Month: May 2022

Peated whisky has a way of separating drinkers into immediate objectors or lifelong devotees. There’s really no getting around its inherent divisiveness. But thinking that “peated” whisky is just one thing — smoky! — is pretty reductive. Peated whisky has as many flavor nuances and variances as any good whisky out there, and one of the best ways to parse all those variations is to taste them blind. Which notes stand out amongst the earthiness, Band-Aids, and smokiness? Which did you enjoy most?

For today’s test, I’m picking eight peated whiskies — all from Scotland — and tasting them blind. I did pick whiskies with a pretty big range of phenols (peated intensity of the malt), ages, and finishes. There are a couple of blends in there with the single malts too. Mostly, I want to see what stands out among the style but also whether the special bottles are really that much more unique in flavor than your everyday pours.

Today’s lineup is:

• Oban 12 Tale of Two Foxes
• Bowmore Aston Martin 21
• Johnnie Walker Green Label
• BenRiach The Smoke 10
• Lagavulin 12 The Lion’s Fire
• Laphroaig Cairdeas PX Cask Finish
• Compass Box Glasgow Blend
• Talisker 8 The Rogue Seafury

Let’s dive in!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months

• The 50 Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2021, Ranked
• The 100 Best Whiskeys Our Head Drinks Writer Tasted In 2021
• The Best Scotch Whiskies Under $50, Ranked
• Every Scotch Whisky Brand From Diageo’s Massive Portfolio, Ranked
• The Best Value-Per-Dollar Scotch Whiskies, Ranked

The Ranking

8. Compass Box Glasgow Blend –Taste 7

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $40

The Whisky:

This expression is a marrying of whiskies from all over Scotland. 65% of the juice comes from single malts from a “distillery near the town of Aberlour,” Laphroaig, and Clynelish. The rest is part Highland malt blend (from the Glen Moray, Tomatin, and Balmenach distilleries) and a grain whisky from Cameronbridge distillery. Those whiskies were barreled in sherry and bourbon casks with a French oak barrel thrown in too.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Smoked prunes mingle with a hint of nutmeg and a little bit of ripe red cherry with a hint of the cherry tree that leads toward a smoked beef fat. That smoky fat drives the palate while earthy malts mix with dry straw, almond shells, and a plummy mid-palate. That sweetness fades as a cold fireplace and wet charcoal bring the peated vibes and almost leather prunes and dates round out the kind of thin finish.

Bottom Line:

This almost had me until the water kicked in on the end and sort of washed away the rest of the palate. That’s fine, this is a mixing scotch after all, and this will bring some good layers into a nice cocktail.

7. Benriach The Smoky 10 — Taste 4

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $64

The Whisky:

This whisky is made with unpeated malt and peated malt from the Highlands. That juice is aged in a combo of ex-bourbon, ex-Jamaican rum, and new, freshly toasted oak casks before it’s masterfully blended by Dr. Rachel Barrie and proofed down with Speyside springwater.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Thin notes of apple cider and smoked honey create a creamy nose with singed cedar bark, fresh pine boughs, and fatty smoked pork belly. The creaminess drives the palate with a foundation of vanilla cookies while smoked apple chips and saffron stewed pears mingle with dark dried fruits and winter spice on the somewhat thin end.

Bottom Line:

So that’s where all that creamy vanilla comes from — new toasted oak. Anyway, this was fine. It didn’t wow on this tasting but I can see pouring this into a cocktail jug and mixing something good and lightly smoked.

6. Laphroaig Càirdeas 2021 Pedro Ximénez Casks — Taste 6

ABV: 58.9%

Average Price: $124

The Whisky:

Laphroaig is always innovating. 2021’s Càirdeas is a triple-matured, cask-strength whisky. The whisky first mellowed in ex-bourbon casks before being moved to quarter casks and, finally, finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. That whisky was then bottled as is.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Band-Aids and rosewater counter marzipan and Nutella on the nose with a good dose of iodine and old ashtrays (hello, Laphroaig) as a hint of cherry tobacco, spicy apple pie filling, and vanilla tobacco round things out. That iodine and fresh bandage continue on the palate as really fatty and smoky bacon mixed with salted licorice, smoked apple chips, and fennel. The mid-palate leans into the funk with a nori-and-bacon-wrapped cedar box that’s been soaked in seawater for years and then filled with Red Hots dominates the finish.

Bottom Line:

I think I really have to be in the right mood to enjoy this. The last time I had it was a couple of months ago at the distillery and I thought it slapped. Today, I was more “meh” to “it’s nice enough.” One thing is for sure, this is far more distinct and unique than the last two entries.

5. Johnnie Walker Green Label — Taste 3

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $72

The Whisky:

This whisky was actually taken off the market in 2012 and people lost their shit. Diageo came to its senses and brought it back by 2016. The juice is a blend of single malts only, making it a “pure malt” and not a “blended scotch whisky” (that blends malt and grain whiskies). The juice primarily comes from Speyside, Highland, Lowland, and Island malts with a focus on a minimum of 15-year-old Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Cedar boxes full of sweet apples draw you in on the nose as hints of black peppercorns and vanilla pods lead to underlying wet sweetgrass that’s been lit on fire and is just starting to smolder. Soft notes of tropical fruits — think subtle pineapple and star fruit — counter dried roses, sweet apple tobacco, fresh honey, varnished pine. The mid-palate has a slight winter spice vibe that leads back to now smoldering cedar and vanilla with dark and dried berries mixing with dark chocolate sauce and old and dry wicker that sat in the sun too long.

Bottom Line:

I was kind of surprised to see this ranked so low. This is a pretty freaking good whisky, but I guess a blended malt couldn’t quite beat out the special single malts below.

4. Talisker 8 The Rogue Seafury — Taste 8

ABV: 59.7%

Average Price: $256

The Whisky:

This year’s Talisker sticks with the classic age statement of eight years while leaning into the smokier side of the island whisky. The build on this expression is a marrying of the “Smokiest Reserves” from the Talisker warehouse. That juice is then vatted and bottled at cask strength.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Smoked plums and apricots lead the way on the nose with mild whispers of sea spray, wet green moss, oyster shell, and a smoldering evergreen forest after a fire and rain with this line of candied malt running underneath. The palate starts with pink sea salt and dried roses and veers into a green bell pepper and old tree bark before a speck of sandy dirt arrives. The mid-palate sweetens with smoked prunes and dates before a big note of dried Ancho chili firework bursts on the end.

Bottom Line:

This is the part of the ranking where I’m splitting some very tiny hairs. This is stellar whisky. I really couldn’t find any faults and basically ranked this and the next three randomly so they all weren’t tied for first place.

4. Oban 12 The Tale of Twin Foxes — Taste 1

ABV: 56.2%

Average Price: $320

The Whisky:

Oban’s location on the Scottish coast, next to both the Islands and Highlands, allows it to harness the best of both regions when making its whisky. This year’s 12-year release is built on the backs of both ex-bourbon casks and refill bourbon casks, allowing the stronger notes of those new bourbon casks to get a light mellowing from the refill wood. The results are bottled at cask strength.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Brine and nori crackers subtly move through the nose with old wood planks from a well-worn dock as tart-yet-sweet dried cranberries mix with a hint of sardine oil, cracked black pepper, and smoked cod. The palate builds from a sweet and malty base toward orange oils, soft and sweet red berries, and a hint of creamy vanilla cream soda on the mid-palate. The finish leans into old cedar humidors before a big rush of dried chili peppers and more of the white smoked fish fade back towards the creamy vanilla and soft berries and malt.

Bottom Line:

This is fantastic and could have been number one (it certainly would’ve been had I seen the label, since I’m ride or die for Oban) but it’s number three today. What are you gonna do? This is why blind taste tests are so interesting.

2. Lagavulin 12 The Lion’s Fire — Taste 5

ABV: 56.5%

Average Price: $321

The Whisky:

This is the younger of two special releases from Diageo last year. The whisky is built from juice aged in refill bourbon casks, meaning that the casks had already aged bourbon and then aged single malts at least once before this whisky was filled into them and left for 12 years. That whisky was then vatted and bottled at cask strength.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Salted sushi rice with a hint of apple cider vinegar mingles with green tea, damp potpourri, salted pork belly, and wet grey beach sand on the nose. The palate gently puffs a line of smoke from a distant beach campfire toward your senses as dark and almost waxy cacao nibs mix with creamy vanilla, sheets of nori, toffee candy wax wrappers, and some more of that green tea — this time it’s a little over-steeped. The mid-palate sweetens that tea a little with what feels like floral honey that’s immediately cut off by a wet driftwood beach fire, into which someone just threw a bag of dried chili peppers.

Bottom Line:

What an intense end and truly beautiful dram. There’s just so much going on that I want to go back and live in this whisky for a while. There’s certainly so much more to find in that nose and flavor profile and that makes this one kind of exciting to revisit again and again.

1. Bowmore Aston Martin 21 — Taste 2

ABV: 51.8%

Average Price: $640

The Whisky:

This collaboration between Islay’s Bowmore and Aston Martin is about luxury. The blend of this single malt follows the golden ratio to create an aesthetically pleasing vibe. The base is 61.8% 21-year-old single malt aged in first-fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. The rest of the blend is equal parts of Bowmore’s other casks that are at least 21 years old ranging up to 35 years old.

Blind Tasting Notes:

Creamy yet floral honey draws you in on the nose with fresh Grade-A maple syrup that has a little of the tree bark in it, alongside hints of peanut brittle, creamy Nutella, and fresh boot leather (almost creamy boot wax). Soft mulled wine spices and sugars open the palate as savory fruit — mostly papaya and gala melon — mix with vanilla lattes dusted with dark cacao, cherry bark, and toasted coconut. The mid-palate sweetness and creaminess give way to spicy woody tobacco, dark fruit leather, and a distant whisper of burnt marshmallows over a smoky backyard firepit.

Bottom Line:

This new drop (released in January 2022) is one hell of a whisky. It’s just f*cking delicious from top to bottom. I could drink this stuff for the rest of my life and kind of be okay with it.

Final Thoughts

Well I suppose it’s no surprise that the most refined and uniquely made whisky won the day. That Bowmore Aston Martin 21 is just phenomenal. It was phenomenal when I first tried some in Bowmore next to the sea on Islay and it was maybe even more so today in my kitchen. That’s rare, especially since another bottle on this list didn’t pull that off.

Overall, great, well-aged, and limited whisky won the day. Again, no big surprise there. That said, all of these whiskies have their place. I wouldn’t kick Compass Box Glasgow Blend off any shopping list just because it came in eighth today — it was up against super rare whiskies and is a great mixing scotch. That said, the top four are all really what you want to focus on if you’re looking for something truly special the next time you’re at the liquor store.

A few days ago, Arcade Fire followed 2017’s Everything Now with We, making it their first new album in nearly five years. After dropping the album, they went ahead and performed some of it as musical guests on Saturday Night Live this past weekend.

One of the tunes they brought to the show was “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid),” for which they’ve released a new video today. The clip predominantly features those things that, thanks to Family Guy, have come to be known as “wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tubemen.”

As for the song itself, Will Butler previously said of it, “There’s nothing saccharine about unconditional love in a world that is coming apart at the seams. WE need each other, in all of our imperfection. ‘Lookout Kid’ is a reminder, a lullaby for the end times, sung to my son, but for everyone… Trust your heart, trust your mind, trust your body, trust your soul. Sh*t is going to get worse before it gets better, but it always gets better, and no one’s perfect. Let me say it again. No one’s perfect.”

Watch the “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)” video above.

We is out now via Columbia. Get it here.

Netflix is having a tough time lately (and that’s an understatement). The streaming service has grown increasingly under fire, both with users and shareholders alike amid falling subscriber numbers. It’s been jacking up prices and intensifying password crackdowns while also cancelling beloved shows (for being too expensive to renew) and also pouring millions into dubious projects that happen to star A-list actors. So let’s just say that the timing of The Pentaverate — in which former SNL great and Austin Powers leading man Mike Myers plays at least 8 characters — is fairly unfortunate because it arrives in the midst of all those criticisms.

Granted, I didn’t make it through too much of The Pentaverate, so I cannot speak to its overall quality, but it feels like sheer excess and bloat from the beginning. Sure, Mike Myers truly commit to all of his characters, so there’s something to be said for that, and much of what happens is immature as heck, but this is also the same guy who brought us Fat Bastard (how Heather Graham didn’t win an Oscar for going to bed with him and not vomiting, I’ll never know) and put “schwing!” into the lexicon. And Myers throws down with absurdity here, portraying a Russian oligarch, members of the press, an Alex Jones-esque radio host, and a fictionalized version of legendary talent manager Shep Gordon. The Pentaverate wasn’t destined to be a lot of people’s cup of tea (nor was The Love Guru), but there’s a well-received scene circulating on Twitter.

That’d be the moment when Myers is tangling with Bigfoot, and Shrek (voiced by Myers for the first time in over a decade) appears out of nowhere. Licensing the DreamWorks character couldn’t have been cheap, but it may have been worth the “wtf” factor:

Do be forewarned, however, that anyone who’s inspired to check this show out for the Shrek factor will also witness some full-frontal nudity.

Again, no one expected high-brow fare from Mike Myers, and that’s alright in general, although The Pentaverate does not seem destined to sit at the top of Netflix’s most popular charts for weeks on end.

Netflix’s The Pentaverate (which also stars Ken Jeong, Keegan-Michael Key, Debi Mazar, Richard McCabe, and Jennifer Saunders) is currently streaming.

A few months ago, it was reported that Tama Impala and Diana Ross (aka one of the best lead singers of all time) were working on a new song together, with a source telling The Sun at the time, “Diana might be 77 but she is determined to push musical boundaries and challenge herself. She loves reinvention and melting genres together. She’s really excited to work with Tame Impala and is ecstatic with the track — she can’t wait for fans to hear it.”

Now it appears the two got along so well that they’ve actually made an entire collaborative album.

NME reports that some posters started showing up in London over the weekend which seem to tease a full-length project from Ross and Tame Impala. The colorful poster teases something that’s “coming soon,” produced by Jack Antonoff, and that features Tierra Whack, HER, Brittany Howard, Jackson Wang, Bleachers, Phoebe Bridgers, GEM, Heitor Pereira, Weyes Blood, Kali Uchis, Verdine White (of Earth, Wind & Fire), Thundercat, Caroline Polachek, RZA, St. Vincent, Gary Clark Jr., and Brockhampton.

This comes after Ross released Thank You, her first album of new original material since 1999’s Every Day Is A New Day, in November 2021. Antonoff and St. Vincent contributed to that project, too.

In recent weeks, Madison Cawthorn has been plagued by scandal after scandal. He claimed there are cocaine-fueled orgies happening all over Capitol Hill (at least until he admitted he made up the scandalous story for attention); he got busted carrying a gun through airport security… again; and he was called a “bad person” by a former-aide.

But Donald Trump doesn’t care about all that. The reason he’s allegedly “weirded out” by Cawthorn is due to leaked photos where the far-right, anti-LGBTQIA representative is wearing lingerie, and videos where Cawthorn’s cousin can be seen grabbing his crotch and another one where he pretends to hump a male friend while naked.

Rolling Stone reports that Trump (who should relate to Cawthorn’s “locker room talk” defense) has “grown increasingly annoyed and disappointed with his MAGA apprentice. The twice-impeached former president has described some of what he’s heard about Cawthorn’s latest woes — and the online sexual imagery associated with it — as “gross,” according to two sources who’ve heard Trump speak about the matter.”

A source told the publication, “Trump is not at the point of pulling his endorsement, but the [former] president says he wants to sit back and see what happens. But he’s been disappointed with Madison, and thinks he has problems handling his [public relations].” Another source added, “President Trump is completely weirded out by the allegations.”

[A third] source said that lately Trump had voiced bewilderment and disgusted confusion about what he’d been told of the flood of leaks and footage, asking at one point in recent days if one of the allegations was that Cawthorn was “f*cking his cousin?” (That is not one of the allegations. Cawthorn’s cousin, who is also on his staff, appears in some of the videos where sex is discussed.)

In a statement about Rolling Stone‘s reporting, Cawthorn hit all the familiar GOP talking points. Blah blah blah “nameless accusations” blah blah blah “fake news” blah blah blah “America First agenda,” etc. But he better watch out. Trump has been known to refuse an endorsement if he thinks someone is “f*cking weird.”

(Via Rolling Stone)

Multiple times per week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts and ratings) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. Under The Banner Of Heaven (FX series on Hulu)

Former Spider-Man Andrew Garfield takes a serious turn as detective Jeb Pyre, who’s tasked with investigating a double murder in Salt Lake Valley, Utah back in the 1980s. This series is based upon Jon Krakauer’s bestselling true-crime book, and poor Daisy Edgar-Jones can’t play a character (lately) who catches a break. However, Sam Worthington and Rory Culkin also step up in roles, and Pyre stumbles upon disturbing truths that could very well shake his own LDS faith while digging into the violence that transpired.

TIE: 10. Heartstopper (Netflix series)

Viewers fell in love with this story about Charlie and Nick, who are fellow students and then friends and then love interests, all while navigating life itself. As you likely remember, there’s plenty of stress that goes along with the work of self-discovery, all while friendships, family, and other influences can get in the way while vying for attention as well. In addition, there’s plenty of rugby content to enjoy.

9. Batman (Warner Bros. film on HBO Max)

Robert Pattinson’s the gritty Caped Crusader here, a move that’s been a long time coming. Don’t let that gothy eyeshadow fool you, either. This is not a pretty story, especially during the most brutal moments. Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne interacts with a whole host of gallery members here, including Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman, Paul Dano’s The Riddler, and Colin Ferrell’s Penguin. Although we’ll see a sequel, this film stands firmly outside the DCEU, much like Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix.

8. Flight Attendant (HBO Max series)

Can Kaley Cuoco’s Cassie possibly live a less chaotic life without all that alcohol? Silly rabbit. This season, her messy life continues while quadrupling down as Cassie attempts to solve a murder case that might end up framing her. There’s not enough of Griffin Matthews’ Shane this season, but Zosia Mamet and Rosie Perez are back, and there’s a new colleague (portrayed by Mae Martin) worth noticing. You might appreciate your relatively boring life much more after seeing all the stress that’s foisted upon Cassie this season. Whew.

7. Barry (HBO series on HBO Max)

Almost all of the best shows are finally back, and that includes Bill Hader as a contract killer, a delight we haven’t seen in three years. He’s definitely the coolest assassin on TV right now (since Killing Eve came to a close), and thank goodness that Anthony Carrigan and Henry Winkler are back in the saddle, too.

6. Shining Girls (Apple TV+ series)

Elisabeth Moss cannot churn out a bad performance, although Mad Men fans were surely not surprised to see her dominate the screen in The Handmaid’s Tale. Here, she’s back in the horror realm (after The Invisible Man) in this adaptation of Lauren Beukes’ novel. Yes, there’s a lot of Stephen King flavor here, along with some Gillian Flynn, all while Moss (as a newspaper archivist) teams up with a reporter (Wagner Moura of Narcos fame) to solve a mystery as reality won’t stand still.

5. Ziwe (Showtime series, but you can stream it on on Hulu)

Chet Hanks does not look fantastic as former Desus & Mero writer Ziwe Fumudoh wields her satiric gifts and scathing judgment upon society. Other guests this season: Hannibal Buress, Mia Khalifa, Charlamagne Tha God, and Emily Ratajkowski.

4. Better Call Saul (AMC series on AMC+)

Kim Wexler’s still alive (for now), and one can choose not to worry about it, but let’s get real: fans are going to fret. However, there’s little debate that this is one of the best TV shows in recent memory, and the performances here are all superb as the spinoff churns toward the inevitable Breaking Bad timeline. Cinnabon Gene probably won’t ever be happy, but at least we’re getting some Walt and Jesse.

3. The Staircase (HBO Max series)

Colin Firth delivers a master class in this limited series that dramatizes the O.G. true crime docuseries (originally on Sundance TV) that’s considered a classic. Netflix is still the place where one can watch that entry (and its multiple updates), but Firth does well here as Michael Peterson with all his morphing aspects. Michael, of course, ended up serving hard time for the death of his wife, Kathleen, who’s fully brought to life here as a multidimensional person rather than a chalk drawing, so to speak. Sophie Turner and Parker Posey help round out the cast, and maybe we’ll see some owls before all is said and done? Put on your amateur sleuth hats and join the audience.

2. Ozark (Netflix series)

Get ready to feel shattered to some degree after finishing these episodes that bring Jason Bateman’s latest home run to a careening conclusion. It’s a savage ending for sure, and Killer Mike shows up for a cameo that helps drive home the finale episode. Ruth Langmore and the Byrde family have been through it all, sometimes apart and sometimes together, while Marty’s money laundering shenanigans will live on in infamy, even after the actual collateral damage subsides.

1. We Own This City (HBO limited series on HBO Max)

The Wire creator David Simon goes back to Baltimore in this series that digs further into the police force of Charm City. This show bases itself upon Justin Fenton’s book about Freddie Gray’s death in 2015 and all the law enforcement maneuvering that followed. Jon Bernthal (yes, the same dude who portrayed The Punisher) portrays a corrupt cop, so that’s a few worlds colliding, alright. Treat Williams plays one of many investigators who are trying to take down the bad cops, and yup, this is David Simon territory for sure, although quite different from The Wire itself.

The return of Joel Embiid to the Sixers lineup reinvigorated the team in Game 3 as they swiped their first win of the series against the Heat on Friday night with a dominant defensive performance, but Game 4 saw maybe an even more important development in Philadelphia, as James Harden came to life for a full game for really the first time this postseason.

In the first quarter, it was the Joel Embiid show for Philly, as he scored 15 in the opening period in what was clearly a concerted effort to get the big man going after a relatively quiet series debut offensively in Game 3.

Bam Adebayo had the answer on the other end, though, as Miami hung tough for most of the first half thanks to strong play inside from he and Jimmy Butler.

However, the Sixers would pull ahead to an 8-point lead at the break, thanks to another strong second quarter from James Harden, as that has been his best quarter in each game so far this series. The issue for Harden has been sustaining that effort, as the second halves have been disasters through three games of this series for him, but he finally put together a complete game in Game 4 with 31 points on 18 shots, including a 6-of-10 night from three-point range, stepping up in a huge way for the Sixers.

While Harden had 31, he was not the high point man of the evening, as that title belonged to Jimmy Butler who kept the Heat in the game in the second half through sheer force of will, scoring 40 on the night, despite his teammates being unable to knock down a three-point shot to save their lives.

Butler’s effort kept the Heat within four at the break — which apparently wasn’t exciting enough to keep everyone seated courtside awake — but in the fourth quarter James Harden came alive to stretch the lead back out to double figures with haste.

Miami wouldn’t go away, though, as Butler and Adebayo continued to keep them within striking distance, but the shots simply would not fall for the Heat, who finished the game 7-of-35 from three-point range, to allow them to reel in the Sixers. On the other side, Harden stayed hot late, putting the daggers in the Heat every time they made a push to get the game within a couple of possessions, scoring 16 in the final quarter of play.

It was the exact type of performance the Sixers have been waiting for from Harden, as he was able to finally find some success going downhill despite still clearly not having the burst of old off his first step, but more importantly the perimeter shot started falling, which he’s struggled to consistently hit so far. With Embiid steadily rounding into form (24 points and 11 rebounds in this one), Harden finding anything approaching his shooting form of old would flip this series on its head, as the Sixers would have the ideal version of their offensive trio, with Tyrese Maxey providing additional shooting and creation, as well as the pace they otherwise lack in transition.

For Miami, they’ll have to hope that Harden’s shooting night in Game 4 was a mirage, because they have their own issues to worry about offensively. Going home should help their “others” find the bottom of the net more, but Kyle Lowry’s hamstring injury is clearly still bothering him and his ineffectiveness on the offensive end because of that really puts a ton of pressure on Butler, who was as good as you could hope for and they still came up short.

We’ll see whether the Sixers can travel these good vibes with them to Miami or not on Tuesday night when they play a pivotal Game 5, but they have to feel significantly better about their position in this series than they did a few days ago.

Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series between the Sixers and Heat in Philadelphia was a tight one through three quarters, with the Sixers in control most of the way but Jimmy Butler almost single-handedly keeping Miami attached.

With 20 seconds to play, the Heat had the ball down four on a crucial possession and the camera cut to Kyle Lowry bringing the ball up the floor, but fans watching at home couldn’t help but notice there was a man absolutely sawing logs in a courtside seat on the baseline behind Lowry.

This is a tense, loud environment and this guy has completely shut out the lights, which naturally became an instant meme for NBA Twitter as folks had plenty of jokes because, well, it’s objectively hilarious to be stone cold asleep as a full grown adult while courtside at an NBA Playoff game.

As someone who has fallen asleep at a very loud sporting event before (the Coca-Cola 600), I can attest from real-life experience that this has to be partially attributed to a large number of adult beverages being consumed, alongside some carb and meat-heavy meals over the course of the day. I hope he woke up in time for the fourth quarter, because it was a highly entertaining finish (particularly if you are a Sixers fan).

Four days before his fifth album Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers is set to arrive, Kendrick Lamar made a grand return on Happy Mother’s Day with “The Heart Part 5.” The song is the fifth installment in Kendrick’s “Heart” series which began in 2010 and was last updated with 2017’s “The Heart Part 5.” The song is a lengthy one as it clocks in at a little over five and a half minutes, but through it, Kendrick speaks on Black culture and how he views it nowadays. In a video attached with the song, Kendrick uses deep fake technology to morph into several faces that included OJ Simpson, Kanye West, Jussie Smollet, Will Smith, Kobe Bryant, and Nipsey Hussle.

One of the biggest moments on “The Heart Part 5” comes during the song’s third verse. Here, Kendrick honors the late Nipsey Hussle and raps from his perspective to close the song. From Nipsey’s perspective, he indirectly reflects on his contributions to his community, rapping:

“Reflecting on my life and what I’ve done
Paid dues made rules change out of love
Them same views make schools change curriculums
But then change be starin’ down the barrel with a gun
Should I feel resentful I didn’t see my full potential?
Should I feel regret about the good I was into?
Everything is everything, this ain’t coincidental”

Just a few bars later, it becomes a bit clearer that Kendrick is rapping from Nipsey’s perspective:

“To my brother, to my kids, I’m in Heaven
To my mother, to my sis’, I’m in Heaven
To my father, to my wife, I am serious, this is Heaven
To my friends, make sure you countin’ them blessings
To my fans, make sure you make them investments
And to the killer that sped up my demise
I forgive you, just know your soul’s in question
I seen that pain in your pupil when that trigger had squeezed
And though you did me gruesome, I was surely relieved
I completed my mission, wasn’t ready to leave
But fulfilled my days, my creator was pleased”

Finally, Kendrick mentions Blacc Sam, Nipsey’s older brother, and it’s now undeniable that this verse is told from Nipsey’s point of view.

And Sam, I be watchin’ over you
Make sure my kids watch all my interviews
Make sure you live out our dreams we produced
Keep that genius in your brain on the move
And to my neighborhood, let the good prevail
Make sure them babies and the leaders outta jail
Look for salvation when troubles get real
‘Cause you can’t help the world until you help yourself

You can listen to “The Heart Part 5” in the video above and you can read some fan reactions to the verse below.

Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers is out 5/13 PgLang/TDE/Aftermath/Interscope.

Chris Paul had a dreadful Game 4 in Dallas, scoring just five points in 23 minutes of play before fouling out of a 111-101 loss to the Mavericks that evened the second round series at 2-2.

His frustrating night on the court was compounded off of it due to an apparent incident involving his family that was at the game. Paul exited his postgame presser early, asking Suns PR if he could leave the podium in order to not get fined, which most assumed was due to the officiating after picking up six fouls in 23 minutes.

However, shortly after that, Paul sent a tweet that offered the first indication that there was more going on after the game than him being upset with calls.

To that point, there had been no reporting on an incident in the stands, but Dave McMenamin of ESPN did some digging and learned that a Mavs fan had put his hands on Paul’s mother, with his wife also being pushed in the stands during the game. Video also hit Twitter of Paul speaking with Mavs security, clearly saying “he put hands on my mom.”

The Mavericks announced they were aware of the incident and the fan in question had been quickly booted from the game after it was pointed out to security.

Further video emerged of the fans in question being ejected and Paul saying “I’ll see you later.”

Players’ families shouldn’t have to deal with fans crossing the line during games with physical intimidation, and hopefully there won’t be any more incidents moving forward in the postseason.