Month: November 2020

There are few people on the planet to whom Steph Curry would need to give any credit for their jump shot. But one of the best young shooters on the planet, Azzi Fudd, garnered the highest possible praise from Curry on the day she committed to the University of Connecticut.

“She can be going full speed, and stop on a dime and have, like, a feathery release,” Curry told Katie Barnes of espnW. “I think she has more of a textbook jumper than anyone I’ve seen. Maybe Klay Thompson and Azzi Fudd. … You go Ray Allen, Klay Thompson, and Azzi Fudd, textbook. You would teach somebody how to shoot with their form.”

Fudd, the top recruit in the class of 2021, announced her commitment to UConn on Wednesday amid a continued recovery from a torn ACL and MCL back in April 2019. At 5’11 with that smooth offensive arsenal, Fudd looks poised to take up the mantle of special scoring forwards in women’s basketball, in the mold of the last two WNBA MVPs, Elena Delle Donne and Breanna Stewart.

That’s all in her future, but for now, the kind words from Curry are more than most young players have gotten by the time they turn 18.

While Selena Gomez debuted her comeback record Rare earlier this year, the singer has since pivoted to her acting career. While in quarantine, the singer starred in HBO’s Selena + Chef series, which invited famous cooks to teach her how to prepare their famous dishes. Now, Gomez is taking on another film project, this time starring in a feature-length movie about a Peruvian mountaineer.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Gomez’s involvement, reporting that the film will be created by Elgin James, who is known for the 2011 indie drama Little Birds. Titled In the Shadow Of The Mountain, the film will center around the inspiring story of Silvia Vásquez-Lavado.

In the Shadow Of The Mountain is based off Vásquez-Lavado’s memoir of the same name, which details how she overcame childhood trauma and abuse to become the first Peruvian woman to successfully summit Mount Everest. Vásquez-Lavado is also the first openly-gay woman to complete the Seven Summits challenge, which is the trial to climb the highest mountain on all seven continents.

Producer Donna Gigliotti, who is known for her involvement in Hidden Figures, expressed her excitement about the project in a statement. “Silvia is a force of nature,” Gigliotti said. “Scott [Budnick] and I are so excited to work with Elgin and Selena to tell this story of resilience, courage, adventure and humanity.”

First-grader Elizabeth is a fashionista. Her “passion” as she puts it, is designing dresses and she hopes to one day make it her career. When she was three years old, however, her future didn’t look so clear.

Six days after her family had moved to Reno, Nevada, Elizabeth was diagnosed with leukemia. Her father was just starting a new job, their things were still in boxes and all of a sudden, their world was turned upside down. “We had no support network,” says Elizabeth’s mom. “And then we had a new diagnosis to make sense of. It took a while to find a new normal.” That new normal included 26 months of cancer treatment.

The treatment was hard on Elizabeth and her family. Then came a major infusion of support and positivity from the nonprofit
Make-A-Wish, an organization that grants the wishes of children battling critical illnesses. The hope of a wish was something Elizabeth really needed; at the end of 2019 when she learned her wish was coming true, she still had six months of treatment left.

Last November, Macy’s celebrated with Elizabeth at her local Macy’s store in Reno, NV and surprised her announcing that her wish to design a dress was coming true.

ElizabethAll photos courtesy of Macy’s

“The middle of winter, drained from 20 plus months of treatment, it really gave us something special to look forward to,” said Elizabeth’s mom.

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Together with Macy’s, Make-A-Wish gave Elizabeth the chance to create her own, original dress design, with professional guidance from the experts at Macy’s Fashion Office. “I got to work with the designers,” says Elizabeth. “They were so nice and fashion forward. They helped me find ideas.”

Elizabeth scoping fabrics

“She loved meeting with Durand and Suzanne of Macy’s and was really inspired by them and their leadership,” says Elizabeth’s mom.

The Macy’s fashion designers did most of the sketching, but Elizabeth gave them direction and picked the pattern for the fabric. The best part for her was seeing the finished product in person. “It has a flower pattern and fluttery sleeves and it has tiers. It is beautiful,” she says. Since then, she’s been sketching her own designs, and can’t wait to create more dresses.

Elizabeth working on a design

“She had never really known how to do that before, and they even gifted her a few new dress sketching books and coloring pens to get her started,” says Elizabeth’s mom.

Make-A-Wish couldn’t make wishes like Elizabeth’s happen without the support of generous donors and longstanding partners, like Macy’s. Since 2003, Macy’s has helped Make-A-Wish fulfill over 15,500 wishes for children across the country by raising more than $132 million for the organization. A big part of that fundraising effort is the Macy’s Believe Campaign; where anyone can write letters to Santa (primarily on the
Macy’s website this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, though Macy’s is still accepting letters in-store at the red Believe letterboxes or safely at curbside), and for every letter submitted, Macy’s will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish up to $1 million.

Through 11/15, Macy’s customers can also round up in-store purchases up to $0.99 and donate the change to Make-A-Wish.

Everyone has faced extraordinary challenges this year due to the pandemic, especially children with critical illnesses and their families. Aside from the added health concerns, these children are some of the most vulnerable members of our communities and have had to isolate even more and avoid doing some of the things they love most. So, Make-A-Wish is perhaps more important than ever now because it can bring them hope and joy no matter the circumstances.

Elizabeth approving dress details

Elizabeth’s dress is available for purchase online at
Macys.com and in 12 physical Macy’s stores and 20 percent of all sales through December 31 will go back to Make-A-Wish to help grant wishes like Elizabeth’s. Elizabeth was also surprised with a billboard marking the occasion, and enjoyed a special event at Macy’s Barton Creek Square store in Austin, Texas where her dress was showcased. But there’s one gift that outlasts all the others: Elizabeth’s reinvigorated confidence. Her mom says that even if Elizabeth doesn’t become a dress designer, that confidence that she gained from her wish will last forever.

On Nov. 18, NBA teams will be tasked with deciphering the future value of dozens of prospects. Interesting decisions will be made, starting with the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 1 overall, and the 2020 NBA Draft also brings the benefit (or perhaps the curse?) of several months of extra evaluation time.

At this stage, everyone is sick of projecting this group of players but, at the same time, estimating downside and upside for players is all part of the job of an NBA front office. To that end, we will be glancing at the realistic floor and ceiling of 14 prospects in this space, accounting for what they can currently bring, examining their tools, and looking ahead with an eye toward what low-end and high-end outcomes might look like.

Every caveat applies because, well, it is very difficult to project what 19-22-year-old prospects might look like in a few years, but that’s the name of the game. Here is a look at those 14 players.

LaMelo Ball

Floor: This is a controversial topic. Detractors would point to big-time bust potential for Ball but, quite honestly, it is hard to see him fully imploding given his size, basketball IQ, and passing ability. If the jump shot doesn’t come around and he doesn’t get a hold of his shot selection, though, it could be tough for Ball to be a primary creator against NBA-level competition. Defensively, he is currently pretty bad and, if that doesn’t improve and the offense stagnates, you’re looking at a third guard, rather than a star.

Ceiling: It might be a bit aggressive in terms of realistic ceiling, but Ball could become one of the ten-best players in the league. Now, that requires him to improve as a shooter, both in accuracy and shot selection, as well as rising to a solid-or-better defensive level. The combination of those factors may not be very likely but, if they all come together alongside his preternatural passing, ball-handling, and vision for his size, the sky is truly the limit for Ball. That’s why he is the No. 1 prospect for many evaluating this class.

Anthony Edwards

Floor: The terrifying comparisons are out there, including Dion Waiters and Andrew Wiggins. It is hard to see Edwards being out of the league given his package of physical traits and skills, but the red flags are also real. If his iffy defense from college continues, his tools can’t save him in the NBA. If his decision-making and feel don’t improve on offense, he’ll settle into a role as a player that needs the ball to thrive but isn’t good enough to actually demand that kind of lead guard usage.

Ceiling: Edwards is the most physically gifted perimeter player in the class, and his ceiling is basically what he put on film against Michigan State last season. If his perimeter shooting stabilizes, Edwards can at least bank on being an impressive scorer and, if the light bulb comes on to indicate Edwards will repeatedly attack the basket, his ceiling rises. The tools, on both ends, are as such where Edwards could be a multi-time All-Star if it all comes together.

James Wiseman

Floor: Wiseman is sometimes viewed as a risky prospect, simply because of his weird path to the NBA that included only three college games. However, the floor is pretty high here. Simply put, players with Wiseman’s measurements (7’1 with a 7’6 wingspan, etc.) don’t bust very often, especially when they can move the way he does. It is certainly possible that his offensive game never materializes beyond a rim-running threat and, defensively, there is a path to him merely being okay, rather than dominant. It’s tough to see him not being a contributor at the NBA level, though, which is a point in his favor.

Ceiling: If Wiseman’s floor is underrated, his ceiling may be a touch overrated. Part of that is dictated by the way the modern NBA game is played, with 7-footers needing to be elite on one end of the floor to achieve superstardom. Wiseman may not do that on offense, and it’s hard to see him being a completely dominant force there. With that said, his defensive tools are as such where he could be 90 percent of Rudy Gobert, and that is a terrifying proposition when combined with his potential offensive skill package.

Killian Hayes

Floor: If the shooting doesn’t work, Hayes is going to have a hard time. Hayes is a limited athlete in terms of explosiveness, and he struggles to finish with his right hand. Defensively, he is very sound, but it’s at least possible that he stalls out as an average player on that end, rather than a game-changer. If the worst-case scenario arrives on both ends, he is probably still an NBA contributor, but certainly not a player that will return top-five value.

Ceiling: The attention will be paid to Hayes’ offense, simply because that is the appeal of a lead guard prospect near the top of the draft. Hayes has flashed off-dribble shooting and, if that materializes, he can be a strongly above-average lead shot creator at the NBA level. He’s also one of the best passers in the draft, making him a potential top-10 point guard in the league when you throw in the fact that he has great positional size (6’5) and defensive instincts.

Onyeka Okongwu

Floor: For better or worse, Okongwu is still only 6’9 and he’s primarily a center in the modern NBA. There is always a chance that bites him, particularly if he doesn’t develop a perimeter game on offense. To be clear, Okongwu probably has one of the highest floors in the draft, but his bottom-tier outcomes probably land him as a backup big man, rather than a high-end starter.

Ceiling: The comparisons to Bam Adebayo are unfair to Okongwu, simply because Adebayo is an outlier athlete that is also a ridiculous passer and creator for a modern-day center. Still, it is possible that Okongwu can replicate Adebayo’s rim-running ability, and Okongwu does project as potentially an impressive scorer and finisher, both as a roll man and in 1-on-1 situations. Defensively, he profiles as a potentially elite player, with the ability to hold up against traditional lineups and excel when the game gets small. He won’t be a full-blown offensive star even at this 100th percentile outcome but, if he hits his defensive ceiling, he’s a perennial All-Star.

Isaac Okoro

Floor: Comparisons to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist illustrate what happens if things go wrong for Okoro. To be fair, Kidd-Gilchrist was a functional rotation player before battling injuries, but Okoro’s offensive game could become a big problem if he can’t fix his jump shot. Defensively, he’s going to be a positive in almost any circumstance, but there is a slight risk for a player that could become a non-shooter and hurt his team’s offense as a result.

Ceiling: At his peak, Okoro could be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, with the strength to hold up against any non-center and the quickness and anticipating to overwhelm smaller guards. That is a valuable piece on its own, but Okoro also has a chance to be a plus offensive player. He attacks the rim with reckless abandon, gets to the free throw line well, and feels the game well as a secondary creator and ball mover. Realistically, he probably won’t be an offensive star without a full overhaul of his jump shot, but he can bring star-level impact with his defense and all-court game.

Deni Avdija

Floor: Avdija is among the players with the highest floors in the class. It is hard to imagine him not being an NBA player. Still, the concern would be that he doesn’t do anything at a particularly impressive level on either end of the floor, and that archetype can get lost in the shuffle. That is particularly alarming if Avdija’s perimeter shooting looks more like his (ugly) free throw shooting, and Avdija could become a negative offensive player in a hurry if he can’t stretch opposing defenses.

Ceiling: Going back to the shooting, Avdija’s ceiling requires him to develop into a plus shooter. That may not be exceedingly likely, but it’s at least possible for a player well-renowned for his work ethic. If that comes together, Avdija can leverage his jump shot into opportunities as a secondary creator, and he is a tremendous transition player and cutter offensively. He won’t be a lock-down defender, but Avdija’s size (6’9) is helpful, and he could be a plus on that end with his positioning, ability to switch and overall feel. Any comparison that puts Avdija in the same ballpark as Luka Doncic is wildly unfair to the former, but at his best, he’s going to be a really good basketball player.

Obi Toppin

Floor: Nobody is particularly worried about Toppin’s offensive arsenal, with the caveat that he did his best work as an older prospect in a non-power conference. The real concern is that Toppin could be unplayable defensively. There is still a place in the NBA for an all-offense big man that can put up numbers, but Toppin could be a very difficult team-building fit if his defense doesn’t improve. It is tough for a 6’9 combo big to function if he can’t guard on the perimeter, and Toppin’s lack of hip flexibility and lateral movement could prove challenging to the point where he needs to be relegated to second-unit scoring.

Ceiling: If Toppin’s defense is even passable, he could put up star-level production and efficiency. Toppin was the National Player of the Year in college while filling the stat sheet, and he’s an incredibly impressive finisher. He won’t be an all-world defender even in a ceiling scenario, but he can make up for that with the ability to put pressure on the opposition, including the chance that he develops into a perimeter weapon with his already established passing and burgeoning jump shot.

Tyrese Haliburton

Floor: Much like Avdija, floor isn’t the biggest concern with Haliburton. There is the danger that he could be “just a guy,” however, as he struggles to beat opponents off the dribble and finish in the paint offensively. On the defensive end, Haliburton is so smart that he will be able to function, but he’s not particularly strong or athletic, leaving some to theorize that he could be picked as an on-ball defender in the NBA. If both sides go sideways, he’s a reserve guard rather than a high-end contributor.

Ceiling: At this best, Haliburton could be a strong secondary creator that could play alongside a star or run the second unit offense as a primary initiator. His shooting numbers were great in college and, if he can translate that, there is huge value in 40 percent three-point shooting with deep range, especially when associated with an impressive array of passing skills. Defensively, Haliburton is plenty big enough to defend both guard spots, with the projection to act as a defensive playmaker in passing lanes. Even at his ceiling, Haliburton isn’t a traditional star, but he could be the kind of elite role player that any team would want.

Devin Vassell

Floor: Vassell is a lottery pick in part because his floor seems to be high. However, a video emerged that poured cold water on his shooting and, if his stroke evades him, Vassell doesn’t have that much to buoy his offensive profile. Defensively, it is hard to see him being bad, but perhaps Vassell is too thin to make a huge impact on the ball and his off-ball wizardry is muted as a result. He’s another prospect that, barring a complete loss of his shot, seems safe to be an NBA player, but it could be an anonymous career if things don’t go as planned.

Ceiling: Vassell’s off-ball defense has drawn comparisons to Andre Iguodala and, quite honestly, that isn’t even that much of a stretch. Of course, comparing anyone to a fringe Hall of Fame candidate is unwise, but Vassell could truly be a special off-ball defender that is also a positive in one-on-one situations. If that combines with 40 percent three-point shooting and the ability to knock down some shots off the bounce in the way he did at Florida State, Vassell is the “3-and-D” dream that teams are always looking for in the modern game.

Tyrese Maxey

Floor: Maybe Maxey’s 29 percent three-point shooting from college is real. If that turns out to be the case, he could find himself scrambling at the NBA level, because Maxey (at 6’3) needs his perimeter shooting to be a threat to open up the rest of his game. He does other things well, from secondary creation to defense, but there aren’t too many 6’3 combo guards that can’t hit threes that are high-end NBA players.

Ceiling: Maxey’s pre-college shooting sample was much, much better than what he put on film at Kentucky. If one believes that Maxey can be a plus shooter, or even an average one, the rest of his game opens up. He can get his own shot, create for others, and find the weaknesses in the defense with a dynamic in-between game. Defensively, he can defend point guards at a high level with enough strength and physicality to also defend twos. Also, he has the Kentucky conundrum on his side, with recent breakouts from Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, and Tyler Herro to maybe place the emphasis back on where he was as a high school standout.

Patrick Williams

Floor: Williams is an offensive project, averaging only 9.2 points per game on modest efficiency at Florida State. He put together some real flashes but, at the same time, it is quite possible he just doesn’t have high-end appeal on that end of the floor. If that happens, Williams will be reliant on defense to make his way into the NBA and, while that can earn you a living for a long time, it won’t bring starter equity.

Ceiling: At 6’8 with a 7’0 wingspan and a chiseled physique, Williams could be a terrifying defensive player. He has great feel, particularly as a weak-side rim protector, and could be a linchpin of a successful defense if the pieces break right. On offense, he has the tools that teams like and, as a result, he’s fast-rising on boards. His ceiling may not be superstardom, but Williams is the kind of gifted prospect that could put it all together and be scary on both ends.

Aaron Nesmith

Floor: As a freshman at Vanderbilt, Nesmith connected on just 59 of his 175 shots (33.7 percent) from three-point range. He blew that away with his stellar sophomore campaign but, for a player that is almost entirely reliant on his floor-spacing to be a lottery pick, Nesmith absolutely has to be a plus shooter. If, for some reason, that doesn’t happen, he’s probably in trouble when it comes to being anything but a bench player.

Ceiling: Shooting is exceedingly valuable, and Nesmith connected on a ridiculous 52.2 percent of his threes last season. Granted, that sample was pretty small due to an injury, but Nesmith projects as a potentially elite shooting prospect. If that happens (and he has been compared to Duncan Robinson in that event), Nesmith can easily bring value, and he has the physical frame and tools at 6’6 with some bulk to be an average-or-better defensive player on the wing. It’s hard to see him being a dynamic on-ball force offensively, but he won’t need to be if he’s the kind of 3-and-D player that his sophomore shooting foreshadows.

Kira Lewis

Floor: Outside of physical speed, it could be reasonable to suggest that Lewis doesn’t have any elite traits. That can be precarious for a prospect, and Lewis isn’t a special shooter or passer as a lead guard. That doesn’t necessarily spell doom, but if you are just “okay” on both ends at his position, you’re probably a career backup without much appeal.

Ceiling: Lewis doesn’t have the primary scoring and passing upside of the guys at the top of the Draft, but could he be an above-average starting point guard? I think that is very much in play given what he’s put on film and, for a player widely projected in the back half of the lottery (or later) in a shaky draft, that would be quite a win.

Cementing his status as a highly-prolific artist, Ty Dolla Sign dropped his album Featuring Ty Dolla Sign last month. The record’s title is a nod to his reputation for appearing as a guest on songs (he’s been featured on 75 tracks in the last three years alone). But now showcasing his talent as a solo artist, Ty brought his smooth track “Nothing Like Your Exes” to late-night television Tuesday.

For his performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ty performed the track while giving a tour of his home. The singer began his rendition atop a glass-lined staircase before fluidly moving throughout different rooms and making a brief stop in his lavish bedroom.

In other Ty news, the singer recently shared that he’s going to crowdsource to decide who his next collaborator should be. Speaking in a interview with The Ebro Show on Apple Music, Ty said: “I was thinking about asking my fans, after hearing this album and hearing what I did with this, who would y’all want to hear me produce? I didn’t ask the question yet, but now y’all here. Fill me in on who y’all wanna hear. I would be down for sure to go on someone’s album. I would love to do a whole album with YG for instance, or I would love to do a whole album with SZA and produce her whole stuff.”

Watch Ty perform “Nothing Like Your Exes” on Jimmy Kimmel Live above.

Featuring Ty Dolla Sign is out now via Taylor Gang/Atlantic Records. Get it here.

Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

MadeInTYO’s latest video from his new album Never Forgotten gets super literal with its concept, dropping him on Luna’s surface to perform half the video while borrowing influences from Japanese pop culture in the other. The video’s first half is an Akira-inspired cyberpunk fantasy with TYO speeding through a futuristic cityscape on a sleek motorcycle and rapping while surrounded by iconic images like Takashi Murakami’s smiling flowers. The second half puts TYO on the moon, where he raps with Earth in the background.

MadeInTYO made his return to the spotlight earlier this year after a two-year hiatus in the wake of his 2018 album Sincerely, Tokyo. While he made appearances in 2019 with ASAP Ferg on “Wam” and Chance The Rapper and DaBaby on “Hot Shower,” in 2020, he got back to work in earnest. First he appeared with Ferg once again on “Move Ya Hips” featuring Nicki Minaj, then he reunited with Chance on “BET Uncut,” which also featured Smino. His efforts culminated in the release of his second album, Never Forgotten, which released on October 30 and featured appearances from Cam’ron, Chynna, J Balvin, Toro Y Moi, Wiz Khalifa, and Young Nudy.

Watch the “To The Moon/Throw It Back” video above.

Never Forgotten is out now on Private Club. Get it here.

Fans have always been protective of their favorite entertainers but thanks to social media, that tendency has been turned way up. Now, stans view their every chart disappointment as a conspiracy against their beloved artists and perceive slights in every digital promo campaign slip-up. Case in point, the fans of the Griselda Records collective are as enthusiastic as any but they’ve recently taken to expressing displeasure at the indie’s affiliation with the larger Shady Records, feeling like Shady has suppressed the deserved success of the Buffalo boys’ venture.

Now, a cryptic tweet from core member Conway the Machine has those fans speculating on a possible split after the fans apparently decided that Griselda has become disgruntled with the distribution deal they signed with Shady in 2017. “I’m not f*ckin wit none of them n****s no more,” Conway wrote, leaving off any defining characteristics for just whom he might be cutting off. However, that hasn’t stopped fans from chiming in with their assumptions regarding Shady Records.

For what it’s worth, the Shady deal hasn’t stopped Griselda from continuing to be one of the more productive indie labels out in 2020, releasing no less than six projects over the course of the year, including multiple Westside Gunn albums, Benny The Butcher’s album, Armani Caesar’s album, and yes, a pair of Conway The Machine projects, all of which have been well-received by critics and fans. Many of the projects were distributed by EMPIRE, meaning no Shady funds were put into the creation, marketing, or promotion of those projects and Griselda seems to retain much of their creative control on their Shady releases.

Of course, none of those facts will ever stop fans from clamoring for ever more material from their favorite artists and believing that those artists should only ever go No. 1 on all the charts (these fans especially, because they seem to share a consensus opinion that everything else sucks). Unfortunately, there’s only room for one act at the top and it’ll always be the more popular ones, rather than just the ones with the most vehement supporters. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t successful; if anything, this shows fans need to find new ways to define success.

The most menacing presence in rap has a bite every bit as bad as his bark. DMX emerged in the mid-1990s as a force to be reckoned with, distilling the gritty, pugnacious energy of New York City into a flow that snapped off every bar like a Doberman’s grip. His debut album, It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot, changed hip-hop forever, and for much of the late ’90s, DMX held a spot in every King Of New York debate. His chokehold on the game made him a fixture of video countdowns and radio rotation for most of the next decade, until the demons that he exorcised on each release finally caught up with him.

Last year, a rejuvenated DMX signed a new deal with Def Jam, reuniting with the label that helped turn him into a phenomenon and sparking renewed interest in future album releases from the man who once dominated hip-hop. Although the pandemic of 2020 undoubtedly slowed him down, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Earl Simmons, it’s that nothing can keep him down for too long. While hip-hop awaits his future projects with bated breath, let’s take a look at the classic songs that made him such an icon and show why rap fans will always have a place in their hearts for Dark Man X.

Although this is a “Best Of” list, of course, “taste” is subjective. These are the songs that have made the biggest impact, so feel free to add your personal faves in the comments. Oh, and DMX has far too many amazing guest verses to list here, from “24 Hrs. To Live” with Mase and The LOX to “Money, Cash, Hoes” with Jay-Z and “4, 3, 2, 1” with LL Cool J. So, we’re sticking to DMX jams only.

10. “Where The Hood At?”

The second single from DMX’s fifth album, The Grand Champ doesn’t have quite the cultural pull of some of his other hits, mainly because it’s kind of a retread of his other anthemic moments. One thing it does have going for it though: What is quite possibly the most mind-bending moment in political theater we’ve ever seen.

9. “X Gon’ Give It to Ya”

X’s last big single sent him off with a bang. The lead single from the Cradle 2 The Grave soundtrack was better than the movie itself could have hoped to be (Earl Simmons is no Bobby DeNiro, gang) and with its driving beat, it became a career-defining smash, summing up everything that DMX is in one explosive finale. The song’s impact is as evident as it is ubiquitous; MMA fighters have walked out to it, Rick and Morty jammed out to it in season one of their eponymous show, and Deadpool merrily prepared to murder a pack of goons in his 2016 film.

8. “How’s It Goin’ Down”

DMX’s fourth single found him softening his image just enough that a pretty-sounding duet with Faith Evans wasn’t too out-of-place, proving that even thugs need love. Of course, with the song shot through by X’s usual subliminal paranoia, it’s less romantic than it is a rumination on the disintegration of a toxic relationship. Plus, there’s a bonus Ja Rule cameo in the video, from a time before the two rappers were at each other’s throats.

7. “Get At Me Dog”

DMX’s debut single landed in 1998 and instantly made “where my dawgs at?” a rallying cry for tough guys everywhere. Entering a hip-hop world that had just been stripped of its edge in raw, Thug Life-embracing rappers like Tupac, DMX immediately threw his hat in the ring for the next focal point for rap’s most belligerent impulses.

6. “Stop Being Greedy”

With a beat like a horror movie soundtrack, the second single from Hell Is Hot expands on the conditions that generated his truculent attitude. The draw of “Stop Being Greedy” is that illumination; the hellions of rap aren’t that way because it’s cool or fun, but because their “ribs is touching.” And hey, if anything, the intervening decades have only highlighted the message of the title; as billionaires accept government handouts while their workers starve, don’t be surprised if this one becomes a rallying cry for those who have-not when they start coming for what’s owed.

5. “What These Bitches Want”

Transforming the sinister serial killer to a playboy may have been the best trick this 1999 single pulled. Pairing X with Sisqo at the height of their respective powers (Sisqo had just released his album The Dragon and “Thong Song” was absolutely throttling the charts), the sequence of the song in which DMX lists his conquests resurfaced this year as an internet meme, proving that sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone can pay off in unexpected ways — even if it takes a while. Shout-out to all three Kims.

4. “Who We Be”

By the time The Great Depression rolled out in 2001, DMX had lost a little momentum. Its second single, “Who We Be,” was the only one to chart on the Hot 100. But what a song it is. X may as well have been predicting the events of 2020, highlighting police brutality and mass incarceration, mental health, and poverty conditions, as well as a slick mention of how easily rap stardom can turn toxic for its entertainers, all projected over images of 1960s Civil Rights Movement protests that could very well have been shot this year.

3. “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem”

Handy if you’re ever on fire — or if the block is hot — DMX’s third single from his debut is often considered one of hip-hop’s greatest songs. It helped establish Swizz Beatz as a go-to hitmaker and made just about everyone who watched the music video any of the 411 times it played a day fiend for an ATV. Strangely enough, it’s a song DMX apparently didn’t even want to do because of its “awkward” blend of New York and Atlanta aesthetics — then a no-no for an aggressive New Yorker (remember, this was the year they booed Outkast). Fortunately, he gave it a go and gave us the ultimate rap fight song.

2. “Slippin’”

X addressed his many, many issues often throughout his catalog, but rarely ever as poignantly as he did on “Slippin’.” One of his most relatable songs — in spirit, if not content — the first single from his 1998 second studio album Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood saw DMX rapping over a melancholy sample from Grover Washington Jr.’s “Moonstreams,” laying bare the traumas, losses, and minor victories of his biography. Yet what made the song resonate with audiences was the subtle optimism expressed in the hook: “I got to get up.” That’s something we can all relate to, even if our problems pale in comparison.

1. “Party Up (Up in Here)”

By 2000, DMX had become so big that even my pastor was quoting the second single from his third album … And Then There Was X. “Party Up” would become DMX’s highest-charting single and a pop-culture juggernaut that has featured in dozens of commercials, movies, TV shows, and video games thanks to its instantly recognizable beat by Swizz Beatz and a hook that turns any shindig into a straight-up hootenanny (there’s a difference, trust me). There’s even an indirect reference to the track in Hamilton, meaning even Upper West Side liberal white people will have at least passing familiarity with the guy they would call the cops on instantly.

There is perhaps no greater example of situational comedy than when Rudy Giuliani spewed factually incorrect statements about voter fraud outside of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping company in Philedelphia shortly after Biden’s victory. The event was so unexpectedly ridiculous that even comedy king Tim Heidecker couldn’t have imagined it for a sketch. Taking the opportunity to poke fun at the event, Heidecker quickly penned a satirical song titled “Rudy At The 4 Seasons.”

While seated at a piano, Heidecker delivered the hilarious tune which covered the ludicrousness of Giuliani’s recent speech in clever prose. “Standing out in front of a pile of manure / Spitting out lies that belong in the sewer / All while your boss is swinging his head in the sand / He sends you out to make a one last stand / You thought you were headed to a four star hotel / Just a couple of miles from the Liberty Bell,” Heidecker sang.

The comedian of course couldn’t help but also include a line mentioning Giuliani’s incriminating scene in Borat 2. “With your hand down your pants maybe you don’t wanna do a hotel / Maybe next time / You and your friends can find / Someplace that isn’t next to a dildo store,” Heidecker said.

Heidecker’s parody song arrives after the comedian shared a non-comedic album of his own. Back in September, the comedian debuted his LP Fear Of Death, which also featured a morbid collaboration with Weyes Blood.

Listen to Heidecker’s “Rudy At The 4 Seasons” above.

The world doesn’t really know when music fans will be able to attend in-person concerts again, but what we do know is that when shows do come back, things won’t be how they were before. Safety will be a higher priority than ever before in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and Ticketmaster has a plan to provide as safe an environment as possible.

Billboard reports that Ticketmaster “has been working on a framework for post-pandemic fan safety” which will involve using phones to verify that a person has either been vaccinated for COVID-19 or they they’ve tested negative for the virus within a 24- to 72-hour window. The plan is still in a development phase, but it will reportedly involve the Ticketmaster app, third party health information companies like CLEAR Health Pass or IBM’s Digital Health Pass, and testing and vaccine distribution providers like Labcorp and the CVS Minute Clinic.” Fans would have to verify that they’ve been vaccinated or have tested negatively before being allowed into the event.

Ticketmaster president Mark Yovich says of the plan, “We’re already seeing many third-party health care providers prepare to handle the vetting — whether that is getting a vaccine, taking a test, or other methods of review and approval — which could then be linked via a digital ticket so everyone entering the event is verified. Ticketmaster’s goal is to provide enough flexibility and options that venues and fans have multiple paths to return to events, and is working to create integrations to our API and leading digital ticketing technology as we will look to tap into the top solutions based on what’s green-lit by officials and desired by clients.”

Read more about the plan here.