Texas-native rapper Erica Banks recently dropped her new album Diary Of The Flow Queen. Today, she’s back with a new music video for the track “Trick.”
The video goes well with the song, which is a relentlessly confident anthem with a catchy beat. It takes place at a strip club and is full of cash, smoke, and skin. The press release states that it “might just be her wildest and definitely most bodacious video yet,” and it’s not wrong.
Last year, Banks went viral with her hit “Buss It,” which was so massive that DaBaby’s label Billion Dollar Baby Entertainment offered to take her on. She turned it down. “I had already turned everybody down,” she said in an interview. “I personally did not sign with DaBaby because I was very excited, it was my second offer, I was like, ‘Hell yeah.’ I was about to get all the planning done. But then I called my mom, like, ‘This is what I’m about to do, I’m about to go sign with DaBaby.’ She’s like, ‘Oh no, we need to slow down. This is only the second offer. We’re not gonna just jump on whatever.’”
Watch the video for “Trick” above.
Erica Banks is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
On last year’s Far In, Helado Negro’s Roberto Carlos Lange reflected on his journeys around the world and across the US that helped shape the artist he is today. The Ecuadorian-American grew up in South Florida and the track “Agosto” especially harkens back to the senses of his hometown. Featuring Puerto Rican duo Buscabulla — who were recently featured on Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti, on the gorgeous “Andrea” — the track now has a surreal video to accompany Lange’s the lush soundscape.
What begins as a reflective focus on Lange sitting on a couch, soon zeroes in on a painting behind him of a beach. The camera zooms in on the scene, making the whole visual construction feel like a pointilist landscape. The lens crashes into the ocean blue of the painting and the new reality is now the water, where Buscabulla’s Raquel Berrios is swimming underwater. The video’s vantage point shifts from under to above water, prodding at the blissful release that Lange paints with summer on the shore. It’s a beautiful clip for the serene song from Helado Negro.
Watch the video for “Agosto” above and check out Helado Negro’s 2022 tour dates below.
08/03 – Central Park SummerStage – New York, NY *
08/20 – Regent Theater – Los Angeles, CA #
08/21 – The Glass House – Pomona, CA #
08/23 – The Ritz – San Jose, CA #
08/24 – 08/Hall – San Francisco, CA #
08/26 – Revolution Hall – Portland OR &
08/27 – THING Festival – Port Townsend, WA
08/29 – Mohawk – Austin, TX %
08/31 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX %
09/01 – HOCO Fest – Tucson, AZ
09/04 – ALLCALL Music Festival – Traverse City, MI
11/05 – Primavera Sound Festival – Sao Paulo, Brazil
11/07-11 – Primavera Sound Festival – Buenos Aires, Argentina
11/07-11 – Primavera Sound Festival – Santiago, Chile
* with Silvana Estrada & Doris Anahi
# with Kacy Hill
& with Lido Pimienta
% with KAINA
Mezcal is expensive. Whether you’re talking about the most artisanal bottles or the cheaper beginner-friendly expressions, if you’re drinking mezcal it’s probably hitting your bank account a bit harder than your tequila habit. But don’t let that more expensive price tag dissuade you — because mezcal, with its savory and smokey flavor notes and small batch production methods, is truly something special.
And right now we’re living in a bit of a mezcal renaissance. A mezcal-issance, if you will.
Since 2017, mezcal consumption in America has been on a steady growth path with exports increasing year after year. The global Mezcal market is currently worth $241.3 million according to Market Reports, projected to be worth nearly double by 2028. Just 15 years ago you’d be lucky to find a bottle of mezcal at your supermarket or corner store — today, mezcal demands the sort of shelf space usually reserved for gin, rum, or American whiskey (not quite as much as bourbon or tequila… yet).
So where do you start if you’re new to Mezcal? We think bottles priced between $30-$70 are the sweet spot for beginners, so we grabbed eight and put them to the blind taste test.
Methodology
For this tasting, we mostly focused on Espadín mezcals, which generally fall within that $30-70 price range and are the most common variety on the market. We generally stayed away from reposado and añejo expressions, focusing instead on joven — which should taste better in this price range. If you’re buying an añejo mezcal for $30, beware!
Here is our class:
Agua Magica Mezcal
Cutwater Mezcal Joven
Dos Hombres Espadín Mezcal
Lejana y Sola Mezcal
Madre Espadín Mezcal
Mezcal Amarás Cupreata
Mezcal Amarás Espadín
Montelobos Mezcal Espadín
Let’s see how things shake out!
Part 1: The Tasting
Taste 1:
Dane Rivera
Pleasantly sweet on the nose with an agave-forward flavor. Hints of caramel, tropical mango, and apple skin color the smokey wood flavor with a nice burning finish.
Taste 2:
Dane Rivera
Sweet honey greets you before settling into a strong savory flavor. Roasted agave and wood dominate with a burning smokiness and a mouthwatering savory aftertaste. This one really had me salivating.
Taste 3:
Dane Rivera
Surprisingly sweet and fragrant on the nose. This one presented itself with a burst of vanilla and roasted agave before revealing fruity tropical notes, cocoa, and leather with a peppery bite and a smooth herbal finish. Really nice and bright… I love this one.
Taste 4:
Dane Rivera
Warm chocolate and smoke with a savory aftertaste. This one is really nice and smooth and another taste that had my mouth watering thanks to its sumptuous mouthfeel.
Taste 5:
Dane Rivera
Very herbaceous with a fresh grassy flavor with a bit of almond and sports a soft mouthfeel, and a sweetened finish. It’s very buttery and floral and is dangerously easy to drink.
Taste 6:
Dane Rivera
Butter on the nose with some sweetness lurking deep in there. On the palate, it’s chocolate forward with strong smokey notes peppered with citrus and mango. The aftertaste is spikey and earthy on the tongue but it goes down smooth on the throat in this very pleasant and luxurious way.
Taste 7:
Dane Rivera
Bitter and flat on the nose, the smell doesn’t jump out it just kind of sits in the glass. Very different than every other tasting so far. The flavor hits you with a rush of caramel on the initial taste bit settles into a sort of chemical and metal flavor that comes across as very off-putting.
From my notes: “A real shipwreck in a sea of great mezcals.”
Taste 8:
Dane Rivera
Buttered popcorn and sweet vanilla greet you on the initial taste. The body is very earthy and peppery with a subtly sweet lift on the backend. It tastes really good, but ultimately nothing special.
This one surprised me. I’ve had Cutwater’s Mezcal several times and generally, my experience with it is that it’s a fine mezcal, but tasted against the competition and this one just didn’t have any life to it. It was easily the weakest of the lineup. Cutwater makes this mezcal by. roasting agave sourced from Durango Mexico in traditional rock pit ovens.
The Bottom Line:
Blunt and lifeless. For the money, there are several bottles that offer a much richer bouquet of flavors.
Made from agave sourced from the foothills in Oaxaca Mexico, for the price, I think this stuff is generally pretty good but it couldn’t hold its own against the competition. Madre uses a single varietal, offering what the brand calls a “full-spectrum flavor of Espadín,” but in its simplicity, the flavor failed to really wow us.
The Bottom Line:
A great decent beginner’s mezcal. Earthy with a sweet aftertaste that makes it remarkably easy to drink.
Handcrafted from epsadín agave eight years in age sourced from the mountainsides of Tlacolula Oaxaca and cooked in conical stone ovens, this San Francisco Worlds Spirit Gold winner is way tastier than its price would suggest. This might have landed in the middle of our list, but it’s a significant step up from the bottle that proceeded it.
The Bottom Line:
Very expressive and full of character with a nice balance between sweet and smokey notes.
Dos Hombres is perhaps best known as Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s brand, but fear not — the Breaking Bad boys did their homework. This isn’t a simple vanity project, it’s good stuff. The mezcal is made from a blend of espadín agave hand-selected from the hillsides of Oaxaca roasted in earthen pits and baked for four days, resulting in an award-winning (SF World Spirits Competition and New York International Spirits Competition) flavorful mezcal
It might’ve landed in the middle of our ranking, but just by a hair.
The Bottom Line:
Walter White and Jesse Pinkman boys have proven themselves in the world of artisanal mezcal. A. bouquet of flavors that never gets boring and is perfect for slow sipping or mixed in a cocktail.
Not only was this the priciest bottle in the line-up, but it’s also the only one that utilizes the rarer Tobalá agave. but it’s just not to my tastes. It’s bright and citrusy with the subtlest smoke on the backend that makes it very. easy to drink. Agua Magica is a joven mezcal made from an ensemble of espadín and tobalá agave sourced from San Juan Del Rio Oaxaca and prides itself on its seed-to-bottle production process. The bottle design made me want to rank it higher, but overall it came across as too sweet to win me over.
The Bottom Line:
Sweet smooth and bright. If your general feeling towards mezcal is that it’s too smokey, give this one a try, it’ll win you over. I think this would’ve ranked higher mixed in a cocktail, but as a sipper it’s a bit too sweet for me.
This was the real surprise of this blind taste test. Monteobos is a very affordable brand, but for the price, this bottle packs so much flavor and is punching way above its weight class. This joven mezcal is crafted from organic espadín agave sourced from Oaxaca and Puebla roasted in underground fire pits and small batch distilled. The brand is the brainchild of Ivan Saldaña, who holds a Ph.D. in botany, and agave specialist Don Abel López Mateos, a fifth-generation Mescalero. You can really taste the expertise, this duo knows what they’re doing.
The Bottom Line:
The best bang for your buck, this mezcal is mouthwatering and savory with a warm chocolate finish.
Lejana y Sola’s mezcal is made from a blend of espadín and rare cuishe agave sourced from the hills of Oaxaca. This smokey and sweet mezcal is distilled in a small family-owned palenque in Lachilá using an old-school artisanal electricity-free crafting method that involves roasting the agave in stone-lined puts and crushing the juice using a horse-drawn tahona before it’s fermented in wooden tanks and doubled distilled in copper alambiques.
I’m a sucker for mezcals that get the salivary glands going crazy and this bottle really delivers on that front.
The Bottom Line:
Savory and mouthwatering with a honeyed smokey flavor. A single sip of Lejana y Sola will have you drooling for more.
This one wins because for the price this is the most unique mezcal you’re going to find. That’s because unlike the other mezcals in this ranking, this is the only one made from cupreata agave grown for 13 years in Tixtla Guerrero. Cupreata is rarer than espadín and is grown in the wild, which gives it this very interesting floral flavor that constantly shifts on the palate and registers as both familiar and unique at the same time.
This mezcal has taken multiple awards home, including being named the best in show at San Francisco’s World Spirits Competition. It’s well deserved in our opinion — this one stood as the clearer winner.
The Bottom Line:
Sweet, fragrant, tropical, smokey, Mezcal Amaras’ Cupreata is a lot of things at once. A constant chameleon of flavors that is as bright and floral as it is leathery, smokey, and savory. It always offers something new with every sip and we can see it working as a flexible base for a lot of different mezcal-based cocktails.
Dreams come in many shapes and sizes. For Keely Petitt, it was a vision of becoming a pilot just like her mom, Captain Holly Petitt. That wish recently came true, and was made all the more special as mom and daughter took to the skies together.
A statement released by Southwest Airlines shared that Holly began as a flight attendant fresh out of college, where she first discovered her passion for flying. She pursued getting certified and taking flight lessons all while being a full-time mom, and her children quite literally grew up around the “ups and downs” of aviation life.
Captain Holly Petitt and her daughter, First Officer Keely Petitt, piloted a flight from Denver to St. Louis. https://t.co/22WmhwXoGn — FOX 5 Atlanta (@FOX5Atlanta) July 31, 2022
Keely knew she wanted to follow her mother’s footsteps at the age of 14—earning her pilot license and landing an internship for Southwest in 2017.
Though working for Southwest has “always been the end goal” for Keely, she had no idea that on July 23 she would end up co-piloting Flight 3658 with her mom, Holly. The mother-daughter duo flew together from their home town of Denver, Colorado, to St. Louis, Missouri—a historic first for the airline.
“They’re breaking barriers and empowering women of all ages to pursue their dreams in aviation, and pun intended, reach for the skies,” Southwest wrote.
As for Captain Holly, having her daughter as first officer has been a “dream come true.”
“First, I found this career and fell in love with it, and then that one of my kids fell into this and in love with this career too. It’s surreal,” she reflected.
Holly posted a touching message on her Facebook, sharing how much the moment meant to her.
“The much anticipated maiden voyage as the first mother daughter team at Southwest Airlines has arrived! It’s been a very emotional morning for me. One moment you are holding this tiny little premature baby in your arms and in a blink of an eye she is sitting next to you on the flight deck of a Boeing 737 jet! I love you to the moon and back, Keely Petitt!” the captain read, alongside a photo showing Holly and Keely smiling in their matching uniforms.
Though having a mother-daughter pilot team is a first for Southwest, this is not the first story of its kind. Back in 2020, Captain Suzy Garrett and her First Officer Donna Garrett became the first mother-daughter pilot pair for SkyWest Airlines.
That doesn’t make this occasion any less heartwarming, though. And if moms and daughters co-piloting is becoming a trend, we’re more than ready to see it take off.
But why stop there? Alaska Airlines also recently announced that identical twin brothers finished flight simulation training and have plans to fly together as well. Piloting can quite easily become a family business, it seems.
Congratulations to Keely and Holly for pursuing their dreams and making our hearts soar. You’re proving that perhaps the sky isn’t the limit after all.
Getting to the truth in politics is challenging as it is and it’s hard enough just to get people to vote. The last thing we need is to have voters receive direct messages telling them that voting YES on an important ballot measure will do exactly the opposite of what it will do.
Yet that’s what has been happening in at least one state.
In its current election, Kansas voters are being asked to vote for or against an amendment to the state’s constitution that would impact abortion laws. The Value Them Both Amendment says that there’s no constitutional right to an abortion and would grant legislators the authority to regulate abortions. According to NPR, it’s the first ballot measure on reproductive rights in the U.S. since the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
The night before the election, people in Kansas started reporting text messages that sounded very much like they came from a pro-choice source. “Women in Kansas are losing their choice on reproductive rights,” the texts read. “Voting YES on the Amendment will give women a choice. Vote YES to protect women’s health.”
However, that’s exactly the opposite of what voting yes would do. Voting yes on the amendment would open the door to more restrictive abortion laws. Voting no means keeping current regulations.
The texts came from several different 888 numbers and did not disclose who they came from.
u201cThis is as dirty as you can get. The anti-abortion coalition is sending out a last minute mass text to Kansas pro-choice voters blatantly lying about the abortion amendment so they vote the wrong way. nAlso, they don’t identify themselves which is a federal violation.n#kslegu201d
The texts are pretty clearly meant to confuse pro-choice voters into voting for the amendment, telling them that a yes vote would protect women’s reproductive rights when the opposite is true. It’s blatantly misleading, but according to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, it’s not illegal.
u201cFirst, under current law, text message advocacy about constitutional ballot initiatives does not require paid-for disclaimers.u201d
Not only do text messages about constitutional ballot initiatives not require disclaimers informing receivers of who has paid for them, but there’s also nothing in the current statutes that addresses misleading wording. Lovely.
u201cThe Legislature handles updating and amending these statutes. We often work with the Legislature on these items when asked. If you believe a statute needs correction or amendment, of course feel free to reach out to your legislators.u201d
According to KMBC, the service Twilio disabled the user’s account from sending out any more text messages as distributing disinformation is against the platform’s terms of service. But the damage has already been done.
Naturally, people should read the ballot thoroughly before they vote and not just follow what some text tells them. However, ballots can be confusing. Language can be vague and/or biased, littered with legalese or contain muddled positives and negatives so voters aren’t always clear on what they are voting for or against.
The Kansas amendment measure is confusing as it is written. Check out the language used on the ballot, as shared by The Guardian:
Explanatory statement. The Value Them Both Amendment would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion, including, but not limited to, in circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or when necessary to save the life of the mother.
A vote for the Value Them Both Amendment would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion.
A vote against the Value Them Both Amendment would make no changes to the constitution of the state of Kansas, and could restrict the people, through their elected state legislators, from regulating abortion by leaving in place the recently recognized right to abortion.
Shall the following be adopted?
§ 22. Regulation of abortion.Because Kansans value both women and children, the constitution of the state of Kansas does not require government funding of abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion. To the extent permitted by the constitution of the United States, the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators, may pass laws regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, laws that account for circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or circumstances of necessity to save the life of the mother.
That’s not a simple yes or no choice the way it’s worded. “Do you want the state to pass restrictive abortion laws? Yes or No?” would be simple. The way this is written, you have to unravel language that’s pretty clearly written to favor the amendment while also deciphering what it is you’re actually voting for or against.
The text messages telling pro-choice people to vote yes because it will protect choice are 100% wrong and almost assuredly designed to confuse voters even more than the ballot already does.
It’s a good reminder to ignore political messaging and to always read ballots carefully so that we know what we’re voting for. Some people will go to extreme dishonest lengths to score a political win, so we must stay diligent as we exercise our civic right, privilege and responsibility.
Raising Canes is a chicken restaurant staple in many states, selling tasty chicken fingers and secret Cane sauce that really should be bottled and sold in stores. It’s both delicious and makes you want to go buy more knowing that the CEO of Raising Canes spent a small fortune trying to win the Mega Millions 1.1 billion dollar jackpot to distribute to all of his employees. Canes spent $100,000 on lottery tickets then turned around a few days later and spent another $100,000 when their first batch of tickets didn’t win.
Now that’s some dedication. But why would a company like Raising Canes spend more money than most people make in a year on lottery tickets for their employees? The co-CEO AJ Kumaran told the Washington Post “Look, I hear from our crew members all the time, and things are really tough out there,” he explained. “This was an opportunity to have fun but at the same time, hopefully make a little bit of extra money for our people.” Sadly none of the company’s tickets won. The winner of the Mega Millions was a singular lottery player whose name has not been released, but at the time the restaurant invested the money, the jackpot was still up for grabs.
Many people are struggling with the state of the economy. Inflation has caused people to need to cut back on plenty of things, including some necessities because it’s too expensive to maintain currently. The financial struggles of Kumaran’s employees is understood by much of America right now and the extra money from billion dollar jackpot could’ve been life altering for people working at Raising Canes. I’m pretty sure it could’ve been life altering for anyone that received even a fraction of the money winning ticket. But Raising Canes was in it for their employees and improving their quality of life.
Kumaran explained to the Washington Post that the money broke down to just $2 an employee, which to him seemed like a small investment that could have a real positive impact on the people that work for his company. In a video posted to TikTok and then shared on Twitter Monday before the first employer backed drawing, the founder and CEO Todd Graves playfully lamented that “buying 50,000 lottery tickets is harder than you think,” while the lottery machine rapidly spit out ticket after ticket.
u201cBuying 50,000 lottery tickets is harder than you think! ud83dude09 Hoping to share the winning jackpot with our 50,000 @RaisingCanes Crew.u201d
I have to wonder how many times the gas station employee had to refill the ticket machine in order to get the large number of tickets printed. Either way, this was such an amazing gesture from the company. Graves explained in a release to Mercury News, “None of what we do at Cane’s would be possible without our crew, which is why we are always looking for ways to bring them a little extra fun.”
While the company didn’t win, the employees got to participate in something that was a break from the normal daily grind of fast food and get a few moments of excitement about the possibilities. Maybe Raising Canes will make this something they try every time the jackpot reaches astronomical amounts. It could be a fun company tradition.
If you think you had a bad day, at least you’re not Alex Jones. The InfoWars honcho and conspiracy theorist made a rare appearance at the defamation trial against him, which concerns debunked nonsense he’s long spread about the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre. But he only did so during the afternoon session. He was AWOL that morning, because he was busy. Busy doing what? Busy defaming one of the parents already suing him for defamation.
Alex Jones can’t stop defaming the victim of his defamation. While Heslin is testifying about the murder of his son, and the harassment Alex played a huge role in through Infowars, Jones says he thinks Heslin is “on the Spectrum,” is “slow” & being manipulated by very bad people pic.twitter.com/Mv2djwfxmj
That morning, while parents who lost children in the mass shooting were testifying against Jones, he was carrying on as usual, recording an episode of his show InfoWars. He took some time to address the trial that may leave him with less than nothing, singling out one of the parents, Neil Heslin, father of 6-year-old victim Jesse Lewis.
“I’ve spent days, literally seven-feet, eight-feet away from Heslin,” Jones told his audience. “That guy’s real. And I thought it was an act when I saw some of the stuff on TV, just because he came off as so…let’s just say he’s an iceman. And it’s not an act. He is being manipulated by some very bad people.”
He then called Heslin “slow” (“because I gotta be honest”), adding, “I don’t think he’s stupid.” And that he thinks he “acts like somebody’s who’s on the spectrum,” which makes him “feel like an even bigger jerk.”
Jones has described Sandy Hook as a “false flag” operation, accusing the parents of being actors whose kids really weren’t murdered. Since then, they’ve been harassed and intimidated by those who believed Jones’ claims.
“What was said about me and Sandy Hook itself resonates around the world,” Heslin told the jury during an hour-long testimony, in which he fought back tears. “As time went on, I truly realized how dangerous it was. … My life has been threatened. I fear for my life, I fear for my safety.” He’s said his car and his home have even been shot at.
Scarlett Lewis, the mother of Jesse Lewis, also testified. “Jesse was real,” Lewis told the jury. “I am a real mom.”
When Jones belatedly showed up in the afternoon, it did not go well. Upon taking the stand, he addressed Lewis’ testimony. “I believe Scarlett Lewis is real,” he said. “I believe her son died.” He tried to apologize to her, but was scolded by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, who informed him he was only allowed to respond to questions asked him.
As the court adjourned, Jones approached Lewis and Heslin to apologize, shaking their hands. Heslin, knowing about that morning’s show, asked him if he’d apologize for suggesting he was autistic. Their lawyers quickly separated them, but Jones told him, while leaving the coutroom, “Hey, I think I’m autistic too, buddy.”
London drill rapper Central Cee’s ascent into North American rap consciousness is bubbling up. Last week, he dropped the video for “Doja,” directed by Lyrical Lemonade’s Cole Bennett, and now Cench just announced the Still Loading World Tour, which includes the Shepherd Bush rapper’s first official appearances in the US and Canada. He’ll be supporting his latest album, 23, which debuted at No. 1 on the UK Official Albums chart.
The tour stops begin on October 12th at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge, before Central Cee makes his first ever Canadian appearance at Toronto’s Phonenix Concert Theater. He’ll make stops in New York City, Boston, Oakland and then wrap up the North America swing at the iconic Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles on October 23rd. From there, he jets back to Europe for a month of appearances throughout the continent.
Check out the full list of Central Cee’s Still Loading World Tour dates below. Tickets will be available here.
10/12 — Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
10/13 — Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix Concert Theater
10/18 — New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
10/19 — Boston, MA @ Brighton Theatre
10/21 — Oakland, CA @ New Parish
10/23 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy Theatre
10/31 — Madrid, ES @Sala La Piqui
11/01 — Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz 2
11/02 — Milan, IT @ Fabrique
11/04 — Zurich, CH @Komplex 457
11/05 — Lyon, FR @ Le Transbordeur
11/07 — Paris, FR @ Le Trianon
11/08 — Esch Alzette @ LU, Rockhal
11/10 — Amsterdam @ NL, Melkweg
11/11 — Antwerp, BE @ Trix
11/13 — Berlin, DE @ Heimathafen Neukölln
11/14 — Copenhagen, DK @ Vega Main Hall
11/16 — Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
11/17 — Stockholm, SE @ Fållan
11/20 — Dublin, IE @ 3Olympia Theatre
11/22 — London, UK @ Alexandra Palace
On Friday, July 29, Public Enemy‘s Chuck D joined Anthrax onstage to perform “Bring The Noise” at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian teased the appearance before Chuck D came out: “Imagine if you guys could f*cking yell so loud it would f*cking conjure Chuck D on this stage,” he said.
He added, “Let me ask you again Los Angeles… can you bring the noise?!” The crowd cheered for Chuck D, who immediately ran out with a microphone and launched into the ferocious track, which is from Public Enemy’s 1988 sophomore album It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back.
In 2020, the group celebrated the 30th anniversary of their 1990 LP Fear Of A Black Planet with an art show. Chuck D cited his past as a visual artist as his reason for creating the show, writing in a press release, “Bringing visual artists and music together has always been important to me because it’s who I am. I was an illustrator and graphic designer long before I ever grabbed a microphone. We’ve been working hard at bringing together an amazing array of artists for the show, and look forward to people coming through to see their work.”
Splash House is right around the corner, which means it’s time to gear up for an epic weekend in Palm Springs. The legendary music festival and pool party hybrid is serving up a killer lineup for its upcoming event — featuring top-tier electronic acts like Dabin, Dombresky, John Summit, Nora En Pure, Sonny Fodera, Elderbrook, Malaa, Noizu, and more.
Among the performers is Elohim, a Los Angeles-based DJ, producer, and singer-songwriter who is also an avid Palm Springs lover — both when she’s preparing the hit the stage and otherwise. In fact, she even filmed the video for her new single featuring Yoke Lore, “Pastel Auras” out in the desert. Meaning that if you’re heading to Palm Springs for Splash House (or any other time of the year), Elohim has you covered.
Read on for Elohim’s full Palm Springs travel guide. She’s sharing her top spots to drink, eat, shop, and explore.
Bar Cecil is a magical spot for that special dinner while you’re in town. I recommend making a reservation, but on a weekday you can walk up and most likely get a table. It’s beautiful, classy, and makes you feel special and fancy!
The food is delicious and the atmosphere is perfection.
Ernest Coffee
Ernest Coffee
Ernest Coffee is a must for me to start the day when I’m in Palm Springs. Their coffee is delicious, the vibe there is awesome and if you show up early enough they might still have beautiful pastries!
I make sure to always stop at Revivals when I’m in Palm Springs. Revivals is a vintage store with amazing prices and it is super clean and organized. I have gotten probably six of my favorite pairs of jeans there! Revivals Stores donate 100% of its profits, over $1 million a year, to support comprehensive medical and mental healthcare at DAP Health.
Fruit Wonders is one of my favorite stops in Palm Springs every single time…and then I continue to go every day I’m there. The date shake is the most delicious smoothie drink I have ever had! You can add greens to it. They have fresh popsicles that they make. Everything is organic and very fresh and delicious!
My absolute favorite sandwich in the world is The Sandwich Spot Palm Springs!!! They have a special oil they put on the sandwiches that is garlicky magic. I dream of this sandwich when I’m not there and I eat it multiple times when I am! Highly recommend.
Palm Springs Art Museum
Palm Springs Art Museum
I have been to the Palm Springs Art Museum countless times! It’s so relaxing to walk around and check out the art. They always have very inspiring exhibits that I love to see and I never want to miss any! I could walk around this museum every day. I just adore it!
One of my favorite shops! Wabi Sabi is owned by two wonderful kind humans (I love locally owned small businesses!). The store is so perfectly curated with home goods and has really great prices. Beware…You’ll want to buy everything!
Wonderfully curated “hipster” shop right in downtown Palm Springs. I love Trading Post and usually go multiple times when I’m in town. I love getting lost in all of the perfectly beautiful curated shops within the larger space. Clothing, jewelry, hats, shoes, beverages, home goods, new, vintage…it’s my dream store truly!
I hope you enjoy your time in magical Palm Springs!!! The desert is healing!
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Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
