Pop Culture

Two men with the same name. A murder, a manhunt, and a chilling question: Did a Florida court hand down a life sentence because of a mistaken identity? By Tristram Korten July 28, 2021 Thomas Raynard James at Florida’s Okeechobee Correctional Institution, where he’s currently serving a life sentence for murder.Photograph by Octavio Jones By

Scenes from an Italian mob movie convention. By Jason Diamond July 28, 2021 Courtesy of Andrew LoPiccolo Meeting Lorraine Bracco is not unlike the scene in Goodfellas where she’s playing Karen Hill and being introduced to the army of Peters, Pauls, Maries and the Maries who name their daughters Marie. Except instead of a wedding,

The couple has an eye for 2021’s most powerful resource: nostalgia. By Danielle Cohen July 26, 2021 Any advertiser worth their salt knows nostalgia is a powerful tool. You know who else wields nostalgia more powerfully than Don Draper? The summer of 2021’s horniest and most powerful couple, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. Reunited at

With the release of the new album Donda pushed back (at least) two weeks, let’s revisit the history of the grand plans Kanye announced but never followed through on. By Grant Rindner July 26, 2021 Collag by Simon Abranowicz; Photographs Getty Images The Kanye West album rollout cycle has become familiar: First the whispers among

The veteran entertainer reflects on his journey from Roots, Reading Rainbow, and Star Trek to hosting America’s favorite gameshow. By Julian Kimble July 26, 2021 LeVar Burton.Courtesy of MasterClass. LeVar Burton’s grasp of the power of words is firm. He chooses them carefully when speaking, pairing them with perfect intonation and enunciation to ensure that

The polarizing director, back in movie theaters with his latest high-concept thriller Old, talks about his love of Agatha Christie and the reception of his work. By Mallika Rao Photography by Martin Brown July 23, 2021 Suit by Etro. Shirt by Rag & Bone. T-shirt by FRAME.  There’s a song in Old, the thirteenth movie

The latest installment in the wildest album rollout to date features Jack Harlow, pink jumpsuits, and a hefty dose of nudity. By Danielle Cohen July 23, 2021 Lil Nas X in the “Industry Baby” music video.Courtesy of Vevo/Columbia. Lil Nas X’s album rollout has officially taken a turn into the multiversal. Last night, he dropped

Donda closes with a verse from Jay-Z—their first time on a song together in five years. By Clayton Purdom July 23, 2021 Kanye West at his DONDA listening event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.Courtesy of Kevin Mazur for Getty Images / Universal Music Group. Kanye West has always spoken through

The handful of actors we would’ve bet money would never join a superhero franchise. Good thing we didn’t. By William Goodman July 23, 2021 Angelina Jolie in Eternals, 2021.Courtesy of Marvel Studios Marvel is at the center of Hollywood at this point, so it comes as no surprise that they assemble some of the biggest

Let’s break down the new trailer for the sci-fi epic. By Colin Groundwater July 22, 2021 Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in Dune.Courtesy of Warner Bros. Nerds and Timothee Chalamet stans rejoice—Dune approaches. Denis Villenueve’s take on the classic science fiction novel, originally slated for last fall, will finally arrive on October 22, and there’s a

When Wes Studi broke through in Dances With Wolves and The Last of the Mohicans, he was cast as a terrifying villain. But for many in the Native community, he was a hero channeling decades of righteous anger. Tommy Orange tells the story of an overlooked icon who forever changed the way Indigenous people are depicted onscreen. By Tommy

Few collectives have teetered on the bleeding edge of culture quite like Brockhampton. Fewer still have had the courage to call it quits while still at the top of their game.  By Gerrick D. Kennedy Photography by Charlie Engman July 20, 2021 For more on Brockhampton wearing the New American Sportswear, click here. Back in

Yeezy Season continues. By Mark Elibert July 20, 2021 Kanye West during a BIG3 game at the Orleans Arena on July 17, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.Courtesy of Ethan Miller for Getty. Kanye West is gearing up to release his tenth studio album DONDA, and fans are anxious to hear something from the project, especially

The first trailer for Ridley Scott’s medieval epic is out with huge beards, tiny bangs, and Matt Damon’s blonde mullet.  By Danielle Cohen July 20, 2021 Matt Damon in costume for ‘The Last Duel’ Debbie Hickey / Getty Images The Last Duel tells the story of a knight (Matt Damon), his squire (Adam Driver), and their

LeBron’s journey through the WB “Serververse” yields a LOT of cameos. By Kevin Hall July 20, 2021 LeBron James and Bugs Bunny voiced by Jeff Bergman in Space Jam: A New Legacy, 2021.Everett Collection / Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Space Jam: A New Legacy is a 115-minute sequel to the famous 1996 movie starring

Kanye is out and about with a new uniform, and Internet sleuths are on the case. By The Editors of GQ July 19, 2021  Ice Cube and Kanye West at a BIG3 game at the Orleans Arena on July 17, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.Courtesy of Sam Morris for Getty. Ever since The Life of Pablo

The veteran rapper, who passed away last Friday, leaves behind a rich legacy. By Miles Marshall Lewis July 19, 2021 Biz Markie at the Breakin Convention at The Apollo Theater on October 27, 2017 in New York City.Courtesy of Shahar Azran for WireImage. What does it mean to be a clown prince? In the hip-hop

You may know The Knick and Warrior but there are even more gems finally available to stream. By Nathaniel Houston July 16, 2021 Photographs Everett Collection Cinemax has been around as long as HBO, but never really established itself as a destination for premium TV series—for most of its lifespan, the channel offered Hollywood movies

The Kurt Russell classic is a masterclass in using science fiction to reflect the world around us. By Keith Phipps July 15, 2021 Kurt Russell in Escape From New York, 1981.Everett Collection The early 1970s were filled with grim Hollywood visions of dreadful futures inspired by the turmoil and crises that splashed across newspaper headlines

Majors’s scene-stealing appearance in the Loki finale is just the beginning for his character. By William Goodman July 15, 2021 Jonathan Majors in Loki, 2021.Courtesy of Disney+ Spoiler Warning for Season 1 of Loki—you’ve been warned Over the last few weeks, Marvel’s Loki series on Disney+ has been building toward some sort of big reveal.