Month: February 2022

Last fall, Jay-Z walked away with a big legal win after Parlux Fragrances claimed that the rapper breached his contract by not promoting the failed “Gold Jay-Z” cologne. Parlux filed the lawsuit back in 2016 and said he “never once personally appeared” to promote the cologne, which Jay denied. A jury agreed with him and ruled that he did not breach his contract and that he was not responsible for the $67.6 million in damages that Parlux sued him for. Now, according to Complex which cites a report from Page Six, Jay-Z earned another court win against Parlux.

According to the report, an appellate court ruled that Jay and his company “are entitled to summary judgment on their royalties counterclaim.” As a result, they ruled that Jay is entitled to $4.5 million in royalties from Parlux. “The record is clear: Parlux sold licensed products after July 31, 2015, but failed to pay royalties on those sales,” Justice John Higgitt wrote in a statement.

Jay’s legal matters are not over yet. This summer, he’ll head to trial to settle a lawsuit between himself and Jonathan Mannion, the photographer who shot the cover for his 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Jay claims that Mannion has been using photos from the shoot for the cover art to make “thousands of dollars” selling prints and merchandise. He adds that when he asked Mannion to stop, the photographer requested “tens of millions of dollars” which sparked the lawsuit. The two attempted to settle things outside of court but failed to come to an agreement.

Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales Tour got started last week, but it’s gotten off to a bumpy start. While the first show in Vancouver was cancelled because of local COVID safety measures, Sullivan played at Portland and Seattle stops, before laboring through a show in Oakland on Tuesday when she began to feel not so great. She cancelled last night’s show in Sacramento despite testing negative for COVID, because she was “feeling extremely under the weather,” saying on Twitter that she didn’t want to “give a subpar performance.”

Credit to Sullivan, who felt symptoms and started playing it safely from there. Because today, the “Pick Up Your Feelings” singer tweeted that she has indeed tested positive for COVID and is canceling tour dates for at least the next week. “I’m truly sad to have to cancel more shows but health and safety come first for myself, my team, and all of you,” she said.

This means that tomorrow’s show in LA, plus next week’s shows in Phoenix and Denver are likely canceled and perhaps more from there while she recovers. Sullivan said that ticket holders would be contacted via email about rescheduling. You can read her statement in full below and we wish her a speedy recovery.

You can read her statement in full below:

“Hi Everyone,

My Doctor confirmed that I’m positive with COVID. I am taking every precaution to isolate myself. I’m truly sad to have to cancel more shows but health and safety come first for myself, my team, and all of you.

LA’s show tomorrow will unfortunately be cancelled and we are likely cancelling show for the next week based on my condition and the condition of my crew. We will let you know when the tour will resume once we have made that decision.

As soon as we have in regards to tickets and rescheduling, ticket holders will be notified via email.

Thank you so much for understanding and support and I’ll be seeing you very soon.

Jaz <3”

Ted Cruz always appears to be doing something sketchy while war breaks out. Last year, he filmed himself in crumbling house (as seen above) on Memorial Day, where he literally inserted himself into the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. That was about as ridiculous as when he posted video of himself hanging out in the bushes at the U.S.-Mexico border, but Ted’s also been up to no good amid Russia’s declaration of war upon Ukraine.

Cancun Cruz is spending time at CPAC, where he decided to take a swing at White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. First, he acted disappointed when he mentioned her name, and people didn’t respond negatively enough for him. Then he proudly declared, “Peppermint Patty deserves some love!”

Psaki probably would have never noticed this happening, given that there are incredibly pressing matters of global conflict at hand, but yeah, someone totally brought this up during Thursday’s White House press conference. So, Psaki had to answer a question about Ted Cruz ridiculously insulting her at CPAC. It’s very silly, but of course, she handled the distraction like a pro.

“Don’t tell him I like Peppermint Patty,” Psaki responded. “I won’t take it too offensively. Sen. Cruz, I like Peppermint Patty. I am a little bit tougher than that, but there you go.”

There are definitely worse things than being insulted with the name of a Peanuts character. Ted really needs to stop trying to show off his pop-culture (non-)knowledge. It never ends well for him.

It’s hard not to feel like we’re surrounded by zombies at concerts these days and Mitski is here to drop some knowledge about it all. Heck, it’s hard not to feel like a zombie yourself sometimes. We all like taking pictures and snapping the occasional 15-second clip of the show to post to our Instagram stories. But people also tend to film an entire song, or stop and upload what they just captured in the middle of the show. Mitski — who is as powerful of a performer as they come — just shared some candid words on how important she feels being in the moment at a concert is.

“Sometimes when I see people filming entire songs or whole sets, it makes me feel as though we are not here together,” she said in a tweet thread. Her take is an honest one from not just a performer, but a fan as well and here’s hoping it inspires us all to be in the moment. Check out her full statement below:

A note from Mitski:

Hello! I wanted to speak with you about phones at shows. They’re part of our reality, I have mine on me all the time, and I’m not against taking photos at shows (Though please no flash lol). But sometimes when I see people filming entire songs or whole sets, it makes me feel as though we are not here together. This goes for both when I’m on stage, and when I’m an audience member at shows. I love shows for the feeling of connection, of sharing a dream, and remembering that we have a brief miraculous moment of being alive at the same time, before we part ways. I feel I’m part of something bigger. When I’m on stage and look to you but you are gazing into a screen, it makes me feel as though those of us on stage are being taken from and consumed as content, instead of getting to share a moment with you. Ultimately it’s your night, and I want you to enjoy it as you like. I don’t want to be greedy, I’m fortunate to get to play! Just putting out there that sometimes, if we’re lucky, we can experience magic at a show. But only if we’re there to catch it. Thank you for reading my woo-woo thoughts about shows lol – I just love and believe in them so much, and I want to share them fully with you! Thanks.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This week, Lucky Daye leads the way with “NWA,” his new single featuring Lil Durk. The track is the latest offering from the singer’s upcoming sophomore album Candy Drip. PJ Morton and JoJo joined forces for their new collaboration, “My Peace,” which also features Mr. Talkbox. Months removed from his seventh album On Earth, And In Heaven, Robin Thicke recruits Rapsody for “Day One Friend.”

Lucky Daye — “NWA” Feat. Lil Durk

In just a few weeks, Lucky Daye will release his sophomore album Candy Drip. It arrives almost three years after his debut album Painted and a year after is most recent project, Table For Two. So far, Lucky has released the title track from the project, but he follows that up with “NWA” alongside Lil Durk. The duo arrives as a confident and flirtatious duo ready to woo a special woman into their arms.

PJ Morton & JoJo — “My Peace” Feat. Mr. Talkbox

After dropping The Piano Album back in 2020, PJ Morton has been fairly active in recent months. His latest offering finds him beside JoJo and Mr. Talkbox on “My Peace.” The track sees the trio preaching about focusing on themselves and improving their well-being so that they can be the best for their partner. The song is also carried by triumphant production and a nice sample of Outkast’s “SpottieOttieDopaliscious.”

Robin Thicke & Rapsody — “Day One Friend”

In 2021, Robin Thicke released his seventh album On Earth, And In Heaven. It marks his first full-length effort in seven years. Thankfully, things don’t seem to be slowing down for the singer as he returned with “Day On Friend.” The new release features Rapsody as the two sing about the ideal friendships they have in their lives. Robin and Rapsody take a warm trip down memory lane on the song which will surely remind you of the good friendships in your life.

Teedra Moses — “Make Me” Feat. Eric Bellinger & Currensy

Last spring, Teedra Moses arrived with her sultry single “Make Me,” which originally featured Brody and Uncle Chucc. Now, almost a year after the song’s release, she returns with a new remix featuring Eric Bellinger and Currensy. Bellinger adds to the song’s alluring mood with a verse of his own which momentarily features a duet between him and Moses. Finally, Currensy closes things out with a slick-talking verse that helps to perfect the remix.

Leven Kali — “EEK”

Back in 2020, Leven Kali dropped one of that year’s better R&B projects with Hightide. It was an upbeat follow-up to his 2019 debut project Lowtide. Now, the hope is the West Coast singer is working on his new body of work. Whether that’s the case remains to be seen, but until then we can enjoy his latest single, “EEK.” Kali’s new drop is a fun and lively single that preaches about enjoying the moment and letting go of life’s worries.

Gemaine & Charlie Heat — “Lay It Down”

Last month, singer-producer duo Gemaine and Charlie Heat joined forces for their new single, “No Questions.” The project song arrived with the announcement that the two would be pairing up for a new project titled New Jack City. There’s no release date for the project yet, but for those who are excited about its release, there is a new single for you to enjoy. Germaine and Charlie return with “Lay It Down,” which strikes a seductive number that sees Gemaine aiming to be as passionate as possible with his partner while they make love to each other.

PxRRY — “More Than A Little Bit”

Connecticut singer PxRRY is making his splash in the R&B world. After dropping his Enough Said EP last year, which featured a highlight appearance from Eric Bellinger, PxRRY is back to work in 2022. He returns with “More Than A Little Bit” which strikes as an endearing promise to a lover to also do more than the bare minimum for them.

Marzz — “KMS”

In late 2020, Marzz inked a record deal with RCA’s Keep Cool imprint which is also the home of Lucky Daye, VanJess, Normani, and more. The following year, she released her debut EP Love Letterz, and after keeping cool for the rest of the year, she’s back in action with new music. Marzz arrives with “KMS,” which stands for “Killing Me Slowly,” and on it, she speaks of the unsatisfying nature of her relationship which has left her weary and deep in her feelings.

Amaria BB — What’s Done In The Dark

Jamaican-English singer Amaria BB kicks off her 2022 campaign with her rhythmic and lively EP, What’s Done In The Dark. It presents six songs with no guest features and an ear-pleasing blend of R&B and dancehall that makes the project quite enjoyable to listen to. Highlights from the project include “Cheaters” and “Secrets.”

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

For many, even those that proudly wave the flag of self-love, the sight of that first gray hair is anxiety inducing. That single strand is a harbinger of the doom of our youth. More than one, and you might as well weave them together to create yourself a noose. It’s time to kiss your beauty—and therefore, your value—goodbye.

But what if, instead of marking the end of our glory days, we could see this change as a new chapter with equally glorious reveals? Something worth presenting, rather than hiding?

Back in July 2021, actress Andie MacDowell made headlines for rocking the silver vixen look at the Cannes Film Festival. MacDowell’s hair has always been a defining feature, but previously she had been coloring her raven locks to maintain her signature look. This was at the behest of her managers, according to an interview with Vogue.

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But after her kids officially declared the salt-and-pepper look was “badass,” MacDowell started to see going natural as a “power move.” So she followed the impulse, and you don’t need me to tell you it was a bit of a social media sensation.

MacDowell reflected on how freeing the experience was in a conversation with Interview Magazine. “I feel better like this. Honestly, it’s exhausting to have to be something that you no longer are…I was finally like, ‘You know what? I’m not young. And I’m OK with that..I feel so much more comfortable. It’s like I’ve taken a mask off or something.”’

Isn’t this a battle so many of us fight? Instead of basking in how far we’ve come, we spend so much effort trying to wind back the clock. And in all the rigamarole of trying to delay the inevitable, we forget that aging is a glorious gift. One that’s not guaranteed.

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Even when we use terms like “embrace the gray,” there’s this connotation that aging is this frightening tidal wave that we simply need to bolster ourselves for. Where’s the grace in that? I mean, yes, as the end of life approaches, it is scary to think about the impending unknown. But the process of getting there? Perhaps not so much.

In the same article, MacDowell reflected that she, too, “hates the word ’embrace,’ because it always sounds like you’re having to accept something, and I don’t feel like that.” I love this viewpoint. Accept it? Why not value it? Let’s come back to the original meaning of the word … and welcome it warmly.

MacDowell continued “We do have something unique to offer. You can’t be young forever, but you can always be considered beautiful, fashionable, and glamorous.”

The cynical voice in your head might say, “sure easy for someone who’s already glamorous to say that.” But MacDowell isn’t the only one who made this discovery. Tons of “real” women have had the same revelation.

Once the pandemic caused salons across the country to close down (coupled with major pay cuts and job losses), a surge of women chose to stop coloring their hair. But—as with many life aspects affected by COVID-19—what started as a forced restriction became an opportunity for reinvention. In ditching the hair dye, many women found that their silver strands were not only tolerable, they were empowering.

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Now you could even say gray hair is “in” and making a comeback tour. And trust, these dames are definitely glamorous. This is not just an experience for A-listers.

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Of course, this movement is not just about aesthetics. There is a bigger idea here. It’s no secret that our society has some deep-seated stigmas when it comes to aging, for women in particular. We place a high value on those “30 Under 30” lists, seek out the strongest retinol to erase all signs of life and stand mouth agape in horror at the first mention of the word “ma’am.” But it doesn’t have to be that way. All chapters of life are precious, and worth celebrating.

I’m a firm believer that glamor is only a result of confidence. And as we grow older, we only become more dynamic, more nuanced, more interesting. If that’s not a confidence booster, I don’t know what is.

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Going gray won’t be the answer for everyone. I certainly don’t plan on trading in my signature red anytime soon. But the real call to adventure is: How can you feel good about yourself at every stage of life? How can you throw away the (false) notion that you somehow lose your shine with every passing year?

As the saying goes, “beauty is truth, truth beauty.” I think we can really see that in stories like these. To age gracefully is to age fearlessly. Radical self-acceptance is gorgeous.

You can often tell a lot about a person’s life by how the world responds to their death. Over the weekend, when I started seeing a flood of social media messages from healthcare professionals that included words like “devastated” and “gutted,” it was clear that someone of influence in the medical world had passed. I’m not in healthcare, but even I recognized Dr. Paul Farmer’s name, largely from this quote of his:

“The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong in the world.”

After spending decades working and living in various countries around the world, making sure people in underdeveloped nations had access to quality healthcare, Dr. Farmer passed away from an acute cardiac event in his sleep in Rwanda at age 62. His death was like a seismic event in the field of global health, launching a tsunami of grief and remembrance felt around the world, from heads of state who met with him to fellow physicians who worked with him to individuals whose lives he saved.

“It is hard to find the words to express the sad news of the passing of Paul Farmer—the person, the Doctor, the philanthropist. He combined many things hard to find in one person,” wrote Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda.

The weight of his loss is in many ways personal, to the country of Rwanda (which he loved and to which he contributed so much during its reconstruction), to my family and to myself. I know there are many who feel this way in Africa and beyond.

— Paul Kagame (@Paul Kagame)
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Farmer was physician, a professor, an anthropologist and a fierce advocate for the world’s poor. In 1987, he cofounded Partners in Health, one of the world’s leading global health and social justice organizations dedicated to bringing high-quality healthcare to those who need it most. Farmer’s philosophy was straightforward: The fact that poor people die of illness we have effective treatments for is unacceptable. Farmer’s life’s work was a testament to his belief that where you live and how much money you have should not determine your right to healthcare.

But Farmer’s advocacy work was also much more personal than that. He didn’t preach about global equity from atop an ivory tower; he worked on the ground, at the grassroots level, doing hands-on medical care in some of the poorest parts of the world.

When I worked in rural Burundi 12 years ago, I complained a patient was u201cnon compliant.u201d He responded sternly that the onus was on me and the structural violence of the system, not the patient. It was a lesson he continued this past week @ughe_org

— Sriram Shamasunder (@Sriram Shamasunder)
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Much of Farmer’s work involved getting effective AIDS treatments to patients in Haiti and Rwanda in the face of pushback from those who felt it was too expensive or that cultural differences would get in the way. Farmer refused to accept inequity and did everything he could to alleviate it.

“Human rights violations are not accidents; they are not random in distribution or effect,” he wrote in “Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights and the New War on the Poor.” “Rights violations are, rather, symptoms of deeper pathologies of power and are linked intimately to the social conditions that so often determine who will suffer abuse and who will be shielded from harm.”

Paul Farmer made a difference. His life saved many lives. Many Black lives. May he rest in wisdom and peace.pic.twitter.com/FZwU0qzGaf

— Ava DuVernay (@Ava DuVernay)
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He was uncompromising in his belief that every human being, regardless of circumstances, should have access to the best healthcare humanity has to offer. Being born into or living in poverty does not give anyone less of a right to health, and if we have effective treatments for illness and disease, everyone should have access to them.

He touched countless lives—those he treated and those he accompanied in the field of service. Often it was people in the medical field he trained with, but he even inspired people outside of healthcare to use their privilege and know-how to better the lives of others.

Paul Farmer was a hero to all of us who try to dedicate our skills to the service of others. From the early days of the Haiti earthquake, Paul provided many lessons that helped me make @WCKitchen who we are today. His brilliance was only matched by his empathy. I miss him alreadyhttps://twitter.com/pih/status/1495806101769670658u00a0u2026

— Josu00e9 Andru00e9s (@Josu00e9 Andru00e9s)
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When you pass away and everyone who met you has only the most glowing things to say about you, you know you’ve lived a good life. The world has lost not only a great doctor, but a champion of global health equity who serves as an example to us all.

“His vision for the world will live on through Partners in Health,” Sheila Davis, Partners in Health CEO, wrote in a statement. “Paul taught all those around him the power of accompaniment, love for one another, and solidarity. Our deepest sympathies are with his family.”

Watch PBS News Hour’s remembrance of Dr. Farmer below, and for more details of his extraordinary work, I highly recommend Tracy Kidder’s profile of him in The New Yorker. The man was truly a legend of a human being in all the best ways possible.

Rest in peace, Dr. Farmer. Thanks for showing us how it’s done.

Jeopardy! winningest woman Amy Schneider’s having a ball after ending her winning streak (following 40 wins) that made her a (pre-tax) millionaire. She subsequently quit her day job and began writing a book. She’s also bought a fancy bathtub (because obviously), but something very special happened: Amy got engaged.

“I have an announcement,” Schneider tweeted on Thursday. “Genevieve is no longer my girlfriend… she’s my fiancée!!! I couldn’t be happier or more proud to spend my life with the very best person in the entire world.”

Congrats are in order all around. According to HuffPost, Genevieve Davis, a nanny, has lived with Amy in Oakland, California, which is a heck of a lot warmer than a lot of the U.S. right now, so hopefully, they can get their celebration on without freezing. In related news, Amy spoke as part of a Teen Vogue panel this week to discuss how she felt it was important to balance how she prioritized trans representation while on Jeopardy!:

“I think I felt a certain responsibility to be my best self and represent the trans community well. But I was also worried about that in the sense that I don’t want to present a ‘too perfect’ image of myself because I want everyone to be able to see that whether or not you are good at trivia, whether or not you have a lot of followers on social media, any of those things, you still deserve and can find the same acceptance, the same affirmation and freedom to accept who you are.”

Watch the full panel discussion below.

Oscar nominee Elliot Page recently stepped up to fight an anti-trans law in Arkansas, and The Umbrella Academy star isn’t stopping there. Rather, Page is now speaking out against Texas officials after state Attorney General Ken Paxton declared that gender-affirming health care (including hormone therapy) is a form of child abuse. Page came out as transgender in December 2020 and has subsequently expressed gratitude for receiving necessary medical care in the aftermath.

Page also declared that the physical procedures had nothing but a positive impact on his emotional and mental health as well “because the constant discomfort and pain around that aspect of my body was gone.” After Paxton also took to Twitter to declare gender-affirming health care as both “monstrous and tragic,” and after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott cosigned these views, Page did not hold back in a statement to Variety:

“I am horrified by the inhumane and downright dangerous declarations by the Texas Governor and Attorney General. Trans youth deserve gender-affirming care and to be able to live their true, authentic selves without fear and oppression. I stand with trans youth and their families.”

Previously, Page stood up against Arkansas’ first-of-its-kind law to limit healthcare for trans youth, who were faced with their doctors being banned from providing or even recommending care that happens to be gender-affirming in nature. As the Washington Post notes, Texas’ law goes even further by encouraging doctors and teachers to report parents who seek gender-affirming care for their children, and those complaints could lead to trans youth being removed from their parents’ custody. This presents a dire situation, and Page isn’t alone in speaking out on Twitter.

(Via Variety & Washington Post)

There are few smoking experiences that rival the pleasure of smoking a properly rolled blunt. A good hand-rolled cigar burns slow, steady, fills the air with the aromatic tones of tobacco and dark chocolate, and produces a smooth and flavorful smoke. Done right, a blunt makes your toking experience as much about savoring the taste of the cigar paper as it does about getting high.

Having said that, rolling a proper blunt is a straight-up pain in the ass. Huge hassle all the way around.

When it comes to rolling blunts, you’re dealing with a lot of potential issues — sourcing quality tobacco leaves, grinding a bunch of weed, and getting it all rolled up without dropping product all over the floor. Worse still is having to deal with disassembling a corner store Swisher Sweet (or Phillies Blunt or Backwoods cigar) and filling it up with your weed. Sure, this works in a pinch but it’s wasteful and can muddle the quality of your top-shelf herb with chemical-tasting artificial fruit flavors or dusty dry leaf notes.

Happily for us, we’re living in an age where stoners are spoiled with choices and tools geared toward making the blunt rolling experience easier. And one of our favorite options is Jas Prince’s Slapwoods (a tongue-in-cheek reference to OG cigar brand Backwoods, perhaps?). Prince is an entrepreneur, mogul, and the founder of the Young Empire Music Group. More importantly for today’s purposes, he’s a stoner — which is probably why his Sapwood’s products feel tailor-made for a better smoking experience.

Let’s break it down:

Slapwood’s Cigar Cones/ Cigar Wraps

If you hate the hassle of rolling blunts, Slapwood’s Cigar Cones makes life waaaaay easier. The cones are packaged three to a pack and feature thick aromatic wraps pre-assembled in a tall conical shape with a corn husk tip filter. The packs have everything you need for the perfect blunt — each cone is loaded with a Slapwoods insert that helps the virgin cigar cone retain its shape and serves as a funnel for your bud, which can be better-packed thanks to the wooden pick that comes supplied in each pouch.

The leaf itself is pretty sturdy, without being dry, and can handle a dense pack with a lot of handling. Nothing is worse than ruining a wrap because you have rough hands. When I tried Slapwoods, it was able to stand up to some considerable abuse.

Be warned though, you’re going to need a lot of weed to fill one of these things, and I mean a lot.

I double ground 1.5 grams of fresh herb and still had more room than I’d like to spare, but each cone can be easily cut or folded in to make up for any gaps. This makes the wrap perfect for sharing with a circle of friends, a loved one, or for a sustained smoking session for those Snoop-level stars who like a long session.

When I finally lit up, soothing coffee-like tones filled my immediate vicinity (important to consider if you have smoke-hating neighbors, this stuff is powerful) and the Russian Cream flavored cone helped add some smooth vanilla and earthy tobacco and chocolate notes to my bud, supplying a smooth drag with a savor-worthy flavor. The quality of the tobacco leaf is great, it’s hand-rolled in the Dominican Republic, burns evenly, and never comes across as harsh or dirty tasting, like more low-quality leaves.

The Cigar Cones are definitely worth picking up if you love smoking blunts but hate rolling them, but let us make the case for Slapwoods Cigar Wraps as an even better option.

I know I just spent paragraphs applauding Slapwoods for making the act of hand-rolling rolling cannabis in tobacco leaves more convenient, but the wraps are where it is truly at. They slap. Coming five to a pack in an easily resealable pouch, these are made to retain freshness. You still get that same smooth luxurious Russian Cream flavor, with leaves that are a noticeable step up in quality. They’re remarkably supple, soft to the touch, and incredibly natural. They feel like… well, exactly like a dried leaf, and if all you’ve ever had is a Swisher wrap, this is a whole other world.

It’s like comparing well-level Jack Daniels to a Lagavulin 16. If you’re smoking high-quality bud that is truly worthy and wanting of a premium delivery method, you have to make it Slapwoods Cigar Wraps.

The Bottom Line:

If you value convenience, grab the Slapwoods Cigar Cones. If you’re all about a supreme and luxurious experience, you have to go with the Cigar Wraps. Either way, at the end of the day Slapwoods levels up your smoking game like few brands can.

Shop Slapwoods products at the official Slapwoods site.