Month: May 2021

You might recognize Sarah Neufeld as one of the founding members of Arcade Fire, for which she performs violin both on tour and on the band’s studio albums. For much of the last decade, Neufeld has also been focusing on a catalogue of solo work, beginning with 2013’s Hero Brother. Detritus is here third solo album to date, which finds Neufeld channeling the dance rhythms she learned in her youth into kinetic violin-based songs that sound quite unlike anything happening in modern indie.

To celebrate Detritus, Neufeld sat down to talk Paul Simon, the Bourne movies, and newborns in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Tension/release, portal, physical, waves.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

In 30 years from now, I hope to still be making music, and I would hope that it’s music that opens a doorway for the listener; a doorway to wherever they need to go.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

There are too many incredible places to perform to really have a favorite, but Mexico City is certainly one of those bright spots.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

I think I tend to lean into many different diverse influences for inspiration instead of favoring one or another, which could be why my sound is tricky to define, and at the moment I’m having trouble deciding whether to say Bach or Aphex Twin. Bach for the complex simplicity, the pure beauty, the puzzle, and Aphex Twin for the entire universe he creates.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

That’s probably a tie between Italy and Japan.

What album do you know every word to?

Paul Simon – Graceland.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Radiohead.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

That all depends on whether in-ear monitors are part of the package, because they require something close-fitting, something belted, or well pocketed. Otherwise, dresses that move with my body are lovely to perform in

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

(leaving this one blank)

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

I’m going to change this question to – what album do you run to the most on tour? Burial – Untrue.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Honestly, I just had a baby, so my searches are all questions about newborns because I literally know nothing about them and they’re not that straightforward.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Bach: The Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Nowhere weirder than a couch in a frat house, or, perhaps another time in a treehouse on a mountain, but these aren’t weird places.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I have only one tattoo and it was one of those 20yr old mistake moments. Long story short, I used to plant trees in the summers (it’s a big thing in Canada) and the tattoo involves trees, but not in an artful way.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

Anything classic – Tom Petty for example.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

A good friend once packed up a load of my furniture and drove it across many states for me.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Trust your gut and check your impulses.

What’s the last show you went to?

I was on tour for a while right before the pandemic hit, and I honestly can’t remember?! It’s between Devendra Banhart and a Broadway play.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Any of the Bourne movies.

What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?

Anything Obama wanted.

Detritus is out now. Listen to it here.

Although DMX has long been one of hip-hop’s best-selling artists — see: his five consecutive No. 1 album debuts on the Billboard 200 and the near-ubiquity of singles like “Party Up” and “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” — many of his most recognizable singles were only certified gold or platinum by the RIAA this week, nearly two months after his death in early April.

The certified songs include “How It’s Goin’ Down” (gold), the aforementioned “Party Up” (platinum), “Ruff Ryders Anthem” (platinum), “What These B*tches Want” featuring Sisqo (gold), “What’s My Name” (gold), “Where The Hood At” (platinum), and “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” (platinum).

For those wondering why these seven songs were only recently certified when some — like “X Gon’ Give It To Ya,” which shipped and/or sold over a million copies in 2017 — surpassed their respective certification thresholds years ago. Fortunately, DJ Booth’s Brian Zisook explained the phenomenon, which he called the result of “a combination of laziness and cost.”

“Labels often will wait until there is a ton of eligible records and they apply for certifications in bulk and then use the number as fodder for coverage,” he explained. “These 7 records didn’t all just become eligible at once.” In a separate tweet, he elaborated that, “Artists will often ask or remind their labels to apply for them on their behalf” sometime after their eligibility — which, in X’s case, couldn’t have been the highest priority (in 2017, he was on trial for tax fraud, spending nearly a year in prison as a result and spending time in and out of rehab).

However, with X’s posthumous album, Exodus, dropping this Friday, there was perhaps no more opportune time for Def Jam to file for certifications — even if it is in semi-bad taste. You can check out one of the first songs released from the album, the Griselda-featuring “Hood Blues,” now.

With the CDC’s recent announcement that vaccinated people can now live largely maskless lives and with Coronavirus cases being at their lowest since the start of the pandemic, we’re looking set to enjoy a real, legitimate, full-on, bonafide summer this year. You know, the type of summer where you can actually go out, explore your surroundings, and meet new people without the fear of endangering them. It’s a big deal, and the perfect opportunity to rock your best fit on the catwalk that is your city’s streets. But it’s been a long time, so you might be struggling to figure out just what to wear.

Don’t worry, we’ve got you. In addition to our weekly sneaker and apparel roundups, we’ve curated a list of the 15 streetwear brands that we think are absolutely killing it in 2021. Once these brands are on your radar, you’ll be stepping out every day of summer 2021 in style. You’re not going to find giant brands like Supreme, Stussy, or Timberland on this list, instead, you’ll find 15 up-and-coming brands that are just a few steps away from becoming household names, and are delivering the kind of cutting edge looks that are attracting the eyes of fashion-forward artists like J Balvin, Billie Eilish, Rosalia, and more.

Here are the 15 streetwear brands you need on your radar for Summer 2021.

Ambush

Kicking off our round-up is the Japanese jewelry brand turned fashion label Ambush, a brand that delivers a muted earth-toned and minimal aesthetic and offers everything from accessories to jackets, outerwear, and streetwear essentials. Ambush leans a little more high-fashion than it does your typical graphic t-shirt streetwear, but it isn’t so elegant that it’s formal — so you’ll still be able to wear everything from Ambush with a pair of Jordans.

Shop Ambush here.

Chinatown Market

Chinatown Market announced about two months back that they’d be changing their name due to the growing number of violent acts against Asian-Americans across the US, working with activists Eric Toda and Benny Luo to help usher in a new chapter of the brand. But changing a brand name is a long process, and the brand is still working through some stock under the original banner and hasn’t revealed a new name just yet.

So for now we’re still going to call them Chinatown Market and update this list once the new name is official. All that said, Chinatown Market feels like a brand that picked up where the old Supreme left off. Their drops are fun, lighthearted, and self-aware, and they have a great relationship with their community of fans, constantly interacting on their various social media platforms.

If you’re looking for a brand that feels like a community, it doesn’t get more welcoming than Chinatown Market.

Shop Chinatown Market here.

Equihua

Los Angeles-based brand Equihua (pronounced e-KEE-wah) delivers San Marcos cobija-inspired outwear, from vibrant floral patterned jackets to hats, hoop earrings, and hoodies featuring San Juditas. It’s loud, colorful, and takes the concept of graphic prints to the next level. Above all, it’s well crafted with premium materials and stunning attention to detail.

Equihua brings an unapologetically Mexican-inspired look to the streetwear space and modern fashion is better for it.

Shop Equihua here.

FINESSE

FINESSE is an interesting brand, we wouldn’t so much attribute the label to a specific city rather it’s a product of the internet, relying on Artificial Intelligence to inform its latest looks. As such, it’s kind of an experiment, sometimes it’s Y2 K-inspired fashion at its finest, while other times it can feel oddly out of place, like some strange sort of uncanny valley take on modern streetwear.

But even when it doesn’t work, it’s at the least interesting, providing great outfits for a photoshoot or some sort of creative project. It’s fashion for art school kids.

Shop FINESSE here.

Freak City

Beloved by Billie Eilish, LA-based label Freak City has a sort of trashy loud aesthetic that combines graphic prints with graffiti-inspired fonts. The pieces out of Freak City are a mishmash of colors and seemingly random words and graphic designs laid out in a chaotic style reminiscent of early MIA. It’s bratty, brash, and slightly gritty.

Freak City leans a little on the younger side, so if you’re pushing 30, maybe don’t rock a t-shirt with the word “drugs” on it encircled in a heart with a cross through it. Or do!

Shop Freak City here.

Joe Freshgoods

Chicago based Joe Freshgoods isn’t exactly up-and-coming, the brand has sort of been a thing since label head Joe Freshgoods was just 15, selling off his first products at Chicago’s Lane Tech high school, but if this brand isn’t yet on your radar you need to remedy that now. Leaning a bit more on the traditional side of streetwear, with staples like sweaters and hoodies, and graphic track pants, Joe Freshgoods focuses on comfort above all else, infusing lots of color to some tried and true streetwear classics.

The brand’s sneaker collaborations are a highlight as well, offering playful takes on classic silhouettes from brands like Converse and New Balance.

Shop Joe Freshgoods here.

Keiser Clark

Keiser Clark brings seedy LA night culture to the world of streetwear thanks to the brand’s moody nocturnal glamour. If you think you can’t get a lot of mileage out of the color black, you’ve never seen a Keiser Clark lookbook. From deep midnight tones to faded vintage vibes, Keiser Clark is a brand that knows how to play with darkness, offering a glamorous but gritty style to your wardrobe that’ll make you look like the coolest most interesting person in the room at your next late-night gathering.

Shop Keiser Clark here.

Lazy Oaf

The fashion of the ’90s has weighed heavily on modern streetwear, but no brand is doing it quite like London-based brand Lazy Oaf, which combines the vibrant colors and baggy silhouettes of UK rave culture with modern streetwear sensibilities. Playful graphics meet colorful prints at Lazy Oaf and the brand offers everything from your typical streetwear to more lounge-inspired fits and even swimwear.

Oh and did we mention bucket hats? Lazy Oaf has a strong love for bucket hats, so if you do too then this is your brand.

Shop Lazy Oaf here.

Mr. Saturday

Mr. Saturday is another brand that rides that fine line between modern streetwear and luxury fashion, offering elegant high quality ready to wear streetwear in a clean and minimalist aesthetic. Expect oversize silhouettes, attentive tailoring, and a mix of traditional American silhouettes retranslated for the modern age. Mr. Saturday is the only brand able to draw inspiration from out-of-the-box sources, like author Evelyn Waugh or New York’s Paradise Garage and mix it into something that looks undeniably great and brand new alongside modern fashion.

Shop Mr. Saturday Here.

NOAH Clothing

New York-based NOAH might strike you as oddly familiar, and that’s probably because the label was founded by Brendon Babenzien, who cut his teeth over at Supreme. While Supreme has become somewhat predictable and a little safe, NOAH still brings a lot of that early Supreme energy, infusing its skatewear with a clean New Wave-Esque minimalism that is less prankish and childish as Supreme, but just as exciting.

If the boys of New Order got their start in the 2020s rather than the late ‘70s, they’d be rocking NOAH no doubt.

Shop NOAH Clothing here.

READYMADE

READYMADE comes from the mind of Japanese designer Yuta Hosokawa and features mostly upcycled designs that play on vintage U.S. army stylings, doing for olive green what Keiser Clark does for the color black. But READYMADE doesn’t just stop at jackets, the brand drops dope sneaker collaborations, makes furniture, and releases a steady stream of graphic t-shirts that stray far from the brand’s Army aesthetic.

Beloved by Erykah Badu and Travis Scott, READYMADE is perfect for people who dig on utilitarian design.

Shop READYMADE here.

RHUDE

Los Angeles-based RHUDE has come a long way from the brand’s early days of borrowing from classic American iconography (see the brand’s Marlboro-esque logo) and designing graphic t-shirts. Today the brand blurs the line between luxury clothing and ready-to-wear streetwear as a full-blown design house, providing some of the best women and menswear essentials in the streetwear universe.

If you’re rocking RHUDE, you’re rocking the best, along with people like Michael B. Jordan, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, and Future.

Shop Rhude here.

Stray Rats

If you don’t like rats, you’ll never be a fan of Stray Rats but if you feel totally ambivalent to the rodents, then you’ll find a playful Miami-based brand that features all sorts of vibrant graphic t-shirts and streetwear essentials. From hats to jackets, and t-shirts, Stray Rats keeps their looks casual, fun, and simple.

Shop Stray Rats here.

Teddy Fresh

We’ve been big fans of Teddy Fresh for a minute. Since 2017, the brand has consistently gotten better with each year, expanding its offerings from color-block hoodies to a full unisex line of diverse stylings, all dipped in the brand’s iconic pastel aesthetic. While no brand can lay claim to color-blocking, Teddy Fresh really did something special with the style, which has inspired all sorts of copycats around the internet, but no brand can really deliver the same quality as the OG.

From premium fabrics to attentive construction and design, Teddy Fresh is a brand that continues to surprise with every collection. Teddy Fresh’s pieces just glow, catching all the eyes in the room while still holding comfort and wearability above all else, and we love them for that.

Shop Teddy Fresh here. ‘

TOMBOGO

Utilitarian brand TOMBOGO absolutely blew up last year, capturing the attention of artists like Bad Bunny and Kehlani thanks to label head Tommy Bogo’s unique approach to fashion. Something about TOMBOGO seems very reactive, the collections out of the label have a knack for perfectly reflecting the moment in culture we’re living through, from the brand’s pandemic-inspired Comfort Zone capsule to the work-from-home Freelance collection, to the more earthy and outdoorsy Lost & Found set.

Bogo approaches fashion like a musician, taking in the varying influences and synthesizing them together to deliver something new and unique.

Shop TOMBOGO here.

Men everywhere are missing out on the benefits of manicures and pedicures because they’re seen as something only women do. Mani-pedis are great for blood circulation, healthy nails, treating contagious skin problems, and taking care of diabetic foot issues.

They’re also wonderful for one’s psychological well-being because they’re a fantastic way to destress.

That’s why Shana Soberanis, owner of StyleMeUp! Salon Suites, decided to open The Man Cave, a nail shop that caters solely to men 13 and over. According to Soberanis, her new nail salon in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is the only one on a 50-mile radius that caters to men.

“I saw a need for nail care for men. They’re an underserved population when it comes to nail care. For some reason, men sometimes believe that it’s kind of emasculating and I wanted to dispel that myth. I wanted them to know that it’s okay, it’s a part of hygiene and wellness care,” Soberanis said.

“Men are often overlooked when it comes to nail care. Some believe that this kind of self-care is a sign of weakness,” she wrote on the Man Cave’s website.

She came up with the idea after doing her fiancé’s feet. “He enjoyed getting pedicures and massages and he suggested that I go to nail school. I enrolled and realized that I really liked doing feet,” Soberanis said.

So she created a salon that resembles a barbershop or cigar lounge, complete with a pool table. “Women have their ‘me-time’ this is for the men. This is what we need,” Shad Byrd, a Man Cave client, told WSPA.

Men who stop by The Man Cave can get manly-sounding packages such as the He-Mani-Care, the “Hail the King” Pedi-Care, and the “Bro-Swag” Pedi-Care package. Some men probably aren’t comfortable buying a package for themselves, so she encourages the women in their lives to buy one to show them how great a mani-pedi can make them feel.

The Man Cave is a place where men can go to relax and talk about what’s happening in their lives, much like a barbershop. The business also has a strict code of confidentiality, so men can discuss real issues as well as health problems they may have on their hands or feet.

“It’s always busy, they get you in and out. Not saying that they should get to know their customers but at least talk to them and ask them how their day is going because it could be the stop that changes someone’s life,” Byrd said.

Taking care of one’s mental or physical health should never be something that’s solely for men or women. Kudos to Soberanis for not only realizing that men need a place where they can relax and have their hands and feet cared for but for putting her heart into it and bringing the business into reality.

If you’ve followed beer news on any social media platform lately, you’ve likely seen Brienne Allan sharing stories of sexual misconduct and abuse in the craft beer industry. It started when Allan posted a question on her IG stories, asking “What sexist comments have you experienced?” Over the course of the next week, Allan compiled an eight-part series of IG stories containing dozens of reports of women facing everything from verbal abuse to physical and sexual abuse within the craft beer world. It’s a look behind the curtain of an industry that has been slow to wrestle with these matters for decades now.

To get a first-hand account of what is currently happening in the craft beer world, as well as what it’s been like to work as a gay woman in a cis-white-male-dominated industry, we reached out to brewer and beer expert Megan Stone. Stone has worked as a brewer from some of the biggest names in the San Diego brewing community and has guest brewed across the country. Currently, she’s working as the Marketing Director for Societe Brewing. She’s also been active on “beer Instagram” for years now as a valued advocate for all things craft beer and industry-wide diversification. This led to Stone receiving the 2021 Woman/Person of the Year award from the Craft Beer Marketing Awards for her work bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into beer communities online and on brewery floors.

But Stone has also been the victim of verbal abuse and harassment along the way, reporting her own story to Allan and sharing it via her Instagram account. As craft breweries nation-wide begin to take long-needed corrective action, we jumped on a call with Stone to talk about what’s happening now and what’s next for an industry that can’t seem to move past its misogyny, racism, and sexually motivated aggression towards women, the LGBTQIA community, and people of color.

Over the past week, there’s been a re-emergence of misconduct accusations. For a lot of people, this isn’t anything new. Can you sort of walk us through your experience seeing all of these stories about an industry that you’re in?

It’s been a mix of emotions for me. I think the posts were first brought to my attention by a friend and I didn’t know the weight or the severity of the situation. At first, I thought it was another woman just sharing her story online. I didn’t really understand what was about to unfold. I mean, it was like one day I was looking at her account and there were 2200 followers and people were sharing their stories. Now, it’s become everything and anything that people and beer are talking about.

Even if you’re just a beer consumer, it’s something that people are hearing about. I think that is a really important thing and a long-overdue thing. My mixture of emotions comes from the fact that it took way too long for this to happen. I mean, women and marginalized communities have experienced harassment, assault, and discrimination like this for decades.

My feelings are a mixture of emotions, ultimately. I’m happy that it’s happening. It’s also frustrating in that I feel like previously having been someone who’s very vocal about these issues, that my words were mostly taken seriously but nothing really came of it. Often, I was dismissed as some angry, crazy woman in beer. But I am glad that something is happening.

What did you see changing before this last week’s revelations? Was there real change taking place within the industry that was positive, or do you feel like it was all talk?

I think the change prior to this incident has been maybe out of obligation. I think in some cases, it was more a publicity thing for people or to save face, and not necessarily having the authentic feelings around this or try to understand the perspective. I feel like it was maybe a bit more reactionary, whereas this time I think that more people are starting to try to understand and try to listen, as opposed to just reacting.

When you look back on your career, you’ve been very upfront about the fact that you’ve faced a lot of terrible moments. Did that embolden you to fight even harder to stay in beer? Or were there times where you’re just like, “Fuck it, I’m done with this.”?

At the very beginning, when it wasn’t as aggressive and it was more a question of my ability based on being a small woman, I think it was something that fueled me to prove people wrong. Then I think it got to a point where I felt just exhausted that things were never going to change. It was frustrating going from brewery to brewery, and having expectations, and being hopeful, only to have my dreams crushed. I thought Modern Times was going to be my brewing dream job and I had a rude awakening during my time there.

[The CEO of Modern Times stepped down last week, following accusations of harassment and discrimination at the brewery.]

What led to you leaving?

Honestly, while I was there, I started to interview for a job outside of the industry. I felt so hopeless that the industry was never going to change. Sure there were good people, but I felt like the bad in the industry outweighed that. It was just heavier and had an effect on my mental health even when I had so many people who supported me.

Are you still looking to go back to being a brewer, or do you feel like you’ve moved on to somewhere where you feel more empowered and have a bigger voice?

I love having a hands-on, physical job, problem-solving, being creative, that also involved in science. I definitely miss it. But, I think my ultimate goal would be to incorporate both into my life. I enjoy the marketing side of beer because there are things that I genuinely enjoy about marketing. But it also sort of provides that stability for me, in terms of pay, benefits, and being able to work remotely.

It feels like there’s more growth in this role than there is in brewing where you might become a head brewer or a DOBO, director of brewing ops. But it feels like there’s a ceiling or a cap on growth. I’d love to keep my role in marketing and grow in that, but also continue to write recipes and brew collaborative beers with friends around the world. That’s ultimately my goal. And of course, I want to continue to speak up and work in this space of DEI because it’s something that I’m extremely passionate about.

I read through all the Beer Advocate comments on the recent postings by Allan before it was shut down by site administrators. It was very disheartening in the sense that it seems like people just don’t seem to understand. They go back to this, “Well if it’s illegal or assault or whatever, why wasn’t it reported to the police when it happens?” Basically, finding any excuse to dismiss these stories. Do you think that’s changing or do you still feel like that’s a huge hurdle to overcome?

I feel like it’s in the middle and my perspective on this has always been there’s going to be those people who will fight you tooth and nail and will insult you to attempt to prove their point. Those are the people whose minds you either can’t change or they’re not at that point where they’re receptive to a conversation and seeing another perspective. So I think it’s more important to just ignore those people for the time being, but continue to speak passionately about what you believe in, and the change you want to be in.

There are people who will listen and those people have an impact on other people. You don’t need to be an influencer or anybody significant in any space to have an impact. I think that’s something people need to be reminded of because it takes numbers. I think that’s something that this movement is proving. There are all these people coming together and sharing their stories and people are banding together for change.

I think that it just needs to be a continuous effort. I think that there are people who will jump on board and we just need to continue to push and to grow in that unity against hate and discrimination.

What do you see as a step forward for craft beer in both the short-term and long term?

I think, first of all, the people who are proven to be the abusers and the offenders need to be removed from their positions. Secondly, I feel very strongly that for women and people of color, there needs to be more diversity through upper management and people in positions of power because there needs to be more perspectives added to that realm of the industry. But ultimately, I think that more breweries need to take — and brewery associations and guilds — need to take actionable steps.

It’s nice to put out a statement. It’s nice to hear words of support. But those don’t really mean anything to me when somebody submits a concern and issue, and then nothing is actually done about it or nothing gets done to prevent it in the first place.

People need to be more receptive to listening to people and considering that what they’re saying is truthful or has some truth to it and take investigations more seriously. I think that breweries need to go beyond HR. Right now, I feel like HR is just kind of an obligation.

Can you expand on that?

HR tends to be more afraid of the liability of the company, rather than protecting and supporting the individuals. I think that there needs to be more of a balance there.

I don’t want to get too much into the weeds. But is there an organizational path employees can take by unionizing or bringing in a more official third party who can help bring more transparency on these issues?

I think unionizing is definitely a conversation that could be had because there are major issues that exist in regards to discrimination, assault, and harassment. But it’s also been a long time coming that breweries need a change with safety regulations and benefits as well. Being a brewer in San Diego, I make the same money as some of my friends who brew in Florida, and the cost of living is vastly different.

I think unionizing is an option to consider in solving a myriad of issues in this industry. I also think that bringing in a third-party organization could be extremely helpful, considering that this industry has an issue to its core. This industry has been built by and built on straight, white, cisgender men who tolerate misogyny and discrimination. Outside help is needed at this point from people who are experienced in that realm.

You mentioned that consumers seem to be paying a little bit more attention this time around. I guess I call myself a realist, or maybe it’s cynical, but people buy beer from breweries they know have a terrible history. So what can a consumer do to really, actually care about the beer they’re drinking, to be sure that their money is going to some who’s ethical and not hurting anybody?

As a responsibility, I always try to look into a brand. I always try to look into brands that I work with. If there’s a place that I frequent, I look into them. I don’t think that it’s difficult for consumers to make the effort of maybe taking three to five of the brands or specifically breweries that they frequent and doing their homework. The information is out there, and it’s been out there. But… I think people just want to have a blind eye to it because they want to enjoy their beers.

They want to love their favorite brewery and pretend like these things aren’t happening. I vocalized my own brewing experiences at two well-known breweries to friends and have watched them continue to support these places. You’re saying something with your dollar. When you’re aware of these situations and you continue to use your dollars to support these places, you’re saying that you condone that behavior.

Absolutely. Given this last week and the stories and reactions that are coming out, is this giving you a bit of hope that things are going to turn a corner this time?

It’s a big step in the right direction, but it’s not the end-all, be-all. This is something that needs to be continuous, and people need to understand that it’s not just a trend or a blip in time. It needs to be continuous work to uphold these promises that breweries are making. It’s not just about removing the abuser from their position and removing the toxic people the one time this all comes out. It’s about vetting everybody who wants to work for your company. It’s about doing a company culture audit and working internally to ensure that every unique individual that works for you feels supported and feels heard.

I’m hopeful, but I’m also a realist. I hope for the best and I expect the worst.

On Tuesday night, the two Los Angeles NBA teams found themselves in a similar position down 0-1 in their series and needing a win to even things up after a sub-par performance in their opener. The Lakers were looking to steal homecourt and did so behind sensational performances from their three best players, as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Dennis Schröder all stepped up in a major way to lead L.A. to a win in Phoenix.

In Los Angeles, the Clippers had just been torched by Luka Doncic in a Game 1 loss and a similar response was needed, but where the Lakers were able to close things out late in the fourth, the Clippers, after making a run to cut the Dallas lead to as few as four in the fourth quarter, could never get over the hump. Now, the Clippers are tasked with heading on the road for the first time in the series, facing an 0-2 deficit, and if there were ever a time for some desperation it would be now.

However, both coach Ty Lue and star Paul George insisted after the game that they aren’t concerned about losing their first two games at home.

On one hand, I understand the desire to not look panicked, but there had better be at least a little concern and a lot of desperation on the part of the Clippers come Friday night in Dallas. This is what most anyone would consider a “must-win” as going down 3-0 is something no team has ever come back from in the NBA and only three teams have even managed to force a Game 7 after being down 3-0.

For Lue, his focus has been on outlier shooting from the Mavs, who have hit exactly 50 percent of their threes thus far in the series, and while that’s certainly likely to come down, it’s not as though they’re hitting a ton of contested shots aside from Doncic, who is more than capable of doing that. Typically, teams shoot better at home than on the road, although in these playoffs that hasn’t been the case through the first weekend, so saying “well now they have to keep up this shooting in the arena they’re most comfortable in” is an objectively funny statement. He’s not totally wrong, the Mavs do have to keep being a good shooting team to beat the Clippers, but they’re also just knocking down a lot of open, in-rhythm shots. L.A. has to figure out how to disrupt some of these shooters, but they can’t do that until they figure out what the hell to do with Doncic, who has kicked them in the teeth repeatedly and left the Clippers with no answers.

As for George, he even says if they don’t win they’re cooked and then tries to say there’s no concern. There should probably be a little bit more of a sense of urgency for a team knowing they’re done with another loss. It speaks to the Clippers weird obsession with trying to look cool and in control at all times.

They need to be concerned with their position because that feeling of being backed into a corner is what sometimes helps bring out your best. Believing Dallas is going to stop making open shots isn’t a strategy as much as it is a hope, and they need to be more assertive in trying to take control of this series rather than passively hoping the series just swings back in their direction. What are you going to do to make sure they miss some shots? How are you going to influence that with your effort and intensity on defense to have better closeouts and send better doubles at Doncic so he can’t pick you apart? Those are the questions L.A. needs to be asking and answering rather than, “When are they just going to miss shots?”

There has been no doubt through two games who the aggressor has been, and while these comments are certainly an effort at appearing calm, it also represents part of the problem for L.A., which is that they need to show more of the aggression and urgency the Mavs have to this point.

High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (Netflix series) — Food writer Stephen Satterfield takes a powerful voyage to discover the resourcefulness and straight-up artistry of the African American people. Satterfield draws upon knowledge from chefs, historians, and activists to do so, and the results are mouthwatering.

Crime Scene Kitchen (FOX, 9:00pm) — Joel McHale’s the host of this bizarro cooking-focused reality-competition show, which sees chef teams attempt to figure out what was baked after a dessert disappears, leaving only clues and ingredients in the aftermath.

Ghost Lab (Netflix film) — Two medical doctor BFFs witness a “ghost” while conducting a research experiment about life after death. This leads them down a rabbit hole of attempting to find a scientific explanation for what they’re seeing, and this obsession could have far-reaching implications for their friendship and beyond.

Baggio: The Divine Ponytail (Netflix film) — Soccer star Roberto Baggio and his infamous hairstyle get a deep dive here to celebrate two decades as a player following a difficult debut.

Kung Fu (CW, 8:00pm) — Nicky tries for distraction after receiving devastating news while Zhilan’s haunted by the past.

Nancy Drew (CW, 9:00pm) — Nancy has Everett in the crosshairs while Nick’s receiving upsetting news that complicates his hopeful opening of the youth center.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Will Arnett, Brockhampton

Jimmy Kimmel Live — Emily Blunt, Diego Boneta

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Sofia Vergara, Jack Antonoff, Bleachers

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Joel Edgerton, Donny Deutsch, Dodie

The Late Late Show With James Corden — Jonas Brothers, Leif Vollebekk

In case you missed this pick from last Wednesday:

Who Killed Sara?: Season 2 (Netflix series) — Alex Guzmán’s working hard to uncover the (fictional) Lazcano family’s darkest secrets, which might have something to do with his sister’s death. In the process, he unmasks Sara’s true nature that she kept hidden from almost everyone. Meanwhile, a mystery corpse is discovered buried in his patio, which doesn’t help the whole return-to-prison factor. To save himself, he must take on investigative hats to solve the title’s mystery.

Along with her viral music, Saweetie is known for cooking up some head-scratching food combinations like oysters and instant ramen or spaghetti and ranch dressing. The rapper is not shy about her tastes and oftentimes posts her concoctions right to Instagram and Twitter. Now, she recalls the time she removed a fresh tongue piercing because she was craving a burger.

Saweetie sat down with Twitter for a #BehindTheTweets segment where she explained the story behind some of her most memorable tweets. One tweet in particular touched on a time she pierced her tongue junior year in college. “Unfortunately, my tongue was swollen and I couldn’t eat,” she said. “And you know your girl loves to eat. So I remember I thugged it out for like a week and was eating nothing but soup. But then one day I was just really craving a cheeseburger so I popped it out so I could eat my cheeseburger.”

Elsewhere in the video, Saweetie explains how odd it feels to log onto social media to see her name trending. “You know that photo from SpongeBob that’s just like, you walk in and then you walk out? I don’t know. Sometimes I’m just minding my business and then I log on and then I’m trending for some odd reason. Peole are talking sh*t. Sometimes I’m just like, ‘Y’all weird.’”

Watch Saweetie’s #BehindTheTweets segment above.

Saweetie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Today is a great day for fans of Sam Richardson, which is to say, it’s a great day for everyone. The Detroiters / I Think You Should Leave / Veep / BoJack Horseman legend popped up in the trailer for Chris Pratt’s science-fiction blockbuster The Tomorrow War. He’s also front and center in the Werewolves Within trailer.

Based on the video game of the same name, director Josh Ruben’s horror-comedy stars Richardson as a forest ranger and new arrival to the snowy town of Beaverfield, where everything is a little “questionable,” as the friendly mail carrier played by Milana Vayntrub puts it. What she means to say is, there’s a werewolf on the loose and it’s on the gun-packing residents to fight back. Here’s the official plot summary:

After a proposed pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield, and a snowstorm traps its residents together inside the local inn, newly arrived forest ranger Finn (Sam Richardson) and postal worker Cecily (Milana Vayntrub) must try to keep the peace and uncover the truth behind a mysterious creature that has begun terrorizing the community.

Werewolves Within, which also stars Sarah Burns, Michael Chernus, Catherine Curtin, Harvey Guillén, Cheyenne Jackson, Michaela Watkins, and Glenn Fleshler, premieres in theaters on June 25 and on digital on July 2. Watch the trailer below.

When Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video debuted in 1983, the VCR—which most kids today couldn’t pick out of a lineup—had only been around for about seven years and cost far more than today’s far superior Blu-ray players. If you wanted to rewatch something, you had to record it when it came on TV—complete with commercials. And if you wanted to learn the dance moves from the most epic music video ever made up to that point, you had to keep rewinding and playing the tape over and over again.

Gen X remembers. Especially when we see high schoolers reenacting the same dance we spent hours trying to perfect and are immediately transported back to our shag-carpeted living rooms with our tube television sets.

Jennifer Hawkins, who teaches dance to kindergarteners through eighth graders at Birney School in Southfield, Michigan, taught a group of students the “Thriller” dance and they performed it perfection in their school hallway. The video was filmed in 2019 and had several waves of virality, this time after being shared by Rex Chapman on Twitter.

Birney Dance Team – Thriller

www.youtube.com

The nostalgia this video brings to the people who remember the 1983 video phenomenon and reenacting it as kids (and notably, also remember the era before Michael Jackson fell from grace with the Neverland controversy) is palpable. The choreography of Jackson and the late Micheal Peters has held up remarkably well through the years—despite being nearly four decades old, the moves look fresh coming from these youngsters. And the clear dedication and talent of their teacher makes it even better.

Even if you aren’t part of the Gen X generation for whom this video brings back a flood of 1980s memories, the sheer joy of it still impresses. That’s the power of dance, the power of art, and the power of a great teacher.

Thank you and your students, Ms. Hawkins, for sharing that power for us all to enjoy.