Month: February 2022

For many years, the Eastern Conference lagged behind the Western Conference, both in star power and general intrigue. The winds have shifted a bit in recent years, with two of the last three NBA champions hailing from the East, and the “Leastern Conference” jokes are a thing of the past. Several leading contenders for the 2021-22 title come from the East and, with a headline-grabbing blockbuster featuring Ben Simmons and James Harden before the trade deadline, there is even more attention on the pecking order.

As of the All-Star break, the top seven teams in the East are separated by only five games in the standings, illustrating a jam-packed race for playoff position. In a wild twist, the Brooklyn Nets are not in the top seven, largely due to the injury to Kevin Durant and well-chronicled personnel challenges. Adding to the Nets into the mix still extends the gap between No. 1 and No. 8 to only seven games which, for comparison, is smaller than the distance from No. 1 (Phoenix) to No. 3 (Memphis) in the West.

In short, every game matters a great deal in the Eastern Conference for the rest of the season and, during the All-Star break, our aim is to find the 10 most important games in the conference during the second half. We’ll aim to survey the entire landscape, not just focusing on the implementation of Simmons and Harden, or on the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks, but the top teams are well-represented. Let’s take a glance at ten games that everyone should be monitoring, keeping in mind that this list could be much longer.

Feb. 26 – Brooklyn Nets @ Milwaukee Bucks – 8:30 pm ET – ABC

This game is happening quite soon, and player availability is certainly in question for Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons. Even if neither plays in this spot, this is a matchup of preseason titans in the East, with Milwaukee still in a strong position and Brooklyn needing to stack wins to make up for a slow start. Kyrie Irving should also be available, given that this is a road game, and it is a Saturday evening showcase on ABC. Sounds like fun.

March 2 – Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat – 8:00 pm ET – League Pass

Miami sits in a tie for the No. 1 spot in the East and all is well for the Heat. It is easy to buy Miami as a playoff team with its experience, defense and shotmaking, but the Heat also flamed out against Milwaukee in spectacular fashion in last year’s playoffs. Nothing the Heat do on March 26 can erase that, but it could give us a preview of what’s to come.

March 4 – Cleveland Cavaliers @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7:00 pm ET – League Pass

Cleveland isn’t trusted on the same level as other Eastern Conference contenders but, at the time of this post, the Cavs are tied for No. 3 in the East. With more than two-thirds of the season in the books, that is notable. From there, this is also a very interesting test for Philadelphia’s new-look offense, featuring James Harden. The Cavs have lived in the top five of the NBA in defensive rating this season, and they also have size to throw at Joel Embiid.

March 6 – Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:30 pm ET – ESPN

I’ll admit that this is more of a matchup for hardcore observers, but it is on ESPN, after all. At present, Toronto is only a half-game from the top six in the East, and this is a highly intriguing battle between teams that play hard and execute. How does Cleveland match up with Toronto’s approach to playing every 6’8 player in the world around Fred VanVleet? How does Toronto deal with Darius Garland and Cleveland’s size? This could also be a playoff preview, for good measure.

March 10 – Brooklyn Nets @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7:30 pm ET – TNT

Of all the games on the list, this is the one that really needs no introduction. Ben Simmons is scheduled to return to Philadelphia. James Harden is facing his old team. Two contenders are facing off, and it could be a circus atmosphere at Wells Fargo Center in advance of Simmons’ homecoming.

March 16 – Atlanta Hawks @ Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 pm ET – League Pass

Clearly, a matchup between Atlanta and Charlotte isn’t going to get the level of attention of the previous game. We don’t want to entirely focus at the top of the East, though, and this game has real significance to both teams. For one, the Hawks have stumbled this season and are battling for play-in potential, rather than jockeying for position in the top five. For another, Charlotte and Atlanta might be battling for the No. 9 and No. 10 spots (as they are now), and this matchup also features Trae Young and LaMelo Ball.

March 30 – Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics – 7:30 pm ET – ESPN

The Celtics were absolutely rolling before the All-Star break, posting the best net rating (+12.6) and defensive rating (100.9) in the NBA since Jan. 1. They probably can’t maintain that pace, but a Boston-Miami tilt could be wildly interesting on a number of levels. It could also be a playoff preview and/or a battle for positioning. Sound familiar?

March 31 – Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 pm ET – TNT

It’s not ideal to have a second Bucks-Nets matchup on this list, and I get that. However, this has the appeal of being more likely to serve as a “playoff preview,” especially when viewing it through the lens of Kevin Durant being healthy and Ben Simmons being featured at a higher level. The counterpoint would be that Kyrie Irving can’t play unless the local mandate changes but, even so, that is something Brooklyn will have to gear up for, and now the Nets have Goran Dragic to plug some gaps. Did I mention that Milwaukee is really good? That is also worth remembering.

Apr. 2 – Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls – 8:00 pm ET – League Pass

Right now, it is the Heat and Bulls that sit atop the East. Not the Bucks. Not the Sixers. Not the Nets. The Heat and the Bulls. Will that hold up? We’ll see, but all you need to know in advance of this game is that both teams are enjoying fantastic seasons.

Apr. 6 – Boston Celtics @ Chicago Bulls – 8:00 pm ET – League Pass

Neither the Celtics nor the Bulls are usually discussed in the “inner circle” of East title contenders, but both have impressive profiles. As noted above, Boston has basically been the East’s hottest team for a couple of months, and Chicago is in a tie at the top of the East. Could this be a first round preview? Could it be important for top-four seeding purposes? The potential is endless, but these teams are good. That much we know.

The main subject of The Tinder Swindler, who claims he has never swindled anyone on Tinder, is speaking out about the Netflix doc, claiming he is a “legit businessman” who never scammed anyone out of money, despite an entire documentary offering plenty of proof that he is, in fact, a con man.

In a new interview with Inside Edition, Simon Hayut, who uses the alias Simon Leviev on Tinder (because using an alias is always a great sign) says he’s “not a monster” and is “just a single guy that wanted to meet some girls on Tinder.” Fact check: He met girls on Tinder, then proceeded to scam them out of nearly $10 million. But, it’s okay, because, in his words, he’s “just a guy.”

Hayut said he is trying to clear his name after the Netflix documentary had social media users slamming the scammer for conning multiple women into giving him money. “I’m not a fraud and I’m not a fake,” said the guy with two names. “People don’t know me so they cannot judge me.” Hayut was also joined in the interview by his current girlfriend, who claims he has never taken any money from her. He has since been banned from social media apps Tinder, OkCupid, Match.com among others. The alleged businessman also says he doesn’t feel sorry for the women in the documentary. “I want to clear my name, I want to say to the world, this is not true.”

In order to prove he isn’t a fake, Hayut/Leviev has since started a clothing line and an NFT collection. To prove he is wealthy, he said he bought Bitcoin all the way back in 2011, adding “I don’t need to say how much it’s worth now.” He’s also selling custom videos on Cameo. The scammer has also signed with an agent and wants to start his own dating show, which will no doubt be a stunning disaster.

What’s your favorite I Think You Should Leave sketch? Mine changes hourly, but right now, it’s “Driver’s Ed.” Tim Robinson is great in it, as usual — I have the lost the ability to pronounce the word “tables” as anything other than “TA-BLES” — but the MVP is Patti Harrison. Over her three sketches, including “The Capital Room” and “New Copier” (ITYSL really needs official names for its sketches), she’s proven to be the Netflix show’s secret weapon for her over-the-top reactions and incredible line readings.

When asked by the New Yorker about where deliveries like “I hate bald boys” come from, Harrison answered, “In terms of line delivery, we recorded a bunch of different versions. There were a lot of takes where my intonation wasn’t a character choice per se; it was me in real time remembering my lines, and it coming out as [does a slow, confused, growly voice] ‘Ooh, that naughty… old… elf?’ My brain’s like a Gateway 2000. Just like a massive computer and very little processing power happening.”

She continued:

“When I went in [for season two], it was just me and Tim and Zach [Kanin, the co-creator] in a room, and that helped me understand the specificity of the lines. Tim would be talking and pitching a joke and Zach would type it in the script exactly the way Tim was saying it. Every word, every additive word, every pause… All of that makes it into the script. Why it’s so funny is that the details aren’t overlooked. It is important to fight for those little details.”

Now I’m going to watch “Driver’s Ed” for the 47th time with a big pour of wine… and popcorn.

(Via the New Yorker)

Go ahead and file Kendrick Lamar’s next album as perhaps the most highly anticipated album in not just hip-hop, but in any genre of music right now. The last time Lamar put out an album was in 2017, when DAMN. debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music in addition to the Best Rap Album Grammy Award. The years since have been filled with rumor after rumor about the next Kendrick Lamar album, including a confirmation that his next release, will be his final album with the TDE Records label that he has been with since day one. And with each subsequent piece of information, we get closer to knowing when this long-awaited release is coming.

When Is Kendrick Lamar Releasing A New Album?

This past August, Kendrick Lamar posted a note on his oklama.com website, where he said: “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years.” This flared up the excitement for the new album, which was then fueled by Lamar’s Spotify avatar changing in October. It was the first time since the avatar changed in 2017 (the same year DAMN. came out. Coincidence?) Then at November’s Day N Vegas Festival, he closed his performance by saying to the crowd: “Vegas till next time! And when I say next time I mean very soon.”

When 2022 came, a new batch of rumors swirled, including that he’d be debuting new music before his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance. That proved to be an unsubstantiated report pushed forth by radio host Ebro Darden. But the latest Kendrick Lamar-related news is the juiciest: Italy’s Milano Summer Festival posted on their Instagram page (in Italian of course) that not only would Lamar be performing at the June 23rd fest, but that he “will play the pieces of the new album, long-awaited by the fans.” Now we’re talking.

Depending on how you look at this statement from the Italian festival, it’s likely that he performs there before the album comes out. Which would mean we’re looking at a summer release. This would keep Lamar eligible for 2023 Grammy consideration, as the cut-off date is typically the end of September.

Meanwhile, Lamar is currently breaking down To Pimp A Butterfly on Spotify’s The Big Hit Show podcast. While TDE’s Terrence “Punch” Henderson has shared that he feels like Lamar is “ready to build his own thing,” following his final TDE album.

When Kacey Musgraves last performed in Los Angeles, it was for a pair of hot summer nights in 2019 at the Greek at the height of her run for the 2018 masterpiece Golden Hour. She had already let her eyelids flutter uncontrollably upon winning the Grammy for Album Of The Year, already yelled “I didn’t say f*ckin’ yee” at a Coachella audience, and already turned a primarily country career into something far greater and genre-defiant. I took my parents, both in their 70s, to one of those shows and though they had a nice time, they were a little taken aback the artist they loved from Same Trailer, Different Park was now inciting boozed-up Friday night shout alongs that were so loud, it was hard to actually hear the artist. Still, in less-Covidy times, they would have likely been at The Crypt on Sunday night for Kacey’s turn as an arena headliner.

Topping the biggest venues of her career, this run for Star-Crossed is the execution of a fully-rounded and carefully thought-out vision. This is a divorce album that was released last year to more muted praise than her previous triumph (though, it certainly has its advocates and still wound up in the top 50 of the Uproxx Music Critics Poll), and it’s not neccesarily the most celebratory material. But you wouldn’t know if from the show. Over the course of 90 minutes, Musgraves when from singing in front of a flaming heart to incorporating mirror balls, lasers, Dolly Parton covers, and glowing bracelets. The set mostly stuck to her last two albums (“day ones” only got “Merry Go ‘Round” and probably would have appreciated a couple more nods to her beginnings), and it all sounded pristine, particularly with Musgraves’ near-flawless vocal delivery. It wasn’t a pop-star arena tour that mean redefining who she is — there weren’t boot-wearing back-up dancers or satellite stages — but, rather, Kacey proved that this songwriting-forward music can still connect in the largest of rooms.

Before her closing song, “Rainbow,” Musgraves tapped into the why of it all. For a show like hers to work on this scale, the welcoming appeal has to extend to all in attendance. She noted that no matter where someone was seated in the venue, who they were or where they came from, they mattered. But even without explicitly stating it, it wasn’t hard to look around and see that people from a wide variety of backgrounds were in attendance and loving what they experienced. The olds (myself included) let their years show from behind their masks, while a 21st birthday celebration was acknowledged from the stage by nearly letting a young woman choose the night’s cover song (“Killing Me Softly” was overuled by Kacey in favor of “9-5”). The crowd was about as racially diverse as you’ll ever see at a country-leaning concert, and of course, queer fans were given tons of shine, as Musgraves’ long-standing advocacy for them has earned her an honorary icon status. Even her openers, Muna and King Princess, spoke to the show’s inclusive nature, with both identifying as queer artists and Muna offering up racial diversity in their lineup (both were predictably very good, particularly Muna, who might have been the best-recieved first of three I’ve ever witnessed).

In a time when Nashville feels to be at a tipping point with how they treat both gender and race (not to mention sexuality, which feels like it has barely begun to be reckoned with in mainstream country), Kacey Musgraves offers up a counterpoint that puts her at odds with the system — Star-Crossed wasn’t even up for consideration as a country album at this year’s Grammys. Musgraves isn’t perfect on this either — an early set comment about the night’s previous show in Oakland being “ratchet” felt inappropriate, and her decision both on the album and live to cover the iconic Chilean “Gracias a la Vida” has found some questioning the choice — but even those with the best of intentions are going to need to stumble and learn as they create their vision of how concerts should look and feel. And coming out of pandemic to a world that often feels more divided than ever, concerts like Kacey’s are the antidote to doom scrolls and Twitter feuds and everything else that exhausts us. For this night at least, Kacey Musgraves was for everyone.

Setlist:
star-crossed
good wife
cherry blossom
simple times
breadwinner
Golden Hour
Butterflies
Lonely Weekend
Space Cowboy
High Horse
camera roll
hookup scene
Merry Go ‘Round
9 to 5 (Dolly Parton cover)
justified
there is a light
Gracias a la vida (Violeta Parra cover)

Encore:
Slow Burn
Rainbow

A little under a month ago, Kanye West announced the release date for his next album, Donda 2, setting the palindromic February 22 as his target date. Kanye’s had issues with getting projects out the door on their due dates in the past, so it’s natural to wonder whether Donda 2 continued that pattern. So, has Donda 2 been released yet?

Well, the answer is a little more complicated than you might think. For one thing, it might be hard to tell for a while, because just four days before the album’s expected release, Kanye announced that he would not be putting it on DSPs for streaming. Instead, the album will only be available via his Stem Player device. The gizmo, which operates like any number of other portable midi controllers on the market today, will come preloaded with the album for $200 and can only be purchased from an official website.

Kanye explained his reasoning in an Instagram post, writing, “Today artists get just 12% of the money the industry makes. It’s time to free music from this oppressive system. It’s time to take control and build our own.” With the album coming pre-loaded on a device that would probably take a week to ship, considering the earliest anyone would have known about it was just four days ago, it might be a while before we have concrete confirmation that Donda 2 was released as scheduled.

Mdou Moctar had one of indie-rock’s biggest surprises last year with Afrique Victim, an album of African rock that earned Moctar plenty of new English-speaking fans (including Barack Obama). Now, those who want more of the 9-track album are in luck, as Moctar announced today that he’s releasing an digital deluxe version of the LP, which is set to drop this week, on Thursday, February 24.

He also shared one of the new songs from the expanded collection, “Nakanegh Dich,” which starts with an especially fuzzed- and wah’ed-out guitar solo before the rest of the band joins in on the neo-psychedelic rock tune.

Bassist and producer Mikey Coltun says, “These are a mix of demos from Niger and some live tracks from touring around the world, when we were still working out the songs together as a band. These are fun and different early versions of the songs.”

Listen to “Nakanegh Dich” above and find the deluxe Afrique Victime art and tracklist below. Also revisit our review of the album here.

1. “Chismiten”
2. “Taliat”
3. “Ya Habibti”
4. “Tala Tannam”
5. “Untitled”
6. “Asdikte Akal”
7. “Layla”
8. “Afrique Victime”
9. “Bismilahi Atagah”
10. “Chismiten (Demo)”
11. “Taliat (Live)”
12. “Ya Habibti (Demo)”
13. “Tala Tannam (Demo)”
14. “Asdikte Akal (Live)”
15. “Layla (Live)”
16. “Afrique Victime (Live)”
17. “Bismilahi Atagah (Demo)”
18. “Nakanegh Dich (Demo)”

Afrique Victime (Digital Deluxe Edition) is out 2/24 via Matador.

Lil Durk fans eagerly awaiting his album’s release today — the same projected date as Kanye West’s Donda 2 release — will have to wait a little longer for the Chicago rapper’s next act. Durk announced the new release date for 7220 via an Instagram post advising the new due date is March 11. However, fans weren’t left empty-handed — along with the announcement, Durk shared the link for his latest 7220 video, “AHHH HA.”

Featuring a menacing, piano-led beat and threatening lyrics, “AHHH HA” is vintage Durk, boasting his street credentials and calling out his opposition. Meanwhile, on the song’s sinister chorus, he shouts out his fallen friend, King Von, while letting listeners know exactly what time it is on the streets of Chicago: “Don’t respond to sh*t with Von / I’m like, ‘F*ck it, you tripping, go get your gun,’” he rhymes.

Prior to dropping “AHHH HA,” Durk had been on a feature verse tear, popping on songs with Cordae (“Chronicles” with HER), Gucci Mane (“Rumors“), 2 Chainz (“Lost Kings” with Sleepy Rose), and Lucky Daye (“NWA“). He also announced his tour for 7220, which begins April 8 in Phoenix and continues through May 2, when it concludes in his hometown, Chicago.

Watch “AHHH HA” above.

7220 is due 3/11.

Does Sebastian Stan still have an ongoing “feud” with his Marvel co-star Tom Holland? You bet. During a new video interview, Stan, who’s been a part from the MCU from almost the very beginning, came to the frustrating realization that his Disney+ series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, would’ve never happened if he and Anthony Mackie hadn’t been forced to team up against Holland’s Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. In that moment, Bucky and Sam formed a tenuous rapport that laid the groundwork for their series, and dangit, Stan hates the thought of Holland being the catalyst.

Via Insider:

“Basically Anthony and I got a show because of Tom Holland,” Stan said, recalling the fight scene in the movie. “That’s like what I’m realizing now as I’m talking which is something I really hate for him to know. Tom that is, not Anthony.”

Of course, all of this is good fun. Stan and Mackie have been hilariously trolling Holland for years, and he’s been giving it right back to them. In fact, Stan recently got another dig in at Holland following the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Jake’s Takes asked the Pam & Tommy star if he saw the mammoth blockbuster, and Stan quickly responded that he hadn’t.

“I don’t typically like to support Tom Holland,” Stan said (via Comic Book). “I support the films, but not him so much.”

(Via Vanity Fair)

Last year, Torres, the indie-rock project of Mackenzie Scott, released the fiery album Thirstier to follow 2020’s underrated Silver Tongue. Despite encapsulating the energy and exhilaration of a live performance, the album still has not been able to be toured on because of the pandemic. Today she announced rescheduled show dates, which are coming up as soon as this weekend.

Along with these new dates, Torres released a cover of Nirvana’s “All Apologies” and Rodney Crowell’s “Making Memories Of Us.” The songs are intimate, retaining her twangy charm and unapologetic vocals. Listen to them below, and find her rescheduled tour dates beneath them.

02/25 – Winston-Salem, NC @ The Ramkat*
02/26 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle*
04/12 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat^
04/13 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall^
04/14 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club^
04/15 – Woodstock, NY @ Colony^
04/16 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall^
08/16 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
08/17 – Glasgow, UK @ Mono
08/18 – Manchester, UK @ Night & Day
08/20 – Brecon Beacons, UK @ Green Man Festival
08/22 – London, UK @ Bush Hall
08/24 – Torremolinos, ES @ Canelaparty Festival
08/25 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & SOHN
08/27 – Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
08/28 – Hamburg, DE @ Ubel & Gefährlich (Turmzimmer)
08/29 – Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
08/31 – Paris, FR @ La Boule Noir
09/01 – Gent, BE @ Charlatan
09/02 – Schorndorf, DE @ Club Manufaktur
09/03 – Zürich, CH @ Rote Fabrik

* solo with Superchunk
^ with Superchunk