Watch Twin Shadow's New Video, "I'm Ready"

May 1, 2015, 7:30 am

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In a monochromatic montage of free falling, running and fighting, George Lewis Jr of Twin Shadow finds himself trying to escape his nemeses in his newest video for Eclipse track, "I'm Ready." (Los Angeles.) Between shots of the singer lying on the ground and watching his female counterpart caress herself on a pick up truck, he's seen wielding a giant digitized sword. The video reaches a climactic point when Lewis is captured and his sword is destroyed. Watch to see how it all ends...

[via Complex]

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The 5 Must-See Movies In May

May 1, 2015, 8:00 am

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From a biopic about the life of a fashion legend to a throwback old Western, here are the top 5 movies you should watch this month.

Saint Laurent
An artful, prismatic, take on the life of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent (played with beautiful intensity by Gaspard Ulliel) who revolutionized women's fashion. If you're looking for a linear biopic, forget it, however. The movie, directed with great style by Bertrand Bonello, is a fractured narrative spending a lot of time during the swinging '70s. That's when Yves and his two fashion muses Betty Catroux (Aymeline Valade) and Loulou de la Falaise (Lea Seydoux) drank and drugged and clubbed, and his devoted partner Pierre Bergé (Jeremie Renier) put up with his hedonistic relationship with Jacques de Bascher (Louis Garrel) who took him on a walk on the wild side. Garrel plays this decadent dandy for all it's worth. But the movie also captures the art of creation -- a segment on his innovative and acclaimed 1976 show is thrillingly documented. The great Helmet Berger plays Saint Laurent in his elder years. I had worries at the onset that this approach might be a disservice. But its elegant, repetitive, languorous quality of storytelling in the end was profoundly moving.

The D Train
Jack Black stars as dweebish Dan Landsman, husband, father and self-appointed committee chairman for his high school's 20th reunion. When he sees a former classmate Oliver Lawless (James Marsden) on a late night TV commercial he becomes inspired that coercing such a "star" to the reunion will make him Mr. Cool. He wrangles a ticket to L.A. under false pretenses from his boss (Jeffrey Tambor) and he and Oliver spend a wild drug and drink filled few days out on the town, which ends unexpectedly. And I do mean unexpectedly. Which only makes things more uncomfortable and confusing when Oliver returns to town for the reunion. James Marsden, looking intensely groovy, exudes the desperation and defeat of the pathetic loser he really is and it's not surprising that Dan's hero-worship revitalizes him. Director Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel guide this dark comedy of humiliation and transcendence with a certain amount of cringe-making charm.

Slow West
Kodi Smit-McPhee plays Jay, a 16-year-old Scottish stargazer and dreamer, traveling alone on horse through ye olde American frontier searching for his love Rose (Caren Pistorius). Luckily he meets a seasoned ex-bounty hunter Silas (Michael Fassbender) who agrees to accompany the innocent Jay across the dangerous terrain where they run into an oddball assortment of lawless characters. Unfortunately there's a bounty on Rose's head and groups of killers are following Jay hoping he will lead them to her. Director John Maclean's film is made with wonderful economy and wry dark humor, and visually looks great. A real treat. 

Gerontophilia
Ever the provocateur, director Bruce LaBruce's film concerns 18-year-old pretty boy Lake (Pier-Gabriel Lajoie) who has an unhealthy attraction to geezers and gets a job working in a retirement home. As you might have guessed, he falls for one of the residents -- 81-year-old Mr. Peabody (Walter Bordon). No it's not "Harold & Paul," but a gentle, weirdly affecting, romance between these mix-matched men. And very funny, too. Less aggressively transgressive than LaBruce's last few films and maybe not on par with his brilliant Hustler White, but who cares. It's just great to still have Bruce LaBruce's witty, devilishly sardonic, take on gay culture.

The Connection
An absorbing, pulse-pounding thriller "inspired" by the French Connection crime scheme that funneled drugs through Marseille to America in the 1970s. This is the European side of the story made famous by the William Friedkin film. Handsome Jean Dujardin stars as Magistrate Of Organized Crime trying to put away the untouchable head drug kingpin Gaetan Zampa (Gilles Lellouche) who is at the center of the savvy smuggling operation. But every bust leads to another dead end and his obsession with bringing down this web of corrupt cops, officials, and dealers puts a heavy strain on his married life. Crisply directed by Cedric Jimenez the two leads are well matched for their deadly face off.

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The Dadbod in Pop Culture, from Draper to Blart

May 1, 2015, 9:05 am

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"What was dadbod?" the Internet seems ready to pensively ask itself, a full 24 hours after the word "dadbod" appeared fully-formed from the wilderness, sparking several thinkpieces, explainers, and lists of other bods, and finally, retreating into the psychic and cultural landfill in which all old memes rest, waiting to be reborn.

New York's The Cut defines dadbod as "a physique characterized by undefined muscles beneath a light layer of flab, usually topped off with a beer belly," pointing to human teddy bear Jason Segel as the Platonic Form of the trend, the theoretical bod from which all understanding of dadbod derives. Monica Pearson, writing for Clemson's Odyssey, articulates why women are attracted to these men: it "makes boys seem more human, natural, and attractive."

Thinking about dadbod (or, at least, thinking about why people want to talk about it) is a thicket of moral and cultural anxieties about body image. On one hand, the idea of rejecting unreasonable standards of beauty is good. On the other hand, applying that idea to men is at the very least deeply hypocritical and broadly unnecessary, given the extent to which we collectively demand that women adhere to impossible physical ideals while perpetually rewarding people who not only look like Kevin James, but occasionally are Kevin James. (A staffer from the Cut notes that people with dadbods she's dated are the most overeager about trying to "correct" her eating habits.)

And on the third hand, women are apparently into dadbod because it makes them more comfortable with their partners, which... is... good again? Generally speaking, people should be able to do what they want. The real trap here is that men (who really, really don't need a permission slip to let themselves go) will continue to judge women, using the dadbod as an excuse to be sick bros.

All in all, given the unnatural divisiveness of dadbod, it perhaps makes sense to engage in judgment on a bod-by-bod basis, so that we might move toward a Grand, Scientific Theory. Here are some dadbods, with analysis of whether they are Good Dad or Bad Dad.
 


Jon Hamm
Why is Jon Hamm the listed photo for the Slate dadbod piece? How is Don Draper, a generally lecherous, but undeniably attractive dude, possibly a dadbod? He might have kids and be getting on years, but come on, the guy played a character on 30 Rock who was insulated from everyday life because he was so goddamned handsome.
Verdict: Not dadbod -- 0/10 dads.



Anthony Anderson
Anthony Anderson might not be the prime example of dadbod in our culture right now, or the most popular, but he's definitely the person who is silently rocking it the best. His Andre, the nominal protagonist of ABC's excellent Black-ish, leans into the grosser parts of being a dad, while harnessing his goofy enthusiasm to be a legitimately appealing person. And he's a good enough dude that his relationship with Rainbow (the beautiful Tracee Ellis Ross) actually feels like a real marriage, rather than simply another schlubby dude being placed with a woman far out of his league.
Verdict: Pretty damn good dadbod -- 9/10 dads.


Kevin James
Ew. Gross. No. Get out of here, Paul Blart. Go run a zoo or something.
Verdict: Worst, most unrewarding dadbod -- 1/10 dads.


Me
My unhealthy life choices are now unintentionally cool (see also: being really into Dungeons & Dragons when I was a kid), which is great for me, but bad for everyone I could theoretically date. And honestly, without kids, I am doing myself no favors as a dad, precipitating a long, decadent slide into unbridled grossness.
Verdict: Being generous to myself -- 5/10 dads.



Jason Segel
Somehow, Jason Segel became the consensus choice for the perfect dadbod, the bod whose flab provided the sustenance for all human knowledge surrounding dadbods. There are decent enough reasons for this -- his performance as Peter in Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one of the most compelling sadboys committed to film (and he gets to wear Hawaiian shirts all the time), while Marshall from How I Met Your Mother is basically a time-lapsed YouTube video of someone acquiring dadbod and still being reasonably attractive.
Verdict: Very good dadbod -- 9.5/10 dads -- but not the best. Because the actual best, Platonic Form of the dadbod is...



Hitch-era Kevin James
Yes, Hitch-era Kevin James. The very plot of Hitch should induce nausea -- a very conventionally attractive man (Will Smith) uses extensive manipulation to help a nebbishy, chubby accountant (James) win the heart of celebrity Allegra Cole (Amber Valleta), someone who is used to define the standards of female beauty that produces anxiety in the heart of the original dadbod adherents. But James saves the movie (and turns in perhaps the only good performance of his career) through a mystical ability that has only recently been given a name: dadbod. Kevin James' Q-Tip dancing is the nail in Segel's coffin. Shut it down -- 15/15 dads

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Louie and Broad City's Distinct Visions for Basic-Cable Buttplay

May 1, 2015, 10:00 am

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Last night's episode of Louie might have been the weirdest, most aggressive episode of the season, which is saying a lot.

In the middle of the episode, Louie gets beat up by a woman, prompting his daughters to savagely mock him, making the barest effort to hide their laughter. This is kind of funny and horrifying all at the same time (typical for this show), but the violence of the incident in retrospect only sets up the crux of "Bobby's Place," when Louie and his long-time crush object, now sort-of girlfriend Pamela (Pamela Adlon), have some of the most uncomfortable, exhausting sex in the history of the show. (Watch the clip above, via Vulture.)

Part of the fabric of the season so far has been watching Louie learn to be in a relationship (or something like one) with Pamela, something "Bobby's Place" brings crashing down with a reaffirmation of something Pamela has been saying to Louie for pretty much the entire run of the show -- the pair are a terrible match. They break up, but not before Pamela gets Louie to put on makeup (ostensibly to hide his wounds from the "fight") and roleplays as a man named Peter, penetrating him in an act that critic Sonia Saraiya describes as "questionably consensual."

It plays as a funhouse version of last season's infamous coercive scene, in which Louie attempts to rape Pamela while trying to convince her to be in a relationship in the first place. There, Louie ineffectually attempts to be a "man," with all of the attendant swagger and entitlement, while here, he allows himself to become a woman, giving in to "Peter"'s advances. It's a complicated scene, perhaps the culmination of Louie's experimentation with its protagonist's hapless understanding of gender, one that also included the controversial scene in which a character played by Melissa Leo forces Louie to go down on her.



But, even more than raising the specter of its own history, this episode of Louie is reminiscent of "Knockoffs," the fourth episode of the recently-completed second season of Broad City. The main plot, surrounding Ilana (Ilana Glazer) and her mother (Susie Essman) going to Chinatown to buy counterfeit bags, is funny, but the real meat is in Abbi's plot, where she finally hooks up with her crush object Jeremy (Stephen Schneider), only to discover that he wants to be penetrated with a strap-on.



"Knockoffs" is just about perfect -- it's a strong frontrunner for the best episode of TV to air this year -- largely because of its handling of pegging. The script never suggests there's anything wrong with Jeremy's desire, and Abbi eventually consents to pegging him partly because she's curious, partly to assuage Ilana and partly just to feel like a badass. She's still with her crush, even if it's not in the way she imagined.

Still, Jeremy and Abbi don't work out, not because of anyone's sexual preferences, but because Jeremy is just kind of an asshole (sorry) when Abbi accidentally melts his dildo in the dishwasher. That particularity -- the ability for a show to present a character as annoying and intransigent without passing judgment on their sexual preferences -- is, in a sense, beyond Louie, which always makes sex (an arena in which Louie always tries to exert control) uncomfortable and bad for its hero. As much as Louie tries to deal with issues like penetrating men with the sort of nuance, humor and compassion that Broad City does, it returns again and again to this idea that sex can't really be good, that there is always an element of coercion.

Getting Louie to open up -- to allow himself to shed some of his perceived control and masculine shell -- requires Pamela enticing him with "the best sex of [his] entire life," which then proceeds to lead to even more catastrophe. Maybe it's because she's younger, maybe it's because she's kickass, maybe it's just because Louie himself is bad, but Abbi at least has the potential to have good sex -- it's just people who are trash.

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Start Off Your Weekend With Disclosure's Brand New Jam, "Bang That"

May 1, 2015, 10:15 am

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It's already been two years since Disclosure released their monster Settle and now we've finally got a taste of what their follow-up might sound like. The newly-released track, "Bang That," features a sample of 313 Bass Mechanics'"Pass Out" and is just what we need to usher in the weekend. Give it a listen and keep an eye out for their new album, which the Lawrence Bros. say is "speedily progress[ing."

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Is A$AP Rocky About to Usher In a Trip-Hop Revival?

May 1, 2015, 11:10 am

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Rapper A$AP Rocky's new album At. Long. Last. ASAP, will be many things. It will, in large part, see the New York rapper mourning the death of his friend and business partner A$AP Yams. It will be released earlier than anyone thought, possibly within the next couple of weeks. But there's at least one more thing it might be -- the start of a trip-hop revival.

In a recent interview with Billboard (the same one where he claims the album will be out sooner than fans might have expected), Rocky discusses a few of his current influences. As Fact points out, they include trip-hop mainstays Massive Attack and Portishead, as well as "old '60s psychedelic shit," suggesting a direction to the album that few people might have predicted going into the recording process. If Rocky's status as a tastemaker holds, then At. Long. Last ASAP might see a return of much of that sound, in a sonic landscape that often opts for sharpness over atmospherics. (The two are united in another track Rocky cites as a current influence -- Earl Sweatshirt's "Grief.")

If there is going to be a trip-hop revival, let's be straight on one point: it's real origin point is Neneh Cherry's Blank Project.

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The Best, Worst and Weirdest of the Week

May 1, 2015, 11:00 am

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Coffee News of the Week: David Lynch's signature brand has a new ad, created by Andrew Parkhurst, that reminds us that coffee is not suitable for robot consumption. -- Evan Siegel

Best Hilary Duff-Related News of the Week: Forget about the 'Lizzie McGuire'cast reunion, we're more excited about the possibility of a reality show about her Tinder dates. -- E.S.

 

Worst Music News of the Week:Grooveshark is no more! One of the better streaming services out there, it has shut down after years of legal trouble. -- E.S.



Graffiti of the Week:Artist KATSU used a drone to make his mark on a Kendall Jenner billboard in New York. That's one way of doing it. -- E.S.

Most Comprehensive Kanye Article of 2015 (Other Than Our Cover Story): Genius' super-thorough post, "Everything Kanye West's said in 2015: Annotated." Damn. -- Abby Schreiber

Morrissey Controversy of the Week: his scathing open letter to Al Gore, demanding vegan food at Live Earth 2015. Of all the things he has said, at least this one's good for the globe. -- E.S.

Best Nightmare Factory Moment of the Week: Jared Leto as The Joker. Yeesh. --Tené Young

Brooklyn Man of the Week:William Tecumseh Sherman! He was spotted in Williamsburg recently. -- A.S. [Photo via]

Best New Jam of the Week: Alessia's "Here." 18-year-old Alessia Caracciolo's original song is a great tribute to all the loner kids who hold up the wall at every house party. --T.Y.

Snake goddess

A photo posted by flame (@travisscott) on Apr 29, 2015 at 7:59pm PDT

Best Birthday Party: Travi$ Scott's. Rihanna and Chris Brown both (separately) posed together with a snake, Captain Sparrow made a cameo, and Kanye smiled (sort of!). What more could you want? --T.Y.

Best Disembodied Appendage of the Week: The selfie arm. It's the perfect accessory for that casual "Oh, me and my bae are just picknicking in the park, nothing to see here" selfie. Little do they know, there is no bae. Or park. Or picnic. There is nothing. There is only the selfie arm. -- Michael Hafford

Best Game of Throne Fantasy: Kristen Wiig as Daenery Targaryen. -- T.Y.

Most Heartbreaking Move of the Week: Zayn Malik removed "1D" from his Twitter username. -- T.Y.

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What Will the New Cambridge Princess Be Named?

May 2, 2015, 5:15 am

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With monarchists the world over rejoicing over the birth of a new little HRH to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge odds makers have gone into overdrive in attempts to pick the name for the little Princess. Paper editorial director Mr. Mickey is a lifelong royal-watcher, and was asked for his opinions on the most likely names. His picks below.

1. Alice
At press time this was considered the favorite. Alice was the name of the mother of the Duke of Edinburgh, an eccentric Princess who was born in 1885 at Windsor Castle. That Alice is the great-great grandmother of the new princess makes it an incredibly strong choice from a historical and sentimental perspective. The Duke will be 94 next month and this would be a sweet tribute to him.
Odds: 7/4

2. Charlotte
Another favored name. Charlotte is a beautiful name, but it's a sad choice being forever associated with Princess Charlotte of Wales, the daughter of George IV who died in childbirth in 1817. It was because of her death that the future Queen Victoria moved up to the top of the list of succession. There hasn't been a Charlotte in the royal family since with the exception of Queen Victoria's granddaughter Charlotte of Prussia, who was not the nicest. I would be shocked if this was the choice.
Odds: 3/4

3. Victoria
This name was the most popular girls name in the royal family during the generation of Queen Victoria's grandchildren. The current Queen didn't choose it for her own daughter, just as George VI had not chosen it for either of his daughters. It's likely to be one of the middle names, but I don't see it as the first name.
Odds: 5/1

4. Elizabeth
This name is the dark horse. The current sovereign is hugely popular and later this year she'll pass her ancestor Victoria as the longest reigning Queen in British history. It would be a nice tribute to have a great-granddaughter named after her in her 63rd year on the throne.
Odds: 6/1

5. Alexandra
From the time Princess Alix of Denmark married the future Edward VII and became Alexandra, Princess of Wales, this name has been popular in the royal family. One of my favorite members of the family is Princess Alexandra, the first cousin of the Queen. It's not extremely likely as a first name, but I would love it.
Odds: 7/1

Two dark horses:

Diana. No royal in modern history inspired as much devotion as the late Diana, Princess of Wales and her legions of diehard fans around the world would lose their minds with excitement if the little Princess was named Diana. But as beloved as she was the names in the main line of the royal family are almost always traditional: Elizabeth, Anne, Margaret, George, Henry, Edward. Nonetheless I think Diana will absolutely be a middle name as a tribute to the new Princess's beloved late grandmother.
Odds: 10/1

Mary Adelaide. This was the name of the last Cambridge princess in the royal family (1833-1897) . She was also known as "Fat Mary," due to her obesity. She was hugely popular and was the mother of the future Queen Mary, making Princess MA the great-great-great grandmother of the new little Princess. This is an incredible long shot but I love the idea.
Odds: 13/1

Photo viaThe Globe and Mail.

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Put Down Your Phone and Start Following RuPaul's Wellness Tips

May 2, 2015, 7:07 am

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RuPaul is one of the most iconic (and iconoclastic) figures in American culture today -- in addition to a cult singing career, several books, the juggernaut reality show RuPaul's Drag Race, and providing one of PAPER's best quotes of 2014, he's now hosting a roundtable show on E! called Good Work. Earlier this week, RuPaul discussed his tips for wellness in an interview with New York's The Cut. The entire piece is excellent and rewards a closer read, but here are three highlights for anyone looking to quickly incorporate Ru's habits into their lives:

Do yoga to deal with aging: "The first thing I do is do yoga stretches. It's important for someone over the age of 35 to do that, so I started when I was 34. I'm 6'4", so if I don't stretch, my alignment goes bonkers."

Be open to new foods: "When I go to a restaurant, I don't even look at the menu. I ask what the special is. That is what I'll eat."

Be present:"It baffles my mind to watch people walk down the street looking at their phone. The fundamentals of being present are to look and watch where you are walking."

Sounds like good advice. Now go to work.

Photo by Mathu Andersen

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The Sunday Funnies

May 3, 2015, 5:25 am

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Marvel proves they know how to make superhero movies starring women by giving Black Widow her own movie. And it's a romantic comedy. [SNL]

stfu. [Mlkshk]

Allen even staples the packets for the presentation Allen's self because it's just easier that way. [AfternoonSnoozeButton]

Shout out to all badass orchestral hammer players out there. EAT IT, BRASS AND WOODWIND BABIES. HAVE FUN LETTING YOUR MOMMY TUCK YOU INTO TONIGHT. [FYeahDementia]


Someone made the new Star Wars trailer 1000 times better by adding Jar Jar Binks to every scene. [Uproxx]

Oh dear. [Mlkshk]

These bananas will PAY for this. Cats don't forget. [TheClearlyDope]


If three-minute videos of baby elephants head-butting plastic bathtubs to down-home harmonica music are your thing, this is your video. [TastefullyOffensive]
 

ICYMI: Watch Amy Schumer eviscerate every dumb "no makeup" pop song platitude ever with her new music video for "Girl, You Don't Need No Makeup."
 
Watch Kristen Wiig do her entire Tonight Show interview dressed as Khaleesi from Game of Thrones.
 
This cat needs to work on its sneak-attack skills. I felt like this could have been done better. [TastefullyOffensive]

Have the best Sunday! [Mlkshk]

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Kanye Changed the Name of His New Album to "Swish"

May 3, 2015, 8:31 am

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Back in March, current Paper cover star Kanye West blessed the internet with its umpteenth Yeezy meme when he tweeted several photos of Kim Kardashian posing nude with the caption "SWISH!!" Kanye apparently liked the catchphrase so much, which is also a lyric from his recent single "All Day," that he's making it the name of his upcoming album.

Today, Kanye tweeted the folllowing:

I'm changing my album name to SWISH

-- KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 3, 2015

I might change it again but that's the name now

-- KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 3, 2015

So there you have, it folks: SWISH. So help me god.

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Listen to "Diamonds," Giorgio Moroder's Sparkly New Single with Charli XCX

May 4, 2015, 4:05 am

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When we asked Giorgio Moroder if he preferred to collaborate with other musicians or work alone back in our September issue, he answered, "I trust easily. Most artists are perfectionists, so I know we'll share in that pleasure together." Indeed, Moroder works well with others, his recent collaborations, with everyone from Daft Punk to Britney Spears, have proved to be some of his most exciting music in years. Following the leak of his "Tom's Diner" cover with Spears last week, today we get another collab from Moroder's upcoming album Deja Vu, out June 16th, featuring Charli XCX. It's fizzy and fun and the perfect summer jam. Get ready to hear this wafting from speakers at this beach in the coming weeks. 

[via Ultimate Music]

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Hop Along Spins Anger Into Indie-rock Gold with "Powerful Man"

May 4, 2015, 4:30 am

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There can be anger in pop music," says Hop Along singer and guitarist Frances Quinlan. "In fact, anger is perfect for the vehicle of pop music. Who isn't angry today?"

The anger in "Powerful Man," off the Philadelphia band's new album, Painted Shut, isn't immediately apparent. The beat is bouncy, the chords major, the melody sweet and meandering. But even if you overlook lines like, "Down came the fist upon your head," there's no missing the moment when Quinlan's voice seems to jump several octaves and light itself on fire. Voices of this calibre don't come along too often; you might finish the song with your eyes stinging a little bit, thinking, "Fuck. Fuck."

"Powerful Man" proves that Hop Along have the anger/pop transmutation thing down. It's somehow hugely satisfying (I found it almost impossible not to picture some wiry post-hardcore dudes backing Janis Joplin), formally daring and morally complex all at once. The band has been around in different forms for almost about eight years; if there's any justice, they'll blow up War On Drugs-style in 2015.

Watch the video, above, and hear more of Painted Shut, out today on Saddle Creek, here.

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2 Chainz Talks Legalization, Voting Rights & Fatherhood

May 4, 2015, 5:50 am

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At a glance, it may seem like there isn't a lot of room in the rap world for midlife crises. And yet Tauheed Epps -- the 37-year-old rap superstar better known as 2 Chainz -- has found himself at a political and existential crossroads, one that says as much about America as it does about the man himself.

In the past year, Chainz has re-emerged as an unconventional role model, straying from that previous incarnation whose dying wish was to be buried inside the booty club. His marijuana legalization debate with Nancy Grace this past January resulted in some truly memorable gifs, but it was his poise and common sense that resonated most. "I'm definitely not trying to encourage anyone to do anything they're not susceptible to or old enough to do," he says, speaking over the phone the day after we photographed him with his daughters, Heaven and Harmony, at their home in Palmetto, Georgia. "But this particular thing where it's legal here but not legal 300 yards away, it just doesn't compute."

Having been convicted of cocaine possession before he was old enough to get his license, Chainz has also become an advocate for voting rights, including a stint as a spokesman for the Hip Hop Caucus'"Respect My Vote!" campaign. "The first person I was able to vote for was Obama," he sighs, "so it was like I missed a whole decade, maybe, of being able to vote and share my opinion." On the roots of disenfranchisement, he says, "I think being a felon really doesn't have a color or anything. A lot of the time, it's your environment, your surroundings, your upbringing. And that's what definitely happened in my case. You could say that it's targeted toward the blacks, but I wouldn't say that. I think it's just a minority thing, period."

In addition to working on his third album ("People are used to seeing me smiling, being in an enjoyable state, but this is definitely more serious") and his own recently launched label, The Real University (or, T.R.U.), Chainz has floated the idea of running for mayor of his native College Park. How does he keep all these weighty balls in the air? The answer could be that he keeps both feet rooted in family. Flip through his Instagram feed and you'll more likely find photos of his daughters than stripper-cramped smoke sessions at 30,000 feet. Of course, being a parent at his level of celebrity, and with his reputation -- he's still known on Twitter and Insta as Tity Boi -- has its own challenges. "They are growing up in a society where people obviously know who their dad is and obviously treat them different, and I try and teach them how to judge friends... real friends." (Regarding the semi-legal substance mentioned earlier: "I don't do anything like that in front of my daughters, so they have no idea.")

Heaven and Harmony aren't the only kids Chainz is looking after. "I think this is an important time right here: the youth are definitely looking for someone to look up to, someone that they can get education from besides a teacher. A lot of kids listen to music, they watch sports and they pick their role models through different forums. I just really like what we're all doing, and especially as young black males: getting together and at least having a conversation on trying to change the planet."

By the end of the call, it's clear that Chainz is not so different from any of us who strive for good health, stability, fulfillment. "I'm blessed to have thoughts and go through experiences and be able to tell them, and people receive them and pay for them, or pay attention, so that the benefits I get trickle down to my family," he says. "That's the dream."

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Here's the Britney Spears X Iggy Azalea Single We've Been Waiting For

May 4, 2015, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Our 10 Favorite Fashion Shows of All Time

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On the heels of Britney Spears sharing with us the ten things that make her happy, we get a first listen to her new track with Iggy Azalea, "Pretty Girls." Though Britney gets top billing, as other outlets have already pointed out, the track sounds a lot like one of Azalea's -- "Fancy." No matter. The dance-pop, girl power jam has a catchy beat and some pretty great track art. Here's hoping the music video includes a mid-00s outer space theme, too! Give the song a listen, above.

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Our 10 Favorite Fashion Shows of All Time

May 4, 2015, 8:00 am

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Being a long-time fashion show goer is a bit like being a crackhead. No matter how many bad experiences you have you just keep on going in hopes of recapturing the high you got from your first magical, life-changing runway experience. When I think of Marc Jacobs' Fall '94 collection (most famous for having the Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" on repeat as the soundtrack) I imagine that's what a fashion show in heaven looks like. Sadly there isn't any good footage of that sensational sartorial moment on YouTube but there is footage of these other 10 shows that knocked my high-fashion socks off.

Alexander McQueen -- Fall/Winter 2009

Every single show Alexander McQueen ever did was a standout but there was something about this one, titled 'Horn of Plenty' and dedicated to the designer's mother, that can never be matched. Models paraded around a pile of old chairs, TVs and set pieces from McQueen's past seasons and everything was exaggerated to the point of delirium. Houndstooth prints were blown up to gigantic size. The lips were enormously clown-like. Philip Treacy's headpieces featured aluminum cans, cling wrap and umbrellas. It was science-fiction cartoon but at the same time the most sophisticated show I've ever seen.

Louis Vuitton -- Spring/Summer 2014

 

Before this Louis Vuitton show the rumors were swirling that it would be Marc Jacobs' last for the house and as soon as you walked in, you immediately sensed the feeling of a finale. The set was a 'greatest hits' montage of Marc's shows for Vuitton: the escalators, the merry-go-round, the fountain, the train station, the elevator. Jacobs shows are always emotional and this one was nostalgic, sad, sweet and ultimately satisfying. It felt like a nice way to tie everything in a lavishly expensive, handmade bow. Sure enough, within a few hours of the show ending it was announced Jacobs was leaving.

Marc Jacobs -- Fall/Winter 2012

Really almost any of Marc Jacobs' shows could fit on this list because he and his team just know how to pack a wallop. I call this the Dr. Seuss show but that's an oversimplification. The music was a mash-up of different versions of "Who Will Buy" from the musical Oliver! and the clothes included oversized jackets with large buttons, enormous fur hats, pilgrim shoes with giant buckles and lurex disco socks. It had the innocence of childhood dress-up but also the glamor and refinement of the finest designer garments. Rachel Feinstein's dreamy cut-out set completed the picture.

Philip Treacy -- Spring/Summer 2013

Philip Treacy always serves up some hall-of-fame level outrageous creativity but his Spring '13 show really took things to never-before-seen levels of style magic. And that's a pretty good trick for a hat designer! The entire show was inspired by the late, great King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and the models wore Jackson's actual stage costumes, which were on loan from one of the music legend's costume designers and were going up for auction in Beverly Hills a few months later. The hats featured great moments in Jackson history including a single sparkle glove and the amusement park at his Neverland Ranch made into head gear. The models were all black and the music all Michael's greatest hits. Oh, and Lady Gaga introduced the show, in a sheer pink burka-esque cloak. And, to tie all together, Gaga actually bought many of the costumes at the auction.

Chanel -- Fall/Winter 2014

 

One thing that no one ever says at Chanel is "Oh no, that would be too expensive." Thanks to that attitude ANY Chanel show is an unbelievable spectacle. For Fall 2014, attendees entered the Grand Palais and were greeted by the Chanel supermarket: a real supermarket-sized store featuring miles of shelves filled with Chanel-branded products like pasta, mayonnaise, cereal, cleaning supplies and produce. The models carried shopping baskets and some even pushed carts and did their grocery shopping down the runway/store aisles. It was truly delightful, hilarious and got the super jaded, seen-it-all fashion crowd smiling, talking and having a great time.

Chanel -- Fall/Winter 2008

 

While we're on the subject of Chanel, we couldn't leave out the house's Fall/Winter 2008  carousel show that had replaced the horses with Chanel bags, shoes and hats. And when the last model climbed onto the merry-go-round, the bags and shoes started to go up and down as the carousel spun. The entire audience felt like little girls on Christmas morning.

Dior Couture -- Spring/Summer 2004

 

During the John Galliano for Dior days, his shows redefined what a fashion show was and it was during his couture collections when Galliano took things way over-the-top. The Spring/ Summer 2004 King Tutankhamun show was the pinnacle of Galliano's mad genius. It was basically nothing but the most elaborate, shiny, complicated gowns we've ever seen, mostly gold and mostly constructed as if they were a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Pat McGrath's makeup also took things to the most surreally gorgeous level.

Rick Owens -- Spring/Summer 2014

 

Rick Owens always travels to the beat of his own drum (check out his schlong-baring men's show if you don't believe me). In Spring 2014 Owens skipped his usual casting of professional models in favor of a step team called Step With Momentum. For audiences accustomed to a parade of waifish, sullen-looking Eastern European teens, the dance troop was something they'd never seen on a runway. Their hypnotic, high-energy dances to pulsating music -- and fierce-as-hell grimaces -- gave us all an experience that we'll be talking about for years.

J.Lo -- Fall/Winter 2005

In 2005 there was an explosion of celebrity clothing lines and most of them were pretty stinky. Sweetface by J. Lo was basically department store clothes but the show had such a fun energy and not to mention a wind machine!

Isaac Mizrahi -- Fall/Winter 1994
 

The Isaac Mizrahi 'scrim show' was immortalized in the documentary Unzipped and proved that if you give models a chance to ham it up on the runway, they will. And, yes, I mean you, Linda Evangelista. The clothes were inspired by the film Nanook of the North and were simultaneously fabulous and wearable. We're sure being in the movie helped make this moment legendary but Isaac also just knew how to put on a really fabulous show.

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Madonna on Kissing Drake at Coachella: "I Kissed a Girl, And I Liked It"

May 4, 2015, 8:11 am

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Madonna participated in an Ask Anything Chat for Live with Romeo's Saturday Night Online over the weekendand had a couple of delectably arch quips to share about her Coachella kiss with Drake.

At the 2:10 mark Jamie from Philadelphia gets right to the heart of it, asking, "Is Drake a good kisser?" Madonna demures with a simple, withering, "I kissed a girl, and I liked it."

Later, at the 8:00 mark, Madonna is asked what advice she'd give her younger self, knowing what she knows now. Pouring herself a second glass of rosé, she responds, "Don't kiss Drake no matter how many times he begs you to."

Takeaway: Drake will pretend like he didn't enjoy kissing you in a rehearsed moment broadcast to millions around the world and Madonna drinks rose in her bathroom with beachy waves that would send Britney Spears into happiness catatonia.

Team Madonna.

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Solange Looked Like a Spring Vision + More Photos from Pioneer Works' Village Fete

May 4, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Justin Timberlake Dressed Up as a Lime Will Give You Tequila-Flavored Nightmares

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Yesterday a mix of art, fashion, and social stars decamped to Red Hook for Dustin Yellin's second annual Village Fête party, held inside his enormous Pioneer Works gallery and artist residency space. Solange Knowles stole the show with her kelly green jumpsuit while other guests like Sienna Miller decided to go more low-key, taking advantage of New York's summer-y weather to arrive in jean shorts and t-shirts. Take a look at photos from the party, below.

Solange Knowles

Lauren Santo Domingo, Sienna Miller, Harley Viera-Newton, Alexa Chung, Derek Blasberg, Poppy Delevingne

Dustin Yellin

Alexander Gilkes and Misha Nonoo

Jemima Kirke

Adam Green

Lucy Liu

Jeffrey Deitch

Chico MacMurtrie

Peter Dundas

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Justin Timberlake Dressed Up as a Lime Will Give You Tequila-Flavored Nightmares

May 4, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: Listen to a New Version of Miguel's "Coffee (Fucking) " Ft. Wale

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Just in time for Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, Justin Timberlake is shilling his new tequila brand, Sauza 901, by dressing up as a nightmare-inducing lime. In this new, three-minute long ad, the singer appears as tough guy-talking Rick "Sour" Vane, a lime whose rapid rise on the social circuit is followed by a swift downfall once the tequila brand hits the scene -- it's supposedly so smooth you no longer need to suck down the citrus after taking a shot. As Mashable reports, Timberlake sold his own small liquor company, 901 (named for his Memphis hometown area code), to Sauza and, according to Fast Company, was the one who came up with the idea to turn himself into an anthropomorphic lime. So, in other words, thanks for ruining our dreams tonight, JT.

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Listen to a New Version of Miguel's "Coffee (Fucking) " Ft. Wale

May 4, 2015, 10:40 am

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Former Paper cover star Miguel ushered in cuffing season back in December with the release of his three-song EP, featuring the exceedingly hawt single, "Coffee (Fucking)." He's back to soundtrack your Spring fever with a new, longer version of the sultry track with a verse from Wale. Listen above, but never try to pull off a crotch-rip like that. Miguel is a professional.

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