Month: October 2022

Cardi B loves motherhood. She tattooed her one-year-old son’s name, Wave, on her jawline, and her four-year-old daughter, Kulture, is represented on her arm. Now, the diamond-certified rapper is ready to have another baby with Offset, her husband of five years.

“My son so fire,” Cardi tweeted with flame and heart emojis, alongside three adorable photos of Wave. “I can’t wait to get business finish and have my third.”

Wave turned one on September 4. Cardi posted photos from his extravagant car-themed birthday party to Instagram. “Words can’t describe how this boy came in to my life and stole my heart,” she captioned one of the posts. “Name fits you perfectly… YOU THE WAVE!”

Offset celebrated Cardi’s birthday earlier this month with an Instagram carousel captioned, “Happy Birthday my beautiful wife thank you for having my beautiful kids love you.” (Offset also has children Jordan, Kody and Kalea from previous relationships.)

Cardi’s baby fever is the latest indication that things are just fine between her and Offset despite cheating rumors. Cardi has publicly defended Offset against claims that he cheated on her with Saweetie and again disputed infidelity rumors earlier this month. Quavo and Takeoff appeared to hint at Offset’s alleged Saweetie affair in “Messy,” a track from their new album, Only Built For Infinity Links.

As for Cardi needing to finish business before becoming a mother of three, she’s running out of milestones. She recently became the first-ever woman in rap to own two 11-times-platinum singles and notched her 11th career top-1o Hot 100 single with her and Glorilla’s “Tomorrow 2” remix. One fan replied to her tweet, “Let’s drop the album first and we can talk about a third regardless of that [Wave is] beautiful.”

For what it’s worth, Cardi tweeted in July, “After my album I want to [do] a mixtape with Offset and a Spanish album.” Cardi released her groundbreaking debut album Invasion Of Privacy in April 2018.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

It you’re reading this, it seems fair to assume you are familiar with “Weird Al” Yankovic and his musical stylings. Or, maybe, after all these years, you have heard there’s finally going to be a “Weird Al” biopic and it’s time to finally learn how this guy got his start. It’s true there’s a new biopic (and it’s great), but Weird: The Al Yankovic Story‘s (which will be on the Roku channel November 4th) intention is not historical accuracy. Can you believe “Weird Al” Yankovic made a parody of a biopic?

Though, a movie in which “Weird Al” Yankovic (played by Daniel Radcliffe) releases “Eat It” before Michael Jackson’s “Beat It;” battles drug lord Pablo Escobar; and dates, then feuds with Madonna, with Madonna eventually putting a hit on Al’s life … a case could be made these events aren’t that much more made up than what we saw in Bohemiam Rhapsody. Speaking of Queen, Weird Al tells us he did need their permission for a scene in which “Another One Rides the Bus” is used, which was going to feature young Al meeting Freddie Mercury. Queen said no to the use of Mercury … so Queen bassist John Deacon was used instead (played by David Dastmalchian, which for some reason Queen had no problem with.

Ahead, “Weird Al” Yankovic explains why it’s been so long since he’s written a movie, way back to 1989’s UHF. He looks back at UHF and wonders, well, maybe it was ahead of its time. Why he’s been so happy to see his name alongside Steven Spielberg in recent headlines (including this one). And he tells us that Michael Jackson’s estate had him remove what he thinks was the funniest line in the movie. Also, it’s not lost on Weird Al that another Naked Gun movie is coming (he made cameos in all three prior films) and, yes, he’s already sent Akiva Schaffer (who appears in Weird as Alice Cooper) an email about it.

By the way, when this movie ends, Madonna is, “still at large.” She lives about three blocks from me in New York…

Watch out!

I have half a mind to call the authorities now that I know the truth. She should be in jail for what she did to you.

Oh man. Well, give her my best if you see her around.

I was nine when “Eat It” came out. I’ve got to say, I really remember “Beat It” coming out first. But it’s weird how the child mind works. You remember it one way, but then you learn the truth.

The entire decade of the ’80s was pretty fuzzy for me. I tried to recreate it as best as I remember, but I might have gotten a few things wrong.

That was really clever, the narrative being Michael Jackson was the one who did a parody of your hit song. And then Daniel has the line about what’s the harm being associated with Michael Jackson the rest of your life. How was that plot worked out?

I forget exactly how it was started, but we just thought it would be kind of a funny trope in this movie, at least for that case, to say that my song came first. And we just thought it would be, the way we wrote it at first, it’s just Michael Jackson erasure. And here we find out now, actually Michael Jackson was copying me. And it was, oh yeah, let’s do that.

Didn’t you have a “life story” before? Am I making this up? I remember watching something maybe 20 times on, was it HBO? I can never find it.

No, no. That would’ve been maybe on Showtime. And it was called The Complete Al.

Yes, that’s it…

I guess at the time it was a takeoff on The Complete Beatles. I think that’s been re-released on DVD, if you want to ever track it down.

Oh, I will…

That came out in 1985 and it was a made For Showtime special, which also had a home video release. And it was basically just a way to showcase my music videos. Basically, all my music videos at the time would be these sort of fake biographical, wraparound segments. So in fact, when we first announced that we were doing a biopic, people were like, “Hey, you already did a biopic! You did The Complete Al!” Well, this is a little bit more biopic-y than that.

Daniel Radcliffe is great in this. I love when he was first asked he was like, “I don’t look anything like him,” until he read the script and that didn’t matter. Was there anyone else on your list to play you?

Yeah! Well, Eric Appel and I came up with a list of about a half a dozen or so people that we thought, oh, these people would probably be good in the role. And we both just kept gravitating toward Daniel’s name. We just thought that he would get it. We knew that he was great at comedy, and he was also great at drama. And we need both for this movie, because it’s a comedy obviously, but we need it to play like it’s some extremely serious Oscar-bait Hollywood biopic. And we knew that Daniel would really focus into that tone and really get what we were going for

I can make a case this movie isn’t that more farfetched than Bohemian Rhapsody. The way they just come up with songs is exactly the way you come up with “My Bologna” in this.

I mean, people say that this is not a biopic, but it really is a biopic by Hollywood standards.

Seriously.

It’s not a documentary, it’s inspired by real life. And there are enough nuggets of truth sprinkled throughout that I think you can call it a biopic in that sense. I’ve seen a few more biopics since my movie was done, and I still think, yeah, that’s not any less true than my movie.

In Rocketman, Elton John turns into a rocket and flies into space…

Especially in the Elton John one, they just change stuff around just for the sake of changing it around. Obviously, people don’t levitate off the floor. But, I mean, that’s artistic license. But they do stuff like, facts like, it implies that Elton John picked his name because of John Lennon. And that’s not the case. As a longtime Elton John fan, I know that he picked John because of Long John Baldry. But you have to assume that the producer’s like, Well, I think more people are going to know who John Lennon is, so let’s just make it John Lennon.

I’m assuming there was no real beef in real life with Wolfman Jack, but let’s say Wolfman Jack ever slighted you in any way, if you did have a beef with anyone, you could have a lot of fun with that beef in this movie and then just say you were kidding around.

I worked with Wolfman Jack in 1984, actually. You might be able to find it online. We were co-hosting some Saturday morning preview show on, I forget, maybe ABC, but I forget. But yeah, we co-hosted the show together and we had a perfectly fine time. And I think Eric actually came up with the idea of Wolfman Jack because we had to change gears, because originally we were going to have Freddie Mercury be sort of the main guy in that scene. And that was the one stipulation that the Queen camp had. We gave them the script because they had to approve it for “Another One Rides the Bus.” And they said, “You may not show Freddie Mercury. You cannot even talk about him. Freddie Mercury cannot be in this movie at all.”

They’re really weird about him, in Bohemian Rhapsody they changed a lot of stuff that he didn’t actually do. Wait, but they had no problem with John Deacon showing up then?

Yeah, yeah. Thankfully. I was actually pretty nervous about it because I was told that all the music had been cleared before we started shooting. And then after we were done editing, they said, “Okay, now we need to run this by Michael Jackson’s camp and Queen’s camp.” And I’m like, “What?!” They said, “Well, now they need to sign off on it. We don’t have it really cleared.” And I was freaking out for about a week thinking they’re going to totally destroy this movie. They’re going to say, “You can’t do this, you can’t do this.” But, thankfully, they were good with everything. I think the Michael Jackson estate, they made us take out one line in the movie.

What was the line?

I don’t think I should say.

I don’t want you to get in any trouble.

It was one of my favorite lines, but it’s gone. But yeah, Queen told us right off the bat, no Freddie Mercury, which we did.

So then do you go back and go, “Well, how about John Deacon?”

Well, we didn’t ask them that. We just said, “Okay, well we’ll just do this instead.” Which is why when it went back to them I thought, oh no, I hope they have a good sense of humor about this.

I had not watched UHF in over 30 years. It’s somehow funnier to me as an adult than it was to me when I was 14. Why has it been this long since you’ve done a movie. You’re good at this.

It’s not from lack of trying. I mean, I’ve always wanted to do more in feature films and television, and I just haven’t had that many opportunities. I mean, it was hard to sell this movie. I thought this is a slam dunk! I mean, this is, I think, a really funny script and something that’s really of its time. And we had Daniel Radcliffe attached. And even with all that, people were saying, “Yeah, yeah, it sounds funny, but we’re not interested.” And Roku was literally the only place that said, all right, let’s do it.

Did you feel justification after it got into the Toronto Film Festival? I mean, that’s a tough festival to get into.

I mean, I have to say I’m not surprised that it’s doing really well because I always thought it was a great idea. Yeah, I mean, it’s certainly a lot of vindication to read the headlines, “Spielberg and Weird Al are the winners.”

That’s true. Both your movies won.

Those were the headlines! And I’m thinking about all the people that turned us down and thinking, I wonder if they’re having second thoughts now?

And you parody both Raiders and Close Encounters in UHF. I think the references in UHF, strangely, work better today than they did then. In 1989 people were kind of sick of the ’80s. Now these movies and those references are just part of the culture.

Yeah, I think so. And nostalgia plays a big part in people’s appreciation of UHF because even though it was not a critical darling and it didn’t burn up the box office, I think people, a lot of kids, were exposed to it at that time and it was one of their favorite movies at the time. And they wind up having a strong nostalgic attachment to it. So I think that’s a big part of it as well.

But I don’t have that attachment to it. It’s certainly not nostalgia for me. It’s just really funny.

It could have been that the movie was just years ahead of its time.

I honestly believe that’s true.

Yeah. So some people have said that UHF is sort of the godfather of YouTube. One of the seeds for YouTube.

I could make a case, that scene with the TV lineup and all the shows, except maybe other than The Lice is Right, every other show on there, I can make a case that’s like something that’s on TV right now.

I should get royalties.

They’re making a new Naked Gun. You have to be in this, right?

Well, the second I saw that on Deadline, I emailed Akiva Schaffer and said, “Hey, it’s not really a Naked Gun movie unless there’s a Weird Al cameo. You know that, right?”

Oh wow, you really emailed him?

I did. Yeah. Akiva played Alice Cooper in the movie.

Yeah, I didn’t recognize him at first. That whole scene at the pool party … even Conan O’Brien is there as Andy Warhol. Did you have to call Conan?

I emailed him. And I’m not close with Conan, but I’ve done his TV show a few times. I had been on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend…

I listened to that episode.

And I wasn’t going to, because I thought, Conan doesn’t want to be in this movie. But then he tweeted something about my movie, some kind of joke about my movie, and I thought, well… maybe I’ll reach out. And I said, “Hey, I know that this isn’t something you want to do, but since you mentioned it, you’re more than welcome to do a cameo in my movie.” And he came back and was like, “Sure, let’s do it.”

Who came up with the idea of Andy Warhol?

Either Eric or myself? I mean, that was Eric that had Warhol in the script already and we just thought, oh, maybe we should have Conan do that?

Anyway, I’m so glad you’re finally getting your due, being in headlines with Steven Spielberg. It is about time.

Thank you. Give my best to Madonna.
‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’ will begin streaming this Friday, October 4th via Roku. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Evan Peters delivered a captivating performance in Dahmer, and he apparently went all out to capture the titular serial killer. In a new interview, series creator Ryan Murphy and Peters detailed how the actor went to lengths that will probably have infamous method actor Jeremy Strong taking notes.

On top of devouring every interview with Dahmer, Peters reportedly wore lead weights on his arm to match the killer’s physicality. He also stayed in character “for months,” according to Murphy, which is a heck a lot of time to spend as one of the most disturbing figures in American crime history. Via Variety:

“He has a very straight back. He doesn’t move his arms when he walks, so I put weights on my arms to see what that felt like. I wore the character shoes with lifts in them, his jeans, his glasses, I had a cigarette in my hand at all times,” Evans explained. “I wanted all this stuff, these external things, to be second nature when we were shooting, so I watched a lot of footage and I also worked with a dialect coach to get down his voice.”

Peters was so determined to capture Dahmer’s distinct voice that he created a “45-minute audio composite” that he listened to every single day to match Dahmer’s speaking pattern and, again, get inside the killer’s head where he spent way too much time.

“It was an exhaustive search, trying to find private moments, times where he didn’t seem self conscious, so you could get a glimpse into how he behaved prior to these interviews and being in prison,” Peters said.

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is now streaming on Netflix.

(Via Variety)

For months, we have been hearing about discussions between the Lakers and the Pacers on a potential trade that would send Myles Turner and Buddy Hield to L.A., while Russell Westbrook and the Lakers 2027 and 2029 first round picks would go back to Indiana.

The hold up has always been Indiana’s insistence on getting both of the Lakers’ future firsts, which L.A. has not wanted to give up to this point even as the Westbrook situation has grown more and more contentious. An ankle injury prior to the opener sidelined Turner for the first week of the season, further putting things on the backburner, but he is back in the Indiana lineup and through two games has let his two-way abilities shine.

The Pacers are clearly thinking about the future, with Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin as the centerpieces of their rebuild, but they also know the value of Turner’s combination of shooting and shot-blocking, along with Hield’s value as an elite shooter. As such, they seem fine holding out until the Lakers (or some other team) grow desperate enough to part with picks for both. The Lakers are insistent on waiting 20 games or so before re-engaging on any trade talks, trying to evaluate their team (which is off to a 1-5 start) and where it needs the most help (or whether there’s even enough help out there to be had).

While we likely won’t hear of rekindled talks for a few weeks, that didn’t stop Turner from going on The Woj Pod this week and being as direct as I can remember any player being about trade rumors, as he effectively made the case for why the Lakers should “take a very long look” at pulling the trigger on the trade.

“It’s such an intriguing question,” Turner says. “I think personally when you look at this business of the league and look at the landscape of the league, you have to go off your future — we all know picks are so valuable in this league — and someone like myself, I’m going into the last year of my deal and you want to make sure you’re getting a return for your assets. If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you’re in. I know what I can provide a team — my leadership, my shot-blocking, my three-point ability, and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor. And I’d take a very long look at it, but as far as pulling the trigger, I get paid to shoot not to make these calls so I can’t answer that.”

It’s not often that a player will engage in discussions about trade rumors at all, much less talk about whether another team should give up multiple future firsts for them in a deal. On the other hand, you don’t often have a trade rumor that lingers for four months and it’s hard to blame Turner for making the case to end up in L.A., where he’d at minimum get considerably more attention going into a contract year.

We’ll see if the Lakers heed his advice and eventually view he and Hield as the ones that can take them to the next level, but it’s certainly a valiant effort from Turner to sell the Lakers on it being a good idea.

Halloween weekend has come and gone (not counting actual Halloween today, October 31) and music stars were out in full force, donning some fantastic costumes. One costume pair in particular turned heads, though: Billie Eilish dressed as a baby while apparent boyfriend Jesse Rutherford of The Neighbourhood went as an old man.

This is seemingly a reference to their age gap: Eilish is 20 while Rutherford is 31. The two have apparently known each other since Eilish was 15 and Rutherford was 26, a fact that made some uneasy when their relationship was first rumored. So now, some find their costume to be in bad taste, or at least an interesting decision.

One fan joked, “can’t believe billie eilish and jesse rutherford didn’t dress up for halloween.” Another noted, “so jesse rutherford and billie eilish basically dressed up as a pedophile and a child. great message guys.” Somebody else accused the two of “making fun of grooming.”

Others, though, have argued that Eilish is an adult capable of making her own choices, and that she and Rutherford likely don’t care what the public thinks about them.

Eilish has yet to publicly address the supposed relationship; In a 2020 interview, she noted of her romantic life, “I definitely want to keep that private. I’ve had relationships and kept them private, and even the ones that I’ve had, and the tiny amount that I’ve let the world see, I regret. So, I can’t even imagine… I think about it sometimes. I think about the people that have made their relationships OD public, like, you know what I’m talking about? And then they break up, and it’s like, ‘What if it goes bad?’ And then everybody has this whole opinion on your relationship that they have no idea about. It’s very much not something I’m interested in.”

Check out some more reactions to Eilish and Rutherford’s costumes below.

If you’re a streetwear fan it’s safe to assume 2022 has been incredibly kind to you. From dope sneakers to hot apparel drops, our favorite brands delivered consistently throughout the year for the first time in a minute. After two years of pandemic-induced uncertainty, in 2022 streetwear has felt truly vital.

From big brands like Supreme and Adidas to smaller labels like A Ma Maniére and Cactus Plant Flea Market, all our favorite brands brought their A-games to the table this year — producing all sorts of unexpected brand collaborations and team-ups, sure to level up your wardrobe and have you looking like the freshest person in the room. Whether you’re looking for new apparel to elevate your style or completely change your look or a fresh pair of kicks that’ll have everyone from sneakerheads to casual fashionistas drooling with envy, these collaborations represent the best 2022 has had to offer.

Supreme x Burberry

Any ideas you have about Supreme being a subversive and rebellious youth brand, get rid of them. That’s not what Supreme is anymore, the brand is far from its roots, ditching endless drops of graphic t-shirts for high-end brand collaborations.

It’s sad to see the brand stray so far from its roots (though this isn’t the first time,) but you know what? It also totally works. This is the most vital Supreme has looked in a while and if they have to link up with high-end luxury brands to do it, who cares?

The collection featured jackets, shirts, hats, slides, and luxurious silk pieces, all dressed in Burberry’s iconic color palette with minimal Supreme branding throughout. We never thought we’d see the day when you could buy Supreme branded silk pajamas or that silk pajamas would ever be considered streetwear in the first place, but hey, welcome to 2022.

Shop the Supreme x Burberry collection at your favorite aftermarket site.

Bad Bunny x Adidas Blue Sky Forum

For just over a year now, Adidas has been linking up with Bad Bunny for new iterations on the Forum, Response CL, and Powerphase silhouettes, but this summer’s sky-blue Forum is the best the collaboration has ever looked. Inspired by the beaches and blue skies of Puerto Rico, the Blue Sky Forum featured a low-rise chunky silhouette with a stylish buckle in a monochromatic colorway.

The sneaker sported a mixed leather and suede upper with Bad Bunny iconography on the tongue logo. If Adidas is looking for a replacement for Ye (and we’re sure they are) they might already have it in Bad Bunny. He’s only dropped four sneakers with the brand, but each has been better than the next.

We’re excited to see how this collaboration continues to grow.

Pick up a pair of Bad Bunny x Adidas Blue Sky Forums at aftermarket sites like GOAT.

Cactus Plant Flea Market x McDonald’s

Cynthia Lu’s Cactus Plant Flea Market is one of the hottest brands right now. Beloved by everyone from Frank Ocean to Playboi Carti, few brands in 2022 are quite as beloved by the hype beasts as CPFM — to the point where it feels like each new collection from the brand is an instant hit. Case in point, the latest collection with McDonald’s.

Dropped as part of McDonald’s Adult Happy Meal promotion, Cactus Plant Flea Market made four figurines that retranslated classic McDonald’s characters in CPFM’s unique aesthetic, and while the toys were hyped and are currently selling on sites like eBay for jaw-dropping amounts of money, the real highlight of the collection was the apparel.

The Apparel collection consisted of long-sleeve shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, and sweaters with simple McDonald’s graphics designed by CPFM. It’s the coolest McDonald’s has ever looked in the fast food brand’s entire history and serves as a testament to the power of Cynthia Lu’s design philosophy.

Shop the Cactus Plant Flea Market McDonalds capsule at aftermarket sites like StockX.

Palace x New Balance 580

Palace and New Balance are two brands that are absolutely killing it in 2022, so it’s only natural that the two entities teamed up. For Palace’s first team-up with New Balance, the brand didn’t just drop a new 550 or 990 and call it a day. They could have, and it definitely would’ve sold out, but instead, the brand did something big and we appreciate them for that — they revived the 580 silhouette.

The 580 was a staple of New Balance’s catalog in the ‘90s but the sneaker silhouette had been forgotten until Palace stepped in. For Palace’s 580 the entire upper was draped in hairy suede with a speckled midsole and vintage-inspired dual branding. It opened the gate for even more 580s, including last week’s Stray Rats take on the shoe, which is also pretty notable. We have to give the spot on our list to the OG though.

If the 2010s were all about Supreme and Nike, then the ‘20s belong to Palace and NB.

Find the Palace x New Balance 580s at aftermarket sites like GOAT.

Prada x Adidas Re-Nylon

Prada and Adidas have been working together for a while now, and for the two brand’s third collaboration they dropped an expansive 21-piece collection that consisted of athleisure-inspired basics done in Prada’s high-end minimalist aesthetic.

While the rest of the fashion world prioritizes loose and baggy silhouettes, Prada and Nylon kept things clean and sharp with stylish bucket hats, zip-ups, long jackets, and sleek sneaker silhouettes. The collection is named for the use of Re-Nylon, a new fabric out of Adidas made from recycled plastic waste collected from oceans, fishing nets, and fiber waste that can, according to Adidas, be recycled indefinitely.

We always champion sustainability in fashion, but what makes this collection truly special is that each piece was crafted in Italy by actual Prada artisans.

Shop the Prada x Adidas Re-Nylon collection at aftermarket sites like StockX.

Yohji Yamamoto x New Era Autumn/Winter Collection

Streetwear isn’t what it used to be. What was once a style aesthetic primarily focused on dope graphic t-shirts and hoodies has since become interchangeable with the sort of stuff you’d find on a New York Fashion Week runway. So anytime a brand reaches back into the roots and offers something simple, it catches our attention, like Yohji Yamamoto’s Fall and Winter collection with New Era.

Ironically, Yohji Yamamoto is the type of brand that helped to elevate streetwear into high fashion, but the brand has always had an appreciation for the simplicity of early streetwear and in linking up with Buffalo-based headwear brand New Era, the two brands were able to pay homage to streetwear’s roots with a collection of simple baggy graphic t-shirts and hats.

The t-shirts were inspired by Yamamoto’s take on the mikaeri-bijin artwork of the ukiyo-e woodblock artists of Japan’s Edo period retranslated through a more contemporary lens.

Shop the Yohji Yamamoto x New Era Fall/Winter 2022 Capsule collection at the Yohji Yamamoto webstore.

Balmain X Barbie

Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling has put the famous doll back in the spotlight and the fashion world was quick to use that as an opportunity for a grip of Barbie-inspired clothing collections. The best collection so far has been by way of French luxury brand Balmain, who teamed up with the people at Mattel for a 50-piece collection of ’90s-inspired fits dipped in Barbie pink colorways.

The collection features everything from men’s silk suits, to bodycon dresses, jackets, pants, and accessories printed with Barbie-inspired fonts and a whole lot of pink. A notable thing about this collection is that it’s probably the only Barbie-branded thing to be decidedly unisex in its branding.

Shop the Balmain x Barbie collection at aftermarket sites like StockX.

Moncler x Hiroshi Fujiwara Maya 70 Jacket

In celebration of Moncler’s 70th anniversary, the outerwear brand has been linking up with labels and designers to redesign its iconic glossy Maya puffer jacket. The brand first linked up with Palm Angels’ Thom Browne, but the most notable new take on the jacket comes by way of Fragment Design’s Hiroshi Fujiwara.

You may know Fragment Design as the brand behind Travis Scott’s best Jordan collaboration, and they’ve brought a sporty approach to Monclear’s Maya puffer by infusing it with a varsity-jacket-inspired look, altering the silhouette by giving it a sleeker shape.

It’s a radical reimagining of a classic jacket that actually manages to improve on the original design, which is no easy feat when you’re talking about the very puffer jacket that made puffer jackets cool in the first place.

Buy the Hiroshi Fujiwara x Moncler Maya 70 Jacket at aftermarket sites like StockX.

A Ma Maniére Air Jordan 2 Airness

Watch out Union, A Ma Maniére is coming from your crown as the best Jordan collaborator. The Atlanta-based brand has consistently dropped some of the best Jordan collaborations to date and this year’s Air Jordan 2 Airness is the best the silhouette has ever looked. The sneaker delivers on the original concept of the Peter Moore-designed sneaker by giving this ahead-of-its-time silhouette the full luxury treatment.

Featuring a premium leather upper with quilted lining and a faux snakeskin midsole, the A Ma Maniére Air Jordan 2 Airness is the most luxurious the sneaker has ever looked, and since the original concept of the shoe was to create something that Michael Jordan could rock on the court and at the golf club, we feel like this sneaker truly delivered on the original idea dreamed up by the late Moore. We only wish he was still around to see it.

Find the A Ma Maniére Air Jordan 2 Airness at aftermarket sites like GOAT.

Jeopardy!‘s primetime spinoff, Celebrity Jeopardy!, continued on Sunday with contestants Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Troian Bellisario (Pretty Little Liars), and Hasan Minhaj (Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj). Only Wheaton advanced to the next round, but it’s Minhaj who’s getting most of the attention on social media.

As noted by Yahoo! Entertainment, “in an attempt to bring levity to the game, Hasan often mugged into the camera and answered clues with comedic schtick. Unfortunately, the game is so fast paced that deviating from the natural rhythm often frustrates fans.” That’s clear from a search of Minhaj’s name on Twitter. “I don’t know who Hasan Minhaj is but he’s being so painfully unfunny and cringe on Celebrity Jeopardy rn,” reads one tweet, while another goes, “Hasan Minhaj is definitely the most annoying person on the planet and I can’t believe I watched #CelebrityJeopardy this long before turning it off.”

Some people were fans, however.

Minhaj has “no regrets” for his playing-to-the-camera enthusiasm, nor should he. For one thing, it’s Celebrity Jeopardy!. It’s supposed to be silly. Also, even though the comedian finished with zero dollars, he still raised $30,000 for the International Rescue Committee, which assists those who were affected by the floods in Pakistan.

(Via Yahoo! Entertainment)

At long last, Rihanna made her musical comeback last week with “Lift Me Up.” The song will appear in the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie, and now director Ryan Coogler has revealed what inspired Rihanna to contribute to the film: Chadwick Boseman.

At a recent press event, Coogler said (as Screen Rant notes):

“Look, Rihanna has given us a whole career and a whole catalog of music. And now she’s given us makeup and clothing, and I think the world would understand if she hung up her mic. I completely understand because I love her music so much, but I feel like she’s given all that you could ask for. But the truth is we were looking for a great artist who could tell the story of the film, embrace the themes of the film, and present them to the audience in a different packaging. That’s what Kendrick did so beautifully with the first film, and this film is different. It made sense that it would be a woman, and it made sense that it would be someone who could speak to not necessarily the words but the feeling of motherhood, because that’s a major theme in this film.

And I think it timed up that she was in that kind of space in her life, and she was open. It was really the trailer, I think, when she saw the performances that everybody was putting down. That was what kind of put her over the edge and [made her] say, ‘Hey, I want to see this film. I want to see if I can figure this out.’ …But the truth is, once she played us the record, she said straight up, ‘I did this for Chad.’ It was him, man. And sitting here thinking about it, it’s hitting me right now… Chad brought us all together, you know what I mean? He just keeps on and keeps on giving. I’m just really thankful that Rihanna was the latest gift to join the family, and I can’t wait for folks to see how it’s used in the film.”

Tems, who co-wrote the song, also recently said of it, “After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them. Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”

Every year, Diageo (the massive international alcohol conglomerate) releases its beloved Single Malt Special Releases Collection. It’s like Scotch whisky Christmas Morning and as anticipated as Sazerac Company’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The bottles just landed on my desk, so I’m going to take a deep dive into each one and rank them according to how tasty these whiskies are.

Spoiler alert, they’re all really f*cking tasty.

While all of these whiskies are single malts made from 100% malted barley (peated or unpeated), there really is a massive amount of difference between each one’s flavor profile and overall vibe. That’s accomplished via the aging process both in which barrels were used for the primary maturation and the finishing barrel (if applicable), as well as the actual location of the warehouse around Scotland. Also, one of them technically isn’t a single malt at all. It’s a “Single Grain” whisky made with wheat from the famed but very niche Cameron Bridge Distillery (we’ll get into that later).

Overall, you’re looking at true and quintessential Scotch whisky experiences with these seven bottles while also getting a bit of a flavor tour around Scotland. And brass tacks, these whiskies are never bad or even mediocre. So the ranking is really on my personal palate’s whims and desires. Read those tasting notes, see what speaks to you, and then let that guide your whisky purchases.

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

• All Of Johnnie Walker’s Core Whisky Line, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• Johnnie Walker Vs. Chivas: Which Scotch Whisky Brand Will Win Our Blind Test?
• The Winning Scotch And Bourbon Whiskeys From This Year’s Ascot Awards
• World Class ‘Sipping’ Single Malt Whiskies Under $100, Ranked
• Peated Scotch Blind Taste Test: Our Professional Taster Picks His Earthy Favorites

6. The Singleton of Glen Ord 15-Year-Old

ABV: 54.2%

Average Price: $129

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is a classic that you don’t always see on local shelves. The Singleton of Glen Ord is routed to the Asia-Pacific market almost exclusively. So this is a nice chance to actually get your hands on some of the juice if you’re in the U.S. The actual whisky is aged in refill American and European oak (those are barrels that have already held scotch at least once before) initially and then finished in wine-seasoned casks that have a very light touch (think white wines, not red).

Tasting Notes:

The nose does pop with a dry white wine vibe with a sense of butter, woody spice, and tart red berries next to creamy vanilla with a toffee vibe. The palate stays super creamy with a nice maltiness that’s attached to big bowls of fruit — grapes, melon, blood oranges, apples, pears, and more. There’s a light sense of kosher salt in the mix late that leads to a slow build of peppery spices and sweet marzipan.

Bottom Line:

This is a great, standard unpeated malt. It’s fruity and creamy and feels like it was kissed by white wine oakiness. The only reason it’s last in this ranking is that it wasn’t a super exciting pour of whisky — just a really good one.

5. Cameron Bridge 26-Year-Old

ABV: 56.2%

Average Price: $319

The Whisky:

The Lowland whisky is from the country’s largest grain whisky producer that also makes the famed Haig family of grain whiskies for David Beckham. This single-grain (wheat) Scotch whisky was distilled back in 1992 and left to mellow in refill American oak casks for 26 long years before batching and bottling at cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

The nose has a nice grainy spiciness that leans toward black pepper with a hint of cinnamon-laced toffee before the fruit kicks in with toasted coconut, fresh mango, papaya, and … freshly plucked pea pods. There’s a sweet caramel on the palate that’s accented with more of that spiced toffee, creamy honey, dark and milky chocolate, and a touch of waxiness. The end has a sense of dried red chili pepper heat next to sweet honeycombs and earthy oak.

Bottom Line:

This was really nice and didn’t overdo it on the age with too much woodiness or char. There was a nice balance. Ultimately, this did feel grainier than maltier, though — with a tad more rough-around-the-edges vibe. Still, I’m really splitting hairs there.

4. Clynelish 12-Year-Old

ABV: 58.5%

Average Price: $199

The Whisky:

This unpeated Highland malt was mellowed in refill American oak barrels that held bourbon and then finished in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a subtle mix of mincemeat pies, syrupy pears from the can, floral honey, and a herbal note of maybe bay leaf or sage with a whisper of mint on the nose. The palate has a waxy saltwater taffy vibe tied to vanilla with a soft pepperiness and woody winter spice warmth next to soft toffees. The end is lightly spiced with dried chili pepper and peppercorns next to that soft and waxy vanilla saltwater taffy on the spicy finish.

Bottom Line:

This is delectable and subtle. There’s a nice “classic” single malt whisky vibe that’s equal parts comforting and fresh. That said, I really want to try this in a cocktail with a splash of sweet vermouth and a dash or two of bitters.

3. Lagavulin 12-Year-Old

ABV: 57.3%

Average Price: $149

The Whisky:

This peated Islay whisky is aged in heavily peated American oak refill barrels. That means that the bourbon barrels have held a lot of peated whisky over the years before this whisky went in. Those barrels are vatted with the same whisky that spent years mellowing in virgin oak casks. The resulting blend was bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

This is very Lagavulin from the jump with a subtle ashiness that’s countered by briny peat, cellular floor dirt, old cellar beams, and slate after a briny rain next to singed fruit orchard bark. The palate is lush and sweet with a sense of Lemon Drops singed with a blow torch next to salted lemon rinds and a hint of seared salmon skin with a layer of smoked belly fat still attached. The end amps up the ashy seaside smokiness with a flake or two of salt and dark lemon in the mix.

Bottom Line:

I know burnt Lemon Drops don’t sound appetizing, but Lagavulin’s team has pulled it off here. This really is delicious but is a big and bold peaty whisky, so expect some ash. It’s not licking-the-inside-of-a-cold-Weber-grill ashy but it’s close.

(tied) 2. Talisker 11-Year-Old

ABV: 55.1%

Average Price: $119

The Whisky:

This classic lightly-peated Talisker is aged by the sea in American oak, ex-bourbon first fill, refill casks, and wine-seasoned casks. Those barrels are batched and then bottled as-is after 11 years of quiet mellowing.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of seaside campfires far down a rainy beach next to a fruit orchard with a hint of nori sheets, old boat rope, and a dash of brown wintry spices on the nose. The palate leans into the oiliness of the nori with a slightly singed salmon skin vibe, smoked fish oils, and a touch of that distant campfire next to smoked plums and apricots with a hint of salted pear chips and dry red chili pepper. The end has a long meander through a pebble beach with sea salt, smoked pear, and briny seaweed salad next to a hint of fatty smoked salmon bellies with a black and red pepper crust.

Bottom Line:

This is wonderfully nuanced and full of maritime sensations. The overall texture is luxurious and welcoming with a mild peatiness that’s never overpowering. It’s truly a masterpiece of whisky.

(tied) 2. Cardhu 16-Year-Old

ABV: 58%

Average Price: $179

The Whisky:

This Speyside unpeated malt was aged in refill and re-charred American oak bourbon barrels for 16 years. That whisky was then refilled into Jamaican pot still rum-seasoned casks for a final rest before vatting and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a definite sense of aura of funky rumminess with a hint of barrel char and grilled tropical fruits with plenty of brown spices — clove, allspice, nutmeg — surrounded by creamy lemon meringue pie, mango lassi, and freshly washed sheets flapping in the summer breeze (it’s wildly engaging and kind of weird but I love it). The palate has a rummy toffee syrup mood with spiced rum cocktails cut with banana bread, walnuts, and brown butter with a hint of brandy-soaked oak staves. The end has a light black pepperiness with more of that rummy barrel funk and soft and sweet (not acidic) tropical fruit.

Bottom Line:

This was really freakin’ good. It was a journey and was the best unpeated single malt (or single grain) whisky by far.

1. Oban 10-Year-Old

ABV: 57.1%

Average Price: $109

The Whisky:

This lightly peated Highland whisky from the tiny Oban Distillery is rendered from refill and new American oak barrels. That whisky is vatted and then refilled into Amontillado-seasoned casks for a final rest before batching and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a lithe sense of lemon/lime saltwater taffy wrapped in white wax paper with a hint of lime leaves and wild sage next to salted smoked lemons and tangerines with a hint of really good and cloudy extra virgin olive oil speckled with smoked sea salt and freshly cracked red peppercorns. The palate is silken and full of layers of smoked grapes, smoked plums, and salted chili pepper candies with a fleeting sense of violet and lavender creaminess tied to a lush vanilla underbelly. The end has a mild woody chili pepper spiciness that’s dry and leads to a limber finish with warmth, lightly caramelized malts, and smoked apricot jam with brandy cream.

Bottom Line:

This had a wonderful texture of pure lusciousness throughout. It was enticing and complex while feeling convivial and somehow light and fresh. This really is a stellar whisky that transcends peated/unpeated. Ultimately, it’s just really f*cking good.

While many of us don’t enjoy the dark days and cold weather that the changing of the seasons brings, we rep hard for the scary movies, candy, and ridiculous, creative costumes October has to offer. And pairing your Halloween shenanigans with a frosty, cold beer (or three)? Well, that’s just smart, is all.

But we don’t want to combine our Halloween fun with just any beer. Bring on the dark, malevolent, creepy brews.

Naturally, pumpkin beers still make an appearance during October but this list of creepy, ghostly beers is more than just gourd-centered. Keep reading to see all of the best Halloween beers to drink this year. Did we rank them? Of course we did.

8) New Holland Ichabod

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $11.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Even if you never read the story “The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, you know the premise. Ichabod Crane is a schoolteacher who happens upon the “headless horseman” late one gloomy night. This seasonal pumpkin ale is made with malted barley, real pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find some cinnamon, cloves, and maybe some ginger, but not much else. Not much of a pumpkin smell on the nose. The palate is lightly vegetal pumpkin mixed with cinnamon, cloves, wintry spices, and light hops. Overall, fairly watery and not a ton of pumpkin flavor.

Bottom Line:

This beer drinks more like a lager than a pumpkin beer. It’s fairly light and muted in flavor. Not an overly exciting beer for Halloween ragers.

7) Flying Dog The Fear

ABV: 9%

Average Price: $14.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

There might not be a more aptly and simply named Halloween beer than Flying Dog Fear. You might not fear it, but you definitely want to give this 9% ABV imperial pumpkin ale the respect it deserves. While it’s a well-balanced beer, it gets its pumpkin flavor from 300 pounds of pumpkin per 50 barrels.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is a mix of bready malts, toffee, vegetal pumpkin, cinnamon, and spices. Drinking it revealed slightly bitter pumpkin, butterscotch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and more spices. Fairly generic. A little boozier than most pumpkin beer fans are used to.

Bottom Line:

The word that I would use to describe Flying Dog The Fear is just “okay.” It’s not bad and it’s not great either. Boozy, light in flavor, and just fine.

6) Allagash Haunted House

ABV: 6.66%

Average Price: $14.999 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

Listed as “Hoppy Dark Ale”, this seasonal favorite from Allagash is brewed with roasted barley and Blackprinz malt before being hopped with Crystal, Chinook, and Saaz hops. It’s known for its mix of malts, hops, and bitter, roasted flavors.

Tasting Notes:

A nose of roasted malts, bitter chocolate, toffee, and coffee meets your nose before your first sip. The palate is highlighted by flavors like roasted malts, dark chocolate, fresh brewed coffee, and a nice kick of piney, floral hops at the end. The finish is a mix of malts and hops and it’s surprisingly dry.

Bottom Line:

This is a well-made beer and a seasonal favorite for a reason. The only thing that keeps it from landing higher on the list is the mix of roasted malts and bright, floral hops might not appeal to the palates of all drinkers.

5) Southern Tier Warlock

ABV: 10%

Average Price: $14.99 for a four-pack

The Beer:

When it comes to spooky Halloween tales, we seem to hear unending stories about witches, but it’s time for warlocks to get their due. Thanks to the folks at Southern Tier, they are. This 8.6% ABV fall seasonal imperial stout is brewed with ale yeast, four different malts, CTZ hops, pumpkin, and various fall spices.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is loaded with aromas of pie crust, dark chocolate, candied pecans, light pumpkin, and fall spices. The palate is centered on roasted malts, more nutty sweetness, sweet pumpkins, nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate, and coffee. The finish is a warming mix of sweetness, spice, and roasted malts.

Bottom Line:

This is a great example of a well-balanced pumpkin imperial stout. All of the various flavors are in perfect balance without anything dominating too much. It’s a well-made seasonal beer.

4) AleSmith Evil Dead Red

ABV: 6.66%

Average Price: $5.50 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

If you’re looking to reach back into the world of horror nostalgia this Halloween season, we suggest watching the 1981 film Evil Dead (not the recent remake) starring the highly underrated Bruce Campbell. Make the evening even better by pairing it with this 6.66% ABV hop-fueled, bready malt-filled red ale.

Tasting Notes:

Pine, grapefruit and various IPA aromas start the nose off strong. It moves into bready malts and sweet caramel malts. The palate continues this trend with more toffee, vanilla, citrus zest, and piney, dank hops. It’s a complicated beer that needs to be sipped to be believed.

Bottom Line:

This seasonal favorite is a great mix of hops and malts. It’s loaded with citrus, pine, and caramel malt flavors, all with a pleasing, dry finish.

3) Rogue Dead Guy

ABV: 6.8%

Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

There are few beer labels as macabre and spooky as Rogue Dead Guy. It’s literally a creepy, cult-like skeleton. Luckily, the beer inside isn’t as scary. This German-style Maibock is made with Pacman yeast, 2-row, C15, and Munich malts. It gets its hop presence from the addition of Perle and Sterling hops.

Tasting Notes:

Complex aromas of sticky toffee, caramel, chocolate, bready malts, and floral, lightly piney hops can be found on this beer’s nose. The palate is loaded with flavors like honey, more bread-like malts, butterscotch, and more herbal, slightly resinous hops. Bready, caramel, and light hop presence — this beer has it all.

Bottom Line:

Rogue Dead Guy is a year-round beer but it’s most well-suited for fall drinking because of its caramel, malty flavor profile. It’s even better than its classic label.

2) Great Lakes Nosferatu

ABV: 8%

Average Price: $12.50 for a six-pack

The Beer:

1922’s Nosferatu starring Max Shreck just celebrated its 100th birthday. What better way to celebrate this iconic vampire tale than by imbibing a beer inspired by it? Great Lakes Nosferatu is a red IPA brewed with 2-row, Crystal 77, and Special Roast malts. It’s hopped with Simcoe and Cascade hops.

Tasting Notes:

Pine needles, caramel, bready malts, floral hops, and orange zest are prevalent aromas on the nose. Taking a sip brings forth notes of roasty malts, toffee, brown sugar, tangerine, and resinous, dank pine. The finish is a nice mix of malt sweetness and hop bitterness.

Bottom Line:

If you’re an IPA drinker who doesn’t want to give up on his or her favorite style once fall hits, this is the beer for you. While it has a nice roasty malt, caramel backbone, it has a heavy enough hops presence to please the biggest IPA fans.

1) 3 Floyds Zombie Dust

ABV: 6.8%

Average Price: $14.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This year-round, 6.5% ABV pale ale is consistently ranked as one of the best on the market. This hoppy beer gets its bold flavor from the addition of Citra hops. Its label is adorned with a zombie king and it’s the perfect accompaniment to your favorite zombie TV show or movie.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is all ripe grapefruit, tangerine, caramelized pineapple, bready malts, and light pine. The palate follows suit with more pineapple as well as mango, guava, grapefruit, caramel malts, and lightly floral, dank pine. The finish is a mix of sweetness and floral, piney, slightly bitter hops.

Bottom Line:

While there are some great beers on this list, none are as well-made as 3 Floyds Zombie Dust. This is a borderline perfect pale ale. Grab a sixer and watch 28 Days Later.