteed pairs. No abnormally outrageous prices. And lots of choice. It’s a great situation.

And the best part is that it restricts them from creating shoes that’ll just sit on shelves. Instead of creating something people don’t like and having it sit, they’ll just make a shoe people have already committed to buying.

That means less wasted material and a more efficient development process.

So when can I try this out?

It all drops on August 10, so in just over a week you’ll be able to give it a shot.

What is the first shoe dropping?

It’s the Classic Leather “Bee Keeper” and it looks pretty sick.

Ohhhh this is dope

Yup! Like I said, big W’s all around.

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