Month: February 2021

Nearly a third of the way through this truncated 2020-21 NBA season, we still are in a holding pattern in terms of evaluating a number of teams. The Lakers, for example, appear to be sleep-walking most nights, testing the limits of how little effort can be given while still winning games (ex: see back-to-back overtime wins over the lowly Pistons and Thunder). The Clippers, Bucks, Sixers, and Jazz, meanwhile, exist in a state of constant “prove it in the playoffs,” where skepticism will remain almost no matter what they do during the regular season.

As such, the NBA regular season is often about finding the pleasant surprises and simply enjoying the teams that are fun to watch. This season, that means the suddenly red-hot Sacramento Kings, the Denver Nuggets whenever Nikola Jokic is on the floor, and, before the Larry Nance injury, the young and energetic Cleveland Cavaliers. No team has been as consistently fun to watch this season, however, more than the Charlotte Hornets.

Entering this season, expectations were low for the Hornets on a national scale. They gave Gordon Hayward a monster contract that raised eyebrows and led to a lot of ink spilled on what an overpay it was for a player who wasn’t likely to raise their overall profile all that much. There were questions of how Terry Rozier and DeVonte’ Graham would mesh in the backcourt with LaMelo Ball, the hopeful future of the franchise as the third overall pick in the 2020 Draft, and whether Rozier would become trade bait before the deadline. The rest of the roster have yet to show much in the way of consistency and don’t have much name recognition with the average NBA fan.

And yet, every night the Hornets play, I seem to find myself gravitating to this 12-13 team like a moth to the flame. Hayward is having a career year, quieting contract debates with his early performance by providing a steady hand to a team that is otherwise bursting with energy. Any concerns their backcourt couldn’t work together has been quieted by the play of all three, as Rozier is enjoying the best shooting season of his career, embracing more of an off-ball role and often letting his young teammates initiate the offense. Graham, currently out with a groin injury, hasn’t been as efficient as his breakout season a year ago, but is a tremendous creator and has cut his turnovers in half.

While the Hornets are solid no matter the combination in the backcourt, it is, to steal Clyde Frazier’s favorite term, the precocious neophyte Ball who makes them must-see TV. The rookie guard is averaging 14.2 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.9 rebounds in just under 27 minutes per game, and since entering the starting lineup five games ago after Rozier was out with injury, has taken his play to another level.

In those five games as a starter, Ball is averaging 22.6 points, 6.6 assists, and six rebounds in 34.2 minutes a night, and at this point, it would seem impossible for the Hornets to ever go back to bringing him off of the bench. His shooting, long the chief question for his offensive game, has been tremendous in the last five, hitting at least three three-pointers in each game, headlined by a 7-for-12 night from distance in Monday’s win over the Rockets.

Whether he’s hitting shots or not, Ball has injected so much life into this Charlotte team with his pace and vision that everyone on the floor is engaged in what’s happening all the time. He’s an elite rebounding guard and when he grabs a board the entire Hornets team takes off in hopes that they might be the one to get his outlet pass for an easy basket. Just look at the highlights from the win over Houston, namely how many times he is pushing the tempo and bringing his teammates with him.

He has unlocked the best in teammates like Miles Bridges, who has teamed with Ball to form one of the league’s best lob tandems. Ball is willing to throw it up from just about anywhere, confident Bridges will haul it in and throw it down.

Bridges is enjoying his most efficient start to a season of his career, hitting 37 percent of his three-point attempts as his shooting stroke was obviously a focal point for him during Charlotte’s long offseason. On top of what appears to be a more comfortable shot form, the way the ball is moving on the Hornets this season is keeping those shooters and secondary creators more engaged. When that happens, shots tend to go in more often because they’re more ready for the ball to come their way. That is evidenced by their overall team three-point percentage, which at 37.8 is ninth in the NBA, a significant improvement from their 19th ranked 35.2 percent mark from a year ago, per Basketball-Reference. The biggest changes have been the addition of Hayward, an excellent spot-up shooter, and Ball, but as important as new personnel is the style of play they have embraced, which is to the credit of coach James Borrego.

Charlotte is first in assists per game at 28.1, as Ball, Graham, Hayward, and Rozier are all doing a great job initiating the offense. Their bigs are also getting involved as P.J. Washington, Cody Zeller, and Bridges all top two assists per game. It is a style of basketball that is extremely enjoyable to watch, as the ball rarely stagnates and they take advantage of the various playmakers on the floor, all of whom are happy to share the limelight with their teammates. Add in one of the most entertaining broadcast teams in Eric Collins and Dell Curry, who match the team’s energy on the floor in the booth, and you have a recipe for one of the NBA’s true League Pass gems.

There are better teams in the NBA, of that there is no doubt, but you’d be hard pressed to find one that is more enjoyable on a nightly basis. The Hornets seem likely to at least make the play-in tournament in the East. Because they sit in sixth place, they have a shot at an outright playoff berth, although they’ll have to hold off teams like Toronto, Miami, and Atlanta, all of whom figure to get healthier and better. There’s plenty of time to be concerned about their playoff prospects later, though, because right now they’re simply a joy to watch, and in a long regular season where the stakes of each game are relatively low, that is something to cherish.

This season is one Hornets fans (and NBA fans as a whole) should embrace, because you only get one real season freed from the burden of expectations. Once you’ve become the pleasant surprise of the league, you’re expected to take the next step, which doesn’t always come and usually isn’t quite as fun. But this year is something truly joyful, a young team playing a tremendous brand of basketball with some quality veterans holding it all together while their star rookie is free to explore all of his talents and put them on display each and every night, regardless of the outcome.

Maybe I’m crazy, but I enjoy it when actors from television shows I like are in a movie together. Happily, a dark comedy about a long-time couple that learns their friends are resentful of their love (also, there’s a corpse), stars Community‘s Joel McHale and Halt and Catch Fire‘s Kerry Bishé. We’re off to a great start, even if I’m angry about Bishé not winning an Emmy for her performance on the AMC series all over again.

The Happily cast also includes Stephen Root (Barry, King of the Hill, every good show and movie ever), Paul Scheer (The League), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Good Place), Shannon Woodward (Raising Hope), Jon Daly (Kroll Show), Natalie Zea (Justified), and Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation). This is one “Jake Johnson and Lamorne Morris reprising their roles as Nick and Winston” announcement away from being my dream cast.

Here’s more:

Happily centers on a married couple (Joel McHale and Kerry Bishé) that have been together for 14 years. Their honeymoon phase never ended and they are still strongly in love with each other. When they discover that all their friends are resentful of their constant public displays of affection, they begin to question the loyalty of everyone around them. Then, a visit from a mysterious stranger thrusts them into an existential crisis, leading to a dead body, a lot of questions and a very tense couples’ vacation with a group of friends who may not actually be friends at all.

Happily, which was written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski and co-produced by Jack Black, comes out on digital on March 19.

In a welcomed sign that nature is healing, the internet is once again captivated by a cat video. In the the now-viral clip, a Texas lawyer tries to do his best to make it clear that he is an attorney and not an adorable kitten despite what’s showing on the screen. As a very Texan voice comes from the kitten, the lawyer struggles to turn off the Zoom filter during an official hearing. Eventually, he accepts his fate and just decides to play the hand he’s dealt. “I’m prepared to go forward with it,” the lawyer tells the judge before officially asserting his true human form. “I’m here live, I’m not a cat.”

You can watch the viral clip below:

As the kitten video rocketed to viral fame, the judge in the case clearly had a sense of a humor about the whole thing and even tweeted the video himself while acknowledging that these things happen in our current COVID reality. Via Judge Roy Ferguson on Twitter:

IMPORTANT ZOOM TIP: If a child used your computer, before you join a virtual hearing check the Zoom Video Options to be sure filters are off. This kitten just made a formal announcement on a case in the 394th (sound on). These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession’s dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!

However, in a follow-up interview with Vice, the cat attorney whose now been identified as Rod Ponton isn’t entirely too thrilled with his new viral fame and blamed the incident on his secretary. “I was using her computer and for some reason she had that filter on,” Ponton said. “All it was was a mistake. It was taken off and we had the hearing as normal.”

(Via Lawrence Hurley on Twitter)

Phoebe Bridgers seems to be well-liked by fans, critics, and her peers, so perhaps she’s not the first person you’d expect to get involved in a music feud. Then again, she’s not one to hold back when it comes to speaking her mind, so if beef does come her way, she’d be ready. That’s just what happened recently with David Crosby, who called her attempt at smashing a guitar on SNL this past weekend “pathetic.” She responded by calling the music legend a “little b*tch.” Since then, Crosby has continued the feud and Bridgers happily fired some more shots back.

Last night, Crosby bashed the act of guitar-smashing in general, tweeting, “Guitars are for playing ..making music …..not stupidly bashing them on a fake monitor for childish stage drama …..I really do NOT give a flying F if others have done it before It’s still STUPID.” He then responded to a GIF of The Who destroying their instruments on stage, writing, “Didn’t like them doing it either …stupid dramatics,” then added in another tweet, “They are not toys …or props …we who’ve played them for our whole lives try to treat the with respect.” He later added in response to a tweet about Pete Townsend and Jimi Hendrix, “I have always thought it was dumb …it’s what you do if you can’t write sing or play.”

Responding to a tweet about Bridgers’ SNL performance, he offered more criticism about smashing guitars and noted that he didn’t care for Bridgers’ signature skeleton outfits either, which her band wore during the performance: “I am told that wasn’t a very good night for her and she’s really quite good …I could not see it or hear it then …the skeleton costumes were kind of distracting as well ….the guitar thing was old , wrong , copy cat, looks angry , destructive , wasteful , pointless.”

He was later asked if he likes Bridgers’ music and he replied, “Have not heard her at her best I suspect.” Somebody responded to one of Crosby’s tweets, “It looked so lame. staged. Not real emotions hence not passion. And yes, a fine instrument should not be subject to abuse,” and he replied, “Wasn’t even that good an axe …..it’s the Staged part that leaves me cold.”

A Twitter user pointed out a perceived double standard of Bridgers being judged for this more harshly because she’s not a man, and Crosby replied, “I didn’t like it when men did it either …it’s stupid drama …poor substitute for talent …..” He also co-signed a tweet about his thoughts on guitar-smashing, writing, “True.” The tweet reads, “Any of you calling Croz out for this are so ignorant… He’s been vocally against smashing guitars for DECADES. I’ve seen him say it in TV interviews, magazines, etc. It has nothing to do with who is doing the smashing… It has to do with his LOVE for guitars. They are sacred.”

Meanwhile, Bridgers doesn’t seem too bothered by all this. Yesterday, she shared a photo of her smashing the guitar and wrote, “got some really great feedback from my performance ! next time I’ll just burn it and it will be more expensive.” She also has more insults for Crosby: In response to one of his tweets, she replied this afternoon, “whiny bitch.”

Check out Crosby’s tweets below.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got a surprise new solo album from Hayley Williams, the tenth studio album from Foo Fighters, and a Boygenius reunion on the new Julien Baker single. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Foo Fighters – Medicine At Midnight

The Foo Fighters sound a little different on their tenth studio album. For Medicine At Midnight, the veteran rockers take more influence from David Bowie’s dance period than the alternative rock sound of their contemporaries. With spastic time signature shifts and other experimental looks, the album marks a journey into uncharted territory for the Foos.

Hayley Williams – Flowers For Vases / Descansos

Less than a year after releasing her debut solo album Petals For Armor, Hayley Williams is back with another full-length effort. Flowers For Vases / Descansos is a more laid-back affair than its predecessor, focused mostly on acoustic and piano tracks that showcase Williams’ raw songwriting and ability to anchor a song with little more than her infectious vocal.

Vampire Weekend – 40:42 EP

“2021” was the shortest cut on Vampire Weekend’s 2019 album Father Of The Bride, clocking in at just 1 minute and 38 seconds. To celebrate the arrival of 2021, the band recruited both jazz saxophonist Sam Gendel and jam band Goose to give the track an extended makeover, with each artist delivering versions of the song that clock in at 20 minutes and 21 seconds. “Gendel’s rendition is a spaced-out and jazzy affair while Goose takes things in the jammy direction that Vampire Weekend have flirted with in recent years,” writes Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx.

The Staves – Good Woman

On their third album, The Staves take a more experimental and electronic approach than their last Justin Vernon-produced effort. Good Woman was written in the aftermath of the passing of the sisters’ mother, as well as Camilla Stavely-Taylor’s decision to leave a long-term relationship. Both events, and the ensuing grief, informed much of what would go into the record, which Caitlin White calls for Uproxx “an album only these sisters could make.”

The Weather Station – Ignorance

On the latest album from The Weather Station, Tamara Lindeman “specializes in incisive, insightful songwriting set to warm, organic sounds that evoke the glory years of sensitive tunesmiths in the 1960s and 70s,” writes Steven Hyden in a recent issue of the Indie Mixtape newsletter. Ignorance is among Lindeman’s best work to date, and will certainly prove the staying power of The Weather Station.

Sun June – Somewhere

Sun June’s sophomore album finds them zeroing in on exactly what makes their band sound special, and fine-tuning it to create the fullest illustration of why the band deserves the spotlight. “Throughout eleven gripping tracks, the Austin, Texas five-piece find poetry in the monotony and grief of life’s most dramatic moments,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.

Julien Baker – “Favor”

With her third LP just around the corner, Julien Baker has shared the latest new single “Favor,” which reunites her with her Boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers. The track continues to illustrate the full-band feel of Little Oblivion, and “features Baker singing reflective verses over a shuffling beat,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.

Rostam – “These Kids We Knew”

On his first official new music of 2021, Rostam delivers a breezy number with a heavy narrative. With simple, repeated lyrics, the former Vampire Weekend member “takes a critical position on how older generations deal (or don’t deal) with climate issues,” writes Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx.

USERx – “Headsick” Feat. Manchester Orchestra

With two singles under their belt, UserX — comprised of songwriter Matt Maeson and producer Rozwell — are prepping for the release of their debut EP. The announcement of the EP was paired with another new single, this time featuring Manchester Orchestra. The emotional and nostalgic “Headsick” marks the first time that the three artists have collaborated, but it was “an incredibly validating feeling,” Maeson said in a statement. “Matt and Roz are a really complimentary team and the final product gave me the chills,” Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull added.

The Armed – “All Futures”

On the first taste of their forthcoming album, The Armed give a good indication of what Ultrapop can be. With eight members performing at the same time, “All Futures” combines elements of metal, noise, and other “heavy” subgenres into what can only be described as… “Ultrapop.”

Spirit Of The Beehive – “There’s Nothing You Can’t Do”

Fun fact: toward the end of my tenure as a resident of a punk house, we booked Spirit Of The Beehive. Nearly five years later, this version of the band sounds very different than the one that played in my living room that night, but “There’s Nothing You Can’t Do” still maintains the chameleonic energy that made them so exciting in the first place. The track is a dark, almost gothic, electronic track that goes to show how much the band has evolved on their forthcoming debut LP Entertainment.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Last fall, Gabriel Garzón-Montano released his dynamic album Agüita, filled with both heart sore ballads and upbeat tunes. Now looking to expand the sonic reaches of his music, Garzón-Montano has enlisted electronic producer Armando Young and singer Jamila Woods for a thumping remix of his lovelorn track “Someone.”

Speaking to her decision to hop on the remix, Woods said she’s been a longtime fan of Garzón-Montano’s music: “I’ve been a big fan of Gabriel for a while and it was so fun to re-make this song with him! The lyrics are so visual and vulnerable and the story of the song really resonated with me. Armando’s remix brought such a good energy and made it one of those songs that invites you to dance your feelings out.”

Echoing Woods’ statement, Garzón-Montano praised both of the musicians for their contribution to the track. “I’m grateful to be able to make such beautiful music with friends,” he said. “Armando is a beast and Jamila is a monster so I was in the most loving hands. I’m honored to present this ‘Someone’ remix.”

Listen to Garzón-Montano’s “Someone (Remix)” by Young with Woods above.

Agüita is out now via Jagjaguwar. Get it here.

“Everything is about story, and it’s about communicating,” photojournalist and filmmaker Deanne Fitzmaurice says over the phone, when asked for photography advice. “Storytelling is a way we can connect with viewers. It adds so much depth — it has deeper meaning and it resonates to a much deeper degree.”

That advice — to tell stories through the lens, not just take pretty pictures — sounds a little vague but is perhaps the most potent photography anyone can offer. And Fitzmaurice is the right person to share it. Her work is noted for drawing viewers into the lives of her subjects and has appeared in Time, Der Spiegel, Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, and scores of other outlets. She’s a Nikon ambassador, a filmmaker, and was awarded the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for her photo series following the 13-month recovery of a young Iraqi boy who was horribly injured by an improvised explosive device.

Clearly, Fitzmaurice’s photos have the ability to transcend simple still images. And since we want to be able to do that too, we linked up with the photo journalist and picked her brain on how we can better elevate our images. Check her advice below.

***

TIP 1: Put Your Subject Into Context

I like to photograph landscapes that tell a story. For example, I went out to San Francisco and found this park where they were painting these circles into the grass for social distancing and found a great vantage point to photograph it from. It’s important to think about putting your subject into context — where are we? I was able to see the skyline of San Francisco behind the park, but it also told the story of where we are in this moment in time. It gives a sense of place, it talks about what is happening right now in the world by showing these pandemic circles.

TIP 2: Look For Moments

I was waiting for a moment to happen within these circles. Taking time is a big part of successful photography, no matter what it is you’re trying to do. Finding the right moment comes from spending time, so find your position, and just wait, observe, and watch as people move around and look for something kind of magical or special to happen.

Sometimes the magic can happen from of the light. Maybe you go out and photograph at twilight and you have this beautiful blue light, the blue sky, or just really late in the day or early in the morning when you get the shadows and the extreme light.It can be really dramatic and it can really make your scene pop.

TIP 3: Think Of Layers

Layering is really important in any type of photography. One layer was the grass with the circles, another layer was the people who came and sat in these circles or were walking around them or interacting with these circles, and the other layer was the skyline of San Francisco behind it.

But for me, the most important thing to think about is story — it’s about layering the scene structurally but also layering the scene with meaning.

TIP 4: Find Ways To Adapt

You can use backlighting, sometimes I go into open shade — just look for a place where you don’t have that direct overhead light that’s causing these difficult overhead shadows. Sometimes, you can set it up so that you’re doing a time exposure, motion blur, at that point the lighting isn’t as important, you’re not going to have a problem with the shadows, you’re kind of introducing a new look.

This depends on if you’re photographing a person or not but you can add some flash fill to compensate for the shadows, to open them up.

TIP 5: Find An Angle That Works

Think about different angles, going up high looking down, getting low looking up, maybe you can use a longer lens and compress the scene.

TIP 6: Rethink The Idea Of “Self-Portrait”

I’ve seen a lot of people trying to tell a story of where they are during the pandemic by taking photos through windows to give a feeling of isolation. When I think about self-portraits I have a much broader definition of it personally. I don’t really turn the camera on myself very often — I think what I choose to photograph is a reflection of me, so in some ways, it’s all a self-portrait.

I get out and photograph what interests me and what moves me, and I think that reveals something about who I am. It’s kind of a different way of thinking about self-portraiture.

TIP 7: Try To Capture What Something Feels Like

Photograph what it feels like, not just what it looks like. I think that’s a way to take your photography to the next level.

“Okay I feel isolated right now, how do I photograph that?”

Maybe that’s some kind of a dark room. Think about conveying a feeling, that’s how you can take a portrait beyond just the obvious. Bring emotion to it. Think, “how do I use light to make the most powerful photograph possible?”

TIP 8: Be True To Yourself & The Stories You Want To Tell

When the protests started in the summer, I started thinking about how we were experiencing a certain moment in time here, the Black Lives Matter movement, this sort of time of reckoning, how do I go out and tell that story?

I photographed a couple of the protests and there was an African American woman who showed up on horseback at one of these protests and I thought, “Wow that is really interesting. Who is she? She’s on horseback, what is her story?”

I tracked down who she was, did my research, her name is Brianna Noble. I just found her to be an incredible person. She recuses horses and trains them, she takes young kids living in the inner city and teaches them about horsemanship, she started a nonprofit to do that.

So I’m thinking “this is a remarkable woman and it feels like it’s a story of this moment” so I went out and I’ve been photographing her. It’s one of those things where I’m still able to do this and social distance, but tell a story that matters to me, something that feels like it’s relevant.

I would leave that as a message to everyone: think about what matters to you. Find it and go towards it. Think about themes, sometimes a group of photos can be more powerful than an individual picture.

More photos by Deanne Fitzmaurice:

Former first lady Michelle Obama announced this morning that she’s expanding the work she started in the White House to help kids eat better and live healthy lives. On March 16, her new show, “Waffles + Mochi,” will debut on Netflix on March 16.

Obama described the premise of the show on Facebook:

“I’ve got some big news for you! This is something I’ve been working on for a while now, and I’m so excited to finally be able to tell you all about it. Allow me to introduce two new friends of mine: Their names are Waffles and Mochi. And on March 16, we’ll be launching a new children’s show on Netflix called Waffles + Mochi. It’s all about good food: discovering it, cooking it, and of course, eating it. These two will take us on adventures all around the world to explore new ingredients and try out new recipes. Kids will love it, but I know that adults will also get plenty of laughs—and some tips for the kitchen.

In many ways, this show is an extension of my work to support children’s health as First Lady—and to be quite honest, I wish a program like this had been around when my girls were young. I also know that this is a difficult time for so many families, and I’m hopeful that this delightful show can bring a bit of light and laughter to homes around the world. That’s why as part of the show’s commitment to helping families during the pandemic, we’re working with our partners at Partnership for a Healthier America to get fresh ingredients to families in need across the country so they can cook together at home.

So that’s what #WafflesAndMochi is all about. I can’t wait for you and your children to join us on our adventures on March 16.

More details about the show were shared by Strong Black Lead on Twitter. Waffles and Mochi are aspiring young chefs who will travel to kitchens, restaurants, farms, and home around the globe to explore recipes and ingredients from different cultures.

“Whether they’re picking potatoes in the Andes of Peru, sampling spices in Italy, or making Miso in Japan, these curious explorers uncover the wonder of food and discover every meal is a chance to make new friends,” they wrote.

Obama made kids’ health her primary focus as First Lady with her “Let’s Move” campaign and her push to get fresh, healthy food into school lunches. And according to a study released last summer, her initiative made a difference. Researchers at the University of Washington assessed how the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that Obama championed impacted the nutritional quality of school meals that kids actually ate (as opposed to just looking at the food served).

“The evidence suggests that the policy resulted in improved nutritional quality of lunches consumed by students who participate in the National School Lunch Program,” said senior study author Jessica Jones-Smith, an associate professor of health services and epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health.

The act required that schools serve more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and/or low-fat milk, and less starchy vegetables and foods high in sodium and trans fat.

Since improved nutrition standards for school meals were put into action across the United States in 2012, children – especially those from low-income households – have been eating healthier school lunches with better overall nutritional quality, a new study published July 28 in JAMA found.

The researchers, from the University of Washington School of Public Health, did not find the same positive changes in dietary quality among children who did not take part in the National School Lunch Program.

This is the first nationally representative study to assess specifically how the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act – championed by former first lady Michelle Obama and signed into law by former President Barack Obama – impacted the overall nutritional quality of school meals eaten by students, rather than meals served.

“The evidence suggests that the policy resulted in improved nutritional quality of lunches consumed by students who participate in the National School Lunch Program,” said senior study author Jessica Jones-Smith, an associate professor of health services and epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health.

Three cheers for Michelle Obama continuing to help kids develop healthy habits—this time with educational entertainment parents of young children will appreciate.

The tracklist of the soundtrack from the upcoming Fred Hampton biopic Judas And The Black Messiah arrived today and while some tracks, like Nas’ “E.P.M.D.” and Jay-Z and Nipsey Hussle’s first-ever collaboration, are drawing excitement, fans have noticed the absence of one notable performer’s alias. Noname, who has been one of the most outspoken modern disciples of Hampton’s revolutionary philosophy, wasn’t on the album’s tracklist — but that doesn’t mean no one asked her to be. When prompted by fans, she explained that she was originally billed to be on the soundtrack but opted out.

“i hope people actually go study fred hampton’s analysis on u.s imperialism and fascism beyond just seeing a movie,” she wrote on Twitter. “most of his politics were stripped from that film.” Given the controversial nature of Hampton’s views, this is somewhat disappointing but not surprising. However, because picking on Noname has become a favorite Twitter pastime, one fan decided to take a jab. Things didn’t go the way he expected, though, as Noname deflected his criticism and explained her reasoning for not being on the soundtrack.

“This why they ain’t put you on the soundtrack sis,” wrote the fan. “what’s crazy is they asked,” Noname replied. “i was supposed to be on the song with saba and smi but after seeing the movie i decided to pass.” Noname, Saba, and Smino previously partnered to form the collective Ghetto Sage, releasing a pair of tracks in 2019 to hype a potential album, but so far, there hasn’t been any more word on their project since. This track would have been a welcome addition to their catalog, but it looks like Noname stands on her principles above anything else.

For what it’s worth, she has been consistent in expressing and defending her views, and she spent some time elaborating on Fred Hampton’s politics for her fans on Twitter. Her book club has also been consistent in sharing literature consistent with Black revolutionary theory, so she isn’t just tilting at windmills. Some fans — and peers — may not appreciate her outspokenness, but considering Hampton’s own words, he’d likely stand with her more than most of the other names on the tracklist.

Judas And The Black Messiah premieres on HBO Max Friday, 2/12.

If you were wondering who the most disliked politician on Capitol Hill was, the answer is Ted Cruz.

The Republican senator from Texas got dragged by his fellow lawmakers while they were attempting to dig into the background of Neera Tanden, President Biden’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget. During Tanden’s confirmation hearing, Republican senator attempted to point out how damning Tanden’s social media posts — many of which condemned Republican party leaders like Mitch McConnell and Cruz — were in light of Biden’s appointment. They wondered if she could do a good job of sticking to the president’s commitment to bipartisanship after calling McConnell “Moscow Mitch” and Senator Tom Cotton a “fraud.”

What they didn’t realize was they were giving audiences a live Mean Tweets reading on the Senate floor, and that their colleague, Cruz, would get the worst of it.

A lot of people, Republican and Democrat, can’t stand Ted Cruz but Tanden’s tweets managed to trash the insurrection-supporting senator with some truly stunning linguistic verbosity. At one point, Tanden was accused of tweeting that “vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz,” which, just … wow.

Republicans also noted during the hearing that there were “nine pages of tweets about Ted Cruz” that they hadn’t got to yet. (Please, get to them!) And while it’s certainly amusing to watch politicians themselves so spectacularly, it’s also hypocritical, considering how they’ve been backstabbing each other under Trump’s example for years.

Of course, Twitter’s here to jog your memory in case you forgot:

This exercise in faux outrage aside, Jimmy Kimmel definitely has grounds to raise a fuss over this. You can’t just steal a comedian’s bits like that, even if you do work for Lord Voldemort.