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The Celtics Somehow Shot 9.5 Percent From Three In A Loss To The Clippers

The Boston Celtics have had a pretty dismal start to the 2021-22 season, but this week has brought some new lows with back-to-back losses to a Minnesota Timberwolves team led by Jaylen Nowell on Monday and a Los Angeles Clippers team down Paul George and Reggie Jackson on Wednesday.

A constant theme this season for the Celtics has been dreadful offensive performances in the fourth quarter, as they cannot seem to create anything approaching consistent, easy offense in crunch time. That was the case in both losses to the Wolves and Clippers, but Wednesday’s loss featured the worst shooting night of the season for any team — a rather low bar to clear in a year with hastily thrown together rotations filled with 10-day hardship signings.

Boston, as a team, went 4-for-42 from three-point range against the Clippers, which is an astounding 9.5 percent. Grant Williams accounted for two of those makes on three attempts, while Sam Hauser was 1-for-3, which means the rest of the Celtics were a combined 1-for-36 from deep. That lone other make came from Jaylen Brown, who took 13 threes in the game, as Boston simply could not pry the lid off of the rim in a game they only lost by nine, 91-82.

The performance was so bad that even the Clippers players were speechless when they saw just how bad Boston shot on the stat sheet after the game.

That certainly sounds like something that should make history, but Boston fell just shy of the worst shooting night in league history on 40-plus attempts, as the Rockets had a night a year ago in which they shot 8.9 percent from deep (4-for-45) and will keep that dubious record despite the Celtics best efforts.

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Whiskey Writers, Experts, And Influencers Name Their Favorite Bottles Of 2021

We’ve gone to great lengths this year to help you find the best whiskeys of 2021. We’ve ranked them by type (bourbon, scotch, rye), en masse, and even shamed ourselves for the bottles we missed (bourbon, scotch). Now, we’ve taken our search further afield — reaching out to the wider world of whisk(e)y writers, influencers, photographers, and even historians. We asked 12 stone-cold whiskey pros which bottles (from any category) truly stood out to them this year. We’re talking about folks who sampled a lot of whisk(e)y in 2021.

The list of whiskeys below all have one thing in common, they’re freakin’ delicious. Sadly, you’re not going to be able to find some of these outside of auctions or very high-end whiskey shops (or hidden away in whiskey vaults). That’s just the way the whiskey cookie crumbles when you’re seeking out the best of the best.

Let’s dive in!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of 2021

Four Roses Visitor Center Private Selection 20-Year-Old Single Barrel — Justin Thompson, co-founder Bourbon Review, co-owner Justins’ House Of Bourbon

ABV: 58.2%

Average Price: Distillery Only

The Whiskey:

This limited release from Four Roses came out this December to commemorate their new visitor center. It’s the OBSV recipe and comes in at 20 years old, their oldest single barrel release ever.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is very creamy and sweet. The taste is not as bold as you’d expect from a 116.2 proof 20-year-old bourbon but is very complex. It’s bright and dry with bitter chocolate notes in the middle. The finish is a mixture of vanilla and burnt ends.

Bottom Line:

In this bottle, you pick up something different with every sip, which is tough to do. That makes this one magical bottle of bourbon.

Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Batch #57 — Caroline Paulus, Senior Editor at Bourbon Review, Whiskey Historian for Justins’ House of Bourbon

ABV: 65.92%

Average Price: Limited

The Whiskey:

Blended by Nancy Fraley, all of the Autumn 2021 Cigar Blend batches come from a “coupe mere” or mother blend of 16 barrels of Indiana bourbon ranging from 14 to 20 years old finished in Cognac, Armagnac, and sherry barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Batch 57 clocks in at 131.84 proof. It lives up to the “Charcuterie Board” name with savory, smoky notes of cured meats and toasty nuts on the nose, crusty rye bread on the palate, and dark chocolate and dried berries drizzled with honey on the finish.

Bottom Line:

There’s just so much complexity to this blend that I think it could pair with anything. While I drink it neat to find new flavors with every pour, just a quarter ounce of quality sweet vermouth and a couple of drops of bitters would be all that’s needed to create a truly luxurious Manhattan.

Michter’s Single Barrel 10-Year-Old Rye — Bobby Childs, Adventures in Whiskey

Michter's 10
Bobby Childs

ABV: 46.4%

Average Price: $248

The Whiskey:

In a year filled with exceptional whiskey releases, Michter’s 10-year-old Rye Whiskey stands tall with an exquisite bottling that bests anything else I’ve rated this year.

Tasting Notes:

At a decade old, this rye hits a sweet spot for me — not too old, not too young, or “green.” It’s a perfect balance between grain and barrel influence. The nose features hints of toasted rye grain, dark brown sugar, anise, and wood spice. The mouthfeel is pure velvet on the palate. A sweet and spicy rush of brown sugar, caramel, and cinnamon kick things off on the palate. Sandalwood and a touch of vanilla bean soon develop. The medium finish is warming, showcasing a nice sweet oak.

Bottom Line:

The only way to drink Michter’s 10-year-old Rye is neat or with a splash of water. Any other way would be unthinkable.

Knob Creek 12 — The Bourbon Wanderer

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

Akin to some of the amazing 12 to 14-year-old barrel picks that have been kept out of Knob Creek over the last few years, this Knob Creek 12 year is an exceptionally easy sipping whiskey. It’s a 12-year-old small-batch bourbon offered at 100 proof.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is rich with vanilla and molasses, blending into that traditional Knob Creek spice. It coats your mouth and leaves a slightly citrus peel on the finish.

Bottom Line:

I couldn’t imagine drinking this with much more than a small ice cube or a couple of drops of water if you prefer. But for a full experience of a full-bodied bourbon, I prefer to pour it straight from the bottle and sip it neat.

Coppersea Bonticou Crag Straight Malt Rye — Diana Pittet, spirits historian and co-founder of Asbury Park Whisky Club and Night Owl Hospitality

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

Fitting for a founding member of the Empire Rye consortium, Coppersea Distilling sources all the rye for their Bonticou Crag Straight Malt Rye from farms in New York State’s Hudson Valley, including from its very own 75-acre organic farm. Rare for distilleries these days, Coppersea floor-malts heirloom varieties of rye at their distillery — the first in New York to do so — within sight of the eponymous Bonticou Crag, a peak in the Shawangunk Mountains, located in the Catskill Mountains.

Tasting Notes:

Coppersea further distinguishes themselves by double-distilling their whiskies in direct-fired copper stills. This heritage method, along with open fermentation, results in a rich and bold rye whiskey with a luxurious mouthfeel and finish. The nose is wonderfully intense, balancing bright fruit notes with warm baking spices, and the palate unfolds into the honeyed-caramel notes, that direct-fired stills help create, along with a soft kick of ginger and black pepper.

Bottom Line:

Since Bonticou Crag Straight Malt Rye is so satisfyingly complex and rich, it’s my nightcap of choice, drunk neat after dinner. After sipping it, I need nothing else. But sometimes I mix it up and enjoy Coppersea’s malted rye in a classic Manhattan, following chief distiller Christopher Briar Williams’s spec: 2 oz Bonticou Crag Straight Malt Rye, 1 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, and 2 dashes Boker’s-style bitters with a lemon twist and Luxardo cherries. After sipping these Manhattans, though, I usually desire one or two more — they’re so good!

Redbreast Small Batch Cask Strength — THE HOOD SOMMELIER

ABV: 58.7%

Average Price: $118

The Whiskey:

My favorite whiskey of 2021 was Redbreast Small Batch Cask Strength. This whiskey was matured in a combination of the finest American oak casks and Spanish sherry barrels. The whiskey is then finished in Oloroso sherry barrels.

Tasting Notes:

The color is clean and light gold. The nose is savory and fruity, reminding me of oatmeal bread. The taste is all about chocolate-covered cherries, green apples, and light spice. The finish is round, long, and has a dash of dryness.

Bottom Line:

Since this is cask strength, the best to enjoy this was neat or on the rocks.

Bardstown Bourbon Company Ferrand — Brandon Smith, The Daily Dram

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $300

The Whiskey:

This is a blend of seven and eleven-year Kentucky bourbons finished for eight months in Maison Ferrand Cognac barrels. The seven-year is a low-rye with a mash bill of 78 percent corn, 12 percent barley, and ten percent rye. That eleven-year has a little more rye in it, clocking in with 75 percent corn, 13 percent rye, and 12 percent barley.

Tasting Notes:

The nose smells of luxurious cognac paired elegantly with premium Kentucky bourbon. You’ll get stone fruits, chantilly creme, baked apples, and hints of cinnamon and honey on the palate. It’s a true match made in Heaven!

Bottom Line:

I enjoy this pour neat in a proper whiskey glass or Glencairn. The aroma from this pour is one I want to savor and enjoy!

Stranahan’s Blue Peak — Jordan Hughes, High-Proof Preacher

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

This American single malt whiskey is aged for four years at a high altitude in American oak barrels with a #3 char. It is then finished using the Solera aging method — a unique process of fractional blending where the barrels are ever completely emptied.

Tasting Notes:

The aroma alone is enticing. My wife (who is NOT usually a big whiskey fan) smelled it as I poured myself a glass and it stopped her in her tracks. When popping the cork, you’ll smell dried fruit, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The palate is really approachable with subtle flavors of toasted oak, lots of rich butterscotch, brown sugar, and earthy malt. Honestly, it reminds me a lot of an apple crisp dessert.

Bottom Line:

It’s a bit lower proof (and lower price) than the rest of Stranahan’s single malts, but it gives you a lot of bang for your buck. It’s a truly fantastic intro to American single malts for those who are unfamiliar with the category. It’s also a great option for experimenting with single malt cocktails but has plenty of complexity to be enjoyed on its own.

Springbank 25-Year 2021 Release — MarvelatWhisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $956

The Whiskey:

The annual release of the Springbank 25 year is, for me, one of the highlights of my whisk(e)y calendar. Every year, the blend changes slightly and so no two years are the same. For the 2021 edition, a blend of 70 percent sherry, 15 percent bourbon, and 15 percent rum casks was used to create a limited release of just 1,400 bottles. It is rare that one can actually find a 25-year-old scotch at a reasonable price and up until this year that was certainly the case for Springbank. Alas, as with much of the world whisk(e)y market today, Springbank’s meteoric rise in popularity over the last 12 months has, for the first time, signaled its scarcity in the marketplace. And so something that was once easy to purchase has become nigh on impossible, which adds to my rationale for choosing this whisky as my top 2021 pick.

Tasting Notes:

While there’s no doubt that Springbank mellows over time in the cask and some of that so-called “Campbeltown funk” dissipates, there’s something extremely special to me about these older bottlings. The complexity of the spirit at this age and the craft in blending multiple different casks ensures a unique experience. A slightly tropical nose with hints of stewed stoned fruits is underpinned by a light smokiness. On the palate, there’s definitely earthy and oaky notes and that typical salty profile. Crème brulee, brown sugar, and burnt butter bring out a rich sweet side to the whisky which is tempered by delicate peat, ash, and meaty notes. A slight zesty fruitiness develops over time in the glass and while the finish is not as long as one would hope, it certainly entices you in for more.

Bottom Line:

For me, this is a dram to take your time over and preferably sipped neat. Being one of the last remaining family-owned distilleries in Scotland, Springbank is a rarity in the world of whisky-making. It deserves a place on the home bar of anyone building a diverse selection. What’s more, if you can’t find the 25-year, you will not go wrong with the other regular releases of the 10, 12, 15, or 18-year expressions. Do yourself a favor, track down some Springbank at your local store!

King of Kentucky — Kenny Coleman, co-founder Bourbon Pursuit

ABV: 65%

Average Price: $1,133

The Whiskey:

As a host of Bourbon Pursuit, it’s an incredible opportunity to try a bunch of different whiskeys every year from heritage distillers and small producers. Of course, I would love to talk about my own brand of Pursuit United as my favorite release for 2021, but I’ll take a favorite from our Whiskey Quickie series. I feel that one of the best bourbons every year, and 2021 is no exception, is King of Kentucky.

This 14-year-old bourbon is composed of 33 different single barrels with varying proofs and carries a $250 MSRP. It’s the oldest expression coming from Brown Forman and is highly limited with only 2,700 bottles released in 2021. To put that in perspective, there are less than 100 bottles coming from each barrel. The barrel I tried said Barrel #7 and was 130 proof.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is dense, kind of like packing in 20 years of flavor. There’s a ton of tobacco, leather with some burnt cherries, and caramelized sugar. The taste on this one was different but in a great way. It’s much fruitier than anticipated and very decadent with flavors of grape Kool-Aid and cotton candy. The finish has traditional baking spices but really lingers. It’s sweet and viscous.

Bottom Line:

This is one bourbon that the vast majority aren’t ready to sip. This is a true aficionado’s treat. If you can’t handle drinking 130 proof bourbon neat, just stay away from it. This is one special sip for those that don’t need an ice cube.

Blue Note 17-Year-Old Limited Edition — Whisky & Watches

ABV: 54.85%

Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

This is a barrel-proof whiskey born out of Memphis, Tennessee. It’s unfiltered and aged for 17 years with an ABV of 54.85 percent. The mash bill is 84 percent corn, eight percent rye, and eight percent malted barley. Yes, it’s Dickel, but this is a very special selection from the iconic warehouse.

Tasting Notes:

The nose starts with that candied orange flavor that Dickel is known for but quickly gives way to dark fruits, vanilla, chocolate, and a sweet oak which was derived from 17 years in the barrel. The palate is, once again, all about the dark fruits as the vanilla shines through, but is quickly overshadowed by butter pecan ice cream. On the finish, the high proof doesn’t hide the flavors on this one as all the flavors on the palate come through on the finish.

Bottom Line:

This one proved to be the best neat in my trusty Glencairn glass. The price point at $175 is fair. In fact, I would pay $250 if I had to purchase it again. Unfortunately, secondary pricing has made this one almost untouchable for an extra bottle.

The Balvenie 25 Year Rare Marriages — Chris Perugini, Single Malt Savvy

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $772

The Whiskey:

25 Year Rare Marriages is the first in a new range of premium whiskies from The Balvenie. The bottle is presented with all the hallmarks a discerning imbiber could hope for. It’s non-chill filtered, has no added color, and is bottled at 48 percent ABV. This expression is comprised mostly of whisky from refill American oak ex-bourbon casks along with a smaller proportion of whisky from ex-Oloroso Sherry puncheons. As the name indicates, the whisky is at least 25 years old meaning it was distilled in 1996 or earlier.⁣

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, I find sweet oak, ginger, orange peel, dried mango, sponge cake, baked apples, and vanilla ice cream. The palate features notes of honeyed sweetness, green grapes, a medley of tropical fruits, and some big oak that never becomes overpowering. The finish is long and pleasant and brought about notes of nutmeg, mint, lemon zest, caramel, and more oak.⁣

Bottom Line:

I had a good feeling about this whisky from the moment I saw its color. That light natural hue told me that this was mostly ex-bourbon cask matured Balvenie. I love sherried whisky as much as anyone but Balvenie’s house style does particularly well in ex-bourbon casks. The oak is always present in this expression but it never takes a leading role in terms of flavor. Everything is beautifully layered and the tropical fruits were a really nice touch alongside citrus, honeyed sweetness, and that constant, delicate oak. This is a whisky truly deserving of attention.

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The Jan. 6 Committee May Be Finally Coming For Kevin McCarthy, Who Incurred Trump’s Wrath During The Siege

Since its inception over the summer, the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol siege has spoken with hundreds of Trump associates. Many of them came forth willingly. Those who’ve ignored subpoenas, including Steve Bannon and Mark Meadows, may be headed for jail. But there’s one key player they’ve so far left alone: House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (seen above, reading Dr. Seuss).

That may finally change. As per ABC News, the committee’s chairman Bennie Thompson, of Mississippi, invited McCarthy for a sit-down. “If he has information he wants to share with us, and is willing to voluntarily come in, I’m not taking the invitation off the table,” Thompson said.

McCarthy surely knows a thing or two. He famously got into a shouting match with the former president mid-Capitol siege. McCarthy claimed that when he begged him to call off his supporters, Trump declined, telling him, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”

Not long after, McCarthy started once again coddling the Trumpists in the House, even after they posted videos of them murdering Democratic colleagues.

McCarthy recently addressed whether or not he would play ball with the Jan. 6 committee, telling KBACK, “I don’t have anything to add. I have been very public, but I wouldn’t hide from anything, other.”

That prompted Thompson to tell ABC News, “If Leader McCarthy has nothing to hide, he can voluntarily come before the committee.” Thompson added that he is not above formally demanding an interview with the House’s leading Republican.

(Via ABC News)

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Cordae Shares A Throwback Video Of Him Rapping Over Kanye West’s ‘Gone’

Next month, Cordae will release his second album From A Birds Eye View. It arrives more than two years after his debut album, The Lost Boy. That project, which features Chance The Rapper, Anderson .Paak, Meek Mill, Ty Dolla Sign, and more, solidified his newfound position in rap thanks to its critical acclaim and its eventual nomination at the 2020 Grammy Awards. It was selected in the Best Rap Album category, and while it lost to Tyler The Creator’s Igor, it helped to boost the DMV native’s stock.

Now we’re just a few weeks away from the release of From A Birds Eye View, and before Cordae delivers that to the world, he took a trip to the past to show off his early rap skills. In a video he posted on Instagram, Cordae shared a 19-second video of him rapping over Kanye West’s “Gone,” a track that can be found on his 2005 sophomore album Late Registration. “16 yr old me was fake nice haha,” Cordae captioned the video.

As for From A Birds Eye View, the project is set to arrive on January 14 and come complete with 14 songs including the previously-released singles “Sinister” with Lil Wayne, “Gifted” with Roddy Ricch,” and “Super.”

You can watch the freestyle in the post above.

From A Birds Eye View is out 1/14 via Atlantic. Pre-order it here.

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

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Brock Purdy Batted A Tipped Pass Straight To A Clemson Defender For A Pick-6

Brock Purdy has had a fascinating career at Iowa State, as he’s been at the helm for some of the program’s biggest moments in recent memory, but struggled (as the team as a whole did) with lofty expectations this season as the Cyclones stumbled to a 7-5 record despite being a trendy preseason pick to possibly win the Big 12.

Purdy has a knack for creating something out of nothing, but that can sometimes result in him forcing things when a play isn’t there, which leads to turnovers. Chaos has a tendency to find Purdy, for better or worse, and on Wednesday night in the Cheez-It Bowl against Clemson, he threw one of the most insane pick-sixes of the season on a play where he actually tried to do the right thing and it just went horribly wrong.

After a quick out got tipped back towards him, Purdy wanted to do the right thing and knock the ball to the turf for an incompletion rather than trying to catch the ball and make something out of nothing. Unfortunately, he batted the ball forward and into the air right to the waiting arms of a Clemson defender, who took off and rumbled his way into the end zone.

It is, truly, one of the most ridiculous plays of the season, and poor Purdy found himself punished by the football gods for trying to make the right decision. The touchdown gave Clemson a 20-3 lead, which seemed insurmountable for an Iowa State offense that couldn’t move the ball much at all up to that point.

UPDATE: Iowa State’s first touchdown of the game was setup by this play, an interception thrown by the Cyclones on a double pass that then was fumbled by Clemson and Iowa State had 15 yards tacked on for a roughing the passer play.

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Knicks Guard Immanuel Quickley Played Against The Pistons In A Misspelled Jersey

Editors matter, even for the back of NBA jerseys.

On Wednesday, as the New York Knicks played the Detroit Pistons on the road, Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley had his last name spelled wrong on the back of his jersey. Instead of “Quickley” his last name came out as “Qucikley,” which is close at least.

There are a lot of questions that need be answered here. For one: How was it Quickley’s jersey that ends up as the first misspelled of the season and not one of the dozens of players currently signed to teams on a 10-day deals. Quickley is a key member of the Knicks, one of their leading scorers and, particularly after the injury to Derrick Rose, a crucial part of their current team. You’d think it would be one of the new faces, some arriving on the day of games, that would end up in a hastily made jersey that has a spelling error.

Secondly, what is the editing process for nameplates on jerseys? Typos can happen — Quickley isn’t the first player to have his name spelled wrong, nor will he be the last — but it seems avoidable? Quickley also doesn’t have a particularly complicated last name to spell?

Finally, this is the second jersey error in as many seasons for the Knicks, who sent Reggie Bullock out on the floor last year with the correct number on the front of his jersey but the wrong number on the back last year, which they joked about on the broadcast when they recognized the “Qucikley” error.

How this all happened demands some answers, which may simply be “take an extra second to double check the jerseys.” For his part, Quickley has nine points off the bench at the time of this writing. It is his second game back from being in the league’s health & safety protocols.

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The CDC reduced COVID isolation time and people are joking about the ‘bad advice’ that’ll come next

The CDC changed its COVID-19 isolation guidelines on Monday in a move that confused a lot of people. The CDC now recommends that asymptomatic people infected with COVID-19 isolate for five days, instead of 10.

It also recommends that after isolation, those who were infected wear a mask for five days while around others.

The move comes at a time when there has been a major rise in cases across the country due to the omicron variant. The decision has a lot of people asking, “Why are we sending people who’ve been infected out in public sooner when the number of cases is on the rise?”

There has also been anxiety among the business community that an increase in isolated employees may lead to staffing shortages across the country. So is the CDC just bowing to the business community or is there a good reason for us to be more relaxed about a deadly disease?


“The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

“These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives,” she added. “Prevention is our best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high community transmission, and take a test before you gather.”

There are a lot of people out there who think reducing isolation periods at a time when infections are on the rise is a really bad idea. So a group of people on Twitter decided to do the only thing we can in such crazy times, have a laugh.

The Twitter users have been speculating on other pieces of bad advice the CDC may come out with in the future. Here are 16 of the funniest.

No, don’t get bangs.

People are a little suspicious that the CDC is kowtowing to business interests.

The worst piece of advice you’ll ever get in high school.

Vizzini begs to differ.

You can eat the packet that says “DO NOT EAT” if your boss says it’s ok.

No comment.

In 2022, Don Henley will become the CDC director.

The CDC pinky swears it will.

The CDC is so needy these days.

You can run with scissors, as long as you’re wearing a mask.

No one can watch their dog stretch without making a comment. It’s impossible.

The CDC only cares about your boss these days. Your health? Not so much.

What about ivermectin?

The CDC is now a dad in the ’70s.

Vicks cures everything.

Clean toasters make healthy toast.

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Tyler The Creator Is Thinking About Changing His Stage Name: ‘It’s Really Dumb’

Tyler The Creator has opted to use his government name, Tyler Okonma, in many of his recent creative endeavors outside of music. In a post he made to remember the late Virgil Abloh, Tyler explained that Virgil inspired him to use his government name. “Few years back i started using more of my African last name OKONMA because of how regal Virgils felt,” he wrote. “Everything he did felt like he said ‘hey over here, coast is clear’ whenever i questioned things.” It seems like Tyler’s use of his last name could occur in the music world as he recently admitted that he’s considering a change for his stage name.

“My stage name was from, I made a MySpace page when I was 13,” Tyler said during an interview with Fast Company. “I had 3 of them, one was regular for friends, another one was for something else, and then the third one was just ideas, I would put drawings and photos I would take and I would upload beats on there.” He continued, “I started using that one more and random people from Kentucky would be, like, ‘Cool beats, bro!’ And so I just kept the Tyler, The Creator thing going and, you know, I’m 17 in high school, around LA, the name’s getting around, and I kind of just kept it as my stage name.”

He then admitted that the name doesn’t appeal to him as much nowadays. “It’s really dumb but it stuck with me so it just works,” he said. “But my full name, Tyler Okonma, in all caps just looks really cool. So you might see more of that, I don’t know, I’m getting older and I think when people get older they start to realize shit, you just start changing.”

You can watch his full interview with Fast Company above.

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Tame Impala Teamed Up With Sepatu Compass For The ‘Artificial Vibration’ Shoe Collection

Tame Impala released their latest album, The Slow Rush, back in 2020 after much anticipation from fans. Due to the pandemic, they haven’t been able to tour behind the album quite as much as both fans and the band might’ve hoped, but recently they announced a slew of tour dates for 2022, and shared a brand new song, “No Choice.”

And Christmas might be over, but today the band also shared a new collaboration with Sepatu Compass on a very limited edition shoe collection that would make an incredible gift for any Tame Impala fan. “Hey Indonesia, I’m honoured to announce this very special collab with @sepatucompass, where they transformed my music into graphics! Super cool idea. Very limited run. Hope you manage to grab some x,” Kevin Parker captioned a post on Instagram. The shoes collection, which is dubbed “Artificial Vibration,” is available on the Indonesian site, Tokopedia, and they’re selling out incredibly quickly.

Here’s a bit more about each shoe, copied from the screenshots shared on Instagram.

Titled “Artificial Vibration,” this collaboration presents a collection of shoes and apparel that manifest the energy, sound, and soul of Tame Impala’s music. Songs are converted into wearable products that can be worn or kept as memorabilia by music fans and fashion connoisseurs alike.

“Artificial Vibration” is the synthesis of two different entities: digital and energy. This collaboration follows the journey of extracting data from three Tame Impala songs and converting that data into a spectrum of artificially-created patterns and colors. These visual elements are manifested into a shoe collection defined by three designs:

Spectrum 01
Waveform
Retrograde Low
(Tame Impala — “The Less I Know The Better”)
The sound waves of this song are reconstructed into concentric shapes based on five attributes: Warmth, Dynamic, Clarity, Flow, & Fade. The spectrum captures music in its most basic state.

Spectrum 02
Tie-Dye
Retrograde Hi Decon
(Tame Impala — “Yes I’m Changing”)

Reminiscent of the classic Windows Media Player music visualizer. Here, music is translated into a dynamic artwork that vividly expresses the vibe and mood of a song.

Spectrum 03
Spectrogram
Retrograde Hi Decon
(Tame Impala — “Lost In Yesterday”)
A visual representation of sound as it changes over time. An accumulation of a data set that is translated into a spectrogram that brings to life the mood and aura of the song.

Furthermore, each Spectrum feature details unique to the particular song it resents. When scanned, a QR code on the shoe label will immediately link to an audio file of the song. A line from the song’s lyric is inscribed on the shoe, while the transparent outsells contain a print of the sounds waves. There is also a pocket hidden inside the shoe’s tongue that can hold small items as a practical, fun detail.

Perhaps if the collection sells out before American fans get a chance to cop a pair, the band will re-up the collaboration and have more shoes made in the future. After all, it’s never too early to start shopping for next Christmas.

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Griff Hinted That She Has A Collaboration Coming With Norwegian Pop Star Sigrid

For rising UK pop star Griff, 2021 was a breakout year. She released her first mixtape, One Foot In Front Of The Other, and broke out in a huge way with the single “Black Hole,” which earned her attention from Spotify, and followed that up with a brand new single, “One Night.” Now, she’s getting ready to keep up the momentum in 2022, this time by collaborating with another force, this one in the Norwegian pop world. Sigrid — whose 2019 debut Sucker Punch was one of the best pop records of the year — is clearly a fan of Griff, and vice versa.

After the pair both shared photos with each other on Instagram recently, yesterday Griff shared a tweet that mashes up both pop stars telling BBC that they’d like to collaborate with each other. That alone might not be enough to get fans pontificating, but Griff posting the mashed up video to her Twitter feed with a couple of winking emojis and a tag for Sigrid all but seals the deal. Considering both of these young artists are bringing a fresh sound to the sometimes overproduced and over-crowded pop world — and they both emphasize strong lyrics and storytelling — it seems like a match made in heaven. Keep us posted, ladies!