The Brooklyn Nets headed to Detroit on Friday night to take on the upstart Pistons. With Brooklyn leading by double digits during the third quarter, James Harden found himself in a situation where all he had to do was bend over and pick up a basketball that was rolling directly in front of him.
That, however, did not happen, for some reason. Harden tried to take Saddiq Bey 1-on-1, but the second-year forward poked the ball away from him. It rolled into the backcourt, where Harden sprinted after it before the ball was at his feet.
At this point, one would think he’d just pick it up and go about his business, but for one reason or another, he kinda just stood there and seemed like he thought it was going to roll out of bounds? Anyway, Harden didn’t realize that Bey saw him slow down and started chasing after the ball, and Bey scooped it up, took a few dribbles, and got a pretty easy dunk.
Ian Eagle called this a “mental mistake” by the former league MVP. That very well might be the case, or something else could have happened here. Whatever the case may be, hopefully Harden addresses it after the game, because it’s a unique one.
In 2021, celebrity weed brands are far from a new phenomenon. From Seth Rogen and Travis Scott to Justin Bieber and Jay-Z, famous people cannot stop digging their hands into the fertile soil that is the modern cannabis space. But scanning the names above, it’s hard not to notice that most of those famous faces seem to be dudes. This despite the fact that according to Forbes, a 2019 study found that 37% of executive-level positions in the cannabis industry were held by women — much higher than the national average across other industries.
Still, famous women don’t seem to be scooping up weed partnerships at the same rate as famous men. Where is our Rihanna or Doja Cat weed? Ariana Grande doesn’t have a strain yet?
Enter Forbidden Flowers, actress, model, and singer Bella Thorne’s new cannabis brand. Forbidden Flowers, at least by marketing standards, is a breath of fresh air in the cannabis space, with its aggressively feminine branding splashed across colorful pre-rolls and sparkling flower jars, it’s probably the only weed brand with packaging that can be described as “pretty” (though Rogen’s Houseplant, with its fancy tin boxes, comes incredibly close).
“I wanted the brand to be an embodiment of my free spirit and personality,” Thorne said in an interview with Forbes in March. “That is why you see the fun, soft, glitter aesthetic. I feel this type of flirty aesthetic is something you don’t see a lot in the industry.”
Though the aesthetic is front and center, it seems Thorne is relying less on her famous face to move product and more on an eye-catching visual and a smart partnership with a cultivator that knows what they’re doing. Each strain of Forbidden Flowers has been cultivated by beloved California brand Glass House Farms (Mission Health Associates) and feature sun-grown cannabis straight out of Santa Barbara.
On paper, that all sounds great. But all that really matters is how it smokes. To get a full picture of the brand, we smoked four different strains from the line to see whether Forbidden Flowers is merely another celebrity vanity project or if it deserves to sit amongst the best of celebrity-branded cannabis. Ready? Let’s smoke.
Presentation & Labeling
Dane Rivera
The full line of Forbidden Flowers consists of four different strains all curated toward specific moods or mindsets. Each jar contains the strain name, as well as an indicator of the strain’s general vibe but refrains from disclosing whether the strain is an indica, sativa, or hybrid. I’m not totally against this idea — as I’ve always considered sativa, indica, and hybrid to be very vague umbrella terms for bud that can impart a wide variety of different effects and moods — but that might matter to you, so it should be mentioned.
The labeling also leaves off any terpene information and only lists the THC content, CBD content, and packaging date. It’s pretty barebones.
The moods and strains are as follows: Hype Up — Topanga Sunrise, Chill Out — Midnight Thornberry, Turn On — Violet Daydream, and perhaps the weirdest Zone In — Low Key Lazy. That last mood and strain name don’t match up, but I love how evocative the presentation is. When coupled with that colorful glass jar and sparkly top, the whole thing helps to create a sensory experience before we even smoke it. We’ve come a long way from the days of illegal cannabis when we’d get strain names like “Chemical Cat Piss” in tiny ziplock bags
On presentation, we give it a B+. Any time a weed jar makes for great decoration while still providing an air-tight fit that’ll keep your bud from stinking up the room, it’s a winner, but we’d have liked to see some more concrete information on the labeling for the hardcore stoners who like to get granular on the details.
Zone In — Low Key Lazy
Dane Rivera
THC: 27.78% CBD: 0.06%
Contradictory strain name aside, Low Key Lazy’s labeling suggests it’s aimed toward focus and productivity, and it pretty much delivers on that front. If you’re expecting a strain that will somehow boost your creativity, I don’t know that any truly can, but what Low Key Lazy will do is not weigh you down, and that’s important if you’re in the mindset of getting things done.
On the nose, this bud is pungent with a slight sweetness that makes it a pleasure to smoke. The high comes on quickly, but not in a way that makes you feel heavily stoned. It’s mostly cerebral but doesn’t leave you feeling spacey or forgetful. After a few minutes, I started to feel light-headed and a glossy glaze covered my eyes, so I’d suggest this strain as an accompaniment to more menial work that you need to get done, rather than your passion projects. If it’s something that requires a high level of focus, this might make you a little too high if you aren’t an everyday smoker with a high tolerance.
Hype up — Topanga Sunrise
Dane Rivera
THC: 31.56% CBD: .11%
I love a good wake and bake strain, and Topanga Sunrise offers just that. This one is geared toward energy and motivation, and while I can’t say a big bowl of this stuff made me motivated or energetic, it is the sort of strain you want to smoke before entering an amusement park, going on a hike, to a concert, or the beach. It gets you incredibly high, without feeling lazy or like you can’t function. The high is completely cerebral, almost psychedelic. It’ll make you marvel at shit like glittering sun rays or the smell of wet grass, while still allowing you to feel fully functional.
It’s very sweet on the nose with a dirty earth and pine flavor. It’s not the best tasting strain, so I wouldn’t reach for the vaporizer or bong to get a better taste. Roll this one up as a joint or a blunt and make whatever daily activity you have ahead of you a million times better.
Chill Out — Midnight Thorneberry
Dane Rivera
THC: 21.56% CBD: 0.04%
Midnight Thorneberry is easily Forbidden Flowers’ most flavorful strain. On the nose, you get deep and fragrant berry notes and that smell thankfully translates to the flavor. This strain smokes smoothly and is not in the least bit harsh or cough-inducing. Midnight Thorneberry is geared toward chilling out and it delivers, after a few minutes my eyelids felt heavy and my body was vibrating in euphoric tingles. It’s the perfect strain for binge-watching marathons or any other activity that involves snacking and hanging out on the couch.
Unlike the other strains this one doesn’t pack as powerful a punch, so just because you smoke it, that doesn’t mean your day is done as you sink deeply into the couch. Having said that, if you’re trying to kill some intense pain or a headache, you’re going to need something a bit more powerful than this. But for de-stressing, it’s perfect.
Turn On — Violet Daydream
Dane Rivera
THC: 25.92% CBD: .07%
Now here we are at the strain everyone is going to be most interested in, Violet Daydream. Violet Daydream is sub-labeled as Turn-On and is geared toward intimacy and connection. That sounds nice but we know where your head went. Everyone wants to get their hands on the strain that’s going to get them to f*ck, and marijuana can absolutely be a sexual enhancer in multiple ways, but it’s a case-by-case basis. There is no single marijuana strain that is going to turn people on, we need to accept that, but marijuana can help people better perform in a multitude of ways, whether that’s from simple de-stressing, lowering inhibitions, anxiety, or upping your sensory experiences.
This is the sort of case where knowing which terpenes are present in the strain would help some people. Will Violet Daydream definitely turn you on? No, not necessarily. But it is a great social strain.
On the nose, Violet Daydream is very sweet, almost strawberry-like with frosty green nugs and a sweet fruity taste. The high provides you with a giggly euphoria that will remind you why getting high in a group so fun. This is a great one to bring out when you have a house full of people you haven’t seen in a while and want to connect without any awkwardness. It opens you up socially and in general, just makes you feel good.
The Bottom Line:
Overall Bella Thorne’s Forbidden Flowers exceeds what we’ve come to expect from a celebrity-branded weed. It doesn’t sacrifice quality or try to upsell you with Thorne’s famous name. One major gripe I had with the bud was that each jar featured a fair share of thick stems and overall wasn’t quite as sticky as I’d like it to be.
Shortcomings aside, this is one of the better celebrity-branded cannabis brands out there and we look forward to how they continue to evolve. As of now, the crown still belongs to Rogen though.
Fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are gonna love this: Some guy just broke up a fight using the power of pizza.
A restaurant surveillance video has gone viral on Reddit, showing two dudes getting into a sidewalk brawl. Outside diners enjoy a free show as one guy slams the other into the concrete. Then suddenly, our hero emerges. Whoosh!
He walks out of the restaurant toward his table, pizza in hand (is he bringing the pizza to his family? Is he a waiter? So much mystery). The Pizza Man does a double take, then hurriedly walks toward the scuffle.
Is he about to “use the molten cheese method” and smash the pizza into one of the dudes faces, as one Reddit user mentioned? Nay, the Pizza Man is altruistic. Instead of inciting violence, he presents a pepperoni flavored peace offering, helping the men to their feet. Seriously, is it too late to give this man a Nobel Prize?
As if lifted from a spell, the two men take a slice and cease to punch each other senseless. Which begs the question: Were they both just hangry?
Pizza Man’s heroic deed even inspired a new song in the Reddit comments:
“Whennnn youuuuu fight your homie, then there’s pepperoni That’s Amore!!”
“When you fight with a lust but you prefer pizza crust, that’s amore!!”
“When a guy hits your eye but there’s free pizza pie — that’s amore!”
That, my friends, is what the kids would call a “bop.”
After a few pats on the back, the would-be brawlers each go their separate ways, proving once again that pizza solves everything.
Next time you are about to enter a murderous rage, follow the Pizza Man’s example and just grab a slice instead.
It’s hard to pin down the exact number of people who have been canonized or beatified by the Catholic church, but scholars say the number may be beyond 10,000. The most recent canonization by Pope Francis was Margherita della Metola in April of this year.
Margherita della Metola was an Italian Roman Catholic and professed member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic who lived 1287 to 1320.
A satirical Facebook page for God a.k.a. The Good God Above has nearly 4 million followers and he asked them an important question on November 1: “I have not canonized any new saints in a while. Any suggestions?”
The post received more than 9,000 responses of people debating which modern-day heroes are so holy they deserve to become saints. We decided to rank the top 20 vote-getters based on how many likes they received after being nominated by a commenter.
The number one vote-getter won by a landslide.
(Note: Some people were mentioned multiple times, so the numbers on the posted comments aren’t the only numbers that we considered.)
Here are the top 20 people “God’s” followers believe should become saints.
Alex Trebek (1940 – 2020)
“Who should be a saint?” for $800, Alex. Trebek was the host of “Jeopardy!” for 37 years and one of the most recognizable TV personalities of all time. He should be canonized for his calm presence on one of TV’s most tense game shows.
Lemmy Kilmister (1945 – 2015)
Ian Fraser Kilmister was known worldwide by one name: Lemmy. The lead singer and bassist of Motörhead should be canonized for partying as hard as he rocked. “I don’t do regrets,” Lemmy once said. “Regrets are pointless. It’s too late for regrets. You’ve already done it, haven’t you? You’ve lived your life. No point wishing you could change it.”
George Takei (1937 – )
Takei has had one of the greatest second acts in American life. He became a sci-fi legend and one of the first Asian-American TV stars in the late ’60s as Sulu on “Star Trek.” In the social media era he’s become one of the most popular faces of trending content. He should be canonized for the incredible work he’s done for the LGBTQ community.
Pope Francis (1936 – )
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis has been one of the most popular and controversial Popes of the modern era for his unapologetically progressive views. He should be canonized for his work on climate change reform.
Sir Terry Pratchett (1948 – 2015)
Pratchett was an English humorist, satirist and author of comic fantasy novels, including the “Discworld” series. He should be canonized for celebrating all of the quirky and strange things that happen in “real life.”
Brandon Stanton (1984 – )
Stanton is an American author, photographer and blogger best known for “Humans of New York,” a photoblog and book. He should be canonized for his portraits of strangers who share intimate stories of strength, addiction, redemption, regret and love.
David Bowie (1947 – 2016)
Bowie is one of the most enigmatic performers of the past century whose work highlighted the concept of the outsider, whether it was an astronaut in space or someone living outside of traditional gender norms. Bowie should be canonized for showing humanity that there are no limitations on who they can be and how they can change.
Sir David Attenborough (1926 – )
Sir David Attenborough is the undisputed father of the nature documentary. Throughout his eight-decade career, his gentle, awestruck voice has served as humanity’s guide to nature. He should be canonized for “Life on Earth,” his series that examined the role of evolution in nature.
Dr. Anthony Fauci (1940 – )
Dr. Fauci, the director of the National Institutes of Health, has come to the forefront of American life for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. He should be canonized for not losing his mind during former president Trump’s long, rambling and factually inaccurate COVID briefings in 2020.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933 – 2020)
The “Notorious RBG” became a liberal, feminist icon for championing women’s rights as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1993 to her death. She should be canonized for her strongly worded dissents in women’s rights cases.
Robin Williams (1961 – 2014)
Williams was one of the most unique performers the world has ever seen. He completely changed American comedy with his intense, high-energy improvisational comedy performances on stage, TV and in film. He was also a talented actor, winning critical acclaim in films such as “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Dead Poets Society.” He should be canonized for his child-like love of whimsy.
Bob Ross (1942 – 1995)
Ross was the creator and host of “The Joy of Painting,” an instructional television program that aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS. His infectious love of art, distinctive hair and gentle voice made him the ultimate calming presence. He should be canonized for teaching the world how to paint “happy little trees.”
Elon Musk (1971 – )
Musk is the closest we’ll have to a living Bond villain. He’s a visionary billionaire who isn’t shy about wanting to change the world, from how we travel to spend money. Like him or not, he should be canonized for creating the Tesla, a high-performance electric car that brought EVs into the mainstream.
George Carlin (1937 to 2008)
Carlin came to prominence as a counter-culture comic in the ’70s where he was famous for outlining the “seven dirty words you can’t say on television.” However, clips of him from the late ’90s and early 2000s where he eviscerates American greed, materialism and entitlement have made him still relevant to this day. He should be canonized for this incredible clip where he discusses the fact that there’s a big club and “you’re not in it.”
“It’s called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.”
George Carlin – It’s A BIG Club & You Ain’t In It!
Fred Rogers (1928 – 2003)
Rogers touched the lives of countless children from 1968 to 2001 as the host of PBS’ “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The puppeteer, songwriter and Presbyterian minister revolutionized children’s television and should be canonized for changing the way we think about the inner lives of young children.
Jimmy Carter (1924 – )
Carter served as president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and his biggest accomplishment was the Camp David Accords that ended the Israeli-Egyptian disputes. His post-presidency life has been dedicated to humanitarianism causes through the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity. Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
Carter should be canonized for his humility and commitment to service.
Steve Irwin (1962 – 2006)
The “Crocodile Hunter” wowed audiences by fearlessly tangling with deadly snakes, spiders, lizards and crocodiles. But at his heart, he was a true lover of nature and wildlife, and an educator who shared his knowledge and enthusiasm for animals with millions. Irwin should be canonized for his many contributions to the field of wildlife education and conservation.
Dolly Parton (1946 – )
Parton is such a national treasure that when they began pulling down Confederate statues in Tennessee a few years back, there was a petition to have them replaced with statues of Dolly. As a musician, Parton has sung some of the biggest hits in country music history, including “I Will Always Love You” and “Islands in the Stream.” But she has also been a generous philanthropist, helping charities that benefit children and veterans.
If you got the COVID-19 vaccine you should thank Dolly. In 2020, she donated $1 million to help fund vaccine research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Dolly should be canonized for creating the Imagination Library that has donated more than 100 million books to children.
Bernie Sanders (1941 – )
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is one of the most beloved political figures in the United States because he has always stood on the side of the oppressed and the working class regardless of whether it was popular. He’s refused to be bought by Wall Street and has stood up against the Department of Defense, the fossil fuel industry, drug companies and private prison industries.
He should be canonized for his relentless quest to provide healthcare for all Americans.
Keanu Reeves (1964 – )
Reeves is a beloved figure in Hollywood because of his kind, down-to-earth nature. There are countless anecdotes around the internet of Reeves going out of his way to please a fan or inviting a member of the paparazzi to his table to sit with him during dinner. “The internet’s boyfriend” is also a gentleman who never touches women when taking a photo with them.
Reeves should be canonized for quietly donating millions to children’s hospitals.
Miscarriage is a tough topic that many are hesitant to talk about. The private nature of losing a pregnancy and the complex feelings that come along with it creates a silence that leaves those experiencing it feeling alone and those not experiencing it ignorant of the reality.
According to the Mayo Clinic, about 10-20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, which means we all know someone who has or will experience it at least once, even if we don’t experience it ourselves. To best support those who do, it’s important that we all have a better understanding of what a miscarriage can entail, logistically, emotionally and even financially.
Twitter user Kristen R. Moore shared 15 things she learned about miscarriage that she didn’t know before going through one herself, and her thread has prompted others to share their experiences as well.
Today, I paid over $1000 out of pocket for my miscarriage. They didn’t tell me it would cost so much to lose a baby. Here are other things they don’t tell you about miscarriages. A thread based on my experience. CW: miscarriage & infertility.
“Today, I paid over $1000 out of pocket for my miscarriage,” she wrote. “They didn’t tell me it would cost so much to lose a baby. Here are other things they don’t tell you about miscarriages.”
Then she shared a thread describing 14 other eye-opening realities she went through during and after her miscarriage.
“1. It takes a long time. It’s not an event that’s suddenly over. It’s like a fucking marathon. A sad, dehydrated marathon with nothing on the end but empty.
2. Practitioners who support birth don’t necessarily know how to support miscarriage—the joy of birth is so stark when compared to the grief and loss of miscarriage. Some of y’all need training.
3. There is medication to help the miscarriage along. It is used for abortion, too, and your pharmacist may treat you like you’re entering an abortion clinic when you want more information about how it works.
3. There is medication to help the miscarriage along. It is used for abortion, too, and your pharmacist may treat you like youu2019re entering an abortion clinic when you want more information about how it works.
4. The most commonly used medication is officially prescribed for ulcers; all use for miscarriage management is “off books.” This gives your pharmacist permission (tacit or explicit) to deny you information about vaginal (rather than oral) use.
5. The informational inserts for the medication—Misoprostol—warn you about how it can trigger miscarriage. If you have a decent pharmacist, they’ll give you supplemental information that they print off from the internet.
6. When you’ve been through infertility treatments, a natural pregnancy doesn’t always feel like a miracle. Sometimes it feels like a tightrope walk, a risk, a pain waiting to happen.
7. Miscarriage is so, so lonely. Y’all. The emptying of your body like that…bless it. You really DON’T want to talk about it, but you sometimes want to scream about it. Where can we go to scream?
9. Non-birthing parents are ignored in the miscarriage experience: their grief and pain and suffering is real, too.
8. You want it to speed up and slow down all at once. Hurry, hurry, hurry up, and then no, don’t go–please don’t go.
9. Non-birthing parents are ignored in the miscarriage experience: their grief and pain and suffering is real, too.
10. When the miscarriage happens at 13 weeks, the weight stays on; you still have to pull out the pregnancy pants, as a reminder of your previous maternity state.
11. No one talks about it, so you don’t know how to talk about. People say the wrong thing, but you’re so sad that you don’t want to say, ‘don’t ever say that to a person miscarrying.’
12. Related, do not recommend: ‘But you can try again soon, right?’ upon hearing the news. Also, do not recommend: ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ Or ‘This is all part of God’s plan.’
12. Related, do not recommend: u201cBut you can try again soon, right?u201d upon hearing the news. Also, do not recommend: u201cEverything happens for a reason.u201d Or u201cThis is all part of Godu2019s plan.u201d
13. There are humans who feel like little angels, the tech who asks if you want to hear the lack of heartbeat, the friend you can scream with, the partner who’ll hold you in your grief. Mostly they feel like blips on a terrible painful road.
14. It’s expensive and painful (like birth) and at the end you don’t get anything except a bill and a new playlist called, ‘Shit to help you get through the baby that never was.'”
It’s rare that we get the inside look at miscarriage that Moore’s thread offers, and her courageous sharing will undoubtedly help both those who have experienced it to be seen and those who haven’t to understand.
Others added to the thread with their own details as well.
I took a few days off but at the end of the year in my performance review it wa a mentioned how I took additional time off without having any accrued time left (even w/o pay!) I was dinged in my bonus pay for the year because of it.
Some commenters pointed out how their work provided no paid time off so they either had to work right after their miscarriage or take unpaid time off (and still get flack for it). Reason #3,782 why the lack of universal guaranteed paid leave in the U.S. is ridiculous. (In the meantime, New Zealand offers bereavement leave after a pregnancy loss. Why Americans aren’t marching in the streets daily over our healthcare and paid leave situation is a mystery.)
The cruelty of that reality is compounded by the fact that miscarriage is not a one-time event that is then over and done with. For some people, in so many ways, the trauma of it ends up being relived over and over again.
Your body isn’t pregnant, but it doesn’t know it yet. Like having duct tape over a knife wound ripped off again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again.
These are things that we all need to understand for ourselves, for our loved ones and for anyone we know who might experience losing a baby through miscarriage.
The full picture is even more complex, of course. Everyone’s emotional experience is unique, and how someone feels about a miscarriage depends on many factors, so broad generalizations aren’t necessarily helpful. For people with an unwanted pregnancy, a miscarriage might even come as somewhat of a relief. However, that doesn’t change the physical or financial realities of going through one.
Whatever the circumstances, having greater knowledge of what a person might be going through when they have a miscarriage can help us offer more compassionate support. Thank you, Kristen Moore, for being open about your experience and getting the ball rolling on this important conversation.
Friday saw the releases of Travis Scott’s “Escape Plan,” Post Malone’s “One Right Now” with The Weeknd, NLE Choppa’s “Jumpin” with Polo G, Bobby Shmurda’s “Splash,” French Montana’s “Panicking” with Fivio Foreign, and Latto’s “Soufside,” along with the releases listed below.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending November 5, 2021.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Aminé — TwoPointFive
Aminé
Following in the same vein as 2018’s OnePointFive, the Portland native fills the space between his last full-length album and his next one with this mixtape. And, just as on its predecessor, TwoPointFive finds Aminé experimenting with new sounds such as those on single “Charmander” (I saw a tweet that said Aminé is “in his Pinkpanthress phase” and somehow that read a very accurate).
Beanz — Tables Turn
Beanz
Rhythm+Flow contestant Beanz didn’t let her elimination from the competition deter her from aggressively pursuing her dream and hip-hop is all the better for it. Her flows are on-point, her wit is sharp, her beat selection is groovy and enjoyable and her content is relatable on her first album, and with assists from fellow verbal assassins Benny The Butcher, Cozz, and Reason, she shows every indication of the staying power that’ll take her far beyond the legacy of the show that introduced her to the world.
Curtis Roach — The Joy Tape
Curtis Roach
We’re no longer “Bored In The House,” so Detroit native Curtis Roach shifts gears for his next stylistic evolution. The Joy Tape is aptly titled, with bubbly production matching Curtis engaging good vibes and dextrous rhymes.
Fourth Eye Tribe — Don’t Try This At Home
Fourth Eye Tribe
New Orleans-bred collective Fourth Eye Tribe drops their eclectic debut tape after gaining experience doing time with Pell’s Glbl Wrmng crew. They’ve also written for Theophilus London, polishing their craft; the work pays off here, as they try a ton of different styles. Not everything sticks, but enough does to show real promise for the future.
Key Glock — Yellow Tape 2
Key Glock
After successfully completing the promo cycle for his joint mixtape with his mentor and fellow Memphian Young Dolph, Key Glock drops the follow-up to his star-making 2020 album. He goes solo for 20 tracks with production from the likes of Tay Keith, bringing more of his blunt-force bars from the streets of Tennessee to the world.
Terrace Martin — Drones
Terrace Martin
LA jazz revivalist Terrace returns to the production efforts that first solidified him as one of hip-hop’s most coveted musical talents. Again combining jazz, rap, R&B, and other diaspora styles, Martin secures the assistance of longtime collaborators like Kendrick Lamar, James Fauntleroy, and Snoop Dogg, as well as rising stars Channel Tres, Cordae, D Smoke, and more.
Singles/Videos
Apollo Brown & Stalley — “No Monsters”
The Ohio rapper and DC producer have teamed up for a full-length project, Blacklight, coming next week. Stalley’s improvement as a writer has really been impressive over the past few years and linking him up with the always solid Apollo Brown produces some of the strongest music of his career.
Don Q — “Come Find Us” Feat. B Lovee
The Bronx native is best known for his work with fellow citizen A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, but here, he eschews his Highbridge compatriot’s melodic flow to offer his own take on the drill sound that has bubbled up in the half-decade since they first arrived.
Saba — “Fearmonger” Feat. Daoud
Saba fans, rejoice! The Chicago native recently announced Few Good Things, the long-awaited follow-up to his seminal 2018 indie rap classic Care For Me, dropping off an upbeat single that shows the brighter place he finds himself three years later.
Wynne & Christo — “Mary’s Lambo”
Portland rapper Wynne teamed up with Dreamville in-house producer Christo (with whom she previously collaborated on songs from her 2019 debut album If I May) for a joint mixtape titled Do My Own Stunts. Building from previously released single “Carrot Cake,” she lets fly a flurry of wordplay wrangling bars that truly showcase the strength of her skills.
Yella Beezy — “I Guess”
Yella Beezy has been at the forefront of the growing Dallas wave for a minute, bouncing back from a six-month break with an ominous-sounding anthem.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Los Angeles rap scene continues to grow and thrive, and Blxst is living proof. After blowing up in 2020 off the strength of his single “Hurt,” the rapper landed a deal with Red Bull Records shortly after, and dropped his debut project, No Love Lost last fall. We gave that project our RX distinction, and caught up with Blxst this summer to get his side of the story for How I Blew Up.’ “Early on I was really rapping,” he told Uproxx. “Until I really got comfortable with my singing voice, I was kinda insecure back then.”
Well, his stage presence couldn’t be more poised for the late-night performance he nailed last night, his debut TV appearance. Joined by west coast R&B staple Ty Dolla Sign, Blxst performed “Chosen,” off No Love Lost for The Tonight Show With Starring Jimmy Fallon. Leaning into a mix of rapping and singing, Blxst makes his way through a high school set in the performance, crooning his loved-up anthem to various girls, all with a little help from Ty. It’s a bit more involved than the typical late-night set-up, which makes for a more enjoyable watch. Check it out above.
Van Brunt/Taconic/Hillrock/Kings County/istock/Uproxx
If you ask novice whiskey drinkers where bourbon is made, you’re sure to have a few folks tell you it can only be made in Kentucky. This answer isn’t shocking. 95 percent of the country’s bourbon does indeed hail the whiskey-drenched southern state. But bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States — from sea to shining sea.
While the industry is dominated by big Kentucky names like Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, and Wild Turkey, it should be noted that there are plenty of amazing, high-quality, and award-winning expressions coming out of other states, too. And one of the most notable among them is certainly New York with brands like Van Brunt, Hudson, Black Button, and Hillrock leading the way.
Below, you’ll find eight of our favorite bourbon whiskey expressions from the Empire State, ranked for your drinking pleasure. Check them out and get ready to savor NY’s finest!
If you live outside of New York, you might not have heard of Finger Lakes Distilling, but if you’re a whiskey fan you should definitely have them on your radar. The brand’s McKenzie Bourbon is distilled using classic distilling techniques, is non-chill-filtered, and has a mash bill made up of 70 percent corn, 20 percent rye, and ten percent malted barley. It’s known for its sweet corn, oaky, rich flavor.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find notes of toasted vanilla beans, clover honey, and slight, peppery rye spice, but not much else. On the palate, you’ll be treated to more cloves, candied orange peels, buttery caramel, and more peppery rye on back end. The finish is warming, but a little too hot for our taste.
Bottom Line:
While this whiskey has a ton of flavor, it does have a little more heat than we’d like. It’s good as a sipper but shines brightest as the base for a cocktail.
Recently, Hudson rebranded itself with new expressions and a new bottle design. It replaced its iconic Baby Bourbon with this new expression. This is a sweet corn fan’s dream with a mash bill of 95 percent corn and five percent malted barley both sourced from New York State. It’s aged in new, charred American oak casks for at least three years before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This whiskey’s nose is fresh corn all the way. Sweet corn, caramel, vanilla, and dried fruits are the dominating scents. It tastes young, but that’s not the worst thing in the world. There’s also a lot of caramel corn, oak, and vanilla flavors. The types of flavors bourbon fans look forward to. All in all, a decent sipping whiskey.
Bottom Line:
This is as close to a full corn bourbon as you can get. With 95 percent corn, it’s sweet, smooth, and very easy to drink or mix with.
Brooklyn’s Van Brunt Stillhouse was named for a local farmer named Cornelius Van Brunt. Its bourbon is a complex four-grain bourbon made with a mash bill of New York-sourced corn, wheat, malted barley, and rye. The addition of wheat gives it a soft, sweet, mellow flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of spicy cloves, caramel corn, and oak are prevalent on the nose. Sipping it reveals hints of brown sugar, cinnamon, buttercream frosting, chocolate fudge, and rich oaky wood char. It all ends with a warming mixture of sweetness and spicy heat that leaves you wanting more,
Bottom Line:
This is a complex whiskey that has enough wheat to appeal to drinkers who appreciate the soft, sweet, smooth flavors of some much more expensive brands.
This award-winning whiskey is also Widow Jane’s flagship expression. It’s a blend of sourced whiskey (from Kentucky) aged at least ten years. They are married together, non-chill filtered and proofed using local mineral water from New York’s Rosedale Mines.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is highlighted by caramel apples, woody oak, vanilla beans, and cinnamon. The palate swirls with notes of dried cherries, sweet corn, vanilla and almond cookies, candied pecans, and slight peppery rye. It ends with more nutty sweetness that pairs well with a final spicy kick of rye.
Nutty, spicy, and highly memorable.
Bottom Line:
This is the type of whiskey you use to prove that sourcing whiskey isn’t a bad thing. It’s complex, nuanced, and well suited as a sipper neat or with a single ice cube.
Founded in 2013, Taconic Distillery is located in New York’s Hudson Valley. One of its best expressions is its Barrel Strength Bourbon. This small-batch whiskey has a mash bill of 70 percent corn, 25 percent rye, and five percent malted barley. It’s high proof and known for its mix of sweetness and peppery heat.
Tasting Notes:
Breathe in the aromas of brown sugar, caramel candy, charred wood, and peppery rye before taking your first sip. Then delve into a palate of clover honey, sweet treacle, vanilla beans, almond cookies, peanut brittle, and more cracked black pepper at the finish. It’s a nice mix of caramel sweetness and spicy pepper.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey is big, bold, sweet, and spicy all rolled into one. It’s a great sipper but requires a few dashes of water to open it up.
In the last few years, Rochester, New York’s Black Button has begun to make a name for itself on the national stage. Now is the time to try its flagship expression, Black Button Four Grain Straight Bourbon. Made with a mash bill of locally grown corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley, Black Button Four Grain is a true farm-to-bottle expression.
Tasting Notes:
Before sipping take a moment to breathe in the aromas of dried cherries, caramel corn, sweet malts, crisp fall apples, and oak. It will only help to complement the flavors of candied pecans, buttery caramel, vanilla beans, and slight baking spices on the palate. It all ends in a warming, sweet finish that begs to be sipped neat.
Bottom Line:
This bourbon is only aged for two years, but it’s more than enough to make this a nice, gentle, sweet sipper on a cool fall evening.
This award-winning bourbon is very unique. It’s made with New York-grown corn from the Finger Lakes Region as well as English-sourced Golden Promise barley. It’s double-distilled in pot stills before being aged in new, charred American oak casks for 3-6 years.
Tasting Notes:
You’ll find a whole lot going on with this whiskey’s nose. There is a grainy, almost Scotch-like aroma along with citrus zest, butterscotch, vanilla, and charred oak spice. The palate is filled with notes of buttery caramel, dried orange peels, cinnamon, spicy nutmeg, and more toasted oak. The last few sips offer a warming cacophony of dried fruits and caramel.
Bottom Line:
With its use of UK-sourced barley that’s paired with New York corn, this bourbon is a transatlantic bridge between bourbon and Scotch and that’s a tasty combination.
This is a truly complex sourced (source undisclosed) whiskey that is made with tireless detail, using the solera method of aging. If you don’t know what that means, it’s simply an aging process that utilizes a pyramid-like structure in which a portion of the lower-level whiskey is removed and new whiskey is added to the upper barrels. It’s a way of melding young and old whiskeys together while never fully emptying the barrels.
This unique bourbon is also finished in Oloroso sherry butts.
Tasting Notes:
This is an incredibly complex expression. The nose offers up a symphony of vanilla beans, maple candy, dried cherries, sweet sherry, and charred oak. The palate reveals hints of sweet sherry, chocolate fudge, dried fruits, more caramel, toasted vanilla beans, and a nice hint of spice at the finish. You’d have a tough time finding a better example of a whiskey with a mix of sherry sweetness, subtle spice, and vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This bourbon is rich, creamy, decadent, and almost dessert-like. It deserves to be enjoyed neat or on the rocks after a heavy meal.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
Mere days before Ed Sheeran’s latest album = dropped, the English folk-pop star announced that he had contracted COVID-19 and was self-isolating as he worked towards recovery. That announcement was made back on October 24th and the singer (who is vaccinated) is no longer in quarantine. This calmed the nerves of the pop world, who were unsure if he would make his much-anticipated appearance this weekend as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live hosted by Kieran Culkin.
So this morning, Sheeran went (remotely) where every celebrity goes to set the record straight: The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM. He spoke about his recovery from COVID-19, about songs off of the new album, and a lot more. “It’s quite an odd thing getting [COVID-19] and then having to announce it to the world… I’m still sort of being treated [like I have it],” he told Stern. He further explained that announcing his diagnosis was necessary as he had to cancel three appearances and “didn’t want to be rude.”
He explained that he had “really, really bad symptoms for three days,” but that he’s very much on the road to full health and plans to appear on SNL this weekend. “I don’t know why there was a huge uproar about that,” he said. “Everyone was saying they were scrambling to find a replacement, [but] I was always playing that.”
The conversation wasn’t all about COVID-19 however, as he spoke to Stern about becoming a better parent, how losing a close friend inspired his song “Visiting Hours,” and about the conversations he had with Elton John about both of those topics.
“Elton started ringing me like once a week because he’s a father and he want[ed] to check out how I was getting on and he loved seeing Lyra on FaceTime,” he said. “No one really knows the true heart of this bloke, because I’m not the only person he does this to. I know he has the same with Brandi Carlile, I know he has the same with [Lady] Gaga. He’s just a wonderful, wonderful human and he’s constantly plugged into music.”
Sheeran also performed “Shivers” and “Overpass Graffiti,” on video, which you can watch here and get more details on his conversation with Stern.
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
While the frequent delays in vinyl production have been well-documented before the pandemic, the new supply chain issues have put wait times at a new high. Especially for independent or smaller artists who don’t have the financial means to skip the line, or pay more to have more pressings done simultaneously, the wait can completely alter an album’s release cycle. And since Adele announced her new album, 30, vinyl production has been a hot topic of conversation. In a recent interview, Ed Sheeran remarked that not only did Adele turn her album in early in order to jumpstart the pressings, but that he and other artists were impacted by her production schedule, too. This sparked a bit of outrage from smaller artists, who felt that the British diva had impacted the manufacturing schedule for everyone, but a new report from Billboard shows the delays aren’t all Adele’s fault.
“While an order of an estimated half a million records is nothing to scoff at, manufacturing delays have been an issue since vinyl demand spiked in July 2020,” writes Billboard editor Lyndsey Havens. “Coupled with supply-chain and labor issues, in addition to shortages of raw materials like PVC and paper products, delays were destined to happen — and now, at the end of 2021, are expected. Recent estimated turnaround times according to multiple pressing plant and label sources are averaging six to eight months.”
So, the delays aren’t Adele’s fault? Nope, they only make up 0.3% of the total vinyl that’s able to be pressed in a year. “As Billboard previously reported in June, pressing plants around the globe have the capacity to manufacture about 160 million albums a year and current demand more than doubles that,” Havens continued. “At most, Adele’s 500,000 units would amount to 0.3% of the total vinyl records manufactured this year.”
Check out her full Billboard report here, and feel free to pre-order your Adele vinyl in peace — or you know, go easy on her!
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
