The world is mourning the loss of another hip-hop legend today. After his hospitalization for complications related to diabetes in 2020, today a family source confirmed to TMZ that rapper Biz Markie has passed away at the age of 57. Best known for his hit single “Just A Friend,” the prolific and multi-talented entertainer was respected by the hip-hop world at large, and plenty of artists and friends are expressing their grief at the loss.

Dubbed the “Clown Prince Of Hip-Hop,” Biz Markie, born Marcel Theo Hall was a member of the Juice Crew and an integral part of the New York rap world during the ’90s. An accomplished rapper, beatboxer, producer and well-known for his out-of-the-box sampling ideas, Markie was also an on-screen presence with a role in Men In Black II and a stint opening for comedian Chris Rock.

One of the most heartfelt and earliest reactions from a fellow artist comes from Q-Tip, who is feeling the loss. “This one hurts baad … RIP to my Aries bro… ahhh man
@BizMarkie damn im gonna miss u so so many memories.. hurts bad. My FRIEND,” he wrote. Check out more reactions from fellow rappers and artists below. Rest in peace Biz Markie.

More sad news for the hip-hop community today, TMZ reports that rapper Biz Markie, born Marcel Theo Hall, has passed away at age 57 due to complications from diabetes. In 2020, he was hospitalized due to the same issue and has now succumbed to the disease. TMZ cites a family source who confirmed the rapper died in a Baltimore hospital at 6:25 PM tonight.

A member of the Juice Crew, out of New York, and primarily known for his rhymes penned by Big Daddy Kane (also of the Juice Crew), the rapper, singer, DJ, record producer, actor, comedian, and writer was a multi-talented artist and entertainer who earned the title “Clown Prince Of Hip-Hop.”

His debut album Goin’ Off was released in 1988 and included underground singles “Nobody Beats The Biz” and “Vapors.” His second album, The Biz Never Sleeps came out just a year later, and even if you’re unfamiliar with Biz Markie’s extended catalogue, odds are most people have heard his breakout hit from this record, “Just A Friend.” After its release in 1989, it became a global hit, and still gets played even today, decades later.

His third album I Need A Haircut came out in 1991, and was followed up in 1993 with All Samples Cleared!. That title referenced a landmark sampling case one of his songs, “Alone Again,” was involved in. Later on, he released his final solo album, Weekend Warrior, in 2003. Aside from his career in music, Markie was also an on-screen presence and a comedian, including an appearance in Men In Black II and a stint opening for Chris Rock’s “No Apologies” tour in 2008.

Rest in peace to a legend.

Space Jam: A New Legacy hit theaters and HBO Max on Friday, and while the reviews for the movie generally ranged from “it wasn’t great” to “there is no circumstance under which you should watch this,” there was one cameo during halftime of the big game between the Toon Squad and the Goon Squad that was pretty funny even if, quite frankly, we all probably should have seen coming.

[It goes without saying, but we’re about to dive into some spoilers]

With LeBron James and co. getting thrashed by Don Cheadle’s team of virtual Monstars antagonists, a much-needed halftime pick-me-up comes by way of Sylvester, who claims that he found Michael Jordan for a pep talk. The team loses it, and then, noted person also named “Michael Jordan” — Michael B. Jordan — walks in. What ensues is a bunch of groaning and Jordan deadpanning.

It was one of the best moments from the film, and in an interview with ET, producer Sev Ohanian explained that it was kind of obvious that it was going to happen.

“Look, if you’re gonna have a Michael Jordan in your movie, you’re gonna want Michael A. Jordan, right? The Jordan,” producer Sev Ohanian told ET. “But if you have the opportunity to have this incredible joke that’s 25-plus years in the making, how could you not? It was the perfect, looniest addition to the film, and honestly, I just can’t wait to be in the theatre and watch audiences experience it live.”

…

“It’s an amazing way to play homage to M.J. [and] make sure that audiences know how much he matters to us and to this film and these characters,” Ohanian explains. “At the same time, once everyone heard the joke, they loved the concept and it was all in.”

The guy who won six rings and starred in the first Space Jam is not in the movie, but hey, sometimes you gotta just take the layup.

Loki‘s first season is finished, and fans are buzzing about the possibilities for a second season. The course of Marvel’s movies shifted considerably in the course of the show’s run, even if it did well to stand on its own as far as watchability outside of the MCU.

Now that the season is finished, though, many fans are looking ahead to what’s next. And many of those fans hope that the show brings back some new Loki variants in Season 2 as their expansion of Lokis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had some charming consequences.

More than just Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Sylvie, the show introduced a few other Norse gods to the mix including some Lokis of a different species. And now one Loki that captured the imagination of many fans has its own theme song. Jonathan Mann, who creates a song once a day and posts it on Twitter, decided that Friday was the day to give the world an unofficial song for Alligator Loki, who first appeared in the show’s fifth episode. And, well, it’s pretty damn good.

Perhaps the clips of Alligator Loki looking menacing and slightly mischievous help to sell the effect, but fans of the Marvel show will certainly appreciate a character that immediately trended online in the wake of the episode’s release on Disney+. Considering all the gator-themed Marvel merch that’s almost certain to follow, it certainly makes sense that the hand-chomping Loki now gets its own tune.

Having a famous line thrown back in your face in public is basically every actor’s worst fear. Despite the aura of celebrity that may look superhuman from afar, actors are just people like everyone else and mostly want to go about their business undisturbed. Which is why Regina King needs you, the common person without an Oscar to your name, to stop shouting lines from Jerry Maguire at her while in public.

King is known by many for a variety of roles, including that aforementioned Oscar win in 2018’s If Beale Street Could Talk. But a line from the Tom Cruise vehicle still haunts her 25 years later, to the point where she’s talking about it in interviews in 2021.

King appeared on Variety’s Women in Motion and was asked if she knew “show me the money” would become an iconic catch phrase when the movie was filmed. The line, which Cuba Gooding Jr. yells repeatedly at Cruise’s Maguire in the film, became one of the most popular — and most-screamed — moments from the movie. And years later it’s apparently still something King has to hear when people recognize her.

“Oh dear, I did not,” King said. “Nor did I know 25 years later people would still think that that’s an original thing to say to me.”

King admitted that “it’s actually kind of cute” and there’s certainly some appreciation from the actress that people do recognize her and know her work, but it’s also pretty clear that she would be OK if she never heard it again from random passersby. Which certainly makes sense: 199 was a long time ago and King’s been in plenty of great things since then.

The whole thing is a nice reminder that if you’re going to interact with a celebrity, know that they’ve probably heard just about everything you might think to say to them from their most popular films. So maybe a nice “hello” or a polite nod will suffice instead.

The son of a franchise legend will take over the reins in the nation’s capital. According to a pair of reports by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Washington Wizards will end their widely-rumored courting of Wesley Unseld Jr. by making him the franchise’s next head coach.

Wojnarowski reports that the two sides will sit down to discuss a contract on Saturday.

While he does not have any head coaching experience, Unseld has been an assistant in the league since 2005. He began his coaching career in 2005 with the Wizards, and after leaving the team in 2011, he’s had stops in Golden State, Orlando, and Denver. Since 2015, he’s been a member of the Nuggets’ coaching staff.

Unseld, of course, is the son of the late Wesley Unseld Sr., one of the greatest players in franchise history who was named the league’s MVP in 1969 and led the team to a championship in 1978. He spent his entire professional career, from 1968-81, with the team before retiring, becoming an assistant coach in 1987, and serving as head coach from 1988-94.

Washington’s head coaching job opened up after the team failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension with Scott Brooks, who accrued a 183-207 record in five years in D.C.

All bourbon is corn-fueled. By nature, bourbon must have at least 51 percent corn in its base (or mash bill) with a supporting cast of malted barley, rye, and/or wheat, generally. The vast, vast majority of bourbon on the shelf will have a mash bill with around 70 to 79 percent corn in its mash. High-rye bourbons will drill that corn number down to 51 to 69 percent (as will high-wheat bourbons), whereas with low-rye or low-wheat bourbons the corn component will reach 80 percent and above.

Then you have 100 percent corn bourbons. This isn’t a new style of bourbon in so much as it’s a newly popular style, driven mostly by young craft distillers with something to prove. Because of its static mash, it’s not going to be as nuanced as other expressions. That said, testing bourbon with an all-corn mash bill certainly teaches you something about the spirit — if for no other reason than you learn the power and limitations of barrelling and aging in developing flavors (because those elements are easier to identify with an uncomplicated recipe).

Before we dive in, there’s a difference between “corn whiskey” and “100 percent corn bourbon.” Corn whiskey only has to be 80 percent corn-based, but certainly can have a 100 percent corn-fueled mash bill. 100 percent Corn bourbon is different in that it also has to follow bourbon’s other rules. It has to be aged according to bourbon’s aging laws — new oak only and specific ABVs for entry and bottling. In short, corn whiskey and corn bourbon can come off the stills looking identical, it’s how they’re aged that makes them fall into their respective categories.

The five bottles of 100 percent corn bourbon below are all from craft distilleries. You simply don’t see this bespoke style too much in the mainstream bourbon world yet. Still, these are fascinating expressions that we think are worth your time to expand your bourbon palate. If that sounds interesting to you, click on the prices to try these expressions yourself!

Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $54

The Whiskey:

Hailing from the Tuthilltown Distillery in New York, this 100 percent New York corn bourbon is already a bit of a throwback. The distillery just revamped their line and this is a relic now, thanks to a new mash bill recipe that adds in five percent malted barley to the corn. Still, this bottle is pretty manageable to find on shelves and carries with it deeply crafted whiskey-making with small format barrels, soothing bass music resonating through the warehouse, and four years of mellowing.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of popcorn that’s been liberally coated in powdered sugar, vanilla, and a hint of an almond shell. The palate holds onto that final note and dips into rich marzipan with a cut of orange oils next to buttered popcorn and a little warm spice. The end lets that buttered popcorn sweeten back towards caramel corn with a drizzle of honey and a final note of dark chocolate-covered peanuts in the back of your mouth.

Bottom Line:

This is a great entry point to any 100 percent corn bourbon. It’s very familiar while really leaning into the corn. While we like to use it more for cocktails, it still works as an easy sipper on the rocks, especially paired with a bowl of hot buttered popcorn on movie night.

Yellow Rose Outlaw Bourbon

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $56

The Whiskey:

Texas is a major whiskey destination these days, especially if you want 100 percent corn bourbons. This expression is made in Harris County and was Houston’s first legal distillery. The mash is 100 percent yellow corn from the Panhandle. The juice is then loaded into small format barrels where it spends an undisclosed amount of years mellowing through southern Texas’ extreme weather ups and downs.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a rush of caramel-covered pecans with a dash of salt next to a freshly opened can of creamed corn and a hint of floral honey lurking in the background. The taste holds onto that rich and creamy corn vibe, adding a bit of the husk, while it sweetens towards more salted caramel and a big wooden spoon of that floral honey. The finish is long and smooths out with vanilla, creating a corn pudding feel and taste with a hint of dark spice and a touch more honey-dipped woodiness.

Bottom Line:

This really amps up the corn from the nose to the finish, which is kind of refreshing for a bourbon. We’ve heard some critics say that makes this a little too one-note for them. We think that’s fair but also misses the point a little — this is built as a yellow corn bourbon from stalk to a creamy, vanilla-laden dessert.

New Southern Revival 100% Jimmy Red Corn

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $108

The Whiskey:

This South Carolina distiller utilizes a heritage red corn that nearly went extinct. The distillers worked with Clemson University to help bring back Jimmy Red Corn as a varietal, specifically because that was the corn used by local moonshiners way back in the day.

Tasting Notes:

This barrel-proof expression doesn’t feel overly alcohol-forward. Instead, you’re greeted with mild notes of honey, dried roses, eggnog spice, and caramel corn with a nice hint of salt. The palate is warm but sweet with a continued note of salted caramel corn and buttery toffee next to hints of cherry candy and maybe even salted peanut shells. The end is long and ends with a hint of banana next to that caramel corn and a final savory note.

Bottom Line:

This is a complete departure from the rest of the list. This feels more like it’s a crafty bourbon than a 100 percent corn one. We mean that as a compliment. The dark fruits, spices, florals, caramel, salt, nuts, and corn all add up to a unique corn-fueled bourbon vibe that feels like something you’ve had before and want to have again.

FEW Sarah Shook & The Disarmers Blue Corn Bourbon Whisky

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $62

The Whiskey:

FEW Spirits’ Blue Corn Bourbon is of their many music collabs (they’ve also partnered with The Flaming Lips and Alice in Chains), and thus a very limited release. This collab with North Carolina’s country-punk band, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, utilized FEW’s artisanal style — leaning all the way into a blue corn base.

Beyond that, FEW doesn’t tell us much more about what’s in the bottle.

Tasting Notes:

This is pure county fair caramel corn straight out of a brown paper bag. Dashes of woody spice, vanilla husks, and orchard fruits linger on the palate but it’s really that caramel corn that drives the flavor profile. The end is somewhat short and lets the spice amp up towards a warming end while a final note of burnt marshmallow arrives on the very tail of the taste.

Bottom Line:

This is worth grabbing if you’re already a collector of FEW’s other music collabs. It’s unique and likely not to be seen again any time soon. That being said, it feels a bit more like a mixer than a sipper.

Balcones Texas Blue Corn Bourbon

ABV: 64.9%

Average Price: $65

The Whiskey:

This is the most unique bottle on the list and worth the search (and money). Locally grown Texas blue corn is used to create a truly Texan bourbon. The juice is aged in the Balcone’s Waco rickhouse under the hot Texas sun, allowing the sugars from the wood to really imbue themselves into the bourbon. The results are vatted and bottled at cask-proof, letting every detail of the barrel shine through.

Tasting Notes:

Salted butter melting on freshly baked cornbread mingles with fresh tobacco, dried mint sprigs, and powdery white pepper. The sip then takes a left turn into Red Hots, orange marmalade, and fire-roasted marshmallow territory with black tea bitterness cutting through. The pepper and corn return on the finish as this one takes its time to say goodbye.

Bottom Line:

This is bold and not really like any other bourbon (in general). And that’s why we love it. This is the perfect bottle to reset a palate while expanding it. It’s also a great cocktail base thanks to those hefty ABVs.

---

As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

As life for many continues to reemerge in post-vaccination America, the rash of engagements and weddings seem likely to dominate the social calendar for the next few years as happy couples decide to share the rest of their lives together. That does not include this particular couple, who hit rough waters after a minor league baseball proposal went terribly wrong.

On Thursday night, word circled social media that a ballpark proposal didn’t go as planned, with a woman quite literally running away from their pre-fiancee after a proposal on top of a dugout.

It became clear the proposal happened at a Worcester Red Sox game, while many people yearned for video footage that this happened. The photographer whose tweet about the proposal fail went viral, however, said she would not be sharing images of the event.

But another photographer soon posted footage from a “source” online which you can view for yourself below.

Now in an age of vitality, it’s easy to let your mind wander into the territory of whether this is real or not. Public proposals are overplayed to the point of parody by now, and this could very well be a video meant to go viral and we’re only amplifying those goals by sharing.

Still! It’s objectively funny in this case since it involves what’s essentially a very happy smiley face hovering nearby, as the WooSox mascot watching what seems likely to be an incredibly embarrassing moment at close range is as close to an I Think You Should Leave sketch happening in real life as we’ll get.

Whether it’s real or not at this point seems beside the point given the reaction from the crowd and the extremely uncomfortable footage that followed, with the woman freezing and then running away in horror while the crowd in central Massachusetts looks on, aghast. It’s a convincing fake at best and a truly horrifying relationship implosion at worst, but the lesson here is that you should not get engaged in a wildly public place unless you are absolutely sure your significant other is going to say yes. And even then: Do it in private, where no cameras are waiting to see if your extremely special moment will blow up in your face and make for good viewing for the rest of the internet.

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Cardi B, Logic, Pop Smoke, and more.

The big hip-hop story of the week was, unsurprisingly, the XXL Freshman Cyphers, which were broken up into three parts. The first, featuring Coi Leray, DDG, Lakeyah, and Morray, became the standout thanks to Coi’s inexplicably brief verse, which she followed with a twerking session. In the second, Blxst and Toosii delivered a pair of competent verses, and finally, the closer featuring 42 Dugg, Flo Milli, Pooh Shiesty, and Rubi Rose impressed fans thanks to Rubi’s cool delivery and Flo Milli’s exuberance.

Friday saw the releases of new music and videos from 21 Savage and Metro Boomin (“Brand New Draco“), Cardi B (who guested on Normani’s suggestive “Wild Side” after re-writing her verse to make it “nastier”), Logic (“My Way“), Trippie Redd and Lil Uzi Vert (“Holy Smokes”), Blxst and Bino Rideaux (“One Of Them Ones“), Kevin Abstract (“Slugger” with Snot and Slowthai), and Pop Smoke, whose posthumous album Faith features “Tell The Vision” featuring Pusha T along with the releases listed below.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 19, 2021.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Blxst & Bino Rideaux — Sixtape 2

For the second installment of their star-making series, the two Los Angeles natives offer double the new songs, embracing smooth grooving rhythm&gangsta vibes to detail their lives since we last heard from them. There’s a relatively even distribution of cocky come-ons and subtle flag-waving moments to appease both the Gs and the ladies, and the consistent tempos make it a comforting late-night drive vibe setter.

Drakeo The Ruler — Ain’t That The Truth

At this point, you know what you’re getting from Drakeo, whose unapologetically goofy flexes provide levity to the gritty undercurrent of paranoia and loss. It’s his first release since the death of Stinc Team member Ketchy The Great, but his presence is still felt as Drakeo and Ralfy the Plug carry the torch.

OMB Bloodbath — Blood Sample [EP]

The Houston native has built a respectable back catalog of mixtapes, but for her first release for LVRN, she polishes things up considerably. While it’s a short effort at just five tracks, her pen proficiency shines through on a variety of song styles and themes. EST Gee shows up here too, which is a treat for fans of the burgeoning Midwest superstar.

Pop Smoke — Faith

A surprising posthumous release from the late Pop Smoke that folds back into the drill sounds that first made his name, bringing its proliferation of guests into his world instead of the other way around. It’s a little busy with guest stars, but considering how early in his career Pop died, it’s understandable that his team and estate might want to spread his vaulted verses around as much as possible.

Remble — It’s Remble

Listen, when it comes to West Coast rappers making murder sound funny, there are very few who are quite as good at it as Remble. The best part might be the hyper-enunciated, ultra-calm vocal tone with which he delivers his smirking threats. When he gets on “Book Bag” with BlueBucksClan… alchemy.

Singles/Videos

Dave East & Harry Fraud –“Diamonds”

As a longtime follower — but seldom enjoyer — of Dave East’s music, I find his collaborative project with Harry Fraud frustrating because it’s the sort of thing he should have put out years ago. It’d have at least bought him more goodwill for his salty commentary toward Gen Z, it’s that good.

J.I. — “Morning”

As the self-declared Prince of NY leans more and more into his melodic flow, he creeps closer to a breakthrough moment that will bring him to the vaunted heights of fellow Big Apple rappers like Tjay and A Boogie.

Rexx Life Raj — “Kimbo Slice”

On Rexx’s newest single, the mellow beat belies the aggressive content, which broadens the Berkeley rapper’s overall range, showing he’s not all financial advance and introspection.

Russ — “Cheers”

Russ’s consistency is honestly impressive and refreshing at this point. There are few other rappers who have been able to maintain the balance of quality and quantity of releases as Russ has over the past few months.

Tink — “Selfish” Featuring Yung Bleu

Every time Tink drops something, I get mad all over again at how long it’s been since the Chicago native’s last release. The anger dissipates in the face of my astonishment at her consistent growth.

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

The basketball world is abuzz in the aftermath of a rumor that Damian Lillard is getting closer and closer to making a formal trade request to the Portland Trail Blazers’ front office. On Friday afternoon, Lillard had the opportunity to address this rumor at USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas, and while he stressed that the report was not true, he’s also made clear that his mind is not made up on what his future holds.

“I woke to those reports, a lot of people reaching out to me,” Lillard said. “But it’s not true. I’ll start off the rip and say it’s not true. I said the last time I spoke to you guys that a lot of things are being said and it hasn’t come from me. So, number one, it’s not true. And secondly, I’ll also say that I haven’t made any firm decision on what my future will be, so there’s really no need for anybody else to speak for me or report this or report that.”

Continuing to stress something that he mentioned to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Lillard mentioned that he wants to see more urgency this year at all levels of the Blazers organization, saying that, “We’ve reached that point where it’s like, ‘It’s not enough, do we really want to win it all?’”

As for what the future holds, Lillard is going to meet with new Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and general manager Neil Olshey, and he said that his expectation is he will suit up for the team when the 2021-22 season tips off.

There’s a long way to go for Portland this offseason, but it seems clear that the team has an edict from its best player to make a serious push to become a legitimate title contender. Perhaps more will become clear after he meets with his GM and new coach, but for now, the Blazers are a team that seems ripe for a big move this summer.